Transfer Talk: Robin van Persie

It seems that summer happened and everything else comes to a stand still - especially around here. First and foremost we'd like to apologise for the lack of activity on the Colney Chic. There has been a massive amount of travelling in my part, and a lot of Lia things and shenanigans in hers. (You can ask the details of that to her yourself). Euros came and gone, and so did the Olympics. Now here we are closing in to the end of summer and the start of another football season. 

The months between the seasons are often gruelling, but fear not - transfer rumours will relentlessly keep you company whether you like it or not. As expected, one player will sickeningly dominate the transfer activities during the break. Arsenal seems to be quite good at providing said players (see: Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri) so why should this year be any different? This summer, we witnessed the classic will-he-won't-he saga provided by the Arsenal frontman and (now ex) Captain, Robin van Persie. 

I have an unhealthy relationship with Robin van Persie. And by relationship, I mean obsession. And by obsession, I mean a sickness. He was plastered on my walls, downloaded to my laptops, and on my lips 24/7 for the past 5 years. Maybe it was the amount of time I spent talking about him to the point of nausea that helped me cope through this summer or maybe it was the fact that I just couldn't care less anymore. Ever since he released that bordering on megalomania statement, I knew I wanted him to pack his shit, give back the keys, and out the door. 

In the words of Whitney Houston: it's not right, but it's okay. 

Now I'm not the football fan blessed with the talent to write a witty thought-provoking article with tactics thrown around like it's Jaeger on a Saturday night, but I'll attempt and give my two cents in the best way I know how. I tend to liken a player's stay at a certain club to a relationship. Many football fans do use this allegory, though I like to think I take it further and better. The Cesc case is easy - he was still head over heels with his first love whose relationship he had ended prematurely, being young. The Samir case was a regrettable one night stand, and Henry's is the 'we know we're each other's love life even if we're not together'.

Robin is the one you waited for so long to be good to you. Robin is the one you loyally stood by while he went out to prove himself a man. Robin is the one who showed you off to his friends and made you sure he was yours. Robin is the one who endlessly hinted a proposal. The one whose closet you dare ransack to prove there's a ring only to realise, he's nothing more than the one that could have been. A dream. A postcard promise. A lie. A disappointment. A waste of time. 

Like the rest of them he leaves you for the neighbourhood whore - famous for all the wrong things. 

These two looks are created inspired by the philosophy of the two reds Robin van Persie has painted his career in. We attempt to embody the spirit of both Arsenal and MU in the context of the transfer through both outfits. The Arsenal look is unique, fashion-forward, and a little on the quirky side. We chose a draped silk dress with a twisted bust that spits out fabric to the knees, calf-hair pumps, and wooden box clutch with a matryoshka as a charming accent. The Man U look is strong, time-tested, and in your face. A rouched snake-skin print lacy dress showing skin in all the desired places, strappy sandals, and a solid black clutch completes the man-catcher look. 

Dress (Arsenal), Prabal Gurung, £789.25

Shoes (Arsenal), Alexandre Birman, £345

Clutch (Arsenal), Charlotte Olympia, £480

Dress (MU), Roberto Cavalli, £1690

Shoes (MU), Rupert Sanderson, £543

Clutch (MU), Bottega Veneta, £1125

Country Costumes: Germany

Ah, Die Mannschaft. Traditionally one of the most successful teams on an international level, Germany have three World Cups and three European Championships under their belts. I don't have very strong memories of the team until 2006, when they played on home soil. Although the first time I'd watched them play was back in 2002, I was barely 9 at the the time and the only memories of the final against Brazil I have are both of the latter side. I only remember Ronaldo's strange hair and the nickname we Chinese had affectionately given him - Alien. (And of course their performance at Euro 2004 was less than impressive).

Starting from 2000, Die Mannschaft have had a bit of a rollercoaster ride in the major tournaments - crashing out in the group stages of Euro 2000, reaching the World Cup final in 2002, and again crashing out in the group stages of Euro 2004. Their talent has finally seemingly reached a steady level with third place in 2006, second in 2008, and again third in 2010. The newest talents like Müller, Özil, Kroos, and Badstuber came in and melded almost seamlessly with the first wave of new talents that had arrived a few years earlier in the form of Podolski, Schweinsteiger, and Lahm, together phasing out the aged (or injured) "old guard," as I like to call them.

I found myself pulling for Germany in the third place match back in 2006, deeming it the lesser of two evils as I was bitter as hell over Portugal having knocked my precious Oranje out of the tournament. Everyone probably still remembers the Euro 2008 final, where a lone goal by Fernando Torres (what is he up to beside flopping like a fish out of water these days anyways?) was enough to bring Germany down, and of course Spain again triumphed over a psyched out Germany in the 2010 semifinals.

In recent years Germany have morphed from a nation that once played effective, boring football to one that plays beautiful, effective football. I remember being shocked by the change in the group stages of 2010, as I watched Germany take apart Australia's physical side with little effort, bleary eyed in the early hours of Beijing. I've taken this shock into account with the white printed dress, the black print resembling a chaotic field of wildflowers and paired it with red pumps, a red clutch, and yellow retro shades, much like the standard German kits of white accented with yellow, red, and black. Accessories include the asymmetrical white and pale gold two-toned bangle and eagle charm necklace, a reference to the DFB eagle.

Dress, Dorthy Perkins, £43;

Pumps, Steve Madden, £50;

Clutch, Lanvin, £860;

Necklace, Lanvin, £1120;

Bracelet, Marni, £249;

Sunglasses, Mango, £20

Country Costumes: Spain (Kay)

With the Euros looming over us in less than a month, the Colney Chic is shifting gears for the duration of the competition in bringing you looks and features inspired by the 16 teams that will be fighting for the title of Head Bitch In Charge - boots polished, kits pressed, sexual abstinence and everything. The fans will be front and centre, lager in hand, hair dyed and face painted. While the Euros are rather young (established in 1960) in comparison to the World Cup, it certainly doesn't lack the passion and sense of togetherness that its global counterpart envisions.

With the European continent being at the heart of the game, the Euros is sometimes used as a prerequisite in predicting the World Cup contenders. This was certainly true for the Spanish football team, whose success in the 2008 competition cemented their true potential in reaching their first World Cup win. And win they did, as Italy handed down their crown to La Roja in the cold Johannesburg winter. I attended the match myself, and while I blanked out and fell to tears after witnessing my team (Netherlands) lost in such an unforgiving manner I did remember the red fireworks surrounding the stadium when the world was at Spain's feet at that night.

I could never truly forgive Spain, and neither could my mother. She complained about Spain's undeserved win, arguing her case passionately for months. (To this day, she still talks about the obnoxious Spanish fans she pretty much drove out of the Holland box we were sitting in). However, my bitterness can't overwhelm the fact that I respect Spain as a team. As defending champions of the Euros, it's only right that we kick off our Team Togs special, dubbed 'Country Costumes' with the Tiqui-taca enforcers.

When I think of Spain, I think of conquistadores, paella, and Philip II. I think of the long nights I slaved away in front of my laptop writing about the often misunderstood, though undoubtedly fanatical Spanish king for my professor. I think of painting my faces in the German colours as I sat down with my housemates in the common room rooting against those darned Spaniards and waking up our housemistress who in turn, yelled at us to go to sleep. The point of all these anecdotes are collective memories. A country is a bank of memories, full of stories and experiences that may be sweet or sour.

Coming to terms with the idea of memory - especially repressed memory - Spain comes to mind with its blackened history post-Civil War. Taking off from a heavy topic, I thought about the histories that do remain - memories that are more fiery than it is cold and dark. The team is called La Furia Roja for a reason and my take on the Spanish look is represented in the spirit of Spain and its iconic red. The bustier and skirt set with chilli peppers as a print is a fun take on vintage summer dressing. Think lunch on the deck in Lake Como. We pair it with modern items such as a red-hot python envelope clutch and black chunky gladiator heels. Accessories are more traditional, using a gold rosary to represent the strong Roman Catholic tradition in Spain to wrap around your wrist, a cocktail ring based on crown jewels and Catholic iconography, and to finish a retro yet modern cat-eye shades to fight that summer sun.

Bustier, Dolce & Gabbana, £535
Skirt, Dolce & Gabbana, £580
Bag, Lanvin, £825
Shoes, Elizabeth & James, £217
Ring, Virgin Saints & Angels, £138
Rosary, Heather Gardner, £217
Shades, Miu Miu, £225

Safe Hands: Hot, Hot, Hot

Bright red nails have always been popular, no matter the season or occasion. Red nails with a black evening dress? Gorgeous. Red nails with jeans and a simple tee? Low key with a hint of glam. Red nail varnish is simply timeless compared to its brothers and sisters that look tacky when they're used outside of their respective time-lines.

Today we're (finally!) back with a fun twist to the ever-classic candy apple red shade. Two coats of of NYC's Big Apple Red Creme followed by a swipe or two, depending of course on how much glitter you want, of Wet'n'Wild's Wild Shine in Kaleidoscope are all you need for sparkly red nails vaguely reminiscent of ruby slippers right out of the Wizard of Oz.

One True Look: Steven Gerrard/Xabi Alonso

Look at Lia taking all the weight on her shoulders to keep this blog alive! I can only apologise for our lack of posts these past two weeks - I've been down with the flu and now I've been away in Canada. With the enviable skills of persuasion of a friend, she made a good case that it's now or never so here I am posting an idea that's been sitting on the drafting table for quite some time now. After leaving the colour-blind Spanish twincest, we decided to go down a more classic route with a rather old school yet still endearing pairing of none other than Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso. 

The thought of combining a well-dressed Basque and a truly passionate Liverpudlian makes my heart flutter as my brain quickly whirs to overdrive, knowing exactly what I wanted to go for. Knowing that Spaniards can't dress even if they were to undergo multiple makeovers, I can save my "Lord Jesus, have mercy" knowing Xabi is more Basque than Castilian. Looking like the man has stepped out of a GQ shoot most of the time, it's easy enough to combine with a man who seems to be responsible for climate change when he steps out in a suit. 

This look is inspired by a mixture of things - I'm thinking your 60s-Lennon-McCartney-chasing-school-girl-groupie with an urban cool spin. In my head, 'Strawberry Fields Forever' was constantly playing and paying homage to the Liverpool-originated band (or rather, brand) - I came up with this look. It keeps the spirit of both men and their friendship alive, which was always charming to witness even if you aren't a Liverpool fan. It sticks to the classic yet throws rules out of the window with playful accessories.

The uniform-esque white blouse and black skirt is a blank canvas for the rest of the look. The denim jacket downplays the seriousness that comes with uniforms, and the retro-print scarf and bright bag allows for colour into an otherwise safe outfit. We take it even further with mint-coloured chunky platform sandals and a bracelet with strawberries as its charms which I added to my own amusement due to the song. 

Blouse, Orla Kiely, £208

Skirt, Proenza Schouler, £295

Jacket, Notify, £265

Bag, Reed Krakoff, £4653

Shoes, Rochas, £550

Scarf, Mary Katrantzou, £325

Bracelet, Lauren G. Adams, £55

Team Togs: Manchester United FC

Let's cross over the channel back to our beloved Premier League to pay homage to a not so beloved team... at least for an Arsenal fan. I didn't find Manchester United particularly difficult to do as its colours and mascot are a great inspiration for a classy S&M chic look. As one of the most successful, if not, the most successful team England has nurtured and yes, it hurts for me to say that - there is no better way than to create a look that features edgy in-your-face pieces that resonates on what the team is all about. In the words of Ben Stiller on Dodgeball: We're better than you, and we know it.

Dubbed the "Red Devils" - Manchester United are certainly aware of their years of hard-earned success though not without its haters. As they say, the more successful you are, the more enemies you'll have. What is most irritating about Man U must be how they've learnt to embrace their haters and while you sit and bitch about their undeserved success, they laugh at your lack of. Gary Neville certainly comes to mind.

The colours of Man U reeks devilish tendencies, but it is easily one of my favourite colour combinations. Both black and red are strong colours that need no accompaniment when used in a solid piece. Combined together, they come to embody mystery, luxury, and controversy laced with evil. The outfit comprises of outstanding pieces that are truly bold in its own, but combined packs a mean punch to your fashion palette.

We are absolutely lusting over this heavy lace skirt in classic Valentino red that so happens to be Manchester red as well. While I attempted to downplay the skirt with a simple jersey tank, I thought why bother when you can pair it with an edgy sheer shirt by quirky Danish designers. My favourite piece however is the embroidered silk cape that reminds you of fabrics you can only find in a Chinese opium den.

Accessories are simple yet statement-making: a classic-shaped clutch in blood red and gold hardware, laced up booties a dominatrix would have on top of her Christmas list, and your classic Hermès collier de chien in full gold and rose and brown diamonds with a price tag as obscene as Sir Alex's mouth.

Cape, Alexander McQueen, £465
Skirt, Valentino, £1335
Blouse, Designers Remix Signature, £333
Clutch, Miu Miu, £450
Shoes, Alexander McQueen, £417.50 (on sale)
Cuff, Hermès, price upon request

Team Togs: Athletic Club

Considering I, myself am not a fan of La Liga - it's quite surprising that I've managed to do three La Liga teams in such a short period of time! I have gotten another request to do Athletic Bilbao and while I was truly confused on where to start - I decided to give it a shot. With a handful of facts and little knowledge of La Liga - I began to tackle the challenge woefully.

Knowing that Athletic is a Basque team, I decided to play with their seafarer history and focus on clean nautical lines as the theme of the outfit. However, I wanted to avoid that Americana nautical look so I disregarded all kinds of anchors, stripes and navy - the quintessential styles associated with looks inspired by the sea. Instead, I chose classic silhouettes such as a sun dress and a 60s-style 3/4 sleeve coat.

While the colours of Athletic are red and white stripes, I have decided to take some creative freedom and avoid a literal translation. With a bold red sun dress, it is tamed with a white coat and a very structured minimal, no fuss bag. The sea life is all about beauty in functionality and the bag represents this attitude very well. Adding a Basque touch is the black beret where it is a part of the national costume. This beret has more attitude to the ones donned by the Basque men however, with a dramatic feather detail.

For jewellery, more tribute to the sea is done through a shark tooth pendant - where without being too obviously nautical, it is a direct homage to marine life. The ears are decorated with more minimalist fashion in a pair of gold square studs and the feet with quirky yet elegant lion paw pumps where it is a play on the team's nickname: Los Leones (the Lions).

Dress, Jaeger, £160
Coat, Giambattista Valli, £2,735
Bag, Anya Hindmarch, £1,031
Beret, vintage Henry G. Ross, £220
Pendant, Heather Gardner, £106
Earrings, Lord & Taylor, £220 (on sale)
Pumps, Christian Louboutin, £3,152

Antique Attire: Arsenal FC, 1925 - 34

As a history student, I'm quite obsessed with anything vintage - not even vintage really, anything old! With so many football teams constantly referring to their long illustrious history - it's only right that we pay tribute to the older generations that has made our team the one we know and love today. Through our Antique Attire series, we try to create a look based on both the fashion of the era and the team at the time through our modern interpretation. It's only appropriate that we start our series with Arsenal FC under one of the most influential managers in the game, Herbert Chapman.

Herbert Chapman spent 9 years in the managerial position at Arsenal, passing from the mid 20s to 30s where Art Deco had swept the world under its style. Forget flappers who has dominated our modern thinking of the era, the outfit chooses to represent the industrial yet elegant aesthetic of Art Deco instead. Moving away from the Bright Young People debauchery of the 20s to a more conservative 30s style - the look focuses on glamour that goes hand in hand with functionality.

Herbert Chapman is the man responsible for Arsenal's iconic white sleeves that continues to be used today. He also invented the hoop socks which the modern Arsenal under Wenger sported in the 2007/2008 season's away kit. Coming back to the invention of the white sleeves, this Roland Mouret dress was chosen to highlight just that - with white floral appliqué that compliments the beautiful Arsenal red just as the white sleeves does. The clean gold lines on the suede sandals is a take on the hoop socks.

Fur, while controversial today is certainly not a hard pill to swallow in those days. While an animal lover myself, I find that vintage fur is something to be appreciated (with a lot of other vegetarians such as myself agreeing!). Therefore, a vintage Versace mink coat is added as a needed dose of Old Hollywood glamour to the outfit. The accessories are simply Deco to the touch. The clutch is a clam shell Lanvin number which serves as a reminder to furnitures and lighting of the era that used the same design. We also add a tough yet elegant precious stone ring, a heavy necklace to adorn an empty neckline, suede sandals with gold lining and of course - no vintage inspired attire is complete without gloves.

Home and Away: Feyenoord

We all have midweek match days where we want to show support for our teams but can't quite just throw on a jersey and kick back on the couch like we do on weekends. Whether it be work or a special event keeping us from our baggy and undoubtedly comfy kits, we can still lend our support from afar by coordinating our outfits to match our team colours. While these outfits were chosen with Feyenoord in mind, they can be worn for any team whose colours include powder blue or red and white.


Away: A light blue top flowing over white trousers is the very definition of simplicity. Coupled with flats and a cream clutch, this outfit is bound to be perfectly comfortable and suitable for a casual event, or even just a day at the shops. Dark blue feathered earrings and bangles add a splash of excitement into an otherwise demure outfit.


Top, American Vintage, £38;
Feather earrings, Forever 21, £2.40;
Flats, Topshop, £23;
Pants, Alexander McQueen, £173;
Clutch, Kate Spade, £110;
Bangles, Laredoute, £7.60

Home: A (beaded) red dress and white pumps is a classic combination for any semi-formal dinner or work party. The gold earrings will add a touch of elegance to any outfit, while the silver bracelet and gold clutch flashing away at your wrist are sure to catch anyone's eye. The POW! necklace is nothing but a quirky bit of fun, a reminder of the whole host of strange noises you're bound to make while watching a live match.

Dress, Jane Norman, £27.50;
Pumps, Harrods, £200;
Necklace, Hannah Zakari, £7;
Bracelet, Flannels, £60;
Clutch, Oasis, £32;
Earrings, H&M, £4

Team Togs: Carling Cup Edition

With Carling Cup over - celebrations by Reds fan are all but finished. The Colney Chic decided to take this moment to spin a league showdown into a fashion head to head. Our take on the final consists of this: a light, airy - yet tough as nails outfit representing our Welsh side and an ethereal modern take of the 70s as the Scouse contender.

Cardiff: A strapless preppy blue gingham dress, layered with a bold swallow-print jacket is a take on the ever reigning print on print. Accessories are gold-themed, and the cuff stays in line with Cardiff's swallow mascot. We believe an outfit is incomplete without a bit of oddity - and so the decision to give the outfit white tights and ballet flats. Yes, someone may shoot us.

Dress, Abercrombie & Fitch, £49
Jacket, Monsoon, £59
Clutch, ASOS, £35
Flats, Chloé, £216
Tights, Nordstorm, £7.50
Cuff, Relic, £7.50

Liverpool: We know, we know a sheer maxi double skirt... it's that trend you'd love to be able to pull off but know you'll just look like a tool doing. In this case as an inspired outfit - anything goes. Forget black, we focus on the maxi skirt as the centre of the outfit - bright iconic Liverpool red. As chiffon makes you think of evening dresses, we take down the material with a simple statement tee. Pair it with an off-white blazer and earthy accessories such as a straw clutch and wooden platforms and you're good to go.

Skirt, Desire Clothing, £24
Tee, Wildfox Couture, £40
Blazer, Topshop, £50
Platforms, Topshop, £85
Clutch, Warehouse, £28
Bracelets, H&M, £3.99