Chokers: Back on Trend

Image credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wir0jTrf2sY

Cartoon portrayal of Mathilda from Leon: The Professional 

Worn zealously by many, was a hot item in the 90's and has made a comeback. Yes, the choker. Thankfully for me, chokers are everywhere to be found and come in an array of colours and designs. Chokers are definitely a staple part of my 'fashion diet' if you will. My neck feels empty when I'm not wearing one, which seriously emphasises how much I actually wear them. My addiction to this item of jewelry first began when I attended a Expo in Central London. With various items being sold, my attention became fixated on one particular stool selling jewelry where the style was something I didn't think I'd typically go for. However, I bought it and till this day, it has to be my favourite choker. I'll be going through a few of the chokers I own, and yes I have nicknames for them all.

1. 'Golden Goddess' 

Being the first choker I purchased, it makes perfect sense to mention it first. This choker drew my attention, firstly due to the golden colour, which I believe compliments my skin tone quite well. Secondly, I loved the interweaving of colour throughout the middle of the choker, thirdly, though this was after I bought it, I received large amounts of compliments about this beauty, therefore I knew I'd made the right choice. The design 'Golden Goddess' sports also drew me in. Its elegant nature allows for it to be paired with everyday and evening clothing. But, it is a shame that I cannot remember the name of the shop I bought it from, since I would love to purchase more of their items. 

2. 'Moonchild' 

I received this as a birthday present from a friend who obviously knows what's up! Its super cute, dainty and is made using a soft material, minimising the worry of irritation that most people have of chokers. I really like the galaxy print on this item; it's colourful, and the pendant in the middle, I was told, came in various other shapes. This was bought for me by a friend, from Spinns; the Japanese store that I seem to be referencing endlessly!

3. 'Excellently Elizabethan'  

This reminds me so much of old English embellishments on clothing for the upper class during the Elizabethan period. I again received this as a birthday gift, and like 'Moonchild' it's just too cute. It is slightly larger than many of the chokers I own, but is still a dainty piece made with a mix of lace and small pearls. I find that this choker goes well with tops that have a v-shaped neck line, a decolletage neck line, an off the shoulder neckline; in other words, a neck line that reveals the greater area of the neck. Since the pendant is large, a lower neck line helps to bring to attention its cuteness. 

4. 'Timely 90's'

This has to be the most worn style of choker in the high street. The OG of chokers. Its simplicity allows other jewelry worn around the neck to aid it, without looking clumsy or having an air of 'too much-ness'. Its tattooed look varies in colour, which probably aids its popularity and can be purchased everywhere from ASOS to Camden. This is definitely the choker I wear most often as black and white go with everything I own.

5. 'Pretty in Print'

   

I remember buying this choker on a whim whilst on my study abroad programme (Spinns). I saw it and thought "I hardly own items with patterns on them, so I'm totally buying this!!" So here we are. It's a choker that I have probably found the hardest to sport; since I have probably mentioned, I'm not a pattern fanatic, though I would love to be one. Its bold pattern is juxtaposed with the delicate weaving of said pattern. Its material is soft and sits quite comfortably on the neck. The neutral colours again allow ease in pairing with other items of clothing and it reminds me a lot of African print which I can't help but love the look of.

Chokers, like most other 90's trends; mum jeans, jelly shoes etc. are making it big again. The recycling of fashion trends allows us to see the beauty in items from the past all over again. So this is definitely one trend I am all on board for.

Carla Creary xo  

Ya Girl Flew To Japan: Haul

Yep. So I went back.
Its soon, but I just I had to.
Ya girl had fun though!

Haiku over, it was like a force consisting of amazing food, clothes and fantastic beauty products that was pulling me to go. While out there, I had my fill of delicious/ 美味しい(tasty) foods, bought some new clothes, visited some owls in a cute cafe, and met up with some friends.
But since this is a fashion blog, I'm gonna go ahead and share some of my buys in my first haul post! ~

Clothing:

1. I find it hard to go anywhere and not buy a single item of clothing, so why would I change with this trip! 
   First, is this used jumper/sweater from Spinns (I spent most of my money in this shop). I was really looking for a pretty number that was cute, but also pink. I absolutely love pink but I don't own a piece of clothing in the colour. It immediately caught my eye and I had to have it. Its kinda worn which I love, and is still in pretty good condition for being used! A little bit of Minnie and Micky Mouse in your wardrobe is a nice touch too.
   
   
2. Long coats are kind of all the rage right now in Tokyo, with girls sporting colours all over the colour scale. But I found one, hidden in the back of Spinns calling my name. A green number that actually goes with a lot I already own. It comes up about knee length, thin but great for layering and I'm all about that, It comes with a beauty of an inside pocket along with three other handy little item holders.
   
   
   
3. I really wanted a simple t-shirt, but I ended up finding a blood red long sleeve top that I really like. The arms are baggy enough for it to give the feel of a jumper, but its thinner so still just feels like a top? With a cute pocket attached to the left breast, its simple yet cute. Oh yeah, its from Spinns.
   
   
   
4. Another jumper! Since I live in England I mostly wear jumpers. I'm super invested in them. This is again a green cutie, with the material at the waist side cut horizontally, which means easy tucking for the front (I always tuck in jumpers, to show my high waisted jeans). with a v neck line its really nice parring this jumper with delicate jewelry.
   
   
   
   

Skin Products:

1. A store that I found in Japan whilst there for study abroad which is actually Korean called Too Cool For School, has me hooked. I usually get their concealer but this time, I found out that they have a highlighter that comes with their concealer, so that's what I bought. Their packaging is also too cute for words, making buying their product so lovely.
   
   
   
   
   
2. As I mentioned previously, I met up with a few friends whilst there and one of my beautiful friends gave me a Welcome Back present! Super cute Japanese animal face masks. they are so adorable, I haven't even opened them yet!! (So i can't report on results) but It was technically what I received when I was there.
   
   

Bag:

1. Because I got to shopping happy like always, I ended up having to buy an extra bag to put all of the stuff I bought (souvenirs, clothing etc.). I got a rucksack from Wego, another one of my cherished Japanese high street stores, that is black, quite spacious and above all goes with so much of what I wear to university. The straps are also wide, which is lovely cause back pain isn't! It is such a nice bag for university and it fits all my books and other crap that I bring to school with me. I love it.
   
   
   
   
   

And that's what I bought! Japan was a blast as usual and I hope to find myself basking in its greatness very soon!

Carla Creary xo 

One Whole Year Later.

One whole year I've been gone. I'm trying to figure out where the time has gone, but I realise that I have accomplished a lot within that time. I have broadened my horizons, met fantastic people along the way and have become super motivated to aim for my long loved dream of becoming a Fashion Editor. Along with this journey, I have also found a new sense of style. To try things that were once alien to me. And with out further ado...

Combining clothing.
This was a trick that I learnt while studying abroad in Japan (Yes, I was gone due to studying abroad for the year!!) In my life, I seemed to have grown a love for buying an array of tops, t-shirts and shirts, but NEVER wearing them. But while studying abroad, I found love in buying dresses, skirts and other items considered wholesomely 'girly'. So, because my closet consisted of an abundance of tops that I never wore and dresses/skirts that I couldn't stop wearing, but were slightly bored of, I decided to combine my skirts and dresses together to give a mix and match sort of outfit. In the picture below, I have a white dress that is stunning, with a sweetheart neck, as ASOS calls it, paired with an adorable green skirt I bought at a store called WEGO in Japan. I tucked the white dress into my tights, only revealing the top of said dress, and put the skirt over. I have never loved a last minute outfit so much.

Skirts and Dresses. 
As stated in the above, I bought tons of dresses and skirts while gone for the year. But thinking back to a year ago, this would have been strange. Spending money on skirts and dresses seemed like a waste of time and money. However, I have opened my mind to the endless possibilities of dresses and skirts. (Not that I didn't wear them at all, they just made me slightly uncomfortable wearing them. Jeans were more my thing).

Lipstick.
Now this was a 100% no go zone for me. I have always had a sort of... insecurity about my lips being shown off. But at the same time, I envied women who were so able to wear whatever colour they wanted to work that day. So, I said "bye bye insecurities and hello fabulous lips". And here we are today. The first lip colour (MAYBELLINE, FATAL RED)  I received was from a friend. she stated, while we were getting ready for a party "I have a lipstick that I like, but that I don't think I suit. Want it"? I, of course, jumped at the opportunity and took said lipstick and now it's kinda like a go to. (As a going away present she bought me a matte lippy that is fantastically deep and sensual: BOURJOIS, GRAND CRU). Next is one I bought from STYLENANDA (#SPEAKLOW). A pretty pastel pink that is subtle but beautiful. It was an impulse buy, but definitely not one I will be regretting anytime soon. Then there's that nude lipstick. I am so attracted to this lipstick, it's unreal. MINK from REVLON has to be the most amazing lipstick I have purchased. It compliments my skin tone well and just gives a tint to my lips which is fantastic for me! Finally, A present I received for a dear friend in Tokyo. A popular make-up brand in Japan called JILL STUART. The colour FEMININE LILAC has probably the cutest encasement I have ever owned (for lipstick). This amazing pink, which is probably my favorite shade, is perfect for dates out.

Crop Tops.
"Ha! A crop top, Showing MY stomach? Ha." I would have said! But, now they are kinda like that 'must have' item that needs to be in my wardrobe. They can be paired with a lot of what I already have in my closet, they are fun, cute and a nice way to show a little bit of skin. I definitely appreciated them in Japan during summer!

I think with this post, I aimed to tell myself that there are so many aspects of fashion to be loved. You kinda just have to be open to the possibility of trying those aspects out and... maybe liking them? Fashion doesn't have to be bold and daring, but rather fun and full of trial and error until you find something that fits your brand. That's definitely one thing I learnt one whole year later.

Carla Creary xo

Spring/Summer Trends 2014

After watching a couple of TV shows that were fashion heavy, I have come to the conclusion that I think I know what the trending items are for Spring/Summer 2014 will be. There are three main areas that have been seen on catwalks and to be honest, I'm kinda liking these trends. I'm hoping Britain gives me some support in the weather department and that I will be aided with some sun so I can try these out. (But lets face it, I'm not expecting much lol).

 1. Pastel Accessories.
I absolutely love pastel. I think that it is the mother of showing your appreciation for summer and it has showed its zeal by being featured on many a catwalk. But it's not pastel coloured clothing that will be trending, it's accessories from what I have researched. Rather than drowning yourself in shades of baby pink and blue, a pastel coloured accessory can be the key item that allows your outfit to make a statement. (Apologies for the excessive amounts of pink. I'm a sucker for pink)  

 baby pink Adidas Originals Gazelle trainers £65

iPhone 5/5s Case, £385, Burberry

Burberry, £7,500.00

Givenchy Antigona Leather Envelope Clutch, £1,098, matchesfashion.com

Gianvito Rossi Napa Leather Mules, £739, matchesfashion.com

2. Cropped Tops
Now I think we can all agree that as the weather gets hot, people just wanna show a little bit of skin. Especially those who have been putting in work over the cold months to achieve beach body perfection. So I could totally understand why crop tops made the cut. (No pun intended). The exposing of the midriff seems to be all the rage. There have definitely been a cute array of style of crop top that have seen the light. Some sport a slight tomboyish style and others are fun and flirty. 

Statement Hoodie, Dimepiece LA, $64 

Tommy Boy Crop Top, Dimepiece LA, $20

Michael Kors 

3. Pop Art
This trend and fashion go together like me and sun. It's like the perfect combination since fashion is basically wearable art. I feel that incorporating Pop Art with clothing allows designer to have fun. It also gives the wearer a pass to wear a kaleidoscope of colours without being deemed as crazy. One can communicate with clothing, and this trend adds an enjoyable twist to non verbal communication. 

Prada

 I say give these a try. Some, depending on how outgoing you are with your style, are easier to pull off than others.
See you again on my next blog post!


Carla Creary xo

Photo Credit: matchesfashion.com
www.dimepiecela.com
burberry.com
satnamrasayan.co.uk
forwardmag.com

Topshop Unique: #LFW

*This blog post is picture heavy!
Wow. This show blew me away! After watching this not long ago through streaming on my laptop (though they allowed the public to watch, I couldn't be there as I am in York for university), I felt the need to blog about Topshop Unique's amazing collection.

First things first. The location. Held in Tate Modern, the vast space and simplicity of the room allowed all eyes to be fully concentrated on the clothing sauntering down the runway.

In the first part of Topshop Unique's collection for A/W, the clothing consisted of blues, greys, blacks and whites. Shorts with over the knee boots added length to give the effect of 'legs for days'; Model Malaika Firth demonstrates this wonderfully. Layering was executed to perfection with puffer jackets, vests, shirts, trench coats, long sleeve tops and high heels with long socks being added into the mix for this years way to layer. Towards the later half of this section of the show, blue became replaced with a khaki green with shorts, vests and bags sporting this colour.   

Malaika Firth

The halfway point of the show brought about more warmer colours like browns and off yellows with the theme of grey and black still channelling for the time being. There was also an appearance of a multitude of textures. Fur, leather, lace, were just a few. 

Next, yellow dominated with blond haired beauties rocking these ensembles of baby yellow that slowly blended into brown, the classic colour for fall. The bags in this section were a darker brown, allowing them to stand out even among a sea of brown. Again, fur came to play. One beige coat, and one patch work vest and another multicoloured fur coat sporting brown, red, black and pink patches. I really liked these coats, especially the patched ones.

We then arrived at the final leg of the fashion show, where dark colours like blue, red, green, grey, black took a sudden command. Still with the art of layering, Topshop Unique kept with the fur adding it to scarfs, coats and jumpers. There was also an abundance of patterned work, on both see-through tops only covering the important bits, dresses, long sleeved tops and trousers. The end of the show provided on lookers with black dresses and a finishing long grey skirt and see-through top.

Here are some pictures just to recap the full show. 

Though I didn't write much, I came to the conclusion that the pictures would compensate. All in all, I loved this A/W Topshop Unique collection. I expected nothing less from them. I also thought their use of technology was amazing. I love the face that they allow streaming. It gives people like me a chance to still be able to watch fashion in real time. And with that being said, I cannot wait until next time. 

Carla Creary xo