Splurge vs. Steal: studded skirts

While neon and flower prints  have stolen the show for S/S12, goth glam isn’t too far behind. I’ve seen studs put on just about everything to tough up a ladylike silhouette. The studded cream skirts below are the best and most wearable examples of this trend (I don’t care if crop tops are fashionable, they just look silly). The skirt on the left is a gorgeous Versace leather pencil skirt that sells on Net-a-Porter for £2,565 whereas the one on the right is a polyester/elastane version by River Island that costs £20. I understand that leather is clearly a more expensive material and this particular skirt appeared on Versace’s runway but realistically it just isn’t going to be the hardest working item in your wardrobe! The River Island version is an easy entry into the trend without spending an absolute fortune on something that won’t be worn again until next summer. Plus they don’t really look all that different!

Blue revolution

My favorite color is blue so unsurprisingly the Alexander Wang tote below got me very excited. Not simply because of the sporty shape although tote bags are as practical as they are fashionable this season; but rather, the color is the perfect cobalt blue. Flattering for most skin colors, cobalt is also quite versatile as it works for this season’s sporty vibe (see the rest of Wang’s collection as an example) and for more elegant occasions (e.g. Carven’s gorgeous dress). Plus if you’re going for the colorblock look, cobalt blue looks nice with yellow, orange, fuschia, and red or as an accessory paired with a monchrome outfit.  If you’re a bit shy about making such a bold statement, check out jewelry by Banana Republic and Holst + Lee for an easy color injection!

Alexander Wang at net-a-porter

Alexander Wang at net-a-porter

Carven dress at net-a-porter

Banana Republic Goddess necklace

Pour la Victoire sandals at Shopbop

Alice + Olivia pants at Shopbop

Jennifer Loiselle at Boticca

silverliningdecor

Holst + Lee

Couture t-shirts

Clearly my standard Gap t-shirts are not going to cut it this spring/summer as designers have created high-end versions which are seriously covetable! Take Stella McCartney’s Hawaiian print top which High Street stores have already begun to copy; a £180 cotton t-shirt should seem ridiculous but how beautiful is the design? Then there’s my favorite designer Christopher Kane who, in addition to his signature rainbow printed tops, collaborated with J Brand for a neon capsule collection. In the end, Gap will probably win out in my closet, especially if they keep teaming up with the likes of Isabel Marant for the (Red) collection but a girl can still dream…

All t-shirts below available at net-a-porter.com

Christopher Kane

Christopher Kane

Alexander McQueen

Stella McCartney

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