Kristen Stewart covers US ELLE

When I first heard that Kristen Stewart was to be ELLE's June cover-star, I wasn't holding out any hope that it would be good. For some unexplainable reason, I quite like Kristen. However, she's hardly renowned for being elegant or graceful in front of the camera; whether it's in photoshoots or on the red-carpet, Kristen Stewart is not what I'd call a 'natural'. I quite like the fact that she isn't your average cookie-cutter Hollywood starlet but with that in mind, ELLE have done a pretty good job in making her look like one for their June issue...

When you take the god-awful text out of the equation, this has all the potential of being a great cover. Kristen looks relaxed (a first, maybe?) and the styling is non-fussy and simple - my only issue is that now, she just looks like every other Hollywood actress. You could always count on Kristen to be a little bit awkward and this cover, which is undoubtedly stunning, takes that intrigue away. 

It's probably not normal to criticise something for being too 'good'; Kristen is, after all, just another Hollywood starlet but I'd grown so accustomed to seeing her as this awkward adolescent that now she just looks boring. What are your thoughts on ELLE's June cover? 

Photo from fashionscansremastered

Broken Laptop Blues

To cut a long and boring story short, my laptop is broken. Not only does this mean that I can't stalk anyone on Facebook but it has also put a halt to posting. Finger's crossed that normal service resumes ASAP because quite frankly, not having a computer sucks.

Wednesday Weakness: Cobalt Blue

Dries Van Noten, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Mary Katrantzou and Preen

To some, it might seem rather odd to have a colour as a fashion weakness, however, if you've been paying attention to the catwalks for Fall/Winter 2012, you'll know that cobalt is set to be a massive trend. Along with tangerine and fuchsia pink, cobalt-blue is one of those colours that Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada (aka Anna Wintour) would rave about until it went into the sale. The best way to invest? Buy something now, especially if it's in the sale!

From left: J Brand waxed skinny jeans, Alexander Wang striped sweater, Rimmel eyeshadow, ASOS clutch, Urban Outfitters platform brogues, Swatch watches. 

What colours will you be wearing next season? 

Alternative Red-Carpet Dressing with Valentino FW12

None of these dresses are of the traditional red-carpet variety: there are no garish colours, no strapless sweetheart necklines, no silk-chiffon bows and definitely no heels. Saying that, they each have insane amounts of  'red-carpet' potential, especially if worn by the right person. Think along the lines of Elizabeth Olsen, Carey Mulligan, Dakota Fanning, Rose Byrne and Florence Welch and you're on the right track. The difference between these lovely ladies and the likes of other Hollywood starlets (anyone from Gossip Girl or 90210, for instance) is that they aren't afraid of 'worst-dressed' lists and can therefore think outside of the box when it comes to fashion.

Not that any of Valentino's dresses would land anyone on a worst-dressed list, of course. The demure necklines, full-length sleeves and ankle-skimming lengths from Valentino's Fall/Winter 2012 collection are for the more brave of the bunch. Valentino has always, and will always be worn on the red-carpet - it's just that these dresses require that extra something.

Photos from style.com

Paris Fashion Week: Best In Show

Stella McCartney and Kenzo's Humberto Leon and Carol Lim  have without doubt presented my favourite two collections of all respective Fashion Weeks. Paris is known for its extraordinary designer calender and each season, something wonderful happens; I can't confess to previously being a devoted fan of either Kenzo or Stella McCartney but for Fall/Winter 2012 I am more than dedicated.

Stella McCartney FW12

Stella is a woman's woman: she knows what we want to wear, how we want to feel and what message we want to convey through our clothes. Her Fall/Winter 2012 collection is powerful, elegant and refined without being clichéd or stuffy; cobalt blues and electric pinks are perfectly matched with charming tweeds and more subdued palettes of grey and black, whilst patent ankle boots are boldly worn with above-the-knee skater skirts and oversized jackets. I couldn't give two-hoots about the sports-luxe trend that we're seeing all over the high-street at the moment but for FW12 Stella makes it more desirable than Ryan Gosling covered in chocolate. These are clothes that women want to wear, all of the time.

Kenzo

The big-guns were clearly out over the weekend: Dior, Isabel Marant, Lanvin, Viktor & Rolf, Jean Paul Gaultier, Celine, Hermes and Givenchy all came out to play. Though it was the unlikely Kenzo that really caught my eye. As only their second season with Kenzo, Opening Ceremony's founders Humberto Leon and Carol Lim sent out a fantastically coherent and covetable collection for Fall/Winter 2012; dropped-hem A-line dresses were decked out with autumnal grape-vine prints as cropped jumpers were emblazoned with the tiger logo that will inevitably be replicated for the high-street on a colossal scale. Where last season we saw more of a street-inspired edge from Kenzo, this collection was altogether more accomplished and fun. 

Forget the apocalyptic leathers and blacks that have recently permeated the catwalk, these collections are exciting and act as a constant reminder of all that is great about womenswear. 

Photos from style.com 

Lost For Words: Commes des Garcons FW12

Not a single word in the English dictionary can accurately articulate my thoughts on Rei Kawakubo's Autumn/Winter 2012 collection for Commes des Garcons. That's not to say this is a bad thing, in fact, I think it's rather brilliant. "The future's in two dimensions" was Kawakubo's foundation for her latest collection as seemingly two-dimensional outfits graced the catwalk. In a fairly sardonic statement against the industry, Kawakubo's 'flat' outfits were a reflection of the images put out by the industry online and in magazines; therefore stripping them of any detail and quality. Velvet felt, leopard print, florals and even evening wear was given the Commes des Garcons treatment - leaving no satirical fashion stone unturned.

I can absolutely appreciate the message behind the collection, however, as a part (no matter how minuscule) of the fashion industry, I can't help but think it a little tenuous; fashion can only survive as long as the magazines and websites that promote them can permit. Aside from this, I think the collection is...bizarre/wonderful/brilliant/ingenious/ridiculous/captivating - you decide!

Photos from style.com

Ashley Olsen for Elle UK

It's been a while since I've had a genuine reason to post about the Olsen's so I'm really excited to see Mary-Kate and Ashley featured in (and on the cover of) the April issue of Elle. Before you get too excited (like I did), this stunning shot of Ashley is only available for subscribers, though previews of the girls' feature and accompanying editorial are superb. I used to be more of a Vogue girl but Elle are really upping their game in terms of styling and editorials, especially when the subs covers are so incredibly beautiful. 

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen deserve credit where its due. It is quite an achievement to make the transition from child star to fashion designer, however, the girls succeeded above all expectations and are now mature and well-respected industry professionals. What do you think of the Ashley's cover? Are you as much of a fan of Elizabeth and James and The Row as me?