Yesterday I attended my younger brother’s graduation ceremony at Royal Holloway University in Surrey (not the Holloway Prison in London as most people assume so), I wore a pretty print georgette dress bought from Benetton the other day.  Paired with black suede heels and a velvety-fur trimmed clutch, the style looks basic and yet chic.

I love the Victorian-gothic architecture of the university building, it has a touch of Harry Potter-esque.  I hear Basic Instinct 2 was filmed there and other mentions in the best selling book The Da Vinci Code.

Some interesting colour palette on ceremony robes.

The after-ceremony is all about having fun and celebration with close friends and family.  Hat throwing is a favourite tradition with students, the end of c’est la vie hardship, now they are leading a new life as a graduate in a quest to find a dream career.

Are you graduating or attending a graduation ceremony this Summer?  If so, what will you be wearing?

The print georgette dress (style 4M5ASV1V4) retails for £49.90 and is available in selected United Color of Benetton stores.

Kit Lee, Style Slicker

Having already seen a couple of blog posts of the spring summer capsule collection on Spain and Italy‘s blogs, pondering when my turn will come. Luckily, a couple days ago my giant camera and I have managed to catch a sneak preview at Benetton’s flagship store on Oxford Street. The collection are already in selected United Colors of Benetton stores around the world.

‘The hippy meets Great Gatsby‘ is the theme for the final season of summer. Introducing relaxed styles of key pieces; oversized blouses, mini dresses, print tees, georgette dresses and skirts, impressive and surprisingly-feels-real (mock) leather trousers, feminine frills and oblique cutting for elegant occasional pieces.  The colours are dusty, warm, pale hues and subtle.  Various shades of blues and pinks hint at the autumn palette.

Pretty little collection. I can spot an ideal dress to wear to my brother’s university graduation ceremony next week.

Of course, press event at Benetton always provide little hospitality treats for journalists and bloggers for their busy schedules.

Kit Lee, Style Slicker

Electro, house and synth pop music dominates pretty much most of my adult life. Genius artistes, producers, DJs like; Felix The Housecat, Stuart Price, Zootwoman, Goldfrapp, Hurts, Daft Punk, Kraftwerk such and such, gives me an energised-adrenaline rush when working on my blog posts even better if listen with vibrant coloured headphones as seen on France’s post.

This genre of music does affect your mood but is also a (positive) distraction.

I have been listening to Benetton’s United Songs vol.1 after reading Mexico’s recommendation on her post, there are 8 tracks produced by Franceco Novara a fellow resident at Fabrica (Benetton’s communication research centre), they are available to listen to and download on Facebook.

I must confess, I must have played the tracks more than a dozen times whilst typing this post and a long distracted pause between sentences, my favourite tracks are ‘Farmville’ a lovely upbeat-shake-your-shoulders track, and ‘Grunge’ a proper synth-beat track. What’s your favourite track?

Kit Lee, Style Slicker

I have a confession. I must have worn the exact style, the crochet knitted top and belt both from Benetton and grey marble effect jersey dress (minus the leopard print socks and shoes) for the past weeks, for the purpose of getting the look photographed for this blog post and failed miserably. Yesterday I succeeded, I literally begged my street style photographer friend who was feeling unwell on the day we met for (supposedly) dinner this evening, has taken some basic snap shots before she headed home. Impressionate.

Personally, I would ditch the flat shoes and settle with a pair of nude Mary Jane shoes. What do you think?

Thanks StyleEast for the outfit photos.

Kit Lee, Style Slicker

The weather this (Saturday) afternoon was a frustration one, the prickly heatwave has triggered both of my Sinusitis and Hayfever which usually trigger around the peak season of June and July… sounds chronic but today my mood affected my dress sense hence the awful weather.

I have selected a pair of Benetton loose fit denim shorts for today’s style challenge, I paired theshorts with a basic white t-shirt, a blue and white floral button up ruffled shirt, hem tied to the front (courtesy of Benetton), a white and silver flat studded belt and a pair of super comfortable patent leather brogues.

(Thanks Shini of Park & Cube for the outfit shots)

Style Slicker

I’m setting up a style challenge throughout June to use one of  key pieces (pictured) from the Benetton and Sisley‘s Spring Summer collection, and to pair it with my own clothing in street style shots.  I really hope the Jekyll & Hyde weather in June will be kind to me as at the moment it is absolutely freezing.

Style Slicker

Today’s weather forecast was cloudy and heavy showers.  Normally I don’t follow the weatherman’s advise as you all know the British weather can be temperate and unpredictable, well today I left my house to pop into town without my trusty cyan blue parasol which I always carry during the wet Winter season.  The unexpected downpour, much to my annoyance it rained heavily during the course of the day (and it must have stopped several times), the sound of the beating drums scared the daylights out of me, I was pretty much drenched and hiding under a soaked free newspaper wasn’t a lovely sight.  Luckily at the right time and location I popped by at the Benetton showroom to pick up some press samples and was given a lovely blue and logo print umbrella to save me from further soak.

Style Slicker

Finally I have got round to editing this video footage I did at the It’s My Time campaign shoot in New York back in April. It seems like such a long time ago but as soon as I started editing the video, those personalities of the winners came flooding back.

I actually had this song in mind as soon as I got to the shoot and saw their vivacity and enthusiasm pouring out. The song is from the 1957 film Funny Face starring Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn and at one point during the track you have to imagine Astaire’s shimmying tap dancing moves. It also helped that I got everyone to pull a ‘funny face’ of their own but obviously the meaning of the song transcends that of just having a purely ‘funny’ face and of course, the message is that there are no finite definitions to the word ‘funny’ – especially when applied to a face…

StyleBubble

The real campaign images featuring the amazing chosen cast of It’s My Time are of course not out yet but these A/W 10-11 look book images are wetting the appetite for what is to come. My first port of call in United Colors of Benetton has got to be the knitwear. The stuff that I begged my mother to buy but alas I had to head to C&A instead (Europeans will be familiar with that store…). And so from an autumn/winter season, I’d expect nothing less than some cuddly knits to get me through the winter days and nights. Come to think of it, could do with some of it now as temperatures in the UK hit minus 2. In May. Madness!

So I love how pleasingly chunky these knits are complete with some boiled wool bags that would make great supermarket totes (I bring totes with me just to carry heavy things like potatoes…which I eat a lot of in cold times…). I’m not fussed about making myself look a little bulky so long as I’m toasty…

Another chunky knit is this plaited cape that looks incredibly soft…

Camel. Check. Cape coat shape. Check. Oversized check. Check, check and double check!

For a slightly more youthful look that is a toned down version of the amazing ensembles Patricia and Tereza were wearing, these houndstooth shifts paired with bubblegum coloured quilted parkas are just the ticket…

More popping colour with this reversible jersey/parka coat that can be either matt or shiny if you wish…

This is the sort of knit that won’t really keep you warm but is quite louche and sexy with the open sides… I’d wear it with a sheer body underneath…

And for the guys? Fair Isle in true blue. Just what grandma prescribes…

Style Bubble

“What did you do for ten days in NYC?” Oh you know how it is, you’re meant to be there for two days, a volcano erupts and before you know it you’re stranded with nothing but a camera, a new Mac and the bright idea to do a self portrait in your hotel room. Do I want to go out for a drink yeah, yeah, in a minute, I’m just working on a personal project…

You know how I said I dress it up a little more when I’m in NYC well here I am (complete with red lipstick and a silly smirk). I must have had one too many cocktails up at Boom Boom (thank you Benetton) because I’ve managed to crop out my killer heels in every shot; and I call myself a photographer…

But I must admit, ten days in NYC with a two day suitcase was quite a test…

Could you do ten days with a suitcase packed for two?

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