Urban Street Pinterest Board

The AW16 Urban Street trend has left a long lasting influence on fashion. Designers, musicians, and runways have yet to move on from the craze. Instead it has evolved into this incredibly diverse mix of urban, vintage and sportswear that has exploded into the fashion world.

I created a Pinterest board capturing some key pieces that communicate the trend.

Musicians such as Bonzai and Dua Lipa embody this trend both on stage and in their casual attire.

 The AW16 "Asos Cheat Sheet" recreated some of the high end sport inspired outwear for affordable prices. 

PVC boots and skirts are often paired with vintage or sports tops to create a seamless mix of sport and street.

Key pieces in this trend include: statement sunglasses, puffer jackets, tracksuit bottoms, oversized outerwear, runners (Nike AirMax Tn's in particular) and tones of red, orange and yellow.

Magazines such as Dazed & Confused are continuing to document the advances in this trend with brilliant photography and styling.

Rag & Bone AW16 made their spin on the urban street trend with dashes of orange in the sports like garments.

Personally,  I am completely obsessed with Urban Streetwear. This is probably the first trend that I have really connected with and communicates my personal style effortlessly. I have found myself become more daring with my outfit choices, mixing sport with urban to create my own take on the trend.

Make sure to check out my Urban Street Pinterest board along with many other fashion/design related here !

Thank you,

Hannah

DUA LIPA | Style Icon

Dua Lipa is currently flooding the music scene with her "dark pop" singles which are insanely good. 

However it is her glam grunge style that has really caught my eye this summer.  Dua rarely plays it safe with her onstage or casual looks, with her favourites ranging from tracksuit bottoms, runners, mini dresses and killer denim combinations.

Here is some of my favourite looks she has created!

                 

         

        I am obsessed with how Dua constantly incorporates sportswear into her style. 

She often pairs her funky tracksuit bottoms with cute bralettes. This look in particular caught my eye with the orange joggers, cat eye sunglasses and a classic graphic jumper tied over her shoulders.

          


                         

This look from her Glastonbury performance was incredible. The green joggers paired with a pink fishnet lingerie set is something I never would have put together but it works like a dream.  

                          

Dua has a impressive sunglass collection; these retro tinted sunglasses that she often wears are my favourites. 

                              

Again, I have to draw attention to Dua's statement tracksuit bottoms. This time last year I would never have dreamed of leaving the house with a pair on, I just didn't find them appealing. Now I can't get enough of them! I think track pants, a pair of funky runners and a crop top or blouse is right on point with the urban street trend flooding the fashion industry at the moment.

                                       

My personal style is constantly evolving. I have been trying to really hone in what clothing expresses my style, and I have to say Dua's iconic looks have really helped me have a clearer vision in my head!

Thank you,

Hannah

A day at Glossier HQ NYC

After hearing so much about the beauty brand Glossier I was lucky enough to visit their showroom in NYC. It's located on Lafayette Street in SoHo, in a chic penthouse which you access by lift.

When I entered the showroom I was blown away - it is an extremely bright, glamorous and aesthetic space. There is beautiful product displays,  incredible brand photography on the walls, and the skincare products are in a funky bathroom area!

I found the showroom to be the perfect shopping experience. Every single one of Glossier's sought after products are there for you to swatch and admire. The sales staff (called editors) are on hand to help you try out the products, and there is no pressure to buy anything. I loved discovering the beauty range while snapping some very instagramable pictures at the same time.

Glossier products really are worth the hype. The milky jelly cleanser and priming moisturiser have saved my skin, which was struggling with acne for almost a year. Of course this mini miracle made me return to the showroom countless times to buy more skincare and makeup products. I would happily own every product in the brand, but I would particularly recommend their cloud paint, eyebrow gel and lipgloss.

I plan to touch on this topic in a separate post soon, but I have to mention Glossier's branding. It really sells the products and creates such a strong visual identity for it! I loved visiting the Glossier HQ this summer and experimenting with everything on offer. It's such a distinctive place that every person in the city needs to visit.

                               

       

                             

Thank you,

Hannah

(photos via nevernotgoing.com)

Thrifting in New York City

While in New York City this summer I couldn't resist the urge to go shopping in the fashion capital of the world. However during all my shopping trips I did not buy one item from a standard fashion retailer, everything I picked up was from various thrift stores. New York really does have the best places to thrift, once you start shopping in them you'll wonder why you ever bought clothes anywhere else. I picked up so much stuff for incredible prices.

Beacons Closet

Beacons Closet is one of my favourite thrift shops in Manhattan. It is located on 10 W 13th St beside Parsons School of Design, but they have other stores in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and Bushwhick. They have great mix of designer and vintage pieces with incredible accessories. It's also reasonably priced - for its location!

Starstruck Vintage Clothing 

 

Starstruck Vintage Clothing is another Manhattan favourite of mine, situated right in the heart of Greenwich Village. They offer the best selection of neck scarves, denim jackets and of course their famous rock t-shirt collection at great prices. They play some great tunes and the store generally has a lot of NYC personality in it, which I love.

Hamlet's Vintage 

    Hamlet's Vintage is a must when thrift shopping in the city. It has a huge fan base, including Sarah Jessica Parker! The store is located right beside Washington Square Park, offering a wide selection of vintage bags, shirts, and jackets to name a few. My favourite thing about this particular store is that they restock three times a week so there is always new carefully picked and distinctive pieces on offer.

L Train Vintage

L Train Vintage have bunch of locations in all of the boroughs, including one in the East Village. I stumbled across their Bushwick store by chance one day and decided to check it out. It is honestly the most insane thrift shop I have ever been in. There is literally racks after racks of clothing and the cheapest prices I have yet to see. I spent hours combing through the store this summer and came out with some pretty impressive finds. I really recommend the L Train Vintage chain if there is one near you. While on the topic, Bushwick and Williamsburg are great places to hit up for thrifting and distinctive little shops, the prices tend to be slightly lower than the city too.

St. Lukes Thrift Shop

St. Luke's thrift shop was my most local store while staying in the city. It's quite small, but I find exploring the little rooms to find good items adds to the character of it.  This West Village gem is tucked away in a basement on Hudson Street. It's easily one of the best hidden thrift shops in the city stocking clothes, jewellery and also some household items. 

Housing Works Thrift Shop 

I had to give Housing Works Thrift Shop a mention, it was the first thrift shop I was ever in. To this day I am impressed with their vintage items as well as their furniture selection. 

This is just a small handful of the thrift shops I hit up while in Manhattan and Brooklyn, but there is thousands more to discover all over the city. Be sure to check out these stores if you are in the area, they wont disapoint.

Thank you,

Hannah

Force of Nature Exhibition | Museum at FIT

While exploring The Garment District this summer I spent a lot of time at the Fashion Institute of Technology. I am a huge fan of FIT - it is still one of my dream schools and I love the city campus. I spent an afternoon at Force of Nature exhibition which is currently on show at the FIT Museum.

Force of Nature examines the complex relationship between fashion and the natural world. The exhibition spans the 18th Century to the present to reveal how nature has influenced fashion, and how fashion can serve as an indicator of society's relationship with the natural world.

The botanical imagery on the first dress represents the natural world untouched by man. McQueen paired the dress with an embossed corset from his Spring/Summer 2009 Collection. The second garment is from the designers final and most acclaimed collection. Nature emerges as McQueens principal theme yet again, this dress features an imaginative blend of python and crocodile!

This stunning evening gown transforms the wearer into a flower, giving her a sensual elegance. Couturier Charles James is said to have envisioned his clients as exotic flowers.

The beautiful little black dress by Karl Lagerfeld references the camellia, an emblem of the house of Chanel. Coco Chanel is said to have preferred the camellia to other flowers. I think the dress on the right, designed by Christopher Kane, is really intriguing. Kane was inspired by diagrams of plant reproduction he saw on a visit to his old high school!

 This Bill Cunningham cape and headpiece projects the diversity of colour, pattern and form within bird feathers while keeping the spirit of 1960s fashion. The Cristobal Balenziaga evening gown accentuates the delicate lightness of feathers, a biological material often employed by haute couture. 

 This dress was designed around the red disc of the Japanese flag, symbolic of the rising sun and the red-crowned crane (a bird highly regarded in Japan). The garment on the right is another piece by McQueen. I love that birds on this dress morph into a beautiful houndstooth pattern.

The applique on this jacket by Oscar de la Renta suggests an elaborate Coral Reef. The designer actually grew up near a major Reef located in the Caribbean!

I think the vibrant pattern on this jacket captures the flashy style of the late 1960s, which brought a colourful and flamboyant feel back into menswear. 

This dress immediately caught my eye when I entered the exhibition. It suggests the silhouette of a swan with wings folded across its back. Charles James produced many dresses that capture the essence of living things such as birds and butterflies.

         

The patterns on animals skins allow them to mimic their natural surroundings so that they disappear into their natural environment. However, it is interesting that in fashion animal patterns are used to make the wearer stand out! These animal patterned garments by Rudi Gernreich explore the notion of clothes as a "second skin". 

The first garment is an example of how Space Age fashion was a symbol of youth and modernity. The vinyl appliqué on this pierre cardin dress suggests atomic particles. The second piece, designed by 

Mary Katrantzou, is a visual representation of plate tectonics. It features beaded plates mounted on a sheer bodice which are surrounded by a sea of fluid silk. I find is extremely interesting that science and physical geography is being explored through fashion!

The last display in the exhibition fashion explores how designers and companies are beginning to engage in sustainable practices to stop the natural world being exploited as a source of raw materials.

This dress was my favourite piece in the entire collection! It is made of sustainably sourced viscose from Sweden.  Stella McCartney is leader in developing eco friendly practices within the fashion industry. I think design of the garment is truly magical, capturing how fashion and nature are constantly intertwined. 

The exhibition highlighted the connection that nature has with the fashion industry. It is used through generations as a source of inspiration, direction and as a material. What I love about the exhibitions at the FIT Museum is its ability to display such honourable designers side by side. I loved seeing work by Alexander McQueen and Oscar de la Renta in person! 

Thank you,

Hannah