Dreaming of Chanel

Posted in Fashion by A Spoonful of Style

Tonight, my dear friends, I am dreaming of a classic, quilted Chanel flap bag. Nonchalantly thrown over the shoulder it would be the perfect accessory to set off my spring wardrobe. I like it best when it’s paired with a casual outfit like the ripped jeans or slouchy sweater in the pictures above – the juxtaposition of polished and dishevelled gets me every time…
The price tag may be steep (to put it mildly!) but a classic Chanel bag will always be in style. And if your appetite hasn’t been sated by these pictures, there is of course a Pinterest board with even more inspiration – check it out here

Which accessory would you love to own if money was no object?

7Mar2014

Five on Friday

Posted in Five on Friday by A Spoonful of Style

{Some of you may remember that I was lusting after the Narsissist eye palette by Nars a few weeks ago. Alas it was not to be – I had planned to buy it with my Space NK vouchers but as the eye palette was exclusive to Selfridges here in the UK, I didn’t feel I could justify the £55. So instead I bought the Narsissist cheek palette which was stocked by Space NK and comes with a blusher, highlighter and bronzer.}

{I’m loving my coffee table books at the moment. They make great home accents and I like to flick through them for inspiration. My most recent additions are the Alexa Chung book ‘It’ and a beautiful Chanel book filled with images to drool over.}

The best laid plans as they say…

This week hasn’t turned out quite how I wanted. On Monday Casper came home with a sore ear and he hasn’t been back at school all week. We went to the doctor who diagnosed a viral ear infection so antibiotics wouldn’t help, all we can do is try and reduce the pain with Nurofen and Calpol. It’s not too bad during the day but at night it is very painful as the fluid in ear builds up and he has trouble sleeping. So pretty much everything has been cancelled this week – from playdates and after school activities to my hair appointment and lunch date. While I hate to see him suffer, it has been really nice having him at home. With three children it’s not always easy to find one-to-one time, especially with the boys as they are at school all day. He has had to amuse himself with Lego and the iPad while I’ve been working but we have also had time for nice chats, board games and baking.

Hopefully his ear will improve as we head into weekend. The weather is set to be lovely – with temperatures of 17 degrees forecast for Sunday! – so I’m looking forward to sitting out in the garden with a cup of coffee to soak up some rays.

Hope you have a fab weekend! X

{The clear-out at my parents’ house continues and this week I saved a silk clutch, that my dad bought in Japan for my mum in the late 70s, from going off to the charity shop. It’s not my usual style but I think it will look good with a cream summer dress or just jeans and a simple tee, with gold heels and jewellery.}

{Cameron looked great in his Sherlock Holmes costume for World Book Day yesterday and I’m happy to report that my Burberry returned home unscathed.}

{It’s been a busy week but I managed to take a few minutes out to read the interview with SJP in this month’s Harper’s Bazaar. And of course, you can’t have a proper break without coffee and chocolate biscuits!}

4Mar2014

Currently Coveting #18: Stripes for Spring

Posted in Currently Coveting by A Spoonful of Style

Stride into spring wearing classic, crisp Breton stripes. Teamed with skinny jeans, colourful flats and a touch of sparkly jewellery, it is the perfect outfit for channeling that particularly French brand of effortless daytime style. Did you know that the Breton stripe has been a sartorial staple of chic Parisians since 1917 when Coco Chanel famously transformed a fisherman’s top into the iconic piece?

{Skinny jeans by Current/Elliott at Asos; Amelie Sparkle Bracelet by Stella & Dot; Colorblock Breton Stripe Cashmere Sweater by Vince; Ballet pumps from H&M}

Here is some more inspiration from my Pinterest board, appropriately entitled ‘Stripes for Spring’!

28Feb2014

Five on Friday

Posted in Five on Friday by A Spoonful of Style

I went on a spending spree at Space NK and used up the vouchers I got for Christmas and my birthday last autumn. Love that shop! I will do a separate post on the things I bought next week.

I started putting together a kitchen inspiration folder ahead of our planned renovation later this year. Between that and my Pinterest board I don’t think I’ll be stuck for ideas.

This jewellery tree was on sale for only £10 in a local boutique. Having some of my favourite pieces on display on top of my dresser will hopefully encourage me to accessorize more.

Honestly, I am not a shopaholic but I had forgotten about these Unisa boots that I bought just before Christmas. Now that I’ve found them, I can’t stop wearing them as they are so comfortable. They remind me of my favourite pair of boots that I had at school.

I’m also somewhat obsessed with my Star sweater from Hunky Dory (another Sale buy) – accessorized here with my ten-year-old son’s beanie, which I keep stealing – much to his embarrassment I should add (I just tell him it’s pay back for all those toddler tantrums he used to throw in the middle of the supermarket to embarrass me!)

Happy Friday everyone! I hope the weekend is all you want it to be – and more! X

26Feb2014

Linked In

Posted in Linked In by A Spoonful of Style

1.In the end, happiness is what we all strive for. Here are ten habits that will make us happier

2. Save up to 30% on Shopbop with the code BIGEVENT14 (Valid until tomorrow). I love this Juicy Couture necklace

3. Make your own original headboard with this DIY guide

4. Put a spring in your step and drool over the latest styles just in at Selfridges from Isabel Marant, Nicholas Kirkwood, Acne and Tods

5. A new book with helpful strategies to help kids cope with sensory overload in today’s hectic world

6. Pancake Day is just around the corner: here is a foolproof recipe for perfect pancakes

25Feb2014

Porter magazine

Posted in Fashion by A Spoonful of Style

I’m a sucker for a glossy magazine and, although I buy fewer now that so much content is readily available online, a tantalising cover will always draw me in. And so it was that a copy of Porter somehow found its way into my possession when I was browsing the shops in Gloucester Road after a meeting last week.

{Gisele graces the cover of the launch issue}

A brand new publication from the team behind online luxury store Net-a-Porter it claims to be “the fashion magazine for the stylish, intelligent woman of now”. Just as with the retail operation, the magazine oozes pure luxury so don’t expect to find any ‘Get the look for less’ or ‘More dash less cash’ features. The fashion, as one would expect, is nothing short of spectacular with dresses by the likes of Lanvin, Versace and Louis Vuitton (and plenty of POA – price on application…)

The beauty features are refreshingly down to earth and, unlike some mags, seem to be targeted at a wide age range, not just 20-sonethings with flawless skin. Mixed in with the high octane glamour are some more meaty reads such as an interview with Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario who was kidnapped in Libya in 2011. There is also a 12-page spread dedicated to actress Uma Thurman (who, funnily enough, I had just been thinking about a couple of days before I bought the magazine) and shorter profiles on designer L’Wren Scott and J.Crew creative director Jenna Lyons. An impressive line-up of contributors includes photographer David Bailey (on his banned documentary about Andy Warhol), movie mogul Harry Weinstein (on the allure of silver-screen star Grace Kelly) and shoe maestro Manolo Blahnik who writes about the return of the mule.

I’m not sure why, or even if I’m alone in this, but I always read the back page of a new magazine first. And Porter magazine doesn’t disappoint: its back page, appropriately if somewhat unoriginally, entitled ‘Last word’, is dedicated to wrap dress queen Diane von Furstenberg.

All in all, as one would expect from the brand headed up by Natalie Massenet, one of the most powerful women in fashion, this is a confident launch that manages to stand out in a crowded market at a time when many are predicting the demise of Old Media. I , for one, can’t wait for the next issue of the bi-monthly publication to hit the shelves…

24Feb2014

My Spring Wish List

Posted in Fashion by A Spoonful of Style

As the first day of spring is less than four weeks away, I think it is perfectly legitimate to start thinking about updating the wardrobe for slightly warmer weather. Here in the UK, we’re not likely to get any really hot days until June at least so layering is the name of the game when it comes to trans-seasonal dressing. In many ways this is my favourite time of year: when you can dispense with the heavy winter coat and warm boots in favour of a light jacket and ballet flats. Just make sure you’re carrying a bag big enough to hold both an umbrella and sunglasses!

Here are some of my favourite pieces for Spring 2014:

1. Printed leather ballet flats, £325 by Miu Miu at Net-a-Porter

2. Grey lace hem skater skirt £20 from Topshop

3. Embroidered Nerine top, £98 from Anthropologie

4. Table Cloth Scarf in Lite Chalk, £149 from Odd Molly

5. Jacket in a textured weave, £29.99 from H&M

6. Grineeh printed bag, £199 from By Malene Birger

7. Zippy Knit in pink ash, £149 by Hunky Dory

21Feb2014

Five on Friday

Posted in Five on Friday by A Spoonful of Style

I cleared out my old nail polishes and stocked up on a new colour (Smokin’ Hot by Essie – in a gorgeous deep grey with purple undertones) as well as a fast dry top coat by Morgan Taylor called Need for Speed

It’s half term this week so on a rainy afternoon the children and I made these yummy Daim biscuits (as well as an almighty mess in the kitchen but these babies were well worth it)

I finally booked tickets to go and see the Isabella Blow exhibition Fashion Galore! at Somerset House. I’m going with a friend next Saturday – the day before it ends, talk about cutting it fine!

My tulips from Valentine’s Day are still with us (just about). I saw a tip on the Internet which said that putting them in ice cold water made the flowers last longer. It seems to have worked.

I’ve also been decanting my kitchen staples like flour, sugar, pasta etc into glass jars (mostly from Ikea) and labeling them with these cute chalkboard labels from Not on the High Street. Looks so much better than lots of half full bags and packets spilling stuff everywhere.

Happy weekend everyone! X

21Feb2014

Currently Coveting #17: The Many Shoes of Carrie Bradshaw’s Closet

Posted in Currently Coveting, Fashion, Interior by A Spoonful of Style

As soon as I saw this poster on the fabulous Stalking Beauty blog, I knew I HAD to have it. As any Sex and the City obsessive will know, Carrie Bradshaw’s amazing shoe collection played almost as big a role in the series as the star herself. To me, nothing has replaced Carrie and her gang for pure fashion indulgence (Gossip Girl came close, but still not a patch on the weekly sartorial feast that was SATC) and I still regularly watch my favourite episodes on the box set.

In an ideal world, this poster would hang in my own spacious walk-in closet complete with shelves heaving with Manolos and Jimmy Choos. Sadly, that is but a dream (for the moment at least!) so I will have to find another place for it when it arrives. Wherever it goes I am sure it will provide me with daily inspiration…

27Jan2014

Wrap up Warm

Posted in Fashion by A Spoonful of Style

Although we are slowly but surely moving towards spring, the weather here in the UK is still very much on the wintry side. Warm coats and cosy knits are set to be the order of the day for many weeks to come and I wouldn’t be surprised if we get some snow between now and the end of February (the Swede in me will be disappointed if there is not at least one opportunity to get the sledges out!)

So while I did pledge at the end of last year not to buy any more scarves, I couldn’t resist this plaid beauty from high street fave Topshop. It may be acrylic rather than cashmere but it’s super soft and, at only £18 a snip, compared to the Burberry scarf I had been coveting. When you look at it like that, I’ve actually saved money (although to be on the safe side, don’t mention that to my husband)!