Wearing: Dare to be yourself with the new H&M Studio AW17 Collection
I remember back to the days in my early twenties when I was flying for Air New Zealand on the international circuit and I'd be able to infiltrate fashion meccas like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Vancouver almost weekly. My jet lagged layovers would be spent sniffing out unique finds at powerhouse labels such as H&M. It was a riot of a time. I'd come home and unpack countless treasures from my trip, (thank goodness for 23kg baggage allowances for a 2-night trip) and be the envy of many.
Now H&M has set up on our shores in Sylvia Park, it's dangerous. No flights are even required. Being a blogger however does come with a few benefits, as we typically get invited to access upcoming releases and take them for a spin before they hit the shop floor. So with the upcoming change in season, Holly and myself swung by to see our good friends Kiri and James from H&M to pick a few key pieces from the new AW17 Studio Collection and show off a little. I mean why not it's New Zealand Fashion Week after all, so we need the practice...
When Holly and I collaborate, it's always a laugh. Typically something goes wrong, and in this instance, my $5 choc top ice cream fell off the cone straight onto the pavement - as was half way through my first lick. Didn't matter though, picked it right up off the sidewalk and enjoyed it as if I were a kid. That's a bit like fashion really. Sometimes you don't quite hit the mark or nail the look, but you've just got to own it nonetheless. Enjoy it for what it was and keep smiling.
Fashion can be a fickle business. Something can be in one week and out the next, and the real art to it all is sticking by the pieces that you love and continue to find new hope and opportunity for them time and time again. But just so we're clear, flares will never be acceptable guys, that's a 100% leave that in the 70's.
In this latest spread, I'm predominately wearing the H&M AW17 Studio Collection, which at times can feel a bit daring if you're unfamiliar. It's not your typical easy-to-market lineup of clothing that guys can pick off the rack without giving it much more thought than getting it in black and white like they do with every, single, piece, of, clothing. The Studio Collection is synonymous with bold colours, shapes, and edgy styles that even scare me just a little at times. But that's the challenge. Seeing something that grabs my initial interest and then constructing how I could make it work with my sense of style. There's a real talent in finding the hidden potential of a piece of cloth and owning it. It's the craft of being a fashion blogger if you really think about it.
The orange jumper is the prime example - on its own you might think H&M got inspiration from a prison colour palette - well maybe it did. But once you start thinking about how it can be partnered with something like darker denim, perhaps a jacket and jeans, it allows the jumper to be framed up and given purpose as a statement piece, resulting in something you could totally pull off. On its own, it could be just a tad too loud. But again, it's all dependant on the eye of the beholder.
As always I love jumping into new clothing, and H&M continue to inspire me to get out of my comfort zone and push me forward in my fashion journey. The key pieces are in-store now & online now and I encourage you to try on a few - you may just be surprised once they're on. And better yet experiment and work with a few different items. Try smashing unusual items together and give layering a go. And if you need any help, just drop me a line anytime.
Dare to be yourself. There's no better time to let the world see you, for you.
jb
Visuals captured and edited by local fashion photographer Tori Hayley. If you haven't already hit follow, check out her work, she's a real talent and you'll be seeing plenty more of her work across my platform and out there in the fashion world.
If you're needing some inspiration across fashion & beauty then 100% follow Holly across on her blog, and gram.
A big shout out to our friends at H&M for helping style Holly Estelle and myself in their AW17 Studio Collection.