Underwater Love

One of the major inspirations that designers have called upon for their Spring/Summer 2012 collections is that of the underwater and aquatic. Look out for hues of blue and sea green, draping, marbled patterns and dresses fit for a mermaid princess. As we get into high Summer things will get even more literal, with digital underwater prints.

l-r, Marchesa, Roland Mouret, One Vintage

Remember, where the designers go, the high street will follow, so look out in your favourite shops for underwater inspiration in the coming months.

Me and Lady Dragons - Will they, won't they?

I've spoken about my somewhat complicated relationship with Lady Dragons before. If you're not aware of them, they are a quite fabulously quirky shoe that has sprung from a relationship between shoe designer Melissa, and one of my favourite designers of all time, Vivienne Westwood. The 'traditional' Lady Dragon base of a medium-height heeled slingback with a peep toe is adorned from collection to collection with an array of cool items, from shiny love hearts, to skulls wearing bows, to wings. They look amazing, they smell of bubblegum (seriously!) and when perusing the online shoe extravaganza that is Sarenza, they were easily and unquestionably my favourite shoe on the site.

So, given my extensive shoe collection, and my extreme love for these shoes, why don't I own any?

Well, I can liken my relationship with these shoes to that 'will they, won't they' couple in your favourite romcom. Everytime I've come close to purchasing a pair, something seems to have kept us apart. When I first spotted them, what seems like many years ago now, I loved them at first site, but my prejudice against plastic shoes put me off. "Hmm", I thought, "Yes, they're beautiful, and they're Westwood, but I don't do plastic shoes - they'll look cheap and make my feet sweat!". Then, after thinking I'd made the decision, I started spotting them all over the place, teasing me - on the feet of other women at the Pure show in London, popping up in blog posts, winking at me in shop windows.

So I  had a conversation with the owner of a pair about the merits of the Lady Dragon. Were they actually comfortable? Did they rub or lead to clammy toes? My worries were met with a resounding "No!" and I resolved that maybe, we were indeed meant to be. 

Then, again, doubt set in. Yes, they were everywhere. EVERYWHERE. Suddenly every blogger seemed to have at least one pair, they were cropping up on brides in every other wedding blog. Were they reaching saturation point? Was I going to invest a reasonably hefty amount of money in shoes that I'd soon go off, as the reason I'd loved them so much in the first place was that they were so unusual?

More time passed, and still I yearned for them, like that man that you've decided is no good for you but can't stop thinking about. I decided that I'd been stupid - yes, they're a popular shoe, but since when have I been the person who decides that once something's popular it's no longer cool? Urgh! I don't want to be that person! We're talking about shoes I've loved for years here, if I still haven't gone off them, surely that love will be enduring?

Also, isn't this a bit of an overly complicated relationship to have with a pair of shoes? Err, Yes. Mad woman. It's getting silly now. Even my mother now screams at me every time I mention them "WHY DON'T YOU JUST BUY THEM?!" and sends me links to them when they're on sale.

So will these crazy kids ever get it together?

I'm thinking the answer to that question is also a resounding yes, and the build up should make it all the sweeter!

Disclosure: This blog post is an entry for the Sarenza Blog Ambassador programme.

The Monster in the Mirror

When women come to see me for a style, colour or makeup appointment they come for many reasons; it may be that they are changing job and need to know what to wear, it may be that their body has changed after losing or gaining weight or having a baby, or it may simply be that they fancy treating themselves to a stylish pampering session. However, there is one trait that seems to run common amongst many of them: a mortal dread of looking in the mirror.

What are you afraid of seeing?

In fact, it's not been unknown for women to actually break down when they realise that in a style session they are going to spend reasonable amount of time looking at their body in a mirror. I have even had one occasion of an anxiety attack when the client found out she was going to spend the whole makeup lesson sat in front of one. It absolutely breaks my heart.

But do you know another common thread running through all of these women? After the session, after they've spent an hour or so really looking at themselves, they see that there's nothing to be afraid of. There is no monster in the mirror, just them.

Most women spend so much of their lives rushing round that we very rarely have time to actually stop and look at ourselves in the mirror. Yes, we have a quick look whilst we throw makeup at our faces in the morning, a cursory glance to make sure we don't have our skirt tucked in our knickers as we walk out of the ladies, and I think that maybe it's the not looking that helps us build up this mirror monster in our heads. After a while we become convinced that all we're going to see is acne, a wonky nose, someone who's grossly overweight or horribly thin, and it builds and builds until we're terrified to look.

Well, I'm telling you now, there is no mirror monster. Please take just 5 minutes to really look at yourself in the mirror today. When it's just you in the mirror, why not give yourself a smile?

Fashion Dilemma - Pajama Trousers

 I like loungewear. One of my favourite things about my job is that a lot of it can be done from home, whilst wearing my ever increasing wardrobe of pajamas, onesies, leggings and other comfortable clothing. I also take quite great pride in my loungewear, just like my ordinary clothing, it has to be in flattering colours and styles for me. Even if I am staying at home and the only people who are going to see me are my dogs (yes, my dogs are people as far as I'm concerned) then I still want to feel like I look good.

However, thus far I have drawn the line at venturing out of the house in said loungewear. OK, maybe a quick run up the road to the shop for emergency chocolate, but that's it, I swear. Fashion has other ideas. Fashion has thrown us another curve ball folks, pajama trousers, as daywear.

PJs in the Day by emilyjayneimage featuring snakeskin pants

We perhaps should have seen it coming with the influx of printed palazzo pants last Summer, pajamas were only ever a step away.

So, once more I'm in a fashion dilemma. The idea of wearing something as comfortable as this is more than a little appealing, I also love the luxe fabrics and funky prints, and after all, pajamas were originally intended as daywear and worn as such in Asia for generations.

However, I can't help but think it would feel a little bit wrong, and is it a slippery slope? In a few years will we have black tie fleecy onesies?

Let me know your thoughts people - pajama trousers, yay or nay?