2012: Paris, Dragons & Small Stitches

2012: The Year the World Ends, the Year I Move to Paris and the Chinese Year of the Dragon. I was born in the year of the dragon, so I guess this means that 2012 will finally be MY year. It’s also the only mythical creature in the Chinese calendar; the deliverer of good fortune, the master of authority and the one to be respected. I think good fortune is something we can all do with this coming year – whether it be finding a lucky penny, falling in love or finally buying that Vivienne Westwood handbag you’ve been lusting after for the past 20 years of your life. Well, I speak for myself on that last one.

This year I move to Paris for 6 months, see my new travel blog here, and so my New Year’s Resolutions list begins with: LEARN FLUENT FRENCH, and is closely followed by BE MORE CULTURED and FIND A SHOP THAT SELLS ED BANGER T-SHIRTS. That Westwood Summer Tartan Bag is slowly getting pushed further down the line…

Being away from home I won’t have much chance to keep up with my large-scale sewing either – so 2012 is the Year of the Small Stitch: cross stitch, hand stitching, felt toys etc. Anything I can fit into my suitcase! I will, of course, document every stage on here.

I hope you all have a fantastic New Year, and all the best for a happy 2012!

jelly shoes, a cult classic

Growing up in the late 90s it was ESSENTIAL for every school girl to have high-heeled, glittery jelly shoes. You know the ones – usually clear in colour, a buckle at the ankle and filled to the brim with iridescent silver sparkle.

Just as aztec print leggings and animal-logo jumpers are also back ‘in’ – 2011 sees the further rise of the jelly shoe. Vivienne Westwood, of course, has had a £90 rubber boot under her belt for generations (see photo above). Little ankle-high wellies have always been hot in her eyes. And it’s fair to say I’ve had my eye on a pair of her £120 Lady Dragon heels for a good quarter of my lifetime (see photo right, and my blog entry here).

Vivienne Westwood wasn’t the first polymer-lover to jump on the plastic bandwagon though. Melissa Shoes have had eco-friendly, plastic designs on the market for around 30 years. And they haven’t only teamed up with Westwood either – John Paul Gaultier has also collaborated with the Aussie based company to create a range of to-die-for footwear.

Until now though, I’ve yet to see much of an imitation of Viv, John or Melissa’s styles. And so enter New Look. The high street store have worked in partner with ‘Mel’ – Melissa’s playful younger sister, vegan friendly and totally recyclable. Why you’d ever chuck them in with your bean cans and cereal boxes is beyond me. The ankle boots here are £37.99, and the butterfly heels are £39.99. Compared with the Vivienne Westwood designs up top, and aside from the obvious contrast in price, is there really much in the way of differences? I’m starting to think that even I prefer the New Look variation…

John Galliano 4 Kate Moss

So it’s been confirmed. Renowned, (even among the recent controversy) British designer John Galliano is the mind behind Kate Moss’ wedding dress. Alongside Sarah Burton designing McQueen for Kate Middleton, there is absolutely no doubt that this year will ultimately be the Battle of the Kates.

See my articles on Kate Middleton’s dress here and here.

Galliano fits easily into my list of Top 10 Designers. Below Vivienne Westwood and Erdem but above Issa and potentially even Alexander McQueen, with which Galliano shared a British Designer of the Year Award in 1997. I’ve done reviews of their collections before – which you can see by clicking on the names.

But back to the wedding dress. John Galliano is known for his extreme elegance, class and theatrical designs and has played the role of head designer for both Givenchy and Dior. Kate Moss has been one of Galliano’s muses almost since time began, so it only seems fitting that she has chosen him to come up with her frock of a lifetime.

The final design is very simple and elegant – and very Kate Moss – as can be seen in the photo above. Ivory in colour and covered top-to-toe in embellishments, it’s almost hard to tell the difference between the bride’s wedding gown and her evening disco number. Although it really is a beautiful creation – it’s hard to label it outstanding after Kate Middleton walked down the aisle in THAT McQueen gown mere weeks previously. To be honest, I’m not entirely certain that I don’t prefer the bridesmaids’ dresses…

Vivienne Westwood – my Anglomania 2011 picks.

Dame Vivienne Westwood is perhaps (definitely) my favourite fashion designer of all time. And these photos from her latest Anglomania fall/winter 2011 collection perhaps (definitely) show why.

I’ve always wanted a pair of Vivienne’s iconic pirate boots, yet they’ve always been just marginally out of my price range (around £350). These amazing Lady Dragon shoes pictured here are my second choice – in fact, at £120, perhaps they’re worth splashing out on come payday? Of course I will do anything possible to persuade myself otherwise, probably by reminding myself that I’m supposed to be saving my wages for a house deposit… but come on, these Lady Dragon shoes look like they’ve walked, no, STRUTTED straight out of Alice in Wonderland. And they’d match the new dress I bought from ASOS quite nicely too. Perhaps it’s a good thing that the online shop is out of size 5s…

Second in line is this ASTONISHING summer tartan handbag. I’m sorry, but has there ever been, or will there ever be, a moment when I DON’T need this?! I fell in love with a red and green tartan bag a few months ago, but that love is over. The divorce is settled. And now I want to move in with this darling instead. Vivienne Westwood has always been one for dramatic, British prints – and I really do love the draping done here. It looks such a mess, yet such an attractive, organised mess… much like the inside of my mind on any given day. Me and Summer Tartan Bag would make the perfect pair. £325, see you later.

Of course my love for Vivienne Westwood doesn’t end there. These are just my 2 favourites items from her fall/winter 2011 Anglomania collection – if I started on the Gold and Red Label collections you would most likely be here reading all night. I’ll save those for another day, yes?

Fashion Statement 2. BAFTAS 2011

With the 2011 BAFTAs over, here are my picks for the best dresses of the night!

Tim Burton’s partner is possibly one my favourite actresses of all time. Her style oozes eccentricity, yet she still looks demure in this black Vivienne Westwood dress. Love her.

 

 

Thandie Newton looks stunning in this vibrant, pink Lhuiller floor-sweeper. Adorned with giant roses, the photograph-print-dress fashion is sure to be big. Beautiful.

Can Valentino EVER go wrong? Emma Watson looks like a princess in this ruffled lace dress from Valentino couture. The miniature pleats around the bottom make the dress look vintage.