the french wardrobe - summer

'Ah summer, what power you have to make us suffer... and like it.' 

Russel Baker

We are in the midst of winter, even if the temperatures here don't reflect it (which is very annoying, FYI, going out with a coat and tights and then having to peel them both off because of the bright sun), and now seems like as good a time as any to revisit my 4-5 piece french wardrobe for summer. In terms of my last post i have purchased almost all of the items i was looking for, and many more besides, and even since then my style has subtly evolved. Some of them i saw, tried on, and then re-thought. This was the case with the pierre hardy for gap ankle boots that sportsgirl is currently shamelessly copying (down to the elasticated insert and all). I tried them on and though i love them off my foot, they just didn't work *tear*. I am still looking for a coral necklace that doesn't come with a 4 figure Lanvin price tag, and elbow length leather gloves too. But these can wait, for now we must turn our sights to warmer weather. This Summer i am looking for 2 trend driven pieces and 3 forever pieces. Let's see how i'll go. 

1. The Drop Crotch Harem Pant

topshop, topshop boutique, warehouse

I know... If my 6 months younger self saw me now, she wouldn't recognise me. If you ask any of my friends they would tell you that I am the most ardent opposer of the harem pant in our circle, and that girls who have purchased the aforementioned pant they have tried to hide it from me so that I wouldn't yell at them and shame them publicly. And i know that i am terribly late to this party, but i have only recently come around to the joys of the harem pant. I tried a pair on in some cheap australian chain and though they were not perfect, they were fascinating. In a drapey black cotton they were bizarrely slimming, comfortable, and shamelessly glamorous. Hitting mid calf they weren't the right length for me (trinny and susannah have taught me that for girls with even a semblance of a leg it's knee or nothing) but i was definitely intrigued. And then Brigadeiro's post on the topic showing you how to wear the harem pant cinched the deal. I wanted a pair for myself. 

The biggest question for me is what style exactly. While i do like the drapey, cotton loose style i also like the idea of the tapered in at the calf style. Methinks they may not be as flattering though. They are infinitely more glamorous though, and definitely more formal. The problem with the loose styles is that they can come off very casual. They remind me of some sort of yoga pant or fisherman's bottoms for some reason. Regardless there are a myriad of harem pants out there, and a pair for everyone, as trite as that may seem. 

Decision:  A trend that i must experience, and one that i probably will enjoy. 

Cost: cheap. I'm not wasting good money on something that could make me look like MC Hammer. 

Most likely buy: the Topshop pleated draped number.  Topshop always pulls through for me, and it's better to go with the least confronting style first before taking the plunge. 

2. Leather Skirt 

miu miu, acne

While not necessarily screaming summer, i want this trend item and i want it now. I've been searching for a leather skirt for a while now, and feel that it would be such a great addition to my wardrobe. Unfortunately when it comes to skirts i have a pretty strict list of features that must be adhered to. I don't do short. I'm just not that kind of girl (with not those kind of legs), and i would want this skirt to hit knee at least. So that rules out all the abundance of leather skirts from the 80s... damn. I also don't have the budget at the moment to stretch to new, designer leather (no matter how much i would like). It's vintage and thrift here all the way. 

Pencil level is ideal. I was reading Harpers Bazaar AUS August yesterday and thinking about how great a leather pencil skirt could be with an oversized distressed bassike tee, my loose blazer and a cool necklace. If the skirt had been made of cotton that would be an outfit bordering on business woman, but with leather it's rock chic all the way. And i kind of love that, how this material can muddy the sartorial waters a bit and throw things off kilter. If i had the legs to pull off leather pants believe you me i would never take them off. I'll have to make do with skirts though. 

Decision: no-brainer. give me one STAT. 

cost: i want it to be cheap, but i know that it won't be. And as soon as i find the perfect one i will fork out as much as is necessary to make it happen.

most likely buy: thrifted and a little kitsch. 

3. Linen Safari Jacket

tagsafari, jodie kidd, alberta ferreti, debenhams

This jacket has eluded me for so long. I've wanted one for a long time, even hacking a linen shirt of mine to jacket length in a vain attempt to recreate the look (it failed miserably). I don't really know why i want one so much, i suppose it might stem from some last vestiges of my 1920s hysteria in which i attempted to recreate the outfits of Idina Sackville-West and Karen Blixen living a life of 'white mischief' in Africa pairing their Vionnet drop waist sheaths with a safari jacket and tennis shoes. I just think that the Linen Safari jacket is Summer's answer to the oversized man blazer of the leather biker jacket - It's perfect for keeping cool, storing all your things and adding a sense of casual Lauren Hutton -esque chic to your everyday wardrobe. 

Imagine it, paired with a breton style striped top and a pair of ripped boyfriend jeans, or if the weather is even hotter a long, rippling black skirt and a loose crop top. Perfect.

Decision: yes please! I want to BE Lauren Hutton. 

Cost: hopefully not that much, the higher end of high street, peut-etre?

most likely buy: Country Road. They haven't failed me for the classic pieces updated, and i'm hoping they'll have a safari jacket (last year they didn't). If they don't then Witchery will.

4. Espadrilles

old navy, stella mccartney, christian louboutin, kanna, karen millen, christian louboutin

Ever since the mother of a dear friend of mine raised the possibility of a european summer in Nice and Monaco next year i can't get my mind off the espadrilles. Surely they, along with a glowing tan, a striped top and short skirt and a diamond as big as the ritz are the pre-requisites for any sojourn in that region. Although they may not fit in with the glamorous evening wear i have already planned (think a revisit of my 18th birthday that saw me exiting my uncle's fabulous sports car in a Casino Royale esque black evening gown with paste jewellery and a clutch bag) they will go perfectly with blood red toenails and a swimsuit while i lounge poolside with a mojito. 

I used to have a pair of espadrilles once. I bought them for myself from Witchery at the tender age of 14, thinking that they would go with my style (boho chic, they didn't) and promptly returned them 2 weeks later. THey are the exact kind i'm looking for now, a raffia/rope wedge heel, high enough to make me seem as tall as any swiss banker in the region, with the toe, heel and tie up ribbons in a gros grain ribbon that i'm not too fussy on the colour front. These espadrilles were brown, but i'll accept anything in the colour spectrum that's not too bright. Preferably red, black, brown or cream though, to fit in with the clothes i already have. 

Decision: i want them a lot, but they seem like the kind of thing that when i try them on i may change my mind about. I'm not the beachiest of persons, and don't they look a bit silly when paired with everyday non-beachy outfits? 

Cost: I wish my budget could extend to a Louboutin pair, i've heard they are a dream to wear, but sadly i'll have to wait. Cheeaaapppp. 

Most likely buy: Witchery, anyone? 

5. Silk Tee

kain, louis vuitton, rag and bone, vanessa bruno athe, clu, kain

Mmmmm silk. There's nothing quite like the feeling of silk against your skin. And i think that in the heat of summer a little bit of cool, liquidy, mercurial fabric is perfect to tone down the humidity woes. The silk tee hasn't been on my fashion radar at all this year, but now i think about it, it is just the kind of item that i would love - classic practically with just a hint of shameless luxury. 

The pairings would be endless, and even better, it would move seamlessly from day to night and from summer to winter. It would look great tucked in or out with the harem pants and my alexa chung gladiator sandals. It would look fabulous loosely tucked into a form-fitting jersey long skirt. It could be paired in and out with jeans, any kind of jacket, and would go that extra step than a tee shirt to make the outfit chic and cool. And i think that you would feel that much better in a silk skirt. I'm a firm believer in the whole surround yourself with the good things in life as much as you possibly can, practical hedonism in a way. Good food, good wine, beautiful cocktails, the literature and art (posters/postcards), films and theatre experiences that tickle your tastebuds, tantalise senses and encourage betterment. Clothes are merely another aspect of this practical hedonism, and if you can't afford to have beautiful glamorous things all the time have lovely things most of the time. 

Decision: yes, of course. No questions asked. 

cost: splurging on this baby. Only the best for me!

 most likely buy: i love the look of the Kain tee shirts (silk blend) and the rag and bone number (pure silk baby). That coral colour is also perfect for summer, nothing like a little ocean-based colour combos to bring in the hot weather. 

These items will, i hope, fit in well with what i already have as summer staples: My abundance of crop tops in a rainbow of colours (perfect over full skirts), my long, loose and cool (temperature wise) floor length skirts in the manner of MK Olsen, my gladiator sandals, my breton striped tops, my various loose cotton tee shirts, my ray ban sunglasses (best vintage find EVER in the bottom of my dad's shoe rack, not a dime spent and over $200 saved!), my loose and airy overshirts (best for hiding arms and providing layers) such as my vintage lanvin floral one, sheer twenty8twelve emerald crepe de chine, sea green lisa ho and sheer white, cocktail rings and beachy necklaces, armfuls of chunky resin based jewelry (mostly bangles and cuffs but some necklaces too), the BEST swimming costume ever designed, a 1950s style that flatters and is lovely too. Various make up shades in summery goodness from Nars bronzer in Laguna to my newly purchased sea green nailpolish and sheeny chanel eye product that makes your eyes glow. 

As you may have noticed this wardrobe is devoid of that summer staple in sydney: denim cut offs. THe reason for that is that i've only recently decided to rekindle my denim love affair, and i don't think i'm ready for denim cut-offs just yet, in any way shape or form. I do love seeing other people do them well though! Instead of denim cut offs for me it's the long skirt in variations of black, white, patterned (josh goot's tye dye masterpiece), full and sleek. Paired with an oversized loose tee-shirt or crop top and a cool jacket (safari, perhaps?) the outfit is nearly complete. 

A spritz of Marc Jacobs Daisy (a summer perfume if ever i saw one) and i'll be good to go!

X

ps. what's on your summer wardrobe list? forever pieces or trend-driven now stuff?

You have read this article dreams / fashion / future / inspiration / me / shopping / style with the title June 2009. You can bookmark this page URL https://startthefire-cafagesta.blogspot.com/2009/06/the-french-wardrobe-summer.html. Thanks!

all tyed up.

The declaration that 'hippie-chic' is back is greeted with wariness, caution, and a wince by most, me included. That's an understatement, it strikes fear into the very depths of my heart. I can remember those boho days of yesteryear, a haze of peasant skirts, circular metal belts, anklets and headbands, topped off with a clean face and bare feet. Sienna Miller was my style icon. I listened to the rolling stones and dreamt of, one day, going to woodstock. While these things may all still be found in my wardrobe, and my life, the world and me has, thankfully, moved on. You can't dress like a hippie your whole life. 

However the trend at the moment is towards 'hippie-chic', emphasis on the chic. There's not a toe ring in sight with this reinvention of hippie style as designers take tye dye to a new level. Technicolour rainbows prints that seem to bleed into each other, tye-dye as embellishment and edging, luxurious materials and shapes taking the traditional hippie pattern from the garden to the party and clever manipulation of silhouette. Clothes that you would want to wear forever, and not just the 1960s. 

What's the appeal of tye-dye? Well firstly it is always, regardless of what colours used, bright and sunny. The strongest of technicolour prints in saffron, turquoise, fuschia and lime is just as sunny as palest of pastels. Tye-dye is an instant mood-lifter, the way it denotes home-style D.I.Y, as well as the allusions to happy hippie times of yore, how could it not be uplifting? When you're wearing tye-dye you can take on the persona of a beautiful earthy girl without a care in the world other than whether there will be a rainbow today. 

Josh Goot is one of the leaders in tye-dye chic, his dresses gorgeously flowy in bright shades and lightweight chiffon. Sometimes he mixes incredible brights to make a techno rainbow, others he manipulates shades of blue to make an asymmetrical one shouldered dress that resembles the most beautiful water puddle i've ever seen.  I own a josh goot tye-dye skirt, black and white and chic all over. When you walk in it, it billows out around you like a fashionable cloud. Matthew Williamson, always a master of colour (he's not the creative director at Pucci for nothing), showed a recent resort collection that is very much in the Goot trend of tye-dye, bright and bold and beautiful. Rich, deep shades of green, purple, blue and yellow combine together with creamy off whites in his patterns, sewn in modern and trendy shapes. The coveted pant shape, tapered and pleated harem, is reinvented in his gorgeous milky tye-dye. A mini dress with elevated shoulders and pleated collar becomes a little more relaxed with a classic print. 

Never one to be the proverbial sheep in the pack, Christopher Kane has done his own spin on the trend. For him tye-dye is all-or nothing, his resort 2010 collection was shown with murky brown galactical tye-dye prints with matching platform wedge heels. Gorgeous french navies marry their chocolate brown and taupe cousins compounded with the kind of quirky cool shapes that we know and love from Kane. Cutaway panels at the shoulder and under the bust? Yes please. 

At the other end of the spectrum is Jonathan Saunders, with tye-dye as the embellishment and not the whole. Tye dye panels, edging, piping and hems break up block colour for Saunders, adding a pop of watery colour to sombre black. You want a party dress that is part hard edged business, part fun in the sun, Saunders is the man for you. The best dress from his resort 2010 collection is a simple black shift with several panels across the stomach. At first glance it looks like block colour, but it is actually contrasting tye dye in block colour. Simple and fabulous. 

How do you wear tye-dye? Unlike it's 1960s antecedent a spliff and dreadlocks are not obligatory. A fresh face, sunny complexion and un-fussy hair are, however. Mix it up with edgy accessories (think sky high heels with bondage embellishments like Christina Centenera on the sartorialist), lots of modern jewelry and a tailored jacket. The tye-dye, gloriously exuberant, will shine out like the remnants of a better, more liberated past. 

A time warp you can keep grounded in the present so that there are no back to the future-esque woes? Now that's something worth dyeing for. 

Josh Goot S/S 09

style.com

Matthew Williamson Resort 2010

style.com 

Christopher Kane Resort 2010

style.com

Johnathon Saunders Resort 2010

style.com

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shop-girl

I've decided, thanks in part to running in heels, that i would love to be a shopping editor. I mean, Zoe Glassner is so freakin' cool with her geek glasses and crinkled chinos, and her job seems like fun. She does a few shoots, but mostly gets to play around with photoshop and a polyvore-esque catalogue of items every month to form the section that secretly all girls love to read: the shopping pages. You get to tell people what to buy, you get to decide on the trends, on the big pieces, on the important buys and the high street musts and sometimes even the must-nots. You get to write some adorably hyperbolic copy (e.g ' Big Bold Bows brighten up any niggly nanna') and you get to hang around in 'the closet' all day. 

 Every magazine does a different take on the shopping section, Paris Vogue has their enviable 'en vogue' section with skinny girls with messy hair, come hither eyes and black shoes that never really changes every month but that everyone loves anyway because it's so damn cool. British Vogue's clear layout and heady mixture of notting hillbilly, sloane ranger, brick lane it-girl. Harpers Bazaar with sleek design, clever background images and a visual feast for the eyes (even if the picks aren't that original). Elle US and UK both taking out the prize for must have items put together in interesting ways. The shopping pages are never as 'fashion' as editorials (which are designed to stimulate fantasy and imagination in some cases or covetous saucer eyes in the other), they are intended to prompt readers to go forth and shop. And thought the cynic in me knows that pieces are often picked because of advertisers and the like, i still love it anyway. 

Shop-a-holic. 

Anyway, if i were to have a shopping page you all know what i would make it - fabulous future me. Today instead of doing an item of clothing or a colour, i'd like to tackle a trend at the moment, one very close to my heart; stripes. I love stripes, so so so much. They're fun and flirty and french (sorry with the stereotypes, but you can't escape the connotations of the breton top being, well, breton). Insouciance and effervescence and biting your lip sex appeal all follow with the striped top. Child-like and innocent on the one hand, throwing it on after a late night-rendezvous with last night's heels slung over your hand...  Duality is my favourite thing about fashion!

Monday 

Burberry leather jacket, lanvin booties, topshop breton crop top, lanvin for acne skirt, lanvin earrings, chloe python bag.

Monday's work rush has you reaching for tried and tested staples with a new twist. Leather jacket in a supple olive green lambskin lambskin, buttery denim in rich indigo, brogue lace up shoe-boots, paste diamonds (no real ones this early in the day, and with your monday-itis). The piece de resistance, however, is this breton  crop top you picked up at topshop on the weekend, a chic mixture of french navy stripes in two different sizes on a white background. You feel very french riviera without the old dames and big dogs. And as you head off to work, bag swinging from the crook of your elbow and clouds gathering in dark ominous groups all you have to do is hum charles trenet's 'la mer' and suddenly you're transported to a sunny beach with a bellini in hand and an adorable man footing the bill. Monday-itis, begone!

Tuesday
Rick owens organza jacket, pamela love claw and eagle bracelets, t by alexander wang shirt, dries van noten skirt, lanvin shoes, givenchy python clutch. 

Stripes at night? really? Isn't that a little bit too casual for ritzy dinners and late night cocktails? Shouldn't you break out the LBDs and fishnets? Well, you should, but you're never one to follow the rules. This beautiful silk skirt by dries van noten has stripes of gradiating size as well as a nice thick waistband, cinching in and fanning out. Slim and tight-fitting. Perfect. With a simple tee shirt and a formal jacket you're ready to hit whatever the night throws at you. But because ready is never enough you add bejewelled stilettos with mirror cone heels (hey, subtlety is not your strong suit) and claw bracelets. Why make it all business and no pleasure? You are suitably mis-matched and not a little bit night-time. But hey, you do look good. And that's all that matters. 

Wednesday
rayban frames, prada clutch bag, lanvin necklace vanessa bruno top, christopher kane pants, dries van noten jacket, chloe shoes. 

Adding a pair of glasses makes you look infinitely smarter, you think, and it also helps with the fact that your vision is terrible. Most of the time you labour under contact lenses and squinting, but sometimes (when you have to impress advertisers or spend long hours perusing notes and files on interview subjects and stories) you actually need the glasses, despite your pride. Well, if you're going to have to wear frames you might as well make your outfit extra special. Pants with scalloped detail on the side seams are a good start, and topped by a sheer tee shirt, chunky patent heels and a paste gros-grain necklace are excellent add ons. the best is yet to come though, a striped fitted blazer whose thick stripes on the shoulder veer into almost pin-stripes at the hem make you look longer and smarter. Who needs glasses when you have a jacket like this? 

Thursday
acne jeans, petit bateau shirt, lanvin flats, lanvin bag, vanessa bruno jacket. 

You're going on a date to the movies, and you've just spent the last 3 hours deciding what to wear. How you could waste so much time on such a trivial thing is beyond you, but it is what it is, and you can't change yourself. You really like this guy, and you want to look casual and chic, dare you say it, effortless. No matter how much time you've spent primping and preening in front of the mirror. You settle on jeans, a ruffled blazer, simple ballet flats and a quirky bag for a bit of an imaginative touch, but you don't know what to wear as a top. A plain block colour seems boring and predictable. You want something casual and chic and, well, effortless. You settle on stripes. Gorgeous, gorgeous breton stripes in french navy and off white, crisp and clever and all parisian insouciance. You fasten your hair in a messy chignon (the whole french thing seems to be a theme) and stride out the door. You hope there's a patisserie on the way to the theatre, you suddenly have a maddening desire for croissants.

Friday

aquascatum trench coat, dries van noten dress, vintage sunglasses, topshop ring, richard nicoll cape cardigan, marni shoes. 

Business meetings are the bane of your existence. They freak you out, you never know what to expect, and you know your boss is just dying for an excuse to send you packing, so you have to try extra hard to be heard. You don't have to worry about being seen, though, when wearing this amazing dress. Dries is all about the stripes at the moment, different sizes all lined up together forming the optical illusion of more height and less width, as well as the lesser known add on effect of more chic. That, of course, can also be achieved with a suede trench coat from aquascatum in a gorgeous deep blue with ruffles, the option of a warm cardigan if its gets chilly, a flashy cocktail ring and marni platform heels in plum and indigo. You might feel insecure and unsure inside, but on the outside you're a charming and witty sophisticate. That's half the hurdle jumped. 

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through a glass, darkly.

elle

There is something incredibly sexy, yet tempered with just a hint of sleaze about these backstage shots from the shoot styled by Kate Lanphear of Chloe Sevigny in the June 2009 issue of Elle US. I think it's the way that Chloe seems to be glimpsed from a distance, like through a window with the curtains thrown wide, or peeking naughtily through the keyhole of a door. As mere readers of Elle we are invited only to see from afar and never to really experience the process of the shoot, and Chloe's sultry glances and come hither poses (check out number three with those exposed shoulders!) seem to tease and titillate. 

 I would love to see an editorial styled and shot as if the photographer was an outsider glancing in, the girl frolicking around her room in knickers and big tee shirts, getting dressed, posing in front of the mirror, dancing to music, taking calls and flipping through magazines, smoking a cigarette and drinking red wine... All shot as if through a window, the curtains partially obscuring the view, the girl beautiful and striking and inducing jealousy from all, close enough to see but not enough to touch. Wouldn't that be cool? 

A little stalker, yes, but a little stalker isn't always bad, is it? It can be cool, an Alfred Hitchcock 'Rear Window' Grace Kelly kind of cool. And who doesn't want to be Grace Kelly? 

Also those rows of shoes and boxes of necklaces, that's going to be my wardrobe one day. Just you wait and see. 

X

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you look lovely today... just today?

Oh dear. This week has been filled with nothing. Nothing in a good way, as in post-exam relaxation where all i do is watch SVU marathons and drink cup after cup of tea. But then there has been nothing, like the past couple of days, where you are supposed to be doing things and yet nothing happens, and you ache (and i mean really ache) from doing nothing. I hate those days with a fiery passion. I have lists and lists of things to do, and the stress of finally realising that this 5 week holiday that i thought would be filled with infinite amounts of glorious nothing is actually going to be cut in half because of work, internships and a necessary family holidays. 

But enough of me wining. There has been enough sartorial goodness this week to lift me out of even the foulest of moods. And from some unlikely and not often seen style heroes too. How lovely indeed!

Keira Knightley

tfs

Hello there, angular english beauty. I do like Keira Knightley. I don't know what it is, I've always just thought she was a doll. She was in all my favourite movies as an early adolescent, she was something of a style icon with all her tomboy clothes, don't give a fuck attitude and throwaway attitude to her hair. And, well, i was always secretly jealous that at the tender age of 17 she got to make out with Orlando Bloom. I know, i was 13 okay? I thought he was good looking. I now see the error of my ways, the man can't act to save his life. And as she grew older i did too, and she gained a mature edge to her style that was really great to see. These skinny jeans, leather jacket and scarf all complement each other in colour and are perfectly topped with the floppy hat and big sunglasses. This was on a film set, and this is probably a costume, but that's not the point. Stylists are a part of the business, everyone knows that. But the clothes never wear her, she always makes it her own. 

 Margherita Missoni 

wireimage

My friend always gets told that she looks like Charlotte Casiraghi. You know, the Monaco jet-setting princess with the beautiful boyfriend and killer wardrobe? Well from one heiress to another, i think that she looks more like Margherita Missoni than Charlotte Casiraghi. Well it's nice to have someone famous and beautiful that you look like, i got no-one, and my friends (in an effort to be tactless) always say lucy lui, which is rather racist considering the only thing we share is a parent from Asia. But, back to Margherita. This is what she wore to... some event... while she's not hard working being an actress. Ah well, she may do nothing like Paris Hilton but she does dress better than her. I love the pink tulip skirt with the panelling. It's a beautiful colour for her folden skin, and the top, which is probably Missoni, is stunning. I really love crochet stuff, it's such a lovely fabric, fragile and special, like the dresses that, as a kid, you only got to wear on special occasions. Molto Bene Margherita! 

Marion Cotillard

tfs

Not let's jump over to France, where this lovely lady is from. At the premiere for the 'Public Enemies' movie Marion looked stunning in a dusky pink and sexy updo. I will admit it now that i only checked on the pictures from this event because of the chance of catching a glimpse of Johnny Depp (mmmmm johnnny depp). But i was completely sidetracked by this vision in pink that i barely even noticed him and his hair that is, admittedly, greasy, but still adorable nonetheless. I love that she's matched the dusky pink with silver and a kind of purple wine purple/maroon. An interesting combination (not everyone could pull it off), but she has that right kind of alabaster skin to make it work. Hmmppphh. I'm so jealous. What a class act.

Alexa Chung

mtv

Of course. I might as well just re-name this post 'alexa looked lovely today... just today?' But i can't help it if she does look good every week (and if i get so many pictures of her each week that stastically she should be included in the post. I actually like this outfit an awful lot though, quite a bit more than some of her other recent outfits that i have included. I love jeans that colour of denim, dark and rich and indigo. And of course she has the legs to pull of super skinnies. Paired with that tartan shirt its a perfect casual look. But, oh no, Alexa still has some surprises left in stall. Those shoes, those satin-y, buckle-y, two tone chanel shoes, change it all up. What was a casual and chic, if a little boring outfit becomes cool and clever with the inclusion of dressy shoes that are at odds with the rest of the outfit. Perfect. As always. Are we surprised?

Edit: Alexa Chung, again

mtv

Alexa couldn't let well enough alone, could she. When i saw this outfit this morning i had to include it because i think it's one of her best recently. This is the alexa i love, classic with a twist. That dress is great, the pattern on the skirt is great, and i love how they separate the bodice from the skirt with block colours and the 'belt', giving the illusion of skirt and top./ The cardigan is also this lovely sheer cream colour that i really love. That'll do Alexa, that'll do. 

TGIF!

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Repeat Offender

Maybe i'm the only one, but i actually rather like Sienna Miller. Yes, she does some silly things, yes she hasn't really proved herself as an actress, but the girl is charming, bright, ebullient and fascinating. She is the best example of our generation's zeitgeist - the gorgeous if comparatively less talented it-girl. Although i don't subscribe to the theory of her as a bad actress, she was very good in Interview and Alfie which balances out her horrible turn as Edie in Factory Girl, you can't deny she hasn't really done anything worthy of her fame. Disparate levels. 

But i do have a soft spot from her from back in the days when she was my Boho Icon (2005-6, anyone care to cast their minds back to peasant skirts, chunky bangles and middle parts?). She, despite a few years of fashion nothingness it cannot be denied that she is one of Hollywood's  better dressers. Her Twenty8Twelve line with her sister is one of the better celebrity fashion lines (no doubt aided through her sister's CSM training). And she is very endearing in interviews, giggly and girly and sweet. She's been knocked about in love, and done some of the knocking, just like any normal girl. I can't help but look at her as an old, if very frivolous, friend. 

tfs - style.com

So, for the sakes of reminiscence and memory here are Sienna's 3 vogue covers, unearned or otherwise i find them all to be striking and beautiful in their own ways. The first one is my favourite -- bright, sunny and captivating. The second, to go down in history forever as vogue's thickest issue (will it ever reach that stage again?) is more fantastical, and no less lovely. The colours on this cover are absolutely gorgeous and rich. Velvety smooth. The severe hairstyle and the darkened eyebrows contrast well with the flirty and fun feather neckline and magical couture silhouette of the dress. 

Finally, this month (July)'s Vogue cover... Copping a lot of flack around the internet. Yes i think her posture doesn't look that great, but i think this cover is a very fine example of US Vogue today. Like i said yesterday, Vogue is so much more than a fashion magazine now, a lifestyle, a magazine filled with beautiful hopes and dreams. Commercial, yes, but not cheap. Sienna is their perfect cover girl, stunning and well known, the hair and make up recalls her famous september cover. She looks a little older and wiser, which she no doubt is, and that red dress pops against the blue background, a perfect colour for summer fashion. 

Vogue US is what it is, it is the best in that market of commercial fashion magazines, untouched by Bazaar and only slightly challenged (and not always, some issues are better than others) by Elle. Vogue is Vogue. You may not always get groundbreaking fashion or avant-garde editorials but you will get consistency, beautiful shoots, great casting, interesting interviews and features that prompt thought. As much as i love Vogue Paris and Italia you can't get all that from them, just like how you can't get the nipples and cigarettes in Vogue US. So i buy them both. Any excuse to spend money on magazines is fine by me.

X

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Tiffany Box Blue

'She was still hugging the cat. "Poor slob," she said, tickling his head, "poor slob without a name. It's a little inconvenient, his not having a name. But I haven't any right to give him one: he'll have to wait until he belongs to somebody. We just sort of took up by the river one day, we don't belong to each other: he's an independent, and so am I. I don't want to own anything until I know I've found the place where me and things belong together. I'm not quite sure where that is just yet. But I know what it's like." She smiled, and let the cat drop to the floor. "It's like Tiffany's," she said.'

Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany's. 

I'm certainly no holly golightly but i do get a little thrill out of tiffany's. Maybe it stems back to the fact that my friend B and I used to go to the city early in the morning, before they had even lifted the grills, and stare lovingly into the windows. Maybe it's because despite all the cliche and the stereotypes and the fact that everyone and their mother has them they are very classic, chic, comforting pieces of jewellery. Maybe it's because the (very few) pieces i have from there have been gifts for very special occasions that i treasure and will forever associate with the happiness and joy of those days. Maybe it's just because i loooovvvee the colour of those tiffany boxes.

Is it blue? is it green? is it sea blue or sea green? Who knows what colour it really is, but it is certainly perfect. Bright without being shocking, muted without being dull, pastel without being saccharine, the perfect blend of blue and green to create a colour that would not be out of place in a child's nursery and a woman's boudoir.  Just the sight of it, whether from tiffany's or not, sends me into crazed frenzy, all big saucer eyes, biting of the lip, deep breaths and soft smiles. This colour makes me happy, unlike barbie doll pinks, midnight blues and lime greens. I know what i like, and what i like is Tiffany's. 

That's why when i saw Alexa Chung's adorable tiffany box blue nails on her show i had to have them. Not only were they in my favourite shade of sea green, but they were also the perfect bright, spring colour to bring me out of my mid-winter stupour. I had been running around with a deep crimson on my nails, which while being lovely and mature is hardly the thing to raise spirits when the heavens are opening all around you. You want something youthful and quirky and silly, like Alexa's adorable tiffany box blue nails. The kind of nails that would take a business outfit down a notch from 'serious' to 'seriously fun' and elevate a girly smock dress to 'ingenue chic'. 

grazia online

After a frantic search that revealed that in all likelihood Alexa's gorgeous nails were the product of a pre-production Chanel 'Jade' polish from the FW 09 runways i was sent into despair. I wouldn't be able to get the colour till October! what would i do until then? Contemplating mixing some green and white polish together until the desired result was achieved my friend F told me to have a look at Kit, the youthful cosmetics sister store to 'Mecca Cosmetica' (purveyor of Nars, Kiehls and Stila in Australia). I had a look, and sure enough there was the perfect sea green entitled 'High Roller'. On a side note, how on earth do people come up with the nailpolish colour names? I have some truly hilarious ones 'Abricot Fizz', 'Babez blue', 'death by banana' and 'Red red wine'. Do you reckon someone is paid to come up with nailpolish colour names? and if so, how do i get that job?

I know the colour looks pastel blue here but believe me, those babies are a stunning tiffany box blue! 

You should see me, i am extremely happy with the result. My nails are a perfect, perfect shade of tiffany box blue, and i feel cute and girly as well as hopelessly chic at the same time. That's the thing about brand recognition, even if the colour itself might have different connotations you are forever shackled to the preconceived notions of that brand. Although the colour itself is quite young and flirty Tiffany's is so well understand as a bastion of sophistication and class that the colour is engendered with these qualities too. All those ideas about tiffany's - upscale and untouchable, elite, quality... 

And a further set of notions were added when the film 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' came out. Departing from the novel in several significant ways it still managed to capture the essence of Holly's character and her almost insane fixation and obsession with the store. It was the child-like woman's only anchor in the busy, frenetic world. Audrey Hepburn made the character her own, if you've read the novel the two Holly Golightlys differ, but Hepburn's quiet beauty and impassioned performance was amazing to watch. Her Holly was a party girl with painful insecurities and harmless quirks who was also hopelessly devoted to the store. The morning spent wandering around with a danish and ballgown perusing the windows, the idea that the only place that she could find comfort was within their marbled walls - Tiffany's represented to her a pillar, the only constant in a life of change. 

Like i said, i may be no Holly Golightly, but i can see how she feels. My tastes in jewelry usually run to the more, well, animalistic and avant-garde, but i cherish everything i have from Tiffany's. I suppose it's a little bit of sophistication for a person who is quite rough around the edges. And it really does put a smile on your face. When everything else in my life is running off the train tracks i always try to calm my mind, one of the best ways to do that is to spend an hour of so in tiffany's. There's something about polished silver and diamonds dripping from necklaces that restores all your sanity. 

Parfait!

X

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You look lovely today... just today?

I decided to move this post to Saturday this week, partially because i forgot about posting it, but also because i wanted to get that plum sykes post off my chest. This week was very interesting, by about tuesday, thanks in part to the CFDAs and Alexa Chung's new show i had enough outfits to fill two posts, so i had to start culling. But of course the girls kept bringing it all week, so you end up with a bumper edition of you look lovely today, twice the size just for your viewing pleasure. Aren't i a nice person?

Diane Kruger - CDFAs

Celebutopia

Ah Diane Kruger. Time was that no-one knew who she was. She was just a pretty girl with nice hair set apart from the rest of the masses by her killer taste. Well, it transpires that she can also act, and speak 4 languages, as well as being stunningly beautiful, which an actress ought to be if she possibly can. More importantly she is that rare breed of actress that can actually carry an interesting dress and wear clothes on the red carpet that are different, but not disgusting. Like Chloe Sevigny Diane manages to pick great designers and even better outfits almost eveyr time she steps out of her house, and this is no exception. A stunning hue on people with her colouring (more on that later), with interesting sleeve detail and perfect matching accesories, Diane shows that she deserves that CDFA invite and all the fashion accolades. She is truly a star in the modern sense of the word, talented and fashionable. Now that's something to award!

Ashley Olsen - CDFAs

tfs

Speaking of great colours for radiant, tanned blondes... Ashley Olsen, fast becoming my favourite of the two (I know, but MK those John Lennon glasses are getting old), pulls it off again with a beautiful burnt orange dress with embellished sleeves and slight shoulder-padding. The Olsen twins, even if you don't dress like them, are great inspiration because they are fearless and they wear clothes like real people. They may be dressed in designer, but they wear what they want, when they want it, and in interesting, ahead of the curve ways. It is no coincidence that all this grunge 90s stuff that is getting a re-vamp now was seen on both MK and A as early as last year. This dress is no exception, it nods to a lot of the trends now: 80s redux, bold embellishments, exaggerated sillhouettes, slightly drop waist, bright colour and sleek lines, and combines them in an interesting and intriguing way. Trust the olsen twins!

Kirsten Dunst - CDFAs

celebutopia

I really love Kirsten Dunst. I know a lot of people don't, and i can sort of see why, but the girl just reminds me so much of me and my friends sometimes that i can't help myself. She's quirkily beautiful, dresses for herself and makes mistakes just like anyone else. But when she's right she's oh so right. She was perfectly on the mark in this Rodarte mini dress and Nicholas Kirkwood shoes (glad to see his designs getting their due cred. in hollywood, perfect for the edgy actresses out there, i'm looking at you Nat Portman). Kirsten managed to be ethereally beautiful as well as tough and edgy, which is no small feat. I love the way her sking was glowing, she looked healthy and bright, and that her dress clung to her body without being bodycon. SHe is really gorgeous, don't you think? And that dress... No wonder the Mulleavy sisters took out the grand prize, the draping and panelling on that dress is intricate and amazing. The fancy neckline is balanced out with the clear hem, and the gradiation of colour and different shades is... wow... Stunning. 

Kate Bosworth

celebutopia

I think Fashionistas the world over breathed a sigh of relief when Kate Bosworth became friends with Stella McCartney. Kate is another one of those pretty, interesting actresses with great taste and an eye for style, usually pulling it off on the red carpet. I saw usually because (and mostly back when she was v. thin) she had some MAJOR fashion mishaps that i can't forget. Although this outfit almost makes me do so. Some people on tfs were calling it granny-ish, but i don't see it. I think it's classic and chic, and the clunkiness of the shoes (me  thinks Jil Sander or even Stella) with the interesting toe shap mess it up a bit. Also messing it up is the fact that she's paired the gorgeous, rich cream colour of the suit to a plain white tee, which should clash and look so wrong, but here looks clean and gorgeous. She seems every inch the effortless french ingenue that she was born to play. Now... someone give her a part in 'Radiant fashionable blonde girls: the movie' starring Diane, Ashley, Kate, Chloe and Clemence. 

Eva Green. 

Celebutopia

Wow. Return of the vamp, i'll say! After a while in fashion nowhere (the alexander mcqueen sari/butterfly sequin kaftan, anyone?) she is back, and she wants your blood. I just love this girl, ever since the first James Bond movie when her and Daniel Craig had so much chemistry i thought the screen was going to build up. She's also amazing in The Dreamers, a french movie with my future husband, Louis Garrel. She oozes sex appeal in a very different way to, say, Megan Fox does. Look at her! That milky skin, that beautiful, rich auburn hair (freshly dyed for a role, i think), perfectly set off with a forest green dress at the right length for her (suggestive, not slutty), cinched in at the waist... topped off with a pair of extreme heels. 40s Hollywood siren or Noughties dominatrix? Your call. 

Alexa Chung

Ah yes. You didn't think i would let slip the fact that Alexa's new show started this week, did you? Of course true to form the outfits were refreshingly alexa, underwhelming (i thought she would go all out with dresses and the whole shebang like on frock me) but still very nice. And what's more, so transferable to real life for plebs like me.

Day one: 

mtv

Thankfully for us MTV decided to upload the deets of her outfit in a bid, no doubt, to drive traffic and fangirls to their website. Well Alexa is wearing a Kova and T button down and Les Chiffoniers leggings (that favourite of fashion eds the world round) as well as sandals 'picked up from australia' that i can reveal are from Sportsgirl. Who would have thought, the Chung shops at Sportsgirl just like the rest of us! It's a nice thought. Anyway i thought this outfit was a bit meh for the opening ep of your new show, but then i saw the rest of the set with the kitchen, arm chairs, tea pots etc and i realised that they were trying to go for a relaxed, nonchalant vibe. Well that is certainly it! My favourite part of the outfit though are her tiffany blue nails, a stunning shade of sea green that i would love to emulate. The closest i can get with the polish i have is baby blue, someone suggested the new Chanel colours will include 'mint green'. Any other suggestions for reaching a sea green colour like this? 

Also i said 'day one' because i anticipated the other outfits being very good. Unfortunately the rest of them have been ok. I love this one, if i had the legs to pull of leather pants then i would be like flynn. Unfortunately i don't (or perhaps fortunately for everyone that has to watch what i wear!). Anyway the other outfits have been an ill-fitting grey dress by AUS label 'Lover' (puffed up sleeves threw the tiny alexa out of proportion), An overall romper over striped tee shirt (boring and unflattering, made her look like a child), a plain black dress with a cream cardigan which was nice, but nothing special. Oh well, you can't win them all!

TGIS, i suppose? Well it is TGIS for me because my exams are over! wooohooo!!! Singing FREEEEEDOM in a george michael way. 

X

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