22 October 2009

Winter Warming

Fur Coat by Todd Michael M

I'm sure every family has that traditional family heirloom, the fur coat, passed down from generation to generation, surviving stylish Chic's many winters. I must admit mine is just gathering dust at the back of my wardrobe, although it's a good coat which serves it's purpose, keeping me warm on those winter days, it's not exactly my sort of style. A great winter coat will last your for many years and transcend seasons, it's the one item in your wardrobe you wear with everything and anything and most importantly keeps you warm in those colder months. I believe that a good coat is one of the most important things to own, just think what winter would be like if you didn't have a coat to wear! So if your great, great, great, great grandmothers mink coat isn't exactly your thing here's my guide on how to find that perfect winter coat.


Don't be afraid to shop around.
I know we all have our favorite and least favorite shops but when it comes to coat shopping it's one of those "once a year" purchases so it's important that you shop around. I must have checked every available shop online and in store before I found that perfect coat, I didn't go for the first one I saw I looked around before deciding on the perfect one, and I'm very glad I did.

Make sure it's good quality.
When I say quality make sure it's going to keep you warm, it's unbelievable the amount of people who wear coats and are still shivering! Also check the stitching and make sure it's strong, it's no good spending money on something that will fall apart in a few months a good coat should be strong and sturdy and be able to last you for years to come.

Chose a neutral colour.
Coats are worn with everything so it's nice to have something that will match your whole wardrobe and that you'll be happy to wear year after year. That fuchsia bell sleeved faux fur coat may seem cute at first but fashions change rapidly and something which you find cute now you may end up hating a few months down the line. I believe you can't go wrong with black, black is a classic colour which never goes out of style and easy to mix and match with other colours.

Pick a classic design.
There are hundreds of different designs out there but it's a good idea to pick something that is flattering to your body shape and is able to match your wardrobe. I would choose a simple design which will transcend the fashion trends and doesn't have too many bells an whistles.

Pick a slightly bigger size.
When buying coats you don't want to get them too fitted, remember you'll probably be wearing lots of layers underneath so make sure you've that that bit of extra room to move around.

Find the right length.
Coats come in all different lenght's depending on what you want, it's best to try on different lengths to find the one right for you. I would suggest a longer length for winter but be careful as you don't want it so long that you end up absorbing the melted snow on the streets!

Don't cheap out!
A good is an investment piece it keeps you warm and lasts you years so it's worth spending that little bit extra on it, you don't necessarily have to go designer as long as the coat matches your needs it's worth the money!



Classic Melton Coat by Vivienne Westwood


Coba Wool Coat by K Karl Lagerfeld


Wool-blend military coat by Marc by Marc Jacobs


Pleated bouclé coat by Burberry Prorsum


10 June 2009

Things that make you go Oooooo #4

Ready? by Pacifist

Collectormania 15 - it was a cold and wet weekend but I had an awesome time there and Nathan Fillion is just as gorgeous in real life as he is on T.V.

My Milk Toof is my new favorite blog!

Inspirational posters

Terminator Salvation - Loved this movie and not just because my boy Bale was in it.

Peaches - I've been eating bunches of them everyday

Karl Largerfeld on Twitter

Knitting Soap - I bought this for my nanna and it smells as wonderful as it looks

The happiest group on Flickr, Smile :D

Okami - this is the most beautiful game I've ever played on the Wii I love it

Junko Mizuno Pure Trance Figures

Coquettish Tiara make the cutest bags ever!

THIS bunny made me laugh so much

Feasts on the BBC iPlayer a great documentary series which follows some of the more unusual festivals celebrated around the world including the Naked Man festival in Japan and the Day of the Dead in Mexico, very interesting and worth watching.

04 June 2009

My New Obsession : Vivienne Westwood x Melissa Shoes

Vivienne Westwood Sign, Tokyo by Mushrie

I'm sure like many people when I first saw the new Vivienne Westwood Melissa shoe collaboration for Anglomania I sneered and laughed at the thought of Vivienne Westwood jelly shoes. Jelly shoes are one of those taboo shoes like Crocs or UGGs which you think look hideous and disgusting and wouldn't be caught dead in but secretly when no one is around wear them at home because they're so bloody comfy!

Now I admit I probably wouldn't have even bothered trying these shoes if the big SALE sign wasn't enticing me to buy them because lets face it when the shoes are that cheap all brain functions cease to work and the next thing you know your purse is empty and your closet full!

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa Black Mary Jane Shoe

Ms. Westwood had released these shoes amidst a global recession much to the delight of fans as these shoes are really cheap being less than a quarter of the price of their elder classic siblings, this also gives them a more wider appeal with girls who only dreamed of owning some VW shoes now able to go and get a pair or two.


Original Vivienne Westwood Black T-Bar Shoe

Jelly shoes, although not being the choice material for most shoes, do also have their good points, it's durable, hard wearing and easy to clean so rather than spending hours polishing your shoes to perfection you just need a bit of soapy water and they're good to go which is probably why jelly shoes are the choice shoes for mothers with their grubby energetic toddlers.

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa Purple Mary Jane Shoe

Another great appeal of these shoes is the vast array of colours you can get them in, I have them in classic black and white but if you're more adventurous there is anything from mint to glittery pink, all the colours of the rainbow and more so you'll never be short of finding a shoe to match a certain outfit.

Vivienne Westwood's classic moulded toe design

I think what appeals to me the most about these shoes apart from the price and choice is the classic design, it's not immediately obvious that they are jelly shoes, to the untrained eye they could be viewed as a simple pair of patent Mary Jane's. They also have that classic Vivienne Westwood moulded toe which in my opinion adds to the comfort of them.

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa White Mary Jane Shoes

These shoes are extremely comfy they're soft and have a cushioned heel, they're not your average jelly shoes, a lot of care has gone into making these as comfortable and luxurious as the originals they're based upon.


Vivienne Westwood Anglomania + Melissa Sky Lady Dragon Shoe

I'm a complete convert, after my first pair I bought a second and already have my eye on a third this was one collaboration I had my doubts about at first but now I'm extremely excited to see what new takes they'll have on classic designs.

The lesson here is don't knock 'em till you've tried 'em!