The Golden Girls: Summer Styles With Added Shine

Golden Girls by BradshawsCloset featuring Miss Selfridge shoes

When it came to fabulous fashion picks I always felt that Miranda got a raw deal on Sex and the City. It's not really anyone's fault, the nature of her character was very business like until she became a mum when the fashion relaxed a little bit. Imagine my delight then, when I went to the cinema and saw Miranda strutting down the streets of Manhattan top-to-toe in gold. It was a stroke of style genius by Pat fields as it highlighed Miranda's trademark red hair and pale skin beautifully. Bagging Miranda's big screen look this summer will keep you bang on trend as the industry seems to have forgotten the chav connection and given gold a welcome resurrection.

These golden gladiator affairs from Kurt Geiger are my top style pick for this summer. Granted they are £110.00 but I'm thinking cost per wear. These beauties will look fabulous teamed with your bikini and sarong/kaftan by the poolside but will also look equally as fabulous with your little black dress come Christmas. In short, they are a timeless shoe, nothing is ever going to stop them looking good making them a must-have for all avid shoe collectors. Of course if you're sticking to a budget and you're just wanting a summer shoe to see you through the hot months Miss Selfridge are doing a lovely flat gladiator pair for just £25.00 (shown above). They won't be as versatile but you will be able to bring them back out of your closet for summers to come.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw this gorgeous metallic leotard from Wet Seal. It only costs $26.50 and looks as though it's come straight out of Gagas closet. The most likely place you're going to wear this is a club or girls night out and teaming it with a fitted black skirt and massive black accessories would mute it down just enough to be chic rather than freak. Of course, the more daring of you might be able to make this into some kind of beach combo wearing it bathing suit style and teaming it with a sarong/kaftan. Either way it will definitely turn heads for all the right reasons.

Accenting your golden girl look with some jewellery is the perfect way of completing your outfit. Chunky is the word du jour for summer 2009 so if you're going for gold, make it thick chainmail, celtic, or knotted designs for serious wow factor. My favourite pick is this knotted necklace which costs a paltry £8.00 from Peacocks. Come christmas you can team it with a purple dress for a fantastically festive edge.

The Fashion Feed: Black and Gold

Black and Gold - by BradshawsCloset on Polyvore.com

I doubt any of us are going to forget the vision of Miranda stepping out head-to-toe in gold with her girlfriends in The Sex and the City film. After six years of strictly business suitage Miranda shined beautifully in her metallic movie hues and we're going to show you how to shimmer too.

Pleat It. Accentuate your curves and shine at the same time with this fabulous shapely corset from Goddiva. This strapless beauty is so on trend and will add a classy edge to any outfit. Wear it over a black shirt for a quirky day time look or with a flirty frilly skirt for an on-trend burlesque ensemble. At only £22.51 you will be getting great value for money as it is such a versatile piece.

The Statement Pendant. This gorgeous gold owl design pendant is the perfect accessory to make you stand out from the crowd. It hangs from an adjustable gold chain so you can alter the length to match all your favourite necklines and costs just $23.99 from ModCloth.

Creating Contrast. Although Miranda looked amazing in tip-to-toe gold we recommend breaking the look up a bit for a subtler edge. Blazers are big fashion news at the moment so you can't go wrong with this black beauty from Miss Selfridge. It would go beautifully with the gold corset and it will provide you with the perfect silhouette. The blazer costs £45.00 and will see you through any job interview, day at the office or even Friday night on the town.

The Fashion Feed: Peaches and Cream

Peaches and Cream - by BradshawsCloset on Polyvore.com

As mentioned in our Fashion Feed 'How to Look Good Nude' neutral shades are massive themes on the high street this season. This week we're taking a look at peach and cream coloured must-haves all of which come with pretty sweet price tags.

The Dress. First in our virtual shopping bag is this Peach Oxidised Shirt Dress from Miss Selfridge. With it's studded collar and racer back straps it is the perfect smart-to-casual foundation and the bubble style skirt makes it so on trend. The dress costs just £28.00 making it an affordable and versatile addition to your wardrobe.

The Statement Belt. Gently accentuate your waistline with this beautiful wrap tie belt from TopShop. It will break up the neutral hues of the rest of your outfit and is very now with its eye-catching corsage with creamy contrast detail. The belt is a snip at just £20.00 and is something that you can wear over a cardi, blazer or even to add a quirky edge to an evening gown.

The Vintage Hat. Peaches and Cream couture wouldn't be complete without a classy vintage hat and this peach Kangol retro piece from Candy Says is just the job. The rose detail would match beautifully with the TopShop belt and the optional veil makes it an excellent option for summer weddings or for a fairytale themed walk in your local park. This item is a bargain at just 25.00 so snap it up whilst you still can!

The Bradshaw School of Forties Fashion

Forties Inspired Fashion - by BradshawsCloset on Polyvore.com

The peplum skirt has it's roots in 19th Century style but didn't really take on until the 1940s. This bulbous trend died out in the 50s but was back again in the 80s, 90s and now, thanks to Ms Bradshaw, in the noughties too. The Peplum is fun because it goes against all the usual "does my bum look big in this" style conventions and looks surprisingly chic.

Our favourite peplum garment at the moment is this gorgeous electric blue number from Miss Selfridge. Not only does it boast beautiful contrast detail in this season's hot colour but the V neck front will be flattering to any figure regardless of shape and size. The dress costs £35.00 which is nothing for such a high fashion item. This look has come back time and again over the decades so it's well worth investing in a piece like this that you can pull out of the closet when ever the trend comes back into vogue.

The only way to finish off a peplum dress is with a pair of killer heels and a cutesy clutch. Our pick of the clutches has to be this feathered number from Asos, also in electric blue. The clutch style keeps it nice and retro but the feathers and the vivid colour will bring your look bang up to date. The bag is currently selling for just £21.75 and can be teamed with any number of outfits.

As for the heels, you can't go wrong with a pair of black skyscrapers. We love this pair from TopShop for their stand-out cross over detail. They will set you back £70.00 but like the clutch will team up with any number of outfits adding extra value to your wardrobe.

The Fashion Feed: I Got The Blues

Got The Blues - by BradshawsCloset on Polyvore.com

Fashion is going all Jonie Mitchell on us by bringing back the blues in a big way. Ice Maiden's can go tip to toe in turquoise whilst the more regal amongst us can envelope ourselves in a rich Royal Blue.

Our top turquoise pick has to be this gorgeous quilted cross over bag from Miss Selfridge. It comes complete with a chain mail strap which is so this season and only costs £12.00! Team it with whites and creams for a real Snow Queen look or with deeper richer blues for vivid blue contrast!

Another one of our favourites is this Turquoise Stone bracelet from Oasis. This all-natural looking bracelet will add a lovely hippy vibe to any outfit and will only set you back £8.00. It is currently on sale at Asos.

For a richer and deeper effect you can't go wrong with this gorgeous burlesque basque. Made from luxurious satin with on-trend frills and bow detail you are going to want to wear this little number everywhere you go. You can pick it up at Goddiva for £24.46 and team it with jeans, flowing skirts and boot cut trousers depending on the occasion.

So next time you feel down, we encourage you to wallow in it whole-heartedly...as long as your accessories match your mood that is. Perhaps A case of the blues doesn't have to be such a bad thing after all!

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!