One of my favourite dressers is Nigella Lawson. I love her pared back yet-still-interesting style. Nigella clearly knows what she likes and isn't interested in changing to fit in with fashion.
I was first introduced to Nigella when I was about 12 and my Mum bought her first cooking video. It wasn't even on TV yet and it was just as the term celebrity chef was being bandied about - yet Nigella has always stated that she is a cook - not a chef.
It was the images of her in her home, with a young family, living out everyday life that intrigued me. The way the show was edited showed that Nigella was a working Mum, to two happy and energetic children, who was also doing her best to support her husband through a very difficult time. I know a lot has already been written about that time, especially lately as she was in court. I am not concerned really with the reality - as in everything my perception of her then is my reality and it is going to take a lot more to change my admiration for her.
Nigella's style has morphed over time to become more and more set. In the first few episode Nigella wore more relaxed clothing but eventually settled on the combination of a long skirt (dark), fitted scoop-neck top and cardigan that was somehow held in place (sewn on?) in a variety of colours.
Off- camera Nigella is still very classical in her dressing. At red-carpet events Nigella sticks to scuplted pieces - often by Vivenee Westwood - that support and show off her figure. Latley, Nigella has been wearing pants and blazers with cute printed tops underneath but still sticking to mainly dark colours. Lately (and I have tried to show it in some of these photographs) Nigella has an element of vintage in her clothes too. Cat's eye glasses, winged eyeliner, beautiful cascading hair.
There is just something about this film - isn't there? The way it looks at things that might be thought of as scary or weird or frightening.
I love the part in the film where Benjamin talks about the house at night - everyone breathing, a mouse scurrying over the floor, the heater making noise - all just natural noises in a house.
The other thing I love about the film (apart from Brad Pitt) is the costuming of Cate Blanchett's character, Daisy.
Here are some of my favourite outfits that she wears (looking lovely and slim and dancer-like while I feel like a hippo whose skin is about to burst!)
I love this film - not just for the story and location - filmed on the Cote de Azur - but for Elsa - the "brilliant" flame of Cecile's father, Raymond. In the 1957 film she is played by Mylene Demongeot - an actress that I was unaware of until I saw the film.
This flim, and Elsa's wardrobe make it feel like summer already. I am sorry there are not more photos showing her amazing dresses. Costuming and wardrobe were by Hope Bryce (costume coordinator) and May Walding (wardrobe)
I recoreded this movie ages ago but only got around to watchng it recently - how I wish I had watched it sooner.
I used to do ballet lessons and have always been fascinated by the life a dancer leads but this film really debunks the myths that it is all glamour and froth and also gave me much more insight into the life that Dame Margot Fonteyn lead. The only thing I really knew about her was that she danced with Nureyev and there was a large age difference but it didn't show on the stage. I had no idea that her husband had been shot nor that he was an ambassador.
The costume design was by Amy Roberts whose other films and television work include: Upstairs Downstairs and Brassed Off and many telemovies. Being born in 1949 would have made her about 10 when the movie is set - and you can see that she shows all the different fashions of the period (Margot is very conservative whereas Nureyev is clearly bohemian).
"At the age of forty Dame Margot Fonteyn is considered to be past her
best as a prima ballerina and Ninette de Valois is reducing her roles at
the Royal Ballet. Then the exciting young Russian dancer Rudolf
Nureyev, a recent defector to the West, comes into her life and her bed
and revitalizes her career. Frederick Aashton creates a new ballet for
them and they become the golden couple of the ballet world. However,
Margot is married to Roberto 'Tito' Arias, a Panamanian politician of
dubious repute who is not sympathetic to her calling and is probably
faithless. When he is shot and paralyzed for life Margot must carry on
dancing well into her sixties in order to pay for his costly treatment
though she still collaborates with Rudolf in the occasional ballet."
Here is my third glamorous Mum: Candice De Ville also known as Super Kawaii Mama.
Super Kawaii Mama was one of the first blogs I ever began following - I think I may have created a blog just so that I could follow her. I love Candice's style and quirky accessories and for me, being Australian, it is great to see fashion posts that I can apply to my wardrobe - at once!
This photo belongs to the gallery entitled Daily Outfit - please find it here.
I very much admire the way that Ms De Ville keeps her professional life separate from her home life but at the same time manages to convey her love for her girls and home. When I started my blog I thought that it would all be about fashion and vintage things but I have been unable to keep food out and recipes and pictures of my cat etc.
Again, SKM is one of those mothers that seems to have-it-together and is not apologetic for the fact that she will turn up at the school gate looking like she is loving the life she leads. I think that the balance she has struck between work and home life works very well. And what's more, she is so generous with her knowledge. On her website you can find links to her video tutorials, beauty secrets, product reviews and information about the regular workshops she holds for ladies who have an interest in vintage styling.
The book will be available on November 6, 2012 and Amazon have this to say about it:
Have you ever wondered what everyday life is like inside a modern,
aristocratic Parisian household? The French are notoriously secretive
when it comes to their private lives, but Jennifer L. Scott’s Lessons from Madame Chic uncovers the very secrets and lifestyle traits that allow Parisians to live such fulfilling and passionate lives.
Jennifer also has a blog: The Daily Connoisseur and a YouTube channel and a Twitter channel, which cover many topics such as book reviews, interesting female personalities, product reviews, cookbooks, how to make drinks, how to do a manicure - everything you could thin of.. orchids!
I found Jennifer through her YouTube channel. I loved her videos so much. I went a watched all of them in one sitting and I do still go back and watch some of them to refresh my memory about certain things. Most of her videos are based on the ideas that appear in her book about how to live life like a French women.
Here are my favourite videos:
How Jennifer stores her make-up - I have some weird obsession with seeing how other people live. Any video about re-arranging a pantry or wardrobe is sure to interest me so I loved the chance to sneak a peak in her vanity.
Only Use the Best Things You Have - I have spoken about this attitude awhile back when my Great Grandmother passed. Life is too short to think "I will only use that for best". Nora Ephron wrote an article about it awhile that was reprinted in London Times and tweeted by Nigella Lawson. Everyone should be using all their lovely things every day because then every day will be lovely.
Staying Chic while Expecting - Obviously this is interesting to me. After watching it I went out and bought quite a few pairs of leggings (though mostly cheaper ones than mentioned in the video) and I have also noted that as I will only be wearing these clothes for a short while I do not need piles and piles of maternity wear. I am going for a maternity capsule wardrobe - another topic covered by Jennifer. I am still wearing my pre-maternity tops and some skirts with stretchy waists - but I have to confess I cannot wait until it is warmer and I can wear beautiful floaty clothes and sarongs!
Jennifer has two children - one which is alomst a newborn so I am finding all of her advice and tips especially handy at this point in time. Here's hoping I can be as chic as Jennnifer and Madame Chic.
With impending Motherhood only 18 weeks away (OMG) - I have been seriously searching blogs and websites for mothers that have that something extra - everyday women who juggle work, home life and do it all very stylishly. I am sure their little girls growing up will be thinking "I want to be just like Mum".
In an attempt to steal some of their style I will be featuring a few on my blog over the next couple of Mondays. Please click on the images to take you directly to that post or the header to take you to her home page.
Here is the first:
Bethany's blog The Glamorous Housewife is amazing. As someone who has worked in movies (as a prop stylist I think) she has a great eye for detail and colour. The bright, happy feel of her blog is a genuine reflection of her personality. I don't think I have seen her wear all black on her blog yet, nor do I see much black when you look around her home. And speaking of her home. The kitchen - the flamingos, the dining room with the wallpapered ceiling - is there anything that I don't want to steal?
To fulfill the part of a glamorous Mum I think you have to be pretty clue-y when it comes to fashion and this is where I fall down but where Bethany excels. She does a great series called "You Got The Where?" which details vintage-inspired items that she finds at department stores and how she styles them to fit in with her "look"
Bethany is completely honest with her readers, which makes for some very funny reads (ie - when comparing herself to Martha Stewart) and entertaining YouTube videos. It's on her recommendation that I went and bought a good under eye concealer. Here is her latest video from YouTube - fish tacos. Don't you just love the way she says "Hi Dolls"?
When I look at The Glamorous Housewife blog - I honestly do not know who
she finds the energy, motivation and time to create such a wonderful
life for her family. I will definitely be doing my best to emulate her.
Here are some amazing shoes and her beautiful Ariella
