What would I wear if I was an Olympian?

Olympic Fever has well and truly hut London and it is seriously the best place to be at the moment. I'm lucky enough to live in Zone 1 in the east side of the city, and could hear the booms and bangs of the amazing Danny Boyle masterpiece that was the Opening Ceremony and it thoroughly got me in the mood for the next two weeks. 

I felt that the Team GB Opening Ceremony gold and white outfits, created by Next (NOT Stella McCartney) were slightly garish but seeing as we're host to this monumental occasion, I reckon a bit of bling and glitz is definitely warranted! They reminded me of the iconic Elvis Presley jumpsuit, surely I'm not the only one thinking this?

Elvis and THAT jumpsuit

Team GB, Opening Ceremony 2012

It makes me wonder what I would wear to the Opening Ceremony if I had kept up my amazing swimming skills at school and I reckon a gold William Chambers headpiece with my Team GB gold and white suit would have been ever so suitably Glorious Garments...

William Chambers bronze and latex headpiece

Gold and white jumpsuits aside, I must share with you all that my print of the moment is dalmatian, something that was spurred on by my purchase of a bargainous £15 pair of dalmatian print boots from Primark. I know, I know this was spotted at the S/S 2011 shows, and never one to jump on an 'old' trend but I do genuinely love this print, in part I reckon thanks to Cruella De Vil (who also made an appearance at the Opening Ceremony might I add!) 

I matched said dalmatian boots with a wee aqua shift dress, another key trend this year. Aqua is a great colour and is ideal for the summer to show off a tan. I favour the alabaster look and luckily aqua is also a  great colour to wear if you have that complexion. Here's me in said outfit below with my friends and sister on my friends rooftop terrace looking over the sunset in London ahhh...

Floral bunches - own, Dalmatian boots, Primark £15, aqua dress - vintage

Also check out my friend Nadine to the left's wee Virgos Lounge number. Virgos Lounge is one of my favourite online stores at the moment and I particularly love the way they merge vintage styles with current trends and embellishments. I would check them out now before their popularity goes stratospheric and in turn, their prices go up. 

Off now to watch Rebecca Adlington in the swimming - go Team GB!

Emma x

PS) My boyfriend graduated recently and this is what I wore for any of you wondering. It was a great day and I'm so proud of my BF and can't wait for him to move to London in September, where I intend to have him in red skinny jeans and Hoxton hats by the end of the year. Maybe.

Dress - Roman Road Market, bag - vintage, silver glitter heels - ASOS

RiRi for River Island!

The exciting news landed today that mega super star Rihanna is to design a capsule collection for high street giant River Island in 2013 and WOW I cannot wait. 

No other popstar out there wets my fashion whistle as much as RiRi. She really is a true fashion icon of our times. Willing to take risks, she doesn't shy away from the latest trends, and over the past month has donned Stella psychadelic print jacket dresses, nike trainers with bicycle shorts and Trapstar hats and see through black crochet dresses avec nipple ring. Many celebrities these days turn to their stylists to create their 'look' but something about Rihanna screams out that she is very much behind her look, making her collection for River Island something to mark on the 2013 fashion calendar. 

Her influence is vast and with River Island currently producing great quality clothing at exceptional prices the collection will no doubt be huge. Note, I got an amazing pair of lilac Sports Luxe trousers from the flagship Oxford Street branch last week for a bargain £8 reduced from £40. 

In the meantime, if you can't wait for 2013 take a perve at my Top Five Rihanna outfits below to get your 2012 summer inspiration on...

5) Versus mint trousers and fur top - amazing colour  and textile contrast, which works well with the nude shoes and  skin tone.

4) "We Found Love" video - Jeremy Scott Spring 2012 Collection denim bralet, skater  skirt, stockings and brothel creepers.  A great day to evening look,  combining both style and comfort. 

3) Stella by Stella McCartney tuxedo jacket. Note, the double strap heels, a key trend for 2012.

2) Typical Glorious Garments' look. Victory curls and nautical.  Gold chains, Victory curls and nautical print. A staple of my very own. A girl after my own heart in this outfit. 

1) Stella McCartney, Fall 2012 slinky green number.  WOW.  The torque necklace and simple body chain are all the accessories this outfit needs. Note, the split leg, green and slip effect dress are key staples for your wardrobe in 2012. 

I cannot wait to see what beauties the collection will come up with now, roll on 2013!

Emma x

Fashion Spy

Why hello,

Hope you're all not too sodden in this weather. I had to experience this and four inch heels at my boyfriend's graduation ceremony in Glasgow this week - safe to say once the ceremony was over my Converse was back on, a sign of the inner Hoxtonite in me screaming to get out.

I know I posted a while ago about the AIU London Graduate Fashion Show I attended a few weeks ago at the world famous Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. Now I'm able to get the photographs up, and you can see a selection of my favourite outfits from the show below...

Key trends I noticed from the show was rigid tailoring, which seemed to take inspiration from the iconic Japanese kimono, military tweaks and a merging of strong screen print with reliable, sturdy textiles. Notable mention must also go the laser cut gold metallic leather dress with face mask, of course this would be a Glorious Garments favourite!

To top it off, fashion icon Zandra Rhodes presented the awards with renowned fashion stylist and PR Nick Ede - another fellow Scot may I add. We sure know how to create some fashionable people. Resplendent in purple and gold with pink hair, I hope to look half as good as this fashpiration at her age. A great wee show and thanks to Eden Cancan PR for inviting me along and good luck to all the graduates as they try to make it in the fashion industry!

Let's hope the weather perks up so we can all begin to enjoy the summer...

Emma x

OH! How could I forget to show you my amazing new lightning bolt earrings from ASOS for a bargain £8 in the sale. These have now sold out but you can get another fab copy for a bargainous £4. Trust me, the lightning bolt will be printed on many a tote bag and dress very, very soon....

Style Icon of the Week - Priscilla Presley

WOWWOWOWOWOW.

I came across some photographs of the goddess that is Lana Del Rey performing at a gig last night in Switzerland, in a style very reminiscient of Priscilla Presley. Wife of Elvis and '60s fashion icon, I have been poring over images of her style from the Wonder Years - well the wife of the King of Rock and Roll had to have good style didn't she?

Her style is actually very 'of the moment' - white, big brows, beehive and soft tailoring. I have long been a fan of the eyebrow pencil as big brows can really make a face look striking. Slick on some striking lipstick or bold eyeshadow offset with a white chiffon dress topped off with a beehive and you've nailed the 'Priscilla' look...

If I didn't already have my weekend outfit planned for my friend's birthday party in Camden this weekend (note, body con polo neck dress in paint print with oversized lightning bolt earrings - pics to follow...) then I would defo rock the Priscilla style a la Del Rey. It may just have to suffice for next Monday in Glasgow for my boyfriend's graduation - surely a momentous occasion such as a graduation is sufficient enough reason for a huge beehive?!

Emma x



Glorious Garments Five Summer Staples, Edition 2012

I've been a bad blogger of late. A mixture of a hectic social week, long hours at work and not to mention outfit planning for all the events I have coming up means when I get home all I want is my bed! So thought I would ease myself back into the blogging loop by taking all our minds off of the horrendous weather we're experiencing to look at Glorious Garments' five summer staples. 

With lots of visits this summer, festivals and Brighton Gay Pride already on the calendar it's high time to start planning my outfits and no doubt all you fashion obsessives will be seeking out their 'must have' items. 

Some odd choices appear in my 'Top Five' for summer, but trust me in that these will dominate London this year, and will seep out to the rest of the UK throughout the rest of the year:

Summer staple number 1...

JELLY SHOES ARE BACK. Yes, the shoes which as a little girl you would get super excited about every summer, is nigh on 2012's fashion radar. Azealia Banks, undoubtedly the most  talented artist to emerge this year, sported jelly shoes at a fancy event at London's Serpentine Gallery recently. Combining a Moschino Cheap and Chic dress with jelly shoes is a bold move, however this lady really pulls it off and makes me want to rush out and purchase a pair of glittery jelly shoes for the summer...

Azealia Banks, Moschino Cheap n Chic dress and jelly heels

I adore the Juju Babe 80s Jelly Sandals, which can be purchased at Mr Shoes. I'll be purchasing the aqua pair to wear with my weekend outfits - namely mini-dresses and shorts and long tops, and a black glittery pair to pair with my monochrome polka dot numbers through my working week...

Juju Babes Jelly Sandals, £21.99

Summer staple number 2...

As any of you who have read my blog would know, I love flowers, hair accessories and Lana Del Rey. The floral hair crown sported by LDR has already been credited as my accessory of 2012 and makes it into the list for my Top 5 Summer Staples. Your floral crown can be worn with an array of outfits, from maxi to skater dresses, and makes for a great girly quirky injection to any outfit. My favourite is from Rock N Rose - I would definitely check out this website, they offer some amazing items. If you're a bit cash strapped and in East London, pop by Brick Lane vintage market at a weekend as on Sunday I noticed homemade floral crowns cropping up on various stalls for a bargainous £15...

Rock N Rose Florence Oversized Floral Crown,  £36

Image courtesy of Rock N Rose

Summer staple number 3...

The cuff bracelet can really make an outfit and for the past few years, I've sported two on each arm. I always have some sort of chunky jewellery on, be it oversized earrings, a torque necklace or quirky bangle however at the moment I can't stop wearing chunky cuff bracelets. It's pretty organic where you buy your cuff bracelet from, however Zara and H&M offer some really interesting, affordable cuff bracelets at the moment. 

NOTE! A key tip to stop your cuff going green is to coat in clear nail varnish, which keeps those pesky green marks at bay. Here's me below sporting cuffs bracelets, ultimately a key staple not only for summer but this year...

Monki silver sweep cuff and H&M cuff with white stone, June 2012

Matching H&M silver/white stone cuff, June 2012

H&M gold chain cuff,  January 2012

Primark torque and Primark gold cuff (two on each arm), October 2011

Summer staple number 4...

Trainers. I never thought I would say that. Namely platform trainers a la these ladies...

Spice up your life with Buffalo trainers

Buffalo trainers ruled the day back in the late 90s and I loved my white pair - the day my mum threw them out still remains one of the saddest of my life. Luckily, I'm 24 now and my mum lives hundreds of miles away so I can purchase a pair of platform trainers and be safe in the knowledge she won't be here to chuck them out. ASOS do amazing platform trainers at the moment, which I'll be buying very soon, particularly the DECO gold pair  which will make for my perfect summer shoe along with jelly heels...

*** TOTAL LUST ALERT ****

ASOS DECO gold flatform trainer, £30

Summer staple number 5...

Not so much an item or fashion trend, rather something that we should embrace every summer and that  is vintage fashion. Summer allows us the chance to be footloose, feminine and fancy-free and no other fashion style suits this than vintage. Embrace your femininity this summer and sport girly dresses and give it a 2012 twist by pairing with platform trainers and a floral hair crown. Mix and match the old with the new, something summer really accommodates for and which I take full advantage of year by year. 

Last year, I sported vintage florals with bralet tops and colour pop...

Vintage sequin bralet and home-made floral skirt, July 2011

Vintage dress, July 2011

2012 will see me taking inspiration from the past with a 2012 twist by donning my summer vintage with converse trainers and gold hoops, a la a mix of Rita Ora and Grace Kelly. It may not work - but hey, it's summer!!!

Vintage dresses with Converse, image courtesy of Michellemoreblog.com

Hope you enjoyed Glorious Garments' guide to summer fashion :) 

Emma x