The SS12 catwalks were awash with printed pants from Nicole Miller and DVF in New York to Mary Katrantzou, Erdem and Peter Pilotto in London and Roberto Cavalli and Etro in Milan. But the printed trouser doesn't appear to be a one season wonder, the AW12 catwalks were also print and pattern crazy....Prada had fab 60's geo, Marni went mad for monochrome statement prints and some amazing ombre striped patterns at Nicole Miller.
Mary Katrantzou SS12
Peter Pilotto SS12
Prabal Gurung SS12
Prada AW12
Images via: www.style.com
Whether you go for digital prints, floral prints or Mexican tapestry prints just make sure they're adorning your pins and you're guaranteed to look print-tastic. There's a pair for every price range and every body type. They're comfy, fashion forward and such easy dressing. If you're daring, pair them with a clashing print top or alternatively let your pants do the talking and just chuck on a plain cashmere vest or oversized tee and you're good to go.
Now you just need to pick your print and get your pants on. And to help you out, here are the 3BM top printed trouser picks...
So last week the London Mice had just started watching the Apprentice and were preening and prepping to get themselves ready for lying on a beach for a couple of weeks. This week I've generally been following in their footsteps. I've started watching the Apprentice on YouTube in the mornings at the gym - I find the bitchy backstabbing from the girls and boastful peacocking from the boys makes me run faster. Sandwiched between all the 'running whilst listening to Alan Sugar calling people chumps' excitement, my week has been a blur of gold nail varnish, eyelash glue and hot wax (sounds much more entertaining than it actually was...).
Aside from that, this week I've mostly been...
Jealously monitoring the Miami Mice's movements (try saying that quickly after a couple of vodkas). The London Mice decamped to Miami last weekend and since then have been Tweeting photos of French Toast at Gianni Versace's former favourite hangout, the News Cafe, Champagne by the pool and Mojitos on the beach. I can't wait to hear all their stories and to compete next week with Tweets from the Philippines while they move onto the next leg of their trip, Mexico...
Trying (and failing) to kick our Words with Friends habit. I'm loathe to even mention this here for fear of luring other vulnerable word geeks to get hooked on the game. I'd remained blissfully unaware about the virtual Scrabble game until a couple of weeks ago. I'm now totally addicted and spend an unhealthy amount of time everyday trying to think of ways to use an 'X' 'P' and 'J' to create a word that falls across triple letter and triple word square...
Having Timmy Mallet flashbacks. Odd but true. The Hawaiian shirts, the palm tree glasses, Mallet's Mallet, Magic the cockatiel, Pinky Punky, Wacky plasters and that song that we just can't get out of our heads...
Why? Well quite apart from the fact that it's clearly a piece of musical genius and is guaranteed to perk up your Friday, the song also shares a name with the fab new bikini shop that opened up yesterday in Hong Kong. All you Hong Kong girls know how tricky it is to find stylish, flattering swimwear within a sensible price range in Hong Kong. Cristina Wilkinson has come to our rescue with her brand new shop, Itsie Bitsie. Selling gorgeous swimwear and beach cover-ups alongside a range of beautiful jewellery, Itsie Bitsie is your one stop shop for getting beach chic. Bikini tops and bottoms are all sold separately so you're guaranteed the perfect fit and tops run large enough to fit more curvy girls. Pop into the shop (1/F, 45 Hollywood Road) and check it out for yourself (the online store will also be launching soon, I'll keep you posted...).
Images via: www.itsiebitsie.com
And the timing couldn't be better for picking up a brand new bikini as this evening I finally jet off on holiday and I am super excited. Roll on a week of tanning (well freckling), reading, snoozing and putting back on the few meagre pounds I've managed to shed on the treadmill in the last couple of weeks and then some...!
In light of the fact that all three Mice will mostly be lying supine on sunloungers this week, we thought it would be fitting to bring you a week of travel related posts. So on Monday, 3BM will kick off a bumper week of posts on all things sun, sea and sand related. We hope you enjoy them and that if you're not already on holiday, that they'll inspire you make like Nelly, pack up your trunk and head off on a trip in the not too distant future...
There was a time when the bags that we coveted were of the It variety. The shouty, instantly recognisable bag of the moment that we couldn't help but pine for even though we knew that this time in six months it would be everywhere and this time in twelve months it would be over.
The Chloe Paddington, the Marc Jacobs Stam, the Fendi Spy... we could go on.
But now the bags we're desperately lusting after are of a completely different ilk. These bags whisper of luxury and enduring style. Their clean, sharp lines promise to look just as good in ten years time. They are the Chanel Blazer of bags to the Chloe Paddington's Miu Miu Glitter bootie.
Topping that list for us are the Celine Luggage Tote and the 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Tote. These beautiful, structured bags look equally as at home in the office as they do on the front row at fashion week. They're classic, timeless and beautiful quality. They also cost an obscene amount of cash. And we're not talking just profane, we're talking really offensive...
So what's a girl with a giant crush on these stellar totes but without the big budget supposed to do? Save would be our first answer. If there's any way that you can scrape together the cash, these bags are serious investments. They go with everything, can be used everyday and will last and last - if you're working on a cost per use basis, this is a no brainer.
But if saving is an alien concept (right there with you) and your credit cards are all totally maxed, then we have a couple of lower priced alternatives. We're not going to even try to pretend that they're the same as the Pashli or the Luggage but for a quick fix to momentarily sate your structured tote cravings, we think it's hard to beat the following...
Ever needed to recommend somewhere to stay in London? Somewhere that isn't based in Mayfair, costs an arm and leg and is actually cool rather than stuffy and awkward? Well if so, 3BM have the answer...
Russell's of Clapton....here you have a quirky, cool, relaxed B&B based in Clapton, Hackney. It shakes the mildewed, lace-curtain bedecked image of a traditional B&B and instead boasts modern interiors, luxury bedlinen, pops of antique furniture and gorgeous wooden flooring. Russell's has 5 bedrooms - 2 twin/super king rooms, two doubles and one large single.
http://russellsofclapton.com/
http://russellsofclapton.com/
http://russellsofclapton.com/
A big theme is comfort which is why the B&B has created a bubble of relaxation in the open living space... big comfy chesterfields scattered with cushions, stacks and stacks of books, wi-fi for everyone to surf the net to help plan days shopping and sightseeing and evenings drinking cocktails and dancing. There's even a resident dog who goes by the name of Reggie! Perfect or what?!
Image via www.yeahhackney.com
The beauty of the B&B is not only the gorgeous interior and easy atmosphere, but also the location. Situated right by the canal in the heart of Hackney, Broadway Market is just around the corner and Shoreditch and Dalston are just a quick bus journey away.
Also just around the corner is somewhere that I stumbled across while I was researching this piece and is now number one on my hot list of places to try (it'll be perfect for a follow-up blog post once I've made a visit!). A Little Of What You Fancy sounds like an absolute treasure...The eatery cooks up fresh incredible dishes (for takeaway/eat in) and serves from breakfast right through to dinner with tea and cakes in between! My favourite quote from the website is...
"It is the intention of Laurence & Elaine to be able to trace the history of everything that is served or utilised at A Little Of What You Fancy – from wine to tea-towels."
Just wait until you see the menu....a regular London 3BM haunt on the weekly itinerary I think!
Image via http://alittleofwhatyoufancy.info/
Anyway.... back to Russell's, with rooms from £75 - £110 per night, in a great location with gems like a Little of What You Fancy on its doorstep, what better excuse for your friends, family, family of friends, boyfriend, family of friends of your boyfriend and even ex-boyfriends to visit....!
Counting down the days until you jet off on holiday?
Yup, me too. And those lucky little London Mice are already off basking in the Miami sun, drinking Mojitos on the beach.
Whether you're heading off on an Easter break or just doing a spot of forward planning for your summer hols, your suitcase won't fill itself with pretty bikinis, floaty kaftans and little sundresses. But if you're too busy (or too lazy) to hit the highstreet or if, like me, you're in Hong Kong and rely on the internet for a better priced and much wider selection of fashion fixes, then My Wardrobe's Holiday Shop is your saviour. Just opened for the 2012 holiday season, it's packed full of all your favourite labels and helpfully categorises clothing according to your holiday type. Off for a weekend Easter break in Barcelona or Singapore? Check-out the City Break edit. Heading for some quality sunlounger time on a beach in Thailand or the Caribbean? It'll be the Beach Escape selection for you.
I'm off to the Philippines on Friday and would be the happiest little traveller ever if my case was magically crammed with every single lovely piece in the Holiday Shop. But if I were to exercise a little self-control, my fantasy case would be packed with the following:
And, not content with providing you with the perfect pieces to pack for any getaway, My Wardrobe has also just re-launched its Loyalty Scheme. If you haven't ever shopped with My Wardrobe, sign-up right now and get shopping to start earning your reward points (you get a point for every pound you spend and once you build up 500 points you'll get a £25 voucher to spend during the following twelve months). If you're already a customer, go and logon to your account to find out which level of member status you've been awarded under the new scheme (bronze, silver, gold or black) and check out the perks that come with your new status which range from free delivery to automatic entry into a quarterly prize draw to special shopping days with a 20% discount.
Even better, to celebrate the launch of the Holiday Shop, Elle are giving away £1,000 to spend on My Wardrobe. Annoyingly, you have to be a UK resident to enter so I'll just have to save up my pennies for the drool-worthy pieces above, but all you UK blog buds, get entering for the chance to fill your suitcase for free.
Right I'm off to Google pictures of Filipino beaches and dream that it's this time next week...
Image via www.topshop.com
Image via: www.shopbop.com 
