Jumper Overload

 

Hello girls! Today I wanted to talk to you about my latest obsession, namely jumpers....I don't know about you, but I think that pretty jumpers are really hard to find. During the past few years I've been so frustrated by the fact that I couldn't find any jumper which I really loved. All of them were boring and really short. I like my jumpers long and loose, by the way :D

 

But this winter everything changed and the shops were full with pretty knits. Heaven! I don't know what happened but I am really happy that I managed to buy some gorgeous jumpers this season. These four jumpers which I am going to show you in this post were purchased in the past month and I love each and every one of them.

 

The blue deep hem jumper is from Asos and you've seen it before in this post, so there's not much to say about it, apart from the fact that I love its design.

The second one with the flower details is from Topshop and it's my favourite from the bunch. I love how feminine and chic it looks thanks to the beading and the flower details. I also love the colour combinations and the fact that the material feels really luxurious and qualitative.

The mint jumper is from H&M and it is also one of my favourite jumpers. I like the colour so much and the loose fit. It will be perfect for spring. I can't wait to wear it!

The last jumper was bought during the Zara sales, so I'm not sure if they still have it. You've previously seen it in this post. I love to wear it with a shirt underneath or with an oversized scarf.
 

How gorgeous are these details on the Topshop jumper?

 

I can't wait to include the other two jumpers in some outfit posts! Do you have any favourite?

 

Have a wonderful week! x

NYE Outfit

 

Happy New Year, lovelies! I hope 2013 is going to be exactly as you imagine it to be and more! Just a quick outfit post to show you what I wore yesterday evening. And what other pose says winter holidays better than the traditional "next to the Christmas tree" pose? I just couldn't resist it :) Anyway, I chose this gorgeous black lace dress from Topshop (you can find it here) which actually arrived just a few days before the big night. It is so flattering and qualitative and it has become my favourite party dress. Accessory wise, I opted for a golden statement necklace from New Look and a cocktail ring.

For my make-up I chose a golden-bronzy smoky eye with nude lips, but unfortunately my "amazing" phone wasn't able to capture it properly...

 

At midnight I went to the city centre to watch the beautiful fireworks show which lasted around 15 minutes. I had a beautiful night spent with the persons which matter the most to me. I hope you too had a wonderful night and that you are going to have an amazing 2013!

Lots of love x

 

PhoneCam Style Post

Hello sweeties! I really need your opinion on something. As you know, I love fashion and outfit posts, but unfortunately I don't always have the time or mood for proper style posts, shot on location or in high quality. This is why some of my outfit posts are sometimes shot with my phone in my bedroom and my background consists of my bed or my desk or other boring interiors.  Thus, I was thinking that if it's OK with you, I could do more outfit posts shot with my phone, like this one. I know the quality is really poor, but at least there would hopefully be more style posts on the blog. Or would you prefer me to do the regular, more qualitative ones, even though they will be really seldom? I would really appreciate your feedback, so please tell me what you think in the comments box below.

 

Jumper - Love

Bowling bag with zips - Zara

Jeggins - Zara

 

Back to the purpose of this post, this is the outfit I wore a couple of days ago to the movies. I love this heart jumper because besides being a bit on the festive side thanks to its colours, it is also very comfortable and fun. I couldn't resist leaving my new bag at home because I was eager to take it out for a spin since I like it sooo much. I love the fact that it has an additional shoulder strap so that you can wear it on your shoulder if it gets too heavy. Inevitably, it seems that I have another bag crush. Shocking, I know...

 

Anyway, that's it from me now. I hope you are all doing wonderful and you've already written your new year's resolutions! Lots of love x

 

Seduction in the City: The Birth of Shopping

Hello girls,

Today I have a great documentary recommendation for all the shopping lovers out there (and not only). A few days ago I watched this fantastic documentary on Viasat History called Seduction in the City: The Birth of Shopping and I immediately fell in love with it! Hmmm history and shopping? The perfect combination as far as I'm concerned! Basically, it tells the story of how department stores were born and how they changed society forever, while sowing the seeds of female emancipation. Needless to say, this quickly became one of my favourite documentaries of all time.

Since I'm not that good at describing films, or documentaries for that matter, I will leave you with a great description I found on an Australian website (www.femail.com.au), because they describe it a million times better than I would :)

Seduction in the City: The Birth of Shopping is the fascinating two part series that tells the story of the department store - how it became the greatest invention to emerge from the industrial revolution and ultimately changed the role of women in society forever.

This elegant documentary series reveals the foresight of internationally renowned store entrepreneurs such as France's Aristide Boucicaut, Britain's Harry Selfridge, New York's Rowland Macy and Australia's own Sidney Myer, who invented such revolutionary concepts that now form the basis of everyday shopping conveniences. These include easy credit, returns policies, window displays, changing rooms and ladies' toilets. The foresight of these men and the department stores they created offered women the first chance to have a career outside of the home.

Seduction in the City brings to life the ambitious and magical world of the 19th century department store with rich reconstructions of key characters, rare archival footage of Myer's opening in Victoria, sophisticated animation and illuminating interviews together with quirky advertisements, extraordinary diary excerpts and letters and posters of the age. It tells the untold social history of the phenomenon of shopping that took hold of the world and transformed the lives of women, national economies and saw the birth of consumer culture. The inspiration for the documentary came from the research and work of Melbourne-based academic, Sylvia Sagona, whose playful take on history is refreshingly humorous.

Episode One- "A Genius Idea"
The first episode of Seduction in the City introduces viewers to the world's first department store created by the visionary 19th century French entrepreneur, Aristide Boucicaut.
Boucicaut's store, Le Bon Marché, situated on the left bank of Paris and engineered by the famous Gustave Eiffel, is a huge success and his magnificent "cathedral of commerce" is very quickly copied all over the world. Stores like Selfridges in London, Myers in Melbourne and Macys in New York develop the idea further, craftily inventing more enticing ideas to lure in customers and sell industrial goods in huge numbers. Consumer culture is thus born. This episode also establishes four archetypal, female characters, Mrs Debt, Mrs Homemaker, Lady Kleptomania and Miss Assist. These dramatic characters illustrate the changing presence of women's place in society. This episode focuses on Miss Assist's ascent from provincial shop girl to department manager eventually running her own store, in contrast with Lady Kleptomania's immersion in the darker side of shopping - stealing for pleasure.

Episode Two- "A Modern Game"
The second episode reveals the canny secrets of the retail game in the early part of the 20th century, examining the tactics of the world's greatest retailers.

Philadelphia merchant, John Wanamaker, exploits religion by being the first vendor to create sales on Christian festivals: Christmas and Easter. Wanamaker even invents Mother's Day to encourage shoppers to spend more.

Meanwhile, penniless Russian immigrant to Australia, Sidney Myer, suppresses his Jewish faith by trading on the Sabbath to fit in with the Anglo majority. This controversial decision works in his favour as his business grows from pushcart to major city institution in less than a decade. Myer also helps shatter class barriers by the introduction of a department store staple - the bargain basement.

Over in England, the showman, Harry Gordon Selfridge in London dazzles his store 'guests' with new inventions including escalators, electric windows and telephones. Also in this episode the role of Mrs Debt is explored as she falls into every trap set by the department store. Her radical solution to paying her increasing bills is prostitution. In contrast, Mrs Homemaker outwits the stores triumphantly exploiting store freebies.

I highly recommend it. You will no doubt love it! It is really interesting to see how it all started almost 150 years ago. You will be surprised to find that even back then things weren't too different than they are today.

Early 20th Century Fashion

Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a lovely weekend! Time for the third and final costume history post. Today we're dealing with early 20th century fashion, a period when dresses became narrower and the new columnar silhouette was introduced. The narrow waist given by the S-shaped corset was accentuated by a sash or belt and necklines were supported by very high boned collars. The blouses were full in front and the skirts brushed the floor and most of the times had a train.

This period is my favourite in terms of fashion because I think the dresses looked so sophisticated and elegant, the materials were so luxurious while being so light and exquisite in the same time and the silhouettes were simply amazing. Just look at the pictures and you'll understand what I'm talking about :)

I would like to start with my two favourite dresses, one for the afternoon and one for the evening. I've never seen something so beautiful in terms of dresses. I'm fascinated by them (by each and every one of them)!

French afternoon dress (1900-1903) by Jacques Doucet made of silk, linen and rhinestones

Description: "The House of Doucet was known for its luxurious offerings, which were worn and coveted by royalty, members of the elite society in both Europe and America, and actresses of the stage.This is an elegant afternoon dress that would be suitable for afternoon events, such as the races and other promenade activities. The dress is an excellent example of Doucet's penchant for lingerie-like garments, which is represented by the delicate ruffles and rose printed chiffon. The color combination of blues accented with turquoise is a favorite of the designer."

 Evening dress(1902) by House of Worth made of silk, rhinestones and metal

Official description: "This is a very beautiful example of a Belle Époque dress emphasizing the aesthetic for pastel colors and light materials. The cutout work of the chiné applied to the lace is an outstanding feature which adds liveliness to the flowers, as if they were growing. Chiné is expensive to make as the pattern is printed on the warp before the weft is woven in, thus producing the blurred effect, reminiscent of a Claude Monet (1840-1926) painting."

Evening dress (1914) by Callot Soeurs made of silk, metal and rhinestones

Description: "This gown from 1914 exemplifies the fashion aesthetic of the time, in which multiple layers and textures of fabric were intended to give the appearance of an unstructured and spontaneous design. The use of the selvedge edge at the front of the dress, for example, was an intentional technique used by couturiers of the period to express the idea that fabric was wrapped and draped with minimal tailoring."

American ball gown (1910) by Mrs. Osborn Company made of silk

Met's description: "The over-the-top expression of opulence seen in this ball gown worn by a prominent member of the Astor family is a testament to the degree of ostentation required at certain events in order to stand out from the crowd. The dense sequin and bead embroidery on the gown would have created a beautiful shimmering effect."

French evening dress (1909-11) made of silk and rhinestones

Description: "This dress is a tour de force of beadwork embroidery, indicative of French couture craftsmanship. The juxtaposition of three-dimensional and trompe l'oeil tassels is stylish and witty, and highlights the level of planning and care taken in the design of couture garments."

American dress (1902-1903) made of silk

French ball gown (1900-1903) made of silk

Ball gown (1900-1905) by House of Worth made of silk, cotton and metallic thread

 American evening dress (1911-13) made of silk

 American ball gown (1908) made of cotton, linen and silk 

 Afternoon dress (1908-10) made of cotton and silk

Description: "Irish crochet lace was very popular in the Belle Époque not only for trim but also for full garments such as this one. Its three-dimensionality gives a particularly interesting textural effect. This example employs not only three-dimensional floral motifs but actual pendant flowers that move with the wearer."

Evening dresses (1911-15) by Jeanne Hallée made of silk and glass

Evening dress (1908-10) by Mrs. Dunstan made of silk and pearls

Description: "This dress is of particular interest, as it bears the label of a New York dressmaker, Mrs. Dunstan. However, the complex construction and the variety of fabrics used are very consistent with French-made garments and could possibly attribute this dress to the famous French couturier Jacques Doucet. A rarity, this dress is in mint condition and marks the period of transition when mainstream fashion was moving from the monobosom shape to the more upright empire line."

Afternoon dress (1906-08) by House of Paquin, made of silk

The End

I really hope you enjoyed these few posts as much as I enjoyed writing them! Now tell me...which one was your favourite? :)

Take care x



19th Century Fashion

Hello ladies,

Time for part two of my costume history themed posts! The 19th century brought a change in women's silhouette which, from 1840 onward, was dominated by a restrictive corset and layers of crinoline petticoats. In the 1860s, the shape of the crinoline changed into that of the rear bustle and only in the 1890s the skirt returned to a relatively slender shape. However, in spite of the elegance, beautiful decorations and luxurious materials, the dresses where rather uncomfortable due to the restrictive corset which refused to step out of the limelight :P

I'd better let the pictures speak for themselves along with the descriptions from the Met Museum. Enjoy!

 I will once again start with my favourite three dresses (I adore the colours, the shapes and the patterns of the first three dresses, but that doesn't mean that the rest are not equally amazing).

Evening dress by R.H. White & Company (1885) made of silk and feathers

The Met's official description of 19th century fashions: "The bustle silhouette, although primarily associated with the second half of the 19th century, originated in earlier fashions as a simple bump at the back of the dress.The full-blown bustle silhouette had its first Victorian appearance in the late 1860s, which started as fullness in skirts moving to the back of the dress. This fullness was drawn up in ties for walking that created a fashionable puff. This trendsetting puff expanded and was then built up with supports from a variety of different things such as horsehair, metal hoops and down. Accessories were petite and allowed for the focus on the large elaborate gowns. Around 1874, the style altered and the skirts began to hug the thighs in the front while the bustle at the back was reduced to a natural flow from the waist to the train. This period was marked by darker colours, asymmetrical drapery, oversize accessories and elongated forms created by full-length coats. Near the beginning of the 1880s the trends altered once again to include the bustle, this time it would reach its maximum potential with some skirts having the appearance of a full shelf at the back. The dense textiles preferred were covered in trimming, beadwork, puffs and bows to visually elevate them further. The feminine silhouette continued like this through 1889 before the skirts began to reduce and make way for the S-curve silhouette."

 Dinner dress (1880-1882)

 Dress from 1885 made of silk, rhinestones and metal

American silk dress (1880-1885)

French dress by Mme. Martin Decalf (1882-1883) made of silk

 Evening Dress by House of Worth (1887-1889) made of silk

 American silk dress (1878-1880)

 Evening dress by House of Worth (1887) made of silk and metal

Description: "This is truly an attention getting gown with fantastical themes. The fantasy here is depicted in the bodice which imitates a peasant's cotton blouse and is played against the traditional 18th century and neoclassical motifs in the skirt embroidery."

Ball gown by House of Worth (1898) made of silk, rhinestones and metal

Description: "This gown is made from a very special fabric which was woven à la disposition to fit the shape and dimensions of the skirt so that the butterflies flutter upward from the hem and, being graduated in size, seem to disappear in the distance."



Evening dress by Duval and Eagan (1889) made of silk

French dress (1867-1869) made of silk and cloth

Silk French dress (1865)

Ball gowns by House of Worth (1887) made of silk and metallic thread

That's a wrap with 19th century fashion. Do you have any favourites from the dresses above?

Next post will be about early 20th century fashion (my favourite). I saved the best for last :)

Talk to you soon x