Three words

PUT THEM AWAY.

High Brow

Upon losing my tweezers to the depths of my mary poppins-esque bag I finally found myself ready to listen to my mother’s beauty advice: I have not plucked my eyebrows for a few months now and the results are quite surprising.

In previous incarnations my brows have born resemblance to spindly speech marks and worrisome worms but never couch-potato caterpillars. The bushy, unkempt eyebrow has always been avoided. However, three months of re-growth have not left me looking like Oscar the Grouch.

Instead, I have a fantastically on-trend pair of 80s power brows that are naturally sculpted and thick and dark enough to draw attention to my eyes. Sandy Cohen would be proud. Brow-beautiful Camilla Belle (below), Brooke Shields, Selma Blair, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Lindsay Lohan and Audrey Hepburn are all testament to the benefits of big brows. Brow on.

Gossip Girl Returns...

I've been having serious Chuck Bass withdrawal symptoms since Gossip Girl's farewell from our screens. Constantly taunted with images from series two on my favourite websites stateside, it's taken all my willpower to stop myself from engaging in illegal activities - resorting to downloads online. But survived I have - taking strength from the knowledge that GG will return to ITV2 in January, and with visual aids such as these. Thank god for the internet.

Tales of the Unexpected

December's Vogue features a dreamy, whimsical fashion spread based on the works of children's author Roald Dahl (which include Tales of the Unexpected, the title of the photo story).

Shot by Tim Walker, it is a beautifully composed tribute to Dahl's most loved characters and has more than a little of the Bjork about it. Featuring the elfin beauty of Karen Elson, Helena Bonham Carter, Imelda Staunton and Jamie Bell, amongst others, it certainly beats morose models dressed in black. Enjoy.

"We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams" - Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Bring Back: Legwarmers

As winter sets in and the cold encourages us out of our ballet pumps and into our knee boots, I reluctantly wonder: whatever happened to legwarmers? In my case, they remain alive and well, lurking at the back of my drawers.

You may remember (if you have not already chosen to forget) the resurgence of legwarmers a mere 4 years ago. Worn by many with tights and short hemlines, they covered the curve of your foot exposed by a ballet shoe (or stiletto, if Jordan was your fashion icon).

As a student, they made me feel at once comforted, ridiculous, rebellious and cool. That's a tall order of emotions for two tubes of fabric. Sometimes that fabric was plain and black, in luxurious wool. Other times it appeared on my legs sparkly and pale pink; the FAME extras had nothing on me. They were my shelter in a city of wind and rain and if I'm entirely honest, I miss them a lot around this time of year.

The truth is, they retired about the same time as my flares, Laura Ashley print shirts and 80s batwing jumper dresses disappeared. However, unlike my motley crew collection of 70s and 80s second-hand finds, the legwarmers never did make it back to the charity shop. They remained with me, keeping my feet cosy in bed and occasionally making an outing on a winter run (the run itself happens maybe twice, possibly only once a year, hence the occasional).

Recently, I have seen my faithful furry friend (the legwarmer, not a dog) making the odd appearance on a commuter's leg on the tube, and constantly at my place of work where I often find myself sharing a lift with a legwarmer-clad ballerina.

So why the stigma? What, really, was so bad about 80s fashion? Yes, it was the era responsible for the shoulder pad and blue mascara but it also bore Herve Leger bandage dresses, championed the riding boot, and re-introduced the world to colour. See where I'm going with this? Legwarmers are not just for Flashdance fans, they are practical and flattering, if worn correctly. If worn with a short skirt (I wouldn't recommend shorts, unless Katie Price, as she is now known, is still your fashion icon) and rolled up to just below the knee, they can give the same advantages as your trusty knee boot whilst offering extra warmth! So why not join me people, as I take it upon my own shoulders (or should that be legs?) to single-handedly bring back legwarmers! Rejoice.

Have a Haute Halloween...

As if we need an excuse to dress up! Halloween is here and it's time to root around in that closet of yours for a stylish get-up which is both camp and sophisticated at once. Sound impossible? Fear not.

It just so happens that AW08 is full to the brim with trends that are couture costume-bound. So grab your gothic black velvets and lace, bohemian folk embroidery and (fake) fur, and heritage tartan and plaid because baby, it's time to play dress-up!

Songstress Stevie Nicks is the perfect poster girl for this season's gothic trend for black. Victoriana blouses, wool capes, velvet coats and lace dresses can be layered with aplomb for the perfect Stevie look. Pair with black lace-up ankle boots and big hair and you've not only got yourself a fashionable costume but a spooky one to boot! Winner.
Almost Famous was surely an inspiration for many designers when they sent Babushka babes down the catwalk for AW08. Penny Lane's fabulous 70s wardrobe of floaty dresses, lace belly tops, denim flares, fur lined boots and sheepskin coats were a hit with Gucci and others for their fall collections. Pop down to your nearest vintage store now or raid your mum's wardrobe for delightfully cosy and carefree costume.
I believe every girl my age is at some level influenced by Clueless in every decision they make, and it seems the designers are no different. Matchy-matchy suits in bubblegum colours? Check. Plaid and tartan? Check. Pleats, boxy cuts and blazers? Totally. Whether you choose to tell people you're a Clueless Betty or Gossip Girl Queen Bee, there's no avoiding these checked suits are totally Baldwin. Psyched.

These Boots Were Made For Walking

While the majority of the hipster crowd at Interview’s construction site launch party chose edgy blacks peppered with neons and prints, supermodel, actress and make-up designer Lauren Hutton looked fabulous in her AW08 equestrian inspired get-up. Proving less is more and wisdom comes with age, Hutt looks hot to trot in her Hamptons in the City threads but what’s got me in a real frenzy are those beautiful boots.
Part riding boot, part Victorian brogue, with a dash of Vivienne’s pirate and a definite nod to Ralph Lauren, I’m desperately seeking the author of these beauties. Answers on a virtual postcard please…

My Fashion Life

You can now read my fashion rantings and recommendations over at My Fashion Life.

"Launched in 2003, My Fashion Life redefines the boundaries between a weblog and an online magazine. Regularly updated with industry news, exclusive interviews, reports on latest trends and diary dates for exhibitions, shows and sample sales, the site remains a varied and informative space and focuses on talent rather than hype!"

You can read all my posts for MFL: here. I'll be contributing twice a week but fear not, Frankie's Fashion Footnotes will not remain neglected. Watch this space for more ramblings.

90s idols

I'm having a serious 90s nostalgia moment. I long for those days when layering was a fine art form of leggings, 'bodies', floral dresses, culottes, crop tops, lumberjack shirts and baggy tees.

I would like to remember the Kings and Queens of 90s fashion that shaped my youth as well as providing inspiration and hilarity on a daily basis. A winning combination if ever there was one.

MY SO-CALLED LIFE

Besides being my all-time favourite teen series because of its painfully accurate portrayal of adolescence, My So-Called Life also stayed true to 90s teens favoured wares. Angela was often seen wearing (shock, horror) the same outfit in different episodes and is arguably responsible for my first ever experiment with red hair dye, desire to wear dungarees past infancy, and pairing of polo neck, baggy floral dress, leggings and heeled desert boots on a daily basis at the age of 13.

DREW BARRYMORE

Before she turned good, Drew Barrymore was the bad girl we all wanted to be. Her style was frequently described as 'kooky' during the 90s; teaming flowers in her hair with antique silk slip dresses, wedge espadrilles, and vampy make-up. Not only emulated by teenage girls, gal-pals Courtney Love and Amanda de Cadenet followed suit too.

KATE AND JOHNNY

Kate Moss and Johnny Depp were, for me, the ultimate 90s power couple. Gorgeous and effortlessly cool, they looked as good off-duty as they did on. As sickening now as it was then.

BEVERLEY HILLS 90210

It's back! One can only hope the new Beverley Hills 90210 can live up to its older 90s sister. Who can forget Kelly, Brenda and Donna? The Big hair, the body con, the sweaters and pearls...I can't wait for the reunion.

DARIA

A sarcastic cartoon heroine is hard to find, even more impossible is to find not one but two in the fine form of Daria and Jane. Daria was as acerbically funny as it was stylish. I loved D and J's allegiance to army boots and mini skirts, muted colours and baggy top layers.

BLOSSOM

She of floppy hats, floral shifts and crochet sweaters - Blossom's dress-up approach to fashion is still a delight.

CLUELESS

If I had to trade wardrobes with any one of my 90s favourites it would be without a doubt style chameleon Cher Horowitz, whose fashion choices were anything but Clueless. Why? Azzedine Alaia dresses, knee high socks, leather mini skirts, marabou trim and dolly shoes all in a revolving walk-in wardrobe, like, d'uh! What a betty.

Gossip Girl Catwalk Queens

September the first feels a lifetime away when the M.I.A object of your affection is the gorgeous, glorious Gossip Girl.

It seems I am not the only one having GG withdrawals; the pre-fall collections have revealed a wealth of Blair, Serena, Jenny and Vanessa fans.

Not content with taking over our screens, the Gossip Girls are invading the catwalks and taking no prisoners.

Queen Bee's winning combination of smart yet sassy was evident at Shipley and Halmos in the form of this eye-catching citrus shift and monochrome cardigan, nipped in Waldorf-fashion with a narrow patent belt. Add a string of pearls, gloves, and a bow and you have a classic Blair ensemble.



S's siren style is a mixture of sexy and boho and Balmain's little lace dress and moccasins combo is pure van der Woodsen. Cascading blonde extensions, a California tan and a bit of bling are all you need for Serena's so hot right now look.



Little J is quite the fashion maverick what with her nifty skills on the sewing machine and nimble fingers in friend's closets. Sweet but slightly off-beat, Humphrey's all about Wren's school-girl duds. Throw an over-size print tote, on-season cuff, and signature mac into the mix and you're good-to-go Jenny.



Layers, prints, and colours are all key to V. John Galliano's drapes, mis-matched proportions, chunky heels and necklaces ARE Vanessa. Nothing else required.



The finale left it unclear as to whether she'll be making a return but I'm certainly hoping we've not seen the last of the deliciously wicked and brilliantly named Georgina Sparks. Seems Balenciaga's in agreement. G was rarely seen out of cold-as-ice grey and silver and this get-up is just about as Georgie as you can get.



If you're one of the misfortunates yet to discover the joys of Gossip Girl, I reccomend you check out The Genius of Gossip Girl.

If you're hooked like me, get your kicks with this tantalising trailer.

As Gossip Girl herself would say, until next time, XOXO.