Fashion Filtered Has Moved

Hiya peeps! Fashion Filtered has now moved home and can be found on swanky new website www.fashionfiltered.com. Come and visit for more stories, features, videos and of course fashion. Hope to see you there x

Billionaire's Slippers

 

If a Billionaire wore slippers I expect they would look like these. I stumbled across these eye popping ,rich bitch, slippers by Billionaire Couture at the Dee Vesali press day yesterday at Gallery Different in Fitzrovia. The brand also showcased its first womens shoe collection alongside the slippers, chic and simple snakeskin designs with a modern, edgy and sexy twist on classic styles. All perfect for wearing with the brands signature blingin' suits. Available from February next year...

Time for a detox...

This morning I woke up hungover, wearing last nights make-up, my mouth tasting of the junk food eaten the night before - it would seem that that playing hard is my default reaction to working hard. This week has been a busy one, as well as working long hours everyday, plus three evenings, I have been to three gigs, thrown a dinner party for six, been out for two lavish dinners and survived a tequila fuelled girls night. The past week has been taxing; physically, mentally and financially. So, I have decided to go on a detox this week.

I shall not consume, or allow myself to pine for: caffeine, added sugar, refined carbs, alcohol, dairy, meat, poultry or fish.  Sounds hardcore but I know I'll feel amazing, relaxed and refreshed by this time next week. Having completed a strict 'Raw Fairies' detox in the past I am confident that I can be disciplined, even when meeting up with a group of girls at my favourite French Bistro later in the week.

I'd like to invite you to join me on my detox this week. Party season is upon us and as Christmas draws closer it would be good to have a purge before a month of over excess kicks in. Below are some of my favourite detox meals that are easy, quick and tasty, I urge you to give them a go.

Breakfast:

• Banana, blueberry and coconut water smoothie - just blend together!
• Oatmeal soaked in pressed apple juice with cinnamon and raisin - soak the oatmeal and raisins in pressed apple juice over night with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Papaya with raspberries and lime - hardly a recipe really - halve a papaya, scoop out the seeds, fill the cavity with raspberries and spritz over the juice of half a lime.

Lunch:

• White bean salad - finely sliced red onion steeped in a little red wine vinegar with minced garlic and olive oil stirred through white beans with a massive bunch of roughly chopped parsley thrown over.
• Vegetable rice wraps - finely sliced cucumber, carrot, spring onion, red pepper, chilli, black sesame seeds and fresh mint leaves wrapped in rice wraps and dipped in a sauce of fish sauce, ginger, garlic, agave syrup and rice vinegar.
• Miso soup or tom yum soup with added thinly sliced vegetables and tofu

Dinner:

• Black rice with Vietnamese dressing and avocado - black nanking rice or black Venus rice (not wild rice) boiled in water with a vietnamese dressing stirred through and avocado scooped out on top (Dressing: 1/2 clove minced garlic, 1/2 fresh red chilli, minced fresh ginger, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp water, 1/2 tbsp agave syrup).
• Speltotto - pearled spelt cooked like risotto with minced onion, garlic, celery and vegetable stock. At the last minute stir in fresh spinach and peas and a few drops of white truffle oil.
• Vegetable pakoras - finely sliced fennel, onion and roughly torn coriander mixed with gram flour (made from chickpea) and Indian spices. Add a little iced soda water to make into a light batter, fry in rapeseed oil and spritz over lemon juice.

If this is too much hard work you can always eat soup! Let me know how you get on...

Sssh! Designer Sample Sale This Weekend...

If you are a Londoner, or in London this weekend, thelondondesignersale.co.uk are holding a sample sale in Hampstead, North London. Designers will include Sara Berman, Glow, Belstaff and Vivienne Westwood. As well as clothes there will be a great selection of accessories, jewellery, shoes and Christmas stocking fillings at up to 80% off!

"Formerly the London Accessory Sale Ltd, the London Designer Sale is run by a small and dedicated team of fashion hungry souls. We have been running designer sample sales for over three years now, using a variety of London venues in Hampstead, Brick Lane and Chelsea. The London Designer Sale has grown from initially selling designer accessories to now covering the whole designer sector including clothes, shoes, handbags, sunglasses, jewellery and more."

The sale runs today (Friday 9th) 10.30-20.30, Saturday 11th 10.00-19.00 and Sunday 12th 10.00-18.00 at Hampstead Town Hall Centre, 213 Haverstock Hill, London, NW3 4QP. Nearest Tube Belsize Park Station. Entry £1.

Give in to A-Line

I have been a huge supporter of pencil skirts and dresses for years and turned my nose up at the return of the A-line skirt when viewing the AW12 collections, but, its time to face facts that this shape is making a huge comeback. If I want to keep my wardrobe up to date, I must move with the times.

A friend stayed over last week and asked to borrow some clothes to wear, she laughed when I brought out about 5 dresses which were all of identical silhouette. Knee length, long sleeve, tight fitting pencil dresses in block colours (the only 'wild' variations being the addition of stripes). It seems I have been stuck in a style rut for the past year... So I decided to challenge myself.

Last week I popped into one of my favourites high street store's, COS, to track down a new dress. Being a very busy person I tend to go for dresses over separates, allowing me to stay in bed longer and focus on accessorising, brushing my hair etc. A great dress gives the illusion of effort when really its effortless. Whilst at COS I picked up 6 dresses, only one was A-line, I crinkled my nose and left it last to try on... I actually gasped as I spun round in front of the mirror, checking all angles. The dress is a soft, light weight and breathable wool and cotton mix with 7/8 length sleeves, a high boat neck, fitted at the top, cinched at the waist flaring out into a wide A-line. I felt ultra feminine (tricky for a 5'8" size 12-14 girl with size 41 feet), girly and sexy. It was PERFECT! I went to a boutique launch that evening and changed in the office loo's after work, shoving my old faithful grey, knee length, long sleeve pencil dress into my bag. At the party the dress got a great reaction (probably more so because of my sudden change of style) with comments of how slim my waist looked and that I looked more youthful! So, if you haven't already, please do give A-line a go, you will be pleasantly surprised. Wool Jersey Dress, £69.00 from COS. Image from the website.

Maison Martin Margiela for HM

 

 

On Tuesday I went to go and admire H&M's latest designer collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela at the H&M Press Office. The collection celebrates key pieces of Margiela's designs over the years that have been re-worked for the collaboration and reads almost as a retrospective of the designers work. The room was subtly transformed into a gallery space with stark white walls and harsh white lights and only white drinks and canapés of white fish, chicken and naturally white coloured foods were served. What struck me most about the collection was volume. Everything was scaled up and 'man size' whilst still being tailored to fit the female form. Touches of fun were dotted around in the form of gloves that became clutches and can ring pulls scaled up to necklace size. My standout pieces had to be a huge cosy duvet coat, the silver 'sweetie wrapper' oversized clutch (modelled here by stylist Charlie Moore) and perspex heeled ankle boots which I will be hunting down when the collection launches on November 15th.

An Evening With Fabi Shoes

Last night I went along to preview the Fabi shoe collection for SS13. The evening showcased fashion and food from Italy's Le Marche region and we were treated to delicious wines served alongside truffle scented canapés by 2 Michelin starred chef, Mauro Uliassi. It was a lively party that took over the entire restaurant at Kensington's 'Locanda Ottomezzo' which was due to finish at 21.30 but was set to go on into the night. Fabi's shoes delivered a good dose of classic Italian bling that sparkled in the intimate and candle lit venue. Check out our video of the event and a review on fashionfiltered.com.  

Strictly Sexy Halloween

"In the regular world, Halloween is when children dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it." Cady, Mean Girls.

I love this quote from the teen flick hit movie 'Mean Girls' starring Lindsay Lohan, it does ring true in 'girl world'. With Halloween just a few days away I bet 90% of you will be heading to some sort of spooky party this weekend. Don't get caught out in an old sheet or naff witches hat from Tesco, keep it classy and sexy with these treats (tricks are for hookers).

1. Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Lipstick in Black Tulip £23.50 from John Lewis  2. CHANEL LE VERNIS Nail Colour in Black Satin £18.00 from Selfridges  3. All Saints Hero thigh high boots £275.00  4. Lulu Guinness Perspex Lips Clutch in Black £245.00  5. Topshop Spike Leather Collar £18.50  6. Topshop Pu Strapless Corset £30.00  7. American Apparel Black Disco Pants £74.00  8. Fleet Ilya Black Leather Fox Mask £295.00  9. Lanvin Long Leather Gloves £675 from NET-A-PORTER  10. Reiss Theodora Corseted Leather Dress £295.00  11. Carvela (Kurt Geiger) Annie Ankle Strap Shoes £55.00. Images from the websites.

Short Film: Allium B AW12 Dresses

This weekend I headed up to Hampstead Heath with Thomas Walter of Tucker Productions to shoot a short film showcasing my favourite 4 dresses from the Allium B AW12 Collection. If you are not familiar with the brand they specialise in effortless and easy to wear day to evening dresses. The AW12 collection is inspired by vintage designs reworked into modern and elegant dresses that are practical for everyday wear. Allium B make dresses for women, not teenagers so it was great to use mother of two, Jane Chilvers as our model for the day. Check out the film on fashionfiltered.com here.

Clara Dress £95.00 from Allium B. Image from the website.

Specific Autumn Chelsea Boots

A friend has been on a quest for specific Chelsea boots for autumn, after pacing London's Oxford Street and surfing online fashion retailers she gave up the search an enlisted me to scope out a suitable pair that must be; dark red or dark brown, flat, patent where possible and under £400.00. Sounds like an easy task right? I can empathise with her frustration, but, seek and ye shall find and 6 pairs I did find. At least one of these pairs should keep her tootsies happy, all perfect for skinny jeans and day dresses.

1. Sloane Chelsea Boots from Carvela/ Kurt Geiger £150.00.  2. Monmouth Glossed-Leather Chelsea Boots by Church's from NET-A-PORTER £315.00.  3. Bordeaux Gwendoline Flat Brogue Chelsea Boots by Burberry from My Wardrobe £395.00.  4. Lucinda Burgundy Chelsea Boots from Jones Bootmaker £100.00.  5. Paddington Stud Trim Chelsea Boot from Dune £90.00.  6. Padlock Ankle Boot by MCQ Alexander McQueen from Matches Fashion £385.00. Images from the websites.