Trends tend to be ‘Marmite’ by nature – some we love (any that flatter our good bits and conceal the bad) and others we hate (harem pants). But there are certain pieces in our wardrobe that we can churn out season after season without anyone scoffing, “urgh, fringing? That was, like, so two years ago.” (in my head, fashion snobs talk like they’re in an American teen movie… apparently). They’re classic, timeless and work effortlessly alongside trends that are outdated in a flash. This is by no means a definite list (refer to Nina Garcia’s ‘The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Stylish Woman Must Own’), but a few of the following items will see you stylishly through till spring, regardless of what S/S2011’s key looks have to offer:

1. Topshop ruched sleeve blazer – £60
2. French Sole Sturdy ballet flats – £89.87
3. French Connection bangle set – £18
4. Michael Kors rose gold bangle watch – £179
5. Accessorize silk scarf – £12
6. River Island pink pleated skirt – £24.99
7. Office camel suede boots – £45
8. Topshop Boutique leather biker jacket – £225
9. Jones Bootmaker Taken brown croc bag – £110
10. Uniqlo cashmere v-neck sweater – £49.99
11. Oasis tailored flare black dress – £60
12. Principles by Ben de Lisi belted mac – £42.50
13. Prada sunglasses – £190
14. Daisy by Marc Jacobs eau de toilette – £52.50
15. Essie nail polish in Chinchilly – £9.95
16. MAC lipstick in Russian Red – £13.50

Jan Constantine is the queen of British textiles and home accessories. Whether you’re a fan of the country cottage look, Cool Britannia, fresh seaside style or just really really well-made products, then you need to invest in one of these “heirlooms of the future.” And now is a perfect time to do so with the current sale featuring a number of her most popular items. Constantine’s website – which I visit with a stalker-like frequency – also contains images filled with design ideas and inspiration. Bring a little Peace and Love into your home:


{linen floral peace cushion / wool love cushion / stars tea cosy / american star banner / crewel draught excluder / daisy cushion / velvet diamante love lavender heart / boat lavender bag}

If you’re anything like me then you will have spent an inordinate amount of time asleep over the Christmas holiday period. There aren’t many feelings better than waking up believing it’s a work day and you have to leave your warm duvet cocoon, before realising that you have nowhere to go but back to the land of nod. Having always been a fan of LivingEtc’s online galleries, I scrolled through their incredibly chic pages of inspiration and decided that if I were to need any more sleep (yes, it’s possible, I have the sleeping abilities of an 80-year-old), then these would be exactly the kind of places I’d want to lay my head:

{images via LivingEtc}

Hemlines have turned decidedly prudish this season, so if you’re a fan of flashing your pins, this trend may not be for you. To avoid looking like a cross between Miss Marple and your old R.E. teacher, pair your midi skirt with a simple vest top or a low-cut cardigan cinched with a skinny belt, or unleash your inner Angelina and opt for leather. And if you’ve still got frump-fear, a pencil skirt is the perfect way to stay the right side of prim… add a pussy bow blouse and some ladylike pumps, and you’re good to go.

1. Topshop black pleated midi skirt – £38
2. River Island brown herringbone skirt – £24.99
3. Next khaki mid-length skirt – £30
4. Oasis bow tucked pencil skirt – £45
5. Jigsaw silk chiffon floral print skirt – £99
6. Jasper Conran mauve rainwear skirt – £42

As featured in UK InStyle magazine, January 2011

{words & images via InStyle}
on looks not being important: “I never really felt that was an obligation, to show that I can be – and I’m going to say this in quotes – ‘a pretty girl’. I mean, look at me.”
on her tough upbringing: “I wouldn’t change my childhood for anything. The hardships, not having money – there were negatives. I could have reacted by saying, ‘I’m going to be a loner’. Instead, I thought, ‘That’s how you can choose to look at me, but I’m going to make sure that I don’t look at people like that’. I’m not ever going to treat a kid that way.”
on still using coupons: “Just because I have some money now, I wouldn’t? That doesn’t make sense to me. I see it as a dollar in my pocket. People around me laugh, because I have a deeper understanding of what a dollar gets you and how far to make that dollar go. No wonder my closet is a hodgepodge. I have everything from Louboutins to Gap. You don’t have to have a brand name on to be stylish. You can mix it all together and it works.”
on bouncing back: “You hear people say, ‘Oh, I didn’t get that bonus’, or ‘I got fired’. And look, I’ve experienced not getting the bonus and I’ve gotten fired. I feel it and I say, ‘That sucks’. I get depressed. I cry. I have my feelings. I don’t gloss over them. But then, after that I pick myself up, brush myself off and say, ‘Why did this happen? What am I supposed to learn?’”