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!
Twitter @agirlinboston
LE CHOIX DE BEAUTY FILE by Lisi
It’s here and it’s good, a new Le Choix Trois! This week the lovely Lisi of The Beauty File opens up her wardrobe and picks her three favourite pieces. I just love how the group of ‘Le Choix Belles’ is growing and how willing everybody is to introduce me to great new bloggers. Kellina of ‘I Want to be a Roitfeld’ told me about Lisi and her impeccable taste and since then, I’m hooked to The Beauty File. (BTW if you have the time do check out ‘I want to be a Battaglia’ too, to which I’m contributing! AND if you know of some fab blogger that should be a Le Choix Belle, contact me!).
Lisi was so inspired by other blogs that she decided to create her own in March 2009. She started The Beauty File with the intention of reviewing beauty products, but browsing the fashiony blogs and magazine websites made her realize her true passion lies in the fashion world. She has always been drawn to trends and she loves knowing what’s on the runway, what’s in the stores and what the “fashion set” is wearing. She loves trend spotting, critiquing looks, collecting beautiful images and sharing them with others. So blogging was a natural fit. She doesn’t post any of her personal looks, she rather compiles heaps of inspiration pictures for her posts, which includes: street style, editorials, red carpet looks and photography. Her aim is to bring the most current trends with her own personal spin to her readers.
Lisi is not only busy on the Internet. Next to being a wife, she is the proud mum of an 8 month old son and a 6-year-old Spaniel/Pomeranian mix dog. And since that isn’t hectic enough she’s also a part time graduate student in Speech & Language Pathology. One day she hopes to have her own practice and work with Early Language in very young children.
When it comes to fashion Lisi calls Audrey Hepburn and her grandmother her true style icons. No matter what, her grandma always looked like she was ready to be interviewed on “Charlie Rose” or meet the first lady. Her style was impeccable, her accessories were legendary and Lisi keeps her close to her heart everyday. The Beauty File blogger describes her personal style as classic preppie/whimsical boho and counts tight black pants, long tops and flats as her wardrobe staples.
And now you know (almost) everything about Lisi (the camera shy beauty, even agreed on sharing a portrait!) you are probably very curious to see her favourite three pieces!
Here’s Le Choix de Beauty File by Lisi
1. Lace & chiffon top by Nanette Lepore
This top makes me feel so glamorous and dressed up with minimal effort. I think it’s the lace. It’s something I bought a few years ago at the big Saks sale around the holidays {I’m one of those people who shops on Black Friday} and I just adore it. It’s a go to for an elegant evening out or just a small dinner with friends. I like to wear it with black pants {I’m a New Yorker, it’s the uniform} and then some really pretty, gold jewelry, but never a necklace because the lace up top is the scene-stealer. Easy, classy and timeless.
2. Black leather “Large Downtown” bag by Yves Saint Laurent.
This is my absolute favorite bag. It’s so classic and TREMENDOUS, I bring it with me on meetings, lunches and shopping. I love that I can fit everything in it, the inside is a soft suede and it’s just made so well. It also still smells brand new almost three years later. I’m the kind of person who would rather save {for years} for one amazing piece than blow all my money on cheaper things that will go out of style. I’m totally “quality over quantity” for better or worse…
3. Vintage Tiffany Gold Bangle- my grandma’s
I adored this bangle on my grandma, she used to wear it daily. It’s not too chunky, but not too small and I feel so lucky to be able to wear it now. I love the old fashioned clasp and the way “Tiffany & Co” is delicately inscribed on the hook. It was a gift from my grandfather and I wear it with almost anything. Layered or alone, it’s a piece I absolutely adore and think of her every time I see it.
twitter @thebeautyfile
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 NOTTING HILL GIRL
I’ve just returned from an exciting trip to New York and after I survived the huge pile of work waiting on my desk, I immediately turned to my blog to present you a new Le Choix Belle. This week it is the gorgeous and very stylish De of Notting Hill Girl.
De only started blogging since September 2010. She had thought about it for a long time since she works in Digital Marketing, but didn’t start until two weeks after she moved to Notting Hill in London (De originally hails from Melbourne, Australia). When walking around Portobello Market, the street style team from Spanish Elle approached De and asked to take her photo. The idea to start a blog with the iconic ‘Notting Hill’ as her backdrop came to her right at that moment. That evening when she came home, she wrote her very first blog and has never looked back since!
As Notting Hill girl she was recently featured in Grazia UK and can add this week Le Choix Belle to her list too!
When it comes to her personal style she considers her style to be ‘contemporary feminine’ as she wears a lot of dresses and loves contemporary prints and designers. She’s not very loyal to brands (she even calls herself a marketing nightmare!) but some of her favourites include See by Chloe and Marc by Marc Jacobs for their fun prints that transcend trends. In Spring/Summer she lives in her blazers -in a range of colours- and silk dresses. De is not a high heel person, since they hurt her feet too much (altough after testing the new M&S range she might reconsider this statement!). Most of the time you’ll see her in cute flats. In Winter, she generally wears wool dresses everyday. She owns around eight of them at the moment and wears them until they fall apart!
Next to blogging, De loves to explore London, eat delicious food and stroll around vintage markets. She’s totally hooked on the Internet and even met her boyfriend for nearly seven years through the web. The most important reason to move to London, is that she wanted to travel more and this year alone she has trips planned to Austria, Denmark, Portugal, Italy, France and Iceland.
The itinerary of Notting Hill girl is fully booked, but she did find time to share her favourite three pieces from her wardrobe.
Here’s Le Choix de Notting Hill girl!
1. Marc by Marc Jacobs patent leather flats
I bought these in 2007 and have been wearing them ever since! They are classic and so incredibly comfortable! They were made in Italy and the quality shows, I have them resoled every so often and they are like new again.
2. Mulberry Bayswater bag in Oak
This is my first ‘designer’ bag and was a gift from my boyfriend. I have always wanted a classic designer bag that I can (hopefully) one day pass on to my daughter. It took me a long time to work out what bag was right for me, but I’m not so glad I chose it.
3. Topshop black tailcoat blazer
I bought this blazer back in 2008 and wear it with everything. It is so versatile - I wear it with jeans, dresses and skirts. I love the tailcoat at the back, it’s different from a traditional blazer.
http://nottinghillgirl.blogspot.com/
twitter @nottinghillg1rl
WORK IN PROGRESS
Cheries! I’m in New York at the moment, so it might take a couple of days before the new Le Choix is on.
image by SohoHearts
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 QUITE CONTINENTAL
It’s time to kick off a whole new season Le Choix Trois and who better to start with than the gorgeous Mariah from Quite Continental?! This girl oozes class with a capital C. You can see it on her blog and in her daily style. When it comes to clothes Mariah chooses timelessness and elegance above anything else. She describes her personal style as classic, but with a little edge. She’s a sucker for beautiful ballet flats and while she’s the happiest wearing a swingy skirt, she also enjoys wearing a tie sometimes. She is that girl that always looks impeccable, whenever and wherever, but never ever boring. She is a true inspiration!
Mariah started Quite Continental in July of 2010. It began as a moodboard of sorts, but has since evolved into a lifestyle and fashion site with a definite eye on how to live a fabulous life. Mariah calls blogging an empowering experience and a wonderful creative outlet, and she will continue to keep at it until either of those qualities change. She says the best part of her blog has been the opportunity to meet wonderful, like-minded individuals, both in the real world and the virtual world.
When not keeping Quite Continental up, she continues to explore New York. As a still-somewhat new transplant from Los Angeles, she’ll admit she still has moments when she gets excited by a glimpse of the Chrysler Building. For sure Mariah will explore her city this Spring, strolling around Central park, catching the open-air opera in the plaza of Lincoln Center, having sunny brunches al fresco, and on and on and on……
But let’s get back to business, ‘cause what we really really want to know is, what will Mariah save when her wardrobe would disappear forever?
Here’s Le Choix de Quite Continental’s Mariah!
1. Kate Spade Sam in red
This was a present from my father on my 16th birthday. He couldn’t figure out for the life of him what anyone would want with a bright red purse — I admit that at that time it was a bold choice. I was timid about carrying it for a very long time! However, over the years I have grown to love this constructed handbag. I especially love how well it has held up and that every time I look at it, I think of my dad.
2. Christian Louboutin Decoltissimo 100s
My tried and true go-to for when I need to feel powerful (and very tall).
3. Alexander McQueen coat
This was an amazing Boston score. The colour is brilliant and it is so well-tailored that I never want to take it off when I’m wearing it. I especially love the gold buttons and the perfect length of the sleeve.
LE CHOIX DE Kate from Everyday Glamour
Cheries! I know it has been too long. Work, holidays, fashion weeks, the odd mailfailure seem to be making LCT impossible. No excuses though, since you all deserve a new and inspiring Le Choix every week. So let’s kick the year off with the amazing Kate from Everyday Glamour. This blog was pointed out to me by another Le Choix Belle, Milla. Thanks to her, my list of great blogs has grown plus one, since Everyday Glamour is not to be missed. Kate brings wonderful fashion tips and trends to all Everyday Glamour Chicks (EGC) where ever they are. But that’s not all ‘cause this month she also was appointed as the New York Editor-in-large of the famous blogs ‘I want to be a Roitfeld’ and ‘I want to be an Alt’ (which are owned by another Le Choix Belle Kellina!).
When she’s not blogging Kate works as a personal stylist in New York City and spends time with her adoreable 4-year-old daughter and lovely husband. When there is time she loves to run and weight train at home. She also told us that she has a bit of a magazine habit she can’t seem to kick! Massive piles are sitting in her bedroom, while her closets are full of silk and lace, formfitting pants and skirts and lots of heels, since she has a petite frame. On her wish list for this summer are a little fitted black leather jacket, some new black shoes for summer, - perhaps with an open toe and a little heel -, and a new handbag (don’t we all need these?!). Keep an eye on her blog to see what she will buy!
So what would Kate pick from her wardrobe as her not to be missed three items? Since she is the one, people hire when they are out of sync with their own closets we were more than eager to see her Le Choix Trois!
Here’s Le Choix de Kate!
1. Black lace top by Catherine Malandrino
I realized recently that I have a ridiculous array of black lace tops in my wardrobe. And I love them all! I guess that must mean I’m into lace. This Catherine Malandrino top is my favorite, because it’s such an old stand-by. It goes with skirts, pants, jeans. I can wear it during the day, or more formally. I love how it highlights my waist, and has a little peplum-effect at the bottom. I got this top way back in…let’s see…I think the year was 2001!
2. Little gold snake necklace I never take this necklace off. I even shower with it on. It’s like my tattoo, but painless and ink-free! I got this necklace about 3 years ago at a cool little jewellery/tattoo parlor called New York Adorned, in the East Village. I like the symbolism of the snake. It reminds me to always strive to “shed my old skin” and become something new. New and improved, I hope?
3. Black tube skirt by Wolford Oh my, how I adore this skirt! It looks like nothing much in the store. I got it at Wolford, it’s called a Taisha skirt, and they sell it in a box. Once I put in on though, it’s like “Whoa!” Anytime I dress up, I wear this skirt. I can’t get away from it! It hugs my curves perfectly, and highlights my, ahem, backside. And it goes with everything.
