Posts from March 2011

The eighth collection from Idol by Design Director Donovan Pascal launches at New Look on 6 April, but we were given a sneak peak of the collection and have picked out the best pieces just for you.

The collection has a feminine, girly feeling yet still maintains an edgy street chic. There are lots of iconic items like easy–wear 1950’s cotton stripe day dresses, cutesy chiffon playsuits and retro jumpsuits featuring a fashion–forward water print.  

There’s a definitively blue mood to the collection, with tones of turquoise, electric blue and navy that will keep spring nights looking cool. IDOL white and blue pinafore dress with pleating £39.99.

White and blue stripe pinafore dress

A great addition to your work wardrobe, or just the thing to team with jeans for an on-trend Charlie Girl look. White pussybow blouse shirt with diagonal button detail £29.99.

White pussybow blouse

No holiday wardrobe is complete without denim shorts. The exquisite feather weight chiffon tops in the collection would dress–up weekend denim. IDOL Denim turn up shorts £22.99.

Denim turn up shorts

The collection captures a pretty rock style with plenty of romantic ruffles and lace up detailing like this IDOL sheet dip hem top with tie spagetti straps £22.99.

Dip hem top with spaghetti straps

This bold graphic tee should be worn with sumptuous, silk harem pants for a spring–bling look. IDOL white dip hem top with back chain detail £24.99.

White tee with back chain detail

With the opening of Boux Avenue, we’ve got all excited by pretty lingerie. There’s never been a better time for a spring clean of your knickers’ drawer so we’ve rounded up the loveliest of lingerie sets available in the Centre.

Marilyn bra £32 and girdle £40 from Boux Avenue:

Boux Avenue

Coco bra £25 and brief £14, From Ann Summers. Also available; cami suspender £45 and thong £10, all in sizes 32A-38G and 8-20:

Ann Summers

Marks & Spencer lilac and black lace trim bra and knickers set £25-£9.50:

Marks & Spencer

B by Ted Baker bow bra £24.50 and short £14.50, from Debenhams:

By by Ted Baker at Debenhams

Disco Pistol Panties Sophie Blossom bra £30 and briefs £22, from John Lewis:

Disco Pistol Panties at John Lewis

This season’s skirt lengths are decidedly longer than we’ve seen in a while, which seems to be dividing opinion. Much as the mini skirt is still a fashion must-have, it’s fast losing ground to the much more elegant knee length skirt. Whether straight, pleated, colour pop or lace, anything goes. Just make sure you add heels to keep the look fresh rather than frumpy.

The preppy choice - top £35, skirt £39.50 and belt £15 from Marks & Spencer

Preppy from Marks & Spencer

The colour pop choice – floral tee £15, floral skirt £28 and belt £10 from Dorothy Perkins

Colour pop from Dorothy Perkins

Lace – vanilla fair tunic dress £87, daisy mini skirt £62 and janae stiletto £100 from French Connection

Lace from French Connection

For a special occasion – Cerys pleated dress, £135 from Coast

Dress up from Coast

That 70s look – fedora £29.99, mossy fringed top, Matilda full skirt £24.99 and Kelly platforms £69.99 from River Island

70s from River Island

Ted Baker’s gorgeous spring summer style combines luxurious materials and exquisite cuts to ensure you’ll look your best whether you’re at the boardroom or the bar, at your desk or out to dinner. Take a look at our favourite pieces.

The nude hues of shirt KYRIE £199 and on trend skinny combat HUESO £109 are ideal additions to your wardrobe. Smart enough for the office, but of the moment enough to work when you're out for drinks.

KYRIE shirt and HUESO skinny combat

The fabulously floral ROSYE £179 is perfect with a blazer for work and a killer pair of heels for a night on the town. Keep accessories to a minimum and let the bold print do the talking.

ROSYE floral dress

Ted’s chic, nude leather zip dress FERIAR £249 is bang on trend this season and designed to ensure you’re definitely the centre of attention. Just team with tough accessories to keep the look edgy.

FERIAR nude leather dress

If you’re recovering from the weekend with a Sunday brunch, this charming top MAKA £79 teamed with skirt DOKA £129 will instantly refresh and invigorate your look.

MAKA top and DOKA skirt from Ted Baker

From the makers of Ice Age, ‘Rio’ is a 3D comedy-adventure about Blu – a macaw from small town Minnesota who leaves his cage for the exotic sights and sounds of Rio de Janeiro. The only problem is, Blu can’t fly.

However, before long Blu finds himself surrounded by a gang of great new friends who help him to discover what it’s like to reach for the skies.

Q&A with Blu

Although he's been busy on the publicity trail, Blu took time out for a chat with Trend Watch.

Blu and Jewel

Hey Blu, good to meet you. Do birds shake hands?

Of course! Well, I do anyway. My companion Linda taught me that it’s polite to always shake hands with visitors.

Wow, your plumage is even more blue in real life than in pictures.

I’m the last of my kind you know – I’m a rare creature: a Blue Spix macaw. Like the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat or the Iberian Lynx. There are only 120 of those left in the world. But guess what? There’s only ONE of me! Well, actually two – if you include Jewel, but she’s a girl. So that’s kinda different.

Ah yes, Jewel. That must have been quite some blind date…

Yeah. It was pretty awkward. I mean, I’d never really been on a date before, and there was a lot of pressure, if you know what I mean. But when I saw her. Oh my. I thought I’d seen an angel. She was like this beautiful exotic creature descending from the air. So graceful. It was quite a magical moment – and then she opened her beak!

What did she make of you?

(Shrugs) Well, you know. I’m from a small town in Minnesota called Moose Lake. What you see is what you get.

Tell us about your life in Minnesota…

There’s not much to tell. Not much goes on there. Up until I went to Brazil to meet Jewel, I hadn’t seen much beyond the four walls of the apartment I share with Linda my companion. I mean, I’m not saying it was bad or anything. Quite the opposite. I loved hanging out with Linda, helping with the housework, doing puzzles and watching TV. But I had no idea there was this big wide world out there, beyond my little cage.

Aw, (Sigh) I really love my cage with its mirror and its bell.

How did you enjoy Brazil?

Wow. Where to start? That place is amazing. There’s so much to see and do; it’s kind of overwhelming. I saw some of the sights, like the Christ the Redeemer statue that overlooks the city of Rio. That was pretty awesome. And then there’s the beaches and the jungle… (whistles). It really took my breath away.

Sorry to have to ask you a sensitive question, but is it true you can’t fly?

Okay, it’s true I’ve had some issues in that department, but I’ve been working on it. I mean, I don’t know why I feel I have to justify myself. Did you know that eight out of 10 people are afraid to fly? That’s a pretty big statistic.

There are lots of Rio events taking place at The Trafford Centre during the Easter holidays, see the events listing here.

Trailer

Get a sneak peak of the film here:

James Marsden and Russell Brand star in the state-of-the-art animation and live action comedy, ‘Hop’.

Just before he is due to take over the family business, E.B (the teenage son of the Easter Bunny) decides to go to Hollywood to try and make it as a drummer. There he literally bumps into an out-of-work slacker called Fred, who accidently hits E.B with his car.

Pretending to be injured, E.B persuades Fred to put him up, and Fred finds himself looking after the world’s worst house guest.

The 70s is the key decade for SS11, with everything from maxi dresses and wedges to jumpsuits and high waisted flares gracing the stores. But what's the modern way to do 70s style? Our stylist Nicki Gillon shows us 70s romance.

Florals are the must-have print for summer, but the fresh way to wear them is to mix and match prints, as seen at Erdem and D&G. But there's a trick to doing this successfully - our stylist Nicki Gillon takes the pick of the bunch at Miss Selfridge and shares her expert knowledge with us.

In 120 AD the Roman Empire’s Ninth Legion, under the command of Flavius, marched into Caledonia carrying their golden emblem - the Eagle of the Ninth. The Legion and the Eagle were never seen again.

Twenty years later, Flavius’s son, Marcus, arrives in Britain after hearing that the Eagle has been seen in the North. Marcus and his young British slave set off to find it but when they encounter the fearsome warriors of the Seal Prince, Marcus discovers that his new slave may be linked to his father’s disappearance.

The catwalks were awash with bright colours this season, which for most of us is a departure from our usual mix of black, grey and the occasional splash of camel. But if you're fearing the colour pop, let our stylist Nicki Gillon talk you through it as she picks out her favourite pieces from Selfridges' designer collections.