Make The Transition

These are one of the most perfect garments to take you from the sultry heat of summer, and on your way into the cool days of autumn. I don't know about you, but I'm already experiencing the chills of the new season. Autumn officially begins for me when I have to switch the heating on, which I came very near to doing last night. I can't believe we've reached the 1st of September so soon! I'm at that awkward point in my wardrobe where dresses and sandals are feeling a bit too chilly, but to wear tights would feel like attaching hot water bottles to my legs.

These long line shorts then, might just bridge that gap for me.

Topshop Camel Pleat Longline Shorts

What items will be carrying you into next season?

The Colours of Autumn: Erdem

I am a huge Erdem fan. I put it to you that I am his biggest fan. I actually truly believe that I might be the biggest fan he has ever had, who has never bought a single piece of his work, although this is not through choice of course. His a/w collection didn't grab me as hard and fast as the summer one did, and the resort collection had lost a lot of the youthful, freshness I love him for and seemed a bit too ready made for Michelle Obama, but, as these things often go, the a/w collection is now one of my firm favourites. The swallow prints, the jumpers over the maxis, and OH! the maxi dresses - don't get me started on their ethereal, flowing loveliness. The thing which really grabbed me however, was the colour palette. The colours stay in my mind like no other a/w show. They reflected the burnt orange sunsets, the smudgy pavements of bronze and copper leaves, the mucky puddles and the remnants of summer skies that make up our autumn days. They were truly beautiful. So if I happened to win the lottery tonight (or more likely the This Morning competition because I actually enter that), what pieces of the collection would I buy without a thought?

The first look that went down the runway was a beautiful, embroidered cape which ended up being my favourite piece.

Luisa Viaroma

See what I mean about the colours? Stunning, right? 

Printed dress at Matches.

Luisa Viaroma

Net A Porter

My Theresa

 I love Erdem for embracing femininity. Whether that manifests itself in the colours, prints or fabrics, Erdem's creations are delightfully feminine, but not sickeningly so. The styling from leather banded, high bunned head, to print adorned hiking-boot is perfection on the runway. While I love coming up with wish lists like this, they do leave me feeling hugely dissatisfied...

P.S - I spent far too much time re-designing my blog today. It took me ages, what with being completely ignorant of what an html code is, but I'm finally happy with the end result, although there's a few more bits and pieces that need jazzing up, but I'll do them when I've let my patience levels build up again. What do you think? And does it all load ok?

Source: style.com

Update: Check out the boots for the collection, designed by Nicholas Kirkwood, up close at the COW blogsite: We Are Cow

Primark But Not How You Know It

After mentioning the Primark look book on Twitter, I've had a few requests to do a post about it.

Considering this is Primark, which instantly sparks certain preconceptions in all our minds, let's be honest, I'm really impressed with their new lookbook. I know the styling helps alot. I know the model helps even more. I know the airbrushing which will surely have been involved, will also be very much beneficial. Even so, some of the stuff does look really promising.

Here's some of my favourite looks:

Pretty good, right? I'm seriously in love with that faux fur gilet, an item I've been undecided on for a while. I love the chunky socks and boots. I'm entirely sold on the alpine heavy knit combo which will be perfect for browsing the Manchester Christmas market in, when temperatures are below freezing. The light blouse is so delicate and pretty, and that top look - the slightly gothic tea dress, and lace gloves - perfect. I've realised the factor which gives all of the above a really healthy boost up is the fact that they are all so cheap! I even quite like the aviator jacket, which major winter trend or not, I really did not like on the runway. 

The only thing I'm really hoping is that all of these don't look cheaper than cheap in person.

What do you think? Impressed?

Find the rest here.

Source: instyle.co.uk

Topshop Look Book

The Topshop look book for a/w has recently been released and I'm pretty excited about it. They've really channelled the best looks from the catwalks (shearling from Burberry, chunky heels at Balenciaga, thick knits at Prada, alpine prints from D&G and capes at Chloé), but given them that little Topshop tweak. The grungier, darker stuff isn't really for me, I definitely want to be a part of the Chloé/Burberry group (if there is one?).

The only thing with these damn autumn look books, is I just can't wait for the season to come and I feel like I've barely seen summer! Sure I'm more excited about the a/w trends than the s/s though, are you?

Find the rest here.

Alexander McQueen AW 2010

Just phenomenal.

Video: youtube

Last Day of Paris Fashion Week

Do you ever suffer from what I call 'bloggers guilt'? It's when you neglect your blog for more than a day, in my case, and then when you go back to it, realise that about a million shows have been and gone, and that they've all been numerously blogged by the bloggers on your dashboard, and you haven't even had a look yet. When people are depicting the trends, and piecing together their favourite looks, whilst you're left to trudge your way through from the beginning it seems, feeling annoyingly 'behind the times'. This is how I'm feeling at the moment, and it's kind of ridiculous how guilty I feel, that I haven't followed Paris fashion week in the slightest, or some of my favourite designers, or even really cared for the past couple days; and this is all because I've been living in the little bubble that was my birthday. It lasted nearly 5 days, and I think I deserve some kind of recognition for managing to milk it this long. I'm really going to miss saying 'but it's my birthday'.
Now that everyone has gone back home, and I've crashed back down to the land of very fast approaching uni essays, I've realised how much has gone on in Paris fashion week, and what amazing collections have been shown - probably more than London I'd say.

So, here we begin. I'm going to make an attempt at getting back into blogging - good job I enjoy it, really!

Miu Miu.

I really  loved this Miu Miu collection, and it's kind of growing on me even more with every time I look at it. I love the sixties vibe in brash, clashing colours of purple and orange, and oversized flourishes of flowers. The rigid flair on the dresses, right near the hemline, gave a modern twist to the shift dresses synonymous with the sixties era. The key to all the garments were bow details from the neck to toe, which were particularly elaborated on the shoes. Talking of the shoes, interesting aren't they? Can't say I like them to be honest. You've got one selection that looks slightly Edwardian - square toed, with a high 'tongue' (I have no structural shoe knowledge, so this may easily be a term I've made up) heavily embellished and a rigid, square heel - and then you've got the other selection, which only serves to remind me of a Shire horse hoof, courtesy of the attached ankle curtains. There was a little too much black to the collection as well for me, but the twisted details that Miuccia brings to Miu Miu were as gorgeous as always. Note: the giant pockets on the lilac skirt below - adorable!

Louis Vuitton.

Who'd have thought the prim and proper look of a middle-class mother, would have become such a feature of the later shows this season? It's easy to see why - for what the mid-calf length skirts take away from showy, sexy legs, the low cut, tightly bound tops more than make up for. It's kind of refreshing, I think, after a couple of seasons of Balmain dominated body-con mini dresses, so overtly young and sexy, to see something a little more demure, whilst still so clearly worshipping the female form. The skirts at Vuitton didn't shroud the models and drown them in fabric; far from it in fact. They accentuated the hips and created the coveted hour-glass figure, with their continued high-waisted, wide-hipped, massively cleavage-enhancing silhouette. I loved seeing these skirts in leather, which made them very much high up on my 'wishlist-of-gorgeous-designer-clothes-I-create-dream-outfits-from-but-can't-actually-buy'. When floral prints were used, they weren't sickeningly over the top, but looked perfect for the transition from the pretty pastels of spring, into the duskier shades of Autumn. Slicked back pony tails, dewy, fresh skin and a lot of skin on top to counteract the cover-up on bottom, are key to this look to avoid looking like your fashion-phobic Grandma

The pièce de résistance was seeing Elle Macpherson, one of my all time favourite models, back on the runway.

Elie Saab.

One of my favourites, Elie Saab, didn't fail to deliver some beautiful pieces as usual. He layered lace underneath sheer fabrics, ruffled beautifully, which made the lace look much softer and more delicate. Some of the earlier dresses had that sleek, polished, chic finish, which I now associate with (dare I say it, yet) Victoria Beckham, especially with the models slicked back hair. I loved the short jackets, veined with a slight shimmer that gave a leather-like finish, paired with shorts, and chunky necklaces. I always go through his collections in anticipation of the evening gowns at the end, and they were expectantly stunning. My favourite was a dark, moss green gown worn by Liu Wen. She looked so miserable wearing it though, you would have thought she was wearing a shabby sack. 

So there we have it...it's not a lot, but I feel alot more up to date with what's going on. For the last day of Paris Fashion week that is...

Photos: style.com, put together by me.

Sophia Kokosalaki

Oh dear. Miss even one day of fashion week, and you find yourself apparently miles behind designer collections. Not only this, but you miss out on other things you like to blog about; things like the Oscars, and gazing at who looked amazing (Zoe Saldana) and who looked horrendous (Mariah Carey). But I have a viable excuse - it's my birthday, and in my own cheeky tradition, I like to make it into more of a birth-five-day experience. So this weekend, I had a lovely time with my friends, all going out dressed up in Alice in Wonderland costumes (photos soon), but it's left me with a mild bout of tonsillitis. So, having a lazy day in bed, is the only reason I've been able to briefly catch up with the racing pace of the fashion world.

Sophia Kokosalaki usually turns out collections, which I'd be more than happy to have my entire wardrobe made up of. Her clothes always look impeccably stylish, and elegant in a modern way. This collection didn't falter from that successful equation, in fact it's probably one of my Kokosalaki favourites.  The first look to saunter down the runway, was a gorgeous, caramel coat; softly draped and given voluminous, bell sleeves. The next few looks came in similarly delicious tones, all cinched in at the waist with a wide, cummerbund style belt. A good mix of sweet-wrapper metallic, mini dresses came down the runaway, to be followed by flowing, coral and sand toned longer pieces. Leather jumpsuits varied the collection still further, but each look was as alluring as the last; all flawlessly stylish and cool.

Who do you look forward to seeing at Paris Fashion Week?

Photos: style.com

Balmain

I don't know about you, but I was kind of feeling like my head was just about clearing from the rush of Balmania, that fell upon us in autumn. Not to say that Decarnin's spring/summer 2010 collection wasn't as capable of achieving this again, but spring/summer 2010 just brought us a greater multitude of season defining looks. However, that time of year has come again and for me at least, autumn/winter belongs to Balmain.

The best pieces, unsurprisingly, came in the short and well-shouldered form he does best. This season thankfully moved away from the rock-chick look, clad in black leather and silver studs (how out of date does that look already?), and more into the land of a lady. Of course, whoever is lucky enough to be able to afford Balmain, is more than likely to be a lady who can afford a lot of luxury, so this collection will suit her just fine. It came in rich, sumptuous colours: gold, amethyst, deep sapphire blue and threads of ruby red. Brocade detailing gave those Balmain classics: second skin trousers, structured blazers, and ragged edged, thigh-skimming dresses, a new lady-luxe feel.  These elements reminded me of Elizabethan court dress, moving the style of the collection forwards, whilst still maintaining all of the fundamental factors, that keep the ladies going back to Decarnin for more.

The long gowns held a lot of impact, maybe even more than the gems that were the short styles. That one far left below, looks like it flows like liquid gold. Stunning to say the least.

There were a few odd bits and pieces throughout the collection; the second look had a skinny fit pair of navy blue trousers, which looked too casual - almost like a jegging - which just lacked the magical twist of Balmain. Similarly, a couple of pinstriped suits looked out of place. They picked up on the luxurious feel of the rest of the collections, with golden veined threads running through them, but compared to everything else which oozed opulence, they look detached.

Favourite Look:

I loved the more refined, polished look to this one, compared to the usual rugged effect of Balmain's hemlines.

The Evolution of Balmain's Army

Photos: style.com

Gabriele Colangelo

Milan fashion week is probably my least favourite of the fashion weeks. Bearing in mind that the fashion weeks are probably my favourite event of the year, being least favourite is still to be amongst the favourites. Make sense? Maybe.

Anyway, sifting through the designers, I came across one I've not heard of before: Gabriele Colangelo. It was one of those collections, where I loved pretty much everything in it. Inspired by I think 'rocks and erosion', the palette and textures really did reflect just that. The cool greys with tones of a thundery day, a really nice, slightly crinkled texture that reminded me of a fossil (1st pic, far right), and some silky sheer pieces, all worked into wearable, stylish, draped mini dresses.

It was a collection where outerwear was just as coveted as the day wear. That's an area I find a lot of designers fall short on, but I'd have all of the coats and jackets from this collection. You've got classic blazers and slightly oversized coats, which provided just enough volume to snuggle into without submerging you into a cocoon.

What do you think of this collection? Have you come across any designers you've not heard of before, and fallen in love with their collection?

Photos: style.com

D&G

Fancy a trip to the slopes? I do. Even more so after seeing D&G's ski themed collection. When I saw the odd picture littered about on the internet, it kind of looked a bit gimmicky, so overused and blatant was the fully themed out style, but I've just had a look and it's probably one of my favourite a/w collections so far.

In winter, I don't think there is anything better than a chunky knit. I am still trying to hunt down my own chunky knit sweater dress, and just when I think I've finally found 'the one', courtesy of Topshop Boutique, that typical, downright annoying thing happens, when you begin flicking the hangers back one after another: 16, 18, 12, 12, 14, 16, -where the hell are the 8's dammit!?! Or in my case, they finally become available online as no more are going in store, only to be provided in grey and salmon pink, no sir, black for me please. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, chunky knits...

Chunky knit body suits? check. Chunky knit playsuits? check. Chunky knit shorts? You guessed it; check. If this is the future of autumn/winter style, I'm almost tempted to bypass spring and start layering up in D&G's collection. One of the interesting things I liked about it, was how surprisingly well said chunky knit wear goes with floaty, transparent white shirts, complete with black pussy bow tie. Or even with maxi length skirts, again in airy, light material adorned in an autumnal leaf print. I really loved the alpine prints though they kind of seemed a bit like a novelty, and the warm burgundy colours mixed with cool black and greys.
All the shorts and the knitted playsuits made up my favourite pieces, but I would protest till the end, to not see a return of furry boots. I'd rather see an eternal army of Uggs, than people trawling through puddles with bedraggled, fake fur, pink snow boots. It's the one item for which pastel shades are never in trend.

Photos: style.com

Burberry Prorsum

Hmmm. Burberry Autumn/Winter 2010. I don't know. I guess I liked it, but not as much as I expected and nowhere near as much as last season. I divided the show into three parts, and liked bits and bobs from each. For the first bit (Soldiers), I really liked the olive green tones and the heavy aviator jackets, with lacy dresses underneath. The aviator jacket might be big news for the end of this year, but I don't think they'll be on my Christmas list, though they looked great on the models.

Part two: Sergeants. This was probably my favourite part. I liked the more tailored pieces - the military, fitted blazers which finally took them out of the preppy zone. I loved that half military coat/half Burberry trench (second left), pierced from hip to shoulder with giant, gleaming buttons, and given an interesting twist with ruching detail. So chic looking - I love!

And then I kind of liked part three - maybe called the Post-War Woman. Minus the real fur (make it fake and it's all good), I was glad to see the continuation from the S/S collection, where an outfit is put together in a combination of neighbouring shades of the same colour. It looked richer with silky, ruffled evening dresses in plummy tones, and delicate lace underneath. I haven't got photos of this part, as I wasn't all that fussed about it.

The shoes and the aviator jackets stole the show for me. Amazing snake-skin thigh highs, though I preferred the black ones. So glad to know my thigh highs from last season will be a trans-seasonal purchase! And wow, those chunky part biker-part-army, heavy boots buckled all over and lined with sheeps wool; these boots I'm sure, are capable of making even a wall-flower storm into a room, and out-rightly demand every man and woman's attention.

I just wish Burberry made bags like they make clothes and shoes. They always looked like they were made by people who were never told the inspiration or direction of the collection.

Photos: style.com

Erdem

For me, Erdem Moralioglu can do no wrong. I love him for creating unashamedly feminine clothes, with their stunning colour palettes, flowery prints, ruffles, lace....ah everything I want from a collection and more. In fact everything I could want from my wardrobe and more. At first, for some weird reason, I felt a bit, maybe disappointed by the colours he chose this season, but with further looks he's completely won me over. The collection just epitomises Autumn for me, in a way that I've not seen achieved by any other designer. The palette reminded me of when the leaves turn that rusty, golden colour and then they fall to be crushed by trudging feet and splashes of rain (see bottom left maxi dress). The textures of some of the pieces were almost like layered leaves, and it looked so beautiful in the photos, I wish I could see it in person!

And who can fault a man who creates such flattering dresses that make you feel amazing, and couples them with a high heel which even looks comfy. I've just bought some similar(ish) boots that have a thick heel like these, and it's like you're not even wearing heels. So much easier to walk in!

For me, Erdem is my favourite designer right now. If I could choose anything to wear, it would be his dresses.

Love the collection?