Category Archive for "Fashion"

Friend Blends

Ille de Cocos, cashmere, designer cashmere, Zara, Zara bomber jacket, Topshop sunglasses, Brandy Melville t shirt, red beads,

It’s totally time for the pre-fall pretend it’s still a little bit warm, but actually need a sweater moment. Where to turn for warmth without bulk? That would be a call to action for cashmere/wool or thermal fleece type stuff. My style spotlight alights on the cashmere and/or wool option, a mighty fine pair of fabric friends. Look what I’ve found, a very succinct treat that is the Ille de Cocos collection. The range is not huge but it is focused. All bases and limbs are covered.

Ille de Cocos side zip sweater, colour block cashmere, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing

Ille de Cocos cashmere sweater, colour block sweater, cashmere, designer cashmere

This boxy sweater salutes sweatpants, pencil trousers, skirts and skinny jeans. It was quite a trauma to take it off as it was so incredibly comfortable, warm and bloody gorgeous to wear. Also, look at my hat, it’s properly cosy, in control of my hair, and really pretty. Utterly right for this, ‘darling I’m off to get the croissants but I might meet a casting director’ look. Nah, jokes, I’d love to think my down time was spent looking like this. Most of my friends would run a book on how very unlikely I am to wear such an strong colour in such a large block. Well look at me now girls. Side zip sexy and shape changing . I like.

This Will Suit You.

Valentino , Brocade skirt suit, Italian womenswear designer, Vanessa Voegele-Downing,

The Model Edit(or) wears Valentino

Max Mara, SS17, white skirt suit, baseball cap, yellow handbag

Adeline Lee white skirt suit, LFW, SS2017, White, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing

Sid Neigum SS17, LFW, London Fashion Week, Brewer Street Car Park Show Space, white dress suit, white

Left to right; Max Mara Edeline Lee Sid Neigum

Truly this blog’s message is that suits aren’t just pinstripe trousers and a briefcase. Skirt suits ‘a la’Max Mara, dress suits as predicted by Sid Neigum, or a T Shirt and skirt as shown by Edeline Lee, are all legal tender on next season’s shop floor. Mrs V translates the word ‘Suit’ by suggesting that a suit can be anything at all comprising of an outfit of more than one matching piece ie. design and/or material but not limited to Mad Men tailored office wear concepts. How exciting is that? Every designer has sent out some form of suit for next season

Press Showstoppers.

Dolce and Gabbana, Press Show, fish print transparent dress, SS17

Alice Archer, British Designer, Navy Blue Evening Dress with Pink-White-Coral embroidery, Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, www.themodeledit.com, @themodeledit, London Fashion Week, LFW SS17, Press Show

Dolce and Gabbana SS17, Press Show, fish print pencil skirt, off the shoulder blouse

Left to right; D&G Alice Archer D&G

Mrs V observed London Fashion Week (ringside) and via assiduous research has tabulated the rest of the best Spring Summer 2017 Collections. The thematic coordination of style by designers who probably wouldn’t recognise each other stretching simultaneously for the last Crayfish/Rocket ( super trendy sea/fish themes this season, clever old Pret! ) sandwich on the shelf, yet share pretty much the same vision for our raiments each season always makes me stop and wonder how? As always The Model Edit’s focus is on what you can access, what you can buy to look pretty, sexy, successful or just comfortable in, and what you may already have lingering in your wardrobes that can underpin the looks streamlining the catwalk and the pages of Vogue. In a Manolo shoebox, here is my recipe for supreme summer loveliness via a pic’n mix of fashion houses. Firstly it was glaringly obvious that the Sea and it’s fruits are a massive theme. Dolce and Gabbana somehow make us look sexy in Sea Bass, whereas Alice Archer’s exquisitely executed capsule collection froths with it’s embroidered fronds, foam and coral embellishments, as though Daisy Buchanan swam to Gatsby’s parties and emerged as haute couture sea goddess. Get in the swim. This delicate theme leads to me to the next standout trend…

Marks (and Spencer), Get Set, Go.

M&S A/W 2016/17, LONG WOOL COAT, TWEED COAT, BOHO DRESS, MIDID DRESS, FLORAL MIDI DRESS, LARGE DECONSTRUCTED HANDBAG, LARGE DECONSTRUCTED SHOULDER BAG, LEATHER WOMEN'S HANDBAG, LEATHER SHOULDER BAG, OPAQUE TIGHTS

M&S A/W 2016/17, ecru cable knit sweater, cut out shoulder chunky sweater, big drawstring shoulder bag, big leather bag, brown leather bag

This is a bit of a ‘deja vu’ post. It has been on your screens before but it was pointed out to me that some of you need a nudge at the appropriate times for designer diary dates. Here is my official metaphorical starter gun going off and now it’s up to you to sprint down the high street and through the M&S checkout line. Warning; some of this is new content!!!

M&S, M&S A/W 2016, silk bomber jacket, asymmetric midi skirt, roll neck jumper, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing , LEATHER HANDBAG

M&S A/W 2016, marled wool tunic and trousers, trouser suit, Down jacket, Puffa jacket, trainers

I’m in love with the M&S design studio who have truly, tremendously styled their A/W 2016/17 collection. The clothes are fabulously presented, lip smackingly approachable and owe much of their purchase appeal to the bang-on-trend way in which they’re presented. Consider the above suggestion of wool coat, floral boho midi dress and peep toe high heeled shoes that normally wouldn’t be seen anywhere without a cocktail. A mix of opposing fabrics, time slots and tones.Thanks are due to ‘outside the box’ thinking by the M&S style Sherpas. All of us here at The Model Edit(presently me and Blog Dog Hippolyta Beryl ) love this anachronistic style shove. Not just that, but how about the brown tones featured on the seriously usefully sized brown leather bag mingled with the colour black appearing elsewhere on the outfit ? Dating back to biblical times, is black with navy or black with brown a fashion faux pas? It is allowed, always has been and is now positively encouraged. Go there

M&S A/W 2016/17, long black sleeveless evening dress, roll neck jumper, polo neck black jumper, evening shoulder bag

M&S A/W 2016/17, evening gown, women's black roll neck jumper, shoulder bag, black evening bag

This particularly pretty sleeveless long black evening dress with it’s gentle layering, gathering and lace inserts appeal goes to places that on it’s job description, it normally wouldn’t. Sling a roll neck jumper underneath and you’re there, naughty as anything wearing evening clothes in the stark staring daylight. How nice is that? This is not is not going to nudge the EU Referendum off the headline slot, but it may stop you retiring last year’s evening dresses for the sake of a black roll neck jumper. I love this juxtaposition. You save money, you recycle and you receive rave reviews because you are riding the trend.

Kettlewell, black silky roll neck jumper, black roll neck jumper Silky Roll Neck £39

If you’d like a slightly subtle roll neck, I suggest one of my wardrobe wonders, the saviour Silky Roll Neck from my lovely friend Melissa Nicholson’s company of go-to basics Kettlewell. I’ve got a white as well, which I think would look good worn for the same reason.

M&S, A/W 2016, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing,Boho midi dress, floral dress, leather shoulder bag, handbag

M&S, A/W 2016, short shift dress, floral dress, pussy bow blouse, handbag, leather clutch bag

Every outfit has it’s handbag friend. Choice a go go. You won’t be in free fall or missing that one last accessory that cinches the deal. It’s all appearing in a store near you in September. Thing is, we have all the components of a complete wardrobe refit here, and no flags flying to denote it’s provenance. Which after all is a good thing. I don’t want my clothes to advertise the store where I bought them. I want them to advertise me. M&S are showing real verve and bravery, as it taps into who they know is out there but still leaves a changing cubicle aside for their residual inhabitants. Every woman that will shop a style from here will be taking this brand to it’s next base. We’ve been wondering how long it would be. Wait over.

Here then is the prospect of a self styling reappraisal of fashion preconceptions and permitted behaviour. Your old, can become your new, after a trolley dash around M&S . Round of applause for the M&S styling visionaries and their one-stop-shop suggestions.

Walking The Catwalk

Press Show, Paris Collections, Pret a Porter, Chantal Thomas, womenswear, Mrs V , The Model edit, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, modelling, catwalk, french designer fashion, redhead, model

Countdown to London Fashion Week S/S,17 so I give you old style me, Mrs V, wearing Chantal Thomas in both shots and feeling solid about it. Chantal Thomass made really feminine clothes and sensational lingerie, not that I was need to model that… Apart from the very dated shoes I think that no-one would throw stones at me if I stood waiting for the 137 anywhere along it’s route. It does look a bit like I couldn’t decide which scarf and where, thought sod it I’ve got this, and self confidence is a marvellous thing.

chantal Thomas, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa voegele-Downing, model, french fashion, catwalk, press show, Paris, redhead, supermodel

Again Chantal Thomass Press Show, Carree du Louvre. All the model edit is saying is that the collections are really fun to watch but unforgettable to walk.

Am I moonlighting in a Pantomime as principal boy?

My Edited Highlights

Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, red hair, redhead, venetian blond, pre raphaelite,

My red hair is very unruly, very curly, very long and not in very good condition. What a spiffy challenge it is for a hairdresser. The Model Edit likes nothing better than a hairdresser who can stand their ground and intelligently explain why this, that or the short straight bob with a full frontal fringe won’t work on my head however much I really, really would like it to. Why can’t I have my hair like Christina Hendricks? My hairdresser has to have answers to all these questions and informed opinions that will deflect me from inappropriate hairstyle choices. I don’t go down easily.

Christina Hendricks, redhead, the bob hairstyle,
Luckily for me Daniel Galvin Jr is that person. I am now a very happy customer at the Daniel Galvin Jr, 4 West Halkin Street, London SW1. It has been a smooth and enlightening transition both mentally and physically. First consultation I chatted with Daniel and Olyvia, Daniel’s executive colourist. After an exchange of wants and needs (me ) and what could actually be achieved (them) the process of making my barnet look blissed out began. You’ve all been to the hairdressers so I’ll spare you the process of what ensued. Know that Mrs V, emerged all gorgeous glossy and glowy back into the polite society of London’s Knightsbridge for an hour or so then the not so polite surroundings of Dorset, mud, hay, sand and salt water, looking exactly how we discussed. I didn’t look coiffed but I did look chuffed.

I was totally happy with Daniel’s ‘less is more for the time being’ approach. Loved that he pointed out the often overlooked fact on a first visit to a hairdresser, that it’s a new relationship which must be learnt from either side. Daniel believes women need to see hair as an extension of their make up. “Haircolour should be used as a cosmetic, if you have the correct make up in your hair then you should not be dashing for the make up draw in the morning to make you look healthier. Haircolour should make your skin armed and eyes stronger”
My highlights are going to subtly change according to the season. Now that makes really sense. Why on earth would my hair colour literally stay the same colour come rain or shine? I’d like my hair to evolve and stay as naturally pretty as possible.I think I’ve found the man for the job. Even better, he encouraged me to see how I felt with the result and to return for any fine tuning necessary. Oh, I will…

I’m Back

Topshop tutu, Asos shoes, Asos evening top, Mrs V, themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing

Whilst I was going to opt for the ‘poor me, I’ve been run off my feet’ approach, I feel that there are people out there who have seen me partying on, and could shoot me down as I beg your forgiveness for my Blog silence and cause of. If I were half the blogger that I’m aiming to be I’d have been all professional about myself and announced a little blog hiatus. Instead, I just fretted, ducked, dived but most of all prioritised as I’ve had GCSE’s, A Levels and a final Dissertation going on in my life. Aargh. Moving on, look at me wearing my navy blue Topshop tutu, last year’s fun purchase but others are around and so abound. Shoes and top thank you Asos, both last year, but not groundbreaking fashion items and therefore similar lurk on every high street and online website.

Mango metallic Jacket, All Saints leather trousers, Toyshop Silver ankle boots, Brandy Melville t shirt

I went to an EU referendum/Birthday, party and glittered my way into the following day and became overnight, along with the rest of you a very tiny European citizen. Did not see that coming… Fashion will definitely send out it’s statement on that anon. I am wearing this year’s Mango metallic jacket which I love because it’s tailored and has biker jacket zips on the cuffs. All Saints leather biker jeans, last year but you can do this. This year’s Topshop Chelsea boots and a current always and forever, very simple Brandy Melville t shirt. I of course went to other places but feel that my outfits hovered somewhere in-between the two shown here, give or take sweatpants, trainers, denim jacket and jeans. When I am not in London I try to rip it up in Dorset, so that you don’t have to. On that subject walk this way…

All The Equipment

“It’s the way that I like to dress. You know, when you just throw on a silk shirt and feel good in it. It’s kind of that tomboy but sexy dressing I feel comfortable in for the day.”

Kate Moss, Kate Moss Equipment Collaboration, silk shirt, ivory silk shirt, pyjama style silk shirt, evening silk shirt, MrsV, www,themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing

Kate Moss, Kate Moss Equipment collaboration, silk shirt, black silk shirt with sleeve slits

So says Kate ‘ get shirty’ Moss who today has, released her new collaboration with Equipment the luxury shirt brand that occupies a nice little niche in a marketplace that caters to us, the modern woman.This very sexy, chic but approachable collection comprises silk tie-neck blouses, blazers, cropped sweaters and her personal style signature leopard print. There’s also the five-pocket pant, wide leg trouser and military jacket and teaser tributes to David Bowie. There’s no denying that if the funds are available the fun is attainable. Leave 90% of the shirt buttons undone, yes let’s, and wear a bralet, tank top,camisole or a lacy body if we’re feeling prudish… (I’m not).

Kate Moss, Kate Moss Equipment collaboration. shirts, women's shirts, Kate Moss designs, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com

Kate Moss, Equipment, Kate Moss designs, women's shirts, leopard print shirt, long tie, silk shirt

Honestly really good wardrobe essence here. The shirts in particular are statement pieces which can transport you from your house to The Chiltern Firehouse without missing a fashion beat. Either way, spoil yourself and rock on a la Kate.

Kate Moss Equipment Collaboration,

The Model Edit is proceeding to the checkout . Meet you there?

M&S Style and Go

peep toe black shoes, M&S shoes, black evening high heeled shoes, opaque tights, MrsV, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, big leather tote bag, flowery midi dress

M&S A/W 2016/17, long wool overcoat, women's wool overcoat, midi boho dress, floral middi dress, leather shoulder bag, women's leather handbag, deconstructed large leather handbag, opaque tights, peep toed shoes, tweed coat, women's tweed winter coat

I’m in love with the M&S design studio who have truly, tremendously styled their A/W 2016/17 collection. The clothes are fabulously presented, lip smackingly approachable and owe much of their purchase appeal to the bang-on-trend way in which they’re presented. Consider the above suggestion of wool coat, floral boho midi dress and peep toe high heeled shoes that normally wouldn’t be seen anywhere without a cocktail. A mix of opposing fabrics, time slots and tones.Thanks are due to ‘outside the box’ thinking by the M&S style Sherpas. All of us here at The Model Edit (presently me and Blog Dog Hippolyta Beryl ) love this anachronistic style shove. Not just that, but how about the brown tones featured on the seriously usefully sized brown leather bag mingled with the colour black appearing elsewhere on the outfit ? Dating back to biblical times, is black with navy or black with brown a fashion faux pas? It is allowed, always has been and is now positively encouraged. Go there.

The Other School Uniform.

Faux Fur jacket, M+S , M+S faux fur bed jacket, short deconstructed jacket

Woollen dressing gown, M+S house robe, M+S lingerie, Mrs V, themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing

Wool dressing gown, M+S, M+S nightwear, lingerie

Dear All,

Weighing in on the ‘nighties on the school run’ debate. I am absolutely fessing up to doing that. Ok it’s true, I haven’t been seen at the actual school gates in my slippers smothering my 3 princesses with kisses ( yes, kissing them at school gates, a very popular move), but there’s a fine line between Uggs boots and my Celtic house boots, equally discerning the difference between actual sweatpants and the bedroom guise of ‘lounge pants’.I am grateful to the new great and gorgeous M+S, A/W 2016 collection, with its deconstructed casual, pretty and practical house robes because although not available in store until September, it will be hovering around well in time for Christmas lists, which is when we can all order our new school gates uniform. The subversive little items shown above are my ardent suggestions for your new politically correct school run garb. They won’t give your morning ritual away, they will permit you 10 mins longer in bed, and they will cover you up and keep you warm.

BUT, consider this;

Celine S/S 2016

Is Miss Head of School, not letting me wear outfits that are currently completely on trend and not just available from Coco de Mer, or Agent Provocateur ? No Miss, you shouldn’t because similar are attainable on the high street and some are residing in my too trendy ( according to one headteacher’s style edicts ), wardrobe, and if I wore them on a rather hot summers day, maybe Sports Day with a little cardi in case there’s a cool breeze, would I have stones hurled at me for looking inappropriate? Truly people, most teachers can teach me huge amounts about Methods in Mathematics but perhaps less about the how to rock a tracksuit that is going nowhere near the locker room. The Model Edit is not judging and would like that courtesy extended.

Mrs V is off to Waitrose now in my tracksuits which may or may not have been on a sleepover with me last night…

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Category Fashion

Friend Blends

This Will Suit You.

Press Showstoppers.

Marks (and Spencer), Get Set, Go.

Walking The Catwalk

My Edited Highlights

I’m Back

All The Equipment

M&S Style and Go

The Other School Uniform.

The Model Edit

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