Someone without the X-Factor

As much as it pains me to delve into the fickle television world of Britains best loved talent show, I feel that I just couldn't let Saturday's show slide without just a slight disapproving murmur.
Cheryl Cole's dress, I'm sure you saw the one, designed by up and coming designer, David Koma, what else to say but, 'oh dear.'
Whilst Danni sat on demurely in an off the shoulder lace ensemble, Cheryl looked as though she had staggered on wearing somebody's A level art project.
And if this is the case and that the frock truly is the painstaking endeavor of hours of cutting up loo roll tubes and silver spray paint then I'm sorry.
But I find it unlikely that a dress created by such means would run to the somewhat extensive price of £1,500. So much money for something that looks like you've fallen into a box of mechano, one really has to ask the question, why?
Is this really the way into the public's hearts as fashion's newest sweetheart? I think not.

Emma Watson....??????

Now I may be edging slightly towards controversy here but; Emma Watson?

I will hand it to the girl, she is pretty, talented and extremely well dressed. So why is it then that I don't like her?

I confess that it could be a smidge of Burberry envy but I can't say that I've ever felt quite so contemptuous for any of Christopher Baileys other leading ladies. Nor do I begrudge dear Lily for her cheeky Chanel shoot courtesy ala Lagerfield.

So what then?

Ah yes I know what it is, Emma Watson. It's your unbearable smugness and complete absence of persona. Thats it, nail on the head. Bingo.

I really don't understand why the fashion world is head over heels for miss Watson. She seems to hold none of the charm, charisma or mystery of some of our other well dressed celebrities and whilst her outfits are usually quite stunning, she generally wears them with the same amount of poise as a 45 year old school teacher from Kent.

Time of the Season

It’s the time of year when the weather is just about as unpredictable as a career ala Lohan, which makes choosing appropriate attire each day no mean feat. But before we all reach for that pair of trusty old jeans, it’s perhaps wise to see exactly what the fashion industry has in store for us for A/W this year.

Perhaps the most visited trend for this season was biker. As seen at Roland Mouret and Balmain, what could be more versatile and weather proof that a biker jacket and a pair of chunky boots? Better yet is that for the hard of pocket among us, an on-trend leather jacket can be easily picked up as Vintage or on the high-street.

For those less bound by black, the catwalks offered a glam alternative in forties heritage chic. Camel hair, tweed, fur and tailoring were among the pieces by Prada, Hermes and Lanvin. And really, what better excuse than to brighten up those grim grey days with an alluring splash of red lippie than a nod to nineteen forties elegance?

Of course there’s always the options to combine the two looks-Alexander Wang please take your bow. A well cut piece with a pair of wet look leather pants and spike heels just screams urban chic. Just how practical it is however, for a hard days slog at the office, still remains to be seen.

Inspired by Vogue

As Vogues November issue turns to a 'More Dash than Cash' special, I for one am looking for thrifty shopping where I can!

O.k, so perhaps squandering 120 quid on cotton wool balls, resulting in an effect that would make Tinki-Winki proud is possibly not the best way to emulate Pierre Cardin- what were you thinking Shona Heath?- but I can certainly see the sense in some of the tips in Vogue this month.

I love the idea of dragging out the sewing machine to revamp a few old sewing patterns and I'm all for raiding the vintage and charity shops.

Imagine my joy last week when I happened across a a brand new Betty Jackson blazer in a charity shop for only 4 pounds!

Admittedly, all this shopping inspiration has given me the overwhelming urge to go out and rinse my bank account by updating my wardrobe, but it's a feeling I'm well used to by now and perhaps this month I'll get more for my money.

Grunge Revival

I know that the fashion world is getting crazy about the eighties but is that a grunge revival I see peeking round the corner?

Surely when I'm spotting band t-shirts I wore the first time round hitting the high-streets, the nineties is back on the up.

Flannel shirts, stone washed denim and bleached heads everywhere embracing their dark roots; this is sounding all too familiar for me.

I much prefer this look to the shoulder pads and sequins that there suddenly appears to be no escape from.

However, Kate Moss' new range at Topshop seems to be pioneering the way for grunge chicks everywhere with mohair cardigans and laddered tights out in force.

They do say if you can remember it the first time round you shouldn't go there but if it's good enough for Kate....

Splashing out on Fashion's Big Night Out?

What can we do to beat the recession? The fashions industry’s answer was almost certainly, ‘Fashion’s Big Night Out’, an event hosted by Vogue in thirteen cities across the world.

Whilst shopping certainly is not the first thing to spring to mind when faced with the economic slump, it certainly does wonders to brighten one’s mood, especially when presented with special offers, extended opening hours and an array of the fashion elite mulling around to boot.

I’m sure that the glitz of the evening did little for most pockets, however one night only pamper sessions from Tony and Guy and Elemis day-spa goody bags surely can’t fail to make you feel much better about yourself if nothing else.

The more savvy shoppers were able to get their hands on specially designed t-shirts by Vogue’s Lucinda Chambers and the instantly collectable Marni dolls, surely something to put away for the next rainy day.

If nothing else there was the specially created for Vogue by Selfridges black ice-cream; the ultimate girl treat for those of us unable to splash the cash!

Spectacle Sexy

All hail the grandaddy of Geek Chic has made it's inevitable return. Pioneered by 1950's heart-throb, Buddy Holly, perhaps I am most happy to see the return of the thick black rimmed specs thanks to rock icon closer to my own generation, River Cuomo of Weezer fame.

Today, we have so many more celebs to look to who are all trying out speccy cool. A dash of red lippie ala Lily or Miss Johansson's retro quiff all both getting the thumbs from me!

Tory pin-stripe

Last week, a friend and I happened across a guy we went to school with. One of those who went straight from university into a 'proper job' albeit rather a dull one; in his case accountancy.

So it should have come of no surprise to find him clad from head to pointy-shoed toe in pin-stripe, a look that seems to be ever popular among the city types and one that I remain to find intolerably irksome.

On pointing this out to my friend he laughed and said that like himself, the offending suit would almost certainly be voting Tory this year.

Am I the only one to find the resurgence of the pinstripe wearing Tory frankly terrifying?Or the sheer fact that a Tory can be identified by such unashamed power-dressing.

Is it not bad enough that we are not only being subjected to shoulder pads and asymmetric dresses on the catwalk without the impending tory re-election rearing it's ugly pin-striped head? Thatcher didn't make it right and I doubt that shiny faced Cameron is going to do much for the world either. Could the eighties please leave us alone now please?

Bleached eyebrows...non?

Bleached eyebrows.

As seen at Prada, Givenchy and Chanel at Paris fashion week and is fast becoming a growing trend among some of the edgier top models. (Lara Stone, Lily Donaldson and Kristen McMenamy please take your bows.)

Already I can hear the masses reeling in horror at the thought of bidding farewell to hepburn esq arches in the name of 90's kooky cool and I severely doubt that this is a trend that is going to catch on.

But horrifyingly androgynous as this look may seem I can't help but warm to the idea a little bit.

Being naturally fair, this look appeals to me on a whole other level.

Of course I'm not quite brave enough to hit the bleach, but I have binned the eyebrow pencil for now and it was a good excuse to pamper myself with a trip to the beauticians for an under-brow wax.

How nice it is to not have to pencil in darker eyebrows each morning with hopes of looking demure only to catch sight of yourself a few hours later looking like a drag queen with no friends or a mirror.

Thanks be to French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld for her forward thinking; she advised Lara Stone to don this style three years ago. Carine J'taime!