Monday 28 February 2011

Perfect in Purple: Oscars Best Dressed


Scarlett Johansson was radiant in raspberry Dolce & Gabbana

Cate Blanchett looked modern and elegant in Givenchy

Mila Kunis wore Elie Saab as well as any catwalk model

Wednesday 23 February 2011

SFSC Likes: WhoWhatWear.com




I've been reading this site ever since my style crush Lauren Conrad said she loved it. Obviously I had to check it out! Founded by ex-ELLE staffers Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr, the website has a glossy mag feel to it and features a carefully edited selection of up-and-coming trends in fashion and beauty. I'm particularly loving Hillary's choice of spring beauty picks – gorgeous contrasting khakis and fuschia pinks – and the collection of collar necklaces. I definitely recommend a look if you're ever running a little short on inspiration... whowhatwear.com

Wednesday 16 February 2011

BRITs Outfits: Best of a Bad Bunch

SO FAR, SO CHIC
I didn't see anyone looking particularly good at The BRITs last night but this lairy bunch caught my eye for at least not being totally yawn-worthy. Adele looked elegant in black but lost cool points for her naff skin-coloured granny tights. I know it's cold but jeez. Most of the female celebs got a big 'must try harder' (but not too hard) sticker.

Thursday 10 February 2011

Review: Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum


Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum sits in your hand like a blush pink glass grenade – poised and ready to detonate its heady toffee-sweet scent. Described as 'Glamorous in attitude, confident, intelligent and with a sense of fashion and fun, the fragrance is a modern Fruity Chypre with warm, rich, woody depths.' Where you see 'fruity' read 'sweet', but a dark treacly sweetness that lasts, not a passing sugary burst. Modern perfumes are often criticised for their lack of staying power: nobody could say that of this scent. I can smell it on the collar and cuffs of coats I've worn days ago. It doesn't mellow or fade.

Due to the shoe connection I was hoping it might carry hints of leather à la Hermès Kelly Calèche but the two scents are poles apart. Jimmy Choo has a little spice to temper its sweetness and while fruity perfumes aren't my thing it's far from cloying. I like this scent and wish that it felt more like me. I can imagine many people will love it. My immediate impression is of a very sophisticated, many-layered sister to The Body Shop's classic, Dewberry. (You might need to have been a teen in the 1990's to remember dousing yourself in Dewberry body spray but amazingly it's still available in the form of a bath and shower gel!)

My fragrance tastes like my wine preferences and sense of humour have become drier as I've got older, but for those partial to something fruity, heady and long-lasting, Jimmy Choo Eau de Parfum is for you.

It's available at escentual.com from £33.15 for 40ml.

Tuesday 8 February 2011

Ethical Fur? We're Kidding Ourselves



With London Fashion Week fast approaching it's a good time to remind ourselves of just how unacceptable it is to condone the wearing of animal fur. The images I've seen of skinned rabbits, foxes, cats and dogs – many of them still alive – will stay with me forever. Please let's educate ourselves by reading these useful FAQs courtesy of PETA UK.

Is vintage fur okay?
Some people have been misguided as to the ethics of vintage fur. All 'vintage' means is that the animals were killed long ago. Whether animals suffered and died yesterday or 50 years ago, all fur sends the same unacceptable message: that it is okay to torment animals and rip the skin off their backs in the name of fashion.

Isn't real fur better for the environment?
Real fur is environmentally unfriendly. Toxic chemicals are used to preserve and process the skins and waste from processing plants and fur farms poisons rivers and streams. It also takes 20 times as much energy to process a coat made from animal fur as it does one made from fake fur! And fur coats are not biodegradable – they are coated in chemicals to stop them from rotting.

Is rabbit fur a by-product of the meat industry?
The fur industry likes to tell the public that the rabbit fur used for outerwear, trim and accessories is a by-product of the rabbit-meat industry. The truth is that the rabbit-fur industry demands the thicker pelt of an older animal. Rabbits used for meat are usually killed at an age of 10 to 12 weeks; this means the rabbits who are raised and killed for meat are not the same rabbits who are killed for fur. Our undercover exposé shows how these gentle creatures scream during slaughter.

Isn't fur carrying the 'Origin Assured' label okay?
The fur industry's 'Origin Assured' (OA) label is a shameless attempt to make consumers feel good about buying an inherently cruel product. The labelling in no way translates into acceptable treatment of animals who are killed for their fur. In the US (one of the countries included on the OA list) not a single humane-slaughter law protects animals on fur farms. This means that after spending their entire lives in tiny wire cages where they often go insane from confinement, animals on these fur farms can have their necks broken, be gassed or have rods forced into their backsides through which they are painfully electrocuted. Compassionate consumers know that the only truly ethical fur is faux.

Don't we have an excuse to wear fur in this cold weather?
This is one of the most ludicrous of all the fur industry's arguments. When mountaineers climb Mount Everest, they don't do it in mink coats! There are countless modern, manmade fibres which are warmer, lighter and more weatherproof than fur. The fact is, some people advocate the killing of millions of animals simply because they like the way fur looks. With all the chic, cruelty-free options available, there's no reason to steal animals' skins in order to keep warm.

Please visit the PETA US site for further information about the fur trade.

Monday 7 February 2011

Nautical but Nice

SO FAR SO CHIC
As we roll steadily towards spring I find myself wanting to step away from heavy winter clothes and into something a little berrier! I'm feeling for rich reds, breton stripes, crisp shirts and wool separates. Delicious!

Clockwise from top left:
Sailor Sandal, £49.99, Zara
Boat Neck Stripe Top, £6, Matalan
Wool Mix Mid Calf Full Skirt, £75, ASOS

Premium Navy Shorts, £45, Topshop

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Birthday Style File: Lauren Conrad


Lauren Conrad turns 25 today and what better way for us to wish her a 'happy birthday' than to stare creepily at some of her best outfits!