Hi guys!

Firstly, I must apologise for the fact there was no Blog of the Month competition last month – our forum server where we normally take entries died a sad death so we had to go back to the drawing board as to how to run the competition.

Here’s the deal:

• The competition still works in exactly the same way (you give us your name, email and blog URL, I draw up a shortlist mid-month, and then the whole team decides the winner between us to be announced at the end of the month). The only difference is to enter, instead of going to our forum, simply comment on this post! Simple? Cool.

Some Features We’re Looking for in a Winner:

1. Frequent Posts - we’re not suggesting you post a daily essay worthy of winning a literary award. We’re just suggesting you post on a relatively frequent basis. At least once or twice a week would be a good guideline.
2. Variety of Posts – I like to see a blog that doesn’t just focus on one thing, i.e. not just personal style posts, not just reviews and not just editorial. We like to see bloggers that are multi-skilled, and most of you are, so keep it up!
3. Spelling/Grammar – It seems obvious, but as an editor I read endless things that don’t make sense and the grammar basics aren’t even used. We all make the odd mistake but if you do it regularly, it starts to look really unprofessional. Note: misuse of apostrophes and there/they’re/their can kill an otherwise good post. Seriously.
4. Layout – Easy to read, easy to navigate and pretty to look at please! Simple as that. Aesthetics can be just as important as content!
5. Individuality – blogs that do nothing but regurgitate everthing every other blogger out there is doing? Yawn. A blog that has a unique voice, unique style, or unique layout will get mega points from our editors. Be yourself! You won’t be good at being something you’re not and that does show through in posts if you do that, honest!

Still haven’t put you off?! To enter, comment below with your name, email, blog URL and a sentence about what makes you a winner! As a prize, you’ll be featured on our homepage for the entire month of your win, receive promotion through all our social media outlets and get a shiny badge to put on your blog to announce to all your readers just how awesome you really are! Plus, it’s always good to put an ‘Awards’ section on your CV.

Looking forward to reading all your gems!

Rachel x
- Deputy Editor

What I love about howies is their straight-up attitude to, well, just about everything.  They make the kind of clothes you’ll be proud to wear because they look good and they have that feel about them that lets you know they’re well made, but they want you to get them dirty doing stuff outside.  As well as as having their own indoor cycling track team, you’ll often find them at outdoor mountain biking events, or going surfing, and it’s not just a gimmick.  The business is staffed by the kind of people who like doing that sort of thing, which makes sense, as knowing your onions is what makes you a good…  Onion seller.

That’s not to say that they don’t use this knowledge to create powerful and effective marketing though.  Their catalogues and lookbooks are created on ‘adventures’, where the team take the latest collection, a bunch of willing, like-minded individuals and head outdoors to show the world what they can do on foot/a bike/a skateboard/a surfboard.  By the time you’ve checked out the whole collection, you can’t work out whether you want to take up a new outdoor pursuit, get a job with howies or move to somewhere in Wales.  But alongside all that, you know you want the clothes.

It doesn’t come cheap – unless you luck out in some of their amazing online and ‘in person’ sales – but sustainable materials and manufacturing processes are always going to cost more, and it’s a price worth paying.  Supersoft wool cardis, organic cotton t-shirts with funny stuff written on them and cute dresses you can throw on when you’re just, you know, being cool, it’s not just a brand you’re buying into, it’s a lifestyle.

(For the record, the ‘Things I Love’ series comes from a desire to share some of my favourite things with you, my lovely reader.  I am not paid to endorse particular brands or products, and would only ever write about what takes my fancy.)

This year it is clearly a time for a touch of luxury and indulgence to return to our currently bright and bold wardrobes. With Dolce and Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Christopher Kane and Louis Vuitton all incorporating decadent details into their collections, it is hard to resist the ornate trend.

Dolce & Gabbana

This is a style all about femininity and “pretty” but there is a slightly modern twist this time around.  Bright turquoises, blues and even bursts of yellow are all over the catwalk and it seems the contrast of fun and summery colours against the more demure designs is what it’s all about.  There is also a continuation and overlap of the metallic trend with Marc Jacob’s stunning satin coats. Miu Miu and Vuitton have both also embraced heavy satin whereas Valentino focused on the brocade.

Louis Vuitton

Valentino

Layering texture is an excellent look if you fancy adopting this trend. I love the idea of mixing lace, silk and even a tougher fabric such as leather. Personally I always like to add a rebellious or ‘shabby’ touch to a girly outfit but with this seasons brighter colours and silver lining, the style pretty much comes with it’s own quirky edge.

When I think of decadence and luxury I am always reminded of 17^th Century Baroque fashion, an era I have always loved. Heavy and ornate fabrics and even shoes were key elements of both men and women’s wear in those days and the idea of reviving some of this luxury is something that greatly appeals to me.

It also reminds me of one of my favourite photo shoots by Javier Vallhonrat from the Vogue September Issue in 2009.  Modelled by Freja Beha and shot in a beautiful, decaying luxury Esq location, it inspired me to compose a photo shoot focused around the life of Georgiana Cavendish, which I photographed at the Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle a couple of years ago.

Vogue, September 2009. Shot by Javier Vallhonrat

Vogue, September 2009. Shot by Javier Vallhonrat

 Bring some intricacy and embellishment into your life this summer, because there is no other trend which will make you feel more fabulous and opulent!

Bek  XO

One of the reasons for this is that we’re lucky enough to have a high street that offers on trend fashion for fairly reasonable prices. Shops like Topshop and River Island make fashion accessible to the masses. But another reason is that we’re so dominated by celebrity culture that a large majority are desperate to emulate anyone and everyone who appears on TV. It’s not so much about style anymore – people just want to look the same as the girls from TOWIE or Kate Middleton (one or the other and not a mixture of both at the same time, you’d hope).

The problem is that in the desire to conform to a celebrity uniform real individuality gets lost. And girls are becoming indoctrinated at younger and younger ages. They’re not being allowed the time to develop their own sense of style because they’re bombarded with images of what they think they should look like before they’ve learnt to walk.
There are a few things you can do to avoid becoming a carbon copy of everyone else without having to carve up Daisy the cow:

1. Explore independent boutiques and online sites that sell individual pieces
2. Customise your own clothes
3. Take inspiration from different cultures around the world and experiment.

But if all that fails then perhaps Gaga has actually cracked it – everything’s already been done so the only way to remain individual is to wear clothes made from foodstuffs. Banana skin skirt anyone?

It is that time of the year again when tedious tasks are taking forever, deadlines are on the horizon and popping out for an ice cream or brunch with friends seems more attractive than creating a new blog post or replying to the fifty or so e mails that have piled up in your inbox.  If you follow these tips I guarantee that you will return to your blog with more ideas and inspiration than before.  Working from home can be one of the hardest things to do as there are so many distractions around but if you plan out your week and schedule  posts life will feel that much easier and more enjoyable.

How do you take the stress out of your life so you can focus on what you enjoy?  Efficient  time management skills enable you to devote a balanced amount of time to your blog and  what you enjoy in real life.   That is what life as a fashion blogger is all about isn’t it, actually WEARING the clothes?

Lists

Lists are a great way of keeping track of what you are doing to day to day whilst keeping you focussed on your long term goals.  Plus, at the end of the day when you have achieved your goals you get that extra smug sense of achievement.  Don’t forget to keep your daily lists realistic as impossible targets can only lead to one thing…stress!

Prioritise 

We all like to think we can do everything and as individuals we have a lot of pressure from modern society to do everything and be perfect.    It is not possible to be healthy and overwork yourself so make sure you do what makes you happy and if that means waiting a few days to update your blog why not? You only live once!

Visual Cues

Indulge your Post it Note fetish and colour code your desk.  Not only are there amazing varieties available (ahum…heart shapes,  arrows) there is also the satisfaction of removing them as the day progresses which leads to that amazing feeling called achievement.

Take a Break

Everyone needs some “me time” and attending a  press event, updating your blog as well as a full time job or lectures at the same time is impossible .  Eat chocolate, dance with your cat and go and see a film…we all need to recharge sometimes and life is too short to miss out on what makes you truly happy.

Shao Yen AW12, London Fashion Week (Photo: Rachel Michaella Finn)

Hi guys!

This is Community Manager Rachel Michaella here, and I’m posting today to tell you guys about a new project British Style Bloggers are launching which I’m pretty excited about!

We want YOU to send us your questions, queries for advice or general ponderings about fashion in general, the industry, journalism/blogging, what we do at BSB or any other questions you can think of to be answered by our editors in an upcoming video series!

So, have you ever wondered how you could get yourself into fashion week, even if you haven’t managed to get yourself a press pass? What happens at the after-parties? What our top tips for getting into fashion blogging are? How we started in this business? Our top writing tips? What it’s like to be shot by the fashion paparazzi at Somerset House? How you can get chances to write for us?

Whatever it is, we want to hear it!

To submit your question for a chance to be answered in the next few weeks, there are a few things you can do. You can leave your question in the comment box below, tweet me @rachelmichaella or the team @British_Style, e-mail me at rachel.finn@britishstylebloggers.org.uk or leave your question on our Facebook page, whichever takes your fancy.

Thanks guys, and I hope to hear from you soon!

Rachel xx :)

In terms of style the nineties can be a difficult decade to pin down. Perhaps it is still to fresh in the memory to really start defining but the last couple of seasons nineties style has enjoyed something of a renaissance on the catwalk and on the high street. For the most part the nineties was an amalgamation of style, music, fashion and culture were all influenced by a number of previous movements and aesthetics. The most notable style was in fact a lack of style or a rejection of fashion. An indifference towards catwalk styles and instead the embracing of a simple, casual way of dressing consisting of jeans, t-shirt and trainers.

An important moment in fashion history occurred in the mid nineties with the introduction of heroin chic. This style began in 1993 with an ad campaign by Calvin Klein featuring a young Kate Moss. The style focused on pale skin, dark circles under the eyes, sharp bone structure, and an androgynous emaciated look. It ran contrary to the healthy look of early nineties supermodels such as Cindy Crawford and Heidi Klum and was accused of glorifying and glamourising drug use. The look ran alongside film releases of Trainspotting and Pulp Fiction which both depict drug use. The heroin chic look was brought to an end in 1997 following the death of fashion photographer David Sorrenti as a result of drug abuse. Although the look was much criticised it did spark the fixation fashion has with the waif like, boyish figure that is still very much circulated today both in fashion circles and popular media.

Source

Nineties style took its influences from a variety of places and the style evolved significantly over the course of the decade. From a revival of hippy style for woman in the mid nineties and Mod styles for men during the Britpop era. Fleeces, bomber jackets, double denim, tracksuits and baseball caps are all indicative of the nineties with an emphasis on sports and casual wear. Hair became long, smooth and straight, often with a fringe. This was in sharp contrast to the big curls of the eighties. Highlights and streaks became popular with both men and women, men dyed the ends of spiked hair a lighter colour.

Many of you reading this probably grew up in the nineties and if you are anything like me you probably have some pretty questionable fashion memories. Who among us remembers wearing; black leggings with white socks, gypsy tops, babydoll dress, crop tops, capri pants and chunky wedges, to name but a few. I know I certainly sported a few of these items back in the day.

While it can be difficult to pin down a certain look there are many elements of nineties fashion that are being revived in current styles; denim shirts, neon, sportswear for example and many items made popular in the nineties that are still part of everyday wear; leggings, plaid shirts, low waisted jeans.

What are your nineties fashion memories?

Hi everyone!!

So sorry for the delay in announcing the winner! I’m sure any student out there can back me up when I say that during exam period (i.e. now) things get super hectic and I’m a couple of days behind on everything at the minute. ARGH. Life as Student + Fashion Editor = absolute madness at times. Please accept my apologies!
ANYWAY…

I’m happy to announce that our Blog of the Month winner for April is… (drum roll please!)

Girl In The Lens 

Congrats! I loved the professional look of your blog as well as the range of posts. Definitely one of the best blogs I’ve seen in a while!
If you could e-mail me at rachel.finn@britishstylebloggers.org.uk or tweet me @rachelmichaella we can work on the next steps.

Entry for May’s Blog of the Month will open for entries very soon on our forum – keep linked to our Twitter and Facebook for the entry link over the next few days!

Rachel xx
(British Style Bloggers’ Community Manager)

Welcome. Welcome to our crazy community. Welcome to a whole new way of life. Welcome to a challenge which may well change your life. But, more than anything, welcome to hard work, perseverance, and commitment.

Right now, at the very beginning of your journey, it probably seems as though blogging is a radical, exciting, and completely glamorous thing to be involved in. There are so very many success stories out there, and bloggers are becoming more and more prevalent in popular culture. There are bloggers making a living from their websites, and there are bloggers who are making the front row of fashion week on a regular basis. Bloggers are becoming known as genuine authorities on their subjects of choice. Bloggers are constantly in the spotlight. We’re slowly taking over the world – and I really can’t blame you for wanting to grab yourself a piece of that.

It looks easy, I suppose. It looks like these people are magically gaining notoriety, and it looks like you could find the same yourself, really easily.

I’m not saying that you can’t. I would never suggest that: you might be able to.

But, here’s the thing. It’s not as easy as all that.

Blogging is tough. It’s a lifestyle choice, and a commitment. It’s a relationship and a readership and a community. It’s hard work, effort and continuity. It’s perseverance and failure. But, it is absolutely worth it.

Yesterday, I put out a call on twitter and facebook to members and readers of British Style Bloggers, asking them what lessons they wished they’d known when they were starting out, and what they think new bloggers should know. The responses I got, on twitter and facebook, as well as in emails, were resoundingly similar. Everyone wants you to know that blogging is not an easy task. It’s something that will take effort.

I personally had about six different blogs before I found the one that worked for me. Now that I’ve moved on from that blog (thanks to technical difficulties… *sigh*), I’ve lost the passion I once had. Find a blog that works for you, and don’t be surprised if you don’t get it right the first time.

Do your research. Read blogs. Everyone knows that the best advice an aspiring author can get is to be an avid reader: I think that the same works for blogging. Read blogs, and comment on blogs, and join the conversation. For the love of God, though, please don’t just comment “OMG that’s so cool, read my blog”. You will be spammed. Trust me.

Build up your site before you launch it. Make sure you have a few articles written before you tell people about your site. Ask friends to look over your design. Redesign and redesign and redesign. Don’t settle for second best.

Pick the site you host with carefully. The generally accepted rules I’ve gathered seem to be that blogger is good, but wordpress is better. Typepad is hipster, and everything else is not worth your time. Tumblr, for the record, is not a legitimate place to start a proper blog.

Learn your law. Don’t get sued. Don’t steal people’s images.

Work hard. Get the word out. Spread joy, love, and your message.

Take photos with joy, and make sure that every single post is important to you. Don’t drop the ball even once.

Technology does not a blogger make. So you don’t have a MacBook, or a smartphone, or a DLSR camera? So what?!

Ignore the haters. Don’t let people tell you that you’re not good enough. Be patient; your work will pay off.

And, most of all… have fun.

Good luck.

Basically: I’m not going to print any form of the original problem here – I’ll give you the gist. Because I don’t want anyone to think that it was them who this was about. If you still think it might have been, rest assured that it wasn’t; no-one has noticed you, and now that you know how to fix it nobody will.

Problem: How to tell a friend everybody can see their whole breast(s) when they lean forward, bend over, or basically move their shoulders in any way at all.

Toughie, right? If it’s someone who won’t mind this isn’t a problem at all (you just tell them), but if it’s someone who WILL mind it can easily seem like a nightmare situation. I’m not going to set out how to tell someone this at all – all I’ll say is that you need to think about who you are saying it to, be straightforward, and if there is any embarrassment concentrated on it should be yours. Don’t try to pander to or fix theirs, because that is like shining a spotlight into dark places. Friends let friends lick wounds in private.

What I shall do it provide this handy guide below, which you may print out or email or tumblr or whathaveyou  – just make sure it gets, without judgement or bold hints, to anyone who does have this naked problem.

Of course, this is also a useful thing to have if you have never worried about nipple-flashing but are thinking about summer wardrobes.  You know that vague statistic that floats about, a third or so of women in Britain are wearing a wrongly sized bra? Well, this late spring, pre-holiday shopping season is the time at which that starts to intersect with the lower necklines and looser fit of the gathered holiday blouse or paper-thin nautical t-shirt. If you want to be sure that you’re only showing your nipples to those people whom you choose.. In fact, even if you don’t mind who gets to look, a well fitting bra is good for your body. Because a bad one puts everything off balance.

And so -

A Clairefix Guide to nipples in summer:

Run free, bend wild, shrug happy.

Peace out,

Clairefix