who are you wearing?

Last night it was the turn of the Screen Actors Guild Awards (with the amount of botox present, oh the irony of it being called the SAG Awards…) to come to Hollywood. Leo won again. Idris Elba made the UK very proud. And Nicole Kidman showed that she shouldn’t have the final say in which dress to wear – eesh. So, who earned their style stripes on the red carpet? Let’s take a look at my winners…
 
Best Dressed @ the SAG Awards via {what you fancy}
 
Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton
Can this girl do no wrong this awards season? Not only did she swipe the award for Best Supporting Actress, she looked incredible while doing it. Almost like a sparkly liquorice allsort, this look probably wouldn’t have worked on, well, most other people, but with the unfussy hair situation and that cool-but-not-arrogant way about her, she nailed it. Can’t wait to see her Oscars frock.
 
Helen Mirren in Jenny Packham
Another great British ambassador of the night. This is how you do it. Pure movie star.
 
Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab
Elie Saab is one of my very favourite designers, and this is a prime example of why. There’s a lot going on but it’s so very elegant… I especially love the top half and the little sleeves. I’m also a big fan of Rachel’s tousled hair and natural make-up.
 
Emilia Clarke in Dior
Fuchsia can often be way over the top and ‘Barbie goes to Prom’ (yes, Vergara, I’m talking to you), but in the right style of dress it can be killer. The hair, the jewellery, the deep V… Dragon Lady slayed it.
 
Did anyone stand out for you?
 

who are you wearing?

It’s award season! Life has meaning again! Through the apocalyptic-esque darkness of a Monday morning in early January came the Golden Globes red carpet run-downs. It really does make me so happy. Now, since I’m in an optimistic mood seemingly for the first time in 2016 (the sun came out today and everything) I’m only going to post my winning looks. Ladies, you’ve been spared the scathing remarks this time. Next time (Screen Actors Guild Awards, 30 Jan), you might not be so lucky… I’ll see what kind of mood I’m in.

Anywho, to the gowns! The list is short since Kate Hudson, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence et al just didn’t bring their A-game for me. I feel like I’ve seen it all before (especially Kate Winslet who needs to spring for a new stylist sharp-ish). But it’s okay, they have time. So, here are the stars who sartorially did the business…

Best Dressed @ the Golden Globes 2016 v1

Rosie Huntington Whiteley in Atelier Versace
Newly-engaged RHW won the red carpet. No contest. She’s basically been dipped in gold, rolled in unicorn sparkles and paraded in front of the paps to make every woman on the planet feel like even on the most attractive day of their life, they’ll probably reach about 5% of this level of hotness.

Kirsten Dunst in Valentino
The artist formally known as Drunkst slayed it in this ensemble. There’s a lot ‘up front’, granted, but the flawless make-up and the rest of the gown kept it classy. Solid effort.

Jaimie Alexander in Genny
Even more beautiful on camera than in pics – and I’m talking about Jaimie and the frock. Adore the colour, love that it’s a bit different, and the Lorraine Schwartz emerald earrings were an inspired choice. Ladies of reality TV, this is how you flash the flesh.

Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton
A controversial choice, but huge props to Alicia for taking a chance, which 80% of the Globes line-up didn’t do. It feels quite ‘tennis chic’ to me, and it really pops against her tan and simple-but-chic hair. And give me a crisp pleat any day.

Best Dressed @ the Golden Globes 2016 v2

Olivia Palermo in Delpozo
It seems like the whole internet hates this look. Yet I loved it from the first time I saw it. I don’t know if it’s the preppy colour combo or the necklace or the way OP is just owning it, but it’s a winner for me. And the shoes. I’m dying over the shoes.

Jenna Dewan-Tatum in Zuhair Murad
After her turn on Lip Synch Battle with Channing, this broad can do no wrong. And she proved it once again in this exquisite dress. Midnight blue is always a favourite for me, but this was streets ahead of Winslet and Moore who went for the same hue.

Amber Heard in Gucci
Depp’s missus was born in the wrong era, she’s a 50s screen siren through and through. On anyone else, I’m not sure the foofy neckline and simples lines of this Gucci number would have worked. But I’m digging this look, a lot.

Lily James in Marchesa
She’s a funny one, Lily James. In photos she looks like a smouldering goddess, then in interviews she shows she’s just as much of a dork as the rest of us. This dress is beyond gorgeous. Yes, it’s a tad bridal, but it’s Marchesa, so it’s allowed to be.

Also, this happened. And the man-fancying population stood in unison and slow clapped those absurdly strong genes.

Brad Pitt and Ryan Gosling @ Golden Globes 2016

Tell me, what did you think of this year’s GG offerings?
 

front roe view

Louise Roe – stylist, presenter and author extraordinaire – has worked hard for her career. She’s put in the hours, there’s been no “but I had no idea it was being released” scandal, and she always comes across as incredibly down-to-earth and just plain lovely. Total PLU territory. Since she also has impeccable dress sense (aside from a weird Oscars choice back in 2012), I had high hopes for her latest LA pad that she opened up to The Everygirl. And I wasn’t disappointed. It’s as tasteful as her Cali-girl-meets-ladylike-chic wardrobe, with a slew of neutral tones peppered with west coast pops of colour. Shall we take a peek?
 
Louise Roe living room via {what you fancy}
{Big fan of the contrasting seat and back cushions on the sofa}
 
Louise Roe study via {what you fancy}
{Gallery walls – much like SEO and chivalry – aren’t dead. Especially when they feature Slim Aarons’ photography}
 
Louise Roe bedroom via {what you fancy}
{Tufted headboard, abstract art and antique furniture. A combo that’ll rarely fail}
 
Louise Roe dining area via {what you fancy}
{Personally I’d swap out that rug for a jute or a Persian, but I love the see-through IKEA chairs – yep, IKEA!}
 
Louise Roe fireplace via {what you fancy}
{Mirrored picture frames, and more blue and white loveliness}
 
Louise Roe interior details via {what you fancy}
{Pineapple, marble and hydrangeas – this lady knows her interior trends}
 
:photography by Monica Wang:
 
Want to get the laid-back Los Angeles look? Here’s how…
 
Louise Roe - get the look via {what you fancy}
 
{Alexandra Nazari photography / pineapple jewellery box / Tobias chair / Chinese barrel seat / London map / Vogue book / lattice cushion / ethnic side table / Emily Jeffords art}
 

what i did in la…

Spent some time with these two.
When the Ant to your Dec lives an 11-hour plane ride away, it sucks. A lot. But on the flip side, you get to casually drop into conversations that, “Yeah, my best friend lives in LA. No big deal.” then casually swan off to see her, while reminding people that your best friend lives in LA. Because it is a big deal. Vicki worked ridiculously hard to get there and she works ridiculously hard now she’s there, and has über-important meetings with big-wigs at Fox and Universal and Paramount, and sometimes I’m so proud of what she’s achieved, I could burst. I also got to hang out with my 2yo goddaughter, who is quite simply the coolest. She’s a one-woman stand-up show, and is going to grow up to become Amy Poehler. I also loved that she kept forgetting my name (‘Auntie El’) and instead opted for ‘Teacher’.
 
1-What I did in LA via {what you fancy}
 
Checked out Venice.
I’d been to LA once before but hadn’t got as far as Venice, so that needed to be put right, stat. We walked the length of Abbot Kinney (which, to style bloggers, is retail cat-nip), meandering in and out of shops, and chattering away nineteen to the dozen. We strolled through the canals, drooled over the gorgeous cottages and wondered out loud how these people got so rich. Turns out a lot of the places on the canals are passed down through generations, so it’s not so much making money as getting lucky in the family lottery. Gah.
 
2-What I did in LA via {what you fancy}
 
Went to Shutters on the Beach.
New England decor is my jam, so Vicki knew I’d fall in love with this hotel. My ‘just going to the bathroom’ visit turned into a full-on stalking of the place… and one day… one day… we’ll stump up the obscene per-night cost and stay in one the rooms, which I’m sure are just as dreamy.
 
3-What I did in LA via {what you fancy}
 
Sat on the Friends couch.
Vicki and I aren’t just Friends fans. We’re the Friends fans. As in 17/17 on this quiz without breaking a sweat. It’s also our comfort blanket – stick on a Friends episode when we’re feeling blue and it cures all. So, getting to sit on the actual couch in actual Central Perk was a major highlight in our lives. We also saw Phoebe’s guitar, the guys’ foosball table and Monica’s see-through shirt from when she sung karaoke. Our 15yo selves’ heads exploded that day.
 
4-What I did in LA via {what you fancy}
 
Ate an In-N-Out burger.
Okay, so Shake Shack and Five Guys may have taken their sweet time and finally come over to British shores, but we still don’t have In-N-Out. I just pray to the burger gods that some day we will. It’s mind-blowingly good… so good, in fact, that there was a queue of about 20 cars in the drive-thru but no one inside the restaurant at the counter. I asked Vicki why, and she just shrugged, “People don’t like getting out of their cars.” What can I say? I get it.
 
5-What I did in LA via {what you fancy}
 
Dined at Nobu Malibu.
To those who don’t live in LA, and who read celeb magazine on a weekly basis, the city is a bit like a safari. You want to see the Big Five (movie star, TV star, reality star, sports star, singer), and if you don’t see at least one, you’re disappointed. Since the last time Vicki went to Nobu, she saw Kourtney Kardashian, Lord Disick, Adam Sandler and Miley Cyrus, she promised me that the odds were in our favour. We ate our sushi and sipped our drinks (both phenomenal) at a snail’s pace in the hopes that Taylor Swift was on her way. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, but with a view like this (on left), who cares*? We also went to The Castaway restaurant, near her house in Burbank, and it was perfect. With festoon lights, a view of the sprawling city and a wedge salad that I’d happily eat for every meal ever, I’d definitely recommend a visit.
 
6-What I did in LA via {what you fancy}
 
*okay, slightly, but hey, on my flight to NY the next day I saw everyone’s favourite Z-listers, Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan (non-Brits, don’t even bother Googling). And Gael García Bernal, who is far more talented, so let’s just focus on him instead.
 

pinterest’s pin it forward uk

So, I’m back for a one-off post… because guess who got in touch with me? Pinterest. Only my favourite ever website. The website that showed me that there’s a whole community, nay, movement, that loves pinning and stalking dreamy pictures as much as I do. It’s my virtual happy place. A glass of red, a whole evening free of any kind of admin or decent telly, and a spot of Pinterest, and you won’t find me more content. If you’re not sure what it’s all about, in a nutshell it’s an online pinboard and tool for collecting, organising and sharing beautiful ideas and images from all over the web. An online scrapbook, really.

Pin It Forward UK 2013

pinterest1

 

Pinterest has changed me in so many ways, and I’m not even being dramatic. I now have a passion for tinkering around the kitchen… cooking, if you will. Whereas, pre-Pinterest recipe ideas, I felt adventurous if I added herbs to a spag bol. I’m bolder with my fashion choices… I’ve actually got items in my wardrobe that aren’t a shade of black, which would have been unheard of a few years ago. My home has never looked prettier – it used to be all cottage-shabby-“chic”, but now I’ve embraced a classic modern look, geometric prints, and a metallic infusion. Put plainly, I have an obsession with gold. I’ve discovered beauty blogs that have completely changed my skincare regime for the better, I’ve found daily inspirational quotes that I now live by, and which have shifted my outlook on life, and – this has been a biggie – because of Pinterest, my readership has risen massively. As in, a huge proportion of my traffic comes from the site… hopefully, because people trust my taste and style, and believe it’ll translate on my blog.
 

Or something.
 

One of my favourite boards out the 28 I lovingly tend to, is the one entitled Made Me Smile. Basically it’s a collection of things that make my heart squeeze and sing… the things that make me happy. They don’t really fit in anywhere else, so they get a board of their own. Why not go take a look? If you like every single one of the pins, then you never know… we could be sisters from another mister. It’s possible.

 

pinterest2

 

And if you haven’t signed up to Pinterest already, you’re truly missing out, my friends. It’s a whole new world out there. With Facebook filled with kids-supposedly-doing-the-funniest-things and people moaning about the weather, I can’t think of a better place to escape to for peace, quiet and a plethora of beautiful things.
 

While we’re at it, take a peak at the shamazeballs boards of Jenny and Beth – all in the name of pinning the love forward.
 

I’ll be back soon… thanks for sticking with me, lots of love xx