FASHION FLASH MOBBIN'

Working in retail, the phrase drive footfall gets bandied about an awful lot. Usually from head office, when your figures aren't quite as high as they think they should be, and they expect you to do something about it. So you bake cakes, buy booze, make cute little cards that say "20% discount" on them, and expect the crowds to come flooding in.

They don't. It's so hard to inspire the generally apathetic public to attend such events, let alone part with their hard-earned cash. That's why I was so enthused to attend Manchester Arndale's Fashion Flash Mob on Friday. Every twenty minutes, all weekend, there were flash mobs of dancers wearing a different retailers' clothes, then straight afterwards said retailer was offering a discount; plus envelopes were handed out during the dances, one containing a number winning a hefty voucher for the store. You only found out by going into store though, to find the winning number on a board at the back of the store - some clever merchandising going on there. The dances drew large crowds, curious to see what was happening, and those crowds actually translated into footfall for the retailers featured.

I was so impressed by the organisation, how well thought through it all was, and how many retailers enthusiastically got on board. I stayed for two hours (but could have easily, and happily, stayed longer) and saw two dances, plus spent time in the pampering area of Halle Square. I found my perfect No. 7 foundation match, using the smart gadget you see on the telly ads, and also had a lovely Hotel Chocolat hand massage. No.. not with chocolate, but with their skincare range which was equally delicious to their chocolate.

Things that fashspired me most from the flash mobs: Vero Moda's cute white fluffy jumper (would go perfectly with my white shoe problem obsession, plus dungarees, pouffy skater skirts, jeans, just.. hi) and the ice cream socks with nude shoes. I immediately hit Topshop to replenish my pastel sock supply.

There are further such events planned for Manchester Arndale, so let's hope they continue to drive footfall in such a fun, inspiring way.

I'm wearing:

Waiste Starry Nirvana jacket

(yep.. I got it. It was always gonna happen)

Oasis dress

Featuring Topshop socks

BUTTON IT

So today I have mainly been counting buttons. Lots and lots of them. I actually had a super fun day sourcing the buttons - they are neither easy to find nor cheap, I assure you - pulling pieces from the shop floor, sorting into packages.. kinda how I wish my job was every day, actually! The counting of the buttons probably wasn't the highlight, but quite necessary: I would tell you exactly how many but this would totally defeat the object. It's part of a competition being run by Oasis Manchester at the Girls' Day Out, this weekend at Manchester Central (that's the GMEX to anyone who's been coming to Manchester for more than a decade); guess the number of buttons in the jar and you're in for a chance of winning a lovely Oasis handbag of your choice.

Come along to the event for another amazing competition - win a meet and greet with Peter Andre!!!.. and also a £250 Oasis gift card. NICE. I'll be there working on Sunday so please do come say hi. See below for a sneak peek of the pieces that'll be coming with us (all set out in packages by yours truly), available for purchase at 15% off retail price.

See you there!

D.K.N.Y..? WE WANT TO!

Menswear is the hot topic on everyone's lips at the moment - what with the first menswear-dedicated London Collections showing some truly innovative collections, and the ever fabulous Pitti Uomo currently running in Florence. I can appreciate a well-cut suit and will happily steal one of Chris's t-shirts if the outfit calls for it, but my knowledge goes no further: subsequently I take every opportunity to expand my awareness.

Of course, if this involves looking at male models for an extended period of time, it's something I just have to suck up and get on with. This was the case at the DKNY store on The Avenue on Thursday - part of Spinningfields' /Series of events. Funnily enough it was mainly ladies in attendance - young ones at that - and I am sure they were going through the same anguish of beholding the models filling the clothes at DKNY's fashion show.

If I were a male discussing female models I would surely be accused of being sexist, so perhaps it's time to move onto scrutinising the clothes. The Avenue's DKNY is solely a menswear store (womenswear is available in the standalone store on King Street or in Harvey Nichols), specialising in smart-casual and business attire. Considering the label's prestige the prices are reasonable: you can expect to pay in the region of £300 for a suit. An excellent suit is the antithesis of women's fast fashion turnover. They are worn on many occasions for many years, so it really is worth investing a few pennies. The recent womenswear trend for mismatching seems to have extended onto men's suiting (see above), which is an interesting and low-cost way of updating the look.

The smart-casual attire is fashionable without being vulgar, with even Manchester's very own Fashion Boy buying into the brand with a cobalt blue pair of chinos, as seen in the fashion show.

I love an androgynous look and enjoy mixing a button-up shirt with a floral skirt, but I do think DKNY is definitely one for the boys. Could you see yourself mixing these pieces into your wardrobe - or would you keep them for your boyfriend?

Summer of Hope and Glory

Last Thursday marked the launch of the Trafford Centre's Summer of Hope and Glory, celebrating everything British, and from May to August there will be events, treats and competitions, all fit for a Queen. You can celebrate your own Jubilee with Queen For A Day, win a summer wardrobe of shoes, get festival fashion and beauty tips at Mad for Mud'n'Music, and much, much more.

On the launch night I walked round with a British Shopping Passport which detailed the discounts being given out on the evening.

The launch night was a warm one, and I hate queuing for sweaty changing rooms only to find the outfit doesn't suit me anyway. I took the opportunity to try dresses on in the comfort of my own clothes with the Magic Mirror interactive screen outside Selfridges. You lift your arms to activate the screen, then you scroll through a number of dresses, changing the size and the position on the screen to suit. It's no replacement for actually having the clothes on your body but it's a fun gimmick, and seeing the colours and patterns near your skin are of course a benefit.


Check out the Trafford Centre website for information and dates - meet you in the Welly Wanging queue!

The éditeur's Exquisite Edit

Tasty food, endless wine, and bohemian-luxe fashion; Chester boutique The éditeur sure know how to throw a pre-races party. Held at Chester racecourse's 1539 restaurant last Thursday night, I donned sequins for a mid-week night out with plenty of style credentials.



My table was a vibrant mélange of stylists, bloggers, and fashion industry insiders. Banter was lively, my only regret being that I was a little too starstruck to talk to the ladies from Alexander McQueen sat a few seats along. My time will come! Co-owner Adam was on hand to fill any wine glasses looking remotely half full (funnily enough I only seemed to drink one glass the entire night. My head the next morning said otherwise) and answer any questions about The éditeur we may have had. I was surprised to hear that the boutique had only been open for a year - they have already established a strong online presence with an impressive selection of designers in a short amount of time.

The foundation of the business is their dedication to finding the right underwear for their clients. If we haven't experienced it ourselves then we've definitely witnessed it - visible panty lines, ill-fitting bras and the really unattractive line a pair of hipster pants makes. Co-owner Annabel is passionate about lingerie; having cut her teeth working at revolutionary bra retailer Bravissimo she now ensures all clients have correctly sized underwear to complement their beautiful new outerwear purchase. She told me most women wear bras too large in the back and too small in the cup - I made a mental note to make sure I get measured as soon as possible.

 

 

Of course, the reason we were all gathered together was to see The éditeur's fashionable offerings (though my taste buds would tell you otherwise - I could easily wax lyrical about the food). The show was intended for those attending the races to peruse their options, but all outfits featured would be ideal for summer and beyond - I'm looking at booking a holiday to Ibiza and would love to pack each item for my holiday wardrobe. Might need more than hand luggage, mind you.

My favourite pieces were from Tibi - the brand sit perfectly within the throw-on-with-sandals vibe I'm feeling right now, and I ache to wear the pastel and black fleur de lis print on a balmy Balearic evening. The Patrizia Pepe white and lemon ombréd dress shows off a golden tan whether home or away, and I see cool girl extraordinaire Erin Wasson wearing this on an exclusive, deserted sandy beach.. oh, somewhere in the Maldives, perhaps.

Laura Apsit Livens' hats were on show, and The éditeur will soon be stocking these beauties - creating a one-stop-shop for any races- or wedding-goers.

There was also man candy.. uh, I mean menswear, courtesy of fellow Chester retailers Citygate. Again, there was a fabulous mix of summer daywear and fashion-forward suits ideal for any age. 

I've now had the chance to attend fashion shows from a handful of the North West's leading independent boutiques, and what strikes me most is that each indie is utterly unique, with its own ideas and approach to retail. They recognise the need for omnichannel retailing and take calculated risks exploring avenues many global companies wouldn't dare to. The éditeur are a small team, yet are always looking for methods of moving forward: they have recently employed a photographer and a SEO specialist to make the website a force to be reckoned with in the fashion batt-etail-field. Speaking to Annabel and Adam, you can't help but feel their excitement for the boutique - and I look forward to finding out what they have up their sleeves for the next twelve months.

Still Life Interrupted: Elliott Landy

Today we have a special guest post from Mr Dotty - that is, my boyfriend Chris. For his first instalment he checks out the Emporio Armani/Elliott Landy exhibition...

He left the house and anxiously checked the time again. As usual, he was running late after a conundrum rendered him paralysed in his underwear.

What should he wear for this thing?

Now that he'd sorted that issue out, the next, and completely beyond his control; a dog, wet after bathing in the canal, operating like a punctured fire hydrant with brownish spurts flying into the chilly air, launching itself towards him. Were chinos ever a good call with waterways and dogs in the world?

Then he was at Emporio Armani and the Elliott Landy collection, the rest of the journey competely uneventful and thus unworthy of comment. An extremely friendly woman greeted him at the door, opened by two pleasant and smartly dressed chaps, and asked his name.

'I don't think I'm on the list,' he said, too quietly. Fortunately greeters are used to people less confident than themselves (because by definition EVERYONE is less confident than them - that's their job) and said 'I'm sure you are (winning smile)'. A quick indicative glance at the invite list -

'Chris Green'
'Yes, here you are.'
As if it were the most natural conversation in the world (which it was).

He walked around the gallery in a striped t-shirt, chinos and brown boots (don't worry, I know where I am) supping from a complimentary Peroni, marvelling at the photography on offer. If I get the chance to tell people about this, particularly a large audience, I'm going to recommend everyone come and see it, he thought to himself.


Janis Joplin
A man in a suit walked over and asked if they were his pictures. He played along and said they were, and an amusing moment ensued where he adopted the persona of another man for his audience and tried to mimic his behaviours based on what sort of guy he thought Elliott Landy was. They grinned and went their separate ways, the set piece (and alcohol) having settled his nerves somewhat.

He spent the next hour or so checking out the remarkable images on offer. He scribbled down a particular irony in Landy using infrared, a photographic technique perfected by the CIA for tracing heat residues, in capturing some of the central figures in western counterculture, like Dylan, Joplin and Hendrix. He loved the effect the technique had in reducing physical movement to etheral streaks and curved flashes oflight, creating impressions of sonic physicality and in some cases removing the creator from the act. There was something weirdly profound in that, he felt.

 
Ornette Coleman & son
As he stared at a picture of Bob Dylan surrounded by warm hazy pink blossom, he realised how influential Landy had been in creating this artwork. It was as though as Landy were umbilically attached to the Summer of Love and now its ideas and philosophies were his lfeblood. He couldn't imagine the era of these legends being captured in any other way and that, surely, was the mark of genius that only a few possessed. 

Mostly, however, he noticed he was really prone to monologues. He put it down to the influence of weblog culture.

 
John Lee Hooker
Elliott Lady's collection is available to view at Emporio Armani, Spinningfields until Monday 7th May. These JPEGs will be disappearing then so view the exhibition while you can!

Take Me To Funky Town

Those of you who have seen me in the past few days may have noticed me whistling the Lipps Inc classic and strutting along a little more wiggle than normal. I haven't suddenly become a massive Shrek fan (in fact I've never seen the film.. how bad is that?!). It is because I was whisked away to a Funky Town - or rather, Bottega's glamorous Seventies-themed summer fashion show.




The crowd were not only glossy-haired, well-heeled (literally - see McQueen, Louboutin, & Marant above!) and gorgeous, but were also very generous. The event was in support of Claire House Children's Hospice and at first count raffle tickets and donations added up to £700 but this was before the real shopping began. With 10% of each purchase made from the Bottega and friends collections available, it was the perfect excuse to shop - and yes, I may have made a purchase. But I had to do it. For charity, darling..!

The Grade II listed building Bolesworth Castle was the evening's venue, which just so happened to be shoe designer Cleo B's family home (read more about Cleo B at Newsic Moos very soon). Bottega have recently started stocking Cleo's collection and the evening proved to be a fantastic showcase for the pieces - in fact the first two looks were dedicated to Cleo's Rockbox and Jam Master Jay espadrilles and Sucker MCs casette heels.

 







All models wearing Des Petits Hauts Gold Katarina midi skirts and Sucker MCs shoes.

The Jam Master Jay is a classic with a twist - a raffia sole and heel, plus cool metallic and suede straps. Me likey.

'I'm in Miami Girl' was surely just gratuituous, giving us a chance to gawp at the babe-licious models. So full of attitude and sass, and each one different to the next - perfect casting! I think I'll leave this look to that sexy lot, though I'm sure I could find an inventive way to style the printed We Are Handsome swimsuit.

 





To me 'Le Freak C'Est Chic' was the most wearable and on-trend look of them all. Bottega stocks a fantastic edit of the Olsen's Elizabeth and James label, and each model was attired in at least one piece from the brand. My mum's favourite (did I mention my mum came along? She loved it) was the floral pyjama pants, and I was rather partial to the floral midi-maxi dress - it had a great movement and fluidity.

 





The 1970s references were coming thick and fast as we reached look 5, 'Saturday Night Fever'. A tight-fitting, one-shouldered top tucked into high-waisted flares. A floaty kaftan top, a tassled obi belt. On paper these may sound costume-like but the modern accessories (namely Cleo B) and neon accents kept the looks modern.

 




I really wish I could dress like 'Last Night A DJ Saved My Life' every day, though trailing hemlines in wet Manchester may not be the most practical. This look mixed vintage and modern pieces, though you would be hard-pressed to spot the difference. Can you see the Blank cross body necklace in the first look? Genius idea!

Awesome looks, beautiful venue and an atmosphere abuzz with lively chatter - the perfect platform for Bottega's wares and Cleo B's goodies.

 


The name tags were a lovely touch!
I like to think I dressed appropriately to the theme - this French Connection velvet jumpsuit doesn't photograph so well but it fits like it was made for me. I adore it. Accessorised with Terry De Havilland wedges and hair styled by the rain (thanks for that) I felt like a 1970s diva. And how on-trend is my mum?! Sporty tailoring, coral, and a scarf-print blouse. I reckon she's secretly been looking at the Philip Lim 3.1 spring/summer show on style.com without telling me...

 




You'll find Bottega in Tarporley village centre. I recommend you take a day trip; eat at Bottega's Birdcage café, then visit all of Tarporley's other treasures - numerous castles, top tea rooms, and more striking scenery than you can shake an SLR at.