I wish it were summer

My blog challenge fell by the wayside after about two weeks, as most of the things on the list were just not my style. But the notion of summer clothes and got me thinking – what is my summer wardrobe? Do I even have one?

In September, like many other fashion nerds, I dutifully went through the catwalk shows, noting styles I might like to sport come springtime. This is noteworthy because I went through my Spring-Summer 11 file earlier, and found that many of the styles I lusted for back in September bear no correlation to what I am wearing now. Three collections (pre-fall, fall and resort) have since swanned down the runways, meaning that naturally, I have become excited with new shapes and colours.

The pace of fashion is a really topical issue at the moment, and the rate high street knocks out new styles has received not inches but miles of coverage in the media. Whether it’s a good or bad thing is for another day, but we are creatures who value novelty. A constant need for newness is what drives innovation and stops us from getting stale, a willingness to embrace newness is what keeps us relevant and connected with society. These are both good things.

But does that then mean what we call the Spring Summer collections are intended to be absorbed, digested and excreted before spring has even sprung? A 6 month lag time would make even the most patient person bored. And with the speed of the high street turnaround, designers really can’t afford to take that long in production. It’s not really for me to say how to reorganise fashion weeks, but there is clearly something amiss.

With all that in mind then, I looked back at the trends from September’s shows to see what I still dig, and a few things that I really do not.

Chloe SS11

Still can’t get enough nude tones. Although I wear midi skirts (and knife pleats) less than anticipated; same with leather tops. Although it’s not for a change in taste, just can’t seem to find the right ones.

Viktor & Rolf SS11

If anything, my appetite for shirts has only grown since September. I have a ridiculous number of them, although none as awesome as this Viktor & Rolf number. Sheer is another trend I have thoroughly embraced, and going back to work in American Apparel is feeding that addiction at a dangerous rate!

Rebecca Minkoff SS11

Cigarette pants, cut-out shoes, big necklaces. Check. Mustard, check. However, this does not feel fresh or exciting anymore, it’s more like a go-to utilitarian look.

Jil Sander SS11

Forals & Maxis. Despite making both a massive part of my final collection in college, I am wearing both…well, not really at all…I really love the look, and this Jil Sander dress is AMAZING, but somehow I can’t find a way to fit maximal print into my wardrobe. Having said that I have a few ideas to translate my prints into more wearable garments, so stay tuned to see how I make this happen!!!

Marc by Marc Jacobs SS11

STRIPES! Ms. Prada totally ruled on the stripe front for Spring Summer 11, but I love this outfit, as it has a ’70′s theme that I am starting to embrace (I tried on a floppy hat in work the other day and I can’t stop thinking about it…). Also, I want that hair….

Costume National SS11

So this is basically what I want to look like almost all the time. All, like, designer-y and shizzz… “Black-out summer” was one of my trend folder titles for this summer – I am a demon for black on black, so it’s like they made this one for me!

Givenchy SS11

Looking like a goth is cool right? Chiffon everything to soften the look, and I really want to unpick the sleeves of one of my blazers.

Dries Van Noten SS11

And I still want a Dave Byrne-esque blazer! I love the way it has a louche line, with the lapels coming right the way down.

3.1 Philip Lim SS11

This colour palette is still going strong for me, and shorts are proving a perennial favourite. Neutrals and black and blue are like the subtle girl’s guide to colour blocking!

Moschino SS11

And finally, my old trusty favourite, mom jeans! Teamed with leather jacket. It’s as if Rossella Jardini saw me on the street or something…I kid, I kid.

Holly Fulton SS11

And finally, these pants are in the still-not-wearing category. As with the full-on floral thing, I like them, I just don’t have the balls to wear them. Although I think print and wide legged trousers are here for the next while, and I’ll be in London soon, so watch this space!

 

Fur crying out loud

Fur is not everybody’s cup of tea. I know and respect that fact. However, this does not change the fact that it is available for sale, and that many designers choose to use it as part of their collections within fashion. The following post reflects my own personal views that I do not wish to force upon any person. Think what you will, but I wear fur. There, I said it.

Fur has always been a hot topic. Ugh, that’s actually a really terrible pun when you consider the warmth it provides in the cold. I apologise, I think I’m in one of those moods…But ANYWAY. Following on from my previous posts about winter coats, I decided to include a post dedicated to fur, simply because there was so much of it on the runway. So much of it that I felt the need to make some form of comment.

I’m not really sure what the message there is. Perhaps it’s a response to emerging markets and a desire for ostentatious displays of wealth. Nothing says “I’m loaded” like a filthy great fur coat and loads of diamonds. Or perhaps the anti-fur lobby has fallen out of vogue and fur is back in fashion. Or maybe, and I’m probably being far too generous here, but there is a small chance that designers are actually using fur because it is a fabric that brings real heat to the body while creating maximum visual impact. There is no denying that real fur keeps you real warm. And for the price of them, they are an investment, which makes them less expendable and therefore in a really weird way more environmentally friendly. Bizarre, I know. But you are far less likely to throw out your fur coat at the end of a season. Synthetic materials are cheaper, but I have made the mistake of trying to save a few euro on a cheaper winter coat – they just don’t work. And it’s just plain no fun when you’re freezing.

I know that synthetic furs have come on leaps and bounds in terms of quality in recent years, so if you don’t want the real thing, you have the choice. Here are some of the fur coats that I found remarkable from this years Autum Winter collections.

Antonio Berardi

Brian Reyes

Costume National

Dennis Basso

Gianfranco Ferre

Marc Jacobs

Michael Kors

Pucci

Roskanda Ilinic

Valentino

All images via Style.com