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Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accessories. Show all posts

Glammed up

Treat yourself to some gorgeous jewellery from Elva Fields, love their bold, colourful pieces...

elva fields

And isn't this such a lovely, glamorous editorial? Love the hair, the jewels, the clothes, everything!

karmenpedaru4

karmenpedaru3

karmenpedaru2

Fashion pics via Fashion Gone Rogue

Darjeeling has trunks full of style

The weekend gave me opportunity to watch Wes Anderson's new film The Darjeeling Limited. As usual with Anderson there is minute attention to details and design which extends to clothes; the monogrammed pyjamas, the sunflower coloured bathrobe, the loafers etc. Throughout the film Anderson creates a jovial contrast of Westerners' neutral-toned suits against the hot ochres and turquoises of India (if you are interested most of the movie was filmed in Rajasthan). I want to explore this mix of vibrant colour and neutral tones in the spring, if done well this look will have a great deal of impact, as it did in the film. In another life, Anderson might have been a Dutch genre painters to whom the details of light, domesticity and clothing were the lifeblood of their art and a way to express the everyday humanity of their subjects. A common critique of Anderson's film is that the appurtenances of style are there to amuse himself rather than to uncover an emotional truth; in short all surface and little depth. I am not a film critic but for what my opinion is worth I enjoyed the film (some aspects more than others) but overall it was a pleasant way to spend an evening and gave me a chance to eat sweet popcorn and drink from a ridiculously oversized Coke cup.

One of the stars of this film doesn't even have a speaking part... I could be talking about Bill Murray but I'm not. It's the 11 pieces of distinctive Louis Vuitton luggage made specifically for the movie. The luggage was designed by Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton and includes monogrammed steamer trunks, duffels, and suitcases covered in a jungle pattern created by Anderson's brother, Eric. I must admit though I am turned off by them because they are LV but forgetting my own bias these are really nice pieces and they ignite a desire deep inside me to own monogrammed luggage. In fact I quite want to explore charity shops and see whether I can find an old and battered piece of monogrammed luggage. I don't really want my own initials inscribed on the leather- S.S is not needed- just any combination of letters will satisfy me. Let the luggage foraging begin...

EJ: I've not seen the film yet (the weather is far too grim to venture outside), though have managed to find some nice luggage here and here (ridiculously lovely). Not quite the cheap second-hand shop prices I'm sure you were thinking of though. I must say though, if I was going for Louis Vuitton, I would be gunning for this beauty. I've longed for one of these after seeing them in a Fred Astaire film and I'm convinced that it's the epitome of cool travelling.

Festive jewellery

How cute is this jewellery by Lulu Bug? Love the Reindeer necklace, perfect for the season, spread a little cheer!

Lulu bug jewellery

All photos via Lulu Bug Jewelry.

The Scarf Post

I'm feeling languid after an unexpected day off (God bless minor fires and power cuts) and a glass and a half of red wine, so thought it time to do the Scarf Post. We thought about this about two months ago (the photos themselves are a month old) so it's a bit overdue. It came about when thinking about the different ways that people can and do wear scarves and wincing at the term 'snug tug'. Steve is our willing model, skillfully directed by me (i.e. told to 'look cold'). So let's begin.

The undercoat, understated:
Best done with a thinner scarf so as not to ruin the line of your coat/jacket and on milder days as this basically provides little to no warmth whatsoever. A more decorative (poser-y?) way of wearing a scarf, perhaps providing a contrast to the rest of your outfit, or a flash of colour. I bought Steve this scarf by the way, so I think it's quite nifty.

The show-off:This is almost wearing a scarf as a tie and works best with scarves with a really flashy detail as on this me&yu number. This can be a bit annoying to wear, particularly on windy days as you will probably be constantly fiddling with it to make sure the main design is on display. It does keep your neck relatively warm though and really can liven up a wintery outfit.

The controversial:
So called as I've heard a lot of people complain about how prevalent this way of wearing scarves is. Still, it's easy and very very cosy. Works best for shortening a longer scarf as it can look a bit weird with just a little bit of fabric sticking out the end. Basically created by folding the scarf in half and pushing the ends through the loop created. Did that make sense? I don't think so, but I'm sure everyone in the world knows how to do this. Also, I MADE this scarf. It took FOREVER.

The loop-de-loop:Totally easy and perfect on very long scarves like this one. Wrap, then wrap again, long bits down the front. My personal favourite at the moment, just because it's so warm and you're not constantly having to fling a bit of scarf over your shoulder (however dramatic that is). This can even in seconds become the wrap:

though I'm not sure if this is a bit much. However, I'm sure that this can be done a lot more neatly and look a lot better as this was a bit of an afterthought.

The extravagant:

Don't worry, we're nearly finished. This is, on a practical level, a largely pointless way of wearing a scarf. In no way will it keep your neck warm as the scarf is on the outside of the collar and, as such, no where near your neck. Still, I suppose it could be a nice way of storing a scarf if it's milder than you expected, or maybe if you're popping in and out of shops. Plus, once again, it's a nice way to break up the blackness of a winter coat and add a bit of colour (yes, I know this scarf is beige but that's not the point.

And finally...

The cheesy, FUCK YEAH:Oh yeah. And if you don't mind, I'm off to watch TV and hopefully not freak myself out any more by identifying an exact location in London simply from a 2 second close up of a phone booth.

Lovely jewels

Another giveaway, it feels like Christmas already! ;) To win this stunning necklace from Collect jewellery, head over to Being Brazen now!

Photos by Nick Scott

Photo credits: necklace via Being Brazen, fashion editorials by Nick Scott

Christmas lights

While some people I could mention are swanning about in Paris, I am left here in Manchester thinking about what on earth to get people for Christmas. Thanks to Gala Darling I have some idea. Japanese Watches of course! I absolutely love these, even if I can't quite work out how to tell the time on most of them. Ah well, hopefully people will be distracted by the pretty lights...

Japanese watch


Image courtesy of Tokyoflash

Good evening Miss EJ, I have arisen from my catch up sleep session but have lost my Sunday! I will try and post later on tonight however because I have much to say and to show...I did enjoy perusing the site on Friday morning whilst all of my work colleagues were eating bacon sarnies my hunger was satisfied by LEDs! Who needs a watch to tell the time these days anyway, I just check my phone or ipod for that, so I am all for watches that have the primary use of looking cool.

Picture Postcard - Chequers and Polka

To cheer myself up before I go outside I thought I would post a picture. EJ first showed me this image to pass the time at work last week but it is an image that I've not forgotten about and I thought I'd share (plus it will give her a chance to talk about it because I know she wants to!). This image is courtesy of fak! which we have blogged about before but why not again eh?

Fak The combination of accessories is very good indeed, far better than most of the shots that one sees on facehunter (I have been looking over his recent shots of London though and I do approve). For me this outfit would be perfect if it he was wearing jeans as opposed to leggings/treggings. I just can't accept them and I don't like looking at them. I can however gaze at the combination of the chess board top and yellow polka dot neckerchief for quite some time. With this I leave you and this warm room behind but I will be back later.
Oh, I love him so! Mine is one of those mad crushes... my brain says:
'no, this is wrong! Look at him, who does he think he is? Some kind of harlequin ballet dancer? You don't like yellow, it's not your friend... and is he carrying a SPEAKER? Who carries a speaker?'
while my heart says:
'Look at him... he's like a harlequin ballet dancer! The boy's some kind of mad genius... a Doc Brown of colour and simple pattern'.

Prolonged life despite the seasons

It has to be agreed that the seasons play a major role in determining what a person can wear but at times an individuals desire to wear a certain item can take precedence over the practicalities of actually wearing it. For some people this is not an issue but I can be found guilty of milking the teats dry when it comes to wearing my favourite pieces. In this instance I am referring to wearing my mac which i bought in Stockholm in May and I've been reluctant to take off since (thankfully the summer wasn't that great and it has been pretty mild up to now). Yes, I've got many other options available to me but my minds made up and when I'm like this I just have to wear something until it splits at the seams and literally falls off my body. I have been devising ways to wear my coat during the winter months by teaming it up with some fingerless gloves that were picked up in Topman (the accessories section has improved significantly for this season, yes there are many terrible scarves but there are some hidden gems, especially within the belts area). The gloves/armwarmers have got me through until now but something has to be added to the outfit or my teeth with chatter and just annoy everyone around me. So, this weekend a chunky knit is top of my need list. As has been the case throughout this season I am taking inspiration from the fall 07 Burberry Prorsum Collection.

What belt would you wear with these?


It is a common held belief that your belt should match your shoes and I try to follow this as best I can. However, the great shoe dresser that is Pierre hardy has just devised this hi top which makes belt matching a touch tricky. I would suggest wearing a nice grey belt with these. I am in love with hi tops at the moment. I'm not entirely sure why, it is extremely unlikely that you are going to see me within 100 yards of a basketball court. I just think they are the trainer of choice right now. As for Pierre Hardy at times I wish i was female so I could wear his designs. Hardy's work has been influencing accessories and fashion design for decade and he has made his name creating masterpieces for Dior and Balenciaga. I will buy myself a pair of his creations for myself at Christmas.

Picture postcard: goodbye internet

Image courtesy of Fak! (their exclamation mark, not just me being overexcited)
Dear Steve,
Greetings from the floor of my living room! I am surrounded by boxes with my life (well, mostly my plates) packed in them. Moving at last! This does of course mean that I will be without proper internet access for an unknown period of time, but never fear as I shall try to comment/take over other people's computers.
Anyway, back to the pic. I (of course) really like this lovely, casual androgynous look. It's the kind of outfit you make up of stuff you haven't worn or thought about in ages, then realise that it looks pretty good and, hey, I should wear this hat more often. That bag is wicked too and so DIY-able. Mostly, though, I just wanted to draw your attention to this website. I think it's Ukranian, though correct me if I'm wrong. while some of the outfits are a little outlandish for me, I just love the photos. Also, I love the fact that it puts the total cost of the outfit... I get a bit jaded with certain street style sites that only seem to show people dressed in expensive labels (or blatently expensive vintage) .
Oh, I just remembered a question I meant to ask you. Do men compliment other men on their clothes or is it just not done? I'm always telling random women that I like their shoes or their top or whatever, but always hesitate to do the same to men. Agony aunt, help me!
EJ


Hello there EJ,

It's saturday Morning and I'm in a funny moody. I'm so pleased that I'm not at work but then I've lost my gf for 10 days which also means that I've got no internet access either. So the next few days (other than arranging the internet for my own home) will include frequent trips to the internet cafe down the road. I hate those places! Anyway, back to your post. I've not come across this site before but it's cool. I like how it contains many facets that other street style blogs just don't offer. Such as the elaboration of the outfit and the various shots of key components of it. I love the case that your chap is holding and I agree that it would be fun to create something like this. My instant favourite on the site was this chap who is doing a fairly common look within the realms of Brick Lane and Shoreditch but is doing it really well. This chap would certainly be snapped by the likes of facehunter. He seems to possess something though that many others featured on the styleblogs that I regularly consult. Yes the squash racket case is a little unnecessary but I like the style conscious humour of this outfit. Most of all i love the tie and the contrasting autumnal tone of the entire thing. Good find EJ!

Now onto your agony aunt query. As your well informed Agony Aunt I can tell you that quite a few men do comment on each others style but the level of dialogue contained within this conversation can range from 'Nice shirt' to a lengthy discussion about rare trainers (which I have done after a few drinks). I'm not sure how many men would discuss this with random men though, I'm a little shy about it personally, I normally just look and admire. Overall, the style dialogue between the majority of men is nowhere near the levels of that between the majority of women and I'm not sure that it ever will, at least not in my lifetime. Unless of course I succeed in revolutionising how men think about clothes. I do think though that more men are thinking about clothes and of course thought leads to discussion (well hopefully). It's a little too early for this pseudo-social science exploratory investigation as I've not even had a Lady Grey this morning. It is an interesting question though and I'd like to open it up the readers...because amazingly we have readers now. What do you think J, Dustcakeboy, Stephen and friends?

Time for tea. Much love

Steve xxx

Ikats

Loving these amazing scatters by Madeline Weinrib, so colourful, perfect to liven up your home!

madelinew

More stunning ikat designs, I love this combination of scatters...
ikats

Photos from ELLE Decor May 09

Jewellery giveaway

I just love giveaways especially when there's a beautiful prize to be won, visit Being Brazen to stand a chance of winning a stunning necklace by Friedasophie...

Friedasophie

Charmed by Josephine's

Some very pretty jewellery to share with you today by Josephine's (which I discovered thanks to Bling and Buy), I love this kind of colourful and playful jewellery...

Josephine's

Beautiful blooms

Found a great online shop and blog via coco & kelley, it's called Emersonmade and they make the most gorgeous handmade blooms, and the styling.... well, it's just amazing! Take a look at their blog and you will see exactly what I mean! Enjoy!

via emersonmade

via emersonmade

via emersonmade

via emersonmade

via emersonmade

via emersonmade

via emersonmade

via emersonmade

Lovely lockets

Aren't these lockets by stylesmith just amazing?! Imagine owning one of these lovelies? Especially the chalkboard locket!

lockets

Visit stylesmith's etsy shop for some retail therapy and her blog to find out more...

Messy head- not just a hair style

A combination of family visits (sans internet, shock!) and general malaise have stopped me posting of late I'm afraid. I had a major headache today, not helped by thinking far too much about this coat from Topman Design.


My thoughts, as always, on important matters I'm sure you'll agree.

General malaise has also increased my scatter-brained-ness (and my vocabulary, apparently). What I have been thinking about today is:

Topman- has it been sneakily improving behind my back? I know that you are not really a fan, although I maintain that you can find a few gems. Their accessories sale is one of my most favourite hunting grounds for ridiculous bargains. They seem to have some really nice stuff in at the moment, such as this shirt designed by Carolyn Massey


They also have a few hoodies by Siv Stoldal that I have my eye on if I don't find something right on the US trip. Not to mention this! This gold bomber reminds me of something that Kanye would wear. Ok, I'm going to stop pimping out Topman now...

Scarves- I'm definitely going to elaborate on this one at a later date. I don't know about London, but Manchester is COLD today. This has let to me wanting to wrap up even more than usual. This gorgeous multi-coloured scarf by Paul Smith (aka designer I adore right now) is just brill and would be the perfect way to liven up a subdued outfit. A cheaper alternative can be found here for those of you who paid heed to my earlier call to needles. Do let us know if you give it a go!

Blogs I don't understand- not because I'm thick, just because I don't read the language. I found Breach of Style through another blog (I've forgotten which one) and spent a good 10 minutes (which is a lot of time given the headache I'm carrying around today) admiring knitwear and coats and thinking that maybe the 6 or 7 coats I already own isn't REALLY that excessive and that I could probably use 3 or 4 more.

Tetris- enough said.

Normal service will resume once I start feeling like myself again

Oh how far we've come from Joey's purse


It has been a lazy Sunday, it started off being as Lionel once say an "easy like Sunday morning" as I was treated to my weekly does of television. I watched Friends and I was inspired by the episode. Joey was auditioning for a 'sophisticated' part in a play, so Rachel offered to help him look the part. She outfits him at Bloomingdales, and part of the ensemble is a "man's bag," which bears a striking resemblance to a purse. Unfortunately, Joey's devotion to the bag ends up costing him the audition...All in all the episode did put the man bag on the map (well TV) but it was not received well. The episode featured a series of running jokes about Joey falling for a unisex handbag that resembles a purse. Not only is Joey's bag mocked by Ross and Chandler but, fatally for manbags, the moral of the story is: carry a bag and you will not get the job. However, this show was aired in 1999, things have changed or if they haven't and I'm just weird, well I'm happy to be so. In a world where I frequently carry lots of gadgets, magazines, books, keys and money rather than bulk out my pockets or ruin my suit trousers, the man bag in its various guises and sizes is a necessity.
I really like Jas M.B bags, have a look here and look at the collection of bags below:

You can see that I like this style of bag right now!

Paul Smith - Men who wouldn't normally carry bags would carry this bag


Topman Design - Black PVC holdall at only £50 - I like!





As we talked about following rules I will leave you with some insight on how to choose your Manbag by GQ's Cahrlie Porter and my responses to most of them.


How to choose your manbag by GQ's Charlie Porter

Dos
1) Follow function, not fashion. A good bag should have a clasp or a buckle only if it's got a purpose. The bells and whistles of women's bags just don't sit right in menswear (I don't agree with this one, there can be a time for bells and whistles!)
2) Ensure there are enough compartments to take keys, coins, phones and iPods. You don't want things banging around in the bottom of your bag, especially when your portmanteau acts as an all-day office. (Very true)
3) Think about the weight of the bag. If the leather is thick and heavy, then, when the bag is full of stuff, it will be too much of a burden. Men’s bags are normally bigger, but this doesn’t mean they should be impractical.
4) Look in unusual places. Fishermen’s bags by Brady are a current sleeper hit. They can be bought at Labour and Wait on Cheshire Street in London, while Topman has done a cheaper version in vivid colours for the summer.
5) Explore the unusual. Pochettes are returning this coming season, especially at Prada, where they have the appearance of an exercise book for a back-to-school look.


Don’ts
1) Don’t assume that shoppers are just for women. A canvas tote will look suitably masculine, especially with a navy trim. Marc by Marc Jacobs is currently selling canvas totes with the slogan “Give ‘Em Hell, Al” over an image of our fearless hero, Al Gore.
(I am looking for a cool leather tote for every day use)
2) Don’t overstuff the bag. The sharp edges of a too-big book can destroy the shape of a bag. (I am guilty of this from time to time)
3) Don’t stick to the style of your adolescence. Backpacks look great on skate kids, but a Valextra Premiere in white is a much more modernist choice for adulthood.
(In most cases I have to agree but on some guys it can look good)
4) Don’t worry about matching shoes to the bag. There’s nothing wrong this summer with carrying a tan leather valise with mustard patent sandals. (Mustard patent sandals...hmmm? Not sure about them)
5) Don’t worry if you can’t stomach the male bag; just ensure your clothing has the right pockets to carry your load. Designer Rick Owens hates bags, but hates trousers without good pockets even more. His clothes have enough hidden slots to carry a day’s worth of clutter. It’s a philosophy some other designers should follow. (I love practical, yet hidden pocket wizardry and applaud smart tailoring)

Must have accessories!

I came across Heart of light, via 100 Layer Cake,  it's the prettiest shop selling headbands, ruffled belts and corsages... oh how I wish I had a wedding to go to...

heart of light

ps Rachel has a lovely blog too, so why not visit if you have some time

Each Man and his Trim Style: Braun Cruzer 6 Shaver Review and Best Prices


Because in terms of male hair, all tastes are in nature, Braun Cruzer launched a new line of shavers and trimmers. Everyone has his own style and desires. Shave your style.




You're more of a beard in millimeters? Cruzer6 Face the shaver and trimmer accessory you need for a hair under control in all circumstances. Love with the famous "designer stubble" and other men who want to hurry their look, but also for a model you'll need to choose.

 Good news to save precious minutes, you can use this device in the shower ... Time to followers of the "nickel chrome" trimmer Cruzer6 Head & Beard is the accessory you need. He declared war on every little hair and other stubborn hair, all with delicacy and sweetness.

As anyone who has the soul artist to the tips of the hair and prefers to carve their beards, they cannot do without Cruzer6 Precision ... As the name suggests, this trimmer is an implacable rigor. Finally, the most resistant to hair, those who do not want at all, the side of the Body Cruzer6 they will need to look.












In short, there will be for all tastes and styles. Braun thought of all men ... 

The Best Prices founded at Amazon
Braun Cruzer6 Face: 64.99 USD
Beard & Head: 44.99 USD
Precision: 14.99 USD
Body: 54.99 USD



   
















Andrea Galante

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