Magazine Madness: Pure Style, Forever Kate. VOGUE British May 2019

VOGUE BRITISH MAY 2019

“Everybody loves Kate”. Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful comments so on Editor’s Letter column at May 2019 British VOGUE. Kate Moss not only helped to define fashion magazines over past 26 years, but also British style around the globe. The interesting statistics show that May 2019 issue marks the 40^th month that this cultural icon has fronted British VOGUE, in total, Kate has spent more than 3 years of her life on the cover of this world leading fashion bible. This month, VOGUE has been published with three different covers for collectors’ wishes, and my version is that Kate wears jacket with necktie and snake bracelet, Gucci felt hat and Van Cleef& Arpels gold rings and diamond bracelet. Photographed by Mikael Jansson, Kate Moss herself is the fashion editor of these three versions of cover looks.

As for photography, due to Kate Moss has been on the runway for CHANEL since her early stage at modeling career, I selected Chanel Longwear Powder Eyeshadow #34 Poudre D’or Metallic with the gold-plated carving interlocked logo on the lid of cosmetic case and Rouge Coco Lip Blush #418 Rouge Captivant in order to enhance the pastel hues of VOGUE cover. Elie Saab’s GIRL of NOW perfume trial toy shields the price tag of the magazine, its light Tiffany blue tone matches powder pinkish VOGUE font in harmony purpose. Love, Chloé Eau Florale cute perfume bottle attached with the golden-tone lid performs well together with Chao&Eero 18K gold rings for the shooting. For the complete of the shooting, I place a dried rose atop of Kate’s Gucci leather hat, as if she wore flower during May Days.

For the fashion campaign pages, with working Dutch duo Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Kate can be both graceful or Rock ‘n’ Roll on wearing Saint Laurent’s Le Smoking, or Alexander McQueen’s sheer, flimsy ruffles with slim leather coat on rather fuzzy curl hair, or, under the lens of Mikael Jansson, she pays homage to her friend Anita Pallenberg in a glittering take on 60’s bohemian glamour or 70’s sophisticate feminine. The contrast between the now-and-then archive fashion pages has more of a comparative study of apparel evolution. While Anita strikes a pose by wearing Jimmy Choo platform sandals with black-and-white stripe jacket and trousers, on the opposite page, that Kate is casually sitting on the stool, half-opened eyes, naturally let the ANITA PALLENBERG ARCHIVE polka dots jacket trousers suits flow. 

At intimate shoots with photographer Jamie Hawkesworth at deserted Goan Beach. Kate looks as innocent teenager, half nude, only wearing an earring of her own and JW Anderson’s leather headscarf with chain. The adaptation in black-and-white photography at this project case propose more of retro touch of Kate’s versatile tastes, though this fashion icon has any personal accounts on any social media. We audience know her through the works, via the words of fashion designers, on the pages of fashion news. Kate Moss remains highly mysterious. We see her through a haze, at dawn and at dusk. 

Fashion Fun Easter 2019! Effortless Effort : Stella McCartney & Acne Studios at Palokkajärvi, Jyväskylä

20-22 April 2019, Jyväskylä

Easter effortless effort to have both fashion fun and stroll around the lakeside in chilly still Jyväskylä, is to layer up with fine quality wool/mohair/cotton cardigans. Windy the shore, frozen the water and empty of the boardwalk, Palokkajärvi is outstandingly beautiful. Last Christmas it was a piece of white out, now in April is a mass land filled with pale grey. 

Outfit of lakeshore day is Vivienne Westwood 48% alpaca, 36% wool, 16% polyamide orange double-side scarf and 100% cotton black ripped cardigan (both purchased at great bargain in Okinawa Ashibinaa outlet); Sandro 95% virgin wool, 5% mohair ankle-length robe (at Sandro La Roca Village Outlet, Barcelona) and Acne Studios Raya Mohair 30% nylon, 30% wool, 28% mohair, 4% elastane long cardigan. Gina Tricot high waist light grey jeans rank atop at my casual style list, and Miu Miu lambskin sneaker-espadrilles are perfect to walk on a frosty lakeshore but spare the weights of my carry-on luggage. 

Stella McCartney Havana round chain-embellished tortoiseshell acetate sunglasses was the seasonal bargain at theoutnet.com. Coming along with designer’s compact leather case, this is now yet another my travel accessories essentials after Chloé off-white pair. The half-transparent dark brown lenses provide a simply perfect transmittance; therefore, the reflection of icy lakeshore has done no harm to my eyes. The major reason of wearing sunglasses for the fashion fun photo shootings is that while the hair, the flow and the light are just nailing it, the half-closed pupils wouldn’t destroy the chance of the photo selection. With Stella McCartney tortoiseshell sunglasses, together with Vivienne Westwood orange wool scarf and grey Acne Studios long cardigan and Gina Tricot jeans, finding a crimson orange wooden wall near the neighbourhood for the snap shots, is purely our Easter hunt after strolling at the amazingly beautiful Palokkajärvi (62° N, 25°E. 62.276, 25.736). 

TOP TIP 1: Layering multiple fine virgin wool cardigans in order to keep away the heavy winter coats 

TOP TIP 2: Orange is the new black! Mix & match it with light grey, shining silver and olive green

Special Thanks: JMH 

Tea Time! Fazer Easter Egg, Blue Velvet Black Tea, Fortnum & Mason Biscuits, Smell Like Spring Spirit!

Happy Easter! 

Spring spirits shall start with some chocolate treats, lemon biscuits and organic fruity black tea! Indeed in my tea cupboard remains dozens of brown, green and black versions, while at Helsinki Coffee Festival, held between 12-14 April at Kaapelitehdas (Cable Factory), Théhuone (teahouse in Finnish) promoted varieties of fruit tea leaves, 3 packages for 10 euros; therefore, Blue Velvet, contains black tea leaves, passion fruits, mango dried mixed with roses and dragonflies petals becoming my spring time favourite, with the empty Bonne Maman mini jam jar is easy to restore. 

Boiling water till 97’c with 3-5 minutes, adding a small spoonful of Okinawa brown sugar if preferred, Blue velvet carries sweet-sour but not greasy taste. Together it is great with Fazer milk chocolate Easter egg, which, a pseudo hen eggshell with little blue sticker on, wrapping a large chocolate chunk, nursing gluten free ingredients of cocoa butter, almonds, hazelnuts, cocoa mass, flavouring and sugar, are the healthier choices to devour during the holiday season. 

My dear friends who reside in England always know my desiring wishes.  Besides the Fazer Easter Eggs, rotating the sunny yellow and tiffany blue tin can, Fortnum & Mason Lemon Curd biscuits inclusive of Calcium, Iron, Niacin and Thiamin, 29% salted butter and 9% lemon cheese, the sweet-sharp layering flavours are good together with spreading organic rose jam from Finland, some raisins and Finnish blue berries, so tea time is truly my brunch moments, after photo shooting there is no need of any lunch cooking. 

Russian Lomonosov porcelain is always my major flea market shopping target. Purchased in July 2018 at Helsinki Second Hand, 5 euros, this Rider’s cup has ivory-white based colour decorating with pastel pink, brownie brown and olive green plants pattern, is perfect for the spring time spirit, and Lomonosov Golden Grass tea saucer is good to display Fazer Easter egg. Although Cobalt Net blue is the most household pattern of the House, while some other minor collection is always my priority to hunt. 

For the photography, Jo Malone scented candles the practical embellishment and giving the ray of light, the dried roses the best to enhance the hues of the porcelain, and the falling rose pedals are the lovely ornaments on the tea table. I swap different containers onto different saucers to give some fresh looks, but the most important is to decide the major chromatogram. 2019 Easter tea time is based on pastel pink (roses, Arabia bowl, tea cup), plum purple (roses, Lomonosov Golden Grass saucer), with a touch of rouge red (Bonne Maman jar cap), olive green(tea cup and saucer) and vintage brown (lemon biscuits). 

LOOK FABULOUS, SMELL LIKE SPRING SPIRIT, Let’s start the high tea time! 

Special Thanks: Linda/Daisy 

THÉHUONE

Cuisine Crush Tallinn: Rataskaevu 16 in Old Town Estonia

March 3, 2019

Tallinn, Estonia

The real reason behind Rataskaevu 16 without the actual name is that the team getting bored of naming rehearsal, while our true purpose to visit the restaurant gastronomique, relying on that all 4 of us are curious foodies. After Miss Finlandia arriving Tallinn Terminal 2 before noon, we head straight to Rataskaevu 16 to first aid our roaring stomach. 

Stepping atop at the lime green door, passing through the wine tasting area, the rather more spacious master room surrounded with brick wall, and our reserved wooden table for 4 is next to the window view. The fresh maison-made full-grain dark bread is first served together with yellow butter, my order of fresh squeezed pineapple juice with slight amount of ice rocks refreshing the taste buds. Raw salmon and caviar salad is no doubt the best ice-breaking starter. With a thin slice of lemon, the dried baked white bread is more of biscuits. 

For the main dishes, we decided on ‘the little pig leg’ with artichoke and sour apple slices. The proportion between the fats and lean meat balances evenly, while the sauce with the traces of ginger and soybean, reminding our memories on the taste of Taiwanese traditional pig leg, which is much salty and greasy. ‘Chef’s choice of pan-fried white fish’ with marinated kohlrabi, lentils, raw beetroots, lemon-butter sauce is gluten free, the well chopped of scallion and leek are surprising matching the sweet texture of seafood. Our third main dish is beef tenderloin served with mushroom and truffle cream, roasted beetroot, ribbed celery, roasted tomato and red wine sauce. The fresh salad perhaps delightedly casual, while the softness of tenderloin dipped with rich and thick sauce is exceptionally exhilarating to our curiosity. 

We very much enjoy the rough and retro interior design, the friendly service, the transparent floor in the restroom, the good conversation and lovely friendship. 

P.S. The current menu may be differed due to the seasonal offers. 

Special Thanks: Daisy, Deer & LesLie

RATASKAEVU 16

Fashion Fun Tallinn! Vivienne Westwood Wool Wear & Balenciaga It Bag At Toompea Castle

March 3, 2019 

Tallinn, Estonia 

It is a surprise call from my Taiwanese friends to embark a mini trip to Tallinn, Estonia. With a bonus discount from Eckerö Line, the game of four departures from Western Harbour Helsinki; after 135 minutes, Miss Finlandia is arriving Tallinn Terminal 2 just before noon. 

The early spring offers the most beautiful sunshine but partly chilly wind once a while, so the outfit of the day in Tallinn is layering from Vivienne Westwood 100% cotton black ripped cardigan (purchased in Okinawa Ashibinaa outlet), Acne Studios Neve Face 100% wool black short cardigan and Acne Studios Raya Mohair 30% nylon, 30% wool, 28% mohair, 4% elastane long cardigan. For the outwears, Gina Tricot high waist light grey jeans, Vivienne Westwood 48% alpaca, 36% wool, 16% polyamide orange double-side scarf (also the great bargain in Ashibinaa outlet) and Acne Studios 100% virgin wool mini poncho. Finally, Mango 100% calf leather ankle boots and Mango 62% wool, 38% polyamide light pink coat have been always my favourite since March 2017. 

Balenciaga classic mini city tote is good for a medium wallet, a micro bag of essential cosmetics (5 ml mascara, 2 ml parfum, mini eyebrow liner, a Coco Rouge Ink, a tablet of contact lens, 3-4 dental floss and several rubber hairbands), an Elizabeth Arden 8-hour lip balm, key pouch, a box of plum mint and 2 iphones during the day trip. For the case of souvenir, a cotton tote bag is always useful, and it can be as the instant blanket if needed. The sunglasses is the only item I completely forgot to take with me, while the borrowed pair from Deer is amazingly perfect on the street style. 

The colour hues of outfit today are pastel grey, olive and pink, matching with bleak black and dark orange. Since the layering is composing with tender tones, an orange colour outstands at Toompea Castle. The whole earthwork was erected on the foundations of the crumbling eastern wing of the fortress built on this site in the 13th and 14th centuries. The castle with its late Baroque façade was constructed between 1767 and 1773, today houses the Parliament of Estonia. The pale stones, the old trees and grey pebble roads promote The Lord of the Rings touch, indeed, I am in deeply thrilled to take the fashion fun photos with Nazgûl! 

TOP TIP 1: Layering wear is the best way to cope with the chilly springtime in Baltic countries 

TOP TIP 2: Pastel colours are perfect with bleak black hues 

Special Thanks:Daisy/Deer Hsiao