Focus Fashion Notes

There are some fashion styles that have remained ever popular. The original Hippie/Bohemian style has danced its way through the decades starting in the late 60s and had a re-boot in the 9Os as Boho. Flowing maxi dresses and tiered skirts, Indian style tunics and camisole tops.  Originally made with cotton or linen in a range of designs including embroidery, breathable Broderie Anglaise as seen below. Cool, free is the essence of the style in plain white or ecru. Rich colour tie-dye hipster bell-bottoms and t-shirts were an alternative but as today white is an absolute favourite for summer, easy cool for the beach, daytime and festivals. Free spirit and flower power, emphasised by long flowing natural hair adorned with    Indian silk scarves, or ornate floral or beaded headbands, most popular was making your own daisy-chain band or sticking single flowers in your hair. To complete the Bohemian look dresses, skirts or jeans were draped    with earth-coloured ...

Bomber jackets seem to be back on trend with the girls especially wearing the brown leather variety as seen in the movie Top Gun . Running alongside 90s Grunge and Brit Pop was the Rave scene style , basic being baggy jeans, bomber jacket, baggy slogan or Acid House Smiley t-shirt.  The bomber jacket usually had the name of a rave organisation on it or a very specific brand eg Toking and Enjoy . Nike air max were the go-to footwear, the outfit topped off with a Bucket Hat. The vintage 90s jacket featured has an incredibly detailed embroidered logo front and back.   The  Eclipse Club  in Coventry was known to be the UK's first legal all-night rave venue and a massive influence on 1990s club culture . The original Flight MA-1 Bomber jacket was worn by US pilots, quilted lining to keep warm in unheated aircrafts, reversible so the orange lining would make them more visible to search and rescue if they were shot down. If you have a favourite fashion or music icon of...

Oh wow what a start to the New Year, 3 named storms, floods, snow and rain, rain, rain. 0n the bright side its also the start of Fashion Week, music and film awards season where the celebrities seem to be in a "who wears the skimpiest outfit" contest. I mean the winning 'see- through' has to be the low slung nipple ring dress..phew. All creds to those stunners but here in the real world it has been freezing in and out so Ive been literally living in my fleece lined shacket and my faithful Scandi knits and bobble hats . Although I'm not on the Alpine Olympic Team , The Dale of Norway sweater , featured, is my staple winter warmer for walks on the coast and countryside. In 2007 a Faroe Islands knit became iconic in the first Scandi Noir 'The Killing'. The black and white design with a simple star/snowflake pattern was worn by Detective Inspector Sara Lund in all three seasons of the award winning series and so began the Scandi trend. Attention to detai...

I love photographing the changing seasons and what could be more magical than watching the diverse colours of the leaves as they fall, a perfect colour palette for Autumn/Winter transition . Artists throughout history have used these basic hues in their paintings in various media watercolour , oil, pastel goache. Famous artists known to have painted 'Autumn' are Vincent Van Gough , Claude Monet , Katsushika Hokusai and Jason Pollock . Traditional Autumnal hues include raw sienna , cadmium yellow, cadmium red, burnt sienna, olive green, burnt umber, brown ochre vandyke brown and sepia just like the colours in the fallen Beech leaves in the collage below. I love the colour and detail on my boho Monsoon Corduroy midi dress from Next , warm enough on its own but cosier with black polo neck thermal vest and thick black tights for frosty days. Will go well with all kinds footwear but chunky heels go better with maxi or midi as stiletto heels get caught in the hem. So look o...

Autumn highlights and nothing can sparkle more than the glitterati dressed in designer garb at Fashion Week . Wow the juggernaut that is Fashion Week is still driving around the world from New York across the Atlantic Ocean to London , Milan and Paris. TV, music and movie celebrities strutted their stuff on arrival, down the runway and on the front row. Stand-out moments included those iconic much-loved Ad Fab darlings Patsy and Edina at the Burberry front row in London and the 'face to face' meeting of the fictitious Runway editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly in Devil Wears Prada and a real life American Vogue stalwart.   I've been following online and on social media and amazingly the stand-out moment for me was a reel featuring a well-known English actor at the Burberry show sporting what was once known as a ' Donkey Jacket '. Since its creation, the Donkey Jacket has continued to be synonymous with the British working man and subsequently appropriated by a...

From looking at stories in the news and social media reels its now seems pretty risky to walk around with your mobile out or any sort of bag as street crime is on the rise from bike gangs and pick-pockets . It seems you are susceptible anywhere in the street, bars, in stores, railway stations and airports . Bearing this in mind I'm "In the Pink" as my husband got me a PacSafe bag and backpack for our next trip. The little crossbody bag has no inner or outer pockets, (not very girlie I know) but perfect for important stuff like Passport , Bank Cards , sunglasses and iPhone . Slim enough to be worn under a shirt or jacket. If warn outside the zipper can be fastened securely and is not easy to undo.   Described as The "IT" Bag Designed for Safe Travels the assortment of design in various sizes including: Crossbody bags - Sling and waist packs - Backpacks - Wallets all with a variety of anti-theft and security features including slashguards. I'm looking...

T here goes Summer, not just any Summer but one of the hottest on record. Time, belligerently I might say, to bring out the heavyweights or lightweights depending on the temperature. As I write it's blowing a hooley outside, first of the storms to hit the UK. It's lashing rain and Yellow Weather Warnings in place for two days here in the South West , time to bring out the waterproofs and for me yellow is the colour to bring a ray of light on a dreary day. I have three (is that too much?) My go-to is an oh so comfortable hooded shower-proof mac purchased a few years ago online brand Tu Clothing quite a trend setter with navy and white striped lining in the hood. The next is a sleek hooded raincoat excellent quality with statement button fastenings and trims from Roman , smart for town and city wear perfect for not so cold Autumn days. Lastly a warm, ultra cosy padded rain-proof parka from Regatta perfect for hiking on the moors or walks on a windy beach in rain and snow. There...