fashion week favourites

Ladies and gentlemen - I present to you, in alphabetical order, some of my fashion week favourites for the S/S 2014 season.

1) ROBERTO CAVALLI

Up first is Cavalli, who excels with gorgeous intricate beading and fringing on a simple black backdrop. The flowing, kaftan-like cut of the garments added texture and shape to the collection.

2) DRIES VAN NOTEN

The Dries van Noten collection was approved by the judges for its high-low mix, pleated metallic ruffles being juxtaposed with grey jersey basics. The embroidered jacket and bags were also admired for their ethnic flavour.

3) ISABEL MARANT

The long-standing favourite has impressed yet again with a chic pairing of floaty whites with sharp leather separates. The footwear and wrist adornments only added to the effortless vibe.

4) NAEEM KHAN

A surprise favourite from the Indian-born Khan this season. The Latin flavour was much admired, with refreshing silhouettes created by the puffed sleeves and off-the shoulder necklines. The embroidery and prints as well as the Frida Kahlo-style braided hair added to the exotic feel.

5) THEYSKEN'S THEORY

Straight-cut gowns and sheer layers all contributed to an effortless fluidity at Theysken's Theory in New York. The colours ranged from muted greys and blacks to flashes of pink and red colour blocking, in a diverse spectrum that kept delivering in style.

6) ZADIG & VOLTAIRE

Rock-star cool from the cult French brand. The monochrome palette was definitely not lacking in interest, and the looks were taken up a notch with metallic accents and extremely stylish and tasteful headwear *cough cough*. A new fast favourite in the Subtorial Standard Style Stakes ( sorry - when it gets late, my alliteration gets out of hand). Over and out.

week in outfits: day 5

hat/urban outfitters, jumper/topshop, jeans/uniqlo, leather jacket/warehouse, boots/deichmann

Et voilà, last Friday's outfit  - and I may have saved my favourite till last. Only a little bit proud that I managed to apply red lipstick without smearing it all over my face and finding it in inconceivable places like under my armpits and in my belly button later on, which is usually what happens when I try and put on make-up in a hurry. I would say that I think I pulled it off, but as a matter of fact, I didn't actually wear it out - so for all I know, I could be completely deluded like those people on X Factor who think they can sing.

Also, for some reason unknown to even the Gods of Technology, my lovely sharp photos turn blurry and take on a peculiar tinge when I upload them to Blogger. Just to clarify: my hair isn't green in real life. If anyone knows how to solve this issue, please tell me - and I shall worship thee as the saviour of techno-phobics everywhere. I promise.

week in outfits: day 4

leather trousers/zara, khaki shirt/topshop, striped top/pacsun, boots/bocage

Leather trousers Thursday... However cool they may look, though, I tell you - they are SO UNCOMFORTABLE! I was walking around like a penguin because it was so hard to bend my knees, especially walking up and down the stairs. However, you can wipe them down if you spill any comestibles/hot beverages on them, which is a bit of a revelation if I'm being honest. I am a notoriously messy eater. Sometimes I think I should repurchase all of my clothes in PVC - but who goes for practicality over style anyway?

week in outfits: day 3

GUYS LOOK I MADE A GIF THIS IS SO EXCITING

jeans/uniqlo, belt/pull&bear, jumper/h&m, converses/um...converse

week in outfits: day 2

My ear makes an appearance through my hair again. This seems to be a recurring issue - if you had seen my Year 10 school photo, you'll know what I mean...

jeans/uniqlo, blouse/zara, jacket/topshop, boots/bocage

One photo today - I looked like there was a horrible smell under my nose in all the others and I don't want you to get the impression that I actually am a perpetually grumpy person. I'm nice, I swear! Except when I'm hungry, cold or tired. Trust me, you wouldn't want to cross me when I'm all three of those things.

Anyway, I wore this on Tuesday (excuse the 5-day delay) to go on a school trip to see As You Like It. I always imagine myself as a sophisticated and cultured lady when I go to the theatre, sitting elegantly on the plush velvet chair, head cocked in appreciation of whatever I might have the privilege of being able to watch. Unfortunately, the reality is usually somewhat different. On this particular occasion my contact lenses refused to cooperate, leaving me rubbing my irritated eyes in frustration - until one of them fell out half way through the second act, rendering me almost blind in one eye. My warped logic led me to decide that the least disruptive way to solve this problem was to spend the rest of the play with my glasses skew-whiff on my head so as that they conveniently covered said eye. Maybe this is why I'm single?

week in outfits: day 1

I call this one the 'pouting orphan'

you're really not pulling off the jacket-on-shoulder look, Sophia...

See! I can look normal! (Occasionally)

jeans/uniqlo, shirt/topshop, faux leather jacket/warehouse, boots/deichmann

Here, my friends, is what I wore on Monday. I'm really loving being able to wear more autumnal garments - like my favourite all-purpose khaki shirt. I could definitely fit in with the rows of soldiers that lined the streets about a year ago for Luxembourg's royal wedding. As my Mum put it, they were so 'working the military trend'.

P.S. I sincerely apologise for my horrifically bad posing and facial expressions. Being that annoying cheerful and optimistic person most of the time, it seems ironic that I'm also afflicted with chronic bitch face...

P.P.S. Just noticed the stripy tan line on my arms in the last picture. Lord help me and my tanning skills.

isabel marant x H&M

photos from vogue.com

You knew it was coming...An addition to the sea of blog posts about Isabel Marant x H&M. I'm desperately trying to think of money-earning strategies, short of robbing a bank, ready for the 14th of November. Whilst I perhaps won't be camping outside the nearest H&M through the early hours - come on guys, it's a school day - I definitely will be emptying my piggy bank (am I the only person that still has one of these?) in haste. And so the internal debate starts: is it really worth buying plain white t-shirts, trackies and sweatshirts just because they're designed by Isabel Marant? Basics aside, my favourite pieces are depicted above, though sadly I might have to constrain myself to just that gorgeous black lacy dress. And a belt. And perhaps a skirt. I guess I'll have to go without phone credit for the next few months.

P.S. Would anyone be interested in seeing 'a week in outfits' for next week? Mine, obviously. This may exclude the weekends since I spend them in highly unattractive jersey-based stretch garments.

embroidered pouch

ignore the scrawl, it was a good idea in my head

Another DIY for you - and one I'm quite proud of, if I do say so myself. I decided to take inspiration from some ethnic style embroidered clutches I'd seen on Pinterest (here and here) and embroidered my own design onto some of the gorgeous pink raw silk I purchased a while ago. I then stitched the embroidered piece onto some canvas - actually a canvas tote bag I got from a local craft shop for about a euro and then cut up - and sewed it into a little purse. You too can recreate such a pouch with the help of the easy-to-follow tutorial I used, found here.

Me being me, I forgot to take photos during crafting - but however much I'd like to give the illusion that the process was effortless, truth is I spent countless evenings hunched over my embroidery hoop like a little old lady, cursing as I sewed the fabric to my trousers and stabbed myself repeatedly with the needle (by accident, I hasten to add)...Far from snapshot-worthy!

the raw ingredients (I chose a different kind of polka dot print in the end)

polka dot lining

check those sexy french knots

greece #2

If one picture is worth a thousand words, then surely 9 must be worth 9000 (can you tell I'm doing A level Maths?)

greece #1

Late last night I returned from lovely Corfu. Most of the relaxing holiday consisted of making the superhuman effort of moving from lilo to sunbed and back again (in fact I was so lazy that at one point I was heard to say "I want to turn onto my back, but I can't be bothered" - you can tell how chilled out I was). Despite this extreme physical exertion, somehow I still manage to feel tired today. I feel this might have something to do with the fact that my body is having to adjust to a temperature half of what it was in Greece and it may perhaps also be my subconscious avoidance strategy for trying to avoid the stack of maths work glaring at me from my desk as I remain firmly planted in my comfy bed in a sweatshirt and fluffy socks (yesterday I was wearing a bikini! I can't cope!)

Anyway, enough of the wallowing (it could be worse - I don't start back at school for a week yet): here are the first lot of photos of my trip, a small selection of silly, blurry iPod snaps to whet your appetite...

beautiful beaches

view from the balcony/me walking on water

more scenic views

sand and shorts/shadow/blue sky selfie

harbour at agios stefanos/finally found a coke with my name on it....in Greek (made my holiday)

arm party/hotdog or leg?/sunbathing

at aqualand waterpark/reddest watermelon ever

pinspiration

all images from pinterest/tumblr

Some late summer inspiration before I head to Greece on a loooong awaited holiday for two wifi-free weeks! Side note: see the pink skirt in the last picture? I tried to make a pair of shorts in that same colour and fabric, but unfortunately they ripped whilst I pulled them over my hips. Poof went my self esteem...In fact it's probably just as well, as they definitely would not have fit after I return from Greece, 5 kilos heavier, and with a feta phobia caused by over-exposure to Greek cheese. Oh, the joys of holidays!

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