Iconic Glastonbury 2011 Looks

Hi Gals, here are two of favourite iconic looks from Glastonbury 2011 festival, interstingly it's a bit of a sharp contrast between look one, featuring upfront Jessie J and the other look which features one of the behind the scenes presenters of the week the lovely Jo Whiley.

Jessie, J was born to wear edgy geometric designs and she look every inch the female super hero,this shot of her is so powerful yet still fun. Forgoing the cape was a smart move by Jessies stylist! 

What can I say, relaxed easy style, yet still impactful, 80s chic a go go, neon pink, white print on a black knit ups the Wham factor and flapping black fringing and aviators create a perfect look for Jo Whiley that reflects her down to earth yet up for anything attitude which has made her such a popular female presenter in the UK. Do you dress up or down for music events?     

                                      

Autumn/ Winter 2011 Runway Detailing

This may sound strange but generally Autumn/Winter 2011 runway collections are my favourite, as I revel in the use of varied texture in clothing, it adds character to even the most basic look. This Prada coat in exqusite peachy fur is shorn on along the length of the outer arm to reveal a runway (no pun intended) of nude suede and the elegant round suede collar and side fastening placket, punctuated with juicy lipstick red buttons.This is mirrored in the buckle detailing on the models belt. The clever architecture of this piece elongates the body and creates a regal decadence, not sure about the yellow clutch though! What do you think?

This sneak peak from Chanels fall collection could forcast that monotone will feature big in their Autumn/Winter collection I like the tone on tone grey tweed and floral fans ephasising the shoulderline of this coat, I am hoping for a elegant oriental 40s feel to their collection, watch this space!

 Textured Autumn/Winter look number 3 by Giorgio Armani has what I term the lickable effect, I am so inspired by Armani's in one sense simple colour palette in this fall look, which cunningly creates so much drama and has a almost gothic appeal. The wavey lines on the mac evoke visions of a mens comb being dragged through black paint. The subtle sheen on the models mac and accessories, give them a aristocratic vintage mexican feel, conker brown with large opal detailing I love!   

  

Images courtesy of Nina Garcia

                                   

Masters Of Style Exibition In London Celebrates Italy With The Goliaths Of Italian Fashion History

I'm thrilled to have been invited to a private viewing of Italian fashion designers at Somerset House in London to commemorate Italy's 150 years as a unified nation! The photographic exhibition entitled the Masters of Style, curated by the talented Colin McDowell and the indomitable Peroni Nastro Azzurro, documents the personal stories and journey of Dolce & Gabbana, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Missoni, Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo.

The Italian sense of style is so deeply inbedded in their culture, that they understand perfectly that well tailored stylish clothing can change how we feel, help us evolve through out the diffent phases of our life and that fashion is ultimately an expression of character which can empower us all.  

Curator of the exhibition, esteemed fashion journalist Colin McDowell, says:


“The expression ‘Made in Italy’ has become a global codeword for an embodiment


of style, conveying Italy’s position at the forefront of international trends, inspiring


and influencing the designers of tomorrow as it has done for over half a century.


When it comes to self expression, effortless style and flair, nobody does it better


or more naturally than the Italians.”






Masters of Style will run from 1st July- 14th August 2011 in the Embankment Galleries, Somerset House. Open daily from 10.00 to 18.00, Late night openings until 21.00 on Thursdays. Cost £6, £5 concessions don't miss it!

                                                                                          

                                                                            

                                             

Festival Chic | I get A Makeover Courtesy Of Dita Von Teese



Van Mildert By Vivienne Westwood




With Ben and Jerry's Sundae festival coming up soon, like many of us, I'm contemplating what I might wear to rock out at a festval, franky the rock chic look as much as I understand its longevity at festivals is wearing a little thin and to be honest in my opinion really works best for boyish frames. I also have a series case of the boho blues with regard to festival wear. So right now I'm looking to a rather unusual muse for the occasion, non other than Dita Von Teese whoes interpretation of styling down her look for a recent festival she attended was to wear this rather natty rope belt! What better way is there to keep your hair from flying in your face while you rock out to your favourite beats than wearing it in a sweet net at the nape of your neck?




Dita Von Teese - Festival Chic



 My version of Dita Festival chic has to be teaming this stunning hand painted African print dress from online company Van Mildert in a flattering cut by Vivienne Westwood with a pair of these vintage style, red, Marilyn Monroe spat ankle wellingtons (yes this is what they are called! Dita would approve!) from the Welly Shop (no tights needed) a lightweight fitted raincoat in grey or lilac (check out Dita Von Teese artfully carrying her raincoat slung over the back of her satchel) or I could opt for these rather sleek black moc croc, (the Welly company also) the contrast of pattern and texture would look so festive and yet so chic!

Marylin Monroe red spats - Welly Shop





Black moc croc wedge welly - Welly Shop

 Choosing the right bag can often be a dilemma so I'm keeping it simple and emulating vintage hollywood cruise style and opting for this sweet but ample vintage camera case bag in white and tan to carry my camera, lipstick and money in, from online company Rokit in London you may fear for my welbeing, carrying such a small bag, however a small bag will not dominate your style and exudes inner confidence.

Good news regarding the final part of my festival chic over story, if you want to recreate Dita Von Teeses hair style but its just that bit too time consuming for you, the frizz factor is having a moment and with this stunning tribal print dress by Van Mildert you can unleash your fluff factor and still be the talk of the beer tent!  



Frizzy Up Do









                                   Sharon x

Game Set And Match | Stylish Swimwear Summer 2011

Hi Gals, loving these creative swimwear shots by Urko Suayo and vintage swimwear shoot, there is simply no other reason a gal would willingly endure a headstand and leave the phone of the hook than dunking her head into a vat of cream and strawberries for a rush of summer yummy! Game set and match!   

                                   Sharon x

Mirror Mirror On The Wall Who Is The Fairest In Blogging Land?

Little Frost and his Snow Queen

Dear Gals,

Although I admit its not yet quite the season for the Snow Queen, this incredibly stunning picture, holds the clue to some exciting news I have just received which is my inspiration for penning this post. I am fasinated by how evocative traditional folklore and fairy tales are in the world of art, fashion and film, hence why I love Vivienne Westwoods theatrical brave clothing line. If I was ever lucky enougth to create my own clothing label it would have a sprinkling of fairy tale vision running through it, without being sickly or gothic, think elegance, drama, flamboyant cuts and rich colour and textures.

 Speaking of fairy tales yesterday the the lovely Torie Jayne informed me that I was the very lucky winner of a beautiful silver mirror inspired by a hat Philip Treacy created for a famous Royal from Juliettes Interiors. For me the mirror pictured above has Snow Queen written all over its swooping silver feathered edges, I love pieces that transport you somewhere magical! Yet this mirror is still very contemory in nature too. I shall imagine being swaddled in an ivory synthetic fur, bathed in the glow of northern lights, nose stinging with cold in my solid ice dressing room every time I look at this slightly haughty but very striking piece.The Perfect antedote to feeling hot and bothered in your dressing room, a mirror with the power to help you feel like a cool Russian princess even on the hottest of days!   

Phillip Treacy in studio working on a new hat design 

Camilla Parker Bowles

                                     Sharon x

Adding A Little Mystery Is Good For Your Soul As Well As Your Closet/Wardrobe

Dear Gals,

Hope your having your perfect weekend, todays post is a little bit of fun and mystery click here to join in! 

  love, Sharon x x

Meet Jaggy Nettle | Not A Rock Star Much Better!

Dear Gals,

Hope you have been enjoying some Fashionable Frolicking and all in all having a lovely time whatever your doing right now. 


Recently something pretty splendid happened to me now I know this word might seem a little OTT on a style blog, but really there is no other way to describe it.


I don't know if you have ever had one of those defining moments in life where it suddenly seems like the world has paused for a brief moment and you have caught a rare glimpse of something or someone that you discovered that is completely in sync with what your about! Well this happened to me when I came across independent UK clothing label Jaggy Nettle. After what seems like a lifetime of teasing from friends regarding my passion for natural fibres and their production, in particular my obsession for Harris Tweed. I finally have been introduced to the beautiful trilogy of woven fabric's that make up Jaggy Nettles designer collection, cashmere sweaters, Harris tweed high tops and blazers and denim that is pure genius as its designs are unisex, what a wonderful idea, we have unisex perfume so why not jeans?


Here are a few images and a copy of the statement from the about area on their website jaggynettle.com that I first fell in love with. All hail Jaggy Nettle for supporting the production of Harris Tweed and for elevating natural fabric production again, fighting against the tide of mass production and nylon, through their collaboration with masters in fabric production and then coming up with designs that lovingly showcase the weave of their golden trio to perfection. Don't know about you gals, but tweed high tops, beautiful contempory cashmere and unisex jeans made by an artisan family in Japan are my idea of fashion nirvana.

                                         About Jaggy Nettle                                     

                                                                         

It’s about designing and refining a silhouette to perfection.

It’s not about seasonality or trends.


It’s about making the best jeans in the world.


It’s about Scottish Cashmere.


And Tweed.


And print.


It’s not about half V’s or tapered trousers.


Or beards.


Its about bespoke, hand made, heritage, 100%, tradition, ltd edition, Made in UK, Made in Japan, pure, hand stitched, hand signed, hand numbered.


Not about 40,000 of this and 70,000 of that at 80p a unit.


£28.99 retail on the High Street the following Wednesday.


Not about that. Super clones.


Not about morphing into a country gent over night.


It’s about perspective.


About keeping your head up.


Its not about what it’s about.


It’s about what it is.

                                                 

Who Is This Stylish Lady?

Hi Gals, do you ever long for those whimsical moments in life? Hopefully I can help recreate one, lets play if you were this stylish lady who would you be? Go on you know you want to join in! Just a couple of lines on who you are and where your heading today?The best answer will feature as my next guest blogger! 

                                    Sharon x

Karma Perfume Review by Gorilla at Lush

                                       Sometime back I fell madly, deeply and truly in love with a perfume from my local Lush store in Preston, UK, I decided I had at last found my perfect match, the ONE, with a combination of heady scents such as patchouli, sweet orange, lavender and lemongrass oil, the scent of Karma was uplifting and calming at the same time. Think of it as the perfect antidote to looking just that little bit too spiky in your favourite tailored shirt's. Instead of a slightly messy or big and bouncy hairstyle, you can wear this warm sprawling eclectic fragrance, as a reminder that looking and feeling gorgeous is about being happy, relaxed and spontaneous.

So chapter two of this happy tale is having popped into Lush this morning I discovered this lovely fragrance has had quite a makeover you can now buy Karma as a solid, as part of Lushes Gorilla range, which make me ecstatic with happiness, why? Well firstly I have fairly dry sensitive skin and solid oil based perfumes last and last, secondly the little lipstick sized roll on, is soo portable and means the opportunity to reapply your Karma if needed is on hand all day long. Not only that I love the contradiction between the feminine fragrance inside and the black edgy packaging on the outside, you have perhaps gathered by now that I'm all about contradictions and hopefully that Karma perfume in my opinion is pretty sweet



P.S Lush believe in minimal packaging , the plain brown paper bag my item came in had a rather chic banana stamp on it and if I take back 5 black clean pots or tubes I will receive a free fresh face mask. I wonder if they will do a Karma fresh face mask by then? Ok maybe I could try something new, never good to get too fixated, even on a fragrance ..

                                     Sharon x x 

Mrs Jones Stylist To Rihanna Opens New Boutique In London Hackney

Hi Gals,

I was so excited when I discovered the little stylish wonderland that is Mrs Jones boutique had just opened in London, it's just darling and I had to share my little secret with you all! Shh don't tell anyone else it's strictly between us.

She has styled and designed for Kylie Minogue, Alison Goldfrapp, Madonna, Rihanna and The Killers. Now Fee Doran – aka Mrs Jones – opens her own shop in Shoreditch today. The riotous Mrs Jones’ Emporium showcases the celebrated costume designer’s greatest hits – most of which are for sale – alongside an eclectic selection of vintage pieces and accessories. Cashmere by Jaggy Nettle and headdresses by Feathersmith complete the mix. At the back of the shop, the in-store ‘Used Not Abused’ sells a wide range of second hand LPs; next to that is The Drama Parlour, Mrs Jones’ hair salon-cum makeover station. Open sporadically during the week and always at weekends, this is one very hot spot for East London’s glossy posse.

Mrs Jones’ Emporium, 49 Hackney Road, E2 7NX (07968 942191).

credits 'Now Here This' and images by David Ryle

                                Sharon x

Jessie J Hits A High Note At The Womens 2011 Glamour Awards

Hi Gals, I have been reveling in one of the most glamorous events of the year 2011, The Womens Glamour Awards! The atmosphere was almost crackeling  with the vast quantities of hairspray used backstage to help create those faultless celebrity updos? Did you take style notes? Whose style stood out for you? 

Glamour awards or evening dress success, boils down to getting the following things right with your look for the evening, colour, cut and shape and the finale most important piece of the style puzzle? Reflecting your style personalty whilst doing it in a fresh way every time if your a celebrity, so your fan's and you don't get bored! Take note of the two talented and beautiful ladies above, Ellie Goulding is wearing Jonathan Saunders,the dress is simple, striking and monochrome and so should work for this Glamour event on every level, however unfortunately it fails to, the reason? If you compare Ellie Gouldings dress to Tulisa Constostavlos's neon pink  dress above which looks stunning on her, the dress is not wearing her, she looks like it fits her better somehow, it is not the fit that Ellie got wrong in my opinion (her dress fits perfectly) but the style of this very chic modern take on Hollywood glamour, which is too far removed from Ellies tom boyish sweet style, we all know and admire, see her tux moment which I love below.

 It's why celebrity women employ a stylist to ensure they have a constantly evolving signature look that runs right through their wardrobe/closet each season. Here is my round up of those celebrity women, who got their signature style perfect on the night and so look effortlessly stylish.
    



Daisy Lowe- Maverick Rock Chic - Oozing sophistication



                                              



Jesse J vampy and dark high glamour



Paloma Faith- Hollywood quirk

 Rosie Huntington- Whiteley, etheral beauty, the cut of her dress, echos her bodylines to perfection



                                                      

                                  Sharon x x 

Glamour Women Awards 2011 | Top Three Best Dressed

Hi Gals, its that time again the glamour women awards and rather than getting all catty and saying who was on the worst dressed list, I'm going to simply share my personal top three best dressed list. First up, I am so pleased to see  Katherine Jenkins in this strong neon lipstick pink, the cut is perfect for her proportions and the black accents on the waist and beneath the bust give the 60's vixen look a little edge.

Next up Jammela Jamil, I like the fact she has not gone for predictable glamour which would be very easy for her to ramp up. Blue is definately a very flattering colour for her to wear and she has been playful with texture, pattern and shape, note the metalic heart box bag and blue suede pumps,the waterfall effect achieved via the sash on her dress and her bag held on the same side also shows this girl knows how to work the lense, the whole look elongates and emphasises her beautiful coltish limbs to perfection.This look says I'm pretty but no shrinking violet! Bravo!

My finale favourite look of the night was the beautiful Sarah Ferguson, although this gold draped dress is classic and not a huge departure for her, the mathmatical genius of this cut allows her elegance to shine through with pure confidence. A note on hair styling, regarding my personal best dressed list, they all got it spot on in my opinion, not a bad hair day in sight, so ladies if your reading congratulations to you!

                                Sharon x

Fresh Cargo Massai Treads Review

I was recently approached by Fresh Cargo to review a pair of their fair trade Maasai tread flip flops, I have to say I had mixed feelings, you see me and flip flops have never really got along and believe me I have tried quite a few. I like the understated looks of a good flip flop for the right occasion of course, but they tend to rub me up the wrong way and in a matter of minutes I'm left with red welts from unyielding toe posts. On the other hand I was keen to find out more about fairtrade footwear with such great ethics and share it here.

First Impressions


My brown flip flops arrived in a recycled plastic carrier bag not particularly pretty, but certainly in keeping with the companies ethics, they came with a really informative brochure, featuring the various colours they offer( they carry pink, purple, blue and black versions as well as a mens style featuring a broader strap) and a detailed history about production of the Maasai tread flip flops and the ethics behind them ( Personally I love having detailed information about my clothing and shoe wear purchases, what's gone into making it, brings what I purchased to life and helps me understand its true value) from a fairtrade perspective I was very impressed!

 • The shoes are made all by hand by Massai tribesman in Kenya supporting local employment and industry (fairtrade)


• 5% of profits are donated to the Born Free foundation, which rescues big cats, great apes and elephants providing them with food and care


• The sole of the shoe is made by recycling old car tyres


• The uppers are made from 100% hemp, which uses less chemicals than cotton, is more durable, warmer and more water resistant


• They feature a sweet and very discreet label on the one of the straps that reads Maasai Treads as well as the fresh cargo label on the sole, which I liked.


Comfort and Style


At last a flip flop that actually does not rub! The rubber toe posts are lovely and soft and pliable, Fresh Cargo were right to wax lyrical about the quality of the materials used and the craftsmanship of the Maasai tribesmen. The double row of stitching is impeccable and the hessian does feel warm underfoot, although the grain of the hemp is slightly coarser than I Imagined it might be, it adds depth to the colour. The treads on the flip flops are flexible and not surprisingly provided great traction even on my slippery laminate flooring.

 From a style point of view these people know how to elevate the humble flip flop, but I have to say sizing permitting, I would be inclined to order a pair of fresh cargo Maasai treads from the men's range as well, as they offer a wider strap in black which contrasts with the colour of the bright sole and I think this adds additional impact, which would work well with my jeans. Check them out and let me know if you think this style works for us gals too.

please note - I received these Massai Treads as compensation for my review for freshcargo.co.uk





                                  

Proenza Schouler Exclusive Beach Accessory Launch | Gives New Meaning To Towelling!

 Hi Gals, I get butterflys about clothing label's that know how to combine great tailoring, contempory style and texture masterfully, dynamic duo Proenza Schouler understand the magic of combining all three of these elements in their striking women wear  collection's. Tomorow they launch this ravishingly sophisticated beach bucket bag and aztec print towel in rich colours. In my opinion talented fashion designers such as Proenza and Schouler set themselves apart by their abilty to funnel their vast repertoire of design vision and ethics into a simple garment or accessory, so that it is instantly recognisable on the crowded sandy beach for which it is was intended, genius!! Could there be however a teeny tiny problem to spoil this moment? I think so, couples everywhere will fight to the death to decide who gets to take this handsome pairing out first!! 

     

                                                                                  

                                                                             

                                       Sharon x