Wednesday 29 August 2012

Holiday, Celebrate! - Avoid packing Hell.

Not everyone like streamlining their packing....



I am off on my jollies to the South of France shortly and packing looms on the horizon.  There are those who believe that the simple approach to dressing works equally well on holiday. There's simple and simple. Pack 10 T-shirts in a suitcase, throw in some swimwear and flip-flops and that's about it is not what I ascribe to.  I believe that you will have a better time on holiday if you feel right. Clearly "feeling right" differs from person to person and holiday destination to destination. That said, there are some guiding principles that can help to up your style ante on this year's summer break. I'm leaving it to you dear readers to think laterally and adapt to suit. I should add that a large amount of my suitcase space always ends up being occupied by books. Note to self - must invest in a kindle.

• Have an airport/travel look that comprises of warmish layers and your heaviest holiday shoes. This is especially key if travelling on budget airlines that have small weight allowances. This is not the time to channel Angelina Jolie in a black silk mini dress and skyscraper mules. You'll be cold and grumpy and desperate to buy a bad cardigan from a second-rate high street duty-free shop in no time. Instead, this is the time to wear a rolled chino, a light knit, knockout sunglasses and a pair of leather sandals...also possibly a hat so it doesn't get squashed in your suitcase.

• Speaking of footwear, unthinking loyalty to flip-flops is a style copout. It takes minuscule extra effort to choose a pair of sandals to take away with you, yet they add a style dimension to even the most basic shorts-and-vest holiday look. Also pretty ballet pumps. These are my style staple and I will taking a pair of silver and gold metallic quilts and leopard ponyskin with red edging (both French Sole).

• Don't have a holiday wardrobe, have a holiday style philosophy instead. One that means you wear your usual summer clothes but in a crafty holiday-ish way. Not only does this save cash and time spent in badly lit changing rooms, it is the fast track to looking more stylish. This means admitting that the summer dress you bought for a party can easily be your sightseeing dress. A blouse you normally wear with jeans will look good with shorts for an alfresco lunch. This isn't wardrobe downgrading, this is wardrobe multitasking. And your holiday snaps will thank you for it. Promise. Also it will save you the insane Topshop/Whisltes freak-out panic buying session.

• Take into account your holiday pals and the kind of look they will be rocking at the check-in desk. In terms of how right you feel on holiday, it's up there with reading an accurate weather report ahead of time. Also if they're packing a hairdryer, do you need to take one? Things like this help with allowance weight too.

• No one of any style repute actually wears a sarong. A beautiful, floaty kaftan that you can throw on is all that is required - heck, maybe even a couple. Think about how you're spending your days. If you're going on a beach holiday and lounging around is a big factor you need less proper clothes and probably 2 or 3 cover-ups. Again, they're also light!

• There is no need to buy a dedicated beach bag, unless it is along the lines of a Marc by Marc Jacobs bright canvas shopper: ie, something that you will want to shake the sand out of and use again in actual real life. Failing that, use your Monday-to-Friday leather bag, provided it's a decent size. It gives the impression that you are more nonchalant about beach style and is infinitely chicer.

• Jewellery in the form of overly fancy earrings or a big, shiny bangle will add kick to your style quota but almost nothing to the weight of your luggage.

Lastly, have a super time! X

Thursday 23 August 2012

Gatsby Glory


Around now I would usually be doing my Autumn/ Winter essentials post - however major life stress (bathroom ceiling collapsed,damp coming through sitting room wall) has meant that I haven't been near a shop and my wallet is on the thin side. This is when fantasy and looking forward to the future can really help and one thing that I am SUPER excited about is Baz Luhrman's The Great Gatsby hitting our screens in December although literally as I write this, there are rumours it is being put back to July 2013. Fingers crossed this is not the case.

Miuccia Prada has reworked 40 dresses from the Prada and Miu Miu archives to create costumes for the upcoming film adaptation (collapses on floor in excitement!!) The designer has collaborated with the film's head of wardrobe, Catherine Martin - wife of the director - on the Twenties-era flapper dresses worn by several actresses throughout the movie.

"I usually try not to literally reference periods in my work, because that's not the way I think," Prada told US Vogue. "But when I worked on the costumes, I realised how many pieces would become very Twenties with a little intervention and another point of view."

It's not a first-time partnership for the designer and director: Prada worked on Lurhmann's 1996 film Romeo + Juliet, designing a suit that was worn by Leonardo DiCaprio. I'm not sure which one, but I bet it's the gorgeous blue one he wears at his wedding to Juliet (the soundtrack to that movie is the soundtrack to my teens - And IIIIIII'm kissssssing youuuuuuuuu)

This latest Great Gatsby news comes following the confirmation that Tiffany & Co has provided all the jewellery for the adaptation, as worn by  Carey Mulligan in her role as Dasiy Buchanan. Wowza.



Thursday 9 August 2012

Roll up! Roll up! September issues

It's that time of year again dear readers. As the September issues thump onto your doormat or you struggle home from the newsstands with a pile, it's the time to look forward to Autumn/ Winter whilst still praying for an actual Summer.  Here are a selection of my favourite covers from across the globe.  Obviously September US Vogue is something I always rub my hands in glee over but as Harpers Bazaar US has Gwen Stefani on the cover and I'm seriously excited for No Doubt's first new album in nearly ten years, I've been psyched for this too. The album is called Push and Shove and will be..coincidentally, released in September.  Karlie Kloss scores a double Vogue hit as you shall see and Keira pouts and talks about happiness in probably my least favourite. Enjoy and let me know your thoughts!X

US VOGUE - Gaga shot by Mert Atlas and Marcus Piggot

US HARPERS BAZAAR - Gwen Stefani shot by Terry Richardson
iD - Cara Delevigne shot by Terry Richardson again
TATLER - Cindy Crawford shot by Ruven Afanador
UK GLAMOUR - Victoria Beckham shot by Pamela Hanson
VOGUE JAPAN - Karlie Kloss shot by Mikael Jansson
VOGUE UK - Karlie again, this time shot by Nick Knight
US ELLE - Katy Perry shot by Carter Smith
UK HARPERS BAZAAR - Keira shot by Ellen von Unwerth. Blah.
UK ELLE - Rosie H-W shot Daniel Vasiljevic
VOGUE AUSTRALIA - Bella Heathcote shot by Will Davidson.