LE CHOIX TROIS

LE CHOIX D’ A GIRL IN BOSTON

Again excuses to all of you loyal LCT fans for letting you wait so long, but here it is: A New & Fresh Le Choix Trois, introducing this week’s Belle Lissy from A girl in Boston. I love Lissy’s blog, ‘cause this lady kills colour like nobody else does. Next to that she is never to shy to try new things and she has an amazing array of accessories.

Lissy started blogging about a year ago. For someone who is such a fashion lover, she was really oblivious to the blogging world for a long time.  Somehow she started following a bunch of blogs and was so inspired by the every day style of other bloggers that she decided she would make her own contribution to the blogosphere. From a young age, what she wore, what bag she carried and how she looked mattered to her.  As a teenager she had an artistic flare that she used to exhibit by drawing covers and editorials from fashion magazines.  Somehow as she got older, she left that part of her creative self behind and ended up pursuing a career in business and finance. Lissy works long, hard days and despite regular 12 hours workdays, she still truly enjoys the creative outlet that blogging has provided her.  Plus she has met some fabulous people by doing this. Lissy has made both virtual and real world friends from it!

When it comes to style this Girl in Boston really enjoys mixing high street with high-end designer labels and she loves COLOUR! And if you visit her blog you’ll see she’s a huge fan of anything pearl embellished, frilly, girly and whimsical.  Lissy’s favorite high-end labels are Chanel, Miu Miu, Valentino and Moschino but she mixes that all up with Zara, H&M, Talbots and DVF.  Fashion to her is fun, a way of expressing herself and getting dressed is something she looks forward to!

As a Le Choix Belle, choosing her three favourite things was hard. She mailed me that her first two picks were relatively easy, but the third was the wild card. With a wardrobe like hers, we totally feel her pain ;-)

Curious? Here’s Le Choix D’ A Girl in Boston

1.  Diamond rings

I’ll admit, this is a wee bit of a cheat. I have two rings that mean the world to me so I couldn’t choose just one.  The first is a ring that was given to me by my mother on my twenty-second birthday.  It belonged to my great Aunt Anne who gave it to my mother.  When I was a small child, my mother lost it.  It was always too big on her but she wore it anyway and one day it was gone.  Then lo and behold, she found it crushed in the driveway, having been run over.  It took multiple trips to many jewelers over many years before she finally found one that could repair it.  It’s a vintage art deco platinum ring with diamonds and sapphires.  Nothing could ever replace it and it’s something I cherish.  
The other ring was a gift to me for a milestone birthday and I’ll keep which milestone (and how old I really am) to myself.  Since it was a big birthday, my family wanted to get me something that would be special and timeless.  My sister went to her jeweler who showed her a beautiful pendant necklace.  But knowing me, and knowing that I like very big statement necklaces, she knew the little pendant wouldn’t really be my thing.  So she had the jeweler make the pendant into a white gold and diamond ring.  It was such a special and thoughtful gift that I wear every day and not a day goes by that it doesn’t make me remember how lucky I am.  

2.  Chanel bag

This was the first really big gift that I bought for myself and it was the first anything Chanel that I owned.  I’ve always loved the Chanel aesthetic; the pearls, the chain straps, the quilting.  And while I buy high end items that are classic, the ubiquitous Chanel flap isn’t totally my style.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the classics, but my own personal look has a little bit of an edge so I bought this bag that has the classic quilting (my version with chains) and a bit of a different shape.  Buying this bag was a big deal for me and I remember the day I bought it vividly.  I made my way to Neiman Marcus after work, bought the bag and then took myself out for wine, oysters and dinner to celebrate.  

3.  Miu Miu sandals

The first two of my le choix trois were easy.  The third one was somewhat of a mind cramp for me.  But anyone who knows me well knows that my real weakness is shoes.  I do have a large variety of flats but my real love is for sky high heels.  If you’ve ever been to Boston you know that it’s a walking city but the sidewalks are not really walking friendly with all the bricks and cobblestones.  In spite of that, I still teeter and prance about town in the highest of platforms and heels.  So it was only appropriate for me to choose a favorite pair of shoes for my last item.  This pair is a pair of python platform Miu Miu sandals that I bought just this year but they have quickly made their way up my list of favorites.  They have all the things I look for in a shoe.  Platform, check.  Sky high heel, check.  Make my legs look a million miles long, check!  

http://www.agirlinboston.com/

Twitter @agirlinboston

LE CHOIX de RITOURNELLE

Ciao amore! Tante baci from the lovely Italian countryside, where I’m staying with limited Internet, but just enough to bring you a new Le Choix Belle! This week Anne from Ritournelle shows us behind the scenes of her blog. Anne/Ritournelle began blogging in August 2010 as a birthday present to herself. At that time Anne was looking for a job in marketing and missed working on creative projects. She felt the need to share her gorgeous finds with like-minded people and when flipping through her beloved French Elle and Vogue Paris, she always noticed fabulous exhibits and events she couldn’t attend because they were happening too far away. Because of that Anne wanted readers to experience what she lived in Paris and elsewhere, through her blog as best as possible.

In October 2010 everything changed for Anne, when she found her first job that made her move to New York City the following month (-yes we are jealous!). Since she had quite the international background before that already - she grew up in the USA, lived in Tokyo for a year and studied in Milan for a semester, she packed her bags and went overseas.

Blogging regularly has been a challenge as she adjusted to her new city and job. But it has led her to meet wonderful people and work on exciting projects, two things that keeps her motivated (and we love her for it!).

 Le Choix Trois is not the only fan of Ritournelle. The blog has been featured twice on Freshly Pressed, Wordpress.com’s homepage. And Anne worked together with Caudelie, the skin care brand, on a post. After mentioning them on Twitter, she was invited to experience a treatment at their spa in the New York Plaza Hotel and of course shared the result with the rest of us. When she’s not blogging, strolling through New York, dream about Paris and hangout with friends in good resraurants and museums, Anne works for the French governmental as a Trade advisor, advising French beauty companies on their export strategy in the US market.

As a true French girl, Anne has this perfect ‘je ne sais quoi’ style, which she describes as very basic and simple. Her closet is filled with French brands -bien sur- like Comptoir des Cotonniers, Gérard Darel, Isabel Marant Etoile, Eric Bompard, Petit Bateau, Vanessa Bruno & Repetto. Her daily uniform consists of skinny jeans and a cashmere sweater. Her hands are always perfectly manicured with Chanel nail polish and she wouldn’t leave the house without wearing perfume (Chanel N°19 in the winter and Hermès Un Jardin après la Mousson in the summer). So now you know almost everything of the Belle behind Ritournelle, except for her favourite pieces in her wardrobe.

Here’s Le Choix de Ritournelle!

1. Kelly bracelet by Hermès

I love Hermès for its history, values and craftsmanship. I actually wrote my senior thesis on the brand. This bracelet is a birthday gift from my mother, to whom I am very close, and I wear it almost every day. It is very representative of Hermès with the leather, the sellier stitch and the clasp identical to the Kelly bag. It gives a touch of class to the most basic outfit and makes me feel powerful, probably because of its masculanity. And on top of that, this Hermès bracelet was the subject of my very first blog post!

2. Shoes by Repetto

I have been a Repetto fan for years and bought their black ballerinas season after season. Recently I wanted to try something different with a masculine vibe so I bought this pair of “Zizi” during my last trip to Paris at Le Bon Marché, my favorite store ever. No wonder they were Serge Gainsbourg’s favorite shoes; they are so comfy and light, I love the way I walk with them! Plus I can wear them with anything: jeans, a smoking or a dress.

3. Jacket by Etoile Isabel Marant

I bought this jacket right after I was hired at my company and just before moving to New York. It kind of symbolizes the transition between the business school graduate and the working girl in me. It’s a well-tailored piece of clothing, the wool is of great quality and it makes me feel confident, which is greatly needed when you are a newbie at networking events. At the same time, I feel myself in it: it’s not too strict as it remains true to Isabel Marant’s funky style and I like to wear it with the sleeves pushed up.

PS: The lovely pictures were made by previous Le Choix Belle Style on the Couch!

http://ritournelleblog.wordpress.com/

Twitter @ritournelleBlog

LE CHOIX de PRADAJUNKY

This week we break the rules by featuring a blogger to be, but since Le Choix Trois is also present at Twitter (@lechoixtrois) we thought it would be fun to have a Twitterista open up her wardrobe for us. And who better to ask than the person who hides behind the alias Pradajunky?

Michelle is a great read on Twitter. She tells all (in 140 characters!) about her shopping sprees and online purchases, next to her amazing workout routine (She has set her mind on Beyonce body and we’re sure she’ll get it!). She has been tweeting since March 2010 and is finally considering starting her own blog!

Pradajunky started to Twitter when a few of her ‘geek’ (her words!) friend were on there. She soon found a group of similar minded gals who loved fashion and talking about it! She has made some really good friends and even had Tweetups in NY and London during her World Tour. Her twitter name, @Pradajunky, represents that she is addicted to fashion and highlights her love of Prada (the first real designer piece she owned was a Prada handbag).

When Michelle/PradaJunky is not dreaming about clothes and shopping, she can be found working in IT. She is involved in developing and implementing systems into financial institutions. She likes to describe herself as a businessperson who can talk the ‘geek’ language to convey what the business needs.

When it comes to her personal style she says it’s girly, chic with a little bit of edge. She loves dresses & high heels and accessorizing an outfit with a scarf or a pair of earrings. As a true fashionista she tells her favourite colour for clothes is black, because it’s the perfect canvas to highlight her favourite accessories. As told before Michelle keeps track of her online purchases on Twitter (Lately we have seen a lot of McQueen!), but what are her most favourite three pieces? Will her first Prada bag be one of them?

Here is Le Choix de Prada Junky!

1. Diamond studs

‘These Diamond studs were a present from my parents. They were custom made for me by a jeweller friend of my Aunty. I had always wanted a pair of diamonds (its so true when they say diamonds are a girls best friend) so my parents surprised me with these. They are so simple but yet I feel a million dollars when I wear them. They are timeless and I know I will have these forever.’

2. Hermes scarf

‘Those who know me, know I love scarves & what is more tres chic than a Hermes scarf?  I saw this beauty when I was strolling around the Paris last year. I had wanted to buy a Hermes cashmere scarf in Paris during my World Tour 2010, but when I saw this one I knew it was meant to be worn by me. I love the softness of the chiffon & the combination of colours. And even though its chiffon its surprisingly warm

3. Chanel handbag

Now being a Chanel girl, I have always wanted one of their bags. Not a new one but a vintage one and not black but a tan one! During my world tour in 2010, I decided it was time to get one and when I saw this beauty in Designer Vintage store in NY I just had to have it. It’s circa 1990 & the leather is so soft. I snapped it up immediately along with 2 pairs of Chanel vintage earrings. I just love how it can change the look of an outfit. I’ve worn it with my jeans & tee shirt during my weekend excursions & also for a night out with a LBD.

http://www.twitter.com/pradajunky

LE CHOIX de Sara of Purses Pastries etc

Hello my darlings! Thank you all for being so patient and for all the good luck wishes! I thought I should treat you to another amazing Le Choix this week and very talented Sara of Purses Pastries etc opened up her wardrobe. Why do I love her blog? Sara is an amazing illustrator. Her drawings make you wish you’d paid more attention in art class.  Initially she set up her blog to showcase a few of her sketches involving Cassandra Carmen, the fashion-obsessed, cartoon character she created to tame her own shopaholic cravings. That was last December….Around April/May this year Sara really got the hang of it and now next to a weekly illustration, she blogs about everything else she loves — such as baking – photos that inspire her, as well as interviews with various fashionable women she has the privilege of knowing and fellow blogger’s who’s style and blogs she admires.

Sara studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC and in Florence, Italy and she worked in the industry in everything from designing to styling. Currently, she’s focusing on illustration and has recently done some special illustration projects with Vogue Hellas (WOW!) as well as contributed to Du Jour magazine. She’s also been honoured to be asked to design headers, wallpaper, etc for a number of blogs that she really admires, something which always thrills her to do! The other hat she wears is that of screenwriter – She loves telling stories!

Are her three favourite things as stylish as her blog? Let’s find out!

Here is LE CHOIX de Sara!

1. Bag by Chanel

I don’t think I have to really give a reason as to why my 2.55 by Chanel is included in my list! It’s a classic and I just love how it’s an item that was created by a designer of Mademoiselle Chanel’s calibre for her own personal use. Its workmanship is amazing and I just love using it!

2. Cowboy boots

This one might sound kind of funny but these are seriously, out of all of the shoes in my closet, my absolutely favourite pair. I guess it has to do with the fact that these are actual cowboy boots and not a designer imitation of the real thing – these are the real thing! If I knew how to hoist myself onto a horse and go wrangle a herd of cattle I could wearing these. Sadly, I don’t know how to ride a horse so I simply enjoy wearing them on the city streets. They’ve literally been all around the world with me and they always look great poking out under a pair of boot-cut jeans ;)  

3. Gold and Sapphire ring

I don’t remember the first time I clamped eyes on this ring. It originally belonged to my grandmother — who bought it with her own money in the early 40’s – and my mom wore it all the time when I was little. It was always the first item I chose from her jewellery box when she’d let me play dress-up while sitting on the sofa with my fists clenched so that I wouldn’t lose anything! As my fingers grew into this ring I’d always sneak it out of her jewellery box for special occasions and I was totally shocked when she surprised me with it last Christmas! Needless to say I wear it all the time and feel like something’s missing when I’m not.

LE CHOIX de Mon Petit Chou Chou

Happy Thankgiving mes cheries! When I approached Noelani of Mon Petit Chou Chou for Le Choix Trois I hadn’t thought about how perfect she would be for this special day, but when trying to pick her most favourite three things, she came back to me saying: ‘Picking the three things you can’t live without was a lot harder than I thought. It is too easy to take for granted all we have and I am certainly guilty of this myself. Thinking about what three items I would be able to save really made me thankful for all I am so fortunate to have….!!!’

Beautiful on the inside & beautiful on the outside, the incredible stylish Noelani of Mon Petit Chou Chou is this week’s Le Choix. J’adore Mon Petit Chou Chou. It’s not only the French name, but Noelani really brings that ‘je ne sais quoi’ feeling to her blog.

Noelani founded her blog just earlier this year, to explore her creative aspirations, and totally loves the blogging process! In between sharing her fabulous taste with us, she works as a consultant. A job she describes as the thing she is least passionate about in life. It involves negotiating grants and contracts for researchers at a major hospital, but  she has taken time off to develop the blog, took some classes, and wants to go back into the retail/fashion sector. Maybe one day she’ll open her own store. Well if her blog is a just a taste of the goods we can buy, LCT will be lining up the first day Noelani’s store opens its doors!

Noelani just started to work at a cute boutique in Boston, called Looc. They carry to-die for lines (Isabel Marant, Tila March, and Rag and Bone to name a few!) and she blogs about them too  (Tres Looc: http://loocboutique.blogspot.com/). When not at work, she is at home with her family, which include a wonderful, supportive husband, and two spoiled rotten pups- a Chihuahua called Tyrone and a bullmastiff named Kiki. (LCT says interesting combination of dogs and names, n’est-ce pas?). She loves to cook (look up her amazing pumpin cheesecake!), cleaning (!), walking the dogs and shopping!

Enough about Noelani, let’s see what she has chosen! Here is

LE CHOIX de Mon Petit Chou Chou!

After a few minutes of thoughtful reflection and thankfulness, I decided to just rock out with my three items and have fun! They are not items I wear often, nor would I necessarily, but they are items that are all precious to me. My day-to-day style is a mix of high and low.  I deeply appreciate luxury designer goods, but have to balance it all out, and keep the bottom line intact (or my husband sees red!). I try to dress fashion forward but not too trend based.  I love Miu Miu, Christian Louboutin, Hermes, and Chanel but I still frequent TJ Maxx (a discount chain in the US), Forever 21, H and M and Zara. It’s all in how you mix them.

1. Pucci sheath dress

Buying this last year was a watershed moment in my fashion life. It represents my whimsical, audacious, loud print loving inner wild child. It also signifies a time in my life where I could finally walk into a major department store, totally splurge on something like this- and not worry about whether I could afford my rent! Fear not, my next splurge and next step in my fashion life have already been plotted, it will be the iconic Birkin bag (which I just saw featured in another LCT feature!).  I somehow imagine my life will be complete when I have one (kidding……maybe).  I don’t have children yet so I can get away with statements like that!

2. Amethyst Earrings and Cocktail ring

My husband gets to take the credit for my second choice(s). Yes, I cheated a bit here, I suppose they are technically two items but I am counting them as one for the sake of this post! Wonderful husband bought these for me last year for Christmas, all on his own. It means so much to me when someone puts a lot of thought into a gift and I LOVE that he did. I have been known to give him rather detailed hints or lists when gift giving season rolls around, but he went out on a limb last year and had major success. As he all too well knows, I have a passion for vintage and estate jewellery. I love to imagine who might have worn the earrings and where they have traveled before they got to me. The earrings and ring are such statement pieces, conversation starters, a meaningful gift from my husband, my birthstone, and one of my favourite items in my wardrobe (engagement ring and band aside, which we also got at Skinner Auction House, where these beauties came from).

3. Sky high Christian Louboutin patent booties

My third choice is probably the most insensible of them all! I confess, I am a totally shoe crazy. Little gets me as excited as a great pair of well-designed, well crafted, shoes. The more outrageous and insensible they are, likely the better. These fit the bill on all prerequisites. They were much too expensive and are far too high for me to even wear for an extended amount of time. But aren’t they lovely? And sometimes that is all that matters.

LE CHOIX de Ruth

Cheries! Enfin a new Le Choix and this week it is the lady who brightens our days with her positive tweets, Ruth Staiman of The Fashion Office. Ruth is the Cofounder & President of The Fashion Office, a company where they create the magic in product, branding and imagery behind many brands we know. You can see their amazing portfolio at their company website or click here for their Tumblr blog, where Ruth showcases recent work and posts things that they like or are watching for the future.

Ruth is all about the digital revolution. She’s all over the social media, from Twitter to Tumblr and from Geolocation platforms to You Tube! This way she has a better understanding how her clients can leverage these new technologies best for their businesses. She discovered by using Twitter, how few fashion brands where using the medium and so it’s tremendous potential!

Since October of 2009, Ruth has also served as CMO, and now CIO, Group Publisher of PixelMags: A Digital Publishing Company for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. They deliver magazines on iTunes. Our first magazine went live on iTunes last Christmas and now they’ve got about 220 Apps that deliver magazines and catalogues.
Ruth was one of the first Le Choix Trois followers and has let us know through various ways how much she liked the concept (and gave great tips!). You can imagine how flattering that was!! I nicknamed her the Beauty with Brains and Birkins and I’m honoured she took the time in her busy schedule to pick her three favourite things.

Here’s Le Choix de Ruth!

After three decades of avidly buying and collecting treasures, picking three things I can’t live without is tough. The items I chose are keepers forever!

1. Engagement ring

This is my engagement ring by @BillyBymel. You can see him, our precious daughter  and the ring in my personal photo. The ring is a 4.11 carat Pink Sapphire, surrounded by 1.50 carats of pave diamonds set in platinum. It was selected to impress me enough to agree to marry him and it seems a bit flashy for my current lifestyle, but I will love it forever.

2.  Custom made Sheared Mink Coat

The coat I’m wearing in the family portrait is my second le Choix. It is a black sheared mink, custom made for me. It’s absolutely over the top with deeply cuffed sleeves and a lined hood. It’s full length including a train fashioned to drag along behind me. This means unless I’m inside, the coat needs to be lifted off the ground and people behind me constantly tell me my coat is dragging on the ground, to which I answer ‘it was made to do that’. The fur is lined with solid black silk and of course it’s monogrammed. It was made to fit over the ball gowns I often wore to charity events. It keeps me warm in the iciest temperatures of New York, Milan & Paris and is pictured on a canal boat ride in January ‘09 in Amsterdam right after the Men’s shows. We ran up for the weekend to get a little downtime with our daughter.

3. Birkin bag by Hermes

I’ve been an avid Hermes collector for many years. I’m lucky to have the Birkin seen in the photo, and the larger size in Black with Silver hardware. I also have a White Birkin with Gold hardware. Since LCT sent me rifling through my closet, I unearthed a Black Canvas HerBag, which I had stopped using because it is missing a piece of hardware. It’s a very interesting bag that came with two different sized canvas “Bags” that fit on one frame. I’m going to get it fixed so I can use it again! Le Monde Hermes has always been a very intoxicating place for me!The black one is 12 years old and looks brand new despite being shoved under plane seats, used as a briefcase, beach bag and filled with diapers, snacks, juice, receipts and all kinds of purchases. It’s black with gold hardware and was bought in Paris during my career at Hearst Magazines. It’s a keeper. I’ve had my eye out for a new handbag lately, but there’s really nothing better than a Birkin, except maybe… another Birkin?
P.S. Can I also add the five beings I can’t live without? They are Billy, our adorable daughter Elizabeth, our sons Philip & William and our Golden Retriever Sir Lancelot. Really all the other stuff is gravy!!!!!!

 

LE CHOIX de Kellina

Through Le Choix Trois I’ve made some really cool digi-friends. Most of them bloggers, I really admire. One of them is Kellina, the mysterious lady behind I Want To Be A RoitFeld, This week I’m beyond proud to inform you Kellina is this week’s Le Choix!

Incroyable!

Kellina created her blog in May 2009. Fascinated by the gorgeous Roitfeld-clan (aka Carine Roitfeld, editor in chief of French Vogue and her children Julia Restoin-Roitfeld and her brother Vladimir), she wanted to get to know more people (or compadres as Kellina calls them) who share her interest. Well it didn’t take long before Kellina’s blog was picked up by the digi-amigos, the established press AND the French fashion royals themselves. Somehow writing about people you admire seems to be controversial, leading to heated discussions in publications like NYmag, whether or not the Roitfelds themselves read the blog (and even leave comments….). Kellina was more than delighted when she read in a German newspaper that Carine does read her blog and is intrigued as to how Kellina gleans her information. She also believes that Julia has commented on a few posts, although the French beauty denied it publicly.

Who goes behind the name Kellina de Boer is one of the biggest secrets of the blogosphere (so no portrait pic!), but she did open up her wardrobe for us. In her daily life Kellina strives for French rock chic, when it comes to dressing up. This involves imitating Carine Roitfeld to the best of her ability with a splash of Lou Doillon for fun. Occasionally she finds inspiration in the choices of other Parisian beauties such as Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Emmanuelle Alt.

Are you ready to know a little bit more about the intriguing Kellina of I Want To Be A Roitfeld?

Here is Le Choix de Kellina!

1. White silk shirt

Why this shirt? Because I love it! It is silk, it is trimmed in lime green, and it is covered in French phrases, what more could a fashionista require? I found it by patiently sorting through the colour coded racks at my favourite Salvation Army. I try to go there every month or two but I have not been in far too long.

2. Skirt by Ines de la Fressange

The next is a black beaded silk skirt by Ines de la Fressange made as if to fit me. I’ve found it at the same Salvation Army, but not on the same trip (that would have been the day!)

3. Grandmother’s engagement and wedding ring

Finally, the wedding and engagement rings I inherited from my grandmother. They
are my only possessions that matter.

p.s. Thank you Lula for letting us use your image of Kellina!

p.s. 2. Want to see Le Choix de Lula? Click here