Christian Louboutin AW15 – top picks

Christian Louboutin is having a bit of a punk moment this season and his liberal use of black patent leather, studs, red suede and leopard print is ticking many of my boxes (so to speak). As you know by now, my love of leopard print doesn't waver with the seasons. Fashion might be constantly falling in and out of love with it, but for me it is a staple. It is, however, notoriously tricky. Not all leopard prints were created equal – the colours, pattern and fabric have to be just right or else it looks cheap. It's hard to pin-point exactly what it is that constitutes the perfect leopard print but I can tell you in an instant if it is a hit or a miss.

Likewise, anything with studs can go from cool to tacky in the blink of an eye, regardless of the price tag. I've seen high street stores get it right and designers put a hefty price-tag on something that looks cheap and nasty. So, despite loving the flavour of Louboutin's AW15 offerings, not everything is on my wishlist. The selection above is my personal pick of the bunch and I would be more than happy to see any of these babies under my Christmas tree...


Clockwise from left:
•  Top croche suede over-the-knee boots £1,695 – 120mm
•  Anjalina studded patent-leather pumps £545 – 120mm
•  Toerless Muse suede pumps £625 – 100mm
•  Troubida leather sandals £795 – 120mm
•  So Kate leopard print pumps £525 – 120mm

All available from www.net-a-porter.com

AW15/16 boots for every occasion...

There are very few things that get me excited about winter, I'm a summer girl through and through. But, as always, fashion has a way of making even the gloomiest times of year that bit more enjoyable, and boots are undoubtedly one of my winter highlights. (I actually wrote a whole post about my Top 5 Sartorial Reasons to Appreciate Autumn/Winter a few years ago, which you can find here.) With this in mind, here is some of A/W15's finest footwear to brighten a rather miserable Thursday morning...

1. Corsita ankle boots, £825 Christian Louboutin
Black, leopard print and that classic red sole... yes please.

2. Chiara suede ankle boots, £650 Sophia Webster
I'm beginning to feel like I should be getting paid to do Sophia Webster's PR! But seriously, she can do no wrong in my eyes... what can I say about these boots other than I want them. Now.

3. Leather ankle boots, £695 Christian Louboutin
If ever a shoe with a spike heel was going to be called practical, this would be it. They're smart and sensible, but leave it to Louboutin to ensure that they are still sexy. 

4. Embroidered suede boots, £835 Balmain
The price tag is the only thing stopping me from running out and buying these right now! It's nice to see something a little different from the typical biker boot that gets re-hashed each season, and something tells me these would be as comfy as they are beautiful.

5. Studded ankle boots, £885 Givenchy
These leather boots are perhaps a little more practical than the suede options and (I suspect) more than a little inspired by the Chloé Susanna boot. A great option for keeping your toes dry during London's rainy winters. 

6. Crystal embellished suede ankle boots, £825 Dolce & Gabbana
Another suede option here, but given a D&G twist with that beautiful pearl embellishment on the heel. The detail elevates this from a classic ankle boot to something a bit more special.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is my favourite holiday. Pagan and religious roots aside, it's basically an excuse (should you need one) to be creative and go crazy with the costumes and makeup. And who doesn't enjoy drinking a cocktail or two dressed as a zombie bride?! Exactly. So here's a little bit of Halloween fashion inspiration, from the incredible Maleficent-inspired shoes by Christian Louboutin, to Taking Back Sunday's 'Halloween Is' shirt....

• Eylure Halloween Lashes Spooky, £4.64 (RRP £6.95) www.superdrug.com
• Leather tote bag by REDValentino, £410 www.net-a-porter.com
• Limited edition Taking Back Sunday 'Halloween Is' shirt, www.takingbacksunday.com
• House of Holland Nails by Elegant Touch, £7.99 www.asos.com
• Maleficent inspired Malangeli shoes, £950 Christian Louboutin
• UV Lipstick, £4 www.topshop.com 
• Sequin bat mask, £7 www.topshop.com

Happy Birthday Christian Louboutin!

Yesterday was Christian Louboutin's birthday, and seeing as he has brought so much joy to the feet of women worldwide, I thought I'd mark the occasion by sharing a few of his current designs. The AW13 collection features plenty of regal colours and gold embellishments, which were brought to life in Louboutin boutique windows using elaborate displays inspired by Ancient Egypt.

The collection also includes this year's new So Kate pump (possibly the ultimate stiletto!), with its classy super-slim heel and pointed toe. It is reminiscent of Louboutin's original Pigalle, but slightly more modern and sleek.

1) Miss Loubi spiked patent-leather clutch, £995
2) Estanado patent-leather ankle boots, £675, 120mm heel with 10mm platform
3) So Kate suede pumps, £395, 120mm heel
4) Daffodile crystal-embellished suede pumps, £3,795, 160mm heel with 60mm platform

Louboutin and his iconic red soles are instantly recognisable, but here are a few facts that you might not know:

• Before setting up his company in 1991, Louboutin worked for Charles Jourdan, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Maud Frizon and Roger Vivier.
• The shade of red chosen for his soles was inspired by an assistant in the office who would wear the same vibrant colour on her lips and nails every day.
• The Louboutin red is officially registered as Pantone shade 18-1663 TPX.
• His single biggest client is Danielle Steel who owns more than 6,000 pairs.
• He refers to his six-inch heels as 'bed shoes' as you can only lay down in them.
• One New Yorker reportedly told her husband that the Christian Louboutin who kept appearing in their bank details was her gynaecologist!

Happy Birthday Christian! Here's to many more years of fabulous footwear to come.

Friday Fashion Fix #3 – Loving Louboutin

Today's Friday fashion fix comes to you from fantasy land – a place somewhere in the depths of my mind where I have thousands of pounds to spend on beautifully impractical shoes and am surrounded by bars with valet parking to wear them to.

Ever since visiting the Christian Louboutin retrospective at the Design Museum I've been fantasising about his shoes more than usual and these are two of my favourite pairs. A picture is supposedly worth a thousand words, so as it is Friday I will keep it brief and let the shoes speak for themselves...

Asteroid 140 suede and patent-leather pumps

20th Anniversary Isolde 160 patent-leather sandals

If you have the cash to burn, both styles are available from Net-a-porter. I meanwhile will keep dreaming and maybe write a very nice letter to Santa... do you think he accepts bribes?!

Friday Fashion Fix #2 – I heart Vivienne Westwood

Today's fashion fix is dedicated to my current obsession... my beautiful tassel and chain bag by Vivienne Westwood. This little baby is the perfect size for evening with just enough space for your phone, keys, cards and lipstick.

A big thank you to my beautiful girls at GMC Publications for the best leaving gift in the world. If I'd known they were going to spoil me like that I would have left months ago!

Now I just need to save up for the Louboutins to go with it...