new change is the name of the street

Got to check out One New Change yesterday, a week after it opened as London's newest shopping centre, and the first proper one in the City. It doesn't have heaps of shops, but it would be just enough for a lunchtime whip around, which is of course the whole point. It looks pretty boring from the outside but is pretty cool inside which is where all these photos are taken. A major drawcard will be the food, with Jamie Oliver opening Barbecoa, an homage to meat, right across from a new Gordon Ramsey that is yet to come. Barbecoa is open now, and I did quite like the look of the menu if I ever had some poundage burning a hole in my pocket and I felt like a steak. In the meantime, we went to Byron for burgers and I got a proper hamburger with beetroot on it! They are only for a limited time though, as part of Movember which is an Australian fundraising event that has been adopted in the UK. Hence, the Aussie hamburger. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

They have a Topshop, Mango, Reiss, Banana Republic, Karen Millen, Office and Dune all with quite workwear-oriented stock, plus a couple of outdoorsy-stores like North Face which I didn't quite get. Is that what city workers do on the weekends? Mountain climbing?

love is the new feel awful

Dandy Warhols-Odditorium

Wes and I just had the most perfect day ever. We did so much I think I'm going to have to break it down into a few more manageable bite-sized posts. First, the clothes! I am excited to show you these because it's been ages since I've had any time to take any outfit shots, and it's also the first photos I have of my new haircut. It was cut about three weeks ago, I don't love it because I actually got into a fight with my hairdresser about how I wanted it done! I know, it was a totally surreal experience, I had photos of celebs and everything and she just said 'no'. I said 'actually, yes' but after a bit of back and forth, even when she was halfway through, she still didn't cut it as short as I wanted!

And I've just realised that my hair looks even worse in these pics than usual! D'oh! Must be too clean. Dry shampoo & mousse have been my best friends since the chop. Mumsy is not the look I'm going for.

I have had to wait awhile before I could wear my new parka, as it's been way too hot! I know, it is November and London has been 16 degrees for the past week. Awesome. And weird.

Parka and cardi: Topshop; skirt: H&M; shoes: Office; bag: SU London; headband: Accessorize.

and if you tolerate this then your children will be next

Camper, tell me, exactly how do you do it? Your men's shoes are actual perfection of the classic, everyday, every occasion, good quality, leather men's footwear variety. See Exhibit A, above. Then when it comes to your women's range you take all of this and do a royally good job of fucking it up completely with ridiculous details that just make them look horribly off. It honestly baffles me. It must take a really long time to come up with the grossest colours and most impractical additions. Hmm, this pair of heels is currently the most versatile pair of classic black pumps. I know, why don't we add some random turquoise details with red stitching so that we seriously limit the outfit coordination possibilities? Oh, and brogues are big at the moment, so why don't we make some in puke-green and chocolate brown, that way no-one will ever buy them!? Or why don't we just make the ugliest cream suede shoes ever????? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Exhibit B and C. 

sunny sunday on the thames

Goodbye summer!! You were great this year, I just hope you decide to come back next year, maybe even a little bit early? Don't get me wrong, I kind of like winter, but you're definitely my favourite.

Now, some details...whenever I wear these earrings they feel ridiculously big and I imagine everyone is staring at my ears, but I think they ended up looking good in these shots. I think I am addicted to wearing my hair in a super-high topknot. And if I ever get my sewing machine back from the repair shop (they've had it since March and won't return my calls!) I will definitely have to let down the hems of these jeans so I can wear them with platforms, they are just the perfect style for leg lengthening. 

Jeans: 18th Amendment; Top: H&M; Shoes: Office; Earrings: ASOS.

blood sugar baby, she has it...

How do we feel about leather leggings? I am seriously considering a pair for this A/W, even though I know I'm way late jumping on the bandwagon. Yes, all the fash gals have been wearing them for a few years now, but I do think they would fit right in with my aesthetic for winter with oversized blouses, slouchy knits and ankle boots. Yes, again with the ankle boots!! I will never get over them.

and when i can feel with my sun hands

A ballooning anvil and some really big underpants. Exactly what you expect to find leftover after a street festival in central London.

Canal-boating in Wales over the long weekend. Had so much fun with my friends. The Brecon Beacons are really beautiful and the canal is so serene you feel like the rest of the world just doesn't even exist. The boats are really hard to drive (as I found out) but you get the hang of the locks and there are soo many pubs aaaallll the way along the canal! I would recommend this holiday to anyone and everyone.

Gee it's been awhile since I've done any fashion-related posts! Well summer's way too busy for thinking about posing for photos. I am actually proud of myself for not even worrying about the blog, I'm just out there living the dream - seriously, can't even begin to describe how much stuff I've packed into the last couple of months - and if I take a few photos while I'm doing it, I'll share them with you :-)

i'll be seeing you

Yes, I actually stayed here. 

Words cannot describe how much I loved my weekend in Tuscany, and how I can't wait to go back, hopefully with more time for sightseeing. I actually went to Pisa and didn't see the leaning tower! Much more pressing matters such as vino and antipasto were at hand. A gorgeous friend was celebrating her Hen's and we did it in style. It was quite last minute but we all whisked ourselves away for a long weekend. I drove on the wrong side of the road, was wooed by a rotund man called Julio, and had the most amazing meal of my life. I will never forget it.

Do I need to explain the title of this post? Stealing Beauty is one of my favourite movies of all time and I always dreamed of living the romance of Tuscany. I also love the soundtrack, which features this mournful Billie Holliday song.

it is happening again

It is time to eat my words when it comes to this band. And not just this band, but basically most bands that Wes gets obsessed with then introduces me to and then I tell him it's boring. It happens alot. He really likes slow, considered composition that initially seems like it doesn't even have any melody. But then it creeps into your head and installs itself and you just can't get it out! Beach House has been described as 'dream pop'. Never even heard of it. I think they are kind of like The XX.  

I was lucky enough to score an invite to one of the Jacques Townhouse 'soirees' last week (thanks to Viv and Fleur. And yes, it has taken me a whole week to get round to posting it). When I arrived I was spirited away just like Alice down the rabbit hole into a world that had been created by someone who got carried away with plaster of Paris via fruity alcoholic beverages. I say 'I', the singular, because I have one key piece of advice if you are going along to one of these things - get there on time and with your friends. I was five minutes late and spent most of the night by my big old self. You kind of move through the rooms together and there are activities that you have to line up for. Still it was pretty and the drinks were free!

black and white town

What could be better than unlimited free Ben and Jerrys??? Well, not much, but imagine if you got to combine the ice cream with music, Pimms, market stalls and Die Hard!!! All great loves of mine. Wes and I went to Sundae on the Common in Clapham, mainly to see Doves play as I've never seen them before. We ate to our hearts' content (my favourite flavour was Raspberry Mango Swirl Sorbet), Doves were great, and then Die Hard was on TV when I got home. Perfect. Or should I say Yippee ki yay!

Dress: Primarni; shirt: Topshop; kicks: Nike; socks: horseys' own.

no, i'm not a monster

What's-his-face was onto something. Haven't you heard? Gingerbread men are the new cupcake! Well to be accurate, they are the new whoopie pie, which was the new macaroon, which was the new cupcake. To be more accurate, it is just me that decided this, but I think some others are starting to catch on. You're not still eating cupcakes are you?? Yeah, me too, but I really love gingerbread men!! And I think maybe they're not as bad for you? Pret's little man called Godfrey is pretty good, and of course if your local bakery makes them, even better, as long as they're thick enough to have a bit of give in the middle, you don't want them too hard...okay maybe I have thought about this a little too much?

summer sessions

I saw Temper Trap at Somerset House on Monday night! This place is such a great venue and a very well-used city space. This was the first time I had been to one of these Summer Session concerts, I have always wanted to go and couldn't believe my luck in getting tickets when I totally missed them going on sale, again. I always condemn the practice of ticket scalping, but I was seriously considering going back last night to try and get in to see Florence and her fabulous Machine. If they weren't guaranteed to be ridiculously expensive and I hadn't already spent most of this month's pay. But how is it possible that I still have not seen her live?!

Support from another Aussie band, The Middle East...

All band members were real groovers and the lead singers' voice was so perfect. I don't know why but I just didn't expect it to sound as good as on the record.

My mate Jade and the truly beautiful backdrop of Somerset House as the sun finally set on a (slightly cooler) London summer's day.

jack on the green

Summer has been pretty awesome so far, as you all know or can at least imagine. Today's clouds actually provided a nice break, as long as the sun comes back of course! I managed to squeeze in a spot of lawn bowls on Saturday for my mate Jade's birthday (she's a Kiwi so I can use the word 'mate' here, usually I never ever ever use that word, especially not for girls). It was an absolute scorcher and I was dripping by the time I even got there, but I had a great time and met a bunch of cool new people, and drank cider out of a tin, quite a novelty for me.

I must have a door in the back of my head

On Sunday I spent a lovely day out in the sunshine with Wes...at Goodwood Festival of Speed! Oh yes, I thought that my willingness to accompany my love to such a blokey bore-fest meant that I must be the best girlfriend in the entire world, only to be horrified to find that there were wives and girlfriends absolutely everywhere. And I think some of the women there weren't even wives or girlfriends at all, but had just mosied along of their own accord! Not a bad move if they're single.

To more pressing matters, I have been waiting to wear this outfit for awhile - my favourite vintage shirt with little love-hearts on it, and a thrifted lemon yellow skirt I haven't worn at all because I wasn't sure what shoes to pair it with. I finally felt it was the perfect opportunity, and I felt very happy with it, even though I had to undo the waistband of the skirt for comfort's sake during the 2 hour drive :-)

I must draw your attention to my little friend. I bought him from one of the great jewellery stalls at Portobello Road and this was our first outing together. Ain't he cute? I thought I was being so witty, you know, wearing a sheep for a trip to the country, wearing vintage to an estate that hosts a vintage festival...yeah, you geddit. Wearing open sandals to a dustbowl? Not so clever.