GCU FASHION SHOW VIDEO!

A few months ago I was asked to film and edit a short video of the Glasgow Caledonian University annual fashion show which exhibits the work of the Fashion Business and Fashion Marketing students. Although their degrees don't focus solely on design, I was surprised to learn they do still have to know how to pattern-cut, source fabric and manufacture garments as part of their respective degrees...

Filming this was a skoosh, but editing and uploading it took FOREVER! I came away with 2 hours of footage to cut down to just ten minutes, and then spent an entire day trying to transfer the finished thing onto YouTube only for it to stall at 94%. RAGE!

In the end I gave up with YouTube and found Vimeo to be far more user-friendly and MUCH faster. So... Enjoy!

(please excuse the shaky camera and over-exposure at some points. I ain't no Spielberg innit.)


GCU Fashion Show 2011 from Kirsty McLaren on Vimeo.


Whaddya reckon?

In my honest opinion, having attended a fair few student fashion shows, I felt this was a good wee effort that could have been a million times better...

My main issue was that many of the models lacked SEVERELY in professionalism. Obviously the majority of them weren't paid professionals, but that's not to say I expected to see them giggling, nudging and WHISPERING to each other as they walked down the catwalk?! Several of them had no idea what side they were meant to traipse down, how fast to walk, or what to do at the end. A few even had massive bits of oose and loose threads hanging off the garments.

Fair enough, perhaps I was expecting too much, and most of that I could forgive was it not for the giggling, whispering and talking on the runway...

I'm usually one for saying nothing if I don't have something nice to say, but as a GCU student I had a vested interest in this production. Thankfully several of the designs spoke for themselves and hopefully next year is a slicker show all round.

LOLITA LOVE

LOVE, the twice yearly fashion bible magazine known for it's multiple covers (and for featuring THAT kiss between Kate Moss and Lea T for their Androgyny issue) is again releasing several cover editions of its 6th issue - the Supernatural issue.

Promising 432 pages of discipline, obsession and desire, there's something distinctly Lolita-esq and Virgin Suicides-ey (eloquence personified, people) about the romanticised images of the three cover stars...

Hollywood teens of the moment Elle Fanning, Chloe Moretz and Hailee Steinfeld ALL look divine...ladies, dry those tears, you're beeeeeeutiful!

Personally, my favourite is Chloe Moretz's shot. The only closeup of the trio packs a definite punch - her expression is dead on, Tyra would be so proud - and those wee horns, what are they all about? Who cares, I love it. Can I just HAVE your hair Chloe?

What do you guys think of these covers? Which one is your fav?

BLOGGER LOVE: FASHION LITTER

*warning* extreme fangirl creep alert...

Holy Hell, you know how sometimes you come across a fellow blogger and think "JEEEEZE I love this girl," and "I wanna be best pals with her cos she's do damn FIERCE!" etc etc?

Well let me introduce you to just about my FAVOURITE personal style blogger, Margaret Shaw of FASHION LITTER.

25-yer-old Texan Margaret is as mad as a box of frogs, and totally adorable with it! Alongside her innately awesome outfit posts she likes to ramble on about her husband Joey, her best pal Casey, her family, her cats, and just about anything and everything else. LOVE IT. Rambling blog posts? Something I can get on board with!

Despite having a modest following (madness!) she's been featured in WhoWhatWear, NYLON Japan, NYLON Korea and Free People.

Here's why:

OK, this was all a little creep-tastic, but I just HAD to let you guys in on my current crush.

Mags, can we be pals?

(And can you gimme a loan of those Philip Lim 3.1 quilted shorts and a shot of your Litas? CHEERS!)

Love her.

ETSY SPOTLIGHT: NU BAMBU

So, it's been absolutely YEARS since I last did an Etsy Spotlight post! Sorry about that y'all, however I feel confident you'll forgive me when you feast your eyes on today's offering...

While purchasing that totally grotesquely-awesome Jesus Freak top from my last post (EDIT: realised why I love it so much... Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet anyone? Fabulous!) I got to perusing the site for some quirky handmade jewellery... As you do.

I quickly came across Nu Bambu and was totally transfixed for like a good 20 mins just staring/drooling at all the amazing pieces!

Nu Bambu was "founded in 2008 out of the desire to create wearable art, to sell all things vintage, and never blend in with the crowd. Nu Bambu is for the brave, the bold, and the fashionable, so please enjoy!"

Don't mind if I do!

The cuffs, rings, earring and necklaces are made using natural minerals, crystals and ores like Agate, Amethyst, Quartz, Pyrite, Geode and even Ammonite fossils! If you read my blog about Labradorite you'll know this kinda stuff is RIGHT up my street.

Amazing concept and it doesn't hurt that the pictures are so pretty! Have a swatch at what I mean:

Beautiful, right? And totally affordable too. Most of the individual pieces sell for about £10-£25 which is amazing value for such unique and gorgeous items!

I'm definitely going to purchase that multi-coloured Titaniun Aura Quartz ring quick sharp...

Schwing, schwing!

ASOS CONTRO!

Dramz, dramz, dramz!

ASOS posted a few pics on their Facebook from their AW Trends collection, claiming these were the pieces that had been receiving the most hype for next season.

But oh dear, some folk REALLY did not like their offerings.

Case number one:

This look received less-than-enthusiastic comments like:

"I am not a fan of fur coats (fake or otherwise) they just look tacky! Give me a pretty leather one, or a wool military one. Fur looks nice on dogs and cats, but coats... noooo thank you! What exactly is the trend here? I'm just seeing random items?"

"A maxi dress and a fur coat? Not for autumn/winter in England... You'd have to be brave to wear a maxi with our weather :/"

"It's fashion victim material."

I felt compelled to comment. I mean, I don't LOVE this look more than life, but I do like it. I'm a sucker for a faux-fur coat and this one's divine. Plus, I defo expect to see a plethora of fur coats thrown on over maxi dresses and skirts for winter, especially in Glasgow. We do love a fur coat up here! So I chucked in my twopence:

"Some of the comments on these photos are hilarious! It's called fashion, people! Love this look, NEED that coat in my life. Snaps for ASOS :) xx"

Perhaps slightly condescending, but ASOS 'liked' it! Maybe more understandable once you see the mountain of abuse THIS pic got!

"Ha she looks like she has a deformed droopy boob out!!"

"What on earth is going on in this photo! everything is just so wrong!"

" It's like a cheap Christmas decoration, and I agree with Rhonda, does not inspire purchase at all! The photo is just wrong - she looks either drunk or stoned, the dress is awful, it doesn't look good with red socks and scarf, and it really ...does look like her boob has melted and fell into the dress... What is stylish about it? What is pretty about it? I've no idea why it would be in the most wanted! I totally do not like it. Give me something with shape, that has less glitter about it!"

"DISGUSTING! seriously LOVE fashion but why would I want to dress myself in this disgusting attire.. fashion is also about looking good.. why would I want to dress myself as a half gone old granny."

LOLZ!

Again, even although I wasn't massively in love with the shot, it was clear to me lots of folk commenting were missing the point? I had to stick up for ASOS here:

"It's an EDITORIAL shot - obviously not massively wearable in reality styled up like this. But it's selling a look, a theme, an aesthetic! I get the vibe that she's just come home after a mental night partying till dawn, hence the dishevelled hair and boots etc. The dress itself is stunning and props for styling it up a bit more rock n roll. A risk (clearly, given the comments!) but personally I think it works. Xx"

Finally, this look also caused somewhat of a divide:

"Very mediocre! Incompatible with leopard and pink powder. skirt all but ruin. "

"Oh no jacket in theory yes yes yes but that look's cheap and nasty...frufru tutu dress yes please and jacket also if it ever gets to be made looking less like a primark bargain..(not that there's anything wrong with that of course)"

And of course, the uber eloquent, "Omg vile."

By this point I was thoroughly hacked off and beginning to feel like an alien from the plant Terrible Style, since again I actually LIKED this look. I couldn't be bothered to comment my opposing opinion again...

So anyway, am I mental? What do you guys think of these looks/shots? Please tell me I'm not alone!

Although, maybe there really is no hope for me, since today I almost bought (and might actually still buy) THIS gorgeous piece of god-awful/amazing tack, because I mean who DOESN'T love a bit of inappropriate religious iconography? I KNOW I DO!

Tasteless much? I bloody love it!

I NEED RED LEATHER SHORTS

In my life NOW!

Seriously. No, SERIOUSLY. I can hear your grimace from here (red leather? WTF? Alright Chantelle away back to yer street corner), but hear me out...

Ever since the lovely Whistles PR ladies tweeted this pic of a pair of sumptuous red leather shorts a few days ago, I've been LITERALLY dreaming about owning them, or something equally as fabulous:

I can't find them online and shockingly I've had real bother finding any red leather shorts at all! Even over at my go-to place for cool quirky vintage clothing, Etsy, there was a distinct lack.

If anyone sees any on a vintage site or in a shop in Glasgow PLEASE let me know! You can comment here or tweet me and I'll fire you over some awesome karma!

Here's a few inspiration shots pillaged from Google to whet your appetite...

Swoon!!

PEE ESS...

Nipped into Silverburn on my lunch and made off with these badboys...

Topshop Vectra studded slippers. Love em, love em, love everything about em!

If I were so inclined, and had a never-ending bank balance, I'd pair them with some more of Topshop's summery offerings. Namely, these bright lovelies:

Orrrr with Whistles' covetted and much-hyped red Carrie midi skirt and some leopard print. I die!

Right. ENOUGH. I'm away home to scoff some scran and get my SWAG OAN - Saturday night stylee!

x

RAWRR! GIVENCHY AW11

I recently became aware of a STUNNING shot of the ever-amazing Kristen McMenamy for Givenchy's AW11 ad campaign via V magazine's facebook, and just had to investigate further.

SO glad I did. Check this out...

Although I was initially drawn to the images thanks to Kristen's photo, I actually think it's Natalia Vodianova who really shines here, both in the video and in her shot. I'm not always a fan of hers to be honest, but I really love this sexy, tough image on her. The up-lighting effect totally works here - props to photographers Mert and Marcus for a captivating campaign!

What do you guys think?