AW09 Trends, SS09 Prices

The AW09 catwalks were bursting with black embellished pieces made with luxurious fabrics and sumptuous detailing. But not only do we have to wait until the end of the next month or even longer to see the full collections in-store but paying full price can be darn near impossible. So here’s the plan, it means you still get on-trend designer looks but for less!

The sales that are in full swing at the moment have a few pieces that will easily mix into the AW09 trends and what other reason do we need to bag a bargain than to know it will see us through till SS10? Also, as well as hitting the high-street for our pick of the designer sale bargains; the Internet has some mighty offers to temp us too. I had a browse in on-line today, purely research you understand, to see which pieces are available that will suit the AW09 trend and won’t cost an arm and a leg. I reckon these fantastic pieces are a total steal.

L-R: Sonia Rykiel full stripe skirt with large bow was £210 now £75 ASOS, Diane Von Furstenberg black cardigan with roses €254 now €178 net-a-porter, Joseph silk chiffon frill vest from €165.45 to €99.27 Flannels Fashion

www.flannelsfashion.com

Perfect Pastels at Tommy Hilfiger

Thursday afternoon saw me dashing through the rain (yuk) to the Tommy Hilfiger on Grafton Street to walk through the new spring / summer runway collection. (yum)

I was really excited because red, white and blue are the colours I would usually associate with Mr Hilfiger but rumours were that a fresh colour palette was going to be included. I wasn’t disappointed, look at how stunning these pretty silk pastels are.

Such gorgeous girly colours.

I fell in love with this leather striped Sapphire bag and matching Granite clutch

The pastel palette also ran through to the Tommy Hilfiger general womenswear collection, and this coat was a great example in the softest yellow leather ever.

Channeling Cavalli

Kate Moss’s is back as the face of Cavalli after relinquishing the role for AW08. This time though the ad campaign sees her representing Cavalli’s youth-focused collection, Just Cavalli.

See the ads, be inspired and channel a similar look from the high street:

Left: Kate Moss for Just Cavalli

Right: Wear the cardi a la Moss buttoned up and dripping in gold! Animal Print Cardi €38 New Look, Gold Wooden Bangle €18 River Island, Ring Link Chained Necklace, €25 Wallis

Left: Colour block your whole outfit and team this gorgeous body con dress with a matching pait of yellow wedges.Yellow Body Con Dress €15 Penney’s, Yellow Wedge Shoe €75 River Island

Right: Kate Moss for Just Cavalli

Sometimes matching your accessories works, team your leathers in rich times to make the look rock. J Rocha Leather Jacket €294 Debenhams.com, Brown Croc T-bar Platform €97 Office, Snake Skin Clutch €15 Miss Selfridge

Right: Kate Moss for Just Cavalli

Left: Kate Moss for Just Cavalli

Right: Splash come colour onto this gorgeous neutral outfit by adding the vibrant scarf. Stone Ruffle Dress €21.60 Asos, Limited Edition Beige Wedges €75 New Look, Pink Leopard print scarf €15 Marks and Spencer

Left: Kate Moss for Just Cavalli

Right: Keep your look totally casual with a cool slogan slouchy Tee and huge glam shades. Slouchy Tee €21.60 Asos, Retro Diamante Sunglasses €6 Penney’s

How to… DIY denim cut-off shorts

It’s definitely getting warmer so my thoughts have dared to travel to summery clothes and shorts. I Put these looks together to see the various ways that I could wear a cute pair of denim shorts for spring / summer season. I decided that as I wouldn’t be wearing the shorts that often (this is Ireland after all), the €179 that this gorgeous 7 For All Mankind pair cost could be better off being spent somewhere else.

So I decided to DIY a cheap pair to achieve the same look. This is how I did it…

1. Get an old pair of jeans or buy a super cheap pair from a supermarket / charity shop

2. Cut off both legs, about 10cm’s down from the centre seam (Step 1)

3. Put on shorts and turn up each leg twice to gauge the correct length

4. Mark the top of the turn-ups with pins so that you can see which areas to distress (Step 2)

5. Take disposable razor and rub across the areas that you want shorts to look distressed until they are worn through to the light threads that go from left to right. It might be an idea to put something tough underneath the cloth to protect the other side of the shorts.

6. Wear through all the areas you want and try to aim for the areas that would get natural wear like the waistband and the fly. If you aren’t totally sure how

7. Get some spray bleach or drip some normal bleach onto a sponge (wear your rubber gloves) and apply to the newly worn patches (Step 3)

8. Rinse and allow to dry

9. Put the shorts back on and pin the turn ups properly

10. Stitch the turn ups so they stay put. These jeans have elastane in them so I didn’t tack all the way ‘round as the thread would break. I just tacked various points on each leg (Step 4)

11. Press the turn ups and pull them on! Ta-Dah!

Now, the best part, deciding what to wear them with?

I really like the fact that they are all really different looks, with the same  little pair of DIY denim cut offs. The smarter look with the boyfriend jacket would work with opaque tights until the weather warms up, the preppy look with the navy-blue V-neck sweater would look really cute with knee high white tube socks to make it trans-seasonal but the casual look with the green parker and slouchy white vest defo needs sunshine and even festival wellies to rock it properly.

Its Vintage Darling but So On Trend

With the new spring trend for blush / nudes tones this delish website has a gorgeous collection of 50′s 60′s and 70′s pieces that fit the trend impeccably: www.itsvintagedarling.co.uk

I’ve mixed up them up with some high street and designer offerings on this mood board below

I love that pieces that were on trend 40 years ago have still totally wearable today! If there was ever a reason to keep everything in your wardrobe for as long as possible then this is it!

The company are based in the UK and have pieces that are even older in their stunnig collection. The company deliver throughput europe for £8 (approx. €9) per delivery.

Other pieces in the collage are from:

www.asos.com; www.missselfridge.com; www.dorothyperkins.com; www.dune.co.uk & www.schuh.ie

Must Have Dress

I just saw this dress on the H&M website and I love it. It will be a perfect in-between seasons / transition period dress.

Because it’s grey it will look great with black opaque tights and heels in the chillier weather. Then, because it is so pretty and feminine, it could be worn more casually, with white plimsolls and loads of jewellery, when (if) the weather warms up.

A Rare Find

This gorgeous feather cut silky skirt has channelled the SS09 nude trend perfect. I just can’t decide whether to team it with black tights and a biker jacket or totally girly it up with a bright knit and and hells!

http://rarefashion.co.uk

LV Spicy Sandals Collection / HighStreet Trend

Madonna is looking amazing on the most recent Louis Vuitton print Ad campaign but check out the footwear, total tribal trend…

and in close-up…

River Island have their own take on these for a fraction of the price – at £69.99 they’ll do me!

www.louisvuitton.com

www.riverisland.com

River Island SS09

River Island shows that they absolutely deserve to be the proud sponsor of Graduate Fashion Week (June 7th-11th London) with their lastest collection showing some truly inspired pieces.

Model of the moment, Amber Le Bon, daughter of Super model Jasmine and rock star Simon was the chosen face of the brand and she looks awesome here in the new SS09 collection. I adore this super feminine lace dress teamed with a boyfriend jacket and these amazing, edgy, multi-buckle heels. It’s a perfect SS09 look that could even take you through to AW09 with a pair of black opaque tights!

Graduate Fashion week has helped launch the careers of international designers such as Stella McCartney, Julien Macdonald amd Hussein Chalayan amongst others. www.riverisland.com

Westwood and Anderson

No, not some dodgy MTV mash-up… Vivienne Westwood has enlisted the copious charms of beach goddess Pamela Anderson to star in her latest ad campaign. Shot by Jurgen Teller this ad campaign has me drooling, it’s cool, sexy and hot.