Simple Sixties: Light, Shadow And Flame

Can you not love a 1960s graphic retro look when the cold days arrive? The uber-comfort of a fine high-neck tee, a pair of super-soft opaque tights and  low, chunky-heeled ankle boots? Well, you might be generally avoiding such basic comforts like the plague, for fear of ending up looking and feeling utterly boring. 

But fear no more. And, mind you, no need to give in to femme fatale tendencies either - bad weather, the muddy or icy catwalk of city streets and killer heels do not match. 

There are other ways to sharpen up and brighten up: colours, graphic effects, and cuts.

Hence the monochrome patch pocket miniskirt with gold buttons, an op-art image of bright light streaming through a window, a finely crinkling-and-folding long-sleeve top in the brightest red, a lick of flames in the fireplace, plus a bit of patent leather with a hint of gold at the heels, proof that even the darkness can glow.

This season, the look has got even better with my favourite, go-with-everything quilted, gold-zipped biker jacket in a classic cropped and collarless Chanel style by New Look. Just as with the New Look summer parka, I can't get enough of it because of the snug sleeves, that us petites with twig-like arms so rarely get in a jacket, and that makes all my other jackets appear big and bulky in comparison.

This is a classic autumn look that, when the going gets tough as low temperatures hit, you can throw an oversized boyish winter coat, a traditional wool trench, a padded parka or a shearling cape over it, and you're covered up nice and tight.

 

monochrome skirt: River Island, quilted jacket: New Look,

poloneck top and 1960s ankle boots: Asos

Glam Rock

This weekend, we headed out to catch the latest creepy thing of a movie in the beautiful spring sunshine. I decided to pull together a light, relaxed outfit based on a pair of striped glam coloured jeans by River Island, one that would look sufficiently springy but feel warm enough in the cool breeze while I'm outside.

One look at me, and my friends asked whether we were going to a rock concert - which made me rather proud of the non-fashion darlings. It's no bad thing to provoke some reaction, especially the right reaction... it's all in the education. 

But those who react to one's outfit also inspire the stylist. So, in addition to the relaxed look for the trip to the movies, I tested a few more options I would have if I were actually going to a gig or a spring festival. 

Jeans: River Island, leather brogues: New Look, sparkly cat motif tee:
Zara (TRF), stripe snood: River Island, leather blazer: Mango, brogues: New Look

Jeans: River Island, top: Kate Moss for Topshop, Trilby: H&M, leather brogues: New Look 

Plain silk vest: Hennes collection, printed silk top: Gap, cropped velvet military
jacket: New Look, necklace: Pull & Bear, scarf (worn on wrist): vintage

Celebrate Spring

For the 23th outfit post published on 23rd March, I felt I had no choice but to don a pair of bold floral print jeans and leap fearlessly into spring. Right. That decided, I realised that falling hopelessly for these wild things didn't mean I had the faintest idea of how I was going to make them work.

True, when in doubt, you can always go for that plain white tee or the steel blue racer back basic vest that goes so well with your eyes... or, you could skip the whole problem by covering up with a cropped trench coat, a pastel leather jacket, or a bleached denim biker.

But honestly, where's the fun in that? Where's the now in that? If you're going to buy into current big and bold trends, do it for love. And then, embrace those trends in full, in all their now-ness. There really is no way around it.

When a print you love is just loud, the looks you put together should not pretend otherwise. You can't mute it with anything plain anyway. To make your outfits right for now, you'll need more print. A bit like the way Mexicans (never too shy about their prints either) like to 'neutralise'  the hotness of spices in their meal with extra salt.

And the best part? You only need to dig in your closet for old tops (and shoes) of different styles and colours, preferably with some print on all of them. As a result, even if you take inspiration from others, your final looks will be individual. Here's my edit of what I found lying around - love how the feel changes with each print combo. 

I've dubbed the looks 'graphic', 'sweet', 'festival' and, considering the full bodycon-meets-matchy-meets-overly-clean effect, 'footballer's wife'. Too late now, but I think my lavender Mulberry Blenheim bag should have completed this last fashion victim look. Anyways, now it's your turn to pack a punch.

Graphic. Jeans: River Island (worn throughout), leather chelsea boots: New Look, navy stripe top and
owl necklace: Dorothy Perkins. Sunnies (above): Retro.
Sweet. Top: vintage, belt: Pull & Bear, leather ballerinas from Greece 

Cotton top and parka: H&M, leather boots: Sebastiano 

Knitted top: Women'secret, belt: charity shop, leather pouch: vintage, tweed and suede dogtooth stilettos: Alberto Zago, suede peacoat: C&A, belt on coat: Pull & Bear, suede and leather platform sandals: Zara

A Day In The Country

Boy, it's cold... But, when you gotta go, you gotta go. Visiting friends well out of town does require a bit of commitment and a dash of waddling in mud. The upside is, it's not particularly difficult when it comes to answering the question of what to wear.

Dress or skirt? Out. Which leaves jeans or leggings. Heels? Out. Anything delicate or prone to get ruined by mud? Out. That means wellies. Desperate to look stylish? Absolutely not. You don't want to feel too self-conscious among normal people, or stick out like a sore thumb when meeting friend's family. Problem solved. One more thing: wrap up warm.

The alphabet print jeans seemed a perfect and decent nod to the printed trousers trend, the fine poloneck is just cute and simple, the softest cable knit socks provide the much-needed warmth, and the Hunters - well, they are the essentials, after all, when in Glasto...

When short, fancy or smart cover-ups are not an option, you'd better find something cute and warm to fit the bill. The feather-light, nicely sculpted A-line quilted duffle coat was a pleasant surprise - much warmer than I thought it would be, so one extra layer between that and the poloneck is enough to keep out the cold. My extra layer was a fitted velvet blazer, just in case.

Jeans: Asos, ribbed sleeve poloneck: River Island, knitted socks: Promod,
wellies: Hunter (Regent), quilted duffle coat: New Look

Stuff I Get Away With: Mustard And Cream

Meaning, stuff I get away with at work, where the expected range is shameless smartness to uber-boredom. It's strange I haven't thought of this title before, when the past three to four years have been exactly about that. Dumb foodie pun aside, I like to push the limits, let the creative juices flow, build on others' half-defined perceptions of what's smart, turn them upside down but in a way I'm still perceived as smart. That is, getting away with just about any outfit I happen to throw together. That is so much like me that I think I'm launching a new label / post category.

This is not about a mindless rejection of rules, mind you, or some obsession with picking at unquestioned norms on a daily basis. OK, I tend to avoid conflicts and overuse my adaptation skills in most areas of life, so when it comes to style and fashion, I have lots to compensate myself for. But there is more than that, a mission if you will, to stir things up and challenge the usual ways. It's quite an achievement to get a few eyes to pop without provoking shock or rejection. A daily mental exercise to get the balance just right. Or just wrong - but only just.

This outfit, for instance, is a blueprint for all sorts of dark sins. There's bold colour, skinny jeans, grungy layering, heart print, wedge trainers, a touch of punky distressed Union Jack, only half-balanced out by a somewhat formal jacket, a pussybow and the cream and black colour combo.

Depending on the risk, be prepared to adjust the results. You can carry a pair of spare shoes (flat brogues or loafers), but switching between a smug and an innocent face usually does the job.

Jeans: Asos, vintage wool lingerie trim top: charity shop, heart print pussybow blouse: New Look (Generation 915), Union Jack leather belt: River Island, wool jacket: Zara, leather wedge trainers: Ash

And Accessorise With A Pig

No matter where I have worked so far, explicitly declared dress-down Fridays have always eluded me. Still, I can't help noticing how everyone breaks out the jeans to mark the beginning of the week-end, permitted or not by the dress code.

I am no exception - however, I don't worship the trinity of the Jean, the Tee and the Holy Sneaker, nor do I consider it as a classic dress-down option. Instead, I'll pick a pair of jeans - of the several dozens I appear to own - and dress it up. Heels, brogues, blouses, blazers, shirts and waistcoats, bows, ties, granny's brooches, anything that's smart, vintage or fun goes.

So this is the Friday outfit. The 1970s blouse is a vintage store find from only a few months back - a shame that the fully pleated front and back, the waist and neck ties, the frill, or the print, for that matter, don't come across in the pictures. I included a couple of snaps so you can get a closer look.

The skinny flare jeans are by River Island - snug enough to make you look slightly (or more than slightly) phhat for a UK size 6, but I love the beautiful retro 'Swedish blue' colour and the size + cut of the back pockets too much to care.

Looking at the mock 1970s style, I admit the outfit could do with a chunky gold necklace or a gold chain belt a la Issa a/w 2011, however, in real life, I felt there was already too much going on at the front of the blouse (for details, refer to my list of the things that don't come across). 

Oh, you might want to swap the oinker for a clutch bag, but that's you I'm afraid.

See you really soon.



1970s blouse: vintage store, skinny flares: River Island, shoes: Asos, trilby: H & M, pig: a gift

Sweet Surrender

As mentioned in this catwalk report, I was inspired to switch back to blogging mode by a single still image from the Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti show packed with pastel candy colours (click here for flash report and pics) to throw on a few pieces shiny and new, trashy and plain, retro and vintage - you will easily tell which is which.



One thing is for certain,  I dare not call this experiment a re-creation of looks from Alberta's collection. This is merely an homage to all things 1960s sweet and cute, lying untouched for years and years in our wardrobes, still impossible to part with. At first, I was only going to show you the blue dress for fun, but ended up snapping a few more to home test the basic Philosophy concept for autumn/winter and style a couple of outfits in pastels. Very nearly all a big no-no in real life for this tomboy.

The verdict: the simplest things with a great cut and a near-perfect fit just work, no matter what. The rest - too big, too creased, too forced, wrong length, will not. A no-brainer, then, for today. OK, here's one: don't fear sweetness. The devil is not in pastels and too-cute cuts, but in ill-fitting pieces, and in your head.

P.S. I do appear to like sporting two bags at a time.

dress and tie/belt, worn as headband: vintage, top: Promod, mocha tights: Dorothy Perkins,
shoes: New Look, sunglasses: C&A, lady bags: vintage

textured fabric, 1960s

structured dress: River Island, shoes: Mango, coat: C&A

skirt: Terranova, lemon knitted top: 1970s, knitted dress: charity shop, nude platforms: Mango,
gold jive t-bars: Topshop, stone tights: Dorothy Perkins

A Bold Safari

I need a safari skirt, safari shorts, a safari dress, a safari playsuit, safari everything. They are just some of the things you need, whether you wear them or not. And then, some of the things you want but don't have. This week, I hit the Mango sales with the single aim of finding a couple of pairs of shoes I knew I wanted even while full-priced  but never got round to go shopping for them. And what did I get? A plain safari skirt and errm, a few extra bits and bobs.

The basic look is pretty easy to work: take something simple in a shade anywhere between stone and dark khaki (mine is dark beige or light camel), and add rich leather  accessories. The thing about safari is, well, while timeless and sort of chic, it easily washes you out. This season's boldness comes in handy to spice things up. You can go for a flash of royal blue, red, coral, even yellow, or do as I do and pick emerald green. You'll find this medium dark hue really flattering, whatever your true colours are.

I could not resist adding the green patent shoulder bag... matchy-matchy as it seems, what dominates is the eye-popping factor so why not load up? And, if you're short of bag space -I know you are- grab another beauty of an arm candy. I think the 1970s style platform wedges I've had for a few years will do nicely for the city safari. 

P.S. On the second evening of being abducted by UFOs (dearest's term for me getting sucked in by the shops and losing track of time), I did manage to pick up the last pairs of the shoes I had been after in my size - I'm sure they will crop up in one post or another soon enough.

shirt, skirt and bags: Mango, belt: C&A, sandals: River Island, sunglasses: Zara