SERENA, SERENA, SERENA!!!

Blake Lively's shoot in October's Marie Claire UK.

  







I am now consumed with irrepressible hair/breast/face/jewel/lace/canine envy right now.

Fresh Meat

ADRIANA GLAVIANO

The Italian beauty has been popping up on The Satorialist's blog, among others and for good reason! The stunning cream and rust ensemble exquisitely echoes her striking complexion and that cream, linen(?), maxi shirt is most definitely on my lust-have list. Also, note the perfect execution of the DickHat.

GILLIAN ZINSER

Uncharacteristically sunny and Californ-I-A-clean for my usual taste but a gorgeous girl providing me with some interesting ensmebles nonetheless. She was described as fusing Erin Wasson's off-duty model cool with Sienna Miller's luxe-boho prime.

Sevson

Why, Chloe? I know I'm supposed to think her chop (which has admittedly been present for a good few months now) is so fabulously directional and make me instantly want to lop off my lengthy locks, but in truth, I just didn't get it initially and it hasn't grown on me in the slightest since.

Chloe's appeal: which for me has been unsurpassable since the tender age of fourteen, rests strongly on the fact that she never, ever looks contrived. One never gets the impression that she's worn something to fulfil her 'different' or 'quriky' label; evident in her choice of stunning evening wear, clothes that showcase her superb physique and, until her recent follicle folly, her long, thick and immaculately highlighted mane.



Her putting together of unique ensembles never seemed to be at a detriment to her femininity and it was this innate and elegant way of dressing herself that I think truly makes her such a crucial fashion renegade and a long-standing source of personal inspiration. Anyone can cut their hair in an unflattering style, pile layers of second hand clothing, wear some old boots and claim that this equates to their being 'unique' dressers; but does not a true, innate style icon make.



So, what of the hair? If Chloe's sense of style is soooo fantastic and original and unique and amazing then why is losing a few inches of her ends such a huge deal? If you've seen her in Kids you'll understand. For one blessed with so much, Ms. Sevigny does not have the most classically pretty of faces and hers is one that benefits hugely from great hair.



Issue of face-flattery aside, the long-line bob on the grounds that it, in my opinion makes Chloe look like she's trying, and therein lies my primary gripe. I haven't seen her look anywhere near as good since and I'm definitely not ready to kiss goodbye to one of my long-standing fashion heroes.

Please Chloe, get regrowing those ends and help me piece together the beautiful illusion I've always held of you, which is now shattering before my very eyes.

Melodramatic? Moi?

Wishing and Listing

One pair of black suede, wooden platform, chunky-heeled boots from Urban Outfitters.

My perfect DickHat

A few inexpensive, delicate maxi-separates.

Mulberry Bayswater in Oak

Thankfully, the month of November is completely overtaken by four crucial deadlines, preventing much expensive social activity so some of these may be a reality. I need to bite the bullet at purchase my Bayswater before I hemorrhage the £595 away on over-indulgent, non-studenty eats and intoxicants.

Feeling Sentimental

Probably due to this, Ben Toms's shots of 'London Couples' in issue seven of Vogue Hommes Japan are looking even more exquisite.

 Prime examples of the cliché: 'a picture tells a thousand words', Tom's shots encapsulated the strength, love and protection entwined within each relationship so effortlessly they made me stop and stare in my metaphorical online tracks. I'm fast becoming a huge fan of his work and these are some of the most intense and emotive captures of the power of partnership I've ever seen.

Here are a few that stood out to me, enjoy!

Vanya and Poli.

This one, my personal favourite of 'Jack and Janina' reminds me of a Victorian family painting. Her expression is so serene and incredibly beautiful. Probably doesn't hurt that the embellishment on that jumper is also divine.



Maeve and Jack



Danny and Letty: like a dysfunctional couple desperately trying to act composed for a posed portrait.

Little else to add.

"It's Not Vintage, Stupid, It's Second Hand"

I guess this is somewhat of an Ode.

After a year of being in Manchester I eventually sourced the most fantastic second hand shop. Boasting rails and rails of unwashed, un-organized and unpretentious cast offs, none of which are more than £3, it provides a refreshing oasis amidst the generally over-priced and over-hyped 'vintage' outlets in the Northern Quarter. A proper thrift shop, ran by a delightfully Mancunian ladette, pervaded by a musty odorous fug of damp, stale perspiration and the eighties. Heaven.

Tying and Dyeing Of An Evening

In aid of a DIY fashion 'How-To' I was doing for The Mancunian fashion section, and in lieu of two previous raucous nights of dancing and bad behaviour, Saturday evening was spent with my nearest and dearest, homemade Thai red curry and a packet of 'Smoke Grey' Dylon dye.

I realise its level of student cliché is only akin to that of baked beans, neon paint and Jeremy Kyle; but try not to immediately scoff at the power of the humble tie dye. A delightfully simple and inexpensive way of rejuvenating tired, forgotten and unloved garments that doesn't have to leave you looking like a crude, Halloween hippy. Subtle shades and more subdued patterns render the look decidedly more wearable, and it's not just one for the girls: flashes of the tied and dyed have been seen recently on the high street (as always, horrendously overpriced) at American Apparel and notably on the runway at the JW Anderson Menswear S/S show at London Fashion Week.

JW Anderson Menswear S/S 11

American Apparel

I simply used a plain, cotton, long-sleeved t-shirt (a steal for a pound from a huge second hand shop in the Northern Quarter), a sachet of Dylon hand dye in 'Smoke Grey', a ball of string, some salt and a pair of thoroughly unsuitable rubber gloves. A word to the wise, invest in some hardy Marigolds; I used a disposable latex pair from Wilkinson and my palms still resemble those of Violet Beauregarde, post blueberry gum binge.



Once Upon A Time there was a plain white t-shirt

One ball of string and about fifty knots later, 'Manil' the cloth man is born..

...providing endless hours of entertainment

Simply tie knots in the fabric in accordance to what pattern you wish to achieve, add the salt and dye to a bucket of hot water and submerge the fabric for half an hour, stirring, and ensuring that every inch is covered. Then simply remove, rinse thoroughly, untie the knots, leave to dry and marvel at your creation.

The proposal that full submersion or 'drowning' Manil was met with outrage and uproar from all assembled


It was a tearful goodbye..

Worlds most ineffective gloves.

The full submersion of Manil and the subsequent transformation
 of my hands from a pinky-white to a faded, inky grey

Post-dye, pre-rinse, a shadow of a Manil

Et Voila! One thoroughly inexpensive, undeniably unique, easy to do and ready to wear DIY fashion fix:

Now to submerge my hands in bleach for the next half hour..

Preparing For An Incredibly Unflattering Season

If Vogue's perennially reliable trend forecasts are anything to go by, for Spring/Summer 2011, the fashion faux-pas is in favour. Never have I seen a season where so many difficult, dangerous and frankly unappealing looks are en vogue. From tangerine being branded the shade du jour to the stump-creating, mid-calf length as the most important hem line, those of us not blessed with amazonian limbs and a year round golden-glow are not going to be so fortunate next season. Throw in a whole host of other neon colours and the assertion that to have hair 'current' enough for Spring/Summer we have to "cut it off" and it's enough to make me want to hibernate in a comfortable state autumn/winter monochrome uniformity forever.

However, with the early seventies declared as the era of inspiration, here's hoping we can expect some more wearable, appealing and frankly more flattering fashion essentials. Indeed, if the loose and chic tunics (notably at Marc Jacobs and Prada) are anything to go by, the fickle fashion world, may provide us with some floaty, forgiving pieces of our new season wardrobes. The recognition of the huge amount of white scattered liberally across the collections also bodes well; I would be over the moon if the stunning, edgy yet ethereal, pure yet provocative creations at D&G and Givenchy were to be replicated accurately on the high street.

Nonetheless, It seems to me a little oxymoronic to claim that this was a triumph for "women dressing women" (citing Stella, Phoebe Philo and Hannah MacGibbon as examples). Really, what woman looks and feels her best in an mid calf-length, tangerine smock, with her hair chopped to a mussed-up crop? Oh and don't forget the accents of neon.

The above immediately connotates a rather vibrant bag lady or an escaped mental patient andI don't see this as an unreasonable assertion on the part of my subconscious. None too promising thus far, if it were possible to have selected pretty much my least favourite aspects of all the collections, this trend report would have been it.

Vogue, don't let me down and fashion don't fail me now!

Almost Good Enough To Rival My Granny

As I sit here wrapped in my beautiful hand-knitted, ivory aran cardigan, I emphasise the almost.

Nevertheless, Craig Lawrence appears to come in at a very respectable second place. Cornering the niche for avant-garde knitwear design, Lawrence has been awarded the British Fashion Council's prestigious NEWGEN award, four seasons running and his exquisite creations have been resplendant across the pages of countless editorials, including the cover AnOther Magazine's recent issue showcasing the best of new British fashion talent and his CV boasts previous design experience with Gareth Pugh.



 Arguably most importantly, The Lady wears his creations.

Working closely with the stylist Katie Shillingford, Lawrence's collections are exhibited in beautifully made films each season: http://www.craiglawrence.co.uk/pages/SS2011.html, and judging from this, 2011's Spring/Summer offerings look set to propell this British boy wonder into the big time. Lawrence's exquisite designs are showcased perfectly: draped over his models in the guise of etheral, other-worldly beings, all serene and languid by a deserted and hauntingly beautiful beach, againstly a darkly whimsical musical backdrop.

Here are a few shots form his September presentation at Somerset House during London Fashion Week, proving that his "knitted seascape" of dresses are just as impressive in the flesh (or Kyototex yarn, if we're getting specific) as they are in celluloid:



Lawrence's (as far as I can tell, recently neglected) blog is also well worth a peruse:http://www.chateaudegateau.com/