Tuesday 30 July 2013

Style Icon - Haruka Nanami.

UtaPri is one of the most popular otome games or visual novels to emerge from Japan. Manga and Anime adaptations have followed and many Western fans of both are calling for English adaptations of the original games. The female protagonist, Haruka Nanami, is one of the most adorable I've ever seen and she inspires some of the best cosplays I've come across. Her style is very feminine and cute but not overly fussy despite the frills. The perfect hair is something I've already discussed but other aspects add to a very cute whole. 

Expect peter pan and sailor collars, great outfit proportions, muted tones, puffed shoulders, frills, ribbons and perfect accessories. Sadly, there aren't many good pictures out there but please enjoy these adorable gifs and, if you're so inclined, watch the anime and see what I mean. Be warned, as enjoyable as it is, it's pretty lame and embarrassing...Don't judge me!






Monday 29 July 2013

Gothic Revival

...I mean the architecture, obviously. Not quite sure where the outfit falls...I'm crazy about the building I'm pictured in front of - it's my local church and I did my dissertation on its architect, John Bourke. No one had really studied him before so mine was the first in-depth study of his career which was pretty cool. They've even put my work on file in The Irish Architectural Archive!

But back to the outfit. If I had to give you its recipe it'd be one part grunge revival, one part punk and about 100 parts Colette. Such a quintessentially me outfit - comfort, black, oversize on top and skinny on bottom and minimal accessories with a nod to my musical roots. 

I had forgotten how fun outfit posts were - expect a little more of them from now on (hopefully)! Woop!

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Tee - Urban Outfitters - Pants - Zara - Sunglasses - Topshop - Boots - New Look - Clutch and wristband - Self-made

Sunday 28 July 2013

Hair Envy - Haruka Nanami

Haruka Nanami of the anime Uta no Prince-sama is unbelievably kawaii and has both a killer sense of style and hair. This post will bask in the perfectness of her hair and my desire to have it - to chop or not to chop? - but I'm definitely gonna focus on some her bestest outfits another time.

Observe the hairfection.


(Image from fanpop)

Saturday 27 July 2013

DIY not?

Had an old skirt that was embarrassingly short (and, thus, never worn out of the house) which I had to cut myself out of when the zip got stuck and I was both in a hurry and panicky - Now I have one clutch, a collar a shoulder bag on its way and a couple other ideas for the leftovers. I'm so glad I did something with it instead of throwing it out - so cute!

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My sister described the collar as "something those guys who try to be sexy shirtless butlers would wear"...I think she's referring to Chippendale-like figures?

Wednesday 24 July 2013

Clarity.


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The heat has made my scant beauty regime all the more non-existent. Really all I wear now is scent and body lotion - and even that is used very sparingly. As a result of my limited usage, perfumes last a long time for me and I've recently returned to this simple Lacoste perfume which is musky and subtle.

Funnily enough, all of my beauty products of the moment coordinated with the largely white outfit I wore the other day. Inspired by French style and ease and my icon of the moment, Ms Hardy, it's a little retro, a little boyish and very simple.

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Tuesday 23 July 2013

Icon - Françoise Hardy

Françoise Hardy embodies so many of the things that I have come to desire for my own personal style.Her hair! Oh, that hair. It deserves and ode; perfectly undone French-girl hair avec enviable fringe.The make-up, when present, is uber-natural and understated - a cateye flick of mascara here or a flash of lipstick there. And then the clothes - androgyny, simplicity, cutesyness, ease and a touch of rock and roll. 

The sixties aren't really my thang but I heart Ms Hardy so much - I'll be deriving lots of inspiration from her for the foreseeable future.

And, y'know, tuneage.

PS She's still looking pretty damn gorgeous and chic (see below)



Monday 22 July 2013

Try this on for size - Men's Summer Sale Picks.

Sale Picks - Men - s/s 2013


I did a lot of time-consuming creeping on Mr Porter, Asos, Topman, River Island, Cos and Urban Outfitters so you didn't have to. Here's the best of the best bargains online at the moment for the boys.

(Woop - alliteration.)

Men's Summer Sale Buys


Summer Men's Sale Picks - Accessories


Sale Picks Summer 2013 - Men


Sale Picks for Men 2013 - Summer

Thursday 18 July 2013

More self-promotion...heh...

Heyyyy, (shuffles awkwardly) so if anyone wants to nominate the blog, please do. You'll need to use fitzpac2@gmail.com as the email. Pleases and thank yous.


Tuesday 16 July 2013

Interview: NATALIEBCOLEMAN (The "B" stands for boss, clearly)

NATALIEBCOLEMAN is a bit of an obsession of mine - regulars of this blog will be aware of this fact. (Fashion obsession, not the bad kind) Aside from how talented she is and how wonderfully unique her collections are, I'm always a cheerleader for Irish talent. And Irish fashion talent? The best. After a couple of write ups of her collections, I reached out to Natalie and she was lovely and kind enough to give me some of her time. Interestingly, aside from being passionate about her work, I found her to be rather funny and amazingly conceptual. Her remarks on the inspiration behind her latest collection are especially interesting. Enjoy and be sure to find the label on facebook, twitter and the online store



The A/W 2013 campaign video. Awesome, non?

And now, from the lady herself:

First of all, thank you very much for agreeing to speak to me. As you know, I'm a big fan and I really appreciate your taking the time out to do this. When I look at your clothes I always think that they're distinctly yours. How would you describe your aesthetic and point of view?

No problem, thank you for asking and for your interest in the label. Apologies for the delay, things have been hectic! My point of view is to make clothes that I believe in.

I honestly put so much of me into each collection, firstly the narrative behind each season is very important and has to come from a place of truth for me and I like to have some humour in the story, it has to translate some message to the wearer. What I really want is for women to feel strong, beautiful, cool and confident in my pieces.

I believe in the power of clothes, I always think a dress can change your life. I read a quote recently about how your life is made up of 3 or 4 days where you make life changing decisions and I think clothes can be a part of that. Maybe you are wearing something that has a memory attached that makes you react in a certain way or maybe a dress that makes you feel daring and sexy and you behave in a way you would not normally. 



When did you know that design was what you wanted to do in life? Is there a moment from your childhood that made you think fashion was the way forward?


I have always been in love with clothes, I loved everything to do with them and always associate memories with colours and smells. When I think of my Grandmother I think of being small and burying my head in her apron that had a cornflower blue pattern and always smelt of brown bread. When I think of my mother I remember waiting for her to come out of the room and put on a fashion show for us before she went out, I think of pearls sewn onto black velvet, denim beaded jumpsuits and her collection of kimonos her sister brought back from Asia. My love of fashion is tied up with my love of people and expression. I was always crazy about fairy tales and the magic of the party dress so that is where my fashion roots began, I think!


You've been seen, at times, as a bit of an ambassador for Irish fashion - is this a role that you like? Do you see yourself as a distinctly Irish designer or a designer who happens to be Irish?

I see myself as a bit of a story teller in my own way, the true Irish Story tellers have that trait and I'd like to think of myself hanging on the tail ends of that tradition. I am extremely proud to ever be thought of as an ambassador for Irish Fashion in any small way.



On a similar note, what are your hopes for the industry here? Where would you like to see Irish fashion go? I personally would love us to have our own significant fashion week but I don't know if that will ever be possible - what do you think?

There is so much talent from this small Island and I would love to see some more nurturing of it here. The fashion Industry in Ireland needs financial backing and it would be great if the Government were to set up funding that we could apply for to showcase our work during the official London Fashion Week. I think that would be a good starting point.

I don't think Ireland should compete against any other fashion week but do something uniquely different that reflects our culture and our philosophy, in that way it can be something fresh and viable. 


What can we expect from your next showing?

AW13 is called 'I belong to me' and the inspiration came from hosting a smashing party, one where people get together and bring old china and smash it up. Like a giant release, a letting go in a rock and roll kind of way!

I began to develop print ideas and came up with the exploding bull print in different scales and colours inspired by Cubism and Hopper’s hotel lobby colours with some pop art colour references thrown in. Fabrics are beautiful elegant Silks digitally printed and with sophisticated finishing. The leathers are really pop colour with luxurious brushed gold skins also in butter soft Italian Lambskin which feels wonderful next to your skin. 





S/S 2012 Swimwear.

Are there any trends that you're sick of? 

I don't care about trends, at the moment fashion is a mix of everything. What I am sick of is that a lot of people don't seem to have any points of reference, they don't care about fashion as a reflection of themselves in society. I hate Penney's culture and I feel it has overtaken so much in Ireland that people do not understand the difference in mass production and limited piece production. I also wish reality TV would disappear, I think it is killing creativity and brains!


Do you have any dos or don'ts when it comes to fashion?

Don't be afraid, as long as you feel good, you will look good, enjoy, it is supposed to be pleasure.


And, finally, if you could have anyone else's career, who would it be and why?

I would love to be Joan Collins, I used to think that I had been adopted when I was a kid and that she must surely be my Mother! I don't know why but I was crazy about her!! 


(Videos via Natalie B Coleman -- twitter and facebook)

Monday 15 July 2013

Rag and Bone meets Felicity?

The Fall campaign shots remind me so much of the show - especially the opening credits with the black and white images of the characters. I can't be the only one who thinks this, right?

But seriously though, ice cool much. Michael Pitt, you big dreamboat...and Lea Seydoux is pretty damn alright too. New York, the third uncredited star of the campaign is also looking damn fine. SO MUCH LOVE.
(Images via Rag & Bone and Refinery29)

Sunday 14 July 2013

Manic about MANIAMANIA

Lookbooks now rival editorials on a regular basis. It's not just making the clothes look good and buyable. It's an artform, a mood. I am LOVING MANIAMANIA's Autumn 2013 lookbook. The campaign is comprised of stills and a vid inspired by 1930s actress Theda Bara (known for her gothic tendencies) and star Ruby Jean Wilson. The video, with its use of witchy animals such as owls and snakes has reminded some of Harry Potter or anything witch-like, but the stills remind me more of dutch painting. The lighting and still life elements wouldn't be amiss in 16th century oils and momenti morii such as grapes are included. There's a dark, sad beauty about the images that I'm crazy for.

So much so, that I almost overlooked the jewellery being showcased itself. Almost. It would so fit in my wardrobe.




Tuesday 9 July 2013

Boyish Beachwear.

It's very warm in Ireland at the moment - and no one knows how to deal! I've been sticking with loose, androgynous clothing that doesn't need to try too hard because ain't nobody got time for that.

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Monday 8 July 2013

Looking Haute...but limited.

Couture is the high-point for most designers, the thing to aim for. It is closest to art in how it behaves in the market and in its very nature. It offers the opportunity to truly let creativity run free and to fully visualise a vision. Yet, it also has its limitations. These are not in what you can make but what you can do with it.

Couture finds its home on the runway, in archives, in the closets of the very rich, in editorials and in galleries. Even celebrities usually only have the items on loan. Dresses cost upwards of thousands into the hundreds of thousands - the audience is pretty limited. We can all appreciate them as things of beauty but I also think there is something sad about them. They can be seen as fuller artistic expression yet they live half-lives of being seen and rarely worn.

This couture season was somewhat staid which surprised me. I always thought that economic downturn brought out the most railing creativity...but it didn't.. While the collections were undeniably beautiful, I could not help but feel that they were safe and maybe that's what people do want these days, safety.

Still, I was somewhat disappointed. I'm a big believer in liking something and still being able to see its flaws so my criticism is not to say that I disliked collections. I just kept waiting for the moment to sit up in my seat or bounce with excitement. And it didn't really come. The closest was Viktor & Rolf's show. Vogue noted that half of the collection was bought in advance by and art collector and that the show was more performance art than traditional runway. The whole sense of questioning how shows should be conducted and the highly conceptual nature of the collection left me intrigued and refreshed.

Elie Saab was very Saab but beautiful none the less. His dresses will always be the kind women want to wear and I adore them. Gaultier did a lot of Gaultier and looked back instead of forward. I wish he'd found a more modern, surprising way to do his fantastic thang. Valentino, again, while beautiful, left something to be desired. The collection, for me, seemed too alike their ready-to-wear. Dior had concepts I really dig but stayed on the safe side of the fence. I just wish Simons had given it that kick of unexpected. Ulyana Sergeenko created the wardrobe of the Russian princess of my dreams but similarly needed a touch more of the never seen before. Maison Martin Margiela had that sense of new but not enough of it! Gimme more!

Solid design is here to stay, I just wish a new game-changing voice would emerge and shake things up good and proper. Perhaps we are in too diverse an age for such an all-encompassing voice. Who knows? I just hope people continue to question what they do and to push boundaries.










Thursday 4 July 2013