My blog is not a celebrity commentary but the celestial beauty of Michelle Williams in Wonderland Magazine, deserves it’s own post. The interview took place prior to the tragic death of Heath Ledger and offers a true and refreshing insight into the daily life of Miss. Williams. The photography simply blew me away. The lighting and make-up combine to create some very visually arresting, yet subtle shots that can only be described as beautiful. The article is entitled, “Michelle Ma Belle” and couldn’t be a more fitting headline.

Antoni & Alison are a favourite design duo of mine. I adore the aesthetic of their website and the quirkiness of their looks. Their skirts are always a complete visual caricature and the two above are simply delightful. The headless horse and dream scene designs are playful, fun and definitely an optical enchantment. See the eclectic Antoni & Alison’s looks here.

I had never heard of Zadig & Voltaire before, until today they appeared in The Sunday Times Style magazine. I was intrigued. The Style supplement showcased an on-trend, tie-dye, jersey maxi-dress. When I perused their e-shop, I was not really blown away. Their clothing seems very basic; very Uniqlo but then I stumbled upon their Looks page. What a difference a little bit of styling makes; from basic to goth-rock in an instant. From plain simplicity to summer floaty elegance in a click. I shall reserve judgement until I see their clothing in person but for summer jersey staples, Zadig & Voltaire seem to be a good option.

As part of The Quest, I visited Stella McCartney, all be it her department at Selfridges. (The Quest has lead me to shops I do not usually frequent, so please don’t be under the misconception that I am a designer whore…far from it…I just would like something special for the laid-back day.) I was impressed by two things, 1. The beautiful decor, 2. The friendliness of the staff. As part of the background above, you can see the opulent wallpaper, adorning the interior of each changing room. Voluptuous women, strange monkeys and gold beaded leaves, made the changing experience very pleasurable. The dress I tried on was a scallop tier dress, with gorgeous floaty capped sleeves and unusual racer-back detailing. This heavenly item is available on myteresa.com; the only thing that prevented me from purchasing…the length, a little too short for a wedding but definitely has that floaty feel I’ve been looking for. See Stella’s full collection here.

American Apparel is now selling the current holy grail in eyewear…the nerdy eye-glass frame. At £27, the frames are affordable and definitely on-trend. Alongside their vintage sunglasses, American Apparel are providing some very original styles, to compliment their basic staples.

Anthony (of the Johnsons fame) has created a beautiful one-off dress for Yoox, to be auctioned off for Sylvia Riviera Law Project. SRLP fights for the rights of transgendered people that cannot afford legal representation. The dress will go on eBay this month and I’m sure it will be WAY out of my budgetary league (could have potentially been an answer to The Quest!) Anthony’s dress is carefully designed and seems to me, to hold the same sensitivity as his delicate lyrics and vocals. I shall keep my eye on the dress and hope it makes plenty of money for Anthony’s designated charity.

There was a very definite gothic edge to London Fashion Week and Luella Bartley took it to a very witchy extreme. I adored her pointed headwear, that ranged from impish to witch and broom. I felt snap-happy outside her London store on Monday and the ghoolish window dressing, a pink hommage to Halloween, now makes sense. The only downside, I was so enchanted by the headwear, that I was completely distracted from the clothing! I need to take a more considered look, with my finger over the hair and hats!

The Wedding Industry is a monster! Between the definitive snobbery and exorbitant prices, my head has been spinning! Regular readers will know about my search – a laid-back, informal dress for a very quiet, relaxed ceremony. Every bridal shop I have visited, I have been greeted with a slight air of distain; they can smell the lack of potential commission from the sale of a “simple” dress! I have also noticed that my definition of simple and the average bridal assistant’s definition of simple, differ quite considerably! I have been offered jewel encrusted bodices, restrictive corsetry, and long trains…all in the name of “simplicity”. I must say that the lady who helped me at Vera Wang, in The Wedding Shop at Selfridges, was delightful. I had no intention of splashing out £3,000 + and explained to her I was only there to try on different styles and she still couldn’t do enough to help. Brown’s Bride were also very accommodating, although very budget obsessed (as they rightly explained, trying on a dress beyond your budget can spell disaster if you find it’s “the one”.) Designer-wise, I think I’ve narrowed it down and I now know I’m looking for a prêt-à-porter look, rather than bridal gown. Temperley London’s dresses have blown me away. Their mix of chiffon, subtle jewelled detail and layering combine to create gorgeous laid-back looks. David Fielden (whose website alone is a joy) and Jenny Packham also seem to fit the bill; so they are my next three stops on The Quest. Any suggestions you may have, I’d be extremely grateful and I shall keep you informed as to my progress!

The iBook may be dead but Mr. Things of Random Coolness kindly purchased a MacBook for me…therefore regular programming will now continue. I have some interesting tales to tell. The wedding dress search headed for London and I had some very illuminating experiences; apparently the words “informal” and “wedding” are a complete contradiction in terms and shouldn’t be uttered together (according to one assistant!)

Trend names have been known to drive me to distraction. A new look appears on the catwalk and immediately it has to be deemed a trend and given a fitting and at times, an obscure, title. Style.com has chosen to highlight the following future fashion inclinations – “Neon Bible,” “Nice Stems” and “Bare Market???”…to name but a few! What do they mean? More importantly, what do they translate to for the everyday wearer? So, this is why today my blog features Elisha Cuthbert. She is not here as a style icon, nor for her alleged celebrity antics and especially not for her catalogue of “choice” film roles. I have featured the aforementioned Miss. Cuthbert to show how one of these trends translates into a wearable look. I’ll label my trend “Boyish Girl” (also known as “Boy Meets Girl,” “Manish!” etc.) On the catwalk at Lagerfeld‘s 2007 show, we see a very severe look – military lapels, stiff high collars, a very precise ensemble. Elisha Cuthbert achieves an on-trend style but with a softer feel – a more subtle boyish cut, a girlish bow, high waisted, yet looser trousers; giving us mere mortals a glimpse at a more manageable look. I get trends, I understand them. I do not feel a compulsion to follow them religiously (à la Miss. Beckham) but I will borrow from them. I will not however, truly understand this bizarre pigeon holing and naming process.