One Dress, Two Ways: A Slip of a Thing

I am awful at packing for summer holidays. I am terribly indecisive, and therefore always end up with about ten dresses too many. This year, for example, my Amalfi coast kit consists of fifteen dresses, even after two meticulous edits. 

That being said, I am learning to be a smart summertime shopper, buying pieces that will work both home and away. Sure, I love a sweeping grecian gown as much as the next girl, but try wearing said maxi in Victoria station during rush hour. You may fall down the stairs, lose a stud on your sandals and split your toenail. Not speaking from experience or anything...

A smarter option this summer is the slip dress; a foolproof summer staple. Classic, elegant and comfortable, my pick is this Whistles Nell style in silky french navy. Falling just on the knee ('cause I'm classy like that), the spaghetti strap dress skims the hips with a slightly dipped hem, making it particularly flattering for boyish frames. The colour is a welcome change from black, and the simplicity of the dress makes it perfect for work or play. 

Easy Breezy Spring Dressing

Okay so this dress is so not one i'd usually go for, but the minute I saw it, I kind of fell for it and thought i'd share it with ya... Along with some killer accessories, of course.

1. Dogeared necklaces, bracelets and trinkets are some of the cutest around and really do make wonderful gifts. This little Key to Happiness pendant, available from ASOS for £56, is a gold-dipped delight that is sure to put a smile on your face, whatever the weather.

2. Aah Mulberry, you simply MUST stop. I've been fawning over this new Willow tote style for months now, and this crisp white edition is just what my summer wardrobe needs. In leather with ostrich detailing and golden hardware, this bag just exudes luxurious Spring elegance. A spacious tote with a zip-off clutch bag, what more could you ask for? It almost makes the £2000 price tag feel like a steal (!!). Shop the white Willow and other equally divine shades here. 

3. A simple shirt dress always requires a pair of cool, chunky heels and these Kurt Geiger London sandals are just the ticket to add an edge to this Chambray shift. They are £140 here. 

4. Stacked rings are an easy way to add a little individuality to a look, and these Monica Vinader rings are a little bit bohemian providing this dress with a hefty dose of West-Coast everyday glamour. This on trend pastel green shade is just delightful. It is £65 here.

5. Keeping things lovely and tonal, this Monica Vinader stack ring (also £65 here) comes in this delightful shade of deep denim blue- the perfect partner to a Chambray shift. 

6. This light Chambray shift by Joie is my latest obsession. It is so delightfully simple, yet so stylish and is perfect to dress up for the office or down for lounging by the poolside. With an optional belt (which i'd need to nip in at the waist!), this dress is an easy-breezy Springtime hit. You can buy it for £149.81 on Shopbop here.

Gift Guide: The Good Time Girl

Leaving it to the last minute? So are the majority of us, don't worry.

Christmas has come upon us all rather suddenly, hasn't it? And now you may be ready to join the majority of the United Kingdom in trawling the high streets hunting for "ANYTHING" to buy for friends/family etc.

If you're still stuck, check out this year's gift guides on the blog including : 

* The Sweet Tooth

* The Gym Bunny 

* The Goth Girl

* The Glitter Girl

* The Cosy Cutie

* The Romantic

And, last but not least, the Good Time Girl!

Who? The Good Time Girl is the life and soul of the party, the girl who everyone counts on to light up a room, the girl who never says no to a night out and the girl who knows that life is for living! 

What does she love? She loves to have fun, first and foremost!

Where does she shop? Topshop for party dresses, Nails Inc for fabulous nail art, Urban Outfitters for fun bits and bobs and Dannijo for sparkling jewellery. 

1. This little embellished romper from Topshop is a cool £200, but it is the ideal gift for the belle of the ball.
2. I love Wildfox tees for Christmas presents, and this Young Hearts Run Free tee is £68
3. I adore this little sparkly 'Glitterball' iPad case from Kate Spade- so sweet and fun ! $80
4. Girls With Class Don't Need A Glass- this hip flask is great for any good time girl. £12 at Urban Outfitters or 2 for £15
5. Time does indeed fly when you're having fun, so do something thoughtful this Christmas and give her this Urban Outfitters photo album, full of pictures from the time of your life- £18, exclusive online.
6. Speaking of fun, how gorgeous is this bottle of Absolut Unique Edition vodka? The perfect gift, each one of these pop-art bottles is different, and what crazy girl doesn't love some crisp, clean Absolut vodka? £21.50 from Harvey Nichols and Selfridges
7. I think that Philosophy bath shower gels make for the best presents- and this Senorita Margarita hit is a bit of a cult classic. It smells zingy, fresh and fun, £14.
8. I love Nails Inc polishes, and I think that their Couture service is just fabulous for a quirky Christmas gift. You can get it done in a few stores, or order online, and choose a pretty topper, your favourite colour and personalise the label to suit the giftee. I opted for this zingy neon coral topped with a gold sparkly lid, this combination would set you back £20.
9. This hot pink postmans lock organiser from Mulberry is simply a gorgeous present, and any lady would be lucky to have it! £295 from Mulberry stores. 
10. These fabulously sparkly crystal drop earrings from River Island are the perfect accompaniment to any show-stopping little sequin dress, £10.
11. This stuff smells just divine! This Bliss 'Berry Bubbly' set of Raspberry Champagne bubble bath and body butter smells fruity and sweet and is the perfect pre or post party pampering routine, £29.
12. I absolutely love this stunning cuff by Dannijo. You can buy it as a set with several cool bracelets in what The Man Repeller Leandra Medine calls the Wanderlust Arm Party for $595, or you can stick to this bold but sophisticated Smyson cuff at $420.
13. Last but not least, keep chilly hands at bay with these fun Hi 5 mittens from Kate Spade- I love them ! $47.00 on sale.

Jumpsuited and Booted

1. Watch at River Island on ASOS £20
2. Gorgeous studded collar by Zara £19.95
3. Flame Alexa Handbag (so, so, so painfully beautiful) £2500
4. Leopard and stud heels £49.99
5. Black and White Tailored Jumpsuit with sexy slit back from Topshop £60

Yes, it's official, basically every necklace on the blog is from Zara, but they are sooo pretty and such good value!

Anyhow, onwards we go, and I just had to share with you all my latest purchase- this incredibly chic and versatile jumpsuit from Topshop. It fits like an absolute dream, is so comfortable and you can dress it up or down (which is my catchphrase, by the way)

It is the perfect blank canvas for seriously killer accessories like the ones I have featured in this edit- ie this delicious Mulberry handbag and these vicious Zara heels that are just the right side of tacky... Gotta love a bit of leopard print.

Her Dark Materials...

1. Topshop Rings £8.50
2. Chelsea Doll Claw Ring £10
3. Zoe & Morgan Ring with sapphires (in. love!) £400
4. INCREDIBLE ACNE dress at Liberty £550
5. The Kooples Sleeveless Aviator £425
6. Revlon nail polish in Impulsive (love it!)
7. Mulberry Boots £550
8. Zara Handbag £89.99

Wow, wow, wow. This dress is incredible! I love the dark floral print and the feminine but demure shape- it's sexy but not over the top. If only I had a spare £550, eh? One day...

Partners in Parkas

Mulberry Womenswear Parka, coming soon, £995
Mulberry Doggy Parka, coming soon, £174

Harvey and Me.

I promise that i'm not one for dressing up animals, but for some reason when the doggy-apparel in question is by my beloved Mulberry, I find it much more acceptable.

This little matching parka is so beyond cute. I want to dress up my spaniel, Harvey, in this SO MUCH, and then take him for a walk as I wear this flying jacket with a cream shift, black tights and studded ankle boots. 

And if Harvey doesn't fit it, I will buy a sausage dog (called Chorizo) and dress her up in it. 

Holiday Wardrobe #3

Yes... Most of my summer clothes are from Zara... so shoot me.

Hope you're enjoying my posts! I'm having a great time back in London (even though it is ridiculously busy- two weeks until Olympic mayhem!) as i'm working on guest editing the October issue of Company Magazine (read more about it here) which is super duper exciting. Yesterday me and the other grads styled and interviewed Fazer and i've spent today working on my feature for the issue- how very exciting!

Very much looking forward to another day at Company HQ tomorrow- I WANT TO WORK THERE SO MUCH. 

Whats in the Bag?

Make Up:
NARS Multiple in Orgasm
Collection Lock'n'Hold Lipgloss in Urban Punk
Rituals Mascara
Benefit Porefessional Primer (free with Glamour)
Bourjois Mineral Matte Mousse
Make Up bag by Disaster Designs

Hygiene:
OUCH! Plasters
Carex Sensitive Hand Sanitiser

iPad:
Case by Kurt Geiger (past season)

Diary:
Archie Grand 'Faux Pas I Made and Liked' notebook

Sunglasses:
H&M current season (£6.99)
Purse:
Mulberry (past season)
iPhone:
Case from eBay (£1.99)

Want, Want, Need.

Apologies that i'm going so Jubilee mad, but it is just so cheery and so fabulously British! I am in love with this little Mulberry keyring. Yes, the £125 pricetag is a little *cough* A LOT *cough* more than i'd be comfortable spending on a keyring, but it is so sweet!

I genuinely do not know how Mulberry do it- they are definitely my favourite Brit brand. Show your appreciation with one of these keyrings (if you have a spare £125...)

Are you as smitten as me? Comment below or tweet me @SWfashion_ 

Royal Rendezvous!

Ice Cream, You Scream

It may not exactly be summer temps just yet, but Mulberry and Tatler have joined forcers to bring a little bit of Sunshine into your week! And what better to cheer up a rubbish day at uni (*cough* today *cough) than a big Mr Whippy with sprinkles on top courtesy of the Mulberry ice cream van?

Mmm my tummy is rumbling at the thought! All you have to do is head down to one of the London locations this week and purchase a copy the oh-so patriotic June issue of rah-rah Tatler (check out the cover here!). You will then get yourself a little Mulberry ice cream and the first few will get a limited edition Mulberry canvas shopper. If you've already bought this month's cute Tatler, then there should be a coupon inside entitling you to a Mulberry Mr Whippy!

The van will be at Covent Garden today and Westfield (White City) on the 10th and 11th. If there are any other locations I shall let you know via twitter. Have a sweet afternoon!

Sundaes on a Sunday

This weather, to be frank, is a joke. It's sunny one minute, torrential rain the next. You can't even use a brolly because of the aggressive wind, and any remotely summery clothes are inadequate when faced with a blast of chilly wind. Next week is May. What even is this?!

I long for REAL summer to come. I want to sit outside a pub in Angel in my lace dress, sipping on Elderflower Kopperberg in the uplifting sunshine. I want a BBQ in the park with Rick Stein's tandoori prawns sizzling (see Waitrose magazine). I want to bask in the beaming sunshine until the only feasible way to cool down is to eat ludicrous amounts of Samba Swirl frozen yoghurt, piled high with sweet shop toppings. 

And, above all, I want to wear cute and girly clothes.

The Mulberry campaign for SS12 (see my post on said campaign HERE) was all about the charm of the great british summer. Seaside stripes, sticks of rock and the famous Brighton seaside brought the campaign shots to life, and lots of ice cream made it all the more charming. I have fallen in love with a gorgeous Mulberry vest (see the vest HERE) with an ice cream motif, and have noticed lots of kitsch ice cream pieces on the high street as well.

I just could not resist doing a post about my favourite sweet treat in the world: ice cream. Be it Ben and Jerrys or a Mr Whippy, ice cream is the best thing about summer. So enjoy this cheery post to get you through these drizzly, stay indoors and watch telly kind of days.

(STOCKISTS: Laura Tabor, ASOS, Mulberry, Topshop, Maggie Angus)

Bayswater Bunny!

Sunshine Smile

I love yellow! It doesn't suit me, it isn't easy to pull off, but I still absolutely love it. Primrose through to mustard, it is such a happy colour and as soon as I see it I almost cheer up!

Our little taste of Summer may have been short lived as snow decides to rear it's ugly head once again, but lets relive it with a beautiful buttery patent Mulberry and these Missguided shoes that I literally can't stop featuring on here! I think I just need to put myself out of my misery and buy a pair. Here's hoping I did okay last term at LCF, so I can justify treating myself to these gorgeous boots (buy them here)... and i'll just keep dreaming on the Mulberry front!

Mother's Day Gift Guide: Little Luxuries

by Shona Wallace, @SWfashion_

Even if she doesn't admit it, every mum loves a little bit of luxury, and these treats are perfect for a glamourous mum in need of a little TLC.

Jewellery is always special, and is something you can keep forever. Whether you go for the traditional, classic pieces or kitsch costume jewellery, it will always make a lovely present. I am still waiting for someone to buy me something from Wear That There. The personalised necklaces and bracelets are timeless and beautiful, but with a personal touch. If you want to spend a little less, but still get something special, try a nice online boutique like 'Paris in a Bottle' for some pretty trinkety pieces like this delicate bracelet.

If you wanted to really treat your mum, why not splurge on a little bit of designer? Whether it's her dream shoes, a delightful handbag or just a cutesy purse, she will be very grateful!  

Sweet Treat from Mulberry!

Springtime Sweetie

by Shona Wallace, @SWfashion_

Those pesky Siberian winds appear to have fled for the time being, and with London Fashion week about to kick off, there could not have been a better time for the sun to start shining.

Yesterday's temperatures were the highest I have experienced for weeks, and the bright sunny day, complete with blue skies, infinitely cheered me up. So here is a cheery pastel based post to get you all excited for Spring. 

I know, I know... I should probably get over the pastel obsession but, as my friend Harriet of 'Falling in London', would agree, they are so mood-lifting and pretty! Frankly, they are good enough to eat!

This maxi dress is just lovely to pep up a dull day, especially with the adorable Mulberry jewellery which I have fallen for BIG time. Add other ice-cream shades to lift the look and total up some serious SS12 potential. 

Sugar, Spice (let's just ignore the price!)

by Shona Wallace, @SWfashion

Every single season, I fall in love with at least five items in the Mulberry collection, and this season is no obsession. It's getting quite frustrating as cash-strapped student.

Here is my pick of Mulberry's new stock (depress yourselves here!) and it really is so sweet. The pastel colours that are ubiquitous everyspring time are still around this year, and Mulberry have done their's in the most covetable fashion possible.

This is true dolly prettiness. Little shifts that kick out at the waist into full skirts just made for swirling, softly pointed pumps in glossy petal patents or scattered with gems, peplums that accentuate a dainty waist and beautiful structured handbags to add a ladylike edge. It's just perfection and I want every last piece.

Mulberry why, oh why, must you do this to me every season? Surely I don't deserve it...

p.s.

Excuse the lack of decent posts of late, it has just been my 18th birthday and i'm just getting back to reality! However, I was lucky enough to factor some Mulberry into my birthday weekend with a big sister for my Baby Oak Alexa- say hello to my new true love. Who needs a human Valentine? (keep checking the blog for a series of bitterness imbued posts about Valentines day!) I also thought i'd share with you lovely lot a picture of my AMAZING cake that my AMAZING parents got me as a total surprise. Red velvet cake in the form of a Louboutin shoe box with a barcode reading "Happy 18th Shona"... Why must it be over? Roll on my 21st!

Mulberry, You Brighton Up My Day!

by Shona Wallace @SWfashion_

My Mulberry SS12 picks. I want it all!

I know, I know! Only the other day I posted about the Mulberry ad campaign (see the pastelly, saccharine sweet post HERE), but I just adore it and it really is pretty mood lifting! I can't wait to drool over the collection when it hits stores! 

See more of the collection for yourself here!

Sundae Girl