No I’m not advocating decking yourselves out in the Union Jack but it does seem that prints or at least the more fantastical prints are to be found on the London Fashion Week catwalks. Designers like Jonathan Saunders and Basso & Brooke made their name not in their execution of form/shape but in their print development/ideas. A Brittique package arrived on Wendesday and as the layers of tissue paper were torn away, each piece was just bursting forward with their print. Though my wardrobe doesn’t lean towards one thing or the other, I realise that I don’t have that many pieces with a ‘unique’ print so I’m not the best person to be working with these pieces below….
Tata Naka Mini Mouse Dress // H Chalayan Drawstring Top // Basso & Brooke Print Leggings
Generic prints like normal stripes/florals/dots/geometric etc are easy to mix with one another but with these, to mix them seems a little off so I had a play around this afternoon dressing them down and up….
Tata Naka Mini Mouse Dress – There is so much fabric in this dress but the print is so extravagantly floral. The gradiated tights need to be refined here but once I can be arsed to cook up some more dye, they should have a more gradiated effect. Tying a ribbon around the waist and poofing it out creates a poofy dropped waist.
Dressed Up
When left loose,the dressis an odd length so I might as well go on ahead and stump myself with some fuschia socks and short black legwarmers. The Lanvin tux jacket has the same ‘toning down’ effect as it did with my WTF dress.
Dressed Down
H Chalayan Drawstring Top – I love how this top can go from cape-ish to slinky one-shouldered in an instant. I’m really into layering sheer skirts at the moment (good for the knicker coverage…). Added a flocked paper belt to echo the lace slip.
Dressed Up
It’s odd how I haven’t worn skirts over trousers in a while, considering I wrote a post about the ‘skirts of trousers ppl vs. everyone else’ when I started the blog. I broke the print with print rule with this jacket but it is quite a toned down print.
Dressed Down
Basso & Brooke Print Leggings – Probably the piece I’d get the most wear out of not least because they’re also the best fitting leggings I’ve worn in a long time. Just had to wear that Public Beware black zipper dress with this despite my resolution to wear it ever so simply.
Dressed Up
I seem to be amassing a collection of slinky t-shirts that I’m wearing more than normal cotton t-shirts just because they feel so nice. I have also FINALLY mastered walking around in those VS Balenciaga-knock off boots. I do look a little bit like a trotting horse (well, it would make sense, being hoof boots and all…) but I can MOVE!
Dressed Down
i love the leggings and the dress. the leggins make me think 1930s..not sure why but they are great x
At first sight I immediately fell in love with the floral dress, but didn’t like the other two items. But hey, GIRL, how you work them, they are simple amazing!
I would kill for that dress. OK, lets not be scared by me now.
I love the floral dress so very much. Its perfect for spring. I also love the brocade type style gold jacket.
The whole thing really reminds me of Yulia’s style (if you havent seen her, I think she might be the next Cory Kennedy, you can find her at Snazzyfashion.blogspot.com)
Great Post.
I like both the Tata Naka Mini Mouse Dress and the H Chalayan Drawstring Top very much, but I’m not sure about the leggings!
I like to see you wearing those leggings and they look cute on you, but I dont imagine myself wearing those!
Such a amazing set of looks! I just can’t tear my eyes of the mini mouse dress, the cut is so so lovely.
I like the idea of slinky t-shirts.
The Basso & Brooke Print Leggings & the silver shoes are really cool; like both!
bravo bravo! the dress and the leggings are so glorious…
seems I need to inject a dose of interesting prints to my wardrobe as well
I love how you made the floral dress a poufy drop waist, it looks fantastic!
you have amazing style
Susie you look so lovely in all of these outfits! I’m not a big print-wearer by any means, but your creativity is so inspiring! I especially like the third look, because it reminds me of flappers.
those leggings are wonderful! i love all of the outfits you put together using those pieces… now i must raid my closet and do some mixing and matching.
I think the Basso and Brooke leggings are the best on. What started off looking the worst item on the hanger (I am quite bewildered by printed leggings) ended up the best item on. In fact I am almost tempted to try out printed leggings now which is something I never thought I would ever say!
I loved the leggings. The whole second to last outfit actually is fabulous. And I like the floral dress how it is tied up.
PS I believe the WTF dress post was the first one of yours I ever read!
susie you are so pretty! you have fantastic style. no one could ever pull these outfits off like you can!
toned down is def the best way to go, i think//those printed leggings look so awesome on you!
I adore the pattern on those leggings and the dress! I’m a huge fan of crazy patterns and I wear them all the time. I think you’ve found a very good way to wear them, especially for someone who rarely does.
these outfits look great and well put together. better than your previous outfits you’ve styled, the others always looked like a bag lady wearing all her clothes
I love all of these outfits especially that floral dress, those leggings are fantastic!
You are too adorably cute! The cut of these garments is so versatile and now. They seem to change in every picture. It’s living, breathing fashion.
the leggings are just phenomenal. Looks like you had a fun dress up day with these pieces!
AMAZING.
I remember when I was over in England in 2000, I saw skirts of trousers and the following fall I started doing that, and people looked at me weird. Haha.
I really loved the dressed down outfit for the Chalayan top. The similarity between the shininess of the pants and the pattern of the jacket as well as both of their ‘ruched’ effect makes them brilliant together.
Yes, the leggings had to be seen on an actual pair of legs to make sense: in the first photo, laid out flat, they just looked like really loud trousers.
Fantastic, all. I really like what you do with the backgrounds of your shots, btw.
I think I like the Tata Naka dress best, but I love the outfits you put together with the Basso & Brooke leggings . . . and that blue barrette is really great!
in contrast to jayjay’s warmhearted assessment of your previous efforts(!) your skill at mixing and layering has me wondering just how detail-oriented your thinking/playing is when making choices: obviously the feathers in your hair in the first look pick up the blue in the tights, but were you also intending their shape to echoe the whispy edge to your dye job so nicely? Or a happy coincidence? Always enjoy your paper belts too. I wouldn’t have recognised those VS boots sans straps & buckles…think I prefer it
Sheesh, Susie….just gorgeous, every outfit. I love the top dress especially. I like how you layered the socks in the second look.
Great pics! Ok you’ve inspired me to take some chances on prints again! 🙂
xox Girl and the City (in Paris)
http://girlandthecity.wordpress.com
wow i would kill for those leggings. they look great.
you really make all the items work. and i’m so jealous of the brocade jacket!
WOW Susie…I’m amazed at your ability to rock those leggings. I defiitely like the last ensemble the best…
Thanks for all the comments… the leggings are proving a fave with you guys and I must admit I’d probably get the most wear out of them than the other pieces. The Tata Naka dress print is my absolute fave but it’s so heavy that I think I’d have to feel especially happy and zingy on the day to wear it and skip about in the sun…
i know you said that your gradiated tights need to be refined. although it wasn’t the final effect you’d hope for – right now they look like a pair of sprayed on socks – but i think they look kinda cool
also, this might be a weird comment but i think you have a nice smile. did that come of a bit stalker-ish? lol
that tata naka dress is indeed stunning! besides, i always thought chintzy floral prints found on curtains, wallpaper, and tea cups to be even more british than the union jack. you can leave the flag-wearing to the americans… thank you very much.
😉
I love the Tata-Naka dress, odd length and all (I’m one of those creatures who doesn’t mind stumpifying herself even at 5’5″)- the leggings and feathered headpiece look great. In fact, it’s all fab- you have a weird knack of making your hair look nice in photographs too!
gorgeous! especially love the florals. and you have great hair! is there anything special you do with your fringe?
xx
Susie,,,please smile more often. You really look prettier when you smile.