Wednesday 29 June 2016

THE BLACK AND WHITE OF IT

This week we are featuring a black and white theme for all of our summer outfits, and while Anne H has always favoured a mono palette, Anne C has abandoned her vibrant bright colours for a more muted look .

Anne H's outfit is lifted by the lovely, flattering, Zara chiffon tunic which is versatile enough for day or evening wear and would work just as well for a perfect beach cover-up. Although it has a slight blue tone in the picture, it is actually black and will look fab coupled with black trousers and camisole. It is obviously quite long at the back, so Anne's height at 5' 8" is a good thing, and she liked it so much she has purchased the Ecru one as well.  How typical, that it is now in the sale and she paid full price - we won't discuss whose law that is!  She has teamed with white jeans from 7 for all mankind, a make she particularly likes for their consistent leg length and fit.  The shoes are from Marks and Spencer and featured in our shoe post here.  



Anne C is wearing her latest purchase with this lovely black pleated chiffon jacket from Zara, which was also available in pink (only bought a couple of weeks ago but no longer on their website).  She has teamed it with skinny stretch trousers from Florence and Fred at Tesco from last season, though similar styles are still available, and a white cami-top. The black wedge patent shoes are from M&S and the good news is they are in the sales and come with a free gift here (though the choice is very limited).


Anne loves the jacket, which can be dressed up for evening, worn casually over jeans, and even works with a dress, so styled to suit, could be worn for a wedding or a day at the races.







Anne H's jewellery includes this delicate, long length, necklace that was a gift from Bali.  It is the perfect piece for the tunic as it does not detract from it but has enough structure and interest to stand out.  Her bracelet is a holiday purchase and is typical of the bracelets found in most Mediterranean resorts. Her clutch bag is another gift and is from the designer Anya Hindmarch and was particularly chosen because it has the initials A H on it... clever present buying.  




Anne C's evening bag is roomy enough to carry phone, keys, money and a lipstick and perfectly matches the long necklace, though they were not bought together, and she can't remember where she bought either item, though she has a habit of frequenting Christmas fairs and wedding fayres (the latter through work) so they probably came from one or more of these!  The bracelet is from M&S last year, while the stacking diamante rings and glitzy watch are from Swarovski (a favourite brand!) 




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Thursday 23 June 2016

VIRTUAL VEGAS

We are very excited to have been approached by vegas.com to style the #UltimateVegasStyle for a typical day in Las Vegas - from walking the strip, shopping in the fashion malls to a super lunch and finally an evening of cocktails and entertainment. We've really enjoyed imagining what we would like to do and see and would firmly recommend visiting the deals page on vegas.com if you have some serious Vegas planning to do. 

Anne H has been to Vegas on a couple of occasions, but as regular readers may know, Anne C was due to holiday there last month until an unfortunate accident en route meant she had to return home early, so she never made it there.

However, these are the sorts of outfits we would most definitely wear if we were there!  And who knows, Anne C may make it there next year!

Daytime at the Venetian

For our virtual Vegas day we have  taken inspiration from the Venetian Hotel and envisioned ourselves browsing the Grand Canal Shoppes soaking up all the Italian ambience before heading for brunch at the Buddy V's Ristorante to savour their amazing Italian-American menu.  
Having both travelled to Italy before so they have gone for some colour to reflect the vibrancy of the country, and both outfits are ideal for following brunch with more shopping and even a coffee at the Tintoretto Restaurant and Bakery!

#UltimateVegasStyle

Anne C is wearing casual for comfort here - and all on a budget (with the exception of the sunglasses).  The white cotton trousers are very versatile for summer styling, and these are stretchy fabric, so great for tucking into lunch and keeping comfortable all day. These are by Florence and Fred from Tesco.com  The red suede shoes are super comfortable and the perfect height for when you're on your feet all day - plus they are stylish and on trend this season.  They are also a budget buy from Florence and Fred at Tesco - as is the white perspex tote bag, bought last summer, which also features a white zipped clutch inside which can be used separately or within the tote to zip up those valuables. The good news is it has been updated this year in a slightly different shape here, so still available - and it can also double up as a beach bag.

She has teamed it with a red layered chiffon top with a glitzy jewelled neckline which is a George at Asda purchase. This would also be great for evening wear with black trousers and high heels.

The earrings are a craft fair buy, the cuff was a gift and the watch is from Marks & Spencer.  The sunglasses are Bvlgari which she bought 18 months ago, but are still available from online retailers, though not on the Bvlgari site.


#UltimateVegasStyle

Anne H outfit is also relaxed and colourful, combining Zara basic linen trousers with a drawstring waist (a must after all that eating) with a colourful silk top that she purchased from BCBGMaxazria a few years ago.  She has combined with stack heel Jakob shoes from Dune ideal for walking.... and she says there is a lot of walking to be done in Vegas to fully appreciate all the wonderful hotels and attractions.  

#UltimateVegasStyle

The necklace was a Christmas gift and the blue clutch is positively ancient -  both borrowed from Anne C and such a perfect colour match, she might not get them back!  The silver bangle is from The White Company and the gentleman's watch is from Tag Heuer as Anne favours a larger watch.

#UltimateVegasStyle

PUTTING ON THE GLITZ AT THE BELLAGIO 

We doubt anywhere says glamour quite like The Bellagio, again with an Italian twist - after all the Italians are so very stylish.  We have chosen black for our signature evening wear and will start our evening with an exquisite meal at Le Cirque where our outfits will meet the strict dress code of dressy and elegant, but not detract from the brilliant colours of this lakeside destination. Trying our hand on the casino floor will be the pre-cursor to a night at the Hyde nightclub where we can appreciate the amazing design of Phillippe Starck from our vantage point overlooking the Fountains of Bellagio.  What could be better?  






The chiffon black dress can be worn for an evening out and accessorised with heels and diamante to add extra glamour.  The dress was bought from her good friend Liz Wright who owns Simply Devine, a fantastic destination shop mostly selling glamorous occasion hats but with a few key dresses such as prom outfits or mother of the bride.

Anne has teamed with black satin court shoes trimmed with diamante chains on the high heels, which are ones she has had for years. Maybe she has gone a little overboard with the glitz - but hey in Vegas, anything goes!

Her watch is by Swarovski from a previous season, but they still have plenty of gorgeous watches to choose from.






#Ultimate Vegas Style

The three matching single diamante bangles, black shamballa bracelet and statement necklace and earrings were from a craft fair, while the two finger ring was stolen from her daughter!!  The diamante bag is from Accessorize and although no longer available, they still have a great selection of evening clutch bags.


#UltimateVegasStyle


Anne H's simple black V neck dress has the added design element of a chiffon hem, which lifts it from being too plain, and was purchased in the Cos sale. The addition of the diamante necklace and bracelet add the added sparkle that is so Vegas appropriate.  Like Anne C she has 'borrowed' something from her daughter's wardrobe, in this case the vertiginous Alexander McQueen heels which really make a statement.  


#UltimateVegasStyle





Anne's pretty black and gold evening purse is a vintage find and the diamante stacking rings are by Buckley Jewellery with similar ones still available, while the bracelet was from an independent boutique. The necklace is a cheap and cheerful purchase from Primark - proving that you can mix and match budget buys with high end, high street, and designer to look fabulous.

#UltimateVegasSTyle


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Monday 20 June 2016

SUMMER HAUL


We are planning our next trips over the coming weeks - separately this time so that means we have double the number of resort/city reviews we can blog about.  So what to wear?

Anne C will be heading for the Aegean Sea, to the beautiful island of Santorini, which basically means living in swimwear during the day and heading out to dinner and cocktails in the evening - but it's usually around the 40 degree mark, so rather warm.  Anne does like to put on the glitz in the evening, and has recently discovered an online retailer - michellechapmanclothing -selling some rather fancy tunic tops - so she bought two - one in neon orange and the other in pale blue (see bottom of the page).  The bodice is stretch and the chiffon over-dress has batwing sleeves. I also got a free gift for ordering two items - a heart shaped necklace (not shown)!


This voluminous tunic top can also be worn as a dress, but Anne has teamed with leggings from Matalan for these shots as her legs need some sun on them before they see the light of day! The beach shoes are from a previous season, while her necklace is by Mimco which is an Australian brand sold in House of Fraser, but strangely not available from them online. However, we have included a link to their main site as they sell gorgeous jewellery, accessories and handbags!


Anne H wears sleeveless chiffon blouse from H & M, that comes in a range of colours and patterns for only £7.99, straight leg flowing trousers from Zara and shoes are the Daisy Wedge Espadrilles from Raye purchased at Harvey Nichols but also available via Polyvore .  As Anne H is visiting Vancouver this summer she was looking for an outfit perfect for treading those city streets in a more temperate climate than Anne C will be finding in Santorini.  






To be really honest, I'm not so sure about this striped sweater which is Tu from Sainsbury's, teamed with navy brocade capri trousers from Primark bought last year, as I don't think it's very flattering. However, it is really soft and comfortable to wear so it is probably something I would wear at home or possibly for travelling.  The shoes are white wedge sandals from Moda in Pelle last year, and although I can't find any similar this season, there are hundreds of white wedges to be found (and of course while I've been searching online I've found plenty of shoes I like ...ooops).



Anne's ivory top is the Maya satin crepe tunic from Phase Eight and is now in the sale at £34.50, jeans are Acne Studios and the knots flat sandals are from Mango.and a bargain at just £19.99, also available in beige. Initially she was worried the top made her look a bit like a dental assistant but once I dressed her up with a snazzy necklace from M & S her mind was put at ease.  







This is the same tunic top as the neon orange at the top, but in pale blue and teamed with white leggings, this time from Julian McDonald at Debenhams.  The shoes are  perspex and leather which Anne has had for years but which seem to be making an appearance again (there's nothing new under the sun in the fashion world - everything seems to come back into fashion at some stage!) The necklace was bought in Santorini.


Anne H's top is from Zara, and she likes it so much she bought it in black as well.  A really lightweight knit, it's ideal for layering which is so great for city breaks and this one has a drop back which is always flattering.  The Rozie slim jeans purchased from House of Fraser, are 7 from All Mankind and really flatter a longer leg as they sit on the top of the foot - something that is so hard to achieve with trousers when you are over 5ft 8in tall.   The stack heel Jakob shoes, with an ideal heel height for walking city streets, are from Dune London and there are a few sizes left in the sale at half price.The pretty necklace was purchased in Vietnam and is made of marble in the softest pink tone. 



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Wednesday 15 June 2016

SHOES SHOES SHOES

Well, although the weather in these pictures will belie the fact that it is summer, we are showing our optimistic streak and previewing some of our summer sandals.  We have chosen three different heel heights from flats to higher wedges, as these are the sandals we take on holiday with us and they see us through from day to evening.  Please excuse our pale and squashed looking feet - they are still being kept inside boots and shoes because of the awful UK weather - so bringing them out is a bit of a shock for them and us - pedicures being booked immediately!

FLATS 


Anne H's knot style flat sandals are from Mango and a bargain at only £19.99. Also available in beige they are really comfortable and a great addition to any summer wardrobe as they will go with pretty much any colour combination. Anne prefers to wear flats during the day, particularly if on a beach holiday, keeping the higher sandals and wedges for city breaks and evenings out. 



Now Anne C will be the first to admit she has a serious shoe problem, so it was extremely hard for her to choose which shoes to feature, so  she's just gone for her newest purchases.

Just to be clear how bad this problem is - she has 83 pairs of court shoes, 25 pairs of boots, 24 pairs of sandals, 42 pairs of flip flops (thongs??) and 6  pairs of slippers!

So here is her choice of flats, which are Carvela bought at TK Maxx at the end of last summer, but similar ones can be found here - and they're reduced, as are these from Dune (though sizes are limited) - while if you have a bigger budget, try these.

These are comfortable because they have elastic at the front which help in hot weather when feet swell!





MID HEEL



Anne H's stack mid-heel shoes are from Dune and were another sale bargain, being half price. There are some limited sizes left of the Jakob style shown here but Dune also have the Jester and Jove that are similar styles.  This height of heel is ideal for serious walking while still looking chic, and these are very comfortable.  



Anne C's mid-heel choice are a recent bargain purchase from Tesco (she goes in for bread and milk and comes out with shoes!!) These are a vibrant tomato red suede with an ankle strap, which are very comfortable - and still available online here.



WEDGES 


Anne H's mid height wedge espadrilles from M & S  come in a range of  different colours and are just £19.50.  A very versatile choice to go with your summer outfits and a great height for walking.



Anne's next wedge espadrilles are higher and altogether more fancy, with ties and tassels. Made in suede they are from Raye and were purchased at Harvey Nichols for 40% off. Unfortunately they don't seem to have any stock left, but they are available on Polyvore  and also come in a light blue.  These really dress up an outfit and although they are still great for day or night Anne thinks the height is better suited for sitting, sipping cocktails in the evening watching the sun setting ...... and she's in danger of waxing altogether too lyrical here.
  


Finally Anne C is showcasing the Duchess of Cambridge's staple footwear - the nude wedge. Wedges are much more comfortable than stiletto heels if you want to add height and still look stylish, but without crippling your tootsies.


There are so many makes still on the market - these have a hessian wedge and you can buy from budget versions like these Linea Arnia  brand from House of Fraser or these with a cork wedge from Dorothy Perkins, to these with a leather wedge from Christian Louboutin, depending on your budget.  They are also available as sling-backs and peep-toes.



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