NET-A-DRESSER

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

WHITE LIGHT.

My favourite brightest white, summer jeans

are from Topshop. Just enough distressing without looking too destroyed.......

WHITE RIPPED BOYFRIEND JEANS £45 TOPSHOP

I love doing white on white, there's nothing fresher,
or crisper.

WHITE JERSEY DRAPED TEE £80 SPLENDID

My go-to nail polish.......

VERTIGO NAIL POLISH £18 CHANEL

BLACK BIRKENSTOCK ARIZONA'S £50 SCHUH

BLACK LEATHER BELT £16.50 NEXT

CLUTCH BAG WAS £20 NOW £14 ASOS

Throw on a pair of Birks,

grab a clutch,

and your ready to go.........

X X X

LET'S TALK FOOTBALL..........Or not!

SWEET PEA HUMMUS

Image and recipe via

Some friends came round last night.

The men to watch the 'footie', and drink beer, and the girls to have a good old gossip,and a glass (or 3) of wine in the garden.

Looking for something to go with our al fresco drinks, I came across Claire Thomas at the Kitchy Kitchen who has come up with this perfectly delicious, summer dip.

To make a good bowlful,

YOU'LL NEED:

1 cup frozen peas

1 tbls sugar

1 tsp salt for boiling the peas

2 cups of cooked chickpeas

1/4 cup greek yoghurt

2 cloves garlic very finely chopped

large handful fresh coriander leaves chopped

1/2 tsp cumin

2 tbls tahini paste

2 tbls lemon juice

salt and black pepper

Put the peas, sugar and salt into a saucepan and cover with water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender and bright green. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Strain the peas and pop all of the above remaining ingredients into a food processor and blitz. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a swirl of olive oil,

and a little extra chopped coriander on the top.

Dipping implements are up to you, but I like to serve with warm pitta bread, carrot, red pepper and cucumber sticks.

Did someone mention the world cup?!

Bon Apetit!

X X X

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

NET-A-DRESSERS

Style

STEAL

FLUERETTE DRESS £435

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG

OVERSIZED FLOWER PRINT KIMONO £32

RIVER ISLAND

There is an inner bargain hunter in all of us, even those who spend their days head to toe in luxe labels.

Say 'hello' to summer with this designer style steal.

X X X

Long beach walks, picnics, and fresh delicious local food, are just what my VHM (very handsome man) and I need right now.A long weekend away to relax and recharge, and hopefully soak up a few rays of Cornish sunshine. There is something so wonderfully soothing about the air in Cornwall, that as soon as I arrive I feel all the stresses melting away. Packing is kept to a bare minimum, come rain (very possible) or shine I am wearing shorts, as this mini break is very low key. However, just a few of my favorite pamper products may creep into the holdall.

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PACKING LIST

I have worn Birkenstocks for many years. If you haven't tried them yet, then you really should. Besides being this summer's 'fashion favourite' footwear, they are also undeniably comfortable.

BIRKENSTOCK Arizona leather sandals (White

BIRKENSTOCK ARIZONAS £49.95 ASOS

The ideal bag, great to pack everything you
need for a day at the beach.

CANVAS BIG BAG £20 ALPHABET BAGS

Image via

Packing a chunky knit, especially if we are outside in the evening.

Well it is Cornwall, not Crete!

COTTON SLOUCHY SWEATER £34 TOPSHOP

Image via

For my spot of pampering,

this is the perfect dual purpose product.......

DIPTYQUE SATIN HAIR AND BODY OIL £36

Mandatory sunglasses........

D FRAME SUNGLASSES £16 WAREHOUSE

Image via

And the shorts. Better get faking it (the tan) before I go.

Taking a darker denim pair too........

WHITE DENIM SHORTS £24.99 MANGO

Some home comforts.......

BAIES TRAVEL CANDLE £20 DIPTYQUE

Image via

A soft slouchy tee, for a laid back break.

SLUB TEE SHIRT £14.99 MANGO

Image via

Even for a Cornish windswept picnic, it's good to get the beachy look......It really does what it says on the tin!

SURF SPRAY £7.65 BUMBLE & BUMBLE

For beach barbecue's, or frostbite.............!

Buy Bronte Stripe Throw Online at johnlewis.com

WOOL BLANKET £79 JOHN LEWIS

All images are of photographer Paul Massey's stunning Mousehole, Cornwall home.

'The Oyster Catcher' is available to rent through

Unique Home Stays

I'm counting down the hours......

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'IT'S NOT COMPLICATED'. Calvin Klein, Jil Sander and Helmut Lang...........Get the look for less.

SS14

TREND

Modern Classicism....

After a sea of florals, neon's and embellishments,

a pared back look shines out.

This seasons 'new minimalism'

cannot fail to deliver.

Calvin Klein Collection : Spring/Summer 2014

Images via

Calvin Klein's creative director Francisco Costa, came to the role in 2003. He has been hugely credited for revamping the label with his reworked minimalism, and attention to detail.

In a recent interview he was asked if there was a single word to sum up the women who wear his clothes?

He said it would be 'confident'........ "I think the women that we dress, the women who buy our clothes, they have a certain strength. It could be about the clothes. It could be about themselves.

It's just attractive".

Dressed head to toe in Calvin Klein,
I would feel pretty damn confident too!

Jil Sander : Spring/Summer 2014

Images via

Jil Sander is the 'queen of clean'.
She launched her label in 1969 to give professional women an alternative to the 'stuffy secretary' look of the time. "Beautiful things give you strength", the designer once said.

Her first name is 'Heidi', but felt it sounded too sweet and German, for the label's minimalist concept, and so used a shortened version of her other name's (Jiline Sanderborn) instead.

Helmut Lang : Spring/Summer 2014

Images via

In the late 70's, Helmut Lang went into fashion, because he couldn't find the 'perfect' jacket and T-shirt in the shops,

so decided to make his own.

Making his international debut in Paris during March 1986,
he was the most copied designer of his generation.
His legacy of urban, unadorned, clean lines, has become the uniform adopted and loved by models and fashion editors for nearly three decades.

Watch Helmut Lang A/W 88/89 Paris.

Proving what goes around comes around, many of his pieces from this early show, could easily be re-worked into today's looks.

In 1999, Prada bought a share in the brand. Five years later,
unhappy without his 100 per cent creative control,
Helmut Lang walked out.

"I have no more shopping rituals, since Helmut Lang closed"
said French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld.

The company is now owned by Link Theory Holdings Japan,
who also own Uniqlo.