Be Still My Bleeding Heart

"Heaven-taught, the maiden loves, the poet sings.

Dear bleeding heart, poor broken wings!

So has it ever been through all the years,

For song the sorrow, for love the tears."

~ John Vance Cheney

Natalie B Coleman's SS15 collection, entitled 'Be Still My Bleeding Heart' is one of my favourites of all her wonderful collections. Inspired by the sad loss of her Mother, the Sacred Heart, dreamy Summer days and romance, the collection is feminine, poignant, and playful, with "a bit of Guns n' Roses attitude in there".

I've already blogged about a very beautiful white dress from this collection (see here) and I am delighted to add this very cool slogan tshirt to my little blog. The tee has a relaxed fit and features the name of the collection across the front. Each letter is made of clusters of red rose petals; this beautiful rose screen print can be seen on a number pieces in Natalie's beautiful collection.

I styled my cool tee with a great, green skirt from Chloe's diffusion line, See by Chloe; described as being girly, delicate & feminine, their designs are aimed at the girl who likes to be seen as ladylike, and a little bit naughty. I like that. I like that a lot.

Get The Look:

Tshirt: Natalie B Coleman 'Be Still My Bleeding Heart' Tee (similar)

Skirt: See by Chloe Mini Skirt in green (similar)

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-strap Shoes (similar) 

Exotic Bird

"Like one of those birds with their long beaks,

their vivid colours and beautiful wings.

Just like a numerous amount of things,

everything, even this, has its own peaks"

~ The Edge

Throughout my recent delightful delve into the wonderful world of vintage clothing, I have always had my beady little fashion eye on one particular website, BOBbyDOP.

BOB was launched in 2014 by the impossibly cool Dawn O'Porter (girl crush!). It was Dawn & her amazing vintage style that actually inspired me to take that first tentative step into a whole new world of fashion. Already a best selling Author, Broadcaster, Wife (to the equally cool Chris O'Dowd), Mother, Muse, and rocker of the most magnificent retro bobbed hair in Christendom, Dawn is now also a very successful Fashion Designer. Her terrific collection features 17 designs (1960s mini dresses, 1950s circle skirts, and 1970s shirt dresses) that have been inspired by Dawn's own wardrobe and her love of vintage clothing. They are available to buy on the website, and in fabulous pop-up shops in London, alongside some of the most beautiful vintage pieces I've ever seen, all sourced largely by Dawn herself.

'The Kristen', an exotically patterned dream of a dress, is the piece I especially fell in love with. A 1970s-style shirt dress, it is brightly coloured, vintage inspired, and features a lively Karen Mabon print of toucans, parrots, flowers and bright green leaves set against a contrasting background of dusty pink. Brass metal buttons, a big 70s collar, short sleeves and a deep v-neck all add up to one very cool, funky dress.

I styled my exotic dress with a pair of multi-strap, patent leather Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes. I love how the contemporary shoes work with the classic vintage shape of the dress so beautifully.

Get The Look:

Dress: BOBbyDOP 'The Kristen' Dress

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-strap Shoes in black (similar)

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Dress Up - The Best Of 2015

"Pearls & boas, dressed to the nines,

Lipstick on pursed lips, trying to stay in the lines.

Big wobbly high heels, on tiny, precious feet,

Little girls playing dress-up, aren't they sweet!"

~ Laura Taylor Mark

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©
Anna Saverimuttu Photography ©
Mike Lawrence © 
Additional Photos: Phill Griffith & David Ufton   

Blue & Green Should Never Be Seen

"Blue and green should never be seen, except with something in between"

~ Unknown

It's an old saying and we all know it very well, but does this colour rule still apply today? I don't think it does; and even if it did, rules are made to be broken, especially in the wonderful world of fashion.

I did however, wonder where this well known old rhyme/rule came from but it seems very little is known about its origin. One story I came across tells of Sailors thinking it bad luck to paint a boat green, as it couldn't easily be seen against the blue of the sea if it capsized. Another suggests that the two colours are too similar to be easily distinguished in black and white films.

I think the colours go beautifully together; sitting side by side on the colour wheel they create a very natural, harmonious combination. Just take a look at the green grass and the blue sky; it is perfect.

My beautiful Bella Freud 1970 jumper is simply the coolest jumper I have ever owned. I love it and wear it often, with jeans, shorts and every skirt in my wardrobe (blogged previously here). Styled here with a gorgeous green mini skirt, I think this look proves once & for all that blue and green definitely should be seen! 

Get The Look:

Jumper: Bella Freud '1970' Jumper in blue

Skirt: See by Chloe Mini Skirt in green

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-Strap Shoes
Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Erin, Oh Erin

"Erin, oh Erin, though long in the shade,

Thy star will shine out when the proudest shall fade."

~ Thomas Moore

I wore this dress from Emma Manley's SS14 collection the other day & it suddenly dawned on me that, although often worn, I've never actually blogged it! Not quite sure how that happened but hey, better late than never.

'Erin' is one of those dresses you can wear absolutely anywhere; simply add heels for an uber-glam night out or pair with cool converse for a cute daytime look. A baseball style dress in a rich teal colour, it features 3/4 length raglan sleeves. The main body of the dress sits shorter at the front and longer at the back & the ties on the side seam can be tied to the back or all the way around the waist.

I styled my dress with a great pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes; the vicious wind, Baltic temperatures and my cherry red nose were all compliments of Mother Nature who seems to have forgotten that it's supposed to be Spring!

Get The Look:

Dress: Manley 'Erin' Dress in teal

Shoes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Multi-Strap Shoes