September 7, 2013

Cherry Picking..

NYFW X

Suno SS14

Rag and Bone SS14

Victoria Beard SS14

Tanya Taylor SS14

All pictures www.style.com

Laters, Kate x

September 6, 2013

Last of the Summer x

There’s been a ten degree temperature drop over night here in London and heavy rain is predicted…but there are still memories to savour as the back to school routine kicks into gear..

Laters, Kate x

September 4, 2013

Fairytale x

(Photo from Tumblr)

Something happens every Season..

(Photo from http://www.lovelybylucy.com)

One innocuous item magically transforms into a diamond encrusted butterfly.

(Photo from Stylecaster.com)

This year it’s the humble slip-on.

All by Mother of Pearl.

Maybe not a glass slipper..

Kenzo Vans partnership.

But they’re still having a psychedelic Cinderella moment..

..and I love it.

Laters, Kate

September 2, 2013

Love, Love, LOVE!

Isabel Marant Resort 2014 is without a doubt an open-my-heart-production full of the perfect pieces for every day, any where.. Isabel-Marant-Resort-2014-20 She ices the cake of all desires and is the trend maestro..

Laters, Kate x

August 31, 2013

Transitioning..

It’s easy to feel nostalgic as the summer slowly sinks to it’s demise, but I rather enjoy the dissecting of what worked and finger pointing new desires…

For next summer I’m after loose, 90’s style t-shirt dresses with low v necks, slouchy shoulders and clever rounded pockets.

Where did this come from? But I’m feeling the love for a pair of proper thin leather Roman sandals in WHITE. I think it started with Vanessa Bruno’s SS13 collection and lusting after the heeled gladiators with 3/4 length trousers..

Autumn is almost better than New Year for a fresh start and the urge to turn out unwanted bits, to salvage and re-invent..and my heart is drawn to denim, crystallised, I suspect, by Miu Miu’s iconic SS13 Collection..

The shapes, the nostalgia, the witty lining of duchesse satin ..I completely and utterly fall..and am only caught by the price..

Still, there are a number of 90’s (that era again..) vintage options with great shapes.

This with a pair of Dicker boots..

How gracefully they smoothly integrate into the inevitable downward slide of the thermometer. Perfect for layering – the ultimate rehearsal clothes..before winter has us in it’s freezing grip..

Laters, Kate x

August 29, 2013

Wednesdays Child..

And so the day starts…

Right everyone – have you all been for a wee? Shoes on? As there are 3 of you and only 2 large scooters and one smaller one, I’d be really grateful if you Charlie, as the smallest child, would use the smaller scooter today.

No. I don’t want to.

It would really help me if you could be a gentleman and help your Mummy.

No. I don’t want to.

I realise that, but I’d really appreciate it if you could help me.

I don’t want to.

Well, I don’t want to take 3 children to the playground, but I’m still going.

I don’t want the small scooter, I want the big one.

I’d like you to help me, can you do that?

No.

OK. Well, no Harry Potter Land on Friday.

But I want to go to Harry Potter Land.

So go on the scooter.

I don’t want to go on the scooter.

So then no Harry Potter Land.

But I want to go to Harry Potter Land.

Charlie, I’m going to count to 3..after that no Harry potter Land, 1,2..

(moves to scooter, we leave the relative safety of the house)

But I want the big scooter.

(Ignore, shut door)

I want the big scooter, I want the big scooter, I WANT THE BIG SCOOTER

Charlie, LOOK at me, do you want to go to Harry Potter Land? Yes? So tell me what you have to do..

But I want the big scooter.

JUST THERE! – did you spot that purple spotted fairy just hiding behind the car? Not there now?..I’m sure it was..look again..Maybe you’ll see it next time..Why don’t you just go and play with the girls?

Go away Charlie.

Bella please be nice, you have a friend.

But Mummy, Mummy, Charlie is being really horrible.

Charlie – why do you need to ride in the middle of the girls?..just ride to the side of them ..and don’t touch their wheels..

But I want to ride in the middle of them.

I’ve told you not to. It’s dangerous.

Does it again.

CHARLIE you are going to cause an accident.

Does it again.

(Sit him on kerb to talk to at eye level) Charlie, if you can’t act properly I will take your scooter away. Do you understand? What did I just say – repeat it back to me…

You’ll take my scooter away.

Do you understand? Right, let’s go..

Mummy – he’s done it again!

Charlie – WHY did you do that??

(Take scooter to add to dog, poo bags, picnic, picnic rug, kite, football, cricket bat, cricket ball, stumps. skipping rope…)

I WANT MY SCOOTER!

I wANT MY SCOOTER!

Not until you can learn to behave.

I will behave.

So prove it to me.

Goes up to Bella, hits her.

CHARLIE BENTLEY. COME HERE NOW…

I want a cuddle.

Not until you’ve said sorry Bella and sorry to me and YOU STOP THIS HORRIBLE BEHAVIOUR. THERE WILL BE NO HARRY POTTER LAND ON FRIDAY WHICH WAS GOING TO KILL US ANYWAY AS YOUR FATHER’S FLIGHT FROM HONG KONG DOESN’T GET IN TILL FIVE IN THE MORNING AND THE DOG HAS TO GO TO THE POSH VET FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT (long story) SO QUITE FRANKLY I’LL BE MIGHTY PLEASED NOT TO GO BECAUSE IT’S NOT EXACTLY MY IDEA OF A FUN DAY OUT..

I want a cuddle, I want a cuddle.

WHAT DO YOU SAY CHARLIE?

I want a cuddle.

WWWHHHAAAATTTT DDDDOOO YYYOOOUUUU SSSSAAAAYYYY?????

Sorry Bella…Sorry Mummy…

Gives kisses, has cuddle.

But I want the big scooter…

Find brick wall. Hit head.

Moral of this tale: When you see a mother tearing her hair out..

a. Honest to God..give her some sympathy..she’s been doing this for weeks now..schools in the UK broke up in July and don’t go back till September.

b. It’s probably me…………………………

Laters, Kate x

August 27, 2013

Heel the Love..

Tantalising autumn shoe in to-die-for oxblood by the indomitable Isabel Marant

Somtimes it can just be the little things that make the mark between a good shoe and a great shoe like the perfect colour or the way they’ve been stitched. But invariably I find there’s a gap between the shoes I see in my head and the reality of what’s available.

Take this Burberry boot..

Mouth-watering in design, colour and texture. I want this shape to wear with pencil skirts, 3/4 length trousers..but for every day?

Even my ankles would get vertigo. I need 24 hour shoes I can run in.

Why is it the more expensive the brand the higher the heel? Is it a subtle comment to say the women who can afford these shoes don’t need to ~~work~~ walk?, or are they hell-bent on proving that comfort and height costs special engineering and therefore more money? Except I believe that after a certain height every shoe becomes a taxi-shoe and only good for extra pain.

This autumn I want shoes with character that tell a story…a 1940s vibe mixed with a bit of 70s with a splash of growing up gentley modern elegance..I want a desert boot with a wedge heel to wear with jeans…a really masculine type with lots of stitching..

And a black pair with a brogue tassel for dresses and skirts..

I’ve found these conker coloured vintage 70s shoes that I love…

But these other two have a place reserved in my wardrobe..

And ALL the heels are 2.5 inches..

So if you know where to get any of these or similar please say..otherwise I’ll have to keep on dreaming..

Laters, Kate x

August 25, 2013

Summer Style x

A classy customer catching the last rays of the summer in the beige Bergman from our Summer Collection.

Enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend!

Laters, Kate x

August 23, 2013

Bernadette Pascua x

Amazing eh? Bernadette Pascua is a Fashion Illustrator living the dream in Brooklyn, New York, with partner, the Photographer, Andrew Stimson and their adopted furry dog son, Rocky. I was only talking to a friend the other day about choosing outfits by silhouette..and this shape is divine…the shrapnel of experience tells me how hard it is to paint like this.

The simplicity is deceptive.

You sense the rest.

She has a breath-taking Blog at www.decadediary.com

A serendipidy that winks.

Seeing beauty in the ordinary..

(Photo by Andrew Stimson, http://www.sousstyle.com)

It helps that she is extraordinary.

Laters, Kate x

August 21, 2013

The Obsession Continues..

Navajo Blanket Coats are not the only fruit. An integral part of Canada’s fashion history is the Hudson Bay Blanket Coat..they hit you right in the imagination..gotta love those pockets..