BEST BUYS - THE SPRING SUMMER 15 SALES

What to buy and what to avoid like a Spencer Matthews chat-up line in the spring/summer sales? I recently read an interesting article on ethical fashion in which sustainability campaigner Livia Firth offered up her advice on our shopping habits; each time you make a purchase ask yourself if you are going to wear the garment 30 times, and if the answers no, put it back. Sound advice to help us all shop with a conscience. So here’s my sales edit with sustainability in mind – timeless investments that you will wear forever. The Breton stripe is a great starting point and J.Crew have several interpretations in sale. Clarks sandals are my summer go-tos, they’re so comfortable you will wear and wear them and these sporty white sandals are on trend, too. Elsewhere investigate The Finery sale which is full of smart tran-seasonal buys like the Danbury lace shift dress that will look great layered over a polo neck once the temperature drops. A great white tee or a transformative piece of costume jewellery is a great buy, too. 

1st column top - bottom: Jennifer leather tote, Jaeger,  £99 £75. Topshop Unique cropped knitted sweater, £60 £30. Metallic sandals, Cos, £135 £94. Raey cotton jersey t-shirt, Matchesfashion.com, £65 £45. 

2nd column top - bottom: Lace-up sailor tee, J.Crew, £68 £47. Netrix Rose white leather sandals, Clarks, £50 £25. Stacking rings, Astley Clarke, from £30. Danbury lace shift dress, Finery, £75 £49. 

3rd column top - bottom: Sheer lips in Play with Fire, Topshop, £8 £3. Bamboo print silk trousers, Whistles, £170 £85. J.Crew tassel earrings, Net-a-porter.com, £60 £30. 

WEAR-FOREVER SALE BUYS

Is it really possible to find investment buys in the sales? I have to be honest - not often - I had to scour the internet to create this blogpost. But occasionally, you uncover an amazing gem, a great example being the polka-dot Sophie Hulme trench coat below, reduced by an amazing 70% from £545 to £163 at Avenue 32. Polka dots are one of the few, enduring prints that never-date. I know, I know, a polka dot trench might seem like quite a wacky buy - but in reality it's as wearable as they come. Use it to add interest to jeans + t-shirt ensembles or clash it with florals and stripes J.Crew style - in fact, I can't think of many outfits a hint of polka dot doesn't enhance. Likewise striped styles are great sale buy - I love Chinti and Parker's subtle twist on a breton tee with the addition of a cute heart motif. A classic leather bag is an investment you will never regret, and the Jaeger sale is full of them. Don't be scared to inject a bit of colour, a pop of pink livens up most colour palettes and will take you through autumn/winter. Have you invested in any bargains in the summer sales? 

Top row from L - R: Sophie Hulme polka dot cotton trench, Avenue32, was £545 now £163. Polka dot espadrilles, Penelope Chilver, was £85 now £45. Stripe miniskirt, Reiss, was £95 now £65. 

Middle: Acetate sunglasses, Kenzo, was £185 now £92.50. 

Bottom row L - R: Organic cotton stripe tee, Chinti and Parker, was 385 now £51. Rose gold and diamond star pendant. Astley Clarke, was £850 now £500. Large Lawrence bag, Jaeger, was £199 now £150 - £99.

6 OF THE BEST: COLOUR POP CROSSBODIES

Have I mentioned that I am obsessed with crossbody bags? Perfect for busy tube commutes and running about town, crossbodies are as practical as they are on-trend. I have just bought the gold Boden number featured in this post [expect to see it styled up on here soon] but I am also coveting a rainbow-bright style to contrast against my wardrobe of neutral basics. I am picturing yellow leather + breton stripes / leopard print + flash of emerald green, colourful bags are much more wearable than you think! Here's the LFF edit of the 6 best available now:

Top row L-R: Pink large 'Lawrence' bag, Jaeger, £199. Orange envelope satchel bag, ASOS, £28. Sydney cross body in yellow, Fossil, £109. 

Bottom row L-R: Twiggy crossbody in emerald lizard, Modalu, £79. Berkeley crossbody in purple, Bobelle London, £275. Blue crossbody with large buckle, ASOS, £18.50. 

THE LFF 2013 CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE FOR HER

I think the secret to picking the perfect the Christmas present is giving a gift the recipient would feel guilty purchasing for themselves. Frivolity is the key - life's fripperies and luxuries that whilst not necessities, make everything that little bit brighter. Aim to give the gift of luxury and you can't go wrong. This approach can work for all budgets, believe it or not. If you only have £10 to spend, buy a high-quality bar of chocolate, Amelia Rope's (no.4) come in gourmet flavours like rose and lime with sea salt. If you buy a pair of gloves, make them cashmere (no.8- Jaeger has a lovely range of cashmere this season), if you buy a nail polish, make it a Chanel (no.9) and if you purchase a piece of jewellery, bespoke or engraved pieces with a personal touch are guaranteed to thrill ( no.5, Anna Lou of London does affordable bespoke). My edit below has been selected with this luxury mantra in mind, hopefully santa reads La Fashion Folie because I'd love the whole lot!

1. Alphabet soy wax candle, ASOS, £4. 2. Paul and Joe Fairytale collection lipstick, ASOS, £14. 3. Dizzy Bee gold-plated earrings, Cinderela B, £35. 4. Amelia Rope Pale Rose chocolate bar, £6.25. 5. Gold plated name disc necklace, Anna Lou of London, £48. 6. Purple glitter iphone cover, Bobelle London, £30. 7. Rosie for Autograph silk teddy, Marks and Spencer, £36. 8. Cashmere gloves, Jaeger, £35. 9. Chanel nail polish in shade 'Taboo', £18, Selfridges. 10. Blue Iphis zip pouch, Liberty, £95. 11. Anya Hindmarch Gingerbread Man key fob, The Outnet, £64.60. 12. J. Crew Pablo crystal drop earrings, Net-a-porter.com, £100. 13. Chinti and Parker organic cotton heart print top, Net-a-porter.com, £100. 14. Lanvin grosgrain trimmed cosmetics case, Net-a-porter.com, £225. 15. Hillier bunny pendant, Astley Clarke, £995. 16. Jimmy Choo star print acrylic clutch, Net-a-porter.com, £625. 17. Crystal point toe mini heels, L K Bennett, £225. 

HOW TO STYLE: LEOPARD PRINT TROUSERS

There's nothing like a fierce bit of psychedelic leopard print to work LFF into a fashion frenzy. If you too love this trend, then we are in luck because AW13 will bring a ferocious appetite for animal prints in all guises, from the classic leopard through to chic croc and dotty dalmatian. But how to wear the trend now? Heritage high-street brand Jaeger have the answer in the form of these super-cool trophy trousers in intensely-hued leopard print. I am head over heels in love with them, so I've styled a couple of looks to demonstrate how I'd wear the trews. With a statement piece like this, I think the key is to have fun; continue the playful mood with a slogan t-shirt and introduce even more colour with bold costume jewels. In the footwear department, a snazzy sneaker makes the perfect pairing for a relaxed weekend look, whilst a metallic flat will add formality and glamour for work. Will you be wearing leopard print this season or next?

1. Leopard print trousers, Jaeger, £99.
2. Cheap Monday pink point flats, ASOS, £60. 
3. Magic spike stone drop earrings, ASOS, £18.
4. Brian Lichtenberg Feline Meow sweater, Net-a-porter.com, £100.
5. Lulu & Co Wild at heart t-shirt, Matchesfashion.com, £34.
6. Nuwa bracelet, Claire Hynes, £55. 
7. New Balance 420 trainers, ASOS, £38. 
8. Jaeger trousers, as before. 

LFF EDITS: THE SS13 SALES

With the SS13 sales well under way and there are plenty of bargains to be had both on line and in store. As you may have gauged from this week's holiday style diary, I am really loving bold pops of colour right now so this sale edit is dedicated to all things optimistically-hued. Some of these items are quite pricey still (Sophie Hulme's beautiful buckle tote for example) but they are all investment pieces that I think will work for several summers to come. By the way, the Topshop sale started after I put this post together, so be sure to check out their offering too. Happy shopping! 

1. Check silk cotton trousers, Jaeger, was £ 99, now £49.
2. Sophie Hulme buckle tote, Matchesfashion.com, was £570 now £399.
3. Marc Jacobs colour block loafers, Net-a-porter.com, was £350 now £210.
4. Filippa K halter bikini top, Whistles,was £50 now £30.
5. Bliss yellow flatform sandals, StylistPick, was £32 now £15. 
6. Whistles animal jacquard skirt, Atterley Road, was £125 now £65.
7. Balenciaga round-frame sunglasses, The Outnet, was £235.94 now £94.38.

6 OF THE BEST: BRETON T-SHIRTS WITH A TWIST

LFF is of the opinion that a girl can never own enough Breton tees. The classic Breton top tends to feature a navy/white colour way combined with a three quarter sleeve, but there are plenty more options out there if you're looking to mix it up for SS13. I recently purchased a slouchy Topshop version (number 3.) and wore it this weekend to dress down my latest charity shop find: a leather Betty Barclay mini skirt that cost a bargain £5 (expect to see ALOT of it on here because I plan to wear it all summer!)

Whether you opt for a slouchy shape, a bright colour way or statement pocket style, there are plenty of ways to update your Breton look for summer. Here's the LFF edit of the six best styles available online now: 

1. Chinti & Parker striped organic cotton top, Net-a-porter.com, £80.

2. Yellow Broderie Breton top, Jaeger, £50.

3. Tall Breton stripe tee, Topshop, £16.

4. White and green stripe Broderie top, Awear, £16.

5. Hartford Tarquin anchor tee, Atterley Road, £39.

6. Petit Bateau Tuba striped top, Atterley Road, £45.

LFF TREND ALERT: STAR PRINTS

Star prints are one of those timeless motifs (like polka dots) that never really date, but right now they are having a definite moment. It’s in the depths of winter when the days get shorter and the nights get longer, that constellation-inspired prints really come into their own and will add some much needed star-quality to otherwise drab outfits.

If your mind has turned to what you’ll be wearing over the festive season like mine, then any of the below pieces should do the sartorial trick. Snuggle up in a star print sweater  (Chinti & Parker- no.1) on Christmas day, and dazzle after dusk come cocktail hour with a suitably sparkly pair of star earrings (Kenneth Jay Lane- no.4). And unlike your average novelty festive jumper, these styles have post-Christmas mileage so you’ll get plenty of wear out of them come the New Year too.  

1. Chinti & Parker star print sweater, Matches, £350.

2. Orelia double star necklace, ASOS, £10.

3. Comme Des Garcons zip wallet, Farfetch.com, £148.71.

4. Kenneth Jay Lane star earrings, ASOS, £20.

5. Star print scarf, Jaeger, £45.

6. Shooting star trousers, Hobbs, £44.

7. Orelia star bracelet, ASOS, £10.

8. Illustrated People jumper, Topshop, £30.

9. Sonia by Sonia Rykiel strapless dress, The Outnet, £138.25.



TREND ALERT: NEON KNITWEAR

Thought neon was just a summer trend? Well think again; neon remains a key colour trend for winter and will continue to be a style highlight (sorry... very bad pun) well into SS13.  

It's also a great way to update last year's winter coat if you don't have the budget to buy a new season-style; simply pair your current cover up with a cute pom-pom hat and chunky knit scarf for an instant update. Alternatively you can commit fully to fluro with a cosy neon knit; a sure-fire mood-enhancer that will banish the winter blues. Here's my pick of the best highlighter-hued knits to add to your winter wardrobe:

1. Julie neon wool & angora jumper, Jaeger, £140.

2. Pom Pom beanie, Forever 21, £3.90.

3. Acne Lina Pineapple sweater, Farfetch.com, £185.55.

4. Striped fingerless mittens, Forever 21, £6.65.

5. Acne River angora ribbed scarf, Matches, £150.

6. Sandro Sensation knitted jumper, Net-a-porter, £175.

7. Hot pink chunky knit scarf, Jaeger, £65.

8. Neon blue Mango cable knit jumper, John Lewis, £34.99.

SIX OF THE BEST: KNITS WITH WIT FOR AW12

The coolest way to beat the chill this autumn/winter is by donning a witty knit or sweater emblazoned with a topical motif. A knit with wit is a key style for the season (see Burberry's AW12 owl jumper) and if Ashish’s SS13 catwalk was anything to by, the trend will continue well into 2013 too.

Whether you opt for a cute motif or a fun slogan (Markus Lupfer's 'Totes Amaze' sweater is my absolute  favourite!), this trend is all about having fun with your fashion. I've just splashed out of the J W Anderson for Topshop ghost knit (number.6) which was also seen on Alexa Chung recently. And hey if a knit with wit is good enough for Chung, then it's good enough for us!

1. Knitted Garcon jumper, Topshop, £40.
2. Flocked deer-print sweater, Jaeger, £60.
3. Markus Lupfer Boom sweater, Farfetch.com, £295.
4. Markus Lupfer Totes Amaze sweater, Harvey Nichols, £295.
5. Sophie Hulme Dino pattern sweater, Farfetch.com, £465.
6. J W Anderson for Topshop Ghost jumper, Topshop, £69.99.

LFF SHOPS THE SS12 SALES

The summer sales are well and truly underway, and there are some great bargains to be had both online and instore that will see you through summer and into AW12. If you have got your eye on something in a store that hasn't started their sale yet, my advice is to wait it out a couple of weeks as there are plenty more sales to come and there's nothing more annoying than shelling out for something lovely then finding it's been discounted the next day!

As you can see, there's a bit of navy and green theme going on with my sale picks because 1., I've seen lots of green in the AW12 collections and  2., navy is one of those great colours that works equally well in summer and winter; go nautical for SS and style it with rich autumnal tones for AW.

1. Tweed pleated dress, Jaeger, was £299.00 now £149.00.
2. NW3 leaf earrings, Hobbs, was £35.00 now £24.00.
3. NW3 Kisses blouse, Hobbs, was £79.00 now £59.00.
4. NW3 Parliament shirt dress, Hobbs, was £159.00 now £79.00.
5. Navy colour block platforms, Dorothy Perkins, was £42.00 now £25.00.
6. Bali Geo Trouser, Warehouse, was £45 now £25.00.
7. Werdie Marc by Marc Jacobs Canvas Tote Bag, Matches, was £200.00 now £140.00.
8. Navy square heel sandal, Dorothy Perkins, was £30.00 now £20.00.

JAEGER BOUTIQUE'S FABULOUS FRUIT PRINT T-SHIRTS!

Regular readers of La fashion folie will know I have a slight obsession with all-things neon. So you can imagine how excited I was when I came across these fabulous fruit-print t-shirts in the Boutique section of Jaeger today, complete with on-trend highlighter pen scribbles. The only downside? Choosing which of the cute prints to plump for! I finally decided on the melon print, on the basis that neon pink is more wearable than orange or yellow. My only hope is that I won't be on the receiving end of too many 'nice melon' puns, but when my t-shirt is this fabulous, who cares?!

1. Melon print t-shirt, £40
2. Banana print t-shirt, £40.
3. Pineapple print t-shirt, £40.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Image courtesy of  fashionillustrationgallery.com

I'm taking a few days off from Lafashionfolie blogspot over Christmas to eat, drink, be merry and listen to Last Christmas by Wham! on repeat (best song of the season, hands down).

So I just want to take this opportunity to wish all my lovely readers a very merry Christmas; and what better way to say it than with this beautiful vintage Jaeger Christmas advert drawn by one of my all-time favourite fashion illustrators René Gruau? So have a wonderful, peaceful holiday and I shall be back before the New Year!

Sophie x

BOUTIQUE BY JAEGER SALE PICKS!

After an insider tip off from one of my best friends,who works at Jaeger head office, I hotfooted it to the Regent Street flagship store on Saturday for the start of the Boutique sale. The Boutique collection is full of covetable, 1960s style pieces with Peter Pan collars and polka dot details aplenty. It's a little out of my price range usually, but with up to 50% off on some styles there are some real bargains to be had at the moment. I snapped up the black version of the red jersey dress I've featured below because I think it will be a very versatile addition to my wardrobe that I can easily dress up or down. Here are my top picks of the sale, all available online now. Yippee!

1. Shearling Collar Coat,  now £225.00 reduced from £450.00.2.Sequin Collar Blouse, £75.00 reduced from  £130.00. 3. Angora Spot Jumper,  £80.00 reduced from £160.00. 4. Jersey Prom Dress,  £65.00 reduced from  £115.00.