When I recieved this spring 2008 mailer from APC this morning, I was a little taken aback to be honest. Girl in leopard print rolling around in the sand with a ‘Chad’ looking dude (my definition of ‘Chad’ looking guys is not an exact one… I know a Chad when I see one though….). Hello? The simple and slightly clinical coolness of APC? Where are you? Upon further inspection, no we’re not in for a leopard-laden spring from APC. It is just the one crisply printed leopard jacket amongst a collection that is reassuringly nautical and girly. It would be a tad mind-warping if I found APC started turning out Jane Norman– esque pieces. (I really would not click on that link if I was you…).
The thing is, I don’t really have anything against leopard print per se but for some reason, I’ve never really gravitated towards it either other than the odd pair of flats which I’ve worn once. Yet as many connontations as seems, it is one of those patterns than a lot of people take to like a duck to water and out of the broad pattern categories of florals, polka dots, geometrics and perhaps with stripes pipping it to the post, I see teens really going for leopard prints with much enthusiasm thanks to the numerous high street/vintage offerings.
This lone APC spring 2008 leopard print offering also reminded me of a girl featured as ‘Teen Vogue’ girl on the Week’ a while back who got praised/slated for her leopard print coat. Some people deemed the leopard print coat she was wearing a little too ‘predictable’ and ‘safe’. Despite being a somewhat problematic pattern, has the ubiquity of it given the print this reputation? I don’t necessarily agree but could that be the root of why I’m somehow put off by the pattern? Perhaps. Or my inability to wear it properly might be a more accurate reason.
Oh dear, you rail against other people calling YOU inelegant and then you use phrases like ‘Jane Normanesque’? Hypocritical, no?
I have the opposite problem, my leopard coat is like wearing a neon light in my town.
Lmao at the Chad, in my group we call guys like that Chester, hee.
I didn’t rail against ppl calling me inelegant… I very blatantly said I AM INELEGANT and I’m happy for people to call that because I know that!…. I railed against people equating style and elegance as the same thing….
I’m sorry, I don’t dislike a lot of things but Jane Norman is one of them and growing up, I did see a lot of leopard print in there…. (they also had quite prohibitive pricing for the quality…but that is an opinion…). It’s not a snobbery thing. I just don’t like the store and I’m allowed that right?
Ah yes leopard print. The problem is always how you were it and with what. If you wear it well and as a seperate item i.e. – a coat, or scarf or pumps, you must feel confident and good in it as people do react. They will think good or bad – you must not care! It has to be well cut if a coat and who can fault the Louis Vutton scarf much loved by Kiera et al.
But cheap shirts, tops a la Jane Norman or Vestry and Primark will not cut it!
If in doubt leave it out and if you’re gonna embrace it then add some red lipstick and have fun!
wearing a leopard print jacket is playing it safe??where have I been?
and i sadly clicked the Jane Norman link..
To add, as Kate Battrick pointed out, the leopard print I did witness at Jane Norman was not the good sort either…. which is what I meant when I said I was reassured that APC have done a fairly good sort of clean/crisp leopard print coat. Again, that is an opinion. I hope people will not hold that against me. Kudos to people who can find nice things in Jane Norman. I’m just not one of them…. oh…. and I’m not titchy enough for the store…. my dear UK size 4 friends profit quite well from that store…
loved that girls style by the way ( the one on teen VOGUE)
sorry, total over reaction 🙂 i’m just a bit tired of people labelling styles as better than others.
Helen: I don’t believe in label/store snobbery as good things can be found from all….well almost…. Jane Norman funnily enough was one of those stores where girls at school would use as a way of saying ‘Hey I have cash and I don’t shop at Etam!’….
Ahh, I feel a leopard skin debate brewing.
I think it’s okay, but only in the right context, because it is so easily assosiated with the type of girls who wear it with a bright red fendi style cinch belt and various articles of clothing from Oasis.
I hate to sound like a snob, because really I favour a fun approach to fashion, which I guess justifies the above, because people should branch out a little, and avoid this look.
Of course, this is easier said than none for many.
Speaking of branching out, I feel that I have veered from the point.
Which was, hoorah, APC, are still delightfully french and something that us rugged brits can aspire to.
Nice to see you a bit more present through comments, by the way, S.
That girl is a total cutie. No one should badmouth her! I happen to love leopard. I consider it a “neutral.” Along with red. 🙂
I am Diana Vreeland…so what?
Thank you SusieI’ve been waiting for the APC Summer Ads for ages, I’m crazy about APC, but Leopard print!!!!!? A big no.
the chad thing cracked me up! chad micheal murray…ugh, a born chad by all means. also, Jane Norman really is unforgivable- its just a matter of taste (or lack therof).
I don’t wear that much leopard, but when I do, I claim it as a neutral – it’s beiges and earth tones, just more…patterned…
oh! i clicked on the jane norman link. i curiosity was piqued, what can i say?? (i’m from the US, i’d never heard of it!) gosh, am i sorry now. the fluffy sounding music didn’t help any, might i add.
(FINNALY – I can access your blog – my old clunky computer kept freezing every time i tried to open your link!)
Anyway, please let not be turning into Cavalli! Oh and that TV girl of the Week, i’m not digging her coat either.
(FINNALY – I can access your blog – my old clunky computer kept freezing every time i tried to open your link!)
Anyway, please let APC not be turning into Cavalli! Oh and that TV girl of the Week, i’m not digging her coat either.
I love that cheetah print top!
Haha, people still carry Jane Norman carrier bags to show that they have money! What’s even funnier is that they’ll be battered and ripped and obviously used for the past year!
Hehe, I knew a girl who bought a Jane Norman logo-ed tote from there to use for school, and then used the carrier bag as a PE bag!! I just found that hilarious.
The worst thing is that, generally, the quality of the clothing there is similar to those shops that pop up and then close down the next month, ours are called Select or Hypnosis, then give them Topshop-style prices!
Totally agree with all. Especially about Jane Norman. Is there any chance of a list of the catalogues that you recieve?
Thanks
I have a dull, rather diaphanous (and obviously synthetic-shiny) scarf that I sometimes wear as a headwrap/turban on bad hair days. It doesn’t look all bad then…but leopard print is just one of those things that has to be supremely well made in order to look good- cheap tops don’t do it for me AT ALL.
I was a bit confused when the newsletter arrived. But I like the collection, overall -even though I couldn’t see the lower part of the model, which was so annoying-.
I also noticed they rised the prices, specially the jeans’.
I actually really like leopard print,as the Pat Butcher in me just simply refuse to die..
Animal print is one of these strange prints which I like on other people, but on me – I look like a broken down actress. I did have a leopard faux fur coat as a teen which I wore with PVC leggings…I looked like a teenage, junkie hooker. I also can’t shake the Bet Lynch connotations. Yet other people can look great in it.
Jane Norman window displays scare me so I have never been in – all looks very flammable!
I don’t mind leopard print, i have a blue leoapard print cardigan which i love. However its one of those prints that you can either look amazing in or…it can look a bit cheap! That teen vogue girl looked alright, but she didn’t look particularly edgy, a lot of Indie girls look like her nowadays.
I’m not keen on Jane Norman at all as it reminds me of certain types of girls at school, but having said that my mom bought a lovely coat from there a while back…
Totally agree. Got a wonderful pair of cropped tweed trousers from JN that have even seen a 2nd incarnation as a reconstructed skirt. Besides, stores change over time – i never find anything i like in H&M now, and ten years ago, no one would have been said dead in Primark.
Oh well, I still like and wear leopard print. It’s okay in small doses, I guess.
you are on elle uk street style
http://features.elleuk.com/fw07/streetstyle_b.php?id=52&iCityId=2
I can’t take any more leopard. I adore leopard – I was into it before it became a huge trend and loved it when it was a trend. But there’s only a little you can do with it, and it gets repetitive. It’s hard to do leopard well, as most of the time it looks plain tacky.
-La Prima, http://www.fanatiquefashion.com
Oh my, buttonsandstars, you are so undeniably spot on about those Jane Norman bag types!
Deary me, brings back some bad, or should I say bag memories of my secondary school.
I’m assuming B and S that this means you live in the UK.
Unless it is a universal bag code?
Wait, ignore me, Jane Norman is UK only..
I hear all of your Jane Norman woes…all I can say is ditto!
It’s not that I’m against leopard print… it just doesn’t work for me… I do like it when it does work though!