Category: Designer Brands
Gestuz x
With that something just a little bit special, Gestuz are like an upper class, rich woman’s Zara whilst still remaining within the realms of affordability.
Masters of the clean, cool, contemporary, classic with their pared down, intelligent designs.
Effortlessly creating the wardrobe staples of the future.
I want.
Laters, Kate x
All Wrapped Up x
The mornings are cold now inLondon with a real nip in the air, but come mid-morning and the sun (long may it last) is shining and the temperature picks up. It’s the perfect weather for scarves, which is lucky because this year there seems to be a bumper crop of styles and styling options…there’s the classic navy, a timeless wardrobe staple. Safety has it’s chic place..
Or add a bit of drama with this belted fur option from Marni.
The Burberry blanket is still having it’s moment.
Or your could opt for the scarf that thinks it’s a cape.
A blast from the past, eponymous with the eighties, this scarf is back…with added fringe benefits.
Or maybe it’s the longer wrap that has you tied up.
Is it a jumper or is it a poncho? Or is it something to fling on as you run out the door.
(All pics from Net-a-porter.com)
Or pay homage to the Hunger Games with this interesting knitted number from Stella Mcartney.
The choice is yours.
Laters, Kate x
Hi Society x
The perfect conker brown to match the season with authentically tooled leather, Penelope Chilver’s Barbarella Cordoban hi tops are the easywear anywhere shoe with that discerning level of quality and design.
It’s a luxurious walk on the wild side…
Laters, Kate x
Burberry Prorsum x
Black, gold, beige, military detail, crested insignias, gold buttons and gold chains, all the stalwarts of the power dressing nineties were rejuvenated in Burberry SS16..but with the gas turned to subtle.
The detailing was beautiful and showed the collaboration between Christopher Bailey and Hand & Lock, the British manufacturer that makes accessories for the Queen’s Horse Guards to perfection. It underlined the exciting mix of Bailey’s continuing relationship with heritage, heritage materials and British manufacturing.
But step away from the title, look at the colour palette, the materials, the coats..the footwear…and this could be a fall show.
The inner layers maybe light and airy, but the outer’s are ready for a turn in temperature downwards.
But then Bailey is one of the few designers to openly agree that the seasons, as a fashion concept, are over. He’s already embracing the quick marriage of shows and ecommerce whereby clothes can be seen on the runway, bought with a click and delivered within weeks, forcing forward the pace of production.
(Charlie would love these shoes).
(And the macho-feminine lace).
The bags..the rucksack with it’s monogrammed initials..
(All pics from Vogue.com)
And this one will be on many lists of lust because Christopher Bailey is clever, he doesn’t produce warm coats associated with badgers and large dogs. His aim is for urban, edgy brand carriers – it’s easy wear, ruthlessly recognisable luxury put on a pedestal that we can all pay homage to.
It’s slick fashion candy to prove taste and money..but for me, it’s lost a bit of heart.
Too easy? Should that be a problem?
Laters, Kate x
Isa Arfen x
So New York Fashion Week is in full flow and it’s always weird to see the season your leaving behind being put under the spotlight. But with spring/summer it’s somehow easier..possibly because – despite the driving rain, thunder and gale force winds – I’m still clinging into the thought of an indian summer – but also because it’s less about bikini’s and beachwear and more about layers..and even sleeves, that all work year round..
Clicking through the shows it’s good to see body-con given the boot. The lines are looser and inherently forgiving, with a feminine edge. Isa Arfen is a prime example.
There’s functionality but with full throttle character.
(All pics from Vogue.com)
These are the love child of the colour and comfort of real life with the craft and credentials of cutting edge.
Pure poetry in motion.
Laters, Kate x
New Start x
Uniforms washed and ironed, school bags packed, kids out the door!!!!!!! Finally time to step off the battle bus, to stop chasing screams and no longer think about jumping the pitfalls of regular crashes. It’s a huge sigh of relief that once the breakfast things are sorted, my house will remain in the same state ALL DAY…that I can sit at my desk to write without earplugs or feeling guilty that I’m ignoring the chaos or their needs, because that’s where the holiday conflict lies – doing something just for me, which is effectively inherently selfish versus being at everyone’s beck and call. Despite knowing that a happy mum is a happy family, it’s incredibly hard – like holding a bubble – to find the balance. Which I think is why my brain has been swirling round the notions of simplicity and how it works across all aspects of life. Take Sonia Rykiel Resort 2016 – in the happy, slightly dappy land where my second self permanently lives, I could cheerfully own the whole collection, but not just for Resort season – it would last the whole year and beyond..the outfit above would be for today, the first day back..
Parents evening..
Cooler, autumnal days..
A bit of bling for Christmas..
New Years eve, painting the town red in black and white.
Spring.
All the way to sports day..
(All pics from the new Vogue.com)
And summer hols.
(Please note that my second self can fit all these sample sizes and has legs up to my armpits) But then what would I do next year? Sell it to make way for new stuff? Store it because one day Bella might love it too? or just love it till it falls to bits in the acceptance that fashion is fickle and there’s no point in chasing rainbows?
It’s a conundrum. Deep within, even for my second self, there’s a questioning at the constant need for accrual, for stuff, for the next big thing. We’re constantly bombarded with pretty things, branding and temptation. Consumerism is important – businesses and artisans need supporting, and I’m as guilty as anyone, constantly looking for the next delight, the next perfect shoe or dream coat. But has it all gone too far?
Oh God. I think I think I need a uniform too.
Laters, Kate x
Curtain Call x
If I wasn’t part of the Curvy Chick’s Club, this is where I would buy my lingerie.
At Rose Fulbright. Because I love the sense of an iron fist in a satin glove – that nostalgic, firm silhouette and structure that begs to be paired with soft, pink maribou feathers, Parisian boudoirs and exotic perfumes.
The fact that the Company is run by a 26 year old woman, Rose Fulbright-Vickers, and is manufactured in the UK with a strong ethical conscience is a further Brucie bonus.
But it’s the up-front bra-fastenings that ‘ve really caught my eye.
I wrote a blog post back in Dec. 2013, a cry from the heart about the need for decent nightwear for big-busted beauties. In a nutshell, I wanted to find a company that sold bra-sized nightwear that would halt my girls from rolling under my armpits at night, which didn’t involve primary coloured cotton elastane but instead celebrated a girl’s primal desire for satin, silk, bows and just a little bit of frou frou. All these years later, these bra’s are the closest lingerie I’ve seen to that dream..all they need are the appropriate sizing and a skirt on the bra to transform them into a camisole top..(and then the addition of some slinky french knickers/matching pajamas) (and a monogram please)(and all in pleasing pastels) and we’d be there..
It does seem incredible that all this time later, fashion is still ignoring boobs, despite the average UK size being 36D. That’s a huge market waiting to be tapped. Until things change, I’ll just have to admire the aesthetic of Rose Fulbright from afar, my nose pressed up against the candle-lit, handblown, lust-loving glass.
Laters, Kate x
Hot to trot..
If I had the bucks to blow on a bonny beach bag, Sophie Anderson would be my label of lust.
Full of easy wear, just don’t care boho charm.
Just enough space for the Missoni towel, ray bans and that little bit of x factor…
So good..why just limit it to the beach?
Laters, Kate x
Dusen Dusen..
I’m heading to Greece today..I can’t wait. The children have already been out for a week and I’ve missed them. I’m in need of a cuddle from my daughter and a cheeky word from my son. I wish I had one of these dresses from Dusen Dusen to travel in..
Fun, and just on the right side of flirty.
Laters, Kate x
True Love x
It’s the season of the couture shows when material transforms into an artist’s palette and cost becomes no object to imagination.
Valentino showcased their collection last night at the sort of event us mere mortals can only drool at – it started with a magical treasure hunt tour of the places in Rome where Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli found inspiration, from the Bibblioteca Casanatense, a public library lined with books with it’s deep aroma of learning to a marble bath from 1840 sited in a private palazzo, ending with a majestic open air catwalk show at dusk.
Their muse was Rome, a monster of an idea, held together across time by the golden thread of fairytale…
Because Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli have that singular ability to take the concept of inspiration and find the person deep inside.
Their designs represent the model of languid self-possession.
(All pics from Style.com)
Always with that romantic touch of magic, intriguingly bathed in clouds.
I covet.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 