Rag and Bone

There was never a more controversial brand name than Rag and Bone. Their garments are undoubtedly not rags; they are simple and tasteful everyday necessities. When flipping through my Harper's Bazaar's the clothes that always turn me green with envy are always the ones by Rag and Bone so I finally decided to unleash my jealousy and visit their website (www.rag-bone.com). Needless to say, my desire was tripled and the obstacle of not being able to roll in money was a bigger irritant than ever. What I love about them is that they stick more to the wearable fashion side and less to the fashion-is-art side resulting in a larger audience that is able to relate to the brand. If you don't agree then hopefully these examples will change your mind.

To the Max

Ah maxi skirts, they are the solution to the problem "What if it's cold but I don't want to wear pants?" Yes it is unknowingly one of the most common questions that bounce around the minds of gentlemen and ladies alike; unfortunately men have a harder time of fulfilling their desires but us women on the other hand can always count on the maxi skirt to keep us from going insane - from going pant-less. They are conveniently versatile: you can wear them boho or vintage or even try them modern. This amazing asset means that they are open to the entire feminine public, not just a select few. Maxi skirts also have the rare characteristic of being fashionable as well as comfy which, from our experience, is one of the most sought after factors for the everyday girl. Don't believe us? Then go and try one of these amazingly over sized items.

The Perfect Koople

The ad campain for the Kooples is without a doubt our absolute favourite for the simple reason that it isn't normal; it's abnormal. Unfortunately there aren't that many brands that use the innovative approach for their adverts (save Vivienne Westwood, Tom Ford, Diesel and a few others) instead, they prefer to do the safe "posing pretty" pictures which are perfectly acceptable, however they don't stick in your mind like the ones that you can't quite wrap your head around do. The trick is that they prefer to concentrate on the people, not just the clothing. You therefore have a bigger chance of remembering it because of the obvious fact that you're not going to remember gucci handbag more than you'll remember a hobo in Vivienne Westwood. Exhibit A:

The Real Life Fairy Godmother

What can we say other than; "She'll make all your dreams come true" ? You won't believe that it's possible - everyone hears about the stresses and strains that come with finding a dress for your "Big Night" whether it be a matric dance, prom or most obviously a wedding - but once you've seen her works of art you'll be filled with the same hope that Cinderella was when her fairy godmother poofed into existence amidst the dirty kitchen of her evil stepmother's house. At a glance her gowns are beautifully simple and classic, however when you take a closer look you'll discover intricate designs and complicated craftsmanship that make your fingers ache just thinking about how many hours were spent in the sewing room. In the words of the Black Eyed Peas, we "Just can't get enough."

Salvation: Army jacket

The Army jacket is more often than not the salvation of an incomplete outfit. When your look is missing a certain ''something" your best bet is to throw on your favourite novelty jacket. Obviously you should take this advice with a pinch of salt - you can't exactly make it work with an exquisite gown from Elie Saab or the likes but we're guessing that "the jacket" has a 70% success rate which is pretty impressive for a piece of clothing that wasn't even invented with fashion in mind to begin with.

Don't Tease...

Remember the years when all hair types except the one were it was glued flat to your head were "out"? For us those were the dark days, the dead [straight] days.Thankfully the world has seen the error of their ways and we are back to natural and full-of-body 'do's. One of our absolute favourites (although it isn't natural for most people, unless you're blessed with a "soulful" Afro) is teased hair. Yes, teased hair, the one where you purposely turn your hair into a bird's nest and then proceed to cover it in hairspray making sure the knots don't fall out. It sounds like a madman's invention but we love it so I guess we're mad at heart. It creates an edginess to your look and gives you a concentrated shot of character. So go on, be adventurous.

Adding a hat gives that - in our opinion - amazing Mad Hatter look

A Fashion Love Story

The notebook was set in the 1940's, which you can clearly noticed with Allie's inspiring wardrobe. The love story focuses on an unbreakable relationship, but more recognisable the style from 70 years ago which still hasn't gone out of fashion. From the angelic blue dress Allie wears when Noah takes her on the boat ride, to the high waisted costume she wears at the beach with Noah.



I personally love every outfit in the movie and admire how polished, classic and proper women of that day and age would dress. Woman would look respectable, not something we find important in our generation.

The Photography Godfather: Cecil Beaton

Sir (yes, he was a "Sir") Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton, (14 January 1904 – 18 January 1980) was a British fashion and portrait photographer, diarist, painter, interior designer and an Acadamy Award-winning stage and costume designer for films and the theatre. He was named on the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1970. Back in the days of Marilyn Monroe, Morgot Fonteyn, Audrey Hepburn and the likes dating back even further still - all the way to Lady Diana Cooper and beyond - Cecil Beaton was the photographer, no questions asked, he was the one the stars went to. There was no "Paparazzi" and photographs were taken to capture history, beauty and memorable moments. Nowadays (and this is a recurring fault of our generation) things are loosing their sentimantality and people only take pictures of celebrities to catch them in all their cellulite-covered glory or for something as ridiculous as shopping at Wal-Mart. We long for the days of true phtographers like this iconic man, he truly was the Godfather of Photography.