Sateen, say hello to Spring

Shiny, oh so shiny. I am drawn to them like a magpie. I'm talking about the divine coated J Brand skinnies. Oh, and yes. I do have a slight problem. Hi, my name is Sarah-Louise and I am ADDICTED TO J BRAND. One month ago I barely wore jeans, and now I own three pairs of J Brand skinnies.........and counting. I'm unsure whether this is fabulous, or completely nuts. Either way, at least I'll be bankrupt in style. You see? Justification.

These beautiful bad boys are top of my LFW to buy list. So naturally, it's only right to investigate as to how I will style them..

I created this set on Polyvore as it incorporates some of my favourite pieces from this season. The classic Celine Luggage tote (dribble dribble..DROOL), the timeless YSL arty ring, my heavenly soon-to-be J Brand's and of course the show stopping blazer. I adore this shade of orange, it just screams 'wiaow'. Surely one must scream wiaow when attending their first LFW? Answer: Stupid question, it's obviously an outright YES.

I quite like how pastels and nudes mixed with darks create this relaxed yet exceptionally polished look. I am quite the fan of this pastel hue palette, but why go blah?

Go bold, or go home. It's London Fashion Week, sweetie!

Hmph, surely I should just buy this outfit, you know. Two is better than one? Oui?

Someone put me on a financial leash. Before I know it I'll be selling my kidneys for Prada's...

S.B.

x

Ps. Ummm, so just how essential is one kidney? Just sayin'

LFW? LONDON. FASHION. WEEK.

The Olympics? Sorry, I don't speak sport. Move over triathlons, LFW is thee event of the year. Upon receiving my 'successful application' email I naturally decided to do an obligatory victory lap of my lounge..in heels. Sane? As ever.

So ladies, this begs the question; what does one wear to LFW? I'm thinking yes to nudes and pastels and a fat no to fur a la Samantha Jones.

Here are a few outfits I am toying with..

Each outfit is incredibly empowering whilst accentuating the polished city chic style of each individual. I love how independence, style and sexiness can be conveyed through our wardrobe choices. High maintenance? Moi? Sorry, you must be mistaken.

Alas, I am still no further on my quest for the perfect LFW outfit. I vow to lose my fashion week virginity in style, watch this space..

S.B.

x

Hey big spender

Yes, it's true. I have been a little naughty, but it's all for a very good cause; my personal charity. Over the last few weeks I've drawn up a 'strategic list' of pieces I would like to add to my capsule wardrobe. Let the unwrapping begin..

Why buy premium denim, when you can buy highstreet denim? Er, well you obviously haven't tried J Brand. I'm a complete and utter convert, they fit like an absolute glove and are so soft yet durable.

Here's a little sneak of what the emerald skinnies look like on. Girl in the green scarf? NON. Girl in the green jeans....I wish. Failing that, they'll do for St. Patrick's day.

Next comes something truly beautiful..

These are my new babies from Tory Burch, as shown in the previous above photo. I bought the booties from the fabulous My Theresa store. Now, I understand a lot of ladies have yet to shop here, so I urge to you get browsing and clicking especially if you love European fashion. Oui oui, si si.

Have a look at the adorable extras; your order details are displayed in the CUTEST of folders. Yes, I said cute again. Slap me. An incredibly chic trend booklet is also enclosed highlighting the top trends of the season and how to put them together. Perfect for any practical princess. I'm in love.

Every lady deserves a pair of J Brand's, so here are a few ways to work the look..

My Theresa stock enough beautiful pieces to send even the richest of women into bankruptcy. Bottom line? I'm buggered. My clothes are my assets. Therein lies the reason why I do NOT work in finance. Ciao, for now..

S.B.

x

Sharpen up with McQueen

Out with skulls, in with blades. This my friends is the beautiful McQueen Razorblade Scarf and I absolutely LOVE it. I'm a huge fan of scarves, and why wouldn't I be? They're the anecdote to any dull outfit. If you're a fan of the iconic skull scarf, then consider jumping ships to this bad boy.

Here are three of my favourite skull scarf looks.

It's time to get my mitts on one before they fly off the shelves. I predict big things for this scarf but surely that's obviously; hello, it's MCQUEEN. All the more reason to stock up. Non? Well in that case I'll have one in every colour. Merci!

S.B.

x

Mulberry madam

Oh hello irony. Look at me posting about Mulberry. So I placed an order (prior to my rambling rant) and the beauty is here in all its glory.

I am a sucker for beautiful packaging. Look at the bow, ooh-aaah.

Et voila, bonjour mon amie! I feel very professional carrying a laptop case, but it is quite the practical purchase. See what I did there? Justification. That sweet little word that lets your conscience get away with just about anything. Thank you justification, thank you.

My collection, so far..

Am I a Mulberry fanatic? Guilty as charged. I shall wave farewell to the end of my Mulberry affair, but as one thing ends; surely another must begin? Celine, Prada, 3.1. Phillip Lim..le swoon.

S.B.

x

The rise of the clutch

The clutch is synonymous with evening attire. Yawn, boring. Why eradicate a bag purely because we think it's appropriate for a certain time of the day? I say ditch the rules and dish out your clutches! Need some inspiration? Well, luckily for you I have rounded up four fabulous inspiratory ways to work the look.

Weekend Cool

I LOVE this look. It's so simple, yet so glamorous. One pair of jeans, one white shirt and one incredibly cute woofer (dog). Sorry, I mean clutch. Replace your tote with a clutch, et voila. The perfect cool ensemble for the weekend.

Classic Femininity

Again, this look is so simple and attainable. The clutch adds that extra touch of femininity, it feels very Parisian to me; now what's more classic than le francais?

Summer Brights

The pop of pink adds such a fun element to what is essentially a plain summer dress. Again, with the woofer. Even the bracelet and doggy leash match, this is just too cute. Did I just say cute? Slap me. Again, it's all very minimalist proving less truly is more.

City Slick

All image credits: Alexandra Per

Groomed is an understatement, this outfit is the epitome of urban luxe. The simple mini clutch adds to the outfit, whereas an oversized tote would only detract; perfetto.

Here are a few of my favourite S/S '12 clutches..

Moral of the story? Ditch your oversized Italian leather sacks (totes) for at least one day a week. Why? Because you know you want to. Go on, live a little. Now switch, switch, switch!

S.B.

x

Man meets heel

I think it is safe to say this is one of the most bizarre trends I have ever heard of. Men in ladies HEELS? Well, okay not just heels; Louboutins. Good taste, I say. Sexual orientation? Questionable. I'm considering conducting a social experiment, whereby I shove my brother in a pair of heels and say TROT, TROT. Somehow, I cannot see this happening.

Now, I would love to interview a man that frequently dons CLs. In fact, I'd probably end up raiding his collection (prior to ambushing his wardrobe). Oh hello criminal record. The point is, heels on men are wrong. Can't some things in life be reserved for women? If you know of any male heel lovers, send them my way. I am intrigued and full of questions..

S.B.

x