i hear those sleigh bells ring

In my post 'G - l - a - m - o - r - o - u - s' (eughh..that title still gives me shudders..what was I thinking?!), I briefly mentioned dressing for Christmas. Since I don't do this often on the blog and since it is Christmas (well I know the day has passed, but I'm on my hols so therefore it's still Christmas), here's what I wore.

In my opinion, 'tis quite the festive fare, indeed I have been referring to it as the 'Christmas Bauble/Tree look (that title probably won't be catching on in fashion circles). It's red, it's gold, it's green, I might as well have added the fairy lights, but you know I like things to be over - the - top. Without further a do..

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Top and jacket: Topshop, skirt and fur stole: River Island, shoes: Faith

The top really deserves a close up. Although you can't see it here as it is tucked into the skirt, it has a an empire line that flares into a prom shape, therefore resembling a really mini dress, unfortunately too mini to wear as an actual dress! Plus it has a fantastic exposed zip on the back. I can't say River Island is my favourite shop, too much for me I'm afraid, but this skirt is as lovely as christmas presents under a tree.

(Yes, messing around with photoshop is a wonderfully addictive waste of time and yes, this is bloody lazy post.)

g - l - a- m - o - r - o - u - s*

We're all obsessed with grunge and sloppiness and 90s and effortless and dirty - haired hipster girls..lets give it a miss for one day, shall we? Christmas is a week away and I don't envision using any of the above terms to associate with my outfit choices. No, for me this time of year is about glamour. (obviously that's not all I think Christmas is about...!) Extravagant, excessive even outrageous. Wearable theatrics, a frenzy of sequin - studded sparkle, utterly over - the - top.

I have always liked to dress frivolously at Christmas time. Sparkly tights and magenta fluffy jumpers as a little'un, then there was the Russoprincess - dusty pink, pearls and furs - followed by the Ice Ballerina - frosty greys, lace and diamonds. Last year saw the very trendy 1940s' starlet look - pencil skirt, fur stole, beret - and this year? Perhaps, I'll reveal at a later date. The point is: as much as I enjoy dressing all laid back and sloppy - loose layers, greys, military coat, thick scarf, my typical look at present doing the ol' Christmas shopping and what not -, I love good old - fashioned glitz and glamour. And as much as the latest grungy 'it girl' is fascinating, a glamorous person has that captivating quality and with longevity.

They are certainly sharply dressed, but they have that allure. The following list of people all have that in common. Some I count as glamorous because of their elegance and visual allure, others because of their inimitable quality and some more because of their innate and wondrous sense of style.

(* just to say, sooo not a fan of Fergie..I, for some strange reason, felt like using her lame song as the title of this post. Cannot justify my actions.)
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To be honest, I'm no expert on Sophie's style. From the looks of things she appears to be a nice dresser, nothing outrageous or remotely shocking. She does however, possess one of the most fantastic faces and is glamorous without even trying. Resembling a regal, polished version of Debbie Harry, it was no wonder then that she was discovered by none other than the late Isabella Blow.

What I love about Daphne Guinness' style is that it's completely unapologetic. I have always hated the phrase 'Less is more' and I'm sure Daphne would agree. She piles on the rings, the diamonds and the haute couture and does not give a damn about this 'effortless' nonsense. Even though her ensembles cost probably almost a mortgage's worth, there has got to be something paradoxically refreshing in her ostentatious style? She is excessive and extravagant with Cruella de Vil hair, but what's more then that, she always looks completely original and unique, with a legendary eye for detail. Daphne is certainly the inimitable type of glamour. So many celebrities these days can throw on an Oscar De La Renta and BAM! They are a 'style icon'. For Daphne, however, haute couture is a way of life.

I'm not too sure why I like Jessica Stam so much, but she is rather popular so perhaps someone has the answer to what it is about her. Jessica proves that glamour doesn't just come with age. I always find her fascinating in editorials.

I have a love/hate relationship with Kate Moss. Rather then focus on the negatives, she is rather glamorous, isn't she? I still think she can look fantastic and like I said in the beginning, she continues to fascinate.

I must admit Roisin's music is definitely not for me, but her style is a whole other story. I love the hyperbole of her outfits - the often cartoon - ish silhouettes, outrageous combinations and clashing colours-, it's clear that Roisin is fascinated with clothes. Yet, despite this she is an incredibly sharp dresser, always dressed to impress and has a cool almost Hitchcock blonde aloof. Whereas Daphne Guinness piles on the bling, Roisin generally prefers bold statement pieces and indeed, has a penchant for incredible hats. She's an original and is like Daphne in that they are both trendless. Instead, they are constantly pushing the boundaries of their own style.

I was in Topshop a few days ago and overheard two girls talking about Roisin's concert. Of course the conversation turned to her style with one of the girl's remarking "How can you be that cool?" Indeed.

Love her or hate her, frankly who cares? I think Keira nine times out of ten gets it right on the red carpet and even better manages to look original on it. What's more she actually has an acting career unlike certain other actresses who turn up on red carpets just to look generically pretty in the 'newest, hottest' designer.. (ahem Kate Bosworth..among others..) None of that matters though as she has got it.

I'm no die - hard Carine fan, probably only because I can't get Vogue Paris here! She is so 'Now' that it is slightly irksome, but it cannot be denied, that the woman is pure glamour. I love her polished yet very original style and how she always manages to make an all black ensemble look fresh and edgy. And come on, any uber fashion magazine ed that smiles like she does deserves all the adoration she gets.

Of celebrities today, who do you consider to be glamorous?

I will try my bestest to catch up on comments asap. Apologies for being so all over the place - Kat

for inspiration: it's iek

Models are by no means my area of expertise. I know the big names - Daria, Lily, Jessica, Chanel, Coco, Jourdan, Lara - (haha calling models by their first names only has that excellent 90's SUPERMODEL feel to it! See: Claudia, Naomi, Cindy, Linda etc.) and can recognise my fair share of faces but generally my knowledge and interest is verging on the limited. Iekeliene Stange is certainly no obscurity or new kid on the block either, having somewhat of a cult following for her flipping fantastic wardrobe. She somehow manages to do all the hippy zaniness of coloured leggings, sequins and print dresses with style and flair, the style and flair that Agyness Deyn (only a little dig at Agyness, I actually don't mind her) so surely lacks when tackling similar sartorial themes. Iekeliene has a fascinating face one that constantly gets described as 'alien - esque' or otherworldly. The thing is the cliches are used for a reason as it actually is otherworldly and I for one, having long been intrigued by her, cannot understand why she doesn't get more print coverage.

After finishing school and an icky (that's not a pun) chemistry exam today, I absent mindedly checked up her thread on thefashionspot and found a whole host of lovely images. Had to share.

Terrifically lazy post but I'm tired and she's colourful.

november scrapbook

I put my hands up. I know I have been a rather lame blogger of late but I have been wading through a lot of school work what with exams and so forth. Unfortunately another two weeks before things are back to a nice state of normality. Bear with me.

Here are just a few bits and pieces that are nice to look at in these melancholy November days.

Auf wiedersehen for the moment.

I posted a while ago about the wonders of short hair and doesn't this woman's hairdo just bloody well rock? Seriously, how cool is she? Love the crazy jumper, mens' watch and the too cool for school facial expression. And of course the sunglasses. Love the look on the left too. Very simple - denim, mini skirt, stripes, Wayfarers - but simplicity sometimes can be the hardest to pull off.

Alexa Chung always looks perfect without being polished or overdone. Her tweed blazer has me inspired. Love the thought of an oversized Grandad - ish tweed blazer. Sleeves rolled up to inject some 'now' and we're good to go.

In other blazer news this sparkly Alexander Wang one is on my wish list. (a part of me hates mentioning Alexander Wang here as it may seem like I'm jumping on the band wagon but whereas a lot of the things he does are definitely not for me, some do just hit the nail on the head. )

2000 Hussein Chalayan and 2006 Viktor & Rolf

I loved Vogue UK's editorial in the December edition entitled "Unbelievable Fashion" photographed by Nick Knight. The surreal and fantastical story featured a selection of out of this world creations from the archives of a number of designers including Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh and Galliano. Wondrously strange, the pieces featured date from as far back as 1994 right up to 2009 with the inclusion of Alexander Wang footwear.

A cloth - crafted feast for the eyes to brighten up these dreary days.

2003 Dior and 2003 John Galliano



Also featured in this month's Vogue was a collection of chalks by Karl Lagerfeld. The basis of the article, "Karl Lagerfeld's Secret Ball", was a fictitious ball as imagined by the master himself. Wish my own fair hand was responsible for these...

I know this new Dior campaign for Miss Dior Cherie has been splashed acoss fashion blogs galore but I couldn't resist featuring the images here too just because Miss Dior Cherie is one of my favourite perfumes ever...*hint hint* (Christmas is on the way, you know!)

The Parisian princess fantasy we all secretly harbour.

smells like grunge

I remember sometime in the mid - nineties, my eldest sister took to wearing ripped jeans. Since I was an ickle one back then, it was a statement I greeted with laughter, deeming it as unnecessary sloppiness or probably because of my age just silliness. It's interesting to see then the return of the ripped jean/ tights look which is just on the cusp of its mainstream welcome. From Erin Wasson in Topshop tattered trousers to off duty models to fashion bloggers galore, the look is the new knee - high sock, the first port of call in achieving streetwise, cutting - edge (quite literally) fashion credibility.

Erin Wasson, seen here in Topshop ripped jeans, is one of the spearheaders of this neo - gunge movement. Her style epitomises the return of grunge - layers, rips, hardwear shoes, messiness but with a certain modern sleekness. Alexander Wang. of course, is the main man behind much of the revival. His grungy, down town style has become a by word for cool. His a/w collection rebelliously featured ripped tights, no wonder Cobrasnake is littered with the look.

The ripped leg - wear look is not an isolated event, though, is it? Indeed, far from it. Slowly yet surely the decade that appears on the outset to be determined by either anti - fashion versus high - end luxury or simplistic fashion is becoming the new 60s, a fashion era revival that just refuses to go away. Of course, it's the 1990s to which I refer and there is no end to the 90's trend digging up that the fashion world is currently indulging in. It started perhaps some while ago, whenever Mary Kate Olsen began her obsession with flannel shirts. All of a sudden flannel plaid shirts are ev - ery - where so much so you would be forgiven if you thought you stepped right back into early 90's Seattle. The latest 'it' item, which is perhaps somewhat at odds with their anti - fashion association, are Doc Martens. You're no one if you're not stomping about in heavy laced and/or buckled footwear. Then there are the beanie hats and the sloppy layering, messy hair and hole - infested knits. There have been crop tops too but in my opinion that's best left to Carrie Bradshaw.

You may say "but the 90s, so soon? It has only been eight years!" Perhaps but it seems the fashion world can't get enough of the decade. I for one certainly find it difficult in theory to understand but somehow the 90s as inspiration seems to work extraordinary well as demonstrated by Harpers Bazaar's November editorial (above, plaid/beanie collages) or Alexander Wang's a/w collection or indeed his s/s 09 collection. I know I'm over thinking things here but for the hell of it consider if this grunginess is more then just a brief trend, which it is increasingly looking like, one has to take into account the social commentary that a pair of ripped tights may provide in years to come. Global economy in shreds, perhaps?!

Perhaps somewhat worryingly, I don't think I'm going to be working the look for one, the crop top has been sneaking its little self back into the mainsteam. Seen here in the September issue of Elle UK in the superb Feel the Noise editorial, which incidentally had a punky - grunge theme. Diane Kruger and Peaches Geldof have both beared the dubious item and it featured too in Alexander Wang's s/s show. Marc Jacob's 1992 Grunge collection (right) was a legendary fashion moment as it captured the zeitgeist.
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happy halloween!

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