My Mascot Mandeville for the Middlands

Although this blog was not set up to promote myself; being created to talk about the subject that my life is orientated around and advise others who share my love, or need some help in the area, this week has been very significant for me in terms of my aspirations for the future.

Opening my emails recently has become an addiction; I am always excited to discover what I have received, even the ''junk'' is quite interesting. Whether this is because we are now into the Christmas period or because I have subscribed to many fashion updates etc., and any fashioniesta will understand me when I say fashion is NEVER boring!
This week in particular  I have received  some very thrilling emails. The first being one from LOCOG themselves, informing me that the amazing pin badges, that were the products of  the competition to design a mascot  for the East Midlands region I had entered and was lucky enough to win were going on sale. For this to become a reality and for me to hold the products I had input in creating in my hand, not to  mention to see them in John Lewis and London 2012 shops was and still is an absolute dream!  To be involved in the competition and the games in some way was an amazing opportunity in itself; I have met some very inspirational people and gained so much from the whole experience! It has helped me believe that there is a possibility that my aspirations to make it in the fashion can actually become reality if I keep at it. Hopefully this will also help me greatly in my progress into the industry too! As a result of the release the local and some national press have also been in touch this week which has also been lovely form friends family and I. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7geuywjYWwivtyzBVE8KpnjEEG6iPhO1kVOElZ04UJutctK1Dvy-ppdOVEfwBrQkIqlcCtny0YDTLCdkppu8dpxvli5S_i_6QDETJaOYAqBdpE_u4XvN01w_2b4goD9b_Bvsbf-cQMwtr/s1600/1028.jpg

Another experience which has made me feel like a celebrity this week is getting a fringe put in by Joshua Glodsworthy at the Clothes Show, who has been successful in competitions himself; achieving a place in the finals of young hair dresser of the year and not only owning his own hairdressers but styling the hair of models  etc. at London Fashion week.  This was a particular milestone for me as I hadn't changed my hair style for many many years prior to this and am not one to act on impulse usually so this helped me to overcome both fears.Connections in the fashion industry is also very important and so I hope this meeting will  go some way in helping  me in the future as well.

To add to this I began my Christmas Temp job at my local Next store which has been very informative so far. This experience in a clothing store is vital, I feel in order for me to pursue my desired career as it is handy to know what is involved in all different aspects of the industry. It has also helped me to gain some more knowledge of a certain shopping target  markets and allowed me to try out to a degree snippets of other careers such as stylists etc. and that is all in the first week!

Twitter has also entered my world this week and, although I do not have a record amount of followers yet I can not believe I hadn't got an account before as it allows you to easily become up-to-date with  the happenings with  a number of; fashion labels, designers, forecasters, stylists etc. and maybe one day will help me promote my work.

So yes that has been my week, very busy but so rewarding. So to anyone out there who is low on confidence at the moment or  having a bad time keep working hard amazing things can happen to ordinary people, trust me!

If anyone wants to check out  the pin badge I helped to design with the help of IRIS design agency please follow the links below...

http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/231391447/Product.aspx

[Buy London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games Mascot Regional Pin Badge, East Midlands online at JohnLe

m.johnlewis.com

Shop online for London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games Mascot Regional Pin Badge, East Midlands at JohnLewis.com. Browse our great range of products online with Free standard delivery on all orders over £30]

Where to go and how to get in, individuality is the key

So I've been looking around a lot of Universities recently and they are all so good in their own ways it's going to be really difficult to make my choices when the time comes! I think one thing that helps me make decisions has to be the people involved.  Personality really counts and I think the tutors/ lecturers at the Unis really influence your feelings about the place. Personally I find things all the more interesting when people are individuals and many of the course mentors I have seen so far cirtainly have been individual. Fashion helps the individual to express themseleves and particularly with people in fashion and art that is evident. I have seen some really fantastic styles at the opendays which have been really inspiring.

Not some of my bestillustrations I know but sometimes when your inspired by something even just a quick recording will bringthat inspiration back to you each time your memory is triggered.So when it comes to it I think the teachers will really be what sells the universities to my family and I. When it comes to interviews the same thing seems to be the most important for the lecturers themselves in deciding whether they should give you a place. I know I will try push this opinion of mine in this blog frequently but honestly personality and individuality are key in today's society so please dont be a sheep and follow the crowd!

Spring/Summer 2012 trend time

We may just be beginning to brave the winter weather but fashion is as always one step ahead. With all the major fashion weeks complete an overview of the iconic designs which will form next season’s trends can be created for all you early birds to secure your future wardrobe.

Stella McCartney

Pattern appears again with power for spring/ summer. Head to toe pattern takes a prominent position on the catwalks. Pyjama prints, food focused, aquarium associated, car crazed to describe a few in the array of designs.

Dolce&Gabbana

Pastels are particularly the pallet to go for this season. Candy colours are the taste the designers picked!

Bag:Prada

Burberry Prorsum did it extra early this year; see through rain coats did you get one? I did, you should if you didn’t because the trend continues into next season. Capes not your thing? That’s not excuse as long as it is an overlay that’s ok; bags, tops, trousers, shoes and even socks in the see through material, plastic, lace, netting are available now!

Richard Nicoll

Sequin and sparkly numbers also remain on the catwalks. Chanel flaunted the fairy-tale trend with sparkle and spectacular it was!

Chanel

Sea seems to be another starting point for some designers this spring/ summer, with wave shape inspired garments and oceanic scenes the world is your oyster when fashion is concerned!

Alexander McQueen                                 Mary Katranzou

Snake skin super stylish this spring/ summer, they maybe a pattern so some may argue I’m repeating myself but these trousers  have a life of their own and are a fashion favourite s/s2012, hint hint.

House of Holland

Leather has been on trend for a while now in various forms but still wowed us when it appeared on various catwalks this time around!

Celine

What do you get when you cross platforms with flip-flops? Flat flops that’s what. The new fashion frenzy of the season for obvious reasons they’re an ingeniously fabulous invention!

Twenties return tassels and all. Flapper fashion is what the twenties are best know for in fashion... well and Coco Chanel! Silk plays a prominent part in the catwalk’s contribution to this trend, feathers feature, straight sculptures, art deco influences seep through and don’t you worry tassels testify too.

Bra tops are back, are we surprised? Last spring tank tops returned , fetish featured Autumn/Winter and underwear as outerwear has been round a while so it was inevitable. Looking far more sporty and not necessarily focusing on fetish even the timid torso might want to try it.

Viktor&Rolf

A mixed bag in more ways than one…it seems there is no way of avoiding it, you will be on trend whether you like it or not!

Difficulty following trends: A/W 11/12

Fashion, fashion, fashion… everywhere. I can’t believe I am saying this, but it is not always a good thing! Loads of people tell me they would follow fashion, only:

1)      They cant afford it 

and

2)      They cant be bothered. People nowadays just don’t have the time to siv through countless material on this seasons styles.

Personally I could never not be bothered with fashion, finding it interesting, exciting and addictive but sometimes it can be very hard work to establish just the very basic trends when different sources are telling you different things and these sources usually have to make several, articles for instance, on variations of a similar trend. Then there is the complication of whether you like couture, high street, a mix or even alternative style and as they say time is money!

Money, please sir can I have some more! I’m not going to turn this into a financial article but it’s a fact, money is tight and job availability even more so, yet prices are soaring .

            I’d love to have an new outfit that is Topshop, Vintage or designer  every day , or at least all my clothes fit under one of the above categories but I realised long ago that I even with my parents and grandma to scrounge off  an item for a treat is more realistic. So one day I psyched myself up and attempted my greatest fear…charity shop shopping, and you know what, its great! Ok especially with my many OCDs I will admit the newly purchased clothes undergo an extensive cleaning regime as soon as they get home. But the reality is my mum’s horror story of how people died in them is probably 0.0005% likely. The clothes are probably of high street quality, if not better, less common and at a tenth of the price.

But if you have the basic trend knowledge you could shop easily sensibly and thus happily. So I hope this helps! …

...Ok I’m a bit late in the day for this one in terms of fashion time framing but when it comes to high street  know most people haven’t even begun to think winter wardrobe yet so hopefully I can get away with it.

The Key trends for this season are :

Pattern its everywhere, animal print, dots, the usual but also t the more quirky prints by the likes of Mary Katrantzou, Miu miu and even Louis Vuitton.

Dots, spots, polka dots, whatever you want to call them they are spreading like well chicken pocks. Only you can choose how you want to year them, minimal or mad you’ll be on trend. Sported by Gucci, Marc Jacobs and Stella McCartney models to name but a few this is definitely a key pattern to get in or, should I even dare say, dig out of your wardrobe from seasons before.

Eccentric elegance, ok this isn’t a very definite style described right here, I apologise, I know this doesn’t help you if you want to write down a distinct shopping list …or wish list of key items, but I cant really make it any less broad then that.

Gucci went for 1970s inspired glamour, a range of evening and day time, both terrifically teamed with fur of the colourful kind (purple yellow, turquoise, green).

Gucci A/W 2011/12

Lavin also adding eccentricity, but beauty to the most sophisticated of attire: creating dresses of pink red, yellow, orange and the rest of the rainbow.

Then of course there is Queen of quirky couture , Vivian Westwood with crowns, colourful capes and many more creative concoctions.

But of course catwalk is the creation of craziness (of the best kind), so the style is bound to be a success.

Therefore it can be said a shock of optic colour has burst in our surroundings, suck it in would be my advise! …(and if you cant take my word for it  fashion’s favourites like Jonathan Saunders seem superbly smitten with this style.)

Boy-girl

Good news the big blazers are back , it may be a slight adaptation to the ones in your wardrobes from before but that just allows you to get creative and make a wonderful original! Black tie on a new level, a woman’s level. White shirt, black tie and buttoned up blazer what could be more simply sensational?

Take your inspiration from the fashionable French who have perfected this feminine twist on the tux for many years now.

Chanel is a one to watch in this category and of course Dolce and Gabbana … but then again there are many masters in this trade.

MIU MIU A/W 2011/12

P.S. don’t forget your boy boot. Brogues are back with low block heels,  pantent and polished  or swaggering suede, all you need to know is they’re back and they’re bad.

Fashion is the future and future is fashion that is why three key trends of the season can be found called futurism, space and modern retro. Parada have paraded this trend to with power. Ginormous scale like sequins over the body and head are an iconic image that the fashion house has produced this season. Viktor and Rolf have certainly gone down  a similar yet drastically different route as can be seen from their metallic almost mechanic looking designs crimped and serrated spectacularly, oddly but geniusly set off by the red jam red faces reminiscent of when Gromit ( from the one and only Wallace and Gromit) got attacked by the jam in The Wrong Trousers (my favourite ever movie moment I must add!) But once again folks this trend is identifiable in many more of the best of the best brands.

Viktor & Rolf A/W2011/12

Sequins, earlier mentioned sported by Prada, among several other fashion superstars, you love them or hate them, either way they are the bling of the business this Autumn/Winter, so will you be brave and add some sparkle to your life?

Satin is another shine that is added to the shops this season. Primarily in the form of the ‘special trouser’,  cropped above the ankle to allow a cheeky flash of the on trend ankle sock, satin is in stores everywhere in the form of skirts, shirts and slinky dresses. Thank you Haider Ackermann.

The Fetish fashion is another which adds shine to the catwalk. PVC all the way, with inspiration from lady Gaga for at least Nicola Formichetti, bad girl greeted us gladly on the catwalk  by such designer deities as Louis Vuitton .How do we do it on the high street, well leather gloves are a start.

Louis Vuitton A/W 2011/12

Native American is another trend to look out for.

How to shop this look, well I would say a poncho is best if we are talking clothing  but the style can be pulled off with the right accessories, don’t panic you will easily find your way around this trend with the help of high street stores.

Chloe A/W 2011/12

Funky Jumpers. That’s all I’m saying on the subject.

Other things I suggest you take note of:

 Pencil skirt, get one.

Statement skirts, the three quarter length dirndl type are also very popular.

Sporty shaped sleek garments are special this season. Baseball jackets continue to convince thanks to Isabel Marant giving the high street a helping hand back in the spring.

Trousers are the individual MUST this autumn. Fur, frills, fabric n general is favoured too.

Best colour of the season is undoubtedly wine red. Radiant.

Bags, leather like seems the style, definitely some colour in there is needed, but to be quite honest the way you wear it seems where the style is gained. Handcuffed to you, folded  or topsy turvy, anything  that isn’t the norm is about right.

All you punks out there the choker is here once more. For the more feminine don’t you worry your pretty little head they don’t have to be bolted or spiked, feathered is just as fashionable.

Alexander McQueen A/W 2011/12

…And the hat, don’t forget the hat, fur, patterned, seventies chic or swimming cap, the bolder the better!

So if you were stuck I hope that helped, if not well all I can say is sorry, email me and I will try my hardest to be your virtual style supporter.

So I have wanted to start a blog for a while now, never known where, when or how to begin, but today seems like the day. I finely feel at ease with going against advice to pursue my dream of entering the world of fashion. Excited beyond belief I hope some of my enthusiasm rubs off in this blog. Those who know me will not doubt fashion is literally my life and now will definitely continue to be so…YAY!