Alexa Chung. Style Sensation.

Recently, I was asked by a woman who works at Cosmopolitan who my style icon was. Panic set in as is the routine when I'm asked this ridiculously laborious question. For me, it's in the same vain as 'who is your favourite musician?' 'What is your favourite film?' 'What is your favourite food?' It's absurd, really. Thousands of divinely stylish women (and men), thousands of great style attributes; asking me to choose just one is cruel. I used to force myself into creating an imaginary style goddess, borrowing the strengths of the women in my collection of style icons: The supreme glamour of Sarah Jessica Parker; the unfailing wow-factor of the cast of Gossip Girl; the easy cool of Kate Moss; the experimental panache of Agnes Deyn...Until one day when it dawned on me, 'the...the...well, everything of Alexa Chung.'

She embodies everything I love about fashion; reinvention, glamour, visible, tangible charm, the ability of a single item or entire outfit to make you feel fantastic (I've never actually heard her say this, but with the way she dresses, how could she not?). The most important thing about style is that it always looks effortless. Alexa Chung does this flawlessly. She is always impeccably dressed, and is never tainted by the tastelessness of trying-too-hard.  I am constantly floored and inspired by her ability to transform a vintage look from 'good' 'oh my god' with a modern twist. I am a firm believer and practicer in the addition of items to an outfit that will give it an edge, that will hoist it out of the ordinary. Thus, Miss Chung's tendency to give a masculine edge to her more feminine ensembles means that I worship the ground her Topshop pumps walk on. It's not surprising then, that she was described as 'gamine' in the November 2010 UK Elle, on which she graced the cover in perfect shades of grey, black and dark blue (have I mentioned that that is the colour palette of my entire closet?). She has a penchant for combining the softness of female style and the structure of male mode. 

"I'm quite proud that geeky, asexual dressing has become cool. It's good to promote a different look."

The fact is, she is inspiration to more than just us mere mortals. The creative director of Mulberry, Emma Hill, gushed about Alexa, "We saw how she put her Mulberry Elkington [a man's briefcase] with a cute dress, long cardigan and boots and just loved it. That photo was how the Alexa was born!" Yes. She has a Mulberry bag named after her. A gorgeous, leather masterpiece, naturally. Could she be more fabulous?

Iman
xxx

The H&M Fashion Studio

The H&M Fashion Studio

I realise my last two posts was also about H&M, and there is the very real possibility that I am becoming a stalker, but this is too cool not to share. H&M is such a fantastic store and their awesome website earned them some serious brownie points in my book. Yes, the design is great, indeed, it's easy to use, but it's the Fashion Studio that will get you hooked.

The Fashion Studio is the feature that allows you to mix and match items from their range to 'create your own look'. You can use everything from dresses to underwear, shoes to bags, socks to accessories. I find myself channeling the young Iman that styled her Barbies and made them strut along the runway that was my bedroom floor. The looks are modelled on, well, models, so it's pretty much exactly like Barbie for the young adult. Only with more beautiful clothes. Oh, and the 'I-could-own-this' factor is always nice, too.

WARNING: Be prepared to spend hours seeing how that dress, or those shorts looks with every pair of shoes, every blazer and every necklace.

Iman
xxx

Lanvin for H&M - The Show (Promo 2010)