Something About Miss L

I have been tagged by lovely Retro Life Style, Fashion* CHALET; and Paris in Luella Land in almost same time, so the post will be something about Miss L.

Rules
–Post rules at beginning of the post
–Answer all the questions
–Tag 6 people & go to their blog & leave a comment to inform them that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1) What were you doing 10 years ago?

I think I had just completed GCSEs, and everything seems perfect... a happy little girl

2) What are 5 things on your to-do list today?

• Cosmetics Shopping
  

• Do food shopping

• Car Wash

• Catching up some fashion magazines
  

• Watch a DVD if I still have some time

3) Snacks you enjoy

Chocolate (dark chocolate and truffle ones), jelly baby, crisps (love Kettle Chips), ice creams (every flavour), cheese crackers and so on… Basically, all the junk food you can imagine…

4) Places you have lived

I have travelled some places following my parents, but never lived there properly… my long-term pal is still London…

5) Things you would do if you were a billionaire

• Open the best sweets and ice-cream BAR… and provide free giveaways and dentist checkups to kids who love them :)
  

• Have a wish list centre to everyone! People can apply for everything they wish for as they write letters to “Santa Claus”, and the lucky wishes will come true!

• Open a free market for young designers to exhibit their works
  

6) People you want to know more about

Everyone I love and care; and of course myself!

And finally, I am tagging the lovely

• KIRA FASHION

• Searching The Inner Me

• Fatal Fashion Attraction

• Diamond Canopy Winn

• Stilettostetico

• Munich Style

Little Sweet Treat

Strangely enough, the cloth I bought makes me happy most is not anything big but small, chic and cheerful lingerie that always makes me feel feminine and sexy (of course). My problem is that I sometimes do not really need that many. Actually, some of the shapes cannot really be worn under any cloth… but I still buy them purely because I love it so much. Particularly, girly retro lingerie is surely one of my fashion weaknesses! Now, you know the sweet treat to yourself is to buy some pretty lingerie.

• A Bit of History

The first bra, actually a corselet (or a half corset), was invented by Luman Chapman in 1863.

Our First Bra

Thirties year later, Marie Tucek patented "Breast Supporter" in 1893. It was the first garment similar to the modern-day with shoulder straps and a hook-and-eye closure. In 1904, Charles R. DeBevoise Company first labelled “brassiere” as a bra-like garment that is a boned camisole helping to stabilise the chests. Gradually, the word, brassiere, has appeared in many women magazines and even in Oxford English Dictionary in 1912. A famous story was how “backless bra” was invented. In 1913, a New York socialite, Mary Phelps Jacobs, made a bra with 2 handkerchiefs and some ribbons to wear under a very sheer evening gown. The innovative idea was then sold to Warners for $1500. Wowwww, so we have been wearing bras for quite a long time now…

• Examples of Lingerie that are made for me to love rather than wear
  

Antique Intimates: the lace, the ribbon and the buttons are just sooo sweet...


Antique Intimates: I love antique French knickers... so pretty and comfy



Agent Provocateur: One of my favourite brands - the boned lace is really special and chic.



Myla: Remember the fresh water pearl knickers loved by Samantha in Sex and the City?
Then you know Myla... everything is luxury under Myla, pure silk and divine design.



Agent Provocateur: I just like black & white!


Last but truly not least, it's my seriously beloved laundry bag
I figured out that I rather use it as a travel bag for my lingerie... not for washing

Poshie East End - Start London

Imagine that you were a little up-town child who had only seen pretty dolls on television. One day, your mum finally took you to a huge toy store in the city, thinking Hamley's of London or Toy “R” Us. Now, tell me how you would feel the first minute you walked in the Dolls Department… That’s how I felt exactly as soon as you walked in START Women - the excitement, the fashion simulation and, of course, the rock & roll!

START
42-44 Rivington Street
Shoreditch
London EC2A 3BN
Tel: 020 7729 3334

What’s the fuss?

Opened by a former cult rock star, Brix Smith-Start, and her cool partner, Philip Start, the truly quirky and individual Shoreditch boutiques offer an extensive amount of clothes for stylish women and men. Since its open in October 2002, it has expanded from 1 to 3 boutiques: Men’s, Women’s and Tailoring & Made-to-Measure stores. They have also launched the fabulous online store since June 2007, but please stay tuned, as START will re-launch a new site towards the end of June 2008.

START boutiques have best been known for its wide range of women’s and men’s and denim from Nudie, J Brand, Acne, Earnest Sewn to Superfine. And Brix is just a pure fashion genius. She personally attends all the important fashion shows and use incredibly sharp fashion sense to discover talented new designers besides buying high-end fashion labels.

Therefore it is official that START has some exclusive stuffs to shop! When I say “exclusive”, it really means the only place in London you can find those stylish pieces. So next time if you see any rock star having some cool clothes on, you know where you should head for! By the way, these stuffs are excellently priced! Can’t wait? Let’s go in to have a great look!

• Upstair - 1st Room: the cool yet welcoming interior, the brilliant jeans corner plus all the new discoveries of Brix...
  

• Upstair - 2nd Room: pretty shoe shelf & stylish sunglasses cabinet (I'll show you in a minute), some of START heavyweight labels, the jewellery & accessory tables and the beautiful cosmetics corner....
  

• Downstair - A very romantic and chic room stored full of stylish and quirky brands like Miu Miu. Seriously, even their wallpaper and fitting rooms just have so much more character! Obviously, it shows Brix and Phillip's cool taste.

Secret No 1. - OLIVINA NAPA VALLEY pampering body care collection has just joined START beauty counter! They have been featured in many major magazines from Vogue, InStyle to NYLON! Finally, START has brought them into London on 23rd May!

Inspired by the natural beauty of the wine country of northern Californina, its foundation ingredients are as organic as you can imagine - hand-pressed, anti-oxidant olive and grape seed oils. Olivina has absolutely refreshing, seductive and earthy unisex scent.

• Meet the Style Guru
  

Secret No 2. - The dress that Brix was wearing will be featured on both British and Australian Vogue next month - 3.1 Phillip Lim ss08! START is the stockist!

Dress: 3.1 Phillip Lim £449
Shoes: Miu Miu £245



Dress: Rick Owen - Brix's true love £765
Shoes: Miu Miu £245

• The lovely, stylish and super helpful staffs - Sorry, I didn't have time to feature all the staffs, but truely they are a DREAM team :)
  

1. Charlotte - She has that effortlessly chic look and knows the shop inside out! If you need any fashion help, she will be more than happy to show you around!

Dress & Shoes: Vintage
Bag: Mulberry in delicious fuschia £595

2. Kelly - She's a very lovely girl who has the nature love and know-how for fashion! She helped me modelling all way through xx

- Outfit 1

Coat: Miu Miu £945 - Do we have to say anything? They speak for themselves!
Bag: Miu Miu - The colour is purely divine and the leather is soft yet durable!
Shoes: Chloe £259 - The silk satin and the cute little heel give a edgy yet sweet look.
Legging: ZOEtee's £49.50 - Super cool legging is a great alternaive to skinny jeans in summer!

- Outfit 2

Organza Cape: Miu Miu £719 - The quirky runway cape is just adorable from colour to cut!

Shoes: Chloe £259

Legging: ZOEtee's £49.50

- Outfit 3

Top: 3.1 Phillip Lim £210 - Yellow & Taupe Brown in Sheer Organza is just beautiful
Skirt: Rick Owen £210 - The King of easy cutting needs no explanation for every fabulous cut!
Sandals: Chloe - Bronzy colour and cute butterfly shape in front - you just need to have it!

- Outfit 4

Dress: Alice in Wonderland by Charles Anastase £399 - 1920s flapper look but much sweeter
(P.S. I like Charles Anastase who is a young French talent. He started as a fashion illustrator who has drawn for A.P.C. and Calvin Klein, and worked for many magazines. Thus, if you want something poetic, come to START!)
Shoes: Miu Miu £199 - patent leather mary-jane flat! Great for summer!

- Outfit 5

Dress: 3.1 Phillip Lim £495 - gives the perfectly innocent yet sensual "first date" look
Shoes: Marc Jacobs £299 - Black £ white is simply classic!

- Outfit 6

Dress: Richard Nicoll £599 - The luxurious silk organza has been transformed into this individual look!

Studs Top (worn inside the dress): Richard Nicoll £365
Shoes: Miu Miu £185 - Red, patent and peep-toe is just to die for!

- Outfit 7

Secret No 3. - The dress is by Lunga De Fancy which is designed by 5 Japanese ladies. The style comes across Vivienne Westwood and Commes De Garcons... manufactured in Italy... everything is just well made to tip-top quality with love! The only place to buy Lunga De Fancy in London - START, START & START! Keira Knightley has just bought TWO the other day! So you will see the dress somewhere very soon in the paper :) Snap up quickly!

Dress: Lunga De Fancy £189.50 - The dress comes in white, black and grey - Keira Knightley got 2, so it must say something!

Shoes: ASH £115 - a wardorbe stable at a great price

- Outfit 8

Dress: Rick Owen £595 - Who else can really make the soft, thrown-on cut timeless?
Bag: Panric Sweeney - Brilliant Leather & Quirky Details
Shoes: Chloe £299

Last but not the least, it is Secret No. 4 - do you want to know all the secret sales from START? Then, join their mailing list online! The next one is coming very sooonnnnnnnnn..... Wherever and whenever you are, you can shop START online!

Take Home a Nude

It was a long weekend and I have just got back to London. I met up with a friend of mine, who came back from New York last week, for dinner. She was telling me all the exiciting stories about “Take Home a Nude 2008’ Art Auction at Phillips de Pury & Company - The New York Academy of Art which was founded by Andy Warhol and Tom Wolfe as the first graduate school in U.S. devoted solely to the study of the human figure, has a fundraiser selling a top collection of art nudes each year.

To celebrate 25^th anniversary of New York Academy of Art, the special bonus of year 2008 (sponsored by MAC cosmetics) was that they had a series of paintings of Dita Von Teese naked by 12 artists, such as Will Cotton and designer Cynthia Rowley, along side of the works by Andy Warhol, Jamie Wyeth and many other great artists. I really wish I was there, but we can still share these beautiful paintings.

To celebrate 25^th anniversary of New York Academy of Art, the special bonus of year 2008 (sponsored by MAC cosmetics) was that they had a series of paintings of Dita Von Teese naked by 12 artists, such as Will Cotton and designer Cynthia Rowley, along side of the works by Andy Warhol, Jamie Wyeth and many other great artists. I really wish I was there, but we can still share these beautiful paintings.

• A Beautiful Selection of Dita Von Teese Paintings & Sketches
  

Dita Von Teese By David Humphrey


Dita Von Teese by Ellen Altfest


Dita Von Teese By Inka Essenhigh

Dita Von Teese by John Wellington


Dita Von Teese by Will Cotton


Dita Von Teese By Beatrix Ost

• About Andy Warhol

Andy without His Glasses by Jamie Wyeth
fetched the auction's highest bid for $125,000


Body Builder by Andy Warhol (a), 1982

Body Builder by Andy Warhol (b), 1982

• Other Great Works
  

Two Standing Nudes by Philip Pearlstein, 1965

Cover Art By Eric Fischl, 1998

Bath Tub by Bonnie Dewitt


Miles of Smiles by Kenny Scharf, 2006

Untitled (House Bunnies) by Ray Johnson, 1980


France 5 (Biennale De Lyon) by Spencer Tunick, 2005


Meringue Study by Will Cotton, 2008
This is a very sensual, beautiful and quirky piece - I love it!