Versace for H&M: A/W 2011

I love a high-street/ designer collaboration and this one looks to be the most exciting one yet!!!

I can't say i've ever been a big lover of Versace: their past collections, respectfully, have always just been a little too glamorously garish and dramatic for everyday wearability. 

However, seems they've toned it down *a little* for the high street & created a fun line of  clothing/accessories/jewellery and homeware in a selection of leathers, studs, prints and vibrant colours still adherent to their signature statement style.  

I predict a sell-out!

I NEED this...

...and this!

 Worth the day-long cue.

 Too much...?

Available from 17th November

*All images courtesy of InStyle and Marie Claire*

What I Wore:: Abu Dhabi

Since I started Celectic I have had quite a few requests asking me to, & suggesting that I, start a 'what I wore' section on my blog.  My initial thoughts were 'hells no: why on earth would anyone want to know/see what I am wearing?!'

{turns out, you do!}

...then I thought about some of the blogs that I regularly follow that inspire me, many of which do 'what I wore[s]' .  And those are some of my favourite posts, especially since I prefer to take style inspiration from "real" people rather than celebs and high street dictations.  So I figured -  if I enjoy them, then so must other viewers.  I also started this blog {partly} as a source from which to share style tips & offer inspiration and, since I aim to please, I have decided to deliver on your requests.

** Oh, and please continue to share any ideas and suggestions with me.  I love hearing them**

{celectic10@gmail.com}

* * * * * * * * 

Since Bo & I just recently {as in 5 months ago, so actually not that recently} came back from a short visit in Abu Dhabi, this seemed like a good place to start.

As you probably know, the Middle East is hot - all day, every day - HOT!! 

When we stepped off the plane at 10pm I think it was still in the 30's 

...so you can see my dilemma in packing for this trip.

I decided the only way to keep my temperature from reaching boiling point, other than staying hydrated, was  to pack light-weight and flexible items of clothing that were also suitable for Middle Eastern culture.

Visiting a Muslim country, we decided to err on the side of caution and so I kept my ensembles quite conservative.

Jeans - Zara :: Ikat Top - New Look (surprise find) :: Sandals - Dune :: 

 Orange bangle - asos 

*Bo getting arty with the camera stills...*

* * * * * * * 

On day 2, I decided to go more 'floaty' to let my skin breath a little.  

The lesson I learned:  there's no real solution to keeping cool in the middle east.  You just have to suck-it-up!

Trousers - Vero Moda :: Dress (worn as top) - Primark :: Necklace - Cynthia Rowley :: 

Clutch - Ben di lisi :: Hat - Accessorize

* * * * * * 

Thank god for air con.

  

A taste of Abu Dhabi

Oh my Gawd, what is with the weather today?!  Yesterday we had such a beautiful crisp October day here in Edinburgh and now I can hear the wretched squally rain belting down on the roof above me and I am elated that I don't have any life or death missions that require me to leave the house today *phew*.  Should expect some galeforce winds and snowfall on our mountain ranges too, according to weather reports... so much for Autumn.

To inject some sunshine into this bleak and wintry day, I'm going to revisit our time away in Abu Dhabi {from way back in May/June?}  I've never actually posted anything about this yet and since this little golden metropolis will v. soon be my new home town, I thought it would be nice to give you an introduction to some of the delights that the U.A.E's spectacular capital has to offer.

I took *oh* about a bajillion photos, but don't worry, i've just picked out a few of the best ones that display the different flavours of AD.  We only had a couple of days - not even full days - to explore parts of the city, so we never saw anywhere near all of Abu Dhabi.  It really was just a flying visit. 

{chocolate monkey}

{the sun setting over the Emirates Palace, taken from our hotel room}

{Emirates Palace.  You can stay here for a cool £10,000 / night.  No?!}

{the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque}

 {the floral marble mosaic floors and ceilings which spans 

the entire courtyard - so beautiful}

 {more intricate details inside the main prayer hall including; 

a golden floor plaque, a section of the worlds largest carpet & 

one of the 7 imported chandeliers}

{view of one of the *swarovski encrusted* chandeliers from below.  WOW!

These things are so incredibly OTT, but you still can't help but want 

one in your home}

{an Adhan or prayer clock}

{Colombiano coffee house on the Corniche}

 {Arabic mini-bar}

{Scrumptious raspberry daiquiri 

served with macaroon}

* * * * * * * * * * * 

Quite a long post there, sor-eee.  I'll be posting some more from Abu Dhabi in my next instalment and... it will be my first ever WIW post {since my last attempt at that failed epically - stoopid blogger post-date setter thing!!}

anyway, until then.

Spectrum August Edition

This is kinda late in coming, but I have a huge backlog of things to blog & this is one of them and since it's pretty self explanatory I figured I could just slot it in between longer posts...

so here it is, my shoot from one of the August editions of Spectrum.  It was so much fun working on this one.  The team were great and the model was a sweetheart!  It was shot in the historic & atmospheric Grassmarket area in old town Edinburgh, which served as the perfect backdrop for our brief.  Hair & make-up were awesome & we had a job getting that sequin Jenny Packham on & off the model.  We also managed to score a bicycle off a hesitant passer by!  The weather held out & we wrapped up pretty quickly on this one, so that was a plus... & for the first 3 hours I managed to get away without a parking ticket, thank you :) 

All photos thanks to PSD

Hope you likey.

Real weddings: part une.

While wedding season is typically summer time, the wedding season for me this year is definitely autumn, and who doesn’t love a wedding - or autumn for that matter?!  We’ve had a series of them in the last month *Yippee* and I just love observing all the different ways in which couples design their special day.

On that note, I introduce to you the wedding of this beautiful duo

{I have been wanting to blog about this for sooo long}

There’s nothing I love more than a wedding that’s a little less than ordinary, which is exactly what this post is all about…

A friend and former flatmate of mine from Uni got married in a very unique – and v. cool - ceremony last October.  

They sort of side-stepped the traditional stuff and opted for a more relaxed and alternative wedding.  Everything, from the invitations to the wedding dance, was indicative of their own quirky personal style.  I loved their blue & pink florals and the brides edgy unicorn heeled shoes.  She looked beautiful in her one-shouldered Maggie Sottero gown while her bridesmaids wore funky black cocktail length dresses, each with varying necklines and hot pink and blue underskirts to tie in with the theme.

 The couple wed at Newton Hotel in Nairnshire

  Hot pink bridal bouquets

 Stormtrooper & Darth Vadar make for interesting cufflinks

 

Neon blues

Bo holding my new tribute pumps - I was just breaking them in... 

 Our table enjoying the speeches {I left the room at the wrong point it appears} 

Luke & Leia take the cake! 

 Custom made ring cushion in themed colours

Jeffrey Campbell shoes 

 Bridesmaids sifting through the guests 'Dinosaur drawings' {long story} 

Fun details

* * * * * * 

Incorporating their musical tastes into the day, the bride ascended down the aisle to the iconic 80’s intro of Joy Divisions ‘Love’.

What made their wedding so unique was the fact that it was completely ‘them’: there were no clichés and no conventionalities.  

Today is also their 1 year anniversary, so happy anniversary GOHL!

*I can’t take any credit for the photos, since I foolishly forgot to pack my camera.  It’s all thanks to the talented photog*