Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Country Side Jaunts and The Bad Girl Dress Guide! x
Dear Elgin Avenue readers,
A very happy Tuesday to you all! Please excuse my short absence - I have been playing a little bit of South West Trains yoyo recently as I to-and-fro from the MB family home to the City scapes of London! Many a time us Brits lament at the lack of sunshine caressing our limbs and the constant pitter-patter of rain on our roof tops, however when we are blessed with gorgeous weather (as we have been recently) there are rare few a place I'd rather be! As such, as is the prerogative of my country-dwelling boyfriend Mr.G, I was taken on a traditional English Sunday-afternoon jaunt to the Pub and then for a lovely river-side walk.
Printed Dress: Great Plains, Gold Cardi: Principles Archive, Belt: Mulberry, Pumps: French Sole, Clutch: Vintage, Large Ring: Miss Selfridge, Smaller Ring: Primark, Sunglasses: Rayban
Sweet sweet Pub! x
Mr G. x
One of the most pleasant and interesting things about having a partner in the same industry as yourself (Mr.G is a hair stylist) is that we share an interest in clothing and style. As such Mr G. and I had an interesting tet-a-tet over the weekend as to thoughts on dressing for your other half; it is true to say that my best girlfriend attire, namely tea dresses, breton stripes and sweet prints, are reserved for time alongside my better half, whilst my bejewelled/studded/wilder items are saved for time with the girls and nights out; with this at the fore front of my mind, over breakfast with Mr.G (where I wore a cute blue Tea Dress-natch!) I came across an article by Shane Watson for Sunday Times Style about 'The Bad Girl' dress aka the BGD. The notion behind this sartorial phenomenon is that the BGD makes the wearer feel a little naughty and simultaneously makes a man go weak at the knees with out being (for lack of a better word) slutty. The BGD, according to Watson, should be the type of dress you are least likely to imagine the wearer to go for, think when Gwyneth Paltrow first started rocking her pins in micro minis! Each girl has a different BGD, so the trick is finding one to suit youself, perhaps the easiest way to discover yours is to think of the type of dress you wear most often and aim for the complete opposite. I'd love to know if some of you have a BGD already and if not if you are going to get one soon ; )! Let me know!
Below I have listed 3 of my favourite BGD dresses, all found on BooHoo.com which has proved very extensive and ridiculously well-priced!
1) This feisty fuschia number would look stunning with bronzed or darker skin. In light of the contradictions of the BGD, I'd avoid long-tonged hair, and style this look with a bouffant pony tail (see my how-to guide here) and pretty 60's inspired makeup. The colour of this Mouret-esque number is like honey to the bees whilst the cut-outs details up the naughtiness! This dress is best for you girls who always fall back on your LBD.
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| Fuschia Dress: £15.00 Click here to view in full. |
2) Does anything scream bad girl more so than leather?! This kinky little number strikes the right balance between naughty and nice with a fitted T-shirt shape and hot faux-leather fabric and exposed zip. The leather-look fulfilling the Bad Girl quota already, a simple nude patent pump and a cocktail ring would soften the effect. Fresh bouncy hair will keep it classy. Best for honeys who normally head for chiffon and ruffles.
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| Fauc Leather Dress: £25.00 Click here to view in full. |
3) Whilst scouring the sites for the best BGD this white peekaboo number leapt out at me as the ultimate in brave BGD's. It reminded me of Nicole Richie's choice for Elton John's Oscar Party this year (see below) This dress is packed with enough VaVaVoom for a whole series of Sex and the City so team with delicate gold jewellery and soft hair and makeup to lesson the blow. Best for girls who normally go Boho.
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| White Peekaboo Dress: £35.00 Click here to view in full. |
So my lovely readers, I hope next time you find yourself pondering your newest event/date/party purchase you lean towards your BGD inclinations and pick up a number you'd normally pass up - you never know what sensational compliments may come of it!
Have a super evening all!
Love, as always, MB x
P.S. I know daffodils arne't naughty but they look so darn nice!! I think I need to buy me a peekaboo dress asap ; )! x
Thursday, 24 March 2011
The Pure Pleasure of London Adventures! Inc. Yohji Yamamoto, the V&A and an Inner City Stroll x
Dear Elgin Avenue readers,
A very happy thursday to you all. My oh my springtime is stretching its arms to outstanding lengths! The evening's becoming longer (yes!) whilst the hours are rolling over slower, and the general pace of life seems that bit much sweeter.
Having reduced the hours of Fash Pack studies dramatically since having handed in our hefty workload, time is left for true adventures and outings in around London town. As such, yesterday I had the absolute pleasure of spending an afternoon in the splendid company of the beautiful Nina of NYheter and my good friend Liisa from Ponyarts (you’ll remeber her gorgeous face from here and here) as together we made our way to the Victoria and Albert Musuem for the new Yohji Yamamoto show. Regretfully though I may say it, disappointingly I was underwhelmed by this exhibition, one room was dedicated to showcasing the works of Yamamoto and a timeline was set up along the walls with visual aids to track his career. The individual design pieces were indeed very striking, and the construction of the garments and the use of fabrics was exquisite, however over all I found it to be a limited exhibition that didnt pack much of a punch. (As a side note however I did bump into my good friend the ridiculously talented Graphic designer Olly Moss who heavily complimented the poster images used for the Yamamoto show - kudos V&A design team!) My disparagement at the show was brightened greatly however when myself and my gorgeous companions pottered along to the stunning inner garden of the V&A to sit ourselves down on the green green grass and soak up the glorious atmosphere and phenomenal setting.
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L-R Nina, Liisa and Me! x
 Jumper: Bought in Menorca, Blazer: Zara, Jeans: Primark, Shoes: Vintage, Sunglasses: H&M, Necklaces: Alex Monroe and Accesorize      |
When you live in London it is startlingly easy to overlook the most fantastic things which reside on your very doorstep! This being the case, with this new-found dosage of free time on my hands I was delighted to delve into the V&A yesterday, only to follow it up today with a trip into and around Goodge St. with my oh-so-talented friend and Radio DJ Bo, you can check out her stellar radio show here.
Trousers: Miss Selfridge Archive, Vest: American Apparel, Pumps: French Sole, Sunglasses: H&M, Bag and Blazer: Zara
Glorious little secret gardens peppering every inch of London, Bo and I gathered ourselves a little London pic-nic, including pastries and coffees, and planted ourselves firmly in this sweet little courtyard pictured above for a tet-a-tet. Amusingly we first visited this London gem at around 11.30 a.m. this fine morn only to discover on our return at 1 that it was teeming with business-bodies and moochy-students alike. It was such a joy to simply people (and pigeon!) watch a few moments away.
AMAZING sunglasses!! x
And with that my lovely readers, I shal leave you for another, what I hope will be, stellar evening.
Have a superb time all!
Love, MB x
P.S. TopShop went into SALE today so get your sweet selves down pronto! There was already a scuffle amounting when I had a peep and it's only going to get more savage ; )! Bon chance! x
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Back in London and ready for some Yohji Yamamoto x
Dear Elgin Avenue readers,
A very Happy Wednesday to you all. Forgive me, my international readers, but London is experiencing a somewhat flukeish AMAZING spring-time weather sprinkling that is leveraging a glorious happy-go-lucky karma amongst the general populus! So blessed.
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| My view prior to breakfast with Mr.G and my a.m. journey back up to the big City x |
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| Yohji Yamamoto AW11 |
I'll leave you with a few pics from my morning's occupations, but check back for a full review of what is no doubt going to be a wonderful exhibition.
Have a super day all,
Love, MB x
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Glorious Sunshine, Blueberry Pancakes and a Seasonal Shopping Go-To x
Dear Elgin Avenue readers,
I hope that you have all been experiencing a little of the snug Sunday magic, reserved for the most beautiful and indulgent day of the week. One of the most blessed things, about living in such an expansive City as London, is that there is a limitless supply of places to lose yourself in and a constant supply of places to explore. The weekend upon us, myself and a gaggle of beautiful friends made our way to our local breakfast eaterie to indulge in some worryingly delicious blueberry and cinnamon pancakes and an abundance of chat!
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| Thin-Knit Cardi and Scarf: H&M, Jeans: Primark, Shoes and Bag: Zara |
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| My beautiful breakfast dates! x |
Fuelled as we were by the cappuccinos and sunshine my lovely flatmate and I meandered along to Knightsbridge to play a little at being London tourists and generally soak up the glorious anomaly that is London on a sunny day. It always makes me smile to see the hem lines hoiked up and the sleeves shredded at the first glimmer or spring - that is not to say that I don’t hop on the summer time opportunity as soon as possible too - as evidenced by my fluro cardi! Having had a seasonal discussion with a good girlfriend of mine today, it was made very evident that the British summer time can provide a sartorial mine-field - it is not that we have the opportunity often to explore our inner Aussie-babe and so I have chosen to compile a list of three summer time items I feel are lust (and trust) worthy for our more weather-worn isles!
1) First up this fuschia hued blazer which has warranted a clothes-perve from me which if it were a real-deal person would be sure to land me reprimanded! The sharp almost male-ish cut is off-set by the saturated feminine hue and the long-line lapel makes it universally flattering. The price tag is proving a stumbling block but a pre-warning to the mid-sales shoppers - I will wrestle if necessary should this beauty drop!
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| Blazer: Zara £119.00 Click here to view in full. 2) Over the past two summer I have fallen irreconcileably in love with onesies - a playsuit or a jumpsuit if it comes as an all-in-one I'm sold! As such I've discovered this fancy shea-butter number from ASOS. Although I am not in agreement with the styling in the image below I do think that with a simple flat shoe, tawny limbs and beachy waves (be that faux or real) this would be an excellent summer go-to number. It is also possible (sunshine not permitting) to pop on some ballerinas, an oversized scarf and a blazer to take it trans-seasonal. |
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| Jumpsuit: Vera Moda at ASOS £38.00 Click here to view in full 3) And finally, the revelation that a breton top is a go-to-choice for summer is no Perez-worthy fashion scandal, however there is a reason that this striped jewel is a go-to in every Fash-Packer's wardrobe - the ability to team with cigarette pants and heels, as equally as with shredded shorts or indeed with a printed skirt makes this the clothes equivalent of a triathlete - read: super fit! |
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| Breton Top: H&M £19.99 Click here to view in full Although today saw a little less sunshine, the giddiness attached to those beautiful rays remained and as such I found myself very very grateful for the change of seasons and the frisky delight of Spring.Have a super Sunday evening all, |
Love, as always, MB x
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Adjustment Bureu Film Review and the Final Instalment of Fash Pack Studies Over! x
Dear Elgin Avenue readers,
A very happy Thursday evening to you all. Today is a true day of celebration as finally the day has come in which ALL pre-Easter Fash Pack studies work has been completed! Oh yes! The remaining little nip peppering the air called for my favourite over-sized jacket and layer upon layer of heavy knitwear to make an evening dash for a celebratory pizza.
Jacket: MaxMara Menswear, Scarf: Balenciaga, Oversized Clutch: Vintage
Delighted as we were to finally find our way through the thick of the Fash Pack forest, my beautiful flatmate and I made our way to our local cinema to watch Matt Damon and Emily Blunt, weave their way through the streets of Manhattan, in the newly released romantic sci-fi Adjustment Bureau - click here to watch the official trailer.
Erica and I had slightly differing takes however we both concurred that it was a very sweet love story, if not set it a slightly kooky hard-to-believe reality. Damon and Blunt are of course both fantastic actors, supported be an equally wonderful cast including the oh-so-beautiful Anthony Mackie who provided a lovely and very likeable advise-dolling character.
This film would certainly be a great go-to option for a weekend date, striking the right note between romance and a bit of gung-ho action.
A celebratory pizza down, a hollywood movie watched and nails to be painted - I do believe feet up is now the next port of call!
Have a wonderful evening all,
Love MB x
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Red Hot Cigarette Pants and My Top 3 Fashion Editor Crushes x
Dear Elgin Avenue readers,
A very happy Wednesday to you all. Today was begun in true wonderful mid-week style with a fantastic breakfast date alongside my beautiful flatmate Erica of L-BD - how sweet is her 70’s hat (see below)?
The British weather still playing cheeky flirtations with the spring time temperatures I opted for my red cigarette pants and a thin knit jumper to keep my limbs snug but not baked! I’ve been lusting after these new season neon trousers from Zara for weeks now so this was my pre-buying them nod to color blocking legs!
Jumper and Cigarette Pants: Zara, Quilted Pumps: French Sole, Clutch: Vintage, Belt: Mulberry, Knitted Cape: Kookai
My beautiful live-in girly x
These flowers make me so happy!
Fash Pack school is constantly spouting fantastic new projects - sometimes it's hard to believe it's real-deal work! - and as such the FP presentation due tomorrow is on the increased personal profile of our fantastic fashion editors (such great fun!!). For those of you with a current interest I’m sure a good old snoop round the true Fash Pack is no new endeavor, however I’ve chosen to share with you the three women en vogue who merit a regular perve from me : )
1) First and foremost, flame haired, Marie Claire babe Taylor Tomasi-Hill, previously of Teen Vogue, and now firmly residing as the US MC accessories editor. Clearly Tomasi-Hill’s fiery crop warrants a second glance, but it is her achingly cool assemblage of drapey colourful skirts and subtly sexy cuts, all topped with phenomenal accessories (of course) which makes me go all goggle-eyed.
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| Umm Hello legs!! |
2) Numero Due, tapping into my italian veins the beautiful and oh-so euro-stylish Viviana Volpolicella. Volpolicella’s boss at Vogue Japan, Anna Dello Russo, normally gets the most credit for her kooky garb, but I cannot ignore my fancy for Volpolicella’s fantastic color blocking and tropical panda-pop hues! Just one glance over a VV Fashion Week snap and I’m transported to summer in a bird-of-prada-paradise instant.
3) Last, but by no means least, Emanuelle Alt, the newly appointed editor in chief of French Vogue is the antithesis to my previous two vivid vixens, the absolute personification of French cool; a fail safe ensemble of structured top, jeans and ferocious heels is Alt’s go-to look, she never falters, and always accessorizes with that oh-so french air of fashion nonchalance.
Each of these women owns their look and stays true to exactly what they love, surely this is how best to assemble your own style. OH sigh, to be a fashion editor!
Must now pop to put this all into a presentation ; )! Eek!
Have a super evening all
Love as always, MB x
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