Electric Holiday

Ah, the power of Disney .... & Fashion .... transports & transforms!

Have a wonderful weekend.

-x-

Personal Style

My personal style (a bit like my taste in music) is quite eclectic, I get inspiration from a variety of styles & eras. On any given day my look may incorporate a touch of bohemian,

Jane Birkin  - Loving the BIG furry coat

Ladylike primness,  

Doris Day - Oh the Gloves!

Comfy casual

Sophia Loren -in this pic it's the oversize knit, she's also my go to for sexy siren!

Sharp tailoring,

Image via The Locals 

a bit rock chick

Set - Jacket available at Manna 

Whilst I never combine them all at once (that would just be a mess), it's fun to play around with a couple of them  - say rock chick with elements of ladylike primness or comfy casual with sharp tailoring.

I love this one:

Franziska - The Look via The Locals

What are you inspired by?

Who doesn't like playing dress-up?!

So true..... I was looking for an excuse to dress up, maybe test drive the Dior S/S 2013 makeup looks (FYI - neon is HUGE for summer, so maybe start dipping your toe into the fluorescent waters now, then by the time it hits the shops it won't look so terrifyingly bright) and then realised it was Monday ..... again.... that's a good enough excuse for me!

Bright lids topped off with Swarovski crystals - looks amazing with the simple black dress.  I thought I might pair it with the new Malene Birger dress that's just come in (I've put a pic in at the end) - so perfect for the party season!

I love the contrast of the dazzling eyes with the simplicity, almost bareness of the rest of the look. 

and this dress is just so easy to wear - by the way, the back features a zip running from neckline to the bottom hem - very, very sexy.... just saying.

By Malene Birger dress.

Naughty but oh so nice!

Don't you love that Friday feeling? The weekend is stretched out in front of you, it's time to relax & unwind, maybe play a little (or a lot..... up to you!).

Speaking of being playful, we're loving the fun twist Set has given to two staples of our wardrobes - the classic Trench and the simple Tee.

Take the Trench, we all know leather is HUGE right now, but not all of us are ready to don it top to toe.  Set has snuck just the right amount in to tempt even the uninitiated - the gorgeous contrasting leather sleeves make this such a covetable piece! Effortlessly Chic!

Set

Set coat leather sleeve detail

Next, the humble T Shirt.  Take some nice heavy jersey in grey marl, give it a silk leopard print front and you have a fun, sensual & warm (silk is one of the most sensual fabrics around, so light & free flowing - and surprisingly warm too)Winter T. What's not to love?!

Set Silk leopard print front & Jersey back T.

Whatever you're doing this weekend - enjoy!

-X-

fifty shades of.....winter

When the mercury plummets and sunshine is a distant memory (did we actually see any this year?), it's time to spice up your wardrobe with some of the hottest colours from the catwalks for Winter.  Why settle for 50 shades of grey when you can sizzle in:

French Roast - a rich, sophisticated alternative to black: 

From left to right: Doo.Ri, Victoria Beckham, Diane von Furstenberg

Stun in Cobalt Blue or any other bright jewel tone:

From left to right: Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Prabal Gurung

Add drama with Plum:

From left to right: Lanvin, Tory Burch, Neil Barrett, Jason Wu

Freshen up in Mint green:

By Malene Birger

Warm up with Burnt Orange:  

From left to right: Thakoon, Calvin Klein Collection, Altuzarra

Simmer seductively like Lana Del Ray in soft peach:

From left to right: Chanel, Chloe,  Elie Saab Couture

Lana Del Ray in H&M

Stand out in deep teal:

From left to right: Balmain, Oscar de la Renta, Elie Saab Couture

Wow in Oxblood - it goes pretty much with everything:

From left to right: Peter Som, Rodarte, DKNY  pics from www.hotbeautyhealth.com

and that's just for starters! Let's not forget the vibrant reds, yellows, deep navys, shimmering golds and other metallics,  that are also big this winter.   Even if you're afraid of top-to-toe colour you can add an accent with a bright shoe, scarf or knit.  There's no reason for your wardrobe to be a dull affair this season!

  

Party Perfect Pieces

It's the weekend and party season is almost upon us, update your wardrobe with some new season sparkle! 

Party Season by mannajersey 

Invest or Save

As a stylist and fashion blogger, I get to see a lot of clothes. A serious amount of my time is spent going through my own and other peoples wardrobes, thinking about how to communicate the essence of a person through different combinations, what's going to be comfortable, what's well made and what's not, what will have longevity and what's worth spending money on.  It's that old debate of splurge vs save. 

In today's economic climate it's understandable that we're all looking more closely at what we spend our money on and "fashion" can seem like a guilty spend, so here's a few things I've learned from 20 years of trying to build the ultimate wardrobe for myself and my clients:

Fact. The majority of us only wear 20% of what we own.  That means a huge 80% is just hanging there taking up space but not giving us any real value for money. So the first thing is to consider which pieces you're really going to get a lot of use from and also will be excited about wearing for many seasons.  These are the pieces worth investing decent money on, if you keep buying cheap versions you will have to replace them every year - spending a lot more in the long run.  Save your cheap spends for things that are just passing trends, you'll only wear them for a season so don't invest big money on them.

Here's a few things that in my experience are worth a bigger outlay and are part of the backbone of a decent wardrobe:

Jeans, they're a wardrobe staple and work really hard for us so it's important to get a pair (or two) that are flattering and will wear well.  More expensive jeans tend to have a better cut, better fit, higher quality material and will last you years.

True Religion Jeans

Cashmere Jumpers - not all cashmere is equal, good quality cashmere is worth investing in and it will earn it's cost-per-wear value so much quicker than a cocktail dress. It's the sort of thing you will be wearing every weekend for months at a time (for years to come if you look after it) and you can dress it up with  a skirt or a dress as well as throwing it on over jeans.

360 Cashmere - one of my go to brands for cashmere -  so soft & warm and it looks good year after year.

A wear anywhere dress.  A dress that (with different accessories, a jumper/cardi or blazer) can take you from work to dinner, lunch with the in-laws to cocktails with the girls. Hard to find but when you do - whatever it costs you buy that dress!!

dress by Bastyan.  The little black dress is a staple in any woman's wardrobe, make sure it works hard for you.  Get one that is suitable for a variety of occasions and makes you feel fabulous.

A fabulous coat. When Winter hits, a coat is often the only thing you're seen out in - for months.... so as well as keeping you warm it needs to be able to stand alone as an outfit. Definitely worth investing in. 

Patrizia Pepe shearling coat

Shopping smarter is the way to a great looking wardrobe, it will also save you money in the long run.

Monday Inspiration

Welcome to the week! Hope everyone's weekend was dazzling - mine certainly was!

Just like the fireworks above, I need a fuse lit under me to get me going on a Monday, something visually interesting that I can get excited about and perhaps lift me out of my comfort zone.  When the weather turns cold my fall back wardrobe tends to be black & grey with some navy thrown in..... classic maybe, but not very exciting.  

Every now & then you need to mix it up a bit, so today I'm wearing:   

Today I'm wearing: By Malene Birger leopard print blouse, J Brand jeans, Ganni boots - available @MANNA, Great by Sandie Bag - available @ MANNA

Nothing like a bit of electric blue leopard print teamed with burgundy leather to get you going on a Monday!

Dare to be different - at least for a day this week!

-X-

look behind you - the art of allure

It's Friday, time to let your hair down, go out, dress up, play.  Usually this means we get to see a plethora of micro mini's & tighter than tight dresses that leave nothing to the imagination - enough already! Why not create an element of sensual intrigue. Slightly sheer fabrics & lace panels give a tantalising glimpse of what lies beneath but done in a demure blouse or silhouette hugging dress to the knees, gives you a more sophisticated look....  sophisticated but sexy.  

OR

Make a dramatic exit - outfits with the attention grabbing detail at the back are one of the hottest things right now.  You may look modest from the front but turn around to reveal an open back or deep V and every eye will follow you.  One of my favourite outfits is a pair of slim fit, slightly cropped pants, statement heels and (depending on the weather) either a Marlene Birger knit that's got a back slit from the bottom up (it swings slightly in a most seductive manner) or a not too sheer blouse that follows the same pattern - couple of buttons at the top and the lower back drapes provocatively. 

dress By Malene Birger

The definition of allure is to be highly, often subtly attractive. So much nicer than overly obvious - don't you think?

-x-

   

The Shoe Edit

For the love of shoes! by mannajersey heels, studded lace ups & fur trimmed boots By Malene Birger, snake pattern boots, burgundy & black pull-on boots by Ganni.  FYI miraculously, the burgundy Ganni boots seem to go with everything I own - or it could be they're just so comfy I've refused to take them off!

You can never have too many shoes ..... well, in our opinion anyway! We also think you shouldn't have to forfeit comfort for style. Whether we're talking stilettos, platforms or flats you should be able to run around looking & feeling fabulous (nothing worse than that burning sensation on the ball of your foot or bleeding heels).  This is where materials and craftsmanship make a difference.  Soft leather that moulds to your foot (no rigid plastic please), and extra padding in the sole to give you that cushioned feeling. Ganni and By Malene Birger both give attention to these details, not to mention their designs are just uber cool!  Remember you're feet work awfully hard for you so do them a favour this Winter and invest in some decent shoes. 

x