06.02.2011- The Salon at ASOS

When the March edition of ASOS magazine landed on my doorstep last week, I instantly fell in love with their new capsule collection, The Salon, which 'draws inspiration from a treasure trove of vintage finds'.

(Warning: The following images may result in a serious case of frock lust!)

I love everything from the couture inspired detailing (the flowers on the bodice of the first dress just scream Valentino) to the classic shapes and muted colours. If you've got a summer party/birthday/wedding/graduation/christening or other miscellaneous celebration coming up, any one of these beautiful dresses would be perfect. They are set to land on asos.com next month.

What do you think of The Salon collection? Do you have any favourite pieces?

(Image credit: ASOS Magazine.)

04.02.2011- Do something funny (and fashionable!) for money

Yesterday saw the official launch of Comic Relief 2011, aka Red Nose Day, which this year takes place on March 18th. As well as having the lovely Lara Stone as the face of the campaign launch, those clever people over at Comic Relief HQ have ensured that this Red Nose Day will be the most fashionable yet by collaborating with Dame Vivienne Westwood to create a quirky collection of t-shirts which feature classic designs with a cheeky Red Nose twist:

Shakespeare Unisex T-Shirt, £9.99.

Louis XIV Lady Women's T-Shirt, £14.99.

Punk Girl Women's T-Shirt, £14.99.

The Laughing Audience by Hogarth T-Shirt, £9.99.

Each tee is made using 100% organic Fairtrade cotton, with half of the proceeds from each sale donated to Comic Relief. The full range of designs can be viewed and purchased at the Red Nose Day online shop, and at TK Maxx, Sainsburys and Oxfam, where you can also pick up the trademark Red Noses. And, as if being able to snap up a Vivienne Westwood designed tee for under £15 wasn't enough, Comic Relief have also joined forces with Liberty to create a limited edition shopping bag and silk scarf, each featuring a Red Nose inspired print:

Coated Canvas Shopper, £12.99.

Burgundy Comic Relief Liberty Print Silk Scarf, £12.99.

£4 from each sale will benefit Comic Relief charities across the U.K and in some of the world's poorest countries, so buying the shopper or scarf (or both) as well as one of Vivienne Westwood's tees is a really great way to make a real difference to the lives of disadvantaged people all over the world. Money truly well spent.

What do you think of Vivienne Westwood's designs and the Liberty collaboration? Are you looking forward to Red Nose Day?

For more on Comic Relief and the work that they do, go to comicrelief.com.

(Image credit: TK Maxx, Liberty.)

02.02.2011- Paris is burning

I've only just caught up on the Spring 2011 Couture presentations from Paris, and some of the shows (Elie Saab in particular) were stunning. I couldn't help but feel a little bit let down by Chanel, but kudos to King Karl for sending his ensemble of models down the runway wearing flats, striking a blow for high heel phobes like me everywhere (although this may be a little bit of an exaggeration on my part!) Here are my Spring 2011 Couture favourites:

Dior:

 John Galliano's elegant designs heavily reference the famous shapes and lines of Dior's 'new look' and were presented in a range of colours, from vibrant reds to ethereal sky blues and dove greys. Hair and makeup styling also paid homage to the 50's inspiration behind the collection. 

Valentino

A romantic collection from the design team at Valentino, comprising of sheer fabrics, lace details and pleated lines. Although the colour palette here is quite muted and neutral, I think the pale pinks, shimmering silvers and crisps whites are perfect.

 Elie Saab

Red carpet prince Elie Saab became the undisputed King of Couture in Paris, showcasing a collection of exquisite gowns which are beautifully cut and intricately detailed. I love everything about this collection and can't wait to see how many of these designs make their way on to the Oscar's red carpet later this month.

What did you think of the Spring Couture collections? Which shows were your favourites?

(Image credit: style.com.)