This summer, my eyes have already been plagued by some sheer denim disasters…of the double and triple variety! Then an epiphany; I bumped into someone yesterday in a trio of denims, that successfully pulled off a perfect look. The key can be summed up in this little guide equation – stonewash + grey + indigo = acceptable denim x 3. The mix of materials worked in harmony! Stonewash + stonewash + stonewash = this (WARNING : open at your peril!) Another element of her look (apologies as I was unable to photograph her) were the proportions – jeggings (HATE that term!), plus vest, plus oversized denim shirt. The look I found that came closest is the image from Stockholm Street Style above, all be it sans “jegging!” The other part of me, Things of Random Coolness, has fashion sweats over the 80’s denim shirt…but he’ll get over it! If the term jegging frightens you as much as me, go to the pull-on jean section at Urban Outfitters…that feels more acceptable! I’d love to see your denim combinations too; email or contact me with your experiments.

There is a shop in the Pompidou Centre that reminds me of a childhood obsession of mine and an odd one at that! I adored pencil easers, so named “rubbers” although that has a different connotation now. I especially loved the Japanese variety, brightly coloured and distinctly perfumed. The Cetre Pompidou shop is like stepping into a fantasy world of trinkets and fripperies – none of them needed but all desired (like the pencil eraser fantasy shop of my youth!) I was drawn to these Origami necklaces by Claire Naa and Arnaud Soulignac. They are so delicate and yet decadent, born of a love of the Japanese art. I do not NEED another necklace but my compulsion is such that I may HAVE to have one! See all the shapes and colours on offer here and step into my fantasy at the Pompidou on your next visit to Paris.

The ubiquitous legging. Lindsay Lohan sells them, everyone seems to own some and some have more kudos than others. Some have gained fame, namely the Black Rats legging by Sass & Bide. I now face a moral dilemma, of the spending kind – buy these almost £100 pair of leggings or ignore their existence and acknowledge the ridonculous price tag? Any thoughts? See or buy at Net-a-Porter. (I know that if I do ignore…just a little longer, they’ll be sold out and my dilemma will be solved, to be replaced by incessant yearning!) Para español, clique aqui. Pour lire en français, cliquez ici.
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Sometimes in the world of fashion I forget that fashion can be art. New York Fashion Week left me with an overall feeling of boredom. Let me elaborate, as perhaps boredom is a little harsh. To me New York style has always represented slickness, clean lines and congruity; on the whole, New York Fashion Week delivered exactly that. London Fashion Week represents English eccentricity and the eclectic nature of the city and already it holds great promise. The Central Saint Martins’ show offers a glimpse into the future of fashion and this year’s MA graduates have offered an exciting platter of styles. From bold colour choices, to innovative nude palettes, the elements of interesting form and shape ran throughout the show. See for yourself on Style.com and decide which city’s Fashion Week inspires you the most.

I felt slightly winded on seeing Christopher Kane’s new collection through the minimal display feature of Net-a-Porter. Maybe it’s because I have a frozen shoulder or perhaps it’s their overwhelming beauty (combined with an equally immense price-tag!) They dazzled on the catwalk but their singular beauty is more emphatic when framed by the stark white of Net-a-Porter. They are transformed into pieces of art as opposed to mere items of clothing (although as I cut around the scalloped detail dress, far right, it did start to shape itself like a Darlek!) So on days like this, I do wish that my bank account was an ocean and £3,000 a tiny drop within it…but as that’s not the case, I can look and drool and wish my architectural sewing skills existed! See all Christopher’s masterpieces on Net-a-Porter.

In the same way that a face can sell a cover (as mentioned in my previous post) it can sell a collection. Zara’s Spring/Summer offering is fronted by the ubiquitous model du jour, Lara Stone. The shoes and colour combinations seem more fashion-forward when presented by Miss. Stone. Zara‘s only downside for me, is their lack of online purchase feature. I often find that one elusive purchase, usually touted by EVERY fashion magazine, evades me, no matter how many branches I pop into. See the making of their campaign and the catalogue on Zara’s website.

Covers sell – a fact, universally acknowledged in the world of fashion. I become more aware of it each time I peruse the magazine rack. There is a British magazine that I would never consider buying on a regular basis but the alluring face of a celebrity in an editorial style photograph seems to draw me in. Maybe it’s the possibility of seeing the celeb in a different, more cutting edge light or just my nosey nature…but whatever it is, I hate it! The magazine’s power of persuasion and power of celebrity have achieved their goal! A magazine that I do like and would buy anyway, has lured me in further with their Liv Tyler cover. Wonderland’s cover is graced by her cool beauty, adding extra appeal to the purchase. Celebrity isn’t the only required element – an unknown, styled well, with interesting features and a colourful edgy font is enough for me. However it works both ways – if a cover is graced by a “pseudo-celeb” that I have no respect for, I am far less likely to part with any cash. See what else Wonderland has to offer and decide for yourself what criteria entices you to buy.

I have succumbed to the delights of Twitter and its associated vocabulary! (Follow my ramblings here) I “tweeted” about the lack of allure real fur has for me. I was vintage rummaging last week and the amount of furs startled me; each one felt silky like my cat but obviously cold and very un-alive. It was all a little disconcerting and it made me question my thoughts on all animal bi-products. Why was I so repulsed by fur when the feel of leather has no effect on me? I find myself daydreaming about Lot 78’s leather jackets. Browns is also loving Lot 78 and they’re focusing on the brand this month, with some very effective photography. So now I’m left to muse – leather vs. fur…is there really a difference?

Snow has engulfed the U.K….if you are British and the bombardment of news stories and Facebook statuses has passed you by, you are lucky. I love the snow, as most people infrequently greeted by it do…but today I was faced with my first snow-related style dilemma. Is it possible to look stylish and yet practical, whilst being pelted with heavy snowfall? I am lucky to work close to where I live, so I decided to brave the Russian winds and head to work on foot. Workwear for me is smart/casual but even this vague remit seemed impossible in the snow. My final outfit came close to a skiing yeti but it did its job and was functional in a country that has ground to a halt over the last 2 days. The Victorians seemed able to achieve this feat of style + practicality (or were they always cold but stylish?) I tentatively entered the phrase “Victorian winter muff” into Google Images (take care on Google main-page me thinks!)…but was relieved when winter hand warmers were the only items on show! It showed the sophistication of a bygone age but gave me no inspiration as far as my own wardrobe is concerned. So, I ask for suggestions. How to the nordic peoples and Russians manage it? Iceland is one of the most “it” fashion places of the last few years! Answers on a postcard please (the comment box will do!)

Known for dipping her toes into the world of fashion, Cat Power is delving further as the face of the new Levi’s ad campaign. Regular readers will be familiar with my musical appreciation of Miss. Chan Marshall (a.k.a. Cat Power) and in all honesty, I found this a strange collaborative choice. Cat’s previous dalliances with fashion were with La Maison de Chanel….discovered by M.Largerfeld himself – Levi’s just seems a world away. I admire her choice though and hopefully she can bring a little cool back to the global brand. See Cat Power for Levi’s here and make up your mind.