Christmas Time in the North

I am having the busiest few weeks at work in the run-up to Christmas, preparing for some big projects post-Christmas, so my blog is taking a back seat, which I am not too thrilled about! However, I have some exciting treats lined up over the next few weeks which I'll be sharing with you soon, including seeing The Puppini Sisters' live at The Sage, visiting the brand new Urban Outfitters store in Newcastle, shopping in Corbridge, Christmas festivities with friends, a trip to Yorkshire and finally, Champagne Christmas Afternoon tea with Katie and Paula.

Hope you're all having a lovely Advent period so far - I've been stuffing my face with sweet mince pies, red wine and mulled cider!

Image source: Pinterest

Road Trip: Filey

Yesterday, I took a road trip to Filey on the North Yorkshire coast with my parents. My grandparents used to have a house there when my Mum was little, and Granny and Grandpa used to pack their four kids into the car at every given opportunity and drive up from Sheffield to Filey to their retreat by the sea. My Mum always speaks so fondly of Filey, so it was amazing to see first hand where she spent so many happy times with her two brothers, sister and parents. Pretty much unchanged since my Mum was a little girl, Filey still retains all the charm of an old seaside resort - souvenir shops selling sticks of rock ( yes I bought some!), an abundance of fish and chip shops and pastel blue beach huts on the beach.

Music: Lana Del Rey

It is no secret about my obsession with Lana Del Rey. This captivating beauty first came to my attention around the time of London Fashion Week in September of this year, where Christopher Kane used her haunting 'Video Games' as the soundtrack to his Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Since then, this song has become the most played on my iTunes and I know every lyric off by heart. Raw talent at it's finest.

Fashion: GraphiChanel

Chanel's Spring/Summer 2012 set design was a marvel in itself; an underwater playground where Chanel's ethereal, pearl encrusted girls swam in the deep to the sounds of Florence and the Machine. Lagerfeld, like others this season, presented a collection inspired by the sea for Spring/Summer but my favourite part of this collection just so happens to be the subtle, graphic accents on classic Chanel boucle jackets, dresses and knitwear; as a lover of all things minimally brilliant in graphic design, my heart skipped a beat when these looks were presented on the catwalk. Now, time to save the pennies to add these wonders to my wardrobe.

© Vogue.com 

Fashion: The Man

I've become increasingly intrigued by super slick menswear and stylish gentleman ever since I first stumbled upon The Sartorialist (many moons ago now...), depicting beautiful men in beautiful clothes out on the street; since the inception of London Fashion Week's day dedicated to 'The Man' and the launch of Net-a-Porter's brother site Mr Porter. My penchant is for classic mens' tailoring made contemporary, so here I give you a smorgasbord of inspiring looks, impeccable style and the subtly eccentric.

1 + 2/ The Sartorialist 3/ Style Salvage 4/ Fashionbeans 5/ The Great Divide 6 + 7/ The Sartorialist 8/ Style Salvage  9/ The Great Divide 10 + 11/ William Yan 12, 13 + 14/ Backyard Bill  15 + 16/ William Yan