And they called it 'The Miracle Dress'

Dear Readers,

Let's be honest, everyone likes reading about miracles. Some read to praise the heavens and others skim through to denounce them. As far as I'm concerned, I enjoy reading (and writing) about fashion miracles.

And no, it's not Chanel-related this time.

Stella McCartney is behind what literally everyone has dubbed 'The Miracle Dress'. This dress, mentioned and written about one too many times, has been the subject of literally almost 80% of my fashion subscriptions in recent weeks. It was either Versace for H&M or 'The Miracle Dress'. I needed to investigate.

Kate Winslet in The Miracle Dress

Dear Readers, meet McCarney's Bi-Colour 'Octavia Dress', a dress that can make you 2 sizes slimmer from the very first second you wear it. No wonder celebs have been dying to wear this dress, ignoring the blasphemous belief that 'two celebs should not be seen wearing the same dress'. 

I guess that it was Kate Winslet's wearing of the dress that set the ball rolling. Ever since then, this dress has stole the spotlight. I don't want to be my old hyperbolic self, but I think some also want McCartney to win a Nobel Prize for this dress. 

And here's Nicole too

So what's the secret behind this figure-hugging yet flattering dress that has been seen on the likes of Nicole Scherzinger, Gloria Estefan and Penelope Cruz? It's pretty simple really. First off, the fabric is tight. So fitted it instantly tucks everything in. Secondly, the dress has also been designed with a girtle, which from what I've read, seems to be rather comfortable.

However, I am personally convinced that the black side panels are what really deserve credit for this miracle. They work like an optical illusion, creating an hourglass figure, a very tiny waist and an elongated body overall. Oh, and the back of the dress is black too! That black is a flattering colour is known to everyone. That it can be used to this extent is, well, pure genius.

Dear Readers, I don't mean to be nasty, but this dress costs way too much for most of the 7 billion people inhabiting this planet. Yet, don't worry, I have some alternatives for you. Below, is an almost identical dress from ASOS, complete with black panels and all. There are only two differences. First, the price tag. Secondly, the ASOS dress does not have a black back, but I still think it will work just fine! Click here to buy the dress. I know you want to.

and wait for it...IT'S ON SALE!

During my high-street hunt over the internet, I also found another similar dress at ASOS over here. This dress has a V neckline, which as some of you might know, always makes bodies look longer and slimmer. Cheapest one I found was on Boohoo, but it's not in black and white. It has sequins though! 

And in my usual prophet-like fashion, I conclude this post with a little foreshadowing: Expect other designers to take on this whole miracle dress thing.

-B

Street Inspiration: 29th Nov 2011

Street Inspiration: 28th Nov 2011

Accessory Fever

Dear Readers,

These are a few photos of accessories that really caught my eye! I want them all so bad!

Street Inspiration: 27th Nov 2011

Vogue's Best Dressed Ladies of the Week

Dear Readers,

To start off, I hope you're having a lovely weekend. Also, 'Hello' to all my new readers! My stats show that readership has literally spiked up over the last few days and I'm so grateful to you all for that!

I was on the Vogue website the other day and I noticed they uploaded pictures of who they believe were the best dressed ladies of the week. As per usual, I didn't agree with some of them, but I think they got the majority right. Here are my favourites from the list, but should you want to view all the fashionistas who made the final cut, visit this link.

First up is Taylor Swift in her interesting colour-blocking combo. As you know already, colour-blocking is not high up my street as it was in the past. It's not as big as it was in the fashion industry anyway. However, having said that, I've noticed a lot of colour-blocking with primary colours lately. Taylor's outfit is a good example what I'm referring to. Note her yellow pleated skirt, her blue knit and her red shoes. Primary colours always look good together, so along with the black+white+red combination, the mixture of primary colours is a brilliant and easy colour-blocking option.

Obviously, Gaga at the Gaga's Workshop launch at Barney's in New York City. This custom made Chanel gown bears all the typical Chanel and Lagerfeld traits, from the use of tweed to the contrast binding and all that jazz. Whereas Chanel is mostly known for its class and conventional pieces, Lagerfeld managed to spice up tradition and adapt Chanel to Gaga. Thumbs up!

Beyonce is looking more beautiful than ever before. In this dress, Beyonce shows off her (rather large) belly and uses a gusset-like gold sequin detail to accentuate her bulging tummy. Awh, Beyonce is surely a happy mama to be for she never fails to remind us she has a bun in the oven!

Michelle Williams and her haircut always steal the show. I love her and I can't wait to watch her latest movie, 'My Week With Marilyn'. I adore her black leather dress because it's a classier take on the fetish trend. Even though I'm in love with this particular trend, I'm always a bit wary of it. It can easily go wrong, and instead of looking like a style queen you can turn into the queen of tackiness. Michelle has aced it!

Last but not least is Emma Watson in this gorgeous peplum top! I wanted to include her in my top list, firstly because she looks damn good, and secondly to make a few points on wearing peplum tops. Starting off with using a skinny belt. That, dear readers, is an excellent idea. Peplums are meant to emphasise the waist, so that little belt will complement well and highlight this part of the body even more. Secondly, always pair peplum tops with tight clothing on your lower half of the body. Don't even think about wearing a baggy pair of pants!

-B

Updated Make-Up Basics

Street Inspiration: 25th Nov 2011

Evita, Evita!

Dear Readers ,

I had a tough day yesterday, so I decided to give myself a treat later on in the evening. My sort of treats - excluding the occasional bar of chocolate - are inspiring movies or documentaries. I sat down on lovely bed and chose the movie 'Evita', a 1996 film about the story of Evita Peron, starring Madonna in the leading role.

Evita Peron

Even though I've watched this musical before, I still thought it moved me. I don't need to praise the soundtrack, because it's a given that I adore it! However, I'm mostly intrigued by the figure of Evita. Her character. Her mind. I'm not Argentinian, so I can't I base my opinion on this woman from what she has done for my country, be it negative or positive. Evita, for me, is a classic example of the type of woman I look up to: ambitious, driven, fearless and inspiring. Women like Evita want to do something great with their life. They don't want to follow convention and simply 'exist'. They stand for something. That's why I like Evita, and all the other evitas around the world.

You should really read into her story!

The movie has a great variety of outfits which are pretty much my cup of tea. Fashion-wise, this movie is a priceless source of inspiration for vintage-looking outfits. The glamour, the hats, the fur, oh! It's all so pretty and  majestic that it makes me want to stop writing and watch it all over again. But I won't, for now.

Madonna as Evita

As I nearly always end up doing after watching a good movie, I logged into my Polyvore and recreated some outfits inspired by that particular film. The first outfit, down below, features a classic brown tweed blazer and a red silk shirt. I have to confess, dear readers, that I've owned one of these blazers for nearly a year now and I haven't worn it yet. Funny thing is that I adore it but somehow never get the opportunity to strut my stuff in it. Very, very sad. Anyway, I chose to recreate this particular look because I honestly never thought of mixing these two particular colours or these two specific textures. Winner!

I've dressed it down. Evita wasn't a jeans person obviously!

The second look I styled was inspired by the scene in which Evita meets her future husband, Colonel Peron. This black dress and fur combination works every single time, especially for festivities and weddings and such. I think every woman should be aware of this good option, so hey, I felt nice and decided to post it here as well!

The red lip is a must! So are the gloves ladies...

At present, I'm asking the heavens for some free time. I want to watch the movie solely from a fashionista's point of view and literally pause at the sight of an interesting outfit. Needless to say, all of these outfits will be interpreted and posted to my Polyvore, so if you want to check them out, I suggest visiting and following over there!

Oh, and please let me know what are your opinions on the fantastic musical! I'd love to know :)

-B

Thank God for Pilgrims!

Dear Readers,

One of the books I had to read for my undergraduate degree - one of the few I really enjoyed, too - was 'The Scarlet Letter'. The image and the voice of my lecturer during my 'American Literature' credit are still very vivid in my mind, but what I really remember most, are pilgrims! After my first lecture on this particular novel, I remember spending an entire afternoon researching pilgrims, Puritans and eventually finally understanding why our friends in the USA celebrate Thanksgiving!

Here they come...PILGRIMS!

So, believe it or not, there's something called 'The Pilgrim Trend' going around the fashion blogosphere at the moment. Given my slight obsession with pilgrims - that sounds bad, I know! - I decided to give the trend a try myself. The stereotypical pilgrim is a Puritan, wearing dark, sombre colours, covering as much skin as possible, maybe with a hat. Oh, and white collars! That's not very different from what I wear usually. I think I was a Puritan back in the day.

Here are three interpretations of 'The Pilgrim Trend', as styled by yours truly. I suggest looking up some information on pilgrims, it's really interesting. Okay, I shall now leave because you probably think I'm weird. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

-B

Street Inspiration: 23rd Nov 2011

Style Icon: Marcus Collins

Dear Readers,

I wrote this post already, but then there was a power-cut. Damn.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to write it all over again. Since I'm writing about one of my most favourite artists at present, I don't really mind it. Let's set things straight, I watch the X Factor every single Saturday and Sunday. I tweet like mad and sometimes I tweet the artists themselves and I feel all happy inside. I have a crush on Gary Barlow and his accent, but most of all, I adore the performances they set up each and every week. This year, compared to other editions, the talent on the show is beyond words. You would usually immediately, more or less, identify one or two possible winners. But this year, that is oh so effin difficult! Sadly, either something is completely wrong with the people voting on the show or else the show is completely fixed. I mean, really, how can you send someone like Craig Colton home already? I had almost decided to stop watching the show after Craig's elimination, but my love for Marcus Collins and Misha B kept me from taking that horrible decision.

Mr. Marcus Collins

Marcus Collins is not only an incredibly versatile artist, he's also very talented, and most of all, he has an amazing fashion sense. By far, he's my favourite person on the show in terms of styling! And oh, I have a huge crush on him too (yes, I know he's gay, that only proves that I'm probably marrying a gay man one day..). Marcus's fashion sense is inspirational for both ladies and gents, at least that's what I believe, so I wanted to dedicate a blog post to our favourite hairdresser turned singer!

Generally, Marcus's style is very preppy, tailored, old-school, classic but edgy at the same time. It's as if he were stuck in the fifties, and you know, we don't really mind that. His clothing preferences are definitely in line with his musical style and his bubbly personality. I think there are only a handful of people who can pull off this style because it's one for positive, confident and daring people.

Waistcoat + Blazer Combination = Genius!

One of my obvious favourites in Marcus's fashion sense is deep love for blazers. This is something that we obviously share (maybe if we get married one day, we can collect blazers instead of children! YAY!). Marcus has sported classic blazers, like the one above, and bolder, colourful ones such as his teal blazer for his Floor Fillers performance, and the Versace for H&M hot pink blazer during last week's performance. Mr.Collins has also paired some of his blazers with waistcoats, and it looks so damn fine. RAWR! White shirts, buttoned up to the very first button, are also something I would like to thumbs up!

Marcus likes bowties. So do I.

Pants-wise, Marcus is into tailored, fitted pants which he can pull off to perfection. But, pants aside, what I really want to point out in Collins's style are some of his details and accessories. For instance, I can hardly imagine Marcus Collins without one of his famous bowties! How cool is that right? Bowties are such a great way to add some vibe to a boring outfit. I personally dig them - like an archaeologist digs vases out of the ground - on both men and women! Oh, and by the way, Marcus also adds a little hanky thing in his front pocket. That's hawt.

After checking out Marcus quite a number of times - didn't quite  mind it really! - I also noted that in more than one case, Marcus wore a staple old-school shoe, namely the black and white brogue. I'm a sucker for those shoes, and I'm lucky enough to own a pair praise the Lord. I wasn't too sure about how to style them until I analysed the way Marcus wears them and I'm sure you're going to see them in an OOTD very, very soon.

Here are two sets I created on Polyvore inspired by outfits Marcus wore for some of his performances. These sets are for the ladies - who might find it more difficult to translate a guy's style - and the boys can just look at the man himself and recreate away!

Inspired by his performance for ''Gaga vs Queen' 

Inspired by his outfit for 'Halloween' night

Here's to Marcus Collins, his fashion sense, and his (we hope!) triumph at this year's X Factor. Collins, marry me!

-B

Recent Purchases and Pictures: Essence, Bershka, Rimmel

Dear Readers, 

If you've seen my latest Haul video, then I feel slightly sorry for you. The quality of the image, the lighting, my coughing: it was atrocious. Therefore, I felt obliged to take a couple of decent pictures and post them over here so that you can see my purchases a bit better.

The first thing I want to show you is a sweater I found in a warehouse sale. The vertically striped sweater reminds me of referees - they wear something similar sometimes right? Or am I nuts? - and it has a cute little penguin at the side. As you might be able to tell already, I found this sweater from the men's section and it's in a huge size, so the fit is perfect!

Striped Black and White Sweater - Warehouse Sale

From the same section, in the same warehouse sale, I spotted this white sweater. At first, I wasn't going to buy it, seeing that it's very, very similar to the one above, but then I remembered that I am pretty much obsessed with white tops so I got it anyway. This sweater is slightly thicker and it has black piping on the neckline, sleeves and the lower hem. 

Black and White Sweater - Warehouse Sale

You know me, I'm always raving about Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld and everything even remotely linked to 31, Rue de Cambon in Paris. So can you imagine my face when my friend was amazing enough to give me this vintage Chanel piece as a present? To be honest with you, I'm torn between wanting to wear it and wanting to look at it only to avoid spoiling it! I think I'm going to wear it on Christmas day because it's green and red and special! YAY!

Vintage Chanel Sweater

I bought this sweater below from Bershka and it has the softest material on the planet. Whenever I wear it, I find myself hugging it unconsciously, because it's that soft! Originally, I intended to buy their mustard version of this sweater, but on my way to Valletta, I saw at least 223454 people wearing mustard sweaters so I changed my mind. I didn't own anything in this dusty rose colour before buying this sweater, so I guess it was also a good way to introduce a new colour to my closet :)

Dusty Rose Sweater - Bershka

The chunky knit sweater below is so thick I can barely breathe in it! Guess what, I also found this top at a warehouse sale. I had to buy this sweater in a huge size, it's an XXL, because it's ribbed on the waistline and I hate that! That's principally why I rarely buy sweaters from women's sections, they're nearly always ribbed at the bottom. So, I had to get a big size to downplay that ribbed detail and it looks fine. Real fine hah!

Herringbone Chunky Knit - Warehouse Sale

Not only am I buying from men's sections as if my life depended on it, I now float towards 'old men' sections in shops. Seriously, what's up with me? Anyway, do you like my 'Grandpa Style' waistcoat? I have no idea how I'm styling this, but at the same time I can't help but feel like it's gonna look good on most things I own! Another plus is that it's rather long on me, so I think I can wear it as a dress or on leggings. Argh, still undecided but I'll manage somehow.

Grandpa Waistcoat - Warehouse Sale

Animal print can be incredibly tacky if it's not done well. Most animal print pieces I've seen in the shops and at open markets were the epitome of tackiness, but my mother, now a hero my eyes, managed to find the top below from a market! I can't believe it looks so good! The fabric on the top is brushed so it's a great piece that adds texture to outfits as well :)

Animal Print Top - Random Market

In my last haul, I showed you a pair of navy blue chinos from Bershka. Well, I love them so much that I went to buy a pair of mustard ones too! I've worn them in an OOTD post so you might want to check that out to see how they look when worn. Just for the record, they look divine.

Mustard Chinos - Bershka

Up next are some cosmetics and skin care products from Essence, because yes, I still love the brand to death. Okay, so first thing I picked up was a bronzer in number 02 called 'Love To Be Matt'. Last week, I threw away most of my make up because I had too much stuff I didn't use and to top it off, I've had that make up for some time now and it's not good to keep it for a very long time. Anyway, one of the things I dumped in my bin was my blusher palette which I used for bronzing/contouring. Basically this bronzer is my replacement for that palette! What I like about it is that its pigmented, matt and easily manageable. Essence also do a shimmery version of the same bronzer, but since I already use shimmery highlighter, I opted for the matt one. I don't do disco ball looks hah!

Essence 'Love To Be Matt' (02) Bronzer

I can't get enough of Essence mascaras. I was in front of the Essence stand last time and I noticed that there's a mascara in the Essence 'Black Mania' range. Since I adore the eyeliner from that range - I can't live without it, literally - I decided to give this mascara a try. It's awesome.

Essence Black Mania Mascara

Sadly, my favourite red lipstick from Gemey broke *moment of silence* so I had to replace it. The one I picked is by Rimmel, and it's called 'Diva Red'. This shade, number 321 to be precise, has a darker undertone than my previous red lipstick and I think my new one suits me a bit better.

Rimmel 'Diva Red' (321) Lipstick

My last two purchases are from Essence's 'My Skin' range. I like the cleansing wipes because, unlike many other wipes I've tried, the entire packet doesn't dry up after using the first wipe from the packet. True story. The second product, namely the 4 in 1 cleansing cream, is one of the products I'm using to battle clogged pores at present. Do you remember me speaking about clogged pores in a previous post? I'm winning over those pores thanks to this product. You can use this cream in two ways: either as a normal facial wash on a daily basis or else as a facial mask. I use it as the latter. All you need to do is to apply a good amount of product on your face and leave it on for around 4 minutes and then wash it off. It cleanses very, very deeply.  The only issue I have with this product is that it burns like hell - almost unbearable! - and I don't know whether that is normal or not! If anyone could give me feedback on that I'd appreciate!

Essence 'Caring Cleansing Wipes' and '4 in 1 Cleansing Cream'

That's it really. I'm off to continue working because I'm late, already!

-B

Street Inspiration: 17th Nov 2011

Street Inspiration: 16th Oct 2011

Metal Detector

Dear Readers,

I hope you're all having a great weekend. I'm sick, again! I've been feeling too sick lately and it's pretty annoying, that's why I want to start being healthy and all that jazz again...but I'll speak to you about that another time.

So, what I really mean to show you today is my first article for 'Femme Magazine', a local fashion magazine most Maltesers are aware of already. I've received great feedback - which I want to thank you immensely for - but I've also been asked to share the article online for those who are far away from the Maltese shores! Below is the article that was published - a bit longer actually, because I guess it was long and they had to cut some stuff out of it grrr! - the pictures from the same article, and some photos I took of the actual page on the magazine and the cover page (I somehow made it there too hah!). Let me know what you think! The article is about metallics and I tackle it from a budget-buyer's point of view..

"Having gone shopping every other day since I was fifteen years old, I can say that I’ve spent a great deal of my life giving shelter to the poor clothes on the cold, cold racks. I feel the need to own as many clothes as possible, even though my wardrobe can’t handle it anymore. Naturally, one question many people ask me is, ‘How on earth can you afford to go shopping so often?’ or ‘You must spend so much money it hurts, doesn’t it?’ People are surprised when I tell them that I actually shop on a budget and I try to make the most of the money I spend on clothing and accessories. Surprising as it may sound to many, I am, in fact, what the Fashion World calls a ‘Recessionista’, namely a person who tries to dress fashionably without breaking the bank. 

There are a million and one reasons why many fashion lovers hop on the Recessionista Train especially during these times of economic hardship. Some hate spending a great deal of money on clothes because they just don’t see the point to do so. Others have a gazillion other expenses to attend to, so their clothing budget is very tight. Some, like yours truly, must have their wardrobes full of clothes to satisfy their each and every – sometimes whimsical – need. I also find that ‘Recessionism’ is very Romantic indeed: wanting to look good, struggling to make ends meet, sighing at the sight of an overpriced piece of clothing. It would all make Lord Byron or John Keats incredibly proud. 

Irrespective of the myriad of motives we might have, all Recessionistas have understood that you don’t need to spend too much to sport the latest trends and to create your own individual style. Let’s take, for instance, the metallic trend, which has been slowly sweeping Fashion World like colour blocking did last year. It doesn’t take a genius to notice all the gold and silver pieces in the shops right now. Moreover, to make matters even more shiny, this trend is set to remain even during next Spring and Summer. Just take a look at a couple of photos from Fashion Week and you will see for yourself. 

 If you’re really keen on this trend, but you don’t want to spend all of your earnings on one single item, then accessories and simple shoes are the way to go! First of all, accessories are generally sold at a lower price than, for example, a blazer or a pair of jeans. Secondly, shoes and accessories are ‘investment buys’ that you can match with so many different outfits. Thirdly, they’re a great way of working your way up quite a bold trend that might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Quite simply put, the best and most inexpensive way to rock the metallic trend is to focus on the little details, like accessories and shoes. A few weeks ago, I personally bought a silver one and a gold one scarf which are my new best friends. I could have got away with buying only one of them, but I’m very much like Miley Cyrus, I like to get the best of both worlds. Both these scarves were both under five euro each, and their price is even more worth it when I consider the endless amount of outfits I can pair these scarves with. A seasoned Recessionista always knows that she has to keep in mind how much she’s going to wear that particular item. As far as I’m concerned, I wear these a lot and I manage to make them look different each and every time. There you go, that’s surely one bargain buy. Actually, two, but you get my point.

 Many shops at the moment are doing metallic flats which are sold for pretty reasonable prices. I had totally forgotten I had a pair of silver flats, and when I found them again a few days ago, I started squealing with excitement. Literally, I did. These plain metallic flats are such a good alternative to standard black flats, so whenever I feel like having shining feet, I swap my black flats for these plain silver ones. Given that they retail for good prices, they’re worth the money, even because you can wear them when the trend is out of the window! 

I kept the thriftiest of options for last. If you’re really short on cash this month, but that little voice inside you keeps urging you to give metallics a try, then this alternative will work best for you. In essence, you could rock this trend simply by stepping up your jewellery, without spending a single penny. Get your jewellery box and start to pile things on. The more the merrier. If you usually wear one ring, then it’s time to add a couple more. If you’re banking on your jewellery to do the trick, then you have to make sure there’s plenty of it!"

-B

Aphrodite's Temptations: iLove!

Dear Readers,

You probably know me by now. I’m a sucker for pretty things. I can’t resist a nice necklace when I see one, especially if it’s inexpensive. One facebook page I’m visiting a lot right now is the lovely page from Aphrodite’s Temptations, a jewellery seller that I’m showing you today.

If you are into vintage-looking pieces, but you don’t want to break the bank to buy an item, then Aphrodite’s Temptations is the answer for you! I mean really, just have a look at the pieces I selected from the collection below. They are my favourites because they have so much detail, and guess what? They’re not like other jewellery items... the kind you find literally everyone else wearing!

I wouldn’t recommend anything unless I’m completely in love with it, so since I only have words of praise for this particular seller, you should be already visiting Aphrodite’s Temptations page over here! Happy Shopping!

This cocktail ring matches with everything in your wardrobe, you know it!

this is SO nice <3

birdies! 

these bracelets can dress up an outfit in no time!

-B

This post is brought to you by 'Aphrodite's Temptations'