A WIT-readers exclusive invitation for an evening of shopping at J.Crew in London

Dear WIT readers, I'm so excited to invite you to WIT's first shopping evening on Wednesday May the 14th in London with one of my absolute favourite brands in the world: J.Crew

Please join me between 6 and 8pm at the fabulous J.Crew Collection store in Brompton Cross for drinks and canapes and of course, Tippi sweaters and sparkly earrings shopping time! I will be around to offer style advice and help you build the perfect summer wardrobe to get you vacation-ready.

RSVP to wearingittoday@gmail.com for your name to be added on the guest list.
There will be a prize draw on the night worth £500 to spend in J.Crew

I can't wait to meet you all, but hurry up and sign up today because we only have 100 spaces and the allocation will be on a first come first served basis.

RSVP today!

wearingittoday@gmail.com

See you in two weeks

Laura and J.Crew x

The crisp white shirt how-to

My sample sale Stella McCarteny white cotton shirt is getting it's first outing today with the simplest of combinations: denim + pointy flats. My tip from the heart is to buy one, quality, thick cotton shirt and treat it well - it will last you a long time. Don't wash it with the rest of your laundry, iron it till crisp and always hang rather than folding so that it's always wear-ready. Next sale, clock a really good quality designer one (Jil Sander, Paul Smith, Stella McCartney and Equipment are all great staples) and make the investment. Here are three of the best and why worth putting them in your wish list:

Jil Sander Cotton-poplin shirt £290 wear with: tailored trousers or jeans jeans. The small collar will look great buttoned up and adorned with a statement necklace. I love the concealed buttons.

Victoria Beckham Denim Cotton-blend shirt £265 wear with this is the perfect snug shirt to be worn tucked into a full skirt and rolled up sleeves.

BLK DNM 50 cotton-poplin shirt £140 wear with the longer back panel make it the perfect leggings and leaather trouser shirt.

The OVERSIZE Shirt EXTRA LONG SHIRT £146.00 good for the beach belted or left opened.

Just add...

The fab Sophia Webster for J.Crew (from £240.00) has finally landed. What better shoe to add to your shirt + denim look? My eyes are on the star print kitten heel...

My Vestiaire Collective boutique

I'm moving out of my flat this summer to do some refurbishing works and part of my plan is to do a total wardrobe declutter in the hope that everything will fit in my new (tiny) walk in wardrobe. I've already started the ruthless editing project and two huge suitcases are going back to Italy to my mother and sisters, a few boxes are going to charity and I've decided to give  Vestiaire Collective a try and sell all the items I love, but do not wear any longer on their platform. 

So there goes my marked beige 2.55 Chanel bag which for a long time was in WIT's head shot. It's ciao ciao to my white Joseph skirt from my all-white honey moon trousseau, my Marni for HM top has to go (bought when I was pregnant and got the sizing completely wrong) and even my beloved Peter Pilotto for Target skirt which, sadly doesn't look any good on me. Have a look at my boutique and I hope some of these items will find a happy home in WIT's readers homes.

WIT mama Friday: The best black sandals under £150

Every other year I buy a new pair of simple, black, one strap flat sandals and it is always my most worn shoe over the summer. I just love a tanned foot with a classic flat and a shiny pedicure, and it's a chic mum on duty shoe that is also super practical. Luckily there is no need to spend a fortune on them  because most high street stock a real leather pair, so I've had a look for ones I would buy all under £150.00 + the black pair with a fringed make over!

1) Reiss  DOUBLE STRAP FLAT SANDALS BLACK £120 
The Update  2) Loeffler Randall Sienna Tassel Gladiator Sandals £220.00
3) KG Kurt Geiger Maddox £75.00 
Office Hawaii Black Leather £28.00
5) Kurt Geiger London Lace £150.00 
6) Accessorize Leather City Sandals £25.00

How to wear a colour pop skirt

Just add a J.Crew  Tippi sweater, and if you are investing in one for the first time start with a grey, then black or navy and then try for a colour (I went for red). The Tippi is an essential building block for your wardrobe, it is literally the T-shirt of knitwear and you will wear it with everything. It's got the perfect crew neck (looks great with necklaces or none), arm flattering 3/4 length sleeves and comes in the most gorgeous colour selection. Also the weight is perfect for in-between seasons (aka in the UK all year around!)

Flash back - with Jenna Lyons and this very same outfit in May last year.

The broaderie top

Another thing I pulled out of my summer boxes is the white broaderie anglais top that I bought from Whistles last year. It's a great little staple to have in your wardrobe and you can wear it in lots of different ways, giving it a more casual or dressed up spin. I often pack it for week ends away because even with a pair of jeans and flats it makes me feel a little dresses up. I pair it with a black leather skirt for work, or even one of the colour pop skirts in this weeks Star Buys. While I was looking for alternatives on the Internet (mine isn't  available any longer), I found this fab dress style from Alice Temperley.. Very tempting as I still regret not buying the Etoile similar version a few years ago and this could be the perfect replacement.

ALICE by Temperley Lucy Flower Shirt Dress £395.00

Top Shop Matte Nails in Tobasco Trouble £6.00

AlaïaLaser-cut matte-leather sandals £337.50 from The Outnet

Top Shop Embroidered Blouse £38.00

Top Shop MOTO Supersoft Boyfriend Jeans £42.00

J.Crew  Falsetto cross-stitch pumps £375.00

J.Crew Silk crepe de chine top £150

Whistles Lauren A-Line Skirt in navy £225.00

Tabitha Simmons Vera metallic leather and suede point-toe flats £435

Easter holiday sea escape packing how-to

Whenever I have to pack for a holiday, however long and to whatever destination, I always start by picturing in my mind what kind of girl I want to be. Once I've pictured "her" it is so much easier to pack and my suitcase instantly becomes a cohesive capsule wardrobe. I then proceed by considering the location, the length of the stay and what I will be doing. I lay everything on my bed divided in day and night outfits, followed by essentials (underwear, nightwear) and finished off with shoes. I am often cold, so I always make sure I have all weather options: this could be as simple as packing tights/closed toe shoes/jacket/jumper to go with your outfit. Beauty case and make up are always the last ones to go in, followed by techie stuff and neatly re-arranged handbag (I don't need my work pass on holiday!)

For this three night holiday to the sea in the UK, my inspiration was this J.Crew girl: cool, relaxed, stylish but realistic. I will be taking walks on the beach with my daughter and friends so I need a wardrobe of easy staples that I can mix and match, whatever the weather. I've gone off trilby's and now prefer a slouchier hat, if I will get to wear swimwear at this time of the year it has got to be a black, chic one piece. I take pleasure in creating a sense of occasion for whatever is going on in my life, so always pack something a little something special. A little black dress always deliverers, it's got to be something unfussy but equally gorgeous that if I go out for a dinner I feel a little dresses up. I will be taking my Other Stories dress and wearing it with a fun colorful clutch (the only time I don't wear a designer bag). I always pack a small selection of inexpensive jewellery and always get a glossy gel mani and pedi before I go. It just makes all the difference. Happy Easter WIT readers, see you next week!

J.crew shorts £59.50

J.Crew week end sweatshirt £59.50

J.Crew linen shirt £79.50

Mango shirt dress £29.99

Mango parka £69.99

Aquazzura Belgravia lace-up suede point-toe flats £440

MiH Jeans Phoebe mid-rise boyfriend jeans £195.00

See by Chloé Cotton-jersey and crocheted cotton mini dress £250

Accessorize  Fine Straw Crochet Hat £17.00

Asos mini drop earrings £5.00

ASOS Aztec Clutch Bag with Pom Poms £28.00

Ray-Ban The Wayfarer D-frame acetate sunglasses £125

For perfect gel nails try Marian Newman in Residence (and her team) at Atelier Beauté: CND Shellac is the original 'Power Polish'. It delivers 14+ days wear of flawless colour, mirror shine and zero dry time and nail damage. Suitable for naturally healthy nails.

CND Shellac Manicure - £80 (40 minutes)
CND Shellac Pedicure - £110 (50 minutes)
For bookings number is 020 3393 0977 

Thought of the day: wear wear wear!

Sometimes I tend to save my favourite items and only wear them for special occasions, my peplum skirt for example (that I absolutely love) I've only worn it once during Milan fashion week. What's that about?!  Well, my thought if the day is that every day is a special day so wear, wear, wear ALL your favourite clothes. 

The cargo pant

I did my seasonal wardrobe swap-over at the week end and found these old cargo pants that I suddendly had an urge to wear again. I remember buying them as a nineteen year old and thinking they were the coolest thing ever (they are from Pinko!). Today I am breathing new life in them with my Sophia Webster heels and Tippi crew neck. If you have a pair of cargo pants buried in your wardrobe take them out, and here are three updated ways of wearing them as a grown up!

From the left:

J.Crew Skinny washed twill utility pant £98

with Whistles  Skye Cotton Shirt  £85.00 and Isabel Marant Paw strappy high-heel sandals £570

Current/Elliott The Captain cotton-twill wide-leg pants £180

with Chinti and Parker NEW Heart Pocket Stripe Tee £85.00 and  Marni Crystal-embellished leather sandals £260

Rag and Bone Combat mid-rise cotton-canvas cargo pants £265

with J.Crew Schoolboy blazer in black £198.00 and Jimmy Choo Gamble flat £495.00 just add a grey or white tee-shirt 

Casual Friday (flash back)

Today I'm cheating a little bit and posting an outfit that I wore Friday.  Today's actual outfit needs some shopping tips which I haven't had time to do this week end, but look out for it tomorrow. Here I am outside Shoreditch House graffiti wall after a busy morning of meetings in my Chanel sweatshirt, Top Shop lurex skirt and LK flats. 

WIT mama Friday: Mini Me

Greta and I last summer in Amalfi in matching broaderie tops. Photo by Julie Adams

Now that Greta is growing up I am starting to notice that I am dressing her a little bit like me. For starts we will both be wearing one piece swimsuits this summer as well as slip on trainers, hers from Boden mine from Kurt Geiger and our Stella-ish neon cork sandals. I love a little bit of denim or chambray with a delicate broderie anglias top and my Isabel Marant Etoilebeach cover up will certainly be repeated in the form of a boho dress for her. We also both love monogramming and I have been fantasising about a bespoke "GZ" Walton (which I would use until she gets married) for a while now... and lastly I won't be wearing pom pom hair clips I kind of wish I could. 

1) Top Shop Mini Stripe Bretton Tee £12.00
2) Mango pompom hairclips £4.99
3) Marks and Spencer Cotton Broderie Dress £16.00
4) Crewcuts  Girls' chambray pull-on short £35.50
5) Bespoke Walton £850.00
6) Mango  Embroidery dress £24.99
7) Crewcuts swimsuit £40.50
8) Boden Crossover Sandals £24.00 

I shop from my pages

I remember trawling through the rails at the Karla Otto press office some three months ago looking for gems for my May shopping pages, and finding this dress with love at first sight excitement.

I pictured a summer version of myself in it, made a mental note to buy it as soon as it hit the stores and used the top version for an Isabel Marant  inspired section in my trend report. 

Fast forward to last week and The Frugality reminded me that the dress was in store and off I went to buy. It comes in black and white but I opted for the Italian widow look ;-) 

 

Other Stories cotton maxi dress £45.00

The flat that makes me feel like I'm on heels

I have a little (big) crush on my strappy Aquazzura flats and simply want to wear them every day. It may also be because I had te pleasure of meeting the designer duo behind this made in Florence made brand, and they are such lovely people that the association of the two puts a smile on my face every time! This is the flat that makes me feel like I'm on heels minus the hassle (let's face it) of commuting on stilts, and I am literally obsessed with it. I know they are pricey but believe me that cost per wear they are totally worth it, so start saving up. 

Aquazzura Belgravia lace-up suede point-toe flats £440

My favourite red lipsticks

Almost every day when I post a picture of my outfit I receive an email, a tweet or a comment asking me what shade of lipstick I'm wearing. The truth is that I don't always wear the same shade, I have a selection that I choose from that goes from orange-red to a more cherry-red and which one I opt for totally depends on my outfit. So today I've decide to come clean and answer this question once and for all by revealing my "closet" of favourite lipsticks, because as with my clothes every day is a new lipstick day.. and PS. the shade I'm wearing in the pic is MAC lipstick in Lady Danger

1) Nars semi matte lipstick in Heat Wave £19.50
2) Top Shop Lips in Infrared £8.00
3) Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella £19.00
4) MAC lipstick in Lady Danger £15.00
5) Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Icon £23.00
6) Top Shop Lip Bullet in Heartbeat £8.00
7) Nars semi matte lipstick in Red Lizard £19.50

Have you been in Mango lately?

I flew to Rome for the week end and had some rare flying-alone time to catch up on magazine reading. One thing I noticed as I looked through the front of book sections, is the amazing product available in Mango this season. As soon as I got back home I did a little trawl on their website and found myself adding tens of things to my basket. I love that Isabel Marant on holiday look they are going for, and the brilliant news is that it all comes at a reasonable price too. This week's Star Buys are therefore entirely dedicated to this Spanish brand, and here  are a few more bits I'm adding to my wish list.

PS. One bit of advice: it's easier to shop on their website that it is in store as everything is stocked online whereas most of the smaller stores don't stock the premium range. www.mango.com

WIT mama Friday Guest Star: J.Crew's crewcuts design guru Jenny Cooper

I had the great pleasure of meeting Jenny Cooper, Head of crewcuts design, at the J.Crew pop-up store launch in London back in May last year. I had recently become a mum and the world of crewcuts had just become that much more interesting to me. We chatted away about Greta, her two boys, monogrammed cashmere, neon pops and the much anticipated J.Crew store opening later on in the year and promised to stay in touch.  

One year later (and one too many crewcuts buys later for Greta), I asked her if she would guest star in one of my WIT mama Friday posts, and answer a few questions about the crewcuts aesthetic that we at WIT love so much.  I am thrilled to say that she agreed, and here's what she had to say..

WIT:  Jenny, we already love J.Crew in the UK but we were wondering what's the perfect recipe to achieve the crewcuts look for our kids?

Jenny: I’m not sure there is just one answer to that question!  I think if you are a boy, you would take a little bit of slim, sunwashed chino and mix in a neon striped sock, a cool graphic tee and maybe a Ludlow jacket on top for attitude.  If you’re a girl, maybe it would be a slim slouchy army pant with a sparkle encrusted sweatshirt, and either a Golden Bear varsity jacket  borrowed from her brother or a wool motorcycle jacket or a neon Kway jacket.  I could keep making outfits all day……but basically something casual and everyday worn with a favorite quirky item.  I think everyone, children especially, has that special item of clothing with personality that they gravitate to and will remember for the rest of their lives.

WIT:  Tell us about your love affair with J.Crew. How long have you worked there and how did it all start for you?

Jenny: I’ve been at J.Crew since 2000, initially designing women's sweaters for 7 years and then when we launched crewcuts, I had a couple test subjects (children) at home so it was a very simple and exciting transition for me.  J.Crew has always had an ease to it, combined with a sense of fun and dress-up, that has always resonated with me and which I think works particularly well for kids.

WIT: Which are your personal favourite top five designs this season?
Jenny: I’ll start with girls!  The SUNSHINE tee (1) with the toothpick jean in railroad stripe (4)  and the Darby loafer in basket weave (5).  I also Love the embroidered dress (6) that was embroidered with a layout that we found in a Moroccan market.  The next favorite outfit is the embroidered pompom tunic (3) with the cowgirl denim cut-offs in river blue wash (2).  These were hemmed and then unhemmed to create a little undone edge at the hem of a perfect worn –in blue wash.  And not to forget – the glitter slip-on in multi (7) the sneaker of the moment!  Also the Taryn dress (A6154) comes in mid-April) and is a gorgeous blue floral print that we put a slice of neon yellow placket on.  Fortunately that print comes in women's too so I can have something in it too!

1) Girls' sunshine tee £26.50 

2) Girls' cowgirl cutoffs in river blue wash item £40.50

3) Girls' embroidered pom-pom tunic £56.00

4) Girls' toothpick jean in railroad stripe £56.00

5) Girls' Darby loafers in basket weave £125.00

6) Girls' embroidered dress £65.00
7) Girls' glitter slip-on sneakers item £56.00

WIT:  And for boys?
Jenny: Oh my.. where to start!  I get to buy it all and test it on my own kids so I have a really hard time narrowing it down!  But I just bought our homage to the upcoming World Cup tee (style# to follow) which will be online in 1 week and our There’s Only 1 tee (5) because my heart breaks whenever he wears it!  I was also really excited to get the black Puma hightops (7) and for Spring Break the kids water sandals (2).  As I’m writing this I put the boys Japanese chambray suit (1 and 4) in my bag, because he’ll be able to wear it as a suit and the pants by themselves with a graphic tee.  AND the kids sunnies in clear (3) because they have a fantastic mirrored greeny-pink lens.  Last but not least – the Stanton short in Big Leaf (6) to ring in Spring and summer.  I think I may have gone over 5 but I stopped counting because I can’t when I’m shopping for my boys…..

1) Boys' Ludlow suit jacket in chambray £130.00
2) Kids' water sandals £34.00
3) Kid's sunnies £20.50
4) Boys' slim ludlow suit pant in chambray £74.00
5) Boys' there's only 1 tee £24.50
6) Boys' Stanton short in big leaf print £40.50
7) Kids' Puma® suede mid classic sneakers £42.00

WIT: If we were looking to invest on one little something for our kids that will last all through the summer season, what should it be?

Jenny: In my experience a favorite pair of shorts gets worn almost more than anything else.

Girls' cuffed chino short item £32.00

WIT: Let's talk about mums on-duty style. Do you have a uniform? 
Jenny: Well right now I’m wearing a man’s uniform pantsuit….does that count?  But the usual uniform is a pair of jeans (they change, right now it’s either a pair of high-waisted cropped flairs or a Point Sur white selvage roll-up (Point Sur slim stacker Japanese selvedge jean in marshmallow wash £238.00), a linen V-neck tee from J.Crew, either white or heather grey, one with my name monogrammed on the back neck, and a jacket of some sort.  The jeans change and the jacket changes but the shirt is always the same!  I’ve also been wearing a really cosy men’s grey sweatshirt in XL (Sueded fleece sweatshirt item £69.50)

WIT: Thank you so much Jenny! And off I go to buy Greta that pom pom tunic...

Leather + Tee

Oh how I wish these mild(er) temperatures are here to stay (don't want to hear from the OZ and LA girls who laugh at my knits!). Getting dressed in the morning is so much easier when it involves a tee shirt and no tights!

Knit + Pencil Skirt

Leg are out to celebrate what is set to be the hottest day of the year so far! Beyond excited at the prospect of doing my seasonal wardrobe swap over this week end. 

What's in the Marni bag?

So here it is revealed! Out of all the lovely things I tried on at Bicester Village I decided to invest in this brocade, polka dot print, Marni A-line skirt. Although I loved the dresses and was very tempted by the lips sandals in Rupert Sanderson and a navy jumpsuit in Reiss, I thought I would get the most wear out of this statement skirt. 

You know I don't usually like tights, but this skirt looks equally good with tights or not making it an idea all-season buys. Today I'm wearing it with my J.Crew Tippi sweater, thick matte tights and a pair of Christian Louboutin silver sandals, but I can't wait to wear it with flats and a buttoned down men's shirt.

They had quite a few sizes left of the skirt, but if you can't quite make it to Bicester at this very moment I've one tracked down on The Outnet, as well as a few different styles with this print (click hereto see). If you simply love a metallic, brocade or jacquard skirt I've done the legwork for you to find the chicest styles.

1, Marni metallic brocade skirt £157.50

2. SunoGeometric-jacquard skirt £236.25 Original price £675

3. Richard NicollNeon color-block brocade skirt £136.50 Original price £390

4. Whistles  Daisy Foil Skirt  £125.00