Bow WOW WOW

A trend that seems to have survived for several consecutive seasons is the bow. Quaint and decisively feminine, it is the perfect way to accessorize your outfit - adding style and drama without being garish.
After just pulling through a relatively masculine autumn winter, where copious amounts of studs and leather - the definitive new wave grunge look - swept the stores, the bow has remained a precious additive.

Ok, so bows go hand in hand with this 80s obsession that has overtaken the fashion world at the moment. But what's wrong with playing with the more wearable and fun trends of an era? I know there are those who feel that the bows being sold in the shops look too much or too feminine. Well I say that's just typical. The problem is that we've become so sure of ourselves wearing edgy, masculine styles that anything remotely girly repels us instantly. How sad.

You mean to tell me that this delicious example of Marc Jacobs spring/summer 10 (pictured right) doesn't make you salivate at how much fun this summer's trends will be? Embrace femininity ladies and start with your head.

Since the media seems to be going GaGa for the Lady of the moment, why not take a leaf out of the her eccentric and showy fashion bible and invest in some head candy.

This is a nice look for the overtly sexual popstar, I think anyway. It softens her face and strangely enough makes her seem more approachable. Now who wouldn't want to adorn themselves with items that make them seem approachable? By wearing a larger bow it gives the impression that you have a smaller head and therefore makes you seem daintier.

Lauren Conrad has also been experimenting with hair attire, a more feeble attempt compared to GaGa, but non the less elegant. When I look at the image of Lauren I can't help but wonder: is a bow an accessory or is it - like a fascinator - a hat? In Lady GaGa's case it does seem hat sized, but Lauren has made it more like head jewelry. It could be neither and come under

it's own category.

If you are deciding to play around with this trend, a word of warning. If you are indeed scared of turning out looking like Bopeep or a very 80s Madonna the answer is simple. That's it, just keep it simple. Hairstyles should look sleek and don't over do it with the bows. Where one at a time unless you playing around with some of the miniatures available in the shops.

Marc Jacobs has proven that you can still wear bows with prints and pretty tea dresses, but make sure they tie in with the style of the outfit and they're plain. Equally, bows work well with edgier looks. They can finish off the outfit with a girly touch. Alice and Caroline Rausch have nailed the trends and Caroline shows just how relaxed the bow can be when paired with jeans and a tshirt.

These are some examples of the bow head pieces available on the high street, though I believe more a due to hit the shops later in the season - bows are big this spring/summer.

Topshop £8

Bunny Bow, New Look £4

Satin bow headband, Forever21 £3

Polka dot bow clips, Topshop £6

Velvet headband, Miss Selfridge £6

Fascinator, Monsoon Accessorize £28

Vrai ou Faux...

As Britain has been hit by an unprecedented amount of the white stuff recently, I have found it necessary to pull out all the stops in warm and comfortable fashion. Fur has always been a trend that works year after year in the winter season. It can look more expensive than it really is (if it's fake) and it keeps you warm more than most other types of outerwear.

Now before you look on this blog incredulously as being somewhat politically incorrect, I want to say that I am not trying to suggest we all go invest in a dead animal - there are plenty of incredible faux furs available on the high street. And with many celebrities and designers saying "No" to fur, its more likely that you'll be purchasing a fake.

PETA's "Worst Dressed 2009" list: http://www.peta.org/feat-worstdressed09-winners.asp

(Eighties style faux fur coat £95, Topshop, Crushed faux fur jacket £40 in the sale, Oasis, Faux fur coat £74.99, River Island)

These were just some of the gems I discovered. You may find yourself paying a a little more than you would expect for a fake, but it's usually because they look so authentic. I've become a particular fan of Dennis Basso who is the king of fake fur.

  

(All three images taken from www.dennisbasso.com)

I do suggest, however, if you are interested in owning a real fur, take a visit to ebay. There are literally hundreds of furs being auctioned for virtually nothing. Most of these will emulate a more vintage look, but look hard enough and you may find yourself a real gem. I also advise a trip to Beyond Retro in London - my favourite vintage retailer. Both ebay and beyond retro sell fakes too, so get out there an rummage! My advice is, if your comfortable with a dirtied conscience - buy a real fur (they're warm, fabulously luxurious and soft!) But don't be put off by fakes, there's really very little difference.

Exhibit A

Having not written a post in over a week I feel duty bound to contribute to this blog in whatever way I can. So, in my latest quest to find affordable fashion, I trawled the charity shops of my town of study to see if there was anything worth salvaging. Unfortunately, it was futile attempt. I found myself trying to find the good in pieces that were clearly the ex content of some poor deceased dear, or the cast offs from people who have suddenly realised that their built up collection of attire dating back to the 80s needed to be thrown away.

The problem with trying to rummage through charity shops in a town that isn't exactly hard hitting on the fashion map is that... well... it does not exactly deliver the fruits you hear about in other reviews of successful charity shop shopping. Hence, I have decided that one shouldn't be made to feel guilty everytime you read about the joys of and how satisfying charity shopping can be. It is not for everyone and it certainly doesn't apply to all regions!

That said, I still believe that there are places worth visiting. I have read many times, though have never experienced it for myself, that the charity shops and second hand stores in Notting Hill and Knightsbridge offer some remarkable delights. Choose wisely the areas to shop in and you could find yourself with a second hand D&G jacket or old season Chloe. Area codes are everything, Darling.

A little bit of what you fancy

Our little seaside town may not be labelled as one of the more renowned shopping districts of the UK, but it certainly isn’t lacking in flare or originality. Falmouth’s newest boutique, Tyto, has recently opened at Discovery Quay, a few doors down from the Maritime museum, and it’s fit to burst with little fashion gems. 

At long last it has arrived. A boutique that offers original, fashionable and sustainable clothes at reasonable prices. Tyto is truly an Aladdin’s cave of gorgeous clothing for men and women, fabulous vintage accessories and sweet little gifts that you’ll be dying to get your hands on. The boutique stocks a range of desirable independent London brands such as Emily and Fin, Jovonna London and Yamama, all described by owner, Gemma Garwood, as “young brands”. Expect cute cardigans with gingham, lace and bow trimmings, perfectly made little jackets and fun cocktail dresses that are so en vogue they give Topshop a run for its money. And for the boys, think timeless tweed jackets, original t-shirts and jumpers with electric geo patterns. There are hopes the boutique will branch out into some bigger designers such as Finnish brand, Marimekko and Ivana Helsinki - so prepare yourselves for an explosion of city style.  

The first thing that strikes you about Tyto, is the gallery-like space inside the shop. It feels as though you have walked into a designer’s studio with all the pieces hanging on their rails neatly, and grouped in accordance to the type of story they tell. Daywear casuals are placed on single rails to the sides of the shop, while evening and partywear sits on two rails at the centre and back. As a customer you feel like you know where things are and it takes the stress out of shopping instantly. It’s clear that everything in the shop has been thought through and arranged with care and that is just how Gemma planned it.

“It’s really important for me that the shop has integrity and a focus. There are a wide range of things on offer, but what’s important is that they’re all picked with the same philosophy. I go to great lengths to pick things a 15-year-old can look fabulous in but also a 50-year-old could completely rock up. Admittedly some of the things I stock are a bit expensive but I like to focus on things that people will be able to wear for the next ten years, things that are well made.”

But fear not fashion savvy students, Tyto offers student discount on all items every Wednesday, and on any day of the week if you spend £45 or more. Tshirts and vests start from around the £12 mark, but are well worth it for their wacky prints and flattering cuts. For those with a soft spot for vintage, the shop stocks some fantastic felt flower pot hats, casual handbags and retro heels. The jewelry is a mix of vintage and dressy, perfect for vamping up a plain top or adding the finishing touch to a party  outfit. And if you’re not after clothes, why not buy something pretty for your abode? Tyto stocks everything from lush smelling soap bars, cushions and teapots to books and artwork by local artists.

The 25-year-old seems determined to see her shop flourish and is concentrating on developing a brand. There are plans for Tyto to introduce its own range of tshirts, All Of  My Friends, which Gemma has asked her creative bunch of friends to help design. With UCF arts college only a stone’s throw away, she hopes that students will be inspired by what the shop stocks.

“The lovely thing about London is that it really does promote young design talent. I think you could get someone doing something of the same standard which is just as innovative in Falmouth. So what’s nice about having the London brands is that I really hope it pushes students here to make work and I’d be more than happy to sell it in my shop.” The shop’s motto is, “Dedicated to the promotion of new ideas and encouragement of wonder,” making Falmouth the perfect location for this little maverick enterprise. Tyto is open 10pm to 6pm, Tuesday to Saturday. 

Lust label

After rifling through the archives of various style blogs and LFW's news letters, I settled on what is to become, no doubt, my label lust of the spring 10 season.

Last season it was undoubtedly Balmain with its defining, pointed shoulders, military style jackets and rockstar type ripped jeans. A looks so effortlessly cool and of the moment, and relatively easy to mimic with high street brands cheaply.

But now I feel I must move on to something new. And new is really the defining point of this label. Peter Pilotto is relatively new to the fashion stage, having only arrived three seasons ago. But by no means have the Austrian born designer and his libyan partner, Christopher De Vos, struggled to make a name for themselves amongst fashion followers. Best known for their elegant, flattering patterned tunic style dresses, they really have excelled themselves for s/s10 revealing a terrific display of lightweight, delicate and yet defining dresses that are perfect for all occasions.

I have fallen in love with the perfect mix of greys, black, deep navies and dappled silvers and golds that have somehow been transformed in to paintings with splashes of crimsons, turquoises and canary yellow. The styles are modern too, revealing just the right amount of skin and showing the female form off in exactly the right sort of shapes.

One of my favourites is a dappled silver shift dress with crimson, turquoise and yellow seeming to stain parts of the material. The elegant plume of the material gathered over one shoulder makes the dress look like an exotic flower bursting through the formal grey tones. I would also, if I had the money, opt for the speckled, two tone trousers that lift the formality out of their generic peg leg shape, and invest in a pair of those effortlessly chic and rather 80s looking high waisted shorts.

The swathing of the material in just such a way is a sexy, modern take on formal chic but it will remain to be seen if this is a style that can be carried off by the humble high street fashionista. Topshop and Asos, we await your samples.

Project A

This is a continuation of the portrait project I am doing for photography. Still based around fashion, I was looking more at shapes, the body and movement. This was after looking at some of Edward Weston's work - who is my favourite nude photographer. For the next part of the project I want to look at taking the photos outside of my bedroom as a studio.

Apologies

OK. I apologise for not writing on this over the weekend as I planned to. I have been a little tied down by a certain flu pandemic sweeping the country. I am on the mend and shall be back to my full reporting self within the week!

Groveling over. This weekend was a mix of delights and disappointments. I attended the fashion show on Friday evening, which was a fun evening but one which could not possibly be compared to anything like LFW. The event was definitely a local show, filled with locals, organised by locals and featuring locals.

On the plus side, the atmosphere was light hearted and the music was good. A lot less can be said for the terrible wine served at the bar during the interval... But still, it was nice to see the local community supporting itself in an imaginative way. And the even certainly proved that a little can go a long way, with the event raising over £1000.

There were just over 20 clothes shops showcasing their work. The majority of them highstreet brands that included Moss Bros, Kit (a main stocker of the Motel line) and Sisley. These pretty much lived up to expectations and only surprised me with their ability to cater for all age ranges.

Han made dresses by Red Ella

It was definitely a chance for some of the lesser known stores to reveal their treasures. I was particularly impressed by some dresses from a small boutique called Red Ella. The hand made garments were a mix of Georgian-esque prom frocks crossed with A Midsummer Night's Dream theme. The models looked elegant and dream-like and the dresses stood miles out from any of the other high street productions. Maybe it's not a look we are likely to embrace any time soon, but I feel its important to recognise brilliant craftsmanship.

The same shop all gave a little spread of some rather fun and style knitwear, that was of neither pretentious or regurgitated design. It was simple and original and the looked really neat with a pair of wellies! Good old country style.