Outsized Coats

Stella McCartney A/W 13

I’ve switched into full-on autumn/winter mode this week. You can expect a rundown of the best boots over the next few days, but today I’m looking at coats – probably the biggest style investment you’ll make this season. Not just because they’re more expensive, but because you’ll be pulling it on pretty much every day until spring. You need to love it. Luckily there’s already a huge selection to choose from, with parkas and duffels taking the lead when it comes to easy, casual style. But why settle for easy and casual when you can have bold and dramatic? This year bigger really is better, whether you go for a long-length coat or the oversized cocoon of a boyfriend fit.

The Long Coats

This very grown up style was all over the A/W13 runways. It might seem a little less than practical for real life (who wants all those metres of fabric weighing down their arm, when they’re having to hold their coat on the stuffy Bakerloo line?) and it can be slightly daunting for those of us not blessed with supermodel height. But they’re surprisingly flattering, and give you a pulled-together look like no other.

This Ann Demeulemeester number is the dream, with its military feel and turned-up neck. The generous slit at the front means you can show off a flash of your outfit, too. But its price tag (nearly £1000) means it will have to stay just that – a dream.

In real life, I’m considering Zara’s androgynous, tailored overcoat, complete with a classic collar and breast pocket. In a shade of blue that’s not quite navy, it’ll tie together all the monochrome separates that are hanging in my wardrobe. If you prefer a lighter neutral, look to this camel overcoat from Weekend by Max Mara, while Reiss' long-line blazer puts a fresh spin on a faithful classic.

The Boyfriend Coats

These are the slouchy alternatives, also known as duster coats. Neatly combining a long length with their stolen-from-my-boyfriend fit, they’re perfect for bundling up in. They might look unflattering on the hanger, but all that volume on the top half of your body will actually give the illusion of slimmer legs.

There isn’t much I wouldn’t give for this electric, oversized coat from Gianluca Capannolo, with its furry texture and classic lapels, but luckily the high street has come up with more affordable versions. New Look has you covered in grey marl, with a lightweight jacket that could have been pinched from the men’s department, and Mango’s got the job done in leopard print.

There’s also been a lot of talk about pink coats this season. The M&S duster coat in blush, labelled a ‘must-have’ by the press, has already sold out online and in store, and this Topshop version is very quickly following it out the door. Luckily it also comes in an unexpected lime colour, which looks incredibly striking over a simple black shirt – and bares more than a passing resemblance to my Gianluca Capannolo dream coat. 

Which coats will you be wrapping up in this season?

Barbara Casasola

The most buzzed-about shows at London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014 were probably Burberry Prorsum and J.W. Anderson. Burberry sent the rumour mill into overdrive when they sat Harry Styles on the front row and sent out his rumoured girlfriend, Cara Delevingne, in a blush pencil skirt and see-through jacket. J.W. Anderson caused a storm for completely different reasons: his collection of artfully skewed nylon and pleated leather was hailed by the critics as his best yet.

A name that might have been heard less, but which proved itself just as exciting, was Barbara Casasola. The Brazil-born designer was showing at London Fashion Week for the first time, with a collection that embodied modern, pared-back luxury.

I love the way she used sheer panels, always balancing them with a high collar, and how even her most constructed pieces felt almost effortless. There were sheer organzas slightly reminiscent of J.W. Anderson’s, but it was all much easier to imagine someone wearing in real life. Glossy cigarette pants and a simple black waistcoat brought the androgyny, while sheer overlays were patterned with squares.

If only her pink jacket, with its sculpted sleeves and cut-out neckline, was available now. If it were more in line with my lifestyle (and budget), Barbara Casasola is what I would want to be wearing next season. As it is, she goes straight to the top of my wishlist.

It’s not the work of an ingénue, stabbing in the dark with experimental design. Barbara launched her own collection in 2012 after five years of working for labels like Roberto Cavalli, See By Chloe and Lanvin. Her educational background is just as impressive; after studying fashion design at Central Saint Martins she graduated cum laude and first in her class from Istituto Marangoni in Milan. She started off showing her line in Paris Fashion Week, but for Spring/Summer 2014 she made a quietly confident addition to the official schedule in London.

You can certainly see the influence of her time spent on assignments for Lanvin; her occasion wear is luxurious, but never try-hard, girlie or overly embellished. Her fringed white and silver gown from the A/W 13 collection was the perfect choice for Alicia Vikander (who played Kitty opposite Keira Knightley’s Anna Karenina) at the Toronto Film Festival a few weeks ago. It reappeared on Erin O’Connor at Vogue’s Fashion Week Dinner the same day as Casasola’s S/S show.

If all that isn’t enough to convince you that this is a label worth watching, look to the show’s front row. Natalie Massenet, who founded Net-a-Porter and currently chairs the British Fashion Council, was leading the way.

A/W 13: Directional Accessories

As London Fashion kicks off today I can’t help but franticly pin all my favourite looks onto ‘my style’ Pinterest board. As much as we all would love to dress head to toe in high end designer clothes, realistically this type of fashion addiction can only be maintained by those who quite frankly have a net worth. Let’s face it choosing an on trend tiger print jumper from Kenzo might delight and last you throughout the season, but more likely than not the same time next year it would be a piece that you can no longer stand the sight of and another item of clothing added to the pile to sell on Ebay.   

With autumn winter pieces making way into stores and online it’s another chance for us to submerse ourselves in yet another of what I like to call a retail therapy session that is more of a unjustified extravagant shopping spree.  The big question is how do you decipher from what you want and what you need? It doesn’t get any easier in fact a whole lot more complex, because you need to ascertain what you’re buying in terms of suiting your personal style.  Do you buy bold statement key pieces or on trend must haves?

The real answer is there is no right or wrong way of going about and picking out all your wardrobe essentials. But if you want to wear designer fashion and can’t afford for your whole entire wardrobe to be made up of designer pieces then there is no better way of getting taste for exquisite designer fashion than focusing your buys on designer accessories. I love to mix designer with high street fashion because designer accessories can complement even a Primark ensemble.

There are so many styles of accessories to choose from, teaming a quirky accessory with simple ensemble can say a lot about your fashion sense in a way that is cool and edgy yet understated. Accessories can really help to lift a look; directional accessories do this also but with more of an umph, giving an outfit definition and that added texturized depth. 

By wearing accessories can really take your look into a new dimension. Hats, rings to braces, shoes and ties all can help to enhance one’s personal style to an equivocal fashion forward look that is unique you.  

In celebration of new season accessory arrivals, I have put together a collection of investment style picks that are fashion forward and directional enough to keep your style fresh and distinguishable amgonst the rest.

1. £270- Culter and Gross D-Frame acetate optical glasses- Styling your look with the right eyewear can give you a look that is contemporary and sophisticated. Be it a pair of sunnies or a pair of geek glasses, just ensure the frame you choose suits your face. 

2. £415- Vionnet Belt- This statement gold designer belt is a luxe versatile number that you can team with many looks from dresses to skirts and even jackets. Gold entwined with garments and accessories are hot this season and this belt is on trend with its chunky buckle design. This belt is style pick that you can wear time and time again to keep your style funky and fresh.

3. £7,030- Michael Kors Mink Wrap- This black fur wrap is the perfect winter accessory to keep you warm and stylish all season long. You can team this piece with a huge variety of overcoats from quilted padded to oversized cocoon shape coat or even a leather jacket. This is a style pick that can be worn and styled in multiple ways over the shoulders or around the neck. This is an investment piece that you can bring out of the closet year after year to give you a style that is effortless and chic. The price for this mink fur wrap is very expensive but for more affordable and ethical versions the high street will have what you are looking for.

4. £4,666- Repossi Berbere 18 karat gold ring- This ring has an interlinking chain design that is unusual and unique. Once on, the ring becomes your finger taking up both the bottom and top sections. The design of the ring gives the illusion off multiple thin bands spread evenly up the finger. This ring is in real gold which is why it commands such a high price, to find a similar style of ring at a more affordable price, visit high street stores and in the costume jewellery sections there will be plenty of similar styles on offer.

5. £649- Yang Li strap derby shoe- Never under estimate the power of a shoe and how it can elevate your look. These directional flats are perfect for teaming with all your off duty and sartorial wardrobe pieces. These shoes are super stylish and don’t compromise style over comfort, team these with either a skirt or trousers and have heads turning at your Avant guard style.

6. £105- Dsquared2 brooch- This stunning leaf design brooch is perfect for wearing with shirts, these styles of brooches look super cool featured on shirt that is buttoned right up and sits in the place of a neck tie. It’s the perfect way to add glitz and sparkle to your look without wearing jewellery.

7. £316- Gigi Burris millinery ‘nell’ federa- This black hat is a cool style pick for autumn winter because it will instantly add depth to any outfit you pair it with. Hats are cool and practical, they can keep your head warm and the thing I love about hats the most is that you can wear them and still have flexibility in the way you style your hair, either wearing it up or down for a ultra cool look.

8. £177- Comme des Garcons Comme des Garcons circle tote- This stylish circle bag in leather is a great way to add a style aesthetic to your look with a quirky edge. The bag is in the most simplest of the designs but this enables you to team t with it with most any of your wardrobe essentials.

9. £215- Siant Laurent Silk-chiffon and leather neck bow-This pretty pink neck tie is an elegant and sophisticated way to accessories your look. This would look amazing with a shirt or a bandoo top that doesn’t have any straps. Introducing a piece like this with your sartorial look will add sophisticated femininity to your style in a innovative way.

10. £375- Ann Demeulemeester- These braces are a cool way to accessories adding depth to any look you team them with.  These braces will compliment a sports luxe style aesthetic or enhance the look of androgynous fashion style.

11. £1,108- Charlotte Olympia ‘Wolf’ pump- These monochrome textured shoes feature a stiletto heel and a round toe. These shoes will elevate your style and can be easily teamed with looks for the day or night.

12. £390-Maison Martin Margiela knuckle ring-This matt gun metal ring features three bands, it’s super stylish and is that statement key piece jewellery that works with casual and smart looks.

There you have it, designer accessories that are classic winners that you can wear for years to come.

What designer clothes or accessories are on your wish list for this season?

The Alexa Effect

Alexa Chung is everywhere at the moment: promoting her new book, on the cover of October Vogue, and about to take her place on front rows throughout London Fashion Week. That mix of schoolgirl details and androgynous shapes (always topped with tousled, choppy hair) has launched waiting lists, inspired copycat cuts and fuelled the demand for vintage-inspired looks; Chung is as likely to influence how we dress as any designer. But rather than writing about how to copy her look from head to toe I’ve focused on the accessories that define her style, so that you can interpret them in your own way. After all, Alexa didn’t become a modern day style icon by mimicking someone else.

The Shoes

Alexa’s partly responsible for the return of menswear-inspired shoes over the last few years. We’ve seen brogues and slippers take the floor, looking polished but not try-hard whatever you wear them with, while block heels provide a more feminine approach. I can't decide whether I prefer the scallop trim on Chloe's burgundy-heeled pumps or the double-buckle action on this dove grey pair by ASOS, but the latter is definitely more likely to make it into my wardrobe. You'll easily be able to find any of these styles within Alexa's favourite palette of classic neutrals, but these metallic New Look slippers make a case for experimenting with gold instead. 

Top row, left to right: Chloe, ASOS

Bottom row, left to right: Alexander Wang, New Look, ZARA

The Satchel

For the real deal, head to Mulberry. They created the Alexa satchel in 2009 after she carried one of their vintage men's briefcases in a photoshoot. But there are more affordable options. The Cambridge Satchel Company offers up a mix of classic and quirky colours, and their wares have been spotted slung over the shoulders of Zooey Deschanel and Fearne Cotton as well as Alexa herself. This black version (bottom centre) is emboldened with a flash of leopard print, perfect for throwing over a crisp white shirt.

Top row, left to right: Mulberry, Marc Jacobs

Bottom row, left to right: River Island, Cambridge Satchel Company, ASOS

The Collars

Alexa’s not a fan of plunging necklines, and we love her for it. Her ladylike alternative, the collar, breaks up the black she so often favours and isn’t as fussy as a necklace. Stick to monochrome, in fresh textures like the all-over lace on this white House of Fraser shirt, or embrace new-season checks with Dorothy Perkins. My favourite, though, is the colour blocked Band of Outsiders shirt in cool navy and ice blue.

Top row, left to right: Band of Outsiders, House of Fraser

Bottom row, left to right: Ted Baker, Dorothy Perkins, Alexander McQueen

The Hat

This year Alexa made us all reconsider our usual approach to Glastonbury (denim cut-offs and a parka) when she showed up in a fedora hat and this rather grown-up coat. Et voila, the high street is full of them for AW13. Alexa's gone for leopard print versions in the past, as well as classic monochrome, but this autumnal berry shade is my favourite. I love the ultra-skinny band on this floppy Topshop number, but the thicker ribbons have more of an androgynous feel.

Top row, left to right: Hat Attack, Topshop

Bottom row, left to right: Missguided, Miss Selfridge, Monnier Freres

The New Pink

I’m not a big fan of hard and fast rules when it comes to fashion. Just because one magazine dictates that the latest designer bag is a ‘must-have’ or a new sleeve shape is essential, doesn’t mean their advice is always worth following. Sometimes the best looks come complete with an irreverent attitude and a carelessness towards whatever’s on trend at the moment. So when fashion editors declare that a formerly-forgotten shade has become the colour of the season, I’d usually hold back from investing too heavily in it. If you’re a monochrome sort of girl, don’t abandon that on a whim – just look at the Jay Ahr Resort 2014 lookbook for inspiration.

But this season fashion editors have seized upon pink, and I can’t help but get excited about it.

Alongside the fluffy pastels shown by Roksanda Illincic and Simone Rocha, there’s a new type of pink that we haven’t seen in a really long time. Feminine but tough, and made all the more interesting with contemporary embellishments, you can forget any thought of Pretty in Pink or sweet ballerina slippers. Studs, outsized crystals and clunky chains make for souped-up versions of blush or rose, perfect for channelling your inner rebel.

EABurns’ necklace was inspired by crystal formations, but named the Studded Stegosaurus because of its uncanny resemblance to a dinosaur tail. Its punky embellishments entirely undo any girlish pretensions – if you want a less in-your-face approach, try the Triangle Pendant instead.

It’s almost the end of summer, so enjoy it while it lasts with these rounded sunglasses from Topshop. The tonal frames are slightly transparent, letting the light glow through them, and will work with everything – especially denim.

I’ve written about my love of Shourouk jewellery before, and this necklace is a rosy reminder of how covetable these pieces are. Shaped like a cluster of brooches around the neckline, it has sparkle without being in the least bit twee.

I’d wear these striking Jennifer Loiselle earrings with a crisp collared shirt or grey marl tee to breathe new life into those wardrobe staples. They’re sci-fi meets art deco, finished with oversized Swarovski crystals and grosgrain ribbon, all in an antique shade of pink.

ASOS’ enamel earrings take a bright Barbie hue and somehow stop it from looking saccharine sweet. The Aztec-inspired triangles have a summery feel, so you can work this pop of colour into casual looks now.

Whistles have got it right with this mini tablet case. The metallic textures gives a luxe, fashion-forward feel to the rose gold colour, while the black contrast panel keeps it looking slick.

This J Crew necklace tempers ballet slipper pink and bright coral with a serious amount of bling. It’s a hefty investment, even though it’s in the sale now, but this is a necklace that could transform any outfit. I’d layer it over a structured tee with a simple neckline to keep all eyes on its fan-shaped design.