Tuesday 31 May 2011

Trend: Jumpsuits on the Hot Mamas of Hollywood

It seems as if you are over 30 and have a baby then you need to be seen in this sparkling style trend, first J-Lo did the rounds draped in sequins on her American Idol press tour, flashing her legs as the first celebrity ambassador of Venus razors but soon enough she covered them up, first in Zuhair Murad silver all-in-one, and then in a gold Michael Kors number that complimented her deep tan and big hair perfectly. Taking a leaf out out her book Kourtney Kardashian soon followed in a red flared number and even Gwen Stefani went all out in a black, chest baring Stella McCartney on the very chic red carpet at Cannes this year. Not exactly office party friendly this trend is not for the faint of heart, but it definitely shouldn't be dismissed for a birthday bash or two as these fearless females have proven!

Zuhair Murad and J-Lo will always be a winning combo!

Take a leaf from La Lopez and keep accessories to the bare minimum when rocking this trend!

Disco Diva: big hair and a pink pout compliment this look Gwen wore at Cannes this year

Marcia Cross at the CFDA Fashion Awards in a Pamella Roland jumpsuit.


Monday 30 May 2011

A Hue of Cobalt Blue

When Kate Middleton matched her dress to Diana's old wedding ring at the press conference announcing her engagement a fashion frenzy occurred. Not only did style savvy women everywhere scramble to find a copy of her Issa London dress but pops of cobalt blue popped up in every high street store across the country and before long it was the only colour to be seen in. It is usually the A-listers in Hollywood that start a trend and watch it trickle down the high street to us mere mortals but in this case the tables had turned and whilst we were snapping up every shred of blue fabric we could find the Celebs were only just catching on...

Here are my picks of the best and worst celebs in this 'it' colour: 

The Best...

As a supermodel you know Natalia has style, but she proves her keen eye for trends in this deep blue trench with puffed shoulders that keeps her cosy and chic in London.
















Uma proves that sex appeal doesn't mean flashing the flesh and instead this body skimming Giorgio Armani Prive makes a bold statement about her body whilst keeping it covered up.

And the worst...

No surprises here, Gaga rarely makes it onto any form of a Best-Dressed list and even in this custom Thierry Mugler creation she manages to kill the classiness of a long sleeved dressed with some strategically placed tit tape.
















Mel C also falls below the bar here by overdosing on lace in a leggings and short dress combo that does nothing for her figure and creates a cheap and tacky effect.

Suit Up?

Ever the sceptic you'll excuse me if i don't immediately jump on this trend (yes, it is a trend), the 70's are back that is not negotiable but the rise of the coloured suit seems to be climbing onto celebrities and clothing racks everywhere. First it was white, as seen on Mila Kunis, Rihanna and Camilla Belle to name but a few, but now, coinciding ironically with the release of Rachel Zoe's own collection containing a fair few coloured suits, starlets are beginning to be seen out and about in blocks of tailored colour. Like i said, i'm sceptical, but maybe the way forward is to just invest in a brightly coloured blazer (check out DKNY for that) and save the matching trousers for a separate outfit, trust me unless you work at Vogue this workwear is not to be worn to the office.
Not really know for taking risks, i'm not convinced Jessica Biel is the right person to pull off this Gucci number.


Solange pays homage to her older sisters character in 'Goldmember' with this neon ensemble complete with matching nails!

Fashions Finest: Ellie Goulding

Stunning in satin at the BRITS, Ellie adds her own signature to the dress with some quirky studded stilettos and a gold chain. 

My new style crush is a born and bred Brit who recently impressed Will and Kate so much they asked her to sing exclusively at their wedding reception! The BRIT award winner who is currently trying to break America is not only phenomenal in her singing/songwriting but also her edgy, backstreets of soho, London style that consists of a staple leather jacket (preferably cropped at the sleeves), some cool printed t-shirts and a mix of Doc Martins and brogues that only a London girl could pull off. Check out some of her finest fashion moments below:
Her printed bag and shoes tie together this casual look at the Eyes Wide Open screening in London

The 'Starry Eyed' singer contrasted a girly up-do with some serious spikes at the Burberry Brit party recently.

Time for Tea

Dress By Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony
Maybe it's the influence of the Royal Wedding backlash but all of a sudden a very British trend has appeared on many a celebrity, from Chloe Sevigny to Eva Mendes the new 'it' dress to be seen in is the tea dress. Made initially famous by Alex Chung who scoured many a flea market and vintage shop looking for patterned, button up dresses to pair with the brogues she has in every colour, the trend has filtered through to the A-list American market and is now doing the rounds at impromptu press conferences and the more casual red carpet events. It looks good on pretty much everyone so as an investment piece i would say it's a must, but add some black Raybans and a Mulberry Alexa bag to keep it current and chic.

The lady who pioneered the look: Alexa Chung

My Jolly Sailor Boy


I can't help but notice that coinciding with the release of the new Pirates of The Caribbean movie a mini trend has emerged (as they often do throughout the season) consisting of head scarves, stripes and heavy gold jewellery, not necessarily in the same outfit, but with the unveiling of many of the designers resort collections, especially Chanel and Oscar de la Renta, this mini trend looks set to sail straight into our summer wardrobes. But be warned mateys, too much gold, stripes and headgear can turn an outfit from 'custom' to 'costume' so proceed cautiously with your accessories and try to balance the look out with some neutral tones or a trusty pair of jeans. 

Check out the pictures below to see how the designers used it on the runway:

Mini Trend: Pirates on Board


Oscar de la Renta Resort Collection 2011 really got into the swash-buckling spirit and even sent a model down the runway in a perfect pirate hat but be warned- do not try this at home ladies!



Instead stick to stripy separates or add a statement piece of gold like this coin necklace and keep other jewellery to a minimum

Sunday 29 May 2011

Attack of the Accessories!


The saying 'less is more' has been long ignored in the Hollywood Hills, it's all about flashing the cash, living in excess and dripping yourself in diamonds, but i find myself wondering... how much is too much? Time after time i cringe as i pour over the pages of fashion mags, blogs and the E! network where the weekly roundup of 'who wore what' in the celebrity world leaves me in no doubt that whatever overpriced stylist is doing the rounds at the moment (not necessarily you Rachel Zoe) is just throwing accessories at these women without a single notion of the balancing act that is the perfect outfit. Serial offenders like Vanessa Hudgens and Paris Hilton are long past the realms of help but when will people learn that unless you are SJP you cannot just add that extra necklace/bracelet/cocktail ring without there being significant consequences for whatever gorgeous piece of couture you are suffocating! Rant over as long as there is a jewellery industry i feel my words will fall on deaf, (probably holding up oversized earrings) ears.

Serial offender: Vanessa Hudgens looking like an extra from Austen Powers

Ready, Set, Go!



It's set to be a summer of colour with the pastels of spring now sporting a deeper, more neon appearance. Think Barney the Dinosaur purple instead of pale lilac, fuchsia accents rather than cotton candy pinks, and cobalt hues a la Kate Middleton instead of baby blues. But If there are three colours to complete this perfect palette its the strong red, yellow and green as seen on the catwalks of the power players like Prada and Gucci to our own high street heroes like Zara and H&M. I say grab yourself one of each and your summer wardrobe is a go!

Some of my personal pics from Zara Spring/Sumer 2011:










 If you are unsure how to colour block without clashing then just add a pair of bright jeans to an otherwise black and white outfit and you will be totally on trend.



This lemon yellow skirt is guaranteed to make your perfect pins look even more tanned and is the perfect essential from workwear to nightwear.
This green shift is perfect for a garden party with the girls, add a gold clutch and a scarf in your hair for a real sense of St. Tropez chic!

Calling all Little Monsters


Versace Autumn/Winter 2010


Again with the futuristic theme? Apparently Lady GaGa is having more effect on the fashion industry than anyone first predicted, not happy with just wearing any Haute Couture abnormalities the average fashionista wouldn't be caught dead in the designers are now going gaga (see what i did there) over dressing the wacky pop star, notably armani who has designed all the costumes for her recent monster ball tour. But back to Versace their new collection is totally wearable, totally club worthy and totally unoriginal. Body-con esque dresses with a futuristic theme and some unnecessary zippers is disappointing and franly we have seen it all before, admittedly Versace has never been that fashion forward but recylcying past trends just for their wearabiltiy is such a let down. Tut tut Donatella, better luck next time.

RIP Alexander McQueen


Whilst on the red carpet a gorgeous floor length figure hugging crimson gown could be anything from a Valentino to a Versace on first glance the work of Alexander McQueen could be spotted a mile away. Unique doesn't even begin to describe the beautiful craftsmanship and intelligence that went into every piece of every collection, McQueen was a pioneer of new wave fashion. He was undoubtedly the future with his invention of clothing itself such as the 'McQueenadillos' he sent down the runway last year he didn't just create trends he created foundations for future designers to mold. His loss will be sorely and furiously missed in the fashion world.