RAG & BONE

The Rag & Bone AW collection is literally made for me; it focused on my two favourite items of clothing, jackets and jumpers, which I have to admit I have way too many of. I love the aviator influences in the collection with the shearling collars and bomber jackets. I feel like the whole aviation trend has been overdone over the past few years but here it's been updated by contrasting it with heritage style cigarette trousers and houndstooth prints. This collection brings together the designers classic British roots and the sleeker style of New York city, where they are based. 

I'M BACK

It's been almost a year since my last post but I finally decided to end my hiatus and get back on the blogging bandwagon. I'm not going to make any pathetic excuses for not blogging I'll just admit that I got a bit lazy and sort of lost my incentive. But since fashion week has come round once again I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to return.

To kickstart my return to blogging I thought I would start off with a simple inspiration post of things I've been loving recently...

BRALETS

My new favourite clothing item is the bralet. It's so perfect for summer as it shows off just the right amount of skin when paired with high waisted shorts or a skirt. There are lots of ways you can wear the bralet but the two styles I like the best are the smart and structured bralets and the cute and floral/lacy ones.

SMART AND STRUCTURED

These bralets are perfect for parties paired with a cute skater skirt, a pair of amazing wedges and some simple but bold jewellery.

NASTY GAL

KILL CITY

SILENCE & NOISE

CUTE AND FLORAL/LACY

This style of bralet will look great paired with some frayed denim shorts and feather jewellery for a day at the beach or park. 

TOPSHOP

SOMEDAYS LOVIN

FREE PEOPLE

ALOHA

Recently I've been obsessing over that hawaiian/tropical print so when I was flicking through TANK magazine and I came across this shoot I immediately fell in love.

I love the styling by Pandora Lennard, and how she has toughened up the prints with punk accessories. The flowers and bright colours contrast perfectly with the hardness of the spikes and mesh. Hawaiian shirts often have negative connotations and I can't help picturing a fat, burnt tourist returning from holiday in an overly bright hawaiian shirt and one of those hats that safari guides wear. But this editorial shows us how to wear these beautiful prints while removing all their association with naff tourists.

Here's some pieces on the high street to get the look...

TOPSHOP

TAVIK

GYPSY WARRIOR

GIGI VINTAGE

INSIGHT

JEFFREY CAMPBELL

TOPSHOP

ROKIT

NASTY GAL

TOPSHOP

NASTY GAL

ROKIT

ROKIT

ANIMAL SWIMWEAR

The Easter Holidays are here and it feels like summer is just around the corner so it's definitely time to start stocking up on swimsuits and bikinis. Right now I'm loving these suits with digital animal prints on them. They look so modern and are really unique.

WE ARE HANDSOME

TOPSHOP

WILDFOX

BLACK MILK

Favourites From Fashion Week

Favourites from Fashion Week 2012/13

Ashish: This look encapsulates the perfectly random aesthetic that Ashish has mastered. Who would have ever thought that baggy board shorts over sequined cigarette trousers could look so good? But it’s this carefree spirit of mismatched shapes that makes it work. The muted pinks work beautifully with the grey and gold and the soles of the creeper boots give it that final pop that Ashish never fails to deliver.

Jeremy Scott: Once again Jeremy Scott delivers a lively, brightly coloured collection, full of pop culture references and graphic imagery. The look is young and vibrant and is a nod to how media is shaping the world today. It’s a fusion of  the 90’s and now; with 90’s images such as Bart Simpson, but displayed on a modern Mac Desktop. This combination is a perfect representation of today’s youth culture and its obsession with its past.

Céline: Seeing clean lines and perfect tailoring in Céline is nothing new, but not many can master simplicity as beautifully as Phoebe Philo does in this collection. Here we see a wonderfully structured boyfriend jacket, a favourite with Philo, finished off flawlessly with textured lapels. It’s details like these that turn a well-made jacket into a beautiful piece of high fashion.

Chloé: Chloé keeps it simple and wearable in their signature palette of soft hues. The tousled hair and bare faces of the models gave the show a fresh and carefree vibe while still remaining graceful and chic at all times. The highlight of this look (and the show overall) is the beautiful outerwear: bold, structured shapes made delicate with pastel colours and classic quilting. The look manages to be pretty without seeming too dainty or prim; the perfect balance between girl and woman.

Topshop Unique: This season, Topshop Unique left behind it’s quirky, playful and sometimes even gimmicky aesthetic for a more elegant and mature look. Gone were the crazy afros and loud prints of previous collections, and in their place were beautiful autumnal hues and layering at its best. The use of texture is perfectly complimented by the heavy utility boots and zip details which add a biker edge.

Balmain: Balmain is back with another collection full of drama and intrigue. The look is a luxurious take on the baroque period, with tapestry designs, gold detailing and a dark, mysterious edge. The rock ‘n’ roll vibe that Balmain is so famous for is still a driving force in this collection but I feel like they have now developed past the obvious leather jackets and are using the style more subtly.

Photos: Vogue UK

I wrote this post as a blog exclusive for Base Magazine which is a free 

independent Fashion Magazine which I am now helping edit.