Oct 26

2015

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I ♥ Your Style: Vita Sackville-West

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Now that I spend much of my day doing chores in and around the garden on our farm, I’ve been seeking a new style icon: a woman whose personal take on dressing for the outdoors can take me away from the pure practicality of wearing just corduroys, a wool sweater and wellies. Not that there’s anything wrong with that look, but sometimes I just want to feel a bit more inspired.

When I first came across a photo of novelist, poet, and gardener Vita Sackville-West, I was at first mostly attracted to her fantastic canvas and leather lace-up boots. Why doesn’t anyone make those anymore???? But as I dug a little deeper, I found inspiration in not just her English countrywoman-meets-swashbuckler clothes, but also her legendary house Sissinghurst Castle, her chic all-white garden and her iconic book covers. I even love the style she has inspired in others – like her granddaughter’s hand-painted 18th birthday party invite and a collection of white flowers assembled by a fellow blogger. VSW had style for miles.

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Oct 13

2015

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Life in England: Game of Thrones

Scan 28 - Version 4

“The monogram is that of William III who updated the building.”

I came home from New York last week and picked up the latest World of Interiors. I so look forward to my subscription every month and always love what they shoot, but every now and then something in that magazine just stops me dead in my tracks. This time it was the Hampton Court Palace Royal Tennis Courts right here in England where princes and kings have been whacking around hand stitched felt balls since 1625.  These photos really captured me. In an aesthetic way, they say everything I love about England. ..

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Sep 28

2015

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Snapshot: The Girl Who Won Fashion Month

The endless parade of street style looks isn’t even over yet (Paris is still to come!), but I’m going to jump the gun here and crown model Emma Oak the winner. I love everything about this look – the combination of rich burgundy and red are so unexpected but work so well; and the overt sexiness of the unbuttoned shirt combined with the nerdiness of the flared high-water trouser and the school girl charm of the penny loafers; the anonymous tote bag that says I’m cool enough that I don’t have to carry a brand new Céline bag...

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Aug 26

2015

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I ♥ Your Riding Style: Jackie O

I know. As chic as she is you probably feel you don’t ever have to see another style icon pic of Jackie O as long as you live. I’m with you on that. But now that I have gotten so into riding, and what to wear when riding, Jackie O’s style on a horse has rekindled my awe of her chicness. These days, riding gear has gotten very technical and branded. I am constantly cutting off visible tags, blackening out logos with sharpies, and trying to find the most classic and pared down jackets, jodhpurs and boots while still keeping an eye towards practicality...

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Mar 21

2014

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I ♥ Your Farm Fashion

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There is nothing Christopher loves to do more than an outdoor chore. Whether it’s spraying stinging nettles, strimming the edge of the garden, planting trees, removing a hedge, mowing the grass, tending to the compost heap, moving a large animal or even just weeding, he’s in total heaven. He equally loves having the right gear for the chore. He spends hours in the farm supply shop and in the hardware store staring in awe and desire just like I do when I’m in Isabel Marant. Sometimes I walk outside, or round the corner towards home on my walk, and when I catch sight of him, I just can’t help but burst out in laughter. His look often reminds me of a HAZ MAT inspector or Mr. Green Jeans from Captain Kangaroo or even, sometimes, when he gets overheated and unzips his white jumpsuit, of Elvis. Despite the hilarity, I thoroughly enjoy witnessing the pleasure Christopher takes in wearing and doing what he loves.
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Mar 14

2014

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I ♥ Your Country Style: Amanda Harlech

 

We’ve all seen and admired Amanda Harlech in her Chanel. As Karl Lagerfeld’s muse, we see her at every Chanel event wearing the most enviable dress with her hair just messy enough to be cool but still look chic. For the most part, this is her Paris life where she spends her professional time. But what really intrigues me is her England life, her private world that she has graciously shared with us through Vogue, Vogue Living, etc over the years.
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Mar 10

2014

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Snapshot: Jane Birkin and Chipping Norton

For Christmas my friend Laura gave me the book “Jane and Serge, A Family Album.” It was the perfect present for me – I love books, I love old photographs, and above all, I LOVE Jane Birkin. You probably do too. Jane has become everybody’s favourite style icon from the past. Her beauty, her effortless style, her dual roles of musician’s wife and mom of three girls all have left a huge impact on future generations.
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Feb 20

2014

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Life on the Farm: Miss Coco B in Teen Vogue

Coco is my twelve year old. It was always her dream to live on our farm in England – to spend her free time outside and be surrounded by horses. Fulfilling that dream in the last year and a half has arguably been the highlight of her life so far. The paternal side of Coco’s family is known for their dedication to horses and Coco clearly inherited that gene. When she was just a year and a half old, we spent Christmas here in England and every morning she ran to the window pointing at the horses in the field and yelling “hotchy!..

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Nov 21

2013

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I ♥ Your Denim Style: Hannah Henderson

If I wasn’t so enjoying the “farm version” of my dream life here in England, I would be pining over the “creative California hippie” version that Hannah Henderson and John Moore live in Venice Beach, CA. Well, I’m pining anyway. Their home, their store, their kids, their art, their clothes, their lifestyle all make me swoon. It’s all so personal to who they are and what they like. But what I notice above all is how well Hannah does denim. She and her husband seem to be experts on denim both new and old, and they both instagram about it regularly. She is hannahmas and he is bonfirebeachkids. These are my favorite of their denim posts. ..

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Nov 11

2013

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I ♥ Your Style: Gucci Westman

photo by The Coveteur

Gucci Westman is a rockstar. As the Creative Director of Revlon, as Grace Coddington’s first choice for making up the girls in Vogue, and for Cameron Diaz’s go-to girl for red carpet glamour, Gucci is one of the most talented and well-know makeup artists in the world. But that’s not it. She is the mother of two gorgeous children, and she’s married to super handsome David Neville, co-designer of Rag and Bone. She also has great style. She mostly wears slightly tomboy classics like Olatz piped silk shirts, Rag and Bone jeans and t’s, and Isabel Marant tweed jackets. Occasionally she branches out with a Celine or Balenciaga statement piece while still staying true to her own look. I also love Gucci’s jewellery – a gold link necklace and gold watch by Cartier, a monogrammed signet ring, and her diamond wedding bands. Simple, classic chic. ..

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