London Fashion Week S/S 2013

London calling. It's been a marvellous Summer for Blighty's glorious capital, Olympics and all. However, this week, in London, it was time to focus on next Summer, more specifically what you will be wearing next Summer-London fashion week. The second city to host  fashion week, London has a legacy in exciting, vibrant designs with creativity to boot. So, readers, I give you my top 5 LFW S/S 2013 collections.....

Matthew Williamson

 Emerald, sky blue, vivid orange, fuchsia, dusky pink-an explosion of colour. With this collection Williamson dictates that the future is bright, well next season anyway. I quite literally struggled to pick seven outfits for the picture! The signature Williamson girl, playful, vibrant, vivacious, and worldly is still in the collection but the glamorous bohemian vibe has had a restoration, incorporating graphic, digital prints and structured blazers to the aesthetic. Embellishment has never looked so sophisticated yet fun!

Holly Fulton

 

I have followed Holly Fulton since I first saw her exquisite, art deco jewellery designs in Elle a few years ago. Now Ms Fulton has her very own stand alone show, and the girl wearing this collection certainly is looking at the world through rose-tinted spectacles. Post show Fulton said 'I went to LA for the first time earlier this year and I was really struck by the saccharine optimism that permeates the place'. Think Fulton's take on the American dream, coloured in pastels, adorned in rose prints, and, naturally, the art deco touch that Fulton is oh so good at.

Mary Kantrantzou

Expectations were high, and a clean canvas of white, breezy and loose designs has allowed Katranzou to put her stamp (quite literally) on her S/S 2013 collection. Graphic prints, trapeze dresses, a new take on the maxi, Mary Kantranzou is going global. The question isn't are you daring enough to wear a printed trouser suit. The question is are you daring to wear a printed trouser suit minus shirt? (Luckily Jason Wu has some great ones to choose from).

Temperley London

Temperley London made me want to be a tad more ladylike. 'Return to elegance' took note from the 50's. Full skirts, embroidery, pastel blue and wide brimmed hats may seem a little to frivolous, but boy is it fun. Except the label is clever. Ladylike designs get a modern update with Chiffon panelling, and sheer blouses add a touch of sexy to the dainty girl. Go on, you know you want to be a good girl.


Giles

It's time to get mythical with Giles. Pegasus goes playful on power suits. Not your kind of thing? Try a plain blouse with the printed skirt or black cigarette pants with the tailored jacked. Who thought Greek mythology could be so versatile for the office?
 Note: Very Marc Jacobs, 60's style collared top and well, um, forgotten trousers. Maybe not one for the street, but feel free to stomp to the beach Giles style.


What was your favourite collection?

London did not disappoint. Next up, Milan. I can already smell the luxury leather in the air.
So, until next time, buona giornata!


NG <3

Goodbye Summer

In a way, I'm kind of willing Summer away. I know, it should be a crime, I spend days and days planning summer, the heat, the parties, the wardrobe, and most of all moaning when we don't get the heat I anticipated. But then Autumn comes, and it's not actually that bad. Once you look past the falling temperatures, shorter days and lack of flip-flops, you see an enchanting, glorious world of shearling, mulled wine, leather boots and Halloween! I thought I'd better get my wear out of Summer's wardrobe before I say goodbye to kaftans and hello to jumpers, until I go forth into the magical land previously mentioned.

 

 
River Island skirt, New Look boots, necklace and vest top, Primark denim waistcoat.

What are you most looking forward to about Autumn?


NG <3

I got bitten by the blog bug!

A huge thanks to Lulu over at 'Hey it's Lulu' for nominating me for this award.You should definitely check out her blog, it's fab!

1) When and Why did you start blogging? I started blogging a few years ago, under a different name and on a different blog, The Natwalk. I really enjoyed it and as an aspiring writer it was a great place to practise my skills. In the end that kinda trailed off though-posts were few and far between and I wasn't that proud if it. This blog is very new, I only started it this Summer, after a holiday inspired me to go for it and pursue my passion :)


2) What do you love to blog about and why do you like it? Fashion, beauty, culture, my life. It's just a general mismatch! I love having the chance to write about what I want and post my thoughts, opinions and pics. One thing I would like to do more of is outfit posts-watch this space.


3) How did you get your blog name? I couldn't think of anything-I just used my initials and it kind of stuck.

 4) What do you think is your best post yet? I don't have many to choose from, NG being fairly new. I  would have to say it's probably my most recent post 'New York Fashion Week S/S 2013'. I put a lot of work in editing the pictures and I think it was probably one of the better written pieces. I'm planning to do a similar post for London, Milan and Paris fashion week-will have to find a window of time during freshers week!!

5) What is your inspiration for blogging at present? This is going to say cliche but anything and everything. Pictures I see, articles and blogs I read, people I meet, places I visit, the list goes on.


6) Message for your readers- Thankyou so much to all my readers! I get so excited seeing a new follower or comment, getting feedback is one of the best things about blogging. That's another reason I love blogging so much-it connects you to people around the world from different cultures and with unique styles, I find that so interesting. People reading my blog really are my motivation so I owe a lot to you!

The six bloggers I would like to award; 

• Cafe fashionista
• Luxessed
• Ellie
• Jump into puddles
• Jessica Stallard 

NG <3 

New York Fashion Week S/S 2013

Readers, I have to admit that I'm not 'on trend'. I don't worship at the alter of 'trends'. I do, however, like a good fashion week. Last week saw New York's biannual turn to host fashion week at Bryant park, and for the designers showing to display their Spring/Summer 2013 collections. I am currently dusting off my wool coat for winter, let alone thinking about summertime, but then again, these collections are probably the holiday-beckoning light at the end of the tunnel when facing a harsh, cold winter! So, I give you my personal top five collections shown in the big apple. As previously mentioned I won't be dressing top-to-toe in the 'trends' shown, and yes, that does mean that I won't be forgetting my trousers like the Marc Jacobs girls (see below). Rather, I shall be embracing these pieces (the high street takes) in my own way. In other words, don't adapt your style to the trend, but adapt the trend to your style. So ladies and gentleman without further ado, in no particular order, I give you my NYFW top five....

3.1 Phillip Lim

Lets talk about grunge. Lets talk about grunge and 3.1 Philip Lim. A polished take. Elle UK described the show as an "exercise in shopping", and it's hard to disagree. Wearable, everyday fashion, none of this frivolous puffy gowns-clothes that can be worn even if you're not an Oscar nominee. Fashion for the people. Devil may care attitude necessary, of course. And who doesn't love raspberry pink dungarees?

Herve Leger by Max Azira

 The Herve Leger girl is glamorous, fabulous and, to use the term, hawt stuff. The master of the bandage dress, Mr Azria mixed it up with southern prints, adding a little something extra to his speciality. Just as sexy and empowering as you'd imagine and hello booties! The cream and black ones will do very nicely.

Jason Wu

Alongside Victoria Beckham's collection, Jason Wu packs a punch for the office. Working 9 to 5 never looked so chic, with tailored blazers, leather, chiffon, bright pops of pink, braces-it's all in the details. There's no excuse for turning down the post-work cocktail now. Sexy, bold, confident-now that's what I call power dressing.

 Tommy Hilfiger

All aboard at Tommy Hilfiger! The models could quite easily have stepped from the yacht to the runway. Red, white and blue, some luscious arm candy, effortless cool, it's time to get preppy. So don a cable knit jumper, throw on some cork wedges and get a plane ticket to Cannes to get in the full spirit of Tommy Hilfiger darlings.

 Marc Jacobs

Oh, Marc. You genius. If the nautical stripes at Tommy Hilfiger got you excited, I present to you Marc Jacobs. Streamlining 60's aesthetic with a little attitude and extra cool, now I'm just a little bit more excited for his Paris show Louis Vuitton. Beauty note: graphic eyeliner + side swept fringe = a look that wouldn't look out of place on a Fellini heroine.

London fashion week, show me what you got.

NG <3

Wise words

"There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written"

-Oscar Wilde

NG <3

The perfect match

When it comes to make-up, foundation is always a tricky subject. So many women strive for the 'perfect' complexion, whatever the hell that is. I'll level with you now, I am not looking for the 'perfect' complexion because there is no such thing, instead I'm searching for improvement. Everyone has their own skin type and make-up should enhance your features, not change them to match an 'ideal'. However, most foundations I have tried don't seem to 'enhance' my complexion very well. The last foundation I used 'Bourjois healthy mix serum', was ok. It gave me good coverage but after a while, hello Mr shine! 'Benefit playsticks' also used to be a favourite but when my skin was a little dried out in winter it wasn't the best (I should probably mention I have quite oily skin, which can be prone to dryness in cold weather). This time I consulted the Internet and found, from great reviews, 'Rimmel match perfection cream gel' foundation.

I was a little apprehensive-I've not tried a gel foundation before, and was concerned that it wouldn't hide shine, look obvious and not last all day. I was pleasantly surprised when I applied-it gave my skin a creamy, matte texture without looking to cakey. It even passed the 'changing room test'-I felt happy with my skin under the drab, unflattering lights. With a little help from 'Rimmel match perfect primer', it stayed on for hours, I didn't even have to powder my nose once for any shine. It is one of the best foundations I have used. The best part? The price-£6.99.

 

The verdict? Worth every penny, this excels foundations that are much more expensive. I can't compare it to BB creams though-I'm yet to dip my toe in the water, so to speak. Who knows, maybe that will be my next beauty adventure!

Have a great weekend.

NG <3

Animal house

It would be nice to say that all my energy is currently concerned with preparing to exclaim "Toga, Toga, Toga!" (Animal House style), but sadly for the inner John Belushi in me, I can't say that's true. Well, not entirely true! As you can see below, a great deal of my time at the moment is devoted to my pre-arrival reading list for university, and this is about a third of the books I have to read. Boo!

Goodbye social life, hello Shakespeare!

  So that is my, albeit crappy, explanation for the few and far posts between this week. Don't get me wrong though, I'm so excited to be a fresher and live in a vibrant, cultural city with an amazing nightlife and atmosphere, all the while studying my fave, English! All I have to do is get through the Old English textbooks first, yay.

Last word, and don't worry I won't bore you with Old English, I just wanted to share these dazzling earrings from H&M with you. They do such great, affordable jewellery pieces that make stunning statement pieces to perk up an everyday outfit or simple LBD. I just love the clashing colours and, of course, they're sparkly girls!

Almost the weekend, keep going!



NG <3

Keira

Simply stunning.


NG <3

Love bites

Dear readers, I do like a rouge lip. Nothing says ooh la la (except for Louboutins, of course) than a deep red lip that Gwen Stefani would be proud of. In this consumer world, walking into your local boots you are instantly presented with a range of brands from high-end Dolce and Gabbana, YSL, to what I call 'mid-priced', Maybelline, L'Oreal, through to those 'spending the £2 on my boots advantage card' moments at Collection 2000. If that wasn't hard enough lipsticks come in black, orange, blue and every shade between, oh and don't forget the texture! Matte, glossy, subtle shine? So you see my problem. I don't want to spend too much on a shade that I'm not sure will suit me or smudge, or I'll have to reapply a lot.

Georgia Jagger fronts the campaign

I was intrigued to try Rimmel's 1000's  kisses lip stain. I chose shade 'Carry on Cherry' a rich red hue with a pink hint. The texture is matte, but the balm adds a hint of shine and gloss can always be added for that extra va va voom. Versatility does not end here as the colour can be applied lightly for a subtle effect or built up to a rich, deep red. It doesn't have the best staying power though-I had to reapply it fairly often but the red hue, even when faded was still visible. Overall though, it's great especially if you want a product that is versatile-perfect for students ;).

 

Carry on cherry

NG <3