Fashion through your Letterbox

I am starting to get a real affection for simple outfits. Comfy wear for lazy days, because most of my days are lazy. What I need, therefore, is tshirts. And plenty of them.

This is why I am sorely tempted to sign up to T-Post; you sign up for a subscription and next thing you know t-shirts and flying through your letterbox. Well, one a month anyway. These t-shirts are based on news events (generally fun ones rather than serious), how better to keep your style totally uptodate!



Sadly, my student budget doesn't quite stretch to 26Euros a month just for t-shirts, but that doesn't stop me longing to expand my t-shirt collection - I do need something to go with my new sequinned leggings afterall (yes, I jumped on the bandwagon. Totally worth it though.)

On the fringe

Before I say anything else, I have a confession to make. I don't currently own a digital camera. I mean, I think I have one somewhere but that somewhere is most probably back at home in Wakefield rather than here in Edinburgh. So, that explains the complete lack of style photos. That and my severe camera shyness, I really do believe that the camera adds 10lbs...and sometimes three chins, an impossibly wonky arm and cross eyes.

Anyway, my issue at the moment (other than exams and essays) is my hair. Yes, I do consider my hair to be an "issue", I honestly am that self-centred. When I started university last year my hair was short. And odd. Not a good odd either, if I'm being perfectly frank with you. It was even an odd colour and in incredibly bad condition due to excessive bleaching. Bad times, I tell you, bad times.

So I start university and in my flat is a girl with the most amazing long hair. Lightbulb goes off in my head: must. grow. hair. It's now like 15 months later and I personally would count my hair as being "kinda long". It's past my shoulders anyway. And far wavier than I ever remember it being.

My problems now are:
a) it's that annoying inbetween length where it looks sort of triangular when I wear it down
b) scraping my hair back isn't as flattering as I thought
c) do I need a fringe.

It is c) that I would like to deal with. Do I need a fringe? I suspect the answer is yes, however would bangs go with my glasses? Or should I just get better contact lenses that actually help my vision and go for a glasses-unfriendly fringe?

Answers on a postcard please. And if anyone knows how I can just make my hair look like Zooey Deschanel's, that would also be useful to know. Thank you.



she has a startled rabbit thing going on, but look at her hair!

Big Up Sweden

Next September I am moving to France. I'm not sure where yet, in fact I really should apply for a job pretty sharpish, the deadline is January but I want to be ahead of the game. I already know how stylish the French fashionistas are - just look at Carine Roitfeld! - but what I'm really excited about is in another two and a half years when I (hopefully) finally realise my dream of living in Sweden.

I've got the plan all sorted, there's a scheme that employs English language assistants across Europe and pays from them to learn the language of their host country. So Sweden here I come.

Now, the reason I'm excited even though it's way far off in the future, is because I know I'll have to up my game in the style stakes. The Swedish always seem so well put together, without looking as though they've tried super hard. Or at least this is what I have garnered from reading streetstyle blogs. I should stop living my fashion life vicariously through the internet...



This outfit is so simple, and yet she manages to look chic and fashionable.



I am totally obsessed with this boy at the moment. He manages to look smart and yet not overdone, I think it's the boots which give his outfit less of a stiff and starched feel. Plus, I the oversized safety pin on his pocket is a really nice touch. Basically, I just want to meet him and ruffle up his hair.



Colour never seems all that important in the Stockholm streetstyle photographs, but sometimes I do think that colour is a bit overrated and overexposed...



This girl from garancedore.com is my favourite Stockholm streetstyle ever. She just looks so simple and yet so good!

There's a pastel shade to suit everyone

I just rediscovered my favourite photograph ever!



I know Tim Walker is generally famous for his brilliant fashion shoots....but don't you just want a lilac cat?!

My New Favourite Designer...

In a dream world, I know exactly what I would be wearing come this spring : the entire Thread Social collection.

One thing I especially look for in clothing is shape. Sure, colour and pattern are important but an amazing silhouette wins it for me every time. This is why I am always drawn to tulip skirts, shoulder pads and belts to cinch in my waist. Not always at the same time, obviously. But sometimes...

So, not only does the Spring 2009 collection for Thread Social have some of the most beautiful shaped outfits, with clean lines and smooth curves, but the choice of colour and pattern for the fabric does nothing to detract from the simplicity. The cut and general style of the pieces could be worn anywhere - dressed up to a party or accessorised with a simple cardi and flats for a nice day out. I'm a great believer in not saving clothes for "best".

I am particularly in love with the hues of blue (apologies for rhyming) as blue is my signature colour - I'm always trying to buy less blue though, which has left me with a wardrobe bereft of some of the better shades.









This particular dress is reversible - two cute outfits in one!

Like, totally fetch!

One of my favourite ways of relaxing/procrastinating is online window shopping. I can spend hours perusing net-a-porter and wishing I had money, but now I think I may have found a new favourite window shopping website : far fetch. Today, because I'm too lazy to write a proper post, I thought I'd share some of my favourite footwear picks...



Suede boots by Andrea Pfister



Suede peeptoe shoes by Antonio Marras



Lace-up boots by Martin Margiela



Suede platform shoes by Casadei



Sequinned shoes by Miu Miu



Lace-up stilettoes by Ann Demeulemeester



Quilted boots by Viktor & Rolf

Ah....if only I had money...or a Fairy Godmother

Fun Fashion

Colours are fun. It's a fashion fact. And one designer who certainly knows his fashion fun is Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. JC, as I shall refer to him for reasons involving speed and spelling, likes to play around with his collections instead of just producing bland boring clothes. Take his world-famous teddy bear coat from his Fall 1988 collection, for example, now that was cool. Not that I remember, I mean, I was born in winter 1988.

The latest collection by JC is sticking to his cur-ray-zee roots, with the theme being inspired by Lego and Disney. Luckily, this didn't entail the models wearing dodgy Lego-hairstyle wigs. Instead the collection was a bombardment of colour and fantasy. One dress comes complete with hair and tiara, on the dress that is, not for the model.



Also, you may recognise a couple of the pieces from Katy Perry's costume changes at the MTV awards...





Personally, I like JC's clothing because it seems unpretentious. The designs are fun and (for want of a better word) funky, which really is what fashion should be all about. Plus, Katy Perry looks amazing in his pieces. Although, she would look amazing in pretty much anything.



You really have to love the attention to detail with the lipstick marks.

I Want Mohr

Now I hear rumour that Luke Worrall is engaged to Kelly Osbourne, and therefore potentially off the market forever, I feel a new fashion-crush is required. Step into the warm glow of my adoration Mr. Cole Mohr, beautiful male model du jour.



Mohr is originally from Houston, Texas, but I can forgive his redneck routes for those cheekbones! You may recognise him from the 2006 Dior Homme campaign for Hedi Slimane, or Marc Jacobs' 2008 campaign - he sports both the male and female collection! He's also graced the front cover of uber-cool Dansk magazine (I always do think they choose the most attractive male models) and both opened and closed the Comme des Garçons show at Paris fashion week this July.

Personally I have been converted the the Church of Cole through his spread in the latest issue of Bon magazine, an issue which also informed me that the Burberry Prorsum feather dress that has been seen everywhere recently (including on Helena Christensen for Dansk magazine) also comes in the form of a top.

His tattoos and hairstyle (currently kind of shaved head, kind of not) give him that edge on the competition - plus they look dead cool! - and I reckon/hope we'll be seeing much more of him...

Jean Muir

Today I had a bit of spare time after my last (and only) lecture of the day. Usually I do a shift at Banardo's Vintage on Thursdays, but I've swapped my shift this week for a bit of a change from routine. Anyway, to fill my time I thought I'd pop into the Jean Muir exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland as it is just a minute away from both the lecture theatre I was in and my flat.

I was quite proud of myself having the initiative to do something vaguely cultural for once, and it was definitely a good choice on my behalf. It's only a small exhibition - just one room and not too much to read - but I really enjoyed it.



Jean Muir was an English fashion designer born of Scottish parents; she is known to have said that she held her Scottish ancestry in high regards. Indeed, all her knitwear collections were made in Scotland from the finest locally sourced cashmere and lambswool. She was a major player in the British design revolution of the 1960s, having founded her own label Jane & Jane in 1961, her pieces being renowned for their simplicity, although they were all intricately and intelligently created. Also, Muir's pieces were all created with the female form in mind and as such complement the natural curves and contours to create alluring feminine silhouettes.



Although she is most famously known for her love of navy blue, she also created many amazing colourful and patterned items, although she believed that too much pattern ruined the cloth and as such "less is more" can be used to describe some of her many collections

One of her most colourful and extraordinary collections was Autumn 1988 (the collection which would have been around the time of my birth, connections or what?!) which was created especially for the Australian Bicentennial and was inspired by the Great Barrier Reef. The clothes from this collection are absolutely amazing, even though the vibrant colours such as shocking pink are usually a little lurid for my taste, she managed to make them look chic and alluring.

Although there is not an extentive collection of Jean Muir's work on show at the museum, if you are ever in Edinburgh (before next March anyway) then I really do reccomend you go and have a look. Personally I was far too tempted to touch the pieces, and maybe even run away with one or two of the dresses. Luckily for my criminal record I resisted the temptation.



One of the things I found most interesting about the exhibition was the way that the styles that Muir showcased in her work as early as the 1960s still look very wearable today. Granted some of the hemlines were a little low for my liking, but this could just be due to my ridiculously short legs which make mini skirts essential to stop myself looking like a hobbit, but in general I would have been more than happy to have the opportunity to own some of her fabulous designs.

Hats Life!

I am becoming obsessed by headwear. This evening I stumbled across some gorgeous hats by milliner, Stephen Jones. The muse for his latest collection is Covent Garden, and I think there is a real elegance to all the pieces, from the modern twist on a top hat, which I would love to team with a nice pair of skinny jeans, vintage t-shirt and that amazing tuxedo jacket with tails at Topshop. Hopefully the simplicity of the jeans/t-shirt combo would make the rest of the outfit look a little bit less crazy.

The tube sign hat I think would be most wearable as it doesn't appear as though it would too incumberant in day-to-day life. Plus, it's absolutely hilarious, and who doesn't love that in their fashion.



Finally, I would like to have some fancy occasion to go to in order to wear the musical notes fascinator. The juxtaposition of sophistication and pure fun is brilliant.Perhaps I can wangle myself an invite to one of those Hollywood parties...

P-A-R-T-Y

How lovely life must be for the rich and beautiful. Whilst procrastinating away some of my afternoon on style.com I found myself lost in the party photographs. It must be a lovely existence to get invited to these fabulous events with free champagne. Plus, when else do you get the occasion to wear such amazing outfits? I don't think a floor length gown would do for a night out in Edinburgh, and even for some of the more low-key events the clothes they wear are far too beautiful for everyday occasions. Never mind the fact that I could never afford even one shoe.

The first party I found myself lost in (metaphorically only, sadly) was the event held for Baz Luhrmann at the Museum of Modern Art. I'm not a film aficionado so I did have to look him up, but it turns out he's a pretty cool director - his latest film, Australia, isn't out yet and still has a load of hype, which possibly also has something to do with the leading actors being Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman.



Carey Mulligan has chosen a really understated dress, but she still manages to look amazing. I especially like the lacing detail on the dress. I think it's also pretty impressive that she pulls off an elfin haircut without looking like an Agyness Deyn wannabe.



Maggie Gyllenhaal is my favourite actress, and I think she dresses wonderfully too. I'm prosuming that this is fake fur, I really like the way she has chosen to belt it - especially since she has somehow managed to not let the extra padding of the gilet make her look in any way wide. Possibly this is just because she is tiny tiny...

After perusing through the Luhrmann party I found myself at the Glamour Party (once again, I do only mean through the medium of the internet, not actually in person). Natalie Portman looks effortlessly chic. I swear it was no time ago since she was bald...



And finally, Sarah Michelle-Gellar/Prince at a party for Juicy Couture, looking pretty fierce (as Tyra Banks might say)....what's she doing with herself these days? Apart from looking pretty I mean.

Etsy Love

On my wishlist today....a hat that looks like a cupcake!

I can pass hour upon hour trawling the shops on Etsy wishing I could afford to buy something. Today I have found the most amazing hat ever - now in adult sizes!



look them up here

I am equally in love with the amazing headbands on LovMely.
Fancy headwear really brings an outfit from just being drab and boring





Plus, I do love feathers. They remind me of that AMAZING Burberry Prorsum dress that's been everywhere this season - Helena Christenson is wearing it on the cover of Dansk at the moment and she looks seriously hot.

My last Etsy find of the night is this bag



It's real alligator skin, as far as I can tell, but it's rather lovely anyway. Check the rest of the shop out here

The Other Ronson Girl

We've all heard of Mark Ronson with his uber cool remixes and all around beautifulness, and of course his sister Samantha is a regular on all the gossip columns due to her relationship with Lindsay Lohan (she has seriously managed to mellow that girl out, so major kudos to her) but what about The Other Ronson, perhaps The Coolest Ronson. Yes, I'm talking about Samantha's fashion desginer twin sister, Charlotte.

After interning at Harper's Bazaar and Rolling Stone magazine, as well as working with designer Cynthia Rowley, Charlotte opened her own flagship store in 2002 in New York City, and now has another fourteen stores across Japan.

She cites both her sisters as her muses (I wonder when The Final Ronson will become famous...perhaps she is an actress, or an artist, or an acrobat....or something from a different letter of the alphabet...)