Travel: Postcards from Washington

Style: Suki Waterhouse

British model Suki Waterhouse is definitely someone I've been drawn to in recent months for style inspiration and someone I've been meaning to dedicate a post to for some time now. The twenty-year-old is known for being the face of Marks & Spencer lingerie and has also had experience in acting, starring alongside Agnes Deyn in movie Pusher. In more recent months you will have seen her fronting the latest Burberry campaign's, helping launch the brand's latest fragrance.

Her lively Instagram profile is a great source of inspirational (and enviable) photos from a number of events. While the numerous close ups showcase the best hair and beauty looks from the model who's style plays homage to the 60s mod era. 

Happy Halloween!

I just couldn’t resist showing you all a few snaps from last weekend’s Halloween Party. Me and a group of my friends dressed up in the full Addams Family attire (seriously, check out the effort from Cousin Itt!) I don’t think any of us spent much on our costumes, so it doesn’t have to empty your purse either. Maybe it’s too late for this year’s Halloween but it’s a good idea for next year’s celebrations if you’ve got a few friends who would like to join in the fun! 

Exhibition: Corrine Day – May the Circle Remain Unbroken

Image source: dazeddigital.com

Corrine Day – May the Circle Remain Unbroken Looking forward to visiting this exhibition next month which is currently taking place at the Gimpel Fils Gallery in London. May the Circle Remain Unbroken showcases a number of Day’s personal work, taken between 1987 and 1996 which often reference a grittier, realistic side of fashion. Day died three years ago of a brain tumour and the exhibition has been emotionally curated by Day’s husband Mark Szaszy and her best friend and muse Tara St Hill. I’ve always loved Corrine Day, often using her for references in my uni photography projects, and of course those iconic photos of Kate Moss for The Face magazine. To accompany the exhibition, a book of the same name is due to be published by Morel Books. The exhibition runs from 16th October – 23rd November. Find out more about it here.

Justin + Carly's Wedding

Last weekend I spent a few days in Sandwich, Kent for what was the most unique and creative wedding I’ve ever seen/attended. The wedding was that of Justin and Carly’s (my boyfriends brother and new sister-in-law). Neither of them have family in Kent but both fell in love with the venue as soon as they saw it.  And once seen it myself, I am not surprised why.

The venue, Preston Court, is close to Canterbury in Kent and features a large barn, genuine Victorian carousel and an island with a moat around for outdoor ceremonies. The weather was perfect, sunny and crisp - exactly what you hope for at the end of September, meaning the bride and groom could have an outdoor ceremony just like they’d hoped.

Carly looked absolutely stunning in a medieval-style gown with a low scoop neckline, an Art Deco buckle and a beautiful cut-out back trimmed with scalloped lace and finished with a vintage chain.

Although there was no colour scheme as such, a huge amount of time and effort had been spent collecting and making bits for the day. These included all the china used for the wedding breakfast, as well as the linen and old bottles and jars for the flowers. There were quirky touches everywhere you looked, with vintage handkerchiefs for ‘happy tears’ and a basket in the ladies’ toilets full of all the necessities needed for a long day: hairspray, deodorant, plasters, hair grips, transfer moustache tattoos?!

Even the first dance song choice was untraditional – a Katy B cover of UK garage song My Love (originally sung by Kele Le Roc).  Oh and they had a videographer flown in from Belgium to film their special day on a vintage-style grainy camera!

Honestly I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed the day - the photos below don’t do it enough justice, but please take a look.

Edinburgh

Josh and I spent last bank holiday weekend in Edinburgh as an early celebration for my birthday and a late one for Josh's. The whole weekend was incredible, with the Malmaison boutique hotel proving to be the perfect place to stay during our trip. We enjoyed the final two days of the renowned Fringe Festival, attempted to see the panda at Edinburgh Zoo (unfortunately we were unlucky this time), took an educated tour on the production of Scotch whiskey and of course visited the infamous castle. Would I go back to Edinburgh? In a heart beat!

Follow Me On Instagram

I've been up to quite a lot this summer and ironically haven't found the time to blog about my adventures as much as I would like to. For anyone that's interested, I have a pretty lively Instagram profile, with the photos above providing only a snippet of my happenings in the recent months. In a (sort of) top-to-bottom order, there's been Gilgamesh - the Japanese bar and restaurant in the heart of London's Camden Town; Mumford & Son's 'Gentleman of the Road' tour in Lewes near Brighton, with trips to Brighton marina, Brighton beach and of course Brighton's Laines; lots of dinner dates with friends; a trip to Whipsnade Zoo; and a weekend in Oxford, which included a ped-a-low and lots of vodka (not together of course!) To follow me on Instagram click here. 

Editorial: Vogue US September Issue

Ever since watching The Hunger Games I have loved Jennifer Lawrence, and then seeing Silver Linings Playbook just re-affirmed why she’s one of my favourite actresses. (Oh and then there was that Oscars moment where she slipped up the stairs in her enormous Dior gown, showing that she’s just like one of us). Well, for those reasons along, I’ve becomes a fan of hers, so it’s good to see her on the cover of US Vogue for the September issue. The cover photo was shot by renowned photographer Mario Testino, with Jennifer wearing a look from the fall 2013 Calvin Klein collection.

Editorial: Esquire September Issue

Image source: fashiongonerogue.com

I wasn’t actually aware that Kate Moss had not covered a guy’s magazine in 17 years; I guess it’s because I’m used to seeing the supermodel grace the covers of a number of high end women’s glossys over the years. But the September issue of UK Esquire magazine is in fact her return to men’s publications. The photo leaves little to the imagination with only jewels covering her modesty, along with a masculine cream tuxedo jacket. I do love this shoot, but that’s not really surprising because in my eyes, Moss can do no wrong.  

Editorial: LOVE #10

For the 5^th Anniversary of LOVE magazine, renowned photographers Met Alas and Marcus Piggott photographed British models Cara Delevinge, Georgia May Jagger, Edie Campbell and Rosie Huntington-Whitely, as well as Japense model Chiharu Okunugi for a set of covers featuring the iconic Minnie Mouse ears.

Runway: Elie Saab Haute Couture A/W 13/14

Like Elie Saab’s couture collections, eveningwear was the sole focus for this season. Inspiration for the colour palette was taken from jewels, as ruby, emerald and sapphire gowns were encrusted with the label’s trademark elaborate beading. Silhouettes were mostly soft, creating elegance and sophistication, while intricate lace upheld the feminine aspect true to Saab’s signature style.

Runway: Maison Martin Margiela Haute Couture A/W 13/14

Maison Martin Margiela took a very artistic approach for his latest couture collection. Mixing old with new, vintage fabrics were restored and reworked giving a new lease of life to the clothes. One of the standout pieces consisted of an embroidered Art Nouveau curtain which was placed over a pink satin gown. My favourite look of the collection was a voluminous jacket which was recreated from a powder blue fifties prom dress with vintage fabric flowers stitched to the hem. The brand’s signature face masks continued the decorative approach and were adorned with sequins and beads.

Runway: Chanel Haute Couture A/W 13/14

For Chanel’s latest Haute Couture show, the infamous Grand Palais in Paris was transformed into a derelict theatre with crumbling walls and disintegrated curtains which when pulled back, revealed a futuristic backdrop of somewhere in the Middle East. The idea behind the set was to blend the old with the new, using fashion to do so.Shapes and styles were seen in the form of dropped waists, layered flared skirts, and slim jackets. While traditional periodic silhouettes that evoked Victorian and Edwardian times, were seen alongside ultra futuristic fabrics.Other features included micro chequerboard detailing, an abundance of sequins and wide waist-clinching belts, not to mention the thigh-high boot/legging with accessorised every outfit. Above are just some of my favourite looks this season.

Runway: Dior Haute Couture A/W 13/14

Image source: telegraph.co.uk

Dior’s Haute Couture show for A/W 13/14 had a whole lot going on, with Raf Simons drawing inspiration for the collection from “woman from different continents and cultures who wear couture.” These continents consist of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Before the show, Simons explained how the basis for the collection was centred around the idea of freedom, and most importantly freeing couture. This notion of couture being restrictive and only for special occasions is something Simons does not agree with; believing that “it can be approached the same way as ready-to-wear: out there for women to enjoy and to wear.” He went on to say “it’s a psychology of how clothes can look in relation to a modern woman and the way she is living her life and experiencing the culture.” (WWD.com)

With a strong focus on Parisian Chic, American sportiness, Asian architecture, and African decoration & Masai inspirations, the collection was eclectic and dynamic, if not slightly disjointed. A key aspect of the show was that sibori binding and drying technique that was applied to various garments, creating a spikey texture. Other standout pieces included architectural satin kimono coats, a shiny strapless dress featuring bands of tribal colours, a sleeveless floor length gown, embellished with all over Masai beading, and an ombre fringed dress with waist clinching belt.

The Little Princess Cocktail Party

I spent this afternoon at The Little Princess Cocktail Party, hosted by one of my very best friends, and her sisters, at their hair salon in Surrey (http://pshairdressing.co.uk/). The idea behind the gathering was to raise money and donate hair, to the Little Princess Trust - a charity that provides real wigs to children across the UK and Ireland who have lost their hair to cancer treatment. Two of the sisters had their (very) long hair cut short and donated to the trust, while other friends and family members made cakes for the event, to accompany the cocktails and 'mocktails' on offer. In addition to the donations, there was a raffle to raise money for the charity with hair care products offered as prizes, amongst the usual chocolate and alcoholic treats. It was a really inspiring and fun day, and if you haven't already heard of the charity, please do check it out... http://www.littleprincesses.org.uk/

My Style: Grey Skies

Last weekend we threw a surprise baby shower for one of our friends who is expecting mid-July. The baby shower turned into a BBQ later on that day, with partners joining us for food and lots and lots of drinking. As with every British summer, the weather is never predictable so I struggled a bit with what to wear. I decided on a pair of jazz pants (actually from a dance shop), with a white shirt and grey loose sweater. Above I am wearing it with flatforms, leather satchel and mirrored aviators.

Sweater, Topshop; shirt, TKMaxx; jazz pants, Flashdance; flatforms & sunglasses, Primark (!); satchel, Urban Outfitters

The Bling Ring



Image source: teaser-trailor.com

The Bling Ring is the latest film to be directed, written and produced by Sophia Coppola, who's work includes Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette and The Virgin Suicides. The film is inspired by the actual events of a group of fame-hungry LA teens, who with the help of the internet, robbed a bunch of high profile celebrities including Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan, Rachel Bilson and Orlando Bloom. The notorious buglaries took place in 2008 and 2009 and saw the group take more than 3 million dollars of designer possessions. Within these two years, the criminals used gossip websites to track the celebrities whereabouts, allowing them to target the homes when they were empty. 

The film opened one of the sections at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, after which, Coppola admitted she's never really followed the tabloid and internet side of pop culture. In fact, she hadn't even heard about these break-ins until she read Nancy Jo Sales article about it in Vanity Fair magazine, titled "The Suspect Wore Louboutins". Coppola was said to be fascinated by the whole thing, believing it to say so much about our culture today and the obsession with celebrity status.The Bling Ring stars British actress Emma Watson,  as well as newcomers Katie Chang, Israel Broussard and Clare Julien.

Travel Blog - Fathom

I came across this website recently and if I'm honest, I'm not sure what took me so long. Fathom is a travel blog with a difference; which "celebrates all the reasons why we pack our bags, get on a plane, hitch a ride, and explore beyond our backyards." There's a whole load of content on the site (which was created in 2011), including first-hand stories, practical advice and useful products. My favourite aspect of the site is the 'Postcards' section in which articles, photo galleries, videos and stories are all categorised into an "I Travel for the..." theme. These include I Travel for the Food, I Travel for the Romance, I Travel for the Chill, and I Travel for the Kids. Within these you are treated to various features such as the best beaches, best restaurants, how to spend 3 days in a particular city, the world's most romantic hotels, the world's best antiques fairs and so on...

Like most travel sites, there are comprehensive guides for different destinations, as well as advice on money and transportation. For anyone interested in travel, who hasn't already checked out - I urge you to!

http://fathomaway.com/