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Dresses

Posted on August 8, 2018

When Fashion meets Art – Toile de Jouy 

Dresses/ Featured/ Romantique

The legendary French Toile de Jouy fabric is the star print of this season!

Toile stands for fabric and Jouy stands for Jouy-en-Josas, a village just south of Versailles, where the fabric was first manufactured.

Usually printed with typically domestic scenes hailing from 17th-century France, its the ultimate elegant, summery and romantic summer fabric! Featured in the 2019 resort collections of Oscar de la Renta, Dior and Max Mara and rocked by Meghan Markle and Selena Gomez, this trend has only just begun…

Leading the pack with the first collection of the year is Weekend Max Mara who collaborated with American artist Richard Saja on their “Trophy Day” Summer 2018 capsule collection. The richly embroidered pieces are inspired by the historic Ascot races.

Richard Saja is known for delicately embellishing historic prints. His art has been exhibited in New York, Paris, London, Berlin and the National Museum of Embroidery in South Korea.

Below I’m wearing a cream and red Toile de Jouy dress by Weekend Max Mara. I’m utterly in love with this gorgeous frock I snapped up whilst vacaying in Palermo with my Mum and hubby. To make this look more modern, I paired it  with Superga sneakers and a brown, wide crocodile printed belt for a casual-cool yet elegant style.

Weekend Max Mara Toile de Jouy dress Trophy Dress and Sicilian basket Sicily Bag The perfect accessory to go with my dress of the same collection is my Sicilian straw basket Sicily Bag, handmade and embroidered, each piece is unique. I’m wearing the “Gigi” model in size medio.

Amelia Windsor wore a Cruise 19 Dior red and white cotton dress with Toile de Jouy print.

Toile de Jouy figures prominently in Dior’s 2019 resort collection:  As a print, a jacquard, appliqué, embroiderred, in, satin, silk, lace, even on a trench coat.

Meghan Markle wearing a Toile de Jouy dress by Oscar de la Renta, Resort Collection 2019.

Aanais Demoustier attends the Christian Dior Haute Couture Fall Winter 2018/2019 show. She wore the gorgeous Toile de Jouy pattern on a fitted blazer and trousers.

Posted on August 5, 2018

The Shirt Dress: Throw and go

Dresses/ Featured/ Romantique

Paul and Joe sister shirt dress peanuts and sicily bag

What a summer it’s been in Europe! Since April, we’ve enjoyed months on end of wall-to-wall sunshine. This can be challenging when faced with the daily morning wardrobe dilemma: What to wear?

Meet the shirt dress, the sartorial all rounder to see you from spring, through summer and right into the golden rays of autumn. Dress it down with sneakers and a jean jacket or up with pumps and a blazer.

If you think this hardworking wardrobe staple is too much of a safe (boring?) option, then check out the fashion houses’ 2018 interpretations. You can breath new life into the classic piece by adding whimsical elements.

I’m wearing a Peanuts printed shirt dress by French Fashion House Paul and Joe sister (the heroines of romantic yet elegant fashion) in my favourite cut, nipped in waist and skater dress for that retro vibe.

Embroidered pom pom bag by Sicily Bag. White leather espadrilles by Marina Rinaldi.

More shirt dress inspiration:

shirt dress

Love this Parisian street style version: Peter Pan collared, sky blue 50s dress.

Who wore it better? Alexa Chung wearing a relaxed fitted shirt dress and a straw bag to beat the heat in New York.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on October 24, 2016

The candy coloured Jackie Dress or why I love the 60s!

Dresses/ Featured/ Romantique

Max Mara pink wool dress

We all know those days; the ones where you wake, sift through your overflowing wardrobe, and there is nothing to wear. Nothing seems to align with your mood, fit with your new coat, complement your work shoes. The day has barely begun, you’re late for work and already pangs of stress are beginning! That’s the moment where I like to cut through the complexity and grab a simple dress. A dress so that I don’t have to worry about matching top to bottom. No pattern, just a  mono coloured fresh hue complementing my skin, cut in a comfortable timeless shape. This is where classic brands like Max Mara are your best friends. No matter what the fashion fad du jour says, you can always rely on a simply cut dress in their collection. Jackie Kennedy knew that looking flawless is about the classic looks. Mind you she did live in the 50s / 60s , having the best fashion of the decade at her fingertips! Good news for us is that 60s fashion looks incredibly modern today. Look at Twiggy and Grace Coddington below. These two would rock any street style competition in 2016!

I’m wearing bordeaux coloured Oxford lace-ups to prevent this dress from looking too sugary sweet. Hand embroidered metal bracelet by Camille Enrico.  I’m in love with these hand embroidered metal bracelets by the  French designer. A piece of jewellry close to my heart as it was a present from the team I worked with previously in London.

Max Mara pink wool dress pom pom raffia bag

Dress and shoes by Max Mara. Raffia pom pom bucket bag by Sicily Bag. Sunnies by Prada.

Max and Co black coat Street style Berlin

twiggy-and-grace-60s-fashion

Grace Coddington and Twiggy in timeless designs

Jackie in the Pantone colour of the year 2016!

Jackie in the Pantone colour of the year 2016!

Posted on October 3, 2016

H&M Floral Bohemian Maxi Dress

Dresses/ Rebel Alexa

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 Sometimes H&M has something exciting that surprises me like this Gucci-esque  floral bohemian maxi dress.

Fast fashion items like this usually don’t survive more than a few washings. But that’s not the point. H&M outfits are not made for eternity, they are aone hit wonder and fun stuff – in demand only for a brief time.

I wore this H&M floral maxi dress recently on a sunny bicycle tour on Sunday.


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My H&M Outfit: Floral Maxi Dress by H&M, Leather Jacket by Michael Kors, Bag by LOVE Moschino, Shoes by Converse

 

 

Posted on January 24, 2016

Sicilian Lemon Yellow – Get in the mood for summer

Australia/ Bags/ Dresses/ Featured/ Romantique
Jump!

Jump!

I know know, I’m very lucky to escape to Australia every winter to get a healthy dose of vitamin D, sand between my toes, watermelon and shrimp on the barbie food feasts! All the while Europe is wrapped up snug to survive winter. The good news is that summer is coming in Europe and hopefully my Australian summer outfits I’m going to share in the next few weeks will make you excited for the summer to come!

My favourite summer colour is yellow! It’s the kind of colour that suits every skin tone: From dark mustard yellow to light citrus yellow. You can go all out dressed head to toe in a yellow dress like me, or just set an accent by wearing a yellow blouse or yellow shorts.

Bondi Beach Straw Coffa Bag

For a stunning beach day at iconic Bondi Beach, I’m wearing a dress by Calvin Klein, accented by a brown belt, leopard print toe sandals and my beloved straw coffa bag by Sicily Bag. For those of you who don’t know the story behind Sicily Bag: In summer 2015, I travelled to Sicily and instantly fell in love with the brightly embellished straw bags. I have since opened an online boutique, spreading the pom pom love whilst supporting an age old craft. Every bag is handmade by local artisan Luigi in Palermo and  each bag is one of a kind.

Sicilian Straw Bag Sicily Bag

Sicilian Straw Bag Sicily Bag

Bondi Beach YEllow Street Style

I’m wearing:

Yellow Dress by Calvin Klein

Toe Sandals in leopard print by Unisa

Straw Coffa Bag by Sicily Bag

Straw Panama hat by Billabong

Posted on September 15, 2015

Indian Summer at the Baltic Sea

Dresses/ Featured/ Romantique/ Travel

 

Romantique Baltic Sea Warnemuende

For the bank holiday, Mr Romantique and I packed our bags, flew to Berlin and rented a car to race down the Autobahn to Warnemünde also dubbed the “Berlin bathtub” due to its proximity to Berlin (212 km).

Most people, including Mr Romantique, don’t even know that Germany has not only one but two oceans, the North sea and the Baltic sea. I prefer the Baltic sea beaches, with their 1900 km of sugary white sand, picturesque Unesco World heritage towns, national parks and endless lakes. As children, Rebel and I would often go to the Baltic sea with our parents and spend long summer days on the coast.

altic Sea blue striped beach whicker chairs

Characteristic of the teutonic  beaches are the unique wicker beach chairs,  scattered along the wide stretches of white sand. Their blue, yellow, red or green striped design exudes maritime flair whilst they keep you sheltered from the wind and sun. You can rent these comfy wicker chairs daily or hourly.

Selfie with Mr Romantique at Warnemünde's cruise ship port

Selfie with Mr Romantique at Warnemünde’s cruise ship port

Warnemünde is great for relaxing on its wide beaches or strolling along it’s busy dock,  watching the cruise ships and ferries pass by. There are plenty of restaurants offering local sea fare. If you don’t feel like a sit down meal grab a fresh matjes (soused herring) sandwich from one of the many Backfisch stands for a delectable selection of local seafood specialities.

Baltic Sea Beac whicker chairs Warnemuende

Warnemünde has a textile beach as well as a natural beach. In Germany, this is a question of culture. While most “Ossies” (Eastern Germans) like getting naked, the more prudish West Germans prefer the bikini beaches.

I’m wearing:

  • Blue Vichy Gingham dress by Pinko – clashing picnic checks and the maritime stripes of the beach whicker baskets
  • Sicilian straw coffa bag by Sicily Bag
  • Gelato pink sunglasses by Celine
  • Sandals by AGL, Attilio Giusti Leombruni
Perch fish from the baltic sea and typical german fried potatoes.

Perch fish from the baltic sea and typical german fried potatoes.

Vichy gingham Dress. Straw bag at Baltic Sea

Posted on July 21, 2015

Jackie Oh 60s Dress

Dresses/ Featured/ Romantique

Jackie Kennedy 60s Dress Millie Mackintosh

Jackie Kennedy’s francophile sense of style is legendary and still being copied today! I’m not ashamed to say that I’m one of those copy cats: Monotone block colours, boxy jackets, straight shift dresses and relaxed riviera style on holiday epitomised the Jackie style and most of these items are represented in my wardrobe.

The other day, I perused TK Maxx and saw this gorgoues sixties dress which screamed “Mad Men” and Jackie. A beautifully tailored shift dress, weaved in a gorgeous emerald green and mustard yellow boucle tweed, all colours that are very much part of the new breath taking Autumn / winter 2016 collection as seen at Prada and Miu Miu.

Jackie Kennedy 60s Dress Millie Mackintosh

I’m so happy to see that the 60s fashion trend, initiated with the Mad Men series, shows no sign of abating. Seldom has fashion looked so flattering. The tailoring, the colours, the cuts, the details: Let this trend never stop!

I’m wearing:

  • Kitten heels by Logan
  • Printed boucle tweed shift dress by Millie MackIntosh at TK Maxx
  • Embroidered beige floral handbag by Dolce & Gabbana
Jackie Kennedy printed shift dress

Jackie Kennedy in one of her iconic shift dresses

Jackie Kennedy 60s Dress Millie Mackintosh Floral embroidered dolce gabbana handbag

Prada Rready-to-wear collection AW 2015/2016

Prada Rready-to-wear collection AW 2015/2016

Posted on June 13, 2015

The Dior Corolla Dress

Dresses/ Featured/ Romantique
The Corolla dress. Raf Simon's first collection for Dior in 2012.

The Corolla dress. Raf Simon’s first collection for Dior in 2012.

My all time favourite dress shape is the “Corolla” dress. With it’s  feminine 50s silhouette, fitted top, emphasized waist and voluminous skirt, it flatters every woman. Most of my Corolla robes are by MAx & Co, as this particular style is part of their perennial line.

So where does the Corolla dress gets it’s name from? From no other than Monsieur Christian Dior. In 1947, Dior introduced the “New Look Corolla” line – featuring round shoulders, hourglass silhouette and A-line skirts, in seductive fabrics such as taffeta, satin and silk. After the austerity and the masculine fashion of the two world wars, Dior wanted to make women feel elegant and ultra feminine again.

Monochrome Corolla Dress Max & Co

Dior’s new look not only went on to revolutionise fashion for decades, the corolla  became a time-less look. Raf Simmons, Dior’s current designer,  paid homage to the corolla dress in his first Haute couture creations for Dior in 2012.

Lofficiel-de-la-mode-Christian-Dior-Dinner-dress

We were emerging from the period of war, of uniforms, of women-soldiers built like boxers. I drew women-flowers, soft shoulders, fine waists like liana and wide skirts like corolla. – Christian Dior

Max and Co monochrome corolla dress

 

I’m wearing:

  • Monochrome striped Corolla dress by Max & Co
  • Straw bag by Miu Miu
  • Espadrilles at TK Maxx
  • Sunglasses by Prada
Fellow romantique Diane Kruger wearing a corolla dress by Chanel.

Fellow romantique Diane Kruger wearing a corolla dress by Chanel.

 

Posted on January 17, 2015

Beachy Stripes

Australia/ Dresses/ Romantique

Stripey dress Avalon Beach Australia

We’ve been back in the UK for a week now, after three weeks in the Aussie sun. Whilst my body is busy adjusting from simmering hot summer to bitterly cold European winter, I’m indulging in the enjoyeous task of sifting through hundreds of holiday pictures with the aim of culling all but the cream.

These were snapped in peachy,  late afternoon light at Avalon beach, one of Sydney’s Northerrn beaches. I much prefer these less crowded, under commercialised beaches to the more famous backpacker havens of Bondi and Manly. Sporting golden yellow sand, these unspoilt gems are further bolstered by  delectable eateries and shabby beach style aestehtics straight out of a coffee table book.

Nailing beach style, I’m wearing one of my favourite summer staples: Stripes. I love them in all shapes and forms: From nautical to coloured, from bold and blocked to thin and delicate. The silk material is perfect to combat Sydney’s hot, humid climate.

Stripey dress Avalon Beach Australia

Pink Ray Ban mirrored. Stripey dress Avalon Beach Australia

I’m wearing:

  • Stripey Dress by Antoni & Alison
  • Cross body bag by Moschino
  • Mirroed pink avviator shades by Ray Ban
  • Beauty Note:
  • Lipstick “Heatwave” (how fitting!) by Nars

Stripey dress Avalon Beach Australia

 

 

Posted on December 23, 2014

Merry Christmas from Sydney

Australia/ Dresses/ Romantique/ Travel

 

Sydney beaCH Stefanel sundress

Thanks to Mr Romantique being a Sydney sider, we spend almost every year on the other side of the world for Christmas, swapping Gluehwein with cocktails and turkey with seafood on the barbie.

I used to associate Christmas with bitterly cold winter days, watching the Nutcracker ballet in the opera and eating calorific comfort food from the Christmas markets. Over the last few years,  Australia’s Christmas has grown on me:  Seafood on the barbie, a swim in the ocean on Christmas day and dashing through the beach instead of in the snow – what’s not to like?

Today is our second day in Oz: The best way to counteract the jet lag is to go out and spend some time outdoors, getting the blood in the legs pumping . To combat the heat in humid Sydney, I’m wearing a light silk sundress from Stefanel and my new pair of gingham havaianas, how cute are they?

Where are you celebrating Christmas this year, in the bitterly cold Northern Hemisphere or in the Southern part of the world?

Australia Sydney Palm Beach the Dunes Cafe

Baltic Sea feel: German beach baskets at my favourite restaurant: The Dunes Cafe at stunning Palm Beach.

 

aussie life guard at Sydney's northerrn beaches

Aussie LIfe guard at Sydney’s Palm Beach

Mr Romanatique promoting the Aussie Christmas ;-)

Mr Romanatique promoting the Aussie Christmas

Gingham Vichy Havaianas Flip flips Mona vale beach Australia

Gingham Havis at Mona Vale, one of Sydney’s Northerrn Beaches

 

 

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