Happy Friday everyone! Spring has definitely been in the air this week, with the temperature in the capital yesterday hitting a practically tropical 15°C. This weekend I’ll be staying in London, catching up with friends at a restaurant that I’ve been dying to try out since it opened, working hard on getting {weddings you fancy} ready to launch next month, and hopefully watching either The King’s Speech or The Social Network (I know, I’m so behind, although I’m a still freaked out by my Black Swan experience) before the Big Event on Sunday night. For me, though, it may be a little more about the dresses, I have to be honest… you can expect a full report on the Oscar’s red carpet fashion on Tuesday. Best of luck to Colin! I know he’ll do us Brits proud.

{images via pinterest, Into the Fold, Coralie Bickford-Smith & This is Your Kingdom}
1 – I’m always jealous that the US gets to see all the Oscars action live without having to stock up on Red Bull and pull an all-nighter (oh, memories from uni)… but a pre-Oscars party could be a solution. Invite friends round and don your swishiest gowns, serve Champagne cocktails and popcorn, and have your favourite films playing in the background whilst you choose your best-dressed stars from past years (stand-outs for me have been Jennifer Lopez in 2003 and Reece Witherspoon in 2007). For an event planner I’m extremely disorganised, but I will do this next year!
2 – If you’ve never been on Camilla’s fashion blog ‘Into the Fold’, then please do so when you get a chance. Now, I don’t know about you, but when I was 14 I had acne issues, was sporting hypercolour t-shirts and really knew nothing about myself. This 14-year-old, on the other hand, writes like a pro features journalist and carries a Mulberry Alexa like, “yeah, it’s my school bag, what of it?”. Maybe being American-Danish is some magical hybrid combination that grants you natural wit and maturity in your teens, but whatever it is, she’s hilarious. For example, she named her Tumblr account ‘Astrid’ because, “I wanted to name my future baby girl that, but then I changed my mind, but then I wanted to name SOMETHING Astrid, you get the idea”. She might not be to everyone’s taste, but I love clever writing and random commentary, and ‘Into the Fold’ has it by the bucketload.
3 – Shiny pink peep-toes with a fancy schmancy heel. Seriously, Monsieur Louboutin is really spoiling us with these beauties. All they need is skinny jeans, a white tank top and a blazer, and you’re good to go. Also, I’m trying out a little experiment: my blog as a handy and not-at-all-cheeky gift list for my 30th birthday in June. Somewhere for family/boyfriend/friends to pick up SUBTLE hints. I’ll let you know my findings.
4 – Love these vintage book covers by Coralie Bickford-Smith – not only do they look gorgeous on your book-shelf, they’re a great way of encouraging magazine fiends like me to read the classics. I don’t think the fact that I’ve read no.75 about 243 times makes up for my performance on the rest of this list.
5 – When I came across this beautiful website, I soon realised that it was created by a girl who used to live with a good friend of mine (Congrats on the site, Hannah, what a fantastic idea!) – small world. TiYK came to be after two friends agreed, “how wonderful it would be to create an online community where people could both discover and share invaluable insider snippets of local knowledge.” It currently covers London and a few other counties (but I’m sure it will grow to encompass the whole of the UK), and readers can discover hidden gems in their region where they can “eat, drink, walk, think, potter, ponder, snuggle, shop or sleep”. Celebrating what’s great about Britain? I’m all for it.

{images via prphotos & pinterest}
I recognise that I have a verging-on-the-unhealthy obsession with OP and her fashion choices, and I did try to find someone whose ensemble I preferred this week… but I went with my motto: If in doubt, go Palermo. The fact that she sat next to Pixie Geldof at LFW, who looked like she’d just rolled out of bed and dressed for the gym, only highlighted the immaculate outfits (oh yes, there were many) of this New York socialite. So, please Olivia, dress down next week… give the other ladies a chance. Finally, here’s a bathroom that may not have a bath (and usually a bathroom without a bath is a deal-breaker for me), but I’m a big fan of the double basin action and that rug. Mornings wouldn’t be half as bad if you had this to greet you.
I hope you have a superb weekend whatever you’re doing and wherever you may be…

There’s really not much that hasn’t been said about Diane Kruger’s style, so I won’t drain on too much. I swear the woman has got some kind of fashion-savvy super power… I’ve even trawled the internet to try and find a bad outfit situation, just to see if I could. Suffice to say it was a big fat fail. It only resulted in me becoming a little bitter and taking an instant dislike to my entire wardrobe. Thing is, one of her neighbours in Paris is apparently Karl Lagerfeld (who is also her mentor), which quite frankly is just cheating:

On a positive note: you too can look like Ms Kruger! Seriously, you can! Since bright and bold colour is the trend of the moment (Jil Sander being the main culprit), I narrowed a selection of about 127 potential Diane outfits down to these three vibrant looks:

{1. Miso pleated mesh dress – £10 / 2. Dune Joe Po boot – £88 / 3. Accessorize pewter clutch bag – £16}

{1. New Look t-shirt dress – £19.99 / 2. Next red lock bag – £35 / 3. ASOS Finlay leather sandals – £12}

{1. Very woven fedora – £15 / 2. Nica Alicia handbag – £39 / 3. Dorothy Perkins nude patent Mary Jane shoes – £35 / 4. Uniqlo cashmere cardigan – £59.99 / 5. Adam crepe pencil skirt – £64.50}

* yes yes, I know…

New York Fashion Week AW2011 passed in a blur of show-hopping, goodie bags and after-parties… I mean, I wasn’t there (lack of, er, invitation), but it’s the impression I got from the avid fash-pack tweeters. I have poured over each of the collections and have been thinking about different ways in which I can present my highlights to you without it being a mega-involved 2-page image extravaganza. I’m certainly not here to dictate what you must be wearing. I love to report on the trends that I rate and the catwalk looks that I admire… after all, there’s no point me harping on about wearing head-to-toe orange if I think it looks mildly ridiculous (just an example! Done right it can look amazing. Yes, Kate Bosworth, I’m talking about you). I promise that I will never write about, or post images of, anything that I’m not 100% passionate about. Fact.

So, with that in mind, here’s the deal: I’m going to bring you my favourite look from each of the Big Hitters, and the themes that ran through the shows. Et voilà, NYFW in a nutshell! Who needs the glamour of a front-row seat in the Bryant Park tents?! (well, come to mention it…):

{images via prphotos}
Stand-out collections for me were Jason Wu, Carolina Herrera, and our own VB (the evolution from her structured dresses was a big talking point at NYFW). There was a real mixture of trends – both dark and bright colours, a full spectrum of textures, and everything from the 20s to the 70s to modern-day. One thing’s for sure, AW2011 is not going to be dull!
Coming soon, highlights from LFW… stay tuned!

It’s Friday at last, and this weekend I’m looking forward to heading home to the country (a.k.a. my roots!), spending precious time with family and just generally relaxing after what’s been one of those work weeks when you feel like everything’s been thrown at you.
I frequently come across images/features/stories that inspire me or that bring me joy, but perhaps not enough to dedicate a whole post to… so as a new feature I will be bringing you a round-up each Friday of what’s caught my eye during the week. So here goes:

{images via Tibi, Anthropologie, BHLDN, M&S & pinterest}
1 – Whenever Olivia Palermo steps out she elicits sighs from the female population… and never more so than when she’s dressing up in Tibi’s finest, with the styling all down to her. Perfection.
2 – These bowls are listed under their dining section, but I would fill them with jewellery and odds and ends… practical and oh-so-stylish.
3 – BHLDN (pronounced “beholden”) is the newest offspring of Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters… it’s pure unadulterated eye candy, and is perfect for anyone looking to have a whimsical or vintage-style wedding.
4 – I heart Kirstie Allsopp. She makes homemade loveliness, she gushes about all things house-related the way I do, and her banter with Phil never fails to amuse me. America, you may have Martha, but we have Kirstie… and she’s miles better. As she proves with her range for M&S.
5 – Ok, so I hate the commercial side of V-Day… but the sentiment behind it? You got me, I’m a sucker for love. Understated but never insignificant acts of kindness and love are a winner in my book. And I’m lucky enough to experience them every day ♥

{images via prphotos & pinterest}
Let’s round off the week with Emily Blunt looking uber-stylish in Elie Saab for the premiere of The Adjustment Bureau in New York (very ‘ballerina chic’), and a closet that displays possessions almost like a piece of art… add a chandelier and a velvet chair, and it couldn’t get much better. What do you think of my choices?
I hope you have a wonderful weekend whatever you’re doing and wherever you may be…

As Miranda Priestly put it so disdainfully, “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” But you know what? We need them… we need them to remind us of what’s around the corner, along with light evenings, holidays, picnics, pub gardens, and days off work because Kate and Wills are getting hitched. It’s all too exciting. So yes, Miranda, florals for spring. They’re pretty, they’re cheerful and they put a smile on our winter-weary faces. What more could a girl ask for?

{images via Cherry Blossom Girl, Cath Kidston, Zara, Welbeck Tiles, tumblr, pinterest & House to Home}


{1. Fashion Union floral blouse – £18 / 2. Dorothy Perkins poppy print dress – £38 / 3. Fashion Union pleat dress – £30 / 4. Accessorize Amalfi printed clutch – £25 / 5. Evans floral bangle – £12.50 / 6. Rare print shorts – £26 / 7. Dorothy Perkins floral scarf – £20 / 8. Topshop red playsuit – £50 / 9. Fashion Union wide leg playsuit – £28 / 10. Emily and Fin Rosie top – £14 / 11. Miso floral dipped hem dress – £24.99 / 12. New Look frill sleeve top – £22.99 / 13. Monsoon scarf necklace – £15}

{1. Roberto Cavalli printed cotton top – £800 / 2. Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti silk-chiffon maxi dress – £800 / 3. Thread Social silk and cotton-blend playsuit – £315 / 4. Erdem Fuji silk satin dress – £910 / 5. Oscar de la Renta flower earrings – £305 / 6. Tibi Madeline silk-blend dress – £141.75 / 7. Yves Saint Laurent flower ring – £115 / 8. Jonathan Saunders stretch silk skirt – £695 / 9. Emilio Pucci silk-blend sundress – £471}