It’s the hottest new style blog and it was created not only from a love of fashion, but for love of a girl whose distinctive ensembles caught the attention and imagination of her adoring boyfriend, Joe.

The girl, Katie, tasked with the challenge of wearing a new outfit every day for one year, is captured on camera each day by her bf - the ultimate modern day love letter.

Currently the couple is on holiday in Mexico, but the site is still growing strong. Last week the site was featured in Grazia magazine and received a spotlight shout-out from online retailers ASOS yesterday. Joe is making his Katie a wanted woman in the fashion world!

Her outfits are quirky and colourful and I can definitely see myself becoming glued to this site over the next days, weeks and months. You should sign up too.

Let’s enjoy discovering What Katie Wore together, shall we?

x

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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Hello luv-ah.

If you haven’t heard the amazing news yet, allow me to break it to ya.

The rumours have finally been put to rest and we can all rest a little easier this evening knowing Jimmy Choo will be coming to a closet near us soon.

As of November 14, a shipment of custom made Choos will showing up at H&M stores everywhere.

Not only that, the brand will also be bringing bags, accessories and clothing for both men and women along with them. Stop, it’s too much. I’m hyper-ventilating!

The clothing chain has teamed up with some pretty amazing designers in the past (Karl, Stella, etc.), but this marks the first time H&M will bring a highly-coveted shoe-stress to the store.

The only sad part is they are coming in November. Do open-toed gladiator sandals still look good on blue, frost-bitten toes? Yes, I think in this case they definitely do.

x

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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Everyone, I’d like you to please give a warm welcome to the one… the only… the man girdle. The mirdle, if you will.

Has anyone else heard about this yet? 

An Australian undergarment designer has found a solution to saggy male torso’s everywhere: The Core Precision Undershirt. Boy oh boy.

I’m not entirely sure men will be queuing outside the stores to pick this piece up, but it sure would make my day if they did. 

According to yesterday’s Toronto Star the design helps lift and separate the shoulders, while supporting and compressing the torso. It probably also makes men walk like robots and look as though they’re being tortured needlessly as well. Is it good form or masochistic to strap one of these on?

Well, I don’t care. I’ve always been a sucker for a tight vest and seeing this hot new invention is bringing me right back to my Patrick Swayze Roadhouse days. Those were some good days indeed!

The only aspect that slightly concerns me is the matching briefs the company has launched along with the tank. Now, I’m not one to turn away a nicely wrapped package, but surely there are laws against this somewhere?

x 

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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Apologies for my silence this past week, but… my dog ate my computer. 

Actually, I’ve been sucked into a new street style website, and like a fine wine and Helen Mirren, a keen fashion sense gets better and better with age.

 Advanced Style is a new site dedicated to the old and trendy. I’m not being cheeky. Check it out.

I happen to get a lot of my style inspiration from senior citizens and I’m not ashamed to admit it.

I’ll never forget the day I ran into a veteran who was wearing the exact same hat as me. True story. I’ll also never forget the day I accidently left that beloved hat on the tube on my way home from work. A tear was shed.

Now, every time I see an old man wearing a grey flat cap I assume it’s mine and consider snatching it from his liverspot speckled noggin. Cough it up, Grandpa! But that’s not nice and it’s important to respect fashion forward elders. 

I once interviewed a 73-year-old woman who was receiving a lifetime achievement award and my first question was to please name the shade of her lipstick. She was flattered and now I’m the proud owner of a delightful crimson red lippy.

Actually, if you must know, my passion for fashion came from my mother’s mother whom I now lovingly refer to as ‘Foxy Grandma’.

I inherited Foxy’s love for glitz and high heels. Despite being in her 70s, with arthritis and a faulty hip, my grandma still manages to get her hair professionally dyed blonde before catching the latest musical act with her girlfriends at a local casino. All while wearing a kitten heeled shoe and a number of sparkly rings.

It’s not a joke when I tell you that she is a wanted woman down at the seniors’ centre. If that’s not something to aspire to then I don’t know what is. 

Her teeny tiny feet meant at age 9 I fit perfectly into every pair of her shoes. Orthopedic soles need not apply. I’m talking five inch heels in every colour and fabric imaginable. My favourite were a purple suede round-toe pair.

The day I no longer fit into those shoes was truly devastating for me. I still curse puberty for that sole reason. Pun intended.

Though I may never fit into those glorious shoes again, I’ve decided to embrace aging and all the fine lines that come along with it.

Thanks for your innovative and long awaited senior style site, Ari Cohen. If my grandma knew how to use a computer, she’d be all over your blog.

x

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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Finally! The secret to Madonna’s eternal youth is revealed to the world.

NY Magazine is reporting on an anti-aging product said to erase fine lines and give you the skin of a toddler. The secret ingredient? Human sperm.

This is not a joke. Repeat, this is not a joke.

The product dubbed Bioforskining (ahem) is made by a Norwegian company. The cream contains an extract taken from sperm and is said to be 30 times stronger than regular old vitamin E - but I think that might depend on the donor.

Not in the mood for a full bottle? Try a Spermine facial from New York’s Townhouse Spa at $250 a pop.

Ah, I could add so many colourful and inappropriate jokes to this post.

But I won’t. I’m a lady.

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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Outtakes from the 60 Minutes Wintour interview emerged this week and the cuts are arguably better than the televised bits.

My favourite has to be where Safer asks Anna whether or not she demanded Oprah lose 20 pounds before appearing on the cover of a 1998 edition of the magazine.

Her response? “It was a very gentle suggestion” and was made in order for Oprah to feel more comfortable on the cover.

Forget the fact that despite being born into extreme poverty, overcoming sexual abuse from family members, racial oppression and gender inequality, Oprah still managed to be amongst the most successful and wealthiest people in the world.

And you call yourself a cover girl??

I wonder what a “gentle” suggestion from Wintour sounds like?

That’s all lovely, darling. But your arse is still too gigantic to be featured in my magazine. No offense but I simply cannot sleep at night (in my cryogenic chamber) knowing I permitted your obesity to grace my cover.  

Just take a tip from the love of my life - Kate Moss. She may abuse cocaine, but she’s been on the cover more than 20 times. I’m sure she’d give you her dealer’s number. Kiss.

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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This week CBS’s 60 Minutes took a break from discussing such trivial topics like the economy, AIG and Guantanamo prisoners to get to the bottom of what’s really eating Americans: Anna Wintour.

What’s actually going on behind the scenes at Vogue and, more importantly, behind Anna’s sunglasses??

For those of you who don’t know (shame on you!), Ms. Wintour is the legendary editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine and possibly the most influential woman person in the fashion industry today. What comes out of those pursed lips, goes. 

As well as being known for her blunt bob and impeccable taste, she has also attained the reputation of being the fashion world’s biggest bitch - and trust me, the competition is thick. 

So, good OLD journalist Morley Safer (who is Canadian, I might add. Woot!) decided to battle with the Brit beast in a one-on-one interview, which aired this past Sunday evening.

The results? Less that satisfying. Although I loved the ridiculously close shots of Anna’s face. Zoom lenses were in full effect!

So what did we learn? Wintour’s a perfectionist. Yup, knew that already. Wintour isn’t ready to give up her post. Figured as much. Wintour has an obscene wardrobe allowance from Conde Nast. Shock! Wintour is looking more and more like a terradactyl. Mama!

What was funny to me was Safer’s take on the fashion world:

“To an outsider, these shows are another planet; part dazzling, part Rocky Horror show.  Models who seem as angry as they are emaciated, wearing clothes fit for a cadaver and shoes that make stilettos seem sensible and with a legion of camp followers and campy followers, chasing the celebrities de jour and the people who dress them.”

hee hee hee. Ah Shafer, you are a funny one.

For those who missed it, grab a martini and mink wrap. Here she is: The Wintour interview

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Marks and Spencer is looking damn good for its 125 years. The store is aging gracefully yet still giving fabulous fashion throwbacks to the 50s, 60s and 70s in their style departments. 

In honour of the big 1-2-5, the store is offering limited edition pieces, all at shockingly affordable prices. Now you can have your conveniently individually wrapped marks and sparks sponge cake, and eat it too.

Take a peek at a couple of my favourites:

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There are many reasons why I adore magazines. There are even more reasons why I love fashion magazines. And even though many people find advertisements annoying and flip past them as quickly as possible to get to the copy, I relish in them.

Some fashion advertisements are gorgeous. Take for instance, this Tiffany ad I spotted in the latest edition of Australian Vogue. It stopped my dead in my flip, and I don’t think it’s only because I’m a sucker for a redhead and expensive jewelry.

I tend to spend a lot of time analyzing advertisements. Sometimes I hate them, other times I don’t. Sometimes I think they are ridiculous, over-the-top and just bad form. Other times I think they’re better than the fashion shoots themselves. I’ve purchased a magazine based purely on the quality of ads I looked at in the first few pages.

I admit, I’ve judged a book by the quality of its back cover ad.

Working in the journalism biz, I understand the importance those ads play. The struggle between ad space and copy space will always be, but if you’re going to lovingly hog the front sections, might as well do it with style, right? Thanks Tiffany. 

x

(FYI: the featured redhead is none other than Manchester model Karen Elson. She cleans up nicely!) 

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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Friends of mine like to analyze my personal style. Mostly because it’s all over the map.

One day you’ll catch me in a hooded sweatshirt, the next I’ll be in a pencil skirt with pearls. Tomorrow a frilly dress and heels before changing into jeans and a leather jacket later on.

I go through phases, with each look having its own special title. I’ve been a guest star at Studio 54, a naughty secretary, a greek goddess. Hell, I’ve even had an Ode to Mozart phase. “Who or what is your inspiration tonight?” is a common question I love answering. 

I enjoy experimenting with my personal style. If you can’t take fashion risks in your 20s, then when can you?

And even though I will often take full credit for my eccentric looks, I have been known to take a cue or two from the odd celebrity.

Rachel Weisz (who is sounding more and more American by the minute) is one of my favs. Check out her stellar Phillip Lim outfit in this Style.com vid:

x

Tags: Fashion & Beauty by lori
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