December 21, 2024
Chicago 12, Melborne City, USA
Retro Chick Competitions

A Graduate Fashion Week Giveaway

The thing to remember about fashion is it’s not all about those big names at London Fashion Week.

It’s been a long time since I paid much more than a passing interest to Fashion Weeks. I love Fashion, but all the blogger bitching and backstabbing, from journalists and other bloggers got frankly a little bit wearying. Repeated content on a hundred blogs of the same shows was tiresome and a waste of everyone’s time, and as I have a very specific style there were often only limited pieces of interest to me on view. Finding one new brand and a free bottle of vitamin water didn’t make a 12 hour day and a £50 train ticket viable.

However, I received an email about a week ago from George at Asda, who happen to one of the sponsors of Graduate Fashion Week. Graduate Fashion Week can be quite interesting as these aren’t necessarily the people who are going on to have their own name brands. Some might, but others may well be the people who will be designing the clothes we’ll be buying on the High Street in 5 years time.

This prompted me to head off to look at the Graduate Fashion Week website and see if there was actually anything I was interested in on there.

As expected there were an awful lot of designers that, in my opinion, should have their scissors taken away and told not to design clothes until they’d paid attention to how people actually dress and the fact that they need to get through doors occasionally. There were also a predictable amount of the “oops I fell into a dressing up box and these were the clothes I came out wearing” style of outfits that seem to be favoured by people who know a lot more about Fashion than I evidently do. (I know what I like. OK?)

In amongst those were a few designers who looked like they had the courage of their own conviction and weren’t trying to hide behind layers ripped fabric and elaborate attention grabbing pieces. Fingers crossed that these are the ones that end up designing for the High Street.

These were a few of my favourites……

The idea of Graduate Fashion Week is to bring together Fashion students from across the UK, give them a place to display their work and offer mentoring and training schemes for those that stand out.

George sent me a playsuit from their Womens clothing range (which is actually nicer than I expected. I shall show you if the sun ever comes out.) and some make up from fellow sponsor Rimmel, so, in honour of Graduate Fashion Week, I have a little giveaway for you.

The kit contains a lasting finish by Kate lipstick in hot pink shade, a traffic stopping eyeshadow set in shades great for a smoky eyes look, a scandaleyes mascara in black and an ivory anti fatigue concealer. In total it’s worth about £25.

All you need to do for an entry is tell me which of the above Graduate Fashion Week looks is your favourite. Or do you think they’re all awful? ;o)

Competition will be open for 1 week, closing at midnight on Wednesday 4th July.
 The winner will be chosen at random from all qualifying entries
 Editors (that's me!) decision will be final and no cash alternative is available.<
 Overseas entries are welcome

123 Comments

  • Anneke Irving June 27, 2012

    mmm, I actually like them all.

  • Angie June 27, 2012

    I’m a fan of look one- the 50s inspired dress with the figure flattering stripes. Although I do like the otehr 2 styles, I think style 1 is far more wearable for ‘normal’ life. Good to look outside the purely vintage bubble with this post and to celebrate a bit of generational transfer as we look to develop the next group of designers for ‘real’ women. Thanks!

  • Aimee Ryan June 27, 2012

    The striped dress is gorgeous 🙂

  • Bunny Moreno June 27, 2012

    I’d have to say the first dress is the nicest. The rest are not my style or taste but its a runway show so they have pieces often that most people wouldnt wear in public hehe

    Great giveaway and cant wait to see you in that playsuit!!! xox

  • Kim~whatpeggysaid June 27, 2012

    I love the black and white stripy dress, but the b&w print with gold details wins it for me.
    PS:The Kate Moss Rimmel lipstick is actually pretty good. I bought it in a red and nude shade and quite like it for its staying power. x

  • Gillian Holmes June 27, 2012

    None of them struck me as awful; I liked them all.

  • Natalie June 27, 2012

    I love the first look, the 1950s shaped dress, but I love the fact that it’s paired with stripy tights. Also the third one is amazing, but not particularly wearable!

    Wonderful giveaway! xxx

  • Stephanie June 27, 2012

    I think the striped dress is my favorite but I don’t hate any of them, which is weird for me.

  • Sian June 27, 2012

    I do love that third one down, although the first one is the one I could see myself wearing. I love the tights!

  • Sue McCarthy June 27, 2012

    The stripey dress is ok, but not with stripey tights

  • Nick Lowe June 27, 2012

    the second one. love that leather bask and the amulet.

  • Emily June 27, 2012

    Ohh the grey stripy dress by far, I would wear that every day. I’d settle for just the tights…

  • iain maciver June 27, 2012

    the striped dress is different

  • letitia Mullen June 27, 2012

    I love them all, but I particularly like teh lacey dress with the leather corset. Its just stands out above the others

  • Cherise June 27, 2012

    I like them all, but for some reason the 3rd of fascinates me the most right now although it’s not my style at all. It’s kind of 60’s futuristic MOD with a Slavic twist. It’s different from the others for its own benefit 🙂

  • claire woods June 27, 2012

    I love the 2nd picture. I like the 3rd one too. The others I wouldn’t be seen dead in!

  • Andrea Peace June 27, 2012

    Black and white toadstool inspired one (could see Bjork in this).

  • Maya Russell June 27, 2012

    I love the 50’s style stripy dress with stripy tights.

  • michele omalley June 27, 2012

    2nd style down is the one i love i dont have the figure to show it off but it looks amazing

  • Debbie Gillespie June 27, 2012

    My favourite is the first one – the 50s style striped dress as it is very flattering. I don’t like the stripey tights with it though.

  • Nancy Bradford June 27, 2012

    I love the second one, the kind of lacy/corsetty dress.

  • Fran Light June 27, 2012

    I really like the look shown in the second photo – the crochet dress paired with the underbust corset and the oversized ‘portrait’ necklace.

    The look is so very different from recent fashions, and has an almost Edwardian feel to it – and as much as I love the 1950s styles that have been all the rage this spring and summer, it’s so nice to see something with a different, but equally flattering silhouette come on the scene 🙂

  • Sandra Lane June 28, 2012

    Definitely the first one. The dress looks straight out of an Audrey Hepburn movie. Lovely!

  • Sarah June 28, 2012

    I really love the first picture. I can’t get over all the stripes, all the way down to her toes!!

  • Ashleigh June 28, 2012

    i love the first one, the dress is gorgeous

  • jackie curran June 28, 2012

    I like the 2nd one down best, it is very elegant .

  • Kelly Reeves June 28, 2012

    I like the second one. I’m a bit of a sucker for slightly boho fashion, and the crochet-style bottom of the skirt really appeals to the free spirit in me 🙂

  • Gemma Turner June 28, 2012

    I’m afraid to say, none of them! I don’t like any of them 🙁

  • julie kenny June 28, 2012

    I liked them all! The first dress is really stunning – and looks so good with the striped tights x

  • sharon griffin June 28, 2012

    i love the long cream coloured skirt with crochet hemline and the leather bodice x

  • elaine stokes June 28, 2012

    the black and white striped dress it just yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy

  • Hannah June 28, 2012

    I like the stripy outfit the best but I think people would laugh at me if I wore a stripy dress with stripy tights!

  • james darrington June 28, 2012

    Never been a fan of fashion shows, after parties on the other hand….

  • Isabel O'Brien June 28, 2012

    The last one, the yellow blouse with the pencil skirt. It covers up but it still shows off your waist. It’s summery but classy and I would definitely wear it.

  • Beverley June 28, 2012

    The second one is nice – not keen on the others. The second one is stylish and a nice retro,

  • siobhan marie June 28, 2012

    i love the 4th one looks very chic , id deffinitly wear this outfit. sometimes i dont think its what you do but who you knwo and alot of talanted people do miss out due to this. i think the people who designed these deff have a talent for creativity and imagination x

  • mary chez June 28, 2012

    I quite like the striped dress

  • Nia Wyn Roberts June 28, 2012

    I like the second one with the corset – if you’ve got a figure like that why not show it off?! It’s subtle at the same time though which is why I’d choose it as my favourite x

  • Jen D. June 29, 2012

    I like the striped dress (first photo) the best, but I woukdn’t wear striped stockings with it!

  • Claire June 29, 2012

    I love the second one with the corset! I wish I was tall enough to wear a dress like that!

  • Seersucker Sally June 29, 2012

    The first one is my favorite.

  • Georgina Hopkins June 29, 2012

    Love the first dress! Have a weakness for stripes 🙂

  • Heather O'Connor June 29, 2012

    I adore the striped dress, very figure flattering! 😀

  • maria hackett June 30, 2012

    Love the 02nd picture, beautiful colour and a Stunning design 🙂 xx

  • Jean Bolsover June 30, 2012

    The 3rd picture down of the top and skirt I think is my favourite 🙂

  • Hannah Young June 30, 2012

    I love the striped dress in the first picture.

  • Christine Smith June 30, 2012

    I like the outfit with the fur hat – very Russian. I like the architectural quality, reminds me of St Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.

  • Emma Clarke June 30, 2012

    I liked the second one. It’s reminscent of a medievel England princess

  • Jane Townson June 30, 2012

    I really love the striped dress.

  • chelle June 30, 2012

    Second one looks really flattering – although not sure about the neck piece

  • Mel Chambers June 30, 2012

    I love the 2nd outfit, the lace and crochet dress … I’d SO wear that

  • sandi July 1, 2012

    The high waist skirt/yellow shirt is my favourite look.

  • Jennifer Schofield July 1, 2012

    I like the one with the corset the best

  • margaret scott July 1, 2012

    I like the striped dress very much, although I’m not sure about the matching tights!

  • marina July 1, 2012

    the last one is my fav 🙂

  • Karen R July 1, 2012

    I love the third one, especially the shape of the skirt, but I do like all of them as well

  • frances marley July 1, 2012

    absolutely love the leather corset xxx

  • Nathalie Taylor July 1, 2012

    I love the Crochet looking dress with the corset. The corset is stunning x

  • judith July 1, 2012

    the “Amelia Smith” outfit looks awful I`m afraid!

  • Yvonne Crook July 1, 2012

    They are all beautiful but the striped dress is my favourite

  • Alexandra McGahey July 2, 2012

    I love the very last one – the high waisted skirt with the mustard coloured shirt/blouse 🙂

  • Ally July 2, 2012

    Love the long beige dress with the corset over. I would love to wear it and more importantly would love to be able to attend an outing where you could wear it. Unfortunately, my life is pretty tame. Ooh well, one can dream.

  • Kimberley Robinson July 2, 2012

    loving the stripey look lol !

  • jo maxted July 2, 2012

    i love the second one it looks it great on her figure xx

  • Christina Michael July 2, 2012

    I liked the stripy dress but not those tights

  • Emma Wolski July 2, 2012

    I love the lacy dress and corset and beautiful locket. I could never wear it well myself though lol!

  • Eleanor Powell July 2, 2012

    my favorite is the second one down with the leather waspie and lace and crochet dress, I really love this look. The one I liked the least was the black white and gold dress – that was a bit too far “out there” for me

  • ann nesbitt July 2, 2012

    black and white striped dress is amazing!…beautiful to wear at a wedding 🙂

  • Janine Atkin July 2, 2012

    i quite liked the stripey dress. it looks like something i might actually wear. the rest were awful though!

  • Natasha Gandy July 2, 2012

    I love, love, love the grey strippy dress. It is lovely !! x

  • Phyllis Ellett July 2, 2012

    Photo four was a bit ‘same-y’ but one to three look very interesting. If I had the figure I would go for photo two. But that is just a dream.

  • marie yeardley July 2, 2012

    love them all but I think the corset one is my fave, I like the pairing of two contrasting styles

  • andrea miles July 2, 2012

    I like the stripy dress best – but also quite like the on with the corset

  • Anthea Holloway July 2, 2012

    I like the girl with the oil painting around her neck but she might easily trip up. The first one should remember that wearing horizontal stripes is bound to make you look fat (unless you are a skinny model that is)!

  • emma middleton July 2, 2012

    I actually like them all 🙂

  • sian hallewell July 2, 2012

    I like the first striped dress, unfortunatly I think the third one looks like a lampshade!

  • claire little July 2, 2012

    I quite like them if they had a few tweeks here and there 🙂 very 60’d inspired collection

  • Katrina Day-Reilly July 2, 2012

    the 2nd model with the corset her outfit is stunning

  • DANIELLE VEDMORE July 3, 2012

    I ♥ the stripey dress and the corset dress too! ♥ the stripey tights too!!! xxx

  • Rebecca Woodroof July 3, 2012

    the 4th image is probably my favorite and the one I’d be most likely to wear.

  • John Mcgovern July 3, 2012

    I think they are all awful.

  • Emily Fowler July 3, 2012

    Love, love, LOVE the second dress with the corset, so slinky and feminine!

  • Cheryl Pearson July 3, 2012

    If I had to choose one, I would opt for the stripy dress.

  • Nicky Hopkins July 3, 2012

    The 2nd outfit is my favourite as it doesn`t try too hard as some of the others do. It has more of a timeless feel.

  • Kirsty Sparks July 3, 2012

    I’m really biased because my cousin was part of Graduate Fashion Week. So I’m going to say none of them as none were designed by her!!! 😛

  • hayley gould July 3, 2012

    Loooooooooooooooove them all xxx

  • Lorna Peppiatt July 3, 2012

    I love the beige dress with the corset style waist, great detail on the design and the waist style would show off a great figure!

  • adelle gow July 3, 2012

    I love love love the stripped dress love that look just wish i had figure that i could wear it 🙂 x

  • Rachael ozimek July 3, 2012

    Imlike the second one down. The others are a little ott for my liking 🙂

  • Christine Jeffries July 3, 2012

    I like the lace skirt ensemble even if it does remind me a bit of a cicular lace table cloth I once had.

  • Luci Newton July 3, 2012

    The third one is OK however the rrest not practical for any thing.

  • Siobhan Jackson July 3, 2012

    i quite like the 2nd dress is the best one as it sucks you in and still flaunts the curves x

  • Teresa Measures July 3, 2012

    I just love the first image, I think the stripes are great and absolutly adore the tights just perfect.

  • Linda Hartland July 3, 2012

    the 2nd picture with the brown corset and lace dress just gorgeous

  • Sonia M July 3, 2012

    I liked the last one most, the dress and top go very well together.

  • sue willshee July 3, 2012

    Love the one with the leather corset. I’m veggie so I wouldn’t actually want my corset to be leather – but I do love the look 🙂

  • Kate Grimwood July 3, 2012

    1st striped dress!

  • Tina Rowlands July 3, 2012

    I like the black and white striped dress…..it’s fab!! x

  • rachel humphries July 3, 2012

    I love the first striped one. Very pretty 🙂

  • Sheri Darby July 3, 2012

    I think the second outfit looks really good – though possibly a bit uncomfortable

  • Michelle Rayner July 3, 2012

    I love the long knitted dress with the leather corset -vintage meets vamp

  • Sue lempkowski July 3, 2012

    the first picture – the stripey dress

  • antonia j richardson July 3, 2012

    the 1st and second one

  • Tina holmes July 3, 2012

    Got to be the striped dress it’s lovely x

    nicks-1983@hotmail.com

  • Hazel Christopher July 3, 2012

    The second one down is gorgeous, I absolutely love it and would definitely wear it!

  • Shelley Jessup July 4, 2012

    I would love to go to a fashion event & the graduate fashion week sounds like a good place to go. Out of all the outfits above the one I would be more than delighted to wear is photo number 2, with the crochet dress & brown waist band. Firstly it’s wearable, secondly it’s an outfit you could style with accessories to design another look depending on where you are going & how you feel.

  • Lindsey G July 4, 2012

    I love the black and white dress it has a early 60’s madmen feel about it .. which is my fav series and I wish I could dress like that every day!

  • Hayley Morris Todd July 4, 2012

    I love the first photo – the striped dress is really stunning and could be worn by the ‘ordinary everyday person’ . I really don’t like the third photograph, I think it’s a total disaster – really awful, and whilst I know the runway shows don’t tend to feature clothes that end up in the shops and are more of a showcase of what the designer can do, this to me, is just awful!

  • Anne Murphy July 4, 2012

    The third dress (white and black, interesting proportions) is my favourite. Though that might be the styling rather than actual dress.

  • michelle dootson July 4, 2012

    i love the first 1,very pretty and something that i would wear.

  • Natalie Blyth July 4, 2012

    I love the 50s style striped dress

  • Mel K July 4, 2012

    I really like he 2nd one especially he corset belt. I’d wear that quite happily

  • Hayley Davies July 4, 2012

    Yes they look awful in my opinion!

  • Sheryl Keene July 4, 2012

    My favourite is the first dress. It’s neutral colours and classic styling is perfect.

  • Diane D July 4, 2012

    I really love the last outfit – simple, elegant and classy.

  • Lynn Fancy July 4, 2012

    I absolutely adore the heavy crochet/lace design from the period piece, accessorised with the cameo it is just stunning and I am thrilled to see a dress that is not a maxi! For those of us big busted and/or short waisted they are awful, I love them but I cannot wear them. Coming out from under the bust they have the unfortunate affect of making me look around 8 months pregnant!
    So the return of a good corset, bustier, boned bodice is superb! Awesome look, divine and I adore it! 🙂

  • SUSAN L HALL July 4, 2012

    I Like the corset and lace outfit .. sort of a modern take on Edwardian fashion and great Neutral colours

  • Tracy July 4, 2012

    The dress with the tight brown corset is my fave :o)

  • Tanya Richardson July 4, 2012

    Love the oversize belt and cameo, over vintage lace. Couture sweetie!

  • Becky Downey July 4, 2012

    I like the girl in beige, with the sort of tapered brown corset in the middle

  • Victoria leedham July 4, 2012

    The first and third are fab x

  • Hannah Whitling July 4, 2012

    I love the first dress, the one with the horizontal stripes. Not so sure on the others but that one is a definate thumbs up from me.

  • Lindy Hine July 4, 2012

    Have to say I didn’t like any of them! The grey strip one was OK but not with the stripey tights.

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