Fashion x Dubai x Amsterdam

So I go through phases of travelling, sometimes I do it a lot, sometimes not at all - depending on my schedule... Plus, my family live at the opposite side of the country from me, so if I do ever visit, it means I have to haul all of the things i'm working on over to theirs and continue working. Being a typical girl, when I do travel, I tend to overpack.I recently went to Parismay or may not have taken a few too many pairs of shoes with me and an extra 3 outfits (you just never know!).... And this all brings me to this post.

1. The Classic Shirt

2. The essentials. L-R:

Lancome Dream Tone, Nip + Fab Dragon's Blood serum, Naked 1 palette,Benefit Roller Lash, Benefit High Beam, MAC Brave lipstick, Mac Pink Treat lipliner

3. Kate Spade New York Cross Body Bag from Shopbop

4. The trust culottes

5. The smart shoe

6. The versatile crop

7. The smart going out shoe

For me, the work wardrobe just has to fit around culottes. There is no other piece for me, and let's face it I own a pair in every colour at this point! They're probably the most versatile style garment i've ever had, and can easily be dressed up or down while remaining smart for whatever field you're in.

giri amangiri suite desert lounge The Style traveller

Love Can Take You Round The World…

This year we have been fortunate enough to have Valentine’s Day fall over the weekend, so embrace this romantic time of the year and whisk your other half away on a luxury escape. Dine at world renowned restaurants and check into some of the best hotels for a sumptuous end to your night. Treat that someone special to an extraordinary and special valentine’s gift with the help of The Style Traveller andQuintessentially Travel… Don’t worry we’ll let you take all the credit!

LOVE IN THE DESERT – Amangiri, Utah pictured above and below

Whisk your loved one away to experience a memorable weekend of romantic stargazing, in this remote hideaway nestled between the Southwestern Canyons. Begin your long weekend of opulence with a hike up to the peaks to watch the sun rise above the cliff tops. Experience the local cuisine and be amazed by the classical sounds of a private violin concert performed by the Carpenter siblings. A romantic weekend away here will simply be music to your loved ones ears.

Berkeley Hotel London Valentines The Style Traveller

giri_girijaala_suite The style Traveller

Bamford Spa Berkeley Hotel London The Style Traveller

Palais Namaskar Marrakech The Style Traveller

AN OASIS OF LOVE – Palais Namaskar, Marrakech

For a magical weekend of true romance check in to this luxury oasis, set between desert and mountains in Marrakech. You will be treated to a fragrant candlelit bath, an indulgent couple’s oriental spa treatment and a private tailor-made dinner in the exquisite gardens. You will certainly experience a seductive weekend in sultry Marrakech.

what to wear in Marrakech The Style Traveller

What to wear in Paris Vestiere Collective

What to Wear to Paris Fashion Week

No one does understated, chic style like the Parisians. The key is mixing finely tailored pieces with more casual staples. Accessories should be elegant and suitable luxurious to add a glossy finish to the look. Channel the fashion editor’s style, look to Carine Roitfeld and Emanuelle Alt to see how it should be done properly. Et Voila!

Image above, clockwise from left to right:

Black Cashmere Jacket – Celine Sunglasses – Dior Tan vintage wrist watch – Cartier Grey cashmere sweater – Isabel Marant

Black monogram handbag – Saint Laurent Black ankle boots – Celine Jeans – APC

All available at Vestiaire Collective

Loewe Paris fashion week photo Andrew Arthur

Above: The fantastic JW Anderson collection for Loewe which showed in Paris on Friday. Photo credit –Andrew Arthur

The Shows to Watch

From high drama and a star studded front row at Balmain (including Kanye, Kendall, Gigi and all the old school supers from Crawford to Campbell), the excitement to see the new J W Anderson collection for Loewe (which has been my star show of the week), to the anticipation of the Vêtements Collection, which is THE new label of the moment.

The appointment of Demna Gvasalia as Artistic Director of Balenciaga has generated an exciting new buzz for the brand, due to Gvasalia’s incredibly successful launch of Vêtements, establishing it as the brand of the moment in just two seasons.

Of the ‘old’ fashion houses, Mugler might appear somewhat outdated. However, since the arrival of David Koma as Aristic Director two years ago, the French brand is in full revival mode. Koma has maintained the minimalist aesthetic and given it a sophisticated and modern makeover.

Still to come on Wednesday is the Louis Vuitton show. With two years under his belt as Creative Director, Nicolas Ghesquière has breathed new life into Louis Vuitton and it’s once again one of the most highly acclaimed shows in Paris.

From left to right: The Balenciaga show, JW Anderson for Loewe and David Koma for Mugler.

Clockwise from left to right: Le bar des Bains, The Broken Arm et le Dauphin.

Where To Go

Shopping in Le Marais
• Escape the fashion crowds at The Broken Arm in the trendy Marais area. Stop and shop the small but incredibly well curated selection of pieces on offer, plus take advantage of their delicious lunch menu.

• Just next door to Le Chateaubriand, and also run by Inaki Aizpitarte, is Le Dauphin. With a beautiful, ornate setting that features alternating mirrors and marble tops, it’s the perfect place to enjoy drinks and dinner.

• After its re-launch a year ago, ex night-club Les Bains is now a shiny new 39-room hotel that played host to Dior’s starry after party last year, and with Givenchy and Tommy Hilfiger following suit it’s one of the most stylish spots in town.

Hotel Costes dining room The Style Traveller

Above: Champagne and socialites, cocktails at Hotel Costes

The Style Traveller classic Parisian cocktails haunts:

Drink Aperol spritz with the hipsters at Le Pearle. Sip champagne with celebs and socialites at Hotel Costes. Make time for a cocktail or two at The Hemingway Bar at The Ritz.

Hotel-Particulier-Montmartre-Paris where to stay fashion week

Above: Post fashion week unwind and relax in my favourite suite at Hotel Particulier Monmarte, the quintessential Parisian town house away from the fashion crowds. (pictured above)

Good bye from Paris Fashion Week.

Saint Barth’s is without doubt one of the most fashionable islands in the Caribbean, especially when it comes to luxury fashion. For a tiny island it certainly has an impressive array of designer shops, including Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Chanel, to name a few. So it comes as no surprise that the jet set tourists and a-list islanders alike are well dressed, chic and elegant sartorialists .

Here’s The Style Traveller’s street style special of the most stylish ladies I spotted. And all in one afternoon at Cheval Blanc and Le Guanahani.

St Barth's - Street Style What to wear when you're there

Sarah Cinnamon looks tres chic in her baby pink romper suit, which is perfectly coordinated with the signature pink hue at Cheval Blanc.

Maxi dresses needn’t be frumpy, go for a sheer style in elegant black and pair with a sleek clutch to show off your beach cred.

Match a crisp, white, cotton day dress with black accessories for a classic holiday look, heart shaped sunglasses add a fun twist.
Match your outfit to the elements, this beautiful floaty cover up accents the sea and the sky perfectly.

Go all out bling with prints, colours and clashing accessories for a look that’s sure to get you noticed.

Pretty in pink. Show your soft side with a cutesy off the shoulder beach dress. Style Traveller tip? Exposing only your feminine neckline and shoulders is a great way to distract the eye from other areas.

The Style Traveller Bonnie Caribbean fashion

The Style Traveller, Bonnie, posing at Le Guanahani, wearing a light weight fabric sarong and cropped top. Beach cheat? Exposing the upper midriff (which is usually the thinnest part on most women’s bodies) is an easy and flattering way of looking more toned by the beach.

Malaysia – What to wear when you’re there

When packing for Malaysia, specifically Langkawi and Ipoh (the two destinations I visited on this trip) the main thing to bare in mind is the humidity. I went in rainy season, October, so the mornings were incredibly hot, with a spot of rain in the afternoon, followed by a slight drop in temperature in the evening. If you’re staying in luxury hotels like The Danna or The Banjaran, ramp up the glamour factor in the evening, guests dress up for dinner and cocktails. Also remember the air con inside is often much cooler than the temperature outside so take a light cover up. Here are some lovely outfits the girls wore on the trip, to give you an indication of what to pack for Malaysia. Photo’s shot on Langkawi Marina, thanks to Naam Cruises.

Me on the balcony at Roo’s Beach wearing Whistle’s top, Warehouse trousers, New Look boots, Topman beanie and Accessorize necklaces

Travel buddies – left to right – Cass, Lucy, Rico, Me and Ben

What to wear when you’re there?
The style vibe in Cornwall is dressed down and laid back, there’s little need for heels and handbags here, more Breton tops, beanie hats and anoraks! The key word to remember when packing is ‘layering.’ The weather is changeable, sunshine one minute can turn into a thunderstorm the next, this is England after all! Pack waterproofs and hiking boots for coastal walks and bikinis (if you’re felling optimistic), plus hoodies and cover-ups for a day at the beach. You might want to get a little bit more dressed up for an evening at a restaurant, but even here the sartorial requirements are very relaxed.

Skater shoes – Kurt Geiger, Anklet – Accessorize

Beach bag – Mint Velvet

Wetsuit – Neon

Where to stay?

We stayed at Roo’s Beach House directly above the eponymous concept store on Porth Beach. The bright, colourful interiors are perfect for groups of friends or families alike. It sleeps 6 people in 3 rooms, with a sunny, open-plan living room, which opens out onto a beach facing balcony. Decorated with retro, surf-inspired, pop art pieces it’s homely and fun. The best bit is the location right on the beach, 5 minutes drive to Newquay in one direction and the culinary fishing village of Padstow in the other.

The sunlight streams through the windows in the living area

Where to Shop? Directly below the apartment is Roo’s Beach boutique, concept store. Stocking a gorgeous selection of hard to find brands that are perfectly beach-life inspired, brands include Vans, Levis Made and Crafted, Beck Sondergaard and Eidon swimwear to name a few.

Roo’s Beach Store is an Aladin’s cave filled with kitsch accessories, make-up, clothing and homewares

The perfect poolside accessories – waterproof Sunnylife Beachsounds radio

A beautifully edited collection of retro print clothing and homewares available in store at Roo’s Beach and online

Head to Salinas beach to buy a neon crochet dress from the beautiful shop at Sa Trinxa

Ibiza – What to Wear When You’re There

Ibiza is completely spontaneous, there’s always something fun going on if you know where to look. A day by the beach chatting to new people is just as likely to lead to an impromptu invite to a yacht party, as it is an underground cave rave in the North of the Island. You get swept away in the moment and there’s no time to get changed. So my first rule of dressing is ‘make sure you’re covered for all eventualities’.

Akiko rocks white and neon, two big trends for the season

A good tip is to wear a bikini under all of your outfits, beach and club, especially a neon one if you want to stand out from the crowd. For daytime think boho, boho, boho, no I’m not crying, it’s the style which encapsulates the whole ethos of the island. Chanel global traveller meets cool rock chick in the day. And for night time clubbing ramp up the glam factor and seek out the sequins and shine.

Tassel bikinis and denim cut offs were a big hit in Ibiza this season

Me dancing on my friends yacht in a Lotus London kaftan

Looking graceful in a cut out swimsuit

The fashion show at Blue Marlin where you buy dresses straight off the models back!

Wedges or jewelled flat sandals work well for both night and day. Ibiza has such a mash up of styles and trends that girls in bikinis and flip flops dance alongside perfectly groomed party princesses. Make up wise sun kissed natural beauties always looks so much better in the heat, like wise sea salt tousled locks. To look like an islander wear white, it’s a cool colour for the day and glows bright under the UV lights at night, perfect for the White Isle.