Libelle Magazine Loves Edith & Ella

I love this picture from the December issue of Libelle Magazine! Purply-blues never fail to win me over, especially when worn by such a sassy-looking model ;)


And be sure to check out this dress in the Edith & Ella store if it takes your fancy. Unfortunately, it's not available in blue at the moment, but if you're an orange kind of gal then head on over!

Christmas Outfit Inspiration & Ideas

The party season is upon us, and despite the stress it causes a lot of people, it brings one distinct advantage with it — an excuse for new clothes!

I love buying my Christmas clothes. As in, LOVE. It's another one of those Christmas rituals that gets me feeling all seasonal and fuzzy inside. I know there are better things I could be doing with my time in the run-up to Presentfest (such as, err, buying things for other people...), but oh well, whatever makes you happy, right? And scouring the town for Christmas outfit inspiration is definitely making me happy right now!

I've thrown together a few outfits in the hopes of sharing my festive consumerist delights with you guys. I know that some people prefer to stick to traditional reds and greens for their outfits, and some people prefer to break the mould a bit — so see which takes your fancy.

Items in this set:
Edith & Ella - Red Christmas Dress
Edith & Ella - Black Coat
Edith & Ella - Black Lace Heels

Firstly, a more traditional sort of outfit. The red keeps it Christmassy, but pairing it with simple black items keeps you from looking too much like one of Santa's elves.

Items in this set:
Edith & Ella - Purple Christmas Dress
Edith & Ella - Black Ballerina Flats

Next, a total departure from Christmas colours altogether. I am in looove with this purple dress from our Christmas collection, and I think it should be worn with as little else as possible to maximise its gloriousness! So, to that end, I chose a pair of simple black flats to go with it, as they won't detract from its very purple statement.

Items in this set:
Edith & Ella - Brown Check Ballet Flats
Edith & Ella - Brown Skirt

And finally, a bit of a middle ground. I like the idea of avoiding red, but still keeping it Christmassy with warm, spicy colours. I kind of imagine that this outfit would taste like cinnamon :)

More Christmas outfit inspiration on the way in the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned, readers!

More Burlesque-esque Style from Ms. Dita von Teese

So, my last post on Dita von Teese's style got me thinking; as much as I love that dress she's wearing, there's no way on earth that I'll ever find an occasion where it would be appropriate! So I decided to put together a more wearable version, that'll keeps your modesty in check without losing the burlesque glamour.



A layered lace dress is the foundation for this look - it gives the illusion of being sheer, without actually revealing the ol' goods underneath. Accessorise with a dramatic necklace to get the same impact as the original dress, and add a pair of classic black heels to keep the retro glamour going. Add lashings of red lipstick and liquid eyeliner, and you're ready to paint the town whatever colour you'd like!

Dita von Teese's Sheer Dress: Oui ou Non?

I came across this photo of her vintageness, Dita von Teese today, wearing a sheer black Jean Paul Gautier... thing. I've extolled her virtues before, in a piece on burlesque-esque style, but what do you think of this?

While my fashion sense tends to be a bit conservative (by which I mean I like my knickers covered up, thanks), I actually kind of find myself liking this a lot. Not that I think I'll be stepping out in it anytime soon - I'll be sticking to dresses that give the illusion of being sheer instead. But it's different, it's weird, it errs on the side of fetishwear, yet somehow manages to look bizarrely classy at the same time. Thumbs up, Mr. Gaultier.

How to Wear Plaid for Autumn/Winter 2009

Next up in my series of 'how to wear this season's fashion trends' is one of my favourite things in the world — plaid. (I'm off to Scotland tomorrow, and the thought of this is maybe influencing me a little...)

We've oodles of plaid items coming up this winter season, so it was hard to pick just one to style. I think the long skirt won out solely because of its kookiness! I love the slightly 70s vibe it gives off, and the length is the perfect antidote for winter chills.

The most foolproof way to style plaid is to pick one of the colours featured in the checks, and choose solid-coloured items of the same shade to pair it with. I've picked black above and below, and I also did something similar with orange in a previous post.

If you like the outfits above, I've got some good news for you; you can nab the sweater in the first set and the boots in the second for a massive 70% off in the online store. The boots, which were €269, are just €80.70. And the sweater was €109, but is now a piddling €32.70. Grab 'em while you can!

How do you wear your plaid?

Kate Bosworth Style — OK Magazine Loves Edith & Ella

OK! Magazine showcased one of our scarves in a great feature on Kate Bosworth's style. I'm not sure the skirt is quite to my taste, but I do like how the the t-shirt and denim vest combination is made less slouchy-casual by the shiny, sequined mini.

What do you think of this outfit? Yae or nae?

Three Different Ways to Wear — Brown Cord Skirt

The Autumn/Winter ranges are starting to hit the shops, and I'm having trouble resisting the urge to start stockpiling scarves, gloves, and woolly jumpers. I'm particularly excited about our own upcoming range, because it's full of really timeless pieces that are also bang on trend this season — corduroy skirts, plaid jackets and structured blazers, to name just a few.

To fuel my excitement, I've decided to put together a few guides to wearing this season's trends. First up is the brown cord skirt!

Look 1: Totally Trendy
This is the way I'm seeing cord skirts being put together everywhere — flannel shirt, blazer, and a pair of gentlemanly shoes. I usually try to avoid wearing things in the same way as everyone else, but this look gets my total and utter love, and I shall be recreating it at the first moment possible.

Look 2: Geek Chic
A little bit Velma from Scooby-Doo (okay, a lot), a lot awesome! Channel the seventies by pairing your brown skirt with deep, burnt orange tones.

Look 3: Out on the Town
This is as glamorous as a cord skirt is ever going to get, but I like it a lot — paired with a shiny top and sparkly shoes, it's not too dressy to wear while you're mooching around during the day, but not too casual to wear on a dinner date either. Style equilibrium has been reached!

All the items above are from the Edith & Ella Autumn/Winter 09 collection, which will be hitting the online store soon, so don't forget to check back often. Also, stay tuned for further style inspiration, courtesy of my continuing frustration with the summer...

Vintage Inspired Style - Mad Men's Joan Holloway

Joan Holloway, of the much-loved Mad Men, has stolen many hearts with her impeccable fashion sense. But how can you replicate her look at home? It's all in the slink.

Grab a vintage-style silk shirt, a pencil skirt (the most important part!) and killer heels, then top it all off with a matching handbag. A flick of eyeliner and slick of lippie later, you're ready to get your wiggle on, just like Ms. Holloway!

Gossip Girl — Blair-Inspired Fashion

Okay, I have a fashion-blogger confession to make — two of them, actually.

1. I absolutely cannot watch Gossip Girl for any length of time. I find it shallow and silly to a point that even I can't stand (and I have a pretty high tolerance for rubbish on TV).

2. I spend way too much time looking at pictures from the show anyway. I can't help it, the clothes are all so beautiful! Blair is unquestionably my favourite, with her classy, ladylike style — I'd wear any of her outfits in a second. For example:





What I would give to raid the Gossip Girl wardrobe... sigh. Failing that, I've come up with a few tips for imitating Ms. Waldorf's style.

1. Keep your necklines high. Ne pas de cleavage, under any circumastances.
   
2. Keep your colours quite demure and classy — think burgundy, aubergine, cream, and grey. Nothing tacky, luminous, or neon, please!
   
3. Three words: Lots Of Skirts. Pants seem to be quite the no-no in this young lady's world.
4. Never underestimate the power of a hairband, especially if your hair is a gorgeous as hers is. It'll draw attention to your flowing locks in a snap.
   
5. Break out the colourful tights, especially if your hemline is more than an inch or two above the knees.

Still having trouble channeling Blair's style? Check out the Edith & Ella store for some items worth of her royal stylishness. I think she'd love the button-embellished heels, black checkered cape, and striped linen skirt (with red tights, of course).

Pick of the Week; Cotton Pocket Dress

From sunny to muggy to miserably wet, this dress has seen me through a lot this summer, and so becomes my next Pick of the Week! I love how layerable it is - over a t-shirt or swimsuit, or under a cardigan with colourful tights - and how easy it is to slip on for an instantly cheery outfit. And how cute are those pockets?

If you'd like one of your very own, find it in the store!

Dressing up Jeans

Pink bow flats featured in Alt for Damern

Jeans are so versatile, but a lot of people shy away from the idea of dressing them up - myself included. To me, they're just sloppy weekend wear, but I'm working on changing my mind about that. Any suggestions to help me? Here's what I've figured out so far - it mightn't be big news to most people, but these tips will go far for any novices like me.

1. Nothing dresses up some ordinary jeans like a pair of pretty shoes, and a nice pair of heels will add instant glamour to any outfit!

Check out these Black Heels in the Online Store

2. Jeans and t-shirts are almost synonymous in my mind, but don't let yourself fall into that trap! A slinky top will take you from day to night in an instant. Pick something silky or sequined so that there's no way you'll feel under-dressed.

Try this Cream Silk Shirt

3. Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise! And choose wisely. When you're wearing a simple outfit, any embellishments will speak volumes, so use them to express yourself.
I think a bag is a great way to let your personality show through. Are you a little bit kooky? Try a fun, retro-style bag. Feeling classy? A classic black bag is the way to go.

Vintage-style bag

Chic black bag

So, with all that in mind, grab your favourite jeans and make them work for you!

Pick of the Week: Bows! Bows! Bows!

What is it about bows that makes them so appealing? I fall for anything with a bow on it, and I know that lots of my friends are just the same. And it's not just us; I went shopping today, and just about every single store was covered in bows! I felt a bit like I was in some sort of eternal children's section...

Satisfy your own bow lust with these beauties:

Pink Dress with Bow

Mauve Bow Dress

Pink Bow Shoes (my favourite of the lot!)

Is there anything you're going a bit ga-ga over this week? Share your links in the comments!

Pick of the Week: Peter Pan Collars

I'm the sort of person whose taste changes from one second to the next, especially when it comes to clothes. I'll like floaty florals one seconds, tailored jackets the next, and then start drooling over stripy t-shirts instead. Because of this, I thought I'd introduce a new feature to the blog - Pick of the Week - so that I can rave about my changing obsessions on a regular basis! :)

This week, I'm all about Peter Pan collars. Actually, this is a lasting love of mine - I'll buy anything with a collar in this style!

And the Peter Pan collar on this blue dress is no exception to the rule. I adore the colour, style and pockets, and it would be so easy to dress up as well as down.

Wear it with black tights, heels, and a matching necklace for a night out, or just a pair of flats for daytime comfort. Either way, it's perfectly suited to the situation.

What are your current obsessions? I'd love to hear about them.

Inspiration: Exam Time!

Spring is coming to an end, and for lots of us, that means one thing... exams. Oh dear. I'm about to lose my mind in a mush of literary and cultural theory, but I'll be damned if I don't feel good while I'm doing it!

A big bag for my books:

(Buy in the store.)

A snuggly cardigan to keep me from panicking:

(Buy in the store.)

And a simple dress and shoes so I don't have to worry about matching in the morning:

(Buy in the store.)

(Buy in the store.)

Now I just have to actually go and learn the stuff... Good luck to any of you in the same boat!

Style Inspiration: The Edge of Love

The Edge of Love, for those of you who haven't heard of it, is a 2008 film starring Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller. I haven't actually seen it myself - RottenTomatoes only gives it 36% - but screencaps keep popping up in fashion blogs that I read, and the costumes are really gorgeous.

Makes you want a pair of wellies, doesn't it?

If you want to give Edge of Love style a go yourself, you'll need a few key things: floaty florals, frilly blouses, and thick knits to go over the top. Knee socks and wellingtons are optional in the summer, of course!



I love the idea of this floral dress with a heavy red knit, personally. I think they fit the film's aesthetic perfectly.

Spring/Summer 09 Collection Launched Online!

Not only have we launched our latest Edith & Ella Spring/Summer collection, but we've got a brand new site to go with it! Be sure to check it out at www.edith-ella.com.

My personal favourite pieces (for the moment, at least) are these three delights:

Blue Lace Ballerina Flats

Blue Linen Skirt

Mauve Bow Dress

For more vintage-style dresses, sandals, skirts, and more, visit the newly-updated Edith & Ella online store!

Retro 1960s Mod Inspired Outfit

Image from allposters.com

They were hip, they were cool, they were edgy... they were mods! Now they're kooky and retro, but we still love them anyway.

Most people just associate the Mod lifestyle with the clothes, and rightly so, because they were pretty clothes-obsessed. But Mods had an agenda too; they wanted to reject the bland, boring culture of the 1950s, and engage with things that were smarter and faster paced. Amphetamine abuse aside, that all sounds pretty good to me.




Get your own Mod look with this 60s-inspired sequin dress from the store. It's still on sale for €40 today, so grab it while you can, and get dancin'!

Cosmopolitan Loves Edith & Ella!

I get embarrassingly enthused whenever the words 'stripy' and 'nautical' are mentioned. Mostly because they're usually accompanied by red, white and navy colour combinations, much to my delight!


This month's Cosmopolitan gives a nod to Edith & Ella, along with a slew of other seaworthy delights, on the page above. (Click on the picture to enlarge it and get more details.)

London Fashion Week Inspiration - Luella Fall 2009

I've barely managed to think about Spring, and yet Autumn/Winter collections from London Fashion Week are popping up everywhere I turn. It's a bit mad, but who am I to turn down an opportunity to ogle beautiful clothes?

My favourite collection that I've come across so far is from Luella. A mix of kooky schoolgirl and military aesthetics might sound a little odd, but it's pulled off wonderfully.

(All pictures from style.com.)

If you want to recreate the feel of this show for yourself, you'll need to look out for items with texture, structure, and, most importantly, bad-ass-itude!

Søndag Loves Edith & Ella

I love this outfit featured in Søndag recently (click for the full picture) — I want to lounge around painting pictures in it on a bright, breezy spring afternoon! Hurry up, good weather...