Michelle Wiliams cover for Elle UK December

Michelle Williams truly wows the cover of Elle UK this month with her beautiful doe eyes and Pixie Crop she looks cute, innocent and utterly captivating.

There is a vulnerability and child-like quality to these images, they are reminiscent of some of the most intimate shots of Marilyn Monroe who Michelle is portraying in the new film My Week with Marilyn.

My Week With Marilyn is out in UK cinemas this week and should be a real treat and not just for Marilyn fans, I can't wait x

There's Something About Leather

Elvis Presley was on to something when he donned soft leather from head to toe and sent screaming women out of their minds back in 1968 and leather has slid it's way back under the fashion radar.

 At Alexander McQueen hair was tightly braided, shoulders were fierce and the leather provided a hint of sex underneath all of that structure, whilst laces and zips were totally S&M.

 Balmain rocked leather jackets like only they could, all Ziggy Stardust meets Dynasty in Ultramarine Blue with oversized shoulder pads, seriously D.I.S.C.O.

 I am addicted to all things Cowboy right now so when I saw DSquared2's Stetson and leather clad models I was hooked and just dying to try out this trend.

Every season Herve Leger offers up a fine selection of skin tight, check out my curves, dresses but this season they really went for it with leather body straps wound tight around waists. Achingly risque, it was clearly all about the bondage this season.

The High Street is nailing the leather look too, check out these great pieces...

River Island £70

ASOS £9.50

Topshop £32

Just team with a funky tee and killer chunky heels and you'll be sending all the boys to Heartbreak Hotel x

Zoe Karssen for ASOS £65

Kurt Geiger £85

Bonjour Mr Law

Browsing casually through a recent copy of L'Homme's GQ (manly) mag I come across an Ad for Dior Homme Intense and boy is it Intense! The smoulderingly sexy Jude Law can drive my car any day of the week. Consider this an early Christmas stocking-filler...

Paris, London, New York! I have arrived!

Or at least my wallpaper has...

L'Homme and I have been decorating, which has involved numerous trips to DIY megastore B&Q and while some people go there for screws, nuts, bolts and all things 'practical', Well I just prefer browsing the wallpaper aisles.

So I was delighted to find this funky paper and now it's up I want to show it off!!

Bastille Je'Taime

Bastille played in Mojo Liverpool in October and they were a wondrous thing to behold. In the audience with my sisters I knew we were all thinking the same thing, we were glad we came. It seemed like bar Mojo was made for giggs just like theirs with it's laid-back, intimate atmosphere. With its chunky wooden bar stretching along the back wall, perching yourself on a bar stool you might be forgiven for thinking you're holed up in some Texan joint...all you need are some cowboys.

It was a short set but they gave it their all and the crowd lapped up their sensitive lyrics, harrowing vocals from lead singer Dan Smith and exhilarating electronica. Here is a link to their blog where you can check out their music...

www.bastillebastille.com

In my opinion the must listen to tracks are Flaws, The Things We Lost in the Fire and their cover of R'n'B group City Highs 'What Would You Do' is a stroke of genius. 

Having my Cake and Eating it all up!

I celebrated my 25th Birthday in October and was truly spoilt rotten by lovely Family and Friends!

My gorgeous gal pal Jen put her culinary skills to the task of creating this sparkly and delicious giant cupcake and to show my appreciation to her I thought I'd show it off here...

It looks absolutely scrumptious and believe me it certainly was! Jenni has her own website showcasing her wonderful cakes so please check it out, here's the link...

www.jennicrumbs.com

Love is a many Sequined thing!

I was out in Liverpool City Centre with my two lovely sisters for a spot of window shopping and general 'christmassy' afternoon when my eyes fell upon a truly beautiful thing. It's safe to say this little dress had me at Hello!

Praise you Topshop and Bonjour to the party season!!!

I just know this dress is going to make me feel like the 

Fairy on top of the Christmas tree, glistening for all to see

Just hand me a flute of Champagne and watch me twirl!

This gorgeous party dress is literally heavy with sequins and the black chunky zip just cuts through the girly mass perfectly. I'll be wearing this with a slick of the new beautiful, almost gothic blood red lipstick from 17 at Boots which I am in love with!

It's called Supreme Shine Lipstick in Rich and it goes on so smooth, even when my lips are dry. Lipstick is a great way to update your look and each shade transforms your face! Go have a mess around with some testers, thats the best way to find a colour you adore x

Shaken Not Stirred

Some of you readers may remember a while back when I made a post about a certain desire for a drinks trolley...well the idea has finally come to fruition and it is just how I imagined!

The gold hostess trolley was an Ebay steal, the white rabbit jumped out at me from a shelf in the local Next Home store and the handmade wooden propeller plane is a treasured 5 peso souvenier from our trip to Cuba last year.

Salut!

Return from Exodus!

Hi blogging world! It has been a while but I'm back and ready to blog like crazy to make up for lost time.

It has been a whirlwind few months what with the purchase of my Victorian fixer-upper and I must confess the blog has certainly suffered.

I will shortly be uploading some exciting before and after pictures of my home x

Lilly Allen Cover for Elle UK

Bonjour,

Saw these beautiful images of Lily Allen in Elle UK August 2011 issue and had to share them, a perfect balance of strength and vulnerability.

Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x

The Wedding Girl by Sophie Kinsella writing as Madeleine Wickham

At eighteen, Milly was up for anything. So when a friend asked her to marry him just so that he could stay in England, she didn’t hesitate. To make it seem real she dressed up in wedding finery and posed on the steps of the registry office for photographs.

Now, ten years later, Milly is a very different person. Engaged to Simon – who is good-looking, wealthy and adores her – she is about to have the biggest and most elaborate wedding imaginable, all masterminded by her mother. Nobody knows about her first marriage, so it’s almost as though it never happened – isn’t it?

But with only four days to go, it looks as though Milly’s past is going to catch up with her. Can she sort things out before her fairytale wedding collapses around her? How can she tell Simon? And worse still, how can she tell her mother …?

I adore Sophie Kinsella's previous books, in particular The Undomestic Goddess so I was very intrigued to read her writing in a different style as Madeleine Wickham. 

Sophie Kinsella has created a novel where the main character is naive but has a good heart and I fell in love with her whimsical nature during the first few chapters where she marries American Alan who needs a UK visa to stay in England with his gay lover.

Then the turmoil comes a decade later when she meets Simon who she wants to marry (for love not a Visa) and her previous marriage comes back to haunt her. The odds are against Milly and every chapter had me routing for a happy outcome. There are lots of twists in the story and plenty of obstacles in Millys path, thrown in with realistic explorations of common stereotypical relationships and just a touch of Sophie Kinsellas witty observations of life. 

I'd recommend this book to Sophie Kinsella fans, just don't expect the perfectly rosy conclusions found in her other books, Milly's is a messy tale and not all the strings can be tied in pretty bows.

Love

Lorraine 

Lacroix x

Beautiful Buys for La Maison

L'Homme and I spent the weekend packing and managed to pop into Liverpool for a spot of home shopping. I adore the Zara Home shop, just as stylish as their clothes and full of gorgeous accessories! We picked up this fantastic gold mirrored tray...

And this vintage style Biscuit jar, a bargain from TK Maxx...

And to celebrate we bought these beautiful Matthew Williamson Butterfly Champagne glasses in the Debenhams sale!

L'Homme and I are so excited and can't wait to finally get the keys to our house on Friday! Then it will be DIY every weekend for a while but I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end.

I'm really enjoying the fabulous renovation pictures on the Brooklyn Limestone blog, it's a great example of how you can transform an old building into a beautiful home.

Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x

The Ultimate Steak Sandwich

L'Homme loves to cook which is a really good thing as I love to eat. He was in the kitchen as usual yesterday and made us a fabulous lunch.

Steak Ciabatta with red onion marmalade, mustard mayo and mushrooms, it was delicious.

Love

Lorraine

Lacroix x

Woodland Walk

If you're anything like me you treasure your weekends and when the weather is so good I just have to get out, L'Homme and I spent the afternoon out of the city on a woodland stroll to Formby. The sun was warm and the sky a cloudless blue we don't see often enough!

I wore a dress that I made with some white cotton material printed with tiny sail boats and carried my beloved green satchel that I bought on a beautiful trip to Venice last year.

 We finished off the day with a cooling ice cream! Yum!

Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x

White is Alright

The recent spell of sunny weather in Liverpool has brought on a summery feeling in the city and strolling through town or a local park in a flowing white haze seems so appropriate right now after the Royal wedding and the nuptials of Miss Moss and Jamie Hince. Here's some beatiful inspiration for an angelic day...

Don't forget to avoid spaghetti!
Love
Lorraine
Lacroix x