…the real world and my real job have impeded my posting of late. My “busy” time is now hopefully behind me…so lets get back on track. The Bast print on the left seems to best sum up the chaos that has been ma vie of late. See more of Bast’s génie here.

Bizarre victoriana abounds, in the beautiful hand-crafted pieces that make up Giant Jewels. Angela Muldoon takes the traditional and adds her own very unique twist. Need an aortic accessory? A bowed bird?…perusing the site makes you wonder how you ever lived without them. On all purchases until the end of May, Angela will kindly offer a free gift to Random Fashion Coolness readers. Take a look at the charming and eclectic Giant Jewels site and become enthralled.

Purveyors of cool All Saints, are treating us to an eyewear collection. The Lovecat, Reflex and Lazer are among just a few of this extensive selection. There are various colours, styles and shapes…all we need now is the sunshine.

Cosmic Wonder sees fashion through art. Their clothing is enunciated by light and shape. For me art and fashion are intrinsically linked, so seeing fashion as an art installation is truly refreshing. Luminous reflection, combined with the pure nature of wood creates a celestial spectacle that is Cosmic Wonder. Does it sound confusing, slightly enigmatic? I think that’s exactly what Cosmic Wonder wants to be. See if you can glean more information here.

Lagom – an example of Swedish idiom, that does not have an exact translation into many other languages. It means something along the lines of, “just right” “exactly enough” (not too much nor too little.) Lagom is also a Swedish fashion brand and their title also aptly describes their website. Their blotted colour splashes and laid-back styling are visually emphatic and yet subtle. Lagom, is not however a phrase I would use to describe the availability of information on the brand. They are Swedish but my lack of proficiency in the language has impeded my understanding of their website, so any help would be much appreciated! So for now enjoy the fashions on offer and swim in the sea of blot.

Swedish designer Karolina Kling, produces graphic collections under her label, KLING by KLING. Her multi-textured illustrative prints are brought to life on her fancy flash website, that is very akin to a cartoon flick book in its design. I adore the pierrot clown influenced photography and print ridden accessories. See all of Karolina’s collection, both past and present, on her website.

I am a believer in cultivating one’s own style…not being directed by trends or dictated to by the catwalk. Yet I am a monumental fan of street style websites, so in a way, influenced completely by others. It doesn’t matter what the site might be – the most well-known, The Sartorialist, Face-Hunter or the least technically “cool” in the vein of such magazines as Lucky. Street Style is street style, in all its guises, and coolness and individuality can be seen everywhere (obviously the bigger and more cultured the city, the more likely you are to see true, uninhibited expressions of self.) Lucky magazine is my current favourite supplier of daily style. Their looks aren’t too posed and all seem very achievable, although at times, not so fashion forward. See for yourself and get some real inspiration.

I have delighted in the work of Christian Lacroix since seeing his true creative flair at L’Hotel du Petit Moulin, in Paris. Regular readers of my blog will have heard about this delightful Parisian boutique hotel before. For those of you that haven’t, you can see a selection of my Flickr photos here or visit their beautiful website. Lacroix designed the eclectic interior, even their quirky ceramics; so I am always interested in any new projects he adds his name to. His most recent has been with La Redoute. What has been created isn’t necessarily what I expected. The design concept is of course impeccable; from the website to the use of the quirky Lily Cole but the product range is not what I predicted. There are vases, cushions, wellington boots, umbrellas, even a kagool! Such stylish practicality was something truly unforseen! Discover the whole collection by playing Lily’s little game and see Lacroix’s interior mastery at Du Petit Moulin and his other dabble into the hotel world, Le Bellechasse.

A Mexican funeral…not the usual inspiration for a spring collection. A Mexican funeral prompted by a Manet exhibit at MOMA…even more rare. However, the resulting collection by Mayle is simply stunning. There is volume, ruffling, unephemeral delights, with gorgeous back details. Their choice of model, edgy and emblazoned with tattoos, is a perfect juxtaposition with the floaty, feminine designs. Read more about their interesting motivation here and see the whole collection on the website.

American Apparel has been dipping its toe into the world of vintage for a while. I’ve posted about their vintage glass frames and sunglasses before but for a while now, American Apparel have sneakily dived right in to the vintage pool, in the guise of California Select…Vintage and More. Their blog showcases the fabulous vintage fashions on offer but, until now, the joyous pieces have only been available in the California Select stores…and then this ad surfaced last week. A website this way cometh! Buying vintage online is always a difficult one. It is hard to gauge sizes and styles and the true quality isn’t always evident. I’ll post a list of my favourite eBay and online vintage stores at some point this week, just to show that some sites really make a concerted effort to show every detail of their garments.  The addition of another vintage store is always one to celebrate…especially after perusing their blog. I shall now sit back and wait in eager anticipation for California Select‘s first steps into online sales.