Meet Soulful Jewellery Designer Cari- Jane Hakes

Yellow Submarine ring

I recently came across Cari- Jane Hakes jewellery and her blog after she left me a comment on a fashion post I wrote during London fashion week. We both share a love of architecture and the enjoyment of translating that into our sense of style, me as stylist and fashion blogger and her as a jewellery designer. Add to that I'm a bit of a sucker for the poetic and with the names of Cari-Janes pieces ranging from Storm necklace to Yellow Submarine ring I had to find out more about her label and her design process.

 I have never been particularly snobby about jewellery, having lots of costume jewellery and can honestly say I cherish my strings of plastic beads and clusters of colourful glass brooches (and how they can help transform an outfit) nearly as much as the pieces in my jewellery box made of green amber or white gold. Cari-Jane knows how to be playful with proportions and shape, when you look at Cari-Janes work you feel like you have just stumbled into a room of special objects, adults would not of let you play with, but you know in your heart you could have hours of fun playing make believe with, her pebbles contain tiny spy holes and gleaming rings, sprout copper barnacles , wearing a piece of Cari-Janes would be like wearing a secret that only you and she know about.

Rock Pool ring

 I asked Cari- Jayne to design a piece for me and I thought it would be fun to share her design process here with you. Here are some of my favourite pieces from her current collection, in part two of this post on Cari-Janes work, I will be sharing what inspiration Cari -Jayne used for designing a necklace for me based on some of my passions and key pieces from her collection and her design process and sketches.

Storm Necklace

Fearlessly Feminine Necklace

 You can find more of Cari-Janes Hakes work here at hybrid handmade

You can sign up to My Passport To Style posts by email top right of this blog

Preview Of Russian Designer Nikolay Krasnikov S/S 2012

Every now and again I love to write and showcase clothes here on My Passport To Style that reflect my romantic nature, sometimes though, that can backfire, as perceptions of what is romantic varies across cultures and tastes. I don't for example find is at all romantic to wear a pale pink dress limply clinging around my ankles like a piece of curled up ham. I like dresses like my hot chocolate served with a shot of fiery chilli or should I say in relation to clothing slightly tempestuos, think Carmen Miranda or the hot bright colours of Mexico that's more me! So when I was sent the look book of Russian designer Nikolay Kransnikov  S/S 2012 collection inspired by the paintings of Philip Malyavins which combined a story of peasant women wearing  heady reds and blue floral tapestries I was smitten enough to share the images here. Nikolay Kransnikov shares his next collection during Russian Fashion week on the 24th of March just incase you fancy popping by, (show me the plane and I'm on it!!) to see the painting  that inspired the collection click here    

photo credits- Anton Bundenko

Anthropologies Homage To India

Having just seen the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which is set in India for those of you who have not yet heard of it and stars the leading actor Dev Patel from Slum Dog Millionaire (above) among a stella cast which includes Dame Judy Dench at her best and Bill Nighy to name a few. The dream like setting and rich colours reminded me that I still needed to share my photos from my recent visit to Anthropologie in London. The clash of pastels and chalky brights, combined with the feeling of being in a ram shackled warehouse full of exotic treasures mirrors the mood of this film perfectly. I wonder if it was a grand plan on the part of Anthropologie or whether it was just good luck that the flamboyant slightly eccentric stying of their store with references to India fits so well with yet another high calibre film set in Asia.I promise to let you know if I find out? Hope you enjoy the photos.  

I loved this mangle of brightly coloured wool creeping steathily up the wall of Anthropologies wall!

bright orange collarless mac, I would wear it with a black lattice weave satchel

I know these are flowers festooned to the front of these mint vases but they make me think of bright coral

These  french candles were like a row of vanilla milkshakes just waiting to be downed with a few swift gulps! 

This perfume vial look like they would be at home  in a humid butterfly house

I Love Being Minted!

As soon as I saw this little mint topped biscuit with it's delicate scalloped edges studded with pure white pearls I felt myself yearning to play dress up and came over all frilly. These darling shoes and earrings are the result! Will you be working pastel shades this spring 2012 ?

Sign up to My Passport To Style fashion posts by top right of this blog, for more on this S/S  fashion trends and how to wear them.

  

photo credits -style bubble, the cake decorating company and anthropologie

A/W 2012 Review | The Tartan Queen Goes Tribal

I have a bit of obsession for British heritage fabrics such as tartan, tweed and plaid. So it was an obvious choice to choose to cover Vivienne Westwood's A/W  2012 Red Label runway collection here on My Passport To Style today. Take a look at my favourite pieces from her runway collection. Westwood combined her impeccable pinstripe tailoring with tribal prints in very wearable shades, such as toffee, burnt red, denim and violet.

 Signature Style

 Her usual signature design elements were evident such as big bows on shirts, the floppy cowl neck ( used in dresses for both evening and daywear)  that she loves to use and the side fastenings on dresses and jackets. She is the mistress of layering pattern and texture and making it look exciting but at the same time elegant. 

Even The Great Get It Wrong

I liked her reworked version of Victorian spats, but felt her honey monster stripe rugby shirt was just not hitting her usual high notes, I am biased as I have never really liked rugby shirts on women, they are so boxy, I think it was a odd choice for her given how she loves to accentuate the curves of a woman. The tribal markings that were etched onto models legs were a bit clichéd and looked slightly tacky in my opinion.

Accessorize Watch Out!

 Accessories were strong, rakish hats wound with broad contrasting ribbon, pretty Aztec print broad scarves, large black fuzzy bags, pretty tartan totes and squat ladies handbags in blueberry tartan fizzed and popped on their journey across the runway. Verdict?  A very wearable collection, with a stunning  colour palette. What do you think of Westwoods A/W 2012 collection? Do you have a favourite piece?

Sign up to My Passport To Style by email top right of this blog

   

Stella McCartney S/S 2012 | More Than PJS And Paisley

When I think of Stella McCartney I think of pyjamas and paisley, two interconnected S/S 2012 trends that the Brit designer has been quick to translate with her usual elegant ease. The paisley trend has also been picked up by my hero of quirk Marc Jacobs for winter 2012, more on his A/W 2012 debut soon.  Stellas new S/S season is made of so much more these two heavy weight trends though. She's a designer who knows how to take one simple detail and work it to the max, I think it comes from her time working in tailoring and a real respect for showcasing the materials she uses in her designs. Here's an example that I was excited about sharing with you from her new handbag collection, she's taken zipper teeth chain and used it to create so many different moods/styles of handbag, these are my favourites from her Falabella collection . 

  credits paisley image - Nancy Davies

    

The Floral Factor

I'm taking a little breather from A/W 2012 fashion week posts and bringing things back to this spring 2012 and the coming season.  I long for spring after a pasty winter spent locked away with only my cat, a mug of cocoa and my pc for company, it always feels so alive with new possibilities. Right now it seems like  flowers of all kinds  are peeping out from every carry bag being toted down the high street, I've glimpsed hot peonies, cheery sunflowers and charming blue forget-me-nots,  ok I admit I am extremely nosey when it comes to other peoples clothes and clothing purchases but I bet I'm not alone!

Anyway here's my top money saving style tip, if you have a spring/summer wedding on the way buy into floral trends now whether you're a guest or the bride to be. Opt for sporty or casual floral pieces that you can dress down now and then primp to within an inch of their life and that will easily slip under the wedding  dress code radar. I like the idea of going slightly alternative for a spring wedding and wearing these cottage garden esque, high heel lace up pumps from New Look worn with a smattering of neon and a floaty dress.

Wedding dresses are often the focal point for designing the cake and choosing invitations so if you're on the lookout for wedding invitations to feature alongside your blossoming wardrobe for the special day, then look to vintage designs such as Vintage Wedding Invitations from www.brideandgroomdirect.co.uk , my favourite floral prints are the 'Bella Day' invites that remind me of charming blue French toile fabric , the very pink 'Rose Day' invites and the 'Jasper' invites in a delicate wash of sage green not dissimilar to this Warehouse 70's inspired dress, but you can choose your colour to fit with your own personal style. Thanks to my lovely sponsors at Vintage Wedding Invitations for sponsoring this fashion post.   





 Bag - Topshop, shirt, dress, - Warehouse, shoes- New Look, vintage wedding invitations - Bride & Groom Direct

Revisiting London

I wanted to share a few photographs I took durring a sneaky break revisting London and its sites in the week leading up to Valentines day.I stayed in this lovely georgian manor house on the outskirts set in 6o acres of parkland, I arrived to a Narnian wonderland it was magical! If you want the secret location email me! 

photographs of London by fashion blogger Sharon Sahara of My Passport To Style were taken from the London eye and various vantage points around the capital including good cake shops!