Category Archives: Fashion

Standing tall

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Before I had children I never wore flat shoes. Ever. (I also had never changed a nappy, cooked a meal from scratch or visited a branch of John Lewis but that’s another story) Since becoming a mum, I don’t seem to wear anything but flats, whether it’s ballerinas, flip-flops, Converse or biker boots, unless it’s for a night out. Being only 5’2″ I need all the extra height I can get and lately I’ve been thinking that adding an inch or two to my daytime footwear wouldn’t be such a bad idea. In my experience, wearing a bit of a heel improves posture by making one stand up straighter, slims the silhouette and boosts confidence. As luck would have it, there are some really stylish mid-height sandals around at the moment. Here’s my pick of the best:

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Swedish Hasbeens, £145

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Kurt Geiger, £95

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Whistles, £155

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Topshop, £55

 

 

Princess Madeleine of Sweden’s stunning wedding dress

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Yesterday was a big day in Sweden as Princess Madeleine, the younger sister of Crown Princess Victoria, married US financier Christopher O’Neill. Her stunning dress was designed by Valentino who came out of retirement to create the gown. Made from silk organdies with applications of ivory Chantilly lace,  the dress featured a full skirt trailed by a statement-making 4-meter long train.

Over 400 guests attended the wedding in Stockholm with Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, representing the UK’s Royal family. The 30-year-old princess has been based in New York since 2010 and the newlyweds were expected to return to the US this week.

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Save or Splurge?

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Those of you who follow me on Instagram have already seen my latest style crush – a pair of canary yellow stilettos from Whistles. The only reason they’re not mine yet is that I hesitate to spend £125 on a pair of shoes in a colour that is such a departure from my normal choice of palette. It took a lot of willpower to walk away when I spotted them in a store earlier this week though!

Then I came across this pair from Topshop (on the left in the picture above) for a more purse friendly £58. The colour is slightly darker and quality wise I would hazard a guess that the Whistles pair would come out on top. But I also have a feeling that these shoes are more of a one-season wonder than a future wardrobe staple so going for the budget alternative is probably the sensible option.

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The Fashion Clinic #2: Festival Style

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Festival season is upon us again and these days there is a festival to suit every taste, whether you’re a music lover, foodie, book buff, or budding thespian. Choosing what to wear to a festival can be tricky , especially if you’re camping for a night or two and need outfits that will see you through from day to night. It might be a bit of a cliche but personally I don’t think you can go wrong with a touch of boho. A pristine white shirt, high heeled shoes or anything skin tight will not only look wrong but is also not practical for a weekend of outdoor living. Here is my low-down on the essential festival pieces this season:

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1.Hopefully the sun will be out but even if it’s not you’ll more than likely need a pair of shades to hide the dark circles under your eyes – festivals are not a time to catch up on the beauty sleep. Sunglasses from Stella McCartney at Shopbop.

2. Ditto a hat will not only protect against the rays but also save you from a bad hair day. Hat from Nelly

3 and 6 – Pretty patterned dresses add a hippie chick vibe and can be layered over leggings and a long-sleeved T-shirt when the temperature drops. Both of these dresses are from Asos – find them here and here.

4. This pretty top from Anthropologie is perfect teamed with a pair of boyfriend jeans or

5. these lace trimmed shorts from New Look.

7.Even if the weather is on your side, stilettos are not ideal for negotiating acres of fields or indeed making your way back to the tent after dark. These flat sandals from KG by Kurt Geiger, available from Asos, are a much better bet.

8. Keep the chill and rain out with this dip hem parka from Oasis.

9. Accessorise with a pretty friendship bracelet from Links of London.

10. Whether it’s raining or not, Hunter wellies are a festival classic. There is a huge selection of colours but this pair in Graphite will go with everything.

The perfect summer dress – only £7 from H&M

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hmdresses

Being Swedish I have always had a soft spot for H&M – after all, along with ABBA and Ikea, it is arguably the country’s most famous export. While I do shop there in the colder months, it is in the summer that the store really comes into its own for me. When the sun is out I want clothes that are comfortable to wear and can be thrown into the washing machine on a 40 degree wash after a trip to the beach or picnic in the park. I don’t want to spend a fortune on pieces that will only be worn for three months of the year (if that, given the last couple of dismal summers we’ve had!).

It’s in the autumn/winter that I tend to buy my investment or ‘forever’ pieces – the perfect jumper in the softest cashmere or the pure wool coat that nips in at the waist just so – that come with a ‘daren’t quite look’ price tag and a dry clean only label. That’s not to say that I throw my H&M or other budget finds into the charity bag at the end of each season. Many of them become firm favourites which are brought out from the under the bed storage box where I keep all my summer clothes every year when the temperature soars. I have one white H&M skirt, bought in the summer of 2005 when Sienna Miller’s boho look was all the rage, that is still one of my favourite summer pieces.

This morning I visited my local branch and exited with four pretty and flattering dresses, with change left over from £30. The dress with crochet detailing was  on special offer (£7, down from £12.99 which is not exactly expensive either) so I bought it in three colour ways as well as a grey T-shirt dress for £7.99. If that’s not good value I don’t know what is!

Liberty ♥ Marc by Marc Jacobs

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MJ collectionjpg

It’s a match made in style heaven: Marc by Marc Jacobs and luxury department store Liberty have teamed up to create an exclusive collection of accessories in the iconic Liberty print. As you would expect from such a partnership, the result is nothing short of stunning.

Two classic ditsy floral prints, Emma & Georgina and Wiltshire, have been selected from the Liberty archive of over 40,000 prints to adorn five of the designer’s Pretty Nylon styles: a tote bag, tablet case, mini make-up bag, cosmetics case and backpack. I love both the prints but if pushed I would probably choose Emma & Georgina, which is a mix of two tiny dense floral designs inspired by Liberty’s large collection of Victorian pattern books. I’ve got my eye on the tablet case and the smaller make-up bag – both would be perfect to bring on holidays and weekends away.

The Marc by Marc Jacobs x Liberty collection is now available to buy in store and online exclusively at Liberty.

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A touch of neon

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Blazing hues of orange were all over the Spring/Summer 13 catwalks and while I’m no slave to trends, I do like my wardrobe to at least incorporate a nod to the current season. And let’s face it, after three children I’m unlikely to embrace the bare midriff trend also spotted at the SS13 fashion shows.

I have to confess that I am not entirely comfortable with bright colours, preferring to stick to a more muted palette of black, grey, navy, and white. If I do venture near them I tend to steer away from yellow and orange and choose the colours at the colder end of the spectrum like pink and blue. But comfort zones are there to break out of and this week I’m really tempted by this neon stripe sweater from J. Crew. The orange is brighter in real life than it looks in the picture but combined with the white, the effect is crisp and fresh, especially when teamed with denim. As luck would have it, the sweater is currently on sale on the J.Crew website (link)

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If I was really brave I would crank up the neon look a bit further and add this Comme de Garcons clutch bag and Marc by Marc Jacobs sandals (both from My Wardrobe) to complete the outfit.

Orange Collage

Currently Coveting # 2

Posted in Currently Coveting, Fashion by

Coveting 2Collage

Hmm, I really thought that by now my wish list would have moved on to summer dresses and sandals but unfortunately the weather here in England is still more akin to October than May. And late May at that – in just over a week it will officially be summer! Anyway, enough about the depressing weather and onto the pieces that have caught my eye this week.

First up is a gorgeous blazer from Whistles which, because it’s made from a heavy jersey fabric, manages to straddle that tricky divide between smart and casual. The Jimmy Jimmy boyfriend skinny jeans by my fave denim brand Paige (available from Shopbop) are a must-have this season and can be teamed with the Breton striped T-shirt by Saint James for J. Crew for a crisp summer look with a touch of French chic. I am slightly obsessed with brightly coloured shoes at the moment and while yellow is a colour I would never wear near my face (unless it is in the palest lemon shade), on a pair of shoes it is perfect. This pair are from Whistles, which also has the same style in a more demure salmon pink or beige. Rose gold makes a change from my usual silver jewellery and the friendship bracelets from Monica Vinader are among the cutest accessories I’ve seen this season.

American Vintage + Becksondergaard = My daily uniform

Posted in Daily Musings, Family Life, Fashion by

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I once read an interview with Vivienne Westwood where she said that she likes to wear the same outfit two days in a row so that every other day she doesn’t have to think about what to wear. It sounds like a great strategy but with three children, the youngest of whom is only two, my outfits rarely remain presentable for more than one day (if that!). I love fashion, but when the alarm goes off at 6.45am and I’m racing against the clock to get the kids off to school and nursery I don’t have the time or head space to think about experimenting with new looks.

So just like my boys have their school uniform I have selected some pieces that form the basis of my ‘mummy uniform’. It won’t set any catwalk alight but it’s comfortable to wear, looks good and can easily take me from the school run to a lunch date or shopping trip. Good basics are the backbone of any functional wardrobe and you can’t beat French label American Vintage with its flattering T-shirts made from the softest Supima cotton in a vast array of colours from neutrals to mouthwatering sorbet shades. I admit that I’m somewhat addicted to scarves and probably buy far too many, but they’re such an easy way to add a bit of colour or change the look of an outfit. My go-to scarf label is Danish brand Becksondergaard which has a huge selection of scarves adorned with stars, stripes, hearts or skulls.

Add a pair of Paige Denim Skyline jeans (their 29″ ankle peg cut is perfect for shorties like me as there is no need to take up the hem) and, depending on the season and weather, some biker boots or ballerinas and I’m good to go!

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Party time for young and old(er)!

Posted in Family Life, Fashion, Products I love by

Party Collage

Much like the run-up to Christmas, the months of June and July are prime time for social gatherings and the calendar is already filling up with summer parties and birthday celebrations. There is not much that beats a glass of Pimm’s or two in the company of good friends on a balmy summer’s evening (hopefully a few warm days will be coming our way again!)

We have three parties lined up in the next few weeks and, having booked the babysitters, I can now concentrate on the more fun dilemma of deciding what to wear. As all three events will be attended by the same crowd of friends I want to vary my outfits without spending a fortune on new things. You can’t go wrong with an LBD and my go-to party outfits for this time of year are a short-sleeved knee-length black dress and a strapless maxi dress, both from Asos. Neither of them cost much but they are wonderfully versatile and work for both day and night.

I couldn’t quite stop myself from splashing out on a couple of new things though…As one of the parties is in a local riverside pub I thought this white sleeveless blouse from H&M would look good teamed with a pair of jeans and these neon heels and gold clutch from New Look. The bracelet is also from H&M and a steal for only £2.99, proving that you can easily update your party look without busting the budget.

We also have our own reason to celebrate in a few weeks’ time when Clemmie turns three. As she’s not at pre-school yet, I think I can get away with a smaller party at home with close friends and family. She’s the only family member with a summer birthday so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we can make use of the garden. I have found loads of cute party invitations, decorations and going-home bags online, but I think I will show those in a separate post when I have more time.