{the rachelle edit : agent provocateur}

I love Valentines Day. I love any excuse for a celebration to be fair, and a day dedicated to celebrating your love to your better half is surely more of an excuse to celebrate than most?

Girls; if you're stuck on what to get the boy - nothing will go down better than a saucy set of undies for his enjoyment. Men; if you're stuck on what to get your lady, nothing will make her feel better in the nuddy than a beautiful, sexy set of lingerie. Agent Provocateur has been a long-term favourite of mine (and pretty much every woman I know), you cannot go wrong here . . .

The Rachelle Lust List: 4th December 2012

1. Elizabeth & James specialise in some seriously stylish one-pieces and fitted separates; these are the perfect shoes to match (£270). I need to wear these with everything in my winter wardrobe. PS. River Island have some similarly edgy styles in for a quarter of the price. 2. I'm not one to preach about constantly coordinating your undergarments; I've fallen separately in love with this Mimi Holliday Bisou Bisou lace and satin bra (£55) and this Angelique Bow Thong (£35) separately (although the matching Bisou Bisou knickers are a real treat, too). 3. The Valentino 'Va Va Voom' studded nude leather clutch is featuring in my dreams, as of late. Wow. 4. An Alexander Skull Print Silk scarf (£165) mightn't be the warmest garment on the winter-wear market, but it is perfect to layer for any day of the year. 5. Obsessed with these adorable 'His & Hers' Johnathan Adler mugs (£24)! Perfect Christmas present for newly-weds, or yourself, if you cant resist.. You can never have too many chic white mugs, right? 6. Its my turn to have a little dry/tight/winter-skin crisis, I'm craving some luxurious and natural-super-ingredients to restore things back to happy-hydrated-times; I'm terribly guilty of not using a primer, By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Primer (£41 at Space NK) looks to be the answer to my prayers. 7 & 8. Sisley are one of the most reputable names in high-end skincare, my poor face is crying out for a cocktail of their most famous face-masks, Hydra-Flash Intensive or Black Rose Cream Mask are packed full of skin softening wonders. 9. Another installment of the lazy-girls guide to baking; these Harvey Nichols Gingerbread Cookies are ready to bake, simply add eggs and butter. How cute is the packaging? They taste as good as they look. 10. This weeks lipstick craving is another Mac wonder; Rebel. No where near as dark and scary as it appears in the tube, its another Mac best seller that has somehow managed to escape my clutches. Until now. rachelle xo

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...

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...

The Rachelle Edit: Fifty Shades of Fashion

It appears the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has taken over the world. No exaggeration. Women who scarcely even pick up a book are raiding not only the shelves in Waterstones, but apparently DIY stores for rope and neck ties... I'm still toying with the idea of whether to pick up a copy & see exactly what the hype is, yet I've heard so many times its poorly written and thankfully, I don't need any encouragement to splash out on sexy undergarments!

Give Away: Marlies Dekkers | and the winner is . . .

For most, Mondays don't tend to be massive in the means of celebrations. Not this week, my lovelies. Two weeks and many, many entries later the entries have been counted; the winners selected randomly from random.org and I am delighted to announce my three beautiful winners as . . . 

Give Away: Marlies Dekkers | Designer Lingerie

As many of you Rachelle readers know, as mentioned in previous post, we adore  Marlies Dekkers. I have three Undressed sets to send to  three successful winners of this weeks competition. The bold, directional and impossibly sexy designs are too good to miss out on, especially when retailing over £100 per set!

Three lucky Rachelle readers can choose a set from; (my personal favourite) the Dame de Paris range, the Cotton range, the I Love Undressed range, the Space Odyssey range or the beautiful Triangle range.

The Rachelle Edit: Marlies Dekkers

Haven't heard of Dutch underwear designer Marlies Dekkers? You should have. Her bold, directional yet incredibly sexy and flattering designs have caught the attention of celebs and fashionistas alike - with a-listers from Victoria Beckham to Lady GaGa to Cheryl Cole seen sporting the styles.

The peekaboo cuts, directional details and intricate design seem almost too pretty to hide underneath clothes. Make like Victoria Beckham and pair the 'Dame de la Paris' bra with a high waisted pencil skirt and jacket over? Or try the 'Symphony of Lights' longline bralet with a floaty skirt?