Skittle gets the 50s Look

Tomorrow i'm going to be making someone over with that so-called 'skittle' shape (as coined by Trinny and Susannah).  And a look I know that will work perfectly for her tiny waist and larger hips is the 50s style full skirt which draws the eye to that nipped in waist with a lovely plunging neckline.

I just can't wait to have a go at re-creating this look. 

London Fashion Week Cherry Picked Celebrates with Stella

, Today marked the start of London Fashion Week and with Cloud Nine peeping over the horizon on Wednesday, I thought I'd celebrate by sharing with you a little discovery I made today.

TK Maxx proudly sported heels fit for Cinderella from Stella McCartney.  A snip at just over 280 pounds (the rrp being somewhere close to the thousand pound mark).

Horses Horses Everywhere

Anyone keeping an eye on the latest trends coming from the catwalks, surely can't have missed the insignia of the horse on almost every item of clothing.  It seems that the fashion industry has gone a bit 'horse-mad'.  Now this is no sad news to me - someone who lived, slept and breathed horses whilst growing up and spen t many an hour dreaming that one day, my Christmas present might actually neigh at me instead of staring at me blankly from its plastic, My Little Pony eyes.  In fact, it's quite amusing to see sweaters in H&M with horses knitted into them, of the kind that my school friends scorned me wearing at the age of 13.

So in honour, I have designed this t-shirt created from a piece of artwork I drew a while back and it will be on sale at Cloud Nine, along with some of my artwork.  Look forward to seeing you there

Bring out the pin up girl in you

Who can deny the charming sexiness oozing from behind that innocent (oh, I still have my shoes on do I?) pose in this shot? Yes love.  You do.  And we can all see they're Louboutins. And who wouldn't want to look like that? 

Well, the model in this photograph is clearly of the catwalk variety but as we all know from the success of Bettie Page, the girl next door can be just such a star and it's all about curves. As the UK fashion industry has finally conceded with its first 'Fat Fashion' week, curvy girls have more fun.

So don't be shy, come and sit on Cloud Nine and let us bring out the pin-up girl in you... Don't worry, we won't ask you to strip down to your knickers, unless you really want us to ;)

In a Cherry Mood

As the next Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour event, Cloud Nine draws near, I'm seeing cherries everywhere.  Just look at these little beauties courtesy of our very own, Vivienne [Westwood].  They've got a very vintage feel with a modern twist.  The perfect mix.

Tired of Stylist Magazine?

Is it just me? Or has anyone else become a little tired of having unaffordable ‘must-have’ items shoved under our noses on a daily basis?  Call me miserable but, I don’t know if anyone noticed that we’re in the middle of the worst recession for many years.  I can't help but feel that free magazines like Stylist seem to me, to be rubbing my nose in the fact that, I couldn’t afford their weekly ‘must have item’ in a year, let alone a week.  Nor the ridiculously expensive holidays that they regularly feature nor the double page spread call ‘The Style List.’   Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not as though they are the only magazine or newspaper guilty of this sin but usually, we purchase these.  I think it’s the fact that it’s a free magazine that bothers me and is therefore, picked up by a particularly high number of us ladies - the greater numbers of whom are more likely to be shopping in H&M or Topshop, Urban Outfitters and the like than Mulberry or Dior.  It's a shame, because on the whole, it's actually a pretty good magazine. Maybe they could include a 'this week's affordable item'?

The good news is, that there are blogs out there such as mine and other alternative reading sources that are picking up on the growing trend for Vintage, Second-Hand and other affordable fashion trends.  So if you’re bored of the high street and no seamstress can make your purse fit designer labels and beauty salons, get yourself along to Cloud Nine.  Or book yourself a pin-up makeover and we’ll show you how to adopt a style without breaking the budget.

Seasons A-changing

It's that undeniable time of year again when the shops empty of their floaty, frilly summer wares and become filled with heavy knits and Winter woollens and we must once again, drag out our Winter clothing storage boxes from the loft and sift out any moth-eaten casualties.  But if you're unsure where to begin with slipping in the new season fashion and must-have items, I was walking past Oasis when I spied this list.  And where better to go hunting for some of these items than the Cloud Nine event?