Les Petites Fleurs

Brighter Than Sunshine

2010-07-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

I'm loving all the pastels for summer - mint, lemon, baby blue, nude, blush, lilac... I'm currently pairing them with denim jackets, gold jewellery, and worn leather accessories - I'm still on the search for the perfect tan satchel bag! Although I have finally managed to locate the perfect birdcage necklace, after searching for one for well over a year :)

Pale yellow dress, £13.50 from Topshop

Pink glitter rose ring, £2 from Miss Selfridge

Gold birdcage necklace, £5 from Topshop

Gold bangles from Warehouse, Primark etc.

Gold bow ballet flats, £13.50 from Topshop

Roses Are Blue

2010-06-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

This is the only wrap dress I own, but I'd definitely consider getting one or two more. I very much like how you can determine how fitted they are at the waist......

Blue, brown and purple rose print wrap-dress, £9 from Topshop

Gold and blue dangly earrings, 33p from Claire's

Gold leather ballet flats, £13.50 from Topshop

Creepy Crawlies

2010-06-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

I'll admit that this blouse freaked me out a little at first, what with my aversion to real bugs, but I do love nature and biology - I think David Attenborough is possibly the coolest person ever. It goes in the animal print section of my wardrobe where oddly I have none of the typical leopard, and instead bird, butterfly and horse print!

Insect print blouse, £9 from Topshop

Black highwaisted skirt, £5 from H&M

Dark silver leather ballet flats, £10 from Oasis

Black leather and silver studded belt, £5 from River Island

Silver fly necklace, £2 from Accessorize

Antique silver engraved cuff, a gift

Mother of pearl, blue and silver bangles, vintage from various charity shops

Crack The Shutters

2010-06-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

During revision and exam time I turned to eBay to feed my love of shopping, and this Topshop dress is one of the results! I ended up with a few more unusual items, like a bronze sequined bolero and a black and gold beaded cape, which I absolutely adore. I set myself a limit of only spending £10 an item including postage, and got some real bargains!

Lilac and cream lace dress, around £7 from Topshop via eBay

Pastel beaded charm bracelet, £4.20 from Accessorize

Pale grey leather ballet flats, £2.70 from Topshop

Vintage gold cross necklace, 10p from a car boot sale

Mint enamel butterfly ring, £1 from Asda

Summer Sunshine

2010-06-17T13:00:00.000-07:00

This mid-calf dress is kind of an awkward length, but for £10 down from £90 and in such a pretty pattern, how could I resist! I've also been collecting a lot of dangly earrings lately, and these turquoise ones are my favourites.

The weather has been so warm in the past few weeks so I just can't wait until it's properly summer! I'm going to France again in a little over a month and I'm already excited about the food......

Purple silk floral dress, £10 from Monsoon

Turquoise chandelier earrings, £2.50 from Primark

Vintage gold and crystal cuff, 75p from a charity shop

Turquoise stone necklace worn as a bracelet, a gift

From Dusk 'Til Dawn

2010-03-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

This has got to be one of my prettiest dresses - from the dusky pink lace, to the sequins and poofy skirt, it's just lovely!! So lovely in fact that I bought it in black as well :)

Dusky pink lace and sequin dress, £18 from Topshop

Tan leather strappy heels, £6.25 from River Island

Glass beaded necklace, £6 from Accessorize

Butterfly hairclip, 50p from Quarters

Pink, purple and gold bangles, accumulated from various places

Twit Twoo

2010-03-11T15:04:00.000-08:00

Just a quick outfit from the other day...

Brown owl print tee, £5 from H&M

Vintage denim jacket, £2.50 from a charity shop

Black leather belt with gold buckle, £5 from Oasis

Black flippy skirt, £5 from H&M

Gold and turquoise beaded cuff, £2 from Miss Selfridge

Black leather flats with big bow, £9 from Topshop

Playing Dress Up

2010-03-04T13:48:00.000-08:00

Gosh it's been ages since I was on here - in the panic of revision I totally forgot this blog even existed! But now my exam is over I am free to update again :)

These pictures are from today when I was creating outfits around this rose print dress I bought as a present to myself after working so hard, I adore the shape and the heart cut-out on the back! It's become sunny again recently so I've started to become re-obsessed with pastels and florals for springtime and I'm looking forward to wearing this dress all summer long.........

Rose print dress with cut out heart back, £25.20 from New Look

Dark burgundy peeptoe heels, £20 from Office

Pink rose hairclip, £1.75 for two from the girl's section in Accessorize

Gold and crystal flower ring, £2 from Miss Selfridge

Pearls and chiffon bow necklace worn as bracelet, £1 from Topshop

On a totally random note, I found some lovely sparkly hairclips by Jonny Loves Rosie in Topshop the other day for £2 a set down from a tenner, and I was inspired to arrange all of my pretty hair things on a heart-shaped plate I picked up from the supermarket pre-Valentine's Day.....

Hairclips from Accessorize, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Quarters, Boots, Jonny Loves Rosie, New Look, Primark, etc.

And the winner is........

2010-01-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

Bay Faye of Sous La Pluie! Congratulations :) I can't wait to see it make an appearance on your blog and I hope you love it!

Quite irritatingly, I have managed to leave my camera at home, so I'll leave you with some outfit pictures that I never got round to posting a few months ago....

Dove print dress, £10 from Dorothy Perkins

Vintage denim jacket, £2.50 from a charity shop

Pale blue leather bow belt, £3 from River Island

Silver jewelled headband, £1 from Primark

Grey leather ballet flats, £2.70 from Topshop

Blue glitter rose ring, £1 from Matalan

p.s. LuShae Jewellery are doing a sweepstakes here where you can win $200 worth of pretty rings and necklaces!

Happy New Year and a Giveaway!

2009-12-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I can’t believe it’s almost 2010 already! And to ring in the New Year I’m doing my first ever giveaway, with CSN Stores.

They sell all sorts of things, from chandeliers to living room furniture, but the prize I chose for one lucky reader is this gorgeous Russian doll clutch:

The giveaway is only open to those living in the US and Canada, and to enter just leave me a comment on this post with your email address.

The competition closes at midnight on the 7th January and I’ll pick the winner at random and announce her the next day!

Good luck, I can’t wait to send this adorable bag to a loving owner!

Ma Chambre

2009-11-25T05:00:00.000-08:00

After some much-needed prompting (thanks Rachel!) I finally remembered to update this blog again! I started medical school at the end of September and my life has been hectic ever since, so I thought I would ease myself back into blogging with a simple post of snapshots of my room at university.

And to everyone who has stayed with me despite the lack of posting, thank you! Your support means the world to me :)

Tick Tock

2009-08-31T15:27:00.000-07:00

I am well aware that I have neglected Les Petites Fleurs over the past few months, but holidays and nervousness about exam results prevented me from updating! Although I can now say that I am going to study at Cardiff University in September and am extremely excited! If anyone who reads this is from the area, any shopping hints or tips would be greatly appreciated.

The blog is also going to be undergoing a bit of a revamp while I have some spare time on my hands, so any improvements that you can think of (other than fixing my sporadic posting) are most welcome.

As for today's outfit, the dress is one of my favourites. I love how the skirt resembles petals, and the peachy pink colour is so pretty! The clock necklace is once again from Accessorize, I think I am becoming obsessed with collecting their quirky necklaces....

Peach petal dress, £5 from Primark

Mint green cardi, £7 from Florence & Fred

Black leather woven belt, 50p from a charity shop

Gold leather ballet flats in dire need of replacement, £7 from Dorothy Perkins

Cream and blue painted wooden bangle, 20p from a jumble sale

Enamel clock and bow necklace, £3.50 from Accessorize

Bumblebee

2009-06-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been away so long!!! Exams have been taking up most of my time recently, but now that they're over I can finally update again! This outfit is really pretty simple, but it epitomises what I've been wearing recently - an airy dress, ballet flats and not much jewellery since England seems to be having a bit of a heat wave (and long may it last!).

Blue and red floral cotton dress £10 from H&M

Silver bumblebee necklace, £2 from Accessorize

Red sparkly leather ballet flats £10 from Office

Les Oiseaux

2009-05-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

As soon as I bought this feather-print dress I couldn't resist pairing it with my bird charm necklace!! Although it's a few sizes too big, I think I actually prefer it belted...

Cream linen and cotton dress embroidered with dark red feathers, £3 from Next

Teal cardigan, £5 from Oasis

Tan leather woven belt, £1 from Next

Gold necklace with bird charms, £2 from Primark

Metal, beaded and thread bangles from France, primark, India and flea markets

Chocolate brown tights, 50p from Oasis

Gold leather ballet flats, £7 from dorothy Perkins

Emerald City

2009-05-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Apparently I've developed an addiction to polka dot skirts - I have 4 now! I guess it's just one of my favourite patterns, along with florals in every form.

Vintage cream satin nightdress worn as a blouse, £2 from a charity shop

Emerald green poofy skirt, £5 from Primark

Dark pink cardi, £11 from Topshop

Black leather plaited belt, 50p from a charity shop

Grey leather ballet flats, £2.70 from Topshop

Multicoloured bead charm bracelet, a gift (from Accessorize)

Bonjour!

2009-05-16T15:33:00.000-07:00

Although I no longer study French, I still love the language and this tee allows me to say hello to the world!

"Bonjour" tee, £5 from Topshop

Blue cardi with heart buttons added by me, £10 from H&M

Black highwaisted skirt with white polka dots, £5 from H&M

Gold leather ballet flats, £7 from Dorothy Perkins

Black opaque tights, 75p from Primark

Red and gold ring, £1 from Asda

Queen Of Hearts

2009-05-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

I bought this outfit in the sale after Christmas - the pink hearts on the dress perfectly match the shade of the shoes! The skirt is wonderfully swingy, but if it's too windy then you can have a Marilyn Monroe-esque moment....

Poker print dress, £18 from Topshop

Pink leather T-bar heels, £9 from Topshop

Black opaque tights, 50p from New Look

Pink headband with black felt heart, made by me

Lace, Feathers and Pleats

2009-05-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

I like to wear pretty outfits when I'm revising, it helps to cheer me up somewhat!! Venturing into my garden to take pictures of the wonderful weather also helps to alleviate the feeling of being cooped up inside all day..........

White and blue floral blouse, £3 from Primark

Black pleated skirt with lace edging, £5 from H&M

Dark brown snakeskin-effect leather heels, £10 from Debenhams

Black leather waist belt with gold buckle, £5 from Oasis

Sterling silver flower fairy charm bracelet, from my childhood

Pheasant feather headband, made by me

Roses Are Pink...

2009-04-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

Today was beautifully sunny, but I was forced to wear tights due to the cold wind. I hope that soon I will be able to go bare-legged outdoors!!

Black and pink rose print chiffon dress, £9.99 from a little shop in town

Dark pink cardi, £11 from Topshop

Brown leather woven belt, £1 from Next

Gold leather ballet flats, £7 from Dorothy Perkins

Silver metal ring with green stone, 33p from a flea market

Silver chain bracelet, £2.40 from Accessorize

Assorted purple, blue, pink and gold bangles from India, charity shops, flea markets, Claire's etc.

Mon Coeur

2009-04-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

Although some people wear their hearts on their sleeves, I prefer to have mine dangling from a chain around my neck!

Pink metal heart necklace, £1 from Oasis

Emerald green dress, £12 from Primark

Silver and pink flower neckace, 99p from Oxfam

Bow print tee, £3 from River Island

Silver wire heart necklace, £1 from Topshop
Sapphire blue sik dress, £9 from Principles

Pressed rose necklace, £2 from Primark

Yelow cotton sundress, £2 from a charity shop

Green metal heart necklace, £1 from Oasis

Poker-print dress, £18 from Topshop

Red plastic heart necklace, £1 from Scope

Black and white striped knit dress, £4 from Warehouse

Blue metal heart necklace, £1 from Oasis

Pink photograph tee, £4 from Zara

Pale gold wire heart necklace, £1 from Topshop

Blue and white floral blouse, £3 from Primark

Pink glittery plastic heart necklace, £1 from Claire's

Blue floaty dress, £16.50 from Monsoon

Yellow metal heart necklace, £1 from Oasis

Floral dress, £3 from H&M

Tea Party

2009-04-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

This is possibly my favourite necklace - the little teacup and spoon are just adorable!

White cotton tee, £4 from H&M

Purple cardigan, £9 from Marks and Spencer

Blue tulip skirt, £11 from Primark

Gold leather ballet flats, £7 from Dorothy Perkins

Pink leather belt, £4 from Oasis

Teacup, saucer and spoon necklace, £6 from Accessorize

Mint green and purple bangles, from India

Flowers

2009-03-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Mixing patterns and colours makes me happy! The sunshine might have something to do with my cheerful mood also....

Floral blouse, £3 from Marks and Spencer

Bright blue cardigan, £10 from H&M

Pink cotton high-waisted skirt, £4 from Primark

Silver leather ballet flats, £10 from Oasis

Wire heart necklace, £1 from Topshop

Glittery blue rose ring, £1 from Matalan

Spring Has Sprung

2009-03-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

I bought this beautiful blue dress at the weekend for 70% off. The sleeves are floaty and go around the back of the dress to form a lovely cape-like effect. Worn with my favourite pink heels, it feels like Spring is here at last!

Bright blue floaty dress, £16.50 from Monsoon

Pink leather T-bar heels, £9 from Topshop

Gold jangly bangle, 50p from a little shop in Birmingham

Gold leather bow clutch, £1.50 from a charity shop

Vintage hand-painted paper and bamboo parasol, 75p from a carboot sale

Les Bonbons

2009-03-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Dessert has always been my favourite part of a meal, and in the past week I have managed to acquire a collection of sweet little trinkets - cupcakes, lollipops, icecreams....
I have my eye on a little gold cupcake necklace in Accessorize for £4, and may just have to purchase that too! All the jewellery in the next few photographs was £1 from Claires apiece, and the felt cake pin was made by me:

This dress from Topshop is printed with tiny icecreams, and would be perfect for summer. I love the slightly sweetheart neckline and the bow at the waist!

Cupcakes Jewellery makes the sweetest little necklaces, bracelets and earrings - how adorable are those pink cake studs?

In my opinion, Judith Leiber is unparalleled in the bag world. Her minaudières, studded with Swarovski crystals, are simply beautiful, and these cupcake-shaped bags are no exception. If you have $4295 spare then you can buy the strawberry one here!

Heidi Seeker is filled to the brim with delicious treats! The strawberry beret is nothing short of amazing, and I think I'm going to order the icecream necklace on the bottom left when I get paid at the end of the month. For £6.50 including postage, who wouldn't??

The print on this Fornarina dress, found on eBay, is just too cute! I'm going to have to hunt down a similar fabric and create a skirt methinks...

Accessorize really seems to be outdoing itself in terms of food-based jewellery at the moment - the icecream reminds me of those worn in Topshop Unique's SS09 show!

I only discovered ShanaLogic today, but these two bracelets are perfectly quirky and girly! The chocolate one is just so unusual, and I could almost eat those little cupcake charms!

Treasure

2009-03-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

The other day, my mother brought this adorable little tin from work. She works in what used to be an old Victorian house, and when they were cleaning out one of the old rooms she found this tucked away into a corner. Imagine her surprise when she opened it up to see it full of trinkets and treasures! Her boss was going to throw it out, so she was allowed to take it home to me. I don't think it's been opened for nearly a hundred years - there was a little calendar (shown below) on the top of everything, dated 1913!

I love the little sailor men on the front of the matchboxes - there are two different kinds!

This olive crocheted necklace is embellished with loops of dark purple glass beads - I can almost picture the girl who wore it last!

Silver and studded with clear crystals, I think I may attach this clip to the collar of my coat for some sparkle and shine.

I was thinking about dangling these 3 metal buttons on a gold chain and wearing them around my neck - they are just too pretty to be sewn on one blouse or cardigan!

As soon as I saw this dark grey rhinestone belt buckle, I've been dreaming of sewing some wide velvet ribbon so that I could sport this gem at my waist. I was thinking of using a deep pink or blue, but have had no luck locating any ribbon of the neccessary thickness...

Yet another of those ambiguous pieces whose purpose I am unsure of, I may string this up as a necklace using the holes already present.

A nice long piece of satin ribbon in purple should double up as a belt for this buckle - I really need to hit my local fabric and haberdashery store!

A lone gold and black earring painted with what looks like a Hindu goddess of some kind may end up as a brooch or a pendant, perhaps both.

Another selection of small pretty buttons, I will sew these onto a thin ribbon as a bracelet that I can tie around my wrist.

Geometric buckles made of plastic and mother of pearl will soon find a home threaded onto a narrow piece of fabric.

I'm now hunting for the perfect peach or coral cardigan to sew these tiny creamy buttons onto...

I think I will pair these orange buttons with a cobalt silk blouse - any ideas as of what to do with the matching belt buckle?

Belle

2009-03-01T22:07:00.000-08:00

Belle was always my favourite Disney princess, probably due to the fact she had brown curly hair like me! When I bought this dress in September, I was a little dubious of the shade, but now I love it to pieces and it's my favourite item in my wardrobe.

Lemon chiffon dress, £13.50 from Topshop

Gold leather wedges, £9 from Kurt Geiger

Red vintage clutch, £3 from a charity shop

Pressed rose necklace, £2 from Primark

Gold chain necklace as a headband, 75p from a charity shop

Black opaque tights from Marks & Spencer

Beauty and the Beast badges, from my childhood

Bando

2009-02-28T14:50:00.000-08:00

Whenever I visit Bando, I undoubtedly end up lusting over almost everything in their shop. The mixing of feathers, velvet, silk, satin, sequins and jewels is magical, and if I won the lottery I think I'd buy every piece. Until then though, I'll just have to save up my money...

These two are my favourites of all - I adore the blue and green peacock feathers of the headband, whilst the soft pastel shades of the feather clip make me wish that Spring was here already!

Using some pink satin ribbon and five little bows, I attempted my own DIY version which pales in comparison to those at Bando. I intend to use burgundy velvet and antique cream lace for my next project, and hopefully it will turn out even better!

In The Greenhouse Of Burberry

2009-02-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

When I saw this ad campaign in Vogue a few months ago, featuring the 4th picture below, I was smitten. How quintessentially English a setting is an old glass greenhouse bursting with shrubs, bushes and grasses? It provides the perfect backdrop to the floppy hats, feminine dresses and impeccable tailoring sported by Lily Donaldson et al.

The metal flowers and buds clustered on leather necklaces are quite beautiful, and evocative of memories of early spring when trees begin to blossom. I admire Christopher Bailey for this quirky choice of milieu - I find it a welcome relief from the plain and boring white screen in front of which most fashion advertisements are shot.

The pleating of this sheer dress is incredibly pretty, and I love how it's been paired with a worn-in denim coat.

The flower appliqué on the sleeves of the green coat adds interest and dimension to the piece, and the dress on the left is a such a pretty shade of rosy pink.

Sequins and metallics are anything but ostentatious when worn with slouchy woolen socks and bucket hats - relaxed glamour at it's best.

The dip-dyed brown trench seems to be inspired by mud and water soaking up the hem, creating an ombré effect.

The textured emellishments of some of the garments are just stunning - I can only wonder at the craftmanship that went into their development.

If you wish, you can view the entire ad campaign here.

New Jewellery

2009-02-20T05:32:00.000-08:00

I haven't really spent that much in the past couple of weeks, but most of what I have bought has been jewellery. I appear to be collecting necklaces as well as bangles now!!

Set of 6 bangles, £2 from a little shop in Birmingham

Vintage silver fish necklace, £1 from a charity shop

Pale pink orchid shaped ceramic studs, £1 from a charity shop

Gold bangle with bells attached, 50p from a little shop in Birmingham

Red plastic heart necklace, £1 from a charity shop

Red and gold beaded bangle, 50p from a little shop in Birmingham

Gold layered bird necklace, £2 from Primark

Gold love ring, £4 from Accessorize

Gold bangle with metal tassel and pastel-coloured beads & rhinestones, £1 from a little shop in Birmingham

Heart necklace with a pressed rose inside, £2 from Primark

I wouldn't wear all of the bangles together, but I just had to try them all on at once!!!

Polka Polka

2009-02-08T08:06:00.001-08:00

Blue, red, navy and white polka dot tea dress, £2.50 from H&M

Red sparkly leather ballet flats, £10 from Office

Gold and crystal bangles, £1 from Warehouse

Black knit ribbed tights, £2.50 from New Look

Inspiration 2

2009-02-01T13:33:00.000-08:00

Just another few pictures from the "Inspiration" folder on my computer....

Erin Fetherston never fails to design a collection that is pretty, feminine and utterly adorable. In Miu Miu heels and surrounded by dresses in aqua, peach and baby pink, her life seems perfect!!

This vintage pheasant feather hairpiece is unusual but oh so lovely, and I like how the green and blue sheen to some of the feathers is almost iridescent.

In a rose-streaked gown, surrounded by glowing orbs of light, Lily Cole is a decidedly eerie sight...

The swirling pattern on these cupcakes is delightful, and with blue icing and sculpted pink roses, they look absolutely delicious and delectable!

I'm in love with this vintage country cottage-shaped handbag that I found in an online store over a year ago. However, I can no longer remember exactly where I happened upon it, and so owning it must still remain a dream...

Miuccia Prada's Spring/Summer collection in 2008 was possibly the best collection ever. I saw some of these pieces in Harrods and actually dreamt about the fairy illustrations for weeks afterwards!

Sean Bean as Sharpe is definitely good TV viewing, and the costume is just a bonus - frogging, buttons, tassels, worn leather..........

This dress is the most stunning shape - I'm smitten by the puff sleeves, nipped-in waist and poufy skirt.

If only I had the skill to recreate this look, with sprinkles of colour trailing behind a cerise butterfly, teal eyelids, flawless skin and softly glossy lips.

Pastel tulle sculpted into spheres and sheer sleeves - what more can I say?

Peacocks are possibly my most favourite animals, and this vintage rhinestone brooch on Ebay is a testament to their majestic qualities.

Les Ballerines

2009-01-25T01:50:00.000-08:00

It was through the art of Edgar Degas that I fell in love with ballet. The grace and poise that a dancer must possess fascinates me, and I can only dream of acquiring such balletic talent.

The soft pastels used by Degas capture the ethereal prettiness of his subjects, and each piece is unashamedly beautiful. Over half of Degas' works feature ballerinas, and this speaks volumes about his obsession with their elegance and beauty of movement.

The pastel chiffon & tulle layers of the ballet skirts and tutus add to the delicacy of each scene, and fresh flowers cascade down dresses and are pinned in carefully curled hair.

Although white, ivory and cream are the prevailing colours, accents of lemon yellow and frou-frou pink are bold against the muted shades of the background.

The warm rose, coral and lilac in the piece on the left (by Joanna Bohoy) complement each other perfectly, and the crown of flowers adorning Degas' ballerina is uncannily like Alix's!

The paintings below are by artists Caroline Gold, Greg Collins and Andrew Atroshenko. The first piece is quite pensive and wistful, and although the same pose is struck in every one of the remaining 3 paintings, each artist has interpreted it in their own personal way so that the pieces are distinctly different.

Many designers utilise the shape and structure of the ballet skirt, generally shortening it by many inches so that it is a more wearable length, but retaining its innocence nonetheless.

At Charles Anastase, sheer voile skirts were worn over thigh-high stockings and bloomers. Geeky glasses and completely covered-up torsos provided a demure contrast to the peek-a-boo aspect of the lower half of the outfits.

Christophe Decarnin at Balmain showcased dresses with fitted embellished bodices and short skirts that poofed out at the waist. A constrast to the sharp tailored jackets and body-con fit of the majority of his Spring/Summer 2009 collection, these looks were airy, light and exuded freshness.

Luella Bartley revisits the tutu skirt in almost every collection. In the top row are looks from her Spring/Summer 2008 show, in which skirts were tiered and necklines "sweetheart"-shaped. In Autumn/Winter 2008 (the bottom row), the ballet skirt became darker & more Gothic, and was accessorized with crimped hair, pale skin and black lace:

At Luisa Beccaria, the aforementioned designer's daughters sprinkled flower petals across the catwalk before the show, a quirky but sweet twist that defined the label's identity.

Ruffles in all shapes and sizes were paired with softly curled hair and shades of blush and nude to create what was, in my opinion, the most inspiring collection of Spring/Summer 2009.

Rokit has an impressive stock of tutu-like skirts, but these petticoats are my favourites. They come in a range of hues and are edged with matching lace - the mint green and dusky pink are my picks!

The sale section at ASOS is full of ballerina-esque skirts in varying styles and lengths. I especially like the one with a pink mini printed on it, and the vibrant colour of the purple tutu.

This silk organza skirt by Bolongaro Trevor is handpainted, clearly chanelling Dolce & Gabbana S/S 08. The wide brush strokes of white stand out clearly against the tiers of black ruffles, and its high waist makes it even more covetable.

The rosette detailing along the hem of the first skirt is so unusual, and both the fit and the shape are just right.

Also, I adore the styling of the second skirt. The layers of scalloped black lace are complemented perfectly by the rosy blush hue of the top, the gold jewellery and gorgeous shoes.

Servane Gaxotte makes the most unique and beautiful pendants. Tiny silver girls and mice sport jewel-encrusted bodices and wear skirts crafted out of scraps of delicate lace. You can buy them here.

Using a palette of pinks, neutrals and gold, I created a couple of outfits inspired by "ballerina style" using clothes and accessories from Net-a-Porter:

I'm in love with this sequined skirt from Moschino Cheap & Chic! Paired with a simple cotton tank and cardi, it could even work for daytime.

This gold and agate necklace by Isharya = Amazing! The effect of light streaming through it would be so pretty, almost like a portable stained-glass window!

And finally, a cute little girl with an admirable collection of tutus. I'm afraid I just couldn't resist posting this picture after I stumbled across it, she is just too adorable!

Jingle Jangle Bangles

2009-01-21T13:02:00.000-08:00

My favourite accessory is definitely an armful of bangles. Rarely do I leave the house with less than 5 - I have been known to wear as many as 30 at a time!

To me, their rhythmic jingling, jangling, clicking and clanking is almost soothing, and I actually find it much easier to type or write with them on my wrist. My friends even joke that they can hear me coming from the sounds that they make!!

I do not find that they hinder me in any way, but maybe I have adapted to their constant presence and weight.

Although most of them started out in sets, I enjoy mixing and matching shades, materials and textures.

Whether metal, beaded, glass, embossed, filigree, silk thread, enamel, wood, plastic, crystal, mother of pearl, I love them all!!!

Spring Wishes

2009-01-18T02:07:00.000-08:00

The Eiffel Tower print on the first dress is so unusual, and I love the versatility of the black dress.

Bright belts with quirky details make any outfit that bit more special.

Hearts are my favourite pattern at the moment, and the collar on the lace blouse is just so cute! And being a bit of a nerd, Star Wars and Superman are a must.....

Vibrant heels are a vice of mine at the moment, I have bought two pairs in fuchshia in the past month alone!

Clutches and fringing? Yes please!!

I have always loved poofy skirts the best, and I'm dreaming about wearing this pink fluffy tutu from Topshop...

The navy military-inspired beret is divine, and I really need a pair of leather or suede embellished gloves right now!

So, what are YOU craving for this Spring???

Lila

2009-01-14T07:22:00.000-08:00

Lilac chiffon dress, £8 from Topshop

Teal cardi with heart buttons added by me, £5 from Oasis

Glass beaded charm bracelet, a gift

Thick black wooly tights, £1 from New Look

Silver sparkly leather ballet flats, £10 from Oasis

Badges

2009-01-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I gathered together some scraps of lace, some embroidery off an old T-shirt, and magazine clippings of sequins, feathers, etc. and had a shot at making some badges.

The results are shown below:

Hello Sailor

2008-12-31T02:23:00.000-08:00

Black and white stripy tee, £7 from Gap

Dark blue tulip skirt, £11 from Primark

Belt, £1 from Oxfam

Battered gold leather ballet flats, £10 from Office

Gold ship and compass necklace, £2.50 from Accessorize

Inspiration 1

2008-12-30T03:20:00.000-08:00

Doesn't Lily Cole look almost ballerina-esque in her layers of pastel chiffon?

I love looking into other people's jewellery boxes, as each piece is special and precious to the owner in its own particular way.

Karen Elson was stunning as a doll in this British Vogue editorial.

This is detailing from one of my dream dresses - clocks and armoires are embroidered along the hem.

I simply adore the skirt that this girl is wearing, captured by Facehunter.

I can't remember where I found this picture, but I love her cloud-like hair and embellished headband.

This peacock brooch has been attached to a chain to create a unique and stunning necklace.

Sasha Pivovarova exudes ethereal prettiness in my favourite British Vogue story ever. I have been hunting for vintage fabric to create a Union Jack blazer like she wears for over a year now, with no success. If anyone has any tips, let me know!

Such a delicate take on eye-makeup - pale pink feathers and a dusting of glittery shadow make for a match made in heaven.

This old military jacket was a wonderful ebay find, but prices were far too high for me when I discovered it!

I can only dream of owning a genuine beaded flapper dress one day.............

Feathers

2008-12-29T11:50:00.001-08:00

Today I made a headband using some old pheasant feathers from a long-forgotten craft project. It's definitely not perfect, but I love the quirk that it gives to otherwise plain outfits.

Tan linen sack dress, £10 from Oasis

Pheasant feather headband, made by me

Rose

2008-12-28T06:40:00.000-08:00

Fuchsia dress, £12 from Primark

Ribbed cardi, £11 from Topshop

Damson tights, 75p Christian Dior from Oxfam

Pale pink leather flats, £9 from Carvela

Heart necklace, £1 from Oasis

Dark pink cocktail ring, 1€ from Etam

Beaded bracelets, all made by me

L'Arbre des Rêves

2008-10-31T05:04:00.000-07:00

Autumn is here and the trees have shed their leaves. Now, if only something else was to grow in their place...

Black quilted and studded, £3.99 from a Hospice shop

Tan leather and suede, 5p from a jumble sale

Velvet, metal and PVC glittery, £2 fom a Hospice shop

Silk sequined 1920s, 20p from a car boot sale

Leather polka dot, 75p from an Oxfam

Petit point, £2 from an RSPCA shop

Gold quilted, £2.99 from a Save The Children shop

Black leather, 5p from a jumble sale

Tan leather mini satchel, £1 from a Hospice shop

Mon Cahier

2008-10-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of months, I have used a sketchbook as a store of my fashion inspiration. The pages reflect my ideal style, and I use the book as a guide to see how far I have traversed in achieving this. Photographs, pieces of magazines and newspapers, sketches, buttons, ribbon, certain words, lace and beads, they all congregate here in these collages.
The book acts as a gentle nudge, reminding me of how I would like to dress, with little regard to any current trends or fads. I have even purchased a few of the items featured......

Madeline

2008-09-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

Collages from net-a-porter.com

Black leather heels, £10 New Look

Thread bangle, 20 cents Maison Du Monde

Cotton blouse, £7 Tesco (haha)

Two-tone flats, £13 TK Maxx

Sterling silver "Paris" bracelet, £3.75 from a charity shop

Quilted leather bag, £3.99 from a charity shop

Les Verres

2008-08-28T06:42:00.000-07:00

Glasses from Zara Home and Matalan

Pots from Maison du Monde
Cake stands (just seen) from a jumble sale

Le Zoo

2008-05-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Painted feather hairclip, Greenwich Market

Dalmation bracelet, from when I was little

Ladybird hairclip, Dorothy Perkins

Eagle earrings, Warehouse

Elephant pin, from when I was little

Dragonfly hairclip, Boots

Owl earrings, Internacionale

Butterfly Brooch, used to be my Great Auntie's

Elephant keyring, a Fairtrade shop

Hummingbird necklace, Dorothy Perkins

Dalmation ring, from when I was little

Silver owl charm and ladybird bead on a silver chain, vintage and put together by me

Filigree butterfly earrings, Claires

Seahorse necklace, Oasis

Green enamel butterfly pin, vintage

La Lierre

2008-05-13T04:14:00.000-07:00

Dress, Primark

Belt, Oxfam

Cardi, Zara

Flats, Office

Bangles, Vintage/Indian Markets/Accessorize