Traveling Totes

One of the trickiest parts of traveling is finding a bag big and functional (not to mention stylish) enough to store all your trip essentials.  I find that practicality is important when seeking out a good travel tote, it has to go with all the outfits you packed and be easy to lug around on different types of transport. It should also be versatile, comfortable and lightweight, so it doesn't feel like you're carrying a bag of bricks on your shoulders. I have rounded up my favourite designer bags that would each ideally work as an airport friendly travel companion. 

Each of these swanky carry bags are available on FarFetch.com

Backpacks

Pastel Pouches

Neutral Territory

Colour Blocked

Burgundy Bound

Metallic Mix

Black & Gold

Which of these luxury bags would be your perfect traveling companion?

Looks of the Week - 16/08/14

The weekly roundup of celebrity style, on and off the red carpet.

Summer Sessions

Taylor Swift never fails to impress with her voguish street style. She wears a sheer panel printed top and skirt by H&M, glossed up with pink metallic heels and a Prada bag.
Nina Dobrev beats the heat in a cobalt blue cropped top with pink and gold painted shorts by Vionnet, adding cerise Kurt Geiger heels to her outfit.
Reese Witherspoon is attractive in a blue and white summery printed dress, vivified with a yellow Elizabeth & James bag, fedora and white ankle strap sandals.


Navy is the New Black

Selena Gomez dons dark blue crepe Topshop trousers with a grey cropped Topshop top, savvily styled with a black leather All Saints biker jacket and strappy Rebecca Minkoff gladiator sandals. 
Jennifer Lopez is urban chic in a L'Agence navy blue zipper shorts, teamed with a matching long-sleeved navy blouse and white Casadei pumps.
Emmy Rossum is sophisticated in a navy blue jumpsuit with tan heels & a white Ralph Lauren tote.
Elsa Pataky puts her pins on display in a navy blue romper, paired with a beige asymmetrical blazer and raffia printed wedge heels.


Urban Tribe

Zoe Hardman teams her white Reiss top and Kate Spade shorts with a folksy printed blazer, adding some orange with a chain-handle sling bag and pointed shoes.
Candice Swanepoel is boho chic in fitted tribal print maxi dress by Free People.
Alessandra Ambrosio's floaty printed maxi skirt is paired with an orange cropped top, flat blue sandals and a tan Chloe bag.
Jamie Chung wears her chambray shirt with an ethnic printed mini & beige gladiator sandals.


Jessica's NYC Closet

Jessica Alba swept the New York fashion scene away this week with 4 stellar looks.
1. The Sin City actress is sexy in a dark green corset and wide-legged Max Mara pants, uplifted by gold metallic heels and a Saint Laurent leopard print clutch.
2. Jessica is elegantly dressed in a black satin bustier and burgundy Katherine Kidd skirt, adding a tailored black blazer and Giuseppe Zanotti safety pin sandals.
3. She is perfectly polished is a pair of black skinny jeans, black top and a blazer by The Kooples, accessorized with DvF sheer mesh heels and her faithful leopard Saint Laurent bag.
4. Jess looked pretty in a pink and white sponge print Antonio Berardi dress, styled with silver Brian Atwood platforms and her favourite leopard print SL clutch.


Corsetry

Shay Mitchell wears the lingerie trend in an alluring white lace cropped corset top and pencil skirt by Misha Collection, styled with a metallic clutch and Jimmy Choo shoes.
Naya Rivera flaunts her sultry street style in a white Rebecca Minkoff frock, prettily paired with rose printed Stuart Weitzman heels.
Emily Osment is all grown up in a fitted little white pencil dress with bustier bodice and a pop of orange heels.


Red & Rose
Taylor Swift beautifully combines petal pink and cherry red in this ankle-grazing Monique Lhuillier dress, paired with a red lip and nude Casadei pumps.
Newcomer Odeya Rush is graceful in a scarlet red Georges Hobeika gown with beaded bodice.
Alexa Chung shows off her feminine side in a rose pink Emilia Wickstead high-neck top and midi skirt, worn with lace-up Bionda Castana shoes.
Red is certainly Odeya's colour, as she opted for the bold hue once again in a red lace bodice Monique Lhuillier dress with high-low skirt and matt gold Christian Louboutin heels.
Katie Holmes makes a return to the red carpet in a rose pink pleated chiffon Zac Posen dress with caped scarf and grey pointy-toe shoes.

Who is Your Favourite 'Look of the Week'?

Friday Frills - If You Wish

If you wish to be respected, then be ever respectful.

If you wish to be understood, then make it your business to sincerely understand.

If you wish to be appreciated, then be ever grateful.

If you wish to be loved, then give love in each moment.

If you wish to be wealthy, then act to create real value.

If you wish to learn, then take time to teach.

If you wish to climb higher, then lift others up.

If you wish to be wise, then share what you know.

Whatever you wish, life will surely give it.

What you must do though, is to truly live it.

There is so much to live for and so much to see.

You will have whatever you are willing to be.

Quote by Ralph Marston
Image via Pinterest

A Floral Photo Shoot - How to Spend It Magazine

As the season turns colder, florals grow darker in enigmatic abstract prints and intricate embroideries, beautifully showcased in this stunning editorial by How to Spend it Magazine. Summer's most exotic blooms come to life in this captivating spread called ' New Florals', lensed by Damian Foxe in moody tones, featuring models Anushka Stupakoff, Mariah Morrison and Lucy Gascoyne who are styled with smudged blush and pale powdered faces, wrapped up with patterned bandanas. This modern inflorescence displays a fresh way to wear florals.

The trio of models wear graceful silk printed dresses by Temperley London that are painted with pink and purple orchids and elatedly blend in with leopard print.

British model Lucy Gascoyne wears an eye-catching arrow and floral print lace and silk organza slip dress by Christopher Kane.

Anushka Stupakoff wears Erdem's sultry interpretation of Summer florals in a yellow and black embroidered jacket and sheer-leg jumpsuit.

Dries van Noten struck an edgier note on styling florals this season, with cotton blend coats and slinky silk dresses, all outlined in a red and yellow tulip motif.

Oscar de la Renta colours in his ladylike summer frocks with polka dots and pretty blooms.

Shadowed flower shapes are embedded upon linen bandeau tops and pencil skirts in fern green and chocolate brown at Michael Kors.

Dainty minted dresses sketched with leafy greens and pink roses in duchess satin and silk make for a pleasing picture at Antonio Marras.

A tropical bouquet brings vivacity and sparkle to this rainbow-hued Vivienne Westwood Red label silk and sequin draped dress.

The femininity of Nina Ricci is maintained in petite lemon and lilac flower prints that gleam across silk cardigans, skirts and pleated dresses.

Swarovski crystals encrust these spectacular cerise and black Mary Katrantzou looks that awe-inspire with innovative design and a whimsical ruffled bodice dress.

Would you wear any of these boldly floral ensembles?

Get The Alexa Chung Look

The Savvy Girl's Guide To…
Alexa Chung's Style

Ask any fashion blogger to rate her favourite style icons and Alexa Chung's name will surely list as one of the top choices. This DJing, modeling, socializing, tv presenting half-British half-Chinese beauty has uniquely carved a niche in the fashion world, where everything she wears turns to gold. She wavers from feminine to tomboy style with a snap of perfectly manicured fingernail. Alexa lists sixties actress Jane Birkin as her style inspiration, who provides her with 'the confidence to dress like a boy but act like a girl'. This It-Girl values comfort over trends, which is refreshing to see in an A-list society that produces one carbon copy after the other.

What I like about Alexa's style is that she steers away from the norm. Instead of fussy dresses, caked makeup, rigidly sprayed hair and ankle-breaking heels, Alexa prefers messy tresses with a fresh natural face, preppy layers with a decisive 60's vibe about it and she almost always wears flats on the red carpet. How many other celebrities would have the courage to do that?

Alexa's Closet Essentials

I was inspired to compile this post after seeing Cindy Mangomini's fantastic illustration of all the 'Alexa Essentials'.

How To Get The Alexa Chung Look

This is my guide on how to get Alexa Chung's effortlessly chic street style in a few simple key sets. If you have these essentials in your closet, you will easily be able to recreate Alexa's coveted style, adding your own spin to it. Her outfits are quite formulaic, she has perfected how to dress exceptionally and this is how…

Floral Dresses

Alexa's summer staple are feminine and floaty floral dresses in eye-catching prints and colours that are paired with basket or sling bags, flat strappy sandals and shades.

The Breton Striped Top

Season after season, we have seen Alexa wear a classic black and white or red Breton striped top. She has casually teamed it with denim cut-off shorts, skinny jeans, sneakers and boots. She has also worn a dress version of this linear print.

Skirts & Sweaters 

The key to this It-Girl's semi formal style is pairing a chic knit sweater with a patterned skirt, either fitted or flaired. She has reused this fashion template time and time again with stellar results. Black pointy flats, Peter Pan collars and coats accompany her sweater & skirt sets.

Boho Chic

Alexa rules the festival scene with her fabulous range of layered indie chic outfits. She favors cropped lace tops, fedoras, denim shorts, khaki parkas, Converse sneakers & Hunter boots.

The Denim Dungaree

The 30-year-old maintains a youthful style stance by wearing denim dungarees, cropped, long and in dress form. She keeps it simple with trench coats, lace-up espadrilles and buttoned shirts.

Get Alexa's Casual Daytime Look

Cream fluffy sweater £12 Jane Norman. Floral pleated skirt £30 House of Fraser.com Black flat sandals £7 Asos. Breton striped top £25 John Lewis.com. Straw bag £25 H&M. Hunter Boots $148. Lace cropped top £15 H&M. Denim shorts £19 H&M. L'oreal Texture Expert True Grip $15. Wella Ocean Spritz Sea Salt Spray £8.50. Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers £55. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté $35. Floral print dress $27 Chicnova.com. Black tie-up espadrilles $50 Theiconic.com.au. Grey fedora £22 Miss Selfridge

Glimmer Girl

Whilst Alexa doesn't lean towards the flashy and flamboyant, she does occasionally wear high gloss metallics, which she combines with more low key pieces to casually balance it out.

Little Black Dresses

I love that Alexa can rock a designer Valentino or Carven little black dress on the red carpet with flat shoes and unkempt tresses. Winged Eyeko liner add defined to her eyes, whilst she blends Chanel Sublimage cream to her cheeks for a subtle sheen.

Leopardess

This socialites signature style would be incomplete if I didn't mention leopard print. Her fondness for this animalistic trend extends to coats, ankle boots and bags. Alexa pairs her leopardess looks with basic white, white and grey.

Leather Loving

Adding to her edgy androgynous style is sleek black leather, in the form of sexy mini skirts and shorts. Alexa always keeps her styling sophisticated with a fleecy jumper or prim white shirt.

Get Alexa's Glam Look

Little Black Dress $55 Modcloth.com. Alexa eye liner $19 Eyeko. Chanel Sublimage Cream $390. Black top handle bag $38 Nastygal.com. Leather mini skirt £50 Mango.com. Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats £465. Leopard print coat £85 Topshop. White button-up shirt £55 French Connection. Chelsea boots by Michael Kors. Chanel Rouge Allure 97 $35. Eye Do Mascara $26 Eyeko. Navy blue cable knit jumper £20 Mango. Gold sequined pencil skirt £30 H&M.

Have you been inspired by any of Alexa's styles? Which would you wear?

Looks of the Week - 09/08/14

The weekly roundup of celebrity style, on and off the red carpet.


On the Line

Reese Witherspoon is effortless in her workwear ensemble that features a white windowpane printed top and black mini skirt, accessorized with a red Saint Laurent bag and hot pink heels.
Chloe Moretz  is endearing in a red tartan printed Simone Rocha top with cut-out ruffled shoulders and a sleek pair of black trousers with ballet flats.
Jourdan Dunn shows off her outstanding sense of style in this engaging black and white printed frock, highlighted by a red Valentino bag and nude flat cut-out sandals.
Pixie Lott is checked in a monochrome gingham Valentino dress with see-through yoke and frilled waistline. Metallic gold heels complete her outfit.


The Bottom Half

Laura Whitmore enlivens her blue satin bow-tie blouse and diamond printed pants with red hot heels and lipstick.
Maria Menounos displays her contemporary style in a white buttoned shirt with blue and white lace printed skinny jeans. A blue envelope clutch and nude wedge heels seal off her look. 
Singer Amelia Lily styled her pair of winsome floral Bronzed Glamour pants with a white tie-up shirt, pointy-toe pumps and a black Chanel tote.
Jennifer Lopez looked chic in a pair of croc printed Barbara Bui skinny pants, worn with a simple white tee, printed Bionda Castana pumps and a patent pink Versace bag.


Chicly, Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba brings us several street inspiring looks this week.
1. She elegantly wears a pair of cream Max Mara palazzo pants with a grey tucked in Alice + Olivia shirt. Tan Chloe platforms and a black and white Christian Louboutin bag complete her sophisticated outfit. 
2. Jessica dons a denim midi skirt with lace hem, adding an embossed white tank, a beige Chloe bag and lace-up blue heels to her winning look.
3. The 33-year-old actress made a dashing appearance in a vivid apricot Osman asymmetrical skirt with a striped cropped Houghton top. She also wears black leaf motif sandals and her duo-tone Louboutin tote.
4. Jessica went for a more urban look at the airport, in a Lauren Moshi 'Paris' printed tank top, worn with black trousers and a black blazer. Rubber-soled slip-ons were her footwear of choice.


Pastel Pride

Cheryl Cole's minted green peplum top and mini skirt are courtesy of 3.1 Philip Lim.
Charlotte Le Bon was charming in a sheer flutter sleeved dress with lace bodice by Elie Saab.
Hannah Tointon went ladylike in a shell pink Prabal Gurung pencil dress with draped satin bustier.


Nina's Mini Mode

Nina Dobrev was on a savvy style run while out promoting her new movie this week.
1. Nina wears a tribal inspired Zuhair Murad fit and flair mini dress, embellished with glittering orange and gold beads.
2. 'The Vampire Diaries' actress picked out an attractive mint and black J.Mendel dress with lace skirt. She added further interest with black & white diamond checked Bionda Castana heels.
3. The 25-year-old looked elegant in a little black Naeem Khan dress prettily embroidered in gold. Ritzy gold beaded Brian Atwood pumps fit her feet.


Berry Picking

Kristin Cavallari has us swooning over her exquisitely crafted cranberry Zac Posen gown with fishtail skirt and contoured corset.
Emily Berrington wears a stunning pink, plum and aubergine graded skirt by Temperley London. The British actress paired her ballroom skirt with a black double-strap cropped top.
Kat Foster's pretty watercolour For Love & Lemons pleated skirt is trendily styled with a black brassiere and blazer.

Who is Your Favourite 'Look of the Week'?

Friday Frills - Here's to Women

HERE'S TO THE WOMAN...

who knows where she's going

and will keep on going until she gets there;

who knows not only what she wants from life

but what she has to offer in return.

HERE'S TO THE WOMAN...

who is loyal to family and friends,

who expects no more from others

than she is willing to give.

HERE'S TO THE WOMAN...

who guides and inspires,

not by quoting others philosophies,

 but by living her own good example;

who accepts both victories and disappointments with the same grace,

and who can rise above life's challenges and move on...

HERE'S TO THE WOMAN...

who gives the gifts of her thoughtfulness,

who shows her caring with a word of support,

Her understanding with a smile;

A woman who brings joy to others

Just by being herself...

We celebrate National Women's Day here in Safrica tomorrow and I would like to dedicate this post to all you amazing and inspiring women from around the world.

*Photo by Nicoline Malina. Author unknown

Step Into L.A.M.B. Shoes

Let's Shop L.A.M.B. Shoes
Summer/Fall 2014

Gwen Stefani's great taste for all things 'fashion' spreads to her preeminent shoe label L.A.M.B. Whilst I am not a frequent wearer of knee-bending, ankle-chafing high heels, I find that these dashing pairs appeal to those who value comfort as well. I would gladly step into one of Gwen's trendy pairs of ankle boots, particularly 'Thacker', with its studded and chained straps that are exemplary of the singer's edgy and modern grunge style. 

The brand uses high-quality materials like supple leather and soft suedes with chic metallic details that define that cool but gritty rock 'n rock vibe. This season, multi-straps are a must-have with voguish caged stilettos, tribal inspired tie-ups, braided bands and laddered ankle-straps. Amidst the black, white and burgundy pairs, we find powder blue and lemon edged pumps that will uplift any solid-toned outfit. 

Prints make an animalistic appearance with leopard, dalmatian and houndstooth patterned pairs. Not forgetting those with a sportier disposition, Gwen's high-top sneakers have been sold out and restocked a number of times. Geometrically slanted stilettos will have you a step ahead in the office and elegant monochromes will have your evening out styled to precision.

This is a look at L.A.M.B.'s tempting Summer/Fall 2014 shoe range.

Bet Your Boots

On The Edge

Sneaking Out

Strapped In

Chic Geometrics

Ankle Wrapped

Urban Jungle

Monochromes

L.A.M.B. shoes cost between $240 - $390, which in our Safrican currency would be considered relatively reasonable for designer heels. Get them on sale for under $160 on the official online L.A.M.B. store or shop the latest range at Heels.com.

Which of these L.A.M.B. Heels are on Wishlist?