KW ♥ UV

SPRING has arrived and so has Karen Walker's fifth collection of fancy shades.  The stylish sunglasses have previously been seen on the likes of Alexa Chung, Beth Ditto, Whitney Port and Mark Ronson. Her latest batch: KW ♥ UV are a mix of old favourites and brand new fresh designs - all with super UV protection. They are a much-needed new addition to your wardrobe this season; whether you opt for the outlandish coral, oval pair or want to channel Minnie Mouse in the round black style, there are options for everybody. So, as April approaches, pop down to Liberty and nab a pair for yourself, these beautiful frames are something that you can’t miss out on. See the collection for yourself, here.

dream on it, play with it, wrap around it

The Gentleman

GQ STYLE FASHION EDITORIAL

(Uni Assignment)

Creative Directors: Anna Lowe and Anthony Elliott

Photography: Jodie Fox

Model: Michael Armenakis

Styling: Anthony Elliott

Editing and graphics: Anna Lowe

flying with style

It has come to that point where I have to leave New Zealand behind and fly back to London - two lots of 12-hour flights and a three hour stop over in Hong Kong is waiting. Ouch.

Victoria Beckham and family at Heathrow
Image by Zimbio

So what exactly should you wear whilst flying? Your outfit on the plane depends on who you are traveling with, where you are traveling to - and for some people - who is meeting you at the other end.

If you are traveling with a young family, then unfortunately (unless you're Victoria Beckham) practicality comes before fashion. Although, that doesn’t mean you should look like you've been dragged through a hedge backwards when you, finally, put your feet on solid ground.

The key here is being comfortable but presentable - many frequent flyers say that you should wear your best outfit when flying, to increase your chances of being bumped-up to Business Class. This is most likely to happen when you travel alone (although I am about to depart on my twelfth NZ/UK flight and i'm yet to be up graded... Cough, cough, hint, hint Cathay Pacific...)

Some people prefer wearing a comfortable outfit than worry about what they look like, (especially if you're traveling in 'cattle' class). Whatever you prefer, make sure you wear an outfit that is not too tight, allowing you to be more relaxed when on the plane.

I like to take a spare change of clothes when traveling long haul, after 12 hours of sitting in the same outfit, it's nice to put something fresh on for the second leg. I also like to go via Singapore airport so I can have a shower (and if it's the right time of day/weather, a swim on the roof top pool too!) 

I have noticed that some people even take their PJs to change into as soon as they get on the plane; if this works for you, go for it. I however, would feel a bit strange sitting on a plane in my PJs, whilst eating my dinner. And let's face it, if you're anything like me, you're going to spill some sort of food or drink down your front whilst traveling - you don't want to stroll around airports and airplanes for 27 hours with a massive stain down your front!

Leggings on the plane are a big plus for me and they're not too slobby. Plus, you can dress them up a bit and still get into many comfortable positions on the plane (without losing your dignity - don't wear a skirt). However,  if you're aiming to get upgraded to Business Class and don't want to wear leggings, a sleek pair of trousers would be perfect. 

Shoe-wise, I would steer clear of wearing heels - a cute pair of pumps do the trick. You can slide them on and off easily and they won't take up much space under your seat (it's not like you have all the space in the world now, is it?) Another important factor is making sure you bring your own pair of cotton socks. Most airlines hand out free socks before you take off, but they are nylon and don't let your feet breathe. Nice.

Finally, your top half. Always wear something to cover your shoulders, the air conditioning in the airplane can be quite harsh. A pashmina shawl keeps your arms warm and doubles as a blanket, if this is too chic for you, a light cardigan will do fine as it's easy to take on and off. If you're still a bit chilly the flight attendants supply you with a blanket anyway. (I have been known to 'accidently' take these home with me, they make great picnic blankets...)

So that's it, you're left to enjoy the flight, watch as many new films as you can squeeze in, eat delicious meals without having to worry about the washing up, drink as much booze as you want (my brother has been known to have a beer with his breakfast, blaming it on his 'messed up time zones') and don't forget to don a pair of enormous sunglasses as you walk through arrivals; you never know who is going to pap you.

ruby boutique

As you will all know by now, I love New Zealand fashion. Many people complain about the poor choice of clothes choice in the country - which I agree to a certain level (there is a real lack of good high street stores, for example H&M and Topshop) - but when it comes to designer clothing or boutiques, New Zealand scores pretty highly.

A good example of this is Ruby Boutique; located in an array of stores around the country (my favourite being the Wellington branch, set in an old bank arcade). 

Ruby oozes cuteness, quirkiness and appears effortlessly cool. I adore their use of colour, shapes and attention to detail:

birdman trench

penelope PJ set blouse

barney runners

The styling is great too, so simple, yet so effective; the relaxed, loose clothing mixed with the chunky brown heels = love. I want to wear this outfit whilst exploring Paris on a spring afternoon... A girl can dream.

Here are a couple more of my favourite Ruby ensembles taken from their Spring/Summer 10/11 collection:

billy swimmers

top cat hat

rosie dress

I don't know about you - but I want to be a Ruby girl.

Become as obsessed as I am and follow them on twitter, facebook and check out their beautiful blog for more inspiring finds.

florence & karen

I adore Florence Welch, I also adore Karen Walker. So when I found images of Flo wearing a pair of Karen Walker's 'Rover' sunglasses, I got a little excited, to say the least...

[photography from karenwalker.com]

catherine campbell

Firstly, I apologise for the lack of blog posts in the last month. My 21st birthday, uni deadlines and the days rounding up to Christmas have taken my time. (Not to mention preparing to fly to New Zealand, which is where I am now). 

Being back home on the other side of the world has rekindled my love for many things: kiwi television programmes, shops, bars, friends, food, family - but one muse sticks out in particular; Catherine Campbell. She isn't actually a kiwi, but I found out about her when I first moved to New Zealand and opened my first copy of Frankie Magazine (where her work is often found and loved).
Campbell is an illustrator from Melbourne, Australia. I adore her drawings for her attention to detail and wild imagination. Her pieces of art are mostly of women and creatures; if you're anything like me you'll find yourself staring at them for hours, wanting to know more about the girl inside the painting. In the past, her work has inspired me to draw and I once painted a giant canvas of a woman, which still sits in my parents house today.


Explore Catherine Campbell's work for yourself, hopefully you too will feel inspired to get out your sketch pad and start drawing.


Find her on twitter, facebook, flickr and visit her website, I hope you find her work as enjoyable as I do.

stocking love

I NEED these for my birthday celebrations in London on Saturday:

[TOPSHOP, ASOS, HENRY HOLLAND]

I need to expand the range of tights found in my wardrobe. They are pretty and will keep my limbs warm during this cold winter season. 

we love christmas... we really love christmas

Ever stumbled across The Other Side [TOS] on your commute to work? If no, then change your ways, as this London based magazine is one to look out for. 

The forward thinking publication not only prints their magazines, but puts their work online in what you would call a 'blogzine', allowing their readers to contribute and share with each other their opinions, news and other exciting things. Pretty smart if you ask me.

To start your TOS obsession with a bang, help celebrate their next issue arrival at their Christmas party. Pop along to The Macbeth in Shoreditch on 15th December - eat mince pies, wear the jumper your Grandma knitted you for Christmas last year and mingle with the fabulous.

There will also be live performances from up and coming music artists Chad Valley, Trophy Wife and Othello Woolf.

For more information visit their facebook page, where you can also buy your ticket for a mere £4.

earthy palette

Micheal Kors

[taken from lookbook.nu]

From looking through my wardrobe, I have a unhealthy amount of black and navy blue clothing. I love wearing black just as much as the next person, it's slimming, classic and a great fall back if you can't find anything to wear - but it's so boring! Some people relate clothes to your personality, which is why I want to start changing the way I dress.


This season, earthy colours have really become popular: olive, grey, chocolate and my ultimate favourite, camel. (Which has been a big influence in the fashion scene this season.) From designers like Chloe, to the highstreet stores such as Topshop, Urban Outfitters and H&M; you can find it anywhere. 


If worst comes to worst and I still find black sneaking back into my wardrobe - at least it goes nicely with camel - just look at Stella McCartney's recent collection. Yummy.

[photography from neimanmarcus.com]

#2

The gorgeous Ellie Goulding has covered 'Your Song' for this years John Lewis Christmas advertisement - I have had it on repeat all day and after hearing it, i'm sure you will too.

d_luxurious

I thought I would share with you some more iconic kiwi designs. The fashion scene is massive in New Zealand, just look at these gorgeous photos.
The clothes are by twenty seven names founders Anjali Stewart and Rachel Easting. Their new collection is amazing, so simple, well cut and effortlessly cool (which I why I love them.) 


And then there's the jewellery - d_luxe - a brand well-known and loved on the other side of the world. Their new collection (featured above) is called Costumes & Crystal. I adore the chunky pieces and how easily you can layer them up. Probably one of my favourite jewellery collections that I have seen in a while - I want it all.




www.d-luxe.co.nz
www.twentysevennames.co.nz

pulp

This means only one thing - Pulp are back. I am excited beyond words; they are one of my favourite bands and I've never ever seen them play live (seeing as their last gig was in 1996, I was six and a half). They will always remind me of driving around France and America with my family, all of us singing our hearts out and having fun. I'm counting down the days until next summer already - see you soon Jarvis.

kate waves farewell to topshop

photography from topshop.com

So that's it; the end of an era. The final mainline collection of Kate Moss, Topshop, launched today and my, oh my, did she go out with a bang. 

Last night, two hundred lucky and over-excited Topshop fans flocked into the flagship store on Oxford Street, to watch as Kate Moss revealed her 130 piece collection.

Some of the pieces included an over-sized hooded cardigan, a (dare I say it) bizarre fur trim cape dress and a 1/50 antique sequin maxi dress; being sold for the astonishing price of £400.00.

Don't get me wrong, I do like the Kate Moss collections - all 14 of them - but I feel as though they are very similar to Topshop's actual designs, but with a heftier price tag. 

However, one thing I do like about her finale collection, are the limited addition jewellery pieces. They scream vintage and look delicate and expensive. If you fancy buying me a birthday present, a cheeky ring or necklace would go down a treat...

SPARKLE FLOWER RING - £30

16" STAR CIRCLE NECKLACE - £35

16 " SILVER STARS CHAIN - £15

And finally... To celebrate the launch of her AW10 collection Kate and a few of her friends made a promotional video, in the Personal Shopping Suite of Topshop. Featured are London it-girls -Adwoa Aboa, Cara Delevingne, Genvieve Garner, Rosalyn Holman and Jessica Horton. Enjoy.

Video  from youtube.com

stolen girlfriends club

The epitome of New Zealand fashion, Stolen Girlfriends Club, are now selling their beautiful designs on ASOS. How I have only just found this out, I don't know, but they have had an appearance on the well-known and loved website for a while now. 

I first found out about Stolen Girlfriends Club (SGC) when I was living in New Zealand and I stumbled upon this piece of heavy metal:

photography from stolengirlfriendsclub.com

I would visit the little boutique shop in my town (almost) on a daily basis until I, finally, bought the dream that is, the SGC necklace. I want their whole jewellery collection; it's so chunky and masculine. Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of budget, otherwise I would buy their clothes too.  SGC design some amazing threads, their attention to detail and their use of fabrics are amazing. Here are a couple of my favourite outfits, don't forget to check out stolengirlfriendsclub.com and asos.com to get your own Stolen Girlfriends Club fix.

BADSIDE SINGLET - olive 

 MARIA LACE SKIRT - nude lace

PATTI HAT - black

NOMAD BOOT - tan_black

SPIKELESS DRESS - pink silk

TEEN QUEEN JEAN - duaty pink

COIL CAMI TOP - black

PATTI HAT - black

all photography stolengirlfriendsclub.com

where is the love

photography from the cool hunter


Pei-San Ng’s “Passion”
 2,500 matches glued to a piece of reclaimed plywood; I want it.

mcflurry or mcfancy?

photography from the cool hunter

Fancy or what? If you can find a better way to eat McDonalds, then please share it with the rest of us because I don't know about you, but i'd rather a Burberry burger than a McChicken burger, any day. This is the definition of upper class fast-food.

Created strictly for high-end events around the world - such as Fashion Week -  this sophisticated store offers first class service, for second class food, the highly desirable packaging brings an elegance to McDonalds to which I never thought was possible.

I'm already looking forward to London Fashion week next year, where I can find the restaurant that is, McFancy, and experience the silver service for myself.