Friday, April 29, 2011

A cup of tea and a few tears

I had every intention of getting up to watch the wedding of the decade....Alarm set for 3am?  Check!  Actual time I woke up?  6am.  Alarm FAIL!  I have no idea what happened there, but here I am searching for and watching video highlights and hoping to catch the whole thing at a later time.  I decided to be thematic and drink a cup of tea while doing so.  Should have picked up some crumpets.

When William arrived at Westminster Abbey, alongside his brother Harry, the two looked absolutely dapper in their uniforms.  I definitely choked up a little bit when the announcer mentioned how proud Diana would be to see her two sons at that moment.  I also thought it was cute how nervous Harry looked, even more so than Will. 


FINALLY, The Dress is revealed.  After all this talk, there is so much pressure for it to be perfect, but I can honestly say I think it is, especially for her and for the occasion.  The lacy Grace Kelly-esque gown was apparently made by a team of 60 seamstresses headed by Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen.  The combination of both modest tradition and modern touches, including the sheer hints of skin and curve-hugging bodice truly encapsulates Kate's classic-with-modern-twist style.  She didn't bother trying to outdo Diana's gown, keeping the train to only 8 feet long. The detailing in the back is stunning as well, with an intricate bustling at the back, blending into flattering lines that run down the back and sides. My eyes were full of tears watching her arrive alongside her father....she just looked beautiful and SO happy!


Kate's sister Pippa was her maid of honour and also wore Alexander McQueen.  I was shocked to see she was also in white...I would have thought that anyone wearing white to this wedding would have been escorted out by the guards.  On a side note, I have to say her entire family is seriously gorgeous.  Her mother is still a ROCKET, so good on you, Wills! 


MILF Carole Middleton
During the ceremony, you can tell how happy and in love the couple are.  It's sick how obsessed we all are with their relationship, but I think what it really is with THIS particular duo is that they truly seem like they will make this work.  Their union is in so many ways a much more natural one.  Not to mention, Kate being a "commoner" keeps all us other commonfolk feeling like we, too, can be royalty one day hahaha.  When during the vows, Will recited "With all my worldly goods, I thee share", I think anyone watching probably thought "oh HELLS yeeeeahhh!". 


Will looks like he's containing a smile and failing.


The happy couple-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Chose this particular photo of the balcony kiss because I absolutely love the grimace on the little one hahahaha "Stop SHOUTING!"
And finally, the styles I loved from the guests:


Princess Eugenie in Vivienne Westwood and Princess Beatrice in Valentino, both topped with Phillip Treacy hats.

Santa Montefiore and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson both look stunning.  Love the colours and the head pieces and clutches, as well as the fur stole.
Had to include this pic of the cute itsy bitsy royals.  LOOK at those mini-princes!

Pregnant Victoria Beckham is still rocking towering Christian Louboutin heels.  Love it.  What a hot couple.

This picture is hilarious.  I feel it belongs in some romantic comedy about three sisters plotting revenge, sneaking into a wedding and getting caught.  Hilarity ensues.
These three are actually sisters on Diana's side of the family-daughters of her brother Charles, Earl of Spencer – and first cousins of William and Harry.

Last but not least the Queen looked positively glowing in her yellow ensemble by Angela Kelly.

No lie, I own the cheaper version of this outfit...bought it at a charity bazaar two years ago because it reminded me of Jackie O. Must take picture of me in it with the queen side by side!
Look at that topper!



 And style fail:

Harry's on-and-off  girlfriend, Chelsy Davey, wore an ill-fitting aqua ensemble with a ho-hum head piece.  Her skirt hem looks like she did something last-minute, dare I say using TAPE or something equally terrible to shorten it.  Shudder.

That's my take!  I will still hopefully be watching the wedding at a later time, but I couldn't wait to watch the highlights and blog about the styles!  Think I might need a new hat, you?

xo Amber

Monday, April 11, 2011

Election Fever

I have been a big slack-faced slacker this last week or so.  I don't know what happened there, whether it was a post-OFW slump or the fact that I've been totally overwhelmed by projects or if it's just good old-fashioned laziness, but every time I think about creating a new post, I feel wayyy too uninspired to do so.

WELL, enough is enough.  I'm leaving Thursday for Toronto to volunteer on the federal election campaign.  Actually, not to bore you with the details, but my boss is not seeking re-election, so my co-worker and I are actually helping with the new candidate's campaign in our (old) boss' riding in Scarborough.  This will be my first election experience, so I'm pretty excited to go down and get involved.  Futhermore, I am jobless as of May 3rd *not totally accurate because I still work part-time at a restaurant*, which is pretty strange/crazy/exciting/nerve wracking.  Anyway, I have a LOT of decisions to make in the next while and I have these middle-of-the-night urges to book a one-way ticket  to some overseas destination and just completely vanish for a while.  This is what change does to me:

1-External factors pop up, causing or representing imminent change
2-I react with a mature outlook, framing the scenario with a holistic and responsible frame of mind
3-Thoughts begin to creep in, slowly blasting away initial healthy response
4-Irrational and impulsive ideas begin to look like viable options
5-Emotional responses ensue, often without warning and usually triggered by relatively innocuous stimuli
6-I make a decision, usually a compromise between dullishly responsible and fully ludicrous
7-Life returns to "normal"...for the moment

I just got through a doozy of a #5, which I believe contributed to my aforementioned lack of motivation to do anything useful.  I haven't, however, completed #6 yet, sorry.  I have to decide whether I want to continue working on Parliament Hill or to find something else entirely.  I don't know about you, but sometimes it really bothers me that some jobs require "university degrees" and "experience".  I already GOT a g.d. university degree....why can't that just translate to "good at everything", seeing as clearly I am.  My mom says I'm an Amazing Amber, so file that under "relevant experience" why don't you?  Yeah!

Anyway, I'm getting super off-topic.  This blog is supposed to be about fashion.  I have, in the spirit of the election trail, compiled some inspirational photos of ideal campaign ensembles that I wish I could pack in my LV luggage and hit the trail.  Instead I'll likely ram a bunch of stuff into an American Apparel duffel and call it a day.  Some dream looks:


Canvassing
The flawless Jackie O shows us how it's done WITH A SENSIBLE SHOE no less

Rallying

 
More canvassing
Nothing like a classic beige trench to pull any outfit together.
This girl kind of looks like she's rocking the "flasher look", so please note I will not be trying THAT hard to secure votes.


Jogging between rally and dinner, I presume


Again, more canvassing



Victory Party
Red Bettie Page shift dress.  I actually own this beauty-bought it at Hush in Westboro


If I get opportunities to take pics of what I end up wearing, I will do so and post when I return.  I've been eyeing a pair of Paige super dark wash high rise trouser jeans that are WAY outside my budget (considering I will be jobless v. soon), but they are perfect for both casual engagements AND with a blazer can be totally business.  Literally being "business casual" without triggering a gag reflex is, like a Visa commercial, priceless.

xo Amber