Trends

If you’ve got the eye of the tiger and maybe that jungle feeling too, then this season’s tribal prints may be just up your street! Too many clichés? Possibly. The SS09 catwalks were inundated with bright colour and print and after an AW08 filled with gothic black lace, maybe we are ready for it?

The prints vary from outlandish (see this season’s Louis Vuitton) to muted and effortlessly stylish (DKNY’s print offering). If you still can’t bring yourself to wear animal print, then try accessorising with chunky bangles and statement tribal necklaces and earrings. Hair is wild like that of an extra from The Lion King. Browns, oranges, reds and greens are back, so just when you think that you can’t take any more of the British winter (and piles of snow!), put on a vibrant, print dress (Anna Sui’s is perfect!) and your day will be instantly brighter!

I have unfortunately found just a few offerings on the British High Street for tall women. Both Topshop and Dorothy Perkins have animal print T-shirts on offer for longer torso-ed ladies, plus Topshop also stocks a leopard print cardigan to throw on over jeans. Finally, tallgirls.co.uk has a tribal kaftan in store at the moment. However, we must think outside the box. If you are taller than the average woman, expect dresses to be a bit shorter on you, wear with leggings or jeans if you want to. I love wearing black leggings with everything and to really bring your outfit bang up-to-date, team a tribal print with black leather-look leggings. Many High Street stores have extra long sizes in leggings, including New Look, at pretty reasonable prices.

Dorothy Perkins

TopShop

TopShop

Tall Girls

photo credits: vogue.com, plus other stores online.

Here we are in the midst of Awards season with the Golden Globes behind us and the Baftas and the Grammys this weekend. The media is full of ‘Best’ and ‘Worst’ dressed lists with Hollywood actresses parading in some seriously glamorous gowns which, for us tall girls seem purely aspirational. Whereas the high street is providing an ever increasing choice of party dresses and evening gowns for your average woman, tall women are left out in the cold wondering if this is one area of fashion where we fear  we may never tread.

I was recently reminded of the near catastrophic stress caused by my need for a full-length evening gown last year. The joy of hearing of my brother’s engagement was swiftly followed by a panic about what on earth I would wear to a very glamorous, Spanish (or maybe ‘Spanglish’) wedding.
At 6ft2, evening gowns have not featured highly in my quest for clothing to fit my amazon stature. My years of searching for jeans, suits, shoes and t-shirts have been fruitful, however, it is nearly 9 years since I had to wear an evening gown so I really didn’t have any clue where to look.

On previous trips to New York department stores,  I knew I had seen evening dresses what would fit me far better than anything I could buy on the high street here in England. There is something about the American cut and fit that suits us tall girls and women better than anything here in the UK. Unfortunately, I wasn’t going to the Big Apple before the wedding: what was I to do!?

With two good friends for moral support in tow, I set upon Oxford Street one Saturday. I recalled the ‘Designers at Debenhams’ range used to have some great styles – I should emphasise ‘used to’.  Their cut and fit, even girls of an average height (5ft 7 or so),  was appaulling! Monsoon (too short), Long Tall Sally (frumpy), Karen Millen (might fit my left leg at a push) were equally disappointing. I even ventured into some of those old-fashioned evening dress shops run by frighteningly matronly, middle-aged women who seem to intent on making you look like an extra from Dynasty circa 1989. Everywhere I tried the gowns were not only badly cut, with cheap fabric and frumpy designs, they were also on average about 8 inches too short - guaranteed to make you look like the hillbilly sister from down on the farm. At this rate I was going to make it on to the ‘Worst Dressed’ list at my brother’s wedding!

Convinced I would be ex-communicated by my big brother if I didn’t manage to pull something off (he works in sports media, darling, hence he has the most fashionable and sophisticated friends), my thoughts turned back to the US. How could I get a dress from an American brand here in the UK? Then I had an idea. Bridesmaids dresses! If you’ve never been to an American wedding, you’ve probably seen them in films. Far from dressing their best friends in grown-up versions of child pageant dresses, as we seem to be rather fond of here, their bridesmaids and maids of honour wear dresses more akin to film premieres than ‘Miss Junior Oklahoma’.

I hunted down all the stores in West London who sold two brands in particular: Dessy and Watters.  Both of these brands have several ranges, totalling hundreds of styles in a massive array of colours.

If you’ve never ordered from a Bridal Shop before, this is how it works:

-    These dresses are made to order in standard sizes. Shops have many different styles, all in a different   colour variation so don’t expect to get to try on the style you want in the right colour.

-    You choose a style, and then a colour. The staff will advise you on the size required.

-    You can choose to have up to 6 inches added on the skirt of the dress (which I needed).

-    Once ordered, your dress will arrive between 6-12 weeks later.

-    On arrival, it is best to try the dress on with a seamstress present (any good bridal shop will have one they use) as usually, they can suggest ‘nips and tucks’ to the dress to make it truly fit like a couture gown.

In the end, my gown cost £160 plus £40 for the seamstress’s alterations. Plus, I think I avoided all the usual pitfalls for tall girls - my dress was a lovely, amethyst halterneck number in chiffon and matt satin which was full length, even with my 4 inch silver high heels (from Amazona Style). I felt like an Oscar-nominated starlet!

So, before the wedding season sets in, your next black tie invitation or your invite to a film premiere with Will Smith (I can dream!), why don’t you plan ahead and check out what‘s on offer from those US dress companies.  Almost guaranteed to make you look like a film star!

www.dessy.com

www.watters.com

Photo credits: www.houseofbrides.com; www.dessy.com; www.watters.com

I spent most of November and December with wet feet from leaking boots and torrential downpours in delightful Birmingham at university, then in a soaking Barcelona, at home in Lincolnshire and at my boyfriend’s house in Hertfordshire. Moral to the story? Stop wearing leaky boots. Glitch to this solution? Try finding me some that fit the mould!

Back in October, I fell in love with a pair of boots that I bought very cheaply on a whim from Primark. I wasn’t sure about them at first, but I had been after some ankle boots for a while and they seemed worth it at the time. After about a week of not taking them off, I was hooked and kept thinking to myself that I should go and get them in other colours, or just a back-up pair just in case. Did I bother? No. And, about a week after that, the inevitable occurred. They began to leak. Nothing can compare to that feeling of soaking wet socks at the beginning of the day when you know that you won’t be warm and snuggly again until at least 6pm. So I stopped wearing them, unless I was convinced that it wasn’t going to rain, but that didn’t last long as my trusty black sheepskins, bought from Barratts by my mother as a present before I moved to Santiago, also began to leak and then fell apart. At this point, I was pretty screwed. I had work piling up, both pairs of black boots leaking, the weather was not my friend and I just didn’t have the time to go shopping for more. So I kept telling myself that when I did have time, all would be well.

However, no such luck. I couldn’t find anything that matched my Primark beauties (I was looking for the exact style, but much better quality, and couldn’t even replace them for the time being as they had sold out everywhere I went!) Finally after weeks of making do, I found 2 pairs of boots, in New Look of all places and I love them both!  The first is a gorgeous pair of fringed ankle boots in black suede for £30 (minus student discount!) and the second were half price (reduced to £30) leather faded black cowboy boots, with a slight heel! (I continue embracing my height, Amazona!) It is very difficult to find a pair of boots for a reasonable price in a wide UK size 8, when you are quite picky about what you like! What made it all even better was that my boyfriend bought me BOTH PAIRS as a belated Xmas present! (Yes, that is how long it took me to find the flippin’ things!!)

The plan now is to alternate wearing them along with other shoes so that I never end up in that situation again! I shall also be using protector spray on them to keep them in tip top condition. I can only hope that this all works!

If you’ve been searching for the perfect pair of winter boots (anything but wellies!!) but never found them, tell us what they are and we’ll endeavour to get them in at Amazona Style!

Between the credit crunch, the exchange rates and overall lack of confidence in the future, it is perhaps unsurprising that The Telegraph has reported a surge in UK holiday bookings this January.

Now I’m all for economising - I’ve swapped my Guinot for Boots Time Delay (surprisingly good!), my Frederic Fekkai for John Frieda and even my Super Unleaded for Standard Unleaded - but I cannot contemplate months stretching out ahead with no ‘escapes’ (as I have now come to consider them).

For the past two to three years I have generally flown long-haul for work, and work-&-mostly-leisure, trips around every 3 to 4 months. I’m now averaging almost only one a year. I feel trapped! However, not trapped enough to throw caution to the wind.. so I’ve decided I too am going jump on the ‘Brit Break’ bandwagon.

Luckily I’ve just read an article about England’s greatest pubs and I’m going to head for a weekend break. I think I’ve decided on The Horse and Groom near Malmesbury in Wiltshire. It’s all stone walls and open fires and the rooms look gorgeous (in a Babington-House-Style). Perhaps most importantly, the food is legendary. It’s as close to Michelin-starred as I’m going to get this side of the credit crunch (the kitchen is overseen by Rob Clayton who earned his Michelin stars at The Priory in Bath).

What are you doing for escapism this year? Have you downgraded your holidays from New York to Norwich?

This year’s Golden Globes generally went as predicted: a sea of recession-friendly, bland and boring outfits sauntered down the red carpet last night in LA. When it comes to Hollywood’s award ceremonies, the Golden Globes have historically been where stars could take more fashion risks which may .. or may not work out for them (remember Lara Flynn Boyle in that tutu and lace-up ballet pump number in 2003?). So what is there to bitch about this year? Precisely that! The lack of love/hate anything!

When little girls (in their late 20’s) dream of being able to wear the dress of their dreams to strut that red carpet, is beige your first thought? Is it a simple back dress ? HELL NO!
For the most part, the dresses this year were dull, dull, dull. Beyonce enevitably added some bling to the evening and Angelina Jolie wore a silver potato sack and looked liked she needed a good meal.

One-shoulder numbers and strapless dresses were a favourite in 2009 but there was a lack of colour. Of course the girls looks elegant and well-groomed in their nude/beige/blush, such as Sandra Bullock, Elizabeth banks and Amanda Seyfried (to name but a few), and the girls in their safe little black numbers (yes, we mean you Ms Winslet) looks safe and sophisticated. But, we want to go WOW! Even if it is followed by a cackle at the hideous nature of the gown. There was very little of that this year but here’s our favourites  - both good and bad.

Jennifer Lopez took the Golden Globes slightly too literally this year and covered her own ‘globes’ in gold.  It wasn’t flattering and smacked slightly of a ‘I’m still sexy even though I’m a mother now!’ but at least it wasn’t boring.

Renee Zellweger in Carolina Herrera missed the mark by …oh about 4000 miles with this number. She strayed from her usual sleek hair and fitted strapless numbers she has worn in previous years and seemed to seek inspiration from a BBC period drama. Hideous!

Marisa Tomei seemed to be angling for a part in the next Pirates of the Caribbean film with this complete mis-match. The Fashion Police wouldn’t know where to start with this look.

Drew Barrymore has split the Amazona girls with her baby blue Galliano number. She looked like a 50’s Hollywood starlet with a mischevous glint in her eye as she played around on the red carpet. Drew worked the look which is why we voted this as a ‘Yes!’ in the end.

Cameron Diaz - hit or miss? Well it is fun and colourful so she definitely gets points for that but what’s with the hair Cam? Not loving the shoes with this outfit either but we’ll give it a ‘Hit’ for livening up what was a dull year for fashion at the Globes.

Jennifer Morrison (from ‘House’) rocked the red carpet with this bright blue Oscar de la Renta gown. Me, me, me!!! I want this gown!!

Eva Mendes is 90% there with this white Dior dress but it’s mainly for the colour with that bold turquoise collar necklace. What is that bow thing though?

And the winner is…. Eva Longoria Parker was red-hot in this spray-on Reem Acra number. The hair, the diamond star earrings, the make-up and the gown… or maybe it was the whole package including Eva’s ‘Blissfully-Newly-Wed-Glow’. When I grow up I want to look like this!

This week is part of that strange time that falls between Christmas and New Year when it seems like you’re living in an alternative reality - that the World just isn’t quite working properly.

If you’re like me, you’re not sure what to do with yourself as it seems slightly premature to decide on your New Year’s Resolutions. So that leaves shopping. I wouldn’t go near the Westfield Sale if unless you promised me an evening with Shemar Moore afterwards (Don’t ask who!!!?? Go IMDB him…) and I’ve done the appropriate family visitations already. I was even so unsure of what I was supposed to be achieving in this ‘Bermuda Triangle’ few days that on Sunday I went to work!

So, in an attempt to do something useful with this time I’ve been checking out some more trends for 2009. Here’s our third installment on hot trends to keep in mind when hitting those sales!

Zips, Zips and more Zips

Once relegated to Michael Jackson impersonators and lead singers in punk bands, zip (or zippers as the US call them) accents and detailing turned up on spring’s most feminine pieces. The flirty zip trim on Phillip Lim’s silk vest balances downtown edge with uptown elegance. (Rachel Bilson, are you listening? This trend is made for you!)

Mix & Match Your Patterns

Designers put patterns together in unexpected ways next season. Personally, I’m not sure I could get this to work without looking like a giant circus clown. If you want to pull off this kooky-cool style without looking crazy (or like Bo-Bo!), take your cue from Michael Kors and stick to patterns that share the same hues.

Embellished Boho

Anna Sui, Diane von Furstenberg and other optimistic designers showed laid-back, neo-hippie styles on the runway. Get into the swing of things with a colorful, breezy dress, beaded necklace and lace-up, gladiator style flat sandals. Peace out.

As I now officially drowning in the full-blown Christmas experience (my mother called this morning to talk turkey), I am once again wanting to concentrate on ANYTHING un-related to Christmas and New Year celebrations. So here’s another installment of some of the top trends for 2009:

The Military Jacket

Really? I’m yet to find one that doesn’t make me look like an extra from a Hollywood war epic. For some of you, visions of the Beatles’ Sergeant Pepper Album cover may prove just too strong for you to contemplate one of these. For the rest, the cropped military coat returns for spring with a sharply tailored fit and subtle embellishment on the front, the style serves as a great alternative to the jean jacket or blazer.

The Sophisticated Trench

WooHoo! How often am I ahead of the trends? (Let me tell you, never!) I’ve just had a gorgeous midnight blue trench (made from a textured linen) with a bias-cut satin trim made for me by my Hong Kong tailor.  Just in time too, the classic rainy-day essential got an upgrade for next season. Designers like Tommy Hilfiger lengthened the cut (as did I) and fashioned it out of luxe materials like silk and satin (again, as did I!) —just the thing to wear over a long evening gown or party dress.

A Touch of Neon

Hot acid colors made their return to the runway this season.  All this trend gives me is way too many memories of dodgy rave fashions. If revisiting the ’90s-inspired look is something you’d rather avoid, follow Isaac Mizrahi’s lead and incorporate a subtle flash of neon for a fresh and modern style.

Which trend for 2009 do you love?

I imagine many of you are feeling a little overwhelmed with all the Christmas hints, tips and advice being fired your way (I know I am!). So here is athe absolutely un-Christmas related first part of a sneak preview to some of the hottest trends coming your way in 2009. Just keep your eyes open in those pre-Christmas sales for anything featuring one of these.

Pastel Suits

Say goodbye to the black or grey trouser suit: Erin Fetherston and her fellow designers put a sophisticated spin on the office essential by turning out blazer-and-trouser combos in soft pastel shades. If you have to wear a suit to the office, why not wear a pretty one!

Black on White Print

The little black dress just got a big boost: As seen at Oscar de la Renta’s show, artful black stripes on a white background make a fresh, graphic statement. We think it’s a modern taken on the original LBD so surely even the original LBD icon Audrey Hepburn would approve!

Hot Pink

The big story! Whilst cobalt blue was the ‘It’ color of Summer 2008, magenta is shaping up to be the must-have shade of ‘09. Doo.Ri, Matthew Williamson and Adam Lippes coated their collections in the color—which is good news for the rest of us, as it flatters nearly every skin tone.

Look out for more hot 2009 trend updates next week.

I live in sunny Florida where our coldest days so far this winter have averaged in the fifties. Still, I’m feeling the effects and just can’t seem to stay warm. I realize the UK is a wee bit colder, but it’s all relative. Right?

There are a few things I depend on to get through this brutal time of year. My face tends to go haywire and my lips stay chapped like I’ve just been hiking a glacier. Once again, my trusty tin of Smith’s Rosebud Salve has saved the day. This stuff is pure effectiveness, with it’s silky texture and delightfully subtle scent. I hear it’s what Gwyneth Paltrow uses on her lips, so that’s just one more thing we have in common. By the way, what do you guys think of Gwynnie’s new website, Goop.com?

Another thing saving my gray, sallow-faced self is the Jemma Kidd Mannequin Skin Complexion Enhancer. Apply this under your makeup and it’s like I’m lit from within. Angelic, really. That’s a product that works. It’s part of the new Jemma Kidd makeup line at our big box store here in the States, Target. If you come for a visit, and we hope you do, come for the Target. With designers like Anya Hindmarch, Sigerson Morrison, and Botkier, it’s a national treasure and not to be missed. I saw you guys can buy Jemma Kidd’s line at Boots.com. Incidentally, I just saw a huge display of products from Boots at, you guessed it, Target.

Finally, a scarf. If my neck is warm, I’m warm. Just a simple scarf draped backward over my throat and then criss-crossed back around gives me the fortitude to face the bitter cold. I’m ready for the glacier, and I’m glowing.