a toast to summer

 It's that time again. It's summertime at Toast. Go see before there's nothing left.

on second thoughts

Call me fickle but let's just say that if Toast World is full, I'll happily opt for Topshop County. Here is what I'd just LOVE to be wearing this Easter....

...and if the cold really persists then I'll have to throw in this one too for good measure:

here's a toast to spring

I will never stop singing its praises, it is quite simply perfection as far as style (fashion and home) is concerned. In Toast world I would live very comfortably, never wanting for more. It really is that simple. There's a very nice new feature on their website called Toast Travels (no, they haven't started selling holidays), a cultural scrapbook (a kind of blog, really) of delightful visual stuff as well as some written bits and bobs that are quite inspiring and dream-inducing. Tonight I also noticed that my current obsession features heavily in their online catalogue. Will wear, must order!

super

So remote is it here that I only heard of Superdry last Christmas during our stay in London. Whilst we did quite a bit of shopping we somehow missed this one completely (I was too distracted by Anthropologie and Topshop not to mention my frantic search for a pair of Bailey Button Uggs - so over them now) until that is, we came to Gatwick. There, in the departure hall, quietly humming away, was Superdry. Looking like some Japanese interpretation of Abercrombie and Fitch when in fact it's 100% British. We all had a browse and got our plastic out one last time before boarding the plane and heading back to our well-known retail-free safety-zone (Ticino). I came away with their cute lumber twill shirt in rodeo blue and today I'm working the look for the first time, celebrating the arrival of spring. The website doesn't do the clothes any justice in fact I suggest you skip the site and go straight to their  blog which is so much better. Check it out.

must be big

How absolutely fantastic are large sunglasses? Was reminded of this by my friend D. who breezed by on her bike today looking wonderfully spring-like and glam in her mimosa yellow cardi, tencel jeans and unbelievably large shades. It's a bit like marmite I guess, you either love it or hate it. John Lennon wireless teeny weeny circles? I really don't think so. Larger than large where's-your-face plastic circles?  Mmm, yes please!  I'm already dying to hit the shops* and see what the high street and designers are serving up this season. Thankfully this style doesn't look like it's ever going to go away so you'll find most designers come up with their own version season after season. I am so grateful. It's all to do with glamour and who wants to live without THAT? Nina Ricci relaunched "big" with a fantastic collection of coloured frames (picture below) dedicated to the very one and only Jackie O. What do you think? Gorgeous, eh?

I've also been drooling over Tom Ford...well not really him but his S/S10 eyewear collection - find it here. But don't stop at the eyewear, go navigate round the entire website it'll make you go weak at the knees. Mr Ford is such a style master. 

I'll be indulging my Jackie O passion as usual at the local H&M store where I'm always guaranteed to find at least 3 or 4 superduper oversized styles to stop my craving; and all at the very ridiculous price of CHF 12. I say just buy 2 of each style and be done with it.

*this time I'm not complaining, the local stores offer a very satisfying selection of eyewear collections.

Number Six London

 

I love menswear and especially if it knows exactly what it's doing, ie. if it has the courage of its convictions. So, if you're a guy (aged teen to well and truly matured) and you like cool and if you happen to be in London then head straight down to Brick Lane to get yourself kitted out with some sharp typically London-cool wardrobe staples. Just thought I'd mention it. I'm talking about Number Six (aka When We Were Casuals).  The lads  there say that they have some new tricks up their sleeves for 2010, just visit their blog for a preview. If you're in a rush and don't have time to visit their website, here are some of the brands you'll find there: Lyle & Scott Vintage, Fila Vintage, Barbour, Farah Vintage, Adidas Originals, Fred Perry, Napapijri, and so many more. In fact everything that a man's heart desires when it comes to looking pretty darn good.

Oh, and I almost forgot: sooner or later everyone in our family seems to develop a thing about shoes (fetish, passion, obsession, call it what you like) so we got understandably but unreasonably excited when we saw this!

falling in love again

Whether it's a classic car or a classic bag, both make me go weak at the knees. And while my classic car collection leaves something to be desired, I'm well on my way with the bags. My Gucci Jackie O Logo Bit bag (unofficial name made up by me on the spot right here right now) is my absolute armcandy du jour. It's been tucked away in my wardrobe for at least a year without so much of a glance, albeit luxuriously wrapped in its brown silk dustbag, and has only resurfaced this week after my brain was kicked into "Gucci-mode" following some mention of the brand on Twitter. Wonder whether anyone quite appreciates this particular intrinsic value of social networking sites, bet Gucci doesn't.

The beauty of a true classic is that it's not a trend and you can therefore rest assured in the knowledge of a safe investment which is just going to keep giving and giving and giving in terms of satisfaction. Stylewise a classic will also usually keep up with the rest of them (let's face it, that's what we pay good money for), not 100% of the time but most of the time and when used cleverly, a classic item is never boring. I love it when I can use my Gucci unconventionally, with something unexpectedly un-classic. Juxtaposition of styles is a passion of mine and works best for me when a classic's involved. I could never wear head-to-toe classics though, I'd pass out from sheer boredom.

I also like to think of these special pieces as insurance cover when I need it most - like now. My absolute favourite jeans are fraying and ripping but I can't bring myself to "put them away". My hair is in dire need of highlighting and cutting yet my hairdresser won't confirm an appointment that's soon enough for me. So what do I do? I slip on my GJOLB-bag and it's a look!

Has anyone else tried it? Do let me know.

new denim

Ok, time for a new pair. You all know how I feel about denim. I've worn the boyfriend all summer and rediscovered my beloved floppy French Connection carpenter jeans. But now I need my new fix. It's autumn and after having sifted through all my old styles and edited out what had no business inside my wardrobe, I am at a serious loss for words and alternatives. I need new denim and here, in Locarno, there is none! How am I meant to operate under these conditions? "You exaggerate!" I hear you exclaim. I don't think so. I'm not asking for Anthropologie, I'm not asking for Topshop and I'm not even asking for The Gap, for goodness sake. All I want is a pair of cool jeans. Globus have dissappointed me profoundly (I won't even give you their link as they're just not worth it) - they're usually my only hope around here but alas, the buyer seems to have had a temporary bout of incompetence and ordered only weird Italian styles boasting about 17 details too many. My search continues. I shall let you know what happens, I know you're all dying to know.
The picture above is courtesy of the current J Brand advertising campaign. J Brand is my denim nirvana.

kiehl's and a panama

I forgot how much I love Kiehl's. On a carefree and very rare solitary wander 'round the Munich shops I couldn't resist going into OBERPOLLINGER where I walked straight into the Kiehl's counter and the very smiley German sales rep. Keeping a lid on it, I managed to buy only the one product, which in fact smells so good that every time I use it I have to restrain myself from drinking it. It's one of their latest products, a body lotion containing Moroccan Argan Oil, so the smiley Fräulein tells me - "and anything containing Argan oil or leaf extract is worth its weight in gold". Right, I'll be needing one then, and make it snappy! White Kiehl's paper bag dangling fetchingly from my arm I suddenly remembered the true purpose of my shopping trip... must not get distracted like this! So, for the occasion of my uncle's 72nd birthday, I swiftly proceeded to the menswear department on the 3rd floor where I successfully acquired a most suitable gift for a gentleman. A Stetson.

supersize

While we're on the subject of adornments, it was a pleasant coincidence when my dear friend D. came over for afternoon tea yesterday sporting amongst her usual stylish pieces, the above rather fabulous oversized ring with an incredible blood red glass droplet. I say coincidence because I've been meaning to post some XL-rings for some time now, especially since they are another one of my style obsessions. The summer sees all my colourful friends coming out of hybernation. So here are a few of them, the ones that have been worn with pleasure this summer (except the blood-red droplet one, alas!). The yellow anemone is a new arrival, some find it ridiculous, I find it divine. They are all wonderfully reliable in that they instantly upgrade and glamourise the dreariest of outfits.

keeping it simple

Some of you may laugh but it's true, I'm a low-maintenance kind of girl. Don't go to Cartier, don't bother with Harry Winston, just head down to Su Giudeu beach where you'll find the simplest, most beautiful pearls on a string. Here is my absolute favourite piece of the moment (cost me all of 8 Euros). It comes from a lovely English lady who lives in Sardinia near the abovementioned beach, and spends her summers strolling along the water's edge with her rather ingenious sandtrolley laden to the hilt with her own very special tiny creations.

cos

How long am I going to have to wait? With an H&M on practically every corner (yawn, double yawn) is it really too much to ask? It can't be that hard for COS/H&M to realise that there's a market for their sublime products beyond the usual suspects (UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands). Why no Switzerland and, more importantly, no Italy? Where's the problem? I live in hope...and in Switzerland.

new collection

Karin's new spring/summer 2009 collection is ready - check out her website. Here's an exquisite taster of the new batch. Looks just as good lying on your dresser as it does draped over your summer linen tunic.

suits you, sir

Recent talk of a new job for Mr R has led to thoughts of the male wardrobe. I do love a shopping spree so when Mr R said that maybe it was about time he invested in a real suit, my eyes lit up. Not being one to hold back, I of course instantly associated the words 'real' and 'suit' with Savile Row. I don't think that was the answer or reaction he was looking for. Where's the problem? There's is nothing purer in terms of tailoring. And anyway, now that we are definitely adults with proper jobs, I think such an investment would be more than justified. And I do love a good tailored look on a man. Did you not watch the recent, mesmerising BBC 4 documentary Savile Row? It was sheer poetry and frankly, after watching one of Henry Poole & Co's customers go through all those fittings, I really didn't think that there was that much wrong with the amount asked in payment for the final glory. Did you not see that suit? It was a work of art - worth every little recession-ridden penny. Mr R remains unmoved. He has not had the last word. On our next visit to London, he'll be dragged to Mayfair where I will have already made appointments at Henry Poole and of course Norton & Sons. Do go and have a peek for yourselves.

And if the above websites aren't enough to get you going, try this one, it should do it for you.

denim

Heavily influenced (try haunted to distraction) by a post on The Sartorialist, which showed a rather superb denim-clad girl in New York (see Saturday, 21 February), I went off today in search of my own denim nirvana. You may yawn but it's a deep-rooted quest in me that I thought I might have satisfied by now, but, if I'm totally honest, I know will stay with me forever. I have denim in the blood and I need it like you need water. Any attempt to ignore it just increases the need tenfold. And anyway, I kind of like my obsession. So here it is, my first pair for 2009 (late I know as it's March already, but there is a recession going on).
And so I decided, not unlike the New York girl, to get me 'the boyfriend'. So-called because you (the girlfriend) have allegedly raided his (the boyfriend's) wardrobe and claimed his pair as your own. No more tight-as-hell-skinny-minx-second-skins, but a rather more loose fit (yes ladies, the bigger the better) that literally just hangs off your curves - the key of course is to know how to wear them (rolled up and heels for me but I'd be really interested in hearing how YOU like to wear yours/his). Then a funny thought occurred to me on the way home: I don't have a boyfriend. Whose boyfriend should my jeans therefore have belonged to? I do have a husband though. And whilst he is gorgeous, somehow 'the husband' doesn't quite have the same rock 'n roll ring to it, does it?

more Karin

I just can't get enough of this lady's work - try these for injecting some colour into your winter wardrobe. They look best worn over the simplest of shapes and work well on charcoal, black, denim or other natural shades. Tucked away in the idyllic Ticino, Karin works her magic in a super-organised studio stacked with hundreds of boxes bursting with colour. I have to remember to ask when her next Open House is taking place - if you're in the area, it's not to be missed!

beautiful necklaces by Karin Van Hurne

Karin, a wonderfully creative lady with a remarkable sense of style. Her collections are updated seasonally and her necklaces sell like hotcakes - for obvious reasons. Stay posted for news on Karin's next Open House!