The Tailors of Panama Hats

Anyone in the mood for some sun, raise your hand. It can get cold here in London, you know, and sometimes all you need is a little escape to somewhere deliciously sunny and tropical for all of your sorrows to get washed away. I say, we all at least pretend to go to the sun. It's the next best thing. So, in my efforts to browse the web for a cheap sunny vacation spot, I also happen to think of a couple places that might make this imaginary sunny vacation ultra special: the one and only Panama Hat.

I have developed  a secret obsession for this little straw thing.

For my male zesties, I have handpicked a few special places to head over to in order to look like the handsome man above. Yeah that's right. Now that's my kind of guy. The Panama-sporting, vacation going, supersmart grin-wearing, James Bond-playing kind of a guy. I'm looking to find me one of those. See if you can attempt this look by checking out these three fantastic Mayfair hatters:

Swaine Adeney Brigg on St James Street

 Bates Gentlemen’s Hatter on Jermyn Street

Lock and Co also on St James Street

These three hat shops are the first stop on your Holiday journey. It's inevitable, the Panama Hat must be acquired. Because the next step is: fly away!

Lady zesties, for us, there's always the smart Topshop option. Check out this adorable Panama, available now at your neighborhood Topshop for £20, and spread your wings to Bermuda, Bahamas, Key Largo and St Barths. Believe me, you'll fit right in.

Topshop Panama Hat

Here Kitty Kitty...

If you're on to keep your eyes open when you're walking down the street, or one to check others out in a bar (I do it...come on now, I know you do too), or simply one to enjoy flipping through the pages of a fashion magazine, you'll probably have noticed this incredible crush London women, myself included (and thousands more) have developed on leopard prints. I find it incredibly odd and a bit disconcerting how a trend can appear out of nowhere to become an uber-"it" item only to disappear shortly after, leaving the fashion spotlight almost as fast as it arrived. 

Grrr, sexy kitty

Unfortunately (and fortunately, depends on how you see it) I happen to be exactly that person described above. Guilty as charged. Give me any opportunity to wear something today that I used to dress up in as a little girl, and I'm game. Hey, why the hell not? My point of view is this: Leopard prints can look incredibly, well, slutty. You just have to make sure you pair up anything leopard with something sweet and demure. Something simple and classy. And that's no easy task, trust me. Here's an example of what not to do...

Miss Paris, there are too many things going on here. Leave the "slogan t-shirts"  and the animal-skin bags at home if you're gonna be sporting the leopard.

Here are 3 leopard print items that I've either acquired or dreamed of acquiring that I'm pretty sure will be earning you some winks, and not stare-downs.


Number 1: My fave gloves of all time, given to me as a present, straight off the shelves of H&M. A perfect accessory to an all-black outfit. Side note: please go easy on mixing leopard prints with other crowded pieces of clothing like our friend Paris above. If you do feel like mixing and matching, stripes tend to work quite well. Most important rule of all, make sure the gloves make the outfit and not the other way around.

Number 2: Ahhh...my dear Christopher Kane, you are an evil man. An evil evil man. Why would do this to me? Give me a break, £400 for a scarf???! This one an only scarf by the cool new British designer Christopher Kane, available in orange and yellow as well as in brown and yellow at the awesome and absurdly unaffordable Matches (Notting Hill, South Molton Street etc.), is the biggest and most cruel object of my desire. I will not linger on the subject as I get furiously angry at the thought of never being able to make it mine. Well, at least, let me show it to you...

Number 3: Thank you thank you Maje Paris for opening a store on Sloane Street (right next to Sandro Paris ) and continuing to offer rock n' chic combinations of outfits and styles for us gals who can't afford the high end stuff but need to feel special by avoiding the high street look. If you haven't gone already, go have a look, it's a great addition to the fashion scene in London. The store offers a sumptuous leopard print coat that you'll drool all over once you set eyes on it. Enjoy the leopards girls! Cuz if you don't don't go for them now, they will pounce before you know it!

ps: just for fun...how cute is this fur hat form Topshop???