My Jeans
They’re unique in the way they’re cut.
Their colour’s special too -
Paler fabric, darker seam,
From greeny-grey to blue.
Whether worn with ballet pumps or boots,
They look good every time.
But the thing that I like best of all
About them is: they’re mine.
(June 2002)
Filed under Fashion & Style, Poetry, Poetry Please
I love catwalk to sidewalk trends – in fact I’ve written about them severally on this blog before – largely because it gives us average Joe’s (or Joanne’s) the chance to buy into the luxurious and unattainable world of high-end design.
That said, trends are one thing, precise designs are quite another. Catwalk copycats are controversial at best – bare-faced thieves at worst. And as I work with emerging designers every day, it is tough seeing designs blatantly ripped off, as it is at that end of the industry that it can do the most damage. But any creative ‘borrowing’ – no matter how established the original designer – is questionable. Which is why one particular piece from Lauren Conrad’s latest collection for Kohl’s has rather split my loyalties.
Several months ago, I spied a to-die-for summer day dress on ShopStyle, courtesy of Red Valentino. It was a classic cut, high-necked but sleeveless, finely belted at the waist with a girly flare to the full skirt taking it almost to the knee. But it was the delicate print showering the piece with tiny scattered flowers that I fell for. Because it flew off the shelves (despite being polyester and still priced at over £500), ShopStyle no longer showcase the look, but behold:
Cute, no?
So imagine my delight, tempered with an eyebrow distinctly raised, when during this week’s LC stalking, I came across this little number – the LC Lauren Conrad Floral Ponte Dress, priced at a rather more affordable $60 (currently on sale at $42):
Fortunately for Ms. Conrad, the looks are distinctive enough for it not to be classed a knock-off – the style of dress alone is markedly different, and the black to white transition which makes the Red Valentino so adorable translates as solid black in LC’s version. But just take the top half of the print and compare the two…
As a dedicated LC fan, I’ll class this ‘designspiration’ and revel in the fact that I can save about £500* shopping at Kohl’s, swapping a polyester shift for a polyester tea dress.
*Well, I could if Kohl’s shipped to the UK. Sort it out, people.
Filed under Brands & Branding, Celebrity, Fashion & Style, Retail
Last month, I had the pleasure of some international Fashion travel to none other than Łódź, Poland (well, why stop at New York, right?). A burgeoning Fashion Week, that is growing each year, FashionPhilosophy Fashion Week Poland is an event particularly encouraging of young designers – which is reason enough itself to see what they have to offer.
But my favourite trend that I took away was, oddly enough, not in the clothes. Piotr Drżał sent his girls down his very dramatic runway with gravity-defying top-knots, but when they turned on their heel and sashayed their return we saw that the messy buns were supported by an intricate weave of a reverse French plait.
No stranger to either the braid or the ballerina, I had never seen them combined and I just loved it. So, I set about learning how.
First off, Lauren Conrad’s (or, more accurately, Kristen Ess’s) ballerina bun tutorial from The Beauty Department is my go-to hairstyle when full-on styling is just not an option:
But that’s stage 2. Stage 1 is essentially an upside-down French braid:
If you can’t deal with the 10-minute long head-rush (5 after you’ve had a bit of practice), there is a way of doing it without putting your head between your knees. It’s more relaxed, it has a twist to it but personally, I think it’s a bit of a faff – but here’s your alternative:
And so, for a first attempt, not too shabby:
With thanks to Piotr Drżał, Luxy Hair and The Beauty Department (and Moda Forte for a very fun trip).
Filed under Fashion & Style, Hair & Beauty, How To
For the first time this season, I got to enjoy the catwalk crazy on both sides of the Atlantic, and without the nervous excitement of our own impending show production looming. So time for a little reflection. Given that it’s Oscars weekend, in true Academy fashion, I want to celebrate my Fashion Week favourites with a few Award presentations…
(c) Catwalking.com
Tribal nose ring jewels, butterfly-like maxis with endless fabric, pearlised mosaic effect gown with staggering headpiece and, of course, that shimmering green nymph. Quite stunning and (gasp) only their first solo season on-schedule following their Fashion Fringe win last September.
(c) Catwalking.com
A new name to me this season, but no stranger to the show schedule, J-PB showed a collection that impressed me in its symmetry and completeness. The purple palette running through each piece was lush for A/W and I particularly loved the styling of the leg warmers over heels that accompanied every second look. Chic, for sure, and one to watch.
(c) Catwalking.com / La Petite Anglaise
Just stunning. To involve such enormous volumes of fabric and maintain such structure was impressive. A big fan of a solid Stewart tartan myself (if, for my budgets, of the Jack Wills variety), I couldn’t help but love every piece.
Corrie Nielsen (c) Wonderland
KTZ (c) Catwalking.com
Michael Kors (c) Style.com
New York’s biggest collection (Kors put 65 models down the runway) was engulfed by it; London Fashion Week opened and closed with it (though the two shows could not have been more contrasting). Corrie Nielsen took the historical spirit of her Scottish forefathers and twisted it into breathtaking gowns presented with grace and impossible elegance. At KTZ the models swaggered at a pace down the catwalk swaddled in multiple thick layers of the stuff (hats, coats, trousers, you name it), topped off with some serious bling.
There are companies around the world who employ a ‘no jeans’ policy in the workplace in the belief that denim is the ultimate marker of casual, even scruffy, attire. No further could this be from the truth than at JENA.THEO. Sometimes paired down with simpler tunics and shirts in the label’s traditional muted tones, but the real stand-out looks featured beautifully printed silk pieces draping elegantly over their classic skin-tight denim. Long live the jean.
(c) Reuters
(c) Mark Large
A gorgeous extension of the fabric to the face, and how often is that possible without looking pantomime? But could it translate from catwalk to sidewalk? Slightly hesitant to try it at home for fear of wearing more glue than lace, but if Lauren Conrad can do it…
Whitney Eve (c) Getty
FELDER FELDER (c) Style.com
Jean-Pierre Braganza (c) Style.com
Not having bought into the metallic trend yet, I was converted by a couple of styling options that cropped up in several places. In New York, Whitney Port paired her sequins with a simple blue blouse embellished at the shoulders – a party look I loved. FELDER FELDER and J-PB took a more daytime-friendly approach, pairing a metallic finish skirt with a cosy chunky knit.
Spotted generally being fabulous, whilst hanging around the Lincoln Centre piazza, a blonde bearded Patrick Pope of The Platform was back in style for the third installment of this hilarious fashion girl spoof video series. Check it out below (and its forerunners, here). Just. Totes. Amaze.
N.B. If you didn’t make it to New York or London and you fancy a taste of the fash pack world, make sure you head down to London Fashion Weekend this weekend at Somerset House. Imagine the ultimate sample sale, with fro-yo and a blow dry thrown in, and you’re almost there. It’s fabulous.
Filed under Fashion & Style
…and I’m too excited to form a coherent sentence.
Filed under Fashion & Style, Travel
One thing you learn early on when working in PR, is how easy it is to parody – and how widely that is done. Probably in equal measure, the same goes for the fashion industry (so imagine those poor souls who find themselves working in fashion marketing…).
But I love it. It’s such a ridiculous combination of egos, high drama and nonsense, that you have to take a lot of what goes on around you with great bucket-loads of salt, let alone a pinch. Which means that when comedy geniuses like The Platform’s Patrick Pope decide to parody that fashion girl who we all know (and, to at least some degree, probably are) you can’t help but laugh along with him.
It is so worth a watch, is genuinely funny, and even more so for those who see this, like, for real, every day of their working lives.
And if that wasn’t enough, here’s round 2:
Totes amaze.
Filed under Comedy, Fashion & Style
This post really needs no introduction. Other than to say H&M are likely to have the most-watched Super Bowl ad this year in terms of female demographics. By a LONG chalk.
Filed under Advertising, American Football, Celebrity, Fashion & Style, Sport, Television, TV
Struggling for inspiration this Halloween? Tired of all the fake blood staining your clothes and/or having to dress like a ghoulish hooker to secure costume cred? Well worry not – inspiration this year comes from a two year old.
Possibly the cutest costume I have ever seen, posted on Facebook this week by Harper’s Bazaar Arabia:
Happy Halloween Fashionistas!
x
Filed under Fashion & Style, Holidays
Having had an exceptional miniature schnauzer in our family since I was about 13, Mulberry’s choice of canine accessory for SS12 particularly appealed to me this season.
Our Dexter is evidently right on-trend. We are now expecting a proliferation of celebs with miniature schnauzers over the next six months – all because Mulberry sent one down the runway at their show on the third day of London Fashion Week.
Read an ‘interview’ with Pippa (said schnauzer), here. The look Pippa models in this interview is the Mulberry Tillie Quilted Dog Mac in blue, priced at a mere £165.
The lemon sherbet yellow waterproof mac, shown below, is from the forthcoming Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Why not get both?
Possibly because Pippa doesn’t exactly look thrilled about the situation. And not least because my father is ardently anti-dogs-wearing-clothes. Dexter on the other hand, might be convinced. Watch this space.
Filed under Animals, Brands & Branding, Fashion & Style
Some inspired promotion from FOX in the US emerged this week. Our favourite Gleeksters are getting their fashion on for a promotional video ahead of the 8th September – the official date for the global Fashion’s Night Out extravaganza. And just 12 days later, the new season of Glee happens to air on the American network.
The skit (above) is too short for my liking (please let there be a full-length music video aired at some point, or at least additional break bumpers with out-takes), but some of the production stills give you an idea of the fun had on set.
Lea Michele looks a-mazing (in Balmain, natch), Heather Morris rocks the currently ubiquitous star print trend and David Bowie‘s Fashion is obviously right on the money.
Glee meets Vogue. Awesome. Inspired.
Filed under Advertising, Celebrity, Fashion & Style, Marketing, Television
