What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

ROSANNA LEE.

This is me, wearing far too little clothing, in the snow on NYE!

Bowler hat and Shorts:  Topshop, Top: H&M.

This year I made the most of a New Year's in the midst of an arctic England by beginning celebrations at lunchtime! My friends and I spent all day frolicking in the snow before warming up with some mulled wine and a rather civilized meal followed by some considerably less civilized (or sober) games of Twister, Articulate, Kerplunk and Operation! Definitely the perfect way to see in 2010!

My New Year’s Resolutions are to waste less of my student loan on unneeded clothes by wearing or customising the items I still have in my wardrobe with labels on (shameful I know,) and to actually do the artwork I’ve been planning for my student house!

Written by Rosanna Lee.

What to Wear.. in January.

We work out what to wear for the trickiest of situations.

    
WELCOME TO 2010 MY FASHION-FORWARD FRIENDS!

The days are getting longer, but January is usually a dark, dank month so hit the sales for something to lift the mood. If you know your proportions well enough, (my feet are dead on size five and my top half will always fit a small) internet shopping is a good bet for a cheap pick-me-up. Even if you are not prepared to take the risk with clothes, accessories are a safe bet as the price of winter warmers such as hats, scarves and hosiery comes tumbling down.

Wrap up warm this January. My bargain, six pound, charity shop, faux fur coat keeps out the chill and the large collar negates the need for a scarf. 

I love Zara's extensive winter collection and the website is wonderfully slick. Scroll through the catalogue to find macs, leather jackets, trench coats and everything in between.

A fun and instant way to update for the New Year is makeup. Bright lipstick stands out in the crowd so dare to wear it during the day, keeping the lips matt to avoid looking overdone. Boots N^o 7 range does great lipsticks in a variety of shades and finishes with colours ranging from tangerine orange to raspberry red. I loitered for twenty minutes before opting for the pinky perfection of Forever Cherry.

Layering is key (and essential for those of us who refuse to heat our homes i.e. students.) Pick up some thin long-sleeved tees to wear underneath summery tops. Shorts need not be consigned to the summer. Many of my fellow bloggers are fans of opaque black tights under a pair of battered denims with long socks and chunky boots. Cute and warm, an excellent combination. 

When all else fails, hibernate.  

Look Featuring: Rose Long Sleeve Pointelle, 80'S Blue Cheeky Short, H By Hudson Francoise Studded Detail Flat Boot, Fringed Square Cashmere Scarf Grey, David Lerner Footed Leggings in Black and Grey.

Written by Katherine Cliffe.

Review of the Year.

The good, the bad and the crazy.. 

2009 IN FASHION.

I think we can all agree that 2009 was a year that some may call crazy. Blame Gaga, blame Beyonce, blame the mad cap designers of the world, but I’m sure that by the time we reach 2019 we’ll be looking back on our clothing choices last year and having a little giggle. Hell, I’m giggling now and I’m still wearing 2009’s fashions! Not that this is a bad thing, years of Victoria Beckham and Rachel Zoe had taken the integral fun out of fashion and it was the eccentric playfulness of 2009’s fashions that made it an exciting year for clothes lovers.

The major influence on fashion this year was the ‘80s. We all knew it was coming, the leggings and the slogan t-shirts of ’06, ’07 and ‘08 were building to a maximum impact Dynasty fest in ‘09, with a sprinkling of ‘80s Madonna.

Balmain reintroduced us to the shoulder pad in their 09/10 Fall Collection, Beyonce single handedly brought back the leotard in her ‘Single Ladies’ video and Gaga rocked underwear as outerwear even in a chilly British January. Pattern tights and PVC leggings popped up and denim jackets, Ray Bans, crop tops and body con skirts were the staple items in fashionistas’ wardrobes.

Perhaps it was the credit crunch that sent us running towards stylish comfort, but the year also introduced us to the holy grails of comfortable leg wear; the hareem and the, now student essential, jegging. A hybrid of the legging and the trouser of the decade, the skinny jean. The streets were full of people with full flexibility, their legs no longer restricted by their tight denim cage. The streets were also full of camel toes, but we’ll skip over that little issue.

Now that we were all wearing underwear as outerwear, mainly due to Christopher Kane at Topshop, we needed some layers to cover up under when we got chilly. What was better than a vest top/dress with arm holes down to the midriff to show off our floral bra-let, possibly with a black and white print of an obscure rock star on, or Kate Moss? (Thank you Ark.) Perhaps a translucent lace number to show off your leather bra and tuck into your sequin hot pants?

2009 was also the year that we all fell in love with the wolf motif, once only worn by people who bought their clothes from QVC and Bret from ‘Flight of the Conchords.’ We all wanted a wolf t-shirt in the summer, preferably a vintage wolf, and as we headed into autumn, we all wanted a vintage wolf sweatshirt.

Chezza Cole tried to keep up her fashion icon status on ‘X Factor’ but often ended up just looking weird. You must remember the weird mini dress/floor length cape combination. However, I think we must thank her for the longevity of the one-shoulder dress. Other fashion icons included Alexa Chung, who, after landing a US MTV chat show, was now a worldwide icon. American youths finally cottoned on to her sailor, tomboy style and winged eyeliner. As well as Cheryl and Alexa, Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni, first ladies of the USA and France, reintroduced us to Chanel and classic style.

The ‘It’ bag was seen as a thing of the past and we all fell in love with ‘It’ footwear. Stacked heels, lots of colour, lots of strap detail. Sometimes it was a shoe, sometimes a boot, more often than not a shoe-boot, but all of them were amazing. Whether it was the hoof like footwear in Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ video or the invisible mirrored shoe, they were all ‘fierce.’

 Not only did clothes become extreme in 2009, but make up did too. People fell in love with false lashes, dark berry black lips and matte grey nails. Hair was scraped back into high buns or decorated with designer bunny ears. Often it seemed that designers were designing for non human muses and sometimes they were. Marc Jacobs designed clothes for Miss Piggy and Christian Louboutin’s muse for part of the year was Barbie.

Like the outrageous Aunt that I only see at Christmas; 2009 was mad but lovable and I already miss it. I really hope that 2010 is equally wild.

Written by Kate Lloyd.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

VIKI IMRIE.

My New Year's Eve was spent at a dinner party with the boyfriend consuming much alcohol. My outfit was a long sleeved velvet dress, tights and a fur stole. The photo below shows me sporting it on New Year's Day, the morning after the night before, and quite worse for wear. Incase you were wondering, my beverage of choice was a good old cup of tea.

Written by Viki Imrie.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

GOTHAM HIPSTER.

I spent NYE with my best friend in the city that celebrates New Year's the best; NYC. 

My outfit was atypical of the holiday as I avoided the 'I bathed in sequins' look. I wore my "Curse of Frankenstein" crop top (clearly a TopShop purchase), lemon bandage skirt, and ankle boots for a bright and chic New Year's look.

Written by Gotham Hipster.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10.

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

KATHERINE CLIFFE.

For my New Year's celebrations I wore an Urban Outfitters bodycon skirt and sheer Topshop shirt with Miss Selfridge pattern tights and vintage boots.

My New Year’s Resolution is a perennial one; I will endeavour to put my poor clothes away when I take them off. Repeat after me; the floor is not a wardrobe, the floor is not a wardrobe…

Written by Katherine Cliffe.

What We Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

MARLEENA

AND

JO.

This New Year's, we went out for a gorgeous meal with our parents and then went clubbing with some friends!

Marleena wore a black, floral headband from Accesorize and a glitter bodycon dress from Topshop and Jo's blue lace, low backed dress is also from Topshop.

Written by Marleena and Jo Bancroft.

What I Wore for New Year's Eve 09/10

We ask our writers what they threw on for NYE.

KATE LLOYD.

This year I went on my traditional New Year's holiday in the Lake District with my family. We went out for dinner at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant and watched some fireworks from our balcony at midnight! It wasn't wild, but it was a good time!

 I wore an Ark black skirt, black tights and a vintage, deep purple, sequin, shoulder padded top and I changed into some little black ballet flats before entering the restaurant!

I also wore my GORGEOUS Shu Uemura limited edition brown eyelashes (a Christmas gift for me, from me!) which were a dream!

I had to wear my walking boots with my outfit to walk down to the restaurant because of the ice! I looked hilarious!

Written by Kate Lloyd.

What to Wear Over the Festive Season.

We work out what to wear for the trickiest times.

Once again Christmas is upon us and gives us a reasonable (as if we ever needed one) excuse to drink too many eggnogs and kiss innumerable strangers. However, the main joy of the holiday season is the gorgeous clothes and many many occasions on which we can wear them.

Velvet is back and a great way to add a bit of plush to your Christmas wardrobe. The featured Silence &  Noise Strapless Velvet offering is available at Urban Outfitters and is the LBD with a soft touch. It just begs for some fun accessories. (Think a chunky gold chocker or patterned tights, not flashing Santa earrings.)

Sequins have been on the rise all year and are more than welcome when Christmas trots around. If the full on disco ball look is not for you, add a bit of subtle sparkle with a fab bag. Accessorize's Wow Union Jack Sequin Clutch lives up to its name and will make a muted outfit pop.

New Year’s Eve is a night of excitement and anticipation, so up your chances of the perfect midnight smooch by wearing an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ outfit. Everyone likes putting in a little extra effort at New Year and Lipsy does great little party frocks in standout colours, like their Jewel Pocket Bandeau Dress in white and blue.  It of course goes without saying that you’ll be needing a pair of these Dante T-strap Purple Satin Shoes to reach the heady-heights of the six- foot-two hunk by the bar. 

If I could bathe in sparkle, I would and on a recent trip to my perennial friend Topshop, I got my twinkly gold nails on a sheer midnight blue blouse. Great with a bodycon skirt, it will be my date for New Year’s Eve.

Season’s Greetings fashionistas and let us all pray that we unwrap a fabulous coat/necklace/pair of boots on Christmas Day. Or all three. Happy Holidays!

Written by Kat Cliffe.

What to Wear to a Wedding.

We work out what to wear for the most difficult of moments.

Everyone loves a wedding but, after you RSVP, you face one of life’s biggest wardrobe dilemmas. Whilst you want to look your best, unless the bride is marrying your ex-boyfriend, upstaging her is a no-no. Nevertheless, as weddings go hand in hand with an excessive amount of photography, your outfit will no doubt cause you hours of deliberation and a lot of cash. Choose wisely and the rugged best man will be yours.

The golden rule of wedding dressing is to avoid any shade that may result in you being mistaken for the bride. White, ivory and champagne are off the cards.  

At a wedding that I recently attended, I came to the conclusion that formal is the best plan of action even though some people err on the side of casual i.e. scruffy.

Opulent fabrics such as silks and satins look great on pictures but to avoid unsightly stains I suggest a bib and steering clear of all drunken relatives.

Before hitting the shops, check the location; a strapless, low-cut dress in an icy church is not only inappropriate but chilly. Add a jacket or a faux fur stole  keep you toasty whilst the happy couple say their I-dos. Similarly, if you’re only attending the evening knees-up, you can afford to dress a little more extravagantly; so shorter hemlines, higher heels and more makeup are a yes.

Lest you forgot that you could be in your wedding outfit (and scarily high new shoes) for ten hours so make sure your outfit can take the strain. 

Don’t pick anything too tight and consider Magic Knickers. These bad boys will hold that gut in but expect to spend a good twenty minutes pulling them back up again. (Think Friend’s Ross in the bathroom in his leather trousers.)

Accessories can make or break an outfit and weddings seem to send people wild for coordination. Whilst that matching hat, bag and shoe combo may seem like the easy option, it can look painfully conceited and over-thought. Pick out a few colours and stick to them when accessorising.

Tell the bride she looks beautiful, flirt with the barman for a free drink and spend all evening rummaging around in your clutch for your lippy and a night of fun and frivolity is guaranteed. A wedding is an excuse to treat yourself to a gorgeous new outfit so be bold, be brave and you could give the bride a run for her money!

Written by Katherine Cliffe.

What to Wear to Meet Your Boyfriend’s Parents.

We work out what clothes are in order for the most difficult of moments.

 Having met the perfect guy and made it past the honeymoon period, you’re smitten, so wouldn’t this weekend be an excellent opportunity to meet his parents? You recoil in horror. In what will inevitably be a day filled with implausibly long silences followed by inappropriate questions to “lighten the mood” the one thing you do have control over is your outfit.

Here it is important to remember that whilst the horny student that is your boyfriend may appreciate a risqué hemline, dressing appropriately whilst still retaining your own personal style is a must. First of all, don’t feel like you have to go out and buy a brand new outfit. For testing times such as these, it’s always best to go back to an old favourite outfit. Don’t squeeze yourself into a pretty dress that fit before the student diet of carbs and alcohol took over; being uncomfortable is the last thing you need and avoid anything mumsy at all costs.

Here is your mantra: I must dress appropriately. Quiz your fella about potential activities so you don’t wear these five inch fitties to hike up Scarfell Pike. A broken ankle and a fireman’s lift from your boyfriend’s fifty-something father will make you wish you’d strangled yourself with your chunky-knit scarf. 

For a reasonably standard day of genial conversation my advice is as follows. Aim to look sophisticated, approachable and never brash. Jeans are always a winner but keep them skinny and dark to avoid looking cheap or too casual. Go for a statement top; think a smattering of sequins a bit of lace or an unusual brooch. A long-line blazer with casually rolled up sleeves will keep you looking presentable and painfully on trend. Flat pumps or brogues in a neutral colour or black will keep you from looking overdressed.

For a more formal situation invest in a tea-dress like this one from Lipsy; think floaty sleeves, above-the-knee hem and a pretty pattern. Coupled with thick black tights and shoeboots you will be both modestly covered up whilst retaining the cute you were born with.

Remember, children, this day is not a time to dress provocatively, but should be seen as an opportunity to showcase your own style. After all, prospective in-laws are to be tolerated, fashion is to be loved.  

Written by Katherine Cliffe.