Friday 30 April 2010

Howies

I love the scruffy, wind-swept feel of the pictures in the new Howie's catalogue.

Marie Chantal



I often prefer the design of children's clothes to adults' ones - sweet pinafores and smocks, and cardigans that do up properly - and Marie Chantal's designs are no exception. I wish she made these things in grown-up sizes.

Love


I think this silk heart-print shirt from my lovely friends Lulu & Nat would be ideal honeymoon-wear.

Thursday 29 April 2010

Lark Rise to Candleford

It's out of print, sadly, but this book, edited by my dad, is still the loveliest looking volume I've ever owned. I don't remember living in a house without it on a bookshelf. The cloth-bound cover was inspired by the flower presses my sister and I loved keeping, and by the traditional red-and-white spotted cotton handkerchiefs that I associate so strongly with my childhood - my mum would often wear one as a headscarf on walks, and I'm sure both my grandfathers religiously carried them in their top pockets.

Peter Brown's British birds

I love Peter Brown's handprinted wood engravings of British birds, originally done for The Times. Although I've never heard of the Ringed Plover, the Whimbrel, the Garganey or the Golden Oriole - I think these would look lovely grouped together on our bathroom wall. (And they're only £25 each).

Florence & Florence

Mother-and-daughter-run Florence & Florence stock the kinds of things I search for in flea markets, but rarely find (un-chipped enamel bowls, proper kitchen tools) - alongside some things they've made themselves, like aprons and shopping bags made from vintage fabric remnants.

Wednesday 28 April 2010

Aubin & Wills

I'm keen on the new summer things at Aubin & Wills, designed with Cornish beach holidays in mind. (I particularly want to take ownership of this shirt).

Tuesday 27 April 2010

Clog party

Swedish Hasbeens' winter ad campaign features a wedding in which all the guests wear clogs. My kind of party!

Monday 26 April 2010

Megan Park

Lovely summery things, and sweet headscarves, from Megan Park.

Friday 23 April 2010

Rococo chocolate

We shared a huge plank of this chocolate last night, and it was the most delicious thing ever. Absolutely outrageously good.

Thursday 22 April 2010

Plumo



Outfits for summer holidays at Plumo.

Petit Bateau

Knitted pants, yellow raincoats, fisherman's jumpers with brass buttons, stripey tops... I love every last detail of the autumn range at Petit Bateau.

Rashida Jones for Theory

I'm not completely certain I know who actress Rashida Jones is, and I've never bought anything from Theory before - but I like what she's done with styling their stuff, and I particularly love what she wore for the launch.
Picture from InStyle.com

Friday 16 April 2010

Fizzy glass

Zara Home call these glasses Frizzy - but surely they mean fizzy? Archie bought me one of these beautifully heavy, bubbly green water glasses and I've now got my eye on its older brother, the jug.

Thursday 15 April 2010

Dorky shoes


I'm sure shoes like this strike fear and horror into most people, but I've always had a bit of a thing for dorky shoes - the kind of sandals my physics teacher wore with socks.

Wednesday 14 April 2010

Jessica Ogden



I love Jessica Ogden's designs. Her clothes tend to look nicely dishevelled, and (like me) she favours billowing fabric and frayed hems over sharp edges or anything too polished. I'm also keen on the Madras range she created at APC. So it's no surprise her small collection for People Tree often takes my fancy; this summer I have my eye on the harlequin-print dress.
Pictures from Vogue.

Tuesday 13 April 2010

Satchel panniers




Very smart bike panniers designed to look like school satchels, from Cycle Chic.

Spartoo

New-to-me online store Spartoo sells those Parisienne-style gym shoes I like: Springcourt, Palladium and Bensimon - in hard-to-find colours.

Summerill & Bishop





My all-time, hands-down favourite ever kitchen shop, Summerill & Bishop has just opened its online store. Which means I will spend the rest of today struggling to do anything other than browse pots and pans, and dream of kitting my kitchen out in vintage French linens, terracotta bowls and bone-handled knives...