Mind your Manners

I was introduced to Manners London by Joh Rindom at the That Thing Festival launch in her Stokes Croft shop. I had scanned all the lovely garms, knowing I was going to buy something at the event (I always do) and one of the items, a monochrome geometric printed catsuit had caught my eye. I had paused and thumbed the item as I passed through the clothes rail and I turned around to see Joh greeting me wearing the very same outfit! It looked amazing! 

I usually dismiss a catsuit as I am not a skinny girl, just an average size 12/14 with a few squishy bits, but that's to be expected of a woman in her 40's whose had three kids! But seeing this catsuit (or jumpsuit as it is named at Manners) looking so amazing on Joh, just made me want the catsuit even more!

All dressed up in my Manners London jumpsuit for my gig at the Bristol Harbour Festival

The reason I am highlighting my shape is that what I hadn't realised on first inspection was that Manners London  - as their website suggests  - is 'not your average bodycon'. Using a trademarked fabric, Manners create gorgeous bodycon garms with added support for women with boobs, bums and tums! 

The VV Bodysuit worn by curvy and fabulous models

Joh Rindom and No Debutante twnning in our Manners London jumpsuits at the That Thing Festival fashion launch party
Photographs courtesy of Dulcie Horn

I can wear my Manners jumpsuit without a bra and I still feel safe, comfortable and nipped in, this garm is so flattering and |I love everything from the soft, comfortable fabric, the contemporary 'Esk print' and the low cut back, which makes me feel so happy to be able to go bra-less and actually bear my back! Something I would not have done before.

Manners London bodycon suits all shapes and sizes!

I am an avid bra wearer, I believe you should wear a well fitting and supportive bra and pay money to have the best cut bras, no Primark cheapies for me! At Uni I specialised in lingerie fashion design and my final collections featured a beautiful and fun supportive bra for a larger young woman; due to a gap in the market for beautiful bra's for bigger girls at the time. As you can imagine the decision to go bra-less wasn't taken lightly! 

Super cute yellow jumpsuit and Ikan print bodysuit

Since discovering Manners London I have fallen in love with the brand for many reasons, the first being that I just love the garms, the second is the supportive super thick stretch jersey fabrics and the third is that this brand focuses on making women of all shapes and sizes feel great in their garms. The story behind the brand is rather empowering too. 

Not your average bodycon! 

Self taught, designer and mother Sally Mansfield was forced to use local tailors, whilst living in Bali to make up garms for her curvier figure, as shockingly the Balinese shops sizes (and Asian shops in general) wouldn't fit her! Are there no curvy women in Asia?? Apparently not!

Sally Mansfield founder and designer at Manners London

Sally became inspired to create her own brand after befriending her fave tailors and asking them to help her produce a micro fashion collection with dreams of becoming her own boss to give her more time to spend with her son. The collection was created to empower woman and to be more inclusive of plus sizes. To stay connected to Bali all of the originally designed prints are hand screen printed in Indonesia. 

It's time to burn those bra's! 

On her return to London, Sally sold these amazing garms at Portabello and Spitalfields Markets, gaining inspiring and loyal customers along the way. Sally says the best part of her Manner London journey has been meeting so many beautiful, powerful, interesting, kind and strong women along the way! What an inspiration! 

I am a keen promoter of independent designers and Manners London is definitely my current obsession! 

Manners London Jumpsuits featuring No Debutante's fave red racer stripe want! 

There are so many amazing garms to be found from deep back bodycon dresses, flared trousers, pencils skirts with thick and supportive comfy waistbands, more jumpsuits, (I have my eye on the red go faster stripe style jumpsuit next) crop tops, wrap tops, leggings, bodysuits and the big trend of the year the Bardot top dress! All in flattering hot reds or blacks or in various prints from tropical leaves, to my fave Esk prints (in monochrome or super cute yellow and white) to beautiful fish (Ikan) prints.

Bodycon dresses with the shape of the summer  - The Bardot shoulder

Want to feel supported, empowered and glamorous without the restrictions of a bra? Free yourself and get over to Manners London now or regret it forever! 

Buy your Manners garms here www.mannersldn.com

No Debutante Loves Manners London! 

All photos (except the one's featuring No Debutante) courtesy of Manners London.

If you are having a fashion event, a new collection or fun event you would like No Debutante to promote please get in touch!

No Debutante promotes fashion independents, new designers & sustainable fashion. 

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine under my name 

Emma Gorton-Ellicott

If you are interested in collaborating with No Debutante or getting featured on the No Debutante blog please contact me nodebutanteblog@gmail.com

Keep up with No Debutantes OOTD posts, collabs and current fashion obsessions posted daily on all of the following. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name. 

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas

ND xx

Jeremy Scott SS 2014 - My Boyfriend's Back

It is now time to let the summer in! I have official grown tired of Winter and feel the need to look forward to what I am going to be wearing in the warmer months ahead.

I am starting with one of my favourite Spring Summer 2014 collections from one of my most favourite designers, Jeremy Scott.

This collection is bursting with print and colour, the look is high summer, its late 1950s pin-up and early 1960s sex kitten with a street style edge, I love it! Think Betty Rubble, Wilma Flintstone, Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray, The B52s and Amy Winehouse, you get the idea, it's fun but edgy.

The prints range from 1950s abstract art influences, TV test pattern vertical stripes and 1960s pop art to oversized 1980s paint splashes reminiscent of retro surf/skate style mixed with animal prints, all in rainbow bright technicolour. 

The styling consists of high summer bra tops, high neck crop tops, co-ords, asymmetric bodycon dresses, 1960s mini dresses, high waisted short fitted skirts worn with ankle strapped pumps, 1960s inspired ankle boots, oversized cats eye sunglasses and massive bouffant bob hairstyles. For the men there was a mix of teddy boy versus 1980s skater and surfer style with bold printed shorts, slim fit trousers and 1950s teddy boy on the beach style shirts and jackets worn with winkle pickers and greased up hair. Jeremy Scott is one of those designers whose fashion vision works for both men and women and he incorporates this into his collections with ease, linking styling and prints together to make fantastic collections for everyone to wear.

How am I going to wear Jeremy Scott SS 2014?? Well, unless Jeremy Scott decides to send me some of the collection to wear and blog about this summer, I think I shall have to go with plan b (as usual) and recreate the look using my current wardrobe and a few found pieces from the high street. I really, really love co-ords (matching top and bottoms) it's such a vintage idea that sounds twee but looks great! Topshop and Asos have started to sell a few examples of this over the past few seasons, which is great but, I really haven’t fallen for any of them yet (there is always a yet) so until I do, I shall just buy/wear separates and recreate co-ords for myself. I shall be wearing my ever loved crop top vests with high waisted shorts and skirts, revealing a small amount of torso!  I have a ton of bodycon which I had since disregarded but perhaps need to reconsider again and I am also partial to a little sixties shirt minidress at the moment, all I need to do is backcomb in my beehive and pop on my cats eye sunnies and I’m ready, it's all about the styling daaaarrling!

How can you wear Jeremy Scott SS 2014?? Well, perhaps you are rich and can afford Jeremy Scott, or perhaps you could just consider buying vest tops and dresses in the similar prints as in the collection. Wear crop tops, if you are brave enough (go on, give them a go with a high waist trouser or skirt) purchase a new 1960s summer mini dress and embrace the return of the asymmetric top. If the full on Jeremy Scott look isn't for you, why not consider it for the beach with swimwear and co-ords in 1950s style prints? It's all over the high street already. Whatever you do, just wear your Jeremy Scott this summer with big hair and oversized cats eye sunglasses and work that vintage look!

And for all you skater teddy boys out there, choose 1950s print short sleeve shirts, retro skate printed shorts and don’t forget the rockabilly hair……you’re  looking good daddio.

 Thank you for the inspiration Jeremy Scott!

All images courtesy of Vogue.com

Catch up with No Debutante soon for more sista fashionista fun!

Thanks for reading.

ND xx

No Debutante - West End Girls

The summer holidays seem like a distant memory now but I have still have a few more summer personal style posts to go, I am definitely playing catch up! For anyone who wants to see what I am wearing right now you need to follow me on Instagram here   instagram.com/nodebutante

Today's photographs were taken on a late summer visit to my hometown Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, UK. It's a traditional seaside town and when I visit these days I visit as a holiday maker and we eat fish and chips, walk along the prom and my kids love the water park! I always meet one of my oldest friends Rachel (who now lives in London) with her family and we do the holiday thing with all of our five kids and they love it. 

I have chosen to wear a land girl style outfit in dungarees and scarf in my victory rolled hair. Rachel, like me, is not scared to dress the way she wants to and there is always lots of colour and prints and on this day she wore a fantastic bodycon dress and large sunglasses. I always love the way this girl dresses!! Along with myself and my friend Selena, Rachel will one day become a granny fashionista, I know I will not be alone in my mad old, colourful printed clashing world! Rachel, will definitely be the one in leopard print!! Rachel has more leopard print than me which I thought was impossible! 

Check out the photographs of what we wore and what the kids did!

Happy Days!!

Thanks for following xxxxxxxx

ND xx

No Debutante - Work it

So, the rain and wind came and ruined my summer outfits! Here are Wednesday and Thursdays outfits for work. I really wanted to wear my ridiculous shoes both days but as you know, they are not practical for all my walking!! I woke up in a daze on wednesday so my outfit was pretty simple, a bit of bodycon and a crop top. I'm not lovin my hair down without the pink in it either but I am off to see my hair stylist Vikki Mac in a couple of weeks and the pink tones and streaks will be restored!
Inspired by my Wedges and Creepers post I wore my Underground creepers today with short shorts and my bright yellow Gang of Four t-shirt and my hair is up with a head scarf, much better!!

Hope you liked todays short and sweet personal style post, I shall be back tomorrow with more fashion inspirations and current obsessions!

Have a good evening.

ND xx
 

No Debutante - I got 24 Hours to go....Make me over!

So I have heard on the bloggers grapevine that there are less than 24 hours to go until the Company Style Bloggers Awards close for nominations, so anybody who would like to nominate my blog in the Best Personal Style Blog catagory should do so asap!!! A massive thank you to everyone who has nominated for me, so many of you have let me know that you have done so and it is very encouraging for me as a blogger and I am so grateful, any last minute stragglers can vote for me here www.company.co.uk/stylebloggerawards2013

 

I've not given this post a theme as such although my old favourite H&M bodycon dress has been making an appearance this week and there is definitely a monochrome theme in there too. I have a special treat at the end of this post for one of my blog followers who may or may not be happy with being featured on my blog but I know she was happy on the day!

What I did to Dawn!

 

 

 

Let's set the scene here, one afternoon just before school pick up, I popped round my friend Dawn's and decided to give her a quick make-over. Dawn is very particular about her appearance always has a great vintage style dress on, never wears trousers or jeans (honest!) and always wears her long straight black hair down. So using what can only be described as Barbies tiny comb and hairbrush (Dawns kids) and some hair grips I quickly backcombed and styled Dawns hair up into a quiff with 1940s style twists at the sides. I wasn't allowed to make it too big or too different.....Dawn was unsure, but I had laced her hair with hairspray so there was no escaping the new hair and with no time to brush it out she had to wear it up on the school run! I only remember 'No, it's too different!' before we left but after many compliments (and my encouragement) I think I heard the words 'I love it'. I think you could call that a success??  Dawn has even agreed to let me pin up the back next time and perhaps add some victory rolls! The challenge after that will be getting Dawn wearing trousers, really, this is a massive challenge!! I don't think I'll ever grow out of make-overs!!  Thank you Dawn! Who's next?

 

All styling and photographs by No Debutante.

 

ND xx

No Debutante and Mark Sewell Photography Collaboration No 2 -Part 3 Real Wild Child

I have to apologise with the lack of posts of late, for once it has nothing to do with illness, I have been real busy planning my club night Bang's big 10th year Birthday party which might I say was an amazing success last Saturday night!! It wasn't just arranging the event that took up my time it was the rehearsing for the Bang Band which forms once every 5 years to celebrate Bangs more significant birthdays and I also made a Bangzine (Bang's fanzine) which features all the photographs that I have taken over the past 5 years, there is also a previous Bangzine which celebrates the first 5 years. Its great to see all the different faces and fashions that happened at my little club night over the past 10 years, I'm so happy we have evidence that it has happened!! I promise to do some posts with all my favourite Bang pics very soon!

 

OK,  so yeah, I've been busy, so busy that I haven't managed to show you the last part in the most recent photoshoot collaboration between No Debutante and Mark Sewell Photography.

 

Part 3 has been named Real Wild Child due to the overload of faux animal print and fur that feature in the shoot. It wasn't planned, I had taken along the bodycon tiger print dress and wanted to show off my new fur coat bought in the Topshop sale.

 

The photos, for me, have come out looking like a mash up between Jerry Hall late 1970s early 80s glamour, punk and those girls in the Happy Mondays video for Kinky Afro, some people say they were prostitutes, but who am I to judge, let's say their look is very early 1990s glam, whatever, I am happy with the result.

 

 

 

 

All styling by No Debutante and all photographs courtesy of Mark Sewell Photography.

Clothing from Topshop and Underground at Office Shoes.

 Watch this space for another collaboration between No Debutante and Mark Sewell in the future.

I've gotta go because the baby has woken up but I thought I would leave you with this. Hope it works??

 

http://youtu.be/pJCZml22k50

 

 

ND xx

No Debutante - Hello

Since my last post, we've had a bit of snow here in Bristol and my kids finally got to use those sledges that we got them for Christmas, two years ago! I got an unexpected day off work, thanks to the snow and nearly didn't make it to the planned studio photo shoot collaboration with my photographer friend Mark Sewell. Thankfully the roads were cleared yesterday so watch this space for the next instalment of the collaboration.

 

Here are the second lot of images showing what I've been wearing since Christmas taken with my usual little Sony digital camera.

Look at my lovely Antoni and Alison purse that my husband bought me for Christmas. I always love the Antoni and Alison vacuum packaging, so I had to show it to you! This purse is so useful, it's longer than a usual purse and I can fit my phone and ipod in too!! I love the childish punk prints and Antoni and Alison were my new favourite shop back in the 1990s....Oh, Antoni and Alison, it's been a long time but I still love you!! Check out the website here http://www.antoniandalison.co.uk 

 

My latest pair of 1940/50s style jeans from my new favourite shop Freddies of Pinewood (also a present from Phil) worn with my oxblood Dr Martens which I was lucky enough to blag from the recent shop launch, attended by myself, Rudi and Mark Sewell back in October 2012. I seriously have a Dr Martins problem at the moment, they had a half price sale on the other day and I didn't leave the shop empty handed. Whoops! Watch this space for my latest purchase!

More new shoes?? Yes, another present from my husband (yes, I was totally spoilt this year) These leopard print Topshop high tops come with a removable wedge heel that you put into the shoe. I haven't actually worn them without the wedge yet, they look great on and I thought I'd pair them with a bit more leopard print...You can never wear too much, I say.

OK, here's a brief explanation about those monstrous sized decorations behind me in these photos. Phil and I put them up after having one too many mulled wines on Christmas Eve as a surprise for the boys on Christmas morning - A kind of Santa's grotto, if you will - we did mean to take them down but they managed to stay up for two weeks! Was the reason for this that we didn't have time to take them down? Was it sheer laziness or did we secretly (blatantly...ahem!) Quite like them? Enough said..

Leopard print bodycon, red ankle socks and brothel creepers! Oh, and Phil's new skate deck.......See I did treat him this Christmas too!!

Pink!!

Check out my new Tatty Devine pink lightning earrings!!

Quick secret....This jumper has been in the bag it came in since last Christmas....That's bad, isn't it? Don't judge me, I'm wearing it now....

More land girl style in my new jeans!

I'm really loving the bigger jeans and Dr Martens boots look for this Winter, it's so masculine but also 1950s cute worn with stripey tops and big knits.

 

My next post will be the studio photo shoot collaboration with No Debutante and Mark Sewell. Very exciting!! Watch this space!! ND xx