soft-hued

RUSSH AUSTRALIA, NOVEMBER 2010

RUSSH MAGAZINE, INSPIRING MY SPRING/ SUMMER LOOK. (standard behaviour really)

pastelly goodness and minimalist modernism, ahh.

on trend

(ASOS)

COULD NOT HAVE PUT IT BETTER MYSELF. WHO ELSE IS EXCITED FOR SPRING!?

OLD NEWS

GETTING BACK TO LEEDS, IT WAS LOVELY TO FIND A LITTLE ELLE-SHAPED PARCEL WAITING FOR ME ON THE DOORSTEP. HAVING FINALLY SHOVED MY REVISION ASIDE (HOORAH) I COULD AT LAST, GET INTO IT AND START PUTTING THE SPRING-WARDROBE PLANS INTO ACTION.


NOW, I'M THE FIRST TO ADMIT I WASN'T THE MOST OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE WHOLE 'COLOUR BLOCKING' TRENDS FOR THE NEW SEASON. MYSELF, A BLACK AND GREY KIND OF GIRL, WAS INEVITABLY GOING TO FAIL AT THE FIRST HURDLE: 'COLOUR'. HOWEVER, MY VIEWS HAVE MELLOWED SOMEWHAT SURPRISINGLY, WITH THE HELP OF A MISS J SANDER, AND A STUNNING  CHANEL IMAN.


I'M NOT GOING FULL-STEAM-AHEAD AND CONDONING THE USE OF COLOUR I SWEAR, BUT I AM SO PLEASED MY FAVOURITE DRESS OF THE NEW SEASON GOT THE SPECIAL COVER FOR ELLE FEB 2011. CHANEL IMAN LOOKS INCREDIBLE IN THE JIL SANDER NUMBER, WHICH IS GOING TO BE SUCH A HIT THIS SEASON. THE HIGHSTREET ARE ALREADY CELEBRATING IT'S MAXI-LENGTH/ DRAPE/ ASYMMETRY/ COLOUR/ SIMPLICITY. HOORAY. 
(I'M NOT SAYING I'LL BE SPORTING A SATURATED-PINK MAXI, OR GOD-FORBID MULTI-HUES, BUT I DAMNRIGHT THINK SOME OF YOU SHOULD.) 

THE REST OF THE COLLECTION: DELIGHTFUL. (and that's coming from someone who doesn't like colour, good job Ms S.)

TOPSHOP sneakies

MY PERSONAL TASTE- MINIMALIST, CONTEMPORARY, NEUTRAL HUES, WASN'T QUITE SATISFIED WITH TOPSHOP'S SS11 SNAKE VALLEY COLLECTION.

ALL HAIL, "NEW AGE GENERATION"

"draped dove", "crisp whites", now doesn't that sound chic. Looking forward to seeing more.

(http://www.myfashionlife.com)

XXX

boxing-day joy. For you, a guide.

THERE’S NO DENYING IT, WE ALL LOVE THE SALES (OR LOVE TO HATE THE SALES…) AND THERE’S NO BIGGER EUPHORIA THAN FINDING THE JACKET-THAT-YOU-COULDN’T-JUSTIFY WITH A JOLLY HALF OFF; I CAN CONFESS TO HAVING LITERALLY SHRIEKED OUT WITH JOY IN TOPSHOP BEFORE...

WITH THE SALES GETTING BIGGER, CHEAPER AND EARLIER EACH YEAR, IT’S DIFFICULT TO AVOID THE WHOLE “BUT IT’S IN THE SALE” BUYING-ESCAPADE, OR EVEN THE “IT’S ONLY…” SAGA, WHICH RELIABLY RESULTS IN YOU RETURNING HOME WITH FAR TOO MANY PARTY DRESSES, 3 TOO MANY PAIRS OF SHOES  AND ACCESSORIES THAT ARE VILE BUT “A BARGAIN”. IT IS DIFFICULT (for us girls especially) TO RESIST FRIVOLITY-SPENDING, WHEN FACED WITH RACKS AND RACKS OF DISCOUNTED CLOTHES AND TRENDS THAT WE ONCE YEARNED FOR BUT OUR BANK ACCOUNTS WOULDN’T STRETCH TO. WHAT’S MORE, POSITIONING US AMONG THE OTHER AMBITIOUS SALE SHOPPERS WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO SPEND EVERY LAST DIME OF THEIR LIFE SAVINGS BEFORE THE DAY’S END IS LIKE THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST.

IT’S STILL ICY, YES, AND YOU’RE LIKELY TO BE SHOPPING SWATHED IN SCARVES AND GLOVES AND NUMEROUS LAYERS OF THERMALS, BUT YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO FORGET ALL THAT. THINK OF BABY LAMBS, AND FLORAL BLOOMS AND THE SWEETEST HARMONIES OF BIRDSONG AS SPRING WARDROBE BUILDING HAS FINALLY ARRIVED.  

FIRST THING‘S FIRST, AND LETS GET THIS CLEAR; DO NOT CLING ONTO WINTER’S TRENDS AS HONEY, YOU’VE MISSED THEM. HENCE SPENDING HUNDREDS (FEWER HUNDREDS, BUT STILL) ON SHEARLING BOOTS AND JACKETS IS SILLY, BECAUSE BY FEBRUARY, THEY’LL MEAN NOTHING. SIMILARLY, DON’T BUY NEXT YEAR’S CHRISTMAS DRESS NOW; TRUST ME YOU’LL SEE A BETTER ONE WHEN THE TIME COMES AND THIS WILL ONLY CAUSE SELF-INFLICTED IRRITATION AT A LATER DATE. INSTEAD, BUY ONLY INTO THE TRENDS THAT ARE CARRYING OVER TO SPRING. AND CLASSIC PIECES WHICH WILL REMAIN, WELL, CLASSIC. THE RESULT: THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN ON-TREND SPRING WARDROBE, AT A SNIP OF THE PRICE.

I HOPE YOU’VE ALL STARTED YOUR SALE-SHOPPING-PREPARATIONS, AS TRUST ME GOING WITHOUT A GAMEPLAN IS A LOSER’S GAME. I’VE COMPILED A LIST OF TRICKS, AS WELL AS A WHAT TO LOOK FOR LOWDOWN TO HELP YOU SUCCEED IN THAT WILD, WEARY WORLD OF SALE SHOPPING.

SO, HAPPY SHOPPING PEOPLE. I’LL BE AT HOME WAITING ON MY URBAN OUTFITTERS VAN TO ARRIVE AS I DID MINE ONLINE CHRISTMAS EVE!

TIPS:

-IF IT’S REDUCED FROM £75 TO £3, THERE’S PROBABLY A GOOD REASON FOR IT.

-DON’T GO WITH ANY CASH, IT MAY PREVENT NUMEROUS “THEY’RE ONLY A POUND” DEALS, WHICH 20-POUNDS COINS LIGHTER, YOU’RE REGRETTING.

-IF IT DOESN’T REALLY FIT, DON’T BOTHER. YOU SAY YOU’LL TAKE IT IN/ UP/ OUT; YOU WON’T.

-DON’T FORGET TO BARTER STUDENT DISCOUNT OFF THOSE £4.50 EARRINGS. SCREW DIGNITY, THAT’S £4.05 THANKS.

-DO NOT TAKE YOUR FAVOURITE OVER-SIZED TOTEBAG, OR YOU’LL BE THE ONE WE’RE ALL SCOWLING AT AS YOU WRIGGLE DOWN THE TINY ISLES. LADIES, OPT FOR YOUR SMALLEST, MOST CONCISE OVER-THE-BODY BAG. KEEP THOSE ELBOWS FREE FOR PROTECTING THAT LAST SIZE 8 YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR.

-DON’T DILLY-DALLY. BUY IT OR DON’T. THERE’S NO QUESTION OF “SHALL I GET IT LATER?” YOU WON’T.

-OR, BE SENSIBLE AND DO IT ALL ONLINE LIKE ME.

SPRING TRENDS (THAT MEANS BUY IT NOW.) 

WHITES- purity, minimalism, powerfully simple.

LEATHER- black leather t-shirts, worked leather trousers, mix with lace and splash out on real leather.

CAMEL TONES- tonal varieties, ultra-luxe, multi-textures, super-chic

 

LACE- opt for paler colours and soft patterns, mix different weights and try full-on lace like Erdem

 

COLOUR POP- bright separates, clashing hues, bold accessories and statement pieces.

LFW++

DAY 5

-WOMENSWEAR DRAWS TO A BEAUTIFUL END.

JAEGER 

SPORTY-SMART MINIMALISM, MY FAVOURITE. EXCITINGLY DONE WITH COBALT BLUE, ASYMMETRY AND SHARP LINEAR QUALITIES.

JOHNATHON SAUNDERS

PRINTED INTERIORS SPRING TO MIND, IN ONLY A GOOD WAY. A LOVELY, WELL FURNISHED APARTMENT- CONTEMPORARY, SOPHISTICATED AND FRESH.

ASHISH

THE 21ST CENTURY POCAHONTAS; FAST-FOOD LOGOS, SUEDE COWBOY TASSELS AND OUTLANDISH FEATHER HEADDRESSES. ONLY ASHISH...

BURBERRY PRORSUM 

HERITAGE BIKER TITLES BURBERRY'S SPRING COLLECTION. A NEW TAKE ON BIKER-CHIC SEES BAILEY MIX LEATHER LEGGINGS, CROPPED STUD JACKETS AND 8-INCH HEELS FOR ANOTHER POWERFUL COLLECTION. EXTRA-TIGHT, EXTRA-SEXY, EXTRA-GLAM. 

(RIP AVIATOR JACKET)

FASHION EAST
A SMART, CHIC OFFERING FROM THE FASHION EAST PACK. FELICITY BROWN'S RAW EDGES AND NATURAL TONES GIVE THE MILLE-FEUILLE GARMENTS A DELIGHTFUL ORGANIC QUALITY. ELSEWHERE, SIMONE ROCHA ERRED ON THE SIDE OF MASCULINITY WITH SUIT STYLE JACKETS, WAISTLESS SHAPES AND PLACKET COLLAR DETAILS.

SO THAT WAS LONDON.  
AND WHAT AN ECLECTIC MIX EH? (TYPICAL)

WITH WHITE OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED AS A MAJOR SPRING TREND, LONDON DESIGNERS CONTRASTED WITH USE OF BRIGHT NEONS AND GRAPHIC PRINTS. TAILORING STAYED SHARP, WITH CLEAN LINES AND POWERFUL SILHOUETTES, THOUGH SHEER FABRICS AND TEXTURAL VARIETY ADDED A SOFTER, PLEASING EDGE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME LONDON, GOODBYE.