COCO´S NEW CLOTHES

One of the best things to come from Australia is a fantastic lingerie shop Coco Ribbon. Now it has launched its first clothing range. The clothes are feminine, floaty and delicate just like their gorgeous lingerie. The collection uses lots of pastel girly colours like pale pink, powdery blue and soft flowers. The prices start at £120 for a top. Check out the rest of the collection on www. cocoribbon.com

Take a look at this stunning pink floaty summer dress. It is perfect for a garden party or for a romantic walk at the beach. Coco Ribbon Coco Dress Pink, £560,00




















I also love this raspberry coloured glamourous Hollywood dress. You can wear it at a coctail party on warm summer evening. Coco Ribbon Hollywood Dress Raspberry, £395,00




















And just think in how many ways you can wear this pale blue kaftan - at a party, on a beach, you can wear it day and night. Coco Ribbon Rio Kaftan, £210,00

EVERYDAY BEAUTY

For Jo Wood, wife of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, it was time to go organic. Her second range of bodycare products, Everyday, is 99 per cent natural, luxurious and yet affordable, designed to be used as the name suggests.

Including a delicious Exfoliating Salt Scrub, to prepare the skin for the summer, a Cleansing Body Mousse and Nourishing Body Cream – both in Wood's new fragrances, Tula and Langa - the range costs from £15- £24, available from April 1 at department stores nationwide.

Source: vogue.co.uk

BRONZE GODDESS

The sun worshippers among you should head to House of Fraser on March 31 to be the first to get your hands on Esteé Lauder’s new Bronze Goddesses Collection. Exclusive to the store until May 5, the bronzing pearls, creams and compacts will leave your skin shimmering, sun kissed and healthy until you book that summer holiday.

We love the Soft Duo Bronzer – use a big brush to flick the colour across the cheekbones to achieve a natural bronzed glow.

Source: vogue.co.uk

WEAK DOLLAR = SHOP ON US SITES

As you all know, dollar is at its all time lowest right now. For us shoppers, it´s good news as it means that we can shop on US sites at very reasonable prices. You can get the same thing at considerably lower price. The selection is huge, many sites have their own lookbooks and trend reports.

The main problem is that many US sites don´t deliver to Europe. Always check what the company has rules for international shipping. For example on Shopbop the international shipping charges are based on several factors, including total price of items, the weight of the package, and its destination.

Another issue to remember is VAT. Almost certainly you have to pay duty, in average it is between £8.00 and £13.00. ParcelForce will not deliver or hand over the goods until this is paid.

I have found some good shopping sites that offer international shipping.

http://www.shopintuition.com/. This site sells a vast range of products - jewelry (Dofeared), sunglasses (Erickson Beamon), bags (Jerome Dreyfus), clothes (Ella Moss, Lauren Conrad), jeans (Paige Premium), beauty products (Philosophy), shoes etc. They also sells mens clothes and baby products.

Paige Premium Hidden Hills High Rise Barcelona Blue Wash Jean, Stretch, £160,00

Ella Moss Mary Ann Cami Dress, $175,00

Erickson Beamon Jackie O Sunglasses, $270,00



Dogeared Large Hammered Karma Necklaces, $79,00 - $102,00

Another good site is http://www.shopbop.com/. Here you can find many well-known trendy brands like 18th Amendment jeans, Alice+Olivia, Anna Sui, C&C California, Charlotte Ronson, Chip and Pepper, J Brand, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Helmut Lang, Nanette Lepore, Tibi, Tory Burch etc. The list is long! Right now they have a sale also. I like this site!

Crawford High Waist Flared Pant, 18th Amendment, $275,00



Sequin Ombre Dress, Alice + Olivia, $84,00



Coquette Top, Nanette Lepore, $215,00




Tri-Color Stiletto, Alessandro Dell'Acqua, $585,00

Then there is the celebrity favourite Kitson. The Web address is http://www.shopkitson.com/. You can buy women´s, mens and kids clothes. Some of the brands you find here are Paris Hilton, Missoni, Michael Kors, Colin Robertson, CC Skye, One of a Kind, Botkier, Orla Kiely. You can also buy candles, parfumes and beauty products from brands like Stila, Jo Wood Organics, Fresh, Diptyque, Tocca etc.

CC Skye - Retro 3/4" Buckle Bracelets in 7 Colours, $195,00



Junk Food - Pink Little Miss Sunshine Tee, $38,00




L.A.M.B. - Siena Glazed Handbag, 2 Colours, $825,00



Tocca candle - Cleopatra Candelina (2.85 oz.), $15,00

NEW GLOWING MUM JENNIFER LOPEZ

Jennifer Lopez leaving a hair salon in New York City. She is glowing and looks really good but I don´t know if it depends on the babies or because she just has a good dermatologist and new highlights!

Anyway, Jennifer´s suede cutout pumps are by Christian Louboutin ($785,00, about £400,00) and her bag is Zagliani Crocodile Puffy Satchel ($11,800).

GUCCI BY GUCCI

Gucci by Gucci is a chypre floral fragrance. Top note of guava and pear. Heart note of tahitian tiare flower. Base note of musk and honey.

I have found my new favourite perfume! I saw it at the shop yesterday, sprayed it to my left hand and at first I didn´t like it. It was really strong and fruity, just too much! But after half an hour walking in shops, I smelled my wrist again and I really liked it. It smelled musky and exclucive.

I remember reading that Gucci´s Creative Director Frida Giannini said that this scent was masculine but not too masculine for a woman to wear. She was right, it is kind of masculine but in a good way. I find the bottle very attractive also. I think it looks very Gucci-ish, very adult-like. I definitely recommend this parfume but try it before you buy it!

50 ml eau de parfume costs £ 49.00 (725.00 SEK)

GIAMBATTISTA VALLI VICTORIA SHOES

Giambattista Valli Victoria shoes are named after Victoria Beckham. The shoes were famously worn by her in October ´07 in Paris for Elle magazine photo shoot. The shoes have a six-inch heel, a huge platform and look like straight out of a futurist movie. I think they are fabulous and can spice up any outfit. They cost about £ 700.00.

Also Rihanna, Nicole Schwarzenegger and Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen have worn the Victoria shoe.

Mary Kate wearing black suede version at Giambattista Valli Fall 2008 show

Rihanna at Fendi store launch




















Nicole Schwarzenegger at MTV Music Awards




















Ashley Olsen at dinner gala

TREND: WIDE PANTS

Wide pants are trendy again this summer and I like them but many are still sceptical about them. The trick is that you have to know how to coordinate them with the right tops and shoes. I think wide legs pants can actually make you look very tall and they are usually more flattering than skinnies.

If you choose to wear voluminous tops, they need to be soft and cinched in at the waist because if both the top and pants are voluminous, it makes a shapeless silhouette. I think that form-fitting tops are a better choice because they balance out the roomier pants.

When it comes to shoes, heels look best with wide-legged pants even if you choose to wear low heels. If you decide to go for a sporty style, choose your old Converse trainers instead of ballet flats for a cool look. Please remember to wear the right pant length with whatever shoe you choose. Pants, jeans or trousers need to skim the surface of the ground when you stand up straight – anything shorter is bad style.

Here comes a short selection of wide pants.

Wide leg pants with buckle fastening belt by Stella McCartney, http://www.netaporter.com/.
£ 415.00




















Kat wide leg jeans by J Brand, http://www.netaporter.com/, £208.00





















Paperbag Wide Leg Trouser, http://www.asos.com/, £30.00 (1041.38 SEK)




















Wide Leg Tailored Trouser by French Connection, http://www.asos.com/, £75.00 (416.55 SEK)




















Stripe Slouchy Trouser, http://www.topshop.com/, £32.00

GET YOUR FREE GIFT

I love getting a free gift when I buy something. I have to admit that I have bought quite a few beauty items when I have seen that you get a free giftbag. I like trying new products and they are usually in nice small packages which I often take with my when I travel. It also feels that I am getting more for my money. I have browsed the Web little bit and found some websites that offer free gifts with purchase.

Debenhams has a sale going on plus they have also some nice beauty offers right now. It is a double reason to pop in. I think this Elemis package sounds really good.

Debenhams ExclusiveElemis Award Winning Favourites – Gift worth £69. Yours with any two purchases. These award-winners and customer favourites have been selected to give you the visible anti-ageing results you have been looking for. It contains:

Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 15ml
Pro-Collagen Hand and Nail Cream 15ml
Pro-Collagen Lifting Treatment Neck and Bust 15ml
Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash 50ml
Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Serum 3ml
Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Night Cream 3ml
Elemis vanity case



Offer valid: Thursday 27 March - Thursday 17 April 2008



Clinique Special Offer - FREE Floral Tote bag

Receive your FREE Floral Tote Bag with the purchase of any 2 Clinique Sun-Care, Self Sun or After-Sun products.

Lookfantastic.com has right now no less than 28 free gift offerings. I just give you some examples.

Free Darphin mini selection

Buy any 2 Darphin products and receive this fabulous mini selection set absolutely free! Containing a selection of 4 amazing products for you to test, making it an ideal excuse to try the incredible Intral range!

Free Aveda paddle brush

Buy any 1000ml Aveda Shampoo with a 1000ml Conditioner and receive an Aveda Paddle Brush (rrp. £16.50) absolutely free!

Free Paul Mitchell mini style & set trio

Style & set with this fab handbag-sized Paul Mitchell Trio! This mini set worth £5.72 is free when you buy any 2 Paul Mitchell products,

TOM FORD GOES TO OSAKA

The first TOM FORD store outside of the United States was opened in Hankyu Men’s Store, Osaka, Japan by the Lane Crawford Joyce Group. The opening of the first TOM FORD store in Asia has been well received with TOM FORD the number one brand in the store on the first day.

Conceived by Tom Ford and designed by his longtime collaborator, architect William Sofield, the 1,300-square-foot shop in shop is located at the most prestigious address in Osaka, Japan. In developing the look of the interior architecture, Ford imagined a new menswear environment that would accommodate the special process of ordering a custom-made or hand-finished suit, a pair of handmade shoes, or a personally blended fragrance. The store is a glamorous, yet decidedly masculine, world that is colored in burnished, pale grays and shades of sable brown.

The Lane Crawford Joyce Group is opening the second TOM FORD shop-in-shop in Hong Kong by April 2008 in Lane Crawford, ifc mall. The Lane Crawford Joyce Group will open more than 80 stores throughout the Asia-Pacific region in 10 countries, including but not limited to Japan, Hong Kong, China, Korea, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia

Source: designtaxi.com

CARLA BRUNI IN LONDON

French first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy looked very elegant and demure on Wednesday as she and her husband, President Nicholas Sarkozy, landed in London. And Bruni-Sarkozy played it by the rules — wearing flats so she didn't tower over her diminutive husband; going even a bit dowdy in a gray midcalf-length belted dress by Dior to meet Camilla and the Queen, and borrowing a page from Jackie O with a matching pillbox hat. Actually, many fashion magazines draw comparisons with Jacqueline Kennedy. Almost entire Carla Bruni´s wardrobe was by Dior that is designed by John Galliano.

MONSOON´S 35TH ANNIVERSARY

This year it is the 35th anniversary of high street chain Monsoon. For this occasion, the fashion retailer launched a 'Heritage' collection for SS08. Monsoon will celebrate more than three decades of style and has launched a new collection of original pieces inspired by its own prints and designs from the 70's.

The in-house design team sourced the company's archives to produce a 10 piece collection. The anniversary range features redesigned dresses from original designs and fabrics translated into this seasons styling. The retrospective collection includes kaftan dresses and tunics, as well as a halter-dress with original hand-embroidered patterns and embellishments. Prices start from £65.

Source: fashionunited.co.uk

I was on Monsoon´s homepage to check out Heritage collection and found some amazing tunics, tops and dresses that are perfect for summer. As you can see below, the clothes are colourful and with big `70s prints. These are also some of the biggest trends this summer! Add some oversized sunglasses and sandals and you are ready to go. Just keep it simple as these clothes don´t need lots of accessorizing!

Hisar kaftan, 100% silk, £65.00

Sitapur Enbroidered Dress, 100% cotton, £95.00

Bombay Print Smock Top, 100% silk, £65.00

Sitapur Embroidered Skirt, 100% cotton, £85.00

MADONNA PREFERS ITALIAN FASHION

Madonna has gone back to her Italian roots and is wearing Dolce & Gabbana on the cover of her new album "Hard Candy." Instead of opting for an outfit from the duo's tweedy ensembles from next season as shown during Milan Fashion Week in February — the pop star asked Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce to find a vintage corset from their archives.

On the cover, shot by Steven Klein, Madonna strikes one of her sexy poses, wearing a strappy, shiny back bodysuit, juxtaposed with a wide boxer's belt. Over the iconic vintage piece, she tossed a white fur-collared black coat from the fall 1995 men's wear collection.

And the singer, who once wore a t-shirt that said Italians do it better, opted for another famous Italian designer for the video and cover of her single "Four Minutes" with Justin Timberlake, this time choosing an all-black, body-hugging ensemble by Roberto Cavalli.

Source: fashionunited.co.uk

AGYNESS DEYN FOR REEBOK

Reebok announced that model-of-the-moment Agyness Deyn, is named to be the face of London at the launch of the Reebok Freestyle Cities range in Paris. The collection is inspired by, according to Reebok, the following fashion cities of the world: Tokyo, Paris, New Delhi, Madrid, New York and London. Each city has will have its own inspired pair of trainers to represent its ambitious women.

In the 80s the first edition of the Freestyle collection was created, which was Reebok's answer to the aerobic-inspired fashion trends featuring leggings and legwarmers. Last year the shoes were relaunched and this year the Paris and Tokyo Freestyle trainers were introduced. French singer Yelle promotes the Parisian inspired sneaker and Tokyo is represented by dancer Ai Yasuda.

Source: fashionunited.co.uk