Amy Leonard is a Stylist and fashion consultant working in the dynamic and exhilarating London Fashion Industry.
Musings on fashion, culture and whatever else takes her fancy.
If a person unfamiliar with the distinct visual cultures of the various fashion cities asks for an explanatory visual aid look no further than the styling of Louis Vuitton SS13 chequerboard looks in the spring issues.
London Love Magazine
Cara Delevigne is styled by Katie Grand as an Edie Sedgewick-esque it-Girl
Japan
Vogue Nippon
Lindsey Wixson is an airbrushed cutesy dolly-girl complete with hair bow
Paris
Numéro
Sleek Chic and heavy on the eyeliner, not afraid to show some skin-
The Louis Vuitton chequerboard is sexed up by the French
New York
US Elle
Well it's Taylor Swift looking like Taylor Swift, need we say anymore?
An interesting trend emerging from the catwalks, soaking wet hair. The great and powerful Miuccia (Prada) has spoken and she wants us all to get a head-cold, or at least look like that's what we're going for.
Prada's prim suits and wool coats were derailed from the realms of twee 50's housewife costume by a slosh of gloopy wet hair (and some oversized furry cuffs). Well, it is Prada after all, Miuccia could have invented the maxim of 'normal get's you nowhere' and that's why we love every mental thing she does. Prada are not the sole exponents of the wet look. Bumble editorial hairstylist Jimmy Paul says “I THINK WET HAIR, on a woman, is so New York,” And he’s one to talk: he has been coiffing big names in the Big Apple (and all over the world) collaborating with the likes of Steven Meisel and Steven Klein for decades. “Great shoes, great clothes, beautiful skin…” Paul continues. “And then wet hair from the shower, just flying as she runs for a cab.”
We can't lie this looks kind of great, like the model got caught in a shower on a stroll around town and is wearing it well. So how do we manage this? Do we now include a plant spritzer in our already straining totes to damp down whenever we feel like we may be drying out? Back over to Jimmy Paul who recommends you pump 1 to 4 drops of Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil into hands and smooth through damp locks to seal in moisture, boost shine, and protect your color, then use your fingers to complete the style raking it into a rough parting and behind ears.
Blame it on everyone's fascination with personal style (the street’s the new catwalk!), fashionable hair for winter looks just like you when you've jumped out of the shower having woken up late. Handy.
Jimmy Paul quotes originally published in and article by Into The Gloss seen here
The glistening green, the coral shoe, the huge hair
On paper it sounds as if it could spell disaster. It actually doesn't.
Ralph & Russo
Ravishing in Red Rihanna can do no wrong these days
Azzedine Alaia
Elegant dress shaggy hair combo for Rihanna's performance ticks the boxes
Vinage Alaia
Kellie Rowland pulling off daring cutouts (no mean feat) like the boss that she is. Good gym arms
Georges Chakra SS2013
Monocrome and well fitting perfection from Beyoncé
Osman
Mr Biel came back from the brink for his performance
(see: The Bad)
Karlie Kloss making summer work on the red carpet like only a supermodel could...
... unless you're Alexa Chung, then you can also work summer for the red carpet
Karlie: Michael Kors. Alexa: Valentino REd
No Adventure here from Jennifer "The Leg" Lopez but still, beautiful
Anthony Vaccarello
A win for Alicia, playing to her assets in this shoulder accentuating Alaia
Special Mention for Godess in Green Florence Welch
She could have gone for the coiffed look to match the dress, she didn't and is infinitely cooler for it
Givenchy Haute Couture
Great Dress, boring styling
Oh wow nice blow out and sparkly necklace Carrie Underwood
Cavalli
A bit de trop from Janelle Monae
but she's new so we'll let it go for now
The Good Dress Very Bad Styling:
Katy Perry we know you have breasts, must we see all of them?
As for the morticia hair...But the dress is fabulous
Versace
Carly Rae Jepson tries and fails to achieve what Florence Welch excelled at in this beautiful beaded Cavalli
Sack your hair and makeup people, they havn't a clue
Cavalli
Grecian upstyle with grecian dress matched with strappy grecian... How lazy! (and grecian)
This typically matchy-matchy look from Taylor Swift could be fancy dress
Why must you bore us?
J.Mendel
The Bad:
Sorry Estelle I wanted to like this but it doesn't work
No Taylor, NOOOOOOO
Timberlake can't win 'em all. Looks like a try hard loser in this Tom Ford Taffeta tux
I love Azaelia Banks. It's been so long since such a badass female rapper appeared on the scene, doing their own thing and not giving a sh......
212 was a revelation. From the sweary lyrics delivered in her trademark cheeky manner to her staccato dancing not even to mention the insouciant (and might I add badly done?) braided weave and Micky mouse sweater. She looked like a kid at the back of the bus who would cackle with her friends at nothing and annoy everyone else. She did her thing, and we liked her for it.
The fashion industry in particular embraced this maverick, and she popped up at after show parties here there and everywhere during fashion week. And now it seems she has embraced fashion. Fashion photographer Rankin is the person responsible for both of her latest video releases.
In the new virally released video for Van Vogue, Bank's styling has suddenly grown up although she retains her (dare I say it?) swagger (oh yes I do dare). The kiddie 90's cartoon sweater and cut offs have been exchanged for a slick 70's suited style complete with widebrimmed hats which throw shadow across the eyes to keep the focus on her near iconic mouth. Rich satins in orange and teal are given edge when paired with a leather look sport-luxe-esque crop top. She is made up, lips are glossed. The weave is long and silky. The saucy attitude is business as usual although Azaelia looks quite a bit more "pleased with herself" now. She's still a badass. The pillow lips snarling to the dog noise samples are genius and typical Azaelia.
More of the same please dear.
Ps. It's heeeere! The Dazed cover featuring Azaelia which allegedly has already ben banned in seven countries. Much ado about...?
