Sandra‘s Closet

Beijing, the heart of China, is definitely worth a visit. After having been the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games and compared to 1994 when I had been here the last time, it has completely changed. But some things always remain the same and today’s sightseeing tour around the metropole’s most traditional must-sees was proof of that.

My look: We T by Boss Orange (Such a fun initiative, join to find your T-shirts Buddy here), printed pants with side stripe (very similar to Louis Vuitton’s Stephen Sprouse print) by Zara, flats by H&M, bangles by Sal y Limon and sunglasses by Katie Grand ♥ HOGAN. The cap is a souvenir from Beijing.

I started my tour with a visit to the famous Temple of Heaven, where the Emperors paid homage to the glory of heaven, is the largest group of structures in the country dedicated to rituals. Therefore its name is a little misleading because it is definitely more than just a temple, it is a huge park as well. Many local people have yearly tickets to access the area and they enjoy outdoor activities such as dancing or playing games, especially like today on a Sunday morning.

This sign freaked me out a little. Do you remember exactly when I survived the hail storm in Wyoming exactly one year ago? I am still a little traumatized…

A Chinese lunch with an interesting view…

The very impressive and respectful Tiananmen Square is the largest central city square in the world. This immense courtyard is surrounded by a variety of significant edifices such as the Tiananmen Tower, Great Hall of the People, Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, Monument to the People’s Heroes and National Museum. For security reason, Tiananmen Square is fenced and you have to pass a security check before entering.

The magnificent Forbidden City is the largest and the best-preserved imperial palace complex in the world. For five centuries, this palace functioned as the administrative center of the country. Such an impressive treasure to visit.

I had a day filled with amazing impressions. As you see in the pictures, the smog is pretty bad but it also keeps the sun away which might not be the worst. The humidity is high and you really have to get used to the oppressive weather. Next stop, the Great Wall!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Who would have thought that cheetah print and red lace could look so lovely together?!

Olivia Palermo knows her style well and combines her animal-print shorts by Tibi with a red lace top by Zara for a punchy contrast. She keeps the rest simple with a pair of ballet flats by Repetto and a gold cuff.

If you are planning already your fall wardrobe, have a look at those pieces:

Printed cotton-blend sateen blazer (40% on sale) and skinny pants (50% off on sale), both by Tibi and Cecilia lace shirt (new season) by Erdem.

You could work the look from head to toe with the pants and the jacket together or just wear one at a time with this beautiful lace shirt for a fashion-forward combination.

LoL, Sandra

This week, I drove all the way (approximately 1000km) from Salt Lake City to Yosemite all through the state of Nevada. Before leaving Utah, just before the city of Wendover, I passed the Bonneville Salt Flats, one of the most unique natural features in the world. The area is a densely-packed salt pan, the largest of many salt flats located west of the Great Salt Lake. Some of you might know it because of the land speed records at the “Bonneville Speedway”.

It looks like a frozen lake bed covered with snow. No vegetation grows in that area. The Salt Flats were formed when ancient lake Lake Bonneville dried up. The lake was huge, filling much of the Great Basin. It eventually shrank below its outlet and so its water became salty. As water continued to evaporate, salt deposits were left in many areas. The Great Salt Lake is a remnant of Lake Bonneville. The scenery is truly impressive.

My look: Long royal blue dress by Forever21 ($9.95 on sale), flats by Zara, daisy necklace by Dior Haute Joaillerie and my souvenir cowboy hat from Wyoming.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Those intricate eyelet lace dresses seen on the Louis Vuitton S/S 2012 runway (see photo to the left) that are in stores now cost a fortune unfortunately.

In case that you don’t want to miss the trend, I recommend a visit to the Zara store nearest to you where you can find some beautiful and similar pieces at the moment.

From left to right (photo above):
Top CHF 59.-, Sequined Skirt CHF 119.-, Shirt CHF 59.- and Peplum Skirt, CHF 59.-, all by Zara.

LoL, Sandra

Photo: © Sandra Bauknecht, Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

No, just kidding, it wasn’t me who went back to school, it was my daughter. So one of those very stressful mornings with no time to get ready as we had to leave pretty early. I am sure that all mums know what I am talking about.

Therefore I kept my makeup very simple, meaning just a little blush and some lipgloss (no eye makeup!). In case of an emergency, you can hide your eyes with big sunglasses.

My outfit: Blue Blazer and Python Flats by Zara (in stores now), White Shirt by Prada, Shorts by Blumarine, Sunglasses by Marc Jacobs, Python Boston Bag by Céline, Earrings and Ring by H&M, Bangles by Chanel and Bracelet (Souvenir from Istanbul).

Have a nice day!

LoL, Sandra

White shirt all buttoned-up to the very top (see Trend Alert F/W 2011: Buttoned-up Collars)

Set of ivory and gold bangles by Chanel, Bracelet bought at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

Ring by H&M

My favourite bag at the moment: The XL Boston Bag in blue python by Céline

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Today, I received many e-mails from my American friends to tell me that my photo was in The New York Times. Can you imagine how excited I was?! Above you can see it on top to the left, for the whole report you can click here.

On the streets in Paris during Fashion Week, the first signs of spring have brought a welcome change of colour. Bright, vibrant, energetic, the hues put you immediately in a good mood.

I loved the look of this Asian girl. Tangerine and electric blue are the shades of the season and combined together they just look amazing.

Get her look: Blouse by Gucci, tailored blazer, flap messenger bag, and two-tone shoes, all by Zara, cotton pants by See by Chloé, sunglasses by Ray-Ban.

The Zara shoes and bag are wonderful eyecatchers without your budget going overboard. Get the look by clicking on the links below.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Sandra Bauknecht

Zara has this months some amazing pieces giving you the opportunity to include some of the new season’s must-haves as well as some solid classics into your wardrobe. Decide for yourself if you want to go steal or splurge. Those styles are both ways great.

I always recommend to understand and recognize quality materials and craftmanship, not only a designer label. With this in mind, you will invest with confidence and mix with less expensive pieces to create your own individual, so hard-to-copy look. But be careful! Your shoes and bag should always be of good quality.

For all Zara pieces click here for the webshop (not available in all countries) or visit the nearest Zara store.
For all designer pieces you just have to click on the label in the text to be transfered directly.

One of the It-pieces for Resort 2011 is Stella McCartney’s ivory wool-twill tuxedo jacket with black and white lapels above.

Animal prints like cheetah (Azzedine Alaia) or leopard (Chloé) are very trendy at the moment. Spotted on an A-line swinging skirt combined with a leather top (Derek Lam) shows the real fashionista. Suede pumps (Jimmy Choo) are always a good investment.

The basics are your wardrobe’s building blocks. A bow-tie blouse (Balmain) combined with a pair of wide-leg pants (YSL) is a truly classic look. The colour combination of black and white always in style. Those items will last for years. Shoes by Gucci.

Of course, no list of basics is complete without the ubiquitous LBD (Little Black Dress) This season has been all about leather and this is going to stay. So why not indulging yourself in the trend material and adding a striking, sizzling touch to the classic piece (Bottega Veneta; Maje). Suede wedges (Bottega Veneta) give another modern, edgy touch.

Happy Smart Shopping!

LoL, Sandra