NEW THREADS

Me trotting around by the fridge at home (where else?) in my new Isabel Marant Etoile Haca jacket. 

I LOVE this little fellow. It's brilliantly quilted. It's cut so perfectly at the wrist. It has just the right narrowness in the arms. It even has a slight biker vibe from the side. Oh it's divine I tell you. I've been enjoying wearing it enormously (as you can see...)

Wearing: Topshop black Jamie jeans and white neppy tee, ancient Converses and Essie varnish in Clam Bake.

I'd had my beady eye on this lovely jacket for quite some time but hesitated initially. I was worried it might be a one-season-wonder. My dawdling of course ensured I missed my chance - it promptly sold out. Even the good people at Matches gently tried to encourage me to let the jacket go - it had sold out everywhere. 


Naturally, therefore, I took it as a sign when one day I was milling around their website and magically my size appeared. And I'm really pleased I took the plunge - it's so special and will only grow more so as time passes. Sometimes it's the best thing to take a little more time over a piece you think you love. Let it go, let the hype die down and then see if you still feel it's you. I always have a fluttering heart about many a thing I see on glossy pages, but it's learning to separate such passing whims from true love that is the key. I'm getting better at it in my ripe old age! 


Incidentally, I wore it last night to the theatre as part of a different ensemble from that above, and a friend said it reminded her of something, she wasn't sure what. I've decided it reminded her of far flung travels morphed with of-the-moment effortless cool. At home anywhere and always ready for an adventure. I'm sure she'd agree. :)


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HOLIDAY TIME

It's that time of year again - hurrah! The coral nail varnish is out, the exfoliating, buffing and moisturising has begun in earnest, and I'm getting a little over excited about my impending trip to the mecca that is Heathrow Terminal 5 (you think I'm joking, I'm not. I love it. I already know what my airport outfit is.) 

I'm off on holiday in but a few days, and as per, have been crafting and re-crafting my 'what to pack' list. 

I really like having a clear list of things to bring so that a) I know what to pack (duh) and b) so that when I'm on holiday I don't have outfit panics and can glide from one darn fine outfit to the next. This is mostly for evening and day trips, because realistically much of my time is spent with my nose in a book by the pool, much to my boyfriend's chagrin. He's a pool games and bike rides sort of a fellow...

We're off to the same place in France that we've been early-"summering" at for a few years now with his parentals (Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse). I only need one or two evening outfits, most evenings are spent in what I hope resembles a sort of effortlessly stylish comfort - navy mariners and cream light cable knits for when a chill is in the air; white cotton blouses and cut-off denim shorts or jeans. 

My summer packing elements remain much the same as last year and form the foundations of my holiday wardrobe. Basic tees, pretty blouses, denim cut offs, one pieces and bikinis, fine gold jewellery, simple neutral sandals, black havaianas and converses, a favourite perfume or two (mine are Jo Malone Wild Bluebell for day and Pomegranate Noir for evening). 

I've always favoured white cotton blouses for Spring and Summer, and I recently came across these two little fellows in Whistles - they're everything I ever wanted from white cotton blouses and more. I stumbled across them in a post-exams haze, so glad am I that even with my befuddled brain their brilliance still shone out from amongst the rails. 

Whistles blouses - perfecto. 

I've fallen pretty hard for Topshop's new Neppy tees. Have you seen them? Yes they have that strange curved hem that hangs a little too low at the back, but they are so good. I've been wearing them so often. Some would say too often. I highly recommend. 

  

As well as the usual basics I think it's really nice to have a few bits and pieces that you feel are really special and you look forward to wearing whilst you're away. My new hero bits and pieces for this holiday include my delumptious Isabel Marant blue jacket, red frill Topshop shift dress and simple black Topshop blouse with lace panels. 

I'm very excited, and will be taking photos to share on Le Blog in no time at all! 
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MY CLASSIC 10

About a zillion years ago... (yes I have been absent for too long) Miss Sophie so kindly tagged me to put forward my classic 10, following her own brilliant post which you can see here.  I have at last got my act together and have tried to put forwards the 10 elements that I rely upon in my wardrobe, and paint the clearest picture of my closet.

Perfumes on my dressing table - the essential finishing touch to every outfit! Diptyque, Jo Malone and Byredo

I have an addiction to the perfect grey tees - and search high and low for them. These are a mix of American Apparel and Reiss

Stripey tees - must haves. I have a zillion more, but these three are my favourites: APC and Petit Bateau

I am powerless when faced with anything with an elbow patch attached. Just so easy, so nonchalant, so cool. These are COS and Zara

I'm very loyal to Topshop jeans. If they're good enough for Emmanuelle Alt, they're perfect for me. These are my new obsession - the 7/8ths style, cut perfectly at the ankle. So chic. I have black, blue and pink

I love these kimono style silk jackets for a dash of colour and a lovely vintage feel. Thrown over anything they just work perfectly

These need no introduction nor explanations: my beloved Isabel Marant Dicker boots

Beaten up but enduringly perfect. I can't imagine ever stopping buying Converses,  enjoying them particularly with my 7/8ths jeans at the mo!

Essie nail varnishes, all variations on the same shade of colour, pinks to classic reds. I mostly stick to a red shade, but if I feel in need of a jazzing up change, I veer towards a shocking pink. I'm rarely ever without painted nails

Pinkish to red lipsticks (noticing a pattern here?!): Chanel & Nars. Lipsticks are rather a new thing for me, but I'm learning to utilise them as an accessory more and more often these days


It has been an interesting challenge, because I found as I tried to put my 10 together I had to keep thinking about possible elements - they didn't all spring forwards with ease. This is, I suppose, both a positive and a negative thing. Positive, in that I didn't come up with millions of pieces and categories to have to whittle down to 10, so my wardrobe and my approach to dressing is not overcrowded. Negative, in that there were bits that I always mark out as key components of the kind of wardrobes I have long admired, and I found out, with a bit of surprise, that not at all of these were present or well represented in my wardrobe. I think namely these come in the form of those prefect few dresses, non-jean trousers (something crisp, yet effortless), more delicate gold jewellery and friendship style bracelets piled up on your arm, and the perfect white tee. (Between you and I, I think I might have stumbled across it today - will feed back about that anon!) I also need to up the ante on my ballet flats. I have LOADS, but I'm keen to invest in some high quality fellows - French Sole, Repetto or... Chanel?! Ha.


Overall though I feel these photographs and glimpses into my wardrobe sum me up very well. I love simplicity (simple tops, classic and chic footwear) combined with dashes of the unexpected - a colourful lip, a patterned silk jacket, all set against a groomed back drop. Shiny, effortless hair, a flick of eyeliner, clear skin (whenever possible!) and a subtle, lovely perfume. That's the aim anyway!