You can look but you can’t buy







Oasis had its autumn/winter show last week and very nice it was too. Great styling, adorable models and the loveliest hair and make-up. So what were the highlights of the show? Full cropped trousers, sack dresses, a tweedy slouch-shouldered 3/4 length coat, an asymmetric cape. So far, so directional. What we’ll actually see in the stores? Silky print dresses, tailored wide leg trousers, sequin sloppy tees and shifts, jewel coloured cocktail dresses.



At last



Oh joy! Liberty has extended its shopping hours. Monday-Friday it’s open til 8pm except Thursday when it’s open til 9pm. (Yes, you heard right.) Saturday it’s open til 7pm. Sunday til 6pm. My top five best ever Liberty buys:
Sonia by Sonia Rykiel leopard print sweater
Nudie Slim Kim jeans
Superfine leather S & M gloves
Herve Chapelier black canvas tote
Fornasetti lips stool

And you can’t beat a lovely afternoon tea in the Art Bar.



Three trends




So spring is the new summer (it’s 23 degrees outside and it’s still only April) which got me thinking, what are the big summer trends going to be? My three predictions so far:
COLOURED DENIM. The coloured skinny jean is even harder to wear then the regular skinny jean which naturally means people will be super-keen to wear them. Of course, I bought my hot pink Silas jeans two years ago – more straight than skinny actually – to wear Matthew Williamson-style with turquoise tees and yellow Converse but obviously being the fashion snob that I am there’s no way I want to wear them now.

MAXI SUMMER DRESSES. These are surprisingly practical. Great for skinny and heavy girls alike, if you hate your legs you can still be fashionable –yay! They look just as good worn casually with cowboy boots or sneakers or for dressier occasions like weddings or parties with jewelled flats and a sequinny shrug. Unfortunately, I think these are going to be EVERYWHERE come festival season and for the entire summer as it’s such a democratic look. Hmm, I think I’ll probably pass on it (especially being a short arse who can’t walk in heels).

SHORTS PLAYSUITS. This is one of those trends you see on the catwalk and think ‘oh please, design something for the real world’ and then, as you keep seeing it you think, ‘maybe I could wear that. If I wore it with a tailored jacket? And wedges?’ The silky ones by Stella McCartney do look semi-wearable, especially in neutral colours and they’re a bit daring so I reckon a dead cert for the Lohans and Richies of this world. The jersey and velour variety from American Apparel are totally hot and not too slutty if worn on the beach. In any case playsuits are already present in all the high street stores so I give it three weeks of consistent sun before there’s a big fanfare about them in Grazia.

Photo: Stella McCartney/www.vogue.co.uk