This dress is so in your face yet elegant and perfect for a summer day to evening occasion.
Love it or hate it, it is 'BANG' on trend with it's vibrant, clashing colours, sophisticated neckline and tulip skirt detail.
And only £60 - what a bargain. I expect this to see this sold out in no time, so get yours asap.
Clare | Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 02:37PM | in Accessories, Celebrity Style, Designers, Markets, Vintage 
I love market shopping, just the experience itself, mooching around, taking in the sights and sounds and hopefully spotting some beautiful creations not to be found in the regular high street stores.
The only problem is not living near the best markets means only being able to visit them once in a blue moon - until now....pretaportobello.com sorts out that little problem in one foul swoop.
Pret a Portobello is your fashion market on the net, dedicated to selling fashion and accessories from the world famous Portobello road and other UK fashion markets.
Browse the virtual market stalls to find distinctive, cutting edge clothing and accessories at affordable prices, there is even the option to haggle! Visit the Lets Trade section to find out more.
Obviously this won't match a nice Sunday afternoon browsing the stalls but for those of us who don't have that luxury this is pure genius.
Summer is here and it's hot enough to get the legs out and fall in love once again with those pretty summer dresses hanging at the back of the wardrobe.
And so we are faced with the great summer skin question..pale and interesting or tanned à la Grecian goddess?
My opinion is that both look good but it very much depends on the individuals style, I have a cousin who is very much an English/Irish rose and looks stunning with her striking red hair and light complexion, this teamed with her classic yet edgy style means she is a gold medalist for the no tan team.
Personally, I think I look better with a tan but I am happy to achieve this look without becoming a slave to sun beds and am seriously keen to avoid the 'Tango'd look that can be seen far too frequently these days.
I have tried many self tanning products over the years, some of which have had disastrous consequences....Last summer, I remember having to go out with purple hands one evening, not a good look! Other products have been okay but often a bit on the expensive side, or the worst trait of fake tan imaginable - the dreaded streaks.
So let me introduce you to my new best self tan friend, the L’Oréal Nutrisummer range. Enriched with active moisturising agents it moisturises your skin for up to 8 hours and enables you to gradually obtain a natural-looking tan with regular applications. Nutrisummer mist spray particles are so fine the formula barely wets the skin, so there is no need to rub it in and almost no need to wait before getting dressed.
There is even a tone up product in the range designed to smooth skin and reduce the appearance of cellulite..
...L’Oréal, I salute you :0)
I love Virgin, the brand, the ad campaigns, the experience and of course the man behind it all Sir Richard Branson.
Sir Richard, who was knighted in 1999 for his services to entrepreneurship, can only be described as a business legend with countless ventures under his belt and no doubt more to come in the future.
Virgin is an uber fashionable brand and Sir Richard has natural style, he exudes confidence without arrogance. Even back in 1984 (the decade of fashion faux pas) he looks great photographed next to his Scarlet Lady.
From the inaugural flight, VS1 from Gatwick to Newark, New Jersey on 22nd June 1984 to 38 aircraft flying six million people a year to 30 destinations around the world - that's pretty good going in my book!
So 2009 brings Virgin Atlantic's 25th Birthday and a multitude of special offers and birthday celebrations to mark this momentous occasion.
If you haven't yet seen the anniversary TV advert then feast your eyes on this sexy piece of VT......
The proverbial icing on the cake saw Sir Richard Branson on the wing of one of the fleets Boeing 747s with supermodel Kate Moss, looking stunning dressed in the Virgin Scarlet Lady playsuit and posing for cameras before the flight took off bound for New York recreating the companies very first flight 25 years ago to the exact day.
There is no doubting that this businessman knows how to do things in style.
Happy Birthday Virgin Atlantic - love from Fashion Femme.xx
Disney have released the first pictures of Tim Burton's adaption of Alice in Wonderland featuring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Matt Lucas, Alan Rickman and Stephen Fry.
The script for Alice in Wonderland (which will be presented in 3D), is based on Lewis Carroll's classic novel and penned by Disney writer Linda Woolverton(of Beauty and the Beast and Lion King) and is being directed by the wonderful Tim Burton himself.
This eagerly-anticipated movie is expected to be visually stunning and will combine performance-capture imagery, with live-action footage.
Will this new Alice in Wonderland be the next Disney classic?
Sooo very exciting...
Clare | Monday, June 22, 2009 at 12:01PM | in Advertising Campaigns, Celebrity Style, Designer, Fashion News, News 
French actress Audrey Tautou stars as Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel in Anne Fontaine’s film about the designer's rise from obscure beginnings to the heights of fame in the fashion world and changed the way women dressed forever.
Gabrielle Chanel, the illegitimate daughter of a travelling salesman who learns to sew in a Catholic orphanage, earns her pet name 'Coco' as a singer in a cabaret club, where she catches the eye of high society gentlemen who provide the opportunities she needs to launch her career.
Benoît Poelvoorde plays one of Chanel's lovers, Balsan and American-born Alessandro Nivola is Arthur "Boy" Capel, the striking polo player who was said to have inspired Chanel's menswear look.
The film is loosely based on Edmonde Charles-Roux's book, L'Irrégulière: Ou, Mon Itinéraire Chanel, adapted for the screen by Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons) and director Anne Fontaine.
Coco Avant (before) Chanel is released in UK cinemas on Friday 31st July 2009.
If you speak french great, if not then just enjoy the magic and romance of this trailer.
Clare | Wednesday, June 17, 2009 at 04:10PM | in Designer, Fashion News, Footwear, High Street, New Range 
Autumn 2009 sees luxury footwear company Jimmy Choo and high street name H & M team up to produce a clothing collection as well as a range of footwear and accessories.
The Jimmy Choo for H&M collection will hit around 200 stores on November 14th.
The range will also include men’s bags, footwear and accessories.
Tamara Mellon, founder and president of Jimmy Choo said: ” We are privileged to be among the fashion greats who have been affiliated with H&M so far, and to be designing a collection appealing to fashion savvy, street smart women, and to be including some great pieces for men too. Jimmy Choo will bring to H&M a sophisticated, fashion forward, accessible and glamorous collection - the perfect party pieces to buy now and then wear out at night.”
Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor for H&M added: “We adore Jimmy Choo’s shoes and bags. They are glamorous and sexy, and they add instant style to the simplest of outfits. I like the way we have worked with clothes to accessorise the shoes and bags rather than the other way round. This collaboration is particularly exciting because it’s our first shoe designer collection. It’s a joy to be able to offer top end designer shoes and bags of excellent quality to our customers.”
H&M's creatIve advisor Margareta van den Bosch with Tamara Mellon, founder and president of Jimmy Choo.
Jimmy Choo launched in 1996 and has since become one of the most famous luxury footwear brands in the world.
I am lucky enough to own a pair of Jimmy Choo's so have experienced the quality first hand, I also shop regularly at H&M for those seasonal wardrobe top-ups...to me this collaboration is not one I saw coming but none the less what a fabulous collaboration to look forward to - how exciting for the men too.
Clare | Thursday, June 11, 2009 at 11:51AM | in Advertising Campaigns, Department Stores, Designer, Fashion News 
If you don't know by now, this year is Selfridges 100th Birthday and what a shiny, happy, yellow birthday it has and will continue to be.
Harry Gordon Selfridge, American retail magnet and flamboyant showman opened (the six acres of shopping heaven) Selfridges on March 15th 1909 and set new standards for retail - shopping became pleasure, not just necessity.
This man is up there with Coco for me!
So far this year Selfridges has hosted many events, shows, special guests, limited editions and amazing window displays which pay homage to Harry Gordon Selfridge.
The celebrations continue with style and why not, it's not every day you turn 100.
Visit http://selfridges100.com for further information
Here are a few of my favourite images so far from this very special event.
1909 Meets 2009 Window Display
Selfridges Hula Hoop Show
Selfridges Signature Yellow
The Beautiful And Talented Mr Tom Ford Signing his Fragrance Bois Marocain
Clare
Having been a slave to peroxide for many years and not having seen my natural hair colour for over 14 years collectively means that I jump at the chance of sampling products that promise to treat my locks to some real tender loving care.
Will they ever do what they say on the tin? Rarely does it seem; but when you do stumble upon something that really works it can only be described as an actual Hallelujah moment!
So girls let me tell you about my latest discovery and I promise you won't be disappointed with the results - here's the technical bit;
Colour Care is the new line from the UK’s leading colourist Jo Hansford, Jo has spent three years developing a capsule collection of seven products each containing a host of high performing, specialist ingredients, the ultimate, niche product range set to revolutionise the premium hair care market.
Colour Care has harnessed a number of key ingredients including Castanha do Brasil, a native sustainable ‘Forestry Stewardship Council’ ingredient from the Amazon proven to significantly extend hair colour, aid hydration, improve condition and boost shine; Keratin Amino Acids to promote increased moisture levels, improved manageability and shine; and Sunflower seed extract to help protect and repair natural and coloured hair.
Mayfair SalonDescribed by Marie Claire as “the First Lady of Colour” and hailed by American Vogue as “the best tinter on the planet”, Jo Hansford is quite simply an icon in the field of hair colouring. Consequently, Jo is held in the highest regard by her peers in the industry and her celebrity clientele, who include Elizabeth Hurley, HRH Duchess of Cornwall, Angelina Jolie and Gwyneth Paltrow to name but a few.
After using the Everyday Shampoo, Conditioner and Intensive Masque (fine hair) for four days I found that my colour looks vibrant still, usually I find it fades and turns slightly yellow in the weeks after visiting my hair colourist.
These products seem to give and take from my hair in perfect quantities, for the first time in years I do not need to wash my hair daily which I know will do it the world of good, how strange it feels to wake up with hair that still feels clean and doesn't look like it has been attacked by a five year old with back combing tendencies!
I have to agree with these gorgeous ladies below - Colour Care is set to transform our colouring experience for the better.
‘Jo Hansford has fabulous hair products!’ Elizabeth Hurley
‘I absolutely adore the new hair care range. My hair looks beautiful and shiny every day!’ Nigella Lawson
‘ I would only trust Jo Hansford to colour my hair ’ Yasmin Le Bon
Jo Hansford Colour Care range is available in all Harvey Nichols or online at www.johansford.com
Article written with huge grin on face :)
Spoilt, me? Well perhaps a little bit but in a good way...yes you can be spoilt in a good way, I am living proof!
My wonderful and gorgeous boyfriend came back from London last week with one of those smile inducing little sunshiny bags from Selfridges, you know the ones I mean...
Inside said bag was the most beautiful, thoughtful gift a girl could receive - my very own pair of Chanel sunglasses complete with signature quilted effect case. I was literally speechless, my first Chanel, this was a very special moment - the boy did good.
xx
Fifi Bijoux was founded as a label which believes in promoting positive ethics and which offers an alternative to exploitation, human rights abuses or irresponsible damage to the environment.
A British Luxury Ethical Jewellery Company who source gold exclusively from fair trading, co-operative mines with eco-sustainabilty and environmental stewardship. They only purchase gold from small scale, artisanal mines.
The gemstones & diamonds used in their jewellery come from socially & environmentally responsible mines of known provenance and are cut in workshops which do not use child labour or exploit employees.
Fifi Bijoux offers ready-to-wear collections as well as tailor-made couture items, made by British goldsmiths and using raw materials sourced from ethical operations which share our vision for a responsible, humane industry.
I want a pair of Pedro Garcia's before I die, I love everything about this brand, the company, the website and most importantly the shoes.
The business was founded in 1925 as a children's shoe workshop, in 1928 the company started to produce men's shoes, then in 1954, under the reign of the second Pedro Garcia the company expanded it's activities and became specialized in women's footwear.
Today the company is headed by the third Pedro Garcia and his sister Mila, under the watchful eye of their father the brand has been taken to the realm of experimental luxury.
Minnie feather pumps £490
Make a decadent style statement in Pedro Garcia's multicolored feather court shoes. These plush-plume heels are sure to ruffle feathers and cause a stir as well as adding a dose of refined-chic to your outfit.
In what is becoming one of the most highly anticipated events of the fashion calendar, ASOS has teamed up with the London College of Fashion once again for the LTD 100 collection.
Those with their fingers firmly on the fashion pulse will be well versed in the LTD 100 but for the uninitiated, here's the lowdown:
Each year ASOS asks students from the London College of Fashion to design one or more unique pieces to be sold on ASOS.com. They then enlist the help of a fashion insider judging panel – this year, designers Markus Lupfer and Tim Soar along with style blogger Susie Lau (Style Bubble) – who take on the tough job of whittling down the entries to just 100 pieces. To make things even harder, the judges must then select three winners in the categories of womenswear, menswear and accessories, plus one overall winner. Phew!
ASOS spent the day with the panel at London College of Fashion to get an exclusive behind the scenes look at which pieces captured the judges' creative attention and of course, to give you a sneek peek at some of these one-off designs from the fashion stars of the future that you'll have the chance to buy when this year's LTD 100 hits the site...
Last year, this coveted collection sold out in less than two minutes, so be sure to make a note in your diary for this year's LTD 100 launch on 3 July 2009!
Clare
Alesha Dixon has launched a stunning limited edition necklace for Teenage Cancer Trust
Alesha Dixon one of the UK’s most popular recording artists and star of Strictly Come Dancing has launched a stunning necklace for Teenage Cancer Trust available from Dune.
The necklace modelled by Alesha in a series of stunning photographs will be sold in all Dune stores and through www.dune.co.uk for £20. A minimum of £12 from the sale of each necklace will be donated to Teenage Cancer Trust. The necklace is available from mid May and features beading detail in gold silver and pewter.
The launch of the necklace marks the second year of Dune’s support for Teenage Cancer Trust. Every day in the UK six teenagers find out they have cancer. They often get a raw deal having to be treated on a children’s ward or with the elderly. The charity provides specialist teenage units in NHS hospitals designed to give young people the very best chance of a positive outcome.
Speaking about her support of the charity Alesha Dixon said: "I can remember how hard it was being a teenager but to have to deal with cancer too must completely turn your world upside down"
Teenage Cancer Trust is a fantastic charity that brings young people with cancer together helping to turn a scary and isolating experience into something much more positive.
"Buying this gorgeous necklace from Dune is a really simple way of supporting the charity’s amazing work helping young people fight cancer”.
Find out more about Teenage Cancer Trust
Don't you just love it when A-list ladies are spotted wearing high street fashion, somehow it feels comforting and brings them back down to earth....Yes, they are 'real' people, real people with shed loads more cash than most of us - *sob*.
Designer diva Beyoncé Knowles has shunned Chanel and Dior in favour of Aldo with this beautiful pair of gladiator sandals, an absolute summer must at £45.00.
Quick girls, get them before the A-list wipe them out!
ROSENBERGER - £45
RockLove is an indie designer label which incorporates edgy rock 'n roll gusto with nostalgic vintage glam, creating an alternative edge that plays homage to the music!
Owner, Designer and Jeweller Allison Hourcade uses the highest quality nickel free sterling silver, vintage West German and Japanese lucite from the 1950's and 60's, vintage Swarovski pearls, freshwater pearls and AAA hand cut semi precious stones.
The label symbolizes a mutual respect and inspiration between artists and all pieces are handmade with love and rock!
Check out a few of my favourites:
Double Victorian Skeleton Key Necklace £39.18
Anchor Pendant on 16” Sailor Rope Chain £51.59
20% off all denim for 3 days from Sat 23rd - Mon 25th May in-store at 74 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2PW
Kj's laundry is a multi-label fashion boutique housing up and coming labels alongside established designers with New York labels S-Sung, Richard Ruiz and Alice Ritteras well as great dresses from Rebecca Taylor, Carl and Cacharel, and leather hoodies from brand of the moment Mike&Chris.
Currently the eCommerce site is being redeveloped but keep an eye out for the relaunch and do pop into the boutique if you are in the area you won't be disappointed with the beautiful summer fashion delights.
Junk Food Clothing Company was founded in 1998 by designers Natalie Grof and Blaine Halvorson, the company has gained worldwide recognition as an influential brand of casual lifestyle clothing.
It's soft, weathered fabrications incorporate retro and contemporary pop culture images as well as original artwork. Junk Food has a loyal celebrity following and has made waves in the image-savvy junior market, at the same time attracting trend–conscious adults and aspirational members of the youth sector.
Junk Food is a playful brand that incorporates quality with kitsch, quirky style. Between me, my boyfriend and our son, we have a wish list of sixteen - perfect for those playful days in the sun..
New York MTV - $32
Wonder Woman / Burnout - $41.50
This Is My Mad Face - $30
Vintage inspired and kitsch treasures, such as miniature teapots, cakes, bows, Alice In wonderland themed charms and French inspired trinkets, which adorn necklaces and earrings alike are what you will find inside the secret garden that is www.ilovecutiepie.com.
All of Cutie Pies products are handmade with love by Danielle Butler and feature only the cutest trinkets, charms and the prettiest gems.
Fairground Carousel - £9.00
Cutie Pie specialise in unique one off and limited edition pieces of vintage inspired and semi precious jewellery to be cherished forever.
If you are looking for something truly unique then look no further as Cutie Pie offer a bespoke service, just email the designer - dani@ilovecutiepie.com and together you can create something beautiful and unique.
Retail guru Mary Portas is to open a charity shop in the Westfield London shopping centre to coincide with her latest BBC television series, Mary Queen of Charity Shops, which sees her turn her makeover skills to struggling charity shops.
The store will be called Mary’s Living and Giving Shop and will be modelled on London street markets. It is situated close to the centre’s Louis Vuitton store, which opened earlier this month.
Mary Portas hopes that the store will encourage shoppers and retailers to donate high-quality clothes to charity.
Portas told The Sunday Times: “A lot of people think charity shops are a little bit smelly…and a little bit irrelevant, but I want to change all that.”
Mary Queen of Charity Shops, is a three part series, which will air on BBC 2 later this year.
