New Season Colour - Be Proud To Wear Purple

No one would suggest that wearing purple from head to toe is a great fashion idea, but accessorising or wearing one signature item in the classy shade can bring the romantic and mysterious side out in you. All shades of purple and particularly the punchy bright shades are the most on-trend fashion statement for this autumn. Rachel Stevens shows here just how beautiful a plum purple dress can be - she looks classily gorgeous in this sweetheart neckline gown.

Choosing One Signature Item Of Clothing In Purple

For the daytime, perhaps in the office, look for pretty feminine vest tops in purples, magentas or lilacs. Wear one under a crisp white shirt to bring out your naughty but nice side. A great idea is a classic black trouser suit with a white blouse or shirt, but make the difference by wearing some purple high heels - quirky is great.

Purple Accessories and Jewellery

Purple jewellery is an all time favourite - particularly Amethyst jewellery (which is the birthstone for February). Amethyst jewellery can be found in its more natural state shaped into boho pendants, or can be polished to a fine finish and inset into gold and silver jewellery. Purple accessories look best when teamed up with black, neutral or white outfits. I recently saw a photo of Alex Curran wearing some cool purple sandals with a summer tunic dress, which looked fantastic.

How To Use Purple Make Up

Purple make up should be used with care during the day - look for plum shades of eye shadow or lipstick or lip glosses with a plummy purple tint. Deeper shades of purple eye shadow and eyeliner can be used by sweeping purple colour over the eyelids and lining the eyes both top and bottom with purple liner to create a dramatic evening look.

How to Wear A Purple Dress

Dresses, particularly for the evening, look fantastic in all shades of lilac, plum, magenta, mauve and deep purple - there is something very mysterious about darker shades of purple. Accessorise with either black or silver shoes and bag.

10 Great Tips On How To Wear The Maxi Dress

The maxi dress has been around for a few seasons now, but it doesn't seem to be losing any of its appeal or popularity - maybe this is because it is so easy and so forgiving to wear. It can look fabulous whether you are tall or short and it's brilliant to take away on holiday as it can be worn casually in the daytime over a bikini or in the evening dressed up. Here are some tips on how to choose a maxi dress to suite your size and shape and how to wear it.

Choosing a maxi dress to suite your size and shape

• If you are taller with a larger frame look for a maxi dress which has a more fitted bodice rather than one that is gathered under the bust as this will give you a more defined profile rather than yards of material billowing out around your middle.
• For those with a few extra pounds around the waistline look for A-line styles (rather than gathered) which flare out from under the bust and which will flatter the waist and hips.
• Bandeau style maxi dresses are fantastic for hot summer days and they look very elegant as they accentuate the shoulders and neck - think of Angelina Jolie in that famous black bandeau maxi dress pictured with her children. She is wearing no jewellery at all, just sunglasses, but looks super cool.

Choosing Colours and Patterns On A Maxi Dress

• If you are petite look for smaller prints such as flower or Indian designs which won't swamp you. Smaller girls can still pull off the block stripe designs as well though.
• If you are choosing a maxi dress for evening wear, look for a single coloured dress which will look stylish and which can be dressed up with jewellery.
• White maxi dresses are perfect for summer days and evenings and they have been spotted on celebrities such as Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Kate Hudson. Perfect for that sunset walk along the beach on holiday too.

Accessorising Your Maxi Dress To Perfection

• Small and delicate jewellery doesn't really suit the maxi dress vibe. Jewellery to accessorise a maxi dress needs to be strong and bold in style and colour. Look for colourful Millefiori glass pendants, ethnic style jewellery and bold wood or metal bangles rather than bracelets.
• With shoes - really anything goes. Flip-flops can be worn daytime or evening with a maxi, but if you are going for the super sophisticated evening look then go for some killer-high heel strappy shoes to add extra glamour. Even pumps or cowboy boots will look great with a maxi dress.
• Please don't carry a tiny hand or shoulder bag around - again choose something big and bold - I really think casual bags are the way to go for daytime wear with a maxi, look for straw bags, or colourful fabric styles.
• For cooler evenings a pashmina to wrap around your shoulders looks great - or instead take some tips from the golden girl of Hollywood - Jennifer Anniston. When she wore the Burberry maxi dress (pictured above) at the premier of Marley and Me above in London, she covered up with a tailored and chic blazer which looked amazing.

Everyone Is Wearing White - How To Look Cool In A White Dress For Summer

There is something absolutely stunning about a white dress like there is with no other colour. With the on-set of a heat wave for the UK this summer it's going to be pretty important to know how to dress to be cool for sun-drenched days. There are some pitfalls when wearing white however, but here are some tips to ensure that you are looking your best ever.

Do I need a tan to wear white?

No, you don't need the all over bronzed appearance to look good in white, but nevertheless, a light golden tan does accentuate a white dress. If you are very fair with light blonde hair then white may make you look washed out, however, I love this sequined white dress on Nicole Kidman who is very fair skinned and a strawberry blonde.

What About White Dresses Being See-through?

Unfortunately some white fabrics are pretty see-through. I think this can add to the fun of a white dress with carefully chosen coloured underwear beneath, but you have to be very careful with your bottom half. It can be slightly off-putting to see the outline of a thong through the back of a dress. Test out the fabric before buying by running your hand up inside the dress and holding it up to the light - if you can see the colour of your hand through fabric you can guess what else will be visible when you are wearing it.

I Already Have A White Dress Which Is Too See-through - What Can I Do?

Remember those slips that your gran used to wear that she bought from Marks and Spencer - they still sell them, but they have been totally updated. A full body, silky slip will be perfect under a white, slightly see-through dress and a bit of lace poking out of the bottom of your hem only adds to the fun.

What Style Of Dress Should I Look For In White?

Unless you have the gorgeous, slim figure of Nicole pictured here, a tight white dress can be more than unflattering - look for one which flares, frills and flows - think more Marilyn Monroe style unless you want every bump and dimple to be on show.

What Colour Shoes Should I Wear With A White Dress?

Ideally not white as this is rather overkill - white dresses ideally suit sandals or super high heels. Match your dress to shoe colours such as brown, croc patterns, silver, bronze or metallic.

What Type of Jewellery Should I Wear With A White Dress?

Ideally simple jewellery - elegantly styled silver jewellery is perfect, but another great match which is perfect for holidays too is wooden jewellery such as bangles and pendants.

PS Just so everyone is aware it is the height of bad manners to wear a white dress to a wedding unless you are the bride - talk about trying to up-stage her!

The Story Of Toe Rings And How To Wear Them

Toe rings are an essential accessory for Spring and Summer this year as they add that extra sparkle to quite ordinary feet and individuality to the plainest of flip-flop sandals.

Who Wears Toe Rings?

Toe rings have been worn by Hindu women in India for hundreds of years as a symbol of marriage. The Hindu tradition is to wear toe rings in pairs, rather than a single ring on one foot and they are normally ornate in style, sometimes fashioned with bells as decoration. Traditionally Hindus are not allowed to wear gold below the waist as the precious metal has a respected status, but modern Hindu brides are now demanding gold and diamond toe rings after marriage.

In the West, the modern way to wear a toe ring is normally on the second toe of either foot, however, personally I like to wear them on the third toe if wearing a shoe with a thong, as this shows off the ring better and prevents it being damaged by the shoe.

What To Wear Toe Rings With

• There is no strict rule on how to wear toe rings. Normally, I will choose to wear either a gold or silver toe ring depending on the type of the other jewellery I have on that day, although you could match the ring with the colour of your sandals. Silver rings look gorgeous with black, silver, grey, turquoises and cooler coloured sandals, whereas gold rings glow with browns, bronzes, reds and warm colours.
• A shiny silver or gold toe ring looks outstanding on a tanned foot, but don't fear, I am not recommending the sun-bed or drastic tanning - just dust a bronzing powder over the top of your foot and toes before slipping on your shoes and ring, they will look lovely.
• Toe rings can be worn with casual sandals and flip flops perfectly, but if you are dressing up with some fantastic strappy shoes, look for a toe ring with some "bling" as this will add sparkle to your toes on a night out.
• As most toe rings are adjustable, you can ensure they are tightened up before heading out as the last thing you want to happen is to lose a ring, particularly if you have invested in gold or silver.
• There are no hard and fast rules, but toe rings look perfect when worn on the top half of your toe, rather than nearer the bottom.

What To Look For This Spring In Floral Designs - Flower Power Is Still Number One!

Floral patterns from pretty rosebuds to oversize bright flowery designs are still new and fresh for this spring as can be seen from the new season lines that are shooting up in the high-street stores - and which were preceded by the spring-summer fashion shows.

However, after several months of winter dressing, sometimes a helping hand is needed for the transition to spring-wear, especially where bright colours and vivid patterns are involved. No worries, however, as following a few simple tips will help you easily build colour and freshness into your wardrobe.

• The easiest way to bring colour to your life is to look for a blouse or top that you love in a frilled, floral design, and then team this with some really casual jeans and sandals for a laid-back look.
• The prettiest way to wear floral is either a sun-dress or tea-dress in a retro floral fabric. Wear this with tiny pearl beads at the neck and wrist and wedge sandals or espadrilles and look super-girly.
• Look for pretty fabric corsages that can be pinned to a vest or t-shirt, which match one of your other accessories or garments for a quick and easy floral-girly hit.
• Similarly, flower jewellery adds a feminine touch to even a plain outfit, look for sterling silver and semi-precious or murano glass flower jewellery.
• Shoulder bags can be glammed-up and brighten up a spring outfit when made from fabrics which incorporate floral patterns and designs.
• Hair accessories are great - use combs or slides decorated with flowers to pin up your hair into a super cool chignon.

What's your favourite floral item and why do you like it - let us know.