Would You Wear Your Hair in a Bow?

I don't follow Vogue Australia, but this morning I came across their July 2010 cover with Rose Byrne, and it caught my eye. Not only does Rose have her hair tied into a bow on the cover, but she wears this hairstyle throughout the editorial.
Now I adore Vogue's styling of Rose (why doesn't she get more attention from the glossies? And why don't I read Vogue Australia?) but I really hate this hairstyle. It reminds me of shih tzu show-dogs, and if you don't believe me check out this pooch with a very similar hairstyle style. It's a look I'd describe as Crufts Chic, but in my opinion, it should be kept far away from Lanvin and Prada.
It's not just Vogue playing around with this style though. Being as over-the-top as it is Lady Gaga obviously loves the look, and has been tying her hair into a bow for over a year. Here she is wearing wearing the hair bow in January 2009. Always an early adopter.

I don't like this look on anyone, but Gaga definitely does a better job of it than Rose -  because you expect craziness from Lady G. Paris Hilton is also a fan of the bow hairstyle, and the result isn't as bad as you would expect.
I admire those willing to give this look a go, but for me it is still a style no-no. What do you think of the hair bow? Would you give it a go?

Rose image by Max Doyle from thefashionspot.com. Lady Gaga image Picapp/PacificCoastNews

Waiting Patiently is Getting Boring

I have visited my magazine man for the last four or five days now in the hope that US Vogue will be out. But it still hasn't reached the UK. Or my local newsagent, at least. I'm not a very patient person anyway, but when it comes to waiting for magazines I find it practically impossible.
One of the most interesting looking shoots from the July issue (with Marion Cotillard on the cover) is Raymond Meier's "The Bright Side". US Vogue is great at accessory shoots, and this is pretty much how I look every day - waiting not-so-patiently outside the newsagents, hoping for Vogue.  The only difference is I don't have dreamy yellow Celine wedges to keep me company...

Editorial: "The Bright Side"

Publication: US Vogue, July 2010

Photographer: Raymond Meier

Model: Patricia van der Vliet

After looking at the two images above who else is wishing they were wearing yellow right now? Especially the Celine dress, which is beyond gorgeous. And in more US Vogue news, rumour has it that Jourdan Dunn will model in the upcoming September issue. I hope it's true - I miss Jourdan.

images from thefashionspot.com

Is it Bye Bye Whitney?

Rumours are circling the internet that MTV has canceled The City. It's one of the few fashion/reality shows that I've never really taken too, so I'm not upset by this news. But it does leave the question what will Whitney do next?

When Whitney departed from The Hills (in that amazing hairband) I expected her to quickly out-shine Lauren Conrad, as Whitney was everyone's favourite 'intern', but The City left me majorly disappointed (that was mostly down to Jay) and I soon got bored of Whit.
Of course Whitney has her clothing line, large fan base, and more importantly she seems to be pretty tight with Kelly Cutrone off camera as well as on, but does the future hold for Whitney? And more importantly, what will Olivia Palermo do now? Here are the most likely options...

The Book Deal: I'm sure Whitney will be able to score a book deal like Lauren Conrad. Possibly giving advice on interning/making it big in NYC. Although regular interns don't have MTV paying their rent, following them around 24/7 and getting them in at DVF, so her 'advice' may not be so valuable. Olivia, on the other hand, seems more likely to land a magazine column (possibly at US ELLE or even Grazia) handing out style tips. That could be a very successful venture for OP.

The Hair Advert: Whitney and Olivia are blessed with salon perfect hair around the clock. Both of them are deserving of a shampoo advert and I think they are equally as likely to get a modeling contract. Personally I prefer Olivia's locks, but that's just me...


The Exercise DVD: Olivia is fashion skinny, but Whitney has the super-toned LA body. I always thought Lauren Conrad would end up making an exercise DVD, so maybe her and Whitney should team up? They did work out together in The Hills, after all...

A Move to London: For a while I've thought Olivia might move to the UK, and if The City did end now would be the perfect time. She recently did a 'Tody I'm Wearing' piece for vogue.co.uk, has modeled for  Matches boutiques label Freda, attended London Fashion Week in February and is constantly papped in Topshop and Mulberry.

And Finally... Looking Damn Cute: I love Whitney, I really do. But the beauty of Olivia and her boyfriend Johannes Huebl, topped off with the adorable fluffy puppy is unbeatable. It sounds harsh, but I think Olivia will end up being the break-out star of The City. But if all else fails there's always I'm a Celebrity - who wouldn't love to see Olivia doing a Bushtucker Trial?

What do you think about The City coming to a possible end? And what do you think Whitney and Olivia will do next?

all images from picapp.com

First Look: Topshop Autumn Winter 2010

It feels like the summer has only just started (the London sunshine is delicious, right?) but as I start to get into the current season the A/W collections are ready to make their grand entrance. As you know, a shearling jacket is the top of my Fall wishlist, and I'm definitely keen to channel the brilliantly Brisitsh look displayed on the Burberry runway.
As always, Topshop has all the key trends wrapped up and ready to go. I've just had a peek at their A/W 2010 lookbook and there are some fabulous pieces. My favourite of their three collections is "The Outsiders" which is all about heritage pieces and traditional British fabrics. I already have my eye on the shearling lined jacket and the brilliant Camel cape.

It sounds a little corny to say that "The Outsiders" collection is very Alexa Chung, but it is bursting with those classic pieces she's constantly snapped wearing. Any Alexa fans out there will love this collection. And those knee-high socks [below right] look so lovely and warm. Perfect for chilly days.

The other two collections are equally as impressive, although I think "The Outsiders" will be the standout in terms of capturing the mood of the season. "Out of the Wild" is the most romantic of the three, offering babydoll shapes, pale shades and lots of sheer fabric. The black maxi [below left] with the sheer skirt adds a bit of red carpet glamour too, as it's the style every actress is wearing to events at the moment.

The third collection, "Dark Nouveau", takes inspiration from 'sinister fairytales', and it a little grunge-y. There's a lot of lace paneling, tight leather skirts, Rodarte-esque knits and black, black and more black. And there is definitely something in the styling of this collection that reminds me of Christopher Kane.

What do you think of Topshop's A/W offering? Which collection is your favourite, and what pieces will you be buying?

images topshop

Hit and Miss of the Week: The New Look

The Hit and Miss of the Week posts have been going for a long time now, and it needed a facelift. Adding even more excitement to the post (seriously, can you handle it?) I’ve also just learnt how to add a jump break – it’s pretty pathetic it took me this long, but better late than never I say!
So onto the week, and the big story was the LA premiere of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. I’m still not a Twilight fan, but anything that causes a big red carpet event is cool with me, and the turnout at the LA premiere was amazing. Continue reading (ha! how cool is this?) to see the good and bad looks from the premiere…

Kristen Stewart: So-So / Robert Pattinson: Hit

Horray! Kristen Stewart is finally starting to look comfortable on the red carpet. I think the white sequins on this Elie Saab Couture dress look beautiful on her, but I hate the one-sleeve element. Either have two or none at all – one makes it look like you didn’t have time to shave both armpits!


Robert Pattinson on the other hand looked perfect, which is a shocking statement to come from me, as I’m no R-Patz fan. The maroon Gucci suit was a great choice (Taylor Lautner wore Gucci too) for Robert, as he really stood out. Why don’t more male celebs wear colour on the red carpet?

Dakota Fanning: Hit

Dakota looked absolutely stunning in an Elie Saab couture dress. The feather detailing around the hemline adds a perfectly playful touch, and the one-shoulder element keeps it young. As an avid follower of Dakota’s red carpet look I would have liked to see her in something a little less feminine (she has worn a similar Saab dress before, after all) but maybe next time?
At the moment Dakota is a key player in the young Hollywood set, and was my best dressed of the night. I can’t wait to see what she wears next.

Ashley Greene: So-So

I think Ashley Greene is absolutely stunning, and more often than not looks great on the red carpet, but this dress is not working for me. It’s a lovely colour and I do like a bit of draping, but it completely swamps her fame and looks like she simply wrapped some pretty fabric around her body. I have no doubt she’ll be looking amazing come her next red carpet appearance though.

Anna Kendrick: Hit

I’ve always thought Anna Kendrick seemed so sweet, and although I like her a lot her style has yet to make a real impact on me. I do think she pulled it out of the bag for this premiere though, the Marchesa dress being a great choice.
I feel like she could have pushed the choice of footwear a little further though. Her choice of metallic strappy heels are a little too safe for my liking. But all in all it’s a nice enough look.

Heather Morris: Miss

I’d never heard of Heather Morris before, and I give her major points for being brave enough to try something different on the red carpet. If this look was for a TV appearance or a press conference (and she toned down the acsessories) it would definitely get a hit, but there is no place for stripy t-shirts on the red carpet. Nice shoes though…

As always let me know what you think of the looks from the week in the comments section.
Who was the best dressed this week? And who do you think got it totally wrong?

all images from picapp.com

My Top Six Summer Reads

I don't normally do posts in this kind of style, but I really believe the best way to find a great book is through a friendly recommendation. Last year I shared some of my favourite reads with you (and it's still one of the most searched posts on the blog) so I thought I'd do the same again this summer. If you're off on holiday and need some poolside reading, or if you're stuck in London and need something to make those sticky tube journeys go quicker, check these six books out.


House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival by Deborah Ball: As you have all probably worked out, I'm a big Versace fan. But at the time of Gianni's murder I was a child obsessing over the Spice Girls, so I don't remember anything from that time. This book takes you through from the very beginning of Versace history, and although it took me a while to get into it I was obsessed by the end.
Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism by Natasha Walter: While the Spice Girls taught me little about fashion they did drill into me the message of 'girl power', so I picked up Natasha Walter's Living Dolls as soon as it came out. It's a really interesting read if like me you are amazed at the amount of women who seem to want nothing more than a Nuts cover.
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden: Shockingly I only just read Memoirs of a Geisha (I actually finished it last night) despite the fact it's constantly recommended. At about five chapters in I had completely fallen in love with the book, and now that I'm finished I may watch the film. Or will that just ruin it for me?


Love and Other Impossible Pursuits by Ayelet Waldman: I picked this book up because Natalie Portman has just shot the movie, and I'm a huge Natalie fan. Set in New York it uses Central Park as a way of holding the story together, which I loved. As soon as I finished the book I was checking IMDB as I cannot wait to see the film. I think Natalie will be great in this role.
Naked by David Sedaris: There isn't much I can say about David Sedaris, apart from read his books! He's one of the funniest writers ever, and although Naked isn't my favourite (Me Talk Pretty One Day is funnier, in my opinion) it was completely addictive.
If You Have to Cry, Go Outside: And Other Things Your Mother Never Told You by Kelly Cutrone: Ever since Kelly Cutrone gave Lauren Conrad the evil eye for not remembering Hamish Bowles' name in The Hills I have loved her. While this isn't exactly an autobiography there are loads of stories about how she came to the massive success she has today, which are very inspirational. A word of warning though: don't read this after Living Dolls like I did, as your brain will go crazy from all the 'independent women' messages.

Which books do you recommend for the summer?

images from amazon

I'm a Burberry Kind of Brit

Apologies in advance if you've already read about the Burberry A/W 2010 ad campaign today - I am a little late posting. But I've been busy all day and have only just had a look at all the Burberry footage. As a massive Burberry fan the online campaign (photographed by the wonderful Mario Testino) is really exciting, letting viewers rotate the images and control the movements of the models. It's hard to explain, so it's best you play around with it yourself. Click HERE to view the interactive campaign and see all of Testino's images.


The selection of models is yet again spot on. Emma Watson may be gone, but my current girl crush Rosie Huntington Whiteley looks stunning in every single shot; as does the fabulous Nina Porter. And there is also an amazing video where Christopher Bailey explains the thought process behind the campaign.



I didn't think the Burberry A/W collection could get any better (I was utterly devastated to miss the show back in February) but this campaign has just added a whole new element. It's always interesting when fashion pushes further into the online community and this is sure to be a success for Burberry.

What do you think of the interactive campaign?

Image © copyright Burberry/Testino, video © Copyright Burberry