Christmas Capers

With almost one week to go until Christmas Day, we're asking you if you're wardrobe is apt and ready for the most festive time of the year? If the answer is no, it's not too late to spruce it up and get Christmas ready!

1980's Vintage Red Cardigan £25.00 at Studs
and Lace at ASOS Marketplace

The christmas jumper is back this season, and it seems, the whackier, the better. Snowmen, gingerbread men and Santa's jolly face are donning the fronts of many of the high-street's offerings of christmas knits this year. However, if you're looking for a more subtle nod to the craze and large jumpers just aren't your thing, Studs and Lace are currently stocking a 1980's Vintage Red Cardigan complete with oversized black and gold buttons and simple star motif.

Vintage 1950's Silk Mix Dress £30.00 at
Studs and Lace at ASOS Marketplace

And the Christmas theme doesn't stop there. Festive shades of greens, reds and golds should be present in every girl's wardrobe this season. Studs and Lace's Vintage 1950's Silk Mix Dress is a gorgeous way of incorporating these colours and would make the perfect Christmas party dress.

For all your Christmas capers this December, make sure you check out Studs and Lace current stock at ASOS Marketplace.

By Julia Catherine Ward

Sequins, Sparkles and More Sequins!

We're now well and truly beginning the party season: the 1st of December is just round the corner and we're starting to look out for potential dresses for the upcoming celebrations.

Vintage 80's Sequin Strappy Dress £15.00 at
Studs and Lace at ASOS Marketplace

Sequins, sparkles and plenty of glitter are the key to this season's looks. With the release of Baz Luhrmann's 'The Great Gatsby' on DVD, vintage party-wear is having it's moment. Studs and Lace have a range of outfits which fit the bill including a gorgeous black vintage sequinned midi dress. With it's A-line fit and sequinned embellishments, it's the perfect Gatsby-esque piece.

Vintage 80's Jewelled Angora Cardigan £20.00 at
Studs and Lace at ASOS Marketplace

For something a little more understated yet beautifully embellished, there's a vintage jewelled angora cardigan available at ASOS Marketplace. Teamed with black disco pants, this baroque inspired piece with gold detailing and trim adds a little something extra.

Black Suede Lace-up Ankle Boot with Golds Studs
£25.00 at Studs and Lace at
ASOS Marketplace

Another adornment which remains popular this season is the stud. Usually seen on shoes or clutches, it adds a fierce edge to any outfit. Studs and Lace Suede Black Lace-up Ankle Boot with Gold Studs incorporates two of the main colours this season whilst bringing a whole new element to outfits. Plus the chunky heel makes it easier to walk in them, an essential for any party-goer!

By Julia Catherine Ward

Winter Woollies

Vintage Knit Top £15.00 at Studs and Lace
at ASOS Marketplace

Its official. November is here and it hasn't failed in bringing a whole host of icy winds and freezing temperatures with it. High street stores are laden once again with jumpers galore and vintage store Studs and Lace have several Winter vintage offerings.

Mohair

80's Vintage Mohair Cardigan £28.00 at Studs
and Lace at ASOS Marketplace

As featured in Vogue Paris, mohair is making a comeback this season. The furry fibre was seen at Emporio Armani and Alexander Wang, giving a lighter feel than a heavy cable knit or woollen jumper.

Studs and Lace's beige mohair cardigan is a gorgeous alternative to the usual high street cardigans on sale this season. The creamy, coffee coloured neutral shade is an essential Winter hue, acting as the perfect cover up for keeping warm this time of year.

80's Mohair Jumper £25.00 at studsandlace.co.uk 

For a more striking option, their vintage 80's mohair jumper in magenta pink is a unique piece which mirrors the current neon colour block prints and patterns in the likes of high street store River Island. Paired with lacquered pants à la Balmain, it's the perfect piece for simply brightening up a dark December day or for adding an element of warmth to a going out outfit. 

By Julia Catherine Ward

Accessories Aplenty

If you're accessorising with one item this season, it has to be jewellery. I think in terms of fashion, 2013 has definitely been a breakthrough year for costume jewellery with it appearing in almost every store on the high-street. But why risk someone else sporting the same necklace or bracelet as you? Wearing vintage can cut out that worry altogether and at vintage store Studs and Lace, there is plenty of original pieces available.

Black lace bow necklace £8.00 at Studs and
Lace at ASOS Marketplace

It's common knowledge that the chunky necklace has pretty much dominated the costume jewellery scene this season, with collars and heavily decorated pieces cropping up everywhere. Studs and Lace have many handmade and vintage inspired pieces to chose from in their new collection including a personal favourite of mine, the handmade black lace bow necklace. Perfect for the upcoming party season, it will complement well any art deco style outfit or be the ultimate statement for any look.

With the dark nights drawing in and the invitations mounting up, it's that time of the year again to throw on your glad-rags and high heels (and find perfect statement accessories to match!)

                                    By Julia Catherine Ward

Tea Anyone?

1980's Tea Dress £35.00 at studsandlace.co.uk

The tea dress has always been and always will be a must have staple item in the wardrobe of any fashionista. They've been a huge part of many decades: coming up big in the 40's and reappearing in the 70's and 80's mainly, in my opinion because of their versatility.








Coming in all shapes and sizes, the tea dress is the perfect everyday pick me up piece. It's a breath of fresh air from the common pairing of pants and a top, adding a very feminine element to your wardrobe. Albeit in the Winter, you won't usually find me in a tea dress but come Spring, I jump at the opportunity to finally embrace the weather and get my pins out.

1980's Animal Leopard Print Dress £25.00 at studsandlace.co.uk

So although the Winter months are looming, why can't we be looking ahead to when our friend Mr Soleil will show his face again? Studs and Lace's range of vintage tea dresses cater to all occasions. Whether you're after a 1980's style floral piece to brighten up your days and help give you that ray of hope for the return of Spring, or if you want to go for an on trend animal print version of this modern classic, head on over to the main sight to see what kind of tea you might fancy.

By Julia Catherine Ward

The Return of Autumn

With the arrival of September comes the return of the cold weather, the falling leaves and of course, the Autumn/Winter wardrobe. Yes, I'm afraid it's time to put away the bikinis for another year and start dragging out those jumpers and jackets. It doesn't seem like two minutes ago we were cosying up in our knits and seeing that slow transition on the high street from summer beach window displays to arrangements of wooly scarves and fluffy boots.

full length 80s fur coat and scarf £68.00, studsandlace.co.uk

statement outerwear

This season we're seeing the return of statement outerwear. Rounded oversized shoulder pads at Carven, boucle and embellishments at Chanel and black and white fur at Altuzarra. When the weather requires a coat and your outfit becomes hidden underneath, a statement outer piece is essential. 

Keeping you warm this season and adding an element of vintage to your winter wardrobe, Studs and Lace's fur jackets and coats are a perfect option. 

70s snake-skin jacket £40.00, studsandlace.co.uk

classic patterns

Alongside the statement outerwear trend comes the return of the classic pattern. Designers have gone back to basics and brought back the pinstripes, the leopard prints and the plaids to the runway. Old trends and designs are always re-emerging which is why shopping for vintage is the way to go. Studs and Lace currently stock a gorgeous faux snake-skin jacket circa 1970 which nails two of this seasons top trends right on the head. 

By Julia Catherine Ward

Battle of the Sexes

photo from etsy.com

The phrase 'power dressing' derives from the move in fashion that saw women being empowered through the art of fashion. We can see from the 1920's onwards, the decrease of corsets and heavy decoration, with couturiers such as Gabrielle Chanel changing the way in which women dressed. The introduction of trousers and high neck blouses was a controversial move in the world of fashion, but one which any modern woman would follow.
These changes in fashion linked arms with the movements in history, as women were becoming more and more recognised and respected in society. We could now vote and it was becoming more common for a woman to work.


enter the 80's...

photo from eonline.com

Enter the power dressing of the 80's. Pant-suits and the androgynous style of this era were the proof that women could do it all, just like men, but better. We could attend a meeting as a corporate lawyer and still make it in time for picking up the baby from day-care and have lunch with our girlfriends at noon. And the pant suit allowed us to do this. Take Sex and the City's Miranda as the perfect example of this powerful New York City woman who manages it all in her dominating power suit.

The ever popular shoulder pads of the 1980's were like a symbol of growing dominance for women in the workplace to prove to men that they were equals. Today, power dressing is still going strong and women of the world are still fighting for equality. Studs and Lace have featured their very own vintage power blazer on their website. With its shoulder pads, the royal blue colour and sharp tailoring, you can nod to our older generations and be far from the usual in an original 1980's blazer.    

           

power blazer £20 at studsandlace.co.uk

                                                                                                           

by Julia Catherine Ward

Decade Delving

photo from dressedherdaysvintage.com

Vintage clothing is on the uprise, there is no doubt about it. We are slowly realising that by the word 'vintage' we don't mean that old musty cardigan, knitted for your grandma from the 19 somethings, we mean revival. Revival of the clothes that were the originals of trends that still show their faces today, in 2013.

Think about it. Most of the current trends that have cropped up in the past years have all had some element influenced by past decades. Tea dresses and day dresses? Originating in the 1940's and seen again in the 80's. Statement blazers, acknowledging the 80's power blazers with oversized shoulder pads. And not to mention the return of the shift dress, helping us relive the days of some of our favourite 60's icons.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
why vintage?                                  

photo from www.chicous.com

But why vintage when there are perfectly good replications in our favourite high street stores? The answer is as much as I adore the high street, sometimes we all want something that bit more original. Something we can guarantee no one will be wearing at the same time as us.

Vintage clothing has the ability to transport us into the eras we never got to experience. Donning a 40's style dress and red lip can instantly make you feel like the ultimate pin up girl of the decade.

So next time you're going out or even wanting something more casual, why not experience the 'vintage feeling' for yourself and delve into the decades

                                                                        

by Julia Catherine Ward