It's almost time to say, Au Revoir

On Tuesday, another luminous fashion month comes to an end. We have seen Lily Cole dancing to the beat of her own drum, feminists storming the runway, a lot (for some perhaps too much) of new FROWer Harry Styles and most unusually we have seen....steppers? For those of you who have been living somewhere other than the world, an unbelievable scene unfurled during Paris Fashion Week this year. Rick Owens, known for his raw, strong and structural clothing presented his pieces on females that embodied his collections. Taking 40 'steppers' - a form of dance where the entire body is used to create sound and movement - Rick sent his designs down the catwalk in front of awestruck audience members. Literally stomping on the usual idea of sinewy, lithe models, a gaggle of gorgeous, curvy, dancers were brought in. Cue nervous laughter from the likes of Cara and Jourdan. Personally it was a refreshing change. What do you think?

Rick Owens (Vogue.co.uk)


Some of the top trends shown during PFW:

Eye-watering prints: As seen at the designer of all designers, Celine (Vogue.co.uk), prints are making an eye-watering come back for SS14. From what I understand, the crazier and more clashing the better. I LOVE this coat from Phoebe Philo's latest collection for Celine. The colour and structure is her at her best - feminine and inspiring; the man's black belt to tie it all together - a nod to her masculine and powerful nature on the runway. Sacre bleu, cest incroyable!



Structure is everything: Commes des Garcons (Vogue.co.uk) is everything I wish I could be ... if I was to be an evil Disney queen. Always dark, brooding and terrifyingly beautiful, this season's collection didn't disappoint. Playing with the idea of the female form but hugely exaggerated, CdG accentuated female assets to create a domineering version of the woman. Scary....but only because I secretly want all of it....



Culottes with a little extra: Not just a saliva inducing scent, Viktor & Rolf (Vogue.co.uk) once again push the boundaries on what is feminine, but do so with an oh so on trend twist. Culottes are the staple shorts of the upcoming season. So what to do to make them different? Ah yes, layer a dress over them. A silver dress. With pleats. Sometimes I feel rather insignificant ....



Texture is everything: Chloe (Vogue.co.uk) is the designer of fairies...if fairies existed and needed a designer. Never afraid to use chiffon, crepe, silk, voile and organza, everything floats in the sort of ethereal way that you and I never will. This season saw these beautiful fabrics toughened up ever so slightly with pleats, kinks and any other manner of treatment to make them texturized. A beautiful juxtaposition can be seen with the army-coloured khaki and rough accordion texture of this flowing floor length gown. Im not sure whether to wear it with biker boots or ballet shoes?



Love the skin you're in: It would be sacrilege for me to not show anything from Christian Dior (Vogue.co.uk), since I see the house as one of the most iconic and transitional of all time. Luckily for me Raf Simons perfectly illustrated one of the most important trends (of course). This season everything from a milky white midriff to a full body-stocking showcased the real beauty - the female form. Peek-a-boo sections of skin waltzed down the runway at CD, with waists, backs, chests, legs and arms all being exposed. Keeping things lady-like as ever, expanses of body were paired with pretty florals, to make sure the house didn't move too far from its signature look.



And so as we look to the end of another month of models and mayhem, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have and I hope to see you again in a few months time for AW14! I will be the one in the sunglasses sat next to Anna Wintour. Well when I say sat next to I mean a few rows behind. In my living room.

Au revoir!

Come rain or shine....no wait, just shine, Burberry is here

As another LFW comes to a close, what are we able to reflect on? That when Burberry jokingly commented they paid a lot of money to have the sun come out just as their show began, they probably weren't joking? That Vivienne Westwood's plea for us to all buy fewer clothes kind of  defeats the object? Or just that we love Cara Delevingne for being in every show ever? Well no, but kind of. Actually, as a lone (15,000) seagull swoops low in the London sky, a flock of fashionistas run to the nearest Pret to grab a sandwich and finally we can reflect upon another stunning season which sees masculine shapes, peek-a-boo expanses of skin and monochrome championed, to name but a few. Alas, at least we can now relax....for the next few months... until the AW shows start. And before that of course we have London: Men's Collections....and Vogue's Fashion Night Out....and..... Sigh, back to sushi it is then.

To make it easier, here are the 5 things you need to buy next season:

Boxy Coat - The below by Tom Ford (Vogue.co.uk) is a little extreme, but shows my point. The boxier, the better. This is a difficult trend to wear, especially if you aren't Queen Delevingne herself, but luckily for us, high-street chains such as Primark and M&S are already doing more wearable versions. Make sure to team with fine knits, figure hugging dresses and cinched in pencils to create the most irresistible contrasted silhouette.



Knee Length Shorts - The sports-luxe trend has brought us the knee-length short; tailoring, but with a certain slouch to it. Unfortunately not that flattering if you are my height - 5ft4 is apparently legally petite in America ill have you know. If that's the case, switch for normal shorts which are also still fabulous or a pretty knee length skirt. Do wish I was tall enough to wear this Thomas Tait (Vogue.co.uk) pair though. Sigh.



Sheer Shirt - I would advise wearing a bra underneath if you aren't strutting the catwalk, but the sheer shirt is a staple that everyone MUST have in their wardrobe. I love this one by KTZ (Vogue.co.uk) as not only is it sheer, but has a great geo print and is monochrome! 3 birds, one sheer shirt. For the more adventurous among us, wear anything translucent that you can get away with. A sheer jacket, top, skirt....but remember, public nudity is not taken lightly.



Barely There Dress - For those of us with a slightly more ample chest, go down the loose fitting path laid by Giles (Vogue.co.uk). Tiny straps are a necessity - the only time we will accept spaghetti straps into our lives, besides our aunt Glenda's wedding - but a long flowing sheath can hide all manner of sins. For those of you with a bigger chest, get a great strapless bra and wear a dress like the flowing number below. For flat-chested beauties, go the whole hog and wear a lacy, lingerie-esque slip. Kind of naughty, but in a controlled way. Like rice cakes with chocolate spread.



The Pastel Suit - As she is so renowned to do, Amelia Wickstead (Vogue.co.uk) makes a woman feel like a girl. And with an earth shatteringly prim and gorgeous SS14 collection she has once again done just that. Pastel suits can come in any shape or form you like, from tailored trousers and shirts to big 50s skirts with pastel blouses. Just make sure you carry a basket and ride a bicycle everywhere. You know, just to get the feel....



And so with that, I say adieu until we will meet again with the beginning of Milan Fashion Week - but until then I shall leave you with Burberry SS10 (Graziadaily.co.uk) - Belted. Classic. Trench. With. Sunglasses. Ohhhhhh.

How does one top a pencil skirt - made out of real pencils?

As the rain beats a steady, rhythmic pattern on the London pavements, the last thing one expects to see is a flame haired damsel riding a bicycle, in platforms even Naomi Campbell would shy away from, a black ring around one eye and a t-shirt that blares the words CLIMATE CHANGE or something to those odds. But if you had been in St. Pancras last night that isn't far from the image you would have seen, for it was the holy of all holies....Vivienne Westwood's SS14 collection. As a pale, red headed beauty walks onto the catwalk, hair covering her eyes, you wouldn't be surprised if it was Grace Coddington or Viv herself from 30 years ago. The shape starts to dance, moving around in an almost animalistic manner, swaying to the silent music....until she abruptly stops, lifts her head up and you realise it is the iconic, Lily Cole. Of course you understand now; the two women are trying to save the world one logo emblazoned tee at a time. The show that follows is quick and dirty - the way any Vivienne Westwood show should be. It is fashion in its purest form - wearable but with that elegant mix of eccentricity. As if the mad hatter were alive and well and designing for Ms Westwood himself. And the only thing better than that? My housemate was sat next to Anna Kendrick....Shawty get daaaahhhhhhn.


Vivienne Westwood Red Label - Vogue.co.uk

Now, some may say I am biased, but LFW is by far my favourite - Mary Katrantzou, Christopher Kane, Vivienne Westwood, Jonathan Saunders, Roksanda Illincic, Erdem, Marios Schwab....need I go on? Here are some of my fav pieces so far:

Peter Pilotto (Vogue.co.uk) - The AW13 collection was so spectacular I was considering selling a kidney to get even a tiny piece of it. Prints. That is the word I associate with PP - eye watering, hallucinogenic, utterly perfect prints. And what is this? Yes he has not only paired the on trend kaleidoscope print with a bell shaped skirt, but has made the entire ensemble pastel coloured. Incroyable.



Burberry Prorsum (Vogue.co.uk) - This is the show to be seen at. It may have gone through that strange chav phase, but now, you are only truly in fashion if you are watching the new collections strut down that runway - thank goodness they stream these things live now heh!! Pastels, sheers, lace, female boss suiting and underwear as outerwear was championed on the catwalks this season. Some of the outfits saw all of these things at once, proving the only way is Burberry. I wonder if they vajazzle??



Roksanda Illincic (Vogue.co.uk) - Taking a 50s housewife skirt and toughening it up is no mean feat. A Grease like flavour could be seen throughout the collection with high waisted, full skirts being worn with pretty tops and bows in their hair. Boxy shapes and monochrome brogues brought these pieces firmly into the modern day however, making an irresistible combination of...well... Danny and Sandy.



Jonathan Saunders (Vogue.co.uk) - To some, a trip to your Dad's wardrobe in the 70s, to others the perfect combination of the SS14 trends in separates. Block colours, knee length shorts, silks, boxy cropped jackets, sheer shirts...this man has thought of everything. But then again I supposed that's why he is one of the most recent British Fashion Council/Vogue Fashion Fund winners - keep an eye on this maverick, I believe the best is yet to come.



Mary Katrantzou (Vogue.co.uk) - If you haven't seen her pencil skirt (literally made with a pencil print) then you haven't lived. You know how Michael McIntyre is so funny because he tells us stuff about our lives we already know? Observational humour if you will. Well Mary does the same thing but with prints. A thousand mirror print flowers on a skin tight silk dress? Lipsticks chasing down the side of a bell shaped ensemble? It is real life....with a slightly less real price tag. My forever obsession - Brogue dress, mmmmmm.



And on that note I suppose I have to leave you with the Mary Katrantzou pencil skirt, which started out on the catwalk as this (telegraph.co.uk) .... yes they are real pencils...



And was translated into this (polyvore.com)...


See you tomorrow for more LFW fun!

Is it superman? No its Betsey Johnson showing her pants - same diff'

Thursday marks the end of it all - the chairs are folded away, the sunglasses are popped back in their pouches and the millions of empty bottles of Vitamin Water are recycled. That cant be it for another year you cry?!! I have just learnt that Marchesa and tulle are my new best friends! Just learnt that its ok to wear black on black in the spring and not feel like im going to a funeral! And ive just learnt its ok to wear your pants on the outside of your outfit....oh wait, Betsey Johnson you sweet sweet fashion psycho. But alas, do not fret friends, we still have three weeks to go!! And the best part is...its all coming to London on Friday! Hoards of fashionistas are plucking, tanning, polishing and fretting over the next week, in a capital that will see the likes of Cara Delevingne stood next to David Gandy, stood next to Tinie Tempah, stood next to Jourdan Dunn...yeah im not sure im going to bother leaving the house either. Don't worry though, at the end of the day there will still be a lot of this going around....



Betsey Johnson - Vogue.co.uk

 

NYFW has seen some amazing pieces this week - follow these trends and you will be just fabulous:

- Peek-a-boo Sheers
- Monochrome
- Geo Prints
- Blue
- Ethereal - Silvers and tulle
- Boxy Cuts/Volume
- Pastels
- Sports-luxe
- Barely-there Dresses

Some of my favourite designers showed this season and as per usual they exceeded my expectation and completely blew me away with the beauty and intricacy of their pieces. Here are my favourite ensembles from NYFW SS14.

Betsey Johnson (Vogue.co.uk) - Do you remember when you were little and you had that one Barbie that looked like she should be in some sort of black arts ballet? Massive black tulle skirt, pink hair, sparkle EVERYWHERE? Well Betsey Johnson has taken that child-like love and run with it. Her collections are nothing if not fun and inspiring, bringing out the feelings we used to have as a 7 year old in our purple party dress. She has the 'eff you' quality of McQueen, the tulle use of Marchesa and the fashion sense of .... well like I said, Barbie...and we love her with our whole Dream House. Way more than Barbie loves Ken.




Marchesa (Vogue.co.uk) - You may not have the body, the money, the royal husband....or the sister...but secretly most of us dream of a day which rivals even the most stunning of Duchesses. All dress and no drunk uncles. Well, like ive said to you before, the word Marchesa strikes fear into my mother's heart. Not only because it will cost her most of her life savings, but also because she is genuinely afraid (with good reason) that I will wear a black Marchesa wedding dress when the day finally arrives. The tulle, the lace, the crystals, the feathers, the eye-watering detail make for a dress that will turn the head of the most royal of royals. So beautiful, it is everything I want in a wedding....who needs a hubz anyway?




Alice + Olivia (Vogue.co.uk) - One of the only collections I believe could truly be taken from catwalk to store with no in between interference. The colours, the cuts, the separates, the dresses - all other worldly whilst still being completely in my grasp. One of my favourite ever outfits was when Carrie (SATC) wore a purple prom skirt with a Dior t-shirt - it completely changed my outlook on formal and casual. Ever since I have been completely obsessed with flowing skirts and tees and apparently so has A+O...


Vera Wang (Vogue.co.uk) - I could never forgive myself if Vera wasn't included. She understands the female form better than almost every other designer known to mankind. If you glance quickly below, you will likely see a simple yet elegant blue dress. But what I see is a dress that makes a slim girl curvy. A dress which accentuates an already striking neck and a beautifully pale complexion. A dress that turns heads. A dress that makes a female, a woman. The whole collection is sheer, but at no point smutty. She has the perfect balance of feminine grace and sultry seduction. Perfection.



Sass & Bide (Vogue.co.uk) - As you will find out when we see Celine's collection, my weakness is a woman in a suit that could kill a man if he looks directly at it. As someone who wants to be a strong female boss (not in a strange Tulisa way....) I am a sucker for the new-age power suit. This Sass & Bide white trouser with bustier just kills me. In the words of Rachel Zoe, "I.Die"



Time to get some rest now and ill see you in the FROW at LFW for SS14 - geez so many acronyms, so little time...

And for the first time in history, the catwalk saw....a smile?!!

On this drizzly day we are transported to a room so shiny and bright, it seems half the audience have to wear sunglasses. And for once the dazzling star of the runway was not the host of lithely limbed models, the swathes of frothy fabrics or the sharp-sheared designers, but the tiniest fashionista of them all, Miss Harper Beckham. Continuing on my strange theme of having to write about Queen Victoria and her brood in my opening paragraph ("2 become 1" literally changed my life....), I will report on the only person ever to smile at a fashion week, who also happens to be the youngest of the Beckham clan. Wearing what I am sure is by no means her most expensive dress, Harper wowed in the front row in a pleated Chloe ensemble, bringing a smile to even Anna Wintour's face - the only other time that happened was when she found out Meryl Streep had actually caused girls to want to pick up her coffee...."I have Patrick!!"

So with a smile, the show must go on.

Bold and bright prints - We have been without sunshine for one day and everyone is already discussing where they will be spending Christmas - I mean it must be the dead of winter now right? So to cheer us all up the lovely fashions of SS14 will see our wardrobes filled with eye-watering bright and clashing prints. Whether you want matchy-matchy outfits, same print but opposing coloured separates or just one block print piece, make sure it is loud ... and that its screaming, "This is KATE SPADE don't you know!"


Denim - Its wearable, its durable, its the builders outfit of choice. Nuff said. Take a leaf out of DKNY's book and wear baggy dungarees with feminine heels, a waist skimming blazer and a plain baseball cap. Rihanna meets Rachel McAdams - real talk.



Volume, volume, VOLUME!! After posting about square shoulders the other day, NYFW has continued to build on this larger than life silhouette (pun completely intended) and is making the female form domineering and edgier. Like Threeasfour, remember to balance out big shoulders with a slim-waist and shaped hips to stop you from looking like Lady Gaga...



Floor sweeping skirts - Skirt lengths have moved from midi back to floor length and we are all secretly rejoicing. Obsessing over the dresses at Carolina Herrera which take a strong, structured bodice and pair them with a flowing sheer skirt. Modern day princess!



Pleats and gathered fabrics - As adding volume is the top of the fashion list for SS14, take something less terrifying than spikey shoulders and add texture and pomp by the manipulation of fabric. You may not want to look like a fancy lampshade, a la Zac Posen, but the idea of layers of sheer fabrics is actually a lot more flattering that you think. Choose the right shade and the right pleat and you can hide a whole manner of sins.



My final thought for the day...or should I say final fashion? Dior SS13. In the immortal words of Rachel Zoe. I. Die.

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NYFW sees pastels, sportswear and...penguin?

It's Sunday, you are feeling a little worse for wear after last night and you just found your housemates false eyelash stuck to the bottom of the glass you are drinking from. Life is looking a little less razzle dazzle and a little more, 'isn't it misleading that Monday rhymes with fun-day'. So with the final few hours of your weekend slipping away, I bring you a few more trends that have graced the New York Fashion Week catwalks over the last couple of days. And just remember, Vicky Beckham hasn't eaten since 1992, so your life could be worse.

Sporty Tailored Separates: We are well into NYFW and so all of the big names have come out of their cotton strewn labs to bring you the crème de la crème of the new season's trends. One such artiste being the oh so coveted Alexander Wang. The man is next to Celine in making the most perfectly tailored/draped/cinched/sculpted separates for women and this collection did not fail to impress. In a twist on both the classic tailoring and the laidback sportswear, the two have been combined to make a new office wear trend which will have even the most uppity bosses taking you seriously. Well as serious as one's boss can take you when you are wearing a crop-top shirt and the equivalent of culottes....in fashion that is pretty damn serious.



Sheer Delight: I have made it very VERY clear to my lovely mother that there are only two designers I want adorning my body on my wedding day  - either Vera Wang or Monique Lhuillier. Monique understands that underneath it all, most of us women just want to be a princess. We want the frothy dresses, the smattering of crystals, the layers of lace (more royal princess than gypsy wedding...) and as is a HUGE trend for SS14, the soft feel of a sheer veil covering our bodies. Take a leaf out of her book, cover everything that needs to be covered and let the rest peek through a thin translucent fabric. Sheer beauty.



Pastel Perfection: Quelle surprise I hear you cry, pastels are in for SS14. Well yes, this is perhaps not ground breaking, but it is one of the easiest trends to wear and so pretty much deserves its crown as queen of the obvious. Prabal Gurung has created a line of the most spectacular suits, cocktail dresses and separates in divine shades of lavender, mint and bubble gum pink. Get a perfectly tailored suit in one pastel colour to make the boys realise you are sweet but still the boss.



Stripes: I mean who doesn't love a pinstripe suit on a woman right?! Ok, no-one....well no-one until now. Who said you couldn't wear two different stripes in one outfit? Well certainly not Altuzarra who has created a collection of striped separates that look like they may have been created from one of your Dad's old pyjama shirts, but surprisingly are some of the most flattering pieces on the catwalk. With vertical stripes to lengthen the body and a perfectly cut shirt, tucked into a skirt which shows the sexiest slice of thigh, the only thing you need to worry about is whether or not someone will mistake you for a tube map.



Monochrome: As always one of the most anticipated collections was that of Victoria Beckham - is it really true this sugary pop-let is turning her talents to impeccable fashion designing? Well yes it is. In one of her most grown up yet, the SS14 collection sees angular shapes, sheer panels and sports-luxe additions. Very un-VickyB. Generally I thought it was magical, all but a few cocktail dresses which weren't to my taste, but as the pro-ballers always do, she has managed to nail a one of the biggest trends - monochrome. Add a touch of white to your black outfit and make sure you visually pop in the crowd. So obsessed with the fact she layered the colours on top of each other instead of building them into one garment. Who knew that Penguin from Batman would turn out to be the most fashionable villain of them all?



And with that I will leave you with style and substance - Vivienne Westwood at her best during the SS13 FW shows....saving the planet and wearing face paint.

Im in the FROW don't you know

If, like me, you are in fashion, it is a day of mixed emotions - wonder, excitement, fear, delight, worry, longing and sheer unadulterated terror. No, it is not something as light-hearted as your wedding day, the birth of your first child or even that time you picked up that pair of exact Louboutin replicas from Kurt Geiger for a quarter of the price (you can always just Dulux the sole). No, it is the beginning of....FASHION WEEK. In New York, London, Paris and Milan there are girls who haven't eaten anything but soup for the last month in hopes they can make it to the Holy Grail....to the FROW. And for those of you thinking I am mocking this, please believe I am not. I would give my right Manolo to even be allowed into the event space, this is my territory, my Mecca, my life. Over the next month I hope to give you a little insight into why.

Yesterday marked the beginning of New York Fashion Week. It runs from 5th  -  12th of September and is followed graciously by London (13th-17th Sept), Milan (18-23rd Sept) and Paris (24th Sept - 2nd October). For those of you who aren't aware, this is a time when the fashion world simultaneously stops for a moment and yet is the busiest they have ever been. The globe's best designers are currently adding the final touches to garments that until now have been but a dream on paper, but by the beginning of next year will already be lining the wardrobes of your favourite stars. If you are Victoria Beckham you may well get so excited by this whole process, you have to take a little break from the harsh lights and even harsher critics...


Anyway, with Anna Wintour's sunglasses firmly on the face which is attached to the body which is sat in the most coveted seat there is in fashion, we know it has well and truly begun. And here is what we have seen so far of SS14...

The Barely There Dress - It is cold, it is dreary, it is time to wear a slip? Seems bazaar perhaps, not if you are among the likes of Tess Giberson who paraded a host of the cutest underwear/outerwear/barely-there dresses down the runway. Team with a fur coat if you are cold or just accept it for what it is - a sexy update on your Nana's nightie.



All White - Pure as the driven snow? Well with the likes of BCBG Max Azria bringing us a collection even the White Queen would be proud of, who cares? Pair white with white in SS14 and dazzle in the spring sun.



Boxy - The slimline shapes of this summer melt into boxy coats in AW13 and angular shapes in SS14. Take a liquid leather skirt, such as at Chadwick Bell and pair with a top that will poke anyone who gets too close. Square those shoulders ladies...



Ethereal - It seems when Rankin painted Holly Willoughby in head to toe silver, he knew what was going on. Add a little unearthly spirit to your clothing by pairing silver leather with frothy chiffon like Zimmermann to create the look of a space ballerina. Strange, but it works.



Bare Your Soul - Remember when Tara Palmer-Tomkinson went out in just underwear and a fur coat and we all thought she was loopy? Turns out she was just VERY ahead of the crowd. Love the skin you are in seems to be the new trend at fashion week as everything from midriffs to cleavages were on show at Peter Som...its all well and good when you look like Cara Delevigne I suppose.



So there is just a little taste. I will be back with more trends and looks each day. Just remember, you may not like the fashions, the models or the thought process behind these events, but to people like me (and there are a lot of us) this is an art form of the highest level. And if you still aren't convinced, well I will try over the next four weeks to change your mind.

Finally with every post I will leave you with a past favourite fashion week ensemble. Today....Alexander McQueen AW13. Enjoy!