PinkBow

Designer Highlight - Orla Kiely

2010-03-12T12:25:00.005Z

I know the Orla Kiely SS10 collection has been covered to death already. But I couldn't help but include it here as well as my blog is, if nothing else, my on-line scrapbook. Clean, simple with vintage-inspired details, I really would like any piece from this collection. I think they are designer pieces worth acquiring as they could very easily be worn into AW10, so guilt-free maximum cost-per-wear!

Bold Lips for Fall

2010-03-10T12:08:00.010Z

I have mentioned already my current obsession with red lips and nails. My previous buys were more of an orange-red shade, so I decided to invest in a pink-red shade as a cooler alternative.

I chose the new Chanel Coco range in the colour Byzantin to roughly compliment my Lotus Red Chanel nail polish, as worn in my last post.

Bold lips are a look I really love so I was pleased to see it showing as a major trend on the AW 10 runways...

Title and above four images shamelessly taken from DailyCandy

Top left: Jenni Kayne

Top right: Vena Cava

Bottom left: Karen Walker

Bottom right: Donna Karan

Going to the Cinema

2010-03-07T12:12:00.006Z

Last night I went to see the long-awaited Alice in Wonderland. My first cinematic 3D experience, it was thoroughly enjoyable. I particularly loved the arrogant Queen with her heart shaped lipstick and the blue butterfly at the end which I really did think was fluttering right in front of me, as well as the overall dark Tim Burton slant on a childhood classic.

When I go to the cinema I like to be cosy and comfy, so this vintage cape seemed to be the perfect cover up. And my camera settings and editing give an appropriate gothic edge I think, to the pictures I took just before I headed out.

Vintage black & plum wool cape ❖ Urban Buzz Stockholm silk top ❖ H&M shorts ❖ Tabio tights ❖ black patent gladiator sandals ❖ Chanel handbag ❖ Cartier watch ❖ Ragtrader at Etsy rings

PS. Thanks for all the breakfast suggestions in yesterday's post, I can't wait to try some of them!

Top 5 - Breakfasts

2010-03-06T07:42:00.000Z

A simple cappuccino

Fruit toast from M&S

Yoghurt and muesli

Strawberries, apple, granola and yoghurt

Pastries

What is your favourite breakfast?

Tassels & Polka Dots

2010-03-04T06:04:00.003Z

Top Shop tunic/dress/top ❖ H&M black tee ❖ Tabio tights ❖ Blue Inc black suede look flats

Welcome to the newest addition to my shoe collection. As much as I love heels, there are days and events when comfortable shoes are the order of the day. Not to compromise on style, I adore the little bronze tassels on these flats from Blue Inc. They are so reasonably priced, I am considering another pair in tan. Worn here with an incredibly short dress/top/tunic, I couldn't resist the polka dots and ruffles and worn with ultra thick 110 dernier tights, it is still a length I feel comfortable in.

Q & A #2

2010-03-02T06:41:00.004Z

Yesterday I was interviewed by Lauren at Glossary. Not only am I amazed to be among the company of previous interviewees Elsa Billgren and Mademoiselle Robot but also delighted to find a new great blog to read. Please check it out and see for yourself!

This led me to think of having a new button on my right panel created for Questions & Answers. I know a few bloggers did this last year and I thought maybe it was time to put myself out there also - so please feel free to ask me anything you may (or may not) want to know and I'll create a new category to present these and questions answered from previous interviews over the next week or so.

Also I wanted to thank everyone who voted for me at The Lovelies. Sadly I didn't win (I'm not the best at self-promotion) but it was great to be included and I was very grateful for the votes I received.

Shell Pink

2010-02-28T12:00:00.005Z

Shell pink... neither pink, beige or cream but a beautiful pastel hue that is a combination of all three. Delighted I was to find not only a dress but also some of-the-moment platform shoes to compliment it with.

I bought the dress a couple of weeks ago where it has hung ever since on my bedroom wall while I deliberated over whether or not to keep it. It reminded me a little too much of that TBA dress, which in truth I would have preferred had it not been for the significant price difference.

But the cute details won me over - the black collar, delicate covered buttons running down the back... and it's beautiful pastel colour of course.

I had planned on taking some photographs outside, the light is so much better. But due to a typical British downpour, I had to make do with my bedroom and the beautiful sounds of Serge Gainsbourg for company.

Top Shop dress & platform shoes ❖ Tabio heart tights ❖ Ragtrader at Etsy rings ❖ Astley Clarke ear-rings

Designer Highlight - Miu Miu

2010-02-26T12:17:00.010Z

Miu Miu is one of my absolute favourite labels and these images I have fallen in love with completely. The super-long hair and platform shoes are my current obsessions. My hair is quite long already, almost waist-length, although admittedly it is in need of a good cut. And I have just purchased these Top Shop platforms. But the overall look and style of this collection is to die for and is going to be a major source of inspiration to me over the coming months.

Tour of the Universe

2010-02-24T20:24:00.004Z

I mentioned in my last post that I had visited London last weekend. This was to see Depeche Mode play at the O2, the performance that was cancelled last year due to the lead singer's ill health. I wish I was able to review the performance to the standard of Robyn but all I can say is that they were absolutely amazing. Without doubt my favourite band, this was well worth the wait. Listening to the fantastic acoustics in the O2, the mesmerising voice of Dave Gahan gave me goose-bumps. This is a band so slick and professional, listening to them sing live was better than any of their pre-recorded performances. I was so glad I had the opportunity to see them.

I'm not one to buy merchandise usually but this tee shirt caught my eye as a great memento of a great night.

I have been nominated over at The Lovelies, please vote for me! I have been short-listed in the Top Five - if you haven't already voted for me I would appreciate your vote!

Ladurée & Lula #10

2010-02-22T12:37:00.008Z

Since the demise of Borders in the UK, I have wondered for months where I would be able to find my beloved Lula magazine. Luckily, I had a fleeting visit to London at the weekend so was able to pick up a couple of copies from Harrods for myself and a friend.

It does make me wonder what I will do for the next edition but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Lula is the blogger favourite magazine so I'm sure there will be much coverage. But as is my custom, here are some shots of my favourite pages, done a little differently this time as I compliment the magazine with some Ladurée treats I also picked up at the weekend.

Celebrating their 5th Birthday, there were several covers to choose from.

I especially loved their Lula Loves feature... I loved everything they had chosen too.

Polka dots and freckles.

Glamorous make-up and clothes.

Strawberry Shortcake... a blast from my childhood...with a recipe to try out too.

Very dreamy. Very inspirational. Very Lula.

Appliques

2010-02-19T15:48:00.007Z

Courtesy of a giveaway at Janetteria, I won the applique above from this post. Provided by the Etsy shop Mary not Martha, I cannot wait to let my creative juices run wild with this little project. I was only expecting to receive the above applique and yet to my delight discovered these also in the package...

So now I'm wondering quite how to use them. This velvet ribbon was used around the package, I was thinking of sewing some to the ends to be able to tie around the back of the neck. Or to sew straight onto a garment, a plain tee shirt perhaps. Or another idea was to sew onto some felt material for a sturdier and more dramatic look. What do you think? Do you have any other ideas?

On a side note, I was very saddened to hear that Yulanda from Little Thoughts., one of my very favourite blogs, passed away on the 11th February. The announcement by her father and sweetheart just went up yesterday. I can't believe this talented girl had her life taken from her so early. Isn't it strange that although I knew her only through commenting via our blogs, I felt a connection to her and a loss that really I can't describe. I do hope her family keep her blog open. Her skills as a photographer were astounding and I hope that lots of you go over there to appreciate the wonderful person that she was. Rest In Peace Yulanda.

Orange & Black

2010-02-16T06:28:00.005Z

The dress I posted about before, this 1980's vintage dress, finally came back from the dressmaker, having been shortened. I was originally not sure about the print but now it is back and I'm wearing it, I love it. A great winter dress, I really love the neck, shoulder and side seam detail. And I think as long as it is paired with fairly simple accessories I will feel comfortable in it so that I am wearing the print - and not the other way around!

Check out Covert Candy - they've had a design makeover with lots of new vintage goodies listed.

Covert Candy vintage dress ❖ Tabio 110 dernier black tights ❖ black patent gladiator sandals

And Happy Pancake Day to you, I love an excuse to make pancakes. This evening, I'll be making these. With maple syrup...mmmm...

Valentine's Sugar Cookies

2010-02-14T15:59:00.006Z

Happy Valentine's Day! I hope everyone is enjoying the day with loved ones. I, like many this year, celebrated last night instead of today with a lovely evening spent with my loved one. We went for drinks and to the cinema to see A Single Man at my favourite small independent cinema. The film was on in the Classic Cinema which gives the option of Stalls or Circle, so we sat upstairs in a cosy two seater leather sofa with a glass of red wine in hand. Afterwards, we finished off the evening at a restaurant eating delicious pasta. A fantastic film and great food - how have you spent yours?

This morning I awoke to the urge to make some Valentine's cookies and looked to my current favourite baking book, The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook to turn their Sugar Cookies into Valentine's Sugar Cookies by using heart shaped cutters.

Ingredients for the cookies:

200g unsalted butter, at room temperature

280g caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg

400g plain flour

a pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Ingredients for the royal icing:

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

310g icing sugar, sifted

food colouring, optional

Shaped biscuit cutters, 4 baking trays lined with greaseproof paper

Preheat the oven to 170˚C (325˚F) Gas 3

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and cream until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and mix well, scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the flour, salt and cream of tartar and mix well, but don't overmix. The dough should be light, soft and easy to handle.

Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Cut out shapes with your choice of biscuit cutters.

Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking trays and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Check them regularly to make sure they are not burning.

The cookies should be very light golden on the outer edges and paler in the centre. When you are happy that they are cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly on the trays before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Decorate with Royal Icing. (Beat the egg white and lemon juice together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk). Gradually start adding the icing sugar, mixing well after every addition to ensure all sugar is incorporated. Whisk until you get stiff peaks. If the icing is too runny, add a little more sugar. Stir in a couple of drops of food colouring, if using, and decorate the cookies).

My late night ended up getting the better of me and I gave up on the decoration of the cookies. But these cookies are so sweet they really don't need the extra icing - although it does make them look rather pretty!

Life in Pictures #4

2010-02-13T08:55:00.004Z

Picture an Hour - 7th February 2010

8am - Arrive at the Metro Station

9am - Awaiting the Metro, it's running late with no explanation

10am - This is what I wore - Vintage fur coat & dress; Tabio tights; Ugg boots

12 noon - Finally at the flea-market, I love the Victorian Metro station it is in & the bunting threaded through the fixtures

1pm - Time for food - Cafe 21 in Fenwick's department store

2pm - Sat in the cinema before the influx of people to see An Education - I really loved this film

5pm - At home, admiring my flea-market purchases

6pm - I bought these cards to cut up and frame

7pm - I made a healthy pasta & mozzarella salad

8pm - Some reading before going to sleep

Also I wanted to thank the lovely Diana at Our.City.Lights for choosing me as her Favourite Blog This Week - you're one of my favourites too!

And also forgetting to post here that I was the Independent Fashion Blogger's Blogger Spotlight at the end of last month - what an honour!

Making Lemonade

2010-02-12T12:42:00.005Z

Spring was almost around the corner until that is, it was forecast even more snow for this week. But never mind, I decided to let a little sunshine into my home by making some traditional lemonade.

Ingredients to make 1 litre of lemonade:

4 unwaxed lemons, washed

100g caster sugar

A chilled jug with plenty of lemon slices, mint leaves and crushed ice to hand

Thinly peel the lemon zest from the lemons, leaving as much white pith as possible. Squeeze the juice from the lemons, Place the zest, lemon juice and sugar in a large heatproof jug.

Pour in 600ml boiling water and stir until the sugar has totally dissolved. Cover, and leave to cool completely. Now, strain the lemon mixture into a serving jug, and discard the zest. Dilute with 400ml chilled water and sweeten with extra sugar to taste. Serve decorated with lemon slices, mint leaves and crushed ice.

I would suggest making this first thing on a morning to enjoy on an afternoon, it was evening by the time everything had cooled - as you can tell by my photographs of the finished lemonade!

Cat Eyes

2010-02-10T20:29:00.003Z

I have worn liquid eye-liner in some form or another since I was 15 years old. I usually use Chanel's automatic liquid eye-liner but have just bought MAC's Fluidline and angled brush for a more dramatic look. Perhaps not as dramatic as the Chanel in the first picture but I really love Louise Ebel's look in the third. And of course, not forgetting the original 1960's Anna Karina.

Also, I wanted to direct you to a great blog, Design Inspiration - a local blogger who has recently done a wonderful post on me. I only recently discovered this blog through a local newspaper and each time I visit I cannot believe there is someone quite so talented sitting on my doorstep, so to speak. The clue is in the blog title, I know so many of you are craft obsessed, so I would urge you to pay a visit, you'll not be disappointed!

Lace Flowers

2010-02-08T09:00:00.001Z

Laurent Desgrange grey satin bow ❖ American Apparel tee ❖ H&M skirt ❖ Tabio lace flower tights ❖ M&S black suede boots

Corners of My Home (Bathroom) #2

2010-02-06T18:54:00.000Z

I think of my bathroom as a mini spa. Decorated in stark white mosaic tiles with only a splash of occasional colour, it is the perfect place to relax after a busy day. Bubbles, candles and a glass of wine are all that is required.

UK Top Fashion Blogs

2010-02-05T21:27:00.005Z

Today I was stunned to see that I had been ranked in Wikio's new Fashion category - so here I am at No 17 in the UK's Top 20 Fashion Blogs:

1. Style Bubble

2. Face Hunter

3. SHOWstudio

4. Red Carpet Style Awards

8. Shoewawa

10. shoegal

11. THE NEVERENDING STORY!

12. The Bag Lady

13. The Fashion Police

14. Happy Because

15. HiFashion

16. Discotheque Confusion

17. PinkBow

18. tobaccoandleather

19. Cheapskate Chic

20. Diamond Canopy

I'm also featured on Chicisimo right now... and would (again) very much appreciate your vote!

A Single Man

2010-02-04T12:35:00.003Z

You know I love a film that is candy for the eye. I can't wait for A Single Man to be released next week. Directed by Tom Ford and set in the 1960's, what's not to love?

Eco Bag

2010-02-03T07:54:00.002Z

Ascension leather tan bag ❖ Top Shop coat & dress

Usually when I hear the words 'eco' or 'ethical' when it comes to clothes and accessories, my mind switches off. I seem to have some pre-conceived idea that the style and design are not going to be particularly exciting. And yet, when I discovered Ascension, I realised that this does not have to be the case. The design of the garments appear to be simple and stylish, with some great basics and great detail. The overall look of the site is appealing to me also, always important with the plethora of sites out there.

I had been searching for a while, for an everyday bag that could be worn with most colours and that would be big enough to hold my dslr camera, without being too big that it would encourage me to fill with lots of unnecessary junk. This is the perfect fit, resting snugly under my arm and is a simple style with some nice details. It is the kind of good quality leather that I think will get better with age, the leather will soon soften to become even more slouchy and worn. It doesn't hurt also to know that it has been made fairly and in good working conditions.

I have been nominated over at The Lovelies, please vote for me!

Q & A

2010-02-01T20:41:00.002Z

When did you start your blog and what was your reason for doing so?

What is PinkBow about?

What is your daily job?

I was so excited to be asked by Stefan Urschler to appear on Stylish Kids in Riot in a 'so-much-more-than-an-interview' feature. Following on from LiebeMarlene Vintage last week, I loved seeing the final interview. So if you fancy reading the answers to the questions above and more, see here!

A Little Piece of Luxury

2010-01-31T12:30:00.006Z

I have lusted after Agent Provocateur pieces for many years now. But somehow I could just never allow myself to spend that kind of money on underwear - around £95 for a bra and £45 for knickers. I used to indulge in their Salon Rose range for M&S but sadly they stopped the designs.

But seeing this post recently and being literally bombarded with emails from AP for the last couple of weeks, I took another look. By the time I did, the were onto their 75% off sale. So I managed to get myself this little piece of luxury for £20. I just hope it hasn't given me the taste for expensive lingerie.

* Update to My City Guide

Blue Sequins

2010-01-29T12:15:00.000Z

Blue Inc blue sequin jacket ❖ H&M navy & white striped tee ❖ Vintage wide leg jeans ❖ Kurt Geiger shoe-boots

I have been nominated over at The Lovelies, please vote for me!

A Nice Package

2010-01-27T19:53:00.004Z

I mentioned recently that I wanted to start taking more care in wrapping gifts. So I have begun my search for pretty packaging. It started here with a few bits from a Nice Package - the hand-written tag I especially like.

I also bought some basics from high street favourite WHSmith. And dug out some ribbon from my ribbon box.

But I think there will be many more buys to come, this is only the start of a collection and I haven't really done a good web search yet. So many colour options, so many adornments - I think I could become addicted. And discovering this shop today - Mr Rabbit Sir, the possibilities for creativity are endless! Does anyone have any other good suggestions?