What's your fashion experience?
- I’ve interned in fashion at ElleGirl and Grazia magazines and currently co-edit the style section of The Sanctuary newspaper. Last year I created and edited the style section of durham21 online magazine. I’ve also contributed to fashhh and fashionising, as well as helping run fashion shows at university.

When did you first become interested in fashion?
- It’s hard to say. I have always loved dressing up and putting on princess dresses, I was never one of the kids with dirt on their clothes! At sixteen I did work experience at my favourite magazine ElleGirl, and got a job at Topshop and these things combined with the new freedom to wear what I wanted to in the sixth form at school meant that I was suddenly overwhelmed with style and shopping. My addiction to shopping was a means to an end for me to discover my clichéd passion for fashion.

Why is fashion important?
- It is important as a mode of self-expression and as an outlet for creativity. I enjoy dressing to my mood and dressing for a purpose or a theme. In this way, clothes are like the artist’s paint and we’re the canvas!

Today's best dressed male and female?
- Best dressed male has pretty much got to be Ed Westwick, better known as Chuck Bass, on Gossip Girl. I love his quirky gentrified look, with blazers, ties, hats in eccentric cuts and colours, whilst staying smart. Best dressed female is harder to decide, but its got to be a toss up between Erin Wasson and Mary-Kate Olsen, whose style I adore. For me, its all about individuality and these ladies have it in abundance. Especially with their laid-back chic and grungy cool – it’s a look we can all aspire to.

... and worst dressed?
- Hmm… I think there are a lot of badly dressed people! Anyone who wears a waist-belt with a t-shirt, or trainers on a daily basis, or sportswear consistently – people who basically don’t make any effort whatsoever. Celebrity-wise, worst dressed is probably someone like Jordan, Madonna or Christina Aguilera. Basically, trashy style.

What do you think of Barak Obama's style?
- Pretty standard middle-aged dad style! His politics on the other hand have serious style.

What's the worst rumour you've heard about yourself or your blog?
- Rumours largely come from some gem of truth and in my experience, all rumours I’ve heard about me, even if they are bad, have usually been true. That said, I’ve never done anything bad enough really to be talked about!

Why should people read your blog posts?
- I use my blog for self-reflection and fashion thoughts and rambles, its decidedly light-hearted but thoughtful and with a lot of heart put into it. Read it for a dip into the sartorial world and to see what I’m thinking about current trends, designers, models and generally stuff that I am inspired by or am absolutely obsessed with.

Why should people join Fashhh?
- It’s a great place to get inspiration from others street style. What stylish people are wearing around the world is definitely one of the most inspiring things for me, and Fashhh gives you the opportunity to spy it first hand from the other side of the world.

The most exciting brand and designer at the moment?
Got to be youth hero Alexander Wang. His clothes are stunning, and are essentially the style I most conform to – a little bit edgy and rock and roll but also kept simple through tailoring and detail, such as rhinestones and ripping combined with tapered jeans and fitted jackets. In general though, Chanel and Balmain are two of the most exciting designers for me personally.

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First up, it’s new favourite and insatiably youthful Alexander Wang. The San Francisco native dazzled the audience of his adopted home with a more grown up collection from s/s 09. This time round his designs featured more tailoring, seen in his suit jackets and the military precision of the cut of his geometrical dress. For a/w the collection is suitably dark but far from gothic: think elegant sex appeal and maturity and you’re on the right track. The midriff exposure is still present for this season, but toned down by its bodycon fit and monotone black. Trousers are tightly fitted and fringed with gem stones, complimented with billowing white off-the shoulder shirts. Aside from this, there is a heavy focus on croc, leather look and pvc. Front row Queen Anna Wintour and daughter Bee Shaffer were amongst the lucky viewers, who also included Zoe Kravitz, Erin Wasson and Santogold. Definitely a crowd cool enough for the designer’s ethos.



Next it’s Rodarte, favourite of Kirsten Dunst. This season is very reminiscent of the futurism already seen at Ghesquière’s take over of Balenciaga: with ultra modern fabrics, bodycon bandaging and layering in pastel shades, combined with daring use of volume and shape. The sister designers have described the collection as inspired by monsters – something that can be seen in the Edward Scissorhands’ esque straight jacket sleeves. I adore the grey shaggy fur belted in jacket and endless black boots. Over on this front row was of course Miss Dunst, not to mention Rachel Zoe and Diane von Furtsenberg, and rather bizarrely Elijah Wood of hobbit fame.



Oh, and how can I forget Marchesa? Last but certainly not least of my top 3 from New York. The collection is all about fairy tales and fantasy: a staple of Marchesa’s wardrobe for a few seasons. The beautiful creations were bejewelled, one-shouldered, well fitting and in an array of fantastical shapes, styles and colours. Some dresses sweep the floor with puffy net skirts, others are elegantly nipped in with sashes and bows. There were strapless jumpsuits in simple monotones, set off with the purest details. My favourite has to be the fantastic black sequined strapless dress, which reached to the floor and was surrounded by net: a vision of pure fashion fantasy. I want one.

Becky Cope is a new writer for our blog. We strongly recommend you to check out her blog as well.

My mother constantly complains about seeing these ladies in magazines under ‘best dressed’. There is something so thoroughly youthful and modern about this look – something best appreciated by the young and misunderstood by the older generation. Our mothers’ generation were inspired by the put-together elegance of Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O, and lived through chic 1980s power dressing. Instead we have Sienna Miller’s boho revolution and the reinvention of the hippy spirit and boyish chic in Kate Moss’s androgynous style of skinny jeans and tuxedo jackets.

Staples of the scruff style are knee high socks, grand-dad shirts, oxford flats, faded and fraying denim as well as waist coats galore. Dunst is often photographed wearing this entire ensemble, complete with pendants and Rayban wayfarers. Chung’s taste is a little more refined, with high-waisted skirts matched with school boy blazers and shoes, making her pretty much synonymous with dressing-down outfits. Wasson again is different, with a penchant for trilbies and oversized tees over skinny jeans. All three have their individuality intact – the most important aspect of the scruffy look. This look is throwing together timelessly stylish pieces in a street-wise way in order to show personality and creativity.

Even the catwalks are getting in on this look. Balmain’s recent s/s 09 collection embraced it, with his rock-star studded jackets and scruffed up faded denim jeans, topped off with the bohemian’s best friend – the gladiator sandal. Even ripped tights cropped up on the catwalks this season. So what’s so wrong with scuffed shoes and holey tights? It’s fashionable mom!

Becky Cope is a new writer for our blog. We strongly recommend you to check out her blog as well.

There are some evolutions though. This season fabrics are sheer, revealing glimpses of the sexy goddess body, and the length is generally long and floaty with trains seen at Christian Dior and Marchesa. John Galliano’s avant-garde reinterpretation is striking in its elegant use of ornamentation, something seen with Malandrino as well. Elegant drapery and nipped in waists truly give the impression of cloud-skimming ability, whilst keeping the look fresh and modern. I particularly love the use of colour in the dresses I’ve chosen; the use of monotone neutral pastels as well as bold whites and surprising orange at Halston.

I love how Mischa Barton pulls the trend off in a Matthew Williamson creation. This is so effective due to its grace as well as fun feel – with its free flowing maxi length and flower pattern it has an almost hippy like feel, complete with arm bracelets worn high up like cuffs. Indeed, to pull this trend off simple accessories are key; sparse jewellery and flat shoes with a maxi length, or classic heels with a mini-dress.

Becky Cope is a new writer for our blog. We strongly recommend you to check out her blog as well.