Skate Shoes Without The Skating

Now, as previously confessed, one half of RF - not saying which - has a slightly  disturbing fascination with Bart Simpson, a fascination that has taken root in her wardrobe. However, it has been brought to our attention that for both of us, skate shoes have become a very important part of our wardrobes and therefore lives. Recently, there are few outfits on our insta feed, which do not have a pair of Vans at the end. Suffice to say, neither of us should be allowed anywhere near a skateboard, so this is all about the way they look, well and feel, because what's comfier?! Somehow, shoes that were once the preserve of teenage boys with an attitude problem, have replaced the once ubiquitous ballet pump as the lazy girls everyday shoe of choice and so it seemed only right that we pick the ones without laces. 

Clockwise from top:

Shark shoes: Markus Lupfer

Snakeskin print: Vans

Camo: Vans

Leopard Print: ASOS

Pebble Print: Vans

Peach: & Other Stories

 Siobhan wears Vans

 Miriam's confectionery covered Diemmes 

 Vans covered in cats are the ultimate man repelling shoes. Fact.

The Smiths

Photography by Erika Pham

Years ago now, while Miriam and I were living in Hiroshima, Japan, we had a morning of sartorial consternation when a friend suggested that we hike up to the highest point of the city. Little did he know that Miriam and I did not own a single pair of sneakers between us. We preferred to get our daily exercise in brogues or strappy sandals roaming the underground malls or strolling around the Peace Park with sakura-flavored Chu-hai's in hand. 

Flash forward to now and Miriam and I are basically sneakerheads! Ah, yes, it is truly one of my favorite things about fashion: the unimaginably ugly becomes unimaginably necessary in the blink of a fashion week. My favorite pair as of late are the Adidas Stan Smiths. They give me such joy whenever I open my shoe closet and see them glowing in all their retro cuteness. They have not turned me into a tennis pro, but my morning commute feels a lot cushier than my ballet flat days. 

And to complete, the story: Miriam and I (joined by our lovely friends, Jonathan and Lia) huffed and puffed our way to the top without a smidgen of insole. I had to look back on several Facebook albums to find proof of our impractical footwear decisions, but ironically enough, our friend Jonathan was wearing none other than a pair of Adidas trainers! 

Let's Fold Scarves

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion represents a landmark moment in cinema, ostensibly a Rom Com it actually bears few hallmarks of the genre.  Despite Michele having a love interest - coupled with one of the most epic dance scenes ever created - in good-geek-gone-rich Sandy, he pails into insignificance when compared to the friendship which she shares with Romy and the Happily Ever After moment, is not her wedding or going off into the sunset with the man of her dreams, it is her and her best friend folding scarves in the shop they dreamed of owning.

Now what on earth does this have to do with fashion? we hear you ask. Well have you seen Saint Laurent's AW15 collection?! With references cited from Siouxsie Sioux to a sunset-strip groupie, Hedi Slimane's collection has proved as divisive as ever but love it or loathe it, there's one thing that we are sure of and that is that Hedi Slimane enjoyed Romy and Michele's High School Reunion every bit as much as we did. From the fishnet tights, to the classic prom dress shapes, each piece in the collection would have been equally at home in the film.

 Images courtesy of Style.com

Weeklygrams 2

Gimme Gimme Moore

Photography by Erika Pham

Okay, okay, I admit it. I've kind of fallen in lust with the 70s trend. Of course there are the boho derivative pieces, but right now, I've been drawing fashispiration from the ultimate career woman, Mary Tyler Moore (who deserves a style icon post in her own right). Her looks from the show were charming but solidly put-together which I tried to channel in today's OOTD. 

Haters Gonna Hate

Dear readers, as you know R.F.H.Q is usually awash with positivity - so peppy you could puke. But even we have our limits and unless you are criminally insane, it is impossible to be happy about everything all of the time. Fact. So here follows a list of just some of the things that we just cannot stomach.

Denim Jackets

Hate, when it is at its most potent and therefore most dangerous, is entirely unreasonable. This is the type of hatred that I have for denim jackets. It is akin to that harboured by Draco Malfoy for Harry Potter. Even Morgan Freeman, with his velvet, soothing voice could say nothing to quash my feelings of disgust; It flies in the face of reason and smashes good sense in the face. It doesn't matter how many girls I see looking awesome, or how many outfits I see being enhanced by the addition of a denim jacket. This is a phobia that has stood the test of time. Regardless of whether they are on trend, there is no way that I will have anything to do with one. If you don't have your principles, then you don't have anything.

If you absolutely must, then at least make it oversized. 

Lip Gloss

Admittedly this is less of a problem since we both chopped our locks off,  but is there a sensation more unpleasant than your hair sticking to your shiny, shiny lips? Answers on a postcard please. We will not be accepting entries from anyone who has suffered real hardship. Obvs. 

At least Rihanna's Viva Glam lipglass comes with the happy feeling of money going to charity. 

Harem Pants

“Oh, harem pants, they’re innocuous enough,” we hear you say and yeah okay, it’s true, MC Hammer will be forever cool. But boy oh boy, do those trousers look terrible on us. Back in Japan when we are at the height of self-loathing and absolutely desperate to be Asian – it’s fine though now guys, don’t feel sad, we have fully embraced our Halfricaness - we would sit together longing for longer torsos. That’s what harem pants did to us, they made us want shorter legs. Think about that for just one moment. These trousers with a dropped crotch, which effectively make you look as though you have shat yourself, gave us low self-esteem.  Still think they’re harmless? 

We imagine this Rick Owens pair might be quite nice to do a spot of yoga in.  

Corduroy

In our humble opinion, touching corduroy is equivalent to hearing nails scratching on a chalkboard. Unbelievably unbreathable, uncomfortably stiff, and ferociously fuzz-attracting -- why would you want to adorn your mortal vessel in such an irritating fabric? Life's too short for corduroy, honey.

Like a spoonful of sugar, this lovable 70s inspired a-line skirt from Topshop helps the corduroy go down.  

Butterfly Print 

Actually make that, butterfly tattoos and butterfly jewellery as well. The only thing that we want to see a showboating moth on, is a flower. No exceptions. Yeah, we really have nothing remotely tolerable for that one. 

What brings out your fashion-based hater? Vent to us in the comments! 

Ooh La La - Armor Lux x Topshop

There are few things as synonymous with France as the Breton top. Designed as a way of locating sailors tossed overboard, the Breton was introduced as in 1858 as the official uniform for the French navy; The original had 21 stripes, each stripe representing one of Napoleon's victories. However, it's probably fair to say that the association with the tiny general has all been but lost, since replaced by images of Audrey Hepburn, Jean Paul Gaultier and of course, Brigitte Bardot, looking resplendent in stripes.

Alongside Frédérique Tietcheu and red wine, the Breton is one of our favourite French exports. So it was with no small amount of glee, that we discovered that Armor Lux, who two years ago celebrated 70 years of perfect stripes with a lovely coffee table book, have collaborated with Toppers on a four-piece collection of French fisherman vibes.

The collection is available online and in the Oxford Circus Flagship store.