Acne Pistol boot v Topshop Mighty

A boot that is as perfect for the daily commute as it is for an evening out? A boot that manages to be extremely comfortable whilst also being bang on trend? Yes readers, I have found the boot in question. I give you the Topshop 'Mighty' boot. 

Topshop 'Mighty'

I stumbled across this pair of boots online whilst I was searching for the Acne 'Pistol' boot. I have seen numerous people on Twitter raving about how versatile they are, and great cost-per-wear value etc so I thought that I would do a bit of retail research to while away a bus journey to London. Sadly I didn't have the necessary £380 to invest in a pair. However it seems that I am not the only one, as my online research unearthed a dupe pair from Topshop - the 'Mighty'. I was still undecided as to whether I actually NEED more footwear in my closet, when I took a tumble at Victoria station. My heeled boots were damaged slightly and not really advisable with a bruised ankle, so I took it as a sign that I needed to purchase some footwear with a slightly lower heel if I was going to be wandering around London all day. Step forward the 'Mighty' - retailing at only £45.  As I had £35 in TopShop vouchers I only paid £10 for them!

I have only had them two days, but I am already certain that these are going to get a LOT of wear. I live at the top of a hill which normally necessitates wearing a pair of ballet pumps or smoking slippers on my way to work. Either that or allowing precious extra minutes in the morning to walk to the station if I am wearing heels. However this morning I was practically sprinting down the hill in these boots. Just enough of a heel to give some height, without being impractical. I am already considering purchasing another pair, as I hate it when a favourite previous season item finally gives up the ghost and goes to fashion heaven. The Acne 'Pistol' might have been the one to catch my eye, but the Topshop 'Mighty' has definitely won my heart!

The original Acne 'Pistol' boot

Mary Katrantzou for Topshop

If you have even the slightest interest in fashion, then I am sure that you haven't missed the hype surrounding the 'Mary Katrantzou for Topshop' collaboration. Ever since a picture of the dress below was leaked on Twitter at a Press Day, this has been one of the most hotly anticipated high-street collaborations ever seen.

I love Mary's work - the combination of intricate prints, vibrant colours and sculptural shapes. I recently gave a presentation on her work on a training course I attended. Getting to talk about her work for three days turned the course into a pure pleasure!

I logged on at 7.45am this morning (75 minutes before the advertised launch time), to find that a large number of the items had already sold out! Not surprisingly, the dress pictured above had already been snapped up, even with its price tag of £350. When you think that dresses from Mary's mainline collection can retail for £8,500, then I guess some people might consider it a positive bargain! The fact that the collection started at £40 offered a much more accessible price-point for those people who love Mary's work.

I had had my eye on the silk blouse, but sadly that was sold out too. However, I did manage to get my hands on one piece from the collection - this carnation print t-shirt. I think that this will be really versatile, as I can wear it under a blazer for a dash of colour and print, or can mix it with some other prints and bright separates if I feel like it.

I will blog about the item when it is delivered next week. I can't wait! One of the perks of ordering online today, is that I will also receive a free Mary Katrantzou print canvas bag. A free Mary Katrantzou piece?!!! What is not love about that?!

What are your thoughts on the collaboration? Did you manage to get your hands on a piece from the collection?

Leopard Print Love - Part I

Leopard Print Love by louloumuses

"My name is Louise, and I'm addicted to leopard print.". There, I said it. I know that it can be the marmite of the print world, but I LOVE a bit a lot of leopard print. I can't explain it, but I seem to be drawn to anything leopard print like a moth to the flame. However, I know that I'm not alone in this, so decided to share some of the lovely leopard print pieces that are out there at the moment.

TopShop Trench Temptation

One of my favourite recent purchases has been my new TopShop trench coat. I first saw it before I went on holiday, but didn't buy it as I thought I should save my money for my holidays. However on my return, I realised the error of my ways, as it was nowhere to be found instore and was out of stock online. Moral of the story being: If you love it, buy it there and then. I like how it mixes classic trench coat details with the leather-look detailing which is very current.

The Object of My Desire

After a protracted saga of standard email responses, unhelpful shop assistants and unanswered tweets from TopShop I eventually managed to track the coat down instore. Thanks to the lovely Alice Wignall from Elle magazine I knew to get a smaller size as she told me the sizing comes up large on this item.

Thank goodness for Twitter, as TopShop were useless at dealing with my queries. I don't see the point of a brand being on Twitter if they aren't going to communicate with their followers as part of a two-way dialogue, as opposed to just tweeting about items from their collections. They could definitely learn a thing or two from Asos and My Wardrobe who have always been really helpful on Twitter, e.g. answering queries re. orders, or just engaging in conversation, e.g. discussing one of my style-crushes, Taylor Tomasi Hill.

I would love to hear about any 'must-have' pieces that you have had to track down. Or any examples of great experiences of interacting with brands on Twitter.