MY TOP 3 RESORT COLLECTIONS 2010- Hurrah for clothes that normal people can wear!

I love designer's resort collections because you can actually wear them.
I know that fashion designers, journalists and magazines claim that the new designer "must haves" are "so wearable" all the time (usually when referring to something that my Dad would incessantly take the piss out of me wearing- always a bad sign with clothing) but the resort collections really are just that.

So I always eagerly await my Style.com resort fix to see the gorgeous clothes that mere mortals (aka not supermodels, socialites or any kind of supposed super human celebrity) can actually wear. Hurrah for clothes that normal people can wear down the high street and not the catwalk!


1. In at first place- Marc by Marc Jacobs. Inspired by dancers in rehearsals this collection was utter pared down perfection. If I had the money to buy the whole collection (or who am I kidding? Just one piece from the collection would make me so happy) I would. And I'd wear it non-stop all summer long. My favourite collection by miles.

2. Second place goes to YSL for the colours that just screamed "summer." I love the use of colour blocking for day and all black looks for night, all the while with high-waisted shorts to make the outfits even more chic and practical. One both for the tomboys and the girlie girls.

3. Last but not least- Erdem. You can always count on this label to deliver on the prints front and this collection was no exception. The cool digital prints infused with marine blues are gorgeous. And so wearable. Well, what did I tell you?

Beth Ruby xx

Kate who?

If only I could conjure up £300.
Mario Testino's 'Kate Moss' book which contains over 100 images of my absolute favourite model shot by Vogue's favourite photographer is being published this month.
The reason for the huge price tag is that it's limited edition (there were only 1500 copies made and each one is signed by the world famous photographer) and it includes never before seen photos of the pair as well as an actual essay from Mossy herself.

Pretty special, oui?
(Although I'd still feel really guilty for spending that much money on one book...)
So to mark the publication of the book here are some of my favourite shots of Kate Moss taken by Mario Testino, both undeniable fashion legends:

Another gothic Givenchy collection. Narnia's Snow Queen would be proud- Autumn Winter Haute Couture 2010/2011

At a glance the Givenchy Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2010/2011 collection doesn't look too gothic or menacing. Just very ornate white and gold dresses flowing to the floor similarly to the Snow Queen from Narnia or some fabulous goddess.
But on closer inspection Riccardo Tisci's dresses reveal extra pumped up gothic factor using a spinal column as inspiration for the porcelain belts (!) and actual bones for the zip pulls (!!)
Just a little freaky, non? (I NEED to find out what type of bones these zippers were made out of...)

But there is no denying that all the skull embellishments and the gothic touches add to the beauty of these gowns.
Extreme amounts of detail is the norm in Haute Couture however Riccardo Tisci's strivation for perfection makes this whole collection stand out from the rest. Despite y'know, the bones.

Beth Ruby xoxo

Valentino ups the girlie-girl OTT factor for Paris Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2010/2011

The latest Valentino collection is a funny one. On one hand the “cutesie” elements which overpower the collection appeal to my inner girlie girl and I love the bows, the lace, the flowers and pastel pinks. But on the other hand I think that it is just too much. All of these elements together make what could have been a youthful and modern collection a tad OTT.
There was a slightly darker side to the collection with ideas of restraint trying to be portrayed through the use of an actual cage like structure around one dress appearing. The darker colours of red and black were another attempt to contrast with the sugary pinks and pastel colours but I don’t think it was enough to mix it up and make the collection more memorable or interesting.

Tim Blanks wrote for American Vogue that this Valentino collection was “haute couture for the Twilight generation” and I know exactly what he means by this. But it seems odd to me that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, who are the designers behind Valentino, would choose to aim their collection at this audience. After all, I am part of the Twilight generation and I am hardly an Haute Couture customer (hah I wish)

My favourite looks (above)

What do you think?
Do you agree with me and think that the whole collection was too girlie girl to appeal to the elite and extremely exclusive people who buy Haute Couture?
Or do you think that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli managed to achieve a beautiful and youthful collection?

Beth Ruby xoxo

Karl has raised the bar once more- Chanel Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2010/2011

Let us ignore the clothes (and the lack of black models) for a moment and just focus on the lion.
I saw this absolutely fabulous beast as a twitpic on Bryan Boy’s twitter and couldn’t believe the scale of the thing.
But after being confirmed on various fashion related website I realised thatKarl did indeed install a massive golden lion in the Grand Palais which pawed a gigantic pearl from which the models emerged from. Amazing. Forget the clothes, the set alone was incredible, it even topped the barn and ice themes from SS and AW 2010 collections.
Karl said that the inspiration for the lion motif- which also appeared on the Chanel invites, not that I was lucky enough to receive one-was because Coco Chanel’s star sign was a Leo but to be honest it was probably just an excuse to install an enormous 40 ft gold lion, not that he needed one.

Now onto the clothes. It was much more regal and back to Chanel’s roots than the Neo Romantic theme of Spring Summer 2010 with none of the Barbie/Flintstones hair and makeup and instead a simple look with red stained lips the only statement. The hemlines just above or below the knee, fur trims, golden embellishments and an abundance of darker colours which will be perfect hues come autumn/winter with shades of plum, charcoal and deep royal blue appearing. All of which came to a sartorial climax near the end when Karl sprinkled a little bit more sparkle onto the runway with my favourite looks here:

Then came the spectacular finale where a model emerged from the giant pearl, hand in hand with a man in a tux wearing a fierce lion mask. Then in a breathtaking Beauty and the Beast moment the mask was whipped off to reveal Karl’s muse; Baptiste Giabiconi.
What did you think of Karl's latest creation?

Beth Ruby xoxo

The dramatic Dr Suess-esque collection that was Christian Dior Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2010/2011

Round of applause for Galliano everyone!
His new haute couture collection for Dior is incredible. Inspired by Christian Dior’s childhood garden he created a bouquet of fashion delights with gigantic corsages in Alice in Wonderland evoking scale, topped off with exotic colours, prints, dyes and textures.

The beauty aspects of the collection were even more breathtaking with neon bright stripes of colour which come the grey and bleak winter (sorry, I know I don’t want summer to end) will truly inspire as the eye makeup was injected with an array of bold colours. I predict the darker plum shaded lips will be a big hit and how could I forget the cellophane veils, reminiscent of the collages I would piece together in primary school, which make the models look even more like a bunch of flowers. Truly inspired.

Then there was the Dr Seuss-esque hair styling with gravity defying hair designs, echoing the stems of flowers.

It was just spectacular. Just looking at the collection on Style.com (the source for all the photos) gave me a marvellous colour induced headache.
Everything was so dramatic- but then what else would you expect from the man who created the ‘les incroyables’ collection?- that I can easily imagine a hyperactive Galliano raiding the Dior archive of prints and colours, similarly to a child in a colouring box who snatches every single Crayola crayon.

Check out the collages I have made of my favourite looks:

Dr Suess hair styling. I wish I could try this one out myself.

I am definitely going to try out my own verision of this bold blue look. I', a sucker for "cat flick" eyes anyway but this makeup look is fabulous.

Gorgeous use of colour. Loving the complete disregard for the "lips or eyes" rule.

Fairytale shoes

Queen of the flowers. These models look like they could have lept out of a fairy tale book with their fantastically flamboyant dresses and haughty expressions.

Does anyone know who this model is?!

I love that she is sitting backstage at the Christian Dior Haute Couture show reading Oscar Wilde "The Picture of Dorian Gray" proving that she is a girl of my own heart (I would do the exact same thing) and also that it's not true when people say that all models are stupid.

Beth Ruby xoxo

Gladiator Sandals. The "frenemy" of the shoe world.

A few weeks ago I went out and bought my first ever pair of Gladiator Sandals. (Excuse the rubbish photograph and my thunder thighs, I just needed a photo to show the happiness I felt at the thought of my new shoes)

The trend has been around since 2008 which makes it ancient in the fashion world and because of this, they are now deemed by many fash mags as "a wardrobe staple."
The only reason I jumped on the bandwagon so late was because of my freakishly-fat-duck-feet which made it near impossible to find a pair which fit. But then I found a pair. Simple brown and metallic gladiator heels and as a bonus; they were less than a tenner. I was buzzing.

Then the next day in the Guardian Weekend I read that Jess Cartner-Morley (the fabulous fashion editor at The Guardian, and a woman who always talks sartorial sense) said this about Gladiator Sandals and Clogs (you already know how I feel about them)

"The only positive benefit of the return of clogs to fashion is that, by comparison, they make gladiator sandals seem both flattering and comfortable. Gladiator sandals are, of course, neither flattering nor comfortable: they make all but the most photogenic of feet look like slabs of undercooked meat, and the law of averages states that if you crisscross a hot pair of feet with 14 leather straps, then at least one of those straps is going to rub. But the alternative, this summer, is to wear clogs. Oddly, there is nothing that accentuates a tree trunk leg quite like attaching a log to the sole of your foot."

Ouch. "Undercooked meat." Really Jess?
But then surely enough I looked down at my newly clad feet and indeed they did.
The next day I went for a walk to the park in them. Mine have 5 straps across them and just as wise Jess predicted it gave the seemingly harmless sandals a gazillion opportunities to rub my now absolutely battered and bloodied feet.

I now can't wear the Gladiator without bandaging them up, not unlike a lady from Imperial China by covering them in plasters, which I think you'll agree isn't exactly the chic and on trend look I was aiming for.

Then I read last week on Lourdes' new blog (yep Madonnas daughter has a new blog and she actually sounds like a perfectly normal young teenager) said:

"OK but no joke gladiator sandals are OUT. They came out in summer 2008 and I was like, ok those are really cute. Then 2009 comes around and people are still wearing them so I’m like, ok whatever it’s just a phase. BUT NOOOOO. Because good old 2010 is now coming along and people are STILL wearing them, and then I was just like OK NO! It’s been three years people COME ON!!!!!!!!! I’m just like what????"

Now I don't know whether I can trust the opinion of a girl who apparently likes "My Chemical Romance... for realzzzz" and over uses punctuation marks but she may have a point.

So people of the blogging world, let me hear your thoughts!

Shall I put away my blood stained, uncomfortable Gladiator Sandals? Or continue to wear what may be a "fashion staple" but just by the pool with a bikini?
They have to be the ultimate "frenemy" of the summer sandal world. You don't know whether you love 'em or hate 'em (just like Simon Cowell and Marmite)

Beth Ruby xoxo

ps) I just have to dash off now and check on the numerous Nigella recipes I am making as part of my Summer Challenge 2010 list which includes "Cook 3 course meal."
I don't want it to burn like my epic fail batch of brownies earlier. Follow me on twitter here if you want to see my Summer Challenge updates (and also photos from the disaster that I now refer to as "Brownie Gate")

Think you could win the Next Model Competition?

I know there are lots of people out there who want to make the leap from fashion blogging in their spare time to modelling.
It’s no doubt a tough business to break into but there is this brand new competition from Next, the British high street mega brand which could really help you on your way.
All you have to do is upload a photo of yourself onto their Facebook page here if you are 18 or over and live in the UK or Republic of Ireland and voila! You are entered in the competition!

It’s their second model competition they have launched and the top prize is a £2,000 shopping spree at NEXT and the chance the star in a photoshoot, plus a special introduction to leading model agency, Select.

Seeing as Emanuela de Paula, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and Uma Thurman have all graced the Next Directory pages it’s a great opportunity.
So you have until the 6^th of July to be in with a chance- get entering!

Beth Ruby xoxo

Here comes the summer...

Wahey I have just signed up up to do a National Life Guard award at my local pool this summer which I am very excited about (as well as a little bit nervous) so to get me into the swimming/summer/hopefully sunshine mood I thought I would do an image dump of a post with some lovely life guard related photos I have on my hard drive to share with you all.

I doubt I will look like any of the models do, seeing as I will be in my black speedo swimming costume complete with "go faster!" stripes and even less like some kind of Pamela Anderson doing the legendary Bay Watch slow motion running in red short shorts. But I don't think that the red short shorts are compulsory life guard attire so I'll be ok.


Sources from top- Russh January 2010, Prada Lookbook Spring Summer 2010 and the gorgeously summery editorial from Vogue Nippon April 2010 issue which was photographed by Blaise Reutersward and was modelled by Marloes Horst.

Beth Ruby

Brace yourselves. The good, the bad and the ugly from the Met Ball 2010.

Hermio... I mean, Emma Watson definitely tops my best dressed list from the Met Ball 2010.
Seeing as it was overseen by American Vogue and the 'Almighty Fashion Empress Anna Wintour' I thought the fashion stakes would be higher but it was actually surprisingly blah.
The celebs either wore outfits that were plain old boring (see Claire Danes) or just outright strange (see Katy Perry. Scroll down to the bottom, NOW)
Apart from the stunning Ms Watson though, who wore Burberry (seriously what else would she wear? She was even escorted by Christopher Bailey) for the most glamorous night of the year. Lookin' good Emma:
Check out the good, the bad and the ugly on the British Vogue gallery here, or alternatively the Go Fug Yourself website for fabulously catty yet witty reviews of each look.

I think we can agree that Katy Perry's neon light up dress is firmly in the "bad" category, yes?

Beth Ruby xoxo

ps) A quick update; I had my French Speaking exam today and got an A :D
Woop woop. Now I am 1 exam down with 16 to go... Wish me luck for the rest!

Star blogger Q&A- Stylestalker

I caught up with Rachel, half of the design duo 'Stylestalker' which she works on with her friend Sue-Ann to ask her 10 quick fashion and design related questions.

If you want to find out more about her check out her fantastic blog here and her shopping website here.
And if you want to take part in a Star Blogger Q&A just send me an email on amore-fashion@hotmail.co.uk and I will get back to you.

1. How did you both meet?

We met at uni, Susie was the best dressed girl in the course, so
naturally I sat next to her. We spent a lot more time skipping off to
the library to read Vogue Italia, than we did doing our assignments.

2. What inspired you on your latest collection "Midnight?"

Midnight was inspired by bringing the past and the future together. We
borrowed inspiration from the ‘supers’ era of the 90’s with it’s
strong shoulder silhouette, as well as the modern gothic revival and
combined it with the futuristic movement characterized by strong
angular shapes and delicate metallics.

3. Out of all your designs which one is your favourite?

The conspiracy dress is my all time favourite. (pictured above)

4. How do you usually come up with ideas together for designs?

First we search high and low for inspiration. We scour runway,
magazines, blogs, vintage stores, movies, museums… stalk down old
grannies on the street if they have an amazing hat…anything really.
We mash up all the information and spew out ideas, which we bounce off
each other. We both have to love every piece that makes it into the
collection.

5. What was the last thing you bought?

Topshop suede wedges (I'm in London right now so I can go straight to
the source woohoo!)

6. What is your favourite item in your wardrobe?

Aside from stylestalker- a vintage Jean Paul Gaultier laser cut trench
coat that I picked up on a recent trip to Hong Kong for only $50!

7. Who are your style icons?

Carey Mulligan, Georgia Jagger, Jen Brill, Lady Gaga

8. What are your latest favourite trends?

I love all trends. Sue-Ann and I will try anything

9. Who are your favourite designers?

Alaia, Pucci, Julian McDonald.

10. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

Too many to count!

Miu Miu SS 2010 collection

Ah the Miu Miu 2010 Spring Sumer collecion.

I will just begin by saying I loved it; it was without a doubt one of my favourite SS looks.

Miuccia Prada managed to combine innocence and raunchiness seamlessly as little cats, dogs and swallows leapt across her designs alongside nude female prints.
It was a creative mix of the sweet and the sexy with cut out panelling used against high neck lines with areoplane pointed collars. The long school girl plaits and playful chunky heels were perfect too and I love the ad campaign for the collection.

Keira Knightley looking stunning in one of the Miu Miu looks, complete with Miu Miu shoes and a Chanel bag. God, I would love to raid her wardrobe.

Beth Ruby xoxo

I try to be like Grace Kelly, but all her looks were too sad

Every time I open a magazine at the moment her beautiful face is staring back at me from one page or another. Enthralled, I look at the caption explaining that there is soon to be a new exhibit showing her enitre wardrobe at the V&A in London.

Hopefully I will be able to visit in the summer holidays (the exhibit is showing from the 17th of April to the 26th of September) and see her beautiful collection of Balanciaga gowns and YSL and Dior couture. But till then I will have to satifsy my current Grace Kelly obsession by looking at stunning photos of her (the above is a photograph from her in the 1956 film 'High Society')

There is no doubt she was an icon, famous for her calm and collected persona and pristine appearance. That she was well dressed goes without saying; she was never a hair out of place.

xoxo

What if nothing exists and we're all in somebody's dream?

A photo heavy post of all the things that are inspiring me at the moment.
I saw this idea on Johanna's amazing blog crookedzone and after reading it realised all the things I currently love are the complete opposite of hers.
She is inspired by Johnny Rotten, punk, heroin chic and giant Vivienne Westwood-like red coats at the moment whereas I am obsessed with fairy tales, bows, pastel colours, ballerinas and gowns.
This is what I love most about blogging; being inspired by others and realising what inspires you too.

Danny Roberts illustration from The Dream Walking Society, Degas Ballerina painting, Christopher Kane SS2010 collection, The Almond Blossom Fairy illustration, Fifi Lapin, The Cherry Blossom Girl, Karlie Kloss in US Vogue, Chanel nail varnish from We Heart It, John Rocha collection, Chanel perfume photo from We Heart It, Chanel Iman editorial (anyone know where from? Pop?) Lovely photo from We Heart ItLara Stone, in W magazine I think, Another beauty from We Heart It, Sandra Suy illustration, Kate Moss drawing from Danny Roberts, The Chanel tutu designed by Karl, Alexa Chung (from Harpers Bazaar?) Shoes and cakes, my favourite things, from Vogue, And last two images from We Heart it (what would I do without this site, eh?)

Keep dreaming,
Beth Ruby xoxo