Fabfrocks loves: Levis Made and Crafted

Hi guys,
Earlier this week I went to check out the new offering from Levis: Levis Made and Crafted. Well I say from Levis, but actually that would be wrong: Made and Crafted is developed by Levi’s XX,an independent, creative division of Levi Strauss & Co. that develops and manages the exclusive Levi's Vintage Clothing and Made and Crafted brands. So that clears that up!

The collection is the perfect mix of modern and heritage, and is positioned as much more premium than the usual Levis line. My favourite piece? The Military green parka from the mens range! However unlike the standard Levis range, this one is definitely tailored to women. Think fitted jackets, loose shirting and shirt dresses, and such a big range of premium denim that there's bound to be a pair to suit everyone. The whole collection was made to be mixed and matched then teamed with cute ankle boots for the perfect effortless weekend wardrobe:

Shirting was huge from the womenswear collection, with plenty of casual shirtdresses to lust after

I loved the distressed detailing on this jeans, which I have tried and tested, and can assure you they make the thighs look much slimmer!

Also part of what I went to see was the new high rise family (which lands in Harvey Nicks early next month): a collection of three high waisted jeans. They come in skinny fit, boot cut or flared shapes. I'm not normally a fan of high waisted jeans, as they aren't the most flattering cut. But actually these sit on just the right part of the waist meaning they're beautifully flattering, not too high, but high enough to have a lovely modern 70s feel. The skinny pair are by far my favourite, but made to be teamed with chiffon blouses and oversized knitwear.

The price points are higher than I would normally pay for denim (£130 + per pair) mostly because it's something I rarely wear. But the quality speaks for itself, and really does justify the higher price. I've only worn my Made and Crafted jeans once, but I'm already a convert, and compared to my usual Topshop pair, you really can tell the difference in the quality: outfit post to follow.....

Love Tor xx

We are proud to waste your time.

Hello everyone,

Facebook is a mystical beast. It's a haven, a xanadu -a place where you can fight vampires, reunite with vaguely remembered school friends, be hit in the face with a virtual snowball and prevent child abuse simply by forwarding terrible poems with varying ABAB rhyme structures.

Accordingly, we have set up a Facebook group where fans and vaguely motivated well-wishers can congregate and luxuriate in the splendour of community that this blog provides.

Fab Frocks Facebook Group

Tor set it up - she's way more on the ball than me. She also drew our logo with her own mouse-bearing hand. Tor is pretty damn impressive.

But here's where I get all New York fashion gay, shake my head and finger in a rhythmic way and say:
"Honey -- high waisted jeans? Step back from the brink. Friends don't let friends bisect their torsos."
You'll see Tor's post below and no doubt you enjoyed her adorable plaid shirt and cardigan ensemble - I know I did. However: no no no no on those Primark jeans, Tor. Yes, I love the big golden sailor buttons too and I know they feel soft like a bunny. I say to you, however, look again at Mischa Barton - if you can clearly identify the lines of a woman's pubic mound then I say no amount of snuggliness can redeem the outfit. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say you look way better than Ms O.C. in your trousers. Again, this is not an endorsement of the trouser shape, merely an observation of your superior styling.

I too coveted the high waisted trend, especially in the mannish trouser style when it first broke on the high street last spring. It led to nought but sadness, fury and vaginal wedgies:

Maybe I'm just projecting my disappointment but I felt I must speak. Spend the £10 on wine, tea, cake and sparkly things. You deserve them all.

Love,
B.

The big debate: High waisted jeans?

Ok, so it was a trend that was huge in celeb-land (yes, that is a real place!) aaages ago! But as Primark have just got some rather lovely dark denim wide legged examples in store, i've only really started to consider whether it was a trend that will work for me this week. (The thought of paying £60 for the Kate Moss @ Topshop pair made me dismiss the trend when it first hit the highstreet this summer) High waisted jeans. Yes reader, i did sense you recoil in horror!

Now, the style icons that are Ms Barton and Ms Moss managed to pull this look off beautifully. Behold:

However, i'm inclined to think that if you took away the flat tums and perky breasts and wore these very same outfits you might look a little bit like an Eighties mum doing the school-run. This belief isn't entirely unfounded either. Jessica Simpson (God bless her!) tried to pull of the high waisted look, but the combination of bad top choice (polo neck and high waisters was never going to be a good idea) and ample busom led straight to this style disaster:

Eeeek! Lovely Jessica is normally so beautiful, and yet in this photo it actually hurts to look!

This leads perfectly to my own denim dillemma. I am closer in figure to Jessica Simpson (I wish) than Kate Moss, so can I wear the high waisted jeans I crave (because they're from Primark and they're so soft and only £10)? The jury is still out:

It's a denim conundrum: high-waisted jeans mean denim clinging to your tummy and shortening your torso, but Low slung 'hipster jeans' (my usual denim of choice means love handles and (i'm sad to admit) an ample display of butt crack whenever I bend over.It's enough to make you hope this seasons dress revival will last forever isn't it?