Issue 7

Letter From The Editor

This week we will look at the new fashion season, back to basics, dinner ladies and we will see who won this weeks outfit of the week.

Men's Wear

Accessories

This week we will talk about accessories, in Manchester there is one accessory that you cannot go without... the umbrella. With Manchester always raining the umbrella will stop you from getting drenched in the miserable Mancunian weather. Now not every umbrella will do, especially the ones you find being sold down market street saying ‘I heart rain’ now that’s just not true, for if you did ‘heart rain’ then you wouldn’t need the umbrella in the first place! The perfect umbrella is a gentleman’s umbrella which is long with a point and has a nice handle (I prefer the one with the wooden handle).

http://www.james-smith.co.uk/

 

 

Another accessory is the watch, one of the most important of men’s accessories. When it comes to watches I like a classic Rotary watch with a leather strap it adds a bit of sophistication to your outfit.

If you want to splash that cash then i would go for an Omega watch the classic watch that James Bond wears. I feel that the Rolex is a bit cliche for its seen as the pinnacle of watches but there are so many fakes out there that it is ridiculous.

http://www.omegawatches.com/

 

 

When wearing a suit a pocket watch would go down a treat. Don't think that you are overdoing it for they are very classic and definitely say sophisticated.

http://www.greenwichpocketwatch.co.uk/

 

By Sean Taylorson

 

 

Women's Wear



September Special.

Autumn/Winter is descending on us already.

The shops are altering to accommodate knitted layers & over coats. And the sun in going into hibernation…was it ever even out?

However, the fashion industry is a fast moving one. September is the month for fashion, as the year in the world of fashion is a new one…

September brings the end of summer. September means back to work. So everyone is hitting the shops.

But most importantly…September brings the mother of all fashion weeks. London Fashion Week.

http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/

LFW is known for its showcase of experimental Womenswear from all over the world, but with an eclectically British twist. Fashion always looks forward to the new season, so this September, London will be bringing Spring/Summer 2013 vibes to Somerset House. From established designers to up-and-coming creative, LFW showcases the best of all the rest.

‘If you’re looking for one place where fashion’s on a high of celebratory confidence for the future, come to London’ – Sarah Mower

One of our greatest British Designers…Dame Vivienne Westwood

Unfortunately, LFW is an invite only event, with top fashion names jetting in to sit front row. Us peasantries can see the exhibition & keep up with the action on live video streams.

For the time being, I have selected some of the pre-collection highlights for S/S ’13, highlighting how influential British fashion & London’s reputation is worldwide…

Antipodium… Designer: Geoffrey J. Finch. Confident Simplicity. Subverted Classics. A Hint Of Kink. London Based. Australian Made. Womenswear Label. http://www.antipodium.com/

A Contemporary Take On The Peplum. Pastel Brights. Monochrome Colour Pops.

 

Erdem… Born In Canada. Studied In London. Colours. Optimism. Oddities. Designs For People Who March To Their Own Drum. Creates Pieces That Are Special & Individual. http://www.erdem.co.uk/

Printed Trouser Suits. 50s Style Skirts. Feminine Lace. Two-Tones.

 

By Annie Oakes.

 

Our Own Desginer Annie Oakes

Annie Oakes Designs

Basics. With a Twist.

 Everyone has ‘basics’ in their wardrobe. These consist of jeans, t-shirts, shirts, leggings…that go with everything! Why do they have to be boring though?

My basics come with a twist…

Peek-a-boo Prints. Casual Crop. Monochrome Illusion.

This Annie Oakes Design’s top is pretty simple, drawing on the ‘tassel’ trend, but including it in the design, not as an addition just as a decoration on the hem. This adds a bit of fun & frivolity to the piece, as it adds a ‘peek-a-boo’ section, to flash a bit of flesh, bralet or under-body! I kept the cut quite short, like a crop top, which works well with these high-waisted skirts. The clean white tone ensures the top has maximum opportunities, with it fitting in with everyone’s wardrobes & complimenting these three looks better than just a plain white tee!

 

By Annie Oakes

Outfit Of The Week

Sean Taylorson

Sean Taylorson wears :
Denim Jacket from Topman
Shirt from topman
Vintage black skinny jeans
Winklepicker shoes by Ben Sherman

 

Fashion Philosophy With Gareth Davies

Fine Dining ladies

It’s now officially September according to all good calendars. September is the month of glum children being carted of back to school in oversized over polluting cars, fantastic news for any grown-ups who want to catch the last flickers of Britain’s annual sunlight without the nuisance of annoying children dropping ice creams all over the floor. However for any dinner ladies this means bravely sacrificing the liberty of September peace and quiet to police school children. This week I have decided to perk up their uniforms.

Starting at the bottom, a dinner lady must have shoes with a strong grip as children generally cannot do the simplest of task such as transporting food from plate to mouth without dropping about a quarter of it. If I was to design shoes for dinner ladies I would have a comfortable bit to go around your foot such as general Nike air trainers. However these would be accessorized for slippy floors with the ends of toy arrows, the sticky sucker bits covering the sole of the shoe allowing for the ability to balance when ankle deep in semolina.

People who work with food are traditionally associated with checked trousers; however these are way last century. I am a fan of the black and white stripy jeans that are way in fashion and think they could work for dinner ladies too. The fact that you’re wearing some fashionable trousers will make kids think that you’re cool and so you may earn respect amongst the army of small hyperactive people, plus your trousers will definitely be better than the kids boring grey normally poorly fitted trousers.

One of the main hazards of being a dinner lady is the potential to be involved in food fight cross fire. This is why it would be wise for any torso aspect of the outfit to be orangey/browny colours. All school dinner food is this colour and so horrible bolognaise, pizza, turkey twizzler, lasagne etc stains will be much less prominent. Another piece of advice to all dinner ladies particularly those without orange/brown clothes is to have a decent washing machine and stock up on Cilit Bang whenever it is on offer.

A further hazard of the job is full blown non food fights, as a dinner lady one of your main duties is to intervene and break these up- after watching the first few minutes from a distance for a bit of on the job entertainment.  In order to break up these scraps/ mass brawls safely riot police style helmets could be useful as elbows, fists and in winter icey snowballs will be flying. In order to aquire these you could contact the dinner lady union and if there isn’t one just start one. It sounds easy enough to start a union just get the most boring chatty dinner lady to whinge and moan at a politician and threaten to have a couple of days off work if things aren’t going well for you, for advice just ask the teachers they seem pretty moany.

This article is written in thanks to Michelle who is a dinner lady who made the best sarnies when i was in sixth form.

Much love, Gareth xoxo.

Issue 6

Letter From The Editor

This week we are looking at current trends, festival fever, and a tribute to the late and great Niel Armstrong. Also see if you can guess which of our staff won this weeks outfit of the week!

 

Men's Wear

Camo... A Ninties Trend?

 

It was brief back in the 90’s but camouflage prints are back with a bang this winter. This is a trend that will go down a treat for is easy to wear and stands out among the crowd (as long as it’s not in a park, for they won’t see you!).  The camouflage goes very well with denim jackets and if you like skinny jeans, this will ensure that you are on trend this autumn winter season. To take the outfit to the next level why not finish off with some lace up boots (some Dr Martians would go very well).

Gold accessories are key, bulky watches and statement gold buttons on blazers anything goes. Neutral toned leather bags or satchels are a must they finish off the outfit perfectly giving a sophisticated look, making anyone’s head turn as you walk past.

Many stores are already starting to sell the military look clothing, so to be ahead of the game and get grabbing those camouflage outfits.

By Sean Taylorson

 

Woman's Wear

Festival Fashion

 Yes it is that time of the year once again. As our Fashion Philosophy’s Gareth Davies previously mentioned in one of his humorous features, dressing for a festival is pure skill.

Dressing for the weather is particularly important to numerous people. A peek outside your curtains in the morning will confirm this. Is it hot, or is it not? Is it wet, or is it dry?

Sometimes this includes festival goers. Sometimes this doesn’t.

In this case, these festival funnies did not look outside their tent!

 

It was the last day of Creamfields festival, which was eventually called off due to the ‘extreme weather conditions’, so why not embrace the festival festivities? However, these were men ‘dressed’ in mud…and aren’t we talking about Womenswear?...

Of course, festivals are not all about the weather, although this played a major part in this line-up. An even more important feature of festivals in the fashion! You see a wide variety in the space of a few fields as the majority of females attempt to look good in the ’roughing it’ kind of way. I suggest a bit of humour is needed in this situation…

Why not give FFT’s Gareth’s theory of the novelty headwear a pop…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Others opt for the practical waterproof ponchos to protect their festival fashion…

 

And some just pose in the space where their tent used to be!...

 

I was the latter. This is me & my Creamfields buddy making the most of the situation, weather and fashion-wise, by wearing big smiles in the mud! I suggest layering for successful festival dressing…

Begin with basic denim shorts, or leggings, depending on the mood & weather, paired with a tee on top. I made my own top more frivolous by creating a central ‘peek-a-boo’ section, by simply just cutting the jersey in slices down the middle.

Accessories: Wellies are key to the enjoyment of the annual event, no one likes wet feet & no one likes being laughed at when your new trainers just got stuck in the mud! Bum-bags or ‘fanny packs’ are also necessity…they keep your belongings on you & safe the whole time, while ensuring arms are free for some serious raving. Sunglasses may seem silly with a grey sky, but they are anything but stupid when covering up last night’s hangover! A patterned scarf tied in your hair keeps in out of your face, while hiding some ‘I-want-to-hide-in-the-tent-bed-head-hair’!

 

Necessity: Last but not least, the most important item of clothing to take to a ‘weather permitting’ musical event is…a waterproof jacket! I remembered this last minute…but I also realised I didn’t own one! Luckily I had some spare waterproof fabric [oh the joys of being a fashion student!] so I decided to quickly whip one up & hope to the heavens that it was what the fabric claimed…proof of water!

At the end of the day, having fun is No1 on the list of ‘things for a festival’…so grab your wellies, your camera & your best friend, because aren’t smiles always the best thing to wear?

See ‘Our Own Designer –Annie Oakes Designs’ section of FFT to find out more about my handmade waterproof jacket.

By Annie Oakes

Our Own Designer Annie Oakes

Annie Oakes Designs

The Proof Is In The Water…

 

As I referred to in the Womenswear section of this week’s issue of FFT, my most recent creative venture was into the world of waterproofs. I realised that I didn’t own a waterproof jacket & I was going to Creamfields festival…with heavy rain forecasts for the whole entire weekend. Being a skimping student & a creative character, I decided to step out of my comfort zone & take on the challenge & risk of making my own ‘waterproof’ jacket.

Luckily I had some spare waterproof fabric laying around, so I picked out a vibrant red, perfect to see in the crowd of the festival & to bring smiles to people’s faces. I began with a Menswear pattern for a Tommy Hilfiger jacket, which I drafted out onto pattern paper & began editing to my fit & style.

I kept the edges raw; to keep the stitch-work to a minimum, as the little holes it creates can make it prone to leakage. The inner edge of the fabric was white, so I incorporated that into my design, by picking up monochrome features with black stitching and chunky zip. I chose a two-way zip, making my jacket versatile as it didn’t have to either be open or closed, it could be in-between. I also increased my options by making the hood detachable, using Velcro on the joining point, as if the weather did miraculously disregard to the predicted forecast, I could temporarily take it off.

My friends were amazed at what I had created within the space of about half a day before the festival. I was even sewing the finishing touches at 9 in the morning! But the satisfaction of claiming that I designed & made my own actually water repellent coat was definitely the best part.

However, my waterproof was definitely put to the test, but it survived! Here it is right at the front of the main stage…

 

While daytime drinking…

 

At a friend’s Birthday celebrations…

 

And having my hair sprayed blue…

 

My Moral is to have fun with fashion…and where better to have that than a muddy field!?

By Annie Oakes

 

Outfit Of The Week

Gareth Davies

Gareth Davies wears:
Striped grandad shirt by H&M
Skinny jeans by H&M
Winklepicker shoes by Topman

 

Fashion Philosophy With Gareth Davies

Moon clothes

If rich peoples plans are to be completed, in several years other rich people will be able to take commercial holidays to space. Whilst this sounds like a nice change to gravity filled holidays on earth it isn’t as impressive as it sounds because it was first achieved by a bunch of kids. A long time ago (1969 to be exact) in a place far far away (Houston, Texas, USA) a group of mates led by a boy called Neil looked up at the stars and set themselves a challenge, to reach the big rock like one. The next day using only household equipment and stuff they found in the garage the boys set out on building a rocket and space equipment in order to attempt the challenge. A couple of weeks later Neil led his friends out of earth and onto the moon an achievement only ever replicated by a man called Wallace and his dog. Using just household equipment I will let you know a way to make a spacesuit capable of being worn on the moon for several minutes.

The most important thing to remember when designing space wear is that there is no oxygen in space. To combat this an air tight headpiece is vital, no cool hats just efficient ones.  My recommendation is to put a head shaped fish bowl on your head in order to keep regular air in but not allow any deadly space air in. To make this more fashionable you can accessorise your helmet with some painted fishes meaning you’ll have a nice aquarium to look at when you get to the moon as supposedly there isn’t much there to look at. Remember to take your fish out of the bowl before you leave and put them in a sink full of water.

Next up, when Wallace went to the moon he didn’t even bother with any special clothing on his torso wearing just a plastercine sweater vest. He didn’t seem to get into any bother from this so on your torso just make plastercine garments, Wallace visited in summer and so the weather wasn’t too bad but if you go in winter I suggest you spend a bit more on more plastercine and make your top long sleeved, your holiday would be ruined if you caught a moon cold. Neil’s mum was wise enough to make him pack a scarf and whilst embarrassing at the time he was glad of this luxury when out on a cold moon night.

When you get to the moon there won’t be anyone to judge what you’re wearing, therefore it doesn’t matter that the next part of the space suit is to go out just in your underpants. Whilst scruffy, the lack of gravity makes walking on the moon much harder than on earth,  Annoying trousers will weigh you down and limit the activities you can do on your holiday. So just go in your pants if anyone is there they will probably have the same idea and be pantsing it as well.

There is only one local resident on the moon he is a lonely robot who is fuelled by small change, tourist donations are his main source of income and so if you see him it is a polite touch to give him a few coins to help fund his hobby. He is a skier, if you are an able skier then I advise you to wear a pair of skies instead of shoes as the small change robot shows it is a great method of transport on the moon and will help you get around the big cheesy stone in style.

On a sad note the boy who first walked on the moon Neil died last week at the age of 82, “Neil was a great man and was a great competitor in cheap space travel”- Wallace. Wallace’s dog Grommit was so upset he could only sit and frown.  Neil has been the inspiration for this article living a life filled with remarkable achievements in space travel and fashion.

Dedicated to Mr Neil Armstrong 1930-2012.

 

Remember to reach for the stars in all of your aspects of life and you too may be a success like Neil. Love from Gareth xoxo.

Issue 5

Letter From The Editor

This week we are straying away from the interview section and introducing a outfit of the week as a kind of reward for our staff. It's their opportunity to shine and be a style inspiration to the nation. This week we will talk about football shirts to the battle of the cities.

Men's Wear

Football Kit

The premiership open weekend was a goal packed one, with ten goals in just two of the games. If the season carries on this way it will make for a very exciting season. Transfers still ongoing it will be interesting to see who else will be departing their old club and moving to another. Robin Van Persie’s move from Arsenal to Manchester United was a great move for the Dutchman and also for the manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Hopefully he will be able to score many goals for the team and snatch the title away from the other half of Manchester.

Along with transfers to bring good fortune to the team, sports men and fans are the most superstitious people around (especially our writer Gareth Davies as he believes I jinx everything for him). From rituals to lucky pants, luck is an essential part to win the game. Lucky clothing is a major one especially lucky kit. Manchester United once had a very unlucky kit when they were 3-0 down at half time to Aston Villa. The players and Ferguson both passed the blame on to the awful colour of the kit. They said that ‘the kit blended into the crowd and we cannot see each other’. Once they changed the kit their luck had changed and they clawed a goal back. Umbro was who made the kit obviously got slated for awful choice of kit colour.

The 2012-13 season has some brilliant kits whether it’s the colour of the pattern that make it stand out. Manchester United’s kit is made by Nike and has a chequered pattern in celebration of 25 years under Fergusons management. This is because the great Alex Ferguson is Scottish and the kit resembles the tartan worn traditionally by the Scottish. This kit has had mixed reviews but personally I like it, for it is new and different also not to mention a great dedication to the Scott.

Annie Oakes says: ‘I like it, it’s not obvious from far away but the history behind it is great.’

Manchester City has opted for a different colour than usual for their away strip. The clubs kit is made by Umbro and they opted for a kit colour that will defiantly stand out from the crowd. Burgundy is the choice... and a great choice I personally like the kit colour, but only really works with few colours for the shorts.

Swansea has a new red away kit that I find strange as traditionally Swansea was always been white and black. Plus they have changed their badge which has red in it which may explain the choice of colour, but I stand by the traditional colours.

Gareth Davies says: ‘It’s their away kit at the end of the day, it’s not that big of a deal but I suppose it is very welsh a red kit.’

But please do not wear football tops unless you are participating in sport or going/watching a game.

By Sean Taylorson

 

 

 

 

Woman's Wear

City Style

LDN Vs. MCR

Different Cities. Different Fashions. This definitely applies to our UK ‘fashion capitals’ like London and Manchester.

I have resided in both and can truly see the differences. Fashion is inspired by all things around…the people, the history, the weather, culture, even transport. London has a business based population, so the fashion is very couture & smart. There are also many arty areas & fashion colleges, so the creative dressers are vast. This street style is inspirational and many people that have moved from elsewhere to London have felt encouraged to dress more eclectic due to this awarded bravery.

Mark Fast’s Collection showing at London Fashion Week

Manchester also has its own Fashion Week and is home to many creative types. Such the likes of Matthew Williamson & recently established Holly Fulton are successful examples of these.

A Selection of Matthew Williamson’s Designs…which also represent Manchester’s going out vibe!

Manchester has two very different sides to it…people that dress for the weather & people that dress up whatever the weather. This city has a wide student population, so party dresses & going-out wear are popular. Manchester is also known for its WAGs, due to its rich football history, which reinforces this theory…

Footballer’s ‘Wives And Girlfriends’ Out on the Town…

I must admit this style is a bit dated now though!

However, also due to the high studious percentage, practicality is key to those who want to get to lectures on time [especially after a night out!] and fashionably! As many know, Manchester is known for its weather…its extremely wet weather.

Not A Great Example Of Dressing for the weather!

I appreciate both cities’ for their fashion & style, as I admire their diversity & interests. Street Style is where the true city’s fashion is represented, so get out on those streets & soak up the inspiration!

By Annie Oakes

Our Own Designer Annie Oakes & Fashion Photography

Annie Oakes Designs

Everyone Has To Start Somewhere 

How do you even start making clothes? Well a pattern is the answer.

Many beginners start with a simple pattern, which provides readily cut paper pattern pieces needed to comprise a garment. This is how I also started.

I have always had a passion for design & have been creating all my life. So when I decided it was time to make my first proper dress, not just a ‘guestimate’, I bought a pattern piece. A good selection of these are avaliable from any good haberdashery or craft store. I was looking to make a dress for one of my best friend’s 18^th birthday! And I wanted to do this in style…

This is when I turned to Vogue. I selected a Vogue pattern to get me started, as it is relitively easy to follow, and generally more fashionable than the other, maybe older companies. I wanted a simple yet flattering shape, but a show-stopping material. I think the result of this dress is a great example of how important the right materail choice when designing is.

By Annie Oakes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outfit Of The Week

Our first ever outfit of the week goes to Annie Oakes with a double denim combonation. Her denim jacket is the right colour to go with her Denim skirt. Similar colours do not go although black demin does go with light denim pretty well. Double denim used to frowned upon but recently with a right attitude it looks great.

Vintage denim jacket
Denim skirt from Levi
Satain top from Topshop boutique collection

Fashion Philosophy With Gareth Davies

Fit Fabrics

Keeping trim is a big part of life for the average member of society, therefore in this section I have decided to give a gift to the average member of society, this gift is the cheapskate gift of advice on what to wear in order to keep fit in everyday life as an average member of society.

Any fitness coach will tell you to set limits and goals in order to make progress in any health regime, I will also suggest this. Skinny jeans are a natural target, wearing them comfortably, will suggest that you are at an ideal weight and you can focus on remaining at this level. However if your skinny jeans are too small one will soon find oneself ridiculously uncomfortable in even the comfiest recliner. This being the case the uncontrollable need to wriggle and fidget for hours on end will see your waist line plummet until said jeans no longer seem like a cruel form of torture.

Some garments seem to be fitted with unnecessary cup holders for pockets, these will allow for extreme snacking throughout the day. When wearing clothing with pockets try to have the pockets as small as possible, when leaving the house it is ever so tempting to pop a Twix in your pocket- this will lead to two possible scenarios, embarrassing melted chocolate stains or unhealthy snacking. Small pockets however will not allow this irresponsible snack smuggling. An easy way to ensure your pockets aren’t too big is to stitch up the main pockets on your jeans and only use the tiny ones located just above your new cool stitchy line, you might be able to fit in a cheeky Haribo but then you’ll have no room to fit your phone, wallet and keys.

A further fashion accessory that can help against gorging on unhealthy food is gloves. It is a well known fact that food in wrappers is unhealthy and food that isn’t is healthy. Wearing gloves will give two possible benefits. The first is they will force you to resort to not as delicious healthy snacks; the second is putting great effort into gaining the delicious cholesterol filled fruits of a wrapper. This extra effort will generally burn the exact same amount of calories as are about to be gained. For these reasons gloves are a win win garment, also in winter they will keep your fingers warm.

It is logical to think that by wearing sports gear the average Joe will be motivated to exercise and participate in the affiliated sports, therefore exercising and subsequently losing weight. However, surprisingly most sports clothes wearers’ aren’t actually very healthy, just big. My thought on this conundrum is that sports gear gives the wearer the illusion they are exercising. The gear might be worn with good intentions of going for a run etc at first, however most sports gear ends up watching more sport than it participates in and this will not help shed the pounds ( apart from the numerous ones spent in the shop). Like having a pet greyhound it is unfair to not give sports gear the correct amount of exercise and so only buy it if you know you can provide it a healthy lifestyle.

Thank you. Stay fit, love gareth. xoxo



Issue 4

Letter From The Editor

Issue 4 brings spys and their styles, pyjama suits and their verdict with sprinkles of photography and accesorries with our own designer. EXCLUSIVE interview with Peter May from the Gutterfigfhters.

Men's Wear

Licence to Kill

After a talk with my friend where he was asking if the Queen ACTUALLY parachuted with James Bond! It got me thinking how stylish and suave James Bond is. Although I am not a fan of Daniel Craig (he just doesn’t have that suave about him, he looks too clumsy) he has grown on me and he does wear a tuxedo well.

James Bond has a very limited wardrobe, consisting of a tuxedo, a suit, ski wear, and a swimsuit. His accessorises are a martini, a pistol and a beautiful woman hanging on his arm.

Bond was played by Sean Connery for the first time in the 60’s. The Scottish actor brought a classic gentleman’s wardrobe which was designed by Anthony Sinclair. The English designer made the suit in Conduit Street Style, which was usually gray or blue wool. The sports coats were always single breasted with double back vents.

With George Lazenby the agent’s clothes changed with the influence of the late 60’s swinging London. Bond became more feminine, in which he wore a see-through frilly shirt. With the audience wanting the typically hyper macho bond, Lazenby was replaced.

Rodger Moore took on Bond next with more than just a suit. From the 60’s to the mid 80’s, he wore safari jackets, casual shirts, and even a banana yellow ski suit.

Timothy Dalton took over in the mid 80’s. At least the Irishman didn’t give into the worst 80’s faux pas of pastel colours. A return to form in the 90’s with Pierce Brosnan. Pierce Brosnan fought his battles in classic Brioni custom made suits, each worth up to $5000 each. Other wardrobe investment pieces included a dark leather jacket and a Omega Quartz watch.

Daniel Craig (the Bond of the new millennium) was the first blonde Bond and also the most contradictory. In line with developments in society and pop culture, Bond fights harder, is more physical but also has more self doubt. His outfits are very casual; the suits are debonair with accent on his physique.

By Sean Taylorson

Woman's Wear

This week Menswear focuses on one man, played by many recognisable smooth names, that has a very particularly smart English style. There is one & only one…Bond, James Bond. However, who is the female equivalent?

Power dressing was big in the 80s [especially their shoulder pads!] and more recent trends have led successful women wandering into work in the equivalent of their pyjamas. So, is this the decided future for the [some may argue] superior race?

The Pyjama Suit…

Aptly named, this ‘trend’ claims that you need ‘swagger’ in order to attempt to wear this look. If you have the above, please read on…

There are certain traits people look for within a garment, however many may argue that authoritative & ridiculous do not go together?! Really. Print is the key apparently…because wearing a silky shirt and trousers isn’t enough!?

Have top designers such as Stella McCartney, Jonathon Saunders & Peter Pilotto got it right?

My Verdicts:

4 – Banana’s in Pyjamas!

Extravagant by Haider Ackermann

  3 – Go Back to Bed!

Going all out with a three-piece by Stella McCartney

2 – Party in Those PJs!

Dreamy by Richard Nicoll

1 – Princess of the Pyjama Party!

Two-tone by Jonathon Saunders tops them all.

However if you dare to test the streets, or even your dreams, in this latest trend, there even are rules to prancing around in your pyjamas…

According to Vogue…

·         The look should be kept low-maintenance…simply pair leg-lengthening trousers with a no fuss shirt.

·         Tops should be just below the trouser line, or tucked in.

·         Turn to slouchy silky trousers, button-down tops & dressing-gown jackets for evening looks…but keep the look clean with minimal accessories. Or stay in bed because it’s past your bed time!

Personally, the idea of being to walk around all day like I’ve just got out of bed is very appealing, and I can imagine extremely comfortable. Thus, females do dress for their own self-confidence so this should make us feel amazing! But we also consider the male opinion…so what is this opinion?

Sean, FFT Editor: “Overall a no, but the last one is okay! I think this trend is more suited to a foreign climate!”

It’s down to you girls…leave the PJs in the bedroom, or take them to the boardroom?

This was the womenswear report of current ‘James Bondette’ fashion, thank you.

Article by Annie Oakes

P.s. Girls & Guys, we would love to hear your verdict of this trend

By Annie Oakes

Our Own Designer Annie Oakes

Annie Oakes Designs

As a fashion student, I analyse clothes & their features daily. It’s in my nature, I can’t help it. However, sometimes it is nice & refreshing to focus on the additional aspects to fashion as well. Whether it be snapping fashion photographs, experimenting with different make-up techniques, or even making my own jewellery.

Accessories can make or break an outfit. Clever accessorising is like a cherry on a cake…it just tops it off! So recently I have been making & creating accessories that add an extra interest to my collaboration of clothes.

This modern sweet sixties look is accentuated by my cute creations, pressed daisy earrings & lace-trim ankle socks. With these accessories accompanying my look of the week, I received numerous compliments on both pieces…and enjoyed the satisfaction in claiming that I personally made them!

Each piece was easy to make & has wonderful results to brighten up every day!

Inspired by real flower jewellery that captures nature in its best form frozen in crystal glass, you can re-create my version by picking some fresh colourful daisies [other flowers, such as buttercups, also work well], compress them in a flower press for a few days, laminate them & attach the relevant jewellery hook to create my earrings. And for the sock-lets, select a length of lace & a pair of socks [experiment with contrasting colours to change your look daily!] and simply sew the lace around the top hem, ensuring the elastic is pulled straight so the thread doesn’t hold too much tension.

Please contact me on annie_oakes@hotmail.co.uk for more details or requests for orders.

Also check out my personal fashion blog MeetYourMaker on…http://meetyourfashionmaker.blogspot.co.uk/

Real Flower Jewellery source…http://www.flowerjewellery.com/

By Annie Oakes

Fashion Photography

Europe

Paris - Jul 2012

Young people chilling with a beer and long boards

Paris - Jul 2012

Three bikers wait at a red light on scooters

Paris - Jul 2012

Paris street syle



 

This Weeks Interview

 

Peter May - The Gutterfighters

Peter May is a Manchester Met student with a various amounts of talents. He is the drummer in the band The Gutterfighters who have brought out an album and is available on itunes. he is a skilled photogapher which landed himself a place on the FFT fashion magazine blog. he talks about his band and his trip around Europe.

http://www.myspace.com/thegutterfighters 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Gutterfighters/260388320655990

Fashion Philosophy With Gareth Davies

I Spy

Hello, this week I’m going to give some suggestions as to what to wear on a sneaky spying mission. Whilst a Mr Bond style tuxedo is undoubtedly smart, it is not exactly practical for spying unless you’re trying to hide amongst penguins.

The first aspect of my MI5 uniform is the shoes. If you are or ever have been sent on a mission you will know that stealth is key. For this reason I think that smart shoes should be ditched, I have some smart(ish) shoes and by heck are they loud when I go walking on the floor. Instead of these spies should wear slippers to work, slippers are next to silent meaning people can go to the toilet at night without stomping about and waking everyone up. When the other guys don’t hear you doing your sneaking you really won’t mind if your feet look like cheeky bunny rabbits. Slippers don’t even require socks so you will save a few bob there to buy bullets and x-ray specs (just make them stylish ones).

 Like good socks the bottom half a tuxedo will set you back a load of cash. Spying consists of crouching and jumping and stuff like that and so trouser splits are highly likely. However, the cold war seems over and so your mission is probably going to be somewhere really warm so just go in shorts, there cheaper and allow more space for movements like a quiet crouch.  Furthermore loud cases of tripping up can be avoided by the absence of overly long trouser hems.

In order to keep public relations with the enemy appearing well and to blend in as a local I think it wise to wear an ‘I heart’ t-shirt praising the local town. This will allow you to glide through public streets without the funny looks and people grassing you up to authorities. Your apparent love of the area will therefore lead to you gaining trust, a very important tool indeed.

Surprisingly, I suggest a smart blazer is kept whilst it will give your outfit a classy vibe; the main reason is that they have loads of pockets, even hidden ones (perfect for the sneakiest of spies). Some blazers can have as many as 5 pockets perfect for a hip-flask of martini, a gun and bullets, your wallet, telephone and then some spare medicine/ survival gear for if you get caught.

Finally, I recommend a Stone Roses style sun- hat. A good spy can expect to wait around for ages in order to find out the information that they desire so much. This waiting might happen in some sunny open space in which case heat stroke would be a big distraction from the true goals. So simply wear a sun hat to avoid sun stroke after all you’re probably already dehydrated from all the martini you’ve been drinking which will make the illness all the more likely.

Thank you for reading love from Davies, Gareth Davies. xoxo