it’s time to brighten up your winter wardrobe
The beginning of the new season means it’s time to brighten up your winter wardrobe. Cast the downbeat, dull shades of black, brown and navy-blue you’ve been hiding in during the dark, winter months to the back of your closet and let a more playful palette move in. Inject some colour this spring with a range of yummy candy coloured shades. This spring is all about fun. It’s fresh, innocent and girlie with a grown up twist.
Look good enough to eat by wearing a range of strawberry pinks, lemonade yellows, playful coral and peach hues, minty greens and tangerine tones. Coloured denim is a hot look for spring, but may seem a little daunting to wear, especially if the last time you wore it you were playing in a sandpit! The key is to tone it down with clean, fresh whites and bring in bright funky accessories to complement your new capsule wardrobe.
If you’re colour shy, you can still indulge in a little colour therapy by choosing bright candy cane shades of accessories. Candy coloured watches have made an appearance on the catwalk and are everywhere on the high street, pick a rainbow hue to add a sugary sweet touch to any outfit. A complimentary pair of shoes completes your look, and can instantly refresh and update your favourite pair of denims. Add a pop of colour with a fresh and funky bright ballet flat, or if you prefer a bit of height a bright patent pair of heels. A matching clutch and an on trend, light coloured blazer complete your sugary sweet spring look.
McQueen puts his stamp on the fashion scene
British fashion designer, Alexander McQueen was found dead in his plush London apartment on 11th February 2010, just 9 days after his mother’s death. Renowned for his crazy sculptural fashion creations, particularly his stunning accessories, McQueen was the rebel of the fashion scene. His wild imagination envisaged fantasy, and brought it alive through his creative designs.
McQueen boasted celebrity clients such as Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Kate Moss to name just a few, but he was known to shun the limelight and had a certain disregard for the celebrity circuit. Along with his celebrity clients, he had an abundance of fans across the globe, all of whom agree that Alexanda McQueen changed the face of fashion forever.
Mcqueen’s most recent design was worn by Lady Gaga in her video ‘Bad Romance’. A visual spectacle, she wore a stunning shoe boot that was dubbed both the ‘Armadillo’ shoe and the ‘Lobster Claw’ by the press. These chunky, platform shoe boots have since set the world of fashion alight. They have now been produced in a multitude of flamboyant designs.
Since their debut on the feet of Gaga, these chunky heels have paraded up and down catwalks all over the world. They have been sighted in a variety of exquisite and luxurious prints and colours. Spectators were able to feast their eyes on a particularly striking, rich green snakeskin design as well as a pair that resembled a plume of beautiful peacock’s feathers.
Vibrant emerald blue tones have been favoured by fans as the most visually appealing pair and were picked out amongst a sea of metallic hues. The single pair that drew the most publicity was the pair in a delicate nude shade that was smattered in a stunning abundance of kaleidoscopic jewels and 3D appliqué. It was a sad day for fashion and Sexy shoes pays tribute to Alexander McQueen, a modern day fashion genius.
When I grow up I want to be…….a ballet dancer!
Every little girl dreams of being a ballerina, their first pointe shoes and more importantly of walking and dancing elegantly en-pointe. Sadly however, many don’t quite make it to these dizzy new heights and lose interest once they actually try and cram their foot into these shoes. Stuffed with cotton wool and fastened for dear life, the art of moving around en-pointe is a lot harder than it looks and, if not done properly can make you look incredibly clumsy rather than elegant and beautiful.
Many girls give up on their ballerina dreams out of sheer frustration, and hang up their pointe shoes. The inevitable result is regretful hindsight and a longing to be given that chance again.
The bitterness, frustration and disappointment of not being able to walk in them has been long forgotten. Until now, pointe shoes symbolised innocent aspiration. Now, the pointe shoe has grown up and gone all kinky on us.
Sculptural shoes have made their appearance on the catwalk in music videos and have recently been featured in various fashion magazines. They take ‘skyscraper heels’ to a whole new level and literally have you tottering around like a ballerina en-pointe due to their extremely high, eye wateringly thin, stiletto heel. The heel makes you put almost all of your weight onto your toes and so allow you to finally live out your ballerina dreams.
Originally designed for bedroom play, they quickly became a fetish object. In particular, they were usually worn during sessions of bondage and submission. By stepping into these heels you aren’t able to move very fast, and may even fall over and have to crawl on all fours! Or perhaps, the pain brings out the masochist in your partner.
For all you fashionistas out there, ballerina fetish heels are making their way to a high street near you, and are set to be a hot look for summer 2010. So girls, it’s time to whip your pointe shoes out and get practicing. You have been warned.
Interview with Annette Betté Kellow
We caught up with the fabulous Annette Betté Kellow, a vintage cabaret performer come dancer who has recently become a model a la vintage. We wanted to find out just where her passion for old school glamour emanated from, as well as her love for shoes and the world of burlesque...
So Annette, how did you get into the world of vintage cabaret?
I started studying burlesque after I finished drama school. It seemed like a natural path to take as I have always had a great admiration for vintage dance and a passion for old Hollywood costumes. I particularly admire Moro Landis and MGM movie attire.
Do you choose your own stage outfits?
I have a collection of old costumes that I got from a source in America. They had been featured on all the old movies and musicals from the 40’s to early 60’s and the costumes are truly a work of art! - They’re simply stunning and I feel so lucky to own them.
Who would you say inspires your style, both on and off stage?
Glamour and the golden era! I think people like Rita Hayworth, Audrey Hepburn and Dior are fabulous. And I believe cities like Paris and New York epitomize femininity, elegance and style.
Do you have any secret fashion tips?
For ‘cheap chic' Marks and Spencer’s do a great selection of fitted pencil dresses. This is what I would class as the foundation to much of my style because they always look good and you can wear them during the day and out at night.
Also, it’s very important to accessorise your look; although it’s so easy to forget amongst the busy rush of day-to-day life. To adorn a great pair of earrings and bright lipstick is simple enough, but it can transform your look instantly!
My make up essential has to be…red lipstick! Anyone can wear it; you just have to find the right shade for you.
Last but not least, a girl can never have too many pairs of shoes, so how many do you own?
At one point I did own 50 plus, but now I’ve got it down to about 38 pairs. The majority of my shoes are 50s style heels with a peep toe, but I do have a couple of spangley sky scrapers as they’re great for parties!
Shoe Menders: Make do and mend?!
Britain is in the grip of the worst recession since the 1930’s and so with the price of household bills soaring and the value of houses plummeting like never before, it’s understandable we no longer have the disposable income we used to. And so, as a result it seems we’re battening down the hatches and looking for more ways to save cash. It seems Britons are taking advice from the old wartime mantra ‘make do and mend’ and are repairing items that were, until recently, stashed away at the back of the wardrobe.
Fashion is notorious for recycling old trends, and so it’s time to bring your old items back to life to be bang in fashion this season. If you’re a little younger, rummage through your mum’s wardrobe or even your gran’s to unearth some real vintage treasure. Or, likewise raid your local charity shop for purse friendly finds.
It seems us savvy Brits are dusting down our old cast offs and are repairing them instead of splashing the cash on another pair of shoes. Previously, if the heel was worn down and there were holes in the soles we wouldn’t think twice about throwing our beloved heels in the dustbin. Now, instead we are taking them to the shoe menders. Shoe menders across the country have reported that business is booming as a result of credit crunch chic. People that have splashed out on luxurious brands such as Jimmy Choo and Prada are now taking their broken soles to get fixed, ending the trend of disposable fashion. Spending £13.00 on a mending service that can prolong the life of your shoes by years is a thrifty alternative to buying a new pair for £500!
So, if you have a pair of old favourites lurking in the depths of your wardrobe why not dust them off and take them to your local cobblers to give them a new lease of life? By the time they have worked their magic, your old shoes will be back to new in almost no time, and at a fraction of the cost of replacing them with a new pair.
Scarlet Fever on the world of burlesque
We caught up with Channel4’s star faker Scarlet Fever. She appeared on the reality show, ‘Faking it’ in 2006 and has gone on to take the burlesque world by storm. We’re honoured that Scarlet has taken time out of her busy schedule to fill us in on her experiences.
So Scarlet, how did you get into the world of burlesque?
I was lucky enough to get into burlesque when I answered an advert in a magazine in June 2005 to take part in a reality TV show, ‘Faking it’. The producers had 3000 applicants so I didn’t rate my chances too highly. It’s ironic that I hadn’t even heard of burlesque when I applied for the show.
What was it like to work with legendary performers like Wayne Sleep, Miss Immodesty Blaize and Dita Von Teese?
It was an absolutely amazing experience to meet such talented people. Wayne Sleep has always been an idol of mine and meeting him certainly didn’t disappoint. I have met all three again since the show which was also a lovely experience. I learnt so much from them and they helped me so much, both on and off screen. I feel very honoured to have had the opportunity to work with them and the experience was certainly one I will always remember.
Who are your style icons?
I admire Audrey Hepburn and Liza Minelli in Cabaret as it’s my all time favourite film! I love vintage glamour; stockings, corsets and pencil skirts. I definitely believe these show your figure off at its very best and make you look uber sexy!
Do you choose your own stage outfits?
Yes, I do. I also make some things myself, such as fascinators. I also add sparkles and glitter to frilly knickers and shoes. In addition to this I do have two very good corsetieres that supply me with corsets and dresses so I am a very lucky girl indeed.
Do you have any secret fashion tips?
My tips would be to avoid following the crowd, develop your own individual style and don’t be afraid to be different. Also, remember that we all come in different shapes and sizes, so you should always choose clothes wisely. Make sure you emphasise your best assets, and finally, don’t be afraid to accessorise. Any outfit can be vamped up with some carefully chosen accessories.
Why not check out Scarlet's web page for more on the lady herself.