LONDON FASHION WEEK MUSINGS

So London Fashion Week is done for yet another season. It always seems to be over and done with as quick as it comes around, I honestly cannot believe we're already viewing SS18, where or where does the time go ey?

This year was by far my most favourite of fashion weeks, mainly because I played it similarly to last season (read more on that here) and just did me. 
Whilst fashion week is the most inspiring part of the year for me and many others, it can be a rather stressful time of the year also, what with running around London like an absolute crazy person, bouncing from show to show and not having much down time in-between.

Similarly to last season, I carefully selected shows that truly resonate with me and that I know will resonate with you guys too. I've learnt, the hard way might I add, that viewing show after show from designers that just aren't my bag is neither inspiring nor worthwhile for me to sit through. Despite it being around just 9 minutes per show, those pieces of 9 minute segments, added up can be used much more practically in ways that benefit both me and you. So I've learnt to fine tune my fash week goings on and to just select what truly makes me happy and what truly inspires me for the season ahead.

Take House of Holland for example; it's no secret that, that show gets my juices flowing each and every season and this year was absolutely no exception. I organised to go backstage to bring to you a different angle of the show and was lucky enough to sit front row (Look mum I'm on Vogue)  and view the show itself. I left feeling totally pumped and full to the brim with styling inspiration whilst being able to bring you something a little bit different, which, if you missed it, you can have a nosey of right here.

Similarly to House of Holland we have Topshop,  a show that gives me serious pinch me moments throughout, after years of dreaming of one day being invited. That show, with it's seventies suiting, snake prints, embellishments and spring metallics left me beaming from ear to ear and of course lusting for warmer months some more, whilst also allowing you guys to get a piece of the action as the collection is somewhat affordable too, it's an absolute no brainer of a show for me to attend.

I was also lucky enough to attend the Anya Hindmarch show with Nokia Mobile which was a dream come true having treated myself to an Anya Hindmarch bag just two years ago, as a "well done, you took the plunge into full time blogging" gift. Anya Hindmarch know how to nail those juxtapositions when it comes to fashion; feminine florals teamed with furry sliders fit with googley eyes or trainers featuring cheeky slogans, a brand close to my heart and a brand that I can always rely on to fill me with styling inspiration.

London Fashion Week and shows aside this year I feel like I've gained a whole new confidence in myself as a blogger. I touched upon this in my LFW post from last season that I've linked above, but fashion week can often be a lonely ole place for a blogger. We're made to feel un-fashun and un-reputable if we're not snapped by countless street style photographers with your girl gang in tow, however, I really LOVED doing fashion week solo this year. 
It pushed me out from underneath my comfort blanket (where I like to be quite often) and pushed me to chat to more people. I met some absolutely wonderful people backstage at the House of Holland show, from social media reps, PR's and journalists, it was really great to feel like "gurrrl you've got this" and just be completely myself. I've learnt in the last few weeks that I don't need to rely on the help of other people to do my job, that I came into this world alone (and by world I mean the fashion industry) and I'll come out of it alone. I'm really proud of myself for putting myself out there, for plucking up the courage to ask for things I wanted and to chat to those I wanted to chat to. It's a really great feeling for me,  as someone with low confidence... Small steps guys, small steps.

However, despite being a loner for the majority of the week, I was also able to hang out and catch up with some awesome babes, of which I've not seen for AGES. Josie, Victoria, Amelia, Zoe, Charlotte, Chloe, Loanne & Jordan are some of the most inspiring ladies in the blogging world to me, so as it used to be, London Fashion Week was a great excuse to catch up.
However, this fashion week was topped off by the one and only Amy! 
Amy and I spent Friday night and Saturday morning together cry laughing and generally causing chaos at the oh so wonderful May Fair Hotel. It's so lovely to have someone so wonderful by my side, someone who totally gets me, gets the world we're in and can make me snort-laugh simply by flaring her nostrils.
It's times like this with people like this that make London Fashion Week that little bit special and leave me feeling all warm inside. 

Whilst being in London for 4 days, I took the opportunity to work with some awesome photographers too.
Girls that I've had the pleasure of shooting with before but have since lost touch with due to moving back up North. These snaps are by the wonderful Portia Hunt, one of the first photographers I ever worked with on my blog and I'm so happy to be able to showcase some of her absolutely AWESOME work some more. 
I adore collaborating with different creatives to bring a different look and feel to my blog from time to time, so I am really, truly excited to share some more from Portia but also from Michaela Tornaritis and hopefully Kyle Galvin soon too. 

And finally, I think it's best now, to address what I'm wearing right!?

When thinking about my LFW looks this year, I wanted to be totally comfortable and I really wanted to just do me with looks that I would wear anyway, LFW or no LFW. So as you can see here I paid homage to my beloved sixties for day one of LFW in this oh so gorgeous mini dress by Reserved. 
Reserved are an all new brand to the UK and a brand I urge you all to check out. They're a real mix bag of current trends and basics, think Zara mixed with Bershka mixed with Forever21 if you will. This little dress is SO up my street with it's Prince of Wales Check (something I seem to have a bit of a thing for rn) and it's sports tipping collar with ring pull detailing. The length is somewhat short, but also perfect when teamed with this absolutely outrageous high-shine trench coat from ASOS. It's such a statement piece, one that receives both side eye's and compliments in equal measures, but a piece that makes me feel badass all the same. 

I then chose to go all out on those sixties vibes with some patent white ankle boots by Marc Jacobs. A new purchase from me and a somewhat bold choice, however, there was something about these boots that really called to me with their mod like vibe, ring pull fastenings once again, and that oh so fabulous heel shape. I'm really looking forward to styling them up throughout the colder months for a fun alternative to my little black ankle boots. 

What do you think? 

I really hope you enjoyed reading this post and some of my musings over London Fashion Week. I've literally just typed this in one hit over a cup of coffee and it feels nice and therapeutic to just let my fingers do the talking. 

I say this a lot but thank you all so much for your continued support, for your comments and your time whilst reading my posts, it honestly means so so much.

Speak to you next week.

x M

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PORTIA HUNT