Prêt- à- Portea ...at The Berkeley Hotel

My sister was in town over the weekend and we went for tea at The Berkeley Hotel- not just any ordinary tea- Prêt- à- Portea! (Clever, yes?) They are rather famous for this and for those who have never heard of it, basically,  every season, The Berkeley looks at the current season's latest catwalk looks and takes inspiration from it by incorporating them into their Afternoon Tea.

Even the china was by Paul Smith! The tea selection was also quite different from many places we go to. Our lovely waiter let me try various teas, I opted for 'Mint Chocolate Truffle' tea (yes, tea!)  followed by the  'Pear Caramel' tea. My sister had The Berkeley blend. They also presented our table with a lovely personalised name card with my name on it.

Paul Smith Classic Stripe Collection China

 

Inspiration for this tea set:

Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Burberry Prorsum, Sonia Rykiel, 

Bottega Veneta, Jil Sander, Lanvin, Miu Miu, Stella McCartney

(Click on photos to enlarge! 

It's the explanation for which piece is inspired by which designer!)

 

 

Burberry Trench

 

Valentino Clutch

Miu Miu Shoes

P.S- For people interested in FOOD, check out my sister's blog for her culinary adventures in France. http://chezjoyce.tumblr.com

V xx

Today I'm Wearing

Rabbit & Fox Fur Cape Jacket--- Cypress (high street shop in Hong Kong)
Grey Bag--- Prada
Sunglasses--- Tom Ford
Black Cotton Jumper--- H &M
Black Jeans--- Miss Selfridge
Black Thigh-High Boots--- Cypress

   

Since the weather has been seriously playing up ( freezing in the morning, super warm in the afternoon, freezing AGAIN starting late afternoon), I've thrown on a very versatile cape/jacket, versatile in a practical sense- lightweight but with a fur collar to keep me warm early and late in the day.

This jacket colour is SOOOO different and unique ...it's actually a dark brown fading into a green...doesn't sound too appealing on paper and no doubt, this is a hard jacket/colour to wear...but I think I've managed it as I'm still quite fair at the moment.

I've made the jacket the main piece of my outfit by dressing in black and adding another block of colour (the bag) to keep everything simple. I've even put my hair up just to keep everything easy on the eyes. One of my more different items of clothing...but I like different =)! I love classic pieces with a twist!

Useful Tip:
When wearing a unique piece like this jacket, don't try to overpower it by mixing in too many colours. I even kept my boots black just to play it a little more simple.

V xx

Tonight I'm Wearing

Coral Pink Crochet Dress --- ASOS Petite
Yellow Clutch Bag --- ASOS
Fox and Mink Fur Jacket
Black Heels--- Christian Louboutin

I felt like some splashes of colour tonight, but in sticking with my style...so OF COURSE I'm wearing a BLACK fur jacket and BLACK heels-  just enough for me to feel comfortable in knowing I won't be a glowing lightbulb (afterall, it's not quite warm enough yet- have to make sure I get use out of my winter pieces before the season is over !)

 I love this coral pink colour and the crochet stitch style makes it more interesting and adds a touch of warmth and texture to the whole ensemble. The yellow and the coral are absolutely must-have colours for this Spring/ Summer season...and what a bargain - both pieces from ASOS! The buttons on the dress have a hint of gold which goes perfectly with the gold hardware on the bag.

Useful Tip:
Noone wants to see my pasty white legs (well, it's not quite me to show my legs like that anyway), but match some black tights with some heels = MIRACLE LEG LENGTHENING! And suddenly, I'm 5'8!

Have a good evening everyone!

V xx

Today I'm Wearing

Green Cotton Jersey Top--- ASOS
Brown Leather Bag--- Mulberry
Black Jeggings--- Topshop Petite
Shoes--- Gina

I've gone extra easy and simple today! This top (because it's so comfy) I actually have it in a purple as well! I'm sure you guys will start noticing very soon if I like something and if it's available in different colours...I WILL INVEST (well, only if the colour suits me!). I like to shop like this because I will mention again that I'm a little short, so anything that I find that has a relatively good fit, I will definitely consider in different colours!

The plum hue of the Gina heels gives the outfit a bit more colour, but doesn't overpower the green of the top as they both share similar tones. The gold soles of the shoes make the outfit stand out a little more but in a very understated way.

This top has a small row of 4 buttons sitting just beneath the neck tie- I'll try and get a close-up next time- perhaps using in purple version =) !

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

V xx

Today I'm Wearing

Blue Cotton Blouse --- Dolce and Gabbana
Black Jeans--- Topshop Petite
Brown Leather Belt- Gucci
Brown Leather Bag---Mulberry
Sunglasses--- Tom Ford
Mint Green Loafers--- Tods

Instead of going  for obviously brown shoes to match the belt or the bag, I've gone for MINT colour- soooooo this season- on my feet! I love the tone, the colour, the shape of the shoe- just everything!

I love the details in the blouse from the necktie to the collar (where it buttons-see how the shirt comes together) to the cuffs!

I must admit, D&G blouses don't fit me properly in the sleeves- so believe it or not...if you take a look in these photos...I have actually FOLDED the cuffs once,  then buttoned them together from the insides turned out (confusing explanation i know)!

I think I've done a good job making up for the fact that I'm too short for D&G...I think the sleeves look all right =) !

Useful Tip:
Keep hair off the face when showing off a special detail around the neck area.

 V xx

Today I'm Wearing

 My Style: Mixing High and Low (and today... vintage too!)

Today I'm Wearing:

Salmon/Pink Colour Blouse--- Miss Selfridge
Black Body--- ASOS
Black Jeggings--- J Brand
Brown Leather Belt--- Gucci
Mongolian Sheepskin Gilet--- Vintage Tom Ford Gucci
Sunglasses--- Tom Ford
Grey Bag--- Prada
Loafers--- Tods

 

This gilet is one of my favourite pieces in my vintage collection. It's slightly difficult for me to find clothes that fit properly due to my height (i.e. I can't even shop at ZARA because I'm too short for everything- I could just cry!) So when I found this beauty, I was incredibly excited! A little piece of Gucci while Tom Ford was still the creative director? Yes, please!

For this style of gilet, it's not easy to find one THIS short and with a good fit- well for me anyway. They are usually much longer (bum-skimming) with less volume, and in more basic colours such as white, black or multi, and though this past season they were 'in',  there still were not that many variations to choose from. Lucky for me, I got this a few years ago from the Elio Ferraro vintage concession in Selfridges! They are amazing and have a very nicely sourced collection.

I don’t like things to be so ‘matchy’ so you’ll notice that even though the bag and the shoes are generally the same colour, they are not the same tone. The bag is darker and the shoes are a much lighter pastel shade (and it even carries a slightly purple hue which compliments the blouse!). If you’re going out after work, swap the loafers for some heeled boots or pumps…et voila! Instant outfit change!

As for the top- the salmon pink coloured blouse from Miss Selfridge- I own it in…..guess how many colours......

.... no less than 4!

I love this blouse! It’s actually VERY LONG (especially at the back), but the material is thin enough for me to tuck into trousers without much hassle and bulk. This salmon pink colour is just perfect for this upcoming season and the gorgeous colour palettes! Look forward to showing everyone in upcoming posts the other colours the blouse comes in and how to wear it in different ways which I’ll doing in my ‘Versatility’ post in a few days!

Useful Tip:

When you’re wearing a statement piece such as the gilet in this outfit, keep everything else simple and tidy. The gilet doesn’t need to be fighting anything else for the spotlight. Understated and simple is the KEY to working this look!

V xx

Today I'm Wearing

My Style: Mixing high and low

Today I'm Wearing:

Blue Military Coat--- Pinko
Grey Cotton Jumper--- H & M
Black Jeggings--- Topshop Petite
Grey Bag--- Prada
Nails--- my own (haha) with Bio Sculpture Gel colour: Paradise Pink
Sunglasses--- Tom Ford

I love to match my 'metals' or what I like to refer to as 'hardware'.

Meaning, if I'm wearing something with gold (in this instance, let's say the gold buttons on my coat) I will match it to something else with a hint of gold (in this case, the gold hardware on my bag and sunglasses). It's quite simple really..and I think it pulls any outfit together!

I don't, however, make matching hardware or ANYTHING a rule! I find a lot of people restrict themselves on what colours they can or cannot wear. Common 'rules' such as "can't wear black and brown together" or "can't wear navy and black together" go in one ear and out the other for me.

I don't care so long as everything looks good! So ditch the rules everyone and wear whatever works for YOU!

V xx