Where: 40 Holborn Viaduct
Joanne Black Style: Blue Balenciaga dress, Lanvin shoes and a Bottega Veneta bag. 

Joanne Black, Champagne & Cupcakes

Sometimes I do wish shopping was more like attending a fashion show. You arrive, you sit back with a glass of champagne – and in this case a cupcake – you watch someone else trying on the latest clothes, and you walk away with ideas for a whole new wardrobe.
Of course, there is an obvious flaw in my armchair shopper approach. What works on one person doesn’t work on another – a message clear to all those attending Tuesday’s ladies evening and fashion show. The event was more than just a trip through the latest trends. It was designed to give women access to advice and guidance from experts in finance, astrology, law, interior design, massage and styling (me!).

Joanne Black @ the Irwin Mitchell Ladies Evening

After watching a solicitor’s office transformed into a Central London catwalk, I was inundated with requests from women keen to know what would work well with their body shapes. Dressed in ‘summer’ blue outfits – from Jigsaw and Reiss – my two colleagues Jacqui Wales and Jackie Scully helped me share the styling secrets that no woman should ever be without.

Joanne Black in action

I was delighted to see Jennifer Aston, my former Aston and Hayes tutor, at the event. Thankfully, she didn’t mention the ‘summery’ highlights that are running through my hair at the moment. I’m not sure they’d ever make it onto the syllabus!

Joanne Black @ Charles Finch Quarterly Review Party

Where: Hotel Du Cap
Pic: Shop talk with the Finch team
Pic credit:Stéphane Feugere

What Charles Finch doesn’t know about fabulous parties and dressing to impress, just isn’t worth knowing. Described as the ‘Cannes-do guy’ by the New York Times, Charles is a great host with a great guestlist – including Mick Jagger, Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz – not to mention an intimate understanding of the good life.

Bellini cocktails and beautiful scenery aside, the Finch Quarterly Review party became, for me, an evening dedicated to fashion. Dressed in Bottega Veneta, with a YSL clutch, mix of necklaces from Bottega Veneta, Yara and Portobello Market, and Links’ NSPCC bracelets, I admired both the looks and the good-looking. Sidney Finch wore a fantastic white L’Wren Scott dress and L’Wren Scott herself donned one of her own white figure-hugging designs – with Mick Jagger sporting a rather striking striper blazer.

When I wasn’t spotting fashion, I was talking about it. First it was men’s styling with GQ Magazine’s Bill Prince. And I even ended up sharing my love of YSL clothes with French-speaking designer Michael Barnes. Thankfully, Michael’s friend and interpreter Pascale was on hand to keep the conversation flowing – otherwise I’m not sure we would have got much further than a ‘bonsoir’ and ‘bon nuit’.