What Not to Wear for a Night Out
Over the last month or so I noticed a strange and quite unattractive trend emerging…. every time I went out with friends to various private members clubs in London, I spotted a multitude of women dressed in sombre black dresses. Why? What is so appealing about dull, black dresses that their wearers think look attractive in a harsh, unforgiving light of a club? What message do they think this restrained elegance is sending? Sedative darling, not stimulant!
Many of those who are clad in this ill-fated attire don`t have a peachy, glowing skin. However, a lot of them have fab blond hair. Unfortunately, the blackness of the dresses make their complexions look ash-white, no matter how light their hair, or how bright their lipsticks are.
I always viewed members clubs as joyful playgrounds, and therefore worthy of a jewel-coloured garb. Below is a selection of bright outfits I wore at some of the venues. And not wanting to, I had no choice but to stand out from the mob of crows. Sisters – it`s time to embrace colour!
In a Manoush dress and Vivienne Westwood heels at Buddha Bar
In a Roksanda Ilincic dress at Home House
Fake Names at the Door
Champagne flown easily at the launch of the Mayfair`s newest events space, The Clubhouse. It was served in beautiful wide-rimmed glasses, which brought back sweet childhood memories of my parents drinking their bubbly from a similar looking goblets.
The Clubhouse is a specious, well-designed business club, lounge, and meeting space.
My friend and I decided to give false, ridiculously sounding names at the door and watched a gorgeous girl frantically scanning her tablet for non-existing names on her guest list. We couldn`t keep up a straight face and started laughing only seconds into her fruitless search, so had to admit our prank.
Keely Hunter's hat making party
I am `party-ready`, in a Missoni poncho
Trained at Kensington & Chelsea College, Keely Hunter explores conceptual and architectural structures to make original, unisex millinery. Her latest collection for SS/14, entitled Curvature Linear uses - among other materials – perspex; my favourite piece from this collection is a silver double triangle headpiece. I adore its clean lines and spectacular simplicity: http://www.keelyhunter.com/
It was a pleasure to meet Keely at a hat making party at Selfridges, which was staged as part of a programme of interactive events, to celebrate young talent in British art, fashion and design.
Keely (on the right, wearing a headband) was helping participants of the workshop make their own headpieces
I made this fascinator (on the left), which is not as fabulous as Keely`s (on the right), but my husband said he loved my design!
I am wearing a vintage dress
The crowd was a mix of distinctly middle-aged and middle class sophisticates, a few young, graceful, model-like creatures, a group of Mayfair patrons, and a handful of heavyweight foreign investors thrown in for a good measure.
Cool tunes offered by live DJ brought a handful of people onto a dance floor but one woman’s attempt at techno moves had her almost head-butting another dancer – not cool!
What is it like inside? Black carpet with white, entwined circles; shiny parquet on a dance floor; plush burgundy coloured velvet sofas with plenty of green and gold cushions to prop up a weary head; high-back chairs covered in plum fabric, mirrored walls, low-level coffee tables, a number of massive pictures of nude women cradled by scantily dressed men, and oversized chandeliers create an elegant interior. On one side, there is a row of Greek-style columns, and on another, a bar tucked into a corner; it looks so spookily similar to the one gracing the back wall of the Muse of Mayfair, I had to double-check where I was, as I couldn`t believe how alike the two were.
Behind Scenes at Revenge Wears Prada Launch 
Lauren Weisberger (on the right) and I (on the left); she signed my copy with her name and `xx`
The Amika Nightclub in South Molton Street was heaving with fabulous women; all were dressed in black, and keen to try on bright yellow stilettoes. I looked around and started chatting to my fellow `promo-girls`. We all had to sign a disclaimer, preventing us from claiming compensation for any injury caused by sashaying through a black carpet in five inch tall heels, which were given to us by the organisers at the beginning of this event. I grabbed a bottle of still mineral water which was cooling off, alongside Coca-Cola and Red Bull in silver containers, and gave my own shoes to one of the organisers who placed them inside a box, marked it with my name and piled it up on top of other boxes. My yellow stilettos were fab. Not particularly comfortable but they are not – by default – worn for relaxation. I received my race number – 30 – and it was pinned up on my front and back.
I am wearing a James Lakeland dress, and a Gucci bag
- `Hold onto a rail` – instructed a professional nurse, when we were leaving the nightclub through a steep staircase.
She was hired to provide first aid - if needed - but thankfully I only saw her distributing a few plasters for blisters, and not dealing with anything more serious.
We all came to South Molton Street this lunchtime to support the launch of a new book written by Lauren Weisberger, the author of a bestselling novel `The Devil Wears Prada`. Today, Lauren and HarperCollins publishers were launching a hotly anticipated sequel, entitled `Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns`. I was among forty or so volunteers who agreed to strut along a 50 meter black carpet, ogled by a crowd of passers-by and papped by an army of lens-wielding paparazzi.
Capital`s FM Lisa Snowdon, who was expertly flashing her long, tanned pins, hosted the event. We were grouped into six heats, each containing six stiletto-wearing participants. Each group power-walked through the black carpet, trying to look glam but also marching fast, as the first one to reach a finish line – marked by a yellow ribbon – was declared a winner of the group.
- `Number 30 have a nice wiggle` – commented Lisa, when I was powering down the black carpet.
- `Number 30 have a nice wiggle` – commented Lisa, when I was powering down the black carpet.
I came third in my group. The winners from each heat took part in a grand finale, with one strutter eventually declared winner. A trip to New York was a main prize but we all came away with a generous goody bags, full of treats from Vidal Sassoon, Elemis, Nails Inc, Ted Baker, Handel House Museum, and Monica Vinader.....and more. And – of course – a signed copy of a new book, as well as our very own yellow stilettos!
No comments:
Post a Comment