Getting Dressed for Winter

The days are finally getting dark early, which means winter is almost upon us. Let's face it, we had rain pretty much all throughout summer, anyway. I know come December I'll be sick of the cold (I already have the heater on in the office, which is driving everyone crazy), but for the moment I'm quite content to start piling on layers of knits and swapping a night out for a night in with X-Factor on the sofa...

Some post summer indulgences might see me face a bit of a struggle getting into Mango's leather leggings, but I hope I'll be able to offset that with an oversized knit. Go and take a look at my current obsession: 5 Inch and Up's collection for Nelly.com. If you haven't seen it yet, be warned because you will want it all. I also can't wait to get my hands on some pieces from Carine Roitfeld's collaboration with MAC. I've got a problem with continually buying not so varying shades of dark red nail polish and nude lipstick, but I wouldn't feel bad about adding theses chic versions to my collection. The Givenchy boots are on the dream list, but the Sophie Hulme bag could be a realistic investment. Her minimalistic designs manage to tread the line between being both modern, yet timeless, so I see it as being a 'sensible' treat...

Shoes: Mango Point White Wedge Heels

Say hello to my new Mango beauties. I've wanted them for ages and thought I'd missed my chance, but then they appeared in the online sale. Meant to be.

Fashion: Festival Style Inspiration

I recently came across the Fall 2012 lookbook for Mango, which surprisingly offered me outfit inspiration for festival dressing this summer. Even though the weather has recently been amazing in the UK, it's usually a tad more unpredictable, with a tendency to rain devastatingly hard just when you've prepared for sunshine. Cue the following outfit modelled by one of my favourites, Anna Selezneva.

Minus the long, gold necklace and the too formal bag, this look would be festival perfection for me. That wool lined coat would have been the answer to my prayers at last year's Glastonbury Festival, when I had to cower under one of those tarpaulin-like, plastic ponchos that looks like the full-size version of the hair coverings Grandma's wear to protect their perm. And you could always have the jumper layered over an Alexander Wang tee in case the sun decides to make an appearance. The only real danger zone of this outfit is the denim shorts. I've almost come to the conclusion that finding a flattering pair and looking good in them is a fine art accomplished by very few. Much like the weather, the chances of British people achieving this is very hit and miss. If you've visited the seaside this past week, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about....