a-z fashion guide

I know this series was meant to be over a long time ago, but it’s one of those posts I’m not sure whether you love or loathe…?! Please do let me know in the (now non Disqus) comments section! I’ve decided to turn of Disqus for a while to see how things go…. let me know what you prefer! Anyway, let’s get on with this A-Z Fashion Guide post all about Carnaby Street!

(Images via Pinterest. All sources here.)

Carnaby Street is most commonly known for being a Soho shopping street in London. The reason it’s important to the fashion industry is because of how popular it was in the 1960s. After jazz clubs opening up, people started to gather on Carnaby Street and it soon became the social hub for the swinging sixties. The first boutique to open up was “His Clothes” by John Stephen, which was followed quickly by designers like Mary Quant.

Carnaby Street soon became the place to be in London. Bands like the Rolling Stones started to appear in the area, and with music being such a huge influence on fashion… well, you can see why it’s such an important part of this A-Z Fashion Guide. Even the song “Dedicated Follower of Fashion” by The Kinks, has links to the famous shopping streets.

If you want to know where mod fashion came from, then you’re in the right place! Carnaby Street was one of the main influences for that too. Apparently young “mods” would say they would go without food to buy more fashionable clothes of the time. In the video above you can spot out some of the awesome trends from back then; shift dresses, turtle necks, bold and colourful prints, fitted suits for the men, and short skirts for the women…

I’ve created another map for you to explore Carnaby Street. If you’re wanting some new shoes, I’d definitely take a peep as there seems to be a lot of shops offering the latest styles for your toes! My favourite has to be Dr. Martens so definitely pop in if you have the chance. Make sure you let me know your favourite Carnaby Street shops in the comments below!

You may have noticed that I’ve decided to stop my Series Sunday schedule. It really hasn’t been working out for me, and it means I can blog much more freely without it, but do not fear! The series I posted on Sundays will still be around, just like my A-Z Fashion Guide! Today I will be talking about a few things to do in Brick Lane, and why I think it deserves to be in my guide… and yes, all puns to do with ‘lanes’ are in italics… 

For the third and final instalment of letter ‘B’ in my A-Z Fashion Guide, I decided to go down a different route and learn a bit more about Brick Lane. Upon research, I didn’t actually find that much about it’s connection with fashion, but in my opinion it is notorious for it’s stylish streets.

I think most importantly, it’s known for it’s vintage shops and markets. Not only are they a treasure trove for those who love their clothes, but it’s also the perfect place for street style photographers to get dozens of shots. With it’s bundles of tattered Dr Martens and flannel shirts piled upon piles.

Brick Lane maybe more commonly known for it’s culture and food markets, which to me plays an important role in to why I’ve included it into my guide. The different styles and ethnicity all merge together, and I think that’s what fashion is all about. Designs and trends from all different walks of life. 

~ GET EXPLORING ~

I’ve put together a little map of the area and have included a few recommended hot spots for vintage shopping. I can’t say that I’ve been to all of these, but I know by social media what is good and what is not. Here’s a few mini reviews for you:

BOXPARK – This place is pretty cool. It’s made up of shipping containers and is full to the brim of pop-up shops. It has brands from GAP to MOO (yeah, for that business card shopping spree you’ve been dying to go on…), and even has a place to get a bite to eat. A cool photography opportunity too. Who can resist corrugated iron?

Rokit Vintage – I’ve heard a lot about Rokit online, and upon close inspection of their website, all sounds well and good. They’ve got loads of unique and one off items that you wouldn’t get anywhere else, so it’s worth checking out… and if you can’t get there by foot, check out their website.

The Vintage Market – This is the bomb.com, and the hive of Brick Lane’s fashionistas. Full to the brim of colourful clothes and accessories. It’s underground and has a pretty darn cool vibe to it. Come with a few coins, or plenty. A good experience nonetheless.

What do you think of Brick Lane? Know any interesting facts? Let me know in the comments!

(As always, you can find all image sources on my Pinterest.)

Another Sunday…. another Series Sunday post! Today, I have a post from my A-Z Fashion Guide series which I hope you guys are enjoying, and are finding helpful! Let me know what you think in the comments 🙂 We’re on #2 of letter ‘B’, which only means one thing… Burberry! May I just apologise if you have visited my site in the past week or so, and have seen anything offensive. We’re trying really hard behind the scenes to remove this re-direct. It’s been really stressful, but I will update you when it is all fixed. So sorry once again!

We all know about Burberry, do we know all know about Burberry’s history? Burberry was founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry when he was just 21 years old. He was a former draper’s apprentice who decided to open up his own store in Basingstoke, England. At the very beginning the store became known for it’s outdoor attire, but slowly started to introduce a breathable waterproof fabric called gabardine.

The shop started to grow, with a new shop being opened in the Haymarket of London in 1891. In 1941, Burberry was commissioned by the War Office to create a new version of their classic coat, which would be suitable for warfare. This later became known as the ‘trench coat’. Before this, in the 1920s, the classic Burberry check was introduced and is now recognised as a symbol of the global brand all around the world.

For me personally, I’ve always been more interested in the more recent collections from Burberry, but remembering that it all started in England is a nice reminder of how we should all appreciate designers and where they come from. Especially when they come from your home country! Talking of more recent collections, let’s take a look at a few of my favourite trench coats…

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6

I’ve picked a selection of the classic trench coats from each of the different ranges. There’s Burberry Prorsum (1), Heritage Collection (5), and even a Bespoke trench coat which I quickly popped together (6). I’m actually starting to love trench coats. They’re so simple and are the style of coat which go with everything. They’re the striped top of outerwear. Whatever colour it is, it’s simply the style that pulls the outfit together. From this selection I can’t decide on my favourite… I love the burgundy colour of #4 and the cool statement that comes with the Prorsum number, but the idea of having your own unique trench coat is pretty darn cool. What’s your favourite?

I hope you found this helpful! I want to start doing these posts more frequently during 2015 so be prepared! We’re only on ‘B’ and I started in March (or May… I can’t remember)! Whoops! As usual, collage images are from Pinterest, and you can find all the original sources here!

Yay! My first official Series Sunday post! Erm, I do apologise that its on a Monday this week *cry laughs* but anyway… when I re-launched my site, I said that I would start this ‘thing’ where I publish a post every Sunday from a series I’m running, so here I am! I do promise it will be on a Sunday next week, I totally forgot to press the publish button! About this post though… I’ve had a look and realised I haven’t done a letter in my A-Z Fashion Guide since May of this year… *gulps*…so hopefully with this new ‘thing’, I should get back on it! Today, I have the 2nd letter of B, and it’s all going to be about Broderie Anglaise!

~ BRODERIE ANGLAISE ~

Broderie Anglaise has been around in Europe since the 16th century (or even earlier). From my research, it looks like the method originates from Czech Republic, although it has a french name… and is called ‘English embroidery’ (more on this in just a second). It is mostly known as being white thread on a white fabric (cotton is most commonly used), where holes are created and finally finished with stitches around the edges of each shape. Since the 1800’s, it’s been used in PJs (or nightwear back then) and underwear, and is now mostly found in summer-y clothing like dresses and lightweight t-shirts and tops. The reason it is called ‘Broderie Anglaise‘ is because of the popularity it had in the 19th century, in England.

Most commonly, designs are made to symbolise flowers, vines and foliage, ovals or dots. They can be any size shape and style, but generally they are small and ditsy and have a very fine stitch. Now-a-days most Broderie Anglaise is achieved by machine rather than by hand, which would require skill and precision.

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5

These are a few pieces currently available online. Due to the fact that the style is fairly summery, it is quite hard to find ‘in trend’ pieces at the moment, but I still really love some of these! I absolutely love the black dress, it’s so gorgeously detailed, in a very subtle way, and the shape is very flattering. In fact, I think it would look perfect with the black flats from New Look (£5… bargain!) which would add a preppy touch. The Victoria Beckham shorts are also pretty darn cool, they look chic but have that model-off-duty, modern, city chic vibe about them. Which is your favourite piece? Let me know in the comments!

Next week I’ll be talking all things Burberry, so stay tuned if you like the sound of that! You can catch all of my little A-Z Fashion Guide posts, here! 

(Collage images via Pinterest)

Long time no see my little friend, A-Z Fashion Guide? Sorry, I’ve been a busy bee with other posts but it’s back! You seemed to like this series (I think…. :-/…), so I’m carrying it on! This is the 1st part of the ‘B’ section, so I guess we’ll just crack on, non?

A ‘Basque’ is basically the proper name for a ‘Peplum’. It means an additional piece of fabric almost like a mini skirt, which has been added to a dress, jacket or blouse. Some people get confused between it and a ‘drop waist’ but usually a ‘Basque’ will be completely separate (still joined) and the dress will ‘continue’ under the added ‘Peplum’. The origin of the word ‘Basque’ comes from France, and the actual ‘Basque’ on a skirt also comes from France, and the ‘Basque’ people were the first people to wear the style in the Victorian times. In the era of the Victorians, it was more like a fitted piece of clothing which waistline was past the hips.

This style was most commonly used in lingerie around that time in things like corsets, but now in more modern times it is most commonly found on dresses. The ‘Basque’ or ‘Peplum’ is a flattering shape as it sort of conceals part of your torso and waist which makes your top half look a lot longer and slimmer. I’m not the biggest fan of this style but I think the style will always be popular as it does make for a nice silhouette.

The best example of the ‘Basque’ I can find being used by a designer is from the Chanel A/W 2011 collection. It’s not what I call the nicest of collections, but it’s definitely a good representation of the style. In the collection, there is the classic Chanel jacket, with an added ‘Peplum’, decorative embellishments (more on Applique here!), and bright pops of colour (sorry, that phrase has to get in a post somewhere). Nice, just not my taste. I much prefer the SS14 Haute Couture collection… *love heart eyes emoji*

RIVER ISLAND DRESS//MISS SELFRIDGE TOP//ASOS DRESS

These are three pieces that I love featuring the ‘Basque’ style. I love how the River Island Dress has the 3D flowers, and the bright colours are just gorgeous. The added ‘Basque’ isn’t too obvious either, it makes the whole piece look a lot more structured… shame it’s a tad on the pricey side though… must definitely be worth it! Let’s talk about the top though… ohh yes! I’m not sure you can really have a ‘drop hem’ crop top, so I’m counting this. The print is dreamy, the style is dreamy, ohh just too much dreamy-ness! But, that white dress… YES! I love the cami style scuba neck, and the length… plus the fabric is embossed so it adds that whole extra dimension of sophistication. It’s not something I would usually go for, but I LOVE it! Love love love… well I love all 3 pieces and I wish I owned them all!

 Click here to see the rest of the A-Z Fashion Guide!

Hello everybody! I hope you are all good! This is part 2 of my A-Z Fashion Guide. I will be making a button which I will pop in the sidebar so you can find all of the A-Z posts, but just so you know, the previous post was about Appliqué and this one, is all about A-Line! Enjoy…

‘A-Line’ is a dress shape which originates from around 1955. The A-Line shape features in dresses and skirts, flaring from the bust or waist in a triangular shape, just like an ‘A’. The A-Line is one of the most flattering shapes for all body types. In 1955, Christian Dior created the a collection based on 3 different letters; H, A and Y. After that Yves Saint Laurent caught onto the idea and started to use the ‘trapeze line’ (flaring from shoulders down). It was only after the 1960s that the idea caught on, in a less extreme manner, and it became a hit trend!

Not only does the A-Line shape appear on skirts and dresses, it also appears in coats and jackets which are tighter in the torso, and shape just like an A in the bottom half. The original shape by Christian Dior was actually more exaggerated than the shape is now-a-days; the main look from the 1955 collection was an A-Line coat covering an A-Line fully pleated skirt which you can see below…

I much prefer the way the A-Line used to be done, as it looks chic and classy, yet I could totally see this look being pulled off in a more edgy way. At the moment the ‘boxy’ sort of trend for clothing is going around, and I love the Yves Saint Laurent ‘boxy’ A-Line dress above. It looks simple but could definitely be worked up or down in these more modern times. As I said the style was more exaggerated which means spotting an A-Line piece in a high street shop might be harder as they are more simple and sometimes just look like normal pieces like a pencil skirt.

For the item of ‘A-Line’ in my wardrobe, I picked out my grey and white coat from John Lewis. It’s very fitting and is the perfect length! With my lovely blouse from Joules* (OOTD to come soon!), it is such a beautiful contrast of colour and is perfect for spring! It’s quite old now and is slowly becoming a little bit too short at the arms, but it was such a brilliant piece when I first bought it. I don’t actually have too many A-Line dresses or skirts, but I would certainly recommend the John Lewis coat range! They last a long time!

I hope you liked this 2nd installment in my A-Z Fashion Guide! I actually really enjoy doing these posts so I will definitely try and post one each week! I’m going to do 3 per letter so that will be 78 blog posts, so it should go through the whole entire year and onto 2015! Pretty cool!

(Collage & Black and White images via Pinterest)

Hello everyone, today I am starting a new series. Now, don’t get me wrong, we all know that I am bad when it comes to blog series’ because I never seem to complete them, but I promise that I will. I hope that I can write a blog post every week or fortnight for this series, which is an A-Z Fashion Guide. It’s going to be to do with terms, designers and anything really, from A-Z. The first instalment is Appliqué. I hope you enjoy it…

Appliqué is a French word, for ‘applied’. It basically means, ‘application’. Anything you add to a piece of fabric or garment, is ‘applied’ which means it is a form of Appliqué.  The actual way of adding a piece of fabric or detailing to another piece of fabric, has been around since 980 BC, and one of the first pieces of Appliqué which we know of, came from Egypt, so although the word is derived from the French vocabulary, the actual ‘art form’ comes from Egypt. At first Appliqué was to cover up patches of worn or frayed garment, or to decorate house hold things like curtains.

In the 1800s coloured fabric became more and more popular and Appliqué was used to create historical murals to remember great battles and ceremonies. It was mainly used for quilting, until more recently when designers and artists have used it in clothing. There are different techniques of appliqué, but mainly it just consists of stitching one piece of fabric, to another! There is also reverse appliqué which is where the main piece of fabric is cut and you apply layers of different fabric from behind.

To fit in with London Fashion Week, I have chosen 2 designers which have showed some form of Appliqué. John Rocha & Holly Fulton have both applied 3D floral detailing to their designs, as well as basic Appliqué on Fulton’s beige dress. I will go into these collections more in depth when I come to do my London Fashion Week Review for A/W 14. My favourite way of doing Appliqué is actually the 3D flower, so I do really like the way they have done this, especially Rocha’s metallic detailing onto mesh. The way Holly Fulton’s Appliqué has been done on the beige dress though, almost looks seamless and like a print, but up close is actually slightly lifted off the fabric and looks really nice in different light.

I thought in this series I would show you a piece of clothing from my wardrobe which shows the ‘terminology’ being used. This is my mesh top I got from a jumble sale after seeing Susie Lau – *takes a moment to appreciate the fact that she follows me on Twitter* – wearing a coloured mesh dress on her blog. It’s really pretty and looks so nice over floaty dresses and printed things. You can see me wearing it in this not-so-brilliant OOTD. It was a bargain though and I am very happy with my purchase. *Laughs because she cannot believe she scanned in a top because her parents were out using the camera* *Mentally uses the hashtag: #LifeOfAFashionBlogger*

So, I hope you liked this post! I will try and link it somewhere on my blog so the series is easily accessible, but for now, good bye! Enjoy the rest of LFW!

(Images from Pinterest & Vogue)