Oscar dresses we loved

Jennifer Hudson in a flowing tangerine Versace ball gown

 

 

Anne Hathaway in Valentino, teaming the scarlet dress with a perfect red pout.

Hilary Swank wears Gucci's ostrich creation.

Star of the show-best actress Natalie Portman shows off her bump in Rodarte.

Mila Kunis goes risquee in an Ellie Saab couture gown.

Auntie Gok shares his pearls of wisdom with Five Foot Two Fashionista

During a web chat with Reveal Magazine last week, yours truly asked fashion's favourite stylist how petite girls can pull off the wide trouser seventies look this Spring/Summer. The fairy Gok mother's tip was to wear high waisted trousers to lengthen legs and the wider the better for the extra volume.

On his advice I've picked my favourite Palazzo's courtesy of Topshop and River Island that will add inches to your pins, heels are obligatory of course.

Topshop

Polka Dot Wide Leg Trousers £45, available in Petite

Blue Tullip Print Wide Leg Trousers £45

River Island

Brown Ditsy Print Palazzo Trousers £34.99

Black Wide Leg Trousers £29.99

It's all in the eyes- A/W 11 make-up trends

There must have been a run on coloured eyeshadow this LFW what with many designers opting for eye shadow to compliment their collections.

Eye shadow

Unlike last season when nail art was all the rage, designers took it up a notch, quite literally, with creative eye colour. Meadham Kirchoff's girls sauntered down the catwalk with pastel coloured (purple, blue, orange and turquoise) shapes featuring below and above the eye-line,better start practising now. Simone Rocha continued the theme of loud and proud with neon pink eyeshadow that lifted the whole collection.
Meanwhile James Long and Mary Katrantzou went for more muted shades, using grey, charcoal, mushroom and copper on the models' peepers, a trend we can all recreate at home without needing an art degree.

Lips

Orange has featured highly in the Autumn/Winter 2011 collections and this was no different with make-up, with Meadham Kirchoff sending out girls with neon orange lips. Holly Fulton channelled a more gothic vibe with her use of red black and dark berry lip colours. Mary Katrantzou went for something a little more subtle and created a nude lip so as not to defelect from the collection.


Hair

Hair was big, frizzy and crimped at James Long, think the morning after,while in contrast Simon Rocha showcased straight hair parted at the centre.

The ponytail also featured highly, with J W Anderson's and Mary Katrantzou's low slung pony, Jonathon Saunders smooth as glass pony, and Henry Holland's 'The Bend', a backcombed pony.

Meadham Kirchoff created a two tone hair colour with dark roots merging into bright blonde. Hair was curled using barrel rollers to create an almost barrister look (see right), while Holly Fulton showcased a quiffed up do.

New nail trend

Ladies who love their nails will be pleased to hear that the latest in nail technology, gel colour, soak off polish, is to arrive in UK salons this Spring. 

Artistic Nail Design is a gel manicure system available in 38 fashionable colours and guaranteed to last for up to three weeks. The paint takes less than a minute to dry once applied so no pesky smudges and leaves a high gloss result. Best of all they come off easily after a quick soak and like traditional gel nails don't damage your own talon underneath.

 

Get Cheryl's look

Five foot three Cheryl Cole demonstrates airport chic with a safari belted jacket, cargo pants and heeled shoe boots. Here's how you can get her look for half the designer cost.

Petite utility skinny trousers £36

Abeline  fold down cuff ankle boots £75 Topshop

Pu contrast trim belted jacket £65 ASOS

It's a trend- celebs opt for shorter hair styles ahead of Spring

This Spring/Summer 2011 it's all about reinvention, and it seems it's not just us fashionistas that get bored with our hair quickly, as celebs across the globe are getting the chop.

Hair trend setter Jennifer Aniston turned up to a premier of her new film yesterday with a shorter cut enhanced with bleach blonde highlights. And if the days of Friends are anything to go by, then I'm sure the rest of population will soon be dashing to the hairdressers and going for the chop.

It wasn't long ago that Gary Lineker's wife Danielle also swapped her longer locks in favour of a voluminous bob, which I for one think frames her face nicely. Good news for us petite fashionistas as shorter hair creates a longer neckline.

Benefit move into skincare

My favourite cosmetics brand Benefit are to launch skin care range b.right in April.

 There are nine products in the range, which will include Triple Performing Facial Emulsion (SPF 15), Total Moisture Facial Cream, Foamingly Clean Facial Wash and Potent Eye Cream. All designed to hydrate and brighten skin using key ingredients such as hyaluronic acid.

Breaking news- Barry M dip their toes into fast fashion.

My fav make-up brand Barry M are to launch a line of accessories, bags and stationery, hurrah.

The cosmetics company promises that like their make-up the collections will be affordable, fair and fun. And if their colourful, vibrant, on trend nail varnishes are anything to go by, then my expectations are set very high.

Watch this space for more info.

The best of Coleen Rooney's collection for Littlewoods

Five Foot three Coleen Rooney has put her design talents to the test and created a line for Littlewoods catalogue. But what can you expect from the WAG's collection, anything to offer for women similarly vertically challenged? Here's my pick.

Sequin Ruffle One Shoulder Dress £85.

Floral full skirt dress £85

Metallic Jacquard Spot Blouse £55

Hepburn Platform Court Shoes £55

My opinion- Ms Rooney has clearly forgotten her humble roots with what these price points, £85 for a floral day dress, not your every day wear if you ask me.

Harrods opens Shoe Salon with a host of events during LFW

To launch their new Shoe Salon on the 22 Feb, Harrods are running a  programme of events- A week in her Shoes, for all budding fashionistas during LFW.
  

Fri 18 Feb 5-7pm
 Purchase a signed pair of Giuseppe Zanotti's exquisite shoes and meet the designer himself as he reveals his exclusive shoe made for the event.



Sat 19 Feb 11am-1pm
Do brunch with shoe designer Charlotte Olympia as she launches her exlcusive shoe for Harrods.



Sunday 20 Feb 2-4pm
Enjoy a special afternoon tea with the chance to show off your designer talents by customising a pair of Gina shoes, well if it's good enough for stylists.

Monday 21 Feb 2-6pm
Mr Casadei will be in store to offer visitors the opportunity to add sparkle to their closet and design their own bespoke Casadeo shoes using his special crystals.

Tuesday 22 Feb 5-7pm
Discover why celebs adors Brian Atwood's label as he introduces his range of 'Maniac' pumps, I feel a Flashdance moment coming on.
.

It's a trend- celebs change their hair colour for Spring

New season, new hair colour, that certainly rings true for these celebs who have changed the colour of their locks for Spring/Summer.

Beyonce hits the bottle and goes beach blonde.

Hilary Duff swaps her golden locks for chocolate brown.

 Kate Moss lightens up for a photo shoot in Rio.

Get Spring/Summer ready with Liberty's Sole Spa

After hiding my feet in sheepskin lined boots, Doc Martens and boots this winter, I'm actually ashamed to flash my tootsies, if it wasn't for my painted toenails, my feet would never see the light of day, it just wouldn't be fair to the public.

But now with the arrival of the Spring/Summer shoes I'm beginning to panic, torn between wanting to wear these beauties but showing my pale and unsightly feet. Luckily Liberty has come to my rescue now they have joined with award winning foot specialist Margaret Dabbs for their first ever spa. The Sole Spa, based on the department store's lower ground, specialises in foot care and provides holistic treatments to soothe the soul.
 Treatments include-medical pedicures with O2 therapy, Halo therapy, Reflexology, Foot Detox Baths and Aquatic Foot Therapies, where Garra Rufa fish nibble away until your feet are silky smooth, there's even a male pedicure for his and hers.

Foot

Brit Awards- all the dresses

Rihanna rocks up to the Brits in a brightly coloured Christian Dior Haute Couture dress, complete with matching stilettos.

 

Katherine Jenkins flaunts her figure in a green goddess bandeau dress.

 

Hot to trot Jessie J bares all in an emerald green zipped mini teamed with black suede shoe boots.

 

Miss Bextor goes all fifties with a red and black polka dot dress with black trim, someone's being watching Mad Men.

Rock chick Fearne showcases a studded cap sleeve dress and red Mary Jane heels.

Petite hero- Eva Longoria

The petite Desperate Housewives star teams a chunky sheer knit with skinny jeans for a shopping trip in LA. After her recent heartache, Eva shows she hasn't lost her sense of style with a cream knit on top of a vest, teamed with light stonewash skinnies and beige and brown vintage style heels to match her nude designer bag. The scraped back hair, crew top neckline and heels all make Ms Longoria's legs appear longer.

Topshop's latest Petite drop-outfits for less than £100

Petite brown animal print zip pocket vest £32

Petite camel chinos £36

Petite grey forever young tee £18

Petite snake luxe joggers £38

Petite bow waist mini skirt £32

 

 

Petite blue stripe ruched sleeveless shirt £30

Ever fancied making your own clothes?

Shopping used to be a pleasurable experience, that is until most stores decided to up their sizes and add inches to trouser hems, leaving petite fashionistas needing the name of a good seamstress on speed-dial to alter leg lengths and take in tops.

 Many a times I have thought about getting the knitting needles out, passed down to me, and fixing up a patterned jumper or crochet cardi, but the thought of casting off, knit one purl one, often leaves me in a cold sweat. Then I heard about Liberty's special craft, knitting and sewing workshops (Feb-July)- clear the diary!

Short overview of the programme. Classes cost £50 each.

Hello Kitty sewing machine-on my wish list.

 Saturday 26 February- Learn to Sew with Erica Pask covers the basics of sewing and how to follow simple patterns. During the workshop participants will be given the necessary skills to make a small tote bag.

Saturday 5 March-Beginners Patchwork. Janet Goddard will teach students how to cut fabrics using a rotary cutter and ruler and then machine piece blocks to start you on your patchwork journey.

*Saturday 12th March- Learn to Knit with Nicole Wilson. An introduction for absolute beginners or a refresher that covers casting on knit and purl, stitches, casting off, tension, basic pattern reading and commonly used terms.

Saturday 19th March-Learn to Sew: Focus on Pattern Reading with Lyn Scolding

Saturday 26th March- Fair Isle and Intarsia with Margaret Rowan. During this workshop participants will learn how to knit with two more colours using Fairisle and Intarsia. After learning the back techniques you will have the chance to practice them working on a small project. The workshop is aimed at the confident knitter!

Saturday 9th April- Summer Bunting (Sewing) with Erica Pask covers the basics of machine sewing to create bunting perfect for the Royal Wedding.

Saturday 23rd April-Learn to Crochet with Nicole Wilson. This workshop teaches the basics of crochet, including how to hold hook and yarn and basic stitches. Participants are given ideas for future projects to help develop their new skills.

Saturday 30th April- Make do and Mend with Sarah Hazell. A new workshop, aimed at pulling together some of the ideas and skills for the current 'make do and mend trend'.Participants will explore how to patchwork and make a small pincushion, practice making crocheted and knitted patchwork samples, then move onto embellishment.

Visit www.liberty.co.uk

Happy Valentines Day

Film inspired fashion- Never let Me Go

Lovely Jumper £16 Beyond Retro

Blue and grey floral skirt £25 Rokit vintage

Swing Coat £18 New Look

Pieces oversized knitted beanie £8 ASOS

Hunter original wellington boot black £70