Kate Middleton’s wedding dress: a vintage style success

Friday 29^th was a day filled with awe and excitement for fashion-lovers all over the world when the now Duchess of Cambridge finally revealed her wedding dress after months of speculation. A masterpiece it was, but Catwalk Talk couldn’t help noticing it looked a little bit familiar?

Kate Middleton’s wedding dress has been named a perfect tribute to the late Alexander McQueen who died early last year. But the design, by the designers protégée and successor Sarah Burton, is said to also pay homage to another princess bride.

The stunning lace bodice and long sleeves of Kate’s dress are hugely similar of those on the wedding gown of Grace Kelly, who became Princess Grace of Monaco when she married Ranier III, Prince of Monaco, in 1956.

The similarities between the dresses are endless! Both share a high-waisted, full-skirted silhouette followed by a long, flowing train and worn with beautiful, sheer veils and diamond tiaras.

Indeed even Kate’s headwear was from the era of Grace Kelly. The 1936 ‘Halo’ tiara by Cartier was a vintage tribute to the ‘something borrowed’ idea, on loan from the Queen herself.

Despite the comparisons that can be made between the gowns, there is no question that Kate has managed to put her own spin on the classic look.

The lace on the bride's dress details a rose, thistle, daffodil and shamrock, and was hand-made by the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace. She even had a blue ribbon sewn onto the interior of her dress for her ‘something blue’. Clearly she's a woman of tradition!

Her hair was worn part loose in a demi-chigon, held in place by the tiara, and left to fall in tumbling curls beneath her veil.

The bride carried a bouquet combined of myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth, a design by Shane Connolly.

What is for sure is that Kate Middleton managed to ooze both beauty and vintage glamour on her wedding day to Prince William. She proved that the bridal look of the late Grace Kelly is one that is timeless, and one that is sure to be copied by fashion conscious brides for many years to come.

So what do you think of Kate’s dress? Click on the clip below to here some opinions. 

Kate Middleton wedding dress by Nicole Muller

Seventies fashion: good or bad?

Hollywood stylist Rachel Zoe told us months ago, but it has finally been confirmed...seventies fashion is back with a bang!

Designers have been toying with seventies trends for years now, but no one has really wanted to take that risky plunge. But be warned, this time round it’s not the laid back hippy look that’s in style. You’ll have to put in a lot more effort if you want to stay true to this new trend as Yves Saint Laurent proved in his new spring collection.

Yes, it’s all about the glamour girls! Luxurious fabrics, decadent prints and flowing silks will be top of your ‘to buy’ list if you’re up for channelling your inner seventies diva this season.

It seems that Hollywood’s finest have jumped on the bandwagon as well!

Way back in January, Georgia May Jagger rocked the tricky trend in her gorgeous spread for British Vogue. She’s practically the poster girl for seventies fashion, pictured wearing almost every style possible. Huge floppy hats, crochet swimsuits and high-waisted shorts...Georgia has pretty much nailed it!

California beauties Nicole Richie, Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson have always supported the seventies luxe vibe, with floaty sundresses, retro-prints and fabulous jumpsuits seemingly the only items available in their wardrobes. The girls have pulled off seventies style to perfection, oozing with the bohemian glamour we all associate with the legendary decade.

But beware girls! With every trend, comes that signature piece that has us all divided. Last time round it was the MC Hammer style harem pants, but this time it could be even worse. Yes, flared jeans have made a comeback with A-list fashionista’s the world over all sporting the trend that makes us cringe at the thought of our childhood fashion faux pas.

But what do you think?

Are flared jeans a blast from the past that should be forgotten, or are you open to the controversial trend?

Catwalk Talk found out what some of you thought...

Rebecca Tomkins: “I think flared jeans are a no go! Wide pant trousers are different, and patterned jumpsuits are cool, but some of seventies fashion is outdated for a reason.”

Laura Kerrigan: “I would definitely try a pair on in a shop to see what they look like seeing as I haven’t worn them since I was seven! But I doubt I would go for it, especially because I’m short! I love the patterns of the seventies, but the items of clothing not so much.”

Kerry Harrison: “Seventies as a concept is great, but when it comes to wearing seventies clothing it depends on how toned down it is. I love the patterned jumpsuits, and I suppose flares look good on some people, but they’re not for me!”

Daniela Muller: “Patterned jumpsuits maybe...but flared jeans are a definite no! I think they just look unflattering and people should stick to the skinny or bootleg jean style that has actually worked in the last decade.”

Lauren Collin: “Palazzo pants, the massive flared trousers, are in style! And high-waisted trousers look brilliant with really high wedges. I think it’s going to be a really big look. I think seventies fashion is the best, anything retro or vintage looking is a winner for me.”

Watch Yves Saint Laurent's spring 2011 catwalk show here.

Kate Moss for Dior's iconic new lipstick

Fashions highest paid supermodel Kate Moss has been unveiled as the new face of Dior Addict lipstick, starring in a super sexy new video for the campaign.

After the British beauty was spotted applying layers of glossy Dior lippy at the designers show way back in September, the rumour mill went into overdrive about a possible collaboration between the pair. Well, it seems Kate had signed a contract with the brand way before the gossip even started, filming part of the television ad campaign just days before Dior’s autumn catwalk extravaganza.

The ad was directed by Jonas Akerland, who is famous for his input in Lady Gaga’s nine and a half music video for her chart hit Telephone.

It involves Kate getting ready in a slick Parisian apartment suite, applying a popping shade of pink Addict lipstick, before catching a lift in a slick chauffeur driven car to the Dior catwalk show.

The star has a number of ad campaigns under her tiny belt, most famously as the face of British brand Rimmel makeup supporting ‘the London look’ for over 9 years. It appears the model will be chanting a new mantra after being chosen to front the dazzling new campaign by former Dior designer and close friend John Galliano. The video finishes with Kate delivering the punch line: ‘Dior Addict, be iconic’. So could this be the legendary model's most 'iconic' ad yet?

The lipstick is available now in all leading beauty retailers across the country.

Ultimo's real women!

Fashion has always been about perfection; a world where the skinny and towering tall strive. Well maybe it’s about time we change that! At least it seems lingerie brand Ultimo certainly think so...

It’s about time to forget the models, and Ultimo have done just that. The brand has decided to use seven ‘real’ women to front their new lingerie collection.

Ultimo have opted to choose women who will actually end up buying their products rather than the perfect silhouettes usually seen sporting sexy undies on billboards the world over. The seven lucky ladies were picked from over 10,000 applicants, all of whom are aged between 18 and 46 and range between sizes 8 to 18.

Despite being gorgeous, the girls could not be any more normal. They include a 21-year-old student, a 25-year-old medical therapist and an 18-year old administrator.

This is the second time that Ultimo have promoted their underwear through the use of ‘real women.’ The move is a real step forward for the fashion industry, which has always promoted the mantra that skinny is stylish. Not only will the campaign send a new message to fashion giants, but it’s all in the aid of an even bigger cause. The label has managed to raise an astounding £100,000 for charities including Breast Cancer Care, Cash for Kids and Children with Leukaemia.

The fashion revolutionary shots will be shown at on the Ultimo website as well as Debenhams stores nationwide.

Catwalk Talk’s top 5 stylish women

The term style can be interpreted in many different ways. With trends always changing, it’s impossible to predict what will be trendy with each change of season. What can be said is that style itself comes down to personal taste and what is seen as stylish to one person could be seen as a complete disaster to another. In my opinion, the standard of fashion amongst today’s celebrities is higher than it’s ever been and the number of fashion faux pas seems to be becoming more and more rare...unless you’re Lady Gaga!

So who is Hollywood’s most fashionable lady? It’s been tricky, but Catwalk Talk has narrowed it down to the top 5 women who tick all the style boxes.

5. Landing at number 5 on the list, Sienna Miller is no stranger to style awards. Sienna has been on the fashion radar ever since she was catapulted to fame when she starting dating her then-boyfriend, British hunk Jude Law. A whole nation of fashion followers instantly fell in love with Sienna’s effortless hippy style. A regular on the festival scene, Miss Miller invented the term ‘boho’ rocking maxi dresses and bum-skimming hot pants to perfection.  Her gorgeous golden locks have been the inspiration for hairstyles the world over, making her the newest blonde bombshell since Marilyn Monroe!  Sienna raised her profile in the fashion industry even further when she launched her own label Twenty8Twelve with her sister Savannah 11 seasons ago, creating numerous collections that she claims are suitable for women of all shapes, ages and sizes. Her hard work got her recognized by fashion top dogs, and she is now the face of Hugo Boss fragrances. You know you’re stylish when you have a designer ad campaign under your belt!

4. Over a decade ago Victoria was one of five in globally famous pop group The Spice Girls. Nicknamed ‘Posh Spice’, Victoria was often seen in platform heels whilst promoting ‘girl power’ to the masses. Nowadays, thanks to her high-profile marriage to football star David Beckham, Victoria is half of the world’s most fashionable power couple, appearing in ad campaigns for sexy underwear range Armani and even releasing joint perfumes and sunglasses together. Posh could not be further from the average WAG, opting for a sophisticated look rather than Juicy Couture tracksuits and fake tan! She’s actually become a star in her own right now, with her collection of dresses, designed herself, earning her a well-deserved place in the front row of every fashion show. Her style is always impeccable, so it’s no surprise that countless celebrities are queuing up to wear one of her designs, with Kate Middleton even planning to purchase one of her dresses for her Honeymoon. Well if she’s got the royal stamp of approval, she’s definitely got ours!

3. Once upon a time came a television show that had us all fawning over its leading lady. When The OC hit our screens, we all got very excited about the sensational style of Mischa Barton and branded her with the title of the ‘IT girl’ of US television. Well the fashion world has finally found its replacement in the form of blonde beauty Blake Lively. When Gossip Girl started in late 2007, Blake shot to stardom through her role as New York wild child Serena van der Woodsen. Her flawless style has designers falling over to dress her, and at just 23 she has managed to land the job every other girl in Hollywood would have killed for; the face and muse of Chanel designs. With her towering pins and that effortless beach hair, the all American girl manages to look just as amazing dressed up as she does in a simple pair of jeans. Blake Lively, the fashion world salutes you!

2. Appearing in the Harry Potter franchise since the age of 11, Emma Watson’s style has always been associated with the geek chic trends of her character Hermione Granger. But in the past few years, the now 21-year-old has finally stepped out of Hermione’s shadow, presenting us with a style that is truly spellbinding. Emma is possibly the biggest British star of her generation, earning a whopping £20 million last year alone. Well its seems she is putting her new found riches to good use, and has invested in a selection of designer outfits that has us in a green haze of envy. Emma describes herself as ‘straight and boring’, but clearly her style is anything but. She has quite an impressive fashion CV behind her already, having stepped into Kate Moss’s shoes as the new face of Burberry and a regular on the front cover of Vogue. With the last instalment of Harry Potter set for release in June, we expect to see plenty of Emma’s style successes strutting up red carpets all over the world.

1. And finally the number 1 spot goes to socialite and fashion show regular Olivia Palermo. Bursting onto our screens in MTV’s hit show The City, Olivia first caught our attention as Whitney’s bitchy co-worker in the PR department of Diane von Furstenburg. Despite people’s dislike for her character, no one could fault Olivia’s impeccable, uptown style; a look that epitomises New York fashion. Olivia has shown she is no average reality television star but more of a red carpet beauty, gracing fashions most exclusive events in designers such as Philip Lim, Zac Posen and Versace. One of her greatest qualities is her ability to mix things up. She cannot be pinned to one specific trend, and has been seen in flowing gowns, boyish suits and casual jeans; looking fabulous in all of them of course. She’s even a high street chick at heart, and claims that Topshop is one of her favourite stores- maybe we have a chance of stealing her style after all! There is no trend that Olivia can’t master, and for that reason she has received the crown for Catwalk Talk’s number one style icon.

So who are your style icons? Catwalk Talk spoke to some of you to see who's style you love. Click on the clip below to hear more. 

Style iconss by Nicole Muller

Let's get smoky!

The evenings might be getting lighter, but this summer it's dark eyes that everyone’s going for!

Instead of the pastel shades we usually see this time of year, darker colours have been dominating Hollywood. The smoky eye-shadow effect is one that is usually popular in the winter months, but the sultry look has become the unlikely celebrity must have make-up trend for this season.

If done right smoky eyes can be extremely sexy, but if done wrong you’ll look more boozy bender than red carpet gorgeous. With celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and Mila Kunis being fans of the look, it’s about time you give it a try. Here’s how to make yours work.

1.       Smoky eyes don’t necessarily have to mean black. If you’re worried a grey or black shade is a bit too harsh, there are loads of other colours to choose from. It’s all about blending two colours together, so just make sure you have two shades of the same colour but one is slightly lighter. Plums, khakis, pinks and blues can all look beautiful as well, providing they are applied correctly.

2.       For those of you new to this look, dusting a taupe shade over the lids of your eye and simply outlining your eye with a black kohl pencil is an alternative to the classic smoky eye trend. The use of an eye pencil can completely transform the shape of your eye, creating a definition that’s not too overpowering.

3.       Smoky eyes simply do not work without thick, glossy lashes. This can work by smothering them in tons of mascara, but the easiest way of creating extra volume is by investing in a quality pair of fake eyelashes. It’s important to select a pair that is not too thick so that they still look natural. And stick to just one pair, ‘The only way is Essex’ look is not one to be copied.

4.       The lighter shade should be applied all the way up to the brow, but never do this with the dark. Keep it subtle by only dusting the shade in the outer corners of your eye and blending it with the light when they both meet to avoid it looking too blocky.

5.       If you’re really brave, lightly brush a soft grey shadow along the lower lashes. This will draw attention straight to your eyes, but only give it a go if you have a really steady hand.

Fashion's most iconic hairstyles

It was announced today that more than 50 New York women each week ask for the ‘Middleton cut’ when visiting their salon for a new do. It seems that our new princess is the envy of girls all over the world, with many trying to achieve the effortless beauty behind Kate’s gorgeous cut.

It’s not the first time a celebrity haircut has influenced the masses. Whether its Audrey Hepburn’s classic up-do, Madonna’s bleached blonde curls or even Amy Winehouse’s enormous bouffant, big hair trends have been copied by us fashion followers for decades. They required hours in front of the mirror, hot rollers and irons and gallons of hairspray, but however hard we tried we could always imitate but not duplicate these signature styles. Catwalk Talk takes a look back on the hairstyles that truly made fashion history.

Farrah Fawcett

The remarkable tresses of Charlie’s Angels star Farrah inspired the distinctive look of the 70’s, with disco divas everywhere trying to achieve her look. She gave her classic long, ash-blonde hair a twist with soft flicks achieving a certain sexiness that is still copied by women today.

Jennifer Aniston

The popular sitcom Friends was not just a success on the television...it also inspired one of hairs most sought after trends with thousands of women asking their stylists for the ‘Rachel’. Hairdressers were bombarded with requests for a face-framing look with mountains of layers, making Jennifer’s cut the undisputed signature style of the 90’s.

Victoria Beckham

One of fashions most well dress ladies, Victoria has also been praised for her flawless hair styles. The Spice Girl shocked the world when she ditched her WAG-tastic hair extensions and stepped out with the ‘Pob’ (Posh Bob); a classic bob with a twist. Her risky move sparked a new hair craze across Hollywood, with many having their long hair snipped into a graduated cut.

Twiggy

The perfect example of how boyish beauty can be made feminine. Super skinny model Twiggy had a pixie cut that was had never been seen before, which framed her features to a fairy-like perfection. Emma Watson’s decision to chop off her long locks into this classic look has given this difficult trend a much needed comeback.

Louise Brooks

The stunning Louise shot to stardom during the silent movie era as a dancer and actress. However, her hairstyle became just as famous as she was with her blunt fringed bob hairstyle being the trend setter of the time. To this day the look has been sported by fashion’s first lady Anna Wintour who has made this legendary style completely her own.

Kylie Minogue

Although Kylie has managed to maintain her crown as fashion’s pop princess, there was a time when she was not quite as chic. Back in the ‘Scott and Charlene’ days, Kylie graced Ramsay Street with her hair in the bouncy, frizzy curls that were emulated the world over. This very look shared the taste of many 80’s women, all of which will now look back and cringe.

Marilyn Monroe

Christina Aguilera, Scarlett Johansonn and Madonna have all tried their best to imitate the ‘Marilyn’, yet no one will ever look quite as good as the original blonde bombshell. Her sexy and short style was loved by all, and her swooping platinum curls were just one of the factors that made Marilyn the pin-up of the era. Her iconic hair style is possibly one of the most famous of all time.