TUMBLR!

Manner Of Fashion has now relocated ..... to TUMBLR! some of my posts have been copied to the site, but some have not - this is due to the fact they have become outdated! Feel free to visit at this NEW address! Thank you to all the loyal readers, giving me such motivation to post and the smile that follows! Much love to you all!<3

'My Week with Marilyn'

'My Week with Marilyn' is a movie based on the diary of Colin Clark, of which he wrote during the filming of 'The Prince and The Showgirl' in 1956! It revolves around the experience Colin (played by 'Eddie Redmayne') had as a 'third' on the film set, and how this role led to him falling in love.

Marilyn Monroe was on her honeymoon at the time, with the author 'Arthur Miller' (played by Dougray Scott) but when he leaves the country, she is then escorted around the British countryside, where she escapes the Hollywood lifestyle and enjoys being free.... but Hollywood has a price to pay..

 I personally ADORE Marilyn Monroe, she is an icon! But never have I seen her portrayed in such a way. 'MWWM' provides an insight into the woman behind the glitz and glamour that is Marilyn Monroe - a darker, less-confident side, team this with the wonderous talent that is 'Michelle Williams', you cant help but feel responsible for the way she feels, almost wanting to reach into the screen and protect her!

With a number of close ups within the movie, you catch a glimpse of a breath-taking beauty that Williams portrays so well, it is understandable how Marilyn created such a reputation with men. She is shown to be very playful, flirtatious but also vulnerable, for example, in one scene she forgets a number of her lines, to the frustration of 'Olivier' (played by Kenneth Branagh), and in consequence she becomes very anxious and her confidence dissolves entirely! so if like me, you had an idea of her being a strong woman, after watching this, think again..

Of course there are some downfalls to the movie, but some cant be helped. For example, it's as if  sometimes Williams is trying too hard to capture the screen presence that belonged to the icon - in some scenes it got to the point of cringing! The film could have easily done with some real footage of Monroe herself, and in all honestly that is what I expected in some places, but I was only to be let down.

Overall, the movie is a MUST SEE, even if you are not a fan of Marilyn Monroe its a film that will play with you, make you feel a range of emotions and mesmerise you! Also expect to see a few familiar faces such as 'Emma Watson', 'Judi Dench' and 'Zoë Wanamaker'!

'My Week with Marilyn' - a most enjoyable movie!

All that glitters....Part 1!

Believe it or not! A/W 11 is nearly over! It goes so fast don't you think? But with every new season, comes new trends! For S/S 12 keep an eye out for  high shine, metallics and glitter! I don't mean the twilight sort of glitter mind, i mean the glamourous kind - think Marilyn Monroe with a modern twist,  Dame Edna Everage but a bit more wearable!

What a way to break out of the cold and blacks of winter!

With this trend, its important to invest in quality materials, to avoid looking shabby! But don't worry! This doesn't mean you have to empty out your pockets! So for this half of the subject, here are a few key pieces with High Street prices!

This is an Emerald Shimmer Jersey Kimono, available at 'Topshop'! It is definitely an eye catcher, but in the good sense! Add this to any outfit for an instant spruce up and a touch of glamour! Costing £40, you are going to be left with pocket change!

A metallic crinkle tee, also available at 'Topshop'! Some people may think this to be a night out top, but worn correctly, it can easily be a everyday tee! Perhaps pair with some black, high waisted trousers to add a slight touch of formality, but remaining casual!

These AMAZING examples of unitards are for those willing to take a giant leap into individuality, for those brave fashionistas out there! You can do so much with these, think of layering, heaps of jewelry and dropping of jaws. Of course these can be toned down very easily with a few darker pieces, complementing the shimmer! but why not give it all you got and work these statement pieces!? Available at 'ASOS' for £30 each!

WARNING: Beware the magpies! ;D

Keep an eye out for 'All that glitters....Part 2!' where we go a little more 'High Fashion'!

Behind The Line!

Behind The Line is a small band from my hometown of Cardiff!  Just discovered them tonight, and so glad to have done so! Their music is so fresh in comparison to whats currently in the charts, its different, but in a good way. The sort of music that gives you that feel-good belly feeling!
The band is made up of four members - Ieuan Lewis (Lead Guitar), Alex Tabero (Drums) , Zac Read (Bass) and Luci Vernon (Vocals) all aged 14 - 15, they're young, but when you listen to their music, you will realise the sheer talent behind each and every one of them! It can only get better!

They formed in July 2011, and have gone on to cover a number of songs as well as produce some of their own; they are hoping to release an album of original material fairly soon, of which i shall keep you guys updated!

Taking inspiration from bands such as 'Nirvana', 'Mumford and Sons' and legends such as 'Prince', Behind The Line are a band to take note of, beneath is a link to a free download of 'Perfect Hours' - an original track from the band, as well as a personal favourite that has been playing on repeat!

The Band's Logo!

http://soundcloud.com/behind-the-line/perfect-hours

The lead singer,Luci Vernon, also has a personal YouTube page in which she uploads a few of her own personal covers! This one being 'White Blank Page' by Mumford and Sons! Check it out! Her voice is so beautiful!

BIZARRE Fashion!

Fashion. 

To some its wearing the newest trends before anyone even catches a glimpse and breaking the bank for the designer labels. However, i believe its about self expression - you see some of the marvelous creations on the runway and think 'Im not wearing that!?', im guilty of such! But when you find the reasoning behind the design, you can understand why it is so. Fashion , at times, can be downright bizarre! From the meat dress created by the Haus Of Gaga , to the dreams of Alexander McQueen. Fashion is an art! and should be respected as such! Therefore in this post, i will be showing a number of these beautiful creations, starting of with, of course, McQueen!

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen has had experience in so many areas of fashion, from Savile Row tailoring, to the theatrical costumiers Angels and Bermans. All of which come through in his collections! As a designer, he tended to contrast different elements, for example, Fragility and Strength. He never held back and you can just see his imagination throughout his work!

"I think there is beauty in everything. What ‘normal’ people would perceive as ugly, I can usually see something of beauty in it." - Alexander McQueen

Haus Of GaGa

The Haus Of Gaga is the creative team behind the driving force of Music, Art, Fashion, Politics - Lady GaGa!  They create the vast majority of her props, stage themes and of course, her outfits. Lady GaGa took inspiration from Andy Warhol, when creating the Haus Of GaGa, and everything they do. She believed that "He was able to make commercial art that was taken seriously as fine art..." Through all of this, GaGa sends messages to the world, builds connections to the world, and express herself as individual!

" I am a walking piece of art every day, with my dreams and my ambitions forward at all times in an effort to inspire my fans to lead their life in that way." - Lady GaGa

Yang Du

Yang Du is a surrealist fashion label created by Du Yang. Tending to blur the lines between art and fashion, (especially in her collection 'IT IS A DREAM IN COLOURS') Yang Du is an artist turned fashion desinger extravaganza! Some of you may have not heard of her, but she is fairly new on the scene, but definitely one to look out for! Having worked with the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Giles Deacon - she sure has a massive future in front of her!

"Are you a Shark or Sheep?" - Yang Du

Vivienne Westwood

The Queen of Punk. Vivienne Westwood's design are as flamboyant and extravagant as her flame orange hair. Known for such, she has spread over the world - a fashion icon in her own right! Appearing during the punk era, her designs are infused with safety pins, tartan and whatever takes her fancy! Westwood's first collection was called 'Worlds End' with which she opened her first store to sell, but now with collections such as 'Gold Label' and 'Red Label', her creativity as flourished beyond boundaries!

"Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well." - Vivienne Westwood

Minimalism!

For the fall of 2011 sophistication, clean, sleek dressing is trending! The complete opposite to the bold, bright colours of spring don't you think? It is seen as 'Pure' due to the fact there is very little detail! However with the use of Hi-Low hem lines and a delicate touch of piping, these subtleties can make a massive difference!

There are a number of Minimalist designers out there, for example:

Hussein Chalayan

 This is perfect minimalism! The bare minimum of detail. I believe it works very well with the overall colour. I look at this item and think purity, but in a darker form and that just makes it so beautiful!

The opposite to the above, but still so beautiful! The contrast of the gloves and trousers work to such great effect, and the extra material around the arms just add to that bit of magic!

Celine

The colours involved here belong to a very neutral palette, typical of a minimal design! Detail is kept with the use of leather panels on the front of the top, contrasting the two textures. Moving down, you can see that tailored trousers have been used, but with slits on the side - once again, adding further detail. These items can be found in Celine's 'Ready To Wear' Winter collection 2011!

Desginers such as Chloé, Gucci and Stella McCartney are also following suit, so keep your eyes peeled! Its a trend that can last a lifetime and reappears fairly regularly, so perhaps some pieces are keepers!

David LaChapelle

David LaChapelle - Currently, my favourite photographer! His work has appeared in Italian Vogue, French Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and more! Not only this, but he has shot a numerous amount of celebrities, including Eminem, Lady GaGa, Madonna, Uma Thurman - The list goes on! So you can enjoy his work, here are a few photos!

VERSACE teams with H&M!

EVERYONE....get yourselves ready to be blown away!  'Versace' is releasing a collection in collaboration with H&M!!! Designer for High-Street prices!

I came across this beauty whilst reading the November issue of 'Elle', - In all honesty, i had to to do a double take as its the first I've heard of it! and i am so very excited! 

Donatella Versace told 'Elle' that this collection is all because of the legendary 'Lady Gaga' 

'Lady Gaga is a pop icon of today and 

Gianni* was one of his time. I could have designed 

clothes for her, but i wanted to do something special'

Donatella believes that 'Lady Gaga's' massive army of fans ('Little Monsters') would do anything to find out where the icon got her clothes from, and now, its possible for them to feel even closer to their 'Mother Monster' . The collection includes womenswear, menswear and even Homeware! Featuring many  a studded dress and leather jacket, Killer heels, and a number of costume jewelry pieces! So keep a look out in a H&M store near you......you will not be disappointed! 

*Gianni Versace was the brother of Donatella who was  sadly murdered in 1997 - May he rest in peace.

Raindrops are falling!

Today i was looking out the window, trying to think of an idea for a post! Of course the weather was torrential  rain (expected as  we are in Britain remember!) but then it hit me! - why not make one on umbrellas ??? You cant do anything, but love umbrellas right now!

How amazing does this umbrella look?! Its so.....fierce! Made by a designer called 'Chantal Thomass', it is a french style domed black canopy with luxury black tulle net draped and tied, finished off with a fine satin bow. This item costs £140.50 from 'Brollies Galore'.

Another design by Chantal Thomass. Elegance and sophistication springs to mind, a statement in itself don't you think?

£99.99 from 'Brollies Galore'

This is such a cute umbrella in my opinion! Designed by 'Guy de Jean' . It is a pagoda shaped parasol with a paris scene of a lady walking her poodle! It can be used in rain or sun as not only is it waterproof, but it has a sun factor of 50 +! This umbrella costs £99.99,

Finally, i think its only fair to include some brollies for the guys!

This little pop-up umbrella has been created by the brilliant minds that is behind the name of 'Gucci'. It is entirely waterproof and can easily tuck away in a bag etc. so it is great for travelling! The handle is leather, with the Gucci monogram (GG) printed on the canopy! Costing £250 from 'MR PORTER' . it may only be for those who LOVE umbrellas....or Gucci!

This is a very unusual umbrella.....it has been designed to look inside out! Made by 'Jean Paul Gaultier', can you really expect anything less? I love it. It screams both quality and style and costs £120 from 'Simply Umbrellas'.

Princes Vintage!

Throughout my exploration of the internet tonight, I came across a little treasure!!  Its a site called 'Princes Vintage'. 
A few weeks ago, I attended a massive vintage fair in Leeds and I found a stall which i loved, but couldn't for the life of me remember its name! Turns out, THIS was the stall! - Fate you see!
It sells entirely vintage items of amazing quality and value - ranging from sportswear to knitwear! I HIGHLY recommend this site, so check it out!

http://www.princesvintage.co.uk/

WHAT LIES BENEATH -By Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott!

On a long journey, about a month or so ago, we decided to stop at a service station! I know what you're thinking...WOW!.. but it was here where I came across a fashion magazine called 'LOVE' - issue no. 6! I read it, loved it, and put It down....but today I decided to re-read it! An interesting photographic piece caught  my eye! 'What lies beneath'. Overall, It's a very sadistic shoot , with models playing dead, exposing themselves to the world - all in the name of art and fashion! I love this shoot, as its a type of photography which appeals to me. It may not be to everyone's taste, however, I shall post the photos from the shoot below, with the short movie that accompanies at the bottom of the page :

MODELS : Mariacarla Boscono, Saskia De Brauw, Kristen McMenamy, Paul Boche, Anais Pouliot, Lara Stone, Jed Texas, Guinevere Van Seenus, Xiao Wen Ju & Angus Whitehead

WARNING : NUDITY and DISTURBING IMAGES!