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!

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Everywhere you look theses days there’s a celebrity sporting a blazer so imagine our excitement when we stumbled across this striped blazer at Warehouse!

It’s well priced at €97 and would work really well with skinny jeans and a tee, change it around by adding scarves or chunky jewellery or linen trousers – weather permitting!  When our summer does arrive it would work well over a white bandeau dress or with a vest and short denim skirt with high shoes.

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Animal print is still around so if you don’t fancy the Bet Lynch print then fear not, there are other ways of sporting the trend.  Let’s take a hint from Nicky Hilton, Halle Berry and Christina Aguilera‘s way of interpreting the trend.

We found a couple of animal print tees at Warehouse that won’t break the bank.  Team any of these tees with skinny jeans or leggings, peep toe boots and a leather jacket or boyfriend cardi and, hey presto – you are on trend! The burnout tiger and feather pattern tees above are both priced at €33 with the feather necklace tee below a bargain at €26!

Image courtesy of mywifefashion.com.

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If you are lucky enough to be wined and dined this Valentines you better make an effort to dress up!  We’ve chosen a couple of different looks to give you some inspiration.  Our first pick had to be this lace shift dress from River Island where you’ll also find a pair of patent black platform shoes with a dark purple heel to complete the look and a treasure trove of accessories. Next we’ve chosen a fringed charcoal dress from AWear (bargain at €50!) that could be tamed with black opaques and maybe a splash of colour with some red shoes or why not add colour with a pair of red sheer tights.  If you’ve fake tanned it would be fantastic with a killer pair of sexy heels.  Either of the Carvela shoes below from BT2 would do the trick!  You could always splurge or maybe be splurged upon for Valentines and be the proud owner of these gorgeous Jimmy Choo red patent peep toe sandals for €495 (JC on line).

If you are just at the beginning stages of a relationship and don’t want to appear too keen or maybe you just want a funkier look then any of the three looks below may be what you are looking for.  The first two are by Gestuz and the last by Goldsign, all available at BT2 with Gestuz also available on asos.com. The Gestuz ‘pants’ are one of the biggest trends this season, in particular the first pair incorporating a haphazard print. Adriano Goldschmied, formerly of AG jeans, is behind Goldsign which is a new denim line to BT2.  Each pair is unique with gold detailing on the back pocket and even better they’ve just a hint of that all important skinny jean essential – stretch!

Alternatively if you want to go all cutesy and girly this Valentines then Sonia by Sonia Rykiel‘s little pink dress is a winner!  I absolutely love this dress, it’s colour and the detailing on the shoulders – detailing that WILL make your waistline appear smaller. It is probably the most discrete piece from the collection which is full of bold colours and prints. Perhaps give the sunglasses a miss if it’s dinner instead of a liquid lunch. This dress is available from BT2. Sonia by Sonia Rykiel is also available on asos.com and net-a-porter.com. Prints and a hint of 80′s combine together with this floaty girly Frill Hem dress from Warehouse and it won’t break the bank at €60! They also do a wrap style similar to this dress at the same price.  You can team this dress with opaques and boots for day wear or office wear and pumps in the summer.  Here’s hoping you are all spoiled rotten whatever you do!

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Knitwear was huge for ’09 and will continue to be big in 2010.  We saw it on the runways of Chanel, Pucci, Marni, Missoni (below) and Armani to name just a few.  Everything from chunky knit, to fine knit is covered so it is whatever takes your fancy.  Nudes or greys are the big colour trend this season but again anything goes.

Snoods are also everywhere this season so we thought you could combine the two trends with this handknit oversized snood from Warehouse. This cream snood won’t break the bank at €24 and is a great way to get in on the chunky knitwear look without feeling to ‘bulky’. It’s not often you’ll get a chance to wear what’s on trend and be cozy at the same time, so enjoy this one while it lasts ladies!

Read wow.ie‘s previous post on snoods here.

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As we all know ruffles are huge this season and everywhere you turn.  Rarely though do you find something that is easy to wear whilst incorporating this trend unless you are of similar build to Kate Moss!  Warehouse have managed to pull if off with this shift dress by adding the ruffle detailing to the shoulders.  This my friends, is the best way to give yourself a slim line waist!  You are building out your shoulder line which in turn will give the illusion of a smaller waistline -  fact!  It’s such an elegant dress that could work well with plain opaques or print.  This dress is priced at €78.

If you are a fan of the bejeweled trend this season then Warehouse have that covered too.  This bejeweled neckline and waistline dress is so feminine and flirty.  Try to avoid opaques with this one and opt for sheer tights.  A cuff bracelet may add a little extra bling if that’s the look you are going for – dress costs €110

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