Say goodbye to 2009!

2010 awaits -

burst some balloons,

dance for hours,

make numerous toasts,

but just don't end the evening like this! Hope you all have a lovely time.

Images via boudoirqueen.typepad.com, a scene from Gold diggers of 1933, Fred Astaire in Life magazine, High Society via photobucket, Clara Bow in Call her savage via drx typepad.com

Hothouse flowers

In the middle of a long, grey London winter I always find myself longing for some colour and it's got me dreaming of having a hothouse Victorian style. I'd fill it with Vanda orchids, hibiscus flowers,

and lots of palms.

I'd grow tropical fruits,

perhaps even some giant waterlily pads for people to stand on,

and space to have tea

I'm off to Petersham Nurseries now!

Images courtesy of www.bohol.ph, hibiscus unknown, corbisimages.com, Augusta Innes Withers pineapple engraving 1799, moplants.com, phipps conservatory 1899, 1878 painting source unknown, and doyoumindifiknit.typepad.com

Winter wonderlands

I have come across so many wonderful snowy pictures on the Internet recently, I thought I'd post a few of them. A magical Russian forest,

chalets nestled in the Alps,

Japanese temples and pines covered in snow,

a snowy English park,

Christmas lights,

and horses and dogs in the snow (via the lovely spaceforinspiration.blogspot.com which is full of Christmas inspirations).

Images courtesy of: Mikhailtkachev.com, rosylittlethings via Englishmuse.blogspot.com, Koitsu temple from newandfinearts.com, weheartit via English muse, bbc news, bottom two via spaceforinspiration.blogspot.com

Merry Christmas for tomorrow!

Hope the turkey is stuffed, the presents are wrapped and you're all relaxing in front of a roaring log fire before tomorrow. Have a lovely day!

Al fresco dining

It's so cold at the moment that the thought of actually being able to sit outside and be warm is like heaven to me, which is perhaps why this picture grabbed me so much in Vogue.

The company Outstanding in the field specialises in alfresco dining in the USA. For more information see here

I love this

The new apartment at the Connaught (designed by David Collins) is absolutely gorgeous. I especially love everything about the sitting room above. Imagine this for some post-Christmas pampering.

The new bar is pretty nice too. See more about the newly refurbished Connaught here

Not had chance to organise a tree?

via Manolohome.jpg

Just in case you were feeling inadequate from my post on designer Christmas trees and have run out of time I thought I'd add this - I'm just going to re-arrange my bookshelves now.

Jasmine and I drive to work

Only kidding! But we have been laughing in the office at this classic clip from Absolutely Fabulous.

Designer Christmas trees

Now you might be a bit overwhelmed with the sheer number of logos by the end of this, but I thought following on from the Galliano tree I'd do a post on some designer Christmas trees - above is Louis Vuitton's elegant tree

Architect Zaha Hadid's Christmas tree

It doesn't look it but this is the most expensive Christmas tree in the world and it is on display in Japan. Decorated with 240 jewels including diamond baubles and strings of pearls it is worth 150 million yen or 1.5 million dollars

via moodboard.typepad.com

Ok not exactly a Christmas tree, but it looks a bit like one. The angel is ex Lanvin Christmas display and tops a display in the apartment of creative director for Carolina Herrera, Herve Pierre.

Valentino

via denny_jr on flickr.jpg

Hermes

Looks like Gucci had the same idea

Chanel in Taipei

via dianepernet.typepad.com

and Harvey Nichols in Istanbul.

Living walls

Quite fancy getting one of these for the office! You can buy here

Chanel, Bonnard and Lartigue

The lovely Mlle Paradis from Passage Paradis blog left a comment on my blog yesterday saying how the Chanel dress I posted yesterday reminded her of a Bonnard lithograph (see above and below). They do me too.

courtesy of metmuseum.org

And the lithographs then in turn remind me of these stunning Lartigue photos of Belle epoque ladies.

Silhouette

Just love the silhouette on this Chanel dress - simple and stunning

Galliano Christmas tree

John Galliano has created this Christmas tree for Claridges and I think it's pretty striking. Love the jungle look translated into silvers and blues.

The illustration is stunning too.

Images courtesy of Claridges

Stephen Jones

I am working on a fashion illustration for a client and have been looking at lots of hat pictures for research, and just had to post these Stephen Jones' hats. I know everyone knows about him, but looking through his website there are so many striking beautiful pieces I had to do a post. The above hat is called Pericolo.

Very witty. This 'Limo' hat is so Marlene Dietrich.

I could just imagine Audrey Hepburn in this 'Shalimar' piece.

The Dharma - it wouldn't suit me, but I love it!

And finally the 'Seagull'. See more of his hats here