Brogue bliss

Brogues, brogues, brogues. I know they're all the rage now and maybe in four years we'll all look back and think 'what was I THINKING with those man shoes?' but I love them. I *just* love 'em. They look so sophisticated, daring and just really flipping cool. That's right, I said flipping. 

When I see a pair of brogues that I want, I usually imagine myself wearing them as an extra in Bugsy Malone, casually lounging around Fat Sam's, chewing on a lollipop with my hands in my pockets, ready to splurge gun down any one of you suckers that dares to cross me. I've got a bit of a mean look on my face, like I'm sucking my teeth or something. Sigh. I feel like I'm cool in that little fantasy. So the new season shoes at ASOS, which feature a disgustingly high amount of beautiful brogues that I want to purchase and pretend to be an extra in Bugsy Malone in, have serious designs on the contents of my purse. Or rather, my credit card.  So now my friends, listen to what I'm telling you and listen good. These are the shoes of dreamland.

Look at the state of these Pieces Roska low heel brogues. Grey suede, with a fetching little cuban heel...£35. £35? Yes, £35. They're amazeballs. I think they'd look nice with a mini-skirt and 15 denier tights. Or really thick black tights. Or with some Bugsy Malone style baggy trousers and some braces...

I love this next pair of ASOS MARKY suede traditional brogues. Just £35 spons again and ohmygodlookhowgreentheyare! Is this too Irish? Too Leprechaun? Too Nommie-It's-Not-St-Patrick's-Day? I don't know. I can't decide. Sometimes ASOS has the TK Maxx effect, where you've been looking through so many clothes for so long and your sugar levels are so low and the good bargains are all jumbled up with the bad and you get a little bit hysterical and crazy and come out having spent £120 with a great belt, a good pair of shoes, a nice bag and a zebra print jumpsuit*, thinking DAMN I'm gonna look fabulous tonight!' when actually you just look mental. 

If you like the crazy colour, but you're not down with the suede, these also come in hot pink patent leather and black patent leather (this takes me back to primary school, in a GOOD way). The bright pink is a bit too much for me. It makes me think simultaneously about Pepto Bismol and Rampant Rabbits. And that's just not a very nice mental combo.

And now for the grand finale. These have to come last because the name of the shoe takes a lot of typing concentration, especially after two cans of Strongbow...the Melissa & A Herchcovitch Joy II brogues come in at £60, which, if I'm honest, is more what I'd expect to pay for a good shoe with all of the detailing that goes into a brogue. I mean I'd be shoesy - sorry, choosy - about what shoes I'd pay £60 for, but I'd feel confident that I was getting something that was quality for that price. I heart these so much they get two pictures.

Again with the cuban heel influence! Adds a little bit of leverage, makes the calves look toned, still allows you to feel smart. I honestly can't get enough of black patent leather either. It's so shiny and black and sexy. Those friendly curved toes will make me smile when I gaze down at them. And don't get me started on the perforations. Masterful. This has got to be my shoe of choice, for July at the very least. Might even stretch into September, who knows.

*The zebra print jumpsuit from TK Maxx happened to me. There are a bunch of pictures of me on a beach in Wales on Facebook in it, looking more sheepish than fierce. I also recently tried to wear it at a Naming Ceremony. Both times I've worn it outside the safe zone of my mother's house and a changing room, I've died a little inside.

I originally wrote this post for About Your Dress Blog, you can still find it amongst heaps of other posts by me and two other talented ladies there if you'd like to go and have a peek.

Wicked weekend bags

The other day at lunch I was having a total mard slight whinge about the fact that I have no one to go on holiday with as all my lovely friends are shacked up or already have their holibobs booked. Obviously the continuous sound of my whining voice pitiable tale of my lack of plans struck a chord with my ever-patient kiwi colleague, who mentioned that she was about to book a weekend break with her boyfriend and a few friends to Budapest in November and would I like to come? Obviously I jumped on that shiz like a podium when Nelly Furtado's Maneater (what? It's my song) is playing and booked it. November baby, Budapest is MINE!

Now though, I have a delightful excuse to scour the interwebs for a weekend bag. I've needed one for yonks but I've never quite found the right one. I'm undecided as to how much I'm willing to invest in this purchase at the moment, so I have selected a mix of scrimp and splurge numbers that I'd love to have your feedback on!

First up is this tropical flower print bag from Asda, which is just £8. I spotted this the other day when I dashed in there for an emergency work birthday cakes scenario (I was desperate and they charge like, I dunno £2 for fify mini flapjacks or something) and thought to myself... 'Oooh! You're a nice size. And I rather like your pattern too, although I think perhaps I might be feeling a bit panicked so I'm not going to outright buy you, but I'm glad to see you're here and so I'll just remember you for the future. Just in case'.

I also rather like this suede Modalu Coralie tote bag from ASOS, which is currently reduced to from £160 to £86 and comes in electric blue, as below, and senape (read yellow).

Also worthy of mention, but not worthy of image as the pictures can't be scraped from the websites without being either minute or highly pixelated are the Perfect Weekend Collection boxy patent leather overnight bag from M&S at £89 (especially in mulberry, I like the mulberry) or the £85 overnight bag from Hush.

Despite liking all of the above very much, I feel that perhaps my weekend bag quest is not yet complete. I have not yet discovered the perfect bag to complement my travel persona (avec massive sunglasses, possibly a headscarf, red lipstick and a slight pout - you know how I like to do things in a totally theatrical manner). So if you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments!

I originally wrote this post for About Your Dress Blog, you can still find it amongst heaps of other posts by me and two other talented ladies there if you'd like to go and have a peek.

Write me, Balthazar...

Isn't it a shame that most of the time the only post that graces your doormat is from EON or HSBC telling you that you owe them money or that you're overdrawn and you'll have to sell a kidney to get through the next three months? I wish more people wrote letters. I wish more things were beautiful for the sake of being beautiful and made me smile. Don't you?

Well. There's this man, right, and he's an imaginary sailor and a pretend photographer. And he's also like... a letter prostitute. He writes love letters or dirty letters or letters full of nonsense or advice. Any kind of letter really. He writes them for you or you can order one for a friend! And he'll even include a beautiful, sensual, original Polariod that he's taken. Paying $5 for the Polaroid is optional, but let's face it, it would be genuinely rude not to reward such selfless kindness with a measly $5. It's not even £5, I just ordered one on Paypal and it was like, £3.26 or something*. Also, you should think about the fact that it will come with an interesting stamp on it, because it's coming from Madison, in the US of A. AND his name is Balthazar...

In actual fact, Call Me Balthazar is a creative duo, a mysterious twosome of the aforementioned Balthazar and his model, writer, stylist and muse S.M. Kubica. Aren't their names cool too? So go on. Be part of a project and make yourself feel special and get an original polaroid, request a letter from Balthazar.

You can also buy photographic prints by Balthazar on the website here or on his Etsy page.

*DISCLAIMER: EXCHANGE RATES MIGHT WELL VARY.

I originally wrote this post for About Your Dress Blog, you can still find it amongst heaps of other posts by me and two other talented ladies there if you'd like to go and have a peek.

Retro swimwear

In February I made a promise to myself. I told myself that this year would be the year of the bikini for Le Nom, that for the first time ever I would kick my ass (actually, I have no quibbles with my ass, it's the tummy area that I'm not speaking to) into a bikini-worthy shape and parade around scantily-clad loving myself to the max.

It's now late June. I've been forgoing a social life for ridiculous amounts of exercise involving numerous squats and 6am bootcamp-style classes in parks across London, so my body isn't in a shape which makes me want to scream, but I won't be wearing a bikini on a beach this year. This is partly because I have no beach holidays booked and partly because I have discovered this:

This navy polka dot layered swimsuit is simply scrumptious. The fifties-inspired design is super flattering and means that if people are looking at you on the beach it's only because you look incredibly different from everyone else (that's a good thing!). This would look great with a huge pair of sunnies, a little headscarf or a giant staw hat and a 99 with a Flake. Modesty is underrated anyway.

The swimsuit costs £40 from Laura Ashley. I'll be buying this and changing my name to Dita. Or Marilyn. Actually, I like Nom, so I'll just stick with that.

I originally wrote this post for About Your Dress Blog, you can still find it amongst heaps of other posts by me and two other talented ladies there if you'd like to go and have a peek.