WILL YOU WEAR THE 'BLOGGER' TREND?

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Yes you read right, we have identified a season defying trend quite simply called "blogger". Gone are the days when just having a blog was trendy enough, now it's all about getting the look of a blogger. That is, piled high with as many designer pieces- preferably borrowed from the catwalk collection- as is physically possible. Where once, one stand-out item would have done, it's now time to adopt the mantra, 'Why wear one, when you can wear five?'. Where a few years ago Kate, Sienna et al made it fashionable to look like you hadn't actually tried too hard, that you'd sort of just thrown on skinny jeans and ballet shoes and made them look stylish, now it's all about being high maintenance, blatant and unashamedly fashion mad.

Susie Bubble with her clashing patterns and cute accessories (image from style.com by Tommy Ton)

Bryanboy with brilliant trousers, shoes, clutch, sunglasses (image from www.bryanboy.com)

There are three solid examples from across the fashion industry which confirm to us that the blogger look is proving to be just as influential as catwalk shows when it comes to setting trends. In fact the blogger look is a new way of dressing, a whole attitude change.

CASE IN POINT #1: River Island's Blogger trend for AW12

River Island held their press day last week. At these events, we're told what the store will be doing for coming season. Alongside the big, to-be-expected trends inspired by the catwalk shows (e.g. Baroque and Futuristic Goth) was another called, quite simply "Blogger". The press release describes this look as 'organised chaos' and 'freestyle'. The words 'exaggerated', 'fun' and 'clashing' all feature- 'it's disorganised but carefully put together'

Pile it on was the message at River Island

Of course, these boots must be worn with above cap if you're to work the blogger trend in the right way

By pointedly using this as a seasonal mood, is River Island saying this is a moment for the so-called blogger- I prefer 'street style star' but it's not so catchy- look? Or is it here to stay as a code we use to style ourselves?

CASE IN POINT #2: Vogue loves bloggers

When one of the world's most authoritative fashion magazines commissions a shoot on a trend, we know it's important.

I am  a camera... from British Vogue, February 2012 (image from thebostonbazaar.wordpress.com)

British Vogue's February issue (image from thelicenciate.com)

(image from thebostonbazaar.wordpress.com)

CASE IN POINT #3: Anna Dello Russo designs for H&M

ADR works her version of 'blogger' (image from guardian.co.uk)

Until now, H&M has collaborated with some of the most influential designers in the world-Versace, Stella McCartney, Lanvin.... So the fact that their latest project is not with a designer but a person, Anna Dello Russo, really means something. It's a sure sign that H&M believe that the Vogue Nippon Fashion Director, blogger and street style favourite has the same wide ranging appeal as a big designer label as well as the look that everyone wants to get. It's interesting that what Dello Russo wears has become so attached to her rather than the labels she wears. It's how she wears it which H & M are packaging and selling as a commercial product. It's also highly astute from a business perspective because in order to get the Anna look, customers will have to buy several pieces. ADR seems to be acutely aware of what's going on, she said last week, "this is the sign of an important evolution in fashion and I am both thrilled and humbled to be the one chosen to lead it".

Some of the items which will form  the collection (image from telegraph.co.uk)

Anna models her designs (image from telegraph.co.uk)

Do you agree that this is really how bloggers dress? Will you be wearing "blogger"?

IN DEFENCE OF 'MOM HAIR'

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

Vogue's February issue, with a smiling, Mom haired Arizona

Ever since February's Vogue landed on my doormat, I've developed a mild obsession with its covergirl, Arizona Muse's hair. Not because I am a long-haired girl craving a change but because her hair is the perfect version of my own style.  In fact it is my style.

Thanks to fashionista.com for compiling my ideal hair mood board

Since this Vogue hit news stands there has been a backlash against the style. Some people are not so receptive to what they call 'Mom hair'. The audacity! As if short hair with a feminine, slightly blow-dried swish to it was somehow the preserve only of harassed mothers of young children. Fashionista.com wrote about this and linked to a forum where Arizona's Vogue cover was being dissected. Do these people have lives?
Some of the comments included:

"  Btw the hair is the same that both my Grandmas have"
"  I  just wish her hair wasn't so matronly"
"  From Model Mom to Mom Model"

Arizona for Fendi SS12 (image from fashiongonerogue.com)

 Well, Fashion Junior is wading in in defence of 'Mom hair' because I love it and will probably, boringly perhaps, keep this style for the rest of my life. It kind of deserves its Mom moniker because it is the world's easiest haircut. I run most days and commute to work, so would never be faffing about with blow-drying a high maintenance long hairstyle. I also suffer from an inexplicable disgust at any hair which creeps beyond the neck. While my friends coo over each others nearly waist-length locks, I get shivers at all that dead protein lying prone on their backs. And don't get me started on ponytails.

Fashion Junior's 'Mom' hair- Do I LOOK like a Mom???

Arizona for Isabel Marant SS12 (Image from fashionista.com)

Admittedly, both those reasons are just about personal preference but from a style perspective, Mom hair is also a winner. The look is short enough that it makes you stand out, it's fresh and it's cute. There's not the obvious girliness of long hair, but there's enough to flirt with. It's certainly not so short that you risk looking like a boy. Mark my words, I predict 'Mom Hair' will be fashionable by Spring time.

Arizona's look is a case in point. In the Isabel Marant ads she wears it natural, but in Vogue it's quiffed and curled. For New Year's Eve, I slicked mine right down for flapper-girl fancy dress. SS12 is a breath of fresh air- everything is light and pretty, but also with sporty and retro elements playing their parts. 'Mom' hair is an ideal accompaniment and can be tweaked for any of those trends.

Arizona in February Vogue, styled by Lucinda Chambers

 I know that at 24, I should probably be experimenting with dip dyeing and undercuts like most of my super trendy contemporaries, but I've always been drawn to classic, with a twist. 'Mom' hair does just that for me. Call it matronly if you like, but there's not an apron or a small child in sight in my life.

ADELE SHOULD NOT BE TOO BIG FOR VOGUE TO DRESS

Posted by Fashion Editor at Large

Yesterday I Tweeted "Dear Vogue UK, why, when photographing celebrated size 16 Adele in your October 2011 edition, did you only snap her from the neck/chest up?" Cue an avalanche of replies in agreement; "I was thinking the exact same thing" was the majority reaction. While others tweeted about the seeming hypocrisy of Britain's ultimate high fashion glossy using our current greatest British music artist (and export) on its cover, and then not delivering her in full-length fashion shots inside.

Adele's cover (image from gossiponthis.com)

What a missed opportunity, when there are so many Vogue reading women who would love to see how the magazine and its stylists would deal with beautiful Adele's voluptuous figure. Well, truth is, they didn't. And the clothes she is wearing are not available to buy at all, which adds insult to injury if you are a woman who likes fashion and is larger than a size 14.

what, no clothes? (Photo: Solve Sundsbo/Vogue)

Two of the dresses are "to order" from Burberry, which means they were custom made for the shoot. The other dress (barely visible, but described as 'metallic silver dress', £1280) is from Clements Ribeiro, but unhelpfully at the back of the magazine there is no listing for where Clements Ribeiro is sold. We called Clements Ribeiro's PR, who said the label and the dress are available on Net-a-Porter. In fact, they had been misinformed. The dress is not on Net-a-Porter, and when we called them, their press office said "the dress is not on our current list", so that one is not available either. The message here is, "we might be a fashion magazine, but, er, we couldn't find much for Adele to wear, so we got a few bits made, lets hope no-one notices..."

The Clements Riberio dress is here somewhere....

Well, busted! I love the photos of Adele by Solve Sundsbo, the hair by Samantha Hillerby is stunning, the Charlotte Tilbury make-up sublime and those nails! Anatole Rainey, I salute you! Christa D''Souza's interview is, as always, frank and open, but I think Vogue are leaving themselves open to criticism over the way they handled the fashion shoot. I'm no disgruntled size 14, and have been slim my entire life, but I feel short-changed. Hey Vogue, why not demonstrate how to celebrate Adele's shape, and give fashion confidence to legions of shapely women?

Nice lace, same about the dress.... (Photo: Solve Sundsbo/Vogue)

For her part, Adele loves fashion. In the piece she tells Christa; "Before I got into Johnny Cash and discovered June Carter [his wife] and decided to wear nothing but black from there on, I wore loads of colour, and like, miniskirts over jeans. But, like, now I love old school. Chanel, Prada, you know. And Burberry, definitely."  Adele changed her style from colourful to old-school black after being dressed for the Grammys by stylist Barbara Tfank on the suggestion of Anna Wintour.

Chanel's largest size is a French 50, or a UK size 16/18. Prada's largest size is Italian 46, or size 16, and Burberry and Clements Ribeiro goes up to a 16.  So why couldn't Vogue put her in off-the-peg?

Q Magazine managed to show full length photos of Adele.... (from Q: July 2011 issue)

Anyway, for interested parties, I think I have found the "invisible dress" by Clements Ribeiro from the Vogue shoot (photo above), Adele wore it on Tuesday night for the Mercury Music prize, and indeed has been wearing lots of Clements Ribeiro on her recent tour of US and Canada.  Doesn't she look lovely?

Adele wearing Clements Ribeiro on Tuesday to the Mercury Prize

What do you think? Please share your thoughts with me...

(Friday 9th September update: Scroll down to see the comment made by Inacio Ribeiro of Clements Ribeiro, staing where the dress can be bought)