Sandra‘s Closet

Sorry for bringing you bad news twice today, first we have heard that Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau’s passed away at 81 yesterday and it has been announced that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher died this morning peacefully following a stroke. She was 87 years old.

The Iron Lady was not only an outstanding politician, but also a fashion icon. On both sides of the Atlantic, Maggie Thatcher is being considered as the originator of the power look for women. She opted for tailored skirt suits and pussycat bows. One of her clever tricks to show power was funnily enough that she never wore pants. Her signature pearls, shoulder pads (to stand literally “shoulder to shoulder” with men), handbags, and royal blue hues were a sign of control. Throughout her career, she turned her looks into POWER DRESSING!

Let’s honour her with this look inspired by her: Iris wool-twill blazer and matching Alyssa pencil skirt, both by Stella McCartney, polka-dot silk-twill pussy-bow blouse by Saint Laurent, Amelia patent-leather pumps by Jimmy Choo, croc-effect and textured-leather bag by Lanvin and multi-strand pearl necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane.

R.I.P. Maggie Thatcher!

LoL, Sandra

Gladiator boots are celebrating a huge comeback for S/S 2013. Seen at Alexander Wang, Altuzarra and Proenza Schouler among many others, it’s clear, they’re back. Of course, it can be a tricky trend, but who can resist those eyecatching shoes?

Below is the list of the best ones to shop at the moment:

1 Aline leather sandals by Alexander Wang
2 Embellished leather cage sandals by Altuzarra
3 Leather gladiator wedge boots by Giuseppe Zanotti
4 Leather gladiator knee sandals by Gianvito Rossi
5 Stamped leather gladiator lace-up boots by Proenza Schouler
6 Mogul studded suede cage sandals by Jimmy Choo
7 Marta calfskin elastic high boots by Alexander Wang
8 Leather gladiator sandal boots by Versace

LoL, Sandra

Black pumps will always be a classic, but this summer, it is all about white pumps. Incorporate this shoe trend into your own style by combining it with your favourite new season looks. Better be fast to snag a pair, they sell out fast!

Here are four of the bestsellers:
1 Abel leather pumps by Jimmy Choo
2 Patent leather pumps by Balmain
3 Paris leather pumps by Saint Laurent
4 Janis leather pumps by Saint Laurent

LoL, Sandra

Valentine’s Day is coming up soon and you might be looking for the perfect outfit to wear on a romantic date. Amanda Seyfried looked pretty amazing at the 16th Annual Hollywood Film Awards Gala in Los Angeles sporting a scarlet red bodice dress from Prabal Gurung’s Resort 2013 collection combined with trendy metallic accessories. A look that would prove your style prowess and that is in stores now.

Mesh-trimmed silk and cotton-blend satin dress by Prabal Gurung, Pearce metal and Perspex octagonal clutch by Kotur and Biel leather wedge pumps by Jimmy Choo.

Happy Shopping!

LoL, Sandra

Thank you, Santa, for all the fantastic presents I got this Christmas. I am truly feeling blessed. Some of the gifts were so gorgeous and fashionable that I have to share them with you.

Of course, you will see me wearing them during the next weeks and the Valentino chain link clutch just screams “Sandra”…

1 Patchwork leather envelope clutch by Chloé
2 Fabric zip laptop bag by Chanel
3 H Hobo Grande soft off-white nubuck leather bag by Hogan,
4 Wheel black pony skin loafers by Jimmy Choo

5 Limited edition clutch by Meredith Wendell for Polyvore
6 Leather pouch by Fendi
7 Horseshoe id tag with personalization by Gucci
8 ’60s inspired silk scarf “Intensity” by Dior
9 Chain link clutch by Valentino

My friend Edith has surprised me with this personalized stamp, what an awesome idea!

I just love Christmas, thank you to all for those wonderful gifts!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The Duchess of Cambridge has made an appearance to support her country at the 2012 Olympics all royally blue. Cheering on Great Britain’s Andy Murray, Middleton was spotted radiant and happy. It was the same stunning electric blue shift dress in which she helped to open a National Portrait Gallery exhibit in London earlier.

Here are all the details to shop the look: Royal blue shift dress by Stella McCartney, Abel pointed patent-leather pumps by Jimmy Choo and Trinity necklace by Cartier.

LoL, Sandra

You might have seen those colourful bottles at the counter already and if you haven’t smelled them yet, please do. All four are uber-yummy and I like the idea behind the collection. Ralph Lauren celebrates the many facets of modern young women by saying that “scent is an essential accessory for all of the roles a woman plays.” Today’s woman should have a fragrance wardrobe to choose from according to mood and occasion. And here it is:

THE BIG PONY FRAGRANCE COLLECTION FOR WOMEN

Have fun exploring those four vital attributes and find out which F/W 2012 looks plus accessories would coordinate those passions best.

N°1 SPORTY

Catch her if you can. This floral citrus scent features grapefruit & blue lotus for a vibrant, energetic fragrance that evokes confidence while awakening the senses. Confident and fearless, the sporty woman is a natural born leader and ready to take on the world.

Her must-haves: Cabas Chyc leather tote by Yves Saint Laurent and Tokyo metallic and leather sneakers by Jimmy Choo

N°2 SENSUAL

A floriental fruity with the key ingredients of cranberry & tonka mousse, this fragrance is for an alluring flirt and the romantic at heart. Playful and irresistible, this modern woman follows her heart.

Her must-haves: PS1 Medium textured-leather pouch by Proenza Schouler and Maniac leather platform pumps by Brian Atwood

N°3 FREE-SPIRITED

Eccentric, rebellious and independent, this floral green fragrance highlights pear & mimosa. The crisp, bright scent represents ultimate optimism and natural feminine radiance for a woman who dances to the beat of her own drum.

Her must-haves: Victoria leather tote by Victoria Beckham and suede and elaphe slingback sandals by Nicholas Kirkwood

N°4 STYLISH

Edgy and refined, with a flair for the exotic, this oriental floral contains key ingredients of wild cherry & purple amber. Designed for the stylish woman, her flair expresses her unique personality and catches the eye and the hearts of anyone who crosses the path.

Her must-haves: PS1 Large suede satchel by Proenza Schouler and Havana patent-leather brogues by Christian Louboutin

Available now as EdT 30ml (CHF 44.90) and EdT 50ml (CHF 54.90).

LoL, Sandra

Ladies, store your ballet flats! If you haven’t focused on the day-slipper trend, you really should embrace it. They are on the shopping list of every fashionista and a hot fixture on the fall high street. I went for leopard print slippers by Louis Vuitton in blue (for the previous post, please click here) – Poppy Delevigny has the same ones in red. 
For fall, Miu Miu‘s velvet embroidered slippers are my season’s favourites, so chic!

By the way, gentlemen, you are in the game as well. You can find the most extraordinary models for the fashion-forward of you at the end of this post.

Get involved now and shop those must-have footwear below!

LoL, Sandra

Shop the best slippers for WOMEN:

Embroidered velvet-covered leather slippers by Miu Miu

Embroidered satin-covered leather slippers by Miu Miu

Sequined leather slippers by Marc by Marc Jacobs

Intern tartan canvas and patent-leather slippers by Christian Louboutin

Sequin skull-embellished suede slippers by Alexander McQueen

Embroidered velvet slippers by Alexander McQueen

Swarovski crystal-embellished suede slippers by Giuseppe Zanotti

Wheel studded leather slippers by Jimmy Choo

Shop the best slippers for MEN:

Victory nude nubuck leather slippers by Kardinale

Leopard print suede slippers by Jimmy Choo Men

Sloane zebra print ponyskin slippers by Jimmy Choo Men

Coarse glitter slippers by Jimmy Choo Men

Purple velvet slippers by Del Toro

Velvet slippers with crystal tassel by Giuseppe Zanotti Men

Suede and Swarovski embellished slippers by Giuseppe Zanotti Men

Embroidered velvet slippers by Stubbs & Wooton
(Stubbs & Wooton is a Florida-based label, founded in Palm Beach in 1993, that specialises in luxurious slippers).

Next stop on my road trip: Yosemite National Park.

I drove all the way from Salt Lake City, Utah through the state of Nevada to California to visit the Yosemite National Park which is absolutely breathtaking. The abundance of wildlife and scenic views made my stay unforgettable.
A delightful and special spot of land that I would like to share with you:

I started my tour at Glacier Point where I had to catch my breath at one of the most exhilarating overlooks that I have seen in my life. The big granite monument in the photo is Half Dome, one of Yosemite’s most famous features.

My outdoorsy look: Pink jacket and floral print blouse, both by Coje (a brand that I absolutely adore, check out their cute website by clicking here), drawstring twill pants by Paul & Joe, Tokyo glitter and metallic sneakers by Jimmy Choo, pink scarf by Splendid, nylon backpack by Prada and sunglasses by Marc Jacobs.

This massive, granite monument is El Capitan. Climbers from all over the globe come to scale it.

Tunnel View: Just outside of Yosemite Valley, you can enjoy this spectacular view.

Another natural spectacle is the Bridalveil Fall. The Ahwahneechee called this place Pohono, “Spirit of the Puffing Wind.” The wind swirls about the cliff, often lifting the falling water and blowing it from side-to-side in a delicate free-fall. Even though, it looks small, it actually has the height of a 62-story building.

I hiked a very fun trail all the way up to the Vernal Falls.

The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is a must-see. You can marvel at one of the world’s largest trees, the Grizzly Giant and enjoy the beauty of those creatures of which some date back well over 1500 years.

The cones of the giant sequoias are extremely small and are the landmark for park rangers all over the world.

Wild iris

Coming to the park, I was pretty worried to encounter an American black bear because about 300 to 500 of them live in the park. I learnt that you stay safe if you remove food from your car and always keep it within arms reach as they might be more frightened of you than you are of them. I know that this is hard to believe…

I didn’t see a black bear but lots of very cute squirrels.

The Steller’s jay bird has a bright-blue colour.

During my visit at the Yosemite National Park, I stayed at the Tenaya Lodge that I can only recommend. Great food and beautiful new rooms (mine was a spa suite with a whirlpool tub in the bathroom, awesome!).

Stay tuned for more…

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

The largest folks festival in the world, the annual legendary Oktoberfest will opened its doors again in September. In order to look absolutely stylish, Jimmy Choo with his exquisite craftsmanship and attention to detail has designed a unique shoe as a tribute to the Bavarian state capital along with a matching clutch bag. Both pieces come in black patent leather with ribbons in 5 different colours to choose from.

The limited “Wiesn Edition” will be available exclusively in Jimmy Choo’s flagship store in Munich, Germany at Maximilianstr. 16 from August 2012.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Jimmy Choo