Elvis isn't dead...

Hello Strangers,

It is crazy to think that this time last year I was enduring the long bus journey from Oxford to London and then an hour long underground trek - enjoying an internship at French Connection!It was an interesting experience but it already feels like it was a million years ago. What I really enjoyed was being able to help out with print a bead work. It is very strange to see some of the pieces I helped with sitting in the shops waiting to be bought. Gives me a little skip in my step when I see an advert for a garment I saw at it's beginnings. It was a fantastic experience and I really enjoyed it! Thank you to the people who helped me get it and who taught me a great deal about what the industry is like.

Anyway the reason I rave about some of the garments is because I have recently purchased one. It was in the sale but £325 reduced to £150 I think is still fair :). It is the Broiderie Brogue dress in cream leather with a laser cut pattern. I can tell you the silly thing I get excited about is I remember photocopying the pattern and trying to make it match at the seams and also drawing the pattern on to a working drawing. Silly but it gives me a little thrill.I did have an occasion to splash the cash and get such a statement piece - it wasn't just for wearing round the house! It was Mr FF's Grandparent's 50th Wedding Anniversary at the end of September = A big deal! A lot of his relatives were there, some travelled from Italy and America to come and celebrate. It was lots of fun with a five course lunch and a Dean Martin impersonator serenading us all and in the evening there was a hog roast and an Elvis impersonator. It was so much fun!! I have added some pictures in this post so you can see mine and Mr FF's outfits and some of the crazy shenanigans!

Mr FF and I
Mr FF and I with Mr FF's Bro and GirlfriendThe Grandparents = awwwAnd a rather close call with Elvis!

Anyway speak soon!!
Fashion Fantasist xx

(Thank you David D'Elia for the event photographs)

Behind The Sun

The drizzly, darkness of winter seems to have appeared. I have that horrible numb feeling in my brain from a rather horrible cold. So this blog post may not make muuuuuch sense. Hehe! We did have one last lovely weekend of beautiful weather however and the papers went mad calling it our Indian Summer. So in natural Brit fashion we took to the park with picnic in hand and disposable bbq in the other.

Now this is my first outfit post so please be kind... I have managed to find myself a lovely pair of wine coloured skinny jeans for the winter months. Coloured trousers - jeans and chinos are becoming a big winter trend for women and men. Imagine my joy when instead of teaming these jeans with chunky jumpers I was able to wear a strappy top - in SEPTEMBER! :)

Head scarf: Charlotte Taylor
Top: Topshop
Jeans: Urban Outfitters
Shoes: Miss Selfridge
Bag: Primark

More posts soon - the fashion weeks have not gone unnoticed!! I am now going back to my hot chocolate, blanket and Red Hot Chili Peppers 'What Hits' and the talking dolphin.

Speak soon lovelies!
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

Truly Sorry

I write this post to apologise... I have been absent and out of touch and there is no excuse! Sorry!!!!!! I hope you have had a lovely bank holiday - it seems the sun has finally decided to come out! Yay!

Last weekend I visited my sister in Edinburgh. It really is a beautiful city with wonderful boutique shops and wonderful architecture. I found this little beauty in Urban Outfitters....

I would just like to find a charming straw boater to create the perfect summer look.

I hope there will be more posts to follow that you will enjoy... But to tide you over I have started a Tumblr account that will show imagery that inspires me and different things that catch my eye. Please do stop by!

Speak soon - I promise! :)

Best wishes,

Fashion Fantasist xx

Spring Clean

Hello, Sorry for my lack of posting lately but I have been thinking that my blog needs a bit of a revamp. With Spring Springing I am going to be giving Fashion Fantasist a bit of a Spring clean. In light of that I would like to have a new banner heading as at the moment I think I am on default and a little bit of colour wouldn't hurt!

So I am calling all illustrators to submit ideas for my banner heading by the 1st March... My favorite will be chosen and used with full credits to the illustrator with any website or blog info that they might have. Anyone interested please submit via email (on right hand side of page).

Thank you I look forward to seeing the entries!

Best Wishes Fashion Fantasist xx

P.S Don't Hyacinths just smell lovely?

Cat On The Wall

This week I did an interview with Jo Whitby from the Music and Culture Webzine Cat On The Wall. Please check it out here.

Thank you
Fashion Fantasist xx

Happy New Year

And Happy Birthday to my blog! It has been a year since I started blogging as Fashion Fantasist and what a year it has been. I was not expecting this blog to turn out the way it has done. It started as a way to make a digital profile for myself and my designs but has turned in to a lot more.

I don't think any of the opportunities I have experienced this year would have happened without this blog. It has helped me meet new people, I have been invited to fashion shows and events, I have written for other blogs and online publications and of course it helped (with Twitter) towards getting an internship with French Connection.

Writing this blog has expanded my fashion horizons. If I have found a designer or piece of work I have found interesting or inspirational I have tried to make contact with the designer, which has been a very rewarding experience discovering other peoples inspirations and aspirations.

A highlight of this year for me was to go to London Fashion Week!! I only went the one day and saw one show but it was amazing. As you all know I didn't shut up about it for posts and posts. Thank you to Kirsty Ward and David Longshaw who gave me that opportunity it was amazing to meet you both and I wish you the best of luck in 2011. At LFW I also met the team behind the hugely successful Young British Designers who I had the pleasure of writing a guest blog post for. Wonderful people who I think are doing exciting things for young British designers.

One of the best and most challenging experience this year has got to be my final university collection. It was difficult to get in to the swing of things but through it I discovered a real interest in photographic and Trompe l'Oeil print techniques. I am currently trying to create some garments that I can market and sell... But look out 2011 for that. I also experienced a real passion for meeting new people whilst helping with the PR for our University fashion show. I created a twitter account and managed to get the most coverage our university shows have had. It was also very flattering to have my work featured in an online publication.

Going to shows to cover them as a journalist/blogger was something I was not expecting but it has been a real delight to do this for both Culture Candy and Guide2Bristol. Hopefully this will be something I will continue to do in 2011.

Working for French Connection as an intern was such an eyeopening experience. I learnt so much and met a lot of very friendly people. It started out as just photocopying and sticking together artworks but as I got to know people better I started to contribute more. This may seem like a small thing but in the 2011 a/w range there are bead combinations that I helped create and that is so exciting. I brushed up on my Photoshop skills and actually feel more confident on Illustrator. All in all it was fantastic - hard work but well worth it!!! (Thank you to Rachel again for the gig!)

All in All it has been a whirl wind of a year. 2010 has been hard work but I think 2011 will be even harder. I am going to be continuing to look for work, start creating more designs, keep working hard on this blog and keep talking to and meeting wonderful people. Of course like every new year my resolution will be to stop chewing my nails! Hehe!

Sorry I haven't done any images in this post I wasn't sure what to choose!!! But here are some gorgeous shoes I have my eye on...Finsk Boots....... Well I can dream - that is why I am a Fashion Fantasist! (They are also really lovely in black!)

I hope you all had great years and thank you for reading my blog, following and supporting it. Wishing you the best 2011!!!
Fashion Fantasist xxx

I Am Now A Superhero

Christmas wishes to you all! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I have never felt so full - why is it every year we stuff ourselves to the seams?! I spent Christmas day with my family in Oxford and I have never in my life seen so much snow - it was magical!I was very spoilt this year with some lovely Christmas presents including some items from my Xmas wish list. My favorite is this gorgeous cape from French Connection.I also a received a very thoughtful gift from my other half - a kindle - I adore being able to read whenever I like and have started to read Dorian Gray.

How were all your Christmases? Favorite gift?

Xmas Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xxx

Christmas Wishes

Now that Christmas is just around the corner I thought I would share with you a few items from my Xmas Wish List...
Now this may be my last blog post until after Christmas as I am not taking my laptop to my parents... Buuuut you will get a full update before the new year on all Christmas merriment I am sure! I also need to share with you all my experience with French Connection, which will be a mammoth post since I enjoyed it so much and learnt loads!

I will also say now, if I don't get the chance, that my blog will be one on new years day!!! Crazy that I have been only blogging a year and lots of fantastic things have happened - but more on that on new years day (hopefully without too big a hangover!)

For now I wish you a Happy Christmas and hope that Father Christmas brings you everything you wished for!!!

Speak Soon!!
Fashion Fantasist xx

Ice Sculpture

Bristol is so cold with the snow and ice look at this fountain. The water has frozen in motion and looks like an ice sculpture. For some reason it made me think of some of Tim Walker's work with muted tones and white hues.

Vogue Italia A Magic World

British Vogue The Snow Queen

Vogue Italia Lady Grey
(Photographs sourced Models.com)

Anyway I hope that you are all keeping warm. Have you seen this lighthouse that has been frozen? It looks beautiful!

Best Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xx

Suit Yourself

Check out the new issue of Suit Yourself Magazine. Myself and a uni mate found some stylish people and showcased their take on fashion by taking some snaps!Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion methinks.
Love
Fashion Fantasist xx

10% OFF Ethical Fashion

The Unique Bristol Fashion Brand Charlie Boots is offering 10% off to all readers of this blog!!!!The label “Charlie Boots” is the brainchild of Charlie Boots, Bristol based designer who creates original , stylish womenswear and bags from ethically sourced materials which are then fabricated to a very high standard by a small team of talented seamstresses.

The ethics of the fashion industry have been thrust under the spotlight in recent years as exposes uncovered the true cost of high street fashion in relation to the environment and the human cost of the workforce needed to produce the high volume/low quality garments it demands.Charlie Boots’s vision is clear: “I want to show the fashion world that you do not have to compromise when it comes to style and quality when the ethical history of your clothes is important to you. I believe that people will love my ethical clothing for it’s innovative designs and for the care and attention to detail with which they are made. The fact that they are produced from ethically sourced materials and made by people being paid properly for their expertise is simply the way modern fashion should be. As consumers, we shouldn't expect anything less.”

Charlie Boots offers its customers an exciting range of day and evening wear that utilises fair trade, sustainable , organic, reclaimed and vintage fabrics such as 1930’s ‘feedsacks’ and kimonos from the 50’s onwards. Each design is limited to only ten items and due to the rarity of many of the fabrics, some are complete one-offs.

The Charlie Boots website also sells organic knitwear from Lowie and Eka and handmade jewellery.

Charlie Boots is currently offering 10% off (until the 25th of December) to readers of this blog. To claim your unique Voucher code please email hello@charlieboots.com and give the name of the blog you are reading. A text or email will then be sent with the discount code!

This cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

I have blogged about Charlie Boots before - I think it is a wonderful company with great values - so get shopping!!!! You may find some Christmas presents too!

Happy Shopping!!
Fashion Fantasist xx

Cinderella

I know this is only an advert for hair straighteners... But I think it's wonderful! It's the time of year when the Christmas Pantos start - men dressed as women, "oh no he didn't" and "he's behind youuu"s at every theatre and town hall.

I love the costumes in this advert so many different, weird and wonderful things to look at. I think my favorite bit is when it turns midnight and Cinderella's dress falls apart like tissue paper - just magical.

And of course you cannot leave out the two ugly sisters...

Enjoy
Fashion Fantasist xx

Oh FCUK!!!.... and Fantastical Pirates

Hello All!!!

I am Soooooo Sorry about the quiet nature of my blog recently.... But I have some news... Some of you who follow me on Twitter may already know but I have got an unpaid internship with French Connection Womenswear design!!!!

It was very unexpected and spur of the moment! I heard about the opportunity from a lovely girl on twitter Rachel Menashy. I applied for the job on Thursday 21/10/10 and heard back on the Monday (25/10/10) that if I was interested they would like me to start the DAY AFTER at 9:30!! Obviously I was panicked - but headed off to London and stayed in a hotel for the evening.

I then stayed in my sisters friends parents flat.

But the flat is based near Harrods!! And I have to say I really love their pirate and peter pan themed windows, which I get to walk past every day on the way to and from the tube, including a chocolate pirate ship - yummy!
The pirate ship is - Captain Hook's Chocolate Ship and you can see it in the window of Harrods on Hans Crescent. It is hand made with rich Belgian Chocolate by Harrods expert pastry chef. It measures 90x95cms!!!!

Customers can place their bid on the ship either in the food hall at the food orders desk and at Christmas World!! All proceeds of the sale will go to Great Ormond Street Children's Charity - So get bidding on this amazing Christmas gift!

If you want to find out more about Harrods or do some shopping head to their website. They are also on a range of social networks - Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.

Apologies again for the lack of posting!!!!!!!!

Fashion Fantasist xx

Ship Shape and Bristol Fashion

Bristol has been shortlisted as one of six UK cities as most stylish by leading fashion and celebrity website OSOYOU.com!!!!So all you fashion-ey folk get yourselves down to Cabot Circus tomorrow as the editorial team from OSOYOU.com will be looking out for and photographing the best street styles.

As well as the potential to be crowned the UK's most stylish city the individual with the best street style will win £500 of shopping vouchers and the latest Blackberry Torch.

Beth Wond from OSOYOU, who is organising the tour of the UK, commented, "Bristol has upped its game in the fashion stakes since the opening of Cabot Circus and we feel it now deserves a place on our shortlist of cities. We've heard that Bristol has a very individual and edgy style - we now want to see it for ourselves. We want Bristol's fashion crowd to come and show us how it's done Thursday!"Other cities nominated include London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Edinburgh. So come on stylish Bristol boys and girls lets hit Cabot Circus tomorrow and show them how it's done - Bristol Style!

OSOYOU.com will be at Cabot Circus Thursday (14/10/10) 12:00-3:00pm.

Also make sure you vote for your favorite style star from October 18th on www.OSOYOU.com

To keep up to date with whats what at Cabot Circus check out their webpage or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

Good luck!
Fashion Fantasist xx

Dark Inspiration

Now I do not normally do this - post up picture after picture of pages from a magazine spread but to be honest I can't help it.Whilst doing some research for my own project I came across this photoshoot on Front Row View's site. They are from Italian Vogue September 2010 Issue. Photography is by Paolo Poversi, the model Kristen McMenamy and styled by Edward Enninful.I am captivated by the dark decadence and opulent garments in a Gothic Georgian fantasy. It is not often that I will want to pour over a photoshoot again and again and draw and draw but in this case I don't think I can stop myself. I have been taught not to use photoshoots as inspiration for design but it is not the garments themselves that are inspiring it is the overall theme and effect the photograph has on the observer.I think I will probably extend my own final major project collection into an Autumn Winter 2011 collection but much darker with a bleak element. Ooo I love to feel excited by a new project.I hope you have enjoyed this shoot as much as I have.

Best Wishes
Fashion Fantasist xx