ahead of the times, behind the times

This month's UK Glamour has its usual "high street" story, which, also as usual, has gone for a 70s Americana feel. However, the first picture has the most beautiful cherry print strapless sundress from Miss Selfridge. However, that dress was actually in the shop about a month ago, and now is nowhere to be found. I'm used to fashion spreads being a couple of months ahead of the game, but this is the first time I've actually spotted them behind. My only hope is that it comes back in, because the dress itself is absolutely gorgeous. If only I could get a pic.

Marissa and Summer, where have you gone?

The lovely teenfashionista has a great post on Nanette Lepore, after feeling nostalgic for the OC. Ah, I feel her pain. Every so often I do miss the inspirations that Marissa and Summer used to add to my wardrobe. Preppy, but sort of, well, edgy isn't quite the right word, but never too "together". Because no one wants to be together. Personal favourites were Marissa's fondness for gorgeous dresses teamed with hoodies. The girls wore a lot of shorts, not like now, when shorts are cool, but more A&F/American Eagle high school shorts, which I most definitely live in the wrong country to get away with. I actually do believe that my wardrobe styling is so much better for a warm climate - I am destined to leave these cold British Isles for the sake of better dressing.

widgets for girls

Today's Topshop story comes right from the front page and onto your desktop. Topshop have developed fantastic widgets that sit on your desktop and deliver today's "most wanted" and a click to buy service. I can imagine this creating a whole lot more impulse buys, and other fashion retailers will be following suit. Has Amazon developed one of these with their top 10s (even by genre or keyword) - this looks like a great shopping tool. Now topshop just needs to figure out the whole "outfit suggestions" piece for each item, and they will be sorted.

give it up for the brits

Most of the fashion blogs that I read on a regular basis are American in origin, like most blogs in general (yes, I know, I'm ignoring the masses that are chinese and other non-English languages, but if we except those..). I adore fashionista, teen fashionista (a trend, no?), and painfully hip, but I also have a real soft spot in my heart for catwalk queen, with its hip to the high street vibe. Today it features a fab dress from Warehouse, and the cutest madras checked pumps from topshop in a great beach or city outfit. Fantastic.

stylin in the summer

Every summer has its fantastic trends - crazy things that we will wonder why on earth we were doing them. Well, basically, like any fashion season. I stole these ones from the Observer Woman magazine and added my own thoughts. Better start making a list of things I quite simply must buy.

Brazil
I wish. Have always wanted to go there, think it will be quite some time before work and bank manager agree that it is a good idea. Keep dreaming.

Luggage on Wheels
They say its all about Marc Jacobs making the wheelie-suitcase cool, I say its all about the fact that you have to check in bags now, so you might as well take as much as you possibly can. Though really, no one should be flying anymore, and we should all be taking the train to France, the boat to the Netherlands, or heading up to Scotland or down to Devon.

No Passport Covers
I always thought these were a waste of time, and am pleased that everyone else has caught up with my authentically battered passport. Mine even has weird stickers all over it from various visas/flights/etc. It seems as soon as one person sticks a sticker on your passport, everyone else thinks its a free for all.

CSS' Sao Paulo Style
Follow in the Brazilian band's footsteps with weird fringes and skin tight denim dungarees. Kinda reminds me of the nu-rave stuff we have already going on, which is pretty unforgiving on anyone who isn't size 6. Ie, really anyone.

Ray Ban Wayfarers
Oh please, we all knew this was going to be big. Still, am fully supportive and have been hunting on ebay for some working with my budget. My dad has a pair from the first time around, but he is surprisingly keen to hold onto them. Maybe its the first time he has officially been in style for a while...

Bikinis are OUT
And bring in the bizarre cut out swimsuit things. No no no. Nothing can make my curvy stomach look worse than additional muffin tops. Stay away unless you are truly toned. And fancy weird suntan lines.

Slogan T Shirts
See, Observer Woman thinks they are in. Fashionista is obsessed with House of Holland. And I just think blah. Can't say I'll be getting involved.

No more "Faux Ethnic Chiffon Cover-ups with Beading
According to OW, its far too Liz Hurley. So so so agree - for me it looks way to Marks and Spencer meets Maldives, and not in a good way. They say get a t-shirt dress, I say head to American Apparel quick smart lady-girls.

Say No to Convincing Tans
I thoroughly support the fake look, only because I'm not going away this summer at all. A real one looks better, but we don't want to resemble Rachel Zoe in years to come, do we?

Airport Novels
They reference something called First Among Sequels, which I aint never heard off. Can't say I love love airport novels - the closest my brain gets to switching off in Marian Keyes. But I do have to say nothing quite tops a great summer read. Personal favourites recently? In the Country of Men, by Hisham Matar, Half of A Yellow Sun, by Chimamamanda Ngozi Adichie, and This Book Will Change Your Life, by A. M. Homes.

City Pools
Now this one I so agree with. I would love access to a city pool, or even if Edinburgh had one, but I just don't think it does. (Cue a google on it later tonight). They namecheck a couple in London, New York and LA, but that doesn't really help me, does it?

Kareoke
Basically because they want it to. I second that. But really, what everyone loves in summer is beer gardens with jugs of Pimms. Drunk on a Tuesday? Oops.

Badminton is the New Tennis
Eh? But you can't play it outside. And its not exactly hardcore to hit a shuttlecock. I mean, it's called a shuttlecock! Not en accord ici.

Daniel Craig's Bulge is Not A Good Thing
Because of the unwanted imitators. Not that I should see many men in tight blue shorts this far north.

Ibiza's Over
And has been for years. Get with the programme people!

Parasols
Apparently Kirtie Allsopp likes them. Great for her. For me, I can't even handle an umbrella without gouging several holes in my head and others losing eyes around me. I'll pass.

Shelter Island
Never heard of it, but apparently the "New Hamptons". Great for them, irrelevant for me.

Cornettos
I've been saying this for years!!! Strawberry is the best flavour. Will most likely always be my favourite summer ice cream, though a magnum certainly has a sense of decadence to it.

Diet Coke Isn't Going to Hit the Spot
They say because the new guys in the ad isn't that hot, and San Pellegrino Limonata is much fancier. Agree the second, couldn't care less about the first, and will still continue to drink DC, even if it is eating away my enamel and causing me to lose bone density etc etc etc.

Bra Wars
Apparently we should all be flashing our fancy coloured bras. Since I posted on neon underwear a few weeks ago, I'm feeling all smug. And will definitely be getting with this trend. Nothing cooler than a bright white tank, some denim and a flash of colour. Plus, it's an easy way to handle nu-rave.

Blogging Is Out
We shouldn't be indoors being snarky. I have to agree. My posts do drop dramatically when the sun is out and barbeques are to be had. Not a full-blown stop, but definitely a cutback. Like a diet.

Magazine Freebie Beach Bags Suck
Agreed. Didn't really warrant an post, did it?

Popeye Tattoos
Apparently a good thing, thanks to Amy Winehouse. People, a tattoo is for life, not just for 07!!!

Bottle Water is so Wrong
Agreed. This will get you Reduce and Reuse points people!

Jelly Sandals
Primark are selling out of their £3 number, Topshop have them in stacks, and fashionista was debating them last week. Personally, they remind me of being 3 and look like they'll give horrible blisters, but you know, if that's what you want to do, feel free. I just know I won't.

Heatworld.com
From the makers of Heat. Rivalry to Perez.

Liquid Sunshine
Clinque's Up-lighting Liquid. Apparently way better than bronzer. Personally, I'm going to go for something from Stila. I tend to not be so good with anything shiny and liquid.

Lurid Nails
Oh, I'm so on-trend with this. They recommend Barry M, I'm wearing a Barry M candy pink I posted about last week. Love this trend as long as you ladies stay away from green. That somehow makes me queasy.



So there you have it - a failsafe guide for being coo-el this summer. And not a mention of high-waisted jeans in sight.

bzzzzzzz

I've just added a buzzfeed widget to my blog. I first came across buzzfeed whenever my blog hits jumped massively, thanks to being randomly featured on the front page of the site about a month ago. I checked the site out, and have to admit, wasn't that impressed. The stories it was picking up were quite old, and it just wasn't working for me. I checked it out again today, and was pleasantly surprised - it was picking up newer stuff, like Posh Spice's lack of pants this week, and seemed to have a better tracking system. Hence my widget adding. And who knows, maybe I'll benefit once again from the traffic generation.

oh the shape we're in

I am an avid reader of teenfashionista, but I have to admit to being a little disappointed by her recent post on skinny starlets. I think the point that she was trying to make, and maybe I'm missing it a little, so I'd be grateful if she cleared it up, was that a lot of skinny celebs don't have eating disorders, but the fabulousness of fashion does act as an incentive to stay off the ice cream. That I could certainly believe if girls today weren't soooo skinny. Whenever you see a girl who is called curvy on screen, and they are tiny in real life, you can only worry about what the skinny girls really look like. And yes, I know that some people are naturally size 0, but surely that natural tendency for success, acting talent, beauty, and being a size 0 doesn't always go hand in hand. Some of these girls are working really hard to look like that; it is a full-time job of not eating, eating only prescribed meals from a nutritionist, and having a personal trainer come and beat you up afterward. And then, still, potentially not fitting into a sample size. I don't think it's a case nof simply laying off the ice cream. Believe me, I've tried! And yes, catwalk models have a huge part to play in this, as sample sizes get smaller and smaller. Even Kate Moss doesn't look as skinny as she did, compared to the wave of ultra-thin girls.

But, maybe, the strength of the size 0 wave is weakening, even if poster girl for all things curvy Drew Barrymore is a shadow of her former self. As Observer Woman featured today on its cover, some women are getting bigger. Two fabulous size 16 girls were modelling swimsuits in their shoot. The girls were absolutely beautiful, though resembling the average size 16 girl, I'm not so sure. All creamy smooth flesh, not a touch of cellulite or lump. Still, it was a beautiful shoot, and in the commentary, it noted the rise of beauties such as Lily Allen, Billie Piper, and Beth Ditto. Since I'm pretty sure that Lily and Billie are both about a size 10, I'm not about to say they're curvaceous, although Elle magazine would, I would definitely celebrate their beauty and aspire to it. Continue this celebration of womanhood, of nature at its finest, and above all, of beauty.