Fashion & Style

I will make it my mission to try and travel to all corners of this globe because I truly do believe (and I’m grateful to the internet for this) that fashion exists everywhere.  Take Slovenian designer Jure Purgaj who trained under Raf Simons in Vienna.  Yes, I’m an ignoramus who isn’t aware of any fashion designers from Slovenia (but thankfully the all-knowing Ms. Pernet gave me some insight!)  Well now I am.  His spring summer collection of pure white is attractively severe.  His training under Raf is pretty obvious yet I don’t find it cold.  I also like that the colour white isn’t played with in that predictable overtly girly way.  So, next stop for me - Slovenia?   

Gabrielle Union attending the Playstation Oasis during Super Bowl XLI weekend at the Raleigh Hotel February 2, 2007 Miami, Florida.

Top: Alloa, $89.99, www.aldoshoes.com; French Twist, $38, www.urbanoutfitters.com; Tena, $29.99, www.bakersshoes.com
Middle 1: Michael Kors ???Gavi??? Conac Sandal, $130, www.neimanmarcus.com; Via Spiga ???Glaza??? Sandal, $109, www.nordstrom.com; Enzo Angiolini ???Marseille??? Sandal $92.95, www.zappos.com
Middle 2: Franco Sarto ???Kyra??? Sandal, $59.90, www.nordstrom.com; Gladiator Sandal, $29.50, www.alloy.com; Glaze Sandal, www.viaspiga.com
Bottom: Nice Touch, $29.99, www.bandolino.com; Ankle Wrap Sandal, $34, www.urbanoutfiitters.com; Benefit 22b Sandal, $12.99, www.gojane.com

I must say that I have a wavering waryness towards London fash crowd hotspots like Boombox.  I love the abandon and freedom you see with the people who go there but after a few times, you also wonder whether everyone is there to purposely seek out attention. 

Amidst all the crazy outfit antics though, I forget that by and large the BoomBox crowd also have serious fashion chops.  Take this chap who goes by the name of ‘Nathaniel the Stress’ on MySpace.  I accidentally stumbled onto his page when searching for something and immediately recognised that ginger bowlcut from Dirty Dirty Dancing.  More importantly, I stumbled onto his work.  I haven’t a clue whether he is a full time designer or whether his work is available for sale or not but I love how his penchant for the dramatics (as seen in his outfits) has infiltrated his designs.  I’m especially keen on the headdress/mask creation.  It is certainly something that would get you photographed by the famous Alistair of DDD but nobody will blame you for wanting to get noticed in something so delicately beautiful. 

Because then we’d be able to live in this sweet doll house! Featuring ultra modern furnishings, a kitchen, dinette, bath and patio, this is one of the swankiest little homes we’ve seen. We can so see ourselves inviting over our doll friends, talking about our doll jobs, sipping our doll martinis, having one too many, getting doll drunk, falling down our doll spiral staircase, going to the doll hospital, getting tended to by a handsome doll doctor, falling in doll love, getting married in a doll church, having doll children, and living happily ever doll after.

What: Holiday Home Dollhouse

Price: $79.95

Where in the Hive: bookmark/50770

Where to Buy: sparkability.net

Who: 8 people have hived the Holiday Home Dollhouse, kmeichase was the first to add it to the Hive

During the Easter holidays, I started looking at spring/summer fashion in stores and for some unknown reason, I really got into what I call the ‘hole-in-the-shoulder tops’. Maybe it’s because I like the look with the sleeves sort of droopy and hanging. It gives the outfit a sort of effortless, casual chic feeling.

One brand which is doing these tops is Zucca.

These (Zucca) tops are so casual and easy to wear. Just throw them on with jeans or denim shorts.

Another brand which is doing this is Vanessa Bruno. The VB ones are of course, more elegant and feminine and less of the jeans-and-t-shirt look than Zucca’s. Love the dress on the right.

I think this is the top that got me into this look. Don’t the ’sleeves’ look like wings? It’s style can be casual or smart -makes it kind of suitable for different looks.

Daryl K’s Doctored Dress is more of ‘hole-in-the-sleeves’ dress. I think the black and orange dress (right) is sort of cool, but I’ve tried it on and the dress is hard to pull off. (That’s when I realised I should stop obsessing over this type of tops.)

Now this Ann Demeulemeester tunic is just simple and cool. It has a very effortless vibe. A similar top is the one on the right by Maria Bonita. It feels younger than the Demeulemeester tunic but just not as chic.

And here is how real life people (as opposed to mannequins) wear these tops. Isn’t it so cute? And see what I mean by the sleeves dangling down?

Nicole Richie looking very casual chic in one of these tops and shorts. Loves it!

Photo credits: www.a-net.com, www.shopbop.com, www.activeendeavors.com, www.brownsfashion.com, www.vanessabruno.fr, www.net-a-porter.com