Exactitudes: a contraction of exact and attitude.

Currently exhibiting in Selfridges, in collaboration with The Photographers’ Gallery, is photographer Ari Versluis and stylist Ellie Uyttenbroek's fantastic Exactitdes. Their ongoing project consists of images that alude to our desire to both conform and rebel when choosing what to wear; resulting in a fascinating, and often humorous, insight into self-expression, identity, and fashion.


Since the exhibition opened on 26 February, Ari and Ellie have been recruiting on the streets of London to add to their collection of fashion 'types' found so far on the streets of Rotterdam, New York, Bordeaux and Rio Janiero, among others. The third revised edition of 'Exactitudes' was published last year and A and E's photographs have appeared in L'Uomo Vogue, i-D, Blvd., The Sunday Times style supplement and New York Magazine to name but a few.



A large selection of their images are available to view at www.exactitudes.com- get yourself down to Selfridges now and you might just be next!

ABC of Fashion Week Trends

This year's fashion weeks have unearthed a wealth of wearable and classic trends. Here is my ABC of fashion week designers' take on the most luscious looks.

A is for Aquascutum

In London, Aquascutum did monosyllabic colour to perfection. A simple palette of black, white and red was accented with flashes of cobalt blue and smidgens of gold.

Winter coats littered Aquascutum's runway in varying styles from modest to militant. The cape collar and shiny buttons on this coat save it from being labelled boring black and add to its classic with a twist appearance.



Flashes of white were added with the addition of this extremely wearable looking wool dress which looks as magnificent in monochrome as it would with any of the colourful coats it accompanied.



One of many red dresses this season, Aquascutum's chic cut and detailing makes for a refreshing change from the numerous ostentatious scarlett creations seen so far.



B is for Blumarine

In Milan, Anna Molinari for Blumarine sent some of the sweetest frills and feathers seen on any catwalk so far. Pale pinks were complimented with trimmings of sleek fur and sparkling sequins.

Cute cardies were kept interesting with clashing of textures including cashmere, chiffon, sequins and fur. These ensembles are anything but boring with their girly yet sophisticated allure.





Feathers fluttered all over the catwalk this season. Sexy but sweet, Molinari kept things light with this barely-there dress.



C is for Carolina Herrera

In New York, Carolina Herrera embraced our feathered friends also but unlike Molinari she used them to give a certain edge and fierce note to her clothes. Autumnal oranges, reds and greens went well with birds of prey's plumage as Herrera made hunting haute couture.

With the return of Halston, 70s styles were obligatory at most shows. Herrera updates this burnt orange 70s gown with a feathered collar bone.



A feather-print dress is given an eccentric touch with hunting hat and boots in flattering fall colours.



Not ignoring the gothic trend seen especially at London Fashion Week, Herrera chose to give the look a polished update with golden touches and black patent leather boots.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: The Bowl Cut

As someone who is still recovering from the revolting return of the mullet, I am quaking in my boots at the thought of the reappearance of yet another dodgy-do': the bowl cut.
But why? I hear you cry. Other than the mighty Karen O, few have ever pulled off the style that warrants the insult 'pudding face.' Yet, for some strange and unthinkable reason the bowl cut has been seen everywhere recently - from silver screen to catwalk chic.


In No Country For Old Men, Javier Bardem wore his bowl cut with award-worthy results. Surely the fact that his haircut added to the terrifying nature of his character is enough to warrant the ban of such haircuts off the screen? Not according to Yves Saint Laurent's latest collection.


Italian Stefano Pilato sent his models down the YSL runway in shiny, black gossamer bowl cut wigs, which all but obscured the poor models vision but cleverly diverted our attention from their faces onto the clothes. While this works well on the catwalk, I can't see anyone drawing attention to anything BUT their hair should they be stupid enough to adopt the pudding style. Best leave this one to Karen and embrace the BIG hair comeback. After all, who would you rather trade places with, Bardot or Bardem? Thought so.

Foxy Lady

It seems only fair the fashion industry end its fixation with Owls and move onto a more grown up, dangerous, handsome icon: Foxy! That's right, foxes have been seen all over the catwalk with Jean Paul Gaultier taking the trend quite literally, sending his models down the runway with russet hair, feline kohl-rimmed eyes and, eh, fox skins on their heads.




Jean Paul Gaultier's Foxy

A more subtle (and safe) approach may be to interpret the look as many did with Foxy's predecessor Owl: invest in some fox jewellery.

A good start would be new kids on the block Zoe and Morgan's cute and very wearable collection cheekily titled 'Hey Foxy' which features an adorable gold fox ring for the bargainly sum of 60 pounds www.zoeandmorgan.com

I am adoring cuff links at the moment and what better way to show off slight wrists than with some foxy friends at your side? My favourite can be found at www.phoenixdesignjewellery.com

If crafty's more your bag then you may be delighted as I was to discover this natty necklace which is sure to have you stand out from the crowd www.chocosho.com

Another whimsical design which would look as great on an 80s taffeta prom dress as it would on a cosy tweed coat is this charming brooch from viennahorses online shop at www.etsy.com - never before have I been so drawn as to wear an animal's insides on my lapel.

If you've been pleased to hear about the return of the sovereign ring to fashion's forefront then no doubt you'll enjoy this knuckleduster from www.sculpturetowear.com

So wave goodbye to Owl and indulge your inner Foxy lady. Foxy.

Having a fashion moment: Gossip Girl

While we wait with baited breath for the return of Sex and the City to our (silver) screens this summer, may I direct your attention to another New York-set drama sure to induce serious wardrobe-envy: Gossip Girl.

With a Sex and the City costume luminary at its helm, Gossip Girl is O.C. creator Josh Schwartz's new teen drama, focussing on the students of an Upper East Side elite private school whose every move is documented by an online blogger, 'Gossip Girl.' While the series lacks the charm of predecessor O.C., it more than makes up for it in the style stakes.

Gossip Girl's 3 leading ladies - Serena, Blair, and Jenny - each have their own unique style.

Serena alternates between boho and punky looks. She dresses up her school uniform with leather and animal print and favours suede boots and flowery dresses at weekends.

Serena

Blair is classic Upper East Side. Prim and proper she wears her uniform with pretty flats and smart tailored coats, choosing pringle knits, blazers and fur-trimmed collars when off-duty.

Blair (right)

Jenny is the only girl who doesn't have an endless cash flow, Upper East Side penthouse and spoilt-brat parents. Cue an emo/vintage mix of polka dot pumps and tube socks in the classroom, with 80s prom dresses and home-sewn catwalk creations making an appearance at night.

Jenny

With its own online store where you can buy the looks seen on screen and countless websites and blogs dedicated to Gossip Girl fashion alone ( try www.gossipgirlfashion.com ) its easy to feed your wardrobe-envy cravings. Yum.

Ga-ga for Galliano

Paris, March the 1st.

Galliano's Fall 2008 show was an overflowing cauldron of colourful characters - Alice in Wonderland's Mad Hatter, Grey Gardens' Little Edie and the Great Gatsby's Daisy Buchanan were surely Galliano's inspirations for this most spellbinding of collections.

A magical mix of 1940s tea dresses, voluminous harem pants and silky sheaths of teal, burnt orange and sea green were topped off with giant and gloriously adorned head dresses, hats and turbans. Models were sent out wearing make-up last seen on clowns and sporting wigs made of feathers - think Jem and the Holograms.

Far from his usual avant-garde garb, Galliano has created a collection which can be as easily worn on the highstreet as it can on the catwalk.

This sexy teal dress would look gorgeous

during the day with tan leather riding boots and

a black poloneck. Just add lashings of black eyeliner

and some 60s nude lips and you're good to G(allian)O!

A coat too gorgeous to ever take off.

I'd wear it with everything from my favourite

jeans and converse to a sparkly vintage minidress.

And definitely invest in some coral kid gloves a la Galliano.

Gorgeous.

Loose the strange headgear and opt for a messy

plait or 4os waves to compliment this beautiful

dress. Leave your jewellery at home and let the

dress do all the talking.

Last but not least...

Unless you're planning on going to a fancy dress

party as Jem from the Holograms or you happen

to have been blessed with the fortune of waking

up as Agyness Dean, I'd leave this look where it

belongs-on the catwalk. DO, however, invest in

some fancy feathers to wear in your hair and DO

embrace colour in your eye make-up palette. Just

DON'T do them together.

Lady in Red

They came, they were seen, they conquered (the red carpet).

Hollywood's Hottest - Heidi, Hathaway, Helen and Heigl - painted the town ravishing red in the Oscar's most colourful gowns of the evening. In a sea of boring black Heidi Klum killed in a gorgeously sculpted Galliano gown, while Katherine Heigl brought some much needed old school Hollywood glamour to the ceremony in Escada.

KH and HK: Red hot.

New York, London, Milan...Hollywood: Oscars fashion fever

New York, London, Milan...Hollywood? Forget Marc Jacobs, Gareth Pugh and Giorgio Armani and make way for fashion's one and only golden boy: Oscar! The best fashion show of all the year takes place in a day and requires only one catwalk, the red carpet. Hollywood's finest gather for a glimpse of the most fetching fashion accessory there is, the golden god Oscar.
Looking to the slew of recent fashion weeks, here are my haute-couture hopes for my favourite 3 of the Academy's style students...




Cate
Hoping to be showered with gold this year are, among others, the effortlessly cool Cate Blanchett. An Oscars regular, Cate donned a sparkling silver sheath last year which proved less than popular with the press and public alike. Personally, I thought she looked ice-maiden cool and not at all like she was trying too hard to copy the big man himself, as she was accused. Open your heavily mascara'd eyes fashion folk, Cate was in silver not gold!


This year I'm hoping she'll continue her gold streak with a nod towards one of this season's most dazzling trends - embellishment. Floral embroidery, every-colour-under-the sun-sequins, and giant shiny discs are bound to attract magpie Cate and rightly so. Le Blanchett knows what looks good on her and light-reflecting sequins, shimmering discs and vibrant florals feature regularly in her wardrobe.


Giorgio Armani's deliciously embroidered florals which premiered at Milan Fashion Week top my favourite embellished pieces seen on the catwalk so far and would look luscious with CB's white-blonde hair.



Giorgio Armani, Milan Fashion Week 2008



Equally flattering would be anything in shiny gold. Yes, gold. I'm sure Oscar would be flattered. This gorgeously embellished number from Julien Macdonald should do the trick. Macdonald's floor length show-stopper is delish.

Julien Macdonald, London Fashion Week 2008




Marion
Marion Cotillard has been working it around the awards circuit in a feminine and sexy mixture of 50s strapless gowns, loose draped mini-dresses and touch-me textures of velvet, silk, sequins and chiffon. My fourth-fashion-sense tells me MC will choose to go all-out with her Oscars debut in an extravagant floor sweeping number. I hope she will choose to amp up the classic ball gown and embrace the trend for ruffles, frills and folds which has graced many a designer's collection in recent weeks.
Marion's shiny dark locks would look dramatic paired with red-carpet-red. Even more daring would be to complete the ensemble with a giant Minnie Mouse bow. Ain't nothing mousy about that look!


Jenny Packham sent a number of beautiful gowns down the runway. None were more awe-inspiring than this though. Gorgeous. Make me jealous MC!


Jenny Packham, London Fashion Week 2008



I'm not outrageously keen on the graphic black beading across the bodice but I have fallen hook, line and sinker for the cheeky inverted fishtail on this dress. Privé-perfect.


Armani Privé, Paris Fashion Week 2008



I'd bet my right arm (and my left) that Marchesa's gorgeously frothy gowns will make at the very least one appearance at this year's Oscars. It's hard to choose a favourite but this cascading red creation comes pretty close...



Marchesa, New York Fashion Week 2008





Tilda
I'm putting my money on Tilton for this year's fashion wild card. And I sincerely hope she comes up trumps for me! It wouldn't be the Oscars we know and love without a fashion faux-pas. It's often these so-called mistakes that delight me most. Bjork, Cher, Lara Flynn Boyle all made me smile with their theatrical and grabbing garb. Thespian Tilda favours futuristic frosted creations and looks far-out fabulous in them. With her etheral beauty and fashion-hanger figure she would look amazing in any of the volume pieces dominating fashion weeks.
Her pale and interesting looks lend themself well to shimmering greys, whites and silver.


Chanel sent some of the more wearable volume pieces down their catwalk and I think Tilda would KILL in them.

Chanel, Paris Fashion Week 2008





May the best dressed win.

Ebay your heart out: Nastygalvintage

Nastygalvintage is nasty in the BEST possible way. It does the hard work for you, showcasing this season's trends with their delicious vintage pieces in pristine condition.

Gold metal fringe cocktail dress? Check. Neon jumpsuit? You betcha. Tuxedo inspired dress? Of course! Charlie's Angels flares? Why not? They're all here in fine vintage glory, one of a kind items you can wear with pride.

It's hard to pick one item to flag up but this adorable bubble gum pink coat complete with oversized black taffeta bow pulls at my purse strings every time I look at it! CUTE.

-PICTURE NO LONGER AVAILABLE-

Own it

It reminds me of the Bilsonator's gorgeous Chanel number:



Nastygalvintage's ebay store, check-ch-check-check it out!

Blazin Squad

Amen for men!

There's nothing more satisfying than a man in a suit.

Johnny Depp, George Clooney, Daniel Craig...need I continue?

Suits - they're not just for the gents.

Diane Keaton, Bianca Jagger, and now Kirsten Dunst prove sexy doesn't have to be sissy. That's why I'm delighted to see so many tuxedo jackets and three piece suits littering high street stores and the catwalks alike (my favourites are from GAP, H&M, Dior Homme and Burberry).

Tailored blazers and loose, mannish trousers look great at work and even better on the red carpet. Kiki, Kate and Kate have been rocking sassy suits for a while now, following in the footsteps of 70s stylistas Keaton and Jagger, the double zeroes ladies stick to black and white and dress up their duds with high heels and minimal accessories.

Kiki shows us how its done in a 3 piece tux and bed-head hair. Suits you.

If a three piece is a bit too much for you make like Bossy and pair a crisp white tux with jeans.

Or, take a leaf out of Annie Hall's style book and man-up with a waist coat and wide leg trews.

If Keaton can...

Still need convincing? Look no further than this sickly stylish duo.

Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp are such big fans of the look they

rocked it on the red carpet together.