luxelocal: June 2012

Saturday 30 June 2012

RIP Geriatric Rapunzel thanks to Real Housewives

If someone is considering a radical change to their hair style would they normally think long and hard and consult magazines etc?

For the first time I watched a TV show about Housewives (I'm not a daytime tv person but had been trying to find updates about the flooding)Honestly!

The show came on and I was hooked with both horror and fascination, and then a sneaking suspicion that I may not be a million miles from the specimens that I was observing with such morbid curiosity.

First I watched all the blonde ladies from the OC with and their hideous pursuit of youth. And the Housewives of New York and their hideous pursuit of material possessions.

The universal factor that united the two shows was women of a certain age with locks in terrible condition trying to look young with long hair. I don't think that the rule about women over 40 and hair length should be rigidly adhered to, after all great hair is great hair at any age, if it is really lustrous and thick, but if ever there was evidence that aging hair on an aging woman is well...aging, it is in these shows.

In the advertisement break, I reached for the scissors and cut 5 inches off my own stringy rat's tails

Have you ever done any thing radical with your hair on a whim?

Friday 29 June 2012

Lunch at Coworth Park

I couldn't wait to return to Coworth park after the dinner and and spa day.

It is dog friendly and with 100s of acres of polo fields the perfect place to while away the hours.

We met for coffee on the terrace overlooking the grounds, walked the dog for a couple of hours and then visited the Barnyard, the more rustic of the restaurants for lunch, after a bit more dog walking and a look around the spa which my companion had not seen, we returned to the main house for a post lunch coffee in the conservatory. It was a perfect day and great way to catch properly on all the news that we had not shared over the last few months. Coworth is definitely an occasion and demands a suitable outfit.

I have been unearthing some long forgotten treasures from my wardrobe and selected this Blumarine coral embellished silk and cashmere top (that I bought but could never fit into), very old Zara silk trousers, Versace shoes from Bicester from about 10 years ago, a (new!) Temperley bag, bought during last week's trip to Bicester and a new purse picked up from Wilbur and Gussie on Ebay.

The view from the terrace...

Gorgeous interiors in the loos...

Covetable interiors in the drawing room, I just want to move in...

The swan table should be the height of bad taste, but even this works brilliantly in the scheme....

The mini country village that houses 'The Barnyard' restaurant, all very Marie Antoinette...

We had potted trout to share to start and then I had goat's cheese brioche with mushrooms and mixed leaves and my companion had beetroot, walnut and mixed leaves plus a large sparkling water and it cost £29, which is not bad for a full day's entertainment!

Perfect day, looking forward to another excuse to visit.

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Bicester Village

Bicester was celebrating the jubilee in a suitably stylish way....

I loved this Cavalli collection when it was first in the shops, but I am not sure about luxe hippie any more, it seems really dated.

Anya hindmarch was had some better bargains than there have been for a while, some of the bags now starting with a £2, where it has been a £3 for the last year.

I liked all the color at Ted Baker, I am not sure what has come over me I am suddenly craving colour, I think it is the bad weather.

Pop up for London fashion designers, it was women's wear, now it is men's wear.

I think it was Missoni that got me into the colour mood, they seem to do it in a subtle way..

Tory Burch, the perfect antedote to grey British summer...

Mulberry, not much going on and still only 50% off, so could have bought for that price last year..

Marni, it just looks like H & M collection to me...

Jack Wills, actually more expensive than the sales in the shops, how does that work?

Valentino up to 90% off, they know how to do a good sale...

Matthew Williamson, really beautiful clothes that would last for ever at 75% off...

Temperley suitably patriotic, I did splash out here...

Bought the orange dress below and matching bag.

Jimmy Choo, I just think Chinese copy...

Amanda Wakely still the best value, the most amazing silks and silk jerseys for less money than buying the fabrics and making the dress...

Where do you go for good sales shopping? Or do you prefer the ease and anonymity of online shopping?

vanita rosa where the sun always shines...

This is my favourite fashion brand ever and there are so many reasons for its place in my heart.
1. I discovered it on a sublime holiday in St Barths where everything is magical and every time I see any VR piece it just screams 'holiday, party, holiday' at me.
2. I have watched the shop morph from a mainly second hand shop, with a few linen pieces, to complete collections, to international collections and expansion to Paris, New York and the Hamptons
3. It's all been done through hard work and family, first mum was the designer and model, now it is her daughters and one of the dads does the pics, I get the idea that it all started out of necessity rather than a conventional cosy family life.
4. Mum is beautiful and a poster girl for women over 50 'still having it' and enjoying life to full, whatever life throws at them.
5. The clothes come in one size, but magically fit everyone from superskinny to around a UK 16, and they make everyone feel amazing
6. The clothes have a look that screams VR, to anyone who knows it, from a mile away, think finest linen, lots of lace, (yes really white lace on the beach!), heavy silk tie dye, prices from £350 to £1000+ so everything has to be top notch.
7. They really are handmade in France with lace from Chantilly (the atelier is on the website) you NEVER see any items copies on Chinese websites.
8. It is pink and pretty (a little like Juicy) but without that fatigue that you feel when you face a sea of branded merchandise, the St Barths shop still stocks other vintage designer stuff, or well-edited interesting items which makes it a treasure trove.
9. The look isn't mutton dressed as lamb, it looks great on teenagers, but Jane Fonda practically lives in it. I see lots of mothers and daughters who obviously make the trip on the first day of the holiday and then coordinate their Hermes bags to match their lace trim.
10. There perhaps wasn't the funds for expensive shoots at the beginning and the brand relied on 'street models' (ie normal people St Barths style) to get its name out and they still feature on the website, so the brand developed for real people first and fashion second.
11. There is the coolest pink Moke parked outside of the shop
12. Somehow even the Winter cashmeres and lace, still give the impression that you could be heading straight to the beach.

My holiday outfits inspired by VR are at the end, if only I had the funds to buy more than a couple of pieces of the real thing!