The one to watch for 2010: Nicola Roberts

Forget Cheryl Cole, the often overlooked 'fifth member' of Girls Aloud has been something of a style icon this year. Whether its her choppy ginger bob, numerous Chanel bags or gorgeous Vivienne Westwood frocks, she's certainly come into her own and created a unique, covetable style.

Once given the title of the 'ugly duckling' of the band and publicly criticised for her appearance by Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles, she is now a glamorous style icon who is a frequent face on fashion's front rows. And with her own collaborative beauty range for fair skin with beauty brand 'Jelly Pong Pong' under her belt she is undoubtedly one to watch for the coming year.

Whilst trawling through pictures of Ms Roberts I came across many snaps of her in daring brightly coloured party dresses, 1920's inspired blouses and dresses and trendy casual wear. And lets not forget that gorgeous Vivienne Westwood wedding dress (see above), as infamously worn by Carrie in the 'Sex and the City' film.

I've chosen my favourite Nicola Robert's outfits and offered you some high street alternatives so you can translate the flame-haired stylistas look into your own wardrobe. Enjoy!



Looking glam in a teal maxi dress with a pewter box clutch



Bouncy curls, a lace blouse and a colour pop skirt



Casual in a tweed jacket and brown leather gloves



Ready for a night out in a hot pink frilly mini

To get Nicola's look for the New Year on a more reasonable budget then snap up these pieces asap, blow dry your hair into a bouncy bob and layer on the foundation for Nicola's flawless complexion.


























































































































Cream prom dress, Coast, £150
Flower hair clip, Accessorize, £8
Coat, Warehouse, £50
Cream blouse, Topshop, £45
Pink dress, French Connection, £47.50
Shoes, Topshop, £70
Peach skirt, Reiss, £48
Black bag, ASOS, £25
Silk maxi dress, ASOS Premium, £85

Happy 2010!

x





Images from:
www.coldplaying.com
www.fashionforlunch.com
www.metro.co.uk
www.zimbio.co.uk
www.stylefinder.com
www.coast.co.uk
www.accessorize.co.uk
www.warehouse.co.uk
www.topshop.com
www.frenchconnection.com
www.reiss.co.uk
www.asos.com

Festive Fashion... New Years Eve

It may seem like ages away but it's a lot closer than you think, and New Years Eve often proves to be a stressful time. Where to go, who to see, what to wear... well at least the last one can be decided all by yourself, and hopefully this blog might give you a little bit of inspiration!

New Year's Eve is the time to bring out the glamour... sequins, glitter, anything that looks remotely futuristic to move away from the more vintage-y reds, golds and greens of Christmas. So I've compiled an outfit that will keep you looking stylish into the early hours of 2010.











Starting off with this black strapless jumpsuit from Miss Selfridge, £38. Black is the most flattering colour to buy a jumpsuit in as it disguises any extra weight you may or may not be carrying after Christmas(!) and can be accessorised very easily.

A sequin jacket is the perfect coverup this New Years and not only does this one from Dorothy Perkins sparkle, it's also an absolute steal at only £30 in the sale!

Platform heels are a must with a jumpsuit and a brightly coloured pair will really liven up the black and silver of the outfit. This pair are sporty and strappy and will look great with jet black toenails. Grab your pair at ASOS.com for £75.

Too much jewellery will overcomplicate the outfit, so stick with some statement earrings such as this gorgeous pair from ASOS.com for £20. Dramatic enough that you don't need anything else!

Add a studded clutch to the mix and the outfit is complete. This little number is £20 from Urban Outfitters and is the perfect size to fit your camera, money and lipstick!

Images from:
www.missselfridge.com
www.dorothyperkins.com
www.asos.com
www.urbanoutfitters.com

Alexa Chung... It's Off

This week we heard the news that 'It's On With Alexa Chung'; Alexa Chung's chat show for US MTV had been cancelled and no further episodes will be made. Alexa's UK fans may not be too saddened by the news as the show was not avaliable to view on British television but I for one will miss the various amazing outfits she wears in every episode, always looking effortlessly stylish and on trend.

And whilst various celeb mags have been quick to criticise how thin she is looking of late, I thought I would celebrate the amazing wardrobe that is Ms Chung's and show you how to get her look on the high street this festive time. Enjoy!







Here's my capsule Alexa Wardrobe - 10 items, many different possibilities!

1. Alexa loves a stripy tee, particularly a breton stripe, and this tee goes that one step further by combining stripes with a bow. Trust me, this tee will be one of the hardest working items in your wardrobe! Topshop, £25



2. Skinny jeans are a wardrobe essential, and Alexa wears hers with style. Miss Selfridge, £35



3. Alexa wears her heels day and night; the thicker the heel the more comfortable the shoe. Dorothy Perkins, £30



4. Every wardrobe needs a reliable day dress and I have no doubt Ms Chung would snap up this one, Topshop £45



5. A quilted chain bag is an eternally stylish accessory thanks to Chanel. If you don't quite have the bank balance for the real thing, this nude number is good value and will see you through to Spring 10', ASOS.com £15



6. Alexa is rarely seen without an impressive display of vintage jewellery and loves to layer her necklaces. This quriky charm necklace goes with anything and adds interest to daywear, Urban Outfitters £18.



7. A knitted cardi is perfect to throw over your day outfit and will keep you nice and toasty this cold Christmas time! Topshop, £48



8. A jacquard skirt is an AW essential which can be worn day and night for that luxe look, Warehouse £35



9. Whilst pumps may not seem a particularly exciting purchase, they are an essential. Worn with thick wooly tights now and bare legs in the summer, this pair are a bargain, New Look £16



10. A graphic print tee is stylish all year round, and this one is appropriately festive, Urban Outfitters £55



Images from:
www.topshop.com
www.missselfridge.com
www.dorothyperkins.com
www.asos.com
www.urbanoutfitters.com
www.warehouse.co.uk
www.blogs.independent.ie
www.dailymail.co.uk

Festive Fashion... Christmas Day

If you're like me, all you want to do on Christmas Day is eat good food, open presents and watch anything and everything on TV until you drag yourself off to bed, feeling sad that the day is over. You may be visiting relatives this Christmas day or staying in your home, but either way you want to be comfortable whilst looking like you've made some effort in any photos that may be taken of you, without your consent by your Mum.

So for that reason, I've put together a Christmas Day outfit that is on trend, glam but comfortable at the same time. Starting with this grey sequined jumper from Oasis for £55 which looks suspiciously like a (significantly more expensive) Markus Lupfer jumper, so much so you could be forgiven for thinking it was one. Knitwear is cosy whilst the sequin detail deems it spangly enough for Christmas dinner. Pair it with these embellished black jeans from Topshop for £65. Embellishment has been everywhere this AW and this pair are much more interesting than your everyday black pair.







To accessorise your Christmas day outfit, why not add some interest with a hair accessory like this grey netted headband from Topshop, £8. You never know, it may even exclude you from having to wear one of those silly hats that come in your Christmas cracker... I'm not promising anything though!

The headband is enough for you not to have to worry about wearing a necklace and earrings unless you really want to but a statement ring will look fabulous with your festive painted nails. This one from New Look is only £6 and compliments the gem detail on the headband.

If for some reason you are forced to leave your house on Christmas Day, then why not slip into a comfy pair of brogues such as this black pair from New Look for £20. They'll keep your feet warm and you'll appreciate them much more after wearing your party heels for Christmas Eve!

So there's really no excuse for you to slob around in your pjs come Christmas Day... at least until after dinner!

Images from:
www.oasis-stores.com
www.topshop.com
www.newlook.com

Festive Fashion, Christmas Eve

Christmas is undoubtedly a time for family. But it is also a time for a numerous social gatherings, from Christmas meals with small groups of friends to big Christmas parties where you inevitably end up bumping into people you haven't seen since high school... or at least since last Christmas. Either way, there is no excuse for not looking festively fabulous!

Christmas Eve is usually a time for celebrating with friends, having a few glasses of vino in a local pub and catching up on the events of the year. It's also the perfect occasion to showcase a glam outfit with some gorgeous Christmas touches. I've chosen this nude lace body from Topshop (£25) to be tucked into this black bow detail prom skirt from Miss Selfridge (£30). Tights are a must what with the Arctic-style weather we've been having recently and black opaques are always a safe bet but there are many more individual tights on sale at the moment if you want something a bit different.







Christmas Eve is the perfect opportunity to pile on the glitzy gold jewelery, starting with this vintage-look cuckoo clock gold necklace from Urban Outfitters (£28). This faux fur across body bag from ASOS (£22) gives a modern edge to the outfit and will keep your hands free for exchanging drinks and Christmas cards!
Finish off the look with these deep red and gold platform shoes from Topshop (£70) for that final festive look.

Images from:
www.topshop.com
www.missselfridge.com
www.urbanoutfitters.com
www.asos.com

High Fashion, Low Price

Like the next fashion-obsessed female, I love a bargain. Especially when I come across an item that fools people into thinking it cost me the earth instead of the price of two small pizzas at Dominos!

On the left is a pair of black embellished Chloé shoes for £900... on the right is a a shoe some £870-something cheaper at just £23. Amazing!





The differences are minimal, except for the price. I am ordering my pair as I type this entry... done.

Images from:
www.net-a-porter.com
www.asos.com

The Lady Bag

The 'lady bag' (as I have now coined it) is everywhere this season and is an important element of the Opulence trend. It's possibly the easiest way to develop the trend for day time as the lady bag is perfect for both day and night.

Pearls, velvets, jewels, cameos, jewel tones, tweed, ribbon, nude colours, satin and lace are the order of the day. The lady bag is typically hard bodied but there are exceptions available on the high street. It can be worn with an oversized jumper, skinnies and pumps or a lace dress and fabulous heels, it's entirely your call, but is best worn toned down so don't go overboard with the velvet, lace, pearls etc in the rest of your outfit. I love the Gossip Girl look but the streets of West London are a far cry from the Upper East Side.

Here's my pick of the best:


First on the list is this navy bag from ASOS's Revive collection for £20. With a beaded strap and clasp this bag is small but perfectly formed! Would look perfect with a cream chunky knit jumper for a festive day out.

I also love this red velvet across body bag from Topshop for £30. The cameo detail gives it a vintage look and would liven up your party dress a treat. Just don't pair it with anymore velvet!



At the other end of the budget spectrum this velvet box bag from Reiss for £110 is a real statement piece. I love the bow detail on the clasp and the geometric shape will last you for more than just one season. A perfect update for your standard black going out bag.



And last (but certainly not least) is this teal velvet bag from Chloé at net-a-porter.com for £945. I'm not pretending I can afford it, but if I had the money I'd certainly be adding this to my winter bag collection! The tassel detail reminds me of fancy curtains and the colour is bright and elegant. Chloé is synonymous with lady-like chic and this bag summarises that in one neat, expensive pouch!



N.B - The lady bag doesn't require you to behave like a lady but will give the illusion that you are if you wear it right...

Images from:
www.asos.com
www.topshop.com
www.reiss.com
www.net-a-porter.com
www.graziadaily.co.uk

Quick Fix: Extravagant platforms

I have no doubt this will become a regular feature on this blog as I am always lusting after one thing or another (clothes wise) and these shoes literally left me lost for words when I stumbled across them some five minutes ago. The word amazing doesn't quite cover it - these are so Chanel-esque it hurts, I can completely imagine Lily Allen wearing them on a night out.

For £130 you can own these amazing creations - not the cheapest pair of shoes around but they will have every other female looking on in envy! Topshop Boutique shoes are notoriously fabulous and these are my favourite pair yet. Studded and quilted with gold chain and jewel detail, keeping you on the right side of opulent but edgy at the same time. I LOVE them and I'll be very surprised if you don't too... log onto topshop.com now or go into store before they sell out.



Image from www.topshop.com