Kate Middleton style: Pre-wedding fashion diary

Kate has been looking very stylish since the engagement (and we all know it will get better!). She looks really good in the navy blue suit - I've got to start wearing more navy! - and I love the Burberry coat. And in all of these photos she is carrying a small clutch. Big bags seem to be out.

Skirt suit: Amanda Wakeley. Shoes: LK Bennett.

Not that it matters but this is one huge umbrella.

Love this Burberry trench. My next Burberry is going to be in this colour ("nude", according to Burberry - see below)! Feminine and cute - classic with a twist!

The colour looks slightly different but I think this is the one she was wearing? Would you buy the same one, if you could?

Very bright. This outfit is ok.

Sorry, I don't mean to criticise but this is my least favourite look. I definitely don't like the boots. The coat is so-so. 

Looking very nice in a velvet coat.

I don't particularly like this outfit, either - definitely not the tights (so unflattering) - but what does it matter when you have a nice smile, glossy hair and a Prince by your side?

Don't miss the royal wedding on Friday, 29 April 2011! 

Chanel bag favourites - Spring 2011

I don't know why I torture myself like this every season. But I've done it again and I've picked out my Chanel bag favourites.

Actually, this is my top favourite. I saw this bright bag when I was in and out of the Chanel boutique for the earrings recently. I'm now regretting that I didn't buy it there and then - my bag instincts are usually pretty good :-) Looks heavy but... L-O-V-E.

I definitely like Nicky Hilton's choice, too.

This beige one reminds me of Louis Vuitton's speedy bags, which I don't (want to) own because they are too 'common', in my opinion. This would be a good alternative. I also want a Chanel bag for summer (the three that I have are all black) and the colour is spot on. However... is it a bit boring? Not elegant enough? My heart is not pounding (hard enough) at the sight of this...

So simple and practical - is it really Chanel? I prefer this to the beige one above but generally I like my Chanels to be more ladylike...

Do you like the new Mademoiselle bags? I wouldn't mind the one Blake is carrying here.

And here is Blake looking gorgeous. Lucky girl.

Back to Bobbi basics

How important is concealer to your everyday make-up routine? I go through phases, depending on the foundation I'm wearing. At the moment, as I'm into the natural look, I use MAC's Face and Body foundation in C3 (in summer I wear C4), so I need to wear concealer. I was getting bored and dissatisfied with the ones from Laura Mercier and MAC so I've switched back to Bobbi Brown.

It's a bit of a hassle having to apply two layers but I stick to what they advise: I pat on the pinkish corrector in Bisque first (this neutralises the bluishness), then the concealer in Warm Beige. A lot of the Bobbi girls I used to work with loved Bisque, even though they were lighter skinned. It's definitely worth a try, if you're not familiar with it.

Top: Bobbi Brown's corrector in Bisque and concealer in Warm Beige.
Bottom: Also from Bobbi the concealer kit in Natural.

I usually prefer to use Laura Mercier's secret brightening powder to set concealer but I had to get one of the new concealer kits, which includes Bobbi's recommended powder in pale yellow. The colour of this concealer is Natural, which is a bit darker - for summer.

What's your favourite concealer?

Pretty spring pasta

I had the prettiest lunch today. Look at this flower pasta! It's perfect for spring and it tasted wonderful, too. For a split second it even made me want to make my own pasta (do you?)... but nahh I'm too lazy.

I was equally impressed with the peppermint tea. They brought me a pot of hot water and... a bunch of leaves. I was a bit sceptical but it worked!

Earthquake in Japan

I have been glued to CNN all day. I can hardly believe my eyes when I see all the shaking - ceilings and windows crashing down - and the sheer force of water washing away cars and buildings with such "ease"; they looked like my son's lego.

And the thought of something like 13 million people "stuck" in Tokyo, unable to go home (to the suburbs) because there is no public transport... Just imagine?!

And one event affecting - according to CNN - 20 other countries... tsunami warnings in Hawaii, the West Coast and as far away as South America! Unbelievable.

It is so incredibly scary and sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to all of those suffering in Japan.

A (sadly) returned Chanel

Did you know that earrings are some of the "cheapest" things you can buy at Chanel?

I got this pair for about 250 pounds but saw a cute pair for 100 pounds, too! What a bargain!

Sadly, I had to return them because I - well, my body, certainly not my mind! - reacted badly.

There I was, feeling totally glam during the day... I'd had them on for about three hours and then my ears started to itch and irritate... and when I finally took the earrings out, my ears were bleeding a bit.

Of course I didn't want to return them. But I dragged myself back to the Chanel boutique. At first they refused to give me a refund. They were just going to give me store credit but I made such a fuss that they finally agreed.

Are you lucky enough to be able to wear Chanel earrings? I guess I will have to stick to their more expensive products :-p I saw some beautiful necklaces but they were at least four times the price of these earrings...

Kate Middleton's handbags

Here are some of Kate's handbags. She's been photographed with the white bag quite a lot and I like the small brown one - they're both Prada. I'm not particularly keen on the other ones, though. Which is your favourite?

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6