Sass & Bide

As no one was in a hurry to let me into the Sass and Bide show, I had to make my own entertainment. Speaking to some boutique owners and Liz Jones from the Daily Mail everyone had high expectations for the show. In fact I managed to catch up with Liz afterwards who said she liked all the sequins and the usage of black versus white, however whether she thought the range was commercial was a different subject. So let’s look at this controversial range which had everybody elbowing me – literally – out of the way for.

 

What stood out best for me were the jazz trousers. Stripes, zigzags and slouchy galore, these were often teamed with sparkly tight fitted tops or cropped sequinned vests – or better still the black feather bolero which was to die for. The feathers oozed character, and there were enough to make a statement, but not too much that you thought you were in the company of Big Bird.

Amongst all the metal gold fascinators and sharp lace dresses was a new intake on the animal print. Now softer and more exciting it was less ostentatious and more classic. It appeared on several of the outfits, but in small detail so you never thought it was dominating – definitely a less is more approach, and one that they seemed to pull off naturally.

Ruffles, feathers and frills aside, Sass and Bide know how to make an impact and entice us into the range. They really jumped on the big shoulders trend as not only did it appear with feathers but structured military jackets with dainty gold buttons and short tight dresses that I just know will be on the party circuit soon.

With the garments named things like ‘I cried for you’ and ‘how deep is the ocean,’ the sense of passion that has gone into the range is immense. Charismatically, the dresses, short or long, abduct you into a loving relationship – one of those trances that make you sit there dreamingly, and then the lights come up and you see everyone is beginning to leave.

So was the show worth all the pain and stress on arrival. Of course, but aren’t they always?

By Emma Westbrook