NYFW: Highlights

So as much as I would love to sit and review every single collection showcased at fashion week, its just not very realistic, so here our my personal favourite highlights!

Alexander Wang
Dual soundtracks, corrugated ceiling, towering white scaffolding, and an audience split into conflicting sides - the idea being that Wang wanted to discover how differently his collection would be conveyed to each side listening to different soundtracks, one playing calming tones and the other playing 'down and dirty beats'. A colour palette of no more than black, white and cool grey with just hints of baby blue and pale pink. Everything had a crisp masculine edge, with cropped boxy shirts and swinging pleated skirts, to laser-cut leather branded with the designer's logo the duality of masculinity combined with a savvy feminine finish made Alexander Wang's collection a catwalk favourite.
Photos from vogue.com


Marc by Marc Jacobs
Despite the transition from one designer to the next, Marc Jacobs pulled out all the stops with his latest collection. Starting with a strong swinging sixties influence moving into a definitive nineties feel, op art prints on slinky jersey fabric were combined with boyish tailoring, pyjama suits and ponyskin hi-tops, finishing with sporty jumpsuits and skater dresses that appeared to have a contradicting hint of Eastern European influence.
Photos from vogue.com




Peter Pilotto
Sticking to their signature peplum and ruffle designs, this pair created a collection that oozed bold silhouettes and colour choices taken from volcanic inspiration. Layer upon layer or orchid lace created full flared skirts as part of separates as well as the addition of matching jackets, all created with digitally printed fabric and exquisite embellishments. Once again, a truly beautiful collection described as having 'cinematic perspective'. The show also came with the announcement of a collaboration with the American retailer Target, a line that will be launched in February to include womenswear, swimwear and accessories.
Photos from vogue.com

Busy Bee.

After a busy couple of weeks moving back to Liverpool and and settling back into university, I have finally had the chance to sit down and catch up on my blogging! 

As I've started my second year at university studying fashion communication I will try and post regular updates of my work and any interesting projects. But for now, I will shortly be posting my highlights of all fashion weeks (better late than never) so keep an eye out!

An Outfit Worth Celebrating.

This weekend I attended a friends 21st birthday party and had my outfit planned for ages beforehand! (Which might I add, is VERY unusual for me to stick to!!). Due to having my second year of university looming and, therefore, being a student on a budget, I'd picked a dress out of my wardrobe that I'd worn just once before on holiday and thought it looked great! I'd bought the dress online at fashionunion.com for about £11 in the sale, bargain! Plus, it's the perfect LBD that will last a fair few outings. So I teamed this with my black heeled sandals with a gold plate across the front that I'd purchased from New Look for just £19.99, a fantastic copy of the much higher priced Zara versions. I also recently picked up a great piece of statement jewellery in the sale at boohoo.com, an antique gold style necklace with engraved patterns added the finishing touches alongside my black and gold envelope clutch, which I bought from New Look again for just £7.99! My makeup I kept simple with just a little mascara and a nude glossy lip, along with sleek hair swept to one side. A truly classy and sophisticated look. 

90's Chick.

Yesterday was my little brothers 18th birthday, so crazy!! Long gone are the days when I was actually bigger than him! To celebrate, we went out for a very lovely meal and I decided to embrace my inner 90's girl with the look I went for. I love my new polka dot off the shoulder top from Boohoo, which was an absolute bargain at just £4 in the sale! I teamed this with my denim skirt from New Look and also wore my ASOS polka dot flatform sandals that I had tucked away in my wardrobe. 

Topshop VS Homemade

I absolutely love the new camis that are all over Topshop at the minute! The silky feel and loose fit make them a wardrobe staple, you can wear them with anything from a pair of jeans to a nice pencil skirt. However, I do think that a price range of £15-£22 is a bit much for such a simple top that I just want to buy in every possible colour. So, I used my Topshop cami as a pattern and created my own version using some spare satin floral fabric that I previously purchased to make some trousers. After the pieces were sewn together, edges were neatened off and some simple straps were added I had my very own version of the Topshop cami for less than a quarter of the price!

How I achieve my 'every day' look

Like most people, I have a typical, quick and easy, every day look. Partially because I'm always late for everything, I don't tend to have the time to put much effort into my appearance, although I don't go for the 'just out of bed' look either. I like to look natural with a few added extras. My curly hair is a bonus as it means I can wash it, apply a few products and just leave it to do it's thing! If only my face worked the same way. Cleanse, tone and moisturiser is always the first part of my morning ritual, I love using the Simple range as they're so good to your skin, it feels lovely and refreshed! If I've got a long day ahead or have to battle with the elements then a primer is essential, I give Nivea's moisturising primer a 10/10, fabulous! Due to the fact that I have slightly oily skin I really hate using heavy makeup, instead I've found the miracle known as BB creams. So far I've tried a few different brands but I have to say that Boots 17 BB cream is my favourite, it really does help improve the skins appearance massively yet has an ultra light feel to it. Liquid concealers can be a lifesaver for those dark circles or nasty blemishes, Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer gives great coverage and again, has a very light consistency. Collection 2000's blush and highlight cream duo works wonderfully with the BB cream base and blends in exquisitely! Use the blush under the cheekbones to create definition, use the excess on your fingers on areas such as temples and jawline for added sculpting. Apply the highlighter just above cheekbones and around the outer eye-socket to reflect light. For me, it's all about the eyebrows. Nicely shaped and defined brows need to be shown off which is why I add colour to them using Urban Decays Brow Box, which also includes wax to set the powder if you want a really defined look. I find that there is nothing worse than when you're in a rush and your lashes are just clumping together to look like spiders legs. Rimmel's Lash Accelerator Endless mascara not only encourages lash growth, but does a fantastic job of separating, defining and lengthening  them with it's comb brush, giving you a natural but full effect. To finish off the look, I tend to opt for either a coral or nude lip (Barry M and Kate Moss for Rimmel are my favourites) or make a bit of a statement with a lovely bright red colour. So that's pretty much it for my daily routine for my natural every day look, hope you like it! 

The Olsens' Launch High Street Collection

My slight obsession with the Olsen twins is escalating to new heights after reading about their new high street launch! Unfortunately, a flight to Scandinavia will be needed if I want to get my hands on their more affordable pieces. Mary-Kate and Ashley have just launched the collection in Norway and Sweden with prices ranging from €25 to €500 including basic jersey tops to limited edition leather jackets. Working with retailer Bik Bok, the girls have taken inspiration from their label The Row and included the signature aesthetic of grunge glamour with their usual combinations of oversizing and layering leather, angora, jersey and chiffon to create spectacular clothes and accessories. So maybe flying to Sweden is a bit extreme, but fingers crossed that this new venture will expand and hopefully come a bit closer to home! 

Photo from Vogue.co.uk