This was my favourite photoshoot taken while in New York. Spring filled the New York air – the impressive sight of cherry blossoms starting to bloom. I’m happy we were able to capture the moment. The cherry blossoms made a stunning backdrop for the photoshoot; a memory I will treasure for years to come.

I was also wearing some of my favourite new purchases that day; one item in particular, the Helmut Lang stretch leather pants. I have been looking forward to owning a pair of leather pants for a long time. I had three pairs in mind but was always hesitate to purchase them without first trying them on.

I started reading reviews on the Alice + Olivia front zip leather leggings and by the time I was done I decided I couldn’t go another day without these leather leggings. I ordered the size 0; I am always the smallest size in clothing and my concern was whether the fit would be too big on me. When I tried these on I couldn’t get it past my knees (huge disappointment)! The design was what attracted me to these leggings in the first place, however, the leather was thinner than expected and it looked like the leather would scratch easily. I was also thrown off by the unfinished hem so I decided to pass on them rather than exchanging them for a size up.

The other pair I had in mind was the J Brand Super Skinny leather pants which I had also read good reviews on. When I was in New York, I had my mind set on trying on both the J Brand and Helmut Lang leather pants.

I first went into the Helmut Lang boutique in Soho and tried on the stretch leather pants in size US 0. I did not want to take them off!  They look amazing on and are very comfortable to wear at the same time. The only adjustment I had to make was to take up the hem (I am 162cm) which a quality tailor can do easily (photos taken post tailoring).

I wore this outfit to lunch at La Bernardin. Le Bernardin is one of only seven restaurants in New York awarded three Michelin stars so we had to try it while we were here. We enjoyed a three course lunch.

Mel

My Outfit:

• Helmut Lang stretch leather pants (or here) and jacket
• Zara blouse and sandals
• Proenza Schouler PS11 Mini shoulder bag
• Storets faux fur coat
• Hermes Rivale bracelet (for close up photos see here)

The post New York Travel – Helmut Lang Stretch Leather Pants appeared first on Mel & Elle.

I have been lusting over the Proenza Schouler PS11 bag for a while now. Many times I have contemplated taking the plunge and purchasing this bag online (not available in Melbourne stores).

I knew I wanted it in black – it would be an everyday bag that is durable and does not dirty easily. Deciding on the size was my toughest choice, especially when I hadn’t seen the two sizes side by side. The Proenza Schouler PS11 shoulder bag comes in the classic and the mini.

When I was in New York last month, I headed straight for the Proenza Schouler boutique on Madison Avenue. After all, Proenza Schouler is a New York based brand so there is no better place to buy this bag than in New York. I first tried on the classic and my instant reaction was that the size of the bag looked ridiculous on my frame! To me it was more like a medium sized bag than a small day time bag.

As you can see from the photos, I decided on the mini. It is more proportional to my size and it carries all my daily essentials. In the bag, I can carry my Louis Vuitton Sarah wallet, keys, iphone 5, YSL lipstick and Giorgio Armani powder foundation! (Photos of inside the bag and what it can fit coming soon!)

Here is a sneak peek of my next outfit with the bag:

This was my favourite photoshoot taken while I was in New York last month.

Full outfit post coming up next!

Mel

The post New In – Proenza Schouler PS11 Mini Bag appeared first on Mel & Elle.

Zimmermann is known for its striking printed silks and this Zimmermann Rising Feather Twist dress from the Autumn/Winter 13 collection is no exception. You can find this beautiful signature print in other designs such as shorts, pants and one-shoulder asymmetric dress.

  When I am getting ready, this is definitely a dress I gravitate towards because of the flattering silhouette which has a fitted bodice and tulip skirt. It is also very fuss-free to wear. I can easily switch between dressy and casual through styling. I have worn this dress to a wedding but I know I can also wear this dress to have brunch by swapping heels for flats. My favourite feature of this dress as the name suggests is the twisted cutout detail at the back.

Mel

My Outfit:

• Zimmermann Rising Feather Twist dress
• Alexander Wang Lydia clutch
• Alexis Bittar ring and cuff
• Chanel earrings
• Zara sandals

The post Outfit Post – Zimmermann Rising Feather Twist Dress appeared first on Mel & Elle.

Isabel Marant Barbie.

The search is finally over. I found Barbie. If you remember the post I wrote about the sneakers a few months ago, you would probably know how much I wanted to take these sneakers travelling.

When I arrived in London I searched but to no avail, seemingly sold out everywhere. Moving on to Paris, I thought to myself that if I don’t find them here, I probably wouldn’t find them anywhere else. I rang the Isabel Marant boutique on Victor Hugo and voila! They had one last pair, and amazingly it was in my size!

The shop assistant spoke fluent English and was very friendly and helpful. The Isabel Marant shop itself was also beautiful, set back in an old Parisian building surrounded by greenery, which was unusual for a major street in Paris. The shoes were beautifully displayed and if you can’t find a particular style or color that’s on display, the shop assistant will show you a catalogue that has all the available styles and colors.

For those of you that have followed this blog for a while, you probably haven’t seen me in sneakers, like ever. That would be because I don’t own a pair! I used to have a pair of orange striped Adidas back in my uni days but those days are behind me, along with the shoes! Having said that though, I have always missed how comfortable the sneakers felt but it just didn’t feel dressy enough or give me the height that I desperately need (since I’m a shortie).

Initial impressions – I find these wedged sneakers to be the perfect combination of style and comfort.  I haven’t worn them in yet so will update you on how they feel soon. Oh, and for those of you who are interested in the specifics, I bought size 36 which is true to my size. They are fully suede but if you want half leather and half suede check out the model called Betty. Net a porter has nearly all the wedged sneakers and also the Dicker boots back in stock if you are wanting a pair.

Au revoir for now!

Elle

The post Isabel Marant Barbie appeared first on Mel & Elle.

So much love for the beautiful Chanel packaging at 31 Rue Cambon…and the earrings inside it of course.

Elle

The post Chanel 31 Rue Cambon Paris appeared first on Mel & Elle.

 The highly coveted and stunning Zimmermann Rising Gold Lace dress from the Autumn/Winter 13 collection is finally mine! It has been hard to track this dress down; it was sold out on the Zimmermann website almost instantly in all sizes.

I have a few weddings coming up this year so I decided to look through my wardrobe for potential dresses to wear. That’s when I realised most of the dresses I have are white/ivory/cream coloured which would be considered inappropriate for weddings unless you are the bride. Since then, I have been searching for dresses to wear to weddings and that’s when I came across the Zimmermann Rising Gold Lace dress. The delicate metallic French gold lace with scallop detail at the hem gives the dress a romantic feel and it’s NOT white!

This dress can be dressed up or down. In this case, I dressed it down by pairing it with patent ankle boots and a hat. For weddings, I would style this dress with black patent pointy heels and classic evening jewellery pieces.

Mel

My Outfit:

• Zimmermann Rising Gold Lace Dress
• Karl Lagerfeld gore patent-leather ankle boots
• Saks Fifth Avenue hat
• Necklace from South Melbourne market
• MNO.Logie clear clutch

The post Outfit Post – Zimmermann Rising Gold Lace Dress appeared first on Mel & Elle.