Also by Hannah Lothgren and Jasmin Lestelin
Leather
Think of any item of clothing and we bet that it has sashayed down the runway in leather form this autumn/winter season – Hermes even created a full leather jumpsuit! You might not want to go quite this far, but any fashionista worth her salt should have this staple in her wardrobe.
Want a piece of this trend? If you fancy a splurge head to All Saints, a go-to for leather items (use the term “investment” to justify the price tag, it always helps). If sticking to a more student-friendly budget, the high-street is jam-packed with ‘faux´ leather. HCX recommends Topshop ‘pleather’ leggings and H&M for its skirts. Don´t be afraid of wearing leather during the day either; pair the item with basics such as a t-shirt, denim or a chunky knit to give a plain daytime ensemble an edge. For a night out, team leather shorts with a white, floaty blouse to stand out from the crowd.
Leather no longer evokes images of the burly biker, drugged-up rocker or scary dominatrix; instead, as illustrated by the Miranda Kerrs of this world it lends a sultry twist to sophisticated trends.
Grab these leather leggings from Topshop to work leather into your daytime look. (£32)
Nail Rings
If you’d never thought of accessorising your nails, now is the time ladies. The newest trend in rings has reached the nails, allowing you to decorate your hands to the max. From diamond shapes to cat-claws, the new nail rings come in all shapes and sizes, inspired by the current focus on nails. From nail art to nail rings, this is the area to focus on for A/W13. It’s time to move those rings up! So don’t just paint your nails, ring them! We love Topshop’s diamond nail rings.
The likes of Lady Gaga have been spotted trying out the new trend. If you’re feeling brave, make like the Lady and bring your inner animal out with the cat claw inspired nail rings.
Although you may not want to go as bejewelled as her, she is certainly blazes a fabulous trail. River Island have a toned down version of the nail ring for only £2.
http://www.riverisland.com/women/jewellery/rings–belly-bars/silver-tone-nail-ring-624765
Faux Fur
This season has welcomed with open arms the addition of faux fur to everyone’s wardrobe, and on every item of clothing from hats to boots. At the time of year when the cold air just keeps on coming and when some members of student houses are still trying to hold on for just a couple of more weeks before turning on the heating, who doesn’t need a bit of extra warmth in their life?!
On the runway, textures are being combined for added impact and on the high street places like River Island are mixing faux-fur and leather, giving the classic biker jacket a softer (literally!) and more feminine touch!
Shearling-lined boots are making an appearance for the third year running, so dig them out of your wardrobe to warm up the long walk to campus.
Buying faux-fur also supports the prevention of cruelty to animals. Many well-known celebrities are huge supporters of PETA, and for once this is celebrity behaviour we can all support, so earn brownie points as well as fashion points this winter by supporting our furry friends with the fake stuff.
Urban Outfitters have some GREAT coats – check out the link below! It looks so good you won’t mind wearing it indoors when your housemates won’t put the heating on!
http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/bdg-contrast-fur-detail-parka/invt/5133429693113/
Caviar Nail Beads:
With nail art and designs being a versatile and easy way to get attention and complete an outfit it’s no wonder that so many new innovative ideas are hitting the market. Our favourite? Caviar Beads. Don’t be put off by the fishy name! It is actually a new technique designed to bring texture to your nails. Unsurprisingly it’s been a huge success, setting the Blogosphere alight. It consists of tiny beads available in a range of colours, which when applied give your nails that 3D effect. In
addition to looking fabulous they are also incredibly simple to apply – simply paint your nails in the desired colour, sprinkle the beads on top, pat down gently and leave to dry. With lots of available colours to choose from the possibilities are endless. Go Christmassy in red and white or Vampy for the SSB in classic black. The original brand for the Caviar manicure is Ciaté which is sold online or at large stores such as Selfridges. So be bold and bring a new dimension to your nails – get creative and try Caviar nail beads! £18, Selfridges.
Hand Harness
Indian influences on jewellery don’t show any signs of slowing down; first it was the headpieces spotted on celebs such as Paris Hilton; then it moved onto eccentric, statement necklaces and now it’s the turn of the ‘hand harness’ a bracelet and ring duo.
Caggie got ahead of the crowd on this trend, wearing it on M.I.C way back last year; now the statement piece can be seen on almost every celeb and catwalk. Kelly Rowland and Alicia Keys have been the latest to take up the trend, and we can see why. Hand harnesses instantly add glamour to a plain outfit; and you can get so many different ones to suit any style, mood and outfit.
Feeling gothic and slightly rock-chick? Then head down to Topshop where you can get hand chains covered in studs and over the top metal detailing for as little as £10. Feeling a little more girly? Urban Outfitters has some delicate gold chains; which you can wear with literally any outfit. If however, you want some more statement pieces and want to emulate the celebs head over to Luxemi.com where you can get your hands on some beautiful pieces which would make even the most fashion conscious celeb jealous! For a cheap way to try out the new trend grab this spike chain from Topshop, a snip for only £10.
Photo Credit: Cosmopolitan, www.whosjack.org, urbanoutfit…