**News Flash** Biggest fashion show in New York history

Pen in September 7th my fellow fashionitsa's because this is going to be a big'un.

US Vogue is going to stage a public extravaganza featuring more than 200 models, showcasing what's in store for the annual event, Fashion's Night Out and revealing the new trends for Autumn.

Vogue's editor-in-chief told The Independent: "This show will focus on the key trends we've identified for fall so that shoppers will have plenty of inspiration to join the fun during Fashion's Night Out."

The show, which is to be held in New York, follows a debate, mainly initiated by fashion designer Donna Karan, whether nor not it makes sense to offer Spring clothes in Autumn and visa versa. This heated debate has left the industry thinking hard about this routine.

The 1,500 tickets for the show at the Lincoln Center, New York Fashion Week's new home from next season, can be purchased by anyone starting in summer.

It's sure to be one not to miss, and if any of you lucky people have the money to go to New York this Autumn, visit http://www.fashionsnightout.com/ for more information.

**News Flash** First Alexander Mcqueen biography to be released

It was only a matter of time before biographies of the late Alexander McQueen began to appear.

Alexander McQueen: Genius of a Generation is written by Kristen Knox, an international fashion journalist – better known in the blogosphere as the Clothes Whisperer.

She’s teamed up with A&C Black publishers to produce the biography and will examine his rise from Eastend London boy to fashion icon. His illustrious career in fashion will be explored through images of his most famous designs as well photos of his final, unfinished collection for Autumn/Winter 2010.

The book is set to be released on May 7th in all major book shelves and I’m sure will be the first of many, but I will definitely be reading!

Pale is the new tan!

That's right! It's time to throw away those bottles of fake bake and St. Tropez and embrace your natural skin girlies.

For years we've been bombarded by endless images of bronzed bodies shimmering down the red carpet. But with more and more celebrities rocking the English Rose look such as Katy Perry, Nicola Roberts and Kelly Osbourne, and vampire mania taking over the world thanks to the Twilight saga, pale is sexy!

THE must have beauty item for any pale skinned beauty has to be foundation. Pale skin can be very translucent and more prone to oilyness, so choosing the right foundation is crucial.

Go easy using bright colours on your eyes, as on pale skin they can be a bit too much. Instead opt for soft pastels, sheer shimmers and natural hues with warm undertones.

Blusher is also a must have item for giving fair skin that bit of colour it needs to look healthy and radiant. Again stick with pastal colours but don't be afraid to over indulge on the cheek colour. Bright rosy cheeks on pale skin were all over the catwalks this year and when done right the effect can be stunning!

Here is a short video giving you more tips on how to make the most of your pale complexions, enjoy :)-

Mad as a Hatter

With all of this lovely weather, now is the perfect time to invest in a good hat to protect yourself from the sun and to look fabulous in.

Hats aren't for every girl, and personally, I've never been one to wear a summer hat. For me, hats always seemed childish, probably because my mom forced me to wear unflattering baseball caps at any sign of sunshine, it was a curse I'm sure any pale skinned child can relate to. But with the beautiful hats that are knocking about the High Street this Spring, i think that i have been converted.

My favorite style of hat has to be the straw trilby, both stylish and practical, they scream Summer and will look perfect walking about at the Festivals.

Here are just a few of what's gracing the High Street at the moment:

Denim is in

From the classic denim jean, to the perfect jean jacket, the Spring shows of 2010 were filled to the brim with modern updates of the all-American classic. There were three major denim trends of the season:

Denim vests

There were two style of denim vests on the runways for this season, there was the fitted denim vest, similar to a vest worn with a buisness suit. Teamed with a plain vest top and some tailoured shorts or trousers, you will be stylish and ready for the office or lunch out with the girls.

There was also the 90's inspired vest, a denim jacket with the arms cut off, a harder style to pull off without looking like an American trucker. Try wearing it with a loose fitting top or short dress to re-create a boho look Kate Moss herself would envy.

Treated denim

Ripped, torn, bleaches and patched up jeans will give you a casual yet sexy look perfect for cool Spring evenings. Keep the look simple with a plain tee or tank top in solid colours, to stop the look being fussy and immature.

Denim on denim

Usually considered a fashion faux-pas, denim-on-denim was the hottest look on the runways this season. It takes a brave woman to go out in matching denim, but done correctly, this look is hot! If you've got the legs for it, team a short or long denim jacket with denim hot pants. If you're not part of the small minority of women blessed with perfect pins, swap the hot pants for a pair of matching skinny jeans.





Denim Gillet, Miss Selfridge, £38; Vintage Style Cut Off Shorts, Miss Selfridge, £28; Cropped Jacket, Topshop, £40; Denim oversized shirt, ASOS, £32; Ripped Skinny Jeans, Topshop, £50; Levi's Renewal 501 jeans, Urban Outfitters, £32.


Images- Chloe, Ba&Sh, Louis Vuitton.<

Time to get the sunglasses out

Yes, all of this beautiful weather has put me in the mood for talking about something summery, and what fashion accessory screams "SUMMER" more than sunglasses? Both a fashion must have and a sun protection neccesity, every girl knows the importance of finding the right pair of sunglasses, and each girl has her own preferance on which style of sunglasses she prefers. However, you don't want to become a fashion vicitm and pick up anything that is the flavour of the season.

At the moment, it is all about Mary-Kate Olsen, oversized bumblebee glares. However, just because big is in, this look is not for everyone. If you have a classic round face, stay clear of them. Rule number 1: Steer clear of frames that match your face-cut. Instead, opt for sleaker shade, in square or other angular shapes, as this will add length to your face, making it look leaner.

If you have an oval face, go with angles rather then round frames. Bold frames can flatter you and add fullnessto the central portion of your face. Heart shapes can pull off round shapes, but bumblebees are not for you either. This fashion trend is really only suited to square faces, whereas rounded frames are a big no-no for you.

Remember, sunglasses aren't just there to look good, they are also needed to protect your eyes from the sun. Make sure your glasses are atleast 99% UV protected protection.



Top left, Topshop, £15; Top right, Miss Selfridge, £12; Bottom left, ASOS, £12; Bottom right, Urban Outfitters, £14

**Newsflash**EBay fashion is coming your way

If like me you are an EBay addict then prepare to become very excited. Ebay is launching its very own fashion microsite, and more exciting still, the company is in talks with fashion giants Hugo Boss and Lord & Taylor, who will be selling their merchandise on the site, fashion.ebay.com.

The site, which is to be released on Monday will introduce new selling formats, in addition to gallery-style photographs and an improved search engine for easier browsing and will expand to other categories technology, media and home & garden.

EBay has always been my first stop when looking for a good bargain and individual clothes, and now with the release of fashion.ebay.com, shopping on EBay is about to become even more addictive.

Hair bows are back

Hello again my fellow fashion addicts, I am back and refreshed after a week in the sun and I am ready to get the ball rolling once again. So, back to fashion.

They're the more time-tested and socially acceptable cousin of bunny ears, a trend which took the fashion world by storm in 2009. The Spring 2010 collections saw a number of designers send bows down the runway. Marc Jacobs, Luella and Temperley all styled their models with hair bows, but worn the wrong way, you end up looking like a Madonna in the 80's tribute act.



When you choose to wear a hair bow after a certain age, you are making a statement, so make it oversized, luxurious and fun, but not childish. Head scarves are also a good way to create the bow trend, by tieing it up in the style of a 1940's work girl, giving you a vintage charm.





Lace Bow Hairband, Topshop, £8; Spotty Hearband, Miss Selfridge, £6; Floral Hair Scarf, Urban Outfitters, £10; Chiffon pearl hairband, ASOS, £6.

**News Flash** Madonna gets daughter to design her fashion line

Madonna's 13 year old daughter "did most of the work" designing her mother's new clothing line for Macy's, the singer has revealed.


Lourdes was introduced to fashion design by Stella McCartney. In an interview with Access Hollywood, the Queen of Pop admited "I just sit on the conference table and watch and let her do the work. It's nice, it's refreshing."

Topshop prepare for Festival Season

It's nearly here! Thats right, festival season is getting closer and closer (I'll be empyting my bank account to get a Reading Festival ticket next week, hur-rah!)

And to make it all that little more exciting, TopShop has released a new collection aptly named "Festival Army." Teaming up the prettiest items are this season and teaming it with dark, grungy pieces will give you and edgy, cool look perfect for looking fabulous at Festivals this year (well, as fabulous as you can look after a few days of no bathing.)

Laddered tights, battered leather, cobweb knits teamed with petticoats, lace trimmed slips and slinky petticoats will give you a look Kate Moss herself will envy.

So get your dry shampoo and wellies ready because festival season is nearly here!







Lace trim slip, £35; Knitted hole cardigan, £38; Drawstring parka jacket, £65; Bleach frayed hotpants, £25; Laced work boots, £70; Leather Satchel, £80; Knitted boxy cardigan, £35; Over the knee socks, £10

**News Flash** Fashion legend Joseph Ettedgui has died

Described as the "Creator of Modern Retail" Joseph Ettedgui passed away in London yesterday after a long battle with cancer.

The 71-year-old founder of the Joseph clothing line sold the famous women's fashion label nearly five years ago for a reported £23.8 million.

Ettedgui, the son of a French-Morrocan furniture retailer, came to London from Casablanca in 1960 and trained as a hairdresser.

He established Joseph in 1972 and went on to open more than 20 shops in London, Manchester, Leeds, France, Germany and the US.

Ettedgui died in a London hospital yesterday morning, his family were by his side.

Scarlett Woman

Red lips have always been a favourite for creating a glamorous, night time look and now they are the hot trend for this Spring. As classic beauty trends go, crimson lips are as far from the usual Spring pastal hues as you can get. Nevertheless the scarlett pout is one of the key trends of the season and has been all over the catwalks these past few months.

But what shade is best for you? Many women wrongly think that they can't wear red lipstick. The secret too choosing the right shade for you is in the tones of your skin. Fairer girls should opt for cherry red, those with olive skin can wear fire-engine red and darker skinned girls look great with deep reds.

For me, the best lipstick is Rimmel's Lasting Finish "Vintage colours" collection. The colour lasts for hours, and doesn't dry out your lips like others I have tried. My favourite colour is Signature Red. It is my perfect weekend lipstick and makes any outfit that bit more glamorous looking. And for only £4.99, it doesn't break the bank either.








Photo: Ap/Getty images

**News Flash** Fashion world honour for McQueen

It has been announced that there will be another tribute to the late designer Alexander McQueen, who died in an apparent suicide in his London home last month.

The 40 year old British designer will recieve the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Special board of directors honour at the industry's annual star studded gala this Summer.

Donna Karan, Marc Jacobs and last year's pick for up-and-coming designer Alexander Wang are competing for the womenswear category, considered to big competitive prize for the night.

In menswear, Tom Ford, taking a break from directing to return to fashion, will compete in the main category with Michael Bastian and Rag & Bone's David Neville.

The gala is being held in New York on June 7.

Spring Awakening

At last, it appears Winter is finally leaving us here in England and Spring is slowly making its way back. Blue skys are out, green is starting to return to the trees and theres no need to a hundred layers when you go outside HURRAH! And all of this sunny weather means its nearly time to ditch the woolly jumpers and scarves.

For me, Spring fashion is all about prettiness. Floral prints, lace and feminie shapes are perfect for celebrating this season, and here are just a few of my favourite items that are on the High Street right now.







Smock Dress, £45; Lace top, £32; Boots, £65; Slip Skirt, £32.









Shorts, £25; Shirt, £30; Lace up pumps, £25;

**News Flash**A Royal Reception

Last night Buckingham Palace played host to perhaps one of the biggest moments in the history of British fashion. Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh opened their doors to 350 members of the British Clothing Industry, includingdyers, weavers, printers, knitters, textile pioneers, dry-cleaners, retailers from all levels; not to mention the twins behind DB shoes, the Northampton shoe business, Charles and David Denton.

New and upcoming British designers rubbed shoulders with legends Bruce Oldfield, Betty Jackson, Jasper Conran, Elizabeth Emmanuel and Manolo Blahnik, aswell and some of the Queen's dressmakers.

As fashion moments go, this one couldnot be beaten

curiouser & curiouser...

Like the rest of the world, i cannot wait for March 5th, when Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is finally released in the UK. Johnny Depp was born to play the Mad Hatter, and with Tim Burton's cray yet genius imagination, the film is sure to be nothing short of amazing.

To celebrate this very important date, Miss Selfridge has released a range of tee's and vest's inspired by the film. With prices starting at just £16, these adorable tops are perfect for Spring. But be quick to get one because they won't be around for long.







Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland is released in cinemas March 5th.

My first post :)

Well here it is, my first ever blog and i must admit, I'm a teeny bit nervous about it. I hope people don't look at it and think "Oh look, another students blog about fashion, how original."

But i like to think that my blog is something a bit different. I will be reviewing best and worst from the red carpet, bringing the latest trends to walk down the catwalks, and giving tips and advice on how to look amazing on a student budget.

So stay tuned my fellow fashion addicts, and i will be back in no time with pictures of pretty clothes :)