You can't always get what you want

My love for Lauren Conrad is not undocumented on these pages... nor is it particularly original, edgy or fashion forward. That said, I would be lying if I didn't admit, I ask myself 'What would Lauren do' more often than I reach for the divine intervention of the Olsens, who I always thought were my ultimate style icons. Which is why I loved receiving Lauren Conrad Style this Christmas.
I know, many of my readers are now going to ask themselves why on earth they follow me - I take style advice from a reality TV star who pretended to work in fashion and offered a very dull line of basics for an extortionate amount. That said, reading the book (I say reading, it took me all of a day) was a wonderful reminder that there is a simple, systematic approach to style that my wardrobe severely lacks.
I far too often buy clothes without considering where they fit in my wardrobe, which is an incredible waste when they never get worn.
I am also someone who sadly cannot carry off the 'effortless style' look - crumpled clothes and slouchy layers leave me looking more off-the-street hobo than off-duty model. Lauren's more polished aesthetic is something I'm aspiring to, not because it's my favourite style by far, but because it's something that I know in my heart of hearts suits me better than ALL the clothes I naturally gravitate to.
Do any of you forsake your favourite trends in leiu of a more flattering style? If the Rolling Stones taught me anything, it's that when buying clothes at least, you can't always get what you want.
As an aside, I love her new hair colour. At the end of February I'm booked in to go lighter - I figure life's too short to not try ombre before it dies. But if I chicken out, I may go for this subtle chestnut look?

Perfection

Marriage suits Mrs. Madden.
Pic courtesy of the brilliant Because I'm Addicted

My Claud-robe

It's become necessary for me to reveal my ultimate style icon. No, it' not Kate Moss, Julia Restoin-Roitfield, or even my beloved Olsen twins. If I'm honest with myself, (and I must point out here that I rarely am), the person who has inspired more purchases that any other is the one and only Ms Claudia Winkleman.

Close friends will not find this surprising. I have confessed to numerous people that I feel we are in fact long-lost friends, destined to reconnect at some point and take on the world one bag of cheesy Wotsits at a time. I taken pictures of her amazingly bouncy bob to the hairdressers, flirting with a nude lip and have a similarly inordinate number of obscenely high shoes. I draw the line at the spray tans, though it's only a matter of time.

I have obviously never met Claud (though she did recently tell my boyfriend he was 'soooo sweet' so we are obviously of one mind), yet I have loved her since It Takes Two started many moons ago. But my style stealing ways began this time last year when I spotted her in this warehouse dress on ITT:

Then, more recently, I spied a beautiful shirt on the Warehouse website:

I loved it, but I thought £55 was pretty steep, no? Even if it is silk. Until I turned on ITT and saw Claudia sporting the very same blouse. It was a sign from the gods - we are of one mind. It had to be mine.
Then I began the search for a Xmas party dress. I had absolutely no luck until browsing shoppingthetrend.com and noticing my future best mate in this beauty:

Dorothy Perkins, £40 on the big sale day? Yes please. So my Claud-robe continues to build. If I could afford either of the beautiful Paul and Jo Sister numbers she's worn in recent weeks I would snap them up. Seen here  and here.

So in summation, I love her style, described as Kate Moss meets Chrissie Hynde, and am not above copying it from time to time. I leave you with a quote:

"Everything I wear on Strictly people can buy. You will never see me in Herve Leger, because who can afford that?

"I get 50 requests a day from the show's online message boards and I want to always be able to say Miss Selfridge, Warehouse, French Connection or Topshop because that is all I wear."

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