Cannes Film Festival 2013

There's Something About Carey...  Carey Mulligan was this years Belle du Jour at theCannes Film Festival, with red-carpet and photo-call outfits being as elegant and quirky as the actress herself.  Accessorising her sleek and refined outfit choices with a couple of beautiful co-stars and a giggle, Carey wore a striking concave-chested Balenciaga jumpsuit to the 'Great Gatsby' photo-call with Leonardo Di Caprio, and an art deco inspired Vionnet gown at the 'Inside Llewyn Davis' premiere with Justin Timberlake.  
A masterclass in understated glamour.

Left:  Speaking of understated glamour.... I have absolutely no idea who this lady is and why she was on the red carpet at Cannes... But with her golden Ferrero Rocher tray dress, I kinda just love her!! 

Below:  Another actress who NEVER fails to make me style-swoon on the red carpet is the beautiful Marion Cotillard.  The French actress looked perfect at the 'Blood Ties' photo-call wearing a teal mini dress from the Antonio Berardi A/W14 collection and Jimmy Choo nude heels and then later at the Chopard lunch in a Vivienne Westwood Couture pink and ivory striped dress.  Ooh La La.

Below:  And then there was Cara... Cara Delevigne looked showstopping at the premiere of the Great Gatsby wearing a Burberry gown and Chopard jewels.  Wow. 

The Met Ball 2013

The Met Ball in New York took place last weekend, the fashion industry’s annual opportunity to show off the most beautiful gowns on the most beautiful people.  This year designers created outfits inspired by ‘punk chaos’ so safety pins, colour clashes and stud embellishments were key in creating some of the most show stopping gowns....

Above:  Cara Delevigne perfectly punked in a plunging Burberry dress armoured in tiny gold spikes.  Hands down the  best dressed of the night.

Above:  The saying goes, 'Go Hard or Go Home' and Sarah Jessica Parker went Hard as NAILS!  SJP accessorised her voluminous Giles Deacon ball-gown (and lace knickers!) with thigh-high velvet TARTAN Louis Vuitton boots and a Philip Treacy Mohican headpiece!  

Above:  Some celebrities really embraced the theme with punk hairstyles and make-up, particularly Anne Hathaway who, wearing vintage Valentino (1992) with yellow nailpolish, took the opportunity to debut her new peroxide hair. I LOVE punk Anne!

Above:  A little safe and not particularly 'punk chaos' but I will NEVER tire of Rooney Marawearing white on the red carpet.  The actress contrasted her dark lipstick with her delicate white lace Givenchy gown.  Otherworldly. 

Above:  Errrrrrrm... Yup. That would be a floral upholstered Kim Kardashian in a Riccardo Tisci designed Givenchy gown, complete with 'gleeves' (glove sleeves).  Dreadful. 

There's Something About Carey

What a beautifully ethereal cover Harper's Bazaar have for their June issue.  Photographed by Tom Allen, the cover features Great Gatsby actress Carey Mulligan in a pink Prada coat surrounded by cherry blossom, and the result is completely dreamy.  
A newstand knockout!

The 'Great Gatsby' opens on both sides of the Atlantic on 10th May 2013.

HAWT: Sienna Miller in Burberry

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

Actress Sienna Miller looked HAWT last week at the opening night of the new Broadway play ‘Orphans’ (starring her beau Tom Sturridge).  The yummy mummy wore a classic belted Burberry trench coat whilst wearing her heart on her sleeve with the Burberry Prorsum Heart Print Calfskin Drawcord Bag as she posed for photographers in NYC.  The outfit subsequently caused speculation that the gorgeous couple have been hired as the British brand’s A/W’13 faces… I would heart that. 

Debit Buy: Kara Ross Earrings on The Outnet

When American fine jeweller Kara Ross was 13 years old her parents bought her a gemstone of her choice to commemorate a family safari in Africa.  When she returned home Kara designed a ring with the tourmaline she had chosen, “to know that I could create something wholly original at a young age really affected me.”  Kara’s elegant and dazzling cocktail rings, bangles and drop earrings are firm favourites of Kate Hudson,Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendes and Michelle Obama. 
 
Below:  These Kara Ross gold-plated Water Monitor earrings available HERE on The Outnet are a steal!

RRP. £95.00 £52.25 

Trend: Spring Knits

Above: Day or night, no one rocks a sweater better than Alexa Chung.

Despite the sun STILL refusing to put his party hat on (yes, that is snow outside... IN APRIL!) I refuse to let my style suffer.  It may be all miserable and gloomy outside but underneath my heavy parka and umbrella I shall be wearing a series of gorgeous light and bright knits bound to put Spring in my step.  A knitted jumper is key this season so whether you choose to wear yours with a bejewelled statement necklace, layered with a shirt underneath (collar done up for the ultimate in geek chic), or, à la Brrrrr-ave Alexa Chung, with bare legs and a skirt, your Winter Blues will be banished. 

Above (L-R):  Jump(er)ing into Spring:  Sienna Miller, Poppy Delevigne & Laura Carmichael.

Best of London - David Huglin

Burtonwode was launched by artist David Huglin (left) in 2010 when he noticed the huge imbalance “between the choice women had with their underwear compared to men.”   David set about to create stylish and unique boxer shorts for men who wanted something more individual ”underneath it all.”  

Printed in a 19th Century Carlisle mill and then stitched in London’s Canning Town, the sixteen pair collection of colourful Burtonwode boxer shorts are classically cut, made from 100% softened cotton and are available in a range of quirky prints from David’s own artwork.

Despite being based in London, David is Liverpudlian and has 'Liverpool' sewn onto every label "because I want it to be seen as a Liverpool brand; the city very much suits our outlook because there are things like plums and cherries on the boxes - it’s meant to be quite witty and cheeky and not taking itself too seriously.”  Fruity. 

David Huglin shared with us some of his London Favourites…

My Pint – I always try and go for something I've not had before.  I ask to try a bit of something random and and then have a pint of the stuff if I like it.  One that is always good value for money is Sam Smiths Alpine Lager at Blue Posts ( 81 Newman Street).
 
My Date Night – Home made Pierogies on the couch with my wife watching some trashy food porn programme.    
 
My Sunday Brunch – It has to be bagels with cream cheese and dry smoked smoked salmon at L&D in Hampstead (15-17 Lyttelton Road), or at Panzers in St.Johns Wood (13-19 Circus Road) - It's making me hungry even thinking about it...   
 
My Building – This is hard to choose, but probably the The Isokon Building in Hampstead.  Early residents included Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Agatha Christie. I also find theRoyal Festival Hall just remarkable.  The details are unbelievable - check out the entrance door handles and brass banisters.

My London Shop – It was the Paul Smith furniture shop on Albermarle Street, full of whimsy and playfulness.  Sadly it's temporarily closed as it had some awesome stuff in there.  Calvert Street in Shoreditch is really great, it has Anthem, Mawi and Ally Capelino.

My London Extravagance – Taking the day off and strolling around the British Museum.
 
London's Best Kept Secret – I like the second hand furniture places on the Holloway Road.
 
My London Icon – Edward Johnston who invented the Underground Symbol and Typeface used until the 1980's. A brilliant and efficient response to the challenges of the underground mapping system. 

Burtonwode Boxer Shorts RRP. £26.00

www.burtonwode.com

Stella McCartney receives OBE from the Queen

Stella McCartney was the perfect poster girl for her brand yesterday as she collected her OBE for services to fashion from the Queen.  Wearing a bespoke navy suit of her own design, with a vintage platinum headpiece by Cartier and velvet pumps, Stella told the Press Association, “I feel really proud and really excited and honoured to be here."  Stella also revealed that despite the Queen looking “very chic” she felt the 86 year old monarch should have been wearing Stella McCartney, “I slipped her a card…”
 
Stella McCartney joins fellow designers Dame Vivienne Westwood and Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, as well as Jimmy Choo founder Tamara Mellon in being awarded the Order of the British Empire.  Congratulations Stella!!

HAWT: Olivia Palermo in Christian Dior Shoes

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

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Olivia Palermo arrived at the Christian Dior A/W'13 Ready-to-Wear show during last week's Paris Fashion Week wearing these incredible heels from Dior's Spring 2013 collection.  The black leather slingbacks featured a mirrored purple cuff.

Shoe envy factor? High. 

Looking as gorgeously stylish as ever, Olivia (left) paired her shoes with a striped sleeveless Dior dress, also from their SS'13 collction, and the Felder Felder Nashville fur-trimmed wool coat.  Olivia's burgundy bag was also, of course, by Dior.  Aside from the unfortunate use of fur on her coat, Olivia's look is as flawless and perfectly polished as ever.

Kate Moss Walks for Louis Vuitton AW'13

Two years ago it was a cigarette, last year a carousel, and this year it was a cropped black wig.  Kate Moss once again walked the Louis Vuitton Fall 2013 runway on the final day of Paris Fashion Week last week.  Kate wore the revealing, floral embroidered gown with her signature nonchalance, supporting her good friend, designer Marc Jacobs.

The show had a real Downton Abbey vibe – according to the show notes this was translated with an ‘attitude of getting dressed up only to find the most glamorous destination is one's own hotel room.’   With that energy in mind, models emerged from behind closed doors adorned in a selection of gorgeous 1920’s-style French lace lingerie dresses and shimmering long-sleeve gowns covered in rounded, lavish overcoats in dusky pink and soft grey. 1940’s-style inspired suits, ladylike shirts and jackets in an array of velvet, tweed, printed satin (and unfortunately fur) made for an elegant, sophisticated collection (despite the lack of bras - apparently not so 2013).  I adored the luxe silk pyjamas which were not only worn by several models on the runway, but also by Marc Jacobs himself as he took his bow (below).

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