The Ladybug’s Tibetan Treatment: the Vintage Yeti Jacket from Storets!

I took advantage of the beautiful sunny day to ask my friend Maria to take some pictures of me by the sea with my new great find: the vintage yeti jacket from Storets.
I read about this new Korean indie designer on the net and I decided to have a look at their online store… I fell in love with their faux-furs and accessories and I really adored this soft pale pink yeti coat. I must confess that I was a bit worried about the size (Asian sizes run smaller than European) and the quality of the fur (fake-fur can often be very disappointing); but when I received my package all my doubts disappeared! The fur was soft and almost looked real and the size was perfect! Definitely a great quality for the price!
Here I paired it with light jeans from Met, a pale beige sweater from Mango, and my beige suede Litas from Jeffrey Campbell! I added a touch of colour with this yellow Guess patent clutch with a croc effect and a touch of “Ladybuggerry” adding two of my own creations: a silk white peter pan collar and a Mawi inspired multi-chain necklace!
You can visit Storets’ online shop at www.storets.com

(Photo credit: Maria Vollaro)

The Ladybug’s (Vintage) Finds of the Day in London!

After a vintage and charity shops “Shop ‘til you drop” weekend in London, how could I not share all my finds here with you?
I must say that this time I’ve been quite good, not spending too much money and still getting some great bargains (my credit card thanked me on the way back for not stressing her too much!)
First great bargain comes from The Children’s Society, a charity shop in West Hampstead: a J Crew lovely black pleated silk dress!

Book Books Books! Cupcakes, Roasts and a lovely vintage book to learn how to dance!

Lovely round tortoise vintage frames

Velvet black bow from Forsaken Vintage

Finally found my net hat!! Thank you Zoe from Forsaken Vintage!

My new perfect cushion from the Wood Street Market

Lovely vintage frames from Auntie Aviator at the Pop Up Vintage Fair

A lovely present from Maxine the creator of Pop Up Vintage Fair….(coming from JBD London!)

I’m still thinking of a vintage loss from this weekend… during the Fair I saw a lovely sequined black and white sweater, but when I went back to get it, it was already gone! So disappointed!
Last but not least… here’s one of my new favorite lippies ever! Rockette Red from Rockalily! I bought it on-line, but as I was going to London the lovely Ree Ree Rockette gave it to her sweet friend who was at the fair so that I could pick it there.
I’m very pleased with my purchase, and we’ll talk about it and about Rockalily London very soon!

The Ladybug’s Day #2 in London: Attending the Pop Up Vintage Fair at St Stephens Hampstead

I always try to attend a couple of vintage fairs every year, just to see what’s new on the vintage scene (yes, it sounds strange!) and to get some very interesting bargains!
But this time it was completely different! First of all it was my first vintage fair in London ever! And I knew it was going to be different for someone used to attending Italian fairs!
But more than that I was so excited to meet Maxine, the creator and organizer of the Pop Up Vintage Fairs, and all those wonderful ladies I’ve been tweeting with for months! All those faces and Twitter names were going to be real people with real names and I couldn’t wait to meet them all!
Because Daisy and I knew it was going to be very exciting and emotional at the same time, she prepared a very British breakfast to strengthen me!

When we arrived at St. Stephen in Hampstead, the first thing that caught my eye was the beauty of the place: a beautiful old church with a soft yet amazing décor inside! It was a couple of days before Valentine’s Day so loves and hearts were all around!

I was very touched to see how different it really was from an Italian Fair: soft lights, live music (with the beautiful sound and voice of Miss Scarlett Cuffs), amazing clothes, accessories and antiques and the funniest and sweetest sellers ever!

 The first person I looked for was Maxine Stonehill, the creator of the Pop Up Vintage Fair and one of the sweetest people that I’ve ever met! Stallers adore her (I’m not surprised!). She really received me as a VIP and she took some time to talk to me and to tell me more about her story. Pop Up Vintage Fair is a very young company, it was created only a year ago, but Maxine’s passion and willingness to develop and spread the vintage love word made it quickly one of the most important and well known vintage fair organizers in town.
A very special mention goes to Vintage Tea Time and her delicious tea and cake corner! Salina and her family were at their last fair and it was a bit of a sad moment, but I enjoyed spending time with them and tasting fabulous cake and real British tea!

Another thing that I adored about the Fair was the vintage hair and make-up corner! Dolly and Rhonda styled many customers with amazing retro hairstyles and make up! I choose a cute victory roll style and Daisy went for a 60s backcombed chignon!

One of the stalls where I probably spent the most time was Auntie Aviator’s! Her collection of amazing vintage frames was to-die-for and I think I tried every single one before deciding which to buy!

(Pictures courtesy of Auntie Aviator)
Here is a picture from JBD London stall… with amazing handmade head dresses from original vintage jewellery in perfect retro style! Louise was so sweet and her mum was so cute!

This wonderful cape and original Missoni dress and 40s suit come from Karen Philips personal collection… Karen was amazing! She’s a real vintage woman! Selling her things for love of vintage and not as a real job, not friend with social networks or technology I had to explain to her what a blog was, but she was really excited about it! You can contact her at karenphillipsuk@aol.com for more information!

 
So here we are, all together (Daisy, Salina, Maxine and I) in our vintage furs, after an amazing day together! I love my new wonderful friends! If you want to know the next dates of the Pop Up Vintage Fairs, you can check their FB page here

Tired but still hungry, we ended the day at the Priory Tavern in Kilburn where we had a tasty roast in perfect vintage style tradition!

The Ladybug’s London, Day #1: A discovery of London Charity Shops and markets (courtesy of Daisy from Make, Thrift London)

Let’s start this post by saying “Thanks Twitter!” Yes, I need to thank the social network that I hated so much until a few months ago because it is where it all started! Just one tweet and I found myself booking a flight for London!
I was reading a blog (astitchinteatime.wordpress.com, which turned out to be Daisy’s blog!); more specifically the last post about December’s Pop Up Vintage Fair in London and I tweeted something like: “Blog post is great, I’d buy a ticket to London just to come and see the next fair!” Both Daisy (Make Thrift London) and Maxine (Pop Up Vintage Fairs) replied inviting me for the next fair in February and Daisy also offered a spare room in her house! For as crazy as it might sound, I accepted the invitation and spent an amazing weekend there!
Daisy and I share a big love for vintage, blogging, shopping and food which made us the perfect pair for an all immersion weekend of vintage bargain hunting all around London!
With the slogan “Vintage is not always cheap, but we think it should be;” our mission started early on Saturday morning with a visit to the most interesting charity shops in Hampstead. Every time I go to London I try a new one- because I’m really obsessed with charity shops! But Daisy was an amazing guide and she took me to some of her favorite charity shops in town. And I can tell you that it’s not easy to pick favorites because London really is the capital of charity shops! There are hundreds charity shops spread across London and you can find many in one area (like in Hampstead- most of them are on the same street!). Actually I read that the first charity shop was opened in 1941 in London during the war by the Red Cross to help people in difficulty during those hard times. No surprise then that, in new recession times, their “business” is one of the healthiest of the country. Which is a good news for the causes that they support: from cancer research to childrens’ hospices or animal charity.

When I first considered going to a charity shop in 2001, I had to fight the prejudice that they were dirty and grey shops for poor people. Once I finally visited, I really had to change my mind! I still remember that it was an Oxfam shop (probably one of the most known and honestly also one of the most expensive!), but I can’t remember where it was. Some of them still look dirty and grey, but 10 years later I realized that they seriously compete with high street shops and their customers look for unique pieces and great bargains that they probably won’t find in the biggest chain shops.

You can find books, clothes, accessories, music, kitchen tools…new or vintage for a third (or less!) of their price… Just to help you understand, this is how the bed looked like when we pulled everything the we bought out of our canvas bags! All that- spending so little!
You can easily find a list of the best charity shops in London, but I advise you to look at the less popular, where maybe the most interesting treasures are waiting for you! Just a quick mention to one of the best-kept shopping secrets in town: the Salvation Army in Oxford Circus (9, Prince Street). Being located near the Vogue offices in London, it seems that the magazine’s take all their unwanted clothes there. …can you imagine what it means? This is definitely THE stop on the next tour!

After a nice and warm stop by the Walden book shop on Harmood Street (a real paradise for vintage book lovers!), we headed to Camden Market to visit some of the popular vintage shops and to have a well-deserved pause! Choosing what to eat in Camden market is like picking the best charity shop in London! After a long and attentive research, we settled on a delicious roast and Turkish wrap!

But our mission wasn’t finished…as we were carrying hand-baked muffins for our “tweep” Zoe from Forsaken Vintage who was opening her store that same day in East London!!!
We rushed to the other side of town to congratulate Zoe at the Wood Street Market in Walthamstow. Once there we had another surprise…this little and lovely indoor market was super cool! It took a while to arrive at Zoe’s shop because we stopped to have a look at the many vintage and thrift shops of the market: music, books, craft and thrift shops, vintage fashion, jewellery and accessories… It’s really is a little gem hidden in East London!

When we finally got to Zoe and her lovely and colored newly opened Forsaken Vintage, we were so excited! Zoe was radiant and happy and we had some time left to buy some of the amazing vintage pieces of her shop!

 

Tired but happy, we decided that nothing could be better for us than a well-deserved stop at the local Fish & Chips store…a British traditional abundant plate that we enjoyed for a few pounds!

Ah, what a day!

 

PS: This is how Daisy’s bed looked like that night!

 

The Ladybug’s “Breakfast on the Moon:” Patrizia Pepe’s FW 2012/2013 Fashion Show

The upcoming Milan Fashion Week is always a moment of great excitement for me, even if this time I decided not to head up to Milan and save it for the next appointment in September.
I must admit that it is not my favorite Fashion Week and that I’m keeping a very attentive and interested eye on the “new” markets (especially Berlin, Istanbul and Lisbon). Still when it comes to style and fashion, “Made in Italy” has always the last word.

There are few Italian brands that I really ADORE and for sure Patrizia Pepe is on top of my list!

In general because of the great quality and design, and more specifically I think that it really represents me as it is possibly the most “cosmopolitan Italian brand.” Many influences can be found in Patrizia Pepe’s collection and the vintage touch and inspiration is always present- revisited every time with a new and surprising effect.

Like in “Breakfast on the Moon,” the Fashion Show organized to present Patrizia Pepe’s Fall Winter 2012/2013 Collection. It’s a lunar background where classical forms and materials are mixed to create a surprising effect on the watcher. I love the sartorial tailored coats, jackets and trousers revisited and revamped with lurex, sequins and laces. Silhouette shapes are minimal and essential. Modern ways of re-interpreting the classical lux. The vintage stamp is renewed by mixing tapestry jacquard with new materials. It’s an opposite-game, where the contrast of materials creates breath-taking effects. Furs, fringes, knits, chiffon paired together or with new materials like neoprene, latex or soft leather. The feminine and the masculine, the serious and the carefree, the old and the new, all together for a smashing collection that confirms Patrizia Pepe as the real new voice in the Italian crowd of fashion designers. Oh… and the colors! Soft beiges and camels and light pastels have nothing boring or monotonic: the delicate nuances are often mixed up or enlightened with touches of vibrant color.

Hard to choose my favorite pieces… the yeti coats are for sure on my next winter wish list, along with the soft fur coats, the camel floppy hat and the most beautiful lace long black dress.

Visit www.patriziapepe.com for more pictures and videos of the show.

Btw; tonight I decided to celebrate Patrizia Pepe by wearing one of my favorite coats by them… my adored 70s inspired scarlet coat with my customary scarlet lips!

Soul Sunday with KNAGUI: A Corset For Your Thoughts???

“The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier” premiered at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), on November 13, 2001 and ran through February 12, 2012.  This was the DMAs inauguration into the art of contemporary fashion, which featured a multimedia exhibition of one of the world’s most celebrated couturiers.

I was really excited about going to this event.  I actually received the promotion for the show just before it opened and shared it with The Ladybug.  My excitement grew when she (obviously) knew who I was talking about.  I knew nothing about him… Still, I told her I would go, but I knew I wasn’t going to have any time available until February.  That time came on the last day of the exhibit.

Let me admit something… This turned out to not be KNAGUI’s “idea of a good time.”  It may have been better with The Ladybug as my guide to understand exactly what the hell couture is and it’s purpose in the world, but we’ll never know.  There were things I really dug about it, but I’m not a “costume”/”couture” (really don’t know what the difference or line is after seeing this show) wearer, so I couldn’t sink my teeth into his world of fashion.  I did, however, see his philosophy to showcase “the strength of women and the frailty of men” threaded throughout the exhibit.

The exhibition included pieces as recent as his Corcirico ensemble for men featuring black fox, feathers and lamé from the Haute Couture Fall Winter 2011/2012 collection and as vintage as his Sainte Nitouche Cow-Style Gown which was the first piece he created in 1971 (for Pierre Cardin, I think). Described by the Jean Paul as, “my biggest show ever [in] my life,” the more or less 500 works comprising the exhibition illustrate the technical virtuosity, unbridled joie de vivre, and daring flare that I’ve learned can only be Gaultier.

Stage outfits worn by Madonna (including two of the iconic cone bras worn during the 1990 Blond Ambition Tour), and Kylie Minogue are just a few of the 130 couture and ready-to-wear ensembles showcased for men and women spanning from 1976 to 2011.

More than midway through,  I felt like the guy dragged to the museum by his girlfriend, but this time… the girlfriend was me. LOL “I AM A BOY, DAMON!!!” (sorry, it was a movie line that popped in my mind)

 

 

Speaking of movies- excerpts from films, concerts, videos and dance performances give insight to Gaultier’s idiosyncratic connections with the worlds of art, music, film, and dance.  I found interesting how these multidisciplinary influences formed his eclectic and global creative vision.  As a wannabe photographer, I was drawn most to the photography.  There were loads of prints from renowned photographers and contemporary artists including Richard Avedon, Nathan Goldberg, Steven Klein,  David LaChapelle, Steven Meisel, Cindy Sherman, Mario Testino, Andy Warhol and more.  I was surprised when I rounded a corner into my favorite room of the exhibit to see the album cover for Cameo’s Word Up! album which was styled by Toyce Anderson.  Seeing it and the rest of the pieces and media in this room was like a much needed caffè Italiano. Buon Giorno!!!

According to Exhibition Curator and Catalogue Editor, Thierry-Maxime Loriot, “When you see the craftsmanship and all the work and how imaginative Gaultier is, I consider him a real artist. He designed more than 150 collections for himself, 15 for Hermès, countless collaborations with movie directors from Peter Greenaway to Luc Besson, dance choreographers, pop stars and all the videos he collaborated on, no other designer has ever achieved that much, but what is most fascinating is that it is always innovative, always new, never boring, which is exceptional. He initiates the trends rather than following them, which explains why he is still here after 35 years.” Adds exhibition catalogue contributor Suzy Menkes, Fashion Critic and Editor at the International Herald Tribune, “He is not just a fashion designer, he has created kind of modern art that should be in a museum.”

This may not have turned out to be my favorite assignment, but I did walk away with a refreshing prospect of how to open myself up for both my life and my art. Gaultier said two things that I’m keeping with me.  He said, “we must be proud to be different.” This is something that I’ve always embraced, but sometimes I need a reminder of accepting others’ differences.  This  evening helped.  He also said, “In life, I like the blemishes, scars, emotions of the skin, of the flesh of the moment.” To me, it was a testament of how soft his skin might be to absorb so much from the world around him and then squeeze out something so different yet similar …but beautiful (…But Beautiful is an awesome Shirley Horn compilation. I couldn’t help adding this because she’s such a big influence of mine). I’ve been wanting to make myself more absorbent to the world around me.  I think this helped me understand a bit more about how to do that. So to answer my question, a corset for my thoughts… NEVER! …but I can think of a wonderful being to put a corset on. lol

The exhibit is accompanied by the English publication of a 424-page exhibition catalogue. It features interviews with Gaultier friends, colleagues, and muses including Madonna, Pedro Almodóvar, Carla Bruni Sarkozy, Catherine Deneuve, Carine Roitfeld, Boy George, Marion Cotillard, Pierre et Gilles, Helen Mirren, Dita Von Teese, Tom Ford, and Victoria Abril, among others.

The next stop for the exhibit is: de Young-Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; March 24 – Aug 19, 2012.  http://www.famsf.org

The Ladybug Styled by Sabrina of Lady Jane Vintage Boutique in Florence

In my last post I introduced Sabrina and her shop Lady Jane Vintage Boutique in Florence (definitely one of my favorite vintage shops ever) and I shared some of the pictures that we took there. But I also announced this post. While at her shop, I asked Sabrina to create two looks for me- one for day, one for night and to put me in some of her favorite shop pieces.
Here is how Sabrina decided to style me.
Day outfit: like me; Sabrina loves the 60s, so she choose a (very) short 60s velvet dress with embellished collar, a small bag with a tiny chain and some amazing black shoes (all original 60s stuff!).

Night outfit: I felt like a real lady with this amazing satin green floor length dress… It had a beautiful cut-out on the back and Sabrina added a small green clutch to make it perfect!

Even KNAGUI, who loves hats, found something interesting to try on…

Before leaving, KNAGUI remembered and asked Sabrina to show us her favorite pieces from the shop: she put me in this beautiful vintage Fendi case and this amazing pink hat with net (this is exactly what I was looking for; unfortunately, pink is not my favorite color!)

Sabrina and I wearing some more awesome vintage hats…

Thanks a lot Sabrina, for the fun and for the warm welcome. I’m looking forward to seeing you again… VERY SOON (just after my credit card recovers – lol)!

Here’s a little surprise that KNAGUI created for us….isn’t it/he cute?

(Photo and video credit: KNAGUI)

The Ladybug’s Greatest Find in Florence: A New Friend and an Amazing Shop! Introducing Sabrina and her “Lady Jane Vintage Boutique”

When I go somewhere on holiday, wherever it is, I always make sure not to miss all the things that can be of interest to me in that place. What I love most, before going somewhere, is this time before the holiday when you read and get informed about what the place has to offer: art, museums, monuments, nightlife, typical products and of course vintage shops! Since I had gone to Florence already in 2011, I was pretty much informed. But a friend of mine living there sent me an article about vintage in Florence and I found out that I missed some interesting things on my last trip. One of the shops I missed was Lady Jane Vintage Boutique: maybe because it is situated outside of the usual tourist trap or maybe because I didn’t pay enough attention; whatever the reason, I decided to have a look.

I contacted Sabrina on Facebook and I announced my visit to her shop! She was very nice and quite excited about the news- and after a quick look at her pictures online, I was too! When I found her shop in Florence I knew, before even walking in, that I was going to love it! And indeed I adored it! Sabrina is a perfect host: she proudly showed me all her finds and she told me that most of her stock comes from the UK where she travels a lot looking for the most unique pieces to bring to her lucky customers.
Lady Jane Vintage is this kind of store where you feel at home: it is a quaint little shop, full of amazing pieces; from designer’s vintage (Chanel, Fendi, Cartier and much more) to true unveiled gems; from unimaginable accessories to retro inspired pieces, all selected with Sabrina’s incredible sense of style. Not to mention Sabrina herself: she is a warm host and an adorable girl, we immediately had a great camaraderie and we started playing in the shop like little girls playing dress up and taking loads of pictures with our favorite pieces on!

When she told me her story about how she passed from a vintage lover to a vintage retailer, I realized how passionate she was about her job and it explained why I felt at home there: her shop is like her house and she treats every customer as an invited guest.
I spent a couple of hours there chatting and trying clothes and accessories and many people came through in the meanwhile. It seemed that they all were friends, yet they were all simple customers who popped in just to see her, say hello and buy something… eventually!
If you go to Florence, take some time to visit this amazing shop… you will walk down some nice streets (KNAGUI also found an interesting tea shop there!), outside the touristic crowd, and you will find a real “vintage paradise on earth!” She is on via dei Pilastri 32, you can also find her on Facebook as Ladyjane Bvintage.
I’m sharing here some of the pictures that we took in the shop, but stay tuned! There are many more to come in the next post and a little surprise!

(Photo credit: KNAGUI)

So many cute dresses too…..couldn’t decide what to buy!

The Ladybug’s [in]Famous Trio: Chanel & Dior Spring 2012 Nail Polishes

So, due to popular demand here it is: the [in]famous trio!
Last Friday, I was tired because of a very busy week at work, the weather was cold and rainy so I decided to treat myself a tour of my favorite beauty shop!
Once inside, the amazing colors of the Chanel and Dior Spring nail polish collections commanded all my attention! I decided that I needed to put some spring sparkle in my dark day and weekend so I got three of them!! Greedy, I know!
I’m not a fan of pastels, but the Chanel Spring 2012 Limited Edition nail polishes were to-die-for: I didn’t fancy the cherry “April” but the pink “May” and the peachy “June” were beautiful enough to cancel Christmas and I realised that I needed them in my life!!
As if it wasn’t enough to cheer me up, my eyes also focused on the Dior’s Spring scented nail polish Collection “Garden Party:” the two new shades were… nice, but I already had a color very similar to the purple “Forget Me Not” that I got by Dior last winter (it’s just a bit darker). So, I decided to ONLY pick up the adorable light green “Waterlily!”
It’s not time to wear them yet, but I’m looking forward to having scented and nicely colored nails soon! The idea itself made my day… and my weekend…that, I spent with the most famous Chanel Particulière on my nails!!

The Ladybug Hangs in Florence pt. 2

Second day in Florence was a bit more challenging. It was the day that I dedicated to go vintage hunting! Some of the shops that I remembered from my visit in March were still closed for the holiday; still, Florence was still full of tourists. Even the queue to visit the Galleria degli Uffizi was about 2 hours!
But I had two appointments in town with Sabrina from Lady Jane Vintage and Paolo from Officina Vintage where I spent the entire afternoon!
For the occasion I’m wearing a vintage black dress with a white trim collar that I bought from Verabis Vintage in Florence last spring, my Topshop faux fur cape, a vintage furry hat that I bought in London a few years ago, a vintage envelope yellow clutch (Ebay find!), vintage earrings (got them in a crowded market near here) and of course my black Jeffrey Campbell Lita’s- again! Did I mention they were comfortable?

(Photo Credit: KNAGUI)

And some more from Florence….

….Piazza della Signoria

And in front of that….CHANEL!