Category: fashion

Party season is in full swing and while high street brands push party dressing and seasonal reductions during this hyper-consumerist time of year, I implore you to go green for the festive season.
I know. It can be quite tempting to run into town and panic buy a new dress for your work Christmas party but here are some tips on how to dress sustainably this party season (and, indeed, beyond).

CHOOSE VINTAGE

Sparkly mini dresses, velvet LBDs, lurex knits, there are plenty of vintage partywear options out there already, it’s just a case of finding them. Since launching my own vintage clothing brand, Anita is, I have been sourcing some amazing party pieces and these are all now available to buy from the ‘Disco Hymns’ collection.

TRY RENTAL

Had your eye on a pretty party dress that sold out? Couldn’t quite afford your dream handbag? Simply don’t have the space to welcome a new addition to your wardrobe? Enter clothing rental. It’s not a new concept but it’s something that’s really taken off this year. I have never tried it myself but I do think it’s a great option for those with an appetite for newness who also want to be responsible. Try Hurr, By Rotation, My Wardrobe HQ and On Loan. Alternatively, borrow from your friends.

SHOP YOUR WARDROBE

Party season comes just once a year so chances are you probably already have something in your wardrobe. Always start there. I find that when new seasons come around, my wardrobe gets a new lease of life, whether that’s through new styling ideas, having new places to wear them or simply through being my favourite pieces I’ve kept year after year. I get excited to wear my investment Rixo dress again, to style up an old sparkly blouse with jeans and try heels again. 

One minute I’m in mini dresses and last year’s grass-stained white canvas trainers and the next I’m back in jeans and a leather jacket, cowering from the wind and rain. With current temperatures certainly not living up to the non-stop sunshine of last summer, I thought I’d share a style hack that I’ve been sporting recently for those in-betweeny temps - the knee high sock.

Running the risk of sounding like a cliche American stylist from a 90s sitcom, "they go with everything." Dresses, skirts, shorts, you name it, the knee high sock is your unexpected hosiery-hero.

My love for the knee high sock (well, renewed love - we all wore them at some point during Britney’s ‘Baby One More Time’ heyday, right?) began back in winter thanks to Pinterest. My feed is always full of sixties imagery and I started to be drawn to outfits featuring mini lengths and knee high socks. I made a mental note to try this come spring and this is how I’ve been styling the knee high sock.

OUTFIT 1: T-SHIRT: ARKET | SKIRT: VINTAGE VIA ANITA IS | LEATHER JACKET: (old) THE WHITE COMPANY | SHOES: VINTAGE CHANEL | SOCKS: CALZEDONIA

OUTFIT 2: T-SHIRT: ARKET | SHORTS: VINTAGE LEVI'S 501 (cut) | SHOES: VINTAGE CHANEL | SOCKS: M&S | BAG: VINTAGE | SUNGLASSES: RAY BAN

OUTFIT 3: DRESS: VINTAGE | SHOES: VINTAGE CHANEL | SOCKS: CALZEDONIA | BAG: GIFT FROM COACH

Hello, it’s been a while hasn’t it? Well, today I can finally explain my little absence…

On Sunday, I launched my own vintage brand! It’s called Anita is and it’s something that I’ve working on for a long time (and very intensely for the last couple of months). Born out of years of experience working with vintage clothing in London, Paris and Montreal, and a passion for fighting against fast-fashion and mindless consumerism, the idea for Anita is began almost two years ago. Since then it has grown with me and adapted to current attitudes within the fashion industry and is a brand I am super proud of.

Let’s start with the name shall we? Because it’s something that I’m always asked about. First of all, let me tell you that it is very hard to come up with a brand name. Do you make up a new word, choose something literal or go ambiguous? Do you use your name, someone else’s name or a mix?

Well, I sort of went for a combination of the above.

Anita was my mum’s middle name. Being born in the late 1950s, it’s a name that is authentically retro and in keeping with the decades of clothes I am focusing on – the 1960s and 1970s. But I didn’t just want the brand name to be a woman’s name (plus there’s probably already a brand out there/some copyright on it) so I started to play around with other words to add. I came up with ‘is’ – the first two letters of my name – and it stuck.

Ambiguous yet open to interpretation, Anita is whoever you want her to be. As stated in the brand manifesto, “she is romantic, nonchalant, a nostalgic daydreamer. She is bold, styled, elevated. She is also modern, forward-thinking and responsible because above all, she wants to create a sustainable solution for our fashion yearnings.”

I wanted to create a brand that elevated the notion of wearing vintage, made people want to wear vintage and made it easier for people to shop sustainably. Anita is clothing is all handpicked by me, styled and shot on a person (me!), and worn out and about - we see how the clothes fit, how they move, how they look in natural light, rather than on a hanger in a studio like many mainstream online vintage clothing brands. I think this approach will elevate the idea of wearing vintage, make it relatable to more fashion consumers in this era of Instagram dominance and allow people to envisage themselves in vintage, through seeing it styled well.

Sustainability is at the heart of the brand. A current buzzword, yet something I have preached for a long time, I am proud to say that Anita is sustainable. Its very essence is kind on mother nature - buying vintage breathes a new lease of life into an old garment and reduces the need for a new one. Many modern day garments - especially high street ones - are rip offs of vintage items so I say, why buy new when you could wear the original?

In addition, I’ve made a packaging commitment. I am constantly stunned at how much excess packaging is sent out with online orders that I’m stripping it all back. I call it (nearly) naked packaging. Each order will be sent out in a cardboard box made from recycled fibres, stamped with the Anita is logo so there’s no plastic or stickers in sight. Inside the box, the garment is enlaced with a ribbon made from 100% untreated cotton that can be re-used, maybe tied in one’s hair! And that’s it.

And now onto the collection. Last month, Lewis and I headed to Paris to shoot the first SS19 drop. Two solid days of shooting later, we had produced images I am really proud of. The collection is a mix of beautiful vintage blouses, 60s mini dresses and summery, knitted tops, in a soft feminine palette with the odd pop of colour. Going forward, there will be regular drops of newness but to kick off there are 26 amazing vintage pieces for you to choose from (there were 27 but I’ve already sold one!).

With this passion project finally out there in the big, wide world, I think it’s about time to shake things up around here. I last rebranded my blog around two years ago so it’s time for a refresh. Watch this space.

Thank you for reading. You can find Anita is online, on Instagram and on Facebook - go show us some love! And I’d love to know what think in the comments X