Christian Lacroix,

Fingers Crossed for Lacroix

Apparently the fate of Christian Lacroix will be decided today . According to Lacroix there have been a few bids on the label, which will hopefully save the fashion house.

I've been looking back at one of my favourite Lacroix Couture collections, I love the ribbons in the hair, the soft lacey pinks and bejeweled crowns. It's fashion at its yummiest.

Fresh Ideas for Victoria Beckham

You all know I love Victoria Beckham (she was my favourite Spice Girl, what are you gonna do?) and you know I adore her flying hats. Victoria hasn't worn a flying hat in quite a while, and I hope they haven't retired for ever. People did make fun of her hat collection, but I live for pictures of Victoria at the airport wearing military hats - she must be the only person on the planet with a collection of hats reserved for trips to the airport. My personal favourite was the grey suede number worn with the matching trench coat (see it HERE), that look was pure drama. I think it made my week when she wore it.
Anyway, the point is Victoria hasn't sported a airport hat in a long time now, so I'm hoping this Vogue Paris editorial will give her some inspiration. Military is a trend that never seems to die, and although it's taken a backseat for A/W it's still hanging around. So please take a trip to LA and pop on a military cap, Victoria. Pairing it with a camel coat like image one would be especially nice...

50 Best Dresses of 2010

The biggest post of the year is here - I've been working on it since January. If you're new to Coco's Tea Party the 50 Best Dresses of the year is simply a countdown of my favourite red carpet dresses. The list only includes celebrities and the dresses were all worn on the red carpet or to events during 2010.
- This year newcomers to the list include Dakota Fanning, Rose Byrne, Freida Pinto and Carey Mulligan.
- While Balmain was the label of the year only two Balmain dresses made the list. Versace was the highest ranking designer with four dresses making the top 50.
- Diane Kruger tops all other celebrities - making the list five times. And Michael Kors is the only designer to have the same dress make the list twice (just in different colours and on different women).
- Both Leighton and Blake made the list. But surprisingly Blake gets the higher position.
- And the winning dress this year is a lot more subtle than the previous winners , but I think it was the best this particular celebrity has looked in years. She was glowing.

Of course, all opinions differ, so please let me know what your favourite dresses were this year in the comments section.

Built for the Red Carpet

In the last week there has been a lot of Stella McCartney on the red carpet. It started with Selma Blair, who wore a dress from the A/W collection to a premiere in LA. Then, of course, there was Kristen Bell who chose a lace dress from the same collection for The Teen Choice Awards. And last night Julia Roberts slipped into a Stella A/W jacket for the Eat, Pray, Love New York premiere.
Stella's fall collection must be constantly flying between New York and LA in order to make all these red carpet appearances right now. And in an effort to increase the collection's air miles further (you know, so it can take a nice holiday to Hawaii once S/S steals all the attention away) I've paired some of my favourite looks with certain celebrities who must be seen in Stella A/W.

Look number 4: Kristen Stewart
It's a well known fact that Kristen Stewart doesn't feel comfortable on the red carpet, especially when she's decked out in super-girly pieces. This Stella dress looks like it was made for her as the stripes and loose shape play off to her tomboyish vibe but the amount of leg on show keeps it dressy. If she paired it with a statement heel and a hint of 60's eye makeup I think she'd kill this look.

Look number 42: Tilda Swinton
Because how could you not want to see Tilda rock these mustard yellow trousers and sheer organza top? Tilda is great at wearing tricky colours and she's even better at working the androgynous look. This outfit is sexy without being fussy and Tilda is my number one choice.

Look number 41: Thandie Newton
The highest compliment I can pay a dress is that I want to see it on Thandie Newton, and I truly think Thandie is the only woman who could look as gorgeous as Natasha Poly does in this orange number. It's also been quite a while since we had a Thandie red carpet appearance so fingers crossed she puts in a call to Stella HQ.

Look number 36: Blake Lively
I don't know if look 36 would work as well on Blake as it does in my head, but I'd love to see her give it a go anyway. I think it's time Blake experimented a little more with fashion and left the short sparkly numbers at home for a while. With minimal makeup and scraped back hair this outfit could be a gorgeous choice.

What do you think if my Stella selection? Who else would you like to see in the collection?

images from vogue.co.uk

Blair's Style Competition

It's not long now until the new season of Gossip Girl begins and I'm getting uncharacteristically excited as the weeks go by. It's no secret that Chuck doesn't die, as he was photographed filming scenes with French actress Clemence Posey a few weeks ago. I'm sure Blair will be less than thrilled about her love rival, but will it hurt even more that Clemence's character Eva could become a style rival too? Both Leighton and Clemence were on set in New York yesterday and it's hard for me to select a favourite outfit as they both looked gorgeous.

Leighton's floral dress is beautiful, the type of summer dress you'd keep in your wardrobe for years as the shape is so classic. But then Clemence's look has that easy vibe that French girls work so well. At the moment I'm looking for the perfect lightweight silk shirt that can be tucked into flirty skirts and will also look great with jeans, so Clemence's look definitely appeals to me.

Which outfit is your favourite? And do you think Blair and Eva will become friends or is Blair more likely to throw Eva into that dog pen?

images famepictures via Picapp.com

The Ultimate Beachwear

I've always had a thing for Missoni bikinis, to me they are the ultimate luxury. Think of girls like Margherita Missoni, Nicole Richie and Sienna Miller with their luxe beachy looks. Anyone who has a holiday coming up should definitely check out the Missoni sale that has just opened on The Outnet. I expect the bikinis will go super fast, and these two babies are the best of the bunch...

Which is your favourite of the two? I'm in love with the red number. And if bikinis aren't your thing there is an adorable Missoni headband for just £14. Who doesn't love a good sale? Especially a Missoni sale...

Missoni at up to 70% off at theOutnet.com

My Expectations Are Great

I've been a big fan of W magazine for years now, and if you'd told me about their current re-design last year I would have gone into panic; W was my favourite. But while I still enjoy reading W I have become less excited about picking it up it as the months go on this year. So the change is welcome.
Yesterday the new editor-in-chief (W didn't have an editor before) Stefano Tonchi gave an interview to WWD about the re-designed September issue. The cover is a triple gatefold shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin and styled by Alex White, and it features eight new(ish) faces including Emma Roberts, Zoë Kravitz and Yaya DaCosta.

I like all three cover images with my favourite featuring Yaya DaCosta, Jennifer Lawrence and Greta Gerwig. The biggest change on the cover is the new "W" font  (apparently it's called Benton - after my favourite ER Dr I hope...) and the introduction of the tagline "who, what, where, when and why in the world of style." I like the new font but I'm less keen on the tagline - it might take time for me to get used to it.
Obviously the content of a magazine is equally, if not more, important than the cover, so I'll have to wait until the issue hits the UK until I can fully decide what I like and don't about the re-design. But I don't think I'll be disappointed.

What are your inital thoughts on the W re-design? Do you like the new font and tagline? And do you think they chose the right cover stars?

The article that accompanies the cover can be read now at wmagazine.com

images from wmagazine.com and wwd.com

The Summer Escape

I've spent the entire summer in London, which doesn't really bother me as I like to be in the city and constantly kept busy. I'm not very good at relaxing. This Kim Noorda editorial makes me wish I'd gone on a road trip this summer though. I adore the Etro trousers in the first image and the dip-dyed DVF dress worn with the trilby. Road trips probably look far less glamourous than this, but I'm more than happy to take the Harper's Bazaar version.

Editorial: On The Road

Publication: UK Harper's Bazaar June 2010

Model: Kim Noorda

Photographer: Laurie Bartley

Styled: Mattias Karlsson

How have you been spending your summer? And who else is in love with Kim Noorda right now? She's become one of my favourite models.

images from thefashionspot.com

Best Dressed at the Teen Choice Awards

I don't usually pay much attention to the Teen Choice Awards as there's rarely much happening on the red carpet. It was the same story with last nights 2010 Awards, where the majority of guests walked the red carpet in bodycon dresses. Like, hello 2008, right?
Actress Kristen Bell got it spot on though, choosing a lace Stella McCartney dress. The bright colour makes it a perfect choice for sunny August, yet the lace hints to a big a/w trend, showing she (or her stylist, at least) knows what's happening in fashion.

The peplum skirt, minimal accessories and short hemline also help to keep the dress fresh and super appropriate for the Teen Choice Awards. It's a shame that the lovely Hilary Duff, who accepted her award for her Gossip Girl cameo in a green bodycon mini, didn't follow Kristen's lead.

Did you like Kristen's look? Who was your best dressed last night?

image famepictures via Picapp.com

Hit and Miss of the Week: Good and Bad

There was no in-between this week, celebrities either got it right or wrong when it came to their wardrobe choices. Hitting a bad note was Eva Mendes, who had a rare slip-up in a tricky Oscar de la Renta dress.
Stephanie Pratt and Taylor Momsen also made wardrobe mistakes, with the former baring a little too much on the red carpet. But Lea Michele was on top form, rocking a gorgeous Giambattista Valli dress, and Coco’s Tea Party favorites Leighton and Nicole were papped in two adorable (and very wearable) outfits.

Leighton Meester: Hit

As you can tell I’m so into Leighton Meester’s off-set look at the moment. This week she was photographed leaving her Gossip Girl trailer wearing a luxe grey t-shirt and gorgeous blue shorts. Her Celine handbag is still constantly by her side and she also appears to be a bit of a Mulberry fan; wearing the navy moccasin boots that Olivia Palermo also owns. Leighton is currently unbeatable in the style stakes, now we just need her to hit the red carpet some more.

Stephanie Pratt: Miss

When Stephanie Pratt first joined the cast of The Hills I hated her. But then we were supposed too, weren’t we? The more I watched the more I liked her, and she ended up being one of my favourite Hills girls at the end of the show. Despite changing my opinion of her personality Steph still lacks a killer wardrobe. This dress could have worked (or at least made it as a so-so) if there wasn’t sheer fabric across the belly. I don’t care if she has a perfectly flat stomach; just put it away when you’re on the red carpet. It isn’t chic to show off your belly button in a dress – I’m sure Coco Chanel lived by that rule…



Taylor Momsen: Miss

I have to be careful when writing about Taylor Momsen because I don’t want to be horrible – after all, she’s only 16 – but she makes it very easy to dislike her. As you probably know, Taylor is the face of Madonna’s line Material Girl, and was in New York this week to make a promotional appearance for the label. I absolutely hate the styling of this look, but broken down I think the lace bra-top and leather jacket could be cute pieces. It would have looked a lot better anyway if Taylor’s hair wasn’t so disgustingly long. And what’s with the John Lennon shades? They make Taylor look try-hard.

Lea Michele: Hit

Last week I gave Lea a so-so rating and hoped that she’d soon be onto a hit. And she didn’t make me wait long as she slipped into this Giambattista Valli dress for a Fox event. I love the shape of the dress on her, and the colours are flattering against her tanned skin too. A gorgeous ring or embellished cuff could have been a nice addition but the look is fine as it is. I love the natural hair and makeup too. Well done Lea!

Eva Mendes: Miss

I normally love Eva Mendes’ red carpet appearances, and although I wanted to like this grey Oscar de la Renta dress I just can’t. The strange hip-detailing isn’t for me anyway, but it looked a lot less clumsy when it was shown on the runway. It’s a brave choice for a New York premiere and Eva deserves credit for giving it a whirl but she simply gets lost in all the fabric. She’ll be back on top at her next appearance though, I’m sure.

Nicole Richie: Hit

Nicole has been chilling out at home in LA this week and was spotted going for a walk with Joel. I always love Nicole’s summer style and although the outfit itself is pretty simple the styling is perfect. Her braided hair is really cute (seems she’s moved on from the Wang plait) and the across-the-body embellished bag is gorgeous. Nicole’s Winter Kate a/w collection has started to hit stores (it’s stocked at my-wardrobe and ASOS) and it’s looking strong. It would be nice to see her wearing some pieces from her own collection, so hopefully within the next few weeks she’ll start showing them off.

Who do you think deserved a hit this week? And who was a total miss for you?

images famepictures/ Getty/ pacificCoastNews all via Picapp.com

A Bit of Rachel Zoe Loving

It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Rachel Zoe. I even loved her back in the ‘zoebot’ days when it when making fun of RZ was just as fashionable as the Chloé Paddington. I’ve come to accept that Rachel is like Madonna – people are either going to love her or hate her. But since her reality TV show The Rachel Zoe Project started I’ve noticed more people are joining me in the Rachel fan-camp. So if you’re a Zoe hater but have never watched her show give it a go, you may end up loving her too.
I watched the first episode of season three yesterday and it’s still on top form. Granted the whole “Taylor betrayed us” storyline is a little overdramatic (it is reality TV after all I guess) but it’s total style porn. Not only was I lusting after Rachel’s selection of hats, mannish watches and jackets but I’m completely obsessed with her collection of lamps. Yes, her lamp collection; I didn’t see it coming either, but she has really great taste in lamps. I want them all.

For a red carpet addict like myself Rachel is like the Queen. It's very rare that I disslike anything she dresses her clients (who include Demi, Cameron, Liv and Kate Hudson) in for the red carpet. But Rachel's personal style interests me just as much, as I love that laid-back California look; think vintage Haltson, oversized sunglasses and gold jewellery. These are some of the best pieces currently online that fit the Rachel Zoe look:

1. Tortoiseshell Nico sunglasses, £239, Tom Ford at my-wardrobe.com. 2. Chrono 42-20 stainless steel watch, £440, Nixon at net-a-porter.com. 3. Kartel chrome Bourgie lamp, £270, oliverbonas.com. 4. Floral silk-blend maxi kaftan, £405, Ossie Clark at outnet.com. 5. Daredevil nail polish, £5, topshop.com. 6. Swarovski crystal-embellished skull keyfob, £75, Alexander McQueen at net-a-porter.com. 7. Indie heels, £130, KG by Kurt Geiger at kurtgeiger.com.

What do you think of Rachel Zoe's look? And what did you make of this weeks episode of TRZP?

images from product websites and bravotv.com/the-rachel-zoe-project