Fall trip to New York

New York. A city I've visited more times than I can count, and a destination that is good that they named it twice. This trip really didn't feel like a vacation (even though it was,) and I guess I've got to the point where I know it so well that visiting the city now feels like catching up with an old friend!

In town for a mix of business and pleasure, the temperatures were in the high twenties (the eighties for my lovely American readers,) when I arrived, but slowly, and wonderfully dipped to a more acceptable fall climate.

On the first full day, we woke up early and headed to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum for an early access tour. Visiting the Museum and paying my respects has been something that I have wanted to do for a long time, and seeing the new World Trade Center complex was a restorative experience. Booking a place on the early access tour is something I would highly recommend. You start your tour at 815am, an hour before the Museum is open to the general public which allows you to see artefacts and experience the exhibitions before it gets busy. Our guide Victor was exceptional, and made the tour even more poignant and powerful.

The tour and the Museum is moving and emotional, and powerfully transports you back to the events of that awful day in September. Only 12 at the time, this experience made me realize that I am likely one of the few youngest of generations who will truly remember the events of 9/11. This makes the Museum and Memorial even more important to honour the victims, heroes, first responders, families and friends.

We didn't visit the observatory of One World Trade Center, and I think that I will be unlikely to in the future. The new tower is awesome in its size and presence, the design echoing elements of the original towers and rising to new heights. It's a beautiful building to look at and I imagine being inside looking out at New York and further afield would also be a special experience.

The rest of my trip was filled with meetings (including a trip to Tory Burch HQ!) and catching up with friends. But I also made time to revisit some of my favourite New York sites including Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, Central Park, the Met (the Psycho house roof installation was awesome,) Flatiron and Brooklyn. A bracing walk across Brooklyn Bridge was the main part of our final day in the city - and braving the cold was well worth it!

Take a taxi or a ride on the Subway to Brooklyn Heights (getting off at City Hall or Borough Market) and walk along Brooklyn Heights to take in the magnificent skyline of Lower Manhattan. Soak up the walk back into Manhattan over the Bridge, it truly is a special view.

Along with stock up stops at my favourite shops (J.Crew, Ann Taylor, LOFT, Banana Republic, Target and CVS!) it was nice to spend some R&R time in New York. I'll be back next year!

Check out some more of my photos from my New York trip here.   

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My picks from Russell & Bromley A/W 2016

Russell & Bromley is killing it in the style stakes with their Autumn/Winter 2016 collection. From luxury velvet boots to molten metallic Mary Janes, there are so many gorgeous styles to drool over!

I've got my loyalty points to spend, and these are the styles that I am currently deciding between...

Twist Knotted Bow Flat: crafted from silver glittering fabric, these pointed flats are topped off with a luscious velvet bow. 

Charlize Metal Trim Flat: Theresa May wore the black version- I wonder if she has the leopard style too?

Crush Up Crinkle Boot: I love the crinkle effect of this suede pair of boots. They certainly have the wow factor!

Vivacious Bow Trim Courts: what can I say about these? Other than that I LOVE them!

Travel in style with Louella Odie!

Luggage shouldn't just be a practical necessity for travellers. I'm a big believer in having luggage that has personality, making travel fun and easier to spot your bags when they take that endless spin on the carousel!

Jungle Print

I am in love with Louella Odie's new range of weekender bags. Available in two unique patterns, the bags are designed for maximum organisation, comfort and style. With a cunning passport sized side pocket, zip closure and a choice of short handles or an adjustable, detachable leather cross body strap, this is the perfect bag for a short weekend break or to hold your carry-on items.

Lattice print

As I head off on my next trip, I'll be wishing Louella Odie's weekender bag was with me! Treat for next trip?!

PS: Make sure you check out Louella Odie's fantastically filled Instagram feed! Travel dreams right there...

J.Crew x New Balance

Two of my favourite brands have joined forces and it's like an early Christmas gift! J.Crew and New Balance have paired up to offer a new, exciting athleisure range, as well as practical pieces that will actually make your work-out so much better.

A mix of pants, tops, trainers and accessories, the collection is made from techy fabrics in unique colours and prints. This may help me to reinvigorate my exercise regime!

Check out some of my favourite pieces below. The whole collection can be viewed here.

Softshell jacket

Athletic headband

Mesh sneakers

Colourblock leggings

LK Bennett: Perfect Party Dresses

Sparkly dresses and black tie goodness- who wouldn't be captivated by these gorgeous party dresses that have just landed at LK Bennett? Dream big dreams...

Essa Black Sequin Dress

Fay Black Dress

Capturing Fashion: Derujinsky

© Gleb Derujinsky, from Capturing Fashion: Derujinsky (Flammarion, 2016). 

There's nothing more relaxing then sitting down with an oversized fashion book and a cup of tea - and Capturing Fashion Derujinsky has arrived at the right time! It's been a hectic few weeks of work and general life stuff, so this book is the perfect relaxing read!

Within the pages, discover the innovative photography of Gleb Derujinsky, one of the most unique and creative photographers of the twentieth century.

Gleb Derujinsky’s career as a fashion photographer took hold in the golden age of European haute couture, when Balenciaga and Pierre Balmain were at the top of their game. Derujinsky convinced his editors Carmel Snow and Diana Vreeland to send him around the world to photograph beautiful models—like Carmen Dell’Orefice and his future wife Ruth Neumann—draped in expensive gowns juxtaposed against rough desert dunes or a glittering ocean horizon at sunset. His ideas were revolutionary and they gave rise to the mystique and glamour that is now pervasive in fashion.

© Gleb Derujinsky, from Capturing Fashion: Derujinsky (Flammarion, 2016). 

Derujinsky was the quintessential Renaissance man—photographer, cinematographer and commercial director, inventor, WWII veteran, world traveler, jewelry designer, musician, ski instructor, race car driver, and champion glider pilot. As a teenager, he became the youngest member of The Camera Club of New York. His photographs appeared in major lifestyle magazines before he began to work primarily for Harper’s Bazaar from 1950–70. This is the first monograph to celebrate his major contributions to the history of fashion and photography and contains over 200 black and white and colour photographs.

Derujinsky passed away in 2011, and as one of the most sought after fashion photographers of his time, his life and legacy still lives on thanks to publications like Town & Country, Harper's Bazaar and Glamour.

Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of Capturing Fashion to review.

© Gleb Derujinsky, from Capturing Fashion: Derujinsky (Flammarion, 2016). 

#ShareYourOutdoors

We're lucky to live in such beautiful surroundings in the UK. From rivers to mountains, coastal paths to green fields, we're spoiled for choice with outdoor to places to visit.

I live in the South of Wales, a beautifully diverse and historically rich area with plenty of great outdoor spots to enjoy. Whilst I spend alot of my time travelling abroad, I do make time to visit some of the best outdoor locations that are on my doorstep.

One of my favourite places is Tredegar House in Newport. Set in 90 acres of parkland and with a variety of gorgeous walled gardens, Tredegar House is an impressive 17th century Charles II era country mansion house which has been in the Morgan family for 500 years. Now managed by the National Trust, Tredegar House and Park is a great place to go for a walk, join in with Park Run or enjoy the calming boating lake.

I had many school trips here during my youth, so it has been lots of fun to rediscover the House and grounds in my twenties! A real gem in a city location.

This post is part of Aspinall Foundation's #ShareYourOutdoors campaign to raise awareness of its animal conservation work. To take part and to be in with a chance of winning some fantastic prizes simply share your thoughts on your favourite outdoor space with and use the #ShareYourOutdoors hashtag. You can also tag other bloggers to take part!

Seize the style: How Theresa May is redefining political fashion

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Conference season has come to an end with all of the UK's political parties holding their annual meet-ups. Recent attention has been on the Conservative Party, and Theresa May who ended her first conference as Conservative Party leader and Prime Minister earlier today.

The big issues of Brexit, the economy and welfare were rightly front and centre at conference. But delegates and the wider country were interested in May's personal side, and in particular, her interest in fashion. It's no secret that the PM is interested in clothes and her love of style is giving this blog plenty to write about.

The subject of female politicians and their wardrobe choices has always been a topic of controversy. Some say it is sexist to focus on what a woman is wearing whilst others like myself see the selection of clothes as an important part of crafting an image.

Theresa May is redefining political fashion and shaking up what is perceived as the 'typical female politician' look. What Thatcher did for the structured handbag and bow blouses, May is doing for the statement shoe and bold necklace. Her style is relaxed yet assured- the dark jeans worn on her 60th birthday, the two piece skirt suit and Russell & Bromley heels and the familiar aubergine Escada dress all demonstrate a leader with confidence and purpose. There will be no brash neon jackets or badly tailored suits here!

May isn't afraid to take risks with her sartorial selections and she knocked it out of the park with her choice of a structured black Paule Ka jacket, canary yellow belt and silver toed loafers from Russell & Bromley. Confident and bold, these choices reaffirm May's leadership style and the absence of any fear in her professional and personal approach.

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May is interesting because she takes risks in her wardrobe and in the UK, we've not seen this in a female politician leader before. Too often our female politicians run for the stereotypical suit, a cookie cutter piece taken off the hanger void of personality. It gives nothing away about the leader and can perhaps be part of the reason why we know and think so little about our politicians. May's clothes convey the mood of the situation- the navy and neon Amanda Wakeley dress and long jacket a sign of optimistic change and the the sharp and subtle lines of an oatmeal tweed jacket conveying the seriousness attitude of leadership.

Whether you love hearing about Theresa May's shoes or want the style reporting to stop, throughout her premiership, the interest in her style selections will remain high. May is inspiring professional women to take risks in their wardrobes, and encouraging women in their 60s to not reach for the generic comfort clothing just yet. From these Vivacious courts to statement accessories, Theresa May is redefining political fashion and rewriting what it means to be a woman in politics.

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Lancel: Parisian Maison since 1876

Lancel is one of my favourite French designers so it's pretty exciting to see the release of a new book covering its history.

From its founders and innovative designs to its contemporary collections and famous collaborations, this volume marks its 140th anniversary and features original art from Martin Parr, Jean-Philippe Delhomme and Marjane Satrapi as it explores its rich history and secrets behind its continued success. 

From travel luggage to toiletry cases, Lancel combines luxury with functionality with an aim to simply life whilst making it its most beautiful.

Lancel; Parisian Maison is available now. 

September through Instagram

Testing out new skincare products from Cosmedicine | Swooning over the latest J.Crew arrivals | doopoll in action! | Remembering 9/11 | Theresa May and her fabulous choice of shoes | Australian Vogue with Crown Princess Mary of Denmark | Sparkly shoes from Russell & Bromley | Behind the scenes at the Principality Stadium | Crisp autumn days

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Theresa May at the 2016 Conservative Party Conference: Day One

The 2016 Conservative Party Conference kicked off in Birmingham today, with the Prime Minister making her first appearance as party leader.

Starting the day with an interview on The Andrew Marr Show, Theresa May confirmed that Article 50, which will trigger the formal 'Brexit' process, will be initiated before March 2017. You can watch the full interview below.

For her interview on Marr, the PM wore a navy skirt suit, white cami and a pair of Beverley Feldman for Russell & Bromley leopard, cherry red, tartan and diamonte kitten heels.

For her speech about Brexit, the PM combined the traditional with the modern. Wearing a simple outfit of black trousers and a black tailored jacket, May accessorised with panache, debuting a pair of Charlize metal trim slippers from Russell & Bromley, a utilitarian canary yellow belt and a chunky multi coloured bracelet. Her handbag is from Amanda Wakeley.

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Arriving in Birmingham last night, the PM wore blue jeans, the Edelle Evergreen Tweed jacket from LK Bennett, handbag from Anya Hindmarch, navy Balls necklace from Mirta Bijoux and a pair of Russell & Bromley black jewelled buckle pumps.

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AERIN falls for leopard

I couldn't love leopard print any more at the moment, and I'm so psyched to see that AERIN has a line of amazing leopard accessories!

Whilst a little out of my current budget, this leather and leopard pony handle bag is on point.

These leopard print flats keep appearing in my dreams.

See more of my leopard loves in this post!