Biscuit O’Clock

Besides my styling ‘talents’ I’m also a baker. I made these a while ago and just came across the photo again: they are ginger biscuits with a chilli caramel drizzle. Yum.

Cover Try

Eniko Mahalik features on this great cover for the June issue of Harper’s Bazaar, Spain. The mix of the metallic gladiator style dress with the dirty ‘tyre’ gives an industrial edge to a photo that also has nautical, sport and travel connotations. Because the shot is taken from a low angle her legs look like they go on for days,  the yellow lettering is sunny and eye-catching and the white letters going round the wheel balance the picture and focus the eye back up to the model: little things that make up a lovely cover.

Press Day

I went to the Anthropologie press day recently. This brand only arrived in the UK in the last two years and I’d always loved it in America when I’ve been over there. As you’d expect,  next season’s collection of clothes, jewellery and homeware were vibrant, interesting and unlike generic high street brands. I love how quirky their presentation is and the candle scents are divine.

MET Gala 2012 The Bad……

It can only start with Anja Rubik in Anthony Vaccarello. If you haven’t seen coverage of that hip bone then you must have been hiding under a rock. For me it’s totally awful and tasteless. It’s not sexy milky curves, it’s an incredibly thin model whose hip bone probably comes under Unicef protection for abuse against humanity. This isn’t clever draping that looks as if it’s defying gravity holding onto the  body, this piece of fabric is holding on for dear life!

Sarah Jessica Parker in Valentino. I commented on this during Fashion Week season and let it be known again that current Valentino hurts my soul! This dress is matronly, sugary, shiny and frankly downright ugly. The two gold cuffs are bizarre extras that seem to have no place with the virginal nightgown. And is that a matching shoe???

Kristen Stewart in Balenciaga. Do you think she got out of her car and thought ‘Doh, I thought I was turning up to some edgy premiere, not Anna Wintour’s fashion castle’ and the shoes look like bandaged Egyptian mummy feet. Considering people are claiming her a No 1 best dressed on numerous magazine lists, for me this is a major backwards step.

Diane Kruger in Prada. I expect so much more from her; even if I don’t always like her fashion choices, they are at least high quality choices. This is a hippy slip dress with a big feather boa crawling round the hem. If you put your hand over the bottom half it looks like a perfectly average strappy top with a boho necklace and if you put your hand over the top half you have an over-played Ginger Rogers’ night dress. Together this does not work. Lovely colour though.

Jessica Chastain in Louis Vuitton. I don’t know why Jessica seems to like to dress like a much older version of herself. She looks like a trussed up bird in this dress and it’s not at all flattering to her figure with the line across the hip causing it to bulge. I do like the super sexy bodice and if only it was tailored onto a really tight skirt in much better quality fabric it would look so much less wagon trail.  Also this is the perfect example of where Hollywood hair doesn’t work and ages the look.

Emma Stone in Lanvin. This was custom made, CUSTOM MADE, and this is what they came up with? Her face says it all, it’s a grin-and-bear-it dress and the fact that there are paparazzi pictures floating around of this dress ripping in the car highlights even further that it was not fit for purpose. It’s far too girly and frilly and winsome and the hair is also very prom. Awful.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Prada. How unflattering is this on her legs? Surely no one does Tracy Anderson as religiously as she does in order to make her legs look bad in a dress? The side boob is not sexy and frankly isn’t necessary;  she’s just trying too hard. With the dipping hem, the frill and the racer front, this all looks as if it’s been cobbled together with no clear design direction.

Coco Rocha in vintage Givenchy. Yes, I know it was Elizabeth Taylor’s but that doesn’t mean it works for you, Coco. The dipped dyed hair is an affront to the house of Givenchy, Liz Taylor and the MET ball. This look is so mainstream now; as a top model you really should be ahead of the game not going with a trend that’s on the high street. I also think the pink top and pink ballet style shoes are so wrong and practically make a mockery of it. A black skirt would have looked so much cooler and some edgy shoes would have made this auction piece the real deal.

Jessica Alba in Michael Kors. Little to say on this bar that I expect so much more from her and putting hair on the opposite shoulder to the one shouldered dress is so lame.

Lily Collins in….. one guess, its dowdy, floral…. and yup, it’s Valentino. How any young girl would pick this off the rack as the perfect dress is beyond me. How any stylist would call in this dress for a young actress is beyond me too, and the fact that no one said that this is old, dull, fussy and prim is the final straw!

Claire Danes in J Mendel. I don’t want to Danes bash because, like everyone else, I think she’s amazing in Homeland.  Aside from the fact that she seems to like wearing white on the red carpet, this dress does not work for her proportionally. She is pretty short and this low wrap makes her look unnecessarily dumpy and heavy around the thigh. The dark roots in the hair really shouldn’t be there and I also think the whole look needs coloured jewellery to lift it. Can’t wait for season 2 though!

And finally Marc Jacobs in.. .. oh, who cares. I find this incredibly try-hard-to-be-noticed, unimaginative and frankly pretty childish.  And it doesn’t even look good. Yawn.

Source: Zimbio

MET Gala 2012 The Good….

I apologise for the lack of posts recently but I have been incredibly busy prepping for shoots, shooting, editing and crediting! So a good comeback post is the MET Gala which took place on Monday in New York. This event is often called the East Coast Oscars and I definitely get more excited about them because people can really flex their fashion muscles without needing to please the middle road. That said, this year wasn’t a great example of this: the out of the ordinary looks were rarely exciting and lots of people played in safe. The theme this year was Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations, and was chaired by Anna Wintour, Muccia Prada and, bizarrely, Carey Mulligan. This post focuses on the good and tomorrow I’ll post on the bad, and yes, I mean you, SJP!

January Jones in Versace. This yellow is so vibrant and I love the geometric accents of darker colour and all the tailoring is so flattering to her body. The turquoise necklace is a nice touch; I wouldn’t necessarily have thought a strong-ish necklace would have worked but because her hair and make up is so simple I think it looks great.

Ginnifer Goodwin in Monique Lhuillier. Another bold choice with its strong orange colour, in this case softened by the draping, the lace and the sheer sections.  The only downside for me are the shoes, which needed to be strappy and either same colour, nude or black.  And still just loving her short hair!

Jessica Stam in John Galliano for Dior.  This for me is what the MET ball is about. Yes, it’s a tad Star Trek with a healthy dose of the orient but it’s also beautiful and intricate and high fashion. I love the vertical flick of the blush eye liner that echoes the shoulder profile and the arm full of bracelets. It’s all just so classic Galliano, which is why he is much missed.

Diane Von Furstenburg in Diane Von Furstenburg. I love this woman, she dresses so well and always looks intereting, smart and elegant. I love the bright colour with the whimsical puzzle pieces and the long gloves make this more gala.  I think the chunky necklace works but I would have ditched the earrings.

Marion Cotillard in Dior. It’s elegant and timeless, beginning with the demure neckline and then getting edgier as it goes down. It’s not crazily fashion forward but not quite classic either, which is clever. I don’t like the watch though, it’s a major no-no; if you’re going to a ball like this one you don’t need to check the time.

Constance Jablonski in Haider Ackermann. Everyone knows my love for this man’s work and it’s so good to see him represented by a model I also admire. It’s not necessarily the best of his lovely colour combos – I would have chosen his burnt oranges and maroons – but none the less it’s striking and beautiful.

Beyonce in Givenchy. Only Beyonce can do this, so you’ve been warned! But seriously, wow! She looks all woman and so much more, hence my inclusion of a behind shot. This is dramatic and theatrical, her make-up is perfection and she’s glowing. I just wish the body underneath was slightly closer to her skin tone so it looked even more nude.

Milla Jovovich in Prada. The first and only Prada look I’ve included in the positive column.  I love the loose drape of the bodice, the gladiatorial panels on the skirt, the slightly twenties look with the side swept hair, but what is with those yellow/orange nails?! Horrible.

Doutzen Kroes in Roland Mouret. In an evening that featured quite a lot of black and white, this look stood out the most. It’s geometric with a light and humourous touch, almost a court jester quality (am I reading into it too much?!), and great old Hollywood hair to set a chic tone.

And finally Rihanna in Tom Ford. I dread to think how much this dress would cost but it has massive impact. It looks like hangbag material, as hard and shell-like as an armadillo and yet magically is also seductive and effortless. I think the claw nails take the theme too far and it’s a shame about the hair, I’m sure that Mr Ford would not have passed off on that!

I don’t know who these girls are but I like the composition of the architectural looks.

Source: Zimbio