Exclusively Wang

Shopping online is great! There's no argument about it. Especially in miserable winter months, when it's dark most of the day and raining non-stop, you may feel like staying in bed all day. But retail therapy will cheer you up! So treating yourself from the comfort of your warm bedroom is very appealing. And when you can get something exclusive even better. Well look no further because I'm gonna tell you about a very exciting exclusive collection. And is by noone less than ALEXANDER WANG for net-a-porter.com. He designed special pieces for autumn '09 (available now), and they are so great, some of them are already sold out.
Since his first ready-to-wear collection in 2007 catapulted him to stardom, he's been on every fashionista's wish list, being praised by fashion editors and celebrities. At just 25 years old, Alexander's work is globaly recognized and it's no wonder he recieved the CFDA Swarowski Womens Wear Designer of the Year award in 2009. You can see why. His clothes are beautifuly cut,wearable and timeless. They are for cool girls who want to stand out from the crowd. I like them very much.

My style lust

I love chunky accessories. They can so easily transform a simple outfit into a stand-out-of-crowd look. And I love watches. I believe a watch is definitely something that is worth investing to. Good watch will last you for a life time. Idealy it's good to have two watches. One sporty one and one elegant. But I found a solution that doesn't require this. And it's this beautiful Chanel watch. It's quite big and bold but sooo beautiful. It looks quite casual but will look great with evening outfit as well. It's my definite style lust. Unfortunately there is no way I can afford it but maybe one day.. In the meantime I've seen loads of similar styles inspired by this timeless piece.

My Current jean affair

Although I get periods when I'm more into dresses and leggins I am a jean girl through and through. I mean what's not to like? You can dress them up and dress them down and accessorized well, they're perfect for nearly every occasion(there are exceptions when only LBD will do!). Plus there are so many styles, cuts and shapes I dare you not to find the perfect fit! And the right pair will last you for years! I have and ongoing love affair with Diesel. Italian certainly know how to make clothes, and these jeans are so well made, comfy and look so cool! But I thought it was time to find something new. To get out of my comfort zone. The search is over. Thanks to CURRENT/ELLIOTT - the amarican label that's been causing headlines since it launched in July 2008. Pretty new label, but has already made its way into places like Selfridges and Harrods and many indpenedent boutiques. Found by stylist duo Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, you can see their love for original fashion and a bit of quirkiness. Just check out their website Currentelliott.com and see for yourself. American Vogue said (July 2008) ; "The most refreshing denim line to come out of LA's jean scene in a long, long time." And who am I to argue with Anna Wintour..

My perfect party outfit

In my last two blogs I wrote about the perfect dress. No matter what you go for, always make sure it fits well and you feel comfortable, because nothing spoils the evening more than you feeling nervous, constantly checking if nothing is showing that shouldn't be or so on. Here I'm gonna show you a whole outfits in style I like as this is my STYLE FILE after all. As I probably said before I like simple clothes and dressing up with accessories. My favourite colour is pink, apart from basics white, black and blue jeans. I don't wear patterns much although lately I've been into stripes. But generally I love to play with jewellery, shoes and bags. They are my obsession. So in this outfit I picked an ASOS party dress as featured yesterday, gold DUNE peeptoe shoeboots (available in Dune stores and their website), pink clutch by Alexander McQueen (sold at Harvey Nichols website) and a necklace I found very randomly on a website www.whatsabouttown.com that sells some amazing jewellery. I love pearls and this necklace just caught my eyes. So there you go. This is my dream party outfit. I hope I've given you ideas for yours. Have a stylish day.

Party wear part two

Another day closer to Christmas and probably even closer to your work Christmas party. Worried about what to wear? Look no further. Yesterday I looked at some fabulous designer dresses and today it's gonna be all about high-street partywear. Well high-street prices but not the crowds of stressed out "festive" shoppers. I've been obsessed lately with internet shopping so in both features I'm showing you items all discovered on net. So no matter how busy you are, I'm sure you can spare few minutes to look at the web and find your perfect outfit. It's so easy nowadays to shop online. If you're worried about things not fitting properly then don't, because even the returns are easy and usually for free. Anyway no more talking as here are the top three party dresses at very reasonable prices. All can be found on ASOS.com.

What I love about the first one is it's versatility. I'm obsessed with boob tube tops and dresses because they give you so many options as how to wear them. You can use all kind of different necklaces and it will change the look completely. I recommend a statement necklace in your favourite colour or piles and piles of pearls and you've nailed it. Also for another option you can throw over a shrug or little cardie and there you go, noone will know you're wearing the same dress again and again. I also like the detailing at the bottom. Ruffles are quite simple but add more interest to it. It's ASOS own brand and has a very good price.

The second dress is also by ASOS. I don't think much needs to be said. Lace is such a beautiful fabric and very sexy. It's also chic so you just need some simple accessories and you're ready to go. And if you're in a rush and maybe go to a party straight after work that's what you need. It has a luxury feeling as well and in these difficult financial times that is definitely a good thing (all without breaking the bank).

Last but not least is a dress by Mango. I love the colour, it's so now! Also it's very 80' - a style that the designers have been obsessed with lately and I love it too. The sequins are very Studio 54. The back detailing is amazing and I'm sure in this dress you will like a star from that great era and will want to party all night long.

There are so many great dresses out there, it's hard to choose. I hope I've inspired you and maybe give you a guidance what to look for. Good luck with choosing the right one and trust me, it's worth all the searching. because when you find the perfect outfit you will feel million dollar and that's what is all about. Party season here we come!

Christmas is coming!

both dresses by HERVE LEGER



ALEXANDER WANG DRESS

As unbelievable as it may sound, Christmas Eve is just a month away. And although it is a bit scary, the good news is, the party season is here! Which is an excuse to go shopping (as if we need an excuse), this time for the perfect evening dress. If you get it right, you will feel great and enjoy yourself even the more. So I've done the hard work and picked my top three dresses that I believe are chic, timeless and you can get a lot of wear out of them, yet stand out from the crowd. They are all designer, picked from net-a-porter.com and because they're not the cheapest of dresses, I prefer something simple with an amazing cut or detail, so you can just change your accessories and wear it many different ways. Trust me, it wasn't easy to pick the top three, but I was really looking for something special. It is not a coincidence that two of the dresses are by Herve Leger, because I absolutely adore his style. It's fabulous, interesting and wearable! Plus the cut is so great it will transform you into a silver screen goddess and you will feel like one! My last choice is by Alexander Wang. Lovely detailing, very now choice of colours, yet it won't date. Ever since he's appeared on fashion scene, he's been worn by celebrities and loved by every fashionista and you can easily see why. I hope you like my choices, but don't worry if you can't afford it, as tomorrow I'm gonna pick the top three from the highstreet.

Zara - my favourite high street shop

As I mentioned several times before (and will mention again in the future) I love shopping. Apart from my number one fashion spot Selfridges, I decided to tell you about my favourite shop on the high street - ZARA. I love, love, love the store! With 63 branches in the UK there is a big chance there's one very near by you and if you have never been there before, make sure you pay a visit very soon. It is so great for following trends and making them their own. You can see very clearly influences from the top designers and copies from catwalks, but they translate the trends in such an amazing way it's hard to resist. And why would you spend thousands, if you can get fabulous clothes for fracture of the price. The good thing is, they don't keep any design on the floor for longer than four weeks so you won't see half of the population wearing the same stuff. They use nice fabric and are great for you basics, but also their jeans and jackets are absolutely gorgeous. You can find all different styles - workwear, partywear, casual - the whole lot. They do womenswear, menswear, childrenswear and homewear so you can dress up not only yourself but your whole family and your home! What's not to like? And with all the fab designs reasonably priced you'd be mad not go mad in there.

Collector's item - Chanel DVD

The day we've been waiting for is nearly here for all fashion lovers. The biography movie Coco before Chanel is coming out on DVD on monday, great not only for those who missed the film in the cinema, but also it will be nice to see it again and it's gonna be an amazing piece for your DVD collection. The great designer is such an icon and it is inspiring to see her life before she became famous. She was very determined and a hard-worker - great assets for the global stardom she achieved. Many years after she died her legacy lives on. I share her passion for pearls. They are my favourite piece of jewellery and I believe in this case the more the better. All women owe her for what she has done to women's fashion. And I think Karl Lagerfeld is following in her footsteps really well making Chanel THE label everyone wants to wear.
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Paradise city

a boutique just off Carnaby street

What I love most about London is probably the shopping. This place is a retail heaven! And because shopping and fashion go hand in hand I've got an excuse to go on about it. There is such a variety of shops you get spoilt for choice. I'm gonna start from the back and then go on about my favourite place ever, because it needs a proper inside tour. Apart from the obvious stops like Oxford street and surrounding streets, there is a good little area just off the Regent street where it's got always great buzzing atmosphere. I'm talking about Faubert's Place and Carnaby street, that are full of amazing branches of All Saints, Diesel, Miss Sixty and so on but you can also find there some fab independent boutiques as well. It's worth checking out and whilst you out there you can get some nice food or a drink in many little caffes and restaurants. Love it there! And now to number one Selfridges, which you may have guessed as I mentioned it in my blog before and you can be sure I will mention it again and again. Whether shopping or not, whenever I'm in that area I always go in at least to have a look. I start at the ladie's accessories section, get mesmerized at Balenciaga, amazed at Alexander McQueen, have a look in Prada and Miu Miu and just browse around. Then I go through the cosmetics section, stopping at Mac and getting beauty tips. After is my favourite Ladies contemporary department. It's got the best atmosphere ever. I often can't resist and just move to the music they're playing there. Amazing place! And the rest varies. Whatever I'm looking for I know I can find it in Selfridges. You can spend hours there and always discover something new. That's why I never miss a chance to pop in and either spoil myself a little or just get inspired. I'd like to know what is your favourite place so drop me an email or just write a comment. Happy shopping.

Palermo style

Could there be a new style icon in the making? Ever since MTV's THE HILLS and spin-off THE CITY was aired, its stars have been making headlines for all different reasons. I must admit I never watched the programme but OLIVIA PALERMO's fashion sense caught my eyes. Her style is quite simple with good accessorizing, eclectic but sophisticated. I love the way she mixes designer with high street and vintage finds. She attened this year's London Fashion Week's Topshop show dressed head to toe in Topshop and looked fabulous. She worked for Diane von Furstenberg and must have picked up some tips, getting her fashion credentials. The 23-year old collaborated with Roberta Freymann for a necklace collection and I can't wait to find out what she's up to next. In the meantime I'll be glad to see her pictures in magazines and get inspired.

An ode to jewellery

I'm obsessed with jewellery and have an extensive collection. I believe in simple dressing and dressing up with accessories. I love it all but probably chunky rings, cuffs and bangles the most. My all time favorites are pearls in all shapes and sizes but more about that later. The good things about jewellery is that it doesn't need to cost a fortune. You can find fabulous pieces on the high street, some amazing original stuff at your local market and the statement it can make is priceless. Although saying this, I picked up my favourite designer "wristwear," now you can put it on your Christmas wish list or even treat yourself. The first two are by Chanel and the last one from Balenciaga. How gorgeous! So go on! Pile them up and watch others go green with envy.

On my style radar now! BALMAIN

( pictures Balmain SS '10 from style.com)

There is nothing more inspiring to me than a person good at what he does. Whatever you do always make sure you do it as best as you can. That is my motto anyway. I don't know who I admire more: people at BALMAIN for recognizing Christophe Decarnin's talent or the man himself. Because ever since he took over the french fashion house it's been going from strengh to strengh. Before it was a label nearly forgotten, but appointing Decarnin in 2005 was the best move possible. It is amazing what the right person can do for a company. My other example would be Tom Ford for Gucci, who has done the same job - taking a falling business and transfering it into a major success. For me his was the best era for Gucci (Ford is my all time hero) and I still lust after his timeless pieces, especially his goth season. But back to Balmain, who is my current obsessions. The ripped jeans, sharp-shouldered jackets and studded killer heels are sexy and wearable! And his SS '10 didn't dissapoint. The strong shoulder trend continues and the dresses ar as beautiful as ever and I love it! In a tough econimic situation he manages to sell-out collections, even though his clothes are far from reasonable price. And everyone loves him and you can find copies of his design in every shop on the high-street. Thank god for that because not everyone can afford a pair of jeans for a thousand pounds, but I I'm quite sure, that if they could they wouldn't resist.

Book a Dior night in

My idea of a perfect evening in involves some scented candles, nice glass of red wine and a good read. This could be either my weekly favourite Grazia, fashion magazine (I read tons every month including Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, In style and so on) or a good book. The book that got me excited this week, when I found out about it, is not so much about reading, but I can guarantee you it's gonna be a feast for the eyes. It's called BACKSTAGE DIOR and it is published on 15 November. John Galliano is such a master of fashion design and so playful with his clothes and shows, you can only expect a masterpiece. Full of backstage pictures and photographs of catwalk shows for Dior by photographer Roxanne Lowit, I can assure you it's gonna look very stylish on every coffee table. I can just imagine myself during the long winter evenings, getting lost in the timeless and original beauty. To me John Galliano is so inspiring, I just can't wait to get my copy! So go on! Get yours as well and have an indulging night in with a book.

Tough times...

It was a sad day yesterday for many fashion lovers as british designer Luella Bartley announced that her fashion label LUELLA ceased trading after a key financier pulled out. Although she is saying there are some other options, that will be considered in the coming months, it is unlikely that her SS '10 will hit the shops. It would be a great loss for Britain as she always receives great reviews for her "English eccentric" style. After studying at St. Martins college, Luella worked as a journalist for Evening standard and Vogue and eventualy decided to make her own collection of clothes. Showed at a friends flat, it proved so popular that the next season she was showing at London Fashion Week. Then she showed in Milan and New York, steps that proved to be a success, then she returned back to London and opened a shop in Mayfair. Worn by the likes of Alexa Chung and Sienna Miller the fashion industry just won't be the same without her. Let's hope she can find money elsewhere and continue with her quirky label for the sake of us all.

Place to be..

London is a great place to live and before Christmas it's at its most beautiful. With the lights already switched on, you can not forget to visit Oxford street. I know it can get really crowded, especially now, that people are already getting into the festive mood, buying presents and decorations, but for me it is a first shopping destination with my favourite department store SELFRIDGES. I am a massive fan. Even when I'm not shopping I always pop in to have a look, get inspired and completely smitten with everything on show. And lately they have been spoiling us with loads of great events, pop-up shops, celebrity book signings and so on. That's why I'm extra excited because not only they have some hunky rugby players signing their calendars for 2010 tomorrow, they are holding a very special 'garage sale' this sunday. It is an event for charity MOTHERS FOR CHILDREN and you can expect a bunch of celebrity mums in there, including Yasmin Le Bon and Lousie Redknapp. It will take place on the first floor of the car park and there is a £5 entry that goes for a good cause. You can be sure it's not gonna be like any ordinary garage sale as items on sale will be mostly designer, donated by people in fashion, music, sport and entraintment industry. Make sure you get there early to get your bargain. It can't get much better than this, not only you can buy nice items for a great price you're doing your bit for a charity too. Elbows at the ready..

Having an art attack

Not only I love fashion I love art as well. And when the two are combined together even better! That's why I love being friends with Marcela Jurisova - the cool new artis on the block. If, like me, you feel the urge for redecorating your house in the upcomoing winter months and maybe need to inject some colour, check out her paintings, which look like pages from Vogue, only they’re all unique. Inspired by fashion photographs, Marcela paints in a slightly abstract way. You better get them now before she gets famous and the prices will go through the roof. “I like to show movement,” the 28-year old says. They’re gonna look great on every fashionista’s wall. If you want to know more please contact me.

Style with Grace

I believe that everyone who loves fashion has an icon whose style they admire and use them as an inspiration. Some icons may come and go but there are few who will always be on our radar for timeless chic and unforgetable fashion moments. One of such people is Grace Kelly. Famous since her acting days and as a Princess Grace of Monaco, that woman knew how to dress! So much so that a Hermes bag she loved to carry has been name after her - The Kelly bag. Who wouldn't love to own one? Victoria Beckham is rumoured to have a collection of them worth £ 2 million, including some limited and very rare editions. If you can't afford one, at least you can have a look at the original piece as it is going to be shown at the V&A. My favourite museum is holding an exhibition called GRACE KELLY STYLE: FASHION FOR A HOLLYWOOD PRINCESS from 17 April to 26 September 2010. I know it's still a long time to go but I bet it will be worth the wait. There will be other things on display, including the gown she wore to accept her Oscar award in 1955, her wedding dress and couture gowns from popular couturiers. I can't wait to see it all and will remind you nearer the time as this is an exhibition not to be missed!!!

World of collaborations

I am a person who loves to mix and match. Why spending a fortune on the whole outfit when you can buy something cheap and something expensive and the overall look will look amazing. That's why I love high street and especially their collaborations with designers. Ever since H&M started their designer collections it's been a huge success with people going crazy, queing from early hours to make sure they can get a great fashion item for even greater prize. Collections selling out on the day of going on sale weren't an exception. And don't expect anything less this time! Put November 14 into your diary as a Jimmy Choo for H&M is released and I predict a riot. For those who can't afford the real deal this is a match made in heaven. I had a sneak peak in a Grazia magazine (which I read religiously) and the whole lot looks awesome. It's hard to pick my favourite item but if I had to it would probably be the one-shoulder leather dress that will stand the test of time. And a hot pink clutch is too hard to resist. See you in the queue.