Nice Clothes and Things.

A little monthly update on our comings and goings.

January is ending and so are our exams. Wear Nice Clothes has now been running for three months and there are some major exciting Wear Nice Clothes articles and ideas in the pipeline. Hopefully February should be a month filled with interviews, photoshoots and features.

(Terrible phone photography)

Rosanna Lee and I went to a poetry and art night at Bungalows and Bears in Sheffield last week to plan what is going down blog style. As well as being very productive, we laughed very loudly at a boy in a hilarious fur hat until he shamefully removed it (I'm sorry) and also wrote a poem about Wear Nice Clothes (shameless self  promotion) that, fingers crossed, will end up in poetry zine Unquiet Desperation. I hope it gets in because it was a "quality" piece of promotional writing. I can't remember it all but it kind of went:

Wear clothes in the day,

Wear clothes in the night,

Wear less clothes in the heat,

Wear more clothes in the ice.

Underwear.

Outerwear.

We always Wear Nice Clothes (.blogspot.com)

I think you will agree that it is a masterpiece. Speaking of masterpieces, I actually love whoever wrote this comment on the poncho piece!

Written by Kate Lloyd.

Spotted.

Fashion on Facebook.

WHAT A SPECTACLE!

Ever since Seth appeared on our screens in The OC, it seems we’ve had a not-so-secret soft spot for geek chic.

What better accessory for geeking up than a pair of fashionable loud lenses! Need inspiration? Think Ugly Betty with a little more poise!

I’m definitely a fan, (anything is an improvement on the pink and yellow owl glasses sported throughout my younger years) and I’ve spied plenty of you who agree...

Proof that I’m practising what I preach.

John, 21, London.

Daniel, 20, Leicester. 

Rosie, 18, Essex.

Written by Rosanna Lee.

Catwalk Lessons: Giles Deacon.

A beginners guide to catwalk style.

I was lucky enough to catch Giles' catwalk show at the V&A recently, below are a few photographs that I took of the affair and a review of what I saw. I got to witness the ‘best of’ his work in action and an appearance from the man himself.

Who would have thought British Fashion Designer of the Year 2006 would have an unhealthy obsession with insects and reptiles? Think lizard prints, feather accessories and fluorescent woodland scenes splashed over seventies style anti-tailoring. It may be bizarre but from a converted boys school in Shoreditch emerges an amalgamation of style and the natural world.

His Spring ‘05 collection saw outsize wooden plaque pendants and beautiful feather hairpieces, a trend only now trickling onto the high street.

The A/W ‘06 collection has to be my personal favourite, with giant polka dots and graphic stripes, each girl was a vision in Lurex and holographic prints. Peach and grey thrown into a palette of fluorescent brights and teamed with giant yellow ‘banana’ headdresses (I really don’t think there is a more fashion savvy way to describe them) made for a delectable collection.

Classic Giles came in Spring/Summer ‘07 with the emergence of the mace bag: Deacon’s way of combining war weaponry and accessories. To some a political statement, to others simply an aesthetically pleasing hand-held delight (I am definitely in the second camp). Not quite as controversial, the next collection came to a climax with a dress based on a sea cucumber. Hard to visualise? Indeed.

Deacon’s controversial Bambi print inspired by The Sex Pistols’ ‘Who Killed Bambi?’ is now something of a cult classic and a lesson in how to make Disney print party frocks grotesque using just one well placed splash of gore. Something a little more wearable to be taken from the show were the nude knee highs that all the models were wearing, a great way to spice up a bare leg in Summer. 

Spring ’09 bought the infamous Pac-Man helmets and chalky faces while his most recent collection returns to his creepy crawly roots with arachnid print and colourful metallics, plus the extremely cute dinosaur shoulder bags. We shouldn’t want one, but we do.

Deacon’s next A/W collection promises plenty of surprises, with his pre-fall sneak preview featuring a preppy paperclip print. Whatever next?

Written by Viki Imrie.

Why Did We Ever Wear the Poncho?

 We never learn...

OH THE PONCHO..

Out of all the traditional cultural outfits to emulate in fashion form, why in the early Noughties did we select that of the Mexican? I mean, Mexico as a place is gorgeous and they have nice food and drink tequila: all’s good in the hood. Their traditional attire? Not so stunning… A massive square of knitted material with a head hole in the middle; otherwise known as the poncho.

Not only did the poncho make us look like we couldn’t afford a coat and had instead draped a blanket around our shoulders (leading to embarrassing “donation” incidents whilst sitting on doorsteps) it also made one’s shadow look like a giant triangular sandwich with the filling dripping out. Try it and see. 

They didn’t have arm holes, making it impossible to manoeuvre without hitting someone in the face as you flicked the poncho over your shoulder, and you could see none of a person's figure when they were wearing them. If you are going to wear an impractical item, at least wear one that flatters you.

Apparently ponchos are going to become cool again this season, but I doubt anyone still owns one. Well, anyone other than confused old ladies who pick them up in a charity shops and are gutted to find a massive hole in their new rug when they get home.

Written by Kate Lloyd.

Please Stop Wearing Bear Face Hats.

When guilty pleasures go wrong.

  YOU ARE NOT A TODDLER, DON'T DRESS LIKE ONE.

Panda Face Hat, River Island. 
 

With the recent snowfall and arctic temperatures I have enjoyed keeping my ‘money-maker’ warm with a nice woolly hat as I only get thrills from self-induced brain-freeze when it is courtesy of a Slush Puppy . 

This year, however, many innocent bystanders have been horrified by the sight of a new trend on the hat scene, one that is so sickly sweet it makes your eyes water (and then freeze over in these conditions). On babies they are acceptable, on young children they are tolerable, but unfortunately, there is no excuse for anybody above the age of five to be wearing them: hats with bear faces stitched onto them and woollen ears stuck on the top - it’s the stuff of nightmares! 

 

This cutesy facade is dangerous. If you are going to have a bear's face on your head, why stop at the bear hat? Why not go the whole hog and let out your inner grizzly bear in an all-in-one costume?  The temptation to become overly cute is too great.

I think a hat should be all about warmth and so if these creations do actually fit the bill and keep your head toasty then by all means go ahead and wear them.  Although I think many will agree that a trusted woolly beret or beanie is the way forward, especially if you live in the countryside and want to go for walks without being shot by farmers protecting their land from rogue animals.

Woolly Beret, handknitted by Lizzie's mum.

I tend to go for a plain navy or grey woollen beanies as these basic colours will go with practically everything. But if eccentricity is what you’re after I say pom-poms all the way!  With a slight ski-theme these make you look acceptably quirky; something that the bear hat doesn’t quite allow you to pull off.  Alternatively, if hats aren’t quite your style, earmuffs or woollen “headwarmers” are always a way to keep your Britney Spears’ warm. 

Wool Pom-Pom Beanie,  Topshop

Furry Cossack?!? Hat, H&M Men.

Furry Pillbox Hat, Vintage.

Same hat, a treat for the ladies.

Written by Sophie Harrison.

Pictures of Lizzie Lewis and Perry Higgins.

Fashion Influences.

Influences on Rosanna's wardrobe.

 CHINA, DANCING AND MY BRIEF EMO FAZE...

Before writing this article I had a sneaky browse through my wardrobe to see what influences my fashion sense (bad idea –an excuse to try on clothes and delve into reels of glitter and velvet and memorable fashion mishaps? Goodbye revision.) 

It seems that if I had to sum up my fashion style in one word, it would definitely be ECLECTIC. From tweed pencil skirts to feather fringed cardigans to tie dye scarves, I’ve worn them all! 

One of my main fashion influences would have to be my Chinese background. Half my family are from Hong Kong and I seem to be drawn to oriental style, colours and patterns. I love the silks and floral motifs associated with traditional Chinese fashion. 

Recently I found a Chinese smoking jacket in COW Sheffield and now rarely take it off! Its only as I’ve got older that I’ve had the confidence to wear these more unusual items. Teamed with neutral tones and understated accessories they can make an ensemble more fresh and unusual without making you look like you belong in an ‘Around the World’ display!

Ever since I could walk, I’ve danced, and I can definitely see how this has manifested in my clothes collection. I own many a tutu style skirt and over the last couple of months I’ve been searching for my old leotards to wear with high wasted skirts or under denim shirts with a belt on a night out. 

There’s a four year old ballet dancer inside me screaming out to be adorned with ribbons, glitter, feathers, chiffon skirts and dresses, and just sometimes, I let her! (I draw a line at the leg warmers though!)

My final fashion influence emerges from my slightly, SLIGHTLY emo teenage years. I must admit I spent much of my time aged 14-16 sitting in a skate park and listening to Taking Back Sunday, and I don’t think I’ll ever quite let go off my obsession with skull jewellery.

I'd like to think my styles grown up a bit since then however, so now I’ve ditched the studded hip belts for studded bags and boots and the band t-shirts are firmly tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt or teamed with a bowler hat and biker boots. I’m loving the high street penchant for black lace, but I have ditched the black lips for rather more flattering shades of berry and plum!

Written by Rosanna Lee.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

ROSANNA LEE.

This is me, wearing far too little clothing, in the snow on NYE!

Bowler hat and Shorts:  Topshop, Top: H&M.

This year I made the most of a New Year's in the midst of an arctic England by beginning celebrations at lunchtime! My friends and I spent all day frolicking in the snow before warming up with some mulled wine and a rather civilized meal followed by some considerably less civilized (or sober) games of Twister, Articulate, Kerplunk and Operation! Definitely the perfect way to see in 2010!

My New Year’s Resolutions are to waste less of my student loan on unneeded clothes by wearing or customising the items I still have in my wardrobe with labels on (shameful I know,) and to actually do the artwork I’ve been planning for my student house!

Written by Rosanna Lee.

Fashion Etiquette.

How to avoid embarrassing yourself and offending others.

SALE: EVERYTHING MUST GO!

After waiting months for this day to finally arrive, you and the fellow contenders begin limbering up outside. Squatting, lunging, stretching, just waiting for the … doors to open?

This is no marathon. This is the first day of the January sales.

That black sequinned shrug you had your beady eye on in is half price. There is 20% off those high-waisted flowery shorts. They’ve even knocked a fiver off that red duffle coat.

You don’t want these things. You need them. And boy, will you go to great lengths to get them.

The doors open. You shove the fifteen-stone security guard out of the way with Hulk-esque strength. Hey mate, no one is getting in my way. I need that shrug!

You search the rails like Kerry Katona searching for a career. Elbows start flying at you from all directions. A poke in the back, a jab to the rib, a dig in the knee. Green steam begins to seep out of your ears. 

Lunging towards an assistant, who is cowering in the corner under a pile of cut-price hosiery, you yell for more sizes/different colours/some sanity.  

“Sorry madam that coat sold out in December. We’ve only got the shrug left in olive-green now. The shorts only come in a size four,” she squeaks back at you as Santa embroidered socks fly overhead.

You grab the olive-green shrug. It’s pretty much the same as the black one and I mean olive-green goes with everything right?

Size four is probably the size you should be buying anyway because your New Year’s resolution was to join the gym and never make eye contact with a bakewell tart ever again. Ahem.

You eye a pastel-blue duffel coat the other side of the store. It’s not in the sale but you’ve got your student discount which is pretty much the same as sale really when you think about it and pastel-blue will be so rad in spring, yeah?

You pay. You leave.

A month down the line the olive-green shrug is never worn, your ten-year-old niece is parading around like Lady Gaga in the high-waisted shorts and you’re snowed inside your house sitting on the sofa in your pastel-blue coat munching on a bakewell tart.

Until the summer sales ... Happy New Year. 

   

Written by Sarah Barns.

What to Wear.. in January.

We work out what to wear for the trickiest of situations.

    
WELCOME TO 2010 MY FASHION-FORWARD FRIENDS!

The days are getting longer, but January is usually a dark, dank month so hit the sales for something to lift the mood. If you know your proportions well enough, (my feet are dead on size five and my top half will always fit a small) internet shopping is a good bet for a cheap pick-me-up. Even if you are not prepared to take the risk with clothes, accessories are a safe bet as the price of winter warmers such as hats, scarves and hosiery comes tumbling down.

Wrap up warm this January. My bargain, six pound, charity shop, faux fur coat keeps out the chill and the large collar negates the need for a scarf. 

I love Zara's extensive winter collection and the website is wonderfully slick. Scroll through the catalogue to find macs, leather jackets, trench coats and everything in between.

A fun and instant way to update for the New Year is makeup. Bright lipstick stands out in the crowd so dare to wear it during the day, keeping the lips matt to avoid looking overdone. Boots N^o 7 range does great lipsticks in a variety of shades and finishes with colours ranging from tangerine orange to raspberry red. I loitered for twenty minutes before opting for the pinky perfection of Forever Cherry.

Layering is key (and essential for those of us who refuse to heat our homes i.e. students.) Pick up some thin long-sleeved tees to wear underneath summery tops. Shorts need not be consigned to the summer. Many of my fellow bloggers are fans of opaque black tights under a pair of battered denims with long socks and chunky boots. Cute and warm, an excellent combination. 

When all else fails, hibernate.  

Look Featuring: Rose Long Sleeve Pointelle, 80'S Blue Cheeky Short, H By Hudson Francoise Studded Detail Flat Boot, Fringed Square Cashmere Scarf Grey, David Lerner Footed Leggings in Black and Grey.

Written by Katherine Cliffe.

Review of the Year.

The good, the bad and the crazy.. 

2009 IN FASHION.

I think we can all agree that 2009 was a year that some may call crazy. Blame Gaga, blame Beyonce, blame the mad cap designers of the world, but I’m sure that by the time we reach 2019 we’ll be looking back on our clothing choices last year and having a little giggle. Hell, I’m giggling now and I’m still wearing 2009’s fashions! Not that this is a bad thing, years of Victoria Beckham and Rachel Zoe had taken the integral fun out of fashion and it was the eccentric playfulness of 2009’s fashions that made it an exciting year for clothes lovers.

The major influence on fashion this year was the ‘80s. We all knew it was coming, the leggings and the slogan t-shirts of ’06, ’07 and ‘08 were building to a maximum impact Dynasty fest in ‘09, with a sprinkling of ‘80s Madonna.

Balmain reintroduced us to the shoulder pad in their 09/10 Fall Collection, Beyonce single handedly brought back the leotard in her ‘Single Ladies’ video and Gaga rocked underwear as outerwear even in a chilly British January. Pattern tights and PVC leggings popped up and denim jackets, Ray Bans, crop tops and body con skirts were the staple items in fashionistas’ wardrobes.

Perhaps it was the credit crunch that sent us running towards stylish comfort, but the year also introduced us to the holy grails of comfortable leg wear; the hareem and the, now student essential, jegging. A hybrid of the legging and the trouser of the decade, the skinny jean. The streets were full of people with full flexibility, their legs no longer restricted by their tight denim cage. The streets were also full of camel toes, but we’ll skip over that little issue.

Now that we were all wearing underwear as outerwear, mainly due to Christopher Kane at Topshop, we needed some layers to cover up under when we got chilly. What was better than a vest top/dress with arm holes down to the midriff to show off our floral bra-let, possibly with a black and white print of an obscure rock star on, or Kate Moss? (Thank you Ark.) Perhaps a translucent lace number to show off your leather bra and tuck into your sequin hot pants?

2009 was also the year that we all fell in love with the wolf motif, once only worn by people who bought their clothes from QVC and Bret from ‘Flight of the Conchords.’ We all wanted a wolf t-shirt in the summer, preferably a vintage wolf, and as we headed into autumn, we all wanted a vintage wolf sweatshirt.

Chezza Cole tried to keep up her fashion icon status on ‘X Factor’ but often ended up just looking weird. You must remember the weird mini dress/floor length cape combination. However, I think we must thank her for the longevity of the one-shoulder dress. Other fashion icons included Alexa Chung, who, after landing a US MTV chat show, was now a worldwide icon. American youths finally cottoned on to her sailor, tomboy style and winged eyeliner. As well as Cheryl and Alexa, Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni, first ladies of the USA and France, reintroduced us to Chanel and classic style.

The ‘It’ bag was seen as a thing of the past and we all fell in love with ‘It’ footwear. Stacked heels, lots of colour, lots of strap detail. Sometimes it was a shoe, sometimes a boot, more often than not a shoe-boot, but all of them were amazing. Whether it was the hoof like footwear in Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ video or the invisible mirrored shoe, they were all ‘fierce.’

 Not only did clothes become extreme in 2009, but make up did too. People fell in love with false lashes, dark berry black lips and matte grey nails. Hair was scraped back into high buns or decorated with designer bunny ears. Often it seemed that designers were designing for non human muses and sometimes they were. Marc Jacobs designed clothes for Miss Piggy and Christian Louboutin’s muse for part of the year was Barbie.

Like the outrageous Aunt that I only see at Christmas; 2009 was mad but lovable and I already miss it. I really hope that 2010 is equally wild.

Written by Kate Lloyd.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

VIKI IMRIE.

My New Year's Eve was spent at a dinner party with the boyfriend consuming much alcohol. My outfit was a long sleeved velvet dress, tights and a fur stole. The photo below shows me sporting it on New Year's Day, the morning after the night before, and quite worse for wear. Incase you were wondering, my beverage of choice was a good old cup of tea.

Written by Viki Imrie.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

GOTHAM HIPSTER.

I spent NYE with my best friend in the city that celebrates New Year's the best; NYC. 

My outfit was atypical of the holiday as I avoided the 'I bathed in sequins' look. I wore my "Curse of Frankenstein" crop top (clearly a TopShop purchase), lemon bandage skirt, and ankle boots for a bright and chic New Year's look.

Written by Gotham Hipster.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

KATHERINE CLIFFE.

For my New Year's celebrations I wore an Urban Outfitters bodycon skirt and sheer Topshop shirt with Miss Selfridge pattern tights and vintage boots.

My New Year’s Resolution is a perennial one; I will endeavour to put my poor clothes away when I take them off. Repeat after me; the floor is not a wardrobe, the floor is not a wardrobe…

Written by Katherine Cliffe.

What We Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

MARLEENA

AND

JO.

This New Year's, we went out for a gorgeous meal with our parents and then went clubbing with some friends!

Marleena wore a black, floral headband from Accesorize and a glitter bodycon dress from Topshop and Jo's blue lace, low backed dress is also from Topshop.

Written by Marleena and Jo Bancroft.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

KATE LLOYD.

This year I went on my traditional New Year's holiday in the Lake District with my family. We went out for dinner at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant and watched some fireworks from our balcony at midnight! It wasn't wild, but it was a good time!

 I wore an Ark black skirt, black tights and a vintage, deep purple, sequin, shoulder padded top and I changed into some little black ballet flats before entering the restaurant!

I also wore my GORGEOUS Shu Uemura limited edition brown eyelashes (a Christmas gift for me, from me!) which were a dream!

I had to wear my walking boots with my outfit to walk down to the restaurant because of the ice! I looked hilarious!

Written by Kate Lloyd.

Welcome to 2010!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Today is the first day of 2010 and is a day closer to British University students' January exams! Over the next couple of weeks, articles cannot be guaranteed as, for once, education takes priority. Thus, in order to satisfy your Nice Clothes desires we shall be posting pictures of what we wore on New Years Eve instead so that you can have a nosy into our lives.

Thanks for reading in '09! Stick with us in '10 please?

Written by Kate Lloyd.