Granny chic

Accuse me of living in the dark ages, but I stand by my (old-fashioned) word: they just don't make clothes like they used to.  I know I'm at risk of looking like a granny: my glasses are from the 1950s, my capes are from the 1960s and my blouses are 1930s silk (when I can find them). But I don't care. Which is probably why being paid a compliment by Julia McKenzie today was so much nicer than anything any  tanorexic little tart off t'telly could have said. And now I do sound old.

Julia and I were discussing the outfits she wears as Miss Marple (her next film is due out later in the summer) at which point she was admiring my black and white Biba blouse and my Mary Quant cape (one I bargained for at Hammersmith Vintage Fair for 30 quid). She said she'd quite like to steal it for the character. Ahh! She's so lovely, I probably should have let her. The cape she wears in the next film was one she picked up in Gray's Antique Fair . So thanks for the shopping tip, Ms McKenzie, or should I say Miss Marple. Might have known nothing would get past you...

Hope springs

When you're going through a really tough time, when food doesn't taste the same, music doesn't sound the same, and fashion doesn't feel the same, it's hard to get excited about anything. I'm not going to use my blog as a journal (despite how cathartic it can be) but I will just say one thing on the matter: there's no cure for heartbreak, but shopping can really help. 

It's not for everyone, obviously, but I just think throwing yourself into doing something you love can make the world of difference. I had my light at the end of the tunnel moment at the weekend, pottering around the vintage shops on Stoke Newington's Church Street followed by Brick Lane. 

I found this baby blue lace blouse/cardie/jacket (my favourite items of clothing are the ones that are difficult to define) in Rokit where I also picked up some new white peep toes (with a carved pattern in the heels). The lace perfectly complements the floral 1960s mini dress with ruffled sleeves from Little Red.  

This was the first time I had properly got dressed up and wore makeup in two weeks, for my friend's erm, World Cup BBQ. Because it's not easy doing that when you don't even feel like getting out of bed, (there's certainly nothing beautiful enough in the game to lift my head off a pillow) but now, after Saturday's Eureka moment, I'm going to do that every day. The perfect antidote to football. Give it a go.

BAFTA, you beauty

One journalist commented that the TV BAFTA Awards dresses were like a human chess board. Yes, there was a lot of black, white and on-trend nudes, but I don't think there's anything wrong with taking 'Black Tie' literally for an occasion like this. Not when you look this hot...

Ruth Wilson, undoubtedly one of my favourite young actresses on t'telly opted for Armani. While you could argue that such a starlet could have her pick of any up-and-coming designers (Erdem can do no wrong in my eyes right now) and her look is a smudge too gothic for a June awards do, I just think the ruffles, waist band and asymmetrical cut piss all over what you'd normally call an LBD (little boring dress). Yes, she's played it safe with a classic designer, but there's a subtle edginess to the gown and coupled with her tousled hair, she looks comfortable in her own skin.

So a thumbs up to Ruth, and an even bigger thumbs up to (at the risk of sounding like Gok Wan) my girl Vicky! My lovely house mate wore a beautiful royal blue dress that belonged to her mum in the 1970s and doesn't she look stunning, amazing and gorgeous... I'm hoping the more flattering adjectives I use, the more likely it is she'll let me borrow it one day.