Yes it’s seriously clammy and hot so thinking about Winter fashion almost seems like a chore! Bare with us, the clip below will tease you back to thinking fitting coats, capes and wolly jumpers.
We’re totally loving Karen Millen‘s Autumn/Winter collection. What do we like most… the colour palatte, as they’ve opted for simple muted tones that are more inclined to show off the tailoring as opposed to a loud print. You are always guaranteed well fitted clothing with these guys but they are probably better known for their use of bling, silk fabrics and prints. Not any more, check out their A/W ’10 collection here with Creative Director Gemma Metheringham giving a run through of what to expect.
We’ll bring you more on this when the temperature reduces and you can get your head around looking at Winter woolies!
Alex Curran sported a stunning grey dress by french designer Alexandre Vauthier, with his obligatory big shoulder pads for this season. His combination of strong shoulders, cinched waists and mix of dramatic details with rich fabrics are what makes his designs glamorous and sexy.
Alex’s figure most definitely can carry the figure hugging dress so well. If however we had to nit pick, perhaps a better choice of bra with more lift? The dress does have a lot going on with its bat wing arms and shoulder pads so Alex took the right option and went for minimalist jewellery, sporting just simple diamond studded earrings. Her hair was simply tied back in a ‘messy’ bun and she had smoky black eye make-up that finished off her sexy look.
We’ve all given her a double thumbs up here at wow.ie, all agreeing she is certainly rocking this sexy look. Alex has taken care of every detail with studded clutch to matching nail varnish.
We found this similar clutch bag on the high street at Karen Millen priced at €325 – a versatile bag which will work for dress wear and casually on a night out with jeans perhaps, a tee and fitted jacket. You’ll find a great pair of nude patent high heeled pumps at Dunnes Stores for only €15!!
Check out fashion from Alexandre Vauthier‘s runway below.
I actually bought this cardi a few weeks ago and can say first hand it’s definitely a keeper.
It’s from Karen Millen‘s Spring/Summer Sports Luxe range, to you and I it’s a fine knit parka! Being fine knit it goes with everything from jeans and trousers to dresses making it a great buy. The image doesn’t do it justice, this cardi is best worn open. The merino parka inspired cardigan with drawstring hem and zip detailing will cost you €140, and if you get as a much wear from yours it will be fit for the bin by the time we see Summer!
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.
Karen looked fab at the Brown Thomas Beauty Event last night. She certainly didn’t look like a girl who had just flown in from L.A. Those of you watching her reporting from L.A. on the Oscars may remember her wearing this dress minus the sequin jacket from under the iconic Hollywood sign.
If you want to get Karen’s look then head to Karen Millen. Ms. Koster was wearing a zebra dress at €199, teamed with a blue sequin jacket at €235 – both from the new collection. To accessorise team the dress with a matching bag also available at Karen Millen.
Yes, we’ve a trend alert ladies. The new prediction is sleeveless jackets, let’s just hope met eireann are predicting good weather to accompany this one! Personally, I’ve always been a huge fan of the gilet and have various types from the faux fur lined gilet to casual almost sports wear gilet for all those walks that never happened. Anyway, enough about my laziness and back to cold arms. Sleeveless jackets will also help you tick another trend, layering. Laying is our friend girls, especially when you have one of those days where you seem distinctly more rotund than you were the day before!
Here’s a look at what is on offer from the high street. Starting with Karen Millen‘s lightweight washed leather gilet with quilted shoulder detailing and trimmed with the usual branded metalwork. I had a look at this jacket yesterday and it really is a great piece to add to your wardrobe and feels incredibly soft. Priced at €325 – you’ll have this in your wardrobe for years to come.
How about this vintage style gilet in denim, THE most popular trend this season. This well fitted gilet would work layered up with more denim, fitted denim shirts with a lace vest top peeping out with skinny jeans, or shorts if you are feeling brave! Check out Warehouse for this one and it’s well priced at €46.
This has to be the best of the bunch! An on trend colour, the Khaki sleeveless leather biker jacket by Gap can be found on Asos.com. The jacket features soft leather (an essential if you choose a leather style) and an off centre zip detail to the front giving it more attitude before you rev up that harley! The best bit being that it is now reduced from €161.68 to €64.42!!!
If casual is more your style then here’s one that should be right up your street. Superdry (available on Littlewoods.ie) have designed the heavy padded gilet with a detachable hood so you can layer your own hooded tops underneath. There are button details to the sides to taper the fit more so you don’t feel like a giant marshmallow!
The Xpose girls (…. & the lovely Sean!), hosted the Time For Beauty Event this evening at Brown Thomas with demonstrations from celebrity make-up artists, and experts on hand all night dishing out advice. You could avail of having your nails done, skin care advice and make-up application whilst enjoying a glass of bubbly and canapes as the incredibly glamorous DJ did her thing.
Karen Koster came across so well and looked fab in a Karen Millen dress. Lisa Cannon is a real ‘classic beauty’ and rocked THE most gorgeous pair of nude shoes from Fran & Jane (I’m not giving any more away on those before I grab a pair!). Sean seemed like such a sweetie, I had to do everything in my power to stop my fingers from pinching his cheeks and telling him how cute he was… facial cheeks ladies, not what some of you are thinking!
There was a great buzz in the beauty hall, a great atmosphere and people coming at you from all angles wanting to offer you advice and a chance to be made over. Wow.ie was on hand to take snaps of those indulging in the spirit of this beauty event….
A trend that I see emerging everywhere at the moment is one that is so simple and easy to achieve but is totally classic and elegant, it is the black skirt and white/cream top. Almost all the high street stores are serving up their version of this trend, and many of them are making it easy for us by combining the black skirt and cream top into an all in one dress. The great thing is that most of us have these wardrobe staples already, so we can easily combine them with a few accessories to bring them right up to date.
The only possible pitfall of wearing this trend is that if you don’t get it right you could be mistaken for the waitress if you wear it out to dinner! To avoid this it is probably best if the top is not a collared blouse or cotton shirt. Instead go for interesting cream tops in indulgent fabrics like satin, lace or chiffon. You can have great fun with this trend by contrasting the fabrics and textures in the black bottom and cream top. There are also lots of great black and cream accessories out there right now that you can use to pull the look together. Add a string of pearls or oversized flower (yes, sorry the oversized flower hasn’t gone away) and viola, you’re ready to go. Add a red handbag or other accessories for an eye-popping contrast if you wish.
Pictured above from top left to bottom right – Karen Millen Belted Knit Dress – £99, Lipsy Colourblock Bow Dress – £45, Coast Jeffie Shirt – £70, ASOS Two In One Jersey Workwear Dress – £20.00, ASOS flower clip – €4 for pair of two, Faith Cirence Court Shoe – £60, Oasis Button Front Skirt – £40, Monsoon Pearl Bracelet – £8
Yes, it’s true we have had a nosey at Karen Millen’s 2010 collection and let’s just say we weren’t disappointed, but a little surprised as the collection is different to their usual style in that most of it is very wearable! There seems to be a more relaxed approach to the designs yet they are still elegantly tailored and the main theme – layering! We here at wow.ie are fans of Karen Millen but not all their previous collections have been as wearable as their latest. Anyway, you can make up your own mind after reading through our review starting with neutrals, a key trend this season…
The New Neutrals
Cool, calm neutrals from bone and oyster to dove grey and charcoal, take centre stage this season and I for one adore them (having recently purchased four light and dark grey tops!!). A relaxed silhouette dominates, from beautifully cut fluid trousers in jersey or silky Cupro to a seductively draped light suede jacket, none of which are excessively tailored. Separates are key and versatile; the palest grey silk top is decorated with delicate ruffles (€99), the new trench coat (€325) a must have this season is cut in a subtle ombred, while their cocktail dresses are finished with embellished jeweled shoulders. Embellished clothing has been around for a while so root out any pieces from the back of your wardrobe as we sense it’s not going to go on forever! The grey tailored trousers are priced at €140 and the leopard shoe boot at €199, with animal prints being another wardrobe staple for the season.
Sports Luxe
Alexander Wang lead the charge on this almost football meets fashion look with all the high street stores opting for their own take on the new ‘Sports Wear’ look. See our previous post on Track Pants for more on this trend. KM have given sporty pieces a luxe make-over; the parka is reworked in fine grey knit, classic tees are softened up with feminine drapery and the classic biker jacket is reimagined in soft blonde washed leathers. Body-con continues this spring with sporty bandage dresses in white or cobalt blue so put down the burger and get exercising! Pictured above is a slightly more palatable take on the sports trend – washed leather gilet €325, draped jersey dress €175 and metallic cage sandals at €199.
Underwear as Outerwear
Another trend we recently wrote about, see here for more on this look. Underwear becomes outerwear as lingerie and corsetry details appear in elegant tops and dresses. Remember there is a fine line between carrying this look successfully and looking like an extra from Pretty Woman! A sculpted black jumpsuit and form-fitting dress are cut with corsetry details along side peek-a-boo chiffon panels. Vintage slips inspire a nude silk halter-top trimmed with delicate lace. Beautiful French lace is cut into a delicate jacket to dress up or down, or into feminine dresses with seductive drape details. Should your budget be tight invest in some lace from the likes of Murphy Sheehy (back of Powerscourt Town House or Dun Laoghaire), and have it sown on to a fitted jacket or worked on a silk top or tee. Crepe jersey jumpsuit, €199 – leopard shoe boot also €199.
Monochrome Mantra
Black and white provides some of the season’s most graphic combinations; we found a sharply-cut body con dress with origami fold neckline comes in strong monochromatic stripes. A tailored gingham dress has a softly voluminous skirt which has such a flirty feel, while crisp white shirts are cut with drape and ruche details. A black and white oversized clutch or white leather bags with tassels or fringe continue the monochrome theme and will sit with so many looks in your wardrobe so you can justify the investment! To recreate the look the tailored cropped jacket €250, Metallic jacquard skirt €125 and stacked bangles gladiator sandal €175.
Hot Tropical Colour
Vibrant cobalt blue, coral and sunshine yellow add pops of bold uplifting colour to KM’s collection this season. Abstract digital prints give summer dresses a cool, futuristic feel while a taffeta trench in dazzling chartreuse is spring’s ultimate eye-catching cover-up. DVF did a very similar dress to this last season which I just missed out on buying during BT‘s sale, I won’t miss out on this one! Kaleidoscope print dress €199, gladiator sandal as before.
Accessories
The gladiator (no, it’s not going anywhere!), gets an update with studding, metallic finishes or sparkling crystal embellishment. Bags continue the soft and slouchy aesthetic of the main collection with oversized super-soft leather bags in primary brights, cool neutrals or chic leopard prints. Fringing, tassles and circle cut-outs in leather add texture to day bags while bangles embellished with glittering crystals provide the perfect finishing bling! You can always count on Karen Millen for footwear, my weakness being their boots.
So now you have a round up of KM’s 2010 collection, let us know if you take a closer look…
It really is red carpet season so we thought why not get in on the act and scour the high street for the best there is – should you be lucky enough to need it! We were pleasantly surprised by the choice and rather frustrated at having to trim down our selection but lets hope we have saved the best.
February is after all awards month in Ireland! With the Jameson Film Festival kicking off on the 18th February, the Meteor Music Awards on the 19th February and the I.F.T.A.’s (Irish Film and Television Awards) on the 20th February, red carpets are set to showcase some serious dresses and accessories. We wanted to show you how to achieve the look from high street stores, that won’t break the bank! To whet your appetite, wow.ie have put together a selection of evening dresses and accessories to highlight this seasons hottest looks suitable for many occasions including the red carpet, 21st’s and black-tie weddings.
To begin our high street hit list was Monsoon. Our first find was not too dissimilar to Nicole Kidman‘s Prada dress which she wore to the Grammys, minus the ruffle neck detailing! Blue was also a popular colour at the Grammys with Fergie opting for a stunning short Emilio Pucci dress, Taylor Swift in a full length Kaufman Franco ‘glitter-tastic’ dress and Miley Cyrus in a short Herve Leger by Max Azria dress teamed with gladiator heels. Our Monsoon favourites (top) are all well priced, from left – Allepo dress €280, Westbourne Maxi Dress €305, Kalahari Dress €310 and finally the Annabelle Dress at €250.
Our second store of choice for awards attire had to be Karen Millen! The first dress from Karen Millen has a hint of Carrie Underwood‘s Grammy dress and the last dress was taking lead from Givenchy‘s use of lace, a big ‘boudoir’ trend this season. We also saw a kaleidoscope of colour at Couture week in Paris last month with Valentino leading the charge. Also bare in mind that animal prints are STILL in. From left here’s what we’ve listed from Karen Millen – Cream Graphic Sequin dress €235, Blue Zebra print strapless dress €199, Kaleidoscope dress €199 and the beautiful lace dress €235.
Our final hit was Coast – where else! I will admit to being nervous when it comes to shopping at Coast with the nagging thought that most of the other guests will probably have visited the store on their quest to find a dress. However they probably do dresses better than anyone else on the high street so we couldn’t resist. We uncovered every type of dress but decided with a busy month of red carpet events to go with the full length options. Again from left, Blue Symphony dress €205, second dress is the same as the first dress except we preferred it in the pink (a big colour this season), Harmony Maxi dress €325, Anise Maxi dress €250 and the Zola Beaded Maxi dress at €250.
Dress sorted but look far from complete without accessories. This is such an integral part to having a complete and polished look, plus it’s a way you can add a pop of colour or ‘craziness’ to an otherwise simple or block colour dress i.e. the old reliable LBD! If the budget is tight pick up an inexpensive dress and invest in good accessories that can be worn again and again with both day wear or evening wear. We’ve mentioned Irish designer Ali Nash before, great jewellery that’s not mass produced and something a little different. (Check out our previous post on Ali Nash here or her site alinash.com) Ali will also create a bespoke piece if you have something particular in mind which would add to the sense of glamour. Failing that we’ve picked out some of the best on offer through the high street and again we were not disappointed.
Let’s start from top and work our way down! Earrings, love them or hate them they are a must have accessory this season. We’ve chosen accessories mostly from Accessorize. These colours will go with any dress so you should get to wear them again and again. From left – Pearly Chandelier €20, Show Stopping Chandelier €24 and the Teardrop Earring for €20. All well priced.
We were sticking with Accessorize for accessories but we couldn’t resist adding a twist with these necklaces from Friis at BT2. They will had an edge to which ever dress you choose. The first would sit so well with the pink Symphony dress from Coast where as the other two will give an 80′s funky finish to any dress, and then work with a tank top or tee and skinny jeans for casual wear.
If you don’t have an assistant or make-up artist on hand you will be lowered to carrying your own handbag! We’ve discovered three absolute gems at Accessorize with our favourtie being the bow detail bag in the middle. Who needs Gina when you can ‘bag’ (sorry, couldn’t resist) yourself a Sparkly Clutch for €51! Our pick, the Babylon Bow Clutch, is an amazing €42 and the Chainmail Clutch, €42.
You have almost completed your look, the finishing touches are the Mega Bling Bracelet €30.50 and/or the Pearly Queen Bangle at €27. Add to that an obnoxiously large ring and you will fit in on any red carpet. Rihanna is always spotted wearing large costume rings, our choice from Accessorize, the Keepsake Ring is a bargain at only €25.50! There you are fully kitted out, now you just need the invite!
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