Stand The Test of Time

Ever since the baby doll dresses and stacked wooden heels popularised during her reign at Chloé in the Nineties, Phoebe Philo has imprinted herself onto fashion's collective conscious as the go to designer for luxury, wearable staples that women want to wear. I, like every other fashion fanatic, have followed Philo's evolution from the romantic Chloé days to the more grown up, pulled together aesthetic at Céline and find myself victim to what can only be described as the current Philo epidemic. Inspired both by Philo's personal and professional style, I was interested to read this profile of the designer via The Independent website. Philo's straightforward, industrious approach to the world of fashion design, reflected in her classic, discreet creations comes as a breath of fresh air in an industry renowned for its frivolity. "I think it's quite liberating for women not to have to be so preoccupied with different silhouettes, with different things," she says. It is this no-fuss, substantial approach that has struck a chord with the educated, modern women who comprises the brand's primary market. The success of Céline undoubtedly lies in its wearability factor and relevance to the current economic climate. As much as we can admire the effort and hours of grooming gone into the larger than life outfits of the likes of Anna Dello Russo, it is currently much more desirable to be able to throw on perfectly cut pair of cropped trousers or a simple shift within a mere matter of minutes without having to forsake that million dollar feeling.

"I absolutely love fashion. I love doing new things and finding ways to swerve in a different direction. But one of the reasons why I try to use fabrics and cuts that don't go out of fashion is because I like the idea of women buying the clothes and then... I don't know what the word is... cherish sounds over-emotional for a relationship with a piece of clothing... but for a woman to feel proud, satisfied, comfortable and powerful in them, to wear them and get on with their lives." - Phoebe Philo

(photograph: Phoebe Philo by David Sims for Vogue Paris)

The Icon: Tomboy

I know I have written about Argentinean stylist Marina Muñoz's style before, but this is just pure outfit perfection. I never cease to be impressed by the way she so effortlessly exudes that elusive tomboy ease with a confidence I can only hope to emulate in my day to day dressing. Inspired by classic tomboy icons such as Jane Birkin and Charlotte Rampling, as well as photographer August Sander's portraits, Marina is a one of a kind style maverick. You can only imagine how happy I was to discover she was Vogue.fr's most recently featured Une fille un style...

Gaucho Gipsy Ethnic Chic, quatre mots indissociables qui me décrivent parfaitement. Tout ce que je possède est d'abord un choix personnel, un choix que je fais au hasard de mes rencontres, mes voyages, la musique que j'écoute, les livres que je lis. Ce sont ces choix qui font mon style. - Marina Muñoz

(photograph: Street Peeper)

The French Pharmacy

One of the many charms of living in Paris for the year includes having constant access to that holy grail of beauty: the French Pharmacy. If pouring over Into the Gloss and tearing out pages out of the beauty supplements of Vogue has taught me one thing, it is that, when it comes to skin care, French products are the crème de la crème of the skin care industry. Here are a few of my favourite French discoveries, any other recommendations are welcome!

Bioderma Crealine H2O Micelle Solution: A favourite amongst make up artists, this is frankly the best cleanser you will ever use, it is super calming on the most sensitive skins and gets rid of even the most stubborn eye makeup.

Homeoplasmine: Meant for skin irritations, works perfectly on chapped lips to condition and plump. The French equivalent of Lucas Paw Paw Ointment.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Sunscreen: A very effective and affordable sunscreen that has a large selection of skin type specific variations. As someone who burns incredibly easily, this is a must-have. It doesn't appear greasy on the skin so I can wear it as a substitute to moisturiser in the summer season.

Avibon: Rich in vitamin A, this product is great for getting rid of blemishes and tackling dry skin.

Embryolisse: Cult moisturiser used by everyone from Jane Birkin to Gaia Repossi which is said to simultaneously cleanse and moisturise the skin. It can also be applied as a mask for when your skin is feeling especially parched. Also a great primer for makeup.

Klorane Camomile Shampoo: I usually like to chop and change the products that I use in my regime so that my skin and hair don't get too used to anything. Having said that I have used this shampoo every time I have washed my hair for the past year! It leaves my hair clean and soft and actually lives up the claims that it enhances and lifts your natural highlights. Their Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oatmilk is also brilliant for in between washes.

Decléor Aromessence Rose D'Orient: This oil immediately calms irritations and gives a luminessence to the skin. Smells absolutely DIVINE.

If you happen to be in Paris, my recommendation would be City-Pharma in St Germain as it's tax free!

(Photograph: Into The Gloss)

Trans-seasonal wish list

Travelling between a warm and heady Parisian springtime and a much less clement London got me thinking about the need to master the art of trans-seasonal dressing. I've always been a winter clothes (read coats) enthusiast, finding it tiresome to shop for summer items that I spend a maximum of two weeks of the year wearing. In recent months, I have found myself less and less inclined to purchase clothes specifically for my summer holidays. I instead anticipate 'borrowing' items from my everyday autumn/winter wardrobe such as breton tops and lightweight shirts and pairing them with denim shorts and sandals (ideally this pair from 3.1 Phillip Lim) rather than with my usual staple of black jeans.

Today's constantly changing weather conditions have rendered seasonal fashion obsolete resulting in a need for more transitional clothing. Dressing for that tricky 'in-between' stage requires a mastering of loose and light layering - think jackets or a lightweight spring coat layered over a loose tee with rolled up jeans or a sweater dress paired with bare legs as demonstrated on The Sartorialist. I foresee my key investment for summer being a jacket, the ultimate trans-seasonal item. I particularly like this version from Vanessa Bruno Athé or this denim style by A.P.C.

And if you're in need of more summer wardrobe inspiration, check out Lin's series of Summer Days posts. They act as an A-Z of summer essentials!

(Photo credit: various, all from my tumblr)

Summer Essentials: The Oxford Shirt

After careful consideration I think my next purchase will be a blue Oxford Shirt. Plain, simple and the epitome of tomboy chic, it will go with everything in my wardrobe and can be dressed up or down. I'll wear mine tucked into black cigarette pants, or my Acne flares for a comfortable yet pulled together look. How do you wear yours?

(Photographs: j.lindberg via the knight cat)

Uniform

My most recent go-to for sartorial advice is the Essentials Section of Self Service magazine's blog. Having had a sneak peak into the must-haves of stylish individuals from Sofia Coppola to Emmanuelle Alt, it is clear that to some extent style is synonymous with uniform. When I think of stylish women, from fail safe icons such as Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel to more modern taste makers like Phoebe Philo, there exists an underlying connection between them in that all of their outfits (for the most part) subscribe to their respective standardised silhouettes. Take Emmanuelle Alt for example, whose style exhibits and rarely strays from the formula of skinny jeans + impeccably cut jacket + towering heels. Where would Sofia Coppola be without her classic silhouette of black slim fit jeans, Charvet shirt and flats? Even the Queen of Eclectic Anna Della Russo is consistent in that the very definition of her style is in it's strict outrageousness.

I think that in setting yourself certain wardrobe limitations, you come to figure out a true sense of your own style. Shopping becomes more of an enjoyable challenge which in turn makes you consider your purchases more carefully. For example, I am now far more likely to choose an item entirely based on a cut that would compliment the other items in my wardrobe rather than making an on- trend purchase that I will later come to regret. But, most importantly of all, the thing about uniforms is that you come to have a signature look, instantly recognisable as being 'you', which, for me, is the holy grail in an industry dominated by the next big thing.

(Photograph: Accessories Designer Giorgia Tordini on Kenya's Style)

Blank canvas

It's rare that I post editorials on this blog but I just had to share Géraldine Saglio's feature for the Spring 2011 issue of Vogue Enfants photographed by Matthew Brookes. It makes such a change from the overtly sexualised images seen previously in Vogue Enfants under Carine Roitfeld's editorship. Instead, the styling is on trend, low key and age-appropriate. It's a breath of fresh air in a sea of editorials in which audacious appears to have become synonymous with plain risqué. Alt's plans for a more "feminine vogue" seem to have been accomplished to great effect; the harshness of older Paris Vogue editorials has faded and been replaced with an almost intimate mood, resulting in a magazine that women really want to read.

(Photographs: thefashionspot)