My Fashion Life

Oh how I love a new gadget and this latest one - the Dove SkinVitaliser looked particularly exciting! Something that exfoliates away all those pesky loose skin cells, removes your make-up, and has all the softening skincare history of Dove - perfect.

It’s a departure from the standard grainy products found on so many of our bathroom shelves that more often than not are too harsh, the grains are too sparse, or they’re just designed to smell nice and look good more than anything else. This one is battery operated and designed for everyday use….don’t let your imaginations get into overdrive here ladies…..

Read the rest of this entry »

Are you a girly Frost French kinda girl, or perhaps a Katharine Hamnett-style eco-warrior? Whatever your style, there’s now a travel card wallet to suit you - and they’re not just a fashion statement. These wallets, designed by the cream of the fashion and art worlds, have been produced in conjunction with Oxfam as part of their I’m In campaign, so you can be sure that your £4.99 is money well spent.

Designers include London-based Japanese store Oki-Ni, fashion label Gharani Strok, Turner Prize-nominated artist Ian Davenport, and my personal favourite, 45rpm – a little-known Bristol-based artist who has produced an elegant yellow and black wallet that will look fabulous peeping out of the pocket of a pair of Edun jeans or Anya Hindmarch’s I’m not a Plastic Bag bag. My, the eco/fair-trade/charity bandwagon has become so chic we’re all jumping on for a ride!

Unlikely style icons are popping up all over the place, gaining credibility for their quirky, unusual approach to fashion and take on style. Modern girls (and boys) are now naming the likes of politicians, geeks, and even cartoon characters as inspiration. A quick Google of the phrase ‘unlikely style icons’ produces results ranging from Marge Simpson to Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and even…shock horror…Britney Spears - but in all seriousness, there were some truly great names there that are deserving of the accolade of “style icon” – standing apart from the usual suspects because they are self-styled in a truly personal way.

The likes of musicians Annie Lennox and Amy Winehouse are true fashion trailblazers and my personal favourite, Ugly Betty is an icon in her own right. Her melange of printed shirts and colourful knits has a ‘just-thrown-together’ look, or geek-chic if you like, but is actually a combination of highly sought after labels like Primp, Marc Jacobs and Kenneth Cole….channelled by the cool indie kids whose image is interpreted as effortless but in reality is carefully co-ordinated, combining random charity shop finds.

On the other end of the scale, super-grooming and classic style is proving inspiring for many. Condoleeza Rice is frequently featured in the fashion pages, alongside burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese and immaculate Desperate housewife Brees. All in their own way achieving a kind of female ideal for very different reasons. The great think about unlikely style icons is their illustration that style is individual.
[Image:uglyisin]

There’s a new fashion line in town, and for once, it’s not designer. Long purveyors of cheap chic to the young and hip, H&M have now launched COS, or Collection of Style. The predominantly monochrome line is made up of perfect wardrobe staples that you can accessorise as much or as little as you like and not only is the collection beautifully cut and made from high quality fabrics, the prices are still pretty reasonable, so we can continue to shop almost as we’ve been accustomed to with H&M.

And the fun isn’t limited to womenswear - COS have a strong menswear line that’s set to rival the likes of Reiss for casual suits, knits and shirts. I advise the ladies to check it out anyway as the gorgeous Jamie Dornan is the male face of the brand! The William Russell-designed store on London’s Regent Street opened on 16th March, and more are set to roll out across Europe over the coming months.

For further information and to view images from their star-studded launch party visit www.cosstores.com

Those clever people at Condé Nast have done it again – this time online. In association with Glamour magazine, and with stylist Martha Ward at the helm, Stylefinder.com is a fantastic new site teeming with ideas. Whether your inspiration comes from celebs like Sienna Miller, the catwalks, or your own
imagination, this site seems to cater to the whims and tastes of stylish, if time-short girls about town. So how does it work? Click on a summery printed sundress or funky white rimmed shades and they’ll link you to the site you can buy them from. Very useful, in fact, rather like having a personal stylist for free – someone who knows what to buy, when it’s in store and has put all the options in a nice organised format. Shopping will never be the same again.

“But how is this different to other shopping sites or magazines?” I hear you ask. Well, it works because it doesn’t discriminate according to price or label – from Chloé to Primark, the criteria is just stylishness, which is all we care about really. Stylefinder also looks at celebrity style for fashion inspiration – not just any celebrity, but actually stylish ones. The first star on the wall is Sienna Miller, looking effortlessly casual in a printed Gharani Strok dress and beanie – I think I might just snap it up now before you all read this and do the same!

Mini moguls and queens of the tweens, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have packed a lot into 20 years, achieving more success than most of us would hope to see in a lifetime.

This week they were named the highest earning stars under the age of 21, beating Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame and Lindsay Lohan of, well, we’re not sure really. Of course it’s the paparazzi photos of the twins’ perfectly dishevelled hair and artfully mismatched designer accessories that seems to have got them noticed on this side of the pond - but personal style is not all they’ve been turning their hand to of late.

Read the rest of this entry »

Spring must definitely be in the air as we’ve been seeing a more light-hearted, colourful approach to fashion of late. Sharp blues and pillar-box reds have been fresh new flashes of colour amidst the nudes and greys, lifted only by a flash of gold till this season. Now colour-lovers can have their cake and eat it as colour and gold are finding a perfect partnership in fruit-inspired jewellery. It’s everywhere, and I for one love it. Strawberries and pineapples are strung round necks, whilst green crystals form the shape of apple earrings – in fact some charm bracelets are a veritable fruit salad of juicy gems! Some of the best pieces come from the high street, but rest assured – should you feel the need to splurge you’ll find plenty to whet your palate at Browns and netaporter.com. Here are 6 of the best…
Read the rest of this entry »