My Fashion Wish List: Personal Style
January 29, 2012 § Leave a comment
Ever since The Style Mogul published my interview after winning the title Fashion Blog of the Month (if you haven’t already, read it here) I had requests to go through the outfits she posted. Indeed while identifying some of the items I was wearing was no problem as I blogged about them before, others are more tricky. Even though I have never added pictures of my own outfits to the blog, I just had to fulfill the request. Please let me know by commenting below if you like it and would like me to occasionally blog about my personal style!
On the picture above I am wearing Reiss fedora, American Apparel shirt mentioned here, Diesel leather jacket – I rolled up the sleeves, Never Fully Dressed feather waistcoat I blogged about here, Topshop wet look leggings (one of the best price-per-wear item ever: I purchased them over a year ago and despite wearing them all the time they are still in great condition, thanks to Topshop quality) and River Island flat boots with chain detail. I added more urban edge to the outfit with studded Romy Gold clutch.
My second outfit at first looks warm and comfortable but killer heels (KG by Kurt Geiger) add the essential detail to the outfit to transform it from weekend look to girl around town. I am wearing River Island faux fur waistcoat and jumper, which made it to my top 9 winter jumpers mentioned here; Paige Denim ankle jeans which are rolled up (big trend, see here) and Mulberry Oversized Alexa handbag.
This is my colour blocking outfit: Topshop aqua silk top, ASOS embellished collar which have been so popular ever since last spring and Rare cobalt pleated maxi skirt. I accessorised with Lulu Guinness lips clutch (read related blog post here), Rupert Sanderson animal print fuchsia heels and stacking black bangles of different shapes and sizes.
Above is a very studded outfit: Versace for H&M leather jacket – by far my favorite purchase from the collection as mentioned here, French Connection dress, Kandee Boots (I am in love with Kandee, a feeling apparently contagious as a few of my friends now own a pair, read more about the brand here) and Dolce and Gabbana multifunctional piece worn here as a necklace. The bag is once again Mulberry but this time it is Oversized Tillie.
My Two Big Loves
January 28, 2012 § 1 Comment
I mean my love for Pastels and Converse! Of course I do absolutely adore high heels, which I am sure you have noticed based on my constant blogging about killer heels, but during the day when I am running around London it is all about flat shoes. Hence my love for Converse – nothing suits my style better (despite pretty large collection of cute ballerina flats of which my favourites are by Tory Burch).
And since new season is all about pastels, it is time to update my Converse range with oh-so-fashionable colour palette! This could not be easier as on Converse website you can design your own perfect shoe – anything from shape to patterns and colours of every single part of the shoe. You can even get your own name sewn into the design. So above are my beautiful Converse I just ordered that will be with me in 3-4 weeks, just in time for good Converse-friendly weather, I hope. All I need is one of those American Apparel Pouches I added to my pastel wish list a few posts back and I tick all the trend boxes!
Create your own here. The pair above is £54.
Have You Got Yourself Some Karl?
January 26, 2012 § 12 Comments
And if the answer to the question is ‘No’ then you must hurry up – the collection is selling out as we speak.
Now back to the beginning: Just yesterday Karl Lagerfeld unveiled his new lower priced collection titled Karl to the World (think of Versace for H&M without H&M – just Karl by Karl which is way more exciting). But the fact that you can now purchase Lagerfeld’s creation without the hefty price tag is not the only innovative idea used in the project. The collection is only available online (at net-a-porter.com to be specific who have worked on the concept with Karl from start to finish and now are reaping the fruits of unprecedented publicity) and at the launch events held in Paris and London no clothes could be bought – just the pictures of clothes could be scanned with smart phones to be purchased through net-a-porter online.
The collection is mostly black and white and is exactly what Karl is loved for – high fashion glamorous biker chic who loves neat white shirts, leather fingerless gloves, skinny pants, collars and a bit of glitter here and there. The items start from £20 for canvas shopper and £50 for already mentioned gloves and goes up to £980 for snakeskin print leather jacket, but do not expect to see any of the lower priced items still in stock. Here are a few of my favourite items, but to tell you the truth if I could I would have every single one!
- Jacinda two-tone printed cotton T-shirt, £85
- Sabine sequined shorts, £195
- Judit printed racer-back jersey vest, £70
- Printed cotton-poplin cameo collar, £70
- Metallic-buckled leather sandals, £325
- Cutaway leather gloves, £50
- Ordina hammered-satin biker dress, £225
- Jerry PVC-sleeve cotton jersey logo sweater, £135
- Sless denim biker vest, £390
View the remaining stock here.
Most Questionable Trend Of The Season: Mules
January 26, 2012 § Leave a comment
What would happen if you placed foam crocs (you know those horrific brightly coloured garden shoes someone accidentally wore outside and started a non-fashion trend?), Dutch clogs and book on 17th century shoes into a blender? Those awkward Miu Miu Mules from Spring Summer 2012 collection pictured above. Of course many fashion trends beg the question ‘Yay or Nay?’ but in this case it will hard to find anyone signing up to a waiting list for a pair of those. Why? Well, where do I start: the colour combinations are horrific, 3D leather flower detail is something you would expect to find on cheap children’s shoes and even if we remove all that and end up with grey suede variation as above the shape is still completely unflattering to anyone’s feet.
How did Miu Miu end up going from glittery Cinderella heels one season to That is hard to understand, maybe it was indeed a blender accident…
In Love With Three Floor
January 25, 2012 § Leave a comment
Central Saint Martins is an amazing institution – so many talented young designers come out of its doors and go on to revolutionise the rules of fashion. This post is about one of its graduates – Han Chong who unlike many other young designers creating his own label decided to go for much lover price position for his Three Floor online brand.
The collection is so fresh and trendy that each and every piece deserves a place on My Fashion Wish List. With a few pastel pieces (pastels are the hottest thing this season – read more here), faux leather and floor-length gowns, it is time to get some Three Floor into your wardrobe. The brand is going to be BIG, mark my words!
Here are my favourites from the current collection available online here:
1. Sugar High Dress, £88
2. Sweet Talk Satin Mini Dress, £65
3. Catch Lace Insert Mini Dress, £68
4. Bear Hug Jumper Dress, £65
5. After Dark High Waist Faux Leather Trousers, £65 and Hanne Crop Top, £39
6. Freha Faux Leather Mesh Insert Culottes, £58 and Rattle Contrast Print Shirt, £45
7. Highlife Maxi Shirt Dress, £85
8. Abbey Lee Lace Insert Maxi Dress, £95
Heel-Less Shoes
January 23, 2012 § Leave a comment
Lady Gaga is known for whipping up a storm with her fashion choices. And it has been a while since Noritaka Tatehana heel-less shoes became her favourite – she is always seen strolling around in gravity defying sky scraper heels made by this Tokyo-based self taught designer. While a pair of Noritaka Tatehana will cost you a fortune (around £2500 to be precise) and might lead to embarrassing accidents like face-planting at Heathrow Airport (Lady Gaga), I found some more sensible heels (price-wise and height-wise) for those that wish to follow the trend.
Night Walk by Jeffrey Campbell are £109-128 and could be purchased online with free world wide delivery from solestruck.com. Channel your inner Lady Gaga! View the whole range here.
Good News: French Connection Sale
January 21, 2012 § Leave a comment
Just what we need to brighten up our mid-January mood when all the sales are already over – another batch of discounts that offers great value for money, this time from French Connection. With tops under £25, knitwear under £35, dresses under £37 and coats under £69 it is hard to find a reason not to treat yourself. The sale is on for another 200 hours and here are my top picks for inspiration:
- Twinkle Knit Jumper, £35 – perfect with skinny jeans or leggings.
- Heartbreaker Scoop Neck Dress, £37 – great dress to take you from day at the office to after work drinks, just add extra eyeliner or lipstick and you are ready.
- Eski Knit Zip Cardigan, £35 – warm and comfortable it is perfect for a leisurely weekend outfit.
- Fur All Hours Coat, £69 – so classic you won’t regret the purchase and will wear it again and again.
- Midnight Moscow Dress, £37 – exactly the kind of dress we expect to see at French Connection, that’s how we love it!
- Vaity Lace Flared Dress, £37 – something Kate Middleton would wear, with nude pumps, hence perfect for family dinners and meeting his parents.
All About Platforms
January 20, 2012 § Leave a comment
If you do not know it already Bionda Castana is a brand name you should learn. Despite sounding Italian, it is a British shoe label run by two London based designers but made in their family owned factory in Italy. Despite only starting in 2007, the label has done well in its short life span and made many celebrity fans on the way (from Lily Allen to Keira Knightley). Their range is wide – from classics perfect as work shoes, to edgy day to day platforms, to master pieces suitable for a night out: they are true to their motto of providing all kinds of shoes a modern woman needs. The brand is positioned at the high end of the price spectrum for designer shoes, with prices varying between £500 and £800.
My favourites from the recent collections are by far the platforms. They also come in varied styles to suit many occasions. My top three picks pictured above are:
- Beau Capretto Light Beige Platforms SS12
- Bea Crepe Satin Leopard Sky Blue SS12
- Miriam Napa Nero Leather Platforms AW11
You can purchase the shoes online at www.mywardrobe.com and in international retailing spots (in London head to The Box or Harvey Nichols). You can also view the collection here.
Mischa Barton Handbags – Worth A Look!
January 19, 2012 § Leave a comment
Misha Barton has been on best dressed lists as much as on worst dressed but what remained unquestioned over the years is her laid back bohemian style influenced by two very different cities – London and Los Angeles (Misha wass born in the first but has been living in the latter most of her life). While disappearing of our TV’s a while back she has been working on her handbag collection for 8 seasons now. Her new creations, coming soon to online store are definitely note worthy: soft leather, washed out colours and cool detailing like spikes and colour blocking. Above are my top three picks from the collection, but you can view the rest here .
- Jefferson Cross Body £49
- Melrose Tote £75
- Westchester Hobo £55
And while you are on Mischa’s website do have a look at the Little Black Book section – there Mischa provides some style tips, but most importantly a guide to her home town Los Angeles (from art sports to food joints) so if you go to LA you can always do it Mischa’s way!
Biggest S/S 12 Trend: Pastels
January 18, 2012 § 4 Comments
It is very rare that one overpowering trend emerges for the season, but this time despite fragmented trends like flower and parsley prints, sport de luxe and metallics, pastels are quickly gaining popularity. Also, surprisingly this trend matches the season well – it is not about being edgy or standing out but feeling spring and blending in with the natural colouring of the season.
It is hard to think of one designer collection that hasn’t featured pastel pieces this season – the catwalk was filled with them: from Louis Vuitton to Miu Miu, from Moschino to Oscar de la Renta, from Lanvin to DKNY. Two of my favourite campaigns this season play around with the trend too – Mulberry ice cream and candy on Brighton Pier and good-enough-to-eat pastels of Louis Vuitton (pictured above).
And since the new season just kicked in, it is absolutely the right time to discuss the most wanted pieces that have to be added to My Fashion Wish List for this particular trend. Above is my designer selection – think ice cream, candy floss and bubble gum!
- Mulberry Pebbed Beige Glossy Goat Bayswater £795
- Alice Cicolini Earrings and Ring each £1400
- Anya Hindmarch Valorie Glitter-finish Leather Clutch £350
- Mulberry Candy Pink Jersey Melange Printed Badge T-shirt £90
- Miu Miu Bow Embellished Bikini £145
- Dion Lee Plisse Stretch Jersey and Silk Crepe Dress £787
- Louis Vuitton Tuileries Sandals in Silk £600
- Miu Miu Top Handle Bag in Pink £825
- MiH Paris Mid-rise Cropped Jeans £155
But it is not all about designer creations – high street is rapidly absorbing the trend and coming up with great items. Here is the selection of my favourite pastels from high street so you can join in on the trend for below £140.
- Zatchel Colour Block Leather Satchel £122
- Topshop High Wasted Chinos £38
- Kandee Space Sherbet Boots £105
- Topshop Pastel Geo Tunic £20
- ASOS Pack of 50 Pastel Gummies £8
- Topshop Textured Knitted Grunge Jumper £36
- KG by Kurt Geiger Esme Shoes £140
- River Island Aqua Dress Belted Skater Dress £35
- American Apparel Large Carry-all Leather Pouch in Soft Pink, Lavender and Lemon each £48
Here you go – now you are ready to be the most fashionable self and welcome spring in style. It is just around the corner, I promise!
MY FASHION WISH LIST 