London Fashion Week AW14 highlights day 3

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As much as we all love a Pilotto print or a Kane curveball, for day-to-day most editors I know are happiest in a Margaret Howell sweater or the perennial favourite ‘crisp white shirt’. These we got this morning (in *gasp* – a new, bigger venue) with corduroy tailoring and full skirts, accessorised with calf length socks and midi heels…
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Margaret-Howell-Aw14

Likewise, Paul Smith gifts us reliable, gentlewomanly looks season on season – always with an excellent soundtrack (Fleetwood Mac on this occasion). My favourite looks were the pyjama layers and – of course – the skewiff scarf styling. Standout piece? This big-lapelled coat…
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From the ‘mature’ designers to spring chickens, Topshop Unique (below and top)  at the immense Tate Modern Turbine Hall gave us rebellious English teens in jumbled layered of tactile textures. Anoraks, furry chubbies and prom-style dresses were piled together as if dressing for an epic forest rave in which anything could happen. Ever the difficult teen, we even had a calamitous mule-sock combo going on. (“You’re not going out like that, that’s an accident waiting to happen!” I didn’t quite say.)
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Goody bag of the day also came courtesy of Topshop. Tickets for Richard Hamilton and preview tickets for Matisse Cutouts at Tate Modern… that certainly beats a bottle of Vitamin Water and a can of hair mousse.
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More teen culture was represented by Sophia Webster’s Paris Hilton-infused ‘Heartbreak Hotel’. Scantily clad preening teens texted in bedroom set-ups surrounded by kitsch Webster-logo-ed paraphernalia (Sophia Webster soap flakes anyone?). And then there were the shoes – candy-coloured confections with zany embellishments for the ultimate Saturday night hot date. Personally I’d prefer it all dialled down a couple of notches but Ms Webster’s clients seem happy enough…
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Toga is a new one for the LFW schedule, and the cult Japanese brand put on a static show a few yards away from the Topshop venue. (Wise move.) It was a real highlight, with models styled in complex layers of contrasting shapes, patterns and textures and – of course – wonderful shoes. The flat shoe movement is producing some of the most creative walkable shoes we have seen for years. These were flat winkle pickers covered with a band of fur.
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Models of the day: Sam Rollinson at everything (ok, we’d better make her model of the week) and 90s favourites Kirsten Owen and Emma Balfour at Mary Katrantzou…
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A shout out to Palmer Harding who I’ve been following for a while, cos who doesn’t love a master shirtmaker? But they’ve moved their graceful white shirts up a level with a very accomplished show featuring ready-to-wear that riffs on paper, paper cuts and even highlighter pens. I loved the paper trail set design (by Malcome Pate, scented with a ‘paperback book fragrance’ by Demeter Fragrance Library) and the structured sweats made of technical jersey and leather…
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Palmer Harding

#TODAYIMWEARING… OK since you ask… too-short orange Joseph trousers (I have four of these now in different colours), pink Helmut Lang sweatshirt, about three layers of Hanro and HeatTech, Paul Smith cashmere socks, Church’s maroon brogues, Whistles jacket, Margaret Howell trench (year-round lifesaver). Plus my hundreds and thousands Swatch watch and Milli Millu Bilbao bag that happens to be the perfect blogger bag. Here’s me talking about it all with Seb Law from Notion magazine and the guys from the Shopcade app
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[Catwalk images: GPS Radar and Disneyrollergirl]