STELLA'S WARDROBE

Queen of Grunge

2012-01-30T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hip Hop Karaoke at the Social

2012-01-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

In London its not easy to find a fun, unpretentious and most importantly free night out but I might just have found one! I have to admit when my friend first suggested going to a hip hop karaoke night I wasn't expecting amazing things and was a little apprehensive how much fun it could be, in my mind expecting mainly drunk people taking to the mic in a rather bad attempt of discovering their inner Missy Elliot. But boy was I wrong! Entering the basement of the Social on a Wednesday night is more 8 Mile than average karaoke bar. Squeezed into a small space with people that know their hip hop, the people that take the stage are regulars. They know the lyrics by heart and are here to perform. Its serious stuff and everyone gets totally involved, if someone is doing well the metal walls get a good bashing to show the crowd's sign of approval. Even in the breaks between performers everyone has a good time, here it truly is about hip hop and dancing to it in whatever form you like (although I feel like I need to up my game next time). Its a place where you can have fun even if you aren't a massive hip hop fan and is definitely set to become a new regular going out spot for me, just don't expect me to take the mic!

And here is a little how to guide if you are brave enough to take the mic: http://www.thesocial.com/2011/10/646/

PS: to tie in with the music theme I got a pair of Dr Dre Beats headphones this week from Zalando and I freaking love them, I may be deaf in the future but when everything sounds so brilliant and they actually go with my beloved hats why take my beats off!

Orange hues

2012-01-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

Tapped & Packed

2012-01-19T16:47:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love coffee, in fact since starting university and living in London its pretty much what I live on. I do more often than I'd like to admit ( usually when in desperate need of a fake sugary caffeine fix and after too few hours of sleep) go to Starbucks and have my usual Venti Coffee Light Frappuchino however with the wealth of amazing coffee shops in London I have also become a major coffee, and in particular flat white, snob and know what a good one should taste like. Having tried many of the supposedly best places I have a few favourites where coffee is not simply seen as an instant beverage but every cup is carefully made with beans chosen for their aroma, poured by barristers that know their stuff, leaving you with a strong, smooth and delicious cup of coffee that would put any Starbucks drink to shame in its quality and aroma. One of these great coffee finds is Tapped&Packed. Unassuming from the outside because of their belief in leaving aside ridiculous over branding and hence only signposted with its house number , it is a cosy, welcoming and seriously cool place where you can easily chat away for hours and totally forget that you are in actual fact just off Oxford street. With a laid back vibe, warm lighting and friendly young staff as well as a tempting array of cakes and sandwiches, my friend after having sampled the Victoria sponge exclaimed it was the best she has had in london, it is place with that that certain personal touch (novelty teaspoons are another thing to look out for here) that makes you want to become one of their regulars and return for a guaranteed cup of awesome coffee that packs a caffeine punch.

Amazing Victoria Sponge

The real deal. Flat whites (with cute spoons)

Tapped & Packed
No. 26 Rathbone Place

Blue Mondays

2012-01-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

Secret Cinema.

2012-01-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

Secret Cinema. Tell no one. That is the motto of the most authentic, entertaining and thrilling cinema experience you are ever likely to have, an alternative night out that will see you not only watch but also become part of a film. Since it's conception a few years back the Secret Cinema has gathered a cult following and after having been twice i can say justifiable so. You buy your tickets, which at £25-35 aren't much more expensive than a night out, completely oblivious to what film you are going to watch, in the run up to the date receiving hints and dress-codes via email that build up anticipation and leave you guessing right until the last minute.

Once you arrive at the secret location you will instantly be transported into the setting of the film with intricate sets, themed food stalls and incredibly convincing actors that will actively engage with you and make you feel part of the storyline. Only when, after a few hours of being completely submerged into the atmosphere, you sit down and finally see the title of the film flash before you, do you finally know that you have just been reliving much of the film and realise just how being part of it changes your view and perception of it. You are only allowed to talk about what film was portrayed once its month long run has ended which is why you will have to wait a little longer to find out what i experienced when i went at the end of December. However the first time i went the film chosen was the Battle of Algiers and i got to experience life in a Kasbah under French occupation in a 1950's Algiers with belly dancers, coffee bars and armed French soldiers. This short video gives you a little taster of what it was like and watch this space for a detailed post of the latest edition in a few weeks. It is addictive, different and an experience you will never forget.
To sum up, go plight your allegiance to the Secret Cinema and don't forget: tell no one.

Fluro Green twist on Jonathan Saunders

2012-01-09T16:12:00.000-08:00

New Year's Day Brunch at Gail's Soho!

2012-01-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

Despite a rather late night Bryonie, my fellow blogging friend and eating out fiend, and me managed to venture out for brunch on the first day of 2012, even if slightly bleary eyed. Thank god the newly opened Gail's in Soho was there to provide us with an amazing array of pastries (we also had a kind of puff pastry, egg and spinach concoction which was amazing and white chocolate scone) as well as cheaply priced yet creative hot brunch options. Despite a few teething problems such as one our orders for the hotcakes being forgotten, the staff were being super nice and make Gail's the perfect place for a late brunch or just a quick snack and a great addition to one of my favourite areas in terms of eating out in London!

Buttermilk hotcakes, toasted pecans, maple roasted pear & yogurt

Gail's Bakery

128 Wardour Street

http://www.gailsbread.co.uk/

Egyptian Nights

2012-01-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Dress: Topshop Unique

Occasion: NYE 2011

Pretty little things

2011-12-26T15:28:00.000-08:00

With Christmas just gone by ,this year I treated myself to a little box of these crisp, beautiful baked concoctions known to us as macaroons. Macaroons aren't your usual sweet treat, they are almost impossible to make yourself without years of practise, they were the favoured treat of the likes of Marie Antoinette and maybe most importantly they are incredibly pretty as well as delicately tasty. Laduree has been making them since 1862, arguably at least in England the best place to sample real macaroons, and the experience of going into one of their shops and picking out your own little selection makes it a special occasion even before devouring them. The Laduree shop I went to, located in the old fashioned and charming Burlington Arcade, fits in perfectly with the whole concept of the macaroon being a little luxury, the entire shop gold, with fancily clad staff waiting in their white gloves to fill your very own mint green Laduree box with your desired flavours. Of course the whole point with these macaroons is that you should only have them very occasionally, they are for one pretty pricey but they also need to be savoured and appreciated, they wouldn't quite be as special if they would be equivalent to your favourite chocolate bar, hence why they are perfect for Christmas and birthdays (here's hoping someone will be getting me 20 for my 20th in February). My absolute favourites are vanilla, with its rich butter cream filling, and salted caramel but all of them manage to encapsulate their flavour perfectly and make having each individual macaroon a real experience.

From left: 2x Vanilla, 2x Salted Caramel, Coconut, Pear & Chestnut, Chocolate, Raisin Cinnamon

http://www.laduree.fr/en/

Candyfloss colours

2011-12-26T13:12:00.000-08:00

The Corner Room

2011-12-22T12:17:00.000-08:00

No phoneline. No bookings. The Corner room is a well kept secret on London's restaurant scene, a discretely hidden dinning room within the Bethnal Green Town Hall Hotel that is worth discovering. Thats because at the Corner Room you not only get to enjoy the quirky interior including a staircase that leads to nowhere and a carpet deer head but you also get served Michelin star food for incredibly low prices. No main costs more than £15 and starters as well as desserts hover at the £5 mark yet for this you get to try carefully executed and presented dishes that will challenge your taste buds and will leave you absolutely gopsmacked with the kind of food you are experiencing for these kind of prices. My favourite was the dessert, a japanese spice flavoured granita served with goats curd that had toffee at it's centre and blueberries sprinkled around it, combining sweet, salty, creamy and cold flavours, not your typical kind of dessert but awe inspiringly good! I will definitely return very soon to the Corner room, a gem of a restaurant where every dish leaves you excited and aching to experience more of the menu.

Green beans with tapernade, almonds and sardines

Beetroot carpachio, sunflower seeds and goats curd

Duck with Black Pudding reduction and spinach

Cured salmon with red cabbage and walnuts (best salmon i have ever had)

After the PJB sandwich at Spuntino my favourite dessert of the year. Amazing.

Grazia Magazine (UK)

2011-12-20T15:15:00.001-08:00

Blue tones

2011-12-19T08:41:00.000-08:00

Mother of Pearl

2011-12-12T16:47:00.000-08:00

I got this beautiful skirt and top (which I have worn back to front here to show off the intricate print and padding at the shoulders) from the Mother of Pearl sample sale that had been on a couple of weekends ago. Each season they collaborate with a different artist which i think is a great way to create unusual prints combined with high quality materials and cuts. This was also the first chance for me to wear my ridiculously fluffy and white coat from Topshop which I have coined my 'Russian princess' coat and it makes wearing extra layers a lot less boring than your run of the mill winter outerwear!

Sunday afternoon wanderings east

2011-12-08T13:49:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday I ventured into a part of London that I usually avoid. Shoreditch and Brick Lane have become synonymous with hipsters, warehouse parties and vintage shops and I to be honest have never fully understood the hype behind it all, everyone tries to emulate a particular look and lifestyle, attempting to be unique yet ultimately wearing an almost uniform. However on this visit there I was pleasantly surprised to find a little street tucked away from Brick lane that isn't clocked up with tourists, brothel creepers and girls with top knots. Redchurch street has quirky little shops, street art and really nice places to have a good cup of coffee. Me and my friend ended up at Allpress espresso, a kinda coffee shop with a slight 80's vibe (for some reason it reminds a bit of my current film obsession Drive) that not only serves a very good flatwhite,the coffee roast machine in the back showing that these guys really know their stuff, but also what possibly can be described as the most amazing looking scones ever though after having had a big brunch we were way too full to sample one! Allpress espresso and the street as a whole has a laid back and creative vibe that made me glad that I gave this part of town another shot and will definitely see me return in the future even if just to try one of those scones!

Amazing looking scones

Hi Green Dip Dye!

2011-12-05T14:02:00.001-08:00

Art Deco

2011-11-29T04:20:00.001-08:00

To Mishkin's with love

2011-11-27T02:54:00.001-08:00

It was a rather cold and windy Friday evening which had comeafter a week of way too much Uni workthat I met my friend fellow blogger Amanda to try the newestsibling in the polpo/spuntino/polpetto/da polpo family and I can honesty say itwas one of the best dinners I have ever had. I’m not only talking about the Jewishdeli style comfort food that gets served up here, no, after being lucky enough to actually get a table on softopening night, we were just instantly made to feel at home and didn't want toleave at the end! Walking in I was greeted by Russell Norman, the genius restaurateurbehind it all, who gave me the warmest possible welcome and spent the eveningchatting to us and other diners, even telling me how he came up with thelegendary pbj sandwich at spuntino. He is a true perfectionist that hastransformed the restaurant scene in London and who with his lovely staff (which he told he hires based on their characters not restaurant experiencebecause you can teach that but not how to be a decent person) truly made ournight and deserve every bit of success they have had.

The lovely guys behind the bar

London Cup

Even though it was opening night and everyone was apparently feeling a littletired from all the work that had been done in the run up to it (although wecouldn't tell) there wasn't a single glitch and the food was absolutely delicious.It's what I love at spuntino and now here, there's a menu full of quirky, unusualyet incredibly comforting options that you can't wait to try all and althoughme and Amanda did our best to split everything and thus sample as much as ofthe dishes as possible as we left we were already discussing what to have nexttime! The cocktails, most of them gin based looked rather enticing too and theLondon cup which we ordered after Russell recommended it for our girly tasteswas refreshing and like nothing I have had before!

View from the bar

For me a truly great restaurant is not about the prices, dressedup waiters or fancily decorated plates- it's about feeling at home, having afun time and eating good food and Mishkin’s does just that. Everything about isjust right and I am sure to become a regular and drag my friends along just asI will continue to do at spuntino. Thanks to Russell, Tom and all the team forbasically rescuing our weeks and making us leave with a big smile on our faces!

Lox beigel with house schmear

Big apple dog dragged through the garden

Cod cheek popcorn

Banana fosters and honey & apple blintzes

http://www.mishkins.co.uk/

Boiler Room

2011-11-24T15:34:00.001-08:00

So far I have only been talking about my favourite places to eat out so I thought it was about time to
broaden out a bit and recommend some slightly different places to go out in London. I was fortunate enough to make the guest list for the boiler room a few weeks ago. The boiler room (which yes did start its existence in a boiler room in East London) has become a bit of an online phenomenon since it started over a year ago. The basic idea is that you get to watch the best Dj's around in an intimate environment, facing the wall not you they are free to do their own thing which is then streamed live over the Internet. It is held every Tuesday and if you aren't on the guest list you will not get in. Inside it is like a mini club, literally a small room packed with people that know their music, watching dj's like Jamie xx working their magic on the decks. It's an unpretentious, seriously cool night out which definitely deserves the hype that has seen it gain over 50000 fans on their facebook page. Even if you don't make the guest list the mixes are available as podcasts and have been provided the soundtrack to my bus journeys ever since. I cannot wait to go back to the boiler room and hope that these musical addition to Tuesday nights will continue for some time to come! When I went Rustie was on the decks but here are two of my favourite previous sets to give you a taster of what its like!

Thom Yorke takeover

Jamie XX Adele Remix Boiler Room 35

Intergalactic Fantastic

2011-11-21T14:32:00.001-08:00

Dress- Won Hundred at Urban Outfitters

Understanding the hype behind Meat Liquor

2011-11-17T08:16:00.001-08:00

Once in a while a restaurant opens that gets everyone ridiculously excited. These hyped up places more often than not when you actually get to try them disappoint but after weeks of widespread anticipation in the media and web about the opening of Meat Liquor and people queuing readily when it actually opened on 11.11.11 I can honestly say in this case it really is worth the hype. From the unusual location behind a Debenhams and beneath an old concrete car park to the interior slightly reminiscent of a grunge rock club circa 1985, graffiti filling every corner of the ceiling and walls with an obscure mix of Country and rock blurring out of the speakers- this place is seriously cool. It might be a long way from fine dining and probably not a place to take parents or vegetarians but ohh it is good and I'm not only taking about the atmosphere. This is junk food perfected, good quality ingredients, quirky takes on American classics and ridiculously good prices that make you want to come back the minute you leave completely stuffed. The burgers are almost infamous particularly the suitably coined 'Dead Hippie' which my blogging friend Ella couldn't stop drooling over (thanks to her for taking the pictures too after I forgot my camera) or the delicious buffalo chicken burger which I had and which put most burgers you can get in London to shame. This place might not be the most conventional place to eat out, you help yourself to kitchen roll instead of napkins and eat straight off a metal tray, but it is one of those places that you want to be your dirty little secret and which is set to become a regular haunt of mine.

Graffiti ceilings+walls

Chili Cheese fries - at £3 almost a meal in itself

Buffalo chicken burger

Remainders of Ella's 'Dead hippie'

Putting on sequins- Prada style

2011-11-14T13:36:00.001-08:00

Skirt- an excellent and far cheaper ASOS take on the big sequins that featured in Prada's A/W collection

St Ali

2011-11-10T11:45:00.001-08:00

Australian brunch might not sound familiar to most of you but boy its the best kinda brunch out there and it's what they do at St Ali, my favourite place to hang out on Saturday and Sunday mornings. We aren't talking about run of the mill jam and toast or even worse a full English, no, at St Ali they make brunch the most exciting meal of the day by creating unusual flavour combination that have that certain laid back, fresh feel of Australia and offer a menu full of amazing sounding dishes that make it a joy to return time after time and try something new everytime . St Ali's is originally from Melbourne with this being their first branch in the UK and with a wide wood heavy space, a slightly industrial feel and a coffee roast machine as the centre point, its a place you can easily spend hours reading the weekend papers and sipping on a flat white. Oh did I forget to mention that the coffee here is absolutely brilliant?! Because it is, probably the best in London with every cup lovingly made by barristas that know their coffee and make it a joy to watch them creating little pieces of coffee art right in front of you.

Barrista at work

Amazing flat white, most likely the best coffee in London

signature dish of corn fritters with poached eggs, kazundi, spinach and halloumi cheese (pic courtesy of my lovely blogging friend Jennifer from Styleeast who was with me on this occasion)

My personal favourite- banana bread with coffee mascarpone and plum jam with sesame crisp, a total bargain at £4.75 and majorly addictive

St Ali does brunch and lunch everyday from 7 am to 6pm and is definitely worth a visit - a unique, cool and most importantly incredibly tasty place that has made brunch my new favourite meal time!

Goth princess?

2011-11-07T15:13:00.000-08:00

Sunday Times Style Magazine

2011-11-06T13:39:00.001-08:00

Pyjama time!

2011-11-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

Not strictly an outfit but these are my lovely new pj's from topshop which are definitely pretty enough to dedicate a little blog post to them!

Going green

2011-10-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

Nordic Bakery

2011-10-27T16:03:00.000-07:00

This is one of my other favourite haunts in London, not only because I am a quarter Finnish and hence feel like its a little piece of home but because it does THE most amazing cinnamon buns! Seriously you cannot compare these rather large, crispy on the outside, gooey in the middle buns to anything you have had before and at only £2.20 a pop they are amazing value considering that they come fresh out of the oven every 30minutes! The interior shows off classic Scandinvian design, dark blue walls, wood heavy with the waitresses wearing denim aprons. It's one of those places perfect for sitting down, reading a book and hiding from the cold and rain that seem to have taken over London these days.

The cinnamon bun.

Nordic Bakery

14A Golden Square
London W1F 9JG

020 3230 1077

Ballerina gone bad

2011-10-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

I Heart Spuntino

2011-10-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

I know I usually only share my outfits but as I love my current home town of Londonas much as my wardrobe I thought I'd try sharing some of my favourite places toeat, shop and hang out! To start I want to introduce you guys to my favouriteplace to eat out in London, a totally unique place with an amazing atmosphere!

Spuntino on Rupert street isn't your average restaurant forstarters it's location between sex shops and slightly dodgy acupuncture andmassage parlours in London's Soho doesn't make it sound too promising andbecause of lacking a proper sign ( it's name only written in chalk veryinconspicuously on a brass board outside) you need to know where it is and whatit is to know how good it is! Inside it's in the style of a 1920's speakeasy,there are 20 odd stools around a brass bar, lighting is dark and Johnny Cash isblurring out of the speakers. The staff are young, mostly tattooed and make youfeel instantly at home and, as I have been a bit of a regular, even know myname every time I return.

The food is italo-American with a twist, transforming simpledishes like cheese on toast into truffled egg toast which is seriously to diefor! Cocktails are prepared right in front of you and desserts like the amazingpeanut-butter and jelly sandwich which in actual fact is peanut butter icecream shaped like toast with berry compote in the middle and crunchy cornflakeson top make it place that's deliciously different, inventive andaffordable, serving food that it is worthcoming back for! It's a place you can hang out and chat at for hours, it'sconcept, food and staff so well chosen that you feel like in a completelydifferent world and can forgot about the hustle and bustle of London for a fewhours while you are seated at the bar. I have taken most of my friends by nowand though some are a bit sceptical at the beginning, every single one leftcompletely won over by the whole atmosphere of the place.

free chilli popcorn to start with

truffled egg toast (what's left of it), curly string fries, mac n cheese

The infamous peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Spuntino doesn't doreservations and doesn't even have a phone line so if you ever go you will mostlikely have to queue but trust me it will be worth it!

Silk dreams

2011-10-17T16:13:00.000-07:00

Dress: 100% silk Topshop Boutique

Paying a visit to Oxygen boutique

2011-10-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

The other week I went to the Oxygen boutique to have a look at the brands they 
stock and created some nice outfits using pieces from the shop! I really loved 
the Equipment shirt and am desperate to get some Jeffrey Campbell boots for this 
winter after trying on this incredibly comfortable pair!

Dusk til dawn

2011-10-10T17:03:00.000-07:00

Madame Peripetie shoot

2011-10-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

You might have noticed my header which was photographed during a shoot with the amazingly talented Madame Peripetie! Here are some more shots which I can finally post now!

PS: Check out my new press section on the right hand side!

Bubblegum bangs

2011-10-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

This week I made the brave step of finally having a colour rinse done on my dip dyed ends after Grace my hairdresser at Bleach did some very good convincing! It only lasts a few washes and I think works brilliantly with this ensemble where I have restyled my blue feather skirt with key pieces for this upcoming season like the coloured fur hat and chunky knit jumper. It definetely won't be the last time I will try a colour so watch this space!

Stella's Bags

2011-09-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

Bags are a very important part of any outfit and of course are the thing that allows us to carry the bare neccesities in life (ie iphone,purse,hairbrush) wherever we go in style. You have probably noticed that I tend to use 3 particular bags quite a lot which I think deserve a little blog post of their own. I personally think every girl needs a decent, good quality black, brown and white bag to be covered for all wardrobe eventualities. In my case these bags are classic designs and worth the extra money I spent on them as they will stay with me for many years and never really go out of fashion. Of course I have few topshop satchels and little clutches, bought according to what was on trend or a particular outfits but these three bags are like reliable friends, that finishing touch to an outfit and although they may get a little battered are very loved and imporant parts of my wardrobe

Chanel 2.55
This is without a doubt my favourite bag and one of the purchases I will never forget, a purchase that in many ways intensfied my love of fashion. I found it after years of dreaming of having my very own piece of Chanel in a vintage shop in Germany when I was 15, given it at an amazingly low price by the owner who obviously saw my eyes light up at the sight of it. It's accompanied to so many important events in my life and I have never grown sick of it. Of course it has gotten the odd scratch over the years but I hope this design classic which has been part of so many outfits on here will stay with me for many years to come.

Alexander Wang Rocco
This is the most recent addition to the three after my mum's black vintage Aigner satchel sadly came to the end of its life. I really like the simplicity of the design with the added edge of the gold studs and the many ways it can be incorperated into an outfit.

Mulberry Alexa
Yes I know this is not the most original bag to own in this day and age and sometimes I do regret buying into an "it" bag idea by getting my very own Alexa but on the other hand I do love the classic colour and design of the bag.

Turquoise Tones

2011-09-27T05:33:00.000-07:00

This "skirt" is actually a dress which at first I was planning to wear over the sparkly top but with its beautiful beading it would have been a waste covering up so much of it which is why I simply tucked in the dress to make it into a velvet skirt. It works well with the top and adds an interesting pop of colour in comination with the nude tones that dominatethe top half of the outfit and also means that I can create a completely new look when I actually wear the dress as dress which you will eventually see on here!This is also the first time in many moons that I have worn flats with an outfit but I think the loafers work quite well and stop the outfit from looking too girly.

Double denim

2011-09-21T17:07:00.000-07:00

Just a little outfit that I improvised midweek, nothing new, just reworking some bits and bobs, but I think an interesting and very different way of styling the denim shorts compared to the first outfit they were part of!

School girl chic with a fetish edge

2011-09-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

Leather skirt= This is from 5Preview, a new piece from an old favourite of mine! Emeli, the designer behind it, is lovely and she reinvents the label time after time, increasinlgy moving away from the printed tees she started off with and torwards high quality basics like this pleated leather skirt that serve as an amazing foundation to build an outfit from like I did in this case!

Satchel= Cambridge Satchel Co.

Hat= Topshop

T-shirt= Topshop

Necklace= This is also from Topshop but from their special limited edition jewellery collection currently instore which I have been absolutely in love with ( the snake necklace featured recently was also part of it). It is slightly more expensive than the main Freedom jewellery line but I think definetely worth it as the necklace in this case joins the different parts of the outfit into a coherent look, a finishing touch that somehow makes the whole outfit work!

Shoes= Asos

A new vintage gem

2011-09-13T11:11:00.000-07:00

This vintage dress is from newly opened Blitz on Hanbury Street near Brick Lane which prides itself on being the first vintage department shop and has a distincitvely more high fashion feel and pleasant shopping environment than your run of the mill vintage shop. I am fortunate enough to count their lovely PR manager Ella as one of my friends so was invited to the blogger evening and opening party for the shop at which I discovered this beauty of a dress! If you are ever in the area I would fully recommend going to Blitz as everything stocked is of an exqusite quality (the sequins and embellishments were all intact on the dress) and extremely well selected so definetely a new place on my shopping map!

Stella's wardrobe (quite literally)

2011-09-12T16:47:00.000-07:00

So I thought as my blog is named Stella's Wardrobe it was about time to show you what mine actually looks like! I have just moved into my first proper flat in London and was happy to be given a big build in wardrobe in which I can fit all my stuff and hang everything in outfits (yes I am a bit of a geek when it comes to my clothes!) I find if I have everything sorted in categories like evening shoes,belts,everyday shoes, scarves etc its much easier to build new outfits and get ready quickly in the morning!
PS: tomorrow there will be a new outfit with a very vintage twist!

Late summer brights

2011-09-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to find an outfit to wear these beautiful Sonia Rykiel vintage earrings with for a while so was delighted when they provided the perfect finishing touch to this one! I love the colour combination here which despite the strong shades of the orange and green still harmonises, allowing me to cling on to the idea of summer a little longer and inject a bit of brightness into a currently very rainy and grey London!

Understated sparkle

2011-08-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

The red shoes

2011-08-24T01:30:00.000-07:00

Shanghai chic

2011-08-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

These trousers were a Topshop flash sale bargain par excellence at a mere £7 (£6.30 with student discount which I of course insisted on). At first I wasnt too sure about the flick hem cut of the trousers but the lovely dark blue colour, silk like material and delicate print convinced me to take the trousers even with initial doubts how I would make them work. Accesories are key here as I tried to keep the rest of the outfit quite simple to make the trousers really stand out, using the earrings, choker necklace and floppy hat to pick up on the colours of the print and compliment the quite dressy look of the trousers. I am currently slightly obsessed with combining strong colours within outfits as seen on the Gucci A/W catwalk as you have probably noticed by now and there is more to come!!

Colour clash

2011-08-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Back to the future

2011-08-02T16:55:00.000-07:00

This dress was an absolute bargain and once again a real gem within the ASOS black range. As you have probably noticed I have a dress or two from this collection and each one is always qualitative superb and with a real high fashion touch. This one was reduced from £155 to £50 and fits perfectly into A/W1's futuristic trend with its geometric perspex embellishments. It works extremely well with the Miss Selfridge blouse which is from their special new capsule collection Project 1 and gives young designers the chance to design some key pieces sold in their shops nationwide.

Putting my twist on white lace

2011-07-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

I immediately fell for this topshop lace dress but didnt really like the original neckline and thought it needed a little twist to make the great cut of the dress truely stand out. That's why I added the cropped turtleneck top by American Apparel which appears as if part of the dress and makes it look less girly and adds a unique touch that completely changes the overall outfit.

R.I.P. Amy. Not only great musician but also fashion icon

2011-07-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

Amy inspired me to carefully draw on my first eyeliner flick and increasingly expand its dimension over the years,part of her trademark look that very much became part of mine. Her beehive influenced high fashion (who can forgot when Karl based a whole collection's hair and make up on Amy's distinctive look) and her no care attitude and eclectic sense of style, 60's glamour mixed with fred perry polos, tattoos and sky high heels, opened the path for a whole new generation of female musicians able to celebrate their distinctive and edgy styles instead of becoming the bland manufactured pop singers that we have become accustomed to. Amy was a unique albeit very troubled individual who has left a lasting mark not only on my style but that of a whole generation.

An old favourite: Marimekko for H&M dress

2011-07-21T15:08:00.000-07:00

Excuse the bad quality pictures, taken on my iphone but new outfit coming next week shot with my normal camera :)

Blue velvet revisited

2011-07-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, sorry for the slight gap since my last post! I have been on holiday and hence didnt have the time to get shopping for new outfits or reliable internet!! since i've been back I have made some rather successful shopping trips and thus should have some (hopefully) great new outfits coming up once i have finished accessorising them! in the mean time i thought i'd post a couple of outfits that have been on the blog before but that since then have been slightly altered,adapted and combined with new things and in my opinion work even better now!

palazzo pants bargain!

2011-07-07T02:59:00.000-07:00

I got these palazzo pants in the topshop sale, the only real gem I found this time round. Reduced from £45 to £20 they are great for the summer but will also work well with A/W hot new shades canary yellow and mustard. I also reused the light blue feather cape that I wore before with the laura ashley playsuit because i think it balances out the flares so that the trousers don't overwhelm my small frame (similar to my other palazzo pants outfit where I used a floppy hat to the same effect) and its colour also works extremly well with the floral pattern on the trousers.

Had my fringe re-dip dyed today!

2011-06-30T15:27:00.001-07:00

Taxi driver chic

2011-06-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

Cherry chic

2011-06-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

My very own piece of Christopher Kane magic!

2011-06-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

I have admired Christopher Kane and his rapid rise as designer for a while now and find it remarkable and a token of his design talent and innovative approach to fashion how he has managed to establish his own successful label worn by anyone from Samantha Cameron to Alexa Chung at a time when fashion conglomerates are worryingly beginning to dominate and dictate high end fashion. I was fortunate enough to hear about one of his sample sales taking place in Shoreditch and among many things that i would have loved to buy if i perhaps wasn't on a student budget i found this stunning 'princess skirt' with his signature galaxy print. I love the fluid cut of the skirt and the added edge of the exposed zip at the bottom and see it as real investment piece that can be combined in so many different ways, adding an instant wow factor to any outfit. I hope this is not the last piece of his great designs I will be able to put my own twist on!

Vintage Laura Ashley!

2011-06-07T17:15:00.000-07:00

I instantly fell in love with this lovely little playsuit from the Vintage shop on Bricklane and think by making it look out of the ordinary yet also laid back summery I have found the perfect way of making this vintage gem bang on trend for hot summer days!

Me on the Vogue streetstyle blog!

2011-06-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/fashion/street-trends/110602-stella-katterman--brook-street.aspx

Spring blossom

2011-05-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

Meeting an icon!

2011-05-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough last week to randomly meet twiggy while she was filming a marks and spencer ad on the millenium bridge! Having been inspired by her iconic look, her make up, hair and attitude in the swinging 60's having served as definite influence on my style, i could NOT miss the opportunity of talking to her and she was absolutely lovely!! it was one of those bizarre moments when you meet a great idol, something i will definetly not forget!! now im waiting to bump into Karl ;)

Going tribal!

2011-05-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Getting my dip dye on!

2011-05-18T15:36:00.000-07:00

I have been loving the dip dye trend on long hair for a while now and thought i would get in on the act even with my rather short hair! I had it done at the pop up bleach salon in the Topshop oxford circus and like that it is subtle yet still adds something a bit different and new to my trademark haircut! Check out their website for more dip dye inspiration! http://bleachlondon.co.uk/!

Stepping into unchartered fashion territory!

2011-05-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

If you have followed my blog for a while you will have noticed that I never ever wear longer trousers of any kind, sticking to dresses,skirts and a wide array of shorts. With 70's inspired Palazzo pants having their big moment this season however I felt compelled to give trousers a go, especially as this light blue pair from asos are far from your average pair of trousers! what do you guys think? trousers...yay or nay?

Daisy chain reaction

2011-05-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

By royal appointment!

2011-05-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my longggggggg absence!!! I was internetless over Easter whilst in Germany but am back and I promise will keep the blog posts coming weekly! this week i thought i get in the royal wedding spirit that has been sweeping England by sporting my very own statement hat that wouldn't have looked out of place at the wedding itself!

Modern Hippie

2011-04-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

Every fashionista has to start somewhere.....

2011-04-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

Monochrome chic

2011-04-04T16:01:00.000-07:00

Sorbet colour mix!

2011-03-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

My take on the classic denim short!

2011-03-22T16:25:00.000-07:00

DIY flower girl

2011-03-15T15:32:00.000-07:00

Dress: asos
Jacket: asos
Hairband: lots of flower hair clips, plain hairband all from H&M and some plastic twigs from costume store

Getting out my inner cow girl !

2011-03-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

Colour blocking my way into spring!

2011-03-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

ASOS street style star

2011-02-28T15:18:00.000-08:00

I somehow ended up becoming the face of Asos streetstyle competition and landed myself an internship in the summer for their magazine :D! if you live in england you will see my face grace the billboard campaign for the competition as well so watch out!

http://www.asos.com/Microsite-Diet-Coke/Cat/pgehtml.aspx?cid=9738

Black Swan?

2011-02-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

This beautiful feather jacket must be my favourite sales items this year so far! reduced to just £35, it is intricate, bold and transfroms a simple maxi pleated dress into a dramatic statement outfit. it works equally well over my asos leather jacket, a great mix of the toughness of the leather and the delicate nature of the feathers and thus can transform this aviator jacket (yes it the same frequently featured on this blog sans the detachable collar!)into a compeltely different and very couture looking jacket.

Birthday outfit!

2011-02-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

It's my birthday today so I treated myself to a few new clothes that bring a hint of spring to these first few warmer, sunnier days! This dungaree dress works well for now with a chunky knit sweater underneath but can easily be transfomed into a spring/summer outfit and thus is perfect as transitional outfit!

LWD

2011-02-01T12:54:00.000-08:00

I simply couldn't resist this beautiful Little White Dress from the cutting edge Asos Black collection that has been suprising me with little fashion gems for the past few seasons. Pure white in its colour but with a cut that makes a real statement this dress needs minimal accessorising and looks more like haute couture than highstreet! here i have teamed it up with yet another sales bargain, these sparkly Kurt Geigers (with real Swarovski crystals) were reduced from a whopping £350 to £105 and though very versataile and simple because of their nude colour add, combined with some grey socks from topshop the finishing touch to this outfit!

Another week another Topshop sales bargain!

2011-01-25T15:32:00.000-08:00

I couldn't resist when i saw this gorgeous feather skirt in the topshop sale reduced from £75 to £30. combined with this season's oh so cool sheer blouse it is an instant evening outfit that also works dressed down with my black aviator jacket for the day time!

A different kind of wrap skirt!

2011-01-18T14:04:00.001-08:00

I picked up this beautifully embroidered skirt in the topshop sale where it was reduced from £85 to £40 which i think is a really bargain for a garment which has such great detail. i love the dark blue colour which i think is complemented well by the top and hint of feather!