PEACHES AND CREAM

IT IS FASHION WEEK IN LONDRES, AND BECAUSE WE ARE NEVER REALLY FOLLOWING THE TRENDS, WE REJECT THE STARVATION DIET OF THE FASHION HIGH SEASON AND INSTEAD RETREAT TO THE KITCHEN TO BAKE.

AND THEN WE CALL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WE CAN FIND AND INVITE THEM FOR A LITTLE DINNER AND DRESS UP.

ENTER, THE LOVELY NORWEGIANS, ALL SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, PEACHES AND CREAM (TO COMPLIMENT OUR TARTE, BIEN SUR) AND THE DIVINE VICTORIA, FRESH IN FROM NEW YORK, BELOW:

CHARLOTTE THE MERMAID IN THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA FLEETWOOD DRESS, KILLING IT.

THAT HAIR!

OH LA LA.

AND THEN WE ALL HAVE TO TRY ON WHAT EACHOTHER IS WEARING. 

SO ANOTHER BLONDE BEAUTY GIVES THE GREEN CHIFFON A GO: LA PETITE JULIA

THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA POPPY GO LUCKY DRESS

SO MUCH BEAUTY

SWEET DARLINGS IN BATIK AND SEAWEEDS RESPECTIVELY. NORWAY IS BREEDING THEM WELL, AND WE ARE OH SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO DRESS THE BUNNIES IN OUR KIT.

ON THE OFF CHANCE YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE APRICOT HARVEST
(LIKE MOST THINGS WORTHWHILE, THIS CAKE IS 
BOTH BEAUTIFUL AND DELICIOUS):

Apricot Slice
(adapted from Monsieur Bill Granger)

1 and 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 1/2 ounces softened butter
14 apricots, pitted and halved

Oven at 315 Degrees F
Sift together dry ingredients and make a well in the center.
Combine eggs, vanilla and butter and pour into well.
Beat until smooth.
Into a heavily buttered baking dish or tin, pour the mixture.
Press apricot halves, cut side up, into the mixture in rows.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Take our of the oven, sprinkle with sugar and bake for another 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when pressed in centre of tarte.
Cut in slices and let cool on a wire rack.

MORE TO LOVE

GANDHI SAYS: WHERE THERE IS LOVE THERE IS LIFE.

(CLEVER BUNNY)

WE SAY: WHERE THERE IS LOVE, THERE IS ALSO TARTAN.

HELLO, HIGHLAND FLING.

JUST IN TIME FOR V-DAY:

THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA

FLING JACKET

SHE'S KIND OF LIKE,

COCO WENT TO SCOTLAND 

AND THEN TO WOODSTOCK

TO EARN HER STRIPES (AND HEARTS AND SPOTS)

KIND OF JACKET.

YEA, WE'VE GOT ALL THOSE STANDARD COLLARLESS JACKET BITS. LIKE POCKETS AND PIPING.

HAVE YOU SEEN THE HEART ON THE SPINE?

THE SPOTTED PATCHES FROM AN VINTAGE DRESS?

BOTH HAND-STITCHED INTO PLACE.

IF THATS NOT LOVE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.

OUR HEART IS FULL

OF TARTAN AND JOY

HAPPY ALMOST V-DAY SWEET BOHEMIANS.

MORE? MORE IS MORE, WHEN IT COMES TO TARTAN, FEATHERS AND CHOCOLATE.

GO HERE AND SAY HI TO US.

HEARTS ON OUR SLEEVE

WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN SUPER INTO VALENTINES.

WE LOVE PAPER HEARTS AND CHOCOLATE COVERED MARZIPAN AND A VICTORIAN ALLUSION, AND OUR GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS CALLED VALENTINE 

(SEE ABOVE MONTAGE WITH LOVE BUGS AND POMEGRANATES AND PAPER CUT OUTS)

NEW FRENCH RAG RESTORED WORK SHIRT. 

WE'VE PATCHED A HEART ON YOUR HEART. 

IN CASE YOU FORGOT WHERE IT WAS, OR SOMETHING. 

BOHEMIA DUCKIE DRESS

(LOVELY VALENTINE NIGHTGOWN, NO?)

ALIX OF BOHEMIA FREE LOVE WAISTCOAT:

AND WE WANT TO SPREAD THE LOVE AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

SO, SWEET VALENTINE, (THATS YOU)

IF YOU WANT TO PLACE AN ORDER WITH US, WHETHER FOR YOURSELF OR AN OTHER, 

(WE WONT JUDGE, YOU NEVER GET WHAT YOU WANT UNLESS YOU BUY YOURSELF THAT STUFF)

YOU CAN HAVE A 20% DISCOUNT ON ALL OUR BITS, THOSE PICTURED ABOVE AND BEYOND, THROUGH THE 14TH OF FEB.

SHOP BOHEMIA HERE.

DROP A LINE, VALENTINE, HERE.

LORELEI

WE ONCE KNEW A BOAT BUILDER WHO LIVED IN OYSTER BAY. HE DRANK BOURBON, COULD PACK A CAR LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS AND FIX ANYTHING WITH A BIT OF STRING.

AND HE LIVED ON A VERY PRETTY WOODEN BOAT IN THAT PREPPY PORT.

 THAT BOAT WAS CALLED LORELI.

BUT THAT PART COMES AT THE END OF THE STORY.

FAST FORWARD TO A COUPLE OF NIGHTS AGO WHEN WE WENT TO THE CIRCUS. RATHER UNSURPRISINGLY WE HAVE ALWAYS FANTASIZED ABOUT RUNNING AWAY WITH A TROUPE, CARNIES HAVE THE BEST COSTUMES AFTER ALL.

SO THE MORNING AFTER CIRCUS DREAMS, FINGERS ITCHING, WE PATCHED TOGETHER SHADES OF BLUE AND INDIGO AND TURQUOISE, AND WE JUST KNEW SHE WAS CALLED LORELI.

IT WAS ONLY LATER THAT THE MEMORY OF THE BOAT AND HER NAME CAME INTO THE PICTURE. AND WE REALISED THIS WAS NOT A CIRCUS JACKET AFTER ALL, BUT RATHER A CHILD OF THE SURF.

THE SENSATION OF BEING ABOARD THAT VESSEL, SHADES OF SEA AND SKY MERGING.

ESPECIALLY JAZZED THAT THE QUILTING RECALLS WOODGRAIN AND WATER RIPPLING.

OUR FAVOURITE CONNIE COMES OVER TO MODEL

THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA 

LORELI JACKET

LINEN TOILE (ALWAYS PARTIAL TO UPHOLSTERY) MEETS JAPANESE INDIGO QUILTED SPOTS

PIPED TO PERFECTION AND LINED IN TURQUOISE IKAT.

(SHE'S A FAN TOO)

ALIX OF BOHEMIA LORELI JACKET,

SHE'S A WATER BABY.

MADE TO ORDER.

WE'LL MAKE YOU ONE TOO, IF YOU WANT.

GO HERE.

DEGAS GIRL

DO YOU KNOW THE DEGAS GIRL?

WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ENCHANTED BY THAT MAN'S LOVELY DANCER OF 14.

WHEN WE FIRST SAW HER IN THE MET, WE WERE TRANSFIXED BY HER POSE, AND THE TATTY HAIR RIBBON.

(WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A SUCKER FOR THE DETAIL)

SO, SEEING AS ITS MONDAY

AND ITS KIND OF SUNNY IN LONDON TOWN, WE SUITED AND BOOTED UP

THE ALIX OF BOHEMIA 

POPPY GO LUCKY DRESS:

THIS GIRL IS MADE FOR TWIRLING.

FULL SKIRTED PRINTED HEAVEN OUT OF TEXTURED COTTON,

WITH A LICK OF POPPY ON THE NECKLINE AND SLEEVES.

WE'RE NOT AS LOVELY (PARTICULARLY THIS MORNING) AS DEGAS' GIRL, BUT WE CAN PRETEND.

(WE'RE REALLY GOOD AT PRETEND)

SHOP IT HERE.

A FINE VINTAGE

SO, WHEN WE INVITE YOU OVER TO OUR CASA FOR A LITTLE LUNCH,

THAT REALLY MEANS WE'LL THROW SOME HUMMOUS AND AVOCADOS IN YOUR GENERAL DIRECTION,

THEN MAKE YOU TAKE PHOTOS OF US AS WE PLAY DRESS UP AND MAKE GENERAL CHOAS.

WE'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO RESIST A GOOD BIT OF VINTAGE, AND WE'RE STARTING TO DEAL IN BETTER BITS WE COME ACROSS:

A FABULOUS 1970'S SHOCKING PINK SILK WRAP DRESS WITH SOME BEADS

SOMETIMES YOU FIND SOMETHING SO GOOD YOU ALMOST WANT TO BE SICK. SEE ABOVE. 70'S COURCHEVEL CHIFFON EXTRAVAGANZA.

EDIE BOUVIER BEALE MEETS MARGOT TENENBAUM.

 A LITTLE 60'S SHIFT WITH PUSSY BOW. THIS REALLY NEEDED TO BE STYLED WITH SOME LOAFERS AND A FELT HAT. SO MANY CLOTHES, SO LITTLE TIME (CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS, FRIENDS)

CHANNELING OUR GRANDMOTHER IN PALM BEACH IN THE 70'S: TOOLING AROUND IN TURQUOISE BESSI WITH MASSIVE SHOULDER PADS. 
SHE WOULD HAVE WORN IT WITH A TURBAN, AND WE REALLY SHOULD RESPECT HER WISHES.

OR WE CAN GO ALL SCHOOL MARM ON YOU, WITH A WOOL 1950'S SHIFT. 

 NO DRESS UP SESSION IS COMPLETE WITHOUT A LITTLE FLASH OF PAISLEY:

 SOMEONE FETCH US OUR ARMY JACKET AND SOME DESERT BOOTS FOR THE ABOVE, PLEASE.

AND TO TOP IT OFF: A FLASH OF FUR ON AN OLD OPERA COAT.

WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN INFLUENCED AND OBSESSED WITH GARMENTS OF THE PAST. 

OUR ARCHIVE IS STARTING TO BULGE A BIT AND WE'LL SOON BE SHARING AND SELLING SOME OF OUR FAVOURITES ON OUR WEBSITE.

FINALEMENT! 'TIS FRIDAY. 

MERCI DIEU.