The Carven Spring 2012 collection, shown as part of Paris fashion week, is really lovely. The evening wear looks are fresh and unexpected, the chunky shoes (though reminiscent of a lot of the flatforms around this season) give the looks an intriguing masculine edge, and the bold cut-out detailing gives the collection a sense of vitality as well as continuity and coherence.
The collection features some super-short silhouettes, which obviously look gorgeous on the models. Equally obvious, however, is the fact that my purple-white sausage legs would look infinitely less desirable in this abbreviated variety of skirt. Ditto the unmade-up faces. There are some elements of the show which do really tap into my current style preoccupations, however, and which I therefore both covet and wish to approximate in some kind of budget version.
I'm very keen on the golden / mustard tone which punctuated the second third of the collection. It's not a colour I would usually experiment with, but Carven made it look so sumptuous that I might just have to give it a go. I think that the palette in general is pretty delicious (not to mention the prints!); it manages to retain a real sense of femininity whilst also seeming bold, strong, and modern.
I also love the way that shirt collars can be seen peeping out from the necklines of dresses. I have tried this kind of look before, but always in a more winter-y way - white shirts buttoned to the neck beneath grey woollen dresses or pinafore-type numbers. Here, however, not only do the colours help to make the outfits more season-appropriate, but a number of the collars themselves are autonomous. That is, one need not wear a shirt in order to get the collar effect, but can just wear the collar separately - shirtless collars rather than collarless shirts! I think that's a genius idea for when the weather turns hotter and nobody wants to layer up.
In short, I really like the whole collection. Well done to Guillaume Henry. I want to finish off with an outfit that manages to encapsulate all of my favourite elements, and which I will have filed away in my noggin as style inspiration come spring. I love the colours (the mustard with the blue lace against the baby pink, combined with the acid bright shoes), I love the buttoned up collar, and I love the very neon librarian feel about the whole look!
Showing posts with label Spring 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring 2012. Show all posts
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Colour, Collars, Carven
Labels:
brights,
Carven,
colour,
Paris Fashion Week,
pattern,
print,
shoes,
Spring 2012,
style inspiration
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
More Sugary Shades: Marni Spring 2012
The Marni collection, shown as part of Milan Fashion Week, ticked all of my style boxes: bright colours; bold patterns; sharp collars; and neat, vintage-y shapes. In some ways, it was vaguely reminiscent of the Mulberry Spring 2012 show, particularly in its use of ankle socks and ice cream shades.
So pretty, and I love the slim-fitting organza slips peeping out from beneath the different skirt lengths. For me, though, it was the eccentric, retro-feel prints that really stole the show.
I love the complementary yet mismatched use of pattern, and I am particularly enamoured with the spotted look. I think the houndstooth check bag works perfectly, and the contrasting polka dots of the dress and the collar would be such a fun look to try at home. It certainly wasn't an understated collection, then, and yet there was a certain clean elegance about it. I just hope that the high street takes note; I will be thoroughly disappointed now if the shops of Spring 2012 aren't saturated with sugar-high shades and brave, bold prints.
So pretty, and I love the slim-fitting organza slips peeping out from beneath the different skirt lengths. For me, though, it was the eccentric, retro-feel prints that really stole the show.
I love the complementary yet mismatched use of pattern, and I am particularly enamoured with the spotted look. I think the houndstooth check bag works perfectly, and the contrasting polka dots of the dress and the collar would be such a fun look to try at home. It certainly wasn't an understated collection, then, and yet there was a certain clean elegance about it. I just hope that the high street takes note; I will be thoroughly disappointed now if the shops of Spring 2012 aren't saturated with sugar-high shades and brave, bold prints.
Labels:
ankle socks,
collar,
colour,
Marni,
Milan Fashion Week,
Spring 2012
Sunday, 25 September 2011
Socks with Everything
As I mentioned in my review of the Mulberry show, I am very pleased by the number of little socks on the Spring 2012 catwalks. They've cropped up at Anna Sui, Marc Jacobs, House of Holland, and elsewhere.
This suits me, because my ankle sock obsession is pretty much out of control right now. I've long been working socks as a daytime accessory to add a jolt of colour or quirk to an otherwise unremarkable ensemble...
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| Anna Sui, Spring 2012 |
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| Marc Jacobs, Spring 2012 |
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| House of Holland, Spring 2012 (Images from Style.com) |
This suits me, because my ankle sock obsession is pretty much out of control right now. I've long been working socks as a daytime accessory to add a jolt of colour or quirk to an otherwise unremarkable ensemble...
... but the day version turned out to be a gateway sock. I've now graduated onto the harder stuff, and have started working socks for evening. I get some funny looks wearing this Calvin Klein dress with a white vintage belt, gold Marks and Spencer's shoes, and pink Topshop ankle socks, but it just feels so right! I am definitely not ready to let this micro-trend go just yet, and plan to try socks with everything until well into the new year!
Labels:
ankle socks,
Anna Sui,
Calvin Klein,
House of Holland,
Marc Jacobs,
Marks and Spencer,
Spring 2012,
Topshop
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Print on Demand
I'm loving the images coming in from New York Fashion Week 2011. I am particularly mesmerised by all the gorgeous prints - pattern and colour galore! It's right up my street. Check out these images from the Vogue website:
I particularly love the Preen collection, with its pixelated pastels, lacy details, and miniaturized peplums. My absolute favourite so far, though, has to be Thakoon. The blazing brights, insistent prints, and gorgeous gold-tipped booties blow my mind, whilst the sugared almond hair is dreamy and delicious.
I'm less keen on the cowboy-style hats and some of the cross-body sari details, but there is a lot of this that I would just love to wear. It would certainly cheer up a long day in the library! I am particularly inspired by the extravagant, exploded paisley print which crops up throughout the collection, often placed in juxtaposition with other lavish fabric choices.
![]() |
| Derek Lam Spring 2012 |
![]() |
| Preen Spring 2012 |
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| DVF Spring 2012 |
I'm less keen on the cowboy-style hats and some of the cross-body sari details, but there is a lot of this that I would just love to wear. It would certainly cheer up a long day in the library! I am particularly inspired by the extravagant, exploded paisley print which crops up throughout the collection, often placed in juxtaposition with other lavish fabric choices.
It's given me some great ideas to try out with my new Asos shirt (pictured below). I've been working it with brown suede shorts, grey tights and Chelsea boots, but I think it's time to draw inspiration from Thakoon and pair it with something a little bit bolder. Bring on the Spring 2012 print clash!
Labels:
Asos,
colour,
hair dye,
New York Fashion Week,
pattern,
Preen,
print,
Spring 2012,
Thakoon,
Vogue
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