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: Sports Chic on the Cheap!

Designers are taking inspiration from chav-style garments at the minute with sports stripes and neon vests swiftly becoming major fashion themes. A walk down the high street however is a far cry from a walk round your local council estate as perfecting this look requires two things Vicky Pollard never had: subtlety and style.

Going Nude. The key to this look is to keep it looking neutral and add just the token neon item to liven things up. Start with this gorgeous cream skirt suit from Peacocks. The skirt and the jacket will set you back just £36.00 for the pair and will create a fabulous base for your Sports Chic look. Their subtle colouring and classic shape makes them stand alone wardrobe basics too so you're guaranteed to get frequent use out of them.

Queens of Neon. Accessorise your suit with this gorgeous neon detail bag from Asos. It costs just £17.75 and epitomises the sports chic style with a muted tan base coupled with vibrant flashes of neon. You can pick up a matching belt from New Look for just £5.00 to add the finishing touch to your sports chic outfit.

1990s Remix. It is perfectly acceptable to mix neon colours, if you're feeling daring add in a yellow stripe or even lime green if you're particularly feeling the 1990s retro look. We particularly like this flourescent vest from American Apparel. At just £15.00 it is the perfect bargain buy for creating your own alternative sports chic ensemble. Customising this trend to your own taste will single you out from the hoards of other fashion followers and will allow you to easily mix and match any new purchases with your existing wardrobe so don't forget to keep it plucky and personal.

Retro Looks That Never Die

Retro Looks That Never Die - by BradshawsCloset on Polyvore.com

Carrie and the girls were massive fans of the retro look and for good reason - it never goes out of style! At the moment the high street is going mad for all things 80s and we've got some top picks lined up for you at good old-fashioned low prices to help you stay on trend.

In our post What's in a Name? we talked about how Carrie's nameplate necklace had become a must-have Sex and the City item. If you want to do this look with a retro twist however pay a visit to The Lunacy Boutique where you can pick up one of these fabulous multi-coloured fridge magnet name necklaces! You can order any name you want and it will only set you back £18.00 - a pittance to pay to stay on trend!

If you're looking for a selection of 80s inspired T Shirts you can't go wrong with a visit to 80s purple. Our favourite is this grey retro print which would look fabulous over jeans, a bleached denim skirt or a pair of electric blue leggings. It's the touch of animal print that really wins us over and at just $32 it's an utterly guilt free purchase.

Last but by no means least we come to shoes. Retro look shoes are coming in all sorts of shades and styles at the moment and although it's tempting to get out your walkman, buy yourself a Wham bar and jump on the 80s bandwagon you should bear in mind that the key to a timelessly fashionable wardrobe is the investment in classic pieces. If you have a wacky personality and want the shoes to match that's fine, but if you're a bit more conservative and rarely have an opportunity to wear wacky shoes we'd recommend these beautiful block colour numbers from one of our favourite online shops Boohoo.com. They're a snip at £25.00 and will still look fabulous when the weirder brands of shoes have fallen out of fashion.

The Fashion Feed: Burlesque is Back in Vogue

Thanks to girl band 'The Saturdays' and their comic relief single 'Just Can't Get Enough' burlesque wear is experiencing a bit of a revival. You are obviously not expected to bear as much flesh as Frankie, Rochelle, Una, Mollie and Vanessa have in their new video but style is always adaptable and with a bit of know-how it is possible to make this look more classy than trashy.

Become a fan of fans. Start with one of these classic Marabou fans from Ann Summers. They cost just £5.00 and will work wonders both in the bedroom and as an accessory for a ball or club night. Our favourite colour is the baby pink fan because it's super-feminine and flirty but the same fan also comes in red and in black if you want to go more for Samantha's sexy siren look.

Relish The Retro Pin-Up Style. Team your fan with this beautiful roakability skirt from Starlets and Harlets for a fabulous retro pin-up edge to your look. The clashing patterns give it a contemporary edge whilst the lace heart detail comes across all coy! The skirt costs just $49.95 and in keeping with the burlesque theme you can buy a matching garter... maybe you should be selective who you show that off to however, you don't want to get too much of a reputation!

Heel yourself. Finish your burlesque tribute with these killer gold platforms from Office. We use the word killer only to describe the look of them as the platform front will ease the strain put on your feet by the 14cm heel. This means you can perfect a sassy burlesque strut without the fear of falling over and without being in a desperate amount of pain by the end of the evening. These leg-lengthening beauties were originally £85.00 but are currently reduced to £55.00.