I love reading a good Chrimbo Gift Guide, even when it gets to the ridiculous ‘gifts for your eco-friendly cousin’ heights. I haven’t gone quite that far, this is more of a list of things that have caught my eye recently as well as favourite products I want to share. I’m quite picky when it [...]]]>

I love reading a good Chrimbo Gift Guide, even when it gets to the ridiculous ‘gifts for your eco-friendly cousin’ heights. I haven’t gone quite that far, this is more of a list of things that have caught my eye recently as well as favourite products I want to share. I’m quite picky when it comes to gifts and like most people I pretty much have all the material goods I want so I don’t ever have a huge wishlist. Perishables make a great present as they definitely wont end up in a pile on my bedroom floor, I also recommend anything customisable, jewellery, stationery, ceramics, if you can put someone’s name on it it makes a good gift.

Sonia Rykiel platform heels, £165, Office. Patricia Blanchett lace ups, £107.90, Sarenza. Hyperreal nail varnish, £6, Topshop. Joseph navy reefer, £495, My Wardrobe. Lambskin gloves in brick, £145, Margaret Howell.

I never ask for clothes for Christmas as it can be a bit of a minefield but shoes, that’s fine! Love these frivolous party shoes from Sonia Rykiel and the Patricia Blanchett lace-ups remind me of *that* OPI nail varnish everyone is raving about. Topshop nail varnish is a lovely stocking filler, I was obsessed with their gold metallic polish over the summer and this coppery colour is a nice switch for winter.

Despite owning about 15 coats I still have a jacket-shaped hole in my wardrobe and Joseph’s classic navy reefer fits the bill perfectly, the navy is rich a luminous. Leather gloves work on a smartphone just as well as their hi-tech so my money’s on these lovely russet sheepskin gloves from Margaret Howell.

Vegas leather cuff, £20, Monsoon. Japanese titanium knife, £45, John Lewis. Never Never Never Give Up print, £80 (framed) Clerk Ink Well. Marimekko Pieni Unikko tea towel, £11.50, Skandium. Amber Noir, £45, Angela Flanders. Intense hydrating serum, £75, Eve Lom. Eliza lace ups, £170, Grenson.

Everyone needs a good knife, so trust good ol’ Jean Louis to come good with an all-round knife at a decent price. Monsoon‘s stone cuff is perfect, I like really bold and simple jewellery that you can just chuck on, just the thing to jazz up up a breton shirt and jeans.

This year has been amazing in lots of ways, visiting the US and Mexico, going freelance and moving house but it has also at times really fucking sucked. Clerk Ink Well‘s poster would be a great reminder that no matter how bad things get you just have to keep keeping on.

Angela Flanders‘ Amber Noir is a must for any musky scent fans, it’s a dead ringer for heady smells like Le Labo’s Santal but at a quarter of the price. Hydrating serums are a total skinsaver in winter, giving a much-needed mpoisture boost. Eve Lom‘s luxurious intense hydrating serum makes a brilliant gift. More shoes! Two-tone shoes from Grenson are a brilliant mix of practical and desirable.

While all around have been mining the ’70s for all it’s worth, Margaret Howell does retro with a lightness of touch and a masculinity that takes it out of the museum and into the street.

Having seen the show I definitely feel like I need a hat. A proper man’s hat, not an indie Chelsea-Dagger [...]]]>

While all around have been mining the ’70s for all it’s worth, Margaret Howell does retro with a lightness of touch and a masculinity that takes it out of the museum and into the street.

Having seen the show I definitely feel like I need a hat. A proper man’s hat, not an indie Chelsea-Dagger poerkpie but a MAN’s hat. I’m a particular fan of the sheer midi skirts, so demure and racy at the same time, oo-er. ‘Sexy But Not’ seems to be a recurring theme at LFW, maybe it’s thanks to Alexa the queen of Sexy But Not.

Margaret Howell show, whatatreat! One of the few shows I felt comfortable in my post-wisdom teeth comfy outfit of Grensons, jeans and jumper. I mentioned that all of the UK press were there, it was a bit of a fashion royalty fest, with Lorraine Candy, Imogen Fox and Anna Dello Russo. We all squished into [...]]]>

Margaret Howell show, whatatreat! One of the few shows I felt comfortable in my post-wisdom teeth comfy outfit of Grensons, jeans and jumper. I mentioned that all of the UK press were there, it was a bit of a fashion royalty fest, with Lorraine Candy, Imogen Fox and Anna Dello Russo. We all squished into the Wigmore st shop to see what the label had in store for us.

I can look at the Margaret Howell show and be instantly transported to the summer holiday of my dreams. Lizards, homemade lemonade, hot cracked paving stones and bubbles of ashphalt, daily trips to the marché. If you haven’t already guessed it was crisp Englishwoman on holiday in Provence. I’m a big fan of the jumper, sunhat & swimming cossie look on the beach and seeing it on the catwalk pleased me very much. It was a very simple collection, which added to that holiday feeling, when the bag you packed lays largely untouched, save for a pair of shorts and your bikini.

Faded deckchair stripes gave a shot of colour, which reminds me I have some ve-ery similar stuff in my fabric pile, must dig it out and see what I can do with it. Thumbs up the the massive sunhats, further proof we’re out of the fedora indie hell hat-rut, Howell’s hats are far more chic. The slight nod to city living included tailored trenches, sitting solidly against the easy summer separates and a sheer-ish pleated black skirt which is further amping up my pleats fervour. Better get me some pleats before I splode.

Lest we forget the hair let me mention the chignons: moving on from the fashion topknot, -my favourite dirty hair updo; the tresemmé Français style sits a little lower, at the nape of the neck and looks so decontracté (French for being a posh slob). The make up was minimal too, with a slick of facial oil and a tiny dab of eyebrow pencil. Perhaps Margaret Howell can make a summer holiday app to help you pack the perfect minimal suitcase for your relaxashe?

Margaret Howell was my first show on Sunday, and my first ever time ever at her show. I was jam-packed, with every possible UK fashion editor cramming the first row. The only exception was Grazia’s Jane Bruton, who was biding her time at Mulberry. Anna Dello Russo turned up adding to the excitement factor.

Unfortunately it [...]]]>

Margaret Howell was my first show on Sunday, and my first ever time ever at her show. I was jam-packed, with every possible UK fashion editor cramming the first row. The only exception was Grazia’s Jane Bruton, who was biding her time at Mulberry. Anna Dello Russo turned up adding to the excitement factor.

Unfortunately it was a ll a bit much as I had to go straight home to bed to rest up the old wisdom cavities, but that one show was magical enough to last me all day. I spent the rest of the afternoon scouring iplayer for something new, reading the XXXtra large Sunday Times Style, eating salmiakki and reading Will Self’s new book.

Oh dear, a pounding headache hangover isn’t going to do the Margaret Howell press day any justice but I can’t let the blog languish any longer. A beautiful, beautiful, colour palette is always something you’ll expect from MH and the buttery, slightly acidic yellow shade she’s using at the moment is near-constantly on my mind. [...]]]>

Oh dear, a pounding headache hangover isn’t going to do the Margaret Howell press day any justice but I can’t let the blog languish any longer. A beautiful, beautiful, colour palette is always something you’ll expect from MH and the buttery, slightly acidic yellow shade she’s using at the moment is near-constantly on my mind. I love the skirt with its grey elastic waistband. Note the picture perfect simple heeled pumps below in red and black, they’re so fantastic! The grey trouser suit: I’ve developed the knack of knowing if something will fit from looking at it, and I know the grey suit would look amazing. I JUST KNOW!

Anyway, I have 10 cargo bags of clothes to unpack and the hangover is not getting any better, so instead of reading my words read this lovely interview on the designer herself instead.

I’ve tied up all my loose ends, got through my to-do list and was one step away from emailing my boss my national insurance number JUST IN CASE.

Yes I’m on holiday about to ransack Whitstable’s charity shops and eat my weight in oysters. Oh and there’s talk of bingo. Just as a sweetener, here are [...]]]>

I’ve tied up all my loose ends, got through my to-do list and was one step away from emailing my boss my national insurance number JUST IN CASE.

Yes I’m on holiday about to ransack Whitstable’s charity shops and eat my weight in oysters. Oh and there’s talk of bingo. Just as a sweetener, here are the details for the Margaret Howell sample sale next week, cannot wait. When the pr sent me this I squealed, because I love Howell’s clothes, in case you need an M H refresher read all about it here, and hopefully see you there!

If you’re reading this I’ll be off on my way to Paris to see the Giles show, excited? You bet! I’ve just taken a herbal sleeping tablet and my eyes are closing already so this post is going to be short at best. I’m listening to Osita Osadebe to perk up the depressing drudgery that [...]]]>

If you’re reading this I’ll be off on my way to Paris to see the Giles show, excited? You bet! I’ve just taken a herbal sleeping tablet and my eyes are closing already so this post is going to be short at best. I’m listening to Osita Osadebe to perk up the depressing drudgery that is househunting but a bit more yellow in my life would also work. At Prada tons of off-colour dominated her catwalk show, a hark back to her madam vintage years. Love the way Ms P can reference her own collection and it still looks amazing.

Burberry

I’ve already waxed lyrical about Margaret Howell but their soft dirty yellow set off a search. I’m a little yellow obsessed at the moment, but the latest incarnation is an altogether more filthy hue.

Margaret Howell

Marc Jacobs

It looks like it’s going to a cosy AW next season, Margaret Howell continued the outdoorsy themes seen at other shows inc Unique, filtered through the Howell lens. Trenchcoats, cuffed cords and belted sweaters totally appeal to my not-so-secret French preppy side and I loo-oove MG anyways.This catwalk show has pretty much just triggered a [...]]]>

It looks like it’s going to a cosy AW next season, Margaret Howell continued the outdoorsy themes seen at other shows inc Unique, filtered through the Howell lens. Trenchcoats, cuffed cords and belted sweaters totally appeal to my not-so-secret French preppy side and I loo-oove MG anyways.This catwalk show has pretty much just triggered a long list of wants, like when I would mark the pages of the Argos catalogue for all the toys I wanted.

While it’s all for the latter part of this year, the colours, deep blue greys, dirty lemon and khaki neutrals are perfect for a hesitant spring, fresh without going for the sherbety full-on jolt of colour I’m definitely going to rock come summer. The marl jumper with a warm tan belt is such a good mix of colours and I’m hankering even more for the perfect pair of toff cords. I’ve just finally had my Burberry trench dry-cleaned and I’m looking forward to teaming it with skirts, lace-ups, bare legs and srcunched socks when spring starts to make an appearance, and a check scarf would. Despite my already bulging wardrobe of coats, I now also want to add a duffel coat and a sheepskin jacket to the multiplying horde.

All pics courtesy Margaret Howell