Manchester
Talking Trousers – Sophie Bromley-Piazza
Fingers crossed that the cold snap, or cold smack in the face, is over and we can start turning our attention towards a spring that couldn’t come soon enough.
For a quick update to your wardrobe in the season and style stakes, bag a pair of what I like to think of as ‘wonder trousers’.
In shops and magazines, they are more commonly known as cigarette trousers, peg leg or tapered. All a variation on the same thing, these ankle length, tailored trousers are a timeless classic and can subtly add some serious fashion clout to your look.
A staple piece of Parisian chic, there’s nothing new about a narrow trouser, but this spring/summer offering is set to be the best yet.
To bring this look bang up to date, fashion houses are putting them out in crazy florals, psychedelic kaleidoscopes and 60’s monochrome style, which means there is a flattering pair out there for all shapes and sizes.
Dress them up with heels and a great top, or go retro pin up with a cropped tee and ballet pumps. For a formal, elegant look throw a boyfriend blazer over the top in a glossy, glamorous fabric.
With such a clean-cut look on bottom, you can really go anywhere on top. From chunky knit to barely there chemise, heavy lace to punk band t-shirts, your top might stand out but your trousers are doing all the talking.
Killer Heels by Sophie Bromley Piazza
We’ve all been there. As your friends are up throwing their best shapes, working the room, you’re perched on a stool in the corner.
Those six-inch heels that you felt a million dollars in at the beginning of the night have turned on you. Someone has sneakily changed the soles to a bed of nails and the straps have steadily tightened like a boa constrictor. Like twins from a horror movie, they’re trying to kill you one toe at a time.
Despite the risks, we’ll never stop wearing heels. 42 per cent of us are even willing to admit we’d wear a shoe we liked even if we knew they were going to damage our feet. And high heels can do some serious damage.
So here are some tips on how to avoid bunions à la Vicky Beckham.
Firstly, a thicker heel provides more support and better stability. Secondly, make sure your heels fit properly (sounds obvious, but still). If your feet are falling forwards in the shoe you risk serious damage by putting weight on to a small part of your foot. Thirdly, pick shoes with some cushioning on the ball of the foot, or use pads or insoles. Finally, my preferred choice, take a sneaky pair flats in your bag to minimize the time spent hobbling on pavements. Splash out on the specially made shoes that fold up to fit into even the tiniest of clutches. Check out Flatmates by Redfoot, whose stylish designs will make the swap a little more bearable.
Keen On Jean by Sophie Bromley Piazza
Last month, my 85 year old nan spent £170 on a pair of jeans. It wasn't a snap investment. She'd researched and tried and tested until she found the perfect pair. Apparently, this particular pair lifted, stretched and tightened in all the right places and she was prepared to splash some serious cash for the desired outcome. My family's reaction was of amusement, horror and shock, but it made me think.
People will pay decent money for a pair of trousers, usually worn casually and made from cotton. We are a nation obsessed with the denim trousers. And it's not just because, with the average person owning around six pairs because they are a useful, popular item of clothing. But why? Why do we form such a strong bond with a pair of jeans?
To quote a recent article, one in 12 Britons keep a pair of jeans that they no longer wear simply for 'sentimental reasons'. Meaning that we don't simply love them to wear. We just plain love them. Maybe as a reminder that your waist was once that tiny, or perhaps to relive the fantastic times you had whilst wearing them, either way, jeans have become part of our lives, not just our wardrobe.
The UK jeans market is expected to reach a value of more than £2billion pounds next year, so our love affair has a definite future for years to come. Whether you're sporting a washed out, lovingly worn pair or are experimenting with this season's indigo shades and flared bottoms, here's to denim jeans. And long may they reign.
May 2011 Fashion by Sophie Bromley Piazza
A new semester. Lazy summer days and hazy summer nights are coming to an end - it's back to the many hills and, more than
likely, the many centimeters of rain of Sheffield.
For most, this autumn just brings another term, but for some it will mean the first semester of many more to come. And such a
transition can do wonders for your wardrobe.
It is the perfect time to reinvent your style. Mixing with unfamiliar faces in new surroundings can be liberating, giving you the
confidence to wear something you might feel out of place wearing in your local corner shop. And this autumn's trends allow you
to push those usual limits to the moon and back.
Wide leg trousers are sticking around from summer and carrying the 70's trend to a more sophisticated place with a city slick,
professional vibe, and you'll find fur from faux fox to plum plumes draped around shoulders, hanging from handbags and trimming
cuffs, collars and hoods.
However, the Autumn 2011 look that can make the biggest impact is python print, which has stolen the grip that leopard spots
have had over the highstreet for the past few seasons. The subtle tones and chic pattern give a punk edge that has high fashion
elegance. Update an outfit with a sprinkling of snake print accessories or go all out with drainpipe python print jeans.
A leopard never changes its spots? Well, now just might be the time to do so.
May 2011 Fashion by Sophie Bromley Piazza
As the sun has reared its beautiful head and shone from dusk 'til dawn for much of the past month, my yearning for sandy shores and the pool sides has only increased.
Whilst summer prospects fill me with warmth, the idea of bearing all in a bikini after six months of long sleeves and tights leaves me damn right cold. The best way to forget about those body blues is to go all out on a high fashion, sharp by-the-pool look. And SS'11 is bursting with stunning, striking beachwear.
Be a sultry sun lover in one of this season's barely-there sheer maxi dresses. Wear with tousled locks for ultimate romance and ease. Throw on a leather jacket come evening to give this whimsical look a cool, tough edge.
Alternatively have fun with this season's boho, 70's trend. Think African prints, pompoms, embroidery, tassels and beading. There are also some great pieces of crochet and summer knitwear to be snapped up on the highstreet.
Straw hats are, once again, everywhere, however this year the choice is fairly extensive. From wide rimmed floppy to ribbon adorned trilby or denim bowler, hats are not only a great way to make your outfit unique but are great for protecting your face from nasty UV rays.
When it comes to swimwear think Missoni knitwear prints or 50's style. Some gorgeous high waisted bikinis and one pieces with cut outs can be found on the high street and catwalk but remember the golden rule: Always try on swimwear, nothing is more flattering than something that fits your body beautifully.
Power at your Fingertips by Sophie Bromley Piazza
Last year Chanel ignited a nail polish infatuation. Their spring pastels flew off the shelves and straight on to the adorned nails of all fashion forward fillies, from Alexa Chung to Rihanna. By autumn, Chanel's sludgy, mud cake tones were an immediate sell out. Chanel may have sparked a nail varnish obsession but the trend has detonated and now is the time to experiment.
Bold, prime, gutsy colours are over shining the pastel hues of last spring. They look best on short, squared nails, refreshing the trend from 80s to modern day. Make an impact with an audacious blue or plucky green, avoiding shimmers and mattes; gloss gives these blunt colours class.
The 70s' flashback currently gripping the high street can be felt all the way to our fingertips with tie-dye and marble affects providing a stunning, fresh option for garnishing your nails. To get the look, a water marbling technique is best. For guidance check out some online tutorials but bear in mind you'll need to set aside a good few hours if you want to perfect the skill, but the result is extraordinary.
Barry M's cracking nail varnish, in black matte, is a quick, effortless alternative. Paint your nails with two or three bright colours first and apply the cracking nail varnish on top. This shatters, allowing the colours underneath to peek through, giving a biker chic edge to a psychedelic pattern.
Whether you're a strictly special occasion only gal or you change your nail colour as often as your socks, put your skills to the test and be bold this spring.
The Kitten Heel by Sophie Bromley Piazza
1.5 to 2 inches in height, slender in width and curved in slightly from the heel. A shoe so odd in its appearance that for a long time it has been reserved solely for the self-consciously tall or unwilling bridesmaid.
In fact, the Facebook group, 'Kitten Heels? I'd rather break both my legs in 6 inch platforms, thanks', has over 10,000 members.
You may agree completely, I certainly do, but the kitten heel can no longer be ignored as they creep on to catwalks everywhere.
Following fashion's sudden obsession with 50s and 60s dressing, the shoe popularised by Audrey Hepburn is making a controversial come back. But as they move from catwalk to high street will they be flying off the shelves, or straight into the sale bin?
Indeed, the lower heel has health and safety plus points over the towering heels we are now used to. However, do they really do much else for us? No leg lengthening, no calf slimming, no sex appeal. In other words, no power.
It cannot be denied that strutting in six inch spikes or parading in platforms supplies the wearer with high voltage 'Girl Power' - where else did the term Killer Heels come from? Whether it is right or wrong, we love fashion for how it makes us feel, and kitten heels seem to be leaving us feeling cold.
So from Topshop to Manolo Blahnik, hear me, leave the kittens and hold on to your cats.
February 2011 fashion by Sophie Bromley Piazza
A new year, a new wardrobe. That seems to be a lot of people's sentiment when the clock strikes midnight yet come January 5th, your bank balance is holding back all those good intentioned resolutions. But don't despair! A lot of key 2010 looks are clinging on for another season. Those pricey clogs you 'had to have', are still hot to trot. The even better news, is that this year's signature themes are so much fun.
2011 is set to be the year of retrospect. The 50's and 60's silhouette will have fully invaded come summer. Think full skirts, cropped jackets and capri pants. Take scissors to spray on jeans when the chill lifts for an instant, affordable wardrobe update. Match with a knotted shirt and pillabox lips for a casual, rockabilly edge to this sophisticated look.
The 70s started to creep in last Autumn and the look is set to explode this Spring for both women and men. Flares are the jean cut of choice (perfect with those clogs again), and super wide trousers are to eclipse the all mighty maxi dress. Maxi lovers have no fear, as they are not lost but revamped with sheer fabrics and crochet for a more refined look. Alternatively, for the very brave, go Starsky and Hutch in head-to-toe denim.
However, all must be worn with attitude. Think 50s movie stars pounding the streets of Rome and nonchalant hippies. Confidence is key in transforming these high fashion looks from dress up to chic. 2011 is not for the half-hearted.
