1980s, Elle and 25 Years of London Fashion Week

On my travels this weekend, I picked up this DVD of Back To The 1980s. Decade wise, this has to be my favourite era, as I have really great memories of films, fashion, holidays and general good living once leaving school at 16 in June 1985.

In my magazine collection, I have the very first Elle magazine, dated November 1985. In this issue, it celebrates the work of Katherine Hamnett and Azzedine Alaia and also London Fashion Week for Spring/Summer 1986.

Designers showing at London Fashion Week then included Wendy Dagworthy, Mark & Syrie, John Flett, Body Map, John Galliano and Rifat Ozbek.

With London Fashion Week just finishing for next summer, I thought I'd also show some pictures from Elle UK October 2009, which celebrated 25 years of London Fashion Week.

Past and present designers include Vivienne Westwood, Christopher Bailey, Gareth Pugh, Richard Nicoll, John Galliano, Paul Smith and Christopher Bailey.

Its amazing how the time flies and how trends have come full circle to be re celebrated every few season or years. My favourite trend from the 80s was definitely the bodycon look and I love how it is still in style now.

What is your favourite decade for style and fashion?

Thrift Inspiration, Brogue Way

This season, the mannish brogue is in trend.

Over at Net-A-Porter, they have a great selection, including some fabulous picks from Miu Miu, Maison Martin Margiela, Marc Jacobs to name a few. Here are a pick of my favourites there:

Churchs, £210

Marc by Marc Jacobs £290

At the boot sale on Saturday I picked up these Russell & Bromley brown leather brogues for only £10. They are very comfy and the weaved detail makes them a bit different from the usual style of brogue.

Will you be sporting brogues this season?

Thrift Inspiration, Burberry Shearling Style

After finding my black boots on Sunday, I had thought that would be my best find for the month-which from the boot sale it was. So when I decided to take a stroll down to my local Sue Ryder charity shop on Tuesday, I couldn't leave without my find in the last picture below.

I was greatly inspired by the gorgeous Burberry shearling jacket, which is available at Net-A-Porter for £2395, seen here:

Like my find, it is cropped, double breasted and deliciously snug!!

My one doesn't have the Burberry embellishments of shoulder epaulettes and arm details, but considering it was only £19.95, I can overlook that and it is a simplistic, minimalist style that will not date, so I'm sure I'll be wearing this for years to come.

So thats the winter coat sorted-my 2nd shearling in the wardrobe.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, I hope the gloomy weather clears for a dry one for us in the UK!!

So Last Century Style

A slightly different look for this outfit post, reminiscent of a mix of 80s and 90s I think, with Madonna, snow wash jeans and Gianni Versace in the mix.

I'm wearing my recently thrifted Madonna Sticky and Sweet Tour tee, which I found in the British Heart Foundation last week for £1.99.

The jeans are modern snow washed denim skinnies by River Island, which were £4.99 at my local Sue Ryder charity shop. The hat is new, from Peacocks in their mens section for £6.99. It is a trapper style, so the ears come down!

My fabulous find of the week at the Boot Sale has to be these 90s Gianni Versace black boots. I was coveting some black ankle boots, flat or heeled for this winter, so was really pleased to bag them on Sunday for £10, rarely worn as the soles and heels still have the original tread on them and the famous Gianni Versace logo on the soles.

The pins on them look virtually identical to the oh so famous ones used in Liz Hurleys Versace black pin dress from 1994.

What items are you coveting for this winter?

Fashion Blog Tag

Hi everyone!! The lovely Christina over at Fashion's Most Wanted tagged me for this Fashion and Style post. Please take a good look over at Christinas blog, she is such a gorgeous lady who leads a very glamorous and exciting lifestyle and fortunately shares this through her fantastic blog, ranging from wonderful wardrobe posts, to great interviews to her fabulous nights out!

Well here goes and please feel free to join in this tag, as most of my friends have already been tagged already!!

What's your favourite fashion accessory?

Has to be a handbag, be it designer vintage or high street-as long its good quality, it has a place in my wardrobe!!

Who's your fashion role models?

I love Carine Roitfeld, Jane Birkin and Kate Moss, all so effortlessly chic and oh so stylish.

What do you always carry with you?

My phones, keys, purse, lippy vaseline and a handbag size umbrella!!

How would you describe your style?

Thrifty Chic-Practically at least one item I wear on a daily basis (not including my work uniform!) is thrifted from the charity shop or boot sale and if I want an item, then these are always my first ports of call to find it, as well as ebay of course!!

What's your favourite? Jeans, sunglasses or heels?

I'm a jeans girl for sure-I love how they go with anything and can be paired to look casual or smart.

What inspired you to blog about fashion?

I found a pristine floral chiffon maxi Ossie Clark dress about 4 years ago in my local charity shop for only £7 and it hung in my wardrobe for a year and half until due to financial reasons I sold it-a fashion decision I live to regret, but after finding the gorgeous Wendy Brandes blog and reading of her love of Ossie Clark and drooling over her fantastic collection of his dresses, I decided to start my own blog and its gone on from there!!

What is your favourite fashion store?

Has to be Ebay for online shopping and charity shops for the high street!!

What is your favourite fabric in clothing?

Wool, I love the warmth and snugness of it!!

Who are your favourite designers?

Jean Paul Gaultier, Chanel, Vivienne Westwood and vintage wise, Ossie Clark and Thierry Mugler.

Who or what inspires your style?

80s-just love the bodycon style and Kate Moss. The lovely Christina who tagged me inspired me recently to find a marabou jacket after seeing her gorgeous fluffy post but unfortunately mine has so far got lost in the post-'quelle horreur' indeed!! I hope it gets to me eventually!!

Would you choose to buy something high quality or make it yourself if you could?

I'll buy high quality, but source it from a boot sale or charity shop or ebay!

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend whatever you get up to!!