Christmas gifts and Happy New Year!

This past month has been a whirlwind, and especially this last week. What should have been a week of rest and holiday festivities turned into a stressful time (yet again) as little M and then big M were hit hard with the flu. It seems like 2012 wasn't going to let us go without one last blow! But it hasn't all been bad. There were a few bright spots in the week. We indulged in lots of delicious food and treats and I got some great gifts from M, including:

...Grace Coddington's memoir, "Grace".

If you remember some of my earlier posts (see here and here), you will already know that Grace Coddington is one of my fashion heroes. Her editorial "Paris, Je t'aime" in the U.S. Vogue was a major inspiration for the fashion photo shoot I did earlier this year. I have been reading the book non-stop since I got it - not only is it a memoir of her life, it is also a fascinating account of fashion history over the past 40 years.

Then: During her fashion model days,
on the cover of British Vogue in the 1960s.

And now: creative director of U.S. Vogue, at a runway show
seated beside editor-in-chief Anna Wintour

Her eye for style has been hugely influential on a whole generation, and the genesis of some of the most striking fashion images ever created, yet she has been largely unknown outside of fashion circles. If it was not for the movie,"The September Issue", it's likely she would have continued to be a relative unknown. The book provides some great insights into how her past experiences inform her eye for style and fashion. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in fashion history.

Also on my Christmas wishlist was a new shoulder bag. For the past 5 years or so, I have been carrying a leather "hobo" bag that looked nice but was bone-crushingly heavy and often left me with broken blood vessels on my shoulder by the end of the day. It also had a black interior which made it really hard to find things.  M ordered this tote bag from The Goodhood Store in London and it is fantastic. It is not a famous label but it is a great design with everything that I look for in a bag - a single strap shoulder bag with an easily accessible outer pocket, and made of lightweight material that is stiff enough to hold its shape (i.e. doesn't flop over, very annoying), super durable and easy to clean, with a non-black interior (no black hole effect!). I also loved that it was completely minimal - no fussy doodads or logos to clutter up the design.

Bag'N'Noun mini tool bag

The leather shoulder strap sits comfortably and securely over the shoulder and tucks the bag right under my arm, so it is unobtrusive and easy to carry without getting the way or sliding off, which always happens when I try carrying a bag with a double handle (...yeah, I know, first world problems, right?).  I am super happy with it.

Lots of love and thank you to M for the lovely gifts! Even though 2012 was a rough year, there is still much to be thankful for. Yesterday was little M's birthday - he turned 2! - and even though we were exhausted and stressed, we still managed to do a little celebration for him.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and healthy 2013!! :-)