Savage Beauty: The Exhibit of Alexander McQueen

Spotted, on the steps of The Met, basking in the sun and ready to take in the beauty of her once beloved designer's collection, Blogger Girl is beaming in the beauty of The City in the summer... As promised my darlings, I am reporting back on the phenomenal Alexander McQueen Exhibit at The Met!

Savage Beauty is from start to finish my favorite fashion exhibit thus far. Alexander McQueen was a true visionary, an artist whose medium was clothing. Constantly pulling from all art forms for his fashion shows, he was notorious for Wowing his audience time and time again. Every collection was a complete 180 from the last. He was truly the darling of the fashion world and set the bar high as he ushered us in to the next century of style.

At The Metropolitan Museum of Art, between now and August 7th, you can explore the inner workings of Alexander McQueen up close and personal. I never thought in my life I would get to study his entire collection at one time, in one space...much less at all. But to see all the intricate folds, impeccable tailoring, and even a summary of the background of the collections was so inspiring. These are the things I dreamed of studying in my school classes, I'm so glad I get to study them for fun now!

{merci johnsimondaily.com for all exhibit photos}

{Merci The Cut}

I seriously cannot impress upon you enough how utterly amazing this exhibit is. If you are in New York this summer you simply must stop by and take it all in. And if you are, let me know!! I will definitely need to be booking time to see this again!

The Royal Wedding: Live from Times Square NYC

Well darlings, my alarm went off quite early this morning but it was totally worth it, as I got to watch The Royal Wedding of William and Catherine, Live from Times Square NYC!! Not usually a morning person, it did take some thought before deciding that getting to Times Square at 5am would be worth it, but after all it has been 29 years since the last royal wedding (and I did not get to see that one). After months of designer speculation on Women's Wear Daily, I was excited to see that Alexander McQueen (my favorite) was the chosen designer for the royal wedding gown!

I watched the royal wedding, live in Times Square NYC in the VIP tent of TLC Network! Full of English tea, scones, and beautiful modern Brit decor, the VIP tent was a nice atmosphere to view the royal wedding for such an early time in the morning.

The dress, designed by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen, was reminiscent of Grace Kelly's wedding dress when she became Princess Grace of Monaco. Although the custom lace design remained very reminiscent of McQueen's signature prints, the dress was most definitely toned down from the normal avant-garde look of the line, but I believe this had a lot to do with Kate's simplistic, classic style.

My favorite moment of the royal wedding was when Kate began walking down the aisle and you can see Prince Harry take a peak of her and tell Prince William how she looks. It was such an intimate brotherly moment that was so nice to witness. 

"Be who God meant you to be and 

you will set the world on fire." 

- St. Catherine of Sienna

After the royal wedding, TLC's Say Yes to the Dress performed 3 live weddings as well as a fashion show with the past brides of the show in Times Square. Oh and the lovely Colbie Caillat performed! It was certainly a memorable way to experience the royal wedding. And now my dears, this fashionista is off to catch up on some zzz's, enjoy your royally enchanted day!

Congratulations to 

Prince William and Princess Catherine!

Guest Blogger: London Shopping from BritGirlBondi

With all the Spring in the air, it is certainly the time when we are all thinking of shopping! And what could be better than traveling and shopping? So I have a guest blogger for you today to bring you the know how of the Brits! Here is some London Shopping pointers straight from the expert BritGirlBondi.

So straight from Notting Hill, Helen of BritGirlBondi...

So, Vintage.

There is a lot of blah around Vintage at the moment. I don’t know what it is like in your town, but London ?! Let’s just say this is a bandwagon everyone (including me, I must say) has jumped on. There is “Vintage” everywhere. Got an old T-shirt?! Vintage. Some 1990’s Topshop?! Vintage. What I’m here to do is it say STOP! Say no to bad vintage.

Because, Mon amis, there is so much GOOD STUFF OUT THERE! And here I am, thanks to the lovely Jessica, to tell you where to find it.

I think, like many people, what I love about vintage clothing is the real history around the items that you wear. I love it when you buy a bag and find a dry cleaning ticket from the 60’s. I love it when you buy a military coat and it has Dieppe the French soldier’s name written into the lining.

I lived in London for the last 8 years; Shoreditch, Oval, Clapham, Dulwich, Hackney….. the list goes on. I now live in Sydney, and trust me, if you are lucky enough to be in London then do go on this fabulous trail because I believe there is no place like it for treasure hunting in the world!

1. Spitalfields Antiques

Address: Brushfield and Commercial Street

Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street/Aldgate East

Online at: visitspitalfields.com

Thursdays at Spitalfields is home to the wondrous antique market. Now, I hear you cry, this is not vintage. On the contrary, I think this is the very best of vintage. Old military wares, scarves, postcards, furniture….. When I move back to the UK the first thing I will buy is a 1800’s Union Jack Flag to frame to hang next to some vintage suitcases filled with books.

2. Absolute Vintage

Address: 15 Hanbury Street

Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street/Aldgate East

Online at: absolutevintage.co.uk

Just around the corner from Spitalfields market is the Topshop of vintage. Seriously, anything you need, you can get here. It was voted one of the 100 best stores in the world, and I would have to agree, it’s pretty awesome! It is slightly overpriced, but if you are need of a vintage hit, like NOW, this place makes it so easy it’s unreal. Weirdly though, the website is rather pants, so no great pics to be shared. Luckily I have this picture of this dress I once got this awesome dress from AV…. for $60. Wow wow wow!

3. Sunday Upmarket

Address: The Old Truman Brewery, Ely’s Yard

Nearest Tube: Liverpool Street/Aldgate East

http://www.sundayupmarket.co.uk/index.html

There are many reasons I love Sunday Upmarket. Firstly is because I used to have a stall here, where I basically just put my wardrobe on sale before I moved to Sydney . What I love about this place is because many of the stalls are casual (especially on the higher levels…), there is a huge buzz and excitement about the place. People bring their dogs in, and have their friends to their stalls like it’s a social gathering (Well, I did anyway, see pics below of me and stall friends!). There is a specific vintage section to the market on the upper levels, but don’t let that distract you from the rest of the market, especially the cheaper stalls at the bottom!

Oh, and get your money out before you get there, then go for a curry on the famous Brick Lane after!

4. Rokit

Address: 42 Shelton Street

Nearest Tube: Covent Garden/Leicester Square

Online at: rokit.co.uk

I’m listing this place, basically, because it was the place that started the whole Vintage thing off in London , and started my obsession when I was only a wee 18 year London student. This place has a great central location, right in the midst of Covent Garden . What I always found Rokit best at was the Denim; rows and rows of skirts, jeans, and jackets all very well size labelled means its great for an organisation freak like me. Also I knew the staff in there at one point, they are so darned friendly. They really live and breathe what they do.

5. Portobello Road

Address: Portobello Road

Nearest Tube: Notting Hill gate

Online at: pretaportabello.com

{all photo rights to respective stores, EuropeCloseup and Helen Buchan at BritGirlBondi}

I am quite unfamiliar with Portobello Road , as I must say its rather prim compared to my get down and dirty approach to shopping. Also, I find it a bit cluttered with food stalls, and the usual trappings of a tourist destination. However, the small stores around Portobello are just gorgeous, and, if you are feeling lazy, you can just pop online to pretaportobello.com/shop/vintage.aspx. So you can have the real Portobello experience, minus the tourists, at home with a cup of tea and a biscuit. Mmmmm.

So now you know where to go….. I’ll let you in on some top tips:  

1. Haggle at stalls, you’ll always get a bit of money off if you are just super nice, or buy a few items.
2. If you like a stall, compliment it! It means a lot to the stall holder, they’ve been up since 5am making it beautiful, just for you. And you’ll probably get a discount. And if you want to take a photo, ask first.
3. Remember that most stall holders get their items from EBay. So if you can be patient, or know what you want, take the gamble.
4. Remember that Vintage is NOT NEW! Instead of worry about what is wrong with the item, think about how nice the history of it is. I promise you it will make you appreciate it much more!
5. If you can, travel for the Vintage….. the fur and old military ware of the Parisian Markets of Cliagncourt is to die for (excuse the pun on both accounts…) and apparently South America is amazing (all the old school Americana …).

I cannot wait to visit London again now that I have the local's perspec on shopping! I'll just have to really save up...that British Pound really doesn't mess around! 

Be sure to follow Helen's adventures now that she's in the land down under on her blog BritGirlBondi and on Twitter @Helen_Buchan !!

Up Coming Fashionista: Male Model Nick Hissom

I want to start introducing you all to the fierce new mavens making waves in the fashion world, enter the Up Coming Fashionista series. Models, photographers, designers and more...you will be sure to know the future of the fashion landscape. 

NICK HISSOM

At New York Fashion Week, I met one male model that has major promise to match his dashing good looks. Nick Hissom is an up coming male model who is a true sweetheart. And as you can see here in his latest editorial a la GQ Italia, he knows his stuff when it comes to the male model world!

{Photographer: Kai Z Feng} 

I love the behind the scenes of photo shoots, it shows you the hard work and true art that goes into the beautiful pictures that grace the pages of all our favorite glossies!

More than just a pretty face, Nick Hissom is actually juggling his male model career with his full time student career...at an Ivy! As an 18 year old college freshman, Nick divides his time between Philadelphia and New York...with the occasional trip home to England of course...that's right girls...he's British! Here's what Nick had to say about his busy life:

I strive under pressure and I hate being bored, so juggling modelling 

and an Ivy League education is fun, despite the hard work!

 {Photographer: Kai Z Feng}

Being a male model is like being someone who lives in a mansion but borrowed all the money to buy it: people glamorize your lifestyle and forget about the harsh realities that come with the job. I like modeling because when you are at a shoot with the creative team, it's as if nothing else exists outside the studio and you can fully engulf yourself without any distractions-something I often find hard to do normally!

{Photographer: Kai Z Feng}

This Up Coming male model certainly has a grounded mentality and enthusiasm that will serve him well in the years ahead in the industry. And with such a cute smile as his, what girl wouldn't want to be flipping through her Vogue to pages of Nick? 

Don't forget to keep up with Nick Hissom!
Fan him on Facebook

Follow his Tweets @nickhissom

 & See updates on his website

Fashionspiration: London Chic

From London with Love by fashiondiva304 on Polyvore.com

Wandering London

It was rainy, but what better way to be welcomed by London right? I will have to make a second trip hopefully soon for shopping and a little more relaxation, I'm afraid I did not have much time. Nonetheless, I really loved London and cannot wait to visit again!

I love the hats of the Police in England. How cute??

I was loving all the telephone booths around town. Although I wonder how often they are actually used for phones anymore with all the cell phones around?

This is such an amazing statue. Its of the Women of World War II. I love how it depicts the women hanging up their dresses, putting on hold their heels, and donning their work suits to support their countries while the men were away at war. Its a perfectly moving piece.

The London Eye

What is your favorite thing about London darlings?

London's Calling

I hope you all are set out to have a wonderfully exciting weekend! I am off to London today for the first time ever and I am very excited to add this stamp onto my passport. Don't you love racking up those stamps? I will of course report back with fun photos from the fun life of the Brits next week!

*merci Tumblr*

Do you have any fun London Must-Sees?

Fashionspiration: London Layers

London Town by fashiondiva304 featuring Carvela shoes

Items in this set:
Union Jack cotton tank, $125
Ruffle Front with Drawstrings Open Cardigan, $17
CURRENT / ELLIOTT Short, 210 EUR
Carvela Wish Studded Over The Knee Platform Boot, $355
Large Leather Suitcase, 220 GBP

Don't forget to enter the Curly Hair Giveaway HERE

trust me you don't want to miss this one!

Its London Baby

Well London Fashion Week certainly came and went in a whirlwind of colors and ruffles and now its time to review the left over glitter on the runway. *As always thank you Style.com for your great coverage of all the fashion shows for wonderful blog content.*

Arabian Nights.

Ok, So I pretty much hate Harem Pants, and Jodhpurs, I feel they do no justice to any woman whether they are a size 2 or a size 12 but as it is a huge trend flowing through right now, and I did not want to leave you in the outs due to my bias. That said, this Vivienne Westwood Red Label look I am actually not hating which is saying quite a lot. Although, I still could not wear it myself, I love how the Urban Artsy look has been blended with School Prep so well.

A micro trend that I am super excited about are turbans! This look from Twenty8Twelve is so dreamy it just places you right in a modern day version of Casablanca! It has been seen on the likes of Kate Moss and the runways of Prada for a couple years but after seeing the trailor for the next Sex And The City Movie (so excited about that btw), I feel it can finally really take off.

Drapey.

I was captivated by this Matthew Williamson number. The duplicated pattern pulls your eye through the whole piece and the drapes sweep you back up to the top creating a constant movement (thanks art classes) which will also be mimicked in the fact that is is a flowy silk dress that will make you feel breezy as well. Plus pair this with thick leggings and a subtle fitted long sleeve shirt underneath and you have a lovely transition into those colder months.

I think this feminine suit by Richard Nicoll would make for the perfect Hump Day outfit. Something structured enough to still remain serious at the office but soft and feminine gearing you up for the approaching weekend.

Going along with Harem type pants, I also don't like paper bag waists for the same unflattering reason, but Roksanda Ilincic has found a way to take this technique and leave me yearning for it in my closet. How brilliant is the paper bag top? So flowy and feminine and in juxtaposition to the structured pencil skirt it will keep just the right balance of sexy and refined.

Building Up.

Vivienne Westwood Red Label, as always, does a great job with showcasing color and this season was no exception. Look for building your wardrobe from the shoes up with lots of changing colors. Don't forget, as socks are big right now, that they are a fun way to add pizazz to any outfit. Also, this large wrap belt is springing up everywhere but it always makes me think of one of the signature pieces of the charming Southern Belle Carol Hannah.

Jonathan Saunders has still added some ombre dye in his line which is nice and subtle and rocked out with some graphic inspiration.

I was very interested in this piece by Marios Schwab. I like the colors and the fabric, but I think what I like most is the hint of a print on the bodice juxtaposed to the busy print of the skirt, and the nice pleating into a box neckline is quite nice.

I couldn't leave London without mentioning Mark Fast, for one very honorable reason. Fashion gets often quite a bad rap for creating one too many eating disorders and that is a shame, because in an industry based on creating such beautiful things there should be only an environment of uplifting love resting around it. Fashion has always been my happy place, and it should be that way for everyone. Mark Fast has always placed plus sized models down the cat walk just like the 0% body fat girls, an although I don't think his designs really suit their body type best (although any of the other outfits in this post would) I feel the statement he is making about beauty is so important and so true.

"Beauty is everywhere and in everyone. It is not limited to a size 2, it is not limited to one trend per season, it rests inside us and we all should daily share that beauty with the world. This is our responsibility for making the World a better place, find your unique beauty and let it shine."

~Jessica Kelly

*Also darlings don't forget to enter the latest giveaway

and take home your own piece of inspiration!*