Midnight Blues

Firstly, Happy New Yr Everyone! I know I didn't blog as much I would have liked to in 2010 but that is definitely going to change in 2011. There's gonna be a lot more on fashion coming your way so watch this space!

Here is a look I put together centred around a dusty, midnight blue colour that is great for going out at night. With the end of 2010, Xmas and New Year, I thought I'd inspire a new colour other than the christmassy reds, greens, violets, whites and blacks which have been predominantly featured in fashion over the holiday season. As the winter wonderland trend slowly fades out, in come the bold and sexy going out looks!

For the first time ever, I've done a photo shoot, modelling the looks myself! Don't judge...It's only my first time! Thank you soo much, my lovely friends of Floor 4 who helped with make-up, hair and photography!!

It was really hard to capture the satiny feel of the fabric and shift dress look in these photos. What I loved most about the dress was how well the dusty greyish-blue colour went with the style of the dress; a twist on the classic shift dress with a draping low back and synched-in waist. It goes well with any bold or delicate detailed necklace and a pair of black heels.

1. Dress- ASOS.com, £40, 2. Necklace- Warehouse, 3. Shoes- H&M,£19.99, 4. Ring- Acessorize, £15, 5. Silver Bracelet- GRT Silver Jewellers (India)

Camel + Black

I've wanted to take my blog in a newer direction and actually take photos of looks and styles I've put together myself. So to start of with, I decided to ask a friend to become a my model for a couple of looks I put together.

Look 1

The first look I put together is a going-out look. I personally love the top because it goes so well with any type of high waisted skirt to tuck into, but especially a basic black body con! I also combined the camel coloured jacket to add some in-season colour for a look.. This is a great way to dress it up a little for a poshy place or club or you have the option of creating a bolder look with the statement printed top even without the jacket. The necklace also adds some little minimal and simple detail. If you're looking to stock up on some jewellery, pick thin interesting chain on the necklaces which complement almost any outfit and add just the right amount of detail to an outfit like this.

Blazer (£65), Top (£30), Skirt (£28), Necklace (£12); all from Topshop. Tights from H&M. Purse from Dorothy Perkins (£25). Shoes from Office (£75- Now £35!)

(All still available in shops)

Look 2

The second outfit is a day-college/uni girl look. It is simple and minimalistic; one of winter's key trends-based look. Again, the camelish colour of the plain dress looks great with the synched-in style of the dress. I liked the button detail on the shoulders of the dress as it creates a toned down look of military style. The Brown Leather Satchel bag with gold detail goes with the 'down to earth uni-girl' look as it is both in style and the colours blend well with the rest of the outfit. Brogues come off a little masculine but they balance the feminine look of the carefree, effortless college girl outfit. I also added a statement chunky necklace and some fun metal and brown bangles. Note that this is a good way to add something extra to a plain dress or top. Minimal fashion can be boring with constructed shapes and defined cuts but you can glam it up with some statement jewellery or a jewelled belt to make it look interesting!

Dress from H&M (£24.99). Bag from River Island (£69.99). Shoes from Office (£58). Necklace from Warehouse (£15). Set of Bangles from Warehouse (£10).

Most of these items are still available in shops except the necklace and bangles from Warehouse (which I bought ages ago).

www.topshop.com

www.riverisland.com

www.warehouse.co.uk

www.office.co.uk

www.hm.com

www.dorothyperkins.com

HAT-TASTIC COUTURE: PHILIP TREACY

Ever wonder who makes those incredibly awkward yet somehow stylishly extravagant hats that you always see Lady Gaga wearing? Well it’s this guy, Phillip Treacy. Having designed hats for high-end designers such as Chanel, Ralph Lauren and Givenchy and having been a five time BFA (British Fashion Awards) winner for the Accessory Designer of the Year, this Irishman is perhaps the most influential hat designers in the world. One of the things I love about his designs is that they seem to be both daring and lavish at the same time.

Check out his creation for Sarah Jessica Parker at her Sex and the City 2 Premiere, a hat or perhaps a ‘head piece’ that sums up the nature in spring time complete with real looking butterflies.
Yes it’s beautiful and rather extraordinary...but there’s only one question I want to ask here.....How on earth did that hat balance on her head without falling off???
Treacy now designs bags and purses too, which I found to be just as tasteful and much more sobering. My personal favourite from the spring/summer collection 2010 was the pink and white stripped clutch with a classy Phillip Treacy’s signature embellishment; casual enough for the day and elegant looking for the evening. (I was unable to find a still photograph of the clutch but it is viewable on his website.)
If you're looking to make a stunning, dramatic appearance for Ascot or an extravagant wedding, Treacy's hats are perfect for the occasion. Phillip Treacy’s pieces are available to purchase in Selfridges and Harrods as well other stores listed on www.philiptreacy.co.uk. These hats are also available online at www.asos.com and www.net-a-porter.com

Bangles of the East

Over the summer, I got to go trekking through the Himalayas with a huge group of people...it was sort of a religious/sightseeing trip. Our adventure started in Kathmandu, Nepal and we travelled all the way through Tibet, China. So of course a huge part of experiencing new cultures and seeing places along the way is without a doubt; SHOPPING! One of the most special, unique things I bought were these exquisite gold and enamel bangles/bracelets which I've never seen anywhere else before. These are exclusively from Tibet; I couldn't find them anywhere else apart from in China so I thought I would show them to you....

If any of you loved them as much as me...I might consider selling a few of them on eBay (they are brand new and have never been worn)...just leave a comment telling me which one you liked so I can start selling.

DOROTHY PERKINS OFFER/ WINTER PICKS

Attention shopoholics, bargainhunters and fashionistas;

DOROTHY PERKINS is doing an exclusive promotion this week online and in store;

25% OFF EVERYTHING!!!! ***OFFER VALID TILL 19 SEPTEMBER***

the way to claim this voucher is to type in the promotion code 'DPVIPD' in the checkout (online)

Hope this is useful for all you uni/school students to re-stock your winter warbrobe.

To be completely honest, DP is one of those high-street shops that I've kinda not been shopping at regularly for a while since I find the styles have become generic and same-ish season after season. However, it's great for getting your winter essentials and tends to sell it's strongest pieces this time of year. Here are some of my favourite winter season picks from the Dorothy Perkins website this week;

1. Ivory glass bead top, £50

Beaded and sequinned detail tops and dresses are definitely going to be in fashion this winter. I loved this dress/tunic as it looks both simple yet sophisticated with its unique scallop pattern...Dress it up with an oversized clutch, creamy coloured heels and a bunch of bangles to make you look stunning for any evening out.

2. Navy button military jacket, £50

We all know the military trend is going to be everywhere this season and a key must-have piece to follow this trend is a coat/jacket. I personally bought a similar coat from DP last year and can tell you...it's perfect if you're the type of person who prefers not to buy 10 coats every year to go with your entire wardrobe. Since navy blue contrasts with almost any colour, this coat is both practical, stylish and in season....what more could you ask for!

3. Slate grey lace blazer, £38

Dressy Blazers and Romantic Lace; two trends that have lasted for the past few seasons. Thrown together however, they seem to create a trend of their own for this winter. The lace material gives a more girly/ pretty look to the blazer...making it appropriate to wear for a night out.

Combine it with a classic LBD and a smokey eye makeup to get a gothic glamour look

4. Chocolate lace up ankle boots, £43

Fitting in to the military trend perfectly, these man-ish boots are a tamed down version of the original Dr Martens. At first, not something that looks attractive and eye-catching but try pairing it with a soft chiffon dress or any pretty outfit and it's suddenly all about grunge glamour and the boy-meets-girl trend.

5. Tan structured belted bag, £30

A classic structured bag that is an essential for any wardrobe. I love both the colour, being in style for A/W and the style which can be put together with almost any look.

To shop these looks and more visit; www.dorothyperkins.com and don't forget to get your 25% off by using the promo code 'DPVIPD'

Happy Shopping!

ONCE UPON A TIMELESS DRESS...THE LBD

It is a known fact that in the fashion industry trends come and go, but one dress stands the test of time, season after season; the LBD (Little Black Dress). What is it about this magical dress that becomes a must-have addition to every designer’s collection? For starters, the colour; Black. A colour that can define and shape to flatter every girl’s body as well as cater for almost any style. An above-the-knee feminine ‘little dress’ combined with this fabulous colour, the LBD is every girl’s wardrobe essential. Perfect for any occasion, the LBD has made an appearance on perhaps every red-carpet event, runway and party ever. Here are a couple of my favourites this season;

A street-chic LBD by Marc by Marc Jacobs from A/W 2010. Although it’s from the autumn/ winter collection, this dress is perfect for the summer as well. The gold zip detail adds both an urban-chic feel as well as a touch of grunge glamour and you can enhance the look with a pair of Ke$ha style boots and chain cross body bag or tone it down with a some simple gladiators and a sun hat.

A classic Stella Mccartney LBD from the Winter 2010 collection. With its silky, satiny feminine feel, this LBD is designed to make you look stunning. Paired with a jewelled oversized clutch bag and some heels, Mccartney’s dress is glamorous enough for any evening out.

Of course not all of us can afford designer lines like Marc Jacobs and Stella Mccartney...so here are some of my affordable favourites from this season;

Daytime + Workwear LBDs

1. Topshop- Plain Bubble Sleeve Dress, £40

2. H&M- £14.99

3. Oasis- Lace Sleeve Pintuck Dress, £45

Dress up or dress down

1. Topshop- Ruched Bandeau Dress, £45

2. ASOS.com- Plain V-Neck Tea Dress, £23

3. River Island- Black Mesh Bodycon Dress, £29.99

Eveningwear/ Dressy

1. French Connection- Sadie Stripe Dress, £130

2. Forever21- Pleated Crossover Dress, $27.80

3. TFNC One shoulder with Layered Hem, £40 (Available from ASOS.com)

What’s Fashion’s Goddess?

Hey people! So this is my first ever blog and I’ve decided to write/talk about fashion. Do I consider myself as Fashion’s Goddess? Well, not exactly, no. I’m just an ordinary 18yr old girl who loves shopping, following fashionable trends and getting inspiration from designers and celeb styles.
They say that 70-80% of what you say about yourself isn’t actually coming out of your mouth (No, I didn’t just get this from the ‘Hitch’ movie lol) so appearance really does count. I guess what I’m trying to say is; what you wear and how you dress shows who you are and who you want to be. I believe that Fashion is an artistic form of self expression through which we hold the power to be whoever we want to be. If clothes, jewellery, accessories and make up give you the power and ability to create and shape your own identity, then consider yourself FASHION’S GODDESS!
I’ll be bringing you features on designers, trends, alerts on hot sales, where and what to buy, celebrity styles and hopefully much more...
xxx
Eshani