A Guide to Poolside-Dressing, Cote D'Azur Style...

The Cote D’Azur has always been the hub of glamorous European fashion and a constant inspiration for designers, come summertime: see Claudia Schiffer posing as Grace Kelly by Monaco harbour for the Salvatore Ferragamo SS10 campaign. However, although when in the South of France you are never more than 5 miles from the nearest Chanel, dressing in the Cote D’Azur is not about following every runway trend. A/W’s Minimalism trend, for example, would not go down well here.

Once the rules are learnt, dressing like the glamorous women of Monaco seems pretty simple: they take the same approach for dressing no matter what the event. Whether it be for dancing on tables in the exclusive Jimmyz nightclub, attending a glitzy charity benefit, or lounging under their cabanas at the Monte Carlo Beach Club, the same rule always applies: “More is More”. The more flesh exposed by the poolside the better (how else to get all-over coverage on the tan?), skyscraper heels are obligatory, whereas bikini tops are most definitely optional. Comfort and practicality are two words not in these women’s vocabulary. In fact, they practically invented the expression, “beauty is pain”: Pools are for lounging beside, not for swimming in and stilettos need never be removed, even during the tricky yacht-to tender-to pontoon-to beach restaurant journey. And perhaps it is due to a perpetual fear of their safes being burgled as soon as they are out of sight, but the women of Monaco seem to wear the entire contents of their jewellery box whenever they leave the house. Although it may be debatable which parts of these Glamazon’s bodies are fake, the jewels are always real. After all, one can never be too tanned, too skinny or wear too many diamonds in Monaco.

Looking the part is just not enough to become a full-blown Cote D’Azur Glamazon, it is where you are seen looking the part that really counts. Obviously being aboard anybody’s SuperYacht gains you immediate credit (although try to make it Abramovich’s ‘Luna’ or Paul Allen’s ‘Tatoosh’) and for those days when you just want to make a quick midday journey from Monaco harbour to Paloma Beach, a Riva SuperAquarama speedboat is the only acceptable mode of transport to be seen on.

S/S10 Salavtore Ferragamo campaign, Claudia Schiffer as Grace Kelly aboard a Riva SuperAquarama (picture courtesy of http://www.vogue.co.uk/blogs/the-vogue-blog/default.aspx/page,178)



Although the Cote D’Azur Elite are obviously suckers for the big brands, you won’t catch them wasting precious tanning time traipsing around the Place du Casino in town to pick up the latest Vuitton or Dior. They prefer the exclusivity of a small-town or beach-side boutique. The best of which are the boutiques in Club 55 of St Tropez and the Monte Carlo Beach Club, as well as ‘Les Garcons’ and ‘Les Garcons Too’ in the town of St Jean Cap Ferrat. These boutiques offer an edited selection of designer poolside essentials, such as: silky Missoni kaftans, bejewelled Melissa Odabash swimsuits, oversized Linda Farrow sunglasses, and, of course, a dazzling array of jewels.

Here are some of my discoveries: (all photographs are my own, and thank you to my models, Eleanor and Lily):

"Les Garcons" Boutique, St Jean Cap Ferrat:


Bejeweled hair accessories: the only way to keep one's hair back by the poolside:



And a bedazzled bikini to match:


Forget Fedora's and Panama's, the only poolside headwear to be seen in is a Jaques Le Corre hat:



Sequined beach baskets to hold all of your essentials, including, of course, a colour co-ordinated metallic Juicy Couture cap:



Beach essentials: Linda Farrow sunnies and jewels, jewels, jewels...





Playful, sparkly pieces from hot Russian jewelry designer Irina Volkonskii, a favourite of the Cote D'Azur glamazon:





And some stylish poolside-posers I spotted:

This Monaco-resident has matched the intricate red beading on her kaftan with her sunhat, jewelry, lips AND nails to create an eye-catching, very 'put-together' look, completed of course with the obligatory Dior oversized sunnies and a covetable Louis Vuitton handbag.


This chic beach-goer has toned down the megawatt glamour of leapord print and silver sparkles with a pair of casual Karl Lagerfeld white denim mini-shorts and a flower-adorned cowboy hat.

This newly-freed convent girl was luckily enough to attend the glamorous Glatonbury festival and it seemed that this year (despite all fashion magazines swearing that leather shorts would be THE festival must-have) a full, feathered Indian headdress was the accessory to be seen in. Throw it on with any festival outfit (be it as bland as the ubiquitous hunter wellies and denim-cut-off combo) and instantly you are transformed from just your average grubby reveler into a chic chieftain. These enchanting headpieces inspired me to go all Pocahontas-style this summer and i will be pouncing on anything beaded, feathered or fringed... here is some more inspiration:

(photos from http://souvenirsofagirl.blogspot.com/ apart from the last one which is my own)

Friday 18 June 2010

A new take on "underwear as outerwear"...

All the fashion magazines have been proclaiming for months now that “Underwear is the New outerwear”, what with the likes of Lady GaGa and Rihanna making it almost acceptable to wear crotch-bearing outfits in public.
The closest we seem to have gotten to this trend here at school is the occasional fluorescent pink bra showing through the mercilessly see-through games polo shirts, although some brave girls were rumoured to have ran past the building site in just their swimming costumes in a bid to capture one particularly dashing builder’s attention.
However, there are some safer ways to channel the trend during term time without shocking any teachers: these include little ‘slip dresses’ worn with tights (pretty silk versions can be bought from the likes of Urban Outfitters, but if you’re really desperate perhaps your mother has an old silky nightie lying around?!). The braver girls will also be donning bra-like crop tops (bralets, if you will) a veritable selection of which can be found, of course, at the ever-reliable Topshop.
Although I personally have to say that this trend is one of the hardest to channel as a teenage school girl without having a note sent home to your mother, having a hint of lacy bra peeking out from your top can add a little thrill of danger to a bleak week ahead full of exams.
However, it was undeniably the rebellious Upper Sixth who showed the school how underwear as outerwear is REALLY done with the ingenious leavers prank that left the school Revered speechless (for once) and baffled the maintenance men who had the unfortunate job of taking it down and didn’t know where to look. Stringing veritable array of rainbow coloured (and unfortunately, by the morning, rain-soaked) knickers and bras on a washing line from the school chapel truly is the ultimate convent-girl take on this high fashion trend.

“Red and green should never be seen” was clearly not a saying that our wise founder, Olive Willis, was familiar with when she designed the Downe House School uniform. Little did she know of the hurtful Christmas tree related jibes that generations of girls would have to endure as a result. I secretly gaze enviously at the faded photographs of the Downe House girls circa 1907 and despair that those stylish Hogwarts-style green capes were replaced by the more practical, yet infinitely more painful, pinstriped blazers (whose only apparent use to date are to make part of a very convincing, impromptu Jedward outfit). I wonder if those carefree Downe House girls of yore were pelted with carrots and tomatoes in the dining room for wearing red tights instead of green ones. I suspect not.

Although, with the distinct lack of male presence here, no-one feels the need to get up early to put on make-up (or if you do, I’d keep that on the DL), the world of Downe House school uniform is a minefield of subtle and complex unspoken rules.
As previously mentioned, sporting red tights in Remove is akin to slamming the door in an older girl’s face. Unless you want a dreaded ‘cocky’ reputation, you just don’t do it. There are, however, pieces of school uniform that are only acceptable to be seen in your first, naïve years (we will forgive you for not knowing better). Fleeces, for example: yes they may keep you cosy and warm, but just as you grow out of rushing to the Medical Centre every break time for a salt gargle, by Lower Fourth you will realise that the best place for your fleece is stuffed at the back of the wardrobe. There is a similarly subtle etiquette for backpack wearing: only the coolest girls let the straps of their bags hang so loosely that they swing dangerously from side to side, knocking unsuspecting passers-by, whilst they sprint to their next lessons.
Once you reach the main school it is only really regulations on hairstyle that remain strict if you want to keep your place on the cool radar. The rules are simple: your hair wants to be matted and messy in a way that says “I just rolled out of bed- FML”. This is best combined with a lingering of left-over smudged eyeliner, which hints at a weekend of wild parties and a life outside of school- maybe even involving boys.
We’ve all read many a prospectus emblazoned with that smug quote: “I left Downe House feeling there was nothing I couldn’t achieve” and it’s true, after pulling off a sickly combination of red and green for seven years whilst still managing to look too cool for school, anything seems possible.

Who needs real boys anyway?

Maybe the trend for androgynous dressing was sparked by the all-girls Halloween disco which some cited as the “hi-light” of their Mich term, as we are perhaps taking it upon ourselves to make up for the distinct lack of male presence, but one thing’s certain: the craze for flashing your Radley hoodie (and/ or pyjamas) is officially over, in favour of girl crushes and tomboy style.
A standout trend that has also emerged over the past few terms in the exciting world of Downe House-hairdressing is the boyish, elfin hairstyle that was popularised by Agyness Deyn in 2007. Although Agyness has now moved onto a rather questionable choir-boy bob, here the most confident girls in each year have risked being mistaken for their brothers by sporting this brave ‘Short Back And Sides’ and maybe even proving Valentine Fillol-Cordier’s theory that “dressing like a boy gets you way further with boys anyway”…
Also in light of the masculine trend, mannish shoes, such as brogues, have been replacing suede ‘Blue Velvet’ loafers as the school shoe of choice.
Perhaps by taking inspiration from Samantha Ronson (the current poster-girl for androgynous, grunge-chic), who buys all of her jeans from “Dior Homme”, we should start shopping in the men’s section of shops to perfect the ‘oversized’ style. Or for a more credit-crunch friendly approach to boyish dressing, go for the ‘boyfriend’ look. This supposedly involves sporting jackets, shirts, jeans etc. which were borrowed from your boyfriend, but don’t panic single ladies: the ‘boyfriend’ could easily be replaced by a brother…or Primark, where you can find a varying selection of boyfriend-style blazers without any need for a love life.
Although you have to be careful when combining your androgynous look with a lacrosse stick or shot-putt (we’re going for boyish, not butch), as Alexa Chung summed it up so perfectly: the revival of tomboy style could spell the end of “you look like a lesbian” being used as an insult.

Surviving Boarding School With Style

It would be easy to make a successful fashion blog if you had a wardrobe full of kooky vingtage-finds, this season’s runway looks, a job in fashion and enough time to go running around city streets stumbling across immaculately dressed models to photograph who happen to be standing posed in perfectly-lit cobbled streets.

I am not a glossy fashion-type with endless connections, or a sassy New Yorker with a finger on the pulse of every indie happening.

It’s quite hard to keep your finger on the pulse when you’re at a boarding school. An all-girl’s boarding school on the top of a hill in the middle of the barren English countryside, that is. This is a place where the nearest ‘Topshop’ in Reading is the closest we get to high fashion and “Vogue” magazine’s only use is for ripping out pages of hunky Dolce and Gabbanna models to stick on pinboards. Although the school halls are perhaps not akin to high fashion runways in many ways, the sartorial rules and regulations are about as strict as the school ones, and the convent girls certainly aren’t afraid to express themselves.