Peridot London

It's that time of year again where I have to start getting my head down and learning a years worth of work in 2 months. So naturally, instead of revising for exams, I had a day out with a good friend.
I got a message the other day from my friend, Jade, about the Peridot London S/S preview customer event, so she emailed and we got put on the list to attend.
We first saw Peridot at Vodafone London Fashion Weekend (February 2013), and have loved their designs ever since.
I didn't really know what to expect, so was going with an open mind.
We met at Baker Street station and headed towards the location. Once we got there, we buzzed up, and were greeted inside by two lovely girls. We took off our coats, had drinks and began to browse.
There were some fantastic colours, bright oranges and greens, as well as deep navy.
There were some great staple pieces- white shirts with a twist like a layered bottom or textured panel. I was loving the "Neville" shirt dress- navy with green detail pockets (S/S13 collection), but the length was just a bit too long for me (basically, I am too short).
Jade was taken by an amazing orange blazer. It was a longer line blazer, with super soft lining. A piece that really makes an outfit go 'pop'. (from the S/S13 collection)
There were also a few pieces left from the A/W12 collection, and these stole my heart (and money!). I saw the "Isaac" jacket and had to have it. It was so timeless but stylish. Short length, baggy arms, and a fur collar. 100% wool, with silk lining. What more could you ask for? Oh and of course in black.

My second piece was this "Salsa" silk shirt. It's just what I have been looking for. Straight cut, which usually doesn't fit me but this was great. It hangs really nicely and looks fab with a statement necklace. The sleeves are bracelet length so there is a real opportunity to wear with statement jewels.

Jade bought some fabulous "Lady" cat eye sunglasses. They had a vintage edge to them but are super on trend and will stay stylish for years.

Overall, our experience at Peridot today was lovely. The girls who helped and looked after us were so nice, and couldn't do enough to help. They offered really great advice with the clothes too.
This is a brand that really knows their image and is comfortable with its culture. Peridot has its collection available to buy online and at Dover Street and Notting Hill (for UK buyers), but I really hope they get their own store soon as I'm sure it would be wonderful.

'Like' Peridot London on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeridotLondon?fref=ts

View their collection: http://www.peridotlondon.co.uk/

Chorlton Pub- Open for Vintage!

Last week I visited home. Although it was even colder than London, it was nice to be back in the North and to see my parents.
We visited Chorlton, just near Manchester, to go to the Beech Road Vintage fair. It's a pretty small affair to be honest, but something different.
The stalls are inside, and outside The Beech Inn which is great because once you've had a look round, you can relax with an afternoon drink.

What I liked about this was the fact that it was in a traditional pub. With the way things are with British pubs at the moment, it is great to see a different approach on getting people in!
So although there were only a small amount of stalls, it was a great arrangement of stock.
I came across a new trader which I could have bought a fair few items from if they had fitted! (See: http://www.greenhouse-boutique.com/ to snap up some of their quirky indie style items.)

I ended up buying a couple of pieces from a trader I regularly buy from. One of a Kind vintage clothing always end up tempting me whichever fair I come across them at!
My first buy was an amazing vintage Swedish shirt. It's 100% wool and is approx. 1970s. The pattern is very Escher like. (I'll get a photo when there's some good light!).
My second buy from One of a Kind was an LK Bennett patent leather pouch. Although it's not vintage, I had to have it. I love these little pouches- I use them for everything, Ipod, make-up, hair clips etc. And I was very happy to bag that for £5!

So that's that! Although it seems a humble offering, sometimes the smallest purchases are the most useful.
I'll also definitely be going back next time I'm home, as I also picked up some local produce from the farmer's market that was on the same day- ever tried champagne mustard? Neither had I until then!

Vintage Fashion Fair London

So I finally decided to make a trip to Primrose Hill to visit the Vintage Fashion Fair.
I've only been once before and it was over a year ago. My memories were of a relatively small set up, but with exceptional quality vintage clothes, jewellery and accessories.
I'd been meaning to go for months but it always seemed to fall on a Sunday where I was busy.
Anyway, this month was my month to go!
It was a pretty grim day weather wise, but once I arrived, my mood was brightened.
I should mention that I had a free ticket for entry- a great incentive for a trip out. If you sign up to the mailing list, you could get a ticket for free entry to the fair in your inbox each month (although these are limited!).
The first stall I looked at was full of exquisite pieces from Celine, Fendi, Charles Jourdan and Dior. There was a stunning Dior off the shoulder dress in grey which was just the element of perfection for practical, yet on trend and timeless fashion. At £200 it was certainly an investment, but alas one I could not enter in to this month.

Anne Thomas Ceramic Pendant from Vintage Fashion Fair

I spoke to some lovely stallholders, who were enthusiastic and interested in what they sold. Sometimes you come across those who don't seem to have an interest in what they are selling, or seem to care, they just want money. I personally feel this is a mistake, especially with vintage fashion. Each piece has a story or detail behind it that needs to be passed on to it's new owner.
The fair didn't disappoint with regards to choice of high quality pieces and is certainly one of the best places to get something in excellent condition that stands out in terms of design.
Although I could have bought many things, the blurred line between 'willing' and 'able' (economics speak, yes?) became perfectly clear to me with rising bills this month, so I had a humble yet delightful buy from this fair.
Although not a vintage piece, it was certainly a new and unusual find for me. This necklace has a ribbon and metal chain, with the pendent of a fashionista being made out of ceramic. The stamp on the back says 'Anne Thomas, France' and with further research, I found this designer to have a great back-catalogue. The earliest this piece can be is 2005.
I snapped this little lovely up for the tiny sum of £6. Bargain if I ever saw one.
So if I were to give you any advice, it would be to definitely make a visit to Vintage Fashion Fair London, and to also keep your eyes open to things you haven't seen before. Visiting vintage fairs is one of my favourite things to do, mostly because I always find something different and unique. They say you learn something new everyday, and I am finding more and more that this is true.

Vintage Fashion Fair London dates can be found on their website: www.vintagefashionfairlondon.co.uk

Profile of Designer Anne Thomas: www.annethomas-accessoires.com/?page_id=265&lang=en

Trend: London Fashion Weekend

Yesterday I visited the Vodafone London Fashion Weekend with a friend. After having an epic journey back to London, with delayed trains and a mish-mash of tube lines, I finally made it. It was definitely worth the effort.
We had booked to 2:30pm catwalk show that showed an arrangement of trends curated by Hilary Alexander including designers such as Issa London, Jasper Conran, Hermione de Paula and Meadham Kirchhoff. Many of the looks included headbands from Her Curious Nature, of which I wanted to purchase everything from!
The show had 4 sets: Graphic Art, Urban Lifestyle, Eastern Promise and Dolls House. As there were 12 looks for each set, I'm just going to speak about my favourites.
Graphic Art:
2 great dresses from David Koma. The electric blue was the perfect balance of in-your-face and subtle. You knew it was there, but it wasn't too shocking. The folded layered skirts were cute but serious and the mesh detail on the second dress added a bit of a grunge feeling to the look.

David Koma Blue and White Dresses

Urban Lifestyle:
The first two outfits for this set were from a student at Bath Spa University (Stephanie Kitchen). They were both listed as 'Hi-Tech cycling outfit'. I favoured the first one, maybe because the model had a Barclays Hire Bike accompanying her down the catwalk but who knows. If I cycled, I would definitely do it in this outfit. It was kind of like a Parka coat, with reflective strips on without looking geeky! Who knows, in a few years time these may be everywhere!

Stephanie Kitchen Design

Jasper Conran Double Denim and
Hermione de Paula Ladybird set

Next, there was a fantastic ensemble from Jasper Conran, reminiscent of my childhood in the 90s. Double denim? Yes please. Matching mini skirt and jacket, this was my guilty pleasure of the show. The white applique detail gave it a western feel. Although I would probably never wear this out, it is probably something I would want anyway.

Green Levi's and Blue Trench

Possibly my favourite look of the day was the blue trench coat and green Levi's jeans with purple hat and black bow tie. I have a thing for hats and bow ties and this was just a dream come true, as it was different but classic.

Eastern Promise: The opening look to this set was insanely beautiful. If I had anywhere to wear this, I would have made sure to acquire it! A stunning Issa London gown and head-dress by Her Curious Nature. Both were detailed to the max, be it in print or in headwear content! The head-dress was full on flowers and gems, just exquisite.

Issa dress, Her Curious Nature Head-dress

My next favourite look of this set, my picture didn't turn out for, but I have to talk about it anyway. This was a matching top and trouser set from Hermione de Paula. The print was Ladybirds, but the colours were not what you expected. There were flashes of green, but mostly metallic beiges and dim golds. This is what stood out to me. (For a little look, the outfit is in the same picture as the Jasper Conran double denim above.)
Dolls House:
We all know pastel and ice cream shades are a staple for spring/summer arrangements, but this set included a few Mad Men inspired looks as well as modern twists.
A lovely pink rose strapless dress from Topshop was teamed with a shocking pink rose headband from Victoria Grant and some fuschia shoes from Irregular Choice. I just loved this look for it's great use of different shades of bright pinks whilst not being too 'out there'.

Pink Arrangement for Dolls House

The closing look consisted of a dress, blouse and knee-boots all from Meadham Kirchhoff. It was crazy but so cool. The shape of the dress reminded me of Mad Men- how you ask? The shape is clearly padded/structured in some way, and in the 50s, dresses were made with padding to give women an hourglass figure. Okay so this is over exaggerated but I'm still loving it.

Meadham Kirchhoff

Also, Vodafone customers got a free limited edition Nails Inc. nail polish in 'Vodafone Red.' This excited me greatly.

 So that's that! There were so many amazing and wearable looks but I'd be here all night if I went through each one. I hope you enjoy them, Sorry for the poor pictures- that's what I get for using my iPhone!

Valentino: Master of Couture

So we all know this exhibition has been around for a couple of months now, gracing Somerset House with it's high fashion, but I only got the chance to visit it last week.
Accompanied by my mum, I booked tickets to the Valentino exhibition.
I won't lie, I wasn't too bothered about going. Anyone who knows me knows my obsession with fashion, especially with designer and high end couture, but Valentino has never been a favourite designer of mine so I wasn't too fussed.
Anyway, after a lovely lunch at Strada next to Covent Garden, my mum and I wandered down to Somerset House. After winding our way through the LFW crowds, we found our way to the exhibition entrance.
I picked up a little guide, which was classically set out, and we went in. The first bit is of the correspondence between Valentino and various other fashion big names and members of celebrity society, including royalty. I particularly loved the Christmas card from Prince Charles, with a very over-posed photograph of him with Wills and Harry.
Reading the map of Valentino's life showed his dedication to fashion. I had no idea of the places he had worked and designed for.
One of the highlights of this exhibition for me was the various fashion illustrations that were on display- I found this particularly thrilling as I am currently teaching myself fashion illustration. The drawings from the late 60s and early 70s were my favourites.
The next part of the exhibition was the cleverly designed catwalk of which viewers walked down to see some of the iconic dresses and outfits of Valentino's designs throughout the years.
They were all insane- in every sense of the word! Some were insanely amazing and truly beautiful, whilst a small handful were insanely scary- really not to my taste!
A particular envy arose in me whilst looking at Jackie O's wedding dress.
Another interesting aspect was the display of some pieces that had been designed in the 50s and 60s, but not actually materialised until the 90s and 2000s. This made me question- how many more unknown fabulous designs are hidden away, maybe never to be seen? Of course not every idea and ensemble is a good one, but there will always be some amazing ideas which the world will never see.
Going back to wedding dresses, there was the display of the dress of Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece. What a stunning piece. Pearl and ivory lace, with the work of 25 hand seamstresses over 4 months. A truly exquisite dress that is well worth viewing.
The final part of the exhibition was a small display of some of the infamous Valentino detailing to garments- the tulle rose for example. Each item had it's own video of someone making it- My mum liked this part in particular, as she is a keen sewer and knitter, although I think this level of expertise was a bit beyond her.
Of course, upon exit we had to go through the gift shop. I was very excited to see the tote bags on sale with some lovely prints- the big cat one being my favourite, but alas, I could not purchase said tote with the £350 price tag.
Overall, I was very impressed with the exhibition. It really opened my eyes to Valentino, and I appreciate him and his designs so much more now. My mum also thoroughly enjoyed it, and she is someone who isn't bothered about designers.
I would certainly visit it again before it goes, and if you are thinking of going, I would recommend you get to it!

Let Down Your Hair

It's been a few weeks since I've written anything, but it has been exam time so I think I have an excuse. It's still exam time until Friday 27th May at 4:30pm, when I will charge out of the exam hall, throw all of my notes in the air and shout "I'm FREEEEE". Or I'll just go for a cheeky Nandos.

Anyway, apparently the world is going to end today so just thought I'd get in one more post before a massive earthquake/flood/explosion or zombie apocalypse begins.

One thing you should definitely do before this happens, is watch Tangled. Although it's not technically out until Monday (clearly didn't cater for this situation), if you pre-ordered, you should have it by now (or I'm sure you can find it somewhere on t'internet). It's a take on the Brothers Grimm tale of Rapunzel. The soundtrack is phenomenal.

Another thing you should do, is go out and buy something you really want, because if the world's going to end, then no one will be bothering you about the money you've borrowed to buy it.

As it is, I'd prefer it if the world didn't end today, as I've got lots of exciting plans I'd like to fulfil this summer with my excellent friends, plus it would be nice to spend some time at home and I've got a lovely house to move in to next term. Also, I suppose there's that whole thing of having a career? Well, it will come around at some point, after all the fun. London is continuing to bleed me dry of my £££ but I wouldn't change it.

So Bon Chance! for surviving and all that.

"Live each day as though it's your last" could well apply here my friends.

Disney's Tangled, £11.99 from HMV, or most shops/websites.

LCF Street Casting

London College of Fashion are looking for males and females to model in their Graduate BA Catwalk show on 7th June.

You'll get to be in the show, get paid to do it, and get a DVD and catwalk shots of yourself.

LCF have said in their blog and Facebook event:

"We love individuality, we love image, we love uniqueness, we just want to see more of it on the catwalk – we know the industry is changing but we’re not willing to wait – our students are the fashion industry of tomorrow. We say homogeneous catwalks are for the faint hearted.
Personality and attitude are central to the way our graduates create their collections and we know that by holding a street casting we will find people who can help communicate their vision. We will create a catwalk that is alive and reflects how much London College of Fashion loves fashion and loves the people that make it happen."

Criteria: Over 18 years old, at least 5ft9", and a UK Size 12 or under.

Must be available between 9:00am and 2:00pm on 21st May and all day Tuesday 7th June 2011.

Register by emailing your NAME, AGE, HEIGHT, DRESS SIZE and CONTACT INFO with a HEAD SHOT to love@fashion.arts.ac.uk

The selection process begins with the emails, and you will be told by 14th May if you've made it through.

(Only registrations which have all the required information will be considered)

For more details, visit:

http://blogs.fashion.arts.ac.uk/snapshot/2011/04/27/lcf-loves-you-street-casting/

So, what are you waiting for?

Get to it!