Uni Trend Report - Dressed For Chess

Have you noticed more people walking around in checks that before? Yep, so have I! So for university when we were given the assignment to write a trend report I couldn't write quick enough. I already had my ideas and took to Polyvore to make sets to visual the trend for both high street and designer pieces but also celebrities that had been spotted wearing them.

Here's the final report.

This year’s fashion shows were heavily inspired by the 60s and with the new series of Mad Men filled with prints and styles from the era just shows we can’t get enough. Fashion designers have not been left short of inspiration with graphic prints spreading from not only clothing but to bags, shoes and accessories.

Spring’s catwalks saw a mass of those iconic squares originally seen on the chessboard. Marc Jacobs’ designs for French fashion house, Louis Vuitton, saw the biggest impact with the patchwork pattern, however he stayed away from the stereotypical monochrome colour scheme and used a palette of greens, bronzes and yellows instead.

Models paraded down the catwalk wearing a mix of checks in all different sizes and colours. The most popular colour was a bronzy-brown paired with a subtle shade of off-white and also a pea green and white combination.

Alexandre Hervovitch’s model wore a top and skirt both with checks, one pattern bigger than the other for contrast and a big impact. All the accessories and jewellery on her catwalk was kept to a minimum to avoid distraction. Marni’s pattern was slightly different, instead of typical checks; she used a monochrome pattern of lines and squares to create a unique style. Sportmax created a similar style print to Marni, their dresses were sheer and layered over an opaque slip.

It didn’t take long for celebrities to pick up on the trend: stars such as Kirsten Dunst and Miranda Kerr wore dresses in the pattern. Miroslava Duma even wore a matching coat over the top of her mini dress. Kristen Stewart and Jessica Alba played safe by wearing the classic black and white checks: Jessica in a floor length gown and Kristen in a playsuit with jumbo-sized squares.

Daisy Lowe was also seen wearing the pattern top to bottom in a pair of skinny trousers and a matching jacket, only for the brave and daring.

Luckily, the high street are quick to meet the needs of those with a lower clothing budget: they’ve not disappointed with a variety of garments each decorated with the squares. There is a selection of sizes and colours: Topshop have a lovely cami with a pastel yellow and white pattern while Dorothy Perkins have a shift dressed stretched with the pattern to form slim rectangles, perfect to elongate the body by illusion.

BooHoo also has a sweetheart mini dress with the checked pattern in red and black, something different to the rest of the high street. Both Asos and Missguided have the pattern on midi dresses, two trends in one!

To wear the trend it’s best to let the checked piece stand out by muting the rest of your outfit: if your dress is sporting the pattern then it is best to pair it with shoes, a bag and a jacket that matches the colour scheme.

This trend checks all the boxes.

What do you think of checkered clothing and accessories? Are you tempted?

What Zoe Wore #2

So, a couple of days ago the sun decided it was going to shine. I know, a rarity! Perfect opportunity for a springtime photoshoot as part of my friend Lauren's photography uni course. Being the absolute darling she is, she snapped a few photos of my outfit for my blog. Here's to the florals and the sunglasses!

 

Jacket - Miss Selfridge | Top - Primark | Skirt - Primark | Shoes - Tesco | Sunglasses - Ray Ban

Look at all them colours! However, it wasn't that warm so my trusty leather jacket and some black tights made a show too. I saw this outfit on one of the models in Primark at the Metro Centre last week and absolutely loved it - I bought it all! I can definitely see this outfit working with a lovely pair of sandals and bare legs...if it gets warm enough. Is that ever going to happen? Let's hope so!

Here are some of the pictures taken by Lauren for her project. The theme was spring time and instead of going for the usual flowers and baby animals theme she wanted to show how people have fun with friends when the sun gives a little shine.

 

Frisbee and ice pops? It's me and Steph playing around in the courtyard of student halls and just enjoying being outside for once!

Spark Magazine: Issue 10, April 2013.

It's that time again! Spark Magazine have published their 10th issue and here it is! It's filled with film previews, live band interviews and obviously, an incredible four fashion pages - but then again, I am a little bit biased about that part! So if you want to check your horoscopes, find out some great facts such as the 'banana-berry' and how many sesame seeds on top of a Big Mac then read on!

Click here to view the magazine on a larger scale. Turn to pages 18-21 for my fashion pages!

Spark Magazine :: Issue 10 :: April/May 2013

Summer Street Style in Sunderland

The next fashion assignment for university was to produce a double spread magazine page of the cities street style. Fortunately, the day I chose to take my photographs saw an inkling of sun which gave me a good show of summer clothes, brighter colours and plenty of sunglasses!

My page is influenced by the Grazia style pages but instead of using their iconic yellow colour I went for a orange picked straight from the skirt one of the girls was wearing. Using this same colour ties the article together and links the two pages respectively.

Here's the page and if you want to view it larger to read the text you can click here.

Fashion Over Comfort?

Do you choose fashion or comfort? For me, it’s all about the way it looks rather than the way it feels – I’d rather wear something that looks amazing yet needs re-adjusting every half an hour than an old pair of leggings and a baggy top for ease, cosiness and a sense of relaxation.

Although I find them uncomfortable to drive in, and even more uncomfortable to sit down for long periods of time, my disco pants are my favourite item of clothing in my wardrobe. The shiny skin-tight trousers, a bargain from River Island at £30 instead of American Apparel’s price of £70, constantly find themselves on my legs yet I can’t help but subconsciously fear they will split at the back and I’ll be left revealing my spotty knickers. So all in all they aren’t the ideal garment to wear for a full day of sitting in lectures at university, but who cares if you look good?

It’s not just about the clothes you wear with dread of a seam ripping – tell me, how many times have you worn shoes that literally rub the skin off your ankles? Blisters aren’t the nicest things but if the shoes are fashionable then I’d say the blisters equate to some sort of medal for owning a damn good pair of heels. Not to mention, do you own a pair of shoes that are virtually impossible to drive in? If you’re anything like me you’ll have a spare pair of shoes in the boot in case a quick change is needed half-way down the motorway.

However, there is one thing I’d never give up that provides me with ultimate luxury and comfort – my dressing gown. There’s not a chance I’d choose skin-tight leggings over a soft and fluffy dressing gown if I were in the comfort of my own home. But that’s okay, isn’t it? Comfortable clothing was designed to be worn in the house but for the great outdoors it’s necessary to show off your style and wear what looks good yet might not feel it. After all, nobody started a story with: ‘One time I wore my joggers to a restaurant,’ do they?

Me and my beloved disco pants!