The Floral Factor

I'm taking a little breather from A/W 2012 fashion week posts and bringing things back to this spring 2012 and the coming season.  I long for spring after a pasty winter spent locked away with only my cat, a mug of cocoa and my pc for company, it always feels so alive with new possibilities. Right now it seems like  flowers of all kinds  are peeping out from every carry bag being toted down the high street, I've glimpsed hot peonies, cheery sunflowers and charming blue forget-me-nots,  ok I admit I am extremely nosey when it comes to other peoples clothes and clothing purchases but I bet I'm not alone!

Anyway here's my top money saving style tip, if you have a spring/summer wedding on the way buy into floral trends now whether you're a guest or the bride to be. Opt for sporty or casual floral pieces that you can dress down now and then primp to within an inch of their life and that will easily slip under the wedding  dress code radar. I like the idea of going slightly alternative for a spring wedding and wearing these cottage garden esque, high heel lace up pumps from New Look worn with a smattering of neon and a floaty dress.

Wedding dresses are often the focal point for designing the cake and choosing invitations so if you're on the lookout for wedding invitations to feature alongside your blossoming wardrobe for the special day, then look to vintage designs such as Vintage Wedding Invitations from www.brideandgroomdirect.co.uk , my favourite floral prints are the 'Bella Day' invites that remind me of charming blue French toile fabric , the very pink 'Rose Day' invites and the 'Jasper' invites in a delicate wash of sage green not dissimilar to this Warehouse 70's inspired dress, but you can choose your colour to fit with your own personal style. Thanks to my lovely sponsors at Vintage Wedding Invitations for sponsoring this fashion post.   





 Bag - Topshop, shirt, dress, - Warehouse, shoes- New Look, vintage wedding invitations - Bride & Groom Direct

Revisiting London

I wanted to share a few photographs I took durring a sneaky break revisting London and its sites in the week leading up to Valentines day.I stayed in this lovely georgian manor house on the outskirts set in 6o acres of parkland, I arrived to a Narnian wonderland it was magical! If you want the secret location email me! 

photographs of London by fashion blogger Sharon Sahara of My Passport To Style were taken from the London eye and various vantage points around the capital including good cake shops!  

Close And Personable Hollands A/W 2012 Collection

Something I read recently whilst doing my weekly round of fashion blogs has really stayed with me. A fashion blogger I visited who is pretty well known in fashion circles said she was staying away from the circus of London Fashion Week this time because she wanted to enjoy it at face value and not be sucked into bitching of who sits where etc, I admire a gal who knows her mind and can still enjoy and share the music that is fashion.

Seeing as I'm not there (London Fashion Week) either, for different reasons which I won't bore you with, the lovely words of the fashion blogger I just mentioned made me feel better about the whole thing. Just for the record I respect London Fashion Week and the designers that show there.

 I'm just happy for now to share my views at a distance and from the comfort of my armchair. So coming up are my favourite picks of the A/W 2012 Henry Holland runway show 'Ride'. With a little virtual catwalk commentary thrown in, i.e things I imagine I might have said had I been ringside that would have had no real bearing on my fashion blog or the proceedings!

Me - Hollands crayola zipzags, ouch! It's ok you just jabbed your elbow into me and my pencil for sketching has disappeared under that chair, its ok, I think I can manage without it, although it would have been nice to have.... you could reach under with your umbrella, really?! Whisper, thanks! Dull thunking sound as her umbrella zips forward like a snake about to launch it's venom beneath the sleek lines of the chair front left, flailing from side to side like a redundant windscreen wiper, shuddering as it hits the steely chair repeatedly.

I giggle nervously as the woman sitting on said chair swivels her head a whole 90 degrees in my direction and uses her x-ray fashion savvy vision to see right through my most stylish shirt, piercing my thermal vest that I bitterly regret wearing now given how warm the room suddenly feels.
 "Pencil gone", lip syncs my neighbour and kindly offers me a shocking pink plastic fan with black ostrich feathers that looks like what I imagine to be a freebie from baroque barbies wardrobe were she human size. Right where was I, ah yes, this is Holland at his best, simple clean flattering lines, supersized bright knit patterns create a print that is flamboyant yet still sophisicated, the riding hat punctuates the look with a regal grown up feel that elevates the look beyond playful. It's the signal, a deep sigh and the row including myself uncross and recross our legs again, pencils at the ready, as the next stream of Henry Hollands knitted dollies are launched from the wings of LFW's runway.   

I breathe in as the next model shimmies past in black sleek shiny skinny leather boot cuts, topped off, I scribble, with lemon hunks of giant dogtooth printed onto a chunky scarf and easy sweatshirt, clashing blue, perforated by a strip of hot pink.

 Still with me? Great! thanks for joining me.

I wriggle, I need a pee, I look round to see if sucking sweets is permissable and spot several suspicously bulging rose powdered cheeks. A quick rummage in my bag, trying to locate a mint, a strong waft of Coco Mademoiselle reveals my worse fears, my mints are now doused in it's heady scent, I wipe my mint on my shirt, feeling a little smug that I cunningly re-scented my blouse as well as helping control my bladder a little longer all in one swift move. A few raised eyebrows later and I'm back in my stride, in the zone, breathy with the excitement of Hollands next look. This dress has optical illusion written all over it, I scribble madly like a crazed professor, Holland has made 3d acid red, pink and purple with the use of pinstripes and shapes combined masterfully, bold simplicity of shapes and variations in the fabrics depth of colour as light hits each new pinstripe ripple in the skirt fabric are mesmerising. 

  

Cameras are clicking, popping and clucking like a clutch of broody robotic hen sounds in my ear, slightly unsettling, I try another mint, but truthfully I could eat a whole plate of something much more stodgy and northern right now if I'm honest. I'm thankful the next poor girl lovingly swathed in this blinding blue and brash clash of black leather and dog tooth, striding willfully down the runway has thoughtfully been shielded by Holland with her riding hat brim protecting her eyes from the glare of the constant popping of flash bulbs.Liquorish pipes spring to mind when I start to think of the next few metaphors to describe the contrasting leather sleeves and patterned bodice of another of my favourite Henry Holland sporty dresses from his 'Ride' collection.

 It's official I'm hungry! A quick glance left and right confirms that I'm not alone glassy eyed fashion editors have grown teeth of beaver like proportion and are gnawing helplessly on their black velvet pencils, perhaps dreaming of tucking into a truffle or two at their favourite restaurant? Finale word? I have really enjoyed Hollands use of leather in his A/W 2012 'Ride collection, particularly the red skirt top of this page and his fearless approach to hot colour's he has taught me yet again, when it comes to pattern more is more if it is transposed onto pared back shapes and I thank him for that and his gran!  

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Is Great Style In The Details?

A recent trip to London got me thinking about how important or not, the details in our outfit choice for the day actually might be to us as a nation?  Why did I start pondering on this topic, well at the risk of sounding slightly bonkers, what struck me when I was in London was that with everybody walking so briskly and rarely making eye contact on the tubes the main thing that everyone seemed to focus on was well, your shoes. Perhaps this explained our obsession with shoes, but not necessaily whether or not that the details that make up a whole look are still as important to our sense of style. Spotting a mens tie embroided with the sweetest bowler hat and brollies (and this piano satchel worn by a man about to cross the road) my closest encounter with snapping street style to date and if I'm honest very feeble as I did not even engage with the man in question as the great Satorialist would have done even for a back shot, no doubt, I began to get the distinct impression that we still love our detailing.

What are your thought are you big on detailing or are you a black dress and a great pair of shoes type of gal? Do tell!

My Passport To Style Image

Clarks shoe shop window display -My Passport To Style image

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Lomography | La Sardina Western Edition Launch Preview

Ok so what the hell do you post about on the eve of London fashion week?! Well it has be something pretty attention grabbing when many bloggers heads are currently buried in creating a fashion week schedule that works! I'm thinking that aside from what outfits fashion bloggers might be planning for London Fashion week and the impossible schedule they are frantically tweeking for any catwalk shows they are attending the next big thing on their list might just be a stylish camera fix. Lomography cameras uses wait for it, film! Producing fun but effective shots for those of you not yet familiar. Spookily the Lomography society has tapped into a key fashion trend for this spring/summer 2012 the wild west with their newly launched La Sardina duo, hey if Marcs Jacobs is showcasing futuristic cowboy boots then the wild west is a key trend as far as I'm concerned!

Marc Jacobs futuristic plastic metalic cowboy boot S/S 2012

Prepare to blown away by the two bravest additions to the Lomography family, made from oxidised metal that I just love, my bath taps in my authentic Victorian tub at home are made of the same stuff and still thrill me. The Belle Starr Lomography camera named after the most dangerous female outlaw of the time, decorated with a filigree pattern is my personal favourite with the Clever Coyote etched design coming a close second.

But how about I let you explore these beauties for yourself and check out their vital statistics for yourself. I'm thinking that adding a camera like the Belle Starr to your personal fashion armoury might not only provide additional street fashion cred but also make for a great tool to generate inspiration for offline fashion mood board enthusiasts and for those all important fashion presentations 
what do you think?

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Film Type: Standard 135 roll film


Exposure area: 36 x 24mm


Lens focal length: 22 mm


Aperture: 1:8


Angle of view: 88 degrees


Focusing range: 0.6m - infinity


Shutter speed: N (1/100), B (bulb)


Multiple exposure: independent MX switch


Flash contact: Unique Sardina flash contact


Flash Sync: first curtain X-type synchronization


Tripod socket thread: Standard ¼” tripod socket


Cable release: Universal cable release socket


Price: 179 EUR

Postcards From London

Black and white 3d cartoon window at Selfridges, polka dots have been used to great effect methinks! Loving the beatle esqe hair.

Sign up to My Passport To Style emails top right of this page, for how to work this spring/ summers 2012 trends like a pro and the latest fashion inspiration all delivered with a big serving of fun and colour! 

Postcards From London

I fell in love with this frothy colour explosion of mangled wool at Anthropologies Regent street store in London stealthy creeping up their wall! Random, joyful and organic accents peppered the four corners of Anthropologies lifestyle store with stylish abandon! More on this style story from my recent visit to London to follow soon.

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The Alternative Guide To Valentines Day



Vanilla Hearts



Valentine's day is here again and whether you fond of this tradition, find it annoying or look forward to it with anticipation we all seem to have an opinion on it. I'm not single currently but when I was, I still wanted to mark Valentine's day, because to be honest I'm a huge romantic and I think it is important to care for ourselves as much as we care for others. I find it thrilling getting flowers and hearts and chocolates and all the stuff the films say make up romance.  I don't know why I'm a big romantic, I wasn't force fed a diet of sugar plums and fairy tales where prince charming always was charming honestly!  If anything the opposite, I think the reason I love valentines day is more about what it stands for in its very broadest sense, love, sharing moments with significant others, passion for life and at times the element of surprise and oh yes I love the colour red which is an added bonus for me, but I would rather receive yellow roses than red and I have always cherished the tradition of giving and receiving cards.

I believe we should tell the friends and family who are important to us how we feel about them not wait for the right moment, however I understand that some people feel they need a  reason to be able to do that, Valentines can be that.So I have come up with a little list of alternative ways to celebrate valentines for any of you lovely gals out there that want to enjoy it either with friends or alone. we all need to take opportunities to douse ourselves in a little love every now and again or show our friends how much we love them too.

Secret Santa Plays Cupid-  If you took part in a secret santa at work last Christmas another season or red! This is a similar idea but played with your gal pals instead of work mates, (I'm loving these stylish bot slippers that are sweet without being too sickly from Etsy ) agree a budget between you to buy each other a beautiful, fun or sweet gift to give to each other, if you can get it gift wrapped beautifully and then meet for lunch and gift giving!

Homemade champagne truffles are so decadent and can be packaged prettily, organise a truffle making session at one of your gal pals houses with a big enough kitchen, charge enough to cover ingredients, the beauty of this is buying champagne to go in truffles goes a lot further then drinking it!! Tip- edible gold glitter is great for sprinkling on top of each truffle, here's the best ever recipe for those champagne truffles.

Supply some pretty pink and red boxes and ribbons so you can decorate a box to give to each other full of truffles, that's if you manage to get them home without scoffing them!  Do full on glamour with a group of friends, pool your most dazzling outfits clothes and makeup and invite gal pals that are good at photography to take pictures to frame later to mark your day.

 Mark the day by doing sweet things for yourself, swap the basic buttons on your red cardigan for some hearts shapes, order your favourite flowers to be sent to your home, M&S are great value in the UK, dress head to foot in shades of red, watch old romantic movies or funny new ones , find your perfect red lipstick, book yourself in for a pamper session. 

Emily Blunt

photo credits Etsy  & Folksy

Happy Valentines Day however you choose to spend it! xx

Silken Favours | Animal Fantasy Collection Launches S/S Feb 2012

Five Minutes With Natures Own Poster Girl Victoria Murdoch

Having been pointed in the direction of dreamy new scarf label Silken Favours and its designer Vicki Murdoch I have been bursting at the seams with jumping jelly beans of excitement to share the labels new spring 2012 Animal Fantasy collection. You will understand shortly why that sentence flowed unprompted from my keyboard and out of my head. You see Silken Favours are not the type of scarves you tie on your handbag, rather like tying your pooche to a lamp post, while you go of and buy some cheese. These are the delicately captured blooms of a true daydreamer penned by an artist with great skill and a sense of humour that have a way of transporting you back to a time when the only thing that was important was revelling in your imagination. 

I was thrilled to discover that Vicki's whimsical scarves produced in the UK, are accompanied by poems that tell tales of far flung fantastical adventures penned by Gail Murdoch, Vickies mum, hence my excited ramblings above. Before I share my interview with Vicki and a sneak preview from Silken Favours Spring 2012 collection, here's a scarf from Vicki Murdochs current collection together with its poem.

BUTTERFLIES AND BEASTICLES

HOW CAN SOMETHING CATERPILLARY

METAMORPHOSE TO FRITILLARY?

IT'S JUST NOT BELIEVABLE THAT IT'S ACHIEVABLE THAT SOMETHING SO HAIRY TURNS INTO A FAIRY AND GLADDENS OUR HEARTS AS IT FLUTTERS AND DARTS LIKE THE ANGEL'S SHARE THAT JOINS THE AIR IN THE DISTILLERY

by Gail Murdoch

   

 Here's the preview of Vicki Murdochs spring 2012 collection which will see the launch of six of her exciting designs and can be found exclusively at Liberty at the end of February 2012, minus their poems as I don't want to completely spoil the surprise for you! 



Trippy Kitty






Flights Of The Imagination

 

Hope you had fun getting to know Vicki and her label Silken Favours, sign up to My Passport To Style by email top right of this blog to meet more new exciting accessory and fashion labels!

Me-Vicki, the images you create for your silk scarves are steeped in fantasy, do your designs relate to your childhood?Vicki I was a daydreamer when I was wee and still like to dabble , my designs are playful and I hope they make those that wear them think back to their childhood and their dreams.

Me-How did you come up with the label Silken Favours?Vicki-It started a year ago when I designed a surprise bespoke scarf as a gift for my parents. It had all the birds that came into their garden up in Scotland on it. They loved the design so much, it inspired me to create a collection with much loved British animals on them.

Me-Where did you gather inspiration for your spring 2012 collection?VickiI love day dreaming, and what's better to dream about than kittens riding unicorns in a tie-dye sky? The rest of the collection stemmed from that dream.

Me-How do choose your colour palette for each season?Vicki- tie dye dreams are mainly made up of pastel colours, so my choice was made for me.

Me-How important are the latest trends in fashion to your designs? Vicki- It is important to some extent, but I like to design prints that can be treasured forever not just for a season. Something that reminds one of their childhood or has a much loved creature on it.

Me-Your designs can be bought at Liberty, what advice would you offer to new designers wanting to get their fashion/accessory label out there?Vicki- You have to be passionate about your work and believe in it, This can be hard if there is no one else telling you it's great!  I would also say when going to show buyers you should have your product finished to a very high standard along with lookbook and packaging so they can imagine it going straight to the shop floor.

Me-What three words best describe you as a person? Vicki- imaginative, goofy, fun.

Me-I love the evocative poems that accompany your silken scarves in your press release, I believe your mum came up with the words, which are in my opinion a perfect fit for your flamboyant and charming pieces, do you plan to collaborate creatively with your mum on any other projects in the future?Vicki-  Yes she has a wonderful way with words. I have already made her my in-house Silken Favours poet, each scarf is accompanied by a wee poem written by her. The pressure is on Mum!