IT'S A DATE!

Take note! This is your chance to shop some seriously covetable pieces, and do your bit for charity all at the same time. Head down to the Music Rooms on South Molton Lane in London and get set for Gladrags and Handbags! There are set to be heaps of goodies donated by a who’s who of the fashion world up for grabs. Go label hunting and spot some of the fabulous donations from huge names like Westwood, McQueen, Chole, Diesel, and - of course - Topshop!  100% of proceeds go to Kids Company, who’ll be giving over 2000 children the magical Christmas day they deserve. Designer clobber and do-gooing to boot?  We think this might just be our perfect day out!  Head down at these times and have a look for yourself.

* Friday 13th Nov 9am - 7pm
* Saturday 14th Nov 10am - 5pm
* Sunday 15th Nov 11am - 4pm

C'EST CHIC

 

We've got serious girl-crushes on French popstrells, Plasticines. They make great, sing-along songs and have a style that we wouldn't mind pinching! When they're not playing a gig or being generally brilliant, they're out conquering America with their unique brand of yesteryear-inspired, dance-floor-friendly, music. We've been following them for a while and can't wait for them catch on over in Blighty. Check out one of their French numbers in our Christmas behind-the-scenes video and get grooving at your desk! 

 

Shop the Christmas collections shot in this video!

AN EDUCATION

Having long been fans of nostalgic cinema, we're still marvelling over An Education.  It's set in the early 1960s, when the country was on the cusp of a massive wave of change, and expertly taps into the emerging tensions and movements that shaped that decade.  It has a central character with big dreams, it has whirlwind romance, a heady sense of life swirling out of control, and a style and substance begotten only to the sixties and captured perfectly on film. Everybody's talking about Carey Mulligan's performance, and we're marvelling at the absolutely brilliant costumes involved. Leopard print hat and formal pea coat anybody? Yes please!

GOT LITTLE BOOTS STUCK IN OUR HEADS...

FASHEMATICS!

The boys at Trust Fun never disappoint. Here's their latest Fashematic for us ...  we think it's our favourite yet! And if you haven't had a look at Petit Mal!, get your hands on one. It's like nothing you've ever seen before and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face! And how much do you want that dress? It's Topshop Unique SS10.

DAVID KOMA - ON THE RADAR!

Since Cheryl Cole appeared on X-Factor in one of David Koma's dresses last week, everyone's been talking about the up-and-coming London-based designer! Whatever you thought of Cheryl in that dress, you have to admire her for taking a chance and showing her support for such a fresh, young talent. David only graduated from Centarl Saint Martins last February where his collection immediately caught the attention of the world's most important press and buyers at the colleges' renowned MA show.

As soon as London boutique, Browns Focus, stock a graduate's MA collection, you know they're going to be hot! And that's why we weren't surprised to see David's designs featured in super-slick editorials and on the back of Lady Gaga within no time at all! But if anyone knows how to wear a David Koma dress, it looks like it's Beyonce Knowles.

After speaking to David at Brown Focus' Halloween party last Friday, we knew that Beyonce had been on the phone trying to get hold of one of his pieces! And wow, did she look great in his off-the-shoulder number as she picked up one of her awards at the MTV European Music Awards in Berlin last night.

 

We were also lucky enough to get down to David's SS10 show at London Fashion Week back in September and can't wait to see who'll be wearing these come spring! Love how Kim Howells styled it up and can't wait to see it up close.

David Koma AW09 Catwalk Images; David Koma, Beyonce Images; Reuters, David Koma SS10 Images; Dazed Digital
 

FROM BEATLES TO BOWIE

Think of the sixties and think of swinging London, girls in short dresses and a new sense of freedom and youth. Sound pretty good? Well now's your chance to see the icons that shaped this defining era, thanks to the National Portrait Gallery's newest exhibition: Beatles to Bowie.

Photographs and memorabilia come together to explore the ways that image, fashion and performance combined to make musicians stars. We're suckers for a bit of nostalgic cool and are itching to get down and take a look. It's on until January and is set to inspire some serious fashion adventures - we can't wait! Check out a few of the pictures from the exhibition; The Who, David Bowie, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Marianne Faithfull.

TRICK OR TREAT...?

Last Friday, we went to Browns Focus' Halloween bash at the eerie Shepherd's Bush Pavillion with the lovely David Koma!



Up-and-coming designer of the moment - David, whose Saint Martins MA collection is currently being stocked exclusively by Browns - had curated one of the venues many spooky spaces. From David's candelabra lit mannequin in one of his beaded mini dresses and a Batman mask to LP.BG's blood filled bath and Henry Holland's epitaphed tomb stones ('Bite Me With Your Fang, Alexander Wang' being a personal favourite), it was the perfect backdrop for fashion's finest!




From model and one half of LP.BG, Ben Grimes, who looked amazing as a suicidal bride to Henry Holland as Edward Scissorhands and the lovely Browns Focus girls with their terrifying make-up, it was one hell of a scary party! Especially, when you had to make your way up and down all those stairs...





Lit by a 1000 carved pumpkins, this gorgeous, dilapidated theatre thronged to live performances from Marina and the Diamonds (who was channelling Morticia Adams in An amazing full-length Mark Fast number), as well as Charli XCX - David Bailey's new muse - and Arthur Baker and Dan Lywood who were on the decks!



As we sipped on cocktails and danced away to Mowgli's Road with David's stylist, Kim Howells, who was in a Noki number, we couldn't help but wish David had let us know about the invite a little earlier! Unfortunately, our fancy dress outfits didn't quite compare!

All images from Browns Focus Blog Miss B

FASHION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

It’s time to make an outrageous hand gesture boys and girls. We’ve become obsessed with the idea of making a fashion statement with our fingertips and have spent ages scrolling through the pictures of nail aficionados WAH! 

They’re self-pegged as a "Top Shelf Dopeass Nail Salon" and have been busy creating little works of art on nails from Mondrian to Strawberries and from Adidas to leopard print. Their fashion kudos was confirmed this year when they decorated digits at Fashion Week for none other than PPQ.

Until Wednesday 11th November, they've got a Pop-Up nail salon in Selfridges! Get down there or go and find them on London’s Kingsland Road and have them match your nails to your favourite dress, or somebody else’s favourite dress, or the sky, or your cat, or a sandwich...! The list goes on - they can do it all.