As always we can rely on Topshop to offer us all the trends at budget friendly prices, or fast fashion as we like to call it.  The theme for their Autumn Winter collection incorporates a mix of peasant chic with prairie style skirts and dresses, switching to the opposite end of the scale hinting towards old English country gentry (super or oversized in this case!).  Expect to find: faux fur, lace (even in footwear!), animal print, metallics, tweeds and crochets.  They have covered every angle on the trends this season with something to suit all.

The peasant theme crosses over to their footwear collection with lace up boots from sheepskin to suede in mossy autumnal colours and animal prints.  Slouchy ankle boots teamed with prairie dresses are the way forward for Winter ladies while thigh highs and skinny jeans are back – not a look for the faint hearted!

Across the board are shades of Autumn and this includes their Core make-up range.  Tip – if you go to their make-up section you can view video tutorials on creating various looks for day or night.  All round we’re excited about this collection, be warned it’s a time tunnel once you hit their site to view the collections hours or even days could pass you by!

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The start of Topshop’s new Autumn Winter collection has finally landed and is said to be a mix of “tattered knits, tough leather, dark denim, flowing chiffon and intricate lace”… claiming it’s a trend that’s “tough on the outside and pretty underneath”.  Chiffon and lace has been seen across the board with each store putting their own stamp on the trends.

The experts at Topshop recommend laying contrasting textures to create a refined grunge look with denim continuing to be a hit as we think about our Winter wardrobes.  Keep up with the fake tan for now ladies if denim shorts are your thing but as the weather cools down team with leggings and a chunky knit jumper or leather gillet, all of which Topshop have done in style.  Our favourite from the new collection had to be this sleeveless Leather Biker By Boutique jacket which will see you right through next season, priced at £160.

We are also told pointy boots are back so time to dust off your winkle pickers!  Pair heavier fabrics with the softer while metal chains, studs and crochet add more depth.  Embroidery and mesh will add femininity to your wardrobe and it’s still ok to layer up your clothing – layering textures being key.

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Following on from last season’s obsession with lace, crocheting is shaping up to be one of this summer’s hottest trends. Though lace is still being spotted, the real fashion-forward ladies out there have swapped the look for chunky, knitted styles – most frequently seen in white or off-white. The good thing about this trend is it can either be worn as a cool summer day-look, or it can be dressed up as classy evening-wear.

A classy take on crocheting requires a delicate balance: too much flesh on display isn’t classy, but too much coverage and you wind up looking frumpy! So try on a few styles and be sure to get a second opinion from a friend. On their Spring/Summer 2010 catwalks, Marc by Marc Jacobs opted for a high neckline, long sleeves and a knee-length skirt to try and counter the almost see-through nature of their heavily crocheted dress. However a more easily worn (not to mention affordable) take on the look comes from Mango. By keeping the crochet detailing to the neckline and sleeves, their crochet dress will protect your modesty whilst the flirty ruffled skirt adds a youthful flair.

But despite it’s granny connotations, crocheting doesn’t always have to be worn conservatively. The trend has also been picked up on by party-girls and rock chicks world wide. Kate Bosworth went for a cool crochet mini paired with on-trend ankle boots for the hippest music festival of the year, Coachella. Kate keeps her dress daytime-friendly by layering it over a long white vest whilst her aviator sunglasses and slouchy bag complete her laid-back festival look. The best thing about this dress is you can snap it up for about €50 from Topshop – celeb fashion on a budget!

Meanwhile, Lois Winstone has been spotted in an even more cutting edge take on the trend. At the recent opening of Topshop’s Knightsbridge branch (glamorously situated opposite Harrods), the wild child of London’s fashion pack turned up arm-in-arm with Daisy Lowe wearing a white crochet mini over visible black underwear. With red wine lipstick and a shock of bleached blonde hair to top it off, Lois clearly knows how to create an attention-grabbing look!

Whilst I wouldn’t recommend recreating Lois’s outfit (you might be getting attention for the wrong reasons), there are other ways of bringing crocheting bang up to date. For example, try going for a crocheted romper instead of the more traditional dress – making it two trends in one. Free People make a great white romper with crochet detailing on the back which will cost you €79.88. Though it borders on pricey, the romper is a great all-rounder as it would look just as good at the beach, the barbie, the bar or the fields of Punchestown for Oxegen.

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Topshop, the most fashionable and original high street store on the streets of Dublin today, is finally putting the icing on the cake with a cherry or two on top by releasing their own make up range this May.

The make up collection promises a seasonal range of make up that is inspired by some of the hottest and trendiest places on earth like L.A’s beaches and Rios clubbing scene.  Their colours are going to be as wild and quirky as its customers who sport Topshop’s unique style, and were created by fashion trends instead of make up trends.

Those who have been lucky to have a sneak preview have mentioned that they have tried a nail polish called ‘The Big Smoke’ which is similar to Chanel’s popular ‘Particulier’.

Their aim is to make girls look natural so it’s no surprise that they haven’t focused much on foundations.  They have Skin Tint instead, which is a lightly tinted moisturiser and also Skin Glow for under the Skin Tint, that reportedly looks amazing.

Topshop have always offered fun and inventiveness.  They plan to keep us excited by changing their make up every season.  With the Oxegen weekend in sight their first instalments will be themed on festivals.  False eye lashes, bright festival colours and glitter, it just shouts festival!

With the promise of this make up range making its debut in May I plan to be camped outside the store before they sell out of everything, which is no doubt going to happen.

Write it into your planners girls, and be the first ones to sport the fabulous new Topshop make up range.

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Go nude… and blush!

With Summer finally here (we’ve been waiting aaages!) it’s time to say hello again to… culottes!  Yep, that’s right, they’re back and I couldn’t be happier!  Topshop, Oasis and River Island have all been freshly delivered with the cute shorts but Penneys have done it again and caught my attention first.  These cute salmon pink culottes with black polka dots are only €11 from the pocket friendly store.  I’ll be wearing mine with a little black crop top and pumps!

The hat is also from Penneys and is an unbelievable €4.  A safer bet if you are not a sequin headpiece kinda gal.

Continuing to embrace neutrals I’ve paired them with this blush pink top.  It’s from Topshop and is priced at €58.  It has a zipper back and victorian style sleeves.  Yes please!

The Balmain inspired peep-toe heels have a touch of military about them to toughen up this look.  They are from New Look and are priced at €19.  They’re very comfy too… trust me!

This Turquoise bag with gold chain detail and mock croc effect is sure to brighten up the dullest of outfits.  It is priced at €28 and is from Asos.

Oh Summer, we love you!

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Clog – such a funny word for a funny-looking shoe.  Associated with many Eurpoean cultures but most notably the Dutch, clogs have managed to creep their way into the trends this Spring, much like the brogue has done before.  Shoes are the one thing in fashion that tend to go full circle, dating back a number of years and all of a sudden explode onto the catwalks and filter down to the streets in a matter of months.

Once predominantly made out of wood, the clog has been tweaked since the 19th Century and has been reinvented by designers such as Chanel and Miu Miu (below).  Soon you will no longer need to learn how to clog-dance before stepping out in a pair of these wooden wonders.

Karl Lagerfeld came under a lot of criticism when he styled his models for Spring/Summer 2010 in custom made clogs with the Chanel logo encrusted onto the familiar bronze studs that attach the linen to the wooden sole.  But anything Vogue praises tends to become an instant hit, and when Alexa Chung sat cross legged on the cover last month donning a pair of these Chanel (below left) clogs, it has been all that fashionista’s can talk about.  She admitted herself that they are quite difficult to walk in, especially with tights, but since when has fashion been practical?  Louis Vuitton pictured right.

With an array of fabrics to choose from, such as linen, leather or suede, clogs are set to be this seasons ‘it’ shoe. Try a pair of Miu Miu’s sheepskin lined ankle boot clogs, or stick to the traditional silhouette but with a patchwork twist, the chunkier the heel the better.  And it doesn’t have to have a designer stamp, high street stores such as Topshop (below left) and River Island (below right) have imported their clogs straight from the Netherlands (well, from their factories, but who knows, they could have one in Amsterdam). Not to be mistaken with the extremely comfortable crocs, these new takes on the traditional comfortable clog are far from clumpy and frumpy as they have once been described.  So, you have to ask yourself, are you a cloggy?

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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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Sarah is showing how to do playsuits minus the mediterranean heat!  The khaki green silk playsuit is from the new range at Oasis for €50 and the boots are Topshop.  I totally forgot to ask about the locket – darn!  If you are a fan of bright colours this season check out the nail varnish collection at Oasis with oranges, bright yellow, vibrant coral, blue… not sure what they are like lasting wise but really bright fun colours.

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One of our favourite Street Style images yet.  This is such a great rock look and made to look so easy!  We didn’t know which to choose from whisty blogs so we were a little cheeky and took two!  Penneys, Topshop and Zara being the main highstreet stores responsible for these looks. The second look shows how you could work polka dots, shorts, tights and print trends all in one sitting…

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Once a gentleman’s outdoor shoe, now a staple in anyone’s wardrobe, the brogue has transformed its outlook to suit every style. The resurgence of the brogue, mainly the classic Oxford shape but the introduction of the Correspondent brogue in recent collections has proved to be a favourite.

Instead of walking in the countryside in the hardwearing leather shoe, both men and women have opted to don the brogue at summer festivals and on the streets. The now unisex shoe has become a hit with celebrities, with Alex Turner and Alexa Chung both wearing them, and also Agyness Deyn, Sienna Miller and Chloe Sevigny.

How do you avoid looking like the gent that wore them in the 19th Century? If teamed with a floral dress for spring, the brogue will add a touch of androgyny to an already girly get-up, and tan brogue look best with blue jeans to set a nice contrast. If it is the male look you are channelling this season, try wearing them with high-waisted chino’s to stay on trend, or classic black trousers echoing YSL’s ‘Le Smoking’ silhouette – if the leg is not tapered however, make sure the brogue has somewhat of a heel to them to keep the elegant look. Most styles are available with a mid-heel to take office wear into night.

There are many places to buy the ultimate brogue to suit your own personal style. The best place would be vintage stores, such as Wild Child in Georges Street Arcade or the Harlequin just outside it. Urban Outfitters cater for the ‘already worn’ brogue look. But also offer brand new pairs that will look perfect with their Spring/Summer ensembles. Topshop have a lot of different styles on offer, from classic tan to patent black, and come with a reasonable price tag. Office has both a classic brogue version and a reworked ankle boot type that combines both styles excellently. Whether it’s tan, patent or two-tone with tweed or studded, be sure and exude your inner masculinity whilst power-walking through the streets with a new air of exuberance.

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