Daily wear: Completely dotty!

Today's outfit was a difficult one (though it looks fairly simple) because I needed to look smart (and warm in my cold office) for work, but nice enough to carry on to my sisters birthday dinner without going home to change.

Photographing my outfits seems to be something of a challenge lately too, as my head seems to blend in with the background wall. Still, we will persevere, and i'm sure i'll get the hang of my new camera eventually - it's not like i've already owned it for three months or anything!

So I am wearing a River Island dress (newish and a gift from the bf) with the usual boots - these knee high boots have become a staple this winter! The brooch came with the dress and usually I hate that, but kept this as I like the way it looks. I love the Star by Julien Macdonald (at Debenhams) charm necklace, which was from the Christmas gifty collection and (funnily enough) a Christmas gift. Each charm is different and there are some really unsual ones: I might try to photograph them individually at a later date. The ring is a cheapo from Primark.

To go out tonight I will just remove the long sleeved thermal black top and swap the boots for heels. I will also apply lashings of mascara (which i'm not wearing today, hence my stump lashes)

I have bought a disney princess cake, a badge and organised balloons at the restaurant - so what if she's turning 24, you only get one birthday a year! If I get time later this afternoon, i'm even going to make some party bags! I'm looking forward to it - hope you all have fun evenings too!

Love, Tor xx

Who will sell you if you don't sell yourself?

Flicking through the street chic at the Chelsea flower show section of vogue.com, I came across 2 pictures that started a curious train of thought:

Daniella Issa Helayel says "I'm wearing Issa, a Philip Treacy hat, a Chanel bag and a clutch by Corto Moltedo."

Meanwhile, Julien Macdonald says "Today I'm wearing Dior Homme, American Apparel and Gucci."

Now, whilst I am aware that Macdonald doesn't design menswear, this got me thinking about what designers do wear. Is it OK that Issa is wearing Issa? Should/do we expect designers to wear their own collections or does it seem too self promotional and, well, naff?

Yup, i'm thinking about you, Donatella Versace!

I think this is a tricky area. Issa is wearing her own collection, but she isn't wearing it head to toe and the overall look is very chic. To me this is self promotion that works. Donatella on the other hand seems to wear Versace head to toe, day in and day out, and therefore we stop admiring the gowns/resort wear and see the clothes instead as a stereotypical extension of her persona.

Karl Lagerfeld always wears his own sunglasses, whilst Marc Jacobs is also famed for wearing his own collections. However MJ also drew the attention of the world press to the Commes de Garcons kilt for men by wearing it onto the stage at the fashion show showcasing his own collection back in 2008. I wonder what people found more shocking; that he was a chap wearing a skirt, or that he was drawing attention to another designers garment which seemed set to overshadow his own collection?

I am all for shameless self promotion (have you read about http://www.yourlondonstylist.co.uk/ yet, by the way?) but I also respect designers who wear other designers clothes; they must love fashion (or they wouldnt be in the business!) so it seems natural to me that they would want to wear beautiful things, as well as have variety in their wardrobes. However I think a designer would have to be very stupid (or too famous for it to matter perhaps!) not to wear their own clothes occassionally, simply for that priceless red carpet moment when someone asks what you're wearing, and you can say yourself. I bet Daniella Issa thought all her birthdays had come at once!

What says you Karl?

An interesting point well made!

Love, Tor xx