INSPIRATION: Southern California has many great lifestyle magazines…. but no one focused exclusively on fashion, beauty and accessories. The national magazines like Vogue and Harpers, as compelling as they are… all the editorial is tagged to NYC. For someone living in Los Angeles, this can be frustrating if you want to purchase something in your own backyard. So Genlux was born: a publication like W, In Style, but everything tagged in Los Angeles
Founder: Cecilia Moreno/ Publisher/ Editorial Director
Whenever I tell people that I’m a Fashion Editor at Genlux Magazine…. the first thing to come out of their mouth is…. “I Love that Magazine!!!” I have been (with honor) a Fashion Editor Genlux for four amazing years now…. and have loved every second of it. Genlux is Los Angeles’ premiere fashion and luxury magazine. Never before have I been associated with a publication that is so highly respected and such a powerful force in the fashion arena. I had the pleasure of producing my first fashion story called “Seventies Remix” in this current issue, and it can be seen in all it’s glory half-way through the magazine. The spread stars first time model Corinne Digiamo – she will blow you away – and Rayana Ragan.
You can pick up your copy on the newsstands now with the beautiful Andie MacDowell gracing the cover…… and I must say that this could be just about our best issue to date!
The Blue & White Batik Maxi…. is an absolute summer staple this Summer 2015… and the beauty of this batik pattern is that any height, size, or age can pull it off!
While the dark color has the same slimming effect as black…. the batik gives it that summer vibe and cool factor. The maxi elongates and the pattern helps hide flaws unlike a solid color that most of the time emphasizes those bumps and bulges. The Vee neck points the eye downward which is another elongating trick.
The beauty of buying summer clothes now? We are at the end of summer buying in the Northern Hemisphere meaning…. SERIOUS Sale time. Most of the Pre-Fall fashions are hitting the stores and many stores are at 70% clearance. Almost every single store in America is on sale now, so if there’s anything that you didn’t buy for summer but really wanted, now is the time.
Sale time is coming earlier and earlier… meaning we get to take advantage of great clothes at really great prices while it’s still warm enough to wear them. I have to say besides all major holidays…. sale time is my favorite time of the year.
Forever21 sent me this great quality, pair of pink culottes (or gaucho pants) about a month ago, we shot and scheduled it, but we should have scheduled sooner as these are as sold out as it gets!!
The good news? You can get the exact pair in black and we have found a few other stores that carry culottes that compare in looks… sadly, none in price. These were a serious lot of look for the serious little price tag of $21.00.
After Jennifer Lopez wore them on the red carpet… they were history. These are a great summer trouser that were originally a 1960’s staple… have made a 2015 come back! Easy to wear and easy to accessorize… They are perfect for summer and transitioning into Fall of 2015.
I have just returned home from a week in London…. one of the most beautiful and culturally rich cities in the world! I tagged along with my daughter Beau and her fiancé James Fay to James’ sister’s 30th Birthday Party, held at the world famous Serpentine Galleries. I am so thrilled I joined on this adventure… and so thrilled to spend an evening at the Serpentine Galleries. In Part One today, I have a few photos to share… a few “Must-Sees” and a “Must-Eat,” and a “Must-Stay” on our list …. Let’s get started!
The Beaumont Hotel
Let’s start with my favorite brand new boutique hotel…. The Beaumont. Located in the heart of Mayfair, it allows guests walking distance to some of the best shops, galleries and restaurants in London. Boasting exceptional style reminiscent of the 1920s….it’s intimate, luxurious and service oriented. When I say service-oriented… I mean coffee delivered within 7 minutes to my door at 6am! The restaurant had some of the best and freshest food in London. With a true intimate neighborhood feeling…. accommodations include state-of-the-art technology, beautiful antiques and art, fabulous amenities and – best of all – the most reasonable pricing on rooms for a hotel of this caliber.
THE BEAUMONT HOTEL
MAYFAIR, LONDON W1K 6TF
44-20-7499-1001
OUR LOCATION
The Beaumont, Brown Hart Gardens,
Hampton Court Palace
Beau and I took a little day trip (45 minutes outside London) to Hampton Court Palace. Talk about history! Renovated for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1515, this stunningly haunted castle was used by King Henry VIII for all of his major celebrations… and, after Wolsey fell out of favour, the King enlarged the palace for himself. I am not a fan on any level of tourist attractions… but Hampton Court called to me… and I am so glad that it did. The gardens are some of the most beautiful in England with a celebrated maze. The patio hosts a beautiful little restaurant overlooking the fountain lawn where you can dine on high tea and lunch. For those Tudor fans… this is a must see.
East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU, United Kingdom
+44 844 482 7777
Sketch London
My all time favorite dining spot in London! With several different restaurants in one… this beyond hip dining spot is an absolute must see when in London. The gallery dining room hosts an amazing art collection that changes yearly and Chef Gagnaire’s culinary genius has inspired the menus throughout sketch. His eponymous Michelin three-starred Paris restaurant has a distinctive menu style, which Gagnaire had adapted for Sketch. Executed by his acolytes, the food is imaginative, bold, ground-breaking and delicious. My favorite part of Sketch besides the food… are the restrooms. Yes!!! You heard me right… the restrooms are pods. Single pods make up each toilet and there are 5 per side… mens and womens. This brilliant dining spot is a must see for anyone visiting London this summer!
9 Conduit Street, London W1S 2XG, England
+44 20 7659 4500
Lavender Sleep Patches
The jet-lag going to London is pretty rough due to the 8 hour time difference. For those sleepless nights… I found a solution in a local pharmacy – Lavendar Sleep Patches by BodyTox. Pop an all natural lavender filled patch on each foot before bed… and drift off like a baby! They really do work… and help with the jet-lag!
17.00 Box of 6
www.amazon.co.uk
The London Outfit
We celebrated summer in London with our 4th of July inspired outfit with fabulous photos taken by Beau Dunn. Jeans are by Flying Monkey… Star denim button down by Rails and crazy red glitter boots by Comme Des Garcons purchased at Selfridges. Our backdrop is an old English power station directly across the street from The Beaumont. Stunning!
Happy 4th of July Weekend…. and no matter where you travel to this holiday weekend…. Please be safe and have an Amazing 4th of July!!
Pip Pip, Cheerio…. God Save the Queen!!
Laura Dunn
P.S. If you wish you borrow my red glitter boots… Size 9!
This edition of Pennies & Posh bring us to Ralph Lauren and Forever 21. Ralph on top…. Forever on the bottom. The amazing gold loafers we are featuring today on “Pennies & Posh” are some of the best quality shoes in this price range to ever grace my feet….Full price at $29.00! I am seriously not sure how they were able to make such a well built shoe for this price! The quality rivals a beautiful Prada loafer.
Add in our sparkling Ralph Lauren top at around $5000.00… and it’s Posh at it’s finest. This crystal encrusted silk top is just about as elegant as it gets. Mixed together you would never in a million years know how inexpensive the loafers were. That’s the beauty of mixing your expensive pieces with your inexpensive pieces. Your Posh makes your Pennies look like you broke the bank putting the outfit together.
As always, check out our boutique page for some golden ideas!
Today we are stepping into my closet to view a few of my own personal classic collections. These include purses, jewelry, and some clothing items that were purchased over the span of many, many years. I have always tried to go for the classic collectables – items that I know I will be able to use forever – hence the story below….
I bought the black satin Chanel purse in the photo above for $600.00 back in the 90’s. I distinctly remember the price because it was a quite a splurge back then. But somehow I knew that it would be a total classic and one that I would use forever…. it is…. and I most definitely have. Fast forward to 2015 – while I was perusing “The Real Real” (a vintage and pre-owned site) seeking a smaller version of a classic Chanel tote that I own already…. I stumbled upon the patent leather version of my first classic Chanel evening bag!! The price? $1000.00. So not only did the person that originally bought this purse get to use it for over two decades (wow!) …. but they also made some money after the fact.
The moral of the story is this, when spending serious money on the big designers – Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hermes, Cartier, just to name a few – always go for the classics and the ones that you know you will be able to use for years to come… and then sell for a profit one day (if you can part with them!). I adore my collections and would never in a million years sell them… but it’s good to know that if I did want to one day…. it’s money in the bank!
Big Classic Kisses,
Laura Dunn
P.S. Please be very very careful when purchasing the classics online. You MUST purchase from a reliable source, as there are way too many counterfeits on the internet. If possible…. please purchase in person… it’s always your best bet. Also make sure you can verify authenticity.
Demin…. Can we get enough? Not this summer of 2015! Today’s post brings us to a triple blue jean look. Jeans, denim shirt and a blue jean, hooded jacket.
A solid denim look is what’s on trend this summer… with some serious mixing, matching and layering going on.
Laura Dunn in Blue Jeans
We started off with our look with the old standard Flying Monkey washed jeans, a Current Elliot denim shirt with epaulettes on the shoulders and a BDG hooded jacket from Urban Outfitters.
The beauty of the denim rules this year is… there are no rules. Just pile it on…. and wear it with confidence…. knowing that denim in any form….. rules this summer!!
This edition of “Art & Fashion” brings us to an iconic name in the art world – Jean-Michael Basquiat – and an iconic name in the world of trendy affordable clothing – Forever 21.
Imagine my surprise when I was on a Pennies & Posh buying spree at Forever 21 and I saw a Jean-Michael Basquiat image on a tee-shirt! Were my eyes playing tricks on me? Could a Basquiat image (one of my all time favorite artists) seriously be on an tee-shirt at Forever 21?
Upon further inspection… there were actually 2 different images… on tees and a sweatshirt. What? Forever21 and art?
Not just any art… art by one of the most iconic artists in art history? Yes! WOW! Forever 21 has gone uptown with an Art Series…. Another WOW moment! Starting in May of 2014 as a capsule collection… with Keith Haring leading the charge…. and Jean-Michael finishing the series.
I caught the tale end as it’s sold out in most stores…. but do yourself a serious favor (even if this is not your look) purchase if you can and hold onto it as they will end up being collector pieces with some serious Ebay value!
Father’s Day is just a few days away and we have several amazing last minute gift ideas for dad! We went high-end this year…. because dad’s are worth their weight in gold and why would you not honor the man that helped bring you onto this earth with something that would knock his socks off?! So here is our fabulous gift guide!
~ Just always remember – a Father is neither an anchor to hold us back… nor a sail to take us there…. but a guiding light whose love shows us the way ~
I would love to dedicate this post to my Father-in-Law, Mr. David J. Dunn for always being my anchor… and for always being the guiding light to show me the way. My father passed away when I was 20 years old and David (Grampie) stepped into my father’s shoes… always being there for me and my family. Thank you Grampie for your unending love & guidance….
Love Always,
Laura
Please go to the comment section and tell us all about your Father!
P.S…. Opppsssss…. Steve Dunn!! I stole your look! hahahaha
Imagine my surprise when my package of goodies arrived from HorsePlay last week! I opened it…. only to find what could be the best quality casual wear ever to grace my body!! YUMMY rich blended cotton with the best cut and fit. Finally…. Spot-on trend clothing that you can dress up or down in the flash of a shoe change!
I wore the harem pants with a pair of wedges and a beautiful sexy blouse to the Peninsula for tea… and the next day wore that same exact harem pant with a pair of gym shoes and the HorsePlay seahorse sweat shirt to work out in.
I actually hated to waste it at the gym as I felt so beautiful in my HorsePlay outfit… But hey, why not look like a million dollars working out. You never know who you may see at the gym! Add in a motorcycle jacket that’s an amazing mixture of leather, polyester and spandex! Can you say…. most comfortable jacket I now own? And one of the cutest!
The whole line is planned to mix and match… funk up… funk down…. or just funk! I must thank HorsePlay for sending me my new obsession! I seriously will own every piece in this line within the next month!
If you want the best casual wear on the market, please go to…www.shophorseplay.com or check out our Boutique page, and feel comfortable knowing anything from this line will be off the charts fabulous!! I promise!!
Horseplay was founded by designer Chantly Rachel Banayan who envisioned a collection of comfortable yet fashionable everyday tees. After completing a degree in Merchandise Marketing at FIDM and FIT she worked in both retail and clothing manufacturing. Based on her experience she realized there was a clear void in the market for quality manufactured boutique style clothing. Horseplay is a convergence of her extensive knowledge in materials and fabrication with her long standing experience dealing with the tastes of this clientele.
An ad running in this months edition of Genlux
