There is something about watching live music that changes the way you hear a song, do you know what I mean? Once you have heard a band sing live with live feeling, crowds and a different context, you just want to listen to them again and again and again. Well, I do anyway, which is why today I am listening to ‘The Awesome Wave’ on repeat.

My favourite song from the album is ‘Matilda,’ – it manages to be both beautifully soft and a real crowd-swaying anthem.

DID you know, that the song is inspired by the 1994 Luc Besson film Leon (Natalie Portman’s first film and my god, she is the most beautiful little girl.)

Hitman Léon says the line, “This is from Mathilda,” as he gives a corrupt DEA detective a grip of grenade pins. “The song is about that moment in the film,” say Alt J’s Newman , “and it talks about Jean Reno’s relationship with Matilda, and Leon’s relationship with her.”

Well, now you know. I found this video on YouTube which an Alt J fan created to illustrate the films influences on ‘Matilda.’
It’s so well done, Portman’s face is simply perfect.
 

You would have seen in the news that his new single ‘The Next Day’ was temporarily pulled from YouTube because of its graphic content (check Cotillard with blood spurting from stirgmata-like wounds,) I do agree that there should be a note of what you are about to watch so it is at theviewers own risk, do you? Grabbing headlines, unsettling Christians and behaving in a way the Archibishop of Cantebury has criticised to be ‘juvenile,’ it does make me think there is truth in the saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity, well, is there?

The Italian director Floria Sigismondi is known for her innovative and often disturbing works that often create a sense of the very strange, surreal and bizarre (she also directed Bowie and Swinton in ‘The Stars Are Out Tonight.’) The film sees Bowie performing in a bar surrounded by religious figures, beggers and prostitutes, starring alongside his old pal Gary Oldman and the beautiful Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard.

Outrageous and reactive, do you think this is art or just an inspiring turn on music PR?

Is it provocative for a reason? 

Is it, very simply, Bowie demonstrating his sense of daring?

Or is it just Bowie, being Bowie?

THE NEXT DAY feat. GARY OLDMAN & MARION COTILLARD

David Bowie – The Next Day on MUZU.TV.

THE STARS (ARE OUT TONIGHT) feat TILDA SWINTON

Check out this fab video from ambassador @antoniaobrien showing you her #fashion style #wearyoursupport bit.ly/132Ac8b

— Fashion Targets (@FashionTargets) May 7, 2013

#WEARYOURSUPPORT

Have a look at the 2013 campaign NOW

I was desperate to post this American Vogue shoot, photographed by Mario Testino (can you tell?) because it agrees with everything I think about the 1920s social scene, Daisy Buchanan and the Gatsby parties, simple yet terrific elegance.

Throughout the shoot, Carey/Daisy wear designs by major fashion houses including Chanel Haute Couture, Miu Miu, Oscar de la Renta and Nina Ricci, all styled by the inimitable Grace Coddington (all images from American Vogue online.)

Spectacular.

 Chanel Haute Couture Sequinned Dress

Miu Miu Dress Embroidered with Swarovski Crystals

Chanel Haute Couture, Chiffon, Feather and Tulle Dress

Oscar de la Renta Beaded Silk Organza Top and Matching Skirt

Nina Ricci Satin Dress with Flower Appliques / Chanel Fine Jewellery

Alexander McQueen Ostrich Feather Dress with Chiffon Covered Pearls

Dior Haute Couture Top / Headpieces throughout by Julien d’Ys

Baz Luhrman’s / The Great Gatsby – released in the UK 16th May 2013  (I can’t WAIT!)

Good afternoon girls, (well, I imagine it is mostly girls who come here.) So, today I feature in the much-loved blog, Today I’m Wearing – as the girls call it, a ‘daily fashion feast.’

 Here is a little snippet from the Style Q & A:

Photo creditation @MyChicCity www.mychiccity.com

‘Today I’m wearing Gold thread By Malene Birger tailored trousers, which I love because they add a pop of colour and sparkle to whatever I wear them with. Then there are my Terry de Havillands, which I bought because they’re the perfect heel and look like a cross between Elton John and Ziggy Stardust. My jumper is black and gold mohair from 3.1 Phillip Lim – I have worn this all winter and would buy it again if I found it. The jacket is Italian military that the designer updates with leather detailing, easy-cool and works with everything, even evening wear. The sunglasses are perfect for the morning after, from Karen Walker, and the stud clutch is Zara.

If I could wear one label for the rest of my life it would be Stella McCartney, I love her sleek modern tailoring and punchy prints; for me it’s the perfect modern mix of masculine and feminine.

I can never have too many shoes – even though that may be a cliché. I think fantastic footwear can transform an outfit; Miu Miu and Laurence Dacade are favourites. Oh, and Compeed plasters, for when my feet blister from my fantastic footwear.

My all-time favourite item of clothing is probably my little red riding jacket that I bought years ago in Beyond Retro, off Oxford Circus. Sadly I lost this one to a great party, but I now have a collection of lovely bright red jackets that make every outfit pop; they’re the easiest item to wear if you’re having a ‘what can I wear?’ moment.’

Read the rest of the feature, here.

Thank you for having me, www.TodayImWearing.com

//

Friday was a busy day (a good time, I thought, to break in my sexy new ACNE Star Boots, yes, they are much more comfortable thank you.)

Emily and I (you will hear a lot about Emily in the coming months, she is my stylist other-half who I am setting up a personal-styling company with, called Bees & Taylor, more on this soon #watchTHISspace)

The day began at Village Press - who press brands Ashish, Rag & Bone, Cacharel, Escada and Goat.

Key words for the season ahead from Village:

sixties shapes

heritage tweed

herringbone

aviator

tailored trousers

leather

heeled brogues

purples, plums & mauves

sequins (what Ashish do best, of course)

Aviator Jackets and Pony-Skin Accessories from Rag & Bone New York

Ashish Sparkles in Sequins

Then we went across town to the Trace Publicity press day, which was all so elegancy presented. Firstly, there was a pop-up coffee shop on their ground floor, fresh TeaPigs tea and delicious wraps and nibbles. My great friends Rob, Leanne and Frankie represent London Fashion Week labels Fyodor Golan and Jean-Pierre Braganza, plus shoe-fan-favourite Steve Madden and jewellery super-brand Georg Jensen.

Key words for the season ahead from Trace:

bright red

cornflower blue

luxe-leather biker jackets

texture blocking with velvet, leather and patent detailing

soft tonal greys

killer spikes on killer heels

Delcious

Couture Detailing from Fyodor Golan

Modern Understated Luxury from STILLS

Cool Rider in Jean-Pierre Braganza

And then finally we vistied the BROWNS Press Day, who showed us exactly what we want to wear now, and for the season ahead.

BROWNS is the South Molton Street mecca of beautiful clothes, shoes and jewellery, with supertstar fashion buyer Rebecca  Osei -Baidoo giving the BROWNS client exactly what they want. From established brands like  Burberry and Azzedine Alaia to newer labels like LFW favourites Simone Rocha and Christopher Kane, plus the new-to-BROWNS fur label Mr & Mrs Fur and fashion indusrty footwear favourite, Laurence Dacade (these ‘Pete’ glitter ankle boots are simply amazing.)

Beautifully Feminine Simone Rocha

Luxe-Cool Parkas from Mr & Mrs Fur

#Covetable

I love autumn, especially it has been a well-deserved hot summer, and you are excited to wrap and layer up again. Please PLEASE let it be a hot summer!

The season ahead looks like a hot-mix of different looks, lots of which will really  translate well onto the high-street. I love the clash of prints, for Autumn there are references to heritage tweeds and classic tailoring, and also whimsical animal and nature themed prints, which works so well with London as the backdrop. Colour will be key, with lots of red and brilliant cobalt and cornflower blue, as well as purples, plums and mauves for a moody autumn palette. Prints and colours aside, I am most excited to see how I wear the white-on-white-all-white trend this and next season. I love its cool, clean and modern appeal, black jeans with a crisp white shirt and well-structured blazer, now that sounds exciting.

Seriously though. Please PLEASE let it be a hot summer, I haven’t even worn my spring pieces yet and we are ALREADY talking about autumn.

F**king British weather.

I have been a friend (and now very proud Fashion Ambassador) to the fantastic charity Fashion Targets Breast Cancer since we met a few years ago when I was working at www.my-wardrobe.com.

One thing led to another, I took part in their ‘Fashion Is’ campaign video, hosted their gig fundraiser ‘FTBC on the QT,’ and recently held a bring-and-sell cocktail party in Mayfair and that’s it; we have been partners in fashion-forward-fundraising since. 

So, back to 2013 and the new face(s) of the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Campaign for 2013 are yet to be announced. In the meantime, let’s look to the (seriously, super) beautiful women who have supported the charity.

2012 Was all About British Rock-Royalty with Georgia & Pixie

2011 Was the Year of Cat, Karen & Sadie

2010 Saw Claudia, Kylie & Sienna

 CLICK here to follow @FashionTargets on Twitter 

Ahmm.

Yes, hi, how are you?

Yes, I’m good thanks, very good.

Sorry, have you met The You Generation? Ahh sorry, well let me to introduce you.

‘The You Generation’ (just TYG for short really,) is a brand-new international and online search for talent, spear-headed by Monsieur talent-show TV himself, Simon Cowell, you know Simon don’t you?

The man behind TYG, Simon Cowell

Thanks Simon.

Ok, well to bring you up to speed, I have compiled a ‘Quick-Fire’ bullet-point list of key things you need to know about the new and exciting ‘TYG:’

- TYG is an online talent competition searching for a global star, from ‘acrobats to singers and stylists.’

 
- The host of the show is T4 favourite Will Best, as seen on screen above

- To audition, you have to UPLOAD a video onto YouTube, and follow the below 3 RULES:

1) You have to feature a ‘Dinosaur’ (strange I know) in your video
2) You must include the word ‘Disco’ as well
3) The video must be NO MORE THAN 2 MINUTES LONG

- The COMPETITION CLOSES this Saturday, 30.03.13 so go go GO!

- You MUST have uploaded your entry before MIDNIGHT on 30.03.13

- The completion WINNER will then be announced on FRIDAY 05.04.13

Excited?

Keen?

Ready to ‘Upload and explode’ as my TYG friends say?

If so…

CLICK HERE TO GO THROUGH TO THE YOU GENERATION YOU TUBE SITE FOR MORE DETAILS 

That will be all – NOW GO and UPLOAD! .  

Back-up options – I love this figure-hugging cocktail dress from Atelier Mayer

First stop is finding the right dress – Atelier-Mayer have the finest vintage in London

Bronze sequins and very seventies; from Atelier Mayer

Red and pink heels; Sophie Gittins

For the footwear I wanted to go bright and statement; these brilliantly bright heels from Sophie Gittins at Atelier-Mater were perfect.

Exquisite; yellow diamond from fine jeweller Jessica McCormack

I was lucky enough to borrow diamond jewellery from fine jeweller Jessica McCormack; beautiful Oscar-worthy designs.

Emma Franklin, meet Jessica McCormack

Made-up, hair quiffed and ready to go on set

Bond Actor Colin Salmon & Heat Reviewer Boyd Hilton

Mulberry : 11.00 Sunday – Claridges Hotel

You can always rely on Emma Hill at Mulberry to deliver a catwalk collection with a very British theme and sense of humour, the latter often shown in animal themed prints and dogs walking the catwalk (dogwalk?)

Next seasons collection is for the grown-up woman who loves to mix, match and clash her prints and tweeds. We saw different designs of autumnal florals layered over one another with coats over tunics and trousers and checks against tweeds. Smart, elegant and very wearable, layering fabrics, prints and checks is going to be really fun and fresh for next season.

The long lines and skirts-over-trousers featured throughout the collection, I can’t believe this style has made a return from 1998 for A/W ’13  (I remember the pair I desperately wanted from from Miss Selfridge; grey, tailored and with half a skirt attached with bow ties. Class.)

And then there was double leather, a look that I have always looked at with both lust and trepidation, fearing that if I were to wear it I may look like Lisbeth Salander of ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.’ Here however, it is sleek and feminine with puff – sleeved jackets and luxe skater-skirts, as opposed to a fierce and fetish-like leather-on-leather S&M look. Soft touches of nudey pink (that tailored coat is so sleek) and an all white-on-white-on-white look lightened the dark teal and autumnal palette; I love those lights for the winter, the total opposite of summer blacks that we saw for S/S ’13.

It is such a strong collection, full to bursting with pieces that I would love in my new season wardrobe; I adore this brand for is quintessential Brit charm.

Mulberry Look 4: Vogue UK

PART PRIM / PART FIERCE 

Mulberry Look 5: Vogue UK

 LONDON LADY COOL/CHIC IN PUFF SLEEVED TWEED & TAILORING

Mulberry Look 8: Vogue UK

 LONG LINE KIMONO-STYLE FLORALS

Mulberry Look 11: Vogue UK

 SOFT NUDE TAILORING & PETER-PAN STYLING

Mulberry Look 22: Vogue UK

WHITE ON WHITE ON WHITE: FRESH, CLEAN & MODERN