On How To Be Lovely

When the weather outside is frightful, pile on the layers or dare go bare legged as the veritable Italian.

The awards season has begun and what thrill that is not only for the actors and singers being showered with nominations and wins but for our eyes as well. Those beautiful dresses on the red carpet deserve to be admired although sometimes they can be harshly criticised as well for not all are winners. 

One of my favourites so far is Marion Cotillard's dress at the Critics' choice awards last night. Zuhair Murad is always a safe bet, but I love most about Marion is that she knows her shape and stays true to what fits her best. She doesn't wear shocking or "edgy" designs but elegant, beautiful and special dresses. This one is perfection and so on trend as well.

On the other hand, Anne Hathaway made a disastrous appearance. Almost as disastrous as the one she pulled at her Les Miserables premiere few weeks ago. 

The dress is not ugly because Oscar de la Renta cannot design something ugly. However, the fit is wrong and makes Anne look like an old, saggy lady. Anne, just as Marions is not your average super skinny starlet and therefore should know better. I must admit she is not one of my favourite actresses but I used to like her a lot better when she was more humble and listened to her stylist. Her outfit at the Met Gala a couple of years ago is unforgettable.

I'am dreaming of a white...summer.

After a very long break (call it the hibernation phase), I'm back with a spring-sized cloud over my head. The weather is still very cold here in London, but once Christmas is over, all I can think of is spring dresses and candy colours. Fashion is one of the few providers of advanced gratification- if that even exists.

I have decided not to start with trends because they are rather predictable this year: the oriental vibe that has been with us for a few seasons now, the all white summer clothing, minimalism (yawns), stripes, a little bit of 50s, 60s and 70s because they are always present, sporty influences, everything sheeny, both pastels and bold colours, fantasy shoes and huge jewellery. 

However, there are a few pieces that caught my eye because they are either all time favourites of mine revisited or new and exciting creations from new names on the fashion stage. In no particular order, here are my first ideas of the spring to come

The look of the season by Raf Simons and his very new Dior.

A ballerina dress featuring a 50s silhouette is eternal love.

One of my all time favourite colour combos by Dior.

And this season's perfect suit. This time not by YSL. Dior again.

Or maybe this one by Armani? Hard to say.

Prettiest tea dress in town. Bottega Venetta.

Immaculate white as only CK masters.

I reckon the Balmain girl will swap for Saint Laurent.

70s sheer and with ruffles. This will do.

The dress I'd spend the rest of my life in. Alexander McQueen, the fabulous.

The perfect summer dress any cool girl would wear. Dolce & Gabbana

The perfect summer dress I will wear.

Black in summer, that's something I love. But when it's so sicilian, I adore it.

Italian perfection.

The coat any woman should have. Valentino, bien sur.

One more tea dress. Lovely.

Monochrome rock & chic.

Anything with a split will do this season.

How to wear your brights and florals when it's still cold outside. Handy.

Spring vocabulary. Start spelling.

Or painting?

White noise is the perfect tune for spring.

The spanish shirt is "la creme" of the shirts.

You can have this stunning Saint Laurent blouse. For just £12,000.

The 60s never left. I'm telling you.

I know, I know. Less is more. But can also be a bore.

Kate Upton's curves are as delicious as a warm spring day.

Speaking of delicious.. spring wedding? Here's your cake inspiration.

When I woke up yesterday, it was the perfect winter day: very cold, but bright. Blue skies, the smell of Christmas everywhere and that wonderful, relaxed atmosphere of a day when you know you can do whatever you want.

I started with a lovely brunch at Gail's in Soho, my favourite bakery in London that I always praise for its delicious food and cosy ambient. These days it feels like such a luxury to be able to sit down for an hour or two, have a nice meal and read a good book.

Then I walked to Somerset House to see the Valentino exhibition. I must admit it didn't blew my mind and as with all major fashion events, the buzz around it was a lot louder than it should have been. The tickets cost £14, you can pretty much see everything in under 20 minutes and you are not allowed to take photos. Now, I am not the kind of girl who to follow rules, so here are a few sneaky peeks into what the Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition looks like.

As I was telling a friend yesterday, after watching Valentino, the last emperor, it is quite hard to imagine getting any closer to him, so this is part of why the exhibition didn't seem  such an achievement to me. However, I bought some really nice bespoke Moleskine notebooks and beautiful postcards. They were even selling Valentino shoes, bags and perfumes in the last room (nothing truly exciting though).

Now if you go to Somerset House, forget about ice skating and go see the Cartier-Bresson or Tim Walker exhibitions. They are both free and really beautiful. And don't forget to stop for a second and enjoy the view from the terrace.

There's also a Christmas Arcade open now at Somerset House and I couldn't resist a little more Christmas shopping before I sat down in the lovely Lavazza lounge and had the best hot chocolate in years. Proper dark, creamy but not milky delicious cocoa.

After my prolonged visit at Somerset House I went to Notting Hill and had dinner with a friend in this very small but apparently very popular Turkish place. We've had some proper chicken shish and baclava, a delicious Turkish tea while reminiscing about our high school years.

 At the end of the day (quite literally), it's about how happy you manage to feel no matter if you're surrounded by people you love or whether you're going to a museum by yourself. As the closing line in one of my favourite movies says, "..you can't stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world."

The party season has officially begun and I thought I'd share with you a few party looks in case you are planning a shopping session today.

River Island have and impressive number of baroque clothes and accessories and some of them are on sale now. Look no further for high street luxe.

Piling on baroque accessories can turn the simplest outfit in a dramatic attire. The Balmain boots have been on my wish list since last year.

Decadence is calling, either you shop for jewelries at Dolce & Gabbana or at Accessorize. Keep your eyes on the heavily embellished and the colourful stones.

If you're in for trying out something entirely new, this pair of feather short from ASOS are perfection. Sky high heels are a must. I also love a tux for evening or a very sheer long skirt- they're both refreshing alternatives to the LBD.

For the lovers of everything minimal and impeccably cut, nothing says chic, elegant yet modern as a Dior suit. Probably the most flattering number out there.

We've all watched Gossip Girl. Some will admit it, others will not, but the truth is, after Sex and the City there wasn't anything near as good in terms of fashion. I couldn't care less about the poorly written script, the boring storyline or about the bad acting. This is a TV series aimed at teenagers and about some spoiled Upper East brats who live in a fantasy world. Do you expect good quality? Then go watch Homeland. But in terms or fashion inspiration, I think Gossip Girl served its purpose very well. And because there are only 3 episodes left, I thought of making a photographic list of Blair's best fashion moments from the past 6 years of GG. The looks from the first 3 seasons are definitely the best, but even on the Upper East Side magic doesn't last forever. And in case you were wondering, yes, I am on team Blair. Always have, always will, as she herself would say.

Warning: don't try this at home unless you can pull a Marie Antoinette outfit with Blair's ease. 

I've decided not to split gifts into categories but rather share my ideas with you as they come along because from now til Christmas I will be discovering lots of new things. Some of them make the perfect stocking fillers, others are a bit more expensive but really worth the price and there are of course things that I absolutely adore and couldn't bring myself not to add to the list. Links to stockists and prices below each picture.

Adorable slippers from Topshop.

The perfect cozy winter slippers from John Lewis.

Cupcake pyjamas from John Lewis.

Very Christmasy robe from John Lewis.

Vintage radio on Amazon.

The Newgate clock. Very Alice in Wonderland.

Glass teapot by Rare Company.

The loveliest teasets I've ever came across from Bombay Duck.

Bonbon jar I would use to store my cotton pads in the bathroom from Brissi.

Mini perfume bottles from Brissi.

Marc Jacobs iPhone case from Selfridges.

Cinnamon shower gel by Philosophy

The best earmuffs in town from River Island

Winter headwear doesn't get more stylish than this. From River Island.

Cute NYE shoes from Topshop

After many years of perfect ballet pumps, Repetto, the Parisian ballet brand finally launched a ready to wear collection of exquisite clothes inspired by the outfits of professional ballerinas. Needless to say I love every single piece of the collection and that I want it all under my Christmas tree this year. 

The clothes are very day-wear, pale colours and nothing too fancy but they are perfect for running around the town on a busy day without having to sacrifice feeling pretty. Few pictures of my favourite looks below.

La vraie parisienne.

All I can think of right now is Christmas, my favourite time of the year. About a month before I start to get really excited and look for Christmas presents and make plans for the holidays. Although it would have been nicer of me to start with a list of gifts I will be giving this year, I have actually decided to share with you my very own wish list because it surely includes items that could be inspiring in case you are stuck and have no ideas for nice Christmas gifts. In no particular oder, here goes my wish list:

1. A pair of Beats by Dre headphones which I must admit I have been obsessed with for quite a while now. The ones I like most are £155 on Amazon. 

2. Everything from the Bagpuss collection, especially the cuddly cat and the slippers. Both are microwavable, keep warm all night or day and smell of lavender. From £10 on Amazon.

3. The perfect everyday earrings. I love costume jewellery and accessories but I also like simple earrings, watches and pendants that can be worn everyday without actually drawing too much attention. I don't have my heart set on one pair yet, but here are a few favourites:

Tiffany's silver hoop earrings

Ernest Jones white gold and diamond hoop earrings

Ernest Jones white gold and diamond stud earrings

4. A new bed. I have a very troubled sleep and part of the problem is my not so confortable bed. It sounds rather silly, but I really have "improve your sleep" on my to do list because not getting enough rest affects not only my mood but overall health as well. I am looking to build a real princess bed, with lots of confortable pillows, throws and soft quilts and here are the ones I like:

The Johan bed on Made.com

Lace, knit and faux fur quilts, throws and cushions by Zara Home and Next Home.

On my list there are of course about 20 coffee table books, a nice big black leather bag, a Philips Lumea IPL gadget and an unlimited amount of fairy dust for next year as well. But I shall stop here because I don't want to confuse Santa.