The real style icons?

In the book Fashion Brands From Armani to Zara by Mark Tungate, he states that "men buy clothing not fashion' and believes that rather than paying attention to the catwalk, men are looking up to the male celebrity and sportsmen for style inspiration. A celebrity who men seem to see as a fashion icon is David Beckham, but now he has retired from football, who are men looking to for their style inspiration?  

Well apparently with the steady rise of street style and people creating fashion blogs, the new fashion icons are.. real men. The majority of famous men seen as style icons, are potentially being styled by other people whereas the new 'real icons' dress themselves and so they are representing their true original style. I think this is a refreshing take on style icons, I think it will encourage men to try new things and develop their own style rather than copying the new celeb style icon trend thats popular. Here's a few of the men considered real style icons, and i can definitely see why.

Justin O'Shea

Sam Lambert

Angelo Flaccavento

Karen Walker Forever!

I've always been a fan of Ari Seth Cohen and his blog Advanced Style, which showcases older ladies with good fashion sense. Models on catwalks are getting younger, and the majority of todays fashion icons are younger than 30. We're are kind of programmed to think that being fashionable stops at a certain age and then you have to wear drab colours, comfy clothes, and ugly shoes. Thats why I've always like browsing through this blog, I find it quite inspiring and refreshing!

Thats why I was particularly excited when I saw Ari Seth Cohen team up with Karen Walker for her Spring/Summer 13 sunglasses collection Forever. Described as a "celebration of eternal optimism" the campaign features the models, aged 65-92 showcasing the sunglasses in their own homes in New York. Below are some of my favourite images from the campaign.

Style Manifesto

1. Never wear tights with open-toe shoes, particularly with american tan tights. 

Not a good look Megan Fox!

2. A bag changes everything.. and a girl can never have too many. It can be a plain black outfit, but accessorised with a bright bag, the outfit is complete!

Victoria Beckham proving my point!

3. Don't ALWAYS listen to style rules. My mum is adamant that you should match the nail polish on your fingers and toes… i will continue to tell her she is wrong!

( FYI a poll last year showed only 6% of women match their nail varnish!)

4. Don't jump on every new trend. Some are just wrong (harem pants and wedge trainers anyone?) and some trends are over before they start and just aren't worth your money!

5. Attempt 'double denim' with caution, pulled off well it can look really good. But its so easy to get wrong..

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake working that double denim!

6. Know what looks good on you. Just because a crop top and skirt looks good on Cara Delevigne.. does not mean it looks good on you. But there definitely is something to flatter every size and shape.

7. No matter how many times they come back and who's wearing them never do kitten heels. They are the work of the devil!

.. need i say more?

8. A striped breton top will always look good.

9. You can never go wrong in a black outfit! especially with a statement lip, bag or shoe.

10. If you really love something buy it! The feeling of finally getting on your hands on something you've been admiring for months feels brilliant.. even if that Mulberry bag means not paying rent or eating for the next month...

Has Street Style lost it's style?

Once upon a time Street Style was cool, edgy and interesting. Now everyone and their nan has a blog full of it. There are now websites and blogs devoted to street style and a riot of people attend Somerset House during London Fashion Week purely to get papped for their 'street style'. With no tickets to see a show, people sometimes turn up to walk around and get themselves noticed. Street style was a  concept that i feel was once so organic,real and interesting is now a bit staged and forced. The Sunday Times recently highlighted the fact that people are now consciously dressing ridiculously or flamboyantly at Fashion Week, to deliberately shock and get the attention of photographers to end up on street style blogs.

I think if people naturally dress slightly 'out there' as a form of expression and like to dress like that its brilliant (i kinda wish i had the confidence to pull this look off..)

but its so desperate and embarrassing that people purposely go out their way to look wacky and eccentric just to get attention and to be photographed. 

So eccentric style or try hards?...

and my personal fave...

..Yes that is a walking blow up doll, complete with blow up dog.

Brighton Street Style

Recently i visited Brighton for the first time, i loved the cute little boutiques and vintage shops,the street art and dainty little cafes dotted around. Walking through the lanes i noticed lots of different styles and took some street style photographs. I have focused my photos on denim, its versatile,and never goes out of fashion! I decided to focus on denim as its seen as a boring basic, everyone owns jeans, but i wanted to show that it can be the focal point of an outfit, and its not always dull!