TREND EDIT: Spring 2016

You don’t have to work where I do to be up to date on upcoming fashion trends, and even though post-Christmas our thick winter coats are only just emerging, shops are now in a Spring 2016 soft launch, with the on-sale sequin playsuits and bodycons put on the “last chance to buy” rail.

Trend forecasting has always been one of my favourite interests as an aspiring buyer; that camel ribbed turtle neck you think is an impulse buy, has actually been put there after a series of premeditated decisions up to three or four years prior to your purchase. The colour could’ve been influenced by the economy, the material by climate, the length by sheer natural cycle. But for this post, instead of looking too far in to the future’s trends, I’m going to highlight my favourites of Spring 2016, the fashion house trail blazers and the high street implementers that bring those trends to our wardrobes.

WHITE OUT

Think Olivia Pope and well... Kim K, with the clean colour palette that’s followed on from the summer. 

(Calvin Klein SS16//Whistles SS16)

NAUTICAL

Every 2 years or so, stripes in red blue and white come back on to the rails, but this year I am really enjoying the Ralph Lauren-esque vibes.

(Max Mara SS16//Karen Millen SS16)

ATHLEISURE

I remember 2013. Sportsluxe came around yet again and as with every other time I was so disinterested, but everything I have seen this year has been absolutely amazing. Stripes, mesh inserts and unstructured silhouettes.

(Alexander Wang SS16//Jaeger SS16)

VINTAGE REDUX

This is one of my favourites purely for couture theatre’s sake, and not so much for functionality, but everything is embellished, pussy bows and Lamé. It’s so OTT, you just know Topshop is going to slay it.

(Gucci SS16//Miss Selfridge SS16)

SLIPS

The full length version of a silk nightie-come-dress is categorically not for a woman with boobs or bum, but there is an abundance of cami tops so everyone can enjoy this sultry trend.

(Celine SS16//Topshop SS16)

Happy December: 5 new things and an afterthought

Pinch punch, third of the month (it could be a thing).

I bought a couple of cool things this week, and even more pleasingly have had some lovely things bought for Christmas.

HP

I am unconditionally bound to Harry Potter and evidently don’t care who knows it.  My friend bought me these amazing note cards, so that when I send people letters or thank you notes or birthday cards, I can entirely cement into your heads the fact I am a 24 year old Bellatrix wannabe. You know, in case there were any doubts.

NOBEL

My mother and I brought some of this tea home, the last time that we went to Cyprus. I have a large but well managed obsession with tea, and if I see chai tea in a shop I tend to buy it. No two chai tea brands are ever the same, as chai is a blend of different spices. Each manufacturer makes it to their own taste. Although this isn’t called Chai, it is the same type of flavour and my all time favourite tea. Soz, but you can only buy it on an obscure Cypriot website.

MAC

Speaking of obsessions, lipstick and I have a consistently OTT relationship. Mainly dark berries and burgundies, but why even lie? Any colour. A wonderful friend of mine bought me an early Christmas present: Dark Side Amplified. It is a dark chocolate brown lipstick, which she added a lip pencil (Nightmoth) to. The lip pencil is considerably darker than the lipstick, and if you blend the two together at the edges, your lips will look INSANE. I might not have to get those lip fillers after all, cheers Georgia.

VOGUE

In addition to the make-up and the note cards, this annoyingly good friend of mine bought me one of these bad boys. I’ve always loved colouring in. Actually, no. When I was at the age when I should have loved colouring in, I was horrific at it. I tend to get bored quite easily and as soon as I’d screw up and colour outside of the lines I was all “Yeah great what else is new”. But ever since colouring for adults has found itself back in style, it has also found itself miraculously into my house. In all seriousness, it helps with anxiety and depression, as well as it being fucking cool. This specific Vogue book has dated annotations of each cover girl you’re colouring in.

BAUBLES

Finally, I thought I’d end it on a festive note. While in London last week I had to stop at Harrods, because the Christmas season needs THREE things to begin for me. I’ve gone to the German market, I watched Love, Actually and so... Harrods was the only thing left. I’m not living with my mother anymore so even though I’ll be there over Christmas, I have my own home to decorate now. Being a VM means I have seen a lot of Christmas Shops, decorated a lot of trees in a lot of expensive baubles. No amount of experience will ever prepare you for Harrods Christmas World 2015. I bought a couple of baubles to adorn my sad bare tree with tomorrow, when the incessant decorating begins.

AFTERTHOUGHT

If you find yourself bored and too broke for Netflix, AmazonPrime has an AMAZING one time miniseries out about one of my favourite things: ballet. Flesh & Bone is addictive and kind of verges on sickening. This show touches on every theme ever. Sex, dancing, opera, incest, love and caviar. I urge you to watch it, you will be buying me colouring books and lipstick in no time.

x

Rainy Days on Instagram: 6 Fashion accounts to follow

Happy November! It is scarf, hat and runny nose weather, FINALLY. Winter is my absolute favourite time of year. On the occasion where I spend a rainy night at home with a cup of something deeply and dangerously caffeinated, one of my favourite new world vices is scouring through Instagram.  I’ve put a list of 6 accounts together for you to look through; there’s a mix of high end and high street international businesses, as well as good old inspiration accounts. Enjoy!

Third_form

A new start up, Third Form was founded by Merryn Kelly in 2014, who previously worked with Australian brands Zimmerman, Lee jeans and Shakuhachi. Third Form clothing is minimal with a distinct urban influence and pointedly high end. Running through the pictures will find you spending insane portions of your income on svelte monochrome dresses and unstructured midi skirts.

Runway96

Arguably, this account/brand is the most “on trend” of the group I have featured. Founded in England, they have curated a collection of designers and fashion houses just for their clientele to be inspired by. From big names Calvin Klein and Bjorn Borg to British born Finders Keepers and Lavish Alice, Runway96 have a wonderfully balanced combination between well established and fresh blooded brands for you to choose from, at fair prices.

DruzyDreams

This company is so cool. Also established in 2014, DruzyDreams specialise in bohemian alternative jewellery, beautiful stones and silver. Based in the UK but shipping worldwide, they are still grounded enough to be massively interested in their customer. Their Hunter’s Moon collection for this season is insanely beautiful. They name each and every piece of jewellery and you feel like a hippy witch wearing one. I have a rainbow moonstone ring on my wish list, check them out.

PhoLondon

Ahhhhh I am so excited about Pho London existing. This brand’s pieces are timeless, minimalistic, simple yet so freaking necessary in your life. As with Runway96, Pho London is a collection of handpicked, corn fed, organic and beautiful few brands, moulded together to sell a Cos and Whistle-like lifestyle to you. Brands such as Blake LDN, Charlie May, and Marina contribute artfully basic wardrobe pieces, while there are brands like Katie Leamon and Matthew N Butler for art and accessories. Pho London’s instagram feed is to blame for my poorness.

As an aside, I thought I’d reserve my final mention for two other favourites. I’ve always had an illogical penchant for bridal wear, couture, and massively elaborate eveningwear I wouldn’t be able to afford even if I sold all of you for parts. Amazing household name Steven Khalil’s account just makes me want to marry and divorce a couple of hundred times, just so I can wear his pieces. Lastly, LovingHauteCouture is pretty self explanatory. That instagram feed is the most inspirational mood board of stunning, embellished evening dresses, wedding dresses, runway dresses... dresses and more dresses. All of that, topped with a few curiously pristine bouquets of roses thrown in for good measure.

Enjoy your rainy nights in, enjoy your wasted time and if my suggestions are successful, enjoy your early onset poverty!

Emily x 

Links:

www.thirdform.au 

www.runway96.com

www.druzydreams.com

www.pholondon.com

www.stevenkhalil.com

Beauty Review: Korres Wild Rose Moisturiser

I am always keen to try new products, but speaking as someone with problematic skin (the list of skin flaws is endless) it is admittedly so difficult to do. Do you buy cheap, and if the product is a flop then you can still sleep easy at night because it cost £5? Or do you delve into your pocket and invest in a top shelf cream with a good reputation and assume it’s expensive for a reason? Problem with both avenues is, it only takes a single lather of cream and one face covered in red hot lumps to realise your money has been misspent.

Because I have combination skin I never know what to do. Using Simple is good for the part of my skin that’s sensitive, because there won’t be any flare ups. BUT, the rest of my skin feels starved, like I’m being given half an ice cube after months of dehydration. I’ve been searching for cream that is sensitive, natural AND that manages to be rich and deep conditioning all at once.

So. Korres. I’d actually never even heard of this brand before I caught it on the Asos gifting section while I was buying my particularly beauty savvy friend a birthday present. I had to check they were a cruelty free company, as she’d just achieved a cruelty make up cull and emptied her drawers of anything unethical – something I am dying to gradually do myself. To my pleasant surprise, Korres as of a year or so ago, are cruelty free.

Brill. So after buying my friend’s bits, I gambled and bought the Wild Rose moisturiser (for oily/dry skin) for £20 on Asos. A nice in the middle price for a luxury face cream, and I will continue to throw money at this company. My dry patches and blemishes cleared up in a WEEK. My face smells like a garden. I can tell I am using something simply good for the skin.

I went on my standard wiki rampage to dig up dirt on Korres and found they were a Greek company, founded by husband and wife Lena and George Korres. (I swear I didn’t know they were Greek before I bought it)

My favourite part of this brand is how obsessed the founders seem to be with good all natural products. They truly believe in homeopathy and that heritage is evident in their apothecary-like pharmacy full of herbal remedies, plants and ingredients. From primrose to aloe to yoghurt, their archive of little vials and bottles is full to the brim with natural alternative solutions to skin problems.

They have such a home grown comfort to their brand, as they state on their website that George Korres’ grandfather unknowingly created the first ever recipe for the company; a warming aniseed and honey syrup. They support farmers, they use 100% eco friendly planting and extracting systems, and they’re constantly researching new herbs and plants that can help them help my god damn skin.

I looked up the ingredients of the cream I bought (find them here) and saw that 96.8% of the cream was completely natural. If you guys identify with any of my skin problems, I seriously advise you peruse on www.korres.com. They are wonderfully helpful in that their website is FULL of information and omit no shady facts to get you buying. 

So go, buy. If for no other reason, my country is in need of some non-tourist related money.