Zara / Fall 2013. Brand.

Zara is a label one can always rely on for producing investment pieces of comfort, demure and swank. With the release of their Fall campaign there are catwalk trends abound, featuring tartan, florals, lace and oversized coats to name but a few. Perfect for pieces for a powerfully chic collection! 

View their Campaign video here

Charly xox

Project 104. Label.

Swimwear barely gets a second thought in the UK, and with sustainability and eco-fashion becoming a much greater requisite within design, a multifunctional piece epitomizes this and we all love a good investment piece!!
And so enter Project 104. Its swimwear is a collaboration of art and fashion forms a contemporary, heavy print aesthetic, each item is itself a specimen of art. This bad-ass British-based brand produces limited edition and individually numbered swimwear, a first in history. Only 104 of each individual print in a particular style are ever produced per project. The current project 'My Body, My Shrine' created for those who believe (ironically) 'my body is a temple but my temple likes getting trashed', and their technicolour costumes encapsulate four distinct shrines; Pill Popper, Cigafeen, Sugar Hooker and Chain coker. Sweet perfection in the form of fabric for us fun-loving free spirits who likes to stand out from the crowd.
 

Charly xox

Project 104: Twitter, Facebook and Blog.

Bleaching. DIY.

Being the crazy rebellious 20 year old I am, my night sat consisted of researching for a couple of posts (watch this space) while watching Harry Potter  in my pjs with a (vegan) pizza and the dog.

As beautiful as this genuinely is ( <3 ) I felt I needed to do something a little more productive earlier in the day to justify it so decided to bleach some tops. Here are the results:

Light Blue Tee, Ebay

Black Vest Top, H&M, Similar Available

Some helpful tips: 

• Do it on binbags on a lino or outside
• Make sure there is plenty of ventilation
• Wear gloves, or have your fave hand moisturizer close by (I use Neal's Yard Save the Bees, smells lush, highly recommend!) 
• Make sure you rinse them well to make sure all the bleach is washed out so the fabric isn't damaged
• Add more, in layers, to create a more depth

What do ya'll think? What are you're fave combinitions & patterns when dying or bleaching? Just let me know if you'd like to know how to do this

Hope you had a lovely lazy day too
Charly xox

S/S to A/W 2013. Transitional Pieces.

Seeing as we British seem to be forever discussing the weather, I thought a piece on transitional pieces was most definitely appropriate for this time of year. It's humid and windy, rainy, or cold with glorious sunshine. Repeatedly making the choice of which pieces to adorn yourself with can quickly grow tiresome, one minute there's torrential rain and the next you wish you were in a skimpy bikini! So here are some useful tips and ideas to help you get through it!

Oversized Coat: Even in small skirts or shorts you can be as snug as bug in a fluffy rug by wearing one of these bad boys. From Prada's snakeskin to Dior's red riding hood-esque, even Kenzo's eye-printed, the major designers and newcomers alike all debut this textbook investment... the quintessential transitional piece!
Designer: Chanel, Max Mara, Escada, Missoni, DVF, Saint Laurent, Etro, Dolce and Gabanna, Louis Vuitton, Viktor and Rolf, Valentino.
High Street: H&M, Topshop Unique, French Connection, Marks & Spencers, Zara.

Woolen Knits:Designer: Pinko, Dries Van Noten, Carven, DSquared2, AF Vandevorst, Mugler, Peter Pilotto, Sacai, Chanel, Isabel Marant, Saint Laurent.
High Street: Topshop Unique, Urban Outfitters, The Ragged Priest, Free People, Oak, Romwe.

Trousers: Sport paired with a cropped knit or statement tee and sandal, an atypical vibe perfect for the present weather conditions. Boyfriend jeans, hareems, joggers, jodhpurs, or even dungarees are blasting through this season; an excellent way to create the illusion of skyscraper-length pins.
Designer: Espirit, Custommade, Haider Ackermenn, Cos, Paul Smith, Hugo Boss, Day Birger et Mikkelsen, Adam Lippes, Schiaparelli, Raquel Allegra.
High Street: River Island, Zara, Mango, Asos, Free people, French Connection.

A-line Skirt: Whether above the knee or below the A-line skirt is making a welcomed comeback just in time to be worn in this temperamental climate.
Designer: Lanvin, Pinko, Todd Lynn, Prada, Jonathan Saunders, Celine, Christian Dior, Chloe.
High Street: Warehouse, Topshop Unique, Romwe, New Look.

Fabric Accessories: Fingerless gloves, beanies and visible socks to give a quirky twist on an outfit. With scarves; wear as many as you dare, adding protection against spine-chilling gusts of wind, pair dashes of clashing patterns, fabrics and colour.
Designer: Marccain, Celine, Mui Mui, Bottega Veneta, Hermes, Alexander Mcqueen, Burberry, Mulberry, Karl Donoghue, Eugenia Kim, Missoni, Saint Laurent
High Street: Hobbs, Dorothy Perkins, Accessorize, Asos, New Era, Zara, Oasis.

Tips:
Balance out what's on show, allowing you to be cool if it's stuffy and warm if there's a chill in the air. e.g. short skirt, thigh high boots and oversized jacket.
Wear layers, add and remove as needed.
Mix textures and prints to add your own personality to an outfit.
Make base layers patterned so when it does get warmer and layers need to be removed.



Thanks for reading, feel free to let me know what you think, what your fave transitional trends and key peices are, or just to have a natter!


Love Charly xox