Tuesday 29 September 2009

ethical threads

As important as fashion and style are to many people around the world, it should also be important that the clothing we wear is made from sustainable materials, and that human rights, labour safety and the environment are also considered when choosing that perfect top or gorgeous little black dress. Contrary to popular opinion, you CAN be stylish and ethically concious! Just check out these brands, all of whom are making it their mission to re-educate us on the importance of being socially responsible. Here are my favourites from each of these lovely people...

Skinny Nelson and friends - Australian design duo Jacqui Alexander and Zachary Midalia.

100% organically certified cotton 100% beauty. Draped, Japanese inspired pieces all in soft organic cotton. Menswear line is brilliant too!


Ciel - Sarah Ratty

Organic cotton t-shirts, Alpaca knits, recycled fabrics and fair labour make this brand special.


Komodo - Joe Komodo

Tailoring, fine knitwear and gorgeously rich colourings; working with families in Bali and Kathmandu for over 20 years, sustainablility, style and fair business is their philosophy.


People Tree - Designers in the UK and Japan as well as 50 fair trade groups in 15 countries ensures the brand gets it ethically right every time. Additional features will be added to clothing (such as embellishment on a simple top or dress) in order to create more work for people in developing countries, increasing support for those people. Designs include dresses made from recycled saris, beautiful embroidery, stylish features such as pleating, prints, structure and draping.


Noir - Label from Denmark which has also spawned two more diffusion lines (Black Noir and Illuminati II)

Rock and roll look with a conscience. Also an ethical collection created to give back to Africa in order to support cotton workers. Minimalist, sharp tailoring and specially treated cottons, creating a number of different looks including rubber and silk.

Monday 28 September 2009

project 2

Bought this in the Topshop sale for £7... the playsuit as a whole looks disastrous on me (and even when I asked for it to be held back the staff were mocking me from the safety of their high street changing room) but I thought it had the potential to look good...somehow, maybe.

Decided to cut it in two as I wanted a cape and some bedroom lingerie style shorts but lacked the cash to front them so out came the sewing machine.

So shorts...



And a cape...

Voila! Make do and mend (they had it right in the 40s damn it)

Thursday 3 September 2009

project

Due to my current monetary situation (I have none) I am enforcing a recreate project on myself... the plan is to take clothes that I have either bought in the wrong size/worn to death/got bored of/etc and remaster them into something new.


Starting with this... a print dress I picked up a couple of months ago in a charity shop and can't get used to - I suspect this is due to the awkward length which makes me look as if I live an old people's home with 10 cats.

The plan - Cut, sew and remodel into something I will wear.

The before...



The after...


Fluted hem short summery dress with before-mentioned lovely print which I will now wear to death. Hoorah for sewing machines!

Wednesday 2 September 2009

more headwear

These cold and windy days have forced me to fully embrace autumn/winter and dig out my fake fur Russian style hat from a couple of years ago


brandi strickland

Loving this mixed media art, so pretty!

Intuiton


There Are Differences


Universe Kite



Work Shop

Check out her website for more (and she's also on etsy!) www.brandistrickland.com

leeds festival aka my weekend as a groupie

Spent the August bank holiday weekend at Leeds festival - lots of teenagers getting wasted, getting off with each other and getting rowdy to their favourite bands. Went along to support the boyfriend who was djing in the Oxfam tent, thanks to all those rowdy wasted teenagers for coming along and bopping along!





If you're into music/things of that nature, check out his blog at http://blog.stoppauseplay.net/

Tuesday 1 September 2009

model watch - the one and only

With the new range for Topshop out in stores now, here is a retrospective of the wonderful and ever spectacular Miss Moss; she who can weather any storm and still come out shining.

In the beginning... there was Galliano. Taken at some extremely fabulous and exclusive party no doubt, at the start of Kate's career. She looks stunning.


Part of a series of photos that sparked rage against glamourising the 'heroin chic' look; this was one of Kate's first shoots whilst still very young.


At an agency party with Naomi Campbell - this dress is absolute complete and utter perfection. (Note how much Naomi has to crouch to match Kate's model-tiny height!)



Kate and Johnny - has there ever been a more beautiful pairing? (Sorry Vanessa)


In a shoot with Mario Testino



Shoot in i-D Magazine for her Topshop range.




Vogue (October 2008) Mario Testino - again - shoots Kate in a subliminal mix of couture and vintage. If I could look like this every day, I would.


charity style

Charity shops in Bristol are brilliant! Trying to find something great in a charity shop in London is a nightmare I find (and also quite expensive) This is very possibly due to the fact that I don't really know where I'm going/what I'm doing there - if anyone has any tips I'd be greatly appreciative - but also as there are proportionally less people here to snap up the good stuff.



Favourite rails are...


  • Old lady skirt rail - good for wildly patterned skirts in a horrible length that can be shortened easily with help from the trusty sewing machine

  • Men's t shirt rail - oversize t shirts or vests that usually have lame/brilliant slogans emblazoned on the front

  • Dress rail - usually has some absolute gems

Get hunting!