Designer Investment Piece: Gucci Leather Gloves at Flannels for £96 and netaporter.com for £190

Never one to miss out on an investment piece bargain I browsed the Flannels Website to see if there was anything very luxe and very gorgeous to take advantage of the extra 20% off clearance pieces online.

I spotted this pair of Gucci Nappa Leather Gloves reduced from £160 to £120 - now £96 with the 20% off. They are cashmere lined and have a longer cuff which is both stylish and practical.

The thing that really excited me about these is that they are almost identical to a pair of Gucci Nappa Leather Gloves priced at £190 in the current Gucci AW2011 Collection on sale at netaporter.com.

There is a big different in the longevity of a pair of designer leather gloves opposed to a high street bought pair. I recently blogged about a pair of H&M Tan Leather Gloves £14.99, there are great and they look good, but they feel completely different on my hands.

I had a designer pair of plum leather gloves from the DVF.com AW2008 collection, with almost daily wear throughout four winters they still looked brand new (and felt brand new) in 2011, sadly I left them on a train in February this year. Maybe I'll invest in these Gucci ones to take their place.

Super Offer: 20% off Clearance Pieces at Flannels

Flannels have extended their 20% off clearance pieces online offer, simply use the promo code SALE20 at the checkout.

I am a fan of Flannels, their ranges each season are so different from other stores and their own promotional photography and choice of models is spot on. They have some great discounts too on individual items, check back to the web site regularly (they now have a new very fast web site) and use the search facility (bottom right) to look at designers you love.

I have jotted notes in the past about Flannels great investment pieces and offers:

Prada Sable Dress reduced from £625 to £120.

Hugo Boss Animal Print Silk Scarf reduced from £115 to £60

ASH Tan Ankle Cuff Sandals reduced from £165 to £80

The extra 20% off makes the pieces even better value.

Super Offer: 25% off One Item Online at H&M

Enjoy 25 % off 1 item of your choice from the new season collection when you buy something in the H&M online shop. The offer is valid until 4/9/11 when you enter discount code 9382.

I like this H&M crepe blazer jacket £19.99 (£15.00 with the 25% discount), the longer front lapels will probably need fixing in place with a fews hidden stitches. It is available in black or pale grey, the grey is more versatile and looks better quality in this style and fabric (elastane, viscose, polyester mix).

This is a good piece to buy if it fits you properly (A - C cup maximum), it lends itself well to dresses, trousers and skirts, the unstructured style makes this a multi-tasking jacket. It may not be a true investment piece as it will probably not last for years, but you'll certianly get your money's worth out of it.

hm.com

Time Out: Colorado / The Best Cookies In Town

I can't resist these gorgeous iced shortbread cookies from Gateaux in Denver, Colorado. I say they are the best cookies in town, in fact they are the best cookies I have ever tasted. The USA have cookies perfected! These shortbread cookies make a great alternative to afternoon tea and they look so cute too! The shapes available in-bakery change with the seasons. Not in Denver? No problem you can still experince these delicious gems, they ship anywhere in the USA.

Iced Shortbread Tea Cookies $1.20.
Gateaux
1160 Speer Blvd.
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 376-0070

gateauxpastries.com

Luxe High Street Find : Zara Silk Top - Arrived!

I few days ago I jotted a note about a super bargain and luxe high street find, a silk top £15.99 in the Zara sale. I ordered it online, it arrived in store, an email alerted me and I collected it. It is beautiful!

zara.com

Designer Investment Piece: Hugo Boss Animal Print Scarf in the Flannels Sale

It's the last few days of the sale in most stores, there are still a few good buys with further reductions. I spotted this wool and silk blend Hugo Boss animal print scarf at Flannels Manchester. Available to buy online in either brown or blue hues, it is reduced from £115 to £60 (with the 10% discount £54). A perfect investment piece and perfect for day to evening wear.

A real multi functional piece like this is essential if you travel regularly, it's the perfect accessory for chic evening wear as well as strong career looks, both smart and relaxed. And of course subtle animal prints especially python are an instant style update for Fall/Autumn Winter 2011.

Flannels are currently offering 10% off your purchase from the sale and clearance sale (enter EXTRA10 at the checkout) and a reduced rate for postage of just £5.50. Online only.

flannelsfashion.com

Fashion Blog: Designer Investment Pieces for Under £51 in the Net-A-Porter.com Sale

The summer sales this year have been very generous, starting earlier than usual with the first selection in June. Further reductions upon final reductions, with some items at 80% off are the latest sale updates. We are now in the last throws of the sales with the final reductions presenting some unbelievable style steals. 

Here are my top designer investment picks under £51 from the netaporter.com further reductions sale that you can wear now, wear in the Autumn and keep until next year too.

KAIN Fiona draped jersey dress  Was £100 Now £21
Kain's black jersey cowl neck dress is a seamlessly chic day-to-night piece. Cinch at the waist with a skinny leather belt and step into statement black wedges for standout style with a casual touch. 100% micromodal.

SPLENDID Cotton and modal-blend cowl-neck top Was £57 Now £23.94
The perfect foundation garment. 50% cotton, 50% modal.

AUBIN & WILLS Dallington cotton-voile shirt Was £69 Now £24.15
Dark-taupe semi-sheer cotton-voile. 100% cotton.

J.CREW Cotton and silk-blend tuxedo tunic. Was £85 Now £23.80 

Quite sheer so you will need to wear a camisole underneath. Cotton & silk mix.

T BY ALEXANDER WANG Silk crepe de Chine shorts Was £120 Now £25.20 (A Couturenet Favourite!)
T by Alexander Wang's black silk crepe de Chine shorts will make a sleek addition to every capsule wardrobe. 100% silk.

3.1 PHILLIP LIM Cotton and modal-blend tank Was £145 Now £40.60
Work 3.1 Phillip Lim's contemporary aesthetic into your loungewear look with this cotton and modal-blend tank.

MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS Belted dress Was £140 Now £49
Kors' chocolate-brown stretch-jersey dress epitomizes the label's easy elegance. Cinch in your waist with the removable ruched belt, and cover up with a trench coat for a classic finish.

DKNY Ruffled silk playsuit Was £240 Now £50.40 (A Couturenet Favourite!)
DKNY's ruffled cream silk playsuit is a one-stop solution to elegant dressing. Style it with a bright clutch and tan flat sandals to work a polished city look.100% silk

MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS Woven shirt dress Was £145 Now £50.75

Kors' khaki woven shirt dress is a flattering daytime style. Wear it with a cross-body leather satchel and oversized watch for a utilitarian-chic look. 100% rayon

Luxe High Street Find: H&M Tan Leather Gloves

I'm an addict. I think this post confirms it (and all the previous posts too). Tan leather accessories are my guilty pleasure, when I spot a piece in a shop I have to go over and touch the leather and then I have to try on!

Today I spotted these tan leather gloves new in at H&M. They are £14.99, lined in wool and the length is great, they are slightly longer in the cuff and so look a little more luxe and chic with a wool coat or fitted dress.

They are available in black too. I love the tan! No surprises there then.

These are a must have item for me and will fill the emotional void left when I forgot my loved and cherished Diane Von Furstenberg plum leather gloves circa. Fall 2008 on a train early this year when the weather was freezing cold.

H&M Leather Goves in Tan or black. £14.99.

Luxe High Street Find : Zara Silk Top

If I buy something from the high street it has to follow a firm set of rules:

1. The fabric must be good quality, silk or wool are favoured and other fabrics that hang well and feel good to touch can win me over. Polyester, cotton sateen, nylon and velveteen are definitely out.

2. The item has to be £50 or less, if I am going to invest any more than this I'd rather jump up five levels in price and buy a designer item that will last for years in both quality and style.

3. The item must compliment other clothes that I have and it must be worn regularly, it must not be left in my wardrobe waiting to be worn.

4. The piece must have good seams and some detail that makes it stand out style-wise from what you expect to see on the hight street rails.

Zara is a quality high street store. They have a really good sale on right now and are continually adding more items and reducing items further every few days. Check back to the site regularly.

I have browsed on the Zara.com website for a few days looking at the sale items, I couldn't resist this 100% silk top newly added to the sale today, it was reduced from £39.99 to £15.99. I really love the detail on this top, the flattering cap sleeves and it is grey (not black). I ordered it online and will pick up in store as soon as I get an email telling me it has arrived, this will give me a chance to have a quick look around the store too. I have a tweed Prada Irise pencil skirt purchased from Flannels Manchester crying our for this soft contrast to compliment it.

I also spotted a pair of leather boots reduced to £19.99. The indulgent Bordeaux colour and luxe leather look remind me of the Gucci Pre Fall & Chloe Pre-Fall collections where the 70's luxe style embraces leathers and wools for Autumn. Also a great dark orange 100% silk scarf reduced to £12.99, such a perfect shade again for an Autumn awash with rusty hughes.

40 Thrifty Style Tips from The Daily Telegraph

I am a regular reader of the Daily Telegraph Fashion, it is well written, interesting and insightful. Today's 40 Thirfty Style Tips did not disappoint.

Read it here. http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/

Objects of Desire : Tom Ford's Debut Women's Wear Collection

Highly anticipated and finally shown this week in the media. Show stopping, stunning, wearable and strong design : investment pieces or pieces of art? I can't decide! It was worth the wait anyway. The white luxe trench coat is my object of desire!

Great photographs in the Daily Mail Online.
Also good writing in the Telegraph Fashion Online.
The original reveal in Harper's Bazzar Online. And in the January Edition.
Lara Stone in Tom Ford, five stunning pictures at the Huffington Post Blog.
Ton Ford takes over at French Vogue for the December/January Issue. Images at the Huffington Post Blog. One particularly gorgeous image is of covergirl Daphne Groeneveld.

The image is shown via a web link to The Daily Mail Online.
Copyright Steven Meisel / Daily Mail.

Favourite Fashion iPhone Apps

These are the iPhone Apps that I keep reaching for, they're addictive! To get these go to the Apps store on your iPhone and search using the names of the apps listed below.

Net A Porter FREE
Magazine, what's new, editor's picks, items to buy now, access your wish list and Buy-OnPhone, the product photographs are high quality and there are multiple views and a good full description as you would find the full size website.

DVF Diane Von Furstenburg FREE
News, special purchase Buy-OnPhone wrap dresses and the latest collections.

Zara FREE
Buy-OnPhone, entire collection available, lookbook & catalogue (nice fashion photos in here).

H&M FREE
News, Whats new in store, and much more. Product images are good, but the descriptions are poor (fabric composition etc.). Shake for 20% off.

ShopStyle.co.uk FREE
Exactly the same as the full website, search for designer collections, individual items and clothing genres, the results offered are a collection from many stores including Net A Porter, Matches, Shop Bop, Nordstrom, My Wardrobe & More.

Style.com FREE
All the designer collections present and past, the runway photos and detail pictures to view, this app is endless!

DIOR FREE
The Lady Dior Bag Films x3, The Couture Collection and News. Very chic, beautiful styling, timeless fashion and captivating films.

I also like the Gucci, Donna Karan, DKNY Cozy and Victoria's Secret Apps too.
I am just waiting for a DKNY, Prada App and Burberry App now!

Fashion Blog: Luxe High Street Find : H&M Shirt Dress for £24.99

High Street Find. A surprisingly well constructed Shirt Dress from H&M £24.99, in stores now to buy.

Whilst I am not expecting it to be a durable classic, the qualities I noted that made me buy this dress are: 1. Looks like matt silk. 2. Good fit across shoulders, underarms and sleeves (the sleeves are roomy). 3. Nice seams, quality metal buttons and a good length. The whole dress hangs nicely. Side seams are fluid and sit flush to your figure. If the quality lasts until spring 2011, it is on trend with the DKNY SS2011 Collection when I will add one of the gorgeous DKNY big scarves.

I have worn this all day to run errands, it has stood the test of a day, styled with quality accessories to bring this dress up to the mark. I have kept the original tie belt that came with the dress, but I will be substituting this for a dark brown leather belt, the Alexander McQueen Wide Classic Belt, a perfect investment belt that will go with everything and revive many archived classics.

Download the iPhone App, if you shake your iPhone you will recieve 20% off a purchase. HM.com