NOW IS THE TIME FOR KNITS (AND NOVELTY KNITS)

I make no secret of my love for jumpers (and I haven't even seen The Killing. Imagine if I had?!). 

Truth be told it might just be getting out of hand, but this matters not. They are brilliant. Below are but a few from my vast collection currently doing the rounds. 

APC, Theory, Topshop

My current Topshop favourites - everyone should have a shocking pink mohair affair, a fisherman's knit and a polar bear jumper - shouldn't they?

I'll let this young fellow have the last word. It is bringing me no end of seasonal cheer at the moment!

Wine coloured reindeer wonderfulness. Stopping at polar bears would have been far too chic and restrained.
x

THE 1ST OF DECEMBER CAN MEAN ONLY ONE THING

The start of advent must means it is officially acceptable to air ones Christmas wish list. 

I have been tinkering with mine, adding and subtracting little bits and pieces for ooo... about a month now. It is quite possibly the best distraction there is.

So here she is, a happily endless work in progress:

Topshop dress,  Zara sequined ballet pumps, APC sweater, Topshop angora striped sweater, Mulberry Lily, Diptyque Baies oval, Anya Hindmarch wash bag, Aesop Fabulous Facial Oil, Diptyque spiced plum candle, Jo Malone soaps, Jo Malone bath oil, James Heeley perfume, The West Wing Season 2, Trashy novel, The Lion King Musical tickets, an Au Maison quilt, Mini Uggs

Of course it is a mix of the desperately-hoped-for and the never-going-to-happen (Mulberry Lily that's you I'm afraid). 

But I always love the idea of amassing beautiful new toiletries, pretty dresses, cozy knits, a brilliant box set and a trip to the theatre (my boyfriend has a penchant for musicals...). 

I'm very much hoping for a beautiful floral quilt to appear under the tree this year - I love the vintage look of Au Maison's quilts - they're an affordable investment and look like the kind of thing you would have in your family for years. 

Of course no festive season is complete without a few sequins, (this year they might come in the shape of Zara's brilliant gold ballet pump) and a new season scent - courtesy of Paris based James Heeley's Menthe Fraiche.

This entry will most likely mark me out as something of a brat - but never fear, despite my long list I'm mostly looking forward to The Muppets' Christmas Carol, turkey, stuffing, Christmas pudding and cake, The Rat Pack's jazz CD, champagne and tying everything within reach in gingham ribbon. 

What is on your Christmas list this year? I assure you it isn't too early. :)

THREE'S A CROWD

...I know I shouldn't be saying this, nor thinking this, nor going anywhere near my computer to silently type about this...

But I must. I am in love (again) with this beautiful little fellow. 

Hello Lover

There's just something so appealing about her. She's coquettish, content, happy-go-lucky, devil may care, and somehow manages to look to me like she's spent more than a little time skipping through the streets of Paris. 

And did I mention I've always been a fan of the Lily? (dubious about Mulberry quality of late I must admit, but such issues pale into insignificance now).

At first I thought it was black suede - I could take that - but oh no. Nothing so obvious would be at work here. It is (of course) an utterly wondrous midnight blue - that never-bettered bed fellow of grey and denim. Be still my beating heart.

Perhaps it is a passing fancy (the fluttering in my chest would certainly point to such a conclusion) but I'm in those first heady days of a possible new dalliance, and I am beginning to believe such a pretty bag would make everything just that little bit rosier. 

The worst of it is, I'm only just newly wedded to my current bag - a beautifully, perennially cool black Balenciaga number. Now that is a long term love affair that will last through the years. There was no fluttering heart when I purchased my City - just a calm certainty. (Don't worry I will cease and desist talking about bags like they matter a jot in just a second). 

But I have often thought - conveniently I'll admit - that a gal needs more than one bag. (Three would be plain gauche, but two? Two strikes the right note don't ya think?) So this gal I speak of needs a burst of fun sometimes, a boost, to make her feel light of heart and young again. 

My City does so much, and with such quiet, self-assured grace, but to skip off and kick up my heels with Lily every now and then, to throw caution to the wind and be foolish and fancy free... now that would be a delight.

Do you have anything in your wardrobe that lifts your mood so unfailingly?

Photograph credit: mulberry.com

p.s. If my poor boyfriend reads this he may just pass out.

JUST TO SAY...

I did make it back from holiday in one piece! My holiday has seemingly extended into a bit of a blogging holiday, which was not my intention. Time has just run away from me of late. 

There have been a number of changes recently - new season, new career aspirations, new-ish home (more of which in my next post). So all has been a little hectic - too hectic to put pen to paper - keyboard to blog if you will - let alone coordinate any nice outfits or outfit observations to share with you. A thousand apologies. :)

So in the mean time I wanted to record a few images from my holiday (as inappropriate as it is now we're racing towards Halloween and the like!!) 

It was truly lovely - beautiful weather after the first thundery day and landing during a thunderstorm no less... 

Tasty food, lots of G&Ts and Retsina, basking in the sunshine and swimming in the sea. 

The view from beneath my umbrella... naturally

The lovely view from our little villa

Greek honey of course! And lots of it!

Topshop dress, Stella McCartney woven sandals and Essie Lollipop polish

My Topshop "holiday dress" - apologies for the headless picture, I struggled to find one of my face doing a nice, normal expression. I'm a challenging photographic subject it would appear! 

There is no denying it's a jazzy pattern, but I feel one needs a bit of jazz on holiday. 

To follow - less summer, more Autumn/Winter!! 

x

MY OPTIONAL EXTRAS

I'm going to have to back pedal just a bit, because, I'm afraid I'm going on my holidays. That's right, my summer holiday is coming just as everyone else is dusting off their winter coat and planning their new Autumn wardrobes. 

Perhaps then this entry will be something a little different (a little late I hear you say), and perhaps evoke a nice hazy nostalgia for the season that is most definitely belting out its swan song, at full volume, as I type.

I mentioned my favourite Greek summer destination here, and this is where I shall be heading in the wee small hours of Monday morning. I'm hoping against hope that the weather holds, and it will all be sea, swimming, tavernas, retsina, G&Ts, and glorious hours whiled away reading a good or trashy novel (both are welcome, I won't lie).

My chosen reads for this holiday: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, One Day by David Nicholls, Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes (I spy a trashy read...)

There are a few things that will always take up precious EasyJet space when packing for a summer trip: a black bikini, a white cotton cover up, black Havianas, a panama hat, raw edge denim shorts, easy jersey - you get my drift. But I thought it would be nice to share a few of the extra things that I'm looking forward to including this year.

I always want a little more colour in my holiday wardrobe - to add some pizazz, if you will, to my grey jersey, blue denim and simple ballet pumps. What you wear in the city just feels a little bit wrong on holiday. A little bit buttoned up, thought out, stiff. I find there has to be a new ease, a certain freedom, and an element of fun. 

When carefully chosen, colourful elements are added to a clean simple wardrobe, it seems to make for the prefect summer transformation. 

Here are a few examples of the coloured and printed bits and pieces which I'll be taking to Greece alongside my usual clothes this year:

Topshop floral orange embroidered bikini

My new Ebayed nee Primark straw bag

Lucy Folk taco friendship bracelets

Topshop rose print floral dress

(As a side note, I must admit I have been struggling ALL summer to find that glorious every occasion summer dress. One that is easy and breezy, pretty and stylish, that you don't have to worry one jot about - you take it out of your suitcase and it does everything it needs to do. No fuss. At long last, I have found my dress just in time. It is a lovely floral number from Topshop and when I showed it to my boyfriend, his first response, his oh so precious, unprompted response was thus: "It's very Mama Mia isn't it?" (reference: film version, Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried). You may laugh, but this is exactly the what I was after.) 

So my holiday wardrobe is shaping up to look a little something like this: 

How does your summer holiday wardrobe differ from your usual wardrobe? If it's not too late to ask?! :)

WHEN AUTUMN LEAVE START TO FALL

Ok ok, so it is not quite that time just yet, but a gal can dream. 

As you might know by now, I am a winter gal through and through. I try to be a summer dresser but it doesn't come naturally to me. Crisp Autumns and icy Winters - seasons such as these are more my bag. 

With this in mind, I have started thinking about what I'd like to be bundled up in this winter, and it looks a little something like this, so far:

Knitwear: Acne, Etoile Isabel Marant, Theory, Topshop, Ballet Pumps: Repetto, Ankle Boots: Sam Edelman and Ugg, Topshop Leather Skinnies, Citizens of Humanity Jeans, APC Wallet, Balenciaga black City

I am becoming nigh on obsessed with chunky knits - precisely the type made for the aforementioned bundling. Topshop are doing some lovely ones which are in-store now. On the pricier scale Acne's navy angora sweater ticks all the boxes  (in her style bible ((can we call it that?)) Ines de la Fressange nods encouragingly towards the longevity of navy knits - which is so much more than good enough for me). Theory's Aran knit is be-a-u-tiful, but with a price tag that is sadly making my eyes water more than I'd like. 

The leather skinnies and classic wash jeans explain themselves, as do the black and nude Repettos (such items have time and time again worked hard all winter), but I fear my inclusion of those fur lined little devils at the bottom of the shoe row might have you nudging your mouse towards the 'un-follow' button on bloglovin. Bear with me, I have not lost my marbles. 

I remember the unadulterated joy I felt when I had my first and only pair of chestnut short Uggs. Oh I was suddenly Sienna Miller, and all was right with the world. My feet were, of course, utterly toasty and when the snow came the grip on the thick sole saw me chuckling at the other girls slipping and sliding on icy pavements whilst I strode confidently on. 
Yes, when I pulled them on last winter the smug feeling was still there, but there was a little bit of shame to boot. I didn't want people to think I thought I was chic wearing them - I was simply being practical. They are very good boots and they deserve their place in a winter wardrobe. My loyalty to them has not waned, despite their fall from stylish grace. But do you know what? As I get older I would rather be the wise owl in the boots than the painfully cool 'fashionista' with a broken hip. 
This winter though, I will be choosing the mini boot - the shortest incarnation of the classic Ugg - which I think can slip away unnoticed, and do the job it does so well, but quietly. I'd be interested to see what you think of this confession! Have you found a good alternative to Ugg-type boots?


Sam Edelman's Petty boots are a lovely shape, with a heel height that is just right. I found myself wearing black ankle boots day in and out last Autumn & Winter and did so in some very uncomfortable and somewhat ugly ones from Zara. I shall not be making the same mistake again. I'm getting much better now at identifying the items that I wear over and over during a season, that provide the building blocks in a wardrobe, and investing accordingly where it is wise to.

You may have noticed a coat is missing at this point - not an oversight on my part, but just a 'to be continued' if you will. Try as I might I cannot get an image of the black bouclé coat from IRO that I pledged my loyalty to back in the Spring. As soon as I can, it will of course be duly added in to my wardrobe planning for the coming big chill. 

SHORT AND SWEET

Oh how I love this photo from IRO's AW11 look book. 

This gal looks ridiculously cool. Needless to say I want everything she is wearing. 

Yes I know, sadly the cool-girl french attitude might not be for sale. But I'll work on that whilst I wait for the first deliveries to drop in store. 

By the by, I'm amassing my thoughts on key buys for the Autumn, stay tuned for more on that. Are you thinking about your Autumn essentials yet?