My Week In Review

Where to start with this week. On Thursday I turned 23 and celebrated the day of my birth with friends for lunch and then later, a night in Newcastle's Tup Tup Palace. Please don't ask me how it was, because I reallllllly couldn't tell you. Shameful, I know. I blame the copious amounts of alcohol thrust in my face as 'birthday presents'. From what I remember it was great, so I can't complain too much. And I had a big birthday badge to wear all day which was fantastic.

Although I can't be as positive about the next thing to happen this week, I'm willing to put my bitterness to the side and just revel in everyone else's photographs of the event. The event in question you ask? None other than Coachella 2014. Weekend #1 kicked off on Friday with OutKast having the headliner spot, but it was the fashion, parties, and fabulous IG pictures that I had my attention on. It does make me feel as though a little part of my soul dies with each passing year that I don't attend the famous music and arts festival, but mark my words, I will attend in 2016 if it's the last thing I do. It's probably the only music festival that I will ever wish to attend - mainly because it's in Palm Springs and there's absolutely no chance of being up to your eyeballs in mud like the festivals we have in the UK. And there's always the chance of running into a hot celebrity or two along the way. There really is no other music festival on the planet that involves music, art and fashion together in such an amazing way. Forever21 even had their brand name hung above the desert via cranes. Even McDonald's threw a pool party on Saturday. Ironic, I know, considering everyone in LA would rather chew nails than be caught dead stuffing their face with a Big Mac or McChicken. But I suppose if it's good enough for Jeremy Scott and Moschino (Fall 2014), then it's good enough for the glamorous lot at Coachella. Weekend #2 starts on the 18th and I absolutely cannot wait to see more #ootd and obligatory pool side/ferris wheel photos on Instagram!

Finally, as the week comes to a close, it was revealed that Alexander Wang will be collaborating with H&M releasing what I can only imagine to be an amazing capsule collection this November. AWang has always been one of my favourite designers, so this announcement had me jumping for joy when I read it on twitter and Instagram this morning. Let the countdown begin..

Don't forget to follow VDM on all of your favourite social networks below! xo

Kim K Takes Vogue

I'm sorry, but I just can't. As you are all so very aware (if you aren't, what the hell have you been doing all day?), Kim Kardashian has been granted her wish and is now the face of Vogue US' April cover; alongside hubby-to-be Kanye. I'm just going to put it out there - I think it's tragic. 

There is no doubting that Kim looks stunning on the cover, but come on Anna. What were you thinking?! Yes, you were the first to feature celebs on your covers, and yes, this issue will probably be the best selling issue of the year considering it's controversy, but still! It's one thing to sell magazines, but it's another to do so whilst keeping your brands value intact. Are we all forgetting that Kim basically became a porn star in order to get her name in lights? It's verging on trashy. And everyone knows what happens when a brand turns trashy.

Not to mention the fact that she probably only got the cover because there was a condition made that meant Kanye had to appear, or she lost the cover entirely. And that hashtag at the end. Don't even get me started. It should say "#MOSTATTENTIONSEEKINGCOUPLE". I'm not going to lie, after this rant about the cover, I still want to read the feature. Just not in Vogue!

What do you think of the cover? Will you be buying or unsubscribing?

Photo Credit: www.vogue.com

Diary of An Insomniac

Just as a heads up - I can already see this post turning into something that just contains a lot of random thoughts, but I hope you'll stick through with it anyway.

After reading the header for this post, I know you're probably thinking that I'm being completely preposterous and potentially losing my mind a little - but I can't help how I feel. I study fashion, I have VDM as a hobby/first and only child and when I'm not doing either of those things, I'm working in retail helping customers at The White Company spend hundreds (sometimes thousands) of pounds in around five minutes or less. It's like I can't get away from it.

You know when you hear a song and it suddenly becomes the only thing you listen to for weeks on end, until one day you wake up and think 'maybe it's time to find a new song before I jam cotton wool in my ears'? Well I think that's how I'm feeling now about fashion. And if i'm honest, I've felt this way for a long, long time. I just haven't really done anything about it. 

The problem is that it just doesn't inspire me like it used to. In the space of a year, I've changed my views on a lot of things. Don't get me wrong, I'll never change my overall career path and steer away from the fashion industry (i'm not that crazy), but I feel like I need another contributor in my life that helps turn my inner creative wheel when fashion can't seem to do it any longer.

Thinking about it, maybe i'm using fashion as the issue, but really i'm just sick of life.

As it turns out, I've been thinking about my career/future a lot lately. I guess that's what happens when you have chronic recurring insomnia and can't get to sleep until the sky has started waking up. As someone who has never been without a to-do list or a plan in her twenty three years so far, going the last year or two without one has probably been the most nerve-wracking and terrifying thing that I've ever done. Let me fill you in a little.

Pre-breakup with my now ex-fiance of six years, I had everything sorted. Which career I would pursue, where I was going to live, how I was going to go about getting everything that I wanted. I even had a date set for when I was to be married and what I would name my kids when we had them in the future. My life was nothing compared to how it is now. Not even in the slightest. I look different, I feel different, - my motivation and enthusiasm has dropped completely - I'm single, I don't want to get married, nor do I want children, and until now I didn't know what the hell I was going to do with my life after I graduate in 2015. 

I read somewhere that we have two sense of selfs. Your present self and your future self. When someone tells you that you're young and to make decisions based on what is going to make you happy, you have to really think about which self you want to make happy. My present self goes out far too much, has wayyyy too many shots of tequila and until now, hasn't really thought about making many decisions based on shaping my future. Yes, I'm a university student and yes, these are the only three years of my entire life that I'm only going to be able to act this way. But it's starting to dawn on me that pushing uni work to the side just so that I can have that extra night out this week, isn't going to do me any favours. It's not going to make my future self happy and that's really what I should be thinking about more. This lifestyle also isn't going to help my love life any. I'm not really the affectionate type, but don't get me wrong, finding someone to share everything with is what I've always had at the top of my 'What Will Make Me Happy' list. 

So as of right now (Thursday, 13th March 2014 @ 03:43am) I'm going to try and make better decisions. Or at least decisions that are going to be a bit more beneficial to my future self overall. Starting with my career. I've decided that journalism is the only career path that I feel passionate about. My best friend has even told me that I'm not "allowed" to be anything other than a journalist. I'm not entirely sure about jumping straight into employment after graduating (unless an opportunity arose of course), so I've decided to look into studying a postgrad (MA) Fashion & Lifestyle Journalism course in London. First of all, the London location would sort where I move to; then the lifestyle integration in the course would broaden things a little and take it away from being primarily fashion all the time. And I've just always loved the idea of writing about the sorts of things that most people would only ever think and never say. I'm not really the type of person who holds back. Let's just put it that way. 

Secondly, I want to feel enthusiastic about writing again. I want to have that urge to sit down with a cup of coffee and my macbook and just write. I was thinking that I could perhaps start writing some more lifestyle-style blog posts on here, but for now I might just keep them in a separate document on my desktop and consider posting them later. Maybe even as a side column at some point. 

My third point has to do with matters of the <3 shaped organ in my chest. Although, if anyone knows how NOT to fall for the guy you can't have then please, be my guest and help a sister out. Alternatively, advice on how to see through BS would be fantastic as well. 

So after rambling on, I think I'm done. Maybe some of you will relate to parts - especially if you're a university student/party animal, or have had to rethink your entire life after a certain situation - or maybe you're just an insomniac like myself and my general ramblings have bored you so much that you're actually starting to feel sleepy. Either way, I'm glad you've made it through to the end.

xoxo

The NYFW Fall 2014 Report

Two days in and I think it's safe to say that I am becoming increasingly impatient for Fall 2014. I know, I know; "don't wish your life away!", but have you seen these collections? Seriously. The coats are to die for, the shoes are even better and for once, I'm actually looking at collections and thinking "I'd wear that entire outfit - not just parts of it". I mean, as if!

Rachel Roy Close Up

Usually when it comes to Fashion Month, I round up the best collections, talk about them in some platonic and tedious way and then eventually, get bored with my own words. So I'm not going to do that this time. What I am going to do, is every couple days during this fashionable time, evaluate the collections seen as a whole (in my head) and then tell you what I'm getting from things in general. I.e; what coat shapes I'm liking, what/who I can't wait to see more of etc etc. Do you catch my drift? People like Vita di Moda for its opinion. If you want a collection review, there's Vogue and Style.com for that - I'm going a different route.

The first thing I've noticed for Fall 2014, is the colour palette. It's black, grey, occasionally white and every other dark shade that you can get from black and grey. This obviously isn't too much of a shock; I mean, designers use these dull colours every fall season, but theres usually a lot of burgundies, navy and warm nectar colours injected in there as well. For Fall 2014, so far, we've seen designers such as Jason Wu, Nicholas K and BCBG Max Azria using a lot of black - leather; matt and  high shine - in their collections. BCBG Max Azria though - this is a collection that you need to check out if you haven't already.

VFiles Close Up

The next thing catching my attention is the shapes. A selection of designers have decided on a more exaggerated, oversized and flamboyant way of living for the Fall season. Triangles, boxy squares - these are making the basis for collections from the likes of VFiles and Lisa Perry. Lisa Perry in particular, does the oversized shape in such an elegant way, it actually makes it commercial. It's clean cut, cute and in no way gimmicky.

Like I mentioned in the opening paragraph, I'm seeing collections and finding that I'd wear an entire look; rather than just individual pieces. This rings most true from Rachel Roy's collection. The combination of textured fabrics, royally deep colours and sleek, high-shine contrast is just ticking all the boxes for me. Fire red, cobalt blue, black and deep purple are the four main notes and just sing together in unison incredibly. I don't think I've seen a collection from Rachel Roy in the past few years and thought "YES!" quite like this.

Marissa Webb Close Up

And lastly, a surprise for me as much as it will be for every other regular at Vita di Moda. I've fallen in love with a colour. But not just any colour. Pink. A slightly warmer baby pink to be precise. How in God's name that happened, I will never know. It's a mystery, but a brilliant one. Marissa Webb has created three particular looks using the colour, pairing it with patent leather, and one coat/look has just had me wishing it were Fall already. Perhaps Cupid has come seven days too early.

Rather than doing a second #NYFW post with the rest of the shows, I felt that it would just make more sense to continue on at the end of this one; keeps everything together and means that i'll just make one post for each fashion week city for easier viewing. 

Helmut Lang Close Up

I last mentioned some shows and my general opinion from the first two days in New York, so let's fill in the rest. First up is a mention of another colour making a statement in the big Apple; red. Fiery, tomato red. Some designers used a lot, whereas labels such as Helmut Lang, stuck with four statement red looks, and included another four with red featuring in the shoes, bags and trousers. I'm not really one for the colour in particular, but it has been seen on various celebrities recently and to me, has a nod to Balmain. Which can never be a bad thing. 

Victoria Beckham Close Up

Next is more of a statement, rather than a trend as such. Victoria Beckham's main line was one of surprise and delight, all due to the fact that it was so laid back and nonchalant, it could almost be mistaken for a Celine collection. The shapes were so clean cut, in a monochromatic colour palette (there were little to no patterns, a little blush pink and one red dress - see, there it is again) that I immediately felt a connection as soon as I laid eyes on it. We've seen a lot of androgynous looks from the designer in recent seasons, but it seems that for Fall 2014, she was feeling extra masculine.

Jeremy Scott Close Up

Shoes. Well, sneakers actually, made an impression on me at the Jeremy Scott show. The legendary collaborations between both brands always tend to turn heads, but for Fall, the designs are now thigh-high. It's kinda reminiscent to the past gladiator sandal trend, but so much better. The boots/sneakers come in a variety of colour ways and matched JS's locker-inspired Fall 2014 collection to a T.

Ralph Lauren Close Up

There has to be a mention to fur and layering. And layering with fur. It's obvious that both were going to be seen not only in NYC, but on the catwalks everywhere else. But Ralph Lauren just did something extra special with it; mixing the neutral/sightly pastel colour palette with delicate furs and cosy knitwear - not the mention some absolutely gorgeous wide leg white trousers - was always going to produce some pretty decent looks.

Donna Karan Close Up

And on a final note for NYFW, there has to be a mention to that red dress. Donna Karan gave us a range of flowing, sexy plunge neck dresses, but the one which seemed to have the media and Twitter in a complete frenzy, was the one worn by no other than Karlie Kloss. It was a no brainer to put such a to die for dress on a Victoria's Secret model - if every buyer in that room doesn't make an order on this dress, I'll give up on fashion forever.

I'm really upset that NYFW has finished and we're onto the three other cities now. I know that since I live in the UK, I should be excited about LDN, but it doesn't have the same effect on me. There have been some things worth mentioning about the city, but you'll read all about that when I do my #LFW report in a few days!

Photo Credit: Images found on Vogue.co.uk, zoomed in and then recaptured. 

Sport Luxe | Pastel Leather

Bit of a random act with this post, but I've just purchased myself a little Valentine's Day present and I want to share it with you all. The gift in question is the Zara pastel blue faux leather biker jacket. Retailing at £69.99, it's one of my bigger (and unfortunately, less frequent) purchases being a student and all, so I'm bound to be feeling a little excited - and slightly nervous to check my bank balance after this weeks spending.

As it stands, there isn't a Zara store in the centre of Newcastle, so I usually get most of my basics from them online and have it delivered. This does mean however, that I can't really inspect the jacket to see what sort of quality the faux leather is like, and therefore judge whether or not a penny short of £70 is worth it or not; but we shall see. I am pleased with how beautiful it looks in the editorial shots and indeed on its listing online. The shade of blue is a first for me - well, any shade of any colour is a first for me - so i'm excited to see what it's like on. I have blue eyes and dark hair, so the colour tends to agree with me more often than not anyway.

Recently I've found myself styling pieces in a more 'sport luxe' manner; with slouchy fit bottoms and either plain T's or silk vests up top. So I've gone and styled the jacket in a similar way.

I've chosen a white track pant because I felt like the jacket warrented a clean finish, and this style and colour of pant is bang on trend for the Spring/Summer season. Up top is a basic white T with Celine print on front, and finishing with black, chunky ankle strap courts and classic Chanel J12 watch - oh how I've dreamt about one day owning that beauty. Sigh..

Maybe it's the fact that the pastel is a baby blue hue and therefore rings annotations of being delicate in my head; whatever the reason, I'm happy having a fresh and light styling take for the jacket and feel that I'm going to get a lot of wear out of it this year.

How would you style this piece?

Biker Jacket: Zara | White Pants: Revolve | Celine Tshirt: Etsy

Salmon Fishing With ten30

I don't know the reasoning behind it, but lately I have found myself missing my bonnie Scotland more and more. It's probably due to the fact that I haven't been home for longer than three days in months, so I'm definitely feeling a sense of loss at the minute. Before I moved to England, I wouldn't exactly say that I was overtly patriotic to Scotland, but I did appreciate its beauty and how great it can be. Nowadays however, I find myself wearing a tartan scarf with outfits more often, and even searching the #Glasgow tag on Instagram just to see what people are doing in the city these days. 

So, it is a combination of homesickness, complete admiration for this brand and the fact that I like to support Scottish designers whenever possible, that I am writing this post.

If you haven't already heard of this brand, then now is your chance to sit up and take notice; created by Alan Moore, winner in the Stoli UK #ORGNL fashion category in 2013, the label prides itself on using quality Scottish fabrics and branding each garment with the "Made In Scotland" label. 

"Specialising in surface textured classic silhouettes, ten30 women’s wear incorporates the city’s unique ethos, with bold prints and intense embroidery making a poignant fashion statement.

Ready to wear collections are proudly 100% made in Scotland using some of the finest Scottish materials, from soft pure new wools to luxuriously rich natural leather.

All ten30 pieces are designed to be wearable, with different materials delivering an eclectic mix of themes and styles for stunning collections."

- www.ten30.co.uk

 Each collection is different from anything you'll have seen from other designers and radiates quality. What inspired me in particular to write this post however, was a piece from the menswear section. The Salmon Coat to be precise.

"The Scottish fishing industry is the life blood of the country. It’s in industry that has a history more colourful than that of Harris Tweed, and a pastime enjoyed by millions. Scotland boasts a wealth of iconic exports, Scottish salmon being one of the major players.

The Salmon coat is inspired by the fishermen, the old fishermen, who wore wool and tweed when out fishing. This coat is as functional as it is aesthetically pleasing; it has to keep people warm. Quilted lining provided extra warmth on the cold mornings out on the boat, and a secret whiskey pocket hides a dram to warm the insides. Waxed cotton lines the huge side pocket vents, providing strength to the pocket as well as a contrast in textures on the coat. A pewter orb button shows that this garment is 100% made in Scotland.

A quote, from Lord John Buchan perfectly sums up the aspirational idea of the coat:

“The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope” - www.ten30.co.uk

Although it is classed as menswear, I would be lying if I said that I didn't want to wear it myself. It is a classic, yet practical piece that is simply stunning to look at. The brand certainly exceeds expectations when it comes to their menswear looks, and then some. 

If you're interested in the coat for yourself, then you can contact ten30 for pricing and more information by visiting their website at www.ten30.co.uk/contact/

You can also check them out on Facebook, Vimeo and Twitter through the link above as well.