Do's and Don'ts

Do - Choose one statement piece that you love (like this incredible structured Miu Miu dress) and fashion the rest of your outfit around it.

Don't - Think you can't get away with wearing an outfit like this. This woman is Anna Dello Russo, Editor of Vogue Japan, who is fast approaching 50.  If she can make this look good, so can you.

Do - Wear some funky sunglasses.  Taking a less overworn style like these cat-eye glasses gives the outfit an edge. 

Don't - Go matchy-matchy with accessories.  The watch is cool but with the metallic edged bag, shoes AND belt, the outfit begins to look dated, a little bit posh WAG.  Mix it up a bit colour and style-wise to stop the outfit from becoming passé and a bit...blah.

(Image: Anna Bernecker)

Lennon Face

I've always had a slight aversion to John Lennon-style sunglasses.  That's less to do with Lennon and more to do with Elton John though.  He makes me associate round specs with big faces, tacky signet rings and gold teeth.  

That's why it's come as a surprise that I'm digging on (sorry, had to throw some 60's vocab in) a more spherical shape for summer this year.

I especially like the translucent floral ones and the coral pink shapes seen on the right, and in an ideal world I'd be packing both pairs into my suitcase for an immediate trip to Rio, along with a macrame bikini and some jelly shoes.

Instead, I'm sitting in my cold room researching SS11 trends for a job application.  I'm guessing the little round buggers have subliminally slipped into my subconscious from their use in the various shoots, shows and campaigns I've been coming across.  They've already managed to worm their way into my blog twice, here and here, and have had a runway presence at Bodkin and Jil Sander, as well as in various other places on the interweb.

I'm therefore going to put my proverbial money where my mouth is and forecast that these are the shape for the new season.

Slight tip: the larger versions are more flattering if you don't have the cheekbones of a model.  Plus they make you look a little more 60's 'it' girl than stoned hippy.

Bye bye last year's fake Cambodian Wayfarers - the future's bright, the future's...circular?

Art of Uff

The internet is the best tool ever invented for the inquisitive (nosy) among us.  Where else can you browse through the drawers of the rich and famous or check out a designer's wardrobe at the click of a button?

Stylelikeu is a website which takes a mix of people, from 'it' girls to rappers to bloggers to people living in a teepee in their friends' back garden with reeeeeeally interesting dress sense and analyses their style through a video lens.  They go round to the houses (or tents) of these creative dressers to see them rifling through their closets, talking about their dress sense, and generally showing off their quirky selves.

(The teepee couple.  I'm seeing a trend for round sunglasses on this blog.  I think I like them.)

It's kind of like an underground version of Cribs for those of us who are obsessed with style.

It's also an anthropological study into fashion tribes.  The videographers explore where the sense of the person's style came from, and it can often be connected to where they grew up, and who they grew up around.  For example there's one American girl who grew up in Tokyo, who has a clear Harajuku influence in her style, even though she hasn't lived there for years.

(Uffie)

One of the vids is of Uffie (above). If I had to summarise her I'd say she was an authentic and far superior version of the vile Ke$ha.  Even bringing Ke$ha into the equation kind of undermines Uffie, but if you listen to the track I've posted below this video you'll see why I had to make the comparison.

The pink ombre hair, the chipped nail varnish, the quote on her style, 'it changes daily, sometimes it looks like I could be homeless, sometimes I wear really pretty clothes.'

Girl after my own heart.  If I was a super cool female rapper who lived in Paris and had an tres amazing figure, then I'd totally be Uffie.