LE CHOIX de REALLY REE
Another week, another Le Choix! This week I bring you Anne-Marie Lodge from the UK aka Really Ree. Her blog is a mixture of shopping tips, beauty news, fashion ideas and kiss and tells of events Ree attends. This 35-year-old mum of a 7-year-old son was born with a style gene! As a baby she used to hang over the side of her pram to get a glimpse of people’s shoes. This is where the fascination for the beautiful things in her life started. Since June 2010 she keeps track of all the pretty things on her blog Really Ree.
Next to blogging she works part-time in a jewellery store. The highlight of her blogging adventures was meeting her fashion hero, Roland Mouret (swoon!), who was as charming in real life as she’d hoped him to be. As you will see from her Le Choix, Ree just loves fashion and a designer name alone won’t do. This lady loves her high-end stuff as much as a good bargain.
Since Ree is really busy, we didn’t have a lot of time to chat more about style and her blog, but I’m sure you’ll love her Le Choix! Especially her first choice, her dream bag she hunted down (Can you believe it was sold out everywhere! Ree had to be put on a waiting list to get it!) and tweeted about with so much passion, I was truly excited for her when she got it!
Here is Le Choix de Really Ree!
1. Chanel jumbo flap bag in caviar
I love the classic lines and the hardware. Chanel as a brand is so aspirational to me. I feel that I could be wearing absolutely anything, simple jeans and Tshirt, and that bag would lift the whole outfit. It is timeless, I know I will never get bored of it and it goes with everything. I mean business with that bag - It is iconic!
2. Coat by Jigsaw
I have had the Jigsaw coat (bought from a second hand designer/vintage store) for a couple of months. I have worn it everyday since I bought it. It is a beautiful green, which is very flattering for my colouring. It is also really comfortable and warm. It is so soft and snuggly! The jacket is smart, yet casual so I can wear it with everything. It fits nicely over a jacket for work. It has a very classic style which looks good open, or buttoned all the way up with the collar up.
3. Aviators by Tom Ford
I bought the Tom Ford Aviators In New York on Independence Day 2008. I just adore them. They make my face made up even when I have no time to do makeup, and they add an instant injection of glamour. Again they are a classic style that will never go out of fashion. I am obsessed with protecting myself of the ageing effects of the sun and so wear sunglasses as much as I can.
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 CinZilicious
Welcome to a new Le Choix. I’m so lucky to have such patient followers. Encore une fois, sorry for the delay, but life is a bit hectic at the moment. BUT as promised the wait was worth it, ‘cause this week I bring you Le Choix de CinZilicious!
Behind CinZilicious is the always cheerful Cindy or Cinz for her Internet girlfriends. She started her blog in March 2009, but kinda stopped after April 2009. Merci à Dieu, she decided to come back to the virtual scene and now we can follow her ramblings for almost a year on a frequent basis. Her initial goal was to blog about her daily life and things that she loves, such as shopping, fashion, traveling, music, movies, and food. But soon after, she noticed that her passion for fashion was the strongest, so now it is (almost) all about la mode! Every Sunday is Photo Sunday at CinZilicious. Just stop and stare at a fashionable photo, but for the other days of the week Cinz keeps us up to date with trends and other fun stuff.
When Cinz is not blogging, she spends her time working at recruitment agency as Customer Service Representative at the Call Center. It’s a pretty tedious and repetitive job and she always encounters really weird people over the phone. It’s blogging that’s helped her stay sane from her job too!!! Apart from that, she loves spending time with her girlfriends over high tea, cocktails, and now that her boyfriend has moved to Hong Kong to be with her, she tries to make as much time for him too (phew!).
Although Cinz tries to mix different styles when it comes to dressing, her clothes fall in two categories. The first is a more retro and 80’s style look, where the attraction lies in vibrant and bold printed clothes. But gradually she’s favoring more and more neutral tones and basic wear to which she adds big statement accessories to give it a more modern and classy look.
So curious to see if these style will be part of Cinz’s Le Choix?
Here is
Le Choix de CinZilicious
1. Balenciaga Bag
My boyfriend got me my very first Balenciaga bag for my birthday this year and I’ve been using it ever since. This bag is super versatile and goes with almost any of my outfit styles, such as for work, casual days, or just hanging out with friends over the weekend. I love how the leather goes really soft after awhile and this small looking bag can actually hold a lot of my junk! The small mirror that comes with the bag is super handy too. I just take it out whenever I need to quickly check if there’s anything weird going on with my face when I’m out in public, haha.
2. Swarovski necklace
This Swarovski necklace was also a gift from my boyfriend and it holds a special place in my heart because it was the first jewelry piece he ever got me. The necklace has a very elegant and girlie style to it and I normally prefer wearing it for special occasions like weddings, formal dinners, or when I feel like I need to glam up that day, lol.
3. H&M dress
I got this dress last year and this was just one of those purchases where I knew I had to bring it home. The dress flatters me at all the right places and its deep v neckline gives it a sexier edge without showing too much. You can’t really see the effect of the v neckline in the photo due to the flash. Apologizes about that! The black ribbon belt also helps to create an illusion of a thinner waist line for me and that is always a bonus. The ruffles towards the end of the dress are really cute and I feel that it makes the dress look more interesting to the eye. So far I have been given compliments whenever I wear this dress so I know I made a right decision to keep it!
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 Cupcake
If you’re looking for a blog that is fun and fashionable you should visit www.Fashion-Tarts.blogspot.com. Cupcake started blogging three months ago, since she missed writing and wanted a creative outlet. She aims to make Fashion-Tarts a huge party everyday (and there is calorie free cake every day of the week too!). She told us, although it is a little embarrassing (her words, not ours!), that when she was about 8 years old, she and her sister would buy The National Enquirer and cut out pictures of movie stars they liked and scrapbook them in their ‘Movie Star Album’. Fashion Tarts is her adult Movie Star Album, except that it is digital and all about fashion.
Next to her scrapbook Cupcake doesn’t shy away to give an opinion with posts like ‘Oscar disaster of the day’ or the Top 5 over rated fashion icons’. Lots of discussions and real fun stuff going on at the online bakery, so you can imagine we nearly had a heart attack when Cupcake announced two weeks ago that she would end her blog. The reason? She thought it was time for a blog about her family recipes. We love that idea, but simply can’t start the day without reading the witty remarks of our favourite fashion tart. Let’s blame it on some sugar deprivation ‘cause within two days this lady was back on track and promised to keep us happy with her 100% kitschy, silly but most of all fun blog! Phew!
When Cupcake is not online she is either working (in finance!!!), doing something tres sportive (like skiing, hiking, biking playing tennis, swimming) or she’s busy with her big, big family (check for her family cooking here).
To let Cupcake know how much we love her blog we asked her to entertain us and show us her favourite three items from her closet. Are you ready? Here is……
Le Choix de Cupcake
1. Perfum Dreams by Anna Sui
I’ve worn this fragrance for years. When my son was little he told me ‘oh mommy you always smell like a cake’, and it does smells like cake! Fitting that Cupcake would actually smell like a cupcake, non? All of my clothes, coats and scarves smell like Dreams. There is only one fragrance for me, it defines me!
2. Booties by White House Black Market
They are not designer but they are comfortable and go with everything. I am a shoe fanatic and these are my favy favs. Plus, Mr. Cupcake thinks they are uber sexy!I would define my style as modern/edgy. Black is my favourite colour and I’ve taken some heat for this over the years, but I am shameless about it now.
3. Wedding rings
I never remove them (ok, once for the pic). I frequently wear no other jewelry but these rings. They have obvious sentimental value and major bling!
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
