Stud it to me! Festival Fashion SS12 Update

Having been in search for a functional, yet obviously unbelievably bang-on trend and AHHHmazing festival outfit since I booked my V Festival tickets way back when, I am happy to say I’m sticking to my previous declaration of scouting out the best festival finds so you don’t have to; and here is a quick update people.

Having obviously popped in to Topshop for something completely unrelated (always the way isn’t it, you wily Topshop Visual Merchandisers!) my eyes scanned a table of rainbow-dyed shorts (of which I am insanely jel of anyone who can pull these hot pants off without flashing their arses) and locked my retinas on this incredible studded bag casually placed alongside (and a bargain at £38).

Now, if you are a fan of black, suede, studs and slightly watered down for main stream Goth-inspired accessories, such as those Steve Madden slip-ons I reported on a few weeks back, I’m sure you will agree on how sick this bag is.  With a long detachable strap, it’s perfect for everything from after-work drinks (as a clutch, obs) and, more to the point, due to its zip lock, will make an absolutely awesome festival bag!  Big enough for essentials (phone, money, make up, toilet paper) yet small enough that you can forget about your shiz and carry a beer in both hands.

So there you go gals and boys, and I will be road testing this beast at Field Day on 2^nd June, come rain, mud or shine.  Now just to piece together the rest of my outfit…

Virtual Changing rooms: The future of online shopping?

No, don’t panic dear readers, Carol Smilie is not returning in some new BBC 3D decorating experience.  The ‘Virtual Changing Rooms’ I am referring to is something that seems to be popping up all over online shopping websites.  Now, I know that to most people this isn’t ‘ground breaking’ news, or worthy of Sir Trevor McDonald’s airtime, but it is somewhat of a technology trend worth monitoring. 

If you haven’t noticed already, any new high-street chain store you walk in to will be equipped with access to computers linked up to it’s slick on-line store.  That is because they know that the majority of people now scout out what they want to buy before they try, online.  Been the Westfield lately?  Notice the ipad bench in Topshop?  I read a fascinating article recently on consumer trends in Draper’s Record (The retail Bible, if you will) predicting that by approx. 2014 for young professionals more online shopping will be done on our SMARTPHONES than on computers or in-store.  Their findings are only backed up by the Government’s attempts at High Street regeneration and hiring Queen of Shops Mary Portas to spearhead their campaign.  And boy, she is going to have her work cut out for her.

Now, I am not saying that people don’t love to shop anymore, but more and more people are doing it online, and any technology which makes this an easier experience is now at the for-front of development for many major online retailers.  For internet based companies such as asos.com, boohoo.com and the like, who clearly need no bricks and mortar to see their profits soar (Boohoo’s parent company saw their turnover shoot up by 85% in 2011 to £24.5m) the only logical next step would be developing virtual changing rooms, and cutting edge tools to make your online experience better, and as realistic as physical shopping.  They may be biding their time, and only in the development stages, but it would be silly to imagine the future of online retail without virtual changing rooms. Check out Love Rococo and have a play around with their version, known as the Webcam Social Shopper, a great little tool to get to grips with Virtual changing rooms.

 

 The only way is up for this type of technology,  and if done well, and done right, it has the potential to revolutionise online shopping further.  So how do you feel about this?  Do you think it has the potential to seriously catch on, or is it just another gimmick?  Would you use it?  Let me know your thoughts y’all! 

My Christmas Wish List | Sophie Caldecott

Style And Then Some Christmas wish list number three coming up. So it might be a little bit more extravagant than Katie’s, and surprisingly doesn’t contain any baking related goodies like Dee’s cute icing flower cutter, but if Santa had unlimited funds to satisfy my every whim, this is what I’d ask for (I’ve been an awful good girl):

1. There’s something really special about having a ‘scent’ that you put on for special occasions. When I smell Benefit‘s Maybe Baby, I am instantly reminded of my 18th birthday; when I smell Chance by Chanel I am taken back to my first year of university. Last May I went to a beautiful ball in my grandmother’s old 1950s Balenciaga dress, and I happen to love the Balenciaga perfume – perfect!

2. Socks are supposed to be the most boring present of all, but I actually really need some, and so would be happy to unwrap this selection of fun patterned woolies on Christmas morning. (Tights and socks from Topshop.)

3. Helen recently wrote about her gold obsession, and I have to say I love this glamorous purse from Topshop. Even if I didn’t have any money to put in it, I’d feel classy.

4. I’ve loved Alex Monroe for ages, and I think this delicate pea pod pendant is my favourite.

5. They come in an unassuming little brown box, but these chocolates by master chocolatier Paul A Young are the best I have ever tasted. He develops at least one new flavour a day with his teams in Camden Passage (Angel), the Royal Exchange, and Wardour Street (Soho).

6. I’ve never really understood why people describe leather as ‘buttery’, but this beautiful ‘Mela’ bag by Danaqa is so soft I almost find myself crooning the word to describe it. Danaqa’s fair trade bags are only made from by-products of the food industry in Ethiopia by local craftswomen, and come in classic shapes with hand woven lining.

7. I am in love with the heart jumper by Goodone. Simple as.

8. The extremely talented illustrator and graduate of Kingston, Frances Ives, did this gorgeous blooming tube map in which every stop is a leaf or a flower. I want a copy to put on my bedroom wall.

9. I’ve been a die-hard fan of Elle Macpherson’s The Body range of products for a while now, mostly because they smell so good. I was distraught, then, when they stopped stocking her range in Boots. I know Jo Malone is expensive, but I recently discovered this Lime, Basil & Mandarin body creme smells exactly like the Elle Macpherson body moisturiser that I miss so much.

10. I’m rather behind on this, but everyone has raved about One Day so much that I want to read it myself. It’s always nice to have a new book to read on Boxing Day to get you through the food coma.

But of course, if you can’t get me any of these presents, Santa, don’t worry, because:

My Christmas Wish List | Dee

Following on from BlondeKatie’s post, I decided to put together my own christmas wish list. Predictably, this soon turned into some full-on fantasy shopping online – either because the item was a tad too expensive or temporarily out of stock.

But I refuse to admit defeat. Christmas is about miracles and magic and all that – so if the consignment boys at Selfridges want to help a girl out, here’s what I’m asking for:

1. This gorgeous Hummingbird Tray from Pedlars comes in at a rather pricey £95 – but the nostalgic feel of the trim and hilarious print makes it perfect for sprucing up my drab little kitchen.

2. As her British Fashion Award win a couple of weeks ago reflects, Charlotte Olympia’s quirky designs are probably the most exciting when it comes to fantasy footwear. I loved that  these Kitty shoes look like a demure pair of flats from one angle and a completely bonkers pair from another. Clever sausage.

3. If I were to have one meal before I died, it would be, without a shadow of a doubt, the humble Steak Frites. Unfortunately, I’m a bit of a shoddy cook and can never hope to duplicate the dishes I sampled at The Hawksmoor in Covent Garden. Luckily, the team behind the restaurants released Hawksmoor at Home in October this year, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a fool-proof way to cook the perfect steak.4. I hate how monochrome outfits seem to become my uniform at this time of year. Yet, with a panache that only Marc Jacobs can achieve, this Havana print iPad case is the perfect tonic to those dreary wintery mornings (and at £60 squid, quite reasonably priced)

5. After a years worth of T.O.W.I.E, Made in Chelsea and, most recently, Desperate Scousewives, fake eyelashes have never been more popular. I love these Paper Eyelashes, made by Paperself, designed to imitate french lace. Yes, they may be a tad theatrical, but they promise to be the perfect talking point when at an awkward crimbo party. Handy.

6. I have loved the smell of the Moroccan Rose range by  REN for years now, but this special Christmas edition of the rose otto bath oil at Liberty is almost too beautiful to use. Hey – who said there was anything wrong with accessorizing your bathroom? I have no shame.

7. These plastic thermos flask’s by Nettlegreen are available in three candy-coloured shades and have a capacity of 1 litre. That’s alot of coffee.

8. Underwear shopping is still as confusing for me as it was when I went for my first fitting at M&S with my mum. Sometimes, though, I come across a piece or two that I soon become obsessive about. This week it’s Stella McCartney’s Irene Gardening briefs and bustier. That springtime print, classic bra shape and the fact that the pants don’t resemble dental floss are but a few of the highlights of this set.

9. Topshop always pulls out the best transitional winter coats and the mod-ish number above is no exception. The contrast sleeves are a nice way to work in some winter leather and I’m a big fan of the pepper-effect on the wool.

10. The above photo may not make very much sense so allow me explain. A month ago I stumbled upon a delicious recipe for a hydrangea cake (pictured) on the iambaker blog. Despite my best efforts, the flower frosting never looked quite right and it turned out I needed to buy some specialist kit – namely a Wilton’s 2D tip. At £5, it’s a little steal for something that can produce some beautiful (and edible) hydrangea bouquets – perfect.

Christmas Shopping Ideas | Vogue.com Online Fashion Week

My advent calendar’s up and has now become a constant reminder that I have 21 days and counting left to get all my Christmas presents bought, wrapped and smugly piled under my (as yet non existent) tree.

Coming from a rather sizeable Indian family, this time of year is never kind to my bank account, given that there are twenty people in my immediate family alone. So this year I have made myself a promise, namely that it is ALL going to be done online and everything will be bought, stuffed and dressed two weeks before Christmas day.

Now, for fear of sounding a bit like a Tesco advert, every little helps – and this year the team at Vogue.com have come up with the brilliant idea of an Online Fashion Week.

Following up on the huge success of the global Fashion’s Night Out phenomenon, the Voguettes announced back in July that they will be organising a scheduled week of exclusive online offers and events – take a look at the schedule here to see just how many brilliant online retailers and shops they have managed to get on board.

Given my personal promise of refusing to negotiate the crowds in bustling department stores, this is a veritable godsend. With brands like Topshop, Matches and Mulberry involved, Vogue.com editor Dolly Jones and her team have hit on a stellar idea for the time-poor woman who wants to bag a bargain in the run-up to Christmas. I know I’ll be logging on tomorrow morning to do a bit of digital splurging.

British Vogue’s Online Fashion Week begins Monday 5^th December at 9am. Check out the schedule here, and tweet us if you are taking part in the online extravanganza yourself!

The British Fashion Awards: Wardrobe Malfunction

Yesterday evening was the British Fashion Awards and it certainly was a swanky affair. Setting up shop in the Savoy Hotel and Theatre, the red carpet was a heady mix of fashion icons, retail heavyweights and the odd glamour model.

About a week ago, I received a phone-call asking if I would help out at the event and my inner celeb-spotter couldn’t help but say yes. Bearing in mind that I would be skirting around the blue carpet (red is so passé apparently) rather than posing on it, I didn’t really put much attention into what I was wearing.

Big mistake. Fast-forward seven days and I arrived at the venue channeling what I thought casual chic – a nice skater dress from Topshop paired with some Chelsea boots and a blazer. Easy, simple and comfortable. I knew I was in trouble when I spotted several Nicole Farhi numbers dotted around the office.

And so I did what I do best – I panic-bought. It seems that some of my most treasured items of clothing have some from these manic dashes to fix some kind of wardrobe malfunction. Luckily, round the corner from my office is Hoss Intropia - a lovely Spanish label that has a real knack for creating beautifully feminine pieces.

Eventually settling on the festive green number above – ’tis the season and all that -  I added a little sparkle with a statement necklace from Accessorize and that much-longed-for Topshop leather I was banging on about last week. Okay, so maybe I did splurge a little, but I think that the dress will see me through party season and highlight of the evening was Christopher Kane complimenting my outfit. Score.

What do you think – has panic-buying ever paid off for your wardrobe in the long term? Or is it just a moment of madness? Tweet us some of your pics of your favourite impulse buys @style_thensome

In search of the perfect winter leather

As the gaudy Christmas lights on my local high street attest, we are flirting on the edge of winter. While the approaching festive season may make it acceptable to start mentally cataloguing present wish lists and walk in public with lips rouged by mulled wine, it also presents a bit of a wardrobe issue: namely, finding the perfect trans-seasonal jacket.

Chances are it will be most people’s big ‘investment piece’ for this time of year, or failing that, a chance to dust off some old favourites. Mine was always a simple black biker jacket bought on the high street a couple of years ago – simple, chic and sadly stolen at a party a few weeks back.

So – the solution? I went looking on the high street and online, in search of the perfect leather. Here are four of my favourites:

The Topshop Biker – £58

This time last year, the nation was still in the throes of a love affair with all things Burberry. Christopher Bailey’s shearling jackets spawned hundreds of copycat designs – but none as wearable as the Topshop version. Fast forward twelve months and the high street mecca has updated it, with a (helpfully detachable) faux fur collar and a tailored shape. Delicious.

Goldie London Studded Leather – £78

I spied this one – made by Goldie London – on the BeFrassy blog. I loved the slouchy-looking fit of it and – as a bit of a magpie at heart – the clever graduated stud detailing around the neckline.

Paul and Joe Sister Leather Trimmed Wool Jacket – £220

Perhaps it doesn’t follow the traditional leather/biker/straps/studs format, but I was inexplicably drawn to this number precisely because it had no frills.  With its lightweight wool base – helpful when on a sweaty commute into work – and subtle leather trimming, I think this is the perfect jacket to wear from day-to-night.

The Rick Owens – £1,515

Nope – that isn’t a typo. This Rick Owens number may be a fantasy purchase, but damn, the man knows how to do lux leather. I loved the soft shape of the shoulder against the graphic felt panelling – although I fear that this one might not be for everyone.

What do you think – is a leather the ideal winter warmer? If so, have you come across one that we have forgotten to include? Tweet us @style_thensome to let us know your thoughts!

Eudon Choi – spotlight on the WGSN Global Fashion Award winner

One designer that we didn’t get chance to cover at September’s Fashion Week is Eudon Choi. The South Korean designer, whose label is stocked at boutiques like Browns Focus and Hervia Bazaar in Manchester, worked for All Saints and Twenty8Twelve before launching his own label in 2009. The nonchalance of those brands has stayed with his look, combined with his previous experience in menswear.

Choi has just won the Lycra Style Emerging Talent Award at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards 2011 but anyone keeping their eye on Vauxhall Fashion Scout’s schedule over the past few years will know that the Royal College of Art graduate was selected for ‘Ones to Watch’ in February 2010 and then progressed to Merit Award winner last September. Choi will now get consulting, marketing and technical support with his next AW 12 collection.

For SS12, Eudon Choi showed round frames on sixties sunglasses and long, loose pastel coloured separates. Playing to both feminine and masculine aesthetics, these were combined with graphic sports jackets, stripe motifs and the occasional jumpsuit. And it was all so wearable, we wouldn’t be surprised if we spotted a high street collaboration before long.

Eudon Choi at the WGSN Global Fashion Awards 2011

#TodayImWearing – at the Elle and H&M Fashion Network Event

Here’s what Helen and I wore to the Elle event at H&M last Thursday. Read Helen’s report from the evening here.

Helen: Retro t-shirt from Realitee; yellow leather bag, jeans, cardigan and shoes all from Topshop.

Katie: Gap dress from a charity shop; Zara cardigan; Tatty Devine cutlass pendant; black leather duffel bag, black suede ankle boots and check tights, all H&M.

And because I’ve just discovered Polyvore (the brilliant website that lets you put together awesomely professional-looking photo collages using the contents of online stores), here’s how you can get my look for several thousand pounds more than I paid for it.

#TodayImWearing by blondekatie featuring a leather shoulder bag

Pleated dress
$594 - farfetch.com

IRO grey cardigan
$495 - stylebop.com

Wolford sheer tight
$65 - joanshepp.com

Carvela black high heels
160 - johnlewis.com

Miss Selfridge leather shoulder bag
40 - missselfridge.com

Pendant
30 - tattydevine.com

HIGHLIGHTS: Paris Ethical Fashion Show

I have returned home from the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris full of good intentions to save my pennies and spend them on a thought-through socially conscious wardrobe instead of indulging my usual habit of impulse buying. The problem is, when you start scratching the surface of what’s ‘ethical’ (i.e. doesn’t exploit people or the environment in the production line) and what’s not on the high street, the result is a bewildering array of pro and con arguments (mostly con) for each brand, and it can be tempting to give up the whole exercise of trying to shop your way to a better world. (See Vivienne Westwood’s thoughts on how fashion can change the world here.)

Perhaps the solution is to focus on the positives, rather than the negatives. As I discovered at the Ethical Fashion show, there are so many talented designers out there. Ethical shopping really doesn’t need to be a chore. Here are three of my favourite brands that I think could easily replace some of the big high street contenders in my own wardrobe.

L’Herbe Rouge

A standout French brand that is eco-chic at its best – a stylish replacement for your Topshop jeans, very American Apparel with its sexy and bright androgyny but better quality. (Seriously, I had a look at the seams and they are finished really well…) The online shop is currently under construction, but I was assured that it will it be up and running soon and also looks likely to be stocked in some London boutiques in the near future. L’Herbe Rouge does menswear as well as womenswear, and jeans start at around £99. www.lherberouge.com

Natural Wave

This German company makes beautiful, simple Gap style basics in organic fibres that are super soft and wearable. Order online at www.naturalwave.de Prices range from around £20-£35, so it ticks the affordable box as well.

Linda Mai Phung

Paris Ethical Fashion Show 2011 eco fashion ethical fashion best eco fashion brands

It was love at first sight. When founder of the Ethical Fashion Show, Isabelle Quéhé, wore Linda’s dress to present her with the Ethical Fashion Show prize, that irrational ‘It’s beautiful, I want it…’ syndrome kicked in. Luckily for me, it didn’t break the bank at £78. I can’t enthuse enough about this talented young designer – a mixture of Reiss and French Connection, her collection is made up of simple, flattering and stylish designs in bright colours and silks. Linda’s career is just taking off, but she hopes to have her online shop up and running with her Spring/Summer 2012 collection early next year. Watch this space, this is one talented designer… www.lindamaiphung.blogspot.com (My dress is the bright blue silk maxi dress!)