It now being more or less mid-April, I realise that SS15 can hardly really be described as the 'new' season anymore. But I thought the fact that it's been over two years (and one amateur, career-crisis-induced rebrand) since my last post would distract from the seasonal mistiming of this article. At any rate I was clutching at straws for a vaguely pun-ish post title, and if this has come at the expense of me pointing out my own appalling laziness then so be it.
I'll press on. Now I've established that the new season is well and truly here, perhaps anyone who has yet to spring into it would be interested in my sartorial advice for the remaining weeks of Spring. Though of course when it comes to style, the best thing to do is always your own thing, I think that some of the latest trends are certainly worth subscribing to - and besides, however much one strives for originality, one will always be constrained by the collections on offer by the vicissitudinous, trend-led high street. Here are a few suggestions.
LINEN
 |
| Zara, £69.99 |
 |
| play it cool with blue - Gant, £175 |
 |
| channel last season's trend for check prints with this Prince of Wales option - Officine Generale, £480 |
Lightweight, and therefore perfect for the improving English weather conditions, linen is a staple material for any Spring wardrobe. A slim, destructured, transitional linen blazer will serve you well in the office or on the beach (well, maybe not the beach just yet). Dress up with suit separates and smart loafers, or dress down with tee shirts, denim, and - dare I say it - crisp white trainers.
Pinspiration:
 |
| a linen blazer can tone down an otherwise risque double denim look |
 |
| nice mix of textures and patterns, as well as the classic pastel combo of light blue and pink |
PINK
Often dismissed as too feminine or garish, pink is in fact a colour which, when treated with respect, can demonstrate both elegance and sartorial bravery. And what's wrong with getting in touch with your feminine side any way? But be cautious, especially if you have light skin - tone down with darker tones (suggest navy) to maintain the contrast between clothes and skin tone. It's worth investing in pastel blue shirts to go with, suggest oxford or linen (available cheaply at uniqlo).
 |
| River Island lookbook |
 |
| Tom Ford |
 |
| Pinspiration - a daring combination of bold, brave colours |
 |
| Katie Eary channeled pink with the season's trend for the psychedelic 70s |
ANKLES
It's perhaps still a little early for shorts, but - as you can see above - it's certainly not inappropriate to begin by rolling up trousers at the ankles and going sockless. Cropped jeans and trousers were a big hit at Asos and Topman over the last year, and the trend looks set to continue, with various big names sending models down the catwalk with ankles on display. The sockless look is particularly alluring nowadays given that the fashion world's hatred of trainers is gradually dissipating. A simple pair of plain white trainers are no longer merely comfortable. Now, they're covetable as well. I recommend buying from quality Scandinavian brands such as Mads Norgaard, or Garment Project leather trainers from Urban Outfitters. Loafers are also a good choice.
 |
| pinspiration |
 |
| formal pinspiration |
 |
| Gucci |
 |
| Gucci SS15 |
.jpg) |
| H&M (imagine the trousers being folded up) |
(DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of these photos. Sources: Pinterest, fashionbeans.com or indicated brands. Please don't sue me!)
Seeing as this must be my third belated post in a row now, I feel it is only fair to offer my faithful readers some explanation as to why I've been so inactive. I'd love to say I've been busy expanding my creative horizons through meticulous study of the latest upmarket trends, or that I've been occupied with the creation of an exciting new range of animal themed bow ties; however, the fact remains that I've been doing school stuff. Yes, I've fallen victim to the horrors of revision, and, as my A level's judgement day draws ever nearer, I don't see myself escaping the pull of typical, nervous pre-exam cramming. Which, to my deepest sadness, means even less blogging. Sorry all.
Anyway, in keeping with the theme of bad excuses, a particularly exciting essay on the impact of European relations in the period 1979 to 2007 has inhibited me from preparing a proper blog. So I've gone for (yet another) classic what's hot list. You know the drill: I show you a bunch of exciting, unique and quirky items, in return I give my wealthier readers the opportunity to buy me them by way of thanks (let never it be said that I am not a kind blogger!).
To make in some part up for my disgraceful lack of blogging over the last weeks, I've tried to throw in a few items which are a little more unusual. And I've tried my best to avoid Topman, H&M and River Island for a change - no easy task, believe me! So here you go. I'll try to do a proper outfit post next time. Also, don't think I've forgotten my prom suit promise; as soon as I've stuck some diamantes on the shirt, photos will be posted!
Creeper sneakers! As much as I usually detest anything with 'sneakers' in its name, I have to admit that I can actually see the advantages to these. As a tall guy, I'm forever tormented by a limit to fairly flat soled shoes. I have a pair of beautiful 1 inch flatform creepers which I've worn about once in my life, tragically. These beauties, to me, represent the solution. Also, thinking about it, I seem to be forever driving places in trainers (about the only thing I use them for) then hurriedly changing into nicer shoes when I arrive. Creeper sneakers could solve this problem as well.
(TUK footwear, £60 each)
(Vivienne Westwood salt and pepper leather jacket, £675)
(Golden Goose studded leather Gilet £626.93)
Leather leather everywhere and not a myth left from the ghetto....No other Bowie fans here? Never mind. You don't need to like David Bowie to love leather. And what's not to love about these two gorgeous leather jackets (alright, one's technically a gilet). I don't know about you, but diagonal zips and studs really turn me on.
(£58)
(£56)
(£58)
These shirts are the embodiment of snazziness. I'd never heard of Ezra Wine until I stumbled across a small collection of his shirts and jumpers on asos. I'm already a fan. Fantastically, the shirts I've selected here are all reduced from about £140 to about £60.
Well, I'm not sure where my sudden enthusiasm for Topman - a brand which I had previously condemned as being too mainstream - has come from. The point is, it's here now; and it looks like it's set to stay for a while at least. In fact, if they keep doing sales on the same scale as the ones they're doing currently, I don't see myself ever losing interest.
And when I say 'sale,' I mean SALE. A tonne of really nice items are up to 70% off right now - and you can take another 10% off if you have a student card! I could, of course, show you a selection of my favourites... But the list would contain almost half of the catalogue, and I wouldn't want to bore you with another selection of clothes I hope to own (one day, maybe).
So, instead, I've perused their jewelry collection, which is all 30% off, and picked out some must-haves. These are my faves (NB I haven't subtracted 30%):
I think chain earings are really cool. And I like skulls. No-brainer, really. £5.
I've never seen anything like this before, and I'm not quite sure what it's actually for. But I like it nonetheless. £8
I think chunky chain necklaces are really cool. This one has three chunky chains! As well as skulls and spikes! What more could one ask for in a necklace? £25 (not cheap either)
A split skull ring. Looks very pretty! £10.
Overlapping chains and crosses thrown in. Beaut. I imagine this would go well with a plain white vest top. £12
A feather bow tie?!?! How could I resist? £10
Spiky bracelets are fab. This one is a bit more interesting that the usual plain black/gold/silver spikes. £15.
Cross collar tips. This would really jazz up a plain shirt. £8.
I like bow ties (if you could call this a bow tie), and I like studs. Not really jewelry I'm afraid. £10.
A bendy cross and a funky chain, you say? £12
After a pretty appalling week, during which my painstakingly completed English coursework was rejected and staple beige school-chinos were splashed with hideously clashy black ink, I took great solace in browsing through the collections on display at New York fashion week.
I was struck straight away by the practicality of many of the collections; the coats, for example, looked stylish yet wearable and comfy, rather than flashy and ostentatious. Perhaps the memory of the recent snowy weather is still fresh in the minds of NY designers? Actually, it is more likely still fresh on their door steps- the snow is a persistent annoyance in the big City.
There is, however, a clever (I like to think!) parallel to be drawn between fashion and the snow. Snow is like a very skinny pair of jeans, or even a tight body-con dress that's just a tad too small. Like the snow, these things- along with many other great but short term garments- are very nice to look at when they're brand new. Unfortunately, like the snow, the novelty of a tight, riskily cut dress soon wears off when you realise you actually have to go outside in it. This illustrates nicely the point I was trying to make earlier: that designers have learnt the lessons of the snow.
Despite dedicating many minutes to scouring through pictures of catwalks, I could see very few of the outrageous, over-the-top designs that usually adorn the up-market catwalks. Instead, luxury was combined with sensibility and elegance. Some brands were even able to achieve the holy grail of womens' fashion: trousers than can be worn on any occasion- from going shopping to going out for dinner.
Rag And Bone's collection stood out to me in particular. Here's why:
Here are two Rag And Bone dresses. They embody the mood of the collection- simple but stunning. The first dress could quite easily have been designed by Mary Quant herself. The black neckline and sleeves go swimmingly with the orange top-bit (as I've expertly named it). The grey which dominates most of the dress is the sort of unexpected stroke of genius one would expect from a NY collection. I can't explain the mighty slit, but I like it nonetheless. The daring lines and bold angles of the second dress also hark back to the Op Look of the 1960s, and the yellow boots to go with look beautifully retro, exactly how I like to imagine Vivienne Westwood's slippers to look like. You might be thinking: 'these dresses won't keep anyone warm in the snow!' And you'd be right: they certainly won't. Of course, I could have shown you some photos of lovely cosy-looking coats (the likes of which were plenty, rest assured) but I thought I'd let you find them for yourself. Sorry to disappoint.
Here are some other looks I really liked:
(lovely shades of red mixed with black. The textures of the leather and wool here clash fantastically. Over-sized jumpers regularly crop (see what I did there?) up in winter trends, and I'm sure this one from Sally Lapointe will be no exception)
(the very stylish Miroslava Duma. I don't know where she got this gorgeous matching-print outfit from, but I adore it hugely. The over-stated necklace and delicately printed blouse look fabulous as well)
(Disclaimer: no copyright infringement intended, all pictures taken from either The Telegraph or The Guardian)
My year 13 leavers dinner dance (or 'prom' as everyone seems to call it) may not be until May, but, as the saying goes: the early bird catches the worm (or, in this case: the best prom suit). Prom is one of those occasions where it's of the utmost importance to get the right outfit. It's important also, to remember that a prom suit is not just for prom- true, it may only be worn on prom night, but the photos will linger for the rest of your life; particularly if you end up being a celebrity and journalists are actually paid to scour year books and school photo albums to find the most embarrassing pictures of you.
A bad prom outfit can scar you for life. In 20 years time you could go to a school reunion, and the only thing your ex-classmates will remember you for is that awful neon pink tie you wore to prom, or the shocking yellow shirt poking out from underneath your grey pinstripe blazer, or, if you're a girl, the daring monochrome dress that just stuck out a bit too much. I certainly regret the boring dark suit I wore to my year 11 prom, so I'm keen not to waste this opportunity to redeem myself. A straightforward black tux would be far too predictable. A white tux with shiny black lapels would at least stand out from the crowd a little more, but it's still a bit too wedding-meets-casino for my taste.
As much as I'd love to turn to top-end designer labels like McQueen or Prada, my budget sadly limits me to the high street. I can't deny that I was feeling somewhat optimistic when I began my quest- I went into Topman's flagship store in Oxford Street just before Christmas, and was very pleasantly surprised to find some lovely tweed jackets, monochrome blazers and brightly coloured two piece suits. Hence I was disappointed to find that, by the time I thought to look online, most of the suits I liked the look of had already sold out in my size in the Sales. Fortunately, however, my disappointment did not last when I browsed quickly over Topman's new range.
It really is a fantastic collection of very on-trend garments, but what really stood out to me was this blazer with matching chinos. What really drew me to it is that it's full of surprises. When I first saw it I thought 'ooh, that's a pretty floral pattern!' Then I thought it was paisley. Then, when I looked even closer, I realised it's more like a sort of graphic print. Then I realised there were subtle differences between the blazer and chinos: the first being the fact that they're actually different colours (maybe this was actually a fairly obvious difference, but it was only a small photo!), the second being that the pattern on the chinos looks slightly more condensed.
My friends recommended wearing black trousers with the suit, but I think wearing double pattern is a little more risque. I might make a few small changes- some skull buttons wouldn't go amiss in place of boring black, and maybe I could add some plain lapels, just to highlight the edge of the blazer. Of course, these are just ideas- the combo is still fantastic just as it is on the Topman website. In terms of what to wear with it, I'd have to try the suit on first, but I'm sure anything plain and dark (maybe even with a contrast collar) would do the job nicely. Add a few bracelets, a fancy homemade tie and some dark brown Chelsea boots, and my prom suit is complete! I'll be sure to post some pics when I get it!
(blazer- £90, Topman)
(chinos- £44, Topman)
(this is the contrast collar I was talking about)
(shirt- £28, Topman)
(Chelsea boots- £22.99, Shuperb)
In all honesty, I was, at first, a little disappointed with the River Island Winter sale. On Boxing Day, I devoted about an hour to trawling through the websites of the staple high street retailers (Topman, Ark, H&M- you know the ones I mean), searching out the best buys and bargains. My disappointment, I must admit, was by no means limited to River Island. Aside from a very reasonably priced pair of bright green coloured skinny jeans, the menswear sale at H&M was hugely inferior to its female counterpart. The only fruit yielded from my Topman search was a pair of white tees for £12- which I only bought because I had some dye to use up. But River Island topped the lot- I couldn't find a single thing I wanted enough to buy when I had my first glance through their online sale. After the third page I gave up and resorted to looking through designer outlets, in the vain hope of finding a McQueen skull scarf for £10. Perhaps my thinking was a little to wishful. No; it definitely was.
Fortunately though, due to a past purchase, I receive regular e-mails from River Island. Usually, my enthusiasm for a company fades almost as soon as I find out the item I ordered has been sent- my interest is then transferred to the Royal Mail. Then, when the item arrives safely, I move on the the next craze, and I soon begin to regret my subscription to regular notifications from the company which, as I've explained, I have lost all interest in. But now my attitudes have changed.
As I was saying, I received this e-mail from RI telling me that the sale contained items which 'now had up to 70% off!' Being as financially apt as I am, I thought 'Ah fantastic!' and decided, in my bargain-finding wisdom, that the sale deserved a re-analysis- failing to realise that such an offer usually means 'one item with 70% off, the rest with a few pence knocked off.' However, such was not the case with the River Island sale, which I am now ashamed to admit I skimmed through so thoughtlessly on my first inspection.
Perhaps my initial dissatisfaction can be explained by the fact that I only looked at the first three pages of about twelve... Never mind though, the point is that my second examination was both more thorough and much more enjoyable. Some of the bargains on offer in the sale really are spectacular. I only wish I could have saved a little more money from my immediate post Christmas spending spree. It may be only the dregs of the sale that are left over now, but if anything, this seems to have highlighted the true gems of the sales- the items which are a little more risque,lingering still, after the popular fads have been bought up by the average mindless consumer. Here are some of those:
A cute little studded bracelet for £3? Yes Please!
The 'Navajo blazer'. £25 down from £80 (!!!!)- speaks for itself really! Looks kind of fleecy, good for a smart winter look I'm sure!
This is like an evolved cross necklace- its a necklace made up of lots of little crosses! Looks kind of barbed wire-y from a distance. A must have at £3!
Camo was big in 2012, and the trend looks set to continue. And what better way to continue the trend with this camo print shirt with corduroy collar and elbows for only £15 (down from £40!)
Something about the brown straps with the African tribal-meets-aztec style print just makes this look lovely! Only £8 as well!
Navy brogues for £25. Timeless classics- great for any outfit that won't go with regular brown ones.
Purple denim shorts, cut high above the knee in keeping with the late 2012 trend. They look really authentic- like someone has taken a can of spray paint to some jeans then cropped them neatly around the thigh. Irresistible at £12!
