Baby Fashion - Is It A Thing? Posted by Unknown |

I don't usually post about baby clothes on here...

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Rose Headbands by Crown & Glory Posted by Unknown |

How to counteract the cold and snow? Gorgeous rose crowns singing out spring. Kind of over the top and a bit fruity, which is why they're proving such a big hit with the fashion blogging crowd – see She Wears Fashion and Wolf Whistle. I can think of so many ways to style these up, just imagine how good they'd look with a leather jacket, blue jeans and a white tee and even just trainers. So cool to contrast like that. Obvious festival wear but I'd like one just to wear round the house, and on birthdays. Crown & Glory.

General Coolness From Concept Store L'Avant Gardiste - A Dream Outfit Posted by Unknown |

1. Leopard sweater 2. Sunglasses 3. Baguette ring 4. Nebula leggings 5. Suede booties

Love Twitter for discovering new fashion – this is French concept store L'Avant Gardiste, who followed me the other day, and that follow has made my weekend. Styling up a dream outfit is just the way to pass the time when the snowflakes are relentlessly falling outside. It seems they (the store, not the snowflakes) employ quite a strict curation of brands and to great effect. Their mix of espadrilles, jellybean and burger sweaters, friendship bracelets and retro watches will appeal to the cool kid hiding inside every adult. For me, the galaxy leggings, moccasins and big cat sweater tick my boxes. LOVE. Something for the weekend – my dream outfit. Yes, please. 

L'Avant Gardiste on Twitter. 

What To Buy This Week - H&M Conscious & Uniqlo x Celia Birtwell Posted by Unknown |

Two brilliant and very politely-priced (approx. £20-£30 per piece) highstreet collections launching this week. Celia Birtwell for Uniqlo – the launch is this Thursday at the Oxford Street store at 6.30pm – sees the great lady's archive prints re-worked and re-interpreted for an exclusive collection of t-shirts, leggings, shirts, culottes and totes. And H&M's Conscious collection featuring Vanessa Paradis (I blogged about this back in Jan) with its jungly florals (I'm mad about floral trousers at the moment) and classic neutrals is available from today online and in store. The Conscious collection also coincides with H&M's fantastic new initiative to recycle old clothes – you can exchange bags of old clothes (any brand and they don't have to be in top condition) for £5 vouchers, up to two bags a day. Anyway, that's my shopping tuppence for the day. Let me know if you indulge in the comments below!

In Defence of Fashion Bloggers - Blogs That Inspire Me To Buy Posted by Unknown |

Photo via Style Bubble from Refinery 29

Fashion bloggers have been having a tough time over the last few weeks, their role in the fashion industry brought into sharp focus by that article by a sharp-tongued Suzy Menkes. My two cents can be summed up as follows: Suzy Menkes is entitled to her opinion – if she finds fashion bloggers annoying and in her face, so be it – but she does seem to have conveniently forgotten the following:

1. Fashion, more than any other creative industry, is, by its nature, full of peacocks – some are bloggers, some are editors, stylists and wannabes – posing and preening for an audience that includes themselves and others. And I really see no difference between fashion bloggers parading the fashion week circuit and club kids out on a Saturday night – they're dressing up for fun and to be noticed and, contrary to what Menkes says, I can't think of anything that makes the club kids more authentic than the fashion bloggers (or editors, stylists etc) – what of it if they've contrived a more-outlandish-than-usual outfit? And if you prefer to be a black crow, well, nobody's stopping you. Being a peacock might be annoying in the way we tend to find any kind of show-off annoying, but it's nothing to feel guilty about, especially if, like many of the bloggers I saw at LFW, it's done in a sweet and gracious way – less of the judging, people.
2. Correct me if I'm wrong, but magazines and newspapers are often very much at the mercy of their advertisers – to the extent that I know of one weekend supplement beauty editor who left her position because she could not handle the extent of control the advertisers had over editorial. A stand-alone blogger can probably exercise more editorial independence than many a journalist faced with pressure from their editors and sales team.
3. Fashion journalists and editors are often on the receiving end of freebies, gifts and samples and, as far as I understand, are not required or expected, nor rarely choose, to disclose. I think that the transparency of fashion bloggers is paving a way to a new (and better) way of doing things. So, well done, fashion bloggers. I'm guessing the key is not to come off as bragging and showing off. A little humbleness is good.

Anyway, enough about that. The point of this post is to affirm the position of fashion blogs in the industry and the simplest way I can see to do that – praise for creative, inspiring and beautiful online editorial content aside – is to demonstrate how fashion bloggers connect readers (this reader in particular) with products they want to buy. Discovering well chosen and cleverly styled items that I find inspiring and desirable is one of the reasons I visit fashion blogs, and this is why the fashion blogosphere will continue to bloom and be relevant to the industry – like magazines, they influence and encourage buying and that's a yay for everyone. For the buyer, who has found something they love, for the blogger, who has the kudos and possibly a commission for introducing the product and for the brand who has made a sale. A very happy triumvirate as far as I can see. Everyone's a winner.

So, in support of my argument, here are the fashion bloggers who have recently inspired me to shop. Susie Bubble wearing a Sarah Frances Kuhn x Meredith Wendell camera strap (above) – currently next on my 'saving up for' shopping list; Camille Over The Rainbow featuring pony hair vans from Zara (which I'd also seen on Caroline's Mode) – I bought a pair last week;  Laura from Ascot Friday wearing Sam Edelman Petty booties – I bought a pair in the January sales; Andy Torres from Style Scrapbook wearing a neon beanie – on my shopping list, nice and cheap so no need to save. I could list you a whole load more but I'll keep things short for now. So, tell me, what have fashion bloggers inspired you to buy recently?

Last Minute Valentine's Gift Guide Posted by Unknown |

I've never been a big one for Valentine's Day or heart-embellished product, but this year, well, maybe I'm just feeling a bit mushier and softer-hearted... bring on the present-giving. So, 1. this just-in Happy Heart sweater by Wildfox, it just screams LA beach walks at night, a long-running daydream of mine :), 2. this Jordan Askill heart-shaped ring with an opal which can be worn both ways 3. this super cute silver arrow necklace with a ruby at the tip by very cool east London designer Suicide Blonde 4. this new-in mini Diana with love letters 5. this hand-poured Damask rose candle by Ancienne Ambiance and 6. this ever-so-sweet Mulberry coin purse.

Interview: Fashion Blogger Ella Gregory From Coco's Tea Party Posted by Unknown |

Photo credits: Top left: Street Peeper Top right: Abi Marvel  Bottom left & right: Coco's Tea Party

stylonylon interviews Ella Gregory

One of the UK's top fashion blogs, Coco's Tea Party was launched in 2006 by stylist and fashion journalist Ella Gregory. Ella blogs an intoxicating mix of daily celebrity news, magazine covers, catwalk collections and shopping. Plus, of course, a scattering of the ever popular What I Wore outfit posts. In 2012, Ella was featured in the Independent's "Twitter 100" feature and collaborated with River Island on a Coco's Tea Party accessories collection. Here, she tells us a bit about blogging and her style.

1. What are the key things that have contributed to your blogging success?
Hard work. But beyond that I have a real passion for blogging, so that obviously makes it easier to dedicate so much time to making Coco's Tea Party a success. I also try to read as much as possible, as it's impossible to constantly have new story ideas if you're not up-to-date with the latest fashion/celebrity news.

2. What key pieces of clothing and accessories can't you live without?
Skinny jeans are my number one. I wear them year round. J Brand and James Jeans are my favourite designer labels, and on the high street I like Topshop. In winter I live in oversized knits – this season I'm crazy about my Elizabeth and James knit – and in summer it's all about tank tops and lightweight jackets.

3. What is on your shopping wish list right now? Have you bought anything in the January sales?
I haven't actually bought anything in the sales. At the moment I'm searching for the perfect pair of leather leggings (I'm not sure they even exist!) and stocking up on printed shirts for Spring 2013.

Follow Coco's Tea Party on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Images c/o Coco's Tea Party

Printed shirt // Tank top // Leather leggings
(NB. These three items are my choices – not Ella's. I just took a guess at what she might like. :)
Do you think they match Ella's style?)

Net-a-Porter Sale Edit - Further Reductions - Up To 70% Off Posted by Unknown |

SHOP NOW >

Net-a-Porter's sale continues, now with up to 70% off. I had a quick trawl this morning under a cloud of sales anxiety – things get snapped up SO quickly. My heart's beating too fast just at the thought of it, already a gorgeous pair of K Jacques sandals in black have disappeared from the sale page. Gulp. Anyway, here's my edit. For me, sales are all about smart shopping, picking out those pieces you know are going to stand the test of time. I'm talking luxe tees, denim staples, chunky knits and forever flats and bags. Good luck! And if you snap anything up be sure to let me know. I'm weighing up between a couple of Kain tees or the aforementioned K Jacques gladiators, in orange.

Top Tip For Beating The Boxing Day Sale @ Next Posted by Unknown |

So last week Next asked me if I could provide a short top tip for handling the Boxing Day sale via video. Short being the operative word – my video ran over the 30 second limit so they weren't able to use it. Sob. Lesson learnt. Anyway, I thought I'd post it anyway! Plus my instagram photo tip that will be going up on the Next Facebook page. What do you think? What are your top tips for Boxing Day sale shopping? (And when will I learn to shoot video landscape??)

Follow me on Instagram @stylonylon

Stocking Fillers: Pretty Reasonable vs. Totally Outrageous Posted by Unknown |

A few more stocking filler ideas. The ones on the left are, as stated, pretty reasonable price-wise, whereas, on the right... well, let's just say you'd need to be pretty cash happy. But nice to know what's out there, right?

1. Cute little tin of 10 of Penhaligon's most popular scents including Lily of the Valley and Blenheim Bouquet – for men and women. The Scent Library they call it, which lured me in hook, line and sinker. £16

2. Estee Lauder solid perfume in a golden compact. Well, it is refillable, you know. Also there is quite a trade on eBay in these as collectors' items too. Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia £250

3. A vintage-inspired pill box of organic lip balm with mirror. By Liberty (the print is white floral Edenham) and even more of a 'pretty reasonable' as you can get 3 for the price of 2 until midnight Thursday 20th as part of the store's 12 Days of Christmas Offers. Just enter the code 12dayscompact at checkout. Edenham Lip Balm Compact £18

4. Outrageous not just in price, but in concept. This is a ring that is also a compact mirror. I'm not sure why but there's something so much more flamboyant about checking your reflection in a mirror on your ring than in a regular old compact. By Maison Martin Margiela at Net-a-Porter. Gold tone compact ring £315

Get Your Studs On - Designer & Highstreet Edit Posted by Unknown |

Studded shoes and boots are absolutely everywhere right now and they will be come Spring/Summer 13 as well, so not a bad purchase really. Rock n' roll shortcut if I ever saw one. So, take your pick. 

1. Nelly.com 2. Aldo 3. ASOS, 4. See by Chloe, 5. Chloe, 6. KG by Kurt Geiger, 7. Topshop, 8. Guiseppe Zanotti  9. Steve Madden 10. Isabel Marant 11. Topshop 12. Boohoo 13. Truth Or Dare 14. Boohoo. 15. Chie Mihara

The Shop Floor Project Posted by Unknown |

Winter tree cushion by Emily Mackey £35

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