Cheryl’s Style
April 22, 2012 § 4 Comments
I’m slightly excited about Cheryl Cole’s return with her new album. Not because of the music she will be bringing out, but because she is coming back to spot light and I have indeed missed my favourite clothes horse. And that is compliment. Her petite figure and natural beauty allows her to pull off practically anything and makes me (and I am sure many more like me) lust after every single thing she wears.
Last week sneak peak shots of her new video flooded the web and I could not be happier with what she is wearing: mixing up patterns, tropical prints and neon – she is ticking every trend box. Indeed it did not take me long to find pieces she was wearing, and all the fans with money to spend can easily get their hands on the outfit at net-a-porter.com!
On the picture above she is dressed in Finch tropical-print cotton-blend blazer by Altuzarra(£1040), Dolce & Gabbana leopard-print high-wasted bikini briefs (£150) and Brian Atwood Alima neon patent-leather pumps (£670). So if you have £1860 lying around you can steal her style, something that does not happen often with stars in music videos who often get pieces designed just for them.
But of course I would not tempt you with high price items without providing an affordable alternative. I searched the high street for similar pieces and here they are: Topshop tropical floral blazer (£65), Motel high waist hot pants (£20 at Asos) and Office Krazy paving neon heels (£78). Grab an outfit inspire by Cheryl for more affordable £163!
Millie + Lipsy
March 29, 2012 § 1 Comment
Whether you are a fan of London based reality show Made in Chelsea or not, there is one thing everyone will agree on – Millie Mackintosh is gorgeous. In fact so gorgeous that after seeing her model the new range of Lipsy VIP dresses I could not wait to get my hands on them: I am once again excited about Lipsy creations, and that has not happened for over a 6 months! They are not your day to day party dresses – in fact VIP range is perfect for special occasions and now that the wedding season is approaching, I would recommend you go no further for the outfit of choice than Lipsy’s website. Beautiful and impact-making dresses come in both mini and maxi lengths and give you great choice of fabrics. Plus each dress gives you a different focus: feathers, lace, tutu skirt, embellished, scalloped, sequined, printed – just pick what S/S12 trend you want to follow and grab one of them before they get away!
Below is my selection of favourite pieces from the collection to inspire you to have a look at the entire range at www.lipsy.com.
- Rouched Bust Dip Dye Prom Dress, £120
- Waxed Lace Feather Dress, £110
- Scalloped Edge Sequin Dress, £120
- Flower Bust Maxi Dress, £130
- Sweetheart Embellished Neckline Ruched Maxi Dress, £130
- Printed Embellished Maxi Dress, £130
Cocktail Rings
March 26, 2012 § 1 Comment
Since Yves Saint Laurent released the Arty cocktail rings range they have become instantly recognisable and truly covetable pieces of jewellery. There has hardly been one celebrity which wasn’t at some point seen wearing one. Indeed the cult following included: Kylie Minogue who was wearing it on her Aphrodite tour, Kim Kardashian sporting it at the make up launch and Alexa Chung demonstrating it at a photoshoot (with matching nail polish – fab!).
This season YSL extended the range of enamel and gold plated rings further with new colours and materials. I love both the depth of some enamels – looking like they might be some precious stones sent to us interterrestrially – and the monocolour shine of others. My favourite picks below range from £135 to £165. The thing is, whichever colour you pick, the arty ring is a real investment: it has been popular season after season and has moved from ‘trend’ to ‘classic’ category making it the most desirable cocktail ring out there. 
Based on the success of YSL arty rings, this season has a whole range of oversized cocktail rings from other brands waiting to steal some fans from the established favourite. Many undercut arty ring in price but some aim higher with beautiful designer creations. See my selection below – are you ready to swap a YSL classic with new season favourite?
- House of Harlow 1960 Sunburst Ring, £51
- House of Harlow 1960 Stone & Crystal Ring, was £83 now £58 (asos)
- House of Harlow 1960 Sun Ring, was £84 now £41 (asos)
- Erickson Beamon Safari Ring, £195
- Kenneth Jay Lane Crystal Ring, £55
- Monica Vinader Set of Three Stacking Rings, £280
- Kenneth Jay Lane Resin Ring, £65
Most Versatile Necklace
March 14, 2012 § 5 Comments
You know what will look epic with high top wedge gangsta trainers about which I recently blogged (have a look here)? Extra-large gold chain necklace that is definitely inspired by 90’s rap stars. On a more serious note – this type of bling is my favourite fashion accessory of the moment: it can add instant glamour to any outfit. And when I say any I mean it – it looks just as good with white starched shirt on the way to work, LBD for cocktail hour and even with T-shirt and denim shorts combo a la Lana del Rey (proof below – she looks fab). And the good thing – big designers and more affordable brands both picked up the trend so you have a great range of gold gorgeousness to choose from. Here is my selection:
- Lanvin Swarovski and Cord Necklace, £730 available on farfetch.com
- Vintage Givenchy Gold Plated Necklace, £315 available on asos.com
- Yves Saint Laurent Gold Plated Stingray-Effect Necklace, £920 available at net-a-porter.com
- ID Plaque Necklace, £12 available at asos.com
- Mimco Imperial Bow Chain Necklace, £89 available at House of Fraser
- Michael Kors Logo Necklace, £49 available at nordstrom.com
I Wear My Sunglasses At Night
March 13, 2012 § 4 Comments
Actually I don’t. But as time progresses towards summer London is getting more and more sunny days, hence it is time to have a look what sunglasses designers created for us to choose from. D frames are once again trending, but there are lots of other shapes to choose from, if you are not a fan. Below are my top 9 sunglasses from this season – from D frames to round, this range has all those classic must haves by top eyewear brands.
- Cutler and Gross D Frame Acetate, £280 – leave you wishing for x-ray vision.
- Victoria Beckham Aviators, £275 – a very hot fashionable version of our favourite Aviator shape.
- Alexander Wang Zip Detailed Square Frames, £240 – for those who are bored of animal print plastic, this one has an extra zip or two.
- Prada Round Frame, £215 – traditional and big, this is a statement piece.
- Ray-Ban Club Master Half Frames, £120 – no eyewear selection can avoid mentioning Ray-Ban.
- Miu Miu D Frames, £190 – when you want to see your world in pink colours.
- Oliver Peoples Kosslyn Cat Eye, £225 – classic cat eye shape to lift the mood.
- Prada D Frame, £185 – add a little colour.
- The Row Square Frames, £270 – two tonal frame goes with any skin tone.
But if you are tired of conventional sunglasses and want to have fun with the vital accessory of the summer, I have to introduce you to A-morir, a very cool sunglasses brand loved by celebrities like Rihanna, Nikki Minaj and Lady Gaga that you can find at Box Boutique (online and in store on Maddox Street, London). Here are my favourite statement pieces.
- Love-Hate Dookie Tinted Green, £255
- D’Arcy, £245
- Ellington Red, £245
- Sylvia, £275
- Amadeus Turquoise, £195
Altogether there are 14 hot sunnies for you to choose from, but you might ask which are my favourite? Well, I saved the best for last. Here are Lenox D Frame 2-in-1 glasses by Illesteva (£180) that I absolutely love due to their versatility: removable sun panel transforms your frames from geek chic to perfect D frames with a twist. My inner hipster adores them..
And if all those are out of price range, there is still some use of this article – there are so many affordable sunnies on the high street that by taking those designer glasses as inspiration of main trends, you will easily find a pair that suits you and your wallet.
Style Crush
March 2, 2012 § Leave a comment
It has just been two days but I am starting to develop withdrawal symptoms from lack of style inspiration…
But let me start from the beginning. Solange Knowles was Vogue Today I’m Wearing girl for February. Every day she would post a picture on Vogue’s especially designed photo blog and write a note describing items of her ensemble. And while I have been following this feature for a while Solange stood out: she approached daily outfits with such eagerness and put so much effort into every detail from day 1 to 29 that only a true devotee to the fashion world can do. And over 29 days I developed a serious addiction of checking what the star is wearing and she never disappointed! Vivid patterns, colour blocking, tons of amazing shoes and striking accessories – all were put together perfectly. And now that is is 2th March, despite being very happy we finally entered spring, I do miss my daily style intake of Solangeness…
See her amazing 29 outfits here on Vogue.com and I bet you will share my style crush!
Oscars 12 Best and Worst Dressed
February 27, 2012 § 3 Comments
Oscar’s fashion is discussed just as much as Oscars winners and to tell you the truth I am always more excited to see the red carpet than the main event itself. So I just could not avoid commenting on celebrity looks from last night – there are a few that will forever be in My Fashion Wish List’s inspiration scrap book (mental one, no actual cutting out and gluing is involved).
In my eyes the fashion winners were the ‘pale and interesting’ looks. The award of the best dressed (oh yeah, and Best Supporting Actress) goes to Octavia Spenser in Tadashi Shoji gown – perfect fit of the dress that shows of the curves and proves real women can shine as much as the modelly types. Brides Maids’ Kristen Wiig was beautiful in understated J Mendel gown – fabric layers could have make her look like a wedding cake but those ones hit the spot making Kristen look more like a floating goddess. Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford had a bit of a super hero moment with white cape – yet it was so right and regal I absolutely loved it! And last but not the least is fashion’s most loved clothes horse Rooney Mara (and this is in no way a bad thing – no one can wear the outfits better: strong hair, porcelain skin and fragile body is the perfect canvas for any fashion designer) in Givenchy.
And the not-so-pale-but-definitely-interesting looks that finish off my best dressed picks are as follows. Emma Stone in Giambattista Valli once again proved that she is a fashion force to be reckoned with and was not afraid of big neck bow and blending in with the carpet – and it paid off. Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen looked royal – beautiful detail on the dress, perfect hair (oh how I love the hair colour) and overall fragility made her stand out. And then there is Michelle Williams in coral dress by Louis Vuitton who paid attention to detail and got her accessories spot on with contrasting Bottega Veneta clutch and intricate silver bow on the waistline, but the best part of the outfit is of course peplum – the fashion world is crazy about them at the moment!
And it is worth mentioning the worst dressed. Sandra Bullock in Marchesa got it completely wrong: the dress just did not work and looked too heavy and movement constraining plus her face – there was something definitely wrong there too (overdone botox?). I have very little to say about Cameron Diaz in Gucci. Yes, she was only presenting and did not want a statement dress yet ‘boring’ should not be the look anyone goes for on the red carpet. And as far as Jennifer Lopez is concerned she said so herself in the interview: she can never escape her Bronx roots. Big red carpet favourite Zuhair Murad gown could not save her either.
Special mention as The Biggest disappointed last night and actually this whole awards season goes to Angelina Jolie. In the last few years we got used to seeing her float down the carpet and steal the show but this year her fashion choices were so awkward they took away the grace and magnetism the actress is famous for. Oscar’s Atelier Versace choice was overpowering for statuesque figure and even the high split did nothing to add sex appeal to a very mature dress. It is also worth mentioning the Golden Globes outfit, another Atelier Versace gown which had an overall bridal feeling completely spoiled by red accents. Sleeked back hair was not helping either.
And if I had to pick a dress for myself to wear on Oscar’s red carpet, I would go for Louise Roe gown by Black Halo: structured shape elongating the figure is softened with fish tail and pale pink colour. Perfect contrasting accessories and hair sweeped up to keep the focus on plunging yet hidden neckline. Love it!
Del Rey – Lana’s First Fashion Tribute
February 21, 2012 § Leave a comment
In retrospect I knew it was coming. After the success of naming a handbag after Alexa Chung, which was one of the major factors propelling Mulberry to fashion heights with the unprecedented speed for British label, having a new fashion muse and as trendy as Lana Del Rey was an obvious step. Indeed Mulberry was a first fashion establishment that recognised Lana’s appeal by hiring her to sing at their LA party. And now that even British Vogue gave her a seal of approval, calling a bag Del Rey was a perfect PR move: fashion world already had eyes on Mulberry for their Autumn/Winter 2012 catwalk show (star studded row would make any designer proud with Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Olsen, Olivia Palermo, Pixie Geldof and Downton Abbey actresses Laura Carmichael and Michelle Dockery to name a few) and having Lana float in with a brand new Del Rey bag just sent fashionistas and media into frenzy!
Mulberry’s Emma Hill said Lana inspired them with her vintage style and seductive voice. Indeed Del Rey bag does have a very vintage feel – add White Ostrich material (the one Lana was wearing for the show and Mulberry party in the evening) and you have a seductive feel indeed. I love Lana’s style (I wrote a post about her recently which you can read here), I love Mulberry, and guess what – I love new Mulberry Del Rey handbag.
New Fashion Sweetheart: Lana Del Rey
February 12, 2012 § 12 Comments
Bursting into music scene when her home made video for a melancholic song Video Games went viral on Youtube, Lana Del Rey has just as quickly gained popularity in the fashion world as in the music world. And while her songs and questionable authenticity is being debated all over the internet by music critics, there is nothing less than a complete acceptance of this lady in fashion industry. The song bird has already performed at Chateau Marmont in LA at Mulberry party, was flown to Beijing to do the same for Dior, signed a modelling contract and (drum roll please) appeared on the cover of British Vogue shot by one and only Mario Testino.
On the pictures and in her videos Lana looks every inch of the star she is about to become. And while her off duty look still need a few tweaks (Lana please drop those bomber jackets, they are only cute if you borrowed them from your boyfriend when you were too optimistic about the weather outside and not for daily wear) one thing she definitely got right is her hair style: she epitomises those soft retro waves seen all over spring/summer 2012 fashion runways!
And since I am simply in love with Lana’s Born to Die video, here are the items inspired by two of her outfits in the video. I will definitely be channeling half-hipster half-flower child look very soon (as soon as this Global Freeze currently positioned over London disappears, that is).
- muubaa Tassel Detail Drape Leather Jacket, £110
- Bitching & Junkfood Cross Detail Shorts, £60
- Converse High Top Trainers, £40
- Her Curious Nature Deep Velvet Flower Ribbon, £28 available at asos.com
- Asos High Wasted Denim Shorts, £28
- Carvela Assemble Pumps, £120
- Bitching & Junkfood Stud Shorts, £80
- Issa Mesh Panneled Chiffon Gown, was £695 now £382 on outnet.com
- Jimmy Choo Fairy Satin Platform Sandals, £575
- Johny Loves Rosie Flower Headband, was £30 n0w £14
- Le Grana Greta Dress £160 available at notjustalabel.com
Model’s Own
February 10, 2012 § Leave a comment
Kate Moss designed for Topshop and Elle Macpherson has own range of lingerie – we no longer consider ex-top models turning into designers shocking. Indeed it is very fashionable now for any celebrity to be involved in fashion. There are success stories: think Victoria Beckham, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen (two very-chic fashion lines The Row and Elizabeth and James) and of course Sienna Miller (and her sister’s Twenty8Twelve). But there are as many failures: Cheryl Cole designing shoe collection with stylepick was one of them (read more here). And now, for the second consecutive season Claudia Schiffer has been working on her own line – Claudia Schiffer Cashmere.
It is far away from her glamourous modelling days, but that is the attraction of this collection – it is authentic to the real Claudia Schiffer and her current happy life as a wife and mother. The idea behind it is designing clothes for busy mothers that are pressed for time: a few minutes for getting dressed before making a school run is all a modern mother has and so she needs something easy to pull on, that can last all day with just small changes (of bag or accessories) and is soft and comfortable when you feel down about being up all night with the kids. And above all it is of top quality as Claudia is working with long established to produce the pieces. Here are my picks of super-comfortable yet stylish line:
- Cashmere Boyfriend Sweater Dress, £445
- Cashmere Dress with a Belt, £495
- Block Stripe Mini Dress, £290
- Colourblock Jumper, £325
To try some of the pieces on in UK, head for Harvey Nichols, it is stocked at all branches. Otherwise check the websites for stockist or shop online here.
MY FASHION WISH LIST 