SHOE CRUSH- Dukes Boots

It’s been a while since I last discovered a really unique shoe brand, one that made me instantly fall in love the second I set eyes on it. The other day I had an e-mail which mentioned Dukes Boots and being the curious creature that I am I had to go have a browse. That was that really. Laura has another shoe crush, I’m bordering on obsessed with some of these styles.
I’ve popped up images of the four women’s styles that Dukes has to offer. I’m utterly in love with the Chelsea Boots which come in some fantastic colour-ways- it’s the Lotta pair that has my heart! The Monk shoes are a style I’ve never found myself considering before, but after hearing on the grapevine that there will be some fabulous pastel ones launching for the new season I’m starting to change my mind…watch this space!
Dukes was set up by the lovely Daisy who designs the boots here in the UK. One they’ve been designed the boots are handmade by craftsmen in Spain to the highest standard. Every pair is made to last with leather soles and lining. I just can’t get enough of them!
The Summer collection is launching in the next couple of weeks and I just cannot wait to see it. I’m seriously skint right now but any spare pennies I get will be going towards a pair of Dukes.
Have you made any new discoveries lately? Which style of Dukes Boots best sums you up?

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Magpie Eye: Clea Silk

Another day and another new jewellery brand to admire. Clea Silk  presents an eclectic mixture of bold and bohemian pieces designed by self-confessed magpie Charlie Silk.
Clea Silk is a labour of love. Sourced from an eclectic, contemporary and unique collection of gold plated and silver jewellery found on their extensive travels, Clea Silk use only precious metals and semi-precious stones in their pieces. Inspiration mostly comes from everyday life, involving memories of travels or loved ones. To create a piece that can evoke such happy memories is quite some feat, but seemingly it’s something Clea Silk does to perfection. Each piece is designed to bring meaning to the person wearing it, I’m drawn to some of the brighter pieces reminding me of how happy I am surrounded by family and friends having fun.
Above is just a small selection of my favourite pieces, out of which the shell pendant has to rank as number one simply because it takes me straight back to family holidays on the beach. Even now when visiting a beach I find myself hunting for the perfect shell to bring home.
Price wise you’re looking at between around £25 and £100, really not bad for something so special. Which piece on Clea Silk captures your imagination? This is a brand that truly has something special. As time passes I’m becoming more and more interested in a jewellery and a discovery like this is a real gem (sorry, I had to!)

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Pastel Perfection from Yull Shoes

Just how gorgeous are these beauties from the Spring/Summer collection by Yull Shoes? I’ve been a champion for the brand since forever and Sarah’s creations just get better and better. These pastel stunners have well and truly captured my heart, so much so I couldn’t resist pinching this image from the brand’s facebook page (sorry Sarah!)
If it’s classic simplcity you’re after there is also plenty of that in the new collection in a variety of heel heights and stunning colours. Yull is THE British shoe brand for me, nothing I’ve owned from there has let me down and the brand goes from strength to strength each season. If it carries on like this I’ll be needing new bedroom storage, something like this that I found on my endless browsing should do the trick nicely.
Have you checked out Yull shoes yet? If you haven’t then you really should, I can heartily recommend the Chelsea Boots and Cambridge Flats for starters…

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Hello Valentine: Rose Gold with Guess

Well, it wouldn’t be a series of gift guides without an appearance from GUESS now would it? When I was sent over some images of their latest and greatest I was instantly drawn to the gorgeous selection of Rose Gold pieces- Roses don’t last forever, delicate pinky gold jewellery does (and probably, given inflation at this time of year doesn’t cost any more than roses, either!)
I’ve put price details on the pictures, just hover over them to reveal. My eye is on the bow necklace at £45, that or the pink bracelet box set at £50.
Which would you prefer? A dozen roses or something more sparkly to last a heck of a lot longer? I’ve got quite a collection of Guess jewellery now and as much as I love fresh flowers I know which I’d prefer!

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At The Seaside

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside…
I really do you know? It brings back so many memories of childhood holidays spent on beaches in Devon and Cornwall. No fancy overseas holidays for us, nope. It was all about piling in to cars and setting off down the motorway; my parents, my grandparents and various Aunts, Uncles and cousins for a glorious week of sunshine (somehow it never rained then), ice cream and sandcastles.
Perhaps this is why I am so drawn to the SS14 collection from aMuse, named A Perfect Day…at the Seaside. It has a real sense of nostaliga and “British Holiday” about it. I’m thinking paddling in rock pools, eating salty chips from newspaper and tipping buckets of sand over sun bathing adults (sorry Dad!)
This capsule collection is by designer Sarah Nettleton and captures both nautical shapes and colours. Inspired by her own childhood growing up in New England, USA they translate easily to the British love of all things seaside.
Surprisingly for such beautiful, unique jewellery the prices are really down to earth. Starting at £25 for the earrings to £45 for the Paper Boat Necklace my sights are set on the Fish and Chips necklace, at £25 I’ve finally found a wish list item I will be able to afford sooner rather than later.
What are your thoughts on this collection? It’s incredible right? Anything that can take me back to those happy summers is a real winner.
The collection is available from amusefashions.com which in itself is a whole treasure trove of inspiration.
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P.S. it’s surgery day for me…fingers crossed eh?