My Fashion Life

The only way to balance the proportions of a swing coat, high waisted flares, or a mini-shift are with wedges and platforms, both are here to stay (for the summer at least). Not only are they chic, add height and make your legs look fabulous, but they are comfortable enough to wear all day and party all night thanks to tougher, wider heels and platform soles. So where should one start? What colours should we be buying and where can we find them? The answer is everywhere, but these are my top five:

Dorothy Perkins: Grey suede round-toes with a wooden wedge - they’re a bargainous £25, and are the perfect way to bring high fashion into a working wardrobe. www.dorothyperkins.co.uk

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If you’re heading to the sales for one last whip round keep an eye out for smock dresses, I’ve seen loads about and at really great prices too…..remember just because they’re in the sale doesn’t mean their out of style. Many have combined this season’s popular bold colours and patterns with the smock shape, which is very flattering if you still have a little extra bloat from the festive period!! The dresses are extremely versatile, and can be dressed up or down. For an effortlessly stylish look combine your smock with leggings and pumps and if you’re going for something a little less casual, try mixing and matching with jeans and heels.

Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4

With less than two weeks to go, London Fashion Week is fast approaching and boy does it have some treats in store for us! British footwear label, Scorah Pattullo will once again be collaborating with our favourite Greek designer Marios Schwab and the fruits of their labour will make its preview as part of Schwab’s Autumn/Winter 2007 presentation during fashion week. The shoes below - the result of Scorah Pattullo & Schwab’s first alliance - made their debut last season and will be available to buy from Feb 2007. Scorah Pattullo can be found at selected outlets and also online at www.scorahpattullo.com .

I love the winter, I do, but it’s so hard to maintain a chic and elegant exterior when you’re shivering from your very core, and all your efforts are spent trying to stop your teeth from chattering. Staying warm during this cold snap couldn’t be better. From the trench to the jacket, there is a coat out there for all of us….

The Trench: Versatile, timeless and classic

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As Victoria Beckham is carving a new career in the shape of a ‘professional style icon’, why is it that fashion writers and fashionistas alike are still asking why she continually gets it wrong? It’s certainly not the fault of the clothes - there was nothing wrong with the Giambattista Valli dress she sported some weeks ago, or the Louboutins she wears at every photo opportunity. She’s got the figure to carry off almost any style (though the measures she takes to achieve it are somewhat extreme) and she was some steps ahead of the pack with her gamine bob. So what is it about Posh that is working against all the good work? Few took her fashion book That Extra Half and Inch seriously, despite the fact that it was actually penned by esteemed Guardian fashion writer Hadley Freeman, and Grazia continue to critique almost every outfit with savage wit.
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What: Nicole Farhi (February Sale)
Where: 45 Balfe St, London, N1 9EF
When: 23rd - 24th Feb (10am – 8pm) 25th Feb (11am – 5pm)
For more info visit Designer Warehouse Sales

Get rid of those winter blues with some retail therapy……

What: Womenswear Designer Warehouse Sale
Where: 45 Balfe St, London, N1 9EF
When: 2nd Feb (10am - 8pm) 3rd feb (10am - 6pm) 4th Feb (11am - 5pm)
More info: designerwarehousesales.com

What: Secret Sample Sale
Where: Old Truman Brewery, 90 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL.
When: 2nd Feb (11am - 7pm) 3rd - 4th Feb (11am - 6pm)
More info: secretsamplesale.co.uk

How strange…..Rimmel were willing to stand by Kate Moss through her drug scandal but god forbid they stick with her through the aging process. The rumour mill is spinning again with reports that Kate may be dropped by Rimmel in favour of a younger model. According to the News Of the World, the cosmetics brand have been holding secret castings in the hope of finding a younger model to replace Kate and give the brand the fresh approach needed for the younger market.

So what does that tell us? As a model, get caught taking drugs and you still have a job. Get old and you can kiss your career goodbye. Although Kate is thought to be considering getting botox (please don’t!) its unlikely she’ll be too bothered, aside from her numerous modelling contracts and her line for Topshop on its way, Kate is apparently negotiating a make up range and possibly a perfume of of her own.

Now, thanks to the likes of Vivienne Westwood and Prada, to name a few, not only can we look as if we ourselves have just walked straight off the catwalk but we can also experience the world from the same altitude of those who grace it. Platforms are back…good news for the vertically challenged! Platforms are a fantastic asset to ones wardrobe this season, wear with jeans, shorts, skirts, tights….socks, what ever takes your fancy, just as long as you wear the with pride. In addition to the overall height benefits of the ‘platform’, they instantly makes your legs look longer and thinner, which lets face it, is never a bad thing. I really love this patent lace black pair from Strutt Couture, which in comparison to others out has a more modest platform, but really there’s no limit to how high you can go. Just be careful, keep running to a minimum and remember the higher you go, the higher the need for caution!