mr. dot gets all arty

In the early years of our so called courtship - which made Carrie and Big's seem boring by comparison - I used to do 'self portrait' photography with my dad's Pentax, colour slide film, and a large metal tripod which we carried around in the car, mostly upstate in a wonderful cabin in the woods on the Esopus that we rented near Woodstock, NY. Mr. Dot fished while I tried to swim in the shallow rocky streams, and took photos, and drew. There were no blogs back then.



When I started blogging, I felt too silly (and too old) to do 'self style' posts, and besides, unlike a lot of the other bloggers who had boyfriends to shoot them, Mr. Dot had no interest. But every once in a while - like the day we went to the bluebells - he gets all arty on me. He found this spot a few miles from the bluebells, stopped the car, forced me out (still in my bluebell shoot outfit), and started shooting. It was all over within minutes.



You've probably heard me bang on about Shane Watson a lot: she writes for the Sunday Times Style section. Her editorials - along with the Aunt Sally column - are the best part of Sunday morning for me. This week was a double treat: along with her regular column, she also did a great piece called 'Let's stick together'
that starts with Sienna and Jude, but expands into her DTIP (Don't Take It Personally) theory. About this idea that if things don't go our way, we don't have to throw all our toys out of the pram, but can understand, sometimes it's the other person's stuff, and it's not personal.

She's partly talking about fidelity - and distinguishes between not being a victim (she's not saying, for example, Elin should have stayed with Tiger). But it applies to all relationships, Big, or small.

This is all rich, coming from me: halfway thru this post, Mr. Dot and I had a huge blow up because he accused me of losing his wool (he's attempting to darn his own socks: SWEAR TO GOD. This from a guy who can't even make scrambled eggs). I can't tell if he's gotten over it and is happily watching Spring Watch in another room, or if he's stewing, while watching Spring Watch. I'm just trying to not TIP.

Anyway, read the article, it's great. Lace pattern tee shirt dress, still on loan from American Apparel (buy it thru clicking on my ad, right, and I'll get a commission! ; ), tights by Hue, shoes, vintage Prada, wooden bracelet, TU Sainsbury's.. let's see.. copper bull ring a gift from my lovely husband, Mr. Dot, when we first met (his dad, a vet, asked how much he paid for this - from a shop in Hay-on-Wye, and I said I think £20, and he was incensed: 'I could have got you one for free, just pulled it out of a bloody bull', said his dad.) Watch, you've seen before, by Quinn, also a gift from the wonderful, never dull, Mr. Dot.

petals & prada

First, thank you to those of you who just commented (below): I've learned new things today especially about the history of H&M! Check it out. Hope your weekend was and still is, totally lovely.

You know that line in Lost in Translation when Scarlett Johanson's character says to Bill Murray's, that she dabbled in photography but it was just silly girl stuff, like taking pictures of her feet? Mr. D laughed cause that's what I've been doing since long before I met him, long before blogs were born.



This is just a little preview: I decided to make a faux BBQ indoors (homemade potato salad, English asparagus, grilled chicken with Paul Newman Sticky BBQ sauce, in London, on this cool overcast day, just to kind of be part of Memorial Day. We're psyched & Mr. Dot is hungry, so more to come in a few hours, Chickies! xo

Vintage shoes by Prada, tights Hue.

hearts & minds

You might recognise this girl: it's Hedvig, my beautiful friend. I didn't take this shot: wasn't there. It was at Norwegian Constitution Day, 17th May, and her equally gorgeous sister, had flown into London. They invited me to a celebration south of the Thames. I wish I could have gone.

Today is a Bank Holiday Monday in Britain, and I don't have a clue what today is for. Does anyone? Can't figure it out. No one seems to want to say: perhaps it's a secret. If you'd like a hilariously confusing explanation, try this.

Back home, in the States, today is Memorial Day, which feels always quite sacred. Warm childhood memories: BBQs, the pools opening.. summer officially begins today. Some of my family at my parents' beach home now, and they've visited my father's grave, at a beautiful, vast Veteran's Memorial Cemetery nearby.

Today is the day we honour the brave men and women who protected our home land, so we could be free.



Hedvig is wearing my Ray Bans, and - I know this because she showed me the dress when she bought it - dress by H&M. They have won my recent sidebar poll by a landslide (43% to Topshop's 29% and Zara's 27%). I was surprised, as when I started street shooting last spring, it seemed everything everyone wore was Topshop. Lately, it's H&M. (Speaking of Zara, what do we think about the whole Le Blog de Betty Zaragate Scandal?)

I have my theories for the shift, but I'm curious: have you noticed that, too? Is H&M the high street brand that's captured your imagination lately? If so, why? Anyone know what H&M stands for? Perhaps it's hearts and minds. What's that saying? 'If you get their hearts, their minds will follow?' Or is it the other way round?

. . . . . .

p.s. Thank you these comments are so helpful! Please check if you have a moment, someone kindly explained the story behind H&M.. it is such a treat to come home and see this.

Oh, Jackie, it's funny, Hedvig mentioned it, too:

"y cardigan is last year from H&M, I think I used it almost every day last summer, it's silk and fantastic quality, bag from Chanel, my best investment ever I think?
The shoes are from Chloe, only used twice, I digged them out of my wardrobe, bought them like 3-4 years ago but they felt so quickly out of date with that chunky heel. You know the day we all went to Yautcha, Jackie was wearing similar heels from Chloe and I was inspired to dig out my own, had forgotten I had them and now I'm thrilled, it's just like as if I just got a new pair of Chloe heels, haha."

chanel meltdown

Too, too weird: I was with Jen in Covent Garden before Jackie's Amazing Orangery Birthday Party, and the one girl I wanted to stop - Christina, in her Chanel melting logo tee from Camden market - turns out SHINI KNOWS HER. It's just such a gosh darn, teeny tiny itsy bitsy wee world.

And then.. I was going to post this yesterday but I didn't, and today, Jen did. And everything I meant to say about logos and brands and the idea of designers selling cheaper items... oh just go read her post. It's better put than anything I could say ; )



The strange thing is, (as if the other parts weren't strange enough), when we saw her she looked pretty, and it was a nice look, but somehow.. it was a very bright, hot day, and the Chanel logo looked like it was melting - which was the idea - but in the harsh, un-English light, she looks... scary. Which she is so not.



Oh and another thing: I said I loved her ring and asked her to pose like that, and right after, Jen was telling me about this new thing of brands like YSL selling rings more affordable than bags (which doesn't even make SENSE!) and she mentioned Jackie, that's right, the Princess Herself, having the ring in orange (can you make it out in this shot with Jennifer from Style East?).

Here's the thing: somehow, Jen and I never talked to each other about it afterwards. Well, it must be true, great minds think alike.

delightful daniella, who smiles with her eyes

It's hard to believe I've only met Daniella (The F Blog) twice. And both times, we went right into mad crazy fun photo shoots, no time for chit chat. We had one quick conversation, maybe a few sentences, and yet, somehow - this may be presumptuous of me - but I feel we're friends. I bet everyone feels that way about her: there is just something so joyous and sunny.. it's because she's part Italian, I'm sure.

The first day I met her: just before the Sketchbook talk we did, my conversation with Jen went like 'Danielle's meeting us for coffee before' and I assumed she meant DANIELA, of Couture & Crumpets, because I had just met and photographed her ('daniela and the fountain of youth'). Just one of life's many weird wonderful coincidences.



Most people probably already know Daniella's style thru her blog, but as I've come in late in the story, I'm just going by the two random looks she had when I saw her. Her style is so her own, which is all so sprite like (I'm sure that's the secret to her great legs, girls: she just seems to dance thru life).

I like the way it's all slightly tom boy-ish and somehow it all ads up to a look that's very feminine. It's her amazing eyes, goldilocks, and that amazing smile. She smiles with her eyes.

(p.s.: Sorry I didn't ask where she got anything she's wearing - I'll find out & get back to you - but I do know that for a similar hat - fair trade, made in Panama by a community of women - best to go online to Pachacuti. I'm friends with the founder, Carry Sommers - met her thru street shooting her in Spitalfields market. She's amazing. More about her another time tho! ; )

preview

Speaking of Danielle: sneak preview. More to come. She's so sunny.

two rainbows

With all the 'good' photos from the Orangery yet to post, it might seem odd to post imperfect shots. Tricks of the light. There's something magic about it, I feel. Two in one day.

Top, my new lovely friend Jennifer of Style East, and above, the effervescent Danielle of The F Blog.

deja vu

No, not your imagination. There are so many shots of Roz, from that early Sunday morning on Primrose Hill, that I haven't yet shown you. Just one, to greet your Sunday morning.

Just discovered: Roz turned 15! Happy Birthday!!

Mr. Dot woke early, and woke me early. Lounging around in bed reading the paper. Lazy Sunday morning, then off to yoga. Hope you're all having a sweet Sunday.

candid camera

Nicole, of The Power of Beauty, and Danielle, of The F Blog, at Jackie's Orangery Birthday Party last Tuesday.

at the foot of the Academy

Last week, was with Mr. Dot in sudden sweltering heat, heading to a meeting, and just as we turned off Bond Street I saw Emma, relaxing with a book. She just looked so cool and calm. Her sandals are by 'something Italian', I think she said, from Harvey Nichols a few years back.



Emma is lovely, just really easy and warm. She works as an Actors Agent on Dover Street and often spends her lunch hour 'at the foot of the Academy', which is where I found her. What a fascinating job that must be. I noticed that day - in that heat - a lot of black, surprisingly. All black, or white. All this fuss about nudes, you'd think in the heat everyone would be wearing all that seashell pink and shades of grey and beige, but that day, it was mostly stark black, bit of pattern, or white with shades of nudes. The difference this season is those wonderful unexpected pops of bright colour: nails, definitely. But also accessories.



Left, Prada's window on Bond Street, and a girl nearby in off white. Practically white. Pale nude. Whatever.

The rain is softly coming down, and Mr. Dot is at some 'guy's' film. The plan was I'd go see SATC2 then meet up for Bad Lieutenant (it's a double feature kinda day), but with laundry, and the cat, and catching up on stuff.. I missed it last night: an accident at Hyde Park Corner, the bus re-routed thru Knightsbridge, my friend texting they were sold out at Fulham Road and heading to the King's Road..

Didn't love SATC1, frankly. I preferred the tv series (btw: REALLY loved your comments: something that Leslie in Adams Morgan said reminded me: I totally identified with the relationships and realised it's only now, when I'm NOT single, that I'm focusing on the friendship aspect'). Anyway, figured I'd hand my seat over to a more worthy girl. Instead rented some of the earlier shows, which I love - kind of be there in spirit - and hung out with the cat, while Mr. Dot drove back from fishing.

I always feel so much nicer about him when he's not here. We were joking around that I really should kill him and have him stuffed, this way I can do all my birdy birdy tweet tweet stuff.. talk about my feelings.. we figured if we de-boned him and replaced it with wires, I could arrange his arms so he's all huggy and cuddly. And he'd never tickle me, or get all pranky.



Well, enough chit chat. Time to move the cat off my feet, don my new Topshop Lady Gaga inspired 'clear PU trenchcoat' and head out into it. Here's a shot from that breakfast, I really must do a proper shot in it.

How is your weekend shaping up so far?

it's not about the sex, stupid

There's so much I want to say on the subject of Sex and the City2. I haven't seen it - I might or might not tonight, we might actually get sold out (we can't reserve with our Cineworld unlimited cards) - and frankly, I didn't like the first film. I didn't get it. I've always been the type to resist hype of any type (hey, that rhymes!) and I love that piece by Lindy West (see sidebar).



I liked the series, but when it first came out on tv, I was no longer living Carrie's life in NY: I had married Big, moved to London, and I just felt like 'what is all the fuss about'. For me, it was never about the clothes: I knew (i.e., knew of) Patricia Fields in NY, frankly, she was old then, and I always assumed the four characters were just that: characters. Types. Stereotypes. Quadrotypes, actually.



So, it wasn't about the clothes. It wasn't about the sex, either: most of the time the four of them were sitting around in bars or cafes bitching how they weren't getting any. (I had friends like that, too. They could never believe how easily I found all these cute eligible men in NY. But I was always, like Carrie, drawn back like a moth to a flame, to my Big).



So it's not about the clothes, and it's not about the sex. So what is the fuss about? I was talking about it at a fabulous dinner last night at Polpo, with my friend (Mr. Dot's good friend, the Publisher's, wife), while the men talked about fishing. It's about the loyalty of four female friends. That's what was so amazing about the Princess March on Tuesday: the instant kinship, not a bitch in the bunch. That's the TRUE urban myth. IMHO.

Shot on Tuesday @ the Orangery, Kensington Gardens. Jennifer, Shini, and the Princess.

Jen put together the most wonderful video on the day. Is there nothing that girl can't do?

shini's snippets of shiny thoughts

Two phrases keep going thru my head lately: 'snippets of shiny thoughts', and 'it's not about the clothes.' The second phrase will be in my next post. The first, is the name of Lucy's blog and as you know (see end of previous post) today Snippets is having her first birthday. (Are blogs female? Anyone who's French, can you answer that? Actually.. Le Blog de Betty.. guess blogs are male).

Anyway, this post isn't about Lucy, it's about Shini (Park & Cube). This is Shini's shirt, and it's her Shiny Thought of the Day.



Take one lacy body (in this case, I believe it's Topshop, but lots o' brands are doing it). Add a ribbon or two, criss-crossed, attached with a small box of gold safety pins. Add a few more. Do it - presumably - as a procrastination procedure when you're meant to be studying for finals.

Coincidentally - altho, really, is there such thing as coincidence? Or is it just God working in small ways? - my lovely friend Toni, who was actually a 'real' friend - recently met - before I even knew her blog - has just done a fabulous post ('seeing double') which starts off with the line:

"Inspiration comes mostly from others not from ourself, and anyone who tells you they are never inspired by others is probably not being completely honest with you."



I am so inspired by Toni. I'm inspired by Shini, by all of you. I've frittered the morning away letting tweets by brilliant women like Rachel Johnson lead me, like woodland fairy sprites, to Caitlin Moran, to Claudia Winkleman, to a hilarious piece on SATC by Lindy West.. just totally energised with inspiration. All these beautiful minds.

p.s. Oh joy! Pure coincidence: just went to tell Shini her post is up, and saw she's done the definitive post on the Perfect Day. ('Princess March') It looks just like the post I was about to do, only better. Influence out of sequence.

a preponderance of stripes

Have you ever felt just overwhelmed with things you have to do, place you need to go? I was feeling like such a loser because everyone has already posted, and made films.. I'm such a slacker.

Then I sat down with a nice homemade coffee and Bob Dylan on the DVD player, and just randomly started opening photos. And I realised: this is how I do it. Snippets of shiny thoughts. One photo at a time. Baby steps.



Someone asked me recently if I chose Polka Dot because I love polka dots. Actually it was a pet name I gave my friend Lisa in NY: our emails are hilarious - they WILL be a book someday - and somewhere along the way she became Dot, Polka Dot, Dottie.. she went to Italy with a boyfriend and bought me the most gorgeous navy with white polka dot leather gloves.. so when I started the blog, it was just the first name that came into my head.

I could just as easily have called it Stripes.

So rather than try to do the quintessential perfect post on the Perfect Day, and never live up to the perfect expectations I'd set for myself, I'm going to just fire off a bunch o' snippets. SPEAKING OF... I love that phrase. Snippets of Shiny Thoughts. Lucy's blog turns one tomorrow. CONTACT HER: we're meeting in town tomorrow afternoon.

(In the shots: Jackie, a girl who we don't know, Danielle, and below, Shini. Please check previous post for linkage).

lovely leah, queen of the may pole

May is nearly over, and I woke this morning and suddenly remembered: I never did post the winner of the May Day Queen of the Maypole!! (I know I said that everyone who entered was a winner, and I meant it: you are all Princess of the May Pole.)

But there is one clear winner: the lovely LEAH, of the BLOG by the same name. We haven't yet met, but I know - I just know - that when we do, we will be real friends. You probably know why, as you've probably seen her blog already, but.. well, you'll just see. It's not so much what she says on her own blog as what she comments on others: her generosity, her wisdom and compassion for people are an inspiration. And her zest for life is so energising.



Leah - for most of the time that I've virtually known her - tends to stay monochromatic: bright, crisp black and white with some neutral - but recently, (perhaps it's cause she's in California on holiday) she's splashed out in pink. (They live in the Philipines).

Here is her online interview:

1. Please fill in the blanks: my style is CLASSIC meets URBAN CHIC with a STREETWEAR twist.

2. Who are your style influences? Funny that you asked me this... my style influence are the people on the streets. I adore STREETSTYLE blogs. I am inspired by what "REAL" people wear.

3. Your fairy godmother grants you a two week all expenses paid holiday anywhere on the planet. Where would you go (geographically) and where would you stay? All expenses paid... then PARIS will be my destination. I don't care which hotel I'll be staying as long as it's 5-star and it's near Champs Elysees.

4. What would you do there? Shopping of course... I will buy all the premium designer bags I adore. It's an all-expenses paid trip right?

5. You can bring one person with you: who would that be? Why? My oldest kid... to help me carry my shopping bags.

6. Oops. Turns out your fairy godmother messed up. No check in luggage, only carry on. What three items would you not get on that plane without? My prescription reading glasses (nobody looks fabulous squinting while reading), my passport and my camera. I will buy everything else in Paris.

7. There's an upside: your fairy godmother has pulled some strings and your airplane has become a time machine. Would you like to change your destination? And what time would you like to travel back into? Or, for that matter, forward? Forward to 50years from now. But it'll still be Paris. Gosh, fairy godmother must not change her mind about the shopping money. Hahaha!

8. It gets even better: you can now bring two people, and they can be living OR dead. Who would they be, and why? Now, I'll also bring my youngest son. It will be a heavy task for my older kid to carry the shopping bags, now they can share the burden. FYI, for those who doesn't know me yet, my kids are ages 20 and 16 so it's not child torture anymore. They have the muscles to carry those bags.

9. Great news: you have been chosen to be the face of your favourite fashion designer, provided you only wear his/her clothes. Who is it? Chanel

10. Same as above, but it's a high street chain. Which one? Is Zara considered high-street? Hahaha!

11. You are now an octegenarian, and are about to receive a lifetime achievement award. What field or fields are your achievements in? Photography.

12. At the award ceremony, who do you thank, and why? My kids who are very supportive of my career. My photography idol: Henri Cartier Bresson for inspiring me to do good in my black and white photography. And the one up above, who gave me this talent.

13. What are you wearing when you accept the award? Black of course. A soft drapey black dress which will accentuate my neck but hide my non-existent waistline. Hahaha!

ladies who lunch: jumpin' jackie flash & her band of merry onliners

Yesterday, outside the gorgeous Orangery in Kensington Gardens, on the lawn that presumably Princess Di once frolicked (did she ever frolick?), after tea and champagne, approximately twenty female fashion bloggers, or 'onliners', as they are sometimes known, risked fines or possibly prison. On the very part of the lawn that it clearly was sign posted 'please keep to the paths' (i.e., stay off the grass, and the title of Jen's post). All for the sheer joyful celebration of life. One life in particular: Jackie's, the Platform Princess. But by extension, all life. Even squirrel life. And pigeons. Actually, pigeons' sex lives. But that's another story.



(Meanwhile, ironically, on the other side of town, a band of rather unstylish people were protesting the Queen. I'm all for freedom of speech, but the QUEEN? She's so sweet. Pick on someone your own size, says I.)

How anyone could have protested anything is beyond me. It was a glorious, perfect, perfect day in every way. Hot but not too hot, brilliantly sunny, not a cloud in the sky, cool in the shade: England at it's most Gloriousnessest. I want to say more, but must dash across town to a Uniqlo Press Day @ St. Martin's Lane, so will leave you with a few jump shots, and I promise, will post more later. As other people who were there have said, it was just so unbelievably energising. What a fabulous group of smart, sweet, creative women.



And the funny thing is, so many of us are in totally unfashiony fields: lawyers or law students, medical students, working for the government, in education, getting masters' degree in political theory.. not a vacuous fashionista in the bunch. And yet, all, totally, delightfully fashionable. (Speaking of which, inspired by Sara Elisa yesterday, today I'm wearing white tee, black belt with gold details, beige oops sorry nude shorts, bare legs, black tailored jacket, griegy blue ankle socks, and brown t-bar heels by prada.



From left to right: Nicole of The Power of Beauty, Lovely Lucy whose blog, Snippets of Shiny Thoughts, turns One Year Old on Friday (contact her if you want in on THAT do!), Saskia the brainy yet beautiful third year medical student of Not Just Medical, Jackie the Birthday Girl and also the Platform Princess, Kit Kat the sweet Style Slicker, Tobi and of Style By Queens (check it out, they've already made a FILM on it!), Jennifer of Fashion East (more about her later: she is fabulous), Jennifer the Style Crusader who miraculously got us all together in one place, God only knows how she did it, and the delightful, adorable, Danielle of The F Blog. (not pictured: fabulous Fiona, of Save Our Shoes, and beautiful wise old soul Shini, of Park & Cube. And me, of course, behind the camera, screaming JUMP over and over and over and over. I can't believe they're still talking to me, but it was a good way to utilise all that sugar energy, and shake up the champagne, beer, lovely cakes, finger sandwiches, scones, and chocolate scented tea.

far to go

Well, we wanted it to get warmer, and it has. Yesterday was just ridiculous in London. I met Sara Elise, who happens to be a model, on Bond Street, after a great meeting. Asked where she got her boots. 'Zara, she said laughing.



With the lens I had, I had to keep backing up to fit all of her in the shot, so I was in the street, nearly getting run over. But it was worth it: she's so so nice! I love this look: shorts, top, boots. Simple simple simple.




Thank you for your lovely comments yesterday. My mom is up @ my sister's house in Massachusetts, and she wrote that she couldn't remember what day I was born. And I thought she remembered everything! Luckily, my sister found brain bashers. Turns out I'm a Thursday's child, after all: far to go!

Must run, Kittens. Have a lovely day and stay cool. xo

monday's child

Saw this woman outside the V&A, wearing a turquoise 3/4 length jacket. I love that colour: it's not my adored, pale, humble celadon glaze shade favourited by Chinese emperors in the Ming Dynasty, which is more like Chanel's 'jade', but instead, the vibrant hue of tropical sea (nothing vague about that), chinos the colour of fine sand, and little Todd-esque driving shoes like a perfect blue sky.

Now, I'm a woman of my word, and if I say I'll post the rest of the 'Sirens' story, I won't keep you hanging forever. But I wanted to post this shot of a Hitchcock blonde today, because of that poem, Monday's Child is full of Grace. Get it? Grace Kelly exhibit @ the V&A? Which reminds me, I STILL haven't seen it! Have you?

Anyone who wants to go with me, perhaps it will finally get my bony ass to actually go inside the exhibit, because God knows, I've been there enough times since it's opened.



But, silly me, I got it wrong. It's:

Monday's child is FAIR OF FACE,
Tuesday's child is FULL OF GRACE,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child must work for a living,
But the child that's born on the Sabbath day,
Is fair and wise and good and gay.

(I think I'm a Wednesday's child, woe is me. And I've checked: statistically, between 4 and 5% of the adult population is gay. I bet they were all born on Saturday.)



It's ironic that I was planning to post this today: awoke to a message from my darling friend Stephanie, of Style Odyssey. She dedicated her post to me! ('never can say goodbye'). I read it and burst into tears. But then again, I am, after all, a Wednesday's child, full of woe.

Stephanie, both fair of face AND full of grace: this post is dedicated to you! Wish you were here.

copper tone

Sorry to keep you hanging with my Knightsbridge Topshop breakfast story. Just back from the pool, we're having a quiet night in, Mr. D's gone to get a film, just putting up a quick post from last Sunday. It was right after I met Roz & her mum & did a quick shoot on top of Primrose Hill, and it was a lovely Sunday morning on the high street in Primrose Hill. We were having an impromptu coffee outside with a friend, when a couple strolled by, arm in arm.

I sprinted after them and asked to shoot her. She's Dutch, he's Italian, she looked at him, he said 'Go on, sure.' She got all shy and said she doesn't take good photos.



'Of course you do!', said I. I tried to show her on my view finder, because I was already shooting her. I promised I'd send her the photos first, and she could look at my blog, and I assured her that I wouldn't post anything she wasn't comfortable with. Then I realised I'd left my cards, notebook, and pen back with the guys. So her boyfriend gave me his card.

Which I put in my jeans. Which Mr. Dot, later, in a fit of domesticity, washed. I thought I'd try to get at least his company name from the wad of mushed paper, but there was nothing in any of the pockets. And I hadn't transferred it into my bag. His card is gone. All I know is his first name is Guiseppe.



So if you know this girl: PLEASE send her my way! I hope she doesn't mind. I think she looks fabulous. I have no idea why she was so dressed up on a Sunday morning. Perhaps they had lunch plans, or perhaps it was her Saturday night outfit. I can so remember what that was like in NY: on any given work day, I'd have a little black dress rolled up in my bag, in case my dinner plans suddenly turned into clubbing after. And on Saturday night, of course no one gives a thought to how those same clothes will look in the light of day.



All I know is, she looked happy, Guiseppe looked happy, and this mix of copper leather jacket, the same tone as her hair and nails, bare legs, green and black lace dress and little black pumps is just so un matchy, so not trying too hard... a perfect ensemble, for day or night.

So.. as you get dressed to go out tonight, girls: how will it go down at your local brunch spot tomorrow morning? : )

beware the sirens, sailors

Sometimes I really can't believe what a hypocrite I am. You really mustn't believe a word I say. It's not that I'm a liar.. I've known people who are compulsive liars, that's different. I can't lie because it's too much work, keeping one's story straight, and besides, I always end up laughing or smiling & giving myself away.

But I do say things that are entirely untrue. Contradictory in terms.



Take, for example, a little thing like the Topshop breakfast on Tuesday. We arrived at the new Knightsbridge shop, were on the list, came in. Lovely. They offered us tasty morsels to eat and drink. All good.



Saw lovely items, like this sparkly cascade dress for £150. Lovely: like being in a light, spacious, fashion museum. Still good.



Saw the cute little dog..



..Chatted a bit with people like Liz (above), and everyone said the same thing: have a look around, TRY THINGS ON..



...As we wafted up the spiral staircase, where cute guys were doing finishing touches like polishing up the chrome, I confided to Bianca 'I don't know what the fuss is about, frankly. I mean: it's just a shop! I don't even like to shop.' 'Me neither,' she admitted. 'I buy everything onine.' I glanced at her and thought, I don't even do that. I mean, apart from my recent purchases - which I was wearing - £10 breton top from Zara, and a pair of 'vintage' jean shorts from H&M, I haven't bought anything in a coon's age.



Then I saw them. And my heart stopped.



And then.. it all became a blur.. someone whispered in my ear 'Would you like to try them on?'

I'm sorry to stop you here, but it's a gorgeous day, and Mr. Dot wants to get in the car so we can leave town and go swimming for the day. I'll continue the story later, I promise. I'm afraid if I post too many photos it will take forever for you to upload. I'm off into the sun but before I go: Not Just Medical is back, and I love her post, In The Sun.

Hope you're starting off the most perfect weekend, wherever you are! xo