Monday 30 August 2010
// H&M DESIGNER COLLABORATOR IS XXX//
Fashion retail behemoth H&M have today released some rather cryptic videos hinting at who the pontential guest designer for this year is. Take a look at the videos and guess for yourself.










Who do you think it is going to be? Who would you like to see collaborate with the fashion chain?

Love,
CAM XX
Friday 27 August 2010
// PAYDAY// LUST LIST//
There is still a few more days until I get paid and can properly go A/W wardrobe purchasing crazy. Until that glorious day comes here are five items that are on my list:








































blazer: paul smith, knitwear: marc jacobs, shirt: bottega veneta, boots: alexander mcqueen, Walter bag: mulberry
Wednesday 25 August 2010
AMERICAN APPAREL// WHERE DID IT ALL GO WRONG? //

Reports this week are suggesting that American Apparel is yet again teetering on the verge of going bankrupt. The company, which was once the apple of the fashion retails’ eye, is now floundering with exorbitant debts and share values plummeting to a record low of $81 cents. The latest bout of misfortune for American Apparel feels eerily reminiscent of their last financial crisis merely a year ago when British investors, Lions Capital, stepped in to save the company. However, will the company’s inability to turn around their fortunes since Lion Capital’s lifeline be the nail in the coffin for the once flourishing, always controversial fashion retailer? The Boy and the Blog looks at where it all went wrong for American Apparel.

American Apparel’s inability to change and adapt along with its customer base has been noted both by the press as well as the company itself as a huge contributing factor to the downturn in fortunes for the company with Dov Charney declaring that their predominant target market, the hipster, is now dead. However, until recently, the company had continued with the aesthetic that first brought them to prominence including the basic garments as well as the highly sexed spandex and lame bodysuits and leggings. Whilst its desired customer base has moved on in recent years, the company ignoring such a shift in consumers’ taste has seen a decline in the once hipster elite credibility of the brand image. Recently, the company has addressed this problem by shifting the aesthetic of American Apparel away from trashy 80’s to a more grown up, preppy college image however, this last ditch attempt at remaining relevant to their customer base may be too little, too late for the company.

With a figure like Dov Charney at the head of your company, it is never going to be far away from controversy. The ever-increasing list of controversial and shocking revelations about the company’s practices has left American Apparel with a, frankly, appalling track record. A quick search on Gawker reveals many a horror story about the joys of being an American Apparel employee. From a recruitment process based solely on applicants submitting a foot-to-toe photograph to the strict grooming guide that all American Apparel employees must adhere to (as well as the store responsibles who berate staff for not adhering to the manual or for being overweight) to the highly sexualized, amateur porn-esque advertisements featuring, arguably, emancipated nearly naked models which have been the bane of the censors for years (culminating in one of their campaigns finally being banned for allegedly featuring an under age model). The revelations of their awful treatment of their employees as well as the seedy, sleazy public image of the company may finally have caught up with the company with their target customers being turned off by such practices.

What is there to say about Dov Charney? Whilst his tenacity and innovativeness in growing the company from selling t-shirts from his dorm room to a Global, publicly traded company has to be admired, the ever increasing number of rumours and employee testimonials about him really does not paint him as a good, morally upstanding kind of guy. Maybe it is just me but Charney admitting that he refers to women and, in particular, models in his advertisements as ‘sluts’ really doesn’t make me want to give my hard earned cash to him and his company.

Finally, from reading reactions to the latest news about American Apparel it would appear that a lot of potential American Apparel consumers are just not willing to pay £24 for a basic t-shirt. Now that the buzz and hype surrounding the company has died down and it has, arguably, lost a good amount of the hipster elite status it once had, it may solely come down to the fact that people have nothing particularly desirable to buy into to justify the price of their garments.

Let’s open this up to everyone. What do you guys reckon has caused American Apparel to lose its appeal and to find itself in dire straits again? What do you think about their ethics? Do you still shop in American Apparel?

Regards,

Cam xx

Friday 20 August 2010
// A LITTLE SEXXX FOR THE WEEKEND // COURTESY OF ROSIE HUNTINGTON-WHITELEY//
OOHLALA!

While I'll will be working hard pretty much all weekend (all together now...AWWW!) I hope you all have a fun packed, more interesting weekend than me! Keep an eye out next week for some massive posts on TheBoyAndTheBlog. Gonna be gooooood......hopefully!

Love,
CAM XX
Tuesday 17 August 2010
//THE BOY LOVES //HOMEMADE NEWSPAPER DRESSES//

Check out Johanna's homemade newspaper dress and matching oversized hair bow! I completely fell in love with this look (and Johanna's diy fashion ethos) as soon as my beedy eyes saw this picture. Check her out on lookbook and hype her to the high heavens :D!!

CAM XX
Sunday 15 August 2010
//FALL + WINTER 2010/11 // LAYERED UP VS NEW MINIMALISM//

With autumn fast approaching (WHERE HAS SUMMER GONE?! IT HAS FLOWN BY FAR, FAR TOO QUICKLY) there is only one question that contiguously needs answered: to layer it up or to subscribe to the New Minimalism doctrine of Phoebe Philo.

Anyone who has read my previous post regarding minimalism and Phoebe Philo will know that I am totally and utterly smitten with Philo’s minimalist vision. However, I am not so sure that new minimalists would be quite so eager to keep it simple with only a layer or two if they had experienced a freezing autumn/winter in Scotland! Whilst the new minimalism trend spreads like wildfire, there are still some designers who are thinking practically for winter and are going for a more layered, wrapped up approach to dressing for the forthcoming autumn/winter weather conditions. For layered up inspiration look to shows such as Kenzo Gaultier where tribal and utility were layered up and blended perfectectly and to Rag & Bone where the girls were dressed ready for Artic exploration with, up to as many as, nine layers!

How will you be tackling the Autumn/Winter conditions this year? Will you be braving it with a chic, minimalist wardrobe or will the frost win through making you throw on a few more layers? What do you prefer - minimalism or layering?























































LOVE,
CAM XX
Monday 9 August 2010
//EDITORIALS// VOGUE 2010// GUINEVERE//
Whilst it is The Moss that lands the coveted (safe, yet nonetheless beautiful) September issue cover, it is Guinevere Van Seenus who steals the show in her editorial for British Vogue. Harping back to a time when curves were the epitome of sexy, Guinevere looks every inch the retro pin up in corsets and skimpy sweaters.
LOVE!LOVE!LOVE!

Model: Guinevere Van Seenus
Photographer: Javier Vallhonrat
Styling: Lucinda Chambers






Lots of love and handjives,
CAM XX
Friday 6 August 2010
//PICKS FROM THE RESORTS// 7 OUTFITS FOR 7 DAYS//

While most of you still have your summers holidays to look forward to or are completely holidayed out from your vacations this summer, resort collections may not be at the forefront of your mind but now seems like good a time as any to take a look at the best looks winter vacations. Overall, The Boy and the Blog weren’t particularly bowled over by the majority of the resort collections on show, however there were silver linings provided by Celine, Balenciaga and Preen.

Take a look at The Boy’s seven outfits for seven days of holidaying fun!


What about you guys – what will (or did you wear) on your holidays? What did you think of the resort collections for F/W 2010/11? Favourites and least favourites?

Love,

CAM xx