Trends 2012 part 2- Bold prints

New York fashion week might have taken place a few months ago but it has since started an obsession in me; to be more precise, a fashion obsession! The object of my affections is no one else than talented young designer Mary Katrantzou.


Some of you might ask Mary who? While others, familiar with the name will nod in approval, understanding my fascination. With a hard to pronounce surname, Mary Katrantzou fits perfectly well in the fashion world and quickly nabbed herself the title of  Queen of prints. A title she earned through the unique way she creates and mixes surreal prints and bold colours.  Katrantzou revealed to The New York Times that her way with print is not without purpose: "With print, it is about educating the customer to try it on and see what it does with the silhouette . . . trying to do with print what a black dress would do onto their body. And it works!" While most of us cannot afford an original Katrantzou, there is still home as she recently collaborated with Topshop for a more affordable range but just as close as possible to the aesthetics of her main line. Below is a slide show of my favourite looks from the 10 piece Topshop collaboration.

Boohoo leggings

How to wear bold prints? Easy! First start off with patterned pants or a top to get used to having bold designs and colours on your outfit. You will slowly get accustomed to it and if you are bold enough why not try head to toe prints. Wanting to try prints, I bought myself the pair of black and white leggings pictured on the right and I am thinking of slowly going for bolder prints. The tribal prints of the leggings catch the eye, specially if matched with a colourful top and clashing shoes or boots, this kind of look is perfect for the cold weather and a casual diner out.






This trend is definitely not for everyone, but if you are a risk taker, you eagerly embrace bright colors, big florals and bold graphics, this trend guarantees to get you the attention you deserve! A couple of things to keep in mind while wearing loud prints is that  a relaxed cut is more flattering to most silhouettes and also to keep one's make up to a minimum and to favour nude tones for the eyes and lips.

The bold prints trend should not only be limited to clothes; accessories like scarves, shoes or bags are also getting a dose of patterns and colours. If you are not feeling bold enough to try it on your clothes why not wear a plain outfit and add a splash of colour by wearing an extravagant accessory?

A friend of mine, Keisha recently posted a picture of a printed skirt on Instagram. The skirt is from Black Milk Clothing and is called a 'cathedral skirt' and I am in love with it! They are currently sold out, but once they get more I believe this will be the next printed clothing item to join my wardrobe....I added a picture below just to give you an idea of how cute this skirt is!

Cathedral skirt- Black Milk Clothing

New Lady in town- Charlotte

Autumn Bouquet

Ladies, Meet Charlotte; a groundbreaking new Australian fashion label which just released their new collection of silk scarves.The brand is a product of the expertise of Tom Keel, a specialist in lace and embroidery. Twenty years working with textiles has made Tom appreciative of delicate fabrics and prompted his decision to start a chic fashion label. “Charlotte selects pure, naturally created yarns to produce handmade scarfwear of the finest quality, with intricate attention to detail and design.”

Penelope

 Charlotte if not just the brand’s name, it is also the name of Tom’s daughter; who assists in the design process and selects the best scarves to put forward in the collection. Descending from a Swiss tradition of embroidery, Charlotte herself is a natural with colours; the fourth generation textile fan and colourist has a keen eye for dye, always knowing how to place a particular palette.

Made from all-natural fibre, Charlotte scarves provide an elegant way to add an effortless touch of style to any outfit. The transeasonal accessory can be worn throughout the year as it offers warmth in the cooler months but also allows skin to breathe in the warmer months. “Our gorgeous natural product results from thousands of hard working silkworms creating a desirable fibre of totally unique quality,” Tom explains of the luxurious quality of the brand.

Parisian

The year round styles are representative of the changing seasons through its palette of colours. The artisan method used to create and dye every item gives each silk scarf a stunning designer effect to compliment both day and evening wear. The latest collection showcases a diverse range of colours and styles, including the ‘Parisian’ design that mimics the shimmering midnight blue of the ocean; the lemon ‘Golden Fields’ scarf that brings a welcome touch of sunshine for the upcoming winter months; the playful earthy tones of the stunning ‘Cote Dázure’ which reflects the unique beauty of the French Riviera; and the stunning blood-red ‘Musey-Maree’ that will transport you to a land of whimsy and wonder.

Cote Dázure

Golden Fields

Musey-Maree

This luxurious fashion accessory is of such high quality that each scarf is also a keepsake, much like any woman’s favourite piece of jewellery. Every Charlotte scarf is sold in its own classically styled gift and storage box in order to preserve the beautiful creations. I definitely know what I will soon be treating myself to- a brand new Charlotte scarf!

Charlotte Gift Box

Charlotte scarves are available online at www.scarfbycharlotte.com.au and in-store at

Design A Space locations around Melbourne: www.designaspace.com.au.

Brigit

Gwyneth Paltrow Harper's BAZAAR

Yesterday at my local Coles Supermarket, I had just finished my Grocery Shopping and was patiently waiting in the check out queue when my eyes inadvertently fell on the rack of magazines on the side. In the middle of Gossip magazines, Cooking and Gardening Magazines was an issue of Harper's BAZAAR Australia with a statuesque female figure gracing the cover. I quickly approached the magazine to check out the beauty dressed in black and realised it was Gwyneth Paltrow! "Whooooaaaaaaa" was my first reaction, because Mrs Chris martin looked splendid to say the least!

Dressed in a black figure hugging Anthony Vaccarello dress from his 2012 Spring Summer collection, I think Gwyn looked fantastic. There is actually no difference in her body and that of the model who showcased the dress in Vaccarello's Fashion show.

Being a fan of everything beautiful, I compiled a few snaps from the Harper's BAZAAR spread. 

I am not naive enough to think that the pictures; skillfull photographed by Terry Richardson have not been photoshoped. But digging around in Gwyneth's red carpet pictures I came across the the famous Emilio Pucci dress she wore in Dec 2010

And a picture of her on the red carpet in a Tom Ford dress at a Vanity Fair party for the Academy awards.The shots speak for themselves as Gwyneth always looks flawless and has a figure to put to shame girls half her age. It might be her strict gluten free diet/detox or demanding gym regimen, what ever it is, it does wonders for her.

I also found this behind the scenes video for the Harper's BAZAAR shoot. Enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/36413958

My weekly inspiration from style icons

Audrey Hepburn

Victoria Beckham

Queen Rania of Jordan

Grace Kelly

Natalie Portman

Marilyn Monroe

Coco Chanel

Anna Wintour

Jacky Kennedy

Lady Gaga

Muddy Muddy Muddy- Oi Oi Oi

WARNING: The article below contains extremely good looking blokes( Their own words, not mine)

Starting Line

I had a very eventful and muddy weekend, having followed my boyfriend and his mates to the Tough Mudder Competition held at Philip Island- Melbourne on Saturday. Tough Mudder, a concept i was completely unaware of a few months ago, until the boys decided to take part in it. I can still remember how shocked i was when he showed me a video of Tough Mudder in the USA, announcing he was taking part in it. Not one to discourage him, I just said "Wow, it looks great!" , while others said "You will never be able to do that" it was a blunt thought part of me shared.

The Boys

What is Tough Mudder, would you say? Well their website qualifies it as 'The premier obstacle course series in the world" it is a 20km obstacle course, which was designed by the British Special Forces. It is meant to test the participants' all around strength, stamina, mental force and most importantly camaraderie.It is not a race that one takes part in, but more of a challenge and what a challenge it was! The boys trained a few times a week, running, taking part in boot camps, changing their diet and also missing out on evenings out on the town due to training sessions early in the morning. They were preparing physically but also mentally, avoiding alcohol and fatty foods whenever our group of friends would hang out on week-ends. Easy task would you say, well not that easy when one has to do it for a few months on end, when you are in your 20's and peer pressure/temptation is constant during these gatherings.

Team Maji

So after months of training, Saturday morning the 5 of us embarked to Philip Island a 2.5hour drive from Melbourne.The event was being held at the Philip Island Grand Prix Circuit, upon reaching it one could only get carried away in the joyous mood in the air. Teams were getting ready to start the course, some of the teams complete with matching outfits or disguises ranging from the Super Mario Brothers, to Superheroes; even Borat's mankini was a recurring disguise. After a few stretches, the boys grabbed Maji- a stuffed Horse on a stick and lined up among a throng of other mudders for their 11.15am start time, during which they were motivated by an MC and asked to recite the Tough Mudder Pledge:

As a Tough Mudder I pledge that…

• I understand that Tough Mudder is not a race but a challenge.
• I put teamwork and camaraderie before my course time.
• I do not whine – kids whine.
• I will help my fellow Mudders complete the course.
• I will overcome all fears.

After screaming a few other war cries, featuring the national "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi". We watched them start off to 'Eye of the Tiger' for what would be 3.5long and gruelling hours of battling all kinds of obstacles but also overcoming their physical and mental capabilities.

Neeroo and I taking in the view and following the course

The two of us girls had our partners participating so we tried our best to follow them around to snap pictures but also to see how they were doing. We luckily saw them ramping under a giant heavy net, and jumping head first in a slimy, ice water filled tank to then resume their running. But that was not the end of it- the boys battled fire, swam in a deep lake, climbed wooden 'Berlin' walls, did monkey bars over icy cold water, climbed mud hills and got electroshocks along the way. When we finally saw them again, it was 2 obstacles before the end and they were covered in mud and had to wait in a 45mins queue to get up the 'Everest' . After the long wait, they finally managed to try out at the mud covered wooden ramp to climb on top, it was a hard obstacle taking into account the Mudders were tired, cold and the mud made things very slippery. But having pledged to help their fellow Mudders; the men and women who managed to climb on top of the 'Everest' lied down extending their arms to help others to climb- it was a beautiful gesture to watch, and one I couldn't tire myself of watching. The camaraderie, the effort everyone was putting in so as not leave a fellow Mudder behind and to make sure everyone finishes the course was exemplary and an attitude only sports can bring.

Everest

After finishing up the 'Everest' the boys proceeded to their last obstacle,got electric shocks along the way and grabbed their tough Mudder headband, T-shirt and an ice cold VB- which according to them has never tasted so good! They told us about the obstacle course, which even though seemed tough was not as hard as expected. Funnily the hardest part of it all was the waiting times before the last few obstacles, which was very painful when one was wet, cold and tired. It should be noted that they carried Maji-the stuffed horse throughout the course, alternating among each other to carry it so that Maji also made it to the finish line, very dirty and muddy but still alive. There were even tales of how they had to perform CPR on the dear toy halfway through the course.

We are very proud of the boys for taking part and completing the course, the feeling of accomplishment they felt post Tough Mudder was very beautiful to watch. I would recommend everyone interested to try it at least once, according to the boys it is an addictive feeling. Therefore we are heading to Sydney in September, for them to take part in the Sydney event, a few more months of hearing about Tough Mudder for us girls!!

Winning Team- Yuvy, Ash, Dom and Nash

For more information about Tough Mudder: http://toughmudder.com/about/

Teese me with Follies...

Dita Von Teese

Last Friday, I was invited to my first Media/Press call where the divine Dita Von Teese was launching and presenting her Von Follies lingerie collection with Target. Excited as ever, I woke up early did some research about Dita and her collection, got ready- spending ages to find a dress to wear and headed to Target's Chapel Street store. Us media people were packed into the makeshift media pit in the Target store where a white table and chairs were set up on a podium waiting for Dita's arrival. There was something electric in the air, be it from journalists and bloggers steadying themselves in front of the podium with their writing gear and recorders, or, from the throng of photographers waiting outside but most importantly from the 50 lucky fans standing behind us. Some of them had been waiting since early morning and others had dressed in a 40's-50's fashion, sported their hair like Dita and wore striking red lipstick.

Dita Von Teese finally arrived, slowly strutting the black carpet smiling at the photographers making her way to the podium, where she stood for 5 minutes while photographers, journalists, bloggers and fans snapped in a frenzy of flashes, clicks and snaps while the queen of the hour kept her cool working the room with her sparkly eyes and subtle smile. She was dressed in a purple dress with a striking bouquet of purple flowers pinned at the top, a black lace overwire bra peeking above her dress and Christian Louboutin shoes adorning her feet. Dita kept it simple, no jewellery except a ring on her right hand and her flawless complexion shining under the the flash of the cameras. In Melbourne to present the collection for a runway show in collaboration with Target at L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, Von Teese, who strutted the catwalk in her lingerie items on that occasion made it a must to do a launch at a Target store.

Dita Von Teese and models

She then proceeded to talk about her collection with the MC; the inspiration for the Von Follies range comes from her own private vintage lingerie collection as she has a long time love for lingerie.Even though the collection combines sophistication and sensuality she wants the pieces to be wearable and functional and they are designed for women of all shapes, age or ethnicity. She was then joined on stage for a photo op by 3 models each of them having different body shapes and wearing full sets of the lingerie collection. her message was simple, it is important for a woman to find their exact size when it comes to lingerie, not just what we think is our size. We should get fitted and wear what actually best fits us to achieve the best results.


About her collaboration with Target she told the audience it was a simple choice. She humbly stated that she is lucky that the retail chain is happy to carry her range, and that they display the items how she wants to see them in the shops. She also praised Melbourne women on their touch of feminity. There was also a focus on the overwire bra she was wearing, which is by the way her favorite piece of the collection as she loves the structure in the bra. She shared with us her obsession with overwired bras, which she has been researching on Ebay for the past 20years and jokingly credits herself for maybe owning most of them that featured on the site. Her new range of dresses have plunging necklines to allow the bra to peek off on the top, and this design of the bra has been refined over the years to achieve a smooth and delicate look. While talking she would often slightly pull the top of her dress down a little bit to reveal more of the delicate lace on the bra, not in an over the top exhibitionist way; but in a slow sensual way with a flirty look on her face. At that point in time, she reminded me of a brunette Marilyn Monroe, but also got my imagination racing wondering what her burlesque shows might look like.

The overwire bra on display at Target

Dita Von Teese really impressed me during that hour, she seemed kind and patient, answered questions from journalists with a smile and genuinely seemed like she wanted to be there with us even joking that she has never been caught wearing mix matched lingerie. Dita finished the Q&A session with a few noteworthy advices to the audience namely to always buy 2 panties for every lingerie set- incase the dog runs off with one of the panties, and most importantly to have fun being a woman. She has that raw effortless seduction that could send anyone into overdrive but not once did she abuse of it; instead she was very ladylike with grace and elegance to make any high society girl gaudy in comparison. Once questions were answered and we knew everything we wanted about the line, she humbly thanked everyone for being there and proceeded to take a seat at a table while her waiting fans one by one went up to meet her, snap a picture and exchange a few words. 

I walked around admiring the collection on display, the lingerie had an iconic vintage feel true to Dita's style and had glamorous touches like velvet ribbons, delicate lace and control mesh. They seemed to greatly enhance the feminine silhouette but most importantly were smooth in texture and seemed fit for everyday wear under clothes. Seeing that the line of fans was nearly over I decided to go meet her and say hi, if I was already in awe the phrases we exchanged completely seduced me. She noticed we were wearing the same colour and complimented the choice of colour and how stylish I looked, we exchanged a few more words and posed for a picture which my mother- currently on holidays in Melbourne and who I dragged along with me snapped. Upon saying the person taking the picture is my mum, she asked to meet her and told her 'You have a lovely daughter, I'm loving her colours.' We each received a personally dedicated poster and headed off with huge smiles on our face.

With the beautiful Dita Von Teese and our matching purple dresses

My dedicated poster

To sum up, my first press call was a hit , I got to meet the lovely Dita Von Teese and impressed by the range of exquisite lingerie on display I walked away with two of her bras, one of them the overwire bra which I can't wait to show off under a crisp white shirt,skinny jeans and sexy pumps or one of my low hanging dresses. Dita Von Teese's Von Follies lingerie collection can be found at Target and for such good quality pieces the prices are quite affordable. Ladies, it is worth checking out, buying and wearing!!

For more details about the collection and to just have a browse without leaving your couch, click below.

http://shop.target.com.au/women/lingerie-collections/von-follies-by-dita-von-teese

Trends 2012 Part 1- Mermaid Trend

Fashion weeks are happening around the world, with New York freshly over and London kick starting with glamorous Stella McCartney parties and over the top runway shows.

With the fashion week spirit, I wanted to treat my followers to a little pre-view of what will be trending and will be seen in shops this year. The trends being very elaborate and having a lot of components, the posts will be in parts- each addressing a different fashion trend. Hoping to inspire you all and give you great ideas using your wardrobe, or a new excuse to shop. If this is something that is of interest, then read on!

Manish Arora for Paco Rabanne

While summer is still here in Australia, the first post will be about the Mermaid trend. This has been around since 2011 and has slowly slowly been edging into mainstream fashion. The colours range from bright aqua to a light sea foam hue with a slight metallic touch to it, a bit like the slight oceanic waves on a bright summer day.The Manish Arora dress above, even though a perfect representation of the Mermaid trend might be fairly above budget for most of us! What I would advise is go with a more budget conscious version with this TFNC dress; it is a metallics dress in a soft green hue. The cut of the dress is also very attractive with a V neckline and all over pleats, the high waist and tulip skirt also makes that it can be flattering to any body type.

The trend is not only in the colours but also the shapes and cuts of the garments. The Golden Globes red carpet has never been strutted along by so many 'Mermaids', actually starlets wearing fishtail gowns! They were surely not shy about the colours, some being bold and flashy while others went with the ocean theme and stuck with more aquatic tones.

More examples of the cuts are below with this Asos pencil dress, in a light foamy and sea shell colour. The cut is very modern with slight pleats. If you want the high end version of this dress, do not fret as Versace presented this little white number on the right at his S/S 2012 'Under The Sea' collection. The cuts of both these dresses are kind of similar and remind of seashells or soft waves.

Versace Dress

Asos Dress

I really like the scalloped sequinned tank top below, it reminds me of wavy shallow sea water...and has a very vintage look to it! You can pair these types of tops with pants, skirts or shorts as pictured below and achieve different styles.

Nasty Gal top

The easiest way to get inspiration is through your favourite fashion magazines, they are the first to report runways shows and the latest trends. The celebrities took the mermaid trend up a notch by not only adapting their wardrobe to it; but their hair too! Lauren Conrad tweeted a picture of her gorgeous locks, she wowed us with the Rainbow Mermaid hair, done with a technique called the Dip Dye. The result is just amazing and I wish she kept it for longer. Katy  Perry, big fan of colours recently appeared on red carpets sporting bright blue hair. Unfortunately I do not think it suits her as much as her gorgeous black mane or even the brief pink/purple tint she was sporting at the end of 2011.

Lauren Conrad's beautiful mermaid hair

Katy Perry