SS13: MY LFW TUMBLE

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

As well as keeping up with what's going on in Milan and catching up on everything which piled up at the office while I was out at shows, one of the big things I have been doing is trying to plough through the hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures I took over the five days. Some you'll see in more substantial posts another time but others are just snippets, and so I thought I would share a tumble of pictures with you today to show u a few of the thingsI got up to during LFW....

FRIDAY

Backstage at Zoe Jordan, the looks and the models...

I have a soft spot for Emilia Wickstead who has a slightly unfair rep as a designer who just makes pretty dresses for society ladies. This was one of my favourite looks from her salon presentation, though  it is really only suitable for tall model types. I could totally get on board with an Emilia prom skirt though.

SATURDAY

Lara Mullen backstage after Daks

Ryan Lo's glitz spectacular to the tune of Azealia Banks at Fashion East

Latex dungaress by  Claire Barrow at Fashion East.

Gorgeous lilac tulle on denim at Marques' Almeida

 Jourdan Dunn outside Rag and Bone

Models in Barbie-esque boxes at Sophia Webster

SUNDAY

Finale at the lush Lucas Nascimento

Vivienne Westwood erects her climate protest flag, with a little help from Alice Dellal, in the middle of the Foreign and Commonwealth office. Love Viv.

The ACNE man plies us with drinks

Anna dello Russo arrives at the Phillip Treacy show

MONDAY

Really sweet make-up at Michael van der Ham

 Working the Alexander McQueen visor at Christopher Kane

 A sliver of Andy Murray's jumper and his girlfriend's side profile heading into Burberry to cosy up to Anna Wintour.

 Saskia de Brauw at Giles. Love her and want her hair.

Ballgown backview at Giles

 J.W Anderson talks to Tim Blanks after his show

TUESDAY

Poolside drinks at Tata Naka

 The set at Simone Rocha's super show

 And outside her show, there were perspex brogues galore on loyal fans- a definite signature

  Pretty, happy model backstage at Meadham Kirchhoff

 A box of Meadham Kirchhoff hats

 And part of the catwalk set-up at MK, think mussed up chateau with cake

WHAT TO WEAR TO MEET THE QUEEN

Posted by Bethan Holt, Fashion Junior at Large

The Queen's diamond jubilee year is well and truly under way and we are just 13 sleeps away from the pinnacle event in the celebrations; the river pageant. Here at FEAL, we'll be bringing you a few special royal posts in the next week or two to celebrate Her Majesty's 60 years on the throne. For today, Melanie has allowed me to indulge my love of all things Hello! worthy. This year, Elizabeth II is out in force, meeting her citizens which means plenty of people are facing the dilemma of what to wear to meet the Queen.  We have carefully examined the tricks employed by other members of the world's royal community to style themselves at the sovereign's lunch in Windsor on Friday and so we bring you the rules which we think got some of the most notable attendees through the day...

#1: IMITATE THE QUEEN HERSELF

Over her sixty years on the throne, the Queen has honed her personal style into a highly recognisable formula: matchy matchy bright colours, sensible courts and a small, boxy handbag. So it was a fail safe combination for Princess Charlene of Monaco to adopt on one of her first visits to the UK as Prince Albert of Monaco's new(ish) bride. Charlene went for head-to-toe duck egg blue , sensible heels and a bag just a perspex handle away from a very Queen-like shape. Charlene even had her hair cut short in time for her jubilee visit, perhaps to mirror Her Majesty's own practical perm.

#2: TAKE YOUR USUAL LOOK, AND REV IT UP

Although our very own Duchess Kate has worn her fair share of designer attire, she is better known for her love of a high street bargain. Last year, she chose a Reiss dress to meet the Obamas. So she could so easily have gone for another low budget statement. Instead, she brought in the big guns and splashed out on an Emilia Wickstead dress. It still ties in seamlessly with the Kate look we've become so used to- pretty, safe and very lady- but perhaps the knowledge that there was a bit more structure and design care to what she was wearing helped Kate hold her own amongst the royal guests.

#3: GET OUT THE GLUE GUN

Sometimes you just can't find what you're looking for and if you have something specific in mind, it could just be easier to do it yourself. That's exactly what I reckon Inkhosikati LaMbikiza, the third wife of King Mswati III of Swaziland did. I hugely admire the King's favourite wife for rocking a look so totally her own. It looks quite safe until your eyes meet the knees, at which point the eruption of a feather hem and jewelled, sequin heels let's us know that Inkhosikati is setting her own style agenda entirely for the event. This is definitely the attitude to follow if you're worried that you may not have much to talk about with the Queen- the shoes are a winning conversation starter.

#4: COVER-UP

If the whole thing feels like far too much of a bother, not to mention the worry about the Human Rights protesters who are campaigning against your invitation due to your husband's questionable policies, then do like the Princess of Bahrain and cover up in a full on black get-up. Of course, the Hijab is her go-to garment but Sabeeka could have jazzed it up a bit for Her Majesty I'm sure. Instead, she's the poster girl for keeping it as low-key as possible.

All images from www.dailymail.co.uk