APRIL INSTAGRAM PHOTOS

April saw plenty of Autumn/ Winter 2013 press days, a mix of rain and bright blue skies, London was covered in blossom, I went to my friend's lovely wedding at Orchardleigh House in Somerset, I experienced The Salon Project in all its Edwardian finery, took my BFF for a birthday dinner at the Russian restaurant Mari Vanna and had my first hot air balloon ride.

 1. beautiful cobalt blue coat at the Almost Famous press day 2. beautiful blossom 3. new suede GAP loafers 4. Orchardleigh House 5. The Salon Project 6. beautiful azealias 7. Ferragamo flats in the Selfridges window 8. beaded Dries Van Noten dress at the Liberty press day 9. dinner at Mari Vanna

 1. I love the blue hour 2. yet another blossom Instagram pic 3. ridiculous bejewelled shades: heart screams 'yes', head shouts 'oh hell, no' 4. pretty candles votives from Lombok 5. hot air balloon ride 6. sunset from the rooftop Aqua bar 7. friends 8. green grass, blue skies = first Pimms O'Clock of the year 9. strappy delights at the Kurt Geiger AW13 press day

Follow me on Instagram at emmalouiselayla

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L'ICONA FERRAGAMO

L'Icona is a photography project celebrating 35 years of Salvatore Ferragamo's most recognised shoe and the first shoe the designer ever made, featuring 21 girls in different, customised variations of the Italian fashion house's iconic stacked heel Vara or ballet flat sister shoe, Varina.  My favourite from the series is actress and constant girl crush Camilla Belle, who wears a Ferragamo blush silk chiffon dress and the mid-heeled nude Vara in Beverley Hills, California.

"When I think of something iconic, I usually think of something that has a history: a photograph, a film, an old movie star, a singer, an artist.  Iconic people and clothes come with history and a story.  What makes the Vara shoes so special is that it has a history: it was created in the seventies to be a heel that's accessible and still chic.  Now there's so many colours in the Varina flat version, I wear them every day - and feel like I'm wearing something that tells a story."

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FRIDAY'S FFFFOUND: CYCLING

1950s race bikes shot by Italian American photographer Tom Palumbo

Another long weekend is here - I'll be putting in some miles with my beloved BMC, training for the RideLondon-Surrey 100 race in August.  Eek.  Have a good one!

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BROWS BY SHAVATA

One of the biggest names in the brows business and with 25 years in the beauty industry, Shavata Singh set up a studio at Urban Retreats in Harrods in 2004, before launching brow bars in Harvey Nicks, House of Fraser and Debenhams stores up and down the country offering shaping, tinting and eyelash extensions.

VEGESENTIALS

Introducing the UK's first raw vegetable drink brand, which I've been drinking all week.  Offering the highest raw vegetable ratio (at least 50%), more naturally occurring nutrients and 35% less natural sugar than leading fruit and vegetable blend juices, Vegesentials is the healthiest drinks brand around.

Crammed full of good stuff (vitamins A, C, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium and phosphorus), there are five unique blends of 100% pure ingredients: beetroot, pomegranate & carrot juice (my favourite), beetroot, banana & carrot, beetroot, kiwi & carrot, carrot, mango & parsnip and celery, apple & kale.  There’s no added sugar, water, extracts, additives or concentrates, just fresh fruit and veg.

For an easy detox, buy one for each weekday, substitute your usual breakfast and kickstart your day with a healthy smoothie instead.  Trust me, you'll feel great!  Pick them up at Whole Foods, Waitrose, Ocado or the John Lewis Food Hall on Oxford Street.

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IT'S MY BIRTHDAY

... And I'm stuck in Blighty! I like to go abroad for my birthday, away from normality, laundry, plant-watering and other daily chores to make it feel properly special but this year it didn't quite happen. So I'm staying in London, getting my hair done at Daniel Galvin, having lunch at Dean Street Townhouse, champagne and presents with my BFFs, then dinner at Cucina Asellina. Still a rather good day lined up!

birthday dinner at Nikki Beach in Cannes a couple of years ago

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PLANE-TO-BEACH BAG

Summer holidays are fast approaching, and with that comes the annual justification to update your wardrobe with a few new pieces for your jollies.  I'll be picking up some espadrilles, new sunglasses, a chic one piece swimsuit and a versatile handbag suitable for both carry-on luggage and beach bag, to keep my suitcase nice and light.

Step up Next's Zebra Raffia Tote Bag, made from a nice summery raffia fabric in black and white zebra print, cream aztec diamond patterns and snakeskin trim. I prefer zebra to leopard print, as it's slightly more sophisticated (as much as garish animal print can be) in monochrome and I'd always choose classic black and white over brown, to go with the majority of my wardrobe.

The size is perfect to store my magazines, purse, obligatory in-flight fruit pastilles, Caudalie's refreshing Beauty Elixir face mist, passport, sunnies, travel documents and all the other airplane essentials for the flight and Carmex, waterproof mascara, sunscreen, iPod, a good book, tennis ball, sheer sarong, water bottle and, the chicest summer accessory, goggles for the beach.

What are your summer travel essentials?

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FRIDAY'S FFFFOUND: BALLOONS

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