Norman Parkinson's Century of Style

It is amazing how Norman Parkinson was able to mix humour and glamour in his pictures. In the 40‘s, he revolutionised  British fashion photography, making it more dynamic. 

He used to say that he was a craftsman and not an artist and remained until his death (1990) one of the foremost British portrait and fashion photographers. 

2013 marks the centenary of Norman Parkinson’s birth and the National Theatre is celebrating it with the exhibition Lifework: Norman Parkinson's Century of Style.

National Theatre

Upper Ground South Bank

London SE1 9PX 

1 March – 12 May 2013 (closed 31 March and 14 April. Mondays 1 April and 6 May, open from 4pm) 

Free

Spring has already arrived!

I went to Manchester centre city yesterday with the impossible mission of finding any gloves left. Although it is still wintertime, the shops have already started selling the spring collection and there is nothing left for the next cold months. And then the temptation: cheerful fashion in soft fabrics, announcing that weather is a state of mind. Here I am, there is a beautiful new dress in my wardrobe, waiting for sunshine to be wore... Would you like to see the new tendencies? I am just showing you some of my favourites labels at the moment:

Max Mara Spring Collection  2013 

I particularly find amazing the blue tone of this Max Mara dress. The orange bag looks great!

Michael Kors

Pinko is an Italian brand, which is fresh and elegant at the same time. You can find it at Harvey Nichols in Manchester. 

Pinko

The espadrille reminds me my adolescence in Brazil during the eighties. By the way, the style was revived in the 1980's due to the success of the american series Miami Vice - Don Johnson, the main character used to wear it.

Michael Kors

I adore Hugo Boss, specially Boss Orange with its hippie style. It reminds me a lot of Brazil - the way Brazilians dress themselves. 

Boss Orange

What about you? Which are your favourite labels? What are you wearing this spring? I hope you enjoy this post. 

2013 - The Year Of The Snake

As far as the Chinese calendar is concerned, the turbulence of 2012 will soon be finished as the year of the black dragon ends on February 4, 2013 and the year of the snake starts. It is a good excuse to buy an amazing bracelet, ins't it?

1stdibs

Snake has a keen mind and means wisdom in the Chinese horoscope. It is a smart and elegant animal that brings things safely to the right place at the right time. 

Chicnova

A snake is shy, cautious and a low-key animal and she won't attack its opponent, unless it's disturbed or hungry. In this case snakes are very fast and powerful. This means that conflicts started in 2012 and not yet resolved, can be well managed if you act prudently. If you don’t, the snake will bite you very quickly. 

Whistles

Good news for creative people, 2013 will be a very productive year for them. Come on artists, it is high time you wrote that book, painted that picture, became an actor, etc!

Bonprix

The snake, also a symbol of femininity, has a strong feeling for beauty and aesthetics. When girls are born in a snake year, Chinese families celebrate it enthusiastically because they are considered attractive, charming and people believe they have got the sixth sense.

Have a great 2013!

How To Choose And Wash Cashmere

In winter, cashmere is my best friend. Its fine and soft texture keeps you warm and it doesn't itch.  By the way, if  you choose cashmere of the best quality,  it will last for a long time. 

Natural Fibres Direct

Cashmere is a fibre obtained from a cashmere or another type of goats. A cashmere sweater used to be very expensive but since China has become the largest producer of raw cashmere, you can find sweaters under £100.00. However, the quality of mass produced cashmere cannot be compared with fine Scottish cashmere (the softness of the water in Scotland makes the fibre specially soft). 

Malford of London

To choose the right cashmere you should trust your hands and feel the smoothness of the material. Sometimes, you can find the best quality cashmere sweaters in second-hand shops. 

Jo McGivern

It is important also to learn how to wash this delicate fabric. Wash it by hand using lukewarm water and a very mild soap. Do not wring or twist the material as it will lose its original shape. To dry cashmere, gently squeeze out excess water. Instead of hanging it, lay the item out on a clean towel, adjusting it to its original shape, and roll the towel up, with the cashmere in the middle. Take another towel and lay the item flat to finish air-drying. Fold and lay your cashmere piece flat in a drawer until ready to use. 

By Anna Bilton

Dry cleaning is ok but it is not so good for the fibre. Be aware of moths, they love cashmere as much as humans do! Therefore, lavender or cedar wood balls in your drawers are more than convenient. 

New York Fashion Week Spring 2013

The shows last week in New York presented a very sporty, graphic and ideal for daily use fashion. I am looking forward to the spring 2013, anyway. The picture above is from DKNY collection, one of my favourite labels. 

photo: Marie Claire

The Amalfi Coast

Before going on vacation I would like to  show you a place to dream about.  There are good reasons to claim that the Amalfi Coast is an unforgettable spot in the world. For example, the breathtaking views:

The rich history:

The lemon trees and the flower roofs:

The amazing interior design of the Convento di Amalfi:

The traditional Pasticceria Andrea Pansa, an Amalfi institution since 1830, with  its delicious pastries and chocolate:

  

Last but not least: Naples and Pompeii are nearby. Naples is a vibrant urban setting and Pompeii's ruins are the most impressive proof of the power of  nature. 

Question for the fashionistas: did you know that Salvatore Ferragamo studied shoemaking in Naples?

The american writer Gore Vidal considered the Villa Cimbrone Gardens  one of the most beautiful places on earth. In the same village, Greta Garbo enjoyed her love affair with the conductor Arturo Toscanini. 

With all its beauty, no wonder that the region is an inspiration to artists. And lovers. 

The flower of my secret

It is cold and raining outside but, regarding to fashion and design, spring has arrived. Roses, orchids, daffodils and whole gardens appear in dresses, shoes and also in interior design accessories. No doubt that the trend at the moment is a floral explosion.

Blugirl

Are you a preppy?

The message of the preppy style is: Yes, I am a happy and cultivated person. By the way, I want to tell it through my clothes. Last but not least, there is nothing bad about it!

In earlier days, nobody wanted to be called a preppy. Nowadays most people considered the look cool and there is a huge range of labels that celebrates the style. One of these is Tommy Hilfiger. I like very much the irreverence that he uses in his creations, mixing bright bold colours with some playful accessories and the most important thing: high spirits.

The result is a clean, elegant and affluent look.

Although the preppy style was born at the elite universities in England, it was in the USA that it became widespread.

The term preppy became famous because of the film Love Story. On one occasion, one of the main characters referred to the other as a preppy. Before this, few people knew the term. The Kennedys were preppies. They looked classic and smart. Barack Obama is considered a preppy as well.

The wardrobe of a preppy is composed of cardigans, knee length skirts, white shirts, blazers, trousers, dresses and hats. The preppy uses patterns, in conjunction with bold colors. The accessories could be clothes themselves, such as a sweater, wrapped casually around the shoulders.

The preppy sexy look: a chiffon transparent blouse or a dress with a v back neckline.The most important rules of the preppy style: class, elegance and neatness. 

After writing this post I just feel a little bit preppy. If you want to know a little bit more about this subject, I recommend the two books Lisa Birnbach wrote about it: The Official Preppy Handbook and True Prep.

Pictures: J.Crew and Tommy Hilfiger catalogues. 

Menina dos olhos

Twiggy surgiu nos anos 60 como se fosse uma provocação a década anterior. Afinal, o padrão de beleza dos anos 50 foi repleto de mulheres voluptuosas e sensuais.
A inglesinha magra de 16 anos não tinha nada de Sophia Loren ou Marilyn Monroe: seus cabelos curtos e o rosto de boneca davam-lhe uma aparência andrógina. Mas o mais marcante nela eram os imensos olhos realçados por cílios postiços e camadas de rímel.
Olhos marcantes que se tornaram o grande ícone dos anos 60. A luz dos olhos daquela geração. Twiggy é considerada a primeira supermodelo do mundo.