Great Finds...

Hey All, I'm back. I hope every one had a great Thanksgiving Day weekend! Mine was awesome! I got to spend some quality time with family and friends this weekend, which always great.

So Friday the idea popped into my head to go and check out the bazaar in The Hague. It was such a random thought, that I figured I'd just run with the inspiration. I was not disappointed! Although on a whole there wasn't a whole lot to see there, I did stumble across this one stall selling great vintage clothing for unbelievable prices!

I picked up two leather skirts for €5 each!

This a really gorgeous navy blue and this photo isn't really doing it much justice.

I wore this grey one yesterday. LOVE it! I paired it with just a simple grey sweater (H&M) and brown suede boots (Zara old).

Side note: The guy at the stall also had the largest collection of the gnarliest looking fox furs I've ever seen in my life! Some of them were so little that I'm sure they were ferrets. Really grossed me out... It was just one of those moments that you regret not having your camera with you. :o)

I like her shoes...

Usually I try to find out who the girl is and who makes the shoes, but I don't even know where to start with this one. Fab shoes all the same. ;-)

Although... Karla of Karla's Closet does come to mind... No?

Iro Lookbook Fall 2010

Founded in 2004 by Parisian brothers Laurent and Arik Britton, IRO has slowly but surely grown in popularity in the past years with celebrity fans like Kate Moss and Ann Hathaway.

Their Fall 2010 Lookbook has some fabulous yet so laid back and easy to wear looks that are really inspiring my look right now. (Click on images to enlarge)

(all photos from: denimblog.com)

Iro is available at Ssense and at Shopbop.com.

Dear Santa...

Dear Santa,

I've been a very good girl this year. I ate all my veggies, flossed every night and except for that one time, when I gave that one guy the finger, I've been as sweet and as kind as a girl could be. Sooooo, can I please, please, pretty please with sugar on top... (You seem like the kind of guy who likes a lot of sugar) please can I have these Jimmy Choo booties for Christmas? 

I saw them on Net-a-Porter for just € 1.350,-. And if they're sold out, then can I have these instead?

They're from Net-A-Porter as well and only € 1.195,-.

Thank you Santa!

xoxo

Mocchachica

Desert Flowers...

My heart literally skipped a beat when I saw H&M's holiday campaign with Liya Kebede & Waris Dirie.

So stunning! Gives me goosebumps!

Hot Boy...

I am loving this guy right now.

(photo from: Swagger360)

(photo from: Jak&Jil)

And he's loving his mustard, beige & red combos.

Does any one know who he is? ;-)

Lanvin Laziness...

I was scrolling through Jak & Jil blog today and came across this photo of Anna Dello Russo and her team on their way to Lanvin's SS 2010 show. This was taken back in June 2009.

(photo from: Jak&Jil)

Remind you of anything?

(photo from: H&M)

Nothing yet?

(photos from: Style.com)

Anna is wearing the dress on the left from Lanvin's RTW Spring 2009.

Is it a good thing or bad thing that Lanvin's creative team used this collection as "inspiration" for the collaboration with H&M? You tell me. Granted I might be a bit biased since I wasn't impressed with the collaboration collection to begin with, but this strikes me as a bit... dare I say it... lazy.

What broke the Camel's Back...?

Camel is such a big trend this winter, but if like me you're considering buying a camel coat this winter, you might want to read the article that Sarah Mower wrote for the Telegraph last month before shelling out your hard earned dough on that fab new coat. In the article called "Looking snug, Feeling smug." she explains:

"One piece of advice I can give is this: do not buy anything camel. It used to be a durable classic, but fashion has got hold of it this year and inverted its values. It's now so trendy and everywhere that you'll go off it by December. And - here's a weird thing to look out for in any mid-to-low price coat - much of it appears to have been extruded out of a mysterious form of hairy sponge. When you reach out to touch what your eye is promising must be beautifully tactile camel hair, cashmere or vicuña, what you get is a handful of thin, lightweight, foamy-feeling stuff. This deceptive product of some fiendish chemist's lab allows the material to keep its structure so that any extras, such as proper facings and linings, can be done away with. Two points here: this material tends to crease, turning shabby in no time, and it's useless in the cold. I categorise these as fake coats. From the manufacturers' point of view, this low-cost way of making a "coat" appear nice and substantial, while doing away with the substance of traditional tailoring, is supposedly an answer to the reality that it's too warm to warrant a heavy coat most of the time. That's one way of getting around climate change, but it's a big quality cheat, too."

I had to agree with her remark that being such a huge trend, you're bound to see camel EVERYWHERE and end up being completely be over it by December. As much as I love fashion, I don't want to look like a fashion victim and I really don't like wearing easily recognizable pieces either. *cough*H&M aviator jacket*cough*
A winter coat is too large an investment to risk being completely bored with it before the year is out. So, taking Sarah's advice to heart, I decided to pass up this camel beauty from Zara that I'd been eyeing up since the end of the summer...

 and go for this classic beige coat from New Yorker instead.

Maybe it's wishful thinking, but it reminds me of this outfit Anne Hathaway wore in The Devil wears Prada.

In any case, I'm happy with my choice. This is a coat I'll be comfortable wearing not only all of this winter, but probably also quite a few winters to come. Besides, there are so many other ways to wear camel. Right now I'm loving it with red...

(Harper's Bazaar September 2010)

How are you guys planning to wear the camel trend? 

Seriously..?

I'm just wondering... Who's idea was this? Monica's or was this Kim's own doing?

I'm thinking Kim since Monica did not in include this monstrosity in her latest "What was Kim wearing?" post... or maybe she's saving it for a special "What was Kim thinking?" post?

And another thing...am I the only one who expected to see massive sloth like claws on the end of that sleeve?

Birthday Gifts...

I was spoiled silly this year for my birthday...and I loved every minute of it! I got to spend quality time with friends, family and of course le BF. I had waaaayyy too much cake. And on top all that I received the cutest gifts!

Besides this sleeveless shearling jacket that my best friends got me from Zara...

I also got this vest from H&M.

And these fabulous little suedette booties.

Thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes guys! I had the best day!

It's my Birthday...

Yes, it's my birthday today!

... and I have to work. Whomp whomp whomp... No worries though, I plan to enjoy it to the fullest! I am healthy and happy. I have the love of my family and wonderful friends. A lot to be thankful for! Plus I have a weekend of facials, massages, make up and shoe shopping to look forward to.

PLUS the BF just surprised me with a trip to beautiful Roma!!! *happy dance*

Comfort for the Leather Lovers...

I love leather pants, but the super tight, crotch hugging Russell Brand look is not always appropriate or comfortable for that matter. I'm really loving the baggy leathers that have been popping up lately. Paired with a great pair of heels, they're a really chic alternative to the biker chick look.  Here are some great looks that are inspiring me at the moment.

(photo from: All the Pretty Birds)

Alexander Wang Fall 2009

(photo from: Style.com)

(photo from: Garance Doré)

(photo from: Style.com)

  What do you guys think? Is baggy leather for you?

Estée Lauder...

Let's talk skin care for a minute... I was given a sample of Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair many years ago and I loved it! This was the product that initially turned me on to Estée Lauder skin care. And for years I used only Estée Lauder products for my skin.

This was my regimen:

Cleanse: Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser (normal/combination skin)

Tone: Perfectly Clean Fresh Balancing Lotion

Repair Serum: Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher (day) & Advanced Night Repair (night)

Moisturize: Resilience Lift Extreme.  The Ultra Firming Creme SPF 15 for day and Over Night Ultra Firming Creme at night.

(images from: esteelauder.com)

I never really had problem skin, but this regimen just absolutely perfected my skin and as a result of it, this is what my skin looked like .

But as you already suspect, there was trouble in paradise. I wasn't crazy about the formulation of the cleanser, I didn't like the scent of the day creme and for the what it cost I wasn't so sure about the results I was getting with the Idealist serum. And therein lies the crux: The cost. Estée Lauder is not cheap. So even though I loved all the other products in my regimen, gradually I started replacing them too with cheaper alternatives... Big mistake. Big. Huge! (I saw Julia Roberts in Valentine's Day yesterday. Loved it.)

So now I'm back, like a prodigal ehmm.. daughter. I purchased Advanced Night Repair at Douglas about 2 weeks ago and received a little gift with it:

Besides a lipstick and mascara this little gift set also contains miniatures of the Perfectionist Wrinkle Lifting Serum, Time Zone Line and Wrinkle Reducing Creme and Time Zone Anti Line/Wrinkle Eye Creme.

After just 2 weeks I'm already seeing a huge difference in my skin, so I'm hopeful I can get my skin back to the way it was. Who said you can never go back? It's good to be home. :-)

What's your skincare regimen?

I like her shoes...

The Girl? Hanneli Mustaparta.

(Photo from: All the Pretty Birds)

The Shoes? Isabel Marant Spring 2010 "Woody" sandals.

After looking every where online I still came up empty handed. I could not find these for sale online anywhere.  It's too bad, but I'm not that surprised. They are just. that. fab.

All the pretty blogs...

I just discovered Tamu McPherson and her fabulous blog: All the pretty birds. She really has an amazing eye!

(photo from: Vogue.it)

I mean, of course I had heard the name of her blog in passing many times before, but had never really taken a good look until now. This is just one of those things that developed gradually. I love when that happens, when life kind of sets you up and prepares you for new discoveries or new insights. I saw Vogue Black's "Spotlight On" profile on her two weeks ago and liked her immediately. And this past weekend I saw a profile on her at Coco & Creme. So yesterday I finally got a around to checking her blog out and now I'm hooked.

I like her fresh perspective. I see A LOT of blogs and I'm finding that more and more that you see pretty much the same faces and outfits on all the major blogs, especially during fashion month. You know, the big fashion players like Anna (DR not W), Kate, Christine etc. I like that Tamu's FW photo's are of very different people. Also I love the little back ground stories she gives us with a lot of her shots, telling us what inspired her about a certain look. So I'm happy to have "discovered"  All the pretty birds.

Another fresh new, new to me at least, blog I'm enjoying in Kristina Gisors': Your Private Shopper. She has a very unique sort of quirky yet refined style. Check out her Vogue Black "Spotlight On" feature here.

(photo's from: Vogue.it)

I also recently stumbled upon dutch blogger Kim's: All about the style. Loving that too. Very cute girl, great style! She is very high street, with a keen interest in Dutch design. Definitely worth checking out.

(photo from: All about the style)

What are your favorite new blog discoveries?

Hermès vs. LVMH... (round 2)

So LVMH's Bernard Arnault responded Hermès' outrage in Le Figaro yesterday, basically repeating LVMH's claim that their presence in the Hermès capital is completely amicable. He actually accused Hermès of being hostile in their demand that LVMH withdraws. He literally said: "Our presence in the capital of Hermes presents no risk to society nor to family control."

That's like a burglor standing in your living room with your silverware in his hand saying: "Me a burglor? Please! I'm just standing here. I mean you and your family no harm and as long as I'm just standing here and don't leave actually with your silverware, it's not really theft... technically. I don't know what you're getting so worked up about and frankly I don't think I like your attitude Missy."

I mean really Mr. Arnault. Seriously?

Lanvin ♥ HM (part 2)

Okay, so we've all seen the complete Lanvin for HM collection this week and to be honest... I'm not that thrilled. It's so typical of me. Like I said before, although I love the concept of these collaborations, you know, the idea of making high fashion design affordable for the masses, I'm never really wowed by the actual collections themselves.

HOWEVER... I'll give them this: The promo video for Lanvin ♥ HM is seriously, seriously sexy!

The 10 Weave Commandments...

I saw this on Coco & Creme and just had to smile, but also every single one is so true!

The 10 Weave Commandments

1. Thou shalt blend. There’s nothing worse than a weave with conflicting textures. If you’re unable to manipulate your true texture to mimic that of your weave, then you should get a weave that replicates your true strands.

2. Thou shalt not let thy tracks be visible. You might as well leave the house with a pack of Remy 1B 14-inch in your hand. If you’re unable to properly conceal your weave, just skip it all together.

3. Thou shalt have thy tracks sewn on securely. Over time, tracks will loosen as you style your weave. But there’s no reason for them to be hanging on for dear life by a single strand of weaving thread after one week of wear.

4. Thou shalt not leave the salon in discomfort. I’ve witnessed too many women leaving the salon with a headache because their tracks were sewn on too tight. Not only is it painful, but it also puts you at risk of traction alopecia.

5. Thou shalt not wear a shiny weave. A quality weave will have a natural luster to it. There is no need to weigh it down with tons of product. This will only make it look fake. The more lightness and bounce your weave has, the more authentic it will look and feel.

6. Thou shall use the proper products for maintenance. Each weave has different needs. A curly weave might require a leave-in conditioner to reduce frizz, while a straight one might call for a lightweight moisturizer, or nothing at all. It varies, so do your research.

7. Thou shalt care for thy weave as if it were thy real hair. Maximize the life of your weave by properly protecting it at night, avoiding over-processing with heat, and cleansing it regularly. Consult your hairstylist about how often you should shampoo and condition your extensions.

8. Thou shalt protect thy edges and scalp. We’ve all seen the photos of Naomi floating around the web. Ladies, this doesn’t have to be your fate! Massage an oil, such as olive or jojoba oil, infused with a stimulating herb, like rosemary, along your edges, nape, and scalp, to prevent breakage.

9. Thou shalt not wear a weave beyond its expiration date. It’s recommended that you keep your extensions in for 6 to 8 weeks. Any longer than that can lead to matting (of your actual hair) and result in hair loss.

10. Thou shalt not become attached to thy weave. We’re not talking about having a styling preference. We’re talking about feeling that you need a weave to be attractive. At the end of the day, beauty exudes from the inside. Your weave should be an accessory not a mask for your insecurity.

Hermès vs. LVMH...

I'm quite intrigued by this development. Last month LVMH stealth purchased a 17,1% interest in Hermès, which is reported to be worth over 2 billion dollars, but claims to have no intention to take over Hermès. At least... "not in the next six months". What is that supposed to mean? And who do they think they're fooling, really?

The folks at Hermès of course, not being idiots, responded in an interview in Le Figaro today and not so kindly asked LVMH to withdraw their capital. Hermès, unlike most luxury brands nowadays, is still family owned. Bertrand Puech, a fifth-generation descendant of founder Thierry Hermès said:

"The family has clearly and unanimously said: If you want to be friendly, Mister Arnault, you need to withdraw."

I have to agree with Hermes CEO Patrick Thomas who stated: "This culture (of craftmanship and strong traditions) is hardly compatible with one of a big group. It is not a financial battle, it’s a cultural battle.”  Joining such a large group will no doubt bring many changes with it. Including aspects of the production process if they prove to or are thought to negatively affect the bottom line.

And besides that I suppose the traditionalist in me prefers to see the company remain within the family. Look at what happened to Valentino... I'm just saying...

To be honest, this little stunt makes me curious to know how other brands within the LVMH Group were acquired. Especially considering that LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault phoned Mr. Puech to inform him just hours before issuing a statement announcing LVMH's acquisition of the Hermès shares. Hermès family members still control the 73% in the firm not currently owned by Arnault, and are awaiting the French market regulator's decision on whether LVMH's stake purchase happened legally.

But ponder this for a minute: If 73% is still within the family, where was the 17% before LVMH got hold of it? In other words, who sold LVMH those shares? Was it a family member? And if so, who's the Judas? And where is the remaining 10% now?

So many questions! I'm curious to see how this plays out...

The Girl Effect...

For the price of a pair of shoes You, I, We can change a girl's life.

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