Vero Moda and Rinascimento on the Spirit Catwalk for Pure London

Vero Moda is for the fashion conscious young woman who wants to dress smart casual:

This Danish brand has gone for bright colour blocking with hot pinks and sunny oranges.

Scarf by Buffera.

Italian brand Rinascimento is for the trendy young woman who also wants detailing: 

Black and white always a classic. Here matched with jewellery by Gaby's Fashion.

Going for a more muted colour block - amber orange

Fast Fashion Yummy clothes from Yumi SS12 Collection on the Spirit Catwalk

Yumi, the young fast fashion label, draws its inspiration from London Street style and here's a few inspirations for their Spring/Summer 2012 collection:

Feminine chiffon dresses teamed with masculine accessories.

Lace and fur trims

City skyline silhouettes on minimilist tailoring.

Colour palette black, grey and white with pops of vibrant colour blocking

Broderie Anglais layered mini skirt softens the leather biker jacket. Pleated skirt and Peter Pan collar in the background still in the fashion front.

London fashion label AngelEye SS12 on the Spirit Catwalk

Angel Eye Fashion is an up and coming young fashion brand.
Here's a few pieces strutting their stuff on the Spirit catwalk show:

The above cuts the mustard in smart chic-ness. Jewellery by Design Six and shoes by Iron Fist

Whilst khaki rules the Urban jungle.

Glamourous Stuff for Spring/Summer 2012

Launched in 2007, the young fashion label 'Glamorous' is as the  name suggests, all about Glamour and takes its inspiration from the catwalks, night clubs and red carpet occasions. Here's a preview of some of their Spring/Summer 2012 collection on today's Spirit Young Fashion catwalk show at Earls Court:

The feminine lace is here for another season, but more grown up in nude colours...

.... along with the colour block..............here given a sophisticated makeover with more muted tones

Sequins are teamed with leather for an edgier look.

These won't be out in the stores until next year, but check out their website www.glamorousuk.com for their autumn/winter 2011 collection.

The Forties Style Tea Dress

Although the tea gown started in the Victorian era, the period we most associate the tea dress with is the wartime 1940’s.
The style: patterned (still the floral print reigning) short sleeves, floaty fabric and below the knee length.
 It gave the women colour and femininity amongst their otherwise plain and serious wartime clothing.

20^th Century Foxy is an online boutique selling vintage inspired garments.  This 1940s vintage reproduction dress by Trashy Diva features a lowcut front and back with gathering at the shoulders.

Price £90 www.20thcenturyfoxy.com

 Holly Willoughby’s ditsy floral print tea dress is the 1940’s style with a twist – the shorter length. 

Fabric: Polyester 

Price £49 

Available online through www.very.co.uk   

Wedges were popular in WWII so keep the look with your modern tea dress. Match with orange canvas Nemo wedges by Dune to pick up the orange and pink in the dress.

Price was £75 now on sale at £37 www.dune.co.uk

Another nod to the 1940’s tea dress is Phase Eight’s pink Florida dress, but with the luxury of silk instead of wartime man made fabric. Fabric: 100% silk with acetate lining.  Price was £110 now in the sale for the bargain price of £33

www.phase-eight.co.uk

Idol - New Look's Premium Label goes Wild for Autumn/Winter 2011

Titled 'The Wild Ones', Idol by designer Donovan Pascal is vintage inspired with animal magnetism thrown in.
Leather gives that rock chick look with long fringed jackets and high-waist miniskirts and shorts.
Sequins and beaded embellishment provide glamour whilst studs give the tough-luxe edge. And the animal magnetism?. That’s the zebra and snake print.
Colour palette is rich shades of purple, burgundy, teal, cream and black.

Above is the sequined jacket in zebra print (£59.99) worn with high-waist leather skirt.(£49.99)

The long beaded soft cream jumper (£32.99) is teamed with the harder edged high-waisted leather shorts (£49.99).

For an overall soft look, the rose print playsuit (£39.99) is worn with the mesh panel blazer (£34.99)

the back view of the mesh panel blazer.

Last but definitley not least in the wild stakes is the fringed leather jacket (price unknown) fighting for the drama crown with the black studded shorts (£29.99)

Coming soon on www.newlook.com 

The Rose Tea Dress

The sun is shining so we have to make the most of it. That means lots of barbecues in the garden and maybe afternoon tea on the terrace?
For barbecues, you can wear a range of outfits from a floaty maxi dress to a more casual pair of shorts and cami top. But what do you wear for afternoon tea? A tea dress of course. 
These vary in style but one thing most of them have in common is that they have a print and usually it's floral.

The story goes that in times gone by a lady’s rose garden was the only place where she could socialise freely with other ladies.  As afternoon tea became popular, the best hotels started tea rooms and for the first time the Victorian ladies were able to meet outside of the rose garden or the confines of their own home without damaging their reputation.  As the tea rooms replaced the rose garden for a place to gossip, a rose theme developed in the decor and ladies started to adorn their bonnets with roses, which soon spread on to their dress fabric.

So here's a few rose patterned dresses perfect for  afternoon tea:

Debenhams Debut collection embraces the rose pattern with its purple and ivory ‘Gallus Rose’ prom dress and purple sash.

Fabric: 100% cotton and 100% acetate lining. 

Price was £100 but on sale at £80.

A matching purple and ivory floral bolero is also available or go for plain purple satin to add contrast and match the sash on the dress.  

 Both priced at £40, but the floral is in the sale at £32

www.debenhams.com 

 

Phase Eight goes for the rose bud pattern with their azure Tea Party dress and flattering v neckline and back.

Fabric 100% cotton with 100% acetate lining.

Price was £130 but now in the sale for £91

www.phase-eight.co.uk

And if you like honey in your tea, try this warm honey coloured Tea Cup print fifties dress by www.suzannah.com .

The dress is partly boned with padded cups to create a tiny waist. Fully lined and with handy side pockets.

Fabric: Italian silk cotton in a vintage inspired rose print.

Price £425 

Wear with an ivory tulle underskirt to add extra volume Price £40

If the 50’s full skirt is not for you, you can still opt for the rose print but in a more figure hugging wiggle style such as Phase Eight’s green and ivory Betty dress. Fabric 92% polyester with 8% elastane.

Price was £95 now on sale at £71.25

www.phase-eight.co.uk

The tea dress (or the tea gown as it was originally called), gave the Victorian women another sense of freedom, it was the first time they started to wear a dress uncorseted.  This was due to the afternoon teas starting at home with just family and close friends.  Without the corset the tea gown style became less constructed, and often took on exotic and oriental designs.

This Suzannah Chinoiserie Rose luxury tea dress has an oriental twist to its style whilst keeping the quintessential vintage English rose print. Fabric: 100% silk satin Price £395 www.suzannah.com

But remember it‘s not all a bed of roses for the tea dress – any flower large or small will do.