Monthly Archives: February 2010

Fearne Cotton brightens up our footwear collection with new Converse range

Fearne Cotton brightens up our footwear collection with new Converse range

If we’re being honest, we all love Fearne Cotton. She’s someone we’d like to have in our phone book to call up for a natter and ask for fashion advice but most of all, we’d really, really like to steal her wardrobe.
Luckily for us Fearne has turned into a bit of a designer, not only has she been working with fashion site Very.co.uk but she’s also just launched her range of personally designed Converse shoes that we would very much like to get our mitts on.

A sneaky peek at her new collection sees a variety of bold and bright prints, guaranteed to brighten up your footwear collection and add a modern twist to any outfit.

There’s not one, but two pairs of polka dot designs, one black and white and more summery blue pair. There’s also a fantastic leopard print pair with bright red laces and a red strip down the back. Animal print is obviously a favourite of Fearne as there’s also a zebra print pair in the collection, although I think that the leopard print ones are a bit funkier and the red strip gives the design more of an edge.

My absolute favourites, however, have to be the lace high top pair, which apparently were inspired an old vintage bedspread that Ms. Cotton picked up in New York. No doubt these will be walking down many a high street in the UK and are probably the dressiest pair of the bunch and will go with pretty much any outfit, will be super comfy, and will make our feet look like they’ve got their own sense of dainty style.

With designs like these I suspect the new Converse range will fly off the shelves so get your hands on some quickly and hopefully Fearne will be designing yet more funky footwear to brighten up our shoe collections all year round.

From over-sized bows to statement scarves, hair attire is hot this season

From over-sized bows to statement scarves, hair attire is hot this season

2010 hair trendsBoth the catwalks and the A-list have gone mad for hair attire, from bouncy over-sized bows to statement scarves.  The main rule when considering this style is that the hair accessory should look effortless in order to work this trend aptly for the spring season. 
There is an array of decorations to choose from including statement slides embellished with jewels and the handkerchief which was taken to new heights at Marni, through the creation of extremely tall headpieces.  John Galliano went one step further by adding floral decorations to a lace headpiece.  This look can be easily achieved at home if you obtain the right accessories.

Sonia for YSL has re-worked the little black Alice band by adding some dramatic edge to the piece, this dramatic take on the once simple style appeared in the shape of fierce studs and geometric shapes.
For a pretty cutesy look take inspiration from Milly and work the reformed tulle, this should be worn in various directions and creates a bold and girly look.

Marc Jacobs, Bottega Veneta and Chanel were some of the first to introduce this trend and it seems set to take us into the spring/summer season.  It’s a simple solution that will in turn add interest to a low-key outfit.  Oversized headbands create a real statement and A-list stars such as Margerita Missoni and Emily Blunt have been seen sporting such styles. 

To recreate the look at home take a headscarf and wrap around the hair, finish the look by placing delicate and detailed pins to the side.  If this trend is a little over-the-top why not steal Scarlett Johansson elegant yet low-key style by adding a jeweled slide to a disheveled up do.  Another alternative is the Alice band, which looks great placed in a loose up do and creates some complete innocent style.

Are you looking for some new stylish furniture for your bedroom? Click here for Bedstar.co.uk and browse their great collection of beds, mattresses and furniture online.

Marks And Spencers Advertising Campaign for 2010 announced

Marks And Spencers Advertising Campaign for 2010 announced

Traditionally Marks and Spencers clothing probably has a reputation for being more for the older generation. However over the past few years they have taken steps to turn around peoples opinions and market their clothing to people of all ages. They did this by hiring the likes of Myleene Klass and Take That to advertise their products.

It seems that this trend has proved propular as they continued to use well known faces of ages to help promote their clothing ranges. For example they have used Twiggy to be the face of a massive range of their clothing.

Rumours have been rife that Myleene Klass is due to be replaced by Marks And Spencers with another high profile female. However Marks And Spencers have confirmed that Myleene is going to continue to front their campaign. However she has been joined by VV Brown, Lisa Snowden and Brazilian supermodel Ana Beatriz Barros as M&S models for spring campaign

Perhaps the most exciting addition to the line up though is X Factor Judge Dannii Minogue.

The X factor mum-to-be confirmed her new role on Twitter writing: ‘I’m so excited to be a Marks & Spencer girl. On the beach shooting your Spring campaign.’

Myleene is continuing to work for Marks And Spencers however is going to be staring in ads for M&S Money and Online TV rather than clothing and fashion.

The brand new clothing adverts are due to be premiered in March this year however the exact time and date has yet to be confirmed.

Going Gaga for no streak nails.

Going Gaga for no streak nails.

No Streak NailsThe eccentric Lady Gaga is certainly one to make a statement and just when you think she can’t top the previous ensemble she goes that one step further.  This year’s Brit Awards ceremony showed the performer sporting pristine white nail polish; to complete the look she teamed her chalk white nails with a pearl encrusted mask, over-the-top Marie Antoinette-style hair and an eccentric lace body suit.

The lacquer used on her nails was created by beauty label Toma and the shade the star wore was Chalk.  The brand ensures a no streak procedure which results in a brilliant white   finish with total even coverage, a completely different take on the recent shades of taupe, grey and mushroom that have been dominating this season.

Take inspiration from the star herself and team refreshing painted nails with white minimalist attire; this is a perfect trend to take you into spring.

Other A-list stars such as Miley Cyrus, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez and Natasha Bedingfield have all reportedly been requesting White polish for their manicures.

Both pure white and off shades look great with sun-kissed skin and are on trend for this season.  A tip on preventing chips is to submerge nails into ice-cold water for a mere thirty seconds after application.

Toma’s Chalk nail lacquer is available at a purchase price of £7.05 for 14ml and offers a crisp shade of white that can achieve instant coverage with just a single stroke.  The Toma Nail polish includes a 220 strand applicator brush in order to create full coverage.

Beauty trends for autumn/winter 2010/11

Beauty trends for autumn/winter 2010/11

OsmonThe color palette opted for by make-up artists at this seasons shows was predominantly neutral and certainly favored by the designer Marc Jacobs, models sported palettes of taupe, mink, beige and sand tones. These tonal shades featured on the lips, eyes and cheeks.

Other big fashion names including Osman, Pringle, Jaeger and Erdem also opted for the natural look on the eyes, yet added an edge with a slick of gothic-style lipgloss.  This particular look took inspiration from nineties grunge.  This grunge style was especially popular at Antonio Berardi.

Osmon Yousefzada’s 2010 pieces certainly complimented this new beauty trend with classic chic garments.  The catwalk was a wash of rich and voluptuous fabrics complete with subtle silk graphic prints.  These creations were teamed with over-the-top palazzo pants; block colored mohair tunics and floor-length skirts.

Cuts and structures of the garments were kept simple with strong lines, square collars and box pleats.   Despite garments being created in a wash of neutral shades, the pieces still made a powerful yet elegant statement.  Clothing portrayed the illusion of a strong silhouette, perfect for power dressing.

Mascara was kept minimal and hair extremely simple yet still rich in texture, this included combed in partings as seen at both Pringle and Marios Swhwab and locks were simply swept up off the face at Osman.  Both looks appeared simple and almost masculine.

This trend is certainly a fresh change when considering the previous looks of this year, gone are the hot popping colors only to be replaced by the exact opposites.

Cut from a different cloth.

Cut from a different cloth.

This spring has stepped into the fray and welcomes a variety of unique materials. The catwalks were awash with rough and humble fabrics including creased cottons, torn linen, cheesecloth, muslin and Hessian.

The big names that really shone on the runways when working this exciting new trend included Jil Sander and Raf Simon, models at Sander sported beautifully tailored linen look jackets in light beige shades whilst over at Raf Simon, pencil skirts were a big hit with the fashion crowd.

Other creations that caused a stir at this season’s shows were Calvin Klein’s purely structured bubble dresses; these were created in various fabrics and textures right from mohair to crinkled and creased garments.

Designer duo Benjamin Kirchhoff and Edward Meadham showed they are not afraid to stand up to a world that consists of both digital art and plastic modernity. Their key pieces were created by continually heat washing the garment in order to achieve a softened and weathered texture. Other pieces included easy wearing chinos and shirts designed from shredded and distressed cheesecloth.

The appeal of this trend is that you have absolute permission to step away from the iron as frayed edges are a must. Garments should appear as if they are about to unravel at any moment and hems should be scrunched up, crushed and weathered in appearance.

The effect of this trend reveals clothes that have definite structure, they are almost three dimensional in appearance, and the fabric comes alive with every movement.

The choice of palette for this season consists of extremely natural and earthy tones such as beige, khaki, chocolate and olive. They can be thrown together to create a layered look in the colder months prior to summer then teamed with white or even denim for a fresh take on the trend in the warmer months.

This season’s style notes

This season’s style notes

Utility StyleWith the spring and summer months fast approaching its time to take note of this seasons key pieces. Unlike the geometric shapes and sci-fi structures of previous seasons, this year is going back to basics. Designer labels such as Celine and Chloe have reworked old classics by giving them a contemporary twist. It wasn’t only the appearance of this style that shone through on the catwalks, these pieces oozed both laid-back luxury and are built to last.

Designers are portraying pieces that show simplicity yet are still beautiful, the concept being less is in fact more. Utility wear became practical glamour; Balmain even added gold sequin camouflage to a few of their creations. The outcome revealed a sassy army style that is certainly set to inspire the high street for the next season

The utility jacket is predominantly the style staple for this season and a definite investment for summer. Every designer from Christophe Decarnin to Marc Jacobs reworked the garment to their true spirit, army tees, safari-style shirts and combats also made an appearance on the runways, especially at Louis Vuitton where combats were re-styled in both length and structure.

If you want to be on trend this season make sure you keep military at the front of your mind. This is a trend that can be both dressed up or kept simple, added embellishments such as jewelled shoulders on khaki jackets make it the perfect companion to skyscraper heels and this seasons shorts, yet the shades and structures of these pieces make them casual enough to wear throughout the day with military style boots or sandals.

New Invicta Watches Released

New Invicta Watches Released

We all know that looking good is more about just putting on a nice outfit and leaving the house. In order to look and feel good you need to create the whole package. This means that you need to do your hair, make up, choose the right shoes and of course the right accessories.

In all honesty it is often accessories that can make or break an outfit. They can also dress up or dress down whatever it is that you wear.

This may be why Invicta have taken on watches and made a huge collection of them in different styles to match almost any outfit style.

They recently teamed up with Buy My Watch to have 25 different watches available on the Buy My Watch website.

No one is saying that Invicta watches are cheap, they can range from anything like one hundred pounds to a few hundred pounds but the truth is that you probably wont find a watch like it.

Buy My Watch are a well known online retailer that offers a wide range of different watch brands at a discount price. It is only this year that the Invicta brand have teamed up with the site to offer their watches on sale through the site, with over 25 watches available. It is a great way for you to be able to buy a watch at a discounted price which is great if you want to snap up an Invicta watch at a bargain price, especially if you are an avid watch collector and want to buy more than one!

The Trend For Fair And Green Trade Clothing Lines Continues

The Trend For Fair And Green Trade Clothing Lines Continues

As a nation are becoming more aware of our actions and the consequences that they have on our environment. Green products and the companies that offer then are becoming more popular. In turn fair trade products are also growing in popularity.

High street chain Top Shop are well known for their fair trade brand People Tree including a fair trade T-shirt line retailing at £12. Now they are launching an additional range supporting Ghana called Design4Life consisting of a number of different garments made from batik fabrics.

Top Shop are planning to sell the Design4Life range both online and in their main London store. Top Shop buyer Claire Hamer said: “By supporting producers in Africa we are encouraging sustainability and fair wages for workers. By helping their development these farmers will one day be able to develop organic fabrics.”

It isn’t just Top Shop that is taking steps to make sure that their clothing helps the rest of the world. Next is launching a range of fair trade kids wear clothing in 210 of its stores and if this proves popular will move onto womens wear.

In fact it is not just stores that are doing their bit to help. U2 front man Bono’s has been heavily involved in Red. This company put together a huge collection of clothing and accessories designed by companies such as Armani, Converse, Motorola and Gap, to help raise money fight aids through out the world

Katharine Hamnett famous for her protests for the environment has designed a range of organic cotton clothing for Tesco. With other high street stores such as H&M, Marks & Spencer and Dorothy Perkins are feeling the pressure to offer organic clothing at affordable costs for all.