Sack shoes

These shoes are in the window of Joyce and I actually don't know who makes them.... They look a bit like a sack but maybe when your feet look a bit bulky your legs by contrast will look skinny??? Will have to try them on and report back.

New shop

Across from Gucci and The Galleria is a new Longchamp shop. Looks quite big and bright, makes that dark corner of Duddell Street look much better. A cardboard Kate is super gorgeous with very blond hair and dark eyes.  I so much love the tunic and the ring she is wearing in the picture. Didn't have time to go into the store but really hope they are selling those.

Trench warfare

Everyone who is anyone in fashion loves trench coats. I don't. Well, let me try to explain - I do love the shape and Kate Moss looks great in them (as she does in a brown paper bag). I just don't think they look so great on the average member of the public. Take your classic Burberry trench coat for example (not Prorsum - but the kind people can afford) - it's got big shoulders, low sleeve insets, it's below the knee, there's lots of lining,  and it's kind of bulky. If you want to belt the coat with its winter lining forget about your waist - if you had one, it'll be gone. Walk around 6th Avenue at 8 AM in New York and see what I mean. When you need this coat, in winter when it's raining, it often makes people look rather dowdy.

It does look incredibly cute of course in the picture on the right from American Harper's Bazaar. A short version, with lightweight lining and worn on top of white cut-off shorts. Of course on the day you are wearing cut-offs, you will have long stored your trench with your winter stuff.

Comments??

Unfair

I am usually a pretty positive person making the best of what I got but this is just totally unfair. Was looking for a particular picture when I came across this one.

Really grossly unfair amount of perfection here, Gisele.

Couldn't resist more JCrew

You know JCrew wasn't always so great... when I was at university in New Jersey it was khakis and T-shirts mostly - very American preppy, not so fashion. But Jenna Lyons has made JCrew great - see some videos of her and her team at www.jcrew.com.

www.jcrew.com

If someone told me from now on I could only shop at one place for the rest of my life.... easy peasy lemon squeezy, it would be JCrew - and I'd never look back.

Nolan Miller

I have been watching episodes of Dynasty on DVD - the clothes are outrageously great, or awful, however you want to look at it. This dress needs a whole couch... - Nolan Miller had the best job in TV dressing those characters.

Emma W's favorite things

1) Lara Bohinc sailors knot necklace bought by husband and so great at pulling an outfit together.
2) OK my Chanel 2.55 made my cut! A gift following the birth of Zachary - no.2 son in birth order but both boys loved equally and infinitely!
3) White cocoon blouse originally from topshop but in it's reincarnated form as the first one was worn to pieces.
4) Gharani Strok lemon dress .... Bought from Matches, Notting Hill and totally unique with it's laser cut fabric.
5) Miu Miu silver belt .... Endlessly useful as an uplifting neutral.
6) Nude Rupert Sanderson beauties .... A new addition to my wardrobe but filling a major gap in my shoe collection.
7) ....and an old favourite pair of leopard print ballet flats made for me in hong kong as my size 41 feet are not universally catered for!
8) Citizens of Humanity Ava straight leg jeans in a super stretchy lightweight denim ... These are the third pair I am on too.
9) More leopard .....grrr! A DVF lightweight cashmere scarf bought in theirsale and used endlessly.
10) Navy Sandro studded cardigan ...bought from their store in Hampstead and a fun addition to a simple jeans / tshirt get up.

10.5) My Vanessa Bruno silvery khaki slightly cowl necked top bought to perk up my wardrobe when nothing fitted post pregnancy but still working hard now. On that note should have added my Spanx ...not very photogenic but they work wonders!!

Cherry Red

Am totally in love with this cherry red Vicomtesse necklace from www.nerida1.blogspot.com.

10 of my favorite things

Emma W. suggested a post on 10 favorite things in my wardrobe. Took me literally 2 minutes to get them together. I can't be without these items.

1) Tiffany Atlas gold circle pendant given to me by my husband
2) Chanel red and burgundy cuff bought on a trip to Paris with my friend Chris S. at the Rue Cambon store
3) Cape Cod Double Tour Hermes watch given to me by my mum - I picked it out at the Sloane Street Hermes store
4) Phillip Lim black patent belt bought at Matches in Wimbledon
5) Stripy navy and white silk dress from Zara in London
6) Christian Louboutin black and neon paint splatter flats bought in Harrods in London
7) Hermes scarf my mum bought for me when I was teenager.  Amy, herinner jij waar??  Was het Schaap & Citroen??
8) Gold Phillip Lim jacket with neon buttons and collar ordered from www.net-a-porter.com
9) White Petit Bateau T-shirt children's size 16.
10) Jamin Puech raffia/straw bag - it is the best summer bag, makes every outfit look great. Don't remember where I bought it, but probably Harvey Nichols in London.

If I could pick one more item it would be my Chanel 2.55 bag, given to me by my mum, bought for her by my dad in Paris at the Rue Cambon store many years ago.

Window Shopping at Chanel

Standout sandals and cardigans hanging on handbag chains.

Anna's Jewels

Anna's Georgian necklaces are gorgeous! See article in the http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/news-features/TMG8404297/Brand-Anna-Wintour.html. For Georgian inspired necklaces similar to Anna's, go to www.nerida1.blogspot.com.

Kate and Andy

My first fashion employers Kate and Andy Spade in their beautiful home - photo from www.theselby.com. I wish I had thought of that website first. It is perfect in every possible way.

I will never get the chance to work for such extraordinarily creative people ever again. They are no longer part of the Kate Spade company, but are busy with many other projects, among others Andy's store Partners & Spade. See more at www.partnersandspade.com. Check out the Boxed Self Help Sets.

Standout shoes for every day

So I am thinking I need to have some comfortable sandals which add a little height but still are easy to walk on in the dauntingly hilly streets of central Hong Kong. Now combine that with a pledge to only spend money on Standout shoes... I don't know if I am succeeding. I like the ones below from www.barneys.com but Standout???? Might have to forget about height and go for Standout flats... From left to right Lanvin, Chloe and Costume National. Next row Marc by Marc Jacobs, Jean-Michel Cazabat, and Givenchy.

Elizabeth Taylor

All these pictures are posters or photos available from the amazing website www.allposters.com.

Dickeys, part 3

Eva Herzigova in the Fall Forecast issue of Vogue Italia. Dress in wool jersey by Sportmax and colletto di cotone di Alberta Ferretti - cotton dickey by Alberta Ferretti.

Orange Lips

There are lots of bright red and pink lips all over the editorial pages, but I am feeling a personal preference for orange ever since last season I picked up a nuclear orange lip gloss at Laura Mercier. On the left picture from current Paris Vogue. Below Laura Mercier Heat Wave Lip Gloss.


    

MFG

So Melbourne Fashion Girl was kind enough to buy 2 of our shirt dresses and had the brilliant idea to wear the dresses open to show a pretty slip dress underneath. Totally love that idea. Shirt dresses by JDCamicetta and silk slip dresses underneath from Calypso St. Barth. See http://www.calypsostbarth.com.

Wonderland, part 2

A few weeks ago I told you about a short film on the Wonderland Magazine website. You can watch it here too: http://vimeo.com/16883527. And please do... it's fabulous. They say it features "Morloes Horst", but that's wrong. It's Marloes with an A, a very old fashioned Dutch name for such a young girl, but lovely nonetheless.

Silk

Had such a great trip to source fabric today.  Love my new silks which will soon be blouses and dresses. A few of my faves...

Megan Park

Melbourne fashion girl (see Standout Shoes in February) was here over the weekend and brought me a gorgeous shawl/wrap/scarf from Megan Park. I hadn't seen any Megan Park clothes in the stores since I left London and I am so happy to be re-introduced. Now need to go to Melbourne to see the flagship store and MFG, of course! Prints are just amazing, see at www.meganpark.co.uk.

Carven

       























Guillaume Henry is the young designer who has recently taken the 1950's house of Carven in a whole new direction. An assistant for Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy before, he now makes really gorgeous wearable clothes at surprisingly reasonable prices. You must check it out at www.brownsfashion.com and www.net-a-porter.com. On the left Brooke in a very elaborate Carven silk blouse with embroidery. Hard to believe George Orwell was so scared of 1984. And on the right Guillaume's modern day version of Carven in cotton gabardine.

Japanese Pattern Magic

I often think how shallow it is for me to be so focused on fashion. And particularly when a natural disaster happens, like the earth quake in Japan, I wonder whether it is responsible for me to be talking about camelias and shoes and bags. So therefore I pause and stop for a moment to think of all those kind people in Japan, who are in trouble and need our help. I know the Japanese people love their fashion more than most and they are an inspiration to many of us fashion junkies.

Picture from Tomoko Nakamichi's Pattern Magic.

Alexa does Chanel

It's not just Chanel camelias I obsess over, it is frankly anything Chanel. And combined with Alexa Chung, well that's just perfect.

Lanvin-esque

So as camelias were on my mind I came across this ad (you guessed it from 1984 - this time Italian Vogue) from Luciano Soprani. Lovely way to wear a flower on the belt. That whole satin suit looks so Lanvin, doesn't it? Anyway, final page of the ad were these sandals. I loved them and then noticed on the bottom it said "Calzature prodotte da Diego Della Valle" (shoes produced by Diego Della Valle - who is of course the owner of Tod's and Hogan). They are gorgeous - if you had bought them in 1984, they'd still be perfect today.

Camelia

I am fairly obsessed with Chanel camelias but they are prohibitively (and ridiculously) expensive so I have many varieties, none Chanel, and I am still wishing I had just pooled all that money and bought a Chanel. As the Dutch say: Goedkoop is duurkoop - meaning buying cheap is shooting yourself in the foot in the long run... David are you reading? Anniversary coming up. I like black and white.

Little Coco

How fun to be a little girl with design aspirations today.....

Necklace, part 3

Great new colors!!!!! From left to right Montana blue, Jet Black, Topaz, and Smoky Quartz. See www.nerida1.blogspot.com.