StyleLikeU X Sarah Ellison

via StyleLikeU

Vintage Wonderland

Style Like U's latest inspiring profile is the glamorous Sarah Sophie Flicker; wife, mother of two and director of the now famous political theater group, The Citizen's Band. If you haven't ever visited Style Like U, boy are you in for a long and procrastinatory visit! Go straight to the site to read about Flicker and watch her amazing video to get a real insight into the thought process that led her to start up the Band and drool in awe at her INCREDIBLE vintage riddled wardrobe...

All pictures via Style Like U

Black Velvet

Well look at me and all my posts consisting of my own crappy photographs! I'm on a roll! I really wish my camera was better because it hasn't done justice to how beautiful my most recent vintage find is; a vintage Jaeger matte black velvet cropped blazer with matching waistcoat! It's in incredible condition, and from the snug fit and style, and the yellowed old label, I'm pretty sure its from about the 1960's/70's. The blazer is collarless, it has rounded and slightly flared sleeves, and a fine line of stitching around the hems (which you can just make out in the pics), and the waistcoat is the same black velvet with a silky black satin back. I can imagine Kate Moss wearing this (she loves a good blazer/waistcoat combo) and I'm going to style it as she would with a white shirt, skinny jeans and a good pair of plain black flats.

All pictures my own

MET Costume Institute Gala 2011

Photos from the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" Costume Institute Gala  are still coming in but I had to post the person who in my opinion was the best dressed of the night: Ashley Olsen! Ashley wore a Vintage Christian Dior Haute Couture dress, Christian Louboutin heels, a Judith Leiber bag and Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery. Now I know I'm biased as I'm a big MKA fan but she looks so overwhelmingly chic! I also finally read the amazing interview they did in last months American Vogue and I was so impressed at how mature they seem and what an amazing business woman Ashley is. I'll just let the pictures do the talking...

Images via The Fashion Spot

And Now for Something Totally Different...

Sometimes I have those days where nothing of any use gets done, but I find a s**t ton of AMAZING new blogs to fill up my time non-productively. Yesterday was one of those days and I must have added atleast 7/8 new blogs to my hit 'em up list, and one of the most outstanding has to be The Brick House.

Despite being an avid fashion groupie (I live it, breathe it, snuggle up to it, make it eggs the next day), I have always had a soft spot for lifestyle and interior design blogs. It allows me to live vicariously through (mostly american?!) people who have the lifestyle and means to afford an amazing home and live an amazing life, whether it's running a confectionary shop and living in a brownstone in Brooklyn, NY, like Sweet Fine Day (love this blog) or documenting the renovation of a mid century brick house in California, like The Brick House. This blog follows Morgan Satterfield shopping in thrift stores/flea markets/vintage shops in order to build the perfect home, while also documenting her travels and happenings to add a fun, personal touch. Naturally with these types of blogs it's all about the amazing visuals so i'll shut up and let the pics do the talking.

All pictures owned by and sourced from The Brick House

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Maybe its my inner voyeur that chemically rewards me with a rush of Serotonin everytime I visit Style Like U and Closet Visit, or maybe I just feel giddy and naughty for poking my nose into other people's homes, but whatever it is, I do love it!

Closet Visit is a website founded by LA based artist Jeana Sohn that documents her visits to friends and fellow Angeleno's homes and wardrobes. As you might guess, the site has a homely, breezly, sunshine-y feel to it and all photographs are carefully set up and curated to achieve an artistic but professional look. I wanted to post this Closet Visit because I think I'm in sartorial love with this woman, Shiva Rose, and her wardrobe and home! Oh to live the bohemian sun-drenched lifestyle. Visit the site to see more pics of Shiva and more of Jeana's amazingly stylish friends!

All pictures owned by & sourced from Closet Visit & Jeana Sohn

Galliano & Kate '94

AMAZING!!

Found via TFS

Wardrobe Picks III

This week's Wardrobe Pick is one of my favourite pieces in my whole wardrobe because a) its an incredibly beautiful dress and b) its one of the most expensive, and therefore precious, pieces of clothing I've ever bought. The story goes like this -

I was out in London after visiting family and going for a job interview at Browns when I decided to browse around Vintage Modes in the Gray's Antiques Mews (I say browse, but its more like sweat, cry, and rub myself over the beautiful vintage clothes I can't afford, but anyway). After about 30 minutes I came across this beautiful dress, a hand-made gold silk dream of a dress, and literally gasped as I pulled it out of the stuffed rails. After gawping for a few moments I nervously peeked at the price tag with the gut feeling that I wouldn't be able to afford it. And surprise suprise I couldn't - it was in the hundreds of pounds and I've never EVER spent that much on anything or anyone before.

But my hands wouldn't let me put the dress back and before I knew it I was asking the kind owner where I could try it on. So stupidly I tried the dress on and after feeling the gold silk slide over my arms and hips, and wrapped the scarf elegantly around my neck, I was already thinking of way I could afford this dress. The dream dress, the most beautiful dress I'd ever tried on; hand sewn with a button up back and billowing sleeves, it created the most elegant silhouette I'd ever seen and I was entirely smitten.

Maybe I could cut back on food for a few weeks/months? No more magazines for a few weeks/months? Do I really need deodorant that much? After I slid (literally, the dress is like liquid gold!) out of the dress I did something quite embarrasing; I tried to haggle with the boutique owner. I know, I know, dispicable but hey, IT WORKED! I haggled £40 off the price and after all that, well, I couldn't not buy it. So I did, and to this day I still look up at it hanging on my wall like a piece of art, waiting to be worn. And a dress like this needs a special occasion and so I plan to wear it on my honeymoon in Mexico. Aaaaah the things we do for love...

All my own pictures

Tales of Endearment

Fashion consultant Natalie Joos blog Tales of Endearment is a beautifully curated explosion (i know, thats contradictory right?) of fashion inspiration and beauty. From taking road trips to flea markets with model friends, to working holidays at Miami's Art Basel festival and giving us sneaky peeks into her fabulous friends lives, Natalie is living the life many, many women want but happily captures it all for us to salivate over! What a nice woman!

The latest sneaky peak into her aparently endless list of cooler than cool friends is Michelle Harper. I noticed Michelle at last season's Paris fashion week when she was wearing the Yazbukey face hat and finger necklace and somehow still managed to look uber chic whilst posing and being rained on?! After a frantic internet search for this (unknown to me) style icon, I found this great article which shows off her fantastic NY apartment and wardrobe, and now Natalie's gone and done it again but even better! Go to Tales of Endearment to see the whole shebang and trust me, ITS ALL GOOD!

All pictures owned by Natalie Joos of Tales of Endearment

My Wardrobe Picks I

As with many of you fashion obsessed out there, I have a massive wardrobe so I've decided that instead of letting these beauties hang on my wall and not get worn or even exposed to the world, I'm going to post one great item from my wardrobe a week!

First up the insanely beautiful bed jacket I found in a charity shop for £7! Its incredibly well made, from the intricate machine stitching to the carefully lined inside. When worn the mandarin collar buttons up quite tightly around the neck and the sleeves are cropped and slightly bell shaped. I have worn this jacket out a few times when I was interning in London but it hasn't received the credit it deserves. So here it is!

It's one of my best ever finds, quite versatile actually, and I'd love to hear how you guys would style it?

EPIC COAT-AGE

So as promised here is the epic Henry VIII / William Morris coat I bought from Beatnik Emporium a few months ago. I still haven't been able to wear it because it needs a lil' D.I.Y but I love just hanging it up on the picture rail in my room and staring at it for what feels like hours, just imagining the crazy outfits I could concoct with this bad boy.

Extravagant? Yes. Festive? Yes. Totally necassary? YES. It's made up of a tapestry fabric which has a gorgeous paisley pattern, dark paisley velvet sleeves, gold rope frogging detail on the back and front, and black lace panels on the sleeves and sides that make the coat SWOOSH when I twirl in it (which I do ofcourse) and to top of the amazingness - a metallic bronze collar......EPIC COAT-AGE.