Chanel | PRET-A-REPORTER | Fashion & Style Blog by Edita Lozovska

Edita wears | Warmer Days

Location: London, UK | Posted in Personal Style April 26, 2018 1 Comment

fashion blogger in hermes scarf, christian louboutin flats

Blazer and Relaxed Fit Jeans: c/o Simply Be, Slippers: Christian Louboutin, Scarf: Hermes, Bag: Chanel, Top: Lacoste
Images by Ahmed Fayed

Welcoming warmer weather in the city is never easy for me. I’d much rather be by the sea or getting lost somewhere in woodlands, finding ponds for my dog to jump into. Okay, okay. For me. For me to jump into.

However, we can’t have It all. For those of us with full time jobs, there are a few things we can do to embrace the warmer weather on office days.

Lunch on the grass. I work in a part of London where there’s almost no green at all, more like a concrete jungle. However, after a number of “let’s explore what’s out there” lunches, we finally found two green patches in church courtyards. Surrounded by the majestic architecture of these historical churches, lunches outside suddenly became a tradition during warmer days. They make a massive difference! Morale’s up, vitamin D uptake is up, suddenly everything is going to be okay.
On your way to the office, leave the tube a station early and walk. Enjoy the warm sun rays touching your face in the morning (after popping on some SPF of course). This has an added bonus: burn calories, burn.
Go see a street performance, open air theatre or cinema. Imagine this – a beautiful Friday, work is done, and you are off to enjoy a film or play – there’s a light breeze, it’s not too hot, not too cold. Just perfect. Oh, and add a glass of chilled bubbly. Now it’s perfect.
Hello, rooftop bar. Another popular after work activity is looking down at the city as the warm sun sets. Beautiful you, beautiful view. Cheers to that!
Find an outdoor swimming pool or lido in the city. On a hot day, you’ll be so happy you decided to do this.
As soon as the weekend hits, I vote: train, bus or car to the nearest beach! Let’s go!

Edita wears | How to Modernise a Vintage Blazer?

Location: London, UK | Posted in Personal Style February 1, 2018 3 Comments

Blazer: Moschino, Denim: c/o Tobi, Bag: Chanel, Pumps: Marks and Spencer, Sunglasses: AND/OR
Images by Tina MullerI love wearing vintage blazers. In fact, I love them much more than their modern counterparts. This is because they are full of character and often have something beautifully unusual about them. Going for vintage is also a savvy way to get designer brands for much less!

But not everyone is keen on the character part. It maybe hard to find the balance between looking like you’ve just travelled through time and you are taking inspiration from an era. Not to worry, this is where I can help you. Here’s how to modernise a vintage blazer stylistically, without reaching out for a needle and thread:

Make your vintage blazer your accent piece. While you can add a brooch or earrings, make sure you are referencing one era with a showstoppper aka your blazer and a small nod aka your vintage accessory choice. Anything more may take your outfit backwards instead of fashion forward.
Sleeves up. Literally. Roll up your sleeves if you are uncomfortable with the length of the sleeves or their cut. Go for about 3/4 of the length for a relaxed feel.
Drape. White shirt, a blazer draped over your shoulders, some serious cigarette trousers, and it looks like you mean business.
Wear your hair down. If you managed to snatch a blazer of your dreams but it comes with those 80s shoulder pads that are sewn in underneath the lining, a visit to the seamstress may be in the cards. However, if you have long hair, wear it down the first time you rock your vintage blazer. This will soften the accentuated shoulder. Also, hopefully this will allow you to not mind the shoulder pad look that much! I personally love it as it shapes the silhouette nicely and gives structure to the ensemble… plus makes your waist look smaller.
Wear unbuttoned with a white shirt, boyfriend or mom jeans and a classic bag for a relaxed yet I’m-definitely-chic look. Some vintage blazers look too old-fashioned when buttoned up as their intended shapes can be outdated – a lot of 80s ones are guilty of this. But if you style them unbuttoned with a casual look in mind, they will add that nonchalant je ne sais quoi to your ensemble. But as a quick reminder, elements of fashion tend to come back every 30 years, so you may be loving the shape of your blazer tomorrow even if you are cringing today!

Edita wears | Esmara by Heidi Klum

Location: London, UK | Posted in Personal Style September 26, 2017 1 Comment

Top, Blazer, Jeans: Lidl Esmara by Heidi Klum, Pumps: Dolce&Gabbana, Bag: Chanel, Ring: Lulu Frost, Earrings: JeannieRichard
Images by Tina MullerThis post in a new kind of accomplishment for me in terms of deception. It looks as though I am posing in the most luxurious of places, in an outfit that costs dearly.

This is not Louis Vuitton, it is Lidl. This is not Kensington, it is Croydon. BOOM.

I spotted a peculiar ad on Instagram some time ago. It was Heidi Klum, announcing she was collaborating with Lidl. Strange. But also not strange, I thought. Both are quintessentially German, however both are on opposing ends of the fashion spectrum. To be fair, in my head, Lidl wasn’t even on the fashion spectrum or anywhere near it. I could almost imagine a flock of fashion people chasing Lidl away with pitchforks and poisoned arrows. Away, away from the fashion world with your comfortable Esmara socks!

Oh how the tables have turned.

Recent surveys show that millennials stopped caring about designer goods among other things such as soap, diamonds, insurance and mass market beer. And who can blame them, life’s never been as expensive as it is right now. Some dream buys just had to go. We accepted the fact that certain things were no longer affordable and we would have to learn to live without them, or in other instances, epiphany struck that, you know what, we don’t actually need items that we yearned for in our teens.

This is the perfect market to attack for discounters such as Lidl. As fruit, veg and of course the prosecco proved to be just as good as in ordinary supermarkets with the not-so-subtle difference of those costing a fraction, the customer has been primed and prepped for other products: Clothing, lifestyle and interior decor. Of course, attaching a fashion figure-led ad undeniably added to the thumbs up, as did timing the launch of Esmara by Heidi Klum with Fashion Month, making the #LetsWOW campaign one of my absolute favourites from 2017. I can’t stop admiring Lidl’s marketing team for the clever execution of their promotional strategy.

All I am saying is that I have a few sketches drawn, if Lidl’s planning on a fashion blogger-led Esmara range. I’m genuinely impressed by the quality and price. Mixed with my Chanel bag and Dolce&Gabbana heels, the outfit is definitely testament to the fact that combining the expensive with the inexpensive can look elegant, and most importantly, it forces brand logos to take a time out while personal style can finally have its own moment.

Edita wears | Thigh High

Location: London, UK | Posted in Personal Style November 30, 2016 27 Comments

Dress: c/o Madam Rage, Coat: Shein, Boots: H&M, Bag: Chanel, Watch: c/o Abbott & Mosley
Images: Ahmed FayedLord knows I wish I had a boyish figure, especially when it comes to my legs. I thought if I worked out, my thunder thighs would miraculously transform into elegant, Twiggy-esque pins. Instead I got the Britney thigh muscles and I felt utterly disappointed with my body. And I do understand that most people would kill for Britney muscles.

So my thigh journey continued. I lost a lot of weight and started looking skeletal, minus the thighs. They still thundered on, no matter how ridiculously small I turned myself into.

So I started option number 3 – 50s A line skirts and maxi skirts. I figured as long as no one can see my gross thighs, who can prove they are as bad as they are in my mirror? It’s like if you partied with the Kardashians, and didn’t snap a selfie with them – did it really happen?

Of course, sticking with option number 3 was starting to get hard in summer months and it made me feel extremely self-conscious. Any brand that approached me to model or blog for them would get radio silence from me as I was petrified they’d ask me to wear something above the knee. I still remembered the chills I’d get at the thought of that.

This all of course started at a single comment that perhaps I shouldn’t wear that skirt and that “if I worked harder on my legs, one day I could allow myself to try a mini skirt”. Don’t get me wrong – this comment is all I still hear in my head as I look at the images above. All I can see are thunder thighs and how my legs are awful compared to someone else’s. Anyone else’s, for that matter.

We all see our selves in different ways. Had I not mentioned what’s going on in my head, I doubt anyone would notice my legs or even think to comment on them.

So what has pushed me over the edge and drove me to face my fear of going for such a scandalously thigh revealing look? Being annoyed at myself that I had become a victim of a comment, of someone’s view, of someone’s dislike of my body part for 27 years. It had to end one day, right?

Wrong. A step like this is winning the battle – but the war still rages on. I’ve learned to be better to myself and distance myself from constant self criticism. Waking up everyday and feeling nothing but fixated on how disappointed I feel about my appearance is not a good way to start a morning. So this is what I started doing to boost my self esteem:

I stopped buying clothes that are too big for me. They made me feel smaller. Do I need to feel smaller? Nope. I need to feel comfortable. If not that, then just fabulous.
I stopped being fixated on my thunder thighs. This was really hard. But the second I let them be, I started feeling free. I suddenly remembered why I loved fashion and outfit creation.
I switched my mindset. So what that someone doesn’t like something in me? Do I have to follow suit and dislike myself? Of course not. Plus, I am surrounded by people who have zero problems with my legs. Or any other body part.
I faced my fear. Although I still have to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to be where I want to be in terms of feeling self-conscious, it was a step in the right direction. A few more mini skirts or daisy dukes – and perhaps I will get there.
I focused on happiness. Spending time with my boyfriend, friends and eating carbs made me happy. So I did just that, and I still do.

A massive shoutout to Abbott & Mosley. This brand brought that luxury feel to relatively affordable watches. Marble faces, beautiful leather straps and rose gold dials all made this particular watch true Instagram candy, not to mention lust-worthy accessories.

While I have your attention, a wink to Madam Rage, who sent me this dress. It inspired me to stand up and face my fears and self-consciousness. If that’s not a good dress, I don’t know what is.

Edita wears | Fascinate Me

Location: London, UK | Posted in Personal Style July 14, 2016 47 Comments

Fascinator, Blazer (similar here): c/o Biba (via House of Fraser), Bag: Chanel, Jeans & Sequin Top: ASOS, Fluffy Sandals: Boohoo
Images by Ahmed FayedFascinators are pretty things. I can’t imagine an activity more fun than trying on a bunch of headpieces. But are these beautiful masterpieces doomed to come out of our wardrobes only once a year, or worse, once in a lifetime? Are the skeletons in your closet wearing your fascinators more than you? Is there actually a thing called wearing a fascinator casually without looking like a Carrie Bradshaw wannabe? All legitimate questions that needed to be answered.

Biba has informed me about their latest collaboration with Vivien Sheriff, a British millinery legend. I got extremely excited because here was my chance to delve deeper into the enigma that was the casual fascinator. Without further ado, I wore it, I experienced it and here is what I found:

1. You don’t have to be at the races to wear one. This Biba fascinator is pretty classic. It wouldn’t look out of place at a wedding, evening party, christening – any formal gathering. But to me, this wasn’t enough. I wanted to go out to dinner wearing it without looking weird. There was no force on Earth that was going to stop me. So I did. I matched it with a pair of boyfriend jeans, a leather golden blazer and a sequin top. This is the secret recipe: Mixing low key with a touch of evening wear. If you balance it right, the fascinator will add individuality to your look.

2. You don’t have to limit yourself to dresses only when planning on wearing a fascinator. You can if you want to – but don’t feel that this is where the fun ends. No, no. We’ve just started. Think outside the box. After all, you’ll need that box once you’re done with the headgear for the day. Jumpsuits can be accompanied by headpieces, as can beautifully-tailored suits, or in my case – denim. To be blunt, if after the party or soirée you are remembered as the “one with the hat”, you didn’t quite nail it. If you are remembered as the “one with impeccable style”, you’ve reached legendary fascinator-wearer status.

3. You do have to feel comfortable and confident when wearing a headpiece. Hats can be delicate as they can be overpowering. You can hide that feeling you get when your high heeled shoes start to hurt or unbutton those jeans after a heavy meal (yes, ladylike), but if you feel even a tad disheartened by your headpiece, there’s no way of hiding that. Thankfully, there’s a remedy to prevent this from happening in the first place. This is fashion: chill, smell the flowers and have fun with your fascinator. There are already too many moments in our lives when we need to be dead serious, this is not one of them. Drink that extra glass of vino, laugh that extra decibel louder – you are in a fabulous headpiece, you CAN. If this doesn’t make you someone else’s #goals, nothing does.

Final thoughts: Inspired to try on a headpiece but are afraid to look ridiculous in it? Then let’s go back to my point about that extra glass of wine. I’m kidding. My genuine advice would be popping down to the nearest millinery or vintage shop and trying on as many headpieces as you can, the kookier, the better. We’re building up your immunity here. If you found one that complements your facial features, we’re in business. If not, simply continue by trying on smaller, more modest pieces. The fascinator that you’ll gravitate towards will almost always be an interpretation of your own personality. Are you an exotic bird of paradise or a classic geometric minimalist? You’ll be surprised how much you find out about yourself from the headpieces you’re naturally drawn to.

Do you wear headpieces casually? Let me know in the comments below.