Happy Christmas Me, Part 2.

I am so lucky and thankful to have so many wonderful things, most of them not tangible, so my Christmas list reflects little chinks in my wardrobe and on my dressing table.

Anyway, it’s good to have goals…

 

I’m as happy to mix designer and high street with jewellery as I am with clothes, which is good as I have much more fun like that and a far, far less restricted budget, although I do love real the jewellery classics, pearls, diamonds and platinum, but gilding the lily with fake fripperies is fun too. Thanks to Yves Saint Laurent and his inspirational accessories muse, Loulou de la Falaise, I’ve had the best masterclass in mix and match fake jewellery trickery ever. I have found fabulousness in the aisles of Mango, TOPSHOP, Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters this season. Go on, root around, pile it on and don’t wear the same stuff two days running. You can wear it wrapped all around your wrists, dangling from your ears and in many coils around your neck. Put it all on with your t shirt and jeans, your fake fur, your leather or pleather anything, and utterly everything else that you own. I love masses of things jangling around my wrists, and I always wear a man’s watch. Makes my wrists look skinny!

I have featured 3 pieces that I’d like to own and wear on the same day, together, anywhere with anything. Huge silver wedding band ( no law against masquerading fraudulently in it), from Tiffany and Co. Diamonds by the Yard pendant necklace, also from Tiffany and Co. And lastly I crave these asymmetric sparkly earrings, as worn by pointy toed Darcy Bussell on Strictly Come Dancing, earning a 10 out of 10 from me and a thank you to Zara

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Happy Christmas To Me, Part 1.

 

Here is my Christmas Stocking, part 1.

The reason that I’ve chosen the 2 Alexander McQueen outfits apart from the fact that they’re so pretty, is that they are so versatile. Every day in my imaginary life, where no mud, chickens, dogs, ponies etc are involved, I’m wearing the trouser suit as 2 separate pieces as well as the prescribed version. Ok, I may wear it with more than a chain necklace and attitude, but if you’ll invite me, I shall arrive wearing it, and if more occasions merited it and in most of my ideal world existed, you’d see me wearing the like and its mates v frequently. On my feet will be a rota of shoes, high, flat open, closed. The jacket will wrap around my skinny jeans and the trousers will show of my James Perse or Brandy Melville T’s a treat. I’ll work on my abs, as I’m not one to hide in the corner.

The skirt/ jacket combo is genius. Frills? I’m a fan, tight, floaty, in dress form or as a skirt, all do-able. Military nods, salutes and parades, I’m there. You can definitely rummage around with this look. What’s not to wear with a military jacket, beautifully cut?. It’s my absolute favourite 2 for 1! Summer dresses, jeans, palazzo pyjama pants, all waiting to make friends with a good jacket. Sexy and androgynous. Quite a pleaser in my book.

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Cultivated Swedes

Maril Kemp, Swedish Model, long blonde hair, Laraine Ashton, Peter Marlow Model Composites

Here is Maril another Swedish Top Model, a very special person in my modelling career and hugely valued friend. Maril was the very first model that I ever worked with. Our agent Laraine Ashton IMG ( now known solely as IMG), had told me that another of their girls would be at the same job and would take care of me. Hah, 103 years later, Maril is still on speed dial on my phone.

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Twinkle, Twinkle, We’re Little Stars

TOPSHOP, coat, Lurex, sheath dress, Lurex dress, Camel coat, mid calf length
Lurex, Lurex jumper, long black skirt, black evening skirt, long sleeved jumper

Here you have the pictorial evidence of my trolley dash around the Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby Street shopping genuflection. I am throwing out these glistering prizes as possible show stoppers or part thereof, over the Christmas hols. The left hand and centre outfits are from TOPSHOP and the far right is a suggestion from H&M. What I don’t want you to do is run screaming away from this post because you’re convinced that there’s nothing here for you. Remember, style is all smoke and mirrors. Read on;

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Hitting The Road.

Vanessa Voegele-Downing, style guru, fashion guru, model , ex model, redhead, beauty
Uniqlo coat, trenchcoat, raincoat, Beret, grey scarf, wool scarf, Le Chameau boots, black skinny jeans, Autumn leaves, scotland, woodland, Scottish Woodland
Nourish, keynote speaker, style guru, fashion guru, weekend course, beauty ,fashion, diet, boutique hotel , York

I’m going national! I’m extremely excited and a little nervous to announce that I’m taking The Model Edit on the road. I have been invited by the ever so energetic, enthusiastic and all round glorious woman, Linda Barker, to join in with her new project, Nourish. On January 23rd at Grays Court Hotel, in lovely York, I shall be taking to the stage to meet you to  tell you my top style ideas and to listen to yours. I can’t wait to meet everyone attending or thinking of attending  (get your skates on, filling up fast) and get down to sorting out, liberating and proving, that you can give yourselves permission to enhance, embrace and encourage your current beauty right now. Wherever you are at any age, you own your appearance. Grab the follow spot back on you, get that second look!

My Skin Cares

Filerina, skin care, moisturiser, M&S, beauty products
Rodial, skin care, moisturiser,M&S, beauty products
Pixi beauty products, moisturiser, skin care, teen beauty products, teen skin care

Last drips of information gleaned from my recent flurry of Press Days, is this little snapshot of what the M&S beauty department shelves are going to be laden with, come the spring.

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Sleepover Style

pyjama, shirt, striped shirt, long sleeved shirt
Celine S/S 2016, nighty, underwear, black lace, white silk satin, white chelsea boots
pyjamas, striped shirt, pale blue stripes

 Yesterday I went to see what Toast is offering us for S/S 2016, at their Press Day.   I am here to state that true to Fashion’s mythical ‘ we speak as one ‘ inexplicable, coincidences in trends which occurs every season. I have spotted a most liberating movement going on. Which is the ‘what me? I was wearing this last night’ ( literally ), look. It is nightwear masquerading as perfectly acceptable attire no pillows attached. Whichever segment of your 24 hour cycle you’re rolling home from, or out to, day or night. Pyjamas and Nighties, that’s what you’re allowed to wear. Celine says so, and so do M&S and Toast. They are writing you a note to hand in at reception, which states that these are real clothes and to be permitted access all areas. Yes, I’m going to do it and so must you. Both of the above shirts are fabulous to plonk over boyfriend jeans or a skinny version. Do you know which one is the actual Pyjama?

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Recycled Models

Mick Lindberg, model, model composite

I have toyed with the idea of giving you insights into former models and what they’re doing now, because I want you to know that there is life after modelling. As I pondered the viability and your curiosity in this subject, Mick Lindberg’s Stitched Stories exhibition invitation slithered through my letterbox. Mind made up. Currently housed at Anthony Hepworth Fine Art Dealers, in Bath, Stitched Stories is Mick’s latest exhibition. Mick was a model whose pictures were stuck to my bedroom walls long before I threw my hat into the modelling ring. She has modelled all around the world with everyone in the industry who was anyone in the industry.

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Jump On It

lurex jumpsuit, Lurex, jumpsuit, evening wear, long coat,

Hot off  the Press Day at M&S, I bring glad tidings of great joy. The Jumpsuit/All in One, is here to stay. M&S are suggesting this outfit for S/S 2016. It’s quite an exciting look in a couple of ways. Firstly it’s sparkly and utilitarian. Win, because we are going anywhere, possibly wearing  our lovely tribute Crombie coat to keep us warm until we do the big reveal, a sleeveless Lurex jumpsuit. On paper, it ain’t sounding great, but just look at this outfit. ‘S lovely! It will take us to Cocktail, Dinner or Birthday parties. Again and simply because it’s sparkly, I suggest that we all be dissidents and take the obvious destination for this look, down a notch by shoving on a Jean Jacket,and some Trainers and parade ourselves in broad daylight. Why wouldn’t you? 

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Press Go

black lace, underwear, corset, lace body, black lacy underwear

Thought I’d grab your attention with this image, because by simply writing M&S, I just couldn’t see it happening…

Last week I was invited to the Press Day for M&S, I’ve done it again, anybody still with me? This is when a brand shows it’s latest, greatest looks destined for your wardrobes for the following season. In this instance Spring /Summer 2016. Having slightly slagged M&S/Per Una off in my Blog Manifesto, as a retail representation of women’s ‘ white noise clothing’ I went to this Press junket with an open mind, but not very high expectations. 

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