This has to be one of my favourites trends at the moment and it is soo easy to pull off, let me show you how I like to wear it.
Of course, black on black is such a classic style that is perfect for the Autumn/Winter seasons and is constantly in trend. However, this season we’ve seen this trend being combined with another of my favourites – leather.
Pairing leather with leather screams confidence and looks effortlessly cool on everyone- which is why I love it so much. It’s also a very practical option in the colder months as faux leather is resistant to water and has high heat retention, a major plus!
This trend is ultra versatile so could be styled in many different ways and would still look amazing. However, I usually opt for a boxy oversized faux leather jacket (mine is a charity shop find), layered over a black turtleneck sweater (my one is from H&M) and paired with some faux leather leggings (mine are from New Look) and black boots. I always go for my trusty 1460 Pascal Dr Martens boots as they’re literally the comfiest shoes I own. Although as you can tell from the photos I have seriously neglected the cleaning of them!
As the leather on leather creates quite a harsh statement, I have softened up the look with the wool beret (charity shop) and the sweater. If you don’t have a beret, a black beanie would also do the job.
Happy New Year! I don’t know about you but I’m seriously glad to see the back of 2020. Here’s hoping that 2021 will be better for us all!
Rather than reflecting back on the atrocity that was 2020, I thought it would be nicer to look back at the iconic moments in fashion of this year. And wow there’s been a lot. Some surprising and some downright ground-breaking. So I thought as a marker of the end of a very eventful year I would explore these.
1. Harry Styles sporting a Gucci dress on the cover of Vogue
One of my personal favourites in 2020 has to be Harry Styles being on the cover of US Vogue’s December issue. Being the first man on the cover, whilst challenging masculinity and the gendered norms of clothing, this moment will 100% go down in fashion history.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, we have had to move our lives into the online world and fashion shows have also been making this change. Many brands showcased their collections through livestreams and videos that were accessible around the world. Some of the most notable ones were:
Moschino’s Spring/Summer 2021 womenswear collection. Miniature marionettes were used to showcase this collection with famous fashion faces like Anna Wintour even seen in marionette form in the background
Some of the most unexpected trends from the early 2000s have had a comeback this year such as baggy jeans, baguette bags, zebra print, buttonup cardigans and velour tracksuits. I was slightly sceptical of this era of trends, however I have definitely warmed up to them and now love looking for second-hand clothes on Depop and in charity shops to recreate these looks.
See below for some of my favourite Pinterest outfits of these trends.
4. Grandpa sweater vests
Who would’ve thought we’d see the return of our Grandpa’s favourite sweater vest. Once considered a fashion faux pas, sweaters vests have had a revival this year, being seen on celebrities like Harry Styles and on the runways of Gucci, Dior and Prada.
So, I was thinking that seeing as this blog is meant to be fashion blog, I should probably write my first fashion post. About time too.
Rather than a style post, I’ve decided to start off with a topic of significant interest to me, which is visual merchandising (VM). As a fashion business student, this topic comes up frequently within my degree as it is a crucial aspect of branding within companies that have brick and mortar stores. Now of course I am no expert on the subject however I hope that this brief insight is of interest to some of you 🙂
Visual merchandising can make or break the shopping experience. With the rise in online shopping, it is now more important than ever that stores display their stock in an attractive and organised way. If done correctly this will increase the selling potential and encourage consumers to continue shopping brick and mortar. In short, VM relates to the store’s windows, their inside layout, their façade, the fixtures, lighting and colours that feature throughout the store (Buchanan et al, 1999; Kerfoot et al., 2003).
So, what are the main functions of visual merchandising? Firstly, VM is used to persuade consumers to take a certain action such as to purchase or to return to the store. This is done through the stimuli that exists in the atmosphere of the store as it should address the actual and emotional needs of the consumer (Anon, 2012). Furthermore, VM also brings the customers into the store in the first place through the chosen window display. Morgan (2011) states that VM also presents the brand image and identity as well as their retail strategy.
Harvey Nichols window display
This is one of Harvey Nichols’ window displays which are known for being very extravagant and decorative. They effectively tell a story, drawing customers to the store. Personally, when I walk past one of their stores, I always stop and admire the displays as they are so unique, always managing to catch my eye through their use of colours and extreme attention to detail. The mannequins tend to be styled wearing well known luxury brands that are on trend and that will appeal to their target market.
Brands must be very careful with their VM as if they get it wrong, they could potentially be promoting a concept or a style that is not associated with their brand or their identity, therefore attracting the wrong customer base.
Inside of a Cos store. Their VM reflects the style of their clothes- clean lines, minimalist and structured.
It will be interesting to see how VM develops over the next couple of years. Undoubtedly technology will become more of a feature of VM but how far will this go? I am looking forward to finding out.
Processed with VSCO with a6 preset
Let me know in the comments what stores you think have the best VM displays.
Katie x
References
ANONYMOUS, 2012. Visual Merchandising strategies. Strategic Direction [online]. 28 (10), pp.12-14. Available from: 10.1108/02580541211268393
BUCHANAN, L., SIMMONS, C.J. & BICKART, B.A., 1999. Brand Equity Dilution: Retailer Display and Context Brand Effects. Journal of Marketing Research [online]. 36 (3), pp. 345-355. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/002224379903600304
With its 17th century canal rings and beautifully designed gothic houses, Amsterdam has become one of the most popular tourist destinations for a short getaway. But is it really worth the hype or is it just an avocado? Good for the Insta photos, but really not worth the price.
I was lucky enough to visit in early March before the COVID-19 lockdown in the UK. As it was somewhere I have always wanted to go since reading Anne Frank’s diary as a child, I was excited to finally be able to see where it was written.
Anne’s house was the building behind the tree with the black entrance on the bottom.
However, many people visit Amsterdam for an entirely different reason, and that’s to visit the “coffeeshops”, AKA, put simply cafes where you can smoke weed. Whilst I understand the attraction, particularly seeing as it is one of the only places you can legally smoke it in Europe, I did not get the obsession with it. Especially in the centre, there was a coffeeshop everywhere you turned and the air was constantly filled with the smell of it. For some visitors, this seemed to be the main attraction.
The centre of the city was of course beautiful with Dam Square and the Neo-Gothic Amsterdam Central Station, however the whole area felt like it had suffered a tidal wave of over tourism. Even in the cold month of March, there were people everywhere so you struggled to walk 2 metres without a suitcase cutting into your path. And yes I know. It is ironic as I was one of those tourists.
Along with that, everything was so expensive. I remember a basic cocktail was nearly 10 euros and a sandwich from a deli was around 7 euros. Don’t get me started on hostel bed prices. But I guess that’s to be expected in a popular tourist spot like Amsterdam.
But the centre just felt like it had lost its Dutch culture. Tourist canal boats lined the water, whilst souvenir stores filled the streets.
I found that by walking even a few blocks away from the centre, it was a lot quieter and you could properly experience the Amsterdam way of living. I’d recommend the 9 Streets near the Anne Frank House if you’re a fan of independent boutiques and cafes. Also if you’re keen to experience more of the authentic Holland, I’d recommend visiting one of the smaller cities nearby such as Haarlem.
Pretty street in Haarlem
Back in Amsterdam, there were some amazing museums such as the MOCO Museum which displayed modern art from artists such as Banksy and Keith Haring. It was like no museum I’ve ever experienced before. See below for some photos I took whilst there.
You’ve also got the Van Gogh museum, the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk museum which unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to go to but I’ve heard they are very interesting and worth a visit if museums are your thing. These museums are situated next to the Vondelpark, one of Amsterdam’s many parks which are lovely for a walk or if you’d like to hire a bike. Bikes are also a great way to get round the city as there are paths dedicated to cyclists throughout the city. However, watch out as the locals are unforgiving if you get in the way!
Despite Amsterdam burning a hole in my pocket, it was overall an enjoyable trip. They seem to have their own very unique culture, which if you get a chance, you should experience for yourself. Obviously much of this post is my own personal opinion and every city has its positives and negatives but I’m hoping it will help even just a few of you to decide whether Amsterdam sounds like a city you’d like to visit.
So I will let you make your own judgement. Is Amsterdam worth the hype or not?
So I was debating whether to actually publish this, seeing as the festival happened over a month ago, but you know what, I’m going to do it anyway. Better late than never!
Set in the stunning location of The Meadows in Edinburgh, this years Climate Festival proved to be the best one yet! A free and family friendly festival focusing on living sustainably, it offered activities including upcycling and repairing your old clothing and personal items, yoga, food growing, storytelling and bike rides. There was also a delicious array of local food stalls to keep you going throughout the day. I chose some vegan noodles from a Japanese street food stall and I can honestly say they were the nicest noodles I’ve ever tasted.
Neal’s Yard’s setup for their natural beauty workshops
Entertainment was also provided with speakers and bands gracing the main stage. Scottish musicians such as the Sandy Brechin band, the Hi-Hats and the anti-folk, post-punk 5 piece group, The Victor Pope band got the crowd going with their mix of covers and original pieces of music.
Extinction Rebellion stall
Along with the fun, a more serious note was still present. The aim of the annual festival is to raise awareness of climate change, a force that is having a dramatic impact on our day to day lives and our ecosystem. The festival promotes alternative ways of living that will help to lower our carbon footprint and if done collectively will help to slow the rate at which climate change is occurring. Sustainable and community organisations are given a space where they can encourage people to get involved. Some I enjoyed talking to were Fashion Revolution who are an organisation formed after the tragic Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh. They campaign for better transparency in the fashion supply chain and use the famous #whomademyclothes slogan to demand that brands are truthful about where their clothes are being made and that workers are being treated and paid fairly. I also had an inspiring chat with a member of the well-known international activist group Extinction Rebellion who are demanding that individuals and the government take action and declare a climate emergency.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent at this festival and I left feeling empowered and encouraged to do my bit in saving the planet. I feel next years will be even bigger and better and I would definitely recommend sparing an hour or two to pop along to it next year.
I’m Katie. I study fashion in Scotland and I love photography. Currently I have just finished my first year of uni and its been a rollercoaster of a year, full of sweat, tears, long nights but plenty of laughs, bring on second year!
I hope this blog will allow me to combine my passion for photography and fashion whilst discussing topics that are on my mind and which may be of interest to some of you.
Luna Kay 