Posts Tagged ‘dorothy perkins’

2 September 2010: 09:00

The leopard look

Animal print is the statement print for Autumn/Winter. It is everywhere! Unleash your inner leopard and go wild with the print.

Coat £200, dress £45 and snood £25, all from Warehouse

The statement coat is a key piece and a faux fur leopard print number will certainly make a statement. There are great vintage styles around, whether you’re looking for a super-warm winter coat or a  snuggly shorter jacket. A leopard print fur coat or jacket is a one piece wonder which you can throw on for instant glamour.

Left to right: Leopard print faux fur jacket, French Connection £120; Vintage leopard print faux fur coat, Topshop £98

Take one bold print piece, like these skinnies, and contrast them with different textures and layers. Mix with lace and even florals now, then add on chunky knits as the weather gets chillier. Or take a floaty leopard print dress (check out Reiss and Warehouse) and team it with a leather Aviator jacket.

Left to right: Animal print day top, Star by Julien MacDonald for Debenhams £40; Print court shoes, Dorothy Perkins, £25; Leopard print skinnies, Topshop £45; Zip detail print pumps, Oasis £40; Animal print zip detail skirt, River Island £29.99 

Is leopard a bit fierce for you? Scared of the bold print? Just go for an accessory. You’ll find bags, shoes, belts, lingerie, hats, scarves, gloves and even bangles featuring the print. There’s no escaping it this season, so be brave and release your inner Bet Lynch.

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23 July 2010: 09:00

Utility fashion

Looking for some pieces that will see you through from summer to autumn? You can’t go wrong with a few neutral items that are hot right now and will be holding strong into the new season.

Utility fashion is ideal for summer and makes a change from cute ditsy florals, bold prints and statement maxi dresses. Choose khaki and typical safari tones and team them with simple white or neutral pieces for summer cool.

Cargo pants are the trousers of choice right now. Look out for super skinnies, peg leg and hareem styles. Style them up with some hot heels - platforms, wedges or wooden sole clogs.

Left to right: Utility skinnies, Warehouse £15 now £10; Khaki peg trousers, Dorothy Perkins £28; Khaki zip back hareem pants, Topshop £35.

A simple vest, tee or classic white shirt is the ideal partner.

Left to right: Compact cotton sleeveless Tee, Uniqlo £14.99; Ecru vest, Next £16; Military vest, H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams £16

The utility trend isn’t all about cargo pants though. You’ll find a range of safari-inspired pieces around too. Whilst utility trousers are all about being relaxed and slouched, dresses and skirts  are more structured and tailored.

Left to right: Safari shirtdress, Karen Millen £165; Military skirt, Next £28; Scout dress, Cos £65.

Finish off with chunky jewellery. Gold looks great with these neutral tones.

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24 June 2010: 12:56

Festival chic

It’s that time of year again. Festival season is upon us. With Glastonbury this weekend and Reading/Leeds, Big Chill, Bestival, Latitude and so many more yet to come, it’s time to sort out your festival wardrobe. And now is such a good time to shop with the summer sales in full swing. You could pick up some brilliant bargains!

Right now, the sun is shining and people are smiling. Festival dressing is so much easier when it’s warm and dry. But looking good is made trickier by the camping and festival shower situation. Our advice is to aim for cool, comfy and relaxed styling.

Go for slouchy vest tops teamed with cute shorts or leggings. Add fringed or buckled ankle boots or Gladiator style flat sandals.

Festival fashion

Left to right: Denim boyfriend shorts, Uniqlo £14.99; Felicity Gladiator sandal, Schuh was £29.99 now £20; Festival print vest, Republic £16.99; Mint ticking stripe short, Miss Selfridge at House of Fraser £25; Mai fringe bootee, Office £60 now £30; Black Logan cutout T-shirt, H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams £14.

Work the prairie look with ditsy print dresses and playsuits in florals or checks. Dresses can be long or short but remember that maxis may trail in the mud. Layer it up with a cropped denim jacket, crochet cardigan or relaxed denim shirt. Layers are the secret for festival dressing, you never know when those clouds and chilly breezes are going to come along.

Left to right: Cropped denim jacket, Dorothy Perkins £42; Floral playsuit, Next £20; Paisley print maxi dress, New Look £35 now £28; Denim shirt, Oasis £38 now £20; Cream crochet cropped cardigan, Miss Selfridge at House of Fraser £32.

Embellish and accessorise! Add some sparkle to a simple vest and tee combo with an embellished waistcoat and some tribal jewellery. Load up on chunky bracelets. Top it off with your must-have hat and don’t forget your sunnies and sunscreen.

And if the weather does turn rubbish – it is Britain after all - don’t forget your parka and wellies.
Festival fashion

Left to right: Embellished waistcoat, River Island £24.99; Straw trilby, Next £5.50; Floral printed bangles, Accessorize £10; Black oversized sunglasses, Marks and Spencer £5; Batwing parka, Warehouse £55.

Need more inspiration? Steal Alexa Chung’s festival style!

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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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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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10 February 2010: 13:41

We Heart Valentine’s Day!

Whether you’re all loved up or a happy single, there’s no excuse not to wear your heart on your sleeve this Valentine’s Day with the huge array of cute heart products out there.

From cute retro TopShop shorts to sweetheart knits, we can’t guarantee wearing one of these heart lovelies will ensure you true love this Valentine’s Day, but we can ensure you will look very sweet! We’ve picked out our favourites below, but don’t forget to tell us if you’ve spotted some sweet items out there that will be on your heart hit-list.

L-R: Moschino Cheap & Chic heart belt, £145, House Of Fraser; Studded bag, £40, French Connection; Heart corset shorts, £35, Topshop; Enamel earrings, £5, Accessorize; Heart peep toe shoes, £44.99, River Island

L-R: Nude crochet heart top, £15, Dorothy Perkins; Guess heart pendant, £90, Debenhams; Sequinned heart dress, £50, Oasis; Embroidered cardigan, £32, Miss Selfridge; Heart clasp bag, £25, Debenhams

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5 February 2010: 09:30

Pregnancy – It’s The New Fashion!

Is it just us or does there seem to be a whole heap of pregnant celebrities around at that moment? Dannii Minogue, Claudia Schiffer, Denise Van Outen, Amy Adams – it seems if you’re not up the duff, then you’re simply not fashionably in the world of the celebrity.

Now obviously we know babies are more than a fashion accessory, but the latest batch of mums-to-be are blooming, proving that just because you’re pregnant, you don’t have to be unfashionable. From Claudia’s school run casual chic, to Amy and Denise’s red carpet looks, being pregnant hasn’t stopped these gorgeous girls looking great.

Our top tip to keeping fashionable while you’re pregnant? Check out your high street favourites to see if they do a maternity range – TopShop, River Island, New Look, Dorothy Perkins, Next and M&S all have maternity sections, which basically featured slightly adapted versions of their main range.

Also, just try buying a size bigger from your favourite shops? This might not work with trousers but for tops and dresses, especially those made in stretchy, jersey fabrics, it does mean you can carry on being that fashionable yummy mummy without sacrificing on comfort.

The only thing you might have to sacrifice is your heels, but thankfully Spring/Summer sees the return of the kitten heel, which is much more manageable when you’re carrying an extra person.

And with the likes of Claudia as style icons, you’ll be spoilt for inspiration. We just can’t wait to see how Dannii styles up her bump!

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22 January 2010: 09:24

Prints Charming

Prints are always a big hit on the Spring/Summer catwalk, and this year proved no different. As well as the usual pretty florals, lots of designers showed quirky, yet cool, digital prints.

Givenchy chose to splash their abstract design all over their clothes – we particularly liked their jersey leggings, however, for us non-catwalk types, the easiest way to wear this trend is with an abstract print dress. And fashion-conscious celebs agree with everyone from Claudia Schiffer to Diane Kruger seen sporting a cute print mini dress on the red carpet.

What’s more, the high street has gone gaga for this look. From multi-coloured digital madness to the more understated monochrome feel, there’s something for everyone this year. We suggest you get ahead of the fashion pack now and snap one of these beauties up – some of our favourites are even in the sale now, so take your pick from one of our fab four digital print dresses.

L-R: Omaha dress, £60, Full Circle (available in store from March); Shift dress, reduced to £30, Oasis; UFO print dress, £35, Dorothy Perkins; J for Jasper Conran dress, £75 (in stores this spring)

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19 January 2010: 10:07

Go Dotty For Spots!

Sometimes a trend comes out of nowhere and hits you like a wild pack of shoppers going mad for the latest H&M collaboration. After wandering around the shops the other day, we were hit with a vision of spots! From dresses to shoes, bags to skirts, it seems the high street has gone dotty for spots – and now, so have we.

For starters, the spot print conjures up all things fun and spring-like – things that are both much needed in our lives and wardrobes at the moment. They also have a fabulous retro feel to them – Topshop’s spotty shorts (below) definitely have that pin-up appeal – which is a nice counteraction to all that ‘80s garb on the rails at the moment.

L-R: Blazer, £50, Miss Selfridge; Skirt, £12, New Look; Dress, £32, Dorothy Perkins; Shorts, £35, Topshop; Purse, £4.50, Accessorize

Spots will also continue to be big throughout the spring and summer, when we’ll be throwing our spotty blazer over a striped nautical style dress for that real taste of true British summer style.

Get stocking up on your spotty prints now – this is one spot we certainly don’t mind having!

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12 January 2010: 17:10

Get A Spring In Your Step!

We are so over this horrible winter weather so to cheer ourselves up, we’ve been taking a look at the gorgeous shoes heading to the high street this spring and summer.

From hot pink to uber wedges, make sure you snap up one of these trend-setting shoes and let your feet do all the talking… and um, walking! Just click on the images for more details.

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