Posts Tagged ‘river island’

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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10 August 2010: 09:00

Spend or save: print platforms?

If you’re looking for a statement shoe, then these could be the ones for you. The Miu Miu bird print platform will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. Here at Westfield HQ we think they’re fabulous, but opinion is divided.

Animal print is everywhere for A/W 2010 and we don’t just mean leopard print. You’ll find plenty of animal motifs around too – sheep, cats, horses, puppy dogs and more. Miu Miu embraced the bird print and you’ll see it across the collection. These platform shoes are chunky yet cute, but they’ve sold quickly. If you have £395 to spend on these divine heels, you’ll need to hotfoot it to get your pair fast.

Miu Miu bird print platforms

Not quite in your price range? Fear not, high street favourite River Island has been inspired. Check out these cherry print platforms at a budget-friendly £54.99. You’ll still make a statement and attract attention in these brilliant chunky heels with a cute print and jewel embellishment, but you won’t need an overdraft to buy them.

River Island cherry print platform £54.99

Spend or save? Miu Miu or River Island?

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3 August 2010: 09:00

Add a splash of colour

It’s holiday time – sun, sea, blue skies. Keep that vibe going by adding a splash of summer colour to your wardrobe palette. Think blues and greens from cobalt to turquoise and every hue in between.

Going on holiday?

Bold blues and greens look great in the sunshine and will complement a golden tan. Pick out some bright, colourful pieces to mix with your basic neutrals. We spotted this bright blue River Island bikini on Coleen Rooney recently. If it’s good enough for her holiday wardrobe, it’s good enough for ours too.

 

Left to right: Amaryllis kaftan, Accessorize £30; Blue bikini, River Island top £12.99 and bottoms £9.99; Havaiana slim flip flops, Schuh £19.99

Staying home?

If you’re holiday’s behind you or you’ve decided to stay put this year, create your own holiday vibe with splashes of colour. These pieces will lift your wardrobe and see you through to next season. Enjoy them now and to spice up your more neutral Autumn/Winter palette of camel and grey.

 

From left to right: Asymettric ruffle front dress, Oasis was £50 now £30; Two tone sunglasses, Topshop £15; Teal mid-heel brogue, Office £65; Blue Prism watch, Guess Accessories £130; NailsInc nail polish in Haymarket, Debenhams £10.50

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9 July 2010: 09:00

Hot summer shorts

Shorts are one of this summer’s biggest trends. There’s a wide range of styles ranging from short, short little hotpants to high-waisters or knee length smart city shorts. So prepare your pins and show them off!

Our Personal Stylist, Anna Moore’s shorts style of choice for this season is the denim high waister. The best pair in her opinion are these Basque indigo jean shorts from Topshop, £28.

Looking for a more conventional cut-off denim short? Try these boyfriend shorts from Uniqlo (£14.99) or sexy Siluetas from Zara (£24).

This season’s trend for embellishment and detailing is not just for the upper body. Shorts don’t have to plain. Look out for fringing, texture and additional details like studs. Here are a couple of our favourite finds:

Left to right: white lace hotpants, £24.99 and tan suede fringed hotpants, £29.99 both River Island.

If you’re after something a little smarter, go for a longer length, tailored pair. Team with a shirt and heels for a super chic summer look. We love these pretty pink shorts from Warehouse, £40.

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18 June 2010: 09:57

Maxi dresses

Leona Edmiston maxi dress
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!
Maxi dresses
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.
Floral maxi dresses
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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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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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 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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