A Hint Of Navy

"Search the ocean floor for a vessel,

then you’ll understand me.

Because in all its glory, it’s still a shade of blue;

it is a hint of navy"

~ Wom N. Sha

Colour can be a fickle thing in the fashion world. One minute we're told that grey is the new black, then we are told that wearing a cornucopia of vibrant colours will soothe our souls, and then we hear that creams and neutrals will make us look younger, slimmer, taller, fatter, or... well, you get the picture.

There is one colour however, that never lets us down. One colour that will never go out of fashion, and will never get old or tired - navy! Navy never looks like it's trying too hard. It is understated cool, and a great alternative to black.

I have quite a few navy pieces in my wardrobe, and this lovely dress by Emma Manley is a firm favourite. Feminine and flattering, the Maya dress is a fit and flare style; the structured bodice is cinched at the waist with a shimmering metallic leather band. The metallic leather detail also features on the drop shoulders, leading into a flared sleeve. The skirt sits at the knee, and secret pockets at the side give a relaxed vibe.

A fierce pair of platform shoes add a tough edge, and finish the look off beautifully.

Get The Look:

Dress: Manley 'Maya' Dress with leather detail in navy

Shoes: Burberry Prorsum 'Darenth' Platforms (similar)

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Something Blue

"Blue, I didn't ask you,

Blue, I didn't invite you.

Blue, why did you come around so soon?

My heart it wasn't ready for you,

I don't know what the hell to do,

The full moon showed up in your face, Blue"

~ Balsamo/Deighton, Christian Phillips

A couple of weeks ago I had the very great honour of walking the red carpet with a very special man at a very special film premier; Tommy's Honour, directed by Jason Connery, is a beautiful, inspiring and deeply moving film, and it had its world premier at the opening night of the 70th Edinburgh International Film Festival. For such a spectacular occasion, I needed a pretty spectacular dress, so naturally I turned to my favourite Designer, the super talented Emma Manley. 

Where do I even begin with this stunning dress of dreams? It is another impossibly beautiful Manley piece; a glorious work of art, and a statement dress in the truest sense of the word. Crafted from perforated leather, it is embellished with appliquéd hand-cut leather strips that are moulded into beautiful bows, each one held down with a silver stud. The beautiful embellishment features heavily at the base of the dress, and moves upwards delicately and randomly.

Also available in dark grey, rich wine, and vibrant pink colourways, it was the powder blue shade that I was immediately attracted to. In the meaning of colours, pale blue is a peaceful and tranquil colour that creates a sense of calmness, relaxation and order. We all know how peaceful and calming it feels to lie on our back on a bright Summers day, looking up into a beautiful blue cloudless sky. And we know that when a rare blue moon occurs, the magick is endless. I love wearing blue. 

I styled my dress with a pair of Zebra print Manolo Blahnik shoes. I love to clash colours and prints, and this styling combination is my idea of perfection. A beautiful silver clutch by Nadia Minkoff completed my red carpet look.  

If you think a man might struggle to compete with such a standout dress on the red carpet, you'd be very wrong; Jason wowed everyone by wearing a kilt! We got his kilt (the particular tartan he wore is called 'Scottish Spirit') from Slaters in Edinburgh (huge thanks to Sandy and the team, who looked after us so well). Jason looked absolutely gorgeous, and effortlessly cool in his great outfit; he was hands down the best dressed man  at the premier. There was plenty of swooning when we emerged from our car and his loyal fans spotted him! What is it about a man in a kilt that is so irresistible?  

And the fun didn't end on the red carpet; a couple of weeks later,  I got to wear my beautiful dress all over again for this Blog photoshoot! Kate and I were joined on the shoot by 16 year old photography student Sam Millward, an exceptionally talented, and very professional young photographer. Watch out for him, and remember, you saw him here first!

Get The Look:

Dress: Manley 'Carly' Bow Dress in powder blue

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik 'D'Orsay' Peep-toe Shoes in Zebra (similar)

Bag: Nadia Minkoff 'Kensington' Clutch Bag in antique silver 

Photos: Sam Millward ©

Premier photos: Ivon Bartholomew and Gordon Terris  ©

Behind the scenes photo: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

'Blue' song lyric: Balsamo/Deighton ©

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)