Do You Have To BE Athletic to LOOK Athletic?

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Images via Vogue.com

Karl Lagerfeld introduced the concept of sneakers on the HAUTE COUTURE runway.

Donna Karan had her DKNY models wearing NYC baseball caps to showcase their pride in their city.

Mulberry's new Cara Delevingne backpacks lean towards chic practicality for the average school girl.

So, it shouldn't come as a shock that Alexander Wang's H&M collection consists entirely of sportswear. From casual wear to athletic street gear, gender lines are getting more blurred by the minute.

"Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing." No truer words have ever been spoken by a wise 30 year old designer also known as Alexander Wang.

As stilettos are getting replaced as cool shoe of the moment by Adidas Originals, casual, nay sporty, becomes the new chic. It's the beginning of a new fashion era where comfort dominates the streets and feminism is a term being swooshed around like a hockey puck. While the mod movement remains the trend du jour and 90's nostalgia is all the rage, sportswear is taking centre stage, as it becomes the cool new kid on the block. In light of society's growing obsession with the gym and kale, everyone's talking about staying fit and taking up a sport has never been cooler.

But what if you aren't the athletic type? Does that mean Alexander Wang's new H&M collaboration isn't for you? OR are you allowed to fake it? Is wearing a gym getup on the street the equivalent of Drake saying he's from the street?

via lifestylemirror.com

In the fashion world, your outfit is a reflection of your personality and you are defined by your ability to express your individuality through your personal style. If that is the case, how can a girl wear basketball shoes if she doesn't play basketball? Is it possible to pull off sportswear without looking like you're trying too hard to be someone you're not?

According to Alexander Wang, the collection is NOT just for the athletically inclined. Phew. Despite the sporty themes, these pieces are meant to be transitional looks that can be worn in other settings. In fact, it sounds a lot like he's telling us to wear these items #fothesakeoffashion and not purely for recreational purposes.

Many moons ago, sportswear was only meant to be worn when playing sports. Often, it wasn't very stylish, but merely a necessity with the right qualities to suit the game at hand. Soccer shoes were for soccer because they had cleats. It was a given. No questions asked. For this reason, fashionistas were appalled at the thought of being caught in their sports attire. 

But what happens when we start loving our sportswear? 

What happens when the fashion world decides that being athletic can be fashionable? 

What happens when your Nikes become a fashion statement rather than just a sports shoe?
And what happens when you're choosing your Nikes over your Louboutins?

Will this inspire some of us (myself) to take up sports? 

Does it even have to?

Ponder It,

XOXO,

Bella

Kate Moss and Topshop: The Best of Great Britain

It's official, your favourite British model has collaborated with your favourite affordable British label. It's a big day for all British wannabes (myself included).

I invite you to scream like a little girl now.

For all those Canadians, at exactly 12pm today, the launch commenced (probably to a bunch of screaming girls like yourselves or perhaps you were there...). This is wonderful news for two major reasons:

1) Kate Moss is the coolest dresser you've ever seen.
2) There will be fringe.

AH!

via articles.freshnet.com

An icon and one of the remaining original supermodels in the biz, we all love Kate Moss for her laissez faire attitude, signature shoulder length blond locks, and edgy sense of style. Apparently, they're starting to call us "Mossaholics" (if you don't know what this is, you can look up "Beliebers", "Gagarazzis" or "Smilers"). Bonus points for those who can guess which fan name belongs to who. But I digress.

This collection with its 70's style vibes will attract fans of the Moss mainly because they are fans of the Moss. As you may know from H&M collaborations, ladies everywhere will sit outside the store for hours awaiting that launch and rustle in like animals merely to grab whatever they can, pay for it, and try it on at home. They probably won't return it because it's a piece from Kate Moss's collection and they WILL make it fit. Do they have to love it? No! They just need to be cool enough to own it. Or perhaps owning it will make them cool. I leave that to you to figure out.

Are you one of these, ladies? Did you attend the launch at the Bay?
Or even better, did you book yourself a ticket to this Kate Moss extravaganza in London? How much of a Mossaholic are you?

xoxo,

Bella

P.S If you haven't seen it yet, take a look at the launch video live from London and a link to her new collection at the Bay: http://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/thebay/search/womens-apparel/topshop-kate-moss-collection

The "Cara" Is The New Hermes

You know you've made it when you get to create a handbag collection based on your infectious personality. Remember the Kelly bag? If you don't, it's an Hermes bag that was named after fashion icon Grace Kelly. Ring a bell? At the ripe age of 21, it's Cara Delevingne's turn to model a bag after herself, collaborating with the Mulberry team to select impeccable leathers and hardware for this new design. If that's how old you are and there is no bag collection named after you (I'm 22. In case you were wondering), don't fret. The reality is that this is becoming the latest industry trend that has us all scrambling to get on that mysterious list and purchase a handbag to represent our favourite style icons. Once upon a time, there was the "Alexa", named after Alexa Chung. Then, there was the Del Rey (if you don't know this one, we cannot be friends). This time, Cara is the new Mulberry girl of the moment and we all want to be her.

via Luxury Launches

Based on the iconic "Bayswater", this collection will offer a variety of bags in all shapes and sizes, offering practicality and reflecting the multiple quirky personalities of Cara Delevingne. From a backpack, to a traditional arm carrier, to a chic hand clutching purse, you can wear it in any way you please. Selecting the fall colours of the moment, this bag will appear in oxblood, indigo, and emerald. What's your flavour?

According to Delevingne, "My granny will like this bag. She's one hundred and two years old. My five-year-old cousin will probably like this bag. He's a boy."

Needless to say, this bag is a guaranteed crowd pleaser meant to satisfy everyone from your third cousin twice removed to Choupette Lagerfeld. It's a bag for the masses at a price (starting at 890 pounds)...Well, let's just overlook that minor detail, shall we?

P.S. Big Secret. One of the bags will be modelled after Cara's lion tattoo.

Start Saving!

Bella