My Fashion Life

When Dolce and Gabbanna sent their models down the A/W 08 runway resembling a cloned army of HRH bound for a hunting holiday at Balmoral, I immediately dismissed their printed silk headwear as a a faddish trend. Stored away with other novelty artefacts that I attempt to ignore until they inevitably pass onto their shadowy rest in the graveyard of fashion, it took me a while to notice that they have returned to hover by my sleepy brain until I sit up and look properly.

So here are my revised thoughts: yes, if teamed with cashmere, tartan and barbour your ensemble will appear to all as an ill-advised fancy dress costume.

Read the rest of this entry »

The disparate backgrounds of Modernist designers Andrew Jones and Abdul Koroma make for a compelling team. Working together to make beautiful, modern and curious clothes, the duo have already treaded the boards of London Fashion Week and been honoured by Fashion Fringe. Here, they talk to us about inspiration, collaboration and watching films where nothing really happens…..

Read the rest of this entry »

If countless magazines are to be believed, it seems it may be time for me to wean myself off my standard issue colour palette of neutrals and muted jewel tones in favour of block printed summer brights. Not that British summer is actually here yet (will it ever be…?), despite what the magazines would have us believe.

But in the absence of real sunlight and actual warmth on my little white shoulders, perhaps wearing bright colours would be an optimistic alternative? A self-conjured vision of summer colour and joy.

As much as I appreciate the simple impact of block colour by the likes of Jil Sander, I am a detail junkie through and through; a girl who likes her patterns dense and her layers clashing. Perhaps simplicity would not be the best way to approach a trend of which I am already decidedly wary?

Read the rest of this entry »

As part of my inherent love for any modern take on ladylike style, the kind of details that recall a time when gentlemen tipped their hats on cobbled streets as the ladies sprayed their love letters with rose water and petals, I give you the glove. Well, gloves.

Read the rest of this entry »

As ubiquitous as the images from “The Edge of Love” (the upcoming film about poet Dylan Thomas starring Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller) have become, I can’t help but love them so. I remain utterly seduced by the rugged 40s flowers that the girls appear to be, despite the slight bitterness that the film has turned what is essentially my day to day look of choice (floral dresses, woolly cardigans and a smudge of lipstick) into a fashion cliche.

Read the rest of this entry »

Recently added to my all-consuming and ever-growing skirt collection/ addiction (depending on your point of view….) is a high waisted, button through pale denim number which I have literally not removed from my little legs for seven days.

This shape, with the buttons that run down the front and the apron-style triangle silhouette is not only inherently 70s ( trend de jour, of course) but joyfully flattering. Why, the perfect combination.

Read the rest of this entry »

Its impossible to open a newspaper (or terrible gossip magazine….) at the moment without having to endure a thorough examination of the sartorial decisions of our young royals. Yawn. It’s not that I particularly have anything against them, it’s just that there doesn’t seem to be anything worth talking about.

Read the rest of this entry »

I am not ashamed to admit that my favourite item of clothing is an ink-stained, moth-eaten, beige grandfather cardigan that I am fairly certain used to belong to to a pipe smoking war veteran with an addiction to pain killers, pepto bismol and Countdown.

Read the rest of this entry »