stay-at-home new year's style

pic from telegraph.co.uk

We getting the feeling that going out large on New Year is not where it's at this year. Maybe that, or maybe we're just getting old. But looking through some of our favourite fashion sites we've seen more than a few references to a laid-back, stay-at-home New Year to see in 2011.

That, however, is no excuse not to look fantastic. We're talking the newly coined crossover phrase 'loungerie'. This year, we're all over loungerie. Chic and comfortable, yes please. Roll on 2011.

what are you wearing for new years?

We quite like these party dresses from Vintage Society...

civil twilight at kirstenbosch

We spent our Boxing Day evening at Kirstenbosch Gardens watching Civil Twilight. Three young guys who went to school in Hout Bay with my little brother, have spent the last three years in the States and seem to have finally made it in the music scene... we loved them!

Pics by John-Louis West

brooch bouquet

How gorgeous is this bouquet made out of flower brooches? Found here.

pamela love's talon claw

Gotta get me one of these talon claws from Pamela Love.

Pic via Jak and Jil

pink room

I've never been much of a girly girl, and when I had a baby girl of my own I vowed to never put her in pink - no matter what! So when she was a super small bubs I dressed her a bit like a boy, and then I'd put girly socks on her or a clip in her hair so people would know she was a girl. Although I still had people asking what 'his' name was... You can't win.

So when it came to her bedroom, I was adamant too - no pink, none! And her room is divine, my husband did some beautiful artwork, my sister crocheted a gorgeous blanket, we've got some antique and some modern furniture and there are teddies everywhere. When I came across these cute rooms for girls on The Boo and the Boy, with the pale pink walls, I must say it swayed my opinion on pink because these are so beautifully and tastefully done.

happy christmas!

If you're celebrating Christmas, we wish you and your family a wonderful blessed day!

countdown to christmas: 1 more sleep

Yesterday I got these canvas lace-ups from Zoom. When I woke up this morning, I was pleased the weather was a bit grey and overcast as it meant I got to wear these beauties... although the weather did put a bit of a spanner in the works for our family beach picnic for Christmas Eve it all ended well when we met in a lovely park in Kalk Bay instead.

I paired mine with a white vest and army green shorts. They come in salmon (like mine), mauve or blue. You can buy them here or get down to your nearest Zoom store. I have a feeling they'll be selling fast.

christmas shopping Penelope style

Enormously pregnant, cold and yet, still so incredibly stylish. Penelope Cruz shows us how to go Christmas shopping, in style. Her tribly and camel trench combo work so well with her long, dark locks. We're kind of looking forward to winter now.

countdown to christmas: 2 more sleeps

Today I spent most of my time indoors shopping for last-minute Christmas pressies with my hubby and our baby daughter. It was such beautiful weather outside and I was just wishing we were on the beach instead, but at least the shopping is all done now! We've got a few parties and events coming up over the next few days (including Christmas) but we're also going to watch Civil Twilight and I have two friends' birthday parties, so I got myself a few goodies today, which I'll show you in another post. That got me thinking about how much I'd love something from Stella McCartney's spring summer 2011 range.

The silver/grey ensemble (second left) is my fave – I can totally imagine myself wearing this!

countdown to christmas: 3 more sleeps

I've got a really nice pair of Miu Miu sunglasses, and I love them. But I've had them for over two years now, and I feel like I need to get a new pair... you know, for summer.

These Tom Ford's should do the trick.

how to make a bow head piece

 In the spirit of Christmas, we thought we'd share some information on how to make your own bow head piece. How very festive of us. If you're brave enough to don one of these at a party or even at the family Christmas lunch, here's how to go about it below (thanks to TopShop).

 

And if things don't quite go as planned, your bow head piece could end up looking like this... which we actually quite like.

 

countdown to christmas: 4 more sleeps

So fun putting together an 'all I want for Christmas' wishlist. We've asked Father Christmas to take a swing by Christopher Strong's studio this year and pick us up this black sheer skirt.

There's actually so much we heart from Christopher Strong this year it's hard to know where to start. The maxi skirts are our big love at the moment though and no one does them quite as well...

pic from www.spence.co.za

countdown to christmas: 5 more sleeps

So we thought it'd be fun to make a wish list of all the things we want for Christmas. The first installment in our Countdown to Christmas is Style Diaries – a book of 'celebrated design luminaries sharing the principles that inform their unique style'. 

natalie portman red-carpet style

We can't wait to see Black Swan, not least because we love Natalie Portman. She is perfectly elegant and graceful all the time, plus she's super intelligent, which just makes her an all-round star in our eyes.

So here are some of the outfits Natalie's been wearing while promoting Black Swan around the world.

From left, Natalie is wearing Miu Miu, Rodarte, Jason Wu, Rodarte and Christian Dior. Personally, we like the purple Miu Miu frock with nude heels the most. So awesome.  

asos sports collection

We're still a little wet behind the ears when it comes to shopping online, but when we saw the Sports collection from Asos, we thought we better get our fingers clicking... this is so divine!

summer dresses

Lynette has just been to London on a work trip, and of course she got to do some shopping at H&M. Don't you love this painterly dress? Plus, it has pockets. We share the same obsession for pockets as Style Guide Cape Town. And as if Lynette's legs weren't long and sexy enough, she paired this dress with nude heels to elongate them even further. Nice.

And here's Jenna again, this time in a floaty ethereal Christopher Strong dress that is just so dreamy I'm thinking of ordering one myself. 

chanel with muscles

Pic from www.lulamag.com/scrapbook

january jones for versace

We're Mad Men addicts, so anything to do with January Jones will get our attention, especially when it's for Versace and she's wearing nothing but a pair of heels and a handbag. "Deeply sensual" is how Donatella Versace chose to describe her new muse, and we must agree.

protect the skin you're in

If we were in such skin as Marisa Miller then we'd definitely protect it. However, not being a Victoria's Secret model is no excuse...

Marc Jacobs has chosen the model for his skin cancer awareness campaign. We can't think of any better ways to raise awareness than a naked Victoria's Secret model. Now we're putting away the Christmas chocolates and pulling on our running shoes. Damn.

a morning at field office

Emily and I have been so crazy busy lately, we've literally been running back and forth, working late at night, just busy, busy, busy. So when I got back from visiting my sister in Durban for a few days, we decided to spend the morning catching up on work and planning our lives for next year. The best place to do this is at Field Office in Barack Street. What an amazing place.

The freshly-squeezed orange juice was heaven

Yummy BLT sandwich

Wednesday, the week old resident pup who sniffed our toes and chewed on our handbags

Tilly's handmade ice cream – when we say you've never tasted anything quite so delicious, we mean it (plus the packaging is super cool too)

super chic

One of my favourite people to take photos of is Jenna – she's the Junior Features Writer and Stylist at ELLE and she always look so chic and put together.

book boutique amanzimtoti

I've been in Durban – Amanzimtoti, to be specific – the last few days spending time with my sister and her family. It's been so divine to have my baby playing with all her cousins, my sister has four kids! Today we went for tea at the Book Boutique and I fell in love with this store. Now, Amanzimtoti is like a rural town and you just don't expect these kinds of stores to be in this area, so I was pleasantly surprised. We spent ages browsing through all the books, and I was so happy to see one of my favourite illustrator's work on their walls – Whimsy.

 This is the tea room at the back of the bookstore

Americano for me, babycino for bubs

I bought a book for the plane ride home with bubs tomorrow, some Whimsy notebooks (one for me and one for my niece Hope), a birch wood bird and a birch wood bunny bookend (love!), a Fancy Nancy book for niece Alexandra and a How to Draw Mr Men book for bubs and her Dad to do together when she's older

Bubs with her cousins

ELLE's fresh new face

Last night I attended the ELLE Woolworths Fresh Face event at COORD Studios in Woodstock. Cool place, cool peeps and a great opportunity for rising SA talent.

With make up artist Sylvie Hurford & fashion blogger Robyn Cooke

The winner got a R40 000 Woolies gift voucher as well as modelling in the next Woolies campaign and the ELLE April cover. Hows that for launching a career. Alexandra Robertshaw is naturally beauty and full of quirky energy. Really gorgous. We wish her loads of luck.

valentino for gap

 To celebrate the first Gap store opening in Milan, Italy this week, the creative directors from Valentino created a limited edition collection consisting of seven completely cool pieces. Think Gap basics – like parkas, skirts, cargo pants, T-shirts and hoodies – reinvented with a Valentino twist with ruffles, bows and tiers.

 The exclusive collection will be available in Gap's new store in Milan, Colette in Paris and Gap's flagship store in London's Oxford Street.

I want this cropped ruffled hoodie more than anything!