Shoppers at the launch of Sonia Rykiel’s H&M collection in Toulouse.

FOR

What is there not to love about Topshop? On Saturday, I was in London in the Topshop store, which is so much more than a store, it’s like a fashionista’s haven. The Topshop look does not consist of merely clothes; the fabulous accessories include every jewellery accessory under the sun, bags, shoes; there are even hairdressers and manicurists. Where else can you create a whole fashion persona under one roof?

It is not only us Brits who are gaga for Topshop – wherever I go in the world, if you say “London” to any girl, Topshop is always on the same must do list as Big Ben or Harrods… there is a reason it’s going global!

I have an American cousin who, whenever she came to stay in the UK (to a larger extent before the store went to NYC) would easily spend six hours in Topshop, with a 15 minute lunch break (not for the fainthearted!) She knew when she got home to the States, fashion would be her forte and she would be ahead of the All American girls. Topshop: avant-garde… check, and hot to trot… check!

What is more, as of last week, Topshop has fair-trade clothes and jewellery in store. This means that dropping a ton of money in there is no longer a guilty pleasure but a great pastime – I like!

The reason I love Topshop so much is that it is not the kind of store you enter into and automatically come out looking like the brand’s clone. Ok, some people may choose to, but unlike Jack Wills and other stores, it is definitely not compulsory! Most fashion stereotypes can shop in the store, as they cater for most people, be it vintage or the latest Kate Moss creation.

Therefore, girls, you have two decisions: fight the Topshop trend, for some obscure intellectual argument about not wanting to be a style sheep, or flaunt it and feel fabulous. I know which option I would pick!

Julia Restoin Roitfeld sporting a Topshop dress

AGAINST

I should precede this by clarifying that while I’m technically against the so-called “Topshopoly”, I actually own quite a lot of their stuff. Why? Because not only do they beat most other stores in the race to translate high fashion into high street, they also produce great basics and collaborate with the coolest of designers. In short, I like their clothes. I just wish everyone else didn’t.

Be honest, who doesn’t love being greeted with a “where did you get your bag/shoes/blazer” compliment? But no matter how fab you look in your new season batwing trench or stripy, motif knits, that question will never come… because not only does everyone already know where it’s from, they probably own it too.

Maybe this is only a problem that applies to those of us who get a bit shopetitive™ with our friends (if you’ve ever had an “I saw it first” argument with your mate while out shopping, this is probably you) but deep down most of us would probably admit to enjoying having an air of mystique around where our outfits come from. Quite apart from this there is also massive potential for turning up to formal/a bop/May Ball in the same outfit as some other poor young thing – a faux pas of epic proportions.

The stars have jumped on the bandwagon too: everyone from Anna Friel to Olivia Palermo to Pixie Lott loves a bit of Toppers. You might well think that this is a good thing – after all we can truly steal the style of our favourite celebs if they get their gear on the high street, right? Think again: if someone famous wears something unbelievably cool yet affordable (if one is willing to live on Sainsbury’s basics for a bit) it will sell out faster than you can say “sequin hotpants”. Fact.

Topshop will always be a high street giant – one tiny rant about being fed up with lectures looking like their store window won’t change that, but my advice would be: proceed with caution. When you find yourself heading to the till with a “must-buy” item, stop and think to yourself “will I still love it when everyone else in town has one?” But if the answer’s yes then (Top)shop away!

Solange Knowles and Hayley Williams sporting the same Topshop dress

Hannah Copley, and Claudia Stocker, both at Gonville and Caius college, caught our stylehunter’s eye with their impressive attention to detail and easy chic looks. Ladies and gents, they're a classic lesson in how to make the most of your standout pieces (mostly bought at today’s Affordable Vintage Fair).

Hannah’s muted mauve-grey palette really works with her colouring, and gives her whole look an air of creative sophistication, which is as hard to achieve as it sounds! Wearing two complimentary shades of grey on her bottom half and working the classic skinnies and neat boots look makes her legs look endless and is an excellent foil to the interesting purple print on the dress (cleverly fashioned as a top). By finishing with a classic coat, it’s not a hugely avant-garde look but it’s chic, individual, and oh-so-flattering: perfect Cambridge wear.
 

 
Coat: Charles Tyrwhitt (women)
Scarf: Gap for Men
Jeans: H+M
Top – Dress worn as a top, from the Vintage fashion fair
Booties: Marks and Spencer

Claudia’s look, however, is definitely kookier although it uses the same key elements: classic boots, and a uniform-style coat in a go-anywhere shade, and pops of colour to liven the whole look up. I am a huge fan of a cheeky bit of co-ordination, and matching one of the shades in that lovely vintage scarf to the cherry red tights is a sweet touch that makes her stand out for all the best reasons, and that adds interest and personality to the casual boots and everyday bag. Very clever and very cute.

 
Coat: H+M
Scarf: Vintage Fashion Fair
Shoes: Vintage Fashion Fair
Bag: Topshop

All photos by Hannah Copley, assisted by Claudia Stocker.

The Tim Burton/Johnny Depp extravaganza, Alice in Wonderland, is landing in cinemas this week so to pay homage, here’s a selection from the plethora of Alice-esque attire you’ll find around at the moment. As is typical of a Burton film, the fashion looks set to take whimsical to a whole new level and tips into the bizarre category a few times (please don’t take any inspiration from the hair and make up, unless it’s Halloween. And maybe not even then.) However, there are plenty of wonderland touches you can make to your outfit to add a little magic to your look. From the specially designed jewellery (the chunky charm bracelet is by Stella McCartney no less!) to the fabulously childish headband and stripey tights there’s a little something for everyone.

Accessorise with a mad hat (see what I did there?) and you’re good to go, bound to be late for a very important date (but still looking fabulous)!

Alice in Wonderland by amandamyers featuring Disney Couture jewelry

I am writing this having just returned from the Global Poverty Project (GPP) talk at the Corn Exchange and, I know it sounds clichéd, but I honestly feel inspired. Fairtrade was presented as a great way to do your bit and help ensure that money falls into the right pockets. When most people think of Fairtrade, they think food: often it is Cadbury’s chocolate and smiling cocoa farmers that come to mind. We rarely consider Fairtrade and its impact on fashion. As it is Fairtrade fortnight (22nd February- 7th March) I think it is time to consider the other places where you can make a difference by buying Fairtrade: through fashion.

The price others have to pay for our fashion can be extortionate. In a report made by the campaign group Labour Behind the Label (check out their work at http://www.labourbehindthelabel.org/), they unveiled how in some some factories in Bangladesh and China, the child-labour situation is as dangerous and exploitative as ever. I am sure you all remember the allegations about the exploitation Primark was involved in.  Although Primark has now insisted it has removed sweatshops from its repertoire, what was most interesting was that even in the light of such allegations the consumer did little. We did not boycott stores and demand fair-trade. The knowledge of the exploitation did not even compel the majority of us to feel guilty for the reason behind bargain prices. To paraphrase Wilberforce, you can look the other way but you can never again claim ignorance; (this quote springs to mind as Hugh Evans’ used it in his GPP speech….snaps for originality!) So if you did not know, now you do. As ignoring the issue is not really an option, what can you do?

Get in on ethical fashion! I have to say, although this is a great idea in principle, paying extra £££s is the one thing that puts me off Fairtrade fashion. Yes, we know it’s for a good cause, but fast and cheap fashion is addictive and much more suited to a student budget. However, Fairtrade fashion has recently become much more purse-friendly, but more importantly, think of it as an investment, and work out the cost-per-wear ratio on any new purchases. Then you can look and feel good knowing that your saving for something Fairtrade has really made a difference. Look out for:

Estethica: An initiative sponsored by Monsoon, is the centre of the ethical fashion industry in London. It is great as it ranges from 28 designers is very mainstream and yet completely eco-sustainable. http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/estethica

People Tree: One of the original Fairtrade clothing companies, and a joy. Their tshirts are lovely, and Emma Watson has collaborated with them on a range, so be sure to check it out, it’s neat, chic and stylish and full of classics. http://www.peopletree.co.uk/

Fashion Conscience: A seriously stylish website that is sure to assuage any fears you had that Fairtrade clothes aren’t hip. And they have a sale section. http://www.fashion-conscience.com/

Check out more conscience- and purse-friendly labels at: http://www.greenmystyle.com/top-ten-fair-trade-fashion-brands/
 

In fact, the reason that Fairtrade fashion should be your lips is not just because of the moral issue, but also because it is definitely avant-garde. Ethical fashion is not like choosing a boring salad in the place of a G.B.K burger and chips, just to ease the food guilt and feel virtuous: ethical fashion is all about being at the cutting edge and being in the know. It is truly a win-win situation…. you are reducing your carbon footprint, improving the quality of people’s lives, and you will still look fabulous! And Fairtrade fashion is in not only in vogue, it has political clout too: Lord Hunt the Minister for Sustainable Development and Energy, and the Minister for DEFRA, announced a new Sustainable Clothing Action plan at London Fashion Week last year.
 

Still not convinced? Well maybe you should consider the celeb following it has. If the likes of Sienna Miller, Cameron Diaz and our very own Lily Cole rave about it, it is probably a bandwagon you should jump on and fast!

The accident of my birth had me dropped out of the womb in West Hampshire. If it had been North-East Hampshire, it would all be different, you see, because that’s where the horses are. Nobody can make a horse stay in the South or West because of the Southampton antimagnetic repulsion, apart from the happy little dopey ponies that get pinned up in the New Forest for the sake of local colour. Now some of the people I know out of the East are great at the races, because they understand what all the numbers mean and can do clever things with fractional odds without a calculator. But as for me: when the call comes – “come to Oxford, we’re going to the races” – I assume I’ll be standing around in a hat with a glass of Bolly, losing filthy amounts of money, yelling “come on the brown horse!” and maybe touching some of the trainers for a little Ketamine party-bag. I thought the races would look like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5Sq1Pax7h8
As did most of the people I went with. We wore waistcoats and velvet suits and conditionered our hair, we drank G&T’s and spoke the Queen’s English, we bought opera-glasses and parasols and dinky golden tie-pins, only to discover from team leader Jim, when it was all too late to change, that this was – the greyhounds.
 

At the greyhounds, there is not a waistcoat in sight. Anything that suggests that the wearer might be the artistic kind of man with who knows what’s in his flowerbeds must be strenuously avoided. Passing members of the public were quick to point out our apparent ability in the field of countergradient horticulture, which could only be allayed by the purchasing of much, much Guinness, which tends to confuse the one-track-mind of the judging onlooker just enough to avoid an instant mugging. Once the crowds had stopped remarking on our good-with-coloursness, we gained the collective nickname of “the Chelsea Twats” . The barmen didn’t look us in the eye. All the dogs we bet on fell over or died on the track. Going to the toilets alone was obviously out of the question.

So what not to wear? No ties. They’re too easy to be strangled with. Tie-pins make a good defensive weapon though, so keep several in the pocket of your tracksuit bottoms. Puffy jackets, anoraks and flasher-coats are an excellent substitute for trim and dandy suits. But the greatest faux pas:

The little hat. Don’t wear a little hat. The little hat was the source of much demotic comedy.
“Mate, do you need a bigger hat?” – “Fuck me, has your head grown?” – “That hat’s really small.” – “Little-hatty slut.”
Laughter and applause. Don’t ever wear a little hat to the greyhounds. Wear something with a hood, preferably two. Don’t have washed your hair for a long time. Cubicles, not urinals. Smoke, a lot.
 

And choosing the dog with the best name never works.

Models: Capability Blue, Beta Proximo
Photographer: Egmont Lad
With thanks to: Spice Please, Butter Pumpkin and Doorway Onyx, for losing all my money.
 

Ladies, gentleman, and passionate vintage-lovers from all over, it’s time to get excited as the Affordable Vintage Fashion Fair is returning to Cambridge this Saturday 6th March. It was a veritable hoot last year, as the Guildhall’s main floor gets stuffed to the gunnels with all manner of lovely vintage loot, from furs to shoes, skirts to accessories to film-star worthy frocks, and delightful bargain racks to rummage through. With over 25 stalls, and at prices guaranteed to be 40% less than vintage on the high street, for a lowly £2, you are guaranteed at least an hour of delightful vintage hunting in what is essentially a magpie’s, and style hunter’s, paradise. This year’s fair is at the Guildhall from 10.30 to 4.30, so be sure to get there early so as to nab the best stuff, and have the rest of the day to decide what you’re going to wear it with!

Top tips for vintage:

A friend of mine picked up a pair of Miu Miu knee high suede boots (retailed ~ £600) for £10 last year. No joke. The lucky girl is a very petite size four however: the small of foot can make an absolute killing with vintage shoes, so be sure to run a glad eye over the footwear offerings on Saturday. For those taller girls (myself included, I’m a size 8), be sure to check out the men’s boots- my favourite pair are a vintage men’s, are pure cowboy and a perfect fit. (The vintage stall on the market also has some wonderful boots for larger sizes- talk to the charming stallholder and she can source you a pair for a very reasonable price too).

Hit the fur coats. They are a beautiful addition to any wardrobe, chic, classic, warm and therefore incredibly practical, and in terms of cost per wear a total bargain. You’ll wear it to lectures, with your evening wear, and with everything in between (they are also very useful as a dressing gown substitute when your heating breaks, I’m told). It’s also much friendlier to our furry friends: buy fake, or vintage, team and you’ll look fabulous with a clear conscience. Other fur favourites are those amazing Russian-style hats: channel Lara from Doctor Zhivago and you’ll look sultry and stay toasty.

Be on the look out for something special. Chat to the stallholders, ask them about their favourite pieces, and if something catches your eye, be sure to try it on: it might look shapeless on the hanger but it might look great on you. Or your friend. Or the girl next to you in the changing room (swapping happened a lot last year)! Vintage evening wear is a guaranteed style statement and although it’s overused, there is a certain charm in looking amazing in something that no one else will have. And for the broke, or less bold, invest in accessories: some eye-catching jewellery, a great bag or scarf, is an excellent way to dip into vintage and will guarantee you some purchase envy (and you can namedrop that it's vintage. All the time).

If you’re serious about finding some classic pieces, go prepared. Wear nice but block underwear: the changing rooms aren’t individual, and you don’t want to flash anybody. Similarly, wear clothes that are easy to get on and off: layers are vital for a quick changing room turnaround. If you’re after a dress, wear tights; shoes, wear ones that are easy to get on and off. Be sure to take cash, and don’t take a bulky bag: it’s quite a small space, and it is so irritating to have to jostle for space with someone’s bag when you’re diving into the rails. Don’t buy anything yellowed, with permanent-looking stains, or that you think is too expensive ‘just because’. However, don’t be put off by faulty zips or tears along seams: they can be a quick (and cheap!) fix, so be sure to haggle for some money off too.

And finally, keep your eyes peeled: your perfect vintage piece is waiting for you.

For more info be sure to check out their website: www.vintagefair.co.uk

So unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably gathered that it’s CUSU election time again. I understand that some people have decided to base their vote on which candidate has the best policies…sure, that’s one option. But I thought that just as informative for the voting public would be a quick round up of who’s wearing what (it’s common knowledge that Michelle won Obama many a state with her effortless style). CUSU rules permit the candidates to use some of their designated quota of election points on creating t-shirts (it costs more points to have them professionally made and less if you make them yourself) so here for your general perusal is a selection of the candidates’ campaign attire…

Rahul Mansigani, running for President
Lovely, cheery and bright, he’s found a surprisingly flattering shade of yellow (no easy feat). Black and yellow is always a striking combination and the collar is a nice touch. Loses some points for the obvious transfer outlines.

Luke Hawksbee, running for Education Officer
Luke chose to save his points by not creating an election t-shirt but in the spirit of his campaign can currently be found sporting an ‘Education is not for sale’ t-shirt (ENS is described by Wikipedia no less, as ‘a radical left-wing student campaign’. If that’s your thing then vote for this guy.

Maria Helming, running for Education Officer
(Photo by Emma Hutton)
Massive brownie points for the professional finish and the fact that these t-shirts give you all the necessary information. The orange shade is undeniably eye-catching but with the black is a tad Halloween, and you’d have to be following on of her supporters around for a while to catch all of the info on the back.

Anna Goulding, running for Women’s Officer
The stencilled effect looks creative but professional while saving valuable points through being handmade. The venus symbol is both apt and cute but with no mention of CUSU there is the danger that people won’t immediately know what election she’s actually running in…

Sarah Peters-Harrison, running for Women’s Officer
Very professional looking and red is an eye catching colour. Love the individual photographic touches and the slogan inclusion but all of the information is in a very small space – not the easiest to read.

Andy McGowan, running for Access & Funding Officer
Red and white…strawberries and cream…England…Father Christmas…all good connotations in my book, and a very professionally printed shirt. McGowan is uncontested for this position-seems the quality of this t-shirt might have scared off the competition.

Amy Taylor, running for NUS Delegate
Not strictly a t-shirt, in fact it’s a t-shirt in no way whatsoever – but I like the logo: modelled as it is on the legendary ‘I heart NY’ emblem. Very cute, very enthusiastic, if you love NUS too it seems you’ve found a friend in Amy.

So there you have it – it’s only a selection as some candidates either didn’t produce t-shirts or chose not to send them in for this rigorous fashion review…but if you like what you see then vote Monday and Tuesday online and in your colleges on Wednesday.