Shoulder Bags vs Handbags

No one can deny it - like the Tories and Labour, these are just about the only two popular bags in existence. We've decided to weigh up their pros and cons against each other. After all, there needs to be some way of deciding which one you want to wear, right? Because if your lives follow the same pattern as mine, they're full of last-minute rushing which is made worse by indecision over which bag to wear - which looks nicest with what you're wearing?

 Shoulder bags are practical whilst still looking fashionable (most of the time) and can easily fit all your essentials as well as things that are of more awkward shapes: like A4 folders and pieces of paper. They make everything very organised and from one unzipping it is clear to see what is inside.
But as always shoulder bags have the awkward habit of banging against you with every step, especially if you're walking or running quickly. They also tend to swing around in the most annoying (and sometimes painful) manner.

Handbags are definitely also practical - the general carrier of everything you ever need, these items always remain your fiathful companion. They are usually big and never really have to be unpacked - you can just continue dumping new things on top.
Which brings us to the one, major con - handbags (not always, but nearly always) tend to be a complete mess. You have to dig around for a good time to find anything, and on the way there your hands tend to encounter unpleasant things you didn't even know were still there. Like the shoulder bags, they can also be tedious to carry when they start slipping off, or take up lots of space next to you and bang into everyone you walk by.

Despite all of this, we have chosen the traditional handbag as our favourite. However, when you need to put anything that might be crumpled or bent into a bag, we definitely recommend the shoulder bag. Unless you don't care about how it looks like once you've walked a few steps!

Bus-Stop Fashion

It always comes back to the same old question: What do you wear if you’re doing something really casual? Where is the distinction between fancy and simple? And most importantly, what do you wear at the bus stop?

The simple truth is that your heels and short dress can be very embarrassing as you step onto the bus. You stumble, the wind blows your dress up, it splits while you’re managing the large gap drivers always seem to leave between pavement and bus. You can, of course, wear your old trainers and carry your heels in a plastic bag, but we’re looking for better alternatives.

As of yet, we've found that the best (and easiest) method is to go for the dressed down chic – chunky doc martins may not seem the ideal partner to a lovely dress or those cool roll-ups you just bought, but go ahead, try it – you’ll be surprised at what the outcomes can be. 

And here’s our Top Tip: Next time you’re bored waiting for the bus, have a go noting down what everyone is wearing – business style? Laid back? Wrapped up in thick rain-jackets? And then (here comes the important bit) think of how you would change the outfit to make it dead fashionable. It’s not as easy as you might think, and varies with both time and bus-stop location. But one thing is guaranteed – seeing that the bus is only due in 14 minutes will (hopefully) never be boring again for all you fashionistas!

Fashion Movies: 'We'll Take Manhattan'

I’m sure you’ve all had the experience of watching something so amazing you immediately have to go and write about it – well the BBC film “We’ll Take Manhattan” – starring Karen Gillan as Jean Shrimpton and Arneud Barnard as David Bailey is a semi-documentary following the story of how the 1960’s most famous model and photographer began.

The dialogue is precise, well performed and flowing, and the film keeps you hooked throughout all of its ups and downs – but most importantly – it’s a film about fashion. Between Karen Gillan’s stunning modelling and the lovely vintage clothes which are some of the main parts of the film, you get lovely views of New York – though not the ones you expect, which is what the real photographer David Bailey was famous for – he marked the change in fashion photography getting, well, more fashionable.

His revolutionary photography included now famous shots of Jean Shrimpton standing behind a metal fence, and her on a grubby balcony next to an aerial, with a faint silhouette of the Empire State Building in the background.

(Above; Jean Shrimpton as photographed by David Bailey in New York 1962.)

(Above, left to right; Gillan and Barnard in 'We'll Take Manhattan', recreation of 1962 photograph.)

And because of the long standing rumours of a relationship between Jean Shrimpton and David Bailey – and why it didn't last – the film is speckled with slight romance and deliciously tense moments – although the final scenes brought tears to my eyes. Both characters are portrayed perfectly, and while you get to know both better, it also gives you an insight into how the fashion industry worked before it was modernised to what we know today.

“We’ll Take Manhattan”, in my opinion, contains all the qualities that a great film has to have – great actors, good plots, stunning camera shots and interesting topics (fashion) while still being, as I said before, a semi-documentary – the whole time you are watching it, you are learning about real events that happened in the past – despite the fact that the dramatization probably added in a few bits to make it more exciting. I recommend it to anyone and everyone!

It originally aired on BBC 4 in May, and you can either get a DVD already, or there will be one coming out soon. It’s definitely worth it, and will be added to my mental list of favourite movies. 

Wedge Heeled Trainers: Miracle or Disaster?

(CHISM in Camel, £70 at Aldo.)

Can't decide whether to wear something that you don't fall over in, or lengthen your legs with your heels? You can have both now, but is the end result really as great as it sounds?

None of us can deny the fact that these trainers with their "hidden" heel are becoming more and more popular. After starting off as something I thought was just a passing phase, the craze has spread until it is hard to find a shop which doesn't sell them!

Despite the way in which they are being sold, I have to say I honestly haven't seen too many people wearing them. Why is that? Has it got something to with their design? Their bulkiness? Have people seen them so much in shops that they would oversee them if they had their own pair? Or has the trend just not really set in properly yet?

In an attempt to try and analyse these new shoes as closely as possible, I have trudged through the high street and tried on a pair from almost every shop. In the end, after various deliberations, I decided to choose this pair as our prime example.

(Aerobic Wedge Heel Trainers, £70 at Topshop.)

The Pluses: 

The shoes have wonderful "hidden" heels that make you look taller without anyone noticing much - although to any fashionista this will be obvious.

They are a lovely twist on the traditional wedge heels, both comfortable and fashionable.

You can wear them with anything - literally, jeans, skirts, dresses... That is, until you get bored of them. 

Balance. In these shoes it is very hard to stumble and/or fall, and if you are wearing these in places like the Tube or Metro, we all know that doing this is not good, especially when you are half-running to catch the bus/train. Even as an experienced heel-wearer, we all have those moments when we can't help but lose our balance. With satisfaction, I can tell you that these wedges are very, very stable.

The trainer aspect of the shoes - these are heels you can actually run in, folks! They have a good rubber sole - although to call it "bouncy" would be an exaggeration. 

The Minuses:

There's next to nothing, apart from one glaring thing I could not get over:

See the strange shape of the back of the shoe, where the heel is? In my opinion that just looks like you have broken your ankle. However, you do have to take into consideration that no one will bend down onto the ground and look at your shoe from the side - probably, but from a perfectionist's point of view I couldn't let it go. 

They do look a bit clumpy, but if you're digging that look, then they are absolutely perfect.

Verdict:

Let the money-spending begin! Though it is partly a matter of taste, these shoes are definitely in. Get them before they go out again - or you might prefer to wait and see what Spring brings with it. Either way, we definitely liked them. And so did people like Rihanna, Beyonce, Alicia Keys and many others. 

The End of the Skinnies

 Having personally never been a fan of having to zip oneself up in impossibly tight jeans, not matter what the end effect is, I am not disappointed that despite their brief return this fall/winter, they are going out. After looking at the new trends coming up in Spring 2013, it came as no surprise that tight trousers are no longer the top fashion item they used to be. Coming up for us next year is a delightful range of straight legs and roll ups, and most importantly, slim suit trousers. The look is definitely heading for masculine with a fitted twist, like we saw this year when all shops started selling women’s blazers. 

(Pictures along the side taken from Vogue Fashion Weeks Spring/Summer 2013 - from top to bottom; Sass & Bide, Balenciaga, Christian Dior.)

 The new bottoms look amazingly stylish and slim, while still giving off the impression of a seemingly comfortable item to wear – one which doesn’t feel like it could possibly be splitting in half when you bend over, and doesn’t severely restrict movement in your legs, which is necessary when you’re frantically running after the bus – (late again!) 

The most common material for this new style is looking as if it will be some sort of silk – and/or cheaper versions of this, which is a nice change from the jeans that we see on almost every pair of legs on the planet. Don’t get me wrong though, jeans are great – as long as they’re being used for tops, jackets, shoes – anything but trousers, which I am completely sick of. 

Although I can’t be sure how they will turn out until the Spring collections are released in the shops - after all, the sad truth is that on most of us clothes look very different to when they are on the runway; we can't all look like models, and I definitely wouldn't call myself one - but I can definitely say one thing for sure: 
-loose pants will be the next in.

(Go check out the other Spring/Summer 2013 styles that were featured as well, here: http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2013 )

Cute Speakers

Just snapped a pic of these ultra-cute, mini portable speakers I found at Carphone Warehouse, £12. The ears of the rabbit are made of soft plastic that is very fun to squish, as I've found myself doing whenever they are within reaching distance.
The sound isn't half bad either - it's much louder than full volume on my iPod, so now I can blast my new Muse and Mumford & Sons albums even louder than I usually do!
The shop also had a frog and a cow design but this one was by far the best. I've seen speakers shaped as perfume bottles somewhere as well, which looked very cool...

The Fratellis - Under Appreciated Music

I only just realised today that half of my friends were under the opinion that the Fratellis were some kind of pasta.
They aren't.
They are one of my favourite bands, along with Mumford & Sons, and they have great Indie Rock music.

I recommend:
-Creepin' Up the Back Stairs
-Chelsea Dagger
-Baby Fratelli
-Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night

There we go. Now I feel like I have done my duty to both the world of good music, which does not include the majority of all the horrible stuff that dominates the pop charts, and also to the Fratellis, because I really think they deserve recognition. After all, it was listening to their album while revising that helped me through my awful summer exams a few months ago.

AW12 Womens' Coats - The Best of the Best

With the last of summer now over, it's time to stock up on your Autumn/Winter Closet. The most important item: a coat - there's nothing better to stop that Autumn chill creeping into your bones as you clutch your Latte and wait for the stores to open. Thankfully we have collected the "Best of the Best" - after hours of traversing both the internet and the high street. Enjoy.





This season's coats are leaning towards the more extravagant, as demonstrated by Topshop Unique, above, but for those of you that want a coat that is both practical, and still looks like it has just come straight off the catwalk - this article is for you.
Above all, the key aspect of coats this season is colour - floral prints and summery colours are most definitely out, while dark greens, blues, browns, greys and blacks are in.

  

("The Winner" - Sparkle and Fade Oversized Parka, £98 at Urban Outfitters)
 
Coats are all cut long, and are not the tight-fitting items we expect next spring. The ideal style is a parka or military coat, but it can be hard to choose the one that is right for you, so below is a small selection of the ones we saw and liked. Remember not to go with what everyone else is already wearing; that means not only looking in large chains but bargain hunting in the small boutiques and vintage shops that are often overlooked. For those who are London-dwelling, like us, might want to check out places like Camden Town, Greenwich Market, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden, Soho and Hampstead.
 
We Liked:
 
Bresnef Coat, £295 at All Saints - Stunning paired with boots, and we love the detail on the buttons.




 



Applique Coat, £129 at Zara - We like the unique front; exactly the quality we're looking for.

 
Denim Parka with Detachable Hood, £190 at Hilfiger - This coat is just itching to be worn.                

Fur Hooded Lined Parka, £80 at ASOS - One of our favourites.

 
Biker Detail Jacket, £100 at Oasis - Perfect for wearing with a funky scarf.




Quilted Contrast Sleeve Coat, £75 at ASOS - Straight off the catwalk.

 


Wool Pea Coat, £205 at Sessun Palemberg - There's no better way to splash a bit of colour into your winter days.


 
Tweed Princess, £99 at Darling - We fell in love the second we saw it.

 
We Avoided:
 
All long, puffy jackets - unless you're going purely for warmth.

 
Fitted Duffel Coats - this year it's all about loose.

And, most importantly, Waterproofs are solely for rain - do not try to force them into the world of fashion - at least, not this AW - who knows whay the next year will bring...
 
This brings us to the end of "The Best of the Best" -and me to the end of my cup of coffee. Enjoy the rest of AW12, fashionistas!