Elle Cover Controversy

This weekend I went on a short but sweet trip back to my home town for my mum's birthday. Since I don't drive its three hours both ways on the train and on the journey I managed to chill out and catch up on all the magazines I had missed out on reading during the past hectic month including ASOS, Marie Claire, Company and Elle. 

I get the subscribers edition of Elle so I was pleased to see the lovely white and black shot of Emily Blunt on the cover. However an hour and a half later, I must admit to being a bit disappointed - though this may have been something to do with it being "the beauty issue" which isn't a favourite of mine - rather than the quality of the editorial. 

That said I was hoping for big things from the June issue so when I got in and checked my mailbox and saw Kristen Stewart on the cover my heart sank a bit. I'm not a huge fan of hers, having been left unimpressed by her editorials before and the fact she never actually reveals any new information to the interviewer...

Time will tell whether the cover grows on me which sees Kristin in a crop top and skirt ensemble with slicked back hair shot by David Slijper, though its definitely an improvement on newsstand cover which shows Kristin in a somewhat awkward pose complete with faux retro bob. The less said about that outfit as well the better in my opinion!

Do you agree? Do you love or loathe Kristen's June cover? 


The newsstand cover of ELLE UK June 2012 fronted by Kristen Stewart

The subscribers only cover of ELLE UK June 2012 as shot by David Slijper



Happy Camping

Earlier in the week I wrote about my weekend Glamping in Bedford and how it had inspired me to start thinking about festival fashion.

Though my time in the yurt may have been short and sweet (with a shower 10 yards away) a festival wardrobe has to be much more diverse serving a multitude of purposes over a number of days. I often go for layer, layer and more layers approach as there is nothing worse than being too cold or too hot whilst stuck in a tent my opinion!

That doesn't mean you can't have fun though and this season I think I will mostly be channelling Aztec brights in the style of Whitney Port with a bit of Katy Perry thrown in for good measure. I don't have Kate Bosworth's legs so i will be wearing leggings not shorts but that feather headband is a must!

No matter what though essentials will aways include a parka or some kind of water proof and wellies - some things never change!

1. Leggings, £20, Miss Selfridge

2. Top, £32, Miss Selfridge

3.Earrings, £8, ASOS

4.Wellies, £75, Hunter

5. Sunglasses, £5.99, H&M

6. Headband, £28, Topshop

7. Parka, £495, Burberry Brit

8. Crop top, £24, Topshop

9. Jumper, £26, Topshop

10. Rucksack, £35, ASOS

Friday fashion round up

It’s time for my Friday fashion round up where I take a look of the best dressed this week and those that didn’t quite pull it off.

First up it’s the gorgeous Mila Kunis who stepped out in very tiny gold shorts at the CinemaCon - Disney event in Las Vegas this week. I have had a massive girl crush on Mila ever since Black Swan and it just keeps on growing. I think this could have been a bit more of edgy, especially if she had added in some statement accessories like a body chain and a blingy clutch but she gets style points anyway for her sultry make up and perfect wavy tresses!

Next up its K-Middy, who wore this Matthew Williamson dress when attending a screening of a nature documentary which aims to raise funds for animal conservation charity Tusk Trust. I love the dove grey colour on Kate as it’s a refreshing change from her usual black and navy and the peplum was a nice on-trend touch.

The Tribeca Film Festival provided a wealth of fashion porn – most notably in the form of Liv Tyler, Naomi Watts and Camilla Belle who all attended the Chanel Dinner.

Liv wore a Chanel printed maxi dress and long white coat and managed to look boho and effortlessly chic at the same time. Naomi meanwhile, wore a Chanel black tweed dress and jacket adding a touch of rock and roll with a leather top and sexy ankle boots. Camilla controversially chose a calf-length white Prada dress covered in blue roses which was spared from looking mumsy with that net overlay and statement make up.

Also at the festival was Michelle Williams who wore a Giambattista Valli dress to the premiere of her film Take This Waltz. The dress shouldn’t have worked (it has a lot of prints going on along with pleats at the bottom) but with her pixie crop it totally did!

Lastly it’s Nicole Richie and I’m sorry to be so repetitive after featuring her last week but she is on fire at the moment! Nicole rocked up to the NBC Fashion Star event, held at the flagship H&M store on Fifth Avenue in New York with a top knot and fierce tiger tooth earrings. The yellow dress was from her own Winter Kate label and she accessorised with red pumps. I have nothing bad to say here! Well done Nicole!

See more looks after the jump

Olivia Rubin for Dorothy Perkins

Olivia Rubin’s capsule collection for Dorothy Perkins, which showcases her signature print designs, launched into stores nationwide yesterday.  

Entitled ‘A Postcard From’, the line is inspired by travel with simple, feminine silhouettes across versatile pieces that would slot easily into your holiday wardrobe.

Prints include shell designs on an array of jersey pieces including an on trend peplum top and coral designs on beach bags. Tropical birds are another key theme, prominently featured on a chiffon maxi dress - perfect for slinging on to wear for cocktails as the sun is going down.

Rubin has also introduced jewellery and swimwear to the range, the first time she has dabbled in accessories, and its definitely a success with some gold shell earrings a definite highlight of mine.

The colour palette meanwhile, combines soft neutral shades of grey with hints of pastels and eye popping fuchsia.

Prices start from £7.50 and go up to £49 - not bad for a designer / high street tie in!

I'm not going on holiday this year unfortunately so I won't be buying into the collection but I can certainly see the appeal for those jetting off to exotic locales.

Also just looking at the pictures is making me forget about the recent depressing deluge of rain - a reason to buy in itself surely!

Cover Love: Lara Stone

She's graced the covers of Vogue in the UK, France, Turkey, Russia, Japan and China and now super model Lara Stone has landed the cover of Vogue Netherlands.

This is only the second edition of the newly launched mag which is edited by former Dutch Glamour editor Karin Swerink and Lara was clearly thrilled to be on the cover in her native country tweeting her excitement; ‘Yay! My 1st (their 2nd) VogueNL cover" @NLvogue’

I absolutely love the cover which shows a fresh faced Lara shot by Josh Olins.  

I definitley prefer it to the first edition which featured trio of Dutch models - Ymre Stiekema, Josefien Rodermans and Romee Strijd - dressed in summer brights which you can see below. After expecting something a bit edgier for its first offering I was left feeling underwhelmed by the but with Lara there is no such disappointment!

But how does it compare to her other Vogue covers laid out in all their glory below?

I think its my new favourite - until next time at least...

One Teaspoon or two?

Cult Australian denim label One Teaspoon is debuting its s/s 12 collection in the UK this season with a range of unconventional cuts and washes.

Established in 2004 a rebellious attitude is a key characteristic of the quirky denim brand and styles are infused with a rock ’n’ roll attitude.

This season deconstructed and bleached-out techniques embrace a sexy 70s feel complete with flares and oversized shorts. Leather finishes and folksy embellishments are also on hand, creating a hippy, Woodstock ready edge.

More conventional ripped boyfriend jeans and high-waisted skinny styles are also on offer in a range of washes that will look good all year long.

Alongside the denim line, One Teaspoon has a less well-known, but equally assured collection of T-shirts, shorts, skirts and dresses, all with a relaxed, easy-to-wear vibe that mirrors the brand aesthetic making it easy to wear the look from head to toe.

And there’s more good news for lovers of the label – after dipping its toe in the UK market and launching exclusively on ASOS, One Teaspoon now plans to expand in the UK by targeting department stores, online outlets and independents. So watch this space!

Happy Glamping

I spent last weekend glamping in Bedford in a friends back garden for her birthday. It was a bit of a random experience and I wanted to share some photos of it to spread my new found love!

We got our tent, or Alachigh to give it its proper name, from the great guys here, who came and erected and dismantled the whole thing in a matter of hours. It was an absolute bargain as they decorated the inside with throw rugs, bed rolls, scatter cushions and bunting and all we payed extra for was a £10 tea light chandelier (bottom picture) which looked lovely once the sun went down.

The whole weekend involved a whole lot of birthday cake, long walks in the rain, cups of tea and the odd playing card based drinking game. Fortunately it also stopped raining for a few hours giving us the perfect excuse to barbecue!

The glamour of glamping has certainly converted me from a previously unhappy camper and I would love to repeat the experience all over again at a festival this summer. There's only one problem - now I have experienced the luxury of the Alachigh I could never go back to a two man tent.  

It also got me thinking about the perfect festival fashion - so watch this space for trend ideas coming soon!

Rain, rain go away

The question on everyone lips is - will it ever stop raining?

Or, as I suspect, is a man called Noah currently building us an ark to escape the forthcoming flood.

I’m slightly disappointed that I have barely been out of my wellies and trench foot is looking like a possibility if this keeps up. Especially since at the start of the month (when the sun was shining) I went out and bought some lovely summery items including floral print trousers, a white lace dress and ballet pumps - none of which have not seen the light of day.

Whilst I’ve mostly been working up a pastel storm as previously discussed here browsing online this week I saw a new trend cropping up – Tropicana - which includes Hawaiian florals, birds of paradise and jungle foliage splashed across body-con dresses, wide leg trousers and slinky vests.

I will definitely be wearing this look come summer and have already started my wish list below, though obviously the Choo’s are out of my price range! However amazing alternatives can be found on the High Street at Oasis, New Look and Warehouse.

1. Clutch, Charlotte Olympia, £475. 2. Marc by Marc Jacobs, £290. 3. Dress, Oasis, £70. 4. Dress, Rare, £56. 5. Shirt, Stella McCartney, £610. 6. Sunglasses, H&M, £3.99.

7. Trousers, Altuzarra, £485. 8. Shoes, Jimmy Choo, £895. 9. Crop top, £16.99, New Look.

10. Vest top, £22, Warehouse.

Styling tips: To avoid looking like you dad circa 1970 team loose Hawaiian print shirts with uber skinny leggings and some very high stacked heels or wedges.

Styling tip: For accessories raffia, basket weave, snakeskin and perspex are your best friends. The Charlotte Olympia bag is a real all rounder that goes with everything. Just add some sunnies and you are good to go to club Tropicana. Where fingers crossed the drinks will be free.

Chain Reaction

It all started with the Versace for H & M collection earlier this year - it brought back memories of vintage Versace baroque patters, chain prints and tropical tones of fuchsia, lime green and turquoise.

Then the rest of the high street followed suit, the most note worthy showing being at Topshop which brought out some lookalike pieces including shorts, leggings, shirt dresses and bomber jackets.

I had almost forgotten about the whole trend and then I clocked this image of Cheryl Cole released earlier in the week (find the original article here) in the first promotional shot for her new single, Call my Name.

In the short Cole looks through a gold PPQ necklace in the shape of a heart. The colours, especially her plum lip, fantastic new hair colour and the green background reminded me of the original Versace for H & M line which started my craving going again! However with pieces currently selling on Ebay for four times the original selling price a cheaper answer needed to be found.

See my selection of the best similar styles below - all at affordable prices and all new in store now. Not being a very adventurous soul I'd probably wear the shirts with jeans or tailored shorts but this season bad taste is good taste so the more brave amongst you can go ahead and clash prints to the max!

From top left:

Shirt, Ark, £29.99

T - Shirt, Miss Selfridge, £19.50

Shorts, H & M, £14.99

Dress, Oasis, £65

Shirt, Dorothy Perkins, £26

A walk on the wilde side

With more than 10 years’ experience in the fashion industry,Alice McCall’s latest venture House of Wilde is built on a love of uniquely embellished garments with a craftier feel, in contrast to mass-produced fashionlooks

McCall’s signature bohemian look (first fostered designing for Buddhist Punk and later Sass & Bide) can be found throughout thecollection, which comprises of maxi and mini dresses, gilets, vest tops, shorts and loose trousers in 70s silhouettes and tribal prints.

A relaxed palette of peach, cream, navy and blush provides abackdrop next to vibrant yellow and orange and there is added interest in theform of blown-up batiks, animal prints, sequin detailing and tie dye techniques.

I’m totally sold on the tribal, slightly hippy look of thecollection and I think some pieces would be perfect for summer festivals andfor holiday worn casually slung over a bikini.

With prices between £49 and £149 (slightly higher than high street average) however it may be it worth sticking to the investment pieces inthe collection that can be worn after the last days of summer have gone.

What do you think of the collection? Will you be buying it come summer?

Friday fashion round up

Its time for Little Girl Lost's Friday fashion round up!

Hopefully I'll be able to post this round up every week of the looks I think worked on the hottest celebrities - and those that fell a bit flat.

First off it's Nicole Richie looking hot to trot in head to toe leather. The newly- returned-to-TV star showed up at the NBC Universal summer press day in this fashion forward look with statement accessories proving she is every inch the fashion icon nowadays.

Nicole Richie in a leather ensemble, see the full article here

Then its on to Kim Kardashian who attended the Us Weekly magazine Hot Hollywood Style issue event in LA wearing this silver strapless Catherine Malandrino number. I'm not usually a fan of Kim's fashion choices, finding her particular brand of sexy a bit in your face, but something about the way she has paired the dress with those neon pink shoes has me hooked and wanting more. You can see the full article, along with other well dressed guests here.

Next up we have three similar 'prom' style looks from Jennifer Morrison, who was at the same Us Weekly party, Mena Suvari who was attending the Spanish premiere of her new movie, American Reunion, and finally, Emily Blunt looking stunning at the premiere of her film The Five-Year Engagement at the Tribeca Film Festival. The black and green foliage print dress was from designer Jason Wu and perfectly complimented her gorgeous and flawless skin tone. Again kudos to Emily on her shoe choice and for her make up including a very on trend hot pink lip. You can see more looks from the premiere here including the ever delightful Olivia Wilde.

 

See more pictures after the jump

Little Girl Lost discovers Finders Keepers

Australian young fashion label Finders Keepers has launched into the UK this season and I couldn’t be more excited!

A firm favourite on the fashion scene in its native Australia and New Zealand the brand is also generating a lot of international interest.

S/S 12 will see the brand launching into the UK market with a collection inspired by the 70’s (think Bianca Jagger) as imagined by designer Julia Ritorto.

A colour palette of pastel and terracotta tones - teamed with both vivid brights and subtle neutrals - complements the 70s vibe, while key pieces include shirts teamed with scallop-edge shorts, alongside dresses and play suits with cut-out detailing for a modern take on vintage.

Though I won’t be buying the cut out play suits (I don’t have the toned abs required) I am contemplating the sheer pleated maxis – perfect casual chic for hot summer days a la Kate Bosworth.

Finders Keepers s/s 12 collection

Crystal Renn covers Schon!

Crystal Renn covers Schon! magazine this month and is virtually unrecognisable with her newly thin figure squeezed into a gold mirrored leotard.

The clearly Olympics themed shoot sees Renn kissing a gold medal whilst sporting a peroxide blonde pony tail stacked extremely high with bracelets. Though I do love the concept, especially the strip light background, I wish I could see a bit more of of Renn's face in this shot. Her cat eye make up looks fierce and I would have liked a close up of that red lippy. A 'stronger' face might have given it that bit of 'umph' that its missing.

However not everyone has been won over and Renn is getting plenty of abuse on the original daily mail article, which can be read here. The criticism is mostly on her weight loss with PLUS Model Magazine Editor-in-Chief Madeline Jones going so far as to say she felt betrayed by Renn, the former 'poster girl' of plus size fashion.

What do you think of the cover? Do you love Renn's new look or feel let down?

Trend Alert: Pastels

It's official: I am addicted to pastels. Not surprising considering there’s no getting away from pastel tones this season ever since they cropped up in number of designers' s/s 12 collections, the most significant showing being at Louis Vuitton.  

Ever since the high street has been awash with them from sugary yellows, pale blues, blush pinks, lilac, and my current favourite, fresh mint green.

H & M have done a particularly good job of getting the LV look this season (at a very affordable price point) and though I already own the blue Topshop blazer I am thinking of adding a few of their pieces to my wardrobe to make a nice capsule collection of spring workwear.

Check out my selection of pastel pieces below all with a decidedly lady like feel to them so you too can channel Vuitton.

Will you be wearing pastels this Spring or have you dived into them already despite the gloomy weather?

1. Miss Selfridge, £35

2. H & M, 29.99

3. Oasis, £60

4. Topshop, £40

5. Asos, £60

6. Topshop, £42

7. Warehouse, £38

8. H & M, 29,99

9. Oasis, £85

10. H & M, 24,99

Dip Dye Dilemma

Having recently developed a fixation with all things pastel I decided to extend this fascination from my wardrobe to my hair this weekend.

And so it came about that my previously blonde dip dye was turned a summery lilac shade with the help of a violet coloured home dye kit and a hell of a lot of conditioner.

Going DIY not only required a lot of confidence it also needed alot of research and hours spent scouring the web for the perfect shade and tips on how to achieve it as there was no way i could afford to get it done at a salon.

Having become a dip dye expert i was shocked when a close friend emailed me this image today with the subject title "next time?"

My first reaction to Made In Chelsea's Gabriella Ellis rainbow dip dye was instant rejection. Which hairdresser committed this atrocity! It hurts my eyes and (sorry Gabriella) I'm just not sure you are "funky" enough to pull off this look.

But then i started to think, am I really that far off? In other words am I just one step too far away from a rainbow dip dye?

What do you think to Gabriella's hair? Gorgeous or Garish?

You can see the pictures and original article here on the Daily Mail website.

Honolulu Lulu Kennedy

In addition to her Lulu & Co brand, Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy has launched her second range, Lulu & Co Studio.

The collection sees the further development of the brand with support of young designers Maarten van der Horst and Marques’ Almeida, both of whom made their debuts with Fashion East in September last year during London Fashion Week.

Beyond the Fashion East fold, special guests include new, up-and-coming designers Peter Jensen and Markus Lupfer.

Menswear designer Christopher Shannon also branched out into womenswear exclusively for Lulu & Co last season, and has this time with a full capsule line after a promising reaction from the press.

As the brand grows, designers have been inspired to expand their offering, creating capsule ranges rather than single pieces. The Lulu & Co Studio collection, therefore, sees cocktail dresses sitting alongside T-shirts, mini dresses and skirts some of which feature Mexican sunsets, Hawaiian hula girls and tropical fruit prints.

All that’s left to say is Aloha!

Sinstar launch womenswear

Successful menswear label Sinstar shows no signs of slowing down as s/s 12 sees the brand progress with a debut collection of eagerly awaited womenswear.

In little under two years the former band members behind the label have grown a simple idea formed in the back of a tour van to one of the best selling brands nationwide (its outselling everything on asos don’t you know) throwing all rule books out the window.

All this despite having no formal training in business, design or fashion. Take note young designers of the future!

The s/s 12 offering entitled 'The Escape Collection' finds its inspiration from punk, rock, skate and metal and is fronted by up and coming designer Mimi Wade seen below with her signature blue hair. 

Here vibrant acid wash jeans and bold neon graphic prints contrast against a muted colour palette of grey marl and black distressed jerseys. 

Meanwhile the brands’ signature T – shirts and vest tops feature quirky slogans, crosses, washed out prints and fringing - all perfect for festival goers.

The collection will drop into selected stores this month and can also be found online here 
Images courtesy of Rich London PR.

Liberty London partners with Dr. Martens

Last week Department store Liberty announced it was partnering with Dr. Martens on a capsule collection of footwear and accessories for men and women.


The snappily named ‘Liberty London for Dr. Martens floral prints’ collaboration brings together the two British institutions and will be sold exclusively at Liberty London’s Regent Street store, from May 1st.                


Two main prints are available; ‘Strawberry Thief’, originally created by textile designer William Morris in 1883; and ‘Martens Flower’, originally created for Liberty by the Silver Studio in the 1930s.


Both prints can be seen on the traditional eight-hole and three-hole Dr. Martens boots and shoes, as well as the recently introduced Kensington and desert boot styles. 

 

In addition to footwear, the prints have also been used to create four leather satchel bags in two different sizes.

What do you think of the collection?

I am not totally sold on the footwear - partly because it reminds me a lot of Liberty’s collaboration with Clark's that went ahead earlier this year - but I could be swayed by that satchel…

Hello There World

Hello there. This is my first ever post for This Little Girl Is Lost and I'd like to use it as an opportunity to introduce myself and tell you about the content you can expect to find here.

This Little Girl Is Lost is a women’s fashion blog covering everything from the styles found on the UK high street to up and coming designers and the latest catwalk trends. The blog will also delve into one of my main passions - vintage fashion - as well as giving readers an insight into the ‘must attend’ events and fashion shows in both the UK and abroad that i am lucky enough to get an invite to. To a lesser extend the blog will also deal with celebrity fashion, magazine covers and editorials, the red carpet, street style, beauty trends, technology related to the industry and lifestyle issues such as new exhibitions and cool places to visit.

Launched in April 2012 the blog is designed as a way to share my infatuation with all things fashion, built up over a (so far) three year career as a fashion writer working on a number of trade titles.

The name, if you were wondering, is inspired by my soon to be imminent move to the big smoke - London -and feeling a little bit 'lost' to be honest.

If you like this blog please spread the word and help a little girl lost get found!

You can find me on twitter at @girlislostblog or email at thislittlegirlislost​blog@gmail.com