My London Style - Presenter Izzy Lawrence

Presenter, DJ and one of Britain’s most prestigious bloggers, Izzy Lawrence is set to sky rocket this year. If you haven’t already heard of this Bath born, Oxford educated, London based STUNNER yet, you soon will. Believe me. 

When Izzy Lawrence's personal blog came to the attention of the Grammy’s social media team in 2011, she was asked to be the official Fashion & Lifestyle Blogger for their awards. 30 million page views and several red carpet frocks later, Izzy was soon regularly blogging for LA radio station KCRW, presenting for Spotify and working as the official BRIT Awards blogger.  Her engaging presenting style and husky voice led Jonathan Ross to approach her to co-host his French Film Channel, Cinemoi, at the Cannes and BFI Film Festivals, whilst her video blogs were picked up by Hello, Grazia Daily and Nylon Magazine, leading to her becoming an Official Youtube partner.   And no, we’re so not done yet...

Izzy also runs her own monthly charity music night at Camden’s Hawley Arms  Apocalystick Acoustic (which Laura Marling, Squeeze, Jack Savoretti and the late, great Amy Winehouse have all played at).  She combines this with regular DJ residencies at several London hotspots whilst playing sets at London Fashion Week, in Val d’Isere during the winters and in Ibiza and popular festivals throughout the summers.  All of this in heels.

Amazingly, Izzy found the time to share with The London Chatter some of her stylish tips and advice... This girl doesn’t sleep.

My Style In 3 Little Words – Rock'n'Roll.

This Season Every Gal Needs – Apple green nail varnish - or maybe that is just me?! I saw a video with Santi White from Santigold wearing it and have been rocking it ever since.

My British Fashion Icon – Isabella Blow. Certain people have the charisma to pull off those sorts of accessories and she had bags of it. Also, Isabella had the ability to spot and nurture talented young designers including Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy.

My Favourite Highstreet Store – All Saints - I love their maxi dresses and leather jackets.

My Favourite Boutique – Cochinechine, or Wolf and Badger on Dover Street which showcases young designers. The concept of young designers renting space and customers buying from new talent is a clever entrepreneurial model. There is a pop up Wolf and Badger in Selfridges now as well.

My Favourite British Designer – Alice Temperley is definitely up there. I wore Temperley London for the Cannes red carpet last year and I'm pretty sure that Brad Pitt winked at me (or maybe that was in my mind...)

At Gunpoint; Bags OR Shoes – Shoes please!

My First Fashionista Memory – Trying on my grandmother's dresses and dancing around in her shoes - excellent training for the future!

My Saturday Night Outfit – If I am DJing then definitely a dress (my favourites are from Paul & Joe and Liz Black) worn with a leather jacket to dress it down.

My Sunday Brunch Outfit – My bright yellow Converse trainers with jeans and a T-shirt. I need to be comfy for brunch.

OMG I Can’t Believe I Wore – Dungarees.  They should be banned.  Banned.

Forget My Last Meal, My Last Outfit Would Be – An amazing Alexander McQueen dress. Or, the gorgeous Tom Ford dress and necklace that I tried on during a recent trip to LA.  It is rare that I dance in a changing room out of excitement.

My Style Tip – I love the quote from Coco Chanel, "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different."  I take from this that you should follow your instincts - they are unique and the trends don't matter.

The next Apocalypstick will on June 8th at The Hawley Arms pub in Camden with music from Nimmo & The Gauntlettes, Tallulah Rendal and from Sissi.

www.izzyfied.com
www.izzylawrence.com

HAWT: Cheryl Cole in Victoria Beckham

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

Last night Cheryl Cole attended the film premiere of ‘What To Expect When You’re Expecting,’ at the London BFI IMAX cinema, wearing a floor length Victoria Beckham SS’12 dress

With rose gold jewellery by Garrard and an elegant satin Sergio Rossi clutch, Cheryl effortlessly channelled two of this season’s "major" (to quote VB!) trends – sports-luxe and pretty, feminine pleats. 

The singer looked stunning in the two-tone, drop waisted dress – the perfect red carpet outfit to celebrate her first movie cameo and this year’s first day of sunshine in the capital.

Below: Cheryl Cole with the film's star, Cameron Diaz.

The trailer for 'What To Expect When You're Expecting' can be seen Here

Trend: Studs

"Tell me about it, Stud..."  (Sandy, Grease.)

The Highstreet is currently filled with studs… albeit of the appliqué variety.  Inspired by the Versace SS’12 runway collection (above) where every model was adorned with more than just a sprinkling of golden studs lining their slinky silhouettes, the trend for an edgier, more rebellious, look is now easily available without the hefty Donatella price tag. 

I would recommend heading straight to Zara to release your inner fierce… With subtle studded embellishment on many (if not most) of their latest items, this is easily made an accessible and current look for everyone to ROCK.  Here are my Zara favourties:


Left: Shirt with Studded Collar
RRP. £39.99

I would wear this shirt with all the buttons done up, with jeans and a navy jumper - Slightly preppy but with an edge. 


Left: Studded Silk Shirt
£59.99

This pretty, floral silk shirt has studded shoulders - I love this contrast and it would look great tucked into denim shorts this Summer. On the wish list.


Left: Studded Denim Pop Fabric Studio Shorts
RRP. £39.99

Perfect for the Summer and can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. 



Left: Studded Ankle Strap Sandles
RRP. £29.99

For those a little more cautious of this trend - literally, dip your toe in and ease your way up!



Left: Blouse with Gold Stud Buttons
RRP. £22.99

Also available in pink, green and orange - I think this is perfect to throw over your bikini on holiday - Buy oversized and tuck the front into shorts.

Kate Moss Covers British Vogue June 2012

With red lips, retro curls, a white gladiator Versace dress and Kara Ross Crescent earrings, Kate Moss smolders on the cover of this month’s 'Going for Gold' British Vogue.  

Only weeks ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games and Jubilee celebrations, this remarkable, and distinctly patriotic, edition of Vogue pays tribute to both British sporting legends and national treasures alike. 

This is thirty-eight year old Croydon-born supermodel Kate Moss’ 32nd British Vogue cover and she was shot by photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott looking every inch an Olympic goddess and British beauty.

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Snap!  Does Kate Moss’ pose, clutching a thick coil of rope look familiar?  A couple of years ago photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott used the exact same rope (right) in their Emporio Armani campaign, featuring yet another national treasure (and British beauty!) David Beckham.

Versace studded leather and silk dress (from £4,030) and Kara Ross Crescent earrings, (£100) are available from Harvey Nichols.

Maximalism: Anna Dello Russo

Fashion icon/addict Anna Dello Russo, Editor and creative consultant for Vogue Japan and frequent FROW showstopper, has designed a unique collection of accessories for H&M.

Known for her extensive couture wardrobe and wildly elaborate style, ADR's unashamedly maximalist accessories range will include jewellery, clutch bags, sunglasses and of course, shoes (she has over 4000 pairs...) of accessories for H&M.

ADR reveals, "I wanted to create precious accessories that are impossible to find; pieces everybody can have fun, turning an ordinary day into a fantastic fashion day."
 
Available in selected H&M stores from October 4th 2012.

I call myself “the vestal of fashion” because for me fashion is a muse and you must seduce her. How? You have to feed the creative fire, so it doesn’t vanish."

"Wear lots of jewellery... the sound of jewellery banishes 
bad thoughts and bad ghosts."

"Some people take drugs... I take collections!"

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"I don't want to be cool - I want to be fashion!"

“I don’t have this routine life. I don’t go into the office; I’m travelling around the world. I’m lucky. But I never liked easy clothes in my life. My mother said, ‘You want a pair of jeans?’ and I said, ‘No, mother, I want a couture dress!’”

Trend: Spring Shorts

I think wearing shorts are the perfect fashion solution for Springtime. Despite showing more leg than you would in a dress or skirt, by keeping your arms covered up in a silk shirt or jumper this look instantly becomes less provocative. 

Denim shorts (worn with opaque tights and ankle boots if chilly) are an effortless and casual substitute for daytime wear, whereas a pair of tailored velvet, sequin or lace shorts are a brilliant, more luxe, evening alternative.
 
The British highstreet is currently flooded with shorts so this look is very attainable; I recommend Topshop for their short shorts and Zara for their silky shirts.

Below:  British fashionista Alexa Chung, and her endlesssssssss legs, are frequently seen out and about, come rain or shine, in this comfortable and cool look...

Trend: Isabel Marant Wedge Trainers

Having taken the leap and finally taken off her much adored Isabel Marant Dicker Boots, Kate Bosworth was seen in Beverley Hills last week sporting the designer's coveted wedge trainers. In this laidback and relaxed Spring ensemble, Kate contrasts this season’s love of all things sporty (sweatshirt/trainers) with all things ladylike (pleated, flowy skirt.)

Isabel Marant’s coveted wedge trainers (the shoe that launched a thousand high street copies) is a look, much like our beloved UGG boots, that will no doubt be more popular with the girls wearing them than the boys looking at us in them.  Functional and comfy usually don’t scream sexy, but hey, when he doesn’t have to give you a piggy back home, stiletto’s in hand, he’ll soon be won over...

RRP. £430.00

If you, like me and Beyonce, are happy to embrace the wedge, the velcro and your inner Marty McFly, here are some of my more affordable recommendations:

Above (clockwise):  Ash Bowie Wedge Trainers in clay - £149.00Ash Coolbis Wedge Trainers in black - £175.00, Topshop Acrobat Trainers - £78.00Aldo Netz Wedge Trainers -£80.00Asos Deny Wedge High Top Trainers with Suede detail £45.00

The Great Gatsby - Dapper and Flapper

Like pondering over which came first between the chicken or the egg (I'm still undecided) it is also pretty tricky to pinpoint which came first when discussing the current trend for 1920s fashion and the announcement of Baz Luhrmann’s re-make of The Great Gatsby.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920s novel, The Great Gatsby's most recent film adaptation stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Toby Maguire and Carey Mulligan.  With several film stills recently released of Leo looking dapper and Carey looking flapper, I am craving all things fringed and flirty.  Luckily London's high streets are filled with drop-waisted flapper dresses, beaded chiffon gowns, glittery headbands and long, lustrous strings of pearls.  

(Below) Apparently I am not the only one embracing this deliciously decadent style...  Georgia May Jagger, Fearne Cotton, Kate Bosworth, Marion Cotillard, Drew Barrymore and Elizabeth Olsen have all stepped out looking flappalicious.

Tiffany & Co have created sparkling, one-of-a-kind diamond jewellery for Carey Mulligan (left) to wear in the film, and it has been revealed that fashionista Ashley Olsen has generously loaned some of her own dresses to the movie’s wardrobe department from her vintage archive.

Baz Luhrmann's 'The Great Gatsby' is released at cinemas this December

Matthew Williamson Spring Sample Sale

The Matthew Williamson Spring Sample Sale, with up to 80% off womanswear & accessories:

Wednesday 21st, 8am – 7pm
Thursday 22nd March, 8am – 7pm

The Music Room,
26 South Molton Lane,
Mayfair, W1K 5AB

Credit Buy - Project D's Aphrodite Sequin Dress

Friends Dannii Minogue and Tabitha Somerset-Webb’s label ‘Project D,’ launched in 2010, continues to go from strength to strength.  The two ladies have created a beautiful capsule collection of feminine, empowering dresses, balancing Dannii’s sophisticated, red-carpet glamour with Tabitha’s more rock’n’roll edge.  Dannii shared,"we will do the hard work and get the details on the dresses right, so all you have to do is enjoy them."

Below: The Aphrodite Sequin Dress is utterly show stopping…

RRP. £610 available at Austique.