Wearing A Faux Fur Hat

Ok I have a fashion confessional to make to you, now seems a relevant time since we are still in ear bitingly cold weather. I live close by to a woman who may or may not be Russian, but wears what looks like a big full on Russian fur hat, every time I see her wearing it I have to stifle a snigger, so am I laughing out of superiority? No not at all, I just find furry hats pretty comical, they just seem a little ott like the Busby hats the guards wear at Buckingham Palace or the slightly cheesy images of Bond girls on the ski slopes, apologise to any Bond fans or Anglophiles .
 

 

 

 

 

 

The funny thing is I love hats of all kinds and I’m usually very open minded about style, I like faux fur and I have no issue with the many animal faux furhoods worn by festival goers during the summer last year, do I snigger about big hair, bouncy curls, bee hives or furry bear or wolf hoods? No, I often think they add something to a look and are fun. So after pondering a little longer on my reaction and remembering back to my love for Paula of Pink Bow’s tribute to fur hat wearing, I realised my embarrassingly childish reaction was all about the size of the hat. Although I do think the colour makes a difference, Paula’s fur hat is the right proportion and in vibrant turquoise creates a fun look that is more about texture and colour, her sleek hair style helps too. Do you like fur hoods or hats?

 

Paula of Pink Bow wearing a blue faux fur hat

 

*Images source - Google images, Pink Bow and Redoute*

Man Repellers Part In The Shoe Revolution

There is a rumour going round that a shoe revolution is under way, fashionistas, fashion bloggers and style icons are starting to diss the view that you must suffer to look stylish, in favour of comfort. My view is popular site The Man Repeller has played a part in shifting our thinking away from caring as much about what the opposite sex might like us to wear, to what is actually comfy for us to wear as well as stylish. Karl Lagerfeld's recent pretty pastel offering at Chanel, teamed with a chunky gold shoe that slimmed the calves as much as the toning effects of a pair of high heels sealed the deal for flat phobics everywhere .

Is Comfort A Dirty Word ?

The funny thing is though that although women of all ages like the freedom of dressing comfortably, (I read  enough complaints on fashion forums to know!) we don't like to acknowledge it, somehow the thought of saying that comfort and style are equally important to us, leaves us wide open to speculation by others that we must only ever wear elasticised waistbands, big knickers and sports bras, thus aging us by another 30 years! Remember the savage attack of Uggs and legging wearers, which left women across the UK not daring to leave the house in comfort for fear of being branded a sloth. Witnessing women up north hobble in six inch heels to a night club as they simultaneously shiver I'm not so sure those criticisms were justified, looking relaxed in what we wear rather than strained is actually very attractive and feels good.

 What's the point of looking fashionable at a night club if you then have to sit on the sidelines and watch wistfully as others dance themselves dizzy.

It's Not Cool To Encourage Models To Suffer!

 In need of more convincing just watch Britain and Irelands Next Top Model  and you can bet that there will be a shoe fail, that will sabotage one of the models during her shoot, instead of projecting her thing, her face will have frozen with the pain leaving the judges tut- tutting over her shot and questioning  how professional this makes her.

Whilst I am passionate about couture and style, I'm usually at this point yelling at the tv "she is human have a heart!"

Let us remember that the 60's one of the most popular sources of inspiration for fashion designers gave birth to the mini skirt because a woman had the genius idea of lopping inches of their skirts to allow for freedom of movement, which just happened to be pretty darn sexy too!   

Retrospective The History Behind Fashion LFW13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was invited to the press Retrospective fashion show for London Fashion Week 2013 at Bloomsbury ballroom, sadly I was unable to attend, so I thought I would share some of the inspirational vintage pieces that featured here on My Passport To Style. This clever new concept in historical catwalk fashion received rave reviews last year at London Fashion Week 2012, the show featured genuine vintage designs ranging from the 1920s through to the 80s blending casual look with more formal wear to present a window into the new seasons trends.Since much of  fashion is already created by taking inspiration from the past this concept makes perfect sense.The show featured pieces from Chanel, Pucci, Vivienne Westwood, Biba, Dior and Donna Karen.

My Doggy Substitute | This Could Catch On!

  

I'm a dog lover I don't own one, really because If I can't commit to walking a dog as frequently as they need I don't think it's fair. One of the fun things about dog walking is all sorts of people approach you and feel free to make conversation with you, people love guessing the type of character you are based on the type of dog you own, even though they might not admit to it! At the risk of sounding extremely frivolous the good news is us women can enjoy pretty much the same social benefits if we enjoy putting our favourite bag through its paces.
 

Bags Of Character!

  We love checking out and another women's handbag and far from the belief that it's because we are competitive about dressing, I believe it is more about the fact we are curious to learn more from our first impressions of another woman. There are exceptions 'IT' handbag owners are a little like proud show dogs owners, 'look at me, admire me', the sleek minimalist lines of their handbag declare, but the nature of the IT bag is to exude status, status does not in my opinion often equal character,which means apart from the obvious this woman is rich clue you might walk away none the wiser as to what she is like. I'm fascinated by the way we have lost interest in the IT bag at a time when you would think our social status was more important to us than ever. While men put in more hours at the gym and upgrade their cars and personal image to help create the right image I think it says a lot about us women that we are tired of the IT bag. We enjoy bags that possess a distinct character that reflects where we are in our life and how we feel on any given day.

 

Which Way Do You Carry Yours?

 The way we carry our handbag says a lot too. How do you choose to carry your bag? Personally I rarely carry my bag on the shoulder or in the crook of my arm, my favoured methods are cross body, messenger or in my hand, I think it looks cleaner and for me it feels more relaxed and natural. I like handbags that speak of adventure, travel and freedom and that have a sense of utility but are at the same time our perhaps slightly quirky, but most importantly don't detract from what I wear and melt into my sense of style . I love the way the old style camera case has now been reproduced as a classic hard cased small bag.

 

Woof Woof!

 Ok so there are limitations your handbag maybe happy to be accompany you on walks, be stroked and be tethered to your chair (rather than a lamp post) while you sip coffee with friends, but you can't throw it a stick or watch it wag its tail, on the other hand you don't have to worry about washing the mud out of its fibres after it has rolled around in the grass or collect the steaming parcels it has deposited on the pavement or at park!    

Light Club Comes To Vegas

 

 

 

If ever there was the perfect excuse for me to finally visit Vegas it is probably this, club Light launches in April (which coincides with my birthday) with the help of Cirque Du Soleil and a combination of stella DJS from around the globe, we can expect amazing light shows, theatrics and beautiful costumes and makeup.Cirque Du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte describes the clubs collaboration with Light as a working laboratory in which Cirque Du Soleil can come up with new and exciting possibilties and projects.

 

credits - technabob.com

 

 

 I am a massive fan of Cirque Du Soleil, I love losing myself in the fantasy of their visually breathtaking stories and acrobatics, throw in incredible music and sci fi dazzling lighting schemes and I'm imagining possibly the best ever place to party. So I guess this is the place to wear those really over the top outfits, that your friends look at tut and say 'too much,' Man Repeller would approve of and you sadly put in the pile labeled 'in another life.' If you wondering how over the top to go, take a look at the coat below to give you a bench mark ladies.Find out more here  

 

 

 

Source - Nylon magazine

Bloggers Paradise

When Shopping In Manchester The Words Less Is More Apply

So where should every self respecting fashion blogger head if they have a couple of hours in Manchester to kill? Well, if like me you’re always conscious of time and love gadgets that help you blog but look like they are an integral  part of your latest look, then a fashionable time piece and camera is a must. Glossy colourful accessories and up-cycled fashions are also de-rigueur. With this in mind I highly recommend a visit to the swatch shop in the Arndale Centre on Market Street, where I found the staff are warm and very knowledgeable. The knowledge that the Swiss designers of swatch are so highly secretive about each new design, makes a trip to the shop the equivalent of visiting the vault at Gringotts - well for me anyway! The breadth of the range is vast, shoe designers don't come close.                                                                      



Swatch - Double Vision watch 

 



 Fantastic Plastic

 If you're a fashion blogger up north that enjoys being playful with your style, swatch’s recent collab with American fashion designer Jeremy Scott might be for you - choose from the Double Vision swatch watch that looks like a pair of cartoon spectacles and can quickly move from one zany time piece to two swatch’s with the addition of an extra strap, I like the idea of having one coloured strap on one side and a black strap and face on the other (rather than opting for a black watch) great for Kooples wanting to share their time together!





Swatch - Portrait Watch

Scotts other watch, the swatch portrait watch in black, features a removable ornate picture frame. The swatch’s I'm lusting after are both by Japanese designers, the first is a doll faced lady (Blue Wrath) by Hideaki Kawashima and the second is Uma Wang’s Pretty Bohemian, which has a real Mexican flavour.



 Swatch Blue Wrath watch



 Swatch - Pretty Bohemian  watch



 

 Next destination for those not familiar is the wonderful world of Lomography, which has much in common with swatch’s culture and ethos, great prices, light weight plastic design and the option to change your camera to suit every occasion; from what I lovingly dubbed the Elvis camera (whilst chatting to store manager David Tester) in white and  gold, to a stunning faded looking canvas Egyptian camera that left me swooning with the romance of it all, to enough bond type camera gadgetry for those with a tendency to spy on their neighbours and last but not least Lomo’s newly launched deck chair clad cameras which are just so chic its untrue.







Lomography - Gold Edition

 








 Lomography - Diana F + Sahara










Lomography - Sardinia Capri 





I Feel Witty And Pretty And Gay, repeat after me!

 Dizzy with print I next plunged headlong into a riot of colour and fancy at Parisian label Pylones. Here you will find everything from a witty kitty umbrella, to scissors that look like ballerinas with attitude - I love that they have taken the mundane and made it beautiful and funny, to me that's art in action.

Pylones nail scissors

 



pretty lace vest made from upcycling net curtains - Junk Manchester







Last but not least anyone that can take a pair of net curtains and transform them into a garment that looks like it were stitched from genuine lace has to a be an up-cyclist extraordinaire. Charlotte, owner of Junk my final Manchester shopping destination, is a down to earth friendly fashion designer who wants purchasing up-cycled items to become as common place as a visit to your local Topshop. As someone who has featured many independent designers and ethical labels on my fashion blog, I was very impressed by the quality of her tailoring and the creative use of fabrics, there were some really standout pieces, I will definitely be back!    

 

 



peach deco inspired vest - Junk Manchester



 

Finale Thought?

 I would give my best china and a big slab of mocha brownie to design either a Swatch watch or Lomography camera and have the honour of naming it, just putting it out there....

My Passport To Style| Lomography City Guide London Review

Review Of Lomography City Guide London 

I feel like I have just been initiated into a secret society, well in truth I kind of have. I was offered an opportunity to review the Lomography City Guide To London and you have to admit given that the world is currently consumed with all things London post Olympics, the timing was pretty good.

 For those of you not familiar with Lomography and the society, it is simply a movement to enjoy using film rather than digital to capture images, the society urges carefree  abandon, when snapping, control and perfectly honed images are not at all where it's at, the colourful plastic cameras that Lomography shops sell reflect their fun carefree approach to photography, I love this approach, I'm a great believer that too much perfection can be boring, it's the imperfections that make life interesting, if we get too hung up about producing something the end result can be producing nothing.

Lush Emotional Brilliance Review

 

 

Hi Gals, here’s part two of Lush lip products, featuring Passionate from the Emotional Brilliance range of liquid makeup. So what struck me first is the packaging, which is very me, I like the scientific looking  pipette lid which also gives the bottle a vintage feel,  it could have been bought from an old apothecary shop. The little card label is a delight for any die hard Alice in Wonderland blogging fans. I had heard already from other users of this range that the lip colours are exceptionally moisturising and highly pigmented and the feedback was right!

Lush The Kiss Lip Gloss - Review

 

So it’s confessional time I’m oh so slightly addicted to lip balm, lip stick and lip gloss, to the point where if I don’t happen to have at least one of the above on my person I feel naked but not in a good way, for some people it’s mascara for me it’s lip products.

 Makeup Draw Detox

 Anyway enough of my nakedness.  I was keen to review two lip products from Lush because of the above reasons, one of which is the newly launched limited edition The Kiss lip gloss and the Passionate liquid lip colour, to be honest I’m pretty good about using preservative free or natural ingredients on my face, but for some reason that is where my healthy streak ends, my lips get whatever shiny, glossy plumping concoctions catch my eye whether that’s on the front of a magazine or at a makeup counter.  Currently I am juicing and eating a cleaner diet, which got me thinking perhaps I need to detox my make up draw too, starting with lip products.

My Paisley Dilemma

 

 

Phase Eight- Ally Paisley Trousers

 

 

Topshop - Dandy slipper

Great Plains  -Paisley Party Trousers

 

If there is one print that I have to buy into know matter how much of that print I already have in my wardrobe, it is paisley, I like the opulent print, feathery plumes and swirls of  bright colours are such a heady mix.

Fashion By Emma Leonard

 

About A Girl - copyright 2013 Emma Leonard

 

 

Peaches - copyright 2013 Emma Leonard

 

With The Sun Sinking Low -copyright 2013 Emma Leonard

 

I recently came across the work of artist Emma Leonard from Melbourne I was smitten by her way of drawing fabric (scarves) and hair in her images of 'shy girls' however bizarre that sounds. She plays with the details of fashion in a subtle but beautiful way, every time I look at her work, I appreciate something new about it, you have to be good at drawing hands to attract attention to them with red polish.The contrast between the soft pink stack of bangles and the deeper velvet red lips, nails and blue and white turban adds a lovely sense of texture to the top sketch which were she a less skilled artist could look flat.

My Valentines Wish List

 

 

Romantic Opal box zChocolate

Jasper Conran -Valentines Ludus range

Phase Eight-Helen Hearts Print Dress 

Diana Mini Love Letters Camera

Willow Pattern Soap -Lush

Jasper Conran Valentines Ludus Range -Perfume

Tatty Devine - Enamel Love Earrings

A Shoes Of Prey gift voucher to create my very own ballet pumps


So I thought I would share my Valentines wish list with you I like my Valentines day gifts to be romantic obviously, a little unusual, slightly quirky is good and memorable. I would be pretty ecstatic to receive any of the above from A.Or whatever he chooses as I love surprises too. I would say I'm the more romantic of the two of us.We always exchange Valentines gift's my gift to him is usually a picture, we are both very visual and love art.

 When I was single I bought myself a gift on Valentines day and it felt pretty good. If I was single now I would get together a group of single friends and initiate a secret Valentines and we could all spoil each other by exchanging surprise gifts over a meal.

 My little round up ranges from under £5.00 for the Lush Willow Pattern soap to over 100.00 for a striking box of Zchocolates which come in a box you can customise with a photograph of your choice or a Shoes of Prey gift voucher to allow you to custom design your own ballet pumps.

The Lush Willow Pattern soap was a big hit with me as I have always collected china and glass. The soap's pattern has a love story behind and is scented with rose and lemon, I love the idea of the china pattern slowly fading as you wash with it, till it resembles a piece of antique pottery.

 It would be fun to play the queen of hearts in the Phase Eight Helen Hearts wrap dress, punctuate my ears the pain free way with these tattoo Tatty Devine heart enamel earrings and spritz myself with this heart felt fragrance from Jasper Conrans Ludus range.

 I don't think there is a fashion blogger out there, that wouldn't swoon at the sight of the Diana mini Love Letters camera with flash.

 Anyone who knows me well, knows that gift buying for me is easy as I can never have too many candles, maybe it's something to do with my being a fire sign. I fell for this candle from the Ludus range at Jasper Conran, nestled in a ceramic checkered board pot which comes in a box with a keyhole design.I love how theatrical it looks, the lips look like they are wearing that rich velvety red that I never seem to quite be able to achieve.

 Don't forget my Valentines giveaway, there is still time to enter here.
    
 *all images courtesy of the above online stores*