Me And Gran Report On Spring 2012 Trends

Hi Gals, todays trend report is a joint effort between me and Granny who was keen to discuss her opinions on next springs latest trends from the sweltering heat of her polka dot sun lounger coated in olive oil, which she swears is the best way to tan! I tried to convince her that she needed to use sun block, but she just chuckled and said what's good enough for the Romans is good enough for me.

So here's our joint trend report courtesy of both Granny and myself featuring the best and worst of spring 2012 latest trends. 

Trend - Peplum skirt - designer Jason Wu
Granny says - She loves the shade of pink, but that when she was a young woman, curves were real not faked, perhaps if young woman today drank full fat milk instead of semi skimmed she mutters down the phone in between sips of her expresso. 

Me - I love this skirt by Jason Wu, that looks like a giant flower, kept imagining this peplum skirt in a bright yellow though with spring just around the corner.

Trend Orange-designer Jill Stewart
Granny Says - The girls hair is all wrong, it's overpowering the look what has happened to wearing a classic chignon. I like the rich colour combination though.

Me - I'm really excited by this dress, which to me is a modern take on the flapper dress, I love the simple t-line of the upper body, the flirty skirt and the split palm tree in orange that frames the neckline, the use of bright colour blocking is very flattering.

Granny Says- This girls make up is so blah her features look flat and lifeless and since when has wearing a sheet with sleeves flattered any woman?!

Me- I agree with Granny I hate this trend for an white oversized shroud, small breasted women beware!

In contrast we both fell in love with this combination of two classics trends brought together, the grecian dress and polka dots done in a fresh way, the fabric choice and painted irregular spots keep this look the right side of modern.  

Trend- Floral blocking on bodycon dresses -designer- Altuzarra

Granny Says- I know this is too short for me, but when can I get my hands on it! How clever is this designer (coos granny down the phone) to be able to combine cool sophistication with such a dazzling hot print!

Me- Loving the way the tropical centre panel creates a boarder cool ivory that emphasises the shoulder line and punctuates the waist and her hair is fierce!

Trend -Neon brights-designer Rag & Bone

Granny Says-  Advert your eyes from the screen, this is pretty vile, the shape should be about as flattering as it gets, but this poor girls looks bottom heavy and like she has been dip dyed in a vat of guacamole.

Me- The shiny green leather ruched top looks cheap, the right make up and hair could have rescued this, but this is a tough look for anyone to pull off.

Trend - Aztec -designer Lacoste

Granny Says-This tunic is so chic, I would wear with wide leg ivory trousers, that being said it could do with taking a little of the hardness out of the look, by introducing a petal pink lip.

Me- I like this look, but agree with granny it looks a little bit too pared back, even with the powerful print, the addition of a slimline back pack worn on her shoulder would relax the look a little and it is a cliche, but perhaps powder blue tennis shoes would appeal to the designs Mexican roots.

Love Me Again | The Smartest Fashion Label In Town!

UK independent Love Me Again, is set to change how we think about fashion, based in Manchester with an online shop, for just £30.00 you can buy one of their bright jigsaw puzzle designs, custom made to your exact measurements for as little as £30.00 ! These talented fashion magpies take unwanted sweatshirts and woollens and upcycle them into their own contemporary  designs, so each is unique and who every buys one of the pieces from their collection, can be sure they are also buying a into a greener planet! I love these Sonia Rykiel inspired pieces  and the sporty attitude created from using sweat shirts in their designs. You can even recycle old treasured clothing items, by having them incorporated into a design of your choice, fashion does not get more bespoke than this! Watch this space when I will be back to flaunt my own personal mash up of colour and print courtesy of this Manchester fashion label! Vist http://www.lovemeagain.co.uk/  to check out more of their designs.

Our Love Of Flashing The Plastic

Agnes Dean

Black plastic watch Marc Jacobs

Grey plastic stud boots asos

One word plastic, what does it make you think of ? Cheap and nasty or seductive and playful? A grotty loo brush or a state of the art chair you would love to design? I find it fascinating that at a time when bespoke, organic materials and quality are the new buzz words, the luxury world is increasingly turning to plastic rather than leather or silk or cashmere as a material to design from and charging designer prices I might add. So what might the reason be?

 Well here's my theory, it's all essentially about what plastic as a material conveys now, think about the barbie doll you owned and her teeny tiny shoes or let's be non sexist here, it could have been your red dumper truck. As a teenager because plastic was so cheap you may have been tempted to buy the latest teen accesories fashioned from brightly coloured plastic. The finale phase of this style evoloution has been the utilising of what has typically been viewed in society as a cheap material crafted in the same way a luxury piece would be, couple this new approach to the use of plastic and the price of  this new breed of plastic with the association of youth and it becomes a irreverant fashion statement and therefor you guessed it! Cool. Which is why the Marc Jacobs and Vivienne Westwoods of this world want to play with it and share it with us.Well that's my very simple theory anyway. What do you think of the stuff? Would you resent spending half your pay cheque on a designer piece made from melted rubik's cube? 

Sign up to My Passport To Style by email top right of this blog before the end of Jan 2012 and win a cherry red Gionni satchel, 3 pairs of Redfoot leather folding pumps, a vintage union jack cushion,Me, Me Me! luxe boxed nail polishes and vintage iphone case by Cloth Magpie and much more! Good Luck! 



Blue almond toe short wellingtons - Vivienne Westwood



Postcard From Japan

Mitsushiy Anaihara in Japan, loving the mad hatter flavour of this shot, with a dash of country gent and a satsuma orange holdall spliced through with patent black. Slightly bonkers but non the less some great lessons in thinking out of the box when it come to street style.

Postcards From Japan

David Bowie would approve of this pretty look for menswear by Phenomenon. I think the vest top maybe a little too low, discuss!

Postcards From Japan | The Boys Are Back In Town!

Loving this haughty street fashion look by Kohno, from Japan, this is neutral blocking at its best, if you did'n't know there was such a thing as neutral blocking you do now! This guy makes it look super cool with a granite textured t complete with what look like water melon slices floating around the neckline. The deep block of ivory at the base of his t creates a sophisticated edge against his cream cropped wide legs and short black coat.

The Power Of Print In The Right Hands!

If your not yet aquainted with Barbara Hulanicki she is a revolutionary designer from the 60s who believed in bringing high fashion and glamour to everyone from the  women in the typing pool to the socialites of the time, she drew inspiration from Hollywood and the sophisticated  art Deco period. Her style ethic was reflected  in her a communal changing rooms at Biba, which reflected her free approach to fashion and her bohemian attitude.

Ok so I admit women may no longer wish to share their wobbly post Christmas thighs with a stranger, but neither do we want to get changed in the equivalent of a rabbit hutch with harsh lights and only a solitary shower curtain for company! We all need a little luxury in our life. Re enter Barbara Hulanicki who not content with reinstating Biba after a long absence in her recent collaboration with House Of Fraser, (as modelled by Daisy Lowe) has also chosen to share her famous prints and flattering lines with supermarket giant Asda! I'm drawn to the colbalt blue, what about you?

Sign up to my My Passport To Style by email now, top right of my blog and win a red Satchel full of Royal attitude and 3 pairs of lush Redfoot pumps, good luck toes crossed too!x 

Pasty Winter White? Work It To Your Advantage!

Hi Gals, I was inspired to write this post on this seasons colour trends after seeing Torie Jaynes striking Christmas confectionary - bird cage and houses all pretty in aqua and rose pastels. If your a sucker for romance like me, you have to canoodle with pastels this S/S season! Plus they really work for pasty winter faces so that's obviously a big bonus, that being said they look great against black skin tones too.

 Marc Jacobs managed to make his show for Louis Vuitton look pretty without looking sickly sweet, largely due to his famed use of modern fabrics, mainly plastics, ouch! As in Torie Jaynes Christmas display here, the trick is, if you do decide to mix pastels pieces together, is to be super stingy with using pinks and focus more on yellow, blues and fresh aqua tones, for baby soft pefection use soft greys along side your pastels, for freshness lots of textured whites and for edge shards of black to add a pretty punk feel.I had to share this photo with you from the Louis Vuitton S/S 2012 show, of Marc passionately kissing what looks like a very bored looking Kate Moss!!  

Sign up to My Passport To Style by email top right of this blog and win the Right Royal Handbag giveaway this January 2012, complete with red satchel, 3 pairs of leather folding Redfoot pumps, a cute vintage iphone case from Cloth Magpie and lots of other items for having a glam spring outing! x

The Caviar Of Bags For Pro Fashion Bloggers?

This is fashion blogger Emily of Fashion Foie Gras holding a recent bag she collaborated on with Coach, it launched in November designed for buisy fashion bloggers. At £450.00 it is a considered purchase, but when a bag looks this stylish and houses everything from your laptop to your bulky camera and lense cap, secret compartment styley, well methinks it soon migrates from your wish list to your essentials list! For anybody with a love of documenting anything on the move in style, from fashion to photography never mind professional bloggers! So no more fumbling around in the equivalent of a dark giant cardboard box on your shoulder?!

Speaking of handbags, if this one is a little out of your reach, sign up to My Passport To Style by email top right of this blog and you could win this nifty red Gionni satchel below at the end of this month packed full of goodies from a vintage union jack cushion for your fave chair, to 3 pairs of folding leather Redfoot leather pumps, so maybe that bag will wait after all!

Anyone For Making A Meal Of Being On Wheels?

Long Architect Wheely Boot

Hi there! I might have just found a new mode of transport for you, that is a whole lot more elegant than the traditional roller scate and lives up to the rebel name Renegade Marmalade the store you can buy it from online or in Manchester! If your more inclined towards a short boot version see below! The designer Kei Kagami is Japanese and moved to London in the late 80s to work with fashion designer John Galliano.

Short Architect Wheely Boot