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Timeless: History of the Trench

September 27th, 2010 by Colin
Colin McDowellColin McDowell has been involved with fashion at many levels, including designing, for more than thirty years. He worked in Italy for ten years before returning to London where he became involved with education. He is proud to say that he taught John Galliano. He has been a journalist since the mid eighties, working for all the quality newspapers and magazines published in the UK and several in the USA. He has been a fashion writer for The Sunday Times since 1986, and at Style for the last ten years.
The Trench

The Trench as seen in Vogue

As its name suggests, the waterproof coat called a trench began its life in the trenches during World War I on the backs of British army officers and it was almost always bought from one of London’s three top purveyors of men’s protective clothing: Lilywhite, Aquascutum or Burberry.

It has evolved as so much of the male wardrobe has from the huntin’, shootin’ and fishin’ world of the Victorian male. Waterproof and roomy, it was a highly practical garment making no concessions to fashion – which is the reason for its status as a design classic. The trench only became synonymous with style and fashion almost twenty years after the end of the war, when the Prince of Wales – the last monarch to have any influence on fashion – wore it for country pursuits such as point-to-points. But it was Hollywood that gave the trench style.

Tough guys like Humphrey Bogart who played private eyes or even gangsters in the movies were still, in a way, part of the huntin’, shootin’, fishin’ fraternity but this time with different accents … and the prey was human and the stage was the big city, not the wide moorlands. And that is why the trench has survived. It was one of the very earliest garments to be not just streetwise and cool but sexy – in a totally masculine way.

Women loved men in trenches and also on themselves. Dietrich, Garbo, Katherine Hepburn  and Lauren Bacall loved the sexual ambiguity afforded by this mild form of cross-dressing, and they still do.

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ELLE’s Executive Fashion Editor on autumn trends

September 3rd, 2010 by Stacey Duguid

Stacey Duguid is the Executive Fashion Editor of ELLE magazine in London.  She moved from Edinburgh to London in 1994 where she began her career in fashion working for Paul Smith, then Giorgio Armani and Prada.  She started working on ELLE in October 2004 where she works as a fashion editor and writer.

I’m forever on Twitter.  Don’t switch off; this gets more interesting I promise.  I follow Guardian Books, The LA Times, The New York Times, CNN, BBC, food writers, fashion writers, I even follow the crazy catbinlady whose laconic observations from suburbia have made cult status both here and in America.  Most Tweets are fairly forgettable and unless they feed to a news link, there’s not a lot of substance can be applied to the obliged 140 characters.  However, this week I read this fashion-thought-provoking Tweet by a fashion blogger: ‘are women over the age of 30 really interested in what the colours of the season are?”  No, was my immediate thought, absolutely not.  We are not teenagers, we are not easily marketed to, we are grown women and we will not be told to wear colours that don’t suit us. Several hours later, having dismounted my high horse, a thought occurred; I’d spent a month scouting for camel, khaki, and stone coloured blouses, I had become obsessed with finding the ‘right’ coloured 70s denim skirt, I suddenly needed mustard in my wardrobe and I despise mustard. Where had this colour fanaticism come from and why was it suddenly OK to wear colour-draining camel and stone?  So here I am, wearing all the colours I had never considered before thanks to Celine, Max Mara and Tommy Hilfiger and I’m way over 30 by the way.

For the past year now, fashion has been less about restrictive trends and more about key pieces.  Buying into pieces rather than trends may sound easier in terms of wardrobe building, but the reality is we’re used to being dictated to in terms of what the trends are and ‘how to wear’ them.  When we were into trend led shopping, we may have made the occasional fashion mistake by buying into trend pieces that didn’t suit us, but in general it was pretty much fool-proof; we had been given our orders by the fashion magazines and that was all we needed to know.  I’d just like to add here that the wide shoulder trend, (shudder) now lurks in a black bin liner in my hallway ready and waiting for the next Oxfam drop off.  We’ve been spoon fed the trends for so long now we’ve been left in a sort of sartorial no-man’s-land, so here, for your fashion delectation, may I introduce my new season checklist of things to buy this autumn.  Delete as appropriate!

The Camel Coat
They’re everywhere and yes, you should own one and it probably should be by the king of the camel coat Max Mara and possibly styled in the manner of a 70s mum.

See You In Court
Who would have thought it?  It’s goodbye unwearable, unwalkable, unbearable shoes and hello low-heel-height court shoes!  As worn by office workers and police officers alike, the sensible court shoe has been off the fashion radar since the eighties but it’s back for autumn and is the perfect partner to the new fitted trouser shapes (see below for details).  Don’t go for patent, stick to classic black or go for tonal colours such as mink and chocolate.  Embrace it now whilst the trend lasts.  Who knew being able to walk fast would be so, errr convenient?

The white shirt
The white shirt is an instant wardrobe updater but you will have to shop around for the perfect fit.  I tried on 7 before I settled on one from Cos.  Who knew the white shirt could be so complicated?

Take A Hike
The hiking book has been around since last winter and is one of my favourite winter boot styles; it’s modern, it’s warm, it’s functional.  Wear them with skinny jeans in winter or with skirts and bare legs for autumn (fake tan possibly required).

The Aviator
When Burberry’s creative director Christopher Bailey showed the most perfect shearling aviator jacket in his latest show, we knew they’d create a high street frenzy.  An aviator could be your weekend jacket this season; I love the one from Top Shop.

I’m Feeling For Fuzzy
A fake fur handbag is possibly not high on your wish list, but they are a must-have bag style this season to why not experiment.  If you do purchase one I suggest you don’t wear it with anything else made from fake fur, you could be mistaken for Fuzzy Bear. Wear with a simple, tailored black coat and try to avoid small dog breads.

Show Me Your Black Pants
When I say pants I mean trousers but I love the way pants sound.  GAP has launched the ‘perfect pant collection’ and tailoring is well and truly back in a big way.  Some of the best-cut trousers I’ve found this season are from REISS

The Pussy Bow Blouse
The blouse just got sexy thanks to Chloe designer Hannah McGibbon and they are everywhere.  I bought 4 blouses this season, all in silk or silk mix and all in cream, stone, khaki and tan. A slick of red lipstick helps keep this look modern.  I wear my blouse with high waisted jeans.

The Snood In The Hood
View the snood as the new scarf but with the added bonus of it being half a hat too.  I plan to buy a fake fur style and an Argyll knitted one too, perfect for layering over military coats.

The Black Tailored Jacket
This for me is the key piece of the season, it’s a wardrobe no brainer and I buy one every year.  The latest style is the so-called ‘husband cut’, meaning more grown up than the boyfriend jacket, less boxy and nicer fabric.  The finale of the Dolce show was for me a really special fashion moment, a sea of supermodels wearing nothing but black tailored jackets and knickers, molto sexy!

Key-piece-shopping may sound terribly sensible but they will be your forever-wardrobe-friends.  I have a Stella McCartney black tailored jacket I bought 4 years ago and I still wear it at least once a week.  Trend led shopping may have gone for the time being so enjoy fashion’s new sedate mood and enjoy being simply and elegantly you.

From Transatlantic Chic to European Elite

September 29th, 2009 by Stacey Waterman
Paul Smith

Paul Smith

I didn’t go to the shows, but was rooted to my Blackberry throughout, eagerly digesting every morsel of info that was tweeted, facebooked and blogged by the fashion press on a daily basis. The shows have been glossy and dramatic, everything we wanted them to be and more. Our grateful thanks goes to Hilary Alexander, Bitchbuzz, DisneyRollerGirl, Grazia and Elle, who between them sent approximately 10 tweets per minute from London Fashion Week and delivered the drama from the runway into the palm of my hand. The great surprise was Tavi Gevinson, the 13 year old fashion blogger from Chicago suburbia whose Style Rookie blog has had the fashion industry at her feet and Peaches Geldof reporting for GMTV!! Ah how I love fashion’s “New Year” and it’s not over yet!

From New York & London

With their glamorous celebrity filled front rows and continual buzz, New York and London did not fail to impress. As Gwyneth Paltrow said “London is where it’s at. It inspires the world”. How much did we love Burberry’s return to the London runway?  Emma Watson is our new Brit icon for the modern woman, and she glowed in the front row as Burberry presented the 2010 twist to their classic belted trench coat with puff sleeves and shimmering sparkles. Cue investment piece, if you don’t have a Burberry trench, get one now and love it for eternity.

DKNY

DKNY

 
Looking at the collections en masse one thing springs to mind – legs! I have till March to achieve honed and toned pins, for the trend for shorts will continue from now through to next year. It is one thing to wear city shorts with black opaque tights underneath (bring on November), but totally bare skinned? There is much work to be done before next spring.
 
I loved the way Paul Smith combined tailored city shorts with African themed leopard-prints, English gentry inspired leather elbow patches and his trademark stripes. Nicole Farhi’s playsuits in delicate pastel prints were casual and fun and Ralph Lauren’s denim was different, but it was DKNY who really went to town with city shorts and romper suits – chic and sporty in neutrals and bold brights and worn with cycle shorts underneath!!
Yes Bridget Jones underwear as outerwear for the summer to go under everything, from shorts to playsuits and dresses. Donna Karan really knows how to dress women.
Pure genius!  
  
Matthew Williamson

Matthew Williamson

But it was Matthew Williamson’s return to London Fashion Week that was my moment of pure happiness. He may have moved away from Boho chic to more structured & graphic pieces but own a Matthew Williamson from any collection and it is considered money well spent for seasons to come. His work is timeless.

 

Viva Italia

Now to Milan in beautiful Italy, the home to some of the world’s most renowned designers including Gucci, Pucci, Missoni, Armani, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo and Prada, where this week it’s the Italian designers chance to show off their talents. I personally am rather excited about this as Italians do fashion like no other.

So far we have seen headscarves at Marni, the return of the corset from Dolce & Gabbana which is heralded as the one single piece of must-have-clothing for next spring/summer and super-sexy bodycon from Gucci. Diet starts now.

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana

Saving the Best till Last

Tomorrow is Paris, the crème de la crème of all Fashion Weeks. I am anticipating more sexy silhouettes, tulle and sparkles and simply cannot wait to see the creations from Vivienne Westwood (my favourite, we love her always), Balenciaga, Balmain, Maison Martin Margiela, Gareth Pugh, Loewe, Valentino, Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, YSL, Chloe, Stella McCartney, Giles and of course John Galliano, Chanel, Celine and Christian Dior.

Until then…au revoir!

Hello London Fashion Week!

September 18th, 2009 by Stacey Waterman

mulberryHow Excited Are We?

Today is D Day. London Fashion Week is finally here. After following New York Fashion week via the internet, TV, Twitter, Facebook, our favourite fashion blogs and every other form of communication imaginative… it’s now our turn. London is celebrating. Just take a look at the London Underground posters commissioned by Elle  and open any newspaper or magazine.  This is our time. It’s a time for us Brits to rule and show the world we are the leaders of fashion. It’s a time for colour, glamour, grandeur, style and creativity.

This Year is Special 

London Fashion Week has always been special. As an aspiring design student at The London College of Fashion it was always THE highlight of my year, and still is. Back then I dreamt of sharing a catwalk with Vivienne Westwood and having Supermodels sashay down the runway in my creations, but it was always the excitement of discovering new inspirations and new talent that gave London the edge.

This year, our favourite designers have come home to roost to honour London Fashion Week’s 25th birthday. We welcome back Matthew Williamson, Burberry Prorsum, Pringle of Scotland, Jonathan Saunders and Antonio Berardi, whose incredible talents and coveted creations will appear alongside Brit favourites Vivienne Westwood Red Label, Nicole Fahri, Betty Jackson and Paul Smith.

I am particularly excited about seeing what Mulberry and Temperley London are dishing up for 2010 (I confess I am an addict when it comes to these two labels) and will be keeping a firm eye on the young up-and-coming hot designers for which London is famous – Richard Nicoll, Marios Schwab, Christopher Kane and Mark Fast.

But who will be seated in the front rows and what will they be wearing? For the next week there will be no escaping British fashion 24/7… and for that we are delighted.

Get Tuned In

If you’re a LFW novice, The Times Who’s Who list  will give you a lowdown of the hottest names on the hotbed of London Fashion. Tune into Vogue.com for the schedule and following live streams of the shows at F-Tape. Their Twitter feed is pretty great as well. But for ultimate drool and up to the minute catwalk reports, there is no place better for direct news than the British Fashion Council’s London Fashion Week TV or their new London Fashion Week Blackberry application.

FeatureFarewell to The London Paper

Sadly we shan’t be getting updates from The London Paper, whose fashion pages have brought us images of real Londoners in all their street style glory for the last three years. Today is their last issue and I shall miss it. Travelling on the tube (albeit a rare occurence) will never be the same again.

Cool Brittania

It is going to be a week to remember for British fashion. Nostalgic at 25 years? Definitely. Just reading the tributes from designers and the Telegraph’s trip down memory lane  of a history of this most fashionable last quarter of a century makes me proud to be British.

Guest Post: Stealth Chic, Quirky Geek & Bourgeois Brands – It’s All In the Mix

September 7th, 2009 by Guest Author

Guest Post from DisneyRollerGirl, an anonymous fashion insider and blogger whose observations and opinions on fashion, lifestyle trends and popular culture have a huge cult following. 

I have made the trip to Bicester Village four times now and each time I forget quite how fantastic it is. It’s not just the excellent value on offer (although clearly, that’s a huge pull) but where else can you find this concentration of high-end brands in one easy-to-navigate place, minus the annoying mobile phone shops and banks?

Luella Boutique

Luella Boutique

I know it’s a bit sad but for me, the excitement of going to Bicester is on a par with a trip to New York. No seriously, it’s because I know I’m not going to come back empty handed nor with that why-did-I-buy-this regret that can easily result from other frenzied shopping trips. The fact is the selection and quality at Bicester is such that you will find plenty to suit your taste whether it be classic, trendy or off-beat. It does help to have some sort of plan beforehand though because otherwise your spending can spiral way out of control. Partly it’s that sale-shopping mentality of ‘it’s so cheap, I must have it’ as well as the holiday feeling of the setting whereby your money feels like toy money (or is that just me?).
 
The temptation this time was to bowl into Ralph Lauren, buy ten sweaters and be done with it but that would be tragic. Instead I decided to split my spending in two halves; one half would go on luxury basics, while the other half would go on something more impulsive. What fun!

After a cappuccino at Prêt to get my energy up I wasted no time in getting on with it. Of course, I had to fall in love with something in the first shop I went into. Here’s another tip: don’t dismiss any store as ‘not me’ because at Bicester, every shop has potential. My first stop was MaxMara, even though I’d normally consider it a bit too classic for me. But I gave it a go and immediately clocked a pair of brothel creepers, a million miles from the grey and camel cashmere I’d expected of MaxMara. Alas, they were a size too big and the next available size down was too small. C’est la vie, onwards and upwards. More impeccable luxury to be found in Burberry (trench coats at £350, extremely tempting), Mulberry (including Giles Deacon’s patent clutch with giant gold studs) and Celine (iconic Boogie bags ago-go). Bally and Salvatore Ferragamo were perfect places to invest in this season’s New Bourgeois trend – you couldn’t move for Bally’s round-toe court shoes in stealth-chic neutrals and the cult patent-leather Varina shoes at Ferragamo. (By the by, if you like your Italian labels, you need to know that Gucci, Armani & Moncler are all opening at Bicester Village within the next few weeks.)

Shoes at Marni

Shoes at Marni

The reason for the extreme discounts at Bicester is that what’s for sale is mostly one or two seasons old but this can actually be a bonus. Marni (yes, there’s a Marni!) and Luella both elicited grasps and greedy grabbing from me as I recognised key pieces from seasons past. How could I resist Luella’s plain black sweaters monogrammed with ‘Love, Love, Love’ for only £37.50 instead of a-hundred-and-something? Fact: I couldn’t. So I snapped one up, and took in the surroundings while my purchase was tissue-wrapped in Luella-logo-ed paper and handed to me in one of her bubble-gum pink carrier bags. Each and every store is fitted out in the brand’s house style (Luella’s comes complete with vintage furniture, stickers on every surface and neon heart installation) and service is top-notch, plus merchandise is perfectly arranged and there are no nasty sale signs so you wouldn’t even know you were in an outlet village.
vivienne shop frontAfter a leisurely lunch at Villandry, I embarked on the second leg of my expedition with renewed vigour. I had to do Smythson very quickly indeed otherwise I really would have bought the entire shop and as for Vivienne Westwood, well, ‘accessory heaven’ probably sums it up very succinctly. I didn’t buy ten sweaters in Ralph Lauren but I was sorely tempted by a mannish wool coat that I dithered over for a good twenty minutes but decided to leave as the sleeves were a touch too long. That said, Bicester Village offers an alterations service so if I’d wanted it badly enough I could easily have fixed that. As I predicted, I couldn’t leave Ralph Lauren empty-handed so I invested in a khaki green canvas tote bag which will serve me well as an everyday bag for all year round. That ticked one of my ‘luxury basics’ boxes. Next, to Wolford for the black long-sleeve body I’ve been wanting to buy for months. I entered with an open mind, thinking I might have to settle for less. But no, they had the perfect piece, in my size at a very good price. Another tick in the ‘luxury basics’ box.

 

My Purchases

My Purchases

 

Happy with my three purchases, I decided to look more and buy less. Into D&G, a brand that’s totally ‘not me’ but whose understated evening bags, jewel-coloured flats and black lace booties made me reassess. Valentino was breathtaking (the coats!) as was pop-up shop Bulgari (fur handbags – naughty but so old-school elegant). And then I couldn’t resist it. Something had been playing on my mind, so back I went to MaxMara, to the shoes-that-didn’t-quite-fit. I ummed, I aahed, I tried to reason with myself. And finally, impulsively, I bought them. Mission complete.

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