Category: accessories

April 29, 2015

Banjooli x

There are three things that caught my roving eye with this remarkable collection of garden furniture designed by Sebastian Herkner for Moroso..

1. They’re brilliantly inspired by the mating dance of male ostriches – (or ‘banjooli’ in Wolof tongue) – who stretch out their wings to show off to the ladies.

2. They’re produced by African craft weavers using fishing net yarn.

3. They make me smile.

Herkner says, they may be based on birds, but they are human in their perfections and flaws. Mi piace.

Laters, Kate x

April 28, 2015

Trans Shoes.. x

An arctic bloom has descended on the UK; a wave of cold has reached out it’s icy fingers once more. The result in some ways is quite pleasing – deep blue skies and crystal clear air making all around bright and focused (I fear I’m the exception proving the rule..) but it means the weather isn’t honest – it’s horribly deceptive with a chilly, biting wind. Then the wind drops and there’s power in the sun…just enough to make you resent your layers. Basically, it’s complicated – which means thought into transitional clothing is probably essential, so much so I can see the appeal of these sheepskin sandals from Celtic & Co…that warmth..but still cool.

And less Big Bird than Celines infamous slides..

Plus, at £50 they’re a bit of a bargain combined with the extra joy of being a slipper crossover..

I’m seduced..

Laters, Kate x

April 10, 2015

If the Shoe Fits..

There was no transitioning..suddenly London hit spring and we’ve been bathed in sunshine all week. It’s the sort of weather where you want to loll on fresh, green grass and let your voice get weary from talking, not smoking. In honour, I wore my first official pair of summer shoes yesterday – my two year old pair of Swedish Hasbeens, and admittedly the walking was spliced between cycling and chasing the kids on the common..but there were no blisters at the end of the day. Result. But these beauties do need getting used to with their distinctive dry-bone no-give wooden soles – like the best things in life, they need time to wear-in. In Sweden, long before it became a trend, they’d do this by wearing them with socks – it allows the leather to give a little extra whilst avoiding the rubbing…and you can’t find a nicer pair of socks than these at Free People.

It takes it away from the Japanese school girl look and gives it back to nature and folk dancing..a technical and aesthetic tour de force.

Laters, Kate x

April 4, 2015

Happy Easter!

As a child, Volker Kraft saw a beautiful paschal tree in his home town…and he wanted one.

In 1965 his dream came true – his own tree with 300 odd eggs on it. Since then it has grown every year..

2015 will be the last year of the Saalfeld Easter tree..and the total is now 10,000 decorated eggs. One man’s madness, one man’s passion..one man’s joy. I doff my flamboyant Easter bonnet to you sir…

Laters, Kate x

March 13, 2015

Bag of tricks x

Valentino is Maria Callas singing Casta Dive from Norma, at sunset on the cliff tops of Cinque Terre. It’s where the magic happens…(and it rips my heart out that Jean Paul Gaultier got their first…)

How unrepentantly this dazzles and drips with impeccably luxury..it’s exclusive enough to buy a true designer handbag..how very, very to buy a matching skirt as well..and what a stroke of genius to create the art of illusion between them, the designs responding to context with no limits to the possibilities.

Those little touches, like the initials of the models, quietly embossed on..

(All photos Valentino)

It’s that moment when the clouds part and a golden ray of sunlight streams down.

Laters, Kate x

February 12, 2015

Jewel x

There’s a perverse delight in unearthing a bargain, and one of my best ever were these earrings from Siren London – not that you could buy this exact earring as they were actually my mash-up of two of their pairs…but it’s still possible to emulate.

The ‘kiss’ part was from one pair, and the lips from another – the ‘kiss’ earring was a ridiculously clever design with the word being a separate part of the earring which then hung off the main stalk of the stud and looked cunningly suspended just below the earlobe. The design meant there’s this blue-sky-thinking ability to use ANY stud earring to hang the word from. Sadly ‘kiss’ is no longer available..but ‘love’ is (tempted?) The lips were then the perfect foil to the words, but at £3.94 precisely one had to worry about their quality (having said that – I never got an allergic reaction wearing them) and how long they’d last..but now there’s a rather wonderful solution..

As requested in the original post, there’s now a posh version available..which means treasure, longevity and rapture..

Aamaya by Priyanka also has some other rather cheeky, desirable designs..

So here’s the thought: Indulge and mix them all up..sad face on one side with ‘kiss’…(yep..still got mine..)

Heart eyes on other with ‘love’..

Oh, how I laugh!

Laters, Kate x

February 11, 2015

Acing Accessories x

Sometimes it’s the littlest things that have the greatest impact…this safety pin earring…elevated from punk to pure tongue-in-cheek chic..

A kilt pin on your collar? Sassy and smart..

A casual, crafty cat bag then reflected by cat’s eyes..

There’s something about a Louis Vuitton bag that’s been tastefully graffitied..

Bring an outfit to life with bags of colour..

(All photos Tommy Ton from Style.com)

Or just accessorise with flowers and an appropriate shopping bag..

Laters, Kate x

January 29, 2015

Hot Fuzz x

Karen Walker has managed to capture the sex-factor in her new campaign..with a dog. A dog called Toast with a strong sense of self who doesn’t let anyone walk over her, but is more than happy to throw us a bone..

Sassy and sweet, flashing the flesh and dealing with aplomb with this meaty dish..

Like Karen Walker’s previous campaigns, it’s humourous, cheeky and rather wonderful, with just the perfect combination of wit and gristle.

The glasses aren’t bad either…

Laters, Kate x

January 23, 2015

Tiger, tiger..

High on my wish-list for Xmas was this little baby (I can resist everything, except a bit of kitsch..and possibly the odd coat..and a bright red cardigan..or 2) And what a joy he’s been – everything that great design should be: Functional, beautiful and desirable..

Open him up and hear him roar..

Laters, Kate x

November 27, 2014

Dear Santa..

Please could I have a left-handed calligraphy pen…(and possibly the Dummies Guide to go with it) so I can finally learn to write with heart swooning swirls…I think it would improve my quality of life considerably..

(And then next year, you can ask me to write something beautiful for my very own lazer-cut bracelet from this incredible Shop..(I’m happy to ~~give you the chance to save up~~ to wait till then..)it’ll be worth it)