high fashion
Call It Casual Saturday
5 January 2016
My favourite thing about creating sets on Polyvore is that I get to discover new items to add to my wishlist, the list that is only ever getting longer.
Designer Crush: Prada
7 August 2015
catwalk looks. From their classic SS06 collections, which was crisp, clean and simple to their stunningly elegant AW13-14 ready-to-wearlooks from the runway. Prada has become an international label known for it's precise design for both men and women and deluxe prominence.
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The Big Apple Obsession
29 April 2015
NYC is the city of dreams to many people. It's a magical place that seems to be full of surprises and laced with culture. New Yorkers themselves occasionally say they don't understand the fascination the outsiders have, but there are a fair few who still see the fairytale. If I was to ever visit the city, my instinct would be to do the most touristy of things - visiting Central Park, Times Square and the Grand Central Terminal.
The admiration may have come from the many, many, television shows and films based in the city. From The Devil Wears Prada to Gossip Girl, Manhattan and its surrounding areas appear glamorous and captivating to the rest of the world. New York Fashion Week seems to be one of the most exciting events to be held by the city, not forgetting the ever-traditional New Year's Rockin' Eve. They say the city is enchanting towards the end of the year, but I can just imagine the spark lasting for 12 months out of the year. Have you ever visited NYC?
Magazines I Can't Live Without
24 April 2015
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
HARPER'S BAZAAR (May 2015)
Out of the magazines I look forward to the most, Bazaar is the greatest. I love every aspect of this magazine along with it's writers and editors. One thing I really applaud is the editorial and graphic design detail that goes along with each article and page. It's not too full of advertisements which makes it easy to carry and read on the go. I tend to pick up Bazaar for my fashion reports, both their magazine and website are really useful to stay up to date on what's on the runway and in style. The photography in this magazine is also fabulous, alongside the brilliant titles and headlines featured throughout.
ELLE (May 2015)
I rely on this magazine for fashion stars and valuable topics without being flooded with and product placements. It's a superb magazine to sit curled up with in the evening with an enormous mug of hot chocolate and a pile of snacks. Elle has a really great section on beauty which is a great template for experimenting. They often have a variety of stylish topics from a large range of writers and journalists so it's very difficult to become bored while flicking through.
COSMOPOLITAN (May 2015)
The one thing I adore about Cosmo, is that it features a little bit of everything. There is something in each issue that one person will love which I think is why it has such an enormous readership. It's a really girly magazine which I love and is great for relating to other women around the country as well as friends. The magazine is full of experiences and advice in addition to fashion and beauty tips which make it perfect for my train ride each morning.
BRITISH VOGUE (May 2015)
Vogue is a fashion lover's guide to style. It's like a portfolio or scrapbook of anything worth remembering from the runway right in your hands. I first started buying this magazine for the amazing editorial and design which I idolised as a graphics student. Vogue already has such an elegant reputation, it was the first fashion magazine I came across. I also really appreciate the journalism skills featured within the magazine and often use it to help develop my own skills. The May issue also came with a More Dash Than Cash mini-mag (in association with Next) which is great for readers who tend to shop on more of a budget.
RED (May 2015)
Many people are quite surprised to find out I read Red magazine but I love the sophistication this publication brings. It's a classic women's magazine and features real in-depth articles about topics that are worth thinking about. It often features quite inspiring men and women which makes a fantastic night-time read. This magazine also features recipes that I enjoy attempting to complete. It comes with healthy options for during the day but also creative ideas to spice up the evenings.
TEEN VOGUE (April 2015)
Although I'm an older teen, I still really enjoy reading this magazine. It has a really youthful vibe (obviously) that I can still identify with. The cover stars are often teenagers too which makes them relatable to readers. The magazine covers issues that teens and young people face, from school or university to fashion and friends. Their website is also a marvellous tool in finding new bloggers to look out for or find inspiration from. Teen Vogue is one magazine designed for the younger generation that can also apply to the pre-adults too.
RED (May 2015)
Many people are quite surprised to find out I read Red magazine but I love the sophistication this publication brings. It's a classic women's magazine and features real in-depth articles about topics that are worth thinking about. It often features quite inspiring men and women which makes a fantastic night-time read. This magazine also features recipes that I enjoy attempting to complete. It comes with healthy options for during the day but also creative ideas to spice up the evenings.
TEEN VOGUE (April 2015)
Although I'm an older teen, I still really enjoy reading this magazine. It has a really youthful vibe (obviously) that I can still identify with. The cover stars are often teenagers too which makes them relatable to readers. The magazine covers issues that teens and young people face, from school or university to fashion and friends. Their website is also a marvellous tool in finding new bloggers to look out for or find inspiration from. Teen Vogue is one magazine designed for the younger generation that can also apply to the pre-adults too.
British Designers I Love
27 March 2015
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
His fashion sketches were fearless fiving him a reputation for creating shocking and challenging ideas. He was an inspiration for creativity. Lee McQueen mastered six methods of pattern cutting after leaving school at sixteen. He went on to create collections such as "Highland Rape" and "Nihilis" as he believed "British fashion is self-confidence and fearless; it refuses to bow to commerce, thus generating a constant flow of new ideas whilst drawing on British heritage."
The signature 'bumsters' made an early appearance which proved McQueen's clear talent for challenging tradition. The brutally sharp approach of his collections mix bold imagery with extreme beauty. His clothes were priased for the unqiue interpretations and technical mixtures, including him in the roster of the most creative designers in the country. By 1996, McQueen was one of the most respected designers in the world, recognised at an international level for his extraordinary shows.
The fashion sensibility of Burberry is enhances by the Prorsum collection. The label has become a beacon for global luxury brand, Burberry, The collections create a mix of classic garments and high fashion style. Set up in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, the first London sotre opened in in 1891 and by 1895, Burberry was making the uniforms for the British Army. Queen Elizabethh II granted the signature paid lining brand a Royal Warrant in 1955.
Burberry Prorsum ('forward' in Latin) began as a high fashion line in 1999 adding a modern twist to the classic luxury brand. Christopher Bailey joined Prorsum as creative director in 2001 after experience at Donna Karan and Gucci. Prorsum was transformed into a relevant fashion brand without sacrificing any of it's originality, helping it to continue defining classic styles and shapes on the runway. Bailey is inspired by Englishness alongside Burberry's heritage, showcasing the original shadow with quirky and youthful touches to keep the brand alive.
Creating a fashionable hodgepodge of sports, street-wear and exciting animation. Designed by Carri Mundane, the collections are a combinations of magic and colour, favoured by London's club kids. Mundane's vision is energetic, inspired by real and virtual worlds. Her clothes present a youthful spirit captured by a kaleidoscope of colour in menswear. Mundane's designs are described as "graphic, future, positive and primal, almost like a virtual media in the industry. Mundane confirms that contemporary methods of communications hugely influence her pieces.
Despite the garments being presented on men, Mundane described them as "mixed wear" - essentially clothes than can be worn by both genders. Ettore Sottsass, Keith Haring and Versace are among her design icons. The collections are known to have florescent colours and signature prints which I adore. Mundane believes street fashion is fashion in it's purest form.
Mundane is also a stylist, contributing her colourful visiton to magazines such as i-D, Dazed & Confused and Super Super, redefining a luxurious industry for a new generation.
The designers of beautifully refined clothes and bright, sexy and dynamic designs. Creatively fusing colour, print and fabric, Kane is at the forefront of British fashion design. Inspired by the ingenuity of John Galliano from an early age, Christopher Kane received praise from Donatella Versace after a graduation from Central Saint Martins, landing a consultancy role at Versace in September 2006. Kane showed his first independent show at one of London's Fashion Weeks. Skin-tight pieces referenced the work of Gianni Versace, Azzedine Alaia and Hervé Leger. Kane captured the modern essence of London's fashion, with a working ethic of "working hard and trying to do something interesting". He states "I want women to feel really special in my designs but my ideas on aesthetic change like the weather." Kane's work is inspired by his own memories and interpretations, beginning at drawing, then working on a mannequin and on the body to edit the garments. For Kane, the fashion show is the most exhilarating part of his work. He certainly helps fill the quote for British designers creating on excellent international reputation for being visionary.
Her clothes combine quirky femininity with exquisite detailing, retro styling and rich textures. Cook's appreciation for using directional prints and unique character in her garments was noted by the British press who focused on her unique attention to detail after her 1999 graduation from Central Saint Martins. That very charm has come to develop and define Cook's work. After winning a Vidal Sassoon Young Talent Award, Cook produced her own collection at LFW for S/S 2001.
Despite Emma Cook's collection being described as 'girlish', they are always graphic with very strong construction techniques. There are often visible themes of natural or artistic references such as foliage, birds or animals and flowers. Cook designs her pieces to be worn over and over again - not just for the time of the year. Cook ensures that her collections present original twists on contemporary fashion by developing a girly but not cute aesthetic. The most rewarding part of her job is seeing people wearing and enjoying her clothes, despite the phenomenal designer and perfectionist never feeling satisfied.
Gucci Says Bye-Bye to Bling
28 February 2015
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Fashion week is known as the most glamorous in the industry.
The front row demands the attention of showbiz bloggers while the
fashion fanatics wait for the highly anticipated shows. Alessandro Michele’s
first show as creative director of Gucci awaited the eager crowds and Italian
fall women’s wear season. Notorious for being one the most glitzy fashion houses,
Gucci surprised majority of the audience and journalists on Wednesday. Devotees
of the brands are used to the clear and precise references to the high fashion,
first class lifestyle. Diamond-encrusted knitwear and dressed down ball gowns were
to be expected of the line, but as the show began it was clear this year was
very different.
Rather than the ever-flowing champagne along the front row and
unnecessary bright lights, the walls and floor were black, creating an intense atmosphere.
The audience were reminded “The Contemporary is the Untimely.” by show notes
that referenced philosophers Giorgio Agamben and Roland Barthes. There were
less ball gowns and red carpet wears but more midi skirts with both men and
women taking to the catwalk. Nonetheless, flowers and floral prints were still incorporated
into many designs, subtly celebrating the history and glorious traditions of
Gucci.
The show was full of vintage treasures, hurling the spectators
into a world of flea markets with a date of couture. Librarian chic was a
running trend throughout each look, highlighting brains over beauty. With a mix
of oversized and nerdy eyeglasses, rings on every finger, knit beanies and turbans,
floral hair combs on top of slippers and clogs lined in fur at the back; Mr.
Michele bought a new twist to Italy.
Gucci brought back the greatness of a fashion show. Letting
go of the superficial highlights and bringing the focus to the clothing. The
shift from colossal logos and immature intentions is a positive one, with the
big brands stepping up to emphasise the prominence of classic high fashion.
Saint Laurent captures Parisian Magic
27 February 2015
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
In the eyes of fashion’s finest Paris Fashion Week is long
gone. But for some of the world’s toughest catwalk critics, the City of Lights
still lingers in their palette. The Saint Laurent show closed the menswear
season, including both men and women taking to the runway. Aside from the shockingly
thin appearance of many models, the show was stolen by the clean and simple
take on Autumn/Winter 15-16 by Hedi Slimane. Despite multiple looks leaving the
audience questioning the muse behind the collection, I think it’s very clear.
Each charm represents the fresh and youthful street style seen all over Paris.
Not one of the outfits would surprise me if they were spotted strutting down
the Champs-Élysées more than they surprise me now. The overall taste had a 70’s
feel, one aspect that keeps Paris feeling so ‘vintage’. The lack of colour
doesn’t make the selection boring, rather, it causes outsiders to focus more on
the details instead of being bombarded with colour and texture insanity. Hedi has
notices lunacy on the runway isn’t always the best way to get attention.
Slimane’s Saint Laurent has a certain offbeat glamour which
doesn’t demand an enormous fashion statement or ridiculous colours. The book “How
to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits” by Anne Berest,
Audrey Diwan, Caroline De Maigret, and Sophie Mas is successful for a reason.
There’s a certain je ne sais quoi about the way Parisians carry themselves.
Their attitude and accent are enough to draw me in. This mystical element is
captured in this line as the whole collection represents one gigantic shrug
with a splash of shimmer from the City of Light. Saint Laurent’s models carried
themselves with great arrogance that seemed to appeal to the audience. The line
screams ‘too cool to care’ which is the best way to feel like the perfect Parisian.
Handbags And Gladrags
22 November 2014
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
As I young girl I used to be obsessed with handbags. It's all I was know for during my first few years of secondary school. During one year, I had a different school bag ever week and the collection continued to grow. Style-wise, this wasn't my brightest period, my idea of classy or glamour was anything with a metallic tint or a well-known brand stamped on the side. I even remember carrying a bag made by Apple Bottom because the song Low by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain was incredibly popular at the time. 2007-2009 are years I can only look back on to laugh, cringe-worthy is an understatement. However, since that time, I have always adored a good handbag no matter what the size. I recently bought this Fiorelli tote from TK Maxx, where Fiorelli bags are very popular. This is my first Fiorelli bag, and so far I can't stop carrying it. The faux leather is very high quality which gives the bag really good structure and makes it easier to carry and keep organised. The splash of blue, which is in the same place on both sides adds colour to my winter wardrobe which seems to consist of a lot of greys and blacks. This is definitely my favourite purchase of the month!
Shirt - Next // Jacket - Miss Selfridge // Jeans - Topshop // Shoes - Brantano // Bag - Fiorelli
i am as vain as i allow
26 October 2014
Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
The Sac De Jour tote from Saint Laurent (other colours) has been a favourite of mine for a while. Although this berry colour is sold out, I had to include it in my wishlist because it pairs perfectly with the rest of the items in the set. I think this bag is an item that really compliments everything, as the shape is so simple and timeless, it can't possibly clash. Another accessory that never clashes are black chelsea boots. The Ganni Fiona Chelsea Boots are a pair I came across while online shopping and though would slot perfectly into this set. The classic boot comes with a chunky heel for an extra bit of high and adds a touch of elegance to the overall look. To view the rest of the items in this wishlist, just click the set!
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until I fall asleep
19 October 2014
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Recently, I have started to appreciate trainers and sportswear in general a lot more. As the weather is getting so much cold, and the wind is really picking up, sometimes there's nothing cosier than slipping on your gym-gear and favourite trainers. These Nike Hi-Tops are in my wishlist to match the rest of the items in my set but also continue the theme of casual comfort. On any chill-day, I will have a bath. No matter the time of day, I will have a bath to help me feel relaxed and detox. I have chosen the Star Light, Star Bright bath melt from Lush to be in this week's wishlist as suits the theme perfectly - and I love the shape and smell. The star is lime and ginger-scented, two of my favourite fragrances, and it has a shea butter fondant centre which is great for the skin. Although this bath melt is usually exclusive to the Christmas-y time of year, I couldn't help but include it on this super-chill Sunday.
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Gaiety Greyscale
7 October 2014
Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Anything grey is usually seen as dull and gloomy, but I think the exact opposite. Take Armani's A/W 14 collection for example. Even though the selection did include the occasional splash of green, grey was a significant colour. The designer does have a history of elegant simplicity. "Grey is a transversal, adaptable and even a sensual colour that conveys a natural elegance" says Armani in October's issue of Harper's Bazaar. He also said "I find that it's countless shades correspond to the many facets of femininity" Baring that in mind, I think darker colours are often underrated. I spotted today's shirt while shopping online and it reminded me of an average flannel or check shirt, that had been edited with a 'greyscale' filter which is what immediately drew me towards it. Most shirts of this style have a very bright colour or feature multiple colours for the ultimate S/S shirt. Yet I think this shirt, which does feature some subtle shades of grey alongside black and white, is the total opposite. It's the ultimate A/W shirt.
Shirt - Next // jeans - Topshop // boots - Dorothy Perkins // bag - Topshop
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