Fashion... and other musings

I DON'T Like Your Style

2010-09-14T01:55:00.001+01:00

Unfortunately sometimes some beautiful people make baaaad choices when it comes to clothes. And this one came as a bit of a shock seeing as she usually looks good, if not stunning sometimes. But sorry Evan Rachel Wood, I don't like your style at the VMAs, it's AWFUL:

Maybe it's her stance, maybe it's the cut of the dress, the print of the dress, the low rise belt, the tacky boots, maybe it's ALL OF THE ABOVE, but whatever it is, I know it is bad. Sorry Evan.

Hopefully I won't have many more to file under this heading. Until next time...

Elvie xxx

I Like Your Style: Michelle Williams

2010-09-07T22:05:00.000+01:00

Actress Michelle Williams looks bloomin' lovely at the Venice Film Festival in a Jason Wu dress. I love how it's figure-hugging with sparkles and yet is still demure due to the high neck, delicate bow and classic, neutral colour.

I like her hair here too. Usually I'm not a fan of the pixie cut, as not many girls can pull it off, but Michelle's sweeping side platinum do' looks polished and a perfect pairing for her dress. The InStyle site described her as a 'gamine' in this outfit, and being dense I had never heard of this word and I had to look it up. It is a French word and means, according to dictionary.com: a diminutive or very slender girl, esp. one who is pert, impudent, or playfully mischievous or an elfish tomboy. So I think it sums up her look well, and I'm glad I can add the word to my vocabulary... in fact I think, I would like to be an elfish, chic, mysterious, French-like gamine.

So, yeah, Michelle Williams, and gamines across the world, I like your style.

Elvie xxx

Do Be Sheepish

2010-08-24T16:50:00.000+01:00

For a while now the shops and magazines have been showcasing the latest Autumn/Winter trends. Not only is this depressing seeing as Summer isn't over and it is just reminding us that coming up will be the cold, short, bitter days of Winter, but also it seems rather impractical. When you go shopping for some new clothes that you want to be 'in trend', you're met with Winter coats and jackets, and reams of knitwear and fur, that, even in the luke-warm temperatures of our British Summer, are not really suited for everyday wear at the moment.

Take, for example, the new mega-trend for this Winter of sheepskin or fur lined clothes and accessories. I really want to jump on board because I like the look, but if I bought anything now, I doubt I'd wear it for a couple of months. But then, who knows if it will still be 'in' then or if I'll look like a weirdo sheep farmer parading around London whilst the other fashionistas are all wearing the new city slicker look or something?!

Anyway, leather aviator jackets, usually in brown, with sheepskin or shearling linings to the lapels or collars and cuffs are BIG news at the moment. The Guardian's style department has already done a big feature on them here: http://bit.ly/aYQU7N and have found seven of the best jackets, including a style-stealing £30 one at Matalan here: http://bit.ly/cEJubr

Asos, as always, are also on the beat with this one (above) for £110, which is a tad pricey for me, but jackets are one of those items that you can justify spending a bit more on. Just tell yourself it's an 'investment'...

Glamour Magazine has done a nice feature on aviators too, which also showcases the effortless Alexa Jung rocking one, as well as snapshots from the Burberry and Julien MacDonald A/W runway shows :

If a jacket is a bit too forward, wearing the look on shoes or a bag is a more subtle way to work this trend. Fur-lined boots are literally EVERYWHERE at the moment. Just have a look at a few of these:

River Island £39.99

River Island £74.99

Office £87

New Look £29.99

New Look £64.99

Asos £85

Topshop does a very cutesy sheepskin bag for £30 that incorporates the satchel trend as well:

Perfect for keeping your laptop snug in the chilly August weather...

So, although I'm slightly miffed it's come along early, I am liking the traditional and snuggly (never thought those two words would go together!) feel that you get from adding a touch of shearling, sheepskin or faux-fur to an outfit.

Stay sheepish

Elvie xxx

I Like Your Style

2010-08-11T13:06:00.001+01:00

Just a quick post to say how much I LOVE this dress Drew Barrymore is wearing: (Picture from Look.co.uk)

I like your style Drew. Now get back together with Justin Long...

Elvie xxx

Well That's Hat Then

2010-08-10T15:14:00.000+01:00

Long time, no see again Mr. Blog. I am so rubbish at keeping this up, it's embarrassing!

I don't know what I can do to make myself write more often, making promises to myself doesn't seem to be working. Maybe I'll just stick to only writing occasionally but I know that means I have less chance of exposing my blog to the world and getting more people to read it, though that's probably a long shot anyway...

So, on to the topic in hand: HATS

I have always been a fan of the hat and those that dare to wear, but unfortunately, due to my large head and protruding ears, I have never been able to find that perfect hat that not only looks good on me, but is vaguely in fashion at the time.

But - no more! Well I hope... I have recently bought a hat from H&M that finally fits my head (I had to buy the 'Large' size though) and I think is not massively unfashionable.

It's a black felt hat with a black silk ribbon around the base and it's actually pretty versatile - it can be a bowler hat with the edges turned up, a twenties style hat with the edges down, and if you're careful you can press in the top slightly and it looks a bit like a trilby!

Today, in fact, I wore it with one edge lower down than the other and paired it with smart harems (New Look), a flowery scarf (Topshop) and some brogue-style shiny flats, giving a rather 1920's American Mobster look - see picture attached of me looking all Bugsy Malone:

Now I'm not saying this look is particularly 'on trend' atm, but I think hats can just give that extra edge to an outfit and get you noticed more, and as this one is so versatile, it's a real winner.

Wearing a bowler hat or trilby on the back of your head has certainly been a look that's been seen atop many fashionistas heads these past few years, and straw hats always have a look-in over the summer, but felt hats, sometimes in a twenties style, are having a bit of a moment this year I think. Take the new issue of ASOS Magazine which features former The City star and socialite Olivia Palermo modelling a number of felt hats - you can see this here: http://bit.ly/3oZVs5

So hats off to the hat, and see you in about a month probably...

Elvie xxx

Perry and Brand

2010-07-15T01:34:00.000+01:00

Hello. After much mishappenings with my laptop, I gave in and bought a new one. So now I have absolutely no excuse not to post regularly.... uh oh...

Anyway, I only recently realised that I left my new favourite couple out of my list that I posted the other week: Katy Perry and Russell Brand.

I'm not really a major fan of either, but like most people, I think Russell is tres amusant and strangely rather attractive. As I'm from good ol' Blighty, I first saw Russell Brand way back in the day when he did Big Brother's Big Mouth and from then on have always taken a slight interest in what he gets up to. Like I say, I'm not a big fan because some of his stuff is a bit off-the-wall and not my taste, but let's say I'm fond of him.

The same goes to say for Katy Perry. I was obviously first aware of her when she released 'I Kissed a Girl' and then quite liked her songs 'Hot 'n' Cold', 'Waking Up in Vegas' and 'Thinking of You' but her songs are just mainstream pop that I can sing along to and tolerate, again not really my main taste when it comes to music. I'm fairly ambivalent towards her style and personality, but she seems nice enough.

So to get to the point, I was fairly pleased when they got together, and I began to like them more as a couple than as individuals for a few reasons. First it was pretty quick and nobody expected it; secondly it's a transatlantic relationship - I like it when Americans date English people, for some bizarre reason it makes me feel proud; and thirdly, Brand was known to be a terrible womaniser so the fact that he's fallen in love and proposed to someone, let alone a worldwide famous popsinger, is quite humbling and sweet.

Besides they always look very happy together, and are surprisingly quite suited it seems.

All power to them I say, and sorry for forgetting them!

Elvie xxx

I Like Your Style

2010-06-21T21:24:00.001+01:00

Another post, this time mixing fashion AND celebrity - I'm on fire at the moment!

Taylor Swift rocked this retro style bikini in the Bahamas over the weekend and I think she looks great. It's refreshing to see a young star wearing some fashion-forward swimwear rather than just flashing as much as they possibly can. I like your style Taylor.

Elvie xxx

File under 'Other Musings'

2010-06-21T18:03:00.001+01:00

OK, so apart from fashion I have a few other obsessions; celebrities and entertainment news being some major ones. Basically I have practically no social life so I live my life through celebrities' lives - that is really how sad I am, don't worry I've come to terms with it...

Anyway, I thought I may start posting about celebrity news, gossip and my opinions on them, seeing as fashion trends can take a while to emerge sometimes, and basically I just want to ramble on about more stuff that I fill my little life with.

The part of the celebrity world that I most obsess over is celebrity couples - when a hot, and/or likeable, male star gets together with a female celeb that I like, or can stand, I become Stalker Woman. Well... it's not that bad, I just like to keep up to date on the status of their relationship and see proof of it in pictures. I'll stop explaining it now, it just makes it seem more creepy than it is... honest!

So here are my favourite celebrity couples, and the odd one that I think should get (back) together:

1. Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck

I've liked Ben since he first came on the scene, I know people mock his acting ability, but come on, he's fricking handsome! Even when he was with La Lopez I was rooting for them and secretly sad when they broke up, and when the always affable Garner came along and they popped out two adorable kids - it was a hollywood family made in heaven.

2. Amanda Seyfried & Dominic Cooper

Again, this started with an obsession with the guy. I first noticed Cooper in The History Boys, and then, when he played Willoughby in a BBC adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, I was hooked, I mean just look at his face - he is all kinds of hotness. Then came Mamma Mia! A totally cheesy film, but I'm a big musical and Abba fan so it was a must see for me. Then... the piece-de-resistance: an on-screen couple going off screen. Amanda Seyfried seems really nice too and not like all the typical Hollywood floozies you get. The trouble is they're very on and off, and they started a little trickily too - he was still with his previous partner of 12 years. I think they may be on again at the moment as pictures of them together are appearing again - but that could mean they are just friends... who knows?

3. Blake Lively & Penn Badgley

I've been a fan of Gossip Girl since the beginning because quite a few years before the TV show started, I read a number of the books from the series that it's based on. Therefore I was a ready-made fan of the TV show, unless it ended up being awful, but luckily it wasn't. Anyway all the guys of the show are lust-worthy but my attention was paid towards Dan - the dark looks of Penn Badgley are more my type and Dan's character is all 'sweet, sensitive, smart, quirky, awkward' which is a no-brainer for me. So again when the main relationship in season 1 of Dan and Serena went off screen, this couple were prime specimens for me to obsess over. I find Blake a tad annoying but I can put up with it...

4. Nicole Richie & Joel Madden

When watching The Simple Life I always thought Nicole Richie was hilarious and when she got together with Joel (who's pretty cute and from Good Charlotte who I used to like a bit when I was younger) she went all 'reformed party girl' and got pregnant. Now they have two cutsie kids which gives them big bonus points in celeb couple world.

5. Diane Kruger & Joshua Jackson

I always rooted for Pacey over Dawson - Josh is tall, dark, scruffy and always smiley, and Diane is one cool lady. She's German and she can not only speak, but act in English and French too, and I guess she's not bad to look at. On top of this are her massive fashion credentials as well. Plus, they always have many PDA filled trips around romantic cities and always look very happy together.

6. Reese Witherspoon & Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake is hot and a good actor, Reese is one of my favourite actresses and is lovely. She should dump the 'nobody' Jim Toth and get back with Jake. NOW. 'Nuff said.

7. Alexis Bledel & Milo Ventimiglia

Another couple that MUST get back together. I first noticed Milo in Heroes, and thought 'Hmm he's quite nice...' but wasn't that fussed. It wasn't until I starting watching Gilmore Girls (which is brilliant btw) and a younger Milo appeared as bad boy Jess, that a major crush developed. As you can probably tell, Milo is defo my type, and Alexis is so quirky and beautiful. They dated a while back when they were still filming Gilmore Girls I think, but they should definitely get back together again. I hated it when he was with Hayden whats-her-face from Heroes, she was like 11 years younger and a brat. I think he may be with someone else now but I'm not sure about her... come on! They're meant to be!

8. Drew Barrymore & Justin Long

Justin is cute and slightly nerdy, and Drew seems like a nice, if a bit kooky, person and so I like them together. There haven't been pictures of them for quite a while now, so either they're over, the paps aren't interested in them, or they are managing to keep a very low profile... again who knows really?

9. Sienna Miller & Jude Law

For once Jude isn't really my type, but it can't be denied that he is bloomin handsome, and actually I wasn't that fussed about this couple the first time round, but I think that it was when Sienna was with Balthazar Getty (for some unkown reason I quite like him) that I started paying attention to who she dated. So, although she was kind of known as a 'home-wrecker' with Getty, I still liked them together but was even more pleased when she got back with Jude, just 'cos you hardly ever hear of a famous couple breaking up and then getting together again years later... it seems quite sweet. And let's hope he stays faithful this time...

10. Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds

Again, a case of guy-fancying here. Ryan Reynolds was the funny, sexy one in Two Guys and a Girl but then he seemed to disappear for a while. Then all of a sudden after a couple of movies he's a massive star and married to the stunning Scar-Jo. The notoriously low-key couple avoid the photogs which makes them very elusive and any sighting of them together is rare, so maybe this is why I like them. It also helps that Ryan is super sexy, as well as funny... and I don't mind his Mrs.

So, there you have it, my top ten couples, and my celebrity obsession laid bare. I could probably go on but it seems nice to leave it a ten. For example Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell are also on my radar, especially since they have baby twins now, Heidi Klum and Seal are big hitters too, and Justin Bartha and Ashley Olsen are sweet together.

Anyway, I'll try not to bore you with too much celeb crap - the internet is already spilling over with drudge like this, and will try to focus mainly on the 'fash'.

Till next time...

Elvie xxx

Colour me happy

2010-06-18T23:48:00.001+01:00

Well my laptop is still MIA (i.e. with the repair man) but as my flatmate's away on holiday for the week I'm having a cheeky use of her laptop in order to post.

So, it's finally summer and next week I'm hot-footing it over to Turkey for my first holiday of the year, huraah! But holiday season means one thing - bikinis and beachwear! I already have a number of bikinis and swimsuits, but all varying in degrees of ill-fitting, sagging, unflattering or out of fashion styles, so obviously, like every year, it was time to buy a new one.

There a hundreds of styles online, but I think with swimwear it's always better to try on before you buy because the fit is so important, and therefore yesterday I headed out to the shops in search of a bikini. Eventually I ended up with this bright number from Topshop:

You can find this at: http://bit.ly/9qmDxH but as I said it may be better to physically try it on.

I was looking for a triangle string bikini and this one was slightly padded too which is a bonus for my rather flat chest, so it fitted the bill nicely. Not only was it the right shape, but I also thought it fitted into a current trend - the tribal/tropical/colourful flavour of prints that are around all the high street stores at the moment. Any bright, colourful or tribal like print on a dress or top works great, and if you're feeling brave mix and match prints for an edgier and more outlandish look. Feathers and beads are great to add on as accessories too.

Asos.com have a great selection in their 'Hyper Real' trend with some easy to wear pieces that won't break the bank, check them out here: http://bit.ly/aS69uX

Heidi Klum and Isabel Lucas both work the trend well, Heidi with a strong pattern print and Isabel with a brightly coloured

shift.

Bright colours are also appropriate seeing as the World Cup is being held in vibrant South Africa, and what's not better than some crazy tribal prints to cheer you up after England's dismal performances?

Anyway, hope it's not too long until next time, over and out...

Elvie xxx

Sorry! Blame the laptop not the blogger

2010-05-23T21:10:00.000+01:00

OK here's the dealio - my laptop broke two days before I was going to write my MET ball post! So it's honestly not my fault that I didn't keep my promise - HONEST!

Basically I've been managing to access the net from my ipod touch but it wouldn't let me post from it for some reason, and I only today realised I could post from my flatmate's wii (on the internet channel - pretty nifty eh?!) so that's what I'm doing but it's taking a painstakingly long time!

Therefore this is going to be a pretty short post just to say sorry and explain why I didn't keep my promise.

Hopefully I will post soon, either with a fixed or new laptop, and it probably won't be on the MET ball seeing as it was weeks ago now!

So yeah... sorry! But it's technology's fault not mine... really...

Until next time (hopefully)

Elvie xxx

PS I can't seem to be able to change the font style or colour on here so another apology on how awful this will look!

Coming soon...

2010-05-05T12:58:00.001+01:00

Hello blog world, I'm determined not to completely abandon this blog but due to lots of work for uni (including revising - aahh!) and actual job work I haven't been posting as much as I'd like.

But I'm just posting something to say: I will do a proper post soon!!

Basically, I've just been pouring over all the gorgeous gowns at the MET Ball that happened earlier this week and I've decided I'll do a post on my low-down of the best, and worst dresses. I know it will be what EVERY magazine and EVERYBODY on the internet will be doing but it's a little bit of fashion and criticism indulgence for me,yay!

But like I said, I don't have the time to properly do it yet, so I'm promising it will be here on Saturday... hopefully ;)

I can here millions of you squealing in anticipation... yeah right...

Anway, until Saturday,

Elvie xxx

Stand to Attention and Combat Your Fashion Fears

2010-03-31T16:11:00.005+01:00

Goodness me I'm a very bad blogger - over two months since I last posted, woops.

And I don't really have any excuse, I mean I've had quite a lot of uni work and have started a part time job but really I've just been slacking.

Anyway, onto the trend I want to talk about - Military Boots. They have been slowly surfacing for a couple of months now and seem to have now established themselves as the footwear of the moment and a major trend. I call them military boots, but they could easily be called combat boots, biker boots or lace-up ankle boots, and are also slightly like doc martens too. Generally I have seen them in black or grey and work best as flat boots, though if you want to work the trend for an evening look, heeled military boots can work well as long as they're paired with the right outfit.

The boots can be paired with skinny jeans for a quick and easy daytime look, but if you really want to work them, you need to get into the rocker/grunge/90s look that I've been banging on about so much. Taylor Momsen works this trend a lot and celebrities such as Momsen have been seen in these flat, lace-up military style boots - below is a picture of Dakota Fanning flaunting a doc marten style pair:

Now, when it comes to buying a pair, they can often be quite expensive because they are usually leather boots, but I have found a reasonably priced pair at chockersshouse.co.uk with a link to the pair I mean here: http://www.chockersshoes.co.uk/category/boots/product/chase/

So military boots are an easy way to give an edgy, hard look to your outfit and I advise you to invest now before this trend makes a strategic exit from the war that is the world of fashion.

Hopefully it won't be so long until my next post...

Elvie xxx

In for the Longchamp

2010-01-28T14:14:00.002+00:00

I've been living in London for just over a year now and ever since I've been regularly travelling on the tube and just wandering around town in general, I have been noticing women carrying a particular bag.

The bag in question is a canvas tote bag with a brown leather flap and handles, and a zip to fasten the bag which seems to extend a bit longer than the bag itself across the top. And I would guess I've seen it carried by at least 20% of women I have seen in London - no joke (though I'm not great at estimating amounts so take that with a pinch of salt...), but anyway - A LOT of women. It's quite a nice simple and elegant bag but I've found myself to be a victim of trend-itis - I want one even though if I'd only seen one women carrying it I wouldn't have taken a second glance. But because so many women, and they are usually of the sophisticated, cool, London type, carry one I have become very envious and want one myself, just so I can be like them.

Anyway, because the bag doesn't have any obvious logo on it, and I haven't been close enough to one to really have a look for some sort of identification (that would go a little too far even for me - in London you are supposed to act completely nonchalant towards the people you travel with and see on the street so staring at someone's bag intently would look a little weird) AND I've been too much of a coward to approach someone and ask where their bag is from, the bag's identity and where it is from has remained a mystery to me. Until today that is - I finally decided to try and search for it online and after about five minutes of typing various combinations of: "london women canvas tote bag leather handles and flap" into Google, I finally discovered the bag in question is a Longchamp bag.

More specifically it is 'Le Pliage' bag and you can get it in a range of colours at http://www.longchamp.com/gb/home-e-shopping-10218.html or go to www.longchamp.com and click on your correct country if you're not in the UK. It is around £63 which I would never pay for a bag, but considering it is an actual 'designer bag' then it's pretty reasonable. I'm not sure I will actually buy it but I may look for one on ebay or somewhere, or perhaps look for a copycat from a cheaper store, but I'll let you know if I find anything.

So there you have it, the 'Le Pliage' Longchamp bag - every London woman's go-to bag for style and simplicity, it's not really a cutting edge trend, I think women have been carrying them for years now, but it's definitely a prominent and prolific trend in any case.

Until next time,

Elvie xxx

Summer Pastels and the Romance Invasion

2010-01-13T21:56:00.002+00:00

Big apologies for the lack of blogging but as it was the Chrissy period I went home to Dorset and was busy with relatives and winter walks and the sort. But anyway, hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year and I'm back to bore you with my musings!

I thought I'd start with a vague prediction for spring/summer 2010, or as the comedian Peter Serafinowicz (who I follow on twitter - twitter.com/serafinowicz) would say '2KX' which I quite like, anyway back to the point - after gazing into my crystal ball I have found that pastels are gonna be big. Although don't hold me to that...

Basically from looking at a few high street stores new collections, it looks like pastels - mainly in the pink/beige variety, are going to be the colour of choice for summer, paired with studs again and with lots of florals. This lovely tutu style skirt would be a really good staple to see you through the summer, it's from New Look and can be bought here: http://tinyurl.com/y9cw8sw.

OK - I'm afraid I started this post a while ago (a couple of weeks) and saved it to finish at a later date and so now, since starting this post, I have seen this trend go crazy! It's now in nearly every high street shop and on sites like asos, take a look at some of these pieces from their recent newsletters:

And look in any women's clothes shop and they'll have a section on this trend (well definitely New Look and Topshop anyway).

Also I think I'll have to adjust what I have said previously - it's not a trend prediction for Spring/Summer it's a trend for now! As I speak I'm wearing a pale pink jumper, or 'sweater' if you're American, with a pink and grey floral scarf both from Topshop - thanks to a gift card I got for Christmas from an aunt (though I spent more than was actually on it in the end woops!). You can find them on Topshop's site here: http://tinyurl.com/y9mlm6l (sweater) http://tinyurl.com/ybvw9hy (scarf)

So pastels, pinks, florals and whites are BIG right now - just think romantic, Parisian, spring days and floaty flowers. I did hint on twitter (follow @sheaimstofollow !) that I'd be writing about velvet but that seemed to be a very small trend that just fell by the way-side a month or two ago so the pastel/pink/floral trend has taken my attention instead - maybe velvet was only good for the festive period and now that's over everyone's looking towards spring with lighter fabrics and colours?!

Anyway I'm basically just repeating myself by banging on about pinks and pastels so I'll love you and leave you - hopefully there won't be such a big gap between posts next time...

Elvie xxx

A Little Husky for You

2009-11-30T20:24:00.002+00:00

Just a small post because I've found a nice 'Husky' jacket on asos.com after trawling around some websites. I re-ignited my search after a girl walked in wearing one in a lecture today. It made me so smug to know I had written about it as a trend previously and then I was seeing it in reality (not that I think I influenced her - of course she hasn't read this blog - no one has...! )

Anyway, it made me wonder where she had got it from, though it looked a little 'vintage' i.e. maybe from a charity shop or somewhere, as it had a nice plaid lining to it that made it look like a proper husky, horse-rider jacket, so in other words I doubted I'd be able to find one in a high street shop, and I'm far too pathetic to have gone up and asked her where it was from like any confident person would have obviously. However I thought I'd look online to see if any stores had picked up on the trend, and of course only the lovely asos had: http://tinyurl.com/ylaxqw2

There seem to be loads of options for men on their site too - maybe it's more of a male trend?!

Anyway enjoy

Elvie xxx

Tweet Tweet

2009-11-21T22:25:00.001+00:00

Just thought I'd say, if anyone in the slightest is reading, you can follow my musings, or ramblings on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sheaimstofollow

Elvie xxx

High Buns and Huskies

2009-11-21T22:05:00.003+00:00

Bonsoir web world.

I thought I'd talk about the 'private school girl' look that is always on the peripheral of fashion trends.

It's a tricky thing, because in one way I despise private school girls and really want to slap them sometimes, but actually it's probably just jealousy as ultimately I wish I had gone to private school - doesn't everyone want to, deep down, come from a rich family, go to the best schools and then go to Cambridge or Oxford?? I hate myself for saying it but it's probably true in my case.

So the typical look of a private pupil comes with the same mixed feelings - I think it looks pompous and haughty but really I wish I could pull it off, though that then poses another problem - if I did pull off the look I would be pretending to be something I'm not and putting out a snobby image perhaps... I don't know, I think about these things far too much probably!

Anyway... basically I've noticed a couple of micro-trends that seem to be in this preppy vein: very high buns and husky jackets.

I've noticed the buns more really, it seems to be the way to wear your hair at the moment and definitely has the 'model' look about it. Basically it's just a simple twisted bun almost right on top of the head but not done too tightly so the hair looks a little loose and has a few wisps of hair flayling (I may have made that word up) around. BUT the bun itself is not a big messy one - it's tight, neat and concise, it's the rest of the hair that can be a bit messy. Again this is just a trend I've noticed on the streets of Landan and not so much on celebs so I can't prove it with celeb power I'm afraid. And also I would take a picture of myself wearing one but it really doesn't suit me because I have a side fringe (a grown out front fringe) which is too short so always falls down and this look only seems to look good with all the hair pulled back into the bun.

Now husky jackets. I only actually recently found out what they were called, but have been noticing these quilted, usually navy, jackets on people at the same time as the bun hairstyle. It seems it's a jacket you can only wear if you are confident in your style because otherwise you'd probably look like you were impersonating the Duchess of Cornwall or some other horsey middle-aged woman (like Jennifer Saunder's character in Jam and Jerusalem - comprendez??) because it is a very strong staple of the privately-educated wadrobe. Once again no celeb pictures but I'll post the best example of one of these jackets on here, though it's not a great one I'm afraid, I've seen much better on girls I've passed on the street, but hey-ho, here we go ^ (see above)

Also, just thought I'd show you my new boots from River Island that I luh-uh-uve, and were £35 which is reasonable for RI really, and they are flat ankle boots with a bit of studding - what more could you want?! YUM.

Elvie xxx

PS I think things have changed around on here so I can't have the same font colour which is annoying for miss meticulous here, but nevermind...

Jump into warm festive sparkles

2009-11-07T12:50:00.008+00:00

Wow it's been a whole two months since my last post - I am slacking. But I have a sort of excuse - I'm back at uni in London so my schedule consists of more than just lie-ins, watching tv and cruising the interweb now - lectures appear somewhere in the midst as well...

Anyway I thought I'd talk about the jumper with embellishment (mostly in the form of sequins) trend that is emerging. I first noticed it a couple of months ago when I saw one in H&M but unfortunately I was only idling some time away until I had to catch a train and didn't have time to try it on and possibly purchase said item - but it was nice anyway, and I regretted not buying it because next time I looked it had already gone and H&M don't sell online either.

Anywho, after this incident I have noticed more and more long, snuggly jumpers (perfect for the nippy weather obv) shrouded in a sequined or some sort of sparkled design, often draping over one shoulder or around the neckline, or in an emblazoned emblem on the front. I can't find any examples of celeb-wearing for this trend really, but I've scoured the shopping sites for some pictures and here we go:

The left is from asos.com and costs £45 which is a a little steep, but not too bad for a warm jumper that you know will be well made and can also be worn dressed up or down. The right is from dorothyperkins.com and is £10 cheaper than the asos one but maybe not as stylish.

There are loads about in high street shops, so the choice is endless, if only I could have that H&M one though....

Elvie xxx

Slouchy, studded and skinny

2009-09-07T15:49:00.012+01:00

Hello all, it's been a while but I am back with a few more trends I'd like to talk about...

Let's start with the slouchy basic tee, which means a loose fitting plain t-shirt - though we are definitely not talking about a massive baggy t-shirt with sleeves down to the elbows here, in a neutral colour (black, grey, white etc), with either a low round or v- neckline and in a thinish material - a slightly see-through look is always good, but as long as the bra you're wearing it with is good too.

Now it's not a show-stopper or a mega trend, but it's just something I've picked up upon lately. Even though it's been around for a long time, it's trend status has only just dawned on me - I know, I apologise for being a little slow on the uptake! Anyway, I feel it is an essential item to own if you are going for the grungy nineties look - it can be worn under an open plaid shirt and a denim (or maybe leather) jacket with skinnies and some boots - preferably the black, doc marten, hard-style type. Or it could be worn tucked into a skirt, either way it exudes that 'I-just-threw-this-on-but-oh-don't-I-look-hot' look that is often very tricky to achieve.

Gals who wear this trend to perfection are the annoyingly and insanely hot type of celebrities, namely Megan Fox and Audrina Patridge (pictured left to right). It probably helps that these ladies have ample bosoms and super-slim arms and waist that make the t-shirts hang so stylishly, but anything that can make me vaguely look like Megan Fox or Audrina Patridge, I am certainly going to try!

Now onto skinny , studded belts, and more specifically: black skinny belts with gold or silver studs worn with party dresses.

Studs, and the general 'biker/rocker' look emerged last autumn/winter and I wasn't sure it would stay around this long, but I was proved wrong as it seems to have come back with a vengeance at the end of this summer especially in belts and boots. Wearing studs on a skinny belt is an easy way to wear the trend as it gives a plain or floral dress a bit of a harder edge without going overboard with the whole 'rocker' look. Topshop obviously has a great range, and they can be viewed here: http://tinyurl.com/ldu47s and River Island has a couple of nice dresses that come with studded, and black and gold skinny belts, which you can view at: http://xml.riverisland.com/flash/content.php.

This trend is one that I have picked up just from looking at magazines, browsing the high street shops and looking at street fashion. It's not one I have noticed a lot on celebrities, though I'm sure there are many examples of celebs working this trend but I think I would be here for days scouring for photos on the internet seeing as I don't have a particular person or instance to go on, so basically I can't prove its trend status in pictures - you'll just have to take my word for it I'm afraid.

But anyway I'm off to search for that perfect slouchy tee, so I'll love you and leave you...

Elvie xxx

Combat Shoulder

2009-08-04T21:14:00.015+01:00

Shoulder pads. So eighties - and therefore, so now. Though the shoulder pads of the noughties coming at us in a slightly different form this time - an upward 'flick' shape has replaced the big square that was so popular in the eighties.

So far I have not invested in this trend - mainly because I think it would be hard to pull off if you're not a superstar actress, singer or model, but also because I'm not sure how long it will hang around. I also feel I'm a little late in talking about this trend - it's less emerging and more current now - but I thought it was still significant enough to warrant a post (and not just because I've been busy and haven't had time to find an emerging trend.....honest).

If you wear this shoulder pad you're going to get noticed - they are not the shy and retiring pads of the simple boyfriend blazer, and that is why I'm not sure about buying into this trend - if I buy now I'm worried the trend will begin to go out and I'll just be the standout weirdo wearing the crazy shoulder pads, and that's not really a look I aim for.

That's definitely the thing about trends - timing is everything. Too early and you can be a freak, too late and you can be a 'so-last-year' sheep, get it just before its peak and you're a trendsetting starlet. I suppose, as everyone will tell you, it's really about having confidence and then you can pull any outfit off, but, unfortunately in my case, I don't have confidence all the time so I have to hide behind fashion trends - I am quite literally a slave to fashion.

Anyway, back to shoulder pads. Of course many celebrities have already pulled this look off effortlessly - Rihanna (who appears to have become my go-to girl for fashion trends already, even though I'm not a big fan of hers) has championed the look, while stars like Sienna Miller have gone for a subtle but effective edge.

Thanks to justjared.buzznet.com for the pictures - it's a great site for sad people like me who are addicted to celebrity news.

So, until next time...

Elvie xxx

Right Timing?

2009-07-13T17:48:00.018+01:00

For my first official post on a fashion trend, I thought I'd start big, and so start with.........watches! I know, exciting stuff. I know it's not exactly a ground breaking trend, but I've been looking for a new watch for a long time and have recently managed to find one I liked that was also fashionable - well, in my opinion anyway.

My previous watch was large with a black strap, round face and large silver numbers, but it had started to get coppery on the silver outline to the face and had generally started to ware. So I began to look for a new watch; I wanted at first to get one that was metal link and with a large face again - kind of like a male watch, or a big 'bling' watch without the actual bling (fake diamonds around the face for example). I think wearing a watch like that loose around the wrist can look fashionable, perhaps because it is the look often worn by celebrities - see Rihanna wearing a gold version to the right.

However I failed to find a cheap high street version that I liked (being a student I cannot afford anything more than high street prices). But then I came across something in an e-newsletter from asos.com. I'm sure I don't need to tell you about asos.com as it's pretty popular, but if you've never checked it out I urge you to - it's got great, on-trend pieces for high street prices, and some designer stuff for those who can afford it. Anyw ay I saw a watch on a newsletter and I loved it and ordered it straight away (it was only around £17 which I think is about right for a watch). It is not actually what I had previously been looking for, but I knew as soon as I saw it that I wanted it and it was an emerging watch trend.

The watch in question is a gold link watch with a medium sized strap and a smallish, square face. However it is not your usual analogue watch; it's digital, and I think the combination of gold link and digital is what makes it great. The shiny gold makes it stand out and I think gold is great for accessories - it's been an accessory trend for quite a while but I still like it. Also as its quite loose, it often twists round on my arm and so looks just like a gold bracelet, which is always an added bonus. Then the digital makes it more original and also ties in with the eighties, retro trend that is everpresent at the moment. I hadn't actually thought of buying a watch like this, but once I saw it I realised I had seen watches like this beginning to emerge in magazines and on celebrities.

So gold, digital watches: fashion trend or fashion trash?

Elvie xxx

Hello: My First Blog

2009-07-10T17:38:00.002+01:00

Hi there, I'm pretty sure not many people will actually read this, but I thought I'd give blogging a go. I often think about what I would write if I had a blog or posted videos on youtube, or did some other very 21st Century activity that most people are doing these days - and so here is the result - hope you enjoy it, or at least read some of it. (Sorry about the ads but apparently I could get money if I let people advertise on here and I'm not one to turn down extra money!)

I thought I would base my blog entries on current fashion trends that I have picked up on - I don't claim to be some fashion expert, nor do I want to tell people what they should wear, I just thought I'd let you know my opinions on any emerging trends and ask for your opinions - if other people can post opinions on here? I don't really know... bare with me I'm new to this...

Before I actually start I'd better just tell you about myself - I'm a 19 year old female student, I've just finished my first year at the University of Westminster (in London) studying English Language and Linguistics and am currently living at home with my mum in Child Okeford, Dorset for the summer (trying to find some summer work but failing so far). I am very interested in Fashion but I wasn't sure if I wanted to pursue a career in it because I knew it would be quite cut-throat and I wasn't completely confident in my designing and production skills etc., but after discovering Linguistics and studying a degree that includes English Language, I've thought about Fashion journalism. Again I'm not completely sure on my journalism skills, mostly because I've had no real experience, but maybe this will help me.

So! I'll stop boring you and say goodbye - first proper post coming soon,

Elvie xxx