Magpie Top Picks ~ asos.com 25% off dresses

Asos prices are always so reasonable, that an extra 25% off seems almost too good to be true! We are off to Japan in a fortnight (squeal!), so I am trying to be good and save my pennies, but even so I am sorely tempted by these beauties...

Warehouse Textured Crepe Shift Dress

Lust List ~ January, 2014

If I happened to have a spare thousand pounds...

Whistles, Meghan Crepe Dress in pink, £115

Winter Weekend Warmers

It's cold, it gets dark early and all you seem to want to do is eat and sleep. Here are my top picks for making the most of these Winter weekends...

Hunter Original Short in Biscuit, £70

Seasonal sale picks

Below are a handful of treasures I came across while browsing through various online sales. Happy shopping!

Hobbs, Parisa Jacket

L.K. Bennett, Petunia Dress

Kurt Geiger, Belgravia High Heel Sandal

Lulu Guinness, Tiny 2 Two Of A Kind Umbrella

Reiss, Gigi Dress

Zara, Leather Shopper

J.Crew, Postage Stamp embroidered cotton-blend mini skirt

Lust List ~ June, 2013

Graced Swing Dress, Anthropologie ~ perfect for balmy summer nights...

Ursula Cable Knit Pouffes, Graham & Greene ~ a perfect safe-saving extra
seating solution, coupled with great design that would grace any room.

Leather and Bamboo Wallet, & Other Stories ~ fab over-sized
wallet/clutch in sumptuous soft grainy leather. Fab colour. 

Exact Skirt, Vila ~ Practical yet pretty; perfect for work.

Two Grey Gesso Candlesticks, Cox & Cox ~ Stylish
and subtle. Wish we had a fireplace for these beauties!

So, what are you lusting after this month..?

pp x

Sunday Smörgåsbord

It may have been another unintentionally quiet fortnight in the magpie's online nest (sorry, folks), but not so in the real world. School has been supremely busy, and weekends have been jam packed! Lots of highlights which I can't feature on the Smörgåsbord, for reasons which will become apparent, but which I would love to share...

1. Ate at Dans le Noir last weekend to celebrate my wonderful big sister's birthday. In essence, you eat in the dark. When I say dark, I mean utterly, thoroughly, oppressively dark. You cannot see your own hand in front of your face. It's incredible. Oh, and you have no idea what you are going to be served for dinner. You can (and should!) read all about it here. We opted for the Chef's special menu, which turned out to be camel, crocodile and kangaroo. Insane! Now you understand why I have no photographs...

2. I took my little school chamber choir to compete in their first ever music festival this week (I only auditioned them in October). They were fantastic and won their class - so proud!

3. Slept for a maximum of two hours on Friday night. I took my class of seven and eight year olds camping in the woods. We had a whale of a time! Scavenger hunt, toasted marshmallows, camp songs and an uphill night hike. The last one awake fell asleep at 2:30am, one woke me homesick and afraid of the dark at 3:30, and the majority were then awake at 5:20. I feel fine now, but I have my suspicions that it's going to be a long week...

1. Finally opened our Chocolate Frog from Universal, Florida. Sadly, in spite of its being in date, the chocolate was grim, but at least I have the pretty box as a memento!

2. Dressing up for a big night out. Winged liner!

3. We hatch ducklings at school every year - not an easy task for my poor colleague who spent most of the Easter holidays turning the eggs! There are always some that don't hatch, sadly, so each one that makes it is a little miracle! Isn't she pretty?! I also though she looked particularly good against my hot pink nails. Perhaps she'd like a bow..?

4. Lovely meal out with friends at The Parrot Inn, Forest Green. As instructed by this door sign, we engaged in feasting, fuddling and fun. And no, fuddling is not a naughty word.

5 - 7. Bank Holiday day trip to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth. Spinnaker Tower (5). Bathed in glorious sunshine and indulged in a little retail therapy: luscious coral polo (6) from Ralph Lauren outlet at an amazing discount and half price Cath Kidston (7)!

8. Homemade Fennel, Pear and Red Pepper Soup for dinner this evening. Delicious. I know I always promise recipes and then fail miserably to post them, but I promise I will churn out a glut of wonderful recipes at half term!

So much more to share, so little time. Sigh. I will do my very best to keep up with some midweek posting, but I may be AWOL again this coming fortnight due to exams/reports/school trips/making a start on packing up the flat (we are moving next month...). Please do continue to stop by though, and find me on Twitter and Pinterest via the links at the top right of the homepage.

TTFN, pp x

City Spotlight: London

It's very easy to read a guide book or surf the web for inspiration as to what to do in London, and I would wager that a large number of you (my UK readers, at least) have been several times, have friends or family there, or have even lived in the Big Smoke yourselves at one time or another. With that in mind, this is by no means a travel guide to London; it won't tell you anything about St Paul's or Buckingham Palace. This post simply consists of a few magpie recommendations for what to do and where to eat if you fancy a relaxed, fun and food-filled day trip in our fabulous capital.

Can you spy the London Eye..?

Food

Wherever you go in London, there are places to eat on or around every corner. Whilst the reliability of a good chain may be convenient, one the whole I prefer one-offs, for a little culinary magic...

Breakfast: Le Pain Quotidien (various London locations, but I like the one on the South Bank, near Waterloo) - OK, so I've started with a chain, but you won't find one outside of London within the UK. Delicious continental offerings, not only for breakfast, but for my money, their breads and pastries are what they do best. Served with delicious praline spreads and fruit conserves. Personal favourite: the organic hazelnut flute, spread with Brunette.

Lunch: Mildreds (Soho) - I mentioned this little vegetarian restaurant early on in my blogging days, when I had just discovered it. I'm not a vegetarian, but I am a fan of vegetarian food. The atmosphere in Mildreds is great, and the food fresh and delicious. Obviously no good if you have a confirmed carnivore (i.e. most men!) in toe, but great for a healthy, organic lunch or dinner from a restaurant that supports local independent suppliers.

Tea & Cake: Paul (Another chain, but again, exclusive to London within the UK. We usually visit the branch in Covent Garden) - Order the Café Surprise. Order it every time, without hesitation or deliberation.

Don't mind if I do...

Dinner: The Cookbook Café @ The Intercontinental (Hyde Park) - 'Cookbook Cafe offers upscale market table fare that champions British seasonal and sustainable ingredients in an interactive culinary experience...' [Source: restaurant's own website] The food here is just delicious, and the staff are warm and attentive without making a nuisance of themselves. Worth looking out for on toptable, as their set menus and discount offers are often very generous.

Activities

My favourite things to do in any city are shopping (obviously!), visiting museums and going to the theatre (all interspersed with eating, of course - as above!). All three in one day makes for a perfect, if potentially expensive excursion, however, most exhibits within the big museums are free, you can haggle for a bargain at the markets and look out for last minute deals on theatre tickets.

Spot of shopping: Portobello Market (Notting Hill) - For clothes, I invariably head to Regent Street, but for fun, it has to be one of London's many markets. Covent Garden, Spitalfields, Camden, Greenwich, Portobello. To do these wonderful treasure troves justice, you need at least a couple of hours and some cash in your pocket. Just my cup of tea: wandering the streets of Notting Hill, scouring the stalls and windows for I know not what.

An abundance of vintage treasures.

A riot of glorious technicolour.

Culture vulture: The V&A (Victoria & Albert Museum) (South Kensington) - Any of the big four museums (British, Science, Natural History, V&A) is a great place to spend a day in London, and I love them all, but we have most recently visited the V&A. The building itself is astonishingly beautiful, inside and out. Take the weight off your feet after all that walking and soak up the atmosphere in the stunning café, and no museum trip would be complete without the obligatory visit to the gift shop! On our most recent visit, we saw a stunning exhibition of contemporary photography, Light from the Middle East, which you can find details and a video of here, even though it's no longer running. Well worth a look, along with the current David Bowie exhibition.

Troika's clockwork V&A sign.

A few highlights... Chihuly's Rotunda chandelier in the entrance hall; Fashion through the ages; Stained glass.

Catch a show: The National Theatre (South Bank) - I have yet to see an even mildly disappointing production at The National. You can guarantee that, irrespective of your taste in drama, you will always be impressed by the quality of the acting and the production. The auditorium is a great space, and you can often spot a famous face or two amongst the audience. I must acknowledge though, that much as I love drama, I also love the West End for musicals. Having said that, there are musicals and there are musicals... Musical of choice currently running (go and see it ASAP!): Book of Mormon. Avoid at all costs: Spamalot (truly dreadful; a heinous crime against Monty Python in my humble opinion).

Oh, and if you find yourself anywhere around the Leicester Square/Charing Cross/Covent Garden area, look out for this little fella... You know how I love a good rabbit.

"Find me in the window of Alice Through the Looking Glass."

pp x

Lust List ~ April, 2013

*New monthly feature!* Five current loves that I've been admiring...

Anthropologie - Jardim Lace Dress
I've tried this on. It is perfect in every way.

Oliver Bonas - Velvet Love Tub
Fabulous in any colour!

cakedecoratingsupplies.co.uk - Pink Milk Glass Cake Stand
I did in fact buy a pink cake stand this week, just not this beautiful expensive one.

Dune - Totton Over The Knee Riding Boot
I know it's hardly the season to be buying boots,
but my brown knee highs are on their last legs...

redbubble.com - "rabbit" by Alice Prior
Love pink. Love bunnies. Love this print.

Speaking of bunnies... Do check out my Bunny Love treasury over on Etsy for an overload of rabbity loveliness. I hope you are all enjoying suitably lovely weekends!

pp x

Spring in your step

Let's face it: the weather is miserable, there's no blossom on the trees and barely a daffodil in sight, so why not put a smile on your face and a seasonal spring in your step with a new pair of shoes instead?! The following selection features some of my favourites of the highstreet's recent arrivals. Don't you love some of these fresh pastel shades? Vibrant shoes are a great way to add a colour pop to an otherwise neutral ensemble, especially if you're sartorially colour shy. For a casual look, team flats with skinny jeans or capri pants, or wear a heel with a nice fitted pencil skirt for work. Now all we need is some sunshine...

Anthropologie, Cadee Booties

Also Anthro, Floral Hayden Heels

French Sole, Harriet Pink Textured Nubuck Ballerina Pumps

Ted Baker, Fluuri Printed Peep Toe

L.K.Bennet, Pacific Patent Leather Brogued Bow Platform

L.K.Bennet, Cannes Laser Flower Pattern Court

TopShop, VEE Woven Metallic Ballerina Pumps

May your dreams be sweet and of fancy footwear... Night!

pp x

Every little helps

Over the past five years or so, my shopping habits have changed dramatically. I estimate that I now do somewhere around 65% of my non-food shopping online, from my daily skincare products (Liz Earle), to many and varied gifts (books, cooking paraphernalia, jewellery etc). As such, I am sent rather a lot of emails containing handy little discount codes from time to time...

Here are a few current codes for a variety of retailers, in case you too love the scope and convenience of online shopping! I appreciate that the following is a real hodgepodge of offers, but perhaps one will prove useful/tempting for you...

Pure Collection (Women's clothing, esp. cashmere)

25% off + Free Delivery

SS13MK

Expires 11/3

Boden (Clothing for women, men & children)

£10 off voucher (only works once, so will only be valid for the first person to use it!)

UA6DYA69EX4M

Expires 21/03

The White Company (Homeware; women's & children's clothing)

15% off + Free Delivery

P1M13

Expires 11/03

Cox & Cox (Homeware & Gifts)

12% off

SAVE12

Expires 30/06

Heal's (Furniture & Homeware)

10% off Furniture & Accessories

PDMA13

Expires 10/03

Vistaprint (Printing services)

40% off orders, 50% off Photobooks

photobook50

Expires 24/03

Monarch (Flights)

£30 off Return Flights

17/07

FUN2FLY

Southern Railway (Train travel)

20% off

8242

Expires 21/03

Happy shopping and have a lovely weekend :-)

pp x

Magpie Must Haves

NEW REGULAR FEAUTURE!

As part of my Happiness Project, I have given a lot of thought to ways in which I can develop my blog, and one thing that occurred to me was that regular features are a good way to maintain momentum and provide the impetus for regular posts. I cannot tell you how terrible I feel whenever Sunday comes and goes and I haven't posted a Smörgåsbord! I have had so many ideas for regular feautres, some dating back as far as last summer, which I've yet to implement, but here is the first of them...

MagpieMustHaves will be a fortnightly feature sharing my personal recommendations on a particular theme. This may just be simply in the form of current loves, i.e. recent purchases/experiences, or it may be, for example, MagpieMustHaves for a beach holiday, or MagpieMustHaves for the perfect afternoon tea. I really hope these posts will prove to be as popular as the Smörgåsbords have been. This first installment of MMH is based on my love of vintage fashion...

Magpie Must Haves ~ Ten of the best vintage-inspired frocks

It is the prerogative of every little girl to play dress-up. From the musty and slightly sour smelling depths of the white-washed dressing-up box at nursery school, to the plush, tactile interior of some fabulous Parisian boutique, the exhilaration of donning a fabulous frock and admiring oneself twirling about in the looking glass remains the same, whether the little girl in question is eight, or eight-and-twenty.

Having spent several ugly caterpillar teenage years in little besides jeans and trainers, I'd like to believe that I have since emerged from the chrysalis of sartorially dubious university years, having become something that more closely resembles a butterfly. Some sort of moth, perhaps.

I do not pretend to be a trend-setting fashionista ~ you won't, sadly, find me in the front row at LFW, much as I'd love that ~ but I have at least the confidence to experiment with colour, texture and style, safe in the knowledge that whatever I put together will look better than Helena Bonham Carter on a bag lady day.

When dressing up, which I love to do, my choice of outfit will often allude to a bygone era in some way. That's not to say that you will find me down the local on a Friday night in full 1920s flapper attire, rather I may have tried to incorporate in my ensemble the materials, prints or silhouettes of vintage fashion in some way.

The following selection features ten of my favourite dresses currently available to purchase. They are beautiful and feminine and each harks back to a particular decade from the last century. Enjoy!

1920s

YUMI ~ UTTAM BOUTIQUE DROP WAIST TIERED PLEAT DRESS

COS ~ PLEATED VELVET DRESS

1930s

TED BAKER ~ ALIANA LACE DETAIL BUTTON BACK DRESS

1940s

BIBA ~ V-NECK GODET TEA DRESS

REISS ~ BRIDGE DRESS IN CREAM

1950s

ANTHROPOLOGIE ~ JARDIM LACE DRESS

1960s

YUMI ~ BROCADE BOW DRESS

1970s

REISS ~ 1971 MAISIE

WAREHOUSE ~ SATIN POCKET MAXI DRESS

1980s

TOPSHOP ~ PLAIN SHORT BODYCON DRESS IN CORAL

Love! I'm more of a 20s through to 50s girl myself. Which era/s best suit/s your sense of style?

pp x

For the love of TOD

Occasionally I like to taunt myself by browsing the internet for swag I know I cannot afford, and am therefore unlikely to ever own. Today, I bring you porn of the exquisite leather goods variety...

TOD'S D.D.Bag Medium Leather Bag
Oh, to get my paws on that sumptuous, grainy leather and inhale its earthy musk!

TOD'S Gommino Leather Moccasin Loafers
I find myself very drawn to orange at the moment. I'm not sure that's a good thing...

Mulberry Flower Lock Bracelet in Mint Classic Calf
Super cute and seasonal, combining the floral motif and beautiful mint shade.

Pour La Victoire Shanna in Mint Snakeskin Leather
Saw these on Cupcakes and Cashmere and had to re-post. So  pretty for Spring!

Christian Laboutin Décolleté 100 patent-leather  pumps
A true classic. Definitely on my 30th birthday list.

Anya Hindmarch Grey Capra Bathurst Bow Soft Satchel
Imagine carrying this beauty to work ~ what a pleasure transporting your affairs would be.

Modalu Pippa Croc Grab
Just thought this would set off the Laboutins nicely...

What are your current leather lusts?

pp x