Author Archives: Dani - So Many Lovely Things

Nails of the week (08/08/2011)

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Red nails

Red. My nail colour passion really lies with reds. It is, hands down, the colour you are most likely to see on my nails throughout the year. It’s sexy, it’s classic and it goes with everything.

There is no hue discrimination – they can be orange-reds, pinkish-reds, deep red, burgundy red, blood-red, purplish reds, metallic reds, you get the idea – I just love them all.

This week, I am wearing, for the first time, a red from Miss Sporty‘s  lasting colour pro-brush line, which promises a “shock proof, chip and scratch-resistant formula which delivers 7 days durable colour with a high-shine finish”, apparently. The high-shine I can definitely see, still to trial the action men properties of this nail varnish in the next 7 days.

I found it a bit thick to apply, but the “pro-brush” is good – its shape really aids application. It is great value, at the moment, two bottles for £2.99 at Superdrug.

And of course, it is red – a vivacious tone of red, which I am really enjoying seeing on my nails after cheating on the scarlets with more trendy colours in the past weeks!

Chandelier earrings

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I have only just mentioned I am after statement earrings and as if by magic, Topshop headlines their newsletter with these gorgeous green chandelier earrings.  It must be a sign!

Different green stones (translucent, opaque and iridescent) give it some texture; I very much like that the design is quite different,  like weighing scales or flower hanging baskets. The earring is also a good size, at 5cm length, and priced is £14 – plus, they would complement very well my emerald green suede shoes, also from Topshop.

My second newsletter pick goes to Miss Selfridge with this pretty Ditsy pussybow dress for £46 – really like how it is styled for the newsletter: with burgundy tights, green cross-body bag and “vintage rose” sandals (for me doesn’t look much vintage rose, it is more brick coloured – that lovely warm burnt-dark-orange, leaning towards red). Love the look.

My pre-A/W 11-12 wishlist

Posted in Accessories, Dresses, Fashion, Shoes by
midi River Island skirt

To midi or not to midi? Regardless of length, the colours are spot on!

As the shops tease poor souls like myself with brand new shop windows in anticipation to the new season, I have been making a wish list of items I think will be key in my wardrobe for the Autumn.

I have quickly warmed to the colours I have seen around and I am looking out for mustard, navy, cobalt and petrol blues, grey, rich golden beige, tan, burgundy, and jewel tones. Very pleased that colours will seep into the new season, and I look forward to explore palettes I haven’t before (like navy blue, weirdly). It also makes a great change from the usual mostly dark wear for the colder months.

From the wish list below, I have already bought a few but most are yet to be purchased, I am keeping an eye out for them – watch this space!

1. Midi length skirts – still not sure how I will fare on one, as I am quite short and the midi has always been a no-no (as far as my mirror tells me), but it really looks like midi will be the only length for the coming season, I may have to embrace.  Almost bought this cutie one from River Island, fell in love with the pattern, but sadly, after all the garments on my size were defective, I’ve gone off it a bit.  I am officially on midi skirts watch.

Primark mustard lace dress

Bargain!

2. A navy blue blazer – I am a big blazer fan (even though in the office they always ask me why I look so smart), and I have put an order in for a lovely one from H&M (have to say, their A/W collections is very nice!)

3. A checked jacket – it’s cute, exhales some countryside Englishness and can have a mix of all the colours I am into at the moment. H&M, once again, has a cute one for a unmissable £19.99!

4. A tailored coat  that has feminine details –  this one from H&M is pretty much what I want, as design goes, but doesn’t really seem that warm. I suppose I have to touch it, try it on and see, so I placed an order (not due until mid August).

5. Dresses – a mustard lace one, bought for a steal in Primark (£17), a burgundy, a cobalt blue and a purple-ish, still to be found!

6. Tan loafer heels – I bought some cheap ones from New Look, 10cm chunky heels, very Maggie Thatcher! Turned out to be a good fit, sizing is spot on and they are quite comfortable, as they are very square, so no squashed toes!

7. Flat tan leather boots – for the daily grind. Have my eyes on one from very.co.uk, the Love Label Dustin riding boots, a true staple. At the moment, site says it ships in five weeks, so might wait a bit to order.

8. Statement earrings – yes, they are back. I remember when I was about 16 and these massive, heavy American Indian heads, dangling with all sorts – metal feathers, beads, the kitchen sink, you name it – were all the rage. I love big earrings.

9. Statement rings – in the new season colours – don’t think I need to elaborate on this one, this post says it all.

10. A choker – I haven’t been big on necklaces lately, but want to jump on the choker bandwagon, my mum has always been a big fan. Not sure if I want a very flamboyant or a more demure one. Might love it so much and end up buying several.

Topshop Glam suede shoes in green

11. Emerald green heels – tried to bag a super bargain from Zara, but that proved to be a fiasco. Instead, went for the highly affordable Topshop Glam court shoes, in green suede, for £46.

12. Mustard and navy blue tights – tights tights tights, I really love tights. I remember when I arrived in England, I felt so cold, but so cold that I couldn’t even bear the thought of wearing tights in the winter (I used to wear four layers: 2 tights, leggings and jeans, 2 socks!). Nine years on, I don’t think I’ve worn trousers for the past two winters!

As we say goodbye to short sleeves and bare legs, I am sure more tendencies will catch my eye – I will be posting them avidly – but I think these are certainly a great flavour of what is yet to come, and will help me step into the new season in style!

A/W 11-12 trend alert: jewel tones

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Gemstones

Sparkle! Sparkle!

Really excited to read that jewel tones will be quite trendy for Autumn/Winter 2011-12. As a colour lover, this is great news; I can see a (yet another) new obsession coming.

I love the fact that emerald, amethyst, sapphire, topaz and ruby colour pallettes will be gracing our wardrobes – the fact most people dress in greys, browns and blacks in the colder months just makes it more miserable. A colour splash will certainly help to brighten up the day!

I had already spotted the trend, which started shy at the end of the summer collections,  at the back of the bright colour blocking bandwagon, and is growing as the new season collections come around – I have already purchased some items in line with it (mustard dress/tops and emerald green shoes) , and have my eyes on some sapphire-coloured pieces.

This is also a great excuse to buy statement rings with a massive stone!

Check Vogue’s picture gallery with the sparkling hues.

Rich!

Can’t let go of my Schutz shoes!

Posted in Lifestyle, Shoes by
Schutz shoes

My "vintage" Schutz shoes

I cannot recollect when I started loving shoes, it was certainly  at a very young age. What I do remember is falling in love with them again, in different ways, when introduced to Brazilian shoe makers Arezzo and Schutz – they were my staples when I lived in Brazil: almost all of my shoes were either  Arezzo or Schutz.

I started to love the design, the materials, the quality and comfort a killer high heel can give you due to engineering. Far from something that protects my feet or accessorises the outfit, the shoes I buy become a part of me, they pretty much are the outfit.

I started following @Schutzoficial not long ago, to get updates, news and feel closer to one of the institutions that helped shape my love for shoes. When I was younger, there were Arezzos and Schutzs, I later discovered the Louboutins and Jimmy Choos.

When I noticed someone posted a picture of their recent Schutz, I decided to post a picture of a very old pair of mine, probably bought circa 2000/2001, and one of the very few that survived my move to London and 9 years beyond that. I just can’t let it go! And probably never will.

Today, they posted my Schutz “vintage” on their blog – the shoes that have been part of my life for about a decade, that danced lots the nights away, and luckily, cannot tell anyone what it has witnessed. What a nice surprise!

That is very sweet, thank you Schutz!

Cute clutch bags from Claudine London

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Strolling around the market in Covent Garden, I came across the Claudine London stall, dotted with colourful and sleek clutch bags.

The  art-deco inspired design is very unique. The lovely Claudine herself was manning the stall,  and she told me that each bag is hand made, with silk and velvet, and the perspex panels are sprayed individually, so they are all different (most bags have different colour on each side)!

From the Diffusion line, I loved the “Meriel” bag (pictured), which I picked up from  the stall and held on to longingly. Apparently,  the “Belle” is more popular, due to being bigger, thus enabling you to fit more  in. The price for the smaller bags is around £50.

She also told me that she is working on one of the bigger bags of the collection tonight, the one she had on display was a gorgeous asymmetric delight of a bag!

Even though the online shopping page of her site has been removed as it is going through improvements, she said if I get in touch she will post the desired bag to me, or she will inform of her next Covent Garden market stall days!

So, if you are looking for a clutch bag that is elegant, unique, can make an outfit and a statement, look no further!

Zac Posen sale items at the outnet.com

Posted in Dresses, Fashion by

Amazing, killer Zac Posen gowns going for 70% off at Outnet.com.

If you are looking for a very special dress for a very special occasion and have a bit of money to invest on it, I would definitely go for one of these.

My favourite is the Paneled Silk gown, so elegant in classic black and nude/grey (pictured),  I love the back detail – a true red carpet dress,  down from £4,210 to £1,230!

I also love the Pintucked stretch-silk gown in orange, the Assymetric chiffon gown in lavender, the Strapless crepe jersey gown in red and the One shoulder stretch silk gown in red.

Hooking up with my (shoe) crush

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Velvet Mushnik feather trim shoes, very.co.ukWell, the say you never forget your first love. Maybe it wasn’t love, but I have previously opened my heart about my very first Autumn/Winter 11-12 crush,  the Mushnik velvet feather trim shoes from Very.co.uk, which I came across on Coco’s Tea Party blog.

It turns out it is now available for sale, and the price is even better than publicised before: for a mere £38 you can get hold of these lovely shoes.

So I did – I could not neglect the powers of this crush, also, I really obsess with stuff.  I have succumbed to buying A/W items in July. There is no hope.

First of all, having never ordered from them before, I was very pleasantly surprised with Very’s service: placed my order on Monday 25/07 at around midday and requested delivery to a Collect+ point near work (I am now a massive fan of Collect+, everyone who retails online should use them!) and by 10am on Tuesday 26/07, I received a text saying my item was ready to collect. Thumbs up for them.

Velvet Mushnik feather trim shoes, very.co.ukNow, back to the shoes – they are very period drama like – maybe it is the velvet, or the deep burgundy on them, maybe it is just the combo of the fabric with the feathers and “jewels”, it just hides enough of the peep-toe, making it ideal to wear with thicker tights in the colder months. It is a statement shoe, but without being too overpowering.

It is quite true to size, a comfortable 4, almost a 4.5 to be exact and even though it has 5 inches heels, there is a considerable hidden platform, I found them rather comfortable (I was wearing them for ages to get the pictures taken, still to see how they fare on a night out!).

With my eyes on the A/W trends, I have decided I will wear them with a mustard lace dress I bought (ok, alright, the shoes were not the first A/W item I bought this season, go on, judge me!), and I think it will look fab!

I have now more staple items than ever on my new season to buy list, and if the thought of cold, dark, 30-layers-that-make-u you-look-ginormous 5 months to come  is enough to make me depressed, building my new season wardrobe is the silver lining that keeps me going!

*P.S.: I might ogling and dribbling over A/W stuff, and even buying a few (I am actually suffering in silence, trying not to max out my credit card on new season stuff!)- it doesn’t mean I gave up on summer – never – even if it is grey, wet and with temperatures so pathetic that are just above the winter days in my home country.

Nails of the week (01/08/2011)

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Nails painted with Colorama Rosa PinkThis week  I am once again going for an old time favourite in gorgeous summery bright pink.

The fact the sun finally showed its rays over the weekend really inspired me, and I thought my nails deserved yet another bright colour splash, to keep the mood going, as if I knew we were doomed to have a grey Monday.

This nail polish was bought ages ago and it is by Colorama, which I think is the best nail polish brand in the world (in terms of duration, ease of application and price),  from their “artistic” range, in “Rosa Pink”.

Love it!