Embellished Rucksack

I have never been a rucksack kind of girl, for the last few years I’ve been obsessed  with  big old totes to chuck all my bits and bobs in, it’s so bad even my friends notice and say that I’m walking around with everything including the kitchen sink. I’m also a big fan of clutches they are great, quite the opposite of a tote but they make the perfect evening bag and I am especially loving the folding clutches this season.

The last time I owned a back pack was some many years ago way back in school and I loved it, I remember it like yesterday I was hell bent on getting an Eastpak bag but I must say they were nothing like they are today and especially not like the collection they brought out in 2012 entitled The Designers Against Aids. This was a collection of 200 bags whereby it was part of a collaboration project that saw 130 of the edgiest artists, sculptures, street artists, musicians and fashion designers channel their personality and imagination into cool, quirky designs in the shape of the traditional Eastpak rucksack.

Last year we saw the rucksack trend become a street style epidemic, where everywhere you go you saw someone with one on whether it was for a practical everyday use or it was worn as a fashion statement. One way to make a fashion statement with a backpack is to invest in an A/W 12 piece from The Damien Hirst X The Row Collection.  The range saw the creative designs of Hirst meeting affinity of luxury bags from the Olsen Twins who are the mini moguls behind luxe brand The Row. The collection consisted of nine stylish backpacks that display precision in craftsmanship, a true hybrid of art in an Avant guard and graphic designs.

There’s a backpack for everyone and if you’re a lover of eco-friendly fashion, bags by Cylus are just what you are looking for with their ‘Pangolin’ design. The bags Cylus design are made from recyclable material in unique designs of a fashion forward style aesthetic. Cylus designs an array of styles of bags that also includes clutches and totes. 

Back packs are worth the investment because when you carry a bag over your lower arm for a long time and you it is heavy; this can end damaging your back. Rucksack’s on the other hand help to reduce the risks of this problem because the weight can get distributed evenly across your shoulders. So, there are some real great health benefits from donning a backpack and with so many stylish rucksacks around, we all should be more than willing to ditch the traditional carrier for a stylish season pick. With so many styles to choose from it can become a little overwhelming in knowing which one to choose. I’ve made life a little easier for you by listing the top designer and high street styles.

1. Pierre Hardy- Stunning designer animal print backpack made in pony hair and calf skin.

2. Topshop- This Nylon quilted rucksack is super stylish and cool at a reasonable priced high street number.

3. Barbara Gongini- An adorable designer fur bag in black is a sophisticated and elegant way to rock a backpack.

4. MCM- Embellished studded and diamante backpack in tan leather an invest piece you can use season after season.

5. Topshop- A versatile bag in a patent leather like design that you can work into your everyday wardrobe.

6. Miss Selfridge- A cool handcrafted backpack made using Indian fabrics, perfect for the boho chic kind of girl.

7. Eastpak-A monochrome striped black and white bag is a real statement piece that will go with most of your looks.

8. Isme- A printed canvas black and white printed bag with big external pocks is excellent value for money.

There you have it cool embellished backpack styles, that I just can’t get enough of this season. Which one would you choose?

The Fashion of Pantone

We've been lucky enough to get our hands on a very nice looking infographic on "The Fashion of Pantone" that shows the last 5 years seasonal colours and how they were used from some of the most well known designers around the world. It's a great way to see visually how the colours are used across the different styles of clothing on the catwalk.

To understand a bit more about Pantone; they created a colour matching system which helps manufacturers in different locations use the same colour tones. 

We hope you like the infographic as much as we do!

The Fashion of Pantone - An infographic by the team at Farfetch

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<img src="http://www.seounique.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/the-fashion-of-pantone-v2.jpg" width="540"> <p> The Fashion of Pantone - An infographic by the team at <a href="http://www.farfetch.com">Farfetch</a></p>

Custom Bags: Design Your Own Carryall

Last week we posted about our favourite bags for the new season – they might blow the budget but Fendi, McQueen, Givenchy and Maison Martin Margiela have offered up a riot of colour and texture for A/W13. And for those of us who aren’t in a position to invest in designer labels, we can still experiment with luxe styles online. Whether we’re putting them in Polyvore sets, adding them to Pinterest boards or saving them in our online shopping baskets, even the most out-of-reach bags are within digital touching distance.

But now Farfetch have brought luxury handbags even closer, with a cool new tool on their website that lets you design your own. Choose whether you’d like a satchel, backpack, clutch, or shoulder bag, and then play with different colours, textures and accessories to create a bespoke tote. You can even share your designs on facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to see what other people think of them! I’ve spent all morning playing on this and coming up with the bags that I wish really existed.

And if you’d like to take the whole idea a step further, there are a ton of sites out there that offer to make up your dream bag. All you need to do is choose the style, colour and details – but unfortunately the designs tend to be pretty basic and don’t usually reflect current trends.

One that bucks the trend is Laudi Vidni, with their clean, customisable shapes that wouldn’t look out of place at fashion week or slung over the shoulder of an It bag devotee. A minimalist website streamlines the whole process for would-be bag designers: just choose a basic silhouette (the Tempo Envelope is my favourite) and play with Laudi Vidni’s fabrics until you find the perfect combination.

Their choice of colours and textures goes far beyond what you would expect from online handbag design. Rather than concentrating on leather in a handful of colours, Laudi Vidni offers up exotic finishes like Vibrant Croc Blue and Fuchsia Printed Snake, alongside soft metallics, supple grains and studded textures. After settling on the exterior details, you can even choose which cotton lining you prefer and whether you’d like gold or silver hardware.

It looks like Laudi Vidni only ship to the US right now, otherwise I’d be seriously tempted to order my own one-of-a-kind bag from them. In the meantime I’ve been thinking over these crossbody and wristlet designs, let me know what you think!

Designer Hair Accessories

People always underestimate how much of impact having decently styled hair can do for your look. There really is no point dressing head to toe in chic designer clothes with a designer handbag poised over your lower arm that equates to the cost of a family size car, when your hair looks a mess or is limp and damaged! Having your hair ‘did’ as songstress Missy Elliot so poignantly put it in the lyrics to her ‘Work it’ song, will give you a style that is fine-tuned and crisp.

We are all guilty of running out of the house at some point or another without any make-up on with hair that is barley brushed or even air drying. I’m not talking about to the extent of how Amanda Bynes leaves the house with some of her hair do’s, but going out with hair that is not groomed can really depreciate the aesthetical value of any ensemble you might have on. Having your done even if you’re not going anywhere will always make you look and feel good.

Doing your hair does not mean that it has to be a dreaded chore. There are so many tutorials out there that you can watch to help teach you how to do the most cool Avant guard hairstyles. We all know how precious time is in the morning and having hair styles that takes minutes means there’s no excuse for completing your most best look.  There are so many ways you can style your hair from adding hair extensions and hair pieces to colouring, cuts and of course hair accessories. All of these ways will inevitably enhance your overall style aesthetic because having great hair compliments beautiful clothes and vice versa.

Spring summer hair trends became the biggest epidemic we have seen for a while with the likes of the ‘London Bun’ hairstyle that everybody just can’t get enough of. This up do is essentially done by tying the hair into a high pony then wrapping and pinning the hair into a bun, it’s a quick easy hairstyle to do that looks super chic. Pastel hair colouring has also been another hit trend for spring summer girls have gone the whole hog and dyed their hair into vivid colours of the rainbow. Pastel colours have been huge in garments and accessory design and this has translated beautifully into hair. One of my favourite hair trends of spring summer has to be the fish bone plait, it’s a hairstyle that takes slightly longer to do than your average and you would need to keep working at your skills in plaiting to master it, but it’s a lovable dynamic hair style that looks amazing with all styles of clothing. Knot’s ponys and slicked back do’s have all been rife all spring summer season, so there’s no excuse at all to walk out of the house with on an untamed mop.

The easiest way to do something innovative with your hair is to introduce hair accessories. There are so many types out there and it can become a bit an effort if you don’t know how to use or style them in your hair. Rest assured we have made it a whole lot easier because we have listed the top 5 designer pieces so that you can do your hair into multiple effortless styles so that you can always have a good hair day.

1.Valentino 

This beautiful pyramid studded hair band is the perfect way to wear a hair accessory this season; it’s the simplest kind you can go for because all you have to do is essentially plonk it on your head and you’re done. The design features pretty looking black gem stone’s which makes it easy for you to pair with clothes of similar tones from your wardrobe.  The real greatness of this hair piece is the fact that you can wear it without doing much to your hair; you can either wear your hair up or down and look just as stunning. But if you wanted to make your look more in depth wearing the piece with ringlet or waved curls would look super rad, instantly giving you a style that oozes divine off beat boho chic look.

Styling Inspo

2. Jennifer Behr

This rope hitch metallic headband is a Grecian inspired treasure. Everywhere you go you see supersized hair bands that are to be worn as a head band but none of them are as gorgeous as this one. Using a hair accessory like this gives you multiple options in the way you can style your hair. You can create up and down looks that take a matter of minutes and look super stylish and chic however way you wish to wear it.

Styling Inspo

3.Meteo

This fox fur headband is the perfect autumn winter hair accessory. It will keep your head snuggly and warm throughout winter long whilst giving you a style domina that is Avant guard and ultra-cool. To get the best out of this look, styling the hair in a high bun will be a classic look that you can wear with countless outfits. 

Styling Inspo

4.Louis Mariette

This amour silver plated laurel headband is an intricate sparkled diamanté design in a leaf like form. This is the hair accessory to go for if you don’t like to go heavy on the jewellery. It will add sparkle and glitz to any outfit and you have the versatility of wearing the piece styled in multiple ways. Hair up or down you will look special in an understated classy way. This is a piece that can last forever and is unique and beautiful enough for you to wear on special occasions such as weddings or a day at the races for a ravishingly sophisticated look.

Styling Inspo

5.Marc Jacobs

Hair bobbles are the essential hair accessory every girl needs. You can do so many styles with hair ties and these three disc charm hairbands are just the perfect way to go. Style your hair with one of these in a low pony, plait or bunches and look just ridiculously cute. One look that is super cool and stylish is high bunches into buns. This style is youthful and fun, it’s really easy to do as all you have to do is part your hair down the middle and tie each side up.

Styling Inspo

There are so many other hair accessories out there for you to choose from so that you can make your hairstyles as dynamic or as simple as you like. The best way of knowing what really suits you is to explore and play around in the mirror. Then when it’s time for you to go out and have heads turning, you will know what hair accessory suits you and which picks to go for so that you can achieve a impeccable fashion hairstyle!

There you have it a diverse range of designer hair accessories, to help you enhance your look to a style that is personal to you. Which of these pieces would you use?

Midi Rings

Midi rings are having a moment. If you haven’t spotted them yet, sitting pretty across knuckles and sliding over finger tips at fashion week, then you soon will. Thin bands and Aztec-inspired arrows dominated the micro-trend for SS13 but now there are bigger, bolder rings ready to mix up the look in a new way. I’ve chosen my top 5 to start wearing now, adding pre-fall texture to your sartorial choices.

This set from Maria Francesca Pepe (available at my-wardrobe) is on the expensive side, but definitely a worthwhile splurge. A Central Saint Martins graduate with edge, Pepe’s interned with Vivienne Westwood and won Fashion East sponsorship, so she’s definitely a name to watch - and talisman charms are set to appear on accessories everywhere this season.

Forever21 have handfuls of delicate midi rings, perfect for piling on in a mix of different metals. My favourite is the classic (but still edgy) double spike, but their pyramids and chevron angles are covetable too. Use them to toughen up boyfriend jeans and a relaxed tee now, and wear them with leather in the winter.

Topshop have got midi rings down with stacks of spikes alongside girlier styles. But they’re the only place I’ve seen (so far) to offer up midi rings in different letters - ideal for spelling out any five-letter words on your mind. If you’d rather just flash your initial, a single letter looks great mixed in with other midi rings in different textures.

Gorjana recommends wearing their ‘Stella’ ring stacked with other jewellery, but I think it has a strong simplicity that looks better alone. The gently waved lines help it stand out from other midi rings, and the gleam of the 18k gold makes it look that little more expensive (without the price tag you’d expect).

To take the look a step further, try River Island’s set of ten nail rings. Looped around fingertips, they put a gothic spin on a jewellery trend that has so far been dominated by dainty gold bands – which means they’ll be a perfect fit with fall’s dark and punk-inspired fashion trends.

Top 5 Transitional Sandals

If like us you’re a native Brit then you’ll understand the dilemma that we face when shopping for shoes at any point around August or September. You can never predict the weather and it changes from one second to the next, one moment it’s monsoon-like pouring down with rain and the next it’s sunny and warm.

Herein lies the problem, if you can’t guarantee that the weather is going to be like how are you possibly meant to choose the right shoes. This is where transitional sandals come in, we reckon we’ve still got at least a couple more weeks of good weather this summer and if you’re planning another holiday before the end of the season then you’ll be needing a new pair of sandals.

Instead of buying sandals that you’ll only get a couple of uses out of we’ve taken a look at some more hardy sandals that will work well into next season, just ignore the cardinal rule and pair yours with a cute pair of socks to keep those toes warm!

1. Vagabond Dioon Sandal - £55 – Office
The Dioon platform sandal from Vagabond is available at Office stores throughout the UK and are perfect nonchalantly cool options. They are fantastically comfortable and will look great with anything from skinny jeans to a floral tee dress to toughen up your look.

2. Giuseppe Zanotti – Hot Red Suede Strappy Flats - £292

Add a splash of colour into your footwear repertoire with these amazing Giuseppe Zanotti red sandals, the perfect way to show off a sun-kissed summer tan, wear yours with a simple black summer dress and a statement clutch for an ideal laid-back evening look.

3. Topshop Notion Cross Over Mid Sandals - £78

Continue with one of this season’s biggest trends and invest in white this season, wear with an all-white ensemble for a super fresh look and opt for a cool monochrome look as the weather gets cooler.

4. Marques’ Almeida Chunky Heel Sandals - £130

Channel the nineties with these to-die-for sandals from Opening Ceremony, we love the cool grungy aesthetic paired with sugary pastel hues for a fashion forward look, wear these bad boys with anything from your wardrobe, why not try them out with a pair of sparkly socks from Urban Outfitters. 

5. Zara Metallic Block Wedge - £64

Mettalics are perennially stylish so these cool Zara wedges are a great investment for seasons to come, perfect for a sophisticated beach getaway or for warm days in the city, socks might look a little odd with sandals this style but you can wear yours with tights if the weather turns bad.

New Season: Bags

The internet and e-commerce shopping is one of the best things that could happen in my life time. As pre-collections start trickling before all the catwalk shows start in September, I can’t help but get excited.

Bags are by far one of my most favourite accessories, I love them so much because they are versatile, you can interchange them in between outfits as well as use a bag as a stand alone statement piece to a look. I must admit that I also just can’t get enough of bags for the reason that there is a style to suit every occasion giving me all the more excuses to shop for a cute clutch’s for a night out or a classic tote to go to work with.

For a men and women bags are all the rage these days because they make the drabbest outfits pop! There’s something about bags and especially ‘it’ bags that just make you feel special instantly giving you a style that is fashion forward and perfect. Whether you need to inject colour into your outfit or add an edgy depth with texture, bags are the easiest way to enhance your look. Unlike clothes no matter how much weight one may put on a bag always looks good poised over your lower arm, as well as it being a treat that you can keep forever as a keepsake.

I'm bursting with excitement because I can’t wait to reveal to you all the new season goodies that are worth your undivided attention.  This pre-season rounded up consists of the top ten most stylish and on trend bags to keep your style fresh all autumn and winter long.

1. Fendi

Fur this season is omnipresent like no one could ever imagine it to be. The way fur has been worked into this season’s collection is better than ever, so much more eloquent and chic from bags to shoes and even Jewellery.  One bag style that is tantalisingly good is this big statement piece fur trimming from Fendi. The bag comes in grey with a marmot fur panel in a design of two loop handles so that you can put it over your shoulder for an easier carry.

2. Alexander Mcqueen

Folding clutches are all the prolific this season, and I just love the fact that these clutch styles break traditional boundaries because they are more stylish and fun than ever. This season De Manta clutch is a multi-coloured print must have with its stainless glass design. Small clutches are great for teaming with a evening look and this season there are so many styles available with a great variety of materials and shapes. Folded clutches like this stunner from Alexander Mcqueen are great for achieving an androgynous look with patterned, textured and plain leather being the most popular types.

3. Robert Cavalli

Graphic prints are the way to go this season, but if you’re not daring enough to inject bold prints into your ensemble, bags are the perfect way to texture imbue your look without actually wearing it. The black and white texturized print of the bag will help most looks you have look special and fashion forward. This Robert Cavalli is so versatile you can rock it as a clutch or over the shoulder with its red chain strap that it feature in the design.

4. Lillian Shalom

Lillian Shalom clear fever clutch is of transparent design, although it’s clear ironically it’s amazingly visually captivating. The design sees gold tone hardware with a gold hand clasp and inner layer mirror detailing. Because it is clear you will have no issues teaming it with multiple pieces in your wardrobe as you know the colours and print  in your clothes won't clash with the translucent clutch design. Small clutches are the ultimate must have piece this season because they add chic sophistication to any look. There are multiple styles out there this season with a variety in shapes and Materials.

 

 

5. Givenchy 

AW13 trend metallic materials are the perfect way to add a bit of subtle glitz into your wardrobe without over doing as it can easily be done. Antigona tote is this season must have metallic bag. The design is simple and chic it’s plain pale gold design which sees leather plaque detailing on the front of the bag. It has two rolled handles and comes with a detachable strap for a different look. This bag would look amazing with any all black ensemble, adding sparkle without the gems.

6. Roberto Cavalli

Spring summer was all about the leopard print but for autumn winter it’s time to delve deeper and walk on the wild side with a more intricate and interesting animalistic prints. This Python bag is the dream in a brown skin from Roberto Cavalli. 

7. Rochas

This large leather bag has a texturized laminated effect on the leather that sees gold detailing on the lower panel of the bag. Gold rush is a trend emerging this season and it’s a tone that compliment  most colours. The size of this bag is nice and roomy so if you need to chuck in your laptop or ipad for your commute to work or use it as a travel hand luggage for the plane, this bag is all you need to keep your style stunningly fabulous.

8. Olympia Le Tan

This bag has a unique design, concept and construction and is definitely the one to go for if you want something that is not your average with heaps of personality. The design sees a house that has been embellished with beautiful embroidery work that illustrates a little man and lady stood in a door way. The design of the bag is boxed shape and looks very ridged in form so you would have to treat it as a clutch as you won’t be able to carry much, this is bag is perfect for special occasions to show off your impeccable style.

9. Masion MargielaMartin 

The all leather look is the sultry look for the season, sleek and chic you can’t go wrong with leather unless it’s a ridiculously hot day. This black leather bag is oversized and slouchy and would make the perfect everyday bag that can most definitely fit in all your daily essentials.

10. Chloe Bag

This small bucket bag from Chloe it is your perfect off duty bag for carrying all your most prized possessions. Look stunning night or day with a bag that is compacted and cute.

There you have it top ten new season bags. This is only the pre-collections so just imagine the array of choices when the season is in full swing. So, make sure you come back and see out ultimate top 10 bags of the season, it's not to be missed!

Which of these bag styles would you pick as your bag for the season?