Last week, the Boticca team welcomed the lovely Poppy Skinner to the team as our new Fashion Editor. Hailing from the UK, Poppy brings international experience from Emirates Woman and HELLO! magazine in the Middle East, as well as insider knowledge of the London fashion scene from her most recent role writing for Harper’s Bazaar.
We are delighted to have her on board and asked her to indulge us in an interview to kick things off properly. (more…)
Handpicked by Chiara
It’s like wearing a dream…
Poppy interviewing Christopher Kane for WIWT
Poppy Dinsey, the blogging sensation behind What I Wore Today, has been part of the Boticca journey from the very beginning, having been one of our first visitors when we launched. Our team loves her fun, fearless style and personal warmth. We hope you enjoy her guest curation below as much as we do.
I find my style pretty hard to define, it’s easier for me to say what I don’t like. I can’t do anything too delicate, dainty, girly or prissy, I like things with a bit of edge. The women who inspire me are smart, sexy, know what they want and know how to get it. Kind, well mannered, fun and polite – but they’re not to be messed with. One day (when I’m all grown up Mommy!) I hope to join the ranks of these awesomely fierce women – think Jackie O, Cleopatra, Tyra Banks, Barbarella, Varla (Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!), Beatrix Kiddo (Kill Bill), Fergie from Black Eyed Peas, Kate from LOST. An eclectic mix? Yeah, but they’re an awesome bunch of girlies. There’s no denying that!
I like big and bold accessories: statement necklaces, chandelier earrings, chunky rings, oversized bags, huge sunglasses. It’s highly unlikely you’ll see me wearing anything flowery and I lean towards gold rather than silver. I love bright colours and leathers and I love chunky rhinestones and studded detailing. I want every accessory to be the start of a conversation, so that makes Boticca a pretty perfect hub of discovery!
I grew up in England and was lucky to spend long summers in France and Spain – Spanish girls definitely know where it’s at when it comes to style. I’ve also spent a lot of time in the Middle East and California, again – I think this has really influenced my style growing up… for the better I hope!
My favourite designers are Christopher Kane, Burberry, Erdem, Holly Fulton, Balmain, Acne, Phillip Lim and Alexander McQueen.
My first love is film and I basically just want to feel like a movie heroine whenever I get dressed for something special. I’m a *huge* fan of Westerns, so anything that has any sort of cowboy feel will be an instant favourite. Guns, skulls, horses, tassels…I love it.
But generally, if it’s big and different then I want it 
Awards season is upon us, and one of the biggest events in the Hollywood calendar – the Oscars - is just around the corner. But our favourite thing about the Academy Awards, aside from all the gossip and red carpet coverage? It’s who’ll be wearing what.
The Oscars are the ultimate Hollywood Fashion Show – where the red carpet becomes the runway, and with celebrity sites like gofugyourself.com ready to pick up on every fashion faux pas out there, the job of a Hollywood stylist is a notoriously stressful one.
Usually Oscar fashion is all about the frocks – what’s hot and what’s not (with Hollywood stylists making or breaking their career over a certain actresses look) – but the accessories have always played an important part too.
Starlets are famed for piling on the gems to add some glamour to their outfit, with big jewelry houses lending out their best sparklers to Hollywood’s finest – a tradition that goes back to 1944, when Oscar nominee Jennifer Jones was reported to wear a diamond necklace and earrings borrowed from famed Fifth Avenue jeweller, Harry Winston.
Since then, an actress’ accessories have been as important to Oscar fashion as their outfits. In 1970, Elizabeth Taylor made headlines when she wore a 69-carat pear-shaped Taylor-Burton Diamond (a gift from Richard Burton) – and her dress by Edith Head was designed specifically to complement the rare gem (worth three million dollars!).
But her high-end jewels were nothing compared to Oprah Winfrey, who set the record for wearing the most diamonds EVER on stage in 1999 – a whopping $71 million!
Whilst we’re not suggesting you whip out hundreds of dollars of diamonds, this is the month to look to the red carpet for accessories inspiration.
With actresses (and their stylists) more fashion conscious than ever, the red carpet has its very own fashion tribes – from red carpets regulars resplendent in couture, to the up and coming starlets working it in cutting edge designers. So which one will be inspiring your look this month?
The Actresses: Established and probably up for an award, these young starlets are fashion conscious but don’t want to look to ‘out-there’. With a legion of Hollywood stylists behind them, they need to look acceptance speech ready and avoid, horror of horrors, ending up on the ‘What were they thinking?!’ pages the next day. Wearing a sequined, chiffon or pale toned gown, typical ‘pretty’ girls include Natalie Portman, Emily Blunt, and Anne Hathaway.
The Dress: A predictably pretty couture dress from failsafe designers like Marchesa, Armani Prive, Elie Saab, or Monique L’Hullier. Expect romantic ruffles and perfectly coiffed hair.
Accessorize with…Something simple to offset a fairytale gown. Natalie would love this Swan Ring from Leila Kasahnipour. A Gemma Redux Liz Bracelet adds just the right amount of sparkle, and you can’t go wrong with a Poupee Couture Crystal Clutch.
The Actresses: These red carpet regulars and well-established actresses have been going to Awards Ceremonies for years, and know what works. Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, and Kate Winslet always manage to pull of an elegant but understated look – nothing to short or revealing, with just the right amount of sparkle. Expect darker tones and long lengths.
The Dress: These ladies stick to designers who know how to flatter a feminine figure – like celebrity favourite Victoria Beckham, Roland Mouret, Oscar de la Renta, and Givenchy.
Accessorize with…Something grown up and elegant – minimal and modern jewelry that looks high end. These Arosha Whirling Earrings and Joanna Dahdah ring will complement a chic updo and column gown.
The Actresses: Often on the ‘worst dressed’ list, we think these ladies should be commended for trying something different, and not sticking to the cookie cutter Hollywood look. Lovers of avant-garde, conceptual fashion like Tilda Swinton are always one to watch on the red carpet (wearing this season’s Jil Sander straight off the catwalk at the Golden Globes) or truly eclectic dressers like Helena Bonham Carter – who wore mismatched shoes on the red carpet!
The Dress: High fashion, conceptual styles, – designers like Jil Sander, Viktor and Rolf, Vivienne Westwood – or a no-name dress.
Accessorize with…Be a maverick yourself by wearing a bold printed scarf to a glamorous event – tie in your hair or round you neck or waist for an offbeat look. We love Squarelust’s Deer and Green Serpent designs. Wear a wacky cocktail ring on your finger – like this interesting Freehand piece in sterling silver.
The Actresses: Probably the ‘face’ or muse of a design house, these fashion forward starlets are always papped in the latest look, seen at the hottest parties, and regulars on the front row during fashion week. Designers are begging to dress them, so they often hit the red carpet in an on trend ensemble. Stylish ladies like Zoe Saldana, Diane Kruger, Emma Watson, January Jones, Carey Mulligan, and Marianne Cotillard can be counted on to make an edgier outfit choice than a frothy ball gown.
The Dress: Something fun and edgy but a hot young designer – or whoever they are playing muse to. So for January Jones – Versace, Marianne Cotillard – Dior, Emma Watson – Burberry.
Accessorize with…We can see Blake Lively (Chanel’s new muse) wearing the Black Pearl Necklace by Little Glass Clementine. For something a little more cutting edge, A Leda Otto necklace fits the bill – or a Ram Ring by Leila Kashanipour.
Handpicked by Eliza
I love this Square Lust scarf. In fact, I’m blown away by the whole collection from the Moscow design duo.
This one stands out to me in particular, perhaps because I am terrified of snakes and am mesmerized by the beautiful snake bone pattern on the silk.
I’d wear it like a stylish Western bandit around my neck in the winter, as a backless top in the summer with a skirt, and as a belt year round. Experimenting is half the fun with scarves.
Aksiniya and Nikita are the exceptionally talented Russian design duo behind silk scarf label Square Lust. Hailing from Moscow, the illustrator and musician turned designers talked to Boticca about how Square Lust was born as an opportunity to realize all of their creative fantasies and has since evolved. Their one-of-a-kind and limited edition silk scarves pack a potent combination of bold experimental patterns with intricate details and timeless beauty.
We hope you enjoy learning more about this design team and how their creative pursuits materialize into scarves as much as we did. (more…)
I write about my San Franciscan lifestyle, restaurants and city hotspots, as well as my love for fashion and all things cheetah print in my blog Cheetah is the New Black. I love a quirky print, pop of color, and bold statement piece. With that said, I’m anxiously awaiting spring, not only for warmer weather but because I can’t wait to channel the 70’s vibe we saw on the runways. I foresee myself living in wide leg pants and mid-length skirts as well as experimenting with bright orange lipstick and bold accessories.
I would love to incorporate the following pieces into my spring wardrobe to achieve that unexpected statement that I’m going for.
Dust down your tutus and polish your pointe shoes – ballet is back as a style inspiration this season. But this is no fame-esque leg warmers moment – Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan has rocked the runway and the big screen. Designers have been enchanted by this dark psychological thriller about the pressures of the ballet world – starring Natalie Portman as a talented dancer driven mad by her ambition to play the lead role in Swan Lake.
Swan Lake is one of our favourite ballets, and as soon as we heard Kate and Laura Mulleavy of girly goth label Rodarte had been commissioned to create the Swan Lake costumes, we knew the film’s fashion was going to be a big draw. The result is a fairy tale fashion fantasy that fits the dark drama to perfection. But aside from the show-stopping costumes, fashion plays a key role in the psychology of the film – whether it’s Natalie’s innocent character looking sweet in pink tutus and swathes of tulle, to her arch rival rocking sultry black leggings and jersey layers.
What we love is how the film’s mix of innocent frothy frills and the macabre (in both costume and plot) has been explored by designers – leading to a catwalk flooded with Black Swan-inspired looks. See Celine’s long tutu skirts, ballet flats and pared-back leotards, Chanel’s pale plumes and dark shredded fabrics, and the surreal feathers in Sarah Burton’s collection for Alexander McQueen.
So how to interpret the look? You could head to American Apparel for the usual dancing duds – but it’s the dark underbelly and sheer romance of the film that have whipped us up into a fashion frenzy. And it’s not just big name designers that have been channelling Black Swan – take a look at these pieces by Boticca designers.
This Dancing Birds Scarf from Square Lust sees swan-like birds dancing across folds of silk.
A Wings of Paradise Ring from Gwennie Tam – with two silver wings intertwined – evokes the doomed romance between the Prince and Swan Princess.
With its gothic lace and tattered tulle, we think that Krista R’s Ebony and Ivory necklace would be the perfect piece for the Black Swan to wear.
Selda Okutan’s Heart Ring symbolizes that ‘every love has two sides – bad and good’. With the film showing that love in the ballet world (for dance and another person) can be both innocent and destructive, we think this ring sums up the film perfectly.
Kim Pesch is the fashion blogger extraordinaire behind eat.sleep.wear. A graphic designer by day, her love for simple, clean and modern design influences her personal style.
But it’s not all minimalism and classic chic. Kim doesn’t take things too seriously when it comes to fashion, and loves to throw in a little ‘rock and roll’ and ‘sass’ into the mix. This makes for stylish reading on her blog.
Forget serious, self-styled snaps, Kim’s blog is a place to ‘experiment, take chances, make mistakes, and just have an amazing time playing with photography and clothes!’
