Spring has arrived ... in our wardrobes

For those who don't know her, the stylish lady in the picture above is Hanneli Mustaparta. She used to be a model and currently works for MTV Norway. But the reason most of us know her, is because of her blog www.hanneli.com, where she delights us with her amazing eye.
Her photographs are spot-on. She seeks out the most amazing images in the fashion world.
It's great to see the world through her eyes. I applaud her creativity and her personal style, which is always daring, edgy and stylish at the same time.
I particularly enjoy this ensemble.
It totally embodies the modern Chloé woman and is the perfect spring outfit.
It's practical, light, comfortable, feminine, elegant.
It's perfect to wear to a job interview, to go shopping with your girlfriends. You can add some heels and enjoy a great dinner with your boyfriend in style or have a drink at your favorite bar in the sun, now the weather is finally "heating up" (A bit. I know. Wishful thinking.).
It's got a slight tomboyish vibe to it, which always makes me feel great. I like outfits that are feminine, but aren't too much.
Proving that you don't need to break the bank to look great ànd get some investment pieces, Hanneli is mixing Zara (the blazer, which I will be looking for), Mulberry (the bag, the Alexa to be more specific), American Apparel (the shirt) and Acne (the pants).
Killer style ànd budget minded, how can you not love her!


*credit for the picture goes to Hanneli herself, www.hanneli.com*

Chanel Rouge Coco

"A girl can't read that sort of thing without her lipstick."

Audrey Hepburn's character Holly Golightly sweetly asks Paul to hand over her purse, because a girl like her simply can't bear to read the bad news the note from her Brazilian lover has to bring without putting on some lipstick.

I found that particular scene so endearing. It's like the lipstick is going to hold her hand and stand by her side. Her loyal protector who is always there for her to rely on. During the good and the bad. It is always there for her to lift her spirits and put her in a good news, for even is she'll get bad news, at least she'll look good while she hears it.

Lipstick has always done that for women.

It's no wonder why lipstick is so recession-proof.

It won't break the bank and it will make you feel better, even without a closet full of clothes.

But the past decade or so, it seems my generation of women have lost their touch with this small companion. We have been the lipgloss-generation , a label Peter Philips has given us.

To me, Peter Philips is a genius. If I could interview one person about beauty-related subjects, it would be him. Why? Because he gets women. He understands what they want in terms of looks. He creates make-up women want to wear. He disregards trends and searches for items that will last, that women will want to keep in their purses and reach for in times of doubt, just like Holly Golightly did.

Philips is the global creative director at Chanel since 2008. Since then, he's released, among others, Le Vernis in Jade, which has been a global phenomenon, ranking in the most ridiculous amount of money anyone has ever paid for nailpolish : one hundred dollars.

This Belgian is also responsible for the development of the newest lipstick to hit the make-up counters : Rouge Coco.

Rouge Coco is meant to update the Hydrabase line and to "seduce women back into using lipstick". His main goal was to make lipstick accessible again for this generation of young women, who have never worn lipstick before and haven't dared to take the leap from lipgloss to a proper lipstick. Because even when we didn't wear lipstick, he still got the same questions over and over : how do you wear lipstick, how do you know when it's the right colour for you, etc. So Peter developed this new line, which fronts Vanessa Paradis as the spokeswoman.

Clearly, Vanessa is an obvious choice. For Chanel and for the lipstick itself.

To me, she is the ultimate Parisienne as well as the ultimate Chanel girl / woman.

With her pale skin, small and delicate features and beautiful lips, she makes for an excellent spokesperson.

Peter succeeded in his mission. I have never worn lipstick in my life and at 22 (almost 23), I thought it was a good time to try it out. And I'm so glad I did!

I didn't feel uncomfortable at all! In fact, it really did make me feel womanly and elegant. The fact that the packaging is so nice and luxurious is only a plus.

From what I understand, all the different shades differ in texture, if only a tiny bit.

They are all long lasting and very pigmented, so you only need one swipe.

There are 30 different shades, so there is plenty to choose from. I've seen all the colours and they are all showstoppers, each one is very different from the other and they are all quite wearable as well. The lipstick doesn't feel uncomfortable, even though my lips are generally pretty dry. It also lasts really long, so you don't need to reapply all the time. I put mine to the ultimate test: I kissed my boyfriend, sat through dinner and a movie with friends and even after all that, the Rouge Coco was still visible on my lips and hadn't run or disappeared into a small line.

So on to the shades!

It's not very practical for me to review them all, so I'm only going to include my favorites.

Rouge Coco in number 5 : Mademoiselle

Mademoiselle is the shade worn by Vanessa Paradis in the campaign. From what I've read this shade looks different on everyone. My friend, convinced by seeing Orchidée on me during our dinner, had to have one too and she bought this one. It really is a stunner! I tried it out too and it will be my next purchase. It's perfect for during the day, it makes your lips look fuller, it's just a nice colour all around. The texture is quite creamy so your lips won't feel dry at all. I would label it as a nude-pinkish colour. It makes your lips stand out in a subtle way. I would say this really is appropriate all the time. This is also a personal favorite of Peter Philips himself (although he confesses he loves all his "babies", as he calls them).

Rouge Coco in number 17 Orchidée

This is the shade I bought. It's quite bright, but not overpowering. It was too much on my friend, Mademoiselle suited her much better. It's a nice in-between shade, perfect for someone who has enough nudes, but isn't ready for a true red.

Rouge Coco in number 19 Gabrielle

Now this is a true red! Jen Brill (right, in the picture above), who is one of the beauty ambassadors of Chanel, is a loyal fan and wears nothing but this shade. I love this one, it's such a vibrant, lively colour. It's almost an accessory by itself! Just keep the rest of your make-up quite bare.

Last but not least ... Rouge Coco in number 29 Ballet Russe

This is such a beautiful, deep shade. It's the most purple one out of all the shades and I wouldn't say this is suitable for daytime, but it's certainly a great choice for a party. Again, it's probably better to keep your face quite bare for this one and let it stand out on its own.

*All swatches belong to www.temptalia.com*

Don't be afraid to mix it up and try a colour you haven't worn before. There are no strict rules when it comes to make-up, you should be able to have some fun with it.

Don't worry about the colour of your complexion, the colour of your hair and eyes, etc.

The main thing you should consider when buying lipstick is that when you put it on, it should make your features stand out, it should make you look fresh and awake.

If it wears you down, it is the wrong colour for you. It's that simple.

I also wanted to include this video. I figured it's nice for you to put a face to a name and when you hear Peter talk with so much passion about his work, you can't help but like him!

This video belongs to www.graziadaily.co.uk so all credit goes to them.

Chanel Rouge Coco is available for 26,05 € or 30 $. Yes, I know, it's not cheap, but it'll last you a long time. It's worth it. In the words of the Master himself : "Try it. It will make you feel beautiful.".

Fall-Winter 2010 - What to Wear

My overall assessment concerning the fall collections for 2010 would be that most of them had a very feminine undertone to them.
After a few season with nothing but too obvious references to the (in my opinion hideous) Eighties, a lot of prominent designers made the very distinct decision to find their inspiration either a couple of decades earlier (the Fifties), a few decades later (the Noughties) or very much in the present (Dries Van Noten).


I've never really been a big Balmain fan. I can certainly understand their appeal, but I tend to find their designs a bit harsh, attention-drawing and not very ladylike. Thus it should not come as a surprise that I was pleasantly surprised to see designers like Dries Van Noten, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Miuccia Prada and Stella McCartney showcase clothes that make women feel beautiful. Their clothes had such an ease and freshness to them, they were soft without loosing that special something. They caught your attention, without looking like a Christmas tree with too many bells and whistles, which I find is the case with the recent collections by Balmain and the fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection by Pucci (I doubt anyone can pull off dresses THAT short...great legs or not).


So let us take a closer look at ....


Dries Van Noten





Fellow Belgian Dries Van Noten showed a collection in Paris that was very now, very modern, very wearable and extremely fresh. There really wasn't one piece I wouldn't like to get my hands on. His silhouettes were full of colour and a mix of lots of different prints, which seem to blend in together with such ease. The different hints of leopard especially caught my eye, as I thought they were a great way to add some detail and personality to an otherwise understated outfit. I also loved the impeccably made greenish coat (second picture), it looks like a great investment piece that you could wear for many, many years to come. Perfect to throw over any outfit, you can mix it with lots of different colours, it's a great alternative to the camel coat that we'll also be seeing next winter. To me, Dries must have envisioned this collection with a very busy woman in mind, who is always on the go and needs some really great basic pieces, as well as some eyecatchers to jazz up her outfit without it becoming too flashy, so she could still look professional and put together.
This is for a woman of all ages, who's main concern when it comes to fashion is to feel comfortable and be able to look great in any occasion whatsoever, be it at a private gathering or something work-related.
I can already see her running through the busy streets of New York, Paris or London, in a hurry to catch her subway train. In these outfits, I doubt any woman would mind...

Louis Vuitton

+

Prada

Marc Jacobs continued the Fifties throwback we've first seen at the Prada show.

There's been a lot of attention from the press to these two shows, mainly due to the fact that both Marc Jacobs and Miuccia Prada used somewhat healthier looking models. Some of the Victoria's Secret Angels walked the Prada show (Miranda Kerr, Doutzen Kroes, Alessandra Ambrosio and Catherine McNeil), while Laetitia Casta, Elle Mcpherson, Bianca Balti and again Alessandra graced the Vuitton show.

I loved how the clothes at Prada contained such Prada specific qualities and elements, like that very recognizable print. The whole collection was beautifully done, but I prefer the Vuitton one to the Prada show. I found all the Prada silhouettes to be a little square shaped, while the Vuitton collection somehow elongated the models' bodies even more.

The shoes with the little bows at Vuitton were to die for! It was obvious Marc thought about a woman's comfort, as he included some kitten heels in his shoe collection. Sky high shoes make everyone gasp, yes, but this isn't necessarily always a good thing. Especially for the woman walking in them.

In an interview about his collection and his choice for a more ladylike silhouette, Mr. Jacobs said he was feeling tired with all the over the top trends we've witnessed the past collections and that he wanted to make something real women of all ages, shapes and sizes would want to wear and would look good wearing them.

Though this obviously isn't made for the office, there were certainly a lot of great seperate pieces in the collection that everyone could wear with some basic elements. This way, you give a small wink to the Fifties, without looking like you've just stepped of the Mad Men set. Think Gwyneth Paltrow in The Talented Mr. Ripley. And although you can't wear this every day, I guarantee you, you will feel like you are the most beautiful woman in the room when you do.

Stella McCartney

Stella kept to her usual clean style. The key word here is 'minimalism'.

It was almost too basic for Fashion Week, the models wearing very little makeup, wearing basic coloured clothes. But it was done with such craftmanship, it was like a breath of fresh air in the midst of this hectic, stressy week. Stella used an extremely neutral palette, but it was the detail that went into the clothes that set her designs apart. A great example would be the cut of the grey coat in the last picture. THAT is a perfect coat for fall.

This whole collection brings to mind Audrey Hepburn. Her wardrobe choices back then would certainly stand the test of time and still be relevant today. Ms. Hepburn's iconic outfits are all about timeless chic, which Stella captured amazingly well in her collection.

Not unlike the Dries Van Noten collection, this is a great choice of wardrobe for the career-minded woman, I would say not younger than thirty.

The recurring theme throughout these three shows, for me, is that these clothes really are made for women. These are clothes that, however different they may be, make a woman look good and (most importantly) feel great in an effortless manner. And isn't that what fashion should really be about?

* All pictures are courtesy of Style.com *

Les Fidèles - Part Deux

"I sold my soul to Karl Lagerfeld"


Wouldn't you?


I blogged about Les Fidèles de Chanel in a previous post.
In the video below, Style.com's Derek Blasberg talks to the fashionable Chanel ambassadors on the launch of the new Rouge Coco lipstick.

ITEM OF THE MONTH - MARCH

The fur vest by Isabel Marant.

Worn here by supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio while running around in Paris doing numerous prestigious shows and thus coming back to her high fashion roots.

The Brazilian beauty threw hers over a brown leather jacket, which I suspect is Balenciaga, whereas fellow VS Angel Rosie paired her with a simple vest.

The vest, which was featured on the Spring / Summer 2010 Ready to Wear fashion show, is now in stores.

I wish it was faux fur, but it appears it is made of real raccoon. I can't help it, I love animals and wish she had decided against using real fur but alas.

Personal fur-related opinions aside, this is a beauty.

Perfect alone, perfect over a dress for a more bohemian vibe, it makes for such an interesting and original investment piece.

It instantly adds such a splash of colour, you can't help but love it! It's so over the top, yet paired like Alessandra with simple pieces, it makes your outfit (and I imagine your mood as well) POP and stand out!

Boys will probably find it pretty odd (I know my boyfriend would) but at least it's soft and they wouldn't mind cuddling up to you, so don't let them hold you back.

This piece just exudes fun and happiness, without leaping over to the "crazy" side.

Nurture your inner (absolutely adorable) animal and let loose with this item of the month, now in stores at Isabel Marant stores.

* credit for the Alessandra picture goes to http://www.shoothebreeze.blogspot.com/ *

UPDATE

I just wanted everyone to know I will be updating again soon. It's been rather busy and I haven't found any time to properly write something down!

xxx

Comme Julia

I love Julia Restoin Roitfeld and her ultimate chic French look.
Even her beauty routine seems to be the total opposite of the American starletts nowadays.
The Shelby got a look around her New York appartement (what's an ultra chic parisian girl to do without a place on the other side of the ocean?) and I was blown away by how clean and modern it was. I could just see myself drinking some mint tea by her kitchen countertop.
Julia doesn't plaster on the foundation (as much as I love Lauren Conrad, she really needs to lay off the foundation...it ages her so much, there's nothing wrong with seeing some actual pores on a person's skin in my honest opinion) and sticks to the fundamental French make-up basics: a gorgeous red-but-not-too-red pout and a strong brow. She keeps her skin clean, soft and moisturized (I've read she uses baby oil as a make-up remover and cleanser, a must-try!), adds some definition to her brows (Bobbi Brown's Natural Brow Shaper works wonder and keeps all those little hairs in place. You can use a clear one or choose between a few colours. I highly recommend Rich Brown. This is also a great alternative for those who want a stronger (but not overpowering) brow but don't want to use a pencil. I don't either and resort to this lovely bit. Your brows are kept in place all day long, you can really define and shape them ànd if you use a coloured one, it fills in your brows nicely.).
Last but not least, for that jummy pout she has, beauty junkies out there should really check out Sérum de Rouge by Dior in Rosewood. Their newest addition is a very creamy, moisturizing, almost lip balm-like lipstick. The shades come out a little transparant, but very noticable at the same time. A very pretty and handy addition to your make-up bag (it will soon be in mine!). You can also spot some gorgeous nudes in the Sérum de Rouge collection.
Slather on that lipstick, groom those brows, snatch your little Chanel bag and put on those high heels.
Julia swears she never èver wears flats. She is, after all, from Paris and Parisian girls only wear high heels. Her words. Stop by your local bakery, get some macarons and face the cold, Parisian style.
As if there is a better way to start the day?!