{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. 

Inspired Interior: Candy-Coloured Christmas

The conventional 'Christmassy' colours can get a little boring and repetitive with greens, reds and golds year upon year - I think a fun, colourful festive period that wouldn't look out of place in Barbies dream house should be celebrated!

Okay, we're not all going to go out and paint all of our walls white and install pink feature walls with contrasting pastel hues; but draw inspiration from how a simple white space can be transformed with some statement soft furnishings and a some amazing accessories. One thing I'm going to take from this stunning space is to source the best unconventional Christmas Tree toys in the form of sugared icecream cones, pastel baubles and cupcakes.. with the real deal strategically placed on every spare surface for the festive visitors...

Happy Weekend: Pastel Pinks & Notes from the Week

while on yesterdays subject, I thought it best to brighten the place up a little with some sugary-sweet Ladurée pastries and equally sweet shades of pink.

this week has unsurprisingly been another whirl of everything from four-hour meetings, 9am manicures to strong coffee and catch up with old friends. There have been roses, five-course meals and little nothings to try and cheer the boy & I from the inevitable post-holiday blues... Its about time I get out of my too-comfortable bed (which regrettably looks nothing like the one pictured below) and spend the rest of this sunny October Saturday with my family. Ah, bless. [beware] even more beautiful pink things below...

Fashion Inspiration: Print & Pattern

 

I may be a little late to this party, but I somehow (probably on Pinterest) managed to stumble across the seneca rising spring 2011 lookbook, and of course, fell in love with the motion of the shots, the soft colour palette and beautiful mix of prints & patterns.

At Home With: Sam Allen

Homes of interior designers are always bloody good, aren't they? Sam Allen has this incredible knack of combining bold colours & patterns and throwing them together that creates breathtakingly beautiful spaces. Okay, pink walls and ikat-print rugs mightn't inspire each of you to paint your hallway like this, but you must admire, even if it is just from afar.

Places: Wythe Hotel, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Its easy to fall into the routine of always staying on the island when visiting New York, but the gilded mirrors and retro-modern style of the wythe hotel on the Brooklyn waterfront may convince us otherwise - not to mention the rooms with views of the Manhattan skyline...

The Rachelle Trend Report: Fall 2012 | Luxurious Layering

Why wear one lovely piece, when five lovely pieces look even lovelier? Why stick to one luxe fabric when a wealth of lavish layers looks so spectacular? Seemed to be the thinking pattern this season. Welcome to the new Rachelle feature, The Trend Report; a summary of the upcoming seasons biggest trends, where to look for inspiration, and of course - how to incorporate them into your own wardrobe.

Inside Her Wardrobe: Suzanne Rogers

What better way to start the new Rachelle feature, Inside Her Wardrobe, than with the single most inspiring dressing room and entire high fashion collection I've ever come across; the closet of Suzanne Rogers.

A little bit of leather and a whole lot of lace. Nobody does it quite like Suzanne Rogers - a Toronto-based fashion icon who has one bloody impeccable closet. There's closets and then there's Suzanne's wardrobe - browse through these pictures as what is truly fashion porn at its finest. Behind the McQueen couture and Mary Katrantzou printed must-haves, Suzanne uses her knowledge and connections with designers to help raise funds for a range global children's charities. Saying she's a fashion aficionado just doesn't quite do her justice. And the best part? In the last two years, she's managed to raise over $1000000 for charities around the world, in her sky-high baby blue YSL pumps nonetheless. And she seems to do it all (with Birkin in hand) while raising three kids. Really.

What to Wear: Quirky Handbags

The 'mini trend' - see; clear plastic accessories, underwater prints, fetish and the like - all great in theory and on the pages of Vogue, are often too 'trendy' to incorporate in everyday life and become a real trend of the season. One mini-trend I'm finding myself seriously buying into are these quirky, printed small bags. Easier to wear than the fashionistas at Paris Couture Week (see the Prada number above) would like you to think, I've picked three favourites with simple outfits to flatter.

This 3.1 Philip Lim tote (£645) is one of the more bold bags knocking around designer stores this season, and without doubt the most novel item on my radar! I love the bag teamed with a simple, black outfit, I'm obsessed with this Burberry Prorsum Cut-Out Cashmere jumper (£895), teamed with a leather skirt like this McQ Alexander McQueen Circle Skirt (£645) you have instant effortless chic. The Valentino Studded ankle boots (£670) are just too perfect with this skirt to leave out, and a simple Mulberry Gold Plated cuff (£200) finishes the outfit.

The Rachelle Edit: Resort 2013 | Chloé vs Erdem

Ashamedly so, I've been a little behind with the 2013 Resort collections. I know images have been popping up online for the last few weeks, yet this morning is the first opportunity I've had to pour over the collections on style.com. 

I'm certain you've seen the collections before me and whilst these are no longer breaking news - I thought I'd share my favourite looks from some of my favourite collections.

What to Wear: Tropical Prints

One of my favourite looks from the catwalk this season are the tropical prints; in particular those from Dolce & Gabanna and Stella McCartney. Topshop has recreated the tropics-trend exceptionally well & whilst its only May, I have to admit to both a pair of printed cropped trousers & a skirt to pair with tanned thighs & a Club Topicana attitude...

Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. I have the skirt (which is sadly no longer available) in the same print as these Topshop shorts (£35). The combination of colours in the print makes it incredibly easy to pair with similarly coloured items everyone already has in their wardrobes. This J Crew cashmere jumper (£200) complements the coral tones. Add Zara nude wedges (£59.99) & Diane Von Furstenberg clutch (£320) to give a modern classic finish to the look.

Places to Stay: Hotel Missoni, Edinburgh

In 2009, the first Missoni Hotel opened its doors on Edinburghs Royal Mile. Injecting some well received Milanese glamour among the grey streets of the Scottish city, this glamorous addition to the local hotel scene has gained a massive seal of approval by hosting a string of celebrities from Lady GaGa to The Kings of Leon.

At Home With: Tory Burch's Southampton Home

New York based fashion designer Tory Burch has built up a multimillion dollar business in a relativley short space of time based mainly... on herself? Raised from a fashion background with a mother who favoured Parisian chic and a father who designed his own suits & hermes scarves Tory feels fashion and style are in her blood. She has transformed a Gatsby-era Southampton Manor into a convival enviromnemt for family living.

Following a flood, she was planning to drastically remodel her nearby home, a light-filled but architecturally undistinguished summer place on the water’s edge. But when a friend took her to see this majestic home, she immediatley fell in love with the similarity to the Anglophile houses on Philadelphia’s Main Line, where she had grown up among her parents collections of all things antique and intriguing.