Blitz Britz

Since making her catwalk debut in 2000, the quintessentially British and self confessed 'horsey girl' Luella Bartley has gone on to become an invaluable figure in the current British fashion scene, reminding the world that Brit chick style is where it's at. Always cool and stylish, but eccentric and experimental, unafraid to style pointed witch's hats with her A/W 08 catwalk looks, Luella's Spring/Summer 09 collection keeps up the pace. Filled with ditsy florals, twee tweeds, delicate gloves, perfectly painted red lips, elaborate ribbons, and carefully placed netting, Luella's catwalk echoed the prim and proper elegance of war time Blitz Britain, brought up to date for 2009 with punchy purples, sherbet oranges and fluid, sexy tailoring. Unashamed of drawing of her strengths, Luella has also snuck reminders of her much imitated Spring/Summer 08 florals into the collection.



Chanel-esque tweeds, (reminiscent of Luella's A/W 06 collection), are styled with bare 'war time' legs, where nylon tights had become a precious entity, leading many women to staining their legs with tea bags to give the illusion of tights. But single strands of pearls have been swapped for clusters of brightly coloured beads, and the traditional 'set head' has been replaced with wildly backcombed and dressed up hair, that reflects a time of plenty, rather than fashion on war time rations.



Simple war time styles, such as the knee length, shapeless coat and serviceable gingham dress provide the perfect canvas for bold colours and notice-me combinations.



My favourite look for the collection has to be this hyperbolically 1950's ensemble. The slanted, half moon glasses and large buttoned cardigan say 'librarian', the 70's wallpaper print, puffball miniskirt and fuchsia blouse says 'rockability, jiving teenager', while the elegant wrist gloves, 'Kensington set' cream leather handbag and candy pink heels scream 'society lady about time'. All this is topped off with an over sized floral bow, reminiscent of Luella's S/S 08 collection, where miniature florals ruled the roost, and the outfit is best accessorised with a book of poetry or heavy looking broadsheet.
Also, thanks for all the good luck messages, they were very much needed! It feels good to know that after my Government and Politics exam on Monday morning (cue this weekend being spend revising/avoiding revising), all my exams will be out the way until May!