World Catwalk - Scotland Special!

This time, World Catwalk has taken a trip to Scotland… one of my two homes (the other being Beirut) and a place of many different looks.

I figured it would be a fun experiment to chronicle Scottish style through my stylish friends.
Generally speaking, I love and I loathe Scottish (and British) style in equal measure as we can get it so right, and then round the next corner, so wrong.
I know that can be said for any nation. But what I’m talking about isn’t the no-clue-no-care getting it wrong, but in fact the trying-so-hard-to-get-it-right-I-got-it-wrong, getting it wrong.

Did that make any sense?
Well, it did to me.

I am not, nor have ever claimed to be, a stylist or fashion knowitall. I do, however, realise my own sense of ‘cringe’ upon seeing a nice pair of shorts teamed with the wrong tights/sandals/sequins combination (in the middle of the pouring rain no less), or a horribly neon tracksuit with equally horrible matching neon trainers/headband/handbag look (seen it). In all fairness, I am also the first to point to the stylish girl on the other side of the street and say how brilliantly put-together her outfit is, or how cute her boots are (more often than not). I think I am developing a rather if not altogether unhealthy obsession with other people’s boots. Hey ho.

The average Scottish girl’s style is, dare I say it, largely magazine fed, celebrity-inspired, cunningly created on the high street with online shopping buys adding a little individualist flare to each outfit. From the hair to the nails, to the enterprising use of leggings, these girls read magazines and they know how to work a bit of Vivienne Westwood into their H&M/Urban Outfitters collab. Glasgow is also clearly home to the world’s largest collection of painfully-cool Korean, Chinese and Japanese students, who know how to don quirky shoes, amazing skirts and where-on-earth-did-you-get-those accessories.

Hats off to my Scottish girls though, as I would say they are some of the world’s best at effortlessly dressing up skinny jeans and despite (or perhaps because of) the weather, religiously maintaining their fake tanning regime! Yeah!

On to my World Catwalk ladies, starting with...

Show & Tell - Maggie's Farm Boutique, Dundee

It was just by chance that I happened to glance inside to the magical interior of Maggie’s Farm Boutique, carefully and cleverly designed by owner, Laurissa Drysdale.

It was a love at first sight moment – when I clapped eyes on a gaudily upholstered armchair in the shop window, its pink and gold combination waving at me like an old friend. Oh, how I exaggerate. It was subsequently a heartbreak moment upon discovering the wonderful chair had in fact already been sold! Damn these one-offs and their finders keepers charm.

Clothes and amazing furniture - I'm in heaven!

And it’s not just chairs… this beautiful boutique has all sorts of dreamy numbers for the vintage junkie. Chairs, chests, chic dresses and bags, pretty playsuits, scarves, tees, shorts, jackets, jewellery… someone STOP me! Playing in this fairground of inspired style, colour and detail, I daydreamed of a wardrobe that emanates cool like Ashley Olsen, style like Rachel Zoe, and quirky chic like Le Blog De Betty and all sorts of other nonsense that I needn’t (read – shouldn’t) divulge. If you get the chance to pop in, you’ll understand why, and maybe have a few daydreams of your own…

Chair, £125 | Dressing table (behind), £395

Her stock, its detail, diversity and lack of mainstream availability, is in fact the reason why Laurissa’s beautiful boutique (named after a Bob Dylan tune, in case you’re wondering) has remained one of Dundee’s secret successes. “I hate when I spend a fortune on an outfit, only to go out and discover everyone else is wearing the same thing,” Laurissa told me. I couldn’t agree more.

The interesting (and appealing) thing about Maggie’s Farm is that not only does it provide the high street shopper with a quirky vintage alternative to the mass produced Primark / New Look fare, Laurissa also buys in non-vintage pieces and re-works them for an individual, unique twist on a modern product. Alongside this clothing fantasy, she also stocks wonderful jewellery and Ashley Olsen-worthy bags. I have a crush on the fringed leather masterpiece that comes in tan and black (below).

My Favourite 'Work Lipstick' - Revealed!

The real colour of the lipstick... pretty bright - but I like it!

On a recent long haul flight (working Tokyo to Dubai – 11.5hours + 2 hours as I applied it pre-departure of course... so a total of 14 hours by the time I took the photographs below), I put my favourite ‘work-lipstick’ to the ultimate test.

Tested: Maybelline SuperStay 24hour Lip Colour in Red Passion

I applied it around two hours before the flight departed… and it looked like this (no editing involved here):

Picnic in Pink

As an air hostess, days off become treasured moments, special occasions even, and if there's one thing I like more than a day off, it's a day off spent in the park, with a picnic.

So far this year, my picnic count sits at three. Each one has been distinctly different to the other so here's my personal Do & Don't guide to an alfresco dining success, whoever you decide to throw your picnic party with!
Plus, it's Monday, so what better way to start the week than to plan a picnic for the  coming weekend?

 

Picnic with friends, or your own family - my sister (above) came with me

 
DO wear pink - it's my personal picnic colour of choice :)

DO try weird new food - if it's totally foul, you don't have to put on that "mmm, I'm really loving it" face that you might have to with anyone else...

DO cute makeup / bedhead hair

DO bring your iPod and some speakers, just for the purposes of annoying the romantic couple taking pictures of themselves next to you... [cue evil laugh mwua-ha-ha]

Travel Wardrobe - Frankfurt, Germany

Returning home from my too-short trip to Spain, I realised I'd had a little post-Madrid wardrobe inspiration. As I packed for another destination, I got a little more excited than usual as I pulled out a few of my favourite high street items forgotten at the back of my wardrobe.

As an air hostess, each new stopover requires route-specific outfit packing, sometimes for weather completely opposite from the previous. With new ideas influenced wholly by the mixed looks of Madrid’s street style señoritas (you can see the post HERE) I packed my 'Travel Wardrobe' for Frankfurt, Germany. I hope you like it!

Leopard print scarf, H&M

Skinny jeans, Salsa

Ankle boots, Primark

Sunglasses, H&M

Right now, Dubai is way too hot for the scarf and the ankle boots - so I enjoy the novelty of wearing them on my trips to Europe which is still cool and rainy. When I'm back in the desert, I might subsitute the boots for simple sandals and a lighter scarf as a cute headband (read: no idea what to do with my hair in this humidity).

Hope you like my choices... what did you wear today? Send me a link to your blog/twitter/instagram/pinterest :)

Love from travelling Dolly x

World Catwalk: Destination Madrid

Beautiful Madrid...

Spanish girls use their smile as an accessory.

It sounds simple (and I admit, pretty cheesy), but it seems to me to be an extremely effective way of making any outfit look cuter, funner (yes, I know that’s not in the dictionary), quirkier, even trendier.

The confidence that underlies the posture and expression of the Spanish girls I saw in the streets of Madrid, was fun to watch!

I strolled along Grand Via (pronounced Grand 'Bia' by the Spaniards, which, along with their lisping really threw me off) and the little streets leading to it, noticing that the girls seemed to have fun bouncing in and out of the different shops, deciding what to buy next.

Note: The same cannot be said of the staff inside said shops. I was disappointed, but not altogether surprised by the attitude that came steaming off Zara’s assistants like fumes… well, have you ever been into Zara and not  been looked up and down like you just landed at Paris Hilton’s birthday party in your pyjamas?

Oops, sorry. Personal rant over, promise.

Back to the sunny Spanish girls who inspired me with their street style!

The first was the beautiful Arlim (actually from Peru), who shyly showed us a very pulled-together look with her aviator sunglasses, cool scarf and to-die-for boots. I loved everything about this outfit – absolutely everything!