Uniqlooks August: One item, three looks – Ankle length trousers

Look 1:  Black silk trench coat, CK gift from mum. Leather crop-top old Topshop (bought in vintage store). Trousers, Uniqlo tuck tapered trousers. Shoes, Kurt Geiger Elsie. Mini-clutch, Falabella c/o Stella McCartney

Look 2: Jersey top, Zara. Trousers, Uniqlo tuck tapered trousers. Heels, Pierre Hardy for GAP. Bag, Bottega Veneta. Boyfriend watch, Sekonda. Glasses, YesStyle

Look 3: Cap, I Love Ugly. Silk top, Carin Wester via Heilee. Clutch, Kit’s Marc by Marc Jacobs pouch.  Trousers, Uniqlo tuck tapered trousers. Heels, ASOS Sienna

I would call this mostly ‘Uniqazillian ways to communicate impending toilet run’, but there’s a bit of ‘If I stand upright and look into the camera I WILL DIE  A SHAMED BLOGGERS DEATH‘  in the mix too. In fashion blogging bootcamp I was taught to renounce the habit that my mother so earnestly enforced in my blooming years – stand up straight, look into the camera and show a sliver of teeth – a tactic which usually ensured that the 24 (or 36, if on holiday/birthday party) snaps will be worth its money. For example, the Park family photo albums from 1990 to 2005 is just eyeballs. Then in 2008 I crawled through mud under barbed wire and struggled over walls made out of logs and to learn a new habit that will win us the Blogger badge, namely the ‘I think I need to pee’ pose (pretzel legs), ‘My lover in the sunset horizon’ pose, and ‘Is the the floor flirting with me’ pose – all three of which you can find above. Alternatively it’s a self confidence issue… one will never know. Here we have a pair of dusty pink tuck-tapered ankle-length trousers for the August instalment of Uniqlooks – the material is light and satin-y, which makes it a perfect summer-autumn transition piece for those countries that don’t have permanent PMS for a climate.

Shirt, Blood is the New Black. DIY cropped denim, Zara. Shoes, Isabel Marant Beketts. Sunnies, Jeepers Peepers (similar)

Now that the larger part of the Olympics is over and the sun doing its job properly for once this summer, none of us (i.e England) seem to really know what to complain about. We’re shuffling around the water cooler and downing one too many plastic cups of company water, making small talk over the new carpet and the receptionist’s new clogs. Welcome to CompLane & Co, we were having a fantastic year until the weather cleared up and by some miracle the tourists learnt to stand on the right (edit: of tube escalators). So I am now complaining about wind knocking down a stinky flower vase, which in all honestly was actually quite a lovely gust of wind laced with sweet summer grass that broke the sweltering heat, and the flowers – despite having lost all its petals in transit and having pooped in the vase – was actually a rare luxury in our lifeless flat. I’d love to think these little cycle trips down to Columbia Road flower market is turning into a weekly practice that makes me more of a woman (on paper, at least)… but let me hang up my bra and tell you this, once this sun packs up and goes away to Ibiza (or wherever it retreats usually), I will resume the position Captain-CEO of the unstoppable force that is CompLane & Co, reigning in the confines of my own pizzacrust-lined dungeon. I WILL BE BACK.

Wyndham Grand, Chelsea

A dip and a squish at Blue Harbour Spa

Spa buddy Kit

Regaining lost calories at Chelsea Riverside Brasserie

Fruit salad with frozen honey yoghurt

Wearing: Cardigan & Criss-cross sandals, Zara. One-piece python swimsuit, Mona via Bengt. Print skirt, Sarah Pugh via Bengt. Bag, Bottega Veneta. Body rope, Brook & Lyn Surrounded. Watch, GUESS Watches rose gold.

When you live in North East London anything past Covent Garden requires a weekend bag and a passport – and the land of Chelsea is one of the far-far destinations where you might even require to fill out a landing card. To the depths of Chelsea harbour we ventured, Kit and I, around the riverbend, just under an hour (aeon and a bit) on the Overground. (I do realise that if you live in West London then Shoreditch might be your exotic far-east but for some reason I imagine all my readers to be East Londoners with all your swagger.) I generally tend to try to solve needs and wants within my neck of the woods but I just couldn’t turn down a rare spa break opportunity at the Wyndham Grand London Hotel to un-do sailing knots in my shoulder from hours of being hunched over the laptop trying to code a laser beam widget for this blog (“laser“).

To provide a somewhat impartial review, as rare as they might come in this blogging industry, I must confess that I personally wasn’t too smitten with the general atmosphere and service within the hotel. Overall it seemed to lack a certain 2%, or a charm that might have guests curious to poke their heads around different corners, but I do imagine it would serve a more than satisfactory abode for those coming in for business purposes. Yes, I’m aware the fact that I don’t possess any authority to be sitting  on this high pony and saying yay or nay, but going as a twenty-something who appreciates design and likes to travel at lot, it left a lot of boxes unticked. My favourite facility however, and one I do recommend to Londoners and travellers, was the Blue Harbour Spa. The pool is simple and comfortable at 1.5m depth, the steam room is a doozy and the treatments range from skincare to acupuncture, which means if you hail butt from the North East at least you’ll be going back with a de-stressed, smooth butt. I had the De-Stress Muscle massage and definitely felt a ton lighter when I walked out. The spa isn’t super-luxurious, falling just short with details such as plastic cups for water or changing-room decor (I hear people saying who-the-crap-cares), but really you simply get what you pay for. And that’s all that matters at the end of the day, isn’t it.

Many thanks to Alexandra and Natacha of MangoPR for organizing the appointment.
Wyndham Grand London; Chelsea Harbour, SW10 OXG (0800 4458667; www.wyndhamgrandlondon.co.uk)

Encyclopedia of Flowers by Azuma Makoto

Happo-en Gardens, Tokyo

Slingback heels, Zara. Dress, Zara. Roses garland headband, Piers Atkinson x ASOS. Clutch, Chanel. Belt, Louis Vuitton via Vestiaire Collective

Slingback heels, Zara. Dress, Zara; Roses garland headband, Piers Atkinson x ASOS (similar). Clutch, Chanel. Belt, Louis Vuitton via Vestiaire Collective; Thank you Haleigh for the snaps.

I don’t drink. Much, anyway. Mostly because of the house mop and my mother’s well-toned arms (from all that kimchi-making) attached to it while she’d wait at the door exactly at 11pm. If I was a minute past curfew I’d see whichever end of that mop that evening and mope in bed swearing never to drink again. OOPS! Did I say my mother hit me? I meant she locked me up in the basement sauna and fed me scraps. Anyhow, that’s my story on why even at 25 I get tipsy on nail varnish remover. So I admit I was a little scared for the evening with Perrier-Jouët – who, by the way, was the generous host of my trip to Tokyo – to celebrate the unveiling of cuvée Belle Epoque Florale Edition bottle in collaboration with florist Azuma Makoto. One other thing my mother & mop taught me was to always accept kindness with courtesy, so whenever my flute was filled with champagne, I took it in  with an Arigato – except of course this was a magical flute and therefore bottomless. Funny thing is though, that because the Perrier-Jouët brand champagne is so fine (yes ‘fine’, like woman you so fiiine) (no I wasn’t paid to say this) it created this rather belonging harmony with the food and the atmosphere (especially that dancing) that despite the numerous re-fills it was overall just a very merry time without a single dose of dizzy. And of course no drunk-texting mother saying I miss you and I’m coming home at single-digit hours, nya-nya.

I think I’m meant to say Drink Responsibly. (Or was it Drink Responsibility and Accountability?)

One piece, Three looks: Uniqlo broadcloth check shirt

Look 1:  Floral jacket, Zara. Checked shirt, Uniqlo. Fluffy skirt, Topshop. Scrunched Navy Pencil Skirt, H&M. Python pumps, Alexandre Birman. Watch, GUESS Rose-gold. Clutch, Chanel

Look 2: Moto-jacket raincoat, H&M Trend. Checked shirt, Uniqlo. Shirt as skirt, vintage via Beyond Retro. Platform Booties, Chloe Sevigny x Opening Ceremony. Bag, Topshop

Look 3: Candy Bag, Furla. Clear pumps, Chloe. Check skirt, Paul & Joe Sister

Yup, it’s that time of the month and I have here for you three dodgy ways to wear a picnic blanket (Uniqlo broadcloth check shirt). In fact it’s so perfectly gingham that if ever we play hide and seek in the park I promise you’ll never know where to find me while all that time I’ll have been right under your nose scrunched up next to the lemonade and sandwiches. What can I say, one of my many talents.