Leona Edmiston AW2011 Collection

Now it's no secret I love Leona Edmiston. The lady, the frocks, everything. Over the years I have amassed a large collection of her dresses - all are stylish, most are timeless and some are my favourite dresses of all time. A big call given the number of dresses I own.

Her new collection is no exception - filled with gorgeous dresses and gowns, each more beautiful than the last. The first few drops of the season are already in story and I can confidently say that this collection will not disappoint. All the dresses so far are gorgeous.

Here are a few of my picks of the season:

Brandy: I love the gorgeous floral print - it reminds me of a Renoir painting. The style is very chic and I see this as a frock that will last well into the Spring with it's pretty rosy pattern. The shape is likely to be very flattering also - the bell sleeves are classic and the deep V neckline is subtle enough for the office but sexy enough for a dinner for two.

Sunny: I'm a sucker for a Maxi dress and this is an absolute winner. It's in store already and the combination of the scoop neckline and the floral hem rising up the dress makes for a stunning piece. It's selling fast so I'd get in soon if you are interested. There is a shorter version (with a boat neckline - Uma) but of the two I think this is the nicer dress.


Olivia: the same print as the Brandy, this dress is a perfect addition to the winter wardrobe. It's feminine, stylish and the cowl neckline is super flattering. It also comes in a pretty fuchsia colour.


Fern: another dress that is already in store, this 1940's throwback comes in the gorgeous moss colour you see here and a pretty dark red (rust). Both are stunning. The cinched waist, scooped neckline and full skirt make for a very flattering silhouette.


Vita: This dress isn't one that is going to suit me I don't think but I adore it's McQueen-esque print and the pretty flared skirt. It's a definite work of art. A showstopper. People will talk when you enter the party in this outfit and it will all be positive.


Tammy: A classic Leona design, the flared skirt and boat neckline will suit most people. The plain black is thrown into relief by the unusual but pretty lace insert. I can't wait to try this one on.


Jessica: Probably my favourite dress of this season. I adore it's homage to Mad Men. Very Joan Holloway-Harris. The colour is divine, the style very sexy secretary. Perfect with a strand of gumball sized pearls, a satin clutch, bright red lipstick and a martini. Chin chin darling.

Of course this isn't the full list of the dresses I love - just a smattering of the creme de la creme. For more of the collection visit Leona's website.

Kitty

All images from the Leona Edmiston website.

The spending ban, take 2

Remember last year I was on a spending ban?

I am thinking about repeating it.

I've done pretty well with saving money recently but I have managed to also buy quite a few things. I've gotten back into my old habits of popping out at lunchtime and buying a few things.... Just small trifles, but they do add up. Substantially.

There's not a lot I really need. A couple of knits for winter, maybe a pair of ankle boots and that's pretty much it. I finish up work in a little over three weeks so I won't really need a lot of work style clothes. I can probably make do with what's currently in my wardrobe... ooooh, for a few decades.

So here's the plan. I'm going to make a list of the things I rationally need and how much I am prepared to pay for them and limit myself to just those things. I am allowing myself one Kindle book a week and my usual manicures et al. And that's it.

The plan is to see how long I can make it. I am currently aiming for the beginning of May. Three months, 12 weeks. Last time I almost made it to a month with no purchases.

And if I do last without too many transgressions I'll buy myself the Alexis Bittar necklace I have been lusting over. That's a nice reward I think.

Kitty

Damn you Alexis!!

I love this necklace. I love it to bits. I love the pearls, the sparkles, the modern rhodium spacers...

The only thing I don't love is the price. $675... US... That's pricey even by Kitty standards and I'm not what you'd really call a price sensitive shopper. I love me a bargain but if I want something bad enough I'll definitely stump up the readies...

The necklace is made by Alexis Bittar. I first saw some of his beautiful jewellery at the V&A when I was in London last year. Every piece is a work of art. It's divine. But there's no way I'd spend that kind of cash on a piece of jewellery I couldn't try on.

Luckily he has a shop in Venice (LA, not Italy) and guess where we are going in May... There is also a Hollywood store but we tend to stay Santa Monica/Venice. It's a lot more fun.

Perhaps if I save my pennies and don't buy too much between now and when we go in May I might just be able to treat myself...

Kitty

Kindle me happy...

I have been resisting the urge to buy an eBook reader. For a long time I was convinced they weren't really me. I love the feel of a proper book in my hands. The turning of the pages. The ability to flick back and forth through my favourite novels and re-read the best bits. I like technology but that just seems a step to far for me.

But on our most recent trip to the UK, I took 10 books. Big ones. My entire hand luggage was filled with books. I love to read so it's important for me to have enough reading material at all times. So as I struggled to get my far too heavy bag into the overhead locker I resolved that I would trade in my love of lugging books for a more practical solution.

It's taken me four months but I am ready to do it. Finally. I have taken the plunge and ordered a Kindle. I researched all the eBook readers on the market and it's the one that best suits my needs. I was tempted by the iPad but at $799 for a device with WiFi and 3G that's a bit out of my price range. You have to download a lot of free books to get back your initial investment. Sure, the iPad can do a lot more than a Kindle but if we want to watch movies when we travel, we always have a laptop. If I want to browse the internet on the move I have an iPhone... The Kindle mimics paper the best of all the eReader devices I researched and that was an important thing for me. I spend all day in front of a computer and I don't like reading on a computer screen.

So we took the plunge and ordered it this morning. I can't wait to get it.

Kitty

Apt, no?

I saw this recently in the Kate Spade online store. It's currently out of stock but I think I might have to try and find it when I am in the US.

Very apt for Miss Kitty. Indeed.

Kitty

Harvest

Let's just get one thing clear. I am not - and never will be - a farmer.

I don't have the correct footwear, I'm honestly not a big fan of dirt and I don't like being more than a ten minute drive from the local shopping centre. Just in case I run out of creme fraiche or leopard print shoes. Or something.

The reality is that we live on a suburban block so any farming aspirations I may have are tempered by space and the desire to have a lawn. So in reality, it wouldn't really matter how many pairs of wellington boots I had, we would we limited by space.

We have a (somewhat struggling and messy at the moment) herb garden - mint gone wild (as mint tends to do), lemon thyme, rosemary and chives all flourish when we remember to water them and the days don't top 41 degrees. Occasionally, if we are around in September - which over the past few years has been rare - we plant tomato plants. In 2009 I convinced Mr K to let me buy a raspberry cane along with the selection of tomatoes. It was $10 but I figured that if we got just one punnet of fruit from it, it would pay for itself. My favourite fruit, raspberries are insanely expensive and I often have a bit of hankering for them. It was as much about greed for home grown fruit as it was an attempt to embrace thrift.

The result was woefully unimpressive. Admittedly we planted it late (mid October) and the tomatoes we planted at the same time drowned thanks to torrential late rain. We managed a scant 4 berries from the plant before deeming the experiment an abject failure. We trimmed and pruned the cane and promptly forgot about the whole thing.


Fast forward to October last year and we arrived home from our UK/South Africa/Hong Kong trip to find a wonderful surprise. The raspberry cane had self seeded and we had a flourish of growth. Raspberries gone wild!! What started as a sad, lonely plant had exploded to four healthy thriving bushes with blossoms promising an abundance of luscious fruit.


Over the past few weeks we have gradually been harvesting our crop with pride and so far have managed to get at least a punnet of berries so far with many more to come. We get 6-10 berries a day, a lovely, delicious, sun warmed snack that I look forward to every day.


It has surprised me how something can thrive with no care or attention. We've now netted the fruit (I have no desire to share my longed for gains with the birdies) and are researching how we can keep the plants going while we build the house.

Raspberries waiting to ripen!

And not only were the raspberries a happy surprise, we also had some self seeding baby tomatoes this year. Even though the last round drowned, we have a fine crop for Summer 2010-11. They are gradually ripening with the intensely hot weather we are having at the moment and every piece of fruit tastes like sunshine.

The jumbled tangle of tomato plants!

It's so wonderfully rewarding eating something you have grown. This experiment with a very happy ending had given me a renewed enthusiasm for a vegetable patch in our new house.

Now, just to find some room to put it...

Kitty

Back on the horsie...

I decided to get back on the horsie and buy something else online. After so many terrible experiences (see previous post), I didn't want to leave it too long and lose my nerve. I have a responsibility to keep the economiez going you know. I was browsing The Outnet this morning and saw this bag. For 138 pounds it's a steal. It's purple (one of my favourite colours), it's made from soft, beautiful leather, it's a limited edition and it has leopard lining. All my favourite things.

So I bought it.

I trust The Outnet. The sale sister of Net-A-Porter, I have absolute faith that this item is still currently in stock, it will arrive via DHL in a timely fashion for a reasonable shipping charge and it will be exactly the same size as the measurements say it is. It will, indeed, be a good online shopping experience.

Fingers crossed.

Kitty