Posted by Fashion Junior at Large
Here at FEAL, we are dedicated to bringing you the important over-arching trends of the new season (which is blustering and raining its ass off outside) so that you know what to expect in the shops, and what direction to take your wardrobe so you feel like someone living through September 2011.
This week, though, we're going to veer off that track slightly because we want to show you how, by puchasing just one accessory and putting it on, you can become instantly fashionable. Yes, instantly of-the-moment! Our star fashion accessory is 1.5cm wide, three metre length of black ribbon, which we purchased for £1.75 from Paperchase. You can get a 3cm wide version too. Look, how just by tying a bow of black ribbon around a shirt, Jason Wu gave his looks edge...
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| Masculine, verging on bow tie, at Wu (image from catwalking.com) |
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| How to give a really pretty and feminine dress at Wu the fash factor (Image from catwalking.com) |
At the Jason Wu FW11 catwalk black ribbon was used as a finishing touch to a variety of looks from pretty feminine dresses to evening tailoring. At Wu, the ribbon was invariably tied in a neat bow at the neck, but that doesn't always have to be the way. At Prabal Gurung, they let it loose...
A wider black ribbon at Prabal Gurung FW11 (via catwalking.com)
From Orla Kiely's Fall/Winter collection
We love how Auckland girl has left the ribbon longer and instead of keeping the look completely goody two shoes monochrome, the turquoise shirt pops nicely out behind the tie. I asked a couple of the girls here at FEAL HQ to show me how they'd slot a length of ribbon into their outfits today.
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| Intern Stella belted her shorts with the black ribbon |
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| Bethan Holt a.k.a Me, the Fashion Junior at Large |
And it wouldn't be fair if I didn't have a go myself. I went straight down the Wu route. My experiment makes me conclude that the black ribbon should not be allowed to blend into the background. It has to work too hard against my horsey print shirt. Stark against a plain or light background is best, as demonstrated by Monsieur Karl Lagerfeld, surely the ultimate icon for this single humble accessory...
Other ways to work your ribbon could be tying it around your wrists, under the bust to make an empire line, threading it through converse to create new laces, tied around a pony tail... Any more suggestions?
