My Style: House of Holland’s ‘Creep’ T-Shirt Meets the Pashli Bag

May 20, 2013

House of Holland Slogan tee

Last week the winter weather unexpectedly returned, with wind, rain and low temperatures. This is annoying for multiple reasons. Firstly because IT’S MAY and I, like the rest of the UK, want some sunshine! And, also, I’ve already put most of my Autumn/Winter wardrobe into storage, so dressing has become a challenge. Black opaques are currently my go-to style solution, as I hate to wear jeans if there’s a chance it might rain (why does denim stick to skin when it gets wet?). My favourite leather skirt has also been getting a lot of outings over the last five days, and it’s the perfect partner for House of Holland’s ‘creep’ slogan T-shirt.

The press team at Harvey Nichols dared me to wear this HoH design a few weeks ago, knowing I usually avoid slogan tees. I tried pairing it with numerous looks before I settled on this combination, favouring the classic mix of black, white and red. And yes, I was wearing my winter coat as well, but I took it off for these pictures because who wants to see a wool coat in May?!

Coco's Tea Party Ella 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli Bag Black Medium I’m Wearing: House of Holland “Creep” T-shirt c/o Harvey Nichols | Leather skirt Warehouse (similar at Oasis) | 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli handbag | Giraffe print heels c/o Next | Necklace vintage (similar by Lulu Frost) | Watch Michael Kors

Photos by Abi Marvel

Do you like the House of Holland ‘creep’ slogan T-shirt? How would you style it? Leave a comment and let me know…

Eight Must-Buy Looks From the House of Holland AW13 Collection

February 25, 2013

house of holland aw13 collection

Henry Holland always puts on a good show at London Fashion Week. The entire experience is fun, from the moment you receive your collectable invite in the post right down to the models’ finale walk. In the past I’ve usually enjoyed the spectacle more than the actual fashion; but last season’s collection seriously impressed me, and the House of Holland AW13 show was another step towards a more grown-up direction. This was easily Henry’s strongest collection to date – and I’m sure we’ll spot girls up and down the country wearing these House of Holland designs come September.

The Autumn/Winter 2013 collection – titled “Nana Rave” – opened with bright, graphic prints which reminded me of a lava lamp. Although the pattern was OTT, Henry kept the silhouettes simple (think prim shift dresses and tailored blazers), so everything remained wearable. My favourite looks came towards the end of the show, however, where playful crystal embellishments and jewel tones stormed the runway. Here I’ve selected eight of the hottest designs from the show, all of which are worthy investments for the coming season. Take a look and let me know your favourites…

house of holland aw13 show

I’m expecting to see the number of House of Holland stockists double over the next couple of months, as the waiting lists for those neon-trim parkas are sure to be endless. Make sure you get in line quick!

Are you a fan of the House of Holland Autumn/Winter 2013 collection? Which pieces are your favourites?

Images style.com

Show Tunes: Four of the Best LFW SS13 Soundtracks

September 23, 2012
Livestreaming has made it easy to interact with your favourite fashion brands and take a front row seat at the shows, even if you’re not on the official guest list. But I’ve always felt incredibly lucky to attend London Fashion Week in person, as I get to enjoy the runway soundtracks, instead of the distracting tunes brands play over their livestreams to avoid huge licensing fees. (Burberry seems to be one of the few brands that stream their shows exactly how they appear on the runway – music and all – which is another reason to love Christopher Bailey). So which shows had the best soundtracks for Spring/Summer 2013? Here are four of my favourites:
Mark Fast – “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life” by Indeep

Burberry Prorsum – “People Help the People” by Birdy

House of Holland – “No Limit” by 2 Unlimited

Mulberry – “Make Someone Happy” by Jimmy Durante

These songs were so well chosen and totally complementary of the Spring ’13 collections. I’ve had them stuck in my head all weekend. The British Fashion Council should really think about making a London Fashion Week compilation CD… I’d definitely add it to my iPod!

Do you rate Mulberry, Henry Holland, Burberry and Mark Fast’s S/S 2013 soundtrack choices?

Image Please magazine via Drastic Plastic

House of Holland Celebrates "Grunge, Glamour & Glory" for Spring Summer 2013

September 16, 2012

The show notes at the House of Holland Spring/Summer 2013 show warned, “The House of Holland girl has developed an attitude problem”. And it was some attitude. This was definitely Henry Holland’s strongest collection to date, and so far my favourite show at London Fashion Week. The clothes were fun and wearable, the soundtrack (courtesy of The MisShapes) was unbeatable and the venue was full of excited energy. Take a look at some of the key styles:

The Key Looks: Everyone was going crazy for the bejewelled beanies and the floral jacquard parka – they were easily the two standout looks. Flat lace up boots in a range of metallic hues were teamed with ’90s inspired tie-dye rompers and mini dresses, whilst oversized checks and floral prints added a Marc Jacobs grunge vibe. I also spotted some cycling shorts…

Lessons Learnt: This collection isn’t just for Henry’s crew (Pixie, Nicola etc…), you’ll want to wear it too. Plus, if you play “Groove is in the Heart” at at fashion show everyone is happy!

What do you make of Henry Holland’s Spring 2013 collection? Are you enjoying LFW so far?

And remember you can watch the livestream and show highlights HERE.

Images style.com

Cash, Credit, Debit: Fashion’s Prettiest Sneakers

August 23, 2012

Blame the nineties fashion revival or simply put it down to the backlash against platform heels, but it’s impossible to ignore that fact that trainers are having a style moment right now. From Liberty’s sell-out collaboration with Nike, through to Ryan Lochte’s signature green sneakers, everyone is slowly becoming obsessed with sporty pumps…

Plimsoll brand Superga has cleverly fashioned-up its image, joining forces with the Olsen twins (the brand’s new creative directors), Alexa Chung (the face of latest ad campaign) and Henry Holland (a recent collaborator). The clever marketing has clearly worked, as Superga has become the go-to brand for fashion obsessives.

Get in on the act with these girly pumps. Switch them with your ballet flats and you’re good to go!

I’ve been wearing my bright blue and lime green Puma sneakers with skinny jeans all summer. They’re so comfy that I’ve started to resent my collection of heels. A dangerous sign…

Have you started wearing trainers/sneakers? Which brands and styles are your favourites?

Goodbye Floral Prints, Hello Kooky Prints

January 31, 2011

Last week I was shopping with a friend when we both noticed a rather cheesy advert advising us to enter the new season with floral prints. How predictable, no? We both instantly quoted The Devil Wears Prada‘s Miranda Priestly and her “Florals? For spring? Ground breaking” line. It’s not that I don’t like florals though – they were especially fabulous this season at Erdem and D&G – but I’ve noticed that the high street (most of the time) refuses to budge from its floral comfort zone.
I’m hoping this year that will change though, as there was an amazing selection of bold, kooky and colourful prints on the runways to be inspired by. The look was done best by Miuccia Prada, who went for monkeys and bananas at Prada and pop art stars at Miu Miu. British designers, with their natural eccentricity, were also key players in the trend. Between Henry Holland’s purple palm leaves and Stella McCartney’s oranges and lemons there’s finally no room for ditsy floral prints.

The collection: House of Holland
The look: A bit bad-taste-becomes-good-taste with giant palm prints, fringing, sassy little flared trousers and pleated skirts. It was my favourite ever House Of Holland collection.
Wear it: Wear a palm-print tee tucked into a pleated skirt, like the gorgeous gold number from this collection, for a less OTT take on the look.

The collection: Miu Miu
The look: Pop art stars, bold reds and blues, boxy leather jackets, silky dresses and a bit of neon thrown in for good measure.
Wear it: Pair a star-print skirt, dress or blouse with bold colour (cobalt blue works best) and ladylike heels. You can always throw in the odd kooky accessory too, like this cute plexiglass bangle.

The collection: Stella McCartney
The look: Vegetarian-chic. Citrus fruits printed on white little summer dresses and blazers. It’s made me fall in love with the halter neck again too.
Wear it: I know this skirt is floral, not fruity, but I can’t find any of the fruit prints online and it’s almost as good. The fruit (or botanic) print definitely looks best against a crisp white, as done at Stella. Natural hair and makeup is also a must!

The collection: Giles
The look: Giles Deacon’s designs always have a sense of humour, and for S/S his playful prints ranged from the favourite googly eyes to cartoon teddy bears. All in a selection of candy brights (I’m liking the pink and yellow combo) and worn with a lot of personality.
Wear it: With a smile!

Which kooky prints are your favourites? And how will you wear this look?

images style.com

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