the colour combinations on my mind

ph: vogue.co.uk; the break; that's chic; hannah pinson

I've certainly neglected this part of my thinking process in the last couple of years - I didn't realise how valuable it was to organising my thoughts and how cathartic I found it. I have felt totally overwhelmed by fashion in the last year - something I hope to talk about more in a separate post - but rather than diving in to explore all the many things that piqued my interest, I took a step back.

At the moment, I love the ongoing 80s influences happening, in all their bright, woozy excess - see this upcoming season's oversized outerwear, always and forever my favourite kind. I am enjoying the 80s trend even more now the noughties revival is gaining traction; it has fused together into a knockout combination of pastel blazers, oversized earrings, and kitten heels, which is all I can think about wearing right now. I love simple, pared-down classics, with a statement flash of lime green, cobalt blue, or, since pink could be now considered a neutral, the contrast of pink and red.

I hope I can return to blogging - if only to sift through my own thoughts - with the same enthusiasm as I had a few years ago!

Window scrolling

All items Asos

Break-ups, procrastination and living in a house with eight girls all lead to a very full online shopping basket. I love the abundance of leather, interesting shapes and muted tones that Asos are throwing our way this spring! My head says no but my heart screams yes, yes, yes!

Simone I love you, but you're bringing me down

Simone Rocha a/w '13 via

Latex! Fur! Glitter!! Simone Rocha is probably my favourite designer working at the moment. What could be boring territory - simple shapes and separates - is made cool with surprising fabrics and kooky accessories. Those veils. Those headscarves. THOSE glittery brogues. I swooned over last season's show - but I can't explain how much love I have for her latest offering.

Mood

Astrid Kirchher and Ringo Starr, Grimes, ?, But the right thing, Vogue China February 2013 via, Alexa Chung, all other images via Tumblr

Things on my mind: knotted headscarfs, low metallic heels, perfectly rolled hair, Louis Vuitton checkerboard print, the O.C. reruns and Marissa Cooper's hair, O.T.T. cat-eye sunglasses, clompy shoe-boots, high ponies, sheer chiffon, headbands. 

Nowhere in sight

'Nowhere in sight', The Journal, f/w 2012

Part rural Romanian farmer's wife, part 1930s working-class mother, 'Nowhere in sight' is polo neck and headscarf perfection.

Delusion

Topshop Boutique coat / Proenza Schouler top / Topshop Boutique shorts / Topshop socks / Dr Martens shoes

Exam period is all about listening to the Teenagers and group internet shopping.

Power to the pants

Stella McCartney and Givenchy pre a/w '13, via Vogue.co.uk

After years of living in the dark, I am beginning to see the merits to trousers. As someone whose clothing choices are largely dictated by comfort, it is surprising that I have taken this long to return back to the warm bosom of pants. On the whole, I have been a skirt-wearer since I have been able to dress myself, a milestone which, by a cruel twist of fate, occurred at the same time as shooting up like  like a beanstalk and consequently none of the clothes in Tammy Girl would fit me. Since my spindly legs made my skirts look a good three inches shorter than my normal-sized friends and to avoid uniform detentions and hormonal boys in the year above snapping me on their flashy new camera phones, I had the inevitable annual August ordeal of finding a pair of school trousers to fit my frame. I'm sure my attitude to pants following this conforms to some sort of psychological avoidance theory, but I avoided them like they were knickers and I was Lindsay Lohan. All there was on offer was jeans, and they were uncomfortable - how does everyone wear them every day?! They didn't fit, let alone suit my body shape. It has only been in the last couple of years that I have reconsidered trousers as a viable wardrobe option, with the emergence of tapered and printed trousers offering an alternative to the plethora of indigo skinny jeans. I have been slowly rehabilitating myself and changing my habits: in the last six months I have bought a pair of leather trousers, American Apparel riding and accordion pants. I am looking to branch out and invest in a pair of patterned trousers, but I am finding this a difficult task, since patterns are so specific and I'm so picky. If I had my way I would be wearing either these Stella McCartney brocade joggers or these Givenchy cowhide numbers! Ideally with the matching shoes but I'd take whatever I could get. Long live pants!

Fezzy

Earrings American Apparel / polo neck and jumper second-hand

At the moment my life is all about the comfort - getting up in the dark to go and hit the library for eight hours at a time is only made bearable by slipping out of your pyjamas and into more-socially-acceptable-but-still-pretty-pyjama-like clothes. My lovely friend is currently having a clear out of her extensive clothing collection and threw this big cosy jumper my way. Given my rural heritage it only seems right for me to have it - it has pheasants on!

Celine Pre

Celine pre-a/w '13

Yet another Celine collection that has me swooning, these are my favourite looks from the Celine pre-fall collection. If only my student loan stretched to an oversized shaggy sheepskin fur coat!

The Suburbs

Vogue Italia, source

Will I ever get tired of beehives and fluffy knits set against a backdrop of American suburbs? Unlikely.

Our Era

All images Our Era

Isn't it inherently human to want what other people have? I'm sure this started as some kind of primeval need to acquire the best resources for oneself, but in the age of the Internet it just fans the flames of the-grass-is-always-greener envy. I wish I was blessed with naturally wavy hair and olive skin to the same extent that, I'm sure, others desire my naturally straight, frizz-free locks and milky complexion. While we're wishing for stuff that won't ever happen, I also wish that, instead of my haphazard and geeky English style sensibilities, I had a Scandinavian approach to getting dressed - embodied by Johanna och Jennifer. Not only do Johanna and Jennifer look impossibly cool in their huge bomber jackets, clompy boots and beanies, they manage to dress for the weather, a task that consistently eludes me. They have just opened their own online store, Our Era. These images are taken from the lookbook of their latest venture and provide more stalkspiration for Scandophiles (?) like me. 

Love letter

United Colors of Bennetton jumper, eBay

A lot of the clothes I want have been selling out recently. I am going to blame these travesties on the recent Mecury retrograde. Most definitely not my own indecision. Weeks on, I am still grieving from being outbid on this out-of-this-world 'B for Beth' jumper. Perfect for aiding seminar tutors with no memory for names, spelling things with others in letterman clothes and for generally pretending that its still okay that I dress like a toddler. I will sob myself to sleep until I can find someone willing to knit me an identical one.

Snug life

Acne 'Meg' shoes / Haider Ackerman polo neck / 3.1 Phillip Lim leather skirt / Topshop faux fur coat

The polo neck is the single warmest and comfiest garment I have ever had the pleasure to put on my back. I am thinking of devoting an entire future post - no scratch that, blog - to them and their myriad wonderful functions. Love bite cover? Sure, if that's what you need, they don't ask questions. If you like to be toasty a polo neck is your best friend. And in winter everyone needs a toasty jumper to turn to on a cold, dark morning. Dressing in extreme temperatures is often dressing solely for practicality; as my boyfriend says, very hypocritically, the fashion police don't operate under 8 and above 22 degrees Celsius. While this may or may not be true, who doesn't want a lovely coat to make leaving your duvet slightly more bearable? I especially like this Topshop one - at present it's as close to a Meadham Kirchhoff I will get and it would contrast great with a cosy knitted polo neck, and my own personal wardrobe staple, a leather skirt. Snug as a bug in a rug!

Drizzle kicks

Vogue Netherlands November 2012 source

In the past few days it has suddenly felt a lot like winter. I wish I could identify with the winter-wonderland images that keep cropping up all over the place in the run-up to Christmas, but, living in the North West, the leaves are not crisp, the trees do not sparkle with frost nor has there been so much as a fleck of snow. Instead, winter brings dark evenings and biting cold, accompanied by an icy Irish Sea wind. And lashings of rain, how could I forget the rain? Vogue Netherlands, however, shows a more realistic depiction of the Great British Weather. It also provides the perfect backdrop for showing the cosiest clothes of the season; I'd like to think that a good cosy road-test is the survival of a Northern winter. Quilting, cable knits and maybe my favourite Celine outfit ever: I wish I could look this good walking my dog up and down Southport beach.

Nymph hair

Balenciaga s/s '13, via Vogue Italia

Don't expect the abundance of Balenciaga posts to stop any time soon, since the more I look at the most recent Balenciaga collection the more I fall in love, particularly with the details. The chunky, knuckleduster-like rings and delicate necklaces, all in gold, block-heeled lace-ups, hand-held vanity case bags and the whimsical nymph-like hair bands. The models' effortless yet elegant hair is providing some much needed hairspiration.

Teenage goth

Topshop Boutique open back dress / Topshop spike leather choker / Obligatory chunky 90s-style boots, Tumblr / Meadham Kirchhoff Monster bag

I have suddenly been overcome by an overwhelming urge to wear a spike choker. Naturally with it's teenage goth partner-in-crime, the chunky, buckled boot, perfect for angsty teenage stomping around.

Au revoir Nicolas!

Nicolas Ghesquiere for Balenciaga, s/s '98, Tumblr

Mmmm, all monochrome and roll necks and nonchalant jacket throwing and simple sandals. From Nicolas Ghesquiere's first collection to mark his final collection last month.

Things that are great

Vogue UK December 1993 via Rag Pony / Diane Kruger via vogue.co.uk / Stella McCartney s/s '13 via vogue.co.uk / Proenza Schouler a/w '12 campaign via Tumblr / Margaret Howell via margarethowell.co.uk / Calvin Klein s/s '13 via vogue.co.uk

On my mind:

The perfect leather jacket, cherry red nails, black white and camel, puritan dresses, polo necks, leather skirts, leather leather leather, clean lines and satin Mary Janes at Calvin Klein, pork-pie collars and pinafores, loafers, Margaret Howell berets, peek-a-boo polka dots at Stella, Chelsea boots, pencil skirts and oversized jummies.

Fashion maths

Topshop Boutique via topshop.com

Leather + pinafore = my dreams come true. Perfect for toughening up an inoffensive pair of ballet flats and white shirt, or with some Dr Marten loafers, a huge denim jacket and a look of disdain. Topshop Boutique pinafore, you will be mine.

Spring lovelies

Prada / Balenciaga / Miu Miu / Ashish / Simone Rocha s/s '13, all via vogue.co.uk

Some of my favourite looks from the recent fashion month. I particularly enjoyed the abundance of fur coats courtesy of Ms Prada, whether buttoned up to the neckline at her namesake label, or nonchalantly thrown over the shoulders at Miu Miu. Stripes obviously reign supreme next season, kudos if they clash, but my standout stripe has to be this navy understated pinstripe set at Balenciaga. Patrick Bateman would approve. I am a firm believer in roomy clothes, often finding myself buying one or two sizes above what actually fits me, both for comfort and aesthetics. Miu Miu took this and ran with it, offering plentiful slightly-too-big skirts contrasted with teeny-tiny crop tops (no one likes to look homeless) and, the Holy Grail, oversized coats. For spring, Ashish clearly looked to Deb of Napoleon Dynamite as his muse. Uncool Reebok trainers and scrunchies are a blast from the past for those who, like me, are a child the 90s. Reminiscent of school trips and Christmas discos, Ashish paired it with slinky sequins and scruffy hair to keep it modern. Matted hair and short fringes were the cherry on the spring/summer cake, which appealed to the same sensibilities which inspired my love of the oversized: anything that requires minimal effort and can be passed off as fash-un is fine by me. The same applies with Miu Miu's un-ironed dresses. There is a 'trend' I will never tire of. Simone Rocha was, by far, my favourite collection of this season, along with her two previous collections. It was a feast of texture, with high necks, sheer dresses, buttery leather, flashes of punchy neon lace and perspex accessories, brought back down to earth with oversized bikers, brogues and crisp white shirts. Perfection. We're barely into our jumpers but bring on the spring.