The Fashion Feed: Vamp It Up With Vintage

Vintage Couture by BradshawsCloset featuring Carvela shoes

Carrie was always shopping for vintage but it can prove pretty pricey to get authentic vintage couture, especially if you shop in London boutiques! Thankfully with a bit of clever accessorizing you can blag the authentic vintage look and give Jackie O a run for her money.


Collar necklaces are probably the most affordable way of vamping up your wardrobe and this lace effect number from Debenhams is particularly convincing with it's beautiful drop bead detail. The best part is that it only costs £15.00.


Nothing screams Victorian charm like a bow in the hair and this black and white version from is both cheeky and chic. From a distance it looks like a prim and proper bow but on closer inspection you realise there is a skull sewn in at the knot. It costs just $10.00 making it a real budget buy!


Finally, I've always thought that lockets have a lovely retro charm. It kind of reminds me of war time sweethearts who keep each other's photographs so they don't forget each other. There are a wide range available at various prices but this sterling silver version costs just £35.00 and in shiny enough to really draw the eye. This too can be picked up at Debenhams who seem to be stocking up on vintage-look fashion this season.

Pale and Interesting: The Power of Pastels

Although most self-respecting fashionistas spend their time devising ways of standing out from the crowd, there's nothing wrong with toning down the high-fashion vibe once in a while and going pallid with pastels. Gorgeous greens, yellows and pinks were most frequently donned by Charlotte and Miranda on the show and pulling off their rather elegant twist on washed-out hues is surprisingly simple.


Green is a colour not many of us would pick out. It's not an obvious fashion trend unlike say blue or coral but it can look just as popping if you accessorize in just the right way. This gorgeous cross- over dress from Monsoon is the perfect example of just how sophisiticated a hue green can be with it's silk ribbon-tie detail. At just £68.00 this classic piece will have you set up for summer weddings and formal lunches for years to come.


If you fancy taking pastels to a super-feminine level, you can't go wrong with this sassy but shapely pencil skirt from Debenhams. It seems that pencil skirts are everywhere at the moment and it's no surprise as teamed with a pair of killer heels they are the ultimate in corporate-esque sex appeal. This timeless item will only set you back £25.00 and will match with everything from a tucked in Tee to a frilly chiffon blouse.


When it comes to shoes I am loving the sling backs available in the shops at the moment. This mid-yellow pair from Dorothy Perkins would set off a monochrome outfit perfectly or, if you're feeling a little bit braver, would clash beautifuly with that pastel pencil skirt from Debenhams. The ribbon-tie detail keeps them flirty whilst the chunky heel gives them a practical edge. They are currently on sale for £28.00 but sizes are already limited so I recommend buying now otherwise you will be regreting it later!

Put A Bit of Flirt In Your Skirt

Moody Blue - by BradshawsCloset on Polyvore.com

Carrie and the girls seemed to have an endless supply of floaty, flirty skirts and since we're in the business of emulating Sex and the City style to the letter, it seems only fitting that we follow suit. The secret to the flirty skirt is to opt for materials and designs that accentuate your curves, helping you to really bring out your feminine side.

As far as frills go, you really can't go wrong with one of these fairytale style pettiskirts from Sterling and Pearls . Made from 100% chiffon these little beauties are guaranteed to have you twirling round the bedroom like a Balerina in no time. Our favourite is this Tiffany blue and black number but they come in a range of colours and contrasts so you can find the perfect shade to suit you. At just $67.00 it's perfect for those of you who want to recreate that American Girl in Paris look without having to fork out for the 1000 Layer Versace Sea Foam Gown.

Slightly more on the subtle side is this prim and proper black rose skirt from Peacocks. The calf-length finish makes it super classy and it comes complete with a tie belt. We reckon this skirt will make the perfect throw-on for summer days in the city, especially if you team it with a pair of on-trend heels to update the look. The skirt costs a paltry £10.00 so it really is a buy it now or regret it later purchase.

When it comes to the feminine mystique bows are big business too and we couldn't help but get over-excited when we saw this mono Bella Bow Skirt in the sale at Coast. Reduced from £95.00 to just £45.00 it is a true on-trend bargain that will see you through this season and beyond. The skirt finishes just below the knee and boasts gorgeous black belt and bow hemming for contrast allowing you to double-up on your fashion brownie points. Suitable for all occasions it's one of those garments that you're just never going to want to take off!

The Diva is in the Detail

A wise man once said that the devil is in the detail. Then an even wiser woman bought a lace detail vintage handkerchief and pinned it to her belt to prove otherwise. When it comes to fashion statements it is the diva not the devil that is in the detail and lace is the perfect trimming to class up any high street outfit.

You'll be pleased to know that lace is in high supply on the high street and from online outlets. Miss Selfridge are selling a killer pair of black lace tights for just £8.00 suggesting that 80s style never went out of vogue.

If you want to go a bit more girly with your look check out this beautiful lace handbag courtesy of ebay seller Tailors Boutique. The bag is only £7.99 and has a beautiful gold chain strap mixing the classical and the contemporary for a truly unique look.

There are also plenty of ultra feminine lace detail skirts floating about on Etsy. We love this one by online seller priscilladawn. Not only do the blue and the white contrast beautifully but it comes complete with an ultra flirty bow which is a key look for this season. The even better news is that it is hand-made, one of a kind and only costs $32.00.

To recreate the original Carrie Bradshaw look pay a visit to Manu Factum who are currently selling lace embroidered handkerchiefs for just under £7. As you can see you don't have to earn the same as Beyonce to emulate diva-esque attention to detail, just remember that the handkerchiefs are only for show so no sniffling or crying into them, especially over men!

It's a Jungle Out There

When Carrie strutted her stuff in that gorgeous pair of Manolo Blahnik zebra print shoes we all sat and sighed on our sofas, lustfully wishing we could pull off a look like that. Well animal prints are massive on the high street this winter, particularly leopard print so it's time to give it a go. Yes the the torch has passed from the TV screen to the street scene but if you want to get this look working for you you need to forget the tacky splendour of Bette Lynch. In 2008 this look is all about subtlety.

I've seen quite a few girls on the tube getting it totally wrong and teaming a leopard print top with a leopard print coat and leopord print trousers...and maybe even a leopard print bag too. Ladies...it's all just a bit too much. Generally speaking you should not be wearing more than one item of leopard print clothing and you should definitely not be mixing animal prints by wearing giraffe, zebra and leopard all it once. Subtlety...remember?

If you just want a hint of leopard print simply use it when you accessorize. This beautiful hair band from asos (above) merges animal prints and cutesy bows. It now costs just £2.00 making it a definitive item for winter 2008. If you're feeling a little bit bolder opt for this sleek and chic leopard print tunic (right) also available from asos at the bargain price of £25.00. It will look great over black trousers or leggings, or teamed with your favourite jeans down the pub on a Friday night.

If you want to step up the amount of leopard print you're wearing without over doing it, opt for a pair of leopard print shoes. Because they are on your feet they are less noticeable which stops the look from being too overbearing. These adorable leopard print ballet pumps, complete with a little black bow, are built for both comfort and style and are available from New Look for just £20.00. The bottom line is to have fun taking a walk on the wild side but to also keep in mind that simple is always stylish.

Where it's at this Winter

The tide of fashion can turn very quickly and if you want to stay afloat the only people worth talking to are the designers who spend all their time trying to push boundaries and stay at the cutting edge of forward-thinking style. I caught up with one such individual to find out what was going to be hot on the High Street for Autumn/Winter 2008.

Victoria Smith, a freelance embroidery designer from Manchester, has recently started selling her own individual designs after several years of hard graft in the fashion industry. As you can see from the images left and below her new enterprise 'Fancy Stitches' fuses a range of styles and inspirations to create truly unique looks and she's got a lot of ideas on what to wear this season.

So Victoria, what looks do you think are going to be big for the back end of 2008/beginning of 2009?

Looks that are big this Autumn/Winter seem to be tartan- jackets, mini skirts and tops, aswell as leopard print, bows, frills and delicate beadwork/embroidery. Purple and mustard are also key colours this year.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

My inspiration comes from everywhere but my main sources are magazines, shops (fashion and interior design), fabrics that boast nice patterns - I have even been inspired by somebody's curtains!

Nature is also endlessly inspiring flowers are massive part of my designing so its important that I observe the world around around me to keep coming up with new ideas. Different cultrues such as Indian and African are so colourful and rich, and so different to ours that they also strongly influence the fashion world.

What looks do you see being the future of fashion?

I think fashion is always revolving and things keep come back in, even if its a few seasons later. So we are likely to see styles from the past coming back round again, for example, floaty empire lines were really in over the summer, now the emphasis is on more fitted smarter looks. This cycle is likely to repeat itself next year too.

Do you think that the UK is particularly daring when it comes to style?

I think London is one of the top leaders in fashion world, producing designers such as Scott Henshall and Matthew Williamson. Central Saint Martin's (fashion college) has produced many leading lights in fashion world who are often pushing boundaries of fashion. You only have to look to London Graduate Fashion Week for rising stars like this. London Fashion Week also highlights how London is seen up there with the other leading fashion capitals such as Milan, Paris and New York as people travel from round the world to come to it.