Stylenotes: Zara

Zara do lookbooks incredibly well. I'm getting quite bored of fashion at the moment and I'm thinking more about clothes in terms of what people actually wear, rather than fantasise over. I think thats why Zara's Pictures works so well; it shows us how their clothes look in real life situations, on real life women. Yeah, so these real life women are stunningly beautiful and we're not all going to look this perfect - but you can see how the clothes translate to real life. Seeing a cosy arran knit with the sleeves pulled up, worn with a messy ponytail by a woman supping a steaming cup of coffee is more likely to make me want to make a purchase than if I'd seen the same jumper shot in a sterile studio environment. 

These shots make you aspire more to a particular lifestyle than a way to dress, selling the clothes more subtly as you realise that you really need a sheer maxi skirt for slobbing around your immaculately decorated flat in. It's this whole obsession with Instagram and getting a sneak peek into the lives of others. I've recently made purchases based on items I have seen whilst scrolling through my Insta-faves, and I'm sure I am not the only one. Zara's lookbooks work in the same way. At first glance, it could almost be someone's social media account that you are browsing.

All photos: Zara pictures

-Emma

Stylenotes: Urban Outfitters Collective No. 07

With its lush green cliffs tumbling down onto black lava beaches, steaming natural springs and frantic terrains slashed apart by the meeting of the tectonic plates, Iceland boasts some of the world's most photogenic natural sights.

So we were not in the least surprised to discover that Urban Outfitters has shot its latest lookbook there.

The brand's Collective No. 07 mixes mod tailoring and a cheeky teddy boy attitude with utilitarian layers and chunky anglian knits. 

Contrasted against ethereal, dystopian landscapes, the result is a stunning set of images that has us wanting to sail north immediately.

All photographs by Urban Outfitters.

- Abigail

Stylenotes: Timeless Style

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To trend or not to trend? 

This has been the question on the lips of many for some time now. Every season the major fashion trends are swaying in two distinctly different directions: there will be a loud and proud, everyone knows from a mile away you're wearing it trend and then there will be a 'trend' that is simple, minimalist and classic - hang on! Is this a trend at all? Is this not just a timeless style that girls have been wearing for years and will continue to wear long after the next issue of Vogue tells them its not 'cool' anymore?

I, myself have for a while now been thinking more about building up a capsule wardrobe of classic items that won't date (although I find it hard to resist print temptation). I have a list in my head that I mentally check off when the wardrobe staple item falls into my internet browser. Here is the Summer edition:

• The perfect T-shirt (one in white, light grey, charcoal and black please). This is proving difficult to find; one must consider the quality of the material and how it will wash, the length (not too long, not too short. Must sit just there), the cut of the sleeves and the neckline.
• The black dress. This one is currently evading me. I finally thought I had found the dress of my dreams by Won Hundred in ASOS but low and behold, it had sold out in anything remotely near my size. My ideal black dress falls to mid-calf length, is perfectly tailored to fall loose from the body and has a button-up fastening and a neat little collar. It would look just as appropriate for off-duty as for work and could be worn with flat sandals and bare legs in the summer and layered up for the colder months.
• The floppy hat. Every outfit looks better with the flourish of a nonchalant hat. Wide brims and beekeepers styles work best, proving the finishing touch to everything from simple jeans and T-shirt combos to flowing vintage kimono dresses. The perfect hat instantly makes everything better - even a bad hair day.
• The denim shirt.The ultimate everyday essential, my mission this autumn is to collect an array of styles for every occasion: fitted, oversized, bleached and indigo. Doubling my denim (take care to mix washes) is one of my favourite looks, although I also have a penchant for loose denim shirts in summer paired with miniscule printed shorts.
• The Birkenstocks. The shoe of the summer and one of 2014's biggest non-trends: the Birkenstock is simple, practical, comfortable and the perfect wardrobe staple for the warmer months. On my wish-list sit both the black and the white pairs - although I will never be tanned enough and careful enough to wear the white. Teamed with everything from summer dresses to cropped jeans and flowing culottes, the Birkenstock instantly adds an effortless air.
• The stripes. A timeless breton stripe is my all-time favourite print. Whether it's an oversized T-shirt dress (I would walk on hot coals to get my hands on the one pictured below) or a well-fitting tee (recently purchased in bulk from Zara), fresh white stripes will instantly freshen up your wardrobe.

-Emma

via French Voguettes

via French Voguettes

Waiting for Saturday

Elizabeth Suzann