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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

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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…

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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 jumperSilky 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.

 

Fun Raiser

Buckham Fair, Buckham Fair Pony and Dog Show, Martin Clunes, Doc Martin, Philippa Clunes, Philippa Braithwaite, Actor, Producer, country fair, old fashioned fun family day out, food court, horse displays, dog shows, celebrities

After navigating my way through the school exam season and the parties that thereafter negate all that stress, I shoved myself metaphorically in to a pair of jodhpurs, rolled my sleeves up and along with fellow Buckham Fair committee member Philippa Clunes, cooked breakfast for 50 Pony Club supplicants for one whole week at a start time of 6.30. Saintly. Rolling along nicely we barely had a pause and are now diverting our attention and extremely wholehearted devotion to this years Buckham Fair.

 

Buckham Fair committee, Buckham Fair, Martin and Philippa Clunes

This is the best committee ever. We all bring our own particular area of expertise to the cause and I perpetually wonder what my area is… I hope that the others don’t share that same musing. Every year ( and there have been 7 of them), we choose a local charity to support, and every year we are shocked, surprised, blown away but eternally grateful for the insane amount of support we get for our event. Our chosen charity this is year is the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust We have over 10, 000 people that rock up and join in the with the loveliness on the day, most of whom part with enough money to allow us to hand over a cheque to whichever charity for approximately £65-70,000. Please take a look at Buckham Fair, and decide to support us this year. We promise an incredibly delicious food court that is locally produced, incredible entertainment in our main arena, ranging from Martin Clunes showing his Clydesdales ( to be seen to be believed ). A musical ride = horsey dancing, The Gatwick Border Force Display = Dogs finding things that you’d rather not!( not us obviously), and gorgeous, make you cry, make you happy, uplift you, make you want one, ‘Best Rescue’ yes the tale of the dog that was rescued and re-homed for whichever reason. Inspirational. Very Fancy Dress in the horse dept. Themes and dreams parading round the arena with young and old horses and humans. Very funky stalls selling things that you actually want, not just ‘stuff’ . Bring your dogs or ponies and enter our mad classes or get all serious and brave our Kennel Club judges and Martin’s inscrutable eye for ‘the best in class’

Buckham Fair

           SUNDAY 21st AUGUST 2016

And!! ta da!! We have Buckham Fair Vintage/Charity Clothes Marquee. In my barn I am harbouring the west Dorset clothes mountain of designer labels, and have received mighty fine donations of samples from a very top London PR company. It IS who you know, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. We have Armani, Ralph Lauren, Max Mara, Cabbages and Roses, Topshop, Banana Republic, Abercrombie, Desigual, Adrianna Papell (red carpet dresses from USA ‘I’d like to thank the academy’ stuff) et al. The Model Edit is offering a ‘Style Counsel’ for anyone that braves the wilds of Dorset and comes to my lovely, lovely Buckham Fair. Drop me an email and I’ll be thrilled to meet you and style you up.

Buckham Fair, vintage clothes , second hand designer clothes, nearly new clothes
Buckham Fair Pony and Dog Show, vintage clothes, nearly new, second hand clothes, second hand designer clothes
Buckham Fair, vintage clothes, nearly new designer clothes, labels for less, charity clothes shop, Buckham Fair

Come on, clothes, food, style, and mega celebs. How nice is that? Truly, I give you a heads up for a magnificent family day out ‘a la’ how it should be.

Vintage Adidas, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, style Blogger
Don’t let me down.

My Edited Highlights

 

Close up red hair - 1
Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, red hair, redhead, venetian blond, pre raphaelite,
Red hair, frizzy hair, afro hair

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.

Mrs V, Highgrove, The Ritz, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, www.themodeledit.com

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…

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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…

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0 to 40 (Winks)

Seep Plus Pillow Spray, This Works, herbal remedy sleep aid, pillow spray, homeopathic
Mio Liquid Yoga Stress Free Space Spray, herbal sleep aid, herbal remedy, sleep aid, pillow spray

The Model Edit has patchy sleeping habits. There, it’s out there. Whilst you think that I’m upstairs in your guest bedroom sleeping like a babe, I’m in fact not. After going all out, all night long, supper, dancing, cinema, girls night, balls, birthdays, book club etc, upon re-entry to the bedroom, I have to shake down the night’s residue adrenalin before sleep throws the duvet over me. Fairly excruciating when all around are soporific at the sight of a well puffed pillow. That’s all changing readers! I have done my very non-altruistic research and have pleased myself with these two solutions and with huge largesse I share;

A. This Works sleep plus pillow spray. Splurge this onto any bedlinen that swaddles, supports or  skims you and dream on. Natural night time movement releases the fragrance while you sleep. Alongside other sleep inducing, relaxation promoting ingredients it has a predominantly Lavender scent. Lavender is a plant associated with nights of bliss and joy sleeping-wise. Anyway, naturally encapsulated it gradually releases aromatherapeutic benefits as you prettily slumber. Mrs V really likes the smell of this potion and would say that overall it does hit the target ( my head), most of the time. Although occasionally I find myself sort of waiting and thinking ‘is it now, am I drifting off yet?’ You’ve heard the expression ‘a watched pot…?’

B. Mio Skincare Liquid Yoga Space Spray.The premise from the gurus at Mio is that this elixir is perfect for pulse points, pillow, yoga mat, car or office ( wait a mo, do I want to  be that relaxed at the wheel?) and can help promote natural deep sleep and ease tension that causes headaches. How nice is that? It has a zingy perfume, more citrus and zesty  than the This Works offering. The manifesto for this product is that it can be a rapid mood changer that helps calm, quieten, de-stress and rebalance. This resonates with me because sometimes it is just ones mood that has to change. You are no longer at a rave, business meeting or spiky discussion with a daughter ( just me?). You want to relax, shake off the day and sometimes that doesn’t happen to order. In the loosest sense of the phrase, this is a mind altering alternative to just laying there fretting about how soon the alarm is going off. I found that this did work very well for me, and possibly slightly better than the Sleep Plus Pillow Spray. Not sure why, it may just be a matter that the cocktail of  ingredients resonates slightly better with my psyche. I wouldn’t diss the alternative, as it may be a fit with yours.

Try them out and report back. I’d love to know your experience.

What’s the worst that can happen ? You have gloriously scented bedlinen and you’re awake enough to luxuriate in that knowledge.

 

Pixi’s at Work.

Pixi Glow peel Pads, Pixi Skintreats, Hyaluronic Acid, skincare, Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, themodeledit.com

 The May beauty crush. Pixi Glow Peel Pads

 Petra Strand  is the beauty and the brains behind the skincare brand Pixi the culmination of acquired knowledge from her 20+ years experience as a makeup artist & product developer. Pixi products are formulations infused with botanicals and beneficial ingredients. Their ethos is to create products that are multitasking, flaw-fixing and youth-enhancing for women like us with no time to spare. Goes without saying that they are the offerings of  a busy mother of four who has previous in the beauty industry and therefore knows how to cut to the chase. I like their strap line ‘ Flawless in fuss free minutes”

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M+S Nice and Easy.

M&S The Big Easy collection, M+S Press Event A/W 2016

The ‘Big Easy’ collection

When Mrs V attended the M&S press event held yesterday Thursday May 12, M&S’s autumn/winter 2016 collection was unveiled  to the fashion press. One segment of it will go on sale online and in 26 stores – six months earlier than it usually would. This means that at selected stores it is actually on sale right now. The “Big Easy” autumn trend, as M&S is calling it, offers us minimalist, transitional items and for that reason you should book at seat for it, front stalls, in your wardrobe. The Big Easy collection will ease that transition period when we say sayonara to summer and need treats to console us because winter is waving at us. The Model Edit has already developed profound feelings for the gorgeous black and white cropped Palazzo pants. Genius. The little black pinafore top that they’re teamed with offers the am/pm options that just makes life easier. And from the rest of the M&S A/W 2016 collection? Get your diaries out ladies, when it arrives in September it’ll be a sprint to the tills.

Watch this space lots more to come on this as my M&S crush develops into a full blown love affair. You didn’t see that coming, right?

Nudity and Subterfuge

Illamasqua, Illamasqua lipstick, Rosepout lipstick, Illamasqua Rosepout lipstick, Glamore by Illamasqua, Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, www.themodeledit.com

£19,50

I have flagged up on my manifesto that I’m a Style Spy. Never has this been put more to the test. In the name of research for fantastically exciting or pretty useful beauty products, I prowl make up stores, eavesdrop on my daughters conversations, trawl the net and leave no page unturned. Character traits that helped me find my husband. JOKES!!! Anyway it all makes me sound an attractive personality doesn’t it? But wait, with y’all in mind my finds are interrogated, tried out or on, and then promises are made. Otherwise you aren’t reading about them on www.themodeledit.com. Above you will see my latest crush, a nude shade of lipstick known as Rosepout from Illamasqua. The formula is lovely; so creamy and pigmented, easy to apply on the go and not drying, just satiny. I was introduced to this make up brand super siren by daughter #1.  I have subsequently underwritten their profits. Rosepout is a lipstick shade that gets you noticed for not wearing make up. Rosepout itself isn’t a show off, instead it shows you off, subtly.

 

Illamasqua, Illamasqua lipstick, Rosepout by Illamasqua, Rosepout lipstick, Glamore lipstick collection by Illamasqua

This is where I get tricky, because as a task for myself and ultimately for your benefit, I tried to find a lipstick hue that was cheaper than Rosepout, but just as lovely. I have done easier things… Who knew about the amount of pinky, beige-y,naked-y (why aren’t they words when pinky is?) stripes on my hand, crumpled make up wipes and Oyster card usages I’d rip through.

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