Looks I'm loving

Today marks a first for Lost & Found - today's look comes courtsey of a man. That's right, you heard me. 

Now, The Boy in my life does not care so much for fashion (as was recently documented in Tesco magazine) but that statement couldn't be further from the truth for Adam Gallagher, an incredibly stylish 21-year-old mens fashion blogger and stylist from California. I came across Adam's look on Lookbook, loved what I saw and wanted to share some of his looks with you here today.

Adam has developed his own sense of style that seems to grow on a daily basis - with each look drawing different inspirations from the last - here's some of my favourites.

 All images by Adam Gallagher

Read Adam's beautiful blog, I AM GALLA, here.

My week in photos 17

The past couple of weeks have been pretty stressful. Starting with a week packed with not one but two migraines with aura (they are quite the party let me tell you) and followed by a hectic few days at work when my MAA was on holiday. Basically meaning lots of late nights and early mornings, what fun for me.

I have somehow managed to find time to fit in quite a bit though. Last weekend The Boy and I went for dinner at the home of our close friends Dan and Kim, in Hither Green. We ate stew with dumplings, watched Ten Things I Hate About You and had a lovely catch up. It was the perfect release after such a horrible few days which mostly revolved around throwing up, and not being able to see or feel my arms. I must confess, I did break dry January by having a glass of Prosecco but believe me I needed it. If I hadn't had a drink I would have probably spent most of the evening worrying about having another attack and being sick in their bathroom (which would have made a nice change).

A very snowy Gardens

We awoke to a thick blanket of snow and after a breakfast of bacon sandwiches we set off back to Kensington. I love London in the snow. The city is quiet and still and, I don't know if its just me, but everyone just seems to get more friendly. We spent the afternoon in the garden, which was surprisingly child free (although evidence of their creativity was everywhere), having snowball fights and taking photos, it was blissful. 

  Clockwise from top left: Poached eggs and black pudding on toast - My latest read - Selfridges - wrapped up against the cold - Winter berries - All quiet in the Gardens - Snowmen galore - Date night-in with The Boy

2012, the year gone by

2012 seemed both long and short at the same time, filled with spectacular moments of joy and sadness - but mostly, I loved it. Better late than never, here's a recap of some of my highlights.

Clockwise from top left: A trip to Dublin - Going on an egg hunt - A blustery day in Brighton - Climbing to the top of Glastonbury Tor (which I hope to do again this year) - The Hobbs AW12 press day - The Boy's birthday - The Nelly launch party with my wonderful girls - My very first homemade trifle

Clockwise from top left: Anti-gravity yoga (the most hilarious form of exercise ever) - Drinks on the rooftops of London town - All things Jubilee - A sunny day in Richmond - Rollarcoasters with Zsa for The Boy's birthday - Canoeing with family and friends - A trip down the river - The work Jubilee lunch

Clockwise from top left: A gorgeous wedding in France - Ballgowns at the V&A - A fantastic family holiday - Seeing the Swans of Wells - Sunrise over the gardens - Picnics in the park - Olympic fever comes to London - Welcoming the Olympics with drinks and dancing...on a boat

 Clockwise from top left: Miss Kimber becomes Mrs Holloway - A sunny trip to Bicester - Another amazing wedding - The Shining in West Brompton Cemetary - The most amazing birthday cake ever - Bobby and Caroline tie the knot - Afternoon tea for my birthday - A disastrous (but hilarious) cocktail making class

Clockwise from top left: Running the Royal Parks Half Marathon - Sheep on Oxford Street for Wool Week - My last night with the Hobbs girls - Wells carnival - Christmas in Manchester- The gift I've waited all year for - Grandad's 90th birthday - The Boy and I, ready for our close up

Sorry for all the pictures but 2012 had so many magical moments it was hard to narrow it down to only a few!

Looking ahead to Spring

It's hard to believe, as the snowflakes fall softly outside, that Christmas Spring is just around the corner, but if the magazines and shops had their way we'd be fighting through the blizzard to hit the high street to pick up our warm weather essentials. After all, you never know just when that elusive heatwave will hit.

As you all know, I'm not shopping at the moment (and it's going very well) so no amount of newness splashed across the fashion pages can tempt me to part with my hard earned cash. But that doesn't mean I haven't been spotting some gorgeous new trends I'm keen to try - and some beautiful pieces I'm hoping may still be around when the shopping ban is over.

Mango is a brand I don't immediately gravitate towards and I'm not sure why. It may be because in a similar way to Zara, they don't shout about their new collections or offer lots of discounts and promotions. They simply whisper about the amazing items they have in store and this can sometimes mean they become drowned out by other retailers on the market. Which is a shame, because whenever I do venture inside or online, my shopping basket is often full before I have a chance to say "What brand is this again?".

Mango have done it again for Spring with a collection full of gorgeous textures and fabrics that scream expensive but have a budget friendly price tag. Here are a few of my favourite looks from their most recent catalogue.

 All of these items can be purchased at Mango.com

A Saturday stroll

Last weekend Zsa Zsa and I decided enough was enough, we needed a girls day in order to catch up, de-stress and reboot for the week ahead, so we set off for a day of fun in our city.

I'd been wanting to catch the Tim Walker exhibit at Somerset House for months and, knowing it would be right up Zsa Zsa's street too we arranged to meet there for a spot of Saturday morning culture.

The ice skating was still pulling in the crowds, even though the festive season is well and truly over, but luckily the exhibit was eerily quiet, meaning Zsa and I could drink in the beautiful images almost undisturbed. As predicted Zsa loved it as much as me and after spending an hour taking in the gorgeous imagery we took a walk along the river. The day was crisp and wintery, perfect for a wander along the Thames path to build up an appetite for brunch.

We walked as far as the Kings Road, engrossed in conversation, where we headed straight to one of our favourite eateries, Le Pain Quotedian. We sampled the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (delicious) with cups of fresh mint tea and mugs of hot chocolate and continued our usual rambling. It was a great day (what day spend walking, talking and eating with your best friend isn't?) and a wonderful start to 2013.

Looks I'm loving

Today's look comes courtesy of Rachel Marie Iwanyszyn, a 24-year-old aspiring model from Chicago. 

Those who follow this feature will know I'm a fan of all things retro inspired - particularly hats, and Rachel Marie's look pretty much epitomises all that I love about seventies hippie style. Here's some of my favourites of Rachel Marie's ensembles.

All images by Rachel Marie Iwanyszyn

Find out more about Rachel Marie over on her beautiful blog, JAG LEVER or take a peek at some more of her looks over on Lookbook.

No Noise at Selfridges

On Thursday I ventured back to my old stomping grounds, Oxford Street. This week saw the release of our SS13 collection so I made the most of a quiet day in the office and hit the streets to check it out in some stores.

Selfridges was my first stop, so as I waited for the doors to open I got a chance to check out the latest window displays by this retail giant. After the hustle and bustle of 2012, when the store had many an eclectic VM display theme (all things British for the jubilee, not your average Christmas, and an explosion of spots for Yayoi Kusama's collaboration with Louis Vuitton) the store has decided to go back to their roots and reintroduce an element of calm to the shopping experience with their No Noise campaign. 

Not only has the store opened The Quiet Shop selling de-branded merchandise from major brands such as Heinz, Clinique, Creme de la Mer and Levi's but they've also introduced the Silence Room, where shoppers can take a load off and truly take a break from the craziness of central London. Visitors are asked to drop off their mobile phones and shoes on arrival in order to truly appreciate all the space has to offer and I have to admit, I think this is a fantastic idea. The Boy doesn't care so much for shopping and there has been many, many, an occasion when a room such as this would have been the perfect solution to my shopping woes (i.e. watching him have a full tantrum in the footwear department of Next over my wanting to buy a(nother) pair of boots).

Alas, I needed to get back to the office so didn't get a chance to checkout the de-branded products myself (I hope to next time I'm in town) but here's a selection of pictures of the window displays which I must say I adored.

 Find out more about the No Noise campaign here.

Water, water everywhere...

So, it's the new year and I'm desperately trying not to shop before my trip to New York. Even with my frugal, buy-in-advance ways the lead up to Christmas was an expensive one, so January looks set to be particularly lean. The good news is that not only do I not need anything but my wardrobe is overflowing with gorgeous forgotten gems that simply need a bit of a re-style for SS13 to bring them up-to-date.

That being said, there are plenty of new season beauties out there for the taking. Just not by me. So, here's what I would buy, if I were allowed to shop.

1. A leather-look pencil skirt

PU Pencil Skirt - £28

I went for a wonderful brunch and a wander around Chelsea with Zsa Zsa on Saturday and she was looking as stylish as ever in this little gem from Next - a steal at £28. I liked it so much I found myself on the way to the online check out before reality hit and I had to take myself off to do some cleaning to stop myself from purchasing it - I advise you do so quick before it's sold out.

2. A pleated shirt dress

NW3 Chiara Dress - £149

I love this preppy shirt dress by NW3 at Hobbs - it's a great transitional piece that will work now with tights and boots, then with sandals and a straw hat for the warmer months. I'm telling you, this dress will be mine by the end of the season.

3. Peep-toe wedge boot

Open toe high vamp wedge boots - £60

Wedges are one of my favourite type of heels, comfortable yet stylish and this pair by River Island are absolutely gorgeous and perfect for a night out.

4. A spot of leopard print

Leopard print t-shirt dress - £35

If you know me, you'll know that I love leopard print and this dress by River Island is the perfect way to indulge my addiction without looking like I belong on TOWIE.

5. Big black shoulder bag

Black leather bag - £69.99

It's a big regret of mine that I did not buy the black leather shopper that NW3 did last season and I've been searching for a similar version ever since. Luckily for me Clarks has come up with this beauty to fulfill my shoulder-bag needs - I will also own this by the end of the season, of that I'm sure of.

Time for a new start

It's that time of year again when dramatic and sometimes drastic statements about new ways of living are often made, and usually swiftly broken. But not for me.

I gave up making generic and unachievable resolutions years ago and instead, now make a few smaller, more realistic goals that are easier to stick to. So, here's my ambitions and aims for 2013 and how I'm planning on achieving them.

1. Take charge of my finances
Much like my best friend Zsa Zsa, I've finally realised over the past year that maybe, rather than spending every hard-earned penny in Primark, I should have actually saved some money for a rainy day. Now I find myself in my thirtieth year, without a home to call my own - but a wardrobe bulging with, well, crap mostly. 
My spending habits have improved drastically over the past year but still, if I'm ever to fulfill my dreams, efforts must be doubled. Therefore starting from my January paycheck I will be saving 20% of my monthly wage on payday - then also saving anything that remains at the end of the month. I'm not saving up for anything in particular (apart from the dream house) but a rainy day fund never hurt anyone. The Boy will also be setting up an ISA (whether he likes it or not). 

Image by Rosie's Armoire

2. Get planning
This year I want to make time to see my true friends and family more. There were some tough times last year, people showed their true colours (both bad and good) and it really made me see who is important in my life. Last year we went to many a wedding but this year I want to visit people for no other reason than that I enjoy their company. The diary is out and I'm already planning plenty of weekends away and days out to see some of my favourite people. So, whether it's a weekend in Cambridge with the cousin, New York with my family and The Boy, Easter in Somerset or a night of Karaoke with my uni girls, 2013 looks set to be packed with fun times - I already cannot wait.

3. When an idea makes sense, do it
Ideas come in many different shapes and sizes and can lead us in many different directions, but if the past year has taught me anything, it's to go with my gut. If something doesn't seem right, it usually isn't, so don't waste your energy on lost causes. This year I will be taking charge and making decisions that I know will have a positive impact on the life I lead. Therefore, whether The Boy likes it or not, I will be buying a shredder and a blender. And a push top kitchen bin. 

4. Get back on the healthy eating bandwagon
Weight Watchers has very much been on the back burner of late but all the overindulgence throughout December has truly taken its toll and it's time to kick things up a notch. 
After only one week of 2013 I'm already 3lbs down all thanks to a touch of willpower, plenty of salads and lots of long walks - plus a little help from the Londoner's Anti Diet! The guilt free ice cream is to die for.

5. Stop procrastinating, start doing
One of my new years resolutions is to give up reading the Daily Mail online and even though it's only been a few days the changes this has brought about have been life changing (no, I'm not exaggerating). I literally feel as though I have given myself the gift of time. For example on Thursday night alone, not only did I find time when I arrived home from work to reply to two emails, make tomorrows lunch and clean the bathroom, but I was even able to put my feet up and *shock horror* relax. Who would have thought it, there is life beyond badly written gossip portraying itself as news. 

6. Support causes I believe in and push myself out of my comfort zone
In October I ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon for NDCS and I am currently anxiously waiting to find out whether I'll be able to take part again this year. The difference now is that I cannot wait to complete this challenge again, whereas last year I was absolutely terrified. I ended up raising far more than I had anticipated for a great charity and proved something to myself along the way.

Another cause close to my heart is that of Cellardoor magazine. A fantastic online read that is the brainchild of two of my closest friends, Cellardoor now has the opportunity to move into print media - so, if you're feeling generous please make a pledge here to support this beautiful magazine.

Image courtesy of Cellardoor magazine

I will keep you updated (as usual) with how I'm getting on with my new years resolutions and I'd love to hear how you've been going with yours - happy 2013!