Jackie Kennedy has inspired my Christmas Look!

Hi Lovelies

Gulp, just one month until Christmas now. I am so excited, but need to get a little bit of a wiggle on when it comes to Christmas Presents!

Elli had one of her Christmas Presents come early on Saturday when she had a meet and greet with the God that is Jared Leto! Cue two very very happy daughters as Mia went up to London too to watch them in concert at the 02. Christmas is all about making memories - and she is so in love with 30 Seconds to Mars, that it doesn't get much better for her!

I have been watching lots of footage and programmes on The Kennedys in the last week. The 50th year anniversary of JFKs death piqued everybody's interest - I watched the HBC Mini Series The Kennedys - Katie Holmes for me was fantastically cast as Jackie Kennedy - and subconsciously it has influenced the looks that I have chosen for some Christmas events that are coming up.

It was such a glamourous time to be growing up in - the focus was firmly on amazing quality lace, tiny detailing and bows, and lots of gorgeous thick Duchesse Satin. And always, of course - with gloves!

There are no large Christmas parties going on this year for Jools, instead we have lovely intimate catch up dinners with friends - which means that a big party look is out - but it also means I can try things that I can wear again. Remember, a dress is for life - not just for Christmas !!!!!

So these are the pieces that I have ordered

Gorgeous detailing to the front and back - it is also available in Nude

It is a stiff fabric that should keep its shape

Navy Duchess Satin Premium Dress - Topshop £70

with a pop of yellow to bring out the blue of the dress

Yellow Stone Flower Necklace - Topshop £14.50

I adore this Faux Fur Capelette - there is never any excuse to wear real fur when

this Faux Jacket looks so good :)

Pelted FAUX Fur Capelette - Topshop £68

and I found this little beauty online

I love the fitted top and the full skirt

I love Black with Red.

 I will bring out the black lining more by carrying a black satin clutch and black sandals

and I think the Capelette will work with this dress too.

Full Skirt Lace Dress - Definitions at Very - reduced to £55

They should be delivered tomorrow, so I am excited to see if they work.

I will let you know!

I am in a glam mood now - pass the red lipstick over !

Thanks for reading x

When Size Really Matters ………..

Hi Lovelies,

Well the temperature is definitely dropping. My wooly hat has come out and my scarf has now become as important as my phone and keys when I leave the house! 

A throw-away comment, made by a very gorgeous twitter friend this morning got me thinking about numbers!

I managed to get my glorious Isabel Marant Dress and it is adorable and she asked me what the sizing was like as she loves it too and would like to try and get one.

When I advised her to go up at least one size bigger than she normally would at the very least - and up to 2 sizes if possible as there is absolutely no give in this particular silk dress - she said that it would stop her buying the dress as she wouldn't be happy with the label.

Now, I totally get that - if anything stores should focus on vanity sizing and make things more generous than they should be! But I think anybody that has ever purchased from a H&M Collaboration knows immediately that the clothes are going to be tiny - and so we can in reality ignore the size of the label - it is not your true size and so that makes it really not an issue for me. It's like a trip to Zara - you really wouldn't want to be doing that on a day when you are not feeling great about yourself!

Is it the same if we have to size down - do we really believe we have suddenly become an XS because oversize is the look of the season?!

Has a label size ever stopped you purchasing anything? Or have you perhaps ever bought something that you don't really like - simply because the label has a tiny size in it! Come on - be honest ……… !

Another great friend of mine has an oversized coat that is a Size 8 - every time she wears it - she will ensure that the label is showing over her seat so that everybody can see! Its funny and quirky and makes me smile - but does it go deeper than that - and have we become so obsessed with a digit that it determines how we feel and what we purchase? Other friends cut tags out of their clothes if they are not the size they want them to be - as though by doing that, they can eradicate what the dress size is - should it really matter? 
I have clothes in an 8 (I'm not an 8) and now thanks to Isabel Marant I have clothes up to a Size 14 (and I am not a 14 either) is it a maturity thing that makes me think - Im not bothered about what the label says - I care more about how it looks when it is on - the only person that is going to see my label in reality is me - the husband needs to squint to see small digits these days heheheeeeee!

I am genuinely interested and would love to hear from you if size matters to you. Does a Size 8, 10 or 12 or 14 or 16 + REALLY define who you are are????

Here is my lovely new Marant Silk Dress

H&M Isabel Marant Dress

I have a couple of items on my NEED list this week - it is all Topshop's fault too!

I want this evening coat so much - it is going to be perfect over dresses for those Christmas Party outfits - you would make a beautiful entrance in this coat - AND it will keep you warm when you are waiting for the taxi to come at the end of the night!

Daisy Evening Swing Coat - Topshop £89

and I need these shoes!

Nude Ruffle Feather Sandals - Topshop £58

also available in Black!

and I am going to pop these beauties in curled hair for Christmas Evenings out -

a little bit Gatsby, the Babyliss Secret Curl and Hairspray will be out in force!

Rhinestone Flower Comb - Topshop £12.50

Rhinestone Swirl Comb - Topshop £12.50

Thanks for reading xx

You are held in a Queue ……………………. Thanks Isabel Marant !!

Hi Lovelies,

I was on a mission this morning. Nothing would stop me in my quest to secure my Isabel Marant Dress from H&M. Months of planning depended on it ……….

If only H&M and their IT department had got the memo!!

At 8.30 I logged in and I couldn't believe that I could view all of the pieces already. At that point you couldn't choose sizes, but you were able to see everything and choose what you wanted to purchase before the launch started at 9am. So I snuggled in with a cup of tea thinking wow - this is so cool, and also, at this point I was a little smug - imagining devoted people who were out in the cold queueing up for hours.

9.01am came and I managed to put my wish list into my basket in record time, proceed to checkout, and then … … ..

Nada!!! Nothing happened, and then nothing happened again and again and again -

and so the farce began!

Yep - Marant had managed to crash the entire system in under 90 seconds! 

A message flashed up saying they were closed until approx 9.15am ……. and that became 9.30am ………… and then 10am ……… and then they would be closed until 10.30 …….. you get the idea.

I refreshed my page more times than I care to recount - FOR 2 HOURS!!!!

I swear I have a blister on my fingers heheheeee!

I drank tea, moaned with all my friends on Twitter (there was something strangely lovely about us all being in the same boat - nobody could buy a thing!)

And then at 11am the site sprang back to life - only to inform me that all the items in my basket were now out of stock! I did scream a little bit I have to say at that point

But going back into the site, there were some sizes left so I tried again and it let me check out

but not my dress :(

H&M knew that this collaboration would be their biggest yet - how they were so woefully unprepared is anybody's guess - is it weird that I was thinking of people all around the world doing the same thing and wondering what they were wearing and how they were behaving - were they getting as frustrated (and bored) as me!!!

So here is what I have managed to buy - at this point I still would not be surprised if H&M cancel our orders

Isabel Marant cropped Waxed Biker Jeans in Wine £69.99

and in the Black

I was so happy as they were both on my wish-list

I managed to check out and almost immediately after that they were Sold-Out in every size

(they are now selling on Ebay for £199.99)

I also managed to grab one of the scarves I had wanted

Isabel Marant Metallic Scarf £29.99

and I was just fast enough to get this beautiful Tuxedo Jacket

which is pure wool with Silk Lapels

Isabel Marant Wool Jacket £79.00

Some greedy idiots on Ebay have this listed with now with a buy it now price of £800! Err Hello - its still H&M at the end of the day!

But I could not get my dress - it has completely and utterly sold out.

I had kind of told myself that this was going to happen

I blame Rosie Huntingdon Whiteley for making it look this good

and Kirsten Dunst!

Silk Dress with Gathered Sleeves £69.99

So, for this - I am going to have to bite the bullet and stalk Ebay ……….

By lunchtime - every single piece from the collection was Sold Out

So, is it hype - probably! But getting a little piece of Parisian Chic in the shape of Marant for a great price was worth the adrenaline fuelled cups of tea, the frustration and the stress - now lets just hope they fulfil the orders!

I would love to know if you managed to get any pieces - or if you were trying like I was.

I will keep you posted on my dress search …………

Thanks for reading x