Prints Charming

Faberge eggs and regency decor appear to be the recent inspiration behind the fashion world's current thirst for elaborate prints. This seasons patterns look like a baroque explosion viewed through a psychedelic kaleidoscope. Who said winter had to be dismal and dark?

Basso and Brooke A/W11/12

Etro A/W11-12

Erdem A/W11-12

Mary Katrantzou A/W11-12

Givenchy

Holly Fulton A/W11-12

Jonathan Saunders

Miami, D.C. prefer Versace

I always think of 90s fashion as subdued, the oversized and loose fitting Armani look for men and grungey heroin chic for women all tartan, fishnets and Doc Martin boots. However my generalisations of a decade are clearly flawed. I managed to forget the Versace affect! Gianni Versace was the purvayor of excess, he was to the 90s what Gaga is to today, which is why it is so apt that she has recently been bringing back his 90s designs with gusto. His outlandishly bright, baroque inspired prints are back in a big way. Everything about Versace was lavish from his creations to his Miami home and the way he eventually was tragically killed. Hip Hop stars of the era were nuts about Versace - I associate Biggie with his Versace shirts and shades as well as then Puffy and Lil' Kim in his bodycon numbers. In typical materialistic rap-style Biggie references 'My Mo-sci-no hoe, my Ver-sa-ce hottie' in 'Get Money'. Donatella has done a great job of continuing the flavour of excess whilst still moving with the cuts and materials of the time and focussing on the woman's body. However Gianni's regency inspired prints, in the words of Missy Elliot "cannot be duplicated or recycled."

3 supers repping Versace - then

Gaga, no words - now

Biggie Smalls - then

Gaga looking inspired in head to toe Versace - now

Helena Christensen - then

Donatella Versace with M.I.A - W magazing - now

J-j-j Jessie J now

Yo Navajo Joe

Navajo and aztec prints have been big for a few seasons now. This amazing tropical weather typical of a London Indian Summer that inevitably pounces once people have generally got their heads around bobble hats and probably rushed to buy a new winter coat. I am not complaining - I will fish out my floral playsuits and denim shorts back out of the back of my wardrobe, with a smile! This baking sun is putting me in the mood for some fun tribal prints. If it looks vaguely Peruvian or African it will look good in the sunshine right now! See here some of my top picks:

ASOS ikat playsuit

ASOS oversized navajo shirt/dress

Whitney Eve southwest scoop back tank

Nike for Liberty

Topshop Premium - tribal head earrings

Urban Outfitters - neon pop teardrop backpack

Sparkle and Fade - aztec open cardigan

this is the return of the SPACE COWBOY

I am loving green of late, as Autumn is approaching too fast for my liking, I am drawn to shades of jade and emerald to give a sense of evergreen life to our backdrop of brown and amber tinged leaves. I want to go back to the future with green accessories and spacey cosmic prints. See my top picks below xoxo

Motel Rockies dress at Nasty Gal

Much Coveted Christopher Kane clutch - yum

Dreamy Celine flatforms

H&M dip dye grungey sweater

Peridot by Chanel

LA Lady, Blue Jean Baby

thanks to James Dean, denim became sexy pretty early on

70s Farah Fawcett

80s Guess ad

 

Blue Jeans are easily the most crucial international wardrobe staple ever. As much as I could never live without a leather jacket or 3 I would be so bold as to say the blue jean has outlasted any other item in the fashion world. The longevity of blue jeans is astounding.

Buying a new pair of jeans is the hardest fashion purchase one can make but nothing can beat the exhilaration of buying a new pair that fit well. When they're so tight after the wash you have to lie down with your legs in the air to put them on is when they look their best, and when they have just the right kind of bum-flattering space between the back pockets..I could get very excited over this humble garment that started life as practical and hard-wearing work wear.

It is pretty easy to get stuck in a denim rut, jeans have become like our uniform. I mean, I haven't branched out of skinnies for like, 7 years, I don't know when I will...I've got skinnies in indigo, black, stripes, utilitarian khaki, I have bit of a penchant for stone wash, a burgundy pair and a snakeskin print pair. Summer for me is also a long-term love affair with denim cut-offs - I love shorts, full stop - they are my favourite garment ever. High waisted, low waisted, racer style, with frayed edges or turn ups, I'm all over it!

Blue jeans are just the most versatile item of clothing ever, because they can look baggy and boyish or sleek and sexy. How nutso is it that Levi's was founded by  Loeb Strauss during the 19th century California Gold Rush, the trousers were then worn by miners. And Levi's is still synonymous with jeans and one of the biggest global brands, the 501 being commonly regarded as the most classic fitting jean to this day.  

Blue jeans have also  had political connotations - in the 60s women wearing the previously male garment sparked controversy and a nod toward sexual equality. The 70s spawned a new cut - the flare - a shape which sums up the decade of oversized fashion. The 80s saw high waisted, peg and carrot legs in stone wash and pale blue. The 90s was characterised heavily by branding campaigns like CK Jeans, and Diesel and Miss Sixty were denim giants in the early noughties. Now it is all about J Brand and Topshop are flying the high street flag. 

Jeans strike a cord with everyone I think. Andy Warhol famously said "I want to die with my blue jeans on" and Yves Saint Laurent said“I wish I had invented blue jeans. They have expression, modesty, sex appeal, simplicity - all I hope for in my clothes.” Everyone has a jeans story they can remember, I'm sure it's a pretty standard rite of passage to lust after a certain pair of jeans as a kid or a teen. I remember getting the pair of Diesel fray jeans Mya wore in her 'Case of the Ex' video, in 2001 - as a teenager this was a pretty monumental deal - I thought they were the bees knees. What is your jeans story?

truly 90s

R.I.P Baby Girl

A whole decade and one day ago RnB songstress Aaliyah was tragically killed in a plane accident. This was something that shook up my teenage years massively as I spent most of my early years crooning 'Back and Forth' into a hairbrush and brushing up on my 'More Than a Woman' routine. I was always a fan, such beauty, style and poise but it was that awful feeling of premature death in her prime. She had had a promising career but as soon as she became really big and on the way to something mainstream outside of urban music, her life was cut short. Following the release of her self-titled last album, her sound and look had progressed massively. The more avant-garde and high fashion styling that went with her more recent videos I really felt she was on the cusp of greatness. She had transcended that RnB songbird stereotype and left all traces of baggy boy jeans, sportswear and an infamous dalliance with R. Kelly behind in the 90s, she had blossomed into a glamourous and elegant style savvy young woman and the world was starting to take notice. Her music grew with her appearance with the help of midas touch producer Timbaland. Aaliyah will always have a special place in my heart as her music meant so much to me during my formative years and I still love hearing it now. Given the sudden death of Amy Winehouse the other day, it is frightening to see how many of my female A artists that fill my i-pod have been swpt to heaven way before their time.

lady-like shoes

I love a Mary Jane like I love a t-bar, always classic, cute and elegant; 3 things that will never go out of styl. So if you are wanting to channel the sweet and sophisticated vibe, there is no simpler way than to don a pair. I think Mary Janes appeal to women as they are reminiscent of what one wore as a little girl. They are the perfect antidote to the hooker heels that have saturated the 20 something female crowd of late. Don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for both, I love a chunky platform and a clumpy wedge, but in classic form one style is swiftly followed by its antithesis, and I am welcoming the lady-like shoe with open arms. Mary Jane come to mama..

Office

Louis Vuitton A/W runway

beautiful metallic Miu Miu wonders

nautical woven Prada SS11