It's Gone to our Heads!

We've just come across the fabulous Hat Gallery M/V in Mayfair's Conduit Street, opened a week or so ago.  This is such great news as there are so very few great hat shops in London and trying on hats in a department store (or worse still, a chain store!) is so very "non U".  The shop is a beautiful gallery and is called such as it houses some amazing pieces of furniture and lighting from Europe - perfect items on which to display the hats.  In addition to Philip Treacy and UK milliner Karen Henriksen (well worth keeping an eye on!) there are some amazing concoctions from all over America and Europe and there's a men's section too.  I succombed to the most beautiful woven leather pull on from Patricia Underwood.  It cost an arm and a leg but will be in my wardrobe until I can pass it on (or pass away) to the next generation.  Anyone with an eye for headwear should make a visit .... (We hear the girls at Vogue have their eyes on the beautiful white straw hat pictured aboved)

Fashion In the Swim Again ....

Just a reminder that Emobi, the edgy fashion swimwear label from Australia, is offering our blog followers (with a ranking of 4 or above) a bikini or swimsuit worth at least £60 simply by posting a comment on The Fashion Bloggers and creating a link on their own blog.  This amazing fashion giveaway is to celebrate the launch this coming week of a brand new collection from Emobi in stunning textile prints reminiscent of the '70's and in keeping with the brand ethos of bright, fun and sexy.  We'll be posting an image  when the new photography is available but meanwhile above is a taste of what we are giving away.  And by the way, for those seeking some winter sun, if you want to buy swimwear in October you'll find in nigh on impossible!

Oh No Charles!

Can't resist including this quote - which made me LOL - from Prince Charles who is getting worse than his father, well known for putting his foot in it!  If you're not an anti Royalist already, having read this you may well wish to reconsider:

"They tell me that in some shops they have started selling loaves of bread that are what they call "ready-and-sliced".  I fervently hope this is one trend that doesn't "catch on".  And is there really any need for this new fangled idea of soup in tins?  Broth tastes so much better bubbling away in a great big open pot, stirred by a chef who really knows his stuff and served at one's table in the open air by a marvellous old character somewhere on a wonderful Highland moor.  By denying our children such pleasures, I fear we are in pfound danger of cutting them off from reality"  HRH The Prince of Wales.  Reality?????
Image comissioned by Don't Panic from James Joyce

Ooh La La! Spring 2011

What with Frieze, the London Arts Festival and Design Week we've got rather waylaid and behind with our fashion reviews!  As a result we're simply going to jot down the notes we took at the Paris shows and upload images of our favourites:

(Above from top to bottom:  Chloe, Hermes, Lanvin)

Galliano, a riot of colour South Pacific style; Sarah Burton, new McPrincess at McQueen; meow to Mui Mui where the colours popped; a glam animal fest at Vuitton whose equestrian theme ran through Hermes (JPG's final show for this house) with understated luxury trouser suits and jodhpurs.  Flemenco at YSL; shades of cream screaming wealth, from Hannah McGibbon for Chloe (continuing her 'less is more' look  accessorised with ballet slippers); and ravishing, fluidly wrapped, bodycon dresses in shades of olive from the unerringly wonderful Elbaz for Lanvin.

Weekend Shopping: Dare to Compare…

Calling all shoppers! Now more than ever, it pays to compare. But when it comes to clothes, shoes, AND accessories, it is nearly impossible to find time to sort through all of the fabulous labels out there.  So what’s a shopper to do? Read The Fashion Bloggers of course! We have researched and reviewed the best shopping comparison sites and handpicked the top five just for you – however, we think it’s only worth visiting the best...

#5 – BECOME.CO.UK: Catering to a large number of shopping categories, Become is resourceful site but lacks the fashion focused pages we so desperately need.  While they provide helpful shopping advice and have a respectable page for shoes, we think shoppers would rather head to a site dedicated exclusively to fashion (like our #1 pick).

THE FASHION BLOGGERS RATING: Average

#3 – OSOYOU.COM: O So You seems to have quite a lot going – a little too much for our taste. While you are sure to find something you like, the constant advertisement pop-ups can be rather distracting, leaving you a bit frustrated in the site all together.  

THE FASHION BLOGGERS RATING: Good

#4 – SHOPITTOME.CO.UK: Shop It To Me prides their sites as being the modern day personal shopper, which sounds great at first but can become overwhelming. After signing up and picking your favourite brands, they will start sending email alerts with latest markdowns, etc, which you will then have to look through to find what you like (time consuming, we know). Also with the constant stream of email alerts (we’re talking like every 10 minutes), you might find yourself shouting STOP IT TO ME. 

THE FASHION BLOGGERS RATING: Great

#2 – SHOPSTYLE.CO.UK: Our second place goes to ShopStyle. With great brands and an ample selection, this site clearly makes the cut. However, we have learned it is linked to Conde Nast, so their content can be rather bias.  The homepage is not as easy to navigate through as our favourite site but we did spot some decent bargains.

THE FASHION BLOGGERS RATING: Excellent

#1 - STYLE COMPARE.CO.UK: Hailing at #1, STYLE COMPARE is an absolute must visit and deserves the number one spot on your internet browser’s bookmarks list as well. It is truly a shopper’s dream with loads of features and the hottest merchandise for both men and woman -- over 120,000 products from more than 1,500 labels. Also STYLE COMPARE is actually atheistically pleasing, user-friendly, and has a genuine interest in its customers.  Each week sees fantastic item giveaways and updates via Twitter and Facebook, plus they have a dedicated blog, Style Platform, with all the latest fashion news and insights. STYLE COMPARE makes shopping simple, quick and painless. What more could a shopper want?

THE FASHION BLOGGERS RATING: Brilliant/The Best

GO GO GAU GIN!

Was privileged enough to attend a private view of the sensory blasting Gaugin exhibition at Tate Modern last night.  For anyone interested in art, this is a definite 'must visit'.  Curated in themes, the images are hung in rooms which cover the earliest and latest works including  paintings and works from both Brittany and Polynesia.  The myth that he was a paedophile has recently been dispelled but he certainly had an interest in the voluptuous and sensuous young Polynesian women he painted, who were equally free with their sexual favours as he.  Most interesting are some of his works from Brittany where reds and gold and purples boggle the eye and were in advance of his colourful  island paintings. One can also see the likeness to Van Gogh's work - the two were friends but fell out.  Gaugin is a very modern painter and I can't remember enjoying an exhibition so much for a very long time. Go go Gaugin!

Milan Before We Forget!!!!

Several days into Paris and Milan a blur .... now is the time to draw on the images that remain in the memory for these are the trends that will almost certainly prevail in the Spring of next year.  Most memorable were the bold stripes mixed with patterns at Prada (always different, always so exciting and emulated) and the outstanding styling and use of 'eye-smacking' colour (and stripes again!) by Belgian Raf Simons at Jil Sander who has drawn on his menswear background to produce a, literally, 'brilliant' collection with pared down styling.  
Pictured above from left to right:  Prada, Jil Sander, Jil Sander

Beauty Guidance A La Carte ....

Whilst we take time out for an overview of the Paris shows (too many too soon to be able to judge objectively - gawd knows how the fashion eds manage it! - no wonder they so often send out mixed messaages  ...) we've discovered a website  we could sit and gaze at for hours at a time.  It's Lisa Eldridge  and her guide to applying make up.  There is something here for all ages and gives viewers the opportunity to learn many tricks of the trade as well as buy the products she showcases.  On the QT, we understand Lisa is the wife of one of the UKs great visualisers which goes a long way to explaining why the site is so brilliant and works so well.  Check it out and let us know what you think ....