Live24Seven 2010

Fashion

DETOX ROCX………

DITCH

This month Vicki Brant can hardly be bothered to move from her sofa after the effects of too much Christmas partying, so she brings us her wardrobe edit tips to get the contents of your wardrobe into shape, even if your sluggish body isn’t!

DETOX ROCX…………

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Time to make your New Year’s resolutions…why bother, I say! You won’t manage to sustain all the good intentions, so don’t beat yourself up about it.

Vicki Brant - Style Solutions

Just sit back in your tight-around-the-waist trousers drinking too much ‘liquid cake’, as one of my friends describes the effects of white wine on her waistline. Plan nothing other than a lazy, boring January where you can chill out reading Live 24-Seven (that’s not boring, of course) and hide behind the sofa when the credit card bill for crimbo hits the doormat.

That’s what I am doing…but hey, my job is to get you girls motivated to look fabulous no matter what time of year and January is the month to DETOX. Calm down, not your system, although that would be a good idea…no, to detox your wardrobe!

Give your liver a rest and if that is proving to be rather difficult, fill your evenings with wardrobe editing. It’s a posh word for sorting your junk out, basically. It’s wise to make a healthy evaluation of what exactly is lurking in your wardrobe, warts and all.

Rumour has it an ex of mine is lurking at the back of my wardrobe, trying to find his way out! Not that he ever went in there to avoid anyone in the first place…but my wardrobe is SO huge and sometimes SO chaotic that there could be an army of chaps waiting to be rescued!

My children used to hide in there when they were little, climbing into giant handbags and wearing my coats while they were still on the hangers, very E.T. – except E.T. has gone home now and I no longer have an excuse to keep fossilised footwear.

As I bravely venture in, I am half expecting to find a colony of mushrooms growing on the inside wall where I know I have

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• Store beautiful designer garments that are future heirlooms in clear suit carriers so you can see what’s inside.

Use acid free tissue to protect the shape of sleeves etc.

• Keep shoes in their boxes and place a photo on the outside of the box for easy identification.

KEEP

The truth is, the best dressed celebs, stars and even mortals like us, will look better if we keep a handle on what we keep, store or ditch – ditching is very politically incorrect – unless you plan to give it to charity, re-cycle it, or re-work it (I will explain re-working later).

We are encouraged to buy less, wear more and make do and mend.

Glamour IS achievable on a limited budget and some of the most stylish people I work with are often students who follow the three rules above. It is proven that most people wear 10% of their clothes 90% of the time. What is happening to the rest of the gear you slavishly shopped for? Apart from being eaten by moths… …I will tell you what, it is languishing unloved, or even worse, stuffed in a plastic bag under the bed waiting to be worn – a friend’s wedding outfit was stored like this!

So don’t procrastinate any longer, get on with sorting the tat from the tasteful and trust me, you will feel energised and righteous.

• If it’s sellable visit eBay, or preferably a ‘nearly new’ boutique near you, they are springing up everywhere – some only take designer clothes but others will take most labels if they aren’t too many seasons old.

• Hold a trunk sale at home and rake in the wonga for your best pieces.

neglected a damp patch. Bad news, the mushrooms are growing all over my DKNY jacket! And that’s just the start of it. After further investigation – wearing rubber gloves and a facemask in case the spores from the damp patch invade my lungs – I discover my long lost cousin, Sabrina! She went in last week to borrow a pair of Choos and still can’t make up her mind!

Just because I am a stylist doesn’t mean I don’t hoard, far from it, I’m probably worse than you. The difference is, I say it’s archived! I keep tons of ancient little numbers for all sorts of crazy reasons, might be handy for a photo-shoot, maybe it will fit me again, or simply because I haven’t had time to take it to the charity shop.

• Charity shops want sellable, clean clothing, not total junk, therefore, if it’s that awful and your dog wouldn’t chew it, don’t send it.

• Hold a ‘swishing’ party with your friend’s – swish and swap clothes, bartering takes on a whole new meaning.

RE-WORK

• Anything that is too small, there is very little chance that it will fit you again, unless you get serious about the New Year’s healthy eating regime.

• If you haven’t worn it or even considered wearing it for two years.

(Maybe it was in fashion once, but unless you have customised it to bring it bang up to date why do you still have it?)

• Tired clothes that are faded, worn out or simply depressing are only fit for the re-cycle bin near your regular bottle bank – and I’m sure you know where that is!

• Don’t get sentimental about tat, if it’s classic and brings back memories of the first date with your hubby keep it – if you must. I am not a member of the fashion police.

• If you aren’t sure about losing a piece from your wardrobe, place it in a bin liner and see if you miss it. Top tip: Put a time limit of six months on it.

STORE/ARCHIVE • Each season clean and sort out your wardrobe, including all drawer space.

Pack away all summer clothes ready for winter, but keep out transitional pieces. That way, when you get summer gear out next year, it will feel like a ‘new’ wardrobe.

• Keep the classics – but only if they are in good condition and you are still wearing them.

• Make the effort to read fashion articles to check out next season’s hot looks, buy new accessories and key garments accordingly.

• A tidy wardrobe will show gaps in your collection and make it easier to buy what you really need for each season.

RE-CYCLE

• Maximise your clothes by having them altered, shorten a mac to make it more sassy, add new, expensive buttons to an old cashmere cardie, simply get the broken zip replaced in your favourite suede skirt.

• Re-heel winter boots and make sure all of your coats are dry-cleaned, ready to be worn.

• If you find the moths have ruined a jumper, patch it with leather or a wacky embroidered motif; sequins also look pretty on daytime pieces.

• Change the belt on a dress that you have had years but still love and wear.

JOB WELL DONE! Pat yourself on the back and plan an onslaught on the January sales.

For expert guidance with personal shopping and wardrobe editing visit www.vickistylesolutions.co.uk or Tel: Vicki 07831 853359

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Fashion

Clothes with

other designers working with People Tree who are one of the most well established ethical brands.

a Conscience

www.asos.com has recently launched its Green Room where you can find everything from pants to platforms produced ethically. Norwegian label Fin creates feminine modern pieces, even using surplus milk protein in production, if you need career wear try them first.

This month Vicki Brant, Live 24-Seven’s style guru, talks ‘clothes with a conscience’…ethical fashion…how we can look on-trend and be green wearing a variety of ethical labels.

Vicki Brant - Style Solutions

“One of this season’s hot trends is for tribal prints from ikat to batiks, which have been done so well by the label Sika, featured.

Komodo has an easy to wear range of organic cotton kaftans and hemp dresses with a girlie feel.”

Hey, it’s fine…it’s not Glastonbury yet, so I won’t be talking festival fashion, no, instead I’m harping on about the joys of ETHICAL FASHION. There is more to fashion than clothes, there is substance to style when it is produced ethically. I have to admit, as an ageing hippy I have always liked ‘ethnic’ clothing, as my mother use to call it. But it’s no longer the shopping territory of students and new age travellers, a whole new breed of designers have smartened up the credibility of ethical fashion and it’s getting more cutting edge, with true fashion savvyness.

It’s no longer considered quirky to wear organic, sustainable clothing. In fact, this spring/summer season saw most designers using traditional fabrics with a homespun feel, from hessian to hemp and a waterfall of linens, hopsack and cotton, with slubbed flaws in between. The humble weave is back in fashion and for true

Spring/summer 2010 collections showed designers who valued the many textures and prints of clothing produced ethically and the raw finish on many pieces gave spring/summer garments a fragility, with a wispiness born from nature. Ragged, frayed edges were seen at Chanel, Alberta Ferriti and raw couture at Prada where silk was shocked and sheared into submission.

Technically these brands are not ethical, yet, but if they follow Vivienne Westwood’s lead or Stella McCartney’s, it’s only a

matter of time.

Stella produces as much as possible ethically and refuses to use real fur or leather, but you don’t have to be a vegetarian from

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And you can even buy glam eco fashion from Bllack Noir, the diffusion line of Noir who pride themselves on being sexy and sophisticated, available at Harvey Nichols. They use fair trade organic fabrics and run community projects for their factory workers.

authenticity go to an ethical label and feel good wearing it, knowing that those who produced it will earn a proper day’s wage.

Clothes with a conscience are crucial as we move into the new decade and designers are looking for ways to make garment production more sustainable, using sustainable bamboo and recycled rice husks.

www.ascensiononline.com brings the planet and people together with over 50 ethical brands available on its comprehensive site. The waterfall jacket is by Adili from Ascension.

rock ‘n’ roll aristocracy to wear ethical fashion. www.stellamccartney.com However, not everyone can stretch to Stella’s price tags, including moi! Katharine Hamnett, the granny of the ethical crusade, has designed a fair trade range for Tesco, so you can’t use the cost as an excuse for buying sub standard sweatshop gear.

So, if you want some streetcred in the race to become more planet friendly, don’t despair…online shopping has plenty to choose from and why not up the ante even more by buying organically produced fabric and make your own. No, don’t laugh, sewing classes are fully booked in most colleges across the country, especially the evening classes…so skip pilates one night and take up a needle and thread, who knows what wonderful creations you will come up with. Watch this column for further tips on crafty skills you could put to good use if you take the time to learn…knit one pearl one.

Hair design by Naomi at www.avantgardesalons.com Tel: 01905 758788

One of this season’s hot trends is for tribal prints from ikat to batiks, which have been done so well by the label Sika, featured.

Komodo has an easy to wear range of organic cotton kaftans and hemp dresses with a girlie feel.

Make-up Artist Hayley van der Kleijn FK consulting www.weddingbridalmakeup.co.uk

Look out for collaborations with designers such as Richard Nicoll and People Tree, available at Top Shop – trust Philip Green to be ahead of the curve with the clothes with a conscience brigade. Watch out for

Styled by Vicki Brant Style Solutions www.vickistylesolutions.co.uk

Photography by Emma Woodhouse www.emmawoodhousephotography.co.uk

Models Emily and Verity represented

by Vicki Brant Tel: 07831 853359 www.emmawoodhousephotography.co.uk

15

Fashion

DenimDiva San Francisco clothing merchant Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis made the first pair of riveted denim trousers in 1873…blue jeans were born.

Vicki Brant - Style Solutions

Now, don’t get all sulky, I know you have searched for years for the Holy Grail – the perfect fit – trust me, it’s out there, but if the buying figures are anything to go by we often get it wrong. More than 70 million pairs of jeans are sold in Britain every year, that’s three pairs a second! Don’t make the mistake of looking for ‘the one’, there’s no such thing as a single pair of jeans to suit your every mood or occasion.

To be a jean genius takes time and you should allocate a whole day for jeans shopping.

Just when you thought the perfect fit was out of your reach, along came True Religion, then Victoria Beckham Denim, New York Tummy Tuck jeans for the mature figure and Diesel. Mean anything to you? Well, if you are a lover of jeans it will, and I believe that women of any age can wear jeans.

There is a beauty in practicality; the functionality of jeans is why we wear them.

D&G showed denim with black lace this summer and Alexander Wang re-worked the cut-off jean into an American sportswear short with detachable braces, but the humble jean is still to be found amongst the irreverent indigo. Whatever your denim dilemma ‘Style Solutions’ can help you solve it. From cowboy to the international catwalk, denim never goes out of style.

12

features before hunting for the illusive pair. Get to know your body shape. It’s pointless shopping for jeans unless you are realistic about your current figure.

The days of sitting in a hot bath trying to ‘shrink-to-fit’ are over, and the spray-on jeans I wore in my youth would only zip up when I lay on the bed with a metal coat hanger easing the zip up until it almost burst. I still have a pair of paint splattered Levi dungarees I wore at Art College.

They were baggy, now they hug my rear, but hey, I’m a real woman with curves and thankfully jeans are made for real women too.

From body-balancing boot cut, to skinnies, straight leg, fit ‘n’ flare, Capri, boyfriend, low-rise, high-waisted, low slung…shall I go on? It’s almost as difficult as choosing a new mobile!

Spring/summer catwalks showed double denim head to toe, a difficult look to pull off without looking like an extra from The Dukes of Hazzard.

Denim jackets, patch pocket shirts and the new carrot shaped jean as seen at Chloe.

Pale denim was also shown with ditzy or painterly florals teamed with vintage accessories. Visit Marabou in Notting Hill for vintage Levi’s re-worked into denim skirts and if the boyfriend jean bores you now, go for this season’s cropped version, try it and watch your style status grow.

First things first, what is your denim DNA…?

For a smarter take on denim look to the coast for nautical stripes, fitted blazers worn in 1950’s siren style.

Team with Capri pants if you are petite, high-waisted flares to elongate the leg or jeggings (a hybrid of leggings and skinny jeans), G-Star raws fit fabulously.

I find it helps my clients if we list key

Ralph Lauren has always celebrated

Styling and Artistic Direction by Vicki Brant Style Solutions www.vickistylesolutions.co.uk Tel: 07831 853359 Hair Design by Kerry Butler at The Inside Out Co. Tel: 07791 314434 Make-up Artist Hayley van der Kleijn FK Consulting www.bridalmakeup.co.uk Photography by Mike Woods Tel: 07879 454075 info@gigapix.co.uk Models: Jenna, Sophie and Elvisha represented by Vicki Brant your back, but the jeans fit on the hips? It’s an age old problem, try Votre Nom, the brand understands ‘real’ women.

High-cut that sit on the waist are more flattering for a fuller tummy, low-rise will simply accentuate a muffin top (an unsightly bulge spilling over the waistband). 18th Amendment is a label I recommend.

WxÇ|ÅW|ät

This month Vicki Brant, fashion stylist, writer and fashion show choreographer, gives us a fashionista’s guide to denim, from demure to dangerous, featuring tips on how to find the perfect jeans and this season’s key denim looks from frothy floral to raunchy biker chick.

the classic all-American girl look with crisp white shirts and faded jeans; this summer he works dungarees with braces and twill shirts. It’s a downtime look, perfect with a boyfriend blazer and brogues, even if it resembles the Hovis boy! Denim was re-worked into unlikely shapes, ’Little House On The Prairie’ pinafores at Stella McCartney, denim bustiers at Louis Vuitton and sharp blazers at Armani Jeans. Cowgirl denim also makes a re-appearance with fringing and the forever favourite, the shabby cowboy boot.

Back pockets should be in proportion to the ‘yoke’ – the v-shaped stitching.

Too small and your rear will look larger. If you have no bottom, choose labels like Serfontaine, rounded and flap pockets will create the illusion of curves. Very tall ladies will like the long 36in leg at Siwy Denim and Notify.

Whichever look suits your personality, remember to flatter your figure. Jeans always shrink in the wash, buy them half an inch longer; waistbands stretch, so buy a neat fit close to the body.

Born in the USA denim is cut more generously. The chicest are the LA labels, Current/Elliott, J Brand and Black Orchid. To dress like a celeb try www.denimology.com, the site shows your favourite celebs in different labels and you can click on and buy.

Do you have a gap in the hollow of

Take a look at www.my-wardrobe.com, they have a jeans bar with a huge selection. Visit Selfridges and surf the concessions or try their sci-fi www.bodymetrics.com A 3-D scan of your body is taken for £10 and you can virtual shop to find the perfect fit. www.mama-la-mode.com has a great range of maternity jeans. Why change your style completely because you are having a baby?

Take a road trip in style in dark night time denim and cruise through summer…

13

Fashion

DenimDiva San Francisco clothing merchant Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis made the first pair of riveted denim trousers in 1873…blue jeans were born.

Vicki Brant - Style Solutions

Now, don’t get all sulky, I know you have searched for years for the Holy Grail – the perfect fit – trust me, it’s out there, but if the buying figures are anything to go by we often get it wrong. More than 70 million pairs of jeans are sold in Britain every year, that’s three pairs a second! Don’t make the mistake of looking for ‘the one’, there’s no such thing as a single pair of jeans to suit your every mood or occasion.

To be a jean genius takes time and you should allocate a whole day for jeans shopping.

Just when you thought the perfect fit was out of your reach, along came True Religion, then Victoria Beckham Denim, New York Tummy Tuck jeans for the mature figure and Diesel. Mean anything to you? Well, if you are a lover of jeans it will, and I believe that women of any age can wear jeans.

There is a beauty in practicality; the functionality of jeans is why we wear them.

D&G showed denim with black lace this summer and Alexander Wang re-worked the cut-off jean into an American sportswear short with detachable braces, but the humble jean is still to be found amongst the irreverent indigo. Whatever your denim dilemma ‘Style Solutions’ can help you solve it. From cowboy to the international catwalk, denim never goes out of style.

12

features before hunting for the illusive pair. Get to know your body shape. It’s pointless shopping for jeans unless you are realistic about your current figure.

The days of sitting in a hot bath trying to ‘shrink-to-fit’ are over, and the spray-on jeans I wore in my youth would only zip up when I lay on the bed with a metal coat hanger easing the zip up until it almost burst. I still have a pair of paint splattered Levi dungarees I wore at Art College.

They were baggy, now they hug my rear, but hey, I’m a real woman with curves and thankfully jeans are made for real women too.

From body-balancing boot cut, to skinnies, straight leg, fit ‘n’ flare, Capri, boyfriend, low-rise, high-waisted, low slung…shall I go on? It’s almost as difficult as choosing a new mobile!

Spring/summer catwalks showed double denim head to toe, a difficult look to pull off without looking like an extra from The Dukes of Hazzard.

Denim jackets, patch pocket shirts and the new carrot shaped jean as seen at Chloe.

Pale denim was also shown with ditzy or painterly florals teamed with vintage accessories. Visit Marabou in Notting Hill for vintage Levi’s re-worked into denim skirts and if the boyfriend jean bores you now, go for this season’s cropped version, try it and watch your style status grow.

First things first, what is your denim DNA…?

For a smarter take on denim look to the coast for nautical stripes, fitted blazers worn in 1950’s siren style.

Team with Capri pants if you are petite, high-waisted flares to elongate the leg or jeggings (a hybrid of leggings and skinny jeans), G-Star raws fit fabulously.

I find it helps my clients if we list key

Ralph Lauren has always celebrated

Styling and Artistic Direction by Vicki Brant Style Solutions www.vickistylesolutions.co.uk Tel: 07831 853359 Hair Design by Kerry Butler at The Inside Out Co. Tel: 07791 314434 Make-up Artist Hayley van der Kleijn FK Consulting www.bridalmakeup.co.uk Photography by Mike Woods Tel: 07879 454075 info@gigapix.co.uk Models: Jenna, Sophie and Elvisha represented by Vicki Brant your back, but the jeans fit on the hips? It’s an age old problem, try Votre Nom, the brand understands ‘real’ women.

High-cut that sit on the waist are more flattering for a fuller tummy, low-rise will simply accentuate a muffin top (an unsightly bulge spilling over the waistband). 18th Amendment is a label I recommend.

WxÇ|ÅW|ät

This month Vicki Brant, fashion stylist, writer and fashion show choreographer, gives us a fashionista’s guide to denim, from demure to dangerous, featuring tips on how to find the perfect jeans and this season’s key denim looks from frothy floral to raunchy biker chick.

the classic all-American girl look with crisp white shirts and faded jeans; this summer he works dungarees with braces and twill shirts. It’s a downtime look, perfect with a boyfriend blazer and brogues, even if it resembles the Hovis boy! Denim was re-worked into unlikely shapes, ’Little House On The Prairie’ pinafores at Stella McCartney, denim bustiers at Louis Vuitton and sharp blazers at Armani Jeans. Cowgirl denim also makes a re-appearance with fringing and the forever favourite, the shabby cowboy boot.

Back pockets should be in proportion to the ‘yoke’ – the v-shaped stitching.

Too small and your rear will look larger. If you have no bottom, choose labels like Serfontaine, rounded and flap pockets will create the illusion of curves. Very tall ladies will like the long 36in leg at Siwy Denim and Notify.

Whichever look suits your personality, remember to flatter your figure. Jeans always shrink in the wash, buy them half an inch longer; waistbands stretch, so buy a neat fit close to the body.

Born in the USA denim is cut more generously. The chicest are the LA labels, Current/Elliott, J Brand and Black Orchid. To dress like a celeb try www.denimology.com, the site shows your favourite celebs in different labels and you can click on and buy.

Do you have a gap in the hollow of

Take a look at www.my-wardrobe.com, they have a jeans bar with a huge selection. Visit Selfridges and surf the concessions or try their sci-fi www.bodymetrics.com A 3-D scan of your body is taken for £10 and you can virtual shop to find the perfect fit. www.mama-la-mode.com has a great range of maternity jeans. Why change your style completely because you are having a baby?

Take a road trip in style in dark night time denim and cruise through summer…

13