Names of note in Newport Beach.

I visited a beautiful store yesterday.  A'Maree's down behind the Orange Curtain in Newport Beach.  It's divine.  The store is full of light and as much high end product as one can handle.  Sitting beside a dock this elegant shrine to all things perfect has a relaxed air but all the names of note are there; Celine, The Row, Saint Laurent (meh), Alaia, Dries (please).

They also had a great display of Shinola product, fresh out of Detroit.  I wanted to cycle off on the bright orange Runwell with a stash of matching Celine handbags on the front luggage rack. 

If you're heading down that way and have the inclination to visit a temple celebrating Great Taste I'd highly recommend.

Wicked good.

Tom Ford does luxe "sexy" and "power women" really really well.  

I don't even know the girl who would wear a purple tones disco ball mosaic outfit (perhaps she is an intergalactic style princess just out running errands) and the sheer cobweb hectic fishnet lacing look is  magnificent if you're that confident. 

They look like super high end Power Rangers mixed with Luxe Witches. Magic!

A thing for shoes

When I was younger I had a thing for shoes.  Then Sex and the City happened and I stopped being interested in shoes because I didn't want to be one of those fucking women who has a "thing for shoes".

It wasn't like I talked about them all the time or had a room devoted to them or spent an entire month's rent on a pair or anything - sadly (or not sadly maybe) - but always I admired a good shoe. Only I had to do it from afar once the Carrie-effect took over.

Shoes became some crazy seasonal "It" item and now I sort of think that Mr Louboutin's red sole is kind of naff and I certainly don't aspire to be the woman that wears them.  And who knows what will happen to Mr Choo now that Tamara isn't holding the reins any more.  But perhaps he's become too big to fail.

Anyway I'm not admiring these from afar.  I want them up close and personal.  Nicholas Kirkwood has been around for a while and I didn't really love his whole platform sole and felt his silhouettes weren't for me but these new shapes and styles for Spring/Summer 2014 (exclusively available on a clever Moda Operandi Trunk Show) are gorgeous and elegant and classic and some are even sporty and practical. 

They all make me want to go to Capri or Buenos Aires and hang out in beautiful places looking only at my feet.  I guess I'm one of those fucking women after all.

Life, The Universe and Stella Jean

Stella Jean where have you been (all of my life)?

I just finished reading The Stranger by Camus. It goes without saying that it's an interesting little book that throws up some big questions and I'm sure it rocked a few boats when it was published by suggesting that (young?) people had a growing sense of life's futility, a lack of religious sentiment and yet could be hopeful. Plus ca change.

"I laid my heart open to the benign indifference of the universe... made me realize that I'd been happy, and that I was happy still." Even in the face of death and without faith in a higher power he could see the beauty of the stars above and the world around him. I highly recommend it and I'm sort of ashamed it's taken me this long to get around to reading it.

Now, I'm not neccessarily suggesting that wearing Stella Jean is going to open one's soul to a higher plane of consciousness but perhaps it was more a sense of joy at discovering these bold and beautiful prints and the strong silhouettes that gave me a touch of nostalgia for a world that was, for the magic of the universe and for all the dreamers out there. It's going to be alright.

Shiny shiny, shiny piece of leather

The silver screen at my feet and me in my thirties, and with no botox - although looking at the height of the heels these days I might take it in the balls of my feet so I could dance/stand a bit longer.

Seeing as I live in Hollywood I couldn't resist but to flag up these shiny delights by Charlotte Olympia.  Maybe they'll come in gold for one of next year's Oscar contenders.

Louis Louis

Loving Michelle Williams in the new Vuitton ad's.  The fierce brows, a perfect red lip, dark nails, scruffy blonde hair, the archetypical grunge urchin if ever there was one - casually leaning on or grasping a $4,000 bag

Of course Creative Director Marc Jacobs knows a thing or two about grunge, his being one of the names intrinsically linked with the fashion the early 90s, plus there's the rumours of his possible departure from the LV brand next year.

Perhaps this is his swansong - his fingerprint on the brand.  Simply stunning.

The colour and the shape

The Burberry Prorsum menswear collection was shown earlier today in London (of all places) and it would be an understatement to say that people liked it.  It's quite delicious.  Burb's is a huge International Power Brand but this collection returned to pay homage to its roots, the real British quirkiness of where it all began.

I couldn't help thinking about Hockney as I started flicking through the shots and subsequently read that the theme for the show was "Writers and Painters" - namely Alan Bennett and David Hockney.. (Jinx! Maybe something about the first model made me think of Hockney? I don't know)..

It's a stunning vivid collection of looks; grown up but boyish, tailored but casual, vibrant yet harmonious. Hip hip hooray!

Oh my lord Mr Ford!

One of my favourite shows from this season was Tom Ford.  Sexy and fun, flesh and fringing, colour and monochrome - it smacked more of Yves Saint Laurent than Saint Laurent - which is ironic given that Tom Ford was Creative Director at YSL for a hot minute a few years ago (Yves didn't like his work much though apparently).

I love the carnival of life that these clothes represent.  What a riot.

Lust, Caution #3

Is it a boiled sweet?  A stone wrapped up in foil?  A clutch made of metal?

You got it in three!  I found this sculptural beauty from Benedetta Bruzziches on ModaOperandi and now I just want to wrap everything I own in rose gold paper and have done with it.  If only my life fit in to a bag this size instead of the amorphic sack that I'm currently carrying around with me.

Yours for only $1,090.  Delicious!

Screw the politics!

I am totally loving Beyonce's style for her wedding anniversary visit to Cuba.  The box braids are perfect piled up on her head, her deep red lip and heavy eyebrow looks a bit Frida Kahlo and the colours and prints on her clothes are nostalgic yet modern. She looks amazing. Love the fifties feel to the sunglasses too.

Beautiful work girl!

Bobo House

I recently was lucky enough to work with LA based designer Eloise Lapidus in styling the Fall/Winter 2013 look book for her collection Bobo House.

The wonderful Katrina Dickson took the pictures and our model, Eyren Powell, wore the heck out of the clothes.  A great team and such a fun day!

Here's a selection of my favourite shots.