Guest Post by TheModernCool

This week, I invited Magda from TheModernCool to write a guest post. As a London blogger, who better to give us a little insight into the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee? Enjoy this fun post about dressing for the races! Cheers, E. 

Yesterday, 2^nd June, marked the 60^th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. As part of the Jubilee Weekend celebrations in London, the Queen attended the Epsom Downs races. This marked the beginning of the summer social events calendar.

So, not only did you get invited, you have accepted and now you have have your ticket too! Great! But what are you going to wear? If you are lucky enough to be at the Queen’s stand (Epsom) or the Royal Enclosure (Ascot), there are some very strict rules regarding what you can and cannot wear.

First of all: the dress! While there is quite a lot of liberty in terms of dress styles (and at the races you can surely spot some really odd ones!), there are some dos and don’ts that you need to be aware of. Any type of formal day dress or a tailored suit will be fine, as long as the dress is “modest” length (no more than 2 inches above the knee). Straps are fine too, as long as they are more than one inch. Strapless dresses or string strap are not allowed. If the dress has cut-outs, they must be covered by a pashmina or a jacket.

Probably the biggest thing is the hats. There is almost full liberty when it comes to hat styles and in fact you can spot some really outrageous ones around  - eccentricity is rather welcome in this regard. If you are going to Epsom races, you may wear a fascinator (as long as it’s quite substantial), but from this year onwards fascinators are no longer allowed at Ascot: a hat it is, then!

Men are required to wear either black or grey morning suit with a tie (no cravats!), black shoes and of course a top hat.

All sounds great, but you still don’t know what to put on? Why not try this outfit:

Mikael Aghal short sequin cocktail dress, $208

Casadei high heels, £670

Alexander Mcqueen handbag, £1,195

Lisa Freede vine ring, $98

NIGEL RAYMENT feather hat, £155

Tom Ford gold nail polish, $30

Vincent Longo ‘Wet Pearl’ Lipstick Olympia Rose One Size, $23

And don’t forget – you are in England – so you may want to bring a fancy umbrella with you to.... unless you like your hats soggy, that is.

Love xx

M. from TheModernCool

Recap

1. Wearing my favourite green pants / 2. After Sue’s wedding / 3. H&M and Spike the Punch bling / 4. Isabelle May Jewelry / 5. Admiring Montreal after hiking up Mont-Royal with Hubby (The highlight was our GSP spotting! So cool! It definitely made Hubs want to take more walks with me...) / 6. My Zara dress and bright Cambon lips / 7. Feeding my addiction: Red Velvet cake... eaten before I had time to put the icing on it. BTW: it’s on a clear glass plate... no, I do not leave my food on the counter... / 8. Action or Turquoise and Caicos? / 9. Bejeweled for date night.

Interview with Monica de Liz

Monica de Liz is a Montreal-based image expert and style coach. A while back, she entered the gallery, came up to me with a warm smile and said: “Do you mind if I roll up your sleeves? Yes, woman, it’s good to show a little skin! Oh, and I suggest you purchase a pair of white pants to match that top: it would be ravishing!” I was charmed. And yes, I went out to buy the pants. Since, I’ve been addicted to Monica’s newletters, which promote positive thinking and suggest wonderful outfits for every occasion. I hope you enjoy this inspiring interview!

Monica de Liz

How did you start in the fashion industry?

Let me clarify; I don’t belong to the fashion industry because I find it limits women’s personal style to specific colors, labels and trends (just like the mainstream media and celebrity culture). Through workshops I help women make peace with their bodies and transform their image so they are free to express who they are from the inside out with authenticity, confidence and grace. I show them how to dress from a place of acceptance, joy and love versus doubt, fear and worry. My work is based on effective success principles from wise men and women throughout history that I’ve studied and applied to my own life. For that reason, I’m honored to belong to the personal development industry. 

What motivated you to become a style coach?

Growing up in Brazil our family had limited financial resources; my mom was a maid and my dad a carpenter. Our lives completely shifted from stability to chaos when my father left. I believe what got me into this career path was my mother’s courage, determination and resourcefulness to make the most out of the little she had to dress, educate and feed two girls. She worked very hard as a maid during the day and knitted beautiful sweaters at night to earn extra money to buy us school books and make sure we looked the part. Her refusal to accept that just because we were born into a less privileged class of society, we had to live as such has been my motivation to inspire women to be more. I’m committed to bring about a new age where women take full responsibility for creating the life they want versus waiting for a relationship to fulfill their dreams.

How is hiring a style coach different from hiring a stylist?

If you wish to use your wardrobe as a self-discovery tool to re-invent yourself, I’m your woman. My style coaching program has powerful transformational exercises that integrate body-mind-spirit to help you identify and overcome self-limiting-beliefs which may prevent you from being happy in your clothes and the skin you are in. If you are addicted to the latest fashion trends and only wear designer labels, then I’m not for you. A stylist selects clothes to put together a specific look for editorial photo shoots, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos, concert performances and any public appearances made by celebrities, models and public figures.  

What is the best purchase you ever made?

Michael Kors Sunglasses for $34 at Winners that normally retail for $300!

Fashion-wise, are there any major fashion don’ts?

Badmouthing another woman. Objectification of women on TV. Hypersexualisation of girls in advertising. Photo-shopping images of women in fashion magazines.

What does fashion mean to you?

For me, fashion is all about self-expression. Dressing is a non-verbal language. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s the art of using your clothes as a tool to sell your experience/knowledge/skills for personal advancement and growth.

Which modern day icons do you look up to?

Chanel for her courage to be true to her unique style.

Diane Von Furstenberg for her visionary business spirit.

Gloria Steinem for her pioneering activism to promote equal rights between men and women.

Madonna for her ability to constantly re-invent her image year after year.

Oprah Winfrey  for her commitment to teach wisdom to the masses through her own life experience.

What songs are you listening to at the moment?

Dance Again (Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull)

Glad You Came (The Wanted)

Keep Your Head Up (Andy Grammer)

We Are Young (Fun featuring Janelle Monae)

Top Of The World (Raghav)

Are there any trends you are excited about this spring?

I never follow trends, I create my own.

How would you describe your personal style?

Creative. Daring. Fun.

What are three items every woman should have in her closet? 

A pair of dark blue jeans, a little black dress and a basic tailored suit.

What’s next for Monica de Liz?

Product Development: Books, DVD’s, Accessories, iPhone App!

For more information on Monica de Liz, please visit her website by clicking HERE.

Currently Craving (Floral Dress)

My new obsession is floral dresses. In the spirit of my Alex McLeod post, I’m thinking that this little number would be a perfect fit! What are you craving this week?

You can purchase this one at H&M. I also recommend this dress from ZARA.