Brand To Know - Halpern

If there was one emerging fashion designer who reigned supreme in 2017, it was New York born Central Saint Martins alumnus Michael Halpern. The 29 year old has been making shockwaves in the fashion industry with his high voltage Studio 54 inspired collections, of which glamour is at an all-time high. Forget demure red carpet dressing, Halpern is all about over-the-top statement looks. Sequined bustier dresses have already become synonymous with the brand, inspiration for which also comes from classic couture Christian Lacroix collections. Making his LFW debut for SS18, Hackney-based Halpern also showed daywear separates in satin and velvet, making for more wearable everyday pieces, something which the brand wishes to push further in the coming seasons. Stylists have been queuing up to dress their a-list celebrity clients in bespoke Halpern looks, something which will continue to push the brand to the forefront of fashion for the year ahead. Most recently model/activist Adwoah Aboah wore an off the shoulder mini dress to the Fashion Awards, and was widely applauded as the best dressed attendee.

Production takes place in Leicester, meaning the price point is a little higher than say if the collections were manufactured in Italy, but it is key for the brand to support English production. Prices from £855. Stockists: Matches Fashion, Browns, Bergdorfs, FortyFiveTen, The Webster

Phillippa x

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Grammys 2018 - Red Carpet

Last night the 60th annual Grammy Awards took place at Madison Square Garden in New York. Hosted by James Corden, many stars took to the red carpet wearing white roses in a nod to the #TimesUp movement. Take a look at who wore what on the red carpet...

1. Pink - Armani Prive

2. Lana Del Rey - Gucci

3. Chrissy Teigen - Yanina Couture

4. Hailee Steinfeld - Alexandre Vauthier

5. Camila Cabello - Vivienne Westwood

6. Miley Cyrus - Jean Paul Gaultier Couture

7. Katie Holmes - Zac Posen

8. Lady Gaga - Armani Prive

9. Eve - Naeem Khan

10. Rita Ora - Ralph & Russo Couture

11. Janelle Monae - Dolce & Gabbana

12. Lorde - Valentino

My Best Dressed

Hailee Steinfeld wearing Alexandre Vauthier. Styled by duo Rob Zangardi and Mariel Haenn, this look is absolutely perfect for the Grammy's. The white dress is fairly classic in its silhouette, but the thigh high split and killer metallic boots make this look attention grabbing for all the right reasons. Whilst I know the boots will not be to everyone's taste, if there is one event that you can really play with your style it is the Grammy's, hence why I love this look so much.

Who was your best dressed?

Phillippa x

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SAG Awards 2018 - Red Carpet

The 24th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards took place on Sunday 21st January at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Celebrating the best of film and television, take a look at who wore what on the red carpet...

Lupita Nyong'o - Ralph & Russo

Olivia Munn - Oscar de la Renta

Allison Williams - Ralph & Russo

Margot Robbie - Miu Miu

Brie Larson - Gucci

Saoirse Ronan - Louis Vuitton

Greta Gerwig - Bottega Veneta

Kate Hudson - Valentino

Vanessa Kirby - Valentino

Mandy Moore - Diane Von Furstenberg

Mary J.Blige - Jean-Louis Sebaji

Alison Brie - Dundas

Best Dressed

I loved a lot of the looks that we saw on the red carpet at this event. I think in large part this was due to the vast variety of colours and silhouettes, but my top 3 are as follows:

1. Allison Williams wearing Ralph & Russo - This embellished gown was exquisite and oozed old Hollywood glamour.

2. Margot Robbie wearing Miu Miu - This dress had a beautiful silhouette, perfect for Margot, and the ostrich feather detail added to the interest in the look.

3. Lupita Nyong'o wearing Ralph & Russo - A stunning figure-hugging dress with beautiful sheer detailing.

Who was your best dressed?

For more red carpet looks from the SAG awards, be sure to check out my 'Celebrity Red Carpet' board over on my Pinterest (details below)

Phillippa x

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On Trend Now - Rainbow Track Stripes

Stripes rarely go out of fashion, I mean i'm pretty sure everyone has a breton stripe top in their closet. But for 2018, put away your solid striped numbers and switch them out for garments with just a flash of a rainbow stripe. Traditionally these kind of stripes are seen on track pants, remember your childhood PE kits at school? This latest trend takes onboard those nostalgic influences and injects them onto an array of silhouettes. For those who wish to embrace the macrotrend for athleisure, opt for a vintage style pullover jacket with zipper detail (about as 80's as it gets when it comes to sportswear). If you wish to add just a hint of this trend into your wardrobe, but vintage isn't really your thing, then take a look at fashion brands including Madeline Thompson and The Elder Statesman for easier to wear everyday separates.

1. Bomber Jacket - J.W.Anderson £460

2. Knitted Sweatshirt - The Elder Statesman £690

3. Sweatshirt - Madeline Thompson £280

4. Track Pants - AlexaChung £175

5. Sweatshirt - Ganni £105

6. Jacket - Topshop £30

7. Jacket - Victoria by Victoria Beckham £745

Phillippa x

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2018 Seasonal Fashion Wishlist

I had a HUGE wardrobe clearout before Christmas and took a total of 7 bags of clothes and shoes to charity. I was quite frankly ruthless with my clearout, if it hadn't been worn in a while, didn't fit me well, or make me feel 100% confident then it was a goner. I actually found it very refreshing to clear out my cluttered wardrobe and only keep pieces which I really love. For the year ahead I want to make a conscious effort to cut down on my spending habits, buying fewer clothes but investing in quality pieces and clothes that fit perfectly into my existing wardrobe. You know my style by now, the colours that I like and my preferred silhouettes etc so here is my 2018 seasonal wishlist...

1. Dress - Realisation Par $195
2. Blazer - Rockins £515
3. Sweater - Burberry £795
4. Boots - Saint Laurent £600
5. T-Shirt - AlexaChung £85
6. Boots - Topshop £82
7. Coat - Isabel Marant £686
8. Bodysuit - Karen Millen £85
9. Skirt - Etoile Isabel Marant £555

Phillippa x

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Pantone Colour of 2018 - Ultra Violet

According to Pantone, Ultra Violet signifies "the mysteries of the cosmos" and based on what we see in popular culture this speaks volumes. It's a colour that allows you to have an imagination, express individuality and think of all the endless possibilities that lie within life. Just think of all the inspirational quotes you see on merchandise, positioned on top of a hazy purple background. Then there's pop icons such as Prince and David Bowie who propelled the colour into forefront of the music industry. Whilst such a colour can directly be associated with creativity it can also be closely linked to mindfulness and spirituality - creating a calming effect.

Phillippa x

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Golden Globes 2018 - Red Carpet

Last night the 75th Golden Globes took place in Los Angeles. The stars were out in force, dressed in black in acknowledgement of the 'Me Too' campaign, showing solidarity with victims of sexual harassment. Take a look at what the stars wore to attend this event...

Dakota Johnson - Gucci / Margo Robbie - Gucci

Saoirse Ronan - Atelier Versace / Lily James - Valentino

Nicole Kidman - Givenchy / Diane Kruger - Prada

Kate Husdon - Valentino / Jessica Biel - Dior Couture

Greta Gerwig - Oscar de la Renta / Angelina Jolie - Versace

Emilia Clarke - Miu Miu / Sarah Paulson - Calvin Klein

Isabel Huppert - Chloe / Alicia Vikander - Louis Vuitton

Kerry Washington - Prabal Gurung / Maggie Gyllenhaal - Monse

Gal Gadot - Tom Ford / Mandy Moorse - Rosie Assoulin

Michelle Pfeiffer - Dior / Allison Williams - Armani

Millie Bobby Brown - Calvin Klein / Kendall Jenner - Giambattista Valli

Caitriona Balfe - Chanel / Alessandra Mastronardi - Chanel

Tracee Ellis Ross - Marc Jacobs / Natalie Portman - Dior

Shailene Woodley - Ralph Lauren / Laura Dern - Armani

Best Dressed

1. Saoirse Ronan wearing Versace - The young actress has had an incredible run on the red carpet whilst promoting her latest movie 'Lady Bird'. This Atelier Versace gown was serious power dressing!

2. Diane Kruger wearing Prada. Diane rarely puts a foot wrong on the red carpet, and this delicately embellished Prada gown was no exception. Beautiful.

Phillippa x

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Outfit of The Month - January

My 'go to' look this past year has definitely been a mini skirt / polo neck combo, but for 2018 I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone. Whilst I probably won't be rocking up to work wearing athleisure any time soon, I do want to try to wear more dresses. Ok, so not that drastic of a change. I used to wear dresses all the time up until recently and then I had a wardrobe cull and ditched all the ones which didn't suit me anymore. I love dresses which are super practical and easy to wear, offering a contrast to my somewhat slim flitting a-line mini's. This georgette dress from Michael by Michael Kors is the perfect silhouette to flatter my figure. The shirred waist band is ultra flattering for me and adds an extra element of detail to this easy to wear everyday dress.  A loosely ruffled hem and delicate star print add slight rock 'n' roll vibes to the dress...something which I'm all about when it comes to fashion. A beautiful wool-blend coat by Stella McCartney falls just at the right length to skim the hemline of the dress. Completing the look are a classic pair of knee-high black leather boots and a Chloe 'Nile' bag. The perfect day-to-night outfit!

Phillippa x

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