Get The Look – Katy Perry

Who is she? Katy Perry, the latest American Pop princess, she is about to take Europe by storm. And we adore her.

Key songs? I Kissed A Girl, Ur So Gay, Hot n Cold

The look? Very pin-up, very glamorous, slightly Dita Von Teese, but more fun. Her look can be easily recreated, look for vintage dresses on Ebay: Heart-shaped cleavage, tight around the waist, extremely feminine. The sunglasses are key (for the ones pictured you can use white rimmed Ray Bans, not my cup of tea, but ever so fashionable right now!)
The hair, stick to 50’s shiny, flawless one colour, jet black, platinum blonde or luscious red.
Picture: Katy Perry at Katyperry.com

Tartan? Checked!!

Tartan are the famous patterns made of horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartan is associated with Scotland, my grandmother’s homeland.

Until the middle of the nineteenth century, these highland patterns referred to certain regions or districts, rather than a specific clan. Tartan designs were produced locally and weavers would use the natural dyes available in that area. It was not until the mid 1800s that specific tartans became associated with Scottish clans or families.

What now? Did tartan ever leave? Be prepared to see tartan come alive for the upcoming autumn and winter seasons. See Dolce and Gabbana 08 in the picture above.
Look out for: tartan in everything; dresses, shirts, skirts, jackets, accessories…

Picture: Dolce and Gabbana

I Wanna Be Green

My friend Mila cares about being green, being organic, being healthy. And I love her for that. Shopping today should be more than an exchange of money. We should care about its origins, its environmental effect after we use/eat/wear it, etc.

However, why do things as essential as ensuring basic worker rights, and healthy and environmentally friendly origins have to be expensive? When I ask, most people say “I would like to be more responsible about what I buy, but it is not cheap”. And our pockets are not going through the best of times, right?

This week I decided to see how expensive it is to dress in a green way, with products that have been produced in a fair environment, using recycled goods, or using materials that won’t damage our environment. I found Terra Plana.

Terra Plana sells shoes made from recycled materials. They ensure the people involved in making them were fairly treated, and they use vegetable dyes and other chemicals that don’t harm the environment.

Are they expensive? Ok, you won’t find a pair of shoes for 8 euros (or 5 pounds), but I wouldn’t say they are expensive. They are good quality shoes and accesories, and prices range from anything like 30 or 40 pounds to 120 pounds (for a pair of fantastic leather boots).

Where can I find them? You can shop online (they ship world-wide) or go to any of their stores (see their handy website store-locator)

Picture: Terra Plana

Still On?

ON: Floral prints on shirts, dresses, skirts and bikinis.

OFF: Leggings – with kaftan tops, with dresses, especially with mini-skirts and ballerinas!Recycle them into hair-bands. If you’re over 5, stay away from them!

Dye a little, at the Sales

One thing to grab during the sales , is any example of tie-dye, or dip dye. It’s is best seen in dresses, either long or short. European tie-dye fans can go to Mango to find one or two examples that will surely disappear during the sales. In the UK, French Connection would be one way to go (see Etty Dress above).
Otherwise you can always do it yourself at home: grab a white garment, make some knots, and proceed to dye. I went tie-dye crazy during the nineties and it is so easy I think, for sake of my economy during credit crunch times, I will be doing it again. This time the trend is pinks, dark blues and greens.

Picture: FCUK.com