Red Carpet Favourite: The Sheer Black Maxi Dress

Last night there were two very fashionable events taking place. Riccardo Tisci hosted a Givenchy party in New York to celebrate the closing night of of Maria Abramovic’s “The Artist Is Present” exhibition. Guests included Christina Ricci, Courtney Love, Natasha Poly and Liv Tyler. For me Natasha was the best dressed (more on that in the Hit & Miss this weekend) but Liv was a very close second in her sheer Givenchy dress.
At the same time, in California, Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox and Emily Blunt all supported the 2010 Crystal + Lucy Awards dressed in, you guessed it... black!
Vanessa Hudgens also made an appearance at the Crystal + Lucy Awards, but stood out from the other LBD-clad-ladies as her skirt was sheer.
Notice a pattern yet? The black maxi dress with a sheer skirt is the look for red carpet events at the moment. Everyone is doing it.



You'll remember Kate Beckinsale's sheer Chanel dress, which she wore in Cannes, and Julia Restoin-Roitfeld looked gorgeous in a similar Mark Fast design a few weeks ago. Margherita Missoni has also given the style a go, and Ashley Olsen put a spin on the look with a black lace skirt.
It's clearly no longer enough to bare your pins on the red carpet (far too obvious, no?) so those who really want to make a statement must simply give a glimpse of leg.
I can't believe Jennifer Aniston hasn't caught onto this look yet. You know she loves a black dress, and I think this style would look stunning on her. Hopefully Vanessa Hudgens gave her a few ideas last night...

Who do you think wears the look best? And who would you like to see give it a go next?

images from zimbio.com and thefashionspot.com

The Beach Icons of 2010

You wouldn't know it looking out the window, but summer is actually here. This means dashing around the shops in search for the most flattering bikini, the coolest sunglasses and the most comfortable yet stylish sandals possible.
This summer it looks like I'll be staying put in London, so I'll be escaping to the beach via heat magazine's constant 'beach body' specials. To be honest I care less about the boring beach-body diets (seriously, who cares if Kristen Cavallari avoids cheese in order to get the perfect body?) and more about the bikinis.
If you're unsure which look to channel on your holiday this year then check out these four ladies for inspiration.


Lamé leather espadrille sandals by Marc Jacobs at Net-A-Porter. Avalon heart link bikini by Zimmermann at The Outnet.
Kirsten Dunst does understated beach glamour like no other. She proves that all you need (apart from a great beach body, of course) is a classic black two-piece, a great pair of sandals and a gaggle of friends. And it's always refreshing to see a celebrity who doesn't go down the fake tan route.


Nikita sunglasses by Tom Ford at My-Wardrobe. St Tropez printed silk kaftan by Melissa Odabash at The Outnet.
Beyonce is the ultimate beach diva. This title used to be held by Jennifer Lopez, until Beyonce out-blinged her with bigger shades, bigger earrings and brighter bikinis. Expect a lot of yacht-hopping action from Beyonce Mr Jay-Z this summer.


Farah tye dye one piece by Pistol Panties at Topshop. Honeycomb knit headband by Missoni at Browns.
Lindsay Lohan has been ordered to stay in LA this summer, so I imagine she'll be spending a lot of time by the pool. Bright colours have always been her thing (how else are the paparazzi supposed to find her?) and this summer I can't wait to see how she accessories her alcohol-monitoring anklet. She's already been begging Chanel to send her some stickers to customise it with.


Ruched baudeau bikini top and classic bikini pant both sold separately at Topshop. Distressed denim shorts by J Brand at Net-A-Porter.
I would estimate that Jennifer Aniston spends 70% of her time in a bikini. And every week we're greeted with more bikini shots of Jen - I think she keeps Grazia in business. Jennifer always sticks to block colours at the beach and by the pool - her favourites being mint green, lilac and brown. And, of course, she always has a trusty pair of denim shorts and aviator shades nearby...

Who is your beach icon this year?

images from thefashionspot.com and product websites

When Lou Met Bruce





It's been so long since I've posted anything remotely Lou Doillon related that it should be a crime. I love Lou's style as every piece of clothing she wears looks like it has a story. You never see a picture of her and go "oh yeah, that skirts from Topshop". Her clothes have a bit of mystery to them.
Yesterday I found this beautiful Lou Doillon editorial from Vogue Italia. The photos were taken by Bruce Weber, who has always been a favourite of mine but currently is my photographer obsession. I could look at his work all day.

Editorial: Lou
Publication: Vogue IT, September, 2000
Photographer: Bruce Weber
Model: Lou Doillon

images from thefashionspot.com

The Rebecca Taylor Theory

I spend rather a lot of time browsing Net-A-Porter (probably an unhealthy amount, really) every week, and recently I've noticed I keep checking out Rebecca Taylor's S/S collection. Over and over again. My favourite piece is the poppy-print skirt.



Rebecca Taylorpieces all from Net-A-Porter
Up until now I've shown very little interest in the New York based, New Zealand born designer. I don't really do floral prints. Rebecca Taylor does. And it's kept us apart all these years.
But, for one thing it's summer, and it's nice to have a few flowers. And there are so many other fantastic mid-range labels out there (personal favourites include L'Agence, Isabel Marant and Maje) that have helped me make sense of Rebecca Taylor. If Marant is for the off-duty-model then Rebbeca Taylor is for Rachel Bilson. Simple.
I know models make up more of the population than Rachel Bilson does, so you can add in Rachel Bilson types into the lineup too. A Rachel Bilson type is someone who has a bit of a girly edge to their wardrobe (although not in a sickening Paris Hilton way) and does 'dressed down' but always in a pretty dress or a cute knit.
I can imagine Rachel wearing the poppy-print skirt exactly as it was styled on the S/S runway. Just add a pair of oversized shades and her BFF, Thurman Murman, and you've got a classic Bilson look.


Vanessa Hudgens is a bit of a Rachel Bilson type, as is Taylor Swift, and magically they've both worn Rebecca Taylor recently. Jessica Alba almost falls into this category too.
I'm still desperate for a simple L'Agence jersey maxi, but I think there's room in my wardrobe for a pretty Rebecca Taylor skirt too...

Are you a Rebecca Taylor fan? Or are her designs too 'pretty' for your taste?

images from style.com and net-a-porter.com

Hit and Miss of the Week: Emma's Playsuit

This week is almost as good as last weeks Hit & Miss. I even tried to find some more awful outfits to put into the round-up, but there were far too many interesting ones to include. Such as Rihanna's Dolce & Gabbana leopard print number, which I think is her best look of the year so far.
Then there was Sienna Miller, rocking her new fringe and hanging out with old friend Matthew Williamson. Mary-Kate then treated us to a fantastic example of Olsen styling, which I'm still obsessing over, and Emma Watson took to the red carpet in a Karl Lagerfeld playsuit. A great week, no? Well, great if you ignore Whitney Port's grand display of very 'blah' outfits and Jessica Simpson's latest red carpet mistake.







images from celebrity-gossip.net and thefashionspot.com

Want a Piece of Luella's Final Collection?

I know so many people were devastated by the news that Luella Bartley had to stop trading last year. Her last collection, S/S 2010, was sadly never put into production but the exciting news is invitation only fashion website Cocosa is giving away a pair of shoes from Luella’s final collection.


The Michael Lewis for Luella shoes are one of a kind and were even worn on the runway, so there’s nowhere else you can get hold of them. They’re a size 39 so if you’re a lucky UK 6, like me, it’s worth entering.

To become a member of Cocosa simply click on their banner, below, and enter the exclusive invite code: iwantshoes



If you’re already a member of Cocosa you don’t need to sign up to anything else in order to enter. Just log into your account on the 1st of June (the competition opens at noon, and closes the same time on June 4th) to make your entry.
Good luck!

Sex and the City Hits London

The Sex and the City cast worked the red carpet in London last night for the UK premiere of Sex and the City 2. Sarah Jessica Parker looked wonderfully over-the-top in an Alexander McQueen dress and a Philip Treacy hat. This is the exact combination she wore to the London premiere back in 2008. She got quite a lot of stick back then for her OTT headwear (I remember David Letterman making fun of it on The Late Show) but I find it rather flattering that she always saves her kookiest premiere outfit for London.



At the NYC premiere it was Kristen Davis who stole the show, especially in her vintage Balmain dress, but I wasn’t as keen on her London look. Although I do like that she has stuck with vintage dresses throughout the promotional tour.
Cynthia Nixton chose a lovely shade of blue for the red carpet (her dress was by Narcisco Rodriguez) but it wasn’t much to get excited over. Especially next to SJP’s beautiful McQueen dress.


Kim Cattrall also went for a simple design, choosing a strapless black gown by Thierry Mugler, but she looked amazingly hot. Much better than her NYC look. She was really working the red carpet last night, Samantha Jones style...

Who was your favourite SATC lady last night?

images from zimbio.com and celebrity-gossip.net