Wednesday 26 January 2011

Midnight Rainbows

London comes to life at night, where the shadows and streets prey on the clubbing kids. I sound like I've been reading a feast of Neil Gaiman, but there's something darkly magical about the transformation of a business city by day to the eccentric colour of the nightclub. And it's a time I love to revel in rainbows and wear embellishments to electrify the dark sky. And for the perfect 'work to dancefloor' styling soundtrack, John Varvatos U.S.A is a designer that captures day and night perfectly in one thread and swagger. The clothes are suited and polished from afar, but up close have a fuzzy and distressed texture that could be Russell Brand going to an interview. I've included an outfit example of mine below that mirrors this slick grunge number for the punk dancefloor with my flatmate Constance. An All Saints jumper with bulletholes for the thumbs and a potato sack texture was just the gunshot for my attention.






Friday 21 January 2011

Safari In The City

Milan has yet again been the wonderful jungle for menswear tease and tailoring. It's always so refreshing to see collections that aren't a diluted form of expression compared to ambitious womenswear. Take Cavalli, where flare and swing of the 70's is caramalised into a modern sort of sweetness. The colours of the suede suits are creamy, dusty, and sunburnt amber and rust, like antiques that have a velvet history and texture about them. Leopard print was the female trend to trek into fashion, and cavalli's male interpretation is trousers with a safari spark to them, with aboriginal graphics creating intense aesthetic. The jackets look like birds of prey that are melting into an illusion, such is the soft quality of them. The knits are just as impressive and unique, taking the drape and funnel neck to new heights, or should I say lows. They practically poncho from the neck like a thick knit waterfall, looking like an all-body scarf that cacoons. What also striked me about Cavalli's safari park was the impressive attention to accessories. The jewellery and cravats are a collection of earthly treasures, capturing bohemian slick spirit. Without doubt a highlight from Milan in my eyes.

Away from topic, I've also included a picture of me varying up my beloved parka jacket again. This time it's the turn of layers, with the hope of looking like a bohemian grunge traveller and explorer.












Monday 17 January 2011

Who Gives A Wang

Last year I plucked the petals and courage to populate my wardrobe with a subtle flare of florals. Designer Frankie Morello exploded the print in electric shock manner and 80's attitude into full body suits, shooting colour all across the male framework. It was a bold and playful idea, but like a rose, it was beautiful and a little sharp to the touch and tastes for everyday. So my attention has turned to Alexander Wang, whose t-shirts practically melt to the eye with the minimalist draping. I love the urban attitude that comes from the spring simplicity, and it's been one of the materials I've recently been dipping into. Prada also encourage construction-free tops in their collections that's just as impressive. And take the t-shirt I'm wearing below, where the flower pattern mists almost invisibly like the design is being seen underwater. I like to think it's another floral introduction and stemmed twist to the ever blossoming male wardrobe.







Thursday 13 January 2011

Rebel Without A Cause

With a thin frame and fragile mind at times, I'm hardly the mannequin to host a punk fashion riot. But I've always loved the way clothes can create a festival of different style genres, and it can sometimes be fun to sneak into a different 'concert' to style up a different sound for a second. Recently for example, I stumbled upon Zac Efron's Wonderland shoot where he channelled the organic care-free attitude and swagger of James Dean. I love the way the titan like leather is tamed into first gear with simplistic poses and emotions. So with this in mind, and with a vintage jacket lying about back home, I enjoyably drowned and in a sticky and heavy biker jacket. Let me know if any of you have ever dipped into a treasure chest of fashionable fancy dress too!






Monday 10 January 2011

We Are Nowhere, And It's Now

Something I've been desperate to parachute into my wardrobe for months is a crinkled canvas parka that becomes an inviting no-mans-land of layers to get lost in. I love how a rough and tumbled jacket can tame but equally enhance a jumper underneath that electrifies embellishments on the shoulder. I'm always one to sport a sequin, but it makes it even more refreshing to execute such a spark in a masculine manner, and I feel a parka jacket is just the ticket. Teamed with a beanie, military jeans and boots, it was the perfect daywear for a day in the city. I've included a few runway examples of this parka print that's ignited my inspiration, from Bottega Veneta to Wood Wood. And I also need to leave a huge thanks to Kyle from lookbook for editing my image below; his own personal style can be found at http://lookbook.nu/kylejammeson







Tuesday 4 January 2011

Give My Dreams To The Gypsies

Mist marked the weather just before I left for London. There was an eery net that smoked the air and disguised the trees, and it immediately enchanted my mind with landscape destined for creepy gypsy fairytales. I played dress up quite a lot in my week at home, adding colour and quirk to silent times in the countryside; but I felt totally at home in the bohemian clothing tones. Take this gold leaf blazer I'm wearing, that looks like a fusion of Galliano and McQueen's twisted regal ideas. The pattern up close looks like victorian wallpaper, and there's a subtle glisten and silver spark to it when the light manages to pierce through the mist and catch it. Coupled with an aladdin ruby hat, I'm bringing this colourful but suited gypsy style back to the city. And a designer that has injected a similar feeling into suits for Spring is Tom Ford. I love how the blazers adopt retro colours and patterns, taking geek chic to an evolved level of lux.







Saturday 1 January 2011

Love Letters Lost In The Mist

Happy new year to start off with fashionable folk. This is the day of new year resolutions, but rather than swearing on make-believe oath to stick to utopian ideals, my traditional quest is to evolve and dare with what I wear. I think my most recycled and layered addiction last year was military and distressed vibes; and not being one to just dispose of a trend or taste, I've looked to ways of matching these prints with the white snow and the romance of the Spring in sight. And a designer like Julius is just the wonderfully faded ticket to achieve this look. The brand revel and mist in a mixture of light and dark. Crumbling white fabric floats around the neck in a life of its own, a vast number of pockets chunk out of shorts to give extra dimensions, with delicately placed tears and rips in trousers that look like animalistic scars. The clothes and concept remind me of a sci-fi romance, and I find the use of white within this dark gothic collection so inspired. So with this in mind, I've adopted a long and soft trench cardigan, white All Saints tops, and refreshing colour clashes with retro black holdalls. To see more of Julius, head to http://julius-garden.jp/