Hot to Trot in Prada's Americana

Bright and fun and playful: Retro Americana is bringing a touch of 1950’s gloss to my fashion wish list this week!
For this season Miuccia has taken inspiration from 1950’s American cars and adorned all and sundry with hot rod flames. With Prada’s entire spring/summer 2012 collection based on the american automobile motif, this graphic style is set to be the most iconic of the season. 

These flaming peep toe slingbacks in patent leather are the epitome of the style: bright, high shine and infinitely playful. (Cue strong urge to acquire, wear and run around making ‘speedy car' noises.)

Prada also brings us what is, perhaps, a more easy to wear option in these patent sandals. Still high shine, equally bright, and with just enough of the playful graphics to satisfy my (newly found) hot rod flame lust. Although my item of choice has got to be this cream leather clutch. Miuccia, you’ve done it yet again.

With patent edged, appliquéd flames in hot, hot pink, as far as I’m concerned, it does it all. Now all I need is to find a way to justify adding it to my personal collection... Which isn’t actually very hard, as where else could I ever find as perfect an accompaniment to the Trisori hard candy ring, in equally hot pink? I think that might just be mission accomplished.

Aisha

www.trisori.com

Love of the week: Biker Jacket

I always thought that  a black leather jacket is just not for me but I might  be tempted instead by this Spring’s twist on a favourite look. Dolce & Gabbana have the softest biker jacket ever in palest pink. As I am still in love with the pastel colour trend, I simply fell in love with this beauty. Could anything look more luxurious?

 I could easily team this great biker jacket with Trisori's capri ring to make it more rock chic:

Or I could wrap around my wrist a Marisa necklace in White agate to soften up the look:

This jacket goes with a lot of my jewellery, so can I say I am justified to buy it?

Pleats: Yes Please!

Pleats, for many of us, will inevitably call to mind dull school uniforms in dreary shades of grey and depressingly un-flattering shapes. Personally, after leaving school, I was only too happy to get rid of every single pleated item I owned (all of them grey, dull and unflattering) at the earliest opportunity. But it seems that, this season, pleats are making a full blown, fashion come-back.
Only, thankfully, this time the pleats in question are not grey, regulation, to be worn at least three inches below the knee. These pleats are colourful, playful and very, very fashion friendly. It may just be time to forgive and forget the pleat’s past sartorial faux pas.

This spring, the humble pleat gives texture, depth and detail to colour block styles, as in this emerald green dress by Jil Sander. To be styled with bright accessories for maximum impact!

In a departure from last year’s tailored neon lace, the Christopher Kane spring collection also featured pleats a-plenty, including this cut-away fluoro pink number. Perfect for spring with a pair of your favourite ankle boots and a plain white tee.

However, some of the most memorable pleats of the season have to be those showcased on the Prada catwalk, keeping it modern with graphic patterning and fresh in sorbet shades:

Proving their versatility, pleats also come in softer, more romantic incarnations. From The Row- the Olsen twins luxury label- comes this blush coloured silk-georgette Eastlyn dress...

...and from Tibi comes this sweet, pistachio, silk-chiffon baby doll dress:

In softer offerings such as these, the pleating will serve the purpose of creating wonderful movement. Think Rose on the prow of the Titanic with the wind blowing through her hair; think Kathy searching the moors for Heathcliff; think love-struck Juliet on her balcony in the evening breeze. Your very own heroine dress, guaranteed to billow out behind you in an infinitely satisfying fashion. And for me, that’s more than enough reason to wholeheartedly welcome back pleats!


Aisha


www.trisori.com

Duke on the Green

There's three main places around Parsons Green that Parson-Greeners and fulhamites hang out in - Sloaney Pony, Aragon House and Duke on the Green. This weekend - for a friend's birthday I headed to Duke on the Green for Sunday lunch and to catch up with all the old school friends. A lovely day for it with the sun shining and pouring through the spring-like dining room.


The Sunday menu apart from brunch, really homes in on the roast - lamb, chicken, beef. Peppered with a few other classics - sausage and mash, fish and chips as well as the ubiquitious burger, with mushroom and toasted almond risotto as the vegetarian option. The starters are slightly more varied and intriguing with a duck and pheasant terrine, scallops with prosciutto and cauliflower puree as well as crispy fried squid and chorizo with sweet chilli.


I tried the squid which was nicely peppered to give it a kick, yet perfectly crispy - without too much extra batter, which can easily ruin a dish like this. The chorizo slithers were beautifully crunchy too, makin up for the weeping greenery - more for show than anything else.


I then moved onto a chicken breast roast which I did find a teency bit alarming from the description thinking that there was a capacity for it to be too dry. But I was promised extra gravy if needs be and a homemade one from both beef and chicken stocks as well as something else stock or gravy making. The chicken was tasty but as not as succulent as some I've had. The strong gravy made up for that but that one was too overpowering for the lighter chicken option and better suited to the beef I felt. Ditto some of the rich root veg that it came with (red cabbage in particukar). But a large satisying portion nfor large apetites, completed with the ultra crisp goose fat roasted potatoes. Good for yorkshire pudding fans too - which come with each roast variety.


I didn't get a chance to try the pudding as a) I was too repleat and b) a wonderful cake was organised for the birthday girl. All in all a nice place for catching up with friends over food.

http://www.dukeonthegreen.co.uk/

www.trisori.com

Inspiration of the month: Bulgari

Weighty, distinctive and architecture-inspired designs, peppered with gold links and colourful gems - it's no wonder this brand is one of the most memorable. Our inspiration of the month: Bulgari has a history of making eye-catching and stunning collections, and their latest designs are no exception.
The Colour Collection features the perfect delicate jewellery to team with your Spring wardrobe. The three-row design is made of 18kt yellow gold, and features a feminine pearl clasp to ensure it fits you perfectly. Green tourmalines, amethysts, blue topazes, isolates and peridots add some shimmering colour, and pave diamonds add a luxurious finish. Bright colours are perfect for wearing with lighter clothes through the Spring and Summer, or adding a touch of fun to a Winter look. The delicate bracelet makes the jewels center-stage, and complements them perfectly.

History and vintage lovers will adore the Monete collection, which combines rustic European coin designs with that trademark Bulgari style. An 18kt gold thick chain is eye-catching on its own, but this one is decorated with pavé diamonds, circular detailing and pavé diamonds. The pendant itself is an antique silver coin, encased in a pink gold. We love the unusual historic vibe this piece gives off, perfectly combining Roman glamour with modern styles.

It's not just the modern Bulgari pieces that will catch your eye. Every vintage jewellery lover will remember the famous Bulgari bracelet snake, which has since been designed in many colours and gems. From the coiled detail to the textured shape and clever use of coloured gems - red snake eyes, anyone? - this is one piece that you'll never tire of.

The watch itself is hidden away inside the snake's mouth, keeping it protected, and ensuring functionality doesn't affect the glamorous feel of the bracelet. We love Bulgari's take on nature-inspired jewelry, and the mixture of colours and textures works perfectly.

Love of the week: Pastel Colours

This Spring, the catwalks were like walking ice cream parlours. Think of the colours of summer fruits mixed with cream and you have this season’s pastel palette. Blush pink, baby blue, lemon, peach, pistachio – the Spring catwalk look harks back to Grace Kelly and the 1950s, while looking completely modern.

Designers have taken design classics and prettied them up in pastels. A chambray shirt worn with jeans is a summer staple, but this year Stella McCartney has used chambray for patterned tops and dresses, as here: 

Slip on this Stella McCartney's dress with Trisori's Cayman earrings for the perfect casual look:

Everyone needs a pretty, sleeveless Summer dress. This one, by Jonathan Saunders sums up the pastel look with its simply gorgeous blend of colours.

The subtle shading, the fitted waist, both say ‘this year’. Wear it with Trisori's Secret earring in Aqua Chalcedony for the perfect sophisticated look:

Alexander McQueen has also gone for a simple, fitted look with this beauty, in palest pink silk. It has all the simple yet glamorous perfection you'd expect from the team behind the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress.

Pair this lovely dress with Trisori's Capri ring in rose quartz for a classy look:

Three looks. One casual, two smart; all styled to put you right on trend. Just think ‘a whiter shade of pale’ and you’ll be there. Now I’m off to search out something in my favourite pistachio …
 

Tropical Prints: The Sunniest Trend

With the incredible sunshine we were treated to this weekend it feels like the perfect time to get stuck in to the best of the sunniest spring/summer trends. While Hawaiian prints were once exclusively the domain of garish polyester shirts, this season the fashion houses have reworked and reclaimed the tropical print. Hooray!

For me, the easiest injection of tropical print to any outfit comes in bag form and this season we can take our pick from an array of Hawaiian inspired bags.

This canvas and leather tote from Proenza Schouler ticks all my boxes. A fun but grown up day time take on this trend, and big enough to hold multiple pairs of sunglasses!

From Marc by Marc Jacobs, the Havana backpack is cute and quirky and one of the most fun filled summer brights that I’ve seen this season...

...and for the evening you can’t beat Jimmy Choo’s classic Candy clutch in sunset print.

With the likelihood of a traditionally disappointing British summer on the horizon, I for one will be snapping up the chance to bring a bit of tropical sunshine to my summer wardrobe, come London rain or shine!


Aisha

www.trisori.com