It’s All in The Detail (Super Spectacular!)

One of the easiest ways to wear clothes is in block black, striking colours, or simple separates. An attention to detail always helps for the final coup de grace: make sure you have well made seams (keep an eye out for French or bound seams - designers love them), and the garment will be sure to hang itself off you almost as if you were a mannequin in a Chanel/Dior/Prada store window (delete as appropriate). However, one might want to go a little further by heading for a touch of embellishment, material pleats, or beading, et cetera. I chose the leading shot for this piece because of its wonderful intricacy (please don’t wear this down the King’s Road. It’s just for inspiration guys). We’re talking high class design, architectural splashes of inspiration, & the real way to flash a bit of clash without the trash.

At first this might seem a bit dauntingly expensive a pursuit. Beads, gems and handiwork labourers do not come cheap in this economic climate. But then there was vintage.  Like the answer to many a fashionista’s sourcing query, vintage stores & sites enable us everyfolk to get our mitts on some pretty fabulous stuff. Check out these pics I took recently of a really cute dress hanging in an uber-trendy clothing store whilst in New York:

(fyi: lower east side, manhattan, near nyu. Unfortunately I forgot to take down the name of the shop, so anyone over on that side of the pond, well you’ll just have to get out those fashion antennae & do a bit of searching in the city...)

Below we have our beloved LC demonstrating a gorgeous Jenny Packham dress. What I love with this piece (& that makes it fit effortlessly into LA without being too high-glamour) are the jewel & coral tones: a reflection of the sand dunes & the sweet, sweet blue skies of Los Angeles but mixed up with the delicate beads & feathers of an artisan at her most inspirational. & fyi, this from a London-based designer.

The best of late, however, has to be Diane Kruger in Valentino. A breath of fresh air in canary yellow, she turned up in this in stunning ensemble but a few days ago & certainly wowed the crowds, as always. Speechless. What more can we say? C’est tout.

Liz Hurley (with Eva Herzigova) is a devoted fan of Jenny Packham. Don’t let this put you off. (Let’s face it, this dress would look one thousand times better on Kate Moss, or Eva, if you know what I mean):

Now these clearly weren’t created with a simple Singer machine & one pair of hands. Dior, Spring 2009:

Pleats & fringes, swings & roundabouts. Exciting ways to embellish:

Another of my pics from nyc, love this shop! Note to self: keep a pen & paper handy if you can’t be arsed to remember the name of an amazing little one-of-a-kind boutique in a fairyland store.

Picture Sources:

Leading pic: Chanel: http://farm4.static.flickr.com

Lauren Conrad: in Jenny Packham, http://thetrendsetter.files.wordpress.com

Liz Hurley in Jenny Packham, Diane Kruger in Valentino: www.instyle.com

Dior: http://images.teamsugar.com

Emma Watson & Natalia Vodianova: www.dailymail.co.uk (please do not be hatin’ on me for sourcing this pic from here, it was what Google images threw up!)

What a Waist!

High-waisted skirts are back. Fact.

No ladies. We do not refer to those of the Regency Era, as worn very nicely by Jane Austen & her ilk. (Cue excuse for smouldering Colin Firth photograph)

You don’t want to go as high as the Empire Line. Empire Line dresses look great if you’re pregnant. Or Nicole Kidman at the Oscars in the Nineties. Or both (see below left).

What you’re aiming to show off is the waist. The real one, not the one that those low-rise, low-slung, lo-go jeans have never met. The favourite, & actually easiest to pull off, is a skirt that cuts a few inches above the knee. Whilst this may have been tacky on those cheerleader-style, flowy A-line skirts a few years back, the addition of the high-waist lends the mode a little elegance & class.

The girls from The Hills have had a lot of practice at this. Lauren Conrad demonstrates:

And Whit in a cute little red number:

If you really want to be different, go the way of Miranda Kerr, International Supermodel, Orlando-snagged Goddess. Not everyone can work the Heidi-braids-on-top-of-head look, but with a simple black vest, matching ballet pumps, and a neat belt for emphasis, this outfit works surprisingly well. Almost as if we’re ashamed that we hadn’t thought of it ourselves.

Sources:

Pride & Prejudice still: http://slog.thestranger.com

Nicole pregnant: www.poplife.biz

Tom & Nicole: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800018939/photo/181126

Hayden Panettiere : www.teamsugar.com

Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Alba, Eva Mendes pics: www.mystyle.com

Miranda Kerr, LC & Whitney pics: www.celebrity-gossip.net; www.my.opera.com/mystyle/blog

How to look like a stylishly seasoned traveller

I Dream of Wool & Cashmere Harmonies

A scarf/pashmina is an absolute must for the airport & plane trip. Try and ignore the tempting silken scarves or the lighter cashmere threads because these crease very easily. Best bet is 100% wool (make sure it’s not too itchy-scratchy) as it’s very dense & will actually keep you warm rather than just adorned.

Shoes

Do not wear heels unless you’re aiming to blag a first-class upgrade. (In which case, make them a requisite). Soft shoes that will fit in your handbag give out Rich Girl’s attitude of I Have So Many Shoes At Home Anyway, I Just Threw On Some Comfortable Shoes For Flying Because I Don’t Need To Draw Attention To Myself. Or something to that effect. Check out some sites that actually sell the proper professional ballet pumps. They are incredibly cheap, and come in some great neutral colours, as well as reds and blues. The ones below are from French Sole, £70, and centre/right, from www.dancingwear.co.uk. Only £12 a pop.

Who’s That Girl?

In a vain attempt to hide from prying cameras, stylistas will always whack on some fantastically huge sunglasses. This actually draws attention to the wearer, since the outsize proportions fascinate the mignons who are the stylishly challenged & too afraid to make such a statement. However, huge sunglasses, with the right frames, look ridiculously cool.

Bags of Space

A large hold-all carry-on completes the look. Different airlines have different size restrictions, so check with your carrier, but as a general rule, Heathrow cabin baggage dictates:

• 56 centimetres tall (22 inches)
• 45 centimetres wide (17.7 inches)
• 25 centimetres deep (10 inches)

Go for the biggest bag possible. Even if your purse & mobile phone look a bit lonely in amongst its depths on the way out, you can guarantee you’ll need the extra space on your way back home.

(Kudos to Whitney Port, above, for the cute plane-motif-ed bag!)

Moisturise, Moisturise

Heightened security threats (damn those terrorists) mean that there are limits to the liquids & creams we can now take on board. For a fresh-faced look, cleansing wipes are a must, since as they meet neither the liquid nor the cream category, can be packed in abundance. A small tub of moisturiser however is still vital for the pre-landing beauty routine. Go for an SPF based one, regardless of your destination (hey, climate change hits everyone, everywhere) and apply liberally to compensate for the dehydrating affect of high altitude atmospheres. L’Occitane and Clarins come highly recommended.

Failing all this, secure yourself a private jet (courtesy of Rich Boyfriend or Trust Fund Parentage), & anyone who gets to peek at you through your wall of security/bodyguards will be too in awe of the jet to notice your bedraggled behind.

Lauren Conrad at LAX.

Hayden Christensen & Rachel Bilson at LAX

Sources:

Ballet pumps: www.dancingwear.co.uk, www.frenchsole.com

Jen Aniston, Rachel Bilson & Kate Hudson pics: www.instyle.com

Lauren Conrad pics: www.bunnywithfangs.com

Whitney Port, Eva Longoria, Rachel Bilson with Hayden Christenson, & Ashley Olsen pics, from http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/