Top 3...Net-a-porter sale

Here are my three best sale buys from net-a-porter.com. Normaly outrageous prices are considerably lower and some designer peices have 50% off!! Label lust. This year they have some wonderful buys but its always an idea to remember when sale shopping next years key looks. 

I advise you invest in: Oriental prints, silks (of course), sheer shirts, fringing and prim pleats.

1. Nathan Jenden, Miyamo Organza dress

www.net-a-porter.com/product/35581

was £1,630      now £815

2. Roberto Cavalli, Rose Mini Dress

www.net-a-porter.com/product/35385

was £1,135       now £794.50

3. Vivienne Westwood, Red Label

 Diamante Orb Necklace

www.net-a-porter.com/product/34190

was £64           now £32

I hope you approve...check out the website for more buys.

Yummy Mummy

English rose Kate Winslet is a yummy mummy and proves it in this one shouldered black ruche dress with embellishment. The A/W 08 Balmain number shows off Wilslet's curves and healthy complexion. In all honesty i prefer it on the actress opposed to the catwalk model, as it looks classy and elegant.

Kate is here with Leonardo DiCaprio at the premiere for their ne

w film Revolutionary Road, where the acclaimed stars play husband and wife in a 1950s based drama. The pair first appeared together in the film Titanic eleven years ago in 1997 which is why we are all so excited about seeing their on-screen chemistry again.

Rihanna rhinestones

In the current climate decadence may seem superflous. However the 'c---it c---ch' (i darned say the word) obviously doesn't affect all of us...

Riannah showed off glamorous modern chandelier earings in her new music video 'Rehab'. The fierce emerald sparkelers look beautiful on the songstress as she wears a matching green bikini and performs with a surly looking Justin Timberlake.

Beauty Crime: City Grime

For those who work in the city, grime is an every-day occurance. That is why it is paramount to keep your skin in tip top condition. In doing so you will not only feel clean, refreshed and rejuvinated after a long day in the office and subsequent commute, the routine will also act as your insurance ticket against weathering and skin complaints.

Cleanse 

After identifiying which skin type you are (dry, oily, combination) you need to choose the appropriate products to match. For dry skin Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser is a steal at £10.95 inc delivery from feelunique.com, as the usual retail price is £14.00. During the current climate this may seem expensive - but remember you are paying for quality and Clarins is a well respected brand amongst industry insiders. Another alternative is Boots Botanics Skin Brightening Cleanser, which combines plant extracts of Sweet Maple, Billberry and Sweet Cane. At just £2.91 this can easily be picked up from your local boots store or online. 

For oily skin types there is Lancome Gel Pure Focus. The rich foaming gel uses micro-beads to deep cleanse the pores, and treats lastingly harmful effects on the skin. Retailing at around £18.50 the dermetologicaly tested cleaner keeps the face oil free for hours.

For those with combination skin types there is Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. This removes sufrace dirt and also non invasive. It can be brought for the reasonable price of £6.96 from www.international.drugstore.com. Alternatively Natural Tea Tree Oil Facial Cleansing Pads are a quick and easy way to cleanse at the end of a long busy day. They can be brought for £3.73 exc shipping from www.puritanspride.com.

Exfoliate

It is important that your exfoliate regularly to maintain a fresh youthful glow and re-juvinate the production of collagen in the skin, as dead skin-cells clog pores. Those with oily skin should exfoliate three to four times a week whereas those with dry skin should only exfoliate 2-

3 times a week to achieve the maximum results. 

Some good exfoliants are as follows:

Elizabeth Arden Intervene 3 in 1 Cleanser, Exfoliater, Primer £18.00 www.debenhams.com

- This product gently exfoliates the skin leaving it feeling moisturized and healthy.

"Honey...Snap Out Of It" Scrub, Benefit £18.50 www.benefitcosmetics.com

- This honey and almond facial scrub smells delicious and leaves your with tantelizilng results. As well as brightening the complexion, and refining imperfections the scrub leaves your face tinglingly fresh.

Botanics Purifying Facial Scrub, £2.41 Boots

- Botanics facial scrub works with natural exfoliating granuals to leave skin refreshed, 

as the ingredients draw out impurities. 

Amour La Mode tip: Make sure that when you are exfoliating the water is not too hot as it can cause broken veins and skin irritation.

Moisturize

A classic facial moisturizer is Olay Original Active Hydrating Fluid. The Olay formula has a milky texture that instantly hydrates the skin and smooths fine lines, its non-greasy formula is perfect for all skin types.

The Body Shop's Jojoba Extra Rich Night Cream £9, is seriously luxe. Leaving the skin soft and supple (The Body Shop also has a day cream version). By using Community Trade sesame seed oil as well as jojoba and avacado oil the sensuous cream is perfect for very dry skin.

Amour La Mode tip: When applying moisturizer use a circular upwards motion. By massaging the skin you are stimulating the blood cells and tone the facial area.

Posh style

 

This is Victoria at her best. Demure and perfectly styled Mrs Beckham pulls of Audrey Hepburn glam with a modern twist. In the top photo she is wearing a dress from her own collection which consists of 10 dresses in all. Cut perfectly around the hips, thighs and bum Victoria has used clean lines and figure hugging shapes in her collection. Teaming the calf-length dress with every girls dream - a quilted Chanel, Victoria asserts that she is still....well..Posh.

The second photo is real glamour. I love the plunging V neckline on the beautiful dress. The tapered waistline balances the boldness of the fur bolero jacket. Posh is practically walking on stilts with sky-scraper platforms in a beautiful patent croc finish, which accompanies the dress nicely. Combined with signature sunnies this does not scream effortlessly cool, it does however scream class.

Fashion Moment: Stiletto

Swathed in white satin and velvet, Catherine De Medici floated down the isle towards her husband - the future king of France - in 1533. Bejeweled in a rose bodice the French court was captivated by the Italian bride. Petite in frame, Catherine wanted to make an impression on her French counterparts, and therefore wore the first ever-documented stiletto.

Derived from the Latin word 'stilis' which translates as 'slender dagger', the stiletto is a spiked heel - which when worn, elongates the legs, elevates the bust and protrudes the derriere. The stiletto is the ultimate optical illusion in achieving a smaller foot. It has similar ideology to the old Chinese practice known as the lotus foot. This is where the foot is bound causing severe deformities but is perceived to be beautiful, as the foot is only 4 to 6 inches long. This extreme example projects societies belief that small is desirable.

Erotica and fetishism are part of the stiletto's appeal. It goes hand in hand with dominance and submission. the shoe flirts with feminism and emulates power, confidence and authority. With masochism and sadism as the stilettos parents; the shoe becomes a material manifestation of psychological power.

After fading into obscurity between the ages, the modern stiletto made a re-appearance in the 1950s. The post war years saw a collaboration between 'it' designer Christian Dior and Roger Vivier who together re-defined the future of the heel. Decorated in elaborate pearls and beads, or constructed in fine silk, Vivier created the stiletto revolution.

The 60s saw Hugh Hefner make the shoe a staple in his bunny's wardrobe , and used a standardized 4 inch heel as regular attire in his infamous Playboy magazine. The stiletto was henceforth adopted by working girls and featured in the punk-rock rebellion.

More recently the stiletto has been taken to new heights, literally. In 1993 Naomi Campbell, wearing a tartan dress and raspberry feather boa, famously fell in mock-croc shoe boots with a 10 inch heel. Then for Prada's S/S 09 collection, towering snakeskin stilettos sent terrified models tumbling down the runway. They may not be practical, but they are terrific. 

Roger Vivier for Dior, Pink stiletto

Britney's Circus Act

Britney, who appears to be back on top after being hospitalized in January, has finished the video for 'Circus' - her latest song. The songstress looks decidedly sexy with wavy blonde locks and skimpy outfits. Plus the song is rather catchy.

Britney begins the music vid by draping herself in Bulgari diamonds earrings worth $15,000 . Strutting her new figure in sequined hot-pants, a silk vest and black ring leader-esq tails, the star looks svelte to say the least.

The video climaxes perfectly as Brit's dances slowly against a sparkling background. Dropping like rain sparks tumble to the ground in a dazzle, whilst Britney's silhouette stands elegantly amongst the shower. Then a break-down of the song allows Britney to dance amongst a backdrop of fire. Surrounded by circus figures and body contortionists she uses her extensive dance ability to throw out a time-perfect routine. 

Rival superstar Christina Aguilera had major success with a circus themed album in 2006. The songs were a marriage between blues and soul with the occasional upbeat track like 'Aint no Other Man' and 'Candyman'. The accompanying fashion was pure glamour. Burlesque style corsets and glittering dresses combined with platinum hair and red lips featured strongly in Christina's 'Back to Basics' album. Will Britney's album be similar to that of Christina's? For one we know who has the edge vocally. However Womanizer reched no.1 in the US charts and no.4 in the UK, therefore signifying the public are very much still interested in Miss Britney Spears. 

Bebe stocks dolls lingerie

Perhaps one of the best novelties this year; Pussycat Doll lingery. Thats right the all singing all danceing quintet have launched their own underwear line. Now that is clever marketing. Seeing as the gorgous girls wear bra's, suspenders and stockings on stage it seems a natural progressing that the girls move into the underwear industry.

The collection named 'Shhh' debued in March at Los Angeles fashion week. The undies - which launched last month at La Senza can now be brought from 55 Bebe stores. Burlesque style corsets and animal print camisoles feature strongly in the collection, which was designed by Robin Antin - the mastermind behind the band. 

Matching is a miss this christmas

Smirks ensue as you look around the room towards the woman in the red dress. Brown locks frame her face and her eyes meet yours. She looks you up and down, resting her gaze on your outfit. Yep you definatly both have the same dress on. Except yours has a big flower drooping at the clevage - because you saw Gok Wan do something similar on TV. 

This is the dress that leads you to sing hideous Cher classics and get insanely drunk, which leads you to spill finger-food over yourself; meaning you can't even return the dress the next day...

But this will not be happening to you this year ladies...

Below is the creme de la creme of dresses from a few of my favourite websites....

www.designhousestockholm.com

This jumpsuit designed by Anna Bonnevier oozes sexy sophistication.

Named 'Numb Trousers' the architectural design works with womanly curves. Think Helena christitensen; sleek healthy hair, gold statement jewelry and starlet make-up. 

www.karenmillen.com

This luxe cocktail dress epitomises glamour. Satin panelling runs the length

of the dress, and a fanned bust gives the illusion of an ample bosom. This 

timeless piece could easily be worn with swarovski style jewelry. Tousled hair in the style of Gisele or all out 50s glamour would complement this uber stylish dress.

www.allsaintsshop.co.uk

All saints has come up trumps with this little number. 

With beautiful gold embellishment the mini dress is versatile 

and has the 'wow' factor. To pull this look together you could use 

your make-up as an essential tool. Metalic eyeshadow pallets and

nude lipgloss can make the dress a statement piece. Platform

heels will make legs look longer, just don't forget the bronzer!

Louis Vuitton and Day Glo

Set to hit stores on January 9th 2009, Marc Jacobs has paid tribute to Stephen Sprouse who died in 2004 - through a new collection featuring Day-Glo. 

Sprouse, one of the 80s most fervent designers, had huge success in 2001 after the graffiti bag - designed by himself and Jacobs - sold out instantly. The new capsule collection shows Sprouse-inspired designs on traditional LV monogram canvas. Whilst being urbanized with neon scrawls, the Speedy, Neverfull and Keepall bag styles look decidedly 80s, and in keeping with the current revival.

Admittedly i am not a fan of 80s fashion - which is why i wont be starving in order to splurge my student loan on a piece of defaced Monogram. I will however be spending my pennies on January's issue of Harpers Bazaar. Not only will us lucky fashionistas get an interview with Marc, we will also get an insight into his creativity. Posing nude - but for a large Keepall placed strategically over his manly bits - Jacobs is covered in Sprouse's signature style Day-Glo paint for the magazines pictures. Will the graffiti bags be the 'it' style in the coming year, and will you be investing in the limited edition piece?