Angry midget grandpa: Laetitia

‘Bacon’

Evil-looking cat enduring a surprisingly nice petting session.

Wearing: V-neck wool cardigan – Gap. Cord leggings trousers – Gap. Dress – Stylenanda. Hat – Hoss Intropia. Bag – L.K.Bennett. Rose-gold watch – Guess. Leather knot bracelet – COS (similar). Boots – Zara. Cashmere scarf – Johnstons of Elgin. Thank you Kit for the outfit snaps!

I love days like this, when one very early morning meeting brings you to the other end of town and you end up spending the day in a very foreign surrounding. You poke at the Twittersphere for some recommendations in the area and ask whether or not they use a different currency/language here, and BAM you land a breakfast date with a friend you never see because, well, she lives at the bloody other end of town. The next thing you know, you’re digging through a mountain of bacon and the smell of it all invites a friendly pooch to sit at your feet, who you eventually end up naming ‘Bacon’. We still don’t know who its owner was and where it came from… although we’re pretty sure its real name is either Bacon, or Bread, or Tuna sandwich, considering that it pootled over to the next table once he saw no more bacon on my chin. And we thought it loved us.

Also, wearing what is probably the most comfortable outfit ever. I mean, cords and a chunky cardigan… it’s like my mother dressed me. Or my father, actually, come to think of it. All with a tiered dress-thing that actually very effectively covers up the junk in the trunk, and boots so comfortable I can jog in. This is the first of a little style series I’m doing with Gap and a couple of their knitwear/cord classics for the Styld.by platform. Make sure to check back for more of what I’m sure will be comfortable outfits championing the Park family genome, aka Pyjama family.

Outfit: Park & Cube x Gap Styld.by

A little peek at what’s in my carry-on!

Sunglasses – Carrera by Jimmy Choo

Coat – Mango. Jeans – James Jeans. Shoes – Zara. Bag – L.K.Bennett. Rolly bag – Longchamp

(Rollover to activate numbers ↑)

Rosamund, the gentlewoman that has been accompanying me on many flights of late. Has a soft suede heart, and capability of holding many stories (by way of Kindle) and secrets.

A cashmere scarf that fits in tight corners and folds out into a creamy cloud around your neck, should you wish to hide that double-chin on your snooze. Alternative to the U-shaped flight pillow I never remember to buy.

Carrera by Jimmy Choo – ready for landing, for that rockstar moment when you step out of the airport in a sunny country and you find yourself sporting two more carry-on’s under your eyes.

‘Shut up, I’m fabulous’ rose-gold headphones by Frends. Perfect for NOT hearing the We’re boarding announcements and being that ‘fashionably late’ passenger that gets all the attention in the world. Clever.

Limousine for key items for any trip: the Louis Vuitton Mon Monogram travel wallet – does not come with a mini-fridge with champagne, but does have compartments for different currencies. As if I’m going on more than one destination at a time, pffsh.

Airport pouch by the geniuses (geniusi?) at Muji – mine’s a small version but they come in larger sizes (within airport regulation) for shorter trips where you don’t wish to check-in one lone shampoo bottle.

Fences and Windows by Naomi Klein, amazing read – but sometimes used as alternative to sleeping pill on longer flights. Must’ve read the same sentence in that on chapter about five times now.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 2 S Pen only comes out above 10,000 ft – highly practical when re-thinking your life and writing down life goals that you’ll never read again. Also partner in crime for item .

Snacks – Because somebody is always too impatient for the food trolley to roll by. Plus, I’ve never seen a flight offer Coconut Water (more potassium than four bananas – try taking four bananas on board), and until that day, I will insist on bringing one aboard.

Trusty Casio on my wrist. I don’t want our plane to crash because I turned on my mobile to check the time, thank you. BECAUSE THAT’S A THING APPARENTLY.

Mulberry envelope pouch I got for £25 in Bicester Village, used as foreign currency wallet, or what is now a mixture of Yens, Euros, Dollars, Pounds and Wons, and a game of is this your country’s money at checkout.

Sunglasses – Carrera by Jimmy Choo

Sunglasses – Carrera by Jimmy Choo

Cashmere boyfriend knit – Next. Boyfriend jeans – ASOS. Brogues – Zara. Bag – L.K Bennett. Cashmere scarf – Johnstons of Elgin (opposite British Museum). Watch – Sekonda (via ASOS). Bangles – ASOS (similar). Coral Ring – Michelle Oh. Nail Polish – YSL. Sunglasses – Carrera by Jimmy Choo.

Paris is my lover – everyone knows that – we make sweet love every now and then, and it’s beautiful. Sometimes it makes me cry like a little boy. But if I’m honest, I don’t think I’d be up for a long-term relationship. As you know, I did one week this time and sure, it was electrifying at the start – to be able to decorate my own Parisian flat with baguettes and… baguettes (!), but the magic wore off quickly. Near the end of it, it was just early nights with microwave meals, t-shirts + jeans, and bickering in the metro. In fact, I recall something similar happened last season too, which was when my eczema was at its worst, after days of working in the bitter cold I’d completely fallen out of charm with being in the city. I suppose it’s the gritty truth of having to work, and the stress attached to it, not to mention the language barrier – asking how to get to the ‘piscine’ sure never got me very far (further than the closest swimming pool, that is). Oh, but what would be a story of lovers without proper ending? On this trip, I moved out of my little flat in Oberkampf, into a great little hotel on the left bank, and spent the last two days with team Next and some of my favourite blogger girls* doing absolutely postcard Paris holiday things: like learning to make macarons, or going on a chocolate tour sampling goodies from Pierre Hermé and éclairs from Angelina. We visited the Eiffel on a hazy morning, and even having seen it nearly every day for the past week, it felt like meeting someone for the first time.

Aaaand I was smitten again. Paris my luvrr, hope to see you soon, short and sweet, next time.

*Carrie of Wishwishwish, Emily of Fashion Foie Gras, Reem of Five Five Fabulous, Kit of Style Slicker, Ella of Coco’s Tea Party; Many thanks to Next for such a great time!

Wearing: Sweater – American Apparel. Tartan pants – Zara (similar). Watch – Guess. Heels – Lucy Choi. Bag – c/o Michael Kors (via Selfridges).

So, are we loving this new weather or what? This murky, yucky, wet weather that induces PMS* and general serial-killer urges. I personally love it because, HELLOoo pasta! (RIP diet) That’s right, it’s sweater season – even as I write this I’m digging through a pick’n’mix bag of Haribo + Skittles + candy corn assortment in full confidence that tomorrow I can just cover it all up with an oversized knit and call it an outfit. Pop on a berry-coloured lipstick and a cherry-on-top kinda bag, and presto you’re ready for civilization. There’s a wee Instagram competition hosted by Selfridges and Michael Kors now with a runway look worth £1,000 and a few other goodies up for grabs, and I’d instagrammed earlier how I’d wear my own Michael Kors Dressy, but I might as well pop it up here properly as well in case you wanted to get involved. The competition lasts from the 17th till the 31st of October, and all you’ll have to do is tag #HowIWearMyKors. More deets here!

Oh, and I don’t know if this is too early an announcement, but seeing as I’m now filling in snugly into my boyfriend jeans, I’m going as Peter Griffin on Halloween. All I need me is a Lois, and Jennifer Lawrence, I’m looking at you.

*FYI, I like my PMS, I like to think it gives me character (i.e I f*cking love this leaf!) 

Giorgio Armani: Le rouge ecstasy

Ecstasy Rouge #503

Ecstasy Rouge #304 ‘Heat’

Wearing: Black dress – Zara. Slingback heels – Lucy Choi. Grey sweater – American Apparel. Door-knocker ring – & Other Stories. Chevron knuckle Ring – We the Hatters. Textured rings – H&M. Bejewelled rings – ASOS. Nail Polish – Anna Sui (via ASOS)

Here’s another thing that makes my knees go weak now that I’m well past my mid-twenties – yes, beautiful lipsticks, but more specifically THE MAGNET that holds the cap secure and makes such a sexy snap noise it makes you purr a little. I know the technology has been around for quite some time now, but now that I’m in that stage where my life is acutely edited into the contents of one handbag, it’s starting to matter whether one day the inside of my bag looks like a drag queen or not. Alas, I’m clearly not yet old enough to understand the full potential of le make-up pouch that would essentially localize the hot mess, but I don’t want said hot mess anywhere other than my face, thank you. Anyhoo. These siren-red beauties are from the Giorgio Armani lipstick collection, Le Rouge ecstasy, a  new line introducing a “CC” innovation, or “Colour and Care”, that focuses on high-opacity, velvety colour, matched with moisturising comfort. I’ve had a chance to play around with a couple and personally love the darker colours in the range, which probably is another sign of getting older… well, this missus ain’t seducing no one in this household with coral-coloured lipsticks for sure. I’m kidding, please believe me.

As a bonus, here’s a rather hypnotic marriage of beat and beauty by Giorgio Armani Beauty, and if you’re extra bored, here’s my own lame attempt at beats.

Collaborative post with Giorgio Armani beauty; Shot in South Place Hotel. Thank you Kit for helping with these shots