The September Issue, Long Overdue Preview But Worth The Wait !!

Having just come home from watching the September issue, It has given me the confirmation that only a documentary of this kind could possible give, Anna Wintour is single handedly the biggest brand in the fashion industry. Full stop. She is more than the editor in chief of possibly the greatest fashion publication to grace news stands worldwide. She has created a "Bible of fashion", which in all honesty makes her Christ and believe me the power she holds in the industry is a centiment to that. Labelled "The most powerful woman in the United states" this is shown in the faces of all the people who are lucky enough to be in her presence. She holds the ability to bring even the most established designers, models and photographers to they're knees with just the purse of her rose coloured lips. But I must draw attention to whom I thought was the real star of this documentary, someone who's career I have admired for years as a religious Vogue reader, the uber-stylist slash extradonaire slash Creative Director, Grace Coddington. Her ability to be the only one to take a formidable stand against the fabulous Miss.Wintour is an achievement within itself, yet her talent shines throughout this film as the "very last stylist who still dresses the models", for this she calles herself old-fashioned, I just call her absolutely fabulous. She generates the kind of electricity everyone around her can feed off of, and her eye for styling is one which cannot be matched. Grace is truly one of a kind, and the only one who can be described first and fore-most by the editor-in-chief as "genius". Just one word, but a hundred ways to which she fits this description and all is shown in this fly on the wall insight into what really happens in the fashion industry and how these two women truly understand what needs to be done, to get things done. So I urge all asos lovers to watch this film and all non-asos lovers to watch this film, as even if you dont love the genius that is the fashion industry, you will learn to appreciate it. And one more tip: be aware of the force that is Anna Wintour, as to create such a fashion empire, one could only be a woman of absolute self assurance and british, of course!

A boudoir or parlour, just what the doctor ordered..

Im itching with excitement at what i've just found ...

As a single girl in the City (LARRNDAAHN CITY that is) I find myself beyond ecstatic when I discover a site online that removes the hustle and bustle that is shopping, in the city! The most stressful, hectic and undignified form of shopping that I find most uncomfortable would be that, of finding lingerie. This has become such a problem for me, as finding our intimates has for the past 10 years, become a much less intimate find. We've lost something, the secret and mystery that used to be lingerie. The wonder that used to be beneath our clothes whenever we got an adoring glance from any man or even woman for that matter. The elegance and pureness that any woman would lose in even the most simple of lingerie. The sex. Provocatice and seductive, the power we hold as women is epitomised in the secrets we would find in boudoirs and lingerie parlours. Not any more. Almost every highstreet store sells us underwear, I mean it can even be found in primark which to me loses the purpose we had in the first place, before we have even begun.

Saving me from losing the personal touch that was once found in the lingerie parlours that we as women had in the 60's, 70's and even the 80's (fair dues I wasnt born 'til the 90's but a girl can imagine the beauty) I have been on an endless search and I came up twice as lucky.

Firstly I give you http://www.louloulovesyou.com/, The amazing underwear which is found on this website is a throwback to the times when underwear meant something to us women, and even more to our men. And lastly but definetly not least vintage inspired handmade silk lingerie by Hopeless found on http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6150302. Do your best ladies to not buy everything you see, as the temptation is alot, I assure you. But do support websites like these which are giving us something to look forward to again, a personal touch that we keep to ourselves without the fear of it being tainted by others. Let them keep the secret for you... its called seduction Ladies and its the new sexy... I promise you!

25 Years of London fashion week has caused the stir of the decade, and too bluddy right aswell. As a born and bred londoner I am the london girl you see who wore high-tops with a prom dress, (circa lily allen's debut) and followed the boho trend with no fear, except that of how many gypsy skirts I could possibly own and what colours do you choose??(Answer= ALL!!). So I understand the scary obsession us londeners have with fashion and how we dont follow trends, we follow style and make it into our own. I can hunt for hours in alfies antique market or the downstairs boutique section of topshop oxford street looking at endless rails of clothes until I find that one piece that speaks volumes about me and expresses where Im from, LANNNDARRNN.
"Real Woman" modelling at the Iconic Vivienne Westwood Show...

The town that gives us the best pie mash and liquor in the world, has the best bakeries known to man and holds without a doubt vintage shops that cannot and will not be rivalled anywhere, on earth. A place that unites its people with the very fact that we all understand the need for privacy and that goes with our fashion too, we like to show off, but never give too much away. Its a club that you can join but only the true ones can ever gain platinum membership and the landmarks we carry in London speak volumes about our culture. Big ben, BECKingham palace, London bridge and even The big red bus all encorporate where we are from and who we are.

As a country who love to celebrate the greatness we hold and have introduced to the world, it was no surprise then that London fashion weeks 25th celebration was exactly that, designers paying homage to a city they know and adore. Some collections went back to classic london style,(burberry mac anyone ?), while other designers had some much needed fun in this recessionista times, which most definetly highlighted the dry sense of humour that is england.

As always we have united as a country with two fingers up to everything or anything that goes against our culture. And as celebs such as Alexa Chung, Lily Allen and The "Geldofs" take centre stage on the front row, I watch in awe with a pride that comes from knowing that they are just like me, 'cos us London girls, just dont give a toss !

Ladies, When was the last time you looked in the mirror and said "wow your beautiful!" ?

*SILENCE*. Just as I suspected!

As women we spend too much of our lives focusing on the things people wont like about us and forget about the things people will. We allow our selves to belittle others in our sex, by pin-pointing their faults to higher our self-esteem. This is wrong, and as future mothers we are setting our own kids up for the heartbreak that we once felt in our adolescence days.

DONT. Dont belittle the woman on the train across from you because her hair cut is clearly to short for the shape of her face, or ignore the man next to you who clearly finds you attractive, because your afraid he is way out of your league. Be confident in the faith that was instilled into your parents to raise you as a beautiful woman and never draw on the misfortune of others to heal your self-loathing. You should know this fate you've been given is an amazing one , as with every breath you breathe there is opportunity everywhere you look, and a new found hope that some will never get to experience or even imagine in their wildest dreams.

As women in this society we spend our days sifting through magazines, praying to see a picture of angelina with the same spot we have on our chin, or giselle with a scar on her left leg just like we have. Countless times i've heard from women "I hate how I look, if only I could...", what I ask ? If only you could what ? Wake-up everyday with a family that loves and cares for you and appreciates that maybe not today, but one day you will do great things and someone will see the beauty in THAT, not just in how you look. I mean okay maybe Im not speaking for everyone, because we may not all have this wonderful family im referring to, but we all have something or someone who we cling to for that hope, support and overall protection when we fall short and become unsure of ourselves.

So ladies I ask you, no actually I beg of you, LOVE yourself. Become infatuated with the idea that you are somebodys supermodel, and the woman in your perfect mans dreams, because I assure you that you are. But until you learn to believe it, and call things as you see them your going to spend so much time focusing on whats not to like about you, you will forget exactly what is. Maybe you wont listen to my advice and you'll carry on staring at the girl who works in starbucks wishing you had "straight teeth like hers", or the lady you see on the tube everynight who has "legs to die for". Or maybe you will just listen, because maybe you have just realised that chances are, they are just like you, and are doing exactly the same thing you are. Only tomorrow, when you say "wow look at that girl", you will be standing in front of a mirror....

80.. the fashions comeback !!

"I Got Love For You If You Were Born In The ........."

Now who remembers the 80's? No stop right there, you don't need to. Anyone who's everyone, who's someone has some understanding of whom and what defined the 80's and 2009 is the year it’s officially ALL come back. The music, the clothes, the raves, the vibe and the glamour of this decade will be taking centre stage in your 2009 so listen up (cassettes only of course) ...and take note.

The tribute to the this time has been taking place for quite some-time but only now has it finally reached its peak. Nowhere in the fabulous town of LDN can you travel (brick-lane/Camden market especially) without seeing a group/GROUPS of young one's retro-ing it up with their rope chains, funk barnets and clashing rainbow garms. This dress-code is more than a retro style its the uniform the uniform paying tribute to that era that was the 80's. Now I know what some of you are thinking, "Retro and 80's definitely wasn't the same!" well no it wasn't but it is now and the kid's are fusing the two together to create an explosion of style. Now plug that cassette in and get a-listening.

It was the thug-flavour of the day when it was rocked in the old school, usually accompanying throwback buster was a ghetto-blaster in hand. The kids back then would make noise, hustle, jam to the latest greatest one-hit wonders around (plenty of those in this day) and just do ... well exactly what we do today, act a fool. This style was a symbol of something, a tribe (called quest, if you like) who bopped to the same beat and moved to all the same vibes.

Well what’s so special about this, I hear you ask? Well isn't it clear how the 80’s are simply the only decade that never left us even after it ended, its legacy still holds true. Clearly this was helped by its influence on society, I mean even today the indie kids throw on some garms and they know they're rocking the retro, hip-hop/grime skankers plaster themselves in mod-80's armour and they're good to go rocking the streets. Even in mainstream fashion brand's like House of Holland, Marc Jacobs and even Gucci are give a thumbs up to the 80's with their latest collections.

Now the clothes are merely the aftermath the music is what’s really setting the trends. Bringing back 80's pop are all sorts of artists paying homage to an era most of them weren't even around to play they're rubix cubes in. Master Shortie the number ONE retro carrier, over-all trend setter for the youth today with his tune "Rope chain" and his ever exclusive sneeks collection in a pick-and-mix assortment, he is a true pioneer to the 80's hay-day. The 80's carrier is never afraid to mix it up, as it is with the DJ's in the moment... but of the day, "TapeDeck" they mix it-up like never before throwing in the un-expected and the highly anticipated all in one, hungry for more, feel-good vibe that was THE 80'S. Even artists such as Santi-gold and VV Brown are showing us just where it’s at (or where it’s been so we can catch up) and how we can get there.

Now we all remember Calvin Harris' "Acceptable in the 80's" which was released in the not so far back days of slogan tees printed with everything from the very song title itself to "Make love, not war". But not just the music and clothes, movies have stuck with us too. The most memorable for every woman with any sense of love in her is of course Pretty Woman showing us young-un's just what we missed the first time round and bringing some old school romance back into this sex-fuelled society. The toys, the games, the films, the books, the hangouts ... these all coming back to us.

With its popularity ever-growing you have to wonder what makes it so special. There’s only one answer. Because anybody can do it. No secret club, no certain type of music, no exclusive stores in backstreets of LDN, just people setting exclusive trends before anyone else and expressing themselves, from head to retro'd out kicks. There’s no rules, just be yourself wear the colours you like and stand with some-one wearing the colours you don't, because chances are tomorrow you will be wearing them too. This celebration of individuality should be applauded with the longest rope chain you can find, to hang from your neck like a trophy as reward is given to a style set by just two words "The 80's". Who knows where it will all end, but this is definitely where it all began.....