Look du Jour: MeOWza

Hitchcockian goddess Kim Novak…

After a summer of blousy pastels and girly minimalism f/w 2010 sees the return of an altogether more dark, sophisticated (and somewhat austere) elegance – think of Hitchcockian heroines Ingrid Bergman and Kim Novak with an 80’s twist; cool, coiffed and tailored to perfection; polished glamour belying a seamy and often murderous undercurrent…

Emilio Pucci Pre-Fall 2010

Dolce & Gabbana Pre-Fall 2010

Lanvin Pre-Fall 2010
Statement is the buzz-word when it comes to prints this season…forget the chintz, the ditz and the itty-bitty florals. It’s time to come over all Dan Dare and temper your beauty with a sizeable dollop of danger…rework the season’s strong austere silhouettes with animal prints a la Emilio Pucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Lanvin (no we are still not over them…and we have Alexander Wang’s s/s wedges to thank – profusely).

(I know it’s wrong – and probably illegal in some countries – but I am quite literally in love with these Forever21 metallic leopard print leggings as worn by Ania B!!!)

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Topshop F/W 2010 Lookbook

The ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ may not quite be upon us and the mere mention of wool-based attire is still enough to cause an outbreak of perspiration and self-fanning, but heat wave or no heat wave there’s no getting away from the fact that Autumn is a’loomin’. So, turn up your desk fans to ‘gale’ and have a snoop at Topshop’s super cosy f/w 2010 collection…

Images courtesy of Little Bambi Boots.

Key notes? When it comes to style staples this f/w it’s all about the 3 C’s: camel, cable knits and capes. Think classic pared-down chic (a la Chloe and Celine) given a grungy edge courtesy of the continuing obsession with all things boudoir…

No word on a release date as yet, but keep your eyes peeled. Of course, if you just can’t wait for a fashion fix there’s always the summer sale to satiate those sartorial cravings. x

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Louboutin’s Little Book of Shoe Porn A/W 2010

Louboutin’s a/w lookbook just minced provocatively into my inbox flashing its trademark scarlet soles (oh, I do love it when that happens) and has quite literally thrown me into raptures. And who am I to deny the shoe-loving public, the fetishists and the fashion-hungry their fix of the latest offerings from the Captain of cobblers, the suzerain of shoedom, the head honcho of heels? No. I simply couldn’t do that to you. So here it is…

Head over to cocolee.com to see more of the range (no really, do) sans the very beautiful, visually stunning, yet slightly distracting, set designs).

Now. Leave me to drool in peace.

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Look du Jour: Short Chic

Black bandeau, cheeky high-waisted turn-ups foxed up with devil-may care flounce of a scarf = super simplicity and effortless, understated über cool.

This is how to wear your 2010 shorts: casual, rough-around-the-edges and festival ready…

I couldn’t possibly let this one go without mentioning the hair: Courtney Love 90’s grunge-shag meets red-hot über siren Florence Welch’s boho show-stopper of a barnet. Need I say LOVE?!  Citified summer chic doesn’t get much easier (or more sexy) than this!

Photograph/ Styling by Erika A: Check out Erika’s blog or her fabulous Flickr for more inspo!

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Look du Jour: Frock Fantasy

I’m in the mood for some pretty, powder-pink, airy-fairy, cute-as-a-button, princess frock frivolity. Give me fantasy, daydreams and a romp through the wilderness with a knight in super sharp Armani paired with Grenson brogues wielding anything but a man bag…sigh. Otherworldly escapism with a side order of whimsy please – and hold the fainting (damsel in distress? Me thinks not).

Back to the outfit – a minxy thigh-skimmer of a hemline, peep-toe neutral wedges and socks and nailing the hot as hell asymmetric trend (look to 3.1 Phillip Lim and RM by Roland Mouret for references) this look couldn’t be more now. Details wise, the chic frayed edging of the under-shorts is VERY Prada’s s/s 2010 distressed graphic silks; deconstruction contrasted to perfection with the Rodarte-esque romance of that diaphanous one-sleeve wonder.

Now, you’ll have to excuse me…I’ve a wilderness to get back to…

Photograph/ Styling by Frida Johnson: Blog

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Look du Jour: Frontier Fringing

Hippy meets ranch ready Americana on what looks like a definite lazy hazy lemonade day…

I’ve actually been thinking about festival outfits over the last few days (whilst staring morosely out of the patio windows into what I can only describe as the perfect backdrop to Wuthering Heights – and I thought summer had already sauntered back onto the scene in the guise of a be-hatted orb of hot UV goodness. Wrong. Again). Anyway, back to the point…

Festival garb: Often the most difficult thing to balance is the free-spirit hippy boho floatiness – think billowing kaftans, maxis flowers in the hair… – versus the practical, all the mud in the world has also been invited and will arrive approximately 30 minutes after you do, camping veteran mentality. (Yes, those fluorescent waterproof overalls will keep you dry – and, one would hope for the level of embarrassment incurred, very warm – but they’re not particularly flattering and there will be photographic evidence).

So it’s good to see there is another way…mix your boho head-scarf and (on trend right now!) fringing with this seasons denim for a kind of Little House on the Prairie meets hippy-commune chic frontier fusion effect. Very cool…and a little bit practical too…

Photograph/ styling by Kasia G: find her blog here (best fire up that translator)

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Look du Jour: Bohemian Beauty

It’s not often you come across a look that perfectly embodies the true bohemian aesthetic: subversive irreverence for the bourgeois trend slaving, the flagrant incorporation of a mish-mash of vintage, thrifted pieces all held together with lashings of unabashed cool.

Forget Mischa Barton in a kaftan, if it’s boho you want this is a visual masterclass…the floral knee-length high waist wonder of a granny skirt, battered leather satchel and those classic rose-tinted Ray Bans (yes, I am rather jealous!) all styled to insouciant perfection with tumble-down hair and heaps of anachronistic charm. (Need I say) LOVE this outfit?!!

Photograph/ styling by Heather R. : Lookbook here, or head to her blog (no really, do)