Style Bubble

Finally...they get an airing!

I got these Prada stockings what seems like a lo-ong time ago.  Truth is, what with the freak heat wave that sent temperatures soaring into the high 30's celcius, they seldom came out of the box and sat in my sock drawer looking very lonely and relegated.  During the whole summer, I got to wear them maybe about 5 times!  Plus, they're a bit of a bitch to wash as well.  I bought them thinking, I could take them into fall and sure enough, here I am coming up with outfits to wear them with since the weather is a lot cooler and somehow, it makes more sense to me to wear knee-high socks in autumn (not sure what Miss Miuccia Prada was thinking sending them down the runway with long-sleeved shirt dresses...!).  These would work with a whole variety of different hoisery as well, which Sock Dreams has a huge choice of.  In fact, it's not too late to jump on the slouchy stocking bandwagon since Sock Dreams have a much cheaper version of the Prada ones as Style Bytes pointed out.      

Vintage slouchy charcoal cardigan w/ gold buttons, Uniqlo brown stripy top, Mango gold brocade skirt, Faith brown brocade wedges //  Vintage navy polka dot mini-dress w/ ruffled sleeves, Bershka navy elasticated belt, Topshop navy patent flats

Muji grey sweater, DIY dress, Azona grey suede chunky platforms // Vintage pale blue square neck buttoned shirt, H&M cream puffball skirt, Mango teal puffball skirt underneath, vintage Russian embroidered belt, Dorothy Perkins pale blue snakeskin flats

Vintage black slinky oversized jersey dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim denim and satin trenchcoat, Tabio navy legwarmers, Office navy suede brogues, Gap peak cap // 2% Oversized orange and brown sweater dress, vintage brown slip dress, vintage ski hat, vintage brown leather pouch bag, Yves Saint Laurent taupe platform pumps

M&S black longsleeved top, brown halterneck tunic w/ satin collar, TS Boutique black and gold sequin panelled skirt, Faith brown brocade wedges, vintage brown leather gloves, Aldo black patent belt // Miss Selfrdige blue and grey stripey top w/ shoulder pull straps, iing Loo cream wool dress w/ clip on straps, blue and grey fingerless gloves, lace belt, silver flats w/ pearl ankle straps

(Background from US Elle September 2006 editorial Following Suit, photographed by Steven Sebring)

Grey Is the Way

So, since not a lot of people here seem to be so keen on gold, I'd thought I do a similar thing with grey to see how everyone feels about the colour that literally EVERYONE will be wearing this season.  It's a pretty unoffensive colour and for me, it's pretty much my staple colour in my wardrobe.  But this season sees grey get a lot more interesting and varied in the form it takes.  So it's good to see what sort of grey direction, the stores are taking us, even in this early stage of fall shopping.  I may already have about 100 things in grey, but it doesn't hurt to augment my grey wardrobe with some more grey loveliness. 

From left to right:

Iisli Cable Knit Sleeveless Bubble Dress $380, Helix Handworks Nouveau Rose Pendant $35, DSquared2 skull bracelet £84, Forever21 Semi Sheer Flutter Top $15.80, Topshop Belted Trousers with Gathered Front Belt detail £40, Urban Outfitters bow hair barette £7, Urban Outfitters Washed Leather Messenger Bag $98

Vintage Wool Dress with Red Embroidery $55, Topshop Boutique Antonia Campbell Hughes Mirror Dress £60, Maaike Mekking Scarf Top £75, Topshop Sleeveless Funnel Mac £85, Marc by Marc Jacobs French Terry Dress $198, Mine Jersey Necklace £35, Erotokritos Patent Peeptoe Shoes £195

Just in Case Jacquard Dress £105, Marion Hanania Jersey Dress £65, Mine Crackerjack Fold Blazer £60, Target Issac Mizrahi Andrea Platform Pumps $29.99, EPlay mesh skirt £38, Urban Outitters Lace Skimmers $28

Niu Satin Collar/Belt £25, Maloles Suede Flats $238, Accessorize Lurex Tweed Beret £18, Accessorize Cord Peak Cap £12, Vintage 60's Faux Snakeprint Bag $45

4 trends for the price of 1!

You know when smaller accessories labels are following the trend when they try to pack as many trends as possible into one item.  They've taken one look at Collezioni and just went a bit overboard with picking out the trends.  Take this bum bag by Luigi Santandrea.  Now, I don't know an awful lot about this label, it's just one of those miscellaenous Italian brands that pop up on Yoox.  But see what they have done here.  You got your patent, your leopard print, your fur, your gold, your interwoven chain and the bum bag (fanny pack to US people) itself.  Now that's a lot of trends to be cramming into one accessory.  You really don't know whether you're getting good value for money because it covers all these trends or you're throwing money down the drain because it's one of those bags you'd wear for one season and then forget about for the rest of eternity.  For the life of me, I can't really tell whether I love it for it's 'throwback to the 90's' tacky vibe or hate it for the very same reasons.

The Crazy Lady behind the Bins

When I grow old, it could go a variety of ways.  I could become wealthier and acquire a middle class taste for Brora sweaters and tailored suits from Joseph.  I could go avante-gardish and buy tasteful clothes from Yohji Yamamoto in nice muted greys and navys, accessorised with silver artsy jewellery.  I could grow old in Shanghai Tang loose jackets and suits whilst sipping green tea on my porch.  I could lose my job and end up destitute and alone, resorting to buying Primark clothes until I die.  Or I could completely lose my mind and become the crazy lady who goes through people's bins wearing outfits like these.....

This editorial 'Compulsive Love' (Ph: Jean Francois Aloisi, Stylist: Donatien Veismann) comes from a new magazine called Issue One and the theme for it's inaugural issue was Kinky.  FAD was going on about it and quite rightly so, as the issue is set to become a collectors item so if you see it, nab it whilst you can!  The cover features a Chanel-bound Hannelore Knuts.  The editorials are also similarly quite provacative and odd and if you're a fan of Guy Bourdin, you'll love this!

From this editorial however, I think I may have glimpsed into my fashion future as a reclusive Edith Bouvier Beale (Grey Gardens) type character living in a house full of cats, hats, fur coats and costume jewellery. 

Behind the Scenes

Who was responsible for those high high shoes that Jessica Stam struggled with at the Chloe A/W06 show?  Of course it wasn't Phoebe Philo as, for the first time, the label relied on it's design team to come up with the goods.  In actual fact, the shoes were designed by New Yorker Jenne O who has established her own label.  As well as designing the shoes for Chloe, she is also responsible for the footwear at the Gharani Strok, Heatherette and Michiko Koshino shows.  This is the woman that was also responsible for the fruition of the skull and crossbones scarf at Alexander McQueen, the one that has spawned a thousand copies.  It's great to see the people behind the labels come forth and establish themselves.  Why keep talent locked away behind the shadow of a brand?   

Looking at her Marc Bolan and Iggy Pop-inspired collection from her own label, I'm really getting a  Vivienne Westwood vibe which is too good to resist.  The heels are somewhat more delicate and tapered in than Westwood's clog-like heels which makes them a lot racier.  Definitely some shoes to scrimp and pinch for, given the haute haute price tags.

Dragana Perisic takes to the Streets

I'm the sort of fashion-enthusing person who gets giddy and happy when a fashion designer opens up a shop for themselves.  It sort of means they have really made it and are becoming established enough to have their own store.  As detailed in Fashion Babylon, a designer wants nothing more than to have their own store in order to take in maximum profit and not have the shackles of selling their collection to a department store.  So I was very pleased to discover that Dragana Perisic, a label I raved about a while ago, has accomplished this and now have a very cool store right in the centre of London's fash-pack area, on Cheshire Street near Brick Lane.  What's more is they are having a party on the 7th to celebrate the launch of their store.  What's more more, (and more importantly for the thrift-sters like me ), is their spring summer collection is now on sale at 60% off. 

Sweet, but not saccharine clothes and fabric jewellery here I come....  Londoners, please do not miss out!

A nip and a tuck and a pleat

London Fashion Week is fast approaching (fingers cross, I'll actually make it to some shows this year!) and I have one name that's on my 'must check-out' list.  The press machine hasn't started working at full power, for this Spanish-born designer yet but I see big things for Emilio de la Morena, having had his dresses recently featured in Dazed & Confused.  The tight pleating detail is like a more restrained interpretation of Issey Miyake's Pleats Please, adding to that an apprecation for the female form.  I especially love the Samurai-inspired jacket with the layers of material that looks casually draped together.  I even like the way he picks out the bosom area with the detailing, not only does it look pretty, it's good to gain some curvage in that area - well for me at least!   

Wearing the Blame

High-low designer collaborations are nothing new and it seems the most unlikely combinations are popping up everyday.  Vivienne Westwood and Nine West?  Topshop & Comme des Garcons?  Well today, I came across a TRIPLE collaboration - Melissa + Alexander Herchcovitch's Scarfun boot customised by British supreme stylist and accessories designer Judy Blame.  Judy Blame (code name for Chris Barnes) has his fingers in many pies, acting as creative consultant for Comme Des Garcons, fashion editor of i-D, jewellery designer and art director.  I always weep a little when I coo over his jewellery in the basement of London concept store Dover Street Market because I love the composition of 'found objects' like keys, crosses and skulls all haphazardly strung together. 

However, the blunder of this collaboration is well..........the boots themselves.  I'm not a big fan of jelly rubber shoes so as cute as Melissa shoes are, the material is just not very practical at all.  I would have to wear socks with these boots and then have my feet squirming and sweating in these rubber traps.  I'm also on the fence about the shape of the boot with it's moulded wedge and pointy toe.  But the Judy Blame touch just makes them so enticing.  If I was being ridiculously frivolous, I could buy them just to have them sit in my wardrobe as fashion oddities.  They could be the kind of shoes that if I were to try on, might instantly win me over.  All these questions which leaves me with one option - to go into Dover Street Market (Colette, Paris and Opening Ceremony, New York - will also be stocking them) and try them on!      

Gold Rush

So the colour that you couldn't pay me to wear a few years ago has now become my colour of the moment.  Tacky, blingin', in yer' face, glorious gold.  Oh, how the tables have turned!  First, the colour crept into bags and sweet flats and now I could do with gold dresses, leggings and gloves - the shinier the material, the better.  I think it's the possibility of playing up the contrasts that attracts me.  For example wearing the long gold satin gloves with a sombre grey wool sweater dress.  What should be cheap looking gold boots when worn with an inky navy silk shift is suddenly cool.  Then those leggings (Fashionologie loves them as much as I do...) are crying to be paired with worn out, grubby t-shirts and beaten up Converse.  The roads of London may not be paved with gold but rocking a gold outfit is your's for the taking.

From left to right:

American Apparel Gold Lame Leggings $36 , Patrizia Pepe Gold Satin Shorts £88, Chrishabana Gold Muskrat Necklace $150, Who One Sleeveless Gold Sequin Shirt £83, Kurt Geiger Banquish Gold Heels £65

I'M Gold Ballet Flats £49, Dirk Bikkembergs Gold Charm Necklace £58, 3.1 Phillip Lim Gold Babydoll Dress $409, Bernhard Willhelm Long Sleeved Gold Hoodie £124

Shellys Olympic Gold Boots £85, Paris Essex Gold Lurex Knitted Sweater Cami Dress $100, Silly Jokes Gold Lame Gloves £5.95, KG Sparkle Shoe Boots £35

All seamed up

Psst....sometimes I do wish at times, that I could wear a truly sexy look, even though I'm just about the un-sexiest dresser you'll ever meet.  So bearing that in mind, I'll be taking wee baby steps in order to fufill my secret desire.  These seamed stockings will be my first step.  My body isn't all that brilliant but my legs are just about acceptable, so encasing them in some stockings and chunky high shoes like the Hussein Chalayan ones in the picture doesn't really fill me dread (whereas a cropped top and short shorts does!).  Annoyingly, the stockings are listed as coming from a website called www.atskoudo.com which doesn't even exist so i-D must have made a typo when crediting the clothes.  If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd be most grateful!

In the meantime, I'll settle for these lookalikes from Sock Dreams (is it just me or is every pair of socks on the site really enticing? - I keep adding things to my basket in a compulsive manic way!) 

Sexy, I may not be, but a sexy moment with some seamed stockings is quite enough for me!