Whiter Than White

 

 

All the weather reports are telling us that dear ol' Blighty is about to have one of the wettest Winters we've had in years. Well I'm ready for it with this gorgeous over-sized, rain-proof, leather jacket from Ireland's Emma Manley!

'Abbie' is not your regular, run-of-the-mill leather jacket; made from the most fabulous white patent leather, it features drop shoulders, a flared, A-line shape and snap fastener buttons to the front. The hem and 3/4 length sleeves are hand cut with a decorative scalloped edge. It's different, it's unusual, it's beyond cool! When wearing it, I've literally been stopped in the street by strangers wanting to know all about this great jacket; 'Abbie' is a showstopper in every sense of the word.

For a lovely late afternoon walk, I paired 'Abbie' with my favourite J Brand skinny jeans, Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee boots (the coolest boots I've ever owned) and my treasured black satchel from The Cambridge Satchel Company.

Get The Look:

Jacket: Manley 'Abbie' Patent Jacket in white

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

Bag: Cambridge Satchel Co. 11" Classic Satchel in black

Boots: Stuart Weitzman "50/50' Over-The-Knee Boots in black

Pure & Simple

 

'Elsie' is the sweetest dress from Manley's A/W14 collection. It is simply a dream to wear. Perfect for the office, the pub, a swanky restaurant, the theatre; this is my go-to dress for all occasions.

Made from a mid-weight wool, the dress features beautiful silver button detailing to the front and secret pockets to the side. The waist is fitted, the feminine skirt is gathered at the rear and the sleeves are a perfect 3/4 length. Elsie is available to buy in beige and in green colourways.

I jazzed up my sweet, simple dress by pairing it with a funky pair of red ankle boots. I'd spied these boots on a friend recently and had to treat myself to a pair; I was astonished and delighted to find out that they cost a bargainlicious £25! Funky, affordable and the perfect accessory for my cute dress, giving it exactly the right amount of cool. I struggled to choose between red and pink lipstick so in the end I took a few photos wearing both colours, just because I could!

Get The Look:

Dress: Emma Manley 'Elsie' Dress in beige

Boots: Graceland Ankle Boots in red

True Colours

 

"On the sixth day, God created the artist, 

realising without doubt that he had far from exhausted the uses of colour"

~ Unknown 

I've never met a colour I didn't like and today's post is all about colour. I'm wearing lots of it and the photos are shot against the most colourful, picturesque background. Colour is powerful; it can brighten up a dull day, lighten a dark mood, it can calm us down and it can stimulate our senses.

My fabulous skirt is by cool French brand Maje. A perfect mini length, it features a cute rouche detail to the front and comes in the most dramatic shade of red. Red is the most intense of all colours. It is the colour of love. Hot and passionate, red gets your blood pumping and will always get you noticed.

I clashed the red skirt to great effect by pairing it with the most delicious hot pink silk tee by lush Irish brand Lennon Courtney. Pink is the sweet side of the color red. It represents romance, tenderness and all things cute and girlie. The deeper the pink, the more passion and energy it exudes.

I kept accessories quite simple in terms of colour for this outfit; neutral shades of tan or camel add warmth without overpowering the bold colour palette. Leopard print Alexander Wang shoes (I'm living in these beauties at the moment!) and a gorgeous oversized, lazer-cut leather clutch by Nadia Minkoff give this look a cool, edgy vibe.

Get The Look:

Top: Lennon Courtney Silk Tee in hot pink (similar)

Skirt: Maje 'Glaise' Mini Skirt in red

Bag: Nadia Minkoff 'The Cut/E1' Oversized Clutch in nude

Shoes: Alexander Wang 'Natasha' Shoes in leopard print (similar)

Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©

Location: The Old House, Dorking

Orange Crush

 

The hardest line you'll ever write

One to keep you up all night

So please tell if you might

What the hell rhymes with ORANGE?

~ Jeff Opperman

I got another one. Another one of those perfect, easy to wear dresses that Emma Manley does so brilliantly. This one is orange. Yes, it's an orange dress and it is magnificent!

Manley's newest 'Rylie' dress made me go a bit giddy when I first saw it in their A/W14 Lookbook. Made from a mid-weight wool, it is the Winter version of it's stylish predecessors. Featuring Manley's signature leather collar (orange leather!) and bodice with a scalloped edge, it has a fitted waist, a gathered skirt and hidden pockets to the side. The orange and gold button detail down the front add a luxurious touch to an already stunning design.

I paired the dress with my current favourite shoes; the fabulously fierce 'Natasha' pumps by lush US Designer Alexander Wang.

Get The Look:

Dress: Manley 'Rylie' Dress in orange

Shoes: Alexander Wang 'Natasha' Shoes (similar)
Photos: Kate Carpenter Photography ©