british style

Side note form Colleen: I just wanted to say a huge congratulations to Evie Kemp on getting shortlisted for The NZ Post Children’s Book Awards (read more here), may this be the start of many great things to come (but hopefully she wont get too busy and have to give up writing these fashion posts:)

Fashion Friday by Evie Kemp

Over Christmas I read 'Luella's Guide to English Style'. It's not my usual choice of book (I'm mostly a fiction-only reader) but I found myself riveted and reading it cover to cover. It's charming, pretty and surprisingly informative. Fashion theory is fascinating and somehow it manages to justify all manner of style misdemeanours.

'Luella's Guide to English Style' was a real eye opener for me. It defines British style so perfectly and all the movements and various strains behind and within it. To quote Luella, "My aim is simply to dig up the roots of and, more importantly, show my unerring appreciation and devotion to those contrived subtleties and that blatant contrariness that makes British women so staggeringly adept in the art of expression through style".

What is evident is that true British style can not be bought from a catalogue as it is a culmination of so many things. Critically is an ever present nod to the great British countryside - a pair of wellies or an anorak (or Barbour). A liberal dose of the old and woolly. Some great tights. An apparent disregard for matching. A total regard for comfort. An ageless style that would look both right on an 8 year old girl and your 80 year old Grandma. Various dalliances with multiple movements and scenes.

In a way real British style is both indefinable and yet totally recognisable. It celebrates the individual and is absolutely charming.

It's hard to do it full justice in a blog post. So, consider this part book review and do the extended reading for fun.