Costume Drama

The wonderful Alexandra May has come up trumps again with an amazing stock of Anton Heunis jewellery.

These pieces are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I love them. They manage to combine both a vintage and modern look, are seriously sparkly and are perfect for those that like their jewellery to make a huge statement.

I don't think I will want to buy any other jewellery until I own everything! It is seriously a love thing.

(Images via Alexandra May)

Lip Service

I watched Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland yesterday and I am now obsessed with Anne Hathaway's make up as the white queen. The dark lip, dark nail and even darker eyebrows with the porcelain skin and white hair. So good.

I am trying to work the lip today and really enjoying, except for how high maintenance it is to keep it looking perfect.

Across the Universe

 Argentina

Generally speaking I am not a huge fan of beauty pageants, but I am a fan of wild, outrageous, unfeasibly large costumes that are the embodiment of a whole nation's identity. Obviously.

And for that reason I bring you some of the contestants in the National Costume round at this year's Miss Universe competition.

Amazing, huh?!

This has truly made my day.

Except for when it comes to the UK's offering. A union jack bedecked super hero in plastic white knee boots? Is that our identity? I get it might be referencing the Olympics and all, but I also get that the costume sucks. Plus, it makes a perfectly slim and lovely lady look as though she is smuggling a football down her onesie. Not so flattering on the midriff, poor lady. It doesn't say too much for our cultural identity either. All I'm getting is Spice Girls and glamour models. There's got to be more to the UK than that...

 Botswana

 Brazil

 British Virgin Islands

Bulgaria

 Colombia

 Costa Rica

 Cyprus

 El Salvador

 France

 Honduras

 Indonesia

 Korea

 Mexico

 Panama

 Puerto Rico

 Sri Lanka

 Switzerland

 Thailand

 UK

 Ukraine

 USA

 Venezuela

Vietnam

(Images via The Daily Telegraph)

Layer Cake

I am an enormous fan of layering. I think it is part of my mix and match approach to fashion. The more I can add the happier I am.

So I am in ecstasies over this spread from the Daily Telegraph. Isn't it heaven? I will definitely be going home to experiment tonight!

(Via The Daily Telegraph) 

Over the Hills and Far Away

Lovely readers, I'm afraid I will be away for the next few days. I am going out into the wilds for a few days' walking.

It is set to be the coldest couple of days this winter. I might be certifiable.

I will, for the most part, not be figuring on the radar of the fashionably inclined. I do apologise.

But I'll be back next week, with the cobwebs well and truly blown away and raring to go for a fashion filled week before Christmas.

So I bid you adieu!

(Images via Itchy Feet, best outdoor equipment retailer in the South West in my humble opinion!)

Strait-Laced

I have to be frank with you. I just don't know about lace. It seems great, and fun and lovely, but I think it might talk about me behind my back, I think it might try and make me look bad.

Because try as I might to make friends with it I fear it cheapens me.

Right now you can barely move for another picture of Kristen Stewart at a premier in a lace dress. And she (for the most part) looks good in them.

Despite that I was listening to my hard won anti-lace stance until I saw this divine By Malene Birger dress in a sweet boutique in Bath. I love it. Particularly as the lace back doesn't show flesh through it, which I think is part of my problem with lace. You know in that it looks like you are covered in spider's webs.

In fact that might be the source of my fear of lace. I had a lace trimmed dressing gown when I was younger and one day when I thought the lace cuff was scratching me I looked down to discover a spider hanging out. I wasn't best pleased, I can tell you.

So is it time to get over my phobia? I'm not afraid of spiders anymore so maybe I could give lace a chance too.

I am loving all of these other By Malene Birger lace numbers.

 Or is it best left for the likes of Kristen? Hmmm, tricky.

(Images via By Malene Birger)