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                                                                 Christian Louboutin

                                                                        YSL

                                                                      Maison Martin Margiela

                                                                         Dior Homme

                                                                      Acne

Check Out Jessica Lowndes' Latest Style

Have you noticed that the new series of the new 90210 is back on our screens? I, of course, grew up with the old one. The one in which Brenda Walsh and Kelly Taylor were best frenemies for ten long years. And my world was divided into those who loved Dylan and those who loved Brandon. (bad boy Dylan for me, of course) And the Peach Pit was the place to go. It lasted all through the 90s, all the grim fashion and tortuous music. It was brilliant. And so I expected to super-hate the new version. But I found I didn't. Hey, I don't think that there is a CW teen series I have yet to hate. I'm shallow like that.
My favourite characters are Erin Silver (Kelly's half sister), played by Jessica Stroup and Adrianna, played by Jessica Lowndes. The two Jessica's rock my new 90210 world. And their style off-screen is pretty hot too.
Lately Jessica Lowndes has been out and about a bit more than usual. She seems to have found a stunning pair of red peep toe shoes that are rather desirable. And a faux-bob hairstyle that is super 70s-luxe. I like her glossiness and her incredibly worked-out legs in an I-want-those-please kind of way. I don't feel like she is going to be anyone's victim in life and that's the sort of role model I think is awesome for young women today. Just saying.

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, Wears Amanda Wakely for Hospital Visit

I really like old Kate Middleton you know. I know she is Duchess of Cambridge and has a flat in a palace and will be Queen one day, but I think she is a trooper. She always has a smile on her dial and really seems to be able to get stuck in with whatever her bizarre life throws at her. I like that. Sure she is going to be spoiled for the rest of her life, on tax payers pounds, but she does seem to be pretty determined to get on with things with as little fuss as possible and quite a lot of sensible, down-to-earth-ness.

But I need to say this. The oatmeal Amanda Wakeley dress, costing all of £450, was a bit of a let down. It is as dull and vanilla as we are hoping Kate won't turn out to be. Paired with her favourite LK Bennett nude shoes, I want to shout out loud to her, "where is the colour?" For that price she could have got a jazzy little DvF number. Possibly one of Victoria Beckhams's new line dresses or even a great Project D dress. All more modern and more colourful, as is befitting cheering up a bunch of kids and teenagers in a cancer ward. There was no need to dress a bit like a nurse. You know?

And while I am being a bit critical, that hair... Almost like it is weighing down her slender neck. Come on. Let's take this mane of beauty and make something happen, not just curl the ends and let them hang around her face. OK?
Good, got that out. Anyone want to shoot me? Anyone agree? Let me know.

Taylor Swift Wears Christian Siriano for New Frangrance Wonderstruck

Award winning country songbird, Taylor Swift has just launched a new fragrance called Wonderstruck. How very jolly and positive. And in the advertising campaign for it, much has been made of the fact that Taylor is wearing a princess perfect dress by ex-Project Runway designer Christian Siriano. Hasn't he done well? Which is not to say that I am surprised, I loved his work on the show, and since at New York Fashion Week. But his dress for Heidi Klum for the Emmys, a shorter version of this dress, was a bit much in my opinion.

But this longer length works very well and suits Taylor and her prom-queen style. I am a bit confused by the chandelier forest that she is walking in. I mean, it's not that I don't like a bit of romantic fantasy, but I'm not sure about this. It all appears to be a bit dangerous with several already crashed to the floor. Is this a metaphor for what will happen if you wear the juice?
Oh, I must put aside my cynical, mustn't I. After all she does look awfully pretty, don't you think?

Elizabeth Olsen Covers Nylon Magazine

Oh, look at that. I believe I have developed a bit of a girl crush on Elizabeth Olsen. How very unexpected. And this month Lizzie covers the achingly hip Nylon magazine. I was quite surprised how like her twin sisters, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, she looks on the cover. I am so used to seeing her smiling sweetly (which the twins seldom, if ever, do let's be honest), in most of her publicity photos. But it seems that being happy comes easily to her, accordingly to the article inside the magazine, and that she is remarkably well adjusted for someone who has lived their life in the shadow of her sister' incredible fame.

Of course it doesn't hurt that Elizabeth's first major film (she is 22) has been critically acclaimed. Martha Marcy May Marlene has been shown at all the major film festivals and Elizabeth has happily gone along to help promote it. And shown some great style along the way too. Sure she loyally wears Elizabeth & James (named after her) and The Row, her sisters' two lines. But she also wears all the hippest labels too - in a remarkably low key and non-hipster way. Like Carven. And Rick Owens. And Madewell. And Isabel Marant. You know. All  the labels I would wear if I were rich and skinny. I really like this girl and, I am warning you, I may need to replace Alexa with Elizabeth one day soon... Just saying.

Pierre Balmain

Pierre Balmain first in a series of three videos.

Jessie J on the Cover of Q and Trending the Brothel Creeper

So yesterday I heard that South Africa is launching a version of Rolling Stone magazine. Really? Then I heard that Myles Keylock was going to be the editor. And that made me calm down quite a lot. That's perfect. He has been writing about music for 100 years. Maybe more. And that's an awesome job for him. Bravo. I have no idea who is publishing it or when the first issue lands, but I am excited. Until now, my favourite music mag has always been Q. I even collected it for a while before remembering I don't like clutter. And look at the cover of the latest issue - Jessie J. Jislaaik, I think she is awesome.

Even with a broken foot, she has been a trooper and single handedly re-converted me back to the brilliant brothel creeper shoe. LOOK. AT. THEM. Calling Shopping with Alex... I MUST have some brothel creepers.
(Anyone old enough to remember W. Clift and Sons? If only it was still around. That's where I used to get my brothel creepers in the 80s. Grrr.)

Melencholia Premier in London, Kirsten Dunst in HONOR SS12

So you know that in the past year I have developed a style crush on Kirsten Dunst. From nowhere, it just happened. And if you put her name into my search box there on the right, you will see how often I have quietly posted about her. And here again. In this glorious straight-off-the-SS12-runways prom dress by a label called Honor. I think she looks absolutely divine at the premier of her new movie Melancholia, in London last night.
I also like that she didn't go obvious, or heaven forbid nude, with her shoes. I like that they are navy and a bit unexpected. That is what looks modern now that even HRH The Queen wears a nude shoe.

ManiaMania Campaign - Abbey Lee Kershaw

ManiaMania campaign for their new jewelry collection with Abbey Lee Kershaw directed by Elle Muliarchyk.Amazing!!

Ides of March Premier, Evan Rachel Wood in YSL, Marisa Tomei in Marios Schwab

I have already posted plenty about the Ides of March film. It has had many premiers at festivals and now it hits cinemas. And I will definitely see it. First because it is an intelligent political thriller. And then because The Clooney is in it. And directed it. And he rocks. Still. Even if Ryan Gosling looks almost exactly like Alan Cumming from The Good Wife in this picture. In his green Gucci suit.

But aside from him, Evan Rachel Wood and Marisa Tomei are in it. ERW started out strong when she was much younger and you could tell she was talented. Then she declared herself bisexual and got all hooked up with Manson and both of them looked worse for it for some reason. And now she is back with her original boyfriend, Jamie Bell and plays with androgyny a great deal in her red carpet looks. And I love it. I think she looks fantastic. This time in a YSL le smoking tuxedo and some hectic beads and bondage accruements.

Marisa Tomei had a similar trajectory. She won a misplaced Oscar for My Cousin Vinnie and kinda hid away after that despite the fact that she was an amazing actress that just won her award for the wrong thing. That has now been rectified and she has moved into her middle age with a seriously good body of work. She has also found her style legs and this time exercises them with an interesting chiffon and leather look from Marios Schwab. I like it. I think that she looks a bit tired and maybe her hair and make-up person could have helped a sister out a bit more, but I liked the dress. Did you?

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, Goes to Wedding, Does Some Shopping. Just Like Us.

I'm not sure if we want our fairytale princesses to be just like us. It's all a bit confusing. On the one hand Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, is in fact just like us. She was born nice and middle class to hard working people. She had a good schooling and landed up mixing in quite posh circles where she met and fell in love with a prince who married her and made her world famous. We think maybe that could have been me. But she isn't like us anymore. Or is she?
She went to her mate's wedding on the weekend and hung out with her husband, her sister and her sister's boyfriend. Sound familiar? Of course we don't wear Collette Dinnigan red lace dresses to our friend's weddings, but we definitely go and spend a few hours at the hairdresser. Like Kate did.

And then yesterday she popped out to her local TopShop on High Street Ken - literally just down the road from her flat at Kensington Palace. Apparently she bought a polka dot pencil skirt (very nice), a jacket (hmmm, a bit fusty, will be interesting to see what she wears it with) and some £8.00 earrings. Her wallet was full of loyalty cards for Tesco and the like. And she left another pair of earrings at the till when she changed her mind about them. Too familiar?
Do you think Kate is just like us? Do you like her purchases. Comments below. If you care to.

Women Layering

Men Layering

Leelee Sobieski in Mary Katrantzou

So I have a few things to say in this post. First of all I love, love, loved this Mary Katrantzou dress on actress Leelee Sobieski. She wore it to the gala opening of the new season at the New York Metropolitan Opera House. This dress is from the fall 2012 collection and it is just a small indicator of a much bigger and brilliant collection. I am so in awe of this collection.
But, sadly, not of her latest work. Did you see the London Fashion Week summer collections? It all started so well. A beautiful set, filled with flowers and looking amazingly springy. It smelled (apparently) and looked like happiness. And then the collection began. And I just couldn't get to grips with it. I just feel it has jumped the shark. Too much. Too, too much. Maybe I will come to change my mind. It has happened before. But for now, I am bitterly disappointed, So I will enjoy the dresses from the last collection as much as possible and hope that we can just skip spring altogether.

One other thing I wanted to say in this post is that Crystal Renn also attended the gala. She accompanied the designer of this elegant and beautiful gold gown, Zac Posen. Doesn't she look good? And yet. Isn't she supposed to be a plus model? It is somewhat apparent that she has lost a good three dress sizes in the past year or so. I am not saying anything negative, just observing that she has gone from a plus girl to something between a European runway model and a Hollywood celebrity on the scale of skinny. I'm not sure that this sends a great message to the fashion industry about the sustainability of the plus girls in the business, although I will say that Crystal looks beautiful in her glittering gown.
Do you guys have a point of view on either of these two issues? Let me know.

PS: My mate Alexa Chung also wore Mary Katrantzou yesterday. LOVE. Really, these dresses are incredible.

Pippa Middleton Style Watch Episode 5 - including Temperley London

Seriously. These Pippa Middleton style posts are getting more and more frequent, just to keep up with all the cool items she has been wearing as she goes about her business. However, in the past few weeks there have been some significant developments in the P-Middy style oeuvre that bear some noting. You know, just for our reference.
1. P-Middy has discovered French Connection's new collection and has managed to snap up some of the best pieces. Like the leopard print blouse. The quilted-knee jeans. The beige knit dress (how divine?!)
2. Pipps is not afraid of other high street shops either. The black lace dress is her second lace number from H&M. And that envelope bag is tres chic. Lamb 1887, I am told.
3. Pippa has added a new pair of flats to her repertoire. Gold ballet flats, to be precise. Now I must have some too.

4. Another set of pumped up kicks is that pair of booties she wore, first with a cool blue Zara dress and then to the Temperley London show, wearing Temperley, of course. A bolder, more risky fashion statement than she is used to, so I think that this development is super-fun.
5. Another designer she has recently added to her roster is Project D by Dannii Minogue. The latest wedding look - that print dress with the peplum detail is by Dannii and she looks wonderful in it. Perfect for a more modern take on wedding style than that fusty green dress, I think.
What about you? Any favourite looks? Are we happy that the P-Middy staples are intact - the sunnies, the matching handbag and shoes, the glossy locks? Let me know your thoughts and favourites.

Alexa Chung for Madewell Launch

So it was the official launch of the Alexa Chung for Madewell collection last week and the party attracted some of the hottest girls in Hollywood. Most of them wore items from Alexa's collection that she designed for Madewell, but there are items worth pointing out. First of all there was Glee's head cheerleader, Dianna Agron. Look at her shoes. I think they are Miu Miu. I love them. And Kate Bosworth. She is actually dressed in a tunic by Peter Pilotto. Divine. I really liked the way young Elle Fanning wore bright orange shoes wither her lace tunic. And book club member, Alexa, herself? Well, she wore her own palm tree print dress with leopard print booties. And rocked the party. Loved it. Best dressed, I think. What about you? Who really looked the coolest of the cool, ice cool?

Idols Top 3: Goodbye Crushanda, Hellllllloooo Dave

So we are at the tail end of the long televisual and style journey that is South African Idols for 2011. Well, there is a small technicality in that Dave van Vuuren still has to actually be crowned the SA Idol next week. But c'mon. Isn't it obvious. He is just brilliant and even I can't wait to hear his own music. But in terms of the style-watch, well, that is definitely over. The stylish girls started leaving early - most disappointingly Nolly (super cute) and Kelly (feisty). Dirk did his best with Dene and then with Crushanda, when she was all he had left. And I have to say, in the past two weeks, he played a blinder. When I spoke to him last week he said that I would like one of the dresses he had put her in this week. Well, Dirk, my mate, you were wrong. I liked two of them. So let's say goodbye to the big note diva, Crushanda, by looking at these two excellent dresses for a girl with her body shape.
When you have some excess junk in the trunk, the best play is to emphasise all the skinny bits and camouflage the others. Crushanda, like many, has a gorgeous waist, ankles and face, but a disproportionally heavy rump. First of all you put on spanx. Maybe even two pairs. Then you belt your clothes, emphasising that waist for all it's worth. Make sure the heels are high to give more room to breathe and the hem line does its best for your beautifully turned ankle. Use print or dark colours to blend top to bottom and then make sure the dress swooshes (or drapes) from the waist over the hips and bottom. Just avoid high contrast as a horizontal line across your hips and you will be good at all times. Winning style.
And so I will say 'good luck' to Dave. I hope he wins. And in a couple of weeks we can start talking about US X-Factor style, whoo hoo. Can't wait.

Versace for H&M (pt 2)

SA Fashion Week: 46664

In the name of Nelson Mandela is hardly what you would expect from a fashion brand. But it does make us cynical fashion editors feel slightly circumspect. We expected some poor excuse for costumey tat, which we would be forced to say nice things about. Because it is for Mandela, you know. But what we got was vibrant, exciting, blossoming African fashion. What we got was brilliant and fun and totally wearable and we were all picking out the pieces we wanted for ourselves. The 46664 collection at SA Fashion Week stunned and surprised us in the best possible way and we were all blown away.

With bright, colourful, printed garments for both men and women, there was something for everyone. Whether you wanted classics for work, or showstoppers for a red carpet, there was a look for you - without losing any consistency. This was a master class of a collection. Thorough run of show. Exceptional styling.  Zeitgeist. I loved it to within an inch of its brand new life. For reals.
And the detailing was enough to make us weep. The 94 underneath the turned up collar. The 46664 imprinted onto the undercarriage of the shoe. The contrast lining of the maxi dress. The classic trench beige on the inside of the bright, reworked coat. Humorous, considered, fashionable. I was amazed.

My only tiny concern is that there may not be enough of this fabric to put it all into production. Note to the wonderful designers - don't tease us, please. We loved every bit of this and this is what we expect to see in Stuttafords. Not some watered down apology for what we saw on the ramp. This is what we are going to write about, feature on our pages and posts and get behind. Please don't disappoint us when it really counts. OK? Thanks.