H&M Ladies Day

This half term has been a rough one, it doesn't help that we have had some of the worst weather this country has seen for a while.  What better way to recharge than with a little retail therapy and a pamper, courtesy of H&M.

The brand have this week launched their 'By Night' range (above) - a selection of partywear that was exclusively launched in this months Vogue.  In addition, 12 of the brands stores will this Friday pay host to a VIP ladies day, meaning that not only can you recieve 20% off of your favourite ladies wear pieces, but you can also have your hair styled by Toni and Guy stylists and recieve a mini mani upon production of a recipt valid for that date.  DJ's will also be playing sets between 9am and 8pm.

Participating Stores:
St Pauls, London
The Strand, London
Lakeside, Kent
Cabbotts Circus, Bristol
Bentall, Kingstone
Touchwood, Solihull
Bullring, Birmingham
Leeds, Briggatte
The Trafford Centre, Manchester
St Davids Centre, Cardiff
King St, Dublin
Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow
 

 

Steal her Style: Tamera Foster

 

Admittedly I'm not the biggest X Factor fan, but on the odd occasion I have watched this season I've continuously been in awe of the dresses worn by series favourite Tamera Foster.  Already my manager has had me use the internet to her advantage to find where the red a symmetric dress was from for her to wear to our Christmas party.  This week I appear to have found my outfit choice for the festive season.

 

For last nights performance the 16 years old belted out a brilliant version of Beyoncé's 'Listen' (nothing compared to Alexandra Burke's but a solid attempt none the less), and the only thing on the show better than her performance was her wardrobe.

 

It's a little known fact that stylist prefer not to style the contestants in designer labels (less for Nicole to compete with) which means that finding out where the singers outfits are from can prove trying at times.  Last nights sequin maxi dress was no exception, but there was no way I expected to find something this stunning from a retailer like River Island. Priced at £125 it's one that you can bet not everyone will be wearing and you are sure to have the desired head turning effect that one would desire to stand out from the crowd at a festive work function.

 

 

H&M host Isabel Marant party in Paris

Whilst it's launch may still be over two weeks away, the folks at H&M decided to drive us further into a Marant frenzy by hosting a launch party for the collaboration in Paris.  Attended by the likes of January Jones, Fieda Pinto and Audrey Tatou, the party was a far cry from previous launches hosted by the brand with the designer herself stating “We wanted to present the collection in a way that felt real and casual, not a red carpet extravaganza: this is how I see my work. I design for everyone".

Whilst the stars in attendance could hardly be deemed normal people, it certainly was nice to see the clothes finally styled on someone other than the heavily photoshopped models who appear in the campaign.  Slumdog Millionaire star Frieda worked the geometric look by teaming the embellished trophy jacket with a printed skirt whilst French actress Audrey Tatou layered the grey wool mix coat over the ankle grazers, representing the brands androgynous aesthetic perfectly. 

Look of the Week: Natalie Portman

 

 

Natalie Portman is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful women on the planet.  Whilst she has remained relatively away from the spotlight of late, her promotional tour for the new Thor movie is proving that she will always remain on of our firm fashion favourites.  Sporting a shorter cut than normal, the mother of one took to the red carpet of the Paris premiere in this stunning Christian Dior number.  No surprise there considering the actress is currently the face of the Miss Dior fragrance.

Look of the Week: Rooney Mara

You've got to envy this girl.  She has gone from uber girly with gorgeous long brown hair to feminine goth and still managed to be better dressed than many of her a list counterparts.  This Proenza Schouler dress is one of the best wardrobe choices I have ever seen Rooney Mara wear, she hits a number of trends in one, the skirt length, a hint of midriff and an overall look that manages to be both gothic and romantic.  Finished perfectly with Brian Atwood peeptoes.

Wear the trend: Pink Coats

Everyone knows that the pink coat is the must have item this season.  Shown this season by the likes of Carven, it wasn't too long before stores such as Zara had replicated the look with their own (much lower) price tag.  Choosing the right kind of winter coat is hard enough work as it is (bare in mind it is the only part of your outfit most people will see!) and considering that a coat like this is barely going to see you through to next season then it's more important than ever to pick the right one.  Here's my top 5 from the high street.

1) Wool coat £79.99 - H&M

2) Mil £99.00 - Marks and Spencer

3) Masculine studio overcoat £179.00 - Zara

4) Lacy coat £239 - Hobbs

5) Neon boucle coat £250 - Boutique by Jaeger

Fringespiration

 

So, for those who follow me on Instagram and Twitter (myfashionbox), you'll know that last week I decided (on a whim) to have a fringe cut for Vogue's Fashion Night Out - after all, if you are going to make a hair statement, what better event to do it for right?

It's been less than a weeks since I opted to get bangs, every time I get them I have a vision of what I want it to look like (this time it was Jessica Biel) and it very rarely turns out like that and I am instead left trawling through countless celebrity hairstyle images to gain an idea on how to style my fringe. I know that I'm not the only girl to do this, hence the reason behind what you're now reading.  My fringespiration (in no particular order)...

1.Zoe Deschanel

 I don't care who you are, any female (or male) on this earth who says they don't fancy something about Zoe Deschanel is a liar, be it her style, nails or those to die for bangs, she has it all going on.  She's one of those lucky people who can still carry of any hair style with her fringe and it's makes us completely lustful.

 

2.  Sienna Miller

Another who looks beyond gorgeous with a fringe is British model and actress Sienna Miller.  Wearing hers with an updo and a few strands left down to frame the face, this is a style that most of us can imitate with ease, and is perfect for those early mornings when you are left with little time left to style.

 

3. Lily Collins

We all know having a fringe can be high maintenance,  another simple but effective way to style yours is demonstrated here by Lily Collins, a simple 'half up, half down' style, add in a few loose waves and you're good to go.

 

4. Leighton Meester

 

If, like me, you have fine hair, you might find having a fringe somewhat challenging.  Take notes from style icon Leighton Meester and add some curls to the length of your hair to give the appearance of volume and texture.

 

5. Heidi Klum

 

As one of the original supers, everything Heidi Klum does is fabulous.  This look though, tops them all.  Sweeping her hair into a side parting and adding some Old Hollywood curls, this look is the epitome of glamour.

6.  Cheryl Cole

It's very rare that I add Cheryl Cole to any kind of list of my favourite things, yet here she is.  I'm partial to a ponytail and I like the way that Cheryl's softly parted her fringe down the middle to frame her face.

 

7.  Rooney Mara

For someone like me, this look is totally unachievable. You have to have the right kind of look to pull off a fringe like this and Rooney Mara definitely has that Je ne sais quoi.

 

 

 



Ghesquire at Louis Vuitton

The fashion industry loves nothing if not a good gossip and the rumour mill yet again went into overdrive yesterday when an Australian magazine seemingly broke the news that Ghesquire was 'officially' to take the reigns at Louis Vuitton.  It didn't take long before the worlds press headed into a frenzy and the news became a global news story.

If you think about it logically, there is nothing about this story that doesn't make sense.  Ghesquire has been out of work - so to speak- for the past 10 months since leaving Kering owned Balenciaga, he is one of the most celebrated designers in the world and Louis Vuitton are one of the most celebrated brands in the world.  What's not to love about this decision??

Sadly for us Ghesquire-Louis fans however, Louis Vuitton put paid to the rumours by telling WWD that 'nothing has been decided'.  Although, before we all go and get downhearted about this most recent announcement, it is worth noting that they have only quashed rumours on the appointment - not that the fact that a deal is being reached.  Watch this space.

Look of the Week: Clemence Posey

There isn't much about Clemence Posey I don't adore, there isn't much about Erdem I don't adore.  Put the French actress in a design by the Canadian designer and you have a winning combination.  Clemence oozes feminine elegance and a dress by Erdem perfectly accentuates that, in a way, she is the exact kind of women who the brand aim to have wear the dresses.  Perfectly teamed with Louis Vuitton pumps, a Valentino clutch and a messy side braid.

Vogue's Fashion Night Out Guide

It's finally here, tonight is the night that Vogue's Fashion Night Out finally arrives in Manchester. Situated mainly around Market Street and the surrounding areas (The Trafford Centre are holding certain events, namely in Forever 21 and Next) there are going to be some of the fashion industries best and brightest attending the event that YOU get to attend. Whilst Hugo Boss are hosting an exclusive party which Alexander Shulman herself is attending, Below is a list of what certain stores are doing in honour of the event.

* For those who have purchased a FNO tee, Roskanda Ilincic will be customising them in Harvey Nichols (who are celebrating their tenth anniversary). If you've not bought a tee then their is a booth in Spinningfields where you can purchase them

* Vogue Eats will be serving cupcakes, Pizza and Hot Chocolate for those who're feeling a little peckish

* Mulberry will be offering Essie Manicures

* Manchester Art Gallery will be exhibiting an array of costumes through the ages as well as a talk 'What is fashion'

* Emma Elwick Bates will be on hand at H&M to offer fashion and styling advice

* Test your strength at Hermes with a game of tug of war or a participate in a game of bowling

* Have your photo taken in a cover shoot at Manchester Arndale

* Get your hair done by Trevor Sorbie himself in Reiss

* Vogue's health and beauty director Nicola Moultin will be giving tips on this seasons beauty trends in Selfridges

* Manchesters very own Matthew Williamson will be in Flannels

* Kurt Geiger will be holding a competition in which the lucky winner stands to win a year supply of shoes

See you there!

Jimmy Who?

Tamara Mellon may not be a household name for many people, but for those of us in the know, she is literally one of the most important people in fashion.  The women who spent 15 years at the helm of one of the worlds greatest luxury footwear labels - Jimmy Choo, (she stepped down from her role in 2011) has never made it a secret that she and co founder Jimmy Choo weren't exactly the best business partners the world has ever seen, but now she has gone one step further by revealing details of their working relationship in her new autobiography 'In My Shoes'.

So far as the public are concerned, Jimmy Choo himself designed the shoes, as well as lending his name to the brand and Tamara was the women who built the brand into the global powerhouse that it now is right? Wrong.  In an interview on the Today shoe, the 46 year old made the confusing statement that the Malaysian Choo never actually designed anything for the brand.  “The original idea was for Jimmy to design the collection and I would run the operations of the business, but it soon became very clear that Jimmy’s skill was in making shoes. He’s a cobbler.” She then went on to say she turned to the 'cobblers' niece and together they sketched a range of Mellon's original ideas from inspiration gained from places such as Portabello Market.

In all fairness, Choo himself has not been a part of the brand for over ten years now, but the fact that the man the company is named after never actually had a hand in pretty much anything to do with making the brand what it is kind of makes the whole seem a little fraudulent, right?

Look of the Week: Chloe Grace Moretz

This girl never fails to stun me. Barely 16 and not only does she have an impressive list of movies under her belt but she undeniably has one of the hottest wardrobes in Hollywood.

This week the young actress stepped out with fellow Carrie co star Julianne Moore (who is the latest actress to be immortalised on the Hollywood Walk of Fame) in this gorgeous pink brocade dress by Dolce & Gabbana.  Clearly not afraid to mix it up she finished off the look with a pair of red Jimmy Choo shoes, yes that's right - red. You know what, it works!

Marc Departs...

It's been touted as 'the best show of his career' and it has now been officially announced that the Louis Vuitton show at the Cour Carree of the Louvre is set to be Jacob's last with the French fashion house.  The show featured aspects from a number of the designers best shows during his time at Louis Vuitton such as the carrousel, escalators and French maids, to name a few.

Jacobs and LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault confirmed this morning that the American designer would be stepping down from his role of 16 years in order to focus on his eponymous line.  The departure will signify a huge change for the brand (perhaps 'loss' is a better word?') as it was Jacobs who introduced the first RTW line with the brand and has made it into the global powerhouse that it now is.  His tenure at Louis Vuitton is bested only by Lagerfeld who has remained director at Chanel for 30 years. 

Jacobs launched the Marc Jacobs line in 1993 whilst at Parson and both himself and LVMH own a third (the other third being owned by business partner Robert Duffy) and it is expected to make its IPO within the next few years.  The brand, which also has diffusion line Marc by Marc Jacobs, launched its first beauty range earlier this year exclusively on Sephora and it is rumoured that he plans to focus harder on his accessories range after seeing how successful competitor Michael Kors has been with his watches in the past few years/

Whilst we'll miss Jacobs at LV, we can't help but consider who will step forward to replace him...