Archive for March, 2010

30 March 2010: 13:50

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

If you want to help raise money to fight breast cancer, and be truly fashionable at the same time, why not invest in one of the many exclusive Fashion Targets Breakst Cancer high street pieces that go on sale this week?

From Coast to River Island, your favourite shops will be stocking limited edition products that are not ony stylish, but that will also help raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer with up to 30% of the retail price going to the charity.

There are lots of different items to choose from and we’ve picked some of our favourites below. Just like the Breakthrough Breast Cancer logo, most of the products are black and white, however, M&S have also created a fabulously retro looking swimsuit in bright red.

So, what are you waiting for? Hit the high street this weekend and you can stock up on some new season essentials without feeling guilty… for once!

L-R: Red swimsuit, £29.50, M&S; Scarf, £16.99, River Island; Spotty top, £30, Laura Ashley; Strapless dress, £135, Coast; Heart vest, £16, Topshop; Stripey cardigan, £75, Whistles

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25 March 2010: 19:35

Steal Geri Halliwell’s Style

We love it when an A-lister hits the high street as it means we can copy their fabulous style without breaking the bank! Geri Halliwell is the latest celeb to enjoy a shopping spree at Topshop, where she picked up this fabulous jersey blazer for just £55.

Geri teamed her blazer with a stripey T-shirt and jeans, which is just perfect for spring’s nautical trend. It’s a great buy as this is one item that will work super hard with all your existing clothes in your wardrobe.

Not only is it great for a casul dressed-down look with jeans, but it also looks great in the office – team with peg leg trousers and a crisp white blouse – and for a night out, when it will super slick worn with shorts and a peep-toe shoe boot.

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22 March 2010: 18:02

Pretty Pastels

Just as the catwalk saw an explosion of pretty pastels, pretty girlie colours are also hitting beauty counters.

It all started with Chanel’s Jade nail polish – a soft green shade that took the fashion world by storm with celebs such as Lily Allen sporting green nails, while us mere mortals were put on a waiting list for this must-have shade! Thankfully, the beauty world has taken note and made a whole array of gorgeous pastel hues are now readily available to use.

Nail polish is one of the easiest ways to get in on this trend. We love M&S’s Essentials Nail Polish in green – not only is it pretty much a match for the Chanel shade, but it also comes in at the bargain buster price of just £2.50. If green isn’t your thing, try a pale blue or a soft yellow – they may sound crazy, but they look gorgeous on.

On the eyes, pale pastel eyeshadow is one of the easiest trends to way. Sweep on your favourite shade – whether it be pink, blue or green – and just add lashings of mascara. Complete this pretty look with a soft pink blusher and candy pink lip gloss – mmm, it’s good enough to eat.

To help you on the path to pastel enlightenmnent, we’ve picked out our favourite products available to buy now – but which ones will you be wearing?

L-R: Michael Kors blusher in Sunset Pink, £23, Estée Lauder; Pale green nail polish, £2.50, M&S; Natural Radiance Eye Palette, £13, No 7; Yellow nail varnish, £13, Illamasqua; Stop Violence In The Home Hi-Shine Lip Treatment, £9.25, The Body Shop

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18 March 2010: 10:53

Our Top Five Spring Buys

The sun is out, the spring flowers are blooming and we’re in the mood to overhaul our wardrobe. But where to start? With so many new trends and fabulous new clothes out there, it can be hard to know what to buy, so we’re going to make that process easier for you with our top five spring must-haves!

1. A Military Cover-Up
Combat coats are back again on the fashion radar. There are so many different styles out there but as long as it’s khaki, it’s bang on trend for this season. Make sure you team your military cover-up with something super feminine though – such as a floral dress. Top-to-toe military should be left to the Territorial Army!

L-R: Parka, £49.99, River Island; Should detail coat, £85, M&S; Drawstring parka, £65, Topshop

2. A Satchel
It’s time to go back to school for this season’s must-have bag! Satchels are so cool that Mulberry have named one after the queen of cool, Alexa Chung, however, if you can’t afford the A-list price tag, the high street have lots of great alternatives.

L-R: Grey leather satchel, £45, New Look; Two-tone leather satchel, £50, Topshop; Brown satchel, £22, Accessorize

3.  Something Nude
If it isn’t flesh toned, then it just isn’t worth wearing this spring! The easiest way to wear this trend is with a dress – add black opaques until the weather warms up. If you’re not brave enough to go all nude, try an accessory such as a leg-lengthening shoe or nude bag.

L-R: Ruffle vest, £18, Dorothy Perkins; Lace-up shoe, £120, Kurt Geiger; J by Jasper Conran Clutch, £35, Debenhams; Feather dress, £150, Oasis

4.  Shorts
Skirts are still very much on the radar but ’tis the season to go short in shorts. From military inspired to pretty silk numbers, shorts are the perfect go-everywhere number. Team them with a blazer for the office or with a cami style top for a night out.

L-R: Navy shorts, £35, Warehouse; Pink shorts, £29.50, M&S; Military style shorts, £55, French Connection

5. A Mid Heel
We never thought we’d see the return of the ’90s kitten heel, but it’s back. Ditch your 5 inchers for something a little more manageable this season. Don’t stick to boring courts though – go for interesting heels, wooden soles, bright colours and quirky styles.

L-R: Wooden sandal, £40, Aldo; Stud sandal, £85, French Connection; Woven sandal, £65, Office

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13 March 2010: 09:30

Hot or Not? Dungarees

When Alexa Chung recently wore Ralph Lauren dungarees in the March issue of Vogue, we all knew that the head-to-toe Americana denim revival was in full swing.

A clear ‘love or hate’ item that originally began life as men’s workwear, dungarees have once again seen a revival on catwalks around the globe. A very tricky trend to pull off – associations with farmers and mechanics spring to mind -  they were last seen in the ’90s before they were banished to our charity-shop pile.

We’re not convinced here at Westfield HQ and think they’re best left to toddler-wear, but for those who want to embrace the trend, Oasis, H&M and River Island all have options in their Spring/Summer collections. For a modern, feminine take on the look, team yours with a camisole or semi-sheer blouse and nude coloured shoes.

L-R: Oasis dungarees, £45, River Island dungarees, £29.99, Whistles Pinafore Dungarees, £135.

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11 March 2010: 11:21

Spring/Summer Preview: River Island

River Island has nailed all the top trends for Spring/Summer. From pretty pastels – for both men and women – to fierce tribal prints, their new season range is brimming with gorgeous outfits.

We particularly like the pretty grunge look – a parka thrown over a crochet dress will be just perfect for all those festivals this year. And if River Island have anything to do with it, you men out there will definitely be ditching the black in favour of bright pastels.

Take a look below at our favourites from their new Spring/Summer range.

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10 March 2010: 09:15

Do The Denim Double!

For years it was the preserve of ageing rockers, but suddenly doubling up on the denim front is tres chic!

From Alexa Chung to Amber Valetta, we’ve spied many an A-lister rocking the double denim trend. Even the boys are getting in on this one, with the likes of Zac Efron sporting a denim duo, so it’s truly a unisex trend. However, it’s a trend to be cautious of. Get it wrong and you risk looking like an extra from a bad ’80s Brat Pack film. Get it right and you’ll be the chicest person in the room – we promise.

The secret to looking more like Alexa and less like Status Quo is to mix and match your shades. A loose pale denim shirt for example looks great teamed with dark denim jeans or jeggings. Or add a light denim biker jacket with a dark denim skirt.

Just remember not to overload on the denim – lay off the denim accessories or you will risk looking like an ’80s reject!

L-R: Baggy shirt, £20, Next; High heeled trainers, £110, Office; Denim jeggings, £18, Dorothy Perkins; Biker jacket, £39.50, M&S; Mini skirt, £20, New Look.

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8 March 2010: 11:12

Fringe Benefits

Fed up with your hair but don’t want to sacrifice the length? Then you need to get a fringe! Fringes have been back in vogue for a couple of years, but the new trend for soft, layered fringes means this is one of the most wearable beauty looks of 2010!

As ever, those A-listers have already jumped on this trend bandwagon with stars such as Lily Allen, Rachel McAdams and Gemma Arterton all sporting the new soft fringe.

What’s great about this fringe is that it’s not such a full commitment as the blunt number seen a few seasons back, plus as these 3 ladies prove, it suits all hairstyles, hair colours and face shapes. It’s also one of those styles that look better the more grown out it is so need to book twice monthly appointments for a fringe trim! We’re booking our appointment now…

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6 March 2010: 09:20

Hot or Not? Clogs

Already labelled the “it” shoe of the season, clogs were a key piece in the Chanel Spring/Summer collection. While not all trends filter down to the high street, this is not true of the clog with stores, such as Topshop and Kurt Geiger, selling a variety of different takes on the distinctive wooden-heeled shoe.

Best teamed with the floral looks of the season, clogs offer a modern take on ’70s hippy-chic and are undeniably more comfortable than the sky-high heels of past seasons. However, it has to be said that they’re not the prettiest of shoe and just because Alexa Chung can pull them off, doesn’t mean us mere mortals can!

What do you think? Will you be wearing clogs this Spring/Summer? Our advice is to chose your clogs wisely…  you’ve been warned!

Clockwise: Zara, £99, Kurt Geiger, £150, Topshop, £40, and Aldo, £70.

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3 March 2010: 09:22

Alice in Wonderland

We’re all excited and feeling very nostalgic about Tim Burton’s new 3D take on Disney’s classic childhood fantasy, Alice in Wonderland!

To celebrate, Miss Selfridge, Swarovski, Folli Follie and Urban Decay have all collaborated with Disney to create a range of themed clothing, jewellery and accessories featuring all of your favourite characters including the evil Queen of Hearts, the ever-so late White rabbit, the Cheshire cat with his famous grin and Alice herself.

Don’t miss Alice in Wonderland screening in cinemas across the UK from 5th March!

Pictured: Urban Decay eye shadow box, £28, exclusively at Debenhams, Miss Selfridge tank priced from £18, Folli Follie bag £145, Swarovski Flower Garden necklace, £235, and Ace of Heart cufflinks £9.50 at M&S.

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