adjust the sleeves?

A little dress shop in St Johns Wood

On one of our new weekend outings to 'places to visit in London' we stumbled across a little dress shop tucked away just off St Johns Wood high street. I wasn't convinced at first as dress shops have never been my bag, I prefer charity shops, where the treasures are yet to be found and valued accordingly. However this dress is apparently 'soiled', in fact it has a tiny dot on the bow that you clearly can't see but if somebody rich wants to throw this away I'm only too happy to take it at the markdown price of £19.

I actually think I am becoming converted to expensive clothing, the way this dress hangs is so ultimately flattering, you can't see very well in the image but it made up of layers of silky fabric and it just fits like a glove. I teamed it with some red lippie and super high wedhes to bring a girly chanel feel to a dress that could quite easily have been in the wardrobe of a 60 year old. I also picked up an amaing Sonia Rykiel jumper which I'm sure will be on here some time soon.

Celine

Another St Johns Wood find. When there are lamborghinis and ferraris racing around you know you're in a good area for charity shops. The best of the bunch was the community charity shop which had its own designer rail. For £18 I bagged this Celine print shirt. I love its quirkiness and vibrancy. You won't find that in Topshop.

Its all about the shoulder pads

Available at ASOS, I saw a girl in work wearing the same one the other day but in a gorgeous beery red and instantly felt buyers remorse. Now I have my dark hair I need to learn to steer away from black more, with blong hair its hot, for brunettes colour and nudes is much better.

Winter Coats 2

Not a great pic but I am loving this Uniqlo donkey jacket from the menswear section. Its so snugly and warm for the miserable days you'd scared to go out of the house, I also think its pretty i dont care cool and finally it was only £60. Denim shirt from charity shop, scarf from vintage shop in Paris, and of course the boots.

H&M collaboration with Sonia Rykiel

As reported in Drapers, Sonia Rykiel is to do a collaboration with H&M on lingerie and accessories. I am disappointed that she won't be collaborating on any clothing as I think her style would be right up the H&M customers street. Perhaps she isn't keen on detracting any potential sales away from her diffusion line Sonia by Sonia Rykiel.

Jil Sander for Uniqlo unveiled

As I mentioned previously Jil Sander is doing a collaboration with Uniqlo and Drapers published some pictures of what it will look like. It's as I imagined, sticking to Jil Sanders handwriting of clean lines, smart tailoring and lots of black. Lucky for me I have a coat very similar to the one in the picture which I'm thinking will look nice and futuristic for this Autumn Winter.

Marc by Marc Jacobs SS10

Shall I list the ways in which I love thee, oh Marc Jacobs. This winter I am buying Africana prints, at least all the bright ad quirky ones and come summer I am going to mish mash them all together and stick a giant chiffon bow in my hair. I already bought an amazing bright yellow africana print shift dress this week in my lunch break, let the collecting begin. I so can't wait till next summer...maybe I will wear it tomorrow. I am in deep and passionate lust with this collection because as always with Marc Jacobs it is still fun and its something new and oh how we need something new after the months (or is it years?) of bodycon and shoulder pads. Wearing one of these outfits doesn't scream "look at me I follow fashion, I'm working a Balmain rip off" it whispers "I'm really cool and offbeat and I just threw this thing together in a quirky effortless way". At least that's what it's whispering to me. I wonder if everyone hears the voices of clothing in their heads telling them how great they could be..."wear me, wear me, I will complete you"

Paper Dress Vintage Store in Shoreditch

I managed to escape from the office for a day this week to assist on one of our shoots. Getting out of the office was not the only perk I also got a full hour lunch break for once which gave me just enough time to wander round the corner from Shoreditch studios and discover this great vintage store on Curtain Road. What makes this vintage store different from the many others in shoreditch? Well for starters the clothes are a cut above, no holes or stains, no nasty grandma smell and these are real originals (none of this St Micheals malarky), stunning dresses from the 20s and the even have a whole rail of childrens vintage!I may love the actual shop just as much as the clothes, glamourous mirrored changing rooms, an elegant dressing table adorned with jewellery and hats and the clothes diplayed beautifully in spacious order. No rifling through the rails necessary.

Service, that dinosaur that the high street has forgotten all about, is paramount to indies, and at Paper Dress they know it. Welcoming, friendy and helpful, the service elevated my little foray into a shopping experience rather than a mere purchase. Because of course I did purchase.

Most excitingly Paper Dress are working on a collaboration with LCF. Giving away old stock for them to reinvent it and present it in a vintage fashion show extravaganza. Can't wait.

Winter Coats

I made a promise this month that I would only buy clothes and therefore blow my budget at the end of the month as waiting for payday this September has been a long cold 5 weeks. Except I managed to spend £40 on my lunchtime this week - found a new vintage store. Then today a seemingly innocuous trip to Kensington High Street, shopping for my boyfriend and most certainly not myself, a pre-conceived decision, led me into the danger zone - TKMaxx. Where I found this beautiful coat, Valentino no less, WAY out of budget, but I nearky vried when I had to take it off and put it back so I decided to buy it instead. I'm looking up shopaholics anonymous as we speak.

Tartan Trousers

Quelle surprise tartan is in again for autumn winter. Im not complaining I love the way tartan can be so grandma, punk or quirky its truly a diverse pattern. Vogue had a double page spread on it, my favourite piece has got to be the cape by Hobbs NW3 available at ASOS.com for £249. A little bit outta my price range right now. But much love.

Top Knots

I'm having a love/hate affair with my hair. Love it up, especially in the oh so shoreditch messy top knot, seen on the catwalks worn as low down as the forehead (im so trying that this weekend!!!). Alas hate it down, still at nasty growing out stage and the colour is indefinable. Not brown, not blond. I have duly booked a hair appointment for this Wednesday yet I'm still none the wiser about what to do with it. To go back to blond?? Maybe I'll just see how I feel that day.

This outfit has gone into the new section of my wadrobe called 'Nothing to Wear' for the days Im tearing my hair out for a comfy casual outfit for work that still passes the fashion police muster. The diagnol zipper, yes functioning, on the skirt is a little racy and the grey sweat fabric is so SS10 which is all about sportwear and sweat fabric not for the gym. The necklace a little added extra bought me admirtion all day. I smugly informed those that asked "Yes Primark only £3"

And yes I am still wearing those boots.

Pretty Print Dresses

Theres loads of them around. This kind of dress is the perfect transitional buy. For those days where it still seems sunny, be brave and show some leg and as the days get colder layer up with tights and long sleeve top or little cardi. I picked up this at Dotty Ps would you believe it. A tad pricey in my cheap opinion at £32...come on its not Topshop. But I must admit I will be going back, in disguise of course, Dorothy Perkins still has no street cred. If you can look past the cheap fabrics that are pulling just from your glance through the window then there are some real on trend pieces to be found in there this season.