Happy Halloween

Halloween is here and this past weekend has seen no end of celeb halloween parties so I've had a little nosey at what some of the celebrities have dressed up as.

First of all we have Kim Kardashian as wonder woman and beside her Jamie Lee Curtis as a pirate. Good effort ladies. But then along comes Heidi Klum dressed as an Alien Transformer and I have to give her 10/10 for effort. What an outfit!

Kim Kardashian
Wonder Woman

Jamie Lee Cutis - a Pirate

Heidi Klum - Alien Transformer!!

Pink - Sad Clown

Anne Hathaway
Cleopatra

Paris Hilton - Army Tramp??

Halloween, traditionally an American thing, has gotten bigger and bigger every year here in the UK and with it the opportunity to have buckets of fun getting dressed up, albeit sometimes ridiculously, and actually go out in public. Some stick to the predictable but Heidi has totally gone all out with this one. Go girl!! For me Halloween means ghosts, ghouls, zombies, and vampires so ditch the sexy maid outfits and go scary! After all isn't that what Halloween is all about?

One Piece Wonder

If you are looking for a new party piece for Autumn-Winter 2011/12 my personal favourite is the jumpsuit.  The wide legged one piece has been featured on the catwalk and, with the new collections in satin, gives you a relaxed yet glamorous look.

The beauty of the jumpsuit is that it can work day or night. There are numerous versatile styles that can be worn during the day and adapted with accessories by night. Simply adding a dazzling necklace and a clutch bag completely changes the feel of your outfit.  If you opt for a wide leg with narrow top, pair with your highest heels and a small belt. 

The great thing about the jumpsuit is it has really taken the catwalk and the high street by storm and there really are so many styles available now. I think they can be so many things…edgy, glamorous, sexy, casual, elegant, funky, the whole lot. And that’s why I love them!

Red Carpet Glamour

Theres nothing like a glamour injection to give us a boost. Some of  my personal favourite red carpet dresses seen at the Golden Globes this year are spectacular. They may be out of our reach but theres no harm in looking and keep an eye out for my next post on getting the catwalk look on a budget

Heidi Klum brings a splash of color
in a Marc Jacobs

.

Megan Fox sultry in Armani Privé

Natalie Portman, pregnant &
blooming in a  Victor & Rolf Gown

Angelina Jolie in
Atelier Versace's stunning
gown covered in
Swarovski crystals

Classic Nicole Kidman's simple
 elegance in Prada

Jennifer Lopez in a
Zuhair Murad number

Nail the Laid Back Look

With autumn kicked in and winter fast approaching and the autumn/Winter 2011 collections hitting the shops now is a good time to give your look a shake up. Work and home wardrobes can differ quite significantly and with the laid back revolution well and truly in full swing its all about going urban.

We all love a pair of jeans and although designers scream dress up most of us are not quite ready to trade in our worn in denims or khakis. The trick is in putting together an outfit that screams comfort without screaming scruffy and sloppy.  Approach your casual weekend wardrobe in much the same way as you would you day to day work wardrobe. Choose outfits that are well combined carefully with your basic styles and colours in mind. Don’t neglect the footwear. Retro pumps are huge and white trainers just aren’t going to cut it. There is such a range of pumps in different fabrics and colours along with the fashionable worker boots.

Baggy boyfriend jeans are still everywhere so make sure you have these essentials. Team the baggy jeans with a pair of funky converse and cool t shirt or hoodie for the casual trendy look. Adding some Pauls Boutique and Superdry to your wardrobe is guaranteed to add fresh style and fashion.

With the ‘in between’ weather of autumn a weekend jacket to fight of the cool chill is a must have. I’m partial to the super casual look for the weekends as  after a working week in office wear its always nice to kick back and chill. With my weekend wardrobe consisting of a few different looks, the slouch around look requires a jacket all by itself. Get yourself a varsity bomber jacket or a Pauls Boutique quilted jacket. These are surprisingly versatile working on jeans, skinny or baggy, leggings, and casual skirts and tights.

Autumn/Winter 2011 – A heads up on the trends

First of the the all enduring leather is HUGE this season. Leather is always there, hovering in the background but this Autumn we see it coming forward to claim some limelight with a range including Givency’s catwoman hats, Louis Vitton’s fetish tribute and Junya Watanabe’s motorbike collection. Diesel, Armani Exchange, Iro and many more are bringing leather to the forefront this season. 

Lighting up the Autumn/Winter catwalks was Gold!! Shimmering metallics, soft shades…it was all there.

Is it a boy? Is it a girl? The overlap Iin wardrobes has always been there, if a little slight. A borrowed jacket or oversized jumper.  Karl Lagerfield played on Coco Chanel’ style by including tweed jackets, and skinny jeans and heavy boots underneath skirt suits.

Add a Little Glam to your Everyday Look.

Tradition has it that we have our weekday wardrobe….generally sensible(ish) shoes, clothes and bags and we save all the fun for the weekend. But really girls, the weekend is only 2 days and such a minuscule amount of time to go glam. So I've decided to give you small changes you can make to your everyday ensembles that will add some glam to your look.

Take a simple shift dress and substitute your regular plain handbag for animal print adding a sexy touch to your outfit.

If you have a classic plain dress, glam up the outfit with more eye catching footwear. A simple change to your shoes can keep the classic look you are aiming for whilst adding a little flare!

Don’t be afraid to mix it up with a pretty blouse or top. Chiffon is huge this season and adds femininity and elegance. Go for pretty sleeves, bows, collars, and cute ruffles.

All in all little changes = big results and means you don’t have to save all your fun and excitement for the weekend making you a 27/7 Glamour Puss! 

Time to Brave the Beach

Its summer...a time for sun, sea and sand. A time to brave the beach and put your bikini clad body out there in public in all its wonderful glory. However this can be a very stressful time, when you want to look and feel your best. So its essential to find a swimsuit that makes you feel great.

Now depending on your body shape, there are various types of swimwear out there that can work for you.

The tankini is a two piece but not as revealing as the bikini. If you are conscious about your tummy or don’t want to reveal quite as much as you would in a bikini then a tankini is for you. A good tankini can pull you in a focus more attention on your chest and legs.

A bikini is the all popular two piece. However there are various types of bikini out there for different body shapes. For those with a triangle body shape go for bikinis that draw attention to the top half and straighten out the bottom half.  Halter necks are fab for bringing out top half curves.

Ladies with an hourglass figure are lucky in that they are generally able to pull off any bikini type.

For those with a rectangular body shape maximize on femininity as the rectangular shape can sometimes be a little boyish. Ruffles, tie ups, floral design all help to bring that feminine touch to your swimwear.

A then we have the one piece. 

Unfortunately the one piece has a reputation for being dowdy and drab but this really isn’t the case. There are a number of styles available now and the monokini has really become a hot trend.  The monokini does require a certain amount of confidence about your body as they are able to highlight any insecurities you may have but if you do choose to go with this look its definitely one to wow.

Super Stripes This Season

For the wall flowers among us stripes can often be overlooked. However this season they are a big feature and can bring boldness and flare to what would ordinarily be a plain outfit. There is the myth, and might I add it is a total myth, that wearing horizontal stripes adds to our width. but with this being false lets take a look at some of the different ways stripes can be incorporated into your wardrobe this season.

Prada Spring/Summer 2011

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Here are some top tips:

1) Team your striped garment with something plainer to create a more placid look. A striped top with a plain bold skirt or vice versa .

2) For a bolder look go for big stripes and a more subtle look go with the thin stripes. Pin stripes are a great way to begin the look cautiously whilst still adding flare.

3) Experiment with colours. With stripes featuring so prominently in the Spring/Summer 2011 collection there is an array to choose from starting with 2 colours to multi colour stripes. Don't be afraid to try something bold and new.

The list could go on but what I will say is when it comes to stripes, if you can manage it, don't err on the side of caution. Go bold, go bright, go multi coloured. It really is the only way forward this summer!

Floral Trends...Are They For You?

Its difficult to escape the presence of floral print in any spring/summer collection and this season its pretty prominent. I've never naturally considered floral print myself but with all of the designers including it somewhere in their range its given a lot more to choose from and I have added a few items to my summer wardrobe. Whether its a style you've considered before or not you don't have to simply wear floral because that's what's out there. It can be nicely incorporated into your style with as much or as little as you like.

Even just adding a pair of flower shoes to an outfit adds to that summery, feminine look and feeling.

The feminine look almost always requires some form of flowers but incorporating floral print into your wardrobe needn't wash away your own unique style either.

Irregular Choice for the Regular Girl

As a self confessed boot-a-holic I've found myself somewhat surprised at my new found love for shoes. Although I'm coming round to the whole idea that boots are not appropriate for EVERY outfit its the Irregular Choice shoes that have grabbed me. Their unique style makes them very adaptable and though some are more 'out there' than others they really are quite fabulous. As we all know comfort, style and glamour are a hard combination to find so I was pleasantly surprised by these little numbers.

Yes I'm converted.....my Irregular Choice shoes are my most favourite shoes ever and I now must have them all!!!

This Season's Trend - Colour Block Fashion

Yes ladies the time has come to ditch the little black dress and add some colour to your wardrobe.

Colour Block fashion is one of the hottest new trends to hit this season. It involves forming an ensemble of two or more blocks of colour. Not restricted to daytime or evening, this look can be applied to trousers and jackets, tops and skirts or dresses. Shoes and handbags can also form a part of your colour block outfit.

As this particular style involves the use of bright colours it may cause you to shy away but adding a little of your basic black, brown or white can give the outfit a more refined look. Don’t be afraid to experiment with this look as it is hot hot hot this season!