Carolina Herrera - Pre AW13-14

Oh wow! The prints throughout this pre collection are amazing! Embroidery, print and vibrant colours! My first pre collection with NO leather! However I am seeing a lovely bright red, emerald green and navy blue.

The models in this photo shoot are also perfect for these dresses! I am so excited to see what Carolina Herrera has got in store for AW13-14

Photos are from Vogue

Things I got!

Knitting book and a started knitting set. I really want to know how to knit, I'm finding it a bit tricky for the moment. 

Lady Gaga's Fame Perfume and shower gel. The gel is also black, it looks more grey in the lid. They both smell amazing! 

Owl gloves. The owls have little pom poms for ears. 

 Pin cushion

Mug with cable knit cosy. It even has a little button so you can take it off. How cute is that!

Mustache chocolate lollipops

Little hand warmer with cover. I love how the hand warmer is shaped as a hot water bottle.

I love owls and heres another owl. It is warmer so you can microwave it and it warms up!

My Christmas Tree!

Winter Accessories!

My favourite winter accessories are a Hat and Umbrella! I love hats and I don't care if they don't suit me well. If it keeps my ears warm in the bone chilling cold early in the morning, I will be wearing it! I am also a huge fan of ear muffs but unfortunately they are usually a bit too big for my tiny head and miss the top of my ears - not an effective way of keeping me warm! I love this hat I'm wearing. The embellished bow is what attracted me. You can't go wrong with neutral colours. I wasn't going to buy the hat, I thought I only like the bow I could make it, it wont cost me anything but it was a pretty cheap hat, from Matalan at £5. 

Another accessory I love during the winter is an umbrella. I love polka dots and I saw this umbrella hanging from a mile away! My previous umbrella had just broken so I was on a look out for one. I am so picky when it comes to the price of umbrellas. I do go digging and occasional find ones for £2 that last me a couple years. I did spend £6 on this one from Matalan. It is one of the most expensive umbrellas I have purchased. However it is much larger then my previous one and it's made pretty well, I didn't seem flimsy at all, seems quite strong. 

I think umbrellas are such a good item to accessorise with. When its miserable and raining a nice umbrella is a great way to brighten up your day! I usually go for bright colours but this one is black and white, still pretty with the polka dots. Imagine how lovely everyone would look if they had bright patterned umbrellas! 

Alice + Olivia Pre AW13-14

I love this pre collection by Alice + Olivia. The collection really is city chic! The outfits are edgy with smart and classy pieces from blazers to cute skirts, then complete glam when it comes to evening outfits. The background for this collection is spot on, using the London underground station. 

As a Londoner, I always look at the clothing of other people when waiting at the station. It really is best when its late in the evening. You always see very dressed up women and you think how can she be wearing those heels! I have on occasion been that person! From experience I know never to wear heels in Covent garden - the floor is far too cobbley, my heel just digs in-between the stones. 

The trousers in this collection are great, the variations of leather pants to a smart 3/4 pair then the wide leg edgy glam party look! The trousers in the first picture shows a pair a trousers with leather pocket detail. Having the standard tight fitted pair of leather pants they also have an oversized pair seen in the fourth outfit. There is so much leather in this collection, I love the leather jackets. They also have a sophisticated coat seen in the third outfit. I love the jumpers and blazers used in this collection. The blazers with a similar shape all have different prints. 

These outfits above are far more cute then the previous outfits. The collection goes from edgy glam to cute and sophisticated. I love the high waisted short skirts. The second outfit has a very short skirt but it looks great with the long and oversized jumper.

The bags in this collection are also very cute. I love structured bags that hold their shape. They all look very similar but with different features such as different handles or chains. 

The dresses in this collection are cute and edge. Some of the prints used in this collection are very unique, like in the fourth dress. The end two outfits are evening wear and very glamorous. The fifth outfit is all in nude. I love whole outfits in the same colour but with different textures, like the fur coat to compliment the dress. Also the sixth outfit, a bright red lace dress with a leather jacket.

Alice + Olivia really has got this pre collection on point. I love the mix of different things, with the prints but overall the collection is glamorous and edgy! The background for the pictures is great and also is the model, she does so much in these pictures, at times being cute with funny faces, then she has a cold ice pose!

I have seen so much leather in these pre AW13-14 collections but I am also seeing a lot of bright red.

Juicy Couture - Pre AW13-14

The knit jumpers with embellishments are my favourite! We all have simple cardigans that we throw on from time to time. I am always on a look out for a comfortable cardi with a unique feature; like crazy colourful buttons. I think an embellished jumper would be such an easy item to style, you could even customise it yourself!

The third outfit has a lace blazer with solid cuffs, collar and lapel. It holds shape and a great garment to style a casual going out look. The fourth outfit is of a simple cut dress with not much detail but I love the material it is in. You can't go wrong with a LBD but by having a black dress with black embroidery detail or print, it gives the right amount of detail so you can blend in but not look exactly the same to everyone else!

Photos from Vogue.co.uk - edited by myself

High street leather garments

Continuing with the leather theme all my posts seem to be about this week, I have done a bit of online searching and found a few pieces I really like. I would definitely recommended you buy any leather looking item in person. You want to check what the quality is like and that it fits you right. Leather isn't stretchy so if it doesn't fit then that wont be good, especially if its meant to be fitted! Fake leather can stretch depending on the material, but some plastics don't stretch either!

I have only looked at a few websites because If I continue I will be online shopping with money I don't have to spend! I'm going to wait until the boxing day sales to buy anything because you know half this stuff will be on sale soon! I have looked at Forever 21, Debenhams and New Look.

Jackets! Forever 21 have a couple I like. Leather jackets are most commonly fitted so it is a must to try on!

 

I love this jacket it has stitching detail, you don't want anything too fussy! 

Cutawat moto Jacket - £32.75

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=outerwear&ProductID=2025100966

I really like this jacket however I am not a fan on the gold studs but they do match the gold zips! Quilt and leather - Cant get better than that mix!

Studded quilted racer jacket - £32.75

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=outerwear&ProductID=2030186156

From the picture this shirt doesn't look cheap. This top is great for layering and anything with a little leather look has an edge to it!

Cameo Rose Black Leather-look trim shirt - £14.99

http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/tops/cameo-rose-black-leather-look-trim-shirt_273385301

Peplum is everywhere, Its such a simple shape and so flattering on! You cant go wrong with a simple peplum leather top!

Club L Black leather-look Peplum top - £19.99

http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/tops/club-l-black-leather-look-peplum-top_263436901

This is such a simple top but the extra detail looks so great. The embellishments and partly leather. Great if you just want a touch of edge and detail.

Black Faux leather panelled double peplum hem top - £38.00

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_009010805060_-1?breadcrumb=Home~txtleather~Women~Tops

Bustiers look so great! By themselves or layered! I think any one of these would go great with the leather trim shirt! 

Cropped faux leather bustier - £10.50

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=top&ProductID=2025102459

Studded faux leather bustier top - £19.75

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=top&ProductID=2025876362

You can not go wrong styling a simple pencil skirt. (make sure it is fitted properly)

Black leather-look panel pencil skirt - £19.99

http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/skirts/black-leather-look-panel-pencil-skirt_259918301

I love this skirt. A lot of people say you shouldn't be too matching but I do not care! I would wear this with the quilted jacket! I love how it had the pockets outside as a design feature. I also like how the pattern on the pocket facing is smaller than the actual skirt pattern.

Quilted faux leather skirt - £18.75

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=btms&ProductID=2027704825

I love these shorts. I think they're meant to be fitted so the type of synthetic leather it is would most probably stretch. 

Rub pannel shorts - £12.75

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&Category=btms&ProductID=2019572083

A lot of these leather garments would look great in an outfit together. These garments are quite inexpensive however most things are usually on sale and if you cant find the exact same one another high street shop would have a different variation!

All pictures are from the website link below the picture. 

Jason Wu Pre AW13-14

Once again leather inspired looks. I don't mean to keep choosing designers that are using a lot of leather but I just see it everywhere! I am currently into leather and I expect to see so much more. I find it hard to like an all leather outfit, it can be a bit too much but Jason Wu really does leather dresses justice. His clothing with leather details are great. I love the third outfit above, rarely do you see pockets on the outside of trousers but using a contrasting material like leather you can't go wrong.The first two outfits have garments with leather, styled with a stripe print. The second outfit has a knit top in the stripe pattern but I think the first outfit has the stripe pattern also in leather.  

I love the volume and shape you get with heavy weight material like the first and second outfit above. Emerald green is such a great colour for the winter season. The third outfit is a green coat with fur, still using leather detail. The collar and zip stand are both in leather and give the coat really great detail. So much is going on with this coat but it looks great.

I am so picky when it comes to leather dresses. Unfortunately some lower brands fake leather (pleather/leatherette) is very cheap so you really need to scrutinise when buying from a high street retailer. I am very blunt when shopping (its a bad habit) if something is awful I will say, however I don't say anything rude when it is not my taste. I only say bad things when clothing is badly made. My boyfriend said something to me that made me feel a bit more "positive" towards very fake cheap leather. I was shocked by this retailer's fake leather jacket and I did say out loud how cheap it looked, my boyfriend replied with "Its not cheap leather, just really good plastic!". I have a huge love for plastic and plastic clothing. I wish I had money to spend on a very expensive, great looking leather dress - but I don't so I choose very carefully! (little ramble over). 

Jason Wu has made some great leather dresses - shape and cut is on point, plus the dresses are the perfect length you cant go wrong with just above the knee. The third and fourth outfit in the picture above are party styles, leather and sequins is a great mix as well as leather and light weight material. Like the leather halter top with the soft bow. The leather on the fourth dress really structure the shape. 

Constantly talking about leather and my final outfit is of the mesh sequin dress. It slightly remind me of a mermaid. The sequins perfectly represent scales. It's covered in the right places and showing the right parts too, complimenting the models figure.  

I am trying to do a Pre collection post until fashion week, hopefully I stick with it. I may do a leather post about where you can get faux leather clothing at good prices. 

Pictures are from Vogue and edited by myself