Kate-Inspired Purchase Review: Really Wild Clothing Company Silk Scarf in Autum Partridge

As soon as I saw the Duchess of Cambridge step out for church on Christmas morning accessorising her brown tweed "Turpin" coat by British label Moloh with the most fabulous printed silk scarf, I just knew I had to have one, if we ever got an ID on it.

Turns out I was in luck (an with me, undoubtably, were a number of Kate fashion followers!) as, only a few days after Christmas, Berkshire-based company Really Wild Clothing published the above photograph on their Facebook page, identifying the scarf the Duchess wore as their own "Silk Scarf in Autumn Partridge" (currently unavailable, although I'm pretty confident it will be restocked sometime soon, as the above photo still features prominently on the Really Wild homepage).

 

It's worth noting that Catherine first wore a Really Wild item in public on Christmas Day 2013, when she made an early morning church appearance wrapped up warm in the company's Cashmere Mix Wrap in Claret (available for pre-order here).

 



Having put my name on a waiting list for the cashmere mix wrap last year, I'd been thrilled with the customer service at Really Wild: attentive, efficient and offering prompt reply to enquires.
I'm sorry to say I was significantly less impressed this time around. By the time I saw the original Facebook post from Really Wild, the scarf was, predictably, sold out. So I commented on the photo asking whether they were expecting any more stock.
No reply was given. I then emailed them with the same question. Again, silence.
Anyway, as I was really interested in the scarf, I kept checking the website regularly for updates and, sure enough, on 30 December more stock was listed and I was able to purchase the scarf!
Afterwards, I noticed my Facebook comment had just been deleted without reply after the scarf became available again. My email enquiry, on the other hand, received a reply only after the item had been delivered to me, having therefore lost all relevance by then.
Moreover, they state on the website that you'll be notified by email when your items are shipped, but no such email was received in this instance, leaving me to wonder whether my parcel was already on its way or still sitting around in a Berkshire warehouse  - so, well, not so very happy with customer services this time around!

But never mind, as my scarf eventually arrived, wrapped in Really Wild tissue paper and complete with glossy catologue, and it is gorgeous!

The scarf retails at £125 (about $190 or €160), plus £12 (about $18 or €15) for shipping so, for me at least, definitely on the expensive side for a scarf, even a silk one.
Happily, I love it in person just as much as I did on the website, and I could justify the expense as it will go beautifully with my Hobbs camel coat!

As for what to accessorize it with, I'll be taking a leaf out of the Duchess' book and pair it with gold-tone jewellery, namely my Catherine Zoraida Double-Leaf earrings (reviewed here) and Asprey Woodland Charms replica by The Looking Glass Shop (reviewed here).

As for what nail colours would suit this beauty, I've come up with a selection in gold and earthy tones from my stash:

Clockwise from top centre: Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 579 Paparazzi and 639 Exception, Estée Lauder Pure Color in M1 Buffed, Guerlain La Laque Couleur in 400 Coque d'Or, Dior Diorific Vernis in 241 Gold Equinoxe, Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 625 Secret and 569 Emprise, Butter London 3-Free Nail Lacquer in Goss, Nails Inc. Nail Polish in 041 Cadogan Square and Dior Vernis in 223 Trench.

Be Ispired by the Style of Marie Antoinette!

Terribly late, but as they say, better late than never! Here's my second post on my Parisian escapade - this time we go back to the "beauty" and "books" part of the blog title, with a look at some gorgeous Marie Antoinette-inspired finds!

 

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette silhouettes in the ticket office of the Palace of Versailles.

  

 

The central courtyard.

 

 

The Hall of Mirrors, one of the most remarkable features of the Palace (photo Wikipedia).

I have always been intrigued by the figure of Marie Antoinette - on my last visit, to learn more I turned to the brilliantly informative, yet highly readable, "Queen of Fashion", by Caroline Weber (available from Amazon), which takes a comprehensive look at the Queen's sometimes ill-fated style choices.

 

 

This time around, I opted out of non-fiction reading materials, and turned to the fab Marie Antoinette trilogy by Juliet Grey:

 

 

 

Full of historical details that will satisfy even the most die-hard history buffs, these three novels (I'm currently in the middle of n. 2) are a pleasure to read and, although fictionalised, allow the reader to learn quite a lot on the transformation of Marie Antoinette from Austrian archduchess to France's powerful and reckless queen.

 

I was also inspired by some new make-up releases in the Dior collection. Following up on the Chérie Bow collection for Spring 2013, the French fashion house this year came up with the truly drool-worthy Trianon collection, inspired, of course, by Marie Antoinette penchant for pastel colours and is reminiscent of the atmospheres at Versailles!

 

A look below at the products available in the collection:

 

 

Via Coco's Tea Party.

 

 

I got myself two of the nail polishes, as seen above - Porcelaine, which is a pale, slightly shimmery baby blue, and Perlé, which in truth is something truly fabulous and which I hope will form part of the permanet Dior make up collection (it will, I believe). On the Dior website, it is described as a frosted effect nail polish (should be used on top of a pale coloured polish for best effect, in my opinion), inspired by the porcelain of the 18th century. It is a matte pale mauve on application, but I find I like it best with a glossy top coat applied on top - in fact, I can hardly stop admiring my nails when I have it on!

 

So, will you too be inspired by the current trend for all things Marie Antoinette?

If so, be sure to take a look at my collage below and see if you can find something that inspires you!

 

 

1. Estée Lauder Paris Macarons Pure Color Nail Polish Collection for Spring 2013 (limited edition, alas, but some of the shades regularly crop up on eBay);
2. Ladurée Marie Antoinette rose infused tea, 8.40 (loose leaf) or £12 (tea bags);
3. "Marie Antoinette" film by Sofia Coppola (available on Amazon);
4. L'Oreal Paris mini nail polish in 202 Marie Antoinette (approx. £4.99);
5. Ladurée Marie Antoinette macarons (the ganache filling is Marie Antoinette tea-flavoured);
6. "Let Them Eat Cake" Marie Antoinette earrings available on MariannaLondon on Etsy (approx. 18.90);
7. Marie Antoinette Paris Pastel Collage Mood Board, from LauraLaurentSalon on Etsy (approx. £12);
8. Marie Antoinette silk scarf, from EmmaKisstina on Etsy (approx. £97).

Hope I have inspired you to unleash your inner style queen!

Now, I'm a bit hungry after all this writing, so I'm off to nibble on a macaron... :)

 



 







Royal Baby Nail Mania!

With the birth of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's only days away now, royal baby mania is beginning to take hold the world over and souvenirs and memorabilia are already filling the shops!

There's the usual array of mugs and china, of course, with a dedicated, official Royal Baby line to be launched after the Birth, and for the first time ever, by the Royal Collection.



Harrods Cute Royal Baby Commemorative Mug and Plate.

Emma Bridgewater 1/2 Pint mug.

Hello! magazine.

 

But it's not about "classic" souvenirs that I want to talk to you today - given my passion for all things beauty and, specifically, nail-related, I wanted to share with you a few updates on the Royal Baby-themed nail polishes available at a beauty counter near you!

 

First to jump on the Royal Baby frenzy bandwagon was British brand Butter London, which on 25 April launched its brand new limited edition Pitter Patter Nail Lacquer, described on the website as an opaque aubergine shimmer.

 

 

Butter London Facebook page.

 

 

 





 

I got mine from US-based website GBS Beauty, and it's a very pretty colour, probably more suited to the winter months, as I like brighter colours on my nails in the summer, but the subtle purple shimmer gives a nice depth to it and I predict I'll get a lot of wear out of it come autumn!

Pitter Patter is also available as part of "The Royals Collection", a set of three, together with Lilibeth's Jubilee, which was first released last year as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, and No More Waity, Katie, which celebrated the engagement between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Butter London website.

 

American nail care company Essie also launched a celebratory limited edition nail polish duo kit, comprising a bottle of baby blue Lapiz of Luxury and a bottle of pale pink Muchi Muchi, for "Baby Boy Or Baby Girl?" as the box suggests.

 

Bestdaily.co.uk

And last of all, I would like to share with you the idea I came up with for a personalised Royal Baby manicure I did for myself today. I alternated candy pink (Dior Vernis #155 Tutu) and baby blue (Pupa Lasting Color #745 Pearly Light Blue), as of course the baby's sex is yet unknown, and completed the look with a hand-drawn Union Jack on the left middle finger and a tiny crown, with all the details, including an ermine trim and a purple velvet cap, on the left ring finger.

 

Detail of the nail art.

The whole look.

I'm very proud of my new mani and can't wait to show it off! OK, my working environment is rather conservative, but I guess my colleagues will just have to put up with my nails while Royal Baby fever is upon us :)
What do you think? Will you be painting your nails a special celebratory colour?

Chanel Superstition Collection for Fall 2013

The new Chanel "Superstition" make up collection for fall 2013, is nearly upon us, with a release date for the US market set for next week, starting 10 June.

Europe and the rest of the world will soon follow, with release dates expected to be, as for previous collections, between mid-July and mid-August.

So, well, we'll just have to be patient for a few more days to have more detailed information and *holds breath expectantly* pictures!
For now, let's just enjoy this sneak peek!

A photo of Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow in Mystère, a limited edition US exclusive featuring Golden Khaki, Golden Ivory, Silver Taupe, Matte Khaki shades was tweeted by Tomoichi:

 

 

The collection will also feature a brand-new product for Chanel, and one I'm really excited about as I'm a big fan of cream blushes, especially for the winter months as I find them kinder to my sensitive skin - Le Blush Crème de Chanel cream blush, in no less than six shades:

 

 

 

Finally, the other products I'm most eagerly anticipating are, of course, the nail polishes!

There will be three new shades:

 

#589 Elixir, which is my favourite one so far and looks like a creamy raspberry pink and reminds me a bit of #533 April

 

 

 

#591 Alchimie, a limited edition Golden khaki, and

 

#601 Mysterious, a gunmetal shimmery cream which, so far, looks gorgeous. Of course I can't wait to see these in person as soon as they hit the beauty counters, but for now, I'll see you early next week after the US release, with more pictures!

 

 

 

Is there a particular product you cannot wait for? Leave a comment below and let me know!

 





Summer Make-Up Collections

Finally, details of the long awaited designer make-up collections are beginning to be available, as products start to be released around the world.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am beyond excited for the new L'été Papillon de Chanel Collection to hit a store near me!

Described on the Chanel website as inspired "by the dazzling colours of butterflies", which allow to create "a joyful look for face and fingertips", with "electric shades and gleaming colours", this truly promises to be one splendid make-up collection.

 

Such brilliant shades are not normally up my beauty street, but with this collection I find myself mesmerised...I cannot wait for these beauties to be released in Italy - so much so that I'm considering ordering the nail polishes on eBay as I can hardly bear the wait! :)

 

The collection comprises 3 new Lèvres Scintillantes lip glosses (L-R in the above picture: #437 Eden, #377 Zéphyr, #427 Envolée, all limited edition), 4 new Inimitable Waterproof mascaras (again, all limited edition, three in various shades of aqua and blue: #37 Lime Light, #47 Aqua Blue, #57 Moon River, and one in a bright sunny yellow, #27 Zest).



L-R: Moon River, Noir, Aqua Blue, Lime Light and Zest

 

Plus, a limited edition Les Quatres Ombres in #44 Métamorphose, 6 new Stylo Eyeshadow pens (all limited edition...oh gosh, I'll end up spending quite a lot of money on this collection!), which you can see below:

 



L-R: #57 Black Stream, #07 Moon River, #27 Pink Lagoon, #47 Blue Bay (which looks particularly covetable to me!), #37 Jade Shore and #17 Cool Gold

 

Along with 2 new limited edition Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks in #467 Pygmalion and #457 Idylle, and a limited edition Stylo Yeux Waterproof in #57 True Blue (which you can all see in the first picture up top), the collection is completed by what are, in my opinion, the real gems, the items I'm most eagerly awaiting...of course, the nail polishes!

 

Specifically, 3 new limited edition (agh!! I need them!) nail polishes: #647 Lilis, #531 Azuré and (prettiest of them all, possibly) #657 Bel Argus.



Dior #553 Princess Nail Polish

Ieri ero bloccata in una coda eterna alla Procura della Repubblica, così ho deciso di fare un salto veloce in profumeria per passare un po' il tempo.

La profumeria più comoda è Rossi Profumi di via Clavature, dove comunque avevo già in programma una visita perché in questi giorni e fino al 3 aprile hanno in promozione il mascara Hypnose Drama di Lancome, che è quello che uso solitamente, a 24€ invece che 34,50€.

Così sono entrata e ho trovato una bella sorpresa, perché il giorno prima era arrivata la nuova collezione di Dior, Sparkling Shine.

Come ormai saprete, il mio punto debole sono gli smalti, e questa collezione vede l'uscita di ben quattro nuove sfumature e un top coat trasparente effetto gel.

Da destra a sinistra, i colori sono:

• #343 Spring Ball;
• #553 Princess;
• #643 Diablotine;
• #433 Délice.

La mia scelta è caduta sul più tenue dei quattro, Princess, che mi ha colpito anche per il nome.
D'altra parte, chi non vorrebbe essere una principessa, anche solo grazie a una passata di smalto scintillante? ;)

Va detto che i glitter argentati sembrano meno visibili nel prodotto visto dal vivo, probabilmente le fotografie sono stata leggermente ritoccate per far risaltare lo scintillio al massimo.

 

Confesso che non sono particolarmente attratto dagli smalti glitter, non fosse altro perché poi sono un vero incubo da rimuovere, ma in attesa dell'uscita dell'agognato Taboo di Chanel, ho deciso di coccolarmi con questo nuovo smalto, anche se di rosa nella mia collezione ce ne sono già parecchi, e sarà difficile battere la consistenza cremosa di May della collezione Chanel della scorsa primavera.

 

 

 

Ma staremo a vedere al momento dell'applicazione!

Exciting news, Chanel nail polish lovers out there!!
The first photographs and previews from the upcoming Spring and Summer 2013 make-up collections have started to surface and...oh my, aren't they covetable?

First to land on a beauty counter near you (there's talk of April, which is bad, as I'm already salivating over the whole set of polishes!), is the Avant Premiere de Chanel Collection.

Not a great deal is known about it yet, we just have a couple of promotional images featuring the new shades of Rouge Coco Shine and Rouge Coco Lipstick which will be released and, most importantly for what concerns this blog, four brand-new Chanel Le Vernis nail polishes!

 

 

 

The new nail polish shades, background to foreground, are

 

• #599 Provocation, a deep, rich plum, which some fashionistas out there might recall was first released as part of the limited edition Le Twin Set de Chanel Collection, created exclusively fro Fashion's Night Out 2012;
• #581 Cinema, a classic pillar-box red, reminiscent of old-school Hollywood glamour;
• #579 Paparazzi, a shimmery rosewood pink colour;
• #575 Starlet, which will be the only limited edition in the collection, a shimmery peachy pink (which reminds me a bit of Frisson, we will see...).

 



Then we have what I think is the real beauty, so far, #583 Taboo, part of the Revelation de Chanel Collection (pre-fall collection), release date very tentatively mid-March.

Taboo is a to-die-for dark purple shade infused with burgundy shimmer. I can't wait to lay my hands on this one!

 

 

Then we have the first previews of the Summer 2013 collection to wet our appetites for more gorgeuos nail polish shades to come!

 

 

Nothing much is known about the summer collection as yet, more details will be available as release date approaches. For now, I must say that Azuré is probably my favourite of the three, but I'll suspend judgement until we have swatches/more pics.

 

So, what do you think about the latest Chanel polish news?

Are you excited about one shade in particular?