Miss Magpie's new venture

Miss Magpie has been a busy bird recently! I've been expanding my horizons and opening up opportunities in the business world - this girl has to work hard to keep up with her sartorial tastes you know.

For my birthday last year, my beau's lovely sis bought me a voucher for The Make Lounge (www.themakelounge.com), which teaches all the arts of becoming the perfect housewife, creative and entrepreneur - Anthea Turner, eat your heart out! I took the soya tea-cup candle making class...i'm determined to become the next Jo Malone.

I can't give away any trade secrets, but i've been experimenting and here's my latest creation:

A cinnamon and grapefruit teacup candle, in vintage baby blue china. The perfect mix of winter and summer all mixed up in a pretty little cup. If only there was an e-version of smellavision!

So, Miss Magpie is going in to business. I do a range of scents and no cup is ever the same as I source vintage crockery from all my travels around the country and the world. As followers of Style-State, you'll get a Magpie discount, so if you would like one of these babies, drop me an email at stephieholding@hotmail.com.

STOP PRESS: New trend alert!

I know that I haven't showed much love to Mrs Beckham recently (she hasn't really given me much of an opportunity), but today VB has earnt some serious snaps. Miss Magpie thinks her latest Queen-of-the-WAGs behaviour is pure genious.

Posh has actually hired someone to carry her bag around for her. She must have totally lost the plot! But I love it...just the kind of eccentric behaviour that'll seperate her from the rest of the plastic set. This level of extravagance is reserved for the very few who can a) afford it, b) command that level of attention, and c) have an ego big enough to think of it, taking Mrs B into a whole new realm of fame. You gotta give her kudos for that!

Miss Magpie wonders if she could get her beau to do the same for her? David is far too busy and important to fill that role for VB and actually come to think of it, Miss Magpie's beau is too. Maybe i'll have to hire myself a young hottie to do the job for me (Posh's taste is questionable) ;-) Though the thought of someone else carrying my Chanel, actually fills me with dread. I guess when you have over 100 Hermes Birkins, they begin to lose their value a bit.

Anyway, well done Posh...if you can kick-start this trend, i'll swallow all my previous words!

...and the saga continues

After the shocking news of Danni Minogue's foray in to fashion, I didn't think things could get any worse in the world of ex-popstars turned fashion stars. I was wrong. Cue Lily Allen.

Lily Allen - the girl who came to fame donning tacky gold jewellery and pure chav Reebok Classics - entering the fashion world? I want to cry. Apparently she's tired of the music industry, so she's going to use her status to climb the style ladder, starting with her own TV show.

Does anyone remember this?

 

Oh yes, a style icon in the making.

And now?

Don't you think she has a little bit of the Lady Gagas about her? Maybe Lily was being ironic...but I just can't help feeling that she hasn't found her true fashion identity yet. Nothing feels genuine.

Anyway, Lily is apparently set to front a fashion tv show. I haven't felt this sick since Kelly Osbourne stepped in front of the camera for Project Catwalk. If only we could all be daughters of fame, who ride on the back of their parents' hard work, make an album (even though we probably can't sing) and then use all that fame to enter the world of fashion to huge acclaim...just because we are who we are. I know i'm sounding bitter, but i'm not. I'm just fed up of any old Danni, Lily or Vic using their fame to get in to an industry that has incredibly talented and hard-working individuals struggling to get noticed.

I'll give her the benefit of the doubt for now...but Lil's got a heck of a lot to prove before I buy into her grand plans.

Over and out.

It's playtime!

Through the wall-to-wall windows of the Blue Finn Building (that's where I work), all I can see are the beautiful bright rays of the sun, shedding their light in every direction. Forget work...i'm concentrating on my weekend wardrobe!
Get out the wax strips girls, it's time to bare all and what better way to do that, than in a totally on-trend playsuit. Here are Miss Magpie's top five (you know how much I love lists):

This delightful number from Accessorize is so sailor chic! So much so, that Miss Magpie snapped it up for the totally chiconomic price of £22. I don't think i've ever bought anything from Accessorize...well, there's always a first and i'm rather proud of my bargain purchase.

                                                   

This sporty romper is the work of Stella McCartney for Adidas. I've never really paid attention to this collaboration before, though I do remember quaffing lots of champagne at the launch party some years back, but i'm really rather impressed. A steal at £80.

Denim is all the rage this season...Miss Magpie being so ahead of the trend (even if she says so herself), has had her denim play suit for 2 years now (back then, people didn't really get it). Anyway, this relaxed look from Acne is pretty hot right now, especially at the not-so-bank-breaking price of £160.

Stepping off the high street (well, sort of) and in to Miss Magpie's dream world, let's have a quick look at what we could have, one day, maybe, if we win the lottery, or something like that:

Chloe's cotton playsuit looks so comfy and chic at the same time. Perfect for the beach and a semi-warm day in London (who are we kidding, London never gets that hot), it's so adorable. Though at £245 i'll be giving it a miss. Boohoo!

What is more luxurious than a cream Azzaro silk all-in-one? Well if you can stump up the £1,365 for this baby, life probably is pretty luxurious for you. Enjoy.

Now all we need is for the sun to keep its hat on... Fingers crossed.

N.B. Always carry a cardigan - you know what the English weather is like and i'd hate to be the cause of any drowned rats roaming the streets of London this weekend.

The dud factor

Here we go again; another popstar trying to resurrect her flailing career by relaunching herself as a fashion designer. This time it's the turn of Danni Minogue. I thought things were going ok for the one time singer - she's won over the nation as the sweetheart of the X-Factor, she's loved up and up the duff, and she's got a perfectly plastic face. What more could the girl want?

Along with her friend Tabitha Somerset-Webb (of Tabitha handbags fame), dear old Danni has come up with Project D (you've got to laugh at that ridiculous name haven't you): a collection of capsule dresses that are "about a sense of effortless luxury and a refined style that we believe will appeal to many contemporary women."

We'll be the judge of that...

Danni says that "fashion has been a passion of mine since I can remember and I hope that every woman who slips on a Project D dress will feel glamorous yet effortless." Miss Magpie thinks that every woman who puts on a Project D dress will feel cheap and tacky. There's absolutely nothing original, exciting or classy about it. Come on Danni, we all know that in a saturated market like this, you have to have some thing special - the x-factor you might say.

Project D? Project DERANGED more like.

And if this isn't scary enough, an accessories line and fragrance are to follow later in the year. It's official - the world has gone totally and utterly bonkers.

If you actually like the look of this stuff, it hits Selfridges in June and it'll set you back £210 to £485.

Planes, trains and automobiles

Who'd have thought a little trip to the chic fashion capital of Milan could end up in such mayhem?! There I was, thinking i'd do some work, a lot of shopping and some amazing people watching (purely for the enjoyment of my dear Miss Magpie fans). Here's what actually went down:

- Hours spent working: 12
- Hours spent sourcing travel back to London: 12
- Hours spent at the police station reporting my stolen camera: 3
- Hours spent on a coach from Milan to London: 24
- Hours spent sleeping: 4
- Hours spent shopping: 0
- Inappropriate outfits: 2 (imagine having to wear a PVC pencil skirt and denim body on a 24 hour coach journey - it was that or a super mini dress with a skin revealing draped back and giant corsage headband!)

I was there helping to organise an event for Wallpaper* and Brioni at Salone del Mobile (the fashion week of interiors). Boy was this trip jinxed. And I don't even have any photos for you! Can you believe that some a-hole at the Four Seasons stole my camera from my 2.55 (why they didn't take the bag too is a mystery - but hell, i'm not complaining).

All I can say is that it was not glamorous (although as the door bitch for the party, I did get to have some fun), there was no time for retail therapy and no one had enough underwear for our unexpectedly extended trip. Oh dear.

The Wallpaper* Salone Express - Milan to London in 24 hours. Surely the chicest way to travel in these volcano hit times.

Time to go shopping! Part 2

Miss Magpie is no closer to fixing her dress dilemma, so following on from your requests I am going to give you a sneak preview of my still-got-a-label-in-it, sequin-alicious Christopher Kane number. Now I wouldn't normally reveal the big dress secret before the event, but seeing as you all asked so nicely...

Add a pair of vertiginous heels, some subtle jewellery and a big 'do'...perfect no? I really love it! And wait for the best bit...I got my hands on this beauty for the purse-friendly price of £100. Reduced from £2,100 in a one-day-only Browns sale, I seriously lucked out with this one.

What do you think? Wedding worthy? Answers on a postcard...

Time to go shopping!

There's nothing like a wedding to give Miss Magpie an excuse to go shopping! Having just booked tickets to Beirut (Lebanese mega-bling party capital) for lovely Reema's wedding celebrations in May, I have been informed that one of the events is a black-tie, floor-length gown affair. Well, as you might have guessed, Miss Magpie's wardrobe doesn't include many hemlines that reach below mid-thigh and those longer than that, certainly don't reach the floor.

This means just one thing: it's time to go shopping!

I've been trawling the internet and here are my top 3 picks:

This Stella McCartney gold sequin number simply oozes old school glamour and appeals heavily to my magpie senses. Just throw a fur stole around my shoulders and i'm good to go. Shame about the £4,295 pricetag hey!

A little less in-your-face, this Halston layered gown is delicate, feminine and oh-so pretty. I reckon it would be perfect for the Lebanese heat, but perhaps is a bit too bridal? Alas, at £3,160 it is a long way off my budget. Boo!

On second thoughts, I don't think that floor sweeping dresses are very me (though i'm sure if Elie Saab called me up, offering a gorge red-carpet worthy gown, i'd be more than willing!).

Now, this is more like it! Floor sweeping and mid-thigh all in one. Utter genius! Well done Roksanda Ilincic, you've filled my brief entirely. A bit of jewellery to add some va-va-voom and a better pair of heels than those pictured here - i'm set. I wonder if the bank manager will allow me the £1,568 needed to make this beauty mine?!

I do have a sequin Christopher Kane mini dress sitting unworn in my wardrobe...I have my heart set on it...can I get away with it? All suggestions welcome!

A Friday afternoon treat!

Miss Magpie is beyond excited. Check this out:

Aiden...Abu Dhabi...red spiked shoulder pads...Penelope Cruz...a gay wedding...amazing outfits...

Let the countdown begin!

Rihanna rules!!

Feeling a little tiddly after sharing a bottle of sparkling in the glorious London sunshine with my darling friend Grace, I plonked myself on the sofa, channel surfed for a bit and then stumbled upon this amazing sight:

  (Rihanna performing on American Idol)

Rihanna never ceases to amaze me. Look at her in this PVC catsuit - jaw dropping! Not many of us can get away with a skin tight, patent all-in-one, but a skin tight, patent all-in-one with super serious shoulder pads? Now, that is courageous. Rihanna's courage pays off, because I for one thinks she looks AWESOME!!! Gaga, eat your heart out.

Just one question remains...how would you go for a wee in one of those moments of desperation?! Eek.

Magpie buy

Hola chicas and hopefully some chicos,

Miss Magpie had a divine long weekend in Spain, sampling the many wine and food based delights on offer. Particularly fun was the endless amounts of local Cava being thrown upon us. Yum yum!

But most excitingly, I finally found THE bumbag of my dreams. Who'd have thought that in the little city of Cordoba, I would find a soft, lacquered leather bumbag that would give Marc Jacobs a run for his money?! Speaking of money, at the totally unbelievable price of 17 Euros (about £16) it took me but a split second to decide that it had to be mine!

It's so dreamy!!

Seeing as I was in sunnier climes, I took the opportunity to practise sporting my bumbag for summer:

I quite like the dolled-up '80s sailor thing! I'm wearing a maxi skirt from Topshop that I thought was a dress when I bought it, Topshop Unique heels and my Cordoban fanny pack.

The best things are definitely worth waiting for.

Miss Magpie and her Manolos

Lucky Miss Magpie is being whisked off to Spain this Easter weekend by her darling beau. We are heading to Cordoba for four days of sun (it's the hottest place in Europe apparently), history, culture, tapas and wine. Perfick!

I got thinking about Spain and its many delights...the Al Hambra, Las Ramblas, sangria and Senor Manolo Blahnik. The Spanish shoe genius is one of Spain's greatest exports and wows each season with totally gorgeous collections.

In fact, my first ever pair of designer heels were Manolos:

My Manolo Blahnik Silver D'Orsay Pumps

Let me tell you a little story about Miss Magpie's Manolos.

Back in 2000 and something, when I was a 20 year old spring chicken, I took a trip to New york with Mummy Magpie, en route to Buffalo where I was to spend a year studying (that's a story for another time). Still in mourning for Sex & the City (the series had just finished FOR EVER!), we took a ride on the SATC tour bus. Dropping us off at Carrie's fave shoe shop, it was love at first sight. The silver shining beauties that stood before me just had to be mine. But at $688 they were way out of my student budget. I walked away from them promising that one day they would belong to me.

Mummy Magpie came up with an ingenious idea (mum's always know best don't they) - if I was really dedicated to my Manolos, then i would be willing to give up something in exchange for them. I promptly gave up buying coffee (it was giving me bad skin anyway!) and started putting $2 in to a box every day. Thus, the 'Manolo Blahnik Shoe Fund' was born. A year later, I left Buffalo and headed back for London via NYC and via my beloved Manolo store. As I approached the door, I saw the twinkling light coming from my beautiful heels. With only one pair left and in my size, I knew that they were just meant to be mine. Counting out my $1 bills (in hindsight, that's a bit embarassing), I paid for them and finally they were mine! I was euphoric, not just because of the shoes, but because I had learnt a great lesson.

That's how much a pair of Manolos can mean.

Happy Easter (long) weekend!