New York Fashion Week Round-Up

The biggest trends to emerge from  New York's latest round of catwalk collections were colours and era. This fall's fliration with the seventies turns on to a full on affair come next spring. With high waisted flared trousers and tiny hotpants becoming wardrobe staples accessorised with platform sandals and Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver style 'doll' hair and make-up. Dresses and skirts fall to the knee or lower in circle shapes or left floating around the legs in silk satin fabrics and an emphasis on the waistline. Think of the strong and sensual women that feaured in the iconic photographs of Guy Bourdin and also of Sonia Rykiels personal look in the seventies then you have the image of next season's woman. The colour palette for next spring starts with copper as the key shade which moves on to bright hues of tangerine and acid orange on one side and vibrant yellows on the other. Styling details for the summer are to add one oversized accessory. It could be a giant floppy hat or a huge obi sash belt as seen at the Marc Jacobs show.
Pictures: Top left - Marc by Marc Jacobs S/S 2011
Bottom Left - Marc Jacobs S/S 2011
Bottom Right - Karen Walker S/S 2011

It's ShoeTime!

To mark the launch of London Fashion Week, Selfridges opened its new Shoe Gallery last week. Oooh, the excitement of having approximately 55,000 pairs of shoes in stock set within 'apartments' from designers such as Louboutin, Chanel , Prada as well as high street brands is more excitement than one can take in an afternoon. It would be like the old cliche..opening a large box of chocolates and which to taste first. My advice, ladies would be to search for a certain style of shoe. After a ten year hiatus, the pointy kitten heel is back with a vengeance and its the shoe that ticks all the trend direction boxes of the season. Sixties inspired, ladylike with a nod and a wink to the popular MadMen style. Coming down a couple of heel inches does wonders for the legs too. Calves have had to endure a few years of those darn 'Extreme' heels with their heavy platforms, strapping and bandaging ,adding extra pressure to reveal, as in some cases ugly, chunky muscles. A neat little 7 cm heel will just give enough lift to a sexy leg and won't have you walking like and extra from Michael Jackson's Thriller video. If time and money wont allow you to browse and buy from Selfridges shoe heaven emporium then find these styles from vintage vendors. There's lots to be had from this shoe genre as was the sixties was a popular time for mass production in fashion and accessories. That's where I'll be looking for a mid heel pump with a bow until I can get my hands on Isabel Marant's suede Poppy pump.
Pictures
Top right - Giambattista Valli two-tone satin pump A/W 10
Top Left - Topshop camel patent sling back kitten heel
Bottom Right -This season's Isabel Marant's suede Poppy shoe
Top Left

Beauty and The Beat

Finally the autumn collections are hitting the stores. I have been lusting over the images from the shows since February, with particular reference to Isabel Marant and Miu Miu's catwalk collections. And how I would love a pair of Marant's leather cropped skinny biker jeans or just any one of the floral appliqued or crocheted sixties tunics on offer from Miu Miu. Sadly, the winter shopping budget won't stretch to either of those items since each piece is priced at over a grand each. My challenge, this month will be to find similar, inspired garments from either trawling the vintage racks or down on the good ole' high street.So until I find those looks on the cheap I will start to channel the beauty look that I feel best compliments the sixties/beatnik style I am going for this winter. Firstly and most importantly the look starts with the eyes. A big sweeping cat's flick of eyeliner over a minky shade of eyeshadow should get the look going. Bobbi Brown's Long-wear gel eyeliner in Black Ink is certainly the best liquid eyeliner effect I have ever tried. The precision comes from using a brush and applying as little or as much as you dare to go. Keep the complexion fair with just a hint of pink blush on the cheeks. With so much focus on the eyes, leave lips pale and miminal . Tom Ford's Vanilla suede lipstick emulates the sixties lip or try a touch of concealer with a pale pink balm over the top like By Terry's Baume de Rose for lips. And dont forget the nails, this season give your fingertips a rest from all the strong, pigmented colours of seasons past and go for one of Chanel's new collection of Khaki Rose nail varnishes. Finally the hair. Think Bardot bouffants, Hepburn half up do's, bit messy, bit tousled just add a glam and expensive hair accessory from either Chanel or Marc Jacobs to keep the look modern. So, there you go, Sixties Sex Kittens, beauty sorted...now just to find the clothes.

Pictures: Top Left - Backstage at Giambattista Valli's Autumn/Winter 2010 catwalk show.
Top right - The much-hyped, long-awaited new nail colours from Chanel.
Bottom right - A glitzy glam barrette like this one from Chanel should keep a messy bouffant looking cool and modern.

Back To School Cool

I love this time of year. September is one of my favourite months . The first few weeks of this month have a very distinct feel about them. Maybe it's that 'back to school ' vibe in the air, there to mark summer's end and a time to reflect on the fun had over the holidays anticipating the start of autumn. And it's time to get excited about wearing a new winter 'uniform'. I looking forward to putting away the summer threads. It's been a long, busy few months for my holiday wardrobe. As much as I love my fail-safe shorts and heels combo even I am ready for something different. I feel its time to start covering the 'pins' up. And for the new autumn term the leg cover-up of the season surely must go to the Miu Miu art deco scalloped tights.I have been lusting after them for months. As a big self-confessed fan of hose and tights, to me they sum up the sixties vibe sweeping this season. They will look sweet and sexy in that Prime of Miss Jean Brodie innocent schoolgirl look as well as looking good when worn with slightly more edgy items like a patent leather skirt for example. Wear them with a flippy mini kilt and a pair of kitten heeled shoes your ready to kick-start the semester in style.
Pictures: Top left - Miu Miu tights for A/W 2010
Bottom right - Markus Lupfer A/W 2010