The LRD (Little Red Dress)



Red Plunge Neck Satin Dress - Topshop
(photos from Topshop.com)



As any student around summer, when the digits drain from the ATM bank account balance with every lunch, brunch and pair of sandals, I have been attempting to restrain myself in the spending department so that I can get a new A/W wardrobe in time for college in September. The social media fashion feeds have been pouring salt in my wound as, scrolling through my Pinterest feed, I fell in love with Selena Gomez' red Christian Dior mini-dress which she wore to the Rudderless premiere last October. And I was head over heels. Her translucent Manolo Blahnik heels.

Selena Gomez at the
Rudderless premiere, LA
(source: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic)    

Obviously, we are all accustomed to drooling over the latest designer collection, with the realistic view that never will we step into that Elie Saab gown or those Louboutin pumps, however this dress has a high-street dupe. When I discovered Topshop’s strikingly similar satin plunge-neck dress, sat in the college library and scrolling through Topshop’s “NEW IN” section at my desk, I was so excited I immediately asked for someone to take me to a ball in our family group chat. I didn’t get any invites. Although Topshop’s LRD is a little longer, with cross-back straps and what appears in pictures to be a pinker shade of red than Dior’s, the two are very similar in style and it is the closest I have seen the high-street get to a designer dress. Whether for dinner or a graduation celebration, for those of us who are not an acting, singing, ex of Justin Bieber and BFF of T-Swift - Selena Gomez - or Lucy Hale at the 2014 Teen Choice Awards, this Topshop tribute is a good choice. This explains how there are only 5 left in stock. 

Lucy Hale at the
2014 Teen Choice Awards
(source: Steve Granitz/WireImage)

I have not purchased The Dress after a) convincing myself that I cannot and should not buy it due to lack of funds and, b) realising that I do not have an upcoming occasion to wear it. I stayed strong and didn’t even try it on after seeing it in the Topshop concession stand in Selfridges. *sigh* A girl can dream. What do you think of my Topshop alternative?

May your dreams be filled with Dior and Manolo Blahniks,
L









SUNNIES MAKE THE WORLD GO ROUND

The Wildfox Couture Twiggy Frame Sunwear

THE SUN IS OUT. Or has been going in and out from behind the clouds for a week now. The point is: I’m going to need some sunglasses on standby. At the moment, there is a thick, white blanket of cloud  but it could easily be blue skies for us tomorrow. Oh English weather, why do you do this to us? I have a feeling however, that it will be warm from now on. Time to slip out the sunglasses and slap on the sun cream.

Every year I find a new favourite sunglasses style. Last year it was the cat-eye 

Minkpink Madness Sunglasses

and the year before that it was the John Lennon look. This year I’m going round, like I did a few years ago with my lennon sunnies but with a much chunkier frame this time around. I am in love with Wildfox’s Twiggy Frame. In love. They are so sixties. But I am also not made of money and £168 for a pair of sunglasses, when I have a whole new summer wardrobe in mind, is a bit pricey. Luckily, I have discovered the Minkpink Madness Sunglasses for £26 from ASOS which have the chunky, round frame I’m looking for in sunwear this season - and they're tortoiseshell, bonus. Happy Lydia.

Sunglasses can make or break an outfit. Whether you use them to bring a little je ne sais quoi to an outfit or to hide panda eyes, whenever, wherever you are: sunglasses are the answer.

Nancy Drew: Unlikely Style Icon

I feel slightly fraudulent as I have, rather shamefully, not read any of the Nancy Drew books. However, when I say Nancy Drew is a style icon, I mean Nancy Drew played by Emma Roberts in the 2007 film which I have loved since I first watched it when I was about eight. Bringing style to sleuthing, she’s doing it for the nerds. Hello, have you seen her shoes? Here are the reasons she’s one of my fashion icons:

Theatrical release poster (from Wikipedia)

1)   Drew made moccasins and penny loafers a thing.
2)   She is the Queen of co-ords.
3)   Her bag (or 'sleuthing kit') is the most practical since Mary Poppins’ – it always contains some form of baking, be it a blondie or a lemon bar, and I seriously need one for my brownies. She brought my two loves together: fashion and food.
4)   She can wear a peter-pan collar shirt in P.E. and get away with it (it's impractical, but if I could, I would).
5)   She isn't afraid to be herself and stand out from the crowd.

Well done, Drew, well done.

L