Happy New Year to CharityDO readers.

I hope you have had the most wonderful and relaxing holiday season filled with love, family and friends.

I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions (as I usually break them) but this year I’m doing something new – actually a lot of things news. I’m making 2015 the year for a ‘new me’. A healthier, stronger and braver version who is going to dive out of her comfort zone, face fears and break some rules.

Sounds exhausting! But it’s time for a challenge and a new fashion voice and I’m ready to give 2015 a red-hot go. How about you?

January is not only an exciting time of new beginnings – in the fashion world it’s the much-anticipated time for the Spring-Summer haute couture collections. So to give you some style-inspiration for your upcoming charity events, I’m featuring my favourite collection from fashion week so far and one that signified a ‘new way’ for the designer.

Chanel Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2015 collection – just the sound of it makes me ‘fashion giddy’.

After watching the show I felt amazed and moved in equal measure. Amazed at Karl Lagerfeld’s continued ability to conceptualise his fantasies and dreams in fabric and design, and moved that the beauty and artistry that is haute couture remains, thankfully, still in existence.

A few words here won’t convey the sheer brilliance of this collection. To fully appreciate and understand the essence of the collection, you must view it in its entirety on www.chanel.com.

Here is a snapshot. After nearly a year in the making, the fashion stage is set with a grey and barren tropical garden, origami style, in a futuristic city where the trees and flowers have long died from some apocalyptic event.

The show commences with Chanel’s muse, Baptiste Giabiconi, as a gardener in Tom Sawyer-esque garb who waters the garden from a CC-branded watering can and viola the dead blooms come alive and colour and life burst onto the stage.

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Monsieur Lagerfeld said the show came to him “one morning in bed, I saw it in a second” and from this flash of genius came the futuristic garden that he wove into this stunning collection.

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Instead of Chanel’s usual black and white, Monsieur Lagerfeld said that “something was in the air” and instead he chose strong colours, the colour of flowers, for the collection.

Lagerfeld’s 21st century modern twist on classical Chanel took form with a floral theme in graceful movement.

With an uncanny ability to keep his talented fingers firmly on the modern pulse, Monsieur Lagerfeld gave the collection into a 21st century feel interspersed with the classic Chanel. A stroke of brilliance that will appeal to 20-something It-Girls and to his long-standing clientele.

The classic tweed suit came with a hip twist – lavish fringing, floral trims, shorter jackets that bare the midriff, and slouchy midi skirts.

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It-Girls will love the low-slung belted sequin ballerina skirts (SO beautiful) and his established clients will fight for the pink sequin princess coats. Accessories were hip too with beanies, sock booties and long patent leather belts. A classic shape also got ‘Channeled’ – a wide-brimmed ‘Lady of the Manor’ hat covered with tulle.

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But the best of all were Lagerfeld’s flowers that adorned everything from jackets to skirts, shrugs and beanies. Rich with colour, crystals and sequins, the floral artistry of this show was unbelievable. The wearer will surely feel as if they have shrouded themselves in a beautiful floral garden.

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The finale featured a bride in a dress that takes your breath away. The floral bridal train took 15 seamstresses to make and untold hours. The bride was followed by four ‘gardeners’ (Tom Sawyer again) as bridesmaids carrying tropical bouquets.

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Welcome to Karl Lagerfeld’s world of fashion genius. Breathtaking.

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The Melbourne Cup Spring Carnival commences on Saturday and excited fashionistas around the country are preparing their wardrobe for a week of high style.

If you want to be ahead of the style stakes this Melbourne Cup, then adhere to the specific dress codes for each carnival.

Here are some style tips for how to dress for each race day.

Derby Day, Saturday 1st November

Black and white is the dress code for the first day of the Melbourne Cup Spring Carnival. Monochrome is a major spring trend so there is plenty of choice to create a striking look.

Stylist tip:  Siren-red lips are the perfect beauty accoutrement for monochrome styles.

Ginger & Smart dress; Olga Berg clutch;  Gregory Ladner large fascinator;  Nine West heels;  Adorne bracelet. (see Above)

Melbourne Cup Day, Tuesday 4th November

Be bold and bright.  Melbourne Cup day is all about colour and high-style.  Go all out with colour from head to toe or add bright pops of colour with your accessories or opt for an elaborate, but elegant, up-do.

Stylist Tip:  With all that colour, neutral and soft beauty tones are essential.

Alex Perry dress;  Max Alexander pillbox hat;  Oroton clutch;  Mimco crystal studs;  Tom Ford lipstick inmc14-2

Crown Oaks Ladies Day, Thursday 6th November

Elegant and glamourous is the style-rule for Oaks Day.  Opt for feminine dresses of lace or silk and accessories with lady-like jewellery – it’s the prefect time to pop on your pearls girls.  Summer’s sorbet colours of peach, pale pink, lilac and mint will provide a soft and chic silhouette.

Stylist tip:  A soft and elegant do is the perfect hairstyle for lady-like elegance.

By Johnny dress;  Mimco earrings;  Colette Hayman clutch; Jimmy Choo pumps; OPI nail enamel.mc14-3

Stakes Day, Saturday, 8th November

The end of the Melbourne Cup carnival allows for a more relaxed feel to dressing.  This season’s jumpsuit is the perfect style-choice for Stakes Day but elevate the style with heels and smart jewellery so as not to be too casual.

Stylist tip:  A stylish wedge is a jumpsuit’s BFF.

Country Road jumpsuit;  Tony Bianco heels; Samantha Willis cuff, Colette Hayman clutch;  Forever New hat.mc14-4

Just who invented the cocktail party is up for debate. Americans claim the invention as their own when in 1917 a Mrs Julius S Walsh of St Louis, Missouri, invited 50 guests to her house on a Sunday for a one-hour soiree after which a St Louis newspaper reported that “the party was an instant hit and within weeks cocktail parties had become a St Louis institution”. On the other hand, there is also suggestion that it’s origins date back to 1798 when the word was first used in a London newspaper.

Regardless of it’s origin, the fact of the matter is that what to wear is the crucial element in attending a charity cocktail party.

With the variety of upcoming day and evening charity cocktail events listed on the Charity Do’s website, it’s timely that the old rule of wearing a perfect knee-length dress and chic clutch is no longer de rigueur.

Fashion’s hierarchy is setting new rules for cocktail party dressing and you can shake it up and stir the style pot when choosing your ensemble – just remember the two key words for cocktail dress code, “elegance” and “dressy”, and you won’t put a red-soled foot wrong.

So what do you wear to a charity cocktail party? Firstly consider the type of event, is it:

  • a day or evening event?
  • modern or traditional?
  • formal or a little more relaxed?

Secondly, consider your moda-operandi – to frock or not to frock? Consider this tidbit of fashion history relating to the invention of the cocktail dress when making your choice; cocktail fashion for women began in the 1920’s marking a shift in their social role with a new-found freedom which came about from taking jobs in the First World War and from their ability to vote. Their liberty was said to have been expressed by dress, with shorter hairstyles and shorter hemlines.

So if you wish to adhere to nearly 100 years of style tradition and frock up for the occasion, the style of dress is perfectly explained by fashion’s ultimate style authority, Vogue:

“A cocktail dress can be many things—embellished or plain, jewel-toned or black, sleeveless or strapped, decollete or covered-up but it can never be long. Its abbreviated length is its defining characteristic, and what sets it apart from formal dresses that deliver codified glamour head-to-toe”.

Well said, thank you Vogue and point taken – formal wear including floor length gowns and tuxedos are not cocktail party etiquette.

So how to choose your cocktail dress? Here are some style tips:

  • The classic sheath dress or LBD to the knee remains the perennial favourite and is the epitome of lady-like elegance. Modernize the look with a lace-embellished version.
  • Peplum styles are also perfect for adding extra style élan
  • If you want to add a little sass and sexiness (but not too much), opt for a fit-and-flare style or if you have great legs, choose a shorter style above-the-knee
  • For evening parties, add maximum amounts of glamour and shine with sequins, embellishments and lots of bling.
  • Fabrics such as lace, silks and chiffons are great for daytime events. Eye-catching prints or delicate florals can add style-wattage as does monochrome looks that is so on-trend now.
  • Evening is the time for sequins, flounces and embellishments in either sleeker sheath-style dresses or softer more fluid options

Pretty cocktail style for day:

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Glamourous evening styles:

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Alternate Styles for Cocktail Party Dressing

On the other hand, if you want to shake it up a little and opt away from the traditional frock, choose from a number of styles:

  • Soft and fluid wide-legged pants teamed with a soft blouse and jacket is perfect for day or night. If it’s an evening party, opt for a sequinned jacket.
  • A jumpsuit is a great way to modernise cocktail dressing. For day choose a softer style with wider-leg pant, for evening choose a sexy fitted style with strappy sky-high heels.
  • A beautifully cut suit is a great (and comfortable) choice for evening cocktail dressing. Rev it up with a bright colour such as siren red or fuscia pink and pair with a beautiful evening sandal or jeweled pump.

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Accessories

For day, beware too much bling – perhaps a lovely set of crystal earrings and elegant bracelets or cuffs. A cocktail ring adds a little glamour to day dressing and of course, pearls are perfect for day or night.

Evening soirees demand show-stopping jewellery so up the ante and go for maximum (but elegant) shine.

An elegant shoe with slim heel is your best choice and the perfect piece de resistance for both day and night cocktail parties is an elegant minaudière

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Whether your choice is a fabulous frock or more contemporary style remember to let your personality define your look and you can’t go wrong.

I leave you with a quote from novelist F. Scott Fitgerald who wrote what kicked off the Jazz Age was the general decision to be amused that began with the cocktail parties of 1921.”

“A black tie affair calls for a statement evening sandal”.

So says iconic luxury shoe and accessories brand, Jimmy Choo and I couldn’t have said it better myself.

A gala charity event calls for a dazzling shoe worthy of a red-carpet moment.  Whether your choice is for a fairy-tale shoe bejeweled with crystals or an elegant satin pump, a statement-making shoe packs the ultimate style-punch when stepping out at your gala charity event.

Embellishments of jewels or crystals or finishes of satin, velvet or lace, your shoe style should be delicate and feminine, rather than heavy and chunky.  Styles that are best for an evening shoe is a strappy sandal, peep toe or pump or a lady-like platform.

The heel that lends itself best to a feminine evening shoe is a sky-high stiletto.  Of course you want to dance the night away so comfort is key and a platform or ankle-strap style adds extra support.

A metallic finish in gold or silver adds an extra-special element to an evening shoe as do crystals and embellishments.

Black is always a fail-safe option for glamourous evening shoes and is a functional addition to you wardrobe.  Matching your shoe colour to your dress is also a stylish option, however ensure you choose a classic-style shoe such as a platform peep-toe that will not detract from the detail and statement of your gown.

Lastly, perfectly groomed feet is the ultimate finishing touch to show-stopping shoe style, so a pedicure is a must.  I also recommend your feet have a golden glow and suggest a visit to your favourite tanning salon.

Let the choice of your nail polish make a statement – siren red screams sexy and sultry, dark nails make an edgy statement, neon colours suggest fun, metallic and glitter put your feet in party mode.  If you’re not sure what colour to choose, the latest beauty trend of matching your polish to the colour of your frock will make your choice a little easier.

For style inspiration, check out these gorgeous styles worn by stylish A-list celebrities on the red carpet.

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In my previous blog on what to wear to a charity ball, I mentioned that a glamourous gala event gown warrants a ‘red carpet worthy’ handbag and a beautiful hand-held clutch, or more specifically a minaudière, is the perfect accoutrement to event dressing.

As Google states a minaudière is “a small, decorative handbag without handles or a strap” but in general terms today it is usually a small, hard-cased hand-held clutch (can include a strap) often embellished with crystals, jewels or decorative finishes and in textures such as satin or metallic.

van cleefThe creation of the minaudière dates back to the early 1930’s and is attributed to Charles Arpel co-founder of the Parisian jewellery house Van Cleef & Arpels, who while visiting his socialite friend Florence Jay Gould, saw her use a Lucky Strike cigarette tin to carry her lipstick and other personal items.  Arpels was then inspired to design a metal rectangular evening bag that he called minaudière after his wife Estelle “whose mannerisms, or minaudières, enchanted her entourage” (as seen on www.vancleefarpels.com).

It is also understood that Arpels drew inspiration from bejeweled metal makeup boxes known as a "nécessaire de beauté" which at that time were highly decorative metal boxes to hold beauty essentials such as lipstick, compact, cigarette holder, etc.

Following Arpel’s creation, minaudières became covetable hand-crafted objets d’art made from precious metals and highly decorated with luxurious jewels and decades later, minaudières have become entrenched in fashion and celebrity culture and the essential piece de resistance on the red carpet.

With every new fashion season, luxury fashion houses design covetable hand-made limited-edition minaudières which fashionistas around the globe pay thousands of dollars to own; case in point, the Alexander McQueen skull-clasp box bag released in 2010 sold out around the globe in a matter of days.

Perhaps the most famous modern-day creator of minaudières is US-based Judith Leiber who for over 50 years has created elaborate, crystalised bags that have become the status symbol of wealthy women around the world.  Her whimsical designs include cupcakes, animals, fruit, plants and teapots.

If you’re budget and taste for the dramatic does not extend to Judith Leiber, there are many local designers and fashion labels that create beautiful minaudières (such as Colette, Mimco, Olga Berg and Adorne) for a fraction of the price but with maximum style.

A minaudière is the defining element for your gala event ensemble.  It adds elegance and a touch of drama and styles from elaborate jewelled creations to simple yet uber-chic styles.   Paired with your gala event gown, this beautiful little bag makes a very big and stylish statement.

Style Info:  1.  Colette by Colette Hayman Evie sequin clutch $39.95; 2. Lanvin at www.netaporter.com; 3. Judith Leiber at www.judithleiber.com; 4. Olga Berg diamante hard case clutch $119.00

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Last week was Paris Fall 2014 Couture and I’ve been consistently floating off to fashion heaven at the jaw-dropping and glamourous gowns shown on the runway.  As they are still ingrained in my fashion-psyche, I thought it’s the perfect time to provide CharityDOs’ readers with some style advice and tips on how to choose that perfect dress to wear to one of the many charity balls and galas advertised on the CharityDOs website.

A ball, gala or black-tie event is the perfect occasion for you to have your ‘Cinderella moment’ and wear a beautiful ground-sweeping gown, fairy-tale shoes, dazzling jewels and glamourous hair and makeup.  It’s the time for you to sparkle and be red-carpet worthy just like your favourite celebrity.

Whether you’re attending the Hear and Say Annual Thiess Fundraising Ball in Brisbane, the Ronald McDonald House Charity Ball in Melbourne or the Christmas in July Black Tie Fundraiser in Geraldton, Western Australia, by following a few hard and fast style rules you can be as dazzling and glamourous as the celebrities who walk the Oscars red carpet.

Comfort and Fit

What’s the most important style-rule in choosing a gown for your gala event?  Comfort – absolutely, unequivocally, non-negotiable.  If you’re starting point for your gown is not comfort and ease-of-wear then hang up your frock and sit this one out.  Your gown should be an extension of your daily personal style and right for your body, shape and age.  It’s not about choosing the most outlandish, extravagant, un-wearable gown – it’s about choosing a fit and style that works for you because what’s the point of wearing something that might look great but is uncomfortable and almost impossible to wear? 

This is not to say you can’t add a little ‘make-believe’ glamour to your black-tie style, just start from a point of fit and comfort and you’re not just going to LOOK like a princess you’re going to FEEL like one.

Style

Elegant and shapely is the optimal style to choose for your ball gown – garish, over-the-top and showing WAY too much skin (anywhere on the body) banishes you straight to style-exile never to return.  If you’re young with a body like Rosie Huntington-Whitely, then show off your curves with a body-skimming sheath style and if you’re not then highlight your good points and hide the rest.

Some general style rules for various body shapes include an A-line or full-skirted gown to conceal bigger hips and thighs with a fitted bodice to balance out proportion.  Empire lines are generally good to hide tummy areas and for those with a smaller bust.  If you’re shapely you could choose a mermaid style that is fitted and flares out at the knees.  If you have a beautiful décolletage, show off your assets with a strapless gown.

Fabric and Colour

So very important.  Shiny, stiff or cheap fabric is your worst enemy and will highlight every lump, bump and flaw and will not encourage the paparazzi to photograph your journey down the red carpet. Sumptuous and quality silks, chiffons and velvets (for cooler months) are the best and most elegant options.

Don’t overdo the sparkle with over-done embellishments or sequins which will only scream ‘Liberace’ rather than Naomi and avoid too much fabric, i.e. a huge-skirted gown will make you look like a bad version of Scarlett O’Hara.  The colour of your gown should be flattering to your skin tone and age and for ladies over 40, avoid harsh, bright colours or trend-driven patterns. Often a soft pastel shade is a flattering option.

 Fashion-Ballsred carpet

Accessories

Beware overkill and apply the KISS rule to accessories. 

If your dress is highly embellished, keep accessories elegant and minimal and opt for a ‘style duo’, e.g. earrings and a cocktail ring.  Gowns that are simpler in style can be paired with statement-style accessories such as chandelier earrings and a jeweled cuff or crystal bangles.  If you’re feeling a little bling-heavy, perhaps try Coco Chanel’s rule – take one piece off before you go. 

Shoes and Bags

Gala events call for Cinderella-style shoes so add a little sparkle and embellishment, using the KISS rule of course.  Elegant and classic styles such as sexy strappy sandals (think Jimmy Choo), elegant peep-toes or sling-backs with stiletto heels work best.  If sparkly is not for you, tone your shoe with your frock or go for nude to complement rather than detract. Under no circumstance does one wear chunky or closed-in shoes, boots or summer-inspired wedges!

There is only one bag to choose to complement your ball gown and that is an elegant hand-held clutch.  Whether the finish is embellished, metallic or unadorned, this is the only option.

Beauty

There is a fine line between glamour and overdone when it comes to hair and makeup.

For hair, choose elegant and softer looks such as a tousled up-do or natural wavy tresses.  Always!  If you do want to try a more elaborate up-do, then please leave it in the hands of a professional and book yourself into your hairdresser.

Your choice of makeup is dependent upon age and skin tone however a well-blended smoky eye and soft blush is a fabulous choice.  A common error is to pile on heavy foundation which is instantly aging and unflattering.  A dewy, natural finish will always enhance and flatter your look.

Finish off gala beauty routine with a natural sun-kissed glow – provided by favourite tanning salon of course.

Red carpet perfection!

Finally, look to the runway or red carpet for style inspiration when choosing your ball gown.  Celebrities such as Rosie, Kate, Naomi, Julianne and Helen consistently tick all the right style-boxes and deliver red-carpet looks in an age-appropriate and uber-stylish way.

Saturday, 03 November 2012 17:23

Those Ritzy But Elegant Shoes.....

These snazzy shoes caught my eye on the Neiman Marcus Website. I thought... I could wear those ritzy shoes with so many outfits. 

They do look a bit Gold Coast, but would probably go anywhere. Not that the Gold Coast has dibs on ritzy and elegant fashions. 

I could wear them with a long gown or short cocktail dress. These shoes would do wonders for a ball, party, dinner or cocktail Do outfit. 

See more Women's Shoes on CharityDOs PINTEREST

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