Three Summer trends Zara's got right this season
Zara.com

For some reason I haven't posted about Zara in a while, which is weird because it's one of the few highstreet shops I regularly check online. As I've said many times before I love their monthly look books because they give you a chance to ease into the change of season.

The April look book recently came out and I am in love with half of the pieces. Everything is super chic, very cool and so easy to wear, which are the three ingredients for a perfect spring look. As per usual, Zara is right on the money when it comes to trends. My personal favourite is, of course, the red peplum skirt – a perfect buy for anything from a cocktail party to a night out to a fun work ensemble.

The Spanish brand is also quickly becoming super popular for their jackets. They keep producing these Chanel-esque light jackets that suit everyone but that look completely different depending on the girl.

What do you think?

Zara.com, Carolinesmode.com, FashionToast.com

You might remember this shirt from my last Zara look book post. I loved it from the moment I saw it because it looked like such a delicate garment but the metallic ends of the collar added a cool edge in a sort of Far West way. It is what we call, in short, a classic with a twist.

Shortly after posting about it was going through Caroline's Mode blog and found a picture of her lastest buys, among which was the Zara shirt in question.

Today, going through Style.com's party section, I found a picture of Rumi from FashionToast wearing the same shirt to the Mulberry event that took place a few days ago in New York.

So it seems the blogosphere agrees with me and not only they like the shirt but they think it's Fashion Week-worthy!

Are you keen too?

Zara.com

I have been posting about Zara's monthly lookbooks for a while. When I first found them I thought they were such a brilliant idea and I still check up every 30 days to see what new things they have to offer. I also appreciate that they keep their simple aesthetic but still change the model and vibe every time to go with the clothes.

The August lookbook is all about getting ready for the winter. My absolute favourite piece is the double chested oversized green blazer, which can work so well both as a jacket and a coat.

I also loved the white, slightly see-through silk shirt with the big collar detailed in metal –a Western-inspired piece that can be so chic if styled in a minimal look.

And my third pick is the maroon-ish coat with leather sleeves and the faux-fur gillet on top. I doubt that this is all one piece but it works so well and it very much resembles Céline's FW11 collection.

FashionGoneRogue.com

It's kind of funny that I decide to post about FW11 coats this week when I am away on holiday at the beach. I guess it's made me realise We're mere weeks from fashion week and, hence, it's time to think of the new season.

Zara's TRF brand has some really great choices for this winter. My favourite are the oversized green and beige tweed coats. It's such a light and warm material and it's also quite soft, which is a great combination for winter. But the best bit about them is the cut. I love the A-shape and small collar of the green coat and the cropped sleeves and oversized lapels of the beige one. They would look so nice with a skirt and ankle boots in the winter or with a sort of garçonne look like the one in the middle.

Have you chosen your FW11 coat yet?

You might remember the Zara post from last month and how enthusiastic I was about their idea of releasing new mini-collections every month.

The May look book seems to be a lot more muted than April's. There are some bright blues and bold printed trousers but other than that this month's clothes are about shape.

I absolutely loved the sort of kimono blouse. It's a super versatile piece because it can work over trousers for a boho look but it can also be worn as a dress, as an oversized shirt with shorts or just as something to throw over your bikini for the beach.

I was also very keen on the black silky baseball jacket. The idea of using something so sportswear and making it more luxurious is very Alexander Wang. And this one can be worn as a sort of cape, which makes it even more chic.

I always feel a bit weary about wearing gold clothes but this mini skirt feels really chic, especially worn a bit dressed down like in the picture. I am a fan of lamé (although I rather doubt that's what it actually is), which looks excellent in summer nights, especially with a tan.

[Zara.com]

I love Zara's idea of releasing a monthly lookbook. I have been aware of them for a while but for quite a few months I've completely forgotten to see what they had to offer. I think it's a brilliant idea because not only it makes people excited about new items every 30 days (and hence, makes them buy) but it's also a nice way of helping you plan what you need/want to buy to build a nicely balanced wardrobe of classic and trendy pieces. The April looks are very clean and completely into the summer mood. There is a lot of very nice slightly toned-down bold colours like tangerine, yellow and what I like to call Jil Sander green in classic shapes. I absolutely love the loose tanks with the little pocket, the cropped camouflage parka and the Persian-printed palazzo pants. And how good is the styling? I can't wait for the next instalment.

[Zara.com]

e-Zara

Apparently today is all about high street news. I can't say this overshadows the Lanvin x H&M collaboration but it's definitely neck to neck with it battling it out as biggest news of the new month. Zara's online shop officially went up and started business today in the UK, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Italy.

The new site is simple yet rather chic and quite user-friendly. Everything, from the garment categories to the checkout and any other aspect you can think of have been taken care of to be as straight forward as possible. There is nothing difficult about buying Zara online. Payment is also simple as they take both credit cards (Visa, MasterCard and American Express) and debit cards (Visa Electron) as well as PayPal.

The best part about Zara selling online is their delivery. You can choose a Zara store for pickup, in which case delivery (from three to five days) is free of charge. An absolutely awesome option because you still kind of get the 'physical' shop experience. Or you can stick to the old school method and get it delivered home. With the same delivery time, you can choose between standard home delivery (£3.95) or  express home shipping (£9.95), which will get your fashion to you within a maximum of 48 hours. And the environmentally-friendly package customised they use for each delivery is simply the cherry on top.

I'm off.

copycat

Every season millions of people rejoice when the high street 'draws inspiration' from the catwalk. Endless blogs reflect this phenomenon in the shape of 'get the look for less' posts for those fashion followers that can't afford the real deal. Personally, traditional inspiration is completely respectable. However, when the lines are crossed and patterns are blatantly copied this fact becomes a simple case of copyright infringement. For SS10, Zara has once again crossed that line adopting many of the popular designs of the season as theirs (copies of Phoebe Philo's line are specially hurtful). Can you put the pieces back together?

If you have a look at the Zara website, be it the lookbook or the catalogue, cases like the above are endless. How do you think this affects the industry? Are you one of the million of copy adepts?

I'm off.

[Pictures: Style.com, Zara.com]

soVIP bedtime story

Once upon a time there was a girl that was very bitchy and shady but very beautiful. She was very mean to Whitney and soon left to work at Elle. There she was mean to a whole other bunch of people. Then she met a German prince that was anything but Upper East Side. And she changed. And she wore a Zara shirt with amazing bright green DVF shorts. And she took everyone's breath away.

[Picture credit: theJJB.com]

I'm off.

PS. Someone please give her a hand with her makeup, though.

soVIP 3rd birthday

Such day as today, three years ago, I made my first post on soVIPzone. It feels like an age ago when I first wrote about Anna Wintour and the Oscars and accompanied the text with rather poorly edited images. A lot has changed since then —a new layout, more diversity in content and, most importantly, my new contributor and friend Giulia. And so, to celebrate my three years as a blogger I am giving you, the people who keep visiting and supporting soVIPzone, a look inside our rooms and wardrobes. Our very own fashion shrines where inspiration comes and goes and where all that you read here is written.

My room in Bermondsey —you can see Tower Bridge and the Gherkin from my bedroom window— is still a long way from being finished (please don't judge my shoe disorganisation) but everything from my inspiration wall to the order of my blazers and my trousers follow very strict arrangements. Also, I took a picture of my favourite daily shoes (clockwise from the grey suede ones: Cos, Lanvin, Acne, Cos, All Saints and Zara) and of my massive collection of blazers that takes up half of my wardrobe (each hanger has at least two and has anything from H&M and Zara to Hugo Boss and vintage pieces).

Giulia's room in Marylebone is the perfect space to dress up —high ceilings and plenty of white space. It gives her select assortment of statement jewellery an understated touch while it makes her jumbo Chanel, her Miu Miu array and her vintage Alaïa totally pop out even just on their hangers. Contrary to me, her shoes are perfectly organised in boxes —where you'll find anything from Zara and Stella McCartney to Louboutins and Dolce & Gabbana. It's her home-made portion of Heaven!

Thanks once more for keep checking back, leaving your comments and, generally, showing some love.

All the best,

Iñaki & Giulia x

[Picture credits: soVIPzone, excuse the bad technique!]