J Brand Obsessed – Lipstick Red Zoey Skinny Jeans

Coloured denim is what we like to call a game changer. As soon as you acquire a pair, it will give an instant facelift to your wardrobe. You guys already know that we are utterly obsessed with this trend, but a lot of girls seem to shy away from these vibrant colours because its hard to wear. Fear no more ladies – we’ve created three different looks for this amazing pair of J Brand Zoey skinny jeans in lipstick red. This colour is perfect to start your collection of coloured denim, as it is so versatile and ultra chic. Whether you’re heading for a visit to your local farmer’s market or going out for a night on the town, these babies will be an instant show stopper – guaranteed! Take a look and be inspired – these three options are only the beginning…

2012 Oscar Picks: Best Dressed

Its true that the Oscars are meant for honouring lifetime performances, incredible roles, and phenomenal talent… But lets be honest ladies, we just die to see the fashion!  Like millions of other fashionistas out there, we watched in anticipation as stars were arriving at the red carpet. There were some heated debates, as every detail of a star’s appearance was discussed – from hair and makeup, to the dress itself. Sometimes the room was split 50/50 between loving and hating a dress, and sometimes we all yelled “we love it!” in unison. But one thing is for sure, there were some incredible dresses worn last night.

Here is a Best Dressed list of the gowns that absolutely wowed us…

1. Michelle Williams looked absolutely stunning in a coral red Louis Vuitton gown. We love the silk layering details and the bow brooch on her waistline. This is such a beautiful silhouette and gives her an aura of femininity, which was so appropriate for her as she played Merilyn Monroe this year.

2.  One of the first to arrive on the red carpet, Milla wowed us in this white beaded Ellie Saab gown. This is an amazing contrast to her characteristically tough roles. She is just so stunning!

3.  Rose Byrne is a true beauty and this Vivienne Westwood gown shows off just how beautiful she is.  We love the black sequin and light silk layering at the back. Its so elegant and absolutely dazzling!

4.  Penelope always looks incredible! This timeless off the shoulder organza Armani Prive gown is perfect for the Oscars. We love its lavender grey tone and feminine shape. 

5.  Oscar nominee, Jessica Chastian’s Alexander McQueen gown is definitely one of our top favourites from the red carpet. The intricate golden detailing of this gown is so mesmerizing especially with her strawberry blond hair and fair complexion. She just looks so regal! We adore it!

6. Gweneth Paltrow is always a trend setter on the red carpet. She is known for wowing us in her minimalistic form hugging dresses. We couldn’t wait for her to take off her cape to see the full beauty of her gown and when she did ….well …it was amazing! She is definitely one of our faves from the night.  We love how elegant the white and the detail of the neckline are.

7. Cameron Diaz is always one of the stars we always can’t wait to see, both because of her amazing figure and the fact that she is styled by one of our favourite stylists – Rachel Zoe. This year was no different – Cameron and Rachel nailed it! The nude colour of this Gucci gown was perfect for Cameron’s complexion and the fit did justice to her figure. Stunning!

8.  Giuliana Rancic – Our last but not least best dressed pick goes to Guiliana. Yes, she’s not a nominee, but the starlets need to seriously take some fashion advice from her. Giuliana was glowing in her Tony Ward gown. We love this old hollywood look on her. The best part is that this dress is perfect from every angle, with inricate details on the front and the back . This dress was such a winner, we couldn’t stop gushing over it the entire night!

Hope everyone had a great Oscar night!

A&M

Airport ‘Ready to Fly’ Style

Hmm…what to wear to the airport?

We love travelling and so naturally the airport is like our second home.  That’s why when we travel, we try to wear pieces that are easy yet fashionable. We love to be comfortable for those really long flights, but simply refuse to compromise on style – you never know who might sit next to you on your next flight! Tights, boots, and a layering of a long sweater over a simple cami make this an easy look to achieve.

Here is a simple guide to how you can look stylish during your flight, while feeling at ease:

1. Warm Sweater– The planes are always so cold and its best to stay cozy in a warm sweater then try to keep warm in a staticky airplane blanket. We love a grandpa sweater, like the wool blend Tommy Hilfiger that M is wearing. Its loose, long shape provides for comfort while adding a stylish element to a look. Wear it over a pair of tights and you will be ready for travelling in style.
2. Scarf– this essential layering piece adds a little oomph of style to any outfit and is key when travelling because its so easy to just throw on or off.
3. Tights- there is not much to say here…we would live in tights every day if we could- so comfortable!
4. Comfortable Shoes– We always wear  a pair of comfortable shoes,  that can be taken off easily. M wore the  BCBG black leather riding boots,  and A brought her  brown leather Nine West boots.
5. Oversized Travel Bag– Having a large bag, like the neverfull  Louis Vuitton, is important for travelling because there are  A LOT of things a girl has to bring- an essential make up kit, a book, some magazines, ipod, cell phone, passport, etc etc….also, this allows one to have a little of extra room for last minute shopping at the airport ;)
6. Warm Socks–  We always wear or bring a pair of warm socks for the plane because we are super paranoid about being even the slightest bit cold.  Aside from this, socks are also important because they keep your feet clean when you are asked to take off your shoes at security. You do not want to be walking barefoot on that dirty (and cold) floor  :)

We hope you like our airport style…Of course the outfits will depend on the time of year and the destination. For us, these are the essential pieces that will work any time. Some people like to really dress up for the airport, while others dress down to a “i just rolled out of bed” look.  Regardless of what you choose to do, we hope our style ideas helped ;)

 

What do you prefer to wear to the airport? Any airport style ideas ladies?

Keep strutting,

A&M

Photo Diary: Day 1 in New York City

We landed in NYC Saturday night. Don’t you just love the way the city looks after dark?

After checking in, we tried to enjoy the view from our hotel… Such a typical NYC view!

Some tough choices needed to be made – What do we wear for a night out in the big apple? (M wore the black leather Danier dress, while A went for a black sequin Michael Kors)

Luckily, no tough choices needed to be made for our shoes – we packed light. (BCBGeneration pumps, Nine West Booties)

Thankfully, our New York sized room had a full sized mirror!

Our little bag of magic – only the essentials made it to NYC

We started our night with a delicious dinner at one of our favourite restaurants in NYC. Lavo’s great menu and amazing atmosphere makes it a place not to be missed!

 A perfect ending to our night – a glass of champagne. Cheers!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

xoxo

A&M

Style Icon: Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn is one of our all time favourites!

We first fell in love with Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Years after its initial release, this film continues to appeal to generations of young women, largely owing to Audrey’s unforgettable character and timeless style. In real life, Audrey has inspired the work of many designers and effortlessly turned the LBD into a wardrobe staple in every woman’s closet. Not only was she an amazing actress and fashionista, but she also had a really amazing heart and undertook many humanitarian initiatives during her lifetime.  She was so modest and her elegance, femininity and confidence are truly admirable to us and to many other women (and men)  in the world.

This is Audrey’s famous pose from Breakfast at Tiffany’s- she has such amazing poise and grace! We just love her!

This look is an instant classic…and actually served as an inspiration for one of our Halloween costumes last year. Its so easy to recreate and is a total show stopper ;)

Audrey has an amazing way of wearing the Breton stripped look. She looks so chic and elegant in it.

We absolutely love the full skirted designs she wore..white lace and black silk, what can be more elegant than this?

She looks so Equestrian here!

Here is our take on Audrey’s style :) You can recreate her timeless style with these or similar key pieces.

We would love to hear about how you put together your ‘Audrey’ looks.

Keep Strutting

A&M

My Skin Care Essentials

Do you ever find yourself standing in your local Sephora, trying to find the perfect skin care product among hundreds of options? I, for one, find it incredibly overwhelming to stare down a long isle of creams, cleansers and make up removers, all with equal promises to give you that flawless complexion we’re all lusting for. So, after experimenting with multiple products, talking with girlfriends and beauty experts, I’ve finally figured out a skin care ritual that works for me.

1. Kinerase Gentle Daily Cleanser: I start with this foaming, scentless cleanser to wash the makeup off my face. Its a really gentle cleanser, which leaves my skin feeling so soft. My skin is neither dry nor oily, but it is quite sensitive, so I always look for mild products which can still effectively remove makeup, and I found that Kinerase is one of the best out there.

2. Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion: Using a cotton pad, I run this toner on my face, to remove any remaining makeup or dirt particles. It really cleans my skin without drying it out.

3. Lancome Bi-Facil Makeup Remover: I wear a lot of eyeliner and mascara, and this remover is so effective at taking it all off! You can run it over your eyes without feeling any irritation or burning, while removing all of your makeup. A lot of my girlfriends also use this product and we all just love the results.

4. Clinique Moisture Surge: I’ve experimented a lot with moisturizers and always come back to this one because it really works! It  moisturizes and softens the skin, which is especially important in the winter months.

5. OleHenriksen – This cooling gel tightens the skin under the eyes, and reduces puffiness. I find that this product works so well for me, and I absolutely love the feeling of  coolness from the gel.

Ladies, its so important to take care of your skin, no matter how young or old you are. So make sure you get good products, and use them every day! If you have any other product suggestions, I’d love to hear about them.

XOXO

A

Bookshelf: Books, Magazines, Comics, Art & Everything Else

Bookshelves can be a beautiful interior design piece…but REALLY they are an expression of who you are. They show off your interests, dreams and obsessions  through the literature and other pieces you choose to display on them. For me, the bookshelf I have in my living room is a canvas of my life.

ART  BOOKS

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved to paint and draw. I find all art so beautiful, and I love to visit galleries every chance I get, even if I’ve already been there 10 times. I guess it provides a sort of escape from our modern lives.  This is why I have a pretty extensive collection of art history books, ranging from Gothic to the Surrealism. And yes, there is also a Tim Burton book there – and that’s because  I have a weird obsession with his movies.  I love how he makes the dark seem light by giving monsters good hearts.

COMICS

When I spent a year in Paris, I developed an obsession with Asterix comics. The drawings are so cute and they are so funny. So, I started collecting them and am still in the process of growing my stock.

CARDS

I love my friends so much and I love getting cards from them on my Birthday! So, I keep every single card they write to me. Some may call this hoarding, but I just can’t part with the sentimental meaning of their words.

COOKING

I love food and I love to cook elaborate meals for my friends.  French cuisine especially fascinates me because it’s so intricate and well thought-out. Every person I met  in Paris knew how to make the most amazing meals from the top of their head and it just baffles me… Lately, I’ve been cooking a lot from the “EASY TASTY ITALIAN” book by Laura Santtini (she is so cute!).  Its recipes are so simple and taste absolutely amazing…which is the beauty of Italian cuisine!

MAGAZINES

I keep every single issue of In-Style, Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue and go back to them every so often to get ideas for outfits. I don’t think that they will ever get outdated.. if style is eternal, so are my mags!

EVERYTHING ELSE

The rest is  language books, travel guides, photo albums, little statuettes and trinkets I got from my travels…woven baskets that I use for storing things I don’t want to loose….Movies and CD’s (yes some of us still buy those) and my favourite novels by Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Jane Auston, Fitzgerald, and Hemmingway…just to name a few :)

People normally do not stop to think about the deep meaning carried on each and every shelf of the piece of furniture in their rooms, but to others its a reflection into their life.  So, next time you come to hang out at your friends place take the time to ponder over their bookshelf collections…you will be so amazed at how much more there is to them!

xoxo

M

Lady Love

Got a hot date?

If you’ve got a hot date this Valentine’s day and you want to look absolutely

smashing this look will definitely heat up your date and melt his heart!

Red is the colour of the season, and looks amazing when paired

with gold jewellery and black leather. Play it up with some  booties and you’re

good to go for a romantic date night! Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!

XOXO

M

Hot Rebel by pavlyngirl featuring gold tone jewelry

Sunday Brunch Style

What to wear to brunch after a fun night out?

A cute ‘go-to’ look for me is a structured blazer with some skinny jeans, riding boots and printed tee. This week I opted for something more nautical which was both comfy enough for a lazy Sunday morning but stylish enough for a trendy brunch place like Mildred’s Temple Kitchen in Liberty Village :)

 

Mildred’s is actually my favourite place for brunch right now! Famous for their controversial unisex bathrooms and deliciously fluffy blueberry buttermilk pancakes,  this gem-of-a-restaurant also serves the most delicious Eggs Benny in the city- I am quite sure of it!  ;)

YUMM…can you spot the FLUFFY Pancakes on the menu?

There are  few things more satisfying than a great cappuccino on a Sunday morning

Hope everyone had a great Sunday!  :)

XOXO

M