Patent And Wood Pumps, Por Favor

($44.95, Exchange By Charles David, Solestruck.com)

I love how Danish Modern these stacked patent platform heels feel. Shoes as furniture! At Ikea prices!

Gladiators Gone Horribly Awry

($85, Type Z, Zappos.com)

Nope. Sorry. You either get to be an Oxford OR a gladiator BUT NOT both. Both is NOT an option. Pick ONE.

Alexandre Herchcovitch for Melissa YELLOW SHOES?

If you've been reading FashionBinge for more than a minute, then you probably know that we have an unhealthy obsession with Melissa rubber shoes. Catherine owns more pairs than most people own shoes. We're huge fans to say the very least. BUT, have these Alexandre Herchcovitch for Melissa YELLOW BROGUES taken it ONE STEP TOO FAR?

($57, Melissa, FarFetch.com)

Me: no want. You?

SALE ALERT! Black Mason by Michelle Mason Silk Anorak

(Originally $520.00 -- SALE: $231.75, Mason By Michelle Mason, Barneys)

Shit's ill, son! Black silk asymmetrical jacket? It's tough but not too tough. The kinda black jacket that says "I'm a bad ass, but I still smell nice," you know? Like, you're the boss, but you still take time to floss. GET THIS. NOW.

Picture Postcard: Aesthetic Pain Relief

I've been feeling extremely sorry for myself this weekend as I was struck down by some kind of death plague which forced me to do little aside from lying on the sofa and watching some truly awful TV shows. My 'man flu 2.0' meant that I have missed a great deal of the latter stages of Paris (although I did crawl out of bed to cover the amazing Dunhill show) but I will catch up and summarise everything missed. This morning, as my head continued to thump to its own beat, I reached out for some aesthetic paracetamol in the form of Jak&Jill and came across the above perfectly styled midriff. Tommy certainly has one of the best Street Style eyes snapping at the moment and this is one my favourites. The colour palette work perfectly and the more I gaze at it, the more I see; from the folded belt, the frayed jackets, the exposed accessories all on one side, while the other hand is pocketed. I would be hard pushed to find anything shown over the last week or so which comes close to this in the style stakes. Now, if I stare at this long enough maybe, just maybe my head will recover...

Korea's Boys Over Flower Fashion Styles

Boys Over Flower, Korea's version of Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango has captured the hearts of many Filipinos. I must say that I am one of the viewers who regularly watched their Filipino-dubbed episode everyday. Aside from enjoying the storyline, I also love the fashion styles of the characters in the said tv series. They are so fashion forward and from what I have heard last Saturday, the wardrobe budget spent for the show reached Php 5 Million. According to a local news, the suits and dresses of the characters are designer's clothes and custom-made for each of them to achieve their perfect preppy look.



Here's some of the still images from Boys Over Flowers:








Photo Source

Dunhill SS10: Innovation with history

Three Dunhill SS10 looks with archive advertising images providing the backdrop.

The latest Dunhill collection by Kim Jones is everything I wanted and expected it to be. Jones' vision for SS10 is English to the core, classic whilst taking you back to the roots of it's founder, who was known for his love for exploration and travels, but at the same time it all feels very modern. On the surface it was a traditional collection which aimed to bring Dunhill home to a new market. However, as the looks moved from simple tailored day wear in to a more casual weekend and on to a capsule traveller collection through to evening wear, it was cleat that Jones had picked out key inspirations from the past and repackaged them for the new era of luxury.

Alfred Dunhill joined his father’s saddlery business in 1887, ambitious and inventive, he brought new ideas and following his father’s retirement in 1893 he planned to change the focus of the business to cater exclusively for the pioneering motorist. Kim Jones has certainly channeled the history of the brand and undoubtedly understands the heritage. I get the impression he has spent hours upon hours researching the back catalogues of Dunhill and books like Dunhill by Design, finding inspiration and updating these ideas for the 21st century The heritage of Dunhill is so broad and so darn British, from its beginnings with the birth of the car to creating luxury accessories for motorcycling, aviation and the oh-so-fashionable smokers in the Roaring Twenties.

Over the last week or so the team at Dunhill raised my excitement levels so that they broke the scale through the best use of twitter by a fashion house. Intermittently throughout the last few days dunhill_inParis have twitpic'd an array of sneak preview images which have left me breathless and sweaty palmed. Hand tie dyed pocket squares, carbon fibre printed leather bags, piles of luxurious Mongolian cashmere sweaters, shagreen leather first used by Dunhill in the 30s, sunglasses made of hand polished flint found in the South Downs, polished flint boxes with leather straps handmade at the Alfred Dunhill leather workshop in Walthamstow, bags inspired by early air travel in the 1920s. Other features include a silver tie pin in the shape of a golf club, luxury pens encased in the same veneers as Roll Royce interiors, archive print shirts and the AD embossed logo from 1923 added to bags and brogues. Below are a few of my favourite preview images...

AD Logo from 1923 adorns futuristic looking luggage inspired by air travel of the 1920s

Hand tie dyed pocket squares

My favourite accessory all season. Polished flint boxes which have a wonderful natural pattern. The flint comes from the South Downs and after being polished is dressed up in handmade leather straps which were made in Alfred Dunhill's workshop in Walthamstow, East London.

Silver AD logo buttons used on a mohair jacket.

This is the collection I hoped Jones would make after first reading his Wallpaper interview in December last year. The below question and answer left the greatest impression on me and having seen the latest offering, it is particularly pertinent.

How difficult is it to balance the rich heritage of the brand with bringing it into the 21st century?
If you really look at the Dunhill heritage you will see that there is nothing ‘old’ about it, in fact it is wonderfully modern. Alfred Dunhill himself was obsessed with innovation and new technology, which means that there are pieces in the archive that are just as relevant today as anything I design.

For a brand with such strong roots, any steering by Jones has been to emphasise them – those being the characteristics of classicism and understatement but his challenge was to present these with a wholly modern personality too which he has surely done with this collection.

John Smedley blows out 225 candles

John Smedley flying the flag for craftsmanship here in the UK. Who said the sun never shines up North? Oh I said that...

As I have one lazy eye on the runway action over, I thought it would be nice to change the pace somewhat and take a step away from the latest collections and focus on an award winning heritage brand, John Smedley. I think it is a crying shame that we don't celebrate, great craftsmanship based here in the UK in the same way that our cousins from across the pond do (ACL being the prime example but one of many.) Still family owned, John Smedley continues to innovate whilst retaining the hand crafted finishing techniques that has established its reputation for more than two centuries yet it is the type of brand which is often taken for granted and over looked. 2009 is a landmark year for the company because it sees the family run business celebrate 225 years of making fine knitwear in the heart of the Derbyshire Dales.

The luxury British knitwear brand was founded in 1784 by John Smedley and Peter Knightingale (great-uncle of Florence) and the pair decided to set up business at Lea Mills, in Matlock as a brook provided (and still provides) a source of running water and power. I was fortunate enough to explore this factory and see it in all of its working and operating glory as I was invited up to cover the anniversary for Fashion156. It was great to experience the close knit nature of the brand on the work floor and see firsthand, how the latest technology has been integrated with age old methods.

A knitting machine with 20,000 needle components.

Wandering through the various knitting and construction stages it was great to talk to the workers, most of which had been working there for generations themselves and to watch them expertly use the machines. As I walked through and looked on at each process of a garments construction the balance between old but proven techniques and machinery alongside the latest knitting machines from Japan (some with over twenty thousand needle components) and laser presses from Holland, really left a lasting impression. This is a company that continues to learn and strive for the highest quality in a family environment like nothing I've ever encountered before.

The beginnings of a jumper...

The modern press uses lasers. Each John Smedley garment goes through three stages of hand supervised pressing to ensure correct fit and shape

The fastest use of a pair of scissors I've ever seen...this lady took less than ten seconds to expertly cut out the neck.

Highly trained seamstresses hand finish the garments, applying neck trims, buttons and John Smedley labels. Long lasting style and quality are vital ingredients to Smedley, creating sweaters which are appropriate to wear with anything, at any time.

The finishing touches...

Provenance and traceability from raw material to end product are integral to the brand and are sort after credentials by today’s consumer and rightly so! I think it is about time that we celebrated the true craftsman of the UK...I see a Made in the UK series of posts coming up.

Twilight's Edward Cullen and Bella Swan Barbie Dolls

Twilight series fans are going crazy over the upcoming "Twilight" Barbie dolls. In this collection, Barbie and Ken will be customized to resemble Bella Swan and Edward Cullen. Although the Bella Barbie doll does not exactly look like the Twilight's main character, Barbie will be sporting Bella's famous jeans, sneakers, and gray jacket. On the other hand, the Edward Cullen Collector’s Barbie will have a pale skin and striking eyes.

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Gaspard Yurkievich's perfect Summer shoe

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posting at the moment, there is just so much to cover from Paris and I have little energy and little time to post so please forgive me and I promise to have a number of highlight posts up over the weekend and beyond. The goings on in Paris have provided a number of interesting points but for now I want to concentrate on Gasapard Yurkievich's vision for SS10 and in particular his choice of footwear. Aside from the cowboy buckle closures and the slightly floppy padded shoulders shoulders I loved the nod to a sporty fifties America and the overall sense of laid back summer elegance.

The highlight looks from this comprehensive collection were those which demonstrated a relaxed summer tailoring as Gaspard Yurkievich sent out sleeveless suit jackets and jumpsuit shorts in pastel colours complimented beautifully by brightly coloured patent brogues. Thankfully Dazed Digital's backstage coverage provides some great close up shots of my ideal Summer brogue which have caused some drooling from me this afternoon.

I always struggle with the perfect shoe choice when the weather gets that bit warmer and I want something a little smarter than a boat. The patent lace up have small cutaways which achieve the perfect balance for a relaxed tailored look which I strive for when the sun shines.

Remembering Michael Jackson with His Famous Fashion Statements

The King of Pop gave up his throne today. As we remember him, let us look back at his famous fashion statements over the previous years.

During 1980s and 1990s, Michael Jackson was not only considered as a greatest singer of his generation but he was also a fashion trendsetter. His famous fashion statements include sequined gloves, red leather motorcycle jacket, white ankle socks, black fedora and black loafers. He also popularized military-style jacket and aviator sunglasses.

Crystal Jewelry I MUST Own...

A few sparkly, spangly little crystal "treasures," as Makeup Loves Me LOVES to refer to jewelry...

($573, Lanvin, Luisaviaroma.com)

Not in a MILLION minutes would I have ever thought I'd be sitting here attracted to jewelry featuring DENIM. But Lanvin done did it with this slightly '90s bracelet.

($475, Swarovski)

CAN. YOU. EVEN? C.Y.E. It's like wearing a crystal kaleidoscope on your NECK! And I NEED TO DO THAT.

($154, Martine Wester)

ADORING this gorgeous vintage-inspired mismatched crystal rosette bracelet, and I'm seriously considering getting it to wear with my Jenny Packham wedding dress, as long as it complements the jewels on the dress itself and doesn't snag the silk. Check out more of Martine Wester's pretty crystal pieces.

($262, Iosselliani, Bonadrag.com)

At first everyone was like OHHH WOOOH OMFG STACKABLE RINGS! IT'S THE SECOND MF-ING COMING OF HAYSOOS CHRISTO. And I was like Snoreaphyll. Truly, I didn't give a rat's ass about stackable rings. UNTIL... I came across these Iosselliani vintage-inspired stackable rings. And now I'm as TEAM STACKABLE RING as YOU are Team Edward! Rawr!

Emma Watson On Teen Vogue August 2009 Issue

Emma Watson was just 10 years old when she played her first Hermione-role in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Now that she's 19, she had grown into a glamorous woman. In the upcoming Teen Vogue magazine, Emma will be on the cover and on some spreads sporting the most sassy outfit she ever had.








Photo Source

Balenciaga Studded Gladiators

($706, Balenciaga, Brownsfashion.com)

Sure, there are many tran-tacular aspects to these rainbow-studded Balenciaga cut-out heels, but the reality of the situation is that I'd still hit it.

Melissa Sample Sale: Gooooooaalllll!!!

I walked ridiculously far yesterday (27th between 10th and 11th people!) to hit up the Melissa sample sale, so I was pretty much determined to buy something once I got there, but said determination was not necessary. In fact, I had to take a couple of deep breaths once I got in there because there were shoes EVERYWHERE, all candy-colored and cute and between $25 and $55. Well, except for the Vivienne Westwood collabos, which were sitting pretty in a corner at just 20% off. I couldn't resist, reader. What happened to my restraint?? Down the drains of damp, muggy New York City, where waterproof shoes are a veritable necessity these days.


Yup, got another pair of Lady Dragons. The were $120 instead of the usual $149, and they were so fab I had to get them. (They're also the same shoe as my wedding shoes, the ones with the hearts, and I have to practice walking/dancing in them, so it's almost a wedding expense.) Also another girl expressed extreme jealousy when she saw them on my feet and so I had to get them.


Note: I went to the sale hoping against hope they'd have these new ones with the tortoiseshell bow, but they did not. They do have them at Epaulet, ground zero for all Melissa shoes, though.


The only annoying thing about Melissa shoes is that they do not have half sizes. And I'm of course between sizes on some of the shoes. Thus these purple flats, in contrast to the pair of Melissa flats I already own, are ever too slightly too big. However, I've learned the hard way that shoes even a touch too small will never, ever work. We'll see about a touch too big. I think those do actually work sometimes. This is the Night flat, and they were going fast. $25.



I seem to have this weird thing going where people undercharge me at sample sales. Last week I got three things for $10 at the Cynthia Steffe sale instead of three things at $10 EACH, and no, I did not alert the cashier to the error. This is the Desire shoe -- so effin' cute! I got it for $25 although you may have to pay $35 if you go. Which you totally should!

The sale is at 520 W. 27th Street, suite 601. The staff is really nice, offering to get you different sizes from the back, and they have sake and stuff if you would like to partake!

I'm actually for once sort of glad it looks shitty out today so I can wear my new plastic shoes. One of the FIVE SIX* pairs of rubber shoes I now own. (What????)


*Just realized: I also bought these vintage jellies (more clear than the gold they appear here) a week or two ago.