Tag: style

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Additional inspiration for Basics

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Last week I shared with you some inspiration from The Designer Manual and how you can treat any pattern like a block and bend it, twist it, hack it to make it your style. Today I’m back with some extra images of inspiration that would all work perfectly with the Racer Back Singlet pattern.

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1 – scoop out the underarms to create this look, paired with a black pencil skirt for an unexpected but fashionable ensemble. Image via The Sartorialist.

2 – a painterly fabric is on trend and adds a pop of colour to your look. Image via Friend in Fashion

3 – The always stylish Jessica Alba pairs a singlet with coloured skinnies and a blazer, I could’ve filled an entire inspiration magazine with cool photos of her rocking singlets.

I cannot find the correct image link for this one, if anyone knows can they let me know so I can update?

4 – a lace back can really showcase the beauty of the fabric. Image via KeC

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Purple

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The colour of royalty, passion and Prince. Purple is unexpected, subtly sexy and eye catching. Wear it for maximum impact.

From lilac, through to purple and on to aubergine there is a shade of purple to suit you. I love it’s unexpectedness. It’s not available all the time and if you go looking for it, it can be elusive. It really is a statement, a pretty lilac can shine brighter than a sea full of pinks at a wedding, a purple dress clash magnificently with the red carpet, grapes and plums steal an unexpected limelight and match beautifully with silver.

While I sometimes lament that Purple is not more readily available, I’m secretly happy that it’s just a little bit hard to find. It stops it from being ordinary.

Our Pinterest board celebrates Purple in all it’s lush glory.

1- via Fashiondetails 2 – via Zanita 3 – via nestprettyThings 4 – via BracesandLaces

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Japanese Street Style

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This designer influence is less about a single design than an entire collective feeling and aesthetic.

Japanese designers like Miyake and Rei had been making a name for themselves and Japanese style for many years.

Then we started to hear more about how the kids in Japan wore wacky outrageous clothes.

When the photos emerged it was a hyper colour mix of traditional Japanese mixed with Manga, fantasy and fashion. There were groups and sub groups and elements that identified you with this character or that music style. It was it’s very own visual language that moved and morphed with all the influences they were collecting.

The first time I was in Tokyo and got to see it for myself I was blown away. Within 50 square metres there were b’boys practising their dancing, a group of what appeared to be gothic clowns, some mow hawked punks with a strong American Indian aesthetic, Lolita’s, skaters, BMXers, bikies on super tricked out Motorbikes that were all chrome and bling. Then above it all there was a band performing that we’re doing some serious channeling of early Mick Jagger.

It was overwhelming but also so great to see so many people taking fashion and interpreting it in different ways. I’m sure some of them went home and wiped off the make up and put on a suit and went to work Monday to Friday. But the fact that they had this ultra creative release had this almost transformative power.

Each time I have been to Japan the scene has changed and each time it seems as if the Japanese can create looks which translate across so many levels of fashion and that eventually trickle across to influence the entire globe. The last time I was in Tokyo was not long after the devastating Tsunami. The streetwear was more subdued, there was less of the CosPlay type elements and more stores like The Gap and Zara (it seemed like very street had a Zara). I hope that these influences are temporary and they don’t take on the homogeneous looks of The West. Hopefully in time as the country heals it will show a re emergence of their unique blend and character and once again they will show the world how to embrace genres and style.

1- via Fabsugar  2- via Styleinsight 3- via Styleinsight 4 – via YourUtopia

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Brown

brownSometimes I feel like brown gets a bad rap because of the way it sounds. Brown. Harsh start and slightly wet ending, it’s not pleasant.

The colour itself is not too bad. Tans, taupes and mid shades of brown make for some good neutrals. It’s the solid mid to dark brown where it loses it for me. It has no life, it seems to suck light into and becomes flat and lifeless.

Or so I thought. I was proved wrong when it comes to wool. Wool excels in brown. The textures shine and shimmer and bring life to brown. Traditional tweeds with their flecks of golden yellow, cream and sometimes blue nestled in against the brown make my heart sing.

Certainly a case where the choice of fabric and texture, makes the colour come to life.

For more brown take a look at Pinterest

1 – via Need Supply 2 – via Need Supply 3 – via WhatareTheyWearingNow

 

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Black

blackBlack seems to be a colour that gets co opted into many subcultures. Religious garb, goths, punks, rock n rollers, they all wear black. For some it’s tradition, for others they are clinging to the idea of when wearing black was considered anti establishment.

Black is not a colour I consider all that much. Apart from some tights and underwear until recently I never even owned any black clothes. In a rare moment I purchased a black dress (admittedly a black dress with enormous bronze metallic polka dots on it) but still it’s black. For me black was boring, it was for people who didn’t want to think about what they wore. They wanted to blend in, be like everyone else and their highest clothing ambition was to buy yet another pair of black polyester pants to wear to work.

For the most part that’s still how I view black for myself, but every so often I see a piece that challenges my notions of boring predictability and then I kind of nod and think, yep that’s doing it right.

Do you consider black to be safe and boring? or do you seek out black as a way of expressing something different?

To continue seeing black in new ways I’ve been collecting ideas on my Pinterest board.

1- via the colour inspiration 2 – via Elle.com 3 via Madewell 4 – via TheblondeSalad

 

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Green

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Green as grass, green with envy, Kelly green, Kermit green. There are a lot of ways to describe green. It can be show stopping. We all remember the green dress from Atonement, even if we haven’t seen the film.

I’d like to see green get all grown up, less of the national sports colour (Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Green Bay Packers) and more sophisticated. From Emerald to grass and all it’s varying shades I want them to become fashion forces in their own right.

They are universally flattering, look good in a silk or a cotton and have a lighter less harsh sense than Black or Navy but can still be savvy and businesslike.

How about you? are you ready for green to have it’s moment in the sun?

Katie Ermilio via Moda Operandi, Zac Posen dress via The Chic Department, Ellie Saab via Style Bistro, Green Skirt via Harpers Bazaar

As always more inspiration on our Green Pinterest Board

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Designer Influence – Westwood

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I think what gets me most about Westwood is the drama of it all. It tells a story, the narrative goes from season to season and she doesn’t stray too far from her strengths.
Take a historical slant, bend it, twist it, subvert it and present it back to the audience as something new yet profoundly familiar because it is rooted in history of clothing.
Her corsets and crinolines have always fascinated me, they seem to be engineered rather than sewn but when you see glimpses of her workrooms as in many of the documentaries made on her work, you see the incredibly technical aspects of her workers.
As a fashion student I was convinced I was going to be the next Westwood, it was only as I learnt and grew as a designer that I realised not only that I couldn’t be the next Westwood but I also didn’t want to be? She is the best and only Westwood there is, and that anything less was a pale imitation thereof. Much better to learn and find my own way than strive to be a lessor version of someone else.

Floral dress via DesignerzCentral Westwood for the Vienna Ballet via Untitled Magazine Check jacket via FIDM Museum  Header image via HelloTailor

 

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Red

redRed, a pure bold statement colour. The colour of love, the carpet of Hollywood and a rich statement of style and confidence.

I really like red, it takes on an almost fluid inky like depth when worn on it’s own but it also makes a denim outfit pop with the combination of indigo and red.

It seems harder to find when searching for fabrics. Somehow pink in all it’s shades has become easier to find than red. Is it because it’s so hard to perfect red? Too much yellow in the base and suddenly you are into an orange red territory which only those who favour Autumn tones can wear. Add some blue to the base and you get a richer more vibrant red. One that I find is more flattering as it goes with more colours.

Within the stash there is a few metres of a wonderful sandwashed silk in a perfect blue base red colour. It was given to me as a present and I’m yet to find a style special enough to cut into it. But every so often I take it out, give it a pat and put it back in the box. It will be a statement dress so I want to ensure I get the statement correct before I cut into it.

Zac Posen Dress red cyclist via PopBee Red Dress via The Sartorialist Alexa Chung in red lace from Net-a-Porter magazine

As always there is a Red board on Pinterest for you to take a look at for more inspiration

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White

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White clothes can get a bad wrap, too pristine, too hospital, too clinical. but therein can lie it’s deceptive quality. A clean slate with which to shine.

It always looks so crisp and perfect, a wonderful foil with which to play with textures and layering or to make accessories stand out.

Personally I would love to add more to my wardrobe but have a massive issue. Cat hair. I’d leave the house looking like I’d rolled in lint and I’m sure it would only get worse from there. Perhaps white is best saved for those without kitties?

1 white coat via Coffeewithnaima 2 white outfit via Stylabl 3 white dress via Stealthestyle  4 white top and shorts via The Petticoat

More white inspiration can be found on our Pinterest board.

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Designer Inspiration

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There is a wonderful Stella McCartney quote that I read years ago and has always stuck with me. In an interview Stella was asked what other designers does she wear. Her response was if I’m wearing other designers pieces it means I’m not doing my job right.

I love that. Because if as a designer you are spending all your time wanting someone else’s designs then you aren’t working hard enough.

As a sewer though, I love seeing others ideas. How they translate different fabrics and trims into garments. Not to copy them but to get ideas on going the extra mile to make garments really interesting.

For the next few weeks I’ll be sharing one designer a week who has had an influence on me. I’ll talk about why I like their style and what they taught me. As a designer I feel like it is all interconnected in the establishment of my own personal style. Many places I have worked I design to a specific brief or client so it’s not what I would wear or want but about the ability to see what the customer would want. Which is a great ability to have, to see what others want. When I flip it around though, I want to see what exactly it is that I want and how to translate that into the styles that I sew.

I hope you will enjoy the series of posts I have planned and perhaps even find something that inspires you too?

Image credit left to right: Motti – Tokyo, Marc Jacobs Photo by Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images) found via YellowPaperDress