The BAFTAs are always an eventful, memorable and star studded occasion. What’s more the ceremony is always prior to the Oscars and consequently gives a strong indication as to who is likely to win what awards at the Oscars and more importantly what we can expect in terms of fashion when on the red carpet in March.
The BAFTAs were held just over a week ago but they have certainly left a lasting impression. It would be fair to say that the British are not particularly famed for their fashion sense. However, the dresses worn by many of the stars at the BAFTAs without doubt put these stereotypical views to bed and showed that the British certainly do know how to dress stylishly and more importantly know how to wear evening wear.
Walking down the red carpet must surely be a daunting experience so picking the right evening wear is absolutely imperative to ensure the star is left feeling confident and comfortable in their chosen gown, and it would seem that most of the women present at the BAFTAs should have been feeling confident as there were plenty of jaw droppingly beautiful dresses on display.
Kate Winslet is the epitome of the typical English Rose and she certainly didn’t disappoint at the ceremony. The actress chose to stay loyal to her British roots and fly the flag for British fashion in a stunningly beautiful dress by Stella McCartney. Once again Kate opted for a black dress which hugged her curves and showed her figure off beautifully. Furthermore the lace panelling on this gown further accentuates her body and adds a further element to the dress.
Moreover as a British event there was little doubt in anyone’s mind that tribute would be paid to Alexander McQueen, the late and very talented fashion designer. Both Jamie Winstone and the pregnant Sam Taylor both opted to wear Alexander McQueen creations.
So now all that remains is to wait patiently for the Oscars to see if the A listers on the other side of the Atlantic are able to match the high standards, in terms of evening wear, set by the British.
One of the biggest changes to have been witnessed by the fashion world in recent times is that of children’s clothes. It seems that children are just becoming more and more fashionable. Not only that but they also seem to have a greater deal of choice when it comes to shopping for clothes. Previously retailers produced clothes such as woollen cardigans and pretty dresses which were intended to look cute on the wearer. What’s more anything fashionable or remotely trendy was aimed mostly at girls and boys were forgotten about.
However, it seems that things have certainly changed for the better when it comes to children’s fashion. Rather than all children resembling each other and ultimately looking the same it is now possible for children to define their sense of style from a much younger age, and it seems it is now almost impossible to have a generic style.
It must be said that this increase in the amount of fashionable clothes aimed at children is likely to be the direct result of the growing public interest in celebrity children and as is the case with most celebrity trends this has filtered down into high street stores. Take for example Romeo Beckham, only last weekend he caused a stir by sporting a false tattoo. He made the headlines and even managed to draw more attention to himself than his mum, Victoria, who had chosen to unveil her more dressed down, casual look.
Moreover, Romeo is not the only Beckham child to have been praised for the clothes he wears. Rather both his brothers Brooklyn and Cruz have been noted as being as equally as stylish as Romeo. However, given that their parents are both style icons in their own right there was probably little doubt that they were going to be extremely stylish themselves. These children have been spotted in many outfits ranging from suits to more casual looks of jeans and hoodies. In fact the three boys have even helped their parents design a collection of t shirts for this year’s sports relief.
So it seems that children nowadays are much more aware of what they are wearing and what they like and more importantly what they don’t like. Everything that children wear now must be in keeping with their sense of style, even their school shoes must be fashionable and trendy.
With children much more fashion focused and more aware of emerging trends it seems that we don’t need to look far to find the fashion gurus of the future.
I only found out last week that Americans use a different clothing size system to Brits: so size zero isn’t actually possible over here, it’s more like 4, I think. Shoes are similarly problematic – I was confused enough when I stopped being a size 13, and had to start at the low numbers again, at the age of 7, but now I have to navigate European sizes too… It’s not good for efficiency in my shopping habits!
Do people really label each other in terms of clothing size? Do ‘plus size‘ or ‘petite’ exhist in our everyday speech? I’m a typical bloke in many ways, particularly when it comes to clothes. Are we supposed to look at people in the street and think to ourselves “My, what a petite figure she has in this bikini: she must be a size 8 and no mistake!”, or can I be justified in my usual observations which generally don’t get further than “Wow – she has amazing blue hair!?”. And before you ask, yes, I am a typical bloke when it comes to trying to undo bras. Why don’t they make them with magnets, or Velcro or just a big bow perhaps? They should use them instead of handcuffs on male prisoners – you’d have no problems at all!
But I digress: women shouldn’t be labeled by size. It’s too limiting, it assumes proportionality, and it’s no good for their self confidence when a clothing designer decides to make their sizes just slightly smaller than the average, so you have to go up a size to fit in. “No, you’ve not put on weight…” “Yes, your bum looks great, just the right size…” I reckon personal shoppers are the right way to go – we’re supposed to live in a service society anyway. So get rid of size charts, let’s have people in shops who take a quick measurement, and then direct you to just the right sizes, without any of those big cardboard signs hanging from the ceiling with the words “Huge overweight massive people’s clothes here, one at a time please – the floor is weak”, for anyone over a size 10.
I’m a man with no sense of image. My loudest and most painful shirt is obscene, cost very little, and would get me thrown out of any tasteful establishment. But because it’s got a little label in the back that discreetly proclaims “Made in Hawaii”, suddenly it’s credible… vintage even. So perhaps this is the key: if something has true heritage, and isn’t just a retro copy, even the scruffiest examples can manage some measure of distinction.
Don’t just buy a fitted shirt with the word “Tetris” emblazoned across it in the misguided hope that it will establish your status as a metrosexual nouveau-geek: it won’t work. True classics are the result of accident, taste, and good fortune. So get down to your back street shops, and delve deep, see what they’re hiding. You’ll know a true classic when you find it.
When going for a job interview, the thing to remember is that this is the first impression a prospective employer will get of you as a person, not just a C.V. And it is important to make it a good one. Scruffy clothes are a big no-no, so a shirt and a tie are a must.
With a plain coloured suit, like grey or black, you show you are a person to be taken seriously. But a plain white shirt will make you seem like a photograph negative. Try to brighten it up a little, a pale blue shirt, or even a light pink one if you are feeling daring, adds a splash of colour that says you have a lighter side. But make sure to stick with a plain shirt, preferably in a pastel colour.
And as for the tie, no comedy ones! No matter if it was a Christmas/birthday present, or if it really is hilarious, leave it at home! There’ll be plenty of time for it to make an outing later, but not if you don’t get the job. Bright, garish colours should never be seen, as this gives an impression of bad judgement, and discourages future employers. Instead, stick with a single shade, or a very plain pattern, in a darker colour than the pastel of the shirt, but not in black or grey.
If you stick to these few hints, then all you have to worry about is what you are going to say!
