STYLE // THE GREAT

Casual wear advocates rejoice - there's a new brand in town that creates clothes that women can actually wear!

STYLE // AUTUMN DAZE

Wrapping up warm // dreaming of heavy materials, soft fabrics and rusts x neutrals.

TRAVEL // DAWN ON THE ROAD

There's nothing better than being on the open road, the wind whipping your hair through the open window, watching the world speed by. Perhaps that wanderlust I have for driving off into the sunset, to discover isolated rivers and steep canyons, is why I can't get enough of Christy Dawn.

STYLE // OLIVE CLOTHING

I've recently stumbled across London-based brand, Olive Clothing, and have fallen head over heels for their cute clothes and simplistic styling.

DOUBLE TAP STYLE // @ALYSSAINTHECITY

Hands up who else scrolls through their Instagram feed for inspiration when getting dressed in the morning? If you're anything like me, one reason to click 'follow' (besides awe-inspiring travel photos and an immaculately curated feed) is when you realise that you're coveting the outfits of a fellow 'grammer. In this new series of posts, I'm going to be profiling a selection of my favourite ladies to look to for style inspiration - kick starting with Refinery 29 fashion writer, Alyssa Coscarelli.

@alyssainthecity

STYLE // NADINOO

Apologies for my unexplained absence - I'm aware that I've been AWOL for over a month now! I'm still here, just somewhat sporadically. I've lots of content to share, including an Off the Beaten Track guide to my favourite place on the planet, Berlin. But first things first - I've been meaning to share the new Nadinoo lookbook with you for some time now.

STYLE // CONTEMPLATING STYLE

It's a funny thing, being able to wear whatever the hell I want to work each day. In most ways, it's completely liberating and amazing - yet staring at my overwhelmingly eclectic wardrobe each morning can be quite daunting.

I had a very definite 'work wardrobe' at my old job. Lots of black, white, navy and grey mixed in with as much colour and print as I could get away with, usually in the form of a stripe. There were elements of this work wardrobe that had crept over from my regular clothes - pinafore dresses, striped T-shirts, shirt dresses - but I certainly felt restrained, and found that there was a vast amount of my wardrobe that was not at all appropriate.

My new office is awesome. It's bright and light, with huge windows and wooden floors. We have a hot pink raffia parasol by the 'meeting table', there's plants all over the place, and if you feel a sneeze coming, you head straight to tissue cottage. I don't want to induce jealousy - but I'm also surrounded by beautiful vintage-inspired printed dresses, day-in day-out. 

As you may have gathered, there are no restrictions when it comes to what we can and can't wear. I could probably wear my pajamas to work and get away with it. This means that I can wear that sunshine yellow ditsy floral vintage dress that has only been worn on holidays for the past five years. Or my most vibrantly patterned skirts. Or, if I'm feeling lazy, my favourite jeans and old stripy tops. Anything goes.

It makes dressing in the morning both more exciting and more challenging. So,I'm looking to the ladies of my favourite social channel for inspiration. These are the gals I turn to when I'm wondering how to dress down whilst maintaining a stylish demeanor. Or when I want to try out a refreshing new colour palette. When I'm wondering what I can layer under my numerous pinafores for a bit of a change. If I'm unsure how to give that cutesy vintage dress a bit of an edge. I'm a completely eclectic dresser - one day I'm head-to-toe vintage, the next I'm channeling Nordic vibes; sometimes I love crazy prints and bold colours, other times I just want to strip everything back to natural fabrics and gingham or stripes are the only prints I can think about. This mix of well-rounded girls really reflect all of the different aesthetics that inspire me.

Who do you look to for inspiration?

STYLE // SAMANTHA PLEET

Gosh, I was away for a long time! I think that's the longest I have neglected my blog since I first started out blogging. My only excuse is that things have been a bit crazy recently - I left my job that I had been in for four-and-a-half years, started a new job that's going really well, and I've had a few weekends away - a countryside retreat with a group of friends and a trip to Brighton to visit my best friend.

I'm going to continue the look-book love I started with my last post, and show you the latest collection from one of my favourite independent designers, Samantha Pleet. Scalloped hems, pretty pastel hues, clean lines, and lots of gorgeous prints. Samantha's collections always catch my eye: if I lived in the States, I'd snap one of her printed dresses up in a heartbeat.

STYLE // COLD PICNIC

What's not to love about Brooklyn-based accessories and homeware brand, Cold Picnic? They make super-cool rugs featuring naughty body parts (way to get around Instagram's no-boobs policy?). They take macrame to a whole new level with their furry and fabulous wall hangings. Their jewellery line perfectly fuses contemporary and ancient influences. Oh, and their leather bags are both practical and sleekly stylish. Their latest look-book doesn't look half bad either (it's actually completely inspiring).

Inspirations? Seventies movie colour palettes, traditional crafts, and the natural landscapes of America. It's a recipe for success.

TRIPPIN'

I stumbled across Shop Dawn yesterday and immediately felt the urge to share. California native, Christy Dawn designs the kind of dresses that I dream of spending entire summers wearing, all inspired by her love of vintage garments. The best bit? Christy is super inventive when it comes to look-books - the three shoots currently featured on the site all revolve around a gaggle of her gorgeous friends jumping in a car (along with a stylist and photographer, both of whom are also total babes) and heading off into the wilderness. What better way to showcase your dresses than clothing your mates in them and frolicking in meadows, on beaches and down highways en route to Big Sur?

MAYFLOWER SUPPLY FALL/WINTER 2014/15

I'm a huge advocate of the lookbooks that Liz creates for Mayflower Supply (read about their previous lookbooks here, here and here). Super creative, Liz is part of a New York collective of friends that I've admired from afar via the world of blogging and instagram for several years now. Two more of these gals, Hannah and Emily have come together in the making of this most recent lookbook - photographed by Hannah Metz and modelled and styled by Emily Theobald. 

For FW14/5, Liz was inspired by Woody Allen's leading ladies in the seventies; namely Meryl Streep in Kramer vs Kramer and Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. Hence, slightly androgynous styling with a seventies-meets-nineties (a decade that Emily pulls off flawlessly) aesthetic. You can't go wrong in floor length velvet skirts, rolled-up mum jeans, oversized denim jackets and borrowed-from-the-boyfriend knits with your hair oh-so-effortlessly tucked in. Head over to the shop to create the looks for yourself!

THE GIFT GUIDE

I was going to write this with the pretence that I was pulling together a gift guide to help you, my readers get through the tricky decisions of what to buy your loved ones this festive period. In reality though, I am just listing everything that I myself am hoping to find within my stocking. Hopefully you'll find some inspiration amidst my selfish daydreams.

Wear it well

I'd love to wake up to find the entire shop floor of Whistles had relocated to my wardrobe, but if I had to narrow it down, the Cliche jumper, striped tee, zipped pinafore and Verity leather backpack are at the top of my list. I'd wear nothing else but outfit variations of these four pieces for the next six months (Santa, are you listening?). New Year's is set to be a house party, and my search for the perfect festive skirt to wear with my favourite grey t-shirt has led me to this metallic & Other Stories design - if I unwrap this on Christmas Day, that's my outfit sorted. As for the Gap collared denim dress and Zara piped trim shirt - versatile, casual staples that I'd wear throughout the year.

STUDIO NICHOLSON LOVE

I have a tendency to fall in love with a brand that my disposable income doesn't quite stretch to. Usually, it's the case that I'm pretty content to imagine from afar and dream up imaginary rich-me outfits on Polyvore. With Studio Nicholson, however, I think I'm going to have to open a savings account.

The contemporary British brand launched earlier this year with a presentation for its pre AW14 collection, introducing us to the clean and minimal silhouettes that it is fast being associated with. Creative director Nick Wakeman's background in menswear design certainly shows through the androgynous cuts, simple classic prints and muted colour palette; perfect for women with a love of Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics. 

There's currently a huge influx of brands that focus more on high quality materials and timeless designs that surpass seasonal trends. Oversized gingham midi-dresses, boyfriend-fit t-shirts and a-line skirts effortlessly fit into this capsule wardrobe that I'm constantly trying to create.

Scandi Stories

Everything about & Other Stories is aesthetically pleasing, right down to the behind the scenes goings on in their Stockholm-based Atelier. Mood-boards, colour charts and easels hang on huge white walls whilst packaging prototypes litter wooden desks. 

I have to confess, one of the places that I am most looking forward to visiting during my upcoming trip to Copenhagen is the & Other Stories store.

GIRL CRUSH: ANA KRAS

Serbian photographer, artist and general babe, Ana Kras has got to be one of the coolest gals on the planet right now. She's got that nonchalant Parisian-meets-LA style absolutely nailed, she's uber talented (photographer, artist, furniture designer - what can't she do?) and her relationship with Devendra Banhart is the stuff of contemporary fairy tales. She flies to LA to take photos of Devendra for a magazine, after 5 minutes of knowing her he asks her to marry him. She declines his offer, but stays in LA for their happy ever after. Too cool.

Interview with: Nadinoo

I first discovered Nadia Izruna’s work through the blogging community, when she launched her Nadinoo label in 2009. Entitled after her childhood nickname, Nadinoo swiftly became worn and beloved by vintage-loving gals the world over, seen on an array of high profile fashion bloggers and featured in a several notable magazines (most recently, Betty).

When I met Nadia in her studio/store one of the first things I asked her was about this link with the blogging community. “For me it’s been vital,” she replied. “I was fortunate that my first collection was noticed by some influential fashion bloggers who were happy to share my work and thankfully continue to write about each collection we produce. All of this wonderful exposure has fed into other social media channels, enabling customers from all over the world to find us online.”

INSTAGRAM LOVE: JULY

Be prepared for an onslaught of tiny squares and feast your eyes upon the most aesthetically pleasing Instagram accounts on my roster. I could wax lyrical about lighting and colour and contrast and effortless personal style - but instead I will leave you to admire.

Follow me @kissesxstitches

Above: @rima_rama

@brittanybathgate

@claggie

@visionsofjoanna_

@seaandpattern

@lucywilliams02

@maryavocado

@claireamiller

@guidedbycereal

@melissasonico

@katekipley

@lucylaucht

@sara_moschini

STYLE CRUSH: ELIZABETH SUZANN

I want to dress like Elizabeth Suzann's look book. Oversized black dresses that fall to mid-calf, that look shapeless on the hanger yet hang perfectly when pulled on. Nonchalant sliders, perfect for hot summer days. A sturdy wide-brimmed hat to top off the look. Eagerly awaiting pay-day so I can purchase the perfect black dress.

RESORT 2015

Band of Outsiders

 Ahh Resort! My favourite of all the years fashion extravaganzas; the shows formally known as Cruise collections always delight. One can always expect nautical hues, streamlined silhouettes, lightweight natural fabrics and bursts of vibrant colours. This season's favourites combine my love of print with my increasing infatuation for all things simple. On the 'if-only' wish-list? B.O.O's oversized white smock, Prabal Gurung's printed shirt dress and Ellery's monochromatic gown - I'm sensing a resurrection of the dress.

 Ellery

 Markus Lupfer

 Suno

Proenza Schouler

Prabal Gurung

 See by Chloe

Elizabeth & James

MAYFLOWER SUPPLY SPRING 2014

I don't often get excited about look-books any more. They can all get very same-y and the clothes pictured rarely interest me. Every once in a while, however, something comes along that captivates my attention. 

I've been following @mayflowersupply on Instagram for a while now, relishing the sneak-peeks that Liz has been sharing, teasing out this look-book. Combining all of the things I love at the moment (nature, plants, denim, greenhouses, normcore, simplicity - oh yes, and film photography), the look-book has now been released! And it's a beauty!

Seriously, some of the finest editorial imagery I've seen in ages. Head over to Mayflower Supply to feast your eyes on the rest of the photos and to snap up the vintage items pictured before you miss out.

Look-book: Mayflower Supply

Photographer: Greg Wasserstrom
Stylist: Emily Theobald
Model: Ali Breslin
Art Director: Liz Hull
Location: Botanical Gardens at Smith College