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. 

LFF'S GUIDE TO: CHRISTMAS BALL OUTFITS 2012

So here's my third and final blog of the season centred around Christmas party outfits. And this blog is dedicated to the dress code that can often be quite daunting when it appears on an invitation: black tie.

Black tie dressing can look frumpy if done wrong, so my advice is mix textures, metallics, sequins and embellishments to keep the look interesting and modern. Luckily the high street also have a really impressive offering when it comes to ball gowns this a/w- would you believe the Phase Eight full length sequinned number below was off the rack? Cinders doesn't need to have a designer budget in this day and age, although the last tube might mean the 12pm curfew can't be avoided!

1. Phase Eight Collection 8 Colette dress, John Lewis, £275.
2. Glitter Ball earrings, Cinderela B, £35.
3. Lanvin gold metallic logo clutch, Liberty, £225.
4. Hyla strappy heeled sandals, ASOS, £35.

LFF LOVES: THE GOLDRUSH TREND

Prep your wardrobe for the party season with this golden gilted pieces. Whether you opt for a LGD  (a little gold dress) or an embellished knit like Lanvin's cardi (1), gold is a sure fire way to add luxury and glamour to your look in time for the festive season.

 
1. Lanvin sequin-embellished cardigan, The Outnet, £715.50.
2. Jewelled shard necklace, ASOS, £25.
3. Mango sequinned gold dress, John Lewis, £59.99.
4. Luxury spike gem drop earrings, ASOS, £18.
5. London Rebel slipper shoes, ASOS, £22.
6. Opening Ceremony metallic leather pencil skirt, Matches, £515.
7. Glitter hard case clutch, Oasis, £30.
8. Heart of Gold nail polish, Topshop, £6.

SIX OF THE BEST: JEWELLED EARRINGS FOR AW12

If SS12 was all about the off-the-wall statement earring, then AW12 belongs to jewelled, luxurious adornments set with coloured crystals and faux-gems. Look out for faceted stones in an array of colourful jewel tones to tap into this trend.

This is both a fun and versatile trend that will multitask in your AW12 wardrobe; pair with simple knit to add some dazzle to your daywear and offset a stylish shift with finese for cocktail hour. Here's my pick of the best styles available at the moment:

 
1. Lanvin vintage-look earrings, Matches, £495.
2. Jewelled vine drop earrings, ASOS, £20.
3. Frankie bling earrings, Kurt Geiger, £30.
4. Kenneth Jay Lane crystal drop earrings, The Outnet, £55.
5. Jewel bauble earrings, ASOS, £18.
6. Shourouk DS Montana earrings, Matches, £305.

SIX OF THE BEST: FASHION-FORWARD IPHONE COVERS

The market for printed and pretty iPhone covers is massive at the moment and I can understand why; I might not be able to afford a Lanvin dress for myself, but that doesn't mean my iPhone can't get the same treatment. The US's hippest label J.Crew have taken the same approach, putting some of their peppiest prints onto iPhone covers too. Whether you go for cute cartoons, monogrammed or printed, your iPhone cover can boost your fashion credentials for a fraction of the designer wardrobe pricetag.

1. Floral printed iPhone case, J.Crew, £21.40.
2. Lanvin printed iPhone case, Net-a-porter.com, £45.
3. DVF Mantra heart-print iPhone case, Net-a-porter.com, £25.
4. Anchor-print iPhone case, J.Crew, £21.40.
5. Marc by Marc Jacobs metallic Stardust logo iPhone case, Net-a-porter.com, £30.
6. Weston Agate printed iPhone case, Net-a-porter.com, £33.

AW12 CATWALK INSPIRATION: CHRISTOPHER KANE, MULBERRY, PRABAL GURUNG...

With this freakish weather we've been experiencing, I haven't been inspired to invest in a  substantial summer wardrobe this year. Instead I'd quite like to fast-forward to September and start buying my AW12 wardrobe instead. So for a bit inspiration I've picked some of my favourite looks from the AW12 catwalks; bring on luxurious brocade, metallics, embellishment and sumptious faux-fur!

L-R: Suno, Prabal Gurung and Christopher Kane.

From L-R: Lanvin, Erdem and Lanvin.

From L:R: Mulberry, Burberry and Mulberry.

2012 MET GALA: LFF'S FAVOURITE FASHION TRENDS

Is it just me, or was last night's 2012 Met Gala one of the most fabulous fashion-wise to date? The variety of looks was what really did it for me; from full-length, fabulous evening gowns through to chic trouser suits to knock-out flesh-baring mini dresses, there was something for everyone here. Here's some of the key trends that emerged from the night:

Bianca Brandolini D'Adda in Dolce and Gabbana, Carey Mulligan in Prada and Lana del Rey in Altuzarra dazzled in metallics on the red carpet.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada, Emma Stone in Lanvin and Victoria Justice in McQ by Alexander McQueen proved fabulous doesn't always have to be full-length.

Coco Rocha wearing Elizabeth Taylor's (yes, really!) vintage Givenchy pant suit, Solange Knowles in Rachel Roy and January Jones in Versace all brought citrus-yellow sunshine to proceedings.

Flaunting some serious plumage were Beyonce in Givency Haute Couture, Cate Blanchett in Alexander McQueen and Kate Bosworth in Prada. 

For more Met Gala fashion visit Zimbio galleries.

THE FASHIONABLE FRENCH LOOK

If the name of my blog isn't a dead giveaway, I'm a massive fan of French fashion.

Many of the French fashion classics are style staples in my wardrobe; nothing feels cooler than a Breton t-shirt, more elegant than a ballet flat or chicer than a quilted tote. And let's face it, the most iconic fashion brands originate from France (Chanel, Dior & Lanvin anyone?). There's also plenty of smaller, up-and-coming French brands out there that offer the insouciant national cool at a more affordable price (Maje, Sandro and A.P.C spring to mind). So here's my pick of the best buys out there from some of these beautiful labels.... 

1. A.P.C Striped top, Net-a-porter.com, £115.
2. Lanvin Alber Silouettes notebook, Matches, £40.00.
3. Maje Leopard print and silk sweater, Net-a-porter.com, £155.
4. Lanvin Swarovski Crystal clip earrings, Net-a-porter.com, £310.
5. Carven yellow cotton pleated skirt, Matches, £221.00.  
6. Lanvin leather ballet flats, Net-a-porter.com, £330.

MY OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY OUTFIT

Those of you that read my recent post about office Christmas party fashion may be interested to see the look I decided on for my office do held last Friday. To help us prepare, we had a mobile hairdresser in the office all day which I absolutely loved because I'm hopeless at styling my own locks. I showed my hair stylist this photo of Adele for inspiration because in my opinion she has the most beautiful, goddess-like mane of hair in showbiz. The result as you can see was big, bouffant 60s-inspired hair that I loved- when it comes to hair the bigger the better!

Outfit-wise I decided to be economical and recycled my favourite sequin-embellished party top; probably my best charity shop find of all time costing me just £5! The trousers are Zara, the shoes are Office and my suave companion is our Visual Merchandising Manager, Paris.  A smart trouser + glitzy statement top combination makes an economical outfit choice for the festive season because you can mix and match the pieces seperately to create different looks for all your social engagements. If you don't have a charity shop sequinned number to hand, here are some great glitzy top alternatives available online now:

1. Sequinned tulle and jersey top, Lanvin at net-a-porter.com, £1,575. 2. Sequin front shirt, Warehouse, £40.00. 3.  Embellished shell top, Next, £48.

FANTASY CHRISTMAS WISHLIST

1. M&S Pure Cashmere Leopard Print Scarf £85.00
2. Anton Heunis Bell Chain Small Gold Spike Necklace £152.00
3. Lanvin Bow-front Metallic Leather Ballerina Flats £355
4. Smythson Soho Diary, Lapis Collection £230.00
5. Chambers and Beau True Love Friendship Bracelet £60
6. Mulberry Lily with Gems Embellished Suede Shoulder Bag £850
7. Diptyque Perdigone Candle £45