INTO (ASOS) AFRICA

Me wearing a skirt from the ASOS Africa collection, with a vintage Moschino blouse, Mechante of London sandals,
and Marni for H&M earrings.

Online fashion emporium ASOS has launched ASOS Africa- a line of clothing with a conscious, which sees them collaborate with several small, deprived communities in Africa. The fruits of  which labour is a fab debut collection featuring traditional Kitenge prints, modernised and manipulated into a capsule collection of key summer silhouettes. It includes skirts, playsuits, blouses and dresses, and in sharp prints and twill cottons, the aesthetic is both vibrant and wholesome, evoking a hot summer's mood. 
A brilliant nod to spring/summer 12's tribal trend, the first drop of the Africa collection flew off ASOS’ virtual shelves when it went live last month, so don’t miss the second lot which is available from the 6^th of June! 
Wonderfully, £5 from each ASOS Africa garment sold will continue to go directly to the construction of Soko’s new workshop (where the collection was co-produced), and each £5 is match-funded by the ASOS Foundation. 

To get your mitts on my ASOS AFRICA favourites (snapped below), plus the rest of the collection, don't delay, for this is affordable, feel good, fashion at its finest and it won't be hanging around for long!

A TRIP DOWN WISTERIA LANE

In the heat, me wearing: Whistles Wisteria print top and trousers, with Tibi sandals and a Smythson bag.
(Sunglasses on neckline of top by Ksubi).

“Ooh you’re going to work in your pajamas!” said my boyfriend with a smirk on his face, as we left the house yesterday morning “Yes I am!” 

Little did he know the pajama dressing trend was exactly what I was channeling in my loosely tailored silk Whistles outfit- the perfect ensemble for London’s mini heatwave. Stella McCartney, Jonathan Saunders and Clements Ribeiro, did it brilliantly on the runway and the high street didn’t hang around, creating some fab interpretations of the look. And with spring/summer ’12’s penchant for all things printed, pajama tailoring is as instant an outfit, as grabbing a floral dress- but way more exciting if you ask me.   

I got these Whistles Wisteria print pieces for Paris Fashion Week back in February, but this was the first time the weather’s been good enough for me to wear them in all their glory. 

SPORTY SPICE!

Sports girl, me wearing: Cos dress, Raoul clutch,  Red by Wolves trainers, Toywatch watch
and Stella McCartney sunglasses. 

The spring/summer catwalks were awash with techie fabrics in sculptural silhouettes, elevating casual materials to a more sophisticated class of dressing and thus the ‘Sports Luxe’ trend was born. Already partial to racer-back tops, elegant hoodies and high-top trainers, I’m embracing summer’s sporty styling whole-heartedly. An easy look for the city (after all sportswear always suits an urban backdrop) for work and for weekends too, plus you’d be surprised how glam you can take spring/summer ’12’s sports luxe look- swapping high-tops for a minimal, block-heeled sandal will transform your outfit into evening territory. Go on, give it a whirl...

In detail: A Raoul textured clutch and neon pink Toywatch watch are additional sporty touches. 

Up close: Red By Wolves white leather Bridie high-tops are the perfect Sports Luxe trainer.

BE-COS SHORTS-SUITS ARE WHERE IT’S AT!

Suits me: Cos' cotton embroidered, green geometric pattern shorts and jacket.

As someone who loves skinny-fit trousers and mini skirts in equal measure summer city shorts are a great workwear option for me when temperatures rise. So you can imagine my  delight when I spotted this little retro print shorts-suit by H&M’s sophisticated sister Cos. The boxy jacket offers the perfect solution for summer mornings when there’s a chill in the air and you can’t beat double print for maximum impact... just add a neutral blouse. Brilliant! 

NAILGIRLS AMAZING OMBRE MANI

It's official I love nailgirls. Founded by sister duo Lynda-Louise and Jo Burrell, and based at their sexy boutique nail salon on Cross Street in Islington, London, they have recreated the affordable luxury mani/pedi experience they both loved so much when living in New York. But that's not all, for not only do nailgirls create their own polishes (if you visit their salon- where their gorgeous colours fill giant sweetie jars- it's impossible to leave without buying a handful), they also work their magic on the catwalks, most recently teaming up with Erdem and Orla Kiely at February's London Fashion Week. So I was very excited to be working at the Grazia/Gap summer shopping event last week where the nailgirls were giving all the attendees a splash of their summer colours in the form of their ombre manicure! I opted for the pink hues, which range from pastel to neon but the green, blue, metallic and neutral manis are equally fabulous…I’m hooked!

A PERSPEX POUCH & OTHER KURT GEIGER TRIUMPHS

Anja Rubik starring in Kurt Geiger's Spring/Summer '12 campaign. 

In 2011 shoe label Kurt Geiger launched an accessories line called ‘Everything But The Dress’ extending their offering to handbags, small leather goods, sunglass, scarves and jewellery. Meanwhile the shoes got sexier, cooler, more desirable and then Anja Rubik sealed the deal (she’s been fronting the Kurt Geiger campaigns for the past two seasons, and hell, she could make me think a bin bag was a good look!), turning Kurt Geiger into the most desirable accessories house on the high street! 

And their latest collection (this time helped along by a bronzed Anja draped across '50s motors in LA) falls nothing short of fabulous! For the shoes that means sexy points or sassy mules and in the accessories department (which has grown to include travel and beach lines) it's all about the clutch. And nothing spells out 'California Dreaming' quite like a Perspex pouch- totally impractical yet brilliant for boasting about all manner of other amazing accessories (I’m thinking designer stationary and eye-wateringly expensive lipsticks) that normally remain hidden in the dark depths of other ordinary, opaque bags. But I’ll be road-testing mine full-throttle next week when I fly-off to Ibiza, as splash-proof Perspex= poolside-perfection! 

The KG*Kurt Geiger Perspex XL Pouch in nude, is also available in yellow and pink.

Colour clashing in head-to-toe Gap at the their shopping event in London last week, clutching my KG*Kurt Geiger
pouch.

To snap-up a Perspex XL clutch of your own and to see the full Kurt Geiger collection, click here.

SEEING STARS

Me wearing MiH Jeans, star print outfit, with Danielle Scutt for Freedom at Topshop earrings
and Miu Miu sling-backs.

MiH Jeans make the jeans I wear the most out of any other brand or style, in fact it’s rare a week goes by without me stepping out in a pair of their fabulous 'Vienna' skinnies but I don’t just love MiH Jeans for their fabulous denim; Chloe Lonsdale (who is at the helm of the London-based, Brit-label) creates highly desirable ready-to-wear too. And this season I fell head-over-heels for the MiH Collection silk, star print pieces. In fact, their Classic shirt and Scolloped hem shorts make me long for summer more than any other outfit I’m waiting to wear! And the best thing about theses pieces is their versatility; as even though they’re a powerful combo when worn together, the shorts look equally fab with a plain white tee and I’ll still be sporting the shirt come autumn, layered with a grey cashmere sweater- as the star motif (as well as being really pretty) is season-less. But for the best part of the summer I’ll be channeling the Pajama dressing trend and wearing the MiH Collection stars as an outfit, head-to-toe, in all their glory. ...All I need is a bit of sun! 

The MiH Jeans, star print shirt and shorts are available to buy now at Net-a-porter.com 

To see the full MiH Jeans collection click here.

AMO A-MORIR

Floral fest: A-Morir ceramic flower 'Phillips' sunnies worn with a River Island floral blouse.

Founded in 2008 by Kerin Rose, A-Morir eyewear are the most dazzling sunnies I think I’ve ever seen! Inspired by the designer’s favourite musicians, they’re all hand-adorned with everything from Swarovski crystals and ceramic flowers, to spikes, chains, lace, studs, and even pearls! Brilliantly traffic-stopping, these creations certainly bring out the exhibitionist in you, so it comes as no surprise that Kerin Rose is kitting out the likes of attention hungry Lady GaGa, Rihanna and Katy Perry (to name but a few of the famous faces) with her fabulous designs. And I have to say besides being amazing works of art, I’m totally digging the playful nature of these beauties, which can’t help but catapult your outfit into the spotlight. Wallflowers need not apply. 

Cat-eyes: A-Morir Swarovski 'Pierson' sunglasses worn with a Whistles tee and Karen Millen skirt.

To see the full A-Morir collection click here.

THE PERFECT DENIM SHIRT

Me wearing Gap's Spring/Summer '12 '1969 Classic Western shirt.' 

A design classic and wardrobe staple I’m a big fan of the denim shirt. A brilliant all-year-rounder, my existing one is the hardest working item in my closet- from layering it under knitwear in the winter to wearing it in the place of a jacket in high summer. Plus it works just as well with a pair of skinny jeans as it does thrown over a bikini. Needless to say I was delighted to discover this update from Gap’s spring/summer ’12 collection, the Western details, super-soft denim, flattering slim-fit and ultra accessible price tag make it well, perfect! Get in on the action here.

In detail: the Western style yoke and flapped Patch pocket.

Close up: the popper placket and three-popper cuffs.

Wearing mine to work last week, with last summer's Gap white jeans, a leopard print Ducie jacket, Mulberry bag
and French Sole pumps.

OLIVIA RUBIN, MY FAVOURITE DRESSMAKER

Olivia Rubin, in her London studio

I first met Olivia Rubin in 2008 after I featured a pink wool tux jacket from her autumn/winter collection in Grazia. The jacket was beautiful- still is- it's actually one of my most treasure items of clothing. As after the feature Olivia emailed me to thank me and when I expressed how much I loved the jacket and what a fan of the collection I was she offered to make me one- “I’m half way between a size 8 and 10”, I remember telling her, over email- “I’m a 9!” That’s no problem she told me and then in her South Molten Street studio in central London she handmade me a replica of the beautiful jacket I had featured in the magazine, and two weeks later it arrived. It was a perfect fit! I was so impressed by Olivia’s workmanship that when she invited me to her studio, after more email conversations, this time me thanking her, I jumped at the chance....I couldn’t wait to see what else she could do.

I’ve always loved prints and wearing colour and I think that’s why Olivia and I instantly connected; all of the prints you see in Olivia’s collections are her own original designs and I love visiting her at the start of each season when all she has is her print ideas, a few sketches of silhouettes and a cluster of images tacked to the wall of her studio (which together create a giant mood-board), and then returning when all Olivia’s hard work is done, the collection is complete and hanging in her showroom (which sits opposite her studio space).

What’s brilliant about Olivia is that she’s built her business herself (a one-woman band at times), so as well as the  design and pattern cutting process, she is involved in everything from traveling to China for production to meeting press and setting-up buying appointments in the UK and abroad too- Olivia is seriously smart. And as her business has grown over the past seven or eight seasons (and goodness knows it has!) Olivia’s never lost sight of what she set out to do and because of that her aesthetic and identity gets stronger every year. 

It's also worth noting that since launching her label in 2007 Olivia has gone from creating two collections each year to four and that doesn’t even include her diffusion line- Oli Rubi (which also has more than one drop a season) not to mention her collaborations with high street giants; ASOS and Dorothy Perkins and is now stocked worldwide, pretty tremendous in six years don't you think?!

Now, although I love her separates, and after all that’s what attracted me to Olivia’s label in the first place, it's her dresses that I’m addicted to! And I must say whenever I wear one of Olivia’s designs I always get compliments- her eye-catching prints never go unnoticed...so without further ado here is my collection of Olivia Rubin frocks, a timeline in dresses if you will, some you may instantly recognise- that’s because Cheryl Cole, Fearne Cotton etc. are also Olivia Rubin fans...but I wore them first, honest!

Olivia Rubin: Autumn/Winter ’08 wool jacket, worn with Olivia Rubin: Autumn/Winter ’11 ‘Emma’ blouse. 

Olivia Rubin: Spring/Summer ’09 ‘Zebra’ dress.  

Olivia Rubin: Spring/Summer ’09 ‘Shark’ shirtdress.  

Olivia Rubin: Autumn/Winter ’09 square print tunic dress.

Olivia Rubin: Spring/Summer ’10 ‘Opie’ dress. 

Olivia Rubin: Spring/Summer ’10 abstract print dress. 

Olivia Rubin: Autumn/Winter ’10 ‘Lily’ dress.

Olivia Rubin: Spring/Summer ’11 ‘Teardrop’ dress.  

Olivia Rubin: Autumn/Winter ’11 ‘Kim’ dress.

Olivia Rubin: Autumn/Winter ’11 ‘Sophie speech bubble’ sweater, worn with Paige jeans 
and Miu Miu sandals throughout. 

To see and shop Olivia Rubin's latest collections click here.

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT... UPPERSTREET.COM?

I love Upper Street’s fab range of exotic skins; check out my tri-colour catwalk inspired sandals, which I’ll wear for seasons to come I’m sure.

Upper Street is a nifty little website, created by shoe lovers Julia Grinham and Katy Chandler. It enables shoppers to effortlessly create shoes to their own specifications online,  where they are then ordered, made by hand and shipped to you. In rather luxurious packaging too, I might add! 

With hundreds of styles, colours and finishes to choose from it's amazing that it's not overwhelming, but the savvy website actually makes it really fun...even for the time poor-I created the above sandals in about 10 minutes (and I do umm and ah a lot, when it comes to shoes). 

But I must ’fess up, these sandals aren’t the first time I’ve created shoes with Upper Street; I created a pair of hot pink courts with a metallic toe-cap in May last year (which I then featured on the Grazia Fashion Charts, I was so pleased with them) and then a colleague of mine couldn’t find the right shoes for her wedding so I suggested she have a go on Upper Street too; since then quite a few brides I’ve spoken to have said they’re also using Upper Street for their wedding day shoes- it's ideal for creating a design you haven't been able to find elsewhere, or a colour to match a certain outfit. 

Upper Street really does fill a gap in the market, for not only their top-notch make and quality (the calfskin leathers, Italian satins and exotic skins they use are the real deal) at a reasonable price, but also because they’ve cleverly handed the designing over to the wearer and you can’t say fairer than that!

THROUGH THE FASHION KEYHOLE: NATASHA LANDA

Accessories Designer Natasha Landa with her personalised Cambridge satchel bag.

Everyone knows somebody who- no matter where they are or what they're doing- always looks amazing! You know the type- its Saturday morning you meet for a local brunch; you turn-up with wet hair, in something that needs ironing and she greets you perfectly groomed, looking cute-as-a-button. 

For me Natasha is that person, (she’s also one of my bestest friends and that brunch scenario happened two weeks ago). In fact, since we met in the Summer of 2002 at the LCF induction seminar (for our fashion foundation course) I don’t think I’ve ever seen her get it wrong! 

Obviously, like every self-respecting follower of fashion, Natasha has a few trend-tragedies in her closet (not literally, I’m sure she’s thrown them out) 

*cough Topshop’s baby-blue combat trousers circa Spring/Summer 2003 cough* 

(I did actually really want a pair at the time. I know, judge away!)

Those one-season wonders aside, Tasha has the kind of style that money totes can’t buy (don’t misunderstand me, she’s more than happy to throw £££ at the situation), but it's her superb eye for detail and individual flare that sets her apart from the crowd. Natasha’s also a bit of a shopaholic, ok a big shopaholic, which she cleverly (or so she thinks) camouflages with her appreciation for beautiful things. Plus she has an 100% failure rate for resisting ‘a good bargain’ when she sees one. Natasha also loves antique fairs, flee markets, vintage shopping and is one of the few people I know who actually understands WTF eBay is all about! 
Now here's a taster of Tasha's style:

Natasha wears: Victoria, Victoria Beckham Spring/Summer '12 dress with Topshop boots
and vintage necklaces. 

Natasha wears: Prada shaggy bolero jacket, Hillier printed tee (just seen), with skirt by Vaudeville & Burlesque,
Rupert Sanderson patent courts and a vintage broach.

Natasha wears: American Apparel tee she hand-beaded, Victoria Beckham Denim black wax-finish jeans,
Converse trains, a Marc by Marc Jacobs watch and vintage necklaces (as before) that she found at an antiques fair.

Natasha wears: Prada knitted dress, See By Chloe perspex heel sandals and (real) bug bangles she 
snapped up at an antiques fair.

Natasha wears: House of Holland Autumn/Winter '11 dress, leather jacket from TK Maxx 6 years ago!
And Topshop suede lace-up boots (as before). 

Natasha wears: Victoria Beckham sunglasses, vintage Burberry trench, Cambridge satchel bag,
and her favourite Topshop wedge boots!

I ASKED NATASHA...

HER VITAL STATS:

Age: 28

Occupation: Accessories Designer for Katie Hillier 

Address: Tufnell Park, London

WHAT INSPIRES YOU WHEN GETTING DRESSED IN THE MORNING?

"The weather! And what mood I happen to wake up in. I might have looked at something in a magazine, or blog or seen someone on the street and think hmmm I could create that look. I do enjoy finding something hidden in the back of the wardrobe I have forgotten about too."

WHO ARE YOUR STYLE ROLE MODELS? 

"Mainly people I see on the street, as working in Shoreditch there is always someone who catches my eye! I LOVE LOVE, LOVE, Mad Men and wish I could dress like they did in the late '50s, early '60s each day but I would sadly be there for hours.....My style icons change weekly (how fickle!) I might like what Kate Bosworth is wearing one day, Alexa Chung (her BFC Awards Christopher Kane dress and FRINGE made me drool for a week!) to Laura Bailey, but always the immaculate Grace Kelly in 'Rear Window'."

WHICH ARE YOUR FAVOURITE SHOPS/LABELS/DESIGNERS? 

"Miuccia Prada (genius), Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton (don't even get me talking about that carousel) , Christopher Kane (fluro & magpie on full alert), Victoria, Victoria Beckham (I want everything!!!), Chanel (oh I need a 2.55 in my life, badly!) Markus Lupfer, Henry Holland, Proenza Schouler, Celine...Shops wise- Dover Street Market is my all time dream!"

WHAT ARE THE MOST TREASURED ITEMS IN YOUR WARDROBE?

"My Victoria Beckham 'Victoria' handbag from the first collection, a vintage '70s Chanel bag that I found in Bologna at a bargain price- it felt like discovering buried treasure, a Day Birger et Mikkelsen evening dress, that I spent a fortune on as a student when I won an award, so it's very special to me because it was a proud moment and my Hillier jewellery (that was recently stolen in a burglary, but soon to be replaced!!) given to me as presents by Katie!"

Behind the scenes at Tasha's house. Thank you for having me gorgeous girl xxx

MINIMAL...IT'S THE NEW PRETTY

Naturally I’m a clothes and accessories lover but there’s something about a new piece of jewellery that beats any shoe high in my book. Costume jewellery has its place- for a yard of faux pearls or cluster of colourful jumbo jewels will give you instant fashion pow-wow like nothing else, but it’s the real deal- I’m talking gold and diamonds that get me really excited! And where there’s gold, there are rings- lots of them in my case... eight in fact (I just counted) that I wear everyday- until now. As this week I got my mitts on a Hillier ‘Pretty’ ring...and yes it is... really, really pretty! Made from 18ct gold, it’s the finest gold band I’ve ever seen- so delicate and elegant, adorned in the centre with a tiny (very sparkly) diamond. And it’s the beauty of this simple thing, so marvelously minimal, that has made me re-think my jam-packed fingers, previously very overdressed, so for now I’m paring back, and dare I say it- my hands look far prettier this way.