zaterdag 14 augustus 2010

Get carried away...





I've never been a clutch-lover, there is something inconvenient about holding a bag all the time. Especially without a handle. But that argument fell flat when I first saw that picture of Mélanie Huynh, making her way through Paris during the shows in an oh-so stylish manner. Everything about this picture falls perfectly into place, the blinding rays of the wintersun accompanied by a cold shiver through your spine that even the sun can't shake; her leather shorts worn with high heels which would look trashy on most of us, but work for Mélanie in combination with ther functional parka. And last but not least, this outfit could be a little more ordinary if it wasn't for that extra 'zing' her clutch brings. That perfect contrast of her colourful, well structured bag against her loose-fitting parka brings this outfit to another level.
I wasn't very much impressed by Balenciaga bags when the craze around them started some years ago. It was then they became the it-bag of the season, worn by hippie-chic celebrities, each one bigger and bolder than the other. It was just too much ... baggage. Too much focus on the bag itself, rather than the added value it brings to the outfit and the person carrying it. It seemed in instant fix, but it isn't. A bag alone does not a great outfit make.
The craze didn't last and celebrities quickly hopped onto the next trend.
Although the craze faded and their it-value dissolved, the bag itself maintained a group of loyal followers (such as blogger Caroline Blomst, who has a created quite a collection for herself) , who have always recognized the chic vibe of the Balenciaga brand and its iconic bag. They have always been great bags, made of impeccable materials in a variety of amazing colours and now that less and less of the unfashionable of this world (keep away Paris H.!) are wearing them, their appeal is only growing. And what a colourful appeal, I might add.

* pictures are courtesy of www.carolinesmode.com *

vrijdag 6 augustus 2010

Follow the leader...

Elle's great taste is not only reflected in her very chic lingerie collection Elle Macpherson Intimates, it's also obvious in her wardrobe choices.
Here she is, leaving the Louis Vuitton fall 2010 show in Paris showcasing a perfect outfit for in between seasons.
While we are all dying to wear our camel-coloured coats this winter, the weather isn't up to it yet. It's a peculiar situation in which we are all longing for winter fashion, but are dreading the thought of winter itself!
Follow Elle's example in the months following September, when the cold hasn't hit us yet and our coats will be to hot to bear! Layer up on Isabel Marant's too cool Chanel-ish jackets, resort to Topshop or Belgian brands Chine and Essentiel for a great leather legging, put on a warm cashmere scarf and don't forget your sunnies! Winter will be here faster than you can imagine, so enjoy fall while it's still here (in a short while).

donderdag 29 juli 2010

My love is being tested...

Things that send me to fashion heaven aren't that rare, but they aren't that numerous either. Lots of items bring forward an excited 'oooh' or 'aaah', but fail to leave a lasting imprint on my heart. Only few items get my blood flowing everytime I spot them...

Among these, you will find Louis Vuitton's Stephen Sprouse scarf, which is so soft to touch and luxurious, it is the Scarf of all Scarves.

Second, there are those little pieces of art created by Christian Louboutin. How envious I was when I first laid eyes upon Elisa Sednaoui's shoe closet!

Third, walking by Hermes every day hasn't done me any favors and my longing for an 'H' bangle (preferably green or orange coloured and gold) is increasing daily.

I could mention some more (which items have that effect on you, my dear readers?), but they all fail in comparison to that one item that gives me a fashion O just thinking about it.

I am talking about the bag of all bags, the Quilted Chanel Bag.

The QCB was soon to be mine. I had finally managed to come to peace with its steep price (it is a classic after all!) and was looking forward to carrying Coco the QCB around town, filling it with my quintessential daily necessities.

My love (and my wallet, for that matter) is, however, being tested by a greater force: Karl Lagerfeld.

Karl much rather have his baby remain an exclusive item, so he decided to implement a worldwide price increase on all Chanel bags. The increase isn't small either, all Chanel bags (including my black caviar with gold hardware QCB) will become a whopping 20 % more expensive.

So here I am, debating my purchase and evaluating that ever present question: want versus need. Sigh...

Where do you all stand on the Chanel price increase?

woensdag 7 juli 2010

No one does it better ....


.... than Peter Philips for Chanel.

Yes, I know, I've proclaimed my love for his work many times before, but the girls at Chanel HC Fall / Winter 2010 looked so iconic, so chic, that I could not resist another Peter Post!


The already gorgeous Bianca Balti looked radiant and so did Ana, Freja and all the others.

With very little makeup on their faces except for Rouge Coco in Rivoli, the attention was not drawn away from the clothes. So it should be. It was Haute Couture after all!

They came across as empowered, modern women. They could hold their own in a though world, but have not lost touch with their feminine side. This woman is a glamourous one. She's not afraid to turn a few heads while she's at it.


I would like to end this post by saying that I love how this is just such a wearable look. Especially for Haute Couture! Yes, you will get some looks, but if you rock this look the right way, then they can only be good / envious ones. Who's afraid of a little attention anyway!


*the man in the first picture is not my sweet Peter, but the Haidresser with the Magic Touch, who perfected the Tousled Look, Sam McKnight *

dinsdag 6 juli 2010

The Talented Miss Lively

From Surfer Babe ....

.... to über-stylish Parisienne


What look CAN'T Miss Lively rock?
Spotted in Paris while filming the newest season of Gossip Girl, the young actress - blessed with the most amazingly beautiful hair I might add- was wearing slim electric blue pants with sky-high heels, a white shirt and a very glamourous sparkly blazer/top.
As this look takes a lot of courage in real life, you can soften it by ditching the heels for tan gladiator sandals and pairing the tee with a camel blazer. You could also keep it edgy by pairing those magnificant blue pants with a though ankleboot, the same basic white tee and a brownish/reddish/copper-ish linnen blazer. Finish the look with a smaller bag and go easy on the accessories.
You will have to create gossip surrounding you for yourself, though that might not be a problem in an outfit like this!

I'm back!

Dear readers,
after exams and a lot of changes (my boyfriend and I have moved in together) I can finally resume my posting!
My exams went well and I found out yesterday that I will be officially graduating with a Master-degree in September! It's a relief to find out that I have passed and I can focus on more exciting things from now on, such as more beauty reviews and thoughts about all things fashion!


zondag 13 juni 2010

Dear Readers,

I'm sorry for my continuing lack of updates! I'm facing one more exam and will resume my posting afterwards!

See you soon!

maandag 24 mei 2010

Meet me in Saint-Tropez

Ah, Karl.

You made my heart skip a beat - yet again - with your beautiful Cruise collection.



What an ingenious idea it was of you to have the models walk as if they were wandering around Saint-Tropez on their private holiday.

Some in their Chanel bikinis, having just left the beach to get a menthe-à-l'eau, others leaving their yacht on their way to a dinnerparty in the sunset where they enjoy Ricard with their friends.


You also continued the mood you set in 'Remember now', the lovely short film you directed, starring Elisa Sednaoui, Pascal Gregory, Heidi Mount and Abbey Lee Kershaw among others. It was a great choice to let the true actors of the group have the leading roles and let the models have a smaller part. And yes, we will remember 'now', as you've shown in your film that icons like Bardot and Birkin are irreplaceable, but the present will provide us with new ones. And what a perfect setting for all this. Saint-Tropez. Where legends live and parties are 24/7.

Oh, and I also loved those sweet little cocktail dresses you showed! Hitting all the right curves on Crystal Renn, fitting perfectly on the tiny frame of pretty Hanne Gaby Odiele, you've showed that yes, Chanel dresses ARE for everyone!




And no Karl, I wouldn't mind being caught in one of them. So feel free to send over one or more items from your Cruise Collection. Or, you know what, all of them would be fine as well. I would be happy to provide a decent home for them. Especially the last one below, one that is similar to a blue and white Chanel dress worn by Keira Knightley, another one of your favorites, during her Atonement press tour. It's not hard to know why the model wearing this oh-so-pretty dress is beaming with joy. I know I would too...



*credit for the gorgeous pictures goes to http://www.nitrolicious.com/*

vrijdag 21 mei 2010

Sorry for my lack of posts lately, I don't have internet at the moment (sigh), but that will be resolved shortly!

maandag 17 mei 2010

A Golden Bride


Congratulations to Lara Stone and her new husband David Walliams!

The couple tied the knot this weekend in London after a short engagement. The model and comedian looked utterly happy on their big day with their friends and family present.

Lucky them, as they got to feast on a jummy wedding breakfast that includes lobster salad. Surrounded by tons of white roses, Lara said yes to David whilst wearing a gorgeous one-of-a-kind wedding gown that was designed for her by Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci.
Leaving everything conventional aside, she chose to wear a very sexy gold dress, that put a lot of emphasis on her legs and unignorable bust. She finished her look with soft waves and a smokey eye. Most of us would wear a dress like this for a party, but good for Lara for going all out and wearing something that makes her feel great! After all, it's her day and if she wants to look like a golden goddess, then yes, yes she can.
I wish them the best of luck!

donderdag 6 mei 2010

A closet full of Louboutin and leather

She is the newest fashion darling and the current sweetheart of Karl Lagerfeld and Diane Von Furstenberg (who wrote a great article about her for V magazine).
Her name is Elisa Sednaoui and she is a force to be reckoned with.
Born in Italy in 1987, this stunner has quite the international flair. She's lived in Italy, France, New York and has traveled the world since taking the modeling world by storm. She's also taking small steps into the acting scene and has just finished a french movie titled 'Neither before nor after'. You can also see her in some of Christian Louboutin's short films. She was a given choice for Mr. Louboutin as he is her Godfather. Yes. You heard me. Her GODFATHER! You're thinking 'Oh-My-God-Her-Closet-Must-Be-Filled-With-Gorgeous-Shoes-With-To-Die-For-Red-Soles' right? And yes. Yes it is. If you are dying with envy, but cannot resist to take a little peek into her (minimalistic downtown) wardrobe, go ahead and check the Youtube video I've linked.
After Karl's approval (she was his 'date' to the Met) and the personality that matches those looks, I have no doubt we'll hear so much more from her in the near future.


dinsdag 4 mei 2010

THE MET

When the first pictures of the Met's Gala popped up online, I was instantly captivated by Anne Hathaway's dress. She looks so sparkly, happy, romantic! She looked like a princess.
A princess adorned in Valentino clothes. What a perfect combination. Valentino always works for Anne. Maybe she could have put a little bit more effort into her hair, but this is just a minor comment. I love her entire look, glammed up hair or no glammed up hair.
To me, Camilla Belle in a spectacular red Jason Wu dress was a great runner up, followed closely by Kate Bosworth, also in Valentino. Kate always manages to pull off a great old hollywood hairdo.
All three girls were appropriately dressed to the American Woman theme and I thought Diane Kruger (not pictured) did an excellent job of doing so in Calvin Klein as well.




Who was your favorite at the Met?

zondag 2 mei 2010

Miss Bowler

How fantastic is gorgeous Miss Donaldson looking in this picture!
I love how minimalist chic her outfit is.
She is a great example of how to only buy about ten key pieces and be able to put them all together in different outfits.
Am still envious of her great utility jacket and don't know where she got it. I am guessing Stella McCartney or Burberry, but I'm really not sure.
Love her little bowler hat with her soft, undone hair. For an everyday look that anyone could wear, change the high heels for black patent flats.

vrijdag 30 april 2010

UPDATE

Dear readers,

it's been rather busy lately but I'll update soon!
Sorry for the lack of posts!

xxx

vrijdag 23 april 2010

Pictures Phi trousers -For Sale- 185 euro







Just wanted to post some pictures for those who asked me to.
Info on the pants is on the right.
They are jet black, but the lighting made them look slightly lighter on the pictures.
Enjoy!

FREE SHIPPING HQHAIR PROMO

This is just a quick post.

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woensdag 21 april 2010

PHI TROUSERS - FOR SALE - 180 euros


Dear readers,



I received my trousers from http://www.theoutnet.com/ today. They are so beautiful, so well made, but they are not 'me'. They are a little different than I imagened them, but great nonetheless.

It's just a shame I won't wear them so I've decided to sell them as someone else will love them like they deserve and they would only hang in my closet.



The tag is still on them, I've only tried them on once. They are obviously in perfect condition.

They run a XS / size 0. The material is 100% pure silk and very soft. I will include the bag they came in from theoutnet, which is a re-usable one.

They retail for about 1.013 euros, but I'll sell them for around 200 euros. Off course, you can always make an offer that is in that price range. I would not do returns or refunds that would make matters complicated and I am not an onlineshop, just someone selling something that I thought would be different.



If you like a harem-ish trouser, you'll love this one!

I will post some pictures tomorrow and if you are interested, just make a comment, your comment won't be visible if you don't want it to be.

dinsdag 20 april 2010

ITEM OF THE MONTH - APRIL

Ray-Ban Wayfarer

Go undercover like Miss Poly with the always stylish Ray-Ban Wayfarers.
Approved by Natasha ànd Audrey Hepburn? How could one resist!
Now that spring is finally among us, pull out your shades and transform an otherwise perhaps basic outfit into a very cool one. I am on my second pair. My first (a gift from my parents) got stolen. Yes, it is always so pleasant when someone takes something you treasure. My parents were so kind to replace them and now I got a pair in a classic colour (brownish shades). I am in love with them, they are so practical and I love how they've been around since 1952 (!) and are still considered very stylish ànd hip at the same time!
You can never go wrong with a classic.

*credit for the picture goes to www.shoothebreeze.blogspot.com *

maandag 19 april 2010

Louboutin for 3.1 Phillip Lim

Aren't these to die for!
I wish they were in my pricerange (they are not...), as I believe they would lift me to impossible spheres (aka heaven) while trying them on. These require perfectly pedicured feet and impeccably painted toes. And a big budget. And a stable surface to walk on or a cute boyfriend to hold on to. All fair conditions, no?

maandag 12 april 2010

What to wear - on an airplane

My parents just left on holiday. Yes, I am envious as they are going somewhere sunny and it is still quite cold here. Unfortunately, I couldn't join them as I am working on my thesis (which basically is a huge essay you have to write in your senior year in university), which doesn't exactly brighten my day or makes me jump out of my bed with exitement. But I am guessing the same applies to a lot of you who have to get up really early to get to work. I still have the advantage of being able to sleep in. But let's get back to my parents. I love going anywhere sunny. I do. I have grown to appreciate fall and winter (some of the best outfits are the ones where you go out all bundled up), but I still can't bear the cold. I will always remain a warm weather kind of gal. The only hazard, really, is getting there.



I love going on vacations and I adore drinking my fabulous mojito while eating sushi with my Ray Bans on, because you wouldn't be able to see without them as the sun is so blinding. But I don't like sitting on an 10-hour flight to get there. I don't think anybody does, unless you are flying first class and even then it's still a hazard. The food is horrible (in economy, my dears, a little birdie (aka my Dad) told me food in first class is really jummy), the person you are sitting next to is probably a real pain in the butt and watching TV for 10-hours is not the most enjoyable way to spend your time.



The only thing you can do, is dress well.
After having flown quite a bit, I have come to understand the best ways to dress for a flight. So here come my five rules for flying comfortably and stylish.


First, you have to be comfortable. Really. There is no point in wearing sky high heels during a 10-hour flight. You want to be able to crawl up in a bundle and fall asleep. Wear soft trousers, leggings or a long dress. Layer up!


Second, you have to keep in mind that you'll have to take a lot of items off during your check-in. So limit your accessories to the essentials, like your favorite watch and necklace or bracelet.


Third, wear flats. It is the best way to go. You can take them off really easy during your check-in and you'll be comfortable during your flight as well (if they are worn in off course). I highly recommend the London Sole / French Sole range. They are a bit expensive, but they hold up so well. I wore mine for two years straight on and boy, did they endure a lot! Rain, mudd, walking in the city non stop. They held up so nicely and if I had them fixed, I could still wear them. I have read some complaints online about them being really fragile, but I haven't had a problem like that at all. It might be that some shoes have a 3mm sole and others go up to 6mm (like mine) or even 11mm, so it probably is better not to purchase the ones with the 3mm sole. Also be really careful purchasing them online (http://www.londonsole.com/ for US customers and http://www.frenchsole.com/ for European customers) because their sizes are pretty strange, I bought an India in a size 39 in Miami, whereas I normally wear a 38. Everything considered, they are a great purchase and I highly recommend them.


Fourth, carry a big bag that can fit a lot of your essential items that you really want to have with you on your flight. You have to be able to pack a book, a dvd and a little computer, a water bottle, some snacks (because I am not kidding about the food, it is dreadful!), moisturizer, cellphone, ipod, socks (the airconditioning is a force to be reckoned with), a big scarf (again, the airconditioning), your camera, your wallet, your paperwork, etc. It's also best if you buy a product like Caudalie's Eau de Beauté, which you can buy in a travel size (for 10 euros) and is packed with some great essential oils and really moisturizes your face.


Fifth and final, pack your sunglasses. It's best not to wear any make-up as it won't hold up nicely, I don't know what it is, but after a 10-hour flight, you look like you haven't slept in days. It's best if you just don't wear any make-up at all, moisturize your skin to the fullest and still look fabulous wearing nice shades.



The best example I can give you of who does all this right, is model Miranda Kerr. I have no doubt in my mind she is an expert in flighing, so it won't hurt you to take a look at her outfits.
After all this advice, trust me, you are set to go and enjoy your flight supermodel-style!

donderdag 8 april 2010

Fresh like a Lily





Doesn't Lily Donaldson look fantastic here, leaving the Louis Vuitton show in Paris?

Right on the utility chic trend, she is sporting a great parka (on my to-get-list for this summer!) and pairing it with skintight (leather?) pants, a simple and clean white tee, a furry vest and last but not least a statement necklace. And I didn't even mention those (I am not sure, but I am guessing) YSL booties!

Her make-up (from the Vuitton show) is gorgeous, very nude and natural, leaving Lily looking radiant!

For more inspiration for the utility chic trend, which is a more relaxed, softer version of the military trend, look to Alexander Wang and Isabel Marant. Think neutral tones, soft shades, like khaki and faded blue.

I am in love with this outfit and this trend, it's so spot on and just perfect for spring and summer. You'll look casual, but chic. It's much more wearable than the military trend, which can be a bit harsh and too much of a (iek!) 'trend', while this, I think, comes more natural to a lot of women.

For a great parka, check http://www.topshop.com/ or stop by your local Zara, where I am sure you'll find a great one for a decent price!

*credit for the pictures goes to: http://www.altamiranyc.blogspot.com/ and http://www.miamarionette.blogspot.com/*

vrijdag 2 april 2010

Beauty according to Dries

The beautiful clothes weren't the only thing I loved about the Dries Van Noten fall/winter 2010 ready-to-wear show in Paris. I was also very drawn to the almost nude make-up look Peter Philips (who else?) did on the models. The collection itself was a very modern one, for a busy woman who is always on the go. Peter probably thought is was logical to not give her a really busy make-up look that would take too long to achieve and instead he gave her a gorgeous complexion that is almost luminous. Fresh-faced beauty.



He also gave the models a really defined eyebrow, which gives the whole look some strength.

Hair was also kept really natural, really realistic. Slightly messed up, but not scruffy. Beautiful glossy hair that doesn't take too much effort, with a beautiful side parting. Just make sure your hair is really healthy, add some serum to the ends and spritz on some (not too much) gloss.



I love fashion and I love the special vibe a really over-the-top show can give you (like almost all the shows by John Galliano for Dior), but, at the end of the day, it's much more pleasant to see a picture of a show and think "hey, I could pull that off". I really believe women want that, they want to feel like fashion is attainable and they want to feel like what the magazines are telling them feels good and comfortable to them. And that is exactly what this whole collection did for me, including the make-up look. Sigh, the Dries Van Noten girl... what a perfect girl.