A Lesson In Style

A group of the UK's finest young stylists are told to get creative with Converse Bags. With the new term just around the corner the stylists were asked to draw inspiration from their school days when they drew on their school bags to express their personal style. They were given a Converse Bag and a pencil case... The results ranged from the classic to the extrovert and extraordinary and they definitely expressed that person's unique style.The Brief:

With Converse launching their first bag collection just in time for the new school year, a handful of the UK's finest experts on style and self expression representing fashion, music and culture reminisced about what defined their own unique style, getting nostalgic about what it means to be an individual once the new term begins. Provided simply with a canvas duffle bag from the Converse Bags & Accessories launch collection, a pencil case and notebook, they got creative to express their personal style in their very own special way...
Alexis Knox:
About Alexis Knox: Style Mentor on T4's Style the Nation alongside Giles Deacon and Nick Grimshaw, Alexis Knox is an expert on expressing personal style. By Day she is Fashion Director at Notion magazine and a renowned stylist and by night she is a host at the surrealist club night ‘Circus’.
Describe your school style?
Accessorise to the max! I went to a Convent school where the uniform was pretty strict.... a kilt! So it was all about customising to the max with plastic bangles, kids accessories and gweebo bunches!

Britta Burger:
About: Britta Burger is acting Fashion Editor at surf, skate and snow title Cooler magazine.
The inspiration behind the bag:
The duffle bag really reminded me of all-American High-School basketball heroes, the whole sporty collegiate style. It’s also about the way I grew up, the whistles remind me of my parents who were sports teachers and the poms poms are kind of like balls. The canvas of the bag was just asking to be drawn on with the markers and I suppose it's also an abstract take on the classic stars and stripes, but I was inspired by the iconic pop art aspect of it, not the fact that it's a national flag.

Hope Von Joel:
About: Stylist and Accessories Designer Hope Von Joel’s fashion credentials begin at home, as Niece of Supermodel Jean Shrimpton, Hope studied knitwear at Central Saint Martins, working for the likes of Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh, before becoming Fashion Editor at The Super Super . From styling London Fashion Week shows for Charlie Le Mindu to fashion editorials for titles such as Elle Girl,Tank, Arena, Oyster, Dansk, and UK Vogue, Hope is now contributing Fashion Editor at Fiasco and one half of the talented design duo behind http://www.eyeoftheworlddesigns.com/ with Liam Motyer, creating stunning handmade wooden accessories, available exclusively at Browns Focus.
How did you style up your school uniform?
With a big smile and old paisley scarf, fur muff to keep hands warm and old second hand shoes in a shiny 60s black and white!

Chantelle Fiddy
About: Chantelle Fiddy is a journalist and renowned commentator on London's grime scene, whose music credentials include penning for Ctrl.Alt.Shift, RWD Magazine, Mixmag, Sunday Times Style and Dazed & Confused as well as presenting on Channel 4's 'Generation Next' and making multiple appearance on BBC Radio 1's Review Show. You'll mostly find her online.
Describe your school style? My school style flitted between record bags and (hideous) rave jackets (I hereby admit to rocking a Technics number) to holding my (entire mop of unbrushed) hair up with felt tip pens and wearing leg warmers alongside my yellow shirt and green blazer.

About Converse Bags:
For AW’11 Converse took the illustrious heritage and iconic style, that has seen their classic sneakers and Chuck Taylor All Star logo omnipresent since the 1900s, to create their first ever dedicated Bags & Accessories Collection. The debut collection reflects the simple and versatile styling synonymous with Converse complete with the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star logo, steel eyelet details and the ever versatile canvas.

The new line of Converse Bags & Accessories is available now at stockists including Schuh, JD Sports and www.blackleaf.com. Prices range from £19 - £54.95

Enjoy, Fashion Fantasist xx

(Images include Alexi Knox's creation, Hope Van Joel's wooden masterpiece and Britta Burger's collegiate style creation)

It's oh so quiet.... shhhhh shhhhh

Right it is time to blow the dust off this blog and banish the tumbleweeds and get with the programme! I have no good excuse for my lack of activity and can only apologise for being dull and say thank you to those followers who have not left out of sheer boredom!!!

I have a few dozen posts lined up but I should probably fill you in with what I have been up to...

As you know I finally managed to get a paid office job at the end of February. I shall not divulge the company name but I was there with an agency on a temporary bases. On 1st June I was offered a role within the company to work permanently and I started on 1st July! I am currently 2 months in to my 3 month probation period and I feel it is going well. I enjoy working with the people I work with and I think that is what counts... My hours are also pretty cool 9am - 4pm, which means I have actually had some time to draw :) I also am really enjoying office wear = smart/casual can be lots of fun and I am also becoming more experimental with my weekend style. I hope to incorporate some style snaps for you on this blog going forward.

(Yes this is a work shirt... Tucked in to a black pencil skirt it looks pretty cool!)

Mr Fashion Fantasist and I also have two new little members of our family in the shape of two very mischievous kittens who , I'm not going to lie, keep us on our toes. They are Bea and Rosie. Bea is the runt of the litter and is a tiny, black short hair and Rosie, her sister, is a black long hair. At this very moment I have both of them sitting on my knee batting at my fingers on the keys and the screen. Most of the time they can be adorable but they can be little terrors as Mr FF found at his peril when they chewed through his skype head set whilst he was mid conversation.... ooops!! But look at their little faces - you can't be mad for long! They also seem to have some sort of death wish throwing themselves up and down the stairs...
Stairs? Yes you read correctly! Mr FF and I have moved out of our one bed ground floor flat in to a two bedroom house! Yay! To be honest I am just as excited about the stairs as the kittens!! Hehe! It is still rented but it is a lovely Victorian mid terrace house with features, a garden and I have converted the second bedroom in to a bit of a studio space, which I plan to shut myself away in whenever I come home from work. However coming from a one bed flat in to a house one notices a severe lack of furniture so I have become a tad obsessed with interiors at the moment and I think my Tumblr blog will start to reflect this... I need to buy a scanner, mine went to scanner heaven, as I have a big box of image clippings I plan to share with you on that blog!

Front room
Bed room
Second bedroom/Studio!

Anyway that's the life update over... I am very much looking forward to writing a few posts I have lined up and sharing with you my Autumn favourites that are now in the shops. But for now, how are you? and what have I missed?

Speak Soon!!
Best wishes,
Fashion Fantasist xx

Love it, Wear it, Share it.

My Street Chic has launched in Bristol. After a megally stressful day I was unable to unwind at the Launch Party on 16th June at the Big Chill Bar but I heard that it was a great success and I am very excited about the concept of the website.

(The MyStreetChic.com girls (left to right) student fashion ambassadors Grace Wakefield and Georgina Puddephatt, Editor Gina Dyer, Staff Writer Sian Hogan, student fashion ambassadors Grace Currie and Parul Matlib)

(The team from Robin James accept their certificate for setting the world record for topknot hairstyles. Staff Writer Sian Hogan, Robin James Salon Manager Lucy Castle, Robin James Creative Director Javier Encina, Robin James himself, MyStreetChic.com Editor Gina Dyer.)

"MyStreetChic.com is ‘the online fashion community that’s right up your street’, looking at how real women are wearing the latest street, fashion and beauty trends.

We’ll cover styles on a localised basis – so you can see what people where you live are wearing and how to adapt the look for yourself.

The site has launched with Bristol as its pilot city and will later be rolled out to other cities."

It is very exciting to have Bristol as the pilot city as there is so much buzz surrounding it now with indy boutiques and designers cropping up all over. The website combines insightful editorial coverage as well as user generated content and interactive features. Its aim is to put real women at the centre of determining what's hot in fashion. It is a platform to see how real people on your high street are wearing the latest trends and offers tips on how to make the looks work for you.

So watch out Bristol - put your best fashion foot forward when you step outside because you never know when the My Street Chic team may be there to snap your picture. They were recently at St Paul's carnival last weekend and there are some lovely photographs of a whole range of summer styles.

Best wishes,
Fashion Fantasist xx

Anna Stephenson

June and July are flying by so quickly I am unsure which way is up!! Being out of step with the fashion world I find myself at a disadvantage and am working hard to keep up with all the wonderful new talent that is being produced.

Like most bloggers I am an avid reader of other blogs and find them a magnificent way to keep up to date and also a massive source of inspiration. Not only the content of the blog but the dedication to it. So whilst on one of my jaunts on the internet I spotted the graduate fashion collection by Anna Stephenson on iliketweet.blogspot.Anna Stephenson has graduated from Edinburgh College of Art and Design and has produced a beautiful printed collection inspired by femininity, twins and the strength of duality. She has used various techniques in digital printing, screen printing and fabric manipulation and created a collection mainly focused on surface design, which she was awarded the I-ON Graduate Fashion Prize 2011.I really like this collection and look forward to what Anna puts her creative hand to next. Upon completing her BA she is attending Parsons The New school of Design in New York to do a MFA in Fashion Design and Society. I wish her the best of luck!!

Fashion Fantasist xx

Images are from Arts Thread.

204 Gloucester Rd

On Wednesday evening (15/06/11) after a mildly stressful day at the office Mr FF and I headed up Gloucester road for an 'evening with designers/artists at Charlie Boots'. Charlie is a Bristol based ethical fashion designer and now has a lovely unique shop on Gloucester road. She has a lovely mix of her own fashion and pieces from other artists. It had photography by Michael Reeves and Deborah Weinrab on the walls and the window display was by illustrator Kirk Stacey. Charlie informed me that she is interested in local artists using her window to display their work and create interesting and varied window displays. She is also keen to allow other ethical designers exhibit their work on her rails for limited periods to help raise awareness for other ethical fashion brands.

The shop was great and there was not only clothing and bags but jewellery, furniture, clocks made from vinyl and beautiful pottery. If you get the chance to pop up Gloucester road (a must do anyway as there are some wonderful vintagey shops) please do stop by Charlie Boots. She is also running workshops where you can learn to sew dresses, skirts, bags, cushions, underwear, purses or textile art with experienced and skilled tutors. To find out more about this service go to the 'news' section of her website.

Enjoy

Fashion Fantasist xx

Current Bun

(Photo credit: Lee Stafford)

Bristol hairdressers will attempt to set the World Record for the highest number of topknot hairstyles completed in one day today (11/06/2011) at Cabot Circus.

The event is organised by Bristol based fashion website MyStreetChic.com. Bristol shopper's hair will be transformed into the iconic topknot style as part of a speed styling challenge. A team from Robin James Salon Ltd will attempt to get through as many topknots as possible to score a World Record - and put Bristol firmly on the style map! I wish them the best of luck!!!

The topknot, otherwise known as a super high bun, has been hailed as the hairstyle of Summer 2011, with celebs like Kylie, Gwen Stefani, Blake Lively and Whitney Port all rocking the look.

Shoppers in Cabot Circus today will be able to get their hair styled into a topknot for free and become part of the attempt. Everyone who gets a topknot will also receive a free MyStreeChic.com goodie bag, packed with stylish treats!!

Want a new look to go with your new 'do'? Make-up artists from Bobbi Brown at House of Fraser will also be on hand offering free makeovers, while the Sactuary Spa will be providing mini-manicure. The event is being held to celebrate the launch of MyStreetChic.com, a new Bristol based fashion website that will cover all things stylish in the city.

"Bristol is home to a hotbed of different styles. MyStreetChic.com aims to celebrate what's best in the West for fashion and, with this World Record attempt we hope that people will sit up and take notice of Bristol as a style capital," said Gina Dyer, Editor of MyStreetChic.com.

If you want to take part in the Great Topknot Challenge, head down to the MyStreetChic.com std in the main street at Cabot Circus TODAY 11th June between 10am and 6pm!!

Much Love

Fashion Fantasist xx

Introducing the New Generation

Last Saturday was UWE fashion and fashion textiles graduate's show. I can still remember the stress and excitement from mine so I was very much looking forward to this years ideas and designs. After a lovely day at the Cottage Inn by the River I headed to Bristol's RWA, which is an art gallery. A really light airy space and very intimate - I knew I would be able to get a close look at the garments as they came down the catwalk.

I wasn't disappointed!

The first collection that graced the stage was Sarah Cassidy's. A brightly coloured knitted collection inspired by an anatomical heart locket. Acid green, bright blues, black and white stripes all teamed with Vivienne Westwood shoes made for a very exciting start to the show.

Here are a few of my favourites...

Edward Lord's dramatic grey sculpted collection was very impressive with a luxurious fur trimmed coat and long draped dresses.

Lucy Brookes' printed menswear created from abstract pin up girls.

Jenna Lauren Dawson's collection featured wonderful, drawn bird embroidery and print patterns.

Elaine Youh's collection featured complicated fabric manipulation in a colour pallet of red, black and white.

Tolga Ozturk's menswear collection inspired by gorillas was very striking in blacks and orange. One model even had some eyes draped over his shoulders.

Nicola Chisall's impressive plastic carnival inspired collection closed the show in a blur of bright colours and complicated construction.

I really enjoyed the show well done to all the graduates and good luck for what they might do next! I will do a separate blog post for the 2D work. Please check out my review of the show for Guide2Bristol.

Best wishes,

Fashion Fantasist xx

P.S thank you Steve Norton for the photographs!