VENEZIA - BELLA BELLA!

I'M BAAAAACK!

Feels amazing to be back involved in the blogosphere again - is that weird? I've been completely plugged out since I went on holiday and although I tried to keep up with a few shows from NYFW and LFW, got to be honest and admit that most of them passed me by whist I was stewing in wine and olive oil!

Definitely be reviewing Topshop Unique, Chris Kane and Meadham Kirchhoff, but for now here's a few billion snaps from my trip :)

View from our hotel!

Drunk on day1...

Fav dress - £15 from Primark!

Lake Garda

Rialto market. 'Magin gettin yer gums round THAT fur yer tea!

<3

Loving Maw's fruity dress.

Awww I wanna be back there NOW!!

X

BE BACK SOON...

Off to Venice for a week, posts will resume when I get back!

xx

IMITATION OF CHRIST SS12

Huzzah! Fashion month is upon us! Time for me to stop obsessing over vintage treasures on Etsy and turn my attention to the shows.

First up, day one at NYFW saw the return of Imitation of Christ - the label owned by Tara Subkoff which remakes and re-styles vintage pieces. Interestingly, IOC's SS12 collection is the first for years to return to this ethos, after the company went under in 2008 and returned last year with Imitation - the offshoot label which designed vintage-inspired pieces from scratch.

I browsed through a few of the collections from NYFW day one, but the 1920/30s, Gatsby-ish/Atonement-esq, dreamlike vibe of this collection stopped me in my tracks. Just stunning! The show was presented as a wedding, with Lydia Hearst as the bride. Take a look:

The dress on the right has me drooling. Seriously.

If I could go to a wedding looking like any of these three, I would.

What do you guys think of this collection? It hasn't changed my life, but it's made this pretty dreich, dreary Friday feel a whole lot better.

I really hope Imitation of Christ sticks around this time. Upscaling vintage pieces and charging a fortune for the privilege sometimes turns folk off (myself included) and I've a feeling some snobbish fashion insiders will question IOC's credibility since afterall the garments are massively simplistic, but for me that's their charm. Whatever the consensus, I'm glad I stumbled upon this. 

Whaddya reckon?

FIRST AND FOREVER

I'll confess, I wasn't massively aware of Dr Marten's newest campaign, First and Forever, featuring androgynous goddess Aggy Dean and everyone's favourite indie-boy model Ash Stymest as a canoodling couple straight outta This is England. But I am NOW!

They pose in shots that are simoultaneously raw, hard and masculine - everything DMs are known for - and also tender, romantic and beautiful:

Need these loafers...

Love em!

Along with these stunning shots, Aggy also features in a 2 min film shot by director duo Nick & Fred. I watched this for the first time really late at night in a weird mood and it had me welling up big time. It's short, but intense. Love it.





The song playing in the background, the stream-of-consciousness style narration... everything about this is perfect.

This campaign works perfectly for a brand which obviously holds so much nostalgia for it's loyal fans. Users on the site are encouraged to plot on the virtual map their "firsts," with loads already plotting the location of their first puchase of DMs...

My first pair of DMs were black, leather AirWear lace-up shoes which I wore to school for a bit when I was about 13 (still the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned ), but eventually stopped because back then they were considered massively uncool. Such a slave to peer pressure! If only I'd kept them, they were truly immense.

My brown shearling-lined DM boots are still the best, most durable boots for the winter EVER. Come November they won't be off my feet!

I ACTUALLY LIKE ALEXA

..on the October cover of Harper's Bazaar.

She features as BOTH the UK and Australian cover girl this month, and I'm seriously loving these pics so much more than I expected to:

UK

Oz

I always think she photographs really samey and bland and I'm usually just NOT into her look (trying too hard to look like you haven't tried at all much?) BUT I have to admit she's gorgeous here! The decison to go for a darker crop has been the best move ever!

The only niggling thing is that the Australian cover seems really summery - I reckon this shot could be a June or July cover as it's making me think of hot sweaty days in the park rather than the onslaught of Autumn. The cool 60s vibe of the UK cover seems far more season-appropriate, no? ***

But whatever, they are both stunning. Bravo Chungy, I'm a convert. FOR NOW...

***Oh my GOD I've just realised what an eejit I am! Obviously in Australia October IS summer! Gahhhd, pretty sure that's the definition of an epic fail. Anyhoos, with that in mind, this is a perfect high-summer cover. SMASHED IT.

5 OF THE BEST: TOPSHOP

Been spending so much time lusting after Venice-appropriate vintage treasures that I've sorely neglected the "new in" feature on Topshop.

I've well and truly learned my lesson! Check out what I've been missing...

Behold my new winter coat. The big furry bit is adorable but detachable, and mainly I love it for the cocoon shape and tobacco colour. SWOON. Be mine NOW!

I didn't love this bag at first but the more I consider it the more it grows on me. Leather, pleated straps, fringe, gratuitous fake gold chain... tackily wonderful, I'm sold!

Love it, love it, love it! My inner freak is screaming "WEAR ORANGE LIPPY AND BIG EARRINGS WITH THIS" which would clash and look mental, but that's exactly why I'm loving it. So versatile...

Oh hey McQueen knock offs. Practically perfect in every way. I have hunners of chunky wedges and boots and stuff, but I think it's about time I really get into stilettos. Ladylike innit.

I've been looking for a bright cropped knit for AGES and this is just glorious and would go immensely well with my new H&M pleather flippy skirt, right?

Ooooh winter, I am feeling you again. Roll on!

IN LOVE WITH ETRO

It's official - Italy has taken over my brain!

With only 2 weeks to go before I jet off to Venice, I'm constantly finding myself googling gondolas, planning days out to Verona and Lake Garda, fantasising about bagging myself a bargain at all the flea markets and generally living in a wondrous Italian bubble! BELLA, BELLA!

Sorry, am I making you sick?! Aaaaaanyway I've also recently been perusing the Italian big dogs on Net a Porter for some sartorial inspiration and guess what? I LOVE ETRO!

Known for their bright patterns, bold colours and sleek tailoring, these lovelies are pressing a particular button with me right now. I'd love a few fabo dresses for taking away with me but sadly they range from £800 to over £2,000! Guess I'll have to make do with some vintage imposters instead.

Literally dreaming about this coat...

Belissimo!

Oh, and in OTHER Itallian-themed news, my friend David Vallance's graduate collection (which I talked about here) is featured in the September issue of Itallian Vogue - grab it if you can!

GET ON MY BACK

..you three crazy vintage shirts! Like NOW!

Still fantasising about being decked out in vintage goodness whilst running around Venice in a few weeks time. Winter? Pffft, not even thinking about it till I get back!

With that in mind, I also quite fancy this chic, understated bag too...

Demure. So uncool it's cool!

All pics from my favourites list over at Etsy.