The Flower Girl

ISABEL MARANT A/W 2012

2012-03-02T17:27:00.002Z

My favourites at a glance from Isabel Marant's A/W 2012 show, which was held today in Paris. I much prefer it to the recent S/S collection which I found too colourful and "funky". I'm liking that she revived her love of ruffled dresses, the muted pinks, reds and purples are so great. As always, perfect jackets and coats, paired with cropped trousers. Ooooh, and the belts? Yum. And, undoubtedly, predictably perhaps, some new IT shoes to drool over, although, I'm still not over dicker boots and bobby sneakers myself.

What do you think?

Images courtesy of Style.com

I LOVE ISABEL

2012-02-29T20:26:00.003Z

My outfit from the other day in full. This dress is Isabel Marant from a few seasons ago (a/w 10 maybe?) I love the waist detail and the sweatshirty material is super soft. I haven't worn a dress in ages, been living in jeans over winter, but maybe this spring you'll see me back in dresses. Who knows, maybe I'll even get my old long flowery ones out again.

Has leap year day been lucky for anyone?

CHECKED

2012-02-26T19:33:00.001Z

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Pretty much obsessed with plaid shirts- to the point where I'm seeing checked things everywhere. My best spotting of plaid so far has been on the inside cover of a book my friend is reading, yeah, it's gone too far. This shirt is from Comptoirs des Cotonniers. I don't know if you can see, but it's collarless, the neckline is what drew me to it. One more plaid shirt in my wardrobe can't hurt...right? With H&M trousers, ISABEL MARANT boots, VINTAGE ring & RAYBANS.
Hope the weekend has treated you all well. Shoutout to my new friend Helen who is starting a blog about all the cool spots (and shops!) to hit in Bath! Check it out. She has great style, little does she know I'm determined to snap her for the blog next time I see her. :)

SNEAK PEEK

2012-02-25T20:31:00.001Z

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Shot of todays outfit, details + more pictures to follow tomorrow! Tonight, I'm just glad to put my feet up after a very, very long week and eat pancakes...better late than never!

Isabel Marant Etoile dress, Comptors des Cotonniers scarf, Isabel Marant jacket.

LA GARÇONNE

2012-02-22T20:25:00.000Z

Somewhere I keep going back to for outfit inspiration is designer website La Garconne. The styling is just perfect- from the beautiful clothing which oozes comfy chic, to the perfectly undone hair and make up. I could happily dool over their website all day. What do you think?

BIG CARDI

2012-02-19T18:48:00.001Z

I'm so pleased that the days are getting longer again. Leaving work when it is still light and finally being able to take blog pictures in the afternoon again is a real lift for the spirit. Don't you just love the the feeling of leaving winter behind and welcoming spring? Now that I've said that it'll turn nasty again...

My big cardigan is by Pringle, jumper is Isabel Marant, scarf Comptoir des cotonniers, jeans vintage, sneakers Isabel Marant, ring vintage.

I've sort of been on the fence about oversized cardigans for a while now. And by a while, I mean about 3 years. Oh the hardship. But then I saw this picture of....is her name daria werbowy? willoughby? and anyway, decided it was about time to like them. Sorry for no make up, it's a sunday, okay? I'm now sat in bed with a mud face mask on which is going really crispy and itchy and I gotta go take it off before I go bananas. Anyway, hope you all had good weekends!

TIED UP

2012-02-18T19:57:00.003Z

What I wore today- my favourite vintage blouse, jeans and coat and a scarf from Comptoir des Cotonniers which my Mum and I share. Okay, so maybe I steal it more often. Scarves are quickly becoming my favourite things in my wardrobe.

Been busy at the shop, we're getting ready for spring and have some beautiful new stock in. I can't wait for the sun to come out now :)

What are you all up to this weekend?

LUNCHTIME READING

2012-02-15T19:37:00.001Z

Finding 10 minutes to stop for lunch and read in the shop. Immersed in Of Love and Other Demons and a section of the New York times my friend gave me to devour. Wearing a vintage plaid shirt, jeans and my trusty dicker boots from Isabel Marant. You can see my fringe finally! Glad I cut it back in. I feel me again! Now I'm going to watch a film and get my first early night in ages. Hope the week is treating everyone well :)

STREETSTYLE SHOP DOOR

2012-02-12T20:11:00.001Z

A look from yesterday outside the shop. I'm wearing a See by Chloe denim jacket, Isabel Marant jumper, h+m jeans, Asos boots and RayBans. (This is this same I Marant jumper as in this post, but with the collar buttoned down...cool, huh?)

This jacket arrived for the shop but I kinda want to keep it. You have no idea how often this kind of thing happens......occupational hazard.

Have you all had great weekends? Went to a superhero party last night, might try and cobble a post together with the various iphone photos people took. Take care :)

BREAKFAST STOP

2012-02-09T18:12:00.000Z

We made a stop by my favourite bakery in Bath this morning, The Bertinet, for some yummy croissants. Its only a 5 minute walk from my shop, how dangerous. If you're in Bath stop by for an almond croissant and some fresh bread..

Overslept today...my mornings are all about hitting the snooze button and squeezing in another cup of tea before heading down to the shop. Can you see I cut my fringe back in? Shearling coat is from Zara, shirt + jeans + necklace are vintage, jumper Jeffrey Rogers, boots Isabel Marant. I might sell this coat, still can't decide if I love/hate it.

Thanks for all the cool Tumblr recommendations.

LAYERED DETAILS

2012-02-05T20:17:00.000Z

Details from a couple of days ago. This was the day it got really, really cold and I wore two polo necks, ha! The burgundy jumper is by maxmara and the one underneath is cashmere studio, jeans h&m, boots Isabel Marant and vintage ring.

I can't remember if I mentioned it before, but I now have a Tumblr blog- The Flower Woman. Anyone got any cool tumblrs you think I should check out? :)

ANGORA JUMPER

2012-02-03T19:41:00.000Z

This jumper was a polo-neck but I cut the collar off this morning...best decision in a while. Messiest one too. Maybe you remember when I blogged about trying to find a white angora jumper a while ago? Well I finally found this one in a vintage shop, it's warm and huge and fuzzy and I totally don't mind that my car seat looks like a giant cat. I'm wearing a vintage jumper, jeans and jewellery and boots from Isabel Marant.

It's been a good week so far. We got the shop on Facebook finally, please like it HERE! Some amazing pieces came into the shop too, including some gorgeous knitwear from See by Chloe, Joseph + YMC. I'll tweet when the Miu Miu handbag goes up online for anyone who emailed me about it! HERE. Saw my lovely friends and made some new ones. Listened to good music (Mum and I are making a new playlist for the shop- if you have any suggestions shout out!) What have you guys been up to?

Now on Formspring too, CLICK.

MIU MIU

2012-02-01T21:03:00.000Z

It's very rare that I fall for handbags, but when this delightful, butter-soft, red Miu Miu came in to the shop last week, I have to admit, I kind of did a double take and have been gawping at it ever since. It's one of those items that you know has a history, the woman who owned it before must have really loved it. But that's what I like most about vintage and pre-owned things- the story behind them, and the way you can salvage something that to another person might not be of value anymore.

Every now and then items come into the shop that are just that much harder to part with, it's funny how it goes, and it's always so nice to know something special is going to a good home! So, someone save me the trouble and when this hits our website later this week, buy it and give it a whole new life! It needs a loving new owner!

THE ART OF THE SCARF

2012-01-29T17:51:00.000Z

It appears the cold weather has finally set in here in England. I keep fooling myself and shrugging on just a jacket when I go out, but then end up retreating back indoors to grab this huge scarf, which makes more sense for these kind of temperatures. I think there's a bit of an art to tying a scarf though.

I tend to just wrap them around like this, but usually end up strangling myself in the process of taking them off. It looks so carefree just flinging a scarf over your shoulder, then bam!, you go to unwrap it and can end up in a kind of noose if you're not careful...not so carefree and chic. Anyone else suffer from this? Some people do that artful loop thing, where you thread both ends through a doubled over section. Some people knot them, and that can look pretty rad. And I like the way some guys wear scarves- un-done, like Chuck Bass.

My Nan wears a chiffon scarf tied under a black polo-neck jumper, with the scarf floating out to one side, and the colour of the scarf usually matches her lipstick. She's done this for as long as I can remember, which is probably where my love of scarves has stemmed from. She has a drawer in her dressing table which explodes when you open it with colourful silk chiffon scarves that smell of her perfume.

Anyway, how do you guys like wearing scarves?

I'm wearing a Chloé jacket, cashmere scarf + jumper, vintage jeans, boots + ring. And, in keeping with this post, guess what's in the Comptoir bag?

THE PARKA

2012-01-27T18:36:00.000Z

I've been after a parka style coat for a while, not to sound too much like an old woman or anything, but something...here goes...practical. Did I just lose all my fashion street-cred? Yes.

Recently, on a buying trip, I bought this Nicole Farhi parka, really it was meant for the shop, but I think I quite like it for myself. I'm still in two-minds! So I need you guys to make my mind up for me. Should I keep this coat, or sell it?

Worn with my battered vintage hat, Jeffrey Rogers ribbed jumper, and my new antique bangle + ring. These two pieces of jewellery give a perfect bohemian edge to simple outfits. I haven't taken them off for days.

DIPTYQUE, GERANIUM ROSA

2012-01-25T19:00:00.000Z

I was recently given some vouchers to buy some of the famous Diptyque candles. I spent ages picking them all up like a crazy person and sniffing them until I was slightly light-headed. Settling for the rose + geranium mix in the end, I wobbled over to the counter and almost threw them through the window of Space NK when the shop assistant told me they were £38...each. I mean, £38 for a candle? In my state of light-headed confusion I handed over all my vouchers and left tutting. They better bloody well smell nice, I tutted.

Naturally, the first thing I did when I got home was light them. Out dropped a leaflet with all this nonsense about trimming the wick every time you light it, re-aligning the wick, don't move it once it's lit...yeah, yeah, yeah, where's my lighter? And flick, they were burning away.

They really do smell incredible (yes, you would hope so for £38 a pop) even when they aren't burning my house still smells lovely and they seem to be lasting for a lot longer than my other candles. The scent is floral but not too heady, and guess what, my Mum later told me she used to have massages with geranium-rose oil when she was pregnant with me- seems like it was meant to be!

THE VELVET BLAZER

2012-01-22T20:05:00.000Z

There's something so great about coming across a jacket that just melts onto your back like it was made for you. I picked up this velvet Chloé blazer in a thrift shop a while back, I lunged for it in a very unladylike fashion and actually asked to wear it our of the shop...cool as always, Bex. Velvet must be the hardest material to photograph, so yeah. I also wore an Aubin + Wills striped top, converse and a couple of bits of vintage jewellery, you couldn't get much comfier.

This kind of outfit is great because you can switch the trainers for heels, add some red lipstick and with this kind of jacket it makes it okay to go out in for the evening. Now that's my kind of outfit.

THE TRUTH ABOUT HATS

2012-01-20T21:05:00.001Z

I'm not the usual hat-wearer in my family- my sister is one of those lucky people who can rock just about any hat you hand her, she's just 'a hat person' as they say, or maybe they don't. I love hats, and am always telling myself to wear them more often (which maybe I will, after all I really love this hat) The truth about hats* is that people seem to treat you differently if you're wearing one, they really look at you- it's like they assume you have, I dunno, 'character' if you're wearing one. And I kind of think it's true, there is something about a hat that makes you feel different, jaunty, quirky, call it what you will**. Maybe it's because nowadays hat-wearers are few and far between? Does anyone else who dabbles in hats find this? I want to know! The other thing about hats? If like me you're ~~occasionally~~ often too lazy to wash your hair, as I was last night, they hide all your sins.

*If I'm right, this excludes standard wooly hats and the fateful 'beanie' which I tried to make work when I was about 14, and can only remember being like wearing a rather large sock on the back of my head which I was constantly expecting to fall off. Anyone out there who can pull the 'beanie' hat off (without getting home with a stiff neck from holding your head in one place to make sure it doesn't just fall off) I salute you.
**It varies with the hat.

Today I went to London on a buying trip. I wore a vintage hat (no duhh), a Joseph jacket, T by Alexander Wang t-shirt, Isabel Marant sneakers, vintage bag + ring and some jeans from a thrift shop.

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UPDATE 21.1.12
I just stumbled on this photo-post on Garance Dore. This sums up exactly what I was getting at last night!

TURNED OUT BY MAYA

2012-01-18T18:53:00.000Z

New favourite blog- Turned Out. Maya captures the most beautiful pictures of people she sees and finds interesting. Turned Out has a very personal feel to it, I'm not sure I'd label it a 'street style blog', but it's very inspiring and feels like every picture comes from the heart. Check it out.

3 PHOTOGRAPHS

2012-01-16T18:01:00.000Z

Some things that have caught my eye over the last few days. Mainly shadows caused by flowers, I know it's random! And my bedside table, which is uncluttered for once. I had a lovely weekend, so creative and inspiring, and today was no different. I'm enjoying cooking for the first time in my life which is cool, I've succeeded in not giving my self food poisoning for 4 consecutive days which must be a new personal record. Started knitting again, (sounds so nerdy) I will finish the scarf I started 5 years ago before spring, I will! And I'm about to start ~~re-designing~~ designing my room, which I never really had a chance to put my stamp on. Maybe it's just me, but I've always felt it's important that the places we spend most of our time in have both a good general aesthetic and also personal touch, and right now my bedroom is wrong in so many ways.

FRESH

2012-01-13T19:11:00.001Z

It's been a beautiful day here today, the sun makes everything better, including blogging- pictures come out so much nicer when the light is good. I'n wearing a jumper + low-top sneakers by Isabel Marant with Levi's shorts. Today we've been changing the layout of the boutique, refreshing all the stock, changing the window display and it feels so fresh and slick now. I really love my job, every morning when I swing open the gigantic door and start the day I feel happy. Crossing my fingers that the weather doesn't turn nasty as I'm spending far too much time thinking about Spring already, who else can't wait for longer days and less call for thick tights?

P.S. I've found a few cool blogs lately you guys might appreciate: Turned Out, Capture The Castle + Northern Light. Enjoy!

SLEEP ON IT

2012-01-12T18:14:00.001Z

I sleep in this breton top, and some mornings it's just too tempting to stay snuggled up in it, so I shrugged on some black jeans and Isabel Marant sneakers and I was good to go (if a little bleary eyed) Kind of pleased with the growing collection of beads and bracelets on my basket, what do you think? It's like a little reminder of places I've been, I might even ask my sister and friends to add to it if they like. Having a quiet eveing in tonight, a long bath followed by early night would be lovely.

BOBBY

2012-01-10T19:37:00.000Z

Today I've been busy at the shop, it's been a mad few weeks and we have so many beautiful new things in stock. If you follow me or MINT on twitter you might have seen that several amazing handbags came in. Including the Mulberry 'Taylor', which I'm told is now sold out from last season, and a rare Alexander McQueen handbag. Holler at me here if you want more info on them.

2012 has got off to a great start- I'm having a bit of a detox, simplifying my room and making an effort to eat better, sleep longer and smile more, which I already feel ten times better for. That old saying "Smile and the world smiles with you.." is very true. I took some time the other evening to find some new blogs to read which I hadn't done for ages, and in some ways I've remembered what I liked about blogging initially and have fallen in love all over again. I'm also filming a little video which ~~if I ever~~ when I manage to cut and upload I will be sure to share with you! Today I was so comfy, I wore a ribbed knit by Jeffrey Rogers, H&M waxed jeans, a Hetty Hearts 'circle' bangle and my new Isabel Marant Bobby sneakers in Anthracite. Eeeep, yes, I eventually tracked some down!

GOOD HAIR DAY

2012-01-08T18:02:00.000Z

I hope you all had great weekends!

CASHMERE SOFT

2012-01-07T18:30:00.000Z

The light was so pretty when I passed this room in my house the other morning that I had to grab my tripod and camera and snap a quick picture before it disappeared, and sure enough, I took two pictures and then the rain started again. I'm wearing an N Peal cashmere cardigan, Topshop Boutique cashmere vest, H&M skinny trousers, and Dogeared "The Circle" necklace. This is my lazing about the house outfit.