Turkish Delight

Warm sunsets, flee markets and a crisp sea breeze usually springs to mind when imaging/reminiscing the exotic plains of Turkey, but it is due to the cultural attributes that signifies its permanent presence in my style influence. Rich colours such as maroon, ruby, burnt oranges and Sapphire blues are all shades which have always suited my natural features well, this mostly springs from being a natural brunette and a fan of fake tan. These days, the high levels of Sally Hanson have calmed significantly and my hair tone close to white blonde, which results in experimenting with new colours. Yet, it seems that I am too accustomed to my genetic fashionista. Bold floral, grunge paisley and faux fur are all featured in my "wish lists" on ASOS, Missguided and Topshop, and when combined, portray the global traveller image which rests kindly with my fashion heart. Turkey continues to increase its popularity amongst tourists annually, and Istanbul in particular has recently been described as "the perfect mix of cosmopolitan chic and old charm", which reinforces (as if it needed to!) its influential stamp on todays trends. 

The Moroccan culture has evolved not only through the clothes that we wear, but lifestyle as a whole. Ow more than ever fast paced living menas that we crave "peace", "exotic" and "escapism" when it comes to home style,a nd the Turkish/Morocan vibe offers all of this. 

Love C X 

Girl meets Boy

When I'm dressing up to head out, I usually have it planned out in my head for hours what I am going to wear before I actually put it on. So,I get dressed and then, it happens every time, but I'm stuck trying to figure out what coat to wear. Now as I have become older and my style has alternated over the years, the safe option has always been to grab a blazer as it seems to go with everything. And this has always served me well, but now it has become evident, especially at Milan Fashion Week  form designers such as Giorgio Armani, that masculine tailoring becoming a bit of a "thing". 

This look has become so much more than wearing a blazer with casual jeans, it has now evolved to carrying the "tailored look" to the bottom half of your style. Printed trousers are a big thing right now and look great with just a plain black/white t-shirt. I particularly enjoy the basic colours  of this trend, which seems to have developed from menswear trends from over the years. Another part of me thinks that this look will especially take off now because of Victoria Beckhams effortless outfit seen at NYFW. 

The key to creating this look is simple.... over sized, trousers, shirts and unisex colouring. This is a great style to invest into your wardrobe, especially if you work in an office environment or looking to be seen as a professional employee. From my perspective, I think this style just resembles modern chic and will definitely be seen in magazines and high street stores for awhile to come.

My investment piece for this look has to be the coat seen in the image above. It is from Oasis and is priced at 135 Euro. All donations are accepted :)

Love C X 

Candy Love Affair

As I was reading last months September issue of Vogue, it occurred to me the reappearing images of pink! Many different shades of pink coats, skirts, bags and shoes, and as someone who wouldn't necessarily be a fan of the shade, I found myself "oohing" and "aaaahing" over this particular photo shoot with the very talented Cara Delevingne. Her face has been everywhere the past few months, on magazines, photo shoots, runways and ALL social media sites. It wasn't the fact that Miss D fronted this photo shoot for its display on this post, but how much these photos make me want to wear a colour that I don't love! And since then I have been hearing over and over again that it is the new "it" colour for this season. Personally, in the winter I enjoy darker shades, such as burgundy, grey, rustic oranges..... but I really hope this colour is embraced this year to brighten up the darker months. So I'm posting more images from this shoot below and hope it inspires you to embrace pink the way it has done to me. 

Love C X 

Reviving the Runway

As London Fashion week closes, and another begins in Milan, this got me thinking about the fashion events themselves and the high level of competition between the actual shows. It is no longer just about the clothes, styles and models that we see on the runway anymore, but about the performance and atmosphere that accompanies the designs. This element seems to become more graphic as the years and the shows commence, but some brands have created a buzz about their new season collection right from the beginning of their careers. It goes without saying that the two best shows for dramatic impact throughout the industry are Alexander McQueen and Chanel.As an events graduate, I have spent the past four years studying the various different "wow" factors that an events/production theme can use to really signify an individual aspect for the particular event at hand. Personally, I have always concentrated on the fashion industry while others would look at major corporate events and sporting events, and these areas just never appealed to me the way a runway would. I would consider myself a very visual person and if something does not look good I find it very difficult to appreciate it, and this is why I admire shows from McQueen and Chanel because they never fail to impress, shock and amaze with their shows. The one thing that I have noticed is the re-occurring theme of monochrome in the set design, and this shows that you can never underestimate the power of basic colours black and white.

Obscure themes always capture my attention, and both brands have been known for "off the wall" concepts for their shows. One of my favourite McQueen shows consisted of the models playing a game of chess, using their bodies as the actual pieces for the game. His shows are infamous for their dark central themes which are reflected in the dramatic scenery, lighting and objects of the shows. Some of these themes include "The Widows of Culloden", "The girl who lived in a tree" and "Angles & Demons".

Chanel is renowned for its elegance and predominate use of classic black, and their showcases are no different.The use dramatic spacing, lighting and objects is exactly why Chanel, and Alexander McQueen shows stand out and stand the test of time. For an event to be memorable it has not engage feelings with the audience and these are prime examples of outstanding moments that will not be forgotten in fashion history. 

For me, I really enjoy an unusual space/venue for an event to take place, especially for a fashion show. I would love to see more of them taking place in churches, abandoned castles or forests. I know this may all seem very gloomy but if you look at all these best fashion events, the ones that have created an impact, have all taken place in/or have centred around a darker theme, and I find that this really works. Some of the images below are places that I would love to see being used as possible venue spots for fashion shows/presentations. 

Love C X 

London Fashion Week: House of Holland SS14

Last Friday marked the beginning of London Fashion Week with an array of shows from Todd Lynn to Holly Fulton to Mulberry. British designers never hold back or downsize creativity, and this year was no exception. British fashion is never afraid to be bigger or bolder with prints, colours or designers and one designer that excells in breaking tradition is Henry Holland with his House of Holland Collections. This year in particular I was very excited to see his designs and knew before even I looked at them that I would dedicate this post to his show. As an Event Management graduate, Fashion Week inspires me through various different forms other thean fashion, from the lighting to the backdrops and of course, the invitations, it is an inspiring season to say the least. Henry Holland is infamous for bringing bolder prints and colours than other designers, and this show resembled the "50's pinup girl" vibe with a hint of rebellion.

Everything about this show was very flirty, with the lighting and bright colouring, with an edginess which came to life through the stick on tattoos worn on the models. The Lilac theme for the runway brought the summer theme to life which complimented the mexican vibe. I have two favourite looks from this show, one of which is pictured above, the coral shift dress with segmented embellishment. 

My second favourite look from this show is the matching lilac silk crop top and matching trousers. I find this print very playful and fun, and thr print itself is quiet oriental which I havnt seen much of lately, which shows the diversity of the brand. Below are more images from his show which took place on Saturady 14th Sept in London. 

Until next time, 

Love C X