Shoes, competitions and a little writing!

A few days ago I came across a competition on www.chictopia.com , a site I frequent almost as much as LookBook for its collection of stylish, creative, fashion people. I think I will always have this obsession with what other people, strangers on the street, are wearing; for outfit ideas as well as out of plain curiosity. Anyway, this is my entry to the sites competition to guest edit www.blowfishshoes.com's new quarterly E-zine; as well as this you win $250 worth of shoes and a feature in Nylon magazine. Although the number of entries is of course massive, I thought that the opportunity the competition offers slightly outweighed this tiny fact!

"After years of endeavour to pin down my own precise style, I’ve decided that the key to my look is ambiguity; the ability to create individual outfits that can showcase the latest trends and quirks of fashion, without being inhibited by my own particular leanings. I am incredibly decisive when it comes to clothes and styling, ruthlessly so. I think this comes from the combination of high standards and a low budget; if a possible purchase does not immediately draw me in, or stimulate me to imagine numerous outfits, it is discarded. When creating outfits, I look for a certain symmetry in the clothes; that ‘je ne said quoi’ that makes the perfect ensemble. For me, this is an intriguing task that takes in colour combinations, the matching (or clashing) of prints, the cut of the clothes- and something else, something indescribable. The perfection of symmetry, of whichever kind, is what draws me to editing; the layout of a page, the bringing together of articles and themes and the creation of a fashion spread are what I find most interesting.

I am inspired by a mélange of things, for example by a designer’s collection, through art or literature, or by the outfits I see on the street. This season (Spring/Summer ’11) I love Chloé’s ballet inspired collection (must get my hands on pleated, chiffon, maxi skirt!), the warrior-women touches at Lanvin, the use of colour at both Jil Sander and Prada, and Richard Nicoll’s sheer layering. As a Brit, I am very proud of the design talent in this country: for seasons Erdem’s prints have made me swoon, and I feel that the ultra-modern allure of Gareth Pugh and Christopher Kane bring an air of refreshment next to the well- established fashion houses. That said, Lanvin and its creative director Alber Elbaz has long been an inspiration for me; every six months he reveals a collection to die for, débuting innovative cuts and fabrics whilst staying faithful to the legacy of Jeanne Lanvin. As for shoes, I am seduced by both the practical and the sublime- Roger Vivier and Lara Bohinic for dramatic glamour, and the ‘Nella’ by Blowfish, for a more casual, ballet- inspired style.

As a fashion editor, I would have access to this world of history, innovation and constant change. Setting trends, pushing boundaries, inspiring others and creating new fashion ideals- that is what I aspire to be. I equally inspired by great writers- Lisa Armstrong, Colin McDowell- as I am by stylists such Emmanuelle Alt and Grace Coddington. I love how ever changing and developing fashion is, from the haute couturiers to the high street, providing me with intrigue, discovery and endless means for creativity, season after season. In the words of the inimitable Karl Lagerfeld: “I have no idea of the future - never, ever. That's what I like about fashion. It's paradise now.” "

chictopia.com/photo/show/387135-Blowfish+Zine+Style+Queen-faux-fur-collar-new-look-cape

A Minor Obsession...

Flipping through September's Vogue, Vogue Paris and this week's Grazia, I was suddenly struck with the realization of my newest obsession: accessories. Since my acquisition of a £2 steal of a bag, a trip to Paris where everyone- EVERYONE- wears heels, and not least the sudden inundation of new season accessory spreads, the desperate gaps in my shoe shelves and bag collection have been sadly highlighted.

Most particularly, in a true back- to- school spirit, I am in dire need of a new 'tote' bag for hauling the necessary folders, books, notepads and stationary to school and back again. However, I should now state that this is by no means a straightforward task- I'm inordinately picky when it comes to bags (and shoes), the size, shape, colour, embellishment and, sadly, price inevitably lead to one bag's dismissal after another.

The Mulberry Neely (above, with Olivia Palermo) would be my ideal school bag; it has a sleek, chic- yet- business like structure and a luxe (but not too luxe for the daily grind of school) appearance. Sadly, it is also perhaps £600 above my budget... so that's a no then.

An option could be one of the plethora of black tote bags currently on the high street, of which Dorothy Perkins and River Island have perfect examples. But sometimes, especially with the gloomy days of winter drawing in, black can be just a bit too... black.

River Island leather bag

Moving on to footwear, I am currently trying to track down THE perfect pair of knee high boots... or do I want ankle boots? With heels? Wedges? Embellished? Laces or buckles? It's a minefield of choice, but I do know that the high street is currently having a bit of a 'moment' with covetable new season shoes- head for New Look for shearling detail boots, Topshop for bandage wedges, Dorothy Perkins for utility ankle books and Miss Selfridge for one of the best homages to Louis Vuitton's kitten heels I've seen so far.

And, with the launch of Zara Online last week and the addition of H&M Online in five days time (!!) the high street will finally have complete representation on the internet. Who needs to spend a day trudging around town, when you could find it all from the comfort if your own laptop!

Icons: Inspiration and Adoration

The classic 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' poster hangs above my bed, the protagonist, heroine, ingenue and icon mutely observing my daily life. La Hepburn is undoubtedly the world's favourite muse, and this I cannot argue with; I fell under her spell of simplicity, elegance and a Givenchy wardrobe a long time ago.

No, what I disagree with is the lavish attribution of the term 'icon' to faces with less than 100% fashion credentials; the use of stylists is increasing evermore (to the extent that they themselves become the celebrity... Rachel Zoe, for instance) and true inspiration, creativity and sartorial savoir- faire is disappearing as quickly as the fashion victims appear.

So I present thus: my own 'icons', presented as I see them and their individual effect on my personal style and fashion knowledge. Their 'credentials' are variable, but for me, each are sartorial geniuses and have inimitable individual style.


Olivia Palermo, the quintessential Manhattan fashion girl; impeccably groomed, even more impeccably connected, she lives the socialite dream of endless parties, paparazzi and arm candy. However, she is also a lot more than that; her outfits are the last word in accessorizing, showcasing the newest of the 'hip' designers alongside highstreet and classic brands. Her signature, perhaps the very epitome of New York glamour, along with the glossy blow- dried waves of hair, is a fresh scarlet manicure- this particular habit cost me a bottle of red nail polish as I tried to emulate. Her style is 'high fashion casual'; never overdone, never try- hard, her polished manner of bringing together outfits in a way that is neither ostentatious or pretentious, but subtly chic, belying a style intuition that I can only dream of.

WE LIVE NOT ACCORDING TO REASON, BUT ACCORDING TO FASHION

I think this quote, however ancient, sums up this era's (and the preceeding and the forthcoming...) preoccupation with image, status and material wealth. However negative these three sentiments are portrayed by popular opinion, it cannot be denied that "fashion" has a phenomenal impact upon society. Whether it is through "keeping up with the Jones" or a front row seat at Paris couture week, fashion is a medium that describes an ever increasing number of forms; it is ostensible that one of the human races' most basic instincts is the following and emulating of others.
This blog hopes and endeavours, through an overwhelming passion, curiosity and love of fashion, to explore and develop a more thorough knowledge of what is no longer considered a subject, but a way of life.