Working Woman

Source: Voque.co.uk


PREEN girls like Gwyneth Paltrow, Thandie Newton, Kate Bosworth and Cindy Crawford know exactly what to wear to a party - thanks to the label's form-flattering, colour-pop dresses - but what to wear to a business meeting has always been trickier, until now.

"We wanted it to be masculine with a feminine twist, we thought it was about time we gave our Preen girl something to wear to work," Preen designers Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi explained. "We have developed great cocktail dresses, great Sunday knits, cool summer silks - but had never really ventured into cool workwear. We thought about it in terms of 'husband' jackets, that chic yet traditional city man."

In order to achieve the workwear look they wanted at the first attempt, the duo collaborated with English tailoring firm Gieves & Hawkes, borrowing their sharp masculine aesthetic and adding fun, feminising details. And it seems their celebrity following has embraced the new range already.

"It's been very popular," Bregazzi confessed. "Rachel Billson just wore the tailoring inspired Petal Dress (look 38), and we expect to see Demi Moore in the suit soon (look 5)."

Caring Carey

BAFTA Award-winning actress, Carey Mulligan has donated the Vionnet dress she wore this year to accept her Best Actress award to Oxfam, to raise money for the charity's women's projects. She joins a list of other famous names - including Elle Macpherson and Alexa Chung - in raiding her wardrobe for the cause.

"I'm honored to be able to donate my Bafta dress to support Oxfam's work helping women living in extreme poverty across the world," Mulligan said.

The dress will have a starting bid of £50 and will be auctioned alongside other items from 10am onwards on Thursday 13 May at www.oxfam.org.uk/curiosityshop. The pieces will be displayed in Selfridges as part of the week long Oxfam Curiosity Shop event from Friday 14 to Thursday 20 May, where shoppers will be helped by a group of high-profile women headed by singer Annie Lennox.

Funds raised from the sale of the dress will go to Oxfam's women's projects across the world including Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Democratic Republic of Congo, West Africa and South Africa. These projects protect, support and empower vulnerable women: campaigning against violence, empowering them to fight HIV and AIDS and offering the poorest girls the chance of education.

Desert Queens

Safari chic was the mood of clothing at key spring/summer shows such as Burberry, Alexander Wang and Celine, and the same desert-inspired colours were a mainstay for make-up, too. At Catherine Malandrino the collection was inspired by 'women of the world', with Tom Pecheux and his make-up team creating four different looks inspired by different deserts across the globe, with 'sweated-through' smudged mascara and bronzed cheeks. Lisa Eldridge created a rather beautiful 'post-apocalyptic' beauty look at Todd Lynn, where the girls' skin was sand-blasted with mineral powders and dusky brown eyes to make it seem as though they had 'been in the desert for days on end'. So, for this season, the must have products comprise a very wearable palette of burnt oranges, dusky corals and warm bronzes - try Max Factor's Miracle Touch Crème Blush in Soft Copper, £7, for sun-weathered cheeks, Estee Lauder's Michael Kors Eyeshadow Duo in Blonde Mink, £22 and for a truly authentic desert glow use Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturising Bronzing Powder in Desert Bronze, £40, whose powder is actually shaped like a sand dune. Gives a whole new meaning to burying one's head in the sand.

Gucci's Film Foundation

CONTINUING its commitment to the world of cinema, Gucci has extended its five-year partnership with Martin Scorsese's Film Foundation, having made a donation of $900,000 US dollars for the restoration of two Italian cinema classics: Il Gattopardo (1963) and La Dolce Vita (1960).

"Gucci has a long history with film dating back to the late Forties, and we are proud to support the work of Martin Scorsese and The Film Foundation to keep these vibrant, timeless films alive. Through preservation, the legacy of visionary filmmakers like Luchino Visconti and Federico Fellini can continue to inspire us, as well as future generations," says Gucci creative director Frida Giannini of the longstanding partnership which, to date, has seen Gucci donate a total of $1.5 million to The Film Foundation in its restoration of six iconic film titles.

Scorsese adds: "Gucci deserves our deepest gratitude for its ongoing commitment to the restoration of works like Il Gattopardo and La Dolce Vita. Visconti and Fellini are filmmakers whose impact on cinema has been enormous, and both these films are as powerful today as when they were first released."

Italian Vogue breaks fashion’s color line in new issue

“Black is beautiful” has been around as a catchphrase since the 1960s, but a lot of aspiring models are still waiting for the arbiters of fashion to catch on to it. That’s why there’s so much buzz over Vogue magazine’s decision to devote its current Italian issue entirely to models who are women of color.

“Do black models sell?” was the rhetorical question Jerri DeVard, a black woman as well as a marketing expert, put to TODAY’s Hoda Kotb Monday. “It’s about myth-busting,” she said. “There’s this myth out there that they don’t. And that’s just not true.”

Veronica Webb, a black model and host of Bravo’s “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style,” agreed, and sees the pioneering Vogue issue as a vehicle that can begin to get people to change their thinking.

“We’re all conditioned to see beauty,” Webb said, and the magazine, filled with photos of glamorous black models, “helps to condition people’s eyes. When you look at page after page after page of beautiful, gorgeous dark girls, you go, ‘Wow! Wow! Wow! I want some of that. How can I do it?’ ”

Webb noted that advertising in the special issue is up 30 percent over a normal edition. But, to underline the problem the industry has with diversity, nearly every one of the ads features white models.

Still, Webb said, the editorial content is what will drive people to the ads, and if those ads end up selling products, other editors and fashion directors may realize that black is not only beautiful — it’s profitable, too.

Winds of change
“When people start to vote with their dollars, that will initiate more change than probably anything,” observed Neal Hamil, the North American director of the Elite modeling agency. Hamil claims that his agency is the most ethnically diverse in the business. He also says that he knows of other agencies — he did not name names — that have one token woman of color but remain adamantly white. “It’s one of the great disparities that exists in fashion,” he said. “It’s hard for me to comprehend.”

The time certainly seems right for change, said Webb, pointing to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Barack Obama, and the box office success of Will Smith, whose superhero saga “Hancock” earned $66 million over its opening July 4 weekend.

“Things are changing,” Webb told Kotb. “Obama is running for president. To my kids, that’s normal. It’s normal that Will Smith is saving the world. I think what’s going to happen is that if this sells well, then people start to buy things from looking at this magazine. Once there’s a trend, the trend happens again, like the miniskirt. If it sells, it comes back again and again.”

“Veronica mentioned Barack Obama,” DeVard added. “I think it’s also about Michelle Obama in terms of being a style arbiter.” Last month, the candidate’s wife showed up on “The View” in a black-and-white print frock, triggering a buying frenzy.

Battling barriers
Webb is used to fighting through barriers, and, she said, it’s not just in the fashion industry. “You can plug that into lawyer, doctor, Indian chief. In any office, any profession, there’s always going to be a lack of diversity,” she said.

Hamil claimed it’s not the agencies but those who hire the models who are to blame for the lack of diversity in the industry.

“Designers, photographers, casting people, these are the people that hire us.

Webb agreed, saying, “You need more people who are power brokers. You need more black photographers. There aren’t many. I can count them on my hand. You need more black editors. You need more black hairstylists, makeup people. The more people there are in the industry, behind the scenes, making decisions, the change will come.”

Anniversary Exhibits

FORTY iconic portraits to celebrate forty years of discovering and recognising new talent - the birthday celebrations continue apace at Browns which, next month, will host an exhibition to mark the special occasion.

Paolo Roversi has photographed 40 Browns ambassadors - including models, actors and musicians - for the exhibition, which also includes film footage of iconic catwalk shows. Meanwhile, acclaimed set designer Simon Costin has curated it.

The exhibition will open the official Browns 40th anniversary dinner party on May 12, and will then go on to be open to the public from May 13 to 30 at The Regent Penthouses and Lofts, The Courtyard, 16-18 Marshall Street off Broadwick Street W1.

On His First Trip to Los Angeles, Jeremy Laing Learned A Few Things

“I was expecting to love it,” said Jeremy Laing, “and I did.” Take a first-time trip to Los Angeles for a successful trunk show, throw in a little Coachella and some sightseeing, and what’s not to like? The young, Toronto-based designer was in Southern California last week to meet his L.A. fans at Zainab, the Melrose Avenue jewel-box boutique that is the exclusive source for his clothes in the city (alongside labels like Azzedine Alaïa, Proenza Schouler, and Ohne Titel). Laing sold pieces from spring/summer and took orders from fall/winter. “It’s always nice to meet clients,” he said. “In L.A., they’re similar to those in other cities. My customer is usually interested in the arts, maybe she works in a gallery—or doesn’t work,” he said, laughing.

Gallerists and curators did turn up at the trunk show, along with mother-daughter duos. What they bought: easy dresses for spring, the shorter moss-print frocks from fall. “Pieces from the current season that they’ll wear tomorrow—and forever,” Laing said. “And from fall, more structured and embellished, more special pieces.” And, almost surprisingly, some of Laing’s superchic fall eco furs. “The L.A. ladies don’t own coats, but they do travel a lot. They need something to wear when it’s chilly in Paris,” he said. Looks like Laing, after just one visit to Los Angeles, really gets how its women shop. No doubt, a glimpse into the L.A. lifestyle gave him a leg up; when Laing wasn’t helping his clients choose looks from his collection at Zainab, he was checking out some of the places they might wear them.

Zac Posen for Target Launches—And One Londoner Just Can’t Wait

Hailing from London—the home of seminal designer collaborations such as Stella McCartney for H&M and Christopher Kane for Topshop—I have acquired, as a shopper, a snobbish sense of entitlement for democratized A-list fashion. So, hearing sartorial murmurings of covetable collections reserved exclusively for my American counterparts courtesy of Target’s GO International initiative, was decidedly frustrating.

I longed wistfully for Alexander McQueen’s McQ sleeveless chambray shirtdress, followed by Anna Sui’s classic boho shift, and finally—and most painfully—Rodarte’s whimsical rock-chic tulle dresses. All of which, I can only imagine, would have hung perfectly alongside my more standard-priced closet fare. But having since moved Stateside following a transfer from British Vogue, I plan to be first in line tonight (11:00 p.m.!) for Zac Posen’s offerings for Target at 481 Eighth Ave. at 34th Street. (Til 11:00 pm tomorrow night. It’s a 24 hour shopping event.)

Infusing downtown grunge with tarnished Hollywood glam and a Forties twist—a comfortable look for a Brit in the Big Apple—this is a familiar version of the New York native’s signature style, and a further move into affordability since his recently launched diffusion line, Z Spoke for Saks, earlier this year. Flirty summer dresses in vintage floral prints and beach-cool metallic-bronze swimwear compete for my attention, but it’s the navy riveted cap-sleeve Snap Tape dress that would have been my preorder—if only they had one.

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girl from the north country

I have a little obsession at the moment. Perhaps, it stems from seeing countless footage of Florence Welch sporting the look or maybe, it has something to do with that lovely Nordic - esque/fictional/warrior princess/idol of mine Eowyn of the Lord of the Rings..(annoyingly I could not find the accurate image I had in mind..ugh.). Either way, that milk - maid/Scandinavian 'plaits across the head' (for want a better term) hair do is on my mind, alas, not my head, constantly. Pretty - check. Laid back/kinda hippy - check. Feminine - check. In style of beloved Rohan horse maiden - check. Now, if only I had manageable, silvery blonde hair that would cooperate with me and create this look..

ch - ch - ch - changin'

Perhaps, this post would have been more appropriate for the third anniversary of this blog in July, but that’s still a good few months off...and you know, right now I feel like being all introspective and stuff.

Today I checked up teenvogue.com for the first time in ages. Teen Vogue’s website and I have a little bit of history together. It was partly due to said website that I set up my own blog. I joined the Teen Vogue forums where a lot the girls spoke about their own blogs and blogs they enjoyed. It was not long after when I set up my own.

Although I had long before considered fashion as my number one interest, prior to establishing She’s in Vogue...(a name that to this day, makes me die a little inside, to clear it up once and for all, the ‘She’ is whoever...the ladies I admire and fawn over on this blog, not and I underline not me!)... I digress though...where was I? Despite believing myself to be quite the fashion expert back then, in actual fact, I knew next to nothing. Chanel and Luella Bartley were the only brands I knew anything much about and although, I did have quite sufficient knowledge in vintage fashion, my knowledge in anything current was exceptionally slim...(to this day, I still remain not the most knowledgeable in the up and coming.)

Teen Vogue and Elle Girl UK were my only connection with fashion back in my early teens. I have mentioned the effect Elle Girl had on me in the past, but in all honestly, it cannot be over emphasised the immense impact it had on me as a young'n. Suddenly, fashion was something fascinating and amazing and powerful – you could be whoever you wanted to be! (... or Dare to be Different...Elle Girl’s wonderfully cheesy tag line!)

My favourite segment of teenvogue.com was the Girl of the Week. You can imagine my surprise when I visited the website today to discover that it’s now Best Dressed Reader of the Day! This is surely a sign of the times – the growth of not just fashion as a hobby for teen girls but the enormous expansion of fashion on the Internet, getting your style out there so to speak. The interesting thing is that I had a conversation last week with a friend of mine about this – how fashion is now so much more of an interest, not just a matter of dressing.

Back in ’07 it felt in a way that I was the only Irish fashion blogger. I probably was not, but that is how it felt. I remember I used to do searches on irishblogs.ie for fellow Irish fashion blogs, but to no avail. Now things could not be more different. It appears that in the past year or so a whole crop of shiny new Irish fashion blogs and websites have sprung up, and how good that is, proving that fashion has suddenly become quite the thing in Ireland.

Overall fashion blogging has changed remarkably since 2007... (And I can only imagine the difference since 2006 when a lot of my favourite blogs were established). Personal style (exemplified by Teen Vogue's Girl of the Week becoming Girl of the day only proves the growth of this) ... is the number one most important aspect of any fashion blog now. When I started blogging personal style was only left to a select few, and now...well everyone’s at it! And why not! It just proves that fashion is occupying a far larger part of society now, but what’s more, is that now more than ever before it is to be enjoyed by everyone, not just the elite. More so...and I hope you dear readers will agree, blogging has made fashion not just personal but fun.

And just to match the very lame post title..the text is interspersed with the changing faces of She's in Vogue...ahem..

sugar spun sister

I am feeling very distracted at the moment with my mood perpetually alternating between hunger and tiredness. Oh well, I guess that's study month for you... In between trying to study, I can be found sifting through millions of Tumbler accounts searching aimlessly for pretty images. Indeed, it provides a nice distraction from my studies..indeed, too nice. I suddenly want to wear a lot of pink and eat macaroons beneath blooming cherry trees under coral cloudy skies. And sip tea and read old, crinkled yellow paged books with flower garlands in my hair...all sounds...wait no..not whimsical..I hear you say...

april scrapbook

Although you can hardly say the summer is coming here..the skies are grey and it is raining currently outside my window..I am dying to get my hands on a very summery sheer white shirt. With denim, you have to agree, it looks very cool in that effortless, chilled California kind of way.

I love the look of these two ladies. So eighties and punky..and therefore, I love. The smokey eyes and bold hairdos, the edgy silver jewellery and killer stares. Yeah..something tells me we can't all be this cool..damn..

I know many think Giorgia Jagger is well..just a bit of a name, you know, not much of a model. While this is true to some extent, I do think she has got something..other than her surname and that pout. I adore this Vogue Italia editorial from some time ago. It's retro and romantic with wools and 60s' leopard print and Bardot hair and thick leather jackets...sure Lara Stone could have done it too, and maybe better, but I think Giorgia works pretty well.

I have said this before, but when in times of dire need of inspiration, Susie will always turn up trumps. This recent post was extremely inspiring. I loved all her looks, and have to post here just to remind myself of the brilliance that is.

I am not sure about you..but I am feeling a total hippy/boho revival thing at the moment. In the past, I have always kind of rejected this trend in a way..but presently, I am not ashamed to admit it that I am having second thoughts. Yes, my flakey ways have me fawning after a more hippy - ish aesthetic, and not least these slip skirts from Topshop. These remind me of something a fairy would wear..and in my books that is always a good thing..always..I do frown at the notion of being 'whimsical', however,..but sometimes it ain't a bad thing to aspire to when dressing..allows for a little freedom and fun..

and you know that she's half crazy, but that's why you want to be there

Anyone who watched the recently finished latest series of Skins, I think, would have been fairly disappointed. Twas fairly rubbish, wasn't it? Well at least I thought so...it was all a bit contrived and well, dare I say it, silly...I mean that John Foster malarkey...one could only laugh. Ah, but I digress. Skins has always...hmm, that makes it sounds as though Skins has been around as long as Coronation Street, you know what I mean though...depicted the cool, hip, misunderstood indie kids that we all secretly kind of want to be despite their ridiculously troubled lives. Of course, the majority of the characters over the past four series have been quite the stylish folk too which can only ever help. After the first lot of characters headed off to...well where ever they headed off to, I don't quite recollect..and the new posse came bursting onto the scene, more badass than ever before, the bulk of its audience remained reminiscing a bit too much about the old crowd.

The new crowd (and I dread to think what kind the new new crowd will be like) could never quite tap into the viewers in the way Tony and his lot did. Perhaps, I'm wrong but out of all the characters Cassie was definitely among everyone's favourites. I know this is so long ago and I do not even have enough fingers on my hand to count how many 'Cassie's Style' posts I have read over the years, but really her styling was pure genius..and well genius can only ever be celebrated with people like me sitting around reminiscing about the good ol' times when Cassie lit up the screen in her flowy skirts and kitsch -y tops. Once again a post..(probably, or maybe a few more secretly want to reminisce too?)..for moi.

I love the look in the top right with the 50s' dog pattern skirt, coral socks and dotted tights.

The look in the top left was one of my fave Cassie outfits..the mixture of the 'mammy - ish' floral top and sequins is nothing short of perfect..and my goodness, I have tried and failed to recreate that hairdo. Cassie often wore magnificent spangly/shiny pieces clashed with showstopping scarlet lips.

Ah Cassie's sailor top surely must have spawned a thousand blog posts...stuff of dreams, so it was. Note too, Cassie's penchant for quirky jewellery, bottom right.

I don't think anyone has yet forgotten the scene where Cassie wears that outfit (bottom middle). The legendary sunglasses, the hat, the florals...why can't we all dress like this?

all topshop

standing on the corner suitcase in my hand

This feels like a very me me me post..but, sure I thought I would share. As many of you know I went off to Galway over the weekend for the Irish Blog Awards. Congratulations are in order for Beaut.ie for winning the best fashion/beauty blog category. I was pretty happy just to be there and you know, it was a nice chance to dress up, something I aways relish! Now the dreaded - 'this is what I wore' without any explanation other than..um..that...

It all, somehow, got very hippy - ish..flowers and headbands and embroidery.

I met the lovely Ali of Soooali at the awards. It was so nice to chat to a fellow Irish fashion blogger - the ins and outs, the trials and tribulations, eh!

The following morning my parents and I went for a very therapeutic walk along Salthill promenade. A world away from my typically sleepy..see lazy..Sunday mornings.

all the pretty ladies

There is always something so lovely about Sonia Rykiel's collections that I can never quite put my finger on. Maybe, it has something to do with the smiley models and the happy - clappy procession at the end of the shows, or maybe, it is quite simply that her clothes are nice. Yes, nice, not the most awe - inspiring of adjectives there, but that is perhaps, that is never something you would associate with a Rykiel collection. That is not too say a bad thing though. I am advocate of things to be just nice sometimes, there's no need for this big, deep meaning behind everything, and Rykiel's clothes just kind of get on with. Pretty, feminine and wearable, but oh so pretty..

Rykiel clearly knows how to have some fun too..as always so wonderfully exemplified by her brigade of non - scowling, high - fiving models..but in her clothes too. The pom - pom hats..I mean! Need I say more? Love! Silly, yes, a bit random, yes def, but yeah, why not? It's fashion afterall! And what's more, I always think when looking at Sonia Rykiel collection, 'Now, here's a collection for women'. Rykiel designs the kind of clothes that women really do want to wear.

Long lengths, plenty knits, blush pink, grey, white tights, some masculine tailoring, slouchy pieces...Rykiel, obviously knows the way to my heart..

PS. Off to Galway tomorrow for the Irish Blog Awards...best of luck to everyone.

all the cool kids are at it

Looks like it is almost time to be sticking some shades on..or perhaps, that could be me being a tad too hopeful..

all images the sartorialist

it's all fun and games

You know, a part of me wishes I was a colourful dresser..in the literal rainbow - bright sense. There is something so refreshing about seeing someone willing to wear jovial bursts of colour, because lets cut to the chase here, the majority of us are pretty dull and boring, me included, wearing sombre gradations of grey/black/denim on a daily basis. It all gets a bit tedious and dreary really, especially that whole concept of to be 'fashion' one must wear head - to - toe slimming black. I'm a bit scared of zingy oranges, pillar box red and acidic greens and yellows, and I'm not alone am I? There is all that jazz about hair/skin tones and looking pale and putrid in brights..which let's be honest about it, might have some truth in it... but, I am not suggesting we transform ourselves into living, breathing boxes of Crayola, but rather a mere inclusion of some of those scarier colours into our everyday outfits.

That is the reason why I love Louise Gray's collections - they are fun and colourful. They have a lovely childishness to them, a mish - mash, anything goes quality that surely can only be admired in a time when fashion most certainly appears to take its self too seriously. Truth be told, Louise Gray's s/s collection is a world away from my own personal style, yet somehow, it makes me smile. There's plenty random layering going on with fluffy boots and pastel runners, bowler hats, patchwork, geometric shapes - once again Gray opts for a jester - like aesthetic, rendering it all as bit of good old fashioned dress - up box fun.

It was only by chance, looking through my saved images, that I noticed a kind of happy incidental likeness between some Picasso paintings and Gray's collection - they appear to correspond nicely due to the clashing shapes and colours of each and an obvious dismissal of the expected.