What's Black & White And Read All Over...?

Hello hello hello! How has your week been my darlings? Full of joy and wonder I hope. It's been an exciting week for me, kicking off last Saturday evening at The Wam Bam Club (www.wambamclub.com), enjoying the delights of the esteemed Lady Alex and co as mentioned in last weeks blog, then melting into a week of dressing wonderful ladies for all sorts of splendid events and tailing off into a burlesque extravaganza on Friday evening at Indigo at the O2 for An Evening Of Burlesque featuring the gorgeous Folly Mixtures, Kiki Kaboom, Chrys Columbine, Kalki Hoops, Slinky Sparkles, Hotcake Kitty, Ginger Blush and incredible Amber Topaz! Phew, it was certainly a night to remember! FANTASTIC!!

Anyway, onto business, this weeks outfit is something a little grown up and sophisticated, so sit up straight ladies, it's time to pay attention...

Do not adjust yours sets....I know it's rather busy which may frighten a few readers, but don't be scared ladies, a little bit of monochrome can't hurt....As you'll see, it a gorgeous nipped waist, 3/4 sleeve jacket with matching pencil skirt. This suit was bought from H & M (www.hm.com/gb/) some years ago and I still enjoy wearing it as much as when I first got it. Both skirt and jacket are satin lined giving it a good quality feel and the cotton is quite thick so it holds shape really well. I think this suit is perfect for any age, depending on the occasion and never fails to offer me a lady like demeanor.

In the photo above I haven't added anything under the jacket, which is sometimes how I like to wear it, if I know I'm going somewhere which won't involve me getting too hot and needing me to remove my jacket, however, for those occasions such as a wedding etc when it's a long day and sitting down for a meal will be part of that, I like to wear a blouse underneath...

The blouse I've chosen is from Warehouse (www.warehouse.co.uk) and has a gorgeous cute out detail on the shoulders and chest, perfectly complementing the pattern on the skirt as it serves as an extension of the design; the silky black fabric against my pale skin looks beautiful and with such detail also looks expensive. I also like how the collar sits on my throat, the scalloped edge sitting perfectly above the collar on the jacket...

But what about accessories? Well a suit this busy speaks for itself, so shoes and bag wise, stick to something simple, a plain black court and a nice black handbag, I've gone for a clutch on this occasion as I'm dressing it for a more formal event, however, this suit could easily be worn in the daytime for something more casual like afternoon tea, in which case I'd perhaps opt for a leather doctor's style or bowling style bag...

So, as mentioned, I'm taking this look down the formal avenue, and ladies, I'm REALLY going formal, feast your eyes on this beauty...

C'est chick, oui? Now, I know fascinators are very popular right now, and while I adore the small cute ones and own a few myself, every once in a while I feel like going a little bit crazy and sticking something like this on my head, whether it's for a wedding, an evening of burlesque or simply just afternoon tea, I realise it's not understated or discreet, but I don't care! Sometimes it's nice to just go the whole hog with a look and not care about the sniggering oick's on the train platform!

What I love about this fascinator is that the disc is flat and doesn't have the dimple for the head to sit in which is the more common design. I also love that it's sheer, another little unusual quirk. Now a word to the wise, while these types of statement pieces are gorgeous, they don't come cheap when looking around regular hat shops, which is why I got mine from Ebay, you really can't beat it, I got this hat for about £25, a steal compared to the £100+ prices I'd seen elsewhere.

So, you've seen the outfit and the accessories, onto jewellery. Again, keep it simple, no fussy additions please, I'd suggest simple pearl earrings, I'm having somewhat a love in with my pearl earrings lately, they seem to go with almost anything and are just so elegant, if you don't have any, go buy a cheap pair, you'll be amazed how much you come to rely on them!

Another week, another outfit which I'm excited to share with you and I hope you love.

Please let me know what you think, I'd love to read your comments below.

Don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter (LucilleVonFrock) & Facebook. If you need to contact me, then email me at helen@lucille-von-frock.co.uk or call me on 07547 635870 - don't be a stranger, get in touch! xx

Ps: Be sure to have a gander at my Von Frock's Vintage Hen's website (www.vonfrocksvintagehens.co.uk) and 'LIKE' it's page on Facebook!

Von Frock's Vintage Hens Facebook Page!

If you are coming to London for your Hen Night or birthday celebration and wish to indulge in some burlesque fun get in touch, I will come to your hotel, dress you and your friends, arrange for your hair & make up to be done in a vintage style in your hotel room then send you off with tickets to the top Burlesque cabaret show in London!! It's all so VERY exciting!

The versatility of leopard print....

Hello ladies (and gentlemen?) how are we today? Feline fine? Sorry, that was bad I know, but I had to shoe horn it in somewhere!

As you've guessed, today's look is all about leopard print and it's versatility, now some of you may immediately wince at the idea of looking like the Coronation Street icon that is, Bet Lynch, but believe me ladies, you need leopard print in your life, I am a HUGE fan of it and some would say I am bordering on the obsessive...which is why I've brought you two different looks, one for day and one for night...

So let's start with the daytime look...

You'll see I've teamed a gorgeous leopard print pencil skirt along with the shapewear black half sleeve top I've showcased before on here, both pieces are from TK Maxx (www.TKMaxx.com). I know a lot of people just can't get into the swing of shopping at TK Maxx, the whole process of trawling through the rails is just too much for them, but I love the feeling of finding a gem at a great price, especially if it's a designer label, if you've given up on it, give it another try, go on, you might just find a diamond in the rough!

Back to the outfit; to keep it casual and practical enough for daytime I've opted for some comfortable kitten heels from Next (www.next.co.uk), although I'm a big heels fan they're just not realistic to wear all day when you're out and about. I particularly love these shoes because they're totally in keeping with the vintage look, especially with the leopard print pattern on the inside.

Inevitably, in keeping with the image I've opted for my faithful old leather Vivienne Westwood bag, it's not too dressy but still exudes sophistication.

To tidy the outfit up I've added a wide elasticated belt which bonds the skirt and top. Furthermore, just as a little extra dressing to wear on a chilly afternoon I would furnish with a faux fur shrug for extra warmth...

To stay in keeping this look casual I'd stick with simple pearl earrings and a simple string of pearl's around the neck.

Now, let's turn this theme around and pep it up for an evening look with some va va voom...

MEOW!!!! This is truly a statement piece of leopard print which is actually an all in one body with built in corsetry from Agent Provocateur (www.agentprovocateur.com), making sure to hold me in in and push me out in all the right places. What I love about this piece is that although it screams VAMP it stays well clear of looking trashy with it's full length sleeves and high neck, not giving away an inch of flesh.  Although I've kept the skirt subdued with plain black, the satin fabric is another extension of the vampy vibe.

For me, the obvious choice of shoe in my wardrobe to wear with this outfit are my Carvela for Kurt Geiger (www.kurtgeiger.com) ponyskins with tassels worn with my Oasis (www.oasis-stores.com) black satin weave clutch bag...

Because the outfit is so sexy due to the figure hugging silhouette, the satin skirt texture and the bold leopard print these shoes are an extension of that, with their tassels swinging around when I walk there's something quite fetishist about them.

So, what does a vamp wear in the way of jewellery? Well, we know she's no shrinking violet and has expensive tastes, so the obvious choice is DIAMONDS!! Unfortunately, as I'm not married to a millionaire, my only option is to go for costume jewellery to pack a punch, for this look, the bigger and more ostentatious the better...

The earrings are from Betsey Johnson (www.betseyjohnson.com), the ring is from Swarovski (www.swarovski.com) and both are blingtastic! If these babies were real they would have been owned by Liz Taylor!

Another week, another couple of outfits which I'm excited to share with you and I hope you love like I do, so much so that I actually wore one just last night at burlesque cabaret evening Wam Bam Club (www.wambamclub.com), here's a pic...

Please let me know what you think, I'd love to read your comments below.

Don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter (LucilleVonFrock) & Facebook. If you need to contact me, then email me at helen@lucille-von-frock.co.uk or call me on 07547 635870 - don't be a stranger, get in touch! xx

Ps: Be sure to have a gander at my Von Frock's Vintage Hen's website (www.vonfrocksvintagehens.co.uk) and 'LIKE' it's page on Facebook!

Von Frock's Vintage Hens Facebook Page!

If you are coming to London for your Hen Night or birthday celebration and wish to indulge in some burlesque fun get in touch, I will come to your hotel, dress you and your friends, arrange for your hair & make up to be done in a vintage style in your hotel room then send you off with tickets to the top Burlesque cabaret show in London!! It's all so VERY exciting!!

Hello Sailor!!

Hello my lovelies, another week, another blog update!

This week I've opted for a nautical theme, a slap bang, right between the eyes, full on, no apologies, nod to the pin up's of the 40's and 50's! This dress is fun, cheeky and incredibly sexy!

I'm afraid it doesn't look much in the photograph as the mannequin doesn't have sufficient curves to show the dress to it's best, but nevertheless, I think you get an idea of where I'm coming from...

As you'll see, it's a navy pencil dress with a white edged bib, which is what gives it the nautical concept. I feel great when I wear this dress as it's so flattering, the fabric clings in all the right places and holds in the bits I'm not so confident about and because it's a pencil skirt style and hangs to just below the knee, it gives me that extra wiggle when I walk!

The dress is from Bettie Page Clothing (www.bettiepageclothing.com), a label I love, it's such good quality and totally caters for those ladies who love the vintage look, I can't recommend it enough.

Accessorising this outfit, I would opt for either white accessories, or red just to push that 'hello sailor!' look further...

On this occasion, I've teamed the dress with white shoes and straw clutch bag which I've featured on my blog previously, the shoes are from River Island (www.riverisland.com), the bag is from ASOS (www.asos.com).

Because the dress is such a showstopper I've kept jewellery simple, I've opted for this cute pair of Accessorize (www.accessorize.com) diamante swallows for my ears, another nod to the nautical theme as swallows are a traditional tattoo for sailors as they represent the endeavour to be 'homeward bound'.

I don't usually dip my toe into how to wear the hair but on this occasion I'd like to stick my neck out to complete the full image and suggest victory rolls, a la the beautiful Dita Von Teese..

Victory rolls are the epitome of of old school glamour for the hair, seeing a girl with victory rolls leaves me with no doubt, no matter how she is dressed, that this is a girl who loves vintage styling. If you're not familiar with this way of styling the hair and would like to attempt it, I'd recommend having a look on YouTube, it's a fantastic source for tutorial's on all types of vintage hair and make up styling, so if you're new to vintage, take a look!

Another week, another outfit which I'm excited to share with you and I hope you love.

Please let me know what you think, I'd love to read your comments below.

Don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter (LucilleVonFrock) & Facebook. If you need to contact me, then email me at helen@lucille-von-frock.co.uk or call me on 07547 635870 - don't be a stranger, get in touch! xx

Ps: Be sure to have a gander at my Von Frock's Vintage Hen's website (www.vonfrocksvintagehens.co.uk) and 'LIKE' it's page on Facebook!

Von Frock's Vintage Hens Facebook Page!

If you are coming to London for your Hen Night or birthday celebration and wish to indulge in some burlesque fun get in touch, I will come to your hotel, dress you and your friends, arrange for your hair & make up to be done in a vintage style in your hotel room then send you off with tickets to the top Burlesque cabaret show in London!! It's all so VERY exciting!

Hello, Marc Jacobs?

It's that time again and so glad you could join me for another dose of my blog!

So, how was your week? Did you enjoy the last gasps of summer before winter throttled it to death? I really do hope so, as I'm now looking to show you some more Autumn appropriate outfits, and this week to start off I've got a little something to make your eyes water, prepare yourself, you may need sunglasses...

Now, come on, you can tell me, you were expecting a colour palette of black, brown, navy or grey weren't you? Well, no siree, that's not what's on offer on my watch, I can't just go straight from sunshine to darkness, I have to be eased into it, so although the fabrics are thicker and more robust, the colours are still bright and cheerful!

As you can see, it's a 60's style suit, with green and black polka dot pencil skirt and mustard and black polka dot jacket /smock top which zips up at the back. The suit itself is from H & M (www.hm.com/gb/), bought very recently. As soon as I saw it I loved it, especially when I realised it looked very similar to a Marc Jacobs (www.marcjacobs.com) dress I'd seen as part of his Fall 2011 collection, as seen below on Beyonce...

Now, I get that they're different colours, but there's no mistaking where H & M got their inspiration from when designing this suit.

So, like Beyonce, I've styled mine in keeping with the sophisticated image that this outfit needs, not overdressing it too much and keeping it simple with a plain black stiletto and leather handbag...

Although this handbag is fine, I would prefer something slightly more structured, perhaps something like the bag below from ASOS (www.asos.com)...

I would even go so far as adding an elbow length leather glove for when the weather turns chilly, just for extra warmth, these are available from many places but I have found that Amazon (www.amazon.com) have quite a selection from numerous different sellers.

Jewellery wise, I would select a black button type earring, but as I'm yet to fully accessorise this outfit due to it's very recent purchase I've substituted that for classic pearl stud earrings as they always look understated and elegant.

Now, you've seen the outfit in it's glory for every day wear, here is a picture of the beautiful Myleene Klass modelling it for a photoshoot...

You see how the stylist has played on the quirkyness of the outfit, by adding more colours to the accessories; the blue hat; red gloves and white shoes? While I love what has been done here, I'm afraid this would only work for something like a photoshoot and not every day life, a classic shape like this suit doesn't come along at high street prices very often, so to make sure you get as much wear out of it as possible I'd stick to keeping the colour palette clean and uncluttered...no-one wants to look like a clown unless they have to!

Another week, another outfit which I'm excited to share with you and I hope you love.

Please let me know what you think, I'd love to read your comments below.

Don't forget, you can follow me on Twitter (LucilleVonFrock) & Facebook. If you need to contact me, then email me at helen@lucille-von-frock.co.uk or call me on 07547 635870 - don't be a stranger, get in touch! xx

Ps: Be sure to have a gander at my Von Frock's Vintage Hen's website (www.vonfrocksvintagehens.co.uk) and 'LIKE' it's page on Facebook!

Von Frock's Vintage Hens Facebook Page!

If you are coming to London for your Hen Night and wish to indulge in some burlesque fun get in touch, I will come to your hotel, dress you and your friends, arrange for your hair & make up to be done in a vintage style in your hotel room then send you off with tickets to the top Burlesque cabaret show in London!! It's all so VERY exciting!

Au revoir my lovelies!!