This site has now moved to http://blogs.loughboroughecho.net/amysfashionfix/

Summer's coming

IT'S official, summer is on its way.

How do I know? Bikinis are back on the shelves and I had my first joke sunglasses try-on of the year this week.

Now if I could only fit into a bikini without looking like a beached whale...

That's where Weight Watchers comes in. I've been doing this for almost three months now and had been doing pretty well (lost six pounds was very impressed) then the chocolate and other naughtiness beckoned and I'm back at square one. So seeing the lovely skinny clothes on the shelves has given me a new inspiration, watch this space.

Big bra'd beauties wanted

THE Star in a Bra search 2010 is on.

Online retailer Brastop.com is currently scouring the country for naturally curvy girls, who have the chance to become the face and body of the new fuller bust brand Curvy Kate.

Despite the UK’s average boob size now being above a DD and the average dress size being a 16, many fashion brands still ignore models that relate to these statistics (although see previous post - well done Debenhams), Brastop.com is championing the UK’s shapely figures and their average 34G (yes I know!) customer by searching for a DD+ girl who is curvy, charismatic and confident with a fuller body and natural bust.

With more than 2,500 entrants in the first two years, Star in a Bra 2010 looks set to be even stronger with consumer awareness of plus size modelling increasing all the time. In the last 6 months several fuller figured shoots have taken place but the Star in a Bra search is looking to make real women modelling the norm, not just a novelty.

Laura Butler, Star in a Bra winner 2008, said: "Most lingerie brands either use stick thin girls or girls with fake boob and I could never figure out which bras would suit my shape.

"The Star in a Bra competition was a great opportunity for me to step into the spotlight and hopefully show how gorgeous a fuller figure can look in lingerie. It really kick started my modelling career and I still model with Curvy Kate and love all the shoots…and attention!"

We're going on a treasure hunt

GET yourself down to Nottingham on Sunday, April 25, for the next Affordable Vintage Fair.

Now in its 5th year, the fairs were started by Selfridges stylist Judy Berger and his since toured the UK holding events for vintage clothing and accessories sellers to sell to the UK's vintage lovers.

Held at The Art Organisation, 21 Station Street, Nottingham, from 12pm-5pm, entry costs £2 and inside you'll find an Aladdin's cave of 40 stalls offering vintage clothing, accessories & homewares dating from the 1920s-1980s, boasting on average prices 40% lower than vintage available on the high street.

Judy Berger, said: "Nottingham is always a bustling fair with traders selling all aspects of vintage clothing and homewares.

"Over the last two years we’ve seen a huge increase in people coming to our events. People still like the high street but are tired of seeing everyone wearing the same thing. Our events are like treasure chests, you have to dig a little but you end up finding a true gem without having to spend a fortune."

Designers in the making

I couldn't resist putting this picture up.

BUDDING fashion designers at Highgate Primary School in Sileby recently got to strut their stuff on the cat walk.

It was the culmination of a series of fashion based events that the school took part in called ‘Dress To Impress’.

Under the guidance of teachers Miss Hand, Miss Coaker and Mrs Ward the children learned about different types of clothes, materials and design processes.

They were also asked to design their own school uniform while Year One dyed, sowed and modeled their own creations on the cat-walk.

Miss Hand from the school said: “The children created some fantastic outfits and throughly enjoyed the topic.”

Welcome back old friend

AFTER enduring years of ridicule from my friends about my love of Baby G, Rihanna has finally made the brand cool again by using it in her latest Rude Boy video.

Not a massive fan of the video - or Rihanna for that matter - but hey, Baby G's back! Slightly obsessed with bright watches at the moment (wearing a bright purple Nixon at the moment and had to stop myself from buying it in blue and pink) and this sure fits the bill...

Here's the video by the way in case you are so minded to watch it:

Get your Gagas out

Now I'm not one for celeb copying but this is just funny:

New research by www.MyCelebrityFashion.co.uk, which works with high street brands to copy celebrity outfits, has found that 25% of 1,326 women would be happy to bear their breasts in the name of fashion - Lady Gaga styley.

Of the women polled, 302 said they would be happy to reveal their breasts under a lace top, although only 25 of them would go so far as to wear a lace dress and would opt to wear a pair of modesty concealing briefs if they did so. 85% of women said they would be willing to wear a lace top but would opt to wear a bra or boob tube underneath.

Andy Barr, marketing director of MyCelebrityFashion.co.uk, said: "We have definitely seen a growing trend in the popularity in the number of lace and other provocative items being bought from the site, so we decided to conduct a poll to see how just how much women out there were willing to flaunt.

"We are surprised just how many would show off their assets, but women out there are getting increasingly fashion focused and the majority of the population are not as surprised by nudity as they once were."

ANYONE feeling rich and generous can buy me a Mulberry coat please, preferably one of these two as seen at London Fashion Week last week.

Thanks.

Now this is what I call advertising

CAKES and sexy lingerie - what more could a woman want (other than a half naked man of course)

As women all over the country fight to shrink their shapes in the usual January diet frenzy (I should know I'm eight weeks into my new Weight Watchers regime), fuller figured brand Curvy Kate are celebrating the naturally curvy using plus size models (otherwise known as NORMAL sized women or, actually thin women with huge boobs) in their latest shoot with a delicious theme of Afternoon Tea.

Cup sizes are available from DD to J and back sizes from 28 to 40 and bras retail from £26-30.

The AW10 collection is available to view online but annoyingly can't be bought from the website - although websites where they are available are listed on the site, such as Bravissimo.

Definitely worth a look though - go to www.curvykate.com

I'd rather make my own thank you very much

AS nice as it is to see the friendship bracelet make a come-back after all these years, this new 'trend' kind of misses the point.

Aurelie Bidermann is not your friend (unless you know her personally of course), neither is Dior. I for one will only jump on this bandwagon with homemade bracelets - any offers most welcome!

TAKE a look at this picture, notice anything unusual?

I didn't because these mannequins look like regular women and that's exactly what I will be saying to Debenhams when I am asked for my feedback as a customer.

Ok so we're not all size 16s but let's face it, although many of us would like to be, we're not uber skinny either. These show customers exactly what the clothes will look like - saving us the horror from the changing rooms when such a fabulous dress "doesn't look like it did on the mannequin".

Apparently normal mannequins are a size 10 but having worked in the fashion industry I find that hard to believe to be honest considering size 6s sometimes need pinning because they look too big.

The size 16 mannequins were unveiled last Thursday at the store's Oxford Street Branch and will eventually be rolled out across the country to get feedback from customers.

This, in my humble opinion, is the start of a long battle in trying to make stores show 'real' women and real sizes. Well done Debenhams (and Gok if this had anything to do with you)!

Oh, and if you want to see what they look like next to a 'normal' mannequin, here you go:

London Fashion Week

I COULDN'T let this week (and February - oops) go by without putting something on here.

London Fashion Week began today (as if you didn't know already), having been opened by Sarah Brown.

Wearing Erdem skirt and top (didn't like it personally), Russell and Bromley shoes and jewellery by Astley Clarke, she welcomed the British Fashion Council's support for Backing Young Britain, which aims to create opportunities for young people struggling to find work in the recession...oops sorry downturn. The BFC is calling for fashion houses to give young people a foot in the door into fashion.

Wish I could have been there but alas the world of Loughborough calls so I'll have to settle with online viewing. But don't you worry fashion fans, the clever people at London Fashion Week HQ have decided to help us out by streaming the catwalk shows online.

See the next show at: http://www.londonfashionweeklive.co.uk/

Becoming a little obsessed with http://fifi-lapin.blogspot.com/ It's one of those kick yourself moments where you think why didn't I think of that!!

Happy New Year

Ok, new year new start. I am not going to promise to update this every week but I do promise to update it more regularly.
My other new year's resolutions are good ones this year, never mind that no chocolate no drinking lark I have joined Weight Watchers and am selling mounds of clothes on ebay ready to start the new year in style! So be prepared for updates on how both of those are going - contrary to common belief I WILL last longer than a month!
Hope you've all had a great new year (if there are any of you still left reading this, I haven't updated it for a while after all) and you'll be hearing from me soon.

This month's monstronsity

Strolling around the sale in Topshop imagine my shock and absolute horror to witness these monstrous shoes priced at £50 - down from £95. If you like these please keep your opinions to yourself - or I might just be sick on you!

£10 fashion finds

Oops it's been more than a month since I last wrote on here...

But fear not dear Fashion Fix followers, I'm back.

I for one am sick of the credit crunch but I will never be sick of beating it so here's another website to add to your list!

Why not take a look at http://www.10orless.co.uk/. You won't be finding any designer nuggets of joy like in my last Luella post but you will find high street bargains from the likes of New Look, Miss Selfridge and Peacocks all under £10. I even found something from Tatty Devine and Calvin Klein (a pair of socks before you get excited).
It's like a search engine, you click on the image and it takes you to the website, so no more searching through pages among pages of sale items you're not interested in - this does it all for you!
And before you turn your nose up thinking it's going to be the cheap tack no-one wants, think again. Ok some of it's horrible, I'll give you that, but hey if I wasn't so skint on lowly reporter's wages (yes I know feel sorry for me) I'd be buying some of it myself. Especially if I could afford to go on holiday as there's cheap bikinis on there.
It also has beauty products (cue cheap French Connection products if there's anyone's birthday coming up).
Take a look, definitely worth a try.

Where've you been all my life?!

Reading through Elle this month (go out and buy it by the way there's a gorgeous Urban Outfitters bag - I got the stripy one) I turned to the workwear bit as usual. A lot of the time the stuff on this page is totally inappropriate for my job (can't wear shorts no matter how smart to go and speak to an old couple or a parent who's just lost their child) but this month it was the Elle edits that stuck in my mind, with many little bits that could just make some of life's annoying little quirks go away forever.

Firstly, Miss Oops the Rescue Sponge, the dry sponge which removes make-up marks and food stains from your clothes - absolutely perfect for the original Miss Oops here!
Apparently you just wipe it on the mark and it disappears. You get two in the pack and they're reusable - and cost just £8.
Take a look for yourself at http://www.boutiquevive.com/

Image: http://www.boutiquevive.com/


Next we have another ingenious invention (and this one actually makes me want to seek out and kiss the inventor), the handbag liner by Tintamar.

This crafty little invention means you never have to worry about forgetting something when swapping your handbags (which I do a lot).
It's basically just a bag with different compartments that fits inside your bag. It comes in different styles and different colours to suit your bag. They're quite expensive though, costing £23 for the basic bag. But hey, if you're anywhere near as forgetful as me and could use this everyday it might just be the item you're looking for.

Find this at http://www.quirkybags.co.uk/

Image: http://www.quirkybags.co.uk/

Right I think that's enough of me selling things without making any money for it for one day. Now I need something to complain about again..

If I was rich....

You know those when I win the lottery moments...

Here's mineTake one piece of lilac plain organza and one Luella Bartley and what do you have?

Costing (just) £595 this Gretel dress by Luella is exactly what I would buy if I won the lottery tomorrow. I would probably never wear it but who cares? It would look so pretty in my wardrobe! Actually scratch that - I'd find reasons to wear it! Anyone fancy lending me £600?

Image: courtesy of www.luella.com

The legendary Y-Front goes female

For the first time in its 75 year history, Jockey, the original maker of Y-Fronts, is updating the brief by introducing a new range for women!

Now I've fashioned the girl-boxers like the best of them and have even bought men's boxers for bed but Y-fronts? Really?

I have to say actually the picture here doesn't do it justice, having gone on the Jockey website to see what the rest of the women's collection looks like they don't actually look that bad (but I'd recommend the bikini style not the brief). Still don't think I'll be buying them though..

When catwalks go wrong

Just been sent this and had to put it on. Ooo the shame..

Advice needed

I'm about to take some important exams, which will decide whether I get quite a substantial pay rise, and have a number of things I'm looking at buying to treat myself if I pass.

They are:
1. Perfume
2. A new work outfit
3. These really pretty shoes at Faith, should be £52 currently on offer with 20% off at £48 (which by the way is on lots of shoes at the moment but conveniently doesn't say when it's on til)

So, ladies and gents, here's my question for you:

You know what they say about men with big feet...big shoes of course!

Am I the only person who, while trying to be a serious journalist and watch the budget yesterday, couldn't help noticing the size of Alistair Darling's shoes?!
Just a little something to brighten up the mood seeing as the government's made sure I won't be able to afford designer clothes anytime soon.

But all is not lost...TK Maxx, in association with Look magazine, is offering a £250 shopping spree to celebrate its new season of spring dresses.

To get the money though you've got to work for it - by telling TK Maxx why you deserve to be dressed up.

Entries so far include:

“Because I've been invited to the Cannes Film Festival and I have no classy evening dress to wear. I need your help so I can look amazing next to all the stars.”

“Being a new mum to my five month old daughter. I spend my days covered in everything. Wearing nice dresses is not an option most of the time. For my birthday my husband has got us a night away at a lovely hotel with dinner. A new dress would make the evening even more special. Especially since I can't fit into any of my old ones!”

Simply go to ww.tkmaxx.com and you'll find the competition on there. Good luck!

Chic-onomically friendly

I promised you for an update and I hate to disappoint so here we are, the Outnet is here and I have to say I love it!

Net a porter has finally realised that not everyone is as loaded as Paris Hilton and has created a discount site. At first I was ever so slightly cynical (what can I say it's the journalist in me) but these really are discount prices.

Ok so some things are still stupidly expensive (you're not going to get much change for £200 on a lot of it) and yes some things are just truly hideous but I would recommend you save this to your favourites and pop back every now and again. I reckon it's going to be like TKMaxx - full of rubbish one minute and absolute crackers the next. You can also sign up for updates so you know when new stock comes in.

Have a look for yourself at http://www.theoutnet.com/

Can he fix it? You bet he can

He's ba-aack.

I named my blog after him so it was pretty obvious I couldn't let the first episode in the new series of Gok's Fashion Fix let me pass me by without a post.

And this season has a new twist with the phrase "shop less, wear more". Women apprently only wear 30 per cent of their wardrobe so Gok's now challenging us all to limit our outfits to just 24 key pieces - yes ladies 24 (as opposed to 124)! This will certainly be an interesting series I'm sure.

Your capsule should consist of:

1 pair of well fitting jeans

6 tops

1 pair of trousers

1 skirt

2 jackets

1 coat or mac

2 versatile dresses

4 pairs of shoes

1 wide belt

1 pair of statement gloves

2 bags

2 scarves


NO WAY could I do that - how much washing would you have to do? And I find it difficult just to get rid of one item and I have two double wardrobes crammed with the stuff!
I do like the idea of slim-lining my wardrobe a bit though but maybe sticking to 50 items (although I don't even know if I could stick to 100). Let's have a go - if you manage it let me know :)

I'll just leave you with the awful quote of the evening? "It's so beautiful it's like an angel sneezed on it" - oh dear god someone pass me the sick bag (Not a Gok quote by the way, I don't think I'd be able to look at him the same way again)

No I don't particularly like it either.

At a whopping £15,100, this Balmain one-shoulder cocktail dress, designed by Christophe Decarnin, has been chosen by handbag.com as the most recession-unfriendly item for 2009.

A dress for people with more money than sense, otherwise known as wannabe celebrities, who don't care about how trashy they look as long as it's designer.

Or maybe I'm just bitter because my reporter wage won't stretch that far...

handbag.com fashion director Belinda White said: “The Balmain dress epitomises self-indulgence and extravagance at a time when most people are worrying about their finances.

"It appears that despite the price-tag and the state of the economy, some people can still afford to stick two fingers up to the recession.”

Other contenders were:
- Chanel Matrioshka handbag - £4,200

- Chanel pale pink quilted handbag - £2,400

- Christopher Kane scalloped silk dress - £2,136

- Giambattista Valli for Moncler Gamme Rouge jacket - £2,000

- Meadham Kirchhoff denim jacket - £1,715

- Balmain jeans - £1,200

- YSL cage booties - £1,100

- Louis Vuitton Tribal sandals - £1,100

- Louis Vuitton Graffiti trainers - £700

The Stella affect

Stella McCartney has announced she's creating a capsule collection for Net-a-porter.com
I won't be able to afford it but I'm sure it'll be pretty, see for yourself when it comes out late Spring.

Who needs couch potatoes when you can be a lazy oaf?

Anyone who likes David and Golliath clothing will absolutely love Lazy Oaf.

It was started by Gemma Shiel back in 2001 with hand screen printed tee's and a market stall in East London and is now available in more than 150 stockists, including Sheffield, Leeds and Nottingham.
It does women's, men's, accessories and other random bits and bobs - great for a present and even better for treating yourself (like I did when I visited the Carnaby Street store last week when visiting my friend in London)
This is just an example of the range on offer - but you have to see the website for yourself http://www.lazyoaf.co.uk/

Image: Lazyoaf.co.uk

swish a woo

For all of those of you not in the fashion know-how, swishing is the new craze sweeping the nation.
It's where you get together with friends or just a random group of women (although friends might be a better idea - as my editor pointed out some random person might have fleas!) and swap clothes. Of course, swapping with friends who have decent fashion sense is advisable!
These events are everywhere - there's even one in Ashby de la Zouch on Tuesday for all you locals out there. There's also one in Derby today but sadly this was too late for me to go through my three wardrobes in the hope of finding something I could part with :(
With Spring coming up, this could be the perfect way of making some much needed space (and a lot of the events are in aid of charities so you can help people at the same time)
To find an event near you, go to www.swishing.org or - even better - if you're holding one, let me know I'd love to hear about it

And the tack prize goes to....

As if River Island couldn't have got any worse as far as my tack-o-meter, the designers go and throw this monstrosity into the mix - and a ridiculously overprized monstronsity at that.

This 'Union Jack Oversized Tote' from River Island's SS09 WW Hero collection will set you back £150.00 - don't all rush out at once, there might be a bit of a queue on!

Photo: River Island Clothing Company Ltd

Jean genius

Designers like Diesel have been doing it for years but let's face it, if you want to pay less money and you're inbetween sizes you're pretty much screwed - until now. Asda has announced the news women with a lack of money and a normal sized waist have been waiting for: inbetween jean sizes.

Available in sizes 11, 13 and 15, the £12 jeans are now on sale. Grab them while you can (unless of course you're larger than a 15, in which case you're still screwed I'm afraid)

Photo: ASDA

Ugging ridiculous

As if men weren't becoming feminine enough, the clever people at Ugg have decided to kill all things I like about men once and for all by making these!!! Now I'm biased anyway as I'm possibly the only woman alive who doesn't like Uggs - I just think they're wierd - but come on would men actually wear these?!

Valentines D.I.Y

This is all you're getting for Valentines Day because without sounding like a miserable old woman I think it's a total waste of time.

But if you do happen to be giving a card, save some money and make one with the help of the templates available from Urban Outfitters.

Go to http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/icat/home

sample this

I'm probably really behind the times but I've recently discovered sample sales, where you can pick up designer gear for a fraction of the price.

For those of you around London this month you might want to try...

- 'The Ultimate Sample Sale' at the 20th Century Theatre, in Westbourne Grove, on Wednesday, February 18 from 9am-7pm, offering up to 85% off women‘s clothing by Velvet, Lotus London, Paul & Joe, Amanda Wakeley, Temperley London, and more.

- 'Designer Sales Uk' at The Boiler House, The Old Truman Brewery, in Brick Lane, on Thursday, February 26 (Preview Day) from noon to 10pm, Friday, February 27 from 11am-9pm, Saturday, February 28 from 11am-8pm and Sunday, March 1 from 10am-5pm, with a range of British designers including Jean-Paul Gaultier, Gianni Versace and Vivienne Westwood and upto 80% off Biba.

For those of us not lucky enough to have London on our doorstep, there's also an online sample sale at www.catwalktocloset.com/ - and if you sign up to the newsletter you get these sunglasses for £10 to get you ready for Spring :)
Also take a look at http://www.koodos.com/, which not only has some great designer stuff for as little as £25 but also has a link to a bargainista's guide to London fashion blog. Obviously not much use to people like me who aren't in London but something worth checking out before you go on a trip down to the big smoke.