jil sander s/s11

a strange turn of events, now - a collection by jil sander, a design house renowned for all things minimalist, that i was really drawn to...

imgs from style.com

on the surface, it seems a little basic and even plain, but the proportions - of the skirts, in particular - paired with the bright colours, stripes and washed out florals create great 'throw on' pieces; pieces that would slot right in to your wardrobe and could be grabbed when in a rush, but which would also form a put-together look with minimum effort.

i think the volume of the green or floral skirts are my favourite element, but the mix of the opaque/sheer vertical striped vest with the pink/white horizontal striped skirt was the look that hooked me and made me take another look through.

fyi, i already have A LOT to write about the paris shows, which i normally feign interest in, but so far this year is really the capturing my imagination. Pugh, Rochas, Limi Feu, Carven, Rue Du Mail? all on the list.

moschino cheap&chic s/s11.

i'm sure i planned to write something witty to accompany these pictures - i mean, i had a great line to add to this post - but now i can't remember it.

blogging lesson no. 1: write it down as soon as possible.

anyways, moschino C&C - as i affectionately refer to it - was bright and ripe with fruit prints (RIPE! maybe that was the witty line), big holey mesh skirts, and blouses with contrast cuffs and collars.

oh, and a LONG FLOATY CHECKY SKIRT WHY ARE THERE NONE ON EBAY?! one day; one day.

imgs from style.com

though i could live without the placket-framing ruffles and the 'smile' motif, this was a collection that made me smile - especially these looks, and especially-especially that 3rd look, right down to the pink lips.

sleeping.

i just had the most wonderful hour long nap, but now i feel all disoriented. like i should be doing something but i can't figure out what (it's probably uni work. though that is the reason i'm so damn tired anyway. also the reason for the quiet front on this here blog.)

in addition to being in some half awake/half asleep state, i am also donning approx 23 layers, for it is COLD up in this house; but today i thought rather less layers would be a good idea (because uni is warm, and i assume they make it warm so we won't want to leave.)

mentally add my parka to this outfit for cycling-in-the-rain purposes, plus backpack full of uni malarky and tote bag full of sketchbooks and fabric. ho-hum.

topshop skirt//H&M croptop+necklace//asos boots//2nd hand blouse+jacket

god forbid that button should fall open; uni in september is not the place for such midriff bearing. not if your skirt is that short, anyways.

surgical spirit.

if new york's defining trend (or a least one i picked up and posted about) was the sleeveless raglan, and london's was.... bright colour? leather? what?... then it was only a matter of time 'til milan had a collective thought.

the first clues were at fendi and prada, but following the 'three's a trend' rule, i waited for the third to come through, and come through it did.

in a season where white and sheer are aspects to be noted, it was only a matter of time until some looks bearing more than a passing resemblance to medical garb trod the runway - now you can get your scrubs at prada, your hospital gowns at fendi and your lab coats* at max mara...

all images are, of course, from style.com. click the links for more from all 3 collections.

Prada:

Fendi:

MaxMara:

* that's lab coats or axe murderer chic, of course.

marios schwab s/s11

this is a few days old.
/care.

imgs from style.com

i worried a little, at first. i'm a schwab fan, after all, and some looks came out looking decidedly... well, like vintage lingerie pieces i could pick up on ebay for a fiver.

but then some cut outs stepped out.

and we saw some leather dresses with lace trim and contrast panels.

and some witch-y, pentogram-y vibes, and some tattoo-esque print details, and some harnesses...

i don't think it was until the mid-blue dress with the black lace cut outs and the little belt walked out that i said "yes".

the good outweighs the questionable, and this is a great collection. it's the pieces such as said blue dress, the black number next to it, and the black gown at the end, which all straddle the lingerie/dress line really finely that work best (although the hard leather pieces with the subtle lace trims work so well, too).

really stepping away from the rest of the trends that are wafting about (although i guess the cutouts can be popped into the sheer category) but really working for me..

not the "kristen stewart in the runaways" hair, though. am i alone in thinking no one wants to look like k-stew? girl needs to cheer up.

gothic granny.

...would be an accurate description of this outfit, non?

river island lace body//thrifted dress+coat//priceless boots//primark ring

one of my loan purchases - i bought the lacy body from the river island post (and the leopard socks. managed to resist all of the boots. still want the snakeskin/suede wedges though... sigh.) and will be wearing it with pretty much everything, all the time.

this same outfit got drenched on the way home.

thanks, rain!

david koma s/s11.

the gimmicks - and i refer to the bells and whistles and silver tubes on his often costume-y pieces - david koma relied on the past couple of seasons were lost on me, to be honest.

yeah i know cheryl cole wore one of his dresses on the x factor last year, and i know beyoncé wore (the same?) one to some awards show around the same time (i'm gonna go ahead and assume it was the EMAs) but despite my dissertation topic, i couldn't care less about which celebs wear which labels.

but maybe the bells and whistles worked - that is to say, he's made a name for himself and had his own show this season.

and i liked it.

imgs from style.com

great shapes, great graphic colours, great (and flattering) cut out and embellishment details. cute, but wearable as opposed to costume-y.

random thought: i find it interesting that gareth pugh trod the same costume-y to covetable path not too long ago, and he's one of my favourite designers...

red.

dress, nails, hair...

ebayed dress+boots//primark socks//matthew williamson scarf

hard as nails bright red+models own red red wine

see, the boots, they go with everything.

my nails have already chipped through a combo of washing up, painting and gluing, but whatever - they look really rather good; the best fade i've had so far. wondering if black will fade into clear to get that ombre thing going? something to try, certainly.

blue jeans.

work-work-working.

sleep-sleep-sleeping, according to this pic. *shrug*

topshop jeans+socks//H&M shirt+jacket+necklaces//thrifted shoes//primark ring//claire's accessories ring//vintage ring+brooch

fringe is re-dyed, bird theme has been grabbed and ran with (socks, ring, brooch), new jeans are being worn. it's a whole new uni year.

antonio berardi s/s11

it wasn't until the 30th look (of, what, 39?) popped up on style.com that i took much notice of this collection, but the last crop of looks was just wonderful - nude and pale pink sheers with metallic or moss-y green toppers, with a silver dress and a silver coat plonked in the middle.

imgs from style.com

it's got asymmetry, it's got great colours, cuts, and proportions, and it has that silver coat that i just can't get over.

high necked, cinched waist, blouson, scrunched up sleeves, full skirt?! perfect.

lfw snapshot.

aka hannah marshall, charles anastase and topshop unique, thrown together because i only pulled a couple o' looks from each...

see more at style.com

hannah marshall

great sheers, high button up collars (and double collars) and the dark greys were lovely.

see more at style.com

charles anastase

i curse the internet for not having better pics of the mustard wedges(?). but yeah, again with the sheer and the buttons and the collars, yknow...i'm seeing a theme. that's why they call em trends, jenn.

see more at style.com

topshop unique

didn't like it anywhere near as much as their last collection, but the shoes are pretty great, and i could recreate that first look RIGHT NOW from my own wardrobe, which i always appreciate.

gosh, those were quick and snappy 'reviews', what? already with the ton of uni work; do expect a rise in the amount of outfit posts, and a possible drop in the number of words and/or posts for the next 9 months. big apologies; if you have a problem please take it up with the 4th year fashion design programme, kthnx.

THE boots.

you might have noticed me mentioning, just a little, my search for 2 pairs of perfect boots for the winter - THE tan chelsea boot and THE goth boot. it's not like i don't have an abundance of boots, not to mention shoes, but both these things were necessary right?

as if to prove my love for ebay, both perfect pairs popped up and i won them within 2 days of each other. WHO'DA THUNK IT?

comfiest. shoe. ever. i think they're kinda cushioned and they literally go with everything (see below), which is awesome. also they're half a size too big, so i can don a thick sock with them. AND they have grips, making them the most practical shoe i own. WINTER BOOT WIN!

throw them on with jeans and a fur collared coat! throw them on with sequins and a jumper and a parka! why the hell not!?

as for the goth boots, well...

i think my eyes popped out of my head when i saw these on eebs; even more so when i won them for under 20 quid. they, also, are remarkably comfy (i think it's the platform; they're aren't really that high in the foot angle sense) and they are awesome.

i reckon there are three ways you can do the goth boot - embrace the goth (BLACK, BLACK, MORE BLACK. maybe some grey.), go for the contrast/lolita look with the frilliest, girliest dress you can find, or do none of the above and just whack some stripes and a parka on it. also, note new rings and peach/blue nails.

shakuhachi dress//uniqlo cardi//H&M+vintage necklaces//topshop tights//parka+rings; primark

also new/perfect red lipstick; models own OF COURSE, new favourite brand in the world, IN THE WORLD.

house of holland s/s11

my good friend daniel won't thank me for this, since he's a holland-hater, but this season's HOH had some great looks. vidi:

imgs from style.com

course, you might notice i pulled only the pleated looks (also known as all the pleated looks), but the sun-ray pleated skirts in metallic shades and the floating dresses were gorgeous - especially the first two looks, paired with the oversized brocade affair.

House of Holland is always one of the most fun shows to see, and i always find the collections hit and miss - the good things are awesome and so very wearable (see above), but the bad have a tacky air which doesn't sit right with me. why something can't be fun without teetering over into tacky i'm not sure, but the metallic star patterned pieces were, in the words of tim gunn, "a little costume-y".

seriously considering seeking out one of the skirt, probably in the dark pink or gold, next spring. will, of course, see what the bank account says.

monday music.

some sort of new feature, maybe, because i'm listening to* a lot more new music thanks to my good friend paul and his music blog, theoretically vinyl. which is a brilliant name for a music blog (and which is a brilliant blog, too).

heavy cream - watusi

tire swings, pick up trucks, ouijaboards, smoke bombs (can everyone carry them everywhere all the time for brightly coloured outdoor fun, please?, and of course, leather jackets, tees, tiny shorts and lace ups. this song grows on me more every time i hear it. super casual, hipster, riotgrrl style, whatwhat?

*read: i am forced to listen to new music by paul. luckily he has good taste in music, though he doesn't find my lady gaga fandom admirable.

sass & bide s/s11

two tone prints, great colours (khaki, petrol blue, dark peach...) and lots of texture. and the first of many london shows i'll be posting - two days in and we're already hitting gold!

imgs from style.com

k, we're gonna have to talk about the bronze shoulder details on the khaki pieces. firstly, kinda super diy-able. secondly, perhaps this is the summer take on the shoulder cape?!? i would be very down with that.

outside of leopard print, stripes and polka dots, i tend to shy away from print, but the two tone abstract patterns in black/white and rust/white are gorgeous, and could stand alone or layer up*.

there's little else to add - i think the pics speak for themselves - although, i will say; i thought perhaps the jumpsuit was on the way out, but the black tailored look with the copper metal belt is wonderful.

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*that's the print problem. only the truly skilled - i'm lookin' at you, susie bubble - can layer crazy prints without looking like a bag lady. and letting a print piece stand along and speak for itself just ain't how i roll, dawg.

orthodox.

it's been a while since i wrote anything vice-based, but this was on vice style recently and i was intrigued.

copenhagen based design duo uncommon creatures were inspired by hasidic jewish fellows for this collection; and though the inspiration is clear in these pics (both from vice style), i also find quite a cool and inspiring look.... hmm.

of their inspiration, uncommon creatures say, "it’s simple, mystical, and has a monochrome color scheme and great silhouette we can make use of." - exactly. it's almost universal, like, if you hadn't been told the inspiration, would you have seen it? or would you have made the leap to "cool, easy, monochrome layering"?

exactly.

amusing fact: my draft of this was saved as 'vice jews', in lieu of thinking up a proper title until posting time...

recent scores.

both charity shop-based and ebay-based. one leather bra top, one lace maxi, and one pair of shoes.

note a) the lack of face - i couldn't take a photo without looking odd and b) the air of fetish around the whole thing...

thrifted vintage maxi+shoes//ebayed top+jacket//primark belt+tights//diy-ed shorts//necklaces = thrifted or gifted from ana!

i reckon the top treads a very fine line between "brilliant" and "questionable", but mostly i was thrilled to find a bra top that fit. they might well be all over the high street but they're either for the smaller chested lady or they go by sizes (8, 10, 12, etc) so anything fitting the bosom wouldn't fit the back. le sigh. always trust vintage - although i totally did have to sew it in at the back. but, whatever. it's leather, i wasn't going to let a little thing like it being too big stand in my way.

the dress, on the other hand, fit like a glove but it SO delicate and already had holes in it... no worry. remember what i said about british style being a bit rough around the edges?

and so begins my gothic autumn/winter! *awaits the arrival of THE goth boots in the post*

michael kors s/s11.

i don't imagine that 21 year old students with limited funds are mr kors intended customer - nay, he's always designed for the 'resort' set; those who "summer" in the hamptons and whose wardrobe consists of a variation of swimwear, loungewear and evening gowns - but i couldn't care less. bright colours and simple cuts that are crying out for some layering were abound, and i need the white swimsuit with the tan strapping in my life POSTHASTE.

imgs from style.com

also the grey turtleneck dress; and the black asymm number which might be the most perfect example of the mullet dress that i've seen. how cool is the grass print, too?

although, not in to the flat platform shoes (?) or the hat shapes much...

ADAM s/s11

bit late to this one, since the ADAM show was a few days ago, but it had been bookmarked since it popped up on style.com...

there was something about this show that made me grin, and i'm gonna go out on a limb and call it a premonition. a style premonition, if you will. in that, somewhere between the topknots, the leather, the cropped jumpers, the collared shirts and the high waisted trousers is the feeling that this will be my wardrobe in a few years.

it's not quite me yet - note the fuller topknots, for starters, but also the slightly more grown up and sophisticated feel (but still young, of course).

see?

imgs from style.com

i mean, it's a simpler me, but that's what i mean. me in a few years, when my style has (maybe) evolved into some kind of chic affair rather than a slightly 'grunge-y', worn, rough around the edges look.

...which is, i think, the main characteristic of british style. nothing is too polished, right? which i guess is the thing here. this is new york me! this is polished and neat in a way that i could never be right now; it's just not in my nature.

this was rather less of a review and rather more of a "CAN YOU IMAGINE ME IN THESE?! I TOTALLY CAN!!" post, but really, look at 'em! great colour palette, great proportions (i can't resist a cropped jacket), and the epitome of new york style, which i am constantly drawn to yet can never quite simulate in real life.

also, a note to the red leather dress: oh how i regret forgetting when your vintage counterpart's auction ended on ebay, subsequently missing the end and losing out on the perfect cherry red number going for about 12 quid. sigh.

camel capes.

i got a message on facebook the other day from a friend seeking advice - in search of a camel cape for winter, and not finding much luck. might i be able to use my expertise to help?*

you might be thinking "cmon, everyone's done the 'here are some winter coats/capes/trend items you can get on the high street this autumn/winter' posts already!", but to you i say: THINK OF THE STUDENTS, WON'T YOU?!

by which i mean: it is loan day on monday.

...and at this point i would normally say "...and if the rest of the student population is anything like me, they have a wishlist of items bookmarked to buy when the money shows up", but it's not a case of if. loan day is one the best days of the year (the other best days being loan day in january and in april, and perhaps christmas and birthdays. and halloween. and any excuse to part-ay. september loan day is probably the best though, given that summer is a long time to go on a little bit of loan and you are definitely becoming desperate by this time... ok, enough loan rambling.)

my point is, now is the perfect time to be doing such posts, as the ever-growing student population are at top bookmarking and mental noting time right now. and one assumes trend based winter coats are top priority.

of course, i scoured the usual haunts - straight to topshop (no joy; i hear they already sold out of their camel cape. bummer.), and all around the online high street. as such, here are my picks - they're all under £100, so an investment for any student but also pretty affordable. and they're all camel or nude tones, naturally.

asos

contrast trim cape; £80//pleated swing coat; £70//hooded military cape; £70

the third option is definitely my favourite of the ones i came across - and at £70 it's one of the cheapest options out there; especially since asos now do free delivery and returns. and of course i'm aware the second one is a coat, but it's also swingy - a great option if you are a fan of the camel cape trend but not quite sure about the practicality of it all, says i.

zara

cloth studio cape; £99//woollen studio cape; £99//double sided 3/4 length coat; £69.99

zara is a GREAT choice for coats and if you're going for a more minimal feel the £99 options are fantastic - there's even one in a darker camel shade if you're that way inclined.

miss selfridge

stone cape parka; £42

as is the miss s way, this is rather more casual and 'youthful' than the other options, and if you've been drawn in by parkas and the like from watching this is england '86, but also want a piece of the camel trend, you might as well combine the two for £42, no?

and of course, ebay

camel cape one; currently at £21//camel cape two; currently at $61

aka vintage...

one assumes the second one (ok both...) will go for a pretty penny given that a) it's amazing and b) it's from renowned vintage ebay store bustown modern. the first one is a simple option but a great one, of course.

if you're really after a bargain (and who isn't?) i recommend scouring the coat and vintage coat sections. i just did a quick search for camel cape and picked the stand outs, but some people don't understand the power of keywords and you could end up with a great find.

i mean, there was also a reversible cape which was fuzzy and leopard print on the other side but APPARENTLY it was a buy it now (for £85) and has now gone. ultimate sad face; it was the camel cape of dreams.

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*these may not have been her exact words, and i may have embellished a little, but that is of NO CONSEQUENCE, k?

rodarte s/s11

11. 11! where does the time go?

two posts in one day; i do spoil you.

(still no postman.)

style.com finally updated yesterdays collections, and rodarte's was one of them. i am, indeed, one of those people who looks through every single look from every single collection - i am a fashion student after all, though i'm pretty sure very few people from my course share my slightly mental habit (it's very time consuming...)

i found it to be a bit of a departure for the mulleavy sisters - all the hallmarks of a rodarte collection are there, but something has changed; they've moved on a little, and i'm not sure i can quite put my finger on what...

imgs from style.com

...but i love it. i love this collection. or, i love this cross section of it.

and the thing about rodarte is, usually, i'm not a huge fan. their collections are often overly fussy for me, even though i'm anything but a minimalist. but here, there is a shift! it's probably as close to minimal as they'll ever get but it's my kind of minimal - check out the bottom 3 looks in particular. there's no fuss (see: 25 textures in one dress in their last collection), but there is structure, drape and amazing print, and then there are the printed minis and checked and dotted separates which are great together too (the 4th look! awesome.)

the best example of their move on would be the green ensemble in the middle - all pastel shades of one colour, with a hem line and shirt/collar detail that wouldn't look out of place in a celine or jil sander situation, but with this big drapey waist panel and shoulder detail. wonderful!

of course, there were pieces like the second one which were pure rodarte (though even this is cute and reined in from their usual look), and especially the last few looks of the collection, which lost it for me. and yet, i'm excited to see where they go next!

skyscrapers.

two nail posts in a row! 3 days of silence! etc

so, contrary to popular assumption, this isn't a post about heels.

though it should be, if the postman hurried himself along (it's twenty to twelve! where are you! i am expecting both pairs of THE BOOTS and a much needed ink cartridge! gosh!)

anyway.

yes.

skyscrapers.

i mentioned last post that i got a great nail art idea, and though i assume this has been done a hundred times (and probably better), i haven't seen it blogged yet. which is exciting. look see:

a tribute to NYC; a homage to NYFW? no no, a questionable few smudges on my fingernails, that is all.

models own base/topcoat//models own in the navy//17 nightshade//barry m lemon

you need to start with the navy - after the basecoat, obvs - and make sure theres very little polish on the brush so it doesn't go on too dark, else the black won't stand out against it.

it comes out a tad streaky but that adds to the sky effect, right?

i did 3 coats of black which gave it a thick and blocky texture; very building-y. and then dotted and streaked yellow (again, as little as possibile on the brush so as to avoid clumps), and neated them up with a black fineliner while still tacky - fineliner tends to not stay on polish, so really this was just pushing the yellow back into the black to neaten it. finish with too coats of topcoat to hold it and give it shine.

they look better with the camera flash than in real life (unless you get right up close) because the blue/black contrast is better, but for a first attempt from someone with no 'professional' nail art tools i'm pretty impressed with myself....

colour block.

more nails.

nothing too exciting, but colour blocked in blue...

i was, of course, going for an ombre, but i like the messy colour block and it's given me a GREAT idea for my next nail venture.

Model's Own feeling blue (2 coats) followed by a coat of in the navy with very little polish on the brush, then a coat with a normal amount on the brush. then topcoat!

some of my nails look like it's just the half moons painted with feeling blue, which is a great (and simple) idea if you have a light shade and a dark shade in the same colour (or great contrasting colours! peach and purple would be great, or lilac and purple, or grey and black, or peach and blue! or .... i could go on, yknow?)