Cute but psycho, but cute
The Age of Innocence
“In character, in manner, in style, in all the things, the supreme excellence is simplicity”
— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
For many weeks I have thought of ways to express my upmost adoration for soft, Edwardian-like couture. Here, I begin my first post of the new year speaking of something that is close to my heart, but also a modernity that implies beautiful aesthetics and an essence of splendour.
The modern woman wears whatever she pleases; it is a liberation that has been conquered with blood and sweat throughout the centuries. The modern woman is not considered a machine for offspring production; she is not an object of slavery, she is independent and fierce. All that I say are beautiful realities, however, with such freedom we often get lost and become prisoners to other kinds of expectations and ideals.
The truth is, the modern woman is very often insecure of herself, she compares herself to other women and fights to be socially accepted, yet these fights are not usually fought in the best ways. Our fight has been primarily for the equality of sexes, and we are succeeding as the years pass. Sadly, we have been so focused on conceptual wars and our daily lives that we have slowly began to lose parts of our identity: our grace and femininity. Such traditions and rituals are being left in history, and we emerge to a world where nothing is fixed; there are no right or wrongs, no absolute truths and no meaning at all. We became blind and forgetful of what it truly means to be a woman. . . To breathe elegance and gracefulness, and to remain gentle yet fearless in a world full of doubts and futility.
La Vie / Art, Melancholy and Paris
“I’ve seen you, beauty, and you belong to me now, whoever you are waiting for and if I never see you again, I thought. You belong to me and all Paris belongs to me and I belong to this notebook and this pencil.”
(Ernest Hemingway)
Ah! Paris, mon grand amour.
After two exhausting weeks I am glad to say that I am finding my way again. Today I want to talk about things which are very important to me. Personally, I feel that Art is not only a mere subject in which we use to express ourselves, but it is a way of survival. What would life be without Art? The beauty of all things would not exist, and human beings would live a dull and monotonous life.
In this photographic series, Raphaël Année captures the spirit of a melancholic new generation.
For many years I have dreamed of Paris, for it is a city where Art is as vivid as the air we breathe. However, we as humans have the gift for destruction – to which Picasso says is also a form of Art – and that clear sense of Art slowly began to fade, but it still exists for those who look.
amanda. 7.46pm
Style Icon: Kate Moss
Young Kate got her big break in the early nineties after working for Calvin Klein. However, things got a lot bigger than anyone thought it would. Kate Moss did not only become a famous supermodel, but she redefined beauty and style for a whole generation.
The era of the glamour and exquisitely beautiful top models such as Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and many more slowly began to fade, and thanks to Kate, the heroin chic style came into scene.
Her edgy, rock chic look still does not hide her fragilility and the innocent look in her eyes which form a nice contrast to her violent yet glamorous image.
So, what style lessons can we learn from Kate?
Firstly, she teaches us to use grace and confidence in whatever we wear. Kate does not fake it. Whatever she does, she gives the impression that it is her most natural form, and this is one of the reasons to why she became so hugely successful in her career.
Balancing rebellion and grace is not a easy thing to do. Here are some tips for you to follow to get the Kate look:
1. Don’t overdress. Less is more.
2. Get her signature hairstyle by adding some light beachy waves. You can easily achieve this without heat by just putting your hair in a bun after washing (make sure it’s slightly damp, not wet) and applying some hairspray if needed.
3. If you’re looking for a more dramatic look, why not use a black smokey eye with a light brown, nude lipstick? Its super trendy now, and very à lá Kate Moss!
4. Fur coats and a little black dress speaks volumes when attending a more glamorous event.
5. And last but not least, never forget to walk with confidence no matter what you wear.
What are your style icons? I’d love to hear from you! You can find me on Instagram at diningwithchanel.
amanda (16:49) XO
Glamour & Faux Fur
Christmas time and New Year is almost here, and along with that, so is the fabulous Faux Fur season! Yay! We waited the whole year to be able to wear our most glamorous pieces and when it’s finally here, we don’t want to get it wrong.
So, why Faux Fur? Well, first of all, I’d like to clarify that I do not support animal cruelty, and that I would not wear real fur because personally, I think it’s disgraceful and sickening. Fortunately, thanks to our brilliant technology, we are able to imitate the fur of animals using synthetic materials. These are our faux fur.
Lush and classic, it was often associated with those of higher social classes back in the late nineteenth century. Now it’s an accessible and timeless piece that should belong to any woman who is both daring and feminine.
This piece is also very versatile, because it can be worn with both casual highwaist jeans, a sexy mini skirt or a dress… However, when using faux fur, or is important to balance the other items you are wearing. A good way to do so is to compare the pieces to the coat – ask yourself, “is this item less eccentric than the faux coat?” and if the answer is yes, then you are safe.
Above is one of my favourite faux fur coats. It’s a vintage piece by Roberto Celli that belonged to my mother.
What are your favourite festive season looks? I’d love to hear from you! You can find me on Instagram at diningwithchanel.
Amanda (11:20) XO.
Cold Weather & College Wear
Picking an outfit for college can be a truly difficult thing to do.
When picking an outfit, there are a couple of things we must consider; firstly, and most importantly is the weather condition. I cannot express how this is a must. A good thing to do is to check the weather of the day in which you will go to college and plan your outfit from there. And always, always have a second outfit. Life doesn’t go according to plan sometimes, and the weather may be the complete opposite of what you thought or read, and if you’re like me, you’ll be in complete despair. Secondly, know exactly the type of ‘event’ or place you’re going to. In this case, we are focusing on college, so we do not need to look runaway ready. My advice for dressing to college when you have not got a clue of what to wear is to go for a minimal look, natural colours or monochrome, and keep it simple and casual.
The image above is a great example. It’s simple, yet elegant and classy. This original outfit creation belongs to Maria Berrada (Polyvore).
(image credits to liefa richardson)
ps: Ignore the hair.
That’s me at college today. I wore black jeggings from Prep & Co, grey thin jumper from Primark, white Converse shoes, and my darling black overall coat from River Island.
What do you think about these outfits? I’d love to know your thoughts, so feel free to talk to me on instagram or on the comments below. (IG: diningwithchanel).
(amanda / 10.13pm) XO
Autumn Blues
Ah! Autumn time is here.
This beautiful season is not only known for its glorious colours in nature, but also its colours in fashion. We can escape from the traditional colours and let our minds run free for a bit.
Here I present you the Autumn Blues.
Whilst scrolling down my Facebook feed, I saw the newest article of Dazed and Confused magazine. It had beautiful colours that inspired me to write a blog post about fall colours. It was the Dior Runaway Show SS16 and I fell in love.
Blue. A gradient of autumn to winter. Something along the lines; a feeling, a colour that can mean so many things at once… A strong signature colour that escapes the fields of cliché, yet still gives a classic and modern look to your outfit. There are many ways to wear this exquisite colour with your outfits. Blues often look great with monotone clothes, earthy tones that remind us of the fallen leaves, and last but not least, the wonderful black.
When putting an outfit together, we must first make sure that the colours are in harmony with each other. Mixing darker and lighter shades is always a good idea when using different colours in an outfit.
What are your thoughts on fall season fashion? Let me know on the comments below!
(amanda / 0.33am) XO
The Art in Madness
“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked,
dragging themselves through the negro streets at dawn looking for an angry fix,
angelheaded hipsters burning for the ancient heavenly connection to the starry dynamo in the machinery of night”
(extract from ‘Howl’ by Allen Ginsberg)
Madness. A word like any other, yet a word that carries a personal meaning to each person. Madness. Many artists, poets, and geniuses have experienced the ghost of madness. Edgar Allen Poe once said “I do not suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it”. Some see madness as art, whereas others see it as a curse. And I can personally say that for me, it is both.
A young girl in love and out of love.
I loved the bright lights, yet hated to be seen in daylight.
I loved the human body and it’s beautiful details, yet I loathed every inch of my own.
I loved the smiles of strangers that passed by, yet couldn’t bear to vision of these lips and crooked teeth.
I loved the idea of life, but dreaded to live…
(amanda / 8.1pm) XO
The Girl behind the Blog
I listen to Françoise Hardy and pray for some magnetic inspiration. Hello! Here I will introduce my strange self to you, dear readers. I am a Brazilian girl living in Bournemouth, forever yearning to be in Paris drinking coffee at a fancy café (I’ll save these dreams for later). I like to write poetry and watch French films. And sleep. Yes, sleep is very important! Whilst currently studying Creative Media Production, I make retro music videos and read about the fashion world. I’m eighteen, bored and Parisian at heart.
(amanda / 7.11pm) XO
Dining with Chanel 