Fearne Cotton’s AW14 Collection for Very…
SO last night I ventured into London town with Jess to see Fearne Cotton’s new collection for Very.co.uk. We were invited to The Groucho Club in Soho to mix cocktails, see the gorgeous collection and hang out with Fearne. Good times.
‘The collection is all about having fun with your clothes – dressing in a way that makes you feel empowered and at your best. I like to be spontaneous and wear whatever feels right on the day so there’s bold prints, versatile pieces you can mix for day or night as well as pieces to dress up in.’ Fearne Cotton.
The collection is very strong, I would be happy to wear anyone of the pieces and I really like the fact that the silhouettes, fabrics, colours and patterns lend themselves to any style. Each piece is indeed versatile making it super simple to choose a look, rock it up, glam it up or dress it down. The prices are really reasonable and the garments are good quality, Fearne’s style is pretty epic and you can see this reflected in her collection for Very.
You must just be sitting on the edge of your seat pondering my outfit selection so here it is, it was hot, we were in London, the only option was floaty. So I chucked on a vintage silk kimono dress, slung a studded belt around it and adorned myself in jewellery, adding a bit of designer with my trusty Aspinal bag. Bosh. Done.
So overall, I’m really impressed with Fearne’s collection, it’s different, stylish and wearable and that makes for a successful AW14 wardrobe if you ask me. Love it. So here are a few snaps of Jess and I checking out the collection and the cocktails, thank you Very.co.uk…
We found the booth…
Helen’s Wardrobe Does Weddings…
I don’t really care for traditional weddings or the sort of people who turn their weddings into a self obsessed circus. The trouble with traditional weddings is, they’re not traditional anymore. The grooms generally get their attire and styling completely wrong, and the women, well fake tan and crystals does not a bride make. (And let’s be honest, most are kidding themselves wearing white aren’t they?)
The other irritating aspect of weddings is the nerve of people with regards to their wedding list. First of all, traditionally, gifts were given to couples who didn’t live together before their nuptials, to help them make a home together after their wedding. These days most people are already living together and sprogged up by the time they get hitched so why on earth should we spend our hard-earned cash on a flat screen TV for someone else? No to mention the fact that is costs us enough to attend these weddings in the first place. Some even have the cheek to ask guests to pay towards their honeymoon, I don’t think so, why should we pay for someone else to lounge about in the sunshine? Pay for it yourselves, we need our own holiday – why do you think we’re drinking so much at your reception?!
So how do you do it? Well, are you religious? No? Then don’t get married in a Church (unless it’s an abandoned one). Find an unusual location, (not a mansion, because unless it’s your mansion these are just delusions of grandeur) a farm, your own house, ruins, a wood… and if you can’t be doing with all that then Vegas is the answer.
When it comes to planning, if you have a personality use it to plan your wedding, if you don’t have loads of money then call in favours and keep it simple, it’s about your marriage as a whole, not about your wedding day anyway. Use your music taste, your loves, your memories and experiences to build something great and for goodness sake don’t say the word “Wedding”, it’ll add 50% on the price of everything. Just say it’s a party, because that’s what it should be. Make mood boards if you need to, or if you’re creatively inept then ask a style savvy friend to help you put one together. Avoid white fluff, go to a dress-maker or buy a dress from a designer, buy something you’ll want to wear again: this approach will help you decipher what is you, rather than a desperate wedding obsessed loon. If your wedding planning is stressful then it’s no fun and you’re doing it all wrong, you’ll end up spending way too much money, resenting the whole thing and start off your married life looking harassed.
So after all that ranting, we jumped in the Land Rover and headed over to a local abandoned church to have some fun and show you how Helen’s Wardrobe does weddings…
Wedding Look One: Leigh wears – hand-made corset top by stylist, vintage tulle skirt from Japan, black fascinator by Hats Inspired, trainers from Converse, glitter heart pendant by Plastic Bat, silver skull ring from The Great Frog, black bob wig from Wonderland Wigs. Adam wears – faux fur shaggy coat by Kate Moss for TopShop, white shirt & black skinny jeans from TopMan, black tie from Burton, cowboy boots, vintage sunnies & jewellery all models own.
Wedding Look Two: Leigh wears – vintage silk kimono, black slip by Tokyo Doll, spike silver shoes by Kurt Geiger, flower crown made by stylist, glitter heart pendant by Plastic Bat, silver skull ring from The Great Frog, black bob wig from Wonderland Wigs. Adam Wears – faux fur shaggy coat by Kate Moss for TopShop, white shirt & black skinny jeans from TopMan, black tie from Burton, cowboy boots, vintage sunnies & jewellery all models own.
Wedding Look Three: Leigh wears – white customised spinal tee by stylist, white fascinator by Hats Inspired, jeans from Cheap Monday, trainers from Converse, Welcome to Las Vegas necklace by Plastic Bat, silver skull ring from The Great Frog, black bob wig from Wonderland Wigs. Adam wears – vintage Levis denim jacket, white t-shirt & black skinny jeans from TopMan, vintage Las Vegas belt, cowboy boots, vintage sunnies & jewellery all models own.
Photography & styling by Helen S Stanley. Creative Assistance, Props, Location, Jessica Speller. Models Leigh Rees-Reynolds & Adam Speller.
Happy Feet…
A great way to introduce something new to your look is to style up your feet. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to buy new shoes, you could add socks. A great little accessory to transform your look through colour and pattern from the toe up. I’ve been messing around with Oroblu, gorgeous Italian hosiery, and trying each style with a selection of my shoes. I mixed up flats and heels with clashing colours and patterns for a unique look and had loads of fun doing it. I would definitely recommend trying this next time you head out for distinctive, happy feet!…
All socks from Oroblu’, shoes stylists own. Photography & Styling by Helen S Stanley & Stephen Turner.
Timeless Beauty Review…
HELPING out on our first Skull & Pistons Garage project I’ve had more dirt and grease on my face than make-up lately so there’s really no better time to review some much-needed beauty products from Joan Collins Timeless Beauty and Ponds.
I generally stick to two types of make-up, smokey eyes with subtle lip colour or black eye liner flicks with red lips which leads me onto some gorgeous products from Joan Collins Timeless. The Compact Duo with a neutral powder and red lipstick (in Helene) is the perfect combination for make-up on the go, ideal for a quick touch up when you’re on a night out. The red lipstick has a blue undertone which suits my skin. The Eyeshadow Quad in Misty Blacks & Silver is the ideal palette for creating a smokey eye. Easy to blend colours in a beautiful compact which suit a cooler skin tone. The Contour Eye Liner Pencil in Black is a great alternative to liquid eye liner, easy to glide across the eye and blends easily to change the look. My skin is super sensitive and this eye liner didn’t irritate at all, its natural quality ingredients make this an essential product for any make-up bag. I love the packaging too, so elegant and classic.
So after a face full of gorgeous make-up a good cleanser is essential. I’ve been using Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser everyday as part of my cleansing routine, it’s a great way to achieve a healthy complexion, combined with Eye Contour Cream, which believe me I need. This helps to soften and restore the skin under the eye, with vitamin E for improved hydration. These products felt light on my skin with a delicate fragrance, I’m super happy with the results so far and will definitely be buying them again.
Review and photography by Helen S Stanley.
Leather, Harley Davidson & Purple Hair…
AS much as I’d love to just chuck on a Harley tee and rock up somewhere looking fabulously effortless, that just doesn’t happen with me, it actually takes a lot of effort to go from unkept troll to unkept doll. My obsession with vintage Harley tees knows no bounds so I thought a feature on yet another Harley tee was due. So, with smokey eyes, a brand new leather jacket, muddy Dr Martens, a customised vintage Harley tee and purple hair I give you unkept chic…
Hooded black leather jacket was £250 now £175 from Sojeans, Harley Davidson Tee is vintage, denim shorts are vintage, studded white belt previous season from H&M, cherry red Dr Martens £100 from Dr Martens, purple wig £23.99 from Wonderland Wigs, Love/Hate beanie made by me, silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog, eye shadow quad in misty blacks & silver £25 by Joan Collins (full review feat Joan Collins Beauty coming soon).
All prices correct at time of publication. Photography and styling by Helen S Stanley.
Bingo!
HELEN’S WARDROBE gets involved in lots of things and this week I’m involved in Bingo, yep you heard me right. Along with a group of other bloggers I’ve created 1 of 90 videos simulating the 90 “original” bingo calls, these videos will all go live for the next 6 weeks. My little video is 83 Time for Tea, have a gander and laugh if you like! I’ve always been obsessed with Alice in Wonderland so I themed my video accordingly. Bingo!..
If You Like Piña Coladas (and the Cosmo Blog Awards oh and mojitos!)…
LAST thursday was piña colada day and although I celebrated a little late I did at least celebrate! So with a frozen piña colada from Parrot Bay, a bit of sparkle and a well overdue excuse to unwind, I set up my own little piña colada appreciation society in the garden. After a long, hot day working on our first project at Skull & Pistons Garage I was certainly in need of a treat, especially in the form of a frozen cocktail so I also added a mojito into the mix!
I did have another reason for cracking open some frozen cocktails, Helen’s Wardrobe has once again been shortlisted for Best Established Fashion Blog at the Cosmopolitan Blog Awards, so if you love reading my ramblings please take a few minutes to vote for me, woo hoo!..
Please drink responsibly folks! Photography by Helen S Stanley.
Bag Yourself Some Style…
A lover of all things bag related, especially clutch bags, it’s always good to discover something new and different. Grace Atelier Deluxe is a gorgeous line of designer bags by Fiori Zafeiropoulou, an Athens-based designer. The collections have an aesthetically unique appeal, full of quality, each design makes a statement. I do love a good statement piece, it means the rest of your outfit can be quite simple.
I’ve styled my beautiful Grace Atelier Deluxe bag with a jersey tube top, jersey harem style trousers and wedges all in neutral tones, I’ve then added a bright statement tribal style necklace for a bit more colour and to compliment the clutch bag. This outfit is perfect for hot weather and it’s super comfy and stylish in an effortless sense, because there’s not too much fuss. Now we just need to sun to come back out so I can wear it!…
I wore: Black jersey tube top £3.99 from H&M, jersey harem style trousers £15 from a market in Paros Greece, shoes previous season from Shoezone, tribal necklace £24.99 from Loulebelle, statement clutch bag from €230 by Grace Atelier Deluxe.
Prices correct at time of publication. Photographs & styling by Helen S Stanley.
Beauty, BB & Body Butter…
MONDAY is a good day to review some beautifying products, I need the most help on a Monday so BB Cream, Body Butter and super cute accessories are ideal to perk up a very tired blogger/custom classic car garage co-owner (it was necessary to add this bit as this is a new business and needs marketing!).
I haven’t used The Body Shop products in quite a while so I was looking forward to trying out their Moringa Body Butter and All-in-One BB Cream: the body butter smells divine and was a perfect re-hydration solution for my sensitive skin and I’ve been wondering for quite a while what the hell BB Cream is and now I know, it’s awesome. This one is a colour adapting tinted cream and matched my skin tone perfectly. It also smells great and doesn’t feel heavy, I tried it in 01 and although I initially thought this might be a little light it blended right in. So, these lovely products need a home and luckily I have just the thing, a super cute Mademoiselle Make-Up Bag from Catseye London which is part of their new collection and a pink Satchel Coin Purse which would also be perfect for a lip gloss: it’s nice to add a little kitsch glamour to your beauty regime and these are just the ticket.
So, whether you’re looking for little gifts or wanting to treat your self check out these little beauties…
Photography by Helen S Stanley.
Pizza, Pizza, Pizza…
I continue to branch out into lifestyle blogging as well as fashion and this week I have a food related review for you. I try to be healthy most of the time but every now and again we all need pizza. This is one of those times so I tried out one of the Chicago Town Take Away range, the pepperoni stuffed crust. Miraculously I resisted the temptation to make a ‘kids tea’ and combine pizza with baked beans and chips and opted instead for a salad to compliment this pizza treat. I was a little dubious about frozen pizza and also about the whole idea of a stuffed crust, but I was pleasantly surprised, the crust was stuffed with tomato sauce and the pizza tasted fresh. It was actually a little big for the two of us so I would recommend getting a few of these in if you’re having friends round, chuck in a few cold beers and a good film and you have the ultimate takeaway pizza. I definitely approve, especially because I’m not the best at culinary tasks and this was so easy to prepare that even I could manage it… 
Photography by Helen S Stanley.
Summer Style Edit…
IT’S summer, for the most part, and with the sun comes exciting style. However a lot of people don’t know how to dress for warm weather, opting for vest tops and lots of jersey which can be unflattering, a little dated and certainly lacking in imagination. A great way to achieve style and comfort in the heat is to go for a playsuit, it’s actually quite easy too because your top and bottom are sorted in one! Be careful of strapless playsuits though, I’ve seen far too many ladies with saggy fronts these last few days and I don’t really care for that, so if you go strapless don’t go braless, you can find loads of good ones out there – try Wonderbra, please.
I’ve gone for an easy, super stylish playsuit from Loulebelle and teamed it with some statement sunnies, comfy heels and gorgeous Shebee beads which compliment the blues and browns and add personality as well as sparkle to the outfit. I added some Beauty UK matt bronzer for some complimentary colour and a vintage belt for good measure. Overall this is one of my favourite ensembles for summer and a great style edit with lots of skulls of course…
Playsuit £6.99 from Loulebelle, leather belt is vintage, heels previous season from Russell & Bromley, skull bead & swarovski crystal bracelet & necklace from Shebee (prices vary), matt bronzer £3.99 from Beauty UK, sunnies £250 from Tom Ford.
Prices correct at time of publication. Styling & photography by Helen S Stanley.
Instant Fashion…
I love instant photography and have been using Instax for a while now to capture atmospheric imagery. A little while ago I shot and styled a pink shoot for an online magazine with the gorgeous Leigh Rees-Reynolds. Here’s how it turned out…
OUTFIT ONE: T-shirt (cropped by stylist) by Crown Love, vintage tulle skirt from Japan, candy coloured spike necklace by Mikey from Loulebelle, daisy earrings vintage, tea-cup ring by Tom Binns for Disney Couture, silver skull ring from The Great Frog, bangle & friendship bracelets from Loulebelle, cats ears made by stylist.
OUTFIT THREE: Bell sleeve dress vintage, faux fur coat by Kate Moss for TopShop (previous season), daisy earrings vintage, statement necklace from Loulebelle, woven clutch from Primark, Molly the dog stylist’s own.
Photographs taken with the Mini 8 from Instax.
Photography & styling Helen S Stanley, creative assistance Jessica Speller, model Leigh Rees Reynolds.
Urban Fruit…
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. HELEN’S Wardrobe has been branching out into lifestyle and exploring all kinds of nice things from beautiful books to tasty treats. Today I’m talking about Urban Fruit, a healthy range of snacks made from 100% fruit that’s been hand-picked in season and gently baked. They don’t use any sulphates, sugars or concentrates. What’s more Urban Fruit works directly with farmers to ensure fruit is picked and baked within two hours of coming off the tree.
Because I work for myself I end up snacking lots which isn’t great, so these bags of fruit are perfect as a healthy snack, especially when you want something sweet because they taste so nice! I tried mango, pineapple, strawberry, apple & pear, banana, cherry, blueberry & black currant, they were all delicious but strawberry was probably my favourite, you have to try them!
So to share the healthy, fruity, love, Helen’s Wardrobe and Urban Fruit are giving away 5 tote bags filled with a selection of Urban Fruit. All you have to do to enter is follow @UrbanFruit and @HelensWardrobe on Twitter and retweet my Urban Fruit #giveaway messages, easy! The competition will run for two weeks from today and the five winners will be chosen at random and notified via Twitter. Good luck!
Here’s the competition prize! You could win one of 5 tote bags filled with Urban Fruit…
Photography by Helen S Stanley (excluding the last image).
Neon Lace…
THE weather in Blighty has been pretty good lately and so I’ve been wearing a lot of shorts. Mostly denim cut offs which I live in, but they don’t suit every occasion so it’s nice to have something a little more fancy. These neon lace shorts by Wondaland are perfect and as I feature neon quite a bit on my blog, it’s nice to further explore the versatility of such a vibrant tone. I’m not normally a fan of lace, I don’t wears bows, frills or anything else with too much fuss, however neon trimmed lace certainly works for me. Styled with a simple cropped tee, statement necklace and my favourite spiked heels these shorts are actually super easy to style up or down. I’ve thrown in my trusty Marc by Marc Jacobs neon clutch as a complimentary accessory and there you have it, Summer ready in subtle neon. Check out the rest of the acid lace collection at Wondaland…
White cropped top customised by me from a basic men’s jersey t-shirt, neon trim lace shorts £135 by Wondaland, spike shoes previous season from Kurt Geiger, necklace £20 from Loulebelle, neon clutch previous season Marc by Marc Jacobs, silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog.
Photography & styling Helen S Stanley.
Rainbow Tarts…
IT’S no secret that I love books, real books, you won’t see me anywhere near an ebook, in fact I have strong words with the TV every time one of those is advertised. So when I get the chance to review a book on Helen’s Wardrobe I like to make the most of it. This week I’ve been reading Rainbow Tarts 50 recipes for 50 colours by Emilie Guelpa. Although I am absolutely no good in the kitchen, I am good at aesthetics and eating and this book is all about vision and taste, so it’s the ideal recipe book for someone like me. The recipes are easy to follow, the photography is beautiful and the tarts look incredible with a great mix of sweet and savoury varieties.
Once again you can tell this is a Hardie Grant book because the quality is evident, from the layout, to the visuals and tactility. I won’t recommend these dishes for a dinner party because dinner parties are ridiculous, I would actually recommend these for any day of the week, because food should be exciting and pretty everyday!
Photography by Helen S Stanley, book from Hardie Grant.
We Love National Bikini Day…
Swimwear365 are counting down to National Bikini Day, which is on July 5th, with multiple giveaways, tips on how to get beach body ready and what bikini styles to pack, so I thought it would be rude not to get involved and throw in some advice of my own.
As I’m sure you’ll know from my regular ramblings, I like to stick to my own style and this goes for bikini time too. Generally I invest in a great bikini, wear it with my denim cut-offs and either my boyfriend’s white linen shirt or a vintage Harley t-shirt from my excessive collection. That way it’s easy to be bikini ready in seconds and equally ready to head to the bar without having to change. Bosh. As far as getting bikini ready, well it’s different for everyone but I exfoliate, moisturize and walk 15 – 20 miles a week with my dog Molly. Done.
So if you’d like to get involved with all this then follow @Swimwear365 with #LoveNBD and #NationalBikiniDay on Twitter in the meantime here’s some selfie/bikini type stuff…
All bikinis from Swimwear365
Selfie photography & styling by Helen S Stanley.
Summer Feet…
AS we delve happily into Summer you’ve probably already invested in new clothes, bright nails and festival inspired accessories but what about your feet? Don’t just throw on your tatty old flip-flops, make sure you treat your feet! Newly polished toe nails, moisturized skin, subtle accessories and of course gorgeous shoes. Here’s my guide to Summer feet, because there’s really no excuse for tatty toes ladies…
Rainbow Brights: Multicoloured sandals were £34.99 now £31.49 by Crocs at tReds, orange ‘Westbourne Grove’ nail polish £5 by Nails Inc, elbow & foot cream £5.95 by Human + Kind.
Blue Bahamas: Blue jelly shoes were £14.99 now £13.49 by Miss Indigo at tReds, ‘pink pop’ nail polish £2.99 by Beauty UK, anklet £12 from ASOS.
Boho Babe: Fringe sandals were £34.99 now £9.99 by tReds, sterling silver heart toe ring £8, silver ethnic style toe ring £8 both from Accessorize, mint green nail polish £2.99 from Barry M.
Prices correct at time of publication.
Reality Proof Handbags…
YOU really can’t go wrong with a great handbag, for the evening I usually carry a novelty/bright clutch but in the day and especially when I have events and work I need something more substantial. I have a few tote bags which I love, but they do tend to end up a bit battered. Carrying around my cameras, laptop, make-up, filoFax and whatever else I need is a bit of strain on their appearance, the leather ends up scratched and the handles usually suffer a bit too. So when I came across Fablou bags I was pretty impressed, they are the perfect stylish solution to a practical handbag.
The designs are simple and the size is bang on, they’re made from silicone a sustainable alternative to oil-based plastic materials which is scratch, water and dirt resistant. The pops of colour are ideal to suit any style and the brights are great for beach/poolside glamour with their water-resistant silicone perfectly suited to this environment. Further more the Fablou One is only £60, which for a statement tote is pretty good, so check out their collection below, I think we’ll be seeing a lot of Fablou…
Plastic Bat & Helen’s Wardrobe Collaboration…
TRAILER trash glamour was my inspiration for a recent shoot featuring in Silk & Sins Magazine, and as a fan of Plastic Bat I wanted the genius behind the plastic to create a collection especially for me. So that’s exactly what happened, Tracy the self confessed maker of all things kitschy and plastic and myself collaborated and this is what our magic collective looked like…
Rock n Roll knuckle duster rings, trailer trash necklace and brooch, lightening bolt knuckle duster ring, giant flamingo pendant and an Airstream brooch make up the awesome collection created by Plastic Bat for my shoot, I think you’ll agree they look amazing! Here’s a few shots to show you how I styled these unique pieces…
The clothing in this shoot is a mixture of vintage, customised pieces and high street. We used aqua hair chalk from Hair Chalk. Footwear is stylists own and jewellery is from Loulebelle, The Great Frog & Plastic Bat.
Photography & Styling by Helen S Stanley, creative assistance on shoot Jessica Speller, Model Leigh Rees-Reynolds.
Neon, Polka Dots & Sneakers…
THIS week I have been styling up some neon, polka dots and super cute sporty sneakers. Two great looks for day or night: one play suit with heels, one logo tee with sneakers, both incorporating neon. The neon trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere and it’s a trend anyone can channel, but be sure to keep it looking subtly stylish not over the top fashion victim. A great way to add a pop of neon to your look is with a few key pieces, for example a statement necklace, a clutch or footwear styled along with more classic or everyday items. This way you stay true to your own aesthetic.
I have combined a gorgeous polkadot play suit with black heels and a neon clutch for the perfect day-to-night outfit, perfect for any occasion. The second outfit is a brilliant neon pair of Adidas trainers teamed simply with a logo tee, black leggings and leather biker jacket…
Outfit One: Polkadot play suit £26 from Madam Rage, neon neoprene clutch previous season from Marc by Marc Jacobs, patent leather heels previous season from Kurt Geiger, sunglasses £3 from Primark, skull glitter medallion necklace previous season from Anna Lou of London, skull & crossbones pendant £80 & skull ring from £160 by The Great Frog, stud necklace from a selection at Ti Sento Milano.
Outfit Two: ‘More Issues Than Vogue’ logo vest £8.51 from Etsy, black jersey leggings £5.99 from H&M, black leather biker jacket previous season from Top Shop Boutique, neon Adidas trainers £80 from Sojeans, nude skull clutch £25 from Loulebelle, neon spike necklace previous season from New Look, ring as before.
Prices correct at time of publication. Photography & styling by Helen S Stanley.
Festival Mood Board…
It’s festival time again and the high street is awash with “instant boho” looks, which is a little contrived for my liking, you’re either that way inclined with your look or you’re not. It’s like putting a crowd of fashion victims in a style microwave then “ping” after 30 seconds on full power they come out looking like they’ve got half a meadow on their head and denim shorts so short you can see more than you ever, ever wanted to. These are also the type of people who can’t pace themselves and pass out before the headline act. Well done, you are the reason I avoid most festivals.
Anyway rant over for now so back to the point: I’ve created a little festival inspired mood board to get festival goers excited about the Summer ahead. I pulled out my vintage Harley Davidson t-shirts as soon as the sun came out – perfect for festivals because they’re oversized and as I’ve cut off the sleeves they keep me cool. So have a look-see and get ready for a Summer full of live music…
Sequins & sparkle…
SEQUINS and sparkle can give any outfit an uplift, but I’m a little wary of styling glitzy ‘evening attire’ in the day, it can either look a bit cheap and nasty or like you’re doing the walk of shame which is also cheap and nasty. Fear not, I have discovered some amazing sequin pieces in glorious colours perfect for the day. The key is to style these along with your usual daytime outfit for a good balance: for example the Alice + Olivia dress below would look great with some white Converse high-tops and a vintage (not 80’s) denim jacket, stick on some aviators and your done. Simple. Recently I made a sequin maxi skirt with a graduated hem and styled it with a vintage Harley Davidson tee and trainers, it worked really well and looked truly different. So why not grab yourself some colourful sequins and give your style a little swagger? Inject some personality into your look and sparkle on your way to work/shops/walking the dog…
Apparel: V-Neck sequin dress £430 by Alice + Olivia at Oxygen Boutique, sequin lips jumper £305 by Markus Lupfer at Flannels, degrade sequin tee was £150 now £80 by Armani Jeans from Flannels, sequin stars jumper £245 by Wildfox at Harvey Nichols, silver sequin shorts £19.99 from H&M, striped sequin skirt £119 by Morgan at HOF.
Accessories: pink sequin clutch £22 by Coast, sequin skull shoes £302 by Alexander McQueen at Yoox, sequin sunglasses £699 by Giorgio Armani at John Lewis, metallic skull $29.95 from Houzz, limited edition sequin parrot keyring £64.95 by Steiff, sequin appliqué numbers £1.75 each from Josy Rose, ‘jerk’ sequin phone case by Markus Lupfur €60 from Jades 24, sequin Coke tote bag £277.96 by Ashish at Farfetch.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Relaxed Summer Style…
I’M a big fan of the kimono and the kimono jacket, I find these pieces easy and comfortable to wear, especially in the Summer. There are so many lovely versions about and it’s quite simple to find vintage examples, although the prices have gone up with demand. I grabbed two super cheap kimono jackets last week and haven’t really taken them off since: usually when I buy cheap high street pieces I save them to wear the next year – when everyone else’s have fallen apart and faded in the wash – because I don’t want to look the same as anyone else, but this time I’ve had to wear my finds straight away! Silhouettes like the kimono jacket are extremely versatile, suiting most occasions as they are easy to dress up or down and they’re great for most shapes too.
I’ve combined my two beauties with some vintage, designer and high street for a balanced, stylish, rock ‘n’ roll look. I’ve actually styled three outfits, two for the day and one for the evening: I’ve even created a Land Rover friendly outfit incorporating Harley Davidson biker boots – because you can’t drive a Land Rover Defender without substantial footwear. So here it is, relaxed Summer style…
Outfit One, Land Rover friendly attire: zig zag print kimono jacket £12 from Matalan, white aztec print burned out jersey t-shirt at £4 (on sale) from Store Twenty One, vintage denim shorts, black leather Harley Davidson biker boots (these ones were from France but you can get similar designs here), pink aviators £117 from Ray Ban, aqua clutch bag £115 (on sale) from LogOnStyle, skull medallion (past season) Anna Lou of London, silver stud necklace (prices vary) Ti Sento Milano, skull pendant £80 & silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog.
Outfit Two, daytime: flower print kimono jacket £15 from Primark (I bought a really large size for an oversized look), sequin top is handmade, vintage denim shorts, nude pumps £7.99 from New Look, skull medallion (past season) Anna Lou of London, silver stud necklace (prices vary) Ti Sento Milano, skull pendant £80 & silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog.
Outfit Two, nightime: flower print kimono jacket £15 from Primark worn wrapped around as a dress, white studded belt from H&M (past season), pink aviators £117 from Ray Ban, aqua clutch bag £115 (on sale) from LogOnStyle, snake print wedges Shoe Zone (past season) skull medallion (past season) Anna Lou of London, silver stud necklace (prices vary) Ti Sento Milano, skull pendant £80 & silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog.
Prices correct at time of publication. Photography & styling Helen S Stanley.
Tropical Nails…
I love nail varnish, I change the colour of my nails at least twice a week, so when I received this gorgeous tropical nail set from Beauty UK I was super excited to get creative with some tropical inspired talons! The set consists of purple, yellow, baby blue, hot pink, turquoise and coral, perfect to wear all at once or pick and choose different colours and tones to compliment each other.
I’m a bit obsessed with Las Vegas and so created a little Vegas inspired theme on my nails, I also had a go at nail art for the first time, showing the versatility of this tropical nail set. Whether you want to channel your inner Reno house wife or would rather go for colourful combinations for that festival look at only £4.99 this set is a perfect treat for your paws or could be a great pressie for your bestie…
Tropical Nail Set 05 £4.99 from Beauty UK, Vegas necklace £22 from Plastic Bat.
All Prices correct at time of publication. Photography by Helen S Stanley.
Totes Amaze! Book Review…
THIS week I’ve been reading Totes Amaze! By Amanda McKittrick and I love it. It’s a beautifully presented publication full of charming illustrations and 25 different bag designs to make at home. The instructions are super easy to follow and there are patterns included at the back of the book to make it even more simple to create your own tote. You can make anything from a yoga mat tote to a wine bottle tote, bags for any occasion, it really is great. I would highly recommend this as a fantastic gift or a nice treat for yourself. In fact you can make totes as custom gifts for your friends and family, perfect! To show how easy it is to follow I’ve made my own tote with a little embellishment to give it a rock ‘n’ roll twist. So I recommend you invest in this little marvel then go forth and create!..
Summer Style…
SUMMER is on its way and it really can’t come to rainy old Blighty soon enough. I was never supposed to be born in the country, it’s too bloody cold, I should have been born in California, my dream and my true home! For now, the best I can do is style it up with some fancy threads and dream of the beach.
So this week I’ve been rocking a striped batwing top from Swimwear365, sky high wedges and huge sunglasses. As always I have my trademark skull ring and I’ve actually done something with my hair this week using got2b Beach Matt sea salt texturising spray by Schwartzkopf. And so flamingos, palm trees and sunshine combine with style to rock this Summer, don’t miss out because it’s all happening…
Stripe batwing top (worn as a dress) £35 by Buffalo at Swimwear365, oversized sunglasses £250 by Tom Ford, palm print clutch bag £2.50 from Primark, snake print wedges (previous season & stylists own), custom diamond ring stylists own, silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog, got2b Beach Matt sea salt texturising spray by Schwartzkopf.
Photography & styling by Helen S Stanley. All prices correct at time of publication.
Tangled Up In Blue…
Regular readers will know I love a good mood board and one of my favourite colours is aqua, so why not create a blue mood board? (I also love Bob Dylan, hence the title of this post). So be inspired to wear, style, eat, drive and decorate in this amazing tone…
May the 4th Be With You…
Because the new Star Wars is underway, I’m a Star Wars fan AND it’s May the 4th I had to create a post with a nod to the epic space saga. So adorned in a Star Wars sweatshirt, silver trainers, cute necklace and spacey sunnies I go forth and style!..
I wore a Star Wars sweatshirt $31.50 from Aliexpress, leather biker jacket previous season from TopShop Boutique, skinny jeans £80 from Levis Curve ID, silver stud trainers £5 from Everything5pounds, oversized sunglasses £250 Tom Ford, necklace from Lo And Cicero.
Photography & styling by Helen S Stanley.
Treat Yourself…
Sometimes it’s nice to treat yourself to something fabulous for no other reason than because you love it. No gifts, no occasion, no reward – you’ve seen something you want, you don’t need it, you just want it. Well this is one of those times, there is so much awesomeness out there and it all needs a home, your home. So get stuck in, because you can…
Pastel skateboard $159.99 from Penny Skate Boards, multi-strand necklace £395 by Rosantica at Net-A-Porter, Malibu vest top £9.99 from New Look, pink nail paint £2.99 by Barry M, “It was all f*cking amazing” photo album £18 from Urban Outfitters, orange neoprene slippers by Kenzo at Net-A-Porter, watermelon watch £30 by MAY28TH at Sojeans, Moschino knuckle duster rings £295 from Net-A-Porter, candy floss maker £29.99 from Argos, heart shaped sunglasses £10 from River Island, pink palm tree shopper £12.99 from New Look.
Jewellery, The Perfect Accessory…
I love jewellery and being pirate obsessed I obviously like anything sea related, so an anchor necklace is perfect to style in my usual manner. This gorgeous gold vermeil piece is designed by Muru and available from Lulu Winter. The gold anchor pendant is perfect to wear alone or with lots of other necklaces for a festival look and the chain is actually adjustable which is a nice feature. So I decided to style this little beauty with a cropped sweater, tulle skirt, silver studded trainers and epic Dolce & Gabbana thick rimmed transitional sunnies. Bosh, perfect Helen’s Wardrobe style…
Cropped sweater (previous season) from Ralph Lauren, tulle skirt is vintage, silver studded trainers £5 from Everything5Pounds, thick rimmed transitional sunglasses by Dolce & Gabanna at Sunglasses Hut (previous season), silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog, gold vermeil anchor necklace £53 by Muru at Lulu Winter.
Photography & styling by Helen S Stanley.
Skullcandy Announces a Women’s Line…
I don’t know about you but I listen to music pretty much all day, I must have soundtrack whilst I’m working, creating, imagining and de-stressing. So the news that Skullcandy are launching a women’s range is super exciting. We do have a little while to wait though, so for now let’s check out the lowdown on this awesome project…
SKULLCANDY, the original performance lifestyle audio brand, launches its collection of Women’s headphones and earbuds. In a space that has been largely comprised of unisex fit, acoustics and design, Skullcandy introduces a collection of products with reimagined acoustics, engineering, and industrial design.
Skullcandy Women’s line is comprised of a collection developed through careful thought and extensive research, drawing inspiration from within Skullcandy’s own team of Olympic and Athlete Ambassadors, including talented pro-snowboarder Kimmy Fasani and pro-surfer Leila Hurst. The collection is a representation of the youth, passion, strength, and singularity of our female consumer.
Considerations for all three products (Knockout, Bombshell, and Dime) in the development process included acoustics, comfort, materialization, fit, and even hygiene. The collection’s audio drivers are custom-tuned to reflect field research that supports the fact that women and men hear differently, and Skullcandy engineers worked tirelessly to perfect headband fit as well as earbud size and shape.
Fine tuned, and engineered for Women, the line is complimented by premium fabrics and materialization. Floral prints, rose gold finishes, and subtle stud embellishments are bold fashion-forward aesthetics that add a feminine edge to the predominantly unisex category, and are a reflection of our female consumer and her unique style and perspective.
Skullcandy Women’s launches in the U.S. on April 15, 2014 and is available in select retailers and on Skullcandy.com where the line will retail for £29.99 – £79.99. The line will launch internationally on June 1, 2014.
Watch the advert here…
All information and imagery courtesy of Skullcandy (television imagery not from Skullcandy).
Prada Sunglasses Giveaway!..
(THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED) TO celebrate all that is glorious about the sunshine I thought it would be a great idea to giveaway some Prada sunglasses! These Prada Dixie Hot Rod Car Deluxe Club Master Sunglasses in yellow are the perfect combination of hot rod and fashion – my favourite! These were seen all over the Prada catwalk in 2012 and the iconic shape is a classic piece to keep forever.
To enter all you have to do is follow @HelensWardrobe on Twitter, follow this blog by signing up via email in the right side bar, follow Helen’s Wardrobe on Facebook and share the #giveaway message(s) I publish on Twitter and Facebook. Easy!
If you are a regular Helen’s Wardrobe reader and you already follow me on Twitter, Facebook AND subscribe to my blog then all you have to do to enter is share the #giveaway message(s) I publish. The winner will be chosen at random on June 1st 2014, please make sure you read the terms and conditions at the bottom of this post.
Right you fabulous fashion forward fillies, you know you want this amazing prize, so get entering! Best of luck ♥
Terms and conditions with further information on the prize:
The sunglasses in this competition are 100% authentic Prada. The prize consists of 1 x Prada Dixie Hot Rod Car Deluxe Club Master Sunglasses in yellow, a Prada hard sunglasses case, Prada box, card of authenticity and Prada cleaning cloth for the lenses. This competition is a private giveaway hosted by Helen’s Wardrobe, and not connected to Prada themselves. The sunglasses RRP is approx £348, but prices may vary. The winner will be chosen at random and all decisions are final. Only entrants who have followed the above criteria will qualify. Each entry will only be counted once. This competition will close at 1pm on June 1st 2014 any entries after this time will not be counted. The winner will be notified via Twitter and Facebook and the prize will be delivered to the winner once an address has been emailed to Helen S Stanley. The prize will be delivered within 3 working days of receiving the address by Royal Mail Signed For.
Birthday Celebrations, What to Wear?..
I have been celebrating my birthday for a week, because it only happens once a year and why not stretch it out? We were only popping into Sloppy’s with some friends so I didn’t want to be too overdressed, but I still wanted to look like “me”, rock n roll and all that awesomeness. Luckily I’d picked up some gorgeous kaftans from TKMaxx the previous week and went for one of those with some jeans, heels, a clutch and lots of jewellery. Then armed with my Instax Mini 90 and a bucket load of beers we celebrated. Here’s how it all turned out…
Kaftan style embellished top £16.99 by Simply Rhona at TKMaxx, coral & pink shoes past season from Kurt Geiger, aqua clutch bag was £145 now £115 from LOS, (I wore these with turned up skinny jeans from Levis), anchor necklace £53.95 by Muru at Lulu Winter worn with a past season Dior necklace, vintage crystal pendant, vintage gold bracelet & handmade friendship bracelets.
Featuring my second epic birthday cake by Jessica Speller and my very talented and wonderful friends Alex, Jorj, Jessica, Adam, Leigh and my hero Stephen.
Prices correct at time of publication.
The Craft Review…
THIS week I’ve been looking at The Craft DIY Hair & Beauty book by Lou Teasdale. I was quite excited to read this because I often have to do hair and make-up on last-minute photo shoots if I can’t get a make-up artist and I’m mostly winging it on these occasions. The book is beautifully produced with lovely matt pages and the presentation is aesthetically eye-catching, but to be honest I found the content very young. I imagine this book is aimed at teenagers and it’s something I would have probably used as a make-up and hair bible when I was around 14. The styling is extremely ’90s, which is great, and the vibrant use of colour throughout is refreshing, I love colour and try to work it into my own looks most days. I didn’t really learn anything new, but as I said I think this is probably because it’s not aimed at me! I did find some of the references such as “…cool people who live in East London” being “the first on the scene with neon/lumo/vunge green/pink hair…” absolutely infuriating. Hipsters in Shoreditch definitely were not the first to do this, punks were doing it in the 1970’s, synthetic hair dye was actually invented in 1907 and the Egyptians were dying their hair with henna way back in 3400 BC. Aside from giving hipsters way too much credit my overall thoughts on The Craft are positive, it’s not quite rock n roll enough for me but I would recommend it to a trendy teeny bopper anytime ♥
Here are my own hair and beauty antics from this week, I had lots of fun with my Instax Mini 90 in the process too!..
Pink hair Schwartzkopf Live Colour XXL Ultra Brights in shocking pink (I tell you how to achieve a pastel shade below), liquid eyeliner from Rimmel, red lipstick from Chanel, nail polish in Grit Fix Kensington from Beauty UK, toe nail varnish in Oh Boy You’re So Fine from Rimmel.
Schwartzkopf Live Colour XXL Ultra Brights in shocking pink was my hair colour of choice this week, after using purple punk previously, I wanted to create a more pastel shade in my hair. So I mixed 1 x part shocking pink to 4 x parts conditioner and added it to my pre-lightened hair (which I have done professionally by my colourist) and left it on for five minutes. After that I rinsed it all off, dried it and styled it. Bosh! Five minutes was all it took to create a fantastic subtle pink colour. Because this hair dye is so bright I know have lots left to refresh my hair when I need it.
Please make-sure you read the labels on hair colour and seek advice from your hair colourist before attempting a big change.
Photography by Helen S Stanley.
Birthday Style…
As it’s my birthday this week (yay!) I decided to create some extra personal style shots with lots of colour, texture and rock n roll styling. I had some really great pieces just screaming out to be styled together and this is what I came up with, a mixture of glitz and glam with personality and a unique look. Happy birthday to me!..
Skeleton hand oversized vest top was £15 now £9 from L.O.S., graduated sequin maxi skirt made by me, Elvis style sunnies from Brighton market, white leather Converse £55 from Schuh, bracelets from Loulebelle.
Embroidered oriental style bomber £100 by Le Temps des Cerises from Sojeans, peach t-shirt £20 from L.O.S., skinny jeans with zip ankle from £80 by Levis, leather folded clutch in mint was £145 now £115, white leather Converse £55 from Schuh, skull necklace (previous season) by Anna Lou of London, bracelets from Loulebelle..
All prices correct at time of publication. Styling & photography by Helen S Stanley.
Neon Mood Board…
I love a bit of neon, done properly of course. So here’s my take on neon in the form of one of my mood boards ♥
Camden Town
Natural Beauty…
I’m a big fan of Beauty UK, I love their colour selection and the price points are so reasonable. This week I’ve been using natural coloured nail varnishes and a natural eye shadow palette. Natural shades are perfect paired with really bright attire especially neon hues, I love Grit Fix Posh Polish in Banksy which is a perfect shade of grey and great to pair with a bright coral top or jacket. Grit Fix Posh Polish in Kensington and Gel Fix Posh Polish in Café Cosmos would both work really well with a good tan and a cheeky flash of neon pink. Grit Fix Posh Polish in Fabric is equally as gorgeous, I’d wear this along with a bright aqua bikini – ideal for lounging around the pool. The Posh Palette in Masquerade is ideal for day to night make-up, using the really natural tones for a subtle day time finish and moving onto the darker selection for the evening, just the ticket for creating a smoky eye. So overall this pretty little hoard is a winner, I can’t get enough of the Grit Fix texture and the colours are yummy. All in all a fabulous result ♥
Photography by Helen S Stanley.
Jeans & Sweatshirt, Comfy Style…
Here in the UK the weather is changeable to say the least, no matter where you are or what the weather is, it’s nice to have a jeans and sweatshirt day once in a while and it’s even better to do this in style. I’ve been playing dress up with my favourite faux fur coat, Elvis sunnies, Vegas necklace and teamed it simply with jeans, a sweatshirt and trainers. Easy, comfy, me.
‘CC Fake’ Boyfriend Fit Sweater £36 from Rings & Tings, slight curve skinny jeans from £80 by Levis Curve ID, Converse Allstar Low in white leather £54.99 from Office, faux fur shaggy coat (previous season) by Kate Moss for TopShop, Elvis style sunnies from a street market in Brighton, Las Vegas necklace £25 by Plastic Bat, silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog, flower & pom-pom headdress made by me.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Photography & styling Helen S Stanley.
Fancy Some Customisation? Have a Look at New Publication Adorn…
Graduates of the London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins Kit Lee and Shini Parks have collectively created a fantastic publication called Adorn. A book filled with 25 do-it-yourself customisation projects inspired by various designers and street styles from around the world. Using inexpensive materials and a few essential tools, Adorn is made-up of easy-to-follow, step-by-step sections varying in difficulty levels to help you customise, embroider and decorate your tired garments.
I was looking forward to reviewing this book, I have always customised my own clothes and accessories and after many years of styling it’s become second nature. The photography is clean and the overall design of the publication is lovely, making Adorn the ideal present for someone interested in fashion. I re-created one of the projects quickly just to show how easy it is to follow, the photos and step-by-guides make it extremely simple to adopt these ideas and use them on your own garments.
Many of the projects in this book do require quite a lot of embellishing, which is great, but it would have been nice to see some customising techniques which don’t require you to go out and buy lots of extra bits and pieces in order to create them. For example the spinal t-shirt below: this is created by using a cutting technique and a tiny bit of sewing on a t-shirt, it’s super quick and very effective. I used this on a recent shoot for an upcoming feature in Silk & Sins, styled with some ripped jeans and Converse for an alternative, casual wedding outfit.
So overall I was impressed with the aesthetics of Adorn, it is a delightful book. Personally I feel it’s probably a little bit novice for me, I’ve been styling for many years so I know lots of tricks and customisation techniques, but it would be perfect for a beginner, someone wanting to sew a lot of embellishments on their clothes (well the clue is in the title)! Highly recommended.
All photography by Helen S Stanley.
Pastel Beauties…
Pastels really are the hues of the moment with brands and designers exploring pastels throughout apparel, footwear and accessories. It’s also a good idea to consider pastel make-up too and Beauty UK have a superb variety. I have sensitive skin and that considered I have never had any problems with Beauty UK products. The Baked Box in Halo is really subtle and adds a nice sheen, for a little more impact Blush & Brush in Dawn Glow is on the ball for achieving killer cheek bones. I love the Grit FX posh polish in Fabric it makes me want to eat candy floss! Both lipsticks have a great scent and good coverage, I tried Son of a Peach, Chelsea and previously Cupcake. The Eye Shadow Palette in Pastels has some nice shades, they blend and the more fun colours are good for shoots. The cute as a button Posh Pouts in Would I Lilac to You and How Nude are both are perfect for a subtle kiss of colour on the go: chuck ‘em in your handbag…
All products from Beauty UK, prices start at £2.99.
Photography Helen S Stanley.
Pink Style…
I’ve never really been one for the colour pink, but it’s come along way in the fashion world and there’s loads of variety available at the moment. I like combining different shades and tones of pink to create something interesting and true to my usual aesthetic. I believe a trend needs to work with your existing style, if not leave it alone: that said the pink trend is versatile and can work for most. This time I’ve combined my baby pink hair with hot pink cropped trousers, coral and pink heels, multi-coloured accessories and a crisp white top, chuck in some animal print sunnies and there you have it, pink perfection. Don’t be afraid to clash pinks, but lean towards sophisticated with the styling or else you could end up looking a bit scary. As always I have styled high street with vintage and designer, I think I’ll be styling some more pink soon because I love it! 
My Outfit: White mesh & viscose top £25 by Vero Moda at Sojeans, hot pink cropped trousers £9.99 from Loulebelle, pink & coral shoes from Kurt Geiger (past season), woven clutch bag £5 from Primark, animal print catseye sunglasses £145 by Stella McCartney at Avenue 32 (sold out but nude colour available), multicoloured long necklace £15 from Loulebelle, silver arrow bracelet is vintage, silver ‘pirate’ necklace £27.90 from My Name Necklace, silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog.
All prices correct at time of publication. Photography & styling Helen S Stanley.
A Vintage Affair…
“A Vintage Affair brings a taste of the London vintage scene to Herts & Essex! Our fairs offer a great selection of vintage clothing, accessories, furniture & home-ware all in one place. A great shopping experience which beats the high street – each fair offers hand-picked and affordable vintage from great stall holders plus and music and makeovers. Visit our fairs in locations all over Herts & Essex…” A Vintage Affair.
I went to a fantastic vintage fair this weekend in Hertford at the Hertford Theatre. ‘A Vintage Affair’ was full of vintage and kitsch gorgeousness, there was so much to look at. Refreshingly there was a great amount of vintage rather than just 2nd hand masquerading as vintage, and the handmade jewellery, accessories and clothing added something different. The next event is at Braintree Museum on Saturday 12th April 10.30 – 4pm. £1 entry, free for children & NUS card holders, find out more at A Vintage Affair and follow them on Twitter for news and updates. My favourite stalls were the handmade jewellery and accessories from Trouble Cat designed by Lisa Mair, I loved the embellished sunnies, and Hooha & Whatsit who had the most amazing coloured glass and home ware. Take a look for yourselves…
Photography by Helen S Stanley.
Chips for Tea, Style for Me…
I’m sure most of you will have seen the McCain ‘Chips for Tea’ advert on at the moment, and you’ve probably also noticed the CHIPS jumper in the ad. Well, you can now buy the CHIPS jumper from Primark for a mere £12 AND it’s made in Britain – which we like. Plus, the label also doubles up as a 50p money-off voucher for McCain Home Chips, to use during your next shop, result. I don’t mind telling you that I love potatoes, in any form, and therefore wear my CHIPS jumper with pride (whilst finding my next potato fix), thanks McCain! So to celebrate this awesomeness I thought I’d have a little dressing-up time and here’s how I styled my CHIPS jumper…
How I Wore It: Well it clashes with my hair doesn’t it? So I thought I’d add a bit more pink & a bit more maroon – if it’s going to clash it may as well clash properly: CHIPS Jumper £12 from Primark, denim cut-off shorts by Tommy Hilfiger (cut off by me a very long time ago), cherry red Dr Martens £100 from you guessed it, Dr Martens, silver bracelets are vintage, silver skull ring £160 from The Great Frog, pink lipstick £3.49 in Cupcake from Beauty UK.
How You Could Wear it: I styled my CHIPS jumper pretty simply, but you could obviously get a bit more frisky with your styling: Scarf from Zara (previous season), pink aviators £135 by Ray Ban, jumper & shorts as before, white studded skinny belt from H&M previous season, studded shoes from Kurt Geiger previous season, silver bracelets all vintage, quilted leather bag £207.95 by Maison Scotch at Scotch & Soda.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Photography & styling by Helen S Stanley.
Cheltenham Festival Fashion Do’s and Don’ts…
The fashion police must be watching carefully…
Fashion shows don’t always showcase the best trends. During the 2009 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and Milan fashion Week, Spanish fashion designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada released the “Traffic Cone”, a dress that made the model wearing it look like a bell (or a traffic cone). Fashion blunders also happen where royalty and celebrities come together to celebrate high fashion and horse racing: no more so than at the Cheltenham Festival. Want to know what made the fashion police go crazy during the previous event? Here are some of the fashion blunders you should definitely avoid if you are attending the races:
1. Weird wide-brimmed hats
Wide-brimmed hats are probably a staple during the Cheltenham Festival, with prominent people such as Duchess Catherine attending the event to witness one of the biggest racing events in the world. Naturally, wide-brimmed hats are designed to be lightweight to avoid messing with a person’s hairstyle. However, some women like the ones pictured below, decided to take the whole headpiece to the next level and add some decorative, erm, doughnuts. It may protect her from the harsh rays of the sun, but not from the laughter of fashion enthusiasts.
2. Corsets
You may see a lot of Victorian fashion pieces worn by ladies during the festival, which is logical granted that the Cheltenham Festival started during the time of Queen Victoria. Silk gowns, tea gowns, and bonnets are pretty much acceptable depending on the person in question. However, one big no-no during the course of the event is corsets. When you think about it, April is a windy season as we move towards the middle of spring. With that in mind it is enough to make you prepare adequately and make sure warmth is your primary concern. Furthermore, corsets are only apt for people who have good figures.
3. Creepy Horse Mask
Of course, the Grand National as well as the Betfair-sponsored Cheltenham Festival are prestigious horse races. However, this does not give you the right to wear Archie McPhee’s Creepy Horse Mask during the event, although some “dandy” gentleman already chose this as his remit during last year’s Grand National. Aside from taking away the “gentle” in the world gentleman, it is also ridiculous.
Now this is how one should dress for such an occasion…
Show Individuality Through Colour & Style: Peter Pan collar dress £35.99 & pink messenger bag £39.99 both from Zara, beige fedora hat £22 from River Island, vintage sunglasses $413 from Vintage Sunglasses, neon matt-leather orange sandals £625 by Jimmy Choo, gold-plated & cotton cuff £295 by Aurélie Bidermann, crystal skull bangle £170 by Alexander McQueen (all three from Net-A-Porter).
Prices correct at time of publication, styling by Helen S Stanley.
Sports Luxe Meets Rock Chic…
Sports Luxe is a reoccurring trend, a trend I love, but some of us rock gals might be wondering how to apply this trend without sacrificing our signature look. Sports Luxe continues to broaden aesthetically with designers adding more detail this season, from sequins and bling to luxurious fabrics: this makes it easier to adapt the Sports Luxe trend to one’s own style. There’s no need to go all out with joggers, a bomber jacket, football shirt and platform trainers, we are not hipsters and we are not crazed sports fans. So, with this in mind it’s a good idea to show some restraint and select one or two sporty elements, combining them with existing pieces in your wardrobe. We want to achieve a nod to this reoccurring trend, not epitomise a reoccurring nightmare. Understand? So here’s how I styled Sports Luxe with a hint of rock n’ roll along with some ideas for your own wardrobes…
Outfit One: Adidas Firebird track top (customise your own) from $85 at Adidas, “Sorry for Partying” relaxed vest top $30 from Red Lace District, skinny jeans from £80 at Levis Curve ID, spike metallic shoes (past season) Kurt Geiger, Marc by Marc Jacobs neon neoprene clutch bag (previous season) similar available from Liberty, round sunglasses £3 from Primark, black wig £23.99 from Wonderland Wigs.
Outfit Two: Leather biker jacket (past season) from TopShop Boutique, “Paid to Play” cropped relaxed tank top $28 from Red Lace District, tapered black knitted jogging bottoms £225 by Markus Lupfer at Selfridges, neon spike necklace (past season) from New Look, shoes & bag as before, black wig £23.99 from Wonderland Wigs.
Sports Luxe Meets Rock Chic: Studded Swarovski crystal & leather skull cuff £245 by Alexander McQueen, black Wayfarers £120 by Ray Ban, coral snood £10.48 by Tomie Harlene, cropped mesh top £90 by DKNY, jersey track pants £175 by Lot78, large pink leather pouch £39 from & other stories, patent-leather & neoprene trainers £145 by Marc by Marc Jacobs, neon blue watch £80 by Diesel from The British Watch Company, leather biker jacket £595 by OAK.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Photography & Styling by Helen S Stanley.
One Dress, Two Styles…
I have this gorgeous dress from Whistle & Wolf, colourful ditsy print with a graduated hem and contrasting lining. It’s beauuutfiul! The great thing about this dress is I can style it to suit me, with heels, with boots, grunge, rock… This dress is perfect and I can’t wait for that lovely sun to come out so I can wear it…
Look One: Ditsy print dress from Whistle & Wolf £45, white studded skinny belt was £8 now £2 from ASOS, floppy brim hat from Matalan (previous season), patent leather shoes from Kurt Geiger (previous season).
Look Two: Ditsy print dress from Whistle & Wolf £45, checked shirt was £12 now £8 from Matalan, Love/hate slouch grey beanie £8 from Molly Loves Pirates, quilted biker boots from Matalan (previous season), pink aviators £117 from Ray Ban, necklaces & bracelets hand made.
All prices correct at time of publication.
Photography by Helen S Stanley.
London Fashion Week AW14…
This time LFW was a bit of a whirlwind as I only had time to attend one day, but boy did I make that one day count! Way too much fun was had with gin and tonic Meringues at the Savoy, cheeky snaps with my baby pink Instax Mini 8 around Somerset House and of course we saw some amazing shows. I will be writing a full feature for Silk & Sins, but for now here is my personal account of the biggest and best occasion in the fashion calendar shared with my dear friends Jessica from Silk & Sins and Zybartas from March & Fight. Another amazing time, another amazing London Fashion Week…
Myself & Jess at Somerset House, colourful treats by Meringue Girls, shoes by Cleo B, Instax snap of Zybartas Ciurlys, dusky hues from the Yifang Wan show. 
Stunning silhouettes by Edeline Lee, ring by Anfray & Anfray.
Shoe clip and shoes by Cleo B, moi in an Instax snap, pink pink pink neon by Meringue Girls, me with my lovely Mini 8 and one of the Meringue Girls moorish mouthfuls.
Striking designs by Min Wu, me, Zybartas and Jess. I’m wearing a dress by Wondaland, leather biker jacket from TopShop Boutique, bag by BCBG Max Azria, biker boots, skull ring and necklace from The Great Frog, pirate necklace from My Name Necklace, 
Glorious colourful skulls by Shebee, designers show with Wolf & Badger at The Savoy, me with my trusty Instax.
All photography by Helen S Stanley. Photos with myself in, taken by Jessica Speller & Zybartas Ciurlys.
LondonEdge, Edgy Style…
Established in 2000, LondonEdge is the original and best International trade show for men’s and women’s alternative clothing, footwear, street wear and accessories. Of course I had to visit LondonEdge and check this out for myself, I was accompanied by my cousin Allie and dear friend Jessica and collectively we reported the best of what we saw for magazine Silk & Sins, for which I am editor. Obviously I couldn’t go without featuring some of the alternative marvels on Helen’s Wardrobe too. So armed with my new pink Instax Mini 8 I snapped away, Jess fell in love with the steam punk stands and Allie quality tested the liquor shots at the coffin bar. There will be a full report on Silk & Sins but here’s a personal look at LondonEdge for now…
I wore (as always) a combination of vintage, high street & designer: Leopard shift dress by Wondaland, biker boots from Matalan, leather biker jacket from TopShop Boutique, bag by Maison Scotch at Scotch & Soda, neon orange organiser by FiloFax, chunky silver bracelet is vintage, Hand of Fatima bracelet from Cruciani, silver skull ring and skull pendant from The Great Frog, pirate name necklace from My Name Necklace.
Featured: Jessica Speller, Allison Boyd, Iron Fist, Kill Star & Manic Panic, much more to follow from these and loads of other great brands in the full Silk & Sins review on LondonEdge published next week… ♥
Valentine’s Day Gift Guide…
I don’t do Valentine’s Day, it’s not really me, but for all those Romeos looking for gift inspiration I have created a Helen’s Wardrobe Valentine’s Day gift guide. Collecting together lots of trinkets and treasures from jewels to liberating lingerie, there will be something here you’ll love. So get browsing before you run out of time and Happy Valentine’s Day for those of you who buy into all that soppy stuff…
Valentine’s Day gifts for the kitsch kittens, ♥ Pink Collection ♥ Spike necklace £18 by Mikey, faux pearl necklace £12.99 & faux pearl bracelet £8.99, flower ring £7.99, pink resin ring £9.99, set of bangles £6.99, vintage bunny £2, vintage pooch £1.50, shells £2 each, vintage pink leaf dish £3, vintage glass vase £4 all available from Loulebelle. ♥ Orange Collection ♥ Greetings card (in background) £2.99, vintage child figurine £8, flower purse (just seen) £2, vintage yellow glass dish £8, vintage yellow glass candlestick (one of a pair) £8, statement earrings £4.99, bronze jewel studs £1.99, rose metal & diamante ring £7.99, pearl & diamante ring £14.99, rose metal flower bracelet with diamantes £14.99, pink friendship bracelet £5.99, cross bracelets £4.50 each all from Loulebelle, red hand of Fatima bracelet £10 by Cruciani.
Valentine’s Day gifts for the rock star’s wife, ♥ Green Collection ♥ Clover friendship bracelet £10 from Cruciani, ombre thread and bead friendship bracelet £5.99, canary yellow jewel bracelet £3.99 & vintage blue glass jewellery dish £2 all three from Loulebelle, peacock green soft bra £23 & matching panties £18 both from Playful Promises, ♥ Black Collection ♥ Clock £13.99, cross necklace £9.99, crystal bracelet £12.99, black bead bracelet £8.99, silver bead bracelet £6.99, statement jewel sun ring £7.99, diamante clutch bag £15 all from Loulebelle.
All prices correct at time of publication. Photography & styling Helen S Stanley.
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