18 June 2010: 09:57
The maxi dress is not new for this season but it is still a hot property. The long draping dress has become a summer wardrobe staple. Buy one now and you could snap up a bargain in the summer sales.
This candy-striped Cecile maxi by Leona Edmiston is on sale now for £165, down from £275!
Why do we love the maxi?
There are a number of reasons. It’s easy to wear and looks good daytime or evening. Maxis can be dressy or casual. It covers a multitude of sins so you can hide unshaven legs or cover up between waxes! Don’t think you can get away with neglected toenails though. Your toes will still be visible despite the long length dress, so book in that pedicure!
Left to right: Faith jersey maxi dress, French Connection £85; Westbourne maxi dress, Monsoon £180; Macrami maxi dress, River Island £29.90.
But you can make major mistakes with a maxi. Some styles can leave you looking like you’re wearing a tent, so avoid maxi dresses which drape you in too much fabric or cinch it in with a wide belt. A hot style this season is the more body-conscious maxi in clingy fabrics. That brings with it more factors to consider, but it is fabulous for showing off your curves.
Team your maxi with gladiator flats or wedge sandals, chunky tribal jewellery and shades.
Left to right: Bud bandeau maxi, Miss Selfridge at House of Fraser £45; Floral maxi, Gap £49.50; Floral bandeau, Republic £26.99.
Full prices are quoted here, but many sales are on now so look out for them at a discount. Find out details with our summer sales diary
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Tags: french connection, gap, leona edmiston, maxi dress, miss selfridge, monsoon, republic, river island, spring/summer 2010
Categories: Best Buys, Fashion, Trends
10 June 2010: 10:00
Nothing screams British summer like a floral print. Florals are often thought of as mumsy, conservative and a tad prim. But think again. Flowers are blooming right now and they are bang on trend for summer 2010.
There’s a whole bunch of floral styles around. You’ll find girly, flowing florals for the romantic spirit. Looking for something a bit less chintzy? Go for bold, bright prints which will make an impact.
You’ll find florals in every dress shape from figure-hugging to floaty, so there’s definitely a style to suit you.
Left to right: Pansy print tunic, Monsoon £75; Ditzy zip skirt, Oasis £38; Trollied Dolly Cutie Pie dress, Oliver Bonas £55.
Flowery accessories are everywhere. Blame Carrie Bradshaw and her famous co-star, the corsage. That said, accessories are such an easy way to wear the trend. Go for a statement necklace, dainty earrings, chunky rings or just sling on a printed bag.
It doesn’t end there, beauty brands are hot on the floral trend too. Spritz on a flowery scent – we love the natural fragrances at Jo Malone or Clarins Eau des Jardins. Look out for pretty pinks, corals and other natural shades in make-up too. Don’t think can’t be green-fingered, there are some fabulous green nail polishes around this season. Dig in!
Left to right: Floral print scarf, Gap £16.50; Flower print bangle, Next £8; Enamel flower ring, Miss Selfridge £10; Red Roses cologne, Jo Malone £64 (100ml).
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Tags: accessories, floral, gap, jo malone, miss selfridge, monsoon, next, oasis, oliver bonas, prints, spring/summer 2010
Categories: Trends
21 April 2010: 09:52
Amid a sea of pastels, nudes and tropical brights, one of the micro trends we spotted on the catwalk this season is yellow! From muted pastel shades to bright canary yellows, adding a touch of this sunshine colour will definitely inject a bit of summer into your new season wardrobe.
At first glance it may seem a difficult colour to wear, but if you’re not brave enough to don a canary yellow dress, which looks amazing on darker or tanned skins, then why not try a soft lemon shade? It’s very on trend – pastels are tres chic don’t you know – and suits blondes and fairer skin. If that still seems too overwhelming, dip your toe in this mellow yellow trend by trying out some yellow accessories. We love Kenneth Cole’s bright yellow tote (below), which will add a touch of summer to any outfit.
To ensure you don’t look like a corn on the cob however, avoid the top-to-toe yellow look and instead break it up with shades of grey or cream. If you’re really daring, you could also try the colour clash – pale yellow looks fab with red, while a bright yellow outfit highlighted with fuchsia pink accessories will definitely get you noticed.
We’ve picked a few of our favourite pieces below – snap them up now and we guarantee you’ll have a bright summer, whatever the weather outside!
L-R: Kenneth Cole bag, £49, House of Fraser; Lemon cutwork skirt, £25, Dorothy Perkins; Dress, £55, Monsoon; Pleat neck top, £14, New Look; Wedge sandals, £85, Carvela
18 February 2010: 10:12
Monsoon have given us a sneak peek of their lovely new lingerie collection and we like what we see! Brit model Rosie Huntington–Whiteley is the face of the collection and she looks even more gorgeous than usual. Famous for her perfect pout, Rosie has recently graced the covers of Vogue, L’Officiel and Wallpaper.
We’d really to snap up every item in this gorgeous new collection but our favourites include Glamour, which has been inspired by the Art Deco era of the 1920s. We love the vintage styling on this range – it’s just so gorgeous and reminds us of something a Hollywood movie star would’ve worn in decades gone by.
Also on our wishlist is the Folklore collection. The ditsy florals are just so on trend for Spring/Summer, so it makes sense to carry on the trend to your lingerie!
This fabulous new range is in shops now with prices starting at £25.
11 January 2010: 09:48
Since the models at the Louis Vuitton Autumn/Winter 2009 catwalk show appeared wearing bunny ears, hair accessories have become oversized. It wasn’t a huge surprise. The last few years have seen a rise in all things oversize – from sunglasses to bags – but these were much easier looks to carry off.
Hair accessories have been popular for a while now with the Blair Waldorf Gossip Girl look being seen sported on many a high street. Now, apart from being able to buy these somewhat tame alice bands, the high street has gone crazy for uber-hair accessories – from bunny ears to huge bows.
L-R: Red Velvet Bow Headband, £6, Miss Selfridge; Nude Bunny Ears, £18, Topshop; Crazy Flora Catwalk Alice Band, £12, Accessorize
This is definitely not a look for the shy and retiring type, however, we think they can definitely add a touch of uniqueness to a boring outfit. Imagine the Topshop bunny ears, above, worn with a simple black playsuit? Or the red bow teamed with a casual blazer and skinny jeans combo? This is one trend we love!
But it’s over to you? What do you think of this latest craze – is it hot? Or most certainly not? Leave your comments now.
14 December 2009: 09:13
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
9 November 2009: 17:38
With the days getting colder, we’ve been thinking about getting a new winter coat. The problem is there are just too many too choose from so thank goodness for Cat Deeley!
We spied a picture of her arriving at an aiport, looking all girl next door casual sexy, in a gorgeous grey military style coat. Obviously we thought this was above our means, but were delighted to find out it actually came from Monsoon.
The Michelangelo Military Coat is from their Fusion range and we think it’s the perfect winter cover up. As Cat proved, it looks great teamed with skinny jeans and casual boots, but will also look great over workwear. We’re snapping it up now as at £100, it’s a real celebrity steal!
For other military inspired coats, check out Dorothy Perkins, River Island and TopShop.
