As we’ve already mentioned AWear launched their Autumn Winter collection and got the almighty thumbs up from the wow.ie ladies.  Have a look at this clip made on their press day launch to see what big names in Irish fashion industry think.  We hear from Brendan Courtney, Meg O’Keeffe of Image magazine, stylist Courtney Smith and more, plus we even get to see our favourite gal Angela Scanlon work a couple of pieces that took her fancy.  You’ll get tips on how to wear some of the pieces.  Check out the camel coat that could be from any high end designer and THE key item to have this Winter, we reckon it will fly off the rails!

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Pictured above is a selection from their Antique look with both dresses priced at €35 and will work with tights, boots or pumps for a boho look.  The antique border lace skirt has been reduced from €30 – €10… HELLO!!  You can always bank on these guys to enable you to buy into trends without bursting your overdraft banks.  Their site is also useful to pick up tips even if you are not buying and incredibly user friendly so it’s a win win.

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Fashion is usually incredibly fickle, one minute flared jeans are in and the next minute it’s the skinnies that are all the rage.  So understandably it can be very frustrating when trends come and go, and just as you start adjusting to one look… it’s gone and along comes a new trend that you really just can’t see yourself wearing!!!  Just as well there is the old reliable… leather jackets… every season there seems to be a re-invention of this wardrobe staple, be it bomber-style, tailored, sleeveless, studded, zips, hooded… every season you are guaranteed to be “on trend” in a leather jacket.

Iconic in popular culture, leather jackets worn by such stars as Marlon Brando and Kurt Cobain, punk rockers The Ramones and The Libertines, more recently fashionistas like the Olsen twins and Alexa Chung and therefore becoming the epitome of cool!

The catwalks for Spring/Summer 2010 were awash with leathers in all forms… no longer just a Winter warmer, now leathers can be worn all year long.  Hermes had a full aviation-inspired leather jumpsuit, while Philip Lim (above left) channeled his leathers into light t-shirts and shorts.  Celine (above right) and Chloe also featured leather in their Spring/Summer collections this season… showing how leathers can now come in all shapes and styles, with t-shirts, skirts, dresses and even shorts!

Spring leathers have gone light both in texture and colour, the fabric (even when not real leather) is softer to touch than its counterpart the Winter leather jacket.  The colour palettes are an infusion of pastels, with light pinks, yellows, creams and even mint greens on offer.

Gone are last season’s heavy metal, rocker-studded jackets and body-con leather dresses… no longer do you have to be envious of Angelina Jolie’s vamp image.  Yes, leather is here to stay… but this season it’s a lot more wearable!

I’ve found some of the best options on the Highstreet…

Karen Millen’s new leather gilet… pretty neutral colour that goes with everything. To be worn with denim shorts and cool t-shirts for that festival look, or can also be worn over office wear for a soft tailored look! In fact, consider this an investment piece as I can see it working with pretty much everything in your wardrobe…and even next season it’ll be perfect with layering.

Topshop’s leather tunic dress comes in black and white…although the creamy white is perfect for Spring and doesn’t look like leather so it’s a little more wearable than the black. Team with statement heels and waist belt for a night on the tiles, or dress down with a boyfriend cardi and flat boots for daytime look.

For an amazing copy of the Philip Lim leather t-shirts, look no further than Wallis… not usually associated with ‘cool’, on-trend looks, Wallis‘ Summer collection really comes up trumps.

And finally look no further than River Island for a large selection of pastel leather jackets, including baby pink and yellow biker cropped numbers.  They are also doing cute little leather shorts… which are sure to outsell the denim ones this Summer.

So this season earn yourself extra cool kudos in a fresh Spring leather palette.  Leave Winter for the dark tan, greys and studded blacks… Spring is all about the softness and pastels.  But if you want to get the most out of your Winter leather jacket, then team a pretty ruffle/Summer dress for an A-list look!  It’s a pretty take on a tough look and by far one of my favourite looks for this season.

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It is the most stylish event on the Irish Fashion Calendar and the socialites and stars did not disappoint!

Taking their cue from Hollywood… the stars that got it right on the night kept the dresses simple and elegant, accessories to a minimum and barely there makeup.

You’ll remember from The Oscars, that bangles and chandelier earrings were the must-haves for jewellery, while statement necklaces were nowhere to be seen, gold and neutral hues ruled the red carpet and hair and makeup was minimalist.  Well, the VIP Style Awards certainly followed suit.

Total Xposure contestant and Assets model Ruth O’Neill looked beautiful (it’d be hard for her not to!), the dress reminded me of the paired back subtlety of Kate Winslets’ Yves Saint Laurent dress at The Oscars. It was simple and classic… if a little bit old for her.  Although it could have done with a bit of an iron before she left her house!

And can we say va-va voom… Glenda Gilson is certainly no wallflower, and with her private life recently being splashed all over the press it was great to see her basically stick two fingers up to the world and dress to kill!  She looked sensational in a bejeweled red dress with cut-out detailing and won the most stylish award!  Refreshingly she really sticks to her own rock-chic style while presenting on Xpose, wearing jeans, boots, rocker t-shirts, leather jackets etc.  She is true to her own style which makes her deservedly most stylish of the year in my eyes too.

There was one big trend that a few stars picked up on, which is the underwear/outerwear trend that is everywhere on the catwalk and high-street this season!

Sinead Desmond kept the lace overlay quite subtle and feminine, which is why she pulled it off superbly, and with a daring neckline the dress was made more exciting and reminiscent of a corset vibe.

But other guests who attempted the lace look weren’t so successful, the lace was either too dark, too much, or too heavy and they ended up looking more like they had been caught up in Spiderman’s web, than his love interest, heroine Mary Jane.

Yes, there are always a few misses at these events too and unfortunately the beautiful Rachel Kavanagh was another guest who got it wrong.  It firstly was something I would expect to see on a mother of the bride, or at least someone forty+ years Rachel’s senior.  The kimono style print and matching wrap-over was reminiscent of a 60’s housewife’s nightwear, and for someone so young and pretty it was a pity to see her drown herself in this outfit.

Anna Daly looked sensational… talk about hitting all the trends in one!  Ruffles down the train (but subtle), the gold hue ivory worked perfectly against her skin tone, and the unique butterfly/waistcoat effect on the bodice of the dress as well as the open back with jeweled spaghetti strap details, made it a statement number!  With the dress having enough detail she kept jewellery to a minimum with just one big bangle.  According to one Irish paper she had actually recycled her wedding dress for the event… well talk about recession proof and being ahead of the times!  Top marks.

But the star that stole the show in the style stakes was adopted Irish star, Michelle Heaton… a dress stunning enough to be seen on The Oscars red carpet.  (In fact it was nicer than most of The Oscar dresses we saw!)

The dress flowed in a teal blue chiffon with crystal cap sleeves and small crystal belt detail, she kept the accessories to a minimum and let the dress do the talking!  Her hairstyle was inspired by old Hollywood glamour, with sweeping waves and a side parting, and she also kept her makeup very natural and let her true beauty shine.  Although she arrived with her friend Katie Price, who was hounded by the paparazzi, it was Michelle’s timeless look that stole the show!

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Nude Notes…

The Irish females shone the fashion flag last night at the IFTAS… taking inspiration from our US counterparts, the best dressed of the night were those that stuck with the top trend of Spring/Summer 2010 in nude and neutral colours. Notoriously hard for Irish skin-tones to pull off, but subtle glows of tan made this trend more wearable, and even those that stayed natural managed to find a tone that complimented their paler skin.

Call me a sucker for the Grecian trend… but it is one of those evening dress styles that will just never go out of fashion. Xpose’s Karen Koster wore a stunning gold-blush dress that was cut at the empire line, and allowed the material to drape down beautifully. She co-ordinated her cute headband with the detailing on the dress straps but kept accessories to a minimum and allowed the dress to do all the talking.

Karen’s co-star Lisa Cannon also kept it neutral on the night, but it was far from boring in a curve-hugging, sparkly number with chiffon off–the-shoulder detail, and a small train down the back. With a matching sparkly box clutch, show-stopping earrings and a smile to match, she too was one of the most talked about red-carpet dresses on the night.

Also keeping with the Grecian trend was ‘No Frontiers’ presenter Kathryn Thomas, she looked effortlessly ethereal in a one-shouldered empire line dress. The chandelier earrings balanced the look perfectly, although if I were she I would have lost the skinny gold headband, as it was slightly overkill on an already gorgeous look.

Best actress nominee Charlene McKenna from hit Irish show ‘RAW’, looked sweet as pie in another one-shouldered number. The colour was absolutely stunning against her skin, however the dodgy flower strap and granny curtain print left much to be desired. Another star to keep accessories to a minimum with dainty pearl-drop earrings. If rumors are true we may be losing one of our best actresses to LA soon, and with her old Hollywood red carpet looks and the dash of red lippy she is sure to be a hit.

Grainne Seoige went strapless in this subtle tiered dress, a vast improvement from the dowdy ‘debutante’ dress she wore to last years show. It is young, fresh and elegant… showing us that a simple dress can be made more interesting with statement cuff bracelet and dazzling drop earrings.

Next up is the VIP style awards soon (see my comments here on last years)… fingers crossed the socialites and fashion darlings of Ireland take note from our Celtic Stars and do the red-carpet proud.

See our post on last years IFTAS here.

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If you could give grades for fashion brands it’d be fantastic… points depending on style, trends, quality and, of course, price! Well, I was at the Awear Press Day last week and all I can say is the new Spring/Summer line ticked every box.

I remember back when I was in school and my mum shopped in Awear… it was slightly less trendy, always approachable and affordable, but rarely a fashionista’s first port of call! Well how times have changed – it seems in the past eight years Awear has been giving top British brands like Topshop and River Island a run for their money and has become top of the fashion leaderboard.

This Spring is going to be a delightful array of nudes and peaches and pinks… just imagine rummaging through a ballet dancer’s trunk of goodies and hey presto. My favourite piece from the ‘Dakota’ collection has to be the stunning layered tutu-inspired skirt… toughen the look up with a cool t-shirt, denim shirt opened and flat leather boots to go for the glunge look. Or for those of you Carrie lovers… channel the opening Sex and the City credits and wear with a simple nude bodysuit underneath!

Another theme Awear is doing is the new take on last year’s military trend… a combination of utility and ethnic warrior. My must-have from this collection has to be the ultra-gorge green playsuit with ruffle detail… team with boyfriend cardi, over-sized shades and flat sandals or boots for daytime chic or go glam at night with chunky gold accessories and killer heels.

For high summer expect Miami Vice meets Cocacabana… the vivid collection is a refreshing surprise among a season so full of pastels. An array of bright and colourful dresses and individual pieces that will have you feeling like you’re on holiday even if you’re stuck in dull old Ireland. Channel Halston in these layered chiffon dreams that Nicole Ritchie and Rachel Zoe would ‘just die’ for. But your just gonna have to wait in high anticipation until June/July to get your hands on these gems. I have already put in a request for a long purple and blue maxi dress that usually I would consider too girly… but I’ve fallen in love!

And for my star buy of the season it has to be this strapless number… the neutral blush tone works perfectly with the uber soft, faux suede material, and the cut of the fabric gives the leather a new feminine look. Taking inspiration from the likes of Philip Lim and Hermes who gave leathers a much softer look for the Spring/Summer season, Awear’s new take on the must-have little leather dress from last season is ultra-girly, ultra-soft and ultra-wearable. You don’t need to be Angelina Jolie to get leather clad in this little number.

Top marks for Awear this Spring/Summer, showing that as usual… the Irish do it best!

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Under my Umbrella, ella, ella, eh eh could have been the song of the night at The Golden Globes 2010, the rain just didn’t stop… but that didn’t prevent our stars from gracing the red carpet in style!

Globe Goodies…

Christina Hendricks (of Mad Men fame) looked sensational! She was waving the flag for all curvilicious women out there! There are some old rules about dressing bigger frames, like stay away from volume and always dress in darker colours… well, Hendricks threw caution to the wind and wore a dress in a peachy champagne colour with extreme cascading ruffles… and she looked stunning in it! To top it all off, she was supporting young designer and project runway winner Christian Siriano.

The Brit star that seems to have taken over Keira Knightley’s former crown is Emily Blunt. She looked delicious in a rose pink tulle and chiffon strapless gown with ruffle detail by Dolce & Gabbana. It was delicate and effortless compared to some of the over-done American stars! The romantic trend is one of the biggest of Spring/Summer season and Emily wasn’t the only star rocking this floaty trend. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Elisabetta (George Clooney’s latest arm candy), Chloe Sevigny and Heidi Klum all followed this sweet fairytale look.

Fergie, who was a pleasant surprise on the night, looked like a Grecian goddess in an Elie Saab chiffon gown, again following one of the bigger colour trends of the season in a lilac colour, with a crystal embellished waistline and ruched skirt. She looked like a movie star with softer hair and make-up and has shunned that vivacious popstar look she is known so well for.

Some will absolutely hate Drew Barrymore’s dress… and I can see why! But being a fashion fiend, I have to love it, I do! I love sparkle, I love figure-hugging silk, I love the champagne colour, I love the embellishment and I love Atelier Versace… I just didn’t love them all on this dress! I also don’t know if I liked the clusters of sparkle embellishment block on her hip… why, oh why, would anyone want to add inches there? But she gets on the best-dressed list purely for old-school glamour effort.

The undecided…

Diane Kruger is always a fashion risk-taker, which I can commend; however, I still haven’t made my mind up to whether I love it or loathe it! The tie-dye mixed pink Christian Lacroix dress she wore was a little too couture for the red carpet, love Kate Hudson, and I love Marchesa just as much… so I felt bad about putting the two of them, on this list! Maybe it was the bad weather that made this frock look out of place? However, the white, origami structural-inspired creation by Marchesa just didn’t completely win me over! But like I said, it’s Kate Hudson who is gorgeous no matter what she wears!

Sandra Bullock, what can I say! Colour… gorgeous, shape and fabric… disgusting. Basically, she looked like a ‘Quality Street’ wrapper! Not good, Miss Congeniality, not good!

Lea Michele… the star of the new hit cult show Glee did look stunning at her first Globes show, but there is still something a bit off about her outfit. Oscar de la Renta is known for his dramatic dresses, and although it is a stunning dress, I think it drowned out her tiny frame. Perhaps this dress would have looked better on someone with fair features and a taller frame, Cameron Diaz for example!

Another star who usually always gets top marks for red carpet style is House actress Olivia Wilde. But her black and silver Gucci shimmery gown reminded me of a ‘90s’ Mariah Carey. The dress was exciting with a daring neckline and subtle draping. But the fabric cheapened the look a bit, which is why I am unconvinced.

Golden Grossness…

Light grey hues is a big colour trend for Spring/Summer… Patricia Arquette shows us how not to wear this colour! Her dress, made mostly of a dingy, grey flowy fabric, had a bizarre subtle animal print on it, and underneath was a gross metallic underlay. The criss-cross detail just made her look bigger than she is… a grey hot mess!

Penelope Cruz is not one to usually be on a worst-dressed list… however, borrowing a dress from Mortisha Adams wardobe is just never a good idea! Firstly, black on a red carpet is always a little too safe… so it would want to be an amazing dress. The mermaid style dress was over-fussy and the lace detailing was just too mumsy and totally lacked any of her natural sex appeal. She should have picked up some style tips while modelling for Spanish label Mango.

Another Mad Men star, Elisabeth Moss, looked like she was channeling Wendy from Peter Pan. The strapless, pastel-blue empire dress looked more a vintage nightie than a red-carpet dress and made her look frumpy, while the long necklace looked cheap and didn’t even suit the style of the dress. She gets points for on-trend pastel colour but that is it!

Dear, oh dear, there is not one positive thing I can say about Julianne Moore’s dress. It was shapeless like a bag of potatoes, an awfully dull and dark shade of grey (yes it is one of the IT colours of the season… but you got the wrong grey!!!) And then to top it all off, she had a fur trimming along the top that drooped down on her arms. I’m not even going to tell you who designed it, it’s that awful.

And the worst dressed of the night… gorgeous Avatar actress Zoe Saldana. I know it’s impossible to think anything could be disgusting on her, but this Louis Vuitton ruffle mess just did nothing for her. I have absolutely nothing positive to say about this look! At all!

See our post on Jimmy Choo at the Globes.

Images courtesy of Just Jared

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Ever since Madonna donned her Dolce and Gabbana cone bra, or Carrie Bradshaw swanned around NYC in what was debatably lingerie a lot of the time, the female nation (and of course male nation too) have been obsessed with lingerie on display! So it’s no wonder that Dior’s Couture (below) and Summer Collections are influenced largely by the delicate design of lingerie.

The Dior Couture Show Winter 2009 was originally inspired by the old photographs of Christian Dior dressing his models in the traditional French salon, where he previewed the collection to his clients. This is where the half-dressed effect came about; the couture collection has flashes of corsets, stockings, bras and knickers, and although there is a distinct 1950s’ style to the clothing, he brings the exposing of garments through in a very contemporary way.

He also brought this lingerie inspiration through to his ready-to-wear Spring/Summer collection (above); it is in a much more subtle way, with delicate sheer fabrics, deep silks resembling nightwear slips and lots of lace.

Then, of course, there was the “Under Cover” story by the Italian photo duo Coppi Barbieri for V magazine (above), styled by one of my favourite stylists Bay Garnett , with an extremely provocative and arty take on displaying garters and under-things to the extreme!

Other designers were more suggestive in their influences, with corset detailing appearing on tops, sheer fabrics and laces adorning many outfits and subtle flashes of flesh. The short shorts or high waited pants returned to the catwalk too this season, showing that it’s not only Lady Gaga trumping this look!

Celebrities like Daisy Lowe, Sienna Miller and Taylor Momsen are the people leading this trend off the catwalk! Taylor Momsen’s style is very grungy/heroin chic and just like Blondie back in the ‘80′s, she is championing this half-dressed, rolled-out of bed look… whenever she is performing, she is wearing some sort of underwear as outerwear or vintage slip dress. Some celebrities who have been channeling this underwear outerwear look for the past few years, in the worst possible way would be Jodie Marsh and Katie Price… whatever you do, do not copy their attempts!

So what about us real women…will I get sniggers and jeers if I go to my local pub in a cropped brassiere worn with my jeans, or my bra showing through a sheer top? Well I can assure you that, no, I didn’t walk out of my house in a bra. There is a very fine line between what is acceptable and what is not… looking like an extra from ‘Pretty Woman’ is not!!! However, there are ways for you to infuse this trend into your wardrobe. Try layering; wear a cropped brassiere like the ones available in Topshop under a sheer or lacy bra, or for those of you a little less adventurous, you can do this same look with a bodysuit under, so there is no flesh on display. Go for a lacy body suit for an extra lingerie effect! I have seen some gorgeous young girls doing the crop top style with high-waisted trousers, and hey if you have the body and confidence to do this, go for it! I don’t think I’ll be recommending wearing knickers out to anyone though… even former style-setter Sienna couldn’t get away with that look!

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Those of you that are Project Catwalk fans will know Ben De Lisi as the charming and a slightly annoying designers’ mentor. But those of you that didn’t know, he is also one of Britains best loved and most esteemed evening wear designers! Ben designs a diffusion line in conjunction with Debenhams called BDL by Ben de Lisi which has become one of the largest selling ranges under their Designers at Debenhams umbrella.

Well now Ben takes on his biggest challenge yet… he has become the head designer for Principles, and brings the British Highstreet brand back to it’s former glory with its new release early February at Debenhams. He has created a 106-piece collection for Principles specifically targeted at the 40+ woman. The collection focuses on well-tailored cuts, beautiful fabrics and flattering shapes and includes designs for weekend, smart day, occasion and evening wear, together with handbags and accessories. Ben de lisi spoke up for the brand, “I’m thrilled to be putting my name to and working on this new collection. It is aimed at the cultured, modern contemporary woman who has an eye for quality, cut and luxury. I just know it won’t disappoint,”

Ben de Lisi’s finest moment in fashion was when he made world headlines with the scarlet, one-shoulder gown Kate Winslet wore at the Oscars in 2002 (image courtesy of Wireimages). He hopes to return Principles as one of the big sellers on the fashion market, and since there is a niche in the market for dressing the more mature ladies, it is sure to be a huge success.

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It has finally arrived… the much-anticipated campaign for Armani featuring Megan Fox!

Ever since we heard Victoria Beckham had been shunned in favour of a younger, hotter version, you could already imagine all the females worldwide sighing and instantly signing up to the gym or starting that fad diet! Well, I have to say all that worry was for nothing… okay granted she is still and always will be a complete hottie, there is no denying that! But to be honest, I found Victoria Beckham’s advert way sexier and more alluring and more dynamic. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn’t expecting such sensuality from Vicki B, and I expected way more from Megan Fox, the photos are bland are extremely unexciting! Either way I am not impressed with the photos which were shot by renowned fashion photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott, who also shot Victoria’s campaign!

Not only that, but Eva Mendes, who is the same age as Victoria Beckham, is the face and body for Calvin Klein jeans and underwear… and her advert is also a lot more exotic and racy… she is 12 years older than Megan! So why was Victoria replaced? Well, Georgio Armani stands by his new model, claiming that “Megan is young and sexy and has a lot of spirit,” and that “Emporio Armani and Armani Jeans are all about a youthful attitude, making her the perfect choice for the collections.” In my opinion, Megan needs to step up her game before some older, more experienced woman comes along and snatches her new crown!

But no doubt the lingerie will still sell out, and men will be crashing their cars accidentally while staring at her giant billboards!

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Finally Cheryl Cole has gotten rid of those hair extensions and has given herself a mini fashion makeover. Gone (hopefully) are the days of the Xfactor live shows where she tried too hard to be on trend and uber -stylish, or that hideous mesh frock disaster she wore for her birthday! Gross!! She’s now a chart-topping solo artist, and deserves a new look away from tacky pop princess, this new look is more sophisticated and polished… but still keeps her young, fresh and sexy! Go Chezza!

Out at the weekend for a Gary Barlow bash she wore a gorgeous body-con Julien MacDonald colour-block dress, teaming it with a chunky Malene Birger necklace and her new shaggy crop! What I love about this look is the muted colours (a nice change from her usual eye-popping colours), extreme structured shoulders and sheer sleeve detail… she looks delish!

If you want to channel Chez’s new look then look no further than your favourite online stores, asos.com and lipsy.co.uk. Both stock a variety of colour-block style dresses. And also the very on-trend, sheer-sleeve style dresses. And for those of you wanting to get the real thing??? Well the dress will set you back a few thousand… but the ‘By Malene Birger’ Mondi embellished felt necklace is available on net-a-porter.com for only €169… a bargain for a piece of designer heaven!  First dress €51, second asos dress €17!

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