343. Poser.

Getting all Celine inspired with this checked dress. Summer is slowly approaching and a patterned dress is an easy way to step into the season.

1. Dress, Missguided

2. Sunglasses, H&M

3. Clutch, House of Fraser

4. Shoes, & Other stories.

334. Trends.

As Lady Gaga released her album "Art Pop", so did the fashion world. The likes of Dior and Prada embraced the arty world of all things colourful and eccentric with influences such as Andy Warhol and Mondrian. Brush strokes appeared in messy strokes on the body of Celine's architectural silhouettes and also on tailored two pieces at Chanel. Clash the colours to stand out or pair your key piece with a monochrome colour palette and simple silhouettes for a sleek finished look.

& Other Stories - Over hyped?

So Hennes and Mauritz opened their store "& Other Stories" last week, after their string of other successful stores like H&M and Cos, I was pretty excited to see what "& Other Stories" would be like. It was amazing, it was the balance between H&M and Cos, the aesthetics of Cos but with lower price points and a slightly younger more adventurous feel. It was the shop where the girl wants to grow up to be a Whistles and Cos woman but is still having a lot of fun with fashion and the main factor, they can afford it!

There was a minimalist urban white feel with hints of wood and natural lighting. The collection was rather large compared to what I thought it would be, there was so much, I didn't know where to start and I could feel myself falling in love with each piece. The huge array of clothes consisted of leather and mesh grunge pieces, structural satin jackets, cocoon like dresses the list goes on. Something for pretty much everyone.

Picture taken from Marie Claire

Towards the back of the ground floor was the make up and beauty area, filled with body lotions and powder, "& Other Stories" was a lifestyle that I wanted to be part of, effortlessly chic and chilled is what I felt. I could see the brand taking form and I could also see myself being sucked into it all, wanting to become a part of that world as lame as it sounds.

As I trapsed upstairs the collection continued with the addition of lingerie and a devine shoe area. I have a shoe addiction to say the least and they definitely excelled in this area. Their shoes were definitely inspired by designers such as Nicholas Kirkwood, Acne and Celine. Every 20 somethings dream!

However the price points were a little odd, I bought myself an organic cotton/jersey dress for a mere £29 yet a simple ring was £19. Bags ranged between £19 to £95 for a pretty simple design, although the higher prices were made of leather but I didn't feel they were justifiable against other pieces in the collection. It won't stop me from shopping here in the future, I will definitely be buying many more pieces on pay day. Although I do question that the launch of this new store/brand will put Cos in jeopardy due to the ridiculously good price points which are very relatable to Topshop. I can see this being Topshops and Zaras real competition on the high street.

Worth the hype? Most definitely.

My Top 10 Buys.

Camisole £35 Clutch £19 Shirt £39 Dress £45 Shoes £79
Dress £29 Skirt £45 Trouser £195 Sunglasses £17 Ring £12

What to wear - SS13

I thought I would put together some of my favourite runway looks from SS13, but looks which are wearable and what I think the high street will translate into something affordable. I could be completely wrong but these are the looks i'll be taking inspiration from.

From left to right: Jonathan Saunders, Jill Sander, Dries Von Noten, Celine and 3.1 Philip Lim

Iridescent fabrics is something i'm looking forward to, the satins and the lame. It's not as in your face as glitter and sequins but it's still brings an ooze of glamour to your outfit.

Oversized and structural silhouettes are key, after the cocoon shape taking trend this winter the oversized look is here to stay. With big sleeves or big hips its important to contrast your piece with a perfectly fitting opposition.

 From left to right: Alexander Wang, Eudon Choi, Thomas Tait, Christopher Kane and A. F. Vanevorst

Leather isn't going anywhere next season and I hope the pulled apart look translates to the high street.

White is always sported during the summer and the clean palette is refreshed with simple silhouettes, however it is easy to get dirty. 

What's clear next season is rounded off shoulders and arms, slightly masculine but it works well in soft colours to balance out the look.

Runway to Wardrobe - Céline

Left to right: 1. £350 Cos Buy Me

2. £120 Nine West Buy Me

3.£140 Pied A Terre Buy Me

4. £99 Jaeger Buy Me

5. £18 Topshop Buy Me

6. £20 Pop Couture Buy Me

Peter Jensen VS Whistles

So it's been a while since I've done a designer Vs highstreet due to partly being a workaholic and having no time, but also with the new year there is a lack of new collections. But here I have finally redeemed myself.
Recently posting about the pyjama trend, I found these wonderful sets. Peter Jensen does a classic ditsy silk check set in a bold blue for a few bob but Whistles creates a beautiful oriental floral set with a clean cut. I really think both will be a hit, wear with a pair of pointed stilettos to give extra class.

 Top: £255 Trousers: £245

Buy Me

Top: £85 Trousers: £125

Available from February 19th

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