LFF & #FFPAPERDOLLPARTY

Followers of LFF on Instagram will know I was sent a beautiful Christmas gift from F and F - a bespoke paper doll 'Sophie' complete with minature F and F outfits to dress her up in! (plus some delicious Biscuiteers cookies). The fashion bloggers and journalists taking part in #FFPaperDollParty campaign were challenged to style their mini-mes in their favourite looks, so here are mine, ready for NYE:

1. I think this camisole top paired with a embellished pencil skirt has a look of the Louise Vuitton boudoir inspired AW13 collection. 
2. Winter floral prints and wasp-waisted 1940s shape make this dress another LFF favourite.
3. This claret jumpsuit is a little different from my usual evening wear attire but I really love it. I think the rich hue tones nicely with Sophie doll's auburn hair, I'm going to have to hunt this piece down in store!
4. I am a big fan of a tuxedo dress, (remember my Warehouse number?) so this little tuxedo jumpsuit was an obvious choice. This one really looks like me!

Which look is your favourite? 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM LFF x

Hooray it's Christmas Eve! To close the blog for the holiday season I want to wish all LFF readers a very merry Christmas and say a huge thank you for all your support in 2013. It's been an exciting year for La Fashion Folie with two more London Fashion Weeks attended and some unexpected and flattering press coverage gained, and I couldn't have done it without your support. I hope you and your families have a wonderful day tomorrow and I will be back before NYE! x

Illustration by Jayne Pankhurst.

LFF EDITS: THE AW13 SALES

It’s the happy moment I have been waiting all December for (I’m not even joking); the sales have started! The key to navigating the a/w sales is to avoid seasonal styles and pick the product that will transcend the trends. Labels are always good to invest in if you have the budget – I can’t believe this J.W. Anderson sweater (no.1) has been reduced in the Matchesfashion sale – anything with his logo on will be a future classic. Look out for coats in the winter sales too; if 2014’s spring is anything like last year’s then heavy wool and cosy faux-fur styles will be good investments. One of the best high street sales belongs to Whistles. The brand designs lots of original pieces that will become timeless classics in your wardrobe. One such piece is this box-pleat leopard print skirt (no.2) - you can’t go wrong with a dash of animal print. Online Atterley Road’s sale is full of great deals – their stylish edit of classic brands makes for foolproof shopping. Have you snapped up any bargains in the sales yet? 

1. J.W Anderson logo sweat, Matchesfashion, was £235 now £164. 
2. Leopard box pleat skirt, Whistles, was £110 now £55. 
3. Rivington reversible chain pouch, Whistles, was £85 now £50. 
4. Part two coated jeans, Atterley Road, was £99 now £65. 
5. Large tear shape earrings, Dorothy Perkins, was £10 now £7. 
6. Opening Ceremony leather trainers, Matchesfashion, was £181 now £126. 

6 OF THE BEST: PARTY FLATS

There's something very chic about wearing a flat shoe for a party. Heels can appear try-hard, whilst flats have an insouciant air of cool. Coupled with the fact sky-scraping stilettos never lend themselves to tearing up the dance floor, comfortable shoes make the altogether better option in my eyes. A few styling pointers: if you are petite, a pointed flats (like the fabulous Fendi pair below - no.6) will elongate the leg. If you are tall (like me) pretty much anything goes - try a brogue with a mini dress for an unexpected twist on festive dressing. Most importantly, look for luxurious details like glitter finishes, embellishments and embroidery to up the ante in your party look. Will you be trying a flat shoe this Christmas?

1. Glitter lace ups, F-Troupe, £65. 
2. Cecilia glitter & suede ballet flats, Office, £56. 
3. Black jewelled slippers, Next, £35. 
4. Shellys lace up glitter flats, ASOS, £60. 
5. Dandy palm-detail slippers, Penelope Chilvers, £245. 
6. Fendi metallic leather flats, Net-a-porter.com, £560. 

LFFS TOURS DEBENHAMS OXFORD STREET WITH TODD LYNN

Did you know that Debenhams Oxford Street has undergone a fashionable little makeover? The transformation started in 2012 and officially finished this month, so the Debenhams team invited myself and a group of bloggers to check out the new-look store earlier this week.  As an added treat, we were joined on the tour by London Fashion Week designer Todd Lynn who this year joined forces with this store to launch his first Designers at Debenhams collection. Todd was a great conversationalist and took the time to talk us through his favourite pieces in the range, which was super-exciting. Like his mainline collections, the Todd Lynn edition range features androgynous tailoring, lots of luxurious leather and a monochrome colour palette broken up with a flash of carnelian red.  

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LFF'S LITTLEWOODS WISHLIST

Littlewoods stock some fab brands on their website, so when they asked me to come up with a wishlist, I had fun picking out some of my favourite accessories online. I am an unashameded label lover - labels represent quality to me, so all of the below pieces are from brands that I like to shop from. I have been collecting Marc by Marc Jacobs accessories for some years now and the below catseye shades are a real investment piece, classic in style but distinguished thanks to the cute Marc by Marc bird motif on the arms. A girl can never own enough Converse, my favourite pair from the Littlewoods range of Converse are the below grey wool pair will add extra warmth for winter. I love Fiorelli bags but I didn't know they did jewellery until browsing Littlewoods site - the jewelled necklace below will add sparkle to a grey jumper for the festive season. Are you a fan of Littlewoods?

Top Row L-R: Chuck Taylor All Star Heathered High tops, £69. / Fiorelli Large Crystal Bib Necklace, £33. / Tommy Hilfiger Maggie Hobo Bag, £180. 
Bottom Row L-R: Marc by Marc Jacobs catseye shades, £120. Fossil Sydney Satchel, £180. /Marc by Marc Jacobs catseye shades, £138.


*Collaborative post with Littlewoods* 

THE LFF 2013 CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FOR HER

I think the secret to picking the perfect the Christmas present is giving a gift the recipient would feel guilty purchasing for themselves. Frivolity is the key - life's fripperies and luxuries that whilst not necessities, make everything that little bit brighter. Aim to give the gift of luxury and you can't go wrong. This approach can work for all budgets, believe it or not. If you only have £10 to spend, buy a high-quality bar of chocolate, Amelia Rope's (no.4) come in gourmet flavours like rose and lime with sea salt. If you buy a pair of gloves, make them cashmere (no.8- Jaeger has a lovely range of cashmere this season), if you buy a nail polish, make it a Chanel (no.9) and if you purchase a piece of jewellery, bespoke or engraved pieces with a personal touch are guaranteed to thrill ( no.5, Anna Lou of London does affordable bespoke). My edit below has been selected with this luxury mantra in mind, hopefully santa reads La Fashion Folie because I'd love the whole lot!

1. Alphabet soy wax candle, ASOS, £4. 2. Paul and Joe Fairytale collection lipstick, ASOS, £14. 3. Dizzy Bee gold-plated earrings, Cinderela B, £35. 4. Amelia Rope Pale Rose chocolate bar, £6.25. 5. Gold plated name disc necklace, Anna Lou of London, £48. 6. Purple glitter iphone cover, Bobelle London, £30. 7. Rosie for Autograph silk teddy, Marks and Spencer, £36. 8. Cashmere gloves, Jaeger, £35. 9. Chanel nail polish in shade 'Taboo', £18, Selfridges. 10. Blue Iphis zip pouch, Liberty, £95. 11. Anya Hindmarch Gingerbread Man key fob, The Outnet, £64.60. 12. J. Crew Pablo crystal drop earrings, Net-a-porter.com, £100. 13. Chinti and Parker organic cotton heart print top, Net-a-porter.com, £100. 14. Lanvin grosgrain trimmed cosmetics case, Net-a-porter.com, £225. 15. Hillier bunny pendant, Astley Clarke, £995. 16. Jimmy Choo star print acrylic clutch, Net-a-porter.com, £625. 17. Crystal point toe mini heels, L K Bennett, £225. 

LFF'S TOP 5 NOVEMBER BEAUTY BUYS

Right now I am all about beauty products that combat the effects winter - so anything brightening and moisturizing is an instant winner. November's top 5 beauty buys are a combination of classics that I have used for years, but have come into their own now the temperature has dropped, and new products that have revolutionized my morning routine and left me wondering how I ever coped without. 

1. Mac Prep + Prime Natural Radiance, £29.

I only discovered primers this year, but now I am hooked. Mac's Natural Radiance primer contains illuminating pearl powders that reflect optic brightening. Put simply, it's can make my skin look fresh and dewy even when I'm over-worked, over-stressed and (occasionally) hungover. 

2. Benefit High Beam, £19.50. 

This pearly pink liquid highlighter is one of my all time favourite beauty products. I rub a dab on the apples of my cheeks each morning before applying my powder blush to add radiance and luminosity. On a practical note, it also happens to help my blusher 'stick' and last all day. 

3. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, £25 for 50ml. 

Thanks to my mum, I have been using Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream since my teens. However it's in winter when my skin turns into lizard-like scales that it really comes into it's own. Great for wind-chapped hands and cracked knuckles, this balm-come-cream moisturisers, soothes and protects like nothing else I have tried. 

4. Twistband, £10 for a pack of 3 from Birchbox UK. 

A hair bobble that doesn't leave kinks in your hair? Not possible you might think. But having tried and tested the Twist Band I can report that this US beauty phenomenon is well worth the hype. I used it to tie up my freshly washed hair and it remained kink free after several hours - a wonder product. Thanks to Birchbox UK at The Apartment for introducing me to this over London Fashion Week. 

5. Nip + Fab Spot Fix, £9.95. 

I have never been one to be concerned about break outs, but this month I have suffered some really painful inflammations that were impossible to ignore. Normally I would just leave my spots alone, but the Nip + Fab spot fix was lying unused in my draw so I gave it a go. I dabbed on the gel at bedtime and was surprised to see (and feel) visible results when I woke up. Most importantly the throbbing pain of a fresh spot that I am sure we are all familiar with disappeared much quicker than usual, kudos to Nip + Fab!

.......Do let me know if you've discovered any wonder products this month too, I'm slowly becoming a beauty junkie and love to hear new suggestions!

LFF TRENDS: THE LITTLE RED DRESS

Don't get me wrong, I love a LBD (see my last blog post for evidence) but I believe a LRD (that's a little red dress) is just as much of a style classic. Because if you want to feel feminine and sexy - there's no better colour than red (just look at Jesicca Rabbit). It is also a surprisingly easy colour to wear, whilst red looks fantastic with metallics, it also works with jewel-tone accessories (think emerald green and sapphire blue for the opulent approach). Here's my edit of the best red dresses available now to suit every pocket:

1. Jacquard prom dress, George at Asda, £25. 
2. Lace sleeved dress, Next, £60. 
3. Iris & Ink dress, The Outnet, £195. 
4. Vivetta red wool dress, Avenue 32, £300. 
5. Fendi metallic leather flats, Net-a-porter.com, £560. 
6. Jewel earrings, ASOS, £8. 
7. Lip bullet in Wine Gum, Topshop, £8.

LFF OUTFITS: THE WAREHOUSE TUXEDO DRESS

The festive season is pretty much here, so when Warehouse kindly offered me a dress to review, I knew I needed a party-ready piece. If you are struggling to find you Christmas party dress, I recommend checking out Warehouse - I think their offering is one of the best on the high street this season. I picked the black tuxedo dress - I am all about minimal and simple dressing at the moment and this piece is formal without being fussy. It also reminded me of the Victoria Beckham tuxedo dress from her AW13 collection that Diane Kruger has been seen wearing on the red carpet.

LFF FINDS: THE PERFECT BRETON TEE

I have been hunting high and low for the perfect Breton t-shirt recently and I am happy to report I have just found it. It's amazing how something so simple and classic can be so overlooked by the high street - Uniqlo used to sell the perfect long-sleeve striped tees but much to my dismay they appear to have discontinued them. So when online lifestyle store Surfdome recently offered me a piece to review from the site, I picked out the Joules Harbour t-shirt  in the hope it would fill the gap in my t-shirt collection. Having tried and tested the t-shirt I am now planning to buy multiples in different colours - it fulfills all the criteria I am looking for in a Breton - thick cotton, well-cut but not too fitted, boat neck and long sleeved. Check out more styles from Surfdome here.  Whilst stripe tees look great with Converse and jeans for the weekend, an unexpected and interesting way to style them is with sequins. Here's how I plan to wear mine over the festive season:

1. Joules Harbour t-shirt, Surfdome, £29.95.
2. Silver sequin skirt, Topshop, £95.
3. Lips in Screen siren, Topshop, £8.
4. Charlotte Olympia glitter kitty flats, Net-a-porter.com, £495. 
5. Marc by Marc Jacobs Henry watch, Bloomingdales, £120.

6 OF THE BEST: HIGH STREET JEWELLED EARRINGS

The festive season wouldn't be complete without a dash of sparkle and Christmas 2013 sees a strong focus towards opulence. Forget sequins, this year it’s all about jewels. My favourite interpretation of the trend was seen in Henry Holland’s AW13 ‘Rave Nana’ collection where shift dresses were embellished with crystal cigarettes and jewelled cocktail glass motifs skimmed the hems of pencil skirts. An affordable and wearable way to introduce the trend into your wardrobe is with a jewelled earring – an accessory that looks just as great with a cable knit jumper for day as it does with a cocktail dress for after dusk. Even better, the high street has got this trend nailed for AW13, there’s no need to bother with designer when the purse-friendly alternative is this convincing. I bought pair no.1 (in the midnight blue hue) from Next last week and they are now in constant rotation in my jewellery wardrobe. Will you be rocking a sparkling earring this festive season? 

1. Emerald green & crystal effect earrings, Next, £12. 
2. Statement crystal earrings, Anna Lou of London, £35. 
3. Royal blue chandelier earrings, Dorothy Perkins, £14. 
4. Chrystal chandelier earrings, Topshop, £20. 
5. Smoky Quartz and crystal earrings, Next, £12. 
6. Intricate jewel drops, Warehouse, £10. 

LFF IN AMSTERDAM #FIORELLIHANDPICKED

You may remember that I have joined forces with Fiorelli this autumn/winter to document my journey with the Jasmine bag the brand has partnered LFF with. So it seemed like the perfect time to test-drive my bag when I went on a mini 48 hour getaway to Amsterdam with my family last month. When you're only flying with hand luggage I think a stylish compartmentalised tote is essential for organising oneself in-flight, so my Jasmine bag proved to be the perfect travel companion.

THE LFF AW13 LOUNGEWEAR EDIT

Only in winter is it socially acceptable to head home straight after work and clamber immediately into one's pyjamas. Thanks to this seasonally lazy disposition, lounge wear becomes a staple in my a/w wardrobe. Pyjamas and luxe slippers are top of slumber time essentials, but cosy sweaters, cashmere socks, yoga pants and silky camisole tops also offer chic lounge wear options. Whilst it can be hard to find stylish casual pieces on a high street budget (just say no to novelty slippers and onesie..) luxury UK brand Ruby + Ed stock an amazing collection of faux fur lined slippers (no.7) plus nightwear and accessories that feel supremely luxe to wear whilst affordably priced. Over at New Look, Kelly Brook's latest lingerie collection offers some pretty camis (no.2) and underwear sets on a shoestring budget. Whilst it isn't featured in my edit, I'm also a huge fan of the Rosie for Autograph range at M and S by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has lots of beautiful silky separates which are worth checking out. What are your go-to loungewear essentials? 

1. DKNY fleece pyjama set, Net-a-porter.com, £58. 
2. Kelly Brook spot cami, New Look, £19.99.
3. Equipment heart print pyjamas, Harvey Nichols, £440. 
4. Dreama check slippers, Joules, £14.95. 
5. Mary Katrantzou for Rodial candle, ASOS, £35. 
6. Orchid pink hot water bottle cover, Ruby + Ed, £29.95. 
7. Cerise Leopard print ballerinas, Ruby + Ed, £39. 
8. Corgi for J.Crew cashmere socks, £98. 
9. This Works Dream Team sleep duo, ASOS, £10. 

THE LFF OCTOBER INSTAGRAM ROUND-UP

Where did October go? Looking back at my Instagram pictures from the month it seems to have passed in the blink of an eye. Here's what I have been up to:

LFF TALKS STYLE CLASSICS

In attempt to de-clutter my minuscule London bedsit, I've been having a wardrobe detox. I've decided to be ruthless - giving away or selling clothes that I haven't worn in the past 6 months. Sorting through my wardrobe has made me realise that I acquire far too trend-driven pieces that don't stand the test of time, and how freeing it would be to only invest in timeless fashion. With that in mind - I've compiled the below edit of wear-forever buys: 

1. A classic breton tee: blue/navy colour combinations are best
2. Mid wash blue skinny jeans: a classic wash and cut

3. Anything grey marl: t-shirts, sweaters, converse - grey marl oozes effortless cool

4. Sequins: will the appeal of sequins ever date? I don't think so. The desire to dazzle is timeless 

5. Leopard print: a style classic, best when injected through accessories

6. Statement jewels: A bold statement necklace will always look chic

7. Converse: the ultimate off-duty shoe, it's their comfort factor that makes converse classic

1. Hope stripe top, Joules, £29.95.
2. Masaya mid-wash jeans, Whistles, £95. 
3. Petit Bateau grey marl sweater, Atterley Road, £70. 
4. Erdem floral & sequin skirt, Matchesfashion.com, £1,090.
5. Alana leopard print courts, Hobbs, £159. 
6. Pina vintage necklace, Cinderela B, £125.
7. Converse high-tops, ASOS, £50. 

ps. I forgot the black ballet pump definitely a style classic in the LFF world too!

Collaborative post

THE LFF HALLOWEEN FASHION EDIT

With Halloween just around the corner, it's time for the seasonal LFF edit. You need a bit of kitsch around All Hallows' Eve - but some of these buys have mileage post 31st October too. I bought a J W Anderson for Topshop ghost print jumper last year that I wear all year round and I think Forever 21's faux fur bat jacket (no.2) would work as a cool winter cover up. For collectable design classics, you can't go wrong with Charlotte Olympia footwear, I love her pumpkin flats (no.3) and bat motif courts (no.5). Lulu Guinness's Wild Cat Clutch (no.4) is another great designer investment that just happens to work on the Halloween theme. Plus it's payday time, so there's no better excuse to (trick or) treat yourself (see what I did there?! sorry.)

1. Pumpkin t-shirt, New Look, £7.99.
2. Faux-fur bat jacket, Forever 21, £27. 
3. Charlotte Olympia Trick or Treat Flats, Net-a-porter.com, £495.
4. Lulu Guinness Wild Cat Clutch, Coggles, £175. 
5. Charlotte Olympia Bat Print Desiree Pumps, Net-a-porter.com, £545. 
6. Lace Cat Eyes, Topshop, £7. 

LFF'S CINDRELLA MOMENT WITH WISH WANT WEAR

You may not know that I work in the fine jewellery business in my day job. Last month I was invited to an industry event - The Professional Jeweller Hot 100 party held at One Marylebone - a lavish affair that celebrates the hottest movers and shakers working in jewellery on a annual basis. These events tend to be extravagant dripping-in-diamonds occasions, so I knew I would need a special outfit for the party. Luckily the kind team at Wish Want Wear - the online designer dress hire UK specialist came to my rescue. 

LFF EDITS: LEOPARD PRINT FOR AW13

Debenhams recently offered me the opportunity to pick a couple of pieces from their website that summed up London Fashion Week for me. Whilst the main event at LFW is what's happening on the catwalks - a big source of my sartorial inspiration also comes from off the runway - I love to style stalk the fashion editors and see what they're wearing for the shows. One key street style trend I noticed amongst the sartorially gifted this season was the heavy influence of leopard print. The pattern may be nothing new - but the way to wear it has definitely changed. Treat leopard print as a neutral basic and style it where you would previously wear a block colour: an animal print court shoe looks great with printed trouser and a pencil skirt would look modern with a Breton tee for example. I picked a lovely lightweight Warehouse sweater (no.1) and a Nine West court shoe (no.6) from Debenhams, but any of the below are great buys:

1. Brushed animal print jumper, Warehouse at Debenhams, £40. 
2. Leopard hair and leather gloves, Warehouse at Debenhams, £30. 
3. Animal skirt, Warehouse at Debenhams, £28.
4.'Lillian' pony slippers, Dune at Debenhams, £69. 
5. Leopard print watch, DKNY at Debenhams, £80.
6. Ponyhair courts, Nine West at Debenhams, £59. 

LFF'S TOP 5 OCTOBER BEAUTY BUYS

Welcome to a new feature on LFF - my round up of my top 5 beauty discoveries that I'll be sharing on a monthly basis. As a blogger I am in the fortunate position that I receive quite a few beauty products as gifts, meaning that I am regularly sampling new and interesting lotions and potions. I am quite picky about my beauty and skincare routine, so a product really has to work and deliver something different to become a new LFF staple. These are the five products that I am loving in October:

1. Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser, 400ml £3.55 

New to the market - I decided to give Nivea's In-Shower Body Moisturiser a try after finding it on offer in my local supermarket. The concept is simple: apply it to damp skin post shower gel and then rinse off. Initially sceptical,  I am now ADDICTED - I can't stand the sticky residue some moisturisers leave behind, so this product offers the ideal solution. It also saves vital minutes in the morning, which, as a routine oversleeper is always welcome!

2. Smooch Black Lash mascara, £8.95

Mascaras always tend to find their way in to press goody bags, so I have tried quite a few in 2013 - with hit and miss results. This bold black lash mascara by Smooch is my latest discovery and, given the full and thick lashes it creates, I'm quite suprised to find it is priced at an affordable £8.95. 

3. Color Club Nail Polish 'Reign in Spain'

It's no secret that I love a bit of neon - so this day-glo nail lacquer, shade 'Reign in Spain' by Color Club is a big hit with me. The team from Birchbox UK kindly gave me the polish to trial at The Apartment during London Fashion Week and it has been in circulation with my favourite nail colours ever since. 

4. Avon Nailwear Pro+ 'Viva Pink' £4

I love the shade of this Avon nail polish - it's a true Barbie pink for those days when you want to feel unashamedly girly! £1 from the sale of each of bottle is  donated to Break Through Breast Cancer too, making it an guilt-free beauty buy. 

5. Liz Earle Energising Body Lotion, 150ml £18

I was introduced to this fab product in the HandPicked Media lounge at London Fashion Week. Despite being branded 'energising', I actually like to use this Liz Earle body lotion before I head to the land of nod. It has a yummy herbal scent that I find really soothing and it sinks into skin instantaneously to leave skin smooth and supple. 

6 OF THE BEST: EMBELLISHED KNITS

I've spotted a little micro trend going on right now for embellished knits, studded with twinkling jewels to decorative effect.There's a lovely sweater/ t-shirt hybrid in Banana Republic right now that I will definitely be purchasing when my bank balance permits (I'm saving for a Macbook and on a strict no-shopping ban) but as the temperature in the UK is rapidly falling, a jeweled knit will make a wise investment for the coming months. I say investment because an embellished sweater is a versatile piece - dress it down with denim or leather in the day and add a dash of brocade for an opulent look after dusk. Which is your favourite?

1. Deep berry knitted jumper, Topshop, £46. 
2. Markus Lupfer floral jewelled knit, Matchesfashion.com, £347. 
3. J.Crew Crystal embellished cotton sweatshirt, Net-a-porter.com, £170. 
4. Black bug embellished sweater, New Look, £22.99. 
5. Grey knitted embellished jumper, Topshop, £46. 
6. Plum gem cable jumper, Dorothy Perkins, £35.

LFW SS14 BORA AKSU SHOW: IN LFF TEN

Bora Aksu was given the privilege of opening London Fashion Week SS14 with the 9am scheduling in the Somerset House show space. Normally, super early show times can lead to empty seats (fashion bodies aren’t  know for being early risers…) but the Bora Aksu show was packed – indicative of the dedicated following the London-based Turkish designer has inspired.

LFF EDITS: NEW LOOK AW13 COLLECTION

I'm still enjoying the SS13 trend for all things monochrome - especially if there's a geometric print involved. New Look asked me to compile a wishlist from their AW13 collection so I've put together an edit of some of the monochrome buys online at the moment. There are some stylish formal dresses at New Look right now - I love the graphic look of this AX Paris dress. There's also a beautiful pair of beaded shorts and a quilted paisley jacket that have that insouciant Parisian vibe going on. Any of the below buys are enough to convince me that there's still plenty of mileage in the monochrome trend for AW13

1.AX Paris monochrome shift dress, £25.
2.Beaded shorts, £22.99. 
3.Monochrome paisley jacket, £29.99.
4.Monochrome panel slippers, £19.99.
5.Black flocked t-shirt, £14.99. 
6.Frosted rope choker, £7.99. 

Collaborative post with New Look

LFF OUTFITS: THE F&F DENIM CHALLENGE

F & F at Tesco recently invited me to take part in their 'Denim Challenge' and style up a piece of denim to celebrate the launch of their AW13 collection. At first I was dubious – supermarket chic is not usually for me – but with a billboard campaign and a recent feature in Vogue F&F is looking distinctly on-trend right now. I went for the light wash boyfriend jeans, £14 because they were available in a longer leg length, necessary for my 34” pins. When the jeans arrived I was pleasantly surprised with the wash, it had a look of more expensive denim. The waist was a little slouchy for my liking, but the tapered legs created a nice shape around the ankle. I styled the look with a lovely and cosy F&F mens lambswool jumper , £20 – I like the slouchy fit of men’s knits -  and a pair of indigo blue pointed courts that look much more expensive than their £22 price tag. Will you be checking out F&F denim? 

LFF BEAUTY: OMOROVICZA TRAVEL SET REVIEW C/O URBAN RETREAT BEAUTIQUE

My skin was in a bad state post-LFW -  too many coffees and sugary snacks fueling me in between the shows had led to break out round my jawline and a general dullness that I couldn't shift. Urban Retreat Beautique kindly sent me an Omorovicza Taupe gift set to review recently so I decided it was the perfect opportunity to trial the products. I have been using Lush skincare religiously for the past 5 years – my skin is quite sensitive – so I was nervous that the products might be too harsh. I hadn’t heard of the brand before but some reading up informed me that Omorovicza is a Hungarian skin care company which uses ‘Mineral CosmetologyTM’ - a patented mineral-based anti-aging system - that the beauty editors are raving about. 

 The set contains the following products:
· Deep Cleansing Mask 15ml
· Queen of Hungry Mist 30ml
· Cleansing Foam 30ml
· Illuminating Moisturiser 2ml sachets (2 per bag)

I used all the products daily over a course of 1 week to trial them thoroughly. I was relieved to find my sensitive skin loved the gentle and natural nature of the products – I even used the Queen of Hungary mist to remove traces of eye make-up and it didn’t sting as removers often can.  The Cleansing Foam had a lovely creamy texture that lathered nicely and left my skin feeling clean but moisturized – no post-lathering skin tightness! My favourite product in the kit was the Deep Cleansing Mask – satisfyingly tingly, I could really feel it working to deep clean the London grime out my pores.  I am still using the products in conjunction with my Lush skin care – nothing beats Lush ultra bland cleanser for removing make-up in my opinion, but the cleansing foam has become a morning staple for me. And the best part? My break out cleared up within two days of using the products - which never happens. The deep cleansing mask must have worked it's magic. 

Urban Retreat Beautique currently has a great offer on Omorovicza products – spend £50 or more and receive the Taupe Gift Set free. 

LFF LFW SS14 STREETSTYLE: PINK CLASH

For day 2 of London Fashion Week, I tried a little pink/red colour clash thing, inspired by this Jonathan Saunders look from his AW13 collection. My pink coat was trend premonition purchase in the Topshop AW13 sales - 40 quid and my best sale buy to date! The pillar box red shift dress is from the Next AW13 collection - they have so many fabulous pieces in store for fall, you really must pay a visit.  

LFF AND #FiorelliHandpicked‏

I'd like you to meet my new partner - she's called Jasmine. Before you raise an eyebrow - Jasmine is actually tote bag, and a very beautiful one at that. LFF has been 'paired' with this classic, structured style by Fiorelli, as part of their #FiorelliHandpicked campaign to celebrate the launch of their AW13 collection. Over the coming weeks I will be sharing how I style my Jasmine grab bag, where I take it and what I put in it. Described by the Fiorelli team as 'A staple style to take you from day to night - the Jasmine bag has room for a change of fabulous shoes, transform your style with Jasmine...' , the Jasmine marks a change of style for me. I have been wearing cross-body bags for the majority of 2013, but with top handle bags making a return for autumn/winter, I think the Jasmine will prove to be the perfect accessory to sharpen up my look. 

Keep checking LFF to follow my journey with Jasmine, I'm sure we will be very happy together!

LFF EDITS: DEBENHAMS AW13 FOOTWEAR COLLECTION

I'm in the mood for all things fabulous right now - so when Debenhams asked me to edit my top 5 pairs of shoes from their AW13 collection - I found myself drawn towards a curation of colour-pop pointed toe courts. At the top of my wishlist are Dune's iridescent reptilian 'Burst' courts (no.2) - I think their appeal lies in the fact they look like they belong to Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Animal prints are a huge trend for the season and can be easily introduced into your look through accessories - try Carvela's fabulous hot pink 'Astro' courts (no.1) for an update on the classic leopard print. A metallic court is wise purchase because it will work with just about every colour palette - Call it Spring's rose gold and silver courts (no.3 and no.5) are a great buy.

1. 'Astro' heeled courts, Carvela, £120.
2. 'Burst' metallic courts, Dune, £85.
3. 'Schapp' rose gold courts, Call it Spring, £12.60.
4. 'Blazing' twisted heel court, Dune, £89.
5. 'Schapp' silver courts, Call it Spring, £31.50.