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  1. My love of Vintage Inspirations

    May 11, 2012 by admin

    Vintage fashion is a source of inspiration for modern designers. Where else would they get ideas for how to make clothes, than from vintage full-skirt dresses and high-waisted two pieces? I prefer to skip the modern trends completely and go right to the source. It doesn’t get any classier than vintage fashion – modest and cute at the same time, you don’t need to show a lot of skin to be fancy. It doesn’t have to be an actual vintage piece to have a vintage feel. Poofy skirts, old nurse uniforms, ballgowns, and hippie dresses from the sixties are all vintage items. To get fashion inspiration from previous decades, all you really have to do is get dressed in the morning- that outfit probably has vintage influence. Here are some of my favorite vintage trends for inspiration that are taught in accredited online colleges for design:

    Formal Suits

    Stately vintage suits often have original silhouettes that you can’t find in stores anymore. One of my favorite designers, Gilbert Adrian, got his start making costumes for MGM in the 1930s. His suits are classic enough for black and white movies, with added femininity in peplum and A-line shapes typical of vintage wear. Adrian’s vintage suits also don’t have any of the hypermasculinity that made its way into women’s formal wear in the 80s. His feminine, yet businesslike pieces are sources of vintage inspiration whenever I need to wear a suit (which honestly isn’t very often). Paired with dramatic hats, these executive outfits are both womanly and serious at the same time. For vintage-inspired formal wear, look for suit sets that feature full, feminine skirts and slim shoulders. Even if I’m just surfing Guide to Online Schools, putting on a vintage-style suit makes me feel professional.

    Swim Suits

    Vintage bikinis are cute and classy. Well, they’re still bikinis, so they show a lot of skin. But characteristic high waists, stripes, polkadots, and structured tops give vintage swimsuits a modest feel. They show off your body while still looking prim next to other beach get-ups. I have a soft spot for vintage French swim suits in particular. Jaques Griffe made very French navy striped two pieces with high waists back in the 1940s that inspire me when it’s time to look for swimsuits. If you feel inspired and want a suit with a vintage feel, try looking for bandeau tops, broad stripes, and polka-dots for a cutesy, modest look.

     

    Uniforms

    Aside from all types of suits, vintage uniforms, and nurse’s uniforms in particular, are an inspiration. The tailored cuts and cotton dresses are much more stylish than today’s hospital scrubs, and would make nice cotton sundresses. In the 40s, nurses wore them buttoned up under cotton nurse’s aprons. I think they would look great by themselves, paired with a sun hat instead of a nurse’s cap. Who says work wear can’t be pretty?

    Vintage inspiration is really everywhere. Most, if not all, modern fashion trends have some root in the past.

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  2. Travel and Fashion in the UK

    May 9, 2012 by admin

    Living in the UK, it’s very easy to take for granted the diversity of our surroundings and the numerous opportunities for spontaneous breaks away. London is often the top choice for tourists, but there are another 93,453 square miles of the United Kingdom to explore.

    If you love the bustle of a city, the why not visit the other capitals? Edinburgh, particularly the old town, is a romantic, highly cultural destination – particularly in the month of August when a myriad of festivals, most prominently the Edinburgh Fringe, fill the city with comics and thesps. Cardiff is a vibrant city you can explore on foot – learn about its history at the castle, or take a stroll around the streets where Torchwood was filmed and indulge in a traditional Welsh Cake or two.

    Those looking for a getaway to the country are similarly spoilt for choice. Cumbria and the Lake District are much loved destinations, and for good reason. No less than sixteen lakes and England’s highest mountains make it a fantastically scenic region to visit. But its heritage and culture are also a big draw, with Roman forts and historic houses adorning the landscape. Further south, between the historic cities of Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and Bath, lies the ‘quintessentially English’ Cotswolds, which have a beauty and charm of their own.

    If you’d like to be beside the seaside, and don’t mind sharing the space with others, then the coastal city of Brighton is a popular choice. It’s small enough that you can walk around it comfortably without needing a car, but it has the vibrant culture and nightlife of a city many times its size. Blackpool, although not the hotspot it once was, is still a great place to take the family and enjoy the sun or the dozens of arcades at the famous Pleasure Beach.

    And, if it works out easier or cheaper to travel by air to your destination, remember the potential benefits you get with travel rewards cards. With some American Express cards you can earn Avios points as you spend, which can then be put towards your next trip!

    Because I want to promote all the great things that the UK has to offer I have created these mood boards that make me smile!!!

    Cardiff

    Wales

    Blackpool

    blackpool

    Edinburgh

     

    scottish

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  3. How Comfort Became the New Cool

    May 8, 2012 by admin

    After flipping through a few fashion magazines at the weekend, looking for some inspiration for my summer holiday, one footwear trend really stood out. Mules, it seems, are back. After ballet pumps, wedges, platforms and flatforms, it seems that the fashion world has finally shaken off its obsession with skyscraper heels, with ladies shoes taking on a cooler, functional look.

     

    Heels might be great for adding height, but they don’t do your body any favours. Knees and backs suffer, and not just when you take a tumble, as extra pressure is out on knee and ankle joints as soon as you slip into a pair of heels. If you’re looking for a more comfortable way to add height, this season’s platforms and wedges, like these summery Aztec shoes from New Look (check out their ladies shoes online), give you a real boost, but the thick sole gives you more stability.

    It’s not just shoes that are getting a functional makeover from designers either. The return of the maxi dress signalled the beginning of a new, less body conscious, aesthetic, with flowing material and easy comfort as key. Athleticism is big news in the fashion world this summer, with stretch materials being used in new and innovative ways, and track suits getting the designer overhaul. Take a flick through Vogue, and you’ll see that even pyjamas are inspiring the world’s hottest fashion houses.

     

    So why this new focus on comfort and functionality when it comes to ladies shoes and clothing? The fashion world thrives on change, and nothing could be further from the figure-hugging body con dresses of the last decade than the floaty shapes and materials we’re seeing for this summer. The slouchy 90s grunge aesthetic has been leading the way in indie fashion circles too. It also plays into the return to more natural materials. Cork, wood, leather and feathers have been gracing the catwalks this season like never before, with organic fabrics lending a far more laid back vibe to clothing than man-made fibres.

     

    I see it as a refreshing new take on what it means to be feminine. High-maintenance just doesn’t cut it any more, and, let’s face it, effortlessness has always been the pinnacle of cool. Designers are now hip to the fact that we’re busy women these days, and teetering heels and itsy bitsy skirts just aren’t a practical way to see us through the day.

     

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  4. Keith Haring has Inspired me

    May 4, 2012 by admin

    Hi All,

    So I woke up this morning, on lets face it, a crappy gray Friday – it’s May and it still feels like January!!! So I got to work, checked my emails and gave a sigh, then I opened Google and smiled at the bright, colourful and heart warming Google doodle for the day – it was a homage in memory to an artist that I studied closely at university – the late and great Keith Haring!

    Haring was a profound artist in the 70′s and 80′s up to his death in 1990 of an Aids related illness. His work inspired fashion, music and well people and I feel that it should be celebrated here!

    I have put together this mood board of my favourite colourful pieces that make me smile!!!

    Love and hugs xx

     

    Image from Google images

    colour

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  5. Sponsored Post Day – Why Pumps Can Get You More Attention than Heels

    April 26, 2012 by admin

    It’s not often that I get inspired to write an article about women’s clothing, and if I’m perfectly honest, what I know about women’s clothing you could fit on the back of a postage stamp, or if you want to be more current, in the subject box of an email. However, what I do know is what guys like to see girls dressed in so, for what it’s worth I thought I’d share that with you.

    Everyone knows that if you want to control/ impress/flat out scare a man then you can’t go wrong with the tried and tested, skirt and jacket power suit and killer heels. Men instantly become quivering wrecks in your hands, job done. But what if you want the guy to actually think of you as more than a dominatrix who should be obeyed? Well, you’re gonna have to trust me on this one, there’s nothing men like more than seeing a girl in a pair of Converse pumps, slim jeans and vintage print vest.

    There’s something about a girl rocking vintage jeans and pumps instead of shoes and dresses that we appreciate. I’m not sure whether it’s because we get a chance to see what you look like when you’re ‘off duty’, or maybe it’s because we feel a little less intimidated, I’m not entirely sure. It just works.

    In terms of the pumps available on the market there’s plenty to choose from. The classic Converse Chuck Taylors are an obvious choice. Probably the coolest, most laidback trainers on the planet, Chuck Taylors have been rocked by everyone from Jessica Alba to Natalie Portman to Rihanna, even Lady Ga Ga has been known to rock the look when she’s not wearing meat on the red carpet.

    It’s not all about the Chucks though; all the major brands now do a version of the classic pumps shoes style. Alongside the likes of Nike and adidas Originals, Superga have emerged as front runner in the pumps and plimsolls market thanks to celebrity endorsement from fashion queen Alexa Cheung. While less obvious brands like Lacoste are also turning their hand to the pump.

    So there you have it, you have my blessing to drop the heels and rock the pumps.

    pumps

     

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