Archive for the ‘dresses’ Category

Celebrity Style, dresses, Gallery, Red Carpet

Pictures: Pride of Britian Awards – Cheryl Cole wears Victoria Beckham, Tulisa, The TOWIE cast and more

By Andrea Petrou on October 4th, 2011

The stars stepped out last night in sparkles and skyscraper heels to celebrate the Pride of Britain Awards.
Cheryl Cole made her first big public appearance since the whole X Factor US debacle, showing us she was still bang on trend with a pink slinky dress by Victoria Beckham, while bandmate Nicola Roberts also went for an ethereal frock in a similar hue.

The TOWIE cast were also out in force with Amy Childs opting for a blue strapless long frock. She was joined by Sam and Jessica who kept it classic in black frocks.

And black was also the order of the day for Kimberley Walsh who looked stunning in a long black dress with lace sleeves, Coleen Rooney, Holly Willoughby and Emma Bunton.
Brightening up the red carpet was X Factor judge Tulisa who went for a patterned netted frock. See all the fashions in the gallery below.

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Celebrity gossip, dresses, Gallery, X Factor

X Factor 2011: Kelly Rowland and Tulisa’s styles so far

By Andrea Petrou on October 3rd, 2011

Tulisa and Jessie J

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ITV Pictures

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Designer Fashions, Designers, dresses, Gallery, Paris Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week: Givenchy Spring/Summer 2012 – Jennifer Hudson, Gisele Bundchen and Lindsay Lohan attend the afterparty

By Andrea Petrou on October 3rd, 2011

Gisele Bundchen

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Gisele dances the night away in black trews and a white tee Genin Nicolas/ABACA/Press Association Images

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dresses, Features, Gallery, Halloween

Halloween costume ideas: The modern day witch

By Andrea Petrou on October 3rd, 2011

Dress with quilted skirt

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Go all 80s witch with this dress from Asos

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Designer Fashions, dresses, Fashion News, Paris Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week: Hermes Spring/Summer 2012 clothes and handbags

By Andrea Petrou on October 3rd, 2011

Hermes Spring/Summer 2012

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A model displays a creation by designer Christophe Lemaire for Hermes Spring-Summer 2012 Ready-To-Wear collection show held at Jeu de Paume in Paris, France, on October 2, 2011. Briquet-Gorassini-Gouhier-Guibbaud-Orban/ABACA/Press Association Images

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Designers, dresses, Events, Features, Gallery, Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week SS12: Fendi

By emilyborrett on September 22nd, 2011

Fendi Spring/Summer 2012

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Once again Karl Lagerfeld has sprinkled his magic dust over Fashion Week again, as today’s Fendi show proved to be a kitsch 60s sportswear delight as the designer sent his models down a runway, backdropped by a giant set of baking scales, sporting teased beehives and retro-inspired mini-dresses and jackets.

Only Karl Lagerfeld could take something so completely overused a fashion reference as the 1960s and recreate it in a fresh, modern way – dark, crisp mens’ tweeds and playful coloured sunglasses brought the look up to date, while the leather Fendi satchels and flats gave it that much-needed quirkiness that will appeal to girls like Alexa Chung.

To us, the new Fendi collection was obviously 1960s, but a luxurious, wealthy European 1960s in which every beautiful girl drives a white scooter and lunches in Milan every day. The main palette of crisp whites, blacks and greys in stiff silhouettes gave it a classic feel, but clever Lagerfeld stopped things from becoming too mature with coloured leather sandals and gleaming gold details on the buttons and cuffs.

Eventually sporty, playful sun-dresses and separates made way for eveningwear, which was a sleek, shimmering selection of black dresses and jumpsuits which glittered with incredibly pretty silver embellishments, sequin collars and iridescent fringing that gleamed as the garments moved. Absolutely stunning.

You can absolutely tell that Karl Lagerfeld is behind this collection, even without his trademark tweeds and textiles that we always see on the Chanel runways – the sharp silhouettes, the flirty and kitsch set-up of the baking scales behind the catwalk, the giant oversized eyewear – all pure Lagerfeld. I wonder what he’ll have to show us in Paris?



Designers, dresses, Events, Gallery, Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week SS12: Alberta Ferretti

By emilyborrett on September 22nd, 2011

Alberta Ferretti Spring/Summer 2012

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Sexy was definitely on the menu yesterday at Milan Fashion Week as the fashion house Alberta Ferretti showed us their latest offering of panelled cocktail dresses, skirts and trench coats.

We couldn’t help noticing that, like Gucci’s show before Ferretti’s, there was a bit of a 1920s vibe going on in the drop-waisted, free-flowing dresses that we saw in virginal white, juicy coral and tropical colours and smoky greys and blacks.

Unlike the sleek, shiny finish on the garments at the Gucci show, however, the new Alberta Ferretti had a more summery laid-bck vibe to it, with pajama-style lounge trousers and tropical prints in the place of more austere tailored styles.

There’s a definite new hair and make-up trend that we saw on the show that we think could be a big look for next summer – damp, mussy hair and bright, neutral makeup tones for a look that made each model look like she’d just come straight out of a beach somewhere gorgeous in Rio, then headed off to a party in her new Alberta Ferretti dress.

All in all, it’s a chic, thoughtful collection with an assortment of crochet and tropical prints that make us want to book a flight to the Bahamas right now. Very simple and understated European glamour – we love.



Designers, dresses, Features, Gallery, Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week SS12: Gucci

By emilyborrett on September 22nd, 2011

Gucci Spring/Summer 2012

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Mamma mia, forget all about London Fashion Week now as we’ve moved further across Europe to one of the ultimate big-daddy fashion capitals of the world: Milan. Expect drama, expect glamour, and hopefully expect a diva tantrum or two along the way as well.

Proceedings are certainly kicking off in style in Milan as one of the first designers to show there is Gucci, one of the biggest names in Milan Fashion Week and definitely one of the most fabulous. Creative director Frida Giannini listed her inspirations for the new collection as 20s actress Louise Brooks, Man Ray photographs and vintage architecture. All of these art-deco inspirations were immediately apparent in the sleek, shiny lines and dynamic silhouettes of the designs.

It was a highly aesthetically pleasing event, as liquid-looking metallic prints and bold black and green lines zig-zagged across tuxedo jackets for a hard, bold take on menswear redesigned as womenswear. Opulent monochrome pieces, with hints of jewel tones here and there in emerald-green inserts and gold accessories immediately made us see the inspiration of the roaring twenties, when fashion became feminist – all these women looked liberated, fabulous and like they were heading to a cocktail party at the top of a skyscraper in Manhattan.

We have to say we were most excited about the flapper-style cocktail dresses which came out onto the runway with incredible monochrome patterns with extremely delicate gold fringing – absolutely incredible.

Gucci don’t need to be worried about anyone creating a collection that is more polished and luxurious than this – they’ve got this one in the bag. But then again, they always do.



Designers, dresses, Events, Gallery, London fashion week

London Fashion Week SS12: Jaeger London #LFW

By emilyborrett on September 19th, 2011

Jaeger Spring/Summer 2012

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Jaeger is one of Britain’s most well-loved brands and in fact part of our country’s fashion heritage, so naturally their new Spring/Summer 2012 collection, which was shown on Saturday afternoon amidst a typical London downpour, deserved a bit of a scrum to get in. Which of course there was.

Jaeger’s design aesthetic normally leans towards the darker, sharper end of the spectrum with angular shapes and plenty of cool greys and blacks, so we were pleasantly surprised when on the weekend, instead of their classic and sometimes austere silhouttes and colours, we were treated to an unusually girlish array from the brand that blasted away any preconceptions that Jaeger cannot be playful with their designs. Because this collection shows that they certainly can.

Tunic dresses and tops were a big staple on Jaeger London’s catwalk for this season, artfully skimming over the models’ figures for a shape that wasn’t overtly sexy but still remained to be girlish with a lot of thanks to some very sweet scalloping and soft sorbet colours as well as virginal whites –  blush pink, icy blue and pale yellow all featured in the collection, while the brand also incorporated some more sizzling colours into their smart-casualwear. We were particularly taken by a pair of hot orange tapered trousers, which was effortlessly teamed with a light raincoat with matching orange piping.

For us, though, the show had to be all about the dresses, for as we watched the collection progress we began to see a theme of light, airy sun-dresses that fluttered around the models’ legs as they walked, teaming the stark simplicity which Jaeger is known for with other elegant, delicate touches such as chiffon hems and sweet bows at the neckline.

As Fashion Week goes, this collection may have not been earth-moving – we’ll leave that to the likes of Erdem and Westwood – but it was a gentle, pleasant surprise and a reminder that one of the UK’s oldest fashion labels shouldn’t be underestimated. We can’t wait to see what they do next.



award show fashion, Celebrity Style, dresses, Events, Gallery, Red Carpet, Spotted

Spotted at the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards: Christina Hendricks, Gwyneth Paltrow and more

By emilyborrett on September 19th, 2011

Mad Men star Christina Hendricks showed off her killer curves in a classic Hollywood silver silk gown with beautiful crystal detailing

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Fashion Week may be over for the Yanks, with the fun having crossed over the pond to Laaahn-dahn, but that doesn’t mean that there’s nothing going on in the States, oh no – in fact, while we were all poring over the latest Henry Holland collection on the Vogue site last night, apparently a little something called the Emmy Awards was going on..

All the long-standing Hollywood superstars were there as well as the young talent: I don’t know if Lea Michele was trying to copy Kate Winslet, who’s clearly been in the red-carpet game for a long time, or what, but the young Glee actress turned up smouldering  in a simple scarlet evening dress that was actually very similar to Kate’s Emmy dress. We hope they hit each other with their handbags later in the evening.

Another Glee star in attendance was the adorable Jayma Mays, who was definitely channelling a ballerina vibe in her long ruffled and tiered sugar-pink gown which worked perfectly with her strawberry-blonde hair and berry lips. Following suit with a romantic, feminine look was Heidi Klum with her hubby Seal, showing off a crazy post-summer tan in a statement ruffled nude cocktail dress.

Opting for a more classic Hollywood vibe (it is the Emmys, after all) was the beautiful Christina Hendricks, who, fresh from causing a stir with her impressive cleavage at the première of I Don’t Know How She Does It last week, smouldered last night in an incredible slit-skirt silver evening gown covered in crystalline embellishments for a look reminiscent of old movie stars like Jean Harlow. We love. To be honest, we’re so obsessed with the woman that we might go dye our hair red and eat a tub of Ben & Jerry’s right now.

Also taking the old Hollywood fashion path was Gwyneth Paltrow, who showed off her enviably tight abs in a floor-sweeping black beaded dress with a cutout at the midriff. Pretty much all we need to say about that is that Gwynnie looked in-cred-i-ble.

To see who we spotted at the Emmy Awards yesterday, and what the stars were wearing, check out the gallery above.



Designer Fashions, Designers, dresses, Gallery, New Fashions, New York Fashion Week - Runway

New York Fashion Week: Proenza Schouler S/S 2012

By emilyborrett on September 15th, 2011

Proenza Schouler Spring/Summer 2012

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Proenza Schouler may still be a relative fledgling label in the fashion industry, but, my god, they churn out incredible collections like they’ve been going for the last thirty years. Design duo Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez couldn’t be doing any better right now – and I am completely besotted with their new tiki Hawaii-inspired S/S 2012 collection.

The Spring/Summer line was deceptively austere at the beginning of the show, with neat waisted jackets in charcoal grey and prim little high collars, but look a little closer at the skirt and short suits and there was actually some cool, unusual tiger-print panelling. From a glance, a little bit drab – but get closer and it’s actually got a cheeky, subtle twist.

Dark muted tones soon gave way to crisp white tailored pieces and yellow florals. We especially loved their cute tie-waisted skirts in delicate blue and white prints with yellow floral overlay – so summery and playful that we want to hit the beach right away. There was a bit of a mesh between different eras – the Hawaiian-style prints reminded us of American summer holidays in the 1950s, while the super-sexy tiger-printed mini skirt-suits gave more than a nod and a growl to the power-bitch era of the 80s.

The 50s/80s era clash reared its head again in the collection when McCullough and Hernandez cleverly combined classic pin-up styles such as full-skirted sun-dresses and high-waisted beach shorts, but reworked the classic styles by making them in black and white PVC for a sleek, modern look. It might get a bit hot on the beach, but who cares if you’re lucky enough to be wearing a bit of Schouler?

All in all, it’s a really great, flirty collection that we can guarantee A-listers will be scrapping over very, very soon. To see our highlights of the Proenza Schouler Spring/Summer 2012 show, check out the gallery above. Surf’s up!



Designer Fashions, Designers, dresses, Gallery, New Fashions, New York Fashion Week - Runway

New York Fashion Week: Michael Kors S/S 2012

By emilyborrett on September 15th, 2011

Michael Kors Spring/Summer 2012

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New York was transported to the plains of Africa yesterday as the legendary American designer Michael Kors unveiled his new Spring/Summer 2012 collection, which had clear tribal world-traveller vibes with rusty khaki shades and lush animal prints.

Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is all about the Michael Kors show, so naturally we were excited to see what the newly-wed designer had come up with this time. Like Diane Von Furstenberg earlier this week, there was an obvious African inspiration, though Kors’ designs and prints were less graphic and more earthy than DVF’s, working in shades of khaki green, stone, fawn and rust with a few splashes of zebra and snake-print here and there.

It was primarily a casualwear collection, sportswear and casual separates being what Michael Kors usually does best, but naturellement he didn’t leave us high and dry when it came to glamour, either. His high-waisted 50s-silhouette swimming costumes and bikinis came either in rustic-looking batik or snake-print, while his evening dresses and skirts came as incredible weathered-looking ruffled creations made out of tiny feathery strips layered over one another, in cheetah print, cream and scarlet, leaving the models looking like amazing exotic birds.

All in all, it’s another excellent collection from Kors that I can’t really fault. The styling was perfect, too – I’m so hankering for those knee-high black leather gladiator sandals that all the models got to wear. I think teaming the edgy fetish-y footwear with draped batik fabrics and animal prints is a cool, modern new take on the world-traveller look.

Check out the gallery above to see the highlights from Michael Kors’ Spring/Summer 2012 collection.



Designers, dresses, Events, Gallery, New York Fashion Week - Runway

New York Fashion Week: Oscar de la Renta S/S 2012

By emilyborrett on September 14th, 2011

Oscar de la Renta Spring/Summer 2012

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Oscar de la Renta may be an extremely talented designer and one of Hollywood’s most sought-after names when it comes to red carpet gowns, but I actually have a bit of a bone to pick with his new collection. I’ll get on to that in a minute..

It was an absolutely giant body of work with over 60 pieces making up the collection, spanning over a whole rainbow palette of colours that I have to admit do make me very happy. We all know that Oscar de la Renta’s speciality is lavish, gorgeous gowns, and he definitely didn’t skimp on those with giant couture-style puffball skirts playing against delicate lace sleeves and huge origami-structured dresses with florals and interesting folds.

He also did a fine line in his other trademark: the day dresses that are so favoured by the ladies who lunch, such as Michelle Obama, and they were very cute and girlish as normal with romantic 1950s-style skirts and nipped-in waists for a dreamy, summertime feel.

So, this is the bone I have to pick with his collection – there was just too much of it. For me, with so large a collection was just too sprawling and included too many different elements into the collection, which spanned from 60s coat dresses to folk dresses to mad, puffy medieval gowns and beyond – the whole thing just didn’t mesh. Each piece is beautifully designed and created, but has nothing to do with either piece beside it.

So, Oscar, that’s my nitpicking over. Check out the gallery to see some of the highlights from the designer’s giant Spring/Summer 2012 collection.



Designers, dresses, Events, Features, Gallery, New York Fashion Week - Runway, Uncategorized

New York Fashion Week: Rodarte S/S 2012

By emilyborrett on September 14th, 2011

Rodarte Spring/Summer 2012

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Anyone who was lucky enough to be at the Rodarte show yesterday in NYC probably felt like they were in the presence of something amazing, as the Mulleavy sisters behind the label have produced what we think could be one of their finest, most beautiful and  moving collections to date. The front row was a sight to be seen as well, with every A-lister in the Big Apple vying for a seat – amongst others were the photographer Terry Richardson, Anna Wintour, the Fanning sisters and the fabulous Anna Dello Russo.

Even though I am writing about this collection from my box room in gloomy Hackney, when I saw the latest Rodarte pieces I was immediately transported back to dreamy, wistful feelings of summertime by their Van Gosh-inspired sunflower printed day-dresses and gowns. The models’ haunted faces and wispy blonde hair teamed with these dreamy sunflower dresses in delicate silks and chiffons had an ethereal Virgin Suicides vibe to me.

Colour was an incredibly key part of the Spring/Summer collection because the Mulleavy sisters had actually taken the colours from Van Gogh’s most famous paintings and re-crafted the concept into haunting, wearable fashion – pale, buttery yellows and dreamy sky blues shimmered on the catwalk amongst metallic brocade work and embroidery, gradually shifting into darker blues and purples to represent the swirling night sky of the painter’s Starry Night.

To me, the collection completely embodied the hazy, dreamy nostalgia of summers past with their fairy-tale creations. A very special creation indeed, that I think may end up being one of my favourites out of the whole season. Because how could it not?

To see the highlights from Rodarte’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection, check out the gallery above.



Designers, dresses, Events, Gallery, New York Fashion Week - Runway

New York Fashion Week: Marc by Marc Jacobs S/S 2012

By emilyborrett on September 13th, 2011

Marc by Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2012

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It is undisputable that Mr Marc Jacobs is the king of fashion right now. With his own hugely successful self-titled lines, as well as creative directorship at Louis Vuitton and rumours that he may also be taking over Dior, he’s got a finger in every one of the yummiest fashion pies right now.

Yesterday’s Marc for Marc Jacobs show at NYFW was one of the hottest tickets around – it always is – and the Tattooed One didn’t let us down with a cool collection of sportswear-inspired casual pieces. Each piece was beautifully simple with a modern, clean feel to it that reminds us of European designers such as Jil Sander, mixing utilitarian slate-greys with little splashes of Crayola colour here and there for a playful twist.

There was a clear “boyfriend” vibe about the collection as Jacobs had opted for masculine, simple styles that when worn looked like they might have been pinched from a fashionable boyfriend’s wardrobe. From crisp, oversized shirt dresses to pink-and-white striped short suits, it seemed to us to be a very masculine take on casual womenswear.

Our favourite thing about the collection were the accessories – Monsieur Jacobs is, after all, the king of accessory design – fresh 90s-style hi-top trainers in childish, primary colours which added a carefree twist to some of the more austere-looking designs.

Viva Marc! Check out the gallery above to see the new Marc for Marc Jacobs collection.




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