Pandas, Pruitt & Cake Pops

The Rob Pruitt for Jimmy Choo launch was another one of those 'OMG-I-must-pinch-myself-I'm-a-blogger' moments.  I received a mysterious zebra-printed invitation a few weeks ago, complete with a blow-up panda type thing completely out of the blue.  Now you may have guessed that my current Jimmy Choo total stands at zero and I tend to purchase more everyday shoes due to my reliance on public transport and doing as much walking as possible.  That's not to say that one day I wouldn't want to wish for a more special pair, say for all the weddings I fear will be cropping up and numerous special occasions that warrant a less than chunky heel. Artist Rob Pruitt has added a playful dimension to some of the brands typical designs, adding contrast panda-adorned linings and dégradé insoles to reflect some of his work.  I can see Winnie liking this for the panda association and Lucy for the use of colour, but I'm rather partial to the graphic black and white elements used throughout.

How cute is the panda sushi?  It's always nice to see something a bit unexpected from a brand and to learn about another corner of the art world.  See the rest of the collection here, watch the surreal animation and add items to your wishlist accordingly! 

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Saving Daylight

Finally I've given in, I've put my 'Summer' clothes away and resigned myself to wearing last year's coat for another six months.  I'd been trying to wait as long as possible before digging it out, until Friday's chill got the better of me and the tweedy old friend was the only solution.  I've had a good few years of sensible coat buying now, so have a few trusty styles to see me through but naturally I gravitate towards a couple of favourites that always seem to work with what I wear.  Hopefully you won't be too bored of seeing this one over and over again and I can use some clever layering skills adopted by Nadia and Susie to keep things fresh. The weather has become even more grey and dreary than I thought possible but somehow I've braved the hair-ruining mist to catch as many hours of daylight as I can.  

Coat, ring - H&M

Sweatshirt - A.P.C

Corduroy Skirt - Asos

Tuk Creepers - c/o Spartoo Shoes

Check Tights - c/o Wolford
Circle Scarf - American Apparel

Necklace - Me & Zena

When I first started blogging, I wasn't really sure whether outfit posts would be my thing, preferring to crop my head out whilst balancing my bedraggled camera on a shelf and staring dead into the lens.  How times have changed.  Back then I would never have imagined myself prancing about on the terrace in front of confused passers by, all in the hopes of getting an interesting photo.  Everything I'm wearing (bar the tights) is from last year and it's somewhat comforting to know that the decisions I made then are still relevant for now.  I don't know why I didn't wear this corduroy skirt much last time around but I'm determined to make up for it now, as its the perfect weight for this season.  The creepers represent my love of flat shoes with a difference and the sheer Wolford tights were just about warm enough, but may soon need to be layered on top of a contrast pair.  How have you adjusted to dressing for the colder weather?

"Sometimes when you're taking a picture an extraordinary sense of luck and chance takes over and propels you to make pictures that you couldn't in your wildest dreams have imagined. This is the magic of photography." - Tim Walker

You've got to hand it to social media for spreading the word about things that are currently going on in London; I was inspired to visit the Tim Walker exhibition after reading Carrie's interview with the man himself.  I mainly know of his work through some of the stunningly surreal Mulberry campaigns, accepting larger-than-life props with ease before wondering how exactly did he manage to create the image and make things look so effortless.  I imagine it must be a challenge to vary the layout of a photography exhibition, so entwining some of his most iconic works with a few of the life sized props that he used certainly helped in setting it apart from the rest.  One of the most charming things was the way the quotes were dotted around the rooms, sometimes in swirly type, sometimes continuing around the corner, as if you've entered the dreamlike state of one of his photos.  You can inspect the props up close and marvel at their intricacies; the giant insects have hairs that must have been painstakingly applied to achieve the realistic effect and a skeleton looms over you as if about to attack.  If you want a breather from all the props, there are plenty of pure fashion portraits dotted around, my favourite being the Marc Jacobs balloon dress captured above.  Time for another book to go on the wishlist then...

Fortunately the Tim Walker exhibition is on for a while, until the 27th January at Somerset House.  Are you planning to visit?  Entry is free and I'm sure I'll pop in again before it finishes as I'm slightly obsessed with the giant swan!

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A Birthday Gathering

I've been a busy bee recently.  All of the various events and previews are starting up behind the scenes and I will yet again be adding many items to a never-ending wishlist.  It's a good thing my tastes are so versatile.  My main connection with Laura Ashley has been finding a few of their vintage garments at various charity shops and flea markets and wondering what the story was behind them.  The company has been around since 1953 and picked up on various trends such as the printed scarves Audrey Hepburn wore and reinterpreted Victorian silhouettes in the late 60s.  Now in 2012, their successful blog has been running for a year and a few of us gathered together to celebrate the achievement (as we all know how tricky it is to keep such things going) amongst treats from The Vintage Patisserie and soothing music by Liz Lawrence.

Creating a successful online outpost for a brand is a particular skill, it should feel natural, never too sparse and find creative yet considered ways of sharing its ethos.  I feel that there are only a few examples where the blog could truly survive in its own right (it seems the Guardian was reading my mind as I found an article that matches some of my views) and it really comes down to carefully imagining the brand as a person and the things they would like to see and do.  Luckily the Laura Ashley blog ticks all of the above boxes, sharing any discoveries beautifully amongst recipes, interviews and insights into the company.  A room above their Kings Road shop was adorned with some festive wares and there was even a tree where you could choose a present, lucky dip style.  I think this was the precise moment where I realised that Christmas is just over two months away and the prospect of special stuffing and never-ending pigs in blankets was an exciting one.  Has the festive feeling kicked in for you yet?

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Saturday by the Seaside

I just couldn't stay away from the seafront for too long, even though I tend to equate Brighton visits with the Summer months.  Seeing as the weather in the U.K could hardly be classed as tropical and it can be very rare that any sunbathing happens, I think that it's an ideal place to visit when you need to give London a bit of a breather.  The journey for me involves no tubes or crazy crowds and the shops and amenities are a short walk from the station once you arrive.  Perfect!  I find that I always stick to the same areas when I visit, as time always seems to get the better of me and before I know it, I'm back on the train again hurtling towards the capital.  The main reason for our trip was to see the Biba exhibition I'd heard about a few months ago, but as always food and shopping had to be involved, seamlessly filling up a Saturday afternoon.

I may be technically a fully-fledged adult, but that didn't stop me from partaking in general silliness on the pier and wanting to take some candyfloss home.  My buddies for this trip were Carrie, Lucy, Olivia and Dunya and as expected, we were snapping away constantly and must have looked like some sort of over-enthusiastic photography club to others.  I missed out on one of those trademark kitschy pictures last time, so luckily Olivia accepted my 'proposal' to pull a few faces!

I asked for recommendations of places to eat on Twitter but in the end we settled on this American style diner that Dunya has been to before.  Somewhat unassuming on the outside and chock-full of memorabilia on the inside, it certainly makes me want to take a road trip through America to experience the real thing. 

Jacket, Jumper & skirt - Topshop
Shirt - Vintage via Jazmine

Tights - Tabio

Shoes - c/o Zalando

Bag - Mulberry

I've been living in jumpers and skirts recently (surprise, surprise), as a bit of a lazy option for my figure but perfectly suited for meals such as the one above.  Apologies for the full on Topshop outfit though if it's any consolation, each piece is from a different year (2007, 2011 and 2012 respectively) proving that the store does wardrobe basics as well as more current items.  The zebra-print skirt was another one of my J.W Anderson for Topshop purchases and a refreshing take on the humble animal print, where you only realise what you can see at the last possible moment.  I first spotted these lace-up shoes at Bread and Butter back in January, and only realised when looking back through the archives that I now own both pairs in this photo.  I think they went on some sort of subconscious shopping list.  These Vagabond shoes from Zalando are an edgier take on the lace-up brogue with the addition of a metal plate and were bearable enough for a day's exploring, though I did feel a bit unstable on the pier.  Admittedly I think this was probably due to my own coordination rather than the construction of the shoes themselves...

I can't wait to show you my photos from the exhibition once I've reflected on everything a bit more (see a few quick Instagram snaps here).  It's always interesting to see what people pick up on when they visit Brighton, and I hope to venture further afield (perfect examples are Mat & Yours Truly) whenever I next manage to pop down.  

How did you spend your weekend?  I need to get into the routine of having a productive, adventurous sort of day, sandwiched in between sorting out various aspects of my life and tackling the corners of my room that refuse to tidy themselves.  Until the next time!

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