TRANSITION: DAY NINE

DAY NINE: Neon red nail lacquer, American Apparel


Wearing head to toe black today, blargh. Well, except for my nails, as you can see. I first came across this colour in my friend's handbag one sunny Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago and thanks to my burgeoning obsession with all things neon, felt instantly drawn to it.


On my way home that night as I pottered down Portobello, I snuck into American Apparel to pick up a bottle. The shade is called neon red but really it's more of a really, really blindingly bright coral. While I was in there, I also fell in love with the neon yellow and eyed up the green too. I'm kicking myself now as they were £7 each, or there was a deal if you bought 3, I think for £18. Of course, now they've gone up in price too. 


In terms of how good it is, I was honestly surprised by the lack of chipping. I wore this colour all through LFW and it wasn't until the fifth or sixth day that any noticeable chips really appeared. So in conclusion, two very bright thumbs up!


You can buy it online at American Apparel [here] for £9 each or interestingly, Asos sells them for £7 [here]. I will definitely be investing in the yellow very soon.


Worn with: bracelet (just seen), Alexander McQueen.

TRANSITION: DAY EIGHT

DAY EIGHT: Trench coat, The Kooples


I have been itching to wear this coat since I bought it just before christmas when I was out during my annual shopping trip with my favourite credit-card-basher Katrina, who was over from Canada. We were about to leave Westfield when I suddenly noticed The Kooples store had opened and went for a quick nosy. Twenty minutes later and serious credit card bashing later (even with 50% off in the sale), I walked about with this beauty, as did Katrina. I'd been looking for a good trench for a while and I wanted something that was a little bit quirkier than your average beige cotton number so this fitted the bill perfectly with the leather, quilting details and the removable sheepskin collar.


It's quite thin and as I bought it in a size 8, it doesn't really accommodate anything chunkier than a fine knit, as I found out during fashion week when I tried to wear my waffle jumper underneath it - I looked like a rather uncomfortable version of the Michelin man for the day.


But spring looks like it is on the verge of, well, springing so I eagerly threw it on this morning. Might have been a bit premature as there's still definitely a bite in the air so the collar will be staying on for a while.


Here's a better shot of the details:

Worn with: grey cashmere sweater, Gap; Spotted trousers, Topshop; Black quilted pumps, Office; Necklace, Nocturne; Folding Wayfarers, Ray-Ban.

TRANSITION: DAY SEVEN

DAY SEVEN: Khaki parka, Zara 


I bought this coat back in December when I was in need of something warm and practical. I'd been searching for a parka since my trip to Liverpool in September and hadn't found quite what I was looking for. Originally, I thought I wanted a fishtail style but when I laid eyes on this one the day before my birthday, it was love. 


What I particularly love about it is that it's an all-season jacket thanks to a very clever zip out faux fur liner that has kept me toasty all winter. When the weather gets a little warmer, I'll take out the liner and wear it as a light spring coat. 


Worn with: striped sweater, Zara; Grey jeans, Topshop; Boots, New Look; Scarf, Marc by Marc Jacobs; Bag, Alexander Wang; Silk scarf (on bag), Versace at H&M; Sunglasses, Ray-Ban.

TRANSITION: DAY SIX (again)

DAY SIX: Silk shorts, Marni at H&M

So, as I said in my last post, I wanted to wear my Marni at H&M shorts to see how they'd blend into my existing wardrobe. While silk shorts might conjure up images of hot sunny climes, they're totally wearable in colder weather when teamed with the right things. Of course, this weekend was surprisingly warm (not warm enough for bare legs) but warm enough to get away with the shorts.

I'd been planning on wearing them with a white tee and an oversized cardigan but somehow, the look didn't come together. I was having a bit of an off day, so maybe I need to revisit that combination when I'm having a better day. Instead, I paired them with a couple of favourite staples to ease myself in.

Worn with: grey cashmere sweater, Gap; Necklace, Nocturne; Black suede creepers, Underground; Leopard laptop case, Home by Diane Von Furstenberg.

TRANSITION: DAYS FIVE & SIX

I'm sorry to harp on about the beauty that is the Marni at H&M collection but I am really quite besotted so I thought I should dedicate another two days worth, maybe more, to the collection. I found myself staring at the ceiling this morning mixing the pieces, particularly the PJ style top and shorts, imagining what I can style them with. I'm planning on wearing the shorts today so I'll post a photo later of how they're blending into my wardrobe. In the meantime, here's a few photos of some of the pieces I bought. I'm still waiting to draw a conclusion on the brocade trousers, so there's a high chance that there will be a post about these later in the week. ANYWAY.

Hat, £9.99 and spotty dress, £59.99

shorts, £34.99 and top, £69.99 Photos by the lovely Caroline Leeming