Owl Jewellery

Owls are beautiful birds - so beautiful, it seems, high street retailers have emblematised these nocturnal creatures into their range of women's jewellery. In Accessorize alone, you'll find almost a dozen examples of owl-themed jewellery, but are these shiny symbols as striking as the birds themselves?

'I am not amused' - an eagle owl at Rudgwick Steam and Country Show

Bluewater treats

Today's outing to Bluewater was my first visit to the massive shopping centre, and it did not disappoint. Especially when my parents were whipping out the credit card!

Browsing in Zara, my eyes fell upon their collection of velour blazers, two in particular alluring me most - turquoise and terracotta. In the end, I chose the terracotta jacket (pictured above), since it is a lovely autumnal tone and works with more colours than turquoise. However, the turquoise was still a beautiful colour and suited me surprisingly well, particularly over a white shirt. Maybe I'll purchase it at some point in the near future. As for the terracotta blazer, I will need to buy some mustard yellow and similarly warm-coloured pieces to complement its orange shade.

The second item I acquired from Bluewater was a striped Howick scarf from House of Fraser at a sale price of only £7.50. This I bought myself and will be a nice addition to my growing selection of scarves. I love its mix of colours.

But typically, the main item I had aimed to acquire was the one thing I didn't, that being a trench coat. With autumn and winter on their way, I really need a decent yet fashionable raincoat, however to my surprise, the multitude of stores at Bluewater did not provide a trench coat of the right length, size and colour. Hopefully, I shall find the perfect trench coat the next time I go browsing in town.

Nevertheless, I am still exceedingly happy with today's return, especially the blazer, which I might wear to London Fashion Week. Many thanks to my mum and stepdad.

En route to London Fashion Week!

In spite of my doubts, I shall be going to London Fashion Week after all! Having e-mailed press officers for various designers, Paula Anton of DAKS was kind enough to offer two tickets for myself and my female BAMMJ counterpart, Rosanna Cole.

DAKS at London Fashion Week A/W 11 (Image source: londonfashionweek.co.uk)

We both thought it was remarkable that we managed to secure tickets for a catwalk show, but hey, we're not complaining. However, I guess it did help that Paula happened to have studied at Bournemouth University herself.

Having watched the DAKS A/W 11 show online back in February, I can say with certainty that their S/S 12 collection is bound to be amazing. The autumn/winter pieces were not only fashionable, but also practical for the season they were styled for. And I can imagine the same quality has been put into the latest collection.

So yes, Unlimited by JK is on its way to London Fashion Week, so expect lots of photos! Perhaps I might even be able to style-spot a celebrity or two, who knows? And because Rosanna and myself are Fashion Editor and Co-Editor respectively for Nerve* at Bournemouth University, we'll also feature exclusive articles in Nerve* Magazine.

Remember to watch this space in a month's time!

Worplesdon Station

The main aspect I like about this girl's look is the beautiful paisley scarf flowing

downward, almost as if bleeding the top half of her outfit into the bottom half.

Long hair and a leather jacket is also a slick and sexy combination.

London Fashion Week, Spring/Summer 2012

The UK's biggest fashion event is back!

Caroline Charles, LFW A/W 11

(Source: londonfashionweek.co.uk)

It's nearly here. There is only one month and a day until London Fashion Week returns to the capital, which means only one month and a day until Britain's best designers reveal their latest collections for spring and summer.

What will be next year's hottest looks? Which styles will high street retailers be yearning for? Who will inspire us and who will wow us? These are just some of the questions London Fashion Week will answer between Friday 16th and Wednesday 21st September.

Unfortunately, I have to accept I may not be able to attend this wondrous event, but just as I did for A/W 11 in February, I will be watching footage courtesy of LFW Live and embedding video highlights to the blog. In addition, I shall be including more critical evaluations of the new styles coming down the catwalks.

However, if anyone can get me an invite to London Fashion Week, I will love you forever.

(For full details of this fashion extravaganza, including latest news, designer bios and show schedules, visit the London Fashion Week website. Or for photos and footage of LFW A/W 11, click the "London Fashion Week" label below.)

The Devil's Horsemen, Chertsey

A spectacular jousting demonstration from The Devil's Horsemen took place today
at the annual Chertsey Show on Mead Lane, Chertsey. All five riders, who are
qualified stuntsmen, were dressed in resplendent costume typical of medieval
knights. Their horses were also clad in matching dress, making these riders look
even more imposing. A wonderful show with wonderful costumes.

Vintage fashion in Bournemouth

"When you buy vintage, you breathe new life into fashion, a fashion that once upon a time was outdated and unwanted. But now, vintage and retro clothing has become timeless – a clear advantage against the come-and-go trends of the high street."

At last, another fashion-related piece published for BHbeat, this time on the topic of vintage fashion. The article has been published on the BHbeat website, but will also be featured in the upcoming issue of their print publication. In addition, they have sampled some of my style spotting photos, which you may recognise from previous posts.

If you liked my opening paragraph, please click the following link to read the full article: "Vintage fashion: bringing back old school glamour"

The DIY Denim Project (patching up my jeans): Part II

Nearly two months later, my flare jeans have finally been patched up. Having worn through the material back in April and bought the spare denim in June, I'd say it's about time, don't you think? But although it has taken so long, I am still pleased with the final result. What do you reckon?

The musketeer, Loseley Park

Dressed in traditional musketeer attire, this member of the Sealed Knot Society
was promoting a professional re-enactment of an English Civil War battle taking
place over the August bank holiday weekend. His outfit was a beautiful blue with
gold embellishment, and I especially love the leather boots.

(For more information about 'Battle in the Park', click here) 

Bar Refaeli on GQ, September 2011

I just thought I'd draw your attention to the new issue of British GQ - they called it "the hot issue", and who can blame them? Just take a look at the front cover!

However, the September issue of British GQ isn't all sexiness and supermodels. There's also a multiple-page feature on colourful designer suits, a supplementary copy of 'GQ Essentials' (a 45-page style guide featuring the autumn's best menswear trends), and of course a whole array of interesting articles to amuse and enlighten the male mind. But yes, there are lots of breasts too. "Hot issue", remember?

As stated on the top of every edition, GQ is "the world's leading men's magazine", and after buying a couple of issues, you begin to see why. In terms of fashion specifically, GQ is a beacon of light for the modern metrosexual man, providing the best and latest in style advice and catwalk trends.

Then again, with this issue, you may as well purchase a copy just for the cover!

(British GQ is available to buy from most newsagents, priced £3.99)

Grandad T-shirts: A Review

Unbutton this relaxed summer tee

Summer is a season for shorts and t-shirts, no doubt about it. But with so many styles of t-shirt available, which is the best for keeping cool and looking chilled? For me, there's nothing better than the grandad tee. Just don't let the name fool you - there isn't anything old-fashioned about this particular style.

Happy August!

Happy August, boys and girls! Which means one month until I return to Bournemouth, one month until London Fashion Week, and one month of what I hope will be plenty of blue skies and sunshine just like today.

In this paragraph, I would usually explain what will feature over the next thirty days, but besides patching up my flare jeans, I actually have no clue. Although hopefully, this turn of warm weather will tempt me out to some beautiful locations to do shoots, and perhaps encourage a few more people to dress up in eye-catching outfits worthy of a place on this here blog. Because if there's one thing I'd like to do more of, it's street style photography.

However, I can announce I will be attending Clothes Show Live at Birmingham NEC this December. Not as press, unfortunate to say, but I have no doubt the event will be an experience, and maybe I'll even get to meet the man who sparked my initial interest in fashion - Gok Wan. Who knows?

In the meantime, I will of course do my best to continue publishing regular blog posts, but if things ever seem a little quiet, please don't fret. There will always be a new photo or feature article just around the corner.

I hope you're enjoying your summer, and thank you for subscribing!