Camel and denim

It's winter again today - go figure. Having said that, I'm quite chuffed I get to wear my Max Mara camel coat which has been locked up in storage all winter. I'm rushing around today, so just a bite size of outfit inspiration for tomorrow's outfit for you to try. I sometimes find it hard to wear beige and camel, it's a bit of a granny colour unless it's a super expensive tan. To make it easier for myself, I like to pair it with denim, it's a smart equation that gives less of a "granny" touch to beige.

WIT andJ J.Crew in Paris part two: Saint Germain des Prés

When the J.Crew team in New York asked me to head to Paris to check out the new (and first) French store in the Marais, it was really a no brainer. My task: head to Jenna's favourite Parisian spots and photograph one outfit I loved in each location.  From the Tour Eiffel, to St. Germain and the iconic Jardin Tuleries you can follow me through the streets of Paris every last Tuesday of the month  as I play dress up in my favourite J.Crew items. 

This month I'm wearing one of my favourite combos of all times: sequins and denim. I almost exclusively wear sequins in the day, I find that dressing them down with denim is much cooler, so I chose I bright yellow sequin knitted sweater (in store soon) and wore it with my favourite boyfriend jeans rolled up for added 'nonchalant' effect. 

I added my black strappy pointy shoes (sadly no longer available and to this day one of the best buys of the season) and a spring summer must have cover-up: an ultra-classic trench coat made with bonded cotton for a sleek, sculpted look. And since sightseeing requires some hands free action, I also chose a compact leather cross-body bag that fit all of my essentials. I wondered around the streets of St. Germain, and even found a bunch of flowers to match my outfit...

If you missed my previous Paris post check it out on March the 30th and April the 1st -

See you on Tuesday the 26th May of part three!

x

Find the J.Crew Marais store at:

12 Rue Malher, Paris‎ - +33 1 44 54 57 50

Shop the collection online on 

www.jcrew.com

Photos Eva K. Salvi  

Isabel Marant for less at Topshop

Top Shop dress, J.Crew flats, Zara bag

Isabel Marant? Nope, Topshop! I was so thrilled when I clocked this little white dress on the Topshop website last week. It's always hard to say from the  what things are actually going to feel like until you received them, but I could kind of tell straight away that this mini dress was going to look expensive, and when I received it I wasn't disappointed. It's made of a thick 81% cotton fabric and comes with a really beautiful black and silver Aztec style print. It's quite short, so I would only wear it with flat shoes, but it looks great in the city for a day in the office or even on a summer holiday with tanned legs and a simple thong. If you like this style of easy-breezy mini dresses definitely one to watch.

Topshop Aztec print dress £70

WIT mama Friday: stuck in a fashion rut? We can help!

On April the 9th we celebrated the official launch of Wardrobe ICONS's Personal Shopping service in collaboration with MATCHESFASHION.COM - it was a brilliant night dedicated to the corporate woman, we got to invite a few of our friends with the intention of showcasing a beautiful selection of stylish, work-appropriate clothes and give everyone a taster of the service we provide with our Personal Shopping service. 

But corporate women are not the only ones in need of style advice, what about all mums like Petro and I? We've been thinking about all mums: the ones that have just come back from maternity and are stuck in a fashion rut, those that have just have had a baby and are maybe struggling with dressing for a new body shape, or perhaps those mums that are wanting help to find a stylish everyday uniform that is both slick and practical at the same time. Whatever your wardrobe malfunction we can help and so love meeting with you, discussing your problems and coming up with a solution to help you out. Our service is completely bespoke and since Petro, Deborah and I are all really friendly people it's a super fun day too!

Here are some photos form our first event; we are hoping to organise a "Mum event" soon, but in the mean timeif you are interested in getting a quote, simply email me at laura@wardrobeicons.com and we will be happy to get back to you.

More information on our Personal Shopping service can be found here

http://wardrobeicons.com/personal-shopping/

The little white dress

Étoile Isabel Marant Cassy crochet-paneled cotton-blend voile mini dress £340

There are a few things things that I take immense pleasure from unpacking from my summer boxes, and little white dresses are certainly one of them. I buy them on repeat and have quite a collection, from Marni structured styles to billowy boho ones and delicate lace ones. I have High Street, designer and anything in between and I wear them to work, for going out, in the city and on holiday.

 

It's harder to wear a white dresses in the winter, so come summer I would wear them every day. For casual days I pair them with a denim jacket and flat shoes, but for smarter work days they need a smart cover-up like a trench or even a blazer. Today I am wearing my Isabel Marant Etoile floaty number with my trench coat and tan Chloe bag and will switch to high heels for a dinner party later. Oh.. and here's another LWD from I bought recently for our first Personal Shopping event at the beginning of the month (J.W. Andreson sleeveless shirt dress)

Styling tips on how to wear the trench coat

Topshop denim culottes, J.Crew shirt, Chloe bag, Banana Republic trench, Aquazurra shoes

 I'm so thrilled to have my wardrobe back and getting dressed in the morning is finally once again the best time of the day. Spring has definitely arrived in London but, especially in the morning, it's still quite chilly so I've taken out my trench coat for the occasion. A trench coat is a wardrobe staple every woman should own, Burberry Kensington would be the obvious choice, but if like me you are still saving for it, there are some great alternatives on the High Street. Mine today is from Banana Republic, it's few years old so I'm not sure they have the exact one in store but worth having a look. I know for sure J.Crew does a great quality one called Icon, and I've also tried on the Joseph one which is very chic. A few styling tips for trench coats:

• Tighten the sleeves straps and push up your sleeves for a more relaxed wear
• If you leave opened, tighten the belt in a  knot at the back to avoid the "sac" look
• Think about your height when buying your perfect style: to-the-knee lengths are better for petites, whilst midi lengths look great on tall
• The colour is really important, especially if buying on the high street. Avoid yellow tones, and opt for a grey shades that look more expensive
• Always buy a lined one - the beauty of a trench is the structured fit. Flimsy styles look cheap.
• Slip it over your shoulders for a very "fashion editor" look ;-)

40 High Street buys that look like designer

Topshop jumpsuit, J.Crew shoes

I've been off unpacking one gazillion boxes and, believe it or not, this is what I've been wearing most of the time. I can't even begin to describe the comfort and versatility of this Topshop all-in-one £55; at the time of taking this pic I whizzed on a pair of heels, slathered on a bit or red lipsticks and got ready to illustrate my page of eight of the best high street buys online this week for The ICONS Update.

Due to the success of our previous High Street issue, Petro and I have been busy looking through the Internet and clocking every store for the most fabulous yet affordable items available right now. Plus, we asked fashion blogger Lucy Williams from www.fashionmenow.co.uk to do the same, and with an incredible eye she too has picked five top buys from the "premium" store, such as Whistles and J. Crew.

The result? 40 irresistible buys that may very well pass for designer. Check it out now! www.wardobeicon.com

The WIT refurb SALE

This weekend we've moved into our new/old flat and after five long months, I'm finally reunited with all my clothes and shoes! Despite the obvious happiness, I have a somewhat 150 boxes to unpack and a house to reorganise, as well as three flats worth of furniture (don't ask!) to get rid of. Our new layout means that a lot of my furniture doesn't quite fit the space anymore so I've decided to sell some of our furniture and make some space for new things. I'm really sad because some of these items are things we got given for our wedding or simply things I loved, so I've decided to try and find them a new home amongst WIT followers instead of using eBay or similar. So, throughout the week, as I unpack and find places to photograph things, I will be adding furniture, lamps, crockery and more to my new WIT refurb sale Instagram account. Check it out and follow me on @WITrefurbSALE - I will constantly be adding things throughout the week. I can send anywhere around the world, if you see something you like simply email me at wearingittoday@gmail.com to get a P&P quote, and if you live in London I can get anything curried over. I've taken the week off work to get it all done, so please note that everything has to go by Monday the 27th of May. Sadly, there will be no www.wearingittoday.co.uk until next week, I don't have Internet connection yet and my daily outfits are short of uninspiring!

WIT mama Friday: 10 boho buys on a budget

Mrs and Hugs top, Zara skirt, Chloe bag, vintage boots

The chic-boho look works just as well on my days off as it does for my days "on". I  find a peasant top endlessly versatile and I like to pair mine with with anything from my smart black Marks and Spencers trousers for a meeting, and with a pair of jeans at the weekend. Same goes for my strappy shoes, tassled bags and embroidered dresses - the key is in the styling: pair each item with smart accessories and a bit of tailoring during the day, and with denim and casual accessories on your days with the kids. So today, I wanted to look for chic boho buys that won't break the bank balance - enjoy and happy weekend! (p.s I bought my skirt a while ago but there's a similar midi version at £35 from Marks and Spencer)

From top left:

Embroidered tassell top £34 Topshop

Pompom necklace £29.99 Mango

Tassel smock dress £46 Topshop

Ankle tie espadrilles Topshop £39

Navy pom pom dress Next £65

Tan strap cord sandals £19.99 Mango

Pompom earrings £6.99 Mango

Tassled sandals £28 Warehouse

Suede fringed bag £55 Accessorize

To bare leg or not to bare leg?

 Whistles skirt, J.Crew shirt, Isabel Marant shoes, Smythson bag

Hey, someone has to do it first! 

I'm super busy today with finishing things off in the office, then press days and in the afternoon (rather excitingly) Petro and I are hosting our first Wardrobe ICONS event in London. I bought a new dress for the occasion... you saw it on Instagram a while ago and I couldn't stop thinking about it. My shirt obsession continues! Come on Instagram later to see which one it is...

First bare foot of the season

J.Crew shirt, Chloe bag, Topshop trousers, Gianvito Rossi shoes

Some of you will be pleased to know that London is warmer than Italy (for once!) - yesterday when I flew back from my Easter holidays I was pleasantly surprised by a London in full bloom and with spring definitely in the air! So today, even if just to walk from my front door to the car, I'm sporting my first bare foot of the season. You've seen all of these items before: it's my Topshop ripped trousers, Gianvito Rossi suede strappy sandals and J.Crew bib shirt (which this week is on promotion with 20% off on the UK website!) finished off with my Chloe Drew. Let's hope the sunshine is here to stay!

Easter round up

I'm off to Italy with GZ to celebrate Easter with my family, I am taking a little time off to be a good mum but before I go Petro and I have prepared a juicy ICONS Update bumper issue to take you right through to our return, and I have a few buys, beauty ideas and packing tips I wanted to share with you.

First of all, read our interview with fashion icon Yasmin Sewell. I've been mildly obsessed with her quirky style for years, every time I saw her walk past me at fashion week I couldn't help staring at her impossibly stylish yet effortless looks. I feel so lucky that she agreed to let us shoot her in her fabulous new London home, despite the fact that she had a baby less than 10 weeks ago and a 3 year old jumping around the house. On top of looking amazing she was also the loveliest person to interview and makes a fantastic addition to our "The Experts" series.

 

Then don't forget to check out my denim "Obsession" page because that's exactly what I am, obsessed with denim (and tan) at the moment. I've selected 8 brilliant buys from Boden to Stella McCartney that would make fabulous and easy additions to your wardrobe. We also focused on flares and explained why we think they are this month's "Unexpected hero".

Take a look at our "Beauty Focus" mascara review too - Petro and I tried and tested four popular brands to give you a honest opinion if they are worth the money. If you are spending an average of £15 on something, we reckoned you would want to know if they really deliver what they promise.

Also, I know I've often talked about packing rules for us grownups but what about packing your child's suitcase? I apply the same rules I do for my own edit: everything has to go with anything, that way if a cardigan gets stained with a bit of ice cream onto goes the next thing with no trouble at all. I lay everything on the floor and make sure I have little outfits planned for every occasion. Now that Greta is a little older, I'm teaching her to be responsible by carrying her own little bag (also because look how cute it is!). I bought her a Crewcuts glitter backpack which literally gets heads turning at the airport ;-)!

And finally, I am doing a mini skin detox over the holidays. I've been feeling very tired and my skin has never looked so dull, so I've established a seven day regime of plenty of sleep, lots of water,  no make up (no nail varnish on toes and nails) with Creme de la Mer applied  in the morning and Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial facial at night. One note about Creme de la Mer (yes it works), I prefer the soft cream (it's less greasy and you can wear it underneath mak up too), but I'm currently testing out the original formula that is much thicker and is much better at night if you don't want a shiny face all day. I cleanse morning and night with Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Miracle Cleanser  and I promise you that with the combination of all, I am already seeing results.

See you next week and Happy Easter!