Wolf Whistle

Go International (and get me one of those)

It's always a little sad when a shining light of London leaves for New York, but you still have to wish a British kid well, don't you? Jonathan Saunders showed in New York last week and it was just as good as I'd been hoping it would be: electric colours, bold prints and my perennial favourite, ruffles. 

 

Style.com quoted him as saying that for Spring he wanted "a bit of playfulness, something uplifting in these trying times." It makes me optimistically happy that at least something beautiful is being created in these times of banks declaring bankruptcy and other economic stress.

For those of us who can't afford the real thing on Net-A-Porter (and I am definitely in that group) , the good news is that Saunders has a Go International range for Target range coming out soon. With prices ranging from $14.99 to $59.99, it's perfect for those really feeling the credit crunch. And most importantly, it's suprisingly great - Saunders has created a commendable cheap version without losing the spirit of his designs.

 

I've often looked longingly at the Go collections, kicking myself for being the wrong side of a rather large pond. Oh, that Erin Fetherston red heart shaped bag still taunts me... Perhaps it would be worth setting up a myus.com account?

 

Or, on second thoughts looking at these lovelies, perhaps it would be safer not to.

Sunday Showcase Seven: 14/09/08

My seven picks of the week from style sites around the net for the weekly Sunday Showcase Seven!

The fabulous Devon Walker as seen on Alta Mira.
Is that a streak in his hair or the way the light catches him?

Marquise's outfit seen in wardrobe_remix on Flickr.
The odd combination of textures is really floating my boat.

Loving the combination of high waist and pussy-bow here.
To be honest, I could pick any of Ranna's outfits at Only Shallow!

Fay from The Satorialist.
This outfit was a recap, but I still love it. Want a tuxedo shirt!

Modern day dandy from The Facehunter.
Everything together just feels so good: I seriously want to be this guys friend.

Designer Nicole Rendone wearing one of her own designs, as seen at Alta Mira.
Not usually a one-shouldered dress fan, but I love the ruching here.

I just want every one of Vanessa Traina's pieces in this outfit.
Jacket, dress, bag, shoes... sigh. Seen at Garancedore.

Etsy: Dolls & Molls

There have been times in my life where my Ebay obsession has bordered on the line between unhealthy and downright insane, so signing up to Etsy seemed like suicide. It’s Ebay, only handmade. And cuter. No, I mean, really cute! It was asking for trouble. Occasionally I would browse and daydream, all the time safe in the knowledge that I couldn’t click ‘Add to Cart’.

So thanks a lot, Dolls and Molls for being the shop that finally made me break my self-imposed ban. (Is that a sarcastic thanks or a serious one? Even I can’t tell yet!) They specialise in sugary sweet charms on just the right side of deliciously tacky, all for super cheap - prices start from just $2.99! I'm sold.

I'm currently loving Seducer, a sexy vintage pair of legs brooch, complete with black lace garter for $14.99 or about £7. The $3.99 (£2) At the Party vintage image badges are calling out to me to wear them with pride! Also, these In Love Sweetheart earrings for $7.99 or approx £3.50 are utterly adorable, but I'm not sure I'm sweet enough to wear them.

 

Dolls and Molls also created a line of accessories for the amazing art-rock band The Long Blondes. If you missed out buying merchandise at one of the gigs, you can pick up a limited edition vinyl necklace or brooch here!

Based in London, they also occasionally sell their wares at Backyward Market, Brick Lane. Go and add their Myspace for dates of the next event.

I think all my girlfriends might be getting earrings for Christmas.

 

Gosh! Gash?

This is the first entry in my Congratulations or Commiserations category and firstly I would like to say that I am not in the habit of slagging off other peoples clothes. Well, that's not entirely true. I am... but celebrities are fair game, right? There are times when an outfit can is so snigger-worthy that you can't not comment on it slyly to your friends, but mostly I try my best not to. I believe in fashion karma and that what goes around will surely come back around. You won't find 95% off Balenciaga boots in your size - and wait: they're the LAST PAIR - if your karma is bad.

But this! This just made my jaw hang. A cute girl, mid-twenties, wearing jeans, trainers and this tee shirt (oh-so-cleverly mocked up for you by me.)

The word gash (noun) means, according to Dictionary.com:

1.	a long, deep wound or cut; slash.

2.	Slang: Vulgar. a. the vagina. b. Disparaging and Offensive, a woman considered as a sex object.

I googled the word gash (hoping that no-one was looking over my shoulder in the library) to see if maybe it was referring to a band or movie or something - please, God, anything! - else. But I had no luck. Eventually I conceeded that maybe it was really just meant to be the word gash plastered over her boobs in Comic Sans.

But why? Like it or not, the clothing you choose says something about you - even if all it says is "I don't care about clothing." So what does this choice of shirt say about this girl? That she's a long, deep wound? That she's a girl? That she's available? That she's available... for hire?

I'm kind of hoping that all it means is that she can't read English.

New York: 10th September 08

More eye candy from the chicest American city: New York Fashion Week Spring 2009.

10th September

Look, I love a good print on a pretty dress as much as the next girl, but I think in general this whole bohemian folkloric thing is not for me. Anna Sui has made some beautiful creations (see my favourite two dresses below) but a whole show of prints kind of made my head hurt. And those boots? Hiiiiiiiiiideous.

Michelle Smith's Milly collection managed to cram in a lot that I truely hate - boho, kaftans, trippy acid prints and far too much mustard - but I did lose a piece of my heart to a lovely little orange dress.

A little bit too "ladies who lunch", perhaps, but there were plenty of stunning 50s shaped dresses shown at Oscar de la Renta, including the perfect poppy and pansy print summer dresses that made me regret wishing for autumn. 

LOVED: I love how Marchesa presented as though the models were statues on plinths: the image was perfectly suited to their full-on glamourous gowns. Georgina Chapman has red carpet dressing down to a t - luckily, as she seems to be her own best advertisement during her own appearances. I'm thinking of that black and grey number as the perfect wedding dress, too. Gorgeous!

All pictures from Style.com.

New York: 8th & 9th September 08

More bite-sized fashion chunks for you to digest from New York Fashion Week Spring 2009.

8th September

Trying to think of something catchy and pithy to say about Ohne Titel is failing because all I really want to say is "I'm not sure." I'm not sure if I like it. The two looks below I do adore, but the collection as a whole really left me scratching my head in indecision.

At Jill Stuart the theme was off-duty ballerina. It's not exactly a yes from me - it's about midway between a thumbs up and a thumbs down. But it's a definite no to those god-awful wristlets, I'm afraid.

LOVED: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez at Proenza Schouler have a hit on their hands. Loving: the 8os vibe, hip details, strong shoulders, sheer petal sleeves, exposed zips running the length of the garment, HUGE bug-eyed sunglasses, the cheeky nod to model Alice Dellal's hairstyle and jumpsuits, jumpsuits everywhere! white parachute silk and black leather for day, silver sequinned and cut away for night.

9th September

Benjamin Cho bought body-con to S/S, combining ribbons laced everywhere with tight shift dresses. Loving the white off-the-shoulder look - a kind of faux naivety that's 80s in the best way. 

Philosophy by Alberta Ferretti is a show that I always look forward to, but I have to admit being a little disappointed this season. While I did love the new twist of combining military colours and detailing along with her signature silk dresses, I felt that there was only really one stand out look: the beauty below right. 

Marc by Marc Jacobs was as adorable and wearable as ever: perfect for urban princes and princesses. Can't stop looking at the lace dress below - please please please do a version, Topshop!

Halston's 70s lounge chic is not really my thing, but I was interested to see how the line would do now that the designer of the last season has left. Sadly, the clothes felt like nothing more than a trip through the archives. Although the jeweled brights were a nice refresher, nothing felt truly fresh.

New York: 6th & 7th September 08

New York, New York, it's a hell of a town. Here is my round-up from the 6th and 7th of September at New York Fashion Week Spring 2009.

6th September

I'm not a fan of Kirsten Dunst anyway, so the choice of her to feature in the video installation showing the new collection from Boy by Band of Outsiders was not going to win any bonus points with me. Admittedly, Dunst was the perfect choice for the collection of colourful preppy English-inspired separates, but the collection itself was only alright. Did love the below black dress though!

After an almost completely black A/W collection, Alexander Wang may have bought some Art Deco pastels into his looks for Spring, but his grunge girl muse still wasn't far away. An inspired blend of silk, mesh and leather created some gorgeously wearable pieces. I loved this collection - even the crop tops!

LOATHED: Well, I didn't hate everything, but this peculiar mix of military shapes and your grandmothers couch fabrics by Alexandre Herchcovitch definitely didn't win me over. Not sure what the crotch ruffles were about, either.

7th September

Diane Von Furstenberg, Queen of the flattering dresses, produced a Spring collection full of, well, flattering dresses. Ok, ok - and jumpsuits, swimsuits and shorts, too. Silk flowers worn in the hair and a dazzling array of prints and colours all saluted a glossy, lux hippy vibe.

Hervé Léger by Max Azria was what HL does best: tight, sexy bandage dresses that are impossible to sit down in. This seasons new look was twisted by creating optical illusion through pattern placement - but despite that, they've stuck to what they know.

LOVED: Neutrals - nudes, whites, steel greys and blacks - jazzed up with splashes of orange dominated the catwalk for Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi's label Preen. Love love loving the ruffles on the cleverly chic evening dresses. Preen can do no wrong for me!

 

Pining For Pine Bough

Look at this beautiful dress from the American store J Crew in the most perfect colour - the colour Pine Bough, apparently. They are busy proclaiming it as a festive favourite, but this is just too delicious to be resigned to a twelve measly days of Christmas!

Ignore the rubbish styling - really, were they the best shoes they could come up with? - and imagine it with black leather 4-inch Mary Janes with a thick rounded heel and a circle hair slide with attached black half-veil. Mmmmmmm.

In my imaginary social life, I am wearing this dress with the aforementioned accessories to the Autumn weddings I will be attending and then donning it for the glossy and extremely glamorous Christmas parties that I simply must show my face at. Then, after New Year, I can chop off the bottom two "good girl" layers and wear it out by wearing it out dancing a little too often.

This - and all the highly exciting imaginings that seem to come along with it - can be all mine for a itsy-bitsy $650 or 357 of the Queens quids, for us English folk. Even with the strong pound, that's much more than I can manage. Still, it's free to look, right? And hopefully, it's still free to day-dream.

A Real Wonder Bra

I'm not sure I'm ready to tell the entire internet my bra size, but let's just say that the girls are more than a handful. As much as I've wished that I was a skinny little thing with small breasts that would fit under anything, I've had to admit that I never will be.

In the past, this has meant sadly ignoring all manner of dresses: strapless, halter-neck, empire waists and the ones with those delicate little straps nothing can hide behind. Annoyingly, I've even had to discount the ones that would suit me perfectly, but were hindered by the problem of not having a suitable bra to wear with it - and going bra-less is not an issue. Trust me.

As you can imagine, this rules out quite a lot. I've shaken my fist and cursed my ample proportions about as often as I've had hot dinners. But I've found a solution! (You guessed I was going somewhere with this, right?)

I bought this Body Wrap bandeau bra from Fig Leaves a few months ago after it was recommended here by The Coveted for girls with bigger busts. It was the best £32.00 I've spent in a long time.

Frankly, it is a bit weird: the bra itself works by being rather like a pair of tights worn over your boobs. But it's under-wired and it works, so who cares! It's also seam free and is completely plain, which is handy as the back looks like a tube top. I have worn it with my open back orange dress and it still looks cute.

Most importantly, I am not yanking it up every ten minutes. It's also survived some pretty hardcore dancing - what can I say? Sometimes it's good to let loose.

I have kept lovingly looking at the website to check if they will get a nude or white version to join its black twin in my underwear drawer and now they have. Hurrah! So now I want everything strapless, naturally. And then fashion will be my oyster! Well, apart from the empire waists, still. But I think I can live with that. 

POP: A/W 2008

Loving this studio-shot editorial from the new POP Magazine. The heavily 40s inspired silhouette is so strong that it still feels completely modern.

Pop Fall Winter 2008
The Adrian Story
Photographer: Solve Sundsbo
Stylist: Victoria Young
Model: Iris Strubegger

 

My favourite is this shot, with lots of my favourite colours: grey, navy blue and that gorgeous cranberry, good enough to eat!

Scans from The Fashion Spot. Thanks!

P.S. How great would this suit match with my new brogues?

Sunday's Showcase Seven

Welcome to my first ever weekly Sunday Showcase Seven of the most stylish outfits on the internet. Here's what I've been getting excited about and jealous of this week!

Heini, 22. From Hel-Looks.
Everything about this beautiful lady screams old-time glamour. I love it!

A literal shirtdress, from Face Hunter.
I'd like to copy the idea, if I wasn't so um... ample in the breast department.

This outfit is from the elbulliant Tina Turnip, via Wardrobe Remix.
This picture makes me so happy! I love Tina's hair, too.

Raffaele from Altamira.
This is all about the details for me: the the collar, the belt, the shoes...     Beautiful summer picture from The Cherry Blossom Girl.
I admit: it's not just the outfit I love. The location helped, too.   Great jumpsuit from The Style Scout.
There's something so free and easy about this. Love the glasses, too! Cute young thing pictured at Smash & Grab by Glam Canyon.
Love the shorts! Check our Katja's amazing first ever editorial, too.  

P.S. Sorry for a couple of rubbish JPEGS... can you believe that the computer I'm using at my internationally famous arts school doesn't have Photoshop?!

New York Fashion Week: 5th September 08

We might all be thinking about digging out our winter coats for the upcoming dark nights but in fashion world it's time for the Spring/Summer 2009 collections, beginning officially this past Friday with the first of the big four: New York.

Here's my recap and pick of my favourite looks from Friday.

Erin Fetherston can be a bit hit and miss. At first there appeared to be none of what made her name - cute girly dresses - but as the finale approached they came out in full force. Some were successful while others looked like they were falling apart or like they'd had too much thrown at them.

Rag and Bone's  joint Menswear and Womenswear show looked good and sexy - but it just wasn't exciting. The straight-forward blend of mod and punk wear is sure to find an appreciative audience, but it's tried and tested formula felt a little tired to me.

BCBG Max Azria felt a little same-y after a while, but there's nothing wrong with extremely wearable and modern cut dresses in silks and jerseys. Love the grey and orange together, which really got me thinking about how my wardrobe could work the same combination!

LOATHED: Nicole Miller's mix of prints really wasn't my cup of tea. I felt it veered between tacky and downright trashy, although plus points for the use of some great oranges - what can I say? I'm an orange addict.

LOVED: Yigal Azrouel  presented a mixed show, with a blend of inspirations including punks, ethnic tribal prints and 50s lingerie in a muted palette of earth tones, creams, greys and black. Sometimes it felt a little disparate, but when it worked it really worked - I'm seriously coveting the below dresses - and the shoes were fierce. My favourite of the day!

 

All pictures from Style.com.

YSL for free (if you're lucky)

I'm lucky it's not April, or you'd all think I was pulling your leg(s)! Today in New York, Paris, London, Milan, Tokyo and Hong Kong, free Yves Saint Laurent Manifesto tote bags will be given away to passers-by.

From the press release:

"This democratic revelation of Stefano Pilati’s fashion message for Yves Saint Laurent, coupled with a traditional print campaign, continues a multidimensional platform for communication that began two seasons ago, and simultaneously forwards a legacy of broadening the world of fashion and taking it to the street."

Obstensibly, this giveaway is to promote YSL's manifesto about fashion democracy, but I wonder if the message behind the 'Manifesto' will actually get through to the fashionistas clambering for a free goodie with that delectable upside-down logo.

Pictures from the press release, via Style Spy.

My boyfriend R and I are finally going to see the Viktor & Rolf exhibition at the Barbican today, so I doubt I'll be in the right area anyway - not that I know where the right area is! The location of the giveaway seems to be a complete secret so far. Here's hoping I manage to bag one!

New Shoes! YESSSS

Gosh, I love new shoes! I'm supposed to be saving for a camera, but I bought these two lovelies on Wednesday, oops. I. Must. Be. Better. Behaved.

Anyway, I'd been hunting down a skirt (post on that to come later) when I saw these beauties. Yes, I have too many brogues. No, that didn't stop me buying them. They can be my thing, right? I appear to be completely addicted and worryingly, it seems to be an obsession without end. I'm like a dog with a bone when I find something I really love.

Beautiful, huh? They are the most gorgeous cranberry colour. They were £24.99
from H&M - but they really only cost me £4.99 because I spent my Christmas vouchers from last year from my brother and his lady. And yes, I'm aware that it's September. I was saving them for a rainy day!

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about Victorian style ankle boots and how much I want a pair. I kept getting outbid for some vintage pairs but it's probably just as well because these babies called to me from the other side of the store. I had to search through a big old pile looking for a size 5. I didn't find one, so I bought a 4 and stretched them a bit using my patented technique - which I'll teach you soon, don't worry.

 

They were £12 from Primark, but they look way more expensive, right? They're gorgeous and hopefully will calm down my quests for black ankle boots.

£17 for two pairs of utterly delicious shoes! Amy for the win.

Singing in the Rain

When the weather is miserable outside and the insides of me feel as equally miserable, a thing guaranteed to help cheer me up is by wearing a pair of my beautiful shoes. Sadly, beautiful shoes are quite often unsuitable to inclement weather. The equation seemed unsolvable. Wet feet? Ugly shoes? Never leaving the house?

   

Luckily, there is an answer. I used to think umbrellas were for cocktails and the rainiest of days, but now I see that I've been terribly misguided all along. Umbrellas are actually for SHOES - at least according to Shuella. These are rubber boots you can wear over your regular shoes for the days when the rain is pouring down. When you arrive at your destination, you just wipe them off and pop them back in their carry case, leaving your beautiful shoes to, well, look their most beautiful.

   

It's not a new idea: I have seen vintage versions of these rain boots around the internet (if I remember rightly, Karin owns a pair) but I have often searched for them on Ebay, to no avail. Next time I have pennies, some of these little lovelies in black are winging their way to me. They are $49.95 (which I think is a bargain if it keeps my shoes nice!) and the website is currently offering free international shipping too - that's also bound to put a smile on your face.