More colours, please.
Not too sure why, but Topshop has sort of dropped off my radar lately. Am I the only one? It's been ages since I'd logged onto their site or stepped into one of their shops... but yesterday I spotted these little beauties. Well, actually, I spotted the neutral pair and thought they looked like the best summer heels ever. But then I got to thinking... would they be better if they came in a headache inducing bright shade of pink or yellow? Uhh, yes, they would be. Unfortunately though they only come in nude and black (which I still really like) but if they came in yellow they'd be mine in an instant, because colour popping is in little chickens and what better way to rock it than on your feet?
Perrin Premium Platform Sandals available from Topshop.
Please note: the yellow and pink shoes aren't available in real life but were just dreamed up with a little help from photoshop.
The happy dress.
When I pulled this little black and white number on over my head and felt the way the skirt stood out away from my body I couldn't help but yelp, 'this is such a happy dress!' A couple of weeks ago I got to spend an afternoon with Elizabeth Lau in her West London studio. It was such a welcome and calming break from the mayhem of packing and moving. We sipped green tea, debated the Galliano news, and wondered whether the temperature in England would ever rise above freezing... thankfully, I've heard that it has.
More importantly though, I had the chance to coo over her AW11 collection and can I just say that it is so scarily straight up my street. Black and grey jumpers with quirky phrases, like 'I (heart) Rosie' and 'The Guvnar', sprawled across the front. The sayings were all borrowed from Cockney rhyming slang, quite possibly the perfect British memorabilia to bring over to Switzerland with me, eh eh? The simple colour palette is heavenly and the fabric is so soft, making them the kind of jumpers I would reach for every day. Additionally, the collection is stuffed full of adorable little dresses and, while they are all quite sweet and pretty, they are easy and wearable when teamed with little black converse. Just my idea of the perfect paired down outfit. Plus, it comes with a ribbon bow-tie to boot? Too cute. It could only get better if you had a mini-me doll to tot around with you...
View the Elizabeth Lau Spring 2011 collection here.
Big thanks to Kit for the first photo, Elizabeth for the tea, and Blythe for being a very good model.
Come home with me.
While loud stripes and bold colours are currently fighting to take over our Spring Summer wardrobes, I'm craving simplicity and neutrality from Weekday. Possibly the Swiss mentality is edging into my dress sense...?
All items available at the Weekday website.
Bogen 33
Discovered today that I made some epic packing fails in this first leg of my move to Switzerland. Somehow managed to bring all sorts of things that I have nothing to wear with... and nothing to wear under... and nothing to wear over... #slamshandonhead. Apologies for the less than ground breaking breton stripes, jeans, and converse combo... but hey, I've got to work with what I've got and this is proving to be a valuable lesson in not being a diva about my wardrobe.
p.s. I'm coming back to England at the end of next week and will thankfully be able to pick up some of the things I absentmindedly left behind.
Wearing: Cabbages and Roses top, Urban Outfitters jeans, American Apparel large leather pouch, YSL arty ring, Converse and Lemon Meringue nail polish by Models Own.
Tumbled: reader submissions now live.
(Original Source: Carolines Mode)
Ohh la la, exciting news just in. I went and created a wee little tumblr yesterday. I've always detested the medium... surely it's only beneficial for allowing people to rip off other people's work and creating a downward spiral into the world of infinite click-backs... which never get you to the original source? Yes, many a tumblr site is prone to offensive cases of copyright infringement, however, I've decided it's not so bad as long as you make a clear link back to the original source (see above). Now, you might be thinking 'uhh... don't you already have a blog?!'... why, yes, you're right, I do... but this is different.
My Tumblr site has three main purposes:
1. Sartorial and inspirational mind vomit (appealing, no?)
2. Random photos I've taken. These will include details about which lens I've used because I keep getting questions about lenses... so this will create a little selection of images with lens details so you can compare photos and lenses... if you are that way inclined.
3. Reader submissions: yes yes yessss, I've gotten some requests for reader submissions... some of you want to send in photos of your kids dressed up like mini robotic crusaders, others want to rant about your class mates wearing pajamas to school... whatever you want to share, you can submit it through the tumblr page (there's a little 'submit' button at the top). Mmmmk? So if you see anything tacky, wacky, or just generally freaking awesome... send it over.
p.s. I will be launching a competition in conjunction with this new hot diggity tumblr and anyone that sends in submissions pre-giveaway will have additional entries added (just sayin... not that an of you need extra motivation).
Matthew Zorpas: LFW AW11
Two of the most incredible things about having started this blog have been that it has provided a platform to highlight new talent and has given me the opportunity to meet some great people. My encounters with Matthew Zorpas encapsulate both these features perfectly. We met just over a year ago and, in the short time that I've known him I've realized, he personifies everything I adore about fashion. Daring with what he wears, motivated to promote new generation designers, and always willing to take you along for a crazy ride... he is my most beloved fashion week friend.
Matthew's outfits during London Fashion Week always cause quite the stir. You'll never spot this boy without a hoard of photographers around him. He was, after all, voted Britain's second best dressed man by Esquire. Because I was curious about how he puts together an outfit for the city's most hotly watched event, I documented his wardrobe over the course of London Fashion Week. Below you'll find our favourite shots of Matthew's outfits and comments by the designers he chose to wear each day.
Day 1: MariosAlexander
'The suit is shaped around the idea of the 'role', fully emerged within the clown personal engaging the concept of modern living. Clownland reflects the life of the modern man and with its contemporary feel creates an alternative perspective on luxury clothing. Inspired by the history of performing arts and the idea of the role, this suit explores how costume can be transformed in order to create a fashion statement. With references to the clown character and influenced by the work of Charlie Chaplin, this collection captures an essence of romanticism and projects a sensitive man.' - MariosAlexander
Matthew wears: Suit and shirt by MariosAlexander.
Day 2: Harald Lunde Helgesen
'Denim's totally on my mind. The material of the masses and the material of the greatest global fashion impact since leopard prints and fake fur! Denim 2011, can it add anything new? I think so - D E N I M M X I ! Slashed, shredded, perforated and knitted - that's my suggestion for wearing denim next. Single Denim, double denim, triple denim.' - Harald Lunde Helgesen
Matthew wears: Shirt, waistcoat, jacket, jeans, and shoes by HLH Harald Lunde Helgesen.
Day 3: Dandan Zhang
'The pure white shirt with huge high collar, increases the sense of the mystery of men. Elegant design with exquisite details, creating a pure, bright, eternal and ultracool garment. The special shirt with leather decoration is from Dandan Zhang 'A Men's Toy' collection and the inspiration comes from vintage cars, like original sedan cars, vintage Beets and other classic cars.' - Dandan Zhang
Matthew wears: white shirt by Dandan Zhang, Cos jeans, Sanders shoes, and bag by Gianfranco Ferre.
Day 4: DimosNatar
'This season, I use knitwear as second skin, and vibrant colours disturbing the nude ambience. Mettalic yarns are used to produce pieces in seductive silhouettes. Neon colours are combined to produce a magnificent palette, with connotations of an underwear kingdom.' - Dimos Natar
Matthew wears: Suit and t-shirt by MariosAlexander, cardigan and scarf by DimosNatar, and Sanders shoes.
Menswear Day: MariosAlexander
Matthew wears: Shirt, waistcoat, and jacket by MariosAlexander. Jeans by Cos and Sanders shoes.
'My selection this year wanted to push the fashion boundaries but still look elegant and sophisticated. I chose designers who had a story to tell, a strong research and philosophy behind their brands. Many of the pieces were for the first time shown beyond the catwalk. It was a great experiment and a process to collect and mix them together. I loved every moment of this story. Fashion Weeks, especially London Fashion Week, is an opportunity for young designers to showcase the creative side of their collections. We, as influencers or insiders, should support them and get them out there, give them a chance within the industry.' - Matthew Zorpas
Things I've learned from Matthew: Sometimes more can definitely be more. Don't stick with one jacket when you can sport two. Layer thermal fleece under your fashion week outfit in the winter. It's cool to be nice to people. Speaking a foreign language will get you far. And, always have a surprise up your sleeve.
Happiest in...
Wearing: Madewell jacket, Alternative Apparel Rocky Eco-Fleece Zip hoodie, American Apparel Unisex Fine Jersey Short Sleeve V-neck, Urban Outfitters pink vest and black jeans, black Converse, Alexander McQueen bag, and Retro Super Future Lucia Havana Glitter sunglasses.
p.s. I promise the whole of Zurich isn't covered in graffiti.
Breakfast with the birds.
A bright future
So, before I go and pop a hernia on this delightfully sunny Monday morning I thought I'd best pour out my thoughts on the Celine AW 11 collection that landed in Paris yesterday. As I'm sure you already know, Ms Philo has been rocking the fashion world with her notoriously cool and achingly minimal creations: read tonal milky colour combinations, silky draped fabrics that billow in the most flattering of ways, block colours in shades that will make you pee yourself, and oversized gloriously soft handbags in the most non-discript of shapes... but with the all important perfectly clean 'Celine' etched in (because otherwise it might as well be from Zara). More than an obnoxiously loud 70s revival or a banana print, what Celine sends down the runway quietly influences what real women will be wearing for the season to come. Which is why I nearly popped a vein when I saw her AW11 collection on Style.com this morning...
Taking the whole seventies revival a wee bit too literally, one might argue, came this tripartite wooden cabinet creation. Literally including everything but the kitchen sink... because surely even those weren't wood effect back then? While I might be to young to remember when this trend rocked the kasbah the first time around I think I'll pass go on this one, because if it's too heinous for my cupboards it doesn't belong on my body*.
Ah, if anyone can single handedly bring back the white roll neck... This, for me, is Celine at its best. An austere, no fuss, sleek approach to dressing. Celine manages to continuously reinvent simplicity and minimalism in a way that looks decidedly familiar yet new. If this collection is anything to go by, come September we'll all need a pair of slit ankle trousers with a vertical half stripe, pops of red, pointy tan booties, and a grown out fringe that we can sweep to the side. Well, at least the last one won't put a dent the size of China in our bank accounts.
* how fickle is it that the 70s wooden cabinet print is already starting to grow on me? but not head to toe... well, I say that now...
All images from Style.com. View the entire Celine AW11 collection here.
Why, hello there sunshine.
First full day in my new city of Zurich and everything feels refreshingly new and so beautiful, in a way that is completely separate from England. The sun came out this afternoon and I took a walk with my best friend* down to the river and into the centre of town. We're staying in a temporary flat for the next couple of months until we find something more permanent. Our very cool landlord, who I'll hopefully tell you more about soon, gave us a little tour around our neighborhood this morning and there are so many places to explore. Zurich seems to be such a mash of competing ways of life... from the strictest of bankers in pinstriped suits, to the carefree girls in converse riding bikes... from the Hasidic Jews wearing incredibly high fur hats, to the boys in tracksuits eating kebabs on street corners. There is more diversity than I expected and while I've heard that the different groups in the city don't mix I'm hoping this isn't truly the case.
Just want to send out a big fat THANK YOU to everyone that has sent well wishes over Twitter, Facebook, e-mails, etc. - they have been so encouraging. Already missing everyone back home.
Wearing: vintage green hat, Madewell jersey biker jacket, Cabbages and Roses striped top, Next maxi skirt, vintage fur stole, Monki boots and American Apparel large leather clutch.
* and by 'best friend' I mean husband
Grand Life.
Beauty 101 - Spring 2011 edition: bright lips and long lahes. Enough said.
Wearing: hot pink lipstick by Models Own, lashes by Lash Lab, leather jacket by Paul and Joe Sister and necklace by Jacey Withers (both courtesy of HPR London).
p.s. off to Zurich in the morning... see you there.
I want you.
Oh Zara, how I detest your messy shops and unhelpful staff. You're customer service is a shocker and the amount of faulty items I've seen strewn across your floors could stock an Oxfam twice over. I've got to say though, each season you've got me drooling over your pieces that are painfully spot on. The quality is questionable and the fabric composition makes me sweat but when you've got pink trousers, orange skirts, and pleats galore I find it impossible to resist your allure. So until I've got the funds to afford the Prada and Marc Jacobs that I truly want, your brights and neutral pieces will keep me feeling hot.
I could easily drop a grand in Zara right now. They've got my spring wardrobe nailed.
Just call me...
Currently obsessed with this Elizabeth Lau jumper from her AW11 collection. Perfectly suited for letting people know who's boss.. Cockney style. More photos coming soon. Taken by Kit.
Backstage: KTZ
Backstage at KTZ on menswear day it was all bold stripes, bright colours and baubles but worn with quite minimal makeup. The show was something from an entirely surreal world with graphic printed balaclavas pulled down over faces, oversized Wonka infused circular bracelets, latex galore, and a touch of '80s tribal multi-coloured print thrown in for good measure. The collection showed a mesmerizing transformation of character. If you haven't seen images of the KTZ AW11 collection yet be sure to check it out. It's utterly wild when seen worn all together but the pieces are totally mesmerizing and have got me wanting to ditch my fluorescent brights for a range of primary colours.
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