Idols Top 10 Results Style: My Thoughts As I Watched It

I thought it would be quite fun to sit with my iPad on my lap and watch Idols last night - jotting down my thoughts as we went along with no real filter or editing process. For those of you who watched it - you'll know exactly what I mean. For those of you who didn't, I'm pretty sure none of this will make any sense at all. But to summarise, the top 10 of SA Idols season 7 was announced last night. Five had to be eliminated.  Five guest acts came on to 'sing'. I checked out their style. Here are my thoughts verbatim:

Idols 31 July

Freddie has moves! How funny.

Why is Randall wearing his nice blue pjs? Phew. I feel better now. Way too nice last week. 

Hey, Dave, that's a nice hoodie. Yum.

Kelly must stand up straight if she is going to wear a thick belt under her boobs.

Oh sweet sacrament, who the hell are these stripper girls. Surely not. Chaps are so Xtina season. Who on earth are the soapgirls and who ok'd this booking?

Nolly's hair is super cute but still no colour in her outfit. C'mon!

Why has someone blow dried Mark's hair again? He's a ROCKER!

Um, shame, who told Jamali to wear these cheap high school modern dancing concert outfits?  

Graeme Watkins looking awesome - great ensemble dude.

WHY HAIR STREAKS??

Oh good, all the right ones are going through.

Why are all the contestants in drab colours tonight? I don't understand.

Nooooo, I love Kahludi. Bummer.

Who knew how awesome The Arrows are? Also want wings for my silver dress. Super cute outfit. Best dressed so far.

Dave and his brother by another mother Freddie are both in. Awesome. 

Surely Chloe was the lesser of two super-dull evils? Well Dene will go next obvs.

Unathi is so pretty.

Credits say hair by All Hair Academy. Maybe they should get someone on who isn't at an academy. Stop experimenting with stupid hair peeps. It's a shocker.

Dirk, stylist, love to you. Thank goodness you can roll with the punches.

Till next week over and out.

Send. 

Marc Bouwer: Born in South Africa, Dressing Hollywood

I know that he calls himself an American designer these days, based as he is out of New York City, but to me, Marc Bouwer will always be a South African designer. Possibly just one that made really, really good. I mean this is a man who has dressed some of the biggest names in Hollywood for the Oscars.
I was prompted to review his work for you by these images of him hanging with one of his favourite clients, the lovely Emily Blunt. Now all us fashionista type people love ourselves some Emily. Devil Wears Prada, one stomach flu away from my ideal weight and all that. So it was quite a pleasure to see worlds colliding like this. And doesn't she look beautiful.

It turns out it is not the first time Marc has dressed Emily. In fact one of her best dresses ever was the green one that she wore to the 2008 BAFTA awards. Amazing,

Marc also does a fine line in little red dresses for the red carpet. Katherine McFee, Anna Torv from Fringe, Beyonce and Lydia Hearst have all chosen Marc's red spangle for big red carpet occasions. Anna's is definitely my favourite. She wore this to the Oscars this year.

And no retrospective of Marc Bouwer's red carpet dresses would be complete without mentioning the incredible white gown that he dressed Angelina Jolie in for her Oscars appearance in 2004. Who will ever forget that. And so we pay our respects to a South African designer, born and bred, who left our shoes for the Big Apple and made his mark. For nearly a decade. Fantastic stuff.

Maxi Skirts: Olivia Palermo Shows Us How To Dress Them Up

This summer one of the key wardrobe items is the maxi skirt. They come in various incarnations - pleated, tiered, tight and flowing. You can wear them in florals, stripes, brights or neutrals. You therefore get two trends covered in one. Look no further than Olivia Palermo for tips on how to wear them this summer. After all she has made maxi's her signature style this season.
The first lesson is simplicity. She keeps her outfit really minimal with the maxi, adding just a plain white shirt or neutral belt.
Secondly she keeps the silhouette relatively slim. No massively flowing skirts to add bulk to her frame.
She belts them all in at at the waist - even when it is a dress.
And finally she keeps them all anchored with a neutral colour so as not to confuse with all the fabric.
I really think that this is a master class in maxi dressing. Feel free to use as a reference. Please.

There's A New Maternity Style Mama in Town: Jessica Alba

While I was delighted for Selma Blair that Arthur Saint Bleick, her brand new baby boy, was eventually born on the weekend (two weeks overdue), it was sad to say goodbye to the many months of brilliant maternity style she gave us. Never has an expectant mother been so cool and stylish. Even as a non-preggie person, I loved the looks she threw together. So au revior Selma and see you next time.

Hot on her heels is actress Jessica Alba who is almost due to pop, but has demonstrated quite an array of style awesomery over the past month. So let's just take a look at that. Is she trying to steal Selma's maternity style crown? Could she? Let's look at the evidence.

First of all I love that red maxi and how she has combined it with a loose weave cotton shirt. I also think that the low hanging trakkie pants are super-cool and comfortable. You just can't fault her array of sunnies, cover-ups and stylishly flowing garments. She knows exactly when to bust out the heels and when to keep with the flats. Bearing in mind that every single one of these images has been shot this month alone. Seriously, I'm not sure I could pull off this many good outfits in a year! So well played J-Albs. Really good show.
But has she shown the flair for colour and edgy cool of Selma? Has she managed to look quite so uniquely stylish? I think Selma keeps the crown by a hair. But that's just me. What do you think? Who wins the maternity style fash-off here on the blog? I look forward to hearing your views.

Rachel Weisz Promotes The Whistleblower in Style

It's one of my favourite things. Promotional tours where an actress needs to dress up in four or five cool outfits within a limited period. It's like bingeing on fashion. And this time it is the elegant and talented Rachel Weisz (or as I now like to think of her, Mrs James Bond). Rachel is promoting her new thriller movie, The Whistleblower, in which she plays an ordinary woman who is required to do extraordinary things. Supposedly in the vein of Erin Brokovitch, I am guessing I will be popping along to the bioscope to check it out soon enough. Excellent.
In the mean while let's take a look at the outfits from the last two days and pick our favourites. All these sightings have been in New York this week, on her way to press interviews, screenings or TV appearances. Starting at the beginning, the simple black dress was great but that two-tone 'Miss Wu' bag by Jason Wu is a thriller. Love the structure and simplicity. Love the combo of blue and black. The next morning, Rachel looked her most chic in the beige frock, lace peep toes and Aviator sunglasses on her way to The Today Show. Part of me wants to love this the most, but I am not totally convinced by the beige against her beautiful skin.

Of course the red Valentino is a knock out. Those bows on the shoulder lend it sculptural detail and the length is perfect. She glows in this look. But then that blue Louis Vuitton dress that she wore yesterday is such a great colour for her and her hair looks so salon-perfect I am inclined to love it more than I possibly should. Finishing with another little black day dress - this time with a flattering wrap top and skinny belt - I am not sure she should be wearing so much black. Navy and colour definitely suit her high-contrast colouring, but the silhouettes are all great on her.
So to pick a favourite. I am going to go with the red. And you?

Man Day: The Life and Style of Oliver Hermanus

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to meet a talented young guy called Oliver Hermanus. My friend Talia introduced us. And he needed a bit of help with his wardrobe. You see, he had to go and interview for a film programme with Cannes and wanted to look his best. Also, he had the pesky duty of touring the film festivals of the world with his first movie that he wrote and directed, Shirley Adams, and needed to look half decent for the premier red carpets and photo calls. So I lent him a hand. He also wanted to represent South African fashion while he was out and about. Awesome. I introduced him to Stiaan Louw. They hit it off super-well. It's amazing to see two young and talented people spark off each other. I also introduced him to Mark Gooding and his team at Carducci. And between them they kitted him out and he was off to seek his fortune.

Fast forward two years later and Oliver picked up his first Cannes award, the Pink Palm, for his film Skoonheid, which he also wrote and directed whist a part of the Cannes programme. Yes he got in.

And about a week later I looked at my Facebook page and saw a message from him from about a month before asking me to help him out again. I didn't even see it. How bad did I feel? He managed to get his own wardrobe together for the event, no thanks to me, although obviously forgot the haircut, and off he went to Cannes. Whereupon he was invited by none other than fashion-dude and film-chap Tom Ford whether he would like to be fitted for a suit for the red carpet. Um, sure, why not.
And while he was being fitted for his Tom Ford suit, guess who else was being fitted? Well, none other than that dashing chap Ryan Gosling. So really, I like to think that I did him a FAVOUR.
Anyway, congratulations to a Cape Town boy made good. I am sure he will go on to represent South Africa admirably both in film and fashion. And if any other local men's wear designers want to get in on the action, I suggest you hurry up. BTW, he likes a skinny leg and a fitted top - casual and lean. Go.

Man Day: More Clooney. This Time With Ryan Gosling in The Ides of March

Yesterday this poster for the new movie, Ides of March, was released. I thought it was pretty clever, featuring as it does the two faces, the duality if you will, of the political landscape that is featured in this film. Written, directed and starring the divine George Clooney, it deals with a young, impressionable presidential candidate staffer who gets a crash course in dirty politics. This role it taken by the equally edible Ryan Gosling. A veritable smorgasbord of hotness.

I thought we could take a look at how these two chaps scrub up for the red carpet. I so seldom feature the boys in their going-out kit, so let's begin with Ryan. Unafraid of a risky and dashing suit, this young man plays with fashion and makes it work for him and his own style. Slightly pretentious, but no less awesome in that, he is definitely worth keeping an eye on for great ideas on how to do formal in a more interesting and fashion-forward way.

And what about the old guy, The Clooney? Well, he just looks lovely no matter what you put him in. Much more of a classic dresser, you still see hints of his cheeky personality come through in his tux and in that amazing chocolate brown suit he wore a couple of years ago. I believe he can do no wrong and is an inspiration to other 50 year olds on how to age gracefully and very, very attractively. Feel free to copy him guys. So who do you prefer, age or edgy? Gosling v Clooney. Pick a side.

Man Day: The Hottest Men on the Planet Wear Levi's Denim

I am often amazed at how much effort some of my bloke friends put into finding exactly the right denim apparel. So I thought I would make a short list of famous chaps that I thought were the most respected, delicious and challenging in what they do. And find out what denim brands they chose to wear. I thought it would be something expensive and edgy. Probably something complicated. But what did I find? Well, thanks for asking, I found out that they wear good old classic Levi's. Seriously. Take a look.

Obviously no list of hot men is complete without The Clooney. Obvs. There he is, with photos taken on Tuesday, in his classic 501s. And the very awesome Sean Penn? Well he has gone for the double dose of denim delightfulness in a Levi's shirt and black jeans. 

Hot of the moment actor/director and boyfriend of Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux (and cousin of the amazing Louis Theroux), was spotted last month chatting to revolting but incredibly popular photographer Terry Richardson. Both in their Levi's jeans. And True Blood star (and recently single after splitting with Kate Bosworth) Alexander Skarsgard was also seen in his Levi's about a month or so ago. Could you have a better list of incredible man people? 

What do you mean I am missing someone? I know the youngsters love them some Justin Bieber. I know he is about the most famous man (well, boy) on the planet. And I also know he wears Levi's - as seen in that waistcoat. And so our list is complete. Whether you are a Bieber or Skarsgard or Clooney fan, you are in excellent company if you just stick to the classics. And that concludes the denim lesson for today.

Man Day: Joe Jonas for Mr Porter

I thought it was time for another man day. Whenever I start seeing pictures of David Beckham and George Clooney every image feed I look at, I know it is time to get it out of my system. So while there is no Becks on the blog today, there will be plenty for the girls and gays to feast their eyes on. And hopefully some fun fashion facts for the straight boys to enjoy as well.
Let's start with the new-ish online shopping site, exclusively for men, Mr Porter. It is, of course, linked to the yardstick by which all online shopping is measured, Net-a-Porter. Just the man version. And they have recently released a new campaign. Featuring Joe Jonas. Yup, that surprised me too.
Look, don't get me wrong. Joe seems to be a hot young guy with a bit of a reputation of being a player. He has scooted through Taylor Swift, Demi Lovato, Camille Belle and Ashley Greene as girlfriends in the past couple of years which is one hell of a resume of young, beautiful stars. And now he has settled for a bit on runway star Karlie Kloss. Who is quite a catch. So props to the chap.

But I didn't know he was into fashion, or that fashion was into him, so to speak. But he recently said, "Over the past year I've got heavily into it. Whether I'm going out for the night, or during the day, I love putting on something that pops and makes me feel comfortable." And his favourite labels to wear are Gucci, Burberry and Calvin Klein amongst others. Cool. Welcome to our world, Joe Jonas. Lookin' good.

New Sex and the City Movie. But New Actresses to Bring New Style.

So there is allegedly going to be a new Sex and The City movie. You know what that means, girls. Shot after shot of amazing fashion, across the four different characters as they gad about fashion capital, New York City. Story lines thin on the ground, but style in abundance. Right?
Not so fast. Apparently, this is going to be a prequel and based on Candace Bushnell's two novels The Carrie Diaries and Summer and the City, which covers the four girls prior to their friendship and brunches. Possibly as far back as their teenage years. Ooookaaayy. And four new, young actresses will be cast to play Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. But what does this mean for fashion?
Well, for starters it is going to need to cover the 70s and early 80s if they are going to stay true to the original timeline. The girls will need to be embracing some of the worst fashion in living memory and I am not sure I like that idea. Possibly they will forget the timeline entirely and make it a contemporary setting - meaning super hot forward fashion? But something tells me this may not be the case. Right now it is all speculation and we will need to wait to find out. But I am dying to know what you guys think of this idea? Would you watch it?
PS: the current favourite casting is Elizabeth Olsen as Carrie, Selena Gomez as Charlotte, Emma Roberts as Miranda and Blake Lively as Samantha. Really? I'm not sure about that. Who do you think would be the best fashion fit?

Sarah Jessica Parker Dresses in Style for China

Currently on a tour of China, Sarah Jessica Parker has really pulled out all the stops in her newly free-from-Halston wardrobe. Starting with designer of the moment, Elie Saab, she wore a delightful sculpted dress and jacket combo from his Spring 2011 couture show. The event was Artistry Fall/Winter and held in Shanghai and SJP's tan saves this from being a bland look. I have mentioned this a few times recently, and it really is something for blondes to think about when wearing a neutral and not wanting to appear totally beige. This was followed up with a Prabul Gurung white silk crepe midi dress with really interesting chiffon waist detailing. This was for a dinner in Beijing on Monday night.
In between, SJP popped over to Taiwan for a press conference on the weekend and wore a fabulously cute DvF tangerine lace shift with contrast hem. I love this look most, I think. And it has pockets. Such a winner! What is your favourite look?

WIN! Try Your Hand At Street Style Blogging for Love.Fashion

There is a new fashion blog around and it is a product of those crazy guys over at Truworths. It is called Love.Fashion and they are currently running a competition that you may fancy yourself for. You can win a R1000 Identity fashion voucher if you have the best eye for street style. All you have to do is pop on over to the Love.Fashion blog and you can see how to take the pic and post it to the Identity facebook page.
Why not give it a go. You can win fashion goodies and possibly start a new career! Go for it.

Jayma Mays Shows Her Smurf Style

Miss Pillsbury is without doubt the most stylish character on Glee. With her cute cardigans and pencil skirts in bold colours, her wardrobe has directly influenced runway trends for the next summer and winter seasons. Jayma Mays, who plays her, also uses bright bold colours and simple silhouettes to play with her gorgeous ginger colouring on the red carpet. Only she leaves out the vintage touches and adds in modern items like shorts and platform shoes.
Jayma plays the human wife, Grace Winslow, in the new Smurfs movie. She has been out and about this past week promoting the film and has not put a foot wrong style-wise so far. She started out with a Tibi blue jacket and Ralph Lauren shirt and shorts for the Empire State Building photo call. She followed that up with Rebecca Minkoff blouse and shorts in Central Park at a mock Smurf village. With both of these looks she wore Aldo platform courts. The New York premier brought out a high-contrast Reem Acra mini dress and Ferregamo purple pumps. I kind of love this, but wish it was just two centimeters longer to make a better fall line. But lovely, lovely colour combos. Well played lady. My fave so far is the floral blouse look. And the fact that she didn't feel the need to dress up as a Smurf. What about you?

Mila Kunis Wears Elie Saab at Moscow Premier of Friends With Benefits

The last time the gorgeous Mila Kunis wore Elie Saab it was to the Oscars. And she looked amazing. It is such a good idea to come back to this designer every so often as the softness and femininity is so perfect for her and a great contrast to her raunchy sense of humour. Last night at the Moscow premier of Friends With Benefits - in which she stars with Justin Timberlake - she wore a delicate cocktail dress by him, with the most exquisite beading detail on the shoulders. She toughened it up a bit with the shoes, but maintained a soft. messy hair arrangement that complemented it beautifully without looking overdressed. I love it.
I was also quite fond of that cute blue and white shift she wore at one of the other premiers which she appears to have attended with Huckleberry Finn. Who knew.

Idols Top 15 Style: Dave Van Vuuren Takes The Style and Singing Prize

So the first live singing show of Idols was broadcast on Sunday evening - season 7 off to a, well, shaky start. I'm not commenting on the singing, you understand, I leave that to Randall and Unathi mostly. But on the styling. Quite aside from my honest appreciation for the difficulties and limitations that Dirk and team are presented with, I still think the styling was a bit bland this week. Not terrible like the hair. Just a bit uneventful.
Undoubtedly the best dressed person involved with Idols on Sunday night's show was the judge Randall Abrahams. Hands down, the only person who looked polished. Now please understand that I have known Randall for a million years and it HURTS me to compliment him. But I have no choice. You can't fault a bespoke Collar & Cuff Joburg shirt and suit by Mark Gooding's gang at Carducci. Proudly South African too. Great modern pocket square and glasses (Extreme Eyewear, I assume) completed it. Winning.
Of the contestants, Dave van Vuuren did it for me. The amazing new hair style (as I said, a quiff), the denim shirt and the smart shoes all in place. The only tweak I would have made was to NOT tuck in the shirt. Better that way. Otherwise perfection. And the song wasn't bad either.
Freddie van Dango was ok. The hair was terrible. Whose idea was it to put in blonde highlights?? Fire them immediately. How very un-hispter. And we needed a bit of colour in his look. Either in the girls jeans or the girls cardigan - the one he was wearing was a bit drab and butch in my view.
Mark looked absolutely fine but a little pub singer for my liking. Please lose the leather jacket and make him look like a rock star. Starting with no blow drying and flat ironing his hair. Ridiculous. Still, I loved his performance, but I think Axel Rose would have died to see that hair.
Kahludi also looked ok, but a bit suburban. He is such a sharp guy. C'mon. Surely it is easy to make him look good? And Nolly was kind of the same for me. Surely the easiest girl to make look awesome and she just looked fine. Where was the colour? Where was the trend? As a first impression, it was a bit damp.
So while all my favourites looked fine, I think that, in a nutshell, the first show needed more impact and less accessorising. Let's all keep an eye on next week to see who takes the best dressed mantel. I can't wait.

Pippa Middleton Style Watch Episode 2

It's been a while since our last report on the style adventures of the most famous sister on the planet, Pippa Middleton. We have concluded so far that she looks great in jeans and summer dresses - and she has the best leather jacket around right now. But let's look at the last month and see if we can find any new star styling. I'm just hoping for an absence of pantyhose...
It's been summer dresses all the way for the June/July period. She made one ill-advised turn in grey Goldsign jeans that was salvaged only by that incredible red Ri2K handbag, but stuck to cute little dresses for the rest. For me the white and the blue fall too comfortably into Kate's territory and lack the fun punch that Pipps usually brings to her style. Which is not to say they don't look great on her (they do), just a bit safe. I like the black outfit - except the zip up top. She is toying with the sports-luxe trend which should really suit her but I am not sure it plays exactly right in this instance. But, by far, my favourite look of the last month is that denim dress by Whistles. Pretty, soft, unexpected, on-trend and perfectly suited to her lifestyle, this was Pippa's look of the month for me.
Pippa is the master of great handbags and sunnies. She knows her way around a dress and has, mercifully, lost those dreadful pantyhose. Now if only the wedges could go the same way, we would be onto a winner of a signature style! But what do you think? Any favourites? Let me know,

Freida Pinto Dresses Down and Takes It Off for Interview Magazine

You guys might remember that I am awfully fond of actress Freida Pinto. I just think she is the perfect role model for young women today. She has such elegance and poise for a young person. And she takes on risky projects with style. Speaking of style, she always, always looks impeccable. This past week she embraced a more casual approach to her dressing, donning a great Topshop maxi late last week and a bold, bright lemon Michael Kors dress on the weekend at Comic-Con - slightly shorter than she usually wears. Both outfits mark a change, but both are lovely and fresh and appropriate.

If Freida already impresses you as much as she does I, I am going to suggest that she can go one further. Freida features in the new issue of Interview magazine. Her interview is insightful and deep and tackles some serious and complex socio-political matters. She explores these issues in an intelligent and respectful manner, honest yet demonstrating real sensitivity. I was blown away.

The images accompanying the piece also impressed me. While there was lots of flesh on display, none of it was unseemly. I love the intensity and depth in these images. I think they are beautiful.
To read the full story, click here for Interview.
Photographer was Mert Alas and the stylist Karl Templer. Freida is wearing Versace in the top image and Stella McCartney in the second.

Elizabeth Hurley in South Africa: In the Pink

Last week international model and sometimes actress, Elizabeth Hurley was in South Africa. Accompanied by her boyfriend, cricketer Shane Warne, Elizabeth was here in her capacity as an ambassador for Estee Lauder and breast cancer awareness. Some of my readers were actually at the formal dinner that was held on their first night in Johannesburg. And I believe that Liz was wearing Versace. Pink, of course, in support of the event.

The next couple of days were taken up with signings and charity visits to promote the cause. Sadly they didn't make a turn down to Cape Town so I couldn't personally catch up with them, but I am hoping that Shane has spent enough time here over his cricket playing years to encourage a return visit.
About 15 years ago I was convinced that Hugh Grant and I were eventually destined to land up walking down the aisle together so I had a bit of a problem with Liz. But she seems to be doing excellent work with breast cancer awareness and looks amazing in little pink dresses so I say more power to her.
BTW, did you know that Liz will be making an appearance in the next series of Gossip Girl? Yup, Nate seems to like the older women...

Kirsten Dunst in Reyn Spooner for Opening Ceremony - On Tour With Rilo Kiley

First of all I have to declare my love for alt-country band Rilo Kiley. I know most of you haven't a clue who that is, but trust me, they are super-awesome and a bit weird. Perfect. My new favourite Kirsten Dunst has been dating the drummer of the band, Jason Boesel, for over a year now. And of course Kirsten is a face of the clothing brand Opening Ceremony. You with me so far? Good.
Well two things happened recently. Rilo Kiley went on a summer tour in France. And a chap called Reyn Spooner, famous for his classic Hawaiian shirt designs, did a range for Opening Ceremony. Kristen decided to accompany the band on tour for a while and OC asked her to take along some of the new range. While they were on tour, Jason shot some pics of Kirsten and the rest of the band frolicking between gigs. So you see the divine Jenny Lewis, Blake Sennett and Pierre de Reeder in the pics as well. What a cool collaboration. Not sure it gets cooler than this.

Comic-Con 2011 Day 2, 3 and 4 Best Dressed!

This weekend in San Diego has been a riotous success. Comic-Con 2011 has drawn some of the biggest celebrities and movies in the world right now. And they have brought the style with them. Having sifted through hundreds of images from the weekend, I have eventually concluded the following: someone needs to establish a dress code for Comic-Con. It is all over the shop. That not withstanding, I do think that there were some celebs who really stood out and looked amazing. Usually those who were not afraid to take a risk or two. Love that.
Kate Beckinsale is not someone I feature too often. That dated hair flowage. The penchant for monochrome and that she tries SO HARD is my major annoyance really. But this flippy little Tibi dress, with pockets and an overskirt makes me joyful. And I do have the greatest respect for those legs. At her age.
Anna Paquin is also a bit of a try-hard and misses as much as she hits. But this Antonio Berardi pencil dress from Pre-Fall 2011 collection looks amazing on her. And I love that she has under-accessorised and worn shoes that echo the dress, in a way. It really does make for a striking picture. And she has been bold enough to shorten the dress from the runway look which earns my respect as she clearly knows her body and style. Props.
Jessica Biel looked all kinds of cute in this Christian Cota spring 2011 ensemble of shorts and crop vest top. It could have gone wrong and looked too young, too bland, too exposed midriff, but somehow it works on her gym honed body for the occasion.
And then there was gamin-cropped Ginnifer Goodwin with her neon yellow Roksana Ilincic resort dress and ballet pumps. I may be in love with this look. I may also be a bit frightened of it but aren't we always when we first fall in love.

We must also mention Olivia Wilde and her Dolce & Gabbana black lace dress for the premier of Cowboys and Aliens at Comic-Con. I don't know if I love it but I do know that she looks amazing and it is right on-trend. So that's super-cool. Now, as ever, it is over to you. Who wore it best to Comic-Con 2011 in your opinion? Over to you in the comments.

New Model Alert: Katryn from Kaapstad

Take a look here, fellow fashion peeps. These are some photos taken in Milan recently for the very newly published Prada look book. And they feature a brand new model. Plucked from her very first casting in Paris ever, 16-year-old Katryn was quickly booked and flown to Milan for the shoot. (Yes, she was chaperoned.) She has also been optioned for the Prada campaign to be shot later in the year.
Right now, however, Katryn as more important things on. School holidays are over and she is back in class, with her friends, somewhere in the northern suburbs of Cape Town.
That's right, folks, this brand new international model face is from right here in Cape Town. Slaapstad. You can book her with Gavin from Y Models.
Congratulations and here's to a long and highly successful career!

A Tale of Two Princesses and Their Wedding Dress Exhibitions

This weekend two exhibitions opened showing the wedding dresses of the two young women who have recently become European princesses. Let's start at home, with onse HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco. Fresh and relaxed and glowing on her first day back from her official honeymoon in Mozambique, she wore a lovely summery and relaxed floral maxi dress by Roberto Cavalli and paired it with gold flats. This was perfect for the weather and to demonstrate a mood of relaxed optimism. Her Armani dress is now on display as part of the "History of the Princely Wedding" exhibition at the Musée Océanographique in Monaco.

The same weekend, newly anointed princess, the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, toured the exhibition of her Alexander McQueen wedding dress at Buckingham Palace with her grandmother in law, HRH The Queen. Looking somewhat more subdued, formal and beige, Kate was back in her pantyhose and heels for the occasion. I really do feel that a beautiful brooch or a ponytail or something could have made this look a little more youthful and less blah. This may be the only time so far that Charlene has pipped Kate to the style post. Do you guys agree?

Loin Cloth & Ashes by Anisa Mpungwe

Could this be the most beautiful skirt in the land? It is definitely one of them. It is a skirt that my friend Anele has introduced me to by Anisa Mpungwe from the label Loin Cloth & Ashes. Anele now has several of them in her wardrobe. And when I expressed my admiration for her skirt, she promised to hook a sister up. Now look what is hanging on my office rail.
Let me tell you why it may be the most beautiful skirt in the land:
1. It has pockets.
2. It is made from a treated cotton with the gold overlay print that combines the very best of Africa and spangle. You know how I like a bit of spangle. And pockets.
3. It is lined.
4. It fits tight in at the waist and then is a full flare to just above the knee. This may be the perfect feminine design ratio. And so flattering.
5. It is different. Anisa's brand positioning for LCA is "dresses for the woman who dares to be different" and this skirt really encapsulates that daring, implied self awareness and the power that goes with that.
Not only am I loving my new skirt, but I am also super-grateful to Anele for the introduction. Sometimes, even in fashion where we have to be poised for change all the time, we find a comfort zone, designers who we know well and rely on. Watch out Anisa, you are about to become one of my go-to designers. Lucky, lucky me.

Drew Barrymore for Nieman Marcus Art of Fashion Fall Campaign 2011

What fun! Since 1994, Nieman Marcus has put out a 16-page fashion editorial featuring only the best models in the world. And this year, they changed and hired 36-year old actress Drew Barrymore for the job. I say 'fun' because Drew is no fashion plate. She is a risky dresser with a bohemian approach to dressing, both up and down. But looking at the evidence of the shoot, she sure scrubs up well!

In designer clothing from Gucci, Prada, Armani and others, Drew does a great job looking striking, authentic and beautiful.

The whole thing looks a lot more complicated than our shoots. I mean I can't remember when last I hired in a crane for one of my editorials. Or three camera assistants. But then again, we haven't shot with a genuine Hollywood star in a while either. Must look at changing that soon...

Hearty well done to Drew and to the client who chose her. I am not sure about the mock suicide of the first opening spread of the campaign, but Drew looks prettier than I think I have ever seen her so I am going to let that go.
Photographer is Norman Jean Roy.

Behind The Scenes on Kate Winslet for St John Knits

On a set in an old theatre in New Jersey, movie actress Kate Winslet is being photographed for the new campaign for an American label called St. John. This is mildly interesting but not that relevant to our lives. What is relevant is the universal search for clothing to fit a real person's body, and this is what Kate was talking about in the shoot. This is one of those rare campaigns that looks like it was designed to celebrate women's natural body shape, as opposed to disguise it or hope there are no curves at all. For this it deserves the exposure and props.

Despite the declaration of St John that they "wanted to make a clean break from actresses and steer away from blondes" only a couple of years ago, they have hired Kate, who succeeds red-head model Karen Elson, who in her turn replaced Angelina Jolie. I think it is a great choice if they want to appeal to women across all age groups and dress sizes. Good for them. It's something I will probs now go looking for on my next visit to the States. Interesting.

Comic-Con 2011 Day 1 Best Dressed

I was wondering to myself this morning about whether there would be anyone worth blogging about from Day 1 of Comic-Con 2011. Usually the preserve of nerds and comic collectors (think heaven for the boys from Big Bang Theory and Seth from The OC), the last few years have seen it being headlined by some of the most glamorous movie stars in the world as more and more blockbuster movies are made, based on comic books. And so it was yesterday. The big draws were Twilight, Prometheus, In Time and Hugh Jackman. But that's not our agenda here on the blog. No, we want to know who brought it style wise....
1. Best dressed of the day goes to Ashley Greene from the Twilight movies. She took a real risk and wore a Cut25 by Yigal Azrouel Resort 2012 dress that was unexpected and super-pretty. With flattering drape and nude shoes she also accessorised perfectly. I am impressed and will need to keep a closer eye on this young woman (twice on the blog inside a week. Hmmm. Defs one to watch.)
2. Onse Charlize Theron also made an appearance at Comic-Con yesterday. Pitch perfect in her skinny jeans, spangle on a on-trend white blazer, this is an outfit for all seasons. I love it.
3. And then, for me the third best dressed must go to Carey Mulligan, dressed in a silk Roksanda Ilincic for the panel discussion for her new movie Drive. It is cool to see her looking cute again, and I think it is interesting that she chose to wear flats. I would have as well. Props. Come back on Monday for more from Comic-Con 2011.

Beyonce Supports Unknown Designers on Her 4 Fold-Out Cover Art

Apparently looking more like a glossy fashion magazine editorial than an album, the fold-out cover of Beyonce's album "4" features her usual daring style choices. However, we are so used to seeing her in Givenchy, Versace, Gucci or even Suno, that it is a shock to find out that she has made a decision to support rather more unknown and up-and-coming designers in this instance.
Steered in their direction by her stylist, Ty Hunter, and her creative director, Jenke Ahmed Tailley, the concept is a different style to match the personality of each song, held together by the album and therefore envisaged exactly as we do an editorial narrative. Awesome.
Names include cult French designer Alexandre Vauthier, embroidery by Lesage, 27-year old Maxime Simoens, Julien Fournie who has only been established for a couple of years. And American student designer Lleah Rae who did the chartreuse body suit up top. She is recent graduate of Parsons New School for Design in NYC.

Such was Beyonce's enjoyment of these new and fresh designers that she went on to wear Alexandre Vauthier's gold encrusted jacket on stage at Glastonbury - picked out of her wardrobe by hubby Jay-Z it is rumoured. And it was SUCH a winning look.