Everything You Need to Know About London Fashion Week in an Hilarious Handy Quiz Form… from Lynn Yaeger at The Cut

Q. What eminent designer puts what seems like 150 looks on the runway - bottom-grabbing pencil skirts; tiny purple Floradora dresses - and forbids photography (apparently to lend an air of exclusivity, but in this case, maybe to protect his reputation) and emerges on the runway at the end of the show, then stands around with a bunny-in-the-headlights look in his eyes, waiting for a standing ovation that never comes?
A. Tom Ford.

Q. What unlikely celeb occupies the front row at Vivienne Westwood, a show where we are handed a manifesto on Gaia and global warming, and treated to models made-up like crazy wood nymphs, including an upper-ear sprayed gold?
A. Pam Anderson (with lobe unmolested.)

Q. What horrible trend spotted at Burberry and Tom Ford is intended to make you look like a literal basket case?
A. Scratchy, nasty raffia. This substance should return to the earth and be left to biodegrade in peace.

Q. What new designer for an old house at least partially acknowledged that brand’s iconic roots by showing a group of endearingly old-fashioned twin sets? (Look under the planks at a lot of the London collections and you will find a deep river of dowdiness running free.)
A. Pringle of Scotland, with Tilda Swinton, gracing the front row, haughty and adorable in (one assumes) a Pringle pullover.

Q. What house ends its show with a shower of coppery confetti shaped like coins, perhaps to signify our increasingly worthless currency?
A. Burberry, where the palette is drab and some garments are decorated with faux-ethnic wooden beads.

Q. Who is responsible for the otherwise charming bubble-skirted flower frock that flips up so high you can see the model’s G-string, an event that makes certain front row denizens want to call out “free show!” as if we are still in junior high school?
A. Mary Katrantzou, who was digitizing flower prints long before other designers jumped on the horticultural-sartorial bandwagon.

What: white jeans
Why: Because when you see the editor of French Vogue, Emmanuelle Alt, wearing them every day to New York Fashion week you know you want them. Because when you see Taylor Tomasi Hill from Marie Claire wearing them to New York Fashion week then you know they are hot. (Even if you will never have her legs.) Because they are chic and simple. Because white is right for summer.
Which: You want skinny leg or the new flare. You can go for a high waist or a little lower rise. Whatever suits your figure. Isn’t that nice to hear?!
Wear: With your shirt tucked in and a fabulous belt. Wear them rolled up with a chic kitten heel. Wear with a V neck sweater half tucked in with wedges. Wear with a blazer and a stripe Tee.
Where: Levis from Net-a-porter.com, Current Elliot from ShopBop , Witchery, J Brand Ksubi from Revolveclothing.com, Bardot

* There is a new site totally dedicated to Emmanuelle Alt called iwanttobeanalt.. LOVE!

I have problem eyelids for makeup.
Talk about oily.
Talk about droopy.
Eyeliner just never stays on.
I end up with black eye makeup down around my cheeks. Lovely.
Problem is I have now used the Botox money on shoes and I need a new primer to keep it all in place.
I was addicted to Benefit’s STAY PUT but they don’t make that any more ( don’t you just love it when they do that?). So I went on a search for a new eye primer. Actually not true. I was very lazy and just asked my best friend who is an EXPERT in all things beauty. She is obsessed with new products. She suggested the Elizabeth Arden Elizabeth Arden Advanced Eye Fix Primer. I tried it and love it.  They say ” Eye Fix works as an invisible shield between eyelids and eyecolor, so shadows, liner and powders stay put”.  You need to apply a teeny tiny swipe to the eyelids and let it dry.  Apply eyeliner and Voila!
It will stay on virtually all day shopping.

$42 Elizabeth Arden Advanced Eye Fix Primer from major department stores or $22 plus shipping from Skincarestore.com.au

Fiction Ruined My Family …. by Jeanne Darst (Author)

I read an excerpt of this book in the latest American Vogue October issue and made me laugh out loud (which never happens !). Very well written and very funny.

“Jeanne Darst’s memoir about growing up in a hard-drinking family with big literary dreams is hilarious, heartbreaking, and inspiring.” Marie Claire

“High fives to Jeanne Darst for her tale of surviving an alkie blue-blood mom, a hard-drinking failed-writer dad, and her own inebriated performer/playwright/crummy-job dysfunction to write this seriously comic tell-all about her entanglements, with family, friend, and-of course-her bodacious self.” Elle

The youngest of four daughters in an old, celebrated St. Louis family of prominent journalists and politicians on one side, debutante balls and equestrian trophies on the other, Jeanne Darst grew up hearing stories of past grandeur. And as a young girl, the message she internalized was clear: while things might be a bit tight for us right now, it’s only temporary. Soon her father would sell the Great American Novel and reclaim the family’s former glory.
The family uproots and moves from St. Louis to New York. Jeanne’s father writes one novel, and then another, which don’t find publishers. This, combined with her mother’s burgeoning alcoholism — nightly booze- fueled weepathons reminiscing about her fancy childhood — lead to financial disaster and divorce. And as Jeanne becomes an adult, she is horrified to discover that she is not only a drinker like her mother, but a writer like her father.
Ultimately, Jeanne sets out to discover if a person can have the writing without the ruin, if it’s possible to be both sober and creative, ambitious and happy, a professional author and a parent.
Filled with brilliantly flawed, idiosyncratic characters and punctuated by Darst’s irreverent eye for absurdity, Fiction Ruined My Family is a lovingly told, wickedly funny portrait of an unconventional life.

$16 Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (September 29, 2011) Amazon.com

Nostalgia in Vogue ….by Eve MacSweeney , Anna Wintour .

A new book from American Vogue !
‘Nostalgia in Vogue celebrates the popular and poignant coming-of-age memoir columns that have been enchanting Vogue readers since 2000. This elegant volume collects a wonderful selection of Vogue’s famous “Nostalgia” columns and the stunning photographs that accompanied them.Writers, designers, models, and celebrities share coming-of-age stories based on a rich range of themes from fashion to art, Hollywood, music, childhood, work, and love, each triggered by an extraordinary photograph from Vogue’s history.
With a host of intriguing characters and stories, and images by legendary photographers such as Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Henry Clarke, Helmut Newton, Horst P. Horst, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Nostalgia in Vogue is both a visual treat and a fascinating read. Whether told from the point of view of a budding movie star or a teenager straining to make sense of the sophisticated adult world, each entry offers a unique slice of life sharply evocative of time and place. Nostalgia in Vogue is a must for devotees of fashion, pop culture, photography, and literary memoir and reaches across a readership of all ages. Text by Eve Macsweeney with a Foreword by Anna Wintour and essays by Joan Didion, Margaret Atwood, Patti Smith, Edmund White, Karl Lagerfeld, Carly Simon, John Galliano, Ann Packer, Anjelica Huston, Nora Ephron, A. M. Homes, and others.’ Fabulous !

Publisher: Rizzoli (October 11, 2011) Amazon.com

Bright colours are everywhere this summer. Please don’t be afraid. Just ignore some of them! I suggest getting into bright red or cobalt blue pants (or red jeans at the most ) and then adding white or caramel or grey. Otherwise you can happily keep wearing navy, black and beige and all the chic, expensive looking colours. Just add a bright red shoe, a bright satchel bag or a print scarf. Get used to it : bright colours are here to stay so if you can rock the look - and feel confident - then go for it and get into colour blocking.

Oh and I must remind you that Summer is almost here…
So it’s time to book in for a personal style session with FiFi !
In 3 hours you will have a fabulous wardrobe that works! A fabulous wardrobe you will love!
You will be able to get dressed with your eyes closed in five minutes flat!
That’s a promise.
Email me directly FiFi@FiFi.com.au
or click on Westfield Bondi Junction or Westfield Burwood.

By the way on this Thursday 29 September I am at Westfield burwood on stage presenting summer fashion workshops and would love to see you there !

Now let’s get shopping…

Witchery
There is sale but also lots of great new pieces in store:
My picks:

• We all need more shirts. We do. I have been blabbering on about them for seasons now and of course if you were good girls and did what FiFi told you then you would have had a lot of wear already from the look. If not then get into the look right now. I like the khaki utility shirt with the tab rolled up sleeves. For you to wear tucked into a black leather skirt or high waist jeans. $89.
• Love the simple black silk dress with ruffle sleeves. It’s a loose, easy style and you can ditch the belt and wear your own . I like the V neck and the casualness of this dress. It may be a little short for my fat knees but not your pretty ones. Love how they have styled here with brown accessories.
• Also check out the fabulous beige parka. The parka has made a huge comeback for next season: Oh Sporty luxe is a coming back in a big way and if you saw New York fashion week you know what I am talking about. SO I do love this cute drawcord parka but don’t wear it done up please. Throw it over a chiffon dress or with short denim shorts. $149. You could even belt it in with your own Prada belt.
• BTW the chic de la chic brown vintage short leather double breasted jacket which I love is now on sale for $299. Yes, a winning piece. See it here.

Portmans
I am always nicking in here to see if there is anything we need. Sometimes I just walk out but this week I have found a few good pieces:
My picks are:

• The sequin tee in grey/silver: ( it’s also in gold): I like this top layered over a white tee to dress down the glitz. It’s a chic piece to wear with silky black peg leg pants or jeans when you are out to dinner or drinks. Love it with cotton chinos and some chic heels. Sequins are here to stay and I always think a top like this is trans-seasonal : wear it in winter or summer. $69. NB: It looks better than in the photo.
• Love the wide stripe, long maxi dress ( wasn’t this in Country Road last year? Wasn’t this by Stella McCartney the year before?) It’s fab dress with a racer back and perfect for summer weekends at the beach or by the pool. Love a maxi dress with flats. Please no heels. Ok, at a pinch you would wear with wedges. Chicer with cute flats. You could wear with a crop blazer or with a denim jacket. $79
• For a pop of colour you can’t go past the cute red silky blazer with hot pink lining. Yes, roll up the sleeves to show it off. ( that’s all the pink you ever need in your wardrobe thank you very much) . This jacket will work with caramel/beige silky pants. Brights and black are tricky to carry off. Try it over a white tee for a clean look. $129.
• Don’t die of shock but I like the very LANVIN inspired navy and black animal print dress. I think because the print is so Lanvin it seems to work . Here’s why else I think you should have it: The shape is flattering with that V neck and Kimono sleeves. it skims over the bits. You can wear this with flats because it’s a little floaty. It’s so easy to rock with navy or choc brown accessories. Oh and it’s $99. Not sure on the length but It’s not a mini mini.

Katies
I must say there are some amazing bargains right now as the sale is happening ! ( free shipping as well). My picks are:

• The fabulous black peg leg drape front , chiffon black pants. Love! They are in a light floppy fabric and have a stretchy waist band so you can eat lashings of French bread and never feel it. They sit really well up on the waist.They hang very nicely at the front and cover up bad bits at the back. Perfect to wear right now and into the hot weather. Wear with heels, a stripe tee and a blazer. A must buy for $39. Shut up! They look expensive and I am sure they are machine washable. I know I sound like my mother. But oh there is nothing more annoying than going back and forwards to the dry cleaners. And George Clooney refuses to collect it.
• Check out the chic navy short peacoat in cotton. Love it over a stripe Tee, worn undone. I like the epaulette detail on the shoulders and tortoiseshell buttons. It’s a great weekend jacket with jeans or chinos. Navy with black is so chic so mix it up . Now $49
• In the denim you can’t go past the fabulous dark denim pencil skirt: it’s stretchy ! It’s the perfect longer length! It doesn’t have a tight waistline ! It’s a very falttering cut. Perfect to wear with a silk or cotton equipment style shirt or a simple stripe tee. $49. ( not on sale )
• Also check out the many navy and white stripe Tees on sale: Now about $20. Buy a bigger size and pull off the shoulder and half tuck it in…

Cotton on
I see a sale going on here and it’s just ridiculous: there are black tee dresses for an outrageous $13. You spend more on those french baguettes for Lunch! It’s cheap but chic city…
My picks are:

• The black Tee dress (which is an online exclusive): it’s a great “toss it on over your swimmers’style dress and perfect to wear to the beach. It’s knee length so you get good coverage but can hike it up with a belt. Now $13. yes, that is correct. You are not drunk. It’s $13 outrageous dollars. As in the number after 12.
• If you need a casual blazer to throw on and you are on a budget then I suggest you grab the black jersey blazer here : Yes, yes, yes it’s the same one I have mentioned last year but how can you go wrong when it’s now on sale for $34? And it’s machine washable . I know that because I just threw mine in the washing machine and hung it up to dry. Voila. It’s a fabulous throw it over everything weekend jacket .
• If you want a fabulous red stripe sweat a la Celine then you must have this cute stripe top? It’s now $13! True!! Buy it really big so it’s sloppy or wear it too tight. Cool with a pencil skirt a la Dries Van Noten. Or wear with white jeans for the weekends. Love.
• By the way the menswear here is always great on women: I love the high neck Tees ( so chic and not scoopy) and so check out the white, black or grey tees for now on sale for $10. Is it legal so be so cheap?. Get one in every colour.

Trenery
Lots of chic new pieces and hey you’ve got to love a sale!
My picks this week are :

• Is that another stripe I see before me? Oh go on… I think you need it. You gotta try it on dude. It’s a new take on the stripe look and I like the orange trim just for something different. Love this with shorts. It’s so chic. A must for those days on the yacht when it’s a little chilly on lake Como $89
• Also check out the navy cotton straight skirt with a self belt and big pockets. Perfect for wearing with wedges and a shirt tucked in. You could wear with a sequin tee. You could wear with a stripe top.$99
• On sale is the navy crop peacoat which is seriously flattering: it gives great arms. A perfect weekend jacket to throw on and never take off. Unless George asks you. (And he must be obeyed). Now on sale $59. That’s the jacket not George.
• Also how can you go past a chic Celine inspired shift dress? Again I must confess the length is not doing any favours to my nobbly knees but you could, almost, layer it over a pencil skirt. Love the simplicity . I would wear this with wedges. $149.
• BTW I love the men’s long sleeve stripe tees and they are on sale for $29.

Country Road

• There is a sale on here as well and it’s pretty good; I love the new caramel leather wrap skirt with its own little belt; So divine and right on trend baby. Don’t turn up your nose at leather for summer: I am telling you it’s going to ok. You can and you will . Wear this with a grey marle tee or a white shirt. Or a simple black drape top and flats. Tres Francaise! Now on sale for $199
• Not on sale but a great buy is the soft silk jacket: it’s perfect for now and into summer: you can roll up the sleeves and it’s good with everything from jeans to peg leg pants. Throw it over a simple tank or singlet. It’s in a chic blush pink or in just buy a black and don’t look back. $279
• You need a pair of silky black peg leg pants. You should have got used to this new shape by now. It’s a very 80’s style with front pleats and a narrow leg. They are very flattering on the muffin thighs if that’s what you have. Such as my good self. They skim over the bits and sit high so you don’t have any muffin situation. Remember that when you wear black you have to update it into the new shapes or it will be boring. Yawn. Yawn. $199. Love these pants with platforms, wedges or with T bar gladiator sandals. Could be boring with ballet flats. See below in Beige with stripe top.
• You want the sleeveless cut away top ( in orange but I prefer white) : it’s a fab piece to wear under jackets. Why do I love it? Because it’s not a scoop, it’s a flattering cut on the arms and it skims over the waist . You can see how the colour blocking works below with caramel pants and green bag and orange top. Keep it simple and make sure you wear brights back with neutrals.

Scanlan & Theodore
LOVE and adore this summer collection; I love the new skirt lengths to the knee: I love the use of colour and I love the dash of graphic prints and I love the hint of leather. Here are a couple of fabulous looks which I want:

Sumac lamb with eggplant and Tahini dressing

This is an a healthy little number and is also incredibly quick to whip up thanks to Donna Hay.
Sumac is easy to find anywhere and adds a lovely tangy lemony flavour.

NB.You can always use salmon instead of lamb.

You need for 4 fashionista, one rugby player or 30 models

2 x 300g lamb backstraps (boneless loin), trimmed
⅓ cup (80ml) designer virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sumac
8 finger eggplants, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
100g baby spinach leaves

Tahini dressing
¼ cup (60ml) tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons thick natural yoghurt
⅓ cup (80ml) water
sea salt flakes

• Climb out of new Givenchy wedges.
• Feel your toes again.
• Slip on new Hermes T shirt dress.
• Pour a wine and thank god it’s Friday.
• Make the dressing: toss the tahini, lemon juice, yoghurt, water and salt in a bowl and stir well.
• Slice up the eggplants as small as the heel on a Celine sandal. Or as slim as a Celine clutch.
• Slice up the garlic as small as the credit left on your card.
• Pour another wine.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan over high heat.
• Now brush the lamb with 1 tablespoon of designer olive oil and then sprinkle with sumac and some salt.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes each side for medium rare.
• Remove the lamb from the pan and let it rest. It’s been working hard.
• Turn down the heat and add a splash of oil into the frying pan and then throw in the slices of eggplant and the garlic and cook for 6-8 minutes.
• You want the eggplant as golden as Beyonce but still as tender and juicy as George Clooney in this video here ( it’s Hilarious !)
• Now slice up the lamb and arrange chicly on a white platter with the slices of eggplant.
• Accessorise with the leaves of green spinach.
• Spoon over the lovely dressing.
• Eat, drink and wait for George Clooney to propose…