Lucy & Yak X Emotional Waterfall dungarees style up

Talk about slow fashion! It's been over a month since my last blog post. Well, it is the school holidays which means ramming in day trips, holidays and games of monopoly in between, my day jobs and my ridiculous amount of hobbies and projects!

I have had this particular blog post in the making for weeks, from the photoshoot, to creating and editing vlogs and here we are, finally! It's time to share the love for not one, but two amazing independent designers....Drumroll please......

The Lucy & Yak X Emotional Waterfall dungarees! 

This is such an exciting collaboration between the Brighton based ethical dungaree brand Lucy & Yak (you don't own some Lucy & Yak dungraees yet? Where have you been?) and Bristol's finest, fabulous, kawaii punk artist, Emotional Waterfall! 

I may be a little biased here, as I am clearly obsessed with both of these inspiring creatives (just watch the vlogs!) so, I thought I would include a little No Debutante magic into the mix and show y'all how I wear my Lucy & Yak X Emotional Waterfall dungarees (whilst adding a fun dress up session using accessories from the depths of the - practically vintage - No Debutante wardrobe!). 

Expect a mash up of street and festival style, some surprises and lots of extra independent and sustainable designers. Watch the vlogs below for the full experience.

Sassy Streetwear 

Wear them with a belt, without a belt, with the bib hung low or layered up in the classic t-shirt underneath style (Emotional Waterfall t-shirt alert) or with a t-shirt on top (in this case a Duvet Days bespoke crop top) . Here are just four ways to wear 'em showing off that amazing Emotional Waterfall print! 

Festival glam mash up!

Step up the festival style and nip in your waist with a Butchi & Gosmos bumbag, pop on a neon crop top, adorn your ears with fabulous Dakota Rae Dust tassel earrings and take it to the next level with a luxurious silk kimono and bright yellow stilettos! (the latter not recommended for festivals). Layer up your Lucy & Yak dungarees with the straps up or down. The possibilities are endless! 



Here come the vlogs....

Lucy & Yak X Emotional Waterfall Dungarees style up Part 1

Lucy & Yak X Emotional Waterfall Dungarees style up Part 2

Thanks for watching.

Check out the No Debutante Instagram & IGTV platforms for daily updates into the No Debutante World!

How I became a slow fashion blogger

The No Debutante blog has been going for nearly 8 years in July! It has progressed from a pregnancy fashion blog to a lifestyle and fashion blog that supports independent designers, sustainable and slow fashion. 

There are no more shopping hauls or 'top 5 faves from the high street' posts as I am just not consuming fashion the way I used to and that's a good thing!

June's purchase a pair of mens leopard print trousers from the Urban Outfitters sale

At the most I figure I am buying one fashion item a month and that item is always considered on whether I need it and will I really wear it and most importantly, does it support slow fashion? 

Don't get me wrong. I love fashion, I love design, colour and print! I just don't follow trends anymore or dedicate myself to big fashion designers, which is maybe the wrong way to go for a fashion blogger and journalist, but I'm just being honest with myself and my ethics. 

Layering up in three independent designers creations including earrings by Kashaya Makes, Jacket by Kuccia & Duvet Days trousers

I am not a saint in supporting slow and sustainable fashion either. I love trainers and I am not completely against buying from the high street, I just don't buy that often and I don't crave for the next big thing, not even with trainers! 

I buy fashion items when I love them and limiting yourself helps you to see more clearly, which in turn stops that fast, random purchase, that you just had to buy, but never wore....

The importance is to get the balance right, in these images alone, featuring six of my outfits from the past couple of months, 10 items are from independent designers, 4 items from the high street, one was a present (and was handmade), one item was fashion salvaged and one item is vintage. This includes accessories and footwear too! I am happy that only a quarter of the things I have worn, originally came from the high street! I am going in the right direction! Small changes mean a lot! 

Print clashing in a fashion salvaged jumpsuit and Balulu jacket (upcycled from bedsheets). 

The way I blog has changed too. I used to beat myself about not blogging enough from my style posts to the latest trends and shows. When instagram came along it changed the way I shared my style forever. It's much easier to share one image a day or a week, it expresses your style perfectly whilst reaching a wider audience.

I could have given the whole blogging malarkey up but I still loved writing and wanted to encourage people over to my blog. Things changed again once I started supporting independent designers as this was a new edge on what I had previously been doing (the same as all the other fashion bloggers....yawn), it felt good to support and promote independents and they were also kind enough to share the love and direct their followers to my blog too! 

The No Debutante blog also got me the job as fashion editor at Bristol 24/7 magazine. It's done me proud! 

Vintage meets leopard print (left) my amazing new Bikini Kill t-shirt bought for me for my birthday by Phil (right)

I am not sure about the future of blogging but I will continue to blog at my own pace and hope you enjoy my little posts and that they inspire you in some way!

Do follow what I am up to on my social media platforms too - Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, all under the @nodebutante name 

Big Love & slow fashion xx

No Debutante X Jolanta Valeniece

It's here! The No Debutante X Jolanta Valeniece photo shoot collaboration!   

Jolanta is a photographer who works in both Bristol and London, capturing reportage style photographs of clubbers to edgy streetstyle photoshoots. 

This fun female collaboration took place on the same week as International Women's Day and was a great way to celebrate female empowerment! 

Thank you so much to the amazing and inspiring Jolanta xx

Location - Dean Lane Skate Park, Bristol

Photography by Jolanta Valeniece  
Styling & Model No Debutante



Boilersuit  - Lucy and Yak
Rainbow jacket - Primark
Trainers - Nike Air Force One Jester XX
Catsuit - Mannerswear
Mesh dress - Monki
Earrings - Tezla Designs
Beanie - That Thing

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

Sista Fashionistas

I have many fabulous & creative friends, each have their own style & dress well, but there is one friend who is positively on the same fashion wave length as me. We barely see each other anymore & live in different cities but we always seem to rock up with similar looks. My fashion twin is Selena,we are sista fashionista's, who are inspired by street style, bright colours, clashing prints & have been working the Harajuku girl look since the early noughties. 

Streetstyle devotees No Debutante & Dilly Foxtrot on our recent meet up

I met Selena when I lived in Leicester (where I also went to uni), at the time we both liked skate style & punk so were already on a similar fashion vibe, we then discovered Fruits, a Japanese street style book & magazine that featured quirky, Japanese kids from Tokyo, wearing the most amazing outfits. I was hooked from the moment I bought that book & went on a hunt to buy as many stripey long socks & brightly coloured tights as I could to perfect my Harajuku (the area in Tokyo where many of the Fruits photographs were taken) look. Independently to me, Selena was doing the same thing.

Winter layering featuring my new favourite polka dot trousers, a polo neck & a Fix Up Look Sharp sweatshirt.

I am not as influenced by Tokyo fashion as I used to be, the original Harajuku scene ended years ago & Fruits Magazine,sadly, no longer exists. It was also kinda ruined a bit for both Selena & I by Gwen Stefani (who was one of Selena's style icons up until this point) Gwen in 2005, announced she had discovered a new look & started the Harajuku Lovers perfumes, had the 'Harajuku Girls' dancers in her shows & just completely took it for herself, Harajuku had gone mainstream, everyone was into it. 

The Fruits style had been sold out to the corporate giants & whenever something starts 'trending' like that I immediately jump off the bandwagon. Selena and I were late-comers to the scene ourselves back in 2001, as the Harajuku style was first documented by Fruits creator & photographer Shoichi Aoki back in 1997. I, like a lot of people, wanted to remain unique in my style, so the popularisation of kawaii fashion was a fashion nightmare for me, the high street went Harajuku! Nooooo! 

Selena rocking her layers in a mustard jumper & tights, with a cute monochrome shirt & camouflage shorts.
"I got the shorts in the mens department in Primark" 

There is another side to the Fruits style that I am not too comfortable with; these Japanese kids were mass buying clothes, they were from comfortable backgrounds, had disposable incomes & nearly everything they wore was branded with labels from Vivienne Westwood to Super Lovers. It was more bling than the DIY kawaii-punk style that it first appeared to be; although the styling was amazing, there was a price to pay for kawaii fashion & that's not just lining the pockets of big brands, it was also wasteful, unsustainable & ethically bad. Disposable fashion is not something I want to be associated with. 

I took my inspiration from the styling alone, there was no way I could afford Comme des Garcons & Jean Paul Gaultier, so I became inspired to make my own clothes & recreate the look mixing my existing wardrobe with clothes I had created & contemporary items from the high street. The Fruits styling was always about the accessories too, so that was another easier way to covet the style, I am highly inspired by streetstyle these days but the roots to my look stem from Fruits magazine & a need to wear playful, comfortable, non-conformist fashion. 

Don't forget the twinning short crop pink hairdos - another fashion coincidence! 

Selena is also a fashion blogger & is known as Dilly Foxtrot Investigates in the blogging community, the blog is based around childrenswear, as Selena (like me) also used to be a childrenwear designer & (like me) had to put a hold on her fashion career to look after her (yes, like me again) three children (I told you we were fashion twins) & (there is a pattern emerging here.....like me) started a fashion blog to keep spreading the fashion love whilst looking after small children; blogging was a away in, to remain in the fashion industry & by any means necessary! 

The Dilly Foxtrot Investigates blog covers topics from raising children to her latest fashion obsessions. I personally get just as much fashion inspo from childrenswear as I do from adult fashion, the colours, prints & shapes are always so playful, I'm gonna dress like a kid for the rest of my life! Being a blogger, Selena also gets it that I love to document what people wear, many friends like fashion but aren't too keen to have me sharing their looks on my instagram & blog, which I totally respect, Selena let's me photograph her which is inspiring & much more fun! 

Modern vintage twinning back in 2003

Despite our love of playful styling Selena & I are still inspired by underground fashion trends & streetstyle, which is why, even after not seeing each other for a year, except on Instagram (which we both love), we still manage to have followed similar fashion routes & end up looking like we planned to dress the same way. It's laughable really, as we both get comments from people about the way we dress, we know we don't dress the same as the people around us but somehow we seem to follow the same fashion paths without being influenced by each other. As Selena put it at our most recent meet up "People think I am unique, that nobody else dresses like me but I tell them, there are thousands of people who dress like me, all over the world, I follow them on Instagram!". 

We both agree that we love Instagram, it is so friendly, people actually talk & compliment you, there are so many different people to follow & it's great to connect with fashionistas all over the world who have the same fashion vision as you, which was a connection we didn't have before social media. This platform really works, if you don't get hung up on how many followers you have, blissfully ignore the false/ like for like followers & just follow people that generally inspire you, it will make you feel happy, supported & inspired in a positive safe place. Spread the fashion love we say & find your fashion twins they are in this big world somewhere, in their thousands! 

All photography by No Debutante

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 here 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 

Sheer Love

Nothing new here, just a continuing love affair between sheer dresses, t-shirts and kimonos! If you are not up for the full on show your undies sheers, especially in these colder months, why not try adding a sheer top layer to your outfit like GEM's colourful sheer jacket or Neat Frontage's appliqued Kimono? Wear a long sleeve t-shirt over last seasons sheer slip dress with some trousers or leggings underneath, that'll keep you warm but will also add a new layer to your look. 

Yeah, the images below are giving off summer vibes but get inspired, how can you make sheers work for you this winter? Sheers can work all year round layered up, have fun with it AND give it a go! 

Lazy Oaf X G.E.M sheer jacket

Right. Juliana Jabour SS17
image sourced from vogue.com

The fabulous Neat Frontage sheer kimono
photography Luis Cruz Photography, model Rebecca Rose Robinson

All images courtesy of Lazy Oaf

Words By No Debutante

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

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here 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, Tumblr,  Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name.

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   

ND xx

Decorated Denims

Here's part two of the No Debutante current obsessions series, it features a few more denim pieces that have caught my eye and a couple of fashion independents & local designers denim pieces too. 

Denim Daze

Wear your denim baggy, patched up, customised, in bright colours and embroideries, make it kitsch and cute, add some streetstyle swagger, just don't wear it plain, it's embellished denim all the way! 

Masha Ma RTW Fall 2017

Push Button 

Customised denim jackets by Tail End

Customised denim jackets by AlleyKats

Give me space denims by Kuccia

Denim Love jacket and jeans by Lazy Oaf

Cute Romance jeans by Lazy Oaf

Miharayasuhiro Spring 2018 Menswear collection

Bright colors and striped denims at Typical Freaks SS 2018

All images sourced from vogue.com, Vogue Korea, lazyoaf.com, tailend.co.uk, alleykats.com typicalfreaks.com & kuccia.com

Words by No Debutante

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

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here 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, Tumblr,  Pinterest all under the #nodebutante name.

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   

ND xx

Current Obsessions - Libertine RTW - A festival of colour

If there is a designer that can take you from the summers glittery, colour wash of festival vibes to a bright and shimmery winter it has to be Johnson Hartig's, Ready to wear collections for Libertine. 

There are certain pieces that have caught No Debutante's eye from both the 2017 and 2018 collections. With glistening sportsluxe tracksuits, Warhol's pop art bananas on tweed granny coats and joggers to tie dye smothered hoodies. With retro style jumpers, print clashes and the return of leopard print, this time in XL prints.  It's a metallic glam, print clash, streetwear mess and will cheer up any winter! Napoleon hat optional!

Oversized tie dye hoodies a must for this winter!

 Super shine sequin emblazoned bomber jackets are everywhere this winter. Get inspired!

Pop Art inspired - The Velvet Underground's iconic Banana by Andy Warhol

Below, the oversized leopard print mash up! 

Photographs courtesy of vogue.com
Words by No Debutante

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

Check out my work with Bristol 24/7 magazine here 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

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

Thanks for checking in Fashionistas.   
ND xx