Cheap Party Dresses for Christmas: Teal for two

Still not got that perfect Christmas dress? You're cutting it fine as far as pre-Christmas postage goes, but there is still time. As an antidote to all the black, red and blue we've been seeing recently, here are two teal numbers that'll have you looking gorge for less than fifty quid. First, Reko's pleated bib front dress for £45 at Topshop, which you could layer up over a long sleeved top and tights for a bit of warmth. If you're willing to get your shoulders out, the 'Lizzie' strapless dress with a corsage is £20 at Boohoo. Bargain!

Marc Jacobs exposes the latest 'It' bag (and mega tan lines) in nude 'Harper's Bazaar' shoot

You might still be reeling from the visual of a nude Karl Lagerfeld (even if it was just an illustration), but at least you will hopefully be a bit more prepared for the sight of Mr Marc Jacobs casually sprawled on a pink furry throw exposing more than just the newest 'It' bag - check out them tan lines!

The photo spread is set to appear in the January issue of Harper's Bazaar, to coincide with the release of the revisited Stephen Sprouse graffiti designs for Louis Vuitton. You can read more about the limited edition collection over at our accessories sister site The Bag Lady.

[scan via Chic Report]

Kate Winslet (in Balmain) & Leonardo DiCaprio are back together again at the Revolutionary Road premiere

You have no idea how happy my inner 15-year-old is right now! Sticking two fingers up to the people who accused her of being airbrushed beyond recognition in her recent Vanity Fair spread, Kate Winslet was reunited with her Titanic co-star Leo DiCaprio for the premiere of their new film, Revolutionary Road. Following that Herve Leger frock the other week was always going to be tricky, but she upped the ante even more by opting for a black Balmain number.

[Source]

Can Kate Moss convince Cheryl Cole to launch a Topshop range?

Tongues are wagging over the prospect of a Cheryl Cole Topshop range. The X Factor judge is reportedly being considered by the retailer for her own line next year. According to News of the World, the 25-year-old has been discussing the idea with Kate Moss, who has become a regular to the X Factor set (above, right). The supermodel is now said to be negotiating with Sir Philip Green on Cole's behalf. Perhaps that's why the pair of them were looking so chipper recently?

"Cheryl and Kate instantly hit it off. They were both gushing about each other all night," a source revealed. "When Cheryl said she wanted to get into high street fashion, Kate got very, very animated. It's very likely to happen next year."

With a lucrative spot on the X Factor panel, Cole's star is definitely on the rise right now. She is also due to appear on the January '09 cover of British Vogue, a real coup for any celebrity, despite rumours that she stormed off the shoot because of a run-in with stylist, Bay Garnett.

"Together they could make an amazingly diverse range," the source addded.
Yeah, yeah we've heard all this before, whispers of stars doing high street collections, and never following through. So why do I get the feeling that this one might actually have some truth to it? Perhaps because Cheryl is one hot ticket right now. I turn the mic over to you...

Time to speak up! What do you honestly think of this idea? Would Cheryl make a good Topshop celeb designer? Let us know.

Cheap Party Dresses for Christmas : Back to Black (strapless prom dresses)

Earlier in the Cheap Party dresses rundown, I featured a whole gallery of strapless black numbers. But you can never have too many LBDs in my opinion, so here are two more that definitely make the grade (especially now their prices have been slashed in the sale). They're both from New Look, and start at £20 for the velvet spot dress (very Luella) with the frilly, ruffled prom dress coming in at £35, which is a great deal considering all the detail. Move fast as sizes are already limited. That's what happens with bargains like this!

Stella McCartney interviews Kate Hudson for In Style magazine, Jan '09 issue

Stella McCartney has swapped roles and donned the interviewer's cap for the January '09 issue of U.S. In Style magazine. And the subject? None other than her close pal, Kate Hudson.

The two sat down at London's posh Locanda Locatelli restaurant, for what has been described as Hudson's "most revealing interview yet". They cover everything from her new movie, Bride Wars, to her passion for jewellery, to life as a single gal.

Stella:You're a hot ticket! You've always been in demand.
Kate: I feel good in relationships. I enjoy them, so I feel my best when I'm in something solid. But it's also the first time I've ever taken a step back and gotten a new perspective. So I've made a conscious decision to try and stay single for as long as possible.
Stella: Yeah, babe I know! What's it been - all of two weeks? Congratulations!
Kate: Exactly. I'm just trying to be an adult now.Stella: So I take it you're just watching lots of soft porn?
Kate: What are you talking about? I go right for the hard stuff!

Still time to win £150 of shopping vouchers!

Just a reminder that you've still got time to enter our amazing competition to win a whopping £150 of shopping vouchers to use at your choice of the following shops; Dorothy Perkins, John Lewis, Miss Selfridge, Next or Marks and Spencer. They've been generously donated by MyMall, the new virtual shopping mall (think Westfield without the tube journey and the crowds) which boasts over 500 major brands in it's virtual space, including the huge womenswear floor that houses the brands above.

If you fancy snagging this amazing extra Christmas present courtesy of CQ, keep reading for details on how to enter...

One lucky Catwalk Queen winner will get £150 of vouchers for one of the stores listed above to spend via MyMall. To enter the competition, all you need to do is visit MyMall to find the answer to this really easy question...

Q. On what floor of MyMall would you find womenswear?
Send your answers to us at the usual competition address, shinyfashion@gmail.com, with the email subject MyMall Competition before midnight on Thursday 18th December 2008. Please include your name, email address, full postal address and you preferred store. We'll draw the reader on Friday 19th so you'll hopefully get your vouchers just in time for some Christmas window shopping!

Terms & Conditions
1. Prize is £150 of shopping vouchers for the winner's choice of the following: Dorothy Perkins, John Lewis, Miss Selfridge, Next or Marks and Spencer.

2. There is no cash alternative. Winner is subject to the restrictions of the vouchers as specified by the individual stores.

3. Prize draw is open to UK residents only.

4. Only one entry per person will be accepted. Multiple entries will result in exclusion from the draw.

5. By entering this competition you agree to be added to the Shiny Fashion mailing list, and also to receive news and voucher codes from MyMall. We will not share your details with others. If you'd prefer not to be added to the list add no mailout the subject of the email.

6. The winner will be drawn at random on December 19th 2008. Entries with missing information may be exempt from the draw.

For more information, please see Shiny Media's full terms & conditions and privacy policy.

[via CatawlkQueen]

Khloe Kardashian falls victim to the flashbulb

Khloe, we need to talk. I think it's time I introduced you to two vital items of clothing. The first is a black bra. The second are called 'trousers'. You might call them 'pants'. Either way, they go on your legs where you've mistakenly put those tights and that 'belt'. I refuse to call it a skirt, because skirts cover your arse.

[image: Sipa Press/Rex Features]

Lily Allen in Sonia Rykiel: When wearing a dress just because it's designer isn't a good enough excuse...

Reminiscent of that time when Victoria Beckham thought it was acceptable to wear a belted sheet simply because it was by Marc Jacobs, so has Lily Allen displayed the same error in judgement, only with much less finesse. Revealing more than we needed to see, the British songbird stepped out for dinner Wednesday night in this sheer baby pink Sonia Rykiel dress, which left many scratching their heads. Not only was it far too long for her, but it exposed her lacy pants for the world's paps to shoot. Proving that just because its designer, isn't a good enough excuse to try and pull it off, Lily has shown us that a label doesn't necessarily = buy. Thanks for the timely reminder Lils!
[Image Source]

London Fashion Week schedule announced!

While everyone else is still panicking over present-buying, Christmas food and getting a tree cast your thoughts to as the BFC have released the catwalk schedule for London Fashion Week.

The days and dates have changed so Paul Costelloe who usually opens proceedings on a Sunday is now showing on a Friday with shows finishing on a Wednesday. All the usual names are on the sheet, from old favourites like Paul Smith and Julien Macdonald to established newcomers like Christopher Kane and Roksanda Illincic.

Newer names on the roster include Mark Fast (pictured right) whose knitwear designs propelled him into the limelight and with a debut collection available at Browns in the spring he is sure to be a hot ticket come February. Other designers to look out for include Peter Pillotto who is maturing nicely, fairly recent graduate Mary Katrantzou (pictured left) and this year will see the first catwalk show for Twenty8Twelve, the label run by Sienna Miller and her sister Savannah.

Cheap Party Dresses for Christmas: A bit of extra festive sparkle

How do you make the Harlequin trend even more over the top? How about doing it in sequins? The £39.14 dress on the right is definitely not one for the faint-hearted, but if you've got the legs to pull it off, Christmas is definitely the time. I'd top it with a tuxedo jacket and Miu Miu esque heels. Meanwhile, a little bit more traditional, if equally eyecatching, is the gold ombre sequin dress for £24.46, which would be great with black tights and killer Gucci-style studded sandals. Both dresses are from Quiz Clothing, a new online discovery for me.

Cheap Party Dresses for Christmas - Copy Eva Mendes for less than £10!

Eva Mendes' yellow Bill Blass dress helped her outshine Scarlett Johansson at the premiere of 'The Spirit', but at well over £1000, the dress probably isn't in most people's festive budget. Luckily, ASOS.com have come up trumps with a very similar dress. It might be slightly lighter in colour with frills in different places, but considering it could be winging its way to you this weekend for less than £10, I think it's a fair trade-off. There's free shipping at ASOS this weekend, so get this dress now for £9.79. If the yellow is too much for you, it also comes in a slightly more easy to wear cornflower blue.

Top 10 fashionable gifts for under $100 on ShinyStyle!

Our American sisters in style have wrapped up $20 gifts under $200 and are on to the $50-$100 price range. The first thing they looked for? A fab coat for gifting to your favorite girl. We like this Gap plaid belted coat, on sale for $94.99, because the plaid can be a little holiday, a little preppy or a little indie depending on the giftee's style. It's a little something different for the girl who usually sticks to pea coats.

Check out the whole list here!

Lara Stone for French Vogue

We reported on the Stéphanie de Monaco issue of French Vogue recently and now the Gallic team have named their latest muse, Dutch-born model Lara Stone. A regular face in French Vogue she won't be writing or contributing, but there's no doubt she is well loved by the magazine as they told Fashionista: "Have you ever met Lara Stone? If you met her, you would know. She's an amazing person."Looks like my subscription will be worth every euro! if you need me I'll be peering out my letterbox for the next month until the issue lands in my hallway.
[Fashionista, Image: TFS]

What to wear over those strapless party dresses

The response to yesterday's Helen Mirren story about dresses with sleeves got me thinking about the proliferation of strapless and strappy dresses at this time of year, and the ongoing problem of what to wear with them to keep off the chill. Assuming you wear a coat to go in, you'll then need something a bit thinner and more party-like to wear after you've removed it.

While some super-stylish people can make a loose, men's cardigan look amazing over a strapless prom dress, others will need something a bit more appropriate. Luckily there are plenty of shrugs, boleros, capes and cardigans around...

My advice is to stay away from sequinned shrugs, which still reek a little bit of Winter 2006, when Primark sold that gold shrug. Instead look for something a bit more 40s glam, with frills, chiffon or more unusual embellishment, like Dorothy Perkins' gathered chiffon shrug (top left, £20).

If you really want your dress to do the talking, a simple, fitted black shrug (above right, £10.76 from Quiz) will keep your arms and shoulders warm without drawing attention away. You have to be careful what you wear them with (no combats and vest tops - can we all say Steps video?) but they work really well with strapless dresses.

Tuxedo jackets are everywhere this season, but might be a bit too heavy to wear over a dress. Jasper Garvida for Oli Fusion has solved this problem with short-sleeved, bolero version (£39).
Finally, go all out with faux fur or feathers if you're off somewhere really glam. River Island's feather bolero would look brilliant over a bright coloured dress. It's yours for £48.92.

Cheap Party Dresses for Christmas - Miss Selfridge's limited edition frock

If you've still not found your perfect party dress (come on, I've brought you SIXTY!) then feast your eyes on this baby.

It's from Miss Selfridge, and is a special limited edition item that'll only be available on the website from tomorrow (Dec 12th). Only 100 of the £50 dresses will be available, so that dramatically cuts down on potential 'oops, we wore the same outfit' embarrassment.

The colour is also a nice change from all the black, red and blue we're seeing at the moment. It'll look amazing with just about any skintone and hair colour, which is a minor miracle, and the shape is universally flattering (don't shy away from volume if you're curvaceous, you'll be surprised how well it can work).

Rihanna and Lisa Snowdon at Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball, London

Rihanna is in town y'all and the cat is outta the bag as to why (a certain X Factor performance is on the cards apparently). Dropping in to Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball last night to perform her three hits Umbrella, Take A Bow and Please Don't Stop The Music, Rihanna shunned the usual red carpet sparkle and razzmatazz to wear a simple outfit consisting of black cropped skinny trousers and a black blazer with pushed up sleeves.

Trouble is, TV host Lisa Snowden was on the same wavelength and wore very similar attire (except she braved the infamous Black Rats leggings in her case). I love Rihanna's necklace, so for me, this was the more eye-catching of the two, although Lisa does also look really great. What do you think?

[Images: Richard Young/Rex Features]

Pics from Audrey Tautou's turn as Coco Chanel via French Elle

Film stills from Audrey Tautou's turn as Coco Chanel in the biopic, Coco Avant Chanel, have sprung up in the November '08 issue of French Elle. The movie is still filming in Paris, but we are already très excited for it to hit cinemas! Tautou plays the legendary designer in her early years, and to reflect this costume designer Catherine Leterrier focused on showing how Chanel "was different from the ladies of her time". "She was poor, but she had her own style," she said.

[Images TFS via Fashionologie]

Spring/Summer comes early at Topshop?

LEFT: Dress from Topshop's Spring/Summer '09 press day preview;

RIGHT: Skirt, now in at Topshop.com.

Get in now to beat everyone else to the punch! There will be plenty more florals where that skirt came from... and also lace, fringing, bloomers and blazers. I tell ya, makes me look forward to the end of winter that much more.

Katie Grand hosts a LOVE party, before the mag even goes on sale

Oh, to be one of the chosen ones! Last night, LOVE editor Katie Grand held a Christmas tea party and treasure hunt for her nearest and dearest - a group that included Giles Deacon, Beth Ditto, Serena Rees, Jade Parfitt and Alexandra Shulman. Talk about a who's who of fashion. Perhaps the oddest thing, however, was seeing uber-cool BFFs Agyness and Henry Holland getting chummy with retro diva Kelly Brook.

[image: Richard Young/Rex Features]

Red carpet watch: Nicole Kidman chooses L'Wren Scott (again) as Australia comes to London

it just me or is Nicole Kidman's recent fondness for L'Wren Scott starting to grate a little? Of course I *heart* both celebrity and designer, but really... I think it's time to chill out on the LWSF (Little White Scott Frocks) for a little while - I believe its her fifth one yet! Yes, there has been the odd Prada and Dries van Noten number thrown in for a good measure, but it's all been a tad safe for my liking. Here she is at the UK premiere of Australia in Leicester Square, looking darling as always. But oh how I wish she'd take a leaf out of fellow Aussie Cate Blanchett's book, and try something a bit more daring. Yes?

[Photos: Rex Features / Source]

Pamela Anderson dishes on *that* Vivienne Westwood campaign

Pamela Anderson may have decided to skip the need for trousers at this week's prestigious Art Basel show in Miami, but it looks like she is still on track to front Vivienne Westwood's next campaign.

The former Baywatch star has spilled to Ocean Drive magazine about her role in Westwood's forthcoming spring/summer '09 ads.

"I just finished working with Vivienne Westwood, shooting next summer's campaign for her fashion line," she said. "Vivienne and her husband, Andreas, came and stayed at my house for two days while we did the shoot, and it was fantastic, we had so much fun."

I wonder if this time Pammy will be wearing more than just her pants...

[Source: Ocean Drive via Grazia]

Diane Kruger dons Clubmasters for Ray-Ban party

Ray-Ban Clubmasters have been snapping on the heels of their more popular Wayfarer cousins for a while now but they're neck and neck in the style stakes.Ray-Ban invited three bands including the Black Kids to re-jig their favourite songs which they played to a crowded party of celebs. Teaming her sunnies with high-waisted tuxedo trousers Diane Kruger looks pretty hot in hers unlike Gossip Girl's Ed Westwick...
Sipa Press/Rex Features

Cheap Party Dresses for Christmas: No cash for a dress? No need to Boohoo (!)

These three dresses for £20 or less take us up to 60 in the 100 Cheap Party Dresses rundown. Yes, friends, the end is near (ish). To finish up today's bumper edition I have three dresses from Boohoo.com that'll suit even the tightest of budgets. Fifteen squids will get you the one-shouldered green 'Bella' dress, for £20 you can get the black shoulder-detail 'Alyssa' and at only £12 the strapless satin 'Carrie' will see you through the festive season in very thrifty style.
Click here to see all the dresses so far: 1 - 60

Behind-the-scenes Victoria's Secret Holiday '08 commercial, Paris

Here is just the thing to get you into the festive mood (or your boyfriend, at least). The Victoria's Secret angels are on location outside of Paris at chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte to shoot the lingerie brand's holiday 2008 commercial. Based on the idea of a secret, supermodels including Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Doutzen Kroes and Miranda Kerr, run through the beautiful chateau in flouncy red dresses and bras to pass on a special gift. How did they know that is exactly how I plan to spend my Christmas?

Watch the full commercial below...

Topshop 'Headless' tees

For lovers of anything cutesy and/or Disney, these 'Headless' tees are actually a lot more cheerful to look at than they sound. Choose from either Minnie Mouse or Olive Oyl (or both, if you think Santa will be particularly generous), and then sit back, relax and wait for them to be delivered to your Christmas tree or stocking. They're £16 each from Topshop. (I'll take the Olive Oyl one thanks Santa!)

Burberry blooms for spring/summer '08 campaign - starring Lily Donaldson, Eden Clarke & co.

Burberry has long been about doing things in big electic groups, consisting of a mixture of models, musicians, and other various It-kids.This spring/summer looks no different, with Christopher Bailey luring his cast to Petersham Nurseries, outside of London, for a greenhouse-style shoot. As far as who stars, well it appears that the whispers were correct for once. There is no sign of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley this time, after she was reportedly dropped from the label due to that drug scandal a few months back. Oops!

As speculated, Rosie seems to have been replaced by Eden Clark and actor Alex Pettyfer, amongst others. Joining them are models Lily Donaldson, Alexina Graham and Richard Wyndham, photographer Emily Hope, and musicians George Craig and Sam Beeton. The bunch were shot by Mario Testino, sporting Burberry's strong-selling outerwear. Although, keep your eyes peeled for Burberry's The Gardener bag next season.

"I wanted the mood to be gentle, relaxed, romantic and about a quiet, beautiful sense of luxury," Bailey told WWD. "This campaign highlights the spirit of our wonderfully crumpled classics."

Jennifer Connelly at 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' NY premiere

Balenciaga devotee Jennifer Connelly stayed true to her fashion house when she stepped out in this sparkly aqua number at the premiere of her new film The Day the Earth Stood Still in New York last night. With long, sleek hair (extensions?) and some really subtle yet gorgeous peep-toe heels, she looked fresh and glowing. The party sequin frock and flowing hair is a bit of a departure from the look I'm used to her sporting (neutral-toned architectural dresses and a swept-back 'do) but I really like the change.

Cheap Party Dresses for Christmas: Celebrity inspired frocks

We're over halfway through the cheap party dresses rundown (thank God!) and today I've done something a little special, with a gallery of celebrity-inspired frocks for around £20 - £60. If you fancy getting the look of Gwyneth Paltrow, Megan Fox, Victoria Beckham, Anna Faris, Eliza Dushku or Ashley Tisdale, look no futher than these cheap chic items. Click the image below to view the lot!

Gwyneth's Antonio Berardi dress was a love it or loathe it tabloid fave, but Topshop's alternative is a bit easier to wear. It's also only £30 in the sale.

Megan Fox is a huge fan of hot pink, and has worn variations of this look for the last couple of years. Copy her look and draw attention with River Island's tulip skirted number for £58.71.

Ashley Tisdale wore a crop of frilly, feminine, sparkly confections during the High School Musical promotional tour. This, from Rome, was one of the best, and can be copied on a budget with Miss Selfridge's £35 silver knot dress, some silver flat-back jewels and some super glue. I do love a craft project.

Anna Faris's starring role in The House Bunny meant she was another star doing the promotional rounds in the latter half of the year. Copy her bodycon red dress with another bodycon red dress from Dorothy Perkins for only £20.

If you're heading to a party straight from the office and you really can't change, take a note out of Eliza Dusku's book and try a pencil skirt and blouse...or one of the all-in-one dresses, like Peacocks' high-waisted offering for £20

With the launch of her dress line, Posh has been working the super-fitted, pencil skirted look for loooong time. Copy the frock she wore at the Marc Jacobs fashion show with this Goddiva frock for £55.85.

[CatwalkQueen]

Helen Mirren calls for the return of the sleeved dress

Dame Helen Mirren has put the call-out for sleeves to return to dresses.

The actress is apparently so adamant about the issue, that she is even considering starting her own clothing line.

"Dresses With Sleeves," is what she told the Telegraph she would call her range. "There are no dresses with sleeves and we need to bring back the sleeve: fine, see-through ones, long or short. There are so many wonderful things you can do with sleeves that people used to do, and then they stopped."

I can see her point. Certainly as we grow older, a sleeve is not only practical (hello we are in the UK!) but often, at times, essential. What are your thoughts? Do you agree that there is a lack of sleeved dresses on the high street? Tell us below.

Alexa Chung: "I would actually like to model again"

Could we soon be seeing Alexa Chung stepping in front of the lens for a lucrative ad campaign or two? There might be a campaign with New Look on the cards, if those rumours from the British Fashion Awards ring true.

Regardless, Alexa has expressed an interest in returning to her modelling roots, a profession that she once abandoned to pursue a career in TV presenting.

"I would actually like to model again now because I think I would have a lot more input, so watch this space," she told the Telegraph.

"I stopped modelling because it was just so stifling. It is very hard, when something is your passion, to be controlled and told how to do it and what to wear," she added.

Likewise, Alexa's boyfriend, Alex Turner of Artic Monkeys, also claims that he still gets queries about modelling jobs.

"I still get modelling offers all the time and since I moved on to other things, the offers have become a lot more appealing," he said.

Maybe a campaign starring both would be a wise move. Food for thought anyway.

Cheryl Cole's Vogue shoot turns sour after clashing with stylist

Cheryl Cole's dreams of a Vogue cover turned into a nightmare, after she reportedly stormed off the shoot following a clash with stylist, Bay Garnett.

As I mentioned last month, the X Factor judge is all set to star on the cover of British Vogue's February issue, but her moment in front of the lens didn't go to plan when she felt ignored by Garnett.

An insider told Heat magazine: "Cheryl arrived really excited about the whole thing, as anyone would be, but things soon turned a bit sour. The main problem on the shoot was Cheryl's chemistry with the stylist Bay Garnett after the pair failed to click."

The source added: "Bay is a super stylist, really well known in the fashion world, so it was a real coup that she was styling Cheryl. Bay had the baby daughter with her and spent a lot of time with her during the shoot, which meant that the assistants had to do most or the styling. Cheryl didn't take too kindly to this and felt ignored."

It is believed that by 3pm, Cheryl was over it and left the shoot.

"The photographer had his shots by then, so it wasn't like Cheryl was being unprofessional by leaving, but she wasn't going to stay somewhere she felt uncomfortable."

The February cover is said to feature the Girls Aloud singer dressed in gold and showing off her trademark smokey-eyed look. Although whether we'll actually get to see the photos now remains uncertain.

[Source / Photo: Rex Features]

Scarlett Johanssen and Eva Mendes make the most of their differences at 'The Spirit'

At the launch of 'The Spirit' in Berlin recently Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson couldn't have dressed more differently, but both manage to look stunning. They're a shining example of dressing to suit your figure, colouring and personal style rather than chasing trends.Scarlett looks glowing with her new red-hued hair and a gorgeous stiff silk skirt which shows off her slim waist. Eva has gone for a more classical silhouette with a retro dress in a colourful print which makes the most of her golden skin.

[Action Press/Rex Features ]

Would you wear these? Anna Sui's Paillette-embellished shorts

Slightly reminiscent of Kylie's lame hot pants in her Spinning Around video (which I swore I would never attempt), these Anna Sui sequin shorts might have me changing my tune after I spotted them in Net-a-Porter's new lineup this week. They made me rivert back to this silver sequin skirt I saw on Knight Cat and think how they'd be just as perfect with flat ankle boots, a vest top and mussed-up hair at a rock gig as with black opaques and a sleek blazer (as styled above) for a swish evening out.

How about you? What do you think of them? And more importantly: would you wear them!?

Bauer to continue POP but will drop spring '09 issue

With much doubt surrounding the future of POP after Katie Grand announced her defection to Condé Nast, publishers Bauer have reaffirmed their commitment to the magazine. However, without a new editor at the helm, the company has admitted it will drop its spring 2009 issue next year.

"It is inevitable a new editor will bring a new vision to the brand, but we are not prepared - nor under any pressure - to rush out an interim issue for the sake of it," said a Bauer spokeswoman. "We would rather invest time in relaunching in the fall 2009 with a magazine that will create a real difference to the fashion industry."

Meanwhile, Grand's last issue of POP, a 20th anniversary special starring Drew Barrymore (above, right), is about to hit the stands on 18th November.

"Katie and her team have been utterly professional in producing a fantastic 20th anniversary issue, but now we want to move on to appointing a new editor for the next chapter of the POP story," the spokeswoman added.

"POP was, is, and will continue to be, a valuable member of our portfolio and we are really excited about what the future holds for the brand. The new era of POP launches fall 2009."

Katie Grand leaves POP to launch a new fashion title, Love, for Condé Nast. The first issue is due to be launched at the end of February.

[Source]

Pick of the Blogs: Urban Outfitters, dole chic and Divine Brown

I spotted Susie Bubble's dress in Urban Outfitters, great minds think alike! Or fools seldom differ, I can never remember which. [Style Bubble]

Divine is Glamourai's Halloween-spiration, which is an idea I might have to steal. [The Glamourai]

Dole queue fashion, if I only I had looked this good when collecting my JSA... [Kingdom of Style]

Are you discerner or a non-discerner? Per Una boss George Davies gives his recession predictions. [Disney Rollergirl]

Isabel has a pretty selection of black and white photos to bring some cheer to your Monday. [Hipster Musings]

X Factor goes designer with Alexandra in Alexander (McQueen)

I confess, I've been completely swept up in the X Factor hype this year, and have been avidly watching the styling in particular. For Saturday night's Big Band show we had everything from 20s Topshop flapper dresses to custom-made Jessica Rabbit red gowns, but it was Alexandra Burke's nautical themed 'Candyman' performance that surprised me the most. X Factor is known for using a lot of high street clothing, but Alex was actually wearing customised Alexander McQueen. The £990 dress from Matches was chopped short and embellished with gold rope trim on the shoulders and pockets. That's almost a grand's worth of designer fashion, altered in the name of entertainment. It's a good thing she got through to the next round...

Marks & Spencer crowned the UK's most animal friendly retailer

In these environmental and animal-preserving times, being crowned the UK's most animal friendly retailer is surely a string worth adding to your bow. Marks & Spencer has been awarded that title at the RSPCA Good Business Awards.

It is the fourth year in a row that M&S have won the award, which begs the question - what are other major retailers really doing to push its animal friendly policies?

Yorkshire-based retailer, Izzy Lane, took home the gong for best small fashion retailer. They were praised for their commitment to to animal welfare, including launching its own sheep sanctuary.

"Izzy Lane shows how a passion for animals can equal a truly luxurious and cutting edge fashion label, whilst Marks & Spencer continues to prove that sustainability and sales can go hand in hand on the high street," said fashion judge, Wayne Hemingway.

Meet LaDress and their perfectly fitting frocks

Simone van Trojen and I share a simple philosophy. Life is better in a dress. As the creator of LaDress, Simone aims to bring women the perfect does-it-all frock, which judging by the current collection, owes a lot to the legacy of Diane Von Furstenberg. There are three main silhouettes on offer; a button down, knee length dress with a wide collar and long sleeves, a classic wrap with quite a full skirt, and a funkier, shorter tunic with a cinched waist. The dresses are then available in all kinds of fabrics, from polka dot silks to bright coloured crepes, resulting in a much larger collection than you'd imagine...

work out your measurements from the size chart (sizes are from XXS - XXL, which are approx UK 6 -18) and you're done. All the dresses are cut to the same size measurements so once you know your fit, you should be able to order any style in any fabric and be ensured the same fit. Top these with a petticoat or a sash scarf, and you're good to go.

Prices start at £179 for the lycra jersey option, so this is not a bargain brand, but you'll get the benefits of boutique shopping (it's delivered in a handcrafted box, with easy returns) which might sway you a bit? Sadly, I don't think the model's Brigitte Bardot hair and sultry eye makeup come as standard, but I'm desperate to try them out too!