5 Trends that are Back for Winter '14

Autumn/Winter 2013 brought us some lovely gems on the runways and on the high street. It was the best winter season for many years in general for the fashion industry. Although I certainly to not always follow the common trends and fads, it is clear to see that a few things have returned to A/W14. 

The cut-out boot was made very popular by high-end fashion house Balenciaga last year with those amazing patent leather boots, pictured above (first). With a product as loved and coveted by many, soon all the high-street shops took the idea and have run with it this year. Topshop, Missguided, and even Primark have made their own versions, all of which are indeed very impressive. 

It goes by many names, such as the polo and roll neck, but the turtle neck has come back again this year, bigger and better than ever! These high-neck garments have always been popular in one era or with one age group from one time to another, and it just so turns out the loved polo neck has hit the highstreets again this winter.

Tartan was probably the most remembered trend of winter last year, and it has returned for sure. Not particularly in the classic red and green print, but definitely in sister-pattern checks and gingham. I've seen many beautiful tartan skirts out and about, therefore, I would have to put them on the list of returning winter trends for AW14!

The fedora, wide-brimmed, and any felt hat in any form has come storming back this year. I am defiantly not a hat person, but I have seen many people rocking these classic hats, especially bloggers, this year after their rise to popularity last year. They're not particularly a winter item exclusively, but are good for the rainy weather here in Britain! 

This rather androgynous jacket, made popular in the late 80's and early 90's, appeared in some luxury's brands AW13campaign last year. This year, nearly every high-street shop has been selling their version, and not just in the mens departments. Check, floral, waterproof, leather - you name it, its out there! I'm sure every one can find their perfect casual jacket in this cool piece. 

Ladies First: Chanel SS15 Show Review

First and foremost, I must sincerely apologise for my lack of posts. I would say that only now I have got back into the swing of school. But being that it is now half-term, I hope to be posting a few more things during this week.

The fashion weeks are long over now, but the shows and the clothes have not left our memories. Of the four prominent fashion weeks, Paris is my favourite. I feel they Paris is still the fashion capital, and despite being English, I think the Parisian's have a slight edge on the Londoners. The most looked forward to show of maybe even the whole fashion month, was Chanel's show. Chanel is without a doubt the most famous brand in high-end luxury fashion, always conveying an image of elegance, forward thinking, yet overshadowed with heritage.

Chanel's ss15 show completely and utterly blew me, and I'm sure the majority of the fashionista's all over the world, out of the water. This show, to me, will stick out in the memory for years to come. I thought Chanel's aw14 show was amazing, but this was something else.

The first aspect of the show I will talk about is the layout. They had made the Grand Pailais, Paris, look like a Parisian Avenue, decking it with huge theatres sets looking like houses and the floor was made to look like a road. Chanel, as always, paid immense attention to even the smallest of things to make this look realistic, even going to the extremes of making puddles on the pavement. To add to this marvel, the building it is in is lovely enough as it is. Combined, made one the most beautiful yet extravagant fashion show sets I've ever seen.

The second thing I will talk about, is of course the reason we are here, the clothes. The models were decked out in slouchy suit made of colourful and garish tweed of browns, lilacs, pinks and reds, with the appearance of some grey and green. The outfits came across mismashed, but in the best possible way to say the least. They were casual and quirky, while still holding the couture ambiance Chanel radiate.

It was coloursful and gordy to say the least, but presented in such a laid back and fun way, that itstill pulled of a certain amount of charm.

As the clothes are normally my favourite part of a show, I would leave it for last, but this was not the case this time.  The presentation, layout and thought process impressed me more than the clothes in this show ever will. The show was based around the feminist movement, promoting of equality of both genders and abolishing typical women stereotyping.

The show started off quite differently to most shows. The model arrangement was scattered, and casual; models walking down casually talking to the model beside them. After that, the models walked down in bigger groups, and I think it was then that the audience realised something big was going to happen. Then, the grand finale: the final walk.

All the models came storming through this mock Parasian street, bearing sign's of feminist slogans like 'Ladies First' and 'History is Her Story'. The few of the models, such as Cara Delivinge held loud speakers while shouting: this was a protest, in the most brilliant way.

Fashion can come across a quite a shallow and vain thing, therefore, I absolutely when socialism, human rights and politics comes into it. Being a feminist myself, I loved this show because of the core ethics behind this show.

Feminist or not, I think everyone can appreciate this show as being unique, empowering, and a breath of fresh air from the everyday fashion show.

September Favourites

1. Topshop  2.Rag and Bone  3.Vintage  4. Monki

1. Iosselliani  2.Topshop  3. Madewell  4.Skagen

Kindle Fire HD (2013)

As I said in my previous post about the lovely gifts I received for my birthday, my main gift was a Kindle Fire. I never ever thought I'd be the kind to buy want a tablet, let alone a Kindle, but I am most definitely converted! If you want a versatile tablet such as the iPad but want something more affordable, I'd recommend this brilliant item. 

       The Body Shop's Warming Mineral Face Mask

      If I am not mistaken, a few months I featured a Superdrug face mask in
      my favourites. All I can say, is that one has been thrown out the 
      window. This one is all together much gentler, kinder and 
      better for those with more sensitive skin. The consistency can be a bit
      unpredictable, but the mask itself is brilliant. It leaves my skin feeling 
      refreshed and extremely soft. Plus, being of such a reputable brand, 
      it's all natural. 

London Fashion Week: In a nutshell

London Fashion Week, number two of the big four, is now over. It was long anticipated, and it did not disappoint one bit. Designers, celebrities and fashion lovers alike had been long waiting for this week, and what a week it was! 

Bora Aksu was one of the first collections to walk down the catwalk this year. There wasn't an obvious theme throughout, but there was a running fabric: netting. The majority of outfits had at least one panel of netting or lace in it, which uniquely pulled the pieces together. The colours used were white, baby pink, ice blue, navy, black and once appearance of bright purple. With the frequent use of lace, comes an almost overwhelming sense of heritage, even for new designer and brand. 

Julien Macdonald, long time designer and now a ex-strictly contestant, brought us absolutely flawless collection this year. It was intricate, sleek, and detailed. With many of the dresses screaming bridal, there was beading, lace, stitching and everything any one with a love of fine couture would want. 

I obviously could not go through this post and not mention the fabulous Margaret Howell and her ss15 collection. It was nothing particularly different to any other Howell collection, but if it's not broken, don't fix it. Neutral tones and strong tailoring made for a very British,  androgynous show, which was a refreshing change from the ever so detailed and sparkly couture as of late.

Topshop Unique, on Day 3 was another big show that many people were looking forward too, not just because of the clothes, but because of lead model Cara Delevingne 's walk. The collection was very contradictory: parts of it being beautiful and delicate, other parts preppy, and other areas sporty! It was a strong collection that stood out for me with its undeniable versatility. 

The wonderful Erdem gave us another brilliant collection, that has been widely covered by the media and blogs alike. The majority having aspects of nature and foliage in it; this collection was varied and very different from all the runway shows. Not to mention the amazing showmanship of the stage. Every aspect of Erdem ss15 was beautiful and perfectly executed.

 Chrisopher Kane's collection was by no means a typical S/S collection. Full of dark colours and heavy textures, this collection would have been far more suited to an A/W, but nonetheless suitable in a place like Scotland, where Christopher Kane is from. One repeating thing we saw was the use of rope, otherwise known as macramé. He used in a beautiful way which enhanced the pieces it was on to no end. With the uses of silk and satin, this was a luxurious collection, but no-one would expect anything less.

Pre-Fashion Week Thoughts

Fashion week(s) is technically the biggest and most crucial part of the year for designers, bloggers, fashion photographers, and fashion spectators alike. Its where designers eventually show their collections which they have been working on for months, and finally find out what the industry thinks. It's when bloggers are eagerly watching in real life or online for the shows, and are writing reviews on their blogs and social media. It's when fashion photographers wait outside shows for models and famous watchers to take a quick snap of their outfits, and it's when the whole fashion industry, from every corner of the planet are united in watching the next season's collections. 

Fashion week isn't popular with everyone, however. Many people think it is a very vain, put-on time of the year when a lot of people gather to watch meaningless drivel - but high fashion is rarely favoured by the outside world anyway.

New York  

This Thursday, which is the 4th September 2014, New York Fashion Week starts off with a Nicholas K show. And so follows a whole eight days of shows, presentations, meet and greets, and backstage parties. New York has a few shows which I am excited for, but not half as many as London and Paris, but of course that is personal preference. The few shows in which I look forward to coming out are Lacoste, DKNY's, and a couple smaller brands such as Tome and VivienneTam. 

London 

London Fashion Week which starts on Friday, September 12th, is only five days long. The 'week' is kicked off by J.JS Lee's show at 10:00 am that Friday morning. I have high hopes for London, as on the Sunday (14th) has some very strong shows which I can't wait for, such as: Mulberry, Topshop Unique, Paul Smith, Margaret Howell  as well as the big name Vivienne Westword, and some smaller shows such as Toga, David Koma and Belstaff. I think this could be a big one, so keep your eyes peeled. 

Milan 

Milan out of the big 4, has to be my least favourite. Despite this, I will not go in pessimistically. Milan's fashion week which starts on the 17th of September until the 22nd, has a few big headline runners. I can't say there are even any shows which I am anxiously champing at the bit to see, but I'm sure they will pull it out of the bag, as per usual. 

Paris 

Because Paris for some reason still is 'home' for haute couture in my eyes, this is my favourite show which I genuinely cannot wait for. Paris Fashion Week which starts on Tuesday 23rd right up until the 1st of October, has some huge names showing, as usual. Celine, Dries Van Noten, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Sain Laurent, Stella McCartney, Lavin, and the list goes on and on. I am indeed most excited for Paris, and I reckon we are going to have some simply amazing shows this year.

So here we have, a month jam packed with fashion in all its fullness. I think this year is going to be simply stunning, but when is it not? I will write a review in a months time. Here goes. 

Mini Haul: ft. Charity Shops and Beauty

July Favourites

1. Etsy  2. Asos  3.Asos  4. Topshop

1. Opening Ceremony  2.Shark  3.Asos  4.DKNY

Superdrug's own De-Stressing Aloe Vera Mud Mask

I have by no means got acne, but I do get breakouts quite frequently. I thought it would be a good idea to buy a face mask to eliminate my breakouts. I bought this mud mask from Superdrug, and my feelings toward has changed with use. The first time I wore it, I kept it on for tha amount of time instructed, and after only five minutes, my face was burning. When I took it off after 15 full minutes, my skin was left red, sore, and extremely warm. I decided I must have kept it on too long. Next time I used it, I kept it on for only 5 minutes, and my skin was left feeling very soft and clear. This is a good product, but is obviously very strong, so if you buy it, take this into consideration.


Scheckter's Organic Energy Drink

I think this must be the first edible thing I have included in my favourites, as I am by no means a food or drink expert. The energy drink market is obviously very popular, but most of the drinks available are filled with horrid chemicals and a common animal product Taurine. This energy drink is completely different to all in its category, as it is 100% organic, natural, and vegan. It labels itself as 'berry flavour', when to me its taste is primarily pomegranate. You can find this is most supermarkets and health stores, as well as Boots which is where I found it.

3 Picks: American Apparel

American Apparel has been a huge brand for a little while now. They have grown in popularity very quickly, and currently seems the be the 'cool' place to buy clothes. Their very simple, kind of 90's looks have sparked interest with fashionistas all over the world; not just America. They have some very lovely bits and pieces for all styles and ages. Here are my top 5 favourite items from American Apparel.com!

The Grid Print Lolita Set

Colours: Black/White

Price: $88.00/£51.41 
(together, also available separately)


In the very playful cut but very minimal print, this Lolita inspired two-set is a great summer set. On the expensive side, but could be worn many ways. 

Medium Wash High-Waist Jean

Colours: stone wash

Price: $90.00/£52.58

I loved Mom jeans way before they were in fashion, and although I believe Thrift Shops are the best place to get them, if second-hand isn't your jam, then I think American Apparel offer a good substitute. 

Tennis Skirt

Colours: white/black/red/peach/navy/cream (more)

Price: $54.00/£31.55

The rather famous and widely copied Tennis Skirt has been extremely popular over the past few weeks. In my opinion, rather short, but nothing a pair of cycling shorts couldn't handle.