The Big Plan

So I have been planning what I want to do with my time when I am in New York. I want to make the most of what I have to do and see. I will give you a quick rundown of my plans so far (Knowing me this is very likely to change!) 

Monday I will be exhausted from travelling, this ALWAYS happens to me so I will probably stay pretty close to the hotel, I will try to get to Time square because I really love how it looks! Tuesday I am heading downtown to do the majority of my retail research because of its amazing boutiques in Soho. I am also hoping to get a great deal of street style photography in Chinatown because of the asian influence in the clothes. Wednesday I am heading towards central park to go iceskating and do some more higher end retail research. I am also hoping to go and see a show on broadway that night! Thursday I am going to look at Brooklyn I am not entirely sure what I am going to do there yet but probably looking at the artsy hipster culture that runs through the veins of this iconic place (yeah i am pretty excited!) I am hoping to go to at least one museum and the new museum has a late night viewing Thursday nights. Friday we have our garment tour which means we will miss the trip to FIT to see their exhibitions which is a massive shame because they are amazing. I am planning on going early Saturday morning before our flight so that I don't miss out! 

That is my rough plan! 

Much love K xx

The Big Apple Awaits

So I am going to the concrete jungle, the big apple, the city where dreams are made, across the pond. I am going to New York City and as you can tell I am pretty excited. I must confess this will be the third time i have visited this great and wonderful city. But this is the first time I am visiting with a professional outlook with a real purpose to the trip other than to just 'see the sights'. I am not saying that the sights are not worth seeing, they truly are! I am just looking forward to seeing a new side to this great city.

I am planning on doing a series of blog posts  about what I am planning, doing and thinking about this trip that will all be labeled with the NYC tab if you want to follow my fashion adventure!

Much love K x

Cute and Casual

Cute n' Casual! 

Hannah love for crop top is once again translated perfectly into the autumnal season matching style  and comfort with the casual grey 

Lipstick Tribes

Every girl needs a good lipstick. It is a fact of life, there is no escaping the fact that somewhere out there is the perfect lipstick for you my friend. I would highly recommend going out there to find it. I personally don't think i have found 'the one' yet but i know its going to fall into the nude category as looking through my makeup bag it seems that 60% of my lipsticks are variations of nude. Not that this is a problem.  The problem lies in the fact that I am not at all buying into the lipstick tribe that nude lipsticks tend to be marketed as. This is something that I have only just realised when I started researching lipsticks for my course and I have to say that although it interested me it frustrated me greatly (as you will find many things do) as well.

There are three main tribes that the cosmetic industry promote lipsticks in: The Meta Feminine, The Sex Kitten and the Unconstrained Rebel. So these three tribes as fascinating and desirable as they may sound don't particularly relate to my day to day life and they are not things that I really desire to be in all honesty. Ten points if you guess which category nudes tend to fall into.... Yep you guessed it! The Meta Feminine, The most terrifying and unachievable idea that is shoved at women day in and day out. Yay. This frustrated me and lead me to take a deeper look at all three tribes and why the industry is so intent on using them. 

The Unconstrained Rebel. This is the tribe which allows marketers to let their creative juices flow without worrying about scaring off customers. These tend to be sed to sell the vampy dark colours and the strange greens and blues that nobody in their right might would actually wear on a Tuesday afternoon down to the shops.  I am probably missing the point and it is definitely a certain sort of person who can pull off this look. This look is usually advertised and seen as being a very feminist stance and very anti-beauty look at cosmetics. I really love this tribe I love the adverts they are the most eye-catching and they are the ones that in a perfect world I would emulate because they are so darn cool! but I don't simply because I am not half as brave as the girls with the attitude to be part of this tribe. 

The Sex Kitten. The Tribe which caters to our animal inside, allegedly. This is a go to tribe for the marketers as everybody wants to be sexy, I am not denying that. I mean I have looked at so many of these adverts and women and I am so so SO jealous of how self assured they are and of course I want to be them they are modern day goddesses! The reds and berry tones tend to be sold to this tribe emulating the Marylin's and Kylie Jenners of the world. I don't agree with the overt sexualisation used in this type of marketing that always seems to verge on voyeristic and obsessive objectification of women. However There are some killer femme Fatales out there that this tribe looks out for and you girls ROCK! 

Finally there is The Meta Feminine. The tribe that is supposed to encapsulate all that it is to be a woman. Long flowing hair, Pastel colours, Flowers, Petals, sultry looks. It is sickening to be frank it is also scary that still in 2015/16 this is still something that women are buying into. The meek and mild stereotype that has helped the patriarchy to control us for so long. I don't have a problem with femininity at all I think it is something that we as women should embrace but I think we should be able to be feminine and powerful and Unique at the same time. This tribe does not leave space for women to do this and that is what frustrates me about it so much. As you can tell I am slightly bitter that the lipsticks that bit my face fall into this category as I think that nudes should be sold in just as interesting ways as the luminous orange lipsticks and not in the cop out way that they always are. 

Rant over. Promise. 

Have you found your perfect lip colour yet? 

Much love K x

Musical Madness

I am a huge fan of musicals. I love them. I like to pride myself on my ability to sing along to the entire soundtrack of Les miserables, Sound of music and Mamma mia. I can't help but love them and you can put them down all you want but I guarantee you that there is at least one musical out there that will resonate with you and you won't be able to resist the toe tapping tunes any longer!

You could be wondering what this could possibly have to do with a fashion course but let me tell you this the costume designers for some of these musicals have really hit the nail on the head with their designs. There are some outfits that just resonate with audiences and really shape the fashion and cultural landscape: here are some of my all time favourites!

Grease : Sandy's Final outfit 

Olivia Newton John's outfit has resonated with women for decades and is still one of the most copied looks with people returning to this sexy style for inspiration time and time again.  I have to say however amazing the outfit was ( and boy was it a killer outfit) it is her hair that I loved the most!

The Sound of Music: Thunderstorm Dress

Crooning I am sixteen going on seventeen in a thunderstorm to the boy she loves is just so romantic is it not? This dress was one that from a very young age I wanted to own I loved the way it moves when she dances it was just like a princess dress and a ten year old me was desperate to be a princess... can't deny that I still want the dress now. 

Chicago: The Two Merry Murderesses

If there was ever a musical for the empowerment of women this has to be one go the best! The score was incredible the story is fast paced and full of energy but the best bit... the 1920's style flapper dresses! oh the fashion darling it is incredible... have I ever wanted a beaded showgirl dress more in my life than when I saw this musical... never? Do I actually own one....sadly no. 

Rocky Horror: Frank n' Furter 

This is a musical that I was given to watch when I was in my last few weeks of college...how it had eluded me all that time I have no idea. I have to say I went in open minded and I am so glad I did because the musical is provocative, sexy, and so wrong that it is right. I really loved it but I can tell that it isn't the musical for everyone because weird is an understatement. But my favourite outfit from it is the corset and suspenders combination because it is just so shocking and unabashedly raunchy. 

Seven Brides for Seven brothers: ALL OF THEM 

This is my all-time favourite film and favourite musical. Now I am not saying by any means it is the BEST musical, it is simply my favourite. I absolutely love all of the dresses through the whole film they are stunning, not because they are particularly decadent or intricate but because they are just so flattering to the women that are wearing them. I have wanted a dress like these for as long as I can remember and that is why they go on my list. I know it is not the most popular musical and probably didn't have a massive effect on the culture or fashion but for me personally it has had a huge impact in the way that I look at fashion and how I choose to dress. 

Much love K xx

Gluesticks and Pictures

Have you heard of Adam Hale, No? Well you should have, He is the mastermind behind 'The Daily Splice' an incredible Instagram account with over 109K followers. He is a collage artist who travels around London picking up the free magazines to splice them together creating interesting montages with a retro quirky feel to them.

I was incredibly inspired by his work and the way in which he places pictures together to create provocative and eye-catching visuals using just what he finds in magazines. I hadn't ever tried montaging physical pictures before and I thought it might be something fun to try so I spent an evening flipping through magazines and cutting out bits and pieces. To be honest it was just really nice to be creative for the sake of being creative, very therapeutic I would recommend it! 

I tried out quite a few different ideas emulating the artist but putting my personal spin on them. I can't say my montages are anywhere near as detailed or inventive as Hales, I don't have his skills with a scalpel but I think I did an okay job of splicing the pictures together to create something even vaguely beautiful. Here are my first few attempts below. 

Finally I thought I would show you my favourite creation.... I just feel that all the elements of this come together perfectly. The shapes of the material on the dress and the ribbons and the pink and blush colour scheme it all has a very sultry and sensual feel to it. I like how it is subtly suggestive but also aesthetic. So much so that I have pinned it up above my desk! 

I hope that you like my creations as much as I do and that maybe I have inspired you to try something a bit different too! If you have any artists that you think I should have a look at please give me a heads up I am always looking for more inspiration! 

Much love K x

Hollywood Glamour

Hello again! 

This week I have been experimenting with making digital imagery look like old photographs. I was incredibly inspired by old hollywood Icons such as Marylyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Elisabeth Jones and Veronica Lake. The Glitz, Glamour and romance that there personas exhumed was always captured in photographs and is still something that influences and inspires photographers, designers and fashion in general today.

The 'Icon' Influence in fashion is something that is often very linear in its referencing focusing on the most beloved starlets such as Marylin or Audery yet putting a modern spin on their classic style or persona to make it resonate with the modern consumer. So many editorials and Look books have this as a theme or a 'feel' to them. The 'Icons' are a great way to sell the 'all american dream' and keep it something that is appealing by calling on the masses nostalgia. I have to wonder if the Icon trend will ever be something that gets tired in fashion or is it something that people, Myself included will always be fascinated with and attempt to emulate within our daily lives? 

So yes, returning to what I was originally talking about, I have been extremely influenced and inspired by this Classic trend this week and I decided to take some pictures in the same style as the classic Icons. I also experimented with re-coloring monochrome images to further develop the timeless quality that I was trying to create. Let me know how you think I did! 

Much love K x

Very Bond

Very Bond! 

Save Sophistication for a night out, Keeping it monochrome with skinny black jeans and a crisp white Fred Perry shirt coupled with the black loafers for comfort. This is an effortless example of simple but chic mens style: the new smart casual....

Street Style: Lips

This week we had a street style brief! Honestly I was so excited when this was mentioned as part of the module. It gives me the perfect opportunity to do a bit more photography! Unfortunately for me the weather doesn't agree with perfect opportunities and it has been raining all week which means that it is horrible to get people to stop in the street because everybody is trying to dodge the downpour. 

My groups trend to look out for on the street is Lipstick and in particular dark dramatic lips, this sounds easy enough but a mixture of the weather and people having their own tastes in makeup made it difficult to find enough people for our project. This meant looking in some more inventive places...such as other students, Because where better to look for makeup trends than in Halls of residence where all of the girls have incredibly edgy style? 

These are my favourites, probably because I love my flatmates to pieces and they are all stunning munchkins. Let me know what you think! 

Much Love K x

Pretty In Pink

Pretty in Pink!

It is the perfect ensemble for a night out on the town. A flirty short skirt and and cute crop top fashioned from an old dress. Upcycling at its finest I think. The hint of sparkle in the top is a lovely nod to the fast approaching christmas season...  

Autumn Colours

Autumn is sadly drawing to a close whilst winter is approaching fast. I look at this part with joy and part with loathing. I absolutely love the cooler months because my go to outfit is an oversized jumper and jeans... it is just such a comfy ensemble that can be dressed up with heels or just for laying around the apartment doing nothing, it is just perfect i will stand by that statement until my dying day. However the cooler months do mean that I spend most of my time with a bright red nose and rosy cheeks (not in the good way) shivering whilst dressed up like a slightly irritable Michelin man.

But looking back at autumn and the wonderful colours that surround us make me so happy. When I visited my home a few weeks ago I was incredibly inspired by the rich autumnal colours, so I went out on a walk in the country armed with my tripod and trusty camera to take some self portraits. When I had got back and was editing them I realised I was playing with the colours a lot but I was always staying within the rich scheme that had inspired me so much.

I love these colours so so much!! What do you think? 

Much love K x

An Obsession: Fireworks ans Sparkles

I am basically a magpie. Anything that sparkles attracts my attention instantly. I can't help it I am just drawn to those glittery little pieces of perfection. My friends joke that if you want me to pay attention to something all you need do is throw glitter over it and I will be there. My trajectory through a shop is usually a Zig-Zag from one bedazzled piece to the next, I can't help but stop a drool over the window displays of jewellers I would say It was an issue but I just don't care!

This time of year is particularly dangerous for my bank account, what with November 5th fireworks, fall fashion and Christmas. Glitter is EVERYWHERE and I need it all! Guy Fawks is my all time favourite celebration of the year. I love how British it is to celebrate the fact that somebody failed at blowing up parliament so spectacularly hundreds of years ago that we as a country basically ridicule them by blowing up as many fireworks as humanly possible. It makes me incredibly happy how passively spiteful it is. With out a doubt it is also the most beautiful celebration is it not? Fireworks never cease to amaze me with their beauty and ability to captivate hundreds of thousands of people year in year out. I actually travelled all the way to norfolk this weekend just to watch a display, totally worth the money. Totally. I love it. 

But back to all things sparkly and my collection of sparkles, in particular my taste for iridescent dresses, the crushed sequins and shimmering fabrics honestly are my heart flutter they look so beautiful. However I would be a massive lier if i said i wore them for comfort. Anybody who says that wearing glitter or sequins on clothes, shoes or their face will be comfortable does not love you or care for your safety at all. If you wear it on your clothes it scratches at your skin and itches if there isn't the correct slip underneath. If it is on your shoes it makes them the equivalent to ice-skates for stability. As for wearing glitter on your face. Oh. My. God. The struggle is unreal, it gets in your eyes and practically blinds you, wear it on your lips and it gets stuck in your teeth making you look like you have some horrendous gum disease, when you spend an hour rubbing at your face to get rid of 'the last of it' you are always going to find more in your hairline at work in the morning!

Maybe it is because it is so impractical that I love it so much and can't help myself but to keep picking up and palming shiny objects. Christmas parties are just perfection everybody is so unapologetically glitzy, it is no longer social unacceptable to wear a full length sequin dress in the middle of the city, because it is christmas! All of the shops are in a competition to have the most ostentations displays of festivity and walking around town starts to feel as though you are inside a 80's disco ball.


So you see that glitter and sparkles have slowly become synonymous with happiness within our culture. Maybe, just maybe  it means I am not as weird for being a magpie as I thought I was because secretly everybody is!

Much love K x

Internship!

Yay for me! I bagged myself an internship in my fist term of university, thats pretty good going I think. Queue patting oneself on the back with a chuffed look plastered across ones face. Once the initial euphoria of getting a placement like this had worn off the reality of what I had just done set in. Now I have to juggle university work, an Internship and a social life...so far I have to confess I haven't had too much of a problem but still the thought of deadlines fills me with dread.

I am going off topic, you are probably vaguely interested in which company was crazy enough to employ a first year Fashion Communication and Promotion student aren't you? Well it is this amazing non profit organisation called Kohl Kreatives who help men and women who have lost elements of their face through accidents or illness reconstruct their faces through cosmetics. I have joined as part of the marketing and promotion team and I am the youngest Intern which makes situations like a 'brand onion' meeting difficult when I am sitting there wondering what certain root vegetables could possibly have to do with our marketing strategy! I travel out to the UoN campus once or twice a week (yes I know I am a traitor. Boo, Hiss and all that ) and sit in meetings with my wonderfully kind hearted if not a little bit intense boss discussing the ways in which we are going to develop the company and brand.

I should probably confess (if it isn't already obvious) that I do feel hugely under qualified to be in the role I am in within the company. My first task was to design and develop a new set of brushes, I am not going to pretend for a moment that I am any sort of makeup wizz. So this task had me running around my flat begging my more makeup savvy flatmates for advice on which makeup brushes were the best and why. After many nights of little sleep, much muttered swearing at my sketchpad and non existent drawing skills I came up with a set of designs which I presented at the next meeting. They didn't laugh or burn me at the stake to I can't have done too bad a job eh?

This week is crazy, I have to keep pinching myself. I am doing things that I never thought I would be doing in my first year. In the Diary I have: Tuesday- Escape room:a team building excersise to bring the team closer together. Wednesday- Staff Photoshoot for website and role allocation (I am rooting for marketing manager, it looks the best on a CV)  Thursday-Small meeting with boss to discuss final adjustments to Branding shoot. Friday- Branding photoshoot at rough trade!

Honestly I am so excited and so scared it all seems unreal. I kind of like the pressure because it doesn't give you time to sit and feel sorry for yourself over the fact you still haven't bought yourself some more milk so you can have a hot chocolate. Student life is so strange.

Much love K x

An Obsession: Socks

So I Suppose I should start with a confession. To anybody who might meet me on the street I would appear a normal functioning human being. However I am harbouring a deep and dark obsession...Socks. I am obsessed with those pieces of material that you can place onto your feet to keep them warm. How ridiculous is that? Socks are not hip, cool or even remotely fashionable in most senses. But you cannot beat the unparalleled joy when, at christmas or a birthday I get some new socks. It Started as a joke between friends but it has turned into a full blown obsession that makes it hard to go shopping without loitering near the footwear section gazing at the options. I don't need more socks I have more than enough, I know that, So why do I keep buying more?

 Recently Socks are making a come back and I could not be happier! I can be slightly less weird when I get excited about wearing a cool pair with my heels because it is something that is being depicted in Look books and fashion ads so more people are putting more thought into what they put there toes into. But Is this shift in societies feelings about socks really affecting the everyday person?

 I just went round to all of my flat mates and asked if I could borrow their most stylish pair of socks for ten minutes. Most of them looked at me like I was crazy before explaining that their socks were pretty basic and normal and that they probably didn't have anything particularly useful. This made me quite sad, they were not confident in their choices for socks and they had pretty much written socks off completely when it came to their fashion statements. However when I bought all of our snazzy socks together we compiled a pretty awesome collection if I do say so myself.

 Brands that are embracing socks in a beautiful way include 'The white pepper' or 'Pixie Market' Who incorporate them into their stunning collections and editorials are giving girls the absolute best socksperation! High end fashion brands, the elite maybe, also have some pretty kick ass ads giving socks the glory they (in my opinion) hugely deserve such as PRADA's January 2015 editorial or Another which highlighted the wonderful styling abilities of socks was the Dana Korstenbroek + Valerie Van Der Graaf for Jalouse dec/Jan 15 by Piczo.

I personally can not wait until wearing socks as a statement piece of an outfit rather than as a comfort aid becomes norm core and we can all complement each other on one on the most uncelebrated clothing items without being on the receiving end of a slightly freaked out stare.


 Until next time... check out these babies!!

 Much love K x

What the Fur?

Fur has connotations of Luxury, wealth, status, Femininity and Glamour. This is the trope that is predominantly conformed to However is there ever a time when people rebelled against this? 

Animal Pelts, Skins and Fur have been used by humans for centuries to protect them from the climate  since  the earliest societies .Animal pelts and Fur were popular because they are durable and warm which were perfect for the living conditions of this time. But why I wonder is Fur a trend within fashion that despite its fluctuating popularity is a constant feature of the fashion landscape?

Obviously Fur started out as a staple due to necessity and availability for hundred of years however It is when Fur became a fashion statement rather than a functional piece of clothing that I am interested.  Modern Fashion Itself and the constant challenge to remain 'on trend' that did not develop until the 18th century. Through this time many brands and movements have conformed or Rebelled against the social norms at the time with this very controversial material. 

Fur saw its first real rise in popular fashion during the Victorian Era when it was being worn dominantly by the royals and Upperclass, Disseminating down into the common person by the 20th century. It was used to conform with social construct of the celebration of the status and wealth of an individual by emulating the styles adopted by the royalty of the time. 

Post world war 1 a fur coat was something that women would be bought by their 'male protectors' as a symbol of their affection as fur was expensive and a luxury. However some women that has inherited or came into money because their male counterparts had been lost in the war Rebelled against this tradition and went out to get their own fur coats because and had control over their money for the first time. So the fur coat became a symbol of female independence. 

Cinema helped fur to remain popular in society during the 1920's with celebrities such as Louise Brooks, Pola Negri and Greta Garbo wearing luxurious outfits made from fox and mink by the 1930's London had established itself as the centre of the Fur trade.  It was predicted that 2 out of 3 women wore fur during this period. This Obsession with the luxury of fur was continued through the 1950's when there was a peak in the demand for fur due to celebrities such as Marylin Monroe wearing a fox stole.

It wasn't until the 1970's when the ethics of wearing fur as a garment was really questioned by the mainstream, Particularly by animal rights movements such as PETA. This meant that wearing garments that had real fur on them was hugely frowned upon. This meant that brands shied away from using fur for fear of being criticised in the media. Not all Designers shared the views of this majority though Karl Laggerfield stated that: "in a meat eating world, wearing leather for shoes, clothes and even handbags, the discussion on fur is childish' This rebellion against the 'accepted' stance on the fur trade caused much controversy but a lot of media attention for his brand. 

Since the 2010's there has been a huge resurgence of this trend due to the rise in popularity of Vintage and faux fur trends. To continue to be a part of the modern fashion landscape fur trends have had to subvert from there old connotations and roots and become something new to survive. 

This season over 70% of brands used fur or Faux fur in their runway collections Fendi used fur in 41 out of 41 of their looks at fashion week so it is definitely a trend that is back with vengeance. Some brands continued to conform to the symbolism of fur such as Tome, Jason Wu and Altuzarra But others have taken fur and rebelled against the supposed symbolism by choosing electric colours and prints which make this very glamorous garment edgy and fresh. Some of the brands doing this are: Prabal Gurung, Ohne Titel and Creatures of the wind.

Whatever is happening to the symbolism of Fur the industry it is valued at $40 Billion so I think it is safe to say that it is not going anywhere any time soon!

Much love K x

Overt Regal Opulence

Fashion loves a good narrative doesn't it?  It is arguably one of the most important tools in the fashion promoters arsenal. The narrative of an Editorial, Look book, Advert, Runway or event is imperative to the portrayal of the brands ideologies and values is shown through the narrative of the imagery. Narrative also helps to create situations that the consumer can identify with to create envy and a desire for emulation.

One of the most successful narratives for this is the 'Overt Regal Opulence' Narrative depicting models lavishly draped in all manner of luxurious materials adorned with crowns or large ostentatious headwear often themselves sprawled across a beautifully curated garden or room full of wonderfully extravagant furniture. This depiction of Regal bliss is the perfect mixture for consumers to identify with the 'idea' and envy it enough to want to emulate something that in reality can never really be achieved.

This is a narrative trend that fashion returns to time and time again, every time satin, lace, gold, velvet or ornate adornments are in fashion. This is the narrative that brands use. It could stem from peoples obsession with fairytales or history particularly figures like Marie Antoinette crop up a lot in fashion films such as the 2006 film 'Marie Antoinette' Directed by Sophia Coppola staring Kirsten Dunst or in the editorial shot by Annie Leibovitz for Teen Vogue once again depicting Dunst as Antoinette.

The Regal Opulence narrative has also been used by brands such as Dolce & Gabbana for fall 2013 or Dior's 2015 Secret garden short starring Rihanna.

An Example of when this trend has been used for an event rather than for an advert is when we saw the The Metiers d'Art show transformed into a stunning display of wealth and regal opulence with long tables bedecked in silverware a mighty feast with colossal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling for Karl Lagerfieldls Chanel Runway for 2003. It was a perfect example of  when the baroque nature of this trend was taken and ran with to create a complete spectacle that left the viewer in awe. 

It could be argued that this trend is somewhat encouraging grotesque materialism however because of the nature and logic of fashion, this explains perfectly why this trend is so successful and repeated so often.  

I personally find this narrative so unforgivably ostentatious that I can see the allure and why fashion just loves to keep returning to it can't you? 

Much love K x