In-between Season Fashion!

Hooray! The sun has finally made an appearance, but oh wait there is still that small fluffy thing called a cloud and the ever so slight breeze that comes along with that. And of course with the 19-degree temperatures comes those chilly evenings but I think we can safely say that it’s just about okay to bare the flesh. The problem is now, how to dress for this interchanging weather that seems to link with the UK. Its almost like we aren’t used to this and year upon year we worry about what is suitable but yet still fashionable but not look like you’ve gone completely out of your way and started wearing your summer holidays outfits. Oh god! Help?!

It would be so much easier and less mind bugging if we lived somewhere that sees the sun on a daily basis, but I guess that’s all part of the fun about UK fashion, you never know what’s going to happen, I mean the snow has yet to make an appearance this year! Do you wear your leather jacket instead of your boyfriend coat even though it is sunny, it will get chilly later? Or do you wear a midi skirt as opposed to the A-line just to cover up that extra bit of skin? These are just some of the questions that roll around in our heads this ‘spring’ season (if you want to call it that).

When I look at the designer catwalks, I always think the pieces aren’t really suitable for us UK individuals, but thank go for the high street! Because of our strange climate, retailers are forced to bring in pieces early than anticipated. The high street has provided us with some crackers in recent spells, but this season, the likes of Topshop, Forever 21 and online stop ASOS have excelled themselves. A bright coloured cami top can be teamed with some structured trousers and a blazer instead of a heavy jacket. A midi skirt can be teamed with a simple tee and some strappy sandals instead of Chelsea boots. The possibilities are endless. Spring floral’s, monochrome stripes and shiny metallics, are some of the main features in our wardrobes to wear with our boyfriend jeans, floaty skirts and lightweight blazers.

In recent seasons, there have definitely been more options in what to wear at this time of year, instead of the boring jeans top and cardigan; quilted crop tops, kimonos and skorts make some replacements.  And the CULOTTES are back! Its not just the silhouette, the colour makes all the difference; pastel tones, splashes of neon and metallic flashes have bought ‘Spring/Summer’ into the 21^st century. Here are some of the options out there for Spring 2014.

And now the shoes……

Lets hope the sun will continue shining and we can bring out our spring/summer wardrobe abit earlier than normal!

So come on fashionistas, tell me what you are planning to wear this Spring/Summer 2014!!

Remembering L'Wren Scott's Dazzling Career.

Image: sundaytimes.co.uk

It was another one of those shock announcements that burst onto our TV screens late on the 17^th March 2013, the sudden death of fashion designer L’Wren Scott certainly wasn’t to be expected. The model turned designer whose label had only been open for 8 years, but that appeared to be enough time to illustrate her tremendous work ethic and determination to dress the celebrities of the showbiz world.

According to her biography on the designer’s main website, the 49 year old who started out in Paris as a model to go onto Los Angeles to become a stylist, L’Wren Scott went on to fulfil her dream to design luxury clothing. In 2006, the L’Wren Scott brand launched but with a little difference; she named each and every one of her collections, ‘The Little Black Dress’ and ‘Bois de Boulogne’ featured along with her recent collaboration with Banana Republic.

L’Wren Scott had many celebrities who would favour her designs on more than one occasion, Penelope Cruz and Nicole Kidman are among the rich and famous who displayed Scott’s designs so beautifully, it was evident that she wanted to create for the luxury woman to show off her sexy silhouette. Speaking to Harpers Bazaar in December 2013, her proficiency evidently excelled, “I have dressed millions of different types of bodies over the years, and that provides a useful insight into what women want and, crucially, what actually works”. Figure-hugging, intricate attention to detail, and glitz and glam illustrated L’Wren’s well-known floor length sensations. Her 1950’s style, took a sudden twist with elements of high vibrancy colour, shorter hemlines and modern prints but her traditional close-fitting silhouettes were her forte.  L’Wren’s designs were very different to any other red carpet glam, it was almost as if she understood what every woman wanted and catered to her needs, her dresses elegantly slipped in like a glove and the heavy embellishment, which dazzled and finished each piece off. Each dress spoke for itself.

Image: usmagazine.co.uk

Image: instyle.com

With evidence of a company loss of over £3 million along with the cancellation of her show at London Fashion Week earlier this year, assumptions could be made that this could link to Scott’s alleged suicide passing. But no matter what the reason, L’Wren appeared to be very much under pressure for her company to succeed and there didn’t seem to be a lot of help out there for her and her relatively new brand to survive. L’Wren described herself to Harpers Bazaar as a ‘worker bee’, and she should have been able to continue being exactly that. I’m sure L’Wren Scott designs will live on whether its in the walk-in wardrobes of the rich and famous or better still in-house, but we know for certain her jaw-dropping knockouts will stick in the minds of fashion.

Lagerfeld's Supermarket Swoop!

Photo: Alessandro Garfalo - Indigitalimages.com

Anyone can relate to the dreaded food shop every week, the dull and boring walks up and down the isles of temptation and endless ques at the checkout. But never fear Karl Lagerfeld has made grocery-shopping FUN! Only this man could have conjured up this awesome idea and so it proved to be. Hung on each models arm, a basket, but not just any old rusty holdall, think Chanel’s classic flap bag but without the lambskin body. Black and gold twisted chains entwined around the edges of each basket provided at the ‘Chanel Shopping Centre’, which held Chanel’s A/W 14 accessories. 

Photo: Alessandro Garfalo - Indigitalimages.com

You name it, Chanel provided it. From branded Coco Pops to Tomato Ketchup, Cara Delevingne and her model friends strolled along the floors of the transformed Grand Palais supermarket in typical ‘mum’ fashion. Mr Lagerfeld created pieces that would suit the occasion. Comfort and loose fitting garments costumed for any age and the trainers came out to play once again. Matching tracksuits, tweed tailoring and metallic trousers made in candy coloured swatches teamed with knee-high trainer lace boots and the odd blast of primary coloured printed macs. Elsewhere, women in sporty cropped tops made in quilted fabric and padlock necklaces picking up the left behind, blue trolleys like a typical supermarket car park.

This is yet another extravagant catwalk performance from Karl Lagerfeld, it is one that will stick in the minds of many in the future. So as a rather different announcement from the tannoy machine, “the shopping centre will be closing shortly, please help yourself to the complimentary fruit and veg and please come again”, ‘customers’ knew they had to pick up their last bits of grocery and quite literally, all invitees had to smash and grab their way through scraps of people wanting the last of the ‘Chanel Shopping Centre’.

Who knew food shopping could be so much fun, Britain’s supermarket chains, take note!

Photo: Alessandro Garfalo - Indigitalimages.com

Photo: Alessandro Garfalo - Indigitalimages.com