Kate Winslet is Smokin'

We Brits love a quintessential English Rose and we pride ourselves on having Kate Winslet to our name; she's beautiful, talented, personable and is just generally someone you'd like to be friends with. Admittedly this photo is a little high-def for my liking but how incredible does Kate look at the première of her mini-series Mildred Pierce?!

I think the drastic haircut has completely changed the way I look at Kate because she's suddenly turned into a complete foxy mumma. Ok so she's not the youngest or prettiest British actress but she know's how to carry herself and is totally confident on the red carpet which in itself is massively inspiring.

I also love how she opted for an asymmetrical bodycon Stella McCartney dress - it really flatters her figure and makes her boobs look great too. I know she's only in her mid-30's and I'm talking about her as if she's some old haggard lady but in a world where its a case of 'the younger the better' its really refreshing to see someone a little bit older flaunting it, right?

If I had to chose another look for Kate for Stella's AW11 collection, this is what I would have picked:

She can definitely pull off a plunging neckline and I absolutely adored the sheer spotty sleeves but I would have given her a sexy pencil skirt instead of the velvet number. Kate has an enviable skin-tone that looks great in every colour but I do love a little black dress.

What do you think of Kate's transformation?

photos from justjared.buzznet.com and style.com

She's Got A Ticket To Ride

Emma Roberts is one of those actresses that I wrote off as soon as I saw her in Unfabulous. She doesn't exactly have a great track record when it comes to films (remember that awful mermaid one or the time she played a spoilt brat sent to boarding school?) and she never struck me as talented an actress as Dakota Fanning, lets say. With that in mind, the girl does a great editorial. These images, from US Elle's April Issue, are really something else - she looks absolutely amazing and I'm more than partial to the odd stud or two.

Ok so the girl isn't the best actress we've ever seen but who needs skills when you look this good?! It kind of makes you wonder how much influence her oh-so-famous aunty has on her career because I'm almost certain that without that sort of family tie, she wouldn't be in Elle looking this great.

Maybe she just needs time to grow up and mature as an actress but until she improves, I'm more than happy to see these sorts of editorials. Does anyone else think that having a famous family member in the business contributes to success? What do you think of Emma?

Photos from http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f50/emma-roberts-121397.html

Spotlight: Mary-Kate & Ashley

This is the first time anyone has made the Spotlight twice but Mary-Kate and Ashley more than deserve it for these insanely beautiful outfits at the CFDA Awards Announcement party on Wednesday.

I love that the girls have gone back to what they know best: classic tailoring offset by monochrome minimalism. I completely adore Mary-Kate's black outfit and she has definitely become my favourite twin in terms of fashion. Ashley looks impeccable as always but her style is just a little too polished for me personally - although she never ever looks bad.

I love that the girls have emerged from their teen-bop acting days to become wonderful fashion designers - everyone is always complaining about the lack of candids but they are designers, not celebrities any more and I completely respect their dedication to their jobs. 

Is anyone else as taken with the twins as me? And what do you think of this snap, they definitely look better than they have in recent months, no?

Photo from justjared.buzznet.com

Panda Pop

I wanted to share these with you - procrastination and some great WAH Nails pens make for the perfect panda's. Enjoy and goodnight.

Freja for Numero

Today has been really rather great. I photographed handsome boys around London all day for a project I'm working on at the moment and was then treated to some brand new Levi's. If you've read my blog before, you'll know that I'm a massive Levi's fan - until the Curve ID came out I always struggled to find a pair of jeans that actually fit properly. Today I got the Curve (my second pair - they're that good) in a lighter shade that are perfect for spring and I'm literally in love.

On to other things I love, Freja Beha Erichsen has been photographed by the wonderful Karl Lagerfeld for Numero magazine and I can't get enough of the editorial (also featuring Arizona Muse), who else could look this beautifully androgynous?

I'm not sure if Freja has actually cut her hair or not but she still looks stunning either way. There are few models that I really get excited about but I don't think Freja will ever get boring - her face, her movement and her style are all so intriguing. I've not really had the chance to post daily which is a bit shit but I'll try and keep on top of things as best I can!

What are your favourite jeans? I'll try and do an outfit post (there's a first time for everything) with my new wares, if you haven't tried the Curve ID I really recommend you do - especially if you have Jean traumas too!

photos from fashiongonerogue.com

ANTM: and the winner is...

If, like me, you have been watching cycle 15 of America's Next Top Model on Living TV (in the UK) then you might not know who won yet. I say might because I haven't watched it for a while and am not sure if they've announced who's 'gonna be on top', so to speak. Anyway, if they haven't told you, DO NOT scroll down. You'll only hate me for it...

If you're in America this is very old news but I only found out that Ann won when I accidentally stumbled across this editorial (although I can't say I'm all that pleased she won). Maybe I just didn't get the whole 'tall' thing as much as the judges - she never really seemed to actually try which I think is what annoyed me. In a similar way, so many girls from other cycles were picked up on for their weight and I don't once recall Tyra asking her if she 'had a problem' - her thinness is hardly an advocate for the healthy CoverGirl image.

Either way, I think this editorial from Vogue Italia is nice. It's not ground-breaking and it doesn't make me want to stick it all over my walls but I'm not going to say it's bad. What do you think of Ann winning Cycle 15 of America's Next Top Model? I really wanted Chelsey to win - she was so god damn stunning!

See! If I was on the panel she would have won because I think she is so beautiful - the gap in the teeth was definitely a good move too. Who was your favourite from Cycle 15?

Photos from fashiongonerogue.com and antm411.wordpress.com

Levi's Craft of Music with Rox and Joy Formidable

Last night I was invited to the first ever Levi's Craft of Music event, an intimate gig at the flagship store on Regent Street with Rox and Joy Formidable. I'd not previously heard of either of these bands and so didn't really know what to expect; I'm not really in a position to write a really great music review (my favourite artist at the moment is Rihanna) but I can tell you that it was a superb evening.

This lovely lady is Rox and from last nights show it's safe to say that she has an absolutely phenomenal voice. I really rated her live acoustic performance of My Baby Left Me, her voice is so soulful and powerful - definitely one to watch this year!

Another band that I had never heard of before were Joy Formidable and they turned out to be an absolutely hilarious trio from North Wales. They're also super talented and we had a good little dance along to their hits (even though the crowd were a little lacklustre at times).

We got the chance to ask the musicians some questions after they'd played although after a few beers, I wasn't really in the thinking mood and left the hardcore fans to it. My best friend and I thoroughly enjoyed both Rox and Joy Formidable and  had a great evening out; it's rare that you get to hear such amazing voices in such an intimate setting - it made us both want to be at a festival with a cold glass of cider!

I'd really recommend you check them both out, Rox was especially brilliant and with a voice like hers she's bound to go far.

All photos taken by me, do not use/copy without permission!

Paris Fashion Week: Givenchy AW11

There is literally nothing that I don't like about Givenchy this season. Riccardo Tisci is such a fantastic designer and this collection tapped into everything I love; the sheer layering, the gaudi prints, the cutesy hats - it was all amazing. It felt quite East London to me in the sense that it was busy without being fussy and it was very, very trendy. I could quite easily have posted the entire collection but these are my favourite looks:

I'm such a fan of the panther-print details - especially when teamed with the adorable hats. There's a bit of a Versace vibe going on with the chain detail but Tisci has managed to make it look super modern rather than something you're dodgy next door neighbour would wear.

I noticed a fur skirt at Junya Watanabe and Tisci has done a mini-version which is think is gorgeous; the fur biker jacket is a cute addition too.

I have such a Givenchy crush and want to wear everything right now; if the sun hadn't made an appearance today I definitely would have been channelling sheer/fur chic.

I know a lot of people that have been waiting for Givenchy, so what do you think now it's here, worth the wait? I obviously think so! If anyone fancies

photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Comme, Celine and Junya AW11

I mentioned in my previous post about giving up slightly by the time Paris Fashion Week comes around which is terribly sad as Paris is usually the most exciting. It's a good job Paris is the most exciting otherwise I wouldn't be doing this post - Comme des Garcons is quite literally one of the best collections I've seen all season. I don't understand it and it baffles me beyond belief but I thought it was great nonetheless.

I absolutely adore the ruffled shorts and even though the half-jacket is a little impractical, I think it's stunning. You can always trust Comme to mix it up and do what every other designer is too scared to create; it's a whole new ingenious twist on androgyny.

Celine was another show I enjoyed but only for the jackets. There's always room for a tailored trouser but the coats were especially wonderful this season; the whole deconstructed element is something I didn't expect from Celine which made it all the more better.

The zesty orange number is very Raf Simons/Richard Nicoll but it's a beautiful shape and I love that Phoebe has kept it ultra simple - that sort of colour can't handle fussy details. The lengthy deconstructed coats are truly amazing. I keep seeing variations of everything I loved from the 90s but given a modern twist and these are perfect examples - I can tell AW11 is going to be a good season for me.

Last but not least, Junya Watanabe. I previously mentioned that I wanted to write about this show because I thought it was utterly bonkers - in a good way, of course.

Fur was a stand out aspect of Junya's fall collection and although I want to think it's a little bit vulgar, I really love it. The coats remind me of something hideous you would find in New Look or Primark but if you imagine Carine Roitfeld or Emmanuelle Alt in them, they suddenly become really great. Fur is an obvious choice for fall but then again so is black which was also heavily featured this season, I don't care because had I the money, I'd buy them.

What do you think of Comme's bizarre collection and Celine's take on deconstruction?

photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Haider Ackermann AW11

 I know it's really bad to admit this but by the time Paris Fashion Week comes around, I've completely lost the will to pay attention. This is most upsetting because Paris Fashion Week is usually the best; Chanel, Jean Paul Gaultier, Viktor and Rolf, Comme des Garcons, Dior, Givenchy, Lanvin - the list of amazing designers goes on. Anyway, I haven't really had time to look through all the shows yet and Haider Ackermann was the first I looked at this morning. Convenience aside, I really love Haider's designs and although there were a couple of pieces I could do without this season (the wide belts and the cone-head hair), the collection was stunning.

My inherent aversion to colour makes Haider one of my favourite designers - I especially loved the jewel-toned glam-goth vibe this season. I mentioned before that grunge was going to be a big hit for AW11 and I still stand by that; grunge isn't simply about wearing Dr.Martens with a floral dress and plaid shirt anymore, it's about mixing silk with wool, wearing oversized knitted jumpers with flowing maxi-dresses and having that 'I don't give a fuck' attitude (even though we'll all know it took an hour to put together the outfit).

I particularly loved Haider's biker jackets and the floor-sweeping Matrix looking coats - I couldn't pull it off myself but know several people that could. My favourite pieces from the show were from the last couple of looks - neither of them were black (shock horror) but they just looked absolutely stunning.

That cropped white jacket makes me drool slightly, isn't it beautiful? I'm dying to post about Junya Watanabe but I'm about to go and have some lunch in London town so will do that as soon as I'm back. What do you think of Haider? Would you be inclined to wear a floor-sweeping leather coat or would you prefer to leave that to the cyber-goths of the world?

Photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Hakaan AW11

This time last year (Friday 19th February, to be precise) I was sent to watch a show by little known designer, Hakaan. No one knew who Hakaan was so I was hardly expecting big things to happen. Oh how I couldn't have been more wrong. To say that it was bewildering to see Lara Stone, Natalia Vodianova and Natasha Poly at his début show in London would be a bit of an understatement. At the time, Hakaan caused a bit of a furore but mainly for his star-studded FROW and model line-up; this season, I have a feeling time has repeated itself...

The clothes are undoubtedly beautiful but I don't think his success is down to skill alone - were it not for the stellar line-up: Freja Beha Erichsen, Maria Carla Boscono, Natalia Vodianova, Karolina Kurkova, Natasha Poly and Anja Rubik, Hakaan might simply be another struggling designer. One gets the impression that Hakaan has friends in very high places, which is great, but there's only so far that monochrome-tailoring and pleated mini-dresses can take you.

Maybe I'm being too harsh; I was all over the début collection after all. I'd like to see some innovation and ingenuity if I'm going to track Hakaan's progress - not just a handful of the world's best models (although apparently, that helps). Do you think a world-class line-up is enough to propel Hakaan into designer stardom or does he need to up his game?

Photos from style.com