Stylish Shoes at Marks and Spencer

Shoes are becoming a huge part of our everyday fashion wardrobes lately, so much more than they used to be that almost every girl and woman around is starting to convert to something a lot more stylish, from the high-flying women who run busy offices down to the yummy mummys pushing toddlers and strollers around. Retail giant Marks and Spencer have recently designed and brought to life a huge range of simply gorgeous, stylish shoes in an assortment of colours and styles and heels galore!

Unfortunately, the statement "if it's flat it's not good-looking or trendy" is quite true, which isn't a problem for many of us who live in heels all the time, but for those who really want to look great whilst just being out and about even at the supermarket, heels are now the way forward. From the popular court shoe for the office to the platform peep-toe slingback sandals, it seems that Marks and Spencer have got them all!

Sandals of all kinds are really on-trend right now, so it's best to invest in a pair that you can wear with plenty of outfits such as the Ghillie Lace Platform Sandals- quite a large heel, but in a stunning khaki-green colour with light brown heels which would look great with any summer dress, white skirts (so on-trend as well!), and even skinny and ankle-length jeans! A great shoe we are seeing more of is the Asymmetric Cuff shoes, and Marks and Spencer happen to have a really cute pair in black and pink- perfect for those summer evening parties! A great sandal which would look fantastic with any nautical items recently purchased are the Limited Collection Double Cross Strap Platforms, as would the Autograph Leather Cage Platform Shoes in the white. If heels aren't your thing, then there is a stunning pair of Snake Skin Print Wedges- just check out Marks and Spencer's new range as soon as you can and make yourself look super-stylish!

What's in Fashion- Grunge Glamour!

To round up the end of our What's in Fashion week, rather than discuss one item in particular we thought that we could bring you up to speed with what is emerging and what we can expect in the new autumn/winter collections. It seems that many fashionistas want comfort as well as style these days, so all our favourite designers have been working hard to provide just that for us. So bring out the era of the grunge glamour! The grunge look has only just begun hitting the catwalks, and consists of a modern mix of long silk skirts and slouchy, boyfriend-type jumpers. It really is a fantastic look- much better than the 90's look of overly-long denim skirts and tracksuit tops! This year we will be seeing plenty of truly elegant, over-the-top evening skirts combined with slouchy jumpers in neutral colours. Designer Erdem Moralioglu says that he "loves the casualness of a boyish jumper and a long satin skirt- it strikes the idea glamour/grunge balance and you only need invest in the skirt- the jumper should be an old favourite."

Beautifully baggy trousers will also be extremely stylish this year, combined with old-style knitted cardigans both short and long. The recent discovery of the Trainer Boot will be the shoe to consider wearing with the grunge-look outfits, as they too are a mix of grunge (trainer) and glamour (high-heeled boot). For an excellent day-time look, again slouchy knits will be key along with a pair of skinny jeans, and for the rest of the summer you can get a jump-start if the weather stays decent enough by combining a maxi-dress with a cropped jumper, perhaps with 3/4 length sleeves if it is too warm for anything bigger. This look is going to be huge, whether it takes off now or in the future, but you can easily accomplish this new trend with minimal effort and look absolutely fantastic!

What's in Fashion- Draped Dresses

We have looked at quite a few different types of dresses in our What's in Fashion week, but they have had such a huge impact in the world of fashion that it really is extremely stylish to be seen out and about in any type of dress! Today's type are the elegantly sexy draped dresses, which can truly make you look like a goddess when wearing one. They have been quite popular this spring/summer season as they are so easy to wear due to the flattering shape and comfortable silhouette in such an elegant way. Draped dresses are becoming an extremely popular choice of dress lately as they can be really great at doing what almost every woman wants... they hide the tummy area, but depending on the style of the dress and where the 'drapes' fall. Not only do they hide the tummy, but also all your other lumps and bumps such as chunky legs, big bottoms and large breasts.

This type of dress in particular is more often worn as an evening or party dress as they are so elaborate and elegant, and even walking around a shopping centre in a dress which looks as though you simply draped a scarf around your body could raise a few more eyebrows than desired, unlike a maxi-dress or simple sundress. However, when you wear a dress as beautifully designed as these, you will find that you will need to wear hardly any accessories as the dress itself will speak the beauty for you!

It was famous designer label Burberry who started off the trend of the draped dress with their last spring/summer collection, and they presented a variety of dresses and draped skirts in stunning pastel colours. Of course, not long after nearly every celebrity was seen wearing one at all the red carpet events and then seen on every fashion magazine cover. So if you have an upcoming party or social event, a draped dress is highly recommended as a fabulous, stylish head-turner, and you can begin your search for one at Britain's most elegant high-street retailer, Marks and Spencer!

What's in Fashion- Body-Con Dresses

Next up for discussion for our What's in Fashion week are the uber-sexy body-con dresses. They come in either short or long and are a popular choice of dress as they nip right in at the waist to show it off, and they hug close to the body to create a fabulous figure. Originally designed for the skinniest of girls, many curvy celebs have come forward in their body-cons to prove that anyone can wear one and look fabulous. The designer who has introduced the body-con dress to the catwalk is from the famous French house Herve Leger, or now known as Herve Leroux after he lost the right to use the Leger name. The current owner of the company is Max Azria and he trades under the name 'Max Azria for Herve Leger'. However, it was Leroux who pioneered the creation of the body-con dress, otherwise known as 'bandage' or 'body-conscious' by using materials that are usually associated with foundation garments so that the dresses would mold and shape to the wearer's figure with its signature bandage-like stripes.

A body-con dress should be (some of the best ones at least) able to pull the two most important areas up and in- the breasts and the bottom, to really accentuate them and look amazing (think Jennifer Lopez). However, a flabby tummy and arms can really ruin this look, so it is really important to either choose a double-layered dress to hide some of the awkward bumps, with thicker fabrics and panelling at the front, or you can wear special stomach-holding underwear for a smoother look. Pear-shaped girls should opt for dark block colours to flatter the bottom half, big busted girls should stick to the 'bandage' dress to emphasize the breasts (but avoid strapless as they won't provide enough support) and rectangular-shaped girls should go for dresses with high neck lines and large shoulder detailing to draw attention away from the breasts. Any girls with with chunky thighs must opt for the longer styles (just past knee-length) to add the balance. You can buy some really great body-cons at Dorothy Perkins and Debenhams!

What's in Fashion- Skinny Combat Trousers

The next item of clothing up for discussion on this week's What's in Fashion are the super trendy skinny combat trousers. They have only recently emerged into the spotlight this summer season, with yet another celebrity or two being an inspiration for wearing them- Sarah Jessica Parker paraded around Manhattan in a really stylish pair to promote Sex and the City 2, and of course every one's favourite style icon Cheryl Cole, who was caught sporting a pair earlier this year as she left a hotel in Paris.

We have seen the huge rise of the skinny jeans during this past year or two, and now nearly every girl has a pair in her wardrobe so designers have taken the skinny jean to the next level to keep them looking up to date and interesting and so have come up with the skinny combats, or skinny combat-style jeans. The trend with the original skinny jeans is usually a baggy or long top worn over them, as is also extremely common with leggings and jeggings, but with the skinny combats a great look to wear with them is a smaller top perhaps showing off some belly (if you're brave enough!) and also to show the top of the trouser itself, which is usually a boyfriend-style to just below the zip/pocket area, then skinny the rest of the way down.

As combat trousers usually have pockets of all shapes and sizes on the side of the legs (this tends to go with the skinny ones too) a long top or cardigan which comes to around that pocket area could look a bit too much and not really very great. A black leather jacket would look really on-trend with these trousers right now just like Cheryl, perhaps teamed with a white stretch cotton top with black stripes and of course a fantastic pair of high-heeled sandals. One thing not to team your skinny combat trousers with, however, is any type of military-style top or jacket- which is also quite popular in the fashion world at the moment. Jackets with the front stripe and brass buttons, for example, in any colour, would not look good unless you are specifically aiming for the whole 'military soldier' look (which really doesn't suit most girls!).

Picture from www.dailymail.co.uk

What's in Fashion- Animal Print Dresses

Continuing on with our What's in Fashion news, we are going to look at the animal-print dress and how it has gone from almost 'tacky' to really trendy. It was back in the 80s and 90s when people started wearing animal prints in a similar style as today, but with no idea how to style them properly! Tiger-printed crop-tops with the then fashionable tracksuit bottoms is a classic 90's look, so if you want to wear animal prints today it's always best to remember the golden rule: keep it simple! Items of clothing with animal prints that really should be avoided are jackets, trousers, skirts, and coats as you tend to look 'over-printed' and that you belong in the jungle. That only leaves us with dresses and accessories. Today's designers have worked extremely hard to bring animal prints back in fashion, and as it is dresses being modelled and worn by the celebrities it's dresses which are the must-have! They look fantastic when worn on their own, with added accessories such as black high-heels or or simple statement jewellery.

The celebrities seen wearing the best animal print dresses recently include Cheryl Cole in a cute strapless mini-dress in leopard print, Jennifer Lopez with another leopard print plunging gown as well as her sparkling tiger print gown with a feathered hem, Miley Cyrus in a cute printed day dress, and Micha Barton and Gwen Stefani to add to the list. You can shop for your gorgeous animal print dress at Debenhams, Oasis, Miss Selfridge, and Marks and Spencer, and so prepare to make your next fashion statement with the bold and beautiful! However, if you're not quite ready to go for the daring dress, you can always make your statement with animal print accessories and jewellery. Leopard print is huge right now with all the celebs wearing it, so skinny belts with jeans, dainty pump shoes, cute earrings, big and chunky bangles, nail foils, and even umbrellas will get you started and look just as great as the printed dress!

Why boots are your year-round staple

Boots worn only in winter? Sooo 2008 darling!! Boots were always the one item we adored in winter and then put away neatly around April to rediscover them again around October. Getting your boots out in the in-between months meant admitting defeat; acceptance of the English weather with a sulk and a jumper. But not this year. blame the summer festival season perhaps, where we spot Kate Moss and Alexa Chung looking effortless in denim shorts and floral dresses, complete with bare legs and wellies. Or blame the growing fascination with what can only be described as “edginess”- a love of smudged eyeliner and leather jacket with a rebellious black ankle boot to counter balance girly lace or a tea dress. But whatever it is, boots are here all year round- which should bring with it both a whoop of celebration for our bank balances and a sigh of relief from our pedicure-deprived feet.

Boots in summer bring a lot of fabulous opportunities; not just an excuse to splurge on something which you can convince your other half you will wear “all the time” (and this time you actually might!!). Boots teamed with a pretty dress have an instant laid-back cool to them- a rebellious reaction to the girly matchy-matchy-ness that usually prevails at this time a year. Boots and shorts are synonymous with Glastonbury chic- wear with touselled hair and a headscarf, but definitely with a shower. But Spring/Summer this year has brought with it a whole range of new boots for us to lust after; lace up army boots for 90s grunge perfection, peep toe ankle boots for a new twist on the now-classic shoe boot and a range of lightly coloured boots in creams and beige to complement the nude, neutral tone of the season and manage to avoid looking too clumpy or heavy for summer.

With the unpredictability of British weather, boots in summer allow us to show off our St Tropez while keeping our feet dry- there’s nothing worse than spotting

grey clouds when your toes are exposed, or wearing black tights after paying £40 for a spray tan. With recession-chic still the order of the day though, there’s nothing wrong with just wearing your usual winter boots. Be they suede or leather, cowboy or thigh high (okay, well maybe not thigh high), wear with bare legs and keep the rest of your outfit summery and fun to avoid reminding everyone of the impending gloom in the middle of summer. Oh and tonnes of attitude. Spend your pedicure budget on a great jacket and you’re ready to go, come rain or shine.

Photo credt: oceanup.com