Hackett children's fashion collection for autumn/winter 2011, classics rebooted

Posted on March 7, 2011 by smudgetikka

British menswear specialists Hackett are on an expansion plan with new stores opening soon in Frankfurt and Hamburg. I am sure German parents will love their classic fashion styling for kids too as much as the Brits do. Their quality is superb and the whole range oozes class.

They are also one of the best retailers to go to for a boys nicely tailored jacket and a cool bow tie!

The coming winter’s range for children seen at Pitti Bimbo in January has a new tweed jacket style with a cool undercollar button tab and a wonderful checked giant wool scarf along with their signature rugby style tops and contrast trimmed blazers.

I am lusting after that big wool scarf already, just what I need for this everlasting cold weather, strangely too although I can’t persuade my son to wear a sweater in the cold he is ever so happy to wind a big wool scarf around his neck so I think the bigger the better for now.

Great new tweed blazer and giant chequered scarf from Hackett kids for winter 2011

College styling for children's fashion at Hackett winter 2011

College styling for boys at Hackett winter 2011

Contrast trimmed blazer jacket and Navy pea coat for winter 2011

The duffle coat is super trendy again in menswear, for kids it never went away!

Classic rugby shirts and winter warmer jerkins at Hackett boyswear for winter 2011

Classic rugby shirts and winter warmer jerkins at Hackett winter 2011

Snowing in London again! Wimbledon Common.

Posted on December 17, 2010 by smudgetikka

Wow so much snow this year, and more to come tomorrow.

This is so unusual I had to rush out and capture it on Wimbledon Common, looking foreward to the heavier fall tomorrow but then I am one of the fortunate ones and I know the shops won’t run out of supplies and I won’t be trapped in my home for long so I am sympathetic to those in the extremes of the country with far worse weather and hope they manage to enjoy the snow as well.

Wimbledon Common snow on December 17th 2010

The Dock Kitchen Christmas fair starts today

Posted on December 16, 2010 by smudgetikka

Having read all about it in Vogue and needing to meet a friend in Notting Hill I decided to check out the Dock Kitchen myself this week, Tom Dixon’s restaurant at the top end of Ladbroke Grove with his mega shop underneath and workrooms at the back.

I then wished I had visited a few days later as from today till Sunday there is a Christmas Festival at the Dock with lots of additional merchandise, Christmas trees, decorations, make your own Cards from Playlab.tv and on Thursday evening 6 – 8pm mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and music in a transformed outdoor living room. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Lunch from the kitchen of Stevie Parle was great by the way and the situation on the edge of the dock will be stunning in the summer but it is the shop that will draw me here again.

The Dock Kitchen restaurant reflected in dome copper light at Portobello Dock

Wooden robots and animals in the Tom Dixon shop by Areaware

Love these animal cushions by Salvor Fauna at Tom Dixon shop

Loving the door to the Gent's loo at Portobello Dock

And the ladies loo, confusing for first time visitors as there are no signs

Lower level entry to the Tom Dixon shop at Portobello Dock

A pile of the classic Jack lights

Personal tribute shelf for Tom's adored poodle Molly

Personal tribute shelf in Molly's Tea room for Tom's adored poodle Molly

15 Christmas wreaths from the streets of London for Xmas 2010

Posted on December 15, 2010 by smudgetikka

As it says really, I am always overwhelmed at the range of wreaths that appear on the doors of London at this time of year, so many, so different.

Here is my selection from the streets of West London, this years new shape appears to be the red heart. Sweet.

Christmas Wreaths from the streets of London Xmas 2010

Red hearts are popular this year for Christmas Wreaths

Xmas Wreaths from the streets of London Xmas 2010

Pine cones are always traditional

Love the hanging pines on this one

So chic for the grey front door

Primary brights for a jolly wreath

Modernist and simple chic

Homespun styling

Classic Holly wreath

Unusual red heart wreath

Red heart variation wreath

Unshowy and classic wreath with cinnamon sticks

Over the top styling fruity wreath

Xmas Wreaths from the streets of London Christmas 2010

This is my favourite, willow and frosted berries

Star struck wreath

Pomp and Circumstance wreath, very grand but what's with the clogs!

New kids collection from Grosvenor Shirts has a mini me Dad philosophy

Posted on December 2, 2010 by smudgetikka

Grosvenor Shirts, a bespoke shirt company committed to production in the UK where they own their own factory for production, has branched out into boyswear with a mini me collection of 12 of the favorite men’s styles sized down for 4-12 year olds. Recognised as one of the finest shirtmakers in the world the company has a concession in Selfridges for both made to measure and ready to wear.

For those who like a bit of formal dressing or have an event led life there is nothing like a well constructed product to suffer the strain of a young boy’s wear and tear. All the more appropriate with dressing up for Christmas with the grandparents on the horizon too!

The shirts are made to the same exacting standards as the mens collection and feature contrast cuff details, splashy floral and stripe designs and mixed colour and check combinations. Hopefully Dad wouldn’t choose exactly the same designs for his sons, that could be scary!

There is one example on the website but I would advocate similar and complementary rather than the same styling and learning young the difference between great fabric, cut and make will give a young boy pride for the future in how he dresses. Prices start at £69.