Last night, a central London location called the Hub saw the launch of the Ethical Fashion Forum, which I was kindly invited to attend through Pamela and Maria of My Only One. Thanks again ladies and congratulations on a truly gorgeous collection!
Guests browse through My Only One's debut collection
While enjoying a cocktail and browsing the collections, 2 other brands caught my eye: MIA “Up-cycled” clothing and LaLesso. MIA by young designer Mia Nisbet fuses recycled fabrics and traditional Malawian textiles to produce a collection that combines the richness of African textiles with western styling. Having grown up in Tanzania myself, the mixture of African patterns with old, branded Mickey Mouse t-shirts created beautiful, loose fitting dresses that were extremely well created.
MIA and LaLesso win the Fashion Innovation award
LaLesso’s use of Kenyan textiles made in consciously ethical workshops have created several jobs and a better way of life for their seamstresses, bead experts and crochet experts. Not to mention their dresses, bikinis, skirts and sarongs are vibrant, fashionable and unique.
I wish all the designers luck and hope they continue to grow and provide us with reasonably priced, truly inimitable clothing. I hope you’ll all look out for them on the high street – thanks again for the invite My Only One!
Pretty Polly boast a wide range of fashion tights, slimming tights, winter warmers, party tights and cosy socks. They’re stock can be found in several retail stores across the nation, but they are about to hit an even higher level of sophistication.
Henry Holland, the British designer famous for his bold, 80s inspired t-shirts with catchphrases such as “I’ll tell you who’s boss, Kate Moss” (Love it!) and close friend of the über-fashionable Agyness Deyn has collaborated with the hosiery brand on an exciting new collection for the brand under the label “House of Holland for Pretty Polly”.
The unique collection boasts the inimitable House of Holland style. Sheer and opaque fabrics are combined in quirky designs such as the ‘all over house’, ‘the knee pad’ and ‘the suspender’ all in a vibrant colour palette of fuchsia, lilac and turquoise as well classic black.
What does Henry Holland feel about the collection? “I feel like I have found my calling with this leg wear range – I am now in love with all things hosiery.”
I am extremely curious about the look of the designs so I’m currently trying to get my hand on some photos. Watch this space while my research continues…
Fab Sugar, one of the greatest fashion blog resources for fashion news online, recently caught our eye in an article about the CW’s new series – The Beautiful Life.
The drama series is produced by Ashton Kutcher and focuses on a group of models trying to make it big in New York. Stars include Mischa Barton, Sara Paxton and Ashley Madekwe. Onset costume designer Tom Broeckner tailored each of the girls’ wardrobes to suit their career levels and experiences in the industry. From rocker-chic Sonja (Barton) flaunting Roberto Cavalli and Azzedine Alaïa to luxurious Marissa (Madekwe) in Alexander McQueen and Christian Louboutin, the latest collections were researched. We’re looking forward to a little catwalk education alongside some exciting highlife drama!
The show will debut in the US on the 16th of September, so for now we’ll have to settle for the extended trailer below:
Every girl has one: That old sports t-shirt that you sleep in at night, probably hijacked from your boyfriend’s closet. Luckily for us, there’s a new ethical clothing brand out there that’s listened to our cries for fashionable comfort and is transforming these unloved textiles into innovative, covetable and well-designed apparel.
Truly vintage, My Only One will launch at London’s Oxford Street Topshop with a colourful Spring/Summer 2009 collection. From dresses to tops, the collection sees men’s sports t-shirts from the 70’s and 80’s transformed into the Batwing Top above and Tennis Skirt below and a vintage dress transformed into an all in one jumpsuit (below below!).
I have been trying to get my personal green initiative going for a while, so if these are as cute and comfortable as they look, I’m sold already. I emailed Pamela Daniels, Creative Director and Cofounder of My Only One who subsequently invited me to: ‘Towards a sustainable future for fashion’. We’ll be celebrating the launch of the Ethical Fashion Online Network and I’ll get a chance to view My Only One’s debut collection. Be sure to come back and see my photos and opinions in the follow up post on Friday!
Wet look leggings have been spotted on a lot of our favourite celebrities lately, including the likes of Cheryl Cole, Mary Kate Olsen, Lindsay Lohan and Victoria Beckham. Although these stars have given the illusion of an ultra glamorous pair of pins, there are a couple of rules that should be remembered and followed before wearing them.
The tops and shoes you combine with them have a lot to do with what makes or breaks wet look leggings. To dress them down, try a slouchy sweater and vintage bag. A pair of matte finish heeled boots will help to lengthen the leg and add a touch of elegance to your daywear look. For night time chic, try a long, spaghetti strap top with a grey boyfriend blazer, or an animal print dress and a brightly coloured pair of stiletto heels. The main thing to remember is that long tops will work better than short and loose better than tight. Heels are preferred, but not essential.
But there’s a mixed review in the office regarding this fashionable new garment. So we took it to the floor and asked a couple of our most trendy male colleagues for their opinions:
“They probably look good on the right person in the right combination – but I’m not a big fan of these”
“They feel… I mean look very sweaty and uncomfortable”
“I didn’t mind them at first now all I see is a wetsuit… Are you going surfing in winter? Yes? Then I’ll let them slide”
“If they’re worn right, they can actually look pretty nice. But I repeat – they absolutely have to be worn right!”
“Thumbs Down”
“As long as they fit. I’ve seen some girls wearing them and they’re slightly baggy. That’s when they need to rethink their decision.”
“It depends on the occasion – in a nightclub is fine but they stand out too much in the day.”
Your choice of shoes, especially when it comes to heels, depends highly on the bottom half of your outfit. Gorgeous stilettos can look instantly tasteless when paired with miniskirts that are too short, whilst ankle straps can make your legs look stubby if paired with skirts or Capri’s that are too long. Follow these tips to create the perfect look with your beloved footwear:
Wedges:
Wedges are bold and heavy footwear, so loose flowing fabrics work well. They are quite casual shoes so formal clothing isn’t normally paired well with them. Your best bet is to pair them with a layered, flowing skirt. Not a fan? If you prefer minis, a casual denim mini skirt also looks great.
Ballet pumps:
Flat shoes are great in that they can be paired with anything. Heavily flared jeans or skinny, short skirts or long. Rolled up Capri’s are especially nice. The only thing I ask (not even ask of you, beg of you!) is: please don’t pair them with socks.
Stilettos:
Fitted, well tailored clothes give stilettos a chic and professional look. Wide leg trousers that reach just below the sole are great, where the heel and the tips of the shoe should be clearly visible. Pencil skirts are perfect for a big meeting and skinny jeans help to create shape for the transition into nightwear.
Ankle Wrap:
Heels that have an ankle strap should be carefully worn, especially for those with shorter legs. They can create the illusion of short calves, so it’s important to try and elongate using the skirt that is paired with them. Try a High waist, front wrap skirt or a ruffled mini skirt for a flawless finish.
Belts are the new ‘it’ accessory in fashion – skinny waist belts, statement belt buckles and hip hugging belts accentuate fabulous hips and tiny waists, but follow these rules by a few of our favourite trendy celebrities to make sure you don’t make any blunders in your outfit.
Low Slung Belts:
Low-slung belts work well over 2 styles: long, fitted tunics (a la Britney) or under cropped, loose fitting blouses (a la Sienna). They are especially useful to help give loose fitting peasant blouses shape without bunching the fabric using a waist belt.
Embellished Buckles:
Jessica Simpson has a great country western style, so it’s no surprise embellished buckles are her thing. Pair them with fitted jeans and make sure the top is simple and doesn’t cover the front of the belt. This is typically the only belt that can be worn through the belt loops while still making a fashionable statement.
Skinny Belts:
Skinny belts help to complete an otherwise simple dress, long cardigan or fitted top. The key points to mastering this look: wear at the thinnest section of your waist, make sure the top or dress reaches the thighs to avoid shortening the torso and try and keep the patterns to a minimal. Fashion princess Vanessa Hudgens always seems to get it right!
Accessorising well can make all the difference when it comes to workwear, nightwear or even general day wear – Whether it’s a skinny waist belt to spruce up a tired, vintage dress or some statement earrings to accentuate a beautiful neck and collarbone, we’ve got some tips for making the most of your accessories drawer. Part 1 will focus on jewellery, but come back to see part 2 (belts) and part 3 (my favourite, shoes!)
Short, Delicate Necklaces:
Short Necklaces are best paired with low cut, round neck tops. Small pendants are great for focussing attention on the neck and collarbone and add a feminine touch to simple, low cut t-shirts or casual shirts.
Pearl Drop Earrings:
Pearl drop earrings add a touch of elegance to a conservative turtleneck or a plain t-shirt – pair them with some bangles for added accent to an otherwise plain outfit.
Long Necklaces:
Long necklaces look great on the outside of a collared shirt, loosely hanging outside the front but inside the collar.
Statement Earrings:
Oversized statement earrings are one of my favourite accessories of all time. However, don’t overkill: never pair them with a necklace and pair them with a halter top or tube top to accentuate your bare skin.
With summer sticking its pretty little face into our lives every now and then (and thankfully just on the weekends!) we’ve noticed the latest trends in women’s bikinis and swimsuits are very 80’s inspired. This is certainly a trend to look out for all the way through to 2010.
The bathing suit styles include asymmetric, graphic and high waist bikini bottoms.
ASSYMETRIC
This Beach Bunny Swimwear bikini is sure to grab attention. The gaps in the fabric are very sexy and the buckle detailing makes up for a bit of a boring monotone pattern.
GRAPHIC
SAHA uses 2 of the hottest colours for summer in this stand-out box patterned one piece. One piece suits are really making a comeback with loads of fun shapes and patterns that are just as hot as bikinis.
HIGH WAIST
Perhaps my favourite look of the season is the high waist bikini bottoms. Although it has the potential to look absolutely fabulous, it can easily go wrong. Just make sure you find a cut that looks far from granny pants and you’ll be fine! This Diane Von Furstenberg bikini has a great retro print, great shape and the ruffled detail adds an element of modern design.
The singer will be unveiling her as-yet unnamed jewellery line to the fashion press on 27th July. Until then the details of just what the collection will look like are (unfortunately) firmly under wraps.
The 35-year-old supermodel is set to join forces with British kings of entertainment (Cowell) and fashion (Green) to form a global entertainment super-company to rival Disney.
The 90s singer alongside her celebrity buddy are calling all earth-happy customers to help price their line of Reco Jeans – trousers made of recycled denim, in a Dutch auction.
Guests browse through My Only One's debut collection
MIA and LaLesso win the Fashion Innovation award
