September 2009

Put the Coral OPI and the Aqua blue Orly down. This Autumn the only colour you should be seen wearing on those talons of yours is Chanel’s Jade. A winner with the Amazona girls (as what other super-hot trend can you grab for under £20?), you”ll have to have an ‘A-Team’ style plan to get some - apparently only a few hundred bottles are being produced so you’d better get your name on the list quick-smart! Out on October 8th from Chanel boutiques.

It’s official. Tall people can’t dance. Ok, it’s not really official but as a life-long complete loser when it comes to any kind of dancing, I was so happy to read that it’s common knowledge in professional dancing circles that tall people can’t dance.

The discussion came to light when Jade Johnson (the British Olympic athlete who’s 6ft1) made her first appearance on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ (if you’re in the USA - your version is ‘Dancing with the Stars’)  this weekend.  Instead of, as the professionals had predicted, messing it all up and looking like an ungainly giraffe, she was reasonably elegant and did a great job. She certainly didn’t embarrass herself like her tall former contestants (model Jodie Kidd to name one!). Having said this, I truly think that the shorter celebrities seem to find it easier… and look more professional as a result.

What do you think? Can us tall girls ever be stunners on the dance floor well?

NOTE: After the tragic death of Patrick Swayze last week, apparently many Newlyweds are choosing to recreate the ‘Time of my Life’ dance from Dirty Dancing as an homage. Personally, I think the whole choreographed ‘first dance at your wedding’ routine is now incredibly naff. However, if you can’t get that Dirty Dancing tune out of your head… then take a look at Paddy McGuinness and his hilarious version for UK Charity event Comic Relief  HERE

In the same way that shoulder pads and skirt suits strike fear into thirty-something women, recent runways have shown us twenty-somethings that it is time for us to relive fashion again.

It is a well-known fact that fashion moves in a circular motion. It is exhilarating to put on a vintage 1950s polka dot dress and feel like you could have been alive in that time. Yet for some who were, they do not want to do it again. The 50s were a long time ago, yet the 1990s seems oh-so-very-recent and still fresh in our minds.

Grunge is making a comeback

Many women who grew up in the 80s will refuse to don the angular shoulder pads and bright, neon tights and accessories seen on Marc Jacobs’ AW 09/10 catwalk. Neither will they get overly excited about the power suits and restricting tight dresses of Donna Karen and Michael Kors. They’ve done it before. It reminds them of Vanilla Ice and bad perms. However, over the past couple of seasons, a few trends have sneakily appeared on the runways with designers attempting to be even further ahead of everybody else. They have left the 1980s and found themselves in the 90s, home to combat trousers, grunge and the Spice Girls. A scary combination though it may be, it is even more so for those who now are considering once again slipping on ripped, slashed deniers and a pair of Doc Martens for the first time since they were a Nirvana-worshipping teen.

Alexander Wang AW08

Alexander Wang first brought back the grunge trend on his AW08 runway, with slashed tights and casual beanies. Comfort appears to be the way forward. After seasons of squeezing into Hervé Leger bodycon mini dresses and sky-high stilettos, we welcome biker boots, deconstructed clothing and Dolce and Gabbana’s pyjama suits . Slouchy, faded bags, ripped hosiery and denim and grungy, baggy trousers have all made noticeable appearances in recent collections. From Jimmy Choo to See by Chloé, leather biker boots are everywhere. The jeans trend for 2009 is ripped, distressed denim. Oversize blazers are the most striking look from 1990s movies and you may call it the ‘boyfriend’ trend nowadays, but it is not too far from what every stylish woman was wearing a mere fifteen years ago. Catsuits were also made popular in the 1990s when Michelle Pfeiffer hit the screens as Catwoman and Posh Spice willfully continued the look on stage. This trend was heavily reflected in the jumpsuits on the SS09 runways, which have proved popular with celebs and office workers alike.

Marc Jacobs AW09

But what else should we expect? It cannot be much longer until we are re-embracing the bandana and parachute combat look of 1997. We’ve already seen the headscarf as a major accessory and just mix the deconstructed, baggy trouser trend with the zip detailing seen on runways all over the world and what resembles a pair of combat trousers will slowly appear before your eyes. It would seem that it is inevitable. With tartan back a la mode, just wait until the Britney schoolgirls start to appear again.

Style icons for the future?

My memories of the 90s are of bad oversized suits, cheesy boy and girl pop bands and the followers of grunge. Most of which I have been dreading would be repeated. And yet whilst I try to resist going where I have been before, I find myself scanning the high street rails for the perfect oversize blazer to go with my slouchy leggings and flat black ankle boots. I may as well pick up some tights whilst I’m at it. And a pair of scissors.

Chanel AW09

With the release of Coco avant Chanel and reignited interest in the life of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel in the film world, fashion has followed this lead with a huge upsurge of ladylike trends on the runways and on the high street. Finally, women can embrace their sexuality by using it to take control. If you dream of strutting down a Parisian boulevard with a killer pair of heels on and a twinkle in your eye, then this may be the look for you this season.

Louis Vuitton AW09

There are two ways of wearing this look: Sexy Glamour Puss and Tailored Lady. Sexy Glamour Puss just stays on the right side of sophisticated sexy. For a bit of Paris ooh la la, go for girly lace and jewels with peekaboo designs and flashes of silk lingerie. Team sheer black stockings with ruffles, lace, bows and frills and just a slick of red lipstick. Hair is a sizzling Bardot beehive up-do. Think more woman-in-charge and less woman-who-charges! This is about being ladylike, fun and flirty with a hint of sexiness. Louis Vuitton really showed how sexy can still be sophisticated for AW09.

The Tailored lady is less Bardot and more Coco Chanel with matching skirt suits and pretty separates. This season, sensual textures are all the rage with velvet and silky satins making a big comeback. It’s powerdressing with a difference. Women can use their feminine wiles to get what they want and not overt sexuality. Embrace your femininity, whilst still remaining smart and in control. Look to the catwalks of Christian Lacroix and, of course, Chanel for inspiration.

Sonia Rykiel AW09

Calvin Harris may have sung the song, but it’s the fashion world that has started the trend. All over again. You thought that the 80s were creeping in last year? Well, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Here’s what to expect with this season’s 80s-inspired trends.

Strong Architecture

You may have said that you’d never wear shoulder pads again, but this season it’s time to lose any fears that you may have and embrace the structured shoulders once again. Reigning supreme this season in this look is Balmain, who have created a collection full of big, architectural shapes that are as wearable as they are stylish. Elle has dubbed their new pointy-shouldered jackets as one to go down in history. And they may just be right.

Sexy Punk

Dark eyes, bright make-up and lots of attitude are required for this look. Think leather, lace, slashed latex and skintight PVC. The biker look is still huge this season, so if you haven’t already, make sure that you invest in something adorned with zips, studs or spikes. But don’t go too far by ensuring that you keep a glamorous, sexy side to the look. Leggings are shiny and practically sprayed-on, leather is heavy and at times tailored and tights and knitwear are laddered and worn. And don’t forget the thigh-high boots! Sexy as hell, OTN (that’s over-the-knee in fashion speak) boots are another key item to buy this season. Wear with caution though or you’ll look more Pretty Woman than Louis Vuitton.

Neon Brights

Bright satin dresses, sequins, glitter and shiny ruffles. The 80s was about glaringly bright clothing that made you look and feel like you’d just stepped out of a disco. If you clearly remember the 80s the first time round, then you may not want to revisit this vibrant, young look, but if you are ready to party then grab your killer neon heels, bright shiny dress and red pout and hit the town!

Classic Luxe

For a softer, more tailored tribute to the 80s, try a camel coat and easy tailoring. Whilst the camel trench has been around for a couple of seasons, it really finds its home in AW09 with classic labels such as Chloé, MaxMara and Jil Sander bringing a softer look to modern power-dressing. However, the look is a classic and will be for years to come, so the combination of longevity and luxury makes it one of this season’s top buys. Especially if thigh-high boots are not exactly your thing!

Lara as the Chanel Bride

Couture Week is often the place to shock and stand out from the crowd, but one of the main reasons for model Lara Stone’s column inches earlier this year were to do with her own inches. A UK size 10, Stone is one of the bigger models working in the mainstream fashion industry. And she doesn’t care. Neither does she care about the gap in between her front teeth. In fact, she told i-D magazine in November 2008: “Every time I go to the dentist, they always say, ‘You really need to fix that gap of yours.’ I’m like, ‘My gap is paying your dentist bills.’”. So there. And when you’re booking as many jobs as Lara, why worry about your appearance? It’s obviously working for her.

Vogue Paris editor Carine Roitfield is positively OBSESSED with the Dutch model. So much so that Stone is on the cover of September issue sporting a softer brunette look in contrast to her usual blonde. Plus, in February 2009, Stone was on the cover of Vogue Paris and the sole model throughout the whole issue, showing her versatility and potential to become one of the greats.

Vogue Paris September 2009

Born in Berlin in December 1983, Stone grew up in Holland and now resides in Paris, where she is based with her mother agency IMG Models Paris. - At the age of 15, she entered the 1999 Elite Model Look contest, and despite not winning the competition, Lara was offered a contract with the prestigious agency.

Her curves afford Lara the best of both worlds in modeling. She walked in the Chanel, Givenchy and Jean-Paul Gaultier Haute Couture shows this season, yet also holds a place on Victoria Secret runways. She also appeared in the 2009 Pirelli Calendar. Stone has opened shows for Giles Deacon, Isabel Marant, Christopher Kane, Fendi, and MaxMara, and closed for Diesel, Stella McCartney, and Balmain. She has also been a prestigious “semi-exclusive” for Prada, meaning that she cannot walk in shows before Prada, as she did at Milan Fashion Week.

Lara Stone is the face to watch

Funnily enough, although her hips are bigger than most runway models, her feet are in fact smaller! This is how she became known for her wobbly runway walk - by wearing shoes that were too big for her! Stone told Vogue Paris that she does not actually like the runway for this purpose and spends most of her time thinking “do not fall, do not fall”! Even more recently, Stone, who even has a nipple piercing was featured on the cover of W Magazine inAugust 2009 and was declared the most-wanted face of the moment. So, take in this face, as you’ll probably be seeing it for years to come!