My Red Carpet Look

Image from here

This week's IFB project is to put together what you would wear to an award ceremony if you were so lucky as to be invited. Personally, I've been through this thought a few times already in my head, following the storyline that I would be there on behalf of a small BBC film which I have written or directed. In this case, I would want to stand out, but not so much that I outshine any of my film's stars, and I'd also want to fly the flag for British fashion. So, if I chose from the Spring 2012 RTW collections, this is what I'd pick:

Dress by Issa, a favourite brand of the Duchess of Cambridge

 Mary Katrantzou shoes. I think I'd have to practice walking in these beforehand!

Vivienne Westwood earrings. I love these, just the right amount of odd. I wonder if I'd be able to strike up a conversation with Helena Bonham Carter about them?

And to match the earrings, an Alexander McQueen ring

Finally, to carry my lipstick and a sneakily written acceptance speech, a Burberry clutch.

How do you define British Style?

I'm currently writing an article about British style icons, and it has got me thinking about the collective British style. It seems to be cheeky, rebellious, but often respectful. At the centre of it is always some sort of view about the monarchy, the establishment. That's how I see it anyway, and that's how I've portrayed it in the collage I've made above.

I'd like to know what other opinion on British style are. If you have any ideas about how the UK is perceived in the international world of fashion, or perhaps how British your own style is, please comment below or tweet me @fashionmoriarty about how you see it.

I'm interested in views from every nationality, as it will be good to have all sorts of perspectives from both the inside and the outside. Thank you!

Links a la Mode

Making a Connection

Edited by: Fajr Muhammad of Stylish Thought

Can you believe that it’s almost February. Fashion week is right around the corner and that means that the IFB Conference is right upon us. The IFB  Conference has opened so many doors and channels for fashion bloggers to connect and expand their *ahem* influence. Fashion week is another great avenue to network and work with brands, the media and other bloggers. In our fast-paced digital (and fashion) worlds, connection is key.

Check out this week’s Link a la Mode and connect with our 20 selected bloggers. Read their post, comment and build relationships that will last past fashion week and beyond.

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: JANUARY 26TH

• Color Me Blue: Face Makeup 101
• Davee’s Secrets: Black Onyx
• Designer Purushu: A Fashion Designer’s Workshop
• Fashion Moriarty: The day I was in Teen Vogue
• Fumiko Kawa: Crossing Lines
• First Came Fashion: California Girl
• Homes & Heels: This Weekend
• I Have a Degree in This: Why I Love Fashion
• Just Pandippo: I’m not a Beauty Queen
• Le Love: To Market to Market
• My Voguish Diaries: Chambray and Fur
• Pretty Passions, Fine Fashions: Nailed It
• Oranges and Apples: On Valuing Clothes
• Simply Frabulous: The year of the Dragon
• Style Sizzle: I Hate Beauty Trends
• Style Through Her Eyes: Pinterest vs. Tumblr
• Stylish Thought: The A to Z Guide to Personal Style
• The Style Confessions: L.A. Woman
• Tiffany Squared: The Editor Allure
• Viki Secrets: The Secret Meaning of Brands

SPONSOR:
Shoes at Shopbop: Frye Shoes, Yosi Samra Flats, See by Chloe Shoes, Tapeet, Ash Sneakers, Sam Edelman Sandals, Steven, Wang Shoes, Pelle Moda, Vanessa Mooney, Loeffler Randall, Dolce Vita Shoes & Hunter Boots

PLEASE READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE
If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

My week just keeps getting better. First I discover that my comment has been used in print inside Teen Vogue, and now my post about it has earnt me a place on Links a la Mode! Thanks so much to Fajr for including me, I am honoured to be included amongst such distinguished company and will be checking out all the other blogs as soon as possible!

The day I was in Teen Vogue

Anyone who has been published in a newspaper or magazine at some point will know that buzz of seeing your name in print, no matter how small the text attributed to you is. I've known the thrill before due to the odd book review or article about vintage clothes, but never before have I been totally unaware that I would be featured until I noticed my name on the letters page!

So, it was a nice surprise as I sat drinking my coffee one morning this weekend to stumble across a comment I had left on one of Teen Vogue's Facebook photos a while back, right there on the letters page of my favourite magazine, an international symbol of young fashion.

Just in case you can't see, what I said was: "I was disappointed to see Alexa on the cover. She is very fashionable, but she's too skinny. When will the magazine have a curvy girl like Adele or America Ferrera on the cover?". Now before the Alexa disciples rip me apart, I have nothing against her personally. All I was saying is, if you look through the past Teen Vogue covers, all of the girls are slender, often insubstantial things. I usually rather like them nevertheless, and I understand that there is such a thing as the editor's aesthetic, but I just think there could be a few more role models for young girls who have talent AND a normal dress size.

Who would you like to see on the cover?

4 ways to survive the rest of Winter

Find the best hot chocolate/mocha in town

What you see above is known as the mini mighty mocha. A shot of espresso with chocolate, served in a small glass and topped with a ridiculous amount of whipped cream, then finished off with a scattering of cocoa powder and two decorate coffee beans. It is heaven, and comes from my favourite cafe in town. It's proven that being outside for even 5 minutes a day can improve your mood, so why not make your daily trip to the place you know serves the best chocolatey pick-me-up within walking distance? Alright, it can't be all that healthy, but take a classic book with you to read and you'll at least feel that you've accomplished something.

Buy shoes

Just do it. Buy flats, heels, boots or flip-flops. Bright colours will improve your mood, but neutrals will be easier to wear all the time and show off to people at work/school. Wear them everywhere or just display them on a shelf in your room. Dance in your new shoes and listen to this awful and yet amazing Emma Roberts song.

Plan a short city break

OK, I admit it, the above picture of Oxford was taken in May last year. While I am actually planning a night in the city of dreaming spires with a friend, I doubt we'll be punting at any point (they don't even open until March). However, Winter is one of the best times to experience new and exciting cultural things. if you get away for a few days, make sure it is to somewhere with plenty of indoors-y things to do (museums, cafes, theatre, cinema, shops etc.) but also with some pretty places to walk through should the weather allow it. I find a change of air and setting can do a world of good.

Wear every coat you own

You may not have another opportunity to wear that vintage overcoat, fleece-lined jacket or snuggly fur until the end of this year! Don't just settle on your favourite and wear it every day, make sure all your cover-ups get a chance to shine and, if they don't work any more, you'll know that there's no point in them taking up space in your out-of-season clothes box and you can pass them on to someone else.

All pictures are mine except the Repetto one which is from here.

I want it!: ASOS Embellished Dress with fitted bodice

I adore this. The art nouveau bodice, the swishy skirt, the subtle metallic shade. Every detail of this dress makes it perfect for any occasion. The best thing is, since the Winter party seaon is over, it's on sale, yay! Now it's £93. I'd consider that quite a lot, but the reason you could safely pay that much and know it was good value is that it transgresses seasons. Perhaps embellishment is traditionally something for the Autumn/Winter events, but this Spring/Summer has seen a load of really cool embellished designs (Balmain, anyone?)

I guess I'm also going through a bit of a 20s phase right now because I've just finished reading Mrs Dalloway. I don't always like 20s styles (on me anyway) because they're pretty shapeless, but this dress is the perfect compromise.

4 Reasons why Moriarty is better than Sherlock (sartorially)

When he first appeared on our screens in the BBC's modern adaptation of Conan Doyle's classic stories Sherlock, wearing a perfectly chosen suit by Vivienne Westwood, I knew I was in love with Jim Moriarty. Not only that, I was inspired by his simple yet utterly dapper and charismatic style. So much so that I named a blog after it. Thus, Fashion Moriarty was born.

It may seem odd that I chose a male character to be the namesake, but my other two major influences from film and TV have been Sloane Peterson from Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Jamie Campbell-Bower as 11-12 in the remake of The Prisoner. Now, Fashion 11-12 doesn't sound that great, and the other connotations of the word 'Sloane' were not what I was going for.

But why not Sherlock? Or Holmes, Watson, Adler? All perfectly good names and stylish characters (well, perhaps not Watson...) but the there is something about Jim that caught my aesthetic's eye. So, let me outline to you exactly what I saw in him.

He understands the science of suits

On the Westwood suit from The Great Game, Sarah Arthur (the costume designer for Sherlock) said: “[Moriarty’s] suit was Vivienne Westwood. Westwood can be very extreme but this wasn't. Originally I think in the script it was another make, but the suit was just perfect for him and the colour was different and unusual.” I agree. I don't think there's a better designer to clothe a super-villain than Westwood. Plus, if you saw the show last night, you can't have missed the ominous shadow which Jim cast as he came to visit Sherlock. The line of his suits works perfectly on him.

He thinks about the details

Last night, Moriarty stood trial for attempting to steal the crown jewels.On a trial like that, you know there will be press coverage, and a lot of it. Rather than just his standard workaday Westwood. He went all out in what is possibly the best suit anyone has ever worn on my TV. Such a daring choice of colour! Such an excellent cut! He looked so suave and perhaps a touch Italian. But the real reason it worked? The tiepin. And if you were watching closely, you will have noticed that Sherlock was not happy to get a tiepin because "I don't wear ties." That is where Sherlock loses style points. And that is why Jim is master of all he sartorially surveys.

He has no great big coat which could flap about in running scenes

And do you know why? It's because he has no running scenes. Jim is always calm, always in control of the situation and never, ever runs away. I know that the flappy coat has long been the cover-up of choice for cool BBC characters (Dr Who, Captain Jack, Peter Boyd) but maybe the sign of who's really in charge is whoever hasn't got a coat which will make it look cinematic when they leap from a building...

When he accessorizes, man, does he accessorize...

OK. Love letter over. Thank you for listening.

Links a la Mode

Hooray! I made it into IFB's Links a la Mode for the second time, and I'm very pleased to be in such good company for this week's roundup. Plus, the picture from my featured post (a shot of magazines taken in a shop in Newtown, Sydney) has been included in the images at the top of the page! Thanks very much to Collette who chose to include my post on which magazines to buy each month, and congrats to all the other bloggers who made it.

Fresh New Start

Edited by: Collette Osuna of Statements in Fashion

Even though January is one brutal cold month in Michigan, it happens to be one of my favorites. It’s a brand New Year.....it’s the opportunity for each and every one of us to start with a fresh clean slate. What will you be taking on this year? A new hobby? Losing weight? Starting your own business? Bettering your blog? The ideas are only limited by your imagination, and I for one, cannot wait to begin this new adventure. This weeks links are chock full of awesome DIY ideas, product reviews, and ways to make yourself smile!

Have a fabulous month everyone!

THE IFB WEEKLY ROUNDUP: LINKS À LA MODE: JANUARY 12TH

• Ethical Fashion Blog: What do you think about charity shop pricing?
• Fashion is Evolution: How to make a clothing-tag specimen board
• Fashion Moriarty: If you only buy 12 magazines this year <--- That's me!
• House of Jeffers: Not fitting in because of the way you dress
• Letter Kay Blog: How to wear leather leggings
• Life of a Recessionista: Products I can’t live without
• Life Style Flash: Things I hate about shopping
• Marionberry Style: It isn’t easy being green
• Nadalyn Margaret: All about brooches
• Over 50 Feeling 40: Journalism 101 for Bloggers
• Pandippo: Sometimes a simple dress is all you need
• Paper Cloth: Things I learned from January J.Crew
• Pretty Quirky Pants: DIY Beaded stretch cuff bracelet
• Statements in Fashion: Twitter Tuesday: "Chuffed to Bits" for The Whitelist
• Style Delights: Ten tips to be happy!
• The Calvin Show: How to take great street style photos
• The Dapper Bun: DIY Simple hems
• The PVD Journal: How to take gratuitous photos of yourself
• The Shop Hopper: Shopping Manifesto
• The Window Shopper: DIY Getting your colors done

SPONSOR:
New Dresses at Shopbop: Just Cavalli, BB Dakota, T Bags LA, Nightcap, SoLow, Zac Posen, Malene Birger, Phillip Lim, See by Chloe, Nanette Lepore, Tucker, Cut25 & Parker

PLEASE READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE
If you would like to submit your link for next week’s Links à la Mode, please register first, then post your links HERE. The HTML code for this week will be found in the Links a la Mode group will be published later today. ~Jennine

Predictions for Spring/Summer

This Spring/Summer, I can see an overall return to fresh, girlish vibes on the cards. Pastels may not be your thing, so perhaps a sunny burst of yellow will uplift your spirits during days when you're stuck in work/school and can see the summer beckoning to you outside. Pink gets a bad reputation for being overly girly, or sometimes tacky. I think the best way to wear it if you never have before is to find the palest shade possible. It looks so light and sweet that nobody could ever call you anything but ladylike.

Other trends this I think will emerge this season:

A renewed obsession with Marilyn

Following My Week With Marilyn and its very likely award success, I think fashion will fall back in love with Ms Monroe and follow her lead for elegant summer style.

Cycling

Of course, Le Tour will be on in the Summer, sparking, as many major sporting events do, an interest in it for the masses. Of course, this year is not just any year, it's 2012, and the Olympics are returning to London for the third time. With the track cycling, road cycling, mountain biking and the relatively new BMX events, I can see people getting their old bikes out and dusting them off for a ride. Plus, the stylish set may favour a classically beautiful Pashley (as above) to get from place to place in future, because what's the point of it if you don't look fancy?

Picnics and Garden Parties

Seize the day and take advantage of the sun for a barbecue with all your friends. Or perhaps a romantic hillside picnic. Or maybe even a gathering in the park with croquet, badminton and boules. Whatever you do, make the most of a warm day. And if it isn't very warm where you are, just take the picnic inside!

Collage is mine but all other images can be found here.

In defence of cupcakes...

I was recently reading my copy of the brilliant Mireille Guiliano's French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook and was just having a look at the dessert section when I read her comments on cupcakes. You see, living in New York City, Mireille has had the opportunity of passing that bakery from Sex and the City. She claims that not only are the cupcakes there full of disgusting amounts of sugar, fat etc. but that the customers don't savour their cakes at all: "people emerging victorious after their twenty minutes on line with a cupcake or more and then devouring it in under two minutes (more like one minute) flat out, right there on the street outside the shop. Forget the pleasure factor; that’s not savoring or experiencing pleasure. That’s a quick fix."

Now, I accept that quick fixes high in sugar and other addictive/ unhealthy ingredients cannot be good for your body. And I don't dispute that she may have seen the odd SATC fan desperate to experience the same Red Velvet that they know Carrie always enjoyed on the show. The thing is, I think that the girls on the show always seem to be discussing some important heart matter (or hot new crush) and so have to eat their cupcake slowly purely for the sake of the conversation.

In addition to that, I suspect that a certain degree of hype has affected how people relate to the Magnolia Bakery. It will forever be that bakery and therefore draw a certain type of customer. I would argue that it is an entirely different case at most bakeries, particularly when any hype surrounding them has worn off. It is important to savour something as rich a a cupcake, to see it as a treat so as not to make a habit of wolfing them down regularly. And honestly, can there be a more delicious, stylish or practical pleasure than the humble cupcake?


Remember everybody, cupcakes are there to be admired, savoured and treated with respect. And that is why they are so beloved to stylish eaters all over the world.


All pictures are mine except the SATC still which is from here.

If you only buy 12 magazines this year...

I don't know about you, but sometimes I can go overboard with how many magazines I buy in a month. I have my regulars, but then I also have semi-regulars, occasionals and the odd impulse buy. I don't need them all. The thing is, I always worry about missing out on something one month which turned out to be really good. It got me thinking: if I could only buy one magazine for every month, which ones would they be? This list is the conclusion I came to. Perhaps if your new year's resolution was "buy fewer magazines", then you'd like to have a look too.

January - Vogue Paris
Many would argue that Paris is the best Vogue for editorials. I think there is definitely some truth in this, which is why it is ideal to get your hands on a copy of the Decembre/Janvier issue to kisckstart your year in terms of style inspiration.

February - InStyle
I plan my whole year around InStyle's hot list - the magazine's picks of the best trends, actors, films, exhibitions, plays, events and music acts. Normally, I pick one movie, on exhibition and one band to check out. This year it was Black Swan, Yohji Yamamoto at the V&A and Warpaint. The year before was Alice in Wonderland, Grace Kelly at tthe V&A and Marina & the diamonds. I wonder what this year will bring?

March - Elle
After September, March is the most crucial month in fashion. If you only have one magazine to get updated on the latest looks and trends for spring/summer choose Elle. Its features neatly and accurately predict what the hottest styles will be so that you become an expert on the season just as it begins.

April - Nylon
I know that March is supposed to be the beginning of Spring, but April is when things really start to brighten up. I think this month calls for something vibrant and young, with a good dose of movie reviews so you know what to see when April showers start. Nylon fits all these criteria, and often has the best cover stars too.

May - Cosmo
Now, by May you might be starting to think about Summer. In fact some of our hottest days last year were on the Mayday weekend, so the need for shorts and skirts and - dare I say it - swimsuits will begin to become obvious. Cosmo always has more of a health/fitness approach than many other magazines, but it is also big on encouraging confidence, which as we all know is the best accessory.

June - Glamour
Glamour often has a list of "Top 50..." in its issues, but the June one has the best. Top 50 Best-Dressed  Celebrities (focusing on women but with top 10s of men and couples at the sides) is actually really interesting to look through, and whoever's style wins is bound to become a defining image of the year. Last year was Emma Watson, who toppled Cheryl Cole for the top spot. Who will be the best-dressed of 2012.

July - Company
Company is small and fairly light, perfect for carrying with you to the beach, on sightseeing trips or just out to a picnic in the park. It is also very up to date on what the hot music acts are right now, usually featuring a guid to the best festivals this summer, and they know what is big in festival fashion (though in my opinion festival fashion hasn't really changed since the 60s).

August - Harper's Bazaar Australia
This may seem like an odd choice for most readers (those in the northern hemisphere anyway) as any Australian August issue will obviously be filled with Winter looks. my logic on this one is that you'll be able to pick what you need for the next season in summer sales and while in interesting locations on holiday. After all, you're not likely to be in that place for long, you might as well plan ahead and stock up on individual finds.

September - Vogue US
I suppose kind-of an obvious one, but you simply cannot pass up the opportunity to buy the phonebook that is The September Issue. I bought my first one this year and it something I will keep for a long time to come. If you'd like to read my review of this year's September issues, click here.

October - Teen Vogue
Now, I love Teen Vogue, but the reason I've chosen it for October comes down to just two words: Young Hollywood. The best photographers and stylists come together to shoot the creme de la creme of young acting talent, often in an unusual location (2010 featured actors such as Logan Lerman and Hailee Steinfeld in preppy outfits sitting at desks and wondering around what appeared to be a 1950s High School). If you like keeping up with what's hot in the world of film and television, this is a must.

November - Marie Claire
I have no particular reason for this other than that I got the November 2010 issue (with Lea Michele on the cover) and really liked it.

December - Vogue UK
Alexandra Schulman is famous for her themed December issues. The cover is often stunning, this year was Gisele getting in the party spirit with a bunch of balloond and the year before was Emma Watson looking every inch the Christmas angel and debuting her new hair to the world. Plus it has all the best ideas on where to find stylish gifts.

Most of these are based on the UK edition of the magazine unless there is no UK edition or if otherwise stated.

I Want It! Redopin Galaxy Print Sweatshirt

I know, I know, that whole Christopher Kane cosmic print thing happened a while ago. The thing is, I never really considered it as something appropriate for day before, but then I saw this. I adore the simultaneous coolness and nerdiness of this piece, plus you could definitely wear it over a dress if you wanted to, or just with jeans. It also reminds me of my favourite comedy show right now, The Big Bang Theory (sidenote: I saw a guy who looked just like Leonard Hofstadter today, he was even wearing a Superman T-shirt! It was awesome). Anyway, it's available from here if you like it.

2012

This is the collage I made the old-fashioned way (glue, scissors and a pile of ruined magazines) to motivate myself to blog this new year. It's part of the new IFB project and may take some explaining.

The yellow is my favourite colour and definitely will be big this Spring, plus it has a lovely positive feel.
If you're wondering what Nichoas Hoult is doing on it, it's more his suit that drew me to the image. You see, this blog is named after Professor Moriarty from the Sherlock Holmes stories, or more specifically Jim Moriarty from the modernised version, Sherlock. I named it after him because I loved his sharp dress sense, in a suit very similar to Nicholas Hoult's. I'm excited for 2012 because the new series has just started being shown over here.

Other than that, this is just a purely inspirational collage which I hope will make me continue with the blog this year.