Fashion editor of Lula and Clash, Lola Chatterton, is the sort of stylist who embodies every girlish fantasy imaginable: she’s got a Spice Girls-emblazoned leather jacket, a wardrobe filled with Meadham Kirchhoff, and rainbow-coloured hair. Basically, rather than going down the route of editorial style that favours an understated clutch paired with a Celine jacket, she looks like a grunged-up ray of sunshine – or, as she puts it, ‘a rainbow riot grrrl.’
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We asked Lola how she manages to toughen up sequins and how monochrome devotees can enter a world of colour and glitter without looking too OTT… because whose wardrobe doesn’t need a little more of that now it’s grey outside?
Be Brave: No-One Is Staring
‘There’s no such thing as too much colour or glitter and don’t worry about matching,’ explains Lola. ‘Start with a tiny flash of colour, like a sock or a watch, and slowly build it up…. Basically, don’t be scared because no one’s staring!’
Girlishness Doesn’t Have To Mean Sweetness And Light
Holes in her tights and a baby pink tee, Lola shows that there are ways of wearing pastels and floral print without looking like a tweenager: ‘I wear a lot of super-girly pieces but wear them a bit undone, so it adds a little edge. Meadham Kirchhoff’s shows always inspire me; I love combinations of girliness and grunge.’
Look To The London Catwalks And Be Excited
You don’t need to look outside the UK for new design inspiration: with a wardrobe filled with Marques’Almeida, Louise Gray and Meadham Kirchhoff, Lola is deeply patriotic in her love for London designers. ‘Some of my favourite designers are based here in London: people like Louise Alsop, Meadham Kirchhoff, Simone Rocha, Ashish, Louise Gray and Marques’Almeida. Everything about the industry here excites me: new collections, new designers, the amazing clothes and being able to shoot them in my own way every season.’
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**Celebrate The 90s **
Nineties pop stars are another treasure trove of inspiration. ‘I either wanted to work in fashion, or be a pop star – but I can’t sing or dance. The Spice Girls are my favourite band and my style icons… alongside Courtney Love.’
But it’s not just the musicians from the nineties that give Lola inspiration for combinations like sequined minidresses and bunches. ‘My film style icons are people like Romy and Michele from Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and Cher from Clueless, duh!’ And we definitely think Cher would approve of the Louis.
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Scour The Internet For One-Of-A-Kind Vintage
Finding bargains online is the best way to avoid looking like an identikit fashion blogger. ‘I never shop on the high street – I love searching the internet for stuff because I hate having the same thing as everyone else. eBay is amazing for finding things like old D&G and Versace.’
Don’t Over-Accessorise… Unless You’re Adding More Sparkle
‘I don’t accessorise that much, usually just a choker and a Baby-G – an outfit should speak for itself. Saying that, no outfit is complete without sunglasses and sparkly tights.’
Ying And Yang Style With Your Mates
We asked Lola which of her friends’ styles she loves the most: ‘My friend Holly [Hay, in the grey tracksuit bottoms] has an amazing style, very chic and sporty – we call ourselves ying and yang because we're so different. And my friend Harriet [Verney, pink hair and red sunglasses] is just fabulous, I think her style is sometimes similar to mine – we both had coloured hair for a while and she sometimes wears really sexy stuff but then makes it look undone and cool. All my friends inspire me in different ways.’
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Look For Colour Everywhere
‘When I get a day off, I love spending the day at exhibitions – I recently loved going to see the Matisse retrospective, which was just amazing and so colourful! I’m also excited to go see Viviane Sassen at The Photographers Galley this week; I think that her pictures are so interesting and she's doing something completely different to everyone else at the moment. Plus, her use of colour is beautiful,’ says Lola.
‘I did have a black phase, but it didn’t last very long; I’ve always been drawn to pink and sparkly things. I live with live with an amazing set designer so decorating our house is her job; I just do my room pink and sparkly!’
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.