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/

Carey Mulligan for Harpers Bazaar June 2013

My favourite magazine cover this month is by far Harper's Bazaar. Not only because it features English actress Carey Mulligan, but also because of the faded colour scheme and overall aesthetic of the cover. A very etheral theme is explored with soft lighting and sugar candy pink hues, seen in Carey's jacket, the coverline font and the florals adorning the page. As June's issue coincides with the release of The Great Gatsby film (in which Carey plays Gatsby's love interest, Daisy Buchanan), it's no wonder she was picked as this month's cover star.
I'm quite a fan of Carey already, after watching her alongside Ryan Gosling in Drive, and of course the fact that she is married to Marcus Mumford (of THE Mumford & Sons) helps. She always looks really elegant, including even, when she wore a masculine tuxedo style suit to the Tiffany & Co Blue Book Ball. I think it's her petite frame and small features, as well of course, her etiquette, that helps portray this elegance. 

Shoe Obsession

I'm not usually one for buying lots of shoes (normally it's clothes and jewellery I can't say no to), but right now I'm going through a pretty major shoe obsession. Seriously, there are so many amazing ones to choose from! I've actually bought a few pairs in the last month so I'm having to slow down now, well at least until pay day! But I thought I'd share the latest ones which have caught my eye. As you can see, there's a pretty similar style/colour scheme on my mind, but why do I still feel like I NEED all of them?!

Clockwise from top left: ASOS; Dune; Topshop; ASOS; Carvela; Topshop, Topshop (inset)

David Bowie Is

Image Souce: www.vam.ac.uk

On Monday of this week I took my mum to the David Bowie exhibition at the V&A museum in South Kensington. The exhibition titled "David Bowie Is" is the first international retrospective of the artist and his career. Being a big Bowie fan, I was naturally really excited when I first heard about the exhibition, and after visiting the museum, I can see how it has easily become the V&A's most popular and successful exhibition to date.

Within the walls of the museum you are given the chance to see a number of authentic memorabilia including handwritten lyrics, set designs, instruments, album artwork, and of course those flamboyant costumes Bowie is renowned for. To accompany the exhibition you are given a head set which picks up where you are at in the exhibition and plays running commentary of Bowie talking, along with clips from a number of his songs.

I bought the most amazing book as well, and for £25 quid - a bargain!  

Santorini vs Venice

 Currently I am procrastinating over whether to book a short summer break to Santorini or Italy (most likely Venice). Josh and I have been trying to save with the hope to move out in the not-so-distant future, so our only holiday this year was supposed to be Edinburgh (which we are visiting in late August). I, however, always get impatient this time of year if I haven’t got a week of guaranteed sunshine and relaxation booked; which is why I am so desperate to get something sorted.

We both had Italy in mind when we first decided to have a long weekend abroad, but as I continue researching, I am swaying more towards Santorini. The beautiful coastline and architecture of this island, (which sits in the remnants of a volcanic caldera in the Aegean Sea) is the obvious reason I would love to take a visit, not to mention the authentic cuisine and hot climate!

On the other hand, Venice is renowned for its romance, and I’ve wanted to take a gondola ride there for ages, oh and of course the food! Italian really is my favourite food!

So if anyone has been to either or both and wouldn’t mind sharing their knowledge and recommendations with me; that would be rather wonderful.

My Style: Summer BBQ

The Great Gatsby

   

I've been looking forward to The Great Gatsby's release when I first heard it was being made a couple of years ago, whilst working at Mudpie. With Miucci Prada heading up the design side of things, it's not surprising that its release has been highly anticipated by the 'fashion crowd'.

I went to the movies with Josh to see it and both of us were glued to the screens for the entirety of the film. In fact, I could have watched more after it ended which is rare for me, as usually after two hours sat in one of those cinema seats I'm ready to go home.

I've heard that Baz Luhrmann's remake of The Great Gatsby has had a fair number of bad reviews from critics, and while I loved it, I guess I've nothing to compare it to as I never watched the original film or even read F. Scott Fitzgerald's book. I think it was a combination of wonderful cinematography (the scene where Gatsby and Daisy first meet again, with those hundreds of flowers and French macaroons), along with the ultra modern Jay-Z produced soundtrack, and of course beautifully breathtaking costumes, that fed my concentration the entire way through. Oh and of course, I cannot review the film without mentioning Leo Dicaprio, Carey Mulligan and Toby Maguire - all of who I couldn't imagine the film without.

Honestly, everyone please go see this film, I promise it does not disappoint.

Haim

Image source: thetimes.co.uk

A while back my boyfriend kept telling me to listen to a band called Haim cause he was sure I'd love them. With Josh's preferred taste for underground deep house and techno, I wasn't really convinced I'd agree. Regretably I was ignorant and didn't even listen to Haim until about a month ago and ever since I haven't been able to stop! If I'd have known Haim didn't fall into the deep house category, and instead are often compared to Fleetwood Mac for their soft-rock approach to music, with hints of nu-folk & r'n'b, I would have listen to them a lot earlier. I actually meant to write about these when I first heard 'Don't Save Me' but like most things in my life recently, my blog seemed to take a backseat for a while as my days were filled with only work and the gym. But as summer has finally made an appearance, the days seem longer; and so I've made a promise to myself to blog more frequently. Let's hope it lasts.