Men's Jeans For The New Season

With the new season fast approaching us, us women have known for some time exactly what fashions we can expect to be wearing. But what about the men? Are they up to speed with what they will need to wear to keep up with the trends? Well, here is just a quick look for them to begin with- jeans. Jeans are always in season, but sometimes different cuts and styles can look a bit dated. So this season, fashion website Blue Inc have got the very pair to ensure instant style- the snow wash Slim Fit Jean. Slim jeans are becoming increasingly popular amongst the blokes, so these really are a great choice to boost their wardrobe into the new autumn/winter '10 season.This pair in particular come in a really smart gray colour with added contrast rivets to keep the style looking hot, and they also feature the ever-popular button fly, layered side pockets, and of course the dependable rear pockets which come down low past the bottom in typical boyfriend style.

However, if the slim fit really isn't their style (and really, they do need to possess a certain figure to pull them off) then perhaps the Blue Inc Gray Fade Regular Jeans might be the best choice. Again, these come in a really attractive gray fade colour to offer the chance to escape the usual blue-jean rut, and they come in the typical regular-fit style (sometimes known as boyfriend style). These jeans also have the same features as the slim-fit jeans- the button only fly, contrast stitching and rivets to increase the style, rear and side pockets, and a really clever crease and fade detailing over the jeans, and a particular crease-with-stud section on the side of the left knee area. So the choice is yours (or his)- Slim Fit or Regular Style? Check them both out at www.blueinc.co.uk/man.

Autumn Winter's IT jacket

While we try to savour the last few days of “summer” (a few hours of sunshine and a rained –off barbie does not a summer make) the unmistakeable cloud of autumn starts to hang over us. September means an actual acceptance of the fact that it’s getting colder (even though we haven’t seen sunshine since about May) and that soon the flipflops will be put away and our boots will be out; halter tops will be replaced with oversized jumpers. We enter into September begrudgingly grabbing our coats and sulking as we put on a scarf.
But this is the perfect excuse for a new wardrobe!! And this Autumn Winter is much more sleek and stylish than lumpy layers. Think calf-length circle skirts, chunky knits and of course, the aviator jacket.
The aviator jacket is a god-send; perfectly incorporating both warmth and style. While we may all be lusting after Burberry’s beautiful offering (which has sold out already at Net-a-porter), the high street is doing some fantastic imitations. Mine is from River Island (who do a few reasonably priced imitations) but Top Shop have a beautiful, yet pricier version and even BooHoo have stepped up to the mark. But once purchased, how do you wear it?
Well the aviator jacket has been hailed as the “new biker jacket”- the wear-with-everything winter staple. Wear with a jumper and jeans for day-time warmth come autumn, with skirts or dresses for daytime, and throw over a cocktail dress for Christmas parties. The aviator jacket works both with girly, grungy floral dresses or with slim-leg trousers for an androgynous look.
The aviator jacket reflects the British notion of trying to look good in our dreary weather; think of the success to Hunter wellies and the unwavering obsession with festival chic. They were invented to keep pilots warm at high altitudes and the warm furry collar is the ultimate in snug-chic. They also embody the idea of a strong, independent, female figure a la Amelia Earheart.
This is a trend to wear with a little attitude and lots of warm layers. The only downside is that while you can buy them now, they really aren’t wearable until at least the end of September. Sob. Make the most of the last few weeks of warm-ish weather, have a few more wears of your denim jacket and then embrace the warmth and comfort of winter weather- no fake tan required.

photo credit

Minimal Chic Vs Modern Decadence

Now that the summer is almost over, it's time to start thinking about our Autumn wardrobes. This season will see a new fashion divide, which you can either pick and choose one or both as your key styles for the next few months. We will be seeing plenty of minimal chic- a look more suited to smart dressers as these collections will include relaxed tailoring and tonal dressing for that understated cool and sophisticated look. There will be lots of neutral colours mixed with metallics, as well as subtle lace features. The key to looking really stylish with these usually boring items are to mix tailored trousers with lightweight knitwear and silk blouses, keep your outfits simple (minimal) so clean lines and fuss-free fabrics are a must, high-heels to add feminity to the blouse/trouser look, keeping the accessories to a minimum to show the laid-back appeal,and finally- go for grown up cashmeres and silks. The main colours you can expect to see in these collections are nudes, grays, blacks, whites, and camels.

The next look to rival the minimal chic is the modern decadence look. This look is a more bolder, full-on look with lots of lace, animal prints, brocade and full skirts combined with faux fur and shearling. This look is all about the texture, layers, and femininity to celebrate true fashion. The key points to achieve the modern decadence look is to embrace metallics for a hint of evening glamour and silver brocade for a luxurious edge. Try animal prints out sensibly with bold black heeled shoes or boots. Faux fur is going to be huge this season, so embrace it for those cold winter months along with statement jewellery to show off your bold side, and of course try the lace. Obviously not too much of it, but wearing it in the right places and with the right amount will look stunning. Shifts will take you from day to night as well as cute shoes. So the choice is yours- minimal chic or modern decadence?

Picture from Google.com

Chunky Watches

I have always loved chunky watches for their solidness and stylish look. The chunkiness gives them a certain feeling of reliability which is really important for someone who lives by their watch and constantly checks the time. A chunky watch is the perfect contrast to a feminine and girly outfit including floral prints and frilled or lace clothes. It is also a great way to highlight delicate wrists.


Shop NBC has a great selection of Women’s Invicta watches that are sporty and chunky as well as some more delicate options for those that prefer a more feminine looking watch. The Invicta Women's Sea Spider Quartz in pink or mint is a great way to add a pop of colour to your outfits and works really well as an everyday watch. It is sturdy enough to cope with almost anything that life can throw at it, including a bucket of water (it is water resistant to 100m). It is feminine but also chunky for a really on trend look. For those that like to be really accurate it also has hour and minute subdial hands.

For ladies that like to wear a really chunky watch the range also includes Subaqua Noma III watch. This watch is not only ideal for sporty types particular those participating in Sub aqua diving, it also makes a huge style statement. It has a thick leather strap and a stainless steel case with 18K gold plating. It is water resistant to 500m and is also shock resistant making it incredibly hard wearing.

Invicta watches are a great investment as they have a reputation for quality. They are also collectors pieces that can be enjoyed for many years to come. The classic styles are both fashionable and classic, making them a versatile addition to any outfit.

The Aviator Jacket

We are now going to take a peek at exactly what is going to be super-stylish this Autumn. Judging by what we have found on some of the UK's top fashion websites, the Aviator jacket is the hot topic right now. The Aviator jacket is set to be the huge key piece for your wardrobe, and most likely will be the best thing you will buy for the cold seasons which are ahead of us! With a classic combination of sumptuous shearling fleece and leather, the new trend is certainly going to be a fashion force to be reckoned with! Why is the Aviator jacket suddenly the next big thing though? In recent years, we have seen fashions from previous decades creep back into our modern wardrobes, such as 60's dresses, 70's jeans, 80's baggy t-shirts and 90's animal print fashion, and now it seems that the 30s are finally getting their turn!

First available in 1926, Leslie Irvin designed these jackets and then became the main supplier for the RAF pilots during the second world war, but it wasn't really until a few years later when Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, actually made the aviator fashionable. She combined her jacket with knee-length leather boots; a look which will look extremely catwalk-gorgeous this season. The Aviator jacket is actually following last year's trend of the leather biker jacket. The Aviator, however, has a really butter-soft leather outing unlike the biker, and the shealing is what distinguishes it from other leather jackets- made from sheepskin pelt that has gone through a limited shearing process, so of course the shearing will also be used for other fashion items this season such as gilets and longer parka-style coats with hoods. Here is one of our favourites.

Taupe Aviator Jacket by Red Herring at Debenhams - Buy Now

Another key trend this winter is the duffle coat.

Picture from www.guardian.co.uk

Animal Prints And How To Wear Them

In recent months, animal print has become huge on all celebrities and their fans but how do you wear it? And are you really brave enough to try it?! Wearing animal prints is a really great way to make a bold statement when you're out and about- but you really need to get it right otherwise you could end up looking really trashy rather than classy. Try to follow these tips to ensure you look mostly glamorous than grunge:

1) Wear animal prints in classic pieces, such as a trench dress, a blouse, and a knee-length straight skirt to look always elegant.

2) Avoid wearing anything that is too revealing- mini-skirts, hotpants, tight tops and trousers and low cut tops really do not look good.

3) Stick to wearing only the minimal amount of accessories and jewellery otherwise you could end up being too bold for anyone's taste. Keep them one colour if possible, so perhaps high-heeled black shoes and a black belt and bag to keep the look classy.

4) Animal prints can be used to flatter your figure- so take advantage! Use an animal print belt around a tiny waist, tie a scarf above great cleavage, or animal print shoes to show off great legs!

5) Use animal print with basic colours only- black is usually the best, but you could also try white, silver, or even a hint of red to accentuate your outfit!

6) Don't ever opt for all-over animal print- it's far too bold and frankly rather tacky. If you choose a dress, keep it short, with short sleeves or none at all, and obviously whilst animal print trousers/leggings do look good, combined with an animal print top as well is just asking for trouble.

If you feel that you would really love to try wearing animal print but perhaps you're not quite brave enough to go all-out, just stick to something basic- leopard print shoes (which are really huge right now) snake print handbags, a simple scarf or even just an umbrella will ensure you always look glamorous and gorgeous!

Lily Cole's Business Recognition

English model and actress Lily Cole has recently launched a new clothing collection which has been recognised by the RSPCA's Good Business Awards. The collection, called the North Circular, has a really different approach behind the designing- the motto for the collection is "Knitted by Grannies, approved by Models"- and is comprised completely from the wool of rescued Wensleydale sheep and employs local grannies to turn the wool into next season's must-have eco-solution to the blustery English weather. The rescued sheep come from fashion designer Izzy Lane's sheep sanctuary in North Yorkshire where the sheep eat organic grass and are not slaughtered for anything but allowed to die of natural causes. Izzy Lane is also in the run-up for the RSPCA Good Business Award, as well as fashion giants Marks and Spencer and New Look, and Junky Styling as well as 23 others in recognition of their ethical approach to animal welfare.

The awards have been changed slightly this year to now include sportswear, accessories and fashion as opposed to just the 'fashion' category. David Bowles, the director of communications for the RSPCA, has said " We've been really pleased with the quality and calibre of entries this year. All of the shortlisted businesses are really setting the standard for animal welfare and the steps they are taking are very important. The strides taken this year are a clear indication that companies are responding to the shift towards responsible consumerism."

Lily Cole, born in 1988, has had a very successful career modelling and acting since she was only 14 when she had a chance encounter with actor Benjamin Hart in London. She has featured in several popular publications such as V, Vogue, and Playboy where she posed naked for a shoot. She has also has several minor acting roles such as St.Trinians in 2007, Rage in 2009, and more recently Phantasmagoria: The Visions of Lewis Carroll starring as Alice which is yet to be released. You can view Lily's new collection of cuddly winter warmers at http://www.thenorthcircular.com/.

Picture from Wikipedia

Suri Cruise Designs Her Own Clothes!

The very young toddler-daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Suri Cruise, has apparently been designing her own clothes since just 18 months old! In an interview with the New York Magazine, mum Katie Holmes, who has her own fashion line called Holmes and Yang, has revealed that she actually relies on her four-year old daughter to help her with the designing and with any advice needed! Katie Holmes explains the reasons behind this new story that's grabbing the attentions of the media by saying "I grew up the youngest of five children so there were a lot of hand-me-downs that I would sort of change." And despite being so young, little Suri clearly already has a mind of her own..... "Suri and I do just that now with her clothes. Or rather, she does it! She will say, 'I want this sleeve cut' and it's like 'Okay, we'll cut it.' She picks out all of her own clothes and has done since she was one and a half."

Suri is clearly inspired by her mother's work in the fashion industry, as she watches and helps Katie with the designing and in-putting all of her own ideas. The actress, model and dancer began working on her collection in collaboration with her own stylist, Jeanne Yang, and it was launched in the Autumn of last year. The range comprises of womenswear as well as childrenswear, which has been hotly anticipated as the collection is totally inspired by Katie Holmes's own classic styles and around Suri's needs and wants. Yang has called their designs "classic with a twist"- such as blouses, trousers, jumpsuits, skirts and cocktail dresses. They have been described as being "basic without being boring". It is, however, a very expensive collection- $2,375 for a cocktail dress and $945 for a blouse, as the designer pair commit to using luxury fabrics with great details such as silk linings and hand-sewn zips.

Picture from Suri Cruise Blog

Vanity sizing.

Have you ever justified the necessity of buying jeans the next size up with “oh well, Marilyn Monroe was a size sixteen”? I can’t be the only person who has often doubted the truth in this fact. Marilyn Monroe, by all accounts, was a size sixteen, but it was not a size sixteen as we know today. By today’s sizing, with a twenty-two inch waist, she was a mere size eight. This is where vanity sizing comes in. Vanity sizing refers to the phenomenon in ready-to-wear clothing of the same size becoming bigger over time. It is fundamentally about making women feel thinner than they actually are in the hope that if they can squeeze into a smaller size then they’ll return to the shop to buy more clothes that make them feel better about themselves. But of course, they are in reality, no smaller, the sizes are just bigger.
How often have you gone into a shop and found yourself to be a size smaller than you normally take? This is vanity sizing; a ploy by the fashion industry. It also reflects the growth in size of the average woman; a reflection of the growing prevalence of obesity across the western world.
There is plenty of scientific data to back up these sizes increases, and some of them make for uncomfortable reading. A recent UK survey found that in the last five decades women have increased in size by an average of 6.5 inches on the waist and 2.5 inches on the hips; a size ten for example has grown by 5 inches in the last 30 years. This is especially noticeable when buying vintage clothes; an average size ten now would have to hunt towards the sizes fourteens to find vintage clothes to fit her modern proportions.
Many designers try to offer an explanation; one common excuse is that differing clientele require different sizes. A TopShop size ten would be catered more for a twenty-something than an M&S size ten which would be aimed at a more mature lady. A 2003 study also found that more expensive clothes tend to be smaller; not surprising when boutique owner Brix Smith-Start admitted to The Times that designers make their clothes smaller to stop fat people wearing them. Fat people, apparently, are not good advertising. But increasing sizes leads to the growth of subzero sizes; while we bemoan the size-zero starlets they are probably no thinner than the glamorous women of years ago. Their clothes just have a smaller label.
So it seems the truth is painful to hear, which is why shops continue to feed us lies. So remember next time you squeeze into a size eight in M&S or get those 30-year-old size 10 jeans on that unfortunately, it’s the sizes that are growing, not us shrinking.

picture credit: http://mrjam.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c00c753ef01156fb33f9b970c-pi

Luella's Guide to English Style!

Top young fashion designer Luella Bartley has written a book which is due for release on the great English fashions and how to wear them! The British Fashion Award 2008 winner has decided to write about something that she greatly admires- English Style. She explains to all of us about English girls and debates if they are the coolest in the world- definitely worth the read there! There are many girls over the world who do try to copy the English Style, such as the classic boyfriend jeans with smart tops made to look scruffy, and the skinny jeans look paired with long baggy jumpers and fleeced snow boots for comfort as well as style.

Luella really goes into depth and detail over her findings as she investigates true English fashion and the impact it has around the world- from the smart and scruffy to the classic and the streetstyle which always ensures that English girls are always at the cutting edge of fashion. With so many British fashion style icons to follow such as Kate Moss and other models and designers, it's no wonder that we are always the trend-setters and not the followers! Next up, Luella then goes on to explain the 'style tribes' vying for the English girls' allegiance to set their own trends and also the social rituals which she experiences- all of which are truly bound to make her an even better designer than she already is.

Luella experiences surfing in Cornwall and the trends involved, and also clubbing in Berlin to get a real good sense of it all. To allow her to do this, she has had to take a lot of photographs, and for the book a lot of drawings and diagrams to explain her findings. The book has already received plenty of praise despite being not-yet released as it is one of a kind- it isn't just about fashion and style, as other designers and models might write about- it has been described as a work of social anthropology. She really does describe spot-on the English girl's approach to life and shows us how it gets better- a really excellent read that is worth your time. To pre-order your copy, visit Amazon today!

Picture from http://www.vogue.co.uk/

Laura Lee Jewellery

For quite some time now, jewellery has completely been modernised from the sparkly gold chains that meant something important, to the eclectic designs which have been designed purely for fashion purposes and outfit matching. It's a change which we have all embraced happily; new fashion trends appearing to create something new and bold or cute and elegant to show our stylish sides off to everyone. Jewellery designer Laura Lee, who hand-makes all of her products with a small team in her London store, is heavily inspired by the time she spent travelling the world and has incorporated her experiences into the designing of the jewellery. Her themes around the designs include a romantic notion with whimsical inscriptions and cleverly-cute charms which have made the designs as popular and well sought-after as they are today. She captures her signature look in the different layering of the pieces- such as necklaces with a few charms mixed together at different lengths or the engraved band rings with a choice of inscriptions. The wearer can mix and match her own preferences and is free to create a look of her own that will show her personality and also take her through each of the four yearly seasons.

The designs have become so popular that many clothing designers are now incorporating her jewellery into their own designs, so Laura Lee jewellery gets to be shown on the catwalk without all the expense of a show just for the jewellery. What people also love about her designs are the materials she uses to make the pieces- such as pure natural gemstones and stunning coloured metals and the way she brings them together. An example of this is her beautiful pearl and yellow gold stud earrings, and the shimmering pink and green cut tourmaline stones as featured in her Long Drop Tourmaline Earrings- truly, a real treasure for any jewellery lover's collection. To shop Laura Lee for your new priceless treasure, visit My Wardrobe today!

Picture from my-wardrobe.com

Project D by Dannii Minogue

Back in June, we featured an article about X-Factor judge Dannii Minogue on the launch of her new collection, Project D. Now that the collection has been available in the shops and online for a few months, it's time to have a proper look at exactly what is on offer and how popular the collection is. Dannii worked on this collection with a close friend who also happens to be a London-based fashion designer, Tabitha Somerset-Webb to bring both of their fashion ideas together. The collection includes very glamorous pieces which includes cocktail dresses, red-carpet event-styled dresses, and very stylish daywear and accessories. Even the stylish daywear are all dresses rather than any tops, skirts, or trousers.

The day dresses are just as glamorous as an evening outfit without looking too over-the-top- such as the Black Circle day dress which is black silk pintuck detail with 3/4 length sleeves and a sexy plunge v-neck and fitted waist. Team it up with either boots for smart daywear or with heeled shoes for a glam evening. Another black silky day dress for either work or party- with short sleeves and a bead embellished waist with a tie-back- again similar to the previous. The most stunning dress of the collection has got be the Asymmetric Sequined Maxi-Dress- the very dress that Dannii herself wore to the launch of the collection those past months ago. It features just one long sleeve with the other side tucking nicely under the arm, and the whole dress is completely covered in sequins. As Dannii showed at the launch, you can very comfortably fit a baby bump underneath although it isn't actually a maternity dress!

These dresses make the perfect choice of Christmas Party Dress.

The prices of the clothing in the collection are very high- to some, a dress either designed or worn by Dannii Minogue herself just might be worth the investment, and you would certainly be guaranteed to look super-glam in anything from Project D! To shop Project D, visit My Wardrobe and you'll soon look just as stunning as Ms Minogue!

Urban Oufitters introduces Urban Renewal

To continue on with our Everything Vintage phase we are going to look at another vintage retailer. Urban Outfitters is an American company with stores based in the UK and over Europe and they sell menswear, womenswear, accessories, and shoes. It isn't a vintage site, but they do have a new vintage section called Urban Renewal where the items are all either 100% vintage, recycled vintage which are vintage pieces reworked into something modern, or remade- new pieces that are created from end of roll fabrics.

The collection has been designed for the women visitors, and so there are plenty of dresses and cute lace tops galore! Some of the items are not the most fashionable- such as the dresses- some are a bit shapeless for today's fashions which, despite that being the point, isn't always the eye-catcher you might want! There are, however, some really great pieces which almost every girl would love to own- such as renewal remade Levi's 501 jeans, cut into shorts and to make them more stylish whilst retaining that original Levi's label, and perhaps the best of all- Christian Dior vintage 80s sunglasses. These are web exclusives only and come at a large price (or larger than the clothes) but could be totally worth it to own these fantastic originals which are stylish enough for modern fashion!

There are also plenty of skirts from Johann Earl, all of which look extremely stylish whilst screaming out 'vintage!' as do the shorts and the playsuits- designs typical of the 80s, but which fit in with our styles as they really have been cut beautifully and show off plenty of skin (which we all love to do from time to time!) So if you are thinking of trying your hand at going vintage, visit Urban Outfitters to see what pieces take your fancy!

Picture from Urban Outfitters.

Plus Size Clothing Getting More Popular

We have all seen the recent rise of the plus size clothing ranges as they are becoming more in demand, with many retailers providing separate sections in their stores such as New Look and fashion companies designing really stylish clothes purely for the plus size lady like Simply Be and Evans. One of Britain's top newspapers The Daily Telegraph has recently reported that research has shown that a quarter of women in the UK are now a size 18 or above; a whopping 6.2 million women. This is a massive 50% more than 2005. It's not only the women who are piling on the pounds though- menswear have also reported a 6% rise in the Extra-Large sizes or bigger within the last five years. A spokeswoman for the company who carried out the research, Tamara Sender, said "Rising levels of obesity in the UK mean that plus size consumers are increasing and these shoppers are looking for improved choice in plus size clothing and more fashionable garments."

Despite this recent news, a very common complaint when customers are shopping in the sales even today is that "All of the smaller sizes are gone- it's always the bigger sizes, 16+, that are left over." Many of those surveyed complained that retailers are not keeping up to date with changes to the average body shape and that plus size clothing is harder to find and less fashionable than the smaller sized items. However, there is indeed many retailers who do embrace the larger clothing with nearly all the items they stock in their shops going from sizes 6-22- depending on where you shop, some only go up to an 18. The average size for women- the most purchased clothing size- is a size 12 with 31% of women in the UK buying this size, followed by 14, then 10% coming in at size 16. The rise in plus size clothing is said to get worse in the future with more than 2.3million children estimated to be overweight or obese in the UK.

Picture from Simply Be website.

How to wear on-trend socks.

So as the end of our barely-there summer is nigh, it’s natural for us to start thinking about autumn/winter fashion- especially since the glossies started thinking about it back in April. And as Natalie posted on Tuesday, it seems that this autumn it won’t just be black opaques we’ll be pulling on, but socks. Socks though, don’t exactly have a cool, sexy reputation. For most of us they are reminiscent of school days and are only worn on those days when jeans seem a more appropriate choice than a dress (I don’t know about you but as a girl with a penchant for dresses and skirts I don’t own any socks post about 2008) and it’s too cold for ballet flats. But socks are now sexy, and what’s ever more of a shock, socks and SANDALS are now sexy. Maybe dad had it right all along!!

See socks and sandals are a constant reminder of British dads on the beach (I don’t know what it is about us Brits but we’ve never really nailed summer style. Unless red-and-blotchy is in this year). They are more of a necessity to keep warm (and therefore usually under boots or trainers) than a style statement. Socks never go out on their own. Until now. Socks have gone from lying forlorn in the back of a drawer to spotlight superstars. Everyone who is anyone has been featuring them on the catwalk and celebrities and style bloggers were quick to copy them.

But how to wear these new fangled socks? First of all, invest in some new socks- don’t just wear the old holey ones you should have thrown out years ago. Socks for autumn winter come in many guises; girly lacy ankle socks, mid-calf socks, knee socks, ribbed, silk, black, grey, patterned… You’re best sticking to neutral colours for your first attempt- greys, blacks and creams are the best with brogues, ballet flats or chucky platform shoes to avoid looking too little-girl. Clogs also look fantastic with them, but don’t cause much friction so be careful!!

This look screams street style is isn’t meant to look to “done”- keep it casual; scrunch down your socks for a relaxed look, clash your socks and shoes for a fun look and try socks to add a new lease of life to shoes you’ve gotten bored with. The best thing about this look is its simplicity- try it with an outfit you would never ordinarily consider socks with. Strappy, lady-like shoes keep the look mature but edgy and not too school-girl.

Japanese street fashion has been a huge influence in this look, where socks are worn both with boots (in keeping with the Gothic Lolita style) for a Victorian-Gothic feel, or influenced by high school uniforms as in the Kogal style. Loose socks are a huge trend in Japan (think thick, chunky scrunched down socks) which originated as a rebellion against strict school uniform rules.

Ankle socks are cute for Autumn, but knee and thigh-high socks are much warmer for winter. Switch from lace or silk to ribbed wool or thick cotton to keep your legs warm in the colder months and try with low boots for extra warmth.

You can buy a great variety of on trend Japanese socks at Tabio.

Motel Goes Vintage

Trendy fashion website Motel Rocks specialises in young women's clothes. They are now upping their game in the sustainable clothing stakes with a new collection called Vintage. It is a collection made up of mostly cute summer dresses, with a few tops and shorts added in as well. The materials used in the designing of these dresses are recycled as they are re-worked vintage garments which makes each piece completely unique! Each item only features one in each size, so it is difficult to get your hands on what you want but the good news is that you can sign up to be notified when they are available again- though you really do need to be extremely quick! The dresses are made in the new style 'Jessey Dresses', which features a black vest top with a short patterned mini-skirt attached, which is a huge trend with the celebrities this summer. The patterns are chosen with care to create the best possible look whilst keeping that authentic 'one of a kind' look, and are cut in an extremely stylish way that it is likely these dresses will remain fashionable for some time to come.

Also featured on the Vintage section is a Temptation Timer- they add new Motel Vintage to the Temptation Timer each week, and every day the items are reduced in price to see if you can be tempted to purchase a unique one-off piece! More and more of us are turning our heads to vintage fashion, and even singer Lily Allen has taken a career break to design her own vintage clothing range- knowing how huge the demand is for vintage pieces right now. So to purchase your new one-off vintage piece at a price that reduces each day, simply go to Motel Vintage

Picture taken from www.motelrocks.com

Asos and Cancer Research UK launch new Fashion Forecast

At last! A fantastic idea which sees a top fashion company combine forces with the UK's leading cancer charity, Cancer Research UK to introduce a way to look extremely stylish in the hot summer sunshine without getting ourselves sunburned! This new move is aiming to raise awareness of how dangerous sunburn can be when you don't cover up properly, and the message is to look cool and be safe. Fashion Forecast is said to be like having your own style advisor to help you choose the best cover up clothes and will provide you with up to the minute expert style advice for all summer occasions, such as festivals, hanging out with friends, trips to the park and even sitting at outdoor cafes.

Recent figures released show that so many of us like to sport the 'nearly burned' look as part of being fashionable and looking really healthy and sexy, yet it just isn't healthy as it's a sign of damaged skin cells which of course can lead to skin cancer later on in life. Of course, there is the basic advice on offer everywhere you go when you visit Fashion Forecast, such as staying out of the sun between 11-3 when the sun is at it's highest, applying at least a factor 15 suncream when you go out and about, and most importantly to cover up- and this is where Fashion Forecast comes in!

Asos have provided really stylish cover ups and hats to offer excellent protection from the sun and to keep you looking bang on trend. Asos have said that they are "really delighted to be working with Cancer Research UK to promote the positive message for young people that looking good and staying safe in the sun are two things that can go together hand in hand." Cancer Research's SunSmart Campaign Manager has also said, " It's been fun to see which looks are a definite no-no in the summer style stakes, but it's worrying to see that sunburn and tan lines rank so low." To check out this fabulous new range designed to keep you safe, go to Asos.com and enjoy the summer safely

Vintage at Goodwood

Vintage at Goodwood, a new summer event which celebrates five decades of British Fashion and Music (the most memorable) is being held this weekend- Friday 13th-Sunday 15th August 2010. This will be the first of its kind, a totally unique experience and will feature the best DJs and bands, purveyors of vintage clothing and vintage vinyl from each decade, and several collectors all inspired by Britain's rich creative and cultural heritage. The festival will be exploring all the fantastic fashion statements of the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s as well as the music that was experienced during these decades. Situated in the South Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the heart of Sussex, the festival will have access to the local beaches and coastal harbours of West Sussex, with accommodation ranging from the traditional festival pastime of camping to the luxury onsite hotel Goodwood Hotel.

As well as exploring the vintage side of it all and perhaps shopping around for those new vintage jeans or shoes, there are grounds for your other half to relax and enjoy a game of cricket or a round of golf so that you can enjoy your vintage weekend peacefully! The team behind the event have decided to host the vintage festival and celebrations as they feel that now is the right time to bring about everything vintage, especially with fashion and music playing such a huge part in our lives, and it has been created by a team of experts to ensure a thorough and unique experience. To provide musical entertainment are famous faces Ronnie Wood, Mick Hucknall, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Mica Paris and many others including countless DJs, with different areas providing music from each decade for you to take your pick. Possibly the best part of this festival is the babysitting service provided nightly, so you really can make this an outing for the whole family and still thoroughly enjoy yourselves!

Picture taken from www.vintageatgoodwood.wordpress.com http://www.vintageatgoodwood.com

Gorgeous Ugg Boots

It seems that everyone knows all about the classic Ugg Boots and that they all want a piece of this trend; the boots are made from Australian sheepskin to provide exceptional warmth in the coldest of winters and complete comfort, which is just what we all adore. The sheepskin acts as a natural insulator. The woollen fibres keep your feet warm and dry in the winter, and for the summer act as an air conditioner to keep the heat and moisture away from the feet- all year round comfort! The Ugg Boots have been around a lot longer than many of us think- they were worn as far back as the First World War but didn’t become popular until the 1960s when the age of surfing came about. They were first made in Australia and New Zealand and are made of twin-faced sheep-skin with fleece on the inside and a cool tanned outer surface. However it wasn’t until the early 2000s when they became popular again for fashion purposes rather than useful purposes such as the early sheep shearing, and keeping the surfers’ feet warm when out of the water.

They have taken the world by storm, and even those who aren’t lucky enough to own a genuine pair do own a replica pair. They look absolutely amazing with all fashion trends including skinny jeans and skirts and dresses, and over the past few years the Ugg Boots have proved to be utterly adaptable to whatever trends find their way onto the catwalks. Many celebrities have been seen in a pair of Ugg’s including Kate Hudson and Pamela Anderson, and despite Ugg being short for Ugly, there really is nothing Ugly about these super fashion statements. They are available in cosy slippers as well as boots, and the boots are available in ankle-high to tall size, and the classic cardi-style designed to match your favourite jumpers. With a huge range of Ugg Boots on sale you will always look amazing, so discover the luxury of Ugg and be elegant and on-trend!

Are Ankle Socks The New Tights?

Women's fashion trends are constantly moving forward so quickly that by the time you have saved up for the new 'it' thing, it's straight out of fashion and something else takes its place! In this case, some of us are barely getting used to wearing long jumpers over nothing but a pair of tights, but now it seems that the tights are to be replaced with socks! Socks with sandals are really on-trend right now as the look has been seen on several catwalk shows as part of the new autumn/winter trends this year. And it's not necessarily knee-lengths or over-the-knees- fashion's top trend setter Alexa Chung has recently been seen out and about wearing a cute check shirt-dress with ankle-length blue 'school-style' socks with black ballet pumps- and of course looks utterly stylish in them!

World famous fashion designer Marc Jacobs has proved to be a huge fan of the new trend when he featured them on several models during his previous autumn/winter show. The calves and ankles are going to be the main target lengths to make your dress, skirt, or cropped trousers look stylish, combined with almost any type of shoe- sandals, courts, ballet pumps, etc. This is a look which is going to be extremely difficult to accomplish, and it's important to get it right first time. To do this, the idea is to keep it casual- not to be tried if your legs really aren't your best asset, but if you have thick ankles only this could be a good way to disguise them- as long as you stick to darker colours.

The 'shoes and socks' look is extremely popular in Japanese street style, and an excellent place to buy your first super-stylish socks is the online site Tabio, a Japanese company. They feature almost every possible pair you can imagine in an assortment of designs, patterns, and colours to get your imagination racing! This really is the best place to start looking, and they feature men's as well to keep the other half happy about your latest trend!

Sheer Ribbon Striped Ankle Socks - Buy Now

Lace Top Socks - Buy Now

Picture taken from www.telegraph.com/hilaryalexander.

Learning How to Tell a Real Diamond from an Imitation

Diamonds are among the most valuable and popular stones on earth, outstripping gems like rubies, sapphires and other precious gems. However, diamonds are expensive and can be hard to obtain at times; therefore, numerous synthetic variants have come onto the market to offer more affordable, more easily accessible options. How do you learn how to tell a real diamond from an imitation? Actually, it can be quite difficult to do so, due to modern manufacturing technologies. Below, you will find a few key areas that will help you tell the difference.

Weigh It – While diamond and cubic zirconia might have very similar visual characteristics, they have very different weights. If you have a scale handy, you can weigh your stone against a similarly sized cubic zirconia. Of course, you will have to go out and purchase a cubic zirconia in order to conduct this test correctly. As a note, if your stone weighs less than the CZ, you likely have a real diamond.

Fire It Up – Another method of how to tell a real diamond from an imitation is to check the dispersion of the stone (the "fire"). Diamonds do have considerable fire, but stones like CZ have a much greater dispersion rating, making them scintillate considerably more in any light. If your stone is very fiery, you might just have an imitation on your hands.

Check the Wear and Tear – One of the best ways of how to tell a real diamond from an imitation is to check for wear. Diamonds will not scratch with everyday use, but imitations will. However, some imitations are very durable and it can take a deliberate act to scratch them, which will ruin any value in the stone.
Of course, the single best way to tell a real diamond from an imitation is to take your stone to a jeweler.

Marc Jacobs To Make Plus-Size Collection

Top fashion designer label Marc Jacobs, the American fashion designer with a huge label which includes clothing, accessories, and perfumes, have recently announced that he is to produce clothing for plus-size ladies from a size 14 and upwards. He will be known as the first 'luxury designer brand' to produce this new line for the curvier of women in a move which will be much welcomed by many Marc Jacobs' fans.

The new plus-size line will be an addition to his already-large number of brands which include The Marc Jacobs Collection, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and Little Marc, a children's line. Plus-size clothing has, in recent years, becoming increasingly more demanding and with many fashion companies completely dedicated to producing plus-sizes only, and several retail shops such as New Look and Marks and Spencer who have separate sections of plus-size items.

Marc Jacobs is currently the creative director of the French design house Louis Vuitton, where he created the company's first ready-to-wear line and has collaborated with many popular artists including Richard Price and Kanye West for his Louis Vuitton collections. He attended the New York High School of Art and Design and The New School of Design, and it was whilst attending this school he designed and sold his first line of hand-knitted sweaters to huge success. His first collection, however, came when at Reuben Thomas.Inc., under the Sketchbook label, and from there began to design at Perry Ellis after its founder had died. In 1986, he designed his first collection bearing the Marc Jacobs label, and in 1987 became the youngest designer to have ever been awarded the highest tribute in fashion, The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent.

Picture from www.ask.com

Is Camel the new black?

Camel, by all accounts, is not the most exciting of colours. It’s the sort of yellowy beige you casually skim by on the sales rack- not quite the vibrant and seductive mustard of a tartan skirt or the enticingly-neutral-slightly creamy off-white of that “go-with-everything” blouse. Camel is just, well, the colour of camels. A pleasant but unexciting yellow. And not a cutesy lemon sorbet at that, nor a scorching banana colour either. Just yellow.

But look in your wardrobe, admire the pieces you have admired, pondered over, snatched up guiltily and adored in the last twelve months. How many of them are nude, or blush, or creamy-pink? Two years ago such a colour would have been laughed at and shoved aside as we rushed towards the promising delights of fuchsia and magenta. But nude was stubborn. Nude was unassuming; the underdog of the colour palette, waiting for its moment of glory. Until it finally came in a flurry of lilac and pinky-beige- who would have expected such a fuss over such a girly, mousey colour?

Perhaps camel will have the same effect. Not screaming or drawing attention to itself like a cocky, loud-speaking salesman, but waiting quietly in the background, like a shy gentleman until you finally, shocked by your own admission, utter “oh my, what a lovely colour.”

But how to wear this elusive colour? Vogue suggests a camel-coloured coat reminiscent of something my Mum used to adore in the 90s (hey, what goes around comes around). Apparently the coat is to become the new IT bag, and like camel itself, the coat is being plucked from obscurity into the limelight. For most of us the coat is something we search high and low for to find the perfect one, but sooner or later find ourselves cursing it as we put it on day in, day out during a particularly cold winter. But this winter is the year of the IT coat, the statement coat. Autumn Winter 2010 is the season of the underdog, the unappreciated but still glorious.

Both camel and the coat reinforce the idea of a back-to-basics idea on the catwalk. While there are still remnants of the futuristic trend with silvery metallics and bright tangerines, but most of Autumn Winter dressing this year is about a classic look- womanly shapes, simple neutral tans and browns and greys. Pretty details override bright, pretentious colours- beautiful military-style buttons on a simple black coat, hints of faux fur on the collar of a simple-looking jacket transforming it into something entirely new.

The best thing about camel is that it does actually go with everything. It is daunting to add a new and on-trend colour into your wardrobe, but if it is the year to replace your winter coat (I don’t know about you but I get a new one every other winter) a camel cape or short coat will be the way to go and will get you through the next few winters. The other great thing about it is, like the nude explosion, the high street will be awash with camel-coloured garments, bags and shoes in the new few weeks so whatever your budget you’ll be able to grab something new without breaking the bank and still be bang on trend. Just no spitting, please.

Image Credit

10:10 Gets Celebrity Help

Get green company 10:10, a charitable company 100% committed to reducing all our carbon emissions and founded by film director Franny Armstrong, have recently launched their new scheme to get more people to sign up to the campaign- by offering you a chance to buy a fashionable 10:10 tag-style necklace. The necklace has started to attract the attention of many popular celebrities including Sienna Miller, Vivienne Westwood and Daisy Lowe. Daisy Lowe has also announced her support for the charity, along with other celebrities and even the royalty to help do their bit for the environment.

The necklace is made from 100% recycled aeroplane metal and will only cost you just £5 to achieve the look of the celebs who wear theirs and the cost helps go toward funding the project to keep on spreading the word. Also available to purchase and help towards funding is the set of 10 necklaces which is extremely ideal for groups and organisations, and a giant tag which is great for lobbies and reception areas, or even on the outside of buildings to truly show your support for the project.

The team at 10:10 have set in place their very realistic aims- to cut carbon emissions by 10% in 2010 which can be easily achieved with the team's help and very little change to your lifestyle- a much more achievable aim of 80% by 2050. The project was officially launched on September 1st 2009 and in the first 72hours alone more than 10,000 individuals, schools, organisations, and businesses signed up to pledge their commitment. 10:10 enquired to go global within hours on launch day, and very shortly 27 countries were enquiring about the project. The global achievement took off in April 2010. So to pledge your support and to purchase your own trendy tag, simply go to http://www.1010global.org.uk/ and see if you can become greener by October 2010 (10/10!)

Camel Makes a Comeback!

Looking ahead at what will be the trends for the new autumn/winter collections, we are delighted to announce that the classic camel colour has made a comeback! We have all been seen out and about in the recent seasons in beautiful beiges, but the camel makes its own statement. One of the key trends this season is the military look, and camel-coloured tunics and coats (but not worn together) are the very pieces which will compliment your military outfits (which we should all have as they have been out a while). However, camel hasn't just come back for another turn- camel has turned modern with really smart styling and have been applied to trendy pieces hot off the catwalk to make us forget the previous camel fashion and embrace the new one! The catwalks of New York and Paris have been completely turned into 'camel shows' and it really does mix well with several of our trends- it will be playing a significant role in the new seasons.

The fabulous designers who have helped with the colour's comeback include Michael Kors with his high-waisted A-line skirts and slashed elbow overcoats, MaxMara presented camel coats in Milan, with Tommy Hilfiger, Giles Deacon,Hermes, Akris, and Stella McCartney following suit, and Chloe showing they're practically all-camel! The current trend with many girls and ladies right now are leggings, jeggings, and super-skinny jeans combined with boots in the Ugg style, and again the camel coloured boots will look extra stylish this Autumn.

The camel colour is set to become really popular not just for this season, but for the foreseeable future as it's totally accessible, it doesn't look cheap when worn properly, and it's an absolute classic- so get down to your favourite shop (Topshop have some great camel items) and once again prove that you are on-trend and perhaps wearing it before anyone else!

Camel Dress from Dorothy Perkins 

The Ben de Lisi Collection at Debenhams

The American born fashion designer now based in London, Ben de Lisi began working with high street giant Debenhams back in 1992, but it wasn't until 2008 when he launched his day wear range with them, and he was then asked to redesign the Principles collections. At the moment, he has an expanding collection within the department store that contains Womens, Kids, Gifts and Toys, and Home and Furniture. The Womenswear collection includes day dresses and evening dresses, coats and jackets, accessories and jewellery, handbags and purses, jeans, tops, suits, and even a petite range.

The collection has been designed for the modern woman to look elegant no matter what she is doing both during the day and at night, but also in a way which doesn't look too flashy which could otherwise suggest 'special occasion'. His dresses have been designed to look really stunning, yet subtle so that they don't scream out at people- instead, they are simply eye-catching.

Each dress is extremely fashionable, and despite Principles being more known to cater for women in their 30s, there are some really stylish pieces that would catch the attention of a woman in even her early twenties, especially the shorter dresses. The jeans, however, are really for the woman in her late 20s to 30s, as they are designed to be an elegant bootcut style and the younger women tend to enjoy the skinny and boyfriend jeans. The tops are really stunning, with each one suggesting 'stylish and classical', each with perfect amounts of detailing for all occasions. The jewellery is very modern and definitely on-trend with the right colours, but may be suited to the older woman as each piece is, again, nicely elegant.

All in all, it really is a gorgeous collection, definitely worth having a look at so check it out here and women of all ages should find a few key pieces to really enjoy!

Great Denim Shorts for Men

A massive trend which we have seen through the past few seasonal collections for men are the uber-cool denim shorts. Jeans have always been a popular part of men's fashions for so many years now, so of course the denim shorts look just as great and will most likely be here to stay for quite some time! They look absolutely fantastic and trendy on all men of all shapes and sizes, and so means that men can get away with wearing sandals and flip-flops as these create a great look when combined together- as we know, for many years men have been trying to get away with sandals and flip-flops but to no success! The shorts come in different lengths, but the most popular type of denim short you will find are the ones that come to just below the knee. As these shorts are quite long compared to a 'normal' pair of shorts which sit a few inches above the knee, you can get away with wearing both short and long-sleeved t-shirts, jackets and raincoats for the unpredictable British weather, and even a jumper (obviously nothing huge and chunky) or a sweat top would look really stylish when worn together.

If this has convinced you that a pair of denim shorts is the next thing you're going to buy, check out fashionable website Blue Inc, who play host to some really outstanding trends for both men and women. They have a really stylish pair of "casual, light-wash denim shorts" which are knee-length rather than below the knee, and features contrast stitching, slit pockets with distressed detail (which is going to be a huge feature on denim over the next season or two), branded rivets and button fly, crease detailing near the bottom of the leg area (again, really popular with jeans right now) and an embossed leather brand tab at the back to show the jeans are really stylish. The site also features other pairs of denim shorts, so you certainly will be spoiled for choice! Check out there fantastic on-trend collections at http://www.blueinc.co.uk/.

Picture from www.blueinc.co.uk

Lipsy Dresses

Fancy fashion company Lipsy have just released their brand new autumn/winter collection with a fantastic range of Christmas party dresses! Usually at this time of year (August, September) people try to get in a few last-minute summer parties before we say goodbye to the sun for another year and the cold winter kicks in. Lipsy from London have an absolutely stunning collection of party dresses which range from cute bow detail bustier dresses, glamorous body-cons, maxi-dresses, and pretty flowing ruffle-frill baby-doll dresses! Right now, to celebrate the launch of their new collection, Lipsy are offering everyone a fantastic 10% off all their party dresses for a short time only- the offer ends at midnight on September 10 2010 so you really do need to be quick to snap up your new glam dress!

By shopping on their website, you will find some amazing web-exclusives which will mean that it's very unlikely you will see many people in the same dress as you should you choose one, and several of the dresses come in an assortment of colours for you to choose your favourite and make the dress a bit more personal. The website also offers a range of dresses designed by two top fashion celebrities- Katie Price aka Jordan, who has a luxurious Zebra Sequin Tunic which is one of the site's best sellers, and Kimberley Wyatt with an absolutely stunning Grecian Drape Dress and a Chiffon Tiered Bandeau Dress. Some of the dresses are so gorgeous that the website offers you the chance to see the dress in action on a model on a catwalk, and there is also a hand-picked collection of Lipsy's favourites in 'Lipsy Loves...' so that you can be sure no matter where you go, you are guaranteed to look the best and the most fashionable at a fraction of the price you would otherwise expect to pay! Start looking for your new Lipsy Party Dress here, and you need to enter the code AUTUMN10 at the checkout to get your discount. Happy shopping!

Picture from http://www.lipsy.com/