London Fashion Week AW'11, Day Four

Day Four was, thank god, a much more relaxed day. I spent the day hunting around the LFW exhibition for some fab fashion finds...oh yes, and I made a little detour to the Giles show.

Today, I went for something a little less classy than yesterday.

I teamed my Henry Holland suspender tights and D&G gold sequin string vest, with my very old H&M chunky knit, my fave Mawi necklace and my Dune thigh-high boots. I spent most of the day pulling down my skirt and pulling up my tights...I think I'm too old for this look!

GILES

Giles opted to show at the Royal Courts of Justice - having already been there the night before, it wasn't quite as spectacular as the first time round... LFW does spoil you!

The show - had I been able to see any of it, I might be able to comment. Even though I was seated in the second row, I was right at the far end and the rather dim models didn't seem to make it half way down the catwalk before turning around. Dur!

From what I could see, there was definitely an emphasis on all things Victoriana...meshed with some very current trends - i.e. double length skirts, hair (of the goat variety), bows in the hair (of the on-the-head variety)... White shirts were made to look particularly sexual, pulled back hair with pretty bows came across as rather fetishist and the booties could easily have stepped out of a Victorian brothel - oh to get in to Giles' imagination!

Oozing sexual femininity, these are all items I'd love to have hanging in my wardrobe

THE EXHIBITION

Here are the goodies I found at the London Fashion Week Exhibition:

Erickson Beamon had me drooling over this dramatic piece...

...while AKong wowed with this gorgeous collar...

...and it was love at first sight with this fur sleeved coat from Hotel Particulier...

 ...but who wouldn't love this multi-faceted cuff from Sarah Angold Studio...

...and these designs from Shao Yen are most desirable.

 

Day Four ended with an early night and cup of Options. Bliss.

Palaces, parties and pretty dresses

Darling Magpie fans,

I'm ever so sorry that i've been so slack on the old blog front. This engagement 'thing' takes up a lot of time - all fun of course...though I think I may have finally drunk enough champagne. For ever.

Since the big proposal we've had a series of celebrations with the family: my family, my beau's family and the Royal Family. Oh yes, Miss Magpie received a personal congratulations from none other than Prince Edward, whilst sipping champers with him at Buckingham Palace last night.

Ok, let me explain... Thanks to my beau's very clever cousin, we were invited to dine at the palace at a black tie event in honour of some very inspiring youngsters. Well I just had to go buy myself a new dress for this very special occasion didn't I? (And as luck would have it, I finally found the long gown i've spent months hunting for).

Voila:

Dress: John Charles, shoes: Christian Louboutin, box clutch: Kurt Geiger, diamond bracelet: gift, diamond ring: courtesy of my lovely beau, earrings: Erickson Beamon

I don't think I have ever felt more elegant and there's not a touch of slut-chic to be seen. Unfortunately we were forbidden from taking cameras in to the palace, but what a fashion show it was. And I must say it'd make a beautiful wedding venue...do you think they'll go for it? I'm practically family now!

So, while we were curtseying and minding our P's and Q's in London, a host of A-list (and some C-list) stars were also donning their finest clobber for the CFDA Fashion Awards 2010 across the pond in NYC.

Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! But then I wouldn't expect anything less from Mr McQueen (RIP). Loving the vivid colours, busy pattern, ultra flattering shape and big, big hair.

 Gwyneth Paltrow in Michael Kors

Not my fave look of the night, but certainly a beautiful dress. I'm all about the train right now - perhaps that's because wedding bells are currently ringing very loudly in my head. I'm also falling for the sweeping one-shoulder look - very glam.

Jessica Stam

Love the contrast of the transparent bottom and opaque top, the chunky necklace and the surfer chic hair braid.

Devon Aoki in Zac Posen

What a superb dress! Zac Posen is a master of the evening gown and i'd say that this is a complete triumph. What's not to like? Also loving Devon's chain mail gloves - how wonderfully subversive.

Rachel Zoe

Ok, so she might be the devil incarnate, but her dress is (for once) totally gorge. Absolutely magpielicious!

Since the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards were celebrating the great talents in that world, we should probably give the following a round of applause:

Womenswear Designer of the Year: Marc Jacobs

Accessory Designer of the Year: Alexis Bittar

Swarovski award/womenswear: Jason Wu

Swarovski award/accessory design: Alexander Wang

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award: Michael Kors

Fashion Icon: Iman

International Award: Christopher Bailey for Burberry

CFDA Board of Directors’ Special Tribute Award: Alexander McQueen

I whole-heartedly agree with the judges' descisions...just a shame Iman wore this frou-frou Giambattista Valli number to collect her award for 'Fashion Icon'. Oops!

Well, that's an awful lot of glam for a Monday night. I wonder what the rest of the week will bring?

Adieu for now!

Love Miss Magpie x 

Magpie Spy 4 (x 10)

Uh-oh, Miss Magpie has been shopping again! Unfortunately this time I couldn't buy anything (do I hear sighs of relief from Mr Magpie?! I think so) as I was at the London Fashion Week Designer Exhibition, where designers, new and old, from all over come to exhibit their collections. It's a fashionista's feast of clothing, shoes and  accessories and boy did i gorge myself on the offerings.

I've had to cut this list down to my top 10 fave pieces, but trust me there were many, many more. I've got photos of everything I liked (read: want to buy) and they are neatly catalogued away (from the prying eyes of Mr Magpie) in preparation for next autumn.

Here are my absolute must-haves...

The accessories:

Erickson Beamon

Oh dear heavens above, I think this piece was made for me. Isn't it just magnificent?! It was actually made for the Ashley Isham A/W'10 show, absolutely nothing to do with me in fact. BUT I think my shoulder needs it. Shoulders have been big business over the past few seasons and this beauty is the best i've seen yet. I wouldn't expect anything less from my OTT jewellery brand of choice.

Buba

This is a fairly new label on the scene and considering how fussy I am about my arm candy (incredibly by the way), I was quite surprised that I found something I simply can't stop thinking about. I love how this clutch is totally OTT, even verging on tacky (tacky can be very good). With a simple black number, it will add just the right dose of va-va-voom!  

Heather Blake

It takes a lot to impress me when it comes to footwear. Shoes are my 'thing' and I know what I like. This pair is my 'thing'. They ooze sex appeal in absolutely the right way and the cut-out detail just cries for attention. My one wish is that the heel be a teensy bit higher - I have a preferred in-step height and these fall about 1/2cm shy, though that's no bad thing for my poor old feet. Nevertheless they are my equivalent of sartorial perfection.

Mawi

Mawi jewellery is made for magpies like myself. Every piece is a statement: a statement of sparkling gems and chunky metal work. To wear Mawi you have to be confident, because you are 100% guaranteed to attract attention. This piece is not just eye-catching, it's an outift in itself. I need to add this to my Mawi collection.

Angel Jackson

Yes, that's me. Where's a model at London Fashion Week when you need one?! Anyway, I was nearing the end of the exhibition, my Loubs were begging for a break and I thought i'd seen the best there was on offer. Then I saw this. An Angel Jackson bum bag. I've been trying to bring the bum bag back for a while, so i'm over the moon to see such a great, totally desirable brand flying the fanny pack flag. With studs and tassles galore, this is not any old bum bag. This is THE bum bag.

The clothes: 

Georgia Hardinge

I was at a stag do over the weekend (yes, girls were invited) and i'm sure the stripper was wearing something similar to this. In any case, she looked awesome and this creation is pretty high on the 'wow' scale too. There's a lot of work gone in to this and I can see it looking fantastic worn on top of a brightly coloured tube dress.

PPQ

I'm in utter astonishment that the genii at PPQ could turn a pair of velvet curtains in to this: a bustier dress complete with peplum, that I want, want, want. I know everyone already adores this uber cool brand and I jumped on to that bandwagon some time ago, but I think I love PPQ even more now. This dress is so wrong, it's right.

Felder Felder

Don't ask me when you are meant to wear this bad boy, but i'm just gaga over it (see what I did there? She's bound to love it.)?! A dusky pink, leather, frilled leotard - bet you never thought you'd hear all that in one sentence. As a piece of design, I think it is brill. In terms of practicality, there is none. But then fashion isn't meant to be practical is it.

KTZ

I'm leather crazy at the moment and the look is set to stay for A/W'10, so why not go all out and snap up this quilted, embellished, power-shoulder number? It looks like it has stepped straight off the set of an 80's music video. Even I may have to admit defeat with this one...but split up the cropped jacket and the cleavage revealing dress and you have two mighty fine separates to add to you wardrobe. I'm sold.

Pistol Panties

It was love at first sight when I spotted this sparkling at me from across the room. Pistol Panties have really excelled themselves this time and I can't imagine lounging by the pool wearing anything else (although i'll have to). Made from hundreds of Swarovski crystals, this rainbow hued cut-out swimsuit is just made for a magpie. Alas at £2000 a pop, it's definitely not made for this magpie.

There you have it, my top 10. All beautiful and perfectly formed, and one day they'll all be mine...mwahahahahahahahaha!!!