I refuse to take the blame..

...for mentioning the C word. 

I am laying that mantle of shame on the shoulders of my lovely friend A who brought it up at the weekend.  We've just booked to go to France for a couple of days before Christmas and she mentioned looking there for her Christmas present. 

SHE SAID IT FIRST.  And then of course the floodgates opened and we started waxing lyrical about all the things we *could* get for Christmas.   Which descended quickly into 
pure fantasy land.  Obviously. 

And ended in me being obsessed with two things. 

FIrstly the Chloe Susanna boots in nude.  Yes I had initially wanted them in the dark red but that was before I saw them in the nude leather.  You know something is a winner when you try them on and walk away.  After a glass of champagne, you go back and see them and they look even better.  However at almost £900, I would need to be at least a bottle of champagne in before I splurged.  

But I can't stop thinking about them. 

And from there, it was a very short skip hop and a jump to needing a nude bag as well.  

The other day, when in London with one of my oldest friends, I concluded that a tan bag was the most useful of all bags.  But I don't need a tan bag.  However... however however however, a nude bag - well now that could be super useful.  I'm still very much in love with a burgundy number (Givenchy Pandora yes I have my eye on you still) but it would be foolish of me not to at least have a "look" to see if there are any gorgeous nude numbers for our (fantasy) wishlist. 

Chloe Susanna boots £825  Now they do call these nude but in the flesh they're definitely less pink than this.  They're more of a pale beige.  Semantics I appreciate but it does mean that they would go with shades of beige better than a pinky nude would.  I'm doing very little to make this less confusing, aren't I?

So what bags do we have in nude or a pale tan. 

Speaking of Givenchy, there's always the baby Pandora.  Only issue I have with this (apart from the fact that it's so tiny, you couldn't even fit a hamster in it) is that it has silver hardware and on the boots, it's gold.  When you're spending this much money, it does make a difference.  As in, I will always "know" and it would irrationally irritate the bejeesus out of me.  I so know I'm not the only one who would be peeved over this... (fess up if you like pretty please).

Givenchy Pandora in skin £790




Then a mink from Marc Jacobs.  Now there is no longer Marc by Marc Jacobs, but the new range from just "Marc Jacobs" is amazing. 

Marc Jacobs Recruit Cross Body Bag £250



And this one.  Which is simply stunning (check it out in the navy.. swoon).

Marc Jacobs Gotham Pebble Leather Shoulder Bag £310


A pinkier beige now at The Outnet.  Ridiculously useful. 

Loeffler Randall was £440 now £198


Love this shade from Rebecca Minkhoff again at The Outnet.

Hudson mini leather shoulder bag was £240 now £132




The one brand that I have always lusted after is a Bottega Veneta.  Whilst others have a Chanel at the top of the wishlist, mine has always been a BV.  Or Givenchy.  Never let it be said I'm not super fickle.  

However if we're talking classic, then this you would have forever. 

Nodini intrecciato leather cross body bag by Bottega Veneta £1030






But I would love to see how similar the toffee shade of the Hill & Friends bags is to the shoes.  Doesn't have to be the same, but as I said, it has to complement it and not jar against it. 

Hill and Friends Happy Bag £595

Or there is the Happy Mini Shoulder bag which, as far as I can see from the measurements, seems to be the same size... but with a different strap.  I'd happily go for either. 

Hill and Friends Happy Mini Shoulder Bag £450


But.. but but but then I saw this in the washed leather.  I absolutely love the washed leather Givenchy Pandora bags and didn't realise they did this in the camel.  However the medium is large.  The small is the size that is easily big enough.  The medium is verging on carrying a drum.  Speaking of Christmas, when I look at this, now all I can think of is "Come, they told me, parapapumpum...."  Probably not entirely what Givenchy had in mind. 

Givenchy Pandora Medium in washed camel leather £1155




And if we're moving onto more tan bags then there are loads on the high street that do an amazing job.  They also hopefully mean that you won't have to wait for Christmas and can get wearing them now. 

Especially when they're in the sale - yes we are in sale mode already.  A sign of the times and, as a consumer, who's complaining? 

40% off at Boden.  Off loads.  Happy browsing. 

My choice accessory wise would be the Sophia Bag was £109 now £64.50 in hazel.



Alternatively there is 10% off all new stock with the code G2G5

Pony Saddle Bag was £109 now £98.10


Staying with pale shades - new in at Me+Em.  I have been hankering after a backpack for ages now. 

Leather Backpack from Me+Em £299 in Dove 


Bagpacks again at Jigsaw.  Sticking with the pared bag, minimalist look. 

Blake Leather Backpack from Jigsaw £179 in nude 


In grey again £179



Or a dusky pink.. (although I'm convinced the boots aren't pink at all and are very much beige and will look rank with them).  The nude one definitely gets my vote.  Or I could sack it all and go for black?  Which sort of defeats the object.  Oops. 


If a backpack isn't your thing - adore the shoulder bag version.  These scream simple elegance, don't they?

Elin Medium Shoulder Bag from Jigsaw £149 in nude 


Plain but pared back and chic again at John Lewis. 

Morgan Leather Large Across Body Bag in Taupe £89




So I have managed to talk myself into a complete state of confusion.  I've no idea which bag I want, even if I want (I am fully aware that I do not need on any level) another one.  And don't get me started on what sort of colour.  Shock. Horror. 

However, you will be pleased to hear that I have managed to convince myself that I HAVE to have the boots.  Do I size up or down in the Chloe Susannas?  Seeing as I appear to have bought the completely wrong size in the Marant sneakers the other day so they'll have to go back.  I tried them on in a 38 and couldn't wait for the larger size so I have no idea if I'm a 39.5 or the 40.  I would have to amputate a toe to wear the 38 for more than 10 minutes.

Today - back to black. 


Marbled tee - Zoe Karssen
Black jacket - hush
Black side piped trousers - Me+Em
Copeland glitter trainers - Air & Grace
Black half moon bag - APC

Coming up over the next week, I'm going to be putting together outfit options that you can make from capsule wardrobes.  It seems that there are so many different sorts of styles you can do this season, it can be super confusing - hell, I've managed to drive myself to a glass of wine on a Monday (nothing to do with after school torture from children - no, not at all..) with the befuddlement of nude handbags - let alone what trouser style or skirt length.

In the meantime, I have an obsession that has been brewing that I need to go and research.  Any guesses?