A Hard Days Work ...

So, I spent my day yesterday hard at work, trotting (or teetering… my choice of footwear may not have been entirely practical) around Notting Hill Press Day previewing the Spring Summer 2010 collections. A day spent pouring over beautiful garments ahead of their release…it’s a hard job but somebody’s got to do it.

With more than twenty previews to get to it was a hectic day but the calibre of the garments on show from boutiques such as Anonymous, Question Air and Emma Hope was excellent.

Highlight of the day though had to be fashion agents Studio 13; showcasing designers I already knew and loved as well as some new ones for me to lust over. A great new label on show there was Seneca Rising. This American brand is sure to be a big hit in SS 10 with their use of fine mesh knits and delicate fabrics, toughened up with on trend studs. Favoured already with stars such as Nicole Ritchie, Nicky Hilton (above, in a previous Seneca Rising piece) and Leighton Meester, I’m sure that the collection will fly off the rails when it hits Harvey Nichols this Spring.


Another label I hadn’t encountered before was Christopher Fischer. The Spring collection featured lots of soft draped cashmere pieces, which were laid back without becoming sloppy, perfect for layering. I can’t wait to get my hands on them and I am counting down the days until I can buy myself the belted cardigan . At least by the time it hits the shops the weather will have warmed up enough to wear it. Sadly I can't get hold of an image of the belted cardigan but to the right is their gorgeous 'Iman' cardigan which is available now.

Clutching my goodie bag full of gorgeous Nivea body products and with my head full of ideas and wish lists (courtesy of the whole day), my aching feet began to carry me home . One thing is for certain, I will be wearing more appropriate footwear to this weekend’s Designer Warehouse Sales event… only 2 days to go!

TFB x

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Simply attempting to sign in with Technorati ...jas9k2wx54

Sweet 18th ...

October for me means one thing - the single most important day of the year - my birthday! As the clock struck midnight I was showered with champagne in the back of a glossy black stretch hummer. It was a scene that resembled New Year rather than just my 18th birthday, but I don’t do things by halves. I spent the night teetering in my favourite patent platforms and loving every legally allowed to drink second.

I spent weeks agonising over the age-old question, what on earth to wear? I’m partial to (a lot of) Topshop but I would say the prices are far from intern friendly. Our fashion insider told us that Alesha Dixon’s dress for her opening on Strictly Come Dancing was by an online boutique called Goddiva – and since then stylists have been falling over themselves to dress their celebs in the celebrity inspired dresses.

pictures from http://www.goddiva.co.uk/ and BBC Strictly Come Dancing

I had to have one … so I bought three.

The range is beautiful with ‘just fell off the celebrity’s back’ designs. I was back to square one (because I had to chose between sequins, shoulders, long, short, strapless, body con, the list is endless), except instead of having to face the cold I could see it all from my computer! Most of the dresses are around the £30 mark, so the glitzy clutch bags are a cosy companion instead of a guilty indulgence.

They say the best part of going out is getting ready – and in my perfect iridescent Goddiva number I felt like a princess before I’d even blown out my candles.

TFB x

Dedicated Followers of ....

With so many new men's websites and magazines around it seems strange that genuine designers sales dedicated entirely to men do not exist (whereas they seem to pop up all the time for women). Or at least we thought they didn't until we came across the Designer Warehouse Sales which hold five to six North London Sales a year dedicated entirely to men (see the flier below) with some fantastic labels normally only found in exclusive boutiques and department stores at (they say) discounts of up to 80% on the current retail prices! So I'm packing my indecisive, design conscious hubby off to the next one at the end of the month , with thermos and sarnies, and directions to take time off work to spend the entire day making decisions about what to wear this Autumn. Knowing him, despite the temptations, he will return home with only the 'perfect white shirt' to show me ...

Forward planning

Summer’s only just over and I’m already thinking about my next break in the sun before the fog and gloom set in.

I’m thinking (obviously) somewhere abroad with buzzing nightlife. Check. Somewhere gloriously hot? Check. Brilliant sunshine, white beaches with a sparkling clear blue sea? Check, check, check.

And to complement my overseas, hot, sunny and overall luxurious long weekend I’m going to be needing a fabulous wardrobe to knock the flip flops off the bronzed locals. Luckily, I’ve discovered an amazing label, Michelle Jonas, on Travelista that I’m very selflessly sharing with you.

The gorgeous silk jersey fabric means that you can scrunch the pieces up small in your suitcase (so I can just take hand luggage!) and still come out looking crease free and glamorous! Perfect for style lovers jet-setting around the world from one luxury location to the next… grr! Luckily, it’s available to buy from a UK website, Beach Café, so I can start planning my packing now!

Unsurprisingly, Michelle Jonas has a huge celebrity following – especially in LA - with fans such as Angelina Jolie, Elle Macpherson, Heather Graham and Paris Hilton. And now me!

Unfortunately, I’ve just conferred with my family and it turns out we’re going to North Wales in October. Rain, wind and damp… these were not on my checklist! Think I’ll splash out on the Goddess dress anyway and style it up for Christmas!

TFB

And now for some culture ...

 ... visited the Turner exhibition at  Tate Britain on the same night Burberry held it's star studded catwalk show in the tent opposite the Gallery.  Tate visitors were bemused by the arrival of the glitterati and the flashing bulbs of the papps!  But I had the honour of bumping (literally!) into Lady Antonia Fraser (or Mrs Harold Pinter) at the Gallery - much more civilised and a great exhibition to boot where Turners are mounted next to the great masters he was influenced by.  The Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Royal Academy is definitely on my agenda.  More, once I have had the chance to view it...

Visited the lovely Lexi cinema club in Kensal Rise to see two very different films:  September starring Vogue's icy Anna Wintour and one of the greatest stylists of all time, Grace Coddington.  Surprisingly, I rather liked La Wintour who came across as  decisive but fair with a great eye for how pages should be put together.  Grace is obviously brilliant but seemed to think that every picture she produced should be included in the magazine and consequently came across as a bit of a moaner. 

The second film was District 9 - an alien sci fi movie set in Jo'Burg, South Africa.  Frightening, moving, terrific, with an interesting take on racism.  A definite must see.  And at the theatre, Speaking in Tongues, an amazing production with John Simm amongst the brilliant cast of four.  This is the play that the cult film Lantana was based on.

There's a new TV series to be broadcast in October called Treatment starring Gabriel Byrne as the psychiatrist.  By all accounts it does for relationships what The Wire did for gang life.  It is supposed to be outstanding but due to a major dispute with Sky (check out www.scandalatsky.blogspot.com) which has been withdrawing monies from my account without my knowledge or agreement - I may be cut off from extra terrestial tv and unable to view it! 

An art auction yesterday evening and a live broadcast of Alls Well from the National Theatre at the Lexi tonight.  Later ...

TFB