If you are in any way trying not to spend money, look away now... because this season Zara is full to bursting with amazing clothes. Literally packed. I have a Zara about a minute from my office and it's dangerous just walking past it at the moment.
The October Lookbookis gorgeous, full of clothes that would easily fit into your everyday wardrobe but also make you look like a swish grown-up! Very Celine but not too minimalist!
I am dying to buy the blazer I featured last week as well as many, many other items but this is top of the list. A very sleek black cape which would set off any winter outfit very well...and this week's lust item!
p.s. this is potentially second on the listbut I’m not sure...you know when you like something but have a lingering doubt that it may be tipping into ugly territory. I’m not sure whether it’s a bit 1970s football manager. Maybe it needs a trying on session to see which way it goes?!
It’s time for October’s fashion tip of the month. My brother and his lovely girlfriend Laura live in Bath and Laura told me about an amazing shop called Instant Vintage. It stocks clothing that is inspired by vintage designs but at prices that won’t make you choke!
I love vintage but the prices that some stores charge is astronomical, particularly in London. Often you’re being charged £50 for a summer dress that may be vintage but it’s also seen better days. When I was growing up we would go to jumble sales and pick up bags of clothes for a quid...so much ‘vintage’ stock these days belongs back in the jumble sales!
There are some vintage stores that I think make a huge effort to get the stock right - this sounds pretentious but they have a ‘well-edited’ selection (sorry!) - and don’t charge a fortune. One of my favourites is Marshmallow Mountain in Kingly Court, just next to Carnaby Street. I always find something I would love to buy.
Anyway, ‘Instant Vintage’ gets around the difficulty of trying to get ‘vintage’ in your size and in good condition. All sizes are available and it’s brand spanking new! The dresses are my favourite items on the site, though the jewellery from the Danish designer Lisbeth Dahl is also lovely.
And the reason I’m including it on Edna is that it’s also fully up and running for online retail (hurrah!) and delivers...so you don’t have to be lucky enough to live in beautiful Bath to shop there.
Last month I blogged about ‘Fashion Night Out’ in London, a night dedicated to that great female pastime...shopping...with discounts, gifts and free bubbly thrown in for good measure. I was won over!
And now, Vogue has launched ‘Fashion Night In’, targeted at all of us who love shopping and often can’t (be arsed to!) leave the house. The idea is that lots of online retailers will be donating money from transactions on the night to the KidsCo charity, will offer discounts and have giveaways. The only thing lacking is the free bubbly and, I guess, the social side of the Fashion Night Out. Still, a good discount and your own in-house beverages can work wonders!
Full details of all retailers involved on the night is on the Vogue website.
Some of the events that caught my eye...
KURTGEIGER.COM is offering 25% off everything between 5pm and midnight. There will also be a competition to win a winter wardrobe of shoes as well as a gift with purchases for the first 25 orders made on the night. So the amazing shoe boots above that are £120 and very Louboutin in their styling will be down to £90...still pricey but would cheer up any outfit!
PEOPLETREE.CO.UK is offering 20% off and everyone who shops using their Fashion’s Night In code between 6pm and midnight will be entered in a draw to win a designer goodie bag. Plus, there will be two VIP tickets to Bora Aksu’s London Fashion Week show in February. And, as much as I am still chaffing from the epic slog to get Vivienne Westwood to repair the clutch bag I bought for my wedding earlier this year (three uses and the statement orb was hanging off...the handbag is still in Italy and no closer to being back in my arms!)...I am still excited because Viviennewestwood.com will launch its first ecommerce site to coincide with Fashion's Night In!!
So maybe get some cava in the fridge, put your pyjamas on, an intensive conditioning treatment in your hair, apply a face mask, paint your nails...and get your credit card out for a night in with yourself on 1st November!!
p.s. hello to my new followers...very excited to have hit 26!
Evans stocks great jewellery. After posting my blog, I received an email from them about their new footwear range. I haven’t bought Evans shoes before because I have quite narrow feet, so the wide or extra wide fit which they stock isn’t for me...but if the wider fit is perfect for you, then you’re in for treats!
I won’t post about everything I’m sent…only what I genuinely love and I’m impressed with…hence why I’m blogging about Evans shoes. I’m also quite excited that they sent me a little film I can include on my blog, which is a first…so I couldn’t resist! And, given that Edna is still a fledgling blog, it’s a treat to be sent anything!!
These are my favourites in the collection...I’m completely in love with the Beth Ditto for Evans silver mary janes...they are stunning! Oh, and they have 20% off all shoes and boots at the moment…so bargains aplenty!
I’m sort of continuing the work wear theme tonight but only because the clothes I’m featuring are not only gorgeous but can also look great in your work environment.
I was chatting to friends at the weekend about our first ever purchases on the Asos website and its early incarnation of ‘As Seen on Screen’ when you really did buy their own brand clothes that were inspired by what famous folk had been wearing. My sister, my friend Lisa and I all simultaneously purchased the ‘Madge’ bomber jacket! To my shame, I also recall buying a chiffon number in the style of...brace yourselves...that great style icon Lindsey Lohan! It languished in my wardrobe for about a year before finding itself in a charity shop.
Since then, Asos has turned into the behemoth of online retail and stocks massive numbers of brands, not just high street, but independent and designer. They also still do their own brand stuff. The friends I chatted to at the weekend didn’t realise how great some of the own brand Asos stuff is (maybe they’ve had their own ‘LiLo’ experiences to get over!!).
My favourite is ‘Asos White’ – lots of lovely daywear, in great cuts and with interesting detailing. It’s not really cheap but then you are getting some good quality clothing in wools, silks and leather...and there’s always a sale around the corner if it’s out of your budget!
For me this is also great work wear, as they’re all separates that can slot into your wardrobe. It describes the range as ‘simple, minimal and lux’...three words I love when I want to smarten myself up for work!
Leather insert skinny jeans - £65 (not really suitable for my working environment but I’ve had my eye on these for a while...I love the leather detailing).
p.s. if you're in the USA, there is good news because Asos has recently launched its US site: Asos USA
Continuing the work wear theme, one essential item missing from yesterday's high street sweep was a handbag. I could actually have an entire week of blogs based around all the great handbags on the high street right now. I could very easily bankrupt myself if I bought every bag I love on the high street...there are many little beauties out there! But this is my favourite at the moment and is this week's lust item.
It's suede. It has a punched finish. It is in turquoise (though is available in other colours) and has a shoulder strap and a grab handle. It's got everything!
I wouldn't extend the shoulder strap to wear it cross body (as shown below) in a work environment but it does mean that the bag has flexibility and can look much more casual.
Today's blog is going to spare you more photos of me trying to look smart and looking slightly dishevelled and take you back to one of my favourite places...the High Street! There is such great work wear on the high street. In days gone by, work wear equated to suits and smart shirts...now there is so much grown-up clothing that can work across your life, so you can have a multitude of separates that can be super-smart but then also dressed down for other areas of your life.
I've highlighted below a selection of my favourite workwear on the high street but have to confess to having a love affair with Zara this season. I went into Zara today and had to strong-arm myself out of there before I let loose with the old credit card! It is very lust-worthy and filled with gorgeous work wear...and this is one of my favourite outfits.
I absolutely love this outfit...I’m tempted just to go into Zara with this photo and buy the lot! The jacket is very Celine...very minimal chic...gorgeous! For me this is an outfit that you could wear during the day and you could just change handbag to a clutch, maybe add a statement pendant and it would take you to the evening.
I still haven’t bought them yet but the black trouser range from Gap, which I’ve blogged about before, would be on the list of some of the great work wear on the high street right now.
Tops
Asos White silk scalloped edge shell top - £46. This is a top that you could wear during the day with tailoring to make it a little more feminine but it could carry you to the evening with the addition of some jewellery and an evening bag. I would wear this top instead of the white shirt in Wednesday’s outfit.
Leopard print court shoes - £49.99. I was torn about including these because leopard print can be a bit much in lots of working environments. But I think with a plain outfit...even just the black trousers and white shirt for example, these will work and could be ok. And the heel height is great...not too sky-high!
