Celebrity Slickers

Reflecting on my previous post reminds me... What on EARTH was the slicked back hair trend all about? Completely, utterly, greasily gross. No, no, no! That is one trend in 2010 that I will not miss!


N.B. I will forgive Marion because she still looks beautiful. But of course, she'd look beautiful in a bin bag.

Sevigny and Sevigny

I like to think of myself as a positive writer. I like to inform. I like to share. Most of all, I like to celebrate style.


But I've gotta do it. I can't hold out any longer. I'm going to err on the side of bitchy.
I've never really liked Chloë Sevigny. Although we shouldn't ever fully believe what we read, I've read a few too many less than favourable accounts/interviews where Sevigny comes across as self righteous, rude and arrogant. And of course, there was the interview where she tore Big Love to shreds, selling both the show's creators and her colleagues, down the river. For those of you who aren't aware, Big Love was a hugely successful, critically acclaimed show on HBO that essentially reignited Chloe's somewhat flagging acting career. (It's actually very good, plus it stars Ginnifer Goodwin, who I adore.)


Now, I do think Chloe is a great actress. Kids was an incredible piece of cinema, Boys Don't Cry earned her an Oscar nomination and I have heard much praise about her performances in other such art house type films (Dogville and Melinda and Melinda, to name a couple). 
I have also read that she's some type of musician. 


And then there's the fashion thing. I find it hard to visit Vogue.com WITHOUT coming across some piece about what she's been wearing (although notably she hasn't made the 2010 best dressed list.) She is a bit of a darling in the world of fashion, especially in New York - but i've got to say, I almost always dislike what she's wearing. 


Regardless of my feelings towards Sevigny's style, it is essentially fashion that puts her on the map and keeps propagates interest in her. But here's how she feels about it:


“For some reason the public has embraced me as a fashion icon, and I feel like it has diminished me as an actress. Or I don't get as much recognition as an actress -- and that upsets me.”


Really? Because most people would kill to be in the position you are in. I hardly think recognition in the world of fashion has diminished Chloe as an actress. Let's reflect on her recent role of Judy in Mr Nice. Be gracious for goodness sake.


Sevigny recently spoke to Playboy for its twenty questions feature. "I guess I am stylish, but I would rather have people come up and say 'I really liked your performance in this or that' than 'I really like the way you dress'. That irks me." 
So why make such an effort to be so incredibly cutting edge high fashion?
Here's a little extract from Vogue.com:


CHLOË SEVIGNY may be more famous for her quirky red carpet style than for her film roles, but don't call her a fashion icon, especially if you're a blogger. 
"I'm glad I grew up during the last vestige of cool, in the Nineties, when everything wasn't blogged and on the Interwebs, when things were more on the downlow and underground,"
The last vestige of cool? Oh PLEASE. But at least she's not going to have any worries about this blogger - I certainly won't be calling you a fashion icon anytime soon.

All about Freja

In 2010, it was Abbey Lee Kershaw. In 2011, all eyes are will be on Freja Beha Erichsen. And if they're not, they really should be.

Discovered in her native Denmark, Freja made her debut in 2005 modelling for the Prada, Miu Miu and Louis Vuitton fall shows and has since walked (Haute Couture and Ready to wear) for Gucci, Chanel, Dior, Burberry, Alexander Wang, Balenciaga, Zak Posen.......to name but a few.

I've heard Freja praised many times for her infamous 'androgenous' look. But, although she can add this to her impressive list of talents, I prefer to see her depicted as a true fashion chameleon. It's easy to say, but her look is reminiscent of Helena Christensen. Striking and stunningly beautiful, she evokes a hint of demure, sweet even. She's also smoking hot and covered in intricate little tattoos (my kind of lady.)

Largerfeld LOVES her and unless you've been living under a rock, you would have noticed Freja featuring on many of Chanel's 2010 ad campaigns. Aside from her strong ties to Chanel, she has also appeared in advertising campaigns for brands such as H&M, GAP, Hugo Boss, Hermès, Calvin Klein and Emporio Armani.

To top all of these impressive credentials off, Erichsen has also had a number of fashion items names after her. 

I could go on, but I'll let the pictures do the talking.

500 Days of Winter

It's cold. So very cold.

And with this in mind, our flat (comprising of 3 girls), has embraced a multitude of winter based excitement. Ranging from Christmas decoration frenzies, Christmas dvd nights, chunky vegetable soup making and naturally, mulled wine quaffing, we are truly embracing the holiday season.

But as the temperatures plummet and the snow thickens, we're getting a little sad and wishing we could go outside without wearing more layers than an onion. You get my drift. We've done a bit of a 180 and have started watching films to make us feel warm on the inside AND on the outside (of course, the mind is a powerful tool.)

500 Days of Summer. Fresh, quirky, feminine with oodles of retro chic, Zooey Deschanel, this spring, I want to look like you. 

Staying Classy at the Christmas Party

I’m not sure why, but I’m really loving conservative dresses at the moment. I don’t know if it’s a symptom of the biting winter winds or perhaps just a sign of age... but whatever the reason, I have a feeling that less is more this season.

I’m thinking, rather than getting overexcited at the Christmas party and getting it all out – why not just tone it down by revealing just a little bit of leg, or perhaps a modest flash of cleavage. That way, even if you do end up a little worse for wear, at least you won’t be one of those* girls and embarrass yourself in front of your boss, superiors, discerning colleagues etc etc.

Here is my selection of classy Christmas party attire.

Navy Kimono Sleeve Wrap Dress, £48 Topshop

Aditya Dress, £75 All Saints

 Smudge Flower Print Prom Dress, £65 ASOS

Chiffon Top White Bow Tie Dress, £45 Motel

Epaulette Skater Dress £42 ASOS

*stumbling into the road, make up smudged down face, shouting abuse at taxis and flashing pants and/or bra

For those who take fashion blogging VERY seriously.

Refinery 29's guide on 'how to become a star style blogger'.

as a 20-something with a shopping habit, i must learn to keep everything lower case.

genuinely very hilarious!

http://www.refinery29.com/how-to-become-a-star-style-blogger.php

Beaus and Arrows

I feel I must bring to your attention a band called I am Arrows.

For those of you who aren't familiar, I am Arrows were formed in 2009 by Andy Burrows, former Razorlight drummer and one time member of We are Scientists. For those of you who are familiar, I am Arrows are made up of Winchester's finest exports, including one of my oldest friends, Ben Burrows (yup, Andy's younger brother.) The brotherly theme continues with Ben and Adam Chetwood on lead guitar and drums, and another Winchester local Nick Hill (on guitar) completes the quintet.

2010 has seen I am Arrows supporting Muse on their sellout tour and their debut album, Sun Comes up Again has met critical acclaim and secured a place in the top 40 UK Album Chart. Their first single Green Grass was hugely successful, earning Radio 2's Record Of The Week.

I guess you could describe them as 'indie rock', but I'd rather not use that phrase. I am Arrows have a feel good, light sound which to me is reminiscent of 70's rock. These boys are all multi talented melodic masterminds - Ben is the only person I know who could make banging a ruler on a desk sound tuneful (brightening up dull maths classes!)

Naturally, my gorgeous friend Sarah and I spent our school days as groupies for the school band (of which Ben was the lead singer.) And last month, we decided to revisit these days with a trip to the Watershed in Wimbledon to show I am Arrows some good old fashioned home county support.

The gig was a lot of fun and the band spent a lot of time hanging out and chatting to their fans. I thoroughly recommend going to see them before they get any bigger. I love the early days of intimate gigs and after parties...

Of course, this wouldn't be a fashion blog if I didn't include photos of what we  actually wore to the gig, so, enjoy!

Hurricane, which becomes the bands next single, is released on November 22nd. In the meantime, visit their website for a little listen:

http://www.iamarrows.com/home

This Charming Magpie

A behind the scenes shot of my little brother modelling for Vintage brand, Charming Magpies.

Swedish-inspired buys

Colour Block Pocket Tee, £35 Topshop

Leather Look Trousers, £14.99 H&M

Suedette Wedge Boots, £24.99

Marc by Marc Jacobs Leather Buckle Braclet, £80

Swedie Pie

Rodebjers S/S2011

House of Dagmar A/W 2010

Cheap Monday S/S2011

 Loyal blog readers, I'm sorry it's been a while.

I’ve been subjected to many-an-internet problem over the last 4 weeks, and as much as I’d like to, I just can’t blog at work. I’d just end up mixing far too many French influences and I’ve decided that French fashion is just too obvious for what this blog is all about. It’s not that I don’t appreciate it, I’d just much rather look at other influences, and to be quite honest, there's time for simple, serious fashion (a la Paris) when we're older. But for now, I think we should be making the most of fashion experimentation.

For example, I've been spending a lot of time studying the Swedes. Prompted by the amazing 'Let the right one in' by Tomas Alfredson, I started looking into Swedish cultural influences - fashion, film, art and design.

So on the subject of Fashion, of course we're all familiar with Cheap Monday, Acne, H&M. But there's much more to the Swedish fashion scene than this. Having looked around, I believe that their style is cool, clean, chic, contemporary and creative (five adjectives I love almost as much as I love alliteration!)

This is what Cia Jansen, fashion editor as Swedish Elle has to say about her native country's fashion scene:

"We Swedes have essentially a very practical approach to clothes, even if we’re very fashion and trend-conscious. When we dress up, we don’t dress up too much. There’s not such a difference between how we dress at work, in our time off, and at parties. Even when our clothing is decorative, it has a practical function. I think that the Swedish approach fits very well with the modern lifestyle embraced by people all over the world. Perhaps we’re ahead of our time up here.

One positive trend is that Swedes themselves have started to buy Swedish design and that pieces by Swedish designers are now available at more places all over the country, including the big department stores. In Stockholm many designers have their own stores, where you can see their entire collections, like Rodebjer, Whyred, Nakkna, Fifth Avenue Shoe Repair, Carin Wester, Anna Holtblad, the jewelry designers David & Martin and many others. Of course Acne is the flagship − they have proven that it’s possible to build a brand on the international market, based on a jeans collection. Cheap Monday is another phenomenon, with its Weekday stores. And you can’t forget larger, established brands like Filippa K, Tiger and J. Lindeberg, and of course H&M, which is everywhere.
In general I think the Swedish fashion scene is good, exciting and creative, with lots of interesting concepts and shops. And you get a lot of fashion for your money. Remember, both IKEA and H&M come from Sweden. Swedes are used to being able to buy contemporary, chic design that doesn’t cost a fortune.”

  xxxx

 

Carin Wester A/W2010

Filippa K A/W 2010

This isn't just any fashion moment....this is an M&S fashion moment

Autograph Weekend Check Wrap Coat with Wool, £99

I never thought I’d see the day where I would say this.

M&S is having a fashion moment.

M&S.

Yes. M&S. 

I know.

Ever since I can remember, M&S was where our mum’s shopped and brought our socks for P.E. 

I’m aware that things have changed a lot since the 90’s and the former Marks and Spencer has undergone a huge transformation in terms of rebranding, refreshing and reigniting the interest of the general public. 

Their advertising campaigns have been graced by the likes of Vogue fave Laura Bailey, the ever graceful Twiggy and Myleen Klass frolicking about in her bikini.

Limited Collection Harem Pants with Belt, £29.50

To be honest, all of this didn’t really persuade me to shop there; I just thought it was nice that they’d made such a significant comeback.

I then paid a visit to their newly extended Bath store and came across some absolute on trend gems, which in turn prompted me to have a little look online. From this, I discovered that M&S’s Limited Collection range features collaborations with 10 Fashion and Textile students from the RCA.  So, I’ve been a bit slow on the uptake!

Unfortunately, the price range is a little too high for my liking, but that’s probably due to the fact the clothes are guaranteed good quality. Which is in no way a bad thing. So, maybe I’ll invest in a good quality winter coat (eek, I really do sound like my mother...)

Limited Collection RCA Bird Print Tunic, £40

Camel Dress

Urban Sockery

So, in case you needed more reasons to revamp your sock drawer....

p.s. Do you see what I mean about the ultra skinny legs?

p.p.s. I am loving this girls cardi, but I don't think I could wear it to work...

xxxx

How to do....

Socks and shoes.

I use the term 'shoe' loosely. The socks and shoes looks isn't for the faint hearted and I got quite a few discerning looks from girls on the high street yesterday (easy girls, they're just socks!) and I am quite sure this is a look that men will not get.

But I've never dressed for the benefit of men (or bitchy girls alike!) and I personally love this look. It's been a bit of a slow burner, but that's given me some time to assess what works and what doesn't. I think you've got to be careful and stick to a few rules.

• Knee high socks are a no unless your legs are super skinny - it's all about the ankles.
• Avoid the Ann Summers schoolgirl look at all costs. You know what I mean.
• Socks work well with chunky shoes, not dainty peep toes.
• If teaming with ankle boots (which is a big yes from me) make sure they sit close to the top of the boot. You don't want the look to make your legs look chunky.
• I really like this look with ankle grazing trousers. Tight on the ankles, not swingers people!
• You can scrunch down knee high chunky socks for a slightly different look.

I've thrown in a few yes and no photos. I'll let you be the judge of these!

Madame Hawke

Stolen Girlfriends Club

Riddled by Ruby

Writing the previous entry on Stolen Girlfriends Club got me doing a bit of thinking.

I love New Zealand. I've been there a couple of times and absolutely loved it. It's beautiful, it's green, clean, the people are lovely, the boys are lovelier and the surf is a lot less hazardous than in Australia. But....the one thing I didn't have it down as is being fashionable. Or having any sort of cutting edge fashion scene whatsoever.

But then, I discovered Stolen Girlfriends Club. Then, I got to thinking. Then, I turned to Google. Which then, told me just how wrong I was.

I turns out that when it comes to fashion in New Zealand, there's a lot to shout about. 

New Zealand Fashion Week runs from 21st-25th September and features collections from brands with really cool names, such as Riddle Me This (based in Mount Maunganui, a beautiful place) and Sable and Minx (based in Auckland).

Another featured designer at NZ Fashion Week this year is Ruby of Ruby Boutique. I was made aware of them by Fashion Toast and got very excited upon Googling...see below

Yummmy! Don't mind if I do. And if you like this, you'll love their collection of bone necklaces - so quirky.

You can find this particular outfit and many, many more at: http://www.rubyboutique.co.nz/

(oh, and the blog is as cool as the clothes)

And whilst you're at it, have a peruse through some of the other NZ brands showcasing their collections at this year's fashion week at http://www.nzfashionweek.com/NZ-Fashion-Week/Home_IDL=20_IDT=811_ID=5994_.html

Art punks, fashion drunks and movie stars in shitbox cars.

Whilst perusing the internet, I stumbled across a brand I've never heard of before (but probably should have). 
 

Stolen Girlfriends Club is the brain child of New Zealand based trio, Dan Gosling, Marc Moor and Luke Harwood. The boys have a strong background in surfing and no professional design training....
 
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Sorry, they had me at 'surfing'.
 

Anyway, the boys loved designing clothes for their friends so much that they decided to start a label. The name Stolen Girlfriends Club originated from a theme for one of their art shows and was so popular, they decided to use it as the official name for this new label.
 

I would describe their current collection as edgy and a little bit dark, whilst managing to maintain an effortlessly cool and relaxed vibe. They would describe their current collection as "A nomadic biker gang of sherpa mountain climbers, with their kidnapped trophy girlfriends."
 

And it looks like I'm not the only one who's a sucker for a surf boy. Juliette Lewis is a huge fan of Stolen Girlfriends Club and the label is said to be popular with Kate Bosworth, Beyonce Knowles and Agyness Deyn. Stockists include ASOS, www.buydefinition.com and www.capolla.com and can be brought in store at Liberty London and Start London.
 

Given the current trends for A/W 2010, I think these surfer boys are going to be hugely relevant!


Read more at: http://www.dazeddigital.com/article/7449/1/scrap_club_in_peckham

Radiating Inca Prints and Smugness....

Now, I'm not one to be smug (on the outside), but I brought this bikini months ago (ok, 6 weeks..)

I'm extremely delighted to see it appearing in Marie Claire's buy of the day!

Unfortunately, I've only been able to debut it in my back garden....so by the time I actually get to model it in an exotic location, this season's hottest bikini may very swiftly become the season before last's lukewarm bikini. Let's hope not.

Big gold drop earrings with this one please. And maybe some fake tan...I get the impression this isn't one to wear if you're looking a bit pasty.

xxx

A short history of Clogs

The jury is out for me on the subject of clogs. I mean, I wasn't really into them when they made a comeback in the 90's. However, I do appreciate the practical nature of them, in a non croc kinda way, not to mention their historical European connotations. Will I be wearing them? Probably not.

I'm pretty sure they won't be a lasting trend and they're not the most flattering of footwear. I have really tiny ankles, so something that clumpy on me just looks ridiculous. That and I'm really not cool enough to pull a look like that off - hence why I'm keen to leave it to the Europeans.

Another reason for my uncertainty lies within the following exert I discovered on Wikipedia on men in Lancaster using clogs for...questionable funtime. (I may add that this was in the early 1900's but still..):

Clog fighting, locally called 'purring' was a means of settling disputes. Both the fighting and the betting among spectators was illegal.

"It is all up and down fighting here. They fought quite naked, except for their clogs. When one has the other down on the ground he first endeavours to choke him by squeezing his throat, then he kicks him on the head with his clogs. Sometimes they are very severely injured." (www.http://chrisbrady.itgo.com/clogmaker/clogmaker2.htm)

Say what?! Naked? Not cool.

On the other hand, from the same source I discovered that 'clog dancing' was the entertainment of the 1800's.

I digress. Really, we should probably try and look beyond the history of clogs and embrace the now. They are hot fashion property and if you can pull them off, then why not splurge on a pair?

Having spent my sunday morning trawling the internet, I have put together a selection of  shoes that represent the clog trend, without being to cloggy. If you get my drift. Just don't go naked fighting in them.