I’m a long gone Daddy in the USA

So I’ve been at the best magazine in the world, that’s ELLE by the way, for a little over four months now, and it’s safe to say that looking cool every day is a challenge. Especially for me.

I have exhausted my smarter looks and the time has come for ‘weekend Laura’ to surface. And so, today, surface it did.

It walked in to the office in a 1980s vintage denim skirt and Bruce Springsteen Born in the USA T-shirt. My new favourite.

I’m not sure if it was too soon to expose the love of the Boss. Someone asked me who’s bum was on my chest – the answer probably lies somewhere in that.

But I love him. And this T-shirt. Tomorrow it’s The Strokes vest all the way…

Ode to the wedge

Oh wedge, where have you been? Apart from that horrific white patent teen incident, of course, but you have returned with style.

I have needed your comfort, I have missed your practicality, I love your casualness. But, you are back. And I am happy.

So happy in fact, I’ve barely taken you off. With jeans, chinos, skirts and dresses, you just work. Today you are paired with boyfriend jeans (my boyfriend’s actual jeans turned up), Christopher Kane T-shirt and French Connection blazer.

If the shoe fits…

All the Brit Awards banter

Okay, okay, shameless promotion I know, but rather than rewriting my observations from last night’s Brits, I thought I might aswell just point you in the direction of my post for ELLE’s culture blog…

Everything is here, from a ridiculous amount of admiration for Jay-Z to crazy golf-playing octopuses. Why read anything else?

I would just like to add, though, that I am obsessing over Lady Gaga and her wonderful mind. She’s a proper pop star.

The quest continues…

With the ELLE Style Awards only a week away, the panic for the perfect dress has set in.

So much so, I bought two similar dresses last week without trying either on in a desperate attempt to find ‘the one’.

Both these delights are from Topshop (yes, I will probably be the only person in high street there), but it’s not about who you’re wearing, just how it looks. And anyways, I’m championing the little man.

As luck would have it, my panic-buy second dress will be coming in very handy tomorrow night for the pop music event of the year, The Brits.

Although looking like a seductive mummy (Egyptian, not Kate Winslet) on the hanger, this simple dress sure has the wow-factor when on. Now, the hunt for the perfect shoes begins…

The hottest women in the world… naked

Unbelievably hip bi-annual magazine Love has unveiled its third issue. Content aside, the front covers feature eight supermodels in their birthday suits. With absolutely nothing to hide.

Kate Moss will surely be the fashionista’s favourite, but the newly-engaged to David Walliams (yeah, I’m not sure what’s going on there either) Lara Stone has the curves to stand out from the other sample size models.

Amber Valletta, Daria Werbowy, Jeneil Williams, Kristen McMenamy, Naomi Campbell and Natalia Vodianova are the other beauties on show.

I’m not quite sure how Katie Grand  – Love‘s founder and editor – has pulled this one off, but I’m guessing not many people are going to be bothered to find out.

Fashion magazine? They’re not promoting any clothes. But it sure is stylish.

Pringle on sale

Gone are the days of argyle golf jumpers, Pringle of Scotland are a force to be reckoned with again. Cashmere stays, of course, but under creative director Clare Waight Keller the traditionally British brand has been brought kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

And OMG, you can have this rebranded label at a discount for the next couple of days only. Just thank those lovely people at Cocosa again. Honestly, you’d think I was getting commission for this, but nada. I just think it’s an insanely great website.

Ssshhh… I’ll let you into a secret

Cocosa. Remember the name. It is a phenomenal website that offers beautiful designer collections at a fraction of the price.

Collections go on sale at midday and run until everything is sold out. So put a timer on your computer screen. I missed out on some insane Alexander McQueen black lace shoes last week for £68 and have never forgiven myself.

You really can take home a Vera Wang Lavender skirt for under £50, Ann Louise Roswald cocktail dresses and Laura Lee charming jewellery at a remarkably discounted price.

So what are you waiting for? Get googling you bargain hunters.

Jonathan Saunders hits Topshop today

On your marks, get set, go…

The Topshop collaboration season has begun. First up is Scottish-born Jonathan Saunders. He has created a simple, but beautiful, capsule collection of, but, five pieces.

His white T-shirt, denim pencil skirt and LBD are the perfect kick-start to a fashion snooze-fest January (even I’m bored of seeing every female of the species in Uggs these days).

And there is plenty more where this came from. With Ashish’s incredible spiked tracksuits (heels: a must), Richard Nicoll’s soft tailoring and Ann-Sofie Black’s slashed jumper dresses arriving soon, this is the start of something big.

And then for the most anticipated debut collection for Topshop… Mark Fast and his plus-size (10-12 – shock horror) influence.

Oh Topshop, with these designer collaborations, you are really spoiling us.

Christopher Kane rules

Christopher Kane for a tenner. Really. The Glaswegian’s massively successful Topshop collection has now hit the sale rails nationwide.

And I bought this incredible body con with lace cut-outs dress for the measley sum of ten English pounds. Yes it is in highlighter yellow. And yes, I did initially buy it for a neon fancy dress party, but no, I will not be taking it back.

It looks pretty phenomenal on. And even though I had to go to a regular party before the fancy dress, I got great comments even there.

There was a lot of staring admittedly, but just so long as you get your swagger on, this dress rocks.

The prettiest dress in the land

Karl Lagerfeld has only gone and done it again. He has designed Chanel’s most wearable collection for many a-season and this biscuit-coloured doll dress, well, takes the biscuit.

It’s too perfect for words. But I’ll try…

The timeless Chanel quality is still there, but Lagerfeld has reworked the classic look into a fresh, youthful direction. His wonderful frolicking in the hay inspiration sure is evident. It’s even fit for fashion-forward Rachel Bilson.

And fit for me. I freakin adore this creation. The barely-there colour somehow looks even better with pale skin. My only concern (apart from the price tag, obviously) is how would the biscuit shade look with blonde hair. I’m thinking not as drop dead gorgeous as it looks of ol’ Bilson.

I’ll just have to do the hay-frolicking minus the dream dress…