Spotted on Strand!

The Tab had a cheeky sneak peek at which KCL-ers looked cool walking around campus today!

Adding a splash of colour to her dark outfit with this yellow parka jacket, Wendela opts for a more vintage route to the sports trend.

Nisha updates her outfit with a bowler hat and the oversized leather jacket thrown over her outfit adds a grunge feel.

Kamilah wears leather-panelled leggings with Doc Martens. A cosy knit is thrown over a crop top to mix textures. A laid back luxe look.

Guys look good in chinos tucked into distressed military boots. Ed dresses casually but but smartens up with his grey/brown tartan jacket.

Margie keeps her outfit simple and lets her coat do the talking. A bright red coat is exactly what you need this winter!

A collar is a great alternative to a scarf this season. This fur one is striking and livens up Nishi’s entire outfit. An oversized bag is also a must on campus.

It’s all about outerwear. Oscar makes a statement with his bargain full-length fur coat. With another East London bargain, he proves that male students shouldn’t be restricted in what they wear.

—
Check our my article on Kings’ Tab!
>> http://kings.tab.co.uk/2014/01/24/spotted-on-campus-kcl-2/

More from Winter Photoshoot

All credit goes to Kkgas Perales (like Kkgas Photography on facebook!) for these amazing photos. 

 

—

Check out Kkgas’ website! http://www.stocksy.com/kkgas

KCL Roar/Rogue winter fashion shoot :)

Modelling winter chic on a student budget, Oscar King, Cleo Pollard, Toby Bruce-Jones and I wore a mixture of Topshop, H&M, Zara, River Island, Primark, New Look and Stanley Kane and posed around the Strand campus and Somerset House. Feeling slightly as if we were forming the photographs for a college prospectus, we referred to AW’13 trends such as oversized coats, tartan and velvet but showcasing it via affordable brands. All photography credits to KKgas Perales and organisation of the shoot to Lauren Clark and Oscar King.

^^ Everyone needs a Christmas-themed jumper in their life. Primark and New Look have cheaper ones if River Island is still too pricey for you.

^^ I actually have bought the neon orange knitwear jumper dress from H&M as it was an absolute steal at £14.99!

^^ I wore Oscar’s real fur coat for this look- it is from Brick Lane and only cost him £60! Stanley Kane also donated clothes for Oscar and Toby to wear for the shoot.

^^ After finally gaining permission to shoot in Somerset House, here’s one to say cheese.

If anything takes your fancy from this shoot, comment and I will let you know where and for how much you can get it!

—

Read Rogue #3: http://issuu.com/kclsustudentmedia/docs/roar_-_rogue_december_2013_final_ed

Model for the day!

My friends, Oscar and Lauren, at Roar! had the idea to compose a ‘winter fashion shoot’ showcasing both casual and formal looks around King’s. Luckily, as part of King’s campus falls in Somerset House, we were able to (after some grovelling, mind!) shoot some photos against the Christmas tree and ice rink there as well!

Oscar had a photographer friend, KKgas Perales, who he had worked with before, who was helping us with the shoot and the guy was awesome. Everything from telling us that he dresses like a tourist so he can take shots anywhere without being questioned and that it is easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission, to making us feel relaxed when posing; he was great. I personally prefer smiling over the moody pout but had to look ‘angry’ in some shots, so I’m fully prepared to look like an idiot in those shots but the day was so much fun.

Adding not being able to get out of bed at an early hour and function properly to the long list of why I could never be a model, I groggily arrived at the Strand campus, ready to be attacked by a hairbrush and makeup palette. Being the clueless sad excuse for a girl that I am when it comes to hair and makeup, I was glad to have girls who knew exactly what to do! Jacinta went all out with plum eyeshadow and a shimmery silvery layer on top and accentuated my eyes with eyeliner and mascara. Chloe redeemed herself from the ‘dry shampoo incident’ with Lauren with my pretty amazing topknot which stayed in place all day (that’s a pretty impressive feat) and then we all got into our outfits for the first shoot.

For the ‘casual’ shots, Cleo wore a black lycra bodysuit with an oversized grey mottled coat. Accessories-wise, she wore black cut-out ankle boots and a cosy faux fur hat. I wore black tights and an oversized neon-orange jumper from H&M, which I am in love with and plan to buy oh so soon. Paired with the jumper were some black suede knee-high boots from Primark (I couldn’t believe it when I realised that’s where they were from-at £18 they are an absolute bargain!) and wore…a scarf or two with it. That’s a complete understatement. I wore about six oversized scarves and snoods to give the outfit a layered look. It was hilarious putting them on and making sure my face didn’t get completely swallowed up but it looked really cool. I might not use quite that many, but layering several knitted scarves is something I want to do more often to make a simple outfit a little bit more exciting.

Oscar practically donated half his wardrobe of edgy vintage and charity shop finds to the shoot. For the first look, Oscar wore black skinny trousers, Timberland boots and a green Stanley Kane (a British designer who had offered clothes for the shoot) shirt. Toby also wore Stanley Kane; a green and navy sweatshirt with jeans and brown shoes.

For the formal look, Cleo and I had to change into dresses; her into an adorable tartan dress from Primark with a white split peter pan collar and me into a pink Jacquard satin swing slip dress from Topshop. Cleo accessorized with black tights and the same black ankle boots and added a fitted leather jacket on top, with a cream faux fur scarf around her shoulders. I kept with black tights too but changed into my black DNKY shoe boots for a more glamorous look. It was freezing so I was more than grateful for Oscar’s extremely oversized black fur coat. Cleo’s hair was in voluminous curls whilst mine was removed from topknot position and pushed to one side.

The boys smartened up too; Oscar in a burgandy shirt with a holly-print Christmas jumper on top. He wore black formal trousers, his trademark patent black shoes and a blue velvet blazer. Toby also wore a velvet blazer, but a green one, and paired with charcoal jeans “so tight he hadn’t worn jeans like them since he was 12”! He rocked a bit of a Louis Tomlinson and wore black smart shoes with no socks and showing all kinds of ankle.

The shoot was really fun as it was relaxed but still professional at the same time. One King’s student asked who we were (in passing) which was quite comical as we replied ‘same as you…King’s!’. We used Somerset House, King’s Strand Campus, the arches on the Terrace, the notorious Walkabout steps and underneath Waterloo Bridge as ‘locations’ as the photographer kept taking us for ‘a walk’ to move around, relax and find new lighting I suppose. I had to leave at this point but I think the others ventured off to Covent Garden for some more shots. It was a fun day and hopefully the photos look amazing.

Here are some ‘sneak peeks’ from Lauren’s phone but stay tuned for a later entry with the photos 🙂

I need a new coat

Winter drawing near and the fact that I simply live in England means I need to invest in a new coat. My old staple one was a charcoal grey military coat from River Island and did me a good service for 4-5 years and as much as I adore my faux fur coat (also River Island), I need a practical everyday investment.

Here are my top picks from the high street; I believe in spending a decent amount of money so that you will get stylish, reliable and comfortable use out of your coat, but not so much that my new coat will be all I buy this winter. Wanting to steer away from military and faux fur coats, my beloved Topshop and River Island proved little use to me, but I found plenty of gorgeous picks elsewhere. In no particular order:

Drumroll…

1) First up, is Boohoo’s beautiful tobacco coloured belted cape, which is at a stylish save of £25. Whether you need a new coat or not, I would definitely purchase this absolute steal, as it will add chic class to any outfit.

2) Another beauty is this deep navy blue duffle coat with a fur collar to die for. I have always thought that duffle coats have an aura of adorable style to them and they definitely keep you oh so cosy! This particular one from Urban Outfitters has my mind drifting to a snowy day; the colours would look gorgeous against the crisp white snow. At £125, it’s a good deal more expensive than the previous Boohoo cape, but it would be money wisely spent.

3) My next choice is perhaps better suited for a rainy day, rather than a bitter cold one, but it is undeniable that every girl needs a stylish mac in her wardrobe. I have had my eye on this burgandy-wine coloured mac with pu sleeves for a while now and with a bit of luck, it has just been reduced from £89 to £50. Bargain. The colours are definitely Autumn 2013 and the pleated bottom and bow at the waist are just too cute.

4) I was really intrigued by this khaki textured parka coat, as the majority of khaki coats have the standard fur collar and hood. I love the unique texture and design of this coat and of course the colour is absolutely lush. The zips had a biker feel to the coat, but the relaxed structure of it keeps it from being too military-esque. Again, at £90 it may seem like a lot to pay, but for a good-quality coat, that is a decent price.

5) Zara are on point with their oversized trench boyfriend coat. This grey woolen wraparound lovely gives the aura of ‘working girl’ and has an androgynous feel to it. It looks sturdy and cosy and fashionable, which is all any girl wants out of a coat. From past experience, Zara’s coats last you a long time and never go out of style. It is priced at £89.99, so it is not extortionate and will definitely keep you warm this winter.

6) As a lover of tartan and bold, eclectic patterns, this Miss Selfridge biker coat was never going to slip past me. Slightly cheaper than the majority of the above, it is £79 and is perfect for those girls who live in their leather jackets. It is a great transition from jacket to coat, as the length and thickness will certainly protect you from the winter’s winds but it still resembles a jacket.

Of course there are many more stunning coats and jackets out there, but those are my ‘Top 6’. I was originally only going to do a ‘Top 5’ but I could not have that Miss Selfridge tartan biker coat miss the list!

The most important things to remember when buying a coat:

1) Don’t worry about sizing. The cold weather means you will most definitely be wearing a thick jumper underneath your coat, therefore there is no point trying on a coat in a shop with only a vest top on underneath and deeming it to be the right size. Coats are meant to be bigger than your usual dress size!

2) For most people, this will be your only coat. If you wish to spend a lot of money on it, it will be your only outerwear investment, so there is no point purchasing a design that you know you will only wear a few times. If you hate clashing prints and colours, stick to black or other neutral colours and if you worry about your body shape, the structured military coat tends to nip people in in the right places.

3) Read the fine print. If you’re someone who thrives on high-quality materials, then you do not want to be spending more than necessary to only find out that your coat is not completely cashmere, but only has a small percentage.

Enjoy!