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Once again, I've missed out on all the fun and frivolity of London Fashion Week on a technicality: living on the other side of the world in Melbourne. It's not all doom and gloom though, at least I got to see the presentation for Phiney Pet's glorious, 'let them eat cake' inspired Spring 2016 collection. Let them Eat Cake is unofficial, please don't quote me on that, but it's so fitting considering there were handpainted biscuits including jammie dodgers and a bonnet? Like an actual bonnet, you wear on your head. Remember when Dazed announced on Twitter that Bonnetcore was going to be the next trend? Ah, memories. So that CLEARLY did not happen (for better or worse) but there were a number of cute hats which disgruntled old people, namely my mother would be offended by, especially when worn by young people. It's amazing how a straw accessory can be improved upon when black flocked tulle and smart ribbon are employed with artistic flair. I still hate straw handbags though, always have and always will. Straw boaters are still utterly charming and make me wish I had the conviction to dress like I wear a school uniform everyday for the rest of my life.





Unlike a school uniform, Phiney Pet is a whimsical myriad of pastels, lace and gingham. If Marie Antoinette were a spoiled brat living today, preferably in Notting Hill, she'd be all over this collection like a bad rash. What do I mean by that? Well, for one thing, the bands of lace on the shorts and trousers of this collection are not too dissimilar from the layers of a cake. Particularly a wedding cake produced by a tormented baker, forced to emulate the colours and decor of the tables. Now, I know nothing about baking and I'm not saying that you should take head of anything that may or may not revolve around a rolling pin but that sounds tortuous, even to me. On the other hand, sewing a bunch of cute frilly layers onto an otherwise stiff pair of shorts sounds nothing short of marvelous. If you like dressing like a cake (I know I do).




What I did find surprising is that Phiney Pet teamed up with Teva. I've never really understood the appeal of Teva or Birkenstock (and the judgmental bitch in me usually labels those who wear them as basic) but I actually really liked these sandals. I couldn't find any close up photos of them on the Phiney Pet Facebook page, which is where I got these photos, but they were embellished with the ribbons which appeared on the pastel green tulle dress. I also really like the long leg, big clumpy shoe trend and like to wear the look as often as possible. More so in summer for obvious logistical reasons. So for a big nerd like myself, it's easy to imagine oneself hunching over old sandals and giving them a new lease on life after a trip to the craft store. That kind of DIY is made easier when one has easy access to a hot blue gun, but for those more invested in making handmade things last a long time, sewing sequins or buttons or whatever is also an option.



A lot of the visuals reminded me of vintage Disney as imagined by animator Mary Blair. A lot of that has to do with the imagery of small woodland creatures, a la Bambi or Snow White alongside kawaii birthday cakes. The hand-painted leather jackets, which I practically cried over they were so good also featured a similar mix of small baby animals in pastel colours and common items from the kitchen. In that way it was very much an amalgamation between nursery rhymes, Beauty and the Beast and The Great British Bake Off. For those who hate baked goods (do people like that exist?) there were a number of intricate floral pieces and tulle dresses which completely swallowed the bodies of the models. There was basically something for everyone, and for people like me, everything spoke to them on a spiritual level, but also facilitated the intellectualization of any and every piece. I have a lot of love and respect for this brand, so it makes me even happier that they've made their clothes commercially available. Unfortunately, my bank account isn't quite as happy.




*Photos via PhineyPet.com
The lovely Celia of Ceedling is having a giveaway over on her blog- check it out for a chance to win a Japan Candy Box full of yummy treats! You can check out the full unboxing and tasting video here. Good luck to everyone who enters!
First I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise for the deception in case you were looking for snakeskin boots. I'm obsessed with snakes in fashion, but rather than wearing their skins I'm digging prints and patterns. Take this Poppy Lissiman clutch and Hayley Elsaesser dress for example. Both gorgeous pieces which I currently cannot afford.
Considering I’ve been stalking this designer for months on social media, it seems ludicrous that I haven’t had time to properly introduce Clio Peppiatt! I posted an outfit inspired by the British designer a while ago, but never really took the time to discuss her work??? Yeah, basically even I’m surprised by that gross oversight. Clio Peppiatt has been active since Fall 2014, but I decided to review her most recent collection first. While chronological order has its appeal (for very obvious reasons), since I have so much blogging to catch up on I’d prefer to have a holistic view on what’s coming out of London Fashion Week before rummaging through archives and focusing on each designer individually. There’s a bunch of amazing British designers with an insane online following and well-defined aesthetic who I find absolutely inspiring in terms of producing color, often hand-illustrated work. So, without further ado: Clio Peppiatt.




It’s not a collection which can be easily pigeon-holed within a certain motif or concept, which is kind of the reason why I like it so much. Each piece stands out on its own, with the commonalities being a pastel color palette and ruffles Carmen Miranda style. The lookbook itself is reminiscent of Wes Anderson's Bottle Rocket, with just a lil' bit of American Hustle through the “rose-tinted lens” of photographer Alex Prager. The collection was in fact, shot by Nadia Lee Cohen, however, the low angle shots and heavily processed images creating distinctly surreal blue skies reminds me a lot of Prager’s narrative photo series. In much the same way, it feels like there’s a story hidden in here somewhere but we’re not seeing the full picture. The clothes however, remain the star of the show and are heavily intertwined with the creatives at Polyester Zine, particularly founding editor in chief, Ione Gamble, who owns a pair of custom knee high boots from this very collection. 


As daft as it may sound I’m always a little overwhelmed when it comes to dreaming up outfits for Summer, particularly on those 100 degree days when my entire face feels like it’s melting and my arm pits have bad breath. I had every intention of buying the ruffle shrimp top from this very collection, however, even the best laid plans can sometimes go amiss. I had hoped to buy it on sale (sometimes discount codes are announced via the ClioPeppiatt Instagram account, however, it seems like I’ve been out of luck for the last couple of months. That, and I’d also love to own that mermaid bodysuit. The colors are absolutely perfect, it looks just like something Kailey from Mermaidens would wear. I’d love to know if, like me, you have a favorite piece from this collection and how/ when you would wear it! Also since I have nothing but time on my hands and there’s a cool designer you’ve been crushing on lately I’m dying to know (hint hint, comment below!) I'd also though I'd mention that Clio Peppiatt are currently looking for interns in London between November and February. If you're interested, shoot them an email! 
