The Queen:: The Olympics

How great is Queen Elizabeth II? How great was her entrance to the Olympics? How great was the whole Opening Ceremony? Brilliant. So superbly executed, I was giggling, jaw gaping, loving it the whole time. It held me captive. I loved it so much.

Danny Boyle, you are a clever, clever man. And clearly the Queen has a brilliant sense of humour.

Of course my fabourite part was Bond and the Queen. What a riot.

Are you watching the Olympics like I am? I am determined to watch as much as possible.

How pretty was that pale peach confection? I don't think she ever puts a stylish foot out of place. And I loved the black gloves, clutch and heels - she is one cool grandmother.

Here's more on how they kept the Queen's cameo a secret since April!

Pregnant Pirelli Pause: Steve McCurry

We all know Pirelli is known less for their tyres and more for their calendars. Well they are in my circles anyway.

Here they are getting raunchy again. This time on pregnant model Adriana Lima - the first model to be shot forwho is visibly pregnant.

Not that they've just snuck up on Lima. It's not like she was just hanging about by that wall, having massaged a healthy slathering of baby oil over her belly.

And yet... There's something that doesn't sit well with me. And I'm not a prude. I love pregnant women. I think they are blossoming, beautiful, so feminine and so sexy. It is one of my favourite times of my life, being pregnant. I felt so much like a woman. The curve of that belly. Swoooooon! But this photo.. I just can't put my finger on it.

Photographer Steve McCurry (famous for *that* National Geographic cover featuring the Afghan girl with the piercing green eyes) went for a less bare look this year - but with more bump? He's been quoted as saying this calendar will be a calendar of the soul. And pregnant bellies.

Maybe when I see the calendar in its entirety I'll feel different, but for now, I'm not convinced.

You? You dear reader? What do you think?

PS - Fashion Friday is currently on hold. At least until I get out of my jammies.

Read more about Pirelli's new calendar here at NY Mag.

Rittenhouse X Poepke X Lucas Grogan

I just had to share this beautiful video because visually it is lucious. I love watching people creating. And these three creative brands together?! Aye carumba. Match made in heaven.

Fashion Friday:: Grey Gardens

I am nothing if I am not dedicated to Fashion Friday.

I mean, what? Who is that? Little or Big Edie? It's Little Edie. Looking sullen. With an oversized fork. And looking decidely frumpy.

The looks I scored for looking this way. My colleagues asked if I had a theme today. If it was nana. And then I educated them on Grey Gardens. About how actually I was a socialite meets cat lady. About how my house was overrun with garbage. Bonafide garbage, not just heirlooms masquerading as garbage. Although there are some of those scattered amongst the detritus too.

Look at me. Method acting. I went without sleep. I woke in the middle of the night for long periods just to get those sunken eyes, those dark 'sleeping bags' as my children kindly call them.

I had to work at this look. And these are probably the worst photos I have ever shared of myself on my blog. You're just lucky I didn't wear my sunray pleat skirt as a top as I first thought. Little Edie would have. I even contemplated wearing some old pantihose on my head as my scarf. Little Edie did.

Nope instead I went almost purely vintage. And tired. And like I just woke up under a pile of cats and newspapers.

You can thank me later.

No. Wait. Thank me now. This is called pure dedication. It's rare these days.

Jacket: vintage
Top: Country Road
Beads: Vintage Sportsgirl
Skirt: Genuine vintage
Fork: From McSpork

Next week's theme: TOOTSIE. I love that film. (Are you playing or what?!)

Fashion Friday:: Theme Time

Friends of Fashion Friday!

I've just realised I didn't announce the theme for Fashion Friday. YIKES! You now have two days to prep yourselves.

It's Grey Gardens.

Fashion Friday (Delayed Broadcast):: Pirates

Arrrgh - I'm sorry seadogs. I've been eating oranges and sauerkraut by the bucket full. Otherwise I've been brushing up on my sea shanties, doing jigs and getting my sea legs.

Hopefully my Fashion Friday friends have not mutinied. Otherwise I'll have to make them walk the plank.

Yer see my pretties, X marks the spot - but because my name is LeXi - that be the treasure you be loking for. ARRRRGH.

Jacket: vintage
Scarf: a gift
Jeans: Country Road
Boots: Costume National
Bustier: on loan from my friend Clare
Hat: straight from the dress up box
Parrot is optional.

Fashion Friday is on holiday this week. FF will resume next week.

Poolside glamour in the By Caprice 'Colby Hearts' bikini

   By Caprice is a brand that I have written about before in my reviews of the 'Audrey' and 'Kitty' lingerie sets, but never before have I tried the swimwear. Since the brand's launch in 2006, By Caprice lingerie and swimwear has picked up fans in the form of Imogen Thomas and TOWIE's Maria Fowler and Amy Childs to name a few.

   As a former glamour model, it may come as no surprise that Caprice's Swimwear is equally as sexy as her Lingerie collections. The Spring/ Summer 2012 Swimwear collection is no exception, with an abundance of  glam padded triangle bikinis, moulded push-ups, cut-out swimsuits and skimpy tie-side bottoms in black, metallic tones and vibrant blue, along with ruching, polka dot, stud, floral and ruffle details. 

   By Caprice's padded triangle bikinis have proved to be a particularly popular design for many years now and have been brought out in a range of patterns. I recently spotted a very cute pink and black heart print bikini from By Caprice on lingerie and swimwear e-tailer, Lingerie Please. Lingerie Please offer some very cute bra sized bikinis, so I was delighted when they sent me the By Caprice 'Colby Hearts' bikini to try.. 

  By Caprice 'Colby Hearts' moulded bikini 
(Top: £23 and briefs: £15)

   As I have mentioned before, buying non-cup sized swimwear tends to be a 'no-goer' as I have to mix and match tops and bottoms to account for my bust, meaning that good support is pretty well out of the equation! Although the 'Colby Hearts' bikini does not come in bra sizes, the sizing works using a UK dress size and dual cup size e.g. Size 8-18, with cup sizes B/C, D/DD and E/F. 

   Although I generally wear 28 back bras, I decided to go for the 10 E/F in this bikini as I thought that the 8 E/F may come out rather like a By Caprice size 30 E/F, which would have been too small. (I wear a 30FF in By Caprice lingerie) I also went for a size 12 in the low rise bikini briefs as I have noticed that By Caprice briefs tend to run small due to their skimpier cut.

   It could probably be argued that this sizing system is a little confusing as dress size and band size do not necessarily (and often don't!) correlate. Before you get worried, luckily back size is not too much of an issue with this bikini because it has tie backs, which is great as you can tie the straps as tight or loose as you wish!

   The 'Colby Hearts' bikini top is a black moulded triangle style covered in ultra girlie hearts in bubble gum and lipstick pink. The bright dual tone hearts really stand out against the black base colour, giving this bikini a bit of a colour 'pop'. The low rise bikini briefs have an identical heart pattern and also feature an elasticated black waistband for comfort.

   I was glad that I went for the 10 E/F in the bikini top, as I definitely wouldn't have fit into the cups of the 8 E/F! The cut of the 'Colby Hearts' is much more revealing than most of the bikinis that I own, but boy oh boy does this bikini give you an impressive cleavage! Like the By Caprice bras that I have tried, the 'Colby Hearts' bikini also boasts hidden graduated padding on the inside of the cups.. 

   As you can see from the picture, the padding is quite significant and I definitely got a cleavage to rival a glamour model's in this number! This look may not be everyone's cup of tea (especially if you have a large bust already), but I'd recommend it to those who want to boost their bust on the beach, whilst melting a few ice creams (and hearts) whilst they're at it! 

   I was also glad that I went for a size 12 in the matching briefs as they do come up smaller and skimpier than some of the other bikini bottoms that I own. It is worth sizing up in these low rise briefs if you don't want to show too much derrière.. 

   

   The By Caprice 'Colby Hearts' bikini is a very flirty and glamorous bikini that will boost your assets and your confidence in equal measure. It's worth mentioning that this bikini is more of a 'lounging' and 'posing' bikini and wouldn't be ideally suited to high levels of activity (unless you want to give onlookers an eyeful!)

   It does look great on, however, and I can imagine this bikini drawing many an admiring look on the beach or by the pool! If you're looking for a sexy bikini with 'wow factor', the 'Colby Hearts' has definitely got it. 

   You can see more of Lingerie Please's range of bikinis on their site. There is currently FREE postage for a limited time, with quick dispatches and speedy postage!

Roll on Summer holidays!

Love,

Kitty xo

Fashion Friday:: The Librarian

Oh crumbs! You've spotted me - I had a sneaky sleepover with the Art Teacher, and I'm racing to get all the books back on the shelf, plus the Dewey decimal system back in order before the first class.


What's this?! Your books are late! Well my friend. We all know what that means. Late fees. That's what.

We fellow librarians have got to stick together (just like the pages of some books - ergh). Don't return your books with dog ears. Don't bend the covers back on your paperbacks. And don't even think about talking in my library.

SHHHHHHH!

Dress: vintage - my Mum's frock. Man I love this frock.
Scarf: vintage
Belt: vintage
Tights: er don't know
Pencil: Freedom
Boots: Very old Costume National (my favourites)

Next week's theme::  Pirates. ARGH!

Fashion Friday:: The Love Boat

 

Love. exciting and new. Come aboard. We're expecting yooooou.

Well golly gee. Another Friday. Another day of nose-to-the-grindstone fashion. I am nothing if I am not dedicated to the cause.

Here I am, ready to direct you to your afternoon activities aboard The Love Boat. Clipboard is mandatory!

Would you believe the girls at work have no idea what The Love Boat is? So they dressed in nautical stripes. In return I made them scrub the deck, walk the plank and then sent them home with scurvy.

And love. Life's sweetest reward. Let it flow. It floats back to you. The Love Boat. Soon we'll be making another run. The Love Boat - promises something for everyone. Set a course for adventure, your mind on a new romance. and love won't hurt anymore, it's an open smile, on a friendly shore. It's looooooooooove!  Welcome aboard it's love!

Apologies, Captain Stubing has had me rehearsing our theme song all week - I can't shake it out of my head.



Are you playing Fashion Friday? Let me know and I'll add you to the blog roll.

Next week's theme: The Librarian.

Hellz YEAH!:: New Sussan

Draw your chair up nice and close to the computer, because you have to listen up.

There I was this afternoon, just checking out what was happening on Facebook (not much) until Sussan popped up in my feed.

All I heard was a blasting chorus of 'Halleluljah!' - and I was hooked. (Or maybe I imagined it. Either way, it was hot.)

And what was that I spied? Pops of yellow. A glimpse of a neon yellow lining coupled with stripes.

Hot. Or HOT!?

Remember when I did that sponsored post with Sussan? Well that jacket is definitely, hands-down my favourite piece in my wardrobe at the moment. And the jeans? I wear them all. The. Time. I get loads of compliments on both pieces.

So you're thinking - yes, yes PMM, another sponsored post. Well hellz no! This is me, telling you out of the pure goodness of my heart, giving you a royal heads up - hot foot it into Sussan. I love the look of some of these jackets that are going to be SO perfect for work. I don't do corporate. I do do colour.

Here are my top 5 picks from Sussan from this new injection:

1. Printed pant - get onboard to one of the hottest trends right now. These are fab!
2. Sequin top - I love sparkle - morning, noon or night. Gimme gimme sparkle.
3. Lady Cape - big loving the colour and look of a classic trench - with a modern twist. And it's called a lady cape. For all superhero women.
4. Textured crop jacket - for months I have been looking for a jacket to wear to work. Something that looked smart, but not too corporate. I think I just met my match
5. Tailored blazer - in this sunshine yellow. Well I can just pretend it's not pouring with rain and frizzling cold when I put this on. Maybe this one's the answer to my jacket dreams.

More Coloured Jeans?

For the last few months I have devoted myself to coloured and print jeans. I am hooked. Like an unhealthy obsession. I am feverish for denim in all its guises.

Which is why it's incredibly good news that Jeanswest are introducing Colourful Curves as of mid-July for a sweet $69.99. Hello coloured jeans, hello!

What makes them even sweeter? They're engineered to fit girls with small waists while hugging the curves of your hips and thighs in all the right spots to create the perfect fit.

Fashion Friday:: Jubilee

Darlings. It has been a whole week since our Fashion Friday extravaganza, and what have I to show for it?

Two piddly photos.

I will work harder next week. Promise.

This week has been so cold, so-so chilly I have literally worn whatever I could grab and throw on. Our bedroom is like a freezer-room. This method of dressing has resulted in some unusual outfits.

So here I am, Jubilee stylie. Fur coat (that looks like I skinned the corgis), I  borrowed Tiny's crown, and they're my sunglasses. I'm like some 70s style queen from some random little island that no one's ever heard of.

Next week's theme: The Love Boat. Come hell or high water sporting some flicks.

Tiny Style Tips:: Socks On, Socks Off

It is a red letter day indeed.

Straight to the top of the style stakes goes Tiny - wearing, for possibly the first time in about three years - socks.

Those things you and I take for granted and wear many days, are the same things that disgust her - as do stockings, tights and leggings.

But today - a revelation.

Perhaps it was the chilly weather. Perhaps it was the yearning for cotton under her toes. Or maybe it was just the need for hot pink with gold - Bollywood style.

But whatever it is. Tiny is wearing socks today. And she told me to tell the world girls.

Fashion Friday:: The Wedding Singer (AKA Bridesmaids)

Holler! It's Fashion Friday where we get to play dress ups for a day.

This week's theme was tied in with one of the gals in the office getting hitched this weekend.

So what did I pull out of my wardrobe to conjure a mega-watt wedding singer? Why this leopard print, halter-neck, backless cat suit of course. What else would I wear?!

And my hair? Drawing inspiration from Jane Bennett of Pride and Prejudice fame meets 80s cabaret star - it contained way too much hair spray and some ridiculous curls as executed by my largely unused curling irons.

That bottle of Veuve? Well it would be crass to be holding a bottle of Passion Pop at 11am, right?!

There's a common theme eventuating: leopard print. I didn't realise I had more in my wardrobe. Et voila! Hey presto - cougar on tap.

Check out the other players of Fashion Friday over yonder in my blog roll. Want to play too? Next week's theme is: JUBILEE. Time to dig out your tiara baby.

Fashion Friday:: Paparazzi Lake Como Stylie

Remember it is Fashion Friday? Where we get to dress up in a theme? And role play for the day? Where we take method acting to the max?

This week's theme was 'Paparazzi Lake Como stylie'. Like as if I just snuck home from George's house back to my hotel, through the back door, and the paps leapt out at me. It was a crazy day. Ker-azy. 

The only downside was I didn't have a Starbucks cup, so I had to make do with the Pablo & Rusty's one instead. Sigh. The life and times of a celebrimummy. 

We all wore our sunglasses at our desks for the day. Everyone else in the company thought we were a wee bit bonkers (or we'd had a massive night out - or did a GroupOn eyelift), but who the heck cares? We had fun! 

I got to wear my mum's vintage cape - I remember her wearing that when I was just wee, and I was convinced she was a nurse. She isn't. And my new Mavi jeans. Wahooo! Yeah baby. The cat is back!

Next week's theme is: The Wedding Singer. Let me know if you'd like to play and I'll add you to my blog roll. 

4 Fashion Trends I Don't Understand

1. The Denim G-String aka denim-shorts-with-pockets-sticking-out-the-bottom:
Did you gynaecologist call and want you to wear the most revealing item of clothing for easy access? No? Well talk to me about why we are on the brink of viewing your lady garden. And PS - your derriere? Well I wasn't planning on seeing your cheeks either. Clearly you've never noted the premise: choose one thing to reveal. Cleavage or legs, but never lady garden, thighs, calves - oh and your ass. 

2. Faux Leather Pants:
You'd better stock up on Canestan if you're intending on wearing these. Perhaps think about investing in shares. Because you are going to absolutely need oodles of it.

3. High waisted shorts. Coupled with...Gulp.. A midriff:

Unless you're prepping for SummerNats, I don't think this is a wise fashion choice. You are going to look back in years to come and rue the day you decided to basically show up in this gynaelogical nightmare. It's like a front-ward wedgie. With a slice of abdomen to throw you off.  

 4. Ugly Shoes:

If you've injured your ankle - fair enough, but perhaps try wearing one of those ski boot things instead of attempting to merge fashionable footwear with orthapedic practicalities. It's like a small creature has attached itself to your ankle. It's sucking your blood - and my will to live.

What fashion trends do you not understand?

images from: here, here I won't give you because I refuse to let you buy them

eBay: A Fashion Wonderland

This is a sponsored post


Once upon a time I was a devout eBay shopper. I regularly stayed up past my bedtime to get my winning bid in on whatever my heart desired at that time. In some cases it induced heart palpitation and great excitement - nothing beats those last minute bidding frenzies, let me assure you. 


One time (not at band camp) I remember driving like a crazy lady to get home to bid on something once, and the front gate of my house wouldn't open - I had to call my sister to shout down the line - "QUICK!!! Bid on this for me!" Clearly this pre-dates Smartphones, otherwise I could have just put in a winning bid from the front of my house, sitting in the car. For the record, I wound up getting online to win that sucker! It was a great win too. Bidding frenzies are akin to a good cardio work out. You can definitely work up a sweat. 


I've bought lots and sold lots on eBay - it would be fair to say I am a big eBay fan. From vintage clothes to furniture right through to books and toys I have been there. I am a big nerd and pride myself on my impeccable rating (100% - gold star, top of the class to ME!). 


However - it's been a long time between bids. 


Now I'm delighted to discover that eBay launched The Fashion Gallery back in October. I'm back in the eBay saddle! Yeehaaw! What makes this revelation even cooler? Model/blogger, (one of Net-a-Porter's top 10 style bloggers) Candice Lake is their ambassador. Man I love that girl's style - she has such a keen eye. 


The Fashion Gallery is like a virtual department store of over 30 brands (including Fleur Wood, Witchery, Lisa Ho, Marcs, Seduce etc) - where you can search by brand, clothing item and price. Et voila! Better than rifling through a rack looking for something to fit. I have literally spent a number of hours trawling this site shopping because it is supremely searchable. 


Plus there's an ace range of great deals to be had (including new stock). Already the Fashion Gallery is selling a fashion item every 8 seconds and a dress every minute. Isn't that cray?!




Check out Candice's Fashion Gallery Pinterest here.  Get yourself a-shopping at eBay's Fashion Gallery here. 


Did you know?
- 85% of all fashion sales on eBay.com.au are for new clothes, shoes + accessories
- 83% of items available on the eBay.com.au site are new
- An item is purchased every 4 seconds in Australia through eBay mobile apps (clearly I needed this all those years ago)




image of Candice Lake wearing Candice's picks from the Fashion Gallery from here

Fashion Friday:: It's A Thug's Life

I am incredibly passionate. About method acting. I take a theme, and then I roll with it. I live it and breathe it. You wouldn't have wanted to cross paths with me yesterday. I was to the extreme.


This weeks theme was: It's A Thug's Life. Tell me I did not disappoint. I even have knuckle tatts. And hoop earrings. And did I mention my belt.


One of my friends at work asked if I had a dress-up box for myself at work, and I must confess, yes. Yes I do.


This is Cara and I. Thugging it up big stylie.

Anyway - next week I'm starting something new here at PottyMouthMama. Perhaps you'd like to play along? As I do every week for myself (and my colleagues) I set a little theme. So next week's theme is: Being papped in Lake Como.

Let me know if you want to play along too and I'll add you to the blog roll. Too easy!