When Casual Traditionalism Meets Formal Urbanity

Formal, urban outfits usually consist, for men, of smart suits, shiny shoes and a tie. Ladies don a smart trouser suit, high buttoned blouse and kitten heels, right? Well this might be our conventional view of formal, urban fashion but, in the modern world, there is increasing room for fusing formal work clothes with classic casual
looks.

A match made in heaven

The modern tendency to merge formal working urban attire with classic casual styles can be pinned on two major factors – one of which being that there is a now a tendency for companies across the world to adopt a more casual office environment. This new trend, known as ‘business-casual,’ is being embraced across the country. As a result, the style of clothing people wear to work has evolved from the classic suit and tie, to a much more informal look which combines formal work wear with casual leisurewear styles.

Taking classic business styles – such as pencil skirts, buttoned blazers and kitten heels – and dressing them down with something fresh, modern and casual is now a fun and appropriate look for the office. And the Spring/Summer 2012 season is all about combining these classically diverging styles. Previously unheard of
amalgamations – such as wearing a leather skirt with a cotton T-shirt – are being transported from the catwalk straight into the office.

The influence

But the current trend of combining the casual with the formal can’t be placed solely at the hands of evolving business culture. Fashion brands can also be seen as having a major influence in this innovative style, and none more so than G Star Raw.

The Very.co.uk G Star Raw collection combines classic casual styles and fabrics, such as denim and sneakers, with formal city styling for both men and women. In fusing the ultimate ‘work-to-play’ look, G Star Raw is pioneering the world of fashion, and is enjoying phenomenal popularity and success.

The G Star Raw range includes everything from original jeans to staple T-shirts in classic colours and cuts, as well as sports-inspired shapes and fits. This trend to formalise traditionally casual garments – such as jeans, T-shirts and even sportswear – by giving them tailored, fitted cuts and business-like buttons, is playing a central role in the ‘business-casual’ fashion styles that are currently dominating both office and high street culture.

I do a lot of shopping online – almost all of it in fact. One thing I’m addicted to is dresses. Every week I tell myself I need to give my debit card a rest, and my wardrobe a chance to sort itself out, but every week I end up seeing dress and before I know it, there it is, sitting in my virtual basket.

One of the places I love to shop at is Very.co.uk. Aside from selling a vast range of women’s fashion clothing, from the biggest brands you can think of, they also have a buy now pay later option that helps me spread the cost (and therefore the guilt!) when I indulge in my favourite hobby.

As I’m such a dress-aholic, people are always asking me which ones are my favourites, and that is such a hard question to answer that I decided to put it down on paper (well, a screen…).

You see, I love dresses in general. They allow me to be bold, brash or beautiful depending on my mood. They keep me covered for every possible social scenario – from weddings to parties. They allow me to express myself so that one moment I can be the sophisticated office woman, the next a sassy style fox, oozing glamour and feeling sexy.

When you search Very’s women’s dresses, you’ll find a wide range from the biggest brands (how do Diesel, Fever, French Connection and Lispy grab you?). And the chances are I’ll have at least one of each style hanging in my ever expanding wardrobe space (my boyfriend is finding himself more and more pushed into a single chest of drawers – he understands!).

For those sophisticated moments I like to go with a pencil dress. These are elegant and bold, yet retain a subtlety that, to me at least, keeps me looking classy. A pencil dress requires nothing more than the right heels and a clutch bag to achieve a gorgeous evening look.

I also have my share of printed dresses. These are very good when women want to show off their fun, cheeky sides. Classy prints with a bold pop of colour don’t so much grab the attention as drag it kicking and screaming by the scruff of the neck!

My absolute favourite dresses though are probably my collection of maxi dresses. I’ve got all sorts of styles, and they all tick their own boxes on my fashion ‘to do’ list.

And for the times when my inner princess comes out and I want to feel like the belle of the ball? Prom dresses are just the thing. Maybe it’s all those American films I’ve been addicted to my whole life, but there’s nothing to help make your fashion fairytale become a reality than a shimmering prom dress.

Like my choices? Try searching out your own Very women’s dresses and find your favourites.

Very.co.uk has today announced its hunt to find the nation’s best fashion advisor to join a panel of style experts, each with a chosen style specialism. The search, spearheaded by celebrity designer, Fearne Cotton, is to be part of the new Very V-Team – a panel of five experts who will give customers style advice and conduct monthly makeovers.

Working alongside top fashion stylist, Kirsty Drury, interior stylist Sally Cullen, makeup artist Gini Bogado and Cate Sevilla, a tech expert, the lucky fashionista will assume the V-Styler title and win a £50,000 package in return for being part of the team and will benefit from additional perks suchs as attending top fashion events throughout the year and even helping design a range which will be sold online at Very.co.uk.

Celebrity fashionista and Very.co.uk’s own designer Fearne Cotton announces the search for the nation’s most style savvy fashion advisor saying, “I think the Very.co.uk V-Styler competition is a fantastic idea. Everybody knows someone who just always gets it right style-wise. It’s brilliant that somebody with that obvious talent and eye for detail is going to get the chance to make a career for themselves out of their knack for knowing what’s chic and suits others.”

The competition is open for the next four weeks and will be run via facebook – enabling people to vote for the person they would most like to win the title of ‘V-Styler’ and join this leading V-Team.

How to enter:

v ‘Like’ Very.co.uk’s Facebook page

v Enter via the competition tab by uploading a picture from your existing Facebook photos

v Describe why you would be Very’s perfect fashion advisor

v Start collecting your votes!

v Watch out for further opportunities for you to get people to vote for you

The competition closes on Wednesday 6th July with the top three entries with the most votes then being invited to Very HQ to tell the panel more about their fabulous unrivalled fashion advisor skills.

A wildcard finalist will also be selected for that extra chance to win this amazing competition.

The competition will culminate in the lucky winner being announced at a grand finale at an exclusive event in London in July.

The V-Styler search is being launched to announce the introduction of the ‘V-Team’, a panel of
experts which are now on hand to give Very customers style advice. The team will be posing a style dilemma each month and if you face the same problem you could be in the running to win a personal makeover, courtesy of the V team.

SO If you think you one of the nations best dressed, fashion advisor extraordinaire and can out-style the most dedicated fashionista, enter via the Very.co.uk’s Facebook page with an image of yourself and a description of why you should be selected as Very’s V-Styler.

Good luck!

xxx