lust - have: toast 'suzu' dress

Do you ever have those moments when you walk into a shop, see an item of clothing and just think 'I need to have this in my life'? When I shop, I either buy something I need.... or something I need.

Thats how I felt a couple of weekends ago when I walked into Toast and saw this, the Suzu dress. After a quick glance at the price tag, I shrugged it off as a 'never-gonna-happen' purchase. But I couldn't get the dress out of my head for the rest of the afternoon. I just needed a justifiable reason to buy it, other than- it's sooooooo pretty.

Then like a lightning bolt to the head, it came to me.... summer wedding. In July I'm off to Poland for my boyfriend's brother's wedding and need a dress to impress, (I'll be meeting a lot of extended family for the first time). I'm yet to try the beauty on, but if it looks as good on me as it does in my head- I'll blow the budget and buy it. Life's too short for fashion regrets.

When was your last 'have to have it' moment?

RE

Whilst perusing the Liberty website recently I read about a brand opening up a permanent shop in Liberty's pretty walls, a brand called RE.

The brand sells homeware and manages to do so with originality and passion. Most of the items are found, some are recycled, but ALL are beautiful.

Here are some bits I'm putting on my 'when I'm rich I'll shop here' wishlist.....

Have you discovered any new homeware brands recently?

song of the week.....

Haven't done one of these in a while! My song of the week posts are just a little insight into which songs are currently making my ears happy, they can be old, new, whatever- the only prerequisite is that they rock.

At the moment I have been playing Peggy Sue's album 'Acrobats' on repeat, and here is one of the best songs on the album- 'Song and Dance'

What songs have been rocking your world recently?

Instagram #001

Fashionably late as ever to the Instagram party, I have arrived a little dishevelled and rather excitable. How brilliant is this?! As a lover of photography but loather of carrying my heavy SLR, this little iPhone app satisfies my daily snapshot cravings. Here are a few pics from my first week on Instagram, I have taken more since, (it is pretty addictive), but figured I'd make this a weekly thing.

Top Row L - R

cool artwork, Bettie the kitten, beautiful new tweed biker, silly Friday face

Middle Row L - R

mid-morning snack, Calvin or Coco? Breton stripes, a little light reading

Bottom Row L - R

commute home, profile posing, typewriter love, roast dinner time!

Who else is on here? 

(PS for those interested, my Instagram username is katnicholls)

outfit: leopard print shift

Animal print is the one print above all others that I tend to gravitate towards. And it's not just the print I go nuts for, it's any piece where big cats feature. To date I have one tiger print dress, one leopard print dress and about three or four T-shirts with various big cats baring their fangs. The reason? Pretty simple, I love big cats. I have had the pleasure of stroking a Cheetah in South Africa and many Tigers in Thailand, and would love to add a Panther, Lion and Leopard to the list. They are smart, agile and simply beautiful. Here's one I photographed getting a kiss from a monk in Thailand....

(for more Thailand pics, take a look at my latest 'from the archives' post)

As Winter clings on to Britain I find myself layering these various prints under simple jumpers and leggings for an easy every-day look. Here's one I made earlier...

Are there any prints you favour above others?

polaroids of folk that make music

Top Left: Felix (The Maccabees)
Top Right: Emmy The Great
Bottom Left: Nathan (Flogging Molly)
Bottom Right: Rebecca (Slow Club)

Discovered this rather cool photography project from Frock-a-zine (a new favourite spot to hang out in on the internet), a project by photographer James Perou that does exactly what is says on the tin.

Polaroids of folk that make music.

Simples.

just a minute.... february

Making: My room more beautiful- had a serious clear out and clean this month! Tidy room = Tidy mind

Watching: 2nd half of series 2 'Walking Dead', oh Andrew Lincon *swoon*

Listening: Lianne la Havas

Buying: Meals out and trips to the cinema

Loving: The week off I had for my Birthday- was treated like a queen on the day, ate incredible food with friends and family, organised my life and had MANY lie ins

How was your February?