Keeping It Basic with Organic Basics

Organic Basics White Female Tee* | Mango Committed Relaxed Jeans in White | Wåven Men’s Denim Jacket | Loewe Repeat Espadrille in Burgundy | Baukjen Classic Gold Buckle Belt* | Ace & Tate Heather Sunglasses in Latte* | A Weathered Penny Gold Wire Circle Hoops* | Merci Maman Large Hammered 10th Anniversary Necklace in Gold* | Merci Maman The Merci Maman Necklace* |  Kristen Elspeth Spear Ring in Gold* | Rotary Oxford Watch in Black* | Matthew Calvin Meteorite Ring in Rose Gold* | Merci Maman Pastille Bracelet in Gold*

So I’m a bit of a t-shirt and jeans girl a lot of the time. I own way too many of each, all in the search for the perfect one/pair. Lately I’ve been living in my Weekday Voyage jeans and these Mango Committed ones (which I bought in the sale at the end of the summer). I’ve been much more choosy about the denim I buy since I learnt what a huge impact both denim manufacturing and cotton growing has on the environment. Both the Weekday Voyage and Mango Committed pairs were made with organic cotton which uses far less water and no harmful chemical fertilisers, pesticides or insecticides. These are harmful not only to the land but also to the people that farm it.

Everyone should own a good white tee. If you ask me, it’s THE wardrobe essential of all essentials. A classic crew in a non-fitted cut is my preferred style, the looser fit just feels more comfortable to me. I recently discovered quite a new brand that have chosen to do a few basics really well, including a classic crew. Organic Basics are from Denmark where they take sustainability a lot more seriously than most countries. As the name suggests they use organic cotton in all their products which currently range from super soft undies to t-shirts. They’re a sustainable brand challenging the industry to improve its processes. They grow their cotton in Turkey, just outside Izmir. The farmers they work with have a long history of producing high quality Turkish long fibre. The long fibre is important because it gives the smooth texture to the finished garment.

Styling Davina Mulford’s AW17 Campaign

Davina Mulford Fedora in Wine with Burgundy Band (Closed now) | ME+EM Icon Cable Knit Sweater in Cream* | Weekday Voyage Jeans in Wow Blue | Adidas Court Vantage in White | Davina Mulford Fringed Cross Body Bag in Black* (Closed now) | Cate & Nelson No. 165 Watch* | CFconcept Tusk Necklace

Last month, just before I headed off to Seville, Davina Mulford asked me if I would style and model some looks for her AW17 campaign. I’m a genuine fan of her namesake brand; I practically lived in one of her Panama hats over the summer and her cross body bag has seen me through many sartorial situations. Davina is lovely, talented and passionate; she’s also been very supportive of Style&Minimalism, always encouraging and there for a chat.

Her new collection features four colour variations of her traditional fedora (eight if you include her new monogram service which allows you to have your initials embroidered on the ribbon). She’s chosen a classic palette of navy, burgundy, pale grey and camel – so there’s something to suit everyone. They’re well-structured fedoras (no flimsy, floppy brims) that sit comfortably on the head. They come with a few sticky felt strips that you can place under the inner rim if you need to adjust the fit slightly.

For the campaign I styled four looks, each to compliment one of the four colour variations. I chose to style my looks with pieces from brands I regularly wear; including ME+EM, Baukjen and AllSaints. If you’d like to see some of the other looks, please visit the Davina Mulford blog where Davina has kindly shared an interview she did with me at the time. In it I share some styling tips and advice. If you have a read please do come back and leave a comment below to let me know what you think.

On a side note, I just wanted to mention how amazing this jumper is from ME+EM. It’s a merino-cashmere-mix and comes with a detachable collar that converts it into a polo-neck, a clever design that will see me through the winter.


Sadly since this post went live Davina decided to close-up shop. The struggle for small businesses to survive in this industry in the early years is such a huge challenge, even when you have an incredible product.

Black, In Summer?

Sandro Veinarde Leather Biker Jacket in Black | The White Company Silk Maxi Drawstring Dress in Black | Baia Trio Bag in Dove Grey* | Ace & Tate Suzy Sunglasses in Bio Black* | Cate & Nelson No. 165 Watch* | Merci Maman Personalised Flat Bangle in Gold* | Auree Jewellery Tembo Shina Bracelet in Rose Gold* | Kristen Elspeth Blade Ring & Axe Ring* | Lines & Current The Bar Earrings in Gold* |  Littionary 14k Tiny Yellow Gold Dot Stud Earrings | Dinny Hall Bijou Geode Stud in Gold* | Merci Maman Graduation Chain Charm Necklace*

I admit black may not be your colour of choice when it comes to what to wear on a hot summer day but come the evening, when the temperature drops a little and the sun’s rays no longer penetrate, it’s perfect. And if you have a golden tan then all the better for showing it off.

This loose fitting black silk dress feels amazing on, it’s soft on the skin, floaty and hangs really nicely. I knew from the moment that I first tried it on that I had to have it. It’s another piece in my growing collection of wardrobe essentials from The White Company. I’ve been so impressed with their collection this season and it’s been hard not to go in and buy up half the shop. I can see myself wearing this dress beyond summer and into next season, with the addition of a long sleeved t-shirt or jumper it may even make it into winter.

Birkin’s Back

Vintage French Army F2 Field Jacket | Second Female Mayson Shirt Dress* | AlbaATN Jane Birkin Basket Bag | Adidas Originals Court Vantage in White | Kapten & Son Berkeley Sunglasses in Tortoiseshell* | 88&Cloudless Joy Mini-Star Necklace in Solid 9ct Gold* | Larsson & Jennings Lugano Watch* | Merci Maman Personalised Flat Bangle in Gold* | Kristen Elspeth Blade Ring in Gold* | Kristen Elspeth Spear Ring in Gold* | Kristen Elspeth Petite Thread Ring in Gold*

Back in the winter I put together a couple of mood boards to reference and inspire my style for the coming seasons, one for spring and another for summer. It was an image on of one my mood boards, of Jane Birkin clutching a basket bag that inspired this purchase and I’m so pleased with it. It’s been a talking point whenever I use it and certainly touches on man-repeller territory, Dan doesn’t get it. But I don’t really dress for others anymore, as my confidence slowly grows, the happier I am with my own style.

Jane Birkin has been such an inspiration to me, as she clearly has been to so many others. Her natural beauty and casual, confident style made her an icon in the 70s but I see so many references to her style in bloggers and celebrities today; such as Anne-Laure of Adenorah, Lucy Williams of Fashion Me Now and model/presenter Alexa Chung. With the 70s still being a huge style inspiration to modern designers, there are lots of references everywhere, a wide-leg jean, a floral wrap dress, and the odd basket bag. I love adding boho elements into my summer wardrobe so keep an eye out for my subtle homage to a style legend.

Spring In Stripes

Samsøe & Samsøe Sanella T-Neck Stripe Sweater* | ME+EM Leather Wrap Skirt in Black* | Air & Grace Copeland Trainers in Leopard* | A.P.C. Demi-Lune Shoulder Bag in Black | Finery London Flora Fan Peel Earrings* | Kristen Elspeth Blade Ring, Axe Ring & Spear Ring* | 88&Cloudless Joy Mini-Star Necklace in Solid 9ct Gold* | Ace & Tate x It’s Nice That Sunglasses*

The clocks have just gone back so I guess it’s time to start getting my legs out, pale as they may be right now; I’m getting out the St Tropez tout suite. There’s always space in my wardrobe for a stripe. The French and Danish are two of my favourite nations for culture, style, food and design; and they each do stripes like no one else. I’m heavily influenced in my style choices by these two countries. This time around it’s the stripes of Danish brand Samsøe & Samsøe that I’m championing. Although I’ve thrown a little French into the mix with my beloved A.P.C. bag. Have you also noticed that the French tend to mix leopard print and stripes? It feels like a very Parisienne thing to do, I hope I’m channeling that vibe today.

Cashmere Is King with Chinti and Parker

Chinti and Parker Star Slouchy Cashmere Sweater in Black* | Levi’s Vintage 501 Jeans | Sandro Veinarde Leather Biker Jacket in Black | Adidas Originals Stan Smith Trainers* | Jaeger Mini Oxford Cross-Body Bag in Black (sold out)* | 88&Cloudless Joy Mini-Star Necklace in Solid 9ct Gold* | Felice Dahl Första Ring in Gold* | Kristen Elspeth Blade Ring in Gold* | Myia Bonner Mini Diamond Circle Stud Earrings in Gold | Retrosuperfuture Paloma Black Matte Sunglasses*

It may sound like a cliche but once you’ve worn cashmere it’s hard to go back. When it comes to knitwear, cashmere really is king. It’s incredibly soft, lightweight and ever so warm – it’s said to be three times warmer than sheep’s wool.

Cashmere comes from the finer undercoat fibres of the cashmere goat. It’s usually combed from the goats during their moulting season and is then separated from the course guard hairs that are moulted at the same time. Each goat is said to produce around 115g each year, meaning for just one sweater the wool of 3-4 goats is required. This is one of the reasons for its elevated cost. There are several grades of cashmere depending on the diameter of the hairs, the best, Grade A is 14-15.5 microns thick and, the worst, Grade C is around double that at 30 microns.

“…for just one sweater the wool of 3-4 goats is required.”

I’ve tested out a lot of high-street cashmere. Initially I’ve been impressed but a couple of wears and washes later and it no longer resembles the jumper I bought. It’s moulted onto everything I’ve touched, there are bobbles on high-friction areas and it’s shrunk. Don’t believe the hype, it’s just not worth it. If you’re ready to invest in cashmere look to the high-end brands that work with the most respected mills. One brand I can highly recommend is Chinti and Parker, a London based clothing brand that specialise in a ‘classic-with-a-twist essence’. They cater for those of us with a more minimalist aesthetic as well as those looking for designs with personality (they collaborated with Miffy last year and have another exciting collaboration coming soon).

A Few Winter Wardrobe Essentials

Jaeger Wool Wrap Coat in Black* | Armor-Lux Tricolor Breton Top* | Samsøe & Samsøe Lisa Jeans* | Penmayne of London Willow Fedora in Midnight Blue* (Now Closed) | Jaeger Mini Oxford Cross-Body Bag in Black* | Woman by Common Projects Original Achilles Low | CFconcept Tusk Necklace in Gold | Rotary Men’s Legacy Automatic Watch (use my discount code ROTARYSTYLE to get 30% off)* | Merci Maman Personalised Flat Bangle in Gold c/o Not On The High Street* | Kristen Elspeth Blade Ring, Axe Ring & Spear Ring*

I’m always looking for great essentials. Given all this chilly weather I’ve been in search of the perfect winter wardrobe essentials, building blocks that I can mix and match throughout the season, and beyond. During the cold months I tend to focus on finding great accessories and warm coats.

I first featured Penmayne of London’s stunning hats last winter when I was at Paris Fashion Week. I wore their Willow fedora in mink to a few events. I’ve always been a hat person and love discovering a new hat brand that puts beautiful craftsmanship above all else. I’ve owned quite a few fedoras but this one is by far my favourite, it has a great shape that holds (not floppy like some) and the brim is just the right width for me, not too slim, not too wide. Their hats are made to last and I know I will cherish mine for many years to come.

Jaeger is a great brand for wool coats, they’re well made, well tailored and feel good on. This long black one has been serving me well this winter. With it’s longer length I can tie it up and feel totally wrapped up. It’s been made with the softest inky black wool and looks great worn open or tied with its kimono-style waist belt.

Borrowed From The Boys

COS Men’s Wool & Yak Sweater in Dark Grey | Side Party Hackney Buttoned Corduroy Skirt in Grey Blue* | Comme des Garçons PLAY Stripe Long-sleeve T-shirt (always low in stock online, I got mine at Dover Street Market) | Heist The Thirty Tights in Jet Black* | Jaeger Mini Oxford Cross-Body Bucket Bag in Black* | Woman by Common Projects Original Achilles Low Trainers in White | Saint James Mariner’s Cap in Navy | Kristen Elspeth Blade Ring, Axe Ring & Spear Ring* | Sophie Wallgren Marta Bracelet in Gold* (now closed) | Timex Weekender Fairfield Watch in Khaki Green Leather*

Even though I have quite a few sweaters of my own I’m always want to borrow Dan’s. There’s something so wonderful about the feel of an oversized sweater, especially when it’s not yours. However, it’s rare that I actually do borrow his though, as his collection is a lot smaller than mine and I feel pretty bad for taking them away from him.

I spotted this charcoal grey sweater in the men’s section of COS a few weeks ago and have been living in it, ever since. It’s super soft (a mix of wool and yak), very comfortable and just the right size that it doesn’t swamp me. I’ve been able to wear it with everything.

This year I’m focused on curating my perfect wardrobe. There’s so much I need to sell or give to charity, pieces that don’t bring me joy (I’m in a Marie Kondo frame of mind) and that have lingered too long in my wardrobe. I want to open my wardrobe and have the problem of not knowing what to wear because I want to wear it all. This last year I’ve spent more money on items I want to wear until the day they fall apart, like this Comme des Garçons PLAY t-shirt (just seen) and perfect white leather trainers by Common Projects. (If you’re planning to buy the t-shirt go up a size and down at least one size for the trainers.)

If you’re looking for a great pair of tights I cannot recommend Heist enough. Not only do they have the coolest branding and packaging but they are also the most comfortable tights I’ve ever worn. This is due to their unique seamless 3D knitted design and a waistband made using a luxury sportswear technique that means it doesn’t dig in or roll-up. Kudos to Heist, they really have nailed it.

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