She shall go to the ball....

An invite to a ball would normally have me all giddy, planning my outfit, which way to do my hair or what make up look to go for. Sadly after a summer full of black tie wedding invites hitting our post box, I have become immune.


I am one of those irritating girls who convinces myself that I couldn't possibly wear the same dress twice, so for one night only I am stepping into unknown territory. GASP. I am wearing a dress that has hung in my wardrobe since last Christmas. MOCK HORROR. Get me a glass of water, I feel quite faint...GULP that's better!


I blame my mum, remember Dottie? Well Dottie you see, when she met the man who was soon to become her husband worked in an office, I am told when she was paid she would remove the crisp notes from her pay packet and hand it straight over to a sales assistant (something Dottie tuts at me for doing, so obviously it must be some kind of cruel genetic illness I have inherited from her).


I have photographic evidence of these little splurges, lace shift dresses, halternecks gowns (very Studio 54, think Bianca Jagger) flared trousers with matching fitted jacket and of course the handbags ...she was the girl who not only bought the bag but threw in the shoes to match.


When Dottie met my Dad she met her match in the style stakes. A black and white photo of my parents walking along O'Connell Street, Dublin is etched in my head. Matching flares, Dad's coat coolly flung over his shoulder, platforms and quite worryingly his n' her shoulder length hair (through the years these were replaced with a perm for Mum and a Tom Selleck-esque moustache for Dad - I will have to just blank that memory)


When my oldest sister arrived Dottie had another person to inflict her shopping habit on. At the age of 3 she rocked headscarves, flared jeans, long sleeved striped tee's and a waistcoat...Mum was obviously going through her Felicity Kendal ' The Good Life' phase as around this time a vegetable patch was produced at the end of our garden.


Prior to the Easter holidays, Dottie brought me 'Easter Sunday Clothes Shopping', something I was naively led to believe every household did along with their egg hunt. So you see it's in my blood.


The sad thing is that I now look back to photo's of my Mum wishing she had kept all her lovely dresses...styles that are as beautiful now as they were then. So perhaps I should embrace pulling a look from my wardrobe...you never know in twenty years time my daughter could be looking back at photo's of me thinking how beautiful I looked too, not caring if I had worn it before.

What to wear to the Ball...

Sam Edelmann pumps which got me through wedding season

My Zara prom style dress...

may add my tutu under it for a fifties feel



plain YSL clutch....

So that my red lips do all the talking!

*another lovely gift, landed on my desk by parcel 

Can't quite decide on a sleek pony tail ..

or tousled curls like Ms Zoe

These are some of my favourite things...

Kc peaches for a salad box

black & white photo's of Dublin line the walls



 fruit topped pies add a pop of colour...



Recipes for customers to recreate desserts at home

Baking is on my 'to do' list this weekend..

if only to display goodies in my new glass cloche

Ice queen windows...

makes me wonder if the snow will fall this year

Cold nights call for fish & chips down the local pub

Ending the night cuddled up in bed...

with this weeks grazia





All I needed was a little TLC...

A city break was needed and Edinburgh was chosen.
I have heard so much positive feedback on the city and when I informed people I had never been there it was met with shock. You see I am a London girl, for years I have gone for shopping weekends, shopping days, or in some cases made the short trip for a pointless couple of hours. I have always gone with my Partner In Crime (sister who possibly has a worse shopping habit than even I have).

Once again my Partner In Crime was accompanying me, with P.I.C's hubby and  the boyfriend. We all bounced up to Dublin Airport at a ridiculous hour, Longchamp customised bags on our shoulders while the boys dragged our cases.

We headed straight to the cafe for coffee's and sausage baps, the boys held some seats for us in the bar beside our gate - *Pints in hands they were happy campers - and we all sat down excitedly planning the day ahead.
(*Did I say this was at 5.15 am yes am...I get the feeling this must be an Irish thing, Rule: Holiday commences once you get to the Airport and must have a pint no matter what the hour)
My first love of Edinburgh.  The plane felt like it had just taken off when it was announced we would be landing in ten minutes. We arrived in the centre of the city and were checked into our lovely hotel by 8 am...all fluster free. I was already impressed.
As it was so early we threw on our coats and decided to take a leisurely stroll around the city, the fresh cool air hit me as we headed towards Prince Street, the auburn leaves glowing as we approached trying to avoid walking into people as we stared up at all the wonderful buildings and statues in our midst.

 And then Edinburgh Castle came into view, the morning sun hit it's stones...so many stories hidden in it's walls.

We then decided without hesitation that we would need a cup of tea prior to making the climb to the Castle...enter my second love of Edinburgh. Eteaket. Sigh.



I think I must have said 'I love this place' about twenty times. It is here that boyfriend and bro-in-law kept calling me 'the tourist' as I snapped away time and time again at this little piece of heaven.

I got the same feeling in this cafe as I did when I entered Serendipity in New York. I was instantly relaxed...something lately I have found so hard to do. We all studied the pretty menu's one dedicated solely to of course Tea. I settled on a fruit salad and a Decaf Breakfast Tea while my companions had variations of pastries, bagels with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers washed down with Scottish Tea's. Just what we needed.

Following our early start to the day and trip to the castle we spent much of the afternoon wandering around the city. Passing my third love...bouquet's of lavendar wrapped in brown paper...buckets of flowers in beautiful warm colours. Who ever thought a cabbage could look so stylish.

Of course we also had to refuel on our journey through the lanes of Edinburgh, for the girls that involved Strawberry Daiquiri's & loaded nacho's. The boys went for a sampling of haggis with beer (not as pretty to photograph, but I have to say I am a haggis convert it was delicious)

Our Friday night involved more cocktails, a visit to some cool local bars and a fab tapas bar where we sat for hours chatting over mussels, chorizo stew, potato bravas, calamari..I could go on but I would be embarrassed at the amount we consumed:)

A lovely nights sleep and we were ready to start all over again. Today we were to split up...the boys going to a local football game while myself and P.I.C planned to spend a lovely day shopping  - our sport of choice! (I had announced this trip wasn't all about shopping so didn't go mad in case you are concerned to my lack of purchases)This was such a lovely and chilled day, I don't get to spend days like this as often as I would like with both of my sisters - it's difficult now that they are both mummies - so I cherish these days.

So this was our day.....

A walk through Princes Street Gardens

A classic purse from BIBA...

sadly empty by the end of the weekend:)

Stocked up on the sweet smell of this dry shampoo

- replacing my Baptiste

Fun & flirty underwear...

A motto I should follow..my new shopper will remind me

John Lewis home...
I left with these little pegs perfect for hanging my Xmas cards

A well earned break at the Harvey Nichols Champagne bar

Conveyor belt of cupcakes and champagne???

Gets my vote!

We split this gold dusted chocolate god...

A lovely finish to our day of shopping, we did feel slightly guilty when we met the boys, both shivering after a day spent outdoors at a disappointing game drinking tea from Styrofoams and eating Scottish pies covered in salt....I always said our 'sport' was better:)



Old Hollywood Glamour...

Grace, Elizabeth, Audrey and Brigitte...2 brunettes and 2 blonde's who will forever be my style icons....
I remember spending many a Saturday afternoon glued to Channel4 watching black and white old movies with my sister, drawn into the glamour of these beautiful women.  Flicking through magazines now, they are constantly used as inspirations for seasonal trends in fashion, hair and make-up. Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie, seemed to have the same wonderful connection with this glamorous era (sadly I didn't have the bank balance to keep up with them a well as she did) 
Depending on my mood I can draw inspiration from each of these women...



Brigitte Bardot..blonde backcombed hair, flicked eyeliner

with a nude pout

Audrey Hepburn...ballet shoes, skinny trousers, Breton top



Grace Kelly..pearls, pencil skirts and the iconic  Hermes Birkin

that was to become the Kelly bag

Elizabeth Taylor..diamonds, corseted curve enhancing dresses

and more diamonds..

  

Four very different women who influence fashion as much today as they did in their hey day. You only have to look at the wedding of the year to see how Grace Kelly has influenced Kate Middleton and Sarah Burton of Mc Queen...so as I sit here typing away in a pair of leggings and over sized jumper I think it's about time I introduced a bit of Hollywood glamour into my life just in time for party season...hand me a brush I better start backcombing.

Ali

x

These are some of my favourite things...

Love when beautiful packages land on my desk

especially when in fab retro packaging

Lunch:

Following a warm bowl of soup on a cold day..

I go for a wander while thankfully avoiding yummy cakes..

Make my way to the haven that is Topshop

Happily leaving with the perfect jewellery

to compliment my new Zara metallic dress

Beside a YSL Belle Du Jour...everything looks fantastic



Bed:

after an evening of bikram yoga and blog-fun..it's calling me

Send off to sleep with a fairytale

 courtesy of the Brothers Grimm

NIGHT NIGHT to all x

Bank Holiday Blues...

Having literally just recovered from our Bank Holiday wandering around the streets today I realised that with one holiday over, the focus has well and truly switched to another....

The red cups have arrived in Starbucks, mince pies have sneaked on to menu's and the windows of our beautiful shops have been transformed into different versions of a winter wonderland.

Is it too soon to speak about Christmas? Personally it's my favourite holiday and I will be one of those annoying people who will probably have the majority of my shopping before the end of November...so no it's never too early :)

There is certainly a chill in the air, and as I walked to work this morning, I found myself having to throw on my cashmere Marc Jacobs hat and grabbed myself a tea to keep me nice and warm, over lunch which is normally some kind of wrap or salad I found myself craving a nice bowl of soup...coupled with the latest copy of Grazia. Flicking through the pages I began to make a mental list of all possible presents I may buy for myself and my family...I know it's an illness I AM A SHOPAHOLIC!

So on that note here are a few pieces that have already caught my eye...

Ali

x

These are some of my favourite things...

Jewelled flowers...for home

and something for me from Kenneth Jay Lane!



Christmas has arrived on the streets of Dublin

Cookies for the fashion lover landed on my desk...

a welcome sweet treat too good to eat!!!!!!

With 2 Christmas parties in my diary, need

to invest in lashes..my first aid beauty box

 or these from shu uemura with a little black dress

My style crush:

Tess Daly - black lace, red lips and tousled blonde bob..

Inspiration for party season