06.06.2011- Monday Must-haves

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you've all had a lovely day (if indeed Mondays can ever be lovely!) Even if you haven't had that great a day, I've got some lovely Monday Must-haves to cheer you up:

I love the brightly patterned tee, created by Cacharel for Uniqlo from a selection of special vintage edition prints, as it's perfect for injecting a bit of summertime brightness into even the most rain-soaked of wardrobes (typical British summer eh? One week of sunshine then bucket loads of rain!) The shoulder bag from Zara is divine, and could easily pass for something ten times more expensive. I adore the colour of the Warehouse blouse, and it would be great dressed up with smart trousers or a skirt, or styled casually with jeans. I chose the loafers as they co-ordinate perfectly with the bag (well, if it's good enough for the Queen!), and the trousers are really versatile. Finally, the nail varnish is a beautiful summery shade of coral, a failsafe even if the weather lets you down!

What do you think of my picks for this week? Have you bought anything you love recently?

(Image credit: Uniqlo, Zara, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse and Topshop.)

16.03.2011- Fashion Week Top Five: Paris AW11

Paris Fashion Week was well worth the wait and there were so many collections which really stood out. Needless to say, I found it very tricky to narrow it down to my five favourites, so as well as the collections I've chosen, honourable mentions must go to Riccardo Tisci's walk on the wild side at Givenchy and Stella's re-invention of spots and shoulders. Here are my top five from Paris:

1) Valentino

Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli's presentation for Valentino was charming. With romantic maxi dresses, pleats and beautiful embellishments, this collection channelled understated elegance and femininity. The main thing I really admired about the designs shown here was how accessible they felt; even if you haven't got the budget to afford Valentino (who has?), the shapes and colours of this collection provide a slice of inspiration which I'm sure will filter down to the high street for next season. I can't wait!

2) Cacharel

 The Cacharel presentation was clean, fresh and felt really modern. The prints are amazing (I especially love the way the white print pops against the navy blue) and the crisp white on show here looks like a massive trend in the making. 

3) Lanvin

 Alber Elbaz delivered yet another lovely collection for Lanvin, complete with his now trademark asymmetric floor length gowns and bold colours. His use of floral print somehow feels really fresh, and I really like the way the motif has been used throughout the collection. 

4) Carven

The designs which Guillame Henry created for Carven were cute, feminine and sophisticated. Once again, pleats made an appearance, as did the cute collars which have become synonymous with the Carven label. 

5) Alexander McQueen

Paris wouldn't be Paris without the anticipation of a McQueen show. Sarah Burton's latest creations for the label are breathtaking and I really admire the way that she is developing the signature aesthetic created by Lee McQueen. As ever, the collection featured beautifully engineered dresses, elaborate detail and a sense of character which is quintessentially McQueen. 

So that's it until September when the SS12 presentations kick off! 

What were your favourite collections from Paris? Do you agree with my picks?

(Image credit: style.com and fashiongonerogue.)