The British high street has long been a firm favourite for consumers across the world. Since the 1960s, the shopping streets in the UK have developed considerably and now they offer a range of different brands to consumers looking to buy fashionable items.

The high street is where the lower end of the market usually sits, with cheaper items available for those who cannot afford the costly items of the designers. Since the turn of the 21st century, the lower cost brands, such as AX Paris, have increased the pace of taking the fashion witnessed on the catwalks and creating their own inspired collections that are available to the masses.

The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of the industry for quite some time. Along with New York, Paris and Milan, London is one of the major fashion capitals, and is home to some of the world’s best designing talent. The capital shows the up and coming collections of various designers on the catwalk twice a year at London Fashion Week, which is watched by people across the world.

Pop colour shoes

Yes, that’s right bright coloured shoes are in and there are no limits! This will probably be one of the more popular out of the three trends because there is so much birth and the look is so easy to achieve. There’s no specific colour- it can be any colour you like –pink, purple, yellow, whatever. Just ensure that it is bright. This style has been adopted by both the designers and many of the high-street retailers too, so finding your perfect pair will not be difficult.

Two toned shoe

The second fashion trend when it comes to shoes has to be the ‘two toned shoe.’ This is where the shoe is made up of two different coloured fabrics. These shoes are a personal favourite and have a somewhat 1930’s American gangster ora surrounding them. When it comes to wearing these shoes, there’s not too much to consider. Just be careful what you pair the shoes with. Bright socks are a definite no.

Patterned shoes

And finally patterned shoes, you will see that patterned shoes are slowly but surely entering a lot more of the shops now. The trend is easy to join as there are so many shops selling so many types of patterned shoes. They are easy to wear too- just pair up with a plain/ un-patterned outfit and you will be sure to have success. You should avoid wearing these shoes with busy outfits as you may find that it looks a ‘bit too much’.
Get shopping guys!

Ethnic prints are a key feature on many clothes racks as people start to dust off their summer wardrobes and find themselves in search of something a bit brighter and bolder. The key thing about the African trend is that it’s bold, bright and a step into the summer season. Africa’s rich vibrancy abounds in the prints and the designs we are now seeing.

As ever, animal print on long flowing dresses, perfect for a summer evening stroll, and Khaki jackets abound, but there is something about the African fashion trend that is getting people excited and ready for the approach of summer.

Louis Vuitton’s spring/summer 2012 collection features strong influences of the East African Masaai in bold red and purple-blue outfits and material.

Meanwhile, African Fashion Week is becoming a permanent fixture in the fashion world, giving lesser-known designers the chance to showcase the designs and culture that are currently influencing some of the more internationally recognised brands. The week started in 2006 and now features renowned African designers including Marianne Fassler and Mustafa Hassanali. Ozwald Boateng is also a firm favourite, having risen to fame with his crisp tailoring. Boateng is a British born designer of Ghanian descent and has designed costumes, which have featured in a number of films including Sex and the City.

For those hot days in the city team your t-shirt with a pair of cotton knee-length shorts in cut-off or drawstring style. Lot 22 Clothing has a summer range to help you keep your cool with a fabulous collection of crew-neck t-shirts and cool cotton trousers and shorts.

Cool linen and cheesecloth shirts in white, cream and ivory shades worn loose with stitching detail are also in vogue and are a versatile addition to your summer wardrobe.

No summer look is complete without a pair of new season summer style trainers and canvas deck shoes in exciting blends of new materials to offer comfort and durability; or if you want to try something different team your summer wear with classic military-style boots or hi-tops for a more edgy look.

Shannon’s designs usually offer a contemporary twist on sportswear. Previous collections have bordered on subtle sexiness with a hint of humour, and even spunk. As a long-time fan of O’Connor, he even claims that she might have had the opportunity to launch as a supermodel if she was only breaking into the entertainment industry today. After the previous autumn and winter season, Shannon realised that he may have wandered a bit off-track. To get back to basics, he did what all of us do at some point, he turned to his favourite music for inspiration. One aspect of O’Connor’s music and her own aesthetics that appeals to Shannon the most is that she seems to give off a sense of timelessness. With fashion stretching all over the place, for Shannon it was time to get back in touch with the things that mattered to him, the things with which he could identify. In doing so, he has created a collection that speaks equally eloquently to the wearer. His view is that some aspect of fashion should be long-lasting as opposed to a brief, whimsical trend, just like Sinead O’Connor and her music.

Picture courtesy of Jazz Fest Wien Team

This trend has led to a lot of high street designers using vintage style as their inspiration for creating their collections, offering the customer a vintage feel, at a good price and saving them the effort of trawling through second hand stores and charity shops.

The high street has also followed in this direction, developing ways of creating the latest fashions at a fast pace and offering high fashion styles to those who have a lower budget. As well as this, there have been many developments in the collaboration of high fashion designers with high street brands. By inviting a designer the chance to design a one off collection, high street brands have been able to give their customers the opportunity to purchase an item from a well known designer that they may have otherwise never have been able to afford.

However, colour is now starting to creep onto the high street, but it is easy to get carried away by the trend. How can you wear colour and carry it off safely?

Firstly, pick one item and team it with darker shades. An aubergine jumper would look great with a crisp white shirt and dark blue jeans, or even deep cream chinos. Similarly, a coloured coat can look stunning over a very deep blue or black work suit.

Anyone in doubt should go for colour on top rather than bottom. A deep yellow shirt worn with dark jeans will always look better than the other way round. The exceptionally nervous could start their colour experiment with socks. Go for a good quality pair in 100% cotton or wool and make sure they are the right size, with no bagging at the ankle or pulling at the toes.

Bolder individuals might then progress to colour blocking. This is an outfit made up of several bold colours such as the aforementioned yellow shirt worn with deep red trousers and dark blue hoody. It can be a strikingly effective look for those that can pull it off, but you need confidence so any round shoulders should be banished.

Pay special attention to the quality and cut of brighter-coloured clothing. It is always more obvious if a coloured item is a poor fit than it is if the item is a dark one. Similarly, keep the items in tip-top condition. They should be clean, ironed and without any fraying collars or cuffs.

Bench clothing does the transition from day to night-time casual extremely well with its quality range of jackets, shirts, knitwear, trousers and boots which are easy to mix and match and look good at any time.

Casual fashion for men is as varied as the individual himself so no matter what age you are or style you favour, take a fresh look at today’s collection of casuals to suit whatever you like to do in your spare time. From cotton jumpers to chinos, to sweats to casual shoes and boots, the casual range has never been as extensive as it is today.

Designers are recognising the acceleration of interest in the menswear market overall so there are many styles and themes to choose from. Casual wear need not be prohibitively expensive as there is always a great range of quality casual clothing on sale online where the discerning shopper can pick up a bargain.

Sports clothes are also popular in the casual wear bracket. No longer the exclusive remit of the sportsman, men’s casual clothing now also includes a healthy range of golf, rugby and ski wear, for example, offering comfort, variety and style.

No casual fashion collection would be complete without a range of knitwear, with zip-up cardigans and chunky jumpers available in a range of both bright and muted colours to suite every taste.

Today, fashion houses do not hold the monopoly when it comes to translating couture into affordable clothing. Retail houses and independent designers have begun to express their interpretation of the season’s trends through small, yet niche clothing lines, which are starting to gain clout in a market normally dominated by the major fashion houses. The powerhouses of fashion have also recognised this trend and are paying more attention to bringing clothing from the runway to the street, while maintaining their brand identity.

The power of retail

Retailers in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States now carry products from international fashion brands, as well as small designers; a recognition of the power of the fashion industry. Brands such as 883 Police, Soul Cal Deluxe, Crafted and Bench are retailer’s own brands that stand alongside major names, such as French Connection and Calvin Klein. The results speak for themselves, as the season’s latest trends are now available on the high street faster than ever before.

The power of retail brands is not a threat to the fashion industry. Rather, it is a boon that will improve the quality, style and affordability of fashionable apparel to the consumer.

]]> http://www.birminghamirish.co.uk/the-power-of-retail-brands/feed/ 0 http://www.birminghamirish.co.uk/summer-is-all-about-flesh/ http://www.birminghamirish.co.uk/summer-is-all-about-flesh/#comments Sun, 15 Apr 2012 15:11:54 +0000 birminghamirish http://www.birminghamirish.co.uk/summer-is-all-about-flesh/ If new trends are anything to go by, the thing for summer is about showing a bit more flesh.

Cropped tops and bra tops are back, often teamed with jewelled jackets and cardigans for a laid back summer evening look. On the catwalk Versace and Nina Ricci are wearing them and bright colours in block or big prints are a big feature.

Love them or loathe them, hot pants – still being worn with tights as has been the popular winter look – are back and as suitable by day as by night. Switching from the high-waisted trend that has been so popular, hot pants are going lower and shorter with bright tight versions seen on D&G and Balmain models this season.

Designs seem to be embracing the summer, with explosions of colour and prints. Flower prints are a frequent sight on the high street, perfect for a feminine and fun look for spring and summer weddings without the regularity of stripes that has pervaded recent summers. Flower prints are bold, beautiful and sophisticated allowing for an injection of colour into wardrobes.

Along with the flowers are the other prints – designs, quirky animals and irregular patterns. Summer seems to be about embracing the wild side. Animal prints are rising in popularity and as with bags, skins, hides and prints like leopard print are seeing a meteoric rise for the summer collections.

To add a bit of a softer feminine edge, the popularity of lace also seems to have remained in a nod to the sexy evening dress. Beautiful and intricate lace seems set to last throughout spring and summer.