The Style Council

[smokingboot]

This is a pathetically girly call for help! I have a breakfast meeting with meeeja peeps in Claridges in the Autumm. I want to impress, but - wait for it -I have not got a single clue what to wear. It's not helped by Claridges 'smart dress' code for their restaurants. See, I'm going in as a creative so I don't have to look corporate or businessy, but I guess I should look like Sparkling-Bright-Eyed-CharmingBoot as opposed to I've-Got-Cornflakes-In-My-NostrilsBoot. I am already daunted by the whole matching shoes and handbag thing, not to mention my inability to eat even a croissant without covering myself in it. I have a vision of my American colleague mesmerised by pastry shards in the gaps of my teeth while jam trickles down my front. Eggs are definitely out.

Anyone got any ideas? Any brand names? Any web pages?

Any help rewarded by cosmic cuddles xxx

Comments

[squintywitch.livejournal.com]

Well, I've got nothing to do with the meeeja, but I think if I had an important meeting of this nature I'd go for some sort of smart Hobbes style outfit:
http://hobbs.co.uk/index.cfm?page=1108

And I can't be trusted with breakfast. Just a coffee? Or maybe small fruit salad (no yoghurt)...

[squeezypaws.livejournal.com]

I recommend Monsoon for something that looks good quality and is flattering. The Summer Sale is probably imminent with 70% off some things so even more reason to have a look there.

Or go into Selfridges and blow 300 on a DVT dress
http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/36112

Or if you come into money I like this one too!
http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/35477

I think the colours would look great with your dark hair although I haven't seen your hair for a year!!

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Fruit salad may well be the answer - can't believe I'm going to be in a famously posh restaurant and all I order is the canned pineapple/glace cherry combo! I suppose being cool means I cannot take advantage of my host and order the most eclectic/bizarre/expensive brekkie and spend all day oohing over the menu. Damn.

Thank you for this link, I've always been such a camden market girl but the hobbs stuff is very elegant indeed. I'll take my time looking through it. Oh those jackets...

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

My hair is endlessly mutable when it comes to colour, cos it's had the same style for about 20 years! I went through two attempts at salon red earlier this year to find it fade both times within four weeks. So I got a few blonde streaks in it, and they look OK, and the day after tomorrow, more blonde streaks...I was going to send it entirely blonde with a few very light white/pink streaks but now that I have this meeting, the experiment can wait.

Monsoon is a difficult one for me, because the colours are lovely and rich yet the cut never fails to disapoint me, but a 70% sale is irresistable. I have to try.

These net-a-porter dresses are lovely, the second one especially for breakfast, though I think our colourist lady would turn endless cartwheels of no-no at the combo of my skin and orange. Fantastic link, thank you!

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

Seconding Monsoon, and it might be a bit naff but I like Littlewoods stuff...

[squeezypaws.livejournal.com]

...the cut is so personal isn't it? For many years I was a Monsoon shape, so to speak, and in my skinnier days a Karen Millen Shape. But now I fear I may be a hessian sack cloth or bin bag shape.

Or maybe a BHS shape.

*has a little cry :)

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Pfah! I've been looking at the link you gave me (very dangerous site btw) and there's hundreds of dresses you'd look fab in, not least the two you pointed out to me!

Monsoon stuff used to be so weird on me - the bosom bits just sloped off while from the stomach on everything was just fine. I would always leave thinking Monsoon had some secret conspiracy to convince me I was a quality standard British pear!

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Haven't looked at Littlewoods for years, possibly because I always regarded it as better for separates/accessories and I was always rubbish at putting this with that and making it work. My mind's eye is a bit rubbish with clothes - I prefer to buy the whole thing off the rack, but that ends up stupidly expensive.

[ravenrigan.livejournal.com]

I'd go for a dress.

Less predictable and more individual than a suit, and a lot more confortable.

You can always add a jacket, shrug or something else to make it a bit more formal, and then you have two outfits.

Thirding Monsoon.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Lovely icon! I too love dresses especially combined with jackets. Monsoon, well, I'll give it a go - never been lucky with it before but fingers crossed!

[bytepilot.livejournal.com]

You had to mention the jam didn't you...
Just couldn't let it lie.

Well that's my thought process derailed for the day.

(snuggles)