Quick Tips: Ironic Fashion Trends

Ironic fashion trends: How to work them

They are always there, no matter what the season.

You just can’t ignore them. They creep into your wardrobe on some occasion, whether you’re a trend chaser or you happen to have something your mum owned a few years ago thats now apparently a “trend”. Dance like no ones watching, and dress like you really don’t care.

Shoes: So where do you begin?

Sandals, Stan Smiths, Birkenstocks, Sliders. No matter what there is always an ugly shoe trend around the corner. The key is to choose your crep club wisely. Go for the one that brings out some guilt, a hint of your real personality. Be that a funky pattern, a bright pix’n’mix of colour or simply a heel that isn’t your usual stiletto, this trend is all about not going for the obvious.

Sweaters: Ugly, unflattering but there’s always one for the moment

Big logos, slogans and offensive colours. This is a tricky one, but don’t go for anything too topical. Opt for retro: a twist on a classic logo is always better than a cringey hashtag. While we’re on Sweaters…we all know the ugly jumpers come out at christmas (well pretty much a couple of months before then), and if you’re really not into dressing to stand out why not opt for a subtle knit that is more Cameron Diaz in The Holiday than Will Ferrel in ELF.

Lazy Sportswear: You’re just as guilty as I am at this particular trend!

Whether you’re actually a gym freak or not, we’re all guilty of wearing sports clothes, when sometimes we have no intention of moving in any strenuous way (maybe you thought about that spin class then changed your mind). It’s an easy trap to fall into…just make sure you don’t look too comfy whilst you do it. Figure hugging leggings are much more flattering than any lose fitting tracksuit, we want to show off those curves not hide them! You can find plenty of different varieties from almost any High Street store these days, so play around with them…if you’re going to wear them, you might as well own it!

By Rachel Williams

The Impact of a Legend: Long Live McQueen

‘Give me time and I’ll give you a revolution.’

Genius. A word that is seldom associated with the fashion industry.

Yes, you’ve all heard of this British Fashion Designer but the depth and breadth of his impact in the fashion world in my opinion is far greater than any other creator in this Century.

I for one am captivated by his works and must have walked round both the Isabella Blow and Savage Beauty Exhibition at least three times each.

The man I speak so highly of is no other than Lee Alexander McQueen. Born in Lewisham, England in 1969 and the youngest of six children. The son of a Scottish Taxi Driver and a Social Science Teacher, leaving school at 16 he made no attempt at following in their footsteps instead, he made his way as an apprentice along the famous Saville Row including Gieves and Hawkes and Angeks and Bermans. It was here he learnt the incredibly technical skills of tailoring. Which would later earn him his place as one of the most desirable designers of all time.

Applying to Central Saint Martins to work as a pattern cutter tutor, he impressed with his application and was consequently persuaded to enroll as a student. Ultimately his work shone through and his 1992 graduation collection was bought in its entirety by Isabella Blow. Having a natural sense for talent and uprising stars after working much of her career in the Magazine Industry, scouting Mcqueen was one of Blow’s most risky yet favourable discoveries.

His early collections gained attention for their controversy, but this was not McQueen’s inherent purpose. Shock tactics have become a trade mark, yes, but not the definition of his collections. For me, it’s all about storytelling. McQueen used his collections to illustrate insightful and fascinating stories.

These stories payed great attention to his heritage as both British and Scottish and it can be seen as a defining feature in McQueens work. And due to his time on Saville Row he preserves the great skill of displaying tradition. Additionally, he also took on portraying the more unexplored and lesser publicized stories of culture in Britain.

McQueen’s dedication to originality and displaying his craft in the most honest of manners is hugely admirable. “The inspiration behind the hair came from Victorian times when prostitutes would sell theirs for kits of hair locks, which were bought by people to give to their lovers. I used it as my signature label with locks of hair in Perspex. In the early collections, it was my own hair.” – an interview on his Jack the Ripper collection.

His creative and innovative shows were always eloquently harmonized with the language of each collection. Unafraid of pushing fashion world ‘boundaries’ McQueen’s shows cultivated new and unconvential views of the fashion world, consistently exploring ways to appreciate the fashion world whilst at the same time expanding its views of what it means to be a great designer.

A famous hologram display of Kate Moss in 2006, an eerie bride figure “Help me Obi One, you’re my only help”, a haunting display with roots extending to the nineteenth century stage mechanics of ‘Pepper’s Ghost.’ He remodeled the expectation of the showing of a collection and developed the fashion world into a creative outlet, just as it should be.

His 2010 Spring Collection: Plato’s Atlantis was yet another way in which McQueen joined fashion with technology,  broadcasting the whole collection live via SHOWstudio.
McQueen was envisaging a biological hybridisation of women along with sea mammals. He used prints,shapes, colours all inspired by reptiles and monstrous fantastical creatures. A crossbreed of structural sharp tailoring and moulded ecological forms, this show was truly a unique and willing formula and, sadly the final collection in which he would personally be responsible.

Throughout his career McQueen has kept me fascinated, and he will continue to inspire me as he has done in the years since his death in 2010. A man so consumed with passion, he had the ability to understand and fully communicate the most intense and complex emotions. Unfortunately, his own complex emotions were too much to handle, and although his death came as a shock to the fashion world and leaves a fashion house who will never truly create collections as McQueen himself would of, it does not hinder the impact and legacy he has left behind.

By Rachel Williams

Beauty Boxes for the Skint Student

Right now we’re in peak summer season. Which means for most of us money money money (and also no social life).When you were young summer meant freedom, man how things have changed, now it’s long work days, almost everyday. But look on the bright side YOU HAVE MONEY! Well that is until you go to that festival, a friend has a birthday or you go back to uni… then you’re begging for your loan to come in! So in appreciation for all the students who like to keep up with the latest beauty but can’t afford to break the bank here’s a magical box of beauty you’ll be swapping that beer money for!

If you’re up for trying branded products (both men and women) but can’t really afford to waste your money on a £30 product to then realize it doesn’t work for you. (I mean we’re students!) The perfect website is definitely http://www.latestinbeauty.com/ , from here you can get sample size products and sometimes full sized (they tell you which on the description) to test out by either building your own box or choosing one of their collections! At the moment they have a perfect little deal if you just want to test drive what they offer and see how it works. They have two perfect for summer: The Summer edit and A Weekend Away Beauty Box both at £20 each.

Last Summer’s GLAMOUR edit box

I’ve ordered four of their boxes over the last year, 3 being collections and 1 I put together as a Gift for a friend. The most I have spent on a box is £25 plus P&P but it really is worth it and they let you know how much it would cost you to buy them separately, so you can see how much you’re saving! Pretty much all the beauty products I’ve received have been beneficial because they’ve worked for me and I keep whatever bottles run out so I know for future reference that they’re worth paying for!

I love this site because they always have a collection that suits me as they have at least 4 different ones you can choose from at a time. Plus, they release a collection with products so perfect for that particular upcoming season! The Summer edit I bought last year was an absolute treat – it had fake tan, suncream, lipbalm, a tanning glove and loads more! It was created by GLAMOUR magazine who collaborate with them each season. So if you’re a fan of the magazine like I am it’s well worth the look. They also have a gift section so you pick the personality of the person you’re buying for and they suggest the best box!

The best thing about this wonderful website for me though is the fact you just make an account and you don’t have to subscribe to anything unlike other websites where you pay monthly. You can just pick and choose when and what you want to buy!

http://www.latestinbeauty.com/collections/ here’s a link to the collections so you can take a look yourself!

Right now they’re also doing a free mini box if you spend over £25! Go to http://www.latestinbeauty.com/blog/ and find the checkout code for the one you’d like to choose!

Being a student doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the gorgeous beauty products up for grabs!