Shine Bright Like A Diamond

One of the biggest trends for S/S 13 is the trend for metallic’s. From metallic finishes to iridescent fabrics, it’s all about opulence! Look to the catwalks of Burberry, Jonathan Saunders and Christian Dior who went all out for this trend.

And it seems the A-listers are all over this trend. Last night marked the annual return of the CFDA Fashion Awards in New York which many refer to as the ‘Oscars’ of the Fashion World.
Here were some of our metallic inspired stand outs from the night:

I am completely in LOVE with this Marc Jacobs dress worn by Nicole Richie. Major swoon!

We also had to include Alexa Chung from yesterday’s L’Oreal Colour Awards in this gold Bella Freud number – so cute!

So shine bright girls and rock that metallic trend!

Pink makes the boys wink

So apparently it’s Spring. I say ‘apparently’ because I haven’t seen any sign of it yet. I thought I glimpsed a sign of it last week with the sun making a cheeky appearance…but alas the winter coat, hat and scarf came out of retirement very, VERY prematurely.

But in an act of defiance I have decided to stick my ‘two fingers’ up to the weather and rock the Spring/Summer 2013 beauty trends regardless. There’s a saying out there, “Lead and they will follow”…well I’m hoping that if I start leading, Spring and Summer will start to follow and grace us with their presence.
Some of the beauty trends seen at the Spring/Summer 2013 catwalks were big, statement ‘Look at Me’ eyes from Chanel, Christian Dior and Dona Karen; to 90’s grunge looks from Phillip Lim, Mario Schwab and Versace; to the swinging sixties looks from Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton and Moschino.

However, I’m going to delve into the ‘Pretty in Pink’ look that also ties in nicely with another trend spotted on the catwalk: neon. The vibrant pink shocks of colour were the antithesis to the grungier, vampy looks that we were seeing. From statement neon fuchsia pink lips seen on Giles’ girls, to the indigo berry stained pink lips seen on Dries Von Noten, to the more subtle sugar shades of bubble-gum pink seen at Bogetta Veneta and Oscar de la Renta – pink was definitely the lip colour of the season!

My favourite way to rock the pink beauty trend was the vibrant colour pop look as seen on the Giles catwalk. This look works perfectly no matter what hair shade or skin tone you’ve got! All you need to do is find the perfect shade and make sure to keep it matte -we don’t want you to be mistaken for some 80’s Barbie! One thing I also must stress, in order to not make you look cartoonish or like a Nikki Minaj wannabe, is to team it with barely there make-up and bed hair.

My favourite beauty brand for lips is Mac. My favourite shade from these colour maestros’ for rocking the Giles look is Mac’s lipstick in ‘Candy Yum Yum’ shade with the Mac Lip Pencil in ‘Embrace Me’.
If the thought of bright Barbie pink lips send you into a state of dread and fear…do not worry! There are more subtle ways to rock the trend. Why not try Mac’s cult favourite ‘Snob’? It’s a more toned down shade that works great with a dark smudgy eye look. Alternatively, the ‘Plinky’ shade produces a sweeter and more sophisticated colour similar to that seen on Oscar de la Renta.

The pink lip is fun, feminine and flirty! This look is a breath of fresh air that will help you get into a happy, summery state of mind…for when the summer eventually arrives.

Shopping the S/S 2013 trends

So apparently it’s Spring. We say this with suspicion because it definitely still looks and feels like Winter to us! But we have optimistically decided to have a look at the Spring/Summer 2013 forecasted trends and come up with some more affordable high-street alternatives.

1.Shine
It seems the fashion pack took RiRi’s song seriously and decided we should all join in and ‘Shine bright like a diamond’. Metallic sheens and sparkling materials were seen all over the catwalk especially from Burberry and Jonathan Saunders. So shine bright girls!

If, alas like me, Burberry is just a bit too far above the budget have no fear.
Why not give a gentle nod to the ‘Shine’ trend with these gorgeous Ted Baker Lissome Metallic Strap Sandals? At £140 they’re more in my price range and also tick off a few other key forecasted trends for the summer with the chunky small block heel ( as a tall girl I am so grateful that small heels are having a fashion moment right now).

2.Psychedelic Prints
From hallucinogenic yellows, peace-loving purples and acid greens to abstracted, Pollock-like patterns. It’s time to ditch your inner wallflower ladies, because this trend is loud and proud. From House of Holland, Holly Fulton to Mary Katrantzou psychedelic prints featured heavily on the catwalks.

This ASOS Shift Dress In Dandizette Geometric Print is a more affordable alternative. This type of dress is also great as it can be worn so many ways and the black panel at the side is a really nice touch. For a casual day time or work look I would team it with black tights and ankle boots but for an evening look I would team with strappy black sandals and a big chunky neon necklace to brighten it up (like the TopShop one below)!

3.Biker, bomber jackets
A biker or bomber jacket is pretty much a classic wardrobe piece that never goes out of style. Stella McCartney and Christopher Kane updated the classic piece with a sporty, relaxed twist. So let’s all do our best James Dean impression and get those jackets on!

I am loving Muubaa’s Dip Dye leather biker jacket at the moment. While it is on the pricer side (£389) it is a statement piece and will be in your wardrobe forever!

4.Flora and Fauna
Bloomin’ floral prints were all over the catwalk for S/S 2013 (see what I did there…ahh brilliant). Vivienne Westwood, Erdem and Christian Dior were just some of the designers that had their models going down the catwalk decked out in floral looks.

I’ve just booked flights for a holiday so I’ve been looking endlessly at bikini’s. This one from Wildfox ‘Honey Bunny’ is so pretty and a great way to stay on trend whilst sunning myself on the beach. I also love the retro vibes of the bikini pant, very cute, but they also have a low rise one called ‘Ivana Kiss’ which I’d be more inclined to buy (need to tan the tummy after all!).

5.Chic Monochrome
Black and white dominated the catwalks over at Louis Vuitton, Acne and Chanel. Eternally chic, it’s hard to ever go wrong with monochrome, and as a devout lover of black I was extremely happy to see this as a key trend for the spring and summer.

Get involved with the monochrome check madness with this blazer ‘Square Print Fluid Blazer’ from Topshop.

6.Nineties Sport
As daunting as it sounds, the 90’s really are back. If flashbacks of Spice Girl-esque fashion may be making you a little wary of this trend – relax, I swear this time around it’s better. TopShop Unique, JW Anderson, Ashish and others dabbled in nineties nostalgia with oversized jumpers, neon and grunge-inspired outfits, dungarees, sport wear and denim…lots and lots of denim. I never ever EVER thought I would actually say this…but I think it’s time I dusted off my scrunchie – the 90’s are back!

Oh another note I should probably add is that with the return on the 90’s comes the inevitable return of the crop top. That may send many of you into despair mixed with dread, as it did me. So make sure if you’re going to attempt this look you are hitting the gym and working on those abs. I’ve been hitting the gym since February in my attempt to achieve a 6 pack…

American Apparel and TopShop are the best shops to hit for crop tops. I’m slowly amassing a huge collection as crop tops with denim cut-offs will be my festival/holiday look of choice.

7.Gender Mix
Girls it’s time to suit up! Straight-edged, adrogynous cuts allow for gender role-play. Michael Kors and Stella McCartney were some of the designers who played with conformist gender norms.

Zara have some of the best tailoring on the high-street. I also love the colour of this tuxedo style blazer and trousers- perfect for spring/summer!