30.06.2011- First Look: Hailee Steinfeld for Miu Miu

I was really excited when I heard a few weeks ago that Hailee Steinfeld was the new face of Miu Miu. I've blogged before about my love for her red carpet looks and she seems so down to earth whenever I've seen her interviewed. She's worn Miu Miu on the red carpet in the past, so it didn't really come as a surprise when the label unveiled her as the face of their new campaign, although some have said they feel she is too young to be representing a luxury label at only 14 years old. I personally think Hailee was the perfect choice for Miu Miu, as, judging by the look of these campaign shots (taken by Bruce Weber) she's managed to re-inject some much needed youthful energy back into the brand:




Hailee Steinfeld for Miu Miu Fall 2011 by Bruce Weber.
What I wouldn't give to be surrounded by a sea of multi-coloured sparkly Miu Miu heels! After seeing these shots I've also got a serious case of Hailee Hair Envy (or HHE!) I predict it will become a recognised condition when these images hit the press over the next few weeks and months.

What do you think of Hailee for Miu Miu? Do you think she was the right choice for the brand?

(Image credit: fashiongonerogue.)

28.06.2011- Most Wanted: Dorothy Perkins' Floradita Collection

Most of you know by know that I'm completely obsessive about anything with a floral print on it, so imagine how excited I was to see these pieces from Dorothy Perkins' Floradita collection, which launches today. Described as a 'capsule collection with a riot of blooms and simple feminine shapes', the range nods to the shapes of the 1950s and incorporates cute detailing, jewellery and a bright burst of colour for the summer. You can have a look at the full Floradita range over at dorothyperkins.com, but in the meantime here are some of my favourite pieces from the collection:
White Floral Platform Sandals, £42.
Floradita Sun Dress, £39.50.
Cream Lace Peter Pan Top, £35.
Pink Embellished Prom Dress, £55.
Floradita Chunky Charm Chain, £25.
Cream Broderie Dress, £50.
I really love the dresses- how perfect would they be for the heat wave we're experiencing at the moment? The lace blouse is beautifully detailed, and the charm bracelet has rocketed to the top of my wishlist. I've always been a bit wary of Dorothy Perkins but recently they seem to have really upped their game, and I've seen some lovely pieces online including the Gold Wet Look Tee from yesterday's post. I'll have to have a good browse in store when I'm next shopping.

What do you think of Dorothy Perkins' Floradita Collection? Will you be buying anything from it?

(Image credit: Dorothy Perkins.)

27.06.2011- Monday Must-haves

Happy Monday! I hope you all had lovely weekends and made the most of the glorious weather, it's boiling at the moment but looks set to bucket it down later on (typical!) Here's another selection of Monday Must-haves to kick off the week:


I saw this gold tee in Dorothy Perkins a while back and have been umming and aahing over it ever since. It does remind me of the sequinned tee from last week's mega-expensive post, and I think it would look great teamed with some skinny jeans. I've seen a lot of people out and about wearing maxi skirts, and this black one from New Look would be really versatile for the summer. I'm still trying to track down the perfect maxi skirt (most of the ones I've tried on have been ridiculously unflattering on me), so this one looks like a contender. I'm in love with these patent River Island loafers, and think that they're the perfect transitional pair of shoes- they'd look great with thick tights and a cute tea dress for the winter. I've also been trying to track down the perfect Breton top for what feel like ages (again, everyone I've tried on to date has made my upper body resemble a rectangle), but this People Tree version may just be the one. Made with Fairtrade organically grown cotton, it's also really great value for an ethically created product. I love this vintage black and white floral top from Rokit, and have been lusting after the satchel since it arrived at work a few weeks ago, I think I might just have to treat myself (although my collapsing wardrobe would beg to differ!)

What do you think of my picks for this week? Did you buy anything nice over the weekend?

(Image credit: People Tree, Rokit, River Island, New Look and Dorothy Perkins.)

24.06.2011- Weekend Wishes

Another week over! I can't quite believe we're almost at the end of July and halfway through the year already. I've got tomorrow off work (hooray!) so am planning on making the most of the day and I expect I'll catch up with some Glastonbury coverage from the comfort of my sofa over the weekend too. If you're at Glastonbury (and I've got no idea why you'd be reading this post if you are!) I hope the rain is holding off and that you manage to battle your way through the crowds to get a front and centre spot for Beyoncé's performance on Sunday (so excited!) Although I haven't made any holiday plans for this year yet, one of the best things about being on holiday is surely being able to spend time by the pool, wiling away the hours with a good book. So, with the temperatures this weekend set to soar, I wish I had my own pool to cool down next to (and, having said that, something good to read!)
Amalie Hartmann by Olivia Frølich, Costume Magazine July 2011.
What have you got planned for the weekend? Are you planning on enjoying the sunshine? And can you suggest any good books?

(Image credit: fashiongonerogue.)

20.06.2011- Monday Must-haves: Net-A-Porter Sale Special

Monday again! I hope you all had a lovely weekend and that the start to the week hasn't been too bad. I was up early this morning to secure some tickets to the very exciting Yohji Yamamoto Fashion in Motion event which is happening at the V&A next week, and have just got home from catching up with my lovely friends over noodles and frozen yogurt galore. And, as if that wasn't enough excitement for one day, this morning saw the start of the Net-A-Porter sale, which has provided me with plenty of fantasy must-haves to be getting on with for the week:


In spite of the fact that all my picks for this week have been discounted, everything I've featured is still very much out of my price range, but I suppose there's no harm in window shopping! I love the Burberry trench, a truly iconic piece which will remain timeless in any wardrobe. We all know how prone I am to lusting after anything by Mulberry, whether it be this Cory tote or beautiful printed scarf, and the sequinned tee is stunning (if still equivalent to the price of a very good holiday!) I love the colour of this Marc Jacobs brocade shift dress, and think that the DKNY sandals are a perfect summer staple. And I couldn't resist this cute little necklace from Marc by Marc Jacobs, so charming!

Have you picked up anything in the sales so far? And what do you think of my choices for this week?

(Image credit: Net-A-Porter.)

17.06.2011- Weekend Wishes

A bit of a pre-emptive post this week, but after seeing this a preview of Topshop's AW11 collection, I couldn't resist a little look ahead to the autumn (and the weather isn't exactly helping matters!) So, this weekend, I wish I could get my hands on this little lot from Topshop:

So far I'm love the look of the 'Thrift' and 'Bavaria' trends, and although I'm not a massive fan of how some of the pieces have been styled for the lookbook, there are some stunning standalone pieces which I'm already itching to try on! I particularly love the shearling collared jacket in the first shot, the black dress (or maybe a top/skirt combo?) in picture five and the cute peter-pan collars in the last photo. I'll certainly be keeping my eyes open for some of these pieces over the coming weeks and months (although am in no way trying to wish the summer away!)

What do you think of Topshop's AW11 lookbook? And what are your wishes for this weekend? .)

(Image credit: Look Magazine/Topshop.)

14.06.2011- Put a spell on you...

Now that July is just around the corner (where has the year gone??!), one thing I'm really looking forward to is the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two. I was a little bit disappointed by the last film and thought the story built really slowly to quite an anticlimactic ending, but I put that down to the fact that I'm quite an impatient person in general! To celebrate the series drawing to an end, the July issue of US Vogue features Emma Watson, looking far more fashion forward than Hermione ever has, in an editorial shot by Mario Testino:

Emma Watson's New Day by Mario Testino, US Vogue July 2011.
I love the 20's feel of this shoot and the bold styling, particularly the hair and make-up. It will be interesting to see whether Emma recreates any of these looks on the publicity trail for the film next month- I'm sure she'll have her pick of designers after being named as ELLE's Style Icon back in February.

What do you think of Emma's looks for US Vogue? And are you looking forward to seeing the final Harry Potter film next month?

(Image credit: NOIR FACADE.)

13.06.2011- Monday Must-haves

Hello all! Hope you all had fantastic weekends (despite the ever-changing weather!) and are enjoying the new week so far. Here are my Monday Must-haves for this week:


Quite an unexpectedly Topshop heavy post this week, but some beautiful pieces have recently debuted online and I couldn't resist including them. I've probably owned a series of cream blouses with lace detailing since I was about 15 (including a beautiful one from Miss Selfridge which I recently parted company with as it was too big!), but this one from Topshop has well and truly cemented itself on my 'future purchases' list. I couldn't resist including the socks after seeing them in store last week, as they instantly reminded me of the old style school socks I used to wear (although I'm not advocating nostalgia as an excuse to splurge!) I've also been after a pair of tan ankle boots since last winter, and these are perfect- I love the buckle detailing.

After seeing this skirt in New Look last week it was instantly added to my shopping list, as I love the colour and the paperbag waist is really flattering- also rather reminiscent of the Mulberry SS11 collection which can't be a bad thing! The headscarf is a little whimsical inclusion as I've seen some lovely ones about recently and I think they're perfect for summer, especially if you're off somewhere exotic on holiday. And no, I can't quite believe that I've included a jumper in a post being written in the middle of June either, but the buttermilk shade of this Miss Selfridge number is divine, and you all know I'm obsessive about anything embellished.

Finally, a make-up must-have in the form of Chanel's Rogue Coco lipstick in a beautiful shade called 'Boy' (if you've seen Coco Before Chanel you'll recognise the significance), which I spied whilst perusing the beauty counters with my best friend (and self-confessed make-up addict) Sarah last week, and fell even more in love with after seeing this oh so cute ad campaign:


What do you think of my picks for this week? And have you bought Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine lipstick? If so, what did you think?

(Image credit: Topshop, Miss Selfridge, New Look, River Island and Debenhams. Video credit: Youtube.)

10.06.2011- Weekend Wishes

This weekend, I wish I had the funds to buy this beautiful new addition to the Mulberry family, as seen in the Fall 2011 campaign...

Mulberry Fall 2011 Campaign by Tim Walker.
Mulberry Polly Push Lock Bag in Conker, £850.
What do you think of the Mulberry Polly? And what are your wishes for this weekend?

(Image credit: fashiongonerogue and Mulberry.)

09.06.2011- It's a Stil(a)!

I don't often blog about beauty (in fact I think this may be my debut beauty post!) but this news was simply too exciting not to share. I've loved Stila cosmetics ever since I discovered the brand in the Macy's beauty hall when I first went to New York, and made a point of snapping up some of their beautiful eye shadows, smudge sticks and brushes whilst I was there. I vaguely remember being able to buy Stila in Liberty years ago, but the brand mysteriously disappeared from the British market soon after, leaving many fans (myself included) feeling rather bereft, not to mention minus our fix of their amazing lip glazes. Fret no more, however, as it has been recently confirmed that after an absence of five years, Stila is returning to the U.K! Rumour has it that Stila products will soon be available in Boots, House of Fraser, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, and I for one cannot wait. As well as heralding the return of some old favourites (Kitten eye shadow, I'm looking at you), Stila's relaunch will also bring with it a range of new products, including stunning eye shadow trios, best-selling waterproof eyeliners and a whole host of other goodies. I'm so eager to snap up this beautiful Natural Eyes Palette, which launched in the U.S just last week:


See you at the Stila counter ladies!

Have you missed Stila? And are you excited for their return to the U.K?

(Image credit: Stila.)

06.06.2011- Monday Must-haves

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you've all had a lovely day (if indeed Mondays can ever be lovely!) Even if you haven't had that great a day, I've got some lovely Monday Must-haves to cheer you up:


I love the brightly patterned tee, created by Cacharel for Uniqlo from a selection of special vintage edition prints, as it's perfect for injecting a bit of summertime brightness into even the most rain-soaked of wardrobes (typical British summer eh? One week of sunshine then bucket loads of rain!) The shoulder bag from Zara is divine, and could easily pass for something ten times more expensive. I adore the colour of the Warehouse blouse, and it would be great dressed up with smart trousers or a skirt, or styled casually with jeans. I chose the loafers as they co-ordinate perfectly with the bag (well, if it's good enough for the Queen!), and the trousers are really versatile. Finally, the nail varnish is a beautiful summery shade of coral, a failsafe even if the weather lets you down!

What do you think of my picks for this week? Have you bought anything you love recently?

(Image credit: Uniqlo, Zara, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse and Topshop.)

03.06.2011- Weekend Wishes

With the glorious weather which is gracing the UK at the moment set to continue for at least a little while longer, my wish for this weekend would be to look this glamorous whilst enjoying some sunshine:

Rosie Tupper by Andreas Sjödin, ELLE Sweden, May 2011, styled by Lisa Lindqwister. 
As it goes, I'll probably end up looking more like a menopausal lobster, especially if the air conditioner at work is still on the blink!

Whatever you've got planned for the weekend, have a lovely time and stay safe in the sun!

(Image credit: NOIR FACADE.)

02.06.2011- My Month in Pictures: May

Looking back, my May was a pretty hectic one! I started interning at Shakespeare's Globe at the start of the month, and am there two a per week until the end of July. I'm absolutely loving it! Other than that, I've had a lovely time catching up with friends and tying up loose ends at Uni....

 3rd May- Caught the last of the Royal Wedding mania by walking down a Union-Jack adorned Regent Street at the start of the month.

 19th May- Spent a lovely day at Kew Gardens with my two best friends. Very tranquil and, more importantly, lovely and sunny!

 20th May- Picked up these cute postcards to celebrate Mulberry's 40th birthday. 

20th May- Collected the mark for one of my last Uni assessments, very happy!

 
 30th May- Made these cupcakes for my cousin as she passed her driving test!

What did you get up to in May?

(Image credit: Sarah Farrell, please do not reproduce without permission. Images edited using Picnik.)