Make-up masterclass: Posy glow

• By Terry Baume de Rose Crystal SPF15 (£32, from spacenk.co.uk). I love the delicate rose scent of this luxurious lip balm, which is intensely moisturising without being sticky, and leaves lips with a subtle pink tint. If you dab a little balm on top of a lip stain, it will give an added gloss and make your lips appear fuller.
• Lancôme L’Absolu Nu (£19.50, available nationwide). This lipstick’s subtle scent of peach, rose, violet and vanilla was used in Lancôme’s first lipsticks. Shade 304 is a subtle rose pink that’s perfect for daytime. Kate Winslet wore 302 – a gorgeous bright pink that is great for evening – in Lancôme’s recent ad campaign.
• Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush (£29, tel: 020 7493 3836). Chanel uses roses from its fields in Provence to scent its make-up and perfume, and this blusher smells divine. Imprévu is a soft pink that is flattering on paler complexions. Subtle shimmer pigments ensure skin looks fresh and radiant. You can also use it to softly highlight your eyes by blending a little over the brow bone.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush

Aveda Uruku Color Gloss in Berry

• Aveda Uruku Color Gloss (£15, tel: 0870 034 2380). Organic peppermint, cinnamon and vanilla give this high-gloss lipstick a fresh aroma that will give you a lift. There are six colours in the range – my favourite is Berry, a bright strawberry shade that looks gorgeous with a tan or for evening. Balance bright lipstick with a touch of light bronze or apricot blusher on the apples of your cheeks.
• Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Powder (£33, tel: 01932 233887). This classic bronzer comes in eight shades to suit every skintone, and its fragrant hints of mandarin, bergamot and jasmine will put you in a summery mood. If you are fair and blonde, go for 02; fair and brunette, try 01, or olive skinned, try 05. All give a deliciously sun-flushed glow.

Continue reading ...

Look stylish, feel comfortable with the right fit

You’ve seen those photos in fashion magazines that zero in on problem spots — the butt, thighs or stomach — typically accompanied by a caption that screams: What not to wear.

Experts say that while the latest fashion trends are desirable, proper fit is what ultimately will get you noticed, and, more importantly, make you feel good.

The fact is unflattering clothing can make someone look shorter or heavier than they actually are. Stacy London, of TLC’s What Not To Wear, says the key to great personal style is to find clothes that fit right and "self acceptance."

"That does not mean you have to like every part of your body," says London. "But you do have to know what you do like and don’t like so you know what to emphasize and what to camouflage."

When shopping for clothes, Lisa Singer, a merchandise manager at Reitmans, recommends keeping an open mind and calling on the sales staff for help.

"Ask, ’What do you think would work for me? These are the things I want to hide and these are the things that I want to flaunt,’" says Singer, adding it’s a good idea to get another perspective from someone who isn’t involved in your life and who will likely be more objective.

Singer says another problem is people get stuck in a size -in their mind. So it’s important to embrace the fact you can be one size on top and another on the bottom.

"I find that a lot of women have the misconception that, let’s say, they are a size eight on the bottom, they should be an eight on top. Women, we all come in different shapes and sizes. And I think we have to learn more about what suits us on top, what suits us on bottom, and what complements the body as a whole."

Telltale signs your clothes don’t fit

1. Sagging shoulders. Shoulder seams on tops, jackets and fitted dresses should sit on the edge of your shoulder; if they extend beyond your natural shoulder line, the garment is either too big or the wrong shape for your body.

2. The ill-fitting jacket. You should be able to button up a jacket and the lapels should sit flat across your chest. If not, the jacket is not a good fit.

3. No room to move. When a garment fits properly, it’s comfortable and easy to move in. Waistlines on a skirt, for example, should be just loose enough so you can turn the skirt around while you are wearing it.

4. Awkward top lengths. If your stomach is revealed when you raise your arms, your top is too short unless, of course, it’s a crop-top. And longer-length tops need to fully cover hips, without pulling or fitting too snugly.

5. Classic ’muffin top.’ A sign that pants are too small when your stomach hangs over the waistband. It can also mean the style is wrong for your body. If you’ve got curves, for example, avoid a straight fit pant and go for a curvy fit, which sits lower on the hips and will fit you at the waist.

Continue reading ...

Grazia Fashion: Marchesa Does Playboy

Oh boy. First Lily Cole, then Lou Doillon, now the Marchesa girls are making the transition from fashion to, well, fash-off, as they get on board with Playboy.

But don’t worry - the girls aren’t literally stripping off their elegant layers for the delight and delectation of men-folk the world over. No, instead they are lending their dazzling design talents to the original Playboy costume, designing a special couture corset for….the delight and delectation of men-folk the world over.

Lavishly bedecked with beading, embroidered lace and a provocative little peplum, the outfit made its debut last night at a special – um – fashion show at the brand spanking new Playboy club in Mayfair. Bunnies teased the crowd in a catwalk parade of various permutations and combinations of the infamous Playboy outfit.

Naturally, the all black ensemble specially created by Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig drew the loudest wolf-whistles, but let’s hope it also draws the largest sums of money when it goes up for auction in October, with proceeds going to Breast Cancer awareness.

Think of it as a gesture of goodwill from your bosom bunnies.

Continue reading ...

Kenneth Jay Lane Pendant Necklace: Buy of the Day

What: Kenneth Jay Lane Pendant Necklace

How Much: $88
I'd Wear It With: I'd wear it with this long dress and flats for a casual dinner out!

Buy It Here: shopbop.com
Continue reading ...

Cheryl Cole - Cheryl Cole Has Red Carpet Fears

Cheryl Cole always gets nervous before walking the red carpet.

The 'Fight for this Love' singer finds the glare of the flashbulbs and the scrutiny of her fashion choices when she attends glitzy parties daunting, but has a number of rules for dealing with it.

She said: "I always get nervous before walking red carpets. It's amazing to do the girlie thing and to have your hair and make-up done, but it's also really stressful sometimes too.

"The most important thing is to make sure you're covered from all angles. You must remember it's 360-degree angles those photographers get. When you're out with your friends, and someone takes a picture, you can be like, 'take another one'.

"You don't get that luxury on the red carpet. That's it, done. If you get out there and have a problem, you've had it!"

The star also said she loves to wear "big hair and lots of eyeliner" when she appears at big showbiz events, and that having comfort in her clothes is also of prime importance.

Cheryl added in an interview with OK! magazine: "You have to enjoy the moment, and I'd say the worst thing is if you're uncomfortable in what you're wearing."

Continue reading ...

Chloë Moretz Would Love a Fashion Line — ‘Maybe When I’m 16’

At just 14 years old, actress Chloë Moretz has come closer to Johnny Depp than most women with violent crushes on him ever will. As his co-star in Tim Burton's vampire movie Dark Shadows, Moretz is less fixated on fulfilling Twilight-esque fantasies of being in a vampire movie than her obviously more mature ones. "I did have a bit of a crush on [Depp] before I started," she told British Vogue. "But then I realized he has a daughter who was only two years younger than me and then I thought 'Maybe not.'"

Her maturity doesn't stop at her taste in men. She "would love" to have her own clothing line, she said, jokingly, "maybe when I'm 16." And last night, she attended a launch party at the Azarro store in London, wearing a sheer-paneled dress with little stiletto shoes, vamping as though she'd practiced. She also says things like Christopher Kane is one of her favorite fashion labels because "I love his take on neon — it's so fresh." When we were 14 we most certainly didn't know neon was a thing on which one could have "a take."

Continue reading ...

Prada valued at £9.3bn ahead of public sale

 

Italian luxury fashion brand Prada exceeds earlier estimates to be valued at £9.3bn for sale on Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

As Prada prepares for it's big public sale on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange slated for late June, early estimates of the company's value are in.

The Italian fashion group which counts labels Prada and Miu Miu, British shoemaker Church's, and designer moccasin makers Car Shoe in its family, has exceeded earlier predictions to be valued at £9.3bn by Banca IMI-Intesa Sanpaolo Group, which owns 5.1pc of the business.

Prada's profits soar

Rumours that the 98-year-old family company may be looking at a public sale first surfaced back in November 2010 as a way for Mrs Prada and her husband, the company's chief executive, Patrizio Bertelli, to pay off the brand's £880m debts.

Back then, analysts forecasted Prada's worth to be in the region of £5.2bn, but three very strong seasons for the group have seen their profits, and therefore potential value, soar.

Prada reported record profits and sales for 2010 after seeing a 150.4pc rise in net profits to £218m, and a 31.1pc rise in revenue to £1.78bn.

"Our strategy of expansion worldwide, carried out with a strict cost-control policy, led to a significant growth in revenues and profitability and further reinforced our position as one of the leaders in the luxury goods market" said Bertelli.

Prada was founded by Mario Prada in 1913 as a leather goods specialist and has since grown to become one of the most highly regarded brands in the fashion business, thanks in large part, to the extraordinary talents of Mario's granddaughter Miuccia Prada, who took the helm in 1978.

The first Italian company to be listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, Prada will also be the biggest European fashion brand to 'float' in more than a decade.

Prada are aiming to sell a 20pc stake in the brand, comprising the 5.1pc Banca IMI-Intesa Sanpaolo shares with the rest coming from Miuccia and Bertelli's 94.9pc stake.

Continue reading ...

Michelle Obama wears white Tom Ford gown to palace

Michelle Obama packed a wardrobe of high-fashion clothes to accompany her husband on a state visit to England. She made quick changes from one dress to another on Tuesday, wearing designer labels that stretch from Los Angeles to London.

To an elegant, formal state dinner hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, the first lady wore a white gown with a crisscross halter neckline by Tom Ford, a top-tier American designer who makes his home half the year across the pond.

Mrs. Obama’s hair was pinned up in a chignon, which showed off dangling earrings. She accessorized with white opera gloves and a silver clutch bag.

The queen also had on a white gown — and a lot of sparkle.

It might not have been a coordinated fashion statement between the two women, but InStyle fashion director Hal Rubenstein isn’t sure it was a coincidence, either. "There’s something awfully harmonious about the picture. The thing that’s cool about Mrs. Obama’s white, which the queen tends to wear at events like this, is that she doesn’t compete. ... It’s a form-fitting gown but there’s no decollete, it’s very respectful and tasteful, yet it’s very striking."

President Barack Obama matched too, with a white bow tie, dress shirt and pocket square.

Earlier, at a daytime arrivals ceremony, Mrs. Obama and the queen complemented each other in blue floral dresses.

There was another fashion plate at Buckingham Palace as well: The new Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, wore a sand-colored dress by the British label Reiss. Her appearance sparked such a rush in demand for the above-the-knee sheath, with a retail price of $340, that the retailer’s website traffic increased by more than 300 percent, resulting in several crashes throughout the day, according to the company.

The dress was sophisticated and chic, if not a bit understated, but the duchess put her own twist on the outfit with her black pointy-toe pumps and black satin clutch handbag by Anya Hindmarch. The bag was engraved with her initials.

The 29-year-old newlywed "looks her age. I was afraid the minute she got in the royal family, she’d be wearing clothes that were too formal. I like that there’s no coat or suit," said Kate Betts, author of "Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Style."

Mrs. Obama also hit it right, said Betts. "She looks so pretty. The dress is so English. In my opinion, she rarely makes a mistake, and today is no different."

Her ice-blue, floral-jacquard dress was by California designer Barbara Tfank, which she paired with a light purple bolero.

"The color of her dress, the print — it all seems like an homage to the queen," said Betts, a contributing editor at Time magazine.

Betts noted that Mrs. Obama wore a cardigan sweater when she first met the queen two years ago, sparking debate whether she had taken too literally the casual sportswear style that is the signature of American fashion. "I think she wore that bolero jacket as a wink to the cardigan thing," she said.

Mrs. Obama also went with President Obama to Westminster Abbey and 10 Downing St., the official residence of British Prime Minister David Cameron. For that, she wore a purple dress by Serbian-born Roksanda Ilincic with a bright blue coat by New York-based Narciso Rodriguez.

Continue reading ...

Elle Fanning Shows Her Grown Up Side

Elle Fanning is featured in Teen Vogue looking adorable as ever and showing off some gorgeous braids by hairstylist Didier Malige.

The 13-year-old Fanning goes on to talk about being a “fashion nerd”, she says:

"I don't worry about what other people think about my clothes—I want to be me. And that's just a little weird. I think it's a compliment when people give me strange looks or say that I dress 'uniquely.'

During fashion week I go online to watch all the shows, and then I organize and save pictures of my favorites in folders on my desktop. What can I say? I'm a total fashion nerd."

She’s also a favorite of Rodarte, even recently filming for them. She added:

"I just shot a short film with them, which was a real dream. I was in awe of them the whole time.”

What do U think of Elle’s look? We’re loving it!

Continue reading ...

LOOK LOVES: Topshop's Colour-Pop Espadrilles

These colour-block wedge shoes from Topshop are top of our bank holiday wish list. They’ve got the bold and bright colour trend nailed, have a Prada feel to them and did we mention they’re super-comfy? We’ll be wearing ours with everything from maxis and minis to denim cut-offs this weekend - let’s just hope the weather's as hot as these heels.
Continue reading ...