Stars that stole the attention at the Oscars

The Oscars occured just the other day, and the red carpet was swarming with celebrities - each of them trying to steal all the attention. Some did it better than others by wearing simply gorgeous dresses. All actresses were looking absolutely stunning, but the dresses I love the most are the ones below. I've decided to divide them up in different categories...

Light as a Spring day

Spring is on the way. It's actually right around the corner, and the stars can feel it as well. Some of them opted to dress in light and springy dresses to welcome the sun and the heat. Guiliana Rancic in a lace detailed dress, Jennifer Lopez with a daringly low cut, Cameron Diaz in a flowing creation and Gwyneth Paltrow in elegant and pure white with straight lines.

Dramatic black

Angelina always has to be the complete opposite, as the rebel she is. She arrived to the Oscars in a high slit dress in dramatic black, and showed off the most talked about leg of the night.

Passionate pastels

A bunch of stars showed up to the red carpet in very vibrant, Spring inspired pastel coloured dresses. Don't they all just look stunning! I love Penelope Cruz's romantic blue dress, and Natalie Portman's polka dots. Emma Stone chose to wear a dramatic red dress that matched the carpet, and Michelle Williams is totally gorgeous in her coral layered dress.

Stunning metallics

George Clooney's girlfriend Stacey Keibler stole a lot of attention in this very figure flattering metallic dress with a swirly rose detail on the hip. One of my definite favourites of this event! She's just glowing!

Patterned beauties

I've got a thing for romantic and old fashioned looking crochet details, and it seems that so have Jessica Chastain and Kelly Osbourne. I'm not sure abut Kelly's matching of turquoise patterns, pink lipstick and purpely-grey hair though... but Jessica is beautiful as a day, and has chosen a great dress for her ginger locks.

Which one is your favourite Oscar's 2012 gown?

Marni for H&M - a match made in heaven

It was announced in November last year, but now it's finally here! Well... almost!
Marni for H&M is the new fashion designer collaboration for the Swedish retailer, and the collection will be launched in exactly 2 weeks from now. How exciting! You can't yet see this spring collection on the H&M website, but I've got my hands on some sneak preview images. I think we can all easily see the theme of this collection - patterns! The Italian designer must really have a thing for crazy patterns. What do you think? Do you like it or not? I can already tell you that I'm a big fan of this über-cool designer collaboration!

Put a spring in your step with a new frock!

You’re standing in the changing room trying on a new frock. Your head says you can’t have it-you’ve already got a wardrobe full of dresses back home that have only been worn a couple of times. But your heart says you really, really want this one, and no one wants to be spotted in the same dress twice, right?

We all know there’s no better retail therapy than hunting for the perfect frock, and nothing beats stepping out in that bang-on-trend, suits-you-to-a-t perfect dress. Dresses really are a girl’s best friend when it comes to a versatile look that can be dressed up or down with a few handy accessories.

I’ve had a look at Very’s women’s dresses which include a wide range of this season’s brand new dresses, and if it’s daytime chic you’re after, check out the Oasis range at Very. With pretty floral prints, uber feminine shapes and vintage designs an Oasis dress is a must own this spring. If you’re loving the new vintage trend of soft pastel colours, cutesy lace, delicate fabrics and nipped in at the waist designs, try out a vintage inspired day dress from Oasis.

 

Tailor it to the spring season by adding a chunky knit cardi, knee-high socks and a long trench coat and you’ll be looking fresh as a daisy. You can also pay homage to the nautical trend with Oasis’ navy anchor print skater dress, or their classic breton dress if stripes are more your style.

Give your winter wardrobe a spring clean by heading over to Very.co.uk Lipsy dresses shop, where you can find picture-perfect dusty pinks and dramatic coloured tribal prints modelled by TOWIE’s very own Lauren Pope. Pick up their twenties flapper-inspired swing dress or work the pleated look with their stunning bandeau black and white number. Make your pick from fairy tale peter pan collar frocks, lace mesh and fun frills for going out gear that is oh-so flattering.

Top 5 tips to looking slimmer with your clothes – no diet needed!

This is a guest post with some great clothing tips by Saisha Potts from Cafe La Moda.

Jennifer Hudson is an apple shape, and makes the most out of her
legs by wearing shorts and leggings with high heels.

Picture the scene: it’s 7am on a Saturday and you drag yourself from the warmth of your cosy bed into the freezing, dark cold for a jog around the park. When you get in you reach for a croissant...then you realise you’re on a diet. You put the croissant down and reach for a banana. Your idea of hell? Ours too. So forget the detox, the juice diet and the break-of-dawn runs

But with a few sneaky tips and tricks you can instantly look pounds lighter, so hunker down under that duvet and grab that second slice of cake as we let you in on the insider secrets to looking slimmer instantly. We won’t tell if you don’t…

1. The number 1, golden rule is to wear clothes that fit! It is a basic tenet of learning to dress yourself but it’s something many women seem to ignore. Embrace your size, ladies! No matter your size, if you wear clothes that are cut too small you will look way bigger than you are. If you’re a serial vanity sizer and dread the thought of going up a size, just cut out the label so no one sees!

 

2. Dress for your shape; highlighting your best asset will always make you look slimmer. If you’re an hourglass, cinch in that waist for a gorgeous silhouette. Apple-shaped? Make the most of your longer-than-long legs with skinny jeans and mini skirts. Pear-shaped ladies should opt for hip-skimming shapes and make the most of their teeny waist with belts and detail around the middle. Boyish? Make the most of your slim frame with short cut dresses and frills and embellishment.

3. Wear black - it’s a cliché because it’s true! Black visually slims you and disguises all those lumps and bumps you want to hide because it doesn’t reflect light like other colours. What’s more, wearing one colour head to toe will create a thinning effect by giving you a straight line without highlighting one particular area.

4.Play with proportions – clean lines will always make you look slimmer than bulky or uneven silhouettes. Think feminine tailoring (blazers, blouses, soft shirts) and slim-fitting trousers and longer length tops and cardigans that fall on or past the hips.

Beyoncé is flashing her spanx underwear
while performing.

5. Wear the right underwear. Start with the perfect basics and you’ve built yourself a solid foundation for a slimming outfit. An ill-fitting bra is a sartorial crime that 80% of us British ladies commit daily, so go and get yourself fitted; you’ll look and feel slimmer and more supported instantly. Go for supportive knickers, too and reach for the Spanx if you need to. Well, if they’re good enough for famous Spanx-wearers Beyonce Knowles and Sienna Miller then it’s good enough for us!

6. And finally, got that one snap-happy friend? Turn partially sideways to the offending camera with one foot in front of the other and your weight firmly on your back foot. Pull your head forward to minimize the dreaded double-chin syndrome and hold your arms away from your body to make upper arms look slimmer. Shoulders back, stomach held in and chest forward – picture perfect!

Saisha Potts writes on behalf of www.cafelamoda.co.uk, the social fashion site. Compare the latest trends for men and women at Cafe La Moda by following the link.

Celebrity hairstyles inspired by Disney characters

Have you ever looked at a photo of a celebrity, and though; "Oh my! She looks exactly like that Disney princess!"? Well, I have ;)

Actually, I was such a Disney nerd when I was a kid (OK, maybe I still am... a little bit) that I have dedicated this post to some of the unforgettable female Disney characters. Here they are, with their celebrity lookalikes!

First out is the most obvious one - bright red! The famous Hollywood tattoo artist Kat von D from LA ink, and no one else than the little mermaid Ariel.

I always thought Kim Kardashian looked a bit like Jasmin from the film Aladdin in general. That was before I found this photo of her actually dressed like the arabian princess!

High School musical actress Vanessa Hudgens looks exactly like Esmeralda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, with her long and dark touseled locks.

Nicole Scherzinger looks very Pocahontas-like with her super long straight mane.

Pocahontas best friend Nakoma must have inspired Katie Holmes when she had her hair cut into a short bob with a fringe.

Heroes actress Hayden Panettiere likes her loose buns, and so does Tinkerbell from Peter Pan. Perhaps that was her favourite Disney film when she was a kid?

If Angelina Jolie was a Disney character, she would definitely be Megara from Hercules. Just look at the resemblance!

Beautiful Anne Hathaway could have swapped placed with Jane from Tarzan, and no one would have noticed...

And last but not least, Zooey Deschanel - the beauty herself - in a Belle-like hairstyle. Do you think she liked Beauty and the Beast while growing up?

Ideal day dresses for the colder months

What looks can you work with tights, boots and a baggy cardigan? I've done the research!

Everyone gets all hot under the collar worrying about evening wear but when it comes to the day job, we tend to forget that the issue of dresses still needs to be…ad –dress-ed… sorry. Couldn’t resist. 

What is more, we know very well that looking for an excellent day dress is very different from searching for the perfect evening gown or piece of party wear. A great day dress needs to be versatile, comfortable, easily machine-washable, stylish and work with anything. 

Just re-reading that list now, you can see how difficult it is to find all those qualities wrapped up in one item. For many years (namely and 1970s and 1980s) that dress was all wrapped-up…the wrap, dress, still a favourite now with shoppers who remember those decades. And still a gorgeous look if the fabric is jersey and there aren’t too many dubious additional belts or ties to make a fuss over.

I love this AX Paris heart pring chiffon shift dress, from House of Fraser's range of dresses.

I'm also a big fan of printed shift dresses – an excellent simple shape for working with flats, but also easily spruced up as a stand-alone piece of smartwear. Check out Drew Barrymore here working the look to perfection in a TV appearance in the US last week.

Nothing needs to be added to this. The pattern does the talking, so don’t even think about a belt. A very fine gold chain or a watch is all the accessories necessary – wear with long, loose hair and a surfer-girl attitude….

Finally, one thing we can be thankful for from the 1990s is the t-shirt dress. T shirts of the oversized variety were huge (literally, and in terms of popularity) in the 90s, and they’re back with a more stylish vengeance in 2012. 

Think sequined-capped sleeves, cute lace details or simple plain t-shirt styles with leather panels or pockets, it’s an ideal shape for chucking on and working with whatever shoes and cardigans you have going.

Halle Berry + Deichmann = new shoe line

5th Avenue by Halle Berry will be the new shoe line for German shoe chain Deichmann. The actress is the new spokesperson for Deichmann, which many people find a bit odd. First of all, the shoe chain is known for their low price shoes, and Halle Berry is not exactly known for being a person with a love for high heels, but you often see her in what you would call plain shoes. Whatever reason Halle Berry has got to team up with Deichmann, I am liking this! She'll be releasing a whole collection that will be available in the European stores in March. Here are some sneaky peak photos of Halle's photoshoot for the new line.

Holiday shoe shopping

How long before a holiday can you start your countdown? Today it's 60 days until I'm going away to get some sun - exactly 2 months! I've got a feeling this is gonna be the best Easter ever :D I so need this. I can't wait! My pale, ugly face is in desperate need of a tan - the kind you get from the Central American sun ;)
 

I've actually already started shopping for my holiday. Last week I got myself a bargain dress from the Boohoo sale. It's a really lovely and summery halterneck dress with pearl details, and I got it for only a fiver! (down from £20) Sometimes, shopping from last season's collections is really worth it!

It's time to start looking for some suitable shoes as well. My dear man keeps saying I've got too many shoes already and that I need to throw some out - but a girl just can't have too many shoes! And besides, most shoes I have are meant for the crappy English weather - what I need are some summer shoes that can take extreme heat. This means I'm gonna have to go for shoes with straps, that are very open. I've had a thought about it and sure, I would like to buy 10 pairs for this 10 days long holiday, but after thinking about the different things that I'll be doing I've narrowed it down a bit, and I've decided that I'll be needing 3 different types of shoes.

The best way of browsing shoes is online, and this time I've been looking at the fab collection over at Brantano Shoes. For my days by the pool or on the beach I'll just need some simple shoes that I can just jump in and out of really quickly, and that don't get ruined if I walk in the sand. I've found these super cute skechers that'll do the job! I love the fact that they're wooden. That, and the white colour with the little sparkly studs makes them look so summery, and they won't look too clumsy paired with only a bikini. I know they're a bit chunky, but the small heel will only flatter my figure, right? :P

The second pair of shoes I'll need is some great walking shoes. I'm not talking about hiking here, but more for walking in town, and around touristy places such as Mayan sites, etc. The shoes need to be open (otherwise I'll sweat to death!) but they need to sit on my feet properly, so these strappy sandals from Hush Puppies will be perfect! They've got a spongy sole as well, so they will definitely be comfortable to go for long walks in. I bought a similar pair from Next last year, but after my mega-touristy trip to Rome when I walked for about 10 hours a day they were pretty much worn out.

The last shoe I'll need is a bit of a fancier high heeled shoe. The resort I'll be staying in is a very posh place, and there is a dress code for all the restaurants. Saying that, I don't want to go for anything too fancy, but a normal high heeled sandal will be fine. I would love to opt for these pretty coral ladies sandals in leather. They would be stylish enough, and they would go with most types of summery evening outfits.

What do you think? Is it too early to start looking for holiday outfits for April already? Do you agree with the choices I've made regarding the different types of shoes you'll need for a holiday in the sun?

Get the celebrity style – wellington boots

I’ve never understood the hype about wellington boots in fashion. The only time I’m wearing wellies is when I’m going for walks in the forest, and I’ve had the same boots since I was 12! They’re cold, uncomfortable, and not flattering in any way… 

However, some people have managed to turn this boot into an item of fashion. Just look at Ashley Olsen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rachel Bilson and Stacey Solomon’s casual but trendy outfits below. These celebrities sure know how to make an unflattering boot super fashionable, and they all seem to have a thing for the brand Hunter. 

But how do you achieve this celebrity style?

 How to get Ashley Olsen’s look
Faux fur trim reefer coat from Warehouse
Levi Strauss skinny jeans from nelly.com
Sunglasses from House of Harlow 1960
Studded leather hobo bag from theoutnet.com
Hunter original wellington boots from hunter-boot.com

How to get Sarah Michelle Gellar’s look
Chloé round-frame acetate sunglasses from theoutnetcom
Long white vest top from Miss Selfridge
Black waistcoat from River Island 

Pearl necklace from phillipsdepury.com
Black leggings from warehouse.co.uk
Black Hunter boots from hunter-boot.com

 

How to get Rachel Bilson’s look
Green translucent wayfarer sunglasses from urbanexcess.com
Yigal Azrouel striped concrete scarf from intermixonline.com
Black long sleeve v-neck cardigan from House of Fraser

Grey skinny jeans from net-a-porter.com
Urban Expressions woven satchel bag from dsw.com
Hunter Regent Savoy quilted wellington boots from uttingsoutdoors.co.uk

How to get Stacey Solomon’s look
Pink ruffle lace tank top from buckle.com
Great Plains taylor tregging jeggings from houseoffraser.co.uk
Hunter women's Huntress gloss wellington boots from Ebay