MOSCHINO DIY

Not wanting to be left out by the latest craze for vintage Moschino belts, yet horrified by the idea of paying over £120 for one on eBay, I robbed my Moschino bucket bag of all its letters and relocated them to an old leather vintage belt of mine for a seventies-ish take on the trend. The belt isn't quite the right width but whatever. I'm wearing it with a topshop cropped t shirt and vintage Armani demin shorts, and then Acne black sheer shirt and American Apparel black skirt. CW

My Attempt

FEBRUARY PICINC OF INSANITY

After seeing the sunshine this morning we eagerly planned a picnic in the park. After packing my bike with supplies we left the house to find small rain droplets falling and the once blue sky turning grey. Not ones to be put off by this country's ever unpredictable weather, we set off in defiance and made it to a bench where we unpacked our small feast. After twenty minutes of strange looks and our fingers getting progressively more numb we called it a day and warmed up at home to be more sensible. After a cup of tea and a Kit Kat the feeling had almost returned to our hands and our clothes were drying off nicely.

In an attempt to make the most of the weather we decided to opt for long skirts. However due to the need for excessive layering the look created is slightly witch/ nun -like. 

Claudia wears: Jacket - Vintage, Jumper - Topshop, Scarf - Like Mary, Skirt - AA, Boots - Vintage.

Frances wears: Jacket - Topshop, Jumper - Burberry, Dress worn as Skirt - H&M, Boots - Vintage.

CW & FC.

70S GIRLS

Claudia wears vintage leather jacket, fur and headscarf, Electric Feathers shorts, Selfridges shirt from the 70s, office shoes, vintage raffia bag.

Frances wears H&M coat, H&M jumpsuit, Office shoes, vintage headscarf.

CW and FC

PUT ON YOUR RED DRESS

I got this dress the other day off ebay and am very happy with it. Buying things online with no way of returning them can be quite a risk. Luckily this one paid off. Even though this is more of a summer dress I want to wear it now so am wearing it over a slightly bulky jumper. I like the way it is quite kid-like, with its easy fasten poppers and large baggy cut for playing all day in the sun. I look forward to wearing it with no tights, sandals and maybe a white t-shirt underneath.

Headscarf - vintage, Jumper - M&S, Dress - Topshop, Riding Boots - Vintage, Sparkly socks - GAP, Watch - Urban Outfitters, Faux Bone necklace and bracelet - Jensen and Ballantine

FC

SHEER-LING

Adopt 2011's most graceful trend with sheer fabrics in black or white. The sheer black maxi skirt is huge this season - I picked one up for myself in American Apparel the other day, which is great teamed with a black leather biker jacket and black leotard. For those less daring sheer panels are a less revealing alternative. CW

FEBRUARY FAVOURITES

These are the items which have got me happily through the month.

Clockwise from top left: Moschino leather bucket bag I got on eBay, Topshop camel platform suede wedges, Dress Up sheeer white cropped shirt with antique white silk bow, vintage brown leather jacket, Asos knitted headband, vintage fur stole, vintage Timmy Woods leopard bag, No.6 olive green clogs with tassels, vintage white bow-tie, YSL black tie-up shorts, antique keys, vintage paisley sleeveless shirt. CW

A BEAUTIFUL READ

For Christmas I was given these exquisite books by my Aunt. I really am looking forward to starting to read Tender is the Nights by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but may first re-read the Great Gatsby in my collection. I am a terribly slow reader, so it will be nice to have something good looking on my bed-side table for the months it will take me to finish.

FC

FREE WHEELER

Exhaustion is setting in. All I was fit for last night was watching costume dramas and eating caramel waffles in the bath. Day four now and I'm perking myself up with some street style and goodie-bag perusal. The best freebie by far at this stage has been the Orla Kiely umbrella ( I don't know what I would have done without it ) and also a cupcake on a stick which I gorged during the St Martin's MA show. I also really like the wooden neony necklace I was given at the Co-operative Designs show yesterday. CW

VIRGIN SUICIDES

The Virgin Suicides is one of my all time favourite books and films. Jeffrey Eugenies wrote the novel in 1993 and set this tale of troubled sisters in 1970s. The screenplay by Sofia Copolla was completed six years later and although the film takes place in a seventies summer, the outfits the girls wear seem to have a slight 90s grunge feel to them. I love the way the girls can carry off Sunday-school florals and crocheted tops with such style. Although the Libson parents try to keep the girls innocent through their wardrobes, the sisters especially Lux, manage to fashion their clothes as an escape. With styles from this era still prominent in the collections of designers such as Marc Jacobs and Sonia Rykiel and on the high street, it seems like there is no better time to both re-watch and re-read this incredible story. FC

WORLD DOMINATION

TOPSHOP seem set on infiltrating our lives and are doing a very successful job. There relatively new MAKE UP brand is an example of this. I was very impressed with the quality of the products and the vast array of colours and tones of the collection. I especially liked the selection of nail varnish shades, which although they were all eye catching, were more tasteful and more interesting than the usual offerings from the high street, such as Barry M. The make up boutique in the Oxford Circus store is very well set out and I liked how round the store, they had hidden pots of powder and mascara in old books.

FC

FRONT ROW BABY DAY TWO

A long day but a great day. Just got home from the Central St Martins MA show which was incredible, and really showed garments as pieces of art. Particularly impressive were the two winners, one of whom crafted floating dresses out of black hair and strips of black plastic, the other whose designs were reminiscent of rolled up parchment scrolls. Only problem was the people attending. Diva alert.
The Georgia Hardinge and Bryce Aime shows earlier were fab too. I've been seeing a lot of futuristic prints in most of the collections - this trend is going to be huge this winter.
Gripped by a frenzy I bought these Russell and Bromley leopard ponyskin wedges, but I think I'm going to return them tomorrow as they are a silly height for someone of already 5' 10" stature and I was just being silly and carried away. Shame though, they are pretty great shoes! CW

1. A lady at the Elliot Frieze show wearing an Alison Tod hat which wouldn't fit in the frame.

2. Out-of-this-world silhouettes at the Bryce Aime show.

3 and 4. Spine-like ridges and x-ray prints at the Georgia Hardinge show.

FRONT ROW BABY DAY ONE

This is my first season doing London Fashion Week and it is proving to be a very bizarre experience. First of all I wouldn't normally leave my house at 8am in full (or more than full) make-up and dressed up to the nines. People left, right and centre were being photographed and trying to stand out in any way they could. I drew as much inspiration from passers by as I did from the shows themselves.

The Orla Kiely room felt like a safe haven of loveliness (the canapes and Champagne a-flowing certainly helped). It was filled with trees adorned with stuffed birds, and haunting short films were showcasing the new collection in twee garden sheds for viewing. It was great to be able to chat to Orla about her new collection and the inspiration behind the film. One of the waitors (Andy) managed to wangle us some goodie bags and we reckon he'd been downing champagne all day in the back room.

I was blown away by the Ashley Isham show, which was my last show of the day, mostly because of the breathtakingly beautiful floral headpieces which adorned the heads of all models.

Outfit Day 1: Topshop coat, Derek Lam fur and python bag, Asos headband, Topshop crescent moon tights, AA shorts, Acne jumper, vintage fur stole, vintage silk scarf, vintage shoes. CW

SO LITTLE TIME...

The LFW tickets have been flooding in to work this week. Having had a sneak peek at the hottest trends for Autumn / Winter at Pure on Monday I'm very excited to see what the designers have come up with. I'm particluarly looking forward to the Felder Felder show tomorrow and Mark Fast on Monday. Nine shows to try and get to tomorrow - I think I've got my work cut out. Stay tuned for some good street style and old fashioned trend spotting. There won't be too many annoying self-indulgent Fashion Week posts, I promise! CW

ROSES AND GIN

This summer at Secret Garden Party I was introduced to the joys of Hendricks Gin in a old railway carriage that had been transformed into a gin palace cabinet of curiosity. Today, I happened to walk down Neal Street, and was invited into a Victorian refined courtship clinic. Hendricks had transformed an entire shop for Valentine's day into a free gin drinking parlour. In addition to flowing G + Ts, incredibly dressed men and women supplied those who would listen with tips on how to correctly accept a rose from a gentleman as well as other valentines facts. I left slightly more merry and with a complimentary dark red rose.

FC

PINK SUNDAE

We celebrated the sun (and approaching V day) this morning by coming out in shocking pinks and tropicals.

Frances wears H&M dress, Topshop tights, Urban Outfitters shoes, Louis Vuitton bag, Primark coat.
Claudia wears PPQ cardicoat, Acne shirt, AA shorts, vintage Timmy Woods leopard bag, Topshop tights, Armani sunglasses, vintage boots, Browns bear necklace, Asos headband.

CW and FC

SOCKS AND SANDALS

For a long while the idea of socks and sandals conjured up images of German tourists trudging around London on a summers day. Yet, with the temperature still howevering above freezing, this German inovation seems like the only sensible way to wear our new summer shoes, now. The grey pair of socks above are my step dad's and are several sizes too big. I would have prefered to wear a lovely grey angora pair I own from Gap but unfortunately I think my sister may have taken them back to university.

Scarf - Vintage, Coat (not again) - Topshop, Denim Shirt - Banana Republic, Jumper - Uniqlo,

Trousers - Mango, Shoes - Primark (£14 Bargain)

FC

OVER PREPARED

It may seem a bit hasty, as it is only February, but I think now is the perfect time to get your sunnies ready. I have a pair permanently in my bag as if to tempt the sun out. I will, however, lay off wearing them till it is actually vaguely bright out. These pairs, from H & M are super cheap at £3.99 each, I may just buy all three. The round shape is also flattering to most face shapes.

FC

60s AND 70s CUT OUTS

 The Seventies Patterns

A couple of years ago on ebay I bought a collection of 1960s and 70s clothes patterns. Although I can use my sewing machine to make simple things like cushions and to embroider, I have no idea how to cut out, let alone sew patterns. With the 70s trend not seeming to subside this summer it might be fun to try and make my own pair of flares, although I will have to find the right fabric and they will probably be horrific. However, I prefer the sixties patterns in my collection and hope that my Grandma will help me understand them in the Easter. I have also got my heart set on making my own two piece summer top and matching long short outfit. I am on the hunt for the perfect bright blue and daisy print fabric. My Grandma thinks I am mad but I think with her skill and my determination we can create these garments. I hope they will look like sixties childrens clothes and that I will hopefully be the spitting image of Sally, Don Draper's daughter, in Mad Men.

The Sixties Patterns

FC