quilted

Soft as Steele

by cecylia on October 11, 2011

Recently I was introduced to a Melbourne label who embodies bohemian glamour, called Steele. The design duo behind Steele sure knows what girls want, want to wear! I absolutely love this romantic terracotta strapless maxi dress with quilted bust details from their SS11 collection and cannot stop eyeing off their new AW11 collection, check it out here. This maxi is actually a tad big for me so I teamed it with an Equipment cropped wool top to ‘fill’ it out a little. I do have a habit of teaming strapless dresses with tops underneath, remember how I wore this gold leather BCBG strapless dress during Rosemount Fashion Week with a crisp white shirt? I always debut my strapless dresses ‘as is’ to an event, then style it with a top underneath to add an element of surprise the second time.

This Dimacci ’Orsini’ cuff is another favourite right now, inspired by the elegant equine, it is so classy and timeless. It literally empowers me when I wear it. Just adore the gorgeous Italian leather and gold horse-bit hardware. Dimacci have every colour you can imagine with either silver and gold-plated stainless steel, available in double-wrap, triple-wrap or wide leather band like this one. The new collection also incorporates beautiful belts and accessories with Swarovski crystals! I am also in love with the mint and silver one, see here. Very tempted to get ‘double-cuffing’!

Outfit: Equipment wool top, Steele Maxi dress, vintage necklace (see a similar one by Maison Martin Magiela here), shades, belt and bracelets; Dimacci Orsini leather cuff, Robert Robert heels

Sorry about me sans makeup, these photos were taken on a day that was going to rain, so hubby and I headed out into the ‘woods’ first thing in the morning with our new lens.

I hope you are all having a wonderful start to the week! It turns out that it was our canine son Theodore’s birthday a few days ago, I didn’t even know (bad mom)! But thank God for Facebook, yes Theodore is also on Facebook, and you can be his friend here :) Yesterday Theodore ‘acted’ in a commercial for a beautiful Australian accessories designer. My lips are sealed about this project but no doubt I will be showcasing the final product for you in the near future. Can’t wait!Theodore was super lucky to work with the legendary movie/TV animal trainer Luke Hura, who trained Red Dog. He’s work is superb. Even as a vet, I was in awe. Despite it being his first time, Theodore was a little champion and needless to say, I am a very proud mom.

I hope that the weather is behaving wherever you may be and that each day brings you love and joy. Thank you for being such a supportive reader of my blog!

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Chain me up

by cecylia on December 18, 2009

Afer the fall of the It Bag, the Anti-It-bag is welcomed like a breath of fresh air. Individuality and personal styling is honored above the cult status symbol that is copied from the catwalk to the celebs. For me, it is partly because owning 10 It Bag is just not economically feasible, and having a bag that so many other girls have just does not appeal to me.

Recently, I came across some gorgeous chain bags from Net-a-Porter and wanted to share them with you. Please tell me which one is your favourite.

Anya Hindmarch 3 pocket clutch. Great colours! I love the layered look and the soft luxurious leather. Chain bags are so good because you can hold it as a clutch or fling it across your shoulder. Where’s the bow logo Anya?

Chloe calfskin bucket bag. This is rock chick meets gallerina. Edgy enough for day and sparkly enough for night. You can toy with the tassels or admire the floral embellishments. This bag is a gem.

I adore this Celine lambskin bag. Not only it is made from the highest quality leather, it is in pink! I love the corrugated look with the big chain. I saw it at the shops recently, it is pretty heavy.

I had to add another Chloe chain bag- this one is simply stunning. I love the snake-skin trimming and the gold hardware. it’s named the ‘Irina’ bag, read here for a post about the cute model. I like the symmetry of this bag and it goes with everything.

How can I express my adoration for this black Emanuel Ungaro chain bag? Designers are embracing studs and the 80s grunge look is back with a vengeance! How cute is the lock buckle and the silver chains running circumferentially along the bag and the pockets?

I don’t think I have ever seen a non-psychedelic patterned garment or accessory from Emilio Pucci. But this denim and gold chain bag is so simple and chic. Anyone can sling it over their shoulders and epitomise Parisian style. Maybe the material lining the bag consists of multi-coloured swirls and shapes.

I can see Coco Chanel wearing this bag. I mean, Karl Lagerfeld designs fro both Fendi and Chanel and don’t you think that he may have crossed styles with this bag? So if you are a fan of both design houses, then invest in this bag, it is like 2 labels in one! I love nude and black, it is the most feminine combination and the chains lends an edge to this beautiful baguette.

Guess who is bag is by? I know what you are thinking, I was thinking it too. It’s by Alber Elbaz, this gold beauty is Lanvin! I love the colour and the black bow intertwined in the gold chain. What a beauty.

These bags are just divine, pick one for your lust-list today. Thanks for reading.

Booti-licious

by cecylia on December 9, 2009

Recently as I was organising the photos from my ‘sweet accessories’ folder to group like items together, and I was caught by surprise as I saw that most of the shoes I am coveting right now are ankle boots. It’s summer in Melbourne but European fashion is a season a head, hence the most delicious boots right now are super hot. I wanted to share with you these gorgeous booties, let me which pair is your favourite.

Christian Louboutin never puts a foot wrong. These red -lacquered metallic magenta space-age booties are super sleek. I love the quilting details and the little zips! The unusual colour will certainly attract a lot of attention from envious on-lookers.

These stunning Chloe booties are fit for a queen. I can just see them on Marie Antoinette, played by Kirsten Dunst, of course. How very Renaissance! Do you remember all the macaroons in that beautiful Sophia Coppola movie? I love the triple embellished bow detailing. Why have 1 bow when you can have 3? These sophisticated Mary-Janes (yes I know, technically these are not ankle boots) look gorgeous on foot and on the shelf. These are a piece of art.

Ok, these Oscar de la Renta lace booties are pretty neat too. I can see Daphne Guinness in them =) They’re extremely ladylike but these are a modern take on prim. I would definitely wear these with jeans to give these feminine heels an edge.

I had to include another pair of Chloe booties. I don’t usually like purple but these shoes are just divine. I love the laser-cut panel and the mock-alligator skin feel of them. They are so interesting to look at, from every angle, and I can guarantee that compliments will not stop coming when you have these beauties on.

Brian Atwood used to design for Versace, before he realised he was onto something good, and launched his solo career. These butter-soft ankle boots will last seasons after seasons and match every outfit. They are not too dressy but still have that luxurious look. Must-have for winter! I love the ruched detail, the bow strings and the ‘hooded’ ankle area.

How does Christian Louboutin come up with so many ingenious designs? These are not quite lacy but the geometric pattern is very unique. The sheerness of these booties is both sexy and demure. Just add some red nail polish and off you go!

Now these Camilla Skovgaard bi-colour cutout boots are made for walking. I love the versatility of these shoes- they are both glamorous and have abundant street cred. The rubber soles make these a joy to walk around all day in and the extra grip give you more confidence when you need to run from the paparazzi. Thanks to the colours chosen, these boots go with everything.

I found this boot from Nordstrom. I simply adore the buckles and the leather straps and the peep-toe details. These are edgy and comfortable and if I set foot in them, they would be glued to my soles. Great shoes to toughen up a flowing dress.

I think we’ve all been hit by the Alexander Wang wave. He is the darling of high-end street fashion right now and every piece he designs is a must/lust-have. Check out this backpack vest with multiple gold zips and pockets and the buckled ankle boots! I am a softie for zip detailing and you can wear this vest over everything. you probably won’t even need a handbag if you have this vest, there are enough pockets for your phone, keys, lip gloss, ipod, gum, spare change, credit cards and even snacks.

Jane Aldridge’s mom wears a vest similar to this, see here. I have to admit, I do love Alexader Wang. The truth is out!

So which pair is your favourite?

Ebay Losses

by cecylia on August 9, 2009

They say it is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.

When I was first introduced to Ebay, I spent my nights searching pretty much only ‘vintage’ garments and accessories. But recently, thanks to the naughty influence of Sea of Shoes and the ridiculous postage expenses I have accumulated with my vintage finds, I have steered my searches more towards designer goods. The following are a couple of items I have loved but lost…vintage and designer.

I have seen these Melissa for Vivienne Westwood plastic slingback heels a few times on fashion magazines. They certainly left a big impression on me. I actually was invovled with 2 auctions of these shoes: different sellers, of course. The reason why I was not as desperate for them is because they were 1/2 size too big for me. Even though it is merely 1/2 a size, plastic is not the best material to mould to your feet. They are gorgeous though and apparently they are sold out everywhere… you know what I will be looking out for when I am in Singapore.

This kimono-like mustard silk Willow dress was going to be a new addition to my wardrobe… Mustard is so fresh and this photo certainly won me over. I know I could have put more money on it, but in the end I had to let it go. After all, I already have too many beautiful frocks I have not even worn yet!

I nearly cried when someone outbid me and stole this charming belt from me! It was my ‘buy- of-the-day’, on my mental wish list. I was so sure that I would be the winning bidder, but I lost the bid in the last 20 minutes, while I was cooking dinner…I sure hope to find a similar one in a vintage shop.

As you have read about my beautiful Maison Martin Margiela mock-crock boots (http://cecylia.com/2009/07/trying-on-my-new-boots/), I am quite obsessed with boots at the moment. I have purchased 5 pairs in the past month! My heart skipped a beat when I found these amazing REAL crocodile boots on Ebay, but to my disappointment, they were 2 sizes too small for me…. Farewell, my lovelies.

Thanks to the uber-hot label Balmain, this jacket became every fashionista’s most-wanted. As you can see, this wool military jacket with gold trimming was a favourite among many ladies of style. Even though it was a fraction of the cost of a real Balmain jacket, by the time I had seen it, it was already not cheap, so I did not even bid on it! I must admit: it is simply gorgeous- a spunky update to every woman’s wardrobe.

I was pretty heart-broken when I lost this divine navy vintage Bally quilted bag to a (much) higher bidder. *sobs* I love the chain and the tassel. Oh well, at least I already have one in tan =)

I was very blessed to found this Bally bag in an awesome vintage shop in Spitalfields, London. It is a gem: Bally leather is akin to cashmere, so soft and luxurious. I love the gold chain detail and the Eiffel tower is a personal touch. I guess if I bought the navy bag, it would be difficult to chose which one to carry…

quilted

Soft as Steele

Chain me up

Booti-licious

Ebay Losses

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