Lady Mary Crawley

Ever cheerful, it is a rare silver lining that we ever miss, so while most of the world (did we mention that we're fond of hyperbole) is mourning the loss of Matthew Crawley, we are just happy that Lady Mary's grief has her back to her very best - cold, distant and perfectly poised.

And so, with Downton Abbey careering into the roaring 20s, we would like to present the following selection of Lady Mary inspired stuff.

Clockwise - Fringed bag: Coast, Lip and cheek tint: Benefit , Diamond ring: Annina Vogel,

Patent shoes: Zara, Headband: ASOS, Lace kimono: Topshop

RF Style Barometer #3

Style Icon: Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba may have been many boys' dream girl in 2006 (Can any of you actually tell me what the plot of Into the Blue was?! Yeah, I didn't think so.), but she is my fashion dream girl of 2013. I get a lot of fashion inspiration from bloggers, models, musicians and fashion magazine editors, but not many (somewhat recent) actresses have given me pause. What I most identify with in her style her dappling in tomboyish look and super ladylike silhouettes. And her accessories -- always delicate but lightly subversive with lots of gold, spikes and small hoops.  Take a gander at some of Jessica's recent fashion hits! And I'll be going off to mourn why they ended Dark Angel so abruptly. 

From her Cartier bracelet to her wishbone earrings, I have been seriously coveting Alba's accessories. While the Cartier nail bracelet's price tag sends me into convulsions, Nico New York's nail bracelet delights me in its clean look and price point! Upscalehare's Etsy shop also offers a cute wishbone-earring that also aligns with Jessica's earring style.

I was longing for florals this past summer, but they are back in action in a darker variety for F/W and Jessica shows just how to wear them. Also, I am very curious to dabble in a little bit of mock turtleneck as it gets a little colder this season. 

Jessica also appears to appreciate how a crop top can really add interest in a more covered up outfit. And how adorable does she look in this 60s inspired Miss Wu dress? RF girls always appreciate a good pert ponytail and we are certainly envious of Alba's! 

Love how this look is absolutely Autumnal without being too trite with overuse of oranges and plums. Jessica is now a guest editor at Piperlime.com and and her choices have a fab mix of casual and chic items.

With another style icon of ours, Solange Knowles! Rocking the heck out of the 3.1 Phillip Lim collection for Target. Any of our readers lucky enough to get any items from it?

HAIM Forever

Image credit: Josh Wool Photography

(From left to right)
Coast Cutoff Shorts - Nasty Gal Vintage

Belita Bootie - Nasty Gal Vintage

London Top - Shop Wasteland

Ella Hat - Free People

Ruby Woo Lipstick - MAC Cosmetics
Wreckless Skater Dress - Nasty Gal Vintage
Frankie B. Metallic Skinnies - Shop Wasteland

Maddie Sunglasses - Shop Wasteland
The Boyfriend Fit Moto Vest - Karmaloop

This summer had Miriam and I falling hard for HAIM but left us feeling a bit like shedding some tears like the men in the "The Wire." The reason being that so many of our friends saw them in concert this summer whether at Made in America or Glastonbury, but we have not yet been HAIM-ed yet. Our last chance for this year appears to be the iTunes Festival in London, so we will be crossing my fingers y'all! But while we are playing ladies-in-waiting, my honey and I will be pretending to be HAIM sisters. We're still waiting for some gloriously long, waist-grazing hair to grow in but the festival-inspired items should help our transformation. And if you haven't yet been exposed to the nu-folk + R&B stylings of Este, Danielle and Alana, you're better off watching the music video below. (Bonus points for anyone who can guess how many HAIM music titles I used in the paragraph above!)

Sheikha of Hearts

American Embassies might be closing here, there and everywhere across the Arab world, but for us there is a beacon of style drawing us to the Middle East; Sheikha Mozah (or Queen Banana) is  impossibly glamorous, perfectly put together and never puts a foot wrong as she walks the tightrope of dressing fashionably yet modestly. Actively involved in politics and listed as one of the world's 100 most powerful women -- never have we wanted to wear a turban more.

Clutch Bag - Nancy Gonzalez,  Eyeliner - Dior, Earrings - Arman Sarkisyan, Turban - ASOS

The Queen of Style

Clockwise from the bottom: Yellow handbag - Launer,
Unicorn pendent - At Work Gallery, Lace crown - Regal Rose, 

Etro purple paisley scarf - Liberty, Lion pendent - At Work Gallery, Check kilt - Topshop

"Was that?!" "No way?!" "Really, I think it was" "You're right it was!" "OH MY GOD!" Thus went our conversation following a rare sighting of The Queen, which is pretty much the same thing as seeing the last unicorn. And so, while the rest of the world might be getting all hot and bothered about the prospect of a brand new member of the Royal Family, we will remain as faithful as ever to the Queen of Style. Blessed with unrelenting grace, quiet dignity and killer bling, Queen Elizabeth II is a truly inspiring figure in what is frequently a vomit-inducingly vulgar world. We can't promise that wearing the above will give you the Queen's grace but it isn't a bad place to start.

Printspiration

(From top to bottom: Joan Smalls in J.Crew, Unknown street-style amazingness, Sara Mary in April Vogue Japan, Solange Knowles in concert, Kiko Mizuhara in April Frau Magazine)

One undeniable trend for S/S is mixing prints. Are you scared? So were we! Well, I think I still am a little scared but I'm trying to think of it as a thrill-seeking experiment. Sky-high roller coasters, horror movies, bungee jumping and mixing prints all induce the same amount of an adrenaline rush in my body. Ironically, what soothes me the most is when I see print mixing with bright, rich colors. If you have more trepidation, pair one bright print with a monochrome print. And finally, the best way to print mixing prowess is to wear accessories or outerwear that you feel confident in -- they could be more subdued like a oversized blazer or more bold like a statement necklace, but whatever gives you that internal "Daaaamn, I look cute, boo" sensation when you put it on. 

Miriam has already taken the print plunge and is dots-deep in an Urban Outfitter's Ghanaian-print bomber jacket, F21 polka-dot top, and geometric print clutch. I hope to follow her in footsteps and also the print-mixing queen, Solange Knowles. Whenever I feel the need for printspiration, I just shuffle on over to tumblr and type her name in the tags search. Go forth and printsper! Alright, I'm done with these puns... for now. 

Think Pink

Once again, as we find ourselves lost, we look to Grease 2for our salvation. Taking the pledge* and a colour favoured by our 5 year-old selves we have picked out our favourite pieces, which somehow manage to avoid looking infantile. Because, you know, adult baby is a pretty difficult look to pull off.

*"The Pink Ladies' pledge is to act cool, to look cool, and to be cool. 'Til death do us part, think pink."

Archie's Girls Lipstick - Mac, Blouse - Reiss, Wood and Rubber Clutch - & Other Stories, Metallic Shoes - Kurt Geiger, Maxi Skirt - Ted Baker, Satchel - The Cambridge Satchel Co, Cherie Bow Nail Varnish - Christian Dior, Trousers - Phillip Lim, Ring - CatBird, Neon Nail Polish - Star Gazer, Dress - & Other Stories, Sunglasses - Monki, Rosette Necklace - Aelska (Available at aelska studio)

Disclaimer: Maybe not all of it together. 

Tweet

Remotely Fashion has officially entered the twittersphere. Although, Miriam and I are proficient in most other forms of social media, twitter is a new thing for both of us. We will try our best to keep you entertained. Oh, and here is a picture of one of favorite style icons, Lana Del Rey, rocking some our favorite early Spring trends: crochet shorts, cozy sweaters, hair braids and floral headwear. And all the while holding a very twitter-like bird -- um, this is what we call kismet. Speaking of Spring, you may have noticed some Spring cleaning around the whole blog. We hope you like the new design. 

Follow us @remotelyfashion!

Hallo Spaceboy

 V&A's, Ziggy Stardust Silk Shawl / Nasty Gal, Space Unicorn Leggings / Barb and Bear, Bowie Ring / Monki, Ina Cap / Monki, Eyeball Bibi Patterned Tights / Urban Outfitters, Oxford Shoes / Monki, Alien Lizard Skin Sam Case / Zara, Neon Crystal Box Clutch / Nasty Gal, Dark Crystal Ring / Tatty Devine, Radiance Ultra Necklace / Topshop, Galaxy Nail Wraps

What with the excitement building for the V&A�s impending retrospective and his new song whirring around our brains, it would seem almost churlish not to spare a moment and marvel at the wonder that is David Bowie.  The video for �The Stars (Are Out Tonight)� is of course outrageously beautiful and we would do unspeakable things for the pink coat that Tilda Swinton glides around the supermarket in. But, faithful to the end, our hearts still belong to Ziggy Stardust and with that in mind here is our selection of pieces that are out of this world.

Touch the Sky

(Sky Ferreira on the cover of S Moda March 2013)

A fashion inspiration that has been on my radar for many moons is Sky Ferreria. It all started with a bout of tumblr-induced hair jealousy in her long, wavy, mermaid hair days. Then, I got hooked on her music -- it's sometimes teenaged Johnny Cash and other times a heartbeat-quickening pop beat. After seeing her music videos, I was even more drawn in because of her utter-abandon grunge style and avante garde lipstick application (see 'Sad Dream' and 'Red Lips' respectively). Basically, she almost makes me want to return my teenaged days and bleach my hair into oblivion. Almost. Oh wait, I already did that.

 
Listen to the beats and enjoy! Kthxbye! xoxo

All Hail Dot Cotton

As the first snow of December falls our thoughts naturally turn to all things festive and once again the big issues are on our minds, "how many mince pies is it acceptable to eat in one sitting?", "why is it called mince?" and "what misery is set to befall the residents of Albert Square during the EastEnders Christmas Special?" Whatever plagues the gods choose to unleash on that hallowed day, we can only hope that tragedy doesn't strike this lady. With her permanently manicured nails, red lip-sticked mouth and collection of fantastic coats, Dot Cotton graced our screens as the ultimate in style icons and she is set to return; cigarette smoking, sherry sipping, queen of silk scarves, Dot Cotton - we salute you.

Azealia the Mermaid

Azealia Banks, in these shots from Asos, is rocking some of our favorite Fall/Winter trends -- velvet, statement choker/collar necklaces, crop tops, and oxblood lips. Queen of the crop tops, Azealia Banks, always shows just the right amount of skin and balances it with quirky or creative styling. Even those terrified of crop tops can look to Azealia for inspiration on how to keep it alluring without being "a lot of look."And she makes us want to get forest green hair extensions and live underwater too. 

Blue Velvet

Just when I thought that my girl crush was under control...not so! In the words of The Cure, "Why Can't I Be You?"
Lana Del Rey, you're amazing/simply elegant!

How to be a Heartbreaker

One my newest style icons is Marina and the Diamonds (Yes, that is singular -- "we" are the diamonds). I think it's the edginess of her hyper-feminine style that draws me in. Why can't it be socially acceptable for 18th century style beauty marks to worn again? Take a listen to one of Marina's most informational tracks, "How to be a Heartbreaker."