Spring Carnival Style Part 2: Melbourne Cup

If there's ever an occasion to go all out in terms of colour, boldness and fun, I'm pretty sure Melbourne Cup has to take the cake.  As soon as I saw this gingham 'That's Daaling' dress in Binny's lookbook, I knew it was the one I wanted to style for her Spring Carnival edit.  I mean, it's gingham! In gorgeous bold colours, ruffled and tiered! How could I not? It was begging to be styled in a super fun way, and boy, did I have fun styling it (the most fun look of the four I styled for Binny, you can see Derby Day look here)!

It is all about bold bright colours this year for Spring Carnival, think red, shocking pink, cobalt, green, yellow and orange, as is asymmetry and volume.  Exaggerated silhouettes, such as this one, is best paired with structure for a fresher look, so I picked this gorgeously glossy Cult Gaia bag, that is pretty enough to sit on your display cabinet to ground the look somewhat. I love to contrast colours and textures, and even though everything is "matching", I like to do so in a balanced way, the silk top mini topknot headband by Sylvy Earl is pure colour but rendered elegantly, especially when juxtaposed with this crazy amazing work-of-art sculptural shoes by Dolce and Gabbana (seriously, how stunning are they?).  To keep a look from looking too try-hard, I find it is best for the accessories not to match perfectly (for example, red shoes, red bag, red headwear), but to pick an element or colour or theme, that you see recurring within the outfit, and look for harmony within it all, if that makes sense.

 

 

Sunglasses: Gucci (avail. at Forzieri)

Ring: Vintage

Earrings: Betina de Luca x Wai Wai parrot earrings, Iosselliani drop earrings (avail. at Luisaviaroma)

Headband: Sylvy Earl (available in other gorgeous colours too)

Bangle: Objet Singulier (from Matches)

Bag: Cult Gaia Eos bag (green seems to be sold out everywhere, but available in brown at MatchesFashion and David Jones, and in white at Saks )

Shoes: Dolce & Gabbana Majolica vase sandals from MyTheresa

Dress: Binny (still available in most sizes at Binny, otherwise search for 'That's Daaling' dress if your size is sold out)



Styling and photography by yours truly.



Mani idea for this outfit (although I had a neutral colour on myself), love this 'smarties' idea by Dry by London:

Image from @drybylondon

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My Summer Raffia Bag edit

What started as a few suggestions on a great raffia bag to be worn with summer dresses for a friend of a friend has snowballed a little; well, because I have a serious thing for raffia and wicker bags, I'm afraid, and got a little carried away, so many gorgeous options to choose from!

I can't get enough of the Loewe raffia bags.  I already own and use (soooo often) my basket bag and the slit tote; and would seriously consider adding this to the family were it not sold out. Have placed myself on the waiting list for when it is restocked though, just in case (directly at Loewe).

Loewe Slit Large tote (avail. at 24S and Matchesfashion and NAP) - I wanted a hands-free 'beach bag' but have been using it almost every day lately.

Loewe basket bag (have taken this with me to countless trips (the large pictured above is available at Matchesfashion, mine is the medium, which is currently sold out)

Another Loewe option I think is so cute is Gate leather and raffia bag (avail. from Matches and the super cute mini size at NAP)

This Cesta Collective bag is too cute! (avail. at Matchesfashion as is the opposite colour way here).

They also make such cute basket bags!

Camel and black lunch pail available at Orchard Mile

Savanna Bay raffia bucket bag by Heidi Klein (available at Matches)

Ok, so I have been telling myself "I don't need another raffia bag, I don't need another raffia bag", but after months of telling myself, I still just succumbed to this Albus Lumen x Helen Kaminski Figura bag, the top is lined in leather, and I'm not sure how practical it is (can update you when it arrives), but it does double as a home ornament, it's just so beautiful! Love its lines, relaxed yet sophisticated vibe.

Albus Lumen x Helen Kaminski Figura bag avail at Matchesfashion - also in black and dark brown brown and Net-a-Porter - also in olive and dark brown)

Carolina Santo Domingo small woven mohair and raffia bucket bag (available at Orchard Mile and Net-a-Porter)

Gucci Raffia tote (medium from Gucci, large from 24s)

Gucci Marmont GG small shoulder raffia bag (avail. from Gucci)

Gucci Marmont GG raffia small shoulder bag (avail. from Gucci in beige trim and green trim)  - these are definitely a dressier option that hardly looks like raffia, but thought I'd include them here in case it tickles someone's fancy.

I know, not raffia, but I have been lusting after this bag (and the rectangular version) since I first saw it, and think it's the perfect accessory for summer dresses day or night:Saint Laurent Kate small bamboo bag (avail. at Barneys and Saks) and oh my, had to include the same bag in wicker from Barneys.

In contrast, a much more relaxed (yet I find still sophisticated) vibe from Hunting Season: raffia and leather shoulder bag (avail. at NAP - also in a smaller size called the 'Lola')

Also like this cute Hunting Season trunk (avail. at Matchesfashion)

Sparrow's Weave (a new Australian-based label which I am absolutely loving) The Round wicker and leather top handle bag available at Matchesfashion

Sparrows Weave The Cylinder wicker and leather bag (avail. at Matchesfashion also so gorgeous in Burgundy )

Mango round raffia bag (on sale at MNG)

Ulla Johnson Raya bag (at Shopbop and Moda Operandi and NAP))

Kayu Lucie bag from NAP (also so cute in green at Amour Verte and pink from IfChic)

Ok, the large is quite large but so chic for daytime: Jil Sander leather trim raffia tote bag from Matchesfashion (cute smaller version - nighttime appropriate as well as day, available at Moda Operandi), when I first saw it my jaw may or may not have dropped.

Do you guys like any of the above? Any further recommendations for a good raffia bag that will go nicely with summer dresses?

xx

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Spring Carnival Style Part 1: Derby Day

I just realised my last outfit post was not only two (two!) years ago (sorry blog), but that in it I mentioned I had styled a campaign shoot for Australian label Binny, and that I would share more about that, and....I never did (nor any of my previous styling work either in fact).  So my sincere apologies about that!  It is always a pleasure working with Binny, and I always have a ball styling her gorgeously fun pieces.  It has even changed my own personal style, with the addition of too many gorgeous Binny 'print' pieces to my wardrobe to mention (look ma, I wear prints now!).   My latest collaborative project with Binny was a little different: instead of styling a beautiful, tall model, well, the pictures below give away whom I had got to style instead.

 So this time I had the pleasure of styling a Spring Carnival edit for Binny, choosing pieces from her latest Spring 2019 collection 'A Passage to India'.

I feel I must preface this by admitting that I have never attended any racing event (Spring or not), but that's one of my favourite things about styling, stepping into someone else's shoes, and creating looks for that person instead of myself; in this instance, melding in my own personal style.

My strongest association to Racing Style comes from an old classic movie :"My Fair Lady".  Who can forget Audrey Hepburn's incredible black and white ensemble, with billowy ruffles and oversized bows?  So here is the first of the four looks I styled for Binny's Spring Carnival edit, for Derby Day, where the 'dress code' is monochorome in either all white, all black, or black and white.  Binny's uber dreamy Poppadom dress was perfection itself, with its ruffled neckline and billowy sleeves and ethereal pleated chiffon.  I used to ato see the racing fashion (particularly in 2019) is moving to more fluid dresses, that are soft and body skimming rather than restrictive and figure-hugging, A-line silhouettes and soft fabrics that move and flow with you.  This Poppadom dress ticks all the boxes, complete with its ruffled neckline that is "so hot right now" (a la Zoolander), as are its billowy sleeves, which paired with structure, puts a modern date twist on a classic silhouette.

I'm afraid this dress has already sold out on Binny's site (no surprise here, did you see how gorgeous Bella Thomas is in it?).  But email them and they can point you to their stockists who may still have this dress in stock, or a quick google search may lead you to some left, such as here, here, here and here.

You can also see my Melbourne Cup look here.



Headbands are set to dominate 2019 Spring Carnival, embellished with petals or leaves, pearls, and crystals.  I  prefer a headband or crown to a fascinator for a fresher feel, and this beauty by Sylvy Earl (remember my last post) was perfect for this ensemble, the gold helix echoing the ruffled neckline so perfectly.



Pearls pearls pearls, whether on your headband, on a hair clip (or more than one, worn layered together), or even your bag and jewellery, there is a reason it is a timeless classic.

Round and square bags are trending for 2019, and even if they weren't, I really wanted a circular bag for this look, again to echo the ondulations on this dress, which I repeated with a cute hoop with drop pearl earrings.



I wanted to add some texture to the mix and introduced this crystal and feather belt by Rosantica (available at Net-a-Porter), in fact, I must admit I wasn't very familiar with this brand until this styling project, but wow!  From earrings, to belts, to bags, too many fabulous pieces to pick from!



And I cannot believe I have not mentioned these gorgeous sunray pleats...LOVE!

Ah, these shoes by Jimmy Choo! I love big bows and I cannot lie...

Taking another moment to appreciate this gorgeous sleeves, I mean, seriously...

Dress: Binny Pomppadom dress (avail. here, here, here and here)

Shoes: Jimmy Choo Aveline Sandals (avail. in black from Jimmy Choo and Moda Operandi, in white from Saks Fifth Ave and Bloomingdale's,

Belt: Rosantica crystal and feather belt (available at Net-a-Porter) - 

Bag: Rosantica Yoko Ono pearl gold bag (sadly it seems it has been so popular it has sold out while I drafted this post!), also love this version (available at Marissa and in black at Moda Operandi - I almost chose this bag instead, it was a tough call)

Headband: Sylvy Earl Gold and Pearl Helix  (avail. in David Jones)

Bracelet: Gabriela Artigas delicate cuff (avail. in silver from Shopbop)

Sunglasses: Gucci Cat eye sunglasses (avail. from John Lewis)

Earrings: Shop the Curated (no longer avail., similar at NAP)

Styling and photography by yours truly.

EXTRA

Spring Carnival (this year in particular) is the occasion when you really do match everything, the headwear, earrings, bracelet, dress, shoes, bag, and I think the nails as well, and here are some ideas of what I would have done were I more skilled in the nail art department:

@thehangedit

@betina_goldstein

@drybylondon (in gold foil would look amazing!)

@betina_goldstein

That's the first look here, can't wait to share the other looks!  

Talk soon.

xx

CC

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