MEADHAM KIRCHOFF SS13 AND A BLOG BREAKDOWN

I KNOW London Fashion Week has been over for ages and I meant to do this post a while back but I got totally sidelined by a PR post and then the Emmys and completely forgot. It seemed a shame to waste these beautiful images though, so LUCKY YOU, you get another irrelevant and out of date Fashion Week post! I'm so good to you.

Truthfully there weren't all that many LFW shows I was overly impressed with. I don't know if it's so much the collections themselves or me being less "into" it as I've been in the past, but I found it hard to get buzzed like before. Mulberry was a highlight though (loved watching the FROW get settled on the live stream - Olivia Palermo you dawl) as was Meadham Kirchoff.

I've had a soft spot for Meadham Kirchoff since their AW10 collection blew my mind - veils, crowns, hunners o' bangles, bright pinks, stickers, heavy eyeliner... Every model was like an exponentially-cooler version of my inner 13 year old.

This year it seems Ed and Ben took a leaf from Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, channelling a pastel-coloured 18th century France with an air of frivolous, luxurious excess...

Gaudy awesomeness, right? Amazing! I still don't think it beats my favourite collection ever from them...

MK - SS12

..but it's right up there. Are they trying to be uber clever, commenting on the global financial crisis and the resulting age of austerity we've all been forced into... Or are they just having fun with bows and costume jewellery - playing dress up like little kids do? More is more. Let them eat cake. etc.

 I'm inclined to think it's the latter, but, regardless, I love me a bold, fun, ostentatious collection that doesn't take itself too seriously LIKE LOADS AND LOADS OF OTHERS. For that reason Meadham Kirchoff will always be on my must see list for fashion week.

What do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Are these posts even interesting?

I feel like I'm having a bit of an existential crisis with FFS at the moment. Posts about my recent purchases and wishlists and stuff are always well received and generally attract the most comments, but they don't tend to inspire me as much. I sometimes feel they're a bit of a cop out since they're easy to write and take hardly any thought. But on the other hand I get a kick out of putting together the likes of collection reviews, even though I am a complete layman and my opinion might be totally wack.

I write FFS for myself, mostly on my break at work as an afterthought, to basically have something to DO. I've been doing it for nearly 2 years and I still have less than 300 followers because I almost NEVER promote it, I never post outfit pictures of myself, I hardly ever comment on other people's posts (a bad habit I'm trying hard to break) and I regularly abandon it for over a week at a time. That pretty much breaks EVERY SINGLE RULE there is about blogging! I've never really cared before - blogging isn't real life and if this all disappeared I wouldn't cry or nuffink (maybe) - but I'm fast approaching 200,000 views and I don't want to be BORING those of you who do read. I feel like I've kind of lost my direction.

Should I just stick to the highstreet stuff, recent purchases and wishlists? Or maybe I should take a leaf out of Ayden's book and start trying to be a bit more personal in my posts...? I don't know. Is it fine the way it is? 200,000 views is a drop in the ocean compared to other folk's blogs I am well aware, but it feels like a lot to me and I think it's freaked me out a bit. I might take some time off and have a think. Or I might just carry on doing whatever the hell I like and ignoring all the rules. Do other people feel like this? Am I being dramatic? Do I just need to lay off the coffee at 7:14 am in the morning? What is the meaning of life? Where did I leave my keys..?

Oh hell. Just ignore me. Here's the trailer for Marie Antoinette because although it's a STINKER of a film, it sure is pretty to look at.

EMMY AWARDS 2012 - RED CARPET

As you probably all know, nothing fills me with glee more than scrutinising the red carpet the morning after an awards ceremony. Lucky for me, then, that last night saw LA play host to the 2012 Emmy Awards.

I always find the Emmys a bit of a weird one. It lacks the drama and clout of the Oscars and Golden Globes and that normally means the slebs can get a bit mixed up about just HOW glam to go. This year though, most went very glam indeed, and although I expected loads of crashing humdingers, boringly, mostly all WERKED IT.

I've organised this one by colour just cos I bloody well can.

YELLOW

Claire Danes - Lanvin

Aww my lovely, preggo Claire Danes! This is a bold-but-beautiful colour and comfortable-looking fit for someone with a bun in the oven like my fictional best pal Claire. If I were being uber picky I'd say it looks like her blow-dry's fallen a bit since she probably had it done hours before, and it could do with some jzoojzing (?!) but I'm NOT that picky, especially when it comes to Claire Danes who can do no wrong whatsoever. Love her. Best dressed of the night.

Kaley Cuoco - Angel Sanchez

Her offa Big Bang looking smug in a yellow peplum number by a designer I've never heard of. Actually I quite like the shape of it despite its fussyness, but it's verging slightly on the mustard side of yellow which is not cool. Not in the slightest. As it is, it's not bad but I think she could do better.  

Julianne Moore - Dior Couture

Love it, love it, LOVE IT! Julianne is another one that really can't do any wrong in my eyes and this is just one more example of why she's so darn fabulous (see previous examples including THAT Bulgari campaign). High neck, long sleeves, sherbet lemon colour - this is how you make a statement. Also, does she ever age?! Naw.

Hannah Simone - Emilio Pucci

Three words spring to mind... BAD PROM DRESS. I love her as Cece on New Girl as well, but I'm afraid Hannah Simone looks utterly terrible here. The single strap thing is weird, the split is too high and too tight across her thigh, there's too much fabric at the bottom and she's got some sort of dirty mark on the front. Also, TAN LINES?! No excuse. Bad effort for someone who's obviously got a bangin' rack and really should know how to show it off by now.

ORANGE RED AND PINK

Ginnifer Goodwin - Monique Lhuillier

Remember the first time Ginnifer Goodwin wore a bright orange frock on the red carpet? Everyone went batshit at how much she rocked what is always a notoriously difficult hue to pull off. But then, remember the second time? And then the third? I'm not exaggerating when I say that this has to be Ginnifer's fourth time (at least) wearing orange to a fancy do and frankly I'm fed up. I mean, YES the styling is perfect with her smoky eye, slicked side-shed, pewter earrings and bag, and strappy Jimmy Choos. But honestly I'm disappointed it's bloody orange! Come on Ginnifer, step it up.

Kat Dennings - J Mendel

Holy breasticles, Batman! Kat Dennings taking full advantage of that old mantra "if in doubt, get them out" in spectacular style. I really like this. Why shouldn't she air out her chebs for the night? No one complains when Christina Hendricks' humungous bosom is all up in everyone's face! I like the drapey nature of the dress but I wish it was a bit more of a vivid red to match her trademark lipstick... But we're not really looking at her lips, are we?

Mayim Bialik - Pamella Roland

Um, no. I'm struggling to find one nice thing to say about this frumpy, fussy, fugly mess. And it's too FRICKIN long! Hello, pet hate. I don't know what's going on with Mayim's Robocop hand either, but she's probably broken something which means I can't be too mean about it other than to say it clashes somewhat with the unnecessarily bling necklace, and to conclude with the opinion that this is a terrible dress and I wish I could unsee it.

Ashley Judd - Carolina Herrera

OH GAHD, it CAN get worse! I don't know why Ashley Judd is looking so self-satisfied here because she's clearly a prize choob. Her Jedwardish hairdoo is the least of her issues, what with that sickly colour of hideous taffeta panelling making me almost vom in my mouth. I hate a halterneck at the best of times, but throw in a pointless diamonique brooch and huge, distracting bow and I'm practically clawing my own eyes out here. Away ye go, Ashley, out my sight.

BLUE AND GREEN

Michelle Dockery - Louis Vuitton

Lady Mary looking every inch the English rose in this gorgeous royal blue shade. For me, this would rival Claire Danes' Lanvin look for best dressed of the night, were it not for the unfortunate creasing around the front bum area. Shame, and totes not her fault. Where is an assistant with a steamer when you need one?

Lena Dunham - Prada

LOLZ. I love Lena Dunham. I know Girls tends to divide opinion, and it's become kind of COOL to slate it with loads of folk describing it along the lines of  "a television program about the children of wealthy famous people and shitty music and Facebook and how hard it is to know who you are and Thought Catalog and sexually transmitted diseases and the exhaustion of ceaselessly dramatising your own life while posing as someone who understands the fundamental emptiness and narcissism of that very self-dramatisation..." But does Lena Dunham look like she cares what you think? No. For the record, I love it and find it UNCOMFORTABLY close to real life, but that's by the by. In this Prada dress Lena is almost unrecognisable as her character Hannah, and she manages to look positively chic AND badass at the same time. No mean feat.

Zooey Deschanel - Reem Acra

Thank God whatever lip filler/plastic surgery Zooey had (and she DID, don't kid yourself) a few months back has died down! She actually looks happy here, and well she might cos she's knocking this look out the park. THIS is what I wanted to see her in at the Golden Globes in January! Sigh. Never mind, she's back to looking cute as a button and I can sort of forgive her for her momentary lapse into self-consciousness. We've all been there.

Julianna Margulies - Giambattista Valli

Some may say there's too much going on here, and I thought that at first myself, but the more I look at this the more it grows on me (lulz, floral pun, what whaaat!). The print is intricate and beautiful, but simplified by the classic cut of the dress. The slicked back do is quite harsh on Julianna's features but I think the earrings soften it and overall it works.

Sofia Vergara - Zuhair Murad

I just honestly don't get this! On all the usual American sites this is being lauded as the winning look of the night with folk falling over themselves going on about how SECKSAY Sofia Vergara is in this bedazzled turquoise frock, which, by the way, has a huge cut out panel on the back so you can practically see ass cleavage. For me this is the HEIGHT of tack. Sofia is always one for the bling and a tonne of slap, but this is an extraordinarily hideous dress to pair with all that additional WAGGYNESS. Also, she's 40. I'd never dispute that she's got a hell of a body for her age, but do I want to see her ass crack? No. Just classless and tacky and horrible.

NEUTRAL

Lucy Liu - Atelier Versace

Finally someone busted out the Atelier Versace! In the absence of Angelina Jolie it was up to Lucy Liu to bring out the big guns. I had hoped it would be my love January Jones to don the coveted AV frock, but Lucy does just as good a job as anyone in this mad silver number. A bit, um, robotic for the Emmys maybe? Perhaps, but I love a risky look and I've missed Lucy Liu on the red carpet cos she really is a stunna. Win.

Connie Britton - Andrew GN

I don't know who you are, Connie Britton, but I feel for you. As a mature lady, halternecks are not your friend (they're NO-ONE'S friend) but especially not in what looks like that horrible jaggy lurex-type fabric or in a wishy-washy silvery grey. Not at ALL.

Christina Hendricks - Christian Siriano

Werk it, werk it, werk it! If it ain't broke don't fix it, and there ain't nothing broke about Christina Hendricks' classic hourglass shape. I really love this champagne colour on Christina as it allows for all the attention on her boobs, hair and lips, and with boobs, hair and lips like those that's where you'd want it to be, right? The belt (a bit of a trend on the night) adds some casual interest at the waist but with Christina it's all about that million-dollar silhouette and she is WERKING IT.

BLACK

Amy Poehler - Stella McCartney

Another wummin I've never heard of in a shiny halterneck. What's going on?! Am I alone in my hatred for them? Nothing really THAT wrong with this look except that I hate halternecks and I'm sick of seeing them. Eeew.

January Jones - Zac Posen

Here she is, my love! Looking drop dead gorgeous in this Gothic Zac Posen showstopper, it's a magnificent return to form for JJ who, after dropping a baba, slightly lost her edge. She's always the one I wait to see on the red carpet because she (more often than not) ALWAYS looks the best, bar none. While I do still love the simplicity of Claire Danes' yellow gown, this look on JJ is a very close second to my favourite of the night, and may just be my fave look on her from the past few awards seasons. I'll never understand why she's so underrated.

Well that was that. Less scope to take the piss as there was at the Teen Choice Awards, and generally everyone did pretty well. I just CAN'T ABIDE a halterneck! Gross! Have I been unfair? Have I missed anyone out? Besides the obvious (Nicole Kidman) cos I couldn't even bear to have the picture on here.

LBD: DAMSEL IN A DRESS*

Who doesn't love a smart LBD?

When I was contacted recently by Damsel in a Dress to pick one of their pieces for review, I instantly knew what I would be opting for...

The smart-yet-practical Rosa dress is a panelled, thick jersey calf-length black dress which I had visions of wearing to one of the HUNNERS of job interviews that would surely be heading my way after weeks of franticly applying for everything remotely communications based...RIGHT? Pfft, thats a whole nother story!

Anyway, a kickass LBD was the very thing I needed to conquer the world of work, and the Rosa arrived promptly near-enough the next day. Packaged beautifully I must add...

Initially when I tried it on I was convinced I'd found my ideal smart work/interview/classy dress. Not too low cut, conservative length, just the right ammount of sass - IDEAL. Until my dad, who happened upon me prancing about the hall pretending to be Joan from Mad Men, loudly exclaimed, "Jesus, you're barely in that thing."

JEEZE. THANKS, PAW.

But he was right - upon closer inspection it really was a smidge too tight... For the workplace anyway.

As is ALWAYS my issue (sigh), the dress fit perfectly around my bust, arms and waist, and thanks to the considerable thickness of the material did a fair bit of sooking in too, but clung round my hips and bahookie. I ordered a 10 thinking that the stretch would compensate but I guess I was asking just  a bit too much of it.

The problem is that I'm sure if I'd ordered a 12, while it would no-doubt have fit round my bum, it would have gaped unattractively at my waist. Most 12s do.

GAHD. My life is so hard. *takes another bite of donut*

MOANING aside, I can't really blame the dress for my fat ass. What Damsel in a Dress have created is a line of comfortable, form-fitting, classy dresses (and coats and tops too) which I was really very impressed with. I couldn't fault the quality of the finish either - for £149 you most definitely get what you pay for.

If you're in the market for a dress like this check them out here.

*I was sent this item for free but I was not paid for my review. I keep it real, innit.

NYFW: MARC JACOBS AND ANNA SUI

Watching the Twitter reviews of the Marc Jacobs SS13 show flooding in, I couldn't help but roll my eyes like the cynical bastard I am. Sixties, Marc? REALLY? Yawn.

But then I saw it. And you know what I realised? NOT ONE PAIR OF TROUSERS. Finally my dream! As a short-arse who's packin' in the back, trousers and I have a horribly abusive love/hate relationship, and after season after season with tailored or patterned breeks taking centre stage, it's a relief to finally see a collection that shunned them entirely. In typical wacky Marc Jacobs style, rather than offer us an alternative he just pulled them completely, leaving the models strutting about in their pants. Not sure I can (or WANT to) see that look recreated on Argyle St next summer.

But overall, as much as I was ready to be massively unimpressed, I'm afraid I had to eat my eye-rolling. Or something. This was simple and elegant... Chung-ready and trouserless. Basically perfect.

And guess what else... The makeup was to DIE FOR. Just check out the brows on Cara!

I like that they didn't go for an obvious winged liner but instead opted for a smoky cut-crease, and paled out the lips. I basically rock a bold brow and nude lip on a daily basis and now amma hankerin to try this slightly more amped-up version for a night out. What do you guys reckon? ALSO, could the extreme side-parting from my days as an emo really be back on trend?

Another collection worth mentioning is Anna Sui. Part Where the Wild Things Are, part girlish rock n roll, part Harajuku, this is a collection I'd happily style someone like Gwen Steffani in. And, I mean, she's amazing, so...

And again, loving the makeup:

   

What did you guys make of NYFW this year? I feel like most of it passed me by to be honest... And I hate myself a bit for saying it but I was mightily let down by Alexander Wang. SOB!

Onto LFW now. Highlights are sure to be old favourites Christopher Kane, ACNE, Topshop Unique, Meadham Kirchhoff and Mary Katrantzou. Are we all PUMPED?

PINK HAZE

Had to share this beautiful editorial from Bullett magazine titled Pink Haze...

Using pieces from Holly Fulton, Louise Gray, and Meadham Kirchoff, this is one of the prettiest spreads I've seen all summer. Sigh. Right, I'm done now. Bring on winter.