It seems that Topshop still hangs on the 80's vibe! I don't know who they are fooling! Here's a fresh new bunch straight from the TMO (Topshop Monstrosity Oven):









Would you wear that? Exactly...

As much as the 80's were an eyesore fashion-wise, there also were 'not so bad' things (Madonna in 'Desperately Seeking Susan' is a good example). I still don't understand how Topshop figured out to dig all the most horrendous design/patterns of the era. They're horribly expensive too! If a brand feels compelled to go back in time, fair enough but at least they could make the creative effort to bring back the good parts. I'm under the impression that this 80's craze was born after Agyness Deyn who's probably the most overrated model ever. Just quotes in the like of 'when I was 17, I had a skinhead' from a woman born in 1983 like it was some sort of avant-garde fashion statement really makes me cringe. Here's the crime perpetrator in action:

I recently read an article on the web that comforted me I was not victim of hallucinations. Topshop was once spotless in the equation design+quality+price but this tends to be history nowadays. I will always remember my first trip the flagship store in London in 1994. During a short period I was off work, I had come along with my sister and her husband-to-be who needed to visit some broadcast company. The moment I stepped into the Topshop store I immediately knew the beast in me was unleashed. Already a huge fan of London and a regular of bus trips from Paris, I however never had been to this fashion paradise. I was in awe. It was so different from Paris, there was such creativity and the prices so affordable!

It was the hippie/70s revival at the time and I got a thin light tunic shirt with little flowers and a crochet waistcoat. I still have the shirt (mended several times) and it's still one of my favourite shirts. I guess it could even qualify as 'vintage' Topshop now. Later I got caught in regular 9-5 jobs or was out of work and therefore no money. I stopped going to London except on two occasions for the Notting Hill Carnival over the week-end.

When I moved to Scotland, I would go to Topshop very often although that turned out to be too dreadful for my bank account and I had already found out other shops to go. Then something happened. The prices rose up while the quality went down. I still hold a grudge for that trenchcoat I paid £80 (!!!) made in one of the worst material I had seen (a mix of acrylic/wool in very dubious proportions). The only redeemable thing is the cut that is amazing. After this unfortunate incident, I almost completely stopped going and if so, I'd never pay the full price.

More recently and possibly due to that nasty 80's trend resurgence, I think the design too has gone downhill and competitor Primark has been very agressive in this territory. I swear some items currently sold on the website could look like they've been -to quote Miranda Priestly- "fished out of some clearance bin" in grannies'shop. Welcome to the Topshop SS2009 gallery of monstruosities:







I kept the best one for the end. The high waisted tapered heavily stone washed jeans. A monument that combines all the ingredient for massive fashion crime!



To be fair, number 2 could be okay pulled by a born-with-style young girl though sorry too much 80's and dayglo for me.

Among the monstruosities, I have a soft spot for this one. Somehow there's something cool about it:



Looks very much like a grunge revival here...

I never thought much about that mega fuss about KM and Topshop business association. Nothing really that has not been seen before (evidence found while flicking through my old Elle magazines) though I must say I quite like the Tiger dress (evidence found too for that one!):



Out of stock @ www.topshop.com

There's something unsual and delicately simple about but then again wouldn't the inspiration come from one of my favourite Japanese designers Tsumori Chisato by chance? Here are a few pieces from Chisato for Fall/Winter 2006/2007 as a demonstration:

I finally took almost all of my shoes to the cobbler. Left are my pink MJ and my brown boots that need serious stitching. I'll see if they can even add straps over the ankle because they're a tiny bit boring. I have bought loads of new stuff. And just ordered some ankle boots at TS on sale:

I had a really bumpy ride since my last entry. Bouts of feeling low up to a point I just didn't even have that reassuring feeling anymore that I had a few passions in life. But now seems like it's here again. Yeah I still adore shoes, I still love hunting for original pieces of clothing with an additional bonus: I know exactly when to yield and when to hold back.

I recently moved in and there was no better opportunity to get rid of my 'junkmistakes'. I learned a lot in the last 4 years about style, colour, mixandmatch and wiseshopping. Unfortunately I can't afford to pay for quality but I always try to spot a quality bargain because funnily enough you can find some very occasionally in HS stores. Like this 40's deligthful silk shirt fully french-seamed that I pay for less than £20 (wasn't the original price though) at H&M.

I had to go to E. today to get my new passport and I stayed a little bit longer to have a look in the stores (same brands but for some reason they don't necessarily have the same display). I stopped at River Island as I spotted a gorgeous trench coat in the window. I was ready to put as much as possible so the price wasn't really my priority. And here I am trying the TC in the fitting room. The cut and material were perfect when suddenly I realized something was terribly wrong. I'd swear it is a mistake in the pattern, I can't think of anything else. I have nothing against raglan sleeves but the 'straps' on either shoulders were plunging towards the sides making the coat looking clumsy and ill-fitted. And there shouldn't be any straps on raglan sleeves imo.

My next stop was Zara which is an alltime favourite (style and quality especially though their trousers are definitely for tall burdz) where I was a bit disappointed as nothing seriously caught my eye. So I moved to H&M next where I was also quite disappointed. Bumped into a lovely leather jacket >



Eventually I decided that round collar and stitching detail on the front were not for me at all. Maybe the colour was funny too, I just couldn't tell why exactly it didn't suit me. I left with a pair of mossgreen shorts (£7) and a pair of mossgreeen lurex gloves (£2) -very 80's Michael Jackson-. I took the train back to G. and had some spare time before going home so I headed to Topshop.

I don't know what to say but I really don't like that 80's revival especially when they seem to have picked the most horrible stuff of the era (like bouffant parkas, high-waisted trousers to name a few). And right in the middle of the shop I started to think 'God this looks so Primark'. Yeah I said that and not the other way round.

I was feeling very confused. Primark has made a long way since a year and a half. There I found an amazing anthracite grey trench coat woolblend (70%) with a perfect cut and in a good dense material for...£20. I would have bought it for much more should it have been in Topshop. I mean I would have put more cash in it so much I liked it. The funniest is that I did buy a trench coat last year at Topshop for 80£. The coat contains a pitiful 20% wool, the material looks cheap and thin. So now you know what I mean. But everything was just so much more exciting and inspiring in Primark as well. I had just returned a 40's style inspired dress that morning (the neck was way too low) with much regret. I wouldn't have found better in Topshop. And god knows how much I loved Topshop, how much I loathed Primark... So the tide is turning seems like.

I finished my shopping trip tempted by the mid-sales at Fraser's. Temptation had me with a pair of absolutely crazy pair of wedges by Kenneth Cole with a strap and big round buckle on the front. 9cm high and they're so damn comfortable (£57). I had looked for wedges for a long time but couldn't find exactly what I wanted. Then as usual when I buy a pair of shoes I work it out in my head remembering what goes with what and what they'd go with. So I did something I didn't think I'd ever do... I bought a pair of grey (I love grey) skinny jeans at Internacional that happened to be very well cut and exactly in the sort of grey denim I was looking for with cool details on the side and that goes well with the wedges. The combination makes my legs appear endless! I topped up with the anthracite coat (that I call now my 'Joy Division' coat because it reminds of that famous picture of Ian Curtis).

I was really going against the trend these days because every single girl in G. wears skinny jeans. The last time I did was in 1982/1983 and I can say I CREATED them. Tada. This is absolutely true. Having a rebellion against the flares from the 70's I used to sew all my jeans so they were the skinniest possible. And I had so many compliments about it especially from the guys in the latest year of high-school. And I don't know how I got this idea as at the time I wasn't reading any magazines, internet didn't exist and I had not the slightest opportunity to be 'inspired' in any manner. So sliding into a pair of skinnies reminded me of those happy times. I had no money, my parents were not buying me clothes. All I got was £15 pocket money a month and I just had to deal with that.

My wardrobe was very basic. Skinnies, white tees, suit jacket, waistcoats I used to borrow from my dad, white shirts and a man's felt hat I had got from my grandad. I once and only once convinced my mum to buy me some Freelance electric blue ankle boots with a grey lapel that I had seen in one those endofsales shops my mum used to go in the suburbs of Paris. I wore them to death! I guess there's nothing better than having a tight budget or loads of constraints. It forces your mind to be imaginative and find out what suits you or not because you can't really afford to make mistakes.