Ted Baker’s trading results for the 53 weeks ending 31 January 2009 have seen a rise in revenue of 7.3%, equating to £152.7m
Despite the global credit crunch, the labels we love are continuing to do well and see healthy profits. Ted Baker is still a popular brand with young, fashionable women that want more from their wardrobe than cheap, fast fashion.
In celebration of Ted Baker’s increase in revenue, go spoil yourself at Tedbaker.com
I’m loving this Ted Baker Skirt - it is perfect for Summer with gladiator flats!
Hot fashion designer Giles Deacon is set to expand his fashion brand and reach out to a whole new fashion clientele, setting his sights on international distribution.
In a struggling climate, it is refreshing to hear a fashion label with big plans to survive the recession. Despite falling sales across many top luxury brands, here’s hoping Giles Deacon succeeds. His fashions are wonderful! Here’s some fab pics to remind us of how great his designs are:
I love the above image – chunky knit scarves with sleek, short skirts – the fabric contrast is utterly stunning and very striking. Not sure if you could wear this to go into town though!
Thought i would share this super cool blog carnivale with fellow bloggers. If you have any money saving style tips that you have previously shared on your blog, now is the time to have it included in the “Credit Crunchista Carnivale” that one very lovely blogger is arranging. Full details are below…so go on, get submitting! Deadline is March 16th 2009!
Join the party and send your best blog post to Email nixdminx@live.co.uk with Credit Crunchista Carnivale in the title and include the post you’d like to enter, with a link and a brief synopsis of you and your blog.
No-one is the same. That’s what makes us all so unique…so, if you need fashion tips for different body types, then i have some essential advice below for you:
For those who are short and slim:For the petite amongst us, fashion can often be a tricky find. For a start, we don’t want to look like we are wearing something 3 sizes too big for us, and we also want to be wearing clothes that flatter our figures, adding curves in all the right places. I think it is important to love your body shape whatever size you are, and it is a known fact that some of those people who are slim wish they were just a little bit bigger. Naturally, the same applies vice versa. We live in a society of never being grateful for what we have, but i think people are starting to realise that beauty is on the inside, which is good.
However, if you are short and slim, opt for tunic dresses and chunky belts to accentuate the hips and add some definition to your curves. Avoid clothes that look too tight as this will only make you look thinner and size zero might look good on the catwalk, but on the high street it really doesn’t.
For those who are short and curvaceous: If you have natural curves but perhaps try and hide your stomach area, opt for skirts and dresses with a bias cut to define your figure and draw attention to your neckline or fabulous legs.
If you are tall and slim, get kitted out with some stunning skinny jeans and some flat shoes. Being naturally tall, you don’t need to add any extra height with heels, so always opt for flat shoes to make you look in proporation and still on-trend.
If you are tall and curvaceous, you will be able to carry the extra weight well and you can wear floaty dresses that will make you look and feel smaller than you are. Avoid skinny jeans though – look for flares (which are totally back in fashion) and team with a tunic top to show off that stunning figure.
This just goes to show that it doesn’t matter what body size you are, as we all need fashion tips and everyone can benefit from dressing to suit their shape. Be happy with the way you look and buy clothes to complement who you are and the body type you have.
We all need some credit crunch busting fashion tips in the current climate, so lets take a look at what you can do to keep the spending down and make those precious pennies go further.
Its always nice to buy new things, and believe me, this isn’t something i have stopped doing, but i have been looking into re-working what i already have, such as skirts and tops. Take, for example, a plain denim mini skirt (denim is still hot this season) then head down to your local haberdashery and pick up some quirky large buttons and lace trims. If you’re a decent seamstress, you can add the lace to the bottom of your denim skirt yourself, or ask a very kind friend to have a go if you’re not sure. Then sew a couple of rainbow coloured, funky buttons on the front of the skirt to give it some edge. The retro look is back in a big way, and you can get that look instantly with re-working your current wardrobe. Think “vintage chic” meets “unique”. Its all about being original, and even during the credit crunch, you don’t have to spend a fortune getting a super on-trend look for every season.
Your local haberdashery will have loads of funky bits that you can experiment with and add on to your clothes, so give it a go and see what there is!
I have a new favourite brand at the moment: Gio Goi clothes. This brand is setting trends all around the world with their bold, funky and striking designs. If you’ve never heard of Gio Goi clothes before, you really should check them out. They design men’s and ladies clothing and there is something for everyone in their fashionable designer clothing ranges.
When you stumble across a new brand, you don’t often know its going to be on-trend enough for that particular season. What i love about Gio Goi clothes though is that they transcend and push the fashion boundaries every season, making sure that their ranges are super-hot and super stylish. Here in the UK, there are many Gio Goi clothing fans, and it really is an demand brand.
Gio Goi is only available in select retailers, but i found a really great UK online retailer stocking this brand – check them out here: GIO GOI
After looking at the Oscars Red Carpet Fashion pictures, i think that Heidi Klum looked fab in her bright red Roland Mouret dress, or as what some are describing as a “napkin dress” (see the Guardian article below!)
As for Miley Cyrus – she looked older beyond her years and whoever suggested wearing that dress needs firing! It wasn’t young, feminine and classy – it was very dull and even my Grandma wouldn’t have been seen in it…
Sophia Loren looked stunning as usual and showed us all how red carpet Oscar fashion should be done…
So, it seems that the credit crunch is even being felt in the one area that you wouldn’t expect to see it. New York Fashion Week has long been synonymous with expense, luxury and designer glamour. However, this year, it has been just that little bit less costly…
Designers showcasing their new season fashions on the catwalk have cut down on the number of models used and the fashions seem to have been toned down a little bit. Naturally, there is still the big, bold items that attract attention, but look closely and compare it to previous New York Fashion Week’s and you will see that it is clear the credit crunch has finally hit the luxury market. The fashion designers themselves are struggling to shift the stock they have in the upmarket stores, and cheques to the designers are being returned after having bounced.
So, this might not affect the luxury market drastically, but it will cause a bit of a stir…
A few years ago i came across the fashion name E.VIL and i have been wearing their clothes ever since. With this brand you get stunning attention to detail, but admittedly at a designer price.
E.VIL stems from the designer fashion house Queen of E.VIL and features t-shirts and jackets with multi-coloured diamantes on. These designs are strictly limited and certainly aren’t items you will find on every high street. E.VIL is stocked in the high class stores and upscale boutiques.
This brand has an avid fan in the form of glamour model Jordan – she is frequently seen sporting an E.VIL t-shirt
You can see below some of my favourite pieces from the E.VIL range:
E.VIL hoodie
You can buy this from http://www.spoiledbrat.co.uk/
E.VIL t-shirt
You can buy this shirt here: http://www.spoiltfashion.com/index.asp
Pretty much everyone has heard or seen the film “The Devil Wears Prada”, but did you know that there is also a heavy metal band called the same name? I think they are fab and so i want to share them with you:)
The Devil Wears Prada (the band) is a Christian heavy metal band that is gradually becoming recognised over here in the UK. I went to see them live not long ago and they rocked; heavy metal thrashing interlaced with growling vocals and sultry moods. Totally different to The Devil Wears Prada film!
If you like your chick flick films or suchike, then you might be interested in The Devil Wears Prada film, featuring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. The film focuses on the world of fashion and its superficial existance when it comes to wearing the right things and looking the part. So, now you know the difference between the two!
One has to wonder why fashion models are so thin, although i don’t think it is Likely to change anytime soon. Fashion designers want their clothes to be worn right and look their very best and there is a general consensus that couture fashion looks better on thin models than it does larger models. This is why designers will choose the slimmest girls possible to showcase their designs.
So, why are fashion models so thin? Well, they are moulded into being just what the fashion audience want to see and thin is always in, unfortunately. Thin fashion models are restricted with what they can eat and are watched closely to check they don’t put on any weight. If they did put on weight, there would always be a thinner model somewhere else, so the model that had put on weight would be rejected. It is a sad realisation that this is what happens in the world of fashion.
Designer clothes are so expensive because, simply, they can afford to be! There is a an air of exclusivity when you buy designer clothes, and the more expensive, often the more limited edition they are. I see them as a worthwhile investment if you can afford to splash the cash…
If you’re looking for the best designer handbags, then be sure to look at the top designers that really make you splash the cash.
For me, Chanel is a the top designer when it comes to handbags; they epitomise all that is elegant and French chic looks stunning on any lady of any age.
A close second is Gucci. Gucci bags have long been the envy of many women simply because you can tell from a mile away what brand it is and know instantly that they have spent a lot of money. We all want the best designer handbags, so be sure to give Gucci a try.
Ive always loved the Dior Gaucho bag that came around a few seasons ago, and every celebrity worth their weight in gold had one flung on their arm. A timeless style that never dates, Dior knows how to create designs that will make any designer bag lover go weak at the knees!
Well, i have just heard that famous online store E-Luxury is going to be closing soon…actually within the next 6 months. Most likely due to falling sales during the credit crunch, i can’t say i am taking the news lightly. This is such a great online retailer. You can buy Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and a whole host of other great designer brands. To see it go will be bad news for the luxury goods market, which looks set to suffer somewhat during this recession. However, its not all bad news because they will be focusing on a fashion magazine instead. Watch this space…
If you want to take a look at what E-Luxury has to offer, check it out now – before its too late! Designer bags galore!
The luxury goods market may not be doing as well as we thought. It has been announced that haute couture’s finest Chanel has ditched 200 staff recently, due to falling sales.
Now, this has come has a real surprise to me. The rich and super-rich should be able to keep on buying what they love despite the credit crunch, but it would seem that that may not be the case anymore. Maybe everyone is tightening their belts.
Chanel is a brand associated with the elite; a designer name that epitomises the true essence of French chic. I can’t say that i imagine the company will fold during this recession, but i think this is a sign of the times and one that we should all wake up and notice off. Lets bear in mind that Chanel does not have a shop on every high street, and stand-alone shops are hard to find. Therefore, sacking 200 people all at once might be considered to be a large number in comparison to the number and locality of the stores.
Oooh when it comes to iconic fashion, the Louis Vuitton leopard print Stephen Sprouse scarf is one of those pieces that you just lust after. It is was so limited edition and sold out instantly all over the world.
Okay, so the plan is to get one of these beauties, but since the waiting lists are closed then i think the best bet is for me to try eBay. So, i go on eBay and have a look only to find people selling them at extortionate prices. Aaah well, here’s to hoping i can still get one!
This Louis Vuitton leopard print scarf has been seen on every celebrity worth their weight in gold. Kate Moss has one, Sarah Jessica Parker has one and so on….
I remember reading on an eBay listing about what one of the lucky owners of these scarves had to say. She said that when she went on a flight she wore the scarf and the hostess recognised her on the way back JUST BECAUSE OF THE SCARF and upgraded her to first class!! Blimey – this scarf has major prominence!
Here’s SJP in her scarf:
Fashion Victim
Oh, and here’s Mary-Kate Olsen with her scarf- please Mary-Kate, it deserves more dignity than to be dragged around on the floor!!!
Fashion Victim 2
And…just to taunt you fashion lovers even more, here are some more celebs lovin’ Louis
Okay, so when i saw that picture of Coleen Rooney in that stunning Lanvin ruffle top, i thought “wow – this is hot!”.
Lanvin is a clothing company founded by Jeanne Lanvin in 1909.
Jeanne Lanvin’s successors include Antonio del Castillo, Dominique Morlotti, Jules-Francois Crahay, Maryll Lanvin, Claude Montana and Patrick Lavoix. Their work has successfully immortalised a very Parisian, elegant couture style. (Source: http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/jeannelanvin.html)
Today, Lanvin’s designs are chic and elegant. It is almost hard to believe that a once velour tracksuit loving chav like Coleen Rooney has managed to turn this all around and become a force to be reckoned with in the fashionista stakes. When i saw her wearing that lush burnt orange Lanvin ruffle top, i thought it looked stunning on her tanned complexion.
The same top in a different colour also appeared on fellow WAG Alex Curran (now Gerard). So which WAG pulled it off better? Well, personally, i think Coleen did. However, normally i would say Alex is better dressed.
Alex Curran (Gerard) in Lanvin
And celebrities in Lanvin doesn’t stop here my fashionista friends! Kate Hudson was also pictured in a gorgeous blue Lanvin dress. Was it the right colour for her? Well, many will say yes, but i think it was a little too heavy on her pale skin. A lighter blue would have looked much less “bulky” on her. Still a gorgeous dress though!
As for my favourite Lanvin piece, i think Natalie Portman has found it! This season, purple is the hottest colour to be seen in and she looks simply stunning in this unusual Lanvin creation.
When it comes to fashion labels, i feel like i know my stuff. I worked in fashion for many years and everything i do revolves around it. One thing that i used to get asked a lot is “who’s going to be big next season” and i would try and guide my clients with their fashion styling.
Fashion labels are a fashionista’s dream. For some, just the sight of a Chloe label can create hysteria. For me though, it is all about the designers that start the trends, not keep up with them.
For example, who started the skull print trend? Some might say Alexander McQueen, some may say Thomas Wylde. There are so many fashion labels catching onto this skull print trend now, that i find myself looking for those fashion labels that spice it up a little bit. Okay, so we’ve seen the McQueen skulls scarfs; what next? Well, i really like A&G, a cult brand that hasn’t really taken off here in the UK, but is a big success in the US. The creator of A&G is Amal Guessous, and he is revered as a very edgy, rock and roll style fashion designer, as proved through his latest collection of Rock ‘n’ Roll Couture. The skull print in Amal’s designs took on a new form, with striking skulls adding a bit of “character” to your wardrobe. The image below is from RevolveClothing.com – NOW SOLD OUT.
A&G Skull Cashmere Sweater
I really like the skull look and i can’t see it going out of fashion anytime soon. However, just looking at Thomas Wylde’s collection, which has focused on skulls for a few seasons, the fashion label then started introducing scorpions as a quirky edge to the label. I think this was a great move; being pigeon-holed into one trademark thing might not always be beneficial, especially if skulls go out of fashion. So has this fashion label decided that skull print shouldn’t be “overdone” anymore? Well, as i say, i don’t think skulls are going to go out of fashion, but i do think they should now be used as subtle accents rather than bold all over skull prints. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more fashion labels taking this approach and expanding their ranges.
As a consumerist nation, we are forever looking for the latest must-have item, and this is quite often in the form of designer clothes. As a woman being showered with pictures of celebrities with the latest designer clothes, it can make us feel a bit “worthless” if we don’t buy the same. We aspire to these rich, wealthy celebrities, so we often want what they have.
However, with the Credit Crunch biting at our heels, are we going to cut back on our designer clothes spending? Hmmm…I’m not so sure. It might make our lives feel less “meaningful” if we can’t have the things we want. I know plenty of women who spend at least £500 a month on designer clothes just to be like their celebrity idol, but maybe if they can’t get the credit anymore, then this ridiculous spending habit will fade.
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