Thought for the Day: Clémence Poésy

Boxy (most probably Chanel) jacket, black skinny jeans & the perfect pair of ankle boots. Does Clémence Poésy ever get it wrong?

Interior Inspiration: Suntraps

Interior inspiration from Mark Borthwick, Margaret Howell & Ai and Cedric Bihr. I have a thing for big windows.

The Essentials: The Little Black Jacket

Lately the fashion world's been a buzz with talk of Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld's latest collaboration: The Little Black Jacket: Chanel's Classic Revisited. Styled by Roitfeld and photographed by Lagerfeld, the coffee-table book, set for release this autumn, features 113 of fashion's most stylish men and women all wearing Chanel's iconic jacket. The shoot shows just how versatile Chanel's coveted classic can be, whether it be paired with a breton top and cigarette pants à la Sofia Coppola, or with a pair of worn out jeans as seen on perennial style icon Jane Birkin. Hovering mid-way between a jacket and a boxy cardigan, the Little Black Jacket has not changed since Coco Chanel first designed it in 1924 when she weighed down the hem and silk lining with a gold chain to ensure that it sat perfectly on the body. Is it the ultimate wardrobe essential; classic, elegant and timeless. The only snag? The cost. At a cool $4,710, a girl can but dream!

(Images: The Little Black Jacket)

Deconstructed: Rochas Autumn/ Winter 2012 Look 21

Don't get me wrong, I'm one of those obsessives who endlessly trawls style.com after each and every show of fashion week, posied on the edge of my seat in anticipation of the weird and wonderful creations the likes of Miuccia Prada will conjure up next, but nothing excites me more than seeing something effortless and wearable on the catwalk. Case in point: Look 21 from Rochas' Autumn/ Winter 2012 show from designer Marco Zanini. Whilst the rest of the show was a kaleidoscope of bold, geometric prints, this look is exquisite in its understated wearability. The navy ribbed poloneck has just the right amount of cling, accentuating the body underneath. The skirt (not too long, not too short) adds a luxe schoolma'am-ish air to the whole thing. Proportions are kept in check with a nod to the Fifties - a simply belted cinched in waist. And finally, just a hint of the unexpected with the graphic print of the tights and a strong blackberry lip. Librarian chic at its best.

(Image: via The Sartorialist)

Photoshoot: New York 1962: Jean Shrimpton by David Bailey

You just can't beat the Sixties for good old fashioned style, can you? These shots of Jean Shrimpton taken by David Bailey for Vogue in 1962 encapsulate everything that the decade came to stand for, marking the dawn of a new era in photography and fashion as well as changing the face of class structure and sexual politics for good. Bailey and Shrimpton defied Vogue Fashion Editor Lady Clare Rendlesham, shooting mid-range (yet oh-so-chic) clothes in the grittier parts of Manhattan, with Jean doing her own hair and makeup. The shoot has been immortalised in a one off BBC drama We'll Take Manhattan, available to watch here on BBC iPlayer.

Photoshoot: Gaia Repossi by Karim Sadli

From Diane Keaton in Annie Hall to Phoebe Philo at the CFDA's, the most stylish women wear menswear. Another case in point: Gaia Repossi, shot by Karim Sadli, for Issue Four of The Gentlewoman. Photographed in a mixture of Dior Homme and YSL with her father's suit thrown in for good measure, Repossi is the epitome of effortless chic, perfectly striking the balance between masculinity and femininity.

(images: Repossi.com)

Look of the day

These recent photographs of jewelry designer Lara Melchior on vogue.fr make me long for a wardrobe consisting solely of silk shirts and loose fitting trousers. Citing Dries Van Noten and Phoebe Philo among her favourite designers, it is no surprise that for Melchior comfort is key. Her wardrobe is awash with simple jersey tee shirts by Isabel Marant, wide leg trousers and breton tops, all accessorised with her line of delicate gold jewelry inspired by Viennese Art Nouveau and Fauvism. The allure of her wardrobe lies in well cut, good quality, comfortable basics which work just as well for day as for evening. Plus, anyone who owns a pair of Chanel espadrilles gets my style vote...

I wanted to give a woman comfortable clothes that would flow with her body. A woman is closest to being naked when she is well-dressed — Coco Chanel

(photographs: Linus Ricard for vogue.fr)

Film: Manhattan

Woody Allen's Manhattan, 1979

Recently I have been inspired by films of the late seventies and eighties; Meryl Streep in Kramer vs Kramerand Out of Africa, Diane Keaton in Annie Hall. Last night I watched Woody Allen's Manhattanand was inspired by Meryl Streep's long skirts and tucked in silk shirts, Diane Keaton's tweed blazers paired with shirts buttoned all the way up and Mariel Hemingway's combination of loose fitting striped shirt with a man's pull over draped over the shoulder. A must see.

What films are inspiring your style?

(photographs: imdb via my tumblr)