Sandra‘s Closet

Layering is a great way to cope with the transition from summer to fall. Cardigans are great layering pieces because they add warmth when needed and they work well over dark or neutral summer dresses.

My look: Bi-colour fur vest by Louis Vuitton (available this season in a slightly different colour combination), printed dress and argyle belted cardigan, both by See by Chloé, fur bag by Céline, lace up ankle boots by Chloé, cuff by Stella McCartney, Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis and Diorette ring by Dior Haute Joiallerie.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Welcome to Fort Worth in Texas, that is the sixteenth most populous city in the United States of America and a cultural gateway into the American West. The city was established in 1849 and today still embraces its Western heritage and traditional architecture and design. A must see are the Fort Worth Stockyards.

My look: Twill cargo shorts by Alexander McQueen, olive green top by Prada, cuff by Stella McCartney, Pandora bag by Givenchy and Monogram ballet flats by Louis Vuitton.
The stetson is a souvenir from Mesquite.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

I still owe you my photos from Texas, which was the last stop of my road trip through the US. The first day in Dallas, I went shopping at the Highland Park Village, which is an upscale shopping mall and the home of brands like Chanel, Stella McCartney, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin among others. It was the first self-contained shopping center in America and therefore declared a National Historic Landmark in 2000.

My look: Two-tone stretch-jersey contour dress and cuff by Stella McCartney, bowtie pasta and cameo clip earrings by Dolce & Gabbana, coral shape heels by Chanel, Audrey wayfarer sunglasses by Céline and Pandora bag by Givenchy.
On my nails: “Today Was A Fairytale” with Virgin Diamond Powder by Deborah Lippmann.

It was very funny to see my new two-tone dress in Stella McCartney‘s window and later inside.

Stay tuned for more photos of this outfit as I went after my shopping spree to the famous Southfork Ranch.

By the way, if you like Mexican food, you have to eat at Mi Cocina, located in the Highland Park Village. So yummy!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

I came back from my amazing road trip through the US this week and left immediately to Munich for a day with Bobbi Brown. Stay tuned, I will tell you all about it very soon.

During the last 5 weeks, I went through 9 states – Illinois, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, Nevada, California, Hawaii and Texas – and besides the horrible hail storm in South Dakota, I was blessed the whole time with beautiful sunny weather. So I was quite shocked when I got back to Switzerland where there was no sign of summer at all. Surprisingly, I found severe hail damage in my garden, my pool cover looked like shot with a pump gun. What a subtle irony! And when I experienced a mini tornado yesterday at Lake Zurich, I was inspired to this outfit.

Mini Tornado in Zurich on July 21, 2012 (Photo via Tagesanzeiger)

Invest in some great fall key pieces. Bottle green is one of the hottest colours for the season. Peplum hems appeared on many runways and are one of the most flattering trends. A trench coat is a true classic piece that works for so many occasions and definitely belongs in your closet – with Burberry you cannot go wrong. Finally, add a piece of colourful statement jewelry.

Mid-length cotton-gabardine trench coat by Burberry London, fine-knit wool peplum top, bottle-green De Manta leather tote, skull-print modal and cashmere-blend scarf, skull-embellished umbrella, all by Alexander McQueen, stretch-leather skinny pants by Yves Saint Laurent, multi-stone cuff by Emilio Pucci and ‘Original Tall’ Wellington boots by Hunter.

Nars Fall 2012 collection offers for your eyes and nails some icy shades with stormy names:

Vent Glacé (Glacial Wind) Duo Eyeshadow, CHF 59.-

Storm Bird Nail Polish (Limited Edition), CHF 32.-
Both available from August 2012.

Good news: The weather forecast says that the arrival of summer is close in Zurich. Let’s hope that the weather gods will be merciful.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Nars

As promised earlier, here is a detailed post about my look that I wore at Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

Cut out panel dress (on sale) and openwork parka, both from Givenchy’s Resort 2012 collection, lime green leather pumps by Prada, brown Pandora bag by Givenchy, brass eagle and cross earrings (on sale) by Emilio Pucci, wide cuff by Stella McCartney and cat eye glitter acetate and metal sunglasses by Miu Miu.
The cowboy hat is a souvenir from Wyoming.

Hope that you like it! Off to new adventures…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Greetings from the Croisette in Cannes. My last days were filled with amazing parties, events and I met many celebrities. It is such a busy time, please accept my sincere apologies for the delay of posting.

On Thursday, I went to the beautiful Chopard lounge, located on the 7th floor of the Hotel Martinez, to explore the stunning Red Carpet Haute Joaillerie collection, which I will show you in the next days. Cannes is crazy those days. There are so many people on the streets waiting to spot some celebrities. If you don’t have a bagde (Thank you, Chopard!), you will have no chance to come anywhere close.

My look: Leather jacket by Prada, pleated top and skirt, studded Pyramide bag, all from Prada‘s S/S 2012 runway, sandals with coral shape heel by Chanel, Audrey wayfarer sunglasses by Céline, cuff by Stella McCartney and Lady Excalibur watch by Roger Dubuis.

Stunning view of the Croisette.

Lunch at the beach at Z Plage.

Later, I went for a little shopping spree on the Croisette and spotted…

… Ben Stiller and Chris Rock gathered for the photo call for Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted at the Carlton Hotel in Cannes. (By the way, this is my favourite terrasse to have a drink).

Sacha Baron Cohen‘s Dictator embellishes the entrance of the Carlton Hotel.

I hope that you have enjoyed the impressions of the Croisette. More to follow soon!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

There are some beautiful things on their way from Yves Saint Laurent: The house’s new makeup summer collection which will be launching in Switzerland in May 2012. 
I love the earthy hues with the contrast of blue that inspired me to this look:

Olive green logo T-shirt by Yves Saint Laurent, lace-print cropped low-rise skinny jeans by Dolce & Gabbana, ruched suede ankle boots by Brian Atwood, gold-plated lace-effect cuff and Arty gold-plated glass ring by Yves Saint Laurent, bag by Alexander McQueen, blue wool and silk-blend blazer by Stella McCartney.

My favourite products for the eyes: The Pure Chromatics Eyeshadow Palette N°8 Sand (CHF 79.-) can be used dry and wet and looks gorgeous in combination with the Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Waterproof N°4 Blue Majorelle (CHF 50.-).

Here you can see how I applied the eyeshadow palette. I used the three earthy hues dry on the lid and blended them well starting with the darker tone up to the lightest one. The olive shade was applied wet like an eyeliner. I finished off the look with lots of black mascara for the upper lashes and used the blue mascara for the lower lashes to open the eye beautifully.

On my nails I am wearing the new La Lacque Couture in N°18 Bleu Majorelle (CHF 37.-).
The nail polish is part of the new La Lacque Couture La Vernithèque collection which will be launching in May 2012 in Switzerland.

Thirty new shades that offer high shine and easy application with a new brush. Choose from a colour palette of reds and  oranges, pinks and fuchsias, plums and purples, nudes and browns, and other groundbreaking shades.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of YSL and © Sandra Bauknecht

This was my look for a lovely dinner with friends: Ribbed neon pink cashmere sweater by Michael Kors, stretch-leather leggings by Gucci, Clematis leather clutch by Christopher Kane, “Audrey” sunglasses and green calfskin cuff, both by Céline, cocktail ring and sandals with coral shape heel, both by Chanel.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

This morning when I woke up in New York City after a good night’s sleep (I had been awake for 24hours!), I looked outside and the view from my hotel window was breathtaking. It was 6am and the sun was rising. The light was reflected in the skyscrapers’s facades and the colours inspired me to today’s outfit post.

Embellished-collar printed crepe dress by Miu Miu, leather-trimmed cotton-gabardine trench coat by Burberry Prorsum, orange envelope clutch by Tory Burch, handmade acetate D-frame sunglasses by Finest Seven, Tribtoo suede pumps and enameled gold-plated cuff, both by Yves Saint Laurent.

LoL, Sandra

6:00am

10:00 am

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

With those freezing temperatures outside, I love to dream of warm weather, the sun, the sea and my new bikini outfit!

Metallic triangle bikini by Gucci, crystal-embellished leather sandals by Giuseppe Zanotti, canvas bag with Hawaiian print by Stella McCartney, round-frame acetate sunglasses by Yves Saint Laurent, gold-plated plexiglass cuff and multi-stone brass ring, both by Emilio Pucci.

It is the time of the year when it is best to get organized for your next trip to a tropical destination. As the lights of fitting rooms are in general not so pleasant for pale skin, I prefer ordering swimwear online.

For the perfect sunkissed make-up look, I recommend those products below:

For radiant skin:
1 – PURE RADIANT TINTED MOISTURIZER SPF30/PA+++ by Nars
Infused with naturally derived ingredients from French Polynesia where François Nars loves to spend a lot of time, this new tinted moisturizer instantly hydrates and evens out the skin tone. It has also been shown that it can reduce the appearance of discoloration and dark spots with regular use. The luxurious, oil-free formula obscures the appearance of lines, wrinkles, pores and other imperfections while providing a translucent veil of broadspectrum sun protection.
Available in 9 shades with beautiful names: 1 Finland, 2 Alaska, 3 St. Moritz, 4 Annapurna, 5 Cuba, 6 Malaga, 7 Seychelles, 8 Martinique and 9 Polynesia.
In Switzerland in stores Mid March, CHF 72.-.

For sun-kissed cheeks and a glowing face:
2 – PURE COLOR ILLUMINATING POWDER GELEE TOPAZ CHAMELEON by Estée Lauder
High polish for your skin: 

This innovative tri-blend liquid, powder, gel formula goes beyond face powder to give you a sexy, sophisticated glow. 

It comes with a perfect mix of pigment and pearls for a multi-reflective finish. 

Smooth it on as an all-over soft sheen or sweep it on the cheeks for a luminous pearl highlighting effect. The perfect companion for the beach.
Available now for CHF 58.-.

For beautiful eyes in the shades of the ocean:
3 – OMBRE MINERALE 4 COLEURS in 08 Blue Sky by Clarins
This eye quartet palette has four long-lasting shades in the hues of the ocean. They can be applied dry or damp for a natural or sophisticated look. 
Available now for CHF 62.-.

4 – PURE COLOR INTENSE KAJAL EYE CRAYON in Dramatic Black by Estée Lauder
Reminiscent of Indian kajal eye crayons, those must-have pencils provide you with intense, smouldering colour in one single stroke. 

It glides on velvety smooth and blends easily.

 Use as a liner along lashline and softly smudge over lids to intensify the smoky look.
Available now for CHF 30.-.

5 – DIORSHOW NEW LOOK in Noir New Look by Christian Dior
A new amazing mascara that delivers infinite volume and an unparalleled lash-multiplying effect. 

Diorshow New Look features an exclusive breakthrough nana-brush to catch and coat every last lash with the precision of a couturier’s hand. The extraordinary formula with a Lash Amplifier™ ingredient provides an instant lash-multiplying action.
Available in Switzerland starting February 8, 2012 for CHF 48.-.

On the lips:
6 – LARGER THAN LIFE® LIP GLOSS in Gold Digger by Nars
The new Larger Than Life® Lip Gloss provides lustrous shine that stays in place for hours, while lips feel protected and moisturized. Natural lip enhancers provide volume while a new, shorter bristle brush delivers a precise application to define and shape lips. 
Available for CHF 35.-.

For eyecatching nails:
7 – PURE COLOR NAIL LACQUER in Topaz Teal by Estée Lauder
Colourful nails are a must and this turquoise shade is the perfect hue for the beach.
Available now for CHF 34.-.

To make sure that your body looks great in the sun, have a look at those upcoming new products that I can highly recommend:

For a healthy-looking tanned body:
DIOR BRONZE AUTO-BRONZANT Self Tanning Oil Natural Glow by Christian Dior

AMAZING MOOD-LIFTING PRODUCT!

Dior Bronze is the perfect replica of all pleasures of the sun to enhance the skin and lift the mood! On the application, the skin is satiny, luminious, perfectly moisturized and progressively recreates a radiant tan.
On the mood, you will feel the perceived pleasure of a unique uplifting action. A plant-based active ingredient helps stimulate the natural production of ß-endorphins, the so-called “pleasure molecules”, for an immediate mood-lifting sensation, as if you just spent time sunbathing!
Available in Switzerland beginning of March for CHF 58.- (100ml).

For a well-toned body:
DIOR SVELTE  BODY DESIRE Integral Perfection Care by Christian Dior

Anybody among you who is not wishing for the perfect well-toned body?! Here is a product that will help you to achieve it in one single step (But you still need to work on your daily sports routine and calories intake, sorry!).

This body care product acts on all of the key characteristics of a desirable body: slimming, firming, moisturrizing, toning and smoothing. How is that possible?
At the “heart” of the skin, adiponectin – a protein with a sensational spectrum of action discovered by Dior science – affects all those features. Stress and the excesses of modern life tend to inhibit the influence of this unique protein. Dior Svelte reactivates the natural synthesis of adiponectin for a visibly enhanced body in 4 weeks.
Available in Switzerland beginning of March for CHF 96.- (200ml).

You have still lots of time left to get in shape for summer! But better get started early…  this is all you need!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht