Collage

(From left to right: Linda Farrow Lux aviators, Acne Studios tee, Topshop angora knit and black polish, Jil Sander graphic clutch, Zara skirt (coming soon, simlar here), Topshop booties and Michael Kors silver Watch)

When you are finally available, Ô most exquisite little Inditex number, this is how I will style you: clean lines, graphic shapes and bichromatic hues. Aka my way of life. This one might even work with opaque tights, despite the white mini. Now that's a winner! 

 

The next best thing

(Ph/me)

We all dreamed of them, a few of us sought out quick fix replicas, but only one person I know actually managed to hunt them down. And even then, the waiting list was such a joke that Soraya decided to call the search for Nicolas Ghesquiere's much coveted knuckle dusters quits, and went instead for a more artsy take on the Balenciaga stack ring. I must say, these are just as beautiful, if a little less edgy. Green with envy. 

GET THE LOOK: Dannijo iphone cover (more styles here), rayban mirror sunglasses and Balenciaga rings (I went for these)

 

Baby it's cold outside - Max Mara FW13

(Ph/Max Mara Fall-Winter 2013 via Style.com)

"Look Ma, no arms!"

I have potentially uncovered the only instance in which 'caping' is socially acceptable (if you are not a superhero, that is). You wouldn't believe the number of show dwellers who come rain or snow choose to effortfully drape their jacket by way of looking effortless. I'm so bored of the drape right now. Sure it looks good, but when a styling trick becomes as overexposed a trend as a bad runway copy taking over the highstreet, then that's your cue to try something new. 

Have a break, people, have a kit kat.

Except if you are Max Mara. Unlike Nicole Phelps, I never grow tired of strong, mille-feuille layering. Granted, the girls were probably carrying their own weight worth in outerwear, but that is not to say the silhouettes looked unpleasantly heavy. In fact, given the big chill that hit Milan, I'm sure most of the FROW-ers wished they could swap their own accoutrements for supersized spun alpaca. 

And the draping? Well, the way I see it, when you are layering over garments so thick and snug that getting one's arm through coat sleeve becomes an Olympic sport in its own right, then you can just about get away with such affected nonchalance. 

You will no doubt appreciate the irony of these observations when I share my next look du jour, which may or may not have me running around London in a geometric coat (perfectly?) balanced over my shoulders. Hey pot, this is kettle, you're black. See ya. 

 

Another one for the team

 (Ph/Charlie)

As much as I hate to admit it, my Lazios have not been getting all the TLC they deserve, so it's not surprising that they got a little jealous when not one, but two new pairs of pony hair (ish) flats crossed over to this side of the rainbow. The matter was quickly resolved when I agreed they could accompany me to brunch, where I went on to offer them the primetime slot on COTR so they could show off a little wedge (Monday morning in blogging world is a tough cookie to land). Few, crisis averted...

What is it that they say? Once is happenstance, twice is just coincidence and three is a trend : hairy feet are clearly having a moment here!

I can't help but wonder whether this is just playful foreplay before my hands join the team. Spotted in black and white at Altuzarra, hardcore and edgy at Alexander Wang and ladylike, at the wrist at Katie Ermilio, the yeti mitten is on its way to becoming our newest furry friend. Watch this space.

I'm wearing a Zara coat and blazer, an Olive clothing top, and H&M ripped jeans. The boots are by Isabel Marant (similar here), the bag is by Givenchy and the bracelet is Charlie May. 

Neighbour buddy

(Ph/Marie)

Just a quick one today to share what I wore to brunch with the lovely Marie, who is my new neighbour straight from LA! London is colder than it has been for weeks, and I'm so bored of talking about the weather and appropriate outerwear that I'm not even going to bother giving you a run-through of the above getup since its pretty much a uniform at this point. Anyway really got to dash, got another meeting penciled in. Enjoy your Sunday. 

I'm wearing a Carin Wester bomber jacket, a Tibi top (available in June - similar here and here), an Alexander Wang skirt (try this one) and Zara furry slip-ons. The bag is Acne studios, the dagger ring is LeiVanKash and the beanie is Kele clothing (stolen from Margaret).

Polished

(Ph/Private)

I'm no Olivia Palermo. My hair hasn't seen a brush in years (no, really! I leave the house with a soggy mane of tangled locks Monday through Friday - good job Instagram is nothing but a glorified foot fetish gallery, #FromwhereIstand is my best friend, don’t you know?), my makeup is forever smudged (if makeup there is) and no matter what I wear, I always look scruffy. Praise be the place I was born, for since moving to London I now get away with the lot on account of looking 'effortless'.

Indeed I cannot help but marvel at the Eiffel Tower-tall pedestal that we croissant-eating, breton-wearing frogs have been put on. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I milk that get out of jail free card as much as the next parisienne expat. Ever noticed how when we meet I always go for the double kiss on the cheek, apologizing profusely to your outstretched hand, and blaming my pedigree genes, all within 2-minutes of us first coming face to face? Old tricks, I'm telling ya.

Ironically, most French girls (I) spend a lot of time wondering how other nations get to look so polished. Olivia being the prime suspect here, naturellement. I recently read an interview in which the queen of put together claims she never leaves the house without her signature classic red nails. It got me thinking. I stopped wearing 'red red' nails a while ago, when I realised they make me look  ladylike - which quite frankly is not something I'm prepared to deal with. But maybe I need to put my fears behind me and embrace the grown up way of life. If not sartorially, at least on my fingertips. Slowly but surely. Red is not dead, quite the contrary in fact.
Polish by Maybelline Colorshow in Candy Apple

Get fashion for your fingertips with NEW MAYBELLINE COLORSHOW nail lacquers. From nudes to acid brights, the colour is bold and crisp due to the formula's transparent gel-base, giving a fierce fashion finish. Only £2.99 in-store now.

***Disclosure: Compensation was provided by L'Oréal via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positons of Maybelline.***

 

Booty luv

(ACNE 'free' chelsea boots)

As per usual post LFW's grueling excesses, the only fashion that gets my heart beating is timeless investment pieces by way of comfortable and convenient footwear. As such, the compulsion to add these to my black boot collection was simply to great to resist. Find here. 

 

Backstage Vivienne Westwood Red Label FW13

(Ph/me)

Just as her clothes don't follow trends, beauty at Vivienne Westwood is never a statement of pretty. Val Garland for MAC described the look at Red Label as 'bonkers, painterly and humorous'. It was as if the girls had taken over their mother's dressing table for the morning, and gone wild with whatever came to hand. The result : pale, almost white complexions à la Black Swan, with bold eyeliner in primary red, blue and yellow contouring the eye, super-defined brows and red lips lined with either black or more colour. Playful face paint is what came to mind. The nails received a similar treatment, with Marian Newman theatrically airbrushing paint onto the girls' fingers, to make it seem like polish had gone all over the place. In contrast, the hair was very old Hollywood glamour, almost overdone, echoing the clothes which had a kind of grunge grown up air about them. Vivienne's woman is still irreverent, but she now has a job and needs to dress the part. 

As the Queen of punk emerged from the wings wearing her face on a t-shirt emblazoned with the words 'I am Julian Assange', you suddenly got it: Westwood is a designer, yes, but more importantly she is a voice. You might, as she once put it, 'have a more interesting life if you wear impressive clothes', but that doesn't mean you shouldn't care about everything else happening around the world. Climate change, dirty politics, false propaganda : her stories extend beyond the realm of the physical garment. And that is how it should be. 

See the AW13 Red Label show here. 

Biker (s)WAG - 3.1 Phillip Lim AW13

(Ph/Vogue.fr)

So you know how most of the shows in New York all seemed to feature interchangeable separates that could pretty much all be switched from one [insert big name]'s catwalk to the next without visibly affecting the general onda on show? Rigid high boots, textured sweatshirts, a plethora of beanies, androgynous pant-suits, loose-fit layers, and leather in every shape and form were basically runway fixtures this season. Aside from the odd flash of dyed-fur, or say, a hot fushia embroidered gown, the models almost needn't have bothered changing. OK, perhaps a little too cynical. Put it this way: the general trend? Wearable, wearable, wearable. That's what the recession does to fashion. Not a terribly bad thing for the commuter (yes, he's back!), but a sad state of affairs for creativity capital-C. 

And where is Ghesquiere when you need him, eh? Hopefully setting up an eponymous something, n'est ce pas. Meanwhile, aesthetic mavericks Miuccia, Marc and Margiela better bring it next week, as the Mowers of this world will need fodder if they are to translate the AW13 mood into words...

But then we have Lim. I am not normally one to embrace Zoeisms, but ohemjeee I DIE. Need EVERYTHING!!! This is by far and away my favourite collection for fall. It may be playing up to all the urban-meets-biker-chic clichés of the hour, but see if I care. Effortful nonchalance with just the right amount of attitude. Just gimme some patchwork leather, a pink coat, and a selection of thigh high sandals, and we'll just have to hope my French genes can do the rest. Don't make me wear a helmet, though. My hair may be born 'n bred to look effortless (read messy), but there's only so much it can take. 

(Ph/Style.com)

Puffa man

(Ph/Paul Reehorst and Grazia.it)

My second day at London Fashion Week had me gallivanting left right and center with my cyber-turned-real friend Margaret. After a beauty-packed morning spent behind the scenes at Vivienne Westwood, perving on all the exquisite models getting their face painted in MAC primary colours and their nails theatrically airbrushed by Rock Beauty London (more on that soon), we barely had time to catch a glimpse of the Dame herself giving her girls the final go-ahead, before we were off again, cameras at the ready, to our next rendez-vous of the day. That would be Mary Katrantzou for Marg and Topshop Unique for me.

From one gallery space to the next. Indeed, in case you hadn't noticed, the overriding trend in London this week is not so much to be found on the catwalk, but rather is the catwalk. Or the catwalk's home, that is. The Saatchi Gallery, the Tate Modern, the ICA and - of course - the city's established fashquarters, Somerset House, are some of the many contemporary art establishments to have thrown open their doors to both emerging talent and industry heavyweights this season. Is it not gratifying to see two industries with so much in common finally burring the hatchet and coming together to offer fashion revelers a taste of cultural symbiosis? Yes, is the answer, it really is. 

So back to me, at The Tanks; Living up to show etiquette, I came clad in larger-than-life SS13 Unique: a voluminous, Ghesquière-worthy cocoon top, which received a lot of bewildered stares from exhibition goers and Sunday strollers. The styling was perhaps what confused them. You see, I opted-out of traditional futurism (although the holographic touch was glowing hard in that direction), and went instead for the hopefully less obvious 60s twist, brought back to life with white pumps and denim flares. You can call me Puffa man (as did one of the small toddlers running around). High five to high-street high fashion! 

I'm wearing a Topshop Unique cocoon sweatshirt, Notify flares, H&M white souliers and holographic clutch and a DKNY watch.