Social Butterfly

So you have received an invitation for a black tie dinner in some fabulous location. What do you wear?

We have moved on from the strict rules of long dress, hair up and gloves up to elbow times. On one side this is good as there is more chance for self expression, on the other side we all know that the more choice there is, the harder the decision. 

Jo Malone dinner in British Ambassador's Residence in the heart of Moscow is a great opportunity for the it-girls and oligarch wives to get together. The first option for an outfit is a classic little black dress. I matched my dress with red patent calf Louboutins and accessories of sapphire and diamonds: simple and classic. 

Above are great definitions of a little black dress. On the left is Florence with Kate Moss at Alexander McQueen dinner. On the right is Irina Chaikovskaya in Valentino with Chanel clutch and open-toe Louboutins. Following these examples you can go for all black like Kate and let your beauty do the talking or you can add some contrasting details to liven up your look. 

The second option has been very popular for it comfort level and youthful feel.

Olga Sorokina, Victoria Borisevich, Ida LoLo

So here are the skirts and Moscow's fashionistas from Jo Malone dinner! The first image is showing that you can be creative by matching a cracked white leather skirt with a black Fendi top (note the blue and white fur details on the arms). The Ralph Lauren hat was a great way to complete this look.

Meanwhile,on the calmer side of things: Victoria and Ida are showing a simple, chick and chique outfit in which you can't get it wrong. These below the knee examples should be shown to all the high school girls who choose to wear a mini, as they need understand how graceful and sexy a woman can look when covered up....... in all fairness this needs to be shown to a lot of women.

Take a note to choose a similar shade for a top or jumper with embellished detail which is not too overpowering. Don't go for a glitter mashup associated with the Spice Girls era. When you found your outfit match it with stylish shoes and a clutch. Personally I like to add colourful details like Ida Lolo with her red clutch. It's getting colder so this outfit will be a great investment for all the trendy parties, this means spend a little more on a good quality materials rather then a high street versions. 

Last but not least the Catwalk inspirations:

Gucci and Proenza Schouler 

Why not take upon the latest feather trend and get a skirt with a detail. I love the way Gucci has used rich colour gradient on the feather details and matched it with a simple silk blouse. A statement piece of your outfit is an easy way to make an impression without much effort.

The Proneza Schouler is just as fabulous but due to the classic black and white contrast and a jumper rather then a blouse top has made the outfit a bit calmer. 

With the Moscow Fashion Week ahead I know how to be comfortable and fabulous!  

Silk vs Leather

September! Without a doubt the most exiting month for fashion! Today I have decided to highlight the two opposites which have been highly featured in NY, London, Paris and Milan fashion weeks. Light, feminine and romantic on one side (my favourite by Oscar De La Renta Spring Summer 2014), the other side is dark, confident and strong!

Coming back down from the clouds of spring/summer looks, lets have a look at what to wear this fall. I have mentioned some of the trends in the previous posts, therefore right now we will concentrate on the contrast of characters between leather and silk!

Leather is no longer only for rock stars and bedrooms of the kinky! Leather can now be graceful and it has gone beyond the leather jacket which we all have! Skirts, trousers, coats, accessories, the means are endless.

Belstaff, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Hermes, & Lanvin

Tun tun tuuuuun...
These are the ever so "ready to wear" looks which we all can be confident to rock this fall. The most important with leather, is to make it look natural and harmonise it with your outfit. Therefore I beg of you, my fashion lovers, do not make the horrible mistake of the 90's where wearing a super short leather mini with heals can mistake you for someone who should be paid for certain services! To show of your legs take lessons from Belstaff and Chanel, make your look casual with knee-highs or flats.

Mulberry, Verscae, Prada, Pucci & Tom Ford

Here you can note the way Mulberry has an all-leather look, which feels a lot calmer due to the softer colours, rather the the classic jet black. Prada features the way you can play with colours, which is perfect way to brighten up the rainy days but stay warm and trendy at the same time. Pucci and Versace outline the way you can combine soft colours and materials with your leather items. Ladies, that Tom Ford mini is a must! I can already see it matched with suede knee-highs (such as Pucci's pic) and a beige blouse, or for a casual look, rock it with Alexander Rogov "Rogue" jumper and Giuseppe Zanotti trainers.

Lets take a look at the silk side now:

Temperley London, Max Mara, Lanvin, Rochas & Louis Vuitton

Sue me! I couldn't resist the Temperley London spring/summer look, but can't you see it matched with a leather jacket to get away with a fall? The way Max Mara and LV have dressed silk gowns with a casual long coats remind me of the way Sarah Jessica Parker has recently been spotted (yet again my memory fails me where I saw the picture). Lanvin and Rochas are using satin rather then silk, nevertheless they show a great example of night and day looks with a shiny material . It's not easy to wear silk and look casual, so to keep it safe wear full length in the evening. Do not buy a silk item until you have checked it against your skin tone, you need to make the most out of this material by looking radiant not washed out. Silk is timeless, it is the perfect definition of feminine and elegant, Marilyn loved silk gowns and that is more than enough to convince me. Also note the Max Mara look, if you find a playsuit in dark grey, maroon or olive you can match it with a casual coat and look demure but appropriate even in daylight!

To step away from the Hollywood glamour of full length silk gowns, why not match the two concepts! Before we match, please be careful with the colour combination to keep your outfit classy not trashy.

Pucci, Saint Lauren, Dsquared2, Prada & Alberta Feretti 

Isn't it fun when we mix and match!? Emelio Pucci shows the way leather with patchwork skirt look vibrant and fresh. The leather details of the belt and gloves make Saint Lauren dress more then just a black gown. Dsquared2 as always fun and daring so why not use their accessories in your looks. Prada's coat is perfectly matched with the feminine blouse and a skirt, which can easily be silk to support today's topic. Ladies, do I really need to explain why I featured the stunning gown from Alberta Feretti?

Don't be afraid to be "grown and sexy". The contrast between the two opposites can result in a fabulous power look in the office or trendy and youthful at another boutique opening this fall!
Have a look at fashion icons in these trends. Note Mira Duma and Oksana On representing the Russians, the leather is very favoured over here!

Sarah Jessica Parker, Alexa Chung & Oksana On

Anna Wintour, Saraj Jessica Parker, Mira Duma, Cgrystal Renn & Blake Livley

Post Vogue Night Out Trend highlights

Vogue Fashion Night Out is something which all self respecting fashionistas won't miss, just make sure you have something for the post-champagne head at work the following morning!

After being stomped by countless heals and sprayed to death by the retailers at TSUM, me and my girlies went to a much more comfortable Aizel. There you can find collections by Russian as well as International designers. Inside, women were slowly making their way through the racks of unique styles flashing their red soles on the way up to the Restaurant and then to the rooftop, where Alexandr Rogov was already on the DJ set. For my International readers, please remember this name, starting as a stylist he is now a proud owner of his own brand which has definitely made it mark at Fashion Night Out in Moscow. Much to my disappointment the key colour of the night was black, safe option. Fashion loves black, but today I will show you colours and styles which are in my shopping list!

 I am totally loving what I found in Burberry Store. The buttoned up blouses are still trendy so why not go for the brown blouse with the detailed leather collar and match it with the rubber red pencil skirt. For practical reasons I would go for leather skirt, it will be a lot warmer, not see through and will have a richer colour.

Another must have is a great trench coat. Burberry are iconic for the trenches and now they have much more fun designs, how about the rubber detail at the top, there is also an option of leopard print. Make it your own by ordering the which detail and colour you want on it.

Louboutins are still the number one pick, every second pair of shoes at the Fashion night Out had red soles. therefore to complete this look I would pick these:

If you like the 'matchy-matchy' look then definitely go for the Burberry Prosum trench with leopard. For fashion week I would add this fab hat-cap from Dsquared, simple eyes, dark lipstick and you are ready!

At the fashion party I was very impressed to see the super stylish it-girl Oksana On dressed in back to school trend! I am pretty sure that Vivienne Westwood will have some fantastic designs featuring the trendy red chequered at London Fashion Week. Have a look at Moschino's London looks as well as tartan detail in Chanel's coats.

Have fabulous shoes which you want to wear for the Fashion Week but you don't want to get hypothermia?  Go ahead for the sock trend! Thin colourful socks featured on Christian Dior catwalk and the thick and cosy by Mulberry!

I am very aware that in Paris the sock-sandal match was voted the worst Fashion faux, however if you match or even contrast them properly then it will be a win, win, win! Must say that I really wanted to show you thick beige socks with crystals embellished on them, however I have totally forgotten where I seen them!

Hope I have given you good ideas for the fabulous fashion month filled with Vogue nigh outs and Fashion Weeks. I am looking forward to your own style photos! 

"It is important to be chic"- Roberto Cavalli

For me Roberto Cavalli has always defined luxury. The prints which are lavished with beautiful colors smoothly coordinating and almost playing together. I've even named my kitten Cavalli because the print blend reminded me of Roberto's gowns.  So where is Cavalli? It seems that the so called "trendy" brands such as Kenzo, Phillip Plein and even DKNY are taking the center stage.

(Couldn't resist showing you
 the little fluffy Cavalli)

After flicking through the super heavy September issues I was disappointed to find only a few mentions of what Cavalli has to offer for the autumn-winter 2013/14 and decided to dedicate my third blog entry to the legendary brand.

The catwalk had enough light to show the beautiful embellished details and the iconic prints, covering the audience in the shadows. There was an obvious feel of how InStyle described it as Glam Rock. For me it was a lot more Gothic and thanks to Twilight obsession I would say that fashionable vampires should choose Cavalli for their winter outfits! Watch the fall-winter catwalk and decide for yourself what feeling you get from this.

So lets have a look at the collection....

The Prints:

As usual we can see the animal passion through these prints, therefore the good old leopard can be reused again! Cavalli is also keeping up with the zebra trend so you can be confident in getting your black and white striped print for this fall. I wont list everything that I have noticed as you can see the most interesting ones in the snapshots above. However I will point out that the color tones are as expected a lot more profound in their deeper shades to reflect the collection moving to the darker part of the year. Nevertheless, I do like the way that we will be reminded of the summer by the use of graphic print of flowers which are colored in the colder tones and the metallic. 

Fabric: 

To be a true vampire choose Cavalli's options in fur, velvet and silk with embellished metallic details. I know its good to be positive.... but I'm sorry! I really don't like the jumper knitwear options which online store had to offer. Otherwise the fabric combination is a chic as ever. 

Slick suits:

Beautiful, beautiful suits!!! Why not have one for each day of the week and be super fierce! There is a long list of things which I love about these. Tailoring is fantastic, you can still be a girly-girl and show off your figure when covered head to toe in a colorful print. I can see myself in each one of these suits at various events and just on a daily routine at work. Hmmm I can easily put a bet up that Zara will be providing the budget versions of these designs soon.....

Accessories: 

Elegant and girly contrasted with cold and gothic.... win, win, win! I hate moths but I love the moth necklaces, here is the contrast between the ugly and pretty again. The harsh leather and dark metallic detail strap on the handbag graphic flower which is drawn with a soft brush.... I have so much to say but I think that these pictures will say it all for me. 

So have a look at the catwalk (the link is provided at the top) and I will also recommend to play around on the official site, especially the psychotic love section. I think I need to stop chatting now and limit myself to the light review above as there is so much to mention, you might fall asleep when I finish and I might starve to death! Forward me your favorites from the collection and as Cavalli teaches, be bright, bold and totally fabulous!!!

Shoeholic's Saturday Night

Saturday and Shoes!!!
Today I will combine the two things which I truly adore. After spending four years Bristol, which is dominated by students from the two Universities, I was taught that Saturday is a 'must party night'. I moved to Moscow with this attitude and I was completely bewildered when my friends had to be persuaded to go on a night out. With the magnitude of clubs in Moscow I was eager to explore them all, however the painful process of persuasion and last minute calls which informed me that some of my friends decided that they are sleepy has calmed down my party spirit. Today is a special as I have a conspirator and we plan to drag our sleepy friend to a club. The plan is to go on a walk and end up wondering into a magic place filled with music and perfect Cosmopolitans in a pretty sugar-coated glasses.

However as life is unfair after a week of summer, the weekend looks too much like autumn. The sky sounds like it has an upset stomach and the thought of a short dress and sandals is giving me goosebumps. As the scheme involves a walk I need to think of something that my feat can survive the night and the wet atmosphere on the streets. With these conditions my outfit will be based on shoes, but which shoes.......?
As I plan on having a life today, I have limited myself on what net-a-porter.com has to offer.

 

The beautiful suede Giuseppe Zanotti sandals: without a car they will get ruined, my feet will get dirty and I might catch a cold. I love shoes too much to hurt them like that and I will save the sandal analysis for a better conditions.

Using the key word "walking" the most sensible solution is trainers. I am quite tiered of Isabel Marants, they are bulky and too hot to dance in. Therefore something like the leather studded Jimmy Choo option with be more preferable. Studded detail or a bright colour/print will raise the mood on a grey day. Thankfully it has become trendy to wear trainers so you can really play around with how you match them. I can see a girly pleated skirt with a cute tshirt for the casual look which you can get away with at nigh time. However please don't forget your body type, this will be a disaster if your packing a few extra pounds.

The Michael Kors boots have been my best friends in UK, where it always rains! They can be matched with jeans, dresses and even leather leggings for a rock-chick look. Your feet are dry, the design provides enough ankle support for them to be a lot more comfortable than the regular heals. As a tip for those who don't have long legs I will recommend a low ankle option rather than the Daf Booty Louboutins, which were ever so popular last year.  

The ever so popular pigalle spikes by Chritsian Louboutin are also a tempting option. They looks fabulous with skinny jeans, funky with boyfriend jeans, elongate your legs in skirts and aren't they just fierce! Unfortunately they aren't that comfortable, especially when you are going for the 120mm option. If you are a bit clumsy and the spikes provide a self harming hazard, how about a neon option or a calmer but not the less beautiful metropolis Casadei pumps!

The amount of pain which I will endure tonight will depend on my mood when getting ready. Whether a glamour puss, rock-chick, hipser of whichever style you have, I have outlined the basics, there are countless shoes out there, so don't hold back for them to reflect your character! Save your Hunter boots as you won't be let into any decent place and the rubber Vivienne Westwood by Melissa are a disaster if your feet a damp, trust me on my experience! Of course there are numerous pumps and loafers right now, however for me they are too casual, so save your cute Marc Jacobs kitty flats for daytime. Wish me luck with getting my friends to a club and enjoy your bank holiday!

For my fellow shoe lovers I cannot help but to show the less sensible but delicious options!!

 


 


  

Sovereign start

What a better way to start my blogger experience than with my current place of residence in Moscow, Russia! Just a few days ago the news about the biggest store Tsum (ЦУМ) releasing its new add campaign featuring Russia's most wanted as a style icons Mira Duma, Elena Perminova and Ulyana Sergeenko. Moving to Moscow a year ago it didn't take much time to come across the it-girls of the fast moving and exciting city. Therefore if you are interested in what is fashion like in Russia, look up the fabulous Mira, Elena and Ulyana!

(Fashion designer Ulyana Sergeenko, Digital Director of Tsum Mira Duma and Elena Perminova)

As soon as I saw the first glimpses of the behind the senses shots on Instagram, I could tell that this will be a beautiful campaign. What comes to your mind when seeing this image? I am thinking slick, feminine use of fabric with the bold use of color and contrast. The image along with the outfits is very clean cut and I can see the "Ice Queen" looks from the girls, however the graceful bend of leg from Ulyana, the skirted belt matched with the satin dress of Mira and what looks like a PVC red dress peaking from Elena's black dress reminds the viewers that there is fun and fire present.  For this autumn I am confident that there is a right balance between strict and sexy, and I am looking forward to the results of inspiration from this campaign. Tsum has definitely persuaded me that I need a shopping trip there!