Neon Dreams

With the decline of dip dye hair in popular culture I had all been ready to accept a bleak and boring outlook on hair and make up in fashion runway presentation. However, it seems that greater forces are at work and neon colours of the 1980s and 1990s have again inspired designers and been readily incorporated into collections- much to my amusement. Within the next week I hope to buy my first pair of creepers or some more 'jelly shoe' in clear and pink. Purple lipstick may not be on my agenda but black has certainly been playing on my mind and I also spotted a wonderful German camouflage jacket online the other night. It's not going to be an overnight transformation but I can predict punk elements squeezing themselves into the everyday fashion realms as well.

Model Charlotte Free still manages to shoot a smouldering stare down the catwalk dresses as a 1950s pin-up girl for the Jeremy Scott 2012  collection. Some people may argue that with pink hair costs a model their versatility across different looks but I quite like the contrast of black and white shoes and dress and the curling plumes of pink piggy tails. The daring display of skin across the stomach would only be shown on a stick-thin model but it's daring and imaginative- a trademark of Jeremy Scott's design. It's not a look I'm eager to adopt myself (...as much as I do love pink hair) but it feeds the soul with creativity.

Once again, images have been sourced from Oyster Magazine, repackaged by me, and sent out to you my lovely community of readers. While the sullen expression of the models in contrast to the sticky and graffiti like purple hair would mainly be viewed as disconcerting I think there's a cute, painterly appeal about it. It's surreal but it doesn't aim to imitate real life and also breathes new life into the old classic: a denim shirt. While I know my own mother would be appalled by such a notion I must express kudos to the styling team for this collection and avoiding any signs of hair dye on the foreheads of a model. Believe me, it's no mean feat to spread out hair dye from a spray can is such an even and measured way.

The following backstage photographs were taken at the Meadham Kirchoff runway show in London and I have to say, I do admire the fast and modern new direction of the brand. I had been trying to score some second hand jeans and blouses from the collection when they went through a long fad of lace inserts and patterns but the neon hair in chameleon tones and fluorescent tones really is visually powerful. There was a great variety of coloured hair combinations including splits down the middle of the hairline and shaft to bring out the best and boldest styles of the clothes. This Egyptian motif jacket with split-holographic attempted triangles is something that could be easily DIYed, providing you have a neon yellow jacket hanging about. I love the intensity and the hype about the presentation of this collection and I don't think it's the last we'll see of 1990s grunge aesthetic as far as high brand fashion labels are concerned.

No detail was spared in the presentations backstage and I love the jeweled crowns as well as floral crowns adorned by the stick-thin models. Even the unseen forces working behind the scenes have glorious tattoos of filled in stars and wild and wonderful piercings- it all seems to fitting and atmospherically correct in a punk sense. The models themselves though are quite sweet and dainty so the combination of these two binary elements is somewhat satisfying- it makes you wonder why no one had ever thought to put on such a bombastic runway show before.

One of the more wild trends of the late 1980s and 1990s involved chunky heeled shoes and platform boots in all manner of sparkly jeweled combinations. While Etsy does deliver on some great styles and designs within this specific genre of footwear, for truly outrageous neon colours and shamelessly clashing patterns I think Meadham Kirchoff easily takes the cake. Now if only I could find their wares cheap and online, then I would be well and truly set.

Just as a wacky side project, I can't help but think that recreating the neon looks and colours of this collection would look good on a generic and plain Barbie doll. It must be the cocked head of the girl on the left in the picture above as well as their dainty frames- were it not for the fact I am eagerly saving for fluorescent accessories sized for actual people I might be keen to try it all for myself.

I love the different tones and colour displayed in this photograph, but I'm not sure how highly I commend the use of collar. I myself like to have my long hair out and over my shoulders a little and was a little affronted by the bob like silhouettes of the model's hair from the back. The shot shown below works well with the estranged doll motif and it doesn't interrupt the flow and design of the clothes- perhaps I want to see the hair have it's own editorial shoot in a hairdresser's magazine. It was certainly a highlight from this collection for me and made me recognise the wonderful brand once again. I have a good feeling about the standard of 2012 fashion seasons.

Nasty Gal X MinkPink

Just as I thought the fashion world had completely adopted grunge inspired themes from the 1990s and hair trends were finally returning to normalcy- I'm presented with such creative evidence and my jaw hits the floor. Introducing the collaboration between Nasty Gal and Minkpink. I had been familiar with the latter just as a familiar name to create clothing and, being a bit of a snob, had even dared to turn my nose up at the name Nasty Gal. Cruising across my magazine sources on Facebook I was lucky enough to come across this collection full of all the colours of the rainbow and mixing the best of the collection with retro pieces. It makes me want to buy my unicorn inspired hair extensions more than over to finally have coloured hair. I've been wanting to colour for a while but there hasn't been any recent trends to avoid colouring my entire head of hair and I was intending to rule out streaks. The collection has opened my eyes to an entire new venture and all avenues seem possible. It's a wonderful feeling having stared tediously at Biology textbooks and Science diagrams for the past five weeks.

As much as I do love grunge, leather studded jackets and the notion of black lipstick, the colourful clashes between orange pink and blue does strike me a bit more. The shorts are vintage, the blouse a part of the current collaboration collection and the dyed pink hair enough to make any Plain Jane green with envy and ravenous lust. As well as being a stunning Asian girl with long black hair I felt inspired and proud of my own heritage from seeing the long eyeliner wisps used to accentuate stereotypical points on the model's face. It's always nice when a campaign makes you feel good to be in your own skin- rather than punishing ones self for not being as skinny and elegant as the models. There's such a fun atmosphere and energy to this one image from the cherry eyes and casual body posture- one can't help but feel relaxed too.

There are many wonderful photographs from this campaign and my favourites include those with dark sea green hair. There's so many punk and hippy elements to this photograph but they all meld together to create something greater than its constitutional parts. The denim overalls and crochet bag in the style of Missoni has such strong radiation of good vibes but the mean side profile of the black platform boots, leopard print shirt and extensions scream rave/ punk party. It's certainly a look I would be keen to try on for size myself- if only I knew of a magical place that made wonderful clashing hemp bags....

Jouetie put on a mammoth runway show in the style of British punk rebellion but there was also sweet knitted cardigans with spiteful slang and models adorned in colourful bob wigs. The drug-fuelled state of the dreamy model shown here as well as the mean mood of another fashion show seems blended into this photograph so well. The graphic contrast of black and white, as well as colourful vintage prints alike and neon fluorescent shades and cotton candy pink hair... a unicorn wouldn't even look as good as this. The appeal about this collection is that it's something old but reworked and made new again and it breaths life into punk and grunge for a younger generation to enjoy. Also it makes my obsession with My Little Pony and brightly coloured hair satisfied and dormant yet again.

The leopard has finally been restored to its primal place of birth although no actual animals were harmed in the production of this campaign. I love the barren wasteland/ neutral backdrop of this shoot- a very clever way to make the bright colours seem even more loud and bold. As well as a great variety of styles and colours from the collection itself I feel that the model has a great range of facial expressions for this campaign. The brooding dark eyes and slightly turned corners of her luscious pink lips goes well with the acid green hues of her hair. It makes me want to break out my hair straightener for the first time and add many wildly coloured extensions just for the fun of experimentation.

The true mark of a good fashion blogger is the ability to throw on a mess of clothes in drapery style and create inventive and innocently sweet outfits. Neon shades have been on the cards for the last few months but they seem to be hitting harder in more and more fashion shows and collections. Jeffrey Campbell is a brand I've been meaning to get my filthy mitts on for a while- could this pair of fluorescent yellow wooden heeled boots be my first true love? I certainly love the incorporation of colours yellow, green and blue from the same spectrum into one outfit and there is again that zeal for life and happiness about it. I wish I had a abominably large green taffeta skirt to flounce around in and wear to tango lessons. The shoes are something just a little more attainable at the moment.

To quote my Senior Year Literature teacher, at the end of the party one person is fed up looking after the kids, with no slice of cake and having to pay for the stripper. The long teal strands of hair and slightly fed up expression really balances the bright, lime green skirt. If Cinderella was alive in the 1990s and attended the best party of the year, this would be her pictured above without her pumpkin coach and only half of a wonderful outfit.

Calla Fall 2012

Calla, the fashion label created by designer Calla Haynes was full of mesmerising prints and colour when it made its splash on to the New York fashion scene, showcasing the Fall 2012 collection on February 10th. The whole collection was a feast for the eyes which featured digital prints of magnified and blown-up images marble in pink and purple strewn across classically designed pieces with body-conscious silhouettes. It's hard to believe that the Fall 2012 collection is the second of Calla considering there is maturity about the way the collection was presented and also a strong presence for fashion identity and referring back to the inspiration of the collection. The Fall 2012 collection from Calla takes inspiration from an imaginary woman who works as an interior designer which led to the key prints of the collection originating from wood grain and granite digitally altered and magnified which results in fantastically imaginative prints. As of late I have been utterly obsessed with digital prints and wonderful eccentric colours so I was immediately drawn to the towards the Calla collection like a bookworm to an ancient library.

Calla seems to have refined her tailoring techniques and for the Fall collection created a dense tweed with French house Malhia Kent which has given rise to some stunning patterned coats and matching bottoms. It's the ability to create warm and comfortable clothing in preparation for chillier weather without having compromised the core principles and aesthetic designs of the collection that has me most impressed. Some Autumn/ Winter collections focus on the design of their pieces and fail to deliver something that is pleasing to look at, but the Calla collection is absolutely brimming with eye-popping prints that will warm up even the most critical hearts of fashion bloggers.

Always the sucker for amazing and eccentric printed pants and matching jackets, it's ensembles like this that make me passionate to write about and shamelessly promote up and coming fashion labels. The flecks of black on a white background remind me so much of a finely sprinkled coat of a harlequin Great Dane and it's this process of digitally printing patterns on to clothes that makes me so thankful to be young in the twenty-first century. It gives me great pleasure and joy in watching all these developments with the printing and materials in the fashion world. The striking black and white printed coats and their matching pants and shorts are cleverly contrasted with different shades of blue from the collar and cuffs of the blouse underneath as well as the sweet rounded toe ballet shoes of the Calla collection. I suppose it's that sweetness that earned this young brand the title of "the Lindsey Wixson of up-and-coming designer brands: Cute as a button and sweet as pie, but check out that body."

Geometric patterns and clever chic designs have never been combined with as much artistic flair as they have for this Calla collection. This coat is something special when worn with the coloured and marble patterned dress in purple and the look of thick black lines is only heightened by the bangs of the model- something I hope was a conscious decision in order to bring out the best of this coat. The print is something more rare and eccentric than houndstooth but still uses the classic contrast of white and black, this clever coat in dense tweed is just another wardrobe staple you'll be clamouring to own in Winter and something that may even become your new best friend to make a fashionable statement.

Boldly structured pieces are largely reserved for Haute Couture fashion shows, so it's only natural that Ready-to-Wear combines the best of relaxed and casual design but with spectacular patterns and colours. Take this relaxed button shirt dress with gathered waist as a classic example of the playful nature of contemporary designers taking advantage of photographic prints. The dress shown above is a predominant peach colour, originally taken from digitally altered granite with flecks of blue strewn across it but the theatrical nature of the dress is really brought out with a good pair of matching tights. Such a small aspect of the presentation for this entire collection is the hosiery worn with each dress and the different moods they create from changing the overall look of the dress. I have a feeling that eclectic fashion bloggers that love to layer up in an eccentric fashion will adore the Calla 2012 Fall collection.

Classic silhouette design as well as a imaginative print all of its own making; it's dresses like this that warm my heart and make me glad the fashion industry is as competitive as it is diverse. I'm most comfortable in dresses of this structure with a relaxed sleeves and a cinched waist; they can be easily accommodate an evening coat and look amazing when dressed up with suitable evening accessories. I haven't yet tried to track down any prices for the dresses but I already know I won't be in the market for an evening dress for a while, not while there's a travel opportunity on the horizon. It's a shame really, there's many promising designs and wild dresses I would love to metaphorically sink my teeth into.

As more and more designers crop up on the New York fashion scene it's no wonder some of the frock designs are evolving and becoming more edgy. I have high praise for the sharp lines of this dress as well as the two speckled patterns used; the bodice and unusual tulip skirt have a sweeter and more light-hearted pink and blue tinge amongst the effect of tie-dye black bursts but the grey sleeves and high neck firmly emphasise this dress is a part of an Autumn/ Winter collection. The dress above has the vague structure of a ballerina's dress but also elements of a dark and chequered past as well as mystery evoked by the dishevelled look of the model. Perhaps it's a little too daring for someone as meek as myself to wear but I must admit that I do like the theatrics of the parted tulip skirt, the black insert in between as well as the two different lengths of hemline for this darling dress.

As of late I have been trawling through the department store racks for good duffel coats and coats for the Winter season but there hasn't been anything as wonderfully stylish as this Calla coat in dark blue. The different shades created by the speckled effect is something that I automatically respond to since that's partly why I want to colour a part of my hair a wild colour- the shadow and light bouncing off it makes it interesting. Fortunately this lovely coat already includes many different shades in the blue spectrum for someone to admire and when worn with simple grey tights I think the overall effect is quite powerful. Maybe since I'm in the market to add a little more blue to my wardrobe I should be scanning Net-a-Porter for any interesting developments...

Mary Katrantzou X Topshop SS12

My obsession with prints as well as eclectic magazine collages has been confronted with the imaginative collaboration between Mary Katrantzou and British fashion label Topshop in a marriage that can only be described as mind-numbingly colorful. In the past few weeks or so I had been looking to vintage pieces from the 1960s to feed my passion for prints as well as unusual clothing designs but it seems a more modern solution has come forth. The frenzied floral background for the photo shoot of the collection only heightens the floral passion as well as kooky patterns and there's just so much going on with each piece it's a bit hard to take in all at once. Thankfully Topshop landed in Melbourne last December so I can inspect the pieces for this exciting collection in their full glory.

It's hard to pick a favourite piece among all the designs, and I also wonder whether the patterns vary from individual sewn pieces, but I quite like the relaxed and slouchy top shown at the bottom. That's a bit more my style with a relaxed fit and I have been meaning to add a little more blue to my wardrobe.

If you want to wear something a little more casual but still floral and romantic there's comfortable shirt and also a matching leggings combination available but I think I would rather save my money for something more fancy. The mad floral print is something I admire for its unique quality but my day to day wear usually includes toned down outfits of white blouses and black jeans and maybe a cute pair of brogues. It will be interesting to see the rest of the pieces in the flesh when I take my first trip to the physical Topshop store when the Mary Katrantzou X Topshop SS12 collection becomes available.

 

Bodycon dresses aren't something that usually draw my eye, but the oriental ocean motif down the middle panel of the dress is something that has me completely captivated. There's so much blue and intricate design and wonderful crashing waves- the news of this collection was released on the 10th of February and you can receive email notification when it finally gets released. There's modern sophistication about this dress and I'm sure it would be a big hit when worn to a fashion event- for a more personal touch some thick geeky glasses could be used to add some quirk and style to such an eclectic piece.

Rachel Rutt for Shakuhachi

Shakuhachi is a type of wooden Japanese flute, as well as an Australian fashion label that launched in 2000. Their google search has also garnered the sub title of "Shakuhachi- a clothing label garners a world wide following, perfectly combining elements of tender girlish charm and bohemian flare." Something else that is cause for celebration is that the label has now employed Rachel Rutt to show off their new California Dreaming collection which features strong structured dresses in fantastic colours which involve meticulous detail.

Rachel Rutt is one of my favourite models and is particularly inspiring because her heritage is much like mine; my mother is Malaysian and married an Australian man whereas Rachel Rutt's looks come from Singaporean and English heritage. I've always been a supporting of Australian fashion and tried to find great new brands breaking through and Shakuhachi's newest collection definitely has a lot of strength in terms of their bold designs for dresses as well as luxuriant fabrics and colours. The strong and bold lines as well as finely embroidered and puff panels for this dress are made all the more striking in the stark afternoon sun and worn on such a skinny and dainty frame.

I admit it's been far too long since I gave their online store a good scan and I love the variety of bold tops, skirts and dresses offered in the collection as well as Rachel Rutt starring as the prominent and indeed, only model for their new collection. There's a pink lace skirt in the same material as the dress above on the right that I may wait to buy until something second hand on eBay arises or a sale happens in the online store. With well-trained eyes and a keen eye for eclecticism I have confidence that the skirt would be worn with a number of tops and jumpers in order to create edgy and eccentric outfits.