J'Adore Chanel Tweed Jackets

Ahhhh..... J'adore Chanel tweed jackets. My daily activity range from working from home, school runs, cleaning the flat, doing errands in town to exploring off the beaten path, none of which is glamorous enough to justify wearing or buying a Chanel jacket. Nonetheless, drooling over endless photos of beautiful ladies wearing them is a calorie free indulgence. So here goes.

Update on Louis Vuitton Sofia Coppola Bag

One of the things I wanted to do when I went to London over the weekend was to see the new PM sized Louis Vuitton SC bag. As I walked into the store, I noticed that all the staff were preoccupied with customers so I decided to approach a sales associate was standing as still as a statue by the door. I believe her job (she was wearing a red sash) was to "greet" customers. Note the sarcasm because she stuck her nose up so high she could barely see customers walking through the door, never mind "greet" them. I decided to try my luck anyway and asked if I could see the new PM sized bag.

"Madam, Sofia Coppola bags come in ONE size", she sniffed.

"I believe you're mistaken. Haven't your company just launched the smaller sized bag recently", I asked.

"Madam (she was now getting even more patronising), as I said earlier, there's only ONE standard sized bag".

"That's odd. I saw the bag in PM size on louisvuitton.com. You mean, those guys don't have a clue about their products?"

Her "I'm more superior to you lot" veneer cracked a tad as she hurried to check the database on her computer. She started interrupting her other colleagues who were running off their feet with their customers' requests to confirm the new product launch.

"Ahem, Madam. Yes, it seems that we have introduced the new size. Our database shows that we haven't received any yet. In fact, none of the stores in the UK has any. May I suggest you check with us again at a later date?" This was followed by a forced smile.

This experience has brought to mind a little gossip my favorite SA in Auckland once told me. She confided that one just can't judge a customer by what they wear. Many years ago, during the Louis Vuitton Cup held in Auckland, an older gentleman walked in barefooted wearing his tatty looking shorts and t-shirt. She walked over to help as she would any other customers. It wasn't until he walked out with almost NZD $200K worth of Louis Vuitton goods that she realized, after a quick glance at his credit card that he was one of the sponsors for the LV Cup. His Super yacht was moored at the Viaduct. Just in case you were wondering, no I wasn't in my tatty t-shirt and jeans! In the meantime, I'll console myself by drooling over Reese Witherspoon's PM sized SC bag.

Photo credit: JustJared.com

Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton Bag

I haven't carried a Louis Vuitton bag for the longest time ever since I turned a limited edition denim bag inside out and saw the poor workmanship. And the price? Well over NZD 3000/ £1500. I mean seriously. I'm sure my Uniqlo Jeans are better made and cost a mere 3% of the so called "luxury" bag. Am I snob when it comes to bags? I'll have to say yes. Once you're used to the amazing finishing and leather of a Hermes or Bottega Veneta bag, it is almost impossible to downgrade.

 I've been lusting after a Louis Vuitton SC bag for a while now. The Louis Vuitton sales associate's eyes lit up when I mentioned that I'd like to take a look at the red version. As it happened, it was her favorite bag and SHE had her eye on the one behind the locked cabinet for sometime too. The reverential tone followed by much eye rolling and sighing convinced me to take a second look. Moi who turned anti-LV for years became an almost convert. The leather was luscious and buttery to touch. The finishing was second to none. The stitches were tidy and every attention was paid to the little details.

Unfortunately, a standard sized SC bag looked like a luggage on me. Secondly, it was as heavy, if not more, than a Birkin. I'm late to the game but I just found out by chance that they've released a smaller version otherwise known as PM (petit modele) which I'm dying to check out.

 Photo credit: Jakandjil.com

 Photo credit: jakandjil.com

Photo credit: louisvuitton.com £2250

Ines de la Fressange's Little Diaries

I'm a huge fan of Ines de la Fressange's. Her style is comfy casual but always polished, chic and elegant. She has worked out what looks best on her with her signature look consisting of plain simple top,  slim cropped pants and flats. I've just discovered her little video diaries at Roger Vivier where she reveals little secrets about her favorite shopping places in Paris, decorating tips and more.

Her video about the flea market brings back memories of a trip 7 years ago when an old friend of mine decided to join me in Paris. I dragged her out of bed at 5am and after numerous wrong turns thanks to moi, who have absolutely no sense of direction, we reached St Ouen at 6am in utter darkness. Bleary eyed and still barely coherent, Colleen suggested we stopped at the only cafe that was open for sustenance. Now the flea market at St Ouen covers a vast area and consists of 15 different markets.
so one has to know which one in particular you want to visit or else you'll be there for weeks on end.

The eye candies on display were incredible. Vintage Chanel costume jewelry, Louis Vuitton trunks, plenty of Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Hermes handbags and the sheer number of stunning vintage designer dresses hanging on the racks. It was my first time seeing a stunning 40 year old Hermes Kelly with beautiful patina that could only be achieved with age. The seller, seeing my interest, told me its provenance. The elderly lady purchased it in her younger days for an exorbitant sum which amount to 800€ in today's money. It was worn carefully for 40 years until she was far too feeble to carry the Kelly.  She sold it to the gentleman for 2000€. I was astonished at its condition and couldn't help but marvel that a bag that old could've fetched so much. Thus began my fascination for all things Hermes. A very dangerous slope indeed.

Click here to see Ines' videos.

 Photo credit: Zimbio.com

Photo credit: Roger Vivier. I spy a Hermes Cape Cod watch on her wrist.

Photo credit: stylist.com

 

Photo credit: anapettusdiaries.com

Photo credit: elle.fr

Christchurch Earthquake

I woke up to an alarming text message from my brother. Christchurch has been hit by another one of the thousands of aftershocks but this time it's a major catastrophe. Thank God my parents are alright. I took photos of the town when I was back a few months ago but the flattened buildings and massive destruction make the town centre unrecognizable but worst of all, the rising death toll.

Pyn-girl, one of my closest friends took me out to the Banks Peninsula and then drove around to point out the damage to the town. She works right in town where the worst damage is. I haven't been able to get hold of her. I'm praying that she's fine. Another friend wrote back to tell me that she's out of town which is a relief. I can't help but worry about the ongoing shocks which are close to the surface.

Pretty Spring Attire

Ok, I'm officially sick of winter. I never thought I'll think or talk about the weather this much until I moved here. Don't get me wrong, I still see the UK through rose tinted eyes - most days. But the rain!! When the temperature hits above 10˚C, everyone celebrates. I'm trying to cheer myself up by checking out the spring/summer pickings for this year.

Zadig et Voltaire Ribal Bis Dress €355

I love the color of this dress. It's flirty, loose and pretty.

 Rebecca Taylor Floral Print Silk Dress £320

I'm a fan of Rebecca Taylor not just because she's a fellow Kiwi. Her clothes are always feminine without being over the top.

Malene Birger Striped Knitted Cotton Blend Jacket

This reminds me of Chanel sweaters without the hefty price tag.

Etoile Isabel Marant Andy Embroidered Cotton Dress £285

This is typical of the boho edgy chic that Isabel Marant is famous for.

J Crew (for Kids) Girls Glitterati Oxfords $228

I just have to include this because the sparkling glitters makes me feel young.

Zara Safari Dress £25.99

I love simple cotton dresses that are easy to put on but hide multitude of sins.

Zara A-Line Dress £39.99

To me, a plain dress is like a blank canvas. Change the accessories and shoes and you get a completely different look.

Pins & Needles Ruffle Sleeve Dress £52

Scoop neck? tick. Dark for a slimming effect? tick. Pockets? tick. Sleeves to hide batwings? tick.

Zara Dress with waist cord £25.99

My red Hermes Evelyne messenger bag gets a lot of wear. I find the color a great neutral. What I need to do is venture out of my comfort zone and buy a red dress.

Personal Challenge: One dress, A Pair of boots and 3 Looks

I'm tired of looking like the Michelin man.With the temperature on the rise albeit slooooowly, I'm starting to ditch the layers. My merino wool thermal wear from Icebreaker have been a godsend. I bought this Comptoir des Cotonniers woolen dress recently at the sale. At a risk of wearing it the same boring way everyday, I decided to experiment a little to get more looks out of it. My current favorite accessories at the moment is my Jigsaw hat and Topshop ankle boots.

How does a vertically challenged, slim but in no way skinny with a muffin top attached 37 year old woman try to look taller and slimmer? I've been cinching my waist with a belt lately to achieve a little more of an hourglass silhouette. Okay, that's wishful thinking but it helps me look less like a barrel. I've stopped wearing heels since I became a SAHM. However, the chunky mid heeled ankle boots is actually quite comfortable and makes me feel tall for a change. See? It's all about optical illusion. Well, it's the next best thing to using the airbrushing tool on Photoshop.

 

Comptoir des Cotonniers Woolen dress

LOOK 1

Outfit: Comptoir des Cotonniers dress, Gap Kids faux sheepskin gilet, Just In Case belt, Topshop ankle boots, Jigsaw hat.

LOOK 2

Outfit: Comptoir des Cotonniers dress, Petit Bateau long cardigan, Zara leopard print belt, Chanel silk scarf, Topshop ankle boots, Jigsaw hat.

LOOK 3

Outfit: Comptoir des Cotonniers dress, Zara leopard print belt, Hermes Ex-Libris cashmere shawl, Topshop ankle boots, All Saints leather jacket.

Hat

I've searched high and low for hats. I've tried everything from H & M to Chanel and Hermes. With a round face and small head, one has to find the exact fit or else I look like half of my face has been cut off. In the cold winter months, I've put up with a beanie from Stella McCartney for Gap. Just in case you're wondering, yes, it's the one for kids. Those who know me will probably groan at my comments. They prefer my long hair down. I like my hair up and away from my face. Hence, it's tied up in a ponytail or messy chignon MOST of the time. Now that can be a problem with a beanie. I just look like Mrs Potato Head. Not a good look.

Why a hat, I hear you ask? Now if you're as blind as a bat like me and ok, clumsy too..... navigating a narrow lane while trying to peer through wet glasses is comparable to going on a suicide mission. Last week on yet another rainy day, I reached the end of my tether. I ran into the Jigsaw shop, grabbed the one and only hat left in the store and came out a happy camper. I consider it money well spent. The teachers at Little L's schools and friends thought I looked really stylish (I wonder what I look on other days!). Little L was effusive with her compliments (boy, does the girl know how to earn brownie points to get extra sweets!). Most importantly, my head's warm as it's made of 100% wool and voila, my glasses are dry for a change.

Vintage Hermes Black Box Bolide 27cm and Chanel 2.55 Lambskin Medium Flap

I'm such a klutz. I've just figured out how to use My Store page (on the right hand side) which I'll now update on a more regularly basis. Here's what's currently available.

Comptoir des Cotonniers S/S 2011

I think half of my wardrobe comes from Comptoir des Cotonniers. The French intepretation of easy relaxed and slightly boho casualwear suits my lifestyle to a T. I've often marveled at their incredible sales held twice a year. Well made clothes at a bargain which is practically unheard of in New Zealand.

My favorite haunts are the branches at South Molton Lane or Kings Rd in London. However, if you prefer (like I do) great service, you'll chose the tiny store at South Molton Lane. As for the latter, their service is a hit and miss depending on who's working on the day. My major pet peeves when it comes to customer service are 1) the staff ignore you and continue to gossip as if you're invisible  2) tidying the store despite you calling out excuse me numerous times  3) bopping to the beat of the music and thinking how cool they are instead of serving the customers  4) busy admiring oneself in the mirror.

However, I love that they showcase mother and daughter fashion shows. Most of their models are normal people by which I mean that they're not 6 feet tall with 22 inch waist and weigh no more than 100 pounds. The new collection introduced the ubiquituous beige/camel trend which was made chic again by Phoebe Philo at Celine. To my disappointment, the colors are more muted which do not go well with my skintone. Nonetheless, I saw a few pieces which I'd love to get. 

My favorite look is the lady on the far right. Right now, I'm totally into the hat, leather jacket and striped top look.

Photo credit: Comptoir des Cotonniers