My top 10 fashion brands: Rugby RL.

All photos are property of Rugby RL, source: here.

In my last post writing about Rugby Ralph Lauren finally opening their first European store here in Europe (London) I immediately wrote a disclaimer about not being able to be totally objective when commenting on this brand since it grew quite close to my heart when I worked there couple of years back. I loved it all, magical window displays, company’s social responsibility and projects, super cool & tremendously creative team of people I worked with and brands edgy-preppy clothes of course.J

At the time I worked at University Place store in NYC, Rugby was a bit more edgy featuring all of those fabulous fashion forward dresses, basic Ralph Lauren pieces spiced up with edgy sculls, collegiate patches creating classic but also rebellious and rockerish young look.

My favorite pieces many of which I still wear are many, most of my closet is filled with Ralph Lauren pieces with favorite being: Rugby skinny jeans, distressed leather valets and belts, cashmere sweaters and cardigans, cable knit sweaters for work in pastel colors, classic gold button navy blazer, rugby dresses and scull tote and of course lovely bow ties and suspenders.

Even one of the world’s most popular fashion bloggers Susie Bubble likes to wear Rugby’s scull chinos. 

Photo source here.

Rugby’s spring collection will hit it stores on January 31^stin all of its locations in US and London in Europe but it is already available for purchase online.

„It's the kind of clothes that mothers and daughters can wear, in terms of concept...

It's not about age. It's about taste, and it's about lifestyle.

I believe women of all ages can wear anything.“

Ralph Lauren

Designer clothes care tips!

   You might remember numerous horror posts I dedicated to my past away black cashmere Ralph Lauren open back sweater which shrank to Barbie size, my high waste leather Topshop Kate Moss collection mini skirt which got ripped in gazillion pieces as if it was swallowed by a paper shredder or my floral silk RL collection dress which now looks like all of it flowers perished, all of these were victims of my evil washing machine! 

I dedicate this post to all of my future designer pieces which will live long and prosperous life due to my new found garment cleaning habits.

Bellow I have listed useful advice I collected during my research – I hope you’ll find it useful lovelies! J

DRY CLEANING

Limit the amount of wearings & dry clean regularly. 

Remove the plastic dry cleaning bags after laundering to prevent damage to the expensive fabric used to create most designer clothes. Send your fine furs and leathers to a furrier for cleaning.

CLOSET & STORAGE

Keep your closet well-ventilated and moth free. Don’t pack your closet to its full capacity. Create 1 inch of space between each hanger in your closet. Dry clean your designer clothes before placing the items into long periods of storage. Store your cashmere sweaters and fine woolens in cotton bags.

HOME WASHING & DRYING

Flip graphic tees inside out when washing and always use cool/cold water wash cycle. Always iron while damp.

The gentlest approach for drying is to hang dry. Most of the wear and tear to your clothes is done in the dryer. If you are going to use the household dryer, use the low heat setting and dry them to about 80% dry. Use the hang dry method to finish the last 20% of the job.

COLOR

Wash color cotton clothes gently in hot water and others in cold water. Some of the rare colors like black, turquoise blue and shocking pink always bleed and require special precautions when washed. Always use liquid detergents specialized for the type of clothes you are caring for.

COTTON

Cotton clothes require extra care. They can be washed depending on how often they are worn. Get your cottons dry-cleaned after a period of usage. Most cotton clothes need to get starched and the starch makes the cloth fluffy and stiff.

JEANS

Air-dry your jeans and vintage clothes, and use low drying settings. When it comes to jeans you don't want to wash them after every wear, try every three wears or till they feel dirty.

To maintain the color of your jeans, wash them inside out. If your jeans have faded and you want to add color, wash them together with a pair of new ones that have never been washed. The excess color from the new pair of jeans will transfer to the old pair in the process of washing.

Photos:Lily Donaldson, Gemma Ward & Caroline Trentini 

by Steven Meisel for Vogue US December 2005.

ALWAYS! Read the label and follow instructions.

I SPY: La Café Flores, Zagreb.

Last night I decided I shall for once, for once, relax during the weekend and do something for myself - just something - anything really. So I did. 
          
As one of my new years resolution was to get reacquainted and reintroduced with my hometown - Zagreb, as a young adult who traveled a lot, lived overseas "got to know the world" and finally came back home - semi-matured. I decided to be proactive and I started working on it. This way I can for once check off something on my new years resolution list (FYI - going to the gym daily is still on, keep your fingers crossed for me to continue and I shall be the tight butt bomb this summer on the beach - unless mum's evilly good cooking prevails). 
      
Once my iPhone "used to think its cool, now annoying" melody rang - Wakeeeee upppppp!!!Why wontttt youuuu waaaaake upppp!!! I jumped out of the bed, opened the window to see that it is super sunny outside and the huge amount of snow that fell during last few days is finally melting. 
I called a friend and we decided to hit the Zagreb's Saturday morning "wanna be seen and photographed in my best clothes" rush hour, and explore the city to find a café we haven't been in yet. First I went to get the British Vogue's  March edition with fabulous Alexa Chung on the cover wearing all Ralph Lauren Spring 2010 RTW ( notice the fabulous beaded denim jeans bellow).

 We walked around a bit, he got his "Sports Daily" to sink in all the info he needed to know before the handball game at the evening. We finally walked in one of the small side streets to find the Institute Parfumeur Flores in all of its grace - it is an niche perfume shop founded by Mr. Teo Cabanel, they hold the finest and most luxuries custom made perfumes - royalty favorites. Within, there is a small café as well, with wonderful warm and soft pastries and coffee with cream in a heart shape ( I totally fell for that).
The most beautiful part you can see bellow my dears....

Thats right darlings...these are not Bergdorf Goodman Christmas edition windows your are looking at, in the NYC. Ouu noooo, these are windows of the Café de Flores - in the tiny street in Zagreb. 

Here you can buy the most elite French perfumes or scented candles and have a warm home brewed coffee with cream in a heart shape and soft fresh cookie on a side, served by a cute waiter, all in an artistic and luxurious yet small and intimate environment while you are reading a March edition of British Vogue in a good company. Ahh...splendid Saturday morning....

 Whats up New York? You better step it up!

Xoxo,

           Kat