Paris Highlights Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear

Andrej Pejic vs. Girl Power

I can't decide if the model du jour Andrej Pejic (the male gracing the female catwalks for those of you who have been living under a rock recently) is boosting girl power or snatching power from the girls by taking over the conventionally female role.

Perhaps with the lines between male and female becoming increasingly blurry it is just power to the people as opposed to girl power or boy power.

It seems that the fashion world is no longer dictating the embodiment of female perfection .. size zero is no longer THE catwalk size. Some models curvy, some not, some with voluptuous breasts, some with little or none. The model of the 'perfect' woman has transformed so much now that men want in and do you know what? If Andrej Pejic is anything to go by, men can do it!

I wonder if women will follow suit and butch up for the male model world. Gender in fashion has now been torn apart and haphazardly stitched back together in a one size fits all.

In the words of the feminist Judith Butler "appearance is an illusion" .. so all we really need worry about is ensuring our appearance is elegantly fashion hot and messy (and fabulous dahling) so that our individual illusion gives girl power, boy power or power to the people.

Separated at Birth?

Tim Gunn and Julien Assange

Lady Gaga - Behind The Scenes - Thierry Mugler Fashion Show - Paris

Exclusive interview: Andrej Pejic

I Meet Dress

Ah shopping, an addiction which is up there with the fabulous things about being a girl!

In 2011 I have (so far) four weddings to attend. This means four different dresses...

Sigh...

And by sigh I mean – a guilt free excuse to shop and spoil myself! Hurrah!

I have passed recent free time scouring the internet for the perfect dress.

Perfect dress number one

Perfect dress number two

Perfect dress number three

Perfect dress number four

Did I mention four weddings? So I need four perfect dresses. (Zero guilt since it’s for other people's benefit really!)

I found myself in a maze turning a corner to face a virtual brick wall when searching through the hundreds and thousands of dresses online to find the perfect one. Nothing...

I was bubbling up to throw a good old female strop when I discovered the (virtual) answer to my fashion prayers!

I need a dress, I meet a dress... I discovered the fabulous website ‘Girl Meets Dress’

Borrow a designer dress? Eh, yes please!

(Why did I even hesitate there!?!)

Tory Burch

So here’s how it works:

Simply peruse the collection of over 100 designer brands and 300 designer dresses (Marc Jacobs, Temperley, Chloe) and add up to 3 of your favourite dresses into your Shopping Bag to try on.

You can keep these beauties for two nights or seven nights (If you’re a hot mess when you party, insurance is a simple £7 - you have nothing to stress about!)

Tata Naka

Schedule a delivery date, and your dress will appear at the doorstep of your choice – home or office. Next-day and even same-day delivery (if you live in London) is available, for last-minute fashion emergency. You can pre-order your dress or bag well ahead of your big night if you wish and we’ll send it to you in advance to try on so you have complete peace of mind and your outfit sorted!

Let them know which one you have chosen so they can refund you the difference and then enjoy wearing it and bask in the compliments and admiring glances you will get being a glamorous designer fashion hot mess!

Once you are done, just pop your dress back into the pre-paid packaging and drop it into your local Post office. No need to dry clean, ‘Girl Meets Dress’ takes care of those irritating chores!

While we’re here I’ll just give you a background to the company – a mini fashion history lesson!

Stella McCartney

Girl Meets Dress was launched by Co-founders Anna Bance and Xavier de Lecaros-Aquise after Anna left her career in Public Relations at Hermes.

The vision to set up Girl Meets Dress came after she was inspired by the constant lending and borrowing of the collections which goes on behind closed doors within the fashion industry - for either fashion shoots or for celebrities to wear to events.

She thought it be wonderful if all women had access to this same service - the option and freedom to borrow any dress they wish for every event throughout the year. The luxury to have an endless closet.

“It is a fun concept and women have really responded to it. Hopefully we have answered their prayers by giving them a new way to shop – a fun and affordable way to try new designers and always ensure you look your absolute best without compromise.”

Fashion changes so much and of course there are many key purchases in a woman’s wardrobe – but we all love the idea of wearing a different dress for every event by designers we have always wanted to look amazing in!

Roberto Cavalli

I already have my eye on four fierce dresses to wave the fashion fairy god mother wandfor the the nuptials in 2011!

Girl Meets Dress you have rocked my world and solved my (one of many) fashion dilemma!

Ssssshhhhh - let's keep this our fabulous little secret!

www.girlmeetsdress.com

Posh Baby Reading

So Victoria Beckham is pregnant ..

According to celebrity gossip she is doing just about everything in her power to have a girl ..

Taking it all with a pinch of salt, but at least if she has a little girl she can have designer fairy tales read to her by the Beckham clan

Perhaps Sleeping Beauty as re told by Camilla Morton and illustrated by Christian Lacroix

Or ...

Or perhaps "This Little Piggy Went to Prada" - nursery rhymes with a designer twist ..

Designer reading for a designer baby!

Ah the life of the rich and fabulous!