2013-05-23T16:50:43-04:00 Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=eleanor-doughty Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Eleanor Doughty Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3028346 2013-05-22T12:28:24-04:00 2013-05-23T05:02:46-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Graduating from Central Saint Martin's MA design-factory her peers included Roksanda Ilincic and Peter Jensen, who she now shares a building space with. Cook moved to New York to gain experience under Donna Karan before upping sticks to Paris to work with Martine Sitbon. She tied up the hat trick in 2001, establishing her own label.

The British Fashion Council's now-historic NEWGEN sponsorship, the financial backing that has aided the careers of Matthew Williamson, Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou, was on hand to support Emma's burgeoning business. She showed for seventeen seasons on-schedule at London Fashion Week before moving away from the catwalk for brand development, now taking appointments at the new season turn.




Emma Cook



Despite her transatlantic adventures: [Donna Karan] "was a lot of fun and very inspiring", there's a chuckle-worthy British ease about Cook's work, something inherent to her design strategy. "I think it's about being less self-conscious, and less worried about making mistakes", she says of British style's separation from the rest of the world. "I think that we like to have more fun with things. British girls will wear a dress that they like the style or the colour of, even if it makes their bum look big!"

On her lifelong love of print she is sure: "it's strange that your tastes don't seem to alter that much from being five years old!" Her autumn winter offering features a prominent neon dinosaur. It takes no genius to realise that animals come as a staple to Cook's work, but what of the prehistoric?

"We had some toy dinosaurs that belong to my son in the studio and we all liked the idea of wearing them on sweatshirts". And so a child is born, so to speak. Or an obsession more like, come July when the collection hits stores.

Visitors to London's Oxford Street late last year might remember Cook's collaboration with mega-brand Topshop. In Emma Cook's Wonderland, a fairy light print dress could be found next to a deer bed spread. "I have been working with Topshop for such a long time now," she says of their connection. "I think the first collaboration was in 2004". Cook's quirkiness is perfectly matched for the ever-expanding British label which is set to launch in Hong Kong this year. It joins Cook in the Chinese region where she's already stocked. The Emma Cook business is worldwide.



Emma Cook SS13

But she's brought back again and again to our rainy corner of Europe. "I think that you do become naturally drawn to things that are British. I like things that have a sense of humour, things you wouldn't see elsewhere that make you smile".

Well Cook's brand is certainly making me smile. Now where's that dinosaur jumper waiting list?

Emma Cook is stocked worldwide at Harvey Nichols and Opening Ceremony and online at My-Wardrobe and Net-a-Porter]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3247488 2013-05-12T18:35:17-04:00 2013-05-13T09:09:39-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Shoot me, for I am not one that can wear heels all day because that just isn't how it works. It's a nice idea, being able to glide around the office or peruse suburban high streets at ease en pointe. It's about as hard as actually walking en pointe, for more than an hour at a time. The only women - that aren't lying - when they say that isn't the case, I'm sure must have drivers. Or man-servants, chariots and magic carpets. Sadly I have none of the above, so flats and demi-heels it is for me.

But one thing I am good at is looking at shoes. And also loving them, hence the ever-increasing collection under my rail. It is dangerous, window-shoe-shopping. Thankfully Charlotte Olympia's Maddox Street store obscures most merchandise from public view. While they may be considered awkward to some, my frequent passing-by could end badly if anything else was the case.

When it comes to fabulous heels - wearable or otherwise - I am partial to an arty shoe. Not avant-garde per se, but a piece of fashion art that I might have mentally conceived during my pre-Vogue years. I'm talking pretty shapes, outrageous heels and the odd peep toe. The real McCoy, the classical art of shoes. Sophia Webster double-ticks this box for me with her fantastical constructions and dreamscape themes. And while my job allows me to wear such creations every day, I realise I am in a niche environment. As such, let me introduce you to Jerome C. Rousseau. Great name, right? If I swap hats from fashion to literary loving, I land on Jean-Jacques of the same name. So if for no other reason than that, Monsieur Rousseau junior is certainly one for your radar.

Initially inspired by overstated footwear, Cordwainer's export Jerome C. Rousseau launched his eponymous label in 2008. For him silhouette comes first, and that's something that I really like about Rousseau. A curved foot is deemed beautiful, by many. It would be rude not to mention some of his celebrity patrons - the divine Miranda Kerr, House's Olivia Wilde and Mad Men's January Jones are all women much braver and more collected than I, enviably successful in their heel walking. But I suppose they do have drivers, don't they?

But onto the shoes. There's a dose of snakeskin in this season's collection, while I spy some Perspex too. Animal skin and Perspex! Give Rousseau a pat on the back, if you please. And then the more accessible pieces make their entrée, for I am afraid that no snakeskin will be hitting my feet - the great height will give me vertigo. And then the shoe boots, a phrase I dislike but an item I adore. They are quite simple, and we know that is always key. There's a peach lace pair and a nudey studded pair, but they're gentle studs so nothing scary. Doesn't it sound appealing?



Treide sandal, £627 / Juda boot, £557, both available now


It was when my beady eyes came upon next season's collection that I needed some help standing. Those orange heels. They have a super cute little hook on the inner-heel - I'm not sure why but I like it - and the colour is splendid. I fell hook, line and sinker for the little beauties. Incidentally they come with covered toe in midnight velvet, and cheeky flock suede too. It's a lovely update on a simple court shoe design. The winter boots are nothing short of excellent too. In my ideal world, I'd sport a heeled boot daily. Dress them down with jeans, dress them up with a LND - that's Little Navy Dress, FYI. And Rousseau has a couple of pairs just right: a tan and black back-laced mix are making my heart hum.




Bryant court £417/ Jiro boot, £767, both available August




So really, I don't know what you're waiting for. Your new shoes are sitting waiting for you.

Jerome C. Rousseau is stocked at jeromecrousseau.com, or visit Dover Street Market, London W1 for select pieces.
]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3052737 2013-05-08T17:25:04-04:00 2013-05-09T07:02:36-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Rather more out of necessity than diva-status, I'm a fan of the manicure experience. Granted it's expensive and not something I'd advise on a regular basis unless money is of the unlimited variety, but a select time frame for pampering can really brighten a day. Maybe even a week.

My favourite time to go is a Sunday afternoon so my nails are lovely for the new Monday. It makes it all a little more tolerable. It's the best pick me up, especially if you plump for a divine shade that makes you happy just looking at it. Essie's 'where's my chauffeur?' is my favourite for the luxury experience. It's the nearly-but-not-quite Tiffany blue-green, and injects a little expense into any ensemble.


Essie 'Where's My Chaffeur?'



But if I actually have to do it myself - I know, poor me and the world - then more often than not, I'll plump for a nude shade. Sans manicurist, nude nails are for me what American tan tights are for the Duchess of Cambridge, essential. Uncompromisable, even. Some say this is cheating, but if that's the case, then I'm Tiger Woods. And why? Because a nude nail - like a nude heel in the summer - elongates, making your fingers seem endless and, if the shade is just right, delicate. I have searched high and low for the perfect nude nail; it is beauty's Holy Grail. Their various undertones move from mauve to gold, but come with the buyer's impulse purchase danger in which the exterior shade appears perfect, until it's on your nail. And, like lipstick because it has to complement your skin - it's no mean feat.



Chanel Le Vernis 'Frisson', £18, selfridges.com


If you're balking at spending close to twenty pounds on nail varnish, I'm right there with you. Sometimes cheap is cheerful, but experience dictates that the surrounding coats are crucially important. A good topcoat - I like Chanel's extra-shine - and a solid base coat should ensure whichever shade and price point you choose, it's going to work for you.

Just don't try and read the paper straight after.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3054915 2013-04-26T18:38:54-04:00 2013-04-30T11:05:05-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
So while bare-legs are far from an every day fixture, my sights have been set highly on future footwear. This summer, there's a new shoe in town. It's harder, better, faster, stronger... or something like that. The simplicity sandal combines the demi-heel with twenty-first century style security for the easiest summer shoe. There's no double-decker platform, a single sole is sufficient. The heel - or lack of it - does the talking.

The simplicity sandal is easy like a Sunday morning, easily teamed with a loose cut jean or LBD. It is another piece of 2013's versatile style puzzle, enabled from day to night without a care. It commands the new era of dressing - usually two minimals straps, one over the toes and ankle, provide the necessary support for summer's shoe seduction. Fuss and frivolity are forgotten.

This kind of shoe covers a few bases. You can make monochrome your own with Marni's block-heeled, two-tone leather sandals, the easiest way to wear the trend. And maybe it's just me that loves my summer feet in white, but it's just so becoming. Nicholas Kirkwood's perfect mid-heel works with a back-to-basics cut out sling back, utterly carefree. It's very easy when you look at it this way.



Nicholas Kirkwood, £425, netaporter.com

While some have cast off the simple sandal sans heel as an insubstantial back-to-school style, I fear no such thing. There's a practical buckled strap, and something broader for toe alignment. And that's it. It is nothing more than a sandal allowing rapid movement, racking up some style kudos on the side. If the weather allows its regular departure from the carpeted house, I see no adversary for the school sandal.

It's pedicure time. On your marks, get set, go. See you at the finish line.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3028347 2013-04-16T14:57:24-04:00 2013-04-23T10:32:13-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Ashley Williams is going places. She dispatched friends Pixie Geldof and Alice Dellal down her graduate catwalk, striding out in her Happy Ashley print, adapted from wrapping paper picked up in Dubai. Since, the crack emerging talent team at Lulu Kennedy's pionerring non-profit program Fashion East - an experience she describes as "perfect!" - selected Williams for representation. Showing on-schedule with Fashion East sophomore Clare Barrow and Ryan Lo at London Fashion Week this February to a fist punching, whooping and cheering crowd, Happy Ashley's precious autumn pieces featured King Elvis himself. A certain orange A-line coat topped with a neon green collar sold the show - models carried teddy bears to Elvis' respective soundtrack. DIY zines and scrapbooks, "made by myself and others", inspired this latest offering, her first with Fashion East. Punk glamour god, the late designer Stephen Sprouse is a major source of inspiration too, and she names Christopher Kane and Meadham Kirchhoff as her favourite current designers in London town. She says she'd most like to sit down for dinner with Elvis - "just because that would be so interesting", and Miley Cyrus, because "I bet she's funny!" A winning combination, for sure.



Ashley Williams graduate show / Ashley Williams at Fashion East AW13


Her rock'n'roll American aesthetic was proudly paraded on the London leg of Rihanna's '777' tour, the singer sporting a shirt and trousers ensemble. "The clothes look like they were made for her,'" says Williams of Rihanna, "I was shocked!" Rihanna is not her only fan. She names Vogue fashion editor Francesca Burns - and "funkyoffish ambassador" - as her style icon. Their relationship is mutual. "I am a massive fan of Ashley Williams" Burns says when I ask. "What is particularly brilliant about Ashley is that from the very start, she is thinking like a brand. It is extremely rare for a young designer to emerge with such confidence and clarity about what they want from their brand".

Now stocked at Machine A, Brewer Street's now-permanent emerging talent store, Williams is in good company next to Raf Simons, Louise Gray and Agi & Sam. "Ashley was high on the list of brands to stock when Machine-A was first opening" says Anna Trevelyan, fashion director of Machine A. "We are really happy to see her pieces as part of the identity of our store".

The Happy Ashley girl is 'every girl!' so it is thus decreed that this is a bandwagon we must hop onto.

Happy Ashley is stocked at Machine A, 13 Brewer Street, W1F and is available online at machine-a.com]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2896298 2013-04-14T19:21:51-04:00 2013-04-15T07:47:24-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
The only black leather boots I own are jodhpur boots, for riding horses and I have never even tried a pair of Dr Martens. Maybe I am the only nineties kid that hasn't. The closest contributor to my infrequent French-teenager-come-pretend-rockish-girl-swag look comes in the form of a scruffy - and permanently borrowed from a boy - plaid shirt. It's not so much scruffy as needs-to-never-see-the-light-of-day-again, but on a rare occasion, some comfort can be found inside its tattered sleeves.

Following the unveiling of Hedi Slimane's second collection for Saint Laurent - the day of reckoning - I found myself ambivalent at the array of mucky floral dresses and cardigans that I will not oppress with a 'bad Topshop' label. Through the hearty moans of anti-aspirationality, and complaints surrounding the apparent disappearance of Yves Saint Laurent's honour, it occurred to me that, rock chick or not, there was something to be sought from Slimane's corrupt anarchic vision. There's a moody French teenager staring back in Saint Laurent's styling exercise with her impossibly kohl-lined eyes, embellished Docs and idea of Gallic attitude sewn tightly into her head. She might not be high fashion's national treasure, but in a climate that manifests change, she has something.



Saint Laurent AW13


ShowStudio's associate editor Lou Stoppard proclaimed on the platform's Paris Fashion Week round-up that all girls want to dress like that. Well no they don't, Tallulah Harlech returned, sitting on the panel defending Celine's honour. Not at twenty-five, they don't. The collection doesn't necessarily represent those with the funds to wear it, but the thirteen-year-old self of my peers - if she could afford it - is right on the bandwagon. And granted, that isn't how high fashion is 'supposed' to be, but aren't we tired of convention and conformation? Yves was sacked from Christian Dior for sending a leather jacket down the runway in a spell of youthful intelligence as he worked his market - the young Sixties girls, icons-to-be, who craved a kicking change.

So while plaid shirts might not be making ripples down Bond Street or even in my wardrobe most of the year, they're entitled to their limelight. Who needs pretty all the time, anyway?]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2754220 2013-04-05T19:00:00-04:00 2013-04-05T13:27:28-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
When it comes to cultivating the candy cane into your daily wear, there are some fundamentals to overcome. Primarily, how much pastel is too much? What is the statuary sorbet to navy ratio, one might ask. It's something I have questioned as I clamber into a spring-border uniform of standard trench, navy pinafore, and burgundy boots. My firm belief in style-influenced weather has never been so strong; I am pushing all the pastel buttons to coerce rising temperatures.



Jonathan Saunders SS13

Colours can lift a mood, and in the pursuit of enjoying summer fashion, a slight palette adjustment may be necessary. The art of the perfect pastel matches a preened look only suited to those with no spillage danger. That's me out - I had better scratch that lavender co-ord suit. Logistical difficulties aside, sorbet shades are very soothing - a full look, particularly alluring. They say less is more, and the pastel champions that. It is impossible to go wrong with a small touch of mint - or a beautiful Mulberry one - for accessories are made for such colour observances. If you're feeling fruity and fabulous, take your cue from Moschino Cheap & Chic and embrace a full ladylike skirt - theirs is embellished, neutral sea green. Jonathan Saunders clad his models in metallic rosiness, styled up sherbet - spring colours with a hefty kick. Reiss' sub-brand '1971' has devoted a springy portion to the softer shades in a compliment to the new modern.



Willow tote in mint, Mulberry, £1500, mulberry.com

In the season where dual-chrome sixties checkerboards are prevalent, I am ready for sweet femininity. With rosy pink gaining style momentum, there's no excuse not to indulge your inner unicorn - summery neutrals can include pastel lavender and lemon too. It's dreamy and relaxing, the colours hug you into a light blanket of summer security. Just the tiniest hint of an updated paint palette is enough - ASOS's mint metallic two-trends-for-the-price-of-one pumps (single sole of course) are divine for a slouchy spring day, or to amp up a midnight ensemble. Kurt Geiger approached laser cutting - like Mulberry - for a spring refresh with soft pink accessories. An all-coordinating collection of electronics cases and mini purses are ready to embrace some soft contact time. My nude midi clutch has been working hard against the black trench uniform in a premature celebration of finer weather.



Laser cut purse, Kurt Geiger, £40, kurtgeiger.com


This season's divine Dior showed us that pink, white and black is a winning combination. If you can't quite bring yourself to step out of the darkness and into the petals, it's a sure fire way to modernise the monochrome. And it really is very becoming. It's reflected on your face.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2812857 2013-03-27T21:20:45-04:00 2013-03-31T11:20:26-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Since my recent hair cut, instead of dressing up - as a new style might suggest - I have remembered the basics. In something resembling a Sunday uniform, I've found myself drawn to an olive green jumper over a white t-shirt and jeans. I'm basically Francoise Hardy - I wish. It is disarmingly simple. The French girl within me has tempered down, packed up her kohl-lined-eye ways and relaxed in the pursuit of sartorial security. Not that she really needs to worry, I'm more concerned about the English girl. Thankfully, I have relocated to a happy place where chill and relaxation are welcome - or maybe it's laziness. I have embodied the French chantoozie who inspired my hair cut. It comes with a sense of self-assurance - not to be confused with arrogance - that is redefining.



Slouch jumper, £42, Topshop

There's something special about weekend simplicity; the knit and jean combination has undeniable allure. While it may be a truth universally acknowledged - and lamented - that the best looks are the simplest, that nonchalance is universally coveted, who actually accounted for being comfortable? Those who are confident and comfortable in their appearance - make no mistake - are the best dressed. It is the undeniable truth of back to basics. The woman with the jeans - and maybe trainers, in this climate - with the demure smile and the no-makeup-makeup is the best dressed. You can parade all the bar jackets, peplums - shudder - and intelligent Balenciaga ruffles you like, but the stand out soul at a party is the pared-back princess.



Zoe Karssen, £95, netaporter.com

As the discerning shopper governs the streets, the pieces for laid back luxe are increasing in diversity. The casual glamour of a sweatshirt - Kenzo's went-viral tiger jumper or sassy Zoe Karssen's 'Madame' - breaks up the monotony, paired with simple denim, bare ankles and an outdoor slipper. While jeans might be a devastatingly basic piece, there is really nothing like sliding - or squeezing - into your favourite pair, pulling on a favourite knit and gliding down to Waitrose. Or to Somerset House, whichever. I have done both this year, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It might not provide an appetite for street style snapping, but there's no place like home. And sometimes - often - home is a pair of well-worn skinnies - or better still, a loose-fit boyfriend jean for that no-sex sexy.

Casual chic comes with some conditions. Thankfully, they are down to you, every time. There's no set rhythm or glossy-magazine rule to your ultimate style relaxation. Without you, clothes are just that. In the immortal words of Bella Freud, 'inside your wardrobe hang your brains'.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2775330 2013-03-21T10:52:51-04:00 2013-05-21T05:12:01-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Individually, both have their merits. While black is universally flattering - unless worn too close to the face - white, despite the stiletto's infamy, is decisively chic during pre-fall. The LBD is proof enough of black singular simplicity, but 'no white before Labour Day' - an imposed rule of the post Civil War high society has perplexed and troubled many. Except Coco Chanel, who wore white all year round, of course. But black and white together - penguin suits and waitress uniforms aside - is difficult.




Marc Jacobs SS13


This season really upped the monochromatic anti. Marc Jacobs' modern resurrection of The Factory concerned me - once I'd got over Ruby Jean Wilson as Edie with her cat's eyes - not for it's sixties-short dresses and psychedelia, but for how a mortal would make it work. If there's one thing I can't commit to, it's full-look stripes and curved lines, however beautifully simple it is. And of course, the opening of New York Fashion Week began a mega-trend. Celine showed whole piece black-white looks - with furkenstocks to match - while Balenciaga presented an intelligent monochromatic ruffle that broke hearts upon the announcement that it would be Ghesquiere's last season for the big B.



Balenciaga SS13 / Celine SS13
Furry sandals and street-couture ruffles aside, monochrome offers limitless possibilities for transferable daily looks. Mix a white heel into your collection, no longer deemed the wag-favourite - Mango's pointed wedge is the best one around - or swap a black essential for a white one, a sublime cocoon coat is both snug and stylish for the turning season. A little hint of the trend is as damning as the whole hog - take Topshop's buckle up boots as inspiration, or try a white sporty striped trouser from ASOS' collection. Or the tiniest touch, a white-out nail is the chicest addition to your beauty stash - a hint of pearly whites with a regular black ensemble is just the right balance. Use it, and use it well.



Nars 'Ecume' via ASOS, £14.50 / Mango white leather stiletto £59.99]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2774104 2013-03-14T09:37:00-04:00 2013-05-14T05:12:01-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Anna Wintour coined the head-to-look look 'Matchy-Matchy', and while 'What would Anna do?' constantly rings in my head, on this occasion I have grounds to dispute it. The uniform colour is flattering, and there's an ease and simplicity in paring back the colour palette. The difficulty comes in matching precise shades; my Matchy-Matchy is slightly off. To be able to choose a colour in the morning makes dressing more refined.

I've been a fan of coordinating colour for a while. Two seasons ago, I wrote about tonal qualities - the technique of wearing the same colour but in varying shades to elongate a look - to simplify as we approached a basic sartorial solitude. I've gone one step further this season, plumping for utter subordination to the coordination class of 2013. Frida Giannini went colour matching mad at Gucci's spring presentation - the rich rainbow was spread through the collection, but looks provided head to toe fabulous. Super flattering coordinating tunics and trousers sealed the monochromatic deal - with matching shoes and accessories too, what a catch! It's the simplicity-lover's fantasy.



Gucci SS13

Like all trends, the trick to Matchy-Matchy is nonchalance. Stick to what you know with an all-colour look - don't switch up the silhouette. As has been reverberated so frequently before, the worst thing is to look too done up, like you've tried. The art I have perfected of actually coordinating by accident might not come so easily but a spin-around-the-closet look never sails out of favour. And colour representing - for this season, it's even easier to really suit up.

And if you still need convincing, it even makes shopping easier. Wardrobe re-organisation according to colour leaves telling gaps in your palette, showing holes where the perfect lime clutch should be. Or maybe that's just me.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2810343 2013-03-09T05:51:50-05:00 2013-05-09T05:12:01-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
What do you want from a handbag? My look du jour is streamlined; I'm trialing mini bags, shoulder bags and clutches. Sounds like twenty-first century sensibility until you try and visit more than one location. I'm always on the look out for more pieces to keep me hands free, or my hands full of something exceedingly beautiful. While a parallel ideal world scenario includes a Celine turnover clutch - and the nonchalance to just carry it - the reality comes less easily. Criteria for a new find largely include the down-to-earth nature of the label itself. Branding is brash, crass and very nineties; the iconic Mulberry tree is now too iconic, the Vuitton initial has lost any sense of chic for me. And I just can't be dealing with too much hardware. Aside from anything else, it makes travelling a nightmare and I'm terrified of being unduly felt up. Clearly, I'm not picky. But with big purchases comes even larger responsibility. Bags have far more idealised conditions than shoes.



Pale pink rucksack, £395


Upon the discovery of Bill Amberg - East London based leather workman, and creator of simplicity dreams - I might just have been a little excited. The pink rucksack really swung it. There's a wholeness about Amberg's wares, the homegrown and nourished brand that now operates from Mayfair's HISTORIC Shepherd Market. The leather craftsman's credentials are flawless - 1985 saw production of a line of bags for iconic department store Liberty, before a seven-year collaboration with Paul Smith, and an early-nineties calling to Donna Karan.



Mini satchel, £295


And the bags. As Elizabeth Barrett Browning so famously put it, 'how do I love thee, let me count the ways' - the ways in which it possible to simply adore Amberg's Rivington bag are breaking banks. Referring to my prior criteria, I spy a subtle logo - tick - sensibly lengthy straps and a shoulder strap - tick. And let's not forget the main performer here, the coveted inner pockets - double tick! Exquisite, fine tailoring has bred leather goods that will, with use, tell a story. Your story, and that's exactly what your handbag should do. Bill Amberg also offers a fully bespoke service on all products, sophisticated monogramming, total customization and create-your-own individual pieces are all available, from weekend bags to iPhone cases. Truly a brand for the discerning shopper, a camp I now count myself in. Where can I sign up? Don't mind me, just sketching my embossing in the queue.



Rivington bag, £495


Bill Amberg is available at billamberg.com or at Shepherd Market, Mayfair on 0207 499 0962.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2735796 2013-03-08T14:20:11-05:00 2013-05-08T05:12:01-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
Frankly, it's perfectly exhausting being all done up, all the time. It takes a lot of effort, effort that I don't usually possess. Much happier slumming it in a uniform of ultra-skinnies and an oversized jumper, ankle boots and my Barbour, I am not cut out for an all-sucked-in-Spanx-vixen lifestyle. That'll sound so achingly familiar if you've ever met me. I wouldn't like to suggest that that ensemble has any kind of sex appeal. Spring's sartorial readjustment gives us a fresh kind of no-sex sexy, quite different to my country clobber. With the season beginning to peep through the rain clouds, a sartorial readjustment is surely in order.

Spring is all undone in an alluringly messy way. The kind of way that is almost impossible to get right, although I don't want to put you off. It is a fact universally acknowledged - and begrudged - that the sexiest woman anywhere, at any given time, is the most effortless looking. The aim is to look like you've put no effort in at all. Yeah, like anyone really looks like that; I'm looking at you, Miss Chung. Skinny minis and Madewell ambassadors aside, I'm taking on the challenge.

The sartorial migration was evident when Queen Victoria Beckham of super-woman-body-con took to the laid-back luxe stage, showing a collection that featured her nemesis in flat shoes. Paired with long and clean, but relaxed, lines, Mrs Beckham's spring delivered a refreshing installment of insouciant, soft and subtle beauty. A few weeks later, Hedi Slimane's Saint Laurent debut profiled rock chick sex appeal that just oozed ease and sensibility, but not the ladylike kind. It's all a different kind of sexy, but right on time.



Victoria Beckham SS13 / Saint Laurent SS13

Spring's Pandora's Box is brimming full of sartorially sexed-down secrets ready to be unleashed. The demi-heel, reignited by the length of Net-A-Porter's alphabet is about to get down and dirty with the new season, finding itself gracing closets globally. Easy on the feet, a little easier on the purse, what's not to love? The perfect pair sits just nicely with a slouch jean and loose cut sweater. There's no club-sandwich platform in sight either - single-soled pumps, who'd have thought it? It's not exactly your nine-year-old fashion fantasy, but I'm all in.




Nicholas Kirkwood, £395, netaporter.com


The non-sex sexy is the new feminine, the new modern. They say modernism is tricky but this year group provides an impeccable transition. Luckily it comes with a laid back summer attitude, the kind where a seductively undone button just can't help itself. When in Rome, and all that.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2734192 2013-03-01T12:16:09-05:00 2013-05-01T05:12:01-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
I wish that Converse and I could have got along, but my feet never caught on. Years of on-off bloodied heels and blistered toes taught me to steer clear of awkward lace ups, and lean towards smarter footwear with a lowered blister-risk assessment.



Converse via ASOS, £47



For me to complete a working day sans brogue, ankle boot or demi-heel - instead in something that resembles a Converse, but not quite - is something of a miracle. There has been only been one prior successful episode involving bare legs, a sundress and last year's July heat wave. Such an event was shelved with no intention of being exposed again - I felt like a sideways alteration of myself.

Despite my protestations at middlebrow leisure footwear, I am comfortable. I am confident in my ability to run up the stairs, down escalators and onto the sliding Circle line doors. If someone stands on my foot then, discomfort aside, the world doesn't end. I can walk at speed past slow-moving tourists while on appointments, swiftly avoiding yummy-Chelsea-Mummys with buggies and smokers, the ultimate nemesis. And with the footwear conversion comes a distinct relaxation. The suede leather jacket -much nicer than it sounds - has been donned, the relaxed Zara jumper in olive (my favourite) is teamed with classic Topshop jeans and frilly ankle socks. From the knee down I look a little Meadham Kirchhoff, but I'm okay with that.

It tempts me to wear my hair cheerleader pony tail style, and don a bright lipstick. And really, when is that ever a problem? Some words for the wise - mostly to me - trainers are for sport, but they're also for fun. And if fun is sometimes an extension of laziness, that's okay. If they make getting dressed and relaxing your life threshold a little easier, then I see no reason for complaint. I'm still astride the fence, but I'm slowly sliding off it. But one thing's for sure - my New Balances? For running only.




New Balance via ASOS, £50

]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2727942 2013-02-20T16:47:55-05:00 2013-04-22T05:12:01-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/
This week I've mostly been wearing a yellow Petit Bateau rain coat in the hope that the colour will inspire some sunny weather. Jelly shoes have been worn with my characteristically blind optimism - read denial- that it'll become beach weather instantly, and miniature pinafores like I've regressed ten years. That whole ensemble sounds much like a year six mufti day, let's be honest.



Le Petit Bateau


While its grand to be a grown up and channel the new season's cleansing palette, a little bit of what you fancy never goes amiss. And for me, that's all things playful. From shoes to rival Ms Bradshaw's - see Sophia Webster in all her crown and glory for that - to a really impractical but beautiful Charlotte Olympia perfume bottle bag, the current market holds a wealth of peacock pieces ready to quench your frolicsome thirst. The perspex micro-trend puts a double tick in the novelty box, while Eugenia Kim's sequined chiffon headband will have you hankering back to more carefree years.



Charlotte Olympia


They say opposites attract; while I always look smart and put-together, my best friend always looks pretty. She's the queen of the cute-as-a-button full fringe, oversized coat and kitten mittens - we have matching pairs. I'm great at amping up a silk dress and Charlotte Olympia demis, or an Equipment shirt, Current Elliots and a pair of the suede Office boots I've built up a collection of; it's become something of a uniform. And that's great, most of the time. My Cos coat ranks highly in the style stakes, working its magic on everyone that comes into contact with it; my purchase was the best press it could have had.

So this season, said coat slung relaxedly over my shoulders (ahem), I'm plumping for the Great Sartorial Challenge of 2013. It's officially on - how to be bonny and bright whilst maintaining a sniff of sartorial splendour. I'm not asking for much, really. Sound easy? I think not. Ask me in ten months and the answer will probably still be no, but at least I'll have had fun on the way.

And with that, I'm off to put N*Sync on, 'cos y'know, I'm ten again.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2454268 2013-02-11T09:01:19-05:00 2013-04-13T05:12:01-04:00

Eleanor Doughty http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eleanor-doughty/



Liberty (Great Marlborough Street, London W1)



A loved up lady is easy to spot.  There's a rather contagious smile that exudes from their very midday shadow, difficult to escape from, tying you in optimistic knots. Annabel was beaming.  Not just with the joy she couldn't help but express in gooey long sentences about the perfect booties I'd helped her purchase, but with the joy of life. While A's affections were physical, her unfading smile joined our hands with a sartorial romance.




Balenciaga SS13 / Jonathan Saunders SS13



With every tissue wrapped purchase, she fell more into the crater of spring's desire, a world of Balenciaga's ruffles, Valentino's dainty, daily glamour and the breezy linen of Daks, perfect for a trip to St Barths.  While minimalism stole the hearts of tomboys and those seeking a simple style adventure, the pink-blushed muse with her lips painted pink, is alive and well.  Jonathan Saunders' ombre ensembles join hands with Christopher Kane's pastel procession, while Carven's Francoise-Hardy-meets-schoolgirl-chic is home to a swinging sixties love affair best seen through love-blushed spectacles.




Christopher Kane SS13 / Carven SS13



While A is wining and dining at a table for two overlooking the Seine, I'll be falling once again in love with fashion.  You know when you've met the one, and this season has just about put its rose-gold engagement ring on my finger.  It's all about Holly Fulton's Michelin-starred rainbow of plastic poppied jackets in a collection that is harder to resist than Godiva's chocolate strawberries; Clements Ribeiro's time-travelling tribute to Wes Anderson's Suzy Bishop; and pop-tastic, beautiful accessories straight out of my eleven-year-old self's imagination.  So dance to Francoise Hardy, with or without your lover, put on your best hat and let your blithe love of smiles and rainbows get you your own Surgeon.  At least, that's on my love struck bucket list.




Holly Fulton SS13 / Clements Ribeiro SS13
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