London 'High Tea' Style - Feliz Aniversario J!

Happy Birthday J!

For those who saw my previous post with the gorgeous Aqua Green silk frilled Burberry Prorsum dress (worn by Agyness Deyn), you may have guessed that the 'mystery girl' is non other than...my gorgeous sister (we'll call her E)! She and my little sister J went for High Tea at Kensington Palace to kick-off a week of celebrations (it's J's b'day today: HAPPY BIRTHDAY J!)

I asked E to take some shots and hinted that I might post them here (my sisters don't really check my blog unless I ask them to, eg. when I said I posted pics of the shoes they gave me for my birthday). E asked whether they'd have to 'do silly poses also'. I told her "No, and if I looked like you & J, I wouldn't have to either!". Aren't they gorgeous ? Nothing like being comfortable in your own skin (wish I had their confidence and photogenicness) Miss them terribly!

J wears:

Dress: Burberry Prorsum (this is from my favourite ever collection by Christopher Bailey)
Coat: Burberry bell-sleeve tweed
Shoes: Miu Miu sueded Tie-Dye Pumps
Clutch: Topshop Sueded Tie-Dye (I found this for her when I went for a 36hr visit to London in March)

I've asked my sister what those pink 'marshmallows' are in her hair, so cute! (p.s. I just found out they're silk rosettes!)

E wears:

Dress: I asked last night what this was, she bought it in NYC and can't remember who it's by, but I'm pretty sure it's by Tracy Reese (love the lace!)

Jacket: Burberry (Prorsum, I think)

Gloves: Burberry (leather - they gave me a gorgeous pair in orange that I love)

Bag: Patent Wine Burberry clutch/bag (so cute!)

Shoes: Robert Robert

Bracelet: I just spotted the bracelet I gave her for her birthday this year by Swarovski, it's stunning! It has several semi-precious stones with gold/crystal trimming, without being blingy...

Better picture of the Burberry Prorsum dress my sister wore under the coat in the pic above

I'm so in love with this dress, I absolutely loved all the gorgeous prints Christopher Bailey used for that Spring collection, and I didn't even like floral prints that much then! Shame the flash washed out the dress, but I just had to add this photo, how I'd love to be in that dress in such lush surroundings, and next to my sister (she can wear something else, haha!).

PS. I can't believe how brown my sister is, and she said it snowed in London! She's browner than me! Guess it's all those trips to Amalfi, Greek Islands, etc...Ah, life's so unfair!

Later that night they partied at Westbourne House...J tied her long Maxi dress so she wouldn't trip and fall whilst dancing. Good thinking Ninety-Nine! She never remembers the name of the designer of this dress (she bought 2 other dresses from this same designer, and everytime I ask her who it's by, she forgets the name), love the red bow at the waist!

Love how E 'punked' the Burberry Prorsum dress up with the studded belt, she also wore these gorgeous Chloe studded sandals with them...Must ask E who that clutch is by, love the dangling crystals! *sigh* I just had another look at that dress, it's just gorgeous. (n.b. Just asked E., the clutch is DKNY, purchased in NYC)

Funnily, before my sisters moved to London, they used to 'pay me out' for having a designer-filled wardrobe (they weren't much into International designers then). Moving to London has afforded them access to so many designers & stores from which to choose from (whereas I rely mostly on the internet). When I went to visit last year, E was showing me recent purchases (something I miss doing since we lived in the same city), and showed me a Hussein Chalayan top she bought for £10! AND...she didn't even know who Hussein Chalayan was! I'm SO living in the wrong city! Living in London not only provides more to choose from fashion-wise, but also more opportunities to wear amazing clothes, as there is amazing fashion everywhere you turn, in every style! I have learnt to 'subdue' my fashion in order to 'fit' into my surroundings, something I'm trying to revert...

Needless to say with so many amazing shops, department stores, labels & sales, my sisters' wardrobes have far surpassed mine (they used to envy mine, and now, how the tables have turned!). They should be the ones blogging, not I! Except they don't have the interest nor time to do so...

TGIF with Chloe & a Touch of Vintage

Wore this out for drinks & dinner with friends on Friday:

Dress: Mom's dress (now vintage) the softest cotton, it feels like silk and has amazing silver thread running through it.
Belt: Chain rope vintage belt (was mom's too)
Shoes: Dior Extreme Pythons
Bag: Chloe large lambskin Bracelet bag

(www.firstview.com)

This is my undoubtedly my favourite bag, which I've had for years (and that's starting to show). The leather is butter soft, and I love the large bracelet brass handle (which can be changed to a leather strap that I pretty much never use), the tiny gold/brass studs, and the fact that I can fit a 1.5L bottle of water, and everything else I ever need to carry (including a spare pair of sandals/thongs if I'm partying).

I truly miss the Phoebe Philo days at Chloe, and absolutely loved this collection, which I consider one of her iconic collections (Spring 2003). I don't think things have been the same since she left, but it'll be interesting to see what direction Hannah MacGibbon takes with the label. Her Spring 2009 collection appears to be stearing Chloe back to a 'girlier' direction, but it's early days yet.

Agyness Deyn, a Mermaid in Burberry, and Who's that Girl?

Ex-face of Burberry Agyness Deyn - a vision in this Burberry Prorsum dress.

Who is she? I will reveal all in the next post.

Let's Go to the Movies & Shop for Inspiration

The lovely H of Candid Cool recently posted on her movie inspirations, and I've been meaning to post on mine, but as I found out, finding movie stills of the outfits I have in mind was not as easy as I remembered. Still, here are some of the movies that I love for the fashion:

Gladiator

As you may know, I absolutely love the grecian draped look, and this movie did not disappoint in this department. There were many lavish costumes worn by Connie Nielsen, but the one above (although not very clear) was my favourite due to its simplicity.

Hero

This movie by Zhang Yimou is one of my favourite movies. Incredibly ravishing, stylistic, and with an ingenious use of colour, the movie was divided into 'red', 'white', 'blue' and 'green' (I couldn't find a picture of 'blue'). This made for a truly stunning movie to watch, there was beauty in the movement and action, and the flowy Chinese costumes were just divine.

In the Mood for Love

When walking out of the movies after seeing 'In the Mood for Love', I had a huge craving for wonton noodle soup, and every single Cheong Sam (hope I spelt that right) that Maggie Cheung wore in this movie. With her lithe figure, and slow sensual walk up and down the streets of 50's Shanghai, Maggie Cheung has never made this Chinese dress look hotter. There were Cheong Sam's in a multitude of gorgeously delicious fabrics, my favourite being a silk floral organza that left me drooling. There wasn't much dialogue in this movie, but the dresses spoke volumes to me.

Amelie

I'm afraid my pictures above don't really show much of the wardrobe in 'Amelie', but it conveys a general feel of this amazing movie, which is also one of my favourites, along with 'A very long engagement' & 'Priceless' - all featuring the gorgeous Audrey Tautou. With a clever use of red and green throughout the movie, Amelie wore very cute & very Parisian outfits, that added to this amazingly magical movie.

A very long engagement

Another brilliant and beautiful movie by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (same director as 'Amelie'). Set during World War I, the costumes are just divine. The outfit above was my absolute favourite (shame I couldn't find a better picture), and I would happily wear it today.

Priceless (Hors De'Prix)

Seems like all the movies I've posted (with the exception of Gladiator) are all my favourite movies, and not just for the fashion, although it was absolutely breathtaking in 'Priceless'. As a modern-day Holly Golightly in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Tautou's character had a penchant for high fashion labels and anything luxurious, and her wardrobe was just that, dressing in top French fashion from head-to-toe, she was drop-dead-gorgeous.

n.b. All photos from Amelie, A very long Engagement & Pricessless are from www.audrey-tautou.org

There are so many more movies that inspire me fashion-wise, but I could be here forever. What are your favourite movie inspirations for fashion?

Saucy Lulu - Where Art Thou?

Years ago, I stumbled across some pieces by Saucy Lulu, a Los Angeles designer whose pieces I found incredibly unique, yet were very hard-to-find. It seems like it's even harder to find anything on Saucy Lulu now, as I can't find anything on her recently. Has anyone spotted her, or her designs recently?

Blouse: Saucy Lulu

Shorts: Garcons Comme Boy

Pumps: Christian Louboutin Electric Blue Simples 85mm

I love this top for so many reasons, including the gorgeous vintage cloth (almost like a muslin) which is subtly beaded & sequenced, the off-shoulder design (I love off-shoulder tops/dresses!), the large kimono sleeves, and the in-built large sash which ties at the back.

As I recently thought of Saucy Lulu, I went to my wardrobe to reach for another of her tops, and...couldn't find it! Not only could I not find it, I realized I had not seen it in the 2 years I've lived in the present house, which left me very upset, as I have no idea where it is, but at least I have a picture of it:

I love the 'sportiness' of this top's design (especially the trimming), which dresses down this otherwise over-the-top silk chiffon blouse, complete with a beaded toucan. I am determined to find this top now, and hope that soon I can take a close-up photo of it. Wish me luck!

Shoes close-up

Akira Isogawa - Le Artiste

(www.vogue.com.au)

As if I haven't raved about Akira enough, I just wanted to share this picture with you.  When I went to the Akira store at the GPO and bought my wedding dress, I saw this dress on the rack, and I literally gasped in awe of its beauty.  

Sadly this photo doesn't do the dress justice, and I can't find any others to show you, but it was truly breathtaking.  What the picture doesn't show you is that the dress was made of the most beautiful silk, which was finely pleated all around at the skirt, resembling an Oriental fan.  The birds and foliage were amazingly embroidered with the softest of silk threads, and the detail of each crane's feather was out-of-this-world.  Wistfully I had to leave it behind, as I had just purchased my wedding dress, and had an upcoming wedding to save up for.

Picture of a Chinese painting I am happily 'babysitting' for my parents (once again, the picture doesn't do it justice, but due to the reflective glass, was the best I could do) - click to enlarge

I joked with the lovely Akira SA Dana that I wished I could purchase that dress and hang it on my wall, as it was truly a work of art.

(Vogue Australia June 08)

Born in Kyoto Japan, Akira Isogawa moved to Australia in 1986 where he studied fashion design at the Sydney Institute of Technology, drawing inspiration from contemporary Japanese design.  His Philosophy below (taken from his website www.akira.com.au) explains the beauty of his designs.  He is undoubtedly my favourite Australian designer.

Philosophy

“A garment can transcend, giving it a soul.

“I translate fabrics into soft and romantic silhouettes, using natural fabrics like silks and cottons, which are kind to the skin.

“Distressing fabrics and alchemically treating them, gives the feeling of already ‘being loved’, thus evoking emotion. Even one-off fabrics found in flea markets can be given new life.

“Richly embellished fabrics echo Eastern influences, and I have great respect for their traditions. Inspiration can be found from the past – re-using vintage textiles and sometimes creating replicas of them, incorporated with specific craftsmanship.

“The number of hours someone has spent on manual work like this makes it priceless.

“I see craftsmanship as an implement with which to realise one’s vision. Past, present and future; that slogan continues in almost everything around which my work evolves. Timeless beauty and femininity in my design is profound, in a way for the wearer to express their inner soul.”

— Akira Isogawa

Pop Goes The Easel!

Once upon a time, my wardrobe was filled with only black, grey & navy items. My mom would ask me: "Can't you buy something with colour or a pattern?", I grimaced at the thought of wearing patterned clothing , and couldn't fathom wearing anything brightly coloured...Fast forward a few years, and I cannot believe how I've changed, or rather, my wardrobe has...it is now bursting with a rainbow-ful of colours AND patterns. I slowly started adding colours here and there, and as my confidence with colour grew, so did the brightness/colourfulness (is that even a word?) of the clothes. I'll save the 'patterns' for another day, but here are recent items I wore which are saturated with colour:

Dress/Coat: Willow EGJ12 zip-up jacket/dress

Shoes: Marni patent cream/raisin/tobacco wedges

Dress: Willow EDG64 silk dress (love its drapey nature)

Leather cuff & Palas mother-of-pearl bracelet

Coat: Burberry Claybrooke Collarless Swing Trenchcoat (such a bad pic, I must take a better picture of this, it's so gorgeous! My sister picked it out for me)

Shoes: Burberry Ashley Patent Pumps (one of the b'day pressies I received a few months ago from my gorgeous sisters)

Such a cute birthday card! Love the cylindrical 100mm heel & the large buckle of the shoes.

What about you: have you noticed unexpected changes to your wardrobe over the years?

PS. Both Willow dresses above are from the same collection as the Willow dress from my previous post (and I have a fourth dress from the same collection too), colours aren't as vibrant as in real life (my colours are true), but they look better on the model :

Photos were taken from www.willowltd.com (although they are not there anymore)

Willow, Marni & Tom Binns Faux Real

Wore this out to drinks at The Botanic, had a great Mandarin & Lemongrass Mojito!

Dress: Willow silk dress - I have 3 more dresses from this collection from Australian designer Willow Podgornik, which I absolutely loved. I think this one has a Bottega Veneta & 50's vibe (which I'm a huge fan of) which is completely different from the others. Sadly this dress is 3 sizes too big for me (but still had to get it), not so apparent on the lower half of the dress, due to the style, and slightly elasticated back, but at the top it does show...may see if it can get taken in)

Shoes: Marni patent 'Caramel' stiletto heels (am not 100% used to walking in these yet)

Cuff: Tom Binns Faux Real Cuff

Love the little buttons

Close-up of the Marni Shoes

Love the little green Chinese beads, I haven't seen any other design of Tom Binns that has these (I'll have to take and post my own photos of this cuff, as I'm afraid these don't do it justice at all).

A Hot Cat Sitting on a Tin Roof - 3-way Harem Pants

This past long weekend I decided to bite the bullet and try out the Sass & Bide Harem pants I recently purchased. I had tried them on at home, and pretty much decided they weren't for me, but the comfort-factor was so great, I thought I'd give it a try, before making a final decision.  Please excuse the horrid 'Fee fi fo fum' poses, wish I had a mannequin or model to dress instead (further proof I'm so not photogenic)...

So I first wore the pants out wine tasting

Shoes: Dries Van Noten sandals (as requested by a lovely reader, I have attached a close-up pic...ugh! Please excuse my hideous feet, I have since ordered a Ped Egg...)

Pants: Sass & Bide Harem pants (love the little buttons at the bottom)

T-shirt: Sass & Bide - A Hot Cat Sitting on a Tin Roof

Jacket: Burberry Washed Navy Leather jacket (bought this in Barcelona, and was photographed with my sisters outside the Burberry store for Spanish newspaper El Periodico moments after, we laughed like crazy the next day when we spotted ourselves in the newspaper, with our little 'interview'!).

I then had 5 minutes to change to go out for dinner when we got back, so I wore them again.

Shoes: Gucci Patent studded stiletto heels (these are my fave Tom Ford for Gucci stilettos, I loved these so much I got them both in the Black and Ivory)

Pants: Sass & Bide Harem pants
Blouse: Bora Aksu silk top (have included a better picture of this top by this London-based Turkish Designer)
Jewellery: from Bauhaus, with the exception of the pendant, it's a Christmas ornament from Orson & Blake in Sydney.

(www.firstview.com)

The following day I had 5 minutes to get ready for a luncheon at a friend's place, so reached for these pants again:

Shoes: Stella McCartney patent pumps in Lead (fell in love with these as soon as I saw them on the runway, and have them in Lead, Black & Red (am now wishing I got the Fuschia Satin pair too)

Pants: Sass & Bide Harem pants
Blouse: Wool jersey & Satin Vanessa Bruno top
Jewellery: Black charm bracelet (birthday present from my gorgeous little sister), 2 hematite bracelets from Brazil, one golden bracelet from Topshop London.
Belt: Chloe silk scarf belt with brass & amber buckle (I didn't tie it properly for this picture, and fixed it after, looks terrible here!)

(www.firstview.com)

A close-up of Anouk Lepere wearing the Chloe belt on the runway (absolutely love the buckle, so I have this belt in black leather as well), wish I knew how to tie it as they did on the runway!

(www.firstview.com)