London Fashion Week SS15 - Outfit No.1

Photo credit- Carl Osbourn

Photo credit- Fran Zisk

 I can't believe its been a whole year since I first strutted the cobbles of Somerset House. In the space of 365 days a lot has changed, including my style. Since enrolling at Central Saint Martins, I have developed a surge of ignorance towards what I wear. I wear what I want, whenever I want. I don't dress according to society, or 'rules'. I like mixing different styles, shapes and genres of fashion to create my own individual style. I may have had members of the public tell me I look like an extra from 'StarTrek', a 'boy' and even a 'druggie', however, I would feel a lot less confident confining to society by wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. 

Photo credit- Fran Zisk

There is no greater place on Earth to broadcast your style than London Fashion Week. In the space of  5 days, 120 hours and 432000 seconds, the capital entails a star-studded manifesto of high fashion where every stich of a gown, each step of a runway model and every flash of a camera is carefully monitored by the elite of the fashion industry. 

London Fashion Week takes place twice a year, which is quite a relief considering the amount of wardrobe prepping it requires. Fortunately, my outfit choice for Day 1 of SS15 was quite a stress-free decision. Prior to the event, I knew that I wanted to unveil my recently purchased, and much loved, Beth Postle t-shirt. For those who don't know Beth Postle, she is a recent Central Saint Martins BA fashion graduate. Despite having just graduated, Postle has become distinguished for her Cubistic technique which echoes the silhouette and portraiture of Picasso. Being the art enthusiast and Picasso devotee that I am, its no surprise that I instantly fell in love with Postle's aesthetic. I also admire the way in which each t-shirt is hand printed and painted; its like wearing a painting! 

Photo credit- Ellie Connor Phillips 

The toughest decision was deciding what to pair with the t-shirt. I decided to style it with quite a simple, monochrome attire as it complimented the bold outlines of the t-shirt's print. I added a few hints of block colour, including a yellow clutch and coral red lipstick, which highlighted the paint strokes of the illustration. The overall look is very feminine; the classic A-line skirt and Chanel-esque, tweed blazer ooze elegance. However, I incorporated my individual style by obscuring the  textures and shapes. The combination of the black Latex skirt with the furry clutch, and the white, chunky heels with the gym socks, draw a rather Surrealist misé-en-scene. My look is far from conventional, but who wants to blend in with the crowd at London Fashion Week? 

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'Fashion observing' 

Photo Credit Eugene Shishkin

Outfit details: Top - Beth Postle // Blazer - TopShop // Skirt - TopShop // Clutch - Zara // Sock - American Apparel // Shoes -- River Island // Sunglasses - Céline

Introducing Céline

 

What passion do I share with Karl Lagerfeld, Andy Warhol and Elton John? No, not fame but frames. Yes- frames/ sunglasses/ shades, or whatever you call them. I may live in a climate that imitates a wet sponge at the best of times, but sunglasses are a necessity, come rain or shine, in the wardrobe of Fashion Obscura.  

My fixation with sunglasses began at the tender age of five when I slipped on my first pair of sunglasses from Next Girl. I felt so mature in my blue tinted aviators which were so heavily encrusted with crystals, they would have made Liberace blush. I was hardly the most confident person at primary school, but as I strutted around the playground in my shades I felt indestructible… well, up until the dinner lady suspended them for breaking the uniform code.

Ten years have passed, yet my love for sunglasses has developed into an obsession. Sunglasses are more than just an accessory and sun protector; they are my extra limb, my shield. I am that ostentatious person who wears sunglasses in all occasions. ‘So what if I’m inside?’ ‘Who cares if its raining/ snowing/ foggy?’ ‘Pfft why save money when you can have these designer glasses instead?!’

I certainly questioned the latter a few weeks ago when I splashed out on a pair of Céline glasses. Yes, I may be a student but in retrospect sunglasses are an essential tool as they conceal the remnants of late night study sessions and partying. Karl Lagerfeld, the Father of all Sunglasses, famously said, “Sunglasses are like eye-shadow. They make everything look younger and prettier.” Indeed Karl, a good pair of sunglasses can instantly revive an outfit, whilst adding effortless sophistication.

The perfect pair of sunglasses should interpret the elegance and glamour of Audrey Hepburn’s chic black frames in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, whilst maintain the cool enigma of James Dean’s Ray Ban Wayfarers. Its no surprise that I instantly fell in love with these Céline shades. I adore the combination of the thick black frame with the oversized cat eye lens. No doubt about it, I had to have these. In fact I dedicated three days searching high and low at every Céline retailer in London for a pair of these super rare frames. Surely that makes me a sunglasses addict?

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