Rock The Snow

Whatever the snow means to you –sledging and snowball fights, or dreary sludge and defunct transport – we can all look hot when braving the cold with help from some winter trends.

Padded coats are back in vogue, perfect for cosying up couture-style. Like a duvet for your wardrobe, these cushioned fancies look fantastic over any outfit. http://www.marksandspencer.com/ offer a deluxe black belted puff for £49.50 or, if you love to wear colour when skies are grey, make like Gwen Stefani, who rocked a colour block coat in London this week. For an equally funky look, head to http://www.laredoute.co.uk/, where you can find a rainbow range of padded warmers from £14.50.


Love or hate them, snow boots are the most functional purchase you can make this winter. Not just for the slopes, these boots are the ultimate comfort accessory for trudging down icy streets. Don a pair of Tecnica Moon Boots like Paris Hilton – the first and original moon boots, Tecnica make a pair in every style, colour and crazy print you can imagine, retailing for £69.99 at http://www.alpineroomshop.co.uk/.

With the sales now in full swing, what better time to get stocked up on snow-friendly fashion?

Share Wardrobes With Lady Gaga

It may be too late for Christmas shopping, but if you’re after something special over the festive season, take a look at leading avant-garde fashion directory http://www.notjustalabel.com. This month the global business has been collaborating with ultra modern designers for a Celebrity Christmas Special, offering pieces that have been worn by the hottest stars in Tinseltown.

Each week celebs like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Paris Hilton choose items to wear from the site’s talented band of 2,500 designers, and NJAL sells them online, providing access to otherwise unobtainable pieces, from accessories to red carpet dresses.

From £185 you can nab Paris Hilton’s minimalist clutch bags, or Lady Gaga’s fierce box trousers could be yours for a more costly £975. Clothes worn by Taylor Swift, Pixie Geldof and Lara Stone are also available, but hurry as it’s the final week of these celebrity offers, and items are selling fast!

Vanessa Hudgens Loves Botkier

Zac Ecfron makes for a terrific travel buddy but Vanessa Hudgens relies on her Botkier Morgan satchel to carry her possessions around, proving that fringe is back!

Eye-catching, edgy, and just plain fun, the Botkier Morgan small satchel screams urban chic and is all you need to rock the latest fringe trend.

Start The New Year With a Botkier

Indulge your desires for 2010 and pick up the ultimate style must-have.

With soft & slouchy leathers and eye popping exotic prints, the new Gypsy Glam range from Botkier is perfect for turning heads this New Year.

We love the Carnival Snake!

Ted's Shed

If, like me, you love a discount, Ted Baker’s official online discount store Ted’s Shed (www.teds-shed.com) is perfect for grabbing a stylish bargain.

Following in the footsteps of Net-A-Porter, Ted Baker is putting its old collections to good use by selling them on for generous prices.

Here you’ll find up to 65% off recommended retail prices on Mens, Womens, and Kidswear, and a fab collection of party dresses to rock the Christmas do.

Ted’s Shed offer next day delivery for fashion emergencies, and even deliver for free if you spend £50 or more. Get ahead of the crowd and save a bundle on swimwear and summer dresses – hello savvy shopper!

How to do Preppy Glam

Gossip Girl is a guilty pleasure of mine, and I can’t fault the fashion of those stroppy socialites – polished and preppy, with a glamorous Upper East Side edge.

If you love the signature styles of Serena and Blair, look no further than these fashion hotspots.

For college style, well cut blazers are a wardrobe goldmine – you can wear them with everything. Dorothy Perkins (http://www.dorothyperkins.co.uk/) do some fantastic ones, especially their grey ponti preppy blazer for £40, which screams prep school chic.
Riding boots are one of those fashion godsends that combine style and comfort, and a good pair will never go out of style. Serena teams hers with skinny jeans, and you can too with this fabulous pull on pair from Boden (http://www.boden.co.uk/). At £110 they are pricey, but will last forever!

Finally, add a hint of colour to your outfit like Blair, with a check skirt from the new contemporary line NW3 at Hobbs (http://www.hobbs.co.uk/). I love this site for its elegant, on-trend pieces rooted in classic fashion.

Just pop on a headscarf and the Gossip Girl look is yours!

Lipsy Got Just Hotter

In time for a fresh new year (and a new decade), the party wear people from Lipsy (http://www.lipsy.co.uk/) have brought out a new and improved website.

Showcasing a stylish and user friendly layout, this upgrade makes it even easier to browse through Lipsy’s stunning range of over 500 products; from dresses to denim, leggings to lingerie.
The site divides pieces into bestsellers, and into looks like ‘Metallica’ and ‘New York City Dolls’. And the new models are fab!

Lipsy is loved by fashionistas and celebrities alike, dedicated to moving the hottest looks from catwalk to high street in the blink of an eye.

Katie Price and Michelle Keegan are both Lipsy fans, with US celebrities like Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton loving Lipsy from across the pond! With this shiny new website, Lipsy girls are spoilt for choice.

What will you be buying for the Christmas party?

What He Shudoo!

If you’re a Victoria Beckham fan you could expect to get a surprisingly glamorous pressie this Christmas.

There to lend a helping hand in the minefield of Christmas shopping is online shoe haven Shudoo (http://www.shudoo.co.uk/), who’ve compiled a Top 10 Tips list for the man in your life – it’s sure to dodge a few disappointments on Christmas Day!

No. 6 on the list persuades the boys to take shoe inspiration from your favourite celeb, be it Pink, Paris Hilton or Victoria Beckham, before choosing a gift. A terrific idea, we think. With shoes at the top of every girl’s lust list year round, Shudoo have got it spot on, and offer a sparkling collection to make for the easiest gift-buying ever.

With free delivery and free returns for those who do get it wrong, make sure he goes online this year. Just print out the list and leave it for him around the house – perhaps write down your shoe size for the more forgetful buyers!

Sports Never Looked So Good

Alexandra Burke goes all sporty in the video for her third single ‘Broken Heels’. Working a different angle from the PVC dream that was ‘Bad Boys’, the X-Factor winner shows off her toned physique in an old-school American football costume. And with backing dancers of every shape and size, the 21 year old proves we can all make ‘sporty’ look glamorous.

Alex donned the same racy gold outfit to perform for the Queen at The Royal Variety Show, which aired on ITV1 this week. We don’t know if Her Majesty approved, but we love the athletic trend, and have scouted some sites to help you rock the same look.

For some subtle sportiness, ASOS have some amazing Miss Sixty high shine track pants for £80, that are perfect for dressing up with heels a la Miss Burke. For full on fancy dress, pick up a similar costume at http://www.joke.co.uk/; a site which stocks a whole range of sports themed dress up. On your marks, get set, go!

Kanye Steps Out In Timberlands...Again

Kanye West – musical genius, show-stealer (did you watch the VMAs?) and budding fashion icon, he has been getting it right fashion-wise in some amazingly pulled together looks.
Already designing his own vibrant trainer line, Kanye loves his shoes and these Timberland boots are a major hit!

Perfect for casual styling, you can buy the same boots online for £140 at http://www.timberlandonline.co.uk/. Or, for a pair half the price, go to http://www.cloggs.co.uk/ to view the Caterpillar boot range.

Kanye has been wearing these boots everywhere, proving they provide the perfect tough edge to any outfit.
His jeans are Dior, but we’ve found a dead ringer for these relaxed grey denims at http://www.topman.co.uk/, from upwards of £30. Jeans never go out of style and faded grey has been a favourite with designers this season!

Birds Of A Feather

Feathers are having a moment. From a wash of plumage on the McQueen catwalks to bird-like handbags on the high street, feathers are a fun accent to winter outfits, and the ultimate in luxe fashion.
Alicia Keys takes a flight of style on the fairytale cover of her long awaited album ‘The Element of Freedom’ – a typically soulful record including her recent hit with Jay – Z ‘Empire State of Mind’. The album hits stores on December 15th.
Anyone can incorporate the fluffy trend into their wardrobe – the key here is elegance (that means no hot pink feather boas.) You can find the perfect feathered dress for the party season online.
Lipsy (http://www.lipsy.co.uk/) never fails to deliver for a special occasion, and we’ve found a fab feather number (here) in a style both simple and showy.
If you’re boasting a Christmas bonus this year, flock to Net-A-Porter (http://www.net-a-porter.com/) for more pricey pieces, including an Alice & Olivia Francesca for £430 or Whistles for its Feather Dress £245.

Antik Batik Christmas Tree

When fashion meets Christmas, this is what you get. For the Festival Of Trees this year, in aid of Save The Children, Gabriella Cortese, travel junkie and designer of boho-luxe line Antik Batik, created this quirky and decadant Christmas tree made from the same materials as used in her collections.

The most prestigious fundraising event of the year, the Festival of Trees combines leading designers from the worlds of fashion, technology, lifestyle, and food, and uses their flair and innovation to create bespoke Christmas trees for a live auction. Since its beginnings Festival of Trees has raised over £4 million to support Save the Children's vital work with vulnerable children in the UK and around the world.

Alongside other creations from the likes of Tracy Emin and My Little Pony, this Antik Batik tree comes with an array of fabulous gifts, including an otherwise pricey leather bag, Wallice gold sequin jacket, a Missoni scarf, and £250 voucher for http://www.alexandalexa.com/ - everyone's favourite online kids' store.

Can't wait to see how much this one raises!

To bid go to http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/

The Future's Sexy

Our new favourite girl band dip into the futuristic trend for the video of their latest single ‘Ego’, out on January 4th. Playing superheroes, the girls get ultramodern in metallic hues and skin-tight spandex. With Una and Rochelle in cut-out cat suits, Frankie and Vanessa go more dominatrix with some serious shoulders. Our favourite is Mollie’s monochrome bustier and cape combo, complete with a massive pelmet that evokes thoughts of Lady Gaga. Everyone’s going futuristic and spaceman shimmer can be yours by going online. www.brownsfashion.com do fantastic long gloves in leather and www.asos.co.uk stock similar looks, with an eye catching embellished shoulder jacket that would make Frankie proud. For high-shine Lycra, it doesn’t get better than www.americanapparel .com, where you can find futuristic one-pieces and even a tie-dye one like Rochelle’s.

Nectar Points

Nowadays supermarkets are forever competing to offer us the best prices and the biggest deals – but nothing quite tops Nectar Points in terms of loyalty programmes. A bit like the Boots Advantage card, Nectar points are collected with everyday shopping and can then be spent on a well deserved treat, ultimately saving you cash. At http://www.nectar.com/ you can register and manage your account online, collecting points at hundreds of top retailers like HMV, Office, and Miss Selfridge. The Nectar team offer some extraordinary extras, providing a points calculator, store finder and bonus points to satisfy the most notorious bargain hunter. Plus, the more you use your Nectar card the more they know your favourite shops, and can hand pick offers especially for you. Supermarkets have never seemed so fabulous.

Jewellery by Alesha

Celebrity gems are hot. Nicole Richie, Lily Allen and Brangelina all launched their own jewellery lines in recent months, and now super ambitious pop star and panel judge Alesha Dixon is doing the same. The 31year old adds another string to her bow with a self-titled jewellery line comprising four distinctive collections of glam and glitzy pieces. The Crystal Swirl range includes bold pinks and disco ball rings, whilst the Ethnic collection sees hammered tribal shapes. For music lovers, the Music range includes microphone and guitar pieces, with Street Sparkle consisting of black and white crystal gems for the urban soul. With so many rhinestones this line errs a little on the tacky side, but at such great value for money there will be something that catches your eye. Available in January, the collection starts from £14.99 and we’ve got our eye on the Clear Crystal Snake bangle at £29.99; the perfect addition to any party outfit.

Fascinators

Fascinators – a new revolution in accessorising, and a fabulous way to glam it up a la Sex and the City. Once something only for weddings and the races, fascinators have come a long way to make it to the red carpet – and onto the cover of Cheryl Cole’s debut album ‘3 Words.’ Whether you’re after cute and girly or big and bold, there’s a fascinator to suit everyone and the most confident dresser can really play around with them. http://www.hatsandstuff.com/ offer some exquisite creations with feathers, frills, netting and more, with hints on how to make your fascinator stay put. For great value, http://www.prettycool.co.uk/ provides show-stopping headpieces from £5, including an impressive replica of Miss Cole’s sultry version. Mini hats are another trendy way to freshen up an evening look – just hold your head high and be cautious with the drinks!

Oki-Ni

For men with a clear-cut style, forward-thinking fashion site www.oki-ni.com should be high on your shopping agenda. Born to the web seven years ago, this unique cyber shop stocks over 50 menswear brands, from the likes of Adidas and Alexander McQueen, to more alternative unknown brands like Call of The Wild and Diet Butcher Slim Skin. The best thing about the site is that you can shop by style. Pick a look you like, be it jock-preppy or nerd-chic, and Oki-Ni breaks it down into pieces, allowing you to shop according to your unique style and dress-sense. Genius, no? With 15 different looks to choose from, this site has something for every dresser and is definitely this year’s fashion hotspot for men.

Suited & Booted

A good suit can be hard to find. Whether you’re after tailored or quirky the options are endless but quality is not. A timeless pinnacle of great menswear, suits have always done well to make a man look and feel extra special. For a once off special occasion, http://www.direct.asda.com/ can be a great help to the suit-shy male, with bargain formalwear from £6!

At the other end of the price-scale, http://www.savillerowco.com/ is still seen as the Holy Grail of men’s suits, offering bespoke tailoring and superfine luxury shirts. http://www.topman.co.uk/ is another great option for online suit-buying, with a line of skinny suits in exclusive trendy shades.

Will Young scrubs up a treat on the cover of his greatest hits collection, sporting a similar skinny fit charcoal suit. Professing his love for dressing up, the 29year old dreams of designing his own suit line; "I don't think men wear great suits. I'd like to design an affordable suit that's actually good, rather than these men who go to work in oversized suits," With years of sharp dressing under his belt, we think he’s more than qualified.

Rock 'n' Rent

First dresses, then bags, and now jewellery! What can’t we rent to get us looking like a superstar? RentYourRocks is the first site to offer an online jewellery hire service, allowing us to bling up on a budget. No longer confined to the celebrity world, jewellery loans have gone public, and this site boasts everything from cute pendants to show-stopping bling worth up to £10,000.

X Factor star Stacey Solomon sparkled on Saturday night in £100,000 worth of diamonds; sporting a ring, cuff, and earrings all from the Rocks collection. Susan Boyle will follow in her footsteps on Sunday’s show, when you can see her wearing pieces from the site.

It seems diamonds are still a girl’s best friend, and why buy when you can borrow? RentYourRocks does weekly rentals from just £50 and you can even hire three items at a time for up to 2 months. The only hard part will be giving it back! To see the full collection go to http://www.rentyourrocks.com/, or call 08453080990.

It's Only November But...

Springtime calls for florals and flats – lighten up in a pair of the latest Liberty print plimsoles from Bensimon’s collection for Spring 2010! This super cute print is the newest way to put a spring in your step, beautifying Bensimon’s classic tennis lace-ups.
Available in four shades, these must have retro designs are limited edition and sure to be snapped up fast once they hit the stores in March. The perfect leisurewear staple; lightweight and lovingly made, they are an ideal addition to any Spring/Summer wardrobe - also available in kids’ sizes!

Stockists: Brora, Fenwicks, Marilyn Moore, Kurt Geiger, Poste Mistress

Mimi Busts Out

The eighties made a comeback this year with the rise of the bodycon dress - a tight and teeny creation that’s still rocking our worlds well into the colder months. Stylish, simple, and oh so sexy, these figure hugging designs are loved by celebs and fashionistas alike, and perfect for showing off your best assets. Always one to flaunt her curves, Mariah Carey dons a bodycon dress (and not much else) for the cover of her twelfth album ‘Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel’.

To work this not so angelic look into your winter wardrobe, dress lovers http://www.lipsy.co.uk/ have a fabulous range of bodycons, including some bandaged numbers that give Hervé Léger a run for his money. Visit old faithful http://www.topshop.com/ for some great pieces in velvet and lace or, for bodycon on a budget, take a look at http://www.missguided.co.uk/ – a new fashion site which stocks an impressive collection starting at £13.99. Team with some killer heels, and dress up diva style this winter with a trend that’s sure to turn some heads on the dance floor.

Stand Out in Slogan Tees

The retro look is back – and in a big way. From uber flared jeans to clashing bright colours, we love to go back to the old days, so it’s no surprise that retro t-shirts are big on the fashion scene, with a cult celeb following to match. The perfect leisurewear staple, these super cute slogan t-shirts look great with skinny jeans, or toughened up with a leather jacket. Katie Price tries ‘cutesy’ on for size for the cover of her latest style guide ‘Standing Out’, with a Care Bears t-shirt that pays homage to the cartoon of 25 years. The exhibitionist is forever spotted wearing logo t-shirts, and what better way to make a statement? Available online from stores like www.truffleshuffle.co.uk, www.8ball.com and www.cool-retro-tshirts.co.uk , they average at £25 each and will put you in the mood for all things sweet. Nab all your old favourites and take a trip down memory lane.

Cash4Gold

Housewives empty that jewellery box. Dark economic times call for money saving tactics, and the recent explosion of Cash for Gold websites won’t have passed you by. This year the price of gold has hit an all time high, and the gold buying market is flourishing – promising a good deal for our scrap gold and unwanted jewellery, meanwhile cashing in on the recession. Bling-loving rappers like Lil Wayne would be a welcome customer to such sites, the gold on his teeth alone costing him a whopping £90,000, not to mention a few hundred heavy chains collecting dust in his mansion.

Dodgy though they may look, sites like http://www.postgoldforcash.com/ can be a useful answer to a financial slump, or even to the latest ostrich tote bag that you can’t do without. So with Christmas shopping around the corner, will you be trading in your gold for an easy buck?

A Holy Number

Katy Perry knows how to hit headlines, if not with her relationships (Russell Brand?!) then with her outrageous style. And Thursday night was no different, as KP hosted the EMA’s for the second time, donning some crazy costumes that got everyone talking.

Starting off the night in an elegant fishtail number by Marchesa, she seemed a lifetime away from the chapstick-riding sexpot we saw at last year’s awards. But sure enough as the show drew on, the clothes came off. There were see through corsets, sprayed-on suspenders, and a selection of cabaret inspired looks that Dita Von Teese would be proud of. Paying homage to her recent romance, Miss Perry personalised her pants with ‘Rusty’ and her corset with football crests – the whole outfit was in West Ham colours. What better way to win a man’s heart than to combine lingerie and football?

Perhaps her strangest wardrobe choice of the night was this bullet-hole prom dress we saw on the runways of Viktor & Rolf last month. The skirt of this crystal dress was a solid mass of net ruffles, except for where a hole had been tunneled front to back, and the edges were chopped away. Truly fabulous, this bizarre gown from V&R was inspired by the credit crunch, of all things, and looked unlikely to hit the celebrity spotlight. But Katy is a style law unto herself and, reminding us that fashion is fun, made for a head-turning host with every outfit change.

If you love Katy’s style opt for this gorgeous mesh prom dress from http://www.lipsy.co.uk/ for £65, and make the same statement with none of the gaps.

Mulberry Apples

How cute is this?! In another case of fashion meets technology, leather lovers Mulberry have surprised us by teaming up with Apple to create a stunning collection of laptop bags and sleeves; so we can look stylish when carting our computers around!

A refreshing change from nerdy nylon carriers, their nine piece collection is made from the finest luxury materials (leather, of course) and features clever extras like padding, pockets and headphone access to ensure you and your Mac are covered. Among classic patent shades, there’s hot pink and a smudged leopard print to satisfy the diva in you, with smaller holders for iPhones and iPods.

Our favourite is this Daria Sleeve at £350, which could be more gorgeous than all the clutch bags in our closet! With Christmas just around the corner, these designer gems are sure to be snapped up fast – get yours now on the Apple website: http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/mac_accessories/notebook_cases/mulberry?mco=MTM3NDY3MTQ . Your laptop will love you for it.

LV's stole-en our hearts!

Louis Vuitton has never been hotter – trying a more youthful edge for size, they’ve replaced her Madgesty with it-girl model Lara Stone to front their next campaign, and famously made fancy dress fashionable sending models down the runway in those oversized bunny ears for autumn. Now we’re seeing the most stylish celebs donning LV around their necks, in the form of the Leopard Stole. This fabulous limited edition scarf has set tongues wagging everywhere, and makes the perfect addition to an otherwise lacklustre look. Designed by punky NY artist Stephen Sprouse, this stole jazzes up the outfits of Sienna, Liv Tyler, and Rachel Bilson, creating an off-duty rock-chic look. With Jennifer Aniston sporting the lighter, more girly pink version, which one grabs your fancy?

15

A fresh-faced youth reclines against a barren wall in the Camber Sands, cigarette in hand. In a loose pullover and buckled sandals, she sits relaxed and somewhat gracelessly, gesturing with a hazy smile.

If there was ever an image that personified the beauty of youth it’s this one – or any for that matter within its collection from Corinne Day. For these were the photos that launched the career of arguably the greatest supermodel in the world, and the success of one of the most acclaimed fashion photographers in Britain.

Taken on one breezy day in 1990, this photo is part of an iconic set of prints entitled ‘15’, appearing in cult British magazine ‘The Face’ as Moss’s first ever editorial, and ultimately creating the ‘grunge’ effect.

Breaking away from the overworked ‘exotic location’ fashion spreads of the time, Day wanted the world to see the beauty of imperfection – a beauty without styling, makeup, or flattering light. Whilst most models would shudder at the thought of being shot without their safety net, this was no ordinary fashion shoot, and Moss’s striking natural beauty shone through the lens, taking her all the way to a contract with Calvin Klein.

Possessing the endearing awkwardness of adolescence, Moss here exhibits a certain rough yet tender quality that had been missing in magazines. Their intimacy makes them feel ‘off the record’, inviting us into the world of this inherently cool kid. The photo, in all its ambiguity, is actually brimming over with what it is to be human. Day brings out a touching vulnerability in shooting Moss at such an angle; squatted down on the floor looking up at the camera. Not many 15 year olds can pull of ‘innocent’ whilst clutching a cigarette, but Kate remains remarkably childlike. Her stance is gawky but her gaze is blissful, and in this way, she proves her innate ability to connect with the camera. There is a dreamlike quality that shades the photo, derived partly from Day’s decision to eliminate colour.

Firm friends, Day and Moss had built amity over their equally struggling careers, and for their love of The Stone Roses. As model and photographer they clicked instantly and went on to work together often, creating mesmering photographs that have appeared in everything from British Vogue to the National Portrait Gallery.

“Corinne just wanted to bring out everything I hated when I was fifteen. My bow legs, the mole on my breast, the way I laughed". Cut to 2009 and the Kate Moss bandwagon, despite some bumpy detours, rolls on apace.

The Lady is a Vamp

With Halloween around the corner, everyone is sinking their teeth into the latest Vampire craze to sweep planet fashion. Lace leggings and jet black jewels gilded the catwalks of Rodarte, Rick Owen and Roksanda Ilincic this season, with Brit designer Gareth Pugh producing an equally dramatic line at Paris Fashion Week.

Vampires are everywhere; from TV shows, to novels, to box office hits, our love for the undead has permeated culture as we know it. Twilight, the biggest cult film of the decade, made over $70 million in its opening weekend. And it was only a matter of time before the fashion world took a bite.

A hit with the more daringly dressed, Vampire Goth has reached the wardrobes of pop icons Lady Gaga (channeling a sexy and slightly scary vampire for OUT magazine) and Rihanna, who’s been rocking the vamp look with blood-red lips, bustiers and even arachnid jewellery. Proving that not everyone suits vampire chic, Peaches Geldof hit New York Fashion Week in a number of truly horrific ensembles, sporting recklessly ripped tights and a bizarre white face that radiated ‘ghoul’ rather than glamorous Goth.

To avoid looking like you’re in fancy dress, keep it classy with high collars, vintage pieces and lashings of embellishment. A standard-bearer of the trend is Rodarte, who shows us Vamp-Goth at its best with a collection of draped chiffon, glossy feathers, and fabulous patent stilettos for - of all seasons - happy-go-lucky spring. Prints were romantic yet mysterious, the pieces striking yet deliciously wearable; allowing us all to embrace the darker side of fashion.

"There are magazines that emphasize fashion to die for, the dark side - like ID's September issue: It was all vampy and gothic," explains fashion historian Valerie Steele. Curator of a new show at the Fashion Institute of Technology entitled "Gothic: Dark Glamour", Steele believes that the Transylvania moment has been returning, slowly, since the millennium flipped. "The vampy thing is immensely sexy, but it's always going to be a minority taste - most people are more into the sunshine kind of feeling," says Steele, chuckling. "But minority taste will emerge periodically in reaction to all that banal, let's-be-cheery stuff."

The vampire lifestyle, it turns out, is accessible to all, Twilight fan or no. To inject some vampiric sexiness into your wardrobe after Halloween’s been and gone, opt for glossy black and purple hues, and bag yourself some killer heels – for nothing says vamp like a pair of knee high stiletto boots. Wooden stake and garlic optional.

Get The Look: Stereophonics

Stereophonics fans everywhere get excited - the Welsh rockers are returning to the music scene with their seventh, and stunning, new album ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’. The eagerly anticipated record was written by front man Kelly Jones, and is due for release next month along with its debut single ‘Innocent’.

The group, whose classic whiskey rock sounds have earned them a place amongst Britain’s most successful bands, have collaborated with fellow Britpopers Kasabian and The Arctic Monkeys to turn out a record that’s sure to get us all strumming on our air guitars again. A seven-date tour has been scheduled in support of the album, beginning in March 2010.

So what can the boys say for their long-term status as the UK’s hottest boy band from planet rock? ‘All we ever wanted was to be a really soulful band that could write stuff that lets you escape for three or four minutes.’ says Kelly in true indifference. Recreate the band’s look with these great finds from the high street:

Topman, £60

Austin Reed, £12.50

Get The Look: Alesha Dixon

If there’s one lady deserving of props, it’s Alesha Dixon. Turning 30 this month, she’s achieved more this year than many of us pull off in a lifetime. As recently appointed judge on the Strictly Come Dancing panel, with a platinum album in stores and countless campaigns under her belt, Miss Dixon has gone through trying times only to come out hotter and more successful than ever. Her debut tour kicked off in style last night at the Royal Concert Hall in Nottingham, where she showcased her envious figure (voted in July as having the best legs in Britain) in a showgirl number that brings us back to her ballroom days. Always a fan of glamour and glitz, Alesha wows us on the cover of her latest album in true Dixon style. Now you can get her look on the high street with this bargain buy.

Topshop, £25

Balmain Spring 2010 show

After the ground breaking Autumn collection that brought us futuristic glam rock chick, Christophe Decarnin launched another lineup of spangled and super sexy silhouettes as he showcased his new line for Spring. Only this time disco’s gone back in time, with a touch of military mode. Gone are the bright blues, replaced by a wash of camouflage that adorned micro minis, plunging necklines, and tattered t-shirts.

Keeping true to his first love, sequins, Decarnin embellished everything from dresses to leggings, bringing the best part of Balmain into the Spring. His cult peaked shoulder that we know and love was placed on tailcoats and structured blazers and then matched with dainty, and by dainty I mean miniscule, sheer and shredded fabrics, perfecting feminine sexy with a hint of hard tailoring.

The line’s sex appeal starts with that signature silhouette; a creation of thick waist belts, skin tight denim, and dresses that hugged every curved inch of his slender limbed models. Not the most forgiving of cuts but Decarnin can pull it off. A soldierly motif, in the form of bullet belts, cargo pockets and extra-large epaulets, was matched indiscriminately with draped goddess style fabrics, slashed and shredded to almost non existence; proving that ‘faux-distressed’ is here to stay.

With the likes of Rihanna on the front row, sporting last line’s harem pants, the pressure was on for another tremendous, yet wearable look, and Decarnin once again established himself to be the king of understated glamour. After all, it was he who permitted the daywear of sequins, and we thank him for it.

A Bag Lady's Dream

First and foremost, I am a bag fanatic. Shoes I like, hats are fine, but what really dominates my lust list year round are handbags, and I have a jumbled collection of 100 shoppers to show for it. My perfect handbag? Large, leather and preferably designer, so I can try and think of it as an ‘investment’. But like most of us in these challenging times, I also pride myself on being a bit of a bargain hunter. Who can deny the delightful high that comes with scouting a rare steal in a charity shop, or haggling successfully at a car boot sale? And I’m still trying to get the cheats I want.

Step forward Vanilla Paris; a hidden gem off the Kings Road that allows recessionistas to get the look, with none of the guilt. Buried within the confines of Kings Walk Mall, this store sits modestly between Subway and Sunglasses Hut, making it a fashion hotspot that’s easily missed. Vanilla combines blinging jewellery, fur coats and divine accessories, but is best known for its chic imitations of designer bags. Brimming with designer lookalikes, luxury leather lines the walls of this strange little shop, making it the perfect refuge for it-girls and Portobello princesses alike, not to mention the most fashion savvy celebs in London. It was here that Kate Moss bought her Grecian style leather belt, and Sienna snapped up her signature fur gilet during her climb to fame; a piece made from real rabbit fur and a cool £45. While Vanilla may have aided the rise of the Boho trend, it’s also a favourite with the likes of Jade Jagger and Martine McCutcheon. Just goes to show that every girl loves a steal when it comes to fashion, and this boutique holds that motto at its heart.

All the bags, from Vanilla’s own line, are made in Paris and shipped over to be sold at generously low prices, ranging from £25 to £130. Unlike most designer knock offs, they’re made from the finest leather, setting them apart from ‘fakes’ that fall apart within weeks. They don’t claim to be the real thing (making them legal as well) but have the design and quality of any bag on the arm of Victoria Beckham. So if you dream of Balenciaga but don’t have the spare £500 knocking around, then their ‘homages’ could fit right in your closet. Finally, we can bag a Birkin without breaking the bank.

ShopStyle

ShopStyle, a self proclaimed ‘fashion playground’, launched its UK site a year ago and is fast becoming the most vibrant shopping site to hit the web.

ShopStyle brings together hundreds of thousands of the UK’s most fabulous brands and boutiques, high street and high fashion, allowing users to search the most stylish stores all at once — by designer, brand, price, style, and color. Perfect for fashionistas on the go, ShopStyle features everything from wish lists and trend reports to sales alerts and celebrity style, even urging users to build and communicate their own stylebooks, with their favourite looks and blogs.

On this site, we can be fashion editors of our own making, creating personal collections we can save, share, and then click through to buy. ‘Were like Google for the fashion world’, says Andy Moss, manager of ShopStyle. And with a clientele of over 2million users each month, this site looks set to soar.

Beauty, Style or fashion – is there any difference?

It can seem easy to accept ‘beauty’, ‘style’ or ‘fashion’ as one and the same; all three concepts go hand in hand, embodying an aspect of looking good that has remained the focus of women for centuries. Yet beauty, style and fashion are each very separate and wonderfully different in their meanings, together creating a lifestyle that most of us aspire to.

‘Beauty’, as the old saying goes, seems to lie in the eye of the beholder, often maintained in the natural makeup of a person. Beauty draws others towards it and can be applied to anything from the envious aesthetic proportions of Angelina Jolie, to an incredibly luxurious Chanel quilted bag.

‘Style’, linked more closely with personality, is a mode of expression, and perhaps the most valuable asset of all three. The media spectrum, including the likes of Kate Moss to Katie Price, shows us that ‘style’ cannot be bought. It is ‘style’ itself that leads the way for fashion.

‘Fashion' relates to exciting and often short-lived style trends, showcased on runways and in magazines. Fashion serves as a guide of what’s in and what’s on the way out, leaving us inspired and itching to stay up to date.