When Life Gives You Lemon

"Yellow, Cadmium, Aureolin, Lemon

It's the shades of your true nature"

~ Unknown

Yellow is one of those colours you either love or hate. I love this bright, cheerful, uplifting shade. It featured strongly in Emma Manley's SS15 collection, and this gorgeous jacket was my very first purchase that season.

Stunning 'Sian' is the perfect Springtime cover-up. An embellished perforated leather jacket, it features appliquéd hand-cut leather circles in matching leather and contrasting metallic leather at the base of the jacket and the short sleeves. Each embellishment is secured with metal conical studs, and the hem is cut with a decorative scalloped edge.

The jacket looks fantastic paired with pretty Summer dresses, floaty skirts, skinny jeans, and even with glamorous cocktail dresses, but on a glorious Spring day I styled my sunshiny jacket with a classic white tee, a very old, much loved pair of denim shorts, and comfy suede ankle boots, for a cool, laid-back look.

Get The Look:

Jacket: Manley 'Sian' Perforated Leather Jacket in yellow

Shorts: Zara Denim Shorts (similar)

T-shirt: Whistles Tee in white (available in grey here)

Boots: H by Hudson 'Mirar' Ankle Boots in beige (similar)
Photos: Mike Lawrence ©

Sink The Pink

"Sink the pink, it's all the fashion

Drink the drink, it's old fashioned

Gimme water, gimme wine

Gonna show you, a good time

Sink the pink, sink the pink"

~ AC/DC

You've seen this gorgeous top on the blog before, but in a different colour (here). The leather Manley tee is a simple design that is effortlessly cool; it is a timeless classic that can be dressed up, down, or any way in between.

My favourite way to wear my Manley tees, is paired with skinny jeans and a great pair of heels. This look works a treat when I meet friends for drinks, it looks cool when I eat in a fancy restaurant, and best of all, it can be worn at any time of the year!

And check out my new bag! This cognac coloured beauty is by handbag and jewellery designer extraordinaire Nadia Minkoff. Made of fine, grainy Italian leather, with raw suede interior, 'The Richmond' tote really is the ultimate arm candy. The bag fastens securely at the top with a magnet tab, and has a full size, fully detachable interior zipped pouch. It has cute handmade leather tassels that I can't stop playing with, and features internal open and zipped compartments to secure all your essentials.

I love the how the cognac colour of the bag looks against the dramatic pink of my top; a classic, nude pair of Christian Louboutin shoes finish this super cool look off perfectly.

Get The Look:

Top: Manley 'Maya' Leather Tee in fuchsia

Jeans: J Brand 'Songbird' Skinny Jeans (similar)

Bag: Nadia Minkoff 'The Richmond' Midi Tote bag in cognac

Shoes: Christian Louboutin 'Pigalle' Shoes in nude

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Daughter Of Eve

"I, Eve, sad mother

Of all who must live,

I, not another,

Plucked bitterest fruit to give

My friend, husband, lover"

~ Christina Rossetti

'Eve' is one of my favourite of all Manley dresses. And that's saying something as I am besotted with all things Manley.

In a beautiful purple and silver colourway, 'Eve' features distressed leather front and back panels with Manley's signature stud detail. The side panels are soft jersey, with ties that can give more definition to the dress.

I paired the dress with a beautiful clutch by handbag & accessories designer Nadia Minkoff; the cool distressed silver of the bag compliments the leather panels of the dress perfectly! Oh I love this bag, it is a simple, timeless classic and the perfect size to hold all my bits 'n' pieces on a night out. And check out the beautiful ring, also by Nadia Minkoff; the stone seems to reflect the same distressed silver as the bag and the dress. They all match perfectly.

A simple pair of nude Christian Louboutin shoes completed my look. Nude shoes are an essential addition to every girls wardrobe. They can make even the shortest legs look like they go on forever. Like magick!

Get The Look:

Dress: Emma Manley 'Eve' Dress in purple/silver (similar)

Bag: Nadia Minkoff 'The Kensington' Clutch in distressed silver
Ring: Nadia Minkoff Black Patina Oblong Stone Ring 

Shoes: Christian Louboutin 'Pigalle' Shoes in nude

A Highland Fling

"And this cloth raised high above all others,

This humble textile of many colours,

This vibrant symbol of our land,

That leaves all others tired and bland."

~ Cyber Artist

If you're thinking that I seem to be obsessed with tartan and all things Scottish at the moment, you would be absolutely right (see here, and here). I've just added another gorgeous little tartan number to my wardrobe!

Primark's now iconic tartan dress was the It Dress of 2013. Everyone had one, except me, and I wanted one so badly it hurt! I had to wait until now, three years later, to finally get hold of one though (thank you eBay!), and it was definitely worth the wait. Of course now I'm pretty much the only one with one, which makes it even more special!

I love the slightly school girl vibe of this cute dress, I love the Peter Pan collar, and I love the girlie pussy bow. I love everything about it. For me, it's very much a day dress, so I styled it here with a cool pair of flat brogues. I almost added some black tights, but it's Spring and the sun is shining, so I absolutely refuse to even look at hosiery again until the first signs of snow next Winter!

Get The Look:

Dress: Primark Peter Pan Collar Dress in tartan (similar)

Shoes: ASOS 'Marky' Brogues in black (similar)

The Mighty Tartan

"These blends of blood, heather and sky,

Bring tears of pride unto the eye.

So care not if your skies start to darken,

Just stand tall, be proud, when you wear the mighty Tartan."

~ Cyber Artist

The mighty tartan, the ancient, iconic print that is a symbol of Scotland’s culture and heritage; it is eternally stylish, and quite literally, the little black dress of patterned fabric.

Jack Wills nailed the tartan trend perfectly with the very exquisite 'Delaney' dress. The fitted bodice, the nipped-in waist and the full gathered skirt make it the perfect occasion piece.

I styled it here with killer heels to show how great it can look for a special night out, but this is a versatile piece; black tights will add a sixties feel, tough biker boots a nod to 1980s punk, and smart blazer or over-sized knit will take it from one season to another effortlessly.

A man in a kilt may very well be the sexiest sight in the world, but we can’t let them have all the fun, can we?

Get The Look:

Dress: Jack Wills 'Delaney' Dress in tartan (similar here and here)

Shoes: Christian Louboutin 'Very Prive' Peep-toe Shoes in black 

Bound Up In Leather

"Thoughts, hopes, dreams,

My deepest secrets hidden forever.

A place to put my souls desires, 

My heart bound up in leather"

~ Alyssa

My new found love of vintage clothing is definitely becoming a bit of a thing. I have discovered some of the most amazing, unique, one-off pieces, all of them bought for a fraction of the prices I've previously spent on clothes. This gorgeous leather jacket is the latest addition to my tiny, albeit growing, vintage collection.

Hailing from the 1970's, in a black and red colour-way, with an edgy Country & Western vibe, this jacket is the epitome of cool! Made from the softest leather, it features two front pockets, front zip closure, red patch detail to the front and back, and gorgeous contrasting cream stitching throughout. It is a unique, one-of-a-kind jacket from my favourite fashion era and I love it!

You can't help but wonder about the story behind such a great old jacket. Who owned it? How did they wear it? Are they still alive today? Did they love it as much as I do? How did it end up for sale at Peekaboo Vintage? My mind goes into overdrive, wondering and imagining, and I am always so happy to become the next part of the story.

I styled my jacket with one of the first Emma Manley designs I ever bought; the timeless Slasher dress (blogged here) and the most amazing Isabel Marant boots on the planet.

Get The Look:

Jacket: Peekaboo Vintage Leather Jacket (similar)

Dress: Manley 'Slasher' Dress (similar)

Boots: Isabel Marant 'Andrew' Boots in black
Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©