Posts Tagged ‘dresses’

9 December 2010: 09:25

Galactic dresses

When Christopher Kane revealed his Resort 2011 collection earlier this year numerous bloggers muttered their appreciation for his galactic inspired dresses while others declared that they were a little bored with space prints. 

But celebrities have shown their appreciation for the British designer’s collection with Carey Mulligan wearing one to the Never Let Me Go premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

Whether you love it or hate it, it’s a head-turner and, lucky for us, River Island have gone and made a more wallet-friendly version.

Left to right: Christopher Kane, Galaxy-print silk-satin dress, £1,420 at Net-a-Porter; Blue galactic print ruche cowl neck dress £39.99, down to £25.00 at River Island

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6 December 2010: 09:00

Give winter the cold shoulder

As the party season approaches one question reigns supreme: to sleeve or not to sleeve.   For the indecisive among us, the answer is simple: we’ll have one of each please!

X Factor beauties Cheryl Cole and Danni Minogue have embraced the peekaboo shoulder look with Cheryl rocking a short gold number last week and Danni wearing a one-shoulder dress, not once, not twice, but five times so far in the finals.

The new LBD

The classic little black dress gets a modern twist with the appearance of ruffles, big bows across one shoulder, or one long sleeve. We love these two which are demure, simple but with enough character to make a party statement.

Left to right: Debut £90, Ben de Lisi ruffle shoulder dress £130, both at Debenhams.

Asymmetry at the office

Not just for party time, update your office look and add with a little bit of an added zest with one of these two neutral-coloured numbers. The two high street dresses add an understated elegance to any office look.  Just make sure you keep a jacket handy in case one shoulder gets a blast of winter air.

Left to right: Beige one shoulder dress, £49.99, River Island; Mink One Shoulder Pleat Dress £40.00 Dorothy Perkins

Maximum effect

The one shouldered maxi is Danni Minogue’s signature look this year favouring a full length asymetrical number over a Cheryl Cole mini.  Whether they’re flamenco or toga inspired dresses these dresses will make for a head-turning look, perfect for a more formal New Year’s Eve shindig.

Left to right: Delilah Maxi Dress,  £275, Coast; Summerso Maxi Dress £120 Monsoon.

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17 November 2010: 09:00

Sixties style

Looking for a little retro inspiration? Step back in time with 60s-inspired pieces available from some of your favourite high street retailers.

There’s something wonderfully feel good about the 1960s. Ok, so it wasn’t all rosy, but they always seem such halcyon days. And the style is seeing a revival. After watching ‘Made in Dagenham’, we’ve fallen for the shift dresses, fabulous false eyelashes and beehive hairstyles all over again.

Left to right: Camel 60s swing dress, Warehouse £35; Diamante trim black shift dress, Topshop £55

The pieces are oh so flattering too. A shift dress can disguise a midriff that’s carrying a few extra chocolate biscuit induced-pounds! An A-line skirt skims over a curvaceous hip. And a big animal print faux fur coat will detract from anything else concealed within it!

Left to right: Animal print 60s tunic dress, Dorothy Perkins £29.50, Leopard print faux fur coat, Biba at House of Fraser. £165

The A-line skirt below ticks so many on-trend boxes. It’s mid-length which is bang on this season. It’s camel coloured – again another trend tick. Plus, it’s got that 60s vibe about it. We love it!

Left to right: Stripe top, Oasis £30; Midi-length A line skirt, Warehouse £45

Now, just grab your false eyelashes (we recommend you have them applied at Shu Uemura, House of Fraser) and start backcombing your hair into a beehive that would impress even Amy Winehouse.

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1 October 2010: 09:00

The red dress

The Autumn/Winter palette is all so neutral this year – camel, grey and khaki are everywhere. But if you want to liven up your wardrobe with a pop of colour, we reckon your best buy is a red dress.

Everyone’s been talking about Mad Men styling and that has filtered down to the high street. There are lots of shift dresses and tailored styles around. They’re great for flattering your womanly curves.

But it’s all about the detail this season too. Look out for ruffles (great for adding detail and volume if you’re flat-chested), cute bows and gathered pleats for added interest.

Clockwise from top left: Bubble shift dress, Topshop £40; Bow shift dress, Oasis £55; Piper shift dress, Coast £95; Ruffleneck shift dress, Wallis £45

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24 September 2010: 09:00

Oasis wishlist

The fashion experts at Oasis have put together a handy wishlist for the new season. Featuring your must-have Autumn/Winter 10 trends, it’s a good one to leave lying around as a heavy hint if your birthday’s looming!

The style team are at the Car Boot Fair this week to help you pick out your must-have new pieces. You could also get a 20% discount in store.

We’ve been looking through the Oasis A/W 10 lookbook and we’ve started our wishlist. Ruffles, ruffles, ruffles – check. Lace in abundance – check. A flash of red – check.

What’s on your A/W 10 wishlist?

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19 August 2010: 09:00

Lady in red

Looking for the perfect red dress for the new season? Well look no further than this fantastic buy from Oasis (£50).

It’s so ladylike, with cute ruffles on the sleeves and pretty bow details to draw attention to the waist. We love the Peter Pan collar which you’ll spot a lot in Autumn/Winter collections this year.

The shape is 60s-inspired which is big news this season. It’s all about Mad Men styling and femininity. Complete your ladylike look with a chic bag carried in the crook of your arm and a pair of kitten heels.

So ditch the black for a while, and be a lady in red.

60s bow shift dress, Oasis £50

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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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14 December 2009: 09:13

Party Dresses for Your Shape

Christmas party dressing can be a nightmare. Not only do you need to find something that will make you stand out in a sea of sequins, but you also need to get the perfect dress for your shape. Well worry no more, as we’ve searched the high street for find the perfect frock for your body dilemma!

If you hate your arms… cover them up, but not completely. Look for dresses, like this one from Next (£65) with a chiffon sleeve, which will hide your arms but still look party pretty.

arms

If you hate your tummy… choose dresses that softly skim the problem area, but don’t go for anything too tent-like! We love this gorgeous studded dress from Monsoon (£95), which will hide any bulging bellies, and even allow you to indulge in an extra mince pie or two!

tummy

If you hate your thighs or bottom… emphasise your top half and waist, while ensuring the bottom half of the dress skims over your hated areas. This dress from Wallis (£60) is the perfect frock for you!

bums-thighs

You hate your legs… choose a floor-sweeping, stunning maxi dress! Long dresses are still big fashion news this Christmas, so make like a celebrity and wear this amazing Topshop one (£75). If you do want to wear a shorter dress, keep it to the knee and wear black opaques.

legs

You want to add curves… if you’re slim and boyish, but want some added va-va-voom, look for dresses with in-built curves, pleating or draping to help add those inches. We love this bright pink party dress from M&S (£35), which will surely make you stand out in a crowd.

curves

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