Oh Oh Alex Monroe!

Alex Monroe has gone from strength to strength over the past 5 years and this evening I went along to see the fruits of his labour at the jeweller's first boutique opening in London Bridge. I was greeted by the designer himself and his 25 strong members of staff who were more than happy to show off the new HQ arranged over the 5 to 6 floor town house, including Alex's workshop and a gorgeous little roof terrace with a prime view of The Shard. The event also doubled up as a press day to preview the AW 'Dream Of Me' collection inspired by the trinkets of Edwardian courtship in mixed rose gold, yellow gold and silver (putting an end to the silver vs gold debate!) An unexpected surprise was the 'Best of British' collection marking the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (launches in May/ June) which includes the exclusive necklace 'The Goring Shrimp' (pictured above) a collaboration between Alex Monroe and The 5 star Goring Hotel which can be gifted as part of a special 'Alex Monroe Afternoon Tea' at the hotel from 1st May (other halves take note!). This precise and detailed rose gold shrimp necklace, with black pearls, is set to be the new Bumble Bee, get your name on the waiting list fast!

Man Wellies

I understand that most men would rather get their feet wet than get caught in a pair of wellies (well, maybe not in London with our overspill of metrosexuals!) here is a genius version disguised as trainers. Maybe not intended for long hikes on weekend escapes to the country but perfect for running around town in the rain, lined with cotton and inlaid with a multi layered cushioned insole for extra comfort. Millbank Short wellies £60.00 and Millbank wellie £70.00 from Hunter. Images hunter-boot.com.

April Showers

As April showers set in its time to invest in a decent pair of wellington boots. The most obvious choice for reliability and style is Hunter, their 'Gloss Finish' wellies come in 19 eye popping shades so no excuses for not colour coordinating to your outfit. Retailing at just £85.00 they offer great value, you'll be wearing these sturdy puddle splashers for years. However, if you want to break the mould (rubber pun intended) the below offer just as much style savvy protection from soggy socks. From left: union jack wellies by hunter from Office £125.00, navy metallic wellies from Kurt Geiger £29.00 down from £80.00, snakeskin wellies from Marks and Spencer £29.50, quilted effect black wellies by Paul's Boutique from Selfridges £62.00, grey and yellow checked wellies by Burberry from NET-A-PORTER £150.00.

Images hunter-boot.com, office.co.uk, kurtgeiger.com, marksandspencer.com, selfridges.com, net-a-porter.com

Olivier Awards 2012

I was very lucky to work with Hayley Atwell again, this time for The Olivier Awards 2012, we opted for this gorgeous dusty pink 'Siren' dress by Jexika, diamond jewels by Forevermark, pewter 'Mini Tube' clutch by Jimmy Choo, gorgeous soft grey 'Cachet' shoes by Sergio Rossi and Make-Up by MAC. I had particular fun in being picked up and delivered to the De Beers and Forevermark Vault in Clerkenwell. As you can imagine security was tight! It was hard to decide on pieces as everything was so eye catching but after about 30 minutes I knew these pieces were perfect for Hayley. Red carpet image from Getty, other images taken on my iPhone4S.

Red carpet count down

In just a few hours my client will be gracing the red carpet at The Olivier Awards 2012. Here is a sneak preview of the shoes and clutches I've selected. Watch this space to see what she is wearing!

OMG Melody Thornton!

I'm not one to openly unleash a slating attack on my blog but, come on, this was asking for it! Melody Thornton of the Pussycat Dolls wore this 'ensemble' to the Elle Women in Music Event in Hollywood this week. I don't know where to start, the hair, the nails, the jewellery, the shoes let alone the dress?! It resembles a reclaimed net curtain. Well she managed to upstage everyone else and steal the limelight, there must be a better way to jump start your career? Joan Rivers will decide your fate on Fashion Police this Sunday on E! Images Getty.

Pigalle Passions

I love a fashion obsession, especially when the obsession is with a shoe. Today I came across one of the most specialised blogs dedicated to footwear, and not just any old footwear, the creme de la creme that is Louboutin. Pigalle Passions Blog pays homage to the classic and elegant Pigalle Shoe that has taken the fashion world by storm, its been seen on pretty much every celeb going over the past 6-12 months from the red carpet to off-duty looks. I personally love this shoe and no styling job is complete without calling in at least 2 pairs for an assignment. Check out the full list of celeb stalker sightings at their blog www.cl-pigalle.blogspot.co.uk. Below: Katy Perry, Fergie, Hedi Klum, Kim Kardashian, Kate Moss, Gemma Arterton.

Images Getty, www.christianlouboutin.com, www.cl-pigalle.blogspot.co.uk

Jessica Simpson's Naked Elle Cover

Every few years an iconic pose is revisited by the latest celebrity of the moment. Whether its the Marylin Monroe over the air vent pose, the Christine Keeler pose, legs akimbo on that chair or, in this case, Demi Moore's wholesome pregnancy pose for the cover of Vanity Fair. The cover girl this time is Jessica Simpson. In my opinion she has done the pose proud, managing to capture the balance between strength and fragility perfectly whilst remaining a sexy siren. On the other hand you have Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears all coming off as trashy and a little sad, nothing wrong with the actual poses if they weren't pregnant, but as they are all send out a confusing message. Images from Google Images.

Good-bye old shoes

I decided to have a spring clean this weekend and finally chuck out a few pairs of shoes that have been avoiding extradition for crimes against fashion. Initially I thought it would only be 3 or 4 pairs, it ended up being 18 pairs! Some of them I've had for 10 years, others were only bought in the last 2 years, all had been well loved at some point. They were from highstreet stores Primark, Ted Baker, M&S, Office, Moda in Pelle, Firetrap, New Look, Next, Kurt Geiger, Fly London and Zara. All possessed a tale that I can recall from just looking at an image of them, conjuring up a time, a place, an emotion. They have served their purpose and will be missed. Bon Viage.