WIBTW (What I Bought This Week): NYC

I've just come back from two weeks working in NYC (which you will hear a LOT about in upcoming blog posts to follow), so this week's pocket money was spent in the Big Apple. We didn't have a lot of free time but my speed-shopping skills are pretty well-honed and I managed to pick up a few gems whilst there.

I discovered J Crew big time whilst out there, as although I've heard the buzz for years I've never actually been in a store till now. So I went a little bananas. But if you are selective the prices are really good (some stuff like dresses goes up to a few hundred quid) and I got a wool jumper, cargo pants, a scarf, horse print socks (of course) and a really lovely silk print skirt for less than £200, which I think is very good.  The customer service here was amazing (Simone you rocked), as it was most places in NYC. Us Brits have a lot to learn, I hate to say.

Kate Spade was a bit exciting. I wanted a lot in here, but as my bank called me whilst I was in there to check my card hadn't been stolen, I limited myself. I needed a new wallet and I got a gorgeous patent coral red one.

The cool shops of Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg were VERY tempting, with amazing designer jewellery but a little out of my price range. However I found an amazing jewellery designers shop opposite one of our many hotels on 8th Avenue called Phoenix Roze where I bought the cutest gold necklace with 'C' charm. I wear it every day now - it replaces a similar one that I bought last time I was in NYC and recently broke. So that's allowed, right?!

Here are some snaps:

WIBTW | @ Feast Festival

Today was the first Feast festival in West Norwood since we moved here. I'd heard from friends it was good, and maybe it was partly due to the blazing sun and blue skies, but I have to say it was a brilliant day. Music, food, fantastic stalls (there are 4 main areas: retro village, artisans market, fresh n green and food fair - I bought something in each!)... I have to say it's confirmed for me this is a good place to live! I even bumped into a make-up artist I hadn't seen for years selling delicious French food with her fella. Small world. 

Here's a few snaps from the day, including a few snaps of what I bought. The highlight of my buys was my gold fill stacking rings from Crystal & Stone. I have wanted some like this for a while so super-chuffed with these. We also got a great print lampshade from Rosa & Clara Designs, some lavender, and as homage to the place we used to call home, a Brixton tea towel...

                            

Label love: Disaya

I am such a sucker for anything involving our furry friends, so cute and quirky label Disaya was always going to steal my heart a weeny bit.

I love popping in to see my PR pals who look after this label, not only as they are top girls who feed me chocolate, but each time I go in I find myself cooing over some new delicate, cute-as-a-button dress, or fairytale-inspired jewellery by Disaya. (Her AW12 collection had me hooked with merry-go-round horses, ant pinky rings and teddy bear necklaces - I tried to somehow get them into every shoot I did...) Unlike some designers where it seems like an afterthought, Disaya's jewellery totally complements her gorgeous clothing and could happily stand alone.

So who is Disaya? Disaya is Central St Martin's grad Disaya Sorakraikitikul (try saying that after a shandy) who has been creating her wonderfully whimsical designs internationally since 2007.  She has done well to find herself in Harvey Nichols, Harrods and Henri Bendels, and on some of the coolest celebs here and stateside, including Aggy and Kelly O.

Here is a sneak peak at some snaps I took of her SS13 jewellery collection which I adore. I basically spent about five minutes squealing over the hedgehogs feet (feet!! FEEEET! TOOOES!), oh and how can I forget the pearl-eared mice? So so so so damn cute!

 

 

Check out those tootsies!

And here are a few of her gorgeous ready-to-wear pieces for SS13...

Granny knows best

Isn't it funny how you don't appreciate things at the time?

I love vintage charm necklaces and have wanted a gold coin necklace for a while now, always cooing over Laura Lee's beautiful designs when I go into her shop in Covent Garden, and an obsessive fan of Anina Vogel's pieces she makes from reclaimed vintage jewellery. 

So you can imagine my utter joy yesterday when I found this necklace wrapped in cotton wool inside a little plastic box, tucked away in my old jewellery box. I couldn't believe it. My Grandma's old gold sovereign necklace she wore all the time that was passed to me after she died when I was in my early twenties. At the time I perhaps didn't appreciate the beauty of it, but kept it safe as a memory of Grandma Elsie. The cigarette-loving, Ibiza-going Essex girl.

It's a 1913 King George V sovereign, with King George on one side and St.George slaying the dragon on the other.

I've yet to find out if it's a real gold original and therefore probably worth a bit too, but I'm not really fussed. It's just nice to wear something that belonged to her and I love. I'm so glad I found this!

Thanks Grandma, love Chloe-Jane (as I was always known to her) X