…is what’s demanded of ITV’s Harry Selfridge – so it’s no wonder the new drama is already affecting fashion. Set in 1909, the aptly named ‘Mr Selfridge’ tells the story of the opening of ‘Selfridges’ department store. With the men in sharp suits and the women wearing lace, jewels and feather adorned hats, the show is filled with gorgeous Edwardian style. And this hasn’t been over looked by the British public.
In the first episode Harry Selfridge gives a shop assistant a gift of red leather gloves; an item that apparently many other people wanted as Debenhams had an increase of 65% in leather gloves sales! People were buying before the show had even finished!
This wouldn’t be the first time that a period-drama has inspired fashion – just look at Downton Abbey – so, given that it influenced people’s clothing choices after only one episode, it’s possible that ‘Mr Selfridge’ will continue to inspire.
The show has come at a great time because Edwardian-style has been a big trend recently thanks to the A/W 2012-13 catwalk shows from designers such as Giles, Temperley London and Louis Vuitton. With collared blouses and lace filtering into S/S 2013 collections, and highly anticipated movies like ‘The Great Gatsby’ coming out this year too, it’s not likely that this era will stop having an influence on fashion as we carry on into the new year either.
From top to bottom: Giles A/W 2012-13; Temperly London A/W 2012-13; Erdem S/S 2013; Oscar de la Renta S/S 2013
Not to be left out, the high street has been, and still is, filled with blouses, collars, and plenty of lace; so it’s not hard to achieve the look at all!
The Blouse – Whether you pick lace, pussy-bow or even floral, just button it up and tuck it in. While the likes of Topshop are a bit pricey at almost £40, Boohoo.com has a great selection that is mostly between £18-20.
Miss Selfridge £37
Topshop £36
Boohoo.com £20
The Collar – You can go classic with lots of lace and embellishment; simple with just chain or pearls; or you can bring in a more edgy look with studs and leather. With most coming in at between £10-15, this is a great way to update a plain t-shirt or dress without having to splurge as well.
Boohoo.com £12
Dorothy Perkins £16.50
Topshop £14
And as a bonus, with many blouses already coming with embellished collars, you can kill two birds with one stone and even save yourself a few pennies.
Topshop £38
Miss Selfridge £39
Missguided.com £19.99
And finally…
The Gloves – If you really want to capture that ‘Mr Selfridge’ look then get yourself a pair of red leather gloves. Debenhams have a fair few to chose from, the cheapest being the ones below, and Topshop have a cute pair with a slightly different take on them.
Debenhams £10.50 (Were £15)
Topshop £12 (Were £22)
Now we can all achieve a bit of ‘razzmatazz’ without having to break the bank!
Photo sources:
http://www.fashiondetective.co.uk/2013/01/mr-selfridge-style-red-leather-gloves.html