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...

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!

Today I saw Maureen Lipman - It was a party.

Evening All,

I first have to say this ... and I don't mean to brag... but, I finally got round to taking March's issue of In Style out of the packet (don't judge, i've been busy) and guess what? Every trend I have told you to buy or become a part of is in there. That means I am officially a trustworthy source, right? Not only the trends, but also certain key piece I have told you about and style icons to watch out for - Felicity Jones, Rooney Mara, Clemence Poesy - I'm looking at you. So I'm not saying that I am Editor of Vogue material yet...but I am thinking about getting a power bob...

I had a fabulous day today with my Dad - those of you that don't know me, I am a Daddy's girl and I hang out with him all the time - it's a party. He wont appreciate me saying this but the guy is more into fashion and Cher than any gay man and yet he is the straightest thing I've ever seen - Blondie, he is looking at you (he once told me the only reason they weren't married is because she hadn't met him yet - knowing my Dad could literally persuade Liz Hurley to buy safety pins - if you don't get that I give up - then I am in no doubt this is the truth). Well today he came to visit his daughter in the big city and we did touristy things like watch a guy that looked like the lead singer from LMFAO do this weird but amazing roller skate course and then tried to run through a plastered up archway in the V&A to see if it worked like Platform 9 and 3/4 in Harry Potter - it didn't; people stared.

All in all it was one of those days where you really appreciate living in England with its varied culture, beautiful scenery... and Krispy Kremes. We ate more than the body can handle including my food soulmate - the macaron. Harrods and Covent Garden (as I discovered yesterday) have a store called Laduree which sell the most amazing macarons in a variety of flavours. If you have never had one, PLEASE do us all a favour and buy one (unless you are allergic to nuts, in which case don't....no one likes a puffy face). I would eat all my meals in this form if I could after discovering them a few years ago. PS - Laduree's website is the cutest thing you have ever seen. PPS they have just teamed up with designer Tsumori Chisato to celebrate their 150th anniversary! They have brought out a Cherry Blossom flavour (we tried it today - DELISH) which they present in a cute box designed by TC. Pick some up and hate me for making you obsessed with them. I can deal with it. They are by far the best gift to give someone and come already packaged in the sweetest (pun intended!) boxes. Give to Mummy's on Mother's day or girlfriends on birthdays and watch them ask "are you trying to make me diabetic, or just fat" like in that oh so romantic movie The Vow. You're welcome - you will understand when you have tried them.

http://www.laduree.fr/en/fabricant/produits/macarons

Now onto the oh so tasty, but in a different way....

U

Fashion Trend: Uniform - don't be creepy I am talking military. All over the runways which now means it needs to be all over your wardrobe. We are talking anything army green, anything with gun metal, double breasted blazers, trench coats, leather knee high boots, thick black waist belts and army style fixtures. Pretty much everything the boy you fancy who is the in the army wears. Everyone from Jason Wu to Burberry Prorsum showed this type of clothing on the catwalk for A/W, so you know it is going to be a big deal. Get ahead of the game by wearing anything you have in this colour with gold or gunmetal accessories, a big black waistbelt and black leather flat boots - that's an order.


Alexander McQueen A/W12
http://www.wwd.com/eye/fashion/fall-2012-trend-military-surplus-5757263/slideshow/5762884#/slideshow/article/5757263/5762886

Fashion Piece: Undies!! Now in the future, don't get me wrong, I want to shop at Rigby and Peller, Agent Provocateur and La Perla, but you have to look at what I found. Now I am not condoning these nor want you to think less of me, but the bit in me that loves reciting all the words to Wayne's World and still wrestling with my brother even though I am nearly 23 and he is 26, is in love with these. It is a collection from House of Holland that literally says what's inside the tin....if you see what I mean. These are only for those of you and your partners (I nearly wrote parents then - these are NOT APPROPRIATE for parents!!) who have the sense of humour necessary to understand the frivolity of these. Do not send to your feminist friends or to your brother who lives on a commune in India praying and doing yoga. Enjoy them for what they are... a little bit of innocent (ahem) fun. I have put the least racy ones on here. Girl's undies £18, boys £21 all from http://shop.houseofholland.co.uk/collections/underwear

Store or Label: Uniqlo - I am quite new to this store because I only really get the chance to go when I am in London. I do remember years ago my Nan (of all people) telling me they were important. Turns out she isn't wrong (well I am sure she is wrong about George Clooney being gay, but...). It is like a cross between H&M and Gap/J.Crew. They have good quality, fast fashion at a reasonable price. Look here for your coloured denim this season and for any staples you need. They also do collections and collaborations with a lot of people, so they are definitely worth keeping an eye on. A great place to shop for your basics.



Dip Banner Barette £29.90 - Try this: correct colour for getting into army trend!
http://shop.uniqlo.com/uk/goods/072146

Celebrity or Designer: Ungaro - the collections just get better and better. The summer collection was stunning. So feminine and elegant. This house knows how to dress a woman, to make her feel beautiful and special. The prints, the shapes, the materials show that the woman is the foremost importance in the design technique. Prints not dissimilar to Mary Kantrantzou, shapes like the romantic dresses seen on Christian Dior's A/W12 range. Not too shabby....


Summer 2012 ungaro.com

Spring 2012 ungaro.com

And now I must sleep for the week begins again tomorrow. Hold your heads high and be all you can be! Night!
Becky xx







Bring Bacon or Die

Hello!

Please check out the video links I posted on the blog below. They are hilarious and my apology for not writing yesterday. The guy that makes them is an absolute genius. Not that I say any of that stuff. Although I have mentioned Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Victoria Beckham and everything fashion in recent posts...and all I do is talk about my hair and drink vodka sodas...#toteschicdrinksandhair. It is not like me or any of my friends though whatsoever....I mean we don't have beards for a start.

You may wonder why I didn't write yesterday. Basically I had a family day - with my best friend's family. Myself, her and her younger sister huddled in bed eating bacon and egg sandwiches until 3pm (maybe due to a few vodka sodas the night before....what they didn't have any champagne). We talked about our childhood - we all three grew up together from 4 years old - we ate more food than the body can handle - and more food than a fashion girl should eat in the course of a week and just laughed until we could laugh no more. I highly recommend a day without phones, televisions, computers; grab a loved one and talk about the time you thought it would be funny to cut your own hair then ended up having to wear a headband at the front of your forehead for 6 months because the tuft you hacked off wouldn't grow back...RW i'm looking at you. In a time where no body talks, talk; where everyone eats out, cook and where everybody gets up and showers, stay in bed and wallow...the last one is advisable for one day only.

Even though I am trying to be more in touch with my human side and less so with my technological side, I have watched a couple of good movies recently. The Vow with Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams is the best thing since you decided Nutella was good for you because it has nuts in it. Rachel and Channing play a young very much in love married couple who are torn apart when they are in a car accident and Paige (Rachel) forgets what happened in the last five years of her life; her entire time with Leo (Channing). It is based on a true story and worth a watch - there is no cheesey "I knew that would happen" moments and it is in some places heartwarming. Also, for the first time I watched Easy A with Emma Stone last night - it was quite good. It also has tons of young hotties in it ) - Penn Badgley (Gossip Girl fame), Cam Gigandet (Twilight and Burlesque) and Amanda Bynes (the girl that was on everything on Nickelodeon when you were ten, who although continues to play under twenties in films is herself likely about thirty). It is a modern take on the Scarlet Letter but with a twist. Easy watching, does what it says on the tin kind of stuff. Also, start saving for The Help which comes out on the 12th March (in England) - literally the most wonderful film I have ever seen.

Now to stop watching movies and to start on real life....

J

Thakoon S/S12 Collection

Fashion Trend: Just there sheers. I love a good sheer. It is so elegant, so feminine and yet so racy at the same time. A lot of S/S12 runway looks incorporated sheer in some way, so it needs to be in your wardrobe. A sheer blouse tucked into a pair of patterned denim in the day. A sheer dress in the evening or for those who are risky enough a sheer shirt with no bra - I will have to leave this look to Kate Moss unfortunately. For once, big boobs are not in. Make sure you are making your sheers work for you and not that you look like you are working as a street walker when in them. Don't show too much, add feminine accessories and other pieces that draw the eye. Thakoon layered sheers over the top of opaque materials in his S/S12 collection and it looked very pretty. Try it yourself if you are afraid to show too much skin. http://www.thakoon.com/collections/lookbook/spring-2012

Alexander McQueen
£1,585

Fashion Item: Jackets with peplums. I am a lover of the peplum because it is the most wonderful body shaper and it can be worn OVER the clothes. Move over Spanx!! A peplum is a small skirt that is attached to dresses, skirts or jackets that is basically just an added fashion extra. Besides looking chic it gives the idea of an hour glass shape if there isn't one and hides the lumps and bumps if there is too much of one! Jackets with peplums are really in at the moment and can be worn casually with jeans or as an expensive extra to eveningwear. I am naturally fawning over this Alexander McQueen beauty.
http://www.alexandermcqueen.co.uk/uk/en/shop/Womenswear/Shop/Jackets/P-BLACK-COTTON-CANVAS-EDWARDIAN-JACKET.aspx They are a classic look that will keep coming back into fashion - the peplum has been round for hundreds of years as it is. So pick up a piece and just keep bringing her back out when peplums are in...or you have eaten too much.

Merriweather Jacket £104.61

 Store or Label: J Crew - most people in America don't realise but they actually give student discount - so my friends over in the U.S should check that out. They are a little bit more expensive for your everyday casual clothing, but they have a good variety and the pieces are great quality. They are in England now and they sell everything from wedding stuff to a standard jeans and tee combo. When we buy basic pieces we either want to pay nothing or we want them to last - if you are the latter type of person, give J Crew a look. I am in love with striped jackets at the moment so I am thinking of picking this one up, which is really not that unreasonably priced. Have a look on the website and you will realise it is basically a grown up, smarter version of Gap. Try it.(http://www.jcrew.com/womens_feature/NewArrivals/teesandknits/PRDOVR~67732/67732.jsp)

Celebrity or Designer: Jonathan Saunders - it would be wrong of me not to put him here, even though I have talked about him in 17,000 blogs already. He is the winner of the BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund which awards £200,000 to help an up-and-coming talent get even bigger. Jonathan, from Scotland, will also receive a mentoring program that is sure to catapult him into superstardom. He isn't afraid of prints, shapes or the unusual but also can tone it down and make a woman look romantic, delicate and feminine. Watch this space and watch his needle!

Now, fly free my pretties and enjoy your Monday!
Becky xx