Oh Layla

'Layla, you've got me on my knees

Layla, I'm begging, darling please.

Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind' 
(Lyrics from Eric Clapton's Layla) Click on link to hear song
The song was apparently Inspired from a romantic Persian love story.  The tale of a young man who fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful woman but is forbidden by her father to marry him and hence he went crazy.

On that note.....introducing my "Layla." Standing at 50cm tall with close to 20 hours in the making, Layla is ready for the world and like in the romantic love story....is beautiful(in my eyes). For those that hadn't seen Esmeralda or Little Miss Sunshine please click on the links to view past posts on these other mannequins.
My inspiration for Layla came from the exotic forests of South America - hence the use of orange and turquoise feathers, flowers, butterflies, snakes as you will see in detail below. Layla is quite glamorised with her gold tassel skirt and beaded bust as I tend to love doing with all my ladies. Again like the others, every detail is hand stitched or glued on.  She is for sale!!  If I could keep them all, I would.....but it is important they spread their wings and travel the world. Unlike the hopeless case of the young man in the tale....my Layla can be married off.   For information please see bottom of post.

In her full glory: three types of feathers, two gold skirts, flowers, butterflies, snakes, birds...the lot. 

Feather detail.....colours of exotic South American birds

Her glamorised bust adorned with beads, jewellery, diamanties. Notice the fine lace flowers pasted on the gold painted bust as a base before applying all the beading. It is layering upon layering. 

The golden snake......

A little birdie told me......

The back of her: large flower, more feathers and of course my signature 'butterflies" that I can't live without.

The base has an arrangement of blue and orange flowers attached....like on her neck. And look at that gold dazzling skirt!! If you look hard enough, you will also see another shorter skirt which is gold cut under it all.  Again, layering upon layering. 

As mentioned above, Layla is for sale.  Please make all enquiries to stylebygessica@gmail.com

I custom make the mannequins and also make lifestyle - 2m high!!!  They make eye- catching art decor in your home, shop, hotel foyer,bar, restaurant, party.  If you would like one of these ladies in the colours of your choice, that is not a problem.  You may also have special jewellery, fabrics you've collected over the years that you'd like me to add.......I can work with these too. Email me with any enquiry. 

I am ready to make another one..........keep you posted

Love Gess X

P.N. Just a reminder that for those that have signed up to receive my posts via email, if you find you can't open images or videos, then simply click on the "title" of the post at the top of the page and it will automatically take you back to my blog. From there you can open files.

Let's Go Bohemian

According to the dictionary, the term "Bohemian" is applied to people who live unconventional, usually artistic, lives. The original Bohemians were travellers or refugees from central Europe (hence, the French bohémien, for "gypsy").
I have loved this spirited, feminine style since I was a little girl and in fact was nick named "zingara" in Italian by my family which translates to "gypsy".  It is the seemingly effortless elegance of  combining flowing fabrics, bright prints, flowers and eclectic jewellery that has somehow weaved in and out of my life in various ways over the years. Contrary to the general perception on bohemian style, it is not necessarily all about flowery skirts, flop hats, barefoot and headscarves. In my opinion, there are many different aspects to bohemian fashion and in fact is one of the only fashion movements that does lend itself to a vast range of looks. For example.... It can be elegant or casual....lace or velvet.....multi prints or plain silk.....semi precious crystals or feathers.......sandals or wedges.....maxi dresses or flair pants. What does seem to remain the staple for achieving this look however is interesting colour mixes and plenty of bling: whether it be on your arms, shoes, handbag  or garments. There is no formula to dressing Boho. It is a style that needs to be your own, and not copied from magazines: to be unconventional, hence why it is given that special name. Below are "my" thoughts on the bohemian way. 

Quirky elegance with an interesting mix of feathers, beads and sequence on any garment can become a stylish cocktail number for night or worn with boots for a day event. 

The classic Maxi dress with plenty of jewellery is a lovely summer feel. 

A luxurious long silk Grecian style dress with some sparkling is certainly a sophisticated formal affair. It gives the illusion of "freedom" . 

Printed wrap dresses and skirts, sandals or wedges...........casual chic. I want to dance around the house when dressed like this. 

Short Tunics, skirts with wedges or boots are seriously cute. 

The elegance of Maxi dresses in divine prints paired with wedges/ sandals and chunky jewellery are a classy affair: Day or night.  Very ME. 

Boho winter......no need for black. Wide-legged or flair pants are fun. For those that believe you have to be model tall and size 8 to wear wide-legged....I tend to disagree. It is true they don't suit everyone, however you'll be surprised what a great fitting pair of flairs to "suit" your body shape that are super long worn with super high wedges or boots can do to give the illusion that you are tall and skinny!!  It is a case of experimenting to see for yourself if they are you or not. 

 

Accessories: bangles, tassel's, beaded bags and shoes, crystals, long earrings, large rings. 

What is not to love about going Bohemian

Love Gess

Should you desire some bohemian style or any other and not sure how to put it all together, as a fashion consultant, I'd be more than happy to help you.

Please email me on stylebygessica@gmail.com for all consultation enquiries.

P.N. Just a reminder that for those that have signed up to receive my posts via email, if you find you can't open images or videos, then simply click on the "title" of the post at the top of the page and it will automatically take you back to my blog. From there you can open files.

Travel to Milan in 2014 and sleep In Style

2014 has arrived....Happy New Year to everyone 

I wanted my first post for the year to start with one of my passions.....Travel......and a place I know very well....Milan.
If you're travelling to Milan in 2014 it's not only about where to shop, it's also about where you're staying. Fashion hotels span the globe now, I believe there are over 25 of them. However it was the famous Milanese fashion designers like Versace and Armani, that began this movement to get their own hotels. Having lived in Milan I found it to be a super chic city oozing with quiet confidence and elegance: famous for it's designer fashion houses and innovative interior design. So what better place to experience both. Whether you're visiting for a night or several why not stay in one of these fashionable hotels....Armani, Bulgari or Moschino......take your pick.

Armani Hotel

Maison Moschino

Bulgari Hotel

If shopping at designer boutiques and staying in their hotels aren't enough to get your fashion fix, you can always eat at their restaurants too or dance at their nightclubs.

Try Dolce and Gabbana's restaurant Gold or Roberto Cavalli's Just Cavalli Club

Just be sure to pack your sexy cocktail dress, as the Milanese really do everything with style even walking down the street.

Buon Viaggio .....Love Gessica



The Greatest Gift You Can Give: Yourself

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.”  Benjamin Disraeli

As this is my last post prior to Christmas, I wanted to write about something that I believe resonates with many of us at Christmas given that everyone's lives are even busier at this time of year and sometimes "connecting" can be hard. 

According to Emma M Seppala in her article "The Greatest Gift You Can Give: Yourself"  (I hope you read this article) people benefit from giving by connecting with others.

Humans have a built-in need to relate, resonate, and mirror each other. In a world increasingly dependent on technology, we can lose touch with important human connections. The gift of giving of oneself increases intimacy and reduces the likelihood of loneliness.

Giving connects us in a tangible way. It makes us realise we are not alone.
Giving doesn’t have to be complicated or grand. It can be a warm smile or a gentle hug. Fifteen minutes of attentive listening can be as valuable as a one-hour massage. Listening - it's a very powerful tool but unfortunately not well utilised. Stop talking about yourself or wondering what to say next.....actually Listen.  Rather than sending a text or an email which can be a cop out, pick up the phone and give some minutes of your time.  I think we can all be at fault for this.

If we give from the heart, in a desire to connect, then we seize a common occasion and make it special, which is much different than if we give to a great cause out of obligation or self-importance.

You also don’t have to have a structured system of volunteering and philanthropy to enjoy the benefits of giving. It can become a habit you develop over time until it becomes an integral part of your life.
Start by paying closer attention to the people you encounter during the day. Soon you will recognise an opportunity to give. Having said that, it is nice to also spare a thought to people at Xmas who truly have far less than you.  Buying a few extra groceries that cost very little and donating them to a charitable organisation can give great joy to a family in need.  

After all, it’s not how much we give, but how we give. 

May your Christmas be happy, safe, filled with love, laughter, champagne, chocolates and way too much food.

With Love

Gessica X

(Certain extracts from this article were taken from a post on Tiny Buddha. A gorgeous website with inspirational stories and quotes).

Fashion & Art by Susanne Bisovsky

Susanne Bisovsky from Austria isn’t just a fashion designer. Her designs are pieces of art in their own right. The combination of exquisite embroidered & printed fabrics, lace and beading are just so splendid. Her designs aren't to everyone's liking, it is more about her artistic approach to her designs that captures attention. Plus her photography is art too as you see in all the photos below. This is where ART + FASHION blend beautifully. The photos below are designs from her Frida collection a couple of year ago, obviously a homage to the great Frida Kahlo who I am obsessed with at the moment(I am reading a book on Frida Kahlo). Hence why I decided to write a post on Susanne. Do jump on her website to view her other collections. The photos I am sure you will agree are just divine....worthy of framing.  The last photo is a shot of her studio in Vienna. Enjoy.......

I "want" the black tulle skirt and the embroidered tops and oh the tapestries on the walls in all photos!!

Love Gessica

Christmas Table Decor

When it comes to table decorating I absolutely love doing it.  In my past profession as an events stylist I always enjoyed decorating smaller events at private homes or restaurants. The table décor was my favourite part. No matter whether I was in Milan or Sydney, I would look to nature to collect pieces necessary to create a spectacular talking piece.......... fruit, vegetables, flowers, branches, stones, shells, foliage etc etc. 
As Christmas is in a few weeks, I decided to write this post on some simple ideas for Christmas table decorations whether you're having a warm or cold Xmas.

I do think angel wings attached to back of chairs is quite a lovely fun idea. These wings can be bought from any cheap bric a brac shops. Generally the colours to choose from are white, red, black. But lately I have seen bright blues and greens too.  And they're cheap!

Branches embedded in a pot with fruit, bows, birds, butterflies, Xmas balls hanging from them.

Or even hand written notes on lovely paper pinned to the branches

Candles wrapped with vegetables and ribbon on a platter. Floating candles in large jars filled with water, greenery and berries. Both very easy and effective.

Fruit centrepieces are gorgeous. Spray fruits in silver or gold for effect or leave plain and polish with some olive oil.  If you'd like to do a large arrangement as in photo above you can either a) bind them together with wire: weave the wire through the centre of each fruit (like beading a necklace) until it's long enough to wrap around in circles until you have your desired effect. Place a jar in the centre if it makes it easier. Or b) pierce a bamboo skewer through each fruit and at the other end push the skewer into florist foam. To fill in any gaps between the fruit add greenery.

If having a beach Christmas, why not scatter some white shells and silver balls over a white tablecloth. It's fresh and cool.  

Some more ideas for using shells above. Strings of small shells wrapped around glasses, shells painted gold or silver loosely scattered on table. Branches running down centre of table with shells and Xmas balls hanging from them. There is so much you can do with shells I could go on and on. 

If you have one, make use of your fireplace with some greenery, fruit, candles and Xmas balls.



I do Love a staircase laden with candles of all shapes and sizes.

 



There is so much you can to make a table look beautiful on Christmas day without going overboard with expense. Again look to nature!

If you are hosting a party and would like my decor advice, email me on stylebygessica@gmail.com

 

I'd love to know how you're decorating your table for Xmas so do drop me a line.

 

Bye for now

Gessica X