LFW: Round Up.

LFW:

The Round Up

Well, well, well. After what could be described as a body shattering, non-stop Fresher's week (I'm a second year, but I just wanted a second round of it all. Don't judge.) I think it's safe to say that I'm all partied out and in need of a lot of green tea and the gym. My classes at university started back on Wednesday of this week with a module called Audience & Brand Experience, but before we were given the brief for it, our course tutor Cat gave us a little presentation on what we should expect to receive from and give the course as second years. Let's just say that it had me feeling incredibly guilty that I hadn't really given it much thought. And that I was seriously lacking motivation to do anything productive lately. But that isn't exactly something that I wasn't already aware of. I'm not proud of it, but it's all going to change, don't you worry.

The only downside to Fresher's week - other than the amount of money I've spent in the past 10 days - is that it coincided with the start of LFW and carried on through NYFW and MFW. So this meant that I didn't really have a lot of time to get my act together and catch the shows as they streamed online. I was feeling extremely out of the loop, but I've sorted that and now I'm ready to give you my opinion on some of the collections.

In previous seasons, I've just chosen quite a few shows and given comments as they've happened each day, but seeing as it's a little different this time round, I'm just going to choose the shows which particularly wowed me. Plus, the majority of you will have already seen most of the shows and not want a repeat of it all. Oh, and to prevent the risk of overloading you with information, I'll do each Fashion Week in a separate post; so make sure you look out for those over the course of the week. First up though, London!

Macaroon pastel shades, soft trench coats and embellished sheer fabrics; that's the trio that sums up Christopher Bailey's S/S'14 collection for Burberry Prorsum. Compared to previous seasons where we've seen hard hitting and edgy accessories to accompany our outfits, the following season see's the Burberry woman take a step back and fully embrace her femininity and inner zen. Trench coats are obviously still present (it wouldn't be Burberry without them), but in a softer and slouchier fit - you won't find a waist belt in sight. If I'm honest, I think it's refreshing and has me excited for those chilly Spring mornings where all you need is a coffee in one hand and an oversized coat on your back to fend off the weather's bite.

Dark, silky smooth opulence was the trend at the JPB show in London; with organic draping and modern shapes taking centre stage, coloured in black, white and an additional shade of baby pink. It was a little gothic, but nothing too dramatic. The exaggerated and oversized sleeves lent a little varsity feel to the looks and helped to keep it fresh. All in all, the JPB woman is going to be one to envy in London come Spring 2014.

Ah Peter Pilotto - you never disappoint, do you? Warm fiery shades of orange, yellow and red, contrasting with the other side of the collection in cool and muted greens, blue and pinks. It was a delight to watch and had me feeling a little more optimistic for Spring. Florals were present of course, but not in the obvious way like we saw in the SS'13 collections. If you're a regular follower here at VdM, then you'll know how strongly my dislike for florals in Spring is. We can think of new and innovative ideas in every other aspect of fashion, yet florals are still there when it comes to designing for Spring? Mind. Blown. I can feel myself going off on a tangent here, but the point is, Peter Pilotto did me proud with this collection. Bravo.

Brogues, buckles, laces; these were the images magnified and printed onto the SS'14 collection at Mary Katrantzou. Embellishments, lacquered layers and frilly top pieces featured heavily and for such a girly collection, I have to say I'm in love with the result. The end dress on the right of the image above is, without a doubt, my favourite piece. It's just stunning. There's no other way to explain it. The embellishments seem to be a thing for SS'14 collections in London this season, with Burberry doing something similar. Every girl loves a bit of glitz and glamour though, so I doubt anyone will be complaining about that being a trend next season. One thing the collection made me think of though, was the shape and in some ways the print on the strapless thigh-high dresses - they resemble the Alexander McQueen 1999 spray paint dress. I doubt I have to explain what I mean by this, considering that the show is probably engraved into everyone's mind if you have an inch of respect for McQueen.
Other than this though, Mary Katrantzou did a fab job designing her collection for Spring 2014 and even has me wanting to pick up a few printed pieces for next season. Who knew that could happen?

Photo Credit: vogue.co.uk - edited on Polyvore by myself here.

Affinitias Intimates

Affinitas Intimates;

Affinitas from the latin word 'Affinity' meaning, 

"A natural liking or attraction to a person, place or thing."

Every woman wants the same basic things from her lingerie; comfort, style, sex appeal and all of this at an affordable price. The problem is though, more often than not, you'll be able to tick two or three points off, but never a full house. Nightmare, I know. The new Affinitas Intimates AW'13 range however, is a collection of sexy-yet-sophistocated lingerie that ticks off every box in one go - and then some. If you haven't already heard of the brand, then now is the time to sit up and take note; having been mentioned in magazines such as Harper's Bazaar and Marie Claire, it's obvious that they've got a bright future ahead of them.

The range contains six sets; each with 2 - 4 variations on the style of bra and/or bodice. You have Clarissa (as seen to the right), Charlize, Georgina, Mae, Anjelica and Hannah. I wouldn't say that there's a set that I particularly dislike from the collection, however I'll be honest and say that the Mae and Hannah aren't a style that I'd wear. 

The Clarissa though is gorgeous. And I'm not just saying that. The feel of the set is super soft, comfortable to wear and compliments the hour glass shape nicely. It is a nude shade with black lace overlay and sheer back on the briefs. The cups on the bra are padded but not excessively so, so can easily be worn as an everyday bra if you're feeling in a particularly sassy mood one morning. The lace overlay on the bra creates a deep V neckline, so it's not really a bra to be worn with a regular vest top, but a black top or sweater would be fine. Alternatively, let's be honest; the set on it's own with stockings and everything else would look perfect without any clothes on. Just as a treat for that special someone. Or even if you wanted to reenact that Desperate Housewives scene where Susan does the housework in lingerie..

In terms of pricing, the set won't exactly break the bank at just £26.00 for the bra and £15.00 for the briefs - I'd say that was a pretty decent price to pay. If you want to find a store in your area to purchase the set for yourself, just head on over to the Affinitas Intimates website and use their search tool!

What do you think of the set? 

Veer NYC: NYFW Launch

Veer NYC:

Fall 2013 Launch

One thing I've always had an issue with in fashion, is the hypocritical and contradicting fact that we are told to follow fashion to be 'on trend'; but at the same time, told to find our own style and have some individuality. I've personally never had an issue telling someone that I'm not fond of a particular trend and if I don't like a top designers collection, I'll come out and say it. But there are people out there who find it difficult to fit in, or assume that it would be easier for them if they just wore the same as everybody else to be accepted and that's more than a little saddening. 

Occasionally you will come across a new brand or personality and they will endorse individuality until they are blue in the face, but there's something about their product that just screams deja vu. I've really only seen one other brand who fully endorse both a personality and individuality when their product is worn and subsequently, just like the brand I am about to introduce you to, they are also NYC based. Can you see why NYFW is my favourite of the four yet?

Androgyny and menswear-inspired designs have been filtering through various designer collections and street style blogs for a while, but more so since Fashion Week in February of this year. Designers such as Ziad Ghanem, Gareth Pugh and even Victoria Beckham each showed collections showing their female models wearing menswear looks and vice versa. What's missing though, is the more mainstream and accessible brands basing their entire being around androgyny, but that is where Veer NYC comes in to play.

Veer NYC are the "online fashion home for women who carve their own path" - and with a strap line like that, how can you not be intrigued by what they have to offer? After a sold out show In SoHo in March of this year and building a potential client base of around 4,000 people, Veer NYC have found their feet and will be launching their Fall 2013 collection in coordination with NYFW on September 5th. A bold and brilliant decision in my opinion. The forthcoming e-commerce launch will be on the brands website at www.veernyc.com, which is also where you can view the full Fall 2013 LookBook.

"The brand prides itself on being more than a fashion brand; Veer NYC represents a culture and destination for women who take risks, define their own journeys, and aren't afraid to make fashion work for themselves."

So I bet you're wondering what sort of looks you can expect from the brand? Well, it will be nothing short of cool, enviable and effortless. Three things that every man or woman interested in fashion, wants to portray in their looks. Just have a look at some images from their Fall 2013 LookBook. Aside from loving every single piece that I've seen so far, I'm a particular fan of the exposed zip jeans and leather/jersey mix sweater. Oh, and how the models have some tattoos to show as well. 

 

 

 

Mini Haul: Zara

Mini Haul:

Haven't done a post like this in a while, so I thought I'd share some of my recent purchases this week!

My sister and I decided to take a little trip into The Glasgow Fort (an outdoor shopping centre), initially just to buy some last minute things for the impending arrival of her new baby; As if this would ever just work out this way. I'm a shopaholic and I know it.

After trying on a variety of skinny jeans, leather leggings, jumpers, tshirts and a jumpsuit for good measure, I decided on the top two items. The jumper was in the sale and I just loved how casual and slouchy it felt with the jeans, so I had to get it. The jeans are insanely comfortable - no, really. The denim is really soft, moveable and looks even better now that i've added some rips and distressed marks around the knees. Well, you've got to add a little bit of DIY to make something your own, haven't you? The jeans were £25.99 and the jumper was only £9. I couldn't find the exact one online for the post, but the one featured in the image below is basically the same thing. 

Now, I did say that I tried on a jumpsuit for the sake of it and although I didn't go ahead and buy it, I took a photo just so that I could think about it some more later on. After much deliberation (who am I kidding? It only took me about 10 seconds), I decided to just go ahead and buy it online. It's £39.99, had an elasticated waist which can be positioned higher or lower on the body, depending on the kind of look you're going for. I have a thing for low cut neck lines at the minute, so that was another reason that I loved this little black number. I would say though, that if you spot this jumpsuit on the Zara website, it looks nowhere near as good as it does when you try it on. The image on the website does nothing for me and if I hadn't already seen it in store, I probably would have just scrolled past it and not given it a second thought!

Photo Credit: First image is a collection of images from www.zara.com - last image is my own.

Pick of The Day; ASOS Wrap Skirt

Slowly but surely, the wrap skirt (in a variety of colours; from white to neon brights) has evolved as a major trend for 2013 - mainly from style bloggers. We all know what a typical wrap skirt looks like, but  what makes this particular one different is its angular cut and fresh new take on the shape - It reminds me of a Celine design actually. After waiting to decide if it was a trend that I wanted in on, I came across this lime version at ASOS and immediately decided that I wanted it. There was no doubt about it. Rather than just show you the skirt and be done with it, I thought I would style it on Polyvore and show you exactly how I would wear it. 

The skirt itself is only £36 and comes in either lime or cobalt. Both colours are stunning, but there's something about this neon version that gets me lusting after it more than the other. You could easily dress this skirt up for a smarter occasion but being such a laid back person, I thought a simple graphic tank, chained waist belt, neon clutch, simple bracelet and some heeled pointed shoes from Zara would look just as good. I pretty much wear my black Zara heels with everything anyway, so this outfit was going to be no exception - best £35 I've ever spent if I'm honest. 

If you want to get this skirt or it's cobalt sister, then you can click here.

For any of the other items on this set, you can find them on my Polyvore profile here.

What are your thoughts on this trend? Have you adopted it?

Lunch Date: Ninety Nine Newcastle

Let's Do Lunch:

Ninety Nine, Newcastle

I think the only time I've written a blog post that wasn't exactly fashion related, was when I started my sleeve tattoo just after the New Year hit. I can't say that I've ever felt the urge to write about other topics really, but after my little lunch date with the best friend yesterday, it's simply a must do.

I had heard about a little cafe-type eatery called Ninety Nine just off Monument (Grey Street to be exact) in Newcastle earlier in the week and after some Googling and reading reviews, thought it would be a nice idea if my friend and I had lunch there before she went off on holiday on Monday. This, as it happens, turns out to be the best idea I've ever had (well, nearly) and is looking to be a place that we'll want to visit at least once a week from now on.

The place is relatively small as they promoted themselves as 'Gourmet Fast Food'. You walk in and are immediately greeted by the nicest chef I've ever met. I'm not just saying this. He was all smiles and knew everything that there was to know about the product he was offering. He explained all of the meal deals without us having to ask and had me certain on the fact that I was getting the (handmade) beef burger with sweet potato fries and (homemade) lemonade - the lemonade is an extra 50p, but believe me, in this heat we've been getting, it was worth every penny. Sophie decided on the tortellini and couldn't help herself when she saw the sweet potato fries on my order and got those alongside hers as well. Well, it would have been rude not to really.

My burger came with sweet jalapeño pepper relish (absolutely amazing by the way), salad, mayo and cheddar cheese, but you could add bacon and other things if you wanted to as well. The sweet potato fries were hand cut and cooked with some chilli which enhanced the flavour and really went well with the relish in the burger. Oh and the burger bun - fresh from a local bakery that day. Perfection.

Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to taste Sophie's pasta dish, but judging from her facial expressions -  and the rate in which she devoured the whole thing - I'd be willing to put a bet on it tasting pretty damn good.

In terms of pricing, you won't pay any more than £6 for something, but to be honest, I'd be willing to pay whatever they asked for. Like I said earlier, I've never felt the urge to write about anything other than fashion at Vita di Moda, but I just had to make an exception for Ninety Nine. The only thing that could make them better? If they delivered..

Follow them on Facebook or Twitter and take a look at their photo's and comments from other customers - you'll see why I love it so much.

Photo Credit: First two images were from Ninety Nine's Twitter account & the last image was taken by myself.