james long x topman.

 I am an absolute fanatic when it comes to Topshop, but only after taking a stroll through the not-always-so-masculineracks of mustard skinnies and geeky Aztec shirts (that is Topman) have I realized that perhaps the two hand-in-hand stores have more in common than I thought. I’m the type of person who, upon finding out about designer collaborations, brushes them off with “yeah whatever not a big deal” - and then subsequently rushes home to my computer to complete a thorough stalking session filled with critical remarks hissed under my breath (or, on occasion, yelled at an outrageous decibel). But holy moly, James Long. Why hadn’t I heard that name before his collaboration with Topman hit the stores last November (yes, this is a little late)?! 

 Renowned for his “fresh take on classic knitwear” and boasting an MA in both menswear and accessories from the Royal College of Art, this British-born chap is nothing less than a sweater extraordinaire. His luscious 8-piece collection for Topman features hand-spun British wool and doesn’t exceed £100 per piece, and by golly are those designs delicious. Drawing inspiration from his “favourite jumper-wearing men”including Kurt Cobain and the Sex Pistols, his collection features an astonishingly eclectic series of punk-era knits, bold colors and polka-dots so awkward that they are suddenly cool. Do I want my boyfriendin a James Long sweater? Well, no, because chances are, I’d be wearing one too.

And we all hate couples who wear matching things.

tantalizingly temperley.

I first came across this brand in a place you'd least expect to see a delicate brand like Temperley featured in: Hello! Magazine. Yes, I am guilty of wasting away my glorious summer days with my face buried in "publications" that contain little more than pixelated graphics of overrated people. In fact, now that I think about it, Hello! Magazine is the entire opposite of everything Temperley stands for; it's loud and obnoxiously impersonal, whereas Temperley boasts more of an understated class.  

However there was a reason that Temperley's ladylike frocks found themselves sandwiched between pages of wasted adolescents and botoxed fifty-year-olds that comprise our "modern pop culture," and that reason was because the two newest style icons of our time have given the brand a Royal Stamp Of Approval; Kate Middleton and her sister Pippa Middleton.

While doing my occasional sift through the trends and shows on style.com (I know, what an amateur. Pssh.), I did a mental happy-dance when I saw the link to Temperley's Resort 2012 Collection. I am such a sucker for this brand; I can't get enough of the oh-so-Britishness of it all. The charming silhouettes and the beautiful fabrics are truly delightful, and the sumptuous aura that a Temperley dress exudes is priceless, as effortlessly demonstrated by Mrs. Middleton on more than one occasion.

Temperley's Resort collection was just what I expected of a well-established, borderline-snooty British brand. Almost a little too classy, with a perfect pinch of sassiness and a smidgen of sex. However, modesty is never sacrificed for sex appeal in the house of Temperley; plunging necklines are met with floor skimming skirts, and those flirty minidresses always manage to conceal the "upper assets," even if only with a translucent film of lace.

  Even though these two fantastically compiled moodboards (below) are totally irrelevant to Resort 2012, I thought it was cool that they were published on Temperley's website and I definitely thought they were worth posting. After a quick browse through the A/W11 collection that these moodboards were made for, I marveled at the unusual, extraordinary interpretations of the designers which were evident in the collection. It was definitely interesting to see exactly what they drew their inspiration from and what they came up with as an end product in relation to this simple stimulus.

        Moodboards for Temperley's A/W collection, as shown here.

        Sources: Glamazon Diaries, Glamour, Criminal Mindss and South Molton Style.

What do you think of Temperley and Kate Middleton's style?

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