I can hear the bells....

So, as i previously blogged about, i did say that my outfit from the (absolutely beautiful) wedding would be revealed! As im sure, everyone has been on tenterhooks waiting to find out my outfit (cough)...So i have have selected some of my favourite pictures from the event itself. My dress was from Topshop, and my painfully high heels were a bargain from New Look. My black handbag was a vintage find i had from a while ago and it set off the shoes and the rest of the outfit perfectly. It was a beautiful day, and everyone involved were glowing with happiness, congratulations John and Denise! x

P.s- My extremely talented Mummy made the cake! Fab!

Brocade AW12/13

 Even though it feels like the Summer weather has only just arrived, it’s already time to start thinking about winter wardrobes, which this year is going to feature one of my favourite looks; brocade. Brocade to me is classic and elegant enough to be timeless meaning that if you invest in it now, it will be endlessly wearable in seasons to come, always updatable and versatile.

Despite more obviously fitting a glamorous or dramatic look, it can also work on an everyday level for someone like me, for example it is perfect on a smaller scale like on pumps, bags and accessories keeping it subtle but still effective.

Typically Brocade design is in gold and silver, making a traditionally festive look and working really well at seasonal parties and events. It is a simple yet eye catching way of updating something you already own, such as that wardrobe necessity, a little black dress.

The Dolce and Gabbana show at Milan Fashion Week was one of the collections which showcased this trend perfectly. Black capes and velvet dresses were made even more decadent with the use of elaborate gold embroidery and emphasised by use of heavy jewels and pointed black shoes.

Unfortunately I will not be wearing a Dolce and Gabbana velvet brocade dress this winter, but I hope the high-street adopt this look as to me, winter means Christmas, and Christmas means luxury, indulgence and treats; just like this trend.

Lust List- July- VICTORIA'S SECRET

I have decided every month to update my 'Lust List' (essentially items, as a wealth challenged student, i will never be able to afford)
This month, as im sure many are aware, Victoria's Secret has opened today in Westfield Stratford shopping centre. It is their first flagship store opening in the UK and i for one am so excited to look round and (maybe) purchase some items!
This has lead to me wanting to update and mature my underwear collection. The underwear has beautiful material, and the fit is perfect. These are just some of the items on my lust list this month.

Lacie Strapless

Push-up

Strappy Back

Cheeky panty- I want these in all colours!

I once heard that Britney Spears only ever wears a pair of underwear once, then throws them away....How could your throw away such a pretty pair of knickers!?

Bing Bang Jewelry

I have stumbled across a fantastic Jewelry range by Anna Sheffield called Bing Bang. Its founder has a background in a Blacksmith shop, and still uses techniques learned then to create the gorgeous pieces today-most of which are still made in their studio in New York. They say their "brand has adhered to these four aesthetic themes- the Punk Rock ethos, Native American arts and amulets, Victorian keepsakes and the ever-relevant street culture of New York City.". 
With this statement in mind, they have created some wonderful, unique jewelry, i have handpicked some of my favorite. 

I love this Abracadabra Cuff, it can be worn on its own, or with the gold version linked into it. 

Lakota Chief Necklace

Give Peace a Chance Earrings

Victorian cross ring

Tiny skull Studs

I especially love the skull studs, so if anyone fancies treating me....$35 is very reasonable!

Summer wedding style.

I am extremely excited to go to a very close family friends wedding this Saturday! They are a wonderful couple and the day is going to be marvelous!
I have been waiting for the couple to get married for several years now, always muttering whilst seeing very posh, glamorous dresses 'eugh when are they going to get married...look at all these gorgeous dresses'...But now its has actually arrived, could i find anything? Absolutely nada....Until  eventually went shopping (time off work=NIGHTMARE) and found a beautiful dress. Its a secret until after the wedding, i'll blog it then!
There are some stunning summer wedding outfits around at the moment. Here are some of the styles i think could be perfect for the occasions.
Co-ords
I think that for a summer wedding, if you (like me) like something a bit different and an outfit you won't likely find on another at the event, these are perfect. Shorts can be just as sophisticated as a dress at the wedding, perhaps more so depending on length. Teamed with a pair of tan/simple wedge shoes, it can make your legs look like they go on for miles. I prefer the outfit with a plain top, then the matching jacket/blazer. A blazer or jacket is ideal and also quite necessary for an English summer wedding, we are unfortunately, not blessed with the sun often! Topshop do some lovely ones suitable for just this purpose.

This one  from Topshop, is £85 for the pair, actually quite reasonable for a wedding.
                                                       
                                                      
This could be if you are a bit more daring as it does make quite a statement, and is a bit loud! Possibly draw eyes away from the bride?

Pastels.
Pastel colours are a key trend currently, and they are a perfect shade for a wedding. I unfortunately do not look great in pastels as I have classic English rose colouring, i.e very pale. However, they are very pretty. My favourite being Lilac. It is very pretty and girly, but i think it can look edgy and quirky if worn with black too, say a leather jacket.

 This Vanessa Bruno-Athe dress is a perfect occasion dress, specifically for a wedding. It costs £150, which is slightly dear but it is reduced from £250, so really its a great bargain! Would look perfect for a summer wedding.

 This Vaudevile & Burlesque lace insert shift dress is a beautiful colour, and the added lace makes for a key trend and also a touch of personality.

This beautiful lilac dress is from ASOS Collection. The description says it was a prom dress but i think i t could look perfect for a summer wedding. At a reduced price of £72.50, it is a reasonable price for an occasion item.

Playsuits.
I love playsuits. I think they can be very pretty and a bit quirkier than some dresses. However, they do have some downfalls. Firstly, as quite a tall girl, pear shaped girl, i find that for them to fit well up top, they often become extremely short! And as for toilet trips...if one has had a few too many champagne cocktails, it can prove rather a challenge.

This broderie Anglaise playsuit is from ASOS. I think the colours are very suitable for a wedding and i adore Broderie Anglaise as a material. The fact that it is quite tailored will keep the outfit looking smart all day/night long.

This Ted Baker playsuit could be a more practical item to wear for a wedding. I would never normally say to wear black to a wedding, but i think that because of the pretty and delicate top part, the black doesn't look harsh. At £129, it is quite pricey, but because of the sophistication, i can see this playsuit being worn to other occasions such as interviews or the office.

Vintage inspiration

I have a real passion for vintage. Whether it be clothing, mirrors, sunglasses...i love it. Even if its hideous, I am still intrigued with it, because as some point, it will have belonged to somebody who loved it and thought it was wonderful! Over the past couple of years i have started to collect a few vintage items from shops, fairs and charity shops. 

This dress is from Laura Ashley. As my mum informs me regularly, 'Laura Ashley dresses were beautiful when i was younger, beautiful fabrics and looked gorgeous'.  And she is right. This was originally hers, which she no longer wears. It is floor length black silk with buttons down the front. It has a side slip and huge white flowers around the bottom. It feels lovely to wear and can be made to look modern if worn with a leather jacket and some heels (or converse as i like to wear it). 

 This is another hand me down off Mum! Its actually very very retro Dorothy Perkins. I first wore it to a Christmas party when i was about 15 and got so many compliments because it is so different to anything that was around at the time. It is sheer black chiffon, with blue and green metallic thread woven into it. With no fastenings it looks loose which is ideal for tucking into shorts and skirts.

 This is one of my favorite dresses. I bought it from vintage shop Cow last year. I love it because no one else owns it, or anything like it at all, it is nipped in round the waist which makes it very flattering. I tend to wear this in the day, and it is perfect for winter or summer. In winter, it looks great with a leather jacket, black tights and some heeled Chelsea boots, whereas in the summer it looks perfect with a pair of pastel socks and some brogues.

 I got this sweatshirt from a tiny vintage shop in Sheffield. Was only £10 and i wear it all the time...I practically lived in it at the festival i went to earlier this year!

 This scarf i found in a charity shop near where i live. It was about £1. This scarf goes with everything! Its incredibly useful and can turn a dull outfit of jeans and a T-shirt, into a proper ensemble. I wear it all the time, and sure it will follow me into much later life!

 These are a few objects in my room. I found both flower pots in a charity shop when i was about 10. Then recently i have filled them with fake flowers myself to create lovely arrangements to go in my room. The girl on the bench is sort of vintage, I won her at a fair when i was 3. I have loved this ornament so much ever since then and its got a few chips in it now, making it look extremely vintage!

DVC- ID Magazine cover

For a recent DVC (Design and Visual Communication) project, we were asked to design a magazine cover. I chose to use ID magazine for the layout and inspiration for my photos and theme. The basis of the theme was ‘Royal Rebellion’. This is because of the impending Jubilee; I thought it would be relevant. To stick with this theme, I decided I wished my model to be wearing lots of jewellery, especially rings. 

 Image development-1

I like this picture because I think that it has a good impact when you look at it with the facial expression which my model is using. However I chose not to use it because it is unclear that the model was lying on the ground and so the hair and necklace placement look a bit strange and also just by having her face and hands I don’t think the image is strong enough to make a big enough impact. It also doesn’t reflect my theme of ‘Royal rebellion’ to be best ability to which it could. 

 Image development-2

I really like the icey tones and colours which I have used on this image after I took it. However I think that the actual pose of the picture is quite dull and it doesn’t make a very strong impact. The jewellery which can be seen however I think looks very effective and you can see it clearly. For a cover like ID however, I don’t think it makes enough of a statement.  

 Image development-3

This image is actually very similar to Image 2, but with an extended elbow. Although this image is slightly more interesting than image 2, I think that the placement of the elbow makes it look like the page is a bit split up, which can make the eye wander to parts of the page which aren’t very interesting. I do like the colours which are used on this image however, none of the picture is in focus particularly and so none of it stands out and it wouldn’t make much of an impression on an ID cover. 

 Image development-4

This was another image which I was actually quite keen on using. This is because the expression in the models face has a lot more impact and the picture is a bit stronger. Also ID magazine use a lot of black and white on their covers, and so this could be very representative of their brand. I chose not to use it because I don’t like how the elbows are cut off as the hands look as though they appear from nowhere and it distorts the image quite a lot. Also for greyscale to work, the image has to be especially strong and this picture needed to have more impact. 

 Image development-5

I like the colours on this image because they are just the heightened real colours of the actual model and jewellery etc. Also I like the fact that in incorporates the ‘smile and a wink’ which is a part of their brand. However I don’t think that it reflects royal rebellion particularly well and the wink looks more sexy than cheeky and slightly royal which was the look I had intended for. Also for using such bold but standard colours, the picture would have to be far more polished than it is and I didn’t feel I could achieve this with this picture. 

Chosen Design
The ring which is most in focus is a vintage jewelled ring, which I think represents the theme well. I chose this picture to represent the theme best because it stands out from a standard face shot, as the face is not in focus, it means that all the emphasis is on the hand with the rings. Because of the punch pose, the picture has a great impact when you first look at it. I think that it makes more of an impression than some of the other just facial shots which I have chosen to show as part of my development. I chose to use ID as the magazine because their front covers are often quite a simple shot with a very simple background and this picture represents this well. The ‘Rebellion’ part of ‘Royal Rebellion’ is also shown by the punching pose because this shows a forcefulness to the picture and it is something which you would not expect to see from a royal. ID magazine also have a section to their Facebook account called ‘A smile and a wink’, and I have tried to incorporate the wink element to this by covering one of the eyes with her fist.

Sew English

 As as Fashion and Textile student, I am not only interested in apparel, but also am very passionate about the Textile industry, including soft furnishings. I have come across a company called Sew English. They make handmade cushions throws and pillows which make statements. Each cushion and pillow, is hand cut, hand sewn, using organic cotton and Eco-felt (which is made out of recycled plastic). The statements on the cushions are sarcastic, funny and very lighthearted and would make a perfect addition to any room.

 Brilliant, I love them!

Fashion Olympics

With the fast approaching Olympic Games (Wait what...they're in London this year. who knew!?) Many fashion retailers are changing styles and incorporating the theme into stores. Whether it be actual products or VM, Olympia spirit is shining through!

H&M have been one of the retailers to give their VM a sporty makeover, with gymnast inspired outfits on mannequins hanging of gym rings.
Sports lux has been around for a while in the fashion industry, and looks as though it is here to stay throughout the duration of the games. You can look like a sparkly, geo-printed Olympic athlete, whilst watching the games from the comfort of the home/bar/pub. Excellent spirit!

Even our favorite royal, The Duchess of Cambridge,  has donned an Olympic themed necklace. The necklace is from Cartier, and is £49,000. The beautiful necklace, with 18K, three-gold and paved in diamond, features five intertwined circles of pink, yellow and white gold, to symbolize the rings. Kate has owned the necklace for some-time and is not an official Olympic item. She wore it however to an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, displaying portraits of athletes.

I especially love the preppy outfits designed by Ralph Lauren for the USA Olympic team for the opening and closing ceremonies. The men will wear double breasted Navy jackets, with the Ralph Lauren logo on each side, and the Women will wear knee length white skirts and scarfs the shades of the American flag. The outfits look extremely crisp and there is no mistaking where the athletes will be from. A collection of accessories and jewelry has been designed to go alongside the outfits, to be warn throughout the games.