The two Olivers

Ollie Proudlock: Artist, designer and owner of some mean muscles (Erm, I bet you didn't expect the latter). You may or may not remember my trip to his Serge DeNimes pop-up store last December where I perused the rails of t-shirts and sweaters and posed awkwardly beside him. Well he's now teamed up with the luxury shoe company Oliver Sweeney for a mini selection of fetching chukka boots and high-tops that encapsulate Proudlock's style in a way that we can now all experience ourselves.  Although these are designed for men, the leopard print ones have kindly been made in women's sizes too, which is just as well because who doesn't want a pair of leopard print trainers?

Below I've put together his and her outfits showing how the Oliver Sweeney X Oliver Proudlock shoes could be worn with Serge DeNimes t-shirts and accessories (and slim fit jeans and a Miu Miu mini leather skirt)

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at one with nature

blouse Topshop; shorts Aspesi

Birds, they fly through the light peaceful air,

singing songs of serenity
one moment perched on a blossoming branch,
next visiting here and there

Hi there ladybird, wondering along my finger,
with your presence that's always pleasing
a charming combination of red and black,
how I could I be disgusted by your linger?

Good afternoon, butterflies, socialising amongst the flowers,
your wings are like works of art
A pretty feature under the clear blue sky,
I could sit with you all for hours

Ah Spring and Summer, don't you just love them? Equally as charming are statement accessories full of character and colour. You can always count on Tatty Devine for super fun jewellery and their Spring Summer collection is no exception. I believe they have captured the essence of that time of the year well and I can't think of anything better than a lady bird permanently attached to my finger.

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Levi's x Liberty love

I am naturally in love with anything Liberty related. Every time I walk through the doors of the Regent Street store, I take a moment to appreciate my surroundings and think about what it would be like to live inside. I'd survive on chocolates from their chocolate shop, sleep amongst their fabrics and homeware, and spend hours and hours trying on the delicious clothing and hats. Oh and of course, afternoon tea in their cafe would be a daily priority.

Liberty London's latest collaboration is with Levi's and, being somebody who borders between laid back tomboy and pretty girliness, it's a collaboration of perfection. Boyfriend jeans, shorts, a trucker vest and shirt have all been adorned with Carlin (a print reminiscent of garden flowers) and the dress and skirt which she covers with affection would be the loveliest addition to our new season wardrobes. You can see the full collection here.

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Shakuhachi.

We all have our opinions on the delicious shininess of Burberry Prorsum's Spring Summer collection and the intergalactic disco ambience at Jonathan Saunders but, whatever our take on the so-called sci-fi trend, we should all take a moment to at least glance at what Shakuhachi has install for Australia's 2014 summer.

I wonder what the perfect planet would be like. Earth has its perks but I'm sure it could be better. If looking at Jessie White's planet from up in space through the Willy Wonka-style glasses present in this collection (which, for the record, are totally awesome), it's a pleasantly decorated planet with pretty flowers and warm weather. The sneakers and bomber jacket represent the care-free, casual mindsets of its inhabitants who do not take themselves too seriously. And the backpacks only mean they are outgoing as there is no time for laziness in the world of Shakuhachi. The structured tops make for a structured society. There's no flaws, no chaos, no bombings or fears of a nuclear attack; everything's happily in its place. The shimmering explosions of the necklaces symbolise the fun atmosphere and the mermaid-like sparkles are like the beauty of both the scenery and the population's personalities. The patch of zebra print found on one of the dresses can only mean animals are present here too and the sweatband style headbands? Well seeing as this is a planet of perfection, it can be home to Rafa Nadal too. Hmm, I don't know. Maybe I should just leave thoughts on this collection with you.

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Coachellalala

Top Etsy; Shorts Alexander Wang; DIY daisy chain belt; Boots Modern Vice Jetts; Necklace Forever 21; Bracelets Joya/ Sundance; Bag Ralph Lauren; Sunglasses Sheriff & Cherry

If Glastonbury is the king of festivals then Coachella is the queen. Set in a beautiful location surrounded by mountains and Californian palm trees, full of glamour and the 'coolest' of people and always, always consisting of an incredible lineup, it is no wonder that it's all repeated the following weekend in order to make sure people don't feel left out. I'm not going. Oh a girl can dream. But I can sit in my living room and put together a Coachella-inspired moodboard and an imaginary outfit which would be worn whilst dancing around to Blur so I guess I'm not missing out on much.

I tried not to make it as cliche as possible but boho-chic, sun-kissed beauty and lots and lots of rock 'n' roll is all that I can picture when thinking of the festival and therefore it had to be transferred onto the pictures below and the outfit above.

All photos taken from Pinterest, Tumblr, Weheartit, Asos Marketplace

MBFWA: Camilla
Coincidentally, Camilla's latest collection showcased in Sydney this week could not be more suited for this occasion. Bohemian prints and exotic colours danced within the floaty maxi-skirts, dresses and loose-fitted tops, while positively embracing hippy life. The accessorising  of a crown and bowler hat only made me further wish that it was possible to whisk Camilla Frank's creations off to Indio with me right this moment.

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lazy monday

Sweater Urban Outfitters; Jeans Current/Elliott; Necklace Joya; Bracelet Flash Trash Girl; Bag Valentino; Shoes Converse

The sound of the alarm going off in the morning is like the sound of vexatious devils calling you to the pits of hell. Opening the bedroom curtains is like opening a gate to your deepest, darkest nightmares and when moving around the house preparing yourself for the day, energy levels are as a high as a flimsy zombie with no notion of what is meant to be going on. For many, Monday's suck. No matter how hard you try to shun the emotion away, the feeling of complete laziness takes over and the statement 'I just can't be bothered' becomes a motto of your day. Therefore, there is nothing more sartorially satisfying that throwing on an oversized sweater, a pair of comfy boyfriend jeans (see cheaper version here) and scruffy, over-worn converses to see in the new week.

For me, however, every day is a weekend as I'm still on my Easter holidays which means I can wake up to coconut pancakes with fresh fruit and stay in my pajamas until four in the afternoon whether it's a Monday, a Thursday or Saturday. Bliss. 

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eye eye, captain

Sweater Kenzo; Trousers Joseph; Bracelet Sydney Evan; Ring Shine; Boots Missguided

I spy with my little eye something beginning with...
There is always something by Kenzo placed towards the top of imaginary wishlist. Whether it's shoes, cap, or an item of clothing, it always seems to appeal to me. For autumn winter 2013, Carol Lim and Humberto Leon are once again the force behind a statement sweater that's distinctive at first glimpse (or capture from street style photographers...) and this time has the capability of warding off malevolent spirits. Does anybody remember Alexa Chung's evil eye nails? That's the first thing that sprung into my mind when revisiting the sweater and then I thought "hey, let's hunt out some jewellery to match"...

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April wanders

Residents of country life will most probably take pleasure in walks out in the open air any time of the year but, if like me and you live near fields, there's always something a lot more enjoyable about taking wanders in between April showers when the grass is a minefield of puddles and another gush of rain could descend from the seemingly sunny sky at any given moment without warning. I still find as much ample delight in the squelching sound of mud beneath my wellies as I did as a kid and I still see the fun in sliding about on an unexpected patch of slush. But these quintessentially British times cause for a go-to outfit and who better to rely on than Barbour for a shirt and jacket? Holland Cooper for a scarf? (it's still bound to be nippy out there...) And Hunter for wellies? A cute Jo Gordon beanie would fit in there perfectly too.


DRESS TARTAN
Yes, the two above items from Barbour are taken from their latest 'dress tartan' collection. You may have seen the beautiful women behind the likes of Wish Wish Wish, What Olivia Did and Dearest Deer show us how some of the items can be worn on a day-to-day basis as part of the 4 Ways in 4 Days feature and if that's not a way to desirably advertise a collection then I don't know what is ;-)

With Barbour being very British and tartan also having very British qualities to it, the collection is then made up of the most perfect pairing and one which I am especially fond of. With the brand being renowned for their jackets, it's refreshing to see that I am also drawn to the shirts, dresses and polo shirts- something which usually I wouldn't pay much attention to.

While on the topic of countryside musings, did anybody read about Tom Daley's 'micro pig' which everybody including newspapers and 'Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway' believed to be real when it was in fact an ornament? I think he deserves the award for the best April fools trick.

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dungarees, spring-style

Right, I give in. I can't resist it any longer. I know it's still freezing cold, there's still flurries of snow outside and I'm still indulging in too many hot chocolates with whipped cream but it is supposed to be Spring and my mind has firmly switched to Spring mode, which means I can't help but fantasize about pretty pastel clothing, bike rides beside smiling daffodils and SUNSHINE.

You may be aware that dungarees are very much an 'in' thing at the moment but I love the short style ones (i.e. legs not down to ankles) and always have done. To me they are a cute young girl who loves hyper actively exploring and climbing trees; they are that female who's still stuck in the 90's, wearing her's over over-worn Breton stripes or full on edginess; they are definitely not burly men hard at work. I also think they are perfect attire for Spring and would look flattering with a pair of blossoming A-Morir sunglasses or delicate hues.

Whilst looking through Anrealage's Fall 2013 collection (showcased at Tokyo fashion week earlier this week) for a second time, I realised that this is the same Japanese brand that I mentioned back in October. Although this collection is less rave and more granny mixed with school girl, (A bit of a juxtaposition but, hey, this is Japan and there's a first for everything here) it's clear that Kunihiko Morinaga loves playing with light. What's captivating this time is the way that the clothing, made from fabric covered in photochromic dye, transform from a wintery (almost bland) white into powerful pastels as shown below in no time at all when exposed to intense light. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the weather here in England could transform that drastically? Because I'd think we'd all like that very much.

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bags and stories and Wednesday afternoon musings

I came across these bags from Bottletop  whilst reading Style Marmalade and I really hope Victoria from the blog doesn't mind me in a sense steeling her idea for a post but Bottletop's creations are so innovative and commendable that I feel they deserve the extra recognition.

The idea of transforming junk into 'fashion', to me, is GCSE art lessons and dresses made out of used crisp packets but at Bottletop it couldn't be further from that. The bags (as you may have guessed) are made from bottle tops and not only do they look incredibly effective but there's a good cause behind it too with the money raised being put towards the Bottletop foundation. What does that entail? The foundation supplies young women from developing countries with the education and skills needed for them to positively take control of their lives.

Above you can see the one of my favourites worn with a Topshop dress, Kenzo jacket, Maui Mari ocean jewellery necklace and Abigail Lorick Oxfords. The transparent shoes (yes, transparent. A pretty cool, unique touch to the classic oxfords, don't you agree?) can be found at & Other Stories. If you're yet to know about this newly opened store, where have you been? No, don't worry. If you are yet to know about & Other Stories (H&M's richer sister) then, to put it quite simply, it's probably going to be your new favourite store. Think high-street price range of  Zara, COS, Reiss but with its own individuality as, instead of relying on the fashion trends that are found everywhere, the brand's collections are based around four 'stories' that will evolve season to season.

I hope everyone's having a lovely week. My coursework is all complete and I've finished school for two weeks so you could say it's a slight understatement to say I am happy :-)

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Hey Mickey...

Wooahhh, Mickey Mouse overload. Whether in Paris, Florida, on the streets or on Etsy (where all the above items are found), Mickey sure gets around. When I saw him beaming and proud as part of an amorous street style outfit during fashion month, I became inspired to search the web for other ways of making the icon fit in with various stylings. I needn't have looked far though as Etsy really does have everything for all your Mickey needs. A crop top to fit in with a grungy look...check; A tote bag for beach walks...check; A ring- both simplistically modern and traditionally adorable...check; Cutesy earrings and necklace...check; My happiness...check.

Also, on a totally unrelated note, who's yet to hear The Strokes' new album 'Come Down Machine'? What? you? what are you waiting for? It's streaming on their official website now and, dude, it's seriously rad.

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Valentino AW13

To me, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccoli have designed-up the perfect Valentino woman. She's the epitome of Italian beauty; elegant and tasteful with pleasing character. She wonders down the cultured side-streets,passing flourishing flowers that beautify the pathway like an afternoon rainbow captivating eyes with its blend of dreamy colours. She's filled with classic aesthetics but mixes her traditional artiness with fresh modernity and there's always pride in her appearance- whether that be her neatly plaited hair or the numerous feminine dresses layered over pristine shirts.

My shamefully appallingly edited pictures are back! (let's just say it adds a 'personal' touch to these posts) But it really had to be done. As I was scrolling through Valentino's autumn winter collection for the first time, I knew immediately it was probably my favourite from the fashion weeks. There's a graceful charm surrounding it which makes the dresses all the more desirable and, to put it simply, contains pretty much everything I look for in clothing. The only downside (apart from the price, of course) is I'm becoming even more jealous of my bro and mum's weekend to Venice in the next couple of months because wearing something similar to this while floating peacefully down the river before a meal of authentic Italian food would be perfetto, no?

all photos taken from style.com and vogue.com

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#PFW

As mentioned in a post not so long ago, there are two styles of collections that seize my attention. Issey Miyake's (above) and Saint Laurent (below) definitely fall into the "mmm I'm just going to sit and lust over these" category. What I love about Issey Miyake's is the fun playfulness- The blocking, the bright colours, the stripes. There is an air of formality to it with the tailored trousers and shirts but these are smothered in optimism- a happy-go-lucky mindset that dampens any stress of a boring day's work. With the models strutting their stuff with grins on their faces, how could you not possibly smile too?

 Hedi Slimane, over at Saint Laurent, knows how to supply daywear for a girl who likes her grunge. The autumn winter collection is also perfect for those laid back, 'California cool', effortless days that pretty much rule my life.

Plaid shirts, slouchy cardigans, leather, glitter, rugged denim, pretty dresses and a duffle coat. OK, so it's not traditional Yves Saint Laurent but, name aside, I love it. Do you?

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print galore

Let's go on a journey. A journey lead by OTT prints, vivacious colours and fashion week frenzy.
We begin in the present day, in an age where lipstick is a necessity for young women everywhere. So much so that it's no longer just an item for your lips, oh no, thanks to Holly Fulton and her exciting, innovative prints, lipstick now has the ability to beautify shirts, jackets, dresses, even trousers.

We then revert back to pop art. To a period of POW explosions and in-your-face boldness. Having spent eight years away from the runway, Tom Ford certainly made his return with a bang- grabbing my attention with the lively patterns or, in particular, the gold, gleaming hoodie which combines casualness with glamour and some kind of tiger-like print. BOOM.

But if we are going back in time we might as well pay a visit to the hippy era and transport ourselves into a psychedelic, hallucinatory whirlpool of positivity. It may be winter but one would never believe it  if meeting with these eccentric characters from Iceberg.
When looking through the collections during fashion month, there are always two kinds which I'm drawn to. The ones that I scroll through and continuously find myself saying the words 'oh my god, I want that' because everything is so perfect and well-suited for a place in my imaginary wardrobe and then the ones that are more artistic and just fun to look at. These fall into the latter and although 'prints' are something you see time and time again I believe they can never get boring because they can constantly be reinvented into something unique, as Holly Fulton has confidently proven.

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camouflage.

AW13

Oh look, another Topshop camouflage jacket. YAWN.
Camo is becoming a bit of a mundane sight these days but if there's one designer who has the ability to revitalise the print into something exciting then it's Christopher Kane. Alongside the scraggly fabrics, the beaded embellishments and the structured, wire-like detailing was camouflage in a fresh powerful blue and flattening metallics. Yup, once again Christopher's clothing has captured my heart.

Also showing their take on the trend was Marques Almeida whose denim engrossed collection, with rugged raw edges and carefree mentality, has supplied us with a grungy option courtesy of the oversized tees. So desirable. I am sorry if my blogging is quiet and irregular at the moment but I am without a laptop (TIP: Don't spill water over the keyboard) Please stay with me!!

AW13

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knit overload

There was once a time when knitting was seen as the work of the granny. When the image of knitting would be said granny sat contently in her living room, her hands moving fast and furiously as she produces a scarf, hat, maybe even a jumper that will be given as a gift and never worn. Knitting was laughed at by youngsters. It was a seen as a boring hobby for old people. Not cool. I'm eighteen and I'd love to start getting into knitting, especially when designers like Sid Bryan, Joe Bates and Cozette McCreery (the crew behind Sibling) bring out a fun, crazy side to knitting that's far from the stereotypical ideas of what knitwear involves.

Paired with sneakers, it's more youth than elderly and with the extreme thickness wrapped around the arms and neck, Sister by Sibling's autumn winter installment is a collection made for winter, not just a collection that will be labelled with the 'autumn winter' tag. Sure, many of the items are unlikely to be a real consumer hit but it looks exciting on the runway and I like that.

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#NYFW

A city dweller, an urban rambler

a lover of the lights, a lover of the sights

the buildings are her heartbeat, keeping her senses alive

the streets are her catwalk of which she owns with every stride

She is not troubled by a single thing, her attitude's calm and content

she's a skyscraper of style with a skyline of ambitions

strengthened by the inspiration from a land that never sleeps

I'd love my wardrobe to be filled with clothes from Rebecca Minkoff (above) and Rag and Bone (below) who have city style down to a tee. For days when 'dressing up' seems a chore and slipping on a pair of rugged jeans, a nonchalant form of knitwear and a slick jacket adorned with leather seems much more to your taste, these Fall collections could not be more fitting.

Having been a young child who enjoyed playing in mud, skateboarding and football as much as I did socialising with my Barbies, there are still moments in my life where I take delight in letting out my inner tomboy. Thankfully, with the help of these collections, if ever in doubt I know I can turn to Rebecca's and Rag and Bone's creations as the perfect source of inspiration.

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Acknowledge these accessories

Place a statement necklace over your head or around your neck and an outfit can automatically look all the more endearing. Pop in a pair of dazzling earrings and your appearance may look all the more beautiful. Put an attractive ring on your finger and hands immediately become all the more appealing to look at. Yep, aren't accessories great?

Shourouk and Lulu Frost are both brightening up these cold, dismal, wintry days with the toasty orange and vibrant purple and Florence Welch has warmed up my heart (just like she does with her goddess vocals) with her Flotique jewellery range. Light chains stream down like picturesque waterfalls and geometric shapes adorn the ends, inspiration taken from her album Ceremonials. A bird cage is present too, in the form of a silvery ring, for that vintage, Flo touch that I can't help but feel affection for. I love Florence and I love her style and I love the fact she's created her own jewellery collection even more. Keep them coming please!!

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robot love

I've always perceived robots to be a fairly masculine style of species...until Patricia Chang's Spring Summer collection entered my life. She's a relatively new designer (by that I mean I am only aware of two collections) situated in the heart of New York and it was whilst scrolling through blogger Margaret Zhang's beautiful Instagram photos that I decided to check Chang out.

The pretty girlishness of the light dresses and skirts combined with the fun quirkiness of the robot motifs equals an excitable me. And please don't get me started on the jewellery. It was the only the other day when I was (perhaps randomly) searching for robot necklaces so imagine the delight when my eyes met these...

Now please excuse me while I lust over the above and dream-up a summer Central Park picnic with these robots in my company (an occasion which the collection is made for)

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Emma Mulholland appreciation

Do you like my work of art? This is what snow days consists of.

The other night I dreamt that myself and Roger Federer were really good friends. We were having a much-needed catch-up and laughing and joking together. Then, as he was leaving wherever it was we were, I ran up to him and gave him the biggest hug one could ever give. Despite that dream, I really wanted Andy Murray to reach the final of the Aussie Open and, when he did, I couldn't have been happier/more impressed.

BUT NOVAK DJOKOVIC IS SUPER HUMAN and, although Murray began the match like he could easily be number one, it takes more than a challenge to beat Djokovic. Sigh.

Anyway, I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to once again express my adoration for the Australian designer Emma Mulholland. If you're an avid reader of my blog (thank you so much) then you would have read me rave about her previous two collections. The clothing's easily wearable and easy to style yet at the same time there's a distinctive quality to it that, at first glance, you know is an Emma Mulholland creation. It's also full of colour and I love colour and caps have also been included in the collections- caps which look really good.

Ok, I can't afford any of these things but if I could I know I would have to resist the urge to buy everything. 

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