Scottish Textiles

My mum always says that today’s fashion is just a rehash of decades past, a lot of time I have to disagree with her, however for autumn/winter 2011/12 I can’t, because the fashionable seventies are back baby!

The era that first brought ups the flare, palazzo pants, maxi dresses, playsuits and jumpsuits is in the full fashion throws this season. Decadent style of the era and plenty of colour around make this season one of the most interesting I think we have seen for a while. I could be quite biased however because I have always had a thing for all things seventies!

With this trend it can be quite hard to know where to start, highstreet shops are awash with women’s clothing in seventies styling, so it can be quite hard to know what to go for first.

If you have maxi dresses from summer, don’t pack them away you will be able to get use out of them for autumn/winter too. They look great layered with a blouse or a cute jumper or cardigan, adding a layer of warmth when it gets cooler. The same applies to your playsuits and jump suits and a pair of tights and a jacket can help you make an easy transition.

What you need to stock up on are wide legged trousers (palazzo pants) and flared jeans, which you can get low slung or high waisted depending on your body type. Other useful additions include pussy bow blouses and sheer tops. Accessory wise, you want to opt for chunky heels, wedges and platforms and oversized clutch bags. Floppy hats and sheers scarves are also great accessories that will complete your look and make sure you opt for plenty of jewellery, including dangly earing’s and rows of beads.

We saw it appear on the legs of Rihanna and Zoe Kravitz last season and we see it on schoolgirl kilts every day:  the ‘ole knee high and ankle socks paired up with heels, and even open shoes.  The verdict may still be out on this trend’s wearability, but runways have confirmed; this past trend may be around for just a bit longer.  Runways somehow seem to make this once fashion faux pas a fashion faux.  So if you want to layer your best heels over your ankle socks, go right ahead.

Wearing this look can instantly update a shoe, even an older one.  There does seem to be rules on how to wear this trend properly, however, without looking like a laughingstock.  Take note.

Opt for iridescent ankle socks to add a bit of fun and style to basic heels.  Your socks will act like an accessory, especially when combined with nude or ivory heels.  Dress up your open toes and let your sandals take you into autumn with short ankle socks combined with bare legs.  This look goes great with coloured sandals in the evening.  Also spotted on the runway:  thick chunky and even army socks paired up with simple styled sandals.  There is margin for error here, so take a close look in the mirror first.  You can also continue to wear knee high socks to help balance out platforms, laceups, and the ever so popular wedge heel this autumn.

As designers play around with conventional fashion ideas to create new looks, fashion lovers will notice more male-inspired designs for this autumn.  Loose fitting, masculine type outfits such as felt suits and trousers with white shirts will be dominating the fashion scene.  Other things to look for include pinstripes, coats, riding jackets and tuxedos.

How to Bring out Femininity

Since these pieces are deliberately cut to be rigid and big, they carry a very masculine look and feel to them, especially when on a small frame.  For this reason designers like Moschino and Dolce & Gabbana have added sequins and embroidery for women who need that feminine touch.  Aside from this women can use accessories to bring out their softer side.

Heels, silk scarves, purses, brightly coloured lipstick and jewellery can also give a feminine touch.  Women can pair regular sexy, close fitting tops with trousers or wear deep V neck tops, these also make great inside blouses for suits.  Some outfits by Michael Kors use this idea along with shiny trousers to soften or complement the look.  Based on runway presentations, women can also pair close fitting pants or leggings with baggy shirts and jackets.

Wearing the Look Without the Designer Price

Hats, suspenders, handkerchiefs and belts are all great ways of turning existing outfits into the season’s latest fashion.  Also a regular men’s suit or pants that fit well matched with the right accessories can be used to achieve many of the looks debuted in the runway. Another alternative is to go for a regular pair of leggings, white male shirt and an overcoat.

It seems at the moment what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, or in the case in the fashion world what’s good for women is good for men, case in point the colour trend. Statement colours were big on the autumn/winter runways for both mens fashion and ladies designers like Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Paul Smith opting for brighter pallets, especially with outer wear. This has also trickled down to highstreet brands such as Topman, Burtons, Firetrap, French Connection and Voi.

The colours you should be aiming for are, burnt oranges, berry reds, bold blue and mossy greens, and mix and match with plain clothes to brighten up your look or other bright items to create a statement. The colour revolution started on the catwalks with designers choosing stand out duffel coats, over coats and padded jackets and as mention this has carried onto the highstreet so you don’t have to worry about forking out for designer clothing, when 883 Police and Firetrap have plenty to choose from.

Think that fashion isn’t for you? Think again! It might be hard to know where to start with fashion when you have no idea, but just by following a few simple points you can look good in the latest trends.

Firstly, try to keep track of brands. A simple internet search can help you to find out which are the latest brands. You don’t have to wear expensive designer labels to look on-trend – it works just as well to copy the latest trends; clothes resembling expensive designer brands can be found in many high street shops.

As well as keeping track of brands, it is important to remember not to just follow the crowd! Develop your own style; try to use pieces of popular latest styles with more traditional, individual items. You can take ideas from celebrities, but don’t copy entire outfits as they rarely work as well as they do for the celebrity. Wear what makes you feel good. Accessories can be really useful in creating individual, on-trend outfits – think hats, belts and watches.

Footwear is an important outfit feature that is not to be missed – it can make or break an outfit. You can dress up or dress down any outfit just by choosing appropriate footwear. Designer trainers can create a good look; there is a wide range of plimsolls currently available in all different colours and styles, and these can also be great for personalising.

Finally, it is important to just be yourself and enjoy wearing the clothes you choose – a fashion obsession is not attractive, but a little fashion awareness goes a long way!

Edgy denim clothing brand Firetrap, was founded in 1993, the company has continuously focused on edgier elements of dressing and the spirit of British culture. The brand was launched in the era of ‘Brit Pop’ when boundaries of fashion were being pushed.  This focus worked for 16 years then in 2009 the Firetrap decided to re-evaluate their public perception. They changed their future direction, style and message and ‘Londonism’ was born.

Now firetrap stock a range of mens clothing and women’s clothing as well as shoes and accessories, plus not forgetting their jeans collection, where the brand really started, their ‘roots’. Their collection now features the spirit of London as well as a sexy raw attitude, making them stand out from the crowd.

Firetrap have a number of standalone stores showcasing British spirit and dark, rebellious attitude, they also have numerous concessions as well around the UK as well as a large international presence in 30 countries, approximately 1,500 doors worldwide. There are numerous Firetrap concessions across Europe including Italy, Germany and France.

Like with many brands Firetrap also have a presence in the music scene and champion new music talent as well as underground venues and subversive cultures that many of Firetraps fans hold dear. They have also sponsored numerous music festivals including Stag & Dagger festival and Bestival, not to mention collaborations with iD Magazine, DazedDigital.com and Ziad Ghanem at London Fashion Week.

Whether the temperature is mild or sweltering, or even if it barely feels like summer, the season is usually about colours.  This is the time most people dare to wear bright hues that they normally neglect, and explore the world of prints.

Simple Summer Rules:

Consider floral dresses and skirts to maximize the look without getting too many pieces.  A floral dress that fits right can easily be toned down with sober accessories so you get to buy shoes, bags, tops and jewellery that are not marked by the season.  To take it a step further, consider a few 50s styled pieces that have been making a way back into this season.

Get fun accessories; some people may not be daring enough to wear a bright or multi-coloured outfit but a sorbet lemon knee length dress, complete with a shiny or metallic pink belt is a great way to wear the season without being too loud.  Bags and sunglasses are also great choices.

Look for shoes that say “summer”; both in terms of design and colour.  Consider materials that can be worn outside of summer as well, so a bright red painted pair might be a better idea than a metallic one, depending on your particular social scene.

Think lace; this year has seen the return of lace dresses into the UK fashion scene.  Designs seem to channel various decades but the common thread so far are lace and colour.
Fashion rules for every season are many and varied but one remains true; each season has a staple that can be worn in many ways and to varying degrees.  For summer, it is colour.

You can follow the evolution of T shirt printing as an art form by studying surviving examples from the past.  Many vintage shirts are now sought after as collectibles; the 1948 presidential campaign shirt “Dew It with Dewey” is enshrined in the Smithsonian collection as an early specimen of the genre.

Early Disney shirts are highly popular, as are movie and TV promotional shirts, airbrushed surfing shirts and especially music industry creations for tours and albums.  Ebay has listed a vintage T-shirt featuring the 1966 Beatles Butcher cover at $20,000 (around £12,500), while Woodstock original T-shirts occasionally turn up at prices ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 (£1,250 to £6,000 approximately).

If you can’t find, or afford, an original there are many reproduction or ‘retro’ T-shirts available.  People have gone to great lengths to resurrect designs from the early classic shirts.  The 1960s and 1970s were particularly fertile decades for peace art, psychedelia, and cartoon designs from masters such as Robert Crumb.

You can also recreate your own version too, by designing your own and using Adlogo to print them up, although if you’re looking to sell them you should not copy designs exactly as you could face prosecution over copywrite. However if it’s just for yourself then you shouldn’t encounter any problems

Alternatively, you may want to start collecting contemporary T-shirts, either to wear or to preserve for future profit.  T-shirt printing today offers such a range of possibilities that you may have trouble focusing a collection.  Do remember that a celebrity collectible is more valuable if autographed.

T-shirt text and images have encompassed the whole of popular culture for the last 50 years.  Just as you can be sure that a T shirt exists somewhere for even the most obscure activity or philosophy, it’s almost guaranteed that someone somewhere is collecting T shirts on that theme.

Next season’s upcoming trends for autumn and winter in work wear look set to be a lot more relaxed than many of the styles we have seen so far. Instead of skinny suits, designers are moving onto more unstructured pieces with carrot fit trousers, unstructured blazers and brightly coloured ties.

Unstructured blazers and brightly coloured ties are already becoming big news in men’s fashion, so if you have invested in some good quality pieces, they should see you through autumn and winter too. Many of the trousers are fairly voluminous, with double breasted tailoring and overcoats finishing the look. There are some great carrot suits available for the new season and the neutral colours look good with brightly coloured ties or pocket squares, to bring a touch of flair and personality to the overall look.

The work wear collections seem to have more of a Japanese influence next season, with a focus on Japanese Samurai influenced cuts and Japanese post-modern shaping looking set to be very popular. There are a few designers who have invested in Japanese patterned shirts, which can be teamed with brightly coloured linen scarves to lift the whole look. It is well worth investing in a silk shirt here, as this is one look that can be utilised in many different ways, using well placed accessories.

The upcoming work wear wardrobe for men certainly holds a few surprises but in general, materials and colours remain consistent. If you have already invested in some key pieces for work, these should transcend into autumn/ winter easily.

They say that women’s fashion is a cycle- and I’m guessing it’s true! It was only a few years ago that playsuits were the must have fashion wear for the summer and guess what? There back!  From overalls to jumpsuits, to playsuits and rompers, these one piece styles are a must have for any summer 2011 wardrobe.

Another good thing about playsuits is that they come in a variety of styles. So there are endless possibilities when it comes to the one-piece fashion guaranteeing something for everyone and something for every possible occasion.

Denim overalls were demonstrated on the Ralph Lauren catwalk recently. Although we don’t think that this particular style will come highly popular, it is the perfect type of playsuit for someone who wants to be ‘in the trend’ but to wear something a little bit different. This type of playsuit is perfect for everyday wear.

Off the shoulder and sequin playsuits provide the exceptional alternative to boring evening dresses. Wearing the latest trends in a ‘relaxed glamour’ way can really turn heads when attending that evening occasion you have been worrying about for weeks.

Playsuits can even be suited to the office or a working environment. Tailored playsuits can be dressed up and look exceptionally smart. When looking for a playsuit suited to work, you should look for crisper fabrics, cuffed shorts and cinched in waists.

Achieve the boho-hippy look with loose and flowing floral and pattern print playsuits. The material should be free-flowing and the legs of the playsuit should be long and wide.

Playsuits and jumpsuits can come in a variety of lengths from short lengths (hot-pant style) to longer jumpsuit (ankle length) and in-between these two opposites was the knee and mid-calf length versions!