Runway to Red Carpet: The Celebrity Set Keeps It Up Across the Pond

In case you haven’t been counting down with the rest of us, the Oscars are next weekend. And while the highly anticipated red carpet is known as the awards season’s most glamorous, the celebrity set wasn’t holding back during this week’s events across the pond. Sunday’s British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards saw our current red-carpet favorites hit it out of the sartorial ballpark yet again. Lupita Nyong’o was statuesque in an emerald green silk Dior Couture gown accented with a metallic gold-lacquered belt and cuffs, and Cate Blanchett, who took home the BAFTA trophy for best actress, walked the red carpet in a black column with a silver tulip jacquard from Alexander McQueen’s Pre-Fall ’14 lineup. We should also mention that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie turned up in matching suits: Jolie opted for a casually undone tux from Saint Laurent; Pitt, meanwhile, wore Valentino.

Later in the week, on Wednesday, the music set stole the spotlight at the Brit Awards in London. International Female Solo Artist winner Lorde stuck to her favorite color palate, accepting her trophy in a black Tom Ford Spring ’14 gown covered in fractured mirrors. Ever-dapper music mogul Pharrell Williams chose a charcoal gray lamé effect suit by his red-carpet go-to, Lanvin. While he left his now-famous Vivienne Westwood topper (which is currently getting auctioned off on eBay for charity, the latest bid being $10,500) home for this outing, we’re hoping he has more red-carpet surprises up his sleeve.

3.1 Phillip Lim

Phillip Lim left the West to found 3.1 Phillip Lim in New York, but you get the sense the West never left him. It's there in his groovy, SoCal brand of Zen, and it occasionally bubbles up into his collections, which are often structured around Western archetypes like surfers or easy riders. Today he added cowboys to his pantheon of alterna-heroes. 

Of course, the West isn't just a region on a map. Lim, given to lofty pronouncements, was channeling a West of the mind. "It's this territory that shadows the line between vanishing mythology and reality," he said. "The cowboy is its hometown hero." 

Lim's collections often ride that same line between mythology and reality that cowboys do. He's fond, especially when show season comes around, of dressing his men both larger and odder than life. But the cowboy theme actually served to ground him. This collection reminded you that Lim's label is built on gussied-up takes on essentially wearable clothes. Playing on Westerniana gave him the opportunity to indulge his decorative and outré side in context. Fall means leather, so there were jodhpur-cut leather lounge pants whose exaggeratedly high cuffs gave them the look of trompe l'oeil boots. Fall also means coats, but in addition to the oversize versions in speckled bouclé, Lim showed shirt-jackets in leather and in jersey: Not a new idea, but one which made good use of the turtleneck layering pieces that have emerged across the shows as a certifiable fall trend-to-be. 

Lim laughed at the suggestion that he might be pining for a move back West. He's in New York to stay, he said. But the West brought out good work in him. Even with its occasional thematic groaners, like the horse-print sweatshirts, this lineup seemed like a departure from the past few seasons—less finicky, more relaxed. Lim's icons have often been bad boys, but, he said, the cowboy represented a new tip of the hat to the good guys. "It's a new year," was his perfectly Zen explanation.

3.1 Phillip Lim

Here comes the sun! This season Phillip Lim gave his imaginary muse a name—Soleil—and designed a collection fitted to her summery personality. Despite evidence to the contrary, Lim made winter seem a cheerful affair, with brightly colored patchwork shearlings, peppy cold-weather pastels, pretty collage print dresses and button-down tops. What's not to like? Apparently even Soleil has some dark moods, however, and Lim's show was the better for it. If the upbeat clothes were very appealing, the ones that came out later, in deeper colors, had a moody poetry that added dimension to the collection. Of particular note were the knits, with their waterfalls of irregular ruffles. One ruffled sweater, in navy, made for a very convincing evening proposition when paired with Lim's nicely judged silk-satin wrap-over pant. As is typical for 3.1 Phillip Lim, the individual pieces here made a stronger statement than the collection as a whole, and this show was chock-full of additions to Fall's must-have list: The lace-up boots, one of those shearling coats, a baggy trench, a mid-calf skirt in lavender and aubergine…. Lim is keeping his Soleils happy, making stuff like that; it's not clear he needs to do more.

'Boyfriend' clothes may have an unfeminist name but at least they are not made for male approval

No, and it never, ever will be for several very simple reasons. For those sweet souls out there whose minds have remained unsullied by the flotsam and jetsam of the fashion world, I shall explain. When an item of womenswear is prefaced with the noun-turned-adjective "boyfriend", what this really means is "oversized". The "boyfriend" descriptor refers to the idea that the clothes should look as if you borrowed them from your boyfriend – geddit? GEDDIT?! – but is really there because the fashion world has the mentality of an especially immature high schooler. Therefore, it thinks that to insinuate one has a boyfriend makes one look really cool and desired and validated (see: endless fashion blogs and tumblrs about models' boyfriends) and therefore it is super sexy to look like you just rolled out of bed (probably from having sex! Only cool people are allowed to have sex, ya know!), pulled on your boyfriend's clothes and hit the streets.

And I don't mind that, to be honest. Sure, it's annoying for the fashion industry to suggest that the coolest look woman can rock is to look as if she has a boyfriend, but if this is just the fancy wording the fashion world needs in order to endorse women dressing like slobs, well, it all evens out. Because, let's be honest here, wearing oversized or "boyfriend" clothes does make you look like a slob: I know it, you know it and the people flogging you the clothes certainly know it. Sure, the models might look all gamine and cute in their "boyfriend" jeans in magazines ("I'm so thin my jeans are barely clinging to my hipbones!") but do you notice how the jeans in those photos still have a bit of shape to them? Whereas when you put them on you look like you've put on your dad's old jeans to do some decorating? That's because when "boyfriend" clothes are photographed in magazines, stylists do clever things, such as clip them in the back and pin up the hems to make them look a little better.

I was in a popular high-street retailer the other day, one we'll call "Le Shop de Top", and happened to find myself in the near vicinity of the extensive denim section. "Wow, look at those awesome jeans," I mused, admiring a pair of loose-but-cool jeans on disembodied mannequin's legs. I began to wander around the denim section, determined to find a pair of these surely life-changing beauties when I looked up and noticed something intriguing about the jeans on the half-mannequin: on the back, they were tweaked with little bull clips.

Now, if jeans need to be clipped on a mannequin – even half a mannequin – in order to look good, they will sure as hell look a hot mess on any actual human being. Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line is, of course, one of the most famous rules in the world (thank you, The Princess Bride). But only slightly less famous is "Never buy anything if the shop assistants needed to pin it on the mannequin." And, in any matter, Le Shop de Top is now selling something called "girlfriend jeans" which either suggests an unexpected acknowledgement of same-sex relationships from a high-street retailer or, more likely, a realisation that women want something a little more feminine than bullclips from their jeans, and a hasty re-naming was in order.

I've been thinking about this whole boyfriend issue because it so happened that I went shopping last weekend and thus we begin the fascinating story called Hadley Buys a Coat. I'd completely fallen for a particular tweed coat after seeing it featured in the Guardian's Weekend magazine a month or so ago and, having noticed that its retailer was having a 50% off sale, I promptly went off to find the coat I already thought of as "mine". And there it was, in just my size. I tried it on and while I glanced vaguely at how it fitted me, I was really looking at how gorgeous this coat was, so I bought it. When I got home I showed it to a certain person of the opposite sex and he took one look and declared: "What's wrong with you? It's too big." Mortified, I looked in the mirror and conceded that it was a bit big. Distraught, I brought it into the office on Monday to gauge the opinions of my fashion colleagues.

"What's wrong with you? It's perfect!" they all cried. So I looked in the mirror and realised that what I'd inadvertently done was buy a boyfriend coat and, in that regard, it was perfect. It was also too big and, in the world of boyfriend clothes, those two statements are not contradictory.

But perhaps the most interesting lesson to draw from the timeless story that is Hadley Buys a Coat (truly, it will be studied by scholars for centuries) is that boyfriends don't like boyfriend clothes. I think this is what I like most about boyfriend clothes: despite their decidedly unfeminist name, they are not made for male approval. Clearly, not all men are like cliches from Nuts magazine and want women in skintight clothes, but I would wager that most men prefer it when women wear clothes that fit them as opposed to shapeless sacks. I've got nothing against male approval as a side effect but any trend that suggests women should dress primarily for their own pleasure and comfort is a trend to be saluted. So I didn't make a shopping mistake – I made a feminist gesture. Sort of. Sure.

Winter Fashion 2014

You are going to a lot of options in the winter fashion 2014 as you have to believe that there is going to be more wardrobes during the cooler months. You will have many winter outfit ideas in the winter fashion 2014.  The winter is the only season in which you want to have warm dresses and other accessories to wear. The winter fashion 2014, you will have a lot of new and innovative fashion trends along with warm will look fabulous. Most of the designs for the particular season will masterfully created and each will have their own unique characteristics. You will never deny the attraction of the trendy and popular fashions which will totally going to be unique for everyone.  Bundle up in style with the new and innovative accessories, coolest coats, boots, warm dresses and much more.

Winter fashion 2014 that will play up your winter outfit and the trends which is going to be more famous of the coming season includes the best winter coat, the cool scarves, the leather shorts, the shoes etc. The collection of this all will definitely emphasize on your personality and will mark a unique identity. The collection will also reflected the popular styles of women wallets of the season and will design in such a way that each of the wallets can meet the need of any women.  One of the trend in the winter fashion for men coat which will be the hottest trend. Recently many of the designers has illustrated new ways in designing the winter fashion that is going to be the best description to the collection of the winter 2014.  As if look on the year 2013 we are so familiar with many designs of dresses with bright colour especially in the fashion shows, the New York fashion week was full of bright colours in the last winter however there is going to be more controversial trend of women’s clothing.

Winter fashion 2014 is also going to be created for men in general and various styles. The designs will definitely have styles with masterful tailoring. These trends will be prior people need in the cold season that these trends can keep you warm and also the winter fashion 2014 pay your attention to some special models that they will wear the best designers collection.  No one can also deny of the attraction of the trendy and popular women coat. This will be the best outerwear trend of the fall and winter season. The women footwear will be also masterfully design and will be created with its own characteristics and will have realistic style. There will also innovative jewellery collections which have a lot of attributes of their own. You will feel happy with the sinter collection and will satisfy from the winter fashion 2014. 

Womens Fashion 2014

No matter in which part of the world you’re living you all might have observed the current financial woes, economical crises. The same case goes in Europe where civil war along with different twist and turns with escalating battles that are casting a tail worldwide. Hence, the coming fashion trend took a step backward from the socio economic background this season and attentive on more continuous theme stuff: Nature.

Nature has been defined by many people in different terms, from Mother Nature to human nature, and obviously the natural. I’ve used natural because when you will go from NYC and through to Paris you will see it posses beautiful who can be said natural. Hence, the woman form as a natural being is eminent in the crews and highlighted not flooded by bossy garments or female destroying fashion declarations.

For the upcoming season of fashion you’ll see the figure skimming silhouettes, transparencies and bright colors with few omissions, which has been brought back for the upcoming season as far as the female fashion trends for the season is concerned.

In this season’s collection you will notice that the color palette arrays from pastels, with the color of sky blue which has turned out to be the most stunning trend for the season with coral red come fuchsia. Besides the white a summer staple is back in the collections and black keeps leading the dimmer end of the gauge. Silhouettes are beautiful, edged with flounces and ruffles. The good thing is that the trousers are more softer, billowing palazzo pants are also back in the side which ads more charm to the collection.

If you talk about the prints natural floral have dominated the catwalk,. Many designers have printed contemporary paintings on their fashions, Although the current fashion week wasn’t much different then the previous seasons collections in terms of trends and silhouettes, but still the fashion looks fresh and renewed.

The only interesting thing seen in the collection was the new color blue for the upcoming season. it also varies from pastel baby blue to electric deeper shade. Blue looks cool especially when it comes to the collection for the upcoming summer. And most probably this color was given to make the summer collection more attractive.

Then there is another color which has remained in the collection and that is “black” but black might not be used in the summer collection it will rock the market for the spring season. Varies from light black to full dark one and will be combined with different other colors to make it more beautiful as one of the combination might be white which has been used in the past as the best combination with black. The spring summer collection would mostly come in different printed designs because it looks more attractive in this season then any other.

Fashion Trends Fall 2014

Each season comes with new fashion trends whether people follow them, ignore them or revolt against them, but no one can refute them. Fashion trends fall 2014 are not very different from the ongoing fashion trends. New fashion trends along with old trends are expected to evolve and emerge in fall 2014.

Key premise for the fashion trends, according to Fashioning.com, are punk fashion, plaid and pajama wearing. Punk fashion is expected to develop with “styles that preserve a subversive undercurrent” as predicted by the forecasting agency Trendstop. Many subcultures and substyles have been integrated over the years. Revolt and hullabaloo are the core sagacity of punk. Plaid and its scruffy and modish appearances once again will have a dominant and leading spot. Boudoir will continue sprouting which is originated from the epitome of pajama dressing.

The Key to Chic identified four fashion trends which will inspire population at a large scale. Rocker trend, a fusion of 1970’s punk and 1990’s grunge will have sleek leather and destroyed denim as key materials. The expected colors are gray, metallic, blues, navy, black and deep red. Atmospheric, moody landscape, abstract animal’s styles and many other patterns are going to be in the market. Last but not the least, accompaniments for this trend is studs, buckles, sleek materials, pony hair, exposed zippers, chains, motto boots and many more.

Pro Sport trend reflects vigorous way of life’s movement and motocross muse. Vital colors are gold, red, royal, navy and olive and the key materials are leather, neoprene, nylon and mixed media. Bright accents, high gloss patent, elastic, perforated leather, lug soles, quilted ankle boots are some of the trimmings.

Boudoir fashion trend is an allusion of old Hollywood starlets and Victorian gentlemen. It is more spongy and feminine. Colored leather, satin, brushed silk and jacquard are some of the materials for Boudoir. Moreover the key items are oversized coat, pencil skirt, embellished sheath dress, feathers and accessories are fur scarves, loafers, smoking slippers, strappy sandals, cat eye glasses, embellished belts, ankle socks etc.

Folkloric is a mix of bohemian and folk which shows the boho glamour of the 60’s and 70’s. This fashion trend can be only simple lines or embroidered one. The materials for trimmings are pony hair, fringe, wooden heels, studs and feathers.

Gothic Fairy is going to be another fashion trend for fall 2014. The story of a gothic princess who wears lace and velvet is depicted by this trend along with highlighting the delicate womanly with a dark side. For makeup, dark lips and pale skin will be seen. Moreover religious representation in prints, needlework, jewelry, crosses, brocade, deep flower-patterned, and dark colors are essential elements of this trend.

Close to earth trend which is based on earthy colors will be one more interesting trend in fall 2014. This trend is going to give a masculine look referring to the story of a working girl of 50s who has a tomboy inside her.

The weirdest of all the trends for the fall 2014 is Futurist with futuristic fabrics, seqins and galaxy prints. It is unobtrusive in featuring but is highly embellished in silhouettes telling the story of a serious girl of sci-fi movie.