hilkat

I’m like a magpie when it comes to shopping - anything coloured, patterned or slightly eclectic draws me in and usually ends up coming home with me. My latest purchases are no different - and I love that since I’ve expanded the content rules for the blog, I can now post wonderful pictures of them as well, hurrah! - and have absolutely nothing to link them all together, apart from the fact that I just had to have them…

I was browsing through Whittard during my lunch break last week, searching through for any mugs or plates that caught my eye for our new flat, when I stumbled across this tea towel. The teapots featured in the design are the exact style of china I love, and am aiming to start collecting, so of course it ended up in the basket (along with some tea bags and two bags of chocolate coins!).

Another lunch break (maybe I should just stay in the staffroom and read?!) led to the finding of (and this was actually written on the label, it’s not one of my awful jokes…) Lorraine Deer in Paperchase. She’s made up of such a lovely fabric, that I thought it would be something nice to keep with the Christmas decorations. The owl tissue paper was collected on the same shopping trip, and the intention is to wrap my Mums birthday presents in it in January, as she loves owls and I thought it would make a nice change from the usual ‘Happy Birthday’ rolls from Asda.

Lastly, and by no means least, a trip to Hobbycraft resulted in the gorgeous wool pictured below (on the ironing board - what a great cover!) and a French knitting dolly. The fingerless mittens are from Asda, and are to keep my hands warm while I labour over my own pair - although keen, I’m pretty new to crocheting and knitting, and projects tend to be slow and rather laborious.

I haven’t done French knitting for a while, and had to do a search on Google Images to see what could actually come out of it, and I was quite pleasantly surprised. Although the only thing you end up with is a long piece of knitted cord (which could obviously be used as a…cord…), there are plenty of things it can be transformed into, and I have an overload of ideas of using it for words and phrases, as well as weaving several together into a scarf. And not forgetting the rather obvious rug option, of course.

What further evidence could you possibly need that knitting is officially cool? If it’s an acceptable hobby for two of the most iconic women in the entertainment business, it’s certainly good enough for me….

Come winter the trees and bushes may be bare, but that doesn’t mean life has to be free of blooms. I’ve had a trawl through the websites of my favourite shops and gathered together the best pick of floral clothes and accessories to brighten up the colder months. I’m imagining the dresses paired with richly coloured or patterned tights, and the tops with skinny jeans and my delectable new tan riding boots… perfect!

Above: Boden, left and French Connection, right.

Above: Cath Kidston

Above: Matalan

Above: Monsoon

Above: Next

Above: Topshop

Since getting the new camera, I’ve been rather more taken with photographing the landscapes than my outfits (that and the fact that I haven’t bought anything new in absolutely aaaaages - if that’s not an excuse to go shopping, I don’t know what is….), particularly since Autumn is now well underway, and has covered the outdoors in a multitude of colours and hues. I enjoyed making the Autumn mosaics so much last time that I’ve decided this is a rather effective way to show all of my own images, and so I give you my latest attempts…

As well as photography, I’ve been pondering on the true reason for the existence of this blog. While I love, adore and will always be preoccupied with clothes and fashion, my tastes have changed somewhat over the last few months, and I find as I grow older I’m drawn more to well cut, made-to-last, quality garments, rather than the disposable fashion of Primark and suchlike (I suppose this could have something to do with working for Paul Smith…). I’ve also been spending rather a lot of time on Etsy and Folksy, and have been really inspired to get out the paints and canvas, fabric and sewing machine, and attempt to bring to life the designs that I had intended would make up the Hilkat label. I’ve even learned to crochet over the last few days….

This blog was intended to be a platform to sell well-made, home-crafted and designed products such as paintings, knick-knacks and homewares, and somehow they’ve never appeared…. until now. Rather than spending all my blogging time posting the latest offerings from Topshop (although I am still looking, let it be known), I’ll be showing photographs and my latest crafty achievements, and general tit-bits from everyday life. (We’re moving house in January, so expect lots of interiors and homewares posts!) And I’m sure the odd dress will pop up here and there as well…

When the colder weather begins to appear, my thoughts automatically turn to knitwear. I can’t help it. As soon as I can see my breath in the mornings, I’m scouring the shops for the most deliciously snuggly woolens I can find. Scarves, jumpers, gloves (or my latest obsession - fingerless mittens), homewares…. a bit like this little lot really:

I’m also a sucker for a good crafty project, and despite being one of those people with half-finished garments all over the house, I’m knitting myself a chunky scarf for this winter.

The wool is a gorgeous fair-isle effect, and leaves a wonderful stripey pattern running through it. I’m particularly pleased with this as it makes me look like I’m a far more proficient knitter than I actually am. Although to be fair, I have done two purl panels at the end, and I’m planning on adding some tassel-y bits once it’s finished. I also want to learn to crochet after discovering the amazing creations by Lucy over at Attic 24, and am looking into getting an allotment since it looks very much like we’ll be in a flat for the foreseeable future. Ooohh, projects!

Yesterday started out with one of those wonderful clear and cold Autumn mornings that I adore, so I took advantage of the cloudless skies and piercing sunlight, the golden colours and windless trees and took a couple of photos out of the bedroom window….

I love Autumn. I love the way the weather gets colder gradually, teasing you with thoughts of winter boots and chunky knits, luscious layering and coloured woolly tights. I love the crispness of the mornings, the crunchiness of the leaves and the freshness of things after the sticky summer weather. So todays post is a little homage to Autumn and all it brings with it.

Something about the winter makes me want to snuggle up in a hoodie and pyjama bottoms, thick fair isle socks and big slippers, read books on the sofa, and not leave the house. Ever. But another, larger part of me, wants to go shopping and enjoy all that the new seasons have to offer. Gorgeous riding boots, thick coloured tights, woolen dresses and skirts, and mostly, the fabric du-jour, velvet.

Every winter, I feel like donning as much velvet as I can find, in sumptuous colours and various styles, and wandering through the streets with a big fluffy hat, a la Julie Christie in Doctor Zhivago. I want to pretend to be a Russian Princess, or a wealthy woman from the Victorian era, walking through the park or the cobbled lanes in my pointy lace up boots and thick velvet gown. Or, more realistically, I want to wear a nice jewel coloured velvet blazer over my skinny jeans and chunky boots and go for a nice relaxing pub lunch, way out in the country with only the sunday papers and a roaring fire (and a few toys for the baby) to keep us company.

Above: Blazer, left, and jacket, right, both from Topshop.

Above: Boden coat, left, and ASOS dress, right.

Above: Capelet, left, and dress, right, both from Nasty Gal Vintage.

Above: Toast gown, left, and Littlewoods dress, right.

There comes a time in every womans life, when she doesn’t work in high fashion or the fashion industry in general, that she sort of drifts away from wanting to be massively trendy, and instead just wants to wear well-made, well designed clothes and look… well…. good. I’m currently treading the fine line between not wanting to be the oldest woman in Topshop, or to wear clothes that have massive shoulders or huge holes in them, but not wanting to sacrifice my own sense of personal style either. I might be heading rapidly towards thirty, but I am not ready for the Boden catalogue just yet. (Note: Mini Boden is fine, however.)

So when I discovered the wonderful Toast catalogue and online shop, I practically broke out a fanfare. Full of gorgeous, sumptuous clothes in an array of bright colours and quality fabrics, it was just what I was looking for update my frankly confusing wardrobe. The catalogue is full of photographs of women roughly the same age as me, standing in old country houses or wandering across fields, dressed in fashionable yet comfortable clothes - which most important of all, don’t seem to have any holes…

Another ASOS wonder-find, The Mountain is a New England based label, which has more to it than meets the eye. At first, they appear to produce a rather fantastic array of printed t-shirts, with quite innovative yet retro-esque designs. When I scanned my eye over the stock for the first time, I was transported to rural America, circa the early nineties (no surprise since they have been around for roughly twenty years now).

However, they don’t only produce well made, colourfully printed garments, they also produce them ethically. Most companies that are known for their ethical properties are famous mostly for precisely that, but unless you happened to click onto the ‘About Us’ section, you probably would never have known - certainly not from a quick ASOS purchase.
From the word go, before “eco” became the buzzword of the moment, The Mountain used water based inks, organic cotton and advocated land and eco-system conservation both nationally and internationally. They use full spectrum lighting to conserve energy, and all t-shirts are dyed and printed right there in New England.