Chic of the week - Tucker by Gaby Besora

I'm always on the look out for designers that make fashion look easy - that laid back insouciance that makes an outfit look as if it was just thrown together, when often it was anything but.  Tucker by Gaby Besora is one such label.

Spring 2013

With a background in styling and a love of clothes since childhood, Besora started her own label in 2005 making beautiful silk printed blouses that are still the cornerstone of her label, along now with dresses and jumpsuits. Ninety percent of her prints are designed in house and all are made in New York.  She uses colour and print in a joyful way, always uplifting, never precious.

Summer 2012

Besora's inspirations come from many and varied sources including childrens' paintings and vintage photographs.

With a couple of style icons thrown in for good measure.

What I find interesting about the fact that both Sophia Loren and Patti Smith have inspired her is that they are at opposite ends of the style spectrum - one extremely feminine, the other the Queen of androgyny.  But this is one of the secrets to Tucker's success - as Besora explains to Lisa Armstrong in today's Fashion Telegraph: "You have to wear clothes that feel easy and multi-functional. Beauty is about confidence and that comes from comfort - and having fun. There's something transformative about putting on a little floral dress if you're a bit androgynous. You get to play with different sides of yourself."

Spring 2013

Fashion as a way of showing the many facets of your character, whilst having fun and being comfortable?  Sounds like a winner to me.

Planet Fashion Part 1

Fashion week, but which city?  Right now, it makes you dizzy just trying to keep up. New York and London have wrapped and Milan is in full swing,  so here are a few things that have caught my eye so far for A/W 2013:

New York:

Picture: @victoriabeckham/Twitter

Proving that she can make fun of herself, and "It's that time in the season when we all get a little delirious" - VB tweeted this pic of herself pre-show with one of her brilliant yellow totes on her head.

Rag & Bone A/W 2103 Photo: Revlon

Gucci Westman, Revlon's global artistic director, re-invented the 60's cat flick for the Rag & Bone show (she also happens to be married to David Neville, one of the 2 founders of the ultra cool Rag & Bone label).  Using Revlon Colorstay Creme Gel eyeliner she said that the focus of the look was definitely on the eyeliner and she wanted to create something super-girly to contrast with the masculinity of the collection. " I love how the whole look is a bit retro, but still fresh". Does this work on the school run?  Dare I try it?

Here's Cara Delevingne channelling girl v boy:

Photo: Vladimir Potop

Alexander Wang showed his last standalone collection before making the move to Balenciaga and it was literally a case of fifty shades of grey (the show notes had them as "pumice, geyser, parquet, asphalt and down.") Casual, sporty, chic as ever, but with more emphasis on silhouette, draping and folds, there were hints of things to come in his new role at the Parisian powerhouse.

Photo: Vladimir Potop

Photo: Vladimir Potop

In stark contrast to Wang's muted palette, J.Crew showed colour blocking, neon and geometric prints. Jenna Lyons still knows exactly what we want.

Photo: Vladimir Potop

Photo: Vladimir Potop

Oh, that perfect ankle skimming trouser (the Cafe Capri)  - definitely on my wish list...

Photo: Vladimir Potop

Meanwhile uptown, Oscar de la Renta was one of the most hotly anticipated shows thanks to John Galliano's recent three week residency, and whilst the collection was classic Oscar, suggestions of Galliano could be seen in the smouldering make up, Marcel waves and Forties inspired bias cut gowns.

Photo: Vladimir Potop

Photo: Vladimir Potop

Diane von Furstenberg tweeted afterwards: "Oscar de la Renta with a touch of Galliano. A lovely conversation."  Nicely put.

After Blizzard Nemo delayed Marc Jacobs' show earlier in the week, he closed proceedings with a full on show stopper, complete with artificial sun, molten metal dresses, hotpants and a pair of breasts.

Photo: Billy Farrell Agency/Rex Features

Photo: Josh Haner/New York Times

Photo: Getty

Rather her than me - I just hope there was some heating...

Snow Survival Sorel Style

It may be New York Fashion Week, but the weather gods have paid no heed to the fact that the city's fashionistas are out on the streets of Manhattan and have thrown down more snow than a Manolo Blahnik stiletto can justifiably handle. Not that that deters some people....

Photo: Rex

Similarly, here in my corner of France, trying to look stylish and embrace my inner Parisienne is increasingly hard when you are shovelling a foot of snow to get the car out on the school run and trudging through the slush with mounds of shopping. And don't even get me started on hat hair - that's a whole separate post.

So in the midst of fashion vs weather silliness, I felt quite relieved to see the Queen of J Crew, Jenna Lyons out and about in NYC looking positively sensibly dressed:

Photo: Garance Dore

She's wearing a fab Joseph Altazurra parka that looks like it's actually keeping her warm, and whilst her Nikes may not be fully waterproof, at least they're flat.

Photo: Garance Dore

I'm not sure I could get away with this on the school run, but it's keeping the snow off beautifully. You can read Garance Doré's full post here.

My lifesavers this winter, keeping me upright and my toes warm whilst giving me (I like to think) a modicum of style have to be my Joan of Arctic Sorel boots. A Christmas present from English Gent, they are more than proving their worth, and hey, if they're good enough for Elle McPherson, then they're good enough for me.

Elle McPherson in Aspen

Here is the very stylish Amanda Brooks in her shorter Sorels at her home in the snowy Adirondacks:

Photo: Vogue

And finally, two lovely New Yorkers who would appear to have nailed how to keep warm and be chic in the snow and the slush: 

Photo: Garance Dore

I think the look on the right is exactly what I'm aiming for - Sorel Style!