Patterned Blazer - wear it forever?

So I've been wearing my plain blazers like the good girl that I am and even if we're talking pastel colours, they will stand the test of time and give me a fantastic cost per wear ratio.

But what about patterned blazers? I have a H&M blazer that sits in the back of my wardrobe and rarely sees the light of day and this is mainly due that its pale blue floral pattern doesn't go with much. At the same time it's a bit too dull to stand out by itself.

I think the key is in getting a pattern that gives the blazer the chance to be the statement piece. Sure, this season we will be mixing and clashing our patterns but for the item to have real staying power and for you to love it and dig it out again and again, it needs to be special enough to look great next season, when we won't be so clash-mad anymore. 

There are some fantastic pieces out there, designer as well as high-street, and whereas my plain blazer top-choice was a Topshop beauty for just £40, the selection below will see me pick that beautiful tuxedo style, paisley print blazer from Etro.At £1,095 you'd want to get quite a few wears out of it!

patterned blazers - designer vs highstreet by verystef featuring a lace jacket

Alexander McQueen collarless jacket
£3,275 - mytheresa.com

Etro printed jacket
£1,095 - mytheresa.com

River Island lace jacket
£50 - riverisland.com

H m jacket
£30 - hm.com

H m jacket
£15 - hm.com

Stella McCartney striped jacket
£1,125 - liberty.co.uk

Wardrobe Staple Blazer Goes Spring

A plain blazer has got to be one of the main staples in my wardrobe - I'd say it probably is in most girl's wardrobe. It has the ability to smarten up an outfit in an instant, even jeans look super smart with a sharp blazer worn over it. Similarly it can take the edge of a dress that's a bit too sweet: smarter than a bike jacket but more edgy than a cardigan it will toughen up that pretty dress by lending a bit of androgynous style.

I have got a few blazers that have been with me for years: tux style from Zara, double-breasted mauve from Topshop, boyfriend in charcoal, beige with black piping (very public school) from Mango to name a few.

For this season I was looking for a pastel or candycolour blazer, especially since my mauve one has seen better days. The designers have paraded them around the catwalk and the highstreet has followed suit (ahem):

Spring Blazers - plain by verystef featuring a tux jacket

H M tailored jacket
£25 - hm.com

Maison Martin Margiela blazer
£985 - net-a-porter.com

Topshop cropped jacket
£55 - topshop.com

Boyfriend jacket
£40 - topshop.com

Tux jacket
£65 - topshop.com

Acne chambray jacket
£370 - mytheresa.com

Stella McCartney twill jacket
£995 - net-a-porter.com

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania jacket
£400 - net-a-porter.com

My favourite one is definitely the Topshop blazer in coral (sorry, Topshop: watermelon). I think it's just the right length and cut to be very versatile and in a colour that will go with lots of other items in my wardrobe. Spring is here!

Swatch vs Tiffany

No, I do not have any hot news about one of the big legal story (as reported by the Independent) surrounding the Swiss matchmaker and the place that girls dream of. I'm not so hot on my courtroom speak and actually I don't think it's that hot a story. Big money but all about a failed relationship rather than stolen designs. Well, we're not talking Louboutin vs YSL, are we?

Anyway, I just felt like a little Swatch vs. Tiffany face-off was in order. Opposite end of the budgets, but why not?!

images Swatch and Tiffany

£105 -Swatch

£105 -Swatch

£111 - Swatch

 
Tiffany -£3,890

Tiffany - £3,890

Tiffany - £7,720

I wonder whether the lovely people at Tiffany ever considered incorporating skulls into their designs...

Springtime Laptop Bags

I'm a bit of a geek. Not necessarily in a sit-in-a-corner-capable-of-a-Salander-like-hacker-overtake fashion and not even in a know-lots-of-answers-at-University-Challenge way. But I do like my gadgets, have been known to enjoy playing the odd board game (and no, Monopoly & co do not count!), put my CDs in alphabetical order and probably get most excited about accessories that have a real use and aren't just pretty to look at.

There is my Smythson iPhone cover in a gorgeous minty colour. My monogrammed Smythson travel wallet, which Mr. G gave me for my last birthday (and almost made me cry) and my Mulberry wallet (currently at the Mulberry clinic). All of these were selected carefully not just on looks but mainly on function, in fact, I stopped just short of unloading my wallet's content in the Mulberry store to stuff it all into some of the goods on display.

Carrying around my company laptop in its Dell bag, was not exactly a pleasant experience. Not only was the bag ugly (black, cheap polyester), it also wasn't as practical as I would have hoped an ugly bag to be; the strap for example was so long, that I could not carry it on my shoulder comfortably.

Looking for an alternative, I soon stumbled across Knomo, stylish, yet clever and functional bags for your laptop. I have since acquired a few different bags, trolleys and laptop sleeves there and can only recommend them for their quality, well-thought-out details and easy style.

I am currently carrying my laptop in this black Carnaby model, very classic and (I like this) not obviously looking like a laptop bag.

With spring in the air, fresh colours soon to be on my feet, and the highstreet awash with even more colour, I am lusting after something a bit fresher and in keeping with my brighter mood, so these are my favourites:

£950 Mulberry

£795 Mulberry

£245 LK Bennett

£150 Knomo

£40 Asos

£245 LK Bennett

£245 LK Bennett

£150 Knomo



Now, they are not all strictly speaking laptop bags, but big enough to accommodate one (within a sleeve, so there is my practical side coming through) and buying an item that can multi-task surely is the epitome of practicality?!

Spring Florals 2012

"Florals. In Spring. Groundbreaking."

I know. Miranda is right: there is nothing radical, new or surprising about doing florals in spring. And yet, I am very excited about the choice of superpretty floral-prints on the highstreet.

Below are my favourite picks.

Spring Florals 2012

£30 - Dorothy Perkins

£30 - Dorothy Perkins

£24.50 - Dorothy Perkins

£79 - Reiss

£27 - Dorothy Perkins

£110 - Reiss

£30 - H&M

£13 - Monsoon

£20 - Topshop

£40 -ASOS

£16 - Monsoon

I know I'll just need a pretty little top to wear with my jeans, a romantic dress for all-over "I feel pretty" and shall try to clash a couple of different prints!

Let me know what you are doing!