Happy New Year FREAC's!

Hope you all have a fantasticlly FREACy and fashionable new year!!!!

Peace and Love for 2011!

xx

Look out for! : Maxi shirts.

I spy with my FREACy eye something beginning with...CHIC!

I have a feeling that these full length shirts a la Victor & Rolf s/s 2010/11 will make their way onto the high street as quickly as they can churn them out!

Keep your eyes peeled for these bad boys, they'll be a great addition to your wardrobe staples.

Dress up or dress down with heels, a pair smart ankle grazing trousers and a splash of colour in the form of a floral bow tie or a chunky collar necklace or alternatively sling on some chains, a pair of ballet flats and a fedora for that cool scent of Bohemia for spring/summer.

BUT

Remember keep it simple and easy don't over do it with accessories.

Hairstyle of the season!

Riccardo Tisci sent his girls at the Givenchy S/S 10/11 show down the runway with my favorite hair trend of the season.

Here's how I think it's done:

Middle part the hair separating 2 thin sections at the front place each section between the plates of your straighteners and roll your wrist backwards and forwards whilst sliding down the hair to create waves(not curls), only come a short way unless you want to do your own take on the style. Then crimp the rest of your hair, divide the hair into two again this time using all the hair following the line of the middle parting. Using a bobble use it about two thirds of the way down your hair then tightly braid your hair securing the braid with another bobble at the bottom, take out the first bobble at the top of the braid. Repeat this step on the opposite side and tease the top sections of hair for more volume, finish off with a good spritz of hair spray and VOILA! Givenchy runway hair!

See the light in minimal white.

In this coming season S/S 2010/11 the runways are filled with head to toe stark white, designers from Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Chloe and Givenchy range in softly subtle to strong sharp silhouette's. When it comes to summer there's nothing better than wearing white to keep you cool as it reflects the light away you and also it makes your sun kissed skin glow.



How to wear it:

Its pretty self explanatory this trend...wear EVERYTHING WHITE! Its up to you whether to play with a mix of soft and sharp silhouette's or stick to one. So either try a cute day dress made from chiffon or silk with a pair of sandals and Givenchy style bunches or wear a smart fitted suit with a sheer shirt and chunky block heels and wet look slick back hair. This trends great for work or play, but be warned be weary of wearing it on a night out or you might end up with cosmo all down your dress!

BOYS! this trend can work for you too follow similar rules and just perhaps stick to the sharp sleek silhouette in suits, shorts and leggings etc.

Lanvin (L) H&M

Alber Elbaz has officially hit the high street, as the fashionistas (and you fashion FREACs) waited in eager anticipation for the Lanvin for H&M range, well the wait is over!

Here is the promo video for the collection!




I bought the Elbaz signature bow tie!



There's not gonna be much left but pop into your local H&M and take a look.

MEOW! Leopards back!

Leopard prints back for spring summer 2010/11 and move over ladies its the boys turn!

The s/s 2010/11 Givenchy men's show seen model after model strut their stuff in monochrome and leopard print. The print was used on just about everything from tux and sports jackets to shorts and leggings (or meggings as they've came to be nick named: men's leggings!) even shoes!!

If your feeling a little cautious and don't feel like rocking the look head to toe like this guy below

Then just add splashes of the print into your look, whether it be a shirt or even just a bow tie. When shopping for this look try and find a bigger print as it looks more expensive, and stick to the real colour of a leopard, none of this bright reds and blues!

Leopard print should be playful and youthful, have fun with it don't be scared of it add it into your work look to add some excitement to a black suit or through a sports jacket over a black tee to add some wow factor to your casual everyday wardrobe.

Ladies this look can work for you too, if your feeling a little jealous, again work this print in subtly if your feeling fashion forward then buy a sleek body con dress in leopard and accessorize with black heels or boots and some simple gold jewelry.

Its only rock 'n' roll photoshoot

Photography - Liam Leslie

Styling/ art direction - Calum Caldwell

Model - Julia Bell

Ask ...

Any fashion related question, be it clothes, hair, accessories and skin etc.
And I'll try my very best to answer your question as best I can!

To ask:

Just comment on this post!

Peace and FREACy love

x

nOir jewelry.

http://www.noirjewelry.com/

Is a jewelry site to watch! Big stars such as Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Kelis and Katy Perry have all me seen wearing pieces from the collections.

These are my personal faves, though in fairness there were alot more of my faves but I would be taking up to much of the page showing you them all!

Take a look most things are reasonably priced for what your getting, as things are gold plated and real precious stones.

happy shopping FREAC's!

Your in my "snood" now!

This winter try out a snood (a hooded scarf ) to keep you warm and on trend! Snood's are becoming increasingly available in most high street stores, Topshop/man, h&m and Biba.

Also they're unisex so guys don't be nervous of picking up one from a the girls section if you like it!

They're super comfy and easy to wear, fling it on with any outfit (so get a couple in different colours, but try and stick to neutrals NO bright colours)

How to wear it:

*Either wear it as a scarf by wrapping it round ans many times as you like around your neck.

*Wear as a hood, letting the rest hang down to create a geometric shape to your outfit.

*Wear as a hood and also wrap ( the warmest solution)

These boots are made for walking.

This autumn/winter the shoe to be seen in is the heeled shearling boot, they're EVERYWHERE! from high fashion to high street. These boots are perfect for the winter weather, with their rubber grips on the sole and their warm fur lining. Designers from Burberry to McQueen have done variations on the boot and this has filtered down into stores such as ASOS, Topshop and Dorothy Perkins.

How to wear the boot :

Wear with camel cigarette trousers, skinny jeans or if your more of a dress kind of gal try wearing a dress with socks whether it be ankle, knee high or thigh high, a great tip to look out for to be more on trend wear a cable knit sock in neutral shades.

.Above.

Burberry Prorsum

Alexander McQueen

ASOS

Dorothy Perkins

The jewelery guide.

Jewelery plays a big part in our style choices whether your a man or a woman, so both pay attention!

Here are a few tips on how to make sure your wearing the jewelery and the jewelery isn't wearing you.

Step 1 : Determining whether your a gold person or a silver person.

Its really quite simple to determine which suits you best, gold is a warm metal and of course suits warm skin tones and warm hair colours better, and like wise silver is a cool metal and suits cool skin tones and hair colours better.

If your don't know how to tell which you are the best way to realise it is to take a piece of both coloured metals in the form of a necklace or something hold them up to your face in natural light and look to see which glows next to your face and hair. Some people are lucky and can have whats called a neutral skin tone which means you can pull off both metals!

gold usually goes with peachy fair skin and olive skin tones and natural blondes, red heads and chestnut browns.

Silver usually goes with pale porcelain skin and black, ash blondes and cold brunettes.

Step 2 : Colours that go great with each metal.

When it comes to gold, gold goes great with neutral colours like camel, cream, mossy greens and browns but also with bright exotic colours like peach, orange, lime greens and aqua blues.

And..

With silver, jewel colours such as sapphire blue and emerald green go great with a great silver piece of statement jewelery, but also pastel colours set off silver jewelery just as nicely.

Step 3 : Picking a great statement piece.

When it comes to jewelery I'm a firm believer that a great statement necklace or earring etc, finishes off and accentuates a killer outfit.

BUT

There are a few tips I feel I should share.

When it comes to dresses with sweetheart necklines never wear a long necklace it detracts from the cut of the dress wear a short necklace, if the dress is simple try sprucing it up with a chunky wow factor necklace or if the dress is busy try pairing it down with a simple short chain and pendant.

When wearing a high collared t-shirt or dress go for long chunky chains, pearls and beads.

Pick one statement piece, NEVER overload an outfit by over accessorizing. Choose a chandelier earring, a over sized cuff or cocktail ring or just a jaw dropping necklace.

Cheeky cheeky!

Want chiseled cheekbones, don't we all well I've been using this technique for the last week and a half and I feel like it's sort of helping so I thought I'd pass on the tip!

Open your mouth as around and wide as you can for a few seconds and then relax it. Do it about 30 times a day, 3 times a day morning, afternoon and evening

Pronounce the letters X and O about 50 times and make sure to over pronounce the letters.

Good luck FREAC's.

x

Wake me up with Wakeley: photoshoot

Photography - Tommy Ga Ken Wan

Styling/ Art direction - Calum Caldwell of (I AM A FREAC.)

Models - Amanda Robertson, Stevi Crawford & Julia Bell

Hair and Make up - Aveda & Benifit

Long live McQueen.

Alexander McQueen
Men's - Fall/Winter 2010/11

I love this collection the signature attention to detail McQueen had is so apparent when you look closely at the prints used, little scull and bones make up the beautiful print used in the precise tailoring, cable knits in the shape of sculls and the new use of layering.
McQueen brings back the balaclava but rather than its once intimidating aesthetic it some how has a new sexiness when one is only able to see the piercing eyes of the models.

How to get the look:
To achieve this look try raiding your local punk and gothic clothing stores as they will stock garments with scull and bone prints and also accessories that can be a subtle way to work in this look to your wardrobe.

Off Your Face photoshoot.

Photography - Liam Leslie

Styling and Directing - Calum Caldwell of (I AM A FREAC.)

Hair and Make up - Lara Lovell

Models - Lorn MacInnes & Julieanne Soto

If you like it, BUY IT!

When your in a store and there are signs everywhere marked SALE try flicking through hangers of clothes, scanning the shelves of shoes and eying the stands of jewelery if you like it, BUY IT!

BUT, don't wear it the very same day or next or even a week after that! Store it in the back of your drawers and hang it at the back of your wardrobe. forget about it, till next season comes around, then rummage through the things you stored away last season which may have very well came back in fashion as it always does if not that season store it again and wait till the following season. This is a great way to stand out from the crowd when it comes to high street when a big trend comes out we are inundated with everyone buying the same look and looking like they are in uniform walking the streets of your cities and towns, but by pulling out these "old" (just call it vintage) garments you'll stand out from the crowd and be bang on trend and most likely paid half the price for it! This is a great budget shopping tip for those who love fashion but cant always afford to pay for a new look every season, for example about a year and a half ago i was in a charity shop and spotted this fantastic aviator jacket for £3.50 i loved it and knew at some point the coat would make its way onto the catwalks and low and behold come winter 2010 i was right now stores like topshop/man are charging up to £300 pounds for one. So not only scan the sale sections of high street stores try vintage and charity stores too. You never know you might just find the next big thing!!!

Front row: BIBA launch.

I attended the BIBA press event/fashion show on the 9th of September with champagne and drinks by Campari flowing, photog's everywhere and an eclectic mix of guests (and Lara Lovell I scored front row seats)and here's an interview with the manager of the store and what I saw.

Sheri Scott is the manager of the Glasgow House of Fraser Biba concession, previously the assistant manager at Vivienne Westwood Glasgow Sheri decided to take the leap taking on the manger role at the brand new return of Biba a brand famous in the 60s/70s but failed to make a comeback a few years ago. Was Sheri worried to leave Westwood and take on a brand that had previously failed? She tells us her thoughts after the launch night in the Hughs champagne bar on the 9th of September.

Hi Sheri, congratulations on the amazing launch of the Biba comeback.
What response have you gotten from the press and the public so far?
Its been great! Most importantly the original Biba shoppers are enjoying it! The velvets, marabou jackets, gowns and of course, leopard prints are main attention grabbers. The feather cape has also been featured in Vogue and Harper's Bazaar as a must have for this season.

Were you worried the public might not respond to the label again after the failed first attempt at a comeback?
Not really, the last collection was in my opinion, beautiful. It was the high end price point which proved to be a bad move. We have positioned ourselves within the ‘high end high street’ price point, along the lines of French Connection or Reiss.

How do you feel Biba will do in the Glasgow fashion scene?
I think Biba is perfect for Glasgow. The long backless velvet dress and the leopard print 70s maxi coat does it for Glasgow’s fashion forward shoppers and gives classics with a twist which suits every figure.

House of Fraser have bought over the label do you think that was the best way for the brand to make it's comeback, or do you feel it would have benefited better to go back to it's roots as a boutique store?
Although it is in Fraser's for the moment, who’s to say it may expand into its own individual store in the future? I think Fraser's have been very brave with Biba and really want to go the brand justice. They have the financial backing, great designers, shop fit and staff to carry it off. It’s bringing in a different clientele so i think it was an extremely smart move on their part!

Can you tell us anything exciting about the future of Biba?
There are many things in the pipeline. Lets just say this is only the beginning and i am extremely proud to be a part of it. Sorry to be a tease!

Daisy Lowe is the brands face of the Biba campaigns, do you feel she was the best fit with the brands image?
Definitely. She is the new Biba shopper. She also collects vintage Biba so knows what she wants and gives her input. She debut the maxi leopard coat with cut off shorts and Dr Martins at Glastonbury this year. It was smart as i remember seeing this and was officially on the hunt for something so special. I’m glad i own one now!

And finally, ... whats the discount like!!!?
Great! Just too much choice. Just want to wear the evening wear all day every day.

The collection can be located on the 2nd floor of House of Fraser's, Glasgow. Here's a look at what you'll come across! I love it so much I'm thinking a men's BIBA collection might have to be in the pipeline.