Cheap (but Cheerful) High Street Treasure: Marks & Spencer Velvet Mules

M&S mules, find them HERE in a flower print fabric or find the black ones in store.

(there were also these really pretty velvet slingbacks).

I can't claim to have found these myself, as I have never shopped for shoes in Marks & Spencer.  But these mules are fantastic.  They were 29 Pounds,  combine velvet and grosgrain, and have a super comfortable but pretty heel.  The perfect Christmas slippers to take you to the kitchen and right back again (more champagne).  

These were worn by one of the stylish editors of Sheer Luxe in a recent vlog (skip to 3:54 to see the shoes) and I made a mental note to look out for them.  The M&S at Cardinal Place near Victoria had loads so between these and some delicious Williams pears I had quite a successful shop.  I am pleased with myself for not buying a fancy Gianvito Rossi version (although they were dreamy) which would have been worn once or twice.

Winter Wonderland

As we stood in a crowd of hundreds yesterday, waiting to have our bags searched before entering the carnival, I hoped the ominous clouds above were not a foreboding.  But looking around me at all the Londoners with their children, unfazed by the possible danger of partaking in this huge exposed congregation in Hyde Park, I began to feel more defiance than fear - that's what being among the English does to a person.  The British' refusal to have their lives affected by terror is a contagious life affirming force and our night at the bustling Winter Wonderland fairground was enhanced by it movingly.

I am off to Hong Kong again tonight, always leaving here with a slightly sore heart.

See you on the other side (of the world).

xx Dianne

Boots!!! Gianvito Rossi

I am in London for my son's boarding school exeat.  How do you like my new boots?  Block heel and pointy toe.  That's a first for me - I've had plenty of pointy heels and pointy toes, and block heels and round toes but never this combo.  I am wearing these as Harry Styles might, with skinny jeans pulled over top.  From Gianvito Rossi at On Lan Street, Central, Hong Kong.

No Festival Fashion at Clockenflap

Tinariwen from Mali performed for a large audience - beautiful music.

The Sartorialist's got nothing on me!  I asked this pretty girl if I could take her picture because I loved her hat with LED light flowers.  I am getting the hang of this.

Most everyone else was wearing jeans and sneakers.  It's not quite Coachella yet, but lots of fun nonetheless.

Beautiful Style on Lugard Road

I went for a run this afternoon on Lugard Road, the panoramic road around Victoria Peak, and ran past this lovely couple.

I stopped running immediately and before I knew it I had complimented them on their outfits and asked them if I could take a picture for my fashion blog.

I never do anything like this!  I am always too shy to approach a stranger.  But these people were so kind and smily that I must have sensed it was okay to ask.

How cute is her coat?  The front panel is grey woven wool, while the side panels are a navy blue knit. I love the bare legs and white flats with the fall coat.  And her light blue bag with delicate gold chain complimented the outfit perfectly.  Such a beautiful girl with only a bit of red lipstick on her face. And her friend David looks like such a gentleman in his pinstriped suit.

After we said goodbye and I started running again, I had so much fresh energy.  

David and friend, if you are reading this, I just want to say that I loved seeing you today. You both make the world a more beautiful place with your lovely style and your kind faces. 

xx Dianne

Time To Take Stock of Your Best Price-Per-Wear Items

After all, the winter sales are coming up and it's a good idea to prepare yourself before you do any serious spending.  I don't care much for the summer sales, but winter sales have coats and boots,  and those are always the best sale purchases.

What have you worn most this year?  For me it's my Gucci sneakers with stars (HERE and HERE). I have worn them fifty times at least, which now has them down to the equivalent of two large Starbucks coffees a day (this would be of course in addition to the actual Starbucks I would already have had, not to mention the price-per-wear of the other clothes and bag I'd be wearing with the sneakers... but you get the idea).

After honest analysis why I wore these sneakers so much I know that I love the combination of ultimate comfort + fashion credibility, and the fact that they literally look amazing with anything you wear.  I have other sneakers I don't wear as much, and I have to admit it's because they are not as current and as recognizable as the Guccis.  I never think of myself as a label whore but in this case I have clearly succumbed.

Conclusion, if there are any Gucci sneakers in the sale, I should pounce.

I have also done some thinking about expensive things I have bought which have not been worn enough.

Price per wear failures:

AG Jodi Crop jeans (HERE)
Isabel Marant Étoile ruffle blouse (HERE and HERE)
Gucci block heel loafers (HERE)

I have only worn the jeans once - they are super cute and I love them but they are too tight.  The loafers are beautiful and I love them too in principle, but I haven't reached for them often - I don't really know why, although I guess that red is not as easy to throw on as a more neutral color and with red shoes I personally do not love a black bag). The shirt is beautiful but also too tight in the waist and I have scores of ruffly blouses this season.  The material is linen, and I associate that with summer so much, that I have ignored it completely since September (despite the tropical heat).

Lesson One for me:  Stop buying things that are tight.  It is never worth it!  Ever!  You are not magically going to lose those 5 Pounds, and you shouldn't be rewarding yourself with new clothes if you haven't even started to try.  

Lesson Two for me:  If you buy things that are slightly harder to style with the rest of your wardrobe, make sure you plan a few easy outfits around the red shoes for instance, so that you never have to think about it in the morning.  Now that I am looking at this outfit, I think it's very nice and I should wear it all the time (although the ruffles, and the flare, and the loafers remind me a bit of Austin Powers).  Bag wise it makes me think I would like to have a nice dark navy bag to go with this and other outfits with red shoes.  One for my winter sale list!

If you are one of my friends reading this and you need help sorting out your wardrobe, ring me now!  I  am cheap - a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit will get me to your house in no time :).  Every time I do this kind of thing I think I should have become a personal shopper, there is really very little I like better than putting outfits together or making new outfits with old clothes.

Have a great Thursday lovely readers xx

Does this ever happen to you?

A month ago you got invited to a Christmas party and you accepted right away and looked forward to it for weeks.  You imagined what you'd wear and even bought a dress.

Then the party day arrives - you didn't sleep well, your hair looks a mess, it's cold and pouring outside and your new dress now feels rather snug.  Suddenly you wish you could stay home with a cup of hot tea and watch romantic comedies you've already seen twenty times.

Does that ever happen to you?

Me too.

But you can't be a flake, your hosts are counting on you.

I firmly believe if you are not feeling great and you don't know exactly if you feel like getting dressed up, you should keep your outfit as simple as possible.

Navy satin bomber jacket, from Shenzhen, similar HERE.
White Zara T-shirt, similar HERE or HERE.
J.Crew dark red pants, find them HERE.
Anya Hindmarch glitter clutch, similar HERE.
Tabitha Simmons shoes with crystals, similar HERE and HERE.

These J.Crew pants are super flattering, and constructed from the most comfortable fabric ever.  J.Crew calls it four-season stretch and they are definitely onto something.  The material looks like wool, but it's actually a polyester, viscose and elastane mix.  If you have these pants in your closet, you're going to make it to all your Christmas parties without a hitch.  Rain, sleet, snow - no matter, you will be warm and cosy while still looking gorgeous and genuinely effortless.

Then put on some large and glamorous earrings (I really love THESE and if you've got money to burn THESE are amazing. Basically, unless it's black tie these trousers will take you anywhere.

And you know what else always happens to me?  Once I do actually make it to the party, I always have a really good time.

Three Great Gift Books

Christmas at Lane Crawford in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

This book is beautiful.  Full of gorgeous fashion illustrations while at the same time a guide to Paris.  Buy it HERE.

I bought The Life Plan at a Kikki.K store while shopping with my twelve-year old a few months ago.  It was a special Kikki.K edition (HERE) and the original version is HERE.  I have just had another annoying birthday, and every year I wonder how I can still be this unproductive and disorganized at my age.  This book is great,  and it's answering that question rather effectively so far.

It's a rainy Sunday today - some tropical depression in between here and Vietnam at the moment.  I am finally sitting down to finish The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes (HERE), a relative of Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey.  It's such an enjoyable read.  Beautiful language, descriptions of London and England in 1920, set at the childhood home of the notorious Mitford sisters.  A perfect stocking filler.

It's Already Christmas In My House!

I saved these candles (a gift from my gorgeous friend Fi) for a long time - I don't know what I was waiting for, some special moment?  I do that all the time with shoes and clothes too.

Ever so often I yell at myself:  Dianne, your life is right now!

Taking this to heart I am even sitting around in this new J.Crew jumper which I only bought on Tuesday.

 

It is so soft and perfect for lounging around. This may be one of my favorite purchases of the season (find it HERE). I just throw on any old pair of leggings and I'm ready for hot chocolate wine and candles.  The scarf is also from J.Crew (HERE).

Now all I need to do is turn up the air conditioning to arctic and pretend it's winter in Hong Kong.

Just kidding, I'm not that irresponsible.

Even though it's not exactly cold yet, Hong Kong houses are very damp and in older colonial era buildings there is often no central heating, so it feels quite cold inside once the sun goes down.

Busy Weekend So I Am Reposting A Fave Outfit From Last Year

The very old jumper is from Zara, it also has some metallic threads running through.

Equally old COS slim black trousers.

Miu Miu shoes, I need to wear these more.  I do love a neutral grey and black outfit with red shoes.

Karma slapped me right in the face with the little silver bag. It was a lookalike bag, and it got ruined by one of the silica gel packets we hang in our closets here to keep tropical humidity at bay.  The packet leaked and literally melted half of the bag.  Be careful with those things.

Government House in Hong Kong, which was the official residence of Hong Kong's Governors during the colonial era from 1855 until 1997.  Hong Kong's first Chief Executive after 1997, Tung Chee Hwa, refused to live in the mansion.  

Strangely I actually have seen a fair amount of Tung Chee Hwa since I have lived in Hong Kong, as his grandchildren are my neighbors.  Funny this expat life.

This Uniqlo Skirt is the Perfect Answer to Fashion Fatigue

Uniqlo skirt, find it HERE

Very comfy oversized jumper, little bit cropped, mine is Isabel Marant, another great one to style with this skirt HERE

Gucci sneakers, find them HERE

Zara bag from last season, similar HERE

I have fashion fatigue all the time.  That sounds odd maybe, coming from a person with a fashion blog.  Of course I always love fashion in theory, but I can't always be bothered to wear it.

Sometimes you just don't feel great or have the energy to pick a fabulous outfit (in my case especially if it requires shaving my legs)*.  For many women it seems athleisure is the solution on days like that, as I see a lot of Lululemon around me everywhere.  That's not my thing though, so an old pair of comfortable jeans is generally my fallback.

But long skirts are totally changing the game for me, especially this merino knit Uniqlo version.  It is sooo comfortable, not clingy because it's fairly wide on the bottom, and it goes perfectly with sneakers or boots.  Mine is dark green but I think the store in Times Square carries black, grey and red as well. Here I paired it with a hall-of-fame alpaca jumper from Isabel Marant, and a cheap-and-cheerful bucket bag from Zara.  This outfit is so much easier to wear than a tight lycra get-up, and you don't have to pretend that you're off to the gym.

If you need to look a tiny bit more dressed up, switch the sneakers for mules (like THESE if you got money growing on trees, or maybe THESE awesome inexpensive ones).  The bag is big enough to carry the extra pair of shoes around.

I constantly grab this skirt - I cannot recommend it highly enough.  Mine is a size large as Uniqlo tends to fit small.

* This is why I always say you should only ever buy things you really love - even your fallback comfort items should be amazing; look for the perfect color, with some beautiful detail. That way you can grab something out of your closet blind and look great even if you didn't have time to put make-up on. This suddenly reminds me of Trinny and her amazing new make-up line - if you are interested in super fast and simple, good-for-your-skin make-up, this line is fantastic - find it HERE.