picture from NY mag.com 

I was quite intrigued to read one of the latest features on Dazed and Confused which was entitled ‘Behind the Scenes:NOKI’. I have seen some of Dr Noki’s clothes but am not quite getting what is going on with this label. I hoped that this article would give me some insight into this mysterious and fantastical looking enigma that is NOKI.

The picture that sticks in my mind when I think of NOKI is the ball dress skirt worn with a cartoon T shirt by a dreadlocked monster person for the  s/s 08 collection. The clothes may not be to everyones taste but they certainly have a huge amount of energy about them and no lack of innovation.

I’m still not really sure that I’m getting the  whole NOKI thing. What  do they mean when they talk about the NHS. Surely the government has not decided that fashion is vital to the nations health and so set up a new health department devoted to fashion.

Whilst I was a bit dispppointed to see no NOKI at LFW. I understand the Dr has been a little busy of late with his new set up including a studio, with a brand new vintage store at the top of Brick Lane. Well I hope to pay it a visit soon but in the mean  time will amuse myself with the thought of his ‘white cubicle party’, which had a strict dress code, no mask, no entry, very funny and just a little bit scary.

This C3PO mask would be just the ticket!

With so may different options for shopping what is a girl to do? Whilst a day at the shops for some is a like a day of pampering at the health spa for others it is like hell on earth. There are so many different shops to choose from both online and on the high street, how can we get the clothes that look great and really suit us whilst getting the best value for money.

Of course, my personal favourite is shopping online. It really gives me a chance to analyse and co ordinate what I am buying and look for the best prices. I have been known to spend days carefully working out what to buy, I could never find this sort of time to trapse around the shops. I have 2 young children and work everyday. Shopping on a Saturday with children in tow is rarely a productive experience and some of my biggest mistakes have been made whilst trying to shop with screaming children.

On the plus side, shopping in shops gives you a chance to try clothes on, but I really prefer to try them on in the comfort of my own home and if they don’t fit or suit they can always be returned. I can also try the clothes on with a variety of shoes and other clothes in my wardrobe and ask friends and family for their opinion to ensure that they look great(assuming they are being honest with me).

The best thing about online shopping for me is the vast amount of choice available, the chance to compare styles and prices and no need to park the car in busy city centres.

I have today found my ultimate comfort buy whilst shopping online. This cashmere top is a great colour and style and a great price.

We all feel like this from time to time. Well I do any way. Nothing that you wear makes you feel great, you are bored with everything in your wardrobe, you need to develop your own style. You look into your wardrobe with a sense of dispair as all of your clothes are poor fitting, shrunk in the wash, faded and tired looking, dated or just plain don’t suit you and were a real mistake buy in the first place. This is probably the fashion equivalent of a bad hair day but if you feel like this everyday perhaps you are stuck in a fashion rut and need a little nudge to get you out.

Perhaps it is time to review and edit your wardrobe. Go through it ruthlessly and throw out anything that you have never worn or haven’t worn in the last year. Fling away anything that you know doesn’t suit you or that you don’t feel 100 percent in. Carefully sort through your old favourites and mend, dry clean and defluff as appropriate.

Now, you can start to think about the image that you want to create with your clothes. Buy some good quality basics in styles that you know suit you and accessories to really add some of your personality to your outfits.

 You are no longer in a fashion rut! Enjoy getting dressed every morning and enjoy how good your clothes make you feel. 

Red is one of my favourite colour and always makes me feel really happy. I love this red dress which will make me feel great.

 pictures from www.style.com

The Erdem collection for Spring Summer was what most girls dreams are made of. The light and airy array of fairytale dresses constructed with whimsical details and ruffles and layers were almost bride like at times. The icy greyish blue lace and pale coloured satin dresses with washed out ethereal prints for me took on an almost celestial feel.

Accents of bright citrus orange, prints straight from an English country garden and bright water coloured designs kept the whole collection  from becoming too much of a romantic daydream. But everyone needs a bit of time to daydream, don’t they?

The Erdem collections seem to get better and better as time goes on and I can’t wait to see what comes next. Definitely one to watch.

If you love clothes inspired by English flora you will love this Miss Sixty Sundress.

Today on local television, I watched a feature about Talented London Designers and how difficult it is for them to get themseleves noticed and compete in the competitive world of fashion. The funding they need to promote and market themselves is astranomical and without some sort of celebrity backing or endorsement they are unlikely to suceed. London is great at bringing forard new talent but not so good at hanging on to it. Many of the young up anad coming designers that start showing at London fashion week move on to the more established shows of Milan and Paris.

That is why I think Fashion Fringe is such an exciting project. It is a bit like an X factor for fashion designers and with Donatello Versace as  chair it is bound to give the entrants and winner some very welcome exposure.

This time the prize went to Korean designer Eun Jeong Hong for her tier white lace suits and grecian dresses. But Fashion Fringe is not just about the winner, there were some other very talented entrants including Sarah Easom, who’s collection contained prints inspired by exotic birds, LF Markey whose collection was inspired by Elizabethan costume, and William Tempest whose collection was full of corset dresses.

picture from style.com

If you love fashion from up and coming designers try this Sara Berman Negligee etched chiffon print top

I recently posted about Topshop Unique and how it makes  me feel just a  bit nostalgic for those days when I was defintely a dedicated follower of fashion. These days I like to consider myself a bit more individual and original. So why is it that I spend so much of my time seeking out the latest trends and pay so much attention to the catwalk shows.

Well, it is true I still like to follw trends quite a bit. I hope that I am now a lot more selective in the trends that I follow and pick and choose the bits that really suit me. I find the latest designer collections a great inspiration when deciding what clothes to buy. I am quite easily bored with my clothes and so am always looking for some new inspiration. I tend to find the latest styles are what are every where in the shops and so guess what? that is what I decide to buy a lot of the time.

 When it comes to being individual for me it is about combinign trends that I like in a slightly different way or with something a bit more original. As the old saying goes ’It’s not what you wear, its how you wear it’. Vintage finds are a great way of making an outfit original and unique or creating something yourself that no one else has but you.

A great way to create something unique and individual is to make your own jewellery using glass beads.

Christopher Kane is the darling of London Fashion week and he has proved why for the fashionista’s his show is so eagerley awaited. The collection was full of bright and punchy colours and even leopard prints. Dresses were made of paper like discs of chiffon or organza. The whole collection reminded me very much of a cutting and sticking session with my daughter although it was quite a bit neater.

The collection also featured spherical like structures and yet again I have been astounded by the  amazing shapes which look like they have been constructed by a structural engineer rather than a fashion designer. One thing is for sure Christopher Kane has done it again. He has managed create a collection with a big dose of the wow factor definitely for those who want to stand out in the crowd.

I love all the shapes, textures and interest in the dress. oh and I love the bright and juicy orange colour.

This is not an outfit for a shrinking violet and perhaps not everyones cup of tea but eyecatching and stylish none the less.

Only Christopher Kane could make a red leopard print cardigan look this gorgeous and feminine. This dress has the most delicate look to it and the most fantastical movement that I have ever seen in a mini dress.

pictures from www.style.com

If you love bright clothes that make you stand in out in the crowd, you will love this Aftershock Dress.

For me there is something really special about Topshop Unique. I spent a large part of my teenage years raking through rails of clothes in Topshop, looking for the latest fashion. I spent even more time trying on various combinations with my friends and giggling in the changing rooms.

Topshop Unique has tapped into that slightly more grown up need to follow fashion but with something a bit different or ‘Unique’. For me Topshop Unique still has strong assocations with my former teenage self.

The Spring Summer 09 collection definitely gave me something to reminisce about with a clear inspiration taken from the early eighties.

I love the heart print on this jacket. Definitely something fun to wear and those skinny trousers are just a big eighties reminder for me (even thought I was really young in the eighties) The head scarf and hair are another great reminder of the eighties.

This dress is great it contrasts military stying and buttons with a light and sugary colur and chiffon sleeves. A great combination of young and old.

If you want to get the eighties look shown at the Topshop Unique show try tying this black and white scarf in a loose bow around your head.

London Fashion Week is upon us again and I am particularly excited about the Luella show.  It was probably the best I have seen of Luella yet. With clashing purples, pinks and oranges, assymetrical details and ladylike pearls and tweed. Luella used a lot of traditional stuff but still managed to keep the look young and edgy.

 The lace and frills were feminine but not too much so. I loved the way she created gorgeous and unusual assymetrical shapes using frills and lace. A very clever collection and one that is sure to replicated on the high street in one way or another and I can’t wait.

Anyone would think a dress with fowers and frills would be a bit OTT bit not this one. It strikes just the right balance between pretty and sexy.

The pinks in this dress are just divine, add in the clever detail and it is a dress that I would just love to have.

I love the ruched details on this dress, again pretty and pink but looks great with the contrasting hair piece.

The contrast between bold candy stripes and pretty florals makes this an eyecatching outfit with a real wow factor.

pictures from www.style.com

If you love the grown up floral look at Luella then try this Hotch Potch Jersey Dress from Boden.

After two weeks of blissful sunshine on holiday in Tenerife, it is now back to reality (and work). Before I have time to catch my breath, I am going on a 4 day training course. The letter I have recieved says dress code is smart casual. This throws up a whole set of anxieties in the wardrobe department. What does smart casual mean?

Well obviously no jeans or scruffy T shirts. I think the most suitable would be a smartish pair of trousers or skirt and top. A suit would certainly be too formal. Unfortunately my wardrobe seems to have a severe lack of smart casual clothes. On the whole I tend to dress smart (for work or going out) or casual (for home and weekends).  To add to the difficulty in finding something to wear I seem to have developed a bulging tummy after two weeks of tapas, sangria and icecream on holiday. The ideal solution would be a  high waisted skirt with a simple top. Great for holding my tummy in and not too smart or too casual.

I love this High Waisted Boutique Style Skirt- Really comfy and stylish at the same time.