WHAT I WORE: WHISTLES DOWN COAT

I wore my new Whistles Frankie Down Fill Bomber to visit the deer in Richmond Park this weekend. I tell you, our last few visits to the park have been rather adrenaline-filled thanks to rutting season! There are huge dear behaving erratically all over the place and they have a tendency of popping up very suddenly just a few metres away from where you're strolling. This leads to me getting wide-eyed, a touch SAS-like and beating a retreat through the brush. In the above pictures I was keeping my beady eyes on them at all times in case they made any sudden moves in my direction. I was ready.

I digress. This is my new coat from Whistles which I adore. I've been on the hunt for a down coat since last year and have finally bitten the bullet and opted for this Whistles offering. I had always thought Uniqlo would deliver, but was frightfully disappointed when their down coat arrived on my doorstep. On me, it was nipped in at the waist and very long - not the thing at all. The fur trim, whilst detachable, was rather thin and limp. All in all, a bit sad. 

When I noticed this little fellow on the Whistles website, I acted swiftly and am very pleased I did. It's super warm and, as with so many Whistles pieces, is very luxe looking whilst remaining subtle and doing the job you want it to do. I find Whistles coats size quite large, so I got mine in a size 6. 

I'm wearing: Whistles down coat, Topshop Jamie jeans, Hunter wellies and Pure Collection cashmere gloves. 

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THE FRAGRANCE QUEST: BONPOINT

A new perfume has made its way into my collection! Eau de toilette Bonpoint. 
Now I know what you might be thinking - am I a mother? No. Does this matter? Not in the slightest. This perfume spoke to me and many others precisely because it fits well with people that love wearing a fragrance but don't want something overpowering and in your face, but something subtle and expensive smelling. It's the perfect every day scent. 
The blend of orange blossom, petitgrain and jasmine makes for such a gentle, elegant perfume. On me, I find it has that clean, crisp, ever so slightly masculine edge in amidst the florals. It's exactly this that I love in Jo Malone's Lime Basil and Mandarin cologne and attracts me to the classic Acqua di Parma scent. 
As if being a lovely perfume wasn't enough, it was so beautifully packaged and presented in a little pink dust bag. Perfection.

Eau de toilette Bonpoint 50ml £39

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THE FRAGRANCE QUEST

I kid you not, I have used the phrase 'perfume crisis' a shameful amount of times over the past few weeks. Frankly saying it just once is a tad shameful. 

I have always been very picky about my perfumes. I demand quite a lot from them. I shy away from strong, heady, smoky, rich perfumes, which serve only to make me feel a bit travel sick. Ideally I like my perfumes to be light (but with staying power), fresh, pretty, with a dash of complexity thrown in for good measure (and all wrapped up in a beautiful, simple bottle). I love the ritual of putting on perfume before leaving the house. It's such a perfectly chic finishing touch.

In the past I've definitely been guilty of buying perfumes that are decidedly not me, buying before trying because I've fallen for the hype, or the beautiful bottle, or knowing it has graced the pulse points of my sartorial heroes. Par example: I'd love to love Byredo's Gypsy Water or Bal D'Afrique, Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower, Kai, Diptyque's Ombre dans L'Eau, Jo Malone's Blackberry & Bay and everything by Le Labo... but I'd just be lying to myself (and making myself feel nauseous into the bargain). 

Up to now, my favourite perfumes (that are no longer in rotation) have been: 

Diptyque Eau de Lierre, Diptyque Eau Duelle, Jo Malone Wild Bluebell, Byredo Pulp

Still in rotation: 

Jo Malone Lime, Basil & Mandarin (for work) and Creed Love in White (spring/summer)

I think, if I'm honest, my ongoing quest for new perfect perfumes comes down to wanting a perfumes that are 'me', but also contain an aspirational element - 'the me I want to be'.  I think this is why I will most probably not be the sort of person who has one signature scent. I like to think I'll have a collection of signature scents, archiving different stages of my life and the development of my tastes. When I spritz perfumes I have previously worn, they enable me to take a trip down memory lane. When I stumble across a new scent, it is like turning over a crisp, fresh page. New perfumes feel full of possibilities. 

Given the close of summer, my beloved Love in White doesn't feel right for the new season, rendering me in a perfume-less rut! The quest is back on in earnest, and with any luck, the "crisis" will be over soon. 

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TOPSHOP BITS & BOBS

Topshop has 20% off for students at the moment so naturally I went a-hunting. Yes I'm still a student - as if those puffy eyes don't say "Taxation". I was very keen to seek out a grey angora hoody I've had my eye on, and a white graphic textured sweater. The latter is not entirely my typical style, but I just love something about it. To top it off, its incredibly comfy. Word to the wise - I sized up to achieve the look I was after. 

I also spotted a brilliant navy skirt - which my photos fail to do justice, but it's a lovely thick, luxurious fabric which I think will be pretty awesome when the festive season kicks in. 

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THE ZARA CAMEL COAT CONUNDRUM

So. As you may have noticed in my last fall planning post, I am hankering after a certain hooded camel coat from Zara. It's the perfect colour in my opinion, and deliciously soft. 

BUT. After going to visit it in store yesterday, I had a few concerns. Well, just the one really. I fear it looks like a dressing down (a bath robe for my friends across the pond)...

I'm still considering whether I can get over this and whether it really looks dressing gowny or if I'm just being a bit silly. 

I'll keep you posted!

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FALL THINKING

Top to bottom, left to right: Zara knit, Zara knit again, Uniqlo cashmere v-neck, River Island cocoon jumper, Topshop biker jacket, Topshop jacquard coat, Zara hooded wrap coat, Gap puffer jacket, Whistles Alice boyfriend jeans, Mango skirt, Zara boots, Charlotte Olympia Kitty flats, Topshop smoking slippers, Diptyque candle, Nars lip pencils, J.Crew necklace

So... this sudden return of summer to London is putting something of a spanner in the works. I had done the big wardrobe change over (read: carefully packed away all my summer clothes into one of those see-through bags and vacuumed the bejeezus out of it) and moved my thick jumpers up to the 'in rotation' drawer. I had summer dressing all wrapped up and was looking forward to the winds of change. So for the sake of my sanity I am going to treat this week's glorious weather as a blip. I shall naturally be enjoying the blip, but all the while feeling a tad peeved that my new wardrobe plans are being blighted.

As per usual I am drawn to all the same things I am drawn to every year - chunky knits, grey cashmere with costume jewellery or a bright lip, classic coats (biker, camel and down) and coats with a little bit of an edge to them (green jacquard courtesy of Topshop will do nicely!). 

The dream purchase remains the Charlotte Olympia Kitty flats. They're just perfection. In the meantime, I shall be keeping my feet on the ground with Topshop's silver smoking slippers and Zara ankle boots. 

Last but not least, nothing would be better than filling the flat with the scent of a new nutty Diptyque candle as the nights draw in. 

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HOLIDAY: GREECE

A few snaps from the past week in Kaminaki in Greece. It was so wonderful - our little villa sat right on the beach, there was incredible food every evening at the Taverna on the beach, swimming and time en famille (including oodles of hugs with my niece Florence) and not a drop of rain. I meant to take some outfit pictures, but somehow only got round to documenting two cover ups! Both from Topshop. 

My thoughts are now moving to Autumn and I have that exciting new term feeling. I've dusted down the desk, geared up my brain, bought a new pen pot and taken my high summer things out of rotation. I've eBayed the things I no longer enjoy wearing and have started planning new season purchases. It has been a lovely, relaxing, fun-filled summer and I'm a little sad to see it go. But I am an autumnal/wintery gal at heart and cannot wait for the season just around the corner. 

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