LABEL L♥VE: ME + EM

Me wearing: the ME + EM reversible shearling snood, with a Tibi coat and Smythson bag.

UK-based label ME + EM are onto something with their beautifully made but affordable wardrobe staples. Their dresses are great for work and the knitwear is dreamy. One of the stars of the autumn/winter’13 collection is this reversible shearling snood (above), a very chic alternative to a woolly scarf, no wonder it keeps selling out! (Don't worry it's back in stock now). ME + EM really nail the basics: the layering shirt is particularly fab for this time of year, I’m wearing it in ‘natural white’ (below) with a shift dress, Wednesday-Addams-style, but it’s also great for slipping under sweaters as it’s super slinky but with a perfectly pointed collar. 

Me wearing: the ME + EM layering shirt, with an Almost Famous shift dress and vintage brooch.

And this little beauty, the ME + EM 'bold stripe boyfriend sweater' (in 100% super soft cotton if you don't mind) has just gone top of my shopping list, great with jeans now and over dresses when spring arrives. 

To see and shop ME + EM’s full collection, click here.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS...

Charlotte Olypmia velvet Kitty slippers available at Matches. 

In soft-as-silk black velvet with little gold heels and patent trim, Charlotte Olympia’s Kitty slippers are the most delightful shoes, well ever. So if Santa has noticed just how good I’ve been in 2013 and drops these little beauties down the chimney tonight then I’ll be wearing them with everything from skinny blue jeans to party dresses... in fact I’ll never take them off! 

P.S They're also available in glitter (!!!) and suede.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! XOXO

To see and shop Charlotte Olympia’s full collection, click here.  

CHRISTMAS JUMPER DAY!

Me wearing: Antoni & Alison jumper with Citizens of Humanity jeans and Christian Louboutin boots.

Friday the 13th of December was Save the Children UK's Christmas Jumper Day and ASOS HQ was heaving with people donning their novelty knits with pride! I embraced the seasonal dress code by coming to work in what can only be described as a drummer boy’s outfit (The Nutcracker is one of my fave things about Christmas after all), whilst my lovely team members (both in New Look’s Christmas offering) teamed theirs with skirts. LOVE.

Caroline Ferry wearing: a New Look jumper, with a Hoss Intropia skirt and KG Kurt Geiger boots.

Shannon-Paris Cross wearing: a New Look jumper, with a Glamorous skirt and Topshop boots.

To find out more about Save the Children UK’s Christmas jumper day initiative, and to see everyone’s 2013 efforts, click here. Or to donate £1 to this worthy cause text WOOLLY to 70050. 

JIMMY CHOO, LET'S TANGO!

Me wearing: Jimmy Choo 'Tango' shoes with Frame Denim jeans.

There’s nothing better than party flats and now December is well underway I’m wearing my gorgeous Jimmy Choo ‘Tango’ shoes to work as well as for play. These super-pointy t-bar treats are really getting me in the festive spirit and seeem to sparkle with anything and everything, or maybe I’ve just got my Christmas blinkers on, in fact they do look a bit elf-like, which makes me love them more! They're black suede with silver studs: the perfect combo for sprucing up denim, whilst the girlie bow-detail means they're ideal for LBDs too. 

Me wearing: my Jimmy Choo 'Tango' shoes with a beaded jumper by 
J.Crew and Frame Denim jeans.

To snap up a pair of your own Jimmy Choo 'Tango' flats, click here.

TWOSIE TIME!

Me wearing: a matching skirt and top by Baum und Pferdgarten with Acne boots.

All the fashion pow-wow of a printed dress with the versatility (and endless outfit options) of separates: this season’s ‘Co-ords’/‘Twosies’ are a clever little invention in deed. My two-piece look is by Danish label Baum und Pferdgarten, who’s jersey, leopard print top matches not only the side-zip pencil skirt I’m wearing (above) but a pair of draw-string trousers too! (See below). Now that’s what I call matchy-matchy!

  

          Baum und Pferdgarte leopard 'Elmar' top  available at Coggles             

Baum und Pferdgarten leopard 'Elan'trousers at available Coggles

To see and shop Baum und Pferdgarten's full collection, click here.

BEIGE IS MAJE

Me wearing: a checked biker cardie by Crumpet with a Stella McCartney skirt, and Marks & Spencer tee.

Despite spring seeming like it’s a hundred years away, wearing lighter, brighter hues is certainly the way to cheer up these dark days, and whilst I’m not ready to crack out the pastels just yet, this beige and off-white cashmere biker by Crumpet is the perfect gateway number to SS14’s airy colour palette. Currently it’s making up one of my many winter layers but when warmer weather arrives I’ll be wearing it as a jacket over dresses and with jeans. Talk about transseasonal! 

Cashmere and wool biker jacket by Crumpet

To see and shop Crumpet's full collection, click here.

FALL FLORALS

Me wearing: Zara necklace with a Jaeger Boutique sweater.

Floral prints might seem unexpected at this time of year but what a pretty pick-me-up for the dark winter months ahead. One of the easiest ways to work the trend is with a decorative necklace (mine pictured above: a lovely  birthday present from Zara), thrown over everything from sweaters to party frocks. Talking of which, check out this gorgeous little number by RED Valentino (below), a floral masterpiece so to speak and it doesn't get more carefully-crafted than Christopher Kane's SS14 flower inspired collection (further below): his exploration of their anatomy, a sign of things to come for sure. 

    Floral fancy: RED Valentino taffeta dress at Net-a-porter.com.    

Flower power at Christopher Kane SS14 (Style.com).

To see Christopher Kane's full SS14 floral-tastic collection, click here.

THE PARTY SEASON IS ON!

Me wearing: a Jaeger Boutique dress, Crumpet cashmere biker and Kate Spade book clutch.

I’m celebrating 150 years this month: a 60th birthday and three 30ths! That’s one weekend away, two house parties and a fancy-dress bash. And whilst I won’t embarrass myself by posting about the latter, here’s a little snap of me from Saturday night, toasting my school friend Laurie at her family friend’s house: evidence that I did step away from the cheese-board for all of two minutes to pick my Kate Spade book clutch!
And with no break for some R&R on the horizon (December is around the corner after all) these block-heeled beauties from Kat Maconie’s AW’13 collection have gone top of party season wish-list: bright blue metallic and kind to your feet, what’s not to love? 

Kat Maconie 'Wonda' sandals in royal blue.

To see and shop more party-pleasers by Kat Maconie, click here.

SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND: NEW BALANCE

Me wearing: a Raoul coat, Marks & Spencer sweater, Citizens of Humanity jeans and New Balance trainers.

Since I started at ASOS.com (5 months ago) I've been quite restrained on the shopping front, until this week when the allure of New Balance got all too much and I bought two pairs of practically identical trainers (sneaker geeks will berate me for that) in a matter of days. They're not actually the same, the claret pair (the colour of the season dontcha know) are 410s and slightly more streamline than their 420 sister. I know it's wrong to have favourites, but when the latter pair arrived with their sleek black suede trim and gorgeous grey side panels, I got that new-trainer-high which frankly, has been missing from my life since... ooh 1995! I told myself my new trainer wardrobe was strictly for my commute and weekends, but as you can see they're already creeping into my working day! Maybe that's the mark of a true trainer revival or maybe New Balance are just too comfy for my own good!

To see and shop too many tempting New Balance kicks, click here. Tip: 410s and 420s come up a size smaller than average.

PUNK'D!

Me wearing: Ralph Lauren shirt, Doma leather jacket and Didi Jewellery earrings. 

Hedi Slimane’s AW’13 collection for Saint Laurent has given the whole season a punky-grunge vibe, and whilst the leather and tartan combo are no new thing, his decorative take on the ’70s (and '90s) iconic look is pretty delish! Unfortunately the Saint Laurent heavily embellished boots (yours for the drooling, below) are purely for my fashion fantasies (although... Santa if you’re reading this, I'm a size 39). Much more purse-friendly however, are these smoky quartz stud earrings by Didi Jewellery, a great nod to the pretty-punk look (accompanying tartan and leather optional).

        Dream boots: Saint Laurent A/W'13 (Style.com).         

To see and shop Didi Jewellery's full collection, click here. 

SHOWTIME SWEATERS

Me wearing: Crumpet's Geo sweater with Whistles trousers and Kurt Geiger shoes.

Looking a bit more dressed up than my average Saturday morning, this was snapped yesterday on my way to talk at the V&A’s Fashion Festival 2013: the perfect debut for my new statement sweater from UK based label Crumpet.
Geo patterns are having a little moment this season and this bright red and blue design proved irresistible! Though I have to say I love the purple and navy colour-way too. Also fabulously abstract is the ‘All Over Triangle’ sweater from Chinti and Parker’s AW’13 collaboration with Patternity. And no pattern jumper round-up would be complete without a Missoni number, check out the ‘Space-dyed’ beauty below.  

 

                         Geo cashmere sweater by Crumpet.                          

                    All over triangle sweater by Chinti and Parker.             

Space-dyed cotton-blend sweater by M Missoni.   

To find out more about the V&A’s Fashion Festival 2013, click here.

FRESHER THAN A FRESHER!

Me wearing: my new season ASOS outfit with Kat Maconie ankle boots.

I was in Leeds on Monday for the launch of ASOS’s Student Lowdown campaign, hanging out on campus promoting the virtual treasure hunt we’ve created for all the lucky students there, and it seemed only fitting that I do so in head-to-toe new season ASOS clobber! 

I’ve had my eye on the camo print kilt since I started my job in June... And then I just got a bit carried away with the rest, I’m chuffed with the navy biker jacket, complete with detachable fluffy collar (which I’ll be adding on when it gets a bit chiller). Needless to say the ASOS gang were ridiculously dressed-up for a day at uni, not sure what we were thinking! 

MY ASOS OUTFIT IN DETAIL... 

ASOS trick or treat print tee.

ASOS Curve jewelled bib necklace.

ASOS camo print kilt. 

ASOS wool biker jacket with fur trim collar.

To see and shop more ASOS back-to-cool treats, click here.

GIVE THE DOG A PHONE!

Me wearing: Chinti & Parker t-shirt with J Brand 'Houlihan' trousers and a Victoria Beckham bag. 

I’ve always been a cat lover, it’s my name for starters but ever since my boyfriend forced a puppy on me last September, I’ve changed my ways, I’ve even started getting up at 6am everyday to walk our little woof before work! And so it seems I now love all dog paraphernalia too, particularly if Marc Jacobs has anything to do with it: I recently treated my phone to the ‘Pickles’ dog iPhone case, but already I want to add ‘Shorty’ the Marc by Marc Jacobs monochrome dog to my pack, and it turns out Marc and I are not the only dog lovers around: check out these graphic creations guaranteed to brighten up your iPhone (and your day).

  Marc by Marc Jacobs 'Pickles' dog iPhone case.  

           J.Crew Dalmatian dog iPhone case.            

   Marc by Marc Jacobs 'Shorty' dog iPhone case. 

              ASOS Jelly dog iPhone case.                       

Little Liger, the reason for my dog obsession. 

BACK TO SCHOOL AT 29!

Me wearing: Carven shirt, Uniqlo men's cardigan and Zara skirt, with Whistles pumps and rucksack. 

When September rolls around I always feel like smartening up and end up looking like I’m starting school! My back-to-school staples are the Carven shirt and Uniqlo men’s cardie pictured above, they’re the perfect combo for giving everything a school-tastic twist, which I'm wearing here with a new and rather Proenza-like colourful Zara skirt (a birthday pressie from my sister, thanks sis). And no starting-school ensemble would be complete without a rucksack! This Whistles number is my current bag of choice, I can hardly believe how much you can cram in without it looking misshapen/breaking your back, it’s brilliant! (Though worn on both shoulders, I fear I look a little like an over-grown six-year-old, who in fact (as my teen sister keeps telling me) is ALMOST THIRTY, (yes thank you Connie, I know)). 

The perfect work bag: Whistles black leather rucksack, with gold fittings. 

Sporty touch: Gc watch. 

GO BUY NOW...

A steel at £35.99! Shop here.  

IT'S TRENCH TIME!

Me wearing: a Banana Republic trench coat, Cos dress, Tibi sandals, necklaces by Astley Clarke and Travel Diamonds. 

September has arrived and the sun’s still shining! But chillier morning walks to work are calling for a lightweight cover-up, and whilst I cling to bare-legged looks and summer vibes for as long as possible there’s only one thing for it: my much-loved silk trench coat from Banana Republic. It’s a few seasons old now but you’d never know, the neutral hue means it goes with everything and its generic silhouette ensures it’s timeless. My only gripe is that I wish it were a few inches longer (if you’re investing in one this month and now's the time, go for just above the knee, they’re sexier and cooler that way!) 

In detail: buckle cuff straps and tortoiseshell buttons.

Shop silk trench coats here, go on... you know you want to!

SMILING IN THE RAIN!

Me wearing: my ASOS yellow raincoat with a Chinti & Parker sweater, Petit Bateau Breton tee and Paige Denim 'Monet' wash jeans.

I was in Norfolk last weekend for a family trip to the seaside and besides the usual Breton stripes and jeans I couldn’t get enough of this yellow ASOS raincoat, I know I look a bit like a lifeguard but the sunshine yellow really cheers me up on rainy days, plus anything from the Paddington Bear school of style gets a thumbs up from me! My ASOS raincoat has sold out but Petit Bateau have this little beaut (see below) in stores now! Go on... you know you want to.

To snap up Petit Bateau’s Jaune raincoat, click here.

NEW YORK: A WHISTLE STOP WORK TRIP

In Brooklyn
Me wearing: 3.1 Philip Lim top, Won Hundred shorts, Be & D sandals, Victoria Beckham bag and Louis Vuitton sunnies.

Earlier this month me and my new colleague Tabitha Newell took a trip to the Big Apple to spend a few days in the New York office. It was so much fun working away from home and getting to know the market over there from a new perspective. Every time I visit NY it’s like going for the first time, there’s so much to do, and eat and drink!! Here’s a little taster of what we got up to and of course, what we wore...  

Outside the office in Soho
Me wearing: a Thu Thu dress with Valentino sandals and my Victoria Beckham bag.

In Manhattan
Me wearing: Selected/Femme top, Milly for Banana Republic shorts, Juicy Couture sandals, bag and sunnies as before. 

At Brooklyn flea market
Tabitha Newell wearing: Top and T cap both Topshop, Madewell shorts, Vans trainers with a Matt & Nat bag.

In Soho
Tabitha Newell wearing: slip dress, sandals and rucksack all Topshop with sunnies by Madewell.

In Central Park
Tabitha Newell wearing: ASOS shorts, top and sandals both by Topshop and Madewell sunnies, as before. 

OUR TRIP IN PICTURES: 

Insta happy!
From top left: the skyline from the waterfront in Williamsburg, the Tribeca Grand hotel where we stayed,
pints of Margarita at La Superior restaurant, me by the zoo in Central Park, Barney's Co-op in Soho, wall
art in Brooklyn, take-out sushi from Dean & DeLuca, Burger Joint on West 8th Street is the best, a map
of Manhattan from Brooklyn flea and Ms.Newell heading into happy hour at Lead Belly bar, Chinatown.

For more pics from the trip check out my Instagram @nieto_noticed.