Raggedy Ann and the Prada Camel with the Wrinkled Knees

For some reason these boots from Prada's Fall 2011 collection made me think of the Raggedy Ann book I read over and over and over when I was young.

Amongst other things the collection had a naive girlish feel with the oversize buttons, baby-doll princess line dresses and school uniform checks and belts. What's Miuccia telling us this season?

Gucci on fire

Mid-90s Gucci by Tom Ford was the height of molten lava sexiness and until today I hadn't really looked at it, or lusted after it so much. I repeat, until today.

The bold colours, the big pants, the sheer skirts, the flash of leg and/or mid-rift, the over-the-top floral trims, the old school high octane glamour.. these outfits were perfection.

The future's bright

Christopher Bailey has seen the future and it's bright, it's also going to be cold but with outerwear like this who cares? I might even winter in Blighty if I was wearing coats like this all the time. Entire Burberry Prorsum collection, sublime, fact.

Dotty about Marc

I loved the weird 1940s Victoriana feel to the Marc Jacobs Fall 2011 collection. The nipped waists, sharp shoulders and shiny fabrics reminded me of Bladerunner. The spots and dots everywhere were so fun and the pillbox hats a full stop at the end of each outfit.

Suspenders

I was very kindly gifted a pair of these cute chinos from Levi's yesterday. I'm wearing them with my favorite pair of moccasins and a pussy bow shirt.. I'd rather be teaming it with any pair of the Prada raffia shoes and perhaps this Chloe top and some bold red Chantecaille lipstick but anyway..

I love the suspenders, they remind of some trousers I had many years ago that I wore non-stop with a red smock and espadrilles (and that might indicate just how many years ago!).

Wild West

I'm driving out to the desert this weekend to the Salton Sea. Living in LA often makes me feel like things haven't moved on so much since the fabled Wild West of old Hollywood and this Nicholas K Fall/Winter 2011 look brought to mind saloons and dirty double crossing, back stabbing characters.

I like the checks going all over the place, the ruffle on and the fullness of the skirt (really not keen on the boots though).

A balmy day

It's been another beautiful day in LA. Perfect for wearing something calm, feminine, tight and totally sexy. Richard Nicoll perhaps.

I'm feeling the bustier thing at the moment and need to get scouting around some vintage stores to see what I can find. I love the sort of pelmet detail Richard uses to accentuate the waist here.

New Look

I've been reading a book about life in Britain post World War II. When you look at Dior's New Look today it's hard to imagine that it had people up in arms about its frivolity and excess. We have no idea about hardship.

Many years ago a friend's Mother gave me some old Vogue patterns so I'm going to get the sewing machine out and "make" (rather than "make do and mend"). These illustrations are amazing.

Mercedes-Benz "Welcome" - Super Bowl Commercial 2011

Just before Christmas I assisted Constance Angelle on the wardrobe for this Mercedes-Benz Super Bowl commercial directed by Peter Thwaites. Such beautiful cars.

Kick your heels

Leave it to Jean Paul Gaultier to design a couture dress inspired by the Moulin Rouge that demands you spend your day high kicking. Merveilleux!

Here comes the weekend!

The new Lanvin store opened in LA this week. Boom! Here's a fiery look from the coming collection perfect for my next trip to Trader Joe's.

Planet Earth, a wake up call

I've been somewhat under the weather and have been able to put in a few hours watching the BBC Planet Earth series, again and it made me want to take another look at Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 collection "Plato's Atlantis", his final full collection.

These looks must be the closest to capturing nature's colorful, dramatic, delicate, powerful perfection that a man-made object, certainly an item of clothing, can achieve.

The Planet Earth series is breath-taking with a large undercurrent of sadness as you learn how few animals in certain species remain. It's not the most joyful viewing but like this collection it has a melancholic beauty. If only we'd listen more intently to these wake up calls.

Yes please, Mr Dries

When in doubt, pile on more pearls.