Ugly Shoes - are you guilty?

Source: New York Magazine

While catching up on the ever growing pile of The New York Magazine and New Yorker waiting patiently by my bed, I saw this very clever history of ugly shoes. So how many of these are you guilty of - or still guilty of?

*Clearly* I'm far too young for the Klompen Dansko and Earth Shoes, but my misdemeanor start at the Doc Martens - or the pretend ones I had. While going through my goth/hippy stage at about age 14 I longed for the real deal to match with my op-shop (charity shop for the non-Aussies) ground brushing shirts and ripped woolen jumpers. But the price tag exceeded my part-time casual McDonald's pay cheque. However, I have to disagree with the ugly tag here. I actually think they can look really nice. If I had some I'd like to wear them with a Peter Jensen white shirt dress, thick grey woollen, ribbed tights and the Tata-Naka chunky cardigan.

Another shoe I disagree with is Birkenstocks. How wonderful are they? I know my German in-laws cringe when I wear them but they are the most comfortable and practical shoe. They look nicer than a thong/flip flops and now come in so many different styles, even with crystals and designed by a certain supermodel if that's your thing.

Uggs I completely agree. They are UGLY! As an Aussie I really can't get it. I did own a pair while at boarding school because they were the best thing to walk from the dorm to the cafeteria of a cold morning. Then I also have a pair that I wore while travelling and snowboarding around Canada a couple of years ago. Perfect to wear in the car and quickly slip off into my snowboard boots.

As for Crocs, HIDEOUS! I don't care what you say. Only kiddies under 8 look cute in them after that they're just horrible. And seeing grown men wear them with shorts is too much. I also hear that they get rather smelly rather quickly...

I'm surprised Converse boots are not listed. While I love and live in mine, when you think about it, they're a very long narrow canvas shoe where the white gets really dirty and when worn with skinny jeans make people look like they're walking around with two canoes strapped to their feet. Attractive. But somehow they do work. Just to be safe though I only wear them with wider leg jeans.

Brittique in Stella Magazine

Stella Magazine featured the stunning purple silk Louise Amstrup dress on 23 December. The dress is absolutely beeeeautiful with it's asymmetrical collar and skirt detailing. As I've said before, Louise Amstrup's clothing really needs to be tried on to be believed. Unlike many designers, Louise designs for the real woman with clothes to fit real life waists and hips.

Interview with Gil Carvalho

Gil Carvalho is really building a name for himself. While not my thing, having celebrities such as Kylie, Jo-Lo, Liz Hurley and Madonna, wear his shoes has really helped to build his profile.

Sterling Magazine, the inflight magazine for Danish airline, recently interviewed Gil. This is what he had to say about living in London, his heros and what inspires him (scroll to the bottom).

Here is a sneak preview of just one style that will be available on Brittique.com from March.

Fashion Forward Winners

The British Fashion Council announced the winners of the Fashion Forward funding by Westfield, the Australian based shopping centre developer. The three winners are Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll and Jens Laugesen.

Roksanda Ilincic has a super fem style which I do really love and I've had my eye on her for a couple of seasons. Her AW07 collection was actually my fav. I attended the show with Susie Bubble and we both sat there with wide eyes and our cameras clicking as each model sauntered past. It was actually my favorite show of the season.

Jens Laugesen seems to be a favorite among bloggers and is regularly written about. His range is more masculine but still very wearable.

Congratulations to all three designers on the win and it will be great to see Roksanda on the on-schedule catwalk in February.

Congratulations to... yes, Hannah Marshall

The British Fashion Council announced the winners of the Top Shop New Gen Scholarship. And the winner includes, yep, Hannah Marshall. Hannah along with Anna Vince, Borba Margo, Charlotte Olympia, David David, Emilio de la Morena, Felder Felder, House of Holland, Justin Smith, Nicholas Kirkwood, Peter Pilotto, Poltock & Walsh will have a space in the main tent at London Fashion Week in February while Christopher Kane, Duro Olowu, Erdem, Krystof Strozyna, Louise Goldin, Marios Schwab, MeadhamKirchhoff, Todd Lynn will be on the catwalk.

Congratulations to Hannah who has worked so hard to get where she is and deserves all the credit she is getting. Look out for her collection available for preorder on Brittique soon.

More creations from my needles

As with anything I do, once I start I get rather obsessive about it. Knitting is no different. I now have so many projects on the go that I'm not sure which one to start - the baby blanket (must complete by 11 Feb) or a beautiful creation for my mum's birthday (must complete by 24 Feb) or a present for a friend's baby (must complete by 8 Feb).

But as I explained before, knitting has become important as a way to spend some "me" time and also as a creative outlet. So let me share with you my two latest creations the Headigan (cardigan for your head) and Calorimetry headband.

The Headigan (a sideways cardigan for your head) was an easy knit but I really needed it! I used Naturally Harmony 10 ply 100% wool. It feels wonderful to wear although I'd prefer it a little longer. But it's my fault for using too small needles.


The next creation is the Calorimetry. I used the same yarn as the Headigan, but made this much smaller so that it's just a headband and ear warmer rather than something that covers most of my head. It's invaluable for my morning walks (or waddles now I'm so huge!) as I like to wear my hair up in a ponytail, something you can't do stylishly with a beanie.

So after all these scarves and hats, you'll be pleased to know that I am doing some "real knitting". Here's a preview of a jumper I'm doing as a Christmas present for the man. So far, so good. It's a long long knit though, but seeing him wear it will be worth every little stitch.

Also on the needles is a baby vest, mittens and colourful socks. More about them later.

When previewing this I noticed that all my knitting is looking really grey. I'll add some colour to future projects.

NW magazine's pick of the LBDs

Dressing for a work Christmas party can be incredibly difficult. While you still want to look professional and smart, you want to ooze a little sex appeal, especially if you're trying to impress a certain someone. I think the answer to this dilemma is this Kirribilla LBD as selected by Northern Woman magazine. It's definitely sophisticated and elegant with it's pencil cut but this also makes it sexy. Teamed with some spiky heels and sparkly clutch, it's the answer to "what to wear" dilemma.

Hannah Marshall fan club

This blog is fast becoming a Hannah Marshall fan club! But with all her achievements it's hard not to sing the praises of this rising star. Channel 4 just named Hannah as one of the UK's top 20 young creatives. It's not hard to see why. Her designs balance a beautiful cut with a timeless simplicity that still manages to be right on trend.

Hannah Marshall's spring summer 08 collection will be available on Brittique.com from February. Londoners can get a sneak preview at the Brittique Aveda event on 30 January.

Journelle NYC - finally a beautiful place to shop for lingerie

Last night was the launch party for Journelle, a stunning new multi-brand lingerie store on 17th Street, NYC. Having seen the store converted from a smelly old Greek restaurant to the luxurious shopping experience it is now was quite emotional for me.

My good friend Claire undertook this huge project on her own and has done a fantastic job. Everything is just perfect. The displays are creative and yet functional, the range features all the best brands and, the best bit, the changing rooms are huge - big enough for a mother and pram (important feature for me shortly!).

If you're in New York, or visiting it is worth stopping by for a bra fitting and the joy of shopping in a luxurious and friendly environment.

Notice that I still have the bag?

Update: Daily Candy wrote a great review about Journelle.

Join Brittique & Aveda for a night of fashion & beauty

Join Brittique.com and Aveda for an evening of fresh fashion and natural beauty

Wednesday 30 January, 7pm-10pm

Aveda Institute, 174 High Holborn,

London WC1V 7AA, Map

Shop the latest summer collections from top British designers such as Camilla Staerk, Emma Cook, Gil Carvalho, Hannah Marshall and Louise Amstrup.

Receive complimentary makeovers, hair styling, manicures and massages from Aveda's sumptuous beauty range and talented stylists.

Places are limited so please RSVP here.

Pink Memo picks the best dresses

Pink Memo love this Basso & Brooke strapless bubble dress as it's the second time they've featured it. It is the perfect party dress and one that you could wear to a variety of events and, as long as it was with a different crowd each time, look sensational each occasion.

Online shopping for a bump

Read my latest guest blog for Sheerluxe on online shopping when pregnant.

Scarf and Snood complete - my neck is warm

Generic Garter Stitch Scarf (17 sts in width) inspired by brooklyntweed

Materials: Noro 'Iro' in shade #113, 2 full hanks Needles: US 10.5

Meet my new scarf. It was a very basic knit that I fell in love with while reading the amazing brooklyntweed blog. I'm actually cyber-stalking a few of his creations like the rest of the knitting blogging world!

This scarf was mostly knitted while on the subway or sitting patiently in my doctor's waiting room. It's good timing actually with the weather in NYC forecast to dip below zero tomorrow and possibly the first snowfall of the season. Yippee! Bring on the snow.

Snood pattern from The Point Knitting Cafe and inspired by Emma Cook's much more shapely and beautiful design.

Materials: Malabrigo gruesa, super thick black, nearly 3 skeins, Needles: US13

The "snood" is the actually the second item I completed but I tried it on and the man laughed at me and said it looked like my head had been bandaged so I didn't sew in the ends and just left it for a couple of weeks.

During my insomnia last night, I decided to finish it. But it didn't look right. So I found this fabulous little flower pattern and knitted the smallest size on US 5 needles and stitched it on. It made all the difference. Now it looks like a cute little cap and scarf. I'm looking forward to wearing it today.

So I'm near finishing off a baby vest (which is so big it might fit my baby next winter!) so I'm having knitters agnst because my next yarn delivery doesn't arrive until Monday and in the meantime I've got nothing left to knit.

An interveiw with Hannah Marshall

I've said this before but I'll say it again, Hannah Marshall really is a designer to watch. She is going places. It's not just her simplistic lines and incredible designs but her vibrant personality and ability to mingle with everyone and anyone in all situations. Before she launched her AW07 collection I had the pleasure of spending most of London Fashion Week with her and it was such an enjoyable experience.

Start Your Business magazine have featured Hannah on their cover and written an extensive interview which is well worth the read.

We'll be stocking her SS08 collection from March and a sneak peak will be available on Brittique.com shortly.

Getting knitty witty

When I moved to the US the hardest part was saying goodbye to my sewing machines. Nothing soothes me more than whipping up a new outfit. Since we're only in the US for about 2-3 years, there's no point buying new machines. So I needed another creative outlet. Knitting seems like the perfect option - it requires very little equipment, is transportable and is creative.

So I searched for courses and found some fab ones on weekends at The Point Knitting Cafe. Now I forgot that I had actually learned to knit years ago from my mother and grandma. But as soon as I got into the class I started knitting! I think the other students thought I was being a right smart arse. But it just came back to me. Straight away I was hooked (haha). I bought some wool and a pattern and spent the rest of the weekend knitting a beanie for my man. It's modelled here by my lovely little friend Nicolas who stayed with me for a few days.

It's got a lot of mistakes, but it was an amazing feeling to actually create something again. The man was so excited that I made him something. He said it was the best present ever and wears it all the time.

Now I'm planning my next projects inspired by some incredible knitting blogs (oh yes, there are thousands!) such as brooklyntweed, the brown sheep and dyelicious addictions. Dyelicious is actually written by a friend from high school who I've become reacquainted with thanks to Facebook. Now she's helping me out very patiently with my multitude of knitting questions! More pictures and projects to come.

The bag saga and diamonds do get smaller

Thanks for all your comments about my bag woes. I decided to take your advice and keep trying it for a little white and see if I get used to it. Wendyb, you're quite right, diamonds do get smaller as you wear them!

Speaking of which, I went shopping for a "push present" with the man over the weekend (although a friend says that because I'm not technically pushing I don't deserve one. The cheek! I'm carrying this baby!). I'm not married or engaged so the man really has saved ££ with me! I didn't want to go for the big name jewellers but I wanted to get some ideas. I want a ring that I can wear with everything so not white gold, not gold, not a coloured ring but something really neutral, big and yet classic.

First stop was Tiffany's which was heaving with tourists and women in tracksuits and Uggs. I didn't find a ring I liked there except up the back in the $90k plus range. But still the bands were so thin that they'd wear through with my heavy wear. I can't believe how over-hyped it is.

Next stop was Cartier. I didn't like any of the regular engagement rings. They were all to regular and I'm not after an engagement ring anyway, more of a friendship ring. So we went out the back to the special rings. Finally I found one I liked and tried it on. It was a decent size, a 4 carat emerald cut in the middle with a 3 carat emerald cut on either side. It actually looked quite small to me after the huge statement rings I normally wear. The price tag was laughable - $480,000!! My poor man nearly keeled over with fright. He made it clear that I would not be getting that and nearly pulled it off my finger and threw it at the salesman.

Well, I'm still ringless and I'm not sure I'll find the perfect ring. But at least I've got a beautiful bright orange handbag!

An interveiw with Shushme.com

Click here for an interview I did with Shushme.com a new online fashion magazine. Thanks to Shushme for featuring me!

Vogue.com features competition

Vogue.com features our competition in it's daily news. I'm really looking forward to finding some new and innovative designers!

As I mentioned, I got the bag I was in love with. Until yesterday I hadn't had a chance to wear my bag (do you wear or use a bag? hmmm). Friday I had an Italian cooking class so it was the first outing with this bright orange bag. I wore it with jeans, black top, orange and black print scarf, black coat and black loafers.

It's the first time I've worn an "It" bag or big name designer bag before and it was an interesting experience. My friends commented on the bag first then a couple of ladies in the class also made comments. The worst part though was catching the subway home. It was peak hour and so many people just looked at the bag. I turned it around so people wouldn't see the "Chloe" symbol but girls just kept looking at it. I felt really conspicuous as if I was walking around with $XXX in my hand asking for it to be stolen.

The seats of the subway are really tightly crammed but I couldn't put it on the floor for fear it would get dirty or damaged and if I held it on my lap (or what I now have left of a lap) it just sat there virtually covering me. I didn't feel comfortable. It was all just too much work. As a result I put it on eBay. I'll stick with my Alessandra Ferreira "London Computer" bag. It's big, it's beautiful and it's not precious.

Elle shops skirts and loves Preen

Autumn has officially been hailed the season of the skirt by Elle UK and they've picked their top buys. Included is this wedge skirt by Preen. It really is such a flattering shape and it's hard to see by this picture. It sits really high on the waist with the flared shape actually being pockets. Pockets in dresses and skirts are just wonderfully practical and comfortable to hide the hands during awkward moments.

Thank you Queens!

Thanks to the wonderful Queen Marie and Queen Michelle at Kingdom of Style for remembering our first birthday.

We love your blog!

In an Absolut world

Just came across this picture and couldn't stop laughing. It's a great thought especially now as I'm getting bigger and slower and looking forward to a drink! Not quite sure that my man would volunteer to give up his figure for a baby...

Fashion Confidential's "It List"

Fashion Confidential, the insider's guide to fashion, featured the Camilla Staerk shoes as part of their Back to Black It List. What's even better is that Fashion Confidential members get free shipping for this week only.

Coffee and a chat with Sheerluxe.com

When I was in London recently I met up with the lovely Laura from Sheerluxe.com for a coffee and chat as part of their Coffee With series. You can read the interview here.

Yet another reason to avoid High Street disposable fashion

Fashionista discussed an article by Lisa Armstrong where she points out that even thrift shops don't want cheap High Street items. Lisa encourages us to thing about the difficulty of recycling all that nylon - something that I've been going on about for a long time. It really is time that we took at stand against unethical fashion and not just from a manufacturing perspective, and focus on quality clothing with a long lifespan.

A celeb with style: Janelle Monae

A fellow blogger and I have been exchanging emails lately about, among lots of other things, how to wear wide legged jeans and trousers. Today I had the ultimate inspiration from these pictures of Janelle Monae. Not only can this girl sing, but she can also dress. It's inspiring how she wears the wide legged trousers and jeans so simply and yet effectively. And the red vintage dress is incredible too. Lovely to see a celeb dressing well for a change!

You too can get this look with the Camilla Staerk Emily blouse, Amanda Wakeley ultra wide leg trousers and Camilla Staerk block boots.

Thanks to JQVintage blog for posting these pictures of Janelle Monae.

In love with a bag, at last

Unlike my friend Jackie, who buys a new handbag a month, I've never been into handbags unless they are really quirky (like the Tata-Naka purse bag), and especially not big name designer handbags. I tend to shun them because they're so overhyped. But then I saw the Chloe Heloise... All is lost. I'm in bag love. I just have to have it. I think it's the combination of being oversized with lovely big straps that can be worn over your shoulder. But the most important thing is the colour. The bold orange is just so wonderful that I want to have it sitting in my wardrobe so I can look at it adoringly and match it will just black for winter.

I'm not sure what my chances of getting one are though. I've been calling the NY store for the past few hours and it constantly rings out. With all the publicity it's getting I'm sure the waiting list is already closed. But maybe I'll get lucky!

Update 30 October: Tried to get the bag in the NYC store but they sold out just two days ago. That's what I get for diddle daddling... Oh well, wasn't meant to be!

Update 1 November: Received a phone call from Chloe and guess what - they had a return. I'm now the proud owner of the above bag. It's so beautiful and bright. Can't wait to wear it out tomorrow!

The New Pink blog picks out purses

It's quite exciting when blogs picks up on Brittique. The New Pink wrote a lovely little piece on these LucyJ vintage coin purses. Not only are they incredibly cute, they also make the perfect Christmas present. There are also matching mirrors.

How to wear my new winter coat

Earlier this year I bagged a bargain at a Fashion Forward sale*. I got the most amazing AW07 padded, belted, floor length Missoni coat in a lovely light grape with very bright lining. At under £200, it really was a bargain, and current season too. Another shopper thew a proper tantrum after repeatedly trying to steal it off my rail so my friend and I had to take turns looking after it until it was safely paid for. I thought it would be perfect for the bitter NYC winters. Little did I know I was going to fall pregnant!

I thought I was going to have to wait another whole season before I could wear it. Then I saw this advertisement in a magazine. What a great idea! The belt of my coat will easily fit over the top of the bump leaving the rest open. The bump might get a little cold, but I'll just wear a really big scarf underneath that can nicely sit under the belt as well. Winter coat problem solved!

*Fashion Forward is a fabulous concept. It's a sample sale but with current season stock. Most other sample sales are past season stock or leftovers that no one else wanted, but Fashion Forward sell off the samples that showrooms' use to sell the next season's collection. For example, the sales being held now are for the Spring/Summer 08 stock. Fabulous!

Tata Naka's Oversized Purse

Big bags have been big news for a few seasons now. While clutches and smaller bags threaten to make a return, big bags are just so practical. How else can you fit in the necessary purse, keys, lip gloss (or full makeup kit), phone, blackberry, notebook, diary, Palm, water bottle etc etc? A small bag just won't do.

This Tata-Naka bag is actually a HUGE oversized purse. It is truly huge but still a practical and perfectly usable everyday bag. I'm in love with the gold studs, easy access clasp and shoulder chain, also the beautiful print lining. People can not help but comment if you walked around with this supersized bag.

Oh where oh where can I wear?

The new Basso & Brooke collection has just come in and I unpacked this little gem. It was love at first sight! The stunning silk optical print in a rainbow of colours, the strapless and yet bust enhancing style and this tulip shape. I want it I want it I want it! It would even work with my 6mth pregnant bump. But unfortunately I have no where to wear such a stunning frock. Maybe if I frequented red carpet events, fancy cocktail parties or even a wedding. Sadly no... But if you do then this is the perfect dress!

PS. Can't you just imagine Carrie Bradshaw strutting down the streets of Manhattan wearing this with silver strappy heels and a killer clutch. Shame no one actually dresses like that in NYC...

Liz Hurley wears Gil Carvalho for Brittique

Shoebunny pointed out this picture of Liz Hurley wearing Gil Carvalho. Liz has long been a fan along with Kylie and J-Lo. Currently we only have very small and very large sizes left of this shoe, so if you're a 3, 4 or 8 you're in luck!

Note: We have actually received a new shipment and now have all sizes from 2-6 plus an 8.

The Piracy Paradox

I cringe and quickly flip the page on those "Save vs Spree" or "Credit vs Cash" pages that many glossys feature. It's not that I'm a designer snob, it's just that I appreciate the design talent and quality that goes into an original garment or accessory and feel incensed at the audacity of some retailers to "seek inspiration" from these items.

My new favorite read, the New Yorker, featured a very interesting article about the Piracy Paradox and the underlying benefit that designers receive from cheap High Street rip offs.

The basic argument is that say Kelly could afford a Stella McCartney polar bear sweater dress but her friend Sally bought the H&M ripoff. They meet up for a girls brunch and both are wearing the sweater dress. Kelly is repulsed by the ripoff and vows never to wear hers again. This means that Kelly will then buy the next designer item to replace the one that she can no longer wear and therefore increase the sale of designer clothes. It continues by saying that Sally could not and would not be able to afford the real dress anyway so the designer is not really losing a customer but still creating customer awareness.

I'm not so sure I agree and that it does actually work like this. What do you think? I find myself avoiding designers who are frequently "copied" and too recognisable anyway. It's best to wear something that doesn't scream "I'm wearing a Stella McCartney dress" and stick this things that make people ask "Wow, that's really unique and the quality is fabulous, where's it from?". Let's keep it individual.

Dove Onslaught

Dove have yet again done a fantastic job of raising awareness of the issues that face women in this world that's obsessed with beauty and perfection - often at the price of individualism. Currently pregnant (and not finding out the sex), I'm actually scared to have a girl because of the pressure she'll undoubtedly face from the media. As I get older I'm learning to be more comfortable with me and hopefully I can lead by example and teach her to express herself and be confident with who she is - I hope we all can.

Debbie Harry wears Tata-Naka for Brittique

80s rock legend Debbie Harry gave a very frank and open interview to the Guardian recently about the price she paid for her attitude.

When Blondie was pictured wearing this Tata-Naka horse shoe ring it caused quite a stir. We sold out in minutes and had to reorder. The rings are now available and will be delivered in about 2-3 weeks.

Basso & Brooke's stunning prints

The Basso & Brooke SS08 is the first show this season that when I saw the pictures, my heart started beating faster with desire. It is just stunning. I love everything!

The shapes have not really changed that much since the AW07 collection (in our warehouse now!) but the prints are just wonderful. But maybe that's because I love colour. I've never been scared of big prints and bright colours and prefer hot pink, yellows and orange to black. It is these prints that the guys at Basso and Brooke are famous for so it's no wonder that I love it.

Unfortunately I'm not buying the collection this season. They only do their buying appointments in Milan and I can not physically get there which is really unfortunate. I really hope they start to see that the world of fashion does not revolve around Milan and offer appointments in at least one other city.

Here's a five minute interview with Bruno Basso & Christopher Brooke.

Amanda Wakeley's safe style

There's no doubting the elegance of Amanda Wakeley's designs. They are the type of garments I'd love to put on and wander around my white-washed-walled Belgravia home (if I had one) with it's white interiors.

Her new collection is lovely. It's safe but it does have some stand outs that are stunning. The black chiffon covered catsuit is so simple and yet so highly flattering and fabulous.

I have decided not to buy Amanda Wakeley going forward. I believe that Brittique's customers, you, want more edgy design with standout qualities rather than the safer classics. But I'd love to hear your views.

Photos: Vogue.co.uk

Preppy from Peter Jensen

SS08 was another play on the preppy look that Peter Jensen has made his signature. I always like his clothes better in the buying appointment than I do in the show. Maybe it's the styling that just doesn't do it for me, or maybe that they don't show their best pieces in the show.

His colourful sweaters are very cute and I can see myself living in his "P" embossed tee with people wondering where it came from. The sexy secretary in grey look is fabulous and could be adapted in so many ways. I'm really not sure about the dropped crotch jeans though. They don't look fabulous on a model, so not sure about the rest of us. The pink tea dress with the lace petticoat and collar is just the sweetest dress, but would you wear it?

Photos from Style.com