{fashion inspiration : a certain little zebra number}

There's been a certain item of clothing on my radar for what feels like years. Constantly popping up on the most stylish girls on the street, and in my google feed. Tempting me, calling me over every time I browse through the rails in Zara. 

I never thought I'd see the day I was (literally) dreaming about a zebra print coat. I've tried it on, more than once, but cannot bring myself to part with ninety hard-earned pounds on a zebra print coat. "When would I wear it? Would I wear it?" are the questions haunting me - and the fact I've a holiday in eleven days to the Caribbean  where I definitely wont be needing a coat of any description.

..So I'll just continue to dream of this little number, probably while on a white sandy beach, and try to sweat it out of my system. 

{beauty icon : elizabeth taylor}

There was absoloutley nothing subtle about Elizabeth Taylor's beauty; ample cleavage, deep tan, huge violet eyes - and her fashion sense was just a bold. 

The 1940s and 1950s were undoubtedly her heyday, many of Elizabeth's favourite outfits are still celebrated and reinvented today; plunging necklines, bejewelled dressed, clinched waists, beautiful fur jackets and of course - diamonds galore.

A Guide To: The Boys Birthday

Buying occasion gifts for the men in our lives is notoriously difficult. I've been with my man almost four years, know him inside out and he truly knows me better than I know myself. But still; I can find it difficult choosing what to buy him each time his birthday rolls around.

Anniversaries are easy, as are little moments throughout the year when you spot something & just have to give it to them, "saw this & thought of you", but I must admit - I generally rely on the same fail-safe gifts on occasions like Christmas.

Whilst he doesn't have any hobbies I can stock up on, (unless I buy him a car - ladies if your man is a passionate sportsman or even trainspotter, think yourself lucky!) he does love whiskey. And clothes. And trips away. So I take advantage of my strengths  I can pick an outfit for him he'll adore (even if it is purely because he knows I'll love him in it) with my eyes closed, I know enough about any alcohol to see me through a gift purchase, and as you all know I adore travelling, so can plan a trip the pair of us will love.

If you follow me on twitter, luckily he doesn't use it.. you'll know I arranged a little trip to Barcelona for him this time around. Believe it or not, neither of us have been before - its a place we've always fancied but never gotten around to it, we tend to pick faraway shores and the amazing Europe breaks can get pushed aside. I also picked up a few jumpers from All Saints for him, a ton of Calvin Klein shorts and a couple of little 'stocking filler' type gifts. I've created a fail-proof collection of gifts for your boy, suitable for all gentlemen for any occasion...

Happy Weekend: Happy November

"I don't mind being burdened with being glamorous and sexual. Beauty and femininity are ageless and cant be contrived. Glamour, although the manufacturers wont like this, cannot be manufactured  Not real glamour; its based on femininity."

~ Marilyn Monroe.

Its that time again, a brand new month ahead to enjoy (be it this post is a little late..). I'm still feeling a little dark and gothic, Halloween must still be in the air - speaking of which what did we all dress up as? I didn't have the opportunity to dress anything other than my little shihtzu, who made an excellent Witch, I did sport a black lace dress with a peplum, smokey eye and dark burgundy lip in the form of my beloved Tom Ford Black Orchid Lipstick in a nod to the holiday...

Fashion Inspiration: Autumn & Winter Dressing | New In

cooler temperatures are ever-present in the lovely UK, and its about time I really invested some time, and money, into this years winter wardrobe. This time last month, I was en route to Thailand - with a suitcase full of plentiful planning & preparation (23kg of summer, 40 degree heat resistant clothing). Leaving the house in conditions currently around 2 degrees, I'm currently craving warm and luxurious clothing like leather and faux furs...

My shopping baskets and home deliveries during the last few weeks have ranged from sequin-sleeved parka jackets, iPhones, Diptyque and Tom Ford candles, books to snuggle up with while I burning the them and too much from Topshop, namely a pair of leather leggings and perfect fur gilet...

My Happy List { № 3 } : A Thick Stack of Magazines

Whenever I get the afternoon, evening, or even an early hour on weekend mornings, I always reach for a huge pile of thick, glossy fashion and glamour-filled magazines. Not only are they inspiring for both my wardrobe & blog, I completely lose myself in the shiny pages pouring over new season pieces and interesting articles. Must-reads; Vogue, ELLE, Harpers Baazar, W, Muse, Nylon, Love and anything else I stumble upon.. I've tried getting a weekly fix from the likes of Grazia and Look but always feel cheated and unsated... What are your favourite magazines? rachel xo

Fashion Inspiration: First Look | Inside the new French Vogue

Where French Vogue goes, everyone follows. The glossy's September issue (featuring separate covers of Kate Moss, Lara Stone, and Daria Werbowy in the same Dolce & Gabbana dress) hits newsstands in Paris earlier this month and inside are Emmanuelle Alt's inaugural design tweaks since becoming editor-in-chief last year.

Beauty Icon: Audrey Hepburn

I feel almost a little cliché writing this post, as it has become almost clichéd to love Audrey Hepburn, yet it's almost impossible not to. One of the biggest icons in film history, she's still often cited as one of the world's most beautiful women — even though she didn't always view herself that way. She disliked her crooked teeth, large feet, and flat chest — "I never thought I'd land in pictures with a face like mine," she once said — but those so-called flaws made her even more likeable.