Best Foot Forward

I am in a situation of temporary crisis. With every outfit I painstakingly choose for the day ahead, I am without the fantastic heels to finish it off. Sure, there are the masculine loafers and leather boots that I used to be just happy with. But now? My legs are crying to be lifted, by loafers, by wedges, by anything! So it was time to find my pick of this seasons heels, and just hope to god that someday I would be able to afford any of them.

1. The Ultra Modern Wedge

I admit that I am not normally so attracted by something so sleek, but how could these be called anything but beautiful? Making animal print look luxe not brash, with a huge platform for added height and a standout stripe design, they are the perfect pair to do with the infamous fur coat (faux, please) and those off-black tights you have been dying to wear. Thank you, Charlotte Olympia.

2. The 70s Loafer
Yes, it's back. Is anyone really so suprised?

There couldn't be a better shoe to wear with ribbed socks and peg legs, and when the Chloe 70s look is so popular, the loafers just had to get their heel back. This mustard yellow pair from River Island are perfect for teaming with a camel blouse and high waisted trousers for that dinner party in NY circa 1976 chic (just think panneled wood walls and mirrors...)

3. The Military Heel

This season military is back (well, isn't it always?), and so what better to pair with your buttoned up coat and rolled down socks or cigarette trousers than a huge strapy, lacy heel. And what better than a right-on-trend shoe from a hip young designer. Eudon Choi, we salute you.

4. The Ankle Boot

When the open-toed stiletto sorely needed an update, the ankle boot was there. Warm enough for winter, and chic enough for day-to-night wear, it hits the practicality vs. fashion nail on the head. This Christian Louboutin pair are cut open at the front for an extra modern touch, yet sadly, at over £900 pounds a pop I think that they will remain safely on my wish list.

Photographs from www.vogue.co.uk, www.riverisland.com, youngbritishdesigners.com and www.barneys.com

Going Lulu

Anna Della Russo, editor of Japanese Vogue, once said 'Don't go too far back with vintage. Find your look in contemporary brands.' To me, a person more used to belting an 80s power blouse than buying boutique, I decided to take this advice to heart. And so where a better place to look than the S/S 11 Fashion East Catwalk, the 'official' home of the next big thing. But what has Lulu Kennedy turned out this year for the beady eyes of Fashion Week?

Heikki Salonen

A lesson in how to wear structured, tailored pieces, but somehow still do grunge. Geeky sandals, oversized T-shirts, then fantastically crafted jackets, this layering at it's most effective. The young designer told Topshop of his collection 'Less story telling, it was more about the mood, really defining what we want to say with our work. It's wearable, and loveable.'

Felicity Brown
When you hear the name 'Felicity', you imagine floaty fabric, silk, and summers days. Which was exactly what this collection was. The most extreme of the three designers, in my opinion, with a look that seems like couture sized down for the 'ordinary people'. This is escapism with clothes, but sans the long floaty dresses and 10 grand price tag. My favourite outfit of the collection was ironically, the least stylised, and the most wearable. I loved the frayed silk edging on the blue top and pink skirt, worn with nude shoes continuing the silk theme, and dark rounded sunglasses. This simplicity is how to show clothes off to their full extent.

Simone Rocha

She told Topshop, that her collection was 'inspired a trip to my grandad's graveyard in Hong Kong, and a traditional Irish morning. White and cream would bring it alive, and I could really play with the textures.' And I certainly think that this paid off. It is a great collection which I can definately see catching on. There are directional, shirts and jackets, with an office feel, but then worn with floaty sleeves and translucent layering, all in pale, pretty hues. I shall be copying the shirts and floaty skirts over body con, and I can imagine that half of East London will be too.

All That Jazz

At a time when jumpsuits and playsuits are once more back in fashion, isn't it time to get back to our roots and remember where they all came from?

Right now, I would have to scream out 'Yes!', then triumphantly lindy hop round the block a few times, just to show off the swishing lines of my beautiful new find. 'Beautiful new find' being a fantastic pair of hight waisted, wide legged trousers, in a 'silk like' (polyester...I know...) feeling material, which just move so elegantly that I can only wonder why all trousers are not like this. Yesterday I was deliriously happy with the paper bag, slim line, skinny fit trousers, jeans, and wonderfully short-legged formally cut suit pants that are back on our models. But today, I have had a revelation. What happened to 'proper trousers'? Don't get me wrong, I seem to never wear anything that isn't slim fit, and even now can't stand anything that isn't hight waisted, but where are all the wide legs, and tailored creases?

And so I was very happy to find Christian Dior's S/S11, full of this beautiful cut, shown of to their best with billowing blouses and very stylised sailor hats and red lippy.

These 50s/70s look inspired me to do my own search for the vintage look these were based on. After scouring the internet, and finding a fabulous vintage clothes shop based in London, Merchant Archive, these three were my pick.

1930s silk jumpsuit, Merchant Archive London

50s style 1970s sailor jumpsuit, Merchant Archive London 1970s silver jumpsuit, Merchant Archive London

Photographs from www.vogue.co.uk and http://www.merchantarchive.com/

In for the Old, Out for the New

As a vintage enthusiast, I was very happy on finding Vagabond NYC, an online vintage boutique specialising in avant garde and luxury from the 60s and 80s.

On my first browse of the site, I set my eyes upon this very cool jacket, an 80s Kansai Yamamoto Canary Sports Jacket. The trend for vintage sports jackets is back at the moment, and I think this number would look particularly good with a pair of bright cycling shorts, and some bright 80s courts, with a flash of gold for good luck.

And next I thank Gianni Versace for this stand out printed jacket. The beautiful curved collar adds to the great shape, and manages to make a youthful statement jacket look sophisticated.The glasses pictured are a great feature, yet don't detract from the look of the jacket. Lycra leggings would finish this off, with some wedges just to bring it up to date. But do take note, this jacket closesly resembles a tracksuit top. Loose the neckline and the pattern, and thats not couture, that's just chav.

Photographs from of www.vagabondnyc.blogspot.com

Cover Story

So winter is drawing near, and it is once more time for the annual coat search. As the weather gets rapidly colder, the sudden fear of 'practical shopping' dawns on me. I love whimsical shopping (too much), but it seems that whenever I actually need something, I will never find it. And so my apprehension to go on the hunt begins. After searching around my humble highstreet in a fruitless hunt for the famous camel cape, I have hit a fashion wall. Yet I will continue, and when I have found it, my only problem will be the shoulder bag/cape collision of impracticality. But then who said fashion is practical?

So now onto how to wear it. I can't say that my signiture look is minimalism, yet the cape calls out for clean lines and simplicity. And so to Phillip Lim I look. His A/W10 catwalk was a masterclass in how to wear a great coat, and in fact, a display of every kind of cape possible (even a shirt-cape combo).

This has to be my favourite coat of the collection. It's clean lines, short cut and striking black colour make this piece stand out. The minimalism is sustained with the unusual neckline and three straps, making it almost straight jacket-esque, adding that avant garde touch that makes designers different. The high waisted camel shorts and clean white shirt bring this look together. The mirroring of the buckles on the boots to the buckles on the coat shows you that you never need to accessorise again.

Being brutally honest, I don't wear black. I mean, the occasional belted coat with tights, but that's as far as I go. Criminally, I have always thought of it as being too dull for a full outfit. But now I realise just how wrong I am. This coat is at once simple and complicated, both short and long. The buckles add the interest instead of a fold-back neckline that it seems all coats have now. But clearly it's time to move away from the 1940s military coat. The wing detailing adds volume, and makes a simple coat become something oh-so-much more than that.

Ok, so technically the next two don't count in my coat search, because they aren't capes, but they were too good to ignore. This coat verges on 'cape' with its wide shape (no belt-duly noted), and contrasting edging, yet is far more practical. The buckles on the wrist tie in simple detailing (key to minimalism) yet this coat still has the ability to be worn with layers. The dress has a vintage feel, and I love the fringed shoes, which bring an outfit seeming almost relaxed, to a high maintenance status.

This look is my final choice of the collection. Tackling double denim, fur, flying jackets and boyfriend coats all in one, it has to be hailed as a fashion win. I love the denim jacket, and it works perfectly with the shorts by just showing a small gap of bare flesh inbetween. The sheer tights make this look edgy, and the oversized coat worn as a cape has a relaxed feel which brings this together.

Coat dilemma averted? Thank Lim for that.

Photographs from www.vogue.co.uk

Hot off the Press

If there was one word to describe the YSL SS Ready-To-Wear collection at Paris Fashion Week, it would be sleek. Yet underneath the clean lines, block colours and billowing blouses, the thing that stood out for me was the hair and make up.

Each model's make up was very much concentrated on the dark red lipstick, and the hair was in the style of the swing era, reminiscent of styles from the 20s, and 30s.

And a knee length straight skirt in a thick beige material, which a broad shouldered blouse?

Could this be a 40s revival in the making?

Photograph from www.vogue.co.uk

Fashion Just Suits Music

For me, fashion is at the forefront of music. A band don't just have a sound, they have an image, a 'look'. Of course, music does not depend on fashion, but I believe that some of the coolest, most fashionable icons around at the minute are in the music industry. While the fashion men do luxe, labels, and blemishless imagery, the indie boys do hip new things. For a female fashion icon, I look to Alexa Chung. For me, she hits fashion on the head. Yet for male fashion, I look beyong the pages of Vogue, to my iPod. But let's forget 50s baseball jackets, straight leg jeans and old Rock n Roll T-shirts for now. The real question is, who can pull off a suit?

First of all, there's Mark Ronson. Possibly one of the coolest, most fashionable men to walk our streets. Always hitting the right end of retro, and a man who knows exactly how to wear a suit. Think red's too bright? Think again. Thin black tie (always thin dontcha know?), sleek angular hankerchief, clean white, retro red. Exactly.

Next in come indie's hottest new band, The Drums. Ok, so we know that they can do surfer chick, and so easily look like Brooklyn's coolest crowd, but how do they tackle the suit? I think the highlight of this shot, is singer Jonathan Pierce's look. Choosing a piercing blue to contrast with the clean white of the shirt. I particularly love the trousers. The high waist and short leg are not only very of the moment, but my personal favourite trouser cut. Traditional white socks and brogues? Modern vintage right?

So now let's forget the colour and the clashing ties. Hurts get crisp, up to date formality bang on. Doing the 'no tie' look without coming off all Ralph Lauren, these guys can do old fashioned clothes and still look ultra modern. In an interview with The Times Style Magazine, singer Theo Hutchcraft said 'It's glamour in the old sense of make-believe and escape', and admitted to choosing Marks and Spencer over Topman. Well, amen to that boys.