White and Wonderful....

Rihanna at the Glamour magazine "Woman of the Year" lunch earlier this week....what an incredible dress, I think she carries this off beautifully....

Gorgeous.....LOVE ruffles!

Bliss....

Elegant and classic....I love this look....

It wouldn't suit everyone but doesn't this look fabulous?

The lovely Kate....

....and the beautiful Diane Kruger....getting it right yet again....

Choices, choices....what is a girl to wear? Wouldn't it be fun to do this just one more time?!

FAB-U-LOUS!!!

SJP.....SATC is coming back!

My in-laws in 1960 on their wedding day.....I love this photo. My mother-in-law worked as an au pair/nanny in London's Hampstead from the time she arrived in London until the time she got married and worked with two lovely families with whom she was really happy. The second family were very fond of her and bought her the lace for her wedding dress in Paris.....the family had 2 small boys and she learned to speak English as they did - the youngest one really didn't like my father-in-law and blamed him for taking his Luisa away! The youngest son is pictured above on the steps....he grew up to be a famous musician in a very famous 80's group....just look how cute he looks here in his white socks and shoes and his beautiful velvet collared coat! And just look how happy my in-laws look....(this is also the church we got married in).

{photographer: damian russell}

Damian Russell's portfolio is a heady mix of dark and light, minimalist and maximalist, at times neutral, and at others, awash in colours and patterns . . .






{images:1, 4-8 damian russell via inside out; 2, 3 - via emma; thanks, felicity!}

{inspiration: tim walker + polka dots}

. . . fun, fun, fun with polka dots and appointments, photo shoots, to-do lists, dinner reservations, and answering thought-provoking questions about design -- and later, a stunningly pretty give-away . . .

{image: tim walker for vogue italia via starbucks & jane austen + julia}

{two lovely things: luxurious textures}

. . . whether tiered & romantically lacy cupcake stands or a warm & welcoming pile of mohair blankets, there is nothing quite like the quiet luxury of beautiful textures to warm up an early autumn morning . . .

{p.s.} recent two lovely things:
* black & white
* mirror, mirror
* bits of green

{images: 1 - teaspoon vintage; 2 - scan by this is glamorous, photography by polly wreford for at home with white by atlanta bartlett}

White Hot....

The beautiful Kate Winslet.....I just love this photo of her....

I'm not sure about having a bath in my bedroom but I love everything about this room....

Elegant and pristine....clearly no children allowed in this room!

I would love one of these in my next garden....

Looking fabulous....SJP in white last week....

The always beautiful Diane Kruger....so elegant...

Now this is what I need.....it's a dog's life!

White tie...okay Hugh, we'll let you in....as it's you....

My grampy used to drive a green Morris Minor exactly like this....I love this one in white....

The lovely Penelope Cruz, Oscars 2009, the Vanity Fair party....

I love everything in this photograph....

Just beautiful....

Grace Kelly on her wedding day.....absolutely exquisite.....two years ago we visited Monaco and went to the most amazing exhibition which I believe was to mark the 25th anniversary of her death. Many of her clothes were on show as was her wedding dress....it was stunning....and just TINY!!

White, white and white....

SJP, Oscars 2009....fabulous....

I love this house!

Cool as a cucumber....

What an amazing house....incredible design details....

We shall be ladies who have tea....

Oscars 2009 again....one night, two beautiful dresses....

Oh, this would be bliss....large fluffy pillows and wonderful white crisp bedlinen....

I had the most wonderful week-end.....I attended my cousin's wedding in Kent - also known as "the garden of England" - and my daughter was a flower-girl. It was a humanist wedding - non religious - something none of us had attended before and it was amazing. The bride and groom are both academics, very successful in their chosen fields and so well suited it was wonderful to see - they truly did complete each other.

My cousin was just 19 when she fell ill in the US after spending her first university holidays working out there and she was rushed home after they discovered she had ovarian cancer.....she had a hysterectomy on her 20th birthday and began chemo and radiotherapy......things were very difficult for some time.....but she recovered, went back to university and graduated with a first class honours degree. She is now 40, has written books and papers, travels around the world presenting her research at various conferences and in three weeks time, he is giving up his career and they are moving to Brazil for three years where she has won a Wellcome Trust award to complete some research in her specialist field. Can you imagine how proud her parents are of her.....she is an amazing person.

The wedding took place at Bore Place, a beautiful 17th century manor house with its own walled garden, ponds, organic farm and vegetable gardens, water features, stables....they married under a 400 year old oak tree.....it was actually the only outdoor wedding I have been to, it was such a special day.

The bride looked fabulous in a French grey ballerina length off the shoulder 50's style dress and she was attended by her 5 flower girls who wore dusky pink. Friends of theirs did really moving readings and their former flatmates played Spanish guitar and sang music so beautiful that I don't think there was a dry eye in the house....or rather the barn, since that was where the reception was held. It really was a wedding to remember.