'Go Nude...'

In all seriousness, now is the time to 'go nude'. Don't panic though, I am of course referring to incorporating clothes and accessories in nude shades into your SS10' wardrobe and not advocating bouts of public nakedness... after all less is definitely more as they say.

So that small issue taken care of and now onto the fashion. Nude shades are obviously synonymous with Spring as most people want to brighten up their lives and in turn their wardrobes after the bright lights of Christmas have been packed away for another year and the doom and gloom of January has crept in. Nude shades were all over the catwalk, from Alberta Ferretti to Donna Karan to Lanvin (see above).

So here's my pick of the top wardrobe updates in nude shades. Adapt them into your Spring wardobe but remember not to wear them all at once!

1. The nude basic tee - so versatile and looks effortless with black or blue skinny jeans, a stylish winter coat and ankle boots. This one is only £6 from New Look and is cropped as well, bonus!



2. Nude brogues - so chic with a muted floral or Parisian style dress for feminine daywear. Try this great pair from Fearne Cotton's range at Very.co.uk for £32.



3. The stylish nude day bag - goes with any colour coat and instantly brightens up your outfit and makes it stand out against everyone else's boring black bags! There are loads of great leather ones out there but I am particularly coveting this patent grey and nude tote from ASOS.com for a reasonable £32.



4. The nude evening dress - whilst nude may not seem an obvious shade for going out wear it can be worn with a whole host of accessories and leaves you lots of room to experiment with colours in your makeup. This one is lovely AND affordable, £25 from Desireclothing.co.uk.



Images from:
www.style.com
www.newlook.com
www.very.co.uk
www.asos.com
www.desireclothing.co.uk

Short 'n' Sweet

I know it's practically minus 100 degrees outside but it's never too early to start thinking about what you'll be wearing when (or should I say if?) the weather improves and outdoor events become appealing again. And one thing you should definitely be wearing Spring is a pair of shorts.

Shorts may seem like a fairly limited choice, restricted to those who are blessed with legs up to their armpits and thighs the width of... well, you get the point. But that is not the case, and there are plenty of different styles of shorts that you can work into different areas of your wardrobe, wherever suits you.

Shorts were prevalent on the catwalk for SS10 in a variety of styles and colours. I've narrowed it down to five styles that will see you through the Spring and Summer months and found some high street versions. Happy shopping!

1. Plain and simple as seen at 3.1 Phillip Lim - smart and perfect for workwear, just team with a white shirt. Get the look at Warehouse, £40.

















2. Nude - neutral shades are key for this season, as seen at Valentino. Get the look
at Topshop, £30.



























3. Colour - on the other side of the style spectrum, colour pop shorts can brighten up the dullest of days. As seen at Stella McCartney, get the look at Miss Selfridge, £28.



























4. Print - any print goes, as seen at Dries Van Noten. Get the look at Topshop, £30.




























5. Dressy - swap your skirt for shorts on your next night out. As seen at Andrew Gn, get the look at Topshop, £50.




Catwalk images from www.style.com
Others images from:
www.warehouse.co.uk
www.topshop.com
www.missselfridge.com

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