Recently, I’ve been overdosing on British fashion (and fashion in general). I cannot stop reading 'street style' blogs, and the blogging community is often so tight-knit that clicking on one website will lead me to another and another, until my tangential searches have lead me to upwards of twenty new websites in an hour... Some of my favorites have been added to my “Websites I Love” sidebar. Overall, American fashion in the everyday sense is classic, laid back, and revolves around a few key items of clothing (recent phenoms Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Nicki Minaj notwithstanding). British fashion is never too polished, usually a little bit edgy or eccentric, and follows trends a bit more. British women are also excellent at layering.
In the spirit of searching for packing inspiration, I have compiled a list of young British women (around my age) whom I find to be fashionable yet accessible. Theirs is the sort of British fashion I hope to emulate.
Emma Watson: age 21, actor.
I adore Emma Watson – I mean, just look at the Fashion & Editorial section on her website! In color photos, I think there’s something leonine about her boyish hair cut and light brown eyes, but in black and white photos she looks just timeless, almost flawless, simply beautiful. She’s a chameleon, and her age isn’t something you can pinpoint by looking at her – sometimes she looks far older than she is, and at times, far younger – just as I often feel at twenty-one. I think this young girl-young woman aspect of her look works strongly in her favor, and it’s slightly provocative. This girl is just dynamic, and I can’t wait to follow her career.
Florence Welch: age 24, singer-songwriter.
In my opinion, the best accessory Florence has is her gorgeous red hair, and she’s working it every day, with every ensemble. That being said, when it comes to her vintage-inspired look, the major fashion lesson to be learned here is flow. All of her costumes have movement, seemingly changing with the lighting. The colors are a big part of it, as well as embellishments like sequins, fringe, and print.
Carey Mulligan: age 26, actor.
Carey’s preppy style epitomizes my previous ideas of British fashion: classic, well-tailored, and tasteful bordering on safety (with plenty of trench coats). She is always dressed impeccably, and hardly ever looks even a little bit deconstructed. It could be the simplicity of the outfits she chooses or her short haircut, but everything she wears appears purposeful, deliberate, and organized. In any case, uncomplicated as her look may seem at times, she never looks plain – and the simplicity of her wardrobe doesn’t make it any less enviable!
Aimée Ann Duffy: age 27, singer-songwriter.
Duffy is Brigitte Bardot circa the 1960s reincarnate. She covers her curves as minimally as possible, with a black or white t-shirt or dress, but doesn’t need to show a lot of skin. Duffy allows all attention to focus on her heavily lined eyes, teased blonde hair, and full lips. Words like “bombshell” and “sex appeal” spring to mind, reinforcing the link in my mind between the iconic French actor and the Welsh singer. Her sultry singing voice doesn’t detract from the similarity either!
Alexa Chung: age 27, MTV presenter.
Oh, what can I say about Alexa Chung? Anyone who knows how to Google can type “Alexa Chung” into the search engine and discover her cult-status following. Her sense of style was formally recognized in 2010 when she was awarded the British Style Award by the British Fashion Council. It’s no wonder, either, as her style is so distinctive and unique! Not too polished or matchy, but not too festival either – lots of boyish pieces, stripes, and vintage. I’ll join the rest of the fashion world in saying I Love Alexa Chung! She’s an inspiration.
Sienna Miller: age 29, actor.
Sienna is well-known for her casual and often slightly bohemian look. Although she doesn’t experiment with different looks and colors as often as most of the other women on my list, she can work the red carpet, the characters she plays always have sensational wardrobes, and there is something to be said for having a facile, innately effortless sense of style. We Americans are big fans of key pieces and the laid back look. Sienna consistently chooses blacks, whites, grays, nudes, and lots of denim; her staples are jeans and ankle booties. She usually keeps her make-up very simple, but sometimes adds a red lip for glamour. And I might mention that she’s not intimidated by luxurious fur coats, dramatic capes, and eccentric hats.
Also very inspiring, but not included: Kate Middleton, Fearne Cotton, Holly Willoughby, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, Helen Mirren, Twiggy.
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