London Calling

Your London correspondent apologises for her long absence and begs your forgiveness. And says THANK YOU X 10,000 for everyone who helped me out with my lil' graphics poll. You've totally helped me and hopefully my project will thus be awesome. In exchange I offer you a mini-guide to London's best shopping.

(A very mini guide. London is a shopper's heaven, and there's no possible way to offer a précis to the city -- if you visit with shopping in mind, I'd recommend a specialist guide like Where to Wear. Or emailing me for personalised recommendations. In exchange for coming along with you and pointing at pretty things in the shops and going "ooh!". As such this is just 5 perfect shopping havens. I may have to do a separate department store post to cover the wonders of Fenwicks, Selfridge's, Harvey Nichols and the ultimate in shopping brilliance, Dover Street Market. In fact I think I will.)

Anyway, TFFF founder, moderator and tyrant billionaire Miss J has made up a little cut-out-and-keep guide to the shops I detail below. Here's where I shop:

1. Topshop Flagship
Oxford Circus, London
00 44 (0)845 121 4519
www.topshop.com

The details on Topshop clothes are above and beyond what I expect from the high street; it's marginally more expensive than H&M but earrings won't turn your ears green and buttons won't fall off. It's great both for basics like wifebeaters, and original designs, via the Unique and Boutique labels. The store features regular designer collaborations to keep things fresh, with hot young things like Christopher Kane and Sophia Kokosolaki taking part.

As of yet there's no plus size range but the flagship store is worth a visit just for the accessories floor. That's right: an entire floor devoted to bags, scarves, jewellery, make-up and hosiery. (Shoes are on another level entirely.) There's also a vintage and designer brands section (you're more likely to find plus sizes down here), a personal shopping service, special events, and a caffeine-laden café. Sizes UK 6 - 16, US 2 - 12. Ships internationally.

2. Liberty
Great Marlborough Street, London
00 44 (0)20 7734 1234
www.liberty.co.uk

Liberty...ahhhhhhhh. Where to begin, my old friend? Liberty is, hands down, the nicest store in the world. Tucked away behind Oxford Circus, just round the corner from Carnaby Street, its wide wooden staircases and beautiful architecture are a welcome respite from the bustle of central London.

The central atrium unfolds like the layers of a chocolate cake. The wide, square staircase spins up and up on the right, whilst the upper floors are cut away at the centre, leaving a central column of air and nothingness. The ground floor features perfume, handbags, jewellery and make-up, whilst the layers above reveal designer clothing, haberdasheries, furniture and more. The staircase opens out onto the floor and thanks to the cut-away design you're immediately taken to the left or right, following the banisters through room upon room of quiet fashion solitude.

Gift vouchers are offered in the form of gold coins in velvet pouches; purchases come wrapped in delicious purple paper. Not only can nothing bad happen here, but unlike Tiffany's, you can actually have breakfast at Liberty's - the restaurant offers the most divine pancakes. Sells diffusion labels like Marc by Marc and See by Chloe; also a perfumier, accessories lounge, bag department, vintage furniture and a haberdashery. Sizes - vary according to designer. Utter heaven.

3. Bullfrog
The Pavement, London
00 44 (0)20 76274123

The high street! My spiritual home! South London, apart from being a notorious gangsta hotspot these days (my 'hood actually is known as "the Hotspot". According to the hysterical tabloid meeja, anyway), has some quality shopping. Aside from the usual branches of high street chains, there are any number of one-off boutiques or smaller chains, like Sweaty Betty.

Among these smaller chains is Bullfrog, which has branches across south London, but my favourite is the one opposite Clapham Common. Mostly because it's practically next door to Starbucks, so when you've made your purchases you can caffeinate up and sit in the sunshine watching hot boys play football and go jogging and stuff. What other high street shopping experience brings you such depths?!

Shoes are a specialty, with brand names ranging from Hush Puppies to Irregular Choice, plus Bullfrog own designs. There's also a small selection of unique jewellery, bags and accessories, together with an entirely random selection of clothing -- some own-name pieces and selected outfits from French Connection and other high-end high-street names.

The boutiques are tiny and adorable, with the friendliest staff in the world, and they seem to change their stock almost daily. Purchase a silk sack dress and some platforms before relaxing on the common and indulging in aforementioned boy-watching. Shopping bliss. Sizes S, M, L - but cut generously. No online or mail order.

4. Beyond Retro
Soho & Brick Lane
00 44 (0)20 7613 3636
www.beyondretro.com

As the Beyond Retro owners say themselves, the new Soho (London) store is "a lush 70s-meets-Victoriana boutique, a heady blend of chandeliers, vintage taxidermy and Hugh Hefner chic". Intrigued (or just nonplussed by that whole 'vintage taxidermy' deal)? The shops stock includes over 10,000 vintage items, sold at wholesale prices, from 1940s pussy-cat bow blouses to 1980s sneakers.

It cannot be described, really. Where the joys of Topshop can be explored online, and Liberty can be happily imagined (I often use Liberty's atrium as a setting when playing a quick game of 'anywhere but here'), Beyond Retro really has to be seen to be believed. It's like an insane wonderland. Sizes: varies from piece to piece. No online or mail order, but worth the price of a plane ticket alone.

5. Browns
South Molton Street
00 44 (0)20 7514 0000
www.brownsfashion.com

Browns is a London landmark, founded in the 1970s. The flagship branch is on South Molton Street, at the heart of the snooty shopping district (you're a stone's throw from Bond Street and Savile Row. Although if you threw that stone you'd probably hit a billionaire in the eye and be sued). Nearby are the brother and sister stores, Browns Men, Browns Bride, Browns Focus (edgier designers), and Browns Labels For Less, the discount outlet.

Browns though is the original. Not to be confused with the equally wonderful, also 1970s born, restaurant chain Browns, which has a branch on St Martin's Lane near Trafalgar Square, and does the best hamburger in London. Why not theme your day? Start by shopping at Browns, choosing from a selection of hip designers like Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Marc Jacobs, Christopher Kane, Ashish, Lanvin and Chloe, hit up Browns Focus for a few more pieces, have lunch at Browns-the-restaurant, and finish spending what few pennies you have left at Browns Labels For Less. Okay, it's not a great theme, but the clothes are. Sizes: Varies according to designer, XS - XL. Ships internationally.

There you have it. As focussed a list as I can possibly give. In the future I'll try and post recommendations on London's historic department stores - which are the most plus friendly (hint: not Harrods, where they kick you out for wearing jeans, let alone being a pound or two overweight); markets, and Shoreditch shopping.

Fashion Film : Hairspray!

C'mon I had to write about Tracy Turnblad!


I love Hairspray, I've loved it since way back before the musical revamp when it was a John Waters piece de resistance featuring a pre-talk show Ricki Lake and the divine Divine. The original film is just witty, campy and great fun - if you haven't seen it you should Netflix it because its required watching.

One thing I love about Hairspray is how confident the character of Tracy is. Sure she's a little bigger than the other girls (pleasantly plump in her own words) but she's exuberant and feisty and never lets anything stand in her way. She knows she's a great dancer and ultimately its her faith in herself that lets the whole world know it too - by the end of the movie everyone in Baltimore (except the evil Amber Von Tussle of course) is in love with her.


The Many Faces of Tracy
Ok. Enough of my gushing - I think its clear that I enjoy the film. Now as we all know a remake was released a few days ago featuring the lovely Nikki Blonsky (love her - she's been wearing the most amazing outfits on the Hairspray press tour and is a sure candidate for TFFF profile) as Tracey. I have just returned from seeing the film and needless to say I enjoyed every minute. After the singing and dancing what stood out most for me were the incredible candy colored retro costumes. Musicals often have some of the most interesting costumes since the reality they exist in is heightened and the costumes follow suit. In Hairspray everything is almost too cute - even when the characters are supposed to look drab they're still in to die for little shifts and prints. I thought Nicki Blonsky, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfiffer and Amanda Bynes looked especially good in all that 1960s chic.

Fashion is going through a bit of a late 50s / early 60s moment now as well. From Amy Winehouse's beehive of doom to Galliano's recent Barbara Hutton-redux runway - high hair and bold color are back. As such here are a host of Turnblad approved accessories guaranteed to get you moving.



Welcome to the 60s : Hairspray - Frederic Fekkai Sheer, Tinted Lipbalm - Benefit Benetint , Hair Clip - Juko , Flats - Marc Jacobs Mouse Shoes, Purse - J. Crew tartan clutch (in store only), Necklace - Jules Smith Kiss Kiss Necklace
Those mouse shoes might just be worthy of their own film, ditto for the lips necklace. I don't see how anyone can wear either of those and not burst spontaneously into a song and dance number. There is something so kitschy about those shoes. The hair bows as well - though I suppose kistchy is what one looks for in this instance. Personally I'm jonesing for one of those great skirts everyone had in the movie. Every single female character (Travolta included) had amazing skirts. Rita Ryack's costumes were really just incredible.

Lit From Within: The Summer Glow

As much focus as there is on makeup most of the fun and attention goes towards color. Its all about the precise shade of eyeshadow, the lipstick of the moment (Peter Som for Lancôme if you must know) anything bright and bold that catches our eyes and gets us excited. Color is king - cosmetics collections are called color stories for a reason. And the right shade of lipstick/eyeshadow or blush is the cosmetic equivalent to that scene in The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy's world goes from bleak beige to glittering technicolor.

But here's the kicker - color means nothing without skin. Your skin is the canvas on which you apply your color so if its not looking good all the trendy shades in the world will not look their best.

Now since its summer everyone on earth is going to tell you to worry about blotting and stopping shine but as appealing as that may seem there is nothing natural about a completely matte face in the middle of a heatwave. Being overly powdered is just as bad as looking greasy - the goal should be a healthy glow that appears to come from within. A since every good look requires a little bit of effort here are the tools you'll need to recreate the look yourselves - along with a few of our favorite products.

1. PRIMER | NARS PRIMER SPF 20

Primer is key it sets up your whole look and makes everything nice and smooth for when you apply your makeup. I find its far better to use a primer that keeps you matte and makes your makeup last than to worry about reapplying my powder throughout the day. Also remember to use an SPF to protect yourself - an SPF guide like the one at Banana Boat can be helpful in finding just how much coverage you need.


2. CONCEALER | DIOR SKINFLASH
   Personally I despise the feel of foundation on a warm day. Its just too much for me - as such I prefer to merely use a concealer to target specific problems. I like using a pen concealer like YSL Touche Eclat or Dior's Skinflash to cover up dark circles and any other little imperfections.
   


3. POWDER | SUE DEVITT C-WEED POWDER

Loose powder is great to just even out the skintone - even when its too hot for foundation and the whole nine yards you can dust on a bit of powder in the morning to look polished. Search for a powder with light reflecting particles that brighten your complexion.


4. LUMINIZER | MAC MINERALIZE SKINFINISHES

Shimmer is a tricky thing - there is a fine line between glowing and florescent and if you have oily or combination skin it can be hard to gage just what is right. The best trick I've learned for this is to use a very light hand and a good brush. Dust your luminizer wherever light hits naturally; the bridge of the nose, cheekbones, browbones and then set with a little spritz of H2O to keep things looking natural.

MAC's Skinfinishes are the best luminizers I've tried thus far - unfortunately they're limited edition (what is with MAC and limited editions) so snap them up quickly before they're gone again for another six months!


5. BLUSH | CARGO BLUSH

And now we reach the fun part - a good blush is your best friend. It will make you appear well rested and chipper on the most grim days. Nothing screams healthy more than that "I just pinched my cheeks" flush. The right shade of blush is usually the shade your cheeks take on when you actually blush. When buying look for shades with a good amount of pigment - they'll last longer and look better. I like Cargo's blushes and NARS' as well - they both have a wide array of shades suitable for all skin tones.

Which products do you use to make your skin glow? Again I'm quite partial to those Skinfinishes - Global Glow might just be my holy grail.

Hips Don't Lie

Interesting phenomenon sweeping across the runways lately - as models lose their curves clothes gain them. From S/S right through to F/W Couture week we've been seeing an influx of nipped waists and padded hips - the sorts of exaggerated hourglass proportions that we almost never actually see on the runways.


Hippy chic at Dolce, McQueen, Armani Prive and Lacroix
Now while we have yet to see any change in the aesthetic physically I find it interesting that designers are playing with proportion in this way. For so long the ideal has been a sort of straight up and down column or oversized draped sacks- very boyish and boxy overall. It almost seemed as though fashion had forgotten about the very idea of the curve but now its returned but in these surreal corset and bustle-esque dresses. Granted, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that most of us do not require extra hip padding to fill out a McQueen frock but its interesting that he's added it.

It would seem as though the focus is going back towards the idea of a body that has shape - even if that shape is created via padding. Every magazine from Vogue to Bazaar is talking about the return of sex (because according to fashion lore Tom Ford confiscated sex and took it with him once he left Gucci) and a curvier silhouette would certainly be a sign of such a resurgence because as we all know curves are sexy.

How do you feel about this look? Is it just the fleeting fancy of a few influential designers or a sign of a shift overall?

A favour...

Hey everyone

I'm going to totally abuse my powers as a contributor to this blog and ask all the readers a wee favour. I'm currently studying hard for an MA and I need a little research help.

Nothing major, just 6 multiple choice questions on graphics and layout for my project. If any of you are surfing and a bit bored, please head over to My MA Project and leave a comment answering the questions there. I promise it won't take more than 2 minutes!

Back to your regularly scheduled fashion...

Old Navy takes the final step in its alienation of the plus size consumer

After a spring and summer season where it appeared Old Navy was only stocking shorts, pants and skirts in sizes 00-12 in their stores, they finally reached their goal of cutting their Women's Plus department from retail locations, relegating customers to a corner of their website. Much like the dusty old basement corner, hidden amongst childrenswear and maternity I found the women's plus section to be in their store in the Garden State Plaza, Paramus, New Jersey, when a sales associate told me, when asking the availability of an item hanging on a rack of 00s, 2s and 8s, to "try the plus department" (I'll try and excuse the fact that I wear anywhere between a 14 and an 18 in the Old Navy size range, which used to go up to 20, and many of the clothing items in women's plus are too big for me. Also commonly un-fashion forward and at times bordering on dowdy, but that is for another post another time). I was told by one changing room assistant to "check on the website," and another "We don't carry it in that size." Why? "We just don't." By the way, many of the shorts and skirts available this summer to ON's more petite customers were not even made in larger sizes. This all becomes even more particularly frustrating to me to feel conflicted in boycotting this practice when some of their fall items look so cute. On the website, natch.

Get In My Belly

Another day another series of ads from Brazil.



These ads are from Companhia Athletica, a chain of gyms in Brazil and quite frankly I think they're just really stereotypical. Like a lot of other gym ads they fall back on the idea that all fat people are grotesque eating machines. Look at all the silouhettes they're chowing on ice cream or guzzling down drinks while they suffocate the thin people trapped in their stomachs. Clearly they've devoured these hard-bodied individuals in their mad cannibalistic quest for food. Even the translations "Give your slender body a chance to get rid of you" hammer in the idea that if you're fat you are slovenly and/or unhealthy. And why would you want your body to "get rid of you" in the first place? God forbid you go to the gym, eat the same foods as everyone else and are still heavy. Apparently thats just too much for advertisers to comprehend.

I'm tired of this sort of thing to be honest. Its boring and there are better, more creative ways to advertise a gym. How about promoting the idea that working out and playing sports can be ::gasp:: fun! Last I checked losing weight wasn't the only reason to go to the gym. Staying active and keeping healthy are important and I know a lot of people who don't have six pack abs but still go to the gym regularly or engage in physical activity. The word fat is not synonymous with lazy.

Better yet the could take a page from the book of Crunch and make ads that show all sorts of people go to the gym - even this sexy lady right here.



Now I've got a date with a tennis racquet - perhaps TFFF should do a little feature on the best in plus size fitness gear. I know we've all got a sport or activity we could use some cute accessories for.

Scans You Like It

As promised at the request of, well, one reader (but I know you all wanna see), here are the scans from the Observer Woman magazine as previously discussed. (You know, the ones that were supposed to be so "shocking" to us.)

The models are Elizabeth Satherlund (blonde) and Kate Smith (brunette). I'm not a big fan of Kate Smith's stuff, but OMG Elizabeth is a total betty, by name and nature.

I'm not so keen on the hairstyling on the cover - I think they could have gone further, for a more styled 1950s polished roll of curls - but I love the effect of the corsetry on the derriere!

What do you think? Holla at us!


Clickity click on the icons for full-sized (no pun intended) images.

Rachel Pally Plus Sizes

Another fashionable designer is doing plus sizes! So-Cal designer Rachel Pally has teamed up with Nordstrom to produce a plus sized line.

From WWD
Rachel Pally, the Southern California contemporary designer who believes that well-cut jersey flatters all women, is teaming with Nordstrom to launch a plus-size line filled with Empire-waist dresses, wide-leg trousers and her other signature looks for the fall.

A taste of Rachel's signature style
I've really enjoyed Rachel Pally's clothes for awhile now they have that great laid back vibe that L.A. designers just seem to inherently possess. Her clothes also have a reputation for being incredibly comfortable which is always a plus. Nothing is worse than a pretty dress thats a pain to wear. I'm hoping that the Nordstrom's collection will be high quality and full of colorful options just like her straight-sized line.

Thanks to Medina for the heads up about this!