Thursday 22 December 2011

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

So everyone has been talking about the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, again! I read the novel a couple of years ago during the last wave of publicity. Every time I got the tube I was surrounded by the book so eventually curiosity got the better of me; the story is good, although a bit too raw and graphic for me to read the rest of the books in the trilogy. So fast forward two years and they are releasing the movie again (the first was released 2009/10) with an English/American cast; the original story was set in Sweden, I am not sure about the new movie. Anyway everyone has been talking about Rooney Mara...i am not familiar with her work at all, but the media have been discussing her formation to play the role of Lisbeth Salander, check out the images.

 Not only has Rooney's transformation from pretty to striking been epic (you need to see the movie to see the full extent of the transformation including tattoos and piercings) but her wardrobe has taken a turn to edgy too. I am not sure what designers she is wearing but I assuming Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Alexander Wang and  people of the same elk. I love her transformation, I am considering doing something similar for 2012!!!
  













Adding to the crazy that is surrounding this movie H&M who I would like to rename as the "the high street brand who will exploit any trend" have brought our a range of clothes inspired by Rooney/the Lisbeth Salander character which launched recently and coincides with the release and the hype surrounding the movie. Talk about free advertising!!!
I saw the range at Selfridges, and there are actually some quite cool pieces. I liked the black hi top trainers the best (shoes on the fourth model along)!!! Check out the campaign images below.


So I guess, you should all go watch the movie, or at least dress like you did!!!

Wednesday 21 December 2011

Brrrr its cold outside!!!

So have you noticed much like Treggings which you never knew you needed but now can not live with out, the Snood has made a big impact on my winter wardrobe. I tried to wear a scarf yesterday, but it just was not working! I couldn't wrap it around properly, the extra bit of scarf got in the way etc. The Snood however, my new go to neck insulator of choice does the job effortlessly. What's great about the snood is that you can also use it as a hood/head wear too!!! My delightful friend Fashion Somebody gave me this Monsoon Snood for Xmas...I am gonna be wearing it all the way through to Feb...

Monday 19 December 2011

All I want for Christmas is shoes...and...

So I am still not in the mood for Christmas, I have a serious case of the bah humbugs...with 5 days to go I don't think I am going to muster the joys anytime soon. I have been back to feed my Topshop addiction though! On my hypothetical Christmas list I have...
These gorgeous off white boots, are border line funky, one more stud and they would have been too crazy for me. The studs give the normally summertime boots an edge, and the tassel on the zip add the fun factor. I like that the ankle is wide on these boots too; they make my own ankle look slender.
Move aside Ms Campbell there's a new supermodel in town, or at least I feel like I could own it in these 7 inch heels. A cute dress, a pair of black  tights and mwah you have yourself an A-maz-hing outfit.
Okay so I have no money, but I still love to shop for fun and try out new looks so when I was in Stratford Westfields the other day I tried on the black shirt with the PVC skirt, this is a tougher look than I would normally go for, but I love it. I think that the black PVC skirt would also look great with a white blouse; I would wear this as a work look or with white Converse boots to be casual! 



This sexy gold/bronze skirt is gorgeous. I love that it is not too short, I would wear this with the sleeveless black shirt again or perhaps something white and sheer. Magnificent!!!
I love this shirt, its perfect for winter with the long sleeves, and I would roll up the sleeves for summer! The shirt would be great with any of the skirts pictured above or even a cute pinafore dress.

So there you have it, my hypothetical Christmas wish list...I am sure I will post another one before Christmas. xxx

Tuesday 13 December 2011

Whiff di Christmas

So Christmas seems to equal perfume...While on a Vay-K to New York I was bomboarded by sales assistants who "loved my accent" and wanting me to buy their perfumes costing up to £200+, my attention was drawn to Fan di Fendi (such a weird name), Body by Burberry, Candy by Prada and Black Dahlia from Givenchy!!! Perfumes are such a hard decision so while I decide what one suits me best, check out the adverts for the eau de toilets (excuse my french) below!!! I think the common theme here is evocative...





After watching all the ads, I am even more confused about which one I should buy?

Friday 9 December 2011

Super Superga

Super Superga

Superga
£40 - office.co.uk

Metallic sneaker
$75 - jildorshoes.com

Navy sneaker
$65 - jildorshoes.com

Red canvas shoes
$65 - jildorshoes.com

Grey canvas shoes
$65 - jildorshoes.com

Return of the MAC

And the blogs just keep on rolling...the post is about MAC, I love MAC I think it is probably one of the best make up brands in the world! MAC makes make up fun and untimidating; the brand is out there but also mainstream if that makes sense. I think 90% of my make comes from MAC ever since one of my best friends introduced me to the brand back in my Uni days. What I love about going into the MAC stores, apart from the helpful but harrassed staff is the made up boys who always work there. You can image they would be super fun on a night out! Anyway as well as the stor ambience the brand are also constantly re-investing themselves through collaborations with culturally relevant brands like Barbie, Alexander McQueen and Hello Kitty. Now they are collaborating with Gareth Pugh; who appears to be the go to guy for collaborations at the moment (he is also collaborating with Melissa in 2012)!!! Check out the video, I think the range is a must...the big question is can I pull off the Goth look?

Dazed and Slightly Confused

So with my new found time I have had my hair done, a sassy bob; longer at the front than at the back. But this post isn’t about my hair it’s about an exhibition I went to at Somerset House – It was on 20 years of Dazed and Confused. A magazine which I am sure most fashion lovers like to flick through every now and then if not use as their bible for all things cool in that really annoying “don’t even need to try” way. I have to say although I love what the magazine stands for; a fusion of music, art, fashion and culture I don’t quite get it. Maybe I am not supposed to as the title would suggest, but as a fashion enthusiast and Londoner (I have lived in the capital for 3 years now) I thought I would in the same way that I love Nylon, Lula and Pop.
Having seen the small but perfectly curated exhibition I found that my confusion dissipated a bit. The photo shoots, though obscure at times where works of art and really challenged viewers to re-evaluate how they see certain subjects within society. The exhibition highlighted this, as many of the pages from the magazine were attached to 'w' shaped structures. In order to view them you had to cane your neck, crouch and move into other akward shapes.
The magazine launched in the 1990s still feels very 90s in its execution although still very relevant in today’s Pop Culture. The role call of people involved or pictured in the magazine runs from Justin Bieber to Kristen Stewart through to Grace Jones showing the relevancy of the ‘zine.
I really enjoyed the exhibition and would recommend it to anyone with a spare 20mins to check it out; I think at the least it is very inspiring, I want to start up my own magazine…but I am too lazy and do not have the skill or knowledge. It shows us how fashion used to be very innovating, challenging and entrepreneurial; I really don’t see that anymore. Come on guys, I want to see new fashion businesses popping up everywhere…
Okay so I have rabbled, but check out a few images that I have taken from the www.dazeddigital.com website which is a wealth art and fashion imagery, check it out.

Copy for Copy sake


So I am thinking of changing my blog name to ‘unemployed fashion junkie’, I have recently quit my job and am now looking for a new job that will challenge me and give me job satisfaction. While I find that job I am going to try and communicate more online; and really embrace the medium. So I went into Primark this week…I am not a big fan of the low cost fashion retailer but I feel a bi-monthly visit is necessary to investigate any hidden gems. When I say investigate, I really mean embarking on an expedition into the unknown, with elbow stabbing, possible tripping and hair pulling rife. Like a war zone it’s the survival of the fittest.
I was disappointed to see that there wasn’t much going on, and product range hadn’t changed since my last bi-monthly visit. What I did notice was that Paul’s Boutique had become the latest victim of Primark’s copycat antics. Seriously, I know that people have less disposable income but really would they rather spend £10 when they can spend £40/50 on a high quality, high spec bag. (I wish I could show you an image but Google came up with nothing). I can see the need for high street retailers to copy luxury brands; it increases the availability of high design however high-street brand to lower high-street brand??? People like a bargain, but tat is tat.

I think Primark should really take a leaf out of Forever 21 who have a similar price architecture and be individual. Interpret your own fashion don’t imitate!!!

Sunday 13 March 2011

Fashion Tardiness

Hello Guys, I have not written in soo long, I feel very bad. Life has sort of got in the way of everything...I had started a blog about London Fashion Week and my experience but it kind've feels redundant now its over. I shall instead focus on highlights from the whole of fashion month.

I am kind've in two minds, excited by the coming season SS11 and all the new clothes I need to buy, that's right NEED! I am also super excited about all of the AW11 garments and accessories that flew down the catwalk. In particular the Mulberry Handbags...and the Alexa which seems to be getting a refresh in many new colours check out the video of the AW11 Show. I now have enough money to buy a Mulbag but do I wait and get the newer version of the Alexa in AW or do I just splurge now??? Decisions...

Moving on I was also wowed by -

London Fashion Week - Burberry and Topshop Unique



Milan Fashion Week - Emilio Pucci, Prada, D & G, Missoni




Paris Fashion Week - Miu Miu, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Louis Vuitton





These are to name but a few of the amazing shows that have taken place this last month, well done to all the designers who continue to inspire and innovate!!!

Best, Lx

Saturday 29 January 2011

Richard Philips 'Most Wanted'

I am actually currently working on my dissertation proposal, but I am easily distracted and despite the pressing Monday deadline, I thought I would quickly update my blog.
I was doing my bi-weekly check on the International Herald Tribune website and I came accross an article about Richard Philips latest exhibition at the White cube gallery in East London. It opened on the 27th Jan, and I am yet to go whoever it peaked my interest because it is all about celebrity endorsement.


Any self-respecting Fashion marketing student will know that celebrity endorsement although having been around forever went into over drive after the expansion of mass media driven by technological innovation. The internet being one of the biggest drivers. Anyway nowadays you can not move for celebrity endorsements whether its Blake Lively becoming the new face of Chanel Mademoiselle or Kim Kardashian doing it for Skechers.


All of this hasn't gone un-missed by Richard, whose exhibilition 'Most Wanted' a series of oil paintings depicting various hollywood stars and their brand collaborations (shall we say). He has focused on the young stars of today, but I would say both old and young celebs are getting in on the act and cashing in big time. See images below of what you can expect to see at the exhibition. As I am currently writing about co-branding I will definately be making my way down to the White Cube sharpish (well after I have finished my proposal) as celebrities have become their own brand.

Thursday 20 January 2011

Burberry SS11 - loving it!!!



I am starting to really get into Burberry, Christopher Bailey has done a really good job of making the brand current!!!

Urban Outfitting...

It feels weird to be writing mid-week on my blog, but as I have a couple of days of work I am trying to be a bit more creative.

At the moment I am loving Urban Outfitter, I randomly decided to check out the website as it had been a while and found a gorgeous collection of clothing. My favs were the branded dresses, I know I have commented before about making shorts my thing for SS11 (I did buy the rust coloured pair I have been oogling for months at Topshop) but my other garment of choice this season will be dresses.

Dresses are simple, a complete outfit in themselves. In the winter you can wear them with a cardy and tights and in the summer just by itself. The dresses below from Urban Outfitter would definitely see me through the year. Although slightly on the high side price wise I would say investment pieces none the less.


Prices start from £52 - £150. The dresses are from Pins an Needles, Peter Jensen, T.b.a, Something else and Vaudeville & Burlesque.
As well as beautiful dresses Homeware is also worth a look at OU, I wouldn't want to deck my whole house out in OU but there are definitely some quirky pieces to accessorise your house with. Whether its a funky jewellery holder, an obscure photoframe or a novelty salt 'n' pepper shaker.
You should also check out Anthropologie as it is like OUs older sister. You'll find many a grown up trinket, homeware and beautiful dress. I have been eyeing up the bedspreads that they sell for over a year!
Anyway my fashion ramblings are over...