"Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed..."

"Is it still raining?  I hadn't noticed..."  THE worst line in film history but very much resonating today!  I'm ignoring this foul and dreary weather whilst hibernating with the March edition of Vogue, some Camomile tea (mug by Emma Bridgewater, for similar: HERE) and some hot toast with oooooodles of honey.  Richard Curtis would be jolly proud.

Valentines Gift Guide 2014 - For Him

While I do believe (quite stongly!) Valentine’s Day should be aaaaall about us Ladies, I suppose the dear men in our lives deserve a little love-recognition also.  Below are some sliiightly more tasteful ideas that thankfully stretch far beyond the ghastly teddy bears holding ‘I Wuv You’ hearts, pink fluffy handcuffs or cheap chocolate body paint that are currently smothering our high streets.  We do still wuuuv you though…

Above (Clockwise L-R):   Herschel Grey Heritage Suede Detail Backpack (RRP. £80.00),Cevice Peruvian Kitchen Cookbook (RRP. £25.00), Garman SatNav Projector (RRP. £129.99),Poker Case of 350 Chips (RRP. £745.00), Kiehl’s Facial Fuel (RRP. £21.00) 

Above (Clockwise L-R):  Hawksmoor at Home (RRP. £25.00), Godminster Cheese Lovers Gift Box (RRP. £50.00), Prestat Banoffe Truffles (RRP. £11.50), Topshop Tan Leather Document Holder (RRP. £60.00), Nick Bronson Knitted Silk Tie (RRP. £40.00), ‘Remember That I Love You’ Shaving Mirror (RRP. £30.00)

Above:  The 'Jaipur Stripe' shirt collection by Tobias Clothing (L-R:  Jaipur Light Blue Stripe, Jaipur Blue Stripe, Jaipur Pink Stripe - all RRP.65.00) with 10% of their profit go directly to the Akanksha Foundation in India.  

Above (Clockwise L-R):  Aesop Moroccan Neroli Shaving Duet (RRP. £53.00), Wallace & Barnes Weekender at J Crew (RRP. £450.00), Zara Cermamic Jars (RRP. From £19.99), Zara’s Grey Stripes Gift Set (RRP. £84.94), Fornasetti Civette Candle (RRP. £99.00), Apple TV (RRP. £72.99), REN Multi-Tasking After Shave Balm (RRP. £20.00) 

Valentines Gift Guide 2014

Over-commericalised? Yes. Over-Sentimentalised? Yes. But, woe betide any poor fella who fails to adequately spoil the lady in their his on Valentines Day.  If your man somehow failed to see TLC’s Valentines Gift Guide last year (here) and you were presented with some, albeit quiiiiite nice, supermarket flowers and a box of Dairy Milk, you clearly need to take a more direct approach this February.  Perhaps email this webpage of flirtatious and fashionable fancies to your darling, wonderful, love-of-your-life, sweetheart alongside some mild, yet supremely accurate and detailed, threats of your choice… That ought to help.  If not, I’ve always found self-gifting particularly rewarding.  

Above:  ‘Nikki’s Fabulously Romantic Bouquet’ by Wild At Heart comprising of white anemones, pastel roses, pastel spray roses, white ranunculus and ammi.  RRP. £60.00

Anna Kendrick's Non-Super Bowl Commercial

For anything remotely sport related to interest me, especially American sport, it had better be good… Damn good.  

Newcastle Brown Ale’s commercial that was never made (confused?!) starring TLC fave Anna Kendrick was THE talk of last weekend's ‘Super Bowl Sunday’ (that’s football riiiight?!)  The Tyneside tipple launched the ‘If We Made It’ campaign, showing the 28 year old actress in a brilliant behind-the-scenes discussion/rant about a commercial that she would have been made had the brand had had the money to indeed make it.  Outta the way Tina Fey, Anna Kendrick ("the hottest girl in your improv class hot") is fast taking centre funny-stage. 

Debit Buy: Topshop 'Kiss Me' T'Shirt

Pucker Up!  Loving me a Topshop ‘Kiss Me Boxy Burnout Tee!’  (RRP. £!6.00)  
They are oh-so-soft, oh-so-cure and oh-so-appropriately ‘out there’ in the lead up toValentine's Day.  However, they should almost certainly come baring a hazard warning;  ‘Wearing this t’shirt outside the comfort of your own home may put you at risk of increased and unwarranted attention!’  Honestly, wear this t'shirt in public and prepare to feel like a walking piece of mistletoe - so pick your company wisely!

HAWT: Taylor Swift in Gucci

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

This year’s Grammy Award’s saw 22 year old singer/songwriter Taylor Swift, once again glittering on the red carpet, a look she has perfected and I am certainly not bored of.  Despite missing out on the four awards she was nominated for, Taylor’s sensational short-sleeved column Gucci dress certainly secured the singer the ‘Best Dressed’ accolade of the night.  Renown for her penchant for metallic and sparkles on the red carpet, Taylor’s gorgeous gown, accessorized with silver drop earrings and platform heels, was utterly showstopping, proving to us all; ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.'  Taylor told E!'s Ryan Seacrestthat she loved the design, "it's like chain mail, ‘it's bullet proof. It's really heavy. It's all the things you'd expect it to be - it's like a suit of armour."  Country Strong. 

 Below:  America's Golden Girl Taylor Swift in a red carpet myriad of masterful metallics...

And moving swiftly (sorry, couldn't help myself...) from HAWT to, well just damn right HOT… Did you catch power couple Beyoncé (in a sheer Nichole de Carle body suit and La Perlathong) and Jay Z's steeeeeamy PDA/rendition of ‘Drunk in Love’…

Kate Moss for Alexander McQueen SS'14

In her first campaign since turning 40, Kate Moss is the (bare)face of Alexander McQueen SS’14.  Surprisingly, given her close friendship with the label’s founder, this is the supermodel’s first campaign for the brand. Make up free with a Tilda Swinton-esq acid orange pixie cut, Steven Klein both photographed and filmed Kate wearing Sarah Burton's black gladiator leather in an eerie and haunting, yet darkly romantic, futuristic short film inspired by the voyeuristic 1960s British thriller, ‘Peeping Tom.’  Kate’s only co-star is a freaky little Barbie doll version of herself.  Otherworldly, as only to be expected. 

Chanel Haute Couture SS'14

There was not one pair of skyscraper heels in sight on the Chanel Haute Couture runway in Paris last week. Instead, Karl Lagerfeld, clearly embracing the current sports luxe and streetwear trends, dressed every single one of his 65 (mighty grateful) models in trainers. Trainers? Chanel? Yup… You heard that right.  Trainers.

These were however, not just any trainers… These were Chanel trainers.  Created byChanel’s shoe-making atelier Massaro, the luxe embroidered, metallic and bejeweled footwear were worn with candy coloured corseted gowns and shimmering, iridescent flapper-style feathered dresses. The result was a cool, yet elegant aesthetic.  I'm game.

Cara Delevingne made the perfect run(a)way bridechiller, complete with her own little page boy, Hudson Kroenig, to hold her train. 

SJP Shoes by Sarah Jessica Parker

Last September we struggled to remain composed when Sarah Jessica Parker announced she was creating a shoe collection.  

The first image to be released was of the elegant Mary-Jane style 'Diana' heels (below) which have a diagonal strap and are particularly similar to the black Manolos SJP’s ‘Sex and The City’c haracter Carrie Bradshaw picks out to wear in the ‘Urban Shoe Myth’ episode.  All the SJP shoes are crafted in Italy and this particular patent pair of stilletos will cost $395.00 (approximately which is a round £240.00). 

 SJP actually credits her shoeaholic character Carrie as igniting her interest in shoe design stating, “Carrie's love of shoes meant I got to wear literally hundreds of pairs - and the more I wore, the more I realised that they are often the starting point of the style choices we make. Sometimes in fashion, little else matters but the shoe." 

The SJP collection will also apparently include kitten heels, laced booties, flats and strappy heels and will be unveiled later this month at Nordstrom.   There is currently no UK launch date in the pipeline but the shoes will be available online for us SJP fans across the pond so we can thankfully Keep Calm and Carrie On.