Another week in August...

I promise, I'll stop complaining about the weather soon but: another August picture with a scarf. That's. Just. Wrong.

Top: Boden

Skirt: Warehouse

Trainers: Converse

Necklace: Next

Dress: Primark

Cardigan: Boden

Shoes: Zara

Bag: Mulberry

Top: Mango

Jeans: H&M

Trainers: Converse

Scarf: no idea 

Top & Skirt: Zara

Cardigan: Boden

Trainers: Converse

One of my Five a Day - Strathberry

Ok, so you know I like handbags. Usually expensive handbags. Usually Mulberry. Though every now and then I come across another designer whose bags make me swoon just as much. If not more.

Strathberry of Scotland, who recently ridiculously overachieved their Kickstarter goal by 390% (!) describe themselves as an "independent luxury brand and design house". Their emphasis is on classic designs and craftsmanship and the video of how their signature style tote is created is pure bag porn.

I would be happy with pretty much any of their models and had initially pledged - via said Kickstarter project - for a MC Mini but then changed it to a MC Midi. I just think I'll use her much more and she won't compete with my Ledbury or Alexa. Whereas the Mini I would have liked in Powder Blue (which strangely wasn't offered), the Midi I went for in the end was a navy one.

I believe production will start shortly and delivery is planned for October - which makes this a perfect subject for my covet Monday - can't wait!

Image from Strathberry

Not Just A Filofax

In a bid of becoming more organised, spending less time trying to remember things and having a record of what happened when, I decided a while ago to set up an oldfashioned planner again. A friend of mine kindly gave me one that she hadn't used in a while and off I went into Paperchase to buy some inserts.

All done, right? Wrong! 

Little did I know how much I might ponder over what kind of inserts, what kind of dividers, what kind of system I would adopt to keep me on the straight and narrow. And I had never even heard of the world of #plannering, #planneraddicts, #plannerpeace and the likes. 

I have since found an amazing community of creative, crafty and (obviously) highly organised people, where I can ask my silly beginner's questions, find inspiration and share my small wins, such as the dividers I made out of Morris&Co wallpaper samples.

I am now trying to document my journey from setting up this planner and will explain what worked and what didn't and why. 

My setup is a personal size Kingston Filofax. The idea is that it's small enough to carry with me every day but big enough to hold the essential sections. Once I have properly grown into that, I might set up another one, which will purely be used to keep track of blogging stuff.

I started out with just a couple of sections: the diary inserts in one and my notes and to dos in another one. I then dumped the entire contents out and put it into an order that I thought would work for me. Have a look at the following clip, which is a very quick run-through of my setup.

This is where the various bits and bobs are from:

• The yearly overview was part of the Paperchase 2015/15 diary inserts. 
• Month on 2 pages is a freebie from Homemadekraft
  
• Week on 2 pages is from Homemadekraft's etsy shop
• Most of the stickers are from Paperbey
• The dividers are from MyPrettyWeek

As I am writing this, it has already changed so the next video won't be too long. Let me know what you think?

Top 20 - Again!

Yays! Wish and Wear was featured again in the Independent Fashion Blogger's weekly roundup - must be doing something right! :)

Here is the complete top 20 - some great reads again, I particularly love the photography in A Handful of Stories and the musings on the lack of pockets in women's wear.

Links à la Mode, August 6

• A Handful of Stories: 7 Problems of a Teenage Goth
• A Vogueaholic: For Your Eyes Only | Summer 2015 Eyewear Trends
• Baybonnet: Reformation Caters to Boobs!
• Cat Eyes & Skinny Jeans: August Crush List!
• Drew & Alice: Tuck and Roll
• Dresscode | HighFashion: Fashion Blogger Cafe Shoedition @ GDS Shoefair
• Fear in Wonderland: Why are Pockets so Absent from Women’s Clothing?
• Greige Market: On Blogger Burnout
• In The Grey: How to Get a Job After Graduation
• La Vintage Vida: South Street Seaport
• Life in the Fash Lane: Wishlist | Tassel Accessories
• Ms. Fabulous: Eco Fashion in the Park
• Rain of Peonies: The Perfect Liaison
• Sassy Shif Says: DiamondTree Tassels Takeover India International Jewelry Week
• Savoir Style: 5 Ways to Pull Off the Sheer Trend
• Tales of Two: One Day in Madrid
• The Wanderbliss: The Shoe Land | Alberto Torresi
• This Season’s Gold: Cut Short | Recovering in Ruffles and Denim Shorts
• We Are Ready Made: The Coolest Kids of L.A.
• Wish and Wear: Buying Pre-Loved Mulberry on Facebook

SPONSOR: Amazon's Shopbop Designers, Schutz, Prada sunglasses, Versace, Gucci, Edun, Lacoste, Jelly shoes, Tunic Dresses, Party Clutches, Red Ballerinas, Men's Sweaters

Discontinued Classic: Mulberry Small del Rey

I never understood why Mulberry discontinued their del Rey range: such a classic style in great leathers, which seem to have sold well and they appear to continue to be incredibly desireable. I'd say this applies even more to the small del Rey, or SDR as she is often called. At the moment still available at the Outlets (and, of course, pre-loved), a great option for a small day bag and one I have been using on and off for the past couple of months.

My way to settling on this beauty was a rather longwinded one though, as I owned:

• First a Small del Rey in oak - loved the shape but thought I wanted a "dressier" leather >> sold her
  
• Then a regular del Rey in slate blue - loved the colour but found her a bit too big as a handbag. >> sold her
  
• Finally what you can see below: my SDR in slate blue.

So, have I found handbag peace?

Outfit Roundup - Not Your Typical August Dressing

You'd think there is some good spring-dressing going on Oh no, hold on: it's August...

Top: H&M

Skirt: Boden

Ballerinas: Dune

Boy's Outfit: Clarks Shoes, Matalan, Next

T-Shirt: Topshop

Skirt: Zara

Trainers: Converse

Top, Cardigan & Skirt: Boden

Boots: Zara

Top & Cardigan: Boden

Jeans: Next

Trainers: Converse

On Location: Mulberry at Selfridges Visit

In a bid to finally decide which size Cara I'd go for (Mini or Regular), I popped by Mulberry in Selfridges in the Trafford Centre, Manchester. After receiving lots of positive feedback on my quick write up of my Mulberry Frankfurt visit, I thought I'd do one on this one as well.

I've already published a graphic representation on my thoughts on the Cara, and I have since then also had the confirmation that Caras are unlined, so it's all good! :)

So now, straight to the store:


Setup:

Located on the ground floor with Beauty in front, ladieswear to the right and footwear to the left, Selfridges designer handbag section is home to brands such as Fendi, Gucci, Balenciaga, Stella MCartney and, of course, Mulberry. I am pretty sure no Louis Vuitton - though I may well have missed something else off.

Not a huge space but should be enough to show off the classics and current favourites. Some glass topped cabinets with small leather goods - always handy when you want to have a proper look at a bag. A chair - handy for waiting kids or spouses. ;)













Stock:
To my mind there should be enough space but I really missed a few models.
There were only 3 Caras (Mini and Regular in Blue Quilted, Mini in Oxblood with Rivets) and none in Oak. 

No Roxettes - very disappointing and surprising, considering this is the style that has been pushed recently. 
No Jamies. 
Not a huge amount of Bayswaters or Alexas.









Loads of Freyas, which I liked, especially with the cross body-ness of the small one. (hadn't expected that). 
Lots of Willows and Double Zip Bayswaters. 
Fair amount of Lilys and some items from the Tessie range.

Sales Assistant(s):
Came over when I started opening the Caras for comparison. Was clearly suspicious of me as I had a 2yo in tow and tried (unsuccessfully) to hide her dismay of a child in the section. Note: he was in his pushchair, watching me quietly. Had no idea what I was on about when I asked about the microfibre lining in the Cara (yuk) and did not sound convincing when she said "I don't think so" after I asked whether this was the same for the Oak Cara. Did not offer any further help or opinion or help me tidy the bags away afterwards. Just hovered watching me. Hm.

Location: 
Manchester's Trafford Centre is one of the biggest shopping centres in the UK. I remember when it was opened in 1998, just after I moved here (coincidence or did they see me coming?), it was declared the biggest in Europe but has since then been overtaken by others. Nonetheless it is still pretty big, offering free parking, lots of foodie places as well as housing all the usual highstreet shops and department stores. Selfridges is based right in the centre and carries its usual mix of highstreet and designer brands. 

Again: I should have taken more pictures. I hadn't planned on writing this up but I thought some of you might find especially the stock information interesting.

In all honesty: I don't get how Mulberry sells anything through department stores in cities, where a standalone store is available. Do you shop at Mulberry concessions at all and if so, just because you don't have a standalone store nearby or for other reasons?

Cara or not Cara? My Geeky Update

I have yet to make that next Mulberry purchase and this is turning into a bit of a saga. A very first-world-problem admittedly - my slightly geeky rundown of past events and the current state of affairs:

Before my visit to the Mulberry Frankfurt store I was so sure that the Roxette would fit the bill.

After seeing it in the flesh (or rather leather) and having a play with the Mini Cara, I changed my mind and thought I had found the perfect bag in that little rucksack-style.

Just a few days later and I was wondering whether the Mini Cara would actually be big enough. Cue me inundating various Facebook Mulberry groups with requests for model and "what's in my bag" shots of their Caras and Mini Caras. 

 

Then this weekend, after a thrilling performance by Iggle Piggle, Makka Pakka & Co and a quick visit at Mulberry in the Trafford Centre (concession in Selfridges) I had a play with the Regular and Mini Lily in steel blue quilted nappa. 

I  noticed that the inside was lined in the weird microfibre fabric that other people had mentioned previously. Unfortunately the sales assistant was pretty useless and had no idea what I was even talking about, nevermind being able to tell me if the same would be the case for the oak Cara.

So now I am now pretty much here as far as the purchase of a oak regular Cara goes:

If you haven't lost the will to live yet, watch this space.