NEW BLOG!

While I have enjoyed writing as 'Style and the city' I have created a new blog - Please follow me on http://www.rachelclairep.com/

Thank you! x

The Good, The Bad & The Stylish: Cosmo Women of the year awards

Okay so I'm going to make this a regular post, maybe weekly, maybe just as the award shows come & go - were'll see. But i couldnt miss out on the Cosmolpolitan Women of the year awards - all those gorgeous frocks in one place - perfect!

The Good

Fearne can often do no wrong, and she certainly didnt here - displaying how Gothic-Chic can still be sexy & sophisticated. Velvet seems to be a reoccuring winter trend so dig out last years dress's...although not many girls could pull off floor-length red velvet on the red carpet!

The Bad

Cheap. Mis-matched. Not glamourus in the slightest - Please return it to your local market stall.

The Stylish

Karen Gillan was a winner alright - not only did she scoop winner Ultimate UK TV Actress award but won my style award with her fashion-forward outfit in camel shorts and shirt with a fringed jacket! Quirky, stylish - I love it!

The Good, The Bad & The Stylish: MOBOS

So, This week the annual MOBO's (Music of Black origin) took place in Liverpool - and what a show it was, with many fantastic breakthrough artists leading the way, Yes you Mr Tempah!
But as like any awards show the real question was the usual WWW - Who Wore What?

I've decided to try out a new style post with my round up of the evening fashion - hope you like it!

The Good:

Who'd have thought Destiny Child's Michelle would stole so much limelight this year? After years of being in the shadows of the fabulous Beyonce & Kelly Rowland, Michelle won her own fans through this years Strictly come dancing - and here she is in a fabulous sequin gown which shows her amazingly toned body perfectly!

The Bad:

Oh! She may have performed & part-hosted the event but seriously, what is this? Nasty Pattern, cheap material - and why has she stolen Madonna conical bra to use as shoulder pads? To top it all off - is that a train I see? All wrong!

The Stylish:


Step forward Tinee Tempah! Yes the Man of the hour showcases an effortlessly cool ensemble with a on-trend blazer & glasses. Chic, Smart & Stylish...Another award to add to his collection!

A Sneaky Peak...

So, On a rainy journey to Liverpool recently I made a stop at a motorway service station - and picked up a copy of Elle Collection A/W which brightened up the rest of my journey as i flicked through the new collections & campaigns (which i will blog about in detail at a later date!)

But what caught my eye was a little section at the back with lists of what contributors to the magazine had in their handbags - such a simple idea, but fabulous because if your anything like me you'll love a good nosy at people private lives!

Whilst their lists consisted of Chanel Lipsticks, mine handbag contains a little less glamour but does carry around my life! So, here you go a quick nosy into my handbag...

Here's my beloved tan Birkin-alike handbag,

And the contents (minus a few old receipts and empty chocolate wrappers!)

My Polka-dot diary which i couldn't run my life without, Vera Wang perfume, Keys & Gym key, Body Shop Hemp hand cream, Blackberry, Aviators - absolute summer staple, Magazine, nail varnish, Factor 30 sun lotion due to my fair-skin & freckled cheeks, hand gel & chewing gum!

Flake or Fake?

Recently the Cadburys chocolate bar, Flake, has re-invernted it adverts into a beautiful peice of art - with Russian model Yulia Lobova and a dress by Anthony Price made with 200 meters of material twirling around creating a rippling effect mirroring the inside of the delicious crumbly chocolate...Oops is my mouth watering?

A fantastic, unusual advert some may say? Ah but critics have suggested it is a rip-off of Ol' Mossy's (Kate Moss) video for an Alexander McQueen feature. Take a look at the clips below & decide for yourself!

Yes the Great McQueen has probably been ripped off a little, & copying may be the best form of flattery but as gorgeous as the new advert is I can hardly see this making Kate 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels' Moss running to get a flake! Oh well, Sod her - More for me! :)

Flake Advert

Kate Moss For Alexander McQueen Fashion Show

Graduate Fashion Week

This is a little overdue - Sorry!

So, a few weeks ago, Sunday 6th June I made my way to Earls Court for Graduate fashion week - I had tickets to see the UCLAN show, and met a few of the lovely girlys from uni there too!
Now I'd been to GFW the year before i started uni, but this year I appreciated it so much more knowing how much of their heart & soul had gone in to not only the collections but all the surrounding work on the uni stalls - and the standard was incredible!

The catwalk was great -The models, as predicted, looked fantastic and the collections were fabulous! Here's a sneaky peak at my favourite two:

This was my favourite collection - As a whole it all worked, but individually each piece was stunning! The Eastern /Ethnic themed collection featured plenty of rustic gold beading, jewelery and bells adorned to a mixture of neutral & jewel coloured fabrics. A big trend for the summer, following SATC 2 and Pradas turbans on the catwalk. Unfortunately I didn't get the designers name so If this is yours, or you know who's it is please let em know and I will credit you on here!

I loved the pinky/coral in this collection, The whole collection was fairly similar to each other but once piece that did stand out for me was the knitted maxi (3rd model in the picture) - it fitted the model perfectly which really helped show the fantastic knitted pattern. This collection was by Sara Zadeh.

Also, I'd just like to congratulate my friend Sara Azuri on coming third in the River Island carrier bag design competition - I was so pleased to see her smiley face beaming at me from the wall!

The Girls are back!

Its a Friday evening, There's cocktails flowing (free I might add!), mini cupcakes and hundreds of the best dressed women in town - it could only be one thing, Sex and the city 2!
Oh yes, Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte & Miranda are back and they did not disappoint!

Now, As it was only released last night I don't want to give too much away as many of you wont have yet seen it but let me tell you it was amazing! The usual mix of tears, laughter and fashion with a few fabulous extras, Yes I mean you Liza Minnelli!

The Style, Patricia Field was spot on with sexy, sassy and fashion-forward outfits for the girls in the city - each outfit so fitting for the character, beautifully put together (see image below!)


Now, the real difference was the Abu'dhabi fashion, with the lack of flesh baring and independent women I wondered how this would work - but never fear, the outfits only got more fabulous! I love the way they interpreted the eastern culture and created such fabulous outfits, still keeping each ladies personality shining through!

But where theres an up, theres always a down - Carries Dior t-shirt/Full skirted floor length ball skirt couldn't have been more wrong, had it been in Manhattan then fine but at an eastern market, erm fish out of water springs to mind?

Never fear though, the ladies have still got it.

Oh Yes, they still have it. And I want it. All! Now, hurry up put those gorgeous peep toe shoes on and get to your local cinema - I'm off for take 2 tomorrow! X

Guess who's back...

Oops - Its been a fair few weeks since my last post! I've now finished my second year of Uni & moved back down to sunny Southampton, and apparently left my blogging there too! As you know, this blog was originally started for the use of a university assignment so hopefully over the next few days, maybe weeks, I will be slowly removing the 'irrelevant' posts and keeping up-to-date with my fashion posts!
Due to a ridiculously slow internet connection theses posts may be far & few between but I will try!

So the past few weeks, Well I'm now back in the box bedroom - living out of boxes and clothes rails, struggling to maintain any kind of summer/winter organisation with my wardrobe and losing most of my jewellery, make-up and accessories to my younger sisters! I'm also back at work, the lovely girls & boys at Oasis have taken me back & I'm very much happy to be back with such a lovely group of work mates! (I shall post the pictures from next weeks 'work night out' - if there not too horrendous!)

I'm excited for what the summer has to offer, as I've already had the maxi dress's, Aviators & sandals out & its not even June! Well Mr Sunshine, Bring it on - I'm ready for Summer 2010 babbbyyyy!

Bye for now! :)

John Lewis Ad 2010 - She's Always A Woman by Fyfe Dangerfield

This is such a lovely advert!
A beautiful song as backing music, follows a girl grow up and start a life of commitment with her husband - the soft lighting, well cast models and smooth time transitions make it a really successful advert! I never would have guessed it was for John Lewis but when the name appears at the end it created an instant connotation!

I love a Happy ending! <3

Oh No she didn't...

Please don't judge me, But this is HILARIOUS!
America's Next Top Model contestant Alexandra falls over not once, but twice on the same catwalk - Now don't get me wrong if i was 6ft tall with legs that long I'd struggle to keep myself upright, but then again I'm not strutting my stuff in front of Tyra Banks!

Just watch this video & Thank God that when your fall over its because of a few too many malibu's with the girls, & not broadcasted to the whole of the world! Ah cringeeee!

Lily Allen - Naive - LIVE LOUNGE

Jeanius!

God what a cheesy title?

Oh well, To keep this post short & sweet I just wanted to post a photo of May's Vogue (Germany) - With Miss Vicky B on the cover, her third vogue front cover, its a jeans special...and came in denim packaging! They say simple things please simple minds & I'm sorry to say that I was impressed, to use my favourite sketchbook quote - Simple yet effective!

Oh so posh...

Last Friday myself & some of the girls from uni went to Ladies day at Aintree races, being my first venture into Liverpool I was really excited - and a little bit scared, I heard about Scouse girls reputation of being a little over the top!

But I had a lovely day, although I felt a little pale amongst all the spray tans - but absolutely loved looking at what everyone was wearing! Some girls looked amazing, others well lets just say its not my thing!

Here's a snap of us girls in the morning, after a lovely glass of bubbly!

Don't scrub up too badly do we?

Wise words of the beautiful...

"I have too many fantasies to be a housewife. I guess I am a fantasy!"

I found this quote by Marilyn Monroe and thought it was really appropriate for the shoot we did, it really shows how the pin-up was a fantasy for many women - even the most beautiful women ever!

She also quoted this...

"I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot!"

Wise words Marilyn, Wise words!

Diet coke break

This song gets stuck in my head all day! <3
And, is it a little bit sad I'm jealous of a puppets wardrobe?

Summer loving...

I just walked through the door, soaking wet, with a battered umbrella...Hurry up summer!
After purchasing my first Maxi dress of the year, a gorgeous lil black number perfect for the flip-flop & aviators combo, I've been searching for my next summer bargain!


Now, I'm not a high maintenance girl - natural make-up, a quick messy hair do & I'm off, so the summer 'Boho chic' look is perfect for those lazy summer days, I love these outfits that have been put together by ASOS...Now all i need are those perfect model like pins! Ah well!

Buy NOW from ASOS.com

Go Scar Jo...

Yesterday we had our group crit. I was terrified the class would rip our idea to shreds, or worse - rip us to shreds! Luckily all went okay, nobody had a bad word to say - and we also got some helpful tips on finding the vital 2nd model!

One comment made was not to make the images too 1950's, so to use it in a modern twist.

Scarlet Johannson often has a vintage inspired look but with a modern twist, here's a few images we could use as inspiration...

The Trend Boutique

So, I'm a new Rep for 'The Trend Boutique' - a great fashion resource, full of trends, interviews, helpful tips, internships & placements & more.

Please join my group here:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=757040065#!/group.php?gid=108477862503735&ref=ts

Or join the site, Basic membership is free:
http://www.thetrendboutique.co.uk/

(Please put my name as a referral if you can!)

Thanks, X