Winter '10 Trend Spotting

Something I found really interesting when I went overseas back in '07 was the fact that the trends that I saw taking shape in Europe, London especially during their Autumn transcended into our Autumn Winter Trends '08. I've talked previously on this blog about trends filtering down from high fashion/haute couture to 'normal' fashion.

Although a quick check on the Chanel website shows you that the gladiator-sandal trend is only just starting in places like America where Summer '10 is just starting to get a foothold (...foothold, ha, get it? Shut up.) trends are just starting to move forward here in Oz and therefore, with the usual jibber-jabber commentary, heres TutBlog's Autumn/Winter 2010 fashion trend predictions:

(ps: This is aside or on-top-of the 'duh' seasonal, time and time again trends of: Trench Coats, Boots, Beanies, etc.)

1. Over the Knee Boots

(photo credit: NatsNice)

This trend I think I saw for the very first time in 'The Devil Wears Prada' a couple of years ago and has been making headlines on the runway ever since (or maybe it's just one of those things like when you're made aware of something you start to see it everywhere, like bad fake tans and Fiat 500s). Anyway, I love the look, primarily because I've always though of over-the-knee anything as quite flirtatiously 50s, although with killer stiletto heels and leather outer, these new breed look a little more Madame Pain's S&M dungeon than the Bo-Peep charm over-the-knee stockings have always carried for me. Nevertheless, they're chic and are sure to crop up in chain shoe stores this winter.

2. Ripped tights and stockings, edgy stocking styles such as thigh high, suspenders etc

I'm citing this as an up-and-coming because of 'Gossip Girl's'  seemingly infallible ability to influence trends in chain stores and collections alike. Jenny Hunphrey, is of course the character in GG Season 2 who goes a little wild and edgy and seems to wear alot of leg bling (stockings, tights, stay-ups etc) on and off set. The following pictures are from GoFugYourself, which if you have a spare minute, is the best (fashion) time waster on the internet. 

As with a multitude of fashion trends  (Blair's cutesey colourful suits, Serena's crossover dress, statement necklaces, headbands, bows, headbands with bows etc) I predict that stockings, especially ripped, opaque, patterned black ones will become the new leggings, although I hope not in the sense of trying desperately to replace pants, as leggings tried and failed to do. In the eternal words of Blair Waldorf, season 2 : "How many times do I have to tell you? tights. aren't. pants."

3. Statement collars

Chanel uses a statement collar, almost always in black and white monochrome in their Fall/Winter 2009/10 collection. Mark my words there will be some lower-brand form of this out by July.

4. Thin belts

In the Dior Ready-To-Wear 2010 collection, inspired by Mitzah Bricard, and the vamped-up Versace Fall/Winter 2010 runway show there is an abundance of thin, often patent, leather belts. Hmm...while belts are always 'in' in one form or another, it will be interesting to see if thin, shiny belts take precedence over the thick, highly decorated ones of recent seasons, this winter.

Sadly though, with fashion moving faster on and off women's bodies than Tiger Woods we are already seeing the backs of some really fab trends, here are my Favourite Trends of 2009:

(in no particular order) 

1. Platform shoes

2. One shoulder dresses

3. The Maxi-Dress

4. Vintage style-jeans

5. Sequins

And with all that said:

Here are my Top 5 Trends I Will Be Glad to See the Back Of in 2010 aka The Naffiest of the Naff '09

(in no particular order)

1. Leggings (as pants)

2. Fluro

3. Chunky embellishment

4. Statement t-shirts

5. Sequins

Thanks for reading,

B. 

Wishing you all a stocking full of style

Just a small(ish) update to act as an apologetic filler for why I haven't been posting recently. The usual excuses aside (exams, formal, graduation, housesitting with no internet, uni choices, christmas, etc), the real reason I haven't been posting lately is because of the lack of inspiration stress and exams bring, rather than a lack of time...I always have time to gab about clothes. 

Soon though (ie. hopefully, ie. if I get around to it...) this will change due to my lovely 'Santa' present I unwrapped this morning, a beautiful, shiny red camera with 'street fashion' written all over it. 

Hopefully i'll soon hit the streets (in the best sense of the word) to capture some of Canberra's underrated style, and maybe, just maybe apply to CSN to be a contributor if I can manage the zoom button.

Have a lovely (wet) Christmas and a fab New Year and hopefully tutblog will be up and running again in no time!

B. 

Paris, je'taime!

My dad recently informed me during a recent discussion of Woody Allen that he had read somewhere that apparently 'Manhattan' is the best movie about New York. He also said that the same article cited 'Amelie' as the best movie about Paris. While I have seen Amelie and appreciate the quirky characters and humour I must argue that, while there are some terribly sweet shots of Amelie and her beau careering down the cobblestone lane-ways of Monmartre on a Vespa at the end of the film, I believe that the movie one must see in order to ache for Paris is Paris, je-taime. 

So why am I on a rant about films? Because, dear reader, it is a film about Paris. And where am I hoping to live for a month or so next year...? This (blind) hope comes from an (unhealthy) obsession with the city of love that was born when I visited in 2007. 

So now, on the proverbial eve of my Gap Year between college and University, I set my eyes on the horizon and virtually all I can think about is how fantastically amazingly fabulous it would be to actually call Paris home, if only for a month. So where does hoping lead? To planning. And where does planning lead? To Alannah Hill of course, to search for essentially Parisian accessories. 

If you know anything about Gallic culture, or more directly, Parisian women, you will know that they dress sickeningly well, and while they find excess distasteful (finally!) to fit in in Paris, it seems, one must have a full wardrobe of black Prada. 

While my anorexic wallet faints at the idea of purchasing said wardrobe just for a month there are a few little luxuries that I would love to buy just to wear in Paris. Here they are below in a truly lustful list:

• Alannah Hill overnight bag

While I am aware that this is supposed to be an overnight bag, I think it would be perfect for a carry on bag: pop a pair of fluffy slippers and pressure socks into the bottom compartment and swap them with your heels at take off!

 (Source: http://ishandchi.blogspot.com/)

• Dior Compact

For touch ups on the Metro

• Red Suede Pumps

Since I am a black clothes lover, I will try to get my hands on some fab statement shoes to make it known that I am not a rent-a-crowd for funerals. 

• Alannah Hill felt fascinator.

While I love, Love, LOVE outrageous fascinators, this one is nice and subtle. 

• Prada Sunglasses

While I will try to get the real thing....no promises.

x Beatrice

Leggings as Jeans - Worse than Crack

Dear Friend,

You're the sluttiest girl at school, you're the toast of the year below me, you're the girl who sits opposite me on the bus, you're the secret virgin, you're the big-and-proud-of-it girl, you're the gym freak-ette who's bum looks like two oranges wrestling in a sock, you're the rich girl with no fashion sense and the trend whore with the air-freight Vogue tucked under one arm. You are every girl. Well, every girl that wears leggings as pants, anyway.

It seems to me that you have not grasped the concept of pants yet. Oh I know! It's so in right now, so chic, so fashionable, everyone's wearing them- STOP! No, No, No, NO! Period.

Leggings are not pants, and they never will be. Thanks for your time.

Sincerely,

Beatrice, your friendly neighborhood watchdog.

Okay, a little dramatic but no, it's not okay. Whether you are a 6, 16 or 26 leggings as pants (no matter how svelte you legs or how cool the leggings are) are not OK.

They look silly. Silly and sheep-like and cheap. There are billions of cool legging designs out there are yes, Agy does look smashing in them but wearing leggings as pants with any sort of very short dress or top and they look on par with wearing pajamas out of the house. Granted, on days when you have one class, wearing pajamas to school does seem tempting, but in the end, it just looks odd. Odd, showy, silly and really quite lazy. There are girls at my college that wear nothing but leggings as pants. Every. Day.

While some leggings are very cool, edgy and on-trend (see below) and I have many a time been tempted to buy a pair of leggings and wear them as pants, it only took me a second to remember, I can afford actual pants.

Sometimes I want to run up to these girls, embrace them and whisper in their ears "It's okay, we all feel lost sometimes" with a tear running down my cheek, before subtly slipping them a twenty with 'For the Pants Fund' note attached. Maybe it's a goal we can all work together to achieve.

On another note, since leggings worn with suitable overclothes can be hideously cool, here are some of my faves:

A: B:

C: D:

A + B: AMERICAN APPAREL

C + D: TOPSHOP

Ps: I suppose some people are wondering why I haven't mentioned jeggings, the infamous leggings with tacky faux denim printed on them and pockets sewn to the back. Answer: they don't deserve a mention. They deserve to go to the fashion mistake cemetery and lie in shame forever with the likes of balloon MC Hammer pants and Boy George hair.

Beatrice

MUSE '09

I suppose I naively consider myself a well rounded individual, especially when it comes to fashion and the fashion world but in reality I really am just another slightly off-trend teenager with an opinion and a blog. On Friday night I attended a fashion event (one of my first I'm ashamed to admit) called MUSE 09; a concept fashion event showcasing the fantastical talents of Miss Mikaela Hiews, who floored the standing-room-only turnout with her unique designs and made me realize that I do, in fact, have a lot to learn about fashion. 

MUSE '09 was a concept fashion show created in memory of Hiew's grandmother, Marie, and showcased refreshingly well researched designs from every decade of Marie's life from the 30s to the 2000s. Following those outfits there were some highly imaginative pieces from Hiew's 'Couture' collection that made me ache with jealousy. Mainly, since I am (attempting) to head towards Public Relations and Event Management at Uni, I was wowed at the effort taken to put together the evening. 

When one thinks amateur fashion show, the things that come to mind are nervous, giggly teens as models, school hall for venue and Home Ec. quality clothes but the attention to detail put into MUSE '09 totally banished any preconceptions I had. First of all the logistics were seamless. Lights, music, ushers, technicians, models and the venue itself ran so smoothly it reminded me that when nothing goes wrong, behind the scene cooperation is taken completely for granted. The clothes (oh the clothes!) were functional, inspired and enviable, my favourites being the deep blue pinstripe suit and pencil skirt combination and the magenta and gold Couture creation and the warm and enthusiastic vibe of the show hit home the reality that Mikaela's adoration of her late Grandmother was the driving force behind everything in the show and how amazing that was.

All in all, MUSE '09 was a fascinating and touching look at a girl's relationship with her grandmother and their shared connection with fashion and design. Mikaela Hiews will be one designer to watch in the future, mark my words.

Beatrice

Just a Quick Note...

Hey guys!

Just wanted to let it be known that even though I haven't written anything in AAAGES the TUTblog is still alive and well and living in Canberra! The only reason I have been inactive for so long is that this blog was actually born as an assignment set by our radically thinking English teacher who set no limits for what our blog should be about and after I handed the blog in for assessment (I got 95% for it so thanks for all your support guys!) I got kind of lazy.

BUT, I will be back! Especially since I am on term holidays now.

Hope you all have a lovely sparkly Canberra winter and I'll see you all when I return sometime in the near future :) 

Beatrice

Street Fashion 26/5/09

Location: Dickson College

Lauren

This kid had no idea what was going on. But what a sweet jumper.

Bear Bag

Ancel