Alice and Olivia Goddess Draped dress from £79

Anyway, with “Girl Meets Dress” you don’t need to worry about the whole “buying an outfit for an event” and only feeling like you can wear it once because all your friends have seen it… as you can borrow another one the next time. Plus, you have access to dresses you may never have been able to afford if you’d been paying for them in the shops – suddenly you can afford Marc Jacobs, Alice Temperley and Chloe!

So how does it work I hear you ask… here are the steps from their press release (for further info go direct to the website):

1. Place up to 3 of your favourite dresses into your “shopping bag” to try on
2. Select the number of nights you want them for (either 2 or 7 nights) – you can add insurance at this stage for a little peace of mind for £7
3. Choose a delivery date – it can be the next day or you can pre-order your frock so you definitely get the one you want
4. Once you received them – you let them know the one you have chosen so they can refund the difference
5. Once you’ve worn it you don’t even need to dry-clean it – just put it back in the pre-paid packaging and send it back to them!!

Marchesa Notte Bow Cocktail dress from £89

The website was launched by co-founders Anna Bance and Xavier de Lecaros-Aquise. After Anna left her PR job at Hermes she was inspired by the constant lending and borrowing which goes on in the fashion industry and she wanted to open up the fashion “closets” to all girls “to give them the freedom to borrow any dress they wish for every event throughout the year… giving them the luxury of an endless closet”.

I really do think this is such a fabulous idea and there are so many dresses to choose from… Click on the below link and they’ll all be at your finger tips!

Dina Bar-El Penelope Gown... from £109

Visit Girl Meets Dress….

There’s lots of white, denim, stripes and florals out there but my favourite trend to embrace for the season has to be “brights”! Actually bright stripes would probably be my ideal!! Keep me away from Prada’s stripey bags “du jour” – they’re stunning!!

Honestly.... I'm in LOVE with this stripey bag!!

Thankfully, I’m happy to get my “fixes” from the High Street as it has embraced the “brights” trend full on. I seem to be especially taken with Zara this season. In the past it’s often been a store I venture into but come out empty handed because of the fit. However, for S/S11 the majority of their sizing is spot on and as the prices are very reasonable there’s no reason to say no! The most important thing I need to stress here is that bright colours may appear to be scary at first glance, but actually they are hugely flattering against the skin. Whilst baby pinks and blues may be very “pretty” against most English complexions, they are also hugely draining and must be worn with caution.

Brights on the other hand have a way of reflecting their colour onto skin and thus giving it a glow. Most people are terrified of orange and yellow (on the questionnaire I send to my clients before we go shopping about 95% say they can’t wear either of these colours) but it’s down to the exact shade and tone of colour as to whether you can wear it or not. I look fairly ghoul-like in certain yellows and one of my worst fashion disasters was for a photo taken after I’d had my wisdom teeth removed aged 13…

I was hideously bruised and swollen around the face anyway, but to add insult to injury I happened to be sporting the worst yellow over-sized Mickey-Mouse t-shirt you’ve ever seen! When I showed someone the picture a couple of years ago, they genuinely looked shocked and said “Wowzers – you really can’t wear yellow can you!” It wasn’t because I can’t wear yellow as a rule, it was because the specific shade (and lack of facial definition due to swelling!) was completely wrong for me. One of my favourite colours is actually bright neon-ish lemon/yellow! Bright orange, hot pinks, lime greens… I love them all! They look especially great with a tan – but don’t shy away from them if you’re on the paler side as I am… Just add a bit more eye-liner and bronzer and away you go!

Here are some of my favourite “brights” this season:

A Zara butterfly print scarf that I’ve worn to death over the last couple of weeks (£25)!

An amazing printed dress and bag from Mulberry (www.mulberry.com)

Me sporting a rather bright Minkie dress (www.minkie.info) from Topshop Oxford Street and bejewelled Zara necklace (and my Prada handbag that I can’t put down! www.prada.com) with my good friend Sally Heath, Head Buyer for brands at New Look…

This top from River lsland (£21.99) is an easy way to introduce brights into your wardrobe without going too full on! The scarf is from Accessorize and the leather bag is from Zara (www.zara.com) – great with a black blazer and jeans/skirt/trousers for work

This dress is from River Island (£29.99 from www.riverisland.com) and the scarf is again from Accessorize (www.accessorize.com) – orange looks especially good with indigo blue denim, think a denim jacket and tan accessories

 In summary to wear this trend: think BRIGHT and BOLD…. so be brave and give brights a try!

A unique show piece from the A/W 2009 “The Horn of Plenty” collection

Wooden fan dress from the S/S 1999 “No. 13 collection”

A unique show piece from the S/S 2005 “It’s Only A Game” collection

Another unique show piece from the S/S 2005 “It’s only a game” collection

This was also a unique show piece from the A/W 2009 “The Horn of Plenty” collection

And last but by no means least, my favourite unique show piece from the A/W 2008 “The Girl Who Lived In A Tree” collection - I can definitely see SJP or Carrie Bradshaw in this one!

So what is the British Designers Collective (BDC)? Well, it’s a unique collaboration between Value Retail (who own Bicester Village) and the British Fashion Council (www.britishfashioncouncil.com) – the idea is to showcase emerging designers all under one roof, introducing them to a wider audience in a fabulous environment, with fantastic reductions (up to 60% off!). What more could you want??

This year the BDC is boasting some of the most exciting names in British fashion, including Jonathan Saunders, Holly Fulton, Felder Felder, Preen and Marios Schwab. There is something for everyone… from everyday knitwear by Goat to show-stopping dresses from Felicity Brown. For a full list of brands see below… or have a look at Bicester Village’s website www.bicestervillage.com.

Now this is the important bit… in order to see this wonderful store for yourselves you need to get down to the village quickly, as the British Designers Collective only runs for six weeks until mid-May. Clothing aside, you’re in for a visual spectacular as the store has been specifically designed for the occasion and this year, colour is key! There’s a neon-pink telephone box outside and the interior decor has to be seen to be believed… it just adds to the whole shopping experience – with neon of course being hugely on trend for S/S 11!

Here are some of my favourite items in-store and photos from the event… maybe some of these hugely sought-after names/pieces will end up in your own wardrobe??

Thandie Newton outside the neon telephone box and BDC

Identical twin sisters Annette and Daniela Felder

Holly Fulton outside the BDC

Everyone listening to Thandie Newton speak at the launch

Inside the store

Amazing dress from Preen, was £715 now £429

Killer heels from Lara Bohinc

Can I have all 4?? Holly Fulton clutch bags from £225. I love them!

Holly Fulton printed dress was £595 now £397 (Holly is clearly a new fave of mine...)

The piece that stole the show - every blogger and editor tried it on or photographed it - A bright orange sheep-skin by Osman, was £1900 now £1095

The brand list: Georgina Goodman, Preen Line by Thornton Bregazzi, Goat, Felder Felder, Emma Cook, Felicity Brown, Holly Fulton, Fiona Paxton, Marios Schwab, Lara Bohinc, Mawi, Osman, Jean-Pierre Braganza, Lilly and Lionel, Jane Carr, Jonathan Saunders, Markus Lupfer, From Somewhere, Todd Lynn, Richard Nicholl and Elvis & Kresse!

Visit www.bicestervillage.com for more info on all the designers.

Bottletop (www.bottletop.org) supports young people trying to obtain a better future for themselves, facilitating education projects and funding healthcare initiatives. Their company Bottletop Trading Ltd “is dedicated to designing and producing ethically sourced and environmentally friendly products, especially from countries where they support education programmes.” By using local craftsmanship, Bottletop generate employment in very poor parts of the world.

The Bottletop story dates back to 2001 when Cameron Saul (his father founded Mulberry) worked as a teacher for 9 months in Uganda. Whilst learning about the difficulties the children faced, he came across a wire-frame handbag made from local bottletops! With the help of his father, Roger and the “It” handbag designers at Mulberry back in the UK, the “Mulberry Bottletop Campaign” was born. The bag was of course a huge success which in turn helped the people back in Uganda, as it generated local employment and hugely needed funds for education projects. And the Bottletop charity was born.

2007 was the turn of the “Ring Pull” project – a collaboration between Bottletop’s, Oliver Wayman and Luciano Dos Santos from Brazil. A training programme was devised to help people living in a very deprived area on the outskirts of Salvador to use materials available to them to make products which the Bottletop charity would buy from them to sell to people like you and me… The programme currently supports 46 people within the community and, to date, has produced over 5000 products which have been sold internationally… Including the amazing handbag that Caroline is clutching in the photograph below.

Visit www.bottletop.org to find out more about this hugely worthwhile charity and to learn more about the tremendously inspirational people they support…

Caroline looking fab with her ring-pull clutch at The Sorority event

After the show... Bianca from Who is the Fairest, myself and Clare from Miss-Dress!

Here are some of my answers to the questions we were asked…

Q: What should we be wearing for S/S 11?

A: Bright colours are key! The easiest way to introduce them is by adding a really colourful scarf or handbag to your outfit. Bright shoes are another easy way to bring some life to an otherwise simple look. But you must wear them with confidence! (Something to note – people often think they can’t wear brights and suit paler, softer colours instead… Now obviously it depends on the shade, but as an example I look far better in hot pink than I do in baby pink, which seriously washes me out! Before perchasing just try a colour against your skin, hold it by your face and see if you look healthy or drained!)

Me sporting my new bright pink patent Ted Baker shoes from Bicester Village (£40) and River Island Scarf (£14.99)

Q: What items should every woman have in her wardrobe?

A: A great fitting pair of jeans (easier said than done I hear you say! On a budget try TopShop, French Connection or GAP; for the new “It” jeans buy Adriano Goldschmied and for a more classic/higher-rise pair invest in some ”Not Your Daughters Jeans”), a decent leather handbag (that doesn’t look like you’ve had it for 10 years and isn’t too small, like something a child could use! The likes of Oasis, Warehouse and Topshop have great leather handbags these days, for the next level up try Russel&Bromley or go for broke and head to Mulberry, Miu Miu or Prada!! Why not – it’s an investment piece!!), a simply cut day dress that can be dressed up for evening (try COS, Zara, Reiss or DVF) and a tailored jacket to sharpen up dresses, jeans etc (my favourite at the moment is from Topshop for £55).

Q: What are some of the easiest trends to wear this season?

A: Apart from Brights, I would say that florals are an easy way to update for S/S. There are floral print tops, dresses and skirts everywhere but if you’re feeling cautious start out with a floral bag like the one below. Again, a quick word of warning about florals: unless you’re über trendy and an Alexa Chung look-a-like don’t think you can raid the loft and pull out a Laura Ashley “special” that you’ve been saving for the past 20years. The floral look this time around is quite, quite different!).

Easy floral update... Bag from Accessorize £30

P.S. I came across a fantastic company at the Ideal Home Show called www.littlelou.com… they make the most incredible “Jewelabra’s”… when they send me some images I’ll put them up!

P.P.S. Website info for all of the above…  Accessorize (www.accessorize.com), Adriano Goldschmied (www.agjeans.com), Bicester Village (www.bicestervillage.com) COS (www.cosstores.com),  DVF (www.dvf.com), Miu Miu (www.miumiu.com), Mulberry (www.mulberry.com), Not Your Daughters Jeans (www.nydj.eu/en/home), Oasis (www.oasis-stores.com) Prada (www.prada.com), Reiss (www.reissonline.com), River Island (www.riverisland.com), Topshop (www.topshop.com), Warehouse (www.warehouse.co.uk) and ZARA (www.zara.com).  

The Ideal Home Show at Earls Court, London

As usual my copy of Grazia was on the doormat and there on the front cover was the head-line “Jen’s crisis make-over… Sleepless night before that crop”!!! Slightly dramatic you might think but apparently not. Seemingly, Jen’s hair is not only a barometer to how she feels, but also it affects us too! We’ve been obsessing with her barnet ever since she became famous for the “Rachel” hair-do in Friends, back in 1994. Since, then apart from going up and down a couple of inches and various shades of blonde high-lights, it’s remained the same. Which has been rather comforting and familiar; she looks approachable and friendly with her “wash-and-go” glam but girl-next-door locks. This is probably why we all like her so much and can’t stand her “husband thief”, Angelina Jolie.

© Turkbug | Dreamstime.com

Now I don’t know why Jen decided to go for the plunge – to be honest I’m not even sure why I did. But after having a flick through Grazia and spotting not only Jen, but Olivia Palermo and Scarlet Johansson sporting substantially shorter locks – and after Ian my hairdresser and I having the same boring “Should I, shouldn’t I?”, conversation as 3 months ago… I simply said, “Just do it“.

So he did it. But he didn’t do it whole-heartedly at first, initially it was definitely lurking in “no-mans land” (my feared length) – so I told him to keep going as it was all or nothing and had to be done properly. Bless him he kept saying “I’m waiting for you to burst into tears!” But actually, it felt quite liberating – it was only when washing my hair for the first time the next day that I felt bizarre – there was just nothing there… And tying hair back? Well, I’ve never seen such a poor attempt at a pony tail in my life… And don’t believe anyone who says short hair is easy – it’s a lie. I spent longer straightening my hair this morning than yesterday when I had over double the amount. And now you have to have a good hair day every day as there’s sure as heck no option to simply “tie it back”!! OMG – what have I done?? 

On a plus point however, people keep telling me how much they like it (even though what else are they going to say!!) and how young I look… Which is quite worrying as how old did I look before?? But seriously, I do like it. I’m sure I’ll end up growing it again before long – but for now I’m happy with my “hairline bob“… Jen had better not turn up on this week’s cover sporting a full-head of hair extensions!!

Take a look at Jen for yourself….

http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/beauty/archive/2011/02/22/breaking-hair-news-jennifer-aniston-gets-a-bob.htm

P.S. My hairdresser Ian is based at Willie Smarts in Clapham Common – www.williesmarts.co.uk

I love the 3/4 sleeves and jewelled neckline

These fabulous plates were on the outside of the stand... so pretty!

Do I spy a fondant fancy??

Also, I was introduced to a feminine and very well priced brand called Valour & Valkyrie (www.valourandvalkyrie.com) by Gemma Wiseman, owner of this years Drapers Independent Store of the Year (they have 2 stunning stores, one in Stowe-on-the-Wold and the other in Cheltenham, www.shopfoundation.com). Described as ”stylish, easy to wear pieces with distinct detailing and a dash of ready to wear glamour, the range is inspired by ethereal illustrations from the turn of the century, classic black and white films and the craft in creating a garment”. The collection isn’t very big but there were some very lovely pieces with equally lovely price points. And with blouses retailing at £55 and dresses from £60, what’s not to love?

My favourite pieces were the Marje Blouse (£54.99) and Valenti dress (£69.99)…

Marje Blouse from Valour & Valkyrie

Valenti dress by Valour & Valkyrie

After dashing around the rest of PURE and bumping into my friend Katie from Threadmaker (www.threadmaker.co.uk) and more buyers than usual (a sign that people are keeping their eyes open more than ever for “something new” even though times are tough in the retail trade) I had to rush off to a new exhibition for A/W 11 Scoop International which was being held at the fabulous Saatchi Gallery on The Kings Road in Chelsea. It was raining which meant that getting there was a nightmare as there wasn’t a taxi to be seen anywhere. I did manage to locate one after a mile walk in the drizzle which meant I arrived at Scoop looking somewhat less than polished, hair slightly frizzy and pretty much make-up-less!

Scoop is “where fashion meets art, showing fashion and lifestyle brands in a cutting edge and contemporary space…focusing on premium designer and contemporary collections, accessories, emerging designer brands.” There were well known collections such as Sara Berman, Ella Luna and Margit Brandt and many others I’d never heard of. I’m very interested to see what brands come on board for next season because there is definitely a gap in the market for a more contemporary and designer exhibition in the UK… so watch this space.

One brand that really caught my eye was a Paris-based jewellery collection called GiRandOleS (www.girandoles.com). Created by friends Isabelle and Louise, these hand-made pieces are works of art. The pair pick up bric-a-brac from local flea markets, mixing these items with real pearls and charms – the result being incredibly personalized and unusual pieces. The ladies were so nice and even though their English wasn’t great, you could tell that they loved what they did and that every bracelet and necklace told a story…

Probably one of my favourites... a plastic gnome, an Eiffel Tower, buttons and a brooch - what more could you want on a necklace??

I’ve not yet planned a wedding, so haven’t had to experience the “joy” of picking the exact shade of ivory napkins or deciding whether to spend £5 per head for a bag containing 5 silver sugared almonds…what a bargain?? But something hit me whilst walking around the show – I pity whoever gets to marry me, because at my wedding I’m going to want everything! The flowers were stunning; the cakes were works of art… It’s quite a terrifyingly over-whelming experience. Not only does a bride have to worry about the dress, the venue, the food etc. But important issues such as, what will the invitations say about me as a person? Does one go “classic” or “contemporary” bride? Hair up or hair down?? So many decisions… If I ever meet someone I want to marry – I think I might be a demented bride!

Also, I know why so many people hire personal shoppers to help them when wedding dress shopping, it’s very little to do with locating the perfect dress, it’s more to assist them with overly-pushy wedding dress sales assistants. Now I understand some people need help narrowing down a gazillion off-white strapless dresses to find the perfect one  – but the use of the “elimination” technique that I witnessed was really annoying. So what if my friend had ”eliminated” a particular style dress during their last appointment, if she wants to try it on again then she blinking well can!!

Anyway, rant over… if you want to get some really good ideas in a laid back and glam setting and be serenaded whilst sipping your champagne, then head to BWS. Even though as a “non-bride” I’ve never felt so invisible in my life… as soon as approaching a stand the exhibitor would say “Are you the bride??” “Er no, my friend…” That was it, you no longer existed!  

Here are some things that caught my eye at the show…

By Appointment Only Design (www.byappointmentonlydesign.com) – honestly, I’ve never seen floral displays like them… they were amazing! They help you “create the wedding of your dreams”, assisting from wedding planning to event styling, no two weddings are the same.

By Appointment Only Design

Linda Fripp Design (www.lindafrippcakes.com) make bespoke wedding cakes “individually created using sensational hand-baked recipes and inspirational techniques”. The cakes at the show really blew me away they were so stunning…

An amazing cake by Linda Fripp Design

Emmy Custom Made Wedding Shoes (www.emmyshoes.co.uk)  - I had seen them before at Fashion Press Week and I loved the twinkly toed shoes then… They offer custom made wedding shoes “offering a choice of toe shape, heel height, material, colour and detail”. Vintage-y and fabulous if you ask me!

Matthew Williamson needs little introduction (www.matthewwilliamson) but people may not instantly think bridal when they hear his name, but I was seriously impressed with what they had to offer…

Matthew Williamson

The cafe at the entrance to the show…

 The bride and bridesmaid Rachel enjoying a well deserved glass of bubbly in the champagne bar… how civilized (notice I have a peppermint tea with my champers – I’m such a lightweight!!)!

P.S. A couple of other exhibitors worth noting:

David Fielden (www.davidfielden.co.uk) – his dresses have been worn by Liz Taylor, Julia Roberts and Kate Moss… a fairly impressive line up!

Emma Hunt (www.emmahunt.co.uk)  makes made-to-measure and bespoke dresses which are timeless and elegant.

The Magpie Vintage  stand (www.magpievintage.co.uk) was mobbed after the catwalk show and we could barely get a look in but the bespoke jewellery we could near looked fab!

Rosalind Miller Cakes (www.rosalindmillercakes.com)… these were so stunning I couldn’t believe it. They are renowned for their “delcious exquisite couture cupcakes, described as edible works of art”.

Temperley London (www.temperleylondon.com) offers some of the most elegant, romantic dresses around. For the best selection go to their bridal suite in Notting Hill, I’ve only had good experiences with clients in there…

And last but by no means least, The Utterly Sexy Cafe (www.utterlysexycafe.co.uk) are a “highly original catering company offering delicious food creatively served using an extensive range of fabulous vintage china for hire, as well as amazing wedding cakes”. This stand was probably my favourite!

Why is it that there are no in-between height shoes that you actually want to wear i.e. that don’t make you look like a bridesmaid? It’s not that I don’t like high-heels it’s just that I want a choice… Firstly these giant shoes make me really, really tall and secondly, I have very narrow feet, so I often struggle to keep these skyscrapers on. I have to spread my toes out in the vain attempt to stop them slipping off or I have to wear heel grips which make them a size smaller and therefore very uncomfortable. All in all I’ve seriously been struggling to buy shoes for ages now. I feel rather bad saying that as I’m a personal shopper but I’ve had exactly the same issues with my customers too – of the trendier styles, it’s drag-queen/lady of the night or nothing!

Anyway, last week I was going to a “black-tie do” and I had to buy some new shoes… so Monday PM therefore found me heading to Selfridges shoe heaven, sorry, I mean shoe galleries, to begin my search (www.selfridges.com). I tried on several styles but there were very few I could actually keep on, as they were all crazily high and they were pretty “blah” looking to be honest. I then came across a pair of STUNNING Corso Como Kurt Geiger Fashionistas that I’d seen in all the magazines for the last couple of months and here they were in my size, half price in the sale (www.kurtgeiger.com)!

When I put the right shoe on it fitted like a glove – unbelievably high but it looked amazing. I asked the shop assistant to get me the other shoe… and of course I loved them! I felt so tall and fabulous – and of course like a “fashionista”. I knew instantly that I had to have them. I asked the guy helping me to stand next to me to see how tall they made me. We worked out I was about 6”1 – I was clearly never going to find a man in these heels!! But what the hell, who needs a boyfriend when you’ve got shoes to die for!! Carrie Bradshaw eat your heart out…

I was SO excited with my purchase, I skipped home and couldn’t wait to wear them the following evening… The night of the event I decided not to put them on until I was just about to step out of the taxi – I slipped them on and looked down – oooh, the excitement… First step, second step… “Stone the crows” I thought to myself, “these bad boys are pretty tough to actually WALK IN”, of course I’d only tip-toed about 3 steps in them on the carpet when I’d tried them on. I had to concentrate so hard to walk it was ridiculous. They threw me forward so much I felt like I was being launched off running blocks with every step! It was a nightmare… I started to panic. I realized with horror… the shoes were wearing me!! My mind was so fixated on my feet I could barely think of anything else. As soon as we sat down to eat I took them off under the table – the relief! But when I had to put them back on I felt like one of the ugly step sisters, I could barely get my feet into them – and when I stood up I was in agony. I spent the rest of the evening walking and dancing like an imbecile. My toes were so cramped, it felt as though they were constantly trying to escape from the torture/hell I was putting them through and my every step was agony…

When I got home in the small hours I kicked the shoes off and swore I’d only ever wear flat shoes again for the rest of my life. The next day my tendons had stretched so much that I could barely even walk down the stairs and as I walked past my beautiful “Fashionistas” lying abandoned in the hall I pulled a face at them. “What’s wrong with bridesmaid shoes anyway,” I thought angrily? They literally were “killer” heels…

EBAY anyone??

P.S. I annoyingly saw a picture of Olivia Palermo sporting the exact same pair in yellow a couple of weeks ago in Grazia and she was wearing them as though they were ballet flats! Grrr… belated New Years Resolution – must learn to walk in skyscraper heels!!!

P.P.S. The yellow ones are even more fabulous than the black ones I bought, have a peek:

http://www.look.co.uk/fashion/celebs-love-kurt-geiger%E2%80%99s-fashionistas-court-shoes