Tuesday 7 December 2010

Lara Bohinc for Turning Leaf

Things have been a little stressful at the moment, it's all deadlines this and essay's that, so when the lovely people at Turning Leaf invited me to a wine-tasting evening at The Assembly near Spitalfields, I couldn't say no.


Turning Leaf is a premium Californian wine brand and one of their wine makers Stephanie, was on hand to answer any questions (I'm known for turning into a bit of demon after drinking wine so I was glad to learn more about the stuff!). The evening was in aid of the Turning Leaf Lara Bohinc collaboration, how beautiful are these bottles?!


We sampled 5 of Turning Leaf's wines and considering I'm not a massive wine drinker, I really enjoyed each and every one. My favourite was the Turning Leaf Chardonnay - it had these lovely sweet aromas that I've never noticed in a wine before; it's amazing how much you notice when you know what to look for!

To accompany the wine was an array of yummy food's - a girl can never turn down a good chunk of Wensleydale.  Below is just a smidgen of the tasty goods on offer...


The limited edition bottles have been designed by Queen of luxury Lara Bohinc and have been laser-cut - they look really impressive on the table and we all agreed that they'd make great candle holders when the wine had been devoured. If you're still stuck for present ideas then these would make a great gift for someone a bit trickier (think in-laws or your sibling's other half).

The Turning Leaf Pinot Grigio and Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Edition bottles are both available to buy now from Lara Bohinc's store on Sloane Street for just £35. Whether you wanted to drink the wine or not, they'll undoubtedly become a collectable in their own right so snap yours up before they sell out!

photos by Patricia Niven and Turning Leaf

Monday 6 December 2010

Tis The Season To Be Jolly

Ok so Christmas is just a stone's throw around the corner (19 days, to be precise) and if you're anything like me you won't have even thought about it until now; don't get me wrong, I love giving people presents, but finding great gifts is one of the most traumatic things in the world. This year however, things are going to be different because being in London, I'm surrounded by amazing boutiques and gift shops - all selling perfect Christmas presents waiting to be bought.

Here is a small selection of some of the things that have caught my eye so far, how cute are the Stella McCartney Days of the Week knicker Set?!

Days of the Week knickers by Stella McCartney and playing cards by Lanvin @ Matches. Silver bag by Topshop. i-D Covers book and cat plate by Donna Wilson @ Magma. Red Fisheye camera by lomography.com. Moustache brooche by Tatty Devine. Pom-pom mittens by ASOS. Crossbone ring by galibardy.co.uk. Christmas Cookie candle by Yankee Candle.

All of these beauties would make great stocking fillers or secret-santa pressies as they're all within a reasonable price range. It also helps that I'd be more than happy to receive any one of these for Christmas so if anyone is stuck...well, you get the idea.

What will you be asking for this Christmas and what are the best and worst presents you've ever received?

photos from individual web pages

Sunday 5 December 2010

Pre-Party Inspiration

This gorgeous photo of Carey Mulligan from this evenings Moet British Independent Film Awards got me thinking, what on earth should one wear to a Christmas party?!


Prabal Gurung has been worn by every hot-young-thing in recent weeks and this dress looks as though it was made for Carey. Unfortunately Prabal Gurung is a little out of my price range (OK so it's massively out of my price range) but I really love the simplicity of this look and think we should all take a leaf out of Carey's book this Christmas. 

I've put together 9 going-out looks for the inevitable onslaught of festive parties and although I'm a creature of habit, mainly a LBD habit, I've experimented with a touch of colour. What do you think?


Topshop never fails when it comes to party dresses, cheap and cheerful is definitely going to be my motto this season and these outfits won't break the bank. Unless you've got superhuman powers then black tights are an essential this time of year and all of these looks are great with or without. 

From left to right: Antonio Barardi dress, Charlotte Olympia heels. Christopher Kane dress, ACNE wedges, Mary Katrantzou dress, YSL heels.

Matches, although on the slightly expensive side, has more amazing dresses than you can poke a stick at. I'm particularly fond of the Christopher Kane number and have been drooling over all of the shoes since I first clapped eyes on them; the ACNE wedges have been in my sights for quite some time now, early Christmas present to myself? I think so.

From left to right: 3.1 Phillip Lim dress, Marc Jacobs bad. Issa dress, Valentino bag. Marc Jacobs dress, Herve Leger clutch.

The OutNet has some great party-pieces but I wasn't so taken by the shoes and have instead replaced them with bags instead - a girl always needs a good bag, right? These dresses scare me a little because they're so colourful but I'd happily wear any of them because they're so pretty. 

I definitely think its all about fun mini-dresses teamed with black tights for Christmas because everyone's so god damn depressed at the minute. If you want the designer label but not the designer prices, head over to Girl Meets Dress where you can find hundreds of gorgeous dresses to hire. You only need wear something once and they have a massive selection - perfect for partying! Check it out, you might be pleasantly surprised.

What will you be wearing this Christmas? Will you keep it simple like Carey or go the whole-hog and don all the tinsel you can find?

photos from matches.com, topshop.com, theoutnet.com and justjared.buzznet.com

Friday 3 December 2010

Spotlight: Mary-Kate Olsen

Mary-Kate earned this weeks Spotlight thanks to this insanely beautiful photo...

We've all been snowed in for the past few days and this shot cheered me right up. From an old Elle shoot back in 2008, I think Mary-Kate definitely deserves a shout-out; she is absolutely stunning.

My friends and I were discussing whether you would pretend to be your twin if you had one, do you think MK and A did that when they were younger? What is your favourite Olsen editorial?

photo from mary-kateolsen.net

Wednesday 1 December 2010

Daphne Guiness is Dead


Of course she isn't actually dead, but if you've been keeping track of her Twitter today, you'll have noticed a severe lack of posts. Guiness is one of a whole host of celebs (including Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Elijah Wood and Justin Timberlake) who have sacrificed Tweeting until $1 million is raised for World AIDS Day. I think it's a great idea, if each one of their followers donated just $10 or £10, then they'd reach the target in no time.


If you're interested in making a difference, go to buylife.org and donate. Talking about making a difference, if you're a regular reader then you may remember last month I attended the Levi's Shape What's To Come evening on Regent Street. It was a really inspiring evening and it helped me put my (not-so-stressful) life into perspective.

If you haven't already done so, I recommend you sign up to the Levi’s® Shape What’s To Come Online Community - not only is Shingai Shoniwa of The Noisettes hosting a live webcast tonight at 9pm but you'll be able to interact with other like-minded and career focused people. Great for getting your feet off the ground!


What do you think of the World AIDs Day campaign? It's so strong I don't think anyone can ignore the message they're trying to get across...

photos from buylife.org

Tuesday 30 November 2010

Pussy West

Terry Richardson is a bit like Marmite; you either love him or you hate him. I for one love him, nakedness and all. I've just stumbled across this editorial and of course, I love it; don't you wish you could trade the snow for a western saloon?!








Featuring the lovely Abbey Lee, Crystal Renn and Eniko Mihalik, Pussy West is one of my favourite Richardson editorials. The last two shots are definitely my favourite - mainly because they're so unlike his usual stuff.

It's a bit depressing being stuck in a very cold and snowy England when you see photo's like this. What do you think, do you love it or hate it?

Monday 29 November 2010

Everybody Put Your Glasses Up



WHAT a babe. Rihanna is the perfect cover star for January's GQ; I think its safe to say that she's my new girl crush. This issue will definitely be on my Christmas list, anyone else?


Photos from rihannadaily.com

Wednesday 24 November 2010

Spotlight: Ke$ha

Ke$ha is in this weeks Spotlight for all the wrong reasons, mainly being that I think she looks like a complete fool. I think I must've missed the Ke$ha bandwagon because she literally looks so ridiculous, I don't even know where to start. The fact that I've never seen her on any 'Worst Dressed' lists means that she's either too bad for them, or she's not a big enough celebrity - I'm going with the former...

from left to right: leaving Jimmy Kimmel live, Rolling Stone after-party and at the AMA's.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for freedom of expression and all that but seriously? When she's not looking like a man in drag, she's looking like a try-hard 15 year old. The studded eyebrows, the fake 80s mullet, the medical looking glasses? It's overkill. It's as though as soon as someone says the words 'red' and 'carpet', she raids the dressing up box.

However, it's what Ke$ha doesn't look like on the red carpet that's got her here...


She looks almost good here, but I really do mean almost. The blue/gold lipsticks and tatty army boots ruin each of these looks, which is a shame because she's obviously a beautiful girl. Still, it's not my cup of tea. To be fair she is a recording artist not a fashion icon but surely it helps? If I've missed the point completely then please, enlighten me.

photos from justjared.buzznet.com

Wednesday 17 November 2010

Student + Dying = Studying





 I'm supposed to be writing a 2000-word article but instead I'm looking at kittens and Abbey Lee. Compromise? I don't think so...

photos from ohmycoke.tumblr.com, dirtylittlestylewhore.tumblr.com and another I can't remember the name of

Tuesday 16 November 2010

CFDA: Battle of the Gossip Girls

The annual CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Awards usually pull a good crowd, it is one of the biggest events on the fashion calender, after all. However, it seems that no amount of Gossip Girl styling could help the stars last night. I'm a massive fan of the show (mainly because I fancy Ed Westwick) and they usually all look so dapper, but these looks didn't do anything for me...

I would ordinarily say, "don't get me wrong they both look great", but they don't. Blake, in Chanel, needs a new (preferably black) bra, a classy up-do and a quick shoe swap with Leighton and then maybe she'd look great but sadly, she missed the mark. I love Leighton's Roger Vivier ankle-boots but the Prabal Gurung dress and hair aren't doing it for me. She suits super short mini's and statement hair and this look is just far too prim. However saying that, Leighton in this instance, is the better of the two.

Now for the boys...

I'm never going to pick Chace over Ed so we all know who I think looks better, I'll let you decide on that one! I wish Ed would take a leaf out of Chuck Bass' book on the red carpet, he'd look so much more handsome, if that's possible?

Who do you think looked best at the CFDA Fashion Fund Awards? 

Monday 15 November 2010

MOCA Gala: Chanel Queens

The MOCA Gala, held in Los Angeles last night was awash with trendy celebrities and free Chanel handbags. That's right, free bags. If every museum gave out free Chanel clobber, I'd be a complete history/art/science buff. And have a very nice wardrobe. Anyway, Kate Bosworth and Kirsten Dunst showed us mere mortals just how good Chanel looks on the red carpet (as if we needed reminding)...


 I'm not a fan of colour so I absolutely love the monochrome and they both wear it so well, Kirsten's 20s vibe is stunning and Kate, well, what a babe.

Who do you think wore Chanel better? I literally don't think I can choose between them, they both look stunning. For more information about MOCA, click here.

Photos from justjared.buzznet.com

Tuesday 9 November 2010

Spotlight: Freja Beha Erichsen


The December issue of Vogue is easily my favourite of the year. I've already written about it once - that's how impressed I am.

However, it's the insanely beautiful Freja Beha Erichsen that I'm swooning over this time. Anyone with a fashion-tuned brain will know that Mario Testino is a photographic God and this image, as part of his Star Girls editorial, is nothing short of perfection; although mainly thanks to Freja. I only noticed the styling (which is rather average) after I'd pulled myself away from her face, that gaze is so intense!

It's been a while since I wrote about Freja and she definitely deserves this weeks Spotlight. What do you think of Freja in the December issue?

photo from mariotestino.com

Monday 8 November 2010

Only Girl in the World

Rihanna is having a moment. Again. Since the release of Rated R, she's been spotted here, there and everywhere looking nothing less than amazing with a wardrobe to-die-for. However, with the release of Only Girl in the World (which for the record, is amazing) she's been well and truly catapulted into the media spotlight and I can't wait to see her promotional outfits - if her MTV EMA's appearance was anything to go by, we're in for a treat...


I love Rihanna in Marchesa and she definitely rocked this ruffled number on the red (purple) - carpet. I love that she kept hair simple and non-fussy too because the dress in itself is such a statement piece; the cheeky side-panel revealing her tattoo is just the icing on the cake.

She's definitely got the whole 'military boot and feminine dress' look down to a T, how cute is that flowery dress? Her signature style is very much about mixing things up a little and she always pulls it off immaculately. What do you think of Rihanna's new song? It's pretty much become my go-to feel good tune, anyone else?

Photos from justjared.buzznet.com

Wednesday 3 November 2010

Spotlight: Emma Watson

Ok, so I know I go on about British Vogue being a bit shit because they cover rubbish celebrities that no-one cares about but the December issue looks amazing. I'm a massive Harry Potter fan and although the films can't compare to the books (don't even try and tell me different), they're still great; plus, December cover star Emma Watson is a total babe.


Isn't she just the cutest? I wasn't so sure of the pixie-crop to begin with but now I can't imagine her with long hair. Not only is she insanely beautiful, she's insanely rich and insanely intelligent; I feel rather inadequate right now.

I can't wait to read the full interview because she always comes across as a really great girl. Not one of these Cheryl Cole types that Vogue love so much.


What do you think of Emma and will you be seeing the new Harry Potter film this month (got my ticket already, I told you I'm a fan)?

photos from fashiongonerogue.com

Tuesday 2 November 2010

Birthday Beats

One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.

Ok so thats a bit of an exaggeration - tequila generally doesn't sit too pretty with me (nor do spirits full stop) - however, the launch of the extremely glamorous Rhodes Bar at the Cumberland Hotel made me want to drink cocktails again, and lots of them.


Served in an array of scrummy cocktails, Patron was our bevvy of choice for the evening- all the classics have been reinvented with a tequila twist and to top it off, Gary Rhodes is in charge of food. Heaven.


I'm a sucker for a good mojito and these lovely tequila numbers didn't disappoint. The entire restaurant has been given a several-million-pound makeover therefore it's as swanky as they come, a definite recommend for a luxury evening. 

It's my birthday today so for now, over and out!

Photos taken by me, do not use/copy without permission!

Friday 22 October 2010

It's Been A While...Lady Gaga

She disappeared off the face of the planet only to return wearing prime rump steak and now it seems she's been taking fashion advice from Miss Piggy...


London is supposedly the most diverse fashion city in the world but this is wrong on all levels (sorry gaga, I love you really). As separates the hair, glasses, bag (of course) and leather jacket are all rather lovely but the bad tights and hairy dress are a step too far.

Dodgy 80s throwback comes to mind. As do a flamingo and "that was so 2 years ago". I'm not really sure why she's in London at the moment but hopefully her style will resume 'icon' status when she leaves; what do you think, car-crash chic or just plain shit?

photos from laineygossip.com

Thursday 14 October 2010

Dazed by Ashley Smith

I was worried that Ashley Smith would become another of those 'flash-in-the-pan' models who hang around for one season then fall off the fashion radar quicker than you can say Chanel. Clearly I had nothing to worry about...

From left to right: Giles Deacon, Balenciaga, Chanel SS11 Shows

I wrote about Ashley back in May because her editorial for i-D blew me away and when I said Lara Stone had better watch her back, I meant it. She's already walked for the big boys and is scoring covers all over the show but it's her editorial in the October issue of Dazed and Confused that's caught my eye this time.




I've gone off Dazed in recent months but this issue is definitely worth a buy - as well as the lovely Ashley, they've well and truly re-vamped Daniel Radcliffe, with pretty impressive results. Love him or hate him, you can't ignore the fact that this is one of their most powerful cover for quite some time.



Will you be buying the latest Dazed? Having now proved that she can ace editorials and the runway, what do you think of the boob-alicious Miss Smith? I can't wait to see what she does next.

Photos from thefashionspot.com

Wednesday 13 October 2010

Levi's: Shape What's To Come

 Last night something pretty special happened at Levi's flagship store on Regent Street...

In an industry where everyone is out for themselves (and lets be honest, the majority are) it's extremely difficult to establish yourself, to do what you really want to do. Through it's amazing online community, Levi's latest venture, Shape What's To Come, reaches out to everyone and anyone in need of a helping hand within the creative industries.


"Millennial women around the world can network and interact with peers and mentors to help them progress both personally and professionally in pursuit of their passions." Through the website, which launches on Monday, you can connect and collaborate with women who already have or are pursuing their dreams - an invaluable tool if you've got all the ideas in the world, but don't know where to start.



Six of the British Ambassadors, one of whom has an MBE (I felt extremely lazy after meeting them) got together to highlight the need for a portal such as Shape What's To Come. Pictured above with the lovely Annie Mac, all women have already realised their dreams and are on hand to help - whether you want to find work experience or set up your own business, these ladies will have it covered.



The evening also featured an exclusive performance and Q&A with the uh-mazing Shingai Shoniwa (above), lead singer of The Noisettes and Ikonika (below) - DJ, producer and now one of Shape What's To Come's Ambassadors.

















The overarching message was that whatever your dream is, you can achieve it if your willing to work hard and  make sacrifices. It all sounds very profound but it really is an amazing idea - think of all those questions you've always wanted to ask about the industry but never had the chance; this, I believe, is what you were looking for.

For more information, visit the Shape What's To Come website where you can register for the launch on Monday and get more information on the Ambassadors and community.

All photos taken by me, do not copy/use without permission!