Nobody's Child Part Two: Embracing the Flare

The best trousers should always force onlookers to question whether or not the owner is 1) wearing shoes or 2) actually has feet at all. It adds a sense of mystery. And these wide legged flares by Nobody's Child definitely do both, in the best way. At least, they do on me...but then again (as I have mentioned several times) I am tiny. 

I was really impressed by the quality of the trousers, especially given their price. I'd expect to be paying almost double for this kind of design, but these are a steal for only £25. And, as I said in my last Nobody's Child post, you can be sure that the affordability doesn't come at the expense of ethical standards. 

This look is something a little different for me - I usually stay well away from anything with the words 'Wide Legged' in the description to prevent being swamped in material. But I love how the trend looks on other (taller) people and refuse to let my height be an obstacle. It can work! If you arm yourself with a pair of chunky ankle boots (and, in extreme cases, a good tailor) there's no reason why the trend can't work for us petites. And anyway, who doesn't love a bit of oversized fashion? 

I've said this in my last post, but I'll say it again...check out the Nobody's Child website, they have some really great pieces! They combine fast fashion with ethical sustainability - so no complaints there. Wishing them all the best for the future! 

Hannah xx

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The Time Little Grim got Caught Trespassing in a Car Park

Jeremy - Joe - Roger - Chris  

You know those days where you follow four guys around with a camera, shouting 'LOOK NATURAL' at the top of your voice? Yeah? Pretty sure we've all been there. Meet Little Grim, a London-based alt-rock quartet, who recently played a packed out show at Guildford's Boileroom supporting Little Comets. Sounds like things are definitely on the up.

After the release of 'Vice' in February - great track, go listen here - the boys have been non-stop gigging and taking time to write new material. I've been lucky enough to preview their upcoming single 'Sparks' (release date T.B.C) and it's sounding bloody great, so keep the necessary senses peeled for that one. Both Vice and Sparks have an element of vintage rock to them, and, coincidentally, 1970s fashion is making a comeback for the autumn/winter season. So that all worked out pretty well, really. That said, the 1970s is tricky to get right, and one bold coloured novelty piece too many can take an outfit from fashionably retro to ABBA tribute act in a matter of seconds. (The world just isn't quite ready for your yellow corduroy shirt, Jeremy.)

With that in mind, I was keen to keep the 70s theme relatively subtle - staying away from the flares and opting instead for a pattern shirt (Joe) and maroon chelsea boots (Jeremy). Actually, I'm particularly happy with the footwear finds - the chelsea boots were only £29.99 from H&M, whilst the boots being so excellently modelled by Chris and Roger were both an absolute steal from Primark. Also, these looks mark a definite moment - they're not all in black. We're not exactly talking statement colours, but still, I feel like I've grown.

Anyway, had a great day hanging out with the Little Grim guys. They bought me coffee and Wagamamas which, in my mind, are the only ways to be genuinely happy. And I think we all learnt a valuable life lesson - if you're walking through a car park and don't own one of the parked cars, you're technically trespassing. Who knew?

Catch Little Grim on October 15th at the Black Heart in Camden!

Hannah xx

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Nobody in this Band is Called Dave - Behind the Scenes with Faux

Dan - Lee - James - Luke 

It's true. Nobody in this band is called Dave, despite how adamant I was about this being the case. I am terrible with names. These guys are Dan, Lee, James and Luke - a.k.a the lovely boys from Faux. After only a year of playing and performing together, the four piece have already sold out shows in Southampton and are on the line up for Independence Festival 2015 - not bad going for a 12 month stint.

The photos above are a few little candid shots I took whilst filming the video for their new single, which is not yet named, nor has it been given a release date, so we're left in eager anticipation for both. After being asked by my pal Ben - videographer extraordinaire - I was drafted in to help with styling, make-up and amateur photography (the latter being essential, obviously) and it was pretty cool. Got to try out some fancy camera lenses, ate some pizza, drank a lot of coffee - great day. Plus, putting foundation and bronzer on heavily tattooed men is never not funny. You looked beautiful, guys. (I promise it was necessary for bright lighting vs washed-out skin tone purposes.)

In order to match the 'Dirty Pop' vibe that the single keenly sticks to, we went for the 'all black everything' model - i.e. my fave...see any post I've ever uploaded ever. But it did really work for the grungy tone of the single and made for a perfect contrast against the white lights that were a key feature of the video. Personally, I was keen to add a hint of 'Sport Luxe' into the mix just to keep it current, but it turns out jackets + heavy lighting + lots of jumping around don't really mix...

Really looking forward to seeing the finished product! It was filmed on a Black Magic Cinema camera, which is apparently really good, so should look super sharp.

It was great working with the guys. They're going on tour from the 1st of September, starting at the Doghouse in Nottingham, and play Sticky Mike's in Brighton on the 3rd - check them out if you can!

Hannah xx

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Only Went and Graduated Didn't I

Crop Top: Topshop
Culottes: Topshop
Shoes: ASOS

Hat & Gown: Probably not available at most high street stores...

So, last Tuesday I graduated. For the the past three years, I've been able to use the classic "but I'm a student" excuse for basically everything - having no money, watching Netflix until the early hours and living off toast...what a life. For the past seven days, I've been on an adulthood adrenaline rush. I joined a gym, force-fed myself fennel and started my first full time job at Thank Social; probably won't commit to the fennel, but the job seems to be a keeper. 

The Graduation day itself was a combination of stressful faffing and holding back tears. Nobody knew what to wear - not that it mattered since, for the most part, any outfit would be enveloped by a huge black cloak. The guidelines suggested something dark and plain, which most people dutifully ignored. Me included, opting for these Topshop culottes, which are so versatile - they work for everyday wear and, apparently, can be made into a formal outfit as well. And they're not black! Well done me.

The Hogwarts-esque ensemble isn't exactly something I'll be desperate to wear again - not that I'll have that chance now - *cry*. But it was quite fun walking around pretending to be all fancy and intelligent. Although any overly-enthusiastic head movements did mean that the hat would instantly end up on the floor...which was tricky. 

It feels very odd to no longer be in formal education. But I'm hoping that working full time in social media will push me into blogging more regularly...like I keep saying I will...apologies.

Hannah xx

(N.B. There is no way to make a mortarboard hat look even remotely normal. I genuinely think that whoever designed them was having a bit of a joke, and then accidentally created a formal tradition spanning hundreds of years.) 

(N.B 2.0. Yes, that's my mum. Yes, she is great.)

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Back...(in Black)

Shirt: Urban Outfitters
Crop top: Missguided
Necklace: Topshop

Jacket: New Look
Trousers: ASOS
Trainers: Nike.com (Kids section, Boys 8 -15...yep, seriously)

Jacket: Pull and Bear

Aight*. So its been about half a year since I last posted. Twenty-fifteen has been a bloody busy year - finishing my degree and beginning to work as a blogger for Brighton Fashion Week; the latter certainly being a lot more fun than the former...

As you can see, not a lot's changed. I'm still all about that all black errythang - with the exception of my favourite pink check shirt, which comes into its own during summer. Aside from that, I'm welcoming the (sporadically) warm weather with these cropped trousers from ASOS. I won't lie, what I really wanted was a pair of culottes, which are perfect for summer because they're light and always look effortlessly stylish on anyone I see donning the trend. However, me being the diminutive person that I am, that effortlessness quickly became an ordeal of buying, tailoring and eventually returning. But I won't give up. Because short people absolutely can wear culottes - have a read of this.

Anyway, I found the cropped trousers. I've basically lived in them for the past 3 weeks; they're really flattering and can be dressed up or down. For me, it's the heavy-soled Nikes and long-line duster jacket/oversized shirt that works for a more casual look - I do love a bit of layering. But combine them with a pair of chunky heels and fancy crop top, if you want something a little more dressy.

Hopefully I'm going to be able to post more regularly from now on, especially seeing as I'm officially not a student anymore...excuse me while I have a minor panic attack...
So yeah, in the words of various film characters - "I'm Back"

See you soon!
Hannah xx

*Northern for Hello

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Cut it Out

Cut Out Blouse: Boohoo.com
Leggings: River Island
Bralet: Urban Outfitters
Boots: Vagabond, Urban Outfitters
Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Continuing my love affair with black and sheer clothing, I instantly fell for this blouse from Boohoo. The cut out shoulder detail and high neckline create a shape that would flatter any body type. It was slightly harder to take the pictures though, as it turns out my skin is the same colour as my standard white backdrop, and the look does require existent and visible shoulders...

The cut out trend is great for the summer-to-autumn transition period. It still shows skin, but only in fragments, suggesting a slow move toward covering up for the new season. Although I prefer the cut out shoulder style, this is not the only way to wear the trend:

The cut-out waist dress is a pretty timeless piece, but has seen a relaunch this summer. Personally, I find it difficult to wear, but that's how I am with most dresses...so I might not be the best the judge. It's tricky to get right. The cut-out detail has to hit the waist at precisely the right point to be flattering and, if that happens, then it can look really good. But, if you're like me and you have never found a waisted dress that actually goes in at your waist (because you're basically too short for that to happen) then it's harder to find a style that works. That's just my experience, however!

Get the trend while you can, before it gets too cold to have any skin on show at all. River Island and Motel have some really nice styles - click the links to have a look! But, while I love the trend, I'll be avoiding any white back drops - I don't want to risk blending in.

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The Oriental Explosion

Yep. That's me on a Brighton rooftop, trying to look calm and collected whilst having internal seizures due to the fact that I'm sitting on an almost-too-thin ledge about 50 feet above the ground.

Anyway, it's meant to suggest the beginning of summer, which means vibrant prints and block colours become standard practice. As summer's answer to Ebenezer Scrooge, I'm not good with colour, and tend to reject it wherever possible. But it can look great, and definitely does show that you're able to welcome the sunny season with arms, that might be slightly burnt, but still remain wide open.

Prints, however, take more care. It's basically impossible to carry off an outfit that includes more than one type of print without looking like a circus attraction. It's better to mix with plain clothes, allowing the print to become the stand-out feature...

...which is why the kimono is so great. They are everywhere right now. In some sort of oriental high-street explosion, the kimono has become the perfect summer cover-up. It's a great way of making a plain outfit a little more suited to the season. An otherwise gloomy black number becomes instantly rejuvenated by the bright colours and floral print.

According to the magazines, the kimono is part of a wider trend that combines western elements with eastern stylistic traditions. Vogue, in Spring/Summer 2013, predicted a "Nouvelle Japonisme" would take hold of the high street in 2014, and this is precisely what has happened. The styles are perfect for the western summer, because they tend to use light fabrics and don't rely too heavily on that classic colour that persistently pervades British fashion in particular - black.

Etro 

Emilio Pucci

Obviously, the catwalk styles are always more extreme than the styles found on the hight street, but the concept is still clear. The trend is not entirely innovative - for years, designers have taken inspiration from the far east and used it in conjunction with western ideas, and it is no coincidence that Tokyo and Beijing are two of the biggest fashion hotspots in the world. But the orient has never hit the British high street as hard as it is hitting it right now.

The oriental explosion brings easy ways of dressing for summer with light materials, bright colours and eccentric prints. They can make a colourful outfit even more colourful, or a a relatively gloomy number at least acceptable for June/July. But I'm going to continue to walk proud in my all black, we'll probably only get sun for a week anyway...

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The Spring/Summer Subversion

It's that time again. The pastels are in their prime, florals are making their inevitable appearance and bold colours are boldly striding forth - spring/summer fashion is in bloom.

Pastels and bolds are fantastic, if you can pull them off. If you are like me, however, this is not easy to do. Pastel colours and pale skin were not made to co-exist, the combination usually results in an 'I've just got rid of the flu' look... Bold colours can work really well, depending on the undertone to your complexion. For me, red is a no-go, it brings out the pink in my skin and I end up looking like a lobster. 

So I propose black. Yes, it's a wintery colour, but we're British! It rains all the time anyway.

Black is eternally stylish, it never really goes out of fashion. Instead, season by season, it moves in and out of the forefront of colour trends.

But black was definitely present at the twenty-fourteen fashion weeks, and they proved that it doesn't have to be associated with the more 'sombre' seasons.

Take a look at Yves Saint Laurent 'Black Magic' at Paris Fashion Week

It's sophisticated, but not too heavy. It's smart, whilst still emphasising the complexion of both models.

And black is pervading the high street as well. A personal fave of mine are the black dungarees that are making a frequent appearance in the high street shops. Urban Outfitters have some great styles.

These tapered dungarees are great for spring. Their smart/casual style can work for both day and night - the 3/4 length leg would work perfectly with flats for the day time, or with a pair of heeled ankle boots for the evening. Plus, the dungarees can be coupled with something colourful, so if you are one for the pastel trend, the two can be combined. 

But, just because I tend prefer a more casual style, I prefer the classic denim dungaree - which also look great in black. These vintage dungarees are a throwback to 90's fashion, which has been making a huge comeback on the high street over the past year.

The whole 'oversized' look so popular with 90's fashion does risk looking a little sack-like...but the black dungarees add a little 'chic'-ness to the whole look. It's classy, but at the same time oozes that effortless cool that simply says "yeah, I threw this on...I haven't even showered yet, I don't care, I'm too cool to care"

Though it is a fine balance. Unfortunately the dungaree will always be associated with the stereotypical redneck American. So, without careful consideration, it becomes less high-street cool and more Texan farmer...

       ...and no one wants that.

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