There is something exciting about Fashion’s return to the 80s for someone who never actually got to live the decade in any sort of conscious sartorial way. Older friends that did live through it seem to demure when pressed for photo evidence while looking at each other in a conspiratorial way as if something truly shocking happened they may never speak of again. Still, the OTT madness of the Wham decade is truly intoxicating for someone with magpie tendencies like me so whenever the chance presents itself and this trend comes back around, I embrace it wholeheartedly. Oversized, bright, metallic or over embellished , it’s about maxing out right now and my final Spring Trend Report for L’Oreal Paris Preference Glam Lights is a return to the decade that gave us the Jane Fonda workout video.
clockwise from bottom:
1. We all know that the Bronde look suits women who want to be more on the blonde side of the spectrum, but what about the ones that would like to stay on the darker side of the trend’s shading wheel? With Glam Lights shade 4 you can dip your toes into trying the trend without any overdone results. Highlight a halo of multilayered pieces in a barely there, sun kissed way and your hair will catch the light in a shimmering yet naturally blended way. Summerliscious!
2. Accessories should be bigger and brighter right now so choose lots of gold and shine ( Colette Hayman bracelet)
3. Buckles, embellishments and gold: the more the merrier ( Laurence Decades booties)
4. Think you can’t take sequins to the beach? Think again ; this bikini will make you catch the sun's sparkle. Bonus: wear the top under an open shirt for disco dancing later on ( Agent Provocateur bikini )
5. Bigger = better. Choose big sunglasses now and don’t forget gold accents ( Gold sunglasses by Karen Walker Sunglasses, Peach & Gold sunglasses by Aje, Black & Gold sunglasses by Gucci )
6. It’s all about multitasking make up - this baby does cheeks and lips and comes in pretty rose gold packaging ( Charlotte Tilburry Beach Stick in Moon Beach )
7. Leopard : Let’s face it, leopard is never out of fashion, but this season it’s back with a vengeance. Wear it with clashing prints, metallics or more leopard - it’s never enough ! ( Jerome Dreyfus bag )
8. Lame and Iridescent fabrics come to the fore now - choose bright and stay ahead of the pack ( Iridescent dress by Asos, Lame dress vintage Balmain )
While in Paris recently, I had a couple of nights off so I decided to shake off the cobwebs and hit the dance floor. Being away on the other side of the world yet with my best friend Lindy by my side certainly gave me the incentive to check out a couple of iconic Parisian night spots and dance a few hours away. Silencio and Regine are both awesome for some high heel cardio , a cocktail or two and watching the kids get dizzy. The only question was - what to wear? After some deliberation , I chose this amazing dress because it ticked so many spring trends.
For my third post for L’Oreal Paris, I thought I’d talk not just about what is so exciting about evening wear at the moment but what I personally love about being a bronde. To me, being a bronde is everything I love about summer- looking sun kissed due to it’s shimmery highlights but also healthy because the highlights aren’t too bright or drying to the hair. It’s about being easy going and not having to schedule upkeep too often, truly allowing me to relax knowing that even if my hair grows out a little , it will still look fabulous. I also love how the L’oreal Glam Highlights collection comes in many shades as I always go a little darker in winter, then brighten up with highlights again in the summer to match the weather.
Backless - personally, this is one of my favorite current trends in evening wear. I think the back is such an under utilized and forgotten part of the body and also one of the most sensuous and beautiful . Look for a covered front or long sleeves for a sexy yet demure take on this trend
Cuffs - cuffs are big at the moment and come attached to unexpected silhouettes in a wide variety of fabrics, sizes and textures. Adding a little bit of shirting appeal to otherwise unsuitable looks somehow just works so cuff it good!
Shine baby shine! - Glitter, sequin or lame, this season is all about making like Ziggy Stardust . Hit the dance floor in something that will truly give the mirrorball a run for it’s money. Bonus point : there is no way that boy won’t notice you!
Wearing: Aje dress, Dior earrings, Sarah and Sebastian ring, Jordan Askill ring, Proenza Schouler mules
photographed by Alice-Wesley-Smith
This season take on the subversive allure of silky lace and sharp tailoring for a femme fatale Parisian charm that is always en vogue.
1. L’oreal Paris Preference Glam Lights comes in a variety of shades because the look of bronde is je ne sais pas nonchalance. Bronde means easy sun kissed lightening and unintentionally perfect highlights across brunette, blonde and caramel base tones. Beautifully multidimensional customisable colour at your fingertips is the new trend du jour. (selection of shades now available from the L’oreal Preference Glam Lights range)
2. Evoking floral undertones with heady spices is the easy way to an alluring Spring ( Tom Ford’s Santal Blush)
3. Match your mannish, tailored suit with delicate silk underwear for the perfect mix of business woman and seductress ( Agent Provocateur lingerie)
4. Sharp tailoring requires timeless accessories ( Hermes Collier de Chiens cuff )
5. Shoes can speak volumes about an outfit. Spike your suit with pointy heels and red python ( mules from Christian Louboutin)
6. A camel coat is forever. This season play on texture as a focal point but stay mindful of forever piece potential of perfect tailoring ( Max Mara alpaca coat )
Hey hey - it’s finally spring! Trading in cold overcast days and upturned umbrellas for spring blooms and cold ciders on the beach is hardly a fair exchange but let’s face it, there is so much to miss about winter sartorially. Case in point; beautiful coats that let us get away with anything, thick cashmere sweaters that feel like a slice of home no matter the weather outside and cool over the knee boots that add Stevie Nicks’s irresistible allure to 70s maxis and split thigh skirts. Cold weather is so easy! But what about the encroaching warmth of Spring? Well!
This month, I’ve partnered with L’Oreal Paris in creating a weekly Spring Trend report ,dissecting not only lust fashion pieces but also the new (and frankly awesome) bronde trend currently sweeping the world. Beauty + fashion here we come!
Clockwise from top
1) Bronde : So what exactly is bronde? Bronde is neither a brunette nor a blonde. It’s not balayage or bright, stripey highlights ; it is an altogether different way of applying colour that is perfect for women who think that sitting on the fence serves the best of both worlds and whose natural shade of hair fits somewhere in the middle of these two tonal extremes. For me, it’s basically an excuse to be lazy with colouring - the bronde look is more forgiving while growing out and it’s subtle highlighting won’t change your hair dramatically. From mocha to café latte and honey blonde, bronde offers a range of shades used simultaneously that evokes a nuanced, sunkissed, multi dimensional colour - perfect for the 70s vibe still rocking on into Spring ( shade shown: L'Oreal Paris Preference Glam Lights No:3 Light Brown to Dark Blonde Hair )
2) Red baby, red! : This Spring it’s all about scarlett, fire-engine,poppy flower, geranium red. But in this season trend’s haste, let us not forget that red is also a forever colour. Especially when it’s in a YSL bag edition. This baby will look good with this season’s bohemian look or the looming 80s trend coming our way. Win, win
3) Aviator love : Aviators are the perfect accessory addition to maxi dresses, flares and stacked heel boots. These sunglasses sport a beautifully graded lense – what better way to see the world? ( Isabel Marant X Olivier Peoples sunglasses )
4) Gucci babyyyyy Gucci : No other label has captured the hearts of fashion editors worldwide as Gucci has with it’s recent 180º style U turn. With Alessandro Michele as it’s new Creative Director, Gucci has taken a new subversive turn - gone is the brash, overt sexuality of Gucci’s past and in it’s place is a label whose strengths lie in an unassuming, relaxed, romantic, 21st century baroque grunge look. I will be wearing my loafers with floral silk skirts, suits, jeans… basically - everything!
5.Vintage : The prevailing mood is still vintage – from the 70s, into early 80s, fashion is still tapping into decades past. And what is the best way to get the look? Easy! Go vintage! Scour your thrift shops, Ebay and upmarket vintage stores for gems whose new incarnations are all the vogue right now. Let’s face it, designers pay their assistants to do this for them – vintage clothes are an endless treasure trove of inspiration and pattern ideas. Bonus point: it’s unlikely that anyone is going to own your look! ( vintage Lanvin dress from Ebay )
6. Pearl me up : These are not your grandmother’s pearls – these days marine jewels have taken on an altogether more modern incarnation with designers such as Delfina Delettrez, Chanel, Givenchy and Balenciaga playing with them across fresh, fun and wholly contemporary accessories ( pictured: Sarina Sariano palm cuff and earrings )
7. Paris 4eva : Paris is many obvious superlative adjectives but what is with the world’s unending obsession with Parisian women? From their fashion style to their diets, we want to know how they do it with that je ne sais quoi ease and perfection. How to be Parisian Wherever you Are is a book that goes beyond clichés into tongue in cheek vaudeville . The amusing Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret and Sophie Mas dissect everything from fashion rules, recipes and obsessions to a candid look at adultery, friendships, love and sex. It is witty and fun and reads like an outrageous gossip session with a bestie – I read it cover to cover in one amused sitting.
