The best of this months

I tend to devour quite a lot of the monthly magazines, being lucky enough to have several on subscription.

Here are my favourite bits from Red (R), Marie Claire (M), Elle (E) and Cosmo (C), including discount/ offer codes.  Of course i couldn't post without adding some photographs and paintings ......

My obsession with the colours yellow and orange continue unhindered. These young women, or rather the balloon, caught my eye whilst out and about in Oxford. I have no idea why they were holding balloons but it made me smile.

I was in Oxford to attend a meeting as part of my redundancy. In my wisdom i had decided to wear heels (or wedges to be precise) to add height to my petite frame. Why? - well being a few inches taller makes me feel more confident and i need every boost i can get at the moment. Not having worn heels for quite some time i was walking at what i considered to be a reasonable pace (whilst also taking care not to fall over) when i got over taken by this granny. The shame.........

So picking through my magazines, here are the bits that really caught my eye

(E) Viscose Dress - The Salon at Asos 

(E) Raffia and canvas Wedges - Dorothy Perkins

To enter go to elleuk.com/competitions-and-offers

(E) Silk mix vest - River Island

(E) Dress - Dorothy Perkins

(E) Suede shoes - Carvela

T-Bar Wedges - New Look

  

(C) 

I am loving the idea of DIY pieces - does anyone know of a good leather crafting course in Oxford?

 

 (C) 

I love this combination. Does SJP ever get it wrong!

(C) 

Can he/ she? Would you be brave enough to put yourself in someone else's hands?

(C) Wedges - Dune

(C) Lace Dress - George

(C) Bedspread - Marks and Spencers

(M) Henna Tattoo - I'm thinking of doing my legs this summer

To claim the 20% discount go to 'cowshedonline.com' and enter the code 'MCLAIRE'

(M) Wedges - Dorothy Perkins

Is it me or are Dorothy Perkins really upping their game!

Suede Wedges (Kurt Geiger)

 

(M) 

I'll be rocking this look this summer. Ok, the locals down in the mumbles may not get it but at least i wont burn!

To claim the discount go to joules.com and enter code MC579

(M) Dress - Marc Jacobs

Cloggs - Georgina Goodman

How perfect is this outfit. I love everything about it!

 (M) A young Jackie O - beautiful picture

(M) Silk Twill Dress - Calvin Klein

Shoes - Calvin Klein

(M) Silk Dress - Matthew Williamson 

(M) Lace Dress - Flying A

(M) Love Love Love this Bed - Try the French Bed Company for similar

 

The start of an oil painting inspired by all these wonderful zesty colours.

 

Painting by me 

 

(R) Sequin and Chiffon Dress - Malene Birger

(R) Dress - H&M

(R) Jumpsuit - Halston Heritage

(R) Velvet Dress - Day Birger & Mikkelsen

Boots - Swedish Hasbeens

(R) Lace Dress - Dolce & Gabbana

(R) - Details not given

 You will all know i love art work (my walls are covered in it). I fell in love with this portrait as soon as i saw it. The colours are beautiful and the detail is just stunning. What are your favourite pieces of art work?

15% off Boden - To claim the discount quote code RE15 at boden.co.uk/re

Style is a philosophy..... I think

I've recently got into blogging so have spent many an hour scouring the internet for other blogs that cover style. What i've noticed is that many focus just on a persons style in clothes. As good as those blogs are (and yes i subscribe to quite a few) i'm blogs that cover style in all areas of a persons life; you know, from decor to art and so on.

It got me thinking about my own approach to style hence the title. For me style is about all the aesthetics in life and the choices we make to actively develop a style of our own wether it be in the art we create, the clothes we wear or the home we make around us.

I keep a scrap book into which i paste images that appeal to my own sense of style. I've kept it for years, slowly adding to and editing the pages. It may seem like a slightly silly thing to do but it has helped me to really fine tune my tastes by seeing them laid bare (it's amazing how quickly you'll see a pattern in your tastes that you were never aware of). It also helps me to catalogue what i have and what i would like so i make purchases that i really love (although sadly i don't yet own any vintage cars!).

Here's a collection of some of my pages, created to group form, silhouette, humour and mood. I hope you enjoy them.