ADELE...

One of my favourtie artists right now is Adele. Her new album, 21, is incredible, every song on there is stunning. Adele fascinates me. She has such a great attitude, and really doesn't care what people think of her. She's not a size-zero, she's not slim and doesn't look perfect all the time but she's happy the way she is, which I think is great. Her passion is her career, singing, performing. Adele is a true artist, she's not in the industry for fame, she's in the industry to pursue her dreams.

I've looked into a few outfits she's worn and picked out a few that stood out for me. These aren't all up-to-date, some going back to 2008 but I think Adele hold's a classic look, so I don't really think it matters. These outfits go from extreme casual to awards evenings so there's a wide variation. She looks comfortable and content in all of them, it's so nice to see such an inspirational and talented singer to look comfortable all the time and not look like she's breaking her back in 7 inch heels walking to the supermarket... 

Looking comfy and casual in an oversized cardigan,  leggings and nude pumps. I LOVE THIS PHOTO.

I love this dress as it's ladylike and classic yet the detail gives it the wow-factor.

I couldn't resist putting this one up. For some reason the bag just made me laugh, it's not to my personal taste but I love the fur on the coat!

This is probably my favourite outfit of all. I love the tweed cape and the fur on the collar is awesome.  Her bag is gorgeous, I can't seem to find what make it is but studs are studs and I LOVE THEM.

This is back in 2008 @ the BRIT awards, the peachy stripes lighten up the outfit and the black lace collar smartens the whole look up. It's still very casual for an event like this but I think it worked. Don't ask me on the shoes/socks/slippers though... I'm clueless?!?!

I know some people may think that a lot of what Adele wears can be dull and boring but these clothes are actually very well picked and thought out. They really highlight the good points of her figure and draw less attention to the bad points. 

CX

Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2011 (Menswear)

One designer I personally think definitely wins on the menswear front over womenswear is Alexander McQueen. I find the designs really bold, forceful and tend to make a statement, nothing is wishy-washy with AMQ. Even the womenswear is a very strong line, which is something I love. As you must all know by now, AMQ is probably my favourite brand- sorry if you're getting sick of nearly everything being AMQ on here but I can't resist!

Here are some of my favourite outfits from the Milan SS Show...

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS COAT!

Once again, red appears on the catwalk! I desperately need to get my hands on something red, big and bold, as it looks like it's staying for AW as well so it's a good purchase for a whole year long!

As usual, all catwalk clothes are extremely way out and some of these outfits you probably wouldn't actually wear yourself (good for you if you do!) but they're great for inspiration and to see what colours are in fashion this Spring Summer! 

CX

My latest purchase...

As some of you may know I am a HUGE fan of Alexander McQueen, and it probably wasn't the best idea to go into Harvey Nichols on Thursday night along with my debit card... and my extremely influential friend Sarah Hameed (check her blog here)...

So when I saw this gorgeous little Alexander McQueen pouch bag I couldn't resist! For some reason the skulls just pushed me over the edge and I had to buy it! It's great for any little toiletries or make-up, to be honest you could even use it as a pencil case but I'd never risk taking this little beauty to school! I also saw it as an investment as I do with anything Alexander McQueen these days, since Lee McQueen died last February. 

I've added it to my collection of my skull-printed scarf and I'm now looking for a AMQ ring! God help my parents! 

CX

LOOK OF THE WEEK

I went out for brunch with a few friends on Friday and chose to wear this:

Shirt: French Connection

Jeans: Pull & Bear

Boots: ALDO

Bag: LV

I'm still clutching onto the last few days in which the weather permits you to go out in Dubai in more winter-ish clothes! Soon it'll be far too hot to go out in jeans etc so i'm making sure I get the most of the amazing weather while I can!

You can't really see in the pic but the FC shirt has some really nice detail, it starts with large checks and halfway down turns to tiny checks which just makes everything a bit more interesting. I actually wore this outfit for NYE, I think it works so well as it's just so smart casual, you could wear it out to a dinner, party, even go shopping in it. 

CX

Fly To Fashion... Repton School Dubai

So tonight I attended the 'Fly To Fashion Show' @ Repton School, Dubai. The fashion show was in aid of a great charity called The Little Wings Foundation (check out their website here). 

I was really excited to see this show as I had no clue what to expect! The fact that it was sponsored by Galleria Lafayette was a huge deal, and the clothes used were of exceptional standard. As much as I didn't like waiting 40 minutes for the show to start (we were told 6pm, it started at 6.40pm) I knew how much hassle there can be when it comes to organising something like this so I decided to just sit and be patient! The setting was gorgeous, it was amongst the sophisticated Repton grounds which were lovely, unlike any school I've ever seen! 

Once the fashion show got started I was blown away by the level of professionalism held by the models, to say they were students, the way they stood and showed off the clothes was amazing! Unfortunately I forgot my camera and wasn't in the best of positions to take pictures, but there were a lot of high waisted tailored trousers and some lovely little dresses, not forgetting the insane use of high heels, praise to the models that had to walk in them, but hey that's fashion! 

The male models were just as good and I must mention Ali Burton looking effortlessly cool sporting a Christian Lacroix suit!

All in all, 40 minutes late doesn't mean anything to me because I know that I had a great time, and so did the rest of the audience. It was professional, the hosts were great and the clothes were even better- and after all, it went to a great charity, so congratulations to whoever was involved and I hope to see many more events like this one around Dubai! Well done!!

CX

SORRY FOR THE NEGLECT!

I don't know where this week has gone! It's absolutely flown by and I can't believe it's the weekend!! For some reason I just haven't had the time to get on here but I PROMISE that by Saturday I will have 3 new posts, including a look of the week (still looking...), my most recent splurge & my wishlist! 

CX

Lazy Oaf...

This is one of my major loves at the moment. Lazy Oaf. It started back in 2001, on a market stall in East London, and it's come on leaps and bounds since then, and in 2004 they opened their gorgeous little boutique in Soho. My friend Estelle introduced me to it back in the summer when we went to London, and I've been in love with it ever since!! 

They're known for their graphic prints, reversible sweats and wacky accessories. OK, I admit, some of their stock can be a little too much on the graphic print side but hey, good for them for wanting to create something different!

This was only meant to be a quick post, but if you're ever in the Soho area, and looking for something a bit different than your average-joe tee or sweatshirt, then be sure to pop in! 

You can see me wearing a tee I got for Xmas this year (my family know how much I love this shop) here, I love it's quirky-ness and the way it stands out in an outfit and makes a statement. 

To check the Lazy Oaf website then click here.

CX

LOUIS VUITTON A/W-MENSWEAR (PARIS)

So on Thursday we saw the Autumn/Winter Mesnwear 2011-2012 in Paris. And a huge show that stood out for me was definitely Louis Vuitton. Some of you may be thinking WTH?! Winter isn't even over yet for this year, but this is how it works in the fashion world and it's always good to get ahead of the trends...!

At first I was hesitant whilst watching the show (online... :/) at the lack of colour being worn on the catwalk as it was mainly charcoal, blacks and the odd dark brown thrown in here and there, some pastel creams and whites were also displayed but I was still looking for something EXPLOSIVE, although the detail was exceptional, and accessories were HUGE. I especially loved this hight waisted belt (see pic above) which I thought went perfectly amongst the black pleated blazer. 

BAGS BAGS BAGS! Every outfit came with either a classic across the shoulder satchel style piece or some form of luggage, which I thought was a great way to show how to accessorise and outfit too, plus it added a bit more excitement.

THANKFULLY my prayers were answered when I saw a glimpse of colour! Paul Helbers who heads Menswear @ LV definitely saved the best til' last as the catwalk was embraced with an explosion of RED! Labelled by LV as 'motel red', it's been seen all week throughout nearly all the Milan shows and now it was coming to Paris!  The red was often used to texturize and outfit, eg, a puffer jacket, scarf, something to give the whole piece depth. It worked tremendously for me. 

 This is one of the more extreme outfits shown, as you can see, the red puffer jacket is texturizing the outfit.

 Flashes of red emerge from outfits like this one at the front, with the large overnight style bag, and the outfit behind (the same as the pic above) draped in red heaven.

Aside from the red madness, this outfit was my favourite throughout the whole show. I think it's classic but it's got a modern twist. Layering is key this A/W, light wools and cashmeres are rife. Fur is also quite big, be it faux fur or genuine fur, whatever suits your taste, it looks good and is sure to keep you warm!

CX

How exciting...

No, there has not been a leak in the news involving Mr. Lagerfeld and a certain white, powdery substance, but the mysterious, controversial fashion king, known for his lavish designs for fashion houses such as FENDI and CHANEL, has brought us some exciting news. Following the success of his previous design for Coca Cola, Karl Lagerfeld has revealed he will be designing three more bottles, and they can only be described as 'graphic'. As an absolute diet coke addict and a huge fan of Mr. Lagerfeld, this combination really excites me. As you can see above, he designed a bottle last year which was a great success, and the hot pink cap was the icing on the cake.  The bottles are set to hit the shops in April this year, but unfortunately they will only be sold within Europe, throughout 11 countries. Good job I'm moving back to the UK in the summer... hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on one then!

Let's get comfortable... LOOK OF THE DAY

I went to lunch with a few of my closest friends today once school was finished and I had to get changed quick and just wanted to feel comfy and relaxed...

I decided to go with a T-shirt from Lazy Oaf, a gorgeous littlt boutique in East London I discovered last summer. The caption, 'It's not like the movies' gives a bit of character and makes it stand out more... a lot more interesting that just a plain tee! I teamed it with a denim shirt from Zara Man which is great for the cooler months in Dubai, as you don't want anything too thick, just something light but still keeps you warm. My jeans are from Diesl and shoes Alexander McQueen. I sometimes get worried I'll make the classic fashion mistake of 'double denim' but I think it worked with this outfit. I felt comfortable... who wouldn't be in a jeans and tee? 

My friend Sarah Hameed opted for a classic look of a baggy tee from American Eagle (which have a great sale on in Dubai right now... GO!) with and black & white striped blazer from H&M. I LOVED the blazer, as much as I love many block colour blazers (which as you know are huge right now), I think the stripe on this one really spiced up the outfit and generally made the whole outfit a lot more interesting. 

NOTE- you can't really see Sarah's beige shoes in the pic, but they are FIERCE darling, and have some gorgeous detail on them. Check out her fashion blog @ ...

its-sarahh.blogspot.com
It's VERY good... :)
CX

 

My loves...

So here is something that i've put together, it's just a few of my favourite brands, items... basically everything that inspires me. These images are the reason I love fashion...

Alexander McQueen- Lee McQueen was an exceptional fashion designer & I adore every one of his pieces. RIP

Vivienne Westwood- This woman has never been in the industry for the fame and the money, for VW it's purely about passion.

Mulberry Bayswater- My favourtie woman's bag. Classic & classy, it will never date.

Daring Jewellery- ATM I'm really into more 'out there' jewellery.

Topshop/Topman- You can't beat this high-street retailer. Pull it out the bag every season, LOVEIT.

LONDON!- The best place for inspiration...

Paul Smith- An all-time favourite of mine, the quirky stripe just does it!

Photography- There's something about capturing the moments that mean something to me...

CX

And so it begins...

So I'm currently in a great point, I'm living in Dubai, have great friends and family and have a huge love for fashion. I always have and I know I always will. I've just been accepted to start a Level 3 Diploma in Fashion Retail at the Fashion Retail Academy in London, starting this September. So yes, you could say things are looking up! I've decided to start a blog, seeing as I'm aspiring to hopefully become big in the fashion world, it made sense for me to have somewhere to save all my memos, express what i'mLOVING in fashion at the moment, and just have some fun!

The name, 'designerst' was basically something that I came up with, as i'm a huge lover of designer and high street clothing. I love mixing them. Seeing what bargains I can come up with & matching them with some gorgeous little accessories or whatnot thrills me. I want to show and  people that you CAN mix the two as some inspirational fashionistas have done, designer is not always the way!

I will also be including general trends, styles I love no matter what trend/season/decade/era we are in, & just showing what looks good, with helpful hints and tips.

I hope you enjoy...

CX