Grungy Granny

Westwood. Fashion royalty.  Another designer who’s inspired by the granny girls? I’m going for yes but unlike others it’s not obvious, after all it is Westwood.

When look at Westwood’s collections Granny chic appears more than accepted and in particularly her ready to wear AW 2010-11 collection. Of course it’s not obvious after all it is Vivienne Westwood but think of the key trends in granny chic and you will spot them in her own creative way.

Grungy Granny check list:

G     G   on a cold winters what did old ladies ( before they started to become mainstream cool) wear???  Fur. Oversized and shabby like vintage that you need but is just that little bit too big. Nipped in with a belt to add shape. ( in fact I have a large fur coat myself which I pull in with a belt....and when I mean oversized I mean massive, free vintage is free vintage!)

G   G   Patterned long socks and  large stockings. They never want to stay up, always fall to our ankles and can  cause some stress on a night out when an old ladies watches you yanking them up on the street ( the looks you can get, I have very skinny pins!)... So why pull them up Granny chic gave us this option and we went for it and so did Westwood. Thank god for that.

G    G   Petticoats are always so classically sexy but increase with desire when poking out of mix matched vintage. And once again it appears in this collection black lace in fact with a oversized head scarf to protect that perm! It couldn’t get more flirtatious.

G     G  Layering. It’s cold out there for a little old lady and for me to. ( the one thing I no how to do is layer to hide my thermals) So we have reached the pattern clashing and layering, one of my favourite parts of granny chic and I’m sure others to  (I can’t be the only one who appreciates being warm and fashionable?)

These are just a few key points I picked out but there are many more hiding in Westwood's and other designers work so I shall keep you updated when I spot some good ones!

Henry Holland AW 2011

granny’s??  Bright colours clashing, patterns, tweed, crochet. Well it’s all there in Henry Hollond’s  a/w 2011 collection. So was he inspired by this group of teens who rummage through charity shops and  would rather look at their gran’s for style inspiration than vogue? I’m going for most defiantly and why not? They look fun and colourful. Fashion is not about perfection.

Scraped back hair and deep red lips. The perfect combination to a less than perfect look. Red lips have and always will shout sexy but with the roughly scrapped back hair making it less obvious I feel it makes it even more intriguing. Granny chic is sexy it’s just not obvious and Henry Hollond realises this with the red lips and lace petticoats peeking out of long skirts brings an old fashioned elegance to sexy which is lost in miniskirts and crop tops.

One of my favourite pieces from this collection is a purple skirt suit (we all no granny’s love there purple) teamed with a yellow text printed tee. I Love the clash of purple and yellow and the modern band inspired t-shirt brings out the suit . Under the mid length pleated skirt peers a black petticoat with white lace and just enough to catch your eye without being obvious, that hidden sexy that intrigues and makes you want to no more.

I no I have just said my favourite piece but to be honest it’s hard to have one with this collection...getting a bit hasty I think. So what else has he got? Crochet blankets mostly found on your gran’s knitting chair. Good hey. Well there is some amazing ways he has used it.  (and yes i am now wearing blankets as scarf’s...great for the journey home on a night out..tried and tested!) But I’m not just talking scarves there’s dresses, skirts, jackets and even a playsuit! Considering this is so inspired by grandparents they may struggle to pull it off! Not saying they couldn’t try it I’m just a little worried about the playsuit.