Trends

Burberry Cotton Parka Burberry Brit Parka

Even if you currently can’t imagine an end to the freezing, snowy weather we are having here in the UK, I promise you will soon have respite. Yes the snow will stop, the temperatures will rise ever so slightly and then we can enjoy days on end of . . . rain. It can be hard to stay stylish during the April showers but one fool proof way is to invest in a super cool Burberry Brit parka.

British brand Burberry are traditionally renowned for their classic trench coats but in recent years their outerwear collection has diversified somewhat. Burberry Brit is the youthful, trendy, mildly more affordable sub brand of Burberry and Burberry Prorsum. Their new season parkas are simply to die for, and far removed from the boring khaki parka of the 90s.

The oversized cotton parka is in a classic ‘Saxon green’ and features a drawstring hood, waist and hem, rain shield and multiple utility pockets. Yes it costs £595 but it is beautiful (in an entirely tomboyish way). You can get a similar canvas style with a lovely fur trimmed hood. If khaki shades aren’t your thing though and you prefer bright pops of colour, Burberry has it covered. A short shower proof parka in orange or fuchsia is lightweight and easy to wear, costing less than £400.

Whistles Roll Neck JumperThis blog may be a little late, as it’s February and we are meant to be talking about spring fashions. But still, it’s FEBRUARY and its cold, so whilst we may be talking about spring fashions, we are still wearing winter woollies.

At the weekend, I bought a black roll neck jumper from Whistles in the sale. I had been thinking about getting a roll neck sweater all winter, but was worried that they wouldn’t suit my non-flat chest shall we say. So I went off on a mission, can bigger busts wear a roll neck sweater?

I hadn’t worn roll necks since I was a teen. I guess they were fashionable back then, because I remember having a few, including a lilac one and a black one. I then developed a kind of phobia about putting them on, I didn’t like the restriction around my neck, and never again did I go near a roll neck until this weekend.

Roll necks came back into fashion last year with the seventies trends, a nice mustard roll neck making for the ultimate nostalgic throw back. A skinny roll neck was also the best accompaniment to the full skirt, as it balanced out the silhouette. A skinny black roll neck, I decided, was the most chic of options. Effortlessly stylish, it could be worn with all my skirts that I currently struggle to team up with tops.

So my answer to, ‘can bigger busts wear a roll neck sweater?’ is most certainly yes. The key is to make it slim fitting and skinny rib. It should be fairly long (no stopping at the navel), and fit well under the arms (no baggy areas). My Whistles sweater is very fine rib in a cotton/silk blend, so it’s lovely and soft and has no restrictive feeling. It should also see me well into spring without being overly warm, and is classic enough to wear season after season. Sales are still on, so get a move on if you want to give the roll neck a go. 

Mesh Tote

Mesh totes – yes they are exactly as they sound; bags with holes in them. Mesh totes were seen on a few runways for SS12 and they have crept onto the high street too, but are they a good idea? The answer to the question lies in whether you see the purpose of a bag as to carry your belongings, or to hide your belongings.

Mesh totes leave no room to hide. Your phone, purse, lippy and tissues are on full display. This means you need a careful bag edit before going out in public. At Kenzo a soft fisherman’s style mesh bag was seen, small and round with red mesh and blue leather trim. The model wore an outfit of blue and orange with a digital mesh print, and a mesh covered cap. There was also super slim plastic mesh shopper bags teamed with more digital mesh prints on lightweight separates.

Oscar de la Renta showed a plastic mesh powder blue bowling bag that works perfectly with the pastel trends. Then there is the newly released SS12 collection of Bao Bao bags by Issey Miyake which luckily aren’t see through but instead come in wonderful bursts of plasticized colour. Inspired by the graphic panels of modern architecture, the new Bao Bao range are made of a futuristic synthetic material fused to mesh cloth, and are foldable for handy storage. The totes come in shimmering, faceted ombre, colourful stripes and graphic numeral prints.

A stylish alternative to the mesh bag is a wide weave wicker style. If you think a PVC mesh bag is for you, carry a pretty large purse or makeup bag inside to hide all of your bits and pieces. Otherwise, large styles make a great beach bag. Look out for a black PVC mesh tote heading to ASOS.com soon, for £40.

Valentino SS12

What does lace make you think of? I know it’s totally ‘in vogue’ right now, but pushing that aside, does it not make you think of Victorian nightdresses and old fashioned tablecloths? Lace has been around for centuries as one of the earliest forms of embellishment, and you will be well aware I’m sure of its recent resurgence. Catwalk lace looks for SS12 however, have reached new heights as designers push the boundaries ever more.

Lace is an openwork fabric made by machine or by hand. The holes that make it lace can be formed by removal of threads or cloth from a previously woven fabric, but more often open spaces are created as part of the lace fabric. Lace-making is an ancient craft. True lace was not made until the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Originally linen, silk, gold, or silver threads were used but now lace is often made with cotton thread or synthetic fibres. 

Modern re-workings of lace dominated the catwalks this season. Dolce & Gabbana engineered guipure lace into a trim for a plastic mac and mixed it with appliqué for a homespun craft look, whilst Clements Ribeiro edged lace-patterned laser printed silk with black Chantilly lace. The look of lace was recreated in different forms, so at Yves Saint Laurent, a lace effect was stencilled onto python-embossed leather shoes and gold jewellery. At Valentino, dowry lace was evident in bright candy pink, and other designers really pushed the boat out with colour too.

Bottega Veneta Bag Burberry ScarfThis SS12 season designers got a bit over excited about accessories. After a couple of years of the non-It Bag, non-fussy and non-descript, fashion houses have mixed it up this season. The hottest in ‘hi-lo’ accessories combine raffia, leather and snakeskin for the ultimate tactile piece.

At Burberry Prorsum, raffia is mixed with leather for a tribal luxe look. I adore the craftwork inspired crochet silk blend scarf (pictured), available from net-a-porter for £325. In a retro seventies inspired colourway of navy, mustard and purple with bead embellishment, it has a cool homespun look, but presumably was made in a factory. Wear it with neutral colours; perhaps some flared denim jeans and wedges. Burberry also has patent leather and raffia ballet shoes and sandals, as well as the African inspired raffia effect wristlet clutch which is the ultimate in new season luxury.

For those with more money than sense, Bottega Veneta, has an oddly captivating one-season wonder in the shape of the striped python and velvet tote, £2,250. First seen on the runway, it is made from yellow, beige and black painted Indonesian python and rust and orange acid-effect velvet. A real collector’s piece, I can’t imagine how anyone could actually use it day to day.

At Lanvin you will find a softer, beach inspired look with candy colours, straw and raffia. The two-tone espadrille wedges are perfect for sun-soaked summer days. At £450, they come in bright coral and orange luxury leather, but you will find similar looks on the high street. Lanvin also has cute straw bags embellished with medal style charms for a traveller chic look.

Organza Shift Dress Plastic Black TrenchTopshop Boutique, the exclusive sub range within Topshop, does not disappoint this SS12 season. With a whole host of fashion forward pieces, you can rely on Topshop Boutique to build your capsule wardrobe. SS12 sees metallic floral silk shifts, Prince of Wales checks, neon knits and chunky fisherman jumpers.

In Boutique Basics you can pick up a cashmere mix vest for just £20. Available in black, white or grey, it is a spring essential that can be worn alone with jeans for an off-duty look or for layering dresses and cardigans. The plain T-panel t-shirt is also the perfect accompaniment to this season’s printed skinny jean. Team it with leopard print skinny denims or colour blocked trousers.

A minimalist look shines through, but there is the cat printed tee (£28) for quirky animal lovers. Pieces to buy immediately include the waffle knit sweaters. The neon yellow waffle crop sweater (£48) is the perfect colour block jumper to start wearing now. Otherwise go for plain black for a grungy look.

The plasticised coat and jacket might not be the best investment buys, but if you buy one thing this spring they can be worn every day to update your look for spring. If you are tall, you could pull off the paw print trench (£160) in black or if you prefer a tougher look, go for the black leather biker jacket with chunky zips (£165).

Orange Coast Dress

Orange isn’t the colour that oft comes to mind when considering an outfit. Tricky to wear and oh so conspicuous, many people are put off by its sheer exuberance. It is a colour however, that comes in and out of fashion and rarely disappears completely in one way or another. Orange is back for spring/summer ’12 with countless designers choosing to dress their runway models in various shades of tangerine, amber and apricot.

Victoria Beckham went for a sporty look with a slim fitting orange dress, orange and navy short sleeved dress. Felipe Oliveria Baptista also went sports luxe with bright orange cycling shorts and matching jacket. Marc by Marc Jacobs showed sixties tangerine shift dresses and Matthew Williamson built orange into his grown up blazer looks. In fact orange was also evident at Ports 1961, Nanette Lepore and Jayne Pierson to name just a few.

If you choose the right shade, orange doesn’t have to be difficult to wear. Opt for warmer tones of amber and burnt orange rather than florescent shades to be kinder to the complexion. Dark or tanned skins can not only get away with brights, but look fantastic in them. The way to wear orange is colour blocking, don’t be shy. Try a shift dress like this elegant style by Coast, suitable for work or evening, it’s a 24-hour dress for £95. The bow detailing at the back keeps it modern and youthful.

Current/Elliott Jean Warehouse Jean

I am currently a bit, well a lot, obsessed with leopard print jeans. No one is more surprised than me, when did leopard print jeans become cool rather than trashy? Well trashy cool at least. The trend seems to be down to denim brand Current/Elliott and the rise of last year’s ‘cocktail jean’. The cocktail jean is a fancy take on the standard skinny, in fact ‘cocktail’ is the new prefix in fashion to describe anything a bit fancier than average – the cocktail earring for example.

Animal print jeans crept into style last year, as seen on the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Isla Fisher. I liked them back them, but I wouldn’t have gone out wearing them. Now however, I want to wear them! Last summer the leopard print jeans by Current/Elliott sold out at my-wardrobe.com in 24 hours despite the £210 price tag and this year they have restocked on the trend.

LA based Current/Elliott was founded in 2008 by Serge Azria with the aim of producing a collection entirely crafted from denim. The brand is born out of a love of vintage denim and American roots and has quickly garnered a cult following in the fashion world. This season at net-a-porter you can get the low rise leopard print skinny jean in four colour ways – petal pink, mint, camel or grey. The print is quite subdued and therefore easy to wear. Petal pink and mint are fully on trend for this spring’s icy pastel colour palette but I’m quite a big fan of the grey.

Versace CoutureWarming up for next month’s fashion weeks, we have the couture shows. Haute Couture has seen something of a renaissance in recent years. Once seen as old and dowdy, the couture shows are now jam packed with glamour. Not available for the masses (cocktail dresses start at around £50,000) the couture shows are purely for day-dreamers.

Versace

Paris Couture Week was kicked off by Versace, who showed their first couture collection since 2004. Diane Kruger and Cameron Diaz had front row seats, and model Karlie Kloss took to the runway first. It was a boutique collection of 15 looks, all evening wear with the signature Versace vibe – lots of lace, leather and beading in silver, lime green and tangerine orange.  A full length bead encrusted dress with sheer lace panels looks like it weighs more than the model. It also comes in a long-sleeved version with futuristic shoulders. A leather laser cut brocade dress is very special indeed, plus there are leather shorts and plenty of corsetry.

Christian Dior

At Christian Dior, designed by Bill Gayton, the audience were treated to a nostalgic nod to the fifties and the original New Look era. Beautiful day dresses, dogtooth checks and waisted pencil skirts provided a timeless silhouette. Transparent voile was used to create dream-like wrap dresses, blouses and full skirts. Full length evening gowns were teamed with long gloves and huge ball gowns were embellished with beading, layering, pleats and ruffles. Black, white and red created a strong colour palette.

Alexis Mabille

Boohoo DressHappy Chinese New Year! We have now entered the year of the dragon.  Traditionally the dragon has heralded the mightiest of the zodiac signs, symbolising dominance and ambition. So this is the year to be confident in yourself and reach for your dreams.

Chinese and oriental stories have long had an influence on Western fashion. Last summer a strong Eastern story could be seen at John Galliano, Alberta Ferretti and Oscar de la Renta. Marc Jacobs really went for it at the Louis Vuitton show with cheongsam dresses, kimono jackets and stain geisha trousers all inspired by Kenzo Takada and Kansai Yamamoto, the first Japanese designers to show their collections in Paris, in the 1970's (we’re just merging Chinese and Japanese together now, sorry).

If this were a feature for ‘How to Spend it’ magazine it would be accompanied by an image of Crow’s Nest ‘Secret Keeper’ jewellery collection. The ultimate in gothic luxe, designer and founder of Crow’s Nest, Daniel-Philip Belevitch has created a range of eight oriental dragon inspired bracelets. One is strung on black cotton string, whilst the others are made from black spinell beads. With prices starting from £3000, each is made with 18k white, rose or yellow gold with rows of black and white diamonds and a signature pear-shaped tsavorite for the dragon’s eye.

If that is a bit out of your price range, then check out this bargain dress from boohoo.com. Priced at just £15, the Lucy oriental print skater dress is super cute and available in five colours of oriental floral print. Wear it for day with flats and a tan belt, or for evening with heels, a clutch and sparkly accessories.

Purple ASOS DressFashion is like a passionate and turbulent affair. It has its ups and it sure as hell has its downs. One morning you couldn't have got it more right; everything you are wearing is on trend, fits well and works perfectly. But on other days it just goes wrong. It could be an out-dated print, a bad skirt/top combo or the most common fashion mistake of all, which is bad colour matching. The great news is that by arming yourself with a little colour matching advice, it's easier to avoid some of these major mistakes.

Matching our accessories to our outfits is something all women struggle with. Worrying whether the handbag is the right colour for the dress or that the shoes match the top can make us much more than just fashionably late. When looking at colour matching, some of it is just intuition. Some of it passes with each trend and what may be acceptable one season is a huge mistake the next. However, there are some golden rules about colour matching and by following these few simple rules, you can guarantee to have the perfect colour blend every time.

Start with your favourite part of an outfit and work from there. If the dress is the key garment, then work around that but if it is one of the fabulous handbags from Jane Shilton, start with that and then pick your outfit colours to match. A common mistake is to assume that everything has to match in colour and tone. Black may be slimming, but an entire black outfit of shoes, dress and bag can lead to a pale and pasty look. The same colour is fine for a whole outfit however, if you vary the tone. If you do want to wear a green bag with a green dress, for example, its fine provided the shades are different. In fact, a whole outfit of one colour but with many shades can work brilliantly, especially with blues or greens.

Brogue BrogueIf there is one shoe defining 2011, it has to be the brogue. Suitable for men and women, the brogue was a welcome return to sensible footwear. On the feet of every fashionista, model and celeb, people rushed in their droves to snap up brogues. The history of the brogue though, comes from Scotland and shoe shop favourite Office, has gone back to the brogues’ roots for their latest design.

Modern brogues trace their roots to a rudimentary shoe originating in Scotland that was constructed using leather with perforations that allowed water to drain from the shoes when the wearer crossed wet boggy terrain. The word ‘brogues’ originates in the late sixteenth century and is a derivation of the Irish and Scots Gaelic ‘brōg’, taken from the Old Norse ‘brók’ meaning leg covering. When brogues first grew in popularity, they weren’t considered suitable for social occasions. However, fashions of course change and recently the brogue has seen a resurgence.

Office’s ‘Move Over’ brogues (£58) are particularly cute and available in two colourways – taupe/off white and pink/tan (great choice for spring). Made of super soft leather, these kilt clad flats will be the perfect addition to any Scot’s Burns supper on the 25th of this month. With a raised heel, they provide more support than your average ballet flat.

I don’t suggest wearing them in boggy terrain, but they should hold up well in the spring showers. Wear with jeans (skinny or flares), skirts or dresses. They particularly suit a vintage vibe of dress, a cute tea dress or pleated mini skirt. Wear them with confidence and avoid mid-length skirts which together could look dowdy. If these don’t float your boat, Office have plenty of alternative flat styles including ballet pumps, deck shoes and boots.  

All Saints Dress

2012 is the year of the dress. It is only quite recently that I have understood the appeal of dresses. People would always say how easy they are to throw on and how you don’t have to think up a whole outfit, just add shoes and accessories and off you go. But I often felt too dressy in a dress for the day, particularly in winter.

That’s all changed now though, I can’t get enough of dresses. The beautiful shapes, prints and fabrics that are out there currently certainly helps, as does the resurgence of vintage styles.  This season, shops will be full of the 24-hour dress. The hardest working item in your wardrobe, the 24-hour dress is a versatile frock that can take you from day to evening in an instant. Wear it now with tights and boots and in the summer with wedges.

The perfect 24-hour dress can be defined by its fabulous flattering fit and easy-to-wear comfort. You will find an incarnation of the dress for all of the major trends – colour, print, pastels, animal print. Wear it for work with heels and a blazer; add a clutch and glitzy jewellery to party in, and team it with a denim jacket and ballet pumps for the weekend.

Check out this pineapple print dress from Whistles, at £150. A vintage style but with a quirky print it could be worn with a chunky cardigan and wool tights whilst the weather is cold. Pretty and demure, it’s well worth the money. Then simple, yet effective, there is the All Saints Aditya wrap dress for £120. A classic All Saints style with the voluminous hem and in 100% cotton, it does the smart/causal thing rather well. 

Mulberry Bayswater

Animal print has been around in fashion for a few seasons. Once seen as the ‘cheap’ side of fashion, animal prints have gone high end and there is no stopping their popularity as everyone latches onto the trend. The modern way to wear it is bold and brash, as the new season designers show us how it’s done.

The S/S catwalks were full of animal references, not just as classic prints but also using the animal as a motif. There were playful references to elephants, pandas, giraffes and wolves. At Louis Vuitton, tigers lurked on lightweight knits, which were tucked into high-waisted skirts and at Prada, monkeys ran riot over blouses and dresses. Erin Fetherstone, showed the cutest parakeet clutch bag, shaped like the bird and covered in glitzy sequins.

Jean Charles de Castelbajac used zebra print to almost ridiculous proportions. One model was sent down the catwalk in a zebra shaped dress, with one arm acting as the zebra’s head and legs left flailing. It could work for a fancy dress party, if you’ve got a really big party outfit budget. Temperley London played with cartoon like tiger prints and Louis Vuitton again worked with bold giraffe prints.

The way to wear this trend is to pick one patterned piece, and mix it with simple separates or sharp tailoring. Team your favourite animal print with a sophisticated palette of beige, black, tan or navy. White is best avoided as it could look cheap. Accessories, shoes and bags are an excellent way to wear the trend. Take inspiration from the Mulberry Bayswater in Camel Leopard (*whispers* £2000). The iconic Bayswater is given an in-your-face makeover for the lady who likes to be noticed. It is made from soft hair calfskin leather and has the subtlest of Mulberry logos.  

French Connection Shirt

You can now browse and buy French Connection’s spring ’12 preview collection online. Featuring sports luxe looks, citrus colour and the brand’s signature tailoring, this collection will have you longing for bright spring days.

Featuring clothes and jewellery this is a tight collection treating customers to a snap shot of things to come. French Connection is one of my favourite high street stores currently, offering girlie but grown-up separates and dresses that last for many seasons. Founded in 1972, French Connection prides itself on fashion forward pieces that are both high quality and affordable.

The latest collection uses black and white staples to add depth to block coloured pieces. The Imperial Luxe trench coat is a great cover-up for spring. Made from wool blend it is perfect for changeable weather and will be something you keep for years at £185. Practical as well as stylish, it has a zip away hood at the collar, zip pockets and detachable waist belt.

For something designer inspired at a snip of the price, check out the Lost and Found dress, £130. In matte satin it could be worn for work and play as an understated but elegant contemporary piece. Team with opaques now and go bare legged as the weather improves. Another piece of note is the Sarah Silk Classic Shirt, £87.00. This is the ultimate spring/summer staple wardrobe piece and an elegant way to inject a fashion inspired look into your wardrobe. Made from 100% it sits beautifully and could be worn with any length skirt, jeans or smart tailored trousers.

Boux Avenue Georgia Navy

As well as being big news for fashion trends, blue has swept across the lingerie colour chart for S/S ’12 too. Shades of blue were found on the spring catwalks at Chanel, Richard Nicoll and Peter Som to name just a few, and lingerie designers have taken on the trend for their collections.

Forget the January blues, navy, cornflower or emerald lingerie is sure to perk you up this month. New lingerie can do the world of good, making you feel fabulous on the inside. Boux Avenue has plenty of blue pieces for the coming season. If you haven’t heard of Boux Avenue, they are well worth checking out.  Founded in 2011 by Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, Boux Avenue offers gorgeous lingerie, nightwear and swimwear at great prices.  Theo decided that he wanted to start a new lingerie chain two years ago when he spotted a gap in the market for mid priced lingerie on the High Street.  If M&S lingerie is the mum and La Senza is the teenager, then Boux Avenue is the fashionable 20-something, and with the news that La Senza is to close stores, Boux Avenue are going strong.

The Georgia Spot Mesh set was available over winter in navy, and for spring in cornflower blue. In a pretty pleated style, the balconette bra costs £24, short £12, and thong is £10. This sweet style is also soon to be available in a ditzy daisy print on baby blue. If you are more of a lace fan, the Chloe Lace set is sexy and cute, and gives a great shape, but if its cleavage you need, then try the Fliss Plunge bra, just £16.

Per Una at Marks & Spencer, Miss Selfridge and Peacocks all have affordable lingerie for the new season.

Topshop Pink Trouser

With both sports and seaside trends set to take over for spring/summer ’12, it is no surprise that the first New Year collection to be introduced by Topshop is ‘Surf Luxe’. For playful girls that like to ride the waves (or at least look like you could) this is a scrummy collection full of pastel shades and relaxed basics. These sporty separates have ‘sea-inspired details’ flowing right through them. Metallics, mesh and funky patterns create casual mix-and-match pieces that you can start incorporating into your wardrobe now.

One of my fave pieces is the baby pink, skinny zip pocket trouser, £38. Beautifully soft and comfortable, they would work for spring with a sweater, or for summer with an oversized tee. Also on the pink theme I love the sleeveless shirt, made from softly draping polyester, this is sure to be a S/S staple. Wear it under the knitted tweedy cotton jumper for a cute look with skinny jeans.

Jil Saunder

As the headline says, florals aren’t just for summer. This winter flower power has fought through the cold weather and is here to stay. The way to wear it is bold, think tropical prints and sixties carpets rather than ditzy patterns. The inspiration comes from Erdem’s painterly prints, Jonathan Saunders’ tropics and Jil Sander’s winter blooms.

Erdem’s prints for A/W ’11 were more abstracted than previous seasons. His Monet style prints are perfect for the grown up woman, be inspired by the rich use of colour and all over texture. At Jonathan Saunders, startling turquoise tropical bird prints were featured on warm orange dresses, whilst green and blue were juxtaposed against black. Jil Sander’s winter blooms include a romantic textured rose print and bold florals against a navy background on cocoon shapes and even a jumpsuit.

NY Fashion Week Sportswear

A lot can happen in a year, and in an industry as fast moving as fashion an AWFUL lot can happen. What were your fashion highs from 2011? We heard wedding bells with the Royal wedding and the wedding of fashion royalty, Kate Moss. We had controversy and law suits with John Galliano’s anti-semantic remarks and Louboutin suing YSL for using their trademark red sole. The Alexander McQueen retrospective was the most visited fashion exhibit of all time and Lady Gaga continued to shock with her weird and wonderful outfits. On top of all that we had midi skirts, pussy-bow blouses, faux fur jackets, maxi dresses, jeggings and florals galore. Here’s the skinny on what we think will be hot in 2012.

Trends

2012 is looking blue. At the spring/summer catwalks there was a decidedly aquatic theme from Mary Katrantzou’s psychedelic sea beds to Chanel’s underwater world. There is a great variety of blue shades to look forward to as seen at Vera Wang, Elie Saab and Alberta Ferretti. Yellow too provides a shot of colour for 2012, as seen at Matthew Williamson, Moschino and D&G. The seaside theme continues with ice-cream shades at Mulberry, Ralph Lauren and Nina Ricci; Mulberry’s Neapolitan maxi dress is sure to be a model’s dress down fave for next summer. Vintage trends aren’t going anywhere, from 50s seaside trends at Daks to wifely dresses and 70s styles at Jonathon Saunders. However, if you’re more of a classicist there are plenty of white, black and monochrome options as seen at Armani and John Paul Gaultier.

High Street

Dolce & Gabbana

When the spring/summer collections were shown last September it was far too early for most of us to think about spring fashions. Not for the celebs though, many of whom have been spotted in S/S frocks already. For the fashion houses there is no better advert than a well turned out star in their product which is why they scramble to get the beautiful and famous into their frocks as soon as the fashion weeks finish.

Scarlett Johansson was one step ahead in her black Dolce & Gabbana ensemble when she attended the premiere of her new movie, We Bought a Zoo. On the S/S catwalk, the model had more flesh on show, with a crop top and textured midi skirt. Johansson however, wore the skirt belted higher leaving just the tiniest peak of her stomach (it is winter after all). At the same premiere, 13 year-old Elle Fanning chose a dress from a label women three times her age can often only dream of, Louis Vuitton. The off-white lampshade dress, made from voile with patterned cut out front panel also showed at the S/S ’12 catwalk.

American actress Rooney Mara wore a Prabal Guring frock to the premiere of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. It too was straight from the spring catwalk, but in black with a high necked front, it was perfectly suited for winter evening dressing. Not one to be behind with the times, Ronney then wore a Roksanda Ilincic spring dress whilst promoting her film on The Today Show. She went from black to white, wearing a simple, plain white shift dress, a futuristic take on the sixties classic.

Metallic Dress

Everyone likes a bit of bling for New Year’s Eve and this season metallics have been right on trend. Christmas might be over, but there is still time to get a bit of razzle-dazzle in your life this weekend, and why stop there? Metallic looks for both day and evening wear are sure to brighten up the grey dreary days until spring arrives.

At the A/W shows Mulberry showed a floor length pleated metallic gown, dressed down with a tarnished metallic parka, chunky metallic shoes and a golden metallic bag. Very flashy for Mulberry. Oscar de la Renta showed textured metallics; a crinkled gold foil trouser suit and floor length shimming sequin gowns. Jenny Packham went all out with the disco glam. Floor length foil dresses look like liquid metal, gold sequin covered mini dresses and bronze open toed ankle boots.

Acne, Moschino and Stella McCartney also all sent metallics down the catwalk but with a tougher take on the trend. McCartney showed boxy, oversized bronze t-shirts and cocoon dresses teamed with black ankle boots for a futuristic look. At Balmain, their signature biker style was dressed up in metallics with full glittery gold trouser suits and silver skinny jeans. The classic Balmain shouldered jacket was updated in metallic blue and startling gold.

Lipsy Sequin Dress

If there is ever a time to wear sequins, its Christmas. Whether it’s a night out on the town or Christmas day at home with the family, there are sequins for all occasions this festive season. They are also very on trend this season, with sequins seen on the catwalk at Stella McCartney, Marc Jacobs and Prada.

At Stella McCartney oversized sequins were placed on black and white chiffon dresses and blouses. The fashion lingo for these over sized sequins is ‘paillettes’, French for ‘spangle’. Marc Jacobs went for a tougher approach with black paillettes on structured black garments. Paillettes lift an outfit and are definitely the trendiest way to wear sequins.

Apparently sequins are thought to date back to 2500BC! Evidence suggests that the people of Pakistan attached gold versions to clothes in the Kot Diji era. Fast forward a few thousand years and sequins are available not just on the catwalk but all over the High Street from Marks and Spencer to Primark. Be brave about it and wear your sequins with confidence. Gold or red will be particularly dazzling for the festive season. For a day time look, team sequins with a less textured item. Pair a sequined top with a cashmere knit and smart jeans for pretty yet comfortable Christmas Day style.

French Connection

Following our previous post ‘How to Beat the January Sales’ you should now be fully aware of the rules as stated by Amanda Wright, founder of exclusive online clothing boutique Hunter Dunn. Keep focused, buy quality over quantity and don’t be tempted by the price for the sake of a bargain, were the gist of the guidelines, but what specific pieces should you really be looking for? What sale bargains will truly earn their keep by sticking around in fashion for next year? Keep reading for some of the key trends to snap up.

Big Skirts

If there is one piece of the season, it’s the full skirted midi. The summer was all about pleated, but now you want to buy a fuller skirt. Wear it now with a roll neck knit and keep it for spring/summer to wear with a blouse for a Mad Men inspired look. Camel or light coloured denim are great fabrics to snap up. The French Connection skirt pictured, is down to £40 from £72 at ASOS.

Florals

Thanks to designers like Erdem and the strength of the vintage trends, florals are here to stay for another year. Winter florals won’t look out of place when we move into summer, particularly if you go for evening wear.

Colourful Sweaters

A slim fitting colour block sweater will also look fab with your new midi skirt. Colourful knits were all over the A/W catwalks and continue for S/S. To stay really on trend next year opt for tangerine orange or cobalt blue and wear them through January to brighten up your day.

White Tailoring

VIBRAM FiveFingers

According to Footwear News Readers' Choice poll, the most influential shoe of 2011 was none other than the not-really-a-shoe-at-all barefoot running sneaker. Hmm. Not only this, but the voters believe that the FiveFinger running shoe will experience a strong climb in popularity in 2012.

Barefoot running is very much in vogue presently. The alternative to running completely barefoot is to wear minimalist running shoes. The trend perhaps started with the release of the book ‘Born to Run’ by Christopher McDougall. In it, he tells of time spent with Mexico's Tarahumara tribe who can run huge distances barefoot, apparently without suffering the injuries that plague many keen runners in the developed world (reminds me of my painful shins today which halted my run). There are two sides of the argument; some say barefoot runners use their muscles more effectively, but it doesn’t keep your manicure looking nice.

VIBRAM FiveFinger (why not FiveToes?) running shoes are what all the celebs are wearing. Scarlet Johansson was seen jogging along in them in Malibu (hers were pink and grey). VIBRAM actually has a long history, dating back to 1936, but the FiveFinger shoes were launched in 2005. The shoes are lightweight and flexible, following the shape of your foot to individually hug each toe. They promise to deliver all of the benefits of barefoot running with less risk of injury, i.e. you won’t chip your nail polish. The innovative design means that you can wear them for running, trekking, watersports and even for yoga.

ASOS DressChristmas is almost here and fashion is on the forefront of many of our minds. You might find yourself thinking about what outfits you are going to wear to your upcoming holiday parties and what accessories to pair it with. An amazing factor is that with fashion come endless possibilities. Wear a holiday dress in style with the perfect accessories.

What are some simple accessories that can jazz up an outfit?

Red lipstick is festive and bold. Wear red lipstick with a little black dress or a pair of stylish black pants and a ruffle top! The red lipstick will make your face come alive with beauty and youthfulness.

A pair of white gloves is lovely and elegant and goes perfectly with a gown. Stay warm as you head outdoors and enjoy your holiday get together. Slip your white gloves in your matching jacket’s pockets and feel confident because you look like the fashionista you are!

As well as pairing your darling frock with red lipstick and white gloves, why not put a sparkly hair clip in your hair? Curl your hair with hot rollers or with a curling iron and feel lovely. The sparkly clip in your hair will add the perfect amount of glitz and glamour to your holiday ensemble.

Are you ready for all of your holiday activities? Fashionable accessories can create the perfect amount of style to a festive frock. Have fun accessorizing and creating a gorgeous look for your holiday season! 

Stella McCartney SweaterRemember the look of horror when Bridget Jones first spots Mark D’Arcy at the family Christmas party in that rather fetching (ok maybe not) reindeer jumper? Indeed Christmas jumpers have something of a reputation. They are something your Gran knits sincerely, or you might wear for comedic value. Or at least they were until this year when Christmas jumpers have become totally cool again.

Men, women and kids can all pull off the Christmas sweater look with style this winter. The A/W catwalks were awash with Fair-Isle knits and animal jumpers. It’s a look I wouldn’t have been seen dead in a few years ago, but now of course we all know granny chic is cool.

Markus Lupfer has made a name for himself as funky knitwear designer extraordinaire. His animal jumper designs have directly influenced many of the styles on the High Street. A particularly Christmassy offering is this red and white snowflake merino wool sweater, £285. It’s very easy to wear and exceptionally festive.

That said, I defy you to find any Christmas jumper more luscious than this one (pictured) by Stella McCartney at net-a-porter. Made from wool and alpaca blend, this chunky cream knit features polar bears and snowflakes but is at the top of the market at £670. For the designer look and feel at a lower price range try Jack Wills who have a range of cute Christmas jumpers. The Morford sweater (£98) features skiers, whilst the Whittendale (£98) crew neck features a classic Christmas pattern and is available in red or navy.

Burberry Brit Gabardine ParkaHave you seen the movie trailer for the next instalment of Sherlock Holmes yet? Personally I can’t wait – Jude Law, Robert Downey Jr, action, mystery and humour, it’s a pretty good mix. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows sees Holmes and Watson join forces to outwit their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty. Anyway this isn’t meant to be a film review; it does have a fashion relevance because Sherlock Holmes has turned into an unlikely style inspiration with a number of designers channelling the eccentric British look into their winter collections.

First we have the cape, which isn’t new for A/W ’11 as you will be aware. The cape had a style make over last year and has been spotted on all of the most stylish fashionistas ever since. Lanvin has done the cape the most justice on the catwalk, with the elegantly cut wool felt piece. Follow Lanvin’s lead and find a cape that comes to meet your mid thigh and isn’t too bulky. Topshop and Warehouse have great, affordable versions.

Tweed, plaid and herringbone were featured in shows including House of Holland, Etro and J.W. Anderson. Such fabrics create an instant English heritage look whilst being modern and stylish. If you feel too young to wear tweed, experiment with tweed trims and accessories. A hat is key to this look, and Miu Miu have surely taken inspiration straight from Sherlock to create this embellished rabbit felt cap. Truly charming. A plain brown tote bag or satchel is an equally nice touch.

Herve Leger GiulianaThe bandage dress first came about in the eighties, but it was Herve Leger designer Max Azria who revolutionised the tight fitting frock in recent years. Now the style has swept through the High Street where you will find a variety of bandage style dresses perfect for the Christmas party season.

French courtier Herve Leger was originally founded in 1985, but was bought by an American company in 1998.  In early 2007 Azria relaunched the Herve Leger label with his own designs, which were quickly embraced by today's most renowned style-setters, including Kate Hudson, Diane Kruger, Beyonce Knowles, Rachel Bilson and Victoria Beckham. Each Herve Leger by Max Azria look is designed with the iconic "bandage dress" in mind, seamlessly sculpting the female silhouette with signature banding construction.

Herve Leger’s bandage offering this season is simply stunning. The classic bandage dress is available strapless, sleeveless and long sleeved, plain or covered in sequins with a fitted mini skirt or flirty A-line shape. The most covetable style has to be the Giuliana A-line dress with metal hardware detailing (pictured). It costs a bomb, so is nothing but a far away dream for most of us, but boy is it worth dreaming about. With its corset style top and cheeky flash of flesh it is the sexiest dress on the market.

Wallis 1923 Coat

Wallis might be thought of as a more mature fashion chain, but if you are particularly looking for smart or evening wear, they have something for all ages. The 1923 collection by Wallis is a trend led, sophisticated fashion offering using vintage influences to produce highly covetable pieces. This winter sees the forth 1923 collection, which goes from strength to strength.

You must check out their 1920s evening dress collection. Inspired by sketches recovered from the Wallis archives and the Speakeasy bars of the early 1920’s the collection epitomises the decade in which fashion entered a modern era. The gold boardwalk dress evokes the glamour of the period with its rouching, bead work detailing and drop waist hem line. Other favourites include the pink tassel dress with delicate art deco inspired beading and bow neck tie and the grey firework embellished tunic dress. The look is completed with the cocoon drop waist coat in cream or black accessorised with a faux fur stole.

The 1923 collection also manages to encapsulate the fun and flirty 1960s. Pops of colour are set back against structured fabrics to create tailored pieces with a minimalist feel. Separates in shades of burnt orange and hot pink are key to the collection and include the pink double breasted box jacket paired with an a-line skirt and the three-quarter length trousers mixed with a roll neck sweater. Short tunic dresses typify the mood with classic 60’s styling details on fabrics of jersey and Milano wool.  For outerwear the pink and ochre fur trim mohair coat is stylish and simple. Team it with colour block stacked heels to complete the look.

Etro GiletIf there is one must have piece for autumn/winter, some would argue that it is the furry gilet. Seen on the fall catwalks at Donna Karan, Gucci and Etro to name just a few, the furry gilet is high on the style agenda this season.  The High Street was fast to pick up on the trend too, with plenty of affordable faux fur options available.

At Alexander McQueen fur trims were added to tweed suits for a rich winter look. Gucci used fur in probably a third of their catwalk collection, bringing back the nostalgia for seventies fashion. A long line fur gilet is paired with patent knee high black boots, polka dot neck tie and black fedora for a strong Russian sultry style. The highest quality bulging furs looked feather like in a way which was delicate yet striking. Their alpaca and wool cream gilet costs £2680.

Etro had an anything-goes attitude with Nepalese woolly frills on gilets of mustard and blue check and Mexicana shaggy ponchos. Their lush seventies inspired cream shearling gilet (pictured, from net-a-porter) costs an eye-watering £1770 but is truly scrumptious (and a bargain compared to Gucci’s?!). Etro also had an oversized striped gilet in black and cream wool, with tan tiered fringing for a more unusual look.

Donna Karan’s highly sophisticated city style was given a textural uplift with fur trimmings. The rich brown long line shearling gilet is pure luxury with a matching luxury price tag of more than £3000. Cheaper designer options can be found at Juicy Couture, Joseph, All Saints and Antik Batik.