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This 10 weeks with blogger has been great....but alas it does not provide all the little intricacies that a fab fashion blog needs...like free Getty Images! Sorry Blogger baby! I'm OUT!


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Accessories at FWTT

Sooo in between the countless face masks (both medical and man- i mean, masquerade), the shutter shades, the pallet stick headpieces, the foot ribbon-shoe representations, the hats and the headwraps, Fashion Week TT did yield some truly innovative accessories (if you looked close enough).

Personally, I thought the most stunning element in Peter Elias' collection were the vibrantly coloured multi-layered woven and beaded necklaces that he paired his pieces with. They seem to me to be a fresh take on the embellished sequin and diamante embellished neckline tops and dresses that have become staples of our wardrobes.

These necklaces make such a statement that they would be perfect to dress up a wife-beater skinny jeans uniform when you not feeling to put together an "outfit" but still want all eyes on you.

Elaborate corset and waist belts, still so popular were also adopted by the fashion week designers, becoming re-imagined in bright colours, or ethnic prints. I know I don't need to provide suggestions on how to wear a wide belt, however, I do need to say that if the belt is particularly attention grabbing (metallic, large buckles etc.) to take good stock of the other accessories you are wearing and edit down if necessary so as not to draw attention away from your fabulous waist adornment. I saw a pic today of a girl in (no lie) a black sequined waistcoat, shiny gold waist belt and magenta snakeskin shoulder bag, along with varied jewelry! Don't be this girl!!

I put together a little slideshow showcasing some of the handmade jewelry and accessories from the shows. Enjoy!




All pics courtesy Triniscene

TT Trendspotting: White

(Oh yes...I still have more to talk about!)

We have come to view bright vibrant colours as synonymous with a Caribbean lifestyle. However, many designers used white silhouettes to illustrate their point of view at TT Fashion Week. While some designers used white palettes to showcase colourful accessories, others, like Kimya Glasgow, used the absence of colour to frame their entire collection.

I have always been a believer that this non-hue (which showed up on the runways in casual wear, swimwear, menswear and evening wear) is flattering to every skintone, attracting light and highlighting our gorgeous Caribbean features. My personal favourites were the following look from Kimya Glasgow and the white dress from The Cloth above.




Check out the rest in the slideshow below.




All pictures courtesy Triniscene.

TT Trendspotting: Jumpsuits

Ok, if you hadn't yet noticed...I love a jumpsuit. I know they aren't for everybody, but I own many in a variety of shapes, lengths, colours and styles. I even have a home clothes jumpsuit! So you can imagine my EXCITEMENT at seeing how pervasive jumpsuits of all shapes, lengths, colours and styles were in the TT designers fashion week collections. Some, like St. Vincent designer Kimya Glasgow's impeccable white strapless romper above, were actually much cuter and much more flattering than a lot of those that I have seen in the States! I saw not one dhoti pants jumpsuit (however, to be clear, there were many dhoti pants!). Others were a little questionable in cut and fit (for example, the odd bunching at the crotch of the Zadd & Eastman multicolour balloon romper...hmmm reverse cameltoe is never a look....)

Here they are!


All pics courtesy Triniscene

Casual Wear @ FWTT: Not jus a baby tee and jeans!

I have a personal belief, that because we in the Caribbean grow up wearing uniforms every day, this really shapes our attitude towards clothes in our adulthood. I doh know bout you, but when I was a kid I had school uniform, home clothes and party clothes (my personal fave! Who didn't love the opportunity to put on a patterned waistcoat and matching cuffed short pants an roll up in somebody 3-6pm birthday party!). Somehow, however, this culture of dressing has transmitted into my adulthood. My clothes fall into three main categories: what I wear to work, what I wear at home and what I go out in. When I buy new clothes they are almost always going out clothes because I cannot wrap my head around the idea of buying clothes for no occasion really.

When I do need to pull out an outfit to wear to a house lime, to the movies, or even just to the grocery store or errand running, I often find that I have nothing between holey big jerseys and dresses covered in sequins (ok maybe thats an exaggeration, but you get my point!) I find in my observations when I am at home that young Caribbean women seem to find themselves in this situation a lot and just pull on a baby tee and a pair of jeans for these occasions.

I was so excited to see new casual wear options emerging on the Fashion Week runways, especially from trusted and established brands like Radical Designs (I would wear those t-shirt dresses with the prints ANYWHERE...really). There were many items made in comfortable cotton jersey with trendy details like the large boatnecks and ombre colours in Meiling's MSquared line and how refreshing was it to see an actual pair of JEANS on the runway from Earth Member for Life!!! Some designers went a little further to show that the casual could also be classy and elegant with loose, flowing daytime looks in longer lengths and more sumptuous fabrics, such as this dress by Zadd and Eastman.



Styling these casual looks with a variety of tried and true everyday items like flip flops and tote bags really showed that the designers wanted their clothes to be part of the Caribbean woman's every day. Very nice!!

More in the slideshow below:



All pics courtesy Triniscene

Collection Review: Pilar by Anya Ayoung Chee

On Fashion Week Sunday, former Miss T&T Universe (actually she's probably still current Miss T&T Universe as I hear we not sending up nobody this year....) Anya Ayoung Chee debuted her collection, Pilar. To say that this collection had some of the hottest buzz for the whole fashion week event would be an understatement. And designer was not the only hat Anya donned for the event! Not only was the public's eyes peeled for things to criticize in her collection, her new modeling and talent agency Fuse The Agency, had screened and selected all the Fashion Week models! Pressha!

Despite these stressful factors, I was pleasantly impressed with Anya's showing, especially considering that this her first time out the gate! My main comment was that the collection "looked like Anya", which can be good and bad. Anya has a distinctive personal style and it definitely came through in the wearable and cohesive collection, but if one were to purchase an item from her collection would one lose a feeling of individuality, because you look so much like someone else? Hmmm....

Regardless, I love the way she brought together disparate cultural elements to create her looks. Dashiki-style shirts in African print fabric were belted at the waist with Japanese style obi belts adorned with rope and paired with shorttt (saw a good bit of boomsie cheek on the runway) pants in vibrant colours, which as we all know well, always have an appeal with Caribbean women. I love how Anya included a variety of garments in the collection: dresses, shirts, shorts, and even a bright yellow jacket showing the audience that she has the potential to vary her designs and not stick to just one thing! The collection was also replete with jumpsuits: short and long (with skinny tapered legs). Anya also provides options for those of us ladies who prefer more modest fits and cuts, with full length, high-waisted skirts and maxi dresses all of which fit the models exceptionally well. (I guess running the agency has it's benefits ;) )

My favourite pieces, however, have to be the jumpsuits, particulary the strapless one that opened the show in metallic African print! I'm so excited to see fashion I actually would want to wear on the Caribbean runways (this is a first for me) and as soon as I find out where Anya will be selling her items, my name will be on the list for one of these!


Enjoy the rest in the slideshow below:



(all pics courtesy www.triniscene.com)

BTW: Congrats Sandhurst!

Evening Wear at FWTT: Not Your Every Day Grad Dress...

Some truly spectacular gowns were shown at this year's event. While Claudia Pegus and Zadd and Eastman chose sleek silhouettes, others, like Peter Elias presented full skirted confections which the models made into shows of their own (I am convinced the young lady above has a side hustle as a Belle Dancer!)

My personal prize however goes to Kuumba Design's light lime green evening gown below:

The construction of the corset-type bodice is supremely innovative while the neckline and horizontal and vertical pleating are structurally fascinating. I love that it blossoms into this fairy-tale like full skirt as well. While I love the unexpected color of this dress, I can so see this as a wedding dress in an off-white or ivory!

Feast your eyes on the rest below (you can click any image for a larger view):
(pics courtesy www.triniscene.com)