The Chic List

Image from Skandilicious

From Monday morning cosies to tempt you out of bed through to warm-and-fuzzy Friday night funsies, here are a few of my favourite things for the week ahead.

Wine a Bit

I must admit that I am hardly a wine expert, but I do have a heartfelt appreciation for the stuff, particularly that fancy one with the bubbles. My parents have always been very interested in wine, and they have instilled this in me from a young age. I am far from a wine snob, but I have vino running through my veins (not from excessive consumption, I might add).

Naturally, my first taste of red wine went something like this. Ten years down the line I am texting my dad to tell him that I actually like red. His response? "Great. How much is that going to cost me?".

In my view, wine is about relaxing and unwinding, and there is something joyous about a glass of crisp white in the summer sunshine. On that note, London Wine Week kicks off tomorrow, the capital's first celebration of wines from the world over.

At the heart of LWW is the pop-up Riedel Hub on the first floor of Kingly Court which will be home to all manner of tasting flights and events during the course of the week. It will also be serving as a rather charming city centre wine bar with an extensive selection of wine by the Riedel glass. The hub is also one of the collection points for the LWW wristband, which offers discounted wines at partnering venues across the city, detailed here.

So whether you are a budding sommelier, or simply like a glass now and again, there is certain to be something to your tastes. Here are my picks for the week:

Riedel Hub, 1st floor Kingly Court; Monday-Saturday 12PM – 9PM; Sunday 12PM – 5PM.
Buy your London Wine Week band here.
A full list of London Wine Week events can be found here.

A Swingin' Summer Soiree

A red hot Vogue shoot featuring Karlie Kloss, sourced via Pinterest

There are a million and one reasons why I am not a sporty sort (no, one of these is not a fear of "breaking a nail") and although I have always been preoccupied with conventionally "girly" pursuits, my lack of sporting prowess has nothing to do with this. 

On the contrary, I simply have no hand-eye coordination and no interest. Why play or watch sports when you can tune in to Style.com or SHOWSTUDIO? Priorities, darling, priorities. 

However, this past week I have ventured into pastures new and I have actually been watching (and enjoying) Wimbledon... And not just for the comedic value of the player's grunts. 

I simply love the spirit of Wimbledon and all the merry traditions. Strawberries and cream, pitchers of Pimm's and the good-old game itself- Wimbledon is a bit of a winner for me. 

I really would love to go along, but this year I do not have the time or patience, so instead I shall be rooting for Murray from my own home. Thankfully, this season there are a whole host of tennis treats around to help you host a swingin' Summer soiree with a nod to England's chic-est sporting event- from the stylish to the sweet.

If you are a sweet tooth, then best take a trip to The Primrose Bakery for these wonderful Wimbledon inspired cupcakes. Complete with sugary sport-themed adornments, these tasty cupcakes are every bit as delightful as they look.

I am no cupcake expert, despite a wealth of research in this field, but those at the Primrose Bakery are some of the very best in London. Light sponge, delicately flavoured, with just the right amount of smooth buttercream icing- these cupcakes are a surefire hit. The Wimbledon collection is available now in either chocolate or vanilla to tantalise the taste buds. For a complimentary flavour hit, try the delicious Strawberry & White Chocolate cupcake or the Summer Cup Cocktail cupcake with a sweet, sticky cucumber and mint sponge and fruity icing. 

Bon appetit!

Give tennis whites a lift with a splash of deep blue and neon yellow highlights. A match made in heaven! 

1. Every year Links of London release a special collection of Wimbledon inspired jewellery. My favourite piece this year is this acid yellow friendship bracelet interwoven with little silver tennis balls. What a darling souvenir. Links of London, £150 here.

2. The current apple of my eye is this Proenza Schouler PS1 tote in vibrant marine. It is an understated but luxurious handbag that will certainly stand the test of time. What's more, it is the perfect way to smarten up classic white pieces. From Browns Fashion £1120 here. 

3. If anyone can do a stylish shirt dress, it's going to be Equipment, and this lacy lovely is a case in point. Reduced in their sale, this sleeveless broderie anglais shirt dress is a crisp piece for all manner of Summer soirees. Equipment Kennedy dress $328 here. 

4. A classic white jacket is a worthwhile investment, and this Alice + Olivia option is a sophisticated style. Nipping in at the waist with 3/4 sleeves and a frayed hem, this tweedy delight is the very definition of courtside cool. The best part? It's on sale at Atelier-To-Go for £305 here!

5. I have featured these acid yellow sandals numerous times, and I am still smitten. Perhaps you should just bite the bullet and buy me them? Thanks guys- appreciate it. The Lance sandals by Jimmy Choo are £495 here. 

There is nothing more refreshing than a gloriously fruity pitcher of syrupy sweet Pimm's. Naughty but nice, I shall always look forward to Pimm's o'clock. 

If you are also a fan of the classic Pimm's No 1, then why not throw caution to the wind and mix things up with this sharper, darker version flavoured with fragrant Blackberry and Elderflower. Check out some cocktail inspiration here. 

Though these sweets have been the subject of a great deal of controversy, I must admit that the Sugarpova sweets from Russian tennis star Maria Sherapova look rather adorable. 

Fill bowls with these tennis ball SPORTY sweeties at your Wimbledon party for a fun and vibrant table topper. They are available from the Sugarpova website here or you can buy the lemon-lime gumballs at Selfridges for £3.99 here or the multi-flavour mix here.

Keep it casual and cool with these sporty but sophisticated staples, in store now.

1. I bought this dress on a bit of a whim, but I am so glad I did so as it is the most glorious shade of buttercup yellow. A flattering and feminine shift with elegant pleating and a softly floaty skirt, this dress is ideal for garden parties- particularly when paired with crisp white plimsolls.  Topshop £42 here. 

2. A tennis dress is surprisingly flattering and elegant, and nobody does it better than Fred Perry (makes me feel sad for the rest). This racer back bright white style with the elegant drop waist and flirty pleated skirt is just divine. A reasonable £60, this is great for channeling your inner tennis ace. Buy it here. 

3. Converse? So last season. This year is all about Superga sneakers. This classic white style looks great with everyone from relaxed distressed denim through to pretty pleated minis. Perfect for the garden party- old chum! £45 here.

4. A super sweet Superga style, this petal pink plimsoll looks perfect with white for sipping Champagne on Murray Mound. £45 here. 

5. Pack up your troubles in this classic navy backpack by Lacoste. A simple style that shall never date- who'd have thought that the humble rucksack would become a style staple? Available from House of Fraser for £48 here. 

I began writing this post on the train home last night, and found myself with an unbearable craving for fresh strawberries and whipped vanilla scented cream.

A Wimbledon staple, if you too are tempted by strawbs and cream but are looking to maintain that bikini body, then check out this lighter take on the Great British classic. 

Of course cream is delightful, but it is also sinfully naughty, so for a lighter option serve up your sweet strawberries with a lower calorie dip. Mix half quantities of zero fat Greek yogurt with half fat sour cream until you have a rich, thick consistency. Fold in 2 tbsp or a generous drizzle of honey or agave syrup and finish with half a teaspoon of vanilla extract. 

How very virtuous!

Game set and match, my lovelies!

Let's Go Atelier-To-Go!

I can only apologise for the poor Instagram-quality shots- my DSLR didn't quite work with my dress. You can check out Atelier-To-Go on Instagram & Twitter at @ATELIER_TO_GO and see more shots from the party on my own personal account at @shonawallace (Instagram) or @SWfashion_ (Twitter) 

It really was a lovely, glamourous party at the Sanderson Hotel, as sponsored by Chambord 

That fashion lot sure know how to throw a party, and ATELIER-TO-GO's official launch this Thursday was very much  a case in point.

With the great and good of the fashion press in attendance, including the wonderful Atelier-To-Go contributors Stacey Duguid and Natalie Hartley, our official launch really was a terribly stylish affair.

We sipped Atelier Martinis, sweet with lychee and Chambord, and nibbled on scrumptious burger sliders and lobster and mango skewers while mingling around iPads showcasing the wonderful new Atelier site.

With some seriously well-dressed sorts, the stars of the show had to be our gorgeous models lounging around in infinitely glamourous gowns from L'Agence and Halston Heritage.

The lead-up to the Atelier-To-Go launch was extremely hectic, so I must apologise for a lack of posts these past few days, but I think that this amazing launch was more than worth it.

I wore this Topshop Petite ivory dress, which got a few lovely compliments over the course of the evening, with my new Zara jade shoes and some H&M jewellery. I then played dress-up with the irresistible Rebecca Minkoff Mini MAC clutch in purple, which was showcased at the party, with a number of guests popping it on their wishlist.

My recently cropped hair was styled with Ojon hairspray, which smells divine, and a touch of my trusty MoroccanOil while my soft Spring tan (ahem- glow?) was down to the Elemental Herbology Sun Kiss body moisturiser which I would highly recommend for just a subtle touch of buildable sunshine. 

It was so lovely to catch up with a number of Atelier-To-Go's favourite bloggers and really relax with the team- I am so proud to be a part of Atelier-To-Go and I certainly think it was worth all the hard work. 

You simply must check out the new look Atelier-To-Go site here and if you like please feel free to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and like us on Facebook. 

PS

If you were at the event, I will already have shown you my little name-check in the latest Fashion Feature, but if you were lucky enough to escape my over-enthusiastic chatter, then please do have a look at my Spring Style picks here. 

What I Wore: Nelly Launch

Waiting in the cold!

Veebs, Nicole, Harriet and Me in the Nelly Photobooth

New hairstyle, ring by Whistles and nails in Nails Inc. Cadogan Sq

First foray into bright orange nail wraps- so quick and so easy!

This week saw the UK launch of Scandinavian ASOS-esque department store Nelly, and what could one expect but a fabulous invite only party?!

At the beautiful AQUA sky bar in Oxford Circus all sorts of bloggers, PRs and generally fashionable folk came together to appreciate an array of divine shoes, delectable cocktails and great music. Free shoes and free drinks were the order of the day as every guest was entitled to a complimentary pair of gorgeous Nelly heels (I had my heart set on some studded coral babys- yes please!) as well as several gorgeous cocktails including an inviting but intoxicating lychee and rose water concoction dotted with rosebuds. 

I also won a little Twitter competition to win £250 to spend at Nelly.com after tweeting an Instagrammed pic of some lovely studded heels. Hello black suede Jeffrey Campbells, you've been  a long time coming...

Anyway, the guests at the Nelly launch were surely a stylish bunch- all decorative collars and outlandish trousers- so I felt I should make a bit of an effort. In the end I plumped for an ethereal Zara lace maxi, obligatory blazer and my faithful Prada handbag.

On the beauty front I decided to mix things up a bit by adding a bit of texture to my long bob. I just tonged a few curls into my hair and tousled it up with plenty of Batiste- I quite like the softer, bohemian look but the humidity is not it's friend. I also tried out a new lipgloss- the bargainous Collection 'Lock'n'Hold' gloss in Rock Steady 3- a creamy peachy pink which actually lasts brilliantly and is the best £2.99 I spent this week! I certainly recommend a purchase if you're looking for a lipgloss to withstand excessive cocktail sipping and canopy consumption.

The finishing touch for my Nelly look had to be some fabulous shoes and I settled for my boxfresh Office snake wedges (annoyingly reduced to £25 this week!). However, twenty minutes prior to leaving, I went to put my shoes on only to notice the sorry state of my toenails. Chipped polish just ruins gorgeous shoes, so I had to get a quick fix! Nail Rock to the rescue! My first attempt at nail wraps went surprisingly well, and I received a few compliments on the glossiness of my tootsies would you believe?! You just need to trim them down to size and stick them on (following instructions in the pack). I went for the neon orange ASOS options and they added a zingy pop of colour to my simple outfit- very on trend! (£6.70)

Above are a few pictures for you to browse- and a post on Nelly's finest wares shall be coming shortly! Enjoy ladies and gents!