Best of Fashion Week Street Style: London

London is the capital of the more subversive side of the fashion coin. Designers like Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, and Vivienne Westwood all call London their home, cementing the city’s status as a place where rebellious and unconventional fashion are born. More than that, London has been the hotbed for such historical and industry changing fashion trends such as mod and punk fashion. You can’t mention London without mentioning Savile Row, of course. Savile Row is the eponymous area in London, which is known for producing the best menswear and tailoring in the world.

For Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016, fashionistas stormed London in their sartorial best. But what I loved the most is how their own style became transformed and/or influenced by the signature style of this city. I’ve noticed some key London trends in the street style spotted, and here they are:

Mad for Plaid

Plaid and Tartan is for the Scots, I know. But it’s a huge part of London Style too! Especially when worn from head-to-toe and accentuated with large Mod-inspired sunnies, plaid is so chic and feels so very now.

 

Dashing and Dapper

Savile Row is famous the world over for their impeccable menswear tailoring. This legendary London fashion landmark definitely influences women’s wear too. Various incarnations of suiting styles, ranging from the quirky to the classic, has shown up on my street style radar and I am in love with how menswear suiting can be interpreted into women’s trends and styles. Putting a feminine or modern twist to a classic suit is always a great way to get dressed.

  

Prep School

London is home to a lot of preppy style as well. Classic jumpers and school girl skirt silhouettes are an essential part of preppy fashion. Refresh those two pieces for 2015 with oversized jumper silhouettes and alternative skirt fabrications like leather. You can also co-opt some school girl style into your wardrobe with Peter Pan collars, white socks worn with heeled oxfords, and overalls, of course.

    

High Street meets High Fashion

You can’t mention London without thinking of its storied high street brands such as Topshop, River Island, Miss Selfridge, and New Look. These eponymous brands has inspired a legion of London fashionistas to embrace high street trends and marry it with their high fashion sensibilities. Think of trendy fur vests, playful clutches, and gold metallic belts paired with the latest designer pieces of the season like Celine sunnies, Jil Sander sunnies and Balmain jackets.

  
London Calling

London has its own style and vibe for sure. There really is no one way to describe it. From preppy to punk, from mod to edgy menswear-inspired ensemble, one thing iis for sure London street style is characterized by a playful and youthful take on the latest trends. Just take a look at these street style snaps below, these are the perfect representations of true London style. Keep an eye out for London it girls, Chelsea Leyland and Alexa Chung.
      

Photos from Harper’s Bazaar

---

Watch out for the next installment in this series. Next, I take a look at Milan Fashion Week Spring 2016 Street Style. Until the next one!

 

Style Icon: Rihanna

Rihanna’s provocative style has gotten her a lot of notice. Aside from her records and tumultuous love affairs, Rihanna is slowly becoming a modern style icon in her own right. What makes her so modern? She basically doesn’t care for your standard fashion rules or your typical style do’s and don’t’s. She wears what she wants and owns it. Sometimes she makes some fashion missteps (just like the rest of us), but most of the time she steps out dressed head to toe in pure Rihanna.

Her style savvy is truly inherent and undeniably original. A style renegade and inspiration, and Rihanna constantly reminds us that fashion should be fun. Here are my top picks for Rihanna’s 10 best looks:

Timbaland boots, a pale pink faux fur coat, and a Louis Vuitton box bag; this definitely sounds like something only Rihanna could pull off. The best accessory to this look? Her trademark confidence and sass. You can take a style cue from this look, and don’t be afraid to mix the high with the low or street style with designer labels. 

Rihanna can do a red carpet up in the chicest way if she wants to. Though primarily known for her edgy style, she struts down in this gorgeous red gown with strategic sheer paneling and lets the world know that she can do Old Hollywood glamour. With her soft waves and matching orangey red lip, she has the wow factor in spades. I personally love Rihanna’s sexy take on the classic little black dress. She doesn’t reinvent the wheel radically but she adds her personal flourishes to her textured mini black dress. Lace-up stilettos and a mini bucket bag increase the playful vibe of this evening look.

You can’t expect Rihanna to don the maxi dress in a boho print. Her take on the trendy maxi is to do it up with a graphic twist. Color blocking this shocking pink side slit dress with white heels and a black and white striped clutch amps up the visual power of this ensemble. 

Wide leg trousers with wide vertical stripes can be a tricky piece for some, but Rihanna styles with aplomb. Echoing the two-tone theme in her cap to pumps and balancing the volume of her pants with a simple gray tank and highly structured gray croc skin tote. 

A yellow satin dress that is this revealing would usually be a fashion no-no, but Rihanna manages to not cross the boundary of taste in this cleavage and leg baring stunner. This evening gown almost looks tropical when set against her bronze skin. The key to the elegance of this look is the clever tailored details like the lapel and rolled cuffs. 

Trusty nobody but Rihanna with a velvet burgundy catsuit. Matching her lip color du jour with the color of her one piece and layering oversized and long gold necklace are vital elements in updating this 70s trend into 2014. This outfit is the number one proof that trailblazing fashion and the occasional risk taking can and does pay off. 

The primary colors in this sporty Celine sweater dress is polished and preppy meets minimalist and athletic. Rihanna shows off her signature love for sneakers as she matches her Jordans with her navy sweater dress. A low zip neckline and silver metal choker makes this look bolder and more fashion forward. 

A sleek and flirty red patent leather pencil skirt makes a strong color and texture statement. This is how Rihanna does ladylike dressing, with slick textures placed side by side with rough hewn denim as shown in her overcoat. The black velvet pumps and gray tee ground this look, and prevent it from looking too overworked. 

Denim cutoffs with frayed edges get a sartorial makeover with a pinstriped blazer worn as a top. The nude ankle strap sandals keep this look simple and understated enough for a daytime jaunt.

Which looks are your favorite? I simply can’t get enough of Rihanna’s edgy style!

Photos from WhoWhatWear and Vogue UK