Balmy Lavender

Today has been major hot, so I spent some time in the great outdoors and cut some lavender from my garden to bring into the house. I'm such an old lady, I love the smell of lavender and it's healing properties as well as the way it looks. As a whole though, I hate the summer. I know this makes me odd as I don't actually know anyone who shares my feelings on this but I just much prefer the mid-seasons, I think there are far more sartorial options.

Which brings me once again to my trip to London tomorrow. Heat + my wardrobe = do not mix. So I have been trying on practically everything to come up with some suitable possibilities. I managed to blag my way onto a guest list of a club near to the hotel but to my horror this guest list acceptance came with a whole list of rules, especially concerning one's attire. 

Their words, "We only accept the best-dressed people so you will need to fit our funky style". Now this just makes me wonder, is this a place I really want to be going to? Will I be deemed acceptable? Should I even care???

Japanese Flying Crane

I received these with an Etsy parcel a while ago, the Japanese Flying Crane. It is the symbol for good fortune, longevity, hope and peace as well as representing fidelity. Apparently, folding one thousand cranes is said to have health attributes. There are lots of tutorials on YouTube for various shapes and designs if you so desire.

I could do with some hope and good fortune as my Depeche Mode dream was shattered this morning as they announced yet another cancellation for this weekend. My friend and I have decided to continue with our trip to London (there is still shopping to be done after all). And some good fortune that came our way was that the hotel have transferred us to a 5 star luxury hotel in Mayfair which we probably couldn't have afforded otherwise, so hopefully we will still have a good weekend.

Mini Shopping

So although I don't officially start my shopping trip until Saturday, I did manage to squeeze in a mini shopping trip while at my parents' local high street. 

River Island lolly-pop

I'm not sure I'll ever eat this but I did like the colour and shape of it.

Now & Then valise-style storage boxes

There's a great little shop called Now & Then which I always call into whenever I visit my parents. I never leave this shop empty handed. It has a selection of old and new, hence the "Now" and "Then". It is like an Aladdin's cave, really your eye doesn't know where to turn, there are so many things crammed into it. If you like interiors, antiques, jewellery and even doll's house furniture, it has a great selection.

Oasis print dress

This dress caught me eye, even though it is not a style or print I would usually choose or even a shop that I usually go into. But when I tried it on, it had one of those miraculous cuts that really flatter my body shape. Also, a bargain from £50 to £12, it will be a great work outfit.

Home is...

...where the heart is. A photograph of my house keys. I have a much-needed week off work this week, so have taken a little trip to spend a few days at my parents. And then at the weekend I am heading to London to see the long-awaited Depeche Mode gig - if it still on that is, they have cancelled the last few shows due to the lead singer's ill-health, I'm praying he gets better in time for Saturday!

It has been a little while since my last trip to London, so I have plans for a major shop in Top Shop (I can easily spend hours in there and it being a Saturday may mean that I will have to). On Sunday a visit to Brick Lane and the vintage shops around the area, I've never been before so I'm hoping I'll pick up some good finds. Hopefully the weather will stay good as it's been here the last few days, always makes a market-day out more enjoyable. 

Icon - Annie Clark

I can always count on Refinery29 to introduce me to new inspirations. Their piece on Muses Matter have brought me to singer Annie Clark from band St Vincent which has also encouraged me to download their album Actor. Anyone looking this good, must have a great style of music also, right? 

I'm always influenced by those of the pale skin/dark hair variety as this is most similar to my own look. It is always interesting to look at how others with a similar colouring choose to dress and style themselves, it makes you assess your own choices.

The team at Refinery29 also chose Shingai Shoniwa from The Noisettes, Nataska Khan from Bat for Lashes, Busy Gagnes and Melissa Livaudais from Telepathe, my long-time favourites Erika Foster, Annie Heart and Heather d'Angelo fron Au Revoir Simone and Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - there is no denying the personal style from all of these ladies as well as their musical talent.

* On a side note, I have registered a domain for my blog, unable to have the name I wanted with Blogger when I first started, this one is much easier. The name of my blog actually derives from my real name which I do not want coming up on any searches on the world wide web, so I will not divulge. Anyway, in the transition process, I appeared to have completely lost my links list, so have tried to remember as many of them as I can - please let me know if I have missed any of you and would like to be put back on. I'm sure over time I will remember the rest, I will update as I go. 

French Sole

French Sole ballet pumps in zebra, lilac snakeskin, silver and leopard ❖ Russell & Bromley black patent quilted

The shoes that I always fall back on, that I have been wearing for many years, are ballet pumps. I generally wear them out, I wear them so much and the brand that I always go back to is French Sole. They stock around 30,000 pairs of shoes and supply to over 500 outlets. When I first started wearing them, there was only a mail order option with a handful of shops that I would come across, how quickly they have expanded. It is easy to order by mail as I always choose the same Low Cut style in a 38 - this style has neither a left or a right foot but molds to your foot.  

I spoke in my last post about my desire for non-fashion classics and how I like my classic items with a touch of history. And although this style of footwear has, I guess, been in fashion for quite a few years now, I also think they are a shoe that will always be "in style" rather than "in fashion". This makes them perfect in my eyes.

There are so many options now for shopping, we no longer need to hit the shops, spending hours on foot. But rather at the press of a button, we can access thousands of items, quite often items that living in a small town or city would not offer. We all want to stay in style and look great. But it's also important to stay in budget, which is why wholesale clothing is a great option for those of us looking to do just that.

Wayfarer

My new Wayfarer sunglasses by Ray-Ban. I know they've had their fashion moment but that's probably why thetyappeal to me now. I hate fashion items when they're "in fashion", but at the same time I love classic items that were made a long time ago. 1937 is long enough ago to deem them classic and the appearance of them by Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's ensures their iconic status.

Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses ❖ H&M lace 3/4 sleeve top

Coco

How amazing is this image? It embodies all that is Gabrielle Chanel - her apartment in Paris being almost as famous as the lady herself; the classic Chanel suit, repeated over decades; and the signature cream and black colours. I cannot wait for this film to come out in the UK, I think it is released in France this month. It is uncanny how alike Audrey Tatou is, they really could not have found anyone better to play the part - see here for the trailer.  

Sweet-Tooth

I have had the sweetest tooth for the last couple of days. These are just a few from the huge bag of jelly-beans I have consumed... I did like the pink, purple and white combination of the sweets together in this little purple candy dish.

Belsay Hall, Castle & Gardens

I have posted before about Stella McCartney's crystal horse Lucky Spot, so I won't go into the detail again. But I did get chance to visit Belsay in Northumberland yesterday, I'll leave you with what I saw...

The Hall

The Castle

and the Gardens

Cup of Tea

Today has been spent drinking a lot of tea - rose-petal, my favourite.

* Also, I have just been playing round with my Page Elements and have lost my Followers! Does anyone know how to get it back? Sorry my 12 followers - it has taken me a while to build this up agh!  

Bleu Mystérieux

Bourjois Bleau Mystérieux nail varnish

I have posted before my desire to find a Chanel Blue Satin-on-a-budget. Unfortunately I was not successful the last time but I think I may have found my replacement in this Bourjois offering. Having already sampled their black version of the Chanel Black Satin and been very impressed to the point that, other than the packaging, there really was no difference in the product.  Having tried both, I decided to see if this inky, navy blue would match up to it's Chanel counterpart - and I have to say I'm impressed! You do need about three coats to achieve the desired effect but the consistency is very much the same as Chanel, so all in all a very good substitute.

Puffy Sleeves

A top that seems to be doing the rounds in blog-land, this H&M offering comes in several colours but it was the blue that appealed. The buttons run down the back and the sleeves are super-puffy upon wear.

H&M ruffle sleeve top ❖ black jeans ❖ black patent gladiator sandals ❖ H&M black socks

Butterfly Garland

I found this pretty butterfly garland in the gift shop at Alnwick Gardens, I've been wanting one for a while and it's the perfect colour for my room. I have wrapped it around my bedhead amongst the crystal fairy lights that I already have. 

Flea-Market Finds

I have forgotten to show you my finds from the flea-market a couple of weeks ago. Alas no clothing treasure, just a cake stand and a little saucer in the shape of a flower. Not sure exactly what I will use the saucer for but it caught my eye. And the first thing I did was drive from the flea-market to Ikea to buy a Daim cake (yum yum) to test out the new stand - it was a perfect fit but didn't last long enough to photograph!

Cream Gothic Lace

Warehouse 'Gothic' lace blouse ❖ self dyed American Apparel skirt ❖ John Lewis cream tights ❖Ebay cream ribbon shoes ❖ Philippe Starck stool

Knitting Club

Also, from my visit to Alnwick Gardens on Monday, I discovered a room dedicated to a Knitting Club. Around half a dozen older ladies, not unlike the Women's Institute, each joined together to knit every one of the items in the room. I didn't manage to take pictures of everything but there was a washing line with knitted underwear, an old fashioned shopping trolley in bright pink and my favourite the lamp above, perched at a jaunty angle. There was so much skill and dedication to these items as well as a whole load of creativity and when we spoke to a couple of them, they were so proud of their work - and so they should be, both my friend and I left the display area inspired to pick up a pair of knitting needles! 

Baby Books

I'm not sure what it is about children's books but even though I'm an adult, I still love to read them.

Alnwick Gardens

Today is a Bank Holiday in the UK, so my friend and I decided to go to Alnwick Gardens in nearby Northumberland. Many will already know Alnwick Castle from the Harry Potter films. Here is a little taster of what we saw...

The Treehouse Cafe

and the Gardens

I try to visit every year, as something new is introduced. This year was the beginning of the Cherry Blossom Orchard which I was really looking forward to seeing but unfortunately it was so new that the trees were mere babies. I would recommend a visit in a few years time as there are so many trees it will be delightful at this time of year.