1940's Vintage Inspiration | With My Passport to Style

 Hi Gals, a little piece of 40's glamour from the Designers Vintage Guild, are you going to be working this look A/W 11? 

Wardrobe Workout | Which Type Of Neckline Will Flatter You

Hi Gals,

it's been a while since I last held court at a Wardrobe Workout session and with the arrival of enough shirt collars and variations on necklines this A/W 2011 to sink the Titanic! I decided to dive right into helping you lovely ladies, navigate the choppy waters of which neckine is right for you. Most of us fall into two camps we either have a swan like neck or a neck which is shall we say less swan like (shorter), usually that means we are compensated by a curvy figure, so its not all bad news. Anyway the need to nail which neckline is right for you is paramount, get it wrong and your neck will look either scrawny or rugby player esque, get it right and you will look elegant and sophisticated, polished and well ladylike.

So if your swan like you can opt for the small high collars that are hot this A/W and follow Anne Hathaways lead above, here are some lovely examples below, peterpan, button up, high yoke -  

If your more like Kate and me, then you can wear a peter pan collar provided it is low set, you will need to try it on and you can also opt for any of the following styles, pussy bow, square and grandad - 

 All Topshop, any questions please email me. xxx

Audrey Tautou Modern Day Flapper Girl

This shot of Audrey Tautou shrouded in her beautiful cloak of mystery, looking stunning in this ivory vest and jet skirt like ensemble of geometric oversized sequins; a modern day flapper girl, that's my style analysis anyway and I'm sticking to it. There is something so mystical, yet so satisfying about geometric fashion and design ( that fits so well with Audreys style) made more dramatic from the history of where and when this type of design first became fashionable in the 20's with references of egyption achitecture.

 

F Is For ......

F is for flinging your satchel across your shoulder before you saunter out into the bright sunshine blinking like a cute bunny rabbit, minus the whiskers of course!

 Cambridge Satchel Company

Fashion Art !

Handy way to eat your afternoon tea spread out on your glamorous skirt, pregnant ladies you have the advantage!!

The White Fairy Tale Love Ball 2011 Hosted By Natalia Vodianova

 I had to share these stunning images that were shot in the run up to the Love Ball of Natalia Vodianova by photographer Paulo Roversi they gave me goosebumps as I uploaded them, they are so magical dark and light at the same time. I love the way Natalia manages to capture the spirit of the Love Ball event in some of her poses, looking like a child lost in play, in these shots she looks tiny and then by the miracle of the supemodel and clever photography looks so lythe and long of limbs.The closed eyes shots are expectional, through her body language she evokes the spirit of a ballerina caught in the moment, about to dance her next step.For those of you that are not familar with the Love Ball held Wednesday the 6th of July, it was set up by the supermodel to raise funds for Russian charity the Naked Heart Foundation, which aims to create play areas and more recently family centres for Russian children and orphans, the charity recognises and celebrates the importance of play for healthy child development a subject that is close to my heart too.

 The event hosted in Paris at the Chateau de Wideville, by Natalia Vodianova wearing a stunning red Valentino gown, was a glittering spectacle of white and silver the theme for the evening and celebrity guest women  looking like every kind of variation on the snow queen imaginable, were invited to quench their thirst with piles of real snow balls stacked on solid golden platters, sorry I ran away with myself there!  When you enter the world of fairytale its very tempting to embellish a little! I think perhaps refreshments were more in the realms of champagne! The event helped raise a two million euros, bravo Natalia and her team! 

Natalia Vodianova / Giambattista Valli @Paolo Roversi for NHF

Natalia Vodianova / Worth @Paolo Roversi for NHF

The White Fairy Tale Fashion Show

Natalia Vodianova / Yves Saint Laurent @Paolo Roversi for Naked Heart Foundation

Natalia Vodianova / Oscar de la Renta @Paolo Roversi for NHF

Natalia Vodianova / Ulyana Sergeenko @Paolo Roversi for NHF

Natalia Vodianova / Stella McCartney @Paolo Roversi for NHF

images courtesy of Natalia Vodianova facebook page, to find out more about the Naked Heart Foundation charity just click

C Is For .....

 

Sharing my two favourite words for today with you, that help evoke stylish behaviour whatever the situation

c is for cinching your waist in,vital to looking well groomed whatever the occassion

medusa belt - Lily and Lionel

w is for wafting, wafting with your scarf is vital to looking stylishly nochalant.  

starfish scarf -Lily and Lional


Both these beautiful finds are from Lily and Lionel

My Passport to Style| Goes Back Stage With Stephane Rolland At Paris Fashion Week!

Backstage at Paris fashion week A/W 2011-2012 with Stephane Rolland, his collection is impeccable, breath taking edgy designs, clothing and architecture were never so closely paired, I'm in heaven. Just looking at the strong clean lines from his collection, you  realise very quickly that your posture would stand corrected the moment you step into one of his dresses and have it magically deftly zipped up by the invisible hands of the Rolland team (they come as standard with any item from the his collection, did'n't you know?) the slouch in you would not stand a chance!!Makeup and hair styling on the models reflect the purity and grandeur of the collection, but have a slight eerie perfection reminiscent of shop manequins which adds that essential untouchable quality that is at the heart of the magic of Paris fashion week.

 

My Passport to Style | Explores Mulberrys Latest Fashion Campaign For Their Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection

One of my favourite stories, both as an adult and a child, has always been Road Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox. As some of you may know from previous posts you have read, I get a bit excited when fashion houses and designers manage to successfully distil the creative magic of fairytales and folklore into their runway collections. British clothing designers tend to have a knack for creating the unexpected, runway shows are all about thrilling audiences with the spectacle and drama of fashion and capturing their imagination, but a bit like the fairy tales we read as a child there is often an enduring and real message behind the fantasy that resonates with us and has depth, which is why children's stories are often such a powerful medium to use in the world of fashion - something the Mulberry team understand only too well.

A recent short break to the breathtaking, verdant countryside around Buttermere in Cumbria, where I found a furniture shop selling lifelike woodland creatures made to scale, such as badgers and foxes clothed in tweed and flannel, meant I was finally united with my perfect fantastic and very dapper Mr Fox.

Having met up with fantastic Mr Fox again, I was inspired to write about Mulberry's Autumn /Winter 2011 campaign and collection which have used the story of Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl, as their source inspiration. The stroke of genius in choosing this children's story as the central theme for their collection and campaign from both a fashion and marketing perspective, in my opinion, cannot be underestimated. They have managed to successfully showcase very current cultural themes whilst capturing the mood of Britain right now, through their visual interpretation of English woodland and countryside animals in Roald Dahl’s story Fantastic Mr Fox. Mulberry have tapped into the public's reawakened fascination with British Royalty and aristocracy who have long been associated with country pursuits and state visits to Wales and Scotland. Birds in flight were also very symbolic of the late Alexandra McQueen and his collections, so again the subliminal use of wildlife, foxes and birds in particular in Mulberry's Autumn/ Winter campaign, I believe, sends out a very potent message in the wake of the sad death of McQueen and his successor Sarah Burton taking over at the helm and being tasked to design Kate Middleton's bridal gown, for the Royal Wedding.


Mulberry could have taken a far more gritty but still very British path with their Autumn/Winter 2011 campaign choice and created visuals that alluded to the powerful connection between the pursuit of hunting, gentry and aristocracy in Britain, however that would have been too masculine. Their women's collections are known for being slightly quirky and yet very definitely feminine, added to that Mulberry's fan base identify strongly with them as animal lovers.

I believe the message behind the story of Fantastic Mr Fox itself, that fans of the film or book and quintessential British children's author Roald Dahl will be familiar with, is a very apt and sympathetic one. It resonates with the adversity some families from all walks of life and the globe find themselves in and alludes to the value of family and sacrifice. The dilemma that some people face, to stockpile for the future or live for today. Although all the characters in the story are woodland animals, the story is in essence of a husband with his back against the wall, his lively hood at stake, his wife fearful of his risk taking and the family and communities triumph over adversity through their ability to adapt. Like all great children's stories it contains a message of hope, a message that most certainly runs right through the Mulberry brand.

                                 

My Passport to Style | Does Diors Autumn/Winter 2011 Collection Have What It Takes?

What do you get when you lock Bill Gaytten, Diors new head designer together with a pyramid of pastel sprinkles, a flurry of candyfloss clouds, fairground wizardry and a gaggle of clowns in a cutting room at the house of Dior? Simple really the drama and fairytale of the big top, sensual, dramatic satin ruffles and the thrill and intensity of a laser light show spillling onto dresses, with back pannels that will billow out should a breeze catch them. Texture, slick use of colour, movement a plenty, drama, sweet but strong. Gayttens Autumn/Winter 2011 collection is diverse, fun in parts but ever so dramatic and the skill and daring he demonstrated darting from opposing moods/colour shifts which characterize his A/W collection is breathtaking! Hair is big, barbarella style or has high fluff factor, eyes are sweet with large pale giant sequins or sticky bright colours and brows.    

strobe light checks genius!

I desireth this, no not the pale and interesting doughnut's! The above!

 geometric candy cones, make sweetness, sharp!

                                                                               shiney gobstoppers      

loving the nude tiny tulle pompom detailing above

                                                                               

I love! But do you? Do tell!