Fashion Etiquette.

How to avoid embarrassing yourself and offending others.

AVOID OFFENDING OLD PEOPLE AND TAKE YOUR HAT OFF INDOORS PLEASE.

Yes it’s snowing. Yes it’s raining. Yes it’s bloody cold. However you my friend are inside so there is no excuse for you to be wearing what can only be described as a toilet roll cover on your noggin’.

Do you really need to look like an extra from N-Dubz whilst sitting in a lecture? The answer is no, you jolly well do not.

Hats this year have more accessories on them than Claire’s.

Pom-poms, sequins, beads, plaits ... you name it the Blue Peter cupboard probably stocks it and its probably on your hat!

Its perfectly acceptable to wander around the streets with you head looking like it is preparing for a parade but inside do the decent thing and de-hat.

As your mother would said ‘you won’t feel the benefit’ if you leave it on and god forbid you don’t get your money’s worth out of the ear flaps.

Written by Sarah Barns.

How to Wear Winter Knits..

We work out how to wear the trickier trends.

BIG BAD JUMPERS!

Maybe it’s living a student house without central heating, but this year I am loving knitwear! Don’t be fooled though, fashion and comfort never go truly hand in hand. Here’s how to enjoy your winter layers!

The Itch-factor!
So you’ve found your dream jumper but the material seems to have a vendetta against your skin? Do not tell yourself the jumper will eventually be itch free, it won’t. Unless you’re auditioning for the next series of David Attenborough’s ‘Life’, it is socially unacceptable to itch yourself like a monkey. Stop and walk away from this jumper. When you reality of knitwear irritation horror kicks in, the once acclaimed ‘dream jumper’ will certainly not see a flake of snow this Christmas.
 

Love your jumper!
Do not wear jewellery that will catch on the jumper, not only will this be highly annoying but will also slowly but surely pick away at the stitching, creating unwanted bobbles on your jumper. Bangles are a perfect non-destructive accompaniment to the woolly jumper.
Also, I hate to sound like your mum but double check the washing instructions. What with all the Christmas treats we’ll be scoffing this holiday we do not need to add to the appearance of turkey weight gain by shrinking our clothes.

How to wear ..

If you're bulking up your top half, slim down your bottom half with leggings or skinny jeans and complete the winter look with some cool boots. Secondly, it may sound a little over planned but think about where you are going in your lovely jumper,  if you know it can be a little over-warming then do not wear it to crowded stuffy functions.

Have fun!
A big jumper is an opportunity to make a statement and say something about you. Go for a bold colour or a quirky pattern. In the depths of winter we need something exciting to brighten up the miserably cold days.

Featured knits: Jade Jezebel Jagger Zip Leopard Sweatshirt, Wildfox Couture - Red Sparkle Heart Jumper, Knitted Guinea Pig Jumper Knitted Swallow Jumper, Knitted Stripe Crop Jumper.

Written by Lizzie Lewis.

How to dress like you’re from Coronation Street without their wardrobe budget!

Ever wished to look as good as your favourite TV star?

 

Look as stunning as our favourite Corrie babes for just a fraction of the price. With New Year's Eve coming up, there’s no better time to look like a star!

Everyone’s favourite girl next door, Kym Marsh, looks truly stunning here, wearing a fabulous jewel detailed French Connection number with a high neckline!

Long sleeved dresses are all the range this season (and good job too with the weather we’ve had so far!) and you can achieve the look for a bargain price.Yumi at ASOS is offering this cute little quirky number (pictured below) for just £42- what a steal! Complete the look with these Gladiator shoes, just  £25 from New Look!

Teen Corrie babe Helen Flanagan works casual but classy here, pictured out shopping. 

Mirror her look with the ultimate boyfriend blazer available from AXParis for £25. Add last summer’s must have high waisted hot pants and a cute pair of heels and you’re away! Don’t forget to add a giant shopper to complete the look! Bag a great bag for £8 at Matalan for that patterned look that's so on trend right now!

Written by Olivia Morley.

Catwalk Lessons.

A Beginner's Guide to Designer Fashion.

Today's fashion focus is on Luella Bartley, a personal favourite of mine.

What makes me love her even more than her penchant for pensioner chic is that her clothes aren’t quite as catastrophically unaffordable as the rest of my catwalk love affairs. 

Bartley first tested the fashion waters in 1999, showing her first collection, ‘Daddy, I want a Pony’ in a friend’s flat (a friend who happened to be the bassist from Pulp). By the next year she was showing at London Fashion Week and since then she has single handedly epitomized playful dressing. 

Autumn/Winter '08's chosen theme? Witches. Witches in cute felt hats, pea coats with gold button and coloured tights. Dramatic on the catwalk, but simply take away the pointed hat and you’re left with a lot of extremely desirable and very wearable pieces, no Pagan undertones in sight. 

Spring/Summer '07 was a fond moment for me, a collection responsible for my obsession with alphabet letters, a crush I still harbour to this day. Her history is full of pieces that just stick in your head and stay there, encouraging you to go that little bit further when you look in the wardrobe in the morning.

And her recent collections are no different. Spring/Summer '09, for example, full of deliciously sick neon and pastel colours, frothy hair and frills like whipped cream. Her juxtaposition of OAP and VIP with short hemlines, cashmere knits, costume jewellery and netting veils was a veritable feast for the eyes and made me want to play with shapes and colours. 

Autumn/Winter '09 was the season of her 'must have' coats, the kind of coats a dinner lady in the Eighties would have worn but made from tweed or a gorgeous metallic brocade. Lots of metallics and sheer panelling, nude silk, black organza and gold tights. 

 So far, so Luella. But it was the collection’s ‘Cute Utilitarianism’ (as put by Bartley) that really gave the collection an edge; zigzags of gold zips, pockets, blacks and greys.

 It’s refreshing to see a designer designing clothes that girls actually want to wear rather than just lusting after them for the label. 

“Cute but always a little sick.” 

Well put Luella.

Written by Viki Imrie.

What to Wear Over the Festive Season.

We work out what to wear for the trickiest times.

Once again Christmas is upon us and gives us a reasonable (as if we ever needed one) excuse to drink too many eggnogs and kiss innumerable strangers. However, the main joy of the holiday season is the gorgeous clothes and many many occasions on which we can wear them.

Velvet is back and a great way to add a bit of plush to your Christmas wardrobe. The featured Silence &  Noise Strapless Velvet offering is available at Urban Outfitters and is the LBD with a soft touch. It just begs for some fun accessories. (Think a chunky gold chocker or patterned tights, not flashing Santa earrings.)

Sequins have been on the rise all year and are more than welcome when Christmas trots around. If the full on disco ball look is not for you, add a bit of subtle sparkle with a fab bag. Accessorize's Wow Union Jack Sequin Clutch lives up to its name and will make a muted outfit pop.

New Year’s Eve is a night of excitement and anticipation, so up your chances of the perfect midnight smooch by wearing an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ outfit. Everyone likes putting in a little extra effort at New Year and Lipsy does great little party frocks in standout colours, like their Jewel Pocket Bandeau Dress in white and blue.  It of course goes without saying that you’ll be needing a pair of these Dante T-strap Purple Satin Shoes to reach the heady-heights of the six- foot-two hunk by the bar. 

If I could bathe in sparkle, I would and on a recent trip to my perennial friend Topshop, I got my twinkly gold nails on a sheer midnight blue blouse. Great with a bodycon skirt, it will be my date for New Year’s Eve.

Season’s Greetings fashionistas and let us all pray that we unwrap a fabulous coat/necklace/pair of boots on Christmas Day. Or all three. Happy Holidays!

Written by Kat Cliffe.

Procrastination Station.

Our favourite vaguely fashion related material on the web.

Possibly the best (and only) fashion game on the internet.

Play: WHO SAID IT? KANYE OR KARL?.

Written by Kate Lloyd.

How to....Wear a Monocle?

Working out how to wear the trickier trends..

  

I realise that fashion swings round in circles; I often find myself wondering what my mother did with her shoulder pads and tapered trousers that I once cringed at her owning. We proudly parade ourselves around in the fashion faux pas of our parents, believing that we can pull them off better than they ever could. But surely reviving a fashion that lived and died in the nineteenth century is verging on the ridiculous? 

According to an article in the LA Times, apparently not! Make way for the monocle!  

Think of this what you will, but in my opinion, stick to your spectacles and let the monocle lie. 

  

But if you feel you must, my little fashionista friend, work the trend, I suggest one teams the monocle with the other Victorian trends which are sure to follow, such as top hats and lacy floor length dresses, to give you that Dickensian charm....

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Yes, the image is of WNC writer Jo Bancroft circa 2006, we were in a band who sang about monocles, you will never hear our music....]

Written by Rebecca Smyllie.

Fashion Etiquette.

How to avoid embarrassing yourself and offending others.

The Tale of the 'Groovy' Gift. 

There’s a room full of beady eyes glaring at you as you slowly undo the red ribbon obstructing the face of a sadistically happy Father Christmas.

“Ooh do you like it?” your Gran pipes up from her armchair.

Of course you don’t. You would rather run to the hills naked whilst playing the flute than wear this Tammy Girl ‘Groovy Chick’ top.  

Geez Gran, you’re twenty years of age.

Unfortunately, because at the tender, naïve age of fourteen you wandered around with a t-shirt declaring ‘99% Devil’ (1% Angel on the back. Obvs) each year you get an equally delightful variation on a classic.

You can’t sulk, scream or stamp your feet. You’re a ‘Groovy Chick’ and ‘Groovy Chick’s’ don’t embark in that sort of camaraderie.

Decisions, decisions … what to do? Your best bet is to smile like the Cheshire Cat, whack in a few enthusiastic ‘ooh’s and aah’s’ and pass it round for everyone to look at. Share the wealth it’s Christmas.

Proceed to give Gran a big kiss on the cheek, throw in a ‘you shouldn’t have’ for good ironic measure and keep schtum.

Have your photo taken in it with Gran on Christmas Day for the sweet memories and whack it on eBay on Boxing Day.

Gran’s feelings are protected, your purse is a bit heavier and there is a very happy fourteen year old somewhere.

Groovy. 

Written by Sarah Barns.

Spotted.

'Tis the season to be sparkly!

 Emilia, 23, from Essex.

Be brave and make an impact like Emilia by wearing a completely glittery dress, playsuit or blazer. Nothing will get you in the Christmas party mood more!  Play down with subtle accessories and make up so you don't end up looking like the presents under the tree!

TOPSHOP BLAZER: £69 

Georgia, 21, from Romford.

If you just want to test the glitter wearing waters, go for some unusual glitter eye make up like Georgia. This will draw attention to your eyes so get practicing those ‘come over here and buy me a drink’ eyes in time for New Year's Eve! Extend the glitter along your cheekbone to highlight beautiful bone structure.

MAC PIGMENT POT: £15

 

Alize, 20, from London.

For a cheeky, playful look try wearing glitter hot pants or high-waisted knickers like Alize. These are everywhere at the moment and although a scary prospect, they’re definitely worth a go! Wear with playful accessories like bows and pearls or team with vintage/dressed down t shirts to balance the amount of leg on show.

TOPSHOP HOT PANTS: £15

Written by Rosanna Lee.

NYC Style.

 New York Blogger, Gotham Hipster's, tips and tricks from her city.

WINTER WONDERLAND!

For some, the winter holidays bring a time of cheer and uplift, but for others the season is filled with anxiety. Many family members fly into the midst of our, already chaotic, lives leaving us with feelings of disarray, especially if this holiday is the first time your boyfriend is being put on the family pedestal for examination.  But I’m not a holiday cynic; I absolutely adore New York in its winter state. It’s quite a sight to walk down snowy 5^th Avenue and to be presented with each store’s festive windows. Bergdorf Goodman, Henri Bendel, and Barney’s, are the most well-known for their illustrious decorations; the authentic New York experience is incomplete without seeing them.

This year Bergdorf’s windows are inspired by Alice in Wonderland, exuding the whimsical sensation that the holiday season brings with it. Recently, I posted an article on my blog Gotham Hipster about the upcoming release of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. The movie takes an eerie spin on the classic, and Bergdorf’s windows hits the film's style right on target.

Both the movie and the store have inspired me to reflect a more fanciful vibe with my clothes. I have been experimenting a lot with white tights and more bows, seeing what a striking statement they can add to an ensemble. The holidays are a great time to begin experimenting with a new style and New Year’s is right around the corner so get to it!

  
Written by Gotham Hipster. 

Check out her blog to read more from her!

The Christmas Wish List.

All those treats you hope Santa will be filling your stocking with this Christmas… 

Let's hope you’ve been good this year ! 

THE DRESS.

Everyone wants to unwrap the perfect party dress for Christmas; this party season is a fashion flashback to the 1980’s, perfect for those who crave a bit of glitz and aren’t afraid to stand out of the crowd. Dripping with sequins and cut out back detail this forever unique dress is truly the ultimate party dress. 

THE SHOES. 
 

No party outfit is complete without a pair of killer heels; these Kurt Geiger’s are truly beautiful. A bit expensive but if can’t treat yourself at Christmas then when can you? The studded gold and quilted detail gives these shoes a luxury edge, that will make you feel truly A-list!

THE JEWELS. 

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend especially at Christmas…

Ok, so none of us have been quite good enough to expect the real deal, but there some pretty good imitations out there to add some sparkle to the festive period. Throw away those tacky flashing Santa earrings and invest in this stunning pair from the Earring Boutique

THE KNITWEAR.

Hangover Christmas morning?

Nothing seems more perfect than snuggling up to the fire in a thick knitted jumper …

No Christmas would be complete without the woolly jumper from your granny, once seen a major fashion faux pas but now uniquely stylish! Keeping warm has never been so fashionable. This jumper from Topshop has a really cute pattern and isn’t too Christmassy so it can be worn any time of year !

Written by Emily Spencer.

Procrastination Station.

Our favourite vaguely fashion related material on the web.

FAVOURITE PROCRASTINATION STATION EVER.

Written by Kate Lloyd.

NYC Style.

New York Blogger, Gotham Hipster's, tips and tricks from her city.

TOPSHOP AND THE AMERICAN GIRL.

When Topshop first arrived in the US, all mayhem ensued.  International fans of the shop lined up in Soho for a glimpse of Kate Moss and her collection. Pinkberry treated those who waited in the never ending line to complimentary frozen yogurt, and the amount of media coverage over the two block radius was chaotic. I, however, feared Topshop’s opening and waited until the pandemonium had died down to pay a visit.

It did not.

Eventually when I did make my way to the store for the first time, it was crowded and crazy but I didn’t care, I had found heaven- that is to say heaven with $45 leotard. Topshop surely revolutionized New York stores.

I have compiled my Topshop must-haves for the holiday season, because evidently that’s what they’ll become, my cravings. 

Death Angels Cropped Tee, £16
Eighties Style Faux Fur Coat, £95
Checked Shoulder Jacket, £75
Button Through Frilled Skirt, £35
Glittery Velvet Balcony Bra, £18
Daisy Hook and Eye Dress, £45
Knitted Embellished Crop Top, £40
Cropped Check Blouse, £25
Anchor Leotard by Rare**, £10
AMBER Crepe Sole Platform Boot, £85 

 Written by Gotham Hipster. 

Check out her blog to read more from her!

Spotted.

Style on Sheffield's streets.

PRACTICAL COOL.

These girls show us how to keep warm (despite Sheffield's arctic wind) without compromising on style.

 

Nora Francini, visiting a friend in Sheffield.

With an air of effortless cool, Nora's colourful Italian scarf and vintage bag add interest to her outfit and brighten up her dark Benetton duffel coat, leggings and boots.

Hannah Usfun, 6th form student in Sheffield.

 

Hannah also brightens up her coat using quirky accessories, wearing several A/W '09 trends. Her floral leggings are Topshop and her patent brogues were an amazing £4 from Primark! She leaves her Hollister parka open at the front to reveal her vintage top and cute jewellery from Cow and Majorca. The highlight of her outfit? The Decathlon shopper.

Written by Kate Lloyd.

Procrastination Station

Our favourite vaguely fashion related procrastinatory material on the web.

This week I shall be posting two Links of the Week, mainly because I forgot to post one last week! They are both video based procrastination and they are both a bloody gorgeous good time.

The first is Kandee Johnson.

This amazing lady posts videos about make up, jewellery making, customisation and baking. I love her customisation videos as she makes some nice stuff! A word of warning though, she is very peppy and not one to watch with a hangover headache!

The second is  Fashion Face TV.

There are so many makeup tutorial videos on the internet, but these videos are definitely my favourite! Done by two very different, very pretty, makeup artist sisters, their makeup videos are simple to understand, but you still feel like you have learnt something new after watching. 

My love for these videos and obsessive viewing of them is quite extreme, so I hope you love them very much too!

Written by Kate Lloyd.

Catwalk Lessons.

A beginner's guide to designer fashion.

Ski-slope shoulder pads? 

Fitted leather?

Super skinny acid wash denim?

All featuring on any sensible girl’s A/W wish list and all inspired by the designer of the season, Christophe Decarnin. Not ringing any bells? Well, he’s the brains behind Balmain. 

Everyone, from Heat magazine to Harper’s Bazaar is telling us, or rather ordering us, to sit up and take notice of this clever, clever man and judging by the rate at which the copy cat designs are flooding onto the high street it’s probably not a bad idea.

Those dramatic yet perfectly proportioned peaked shoulders are everywhere and best of all they are super chic, absolutely no risk of eighties throwback syndrome whatsoever. Excellent news.

The quilted leather waist skirt is perfection in garment form and the peaked shoulder tuxedo is a timeless cult classic, teamed on the catwalk with smart skinny trousers with a turn up and a pointy pump.

Decarnin has shaped the way we dress this season whether we like it or not. That leather biker jacket you tried on in Topshop? Inspired by Balmain. That body con mini dress with the embellished shoulders you lusted after in Urban Outfitters? Yep, Balmain again.

The pick of copy cat Christophe includes this dress (featured left) costing £19.99 from Ark and this skirt (featured below) is £35 from Topshop.

Repeat after me, Christophe Decarnin; it’s a name we definitely haven’t heard the last of.

  

Written by Viki Imrie.

I Can't Believe They Wore That..

 Investigating the frightening world of celebrity fashion misdemeanours.

The term celebrity is going to be used pretty loosely in this next post, as this weeks faux pas focus is on all stars reality. From Katie Price to Kerry Katona there are some major mistakes in there. It makes you wonder; do they just do it for the attention? Surely not…

Apart from being one of the most annoying reality stars, excluding Paris Hilton of course, Heidi Montag has a pretty poor fashion sense to add in to the mix. The star of the reality show The Hills, and one half of the “Speidi” duo, has a never ending wardrobe of tiny short shorts, cleavage revealing tank tops and hooker heals.

Take this example, where the zebra print teeny top is clashing with tangerine tan, and almost transparent white hair. Maybe her infamous fallouts means she no longer receives advice from her always fashion forward co stars… 

Now on to one of this years favourite reality girls: Stacey Solomon. She has won the nations’ hearts with her kooky personality and amazing voice, but definitely not with her fashion sense.

Although she looks gorgeous on X Factor’s live shows every week, the stylists are clearly not on call 24-7 as, is that a baby pink valour tracksuit I see?

I thought that they had officially died with the popularity of “J-Lo” and Jennifer Ellison started to dwindle.

Onto the boys, casting our minds back to Big Brother 2009. If anyone is as equally sad as myself, no matter how hard we try, we can’t lure ourselves away from the Big Brother temptation We can't stop watching – it may as well be a drug, and it can’t be because of the contestants' intelligent wit or their fashion sense. This is where Marcus Akin comes in.

If I could advise anyone not to wear a white wife beater (everyday for three months, may I add) it would be Marcus. A cocktail of horrendous hair, scary beard, and several leather items does not add much to the mix. In my opinion, leave the wife beater to the man who made it – the OC’s Ryan Atwood.

And finally, keeping to the X Factor theme, (as I haven’t met anyone who truly dislikes it) my final fashion disaster… JEDWARD.

Love them or hate them, there is something very wrong about post-pubescent identical twins loving dressing in identical PVC. 

I don’t think the ladies will be screaming so loud for this when they have the oh so cool Mr Murs to contend with…

Written by Kate Tudor.