Tis the season of...je ne sais quoi..?

And so it's begun. The 10 days of summer (literally) flew by and we have already entered into the dreaded limbo between Autumn and Winter. The closing season of the year has undoubtedly always been my favourite in every sense - the blazing fires, red wine, cheese boards, furry throws, the cosy fashions and of course, Elf.... However, there is always the 2 month wardrobe confusion where our brains tell us to; yes, avoid the peep toes, but, no - we're not totally ready to get dressed head to toe in cashmere (we can but dream!)
Now it took me a fair few years to master this question mark of a season, with hoards of cash going on impromptu, impulsive, spontaneous garments (cold + rain = buy a cardie) which ultimately culminated in an eclectic mix mash of clothes which looked more like a charity collection than a capsule one! But I feel I have finally found (and learnt) that the only answer to this lull is simple and back to basics! Layers.


Layers and layers...of, well layers!


I used to think 'layers' was just an excuse for my mother to throw enough clothes on me so I 'dont catch a cold!' - Looking like the Michelin man wasn't my idea of fashion, but there is certainly something in it this time round. Reminded that inspiration can be drawn at all times of the year..Topshop have showcased a stunningly beautiful base collection of  tulle, chiffon, wool, faux fur and knits topped off with beading, crystals and ruffles creating a romantic, mystical and icy statement in what can be a bland and unoriginal stint in the fashion calendar. This gorgeous collection shows us perfectly that we can still mix, match and layer up our wardrobes without having to reinvest. Evening dresses can be toned down by building up the layers with tights, long sleeve tops and over sized knit cardies. Take risks by building up different fabrics: thick and thin, hard and soft - cashmere, silk, chiffon and wool all work perfectly together and teamed with a pair with knee high socks and boots..you are set to go in these blustery months!

Key accessory staples include: wool knit tights and knee high socks (the thicker the better)!  
If this collection is called 'Snow Queen' - then open the heavens and let it fall!

Music & Madness

So everyone who knows me knows the 2 loves of my life are unquestionably music and fashion! So I thought why not bring a bit of that love into my blog! And what a band to start with..... Sleigh Bells - Infinity Guitars The raw, stripped back guitar intro has an instantly distinguishable beat which gets the pulse racing as the hazy distorted vocals makes this track an awesome listen and a refreshing change to the current scene, with the likes of Mumford and Sons and Bombay Bicycle Club taking over. Its a bit chaotic with the madness of electric guitars, distortion and insane percussion but all in all executed, well...perfectly! I love it! A track I could only describe as a gritty gem!

Heineken Asks "Are You Still With Us?!"

Heineken's balls of steel have exceeded all marketing expectation and innovation, putting them at the top of the league/table/bar bill/ world...and this football promo deserves some credit!

On the eve of one of the biggest matches in football, Real Madrid vs AC Milan, Heineken decided to stage a fake event at the same time the match was to be played. The event was a mix of classical music infused with poetry and was held in an Italian theatre. To pull off the event, they recruited 200 people to help convince 1000 fans to sacrifice the biggest game of the season and attend the classical event!

This was all part of a campaign which saw men increasingly loosing the ability to watch the sacred football match with friends. Most women will see this in positive light, as the battle for the remote dies out as we win over the right to Gok’s Fashion Fix. But after viewing this campaign, I too have surcome to finding pleasure in the unity and passion our countries have on the pitch and am quickly reminded of the importance of our men...bonding with their balls!

T Mobile guerrilla marketing...Amazing.
Heineken guerrilla marketing...Absofrickinglutely...Ingenious.
Enough said??

The Brits Blossom Early This Season..

The powerful echo of 5 inch heels strutting down the runway at LFW won't be the only sound of a brands success this season. More and more designers are producing collections which have shone and shocked in the public arena. Last season, Burberry proved to the nation that they had finally, and rightfully shaken the stigma that had tarred the brand name for years, by completely dominating the catwalk and glossies with their high fashion, uplifted and revitalised designs. A small dose of this determination and a big pinch of imagination has seen other bull-dog Brits fight for the right to prove their worth...
Henri Lloyd. Est 1963.

The beautifully shot SS10 Collection looks like it has come straight out of a Red, Italian Vogue or Vanity Fair mag and shows classic, sexy tailoring, clean bold colours and statement pieces in keeping with the HL marine identity however maintaining a fashion edge reminiscent of the classic Ralph Lauren, Crew and past Burberry summer collections. A stronger design focus and a clear voice behind the logo has led this under-rated brand back on course.   My seasons highlights...
 

Us Brits pride ourselves on our heritage. Our historical ruins, our love for English tea, the Queen, the ultimate fry up.. The roots of Henri Lloyd have also remained consistent as they continue to focus on design innovation within the clothing industry. Without change, there is no creativity, nor incentive for improvement. Those who continue to develop will have a better opportunities and this is exactly what Henri Lloyd have done and are consequently reaping the rewards having formed a strong partnership with Brawn F1 - an incredible achievement for a brand who strive to produce major technological and performance advancements in sportswear.

Henri Lloyd are winning back the love from the public just in time for Valentine’s Day, as the the infectious HL voice behind Facebook and Twitter has attracted more fans, followers and celebs through collection teasers, creative and interactive competitions and a friendly rapport which I believe will only continue to help develop them to become a stronger fashion brand - gaining back the recognition they deserve. Ahoy!

Web - http://www.henrilloyd.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/henrilloyd63

Twitter - www.twitter.com/henrilloyd63

Those of you single this Vday....never fear! Here is a little treat HL decided to sneak into the catalogue and all I can say is..thank you! xx 

Tis the Season to be.......Fabulous Darling!!

The ultimate in British designers, creative’s, supermodels and supernovas all turned out in their finest glad rags to strut their 'thang' last Wednesday at the British Fashion Awards 2009 held at the Royal Courts of Justice. Fortunately with my new job at the British Fashion Council (cough name drop cough!*) I...5"2, Elle F, brought up in the depths of the fields in Shropshire, had in fact acquired a personal invite!!! To work rather than play...but none the less, a total Charlie Bucket moment - being handed my golden ticket to the Fashion Factory!

On my short lunch break, merely hours before the event (along with other errands to run...as all us women have!) I had to find THE dress that was not only suitable for the purposes of the red carpet but one which would help aid any of the gorgeous & eligible men attending the event in deciding that they would in fact happily settle down with a fashion and press assistant! Tough decision! Unfortunately, James Corden was the only man to arrive with his own arm as a date! My life wasn’t to be entirely fulfilled but atleast we would laugh, alot! With my purse screaming for help, as the 13,000 pennies flew out at the counter of French Connection, I finally found it.

 (Source: BFA website)

Thrown completely in at the deep end with clipboard to hand, I quickly found myself in 'The Zone' telling the oversized and definitely outspoken Paparazzi to....pipe down luv! At 7pm sharp, I started to assist the first of the guests down the red carpet. Jerry Hall and daughter Georgia May Jagger (who won supermodel of the year after creating an incredible cover for Vogue in Sept at only 17) were the first to arrive, followed by the likes of Kate Moss, Phillip Green, Eva Herzigova, Daisy Lowe, Erin O'Conner, Christopher Kane, Claudia Schiffer, Henry Holland, Grace Coddington, Joan Burstein, Twiggy, Pixie Geldof Christopher Bailey (who was extremely lovely and humble as he snapped up 2 of the most prestigious awards of the night; Designer of the Year and Designer Brand) and the FaBuLoUs VB Queen herself...looking as per...immaculate and vaguely doll-esq in one of her own designs...even with the insane numbers of screaming fans and Paparazzi, whose camera bulbs were set to explode in overheating with the intensity and repetition of the flashes! Finally, firecracker herself, Dame Vivienne Westwood arrived at half 9 and her infectious and curious aura was instantly felt by all those who surrounded her.

After the beautifully cooked duck, presentation of the awards, press and TV interviews, finally the clock struck 1am and each Cinderella was one-by-one, escorted out of the building by their large, bald, rather unattractive Prince's/Bodyguards as the Pap’s waited in hope/desperation to snap the 'C' List drunkard who was unable to control their Moet intake. Fortunately for us, they never got their shot! (..we snuck them out the back!!! Joke!)

* Moment of the Night: The beautiful Nadja Swarovski (whose prestigious brand sponsored the event) complimented my...hair band..as she growled “Beautiful Darrrrrrrrling”! Claim to fame if ever I’ve heard one!

After an extremely long and magical night, crawling into bed for 4am, my only souvenir of the evening was a bit of sparkle dust off the Red Carpet that snuck into the crevice of my shoe. Ironically, I now can’t find one of those shoes which makes me wonder that maybe there is hope for a fashionable fairytale ending for those people the 'wrong' side of the Pap’s camera!

Spesh Seasonal Splurge!

Magic Mirror Mirror on the floor...which shoes are the sparkliest of them all?!...

Mirror Mosaic Sandles by Thakoon of course!!!

And they come in ankle boot versions at net-a-porter too! Who needs a compact when you have these little jems?!! Love Love Love!

Topshop's Topdog This Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving Bloggers! (For yesterday!!)
Despite being proud to be British, the Americans have taken many of my loves from the UK including Simon Cowell and good ole Earl Grey, so I decided I fancied hopping aboard the thankful train myself! So for the next week I am going to add to my posts, what I am thankful for! Drum roll please....

Today I am thankful for.....TOPSHOP!

I know it must be easy to acknowledge the obvious love we have for Topshop...but this season’s collection is truly gorgeous. Combining the ultimate’s in luxury, femininity and impeccable style with that all important extra touch of je ne sais quoi...it is remarkably endearing with charming little details that add the bit of sparkle fondly associated with Christmas.

These Wedges are FABBBBB...£130

Crushed velvet jackets, baby doll scoop neck dresses, regal jewel embellishments, prints, feathers, lace and leather components, all feature enough Christmas bedazzle to light Oxford Circus all on its own! The dresses are vaguely reminiscent of ice skaters (in the Olympics as opposed to the local ice rink!) - Body con, dolly skirts, sequins and glam with bags of jazzy sparkleyness! Take a look at these beauties...

            Feather £75               Sequin £85              Leather £75

                                                  Velvet Dress £38

The only major let down for me was by the supposed fashion guru herself, Kate Moss, whose collection borderline offends me! Its dull, irrelevant and inappropriate for the seasons shenanigans! Aside from 2 glitzy numbers which will suffice for party festivities, the rest include Victorian maxi dresses, Chinese prints and fishnet bras (?!) and if it's not fashion blasphemy enough...its predominantly made up from....viscose and polyester! no no no!


Speaking of bad taste....Katie Price is officially out of the jungle this week! (weyyyy) At least that’s something in the UK we can be unanimously be thankful for! Go Team Andre! Is is just me or are they starting to become the only subject that bores us more than a cupboard full of low fat rice cakes!?

Out with Calvin, In With Jacksy...

Mr Beckham has been one of our nations leading trend setters for many men of all generations: his hair, his tattoos, his dubious (yet we give him credit for trying) sarong phase...and last year he successfully turned over millions whilst reviving an area of fashion which was rapidly decreasing in value...in the words of The Beatles, he "got by with a little help from his...friend!"

In 2008, Becks flashed his 'man of the match' for all to see on behalf of Armani, which not only appeared to grab the attention of the entire female population (who no longer found the need to flick hurriedly through the adverts of Vogue!) but dramatically boosted the sales of men's undies, both luxury and highstreet...Thank God! Ladies...He may not be leading our team any more, but his 'Captain' certainly made an impact!

A recently published article saw men viewing vests and socks as a greater commodity than pants!...The launch of Equmen increased the desire for purchasing vests, Pringle and Paul Smith socks are a standard year on year stocking filler....Are you not forgetting something vital inbetween?! Cough!

With that, a group of young, talented fashion industry professionals, took to the drawing board and decided it was time to get innovative. Finally, with months of hard work, long hours and creative thought...that's exactly what they have done...

"They say Guys dont care about underwear...

At Jacksy we have other ideas.

A New Brand Is Coming."

Created by a band of brothers (two biological and one pretend!), new label JACKSY have successfully and skilfully designed a new range of mens underwear which are stylish, innovative....and damn sexy. Those within the industry will acknowledge that the longevity of a brand is down to identity and Jacksy have certainly created theirs. Appealing to the 'modern man' not restrained to only wearing the Klein label, the boys assure the delivery of 'supreme comfort, premium quality and enigmatic style' all for a decent price!

Having been road tested by the team themselves (in a variety of conditions!) they certainly prove to stand the test of time...and I imagine so will the brand themselves :)

Watch This Space...

Jacksy Website
Jacksy Facebook Fan Page
Jacksy Twitter Page

Note to Men: If we, as women, have to witness the bizarre trend of your boxers on display...then atleast invest in a decent pair!
Bye Bye Calvin...Hello Jacksy!

The Hills Have Eyes...And they are all on Kristin Cavillari!

Love her or loathe her, she certainly made in impact on our screens last night as a new addition to the cast of The Hills in La La Land! The one thing the girl has got right is her trend spotting, picking up on the key staple item for this forthcoming Autumn/Winter season....The Leather Skirt. Sharp structure, reminiscent of the 40s, has been also reflected in the types of fabrics used in the collections seen on the runway. Here Kristin teams lace with leather - hard with soft, and it totally works. The sheer, nude fabric is complimented by the contrasting clean line of the leather pencil, showing perfectly how to combine two hot trends [boudoir and 80's biker chic] in one outfit. Somehow, she pulls off sexy rather than tacky. Admittedly, I am surprised!

High Street - High End, Try these on for style!

Pixie Geldof: copy available from ASOS - £50

Topshop - £75

 Balmain, net-a-porter - £4,705

My FAVE...Designed by Rachel Gilbert for £310 available from net-a-porter.
This weeks big spend, must have item.
*LOVE LOVE LOVE*

The Curse of Fast Fashion:
I remember the day I bought my very own piece of leather...A brave day for me, questioning if I could infact pull it off before it became totally mainstream and 'officially' back in fashion...and without looking like a call girl!

It was gorgeous. Soft black leather. Quilted. Zara. £150. Spot on.

One week later....Primark. £12. In every colour under the sun. Damn.

Suddenly, shoppers guilt struck and the extra £138 I paid for mine from my rapidly deteriating loan didnt seem worth it! Thankfully, 1 year on, lining still in tact, leather still smells good, colours not faded, cut - still a classic....thankfully, I cant say the same for that £12 fast fashion bargain!

All Hail the Return of Burberry!

I never thought Id say it but...Thank God for Burberry! The eagerly anticipated Burberry collection can only be described as simply...fabulous! I bloody loved it!

Each stunning piece that strutted down the catwalk looked tailor made to any of the young fashionista A listers (and their abnormally long legs) that were sat front row - Mary Kate Olsen, Daisy Lowe, Emma Watson (who managed to blag one of the dresses for herself!) and the VB queen herself (whos youth and looks will remain eternal as I love her and this is my blog!). As I sit here staring in wonder at the catwalk replays, I am saddend to see the only glitz I'm sporting is a newly purchased sparkley hair band from Topshop, my trusty knee high glittery socks from Primarni teamed with an oversized black jumper! YAWN!

This collection was all about elegance, femininity and sheer volumes of glamour!

The collection had very Grecian elements to it with drapes, reef knots and gathers of chiffon in pastel shades of caramel, beige and green. The outfits were finished with an injection of the military trend, with heavy buckle belts and hard, structured shoulders to finish the designs off. The revival of the classic Burberry trench came in super skimming, thigh-high lengths in a variety of fabrics and colours from Duchess silk satin in metallic to leather and suede in pale greens, pinks and blues. With Harry Potter actress and budding fashion icon Emma Watson cast as the new face of Burberry, you cant help but feel this ultra trendy collection was definitely emphasizing youth, sex appeal and glitz. I believe we will be seeing alot of these designs on the red carpet - much to the innovative design credit of creative director, Christopher Baily .

The 'chav' association reminiscent of the 90s, which tarred the Burberry name, has officially been shaken by American Vogue editor, as Anna Wintour stamps her seal of approval all over the show and if it counts for anything...it gets mine too!