Almost summer….

Summer is almost here (at least in the Southern Hemisphere) and one of my favourite things about summer is that berries are in season!!!

Gossip Girl Philosophies to live by

Version 2.0

It’s been just over 2 years since my last post on this blog and someone very special to me has convinced me to start blogging again. So I am going to give it a go again but just doing shorter posts and hopefully that will keep me motivated to keep going.

I leave you now with a photo from my lunch at Sayers always have the best food here and the coffee never disappoints either.

Oh Mon Dieu!!!

Season 4 of Gossip Girl stared 2 weeks and if you are an avid fan like me you would have notice great fashions that are featured on the show. Season 4 opens with Blair and Serena in Paris (fashion capital of the world!!!!!), the fashion in the last 2 episodes have been exceptional. My personal style is more Blair then Serena but here are my picks:

Blair wears Oscar de la Renta Spring 2010 Peach Multi Chiffon Dress, perfect for gazing at your favourite Monet.

Absolutely love Blair’s Moschino Resort 2010 RTW Print Cherry Dress and Chanel Patchwork Shoulder Bag. Serena is in George Chakra Spring 2010 Couture Swarvoski Cage Corset Dress.

Blair wears a Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2010 Vermillion Silk Organza Pleated Gown and a Harry Winston Padparadscha and Diamond Necklace. Serena is in Emilio Pucci Spring 2010 Metallic Jacket, Joie Saunders Metallic Stripe Tank and Tibi Spring 2010 Blue Pants – Only Serena Van Der Woodson could pull off this look!!

Here Blair is in Bensoni Spring 2010 Polka Dot Dress – one of my favourite designers.. and Roger Vivier Marechale Pumps (which she “lost” during her cinderalla moment)

Blair is in Maxime Simoens Spring/Summer 2010 Millefeuille Beaded Organza Dress and nothing less then Christian Louboutin Rolando Hidden Platform Pumps

Here Serena is in Haute Hippie Short Beaded Jacket, Madison Marcus Spark Top, Rachel Antonoff Sarah Tap Shorts, Pierre Hardy Metallic Trim Platform T-Strap Sandal – Again a look that only Ms Van Der Woodsen can pull off.

 

Gorgeous green Haute Hippie Take Me Now Dress.

Creams, Lotions and Potions…..

Billions of dollars are spent every year in the quest of finding that miracle potion that will keep looking young and beautiful forever. But how do you know if a product is actualy going to be any good??? Well its all in the ingredients and the concentration of these ingredients.Some important ingredients to look out for in a moisturizer include and SPF agent (if its a daytime moisturiser), antioxidents such as green tea, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, CoQ10, Idebenone (the synthetic form of CoQ10 – which has shown to be more effective), Vitamin D, Grapeseed Extract, Orange Peel extract etc…Also anything with a AHAs in them (ie lactic, glycolic, malic acid etc.) will help exfoliate your skin, Beta Glucan is another great ingredient to look out for as it brightens the skin. Vitamin A is great for fine lines and wrinkles…

Some of my favourite moisturisers include:

1. Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar

2. DDF Retinol Energising Moisturizer

3.  Aesop Hydrating Serum

4. Korres Wild Rose Moisturiser

5. Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer

Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher

I have spent countless number of hours in many cities across the world trying to find the perfect pair of boots. Finally in May I walked into a tiny store in Soho NYC called Avitto (424 West Broadway, between Spring and Prince street). I was in shoe heaven!!!!

They had the finest italian leather shoes. I loved everything they had in that store. But one pair that I was instantly drawn to a pair of handmade Modello leather ankle boots. It was the last pair they had and it was in my size!! And to top it all off it was half off!! The staff there were amazing and very helpful.

The soft italian leather feel great on my feet and I get heaps of compliments everytime I wear them out.

I’ll leave you now with the French version of These Boots are Made for Walking…. Ces Bottes Sont Faites Pour Marcher..

Sometimes all we need is a bit of quiet

Having family that lives overseas, traveling interstate for pleasure and work and my passion for travel means that i’m on a plane at least 5/6 times a year. I am person who loves my solitude particularly on a plane. If you sat next to me on a plane and tried to start a conversation with me I would probably brush you off because that 5 to sometimes 30 hours (Yes its takes me 30 hours to get to the East Coast of the US with layovers) on the plane is ME time… so if you were one of those random people who sat next to me on a plane… I’m sorry…

Anyway for those of you who enjoy solitude like me, the best investment I’ve made at (AUD$600) are my Bose noise cancelling headphones. They block out those annoying engine noises and you feel like you are in a room by yourself with the best surround sound. Great for turning up classical music…

I don’t know much about the technical jagon bu.t this video pretty much explains it:

Classy not Trashy….

Another one of my favourite lingerie stores is Agent Provocateur (FYI: Traditionally, an agent provocateur (plural: agents provocateurs, French  for “inciting agent(s)”) is a person employed by the police or other entity to act undercover to entice or provoke another person to commit an illegal act.)

They have everything from corsets and basques to bodies and playsuits. Their website is pretty comprehensive and you can shop online (which I love because I live in the most isolated city in the world) http://www.agentprovocateur.com

Their stuff is a little bit pricy but definately well worth it. One of my favourite purchases were some pariseanne hold ups which cost me a whopping (US$70) which is usualy a lot more then what I would pay for stockings but they are so pretty great for a night out paired with Louboutin heals. They are very durable too, I’ve worn them a few times and every stitch is still in place unlike all the other stockings I own.

 

 

Quirkey, Flirty and Sassy Dresses

Betsey Johnson is best known for her feminine and whimsical design. A collection that all girle girls would love. She is probably one of the most fascinating entrepreneurs of our time.

With a mop-top of blond hair, a tattooed bosom, and a penchant for turning cartwheels, Johnson’s not your typical retail magnate. Financial independence has allowed her to stay true to her design sensibility, which she tweaks to keep up with changing fashion trends. “She’s always mined the same roots,” says Stan Herman, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which bestowed a “timeless talent” award on Johnson in 1999. “Very few people have been able to raise their arms and hold the hands of the clock like Betsey Johnson

Here are some of my favourite dresses from her latest collection:

Can Can Stretch Carmeuse Ruffles Dollface Dress

Evening Sequins Flouce Dress

Evening Peggy Sue Strapless Sequin Dress

Evening Degrede Teen Vogue Dress

Evening China Doll Dress

Feel Good Dresses

One of my favourite designers of late is Matthew Williamson. Matthew Williamson is an english designer, who often has an Indian inflence in a lot of his designs possibly related to the time he worked with Monsoon. His flagship store in the Meat Packer’s District in NYC was prominently featured in a last season’s gossip girl episode.

Here are some of favourite looks from his summer ’10 and autumn’10 collection:

Digital Lace Chiffon Beaded Strap Dress

Belvedere All in ONe

Metallic Beaded Linen Tailored Dress

Metallic Beading Gathered Top

Mini Graphic Jacquard Bubble Skirt