Monday 12 December 2011

Go Stud Yourself.

The fashion industry is swamped with the continuous influx of designers, new comers, re-entries, comebacks and dazzling originals. It begs the question, who is your favourite designer name. Ever since I researched Felder Felder for my art a-levels I have been in love with their design aesthetic; rock and roll chic, leather luxe, silver studs, grunge garden and tactile texture. The Felder Felder brand was started mid 2000's by twin german sisters whilst studying at Central St. Martins, and boy did they hit the mark. 



Their S/S11 lookbook is a clear demonstration of the signature androgynous style. The above images manage to give grunge, a typically harsh look, a softer sexy appeal.

Their SS12 collection is another intense collage of punk-kitten glamour. Nothing is more appealing than the push and pull of hard colours and studs over soft fabrics and quirky cool textures. Although the cost of one of their pieces will set most of us back four months rent they have an entry price point of around £125 for their leather accessories.
This studded, red leather cuff is available at Browns (also online) and is £125, which is on my christmas wish list. 

Their unique aesthetic is mimicked on the highstreet, topshop being a core copy cat. and getting that signature look is easy. Leather skirts with panelling details (see H&M) are a great and easy way to enter this new image with a bang! accessorise with a gold or silver studded leather belt. Tights are another great way to 'jazz up' an outfit, Giles now has a collection available at Newlook and online, in which black panels are featured (entry price point being £12) 

So I put it to you, GO STUD YOURSELF.
H. x

Wednesday 23 November 2011

All That Sparkles Doesn't Have To Be Gold

This A/W trend is glitter! I can pretty much guarantee that by january it will be everywhere, and we will be pulling it out from under out finger nails until mid march, as we all know from arts and craft, glitter gets everywhere, quickly, its builds a home, has children then dies a slow and glittery death, and then leaves its remains in your carpet for ages... (needless to say my folks did not like me playing with glitter when i was young).

Last years camel overload has left fashion wanting a bit more excitement, and with brands such as miu miu featuring glitter accents in their shoes amongst other garments, who can blame us for wanting something that will make us feel good rather than neutrally bored out of our camel capes. (shoes miu miu £400 at net-a-porter)

So yet again there are levels of how far you can take this trend. I would highly advise against looking like a christmas tree minus a chromosome, find one piece that works and stick with that. Jumpers would be a pretty safe bet. New Look have a few that come in at a pinch! starting at £15 this gold shredded piece gives exactly what you need without being over the top, literally.
Up a price point would be this Zara shirt, which i would team with leather panel leggings or trousers. £40.
Next up is one of my favourites, Reiss again has out done itself, best for quality with price, and always on trends like charlie sheen on cr@ck
This dress comes in at £169, but would be suitable for so many occasions.
Team this with some detailed shoe boots and you're good to go, desk to dinner.
Boots also from Reiss at £195

Following this there is always the option (not for all of us!) of buying designer. however if you buy designer i would not expect you to be a) reading this or b) being clueless about trends, if you are then you obviously are not worthy of the closet you own! This tee comes in at £295 from miu miu
Or this dress my Michael Korrs £240
If you have a budget higher than this then i suggest you go and buy a solid gold dress. 
H.x

Sunday 18 September 2011

Hop To It!

My trend prediction for the next 12 month will cause a lot of women distress, when attempting to empty their bladders on a night out... JUMPSUITS.
They are the almighty pain which means you have to practically get butt naked in order to use the lavatory! which is fine, as long as you have a good 20 minutes to spare each time you 'need to go' but I must issue a disclaimer: Do Not Take To A Festival... this will just end in sadness!
So you want proof? Well you ask and you shall receive!
Diane Kruger, Rihanna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna  are all fans of the peeing girls nightmare!

And the safest option for jumpsuits would be a black basic that has a straight cut leg. Jumpsuits by nature are a forward thinking persons outfit, you can't be a wall flower in one of these! By picking a basic all over colour the risk of a fashion faux pas is reduced. add a belt and you give that "is it a jumpsuit or pants and top?" vibe, which is always good! 
This basic jumpsuit is from ASOS and is £40. Team it with gold accessories and your ready to hit the town!
If your feeling more adventurous then try something a bit more colourful, and make a real evening of it by picking a jumpsuit that is sleeveless! This colour pop style jumpsuit would be perfectly teamed with some bright pastel heels and matching clutch. remember when revealing shoulders and neck the most flattering hair style (depending on face shape!) would be down! and BIG!
H.x 

Monday 12 September 2011

its been a while...

So this will be a general posting, a quick cover of what is going on with general tat (it says above, that there is a risk of general tat postings you have been warned...) here goes some general mumbling then!

So music, right now i can't stop listening to Bombay Bicycle Clubs new album. How Can You Swallow So much Sleep is an amazing way to open their new album. It's rather mellow and then POW that drum kicks in and its a completely different song. apparently it is going to/has been featured on the twilight soundtrack ( take off 10 cool points) now i've found this song on youtube however when comparing it to the tangible album, a real CD none of this downloaded from itunes jazz, it just isn't the same. 
So i'll do my bit for the sake of keeping HMV's financial head above water as suggest you go and spend that whole £9.99 on the cd and have a peek at the album art whilst your at it you lazy downloaders!!! 
another highlight of the album would have to be Lights Out, Words Gone. It kind of (ish) reminds me of lion king, i dont know why but its very raw.


So fashion... now i've been in cornwall for the last week, where fashion isn't exactly top priority. but whilst i was there i noticed the massive impact superdry has over there!!
This brand has been a 'one to watch' for a while and now is definitely the time to invest in a hoodie, teeshirt and maybe get down and skanky with it a get some joggers too! the fabrics are soft like a baby's back side, the colours are key for summer (and lets face it in england we want to remind ourselves that summer does come oh but once a year) however the sizes are totally off. my dad bought a shirt from there, he is a small man, usually takes a small teeshirt, he had to get a large. my sister is a size 8 she had to get a medium hoodie. but you can cut the size label out. all around, a pretty decent brand!
H. x

Saturday 20 August 2011

The Models of the Future: Unobtainable or Representing?

Hello lovelies! Right before I start this blog post I feel the need to state that the subject is a rather touchy one, I do not intend to offend but I do blabber on and on (hence why I started a blog) and sometimes the key points can be misconstrued! 
So there are two brand spanking new models hitting the catwalks at the moment, Lea T (pictured below) and Andrej Pejic (pictured above). They model womenswear, however they were not born women. I think that this is amazing news for the transgender (if I am using the correct terminology, if not please correct me) people of the world. However this puts a big ass question mark over the fashion industry... Should women have the physic of a slim and feminine male? 
This concept of unobtainable beauty started when models began getting younger and younger, for example Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau, the ten year old model featured in Vogue, and therefore had less of that thing I like to call hips and bust. It simply cannot be argued that 10-14 year old girls have not yet reached the peek of puberty and therefore look like girls, not women. 
Through my FDA degree the importance of understanding the customer has been continuously raised, so how does the luxury fashion designer industry condemn using teens, who the majority of cannot afford a £2,000 jumper, and transgender models to advertise their garments. I don't know any transgender people, however I am aware that they are in a minority, therefore it would be assumed that they can not ALL afford these luxury items either. 
So my rather long winded point here I guess is that when men and women alike turn to fashion for their inspiration for appearance, why are they demonstrating these unobtainable figures. A little food for thought I guess... 

 whilst on the topic of food, Crystal Renn, the (former) plus size model (see pictures above and below), who always looks fab anyway has slimmed down! Now I don't feel that plus size models have a more obtainable figure than that of size 8/6 models, however there is always a part of me that becomes saddened when i find another plus sized model who is now just a regular run of the mill model. (she still looks amazing though!)


Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and i doubt models are forced to work, they enjoy it, so they should be doing it, regardless of age, gender or weight. But, unlike films, when you know what happens isn't the norm, the fashion industry is the aspiration for many girls, boys, men and women and these designers need to be aware of this. Film happy endings are just as unreliable as the figures on the catwalk, are they realistic? are they true? are they obtainable?
 Its a shame that fashion isn't about representing and presenting yourself but the models in which the fashion designers display their art on. 
H. x

Sunday 14 August 2011

The Best Things in Life are Free (or very very very cheap)

ok peeps, so the topic of the week is......Charity shops! Oh yes, there i said the dirty word (or more implied the dirty words) SECOND HAND! dun-dun-dunnnnnnnnn!!

I am a frequent shopper of the second hand, and i must say, with the current state of my local topshop, i cannot say i really have a choice in the matter! I must say a lot of my friends comment on the lack of 'finds' in their local charity shops, but fear not my feeble finding friends! London is amongst the most prosperous place for charity shops, the general Islington area is rife with vintage clobber and in comparison to other areas the prices are a lot less! (its the most painful thing when you find that amazing dress in a 'highend' charity shop just off regent street only to realise it is out of your price range). Epping, at the end of the central line (east) is also bursting at the seems with finds! 

I am so very lucky that as well as my local town having the highest rate of childhood obesity in the whole of essex but it also has the most amazing charity shop. They call it the YMCA. Some wonderful woman who works there has somehow managed to wangle a deal with Rokit and Beyond Retro and gets all their cast offs, which she sells for charity shop prices! I cannot stress how much this completes my life.

For you non-believers in charity shop finds, i will demonstrate my most prized charity shop possession! My Mark Jacobs cocktail dress, and just to add salt to the wound of any other person who also has to live off of £250 a month in london, it was £35! Now obviously I didn't find this is the YMCA shop, it was in a BHF (british heart foundation) in Chelmsford! 
Those who are charity shop virgins, i suggest a St Claires Hospice, they are the cheapest around, so even if you end up never wearing your purchase it is just as if you donated £2 into one of their buckets. I find this particular chain great for books (on average 20p a pop) and jackets as they put mens with womens and girls, nothing is hipper right now than tailoring, mens blazers are sex on fire!

So this is part one of my bid to get more people charity shopping, my camera is currently in a box labeled 'shiz to unpack' as im moving, but i will put some photos up in the next few weeks of my recent and most loved charity shop purchases.

So adopt, foster, kidnap, donate and give back through the art of retail!! besides, if you end up spending £50 over the space of a month shopping second hand, you can justify the spend as you are 'donating to charity' (this is often how i explain it anyway).

ENJOY! 

H. x

Thursday 23 June 2011

LCF Fashion Show 2011: WOWZIERS!


The London College of Fashion end of term fashion show was something unexpected, I managed to wangle a ticket off a close friend of mine who was participating in the show and boy am I glad I did! These are my personal highlights of the show. 
The First was a creation which resembled Erdem, a Canadian designer I have mentioned previously, the obvious floral influences make this garment, the only part i would change myself is that it wouldn't be so sheer and see-through. This was from the second years collection.



 The next highlight of the night was the Third years collections, the outfits were well put together, well styled and hit the spot for a/w trends! (and yes if you are wondering that is the wonderful Sandra from 5 Inch and Up! )


This was a part of my friend's collection, designed as a uni-sex collection, with dresses for men and women which aren't based around the drag-queen-scene!


This is Jose Sel De Felipe, one part of the design team who created this non-gender dress. Need I really say that it is fabulous!?!?!
Overall the show was a hazy peek into the future of the london fashion scene, these are the designers of the future and they know what they are doing! 
Good Luck to everyone who exhibited at the show and congratulations to Jose for managing a catwalk in 5 inch heels! 

Monday 20 June 2011

Goodbye LCF Hellooo Fashion Industry!!!

So last wednesday was my end of year party, in which I, along with my closest uni friends attended. Now to begin with I thought the concept of being on a boat on the Thames would be the ultimate end to the ultimate year.... the whole boat-booze-bigshoes thing didn't occur until I was fairly inebriated.. Clearly this was something that should have been pointed out on the invite.
The monday prior to this I did in fact hit the Selfridges Sale... and left with a dwindling bank balance! This is not something i revel in often, but seeing as I am graduating in July (and no doubt there will be another shopping trip for THAT) I thought I would treat myself!


And these are the little gems i walked away with!! They are still available at the Kurt Geiger sales, also in tan.

I wore this Aqua dress in black, which can be found on ASOS for £85
This dress has strong details and therefore hair needs to be kept off the back, I'd advise a scraped up pony tail, as found on the catwalk for Michael Kors as well as many others.
And a lovely friend let be borrow this beautiful French Connection clutch bag. The silver in the print really set the outfit off as the rest was a rather basic black. To keep warm on the boat I took an old Zara blazer, from 2007. 

I kept my make up simple, letting the clothing speak first, a good foundation is always key, I SWEAR by anything from Clinique, I added structure to my eyebrows and kept the eye make up simple, applying bronzer to my eyelids to give a natural colour and used Doir Mascara. I lent my trusty red lippy to a friend a while ago (you know who you are!) and so in a rush bought rimmle number 160 (i think) which turned out rather perfect really! Match it up with red nails and the look was complete! I'll put more pictures soon when I dare to sneak a peek at them, hoping my drunken antics didnt cause too much disgrace to the sims name!!
H. x

Sunday 15 May 2011

OH WOW - OH LAND

So there hasn't been a music update recently, so hold onto your tophats peeps coz this one is a dazzler!
Oh Land has been around for a little while, but she is shit hot and, trust me, you're gona want a sniff!
She trained as a ballet dancer but switched to music, because, well i don't know why but i'm assuming it has something to do with ballet not having many male groupies (highly likely)
She is playing XOYO on tuesday (the 17th may) and i am hoping to go myself so maybe she will be even better live!
Right now my favourite song of hers has to be Heavy Eyes:
The video of this is pain old MENTAL, so very glam and very *warning to those who have epilepsy* if you know what  i mean!!
The sound itself reminds me a lot of Roisin Murphy's solo stuff, and it pains me to say but i think she might even be better! sorry Roisin!

H.

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Oranges and Lemons

Make up trends this summer are set to hit the brighter side of fashion, with vibrant colours such as yellow, orange and green to be very key.
Now if you want to safer option of this trend, go for nail polish, i always prefer barry m as it is best for money value, finish and lasts the longest without chipping from my experience. 
Now these three colours have been tipped to be rather hot, however I've got a feeling that mint green will make a fresh appearance next year so get a heads start now!

Yellow:
When using yellow as make-up you need to be very aware of your skin and eye colour, yellow is great for green or brown eyes, but washes blue blinkers out a bit. best method is to just give it a go and see what you think.
Green:
Works great with olive skin tones, generally will make your skin look more vibrant, but instead of smothering it all over your eyelid just work around the outside half of your eye socket and outwards, blend it with browns, and finish with a nude lip and strong brows.
Orange:
Now your probably thinking... orange, how does that work? well its not really an orange colour that you will see on the highstreet, its more just the colour they are using on the catwalks, but a coral lip works just as well, and if you're feeling fruity (see what i done there) then mix two shade of lipstick on top of each other to give a coral orange blend, rather than a coral pink, which is here there and everywhere right now! make sure not to cake on the make up too much around the eyes with bright lips. its one of the other, never both, in the same way you have legs out of chest, never both. unless your getting paid to do it of course!
H. 

Monday 9 May 2011

Its a little late for a spring clean, but not for a summer redecoration!

Like so many of us, I missed the whole spring clean thing, apparently cleaning is not my forte! (my housemates will be screaming "No sh!t" at this) but i like to keep things fresh and up to date by redecorating! and my most recent decoration to my uni room as been inspired by a trip to none other than ikea! gotsa lota love for ikea! 
so i spend too much money on a bin, as i've lasted 5 months without one and my life was just not complete. 
But i'll get to the good stuff. 
Faux Flowers!
 Now i am a perfect target for faux flowers, i have little to no patience, and never get around to throwing out dead flowers- i like to say there is something rather poetic about keeping dead flowers from valentines day, but get real, its like the middle of may now and they still haven't moved from the old cava bottle i put them in- so i invested a whole 13p per flower (yes ikea!) and got creative when i returned home.

Ta-Da!
so basically i blue-tacked them to the back of my head board. the only hazard being that i have to lean against the wall rather than the head board otherwise i bend the flowers the wrong way... clearly a well thought through decision!
but i think they look pretty sweet, and those lucky few who have seen the inside of my pit- i mean bedroom- have complimented them so... go and set your mits on some faux flowers, no watering cans necessary 
H.

Monday 2 May 2011

Lindsay Lohan : Blank

AMAZING PICTURES! ! ! now I'm not a fan of LiLo but I you gotta give the girl props for this level of hawtness!!! 



It makes me want to own everything in this shoot! the photographers Steven Gomillion & Dennis Leupold did a fab job, with the little help of an air brush that is -don't moan at that comment, its sooo beyond obvious-

Sunday 10 April 2011

A CLUTCH ISN'T JUST A PART OF A CAR

This season hot list hand bag is..... its not about the bag!!! Its about how your holding it! 

Thats right peeps, doesn't matter if its Louis V or Evie its the way your clutching that bad boy!



So little miss moss has "started" this craze, however I think its fair to say that you hold a bag however the hell you wish!
So I'll start you off with the "clutch it to your chest" its simple enough, one arm across your body so it is just below your shoulder, bag in between your arm and body, this Topshop black leather clutch is perfect for this, and at £60 it will hardly break the bank. Big enough to carry a pair of flats on a night out or you i-pad in the day!
This is the "if you can afford it" alternative, at £980 this Louis Vuitton black clutch is much smaller, about 12' I believe, but without a doubt a thing of beauty!
This is the Dora Sweet bag by Lanvin, at a jaw dropping £1055 this WILL break your bank but its potentially wwi (well worth it!) hold this with a loose arm, pulling your finger tips around the bottom, leaning against your leg. Just be wary not to stuff it too heavy or this new holding technique will become hazardous (to the bag obviously!)
This is my alternative to the Lavin above, from urban outfitters it is priced at £102, rather random but pretty cute if you ask me! It comes in many different colours, and goes with the colour pop trend working its rounds this summer, I love the yellow, orange, pink, well all of the colours but i dont have that many 100's in my bank ... yet!
This is my ultimate holiday clutch! Hold as any of the above, or squished between your armpit and arm, like you would with a piece of paper. It is from Accessorize and hits only £32! embroidery will be hitting the scene pretty soon and snap this up before other people cotton on and become an opinion leader! Perfect for a holiday in the sunshine or team with a maxi and go for a stroll around London or Cambridge. Also, seeing as everyone is talking about weddings now I would say this would be a smash hit at one of those!
H. x