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.