Finishing Touches

Kate Moss = the dream. This = the reality. 

Trifle for breakfast, anyone?

Wrapped up in my Christmas jumper, with a box of Prestat red velvet truffles (also known as the best thing ever) by my side, I am ready and raring to do a little Boxing Day damage online.

ALL the sales are go (yup, that includes Zara, what are you still doing here?!) both in store and online, meaning I can spend, spend, spend without having to budge from my sofa.

"Muuuuum, I'll take my turkey, brie and cranberry rye toastie at one? Bring the Quality Street while you're at it. And the bubbly."

I wouldn't say I was the most sensible sale shopper, but I occasionally snap up a good bargain. As long as you steer clear of the trend pieces and stick to the right size, you can't go far wrong. 

Following my edit of the best party pieces, here are a few of my favourite finishing touches. From jewelled Boden flats through to red lippies fit for saints and sinners, these sale steals are far too good to resist... Much like that last mince pie.

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.

Get Your Neon On

Okay so tomorrow is the start of May, today I went out in a strappy camisole and a lace jacket from The Kooples and this afternoon I received an email from Company magazine reminding me that it was almost a year ago that I took part in Company Grads 2012 (read about it here if you've forgotten!). I am 20 next year and will be a graduate by next Summer. This is scary- i'm practically a grown-up.

In the mean time, rather than getting all teary about this being my last year as a teenager, I shall instead do a bright and beautiful post with a whole lot of glowing neon products to put a big summery smile on my face.

Smile, guys, it's Summer (ish)!

1. Essie polishes are my favourite. There, I said it, let's just all move on. They are so richly pigmented and always in the most glorious colours with the cheekiest, cheeriest names. Their new neon collection for 2013 is deliciously juicy and I want every last shade. This bubblegum shade is called Bottle Service.

2. Acid green nails are not to everyone's taste, granted, but with a name like Shake Your $$ Maker, how could you resist this funky shade?  A tan is an essential, i'd imagine, but go for this shade if your feeling a little brave. 

3. Orange you lovely! Gosh, one day i'll cease with the embarrassing puns, but that day is not today. This acidic orange shade is perfect to pep up your nude studded sandals and it has a suitably uplifting name: Saturday Disco Fever!

4. This refreshing purple shade reminds me of Atelier-To-Go and, of course, for that reason I love it. DJ Play That Song is like parma violets on acid and would look amazing worn with hot pink sandals or lashings of aqua (my new favourite hue... as this instagram shot shows)

5. Topshop's fashion-forward budget beauty collections really are second to none, and this sexy peach Lip Bullet is fabulous for adding a little vivacity to your make-up bag and will bring a tropical touch to a "bare-faced" look.

6. Another gem from Topshop, this Bombshell lipstick just screams 90s nostalgia! In a clear case with an almost gelatinous look, this bubblegum pink shade is great fun. Get them feelin' Hella Good with this fabulous fuschia. 

7. I spotted this Ciaté polish a couple of days ago on my Twitter feed and I have been getting rather excited about it since. An interpretation of the famous Caviar set, this bad boy glows in the dark: seriously! Read more about Ciaté Corrupted Neon here.

8. The Red Roses scent from Jo Malone is one of the most iconic fragrances of recent years, and all with good reason. It is soft, sweet and feminine but also still a little musky and certainly rather sophisticated. In her new role as Style Editor to the brand, Charlotte Stockdale has updated the scent by dipping in neon pink paint with a limited run of 300, each one individually engraved. Available exclusively at Selfridges, Charlotte's neon collection also offers a number of other pretty rosy treats with a little fluoro-floral touch.

9. Burberry beauty is usually all about redefining sultry nude shades, but this new lipgloss shade, Pink Sweet Pea, takes a new direction with a zingy, poppy colour and luxuriously glossy finish. It is £18.50 at Harvey Nichols here. 

10. The go-to beauty brand for all things bold and theatrical, if you're looking for a show-stopping lip colour then you need not look much further than Illamasqua. Though it is certainly not one for shrinking violets, this Intense lipgloss in Indulge is a bit of a corker. Pucker up boys! It is £14.50 here. 

11. Be a blushing beauty with this Love blush from Lancome. A pearly blush with an apricot core and candy pink trim, this blusher is flecked with light-reflecting particles to make it the ideal partner to gloriously bold lips. The packaging is rather cute too! The perfect gift, this blusher is £34 from Harvey Nichols here. 

Dungarees, Darling

Granted, they are not to everyone's taste, but dungarees really are back in fashion.

Hey, 90s, i've missed you!

While there are some really hot overalls around ranging from simple boyfriend vintage washes at Mango through to mini denim dunga-dresses (yup- let's coin that phrase) at Urban Outfitters (I love!) and smart black pinafores at Zara, but my favourites have to be the chic all-black dungarees, particularly these ones from River Island.

I first spotted these in The Sunday Times Style a few weeks ago, as worn by a member of their ridiculously stylish staff, and I kind of fell in love and felt this overwhelming urge to shun my shopping ban (i'm not allowing myself to buy any more clothes until i've returned to a healthy weight) and buy, buy, buy.

I have a pretty exciting placement coming up next term, and I really do think that this natty little ensemble would go down a treat. Bright, bold and flattering: what more could you ask for?

1. I've been obsessed with Sophie Hulme handbags since the Atelier-To-Go dress up event during London Fashion Week, where we had this bright blue number from London boutique Austique. I have been lusting after these wonderfully stylish and simple handbags for a good while now and this bright orange one is certainly a favourite for S/S13. Tangerine is arguably the hottest hue of the season and this uplifting bag offer just a touch of citrus sweetness to every look. The best thing about Sophie Hulme bags is their accessible price-point and this beauty is just £410.

2. Finding truly wonderful, unique shoes that don't break the bank is no mean feat, but Kat Maconie heels have been at the top of my lust-list for a few seasons now (check out my post on them a while back, here). For S/S13, there are some strikingly modern block-heel styles available online, but my favourites have to be these silk printed Abigal t-bar platform heels which are just £230. In an artful print marrying shades of lemon, orange and hot pink, these are certainly a worthwhile investment. While, sadly, they are sold out, it is certainly worth getting in contact with their customer services to see if more shall be coming back in stock.

3. Monica Vinader jewellery is always so simple and elegant. For Spring, I love this jade green version of their classic Mini Siren pendant. The pendant is just £65 and, for this look, I would wear with a long navel-grazing chain for a cool, understated style that is still undeniably modern and luxurious.

4. We recently shot some gorgeous Zoe Karssen tees at Atelier-To-Go (have a wee browse here) and I am so glad we've picked up this amazing little tee brand. I managed to snap up a Oh La La tee in the Harvey Nichols sale in Edinburgh for just £35, and the quality of these cool tees is truly unrivalled. A long-sleeved white tee is a basic that I really cannot live without, and this Zoe Karssen version is universally flattering with a subtle scoop neck and a-line fit. It really is the ideal tee to pair with smart dungarees.

5. Though stackable rings have been at the forefront of fashion recently, I am far more drawn to simple, futuristic bands like this Maison Martin Margiela set. A set of four glossy gold-plated rings, these are striking worn all on one hand. A contemporary touch of avant-garde class.

 6. And now, my lovelies, for the pièce de résistance: these truly cool dungarees from River Island. At £40 these tailored overalls are a really worthwhile purchase, especially as they can be dressed up or down. Paired with a simple white-tee they offer an updated 1990s aesthetic that is more than a little bit sexy but they also look amazing with printed blouses and statement necklaces. I would certainly keep it simple, though, and let some killer accessories do all the talking.

Let me know what you think- even the most simple of comments can make my day ! 

Harvey Nichols New Breed

Images from the Harvey Nichols New Breed campaign featuring handbags from 3.1 Phillip Lim and Sophie Hulme

Ever since we got our dog just over a year ago, i've been a bit of a crazy dog lover. Honestly, I never thought I would be, but dogs are just so loving, especially wickle Harvey Wallace.

Pooches and fashion go hand-in-hand, particularly in London. From poodles on the catwalk at Mulberry through to Harrods' paw-dicures, London has gone to the dogs. 

This is nothing new, of course, I even did a whole project on it at university in my first year (which you can read here), but the latest campaign from Harvey Nichols puts our canine companions firmly back in the spotlight.

The New Breed campaign features stylish ladies carrying around yummy handbags with their cute dogs peeking out as the true stars of the show. Shot by iconic photographer Miles Aldridge, this campaign is vivid and uplifting while poking fun at the handbag dogs that dominated the gossip magazines years ago... Paris Hilton, i'm looking at you.

The handbags from the cool campaign:
1. Fresh aqua tote by Sophie Hulme
2. Freshly cut grass tote by Marc by Marc Jacobs
3. Sunshine yellow holdall by 3.1 Phillip Lim (my favourite!)

To coincide with this campaign, Harvey Nichols are launching the #BestInShow competition. To enter, all you dog lovers need to do is recreate the campaign by popping your dog in your handbag for a quick photo. 

Whether you let your cocker spaniel in your Céline or your pug in your Prada, this is such a fun competition. Once you've taken your snap just share on Twitter or Instagram @HarveyNichols with #BestInShow before the 31st March. There will be three winners who will each win a handbag from the campaign, as selected by a team from Harvey Nichols. The three categories are Best Grooming, Best Pose and, the ultimate, Best In Show.

I know which one Harvey and I shall be going for... Bitch, please. This boy reads Grazia and Vogue.

Gift Guide: Sweet Tooth

So, in a stark contrast with my previous gift guide (ahem, here) I bring you something a little sweeter.

A lot sweeter, actually!

Terrifyingly, the average person puts on a maahooosive five pounds around Christmas, but who can blame us when there are so many gorgeous treats around?! It really is rather difficult to stay in those size 8 skinny jeans when faced with a selection box and copious glasses of champagne... Lord help me!

Anyway, there are very few girls- or, indeed, boys- who would not thank you for something sweet on Christmas day so here are a few suggestions that are sweeter than honey.

Who? The sweet tooth is pretty much any boy or girl who goes gaga at the thought of a big bag of fudge or weak at the knees when faced with the Selfridges food hall (me? of course not...)

What does a sweet tooth love? Chocolate, biscuits, cup cakes, marshmallows, meringues, baking, sweet smelling goodies, gummy sweets, macaroons, cocktails- if it's sweet, they shall take it. 

Aah, easy peasy, so what's out there this Christmas?!

1. Hotel Chocolat The Yule Buche Collection (with slate) £25
2. The Biscuiteers Little Shoes Tin £30
3. Lily Vanilli's Sweet Tooth Cookbook £8 from Amazon
4. Black Cherry Candy Cane 99p each at Mrs Kibbles
5. Salted Caramel Drinking Chocolate £6.50 by Artisan du Chocolat
6. Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Candle £29
7. Art of Mallow Salted Caramellow Marshmallows (available here- such lovely flavours!) £2.75
8. Individual Alternative Mince Pie by Hotel Chocolate- so tasty!
9. Gingerbread Cookies white chocolate fusion bar £3 at Artisan du Chocolat
10. Harvey Nichols "Fashionista" hamper- £75 (contains chocolate toffee, chocolate and nut biscuits, red berry tea bags, Baci di Nama chocolate hazelnut biscuits, marzipan fruits, wild flower honey, pink grapefruit marmalade and sauvignon blanc)
11. Fauchon Macaroons and Champagne gift set €37