Fashion Sketchpad

Firstly, sorry for being under a cave for the past while, was just finishing another two uni subjects, which included four essays in six days! Nevertheless, I have return with this practical post. 

I have always loved design, whether it be fashion, architectural, etcetera. So when I came across this amazing book I thought I was in heaven. If you have a fetish for creating outfits or new dresses in your imagination, but can't draw for crap then this is the book for you!

Regardless of studying fine arts, I am horrible at proportions and as a result, I tend to stick to abstraction. This 'fashion sketchpad' is the best sketchpad I have bought. It contains 420 'croquis' (templates) which magically turn invisible when you scan your design. I have only used it a couple of times, because I am trying to track down all my coloured pencils, but I have found it really simple to use. Basically this is a great book for any budding designers such as yours truly, wanting to visualise their designs on paper (before hopefully making them!)

You can purchase it here.  

xx,

Jenna Roux.

The Rodnik Band

I just came across the most incredible fashion label, The Rodnik Band. Studying fine arts, I love any form of contemporary art. So taking iconic works off a canvas and making it as a wearable piece of clothing is awesome. Some of the collection is a tad risque for my liking, but I couldn't go without sharing my favourite pieces from the collection.

Urinal Dress by The Rodnik Band

This piece is inspired by Marcel Duchamp's controversial work "Fountain". This artwork is perhaps the most crucial piece of work in preparation for Postmodern art. I wrote a whole essay on this work and it's part in Conceptual and Postmodern Art, so it is surreal to see it on a model. 

Sunflower Dress by The Rodnik Band

This is stunning yellow piece is probably the most wearable of the collection. Inspired by Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers", the vibrancy of the yellow is incredible. I love the overall structure of the dress and the positioning of the sunflowers. In my opinion, this is cutting edge art and fashion - two of my favourite things. 

You can check out the rest of The Rodnik Band's collection here.

xx, 

Jenna Roux.

What are some other pieces of art that should be made into pieces of clothing? 

(Comment your ideas below)

Printed Trousers

This season, there is nothing more stylish and playful than printed trousers. They have been all over the catwalks, but are super easy to integrate into your everyday or work wardrobe.

Here are my 'top ten' printed trousers on the web:

     

1. Sister Jane Spring Flower Trousers from Topshop.

2. Floral Printed Trousers from Warehouse.

3. Floral Chiffon Tapered Trousers from Goodnight Macaroon.

4. Daisy Printed Trousers from Warehouse.
5. ASOS Skinny Cropped Pants in Floral Print from ASOS.

6. ASOS Ankle Grazer Pants in Floral Print from ASOS.

7. ASOS Skinny Pants in Floral Print from ASOS.

8. Blue Daisy Print Trousers from River Island.

9. ASOS Cropped Pants in Paisley Print from ASOS.

10. JOVEEBA Boyfriend Trousers from The Iconic.

As you can see, I have a strong fetish for floral prints. For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere, they scream the end of spring. Plus, the wide array of colours in each pair of trousers allows you to mix and match with various different colour schemes. 

Take the Sister Jane Trousers for instance. You can easily throw on a black racer-back top, or a powder blue blouse, or a white shirt with a slouchy blazer over the top. They are a really versatile piece. 

Plus, they add a splash of colour to your winter wardrobe, as well as being light enough to wear during the summer months. 

xx,

Jenna Roux.

Burnt orange and pastels.

Pastels have been really prominent this season, but sometimes it is nice to break up the sea of pale, yet pretty shades with a bold, rich colour. I was just toying around on asos' fashion finder and I compiled this outfit using pastel colours with an accent of colour - burnt orange. 

Dress - Miu Miu, Necklace - Rosita Bonita at Boticca, Shoes - Portney Blush, Bag - Steve Harkin at Boticca, Earrings - Chanel. 

This burnt orange bag is stunning. I am a sucker for patent bags and shoes, so this bag is right up my alley. Some tips for achieving this look are to use pieces that are related to each other. By this I mean, use two patent items if the richer coloured item is also patent (such as in this outfit). Or through the use of a necklace like the one used above, which combines both colours to create a sense of harmony to the outfit. As you will find, I am not one for too many accessories. To me, accessories have to be needed in order to bring another facet to an outfit. If an outfit doesn't need anything else, it doesn't make sense to add fifteen rings and ten bangles into the mix. 

A great way to toy with different trends and ideas is to use Asos' Fashion Finder, like I have here. To browse through my fashion experiments here.

Make sure to always experiment, and then experiment some more!

xx,

jenna roux.

Transitional Dressing

With the weather getting crisper by the day, it is hard to find a really wearable and transeasonal look. With my wardrobe suffocated by all of my dresses and my recent lack of excitement for cardigans - I was stuck. Then I decided to purchase a white daisy-collared blouse from Sister Jane (buy here). So after my weekly  'dress up time' (the time when no one is home, so i try on everything in my wardrobe), I had come up with all these different ways to wear this blouse. Worn under my pinafores, I fold out the daisy collar and pair the pinafore with a pair of deniers (depending on how crisp it is). Worn with midi-skirts (also great for transeasonal dressing) and playful espadrilles. Then worn with my red-cord blazer and vintage shorts. It is fast becoming my go-to piece for this unpredictable Autumn weather. 

If you have picked up the recent Frankie magazine, I'm sure you are drooling over the stunning cover image. What is better than an olive-skinned girl with green eyes, wearing lilac? Plus wearing a stunning owl dress from Romance was Born with a collared blouse underneath. (Can be purchased here.) The way that they have paired the dress with the blouse makes the shift dress really wearable and cute! An other idea to achieve this look is to pair a shift dress (or another a-line dress) with a detachable collar. There is a huge collection of them on Asos.com.  

Here are some looks I have put together:

1. Sister Jane blouse, Dahlia pinafore, Asos t - bar heels, Jeepers Peepers sunglasses, vintage bag.

2. Sister Jane blouse, Asos midi skirt, River Island espadrilles, Asos cat-eye sunglasses, vintage glomesh bag.

3. Sister Jane blouse, vintage Dotti corduroy jacket, Glamorous high-waisted shorts, Dangerfield sunglasses, Payless orange wedges.

   

There we go, three ideas to play around with when choosing what to wear this Autumn. So, go out and buy yourself a white/cream long sleeved blouse (or the one you've got tucked away in your closet) to take your summer wardrobe to winter. 

xx,

jenna roux.