Denim is a staple piece in any wardrobe. From the perfect pair of jeans to a denim jacket or shirt, it is interchangeable and infinite. This season, channel your inner Debbie Harry and mix your denim with denim. The key piece in this look is the denim shirt. It is strong, simple and can be understated or sexy depending on the shape and indeed your mood. Indigo, stonewashed and even white denim is making a comeback and the most affordable way to stay on trend is with the trusty denim shirt.

On the cover on this months Vogue, Alexa Chung is slouched in a pair of denim jeans with black Chanel clogs (another one to watch out for). Inside, she describes her love for all things denim and I couldn’t help but both agree with her and feel overwhelmingly jealous. While us mere mortal’s scour the high street for that perfect pair of jeans to emulate the comfort of our Levis 501 hand-me-downs, Alexa notes that she found her dream pair at Balenciaga. And that’s all it will be for us, a dream.

The denim shirt has exploded into every store this season (Topshop, Topman, New Look and Penneys to name but a few), but it has been present in fashion since it was almost a uniform for hippies in the 70s at Woodstock and has also been filtering down from the catwalks over the past few seasons. Spring/Summer ’10 catwalks saw troops of models clad head to toe in denim, but the shirt was the piece that shone through.

There is a range of different ways to wear this ultimate piece. A loose fitted man-sized shirt, such as these shirts from Topman, can be left open as a jacket or buttoned and belted, and it can look chic when tucked into the waist. Denim on denim was a favourite at Chloé with a loose fitting denim shirt that had the pockets ripped off to reveal deep indigo patches and dark fitted jeans with lighter denim shins. Take note from this look by wearing the denim on denim with contrasting washes; lighter on top and darker on the bottom for the body conscious fashionista’s among us. With such a denim overload it is important that accessories do not overpower the look and shoe choice is essential to avoid looking like you’ve just come from a rodeo. Pin this image of Britney and Justin to your wardrobe to remind you what happens when denim attacks.

Denim shirts are widely available from designer to high street but all seem very similar – it’s how you wear it that stands out. To revamp the classic 70s look, try adding lace into the mix. By attaching a strip of lace under the collar and across the shoulders, it immediately updates this classic look and adds a modern twist.

The denim shirt (first Topshop, second New Look) will last for seasons to come and is a great item to have in multiple shades and shapes as this will allow you to either look chilled out for a day look. With the right belt and shoes can transform into an evening silhouette – just remember to back away from the cowboy boots.

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This Springs new trend that emerged back in September on the Spring/Summer ’10 catwalks of all the major fashion houses has been coined the Utility Trend. It has been deemed both hard-wearing and chic. It isn’t a far cry from last years fashion safari with a similar colour palate-muted beiges, greens and browns that overpower this trend.

The key items in this military derived trend are oversized parkas, cargo trousers in cotton or silk and military jackets. However much a re-run of the nineties this trend may resemble, it does not mean you should dig out your copy of What’s the Story Morning Glory or the parka worn to mimic the Gallagher’s and Richard Ashcroft. This time around it is more refined and clean cut, not the baggy and dirty Brit pop look. Louise Trotter, Joseph’s creative director says “Less nineties grunge, more Brigitte Bardot in the sixties. This look is strong but sexy, and best worn with heels, not hunters.”

The jacket has been reworked by many different designers. At Louis Vuitton, the classic bouclé jacket has been transformed into a Sergeants dream with large button down pockets. The shoulder silhouette-loving Christopher Decarnin has declared war on rival fashion houses with his brass buttoned tail coats and dripping sequined shoulders at Balmain. Jackets are to be worn belted, not slouchy, and chinos should be teamed with chunky heels for the added edge.

Phoebe Philo, new creative director at Céline has created utility work-wear that will have you marching in line around the office. In Hessian shades, starched fabrics are a testament to military wear. She also included leather skirts in a variety of colours, and leather t-shirts that will have everyone vying after them. Christopher Bailey is always at the forefront of any look that boasts a muted colour palette and this season trenches at Burberry Prorsum will have you ticking all the right boxes. Bailey also introduced another trend into the mix- socks and chunky sandals. What was once associated with unfashionable men in the summer, has now been reinvented and made quirky. Get your pair from the high street in stores such as Topshop, Gap and River Island. Knitted and ribbed, these wonders should tide you over until that Burberry trench finally becomes affordable.

Fashionistas- Forward march!

Top L-R: Balmain, Burberry Prorsum, Celine, Rag & Bone, Liam Gallagher

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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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The fashion world are hailing Marc Jacobs an innovative genius for introducing the bunny ears to the fashion world… but they’ve been around for a long time, so where exactly did he get his inspiration from? There is of course the infamous Playboy bunny costume introduced by Hugh Hefner in the 1950’s and, instantly associates bunny ears with sex appeal.

Then, of course there is the return of the Cadbury’s Caramel Bunny, who’s new look and dress was designed by Top Brit Designer Giles Deacon this year. It is also being debated whether Maison Michel came up with the idea first or not? He had made lace headpieces of bunny ears and mouse ears too, and Marc admittedly came across the idea accidently when he saw someone with a large ribbon in their hair resembling ears.. So when Marc Jacobs’ Fall collection for Louis Vuitton came out this year (pictured bottom), and his models paraded the catwalk with bunny ears, was this fashion history in the making or a copycat idea?

Regardless of who thought it up first, as usual, celebrities are the first to take on this outlandish trend, no shocks that Lady Gaga and Madonna were one of the firsts to wear them in public. But now uber cool Olsen twins and singer Lily Allen have been seen taking on the trend too. I do think this look is actually really cute… but I really can’t see myself walking down Grafton street donning a pair of animal ears just yet? However, I also remember everyone initially laughing at leggings, skinny jeans, shoulder pads and structured skirts so maybe, just maybe this too will become known as “wearable”. Topshop have already begun to challenge the trend and have come up with their very own versions of slightly smaller headbands, so a little more normal, but I am still yet to see anyone actually wear them!

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Dune- Leopard print boots £99/€120 approx. I’ve been trying to find leopard print boots for a while now and when I saw these in last weeks Style magazine I knew I was destined to have them. The high heel makes them an all round shoe as I can wear them during the day with harem pants or at night with a plain black dress. Let the shoes speak for themselves!!

Argos-Casio Watch €29.99. I much prefer men’s watches to women’s. The wider face and thick strap make it more noticeable than a dainty watch.

Topshop-Kate Moss Suede Mini Dress £150. Unlike everything else in Topshop at the moment, this has a classic zip-up back so there’s no need to worry about a pasty white back. The elegant long sleeves are perfect for a black tie event and when teamed with glitzy accessories can be turned into a party dress in a flash.

Balmain Leather Jacket, price on request. Everyone needs one!

Even though it’s winter there’s never a bad time to buy sunglasses. Ray-Bans are forever, or at least that’s what I keep telling myself with such a hefty price tag. There a so many variations of these glasses available, like the ones modelled here from asos.com, but I’m a sucker for the real thing when it comes to quality.

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Topshop are following the big design houses and putting a Parisienne twist to their range.  Polka dots, stripes and pearls are the main staple to create this classic look and as always Topshop are the recession friendly people to help us recreate the designer looks.

They’ve a great range of scarves which are great if you are on a tight budget as a scarf can redefine an entire look. The last chain print silk scarf is such an elegant touch, the other two are great for casual wear with tee’s and skinny jeans.

As modeled above the bow side tie skinnies have a real ‘sensation de Paris’ (feel of Paris, the extent of my French vocabulary!) as does the fabulously flirty layered bow skirt.  But, just in case this is all too subtle for you, then you may want to resort to the full on in your face Paris themed tees – don’t forget your pumps, very Oh la la!  The striped tee would work really well with the skinny jeans and silk scarf…

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When a black leather jacket is mentioned one usually envisions a rock n’ roll band from the 60s or an anarchist punk band strutting around on stage in the late 70s. One also conjures up an image of bad-to-the-bone groups of people, namely Hitler’s Gestapo and the frightening Hell’s Angels.

Nowadays, the indie scene has brought the leather jacket back to life on the music circuit, and with designers such as Balmain and Gucci cladding their models in leather, it’s no wonder the streets are suddenly awash with fashion’s most recurring trend. The anniversary of Balstaff kicked off the trend a few years back and ever since then the leather jacket has found a way to pop up in designers’ collections every few seasons.

Style icons made the leather jacket accessible to the masses when it made its cinematic. James Dean and Marlon Brando wore the ultimate statement piece in films such as Easy Rider and Rebel Without a Cause. Leather jackets, faux or otherwise, have also become a trusty wardrobe staple for the adoring music lover. Ever since the likes of Neil Young and Jimi Hendrix stepped out on stage donning a leather ensemble, the crowd were instantly converted and quickly clambered to their nearest leather jacket supplier to mimic their musical heroes. Kate Moss, Karen O’ and Strokes’ lead singer Julian Casablancas have always been fans of the leather jacket which has now become a new hit at summer festivals. The festie spirit has continued on into the winter months with many people opting to wear their leather as an over-garment, replacing the ubiquitous cosy knit for a hard-edged accompaniment to a day frock and the look can easily translate into eveningwear also.

The old silhouette however is being replaced by this seasons’ must-have. Balmain started the new shoulder padded version which is spearheaded by Victoria Beckham and Rihanna, and Christophe Decarnin has carried this look into his Spring/Summer ’10 collection. The introduction of studs, tassels, multiple (and completely unnecessary) zips, safety pins, cropped lengths and a range of different colours have given the old battered leather jacket a contemporary feel. These fresh new designs have elevated the leather jackets’ social status once again and unleashed it onto the cobbled catwalk.

Topshop Stud Leather Jkt

At a time when luxury buys are an infrequent splurge, this staple piece is sure to tide the shopper over for the next season or two. With designers such as Balmain and Balenciaga keeping the leather theme running through their collections, and shops like All Saints, Topshop and H&M packing their stores with multiple variations of the leather jacket, it’s no wonder the new jacket has become somewhat of a uniform item on the streets.

And with the constant resurgence of such a piece, it is no doubt that when this trend evaporates, it will spring back to life once again. So don’t go throwing them out as soon as the catwalks do!

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Well, that’s good timing for anyone living in Cork and shopping for a crimbo ensemble!  Yesterday Cork saw Topshop open a new store at 14 Academy Street.  To celebrate they were giving away hot chocolates, gift cards, hidden prizes and a ‘win the window’ competition which gives you a chance of winning all of the clothes from their window display amounting to €500!

Here is a selection of pieces you can expect to see should you pay them a visit.

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The fashion industry tends to create vocabulary that soon becomes an everyday word.

One new word that has been plastered across shop advertisements recently is ‘snood’. It derives from the term, ‘scarf-come-hood’, which lets face it, is far too long to say when discussing this seasons’ must-have accessory. The knitwear contraption goes on over the head and sits neatly around the neck like a scarf. Luckily after wearing, it doesn’t result in the dreaded hat-hair crisis that usually follows the wear of such weather protectors.

This wonderful invention to protect us against the brisk winter winds (that are already ruining our carefully styled manes) has been seen in every designer’s collection. Anything Christopher Bailey projects onto the catwalk is sure to be a hit, and with the clean cut muted colours for women and the traditional Burberry print emblazed on the male versions, everyone will undoubtedly be snooded up this season. For a more statement snood, Mathew Williamson is your man. His blue fluffy number is a great way to stand out from the miserable weather whilst remaining on trend.

There are so many different fabrics and styles to choose from, including stretch nylon in the longer pieces, and textured cotton knits for the more cosy snood. The high street stores have jumped on the bandwagon so you are sure to find one that suits you, be it in extravagant colours or a more demure palate. Topshop’s Fair Isle print gives a classic tone to your look, whereas the blinding coloured snoods available from River Island will ensure flickers of jealousy from passers by. So get your scarves off and get your snoods on, honey.

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Looking for a tailored jacket that screams blinging style, then look no further! Topshop have just stocked up on their ‘Hero Worship’ sparkle and gem covered black short fitted jacket. Shown here with a daring pair of lacey tights you could tone it down with hotpants and opaques, leggings or skinny jeans.

The great thing about this jacket is it will work day or night depending on what you team it up with. It will certainly see you enter the Autumn/Winter season in style! Warning – this jacket is hand wash only

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