If you watch just one thing this weekend, make sure it is President Obama's interview with YouTube stars!
New Jewels: J.Crew
23.1.15
You made it to the end of the week, so why not treat yourself with some new jewels from J.Crew? I am loving this Glacier necklace and Hexagonal stone ring!
State of the Union 2015
21.1.15
Get up to date with the State of the Union and all the behind-the-scenes action!
The First Lady wore a Michael Kors tweed skirt suit, which was previously seen on screen and worn by Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) in The Good Wife!
The First Lady and Dr Biden also took part in the Twitter Mirror selfie series! Click here to see more.
The First Lady wore a Michael Kors tweed skirt suit, which was previously seen on screen and worn by Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) in The Good Wife!
The First Lady and Dr Biden also took part in the Twitter Mirror selfie series! Click here to see more.
Three Things I Love About My Favourite City
21.1.15
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| Author's Own |
My first trip 'abroad' was to America in 2001. It started my love affair with the USA, and Washington D.C. is the city I find myself returning to time and time again. I interned for a Member of Congress in 2010, and this really made it my favourite city! In fact I'll be back in DC (and NYC!) later this year- #countingdownthedays
So what are my three favourite things about Washington D.C?
1. The architecture: Everywhere you look there is a spectacular building to be seen! I love the White House for its neoclassic design, and for the sense of history in each of its rooms and the grounds. Having been fortunate to visit the Executive Mansion on many occasions, I love walking around the state rooms and taking a look at the beautiful Rose Garden.
2. The museums: D.C. has a museum for everyone! The Smithsonian is can cater for every taste, from Air and Space to American History, you could spend days getting caught up in some amazing exhibits and stories! My personal favourite? The First Ladies exhibition- the dresses and jewels are amazing. I also love the Newseum- so exciting!
3. The shopping: there are some great boutique shops in D.C., and I particularly like taking a trip to Alexandria to shop in the independent stores. Make sure you try out The Lucky Knot if you're in town!
Have you been to Washington D.C.? What do you love about it?
This post is part of Accor's 'Three Things I Love About My Favourite City' series. Find out more here. I did not receive any financial compensation for this post and all views are my own.
5 Fashion Memoirs that inspire
19.1.15
A fair chunk of my bookcase is dedicated to fashion, and there's nothing more inspiring than sitting down with a memoir penned by a favourite designer or style icon.
Here are five of the best fashion memoirs that are both chic and motivating!
Grace: A Memoir: Coddington's memoir is a fascinating look into her life and her career, and the striking cover makes this a perfect book for the coffee table!
Tory Burch In Color: This is perhaps my favourite book of the last six months and one which I was waiting for forever! In Color is a great read and reference if you're interested in business, as well as finding out more about what has inspired this global success story.
The Woman I Wanted To Be: I had DvF's memoir for Christmas and it is such a fascinating read! von Furstenberg writes about her mother's survival through the Holocaust, building a successful business and helping to empower other women. This is a must read.
DV: Diana Vreeland: I love Diana Vreeland so much (I want to be like her when I grow up!) This is an absolute classic and was one of the first ever fashion memoirs I read. Unique is cool!
Happy Times: If you love the Kennedy's and the glamour of the 60s and 70s, this memoir is for you. Radziwill is one of the world's most glamourous women, and I dare you not to be inspired by the pages of amazing and personal photos in these pages.
Here are five of the best fashion memoirs that are both chic and motivating!
Grace: A Memoir: Coddington's memoir is a fascinating look into her life and her career, and the striking cover makes this a perfect book for the coffee table!
Tory Burch In Color: This is perhaps my favourite book of the last six months and one which I was waiting for forever! In Color is a great read and reference if you're interested in business, as well as finding out more about what has inspired this global success story.
The Woman I Wanted To Be: I had DvF's memoir for Christmas and it is such a fascinating read! von Furstenberg writes about her mother's survival through the Holocaust, building a successful business and helping to empower other women. This is a must read.
DV: Diana Vreeland: I love Diana Vreeland so much (I want to be like her when I grow up!) This is an absolute classic and was one of the first ever fashion memoirs I read. Unique is cool!
Happy Times: If you love the Kennedy's and the glamour of the 60s and 70s, this memoir is for you. Radziwill is one of the world's most glamourous women, and I dare you not to be inspired by the pages of amazing and personal photos in these pages.
Which fashion memoirs do you love? Let me know your recommendations in the comments!
Dream Bags from the Vestiaire Collective Sale
17.1.15
White House Week
17.1.15
This week, President Obama traveled to the National Cybersecurity and Communications IntegrationCenter (NCCIC) in Arlington, VA to review what he'll do next to defend our nation's systems.
So here's a look at the next steps the President is taking to improve our cybersecurity standards:
The President is putting forward a legislative proposal that would enable cybersecurity information sharing in the private sector and between the private sector and government. And the proposal would also safeguard Americans’ personal privacy by requiring private entities to comply with certain privacy restrictions such as removing unnecessary personal information and taking measures to protect any personal information that must be shared in order to qualify for liability protection.
The proposal modernizes law enforcement authorities to combat cyber crime and ensure they have appropriate tools to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute cyber crime.
The Administration has also updated its proposal on security breach reporting, helping business and consumers by simplifying and standardizing the existing patchwork of 46 state laws (plus the District of Columbia and several territories) that contain these requirements into one federal statute, and putting in place a single clear and timely notice requirement to ensure that companies notify their employees and customers about security breaches.
The Department of Energy will provide $25 million in grants over the next five years to support a cybersecurity education consortium consisting of 13 HBCUs and two national labs -- part of the President’s jobs-driven training initiative -- which will help to fill the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals in the U.S. job market.
The President also announced that the White House will hold a summit on cybersecurity and consumer protection at Stanford University, bringing together industry, tech companies, law enforcement, consumer and privacy advocates, law professors who are specialists in this filed, and students, to ensure we develop solutions in a public and transparent way.
For further details on the plans click here.
And the best video this week? The Big Block of Cheese Day featuring members of the West Wing cast!
So here's a look at the next steps the President is taking to improve our cybersecurity standards:
The President is putting forward a legislative proposal that would enable cybersecurity information sharing in the private sector and between the private sector and government. And the proposal would also safeguard Americans’ personal privacy by requiring private entities to comply with certain privacy restrictions such as removing unnecessary personal information and taking measures to protect any personal information that must be shared in order to qualify for liability protection.
The proposal modernizes law enforcement authorities to combat cyber crime and ensure they have appropriate tools to investigate, disrupt, and prosecute cyber crime.
The Administration has also updated its proposal on security breach reporting, helping business and consumers by simplifying and standardizing the existing patchwork of 46 state laws (plus the District of Columbia and several territories) that contain these requirements into one federal statute, and putting in place a single clear and timely notice requirement to ensure that companies notify their employees and customers about security breaches.
The Department of Energy will provide $25 million in grants over the next five years to support a cybersecurity education consortium consisting of 13 HBCUs and two national labs -- part of the President’s jobs-driven training initiative -- which will help to fill the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals in the U.S. job market.
The President also announced that the White House will hold a summit on cybersecurity and consumer protection at Stanford University, bringing together industry, tech companies, law enforcement, consumer and privacy advocates, law professors who are specialists in this filed, and students, to ensure we develop solutions in a public and transparent way.
For further details on the plans click here.
And the best video this week? The Big Block of Cheese Day featuring members of the West Wing cast!
Fashion Spotlight: Paul Carroll
16.1.15
Boston area native Paul Carroll moved to New York City for one reason - to become a designer. In the fall of 1999, Carroll introduced his first deluxe ready-to-wear collection.
Carroll’s collections feature cocktail and evening dresses in addition to beautifully tailored suits and sportswear. The designer prides himself on his commitment to quality workmanship, sumptuous fabrics, luxurious detail, and innovative design.
Creating a recognizable style and a language as a designer has been Carroll’s goal from the very beginning. Inspiration for the collections can come from anywhere; favorite films and books, a museum visit or even the streets.
Find out more about Carroll's life as a designer and what inspires him in this exclusive interview!
How has your life experience made you the leader you are today?
I don’t really consider myself a leader so much as a teacher. My studio is a teaching environment; I have people come from all over the world to work with me – from Ghana to South Korea. They come to learn, and are exposed to the full gamut of the fashion industry – from the sketch to the garment construction, to retail. What’s really wonderful about this arrangement is that it’s also a cultural exchange. I teach them how to make clothes and they teach me about their culture. It’s a worthwhile exchange, and the collaboration enriches our work.
Tell us about your business and the inspiration behind it.
When I was 6 years old, I became fascinated with movie special effects. I had an 8-mm. camera and developed an interest in photography, particularly black & white photography. My interest shifted to fashion photography when I first saw “The Eyes of Laura Mars,” where Fay Dunaway plays a fashion photographer.
I started photographing my sister wearing my mom’s clothes and, when I had photographed her entire wardrobe, I began sketching the kinds of clothing I wanted to photograph. It was then that I realized I wanted to go into fashion design.
I was a big fan of Calvin Klein and I knew that he attended FIT so I applied to go there as well. I made three garments to the best of my ability for my application, and that’s where my education took off.
My own label was another goal. I started my business in 1999 after realizing that I had a point of view that I felt I needed to be shared.
Movies inspire about 90% of my work. The other 10% comes from the world around me: art, architecture, music, and science …
What have the highlights and challenges been since you started your business?
The biggest highlight of my career was my first collection in 2000. I sold to a store on Madison Avenue and it was an overwhelming success. In my career I have also had the good fortune of working with some wonderful costume designers, including Shawn Reeves for General Hospital, Guiding Light and Another World. I’ve also had the privilege of designing dresses for the Daytime Emmys, and have had successful relationships with other daytime dramas.
The biggest challenges as a small business are the financial pressures that come from maintaining the highest standards during the construction of our two collections per year.
How do you maintain a work/life balance?
Twice a year during collection deadlines, work consumes my life but at the end of the day, I always remember that I work to live. My husband and personal life come first.
Who would you love to see wearing your designs?
I would love to see Sigourney Weaver, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, Lupita N’Yongo, Charlize Theron, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman in my designs. They are all such beautiful and stylish women.
What do you hope to accomplish in the next year?
Everything I haven’t done before!
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| Paul Carroll S/S 2015 |
5 Monogrammed Essentials
14.1.15
Do you love monograms as much as me? If so, get excited about the endless possibilities of items that your initials can be displayed on.
Check out my top 5 monogrammed essentials that you need in your life!
What items display your monogram? Let me know in the comments!
Reel Style: Grace Kelly
12.1.15
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| via |
Kelly's ladylike style is an absolute classic, and these two looks are the epitome of the 'Grace Kelly look.'
Check out and follow my Pinterest board for a look at Grace Kelly's style throughout her life!
White House Week
10.1.15
This week, President Obama unveiled a proposal to make two years of community college free for responsible students across America.
By 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor's degree, and 30 percent will require some college or an associate's degree. For more details on President Obama's announcement click here.
Vice President Biden presided over the ceremonial swearing in over the 114th Congress earlier this week. Standing in the Old Senate Chamber, Vice President Biden -- who served as a senator himself for more than 30 years -- swore in senators both new and old, and met with their families. Check out his thoughts on this responsibility in the video below:
By 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor's degree, and 30 percent will require some college or an associate's degree. For more details on President Obama's announcement click here.
Vice President Biden presided over the ceremonial swearing in over the 114th Congress earlier this week. Standing in the Old Senate Chamber, Vice President Biden -- who served as a senator himself for more than 30 years -- swore in senators both new and old, and met with their families. Check out his thoughts on this responsibility in the video below:
2015: Target Goals
5.1.15
I don't make resolutions anymore. I kept making the same, utterly obvious choices, ultimately caving in and reverting to my bad behaviour a few weeks later. Oops.
Goals is a much better word, and this year, I've decided to share them with you all.
Get in better shape. This year I'm really going all out- bye bye processed items and sugar!
Expand my business. I'm looking forward to working with a great mix of clients on some exciting projects!
A great sort-out. Closet, cupboards, drawers, bookcase... I'm determined to streamline.
Enjoying those big moments. I've got a really important trip coming up in April and I'm going to productively enjoy every minute!
Say yes (and no.) I'll be saying yes to great new opportunities, and no to any drama!
What are your goals for 2015? Let me know in the comments!
Links of the Week
4.1.15
This week I've been reading...
My Christmas Eve style
Thirty favorite Celine bags
The ultimate Parisian guide to Paris
America's most expensive homes of the year
White House Week: 2014's Best Photos
3.1.15
This week, the White House released their pick of the best images taken during 2014. There are some absolute great images in the mix, and here are a few more of my favorites.
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| Official White House Photos |
Snaps from Christmas and New Year
2.1.15
Wow, that was Christmas! I hope you didn't blink and miss it! I had a lovely quiet Christmas with plenty of rest and relaxation- and lots of nice food! :) My Mum always does a spectacular job of decorating the house, and this year it was amazing as ever. (You can see from a few of these snaps!)
How did you spend your Christmas and New Year? Let me know!
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