Oh Mary, you gave without taking...

images via londonfashionweek.co.uk Now I make no secret of the fact I am utterly obsessed with all that is simple, chic and effortless but that doesn't mean that I'm not partial to a good print when I see one.. enter Mary Katrantzou. The queen of prints showcased her new collection at London fashion week and the collection would turn even the cleanest of dressing women. Following up from her beautifully executed SS11 collection the SS12 is leaving me in all kinds of a spin.. I'm ready to rip of my grandmas wallpaper and fashion a skirt out of it. This. is. serious. Stirring up feelings of French Renaissance sans the extravagant wigs (although I wouldn't say no to a trophie of grey ringlets) with space age lipsticks in various metallic hues. conventional- no, Impractical- maybe, Lust worthy- Definitely.

I like the way you move....

Lanvins AW 11-12 Campaign is so cute! Models Karen Elson, Raquel Zimmermann, Lowell Tautchin, Milo Spijker dance, albeit awkwardly, to pittbull's 'I know you want me' shot by Mario Testino. Charmingly tongue in cheek, the clothes are painfully covertable and I love the extra dimension of movement and personality shown by the brand! Elson and Zimmermann are so damn beautiful that even a brief foray into poorly choreographed moves makes me swoon.

Perspextive dreams

images via Stlye stalker Apologies for the absence peeps! I have been globe trotting these past 10 days! I spent the first part in Ibiza with my sister and close friend and the latter part on the trip to Prague that I won via Dertour- Both were absolutely amazing and pictures and details to follow! While I trawl through the 1087 pictures I took, I want to just do a quick post about a shoot I am so in love with it may be a little unhealthy! Lately I have had such an unexplainable pull towards perspex and a shoot/feature involving it- this idea has become so all-consuming that I have a little something in the pipeline to rid my mind of it- excited! However, it was whilst doing research for my mood board that I stumbled across this shoot for underwear brand' Bonds' styled by Sue Anne San (of stylestalker) and photographed by Zanitta whittington. Taylor Warren looks flawless and suitably 'willowesque' - the colours are so beautiful and fresh and the idea of incorporating perspex and chiffon is divine! Perfectly executed with such flare, fantastic inspiration!

Sing a song of Saunders

images via style.com I always eagerly await Jonathan Saunders' collections. I love how he just seems to 'get' the female form and always manages to compliment it in the most unexpected ways, be it with a colour pallet, material or cut. His show at NY fashion week did not dissapoint- he successfully made me want every single item on the catwalk (not that it's hard with me- I'm like a magpie when it come to the Saunders) The prinited silks are inspired with polka dots and colours seeming to correlate with the sky and sealine in the hight of the summer which brought with them a fresh take on 'Housewife Chic'- just makes you want to lie on a beach sipping on an inappropriatly named cocktail. Shin-length hem lines show no signs of letting up, so get comfortable and enjoy the money you will save on razors! I love a good slip and jumper combo- the kind of thing I love the wear in the mid-seasons and the barely there materials are perfect for layering and cling to the body just perfectly. Oh Jonathan!

Queen Lizzie...

Now I don't wish to be accused of blasphemy, but I think I may have a new favourite Olsen, there I said it. I have been fighting this for some time. The Olsen twins are a shining example of everything fashion should be; personal expression, fun, heart felt and effortless, but their younger sister Elizabeth is a breath of fresh air and seriously making me swoon as of late! She has the Olsen face; cute, doe eyed and fresh but is also a fashion force to be wrecked with- she plays with shapes beautifully and has the same penchant for accessories as her super stylish sisters- THAT bib necklace from the HFPA luncheon. Elizabeth's latest spread in W magazine is sensational! The styling, by Lori Goldstein, is a perfect mix of kooky and 40's glamour, 'sex and the city' meets 'The woman in the window'.

A pocket full of Lim

images via style.com I am Definitely a little bit in love with Phillip Lim. I love how he always stays true to his brand, an important trait when gaining customer and brand loyalty!! His 3.1 Phillip Lim show in NY fashion week was as sleek and Luxe as ever- whilst introducing a refreshingly sporty tone to a sea of feminine glamour. The sorbet tones really brought a new lease of life to the minimalistic overall feel of the collection and left a very pleasant taste on the pallet. The silhouettes were reminiscent of the 90's and the materials used were right up my street, all cascading and billowing whilst clinging in the right places. I am all for channeling the 90's - a massively favourite era of mine! You cannot beat the clean lines and androgynistic feel to that decade that no matter who reworks it - it will always bring back connotations of Jil Sander and Calvin Klein. Get me some of those Pastel Capri's- I will wear them now, even in the looming arctic climates!!!

Marooned..

Trousers: Zara Jumper: Zara Bag: Zara Shoes: Topshop Necklace: H&M The day I became Zara's bitch. Now it is no secret that I am partial to a bit of Zara- I love the tailoring, the materials and, in my humble opinion, they do some of the best basics for the price on the high street. My love affair with Zara has been a long and loyal one and there are no signs of it letting up. However, today I did an unusual thing for me- every item of clothing I was wearing came from said shop. It wasn't pre-meditated, it just kind of happened. These trousers I got a little while ago and wore them to meet the boyfriends parents (must mention at this point they live in a vicarage. perfectly quaint) Felt they were quite vicar appropriate. I love the berry colour and the extra long length means they drape beautifully. The jumper is a firm favourite, although it does seem to have acquired a curious ink stain- must look into this. The necklace I bought months ago, forgot about it and found it in the back of my car last week- along with a fork, a missing shoe and numerous empty water bottles. Not quite sure what the 'squatting' position is- I think I wanted to show how the trousers hang with the longer length?!

Spice up your life..

Whilst watching Victoria Beckham's Difusion line at NY fashion week (streamed on her site) it appeared to me that Victoria Becham, whilst being a guilty pleasure, has seriously become someone to look to when referencing new seasons. You have to admire someone who dives headfirst in to something as fickle and tight knit as fashion and comes out smelling of gold trimmed military jackets. Victoria's SS12 line showcased clean silhouettes and military inspiration- which is inkeeping with Victoria's brand. There was a definate monochrome feel to the collection, not just with traditional black and white, with navy and tangerine also and it would seem the more relaxed sporty-luxe vibe has finally won her over- Stephen Jones army hats donned the heads of models like Arizona Muse and Shoes by Louboutin complete with spats lined their feet. Softer pallets of pastels and blushed nudes appear for the height of summer with extreme plazzo pants and maxis. Perfectly structured bags and hardwear zips accompany the pieces, which seemed to be a refreshing addition to the otherwise impeccibly minimalistic dresses. The oversized totes make. me. die. So perfectly put together. There is a lot to be said for a designer who you can imagine wearing every single piece of their clothing and Victorias is just that. The runway show was intimate and industrial whilst maintaining an air eclectic chic with outstanding Music by Zombay.

Specular talent...

I have Been having creative meetings with the amazing Chris Davis of http://specularworld.tumblr.com/ - check the blog! Chris is one of these guys who is so unassuming upon first meeting. He is sweet, kind and has a massive smile (warms your cockles it does) but as soon as you put a camera in this guys hands he is like a wizard (and I'm talking Gandalf the Grey kind)! A lot of my favourite shoots and projects have been taken by or collaborating with Chris - we seem to 'get' each other on a creative level. I cannot wait for future projects we have in mind, ready to push the boundaries and unleash each others inner existentialist!!

Call me what you like, just don't call me boring....

Bag: Zara Jacket: Burberry Skirt: Vintage Shoes: Reiss Glasses: Vintage Jumper: Zara Belt: Reiss New York Fashion week is in full swing and I consider it cruel and unusual punishment that I cannot be there (I know, poor me!). The cost of a flight and hotel alone is more than my net worth, but thanks to the wonder that is the Internet, I shall be able to watch it all unfold from the comfort of my own home- donning a onezie and Louboutins. Standard. This jacket is another one of those little gems that has lasted me years and will continue to last me through the ages- The Burberry mac never ceases to amaze me- Utterly timeless and perfectly designed to make even the most basic of outfits look expensive! Point in case with the neutrals in this one. I think 3/4 length pencil skirts are my calling. I love a good shin length number and always want to wear work appropriate attire for every day- must be the fact I used to adore playing post office's as a child. Normal. These glasses are a pair of tortoise shell cat-eye ones I got made into my prescription a little while back. I searched high and low for a pair like this, Sometimes the only way is vintage.

Me and you, just us two..

images via VanityFair.com Madonna is not someone I generally pay a lot of attention to, not for any particular reason (it does annoy me how she completely refuses to wear age appropriate attire, but hey if I have a body like that at her age, I can't promise I won't do the same!) Her new movie and latest directorial venture 'W.E' has just made me go all a quiver. Costumes designed by the painfully inspirational Arianne Phillips- 'Wallk the line' and 'A single man' - need I say more? The outfits are perfection- quintessentially British but also glamorous and luxe. Homage to the socially elite of the 40's- manor houses and cocktail hour whilst . Every look is impeccable and completely in- tune with the feminine vibe of late, where its ok to wear red lipstick to take the dog for a walk and pin curls for breakfast. It is no big secret that I am marginally obsessed with the 40's- impeccable tailoring, clean, feminie lines, texture, texture, texture- and beautifully chic. Cannot wait to see this flick, even if just to covet the clothing.