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. 

Holiday Wardrobe: Simplicity in the City

New York is a city full of very stylish women. The signature style of a New Yorker appears to be simple and refined, glossy and glamourous, with just a touch of contemporary cool. I made no attempt to stylistically keep up with these sleek creatures, but tried my best to look stylish at all times.

For yet another day of sightseeing, this time on the liberty cruise, I wore a simple Topshop minidress with simple jewellery, nude ballerina flats and my new 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli.

To add a touch of individuality, I stacked up various bangles and cuffs and finished the look with a silver and gold interwoven chain from H&M.

SIMILAR STYLES:

Holiday Wardrobe: Big Yellow Taxi

From West to East, our final US stop was the city of dreams- New York.

I must say that I did not know what to expect from the ultimate metropolis. I had heard mixed opinions: some loved it, some hated it, and I had no clue into which category I would fall. However, as we flew across the city, taking in the iconic scenery, my mind was pretty much made up. And now I get why everyone wears those t-shirts... I, in fact, also love NY.

We were very lucky to stay in the luxurious Gramercy Park hotel in Manhattan, just across from the private gardens of the same name. The hotel was darkly decadent, dripping in chandeliers and oozing old-time luxury.

Our first day was spent doing all manner of tourist-y activities, including a trip to the Punk exhibition at The Met, which I would highly recommend. With everything from risqué t-shirts from SEX on The Kings Road through to delicious Balmain RTW and dangerous Givenchy Couture, the Met's Punk curation plays on the interrelation between punk and couture- namely the DIY spirit which ties the two together.

We then took a trip down Madison Avenue to the flagship Kate Spade store, which was a girly paradise complete with oodles of glittering pumps, colourful enamel jewellery and kitschy popcorn clutches.

For lunch we made our way across the road to Barneys, intending to dine at the celebrated spot for "Ladies Who Lunch": Fred's. With a half hour wait and some rather weary feet, we decided to retreat downstairs to their interactive lunch stop Genes at CO-OP.

I. Loved. It.

Genes is a little glass enclave in the corner of the contemporary designer department. Futuristic and suitably fashionable, the cafe features one long dark table made up of full-screen touch tablets, from which you can order and surf the web. Tweet while you eat? Don't mind if I do!

My order of the day was a green juice, an iced double espresso and a hearty raw superfood salad- dressing on the side, of course: ideal fuel for an afternoon spent milling around Tiffanys and SAKS. 

WHAT I WORE:

Holiday Wardrobe: Monterey Bay

Our last stop in California was Monterey. While I did enjoy myself, it must be said that Monterey reminds me a little too much of home. How so? It’s cold. SO cold.

We stayed in an ocean-facing suite in the InterContinental and were able to enjoy a few days of relaxation before embarking across the country to New York.

Our time in Monterey was charming, of course, but the highlight had to be the famous Monterey Aquarium. It has otters, hammerheads, jellyfish, turtles – you name it, they have it. I mean, they even had Dory and Nemo swimming together… I still don’t get how it took anyone so long to find him- his signature look is rather eccentric.

Following our morning of marine mania, we headed out along the 17 Mile Drive towards Carmel. Carmel is a pretty little town with incredible boutique stores and some glorious galleries and stylish spots to eat- it is far more to my tastes than Monterey.

En route, we made a stop at Roy’s at Pebble Beach. Based on Hawaiian cuisine with a strong Asian influence, the menu at Roy’s was too good to resist. My father and sister opted for teriyaki chicken Bento Boxes while my mother had Mahi Mahi soft tacos and I had a vibrant sashimi selection.

WHAT I WORE:

When in Carmel, I had my first real look around a J Crew store and I was rather impressed. Gleaming statement necklaces, chic staple dresses and lots of basics: it’s little wonder that J Crew is making waves internationally.

While I did have my eye on a white t-shirt with a golden pineapple print, the store did not have any in stock (they have it on sale here if you want to race me to it?), so I settled for a fine-knit cornflower blue sweatshirt, a striped fit-and-flare ponte dress and a dazzling crystal necklace.

For dinner that evening I was ever so tempted to wear my new dress, but instead opted for the weather-appropriate option in my new J Crew sweater paired with a neoprene floral skirt from Zara (sold out but this Oasis one is an equally lovely print and a more forgiving fit) and my jewelled anklet pumps, also by Zara.*

*try a low-cute nude leather ballet pump with a couple of antique-inspired anklets. 

SIMILAR STYLES: 

Holiday Wardrobe: Blue Blooms

My last evening at the Solage resort by Calistoga was a very sad one indeed. Can I just move there, please?

No more lounging by the crystal clear pool, no more Mojito scented mud wraps and no more tranquil morning yoga classes. Oh, to be back there!

For our final evening at Solage, we decided to dine in their Michelin starred SolBar restaurant.

I must admit that from day one I had doubts about SolBar and it's Michelin star status. Despite only sampling breakfast and bar snacks in the restaurant, I couldn't quite fathom that such a relaxed dining spot could have attained a coveted Michelin star.

However, I stand corrected, as SolBar does have a Michelin star and once I tasted the food I understood why. The atmosphere is unpretentious, a rarity in fine dining establishments, and the cuisine is artfully considered and carefully balanced.

The menu was split in two with one side featuring virtuous, lighter dishes and the other featuring hearty but refined American classics. I opted for two lighter courses with a pancetta wrapped Sardine for starter and a glorious steamed halibut filled served with almond butter and golden raisins as an entree.

If you are in the area I really would recommend a dinner here.

WHAT I WORE:

I picked up this Zara dress ages before my holiday and almost forgot to take it with me! It is sold out now, but you can find a similar silky style here. I wore it with a Zara floral jacket (I love this cute Topshop version which will be much better suited to A/W) and my staple Zara heels (sold out but these Kurt Geiger ones are even nicer... Damn.)

I paired it with some drop earrings I picked up in St Helena, but I am afraid I cannot remember the name of the store. I actually bought them as they reminded me of these lovely Isharya ones.

 SIMILAR STYLES:

Holiday Wardrobe: St Helena Shopping

While in California, I must admit that Solage was my favourite resort. However, the nearby town of Calistoga left quite a lot to be desired. The nearby St Helena, however, was a treat.

St Helena is, quite clearly, a rather wealthy little town. With an abundance of glittering jewellers, higher end ready-to-wear boutiques and even a luxury shoe store, St Helena is a great place to treat yourself or simply window shop in the sun.

Thankfully we were there over lunch, and were able to to dine at French Blue. French Blue is the most darling little restaurant with a great varied menu including all day brunches and exotic seasonal salads. The restaurant has a distinctly European feel to it, with a bright and lively conservatory dotted with pretty wooden tables and beautiful blooms.

The glass shelves of one window are lined with antique liquor bottles for a unique vintage charm, tying in rather splendidly with their superlative cocktail list. They also have some tasty mocktails for us young'uns such as Nojito's and zesty Strawberry Lemonade.

Spoilt for choice, I kept things simple in ordering a vibrant house salad with chargrilled chicken breast, dressing on the side. Sweet, zingy and fresh, the salad made for the perfect light lunch for a sunny day. Check out the menus here if you fancy a trip.

WHAT I WORE:

For a little browse round St Helena, I opted for a simple camisole and miniskirt look. This frilled Zara skirt is actually from the SS13 collection and has sold out online, but an updated version of the Topshop camisole is available here.

The basic sandals are by Dune and are available here, but I sort of wish that I'd bought these ones instead- they would have been amazing with this look. I spotted them on someone when I was interning at Conde Nast, and I have been smitten ever since.

Accessories-wise I opted for my essential Accessorize floppy hat, this statement Urban Outfitters arm cuff, a gold caged cuff (I love this version) and my Mulberry Mini Alexa in Oak.

Holiday Wardrobe: Sonoma Shopping

Because my blogging has been so appallingly lazy of late, I can't actually remember what I did the day I wore this outfit. I'm getting old, folks, almost old enough to legally drink in the states...

Nevertheless, I shall try and recall. I think this is the day that my family and I upped sticks and headed from Sonoma to Napa, yet another stunning wine region with even more glorious weather.

We were staying in the slick Solage resort just a few minutes from Calistoga. Solage really was my dream resort- particularly for poolside posing. The pool is Olympic sized, great for early morning lengths, while the sun loungers and poolside bar offer the perfect place to soak up some sun in a floppy hat and itsy bitsy white bikini (mine is a cheap as chips ASOS number available here and here).

The resort has a Michelin-star restaurant, SolBar (more on this later) and incredible fitness and spa resources. 

I have to say that Solage was my favourite resort of the entire holiday perhaps, even, ever. With the possible exception of Tuscany's romantic Artimino castle/hotel.

For the trip to Solage, I wore my new H&M distressed denim shorts, my Urban Outfitters cream blouse, my Dune sandals (now on sale here, also in white) and my beloved Accessorize floppy hat. 

Christmas Time, Mistletoe and Twine!

Aah i've got the Christmas bug, I know it is only the 12th of November, but I don't care. It's Chreeeeeeeeestmaaaaaaas.

Just thought i'd share a wee pic from my fun-filled festive weekend (feel free to give me a slap, i'm such a loser) with Harriet. The cool kids that we are, all we talked about was swimming, fish, Mahiki, Jaymie from Union J and, of course, Christmas Twine.

We know how to party, ladz... Form an orderly queue.