LBD...

There is something about this time of year that gets me all-a-flutter about the party season. And I turn to the quintessential little black dress. Is this iconic item of clothing a must in every woman's wardrobe? I love the drama of it, captured in these wonderful images of some of my favourite ladies. It's no wonder we feel we fall short when compared to media images - so much beauty it makes my heart hurt.

Kate Moss

...lace dress by Prada...

Emily Blunt getting the accessories right...

Gisele in Harper's Bazaar

Kate Hudson

by Olivia Graham

Anne Hathaway

Penelope Cruz...can't even see the dress but you know it's going to be black and little...

Olivia P

Gwyneth Paltrow

Helena Christensen

Angelina Jolie

Or break tradition and go tuxedo like Kirsten Scott-Thomas...

Beautiful things...

Friday I'm in love. It's one of those crisp days; sunny and cold. I had a good day at work yesterday, lovely chats with my friend N, helping to pass the day and some nice professional feedback that always makes everything seem better. Planning for my husband's 40th birthday party in a few weeks, so my thoughts turn to dresses and shoes...I just can't help myself.

The obligatory Friday night curry tonight, a party tomorrow, family Sunday roast the day after. I love Autumnal weekends...

'Interior, Strandgade 30' painted by Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi in 1901.

by Chris Nichols

Yep, still want one...the Eames rocker...

I love this dress by Voy...I have one in black already and this colour is now calling my name..."Lou...Lou...buy me..."

Autumnal wedding...the umbrellas, the boots, the little wrap cardigan, the leaves underfoot - all just wonderfully gorgeous.

by Braedon Photography

Gisele

I'm also rather partial to this dress from Plumo...ohhh the lure of the new season!

Family Jamie Oliver...yesterday with the birth of Buddy...don't they all look lovely? And Jools; she's abit of an unsung hero I suspect, Mummy to four, Poppy Honey, Daisy Boo and Petal Blossom along with the new addition of a BOY!

Hands down, stop the clock, my fave dress from New York Fashion Week...Carolina Herrera...just inspired.

via The Bottom of the Ironing Basket

Layering done to perfection! I just love her whole look.

via The Sartorialist

I would like to climb into this bed, pull the curtain across and snuggle...

fabric by Vanessa Arbuthnott

More white wood, bleached Danish-style prettiness...

Russian Vogue

Ellen Page...with bicycle...love this shot.

Happy weekend...Friday time now :-)

Wednesday Muse...

More gentle musings from the mind of Lou...

Why is it that every time I think I have got totally and utterly organised, there is a missed item of the significant variety?

Why do I so easily forget how much I love going to have treatments like pedicures or reflexology? Why is it that I make so little time, comparatively speaking, for these luxuries?

Why is it that I am oh-so-tired? Feel like I could zzzz for weeks - ah-hah it just so happens...

Why is it that even whilst being careful and mindful not to spoil our children, our children nonetheless seem spoiled when it comes to material things?

Why when I went out for lunch with colleagues yesterday did I make a comment about Boo that made me sound like a bad mother? Why does my irreverent type of humour and commentary of life sometimes come back to bite me? And why then afterwards did I spent a disproportionate amount of time thinking about that comment and what those colleagues must have thought?
Mental note: engage brain before speaking.

Why is that long, tousled, sun-blonded hair looks wonderful on Gisele and rather unkempt on me?
Is anything about Gisele actually fair to the rest of us mere mortals?!

I met a new friend; for the first time in ages a Mummy who I instantly liked talking to and who seemed i) normal, ii) like-minded, iii) vaguely like me, iv) with nice kids and v) who will be starting at my children's school in September. She was Australian :-) Why is it that nice, new, real-world friends are actually so rare?

Things of beauty...

Hello readers...Friday could not have come quick enough in my household; it's been the longest of weeks! Don't I say that every week? Friday is always such a lovely milestone for all of us after the working and school week. It's strange, when I put together my 'Things of beauty' posts (which have become a bit of a end-of-week tradition) I never work out beforehand what it will look like, I just search for the nicest of images that take my fancy and it just comes together. This week's offering:

Alexa Chung in the most eclectic of outfits...but as ever, she completely pulls it off.

It's raining outside as I type...wouldn't it be nice to just curl up with a cuppa tea and listen to the summer raindrops?

How awe-inspiringly beautiful is this table setting?! To sit with your own personal chandelier...fantastic! I love how the blue colour in the picture is actually coming from the twilight outside...

Gisele in Vanity Fair...

Serenity on the bedside table...

Atlanta Bartlett image

I have this colleague, who for some inexplicable reason, decides that every time I miss a little thing or make a risky decision, she will not let it go; instead she goes for the public flogging. It's such a shame! I want to just say to her, go easy, as we are all in this together...

I had an eye test this week...spectacles are a whole new area of potential shopping! Luckily my eyes have not worsened so I stuck with my existing frames and promised to wear them more!

Desert flowers in milk bottles and jam jars...my favourite type of vase.

via 100 Layer Cake

My diamond-love persists, Tiffany's Blue Collection.

Dressing table serenity. I have always had a dressing table in my bedroom, right by the window just like this. Many an hour spent there, for one reason or another...usually with Boo sitting on my bed chatting to me as I get ready.

I just adore this tousled hair...

via 100 Layer Cake

French, sugar-coated blue door...

'Cornish Landscape' By Ben Nicholson painted in 1949.

This week has been hurry, hurry, rush, rush. I have not sat still for a minute; so this weekend that is my simple goal!