christmas wishes.

I'm not huge on the whole laborious, over-rated affair that the festive season embodies itself as but the one thing I do still conform to is compiling a 'if I had all of you, I would be a very happy girl' list.

All I want for Christmas is all of you, pretty please. If you ask me. I reckon its pretty reasonable. Mammy may beg to differ.

ASOS, Burberry, tba, Olympus Pen, Chanel, Topshop, O&O

Cheers Santy baby.Throw in a trip to New York if you fancy.

x

material girl.

Hiya new feature - may I introduce to you my first guest blogger post. Written by my beautiful favourite Chineeese gal, Liz.

As winter tightens her icy grasp over England, we are faced with the horrid realisation that bare legs have overstayed their welcome. Tanned skin is very much faded and it is now time to reluctantly admit that our trusty ray-bans should retreat somewhat sheepishly into their cases; nostalgically dreaming of sunnier climes.
However, despite the adverse weather, winter for the fashionista is a far cry from the doom and gloom cloaking England. Winter, signifies an epic switch to more substantial garments; those brave enough to weather the winter chills, thick enough to block the blustery winds and chic enough to stop any man in his tracks. This winter look to four essentials, all tactile, all textural and all promising to leave you hot to trot. It is with great pleasure that I present knits, leather, sheepskin and suede.

The time has come to dig out those nostalgic knits lurking deep in the cave of your grandmother’s wardrobe, to brush away those mothballs and to seize this season’s knitwear which is bigger and bolder than ever before. Whether its slouchy, waffle, or cable – knitwear caters to any look. Try classically chic: a slim knit, cinching skinny waist belt and floor length skirt. Quintessentially quirky: vintage levi cut-offs, cropped tee and grandpa cardi or melancholic grunge: leather skirt, sheer blouse and freyed cardigan. It is time to embrace those warm folds full of love and memory, for knit is a trend which is effortlessly easy.

To accompany these winter warmers is the leather jacket. You’re immediately thinking biker right? This season while the biker remains, the fruitful fashion world kindly offers a more feminine, slash less rocky alternative. If there’s one coat you buy this winter let it be a shearling aviator. Warm, snug and super cool this jacket is soaring along both catwalk and high street.  Look to chocolate brown leathers with shearling collars. Mix these with cream knits, thick tights and denim shorts or alternatively a tucked in knit, high-waisted skinny trousers and some cheeky lace-up booties. Whistles’ Anika flying jacket is a lust-have at £325, however TOPSHOP also have a great range which is still easy on the eye but also kinder to ones pocket.

Alternatively, for a more authentic and individual look, some vintage chains like Beyond Retro and Rokit offer a range of real aviation jackets. But be warned, finding the correct size can be tricky and laborious, but this makes success all the more sweet.

Furthermore, leather this season isn’t only in jacket form. Urban Outfitters have a sleek leather skirt in their range as do TOPSHOP.  Also, as grown up trousers remain hot this season (high-waisted and tailored), leather brings another texture to the table. Sophisticated, grown up yet playfully sexy.

Alongside the rails of many a high street store of these edgier leather pieces sit its counterpart; suede. Leather and suede are textures standardly confined to the shoe lounge. However, this winter that is no longer the consensus. Suede has extended its portfolio to the clothing rails of our high street. Shorts, skirts and jackets contribute to the main of the collection. Yet, the suede shoe trend fittingly remains. Ladies, take your pick from dessert boots to subtlely detailed platforms. For the boy; a trusted brand with a stylish update, I give you the suede Vans plimpsoll.

Options a plenty.

Without further ado I bid you a snug winter.

Follow these trends and you’ll have no choice but to be, excuse the pun, hot property.

 1.Whistles, 2.Vans, 3.NEAL, 4.Won Hundred, 5.ASOS White, 6&7.TOPSHOP, 8.River Island, 9. Rag&Bone

x

u o catalogue.

Oh no you di-nt.

I want all. of. it.

Anyone else think the collection has a French vibe to it? The shoot at least. The models are lush, especially the boys. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

x

a/winter wish slash hit list.

I've decided to do a seasonal hit list and make it a regular feature. I'm currently racking my brains on ways to improve my blog. I think having 3-4 regular features a month is the starting point as I think it's the best way to maintain reader interest as it facilitates consistency. Personally, I think that's what fashion blogging is all about; finding your niche and running with it. So watch this space.

Back onto this post - yes I'm very aware we are in the full throes of a/w so a bit behind on that front but here it is anyway. A wish list in that I can only dream in owning the entirety of it but a hit list in that each item is an absolute lust have. 

In no particular order...

Bare in mind this is not an exhaustive list- I don't think any girl's could ever possibly be described as that.
Call it what you will: wish list, hit list, the bare essentials etc etc.

I'm off to Bristol tonight for the week on a crash course come privaleged behind the scenes insider into the world of journalism.

Will keep you posted.

manchester musings.

I’m on my way home from a delightful few days in Manchester.

I can't believe I've been so oblivious to the city's fashionable offerings. Why is Newcastle so renowned for its shopping appeal? It ain't got nutin' on Manc. However, there is as essence of unattractiveness about the place. A male associate of mine says the whole place smells like vomit. That's an exaggeration, its not that bad but it is kanny trampy so I'll give him that. Don't be put off though, you soon get over that with the selection of shops that await you.

The first massive error of my trip was discovering that Urban Outfitters stock my beloved tba. How come I did not know this!? That's embarrassing. Not going to lie, I prefer Manchester's Market St version to the over-hyped Oxford St store. I won't bore you with the luxuries I wish were so much more accessible to me as we'd be here forever.

The second and third- Hello American Apparell, Hello Fred Perry. If only my funds would stretch to such high places.

I take back the hatred for the high street I expressed in my previous post. I don’t know if its me and that I’m bored of Northumberland St but the high street has somehow been reaquainted with its appeal.

I picked up this goodybag of treats......

Then there’s the vintage shops and boutiques. I only had the time and the tolerance for the thunder and lightning to check out two- COW on Piccadilly Gardens and POP boutique on Oldham St.

Cow is my favourite of the two but for the boy, check Pop. That same male associate who so tastefully describes the city as 'vomit infested', purchased this beaut of a Harrington Jacket in blue. Abs snip at 25£.

We seen a Fred Perry superior in Sarah Coggles, York, last winter but the 150£ price tag did not bode well with our student lifestyles. But this one suffices. I lav it and the check lining is a bit sexy too.

All in all, I was pleasantly suprised at what Manchester greeted me with in terms of retail thearpy. That is without even stepping foot in Northern Quarter and URBIS- vintage havens apparantly.

It has to be said that I’m in a state of confusion. London or Manchester?
Manchester is not as crazy, but London is the one.

Alas, I will have to return to help me come closer to that decision.

http://wearecow.blogspot.com/
http://www.pop-boutique.com/

ilovetba.

Okokok.

This is now the third post in the last month or so about my secret fetish tba, although its not really a secret.

You wouldn't be blamed for thinking tba is a French descent but in actual fact it launched and is based in our very own capital city, the big LDN.

Designer Binbin McNiven, a Brighton university graduate with a enviable designer history to her name including the late Alexander McQueen, she founded and debuted tba only last year with a stellar A/W '09 collection. Ever since, the label's signature look has evolved; playful meets sophistication. Equating to timeless, luxurious, perfection.

The label's aesthetic is increasingly accumulating a desirable reputation; accredited to its sixties play time working in perfect harmony with the touch of Edwardian sophistication.
The label's template of understated elegance is resounded through the entirety of the A/W '10 offerings.

The collection takes its inspiration from two feminist characters in the controversial (it was banned in native Czechoslovakia and director Vera Chytilová was forbidden to work until 1975), dadaist, film; Sedmikrasky ("Daisies") from the sixties.

In a nutshell, the film sees the girls deciding that, since the world is spoiled, they will be spoiled too. Cue the girls embarking on a quest of rebellion against the degenerate, decayed and oppressive society in which they live.

The direct inspiration for the collection contemplates how they might have dressed to attend an Edwardian children’s tea party.

Whimsical, pompoms prettify dresses and blouses, reflecting the childish, exuberant mantra of the girls.

Monchrome complements the chosen colour palette of carmel silk, velvet in the warmest of hues- burnt orange along with emerald and midnight blue. Colours and fabrics that all exude luxurious winter.

Tba's ladylike silk dresses and separates in bold blocks of colour are each finished with intricate final touches like the handmade reuleaux look collars on the velvet smocks or gold trim adornments on the mesh pom-pom dresses.

It’s not all sugar and spice and everything nice, however, as there are also tougher-looking, 'more showy' pieces such as the leather, pleated shorts in tan and a mushroom print silk, oversized tux jacket to match the pintuck dress and skirt of the same pattern.

The whole label has an antique yet, modern feel to it. This is illustrated in each of the A/W '10 pieces.

A lasting quality that transcends seasonal trends.

It is date night, it is innocent sweetheart, it is teenage rebel, it is spoilt princess, it is divine.

So aptly named; to be adored (by everyone), you certainly are.

Stockists include:

-www.asos.com

AND

-urban outfitters.

(Massive error on my part discovering that cheeky devil.)