HOW TO DO THE PEPLUM SS12 TREND

One trend I'm very happy to see return for SS12 is the peplum. Unlike the pastel trend (let's face it my clothes are not going to stay pastel for very long in smoggy London), the peplum trend is very wearable and when styled correctly, flattering on all shapes. Here are my tips for making the trend work for you:

• Keep the rest of the silhouette clean and simple- wear your peplum top with a capri pant ala Olivia Palermo or a sharp pencil skirt.
• This is an unashamedly feminine trend so don't be afraid to embrace the peplum in ladylike shades of pink, red and peach.
• Keep footwear sleek and sharp to finish the look- a pointed court is perfect.

1. Catwalk: Badgley Mischka SS12  

2. Celeb: Olivia Palermo in Mulberry

3. High street: Closet pink peplum slash neck dress, Dorothy Perkins £45.00.

    High street: Gilmore2 Metallic Toecap points, Topshop, £60.00.

WRAP UP IN FAUX FUR

Lets be honest, staying stylish when the weather is as cold and treacherous as it is at the moment (well, in the UK and across Europe), is nigh-on-impossible. However, out and about on my travels across London today I have seen some women that appear to be achieving the impossible (although I'm not sure I believe they are warm enough). In Chelsea the look du jour was to combine a dash of faux-fur with a Prada handbag and a Hunter welly. Discreet, chic and snug all in one look. So with the Chelsea spirit in mind, here's my pick of the best faux-fur numbers out there at the moment....

1. Dal Bat faux shearling coat, farfetch.com, £184.
2. Helene Berman Faux fur coat, theoutnet.com,  £75.
3. MICHAEL Michael Kors Faux-fur coat, net-a-porter.com, £255.

RED ALERT: UPDATE YOUR LOOK FOR VALENTINES DAY

One of my favourite colours in my wardrobe at the moment is red, and with Valentines day just around the corner, there's no better time to add a dash of the colour of love to your wardrobe. Red is a suprisingly versatile colour too, pair it with neutrals or monochrome for a classic look, clash it with fuschia, orange and bright blues to make a bold statement or wear with tonal shades of grape and plum for a luxurious feel. Here's my pick of the best red pieces available online at the moment....

1.  Jason Wu Silk-georgette petal coat, The Outnet, £1,557.50.

2. Fantasy Snake print clutch bag, Zara, £79.99.

3. Wine crepe moulded dress, Dorothy Perkins, £40.00.

4. Marc Jacobs round-frame acetate sunglasses, The Outnet, £83.06.

5. Olsen heeled chelsea boot, Stylistpick.com, £39.95.

6. Karyss velvet lace up shoes, Topshop, £58.00.

7. Roberto Cavalli Swarovski crystal earrings, net-a-porter.com, £330.

PRIMARY COLOURS ON THE SAG AWARDS RED CARPET

One of my favourite trends that emerged from the red carpet at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards was primary colours. Emily Blunt, Michelle Williams and Jessica Chastain rocked bold, bright and beautiful gowns in jewel-like shades of emerald green, ruby red and cerulean blue. All three starlets have delicate, porcelian complexions that looked great against a shot of vivid colour. t also made a refreshing change from all the safe nude and black gowns that seem to have dominated red carpet trends recently.

What do you think of the gowns? I'd love to hear your thoughts.


Image source: Zimbio

THE FASHIONABLE FRENCH LOOK

If the name of my blog isn't a dead giveaway, I'm a massive fan of French fashion.

Many of the French fashion classics are style staples in my wardrobe; nothing feels cooler than a Breton t-shirt, more elegant than a ballet flat or chicer than a quilted tote. And let's face it, the most iconic fashion brands originate from France (Chanel, Dior & Lanvin anyone?). There's also plenty of smaller, up-and-coming French brands out there that offer the insouciant national cool at a more affordable price (Maje, Sandro and A.P.C spring to mind). So here's my pick of the best buys out there from some of these beautiful labels.... 

1. A.P.C Striped top, Net-a-porter.com, £115.
2. Lanvin Alber Silouettes notebook, Matches, £40.00.
3. Maje Leopard print and silk sweater, Net-a-porter.com, £155.
4. Lanvin Swarovski Crystal clip earrings, Net-a-porter.com, £310.
5. Carven yellow cotton pleated skirt, Matches, £221.00.  
6. Lanvin leather ballet flats, Net-a-porter.com, £330.

THE STATEMENT PENCIL IS THE SKIRT OF THE SEASON

For the sharpest style of the season, look no further than the statement pencil skirt. As seen on the spring/summer 2012 Sportmax catwalk, the statement pencil skirt comes in a variety of guises from embellished through to printed or brightly coloured. In the daytime, style your pencil  with a sleek sweater like Sportmax's gorgeous iridescent number or make like a fashion ed and wear with a crisp white shirt. And for dusk draw inspiration from Sportmax again and wear with a cute little peplum top to enhance your curves and add some va-va-voom to your look!
Image source: Style.com.

There's some great interpretations of this trend on the highstreet this season too, here's my pick of the best:

1. Kaleidoscope Floral Print pencil skirt, Oasis, £45.00.  
2. Flock Spot Pencil Skirt, Topshop, £38.00.
3. Kaleidoscope Print Pencil Skirt, Topshop, £28.00.

Thank you to Style Servings for the heads up on skirt number 1, see the original post here.

CHANEL'S SPRING 2012 COUTURE SHOW TAKES OFF!

Couture has a pricepoint that is only attainable for those living a jet-set lifestyle. So maybe Karl Lagerfeld was cheekily alluding to that fact today by showing his latest Couture collection on a elaborate set designed to look like the inside of a private jet.


In front of a star-studded crowd that included the likes of Cameron Diaz, Diane Kruger and Vanessa Paradis, Lagerfeld showed a chic collection in a myriad of blue tones. Drop-waisted shapes dominated the range as did pockets- Karl even added pockets to luxurious couture dresses in an unexpected yet delightful twist.


Another trend that emerged from the show was heavy embellishment- sequins and beads adorned gowns and twinkled on tights (which girl wouldn't love a pair of Chanel embellished tights?). Another key styling detail was oversized collars, very 1950s and Jackie O in style. There's no denying the show was a sartorial success, all aboard Chanel Airlines, this collection has wings!

    Source: The Daily Mail

   Source: Style.com.