Label love-Mint Velvet SS11

I've recently been admiring the SS11 range from Mint Velvet. The collection is full of easy, wearable pieces, perfect for layering on these transitional days when we're not quite sure which way the weather is going to go!

I may have reached that age when I no longer aspire to wearing cutting edge fashion. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been of that mindset! I've always liked to be aware of the current trends, but not slavishly follow them, preferring to stick to timeless pieces with the occasional quirky twist & I think the Mint Velvet collection has some great pieces on offer.

Here are my favourite pieces from the current range.

Silk colour block asymmetric dress, £79

Grey belted leather waistcoat, £175

Black cupro draped jacket, £79

SS11 Couture shows

I must admit that I tend to bypass the Haute Couture shows in favour of the ready-to-wear collections. I think it's because these collections are so far removed from the realms of ordinary life, my life anyway, that I don't feel a connection with the frippery on show.

However I decided to take a look at the SS11 collections & was pleasantly surprised by the wearability of some of the ranges. Here are my top picks from the catwalk.

All images courtesy of style.com.

These are my two favourite looks that Alexis Mabille sent down the runway. It's all about simplicity, fluidity, clean lines & colour.

Giorgio Armani offered a very modern collection, which I'm not sure the usual Armani prive customer will understand, but I liked it nonetheless. Each piece was amazingly sculpted & I loved the liquidity along with the colour combination of inky blue combined with flashes of red.

The Bouchra Jarrar collection was all about the linear. Tailored looks don't really tickle my fancy but I can appreciate a beautifully cut trouser suit. Aside from the tailoring, the collection offered some great dresses, reminding me of the Martine Sitbon collections which inspired me whilst at university in the mid 90's.

The Chanel couture show didn't wow me. Don't get me wrong, I admired the beautiful beading & embroidery, but I din't particularly covet any of the collection.

I viewed the Dior show with wonderment. You can always count on John Galliano to offer up a spectacle of grand proportions. The sheer amount of fabric involved in a single dress made me think back to my days of designing & the restrictions applied when creating High Street ranges.

As different as they are, I loved the Elie Saab collection as much as Dior. The range was neither too sweetly feminine nor overtly sexy. I thought the balance was perfect.The Grecian draping & slight Edwardian shaping looked stunning & I loved the long blush tulle & organza dresses adorned with flowers.

The final collection that I'm going to mention is Valentino. I liked this collection, but it didn't blow me away. It was delicate, pretty & demure but I wasn't eager with anticipation to click onto the next look. There was a gentle nod to the iconic Valentino red, but not enough for my liking.

The delights of Rene Gruau

In an attempt to ban the obligatory January blues I recently took myself on a trip to Somerset House to see the Rene Gruau & the line of beauty exhibition. I wasn't disappointed.

I just love the freedom of line, the use of colour. Every image exudes a certain confidence.

Unfortunately the show has now closed, but I stumbled across the Matthew Williamson photographic exhibition on my way out & can recommend this if you're partial to a blast of colour, as I am!

Here's a selection of my favourite images from the exhibition.

Spring jewellery trends

I know it seems at the moment as though Winter is never ending, but the high street will shortly be full of their Spring ranges. So what are going to be the key jewellery pieces for the new season? Once again, I've trawled the collections & here's my roundup of the trends...

All images courtesy of style.com.

What better way to kick off than to mention the importance of colour this coming season. It's all about gorgeous saturated brights with flashes of neon. From cobalt blue to tangerine via oceanic hues, colour is the name of the game for Spring/Summer 2011. If you don't fancy head-to-toe hues, why not add a splash of colour with your accessories? Here's some great jewellery following this theme from Issa, Moschino Cheap & Chic & Oscar de la Renta.

The next trend I want to mention is the 1970's. Spring will be giving a definite nod to this decade bringing us bold colour blocking, big flares, an element of hippy style with fringing galore & a dash of punk rock, all mixed with a touch of Studio 54 style. How will this translate into accessories? There's agate pendants from Just Cavalli, tassel accessories from Gucci, Paul & Joe & Sonia Rykiel, plus fringed neck pieces & woven leather bracelets from Roberto Cavalli.

The final main theme I want to mention is white. Although this trend focuses on simple dressing without adornment, Richard Nicoll, Issa & Dolce & Gabbana add gold embellishment to great effect.

It also looks like it'll be a season for chandelier & hoop earrings.

Finally, a micro trend I see continuing is statement bangles, whether worn alone or stacked. They can be seen at Giorgio Armani, Marc by Marc Jacobs & Gucci.