What They Wore... Halloween Special!

Happy Halloween! Lots of celebrities were out partying over the weekend dressed in some fabulous costumes

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Kim Kardashian became Poison Ivy to host the Midori Green Halloween party in New York

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Glee star Lea Michele tweeted this photo of her ready to head out as the white swan queen

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Gwen Stefani embraced her inner Disney princess and became Cinderella for Kate Hudson's Halloween party

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Nicole Richie transformed into JLo from her Jenny from the block days in a pink velour tracksuit and aviators complete with obligatory bling 

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Modern Family's Sofia Vergara posted a picture of herself dressed in her angry birds costume on twitter

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Bette Midler wore an eye catching colourful headdress at her annual Hulaween benefit gala in New York 

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The hosts of the Fashion Police dressed as their favourite stars, Joan Rivers became Suri Cruise! Kelly O and George were JLo and Marc Anthony, and Giuliana channeled Victoria Beckham

Which was your favourite celebrity costume?
Did you dress up for Halloween?

Checked Out

The classic houndstooth print is a hot trend once again. The monochrome pattern has a retro vibe and creates a stylish look.

Kim Kardashian was snapped in NYC earlier this month in a Salvatore Ferragamo dress on her way to an appearance on 'The Today Show'

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Nicole Richie attended Disney's Rapunzel event in London wearing a houndstooth dress

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Both stars opted for simple cut dresses and kept their accessories to a minimum to show off the print. Kim styled her outfit with black heels and bright red lips letting the pattern stand out. 

Amy Winehouse's AW11 Fred Perry Collection has a strong houndstooth influence with many pieces featuring the pattern.

Houndstooth designs are popular on the high street, these are some of my favourite items for introducing houndstooth into your wardrobe.

Shawl Cardigan - ASOS - £85

Great for a chilly winter's day, wrap up in style in this chunky knit cardigan

Houndstooth Dress - House Of Fraser - £110

Suitable for both work and play a smart dress in this timeless print is a great addition to your wardrobe

Houndstooth Patterned Skirt - Miss Selfridge - £26

This tube skirt features a variety of houndstooth patterns

Houndstooth Print Scarf - Marks & Spencer - £15

Add a touch of houndstooth to your outfit with this scarf

Houndstooth Jacket - Debenhams - £40

Searching for a new jacket this winter? The houndstooth pattern is a classic design that will stay in style

Will you be wearing houndstooth prints this season?

What They Wore... Elle Women In Hollywood Tribute

Last week saw some of films finest actresses gather at the Four Seasons hotel in Beverley Hills to attend Elle's 18th annual women in Hollywood tribute dinner 

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Katherine Heigl looked stunning in an Amanda Wakeley dress. She wore her hair in an up do letting the jewel embellished neckline shine. Glitzy Swarovski crystal heels and a studded black and gold clutch completed her dazzling look.

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Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin opted for a bright orange Calvin Klein shift dress and accessorised with a yellow clutch and nude heels. Her hair was styled in a sleek ponytail.

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Reese Witherspoon paid homage to the androgyny trend in a navy Bocanegra trouser suit. She balanced the look by adding a feminine lacy top underneath. Her outfit was complete with black peep toe Louboutin's. 

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The LBD was popular on the red carpet with Michelle Pfeiffer opting for a simple low v neck gown with 3/4 length sleeves and a wide black leather belt. 

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Jennifer Aniston glittered in a metallic KaufmanFranco plunging mini dress paired with Balenciaga heels and a Salvatore Ferragamo clutch. She wore her hair in loose curls. 

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Evan Rachel Wood wore a floor length black gown with a sheer panel running down the side creating an edgy yet feminine look.

Which is your favourite outfit from the evening?

Hell For Leather

With the sudden drop in temperature I've been searching for a pair of leather gloves to keep my fingers warm on the chilly mornings. As much as I love my warm woolly mittens they're really not suitable for driving! 

I like the elegant ladylike touch leather gloves add to an outfit. In my quest to find my perfect pair these are some I've found on the high street 

Bow Leather Gloves - Oasis - £25

Animal Print Leather Gloves - Miss Selfridge - £18

Bright Leather Gloves - Accessorize - £20

Stud Leather Gloves - John Lewis - £55

Cream Driving Gloves - Accessorize - £22

Frill Leather Gloves - Oasis - £25

I like the colourful bright purple pair from Accessorize as they're great for adding a splash of colour to your outfit. I also love the classic tan coloured gloves from Oasis. 

The leopard print gloves from Miss Selfridge instantly caught my eye as did the studded gloves from John Lewis, however they're a tad pricey and I'm sure I could find a cheaper pair of leather gloves and customise them myself with studs! I'm sure Gok Wan featured how to do so on a recent episode of his Clothes Roadshow: Get The Look For Less. 

Have you seen any nice leather gloves whilst out shopping?

Which are your favourite pair?

Versace for H&M

The highly anticipated Versace for H&M collection was revealed on Thursday after great speculation since it was announced over summer.

It has received mixed reviews in the press and though it's not all to my taste I think there are lots of great wearable pieces at affordable prices. I love the collections distinctive Versace style using bright colours and bold animal and tropical prints.

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Black Dress - £79.99

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Leggings - £24.99

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Silk Bustier - £69.99

  
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Scarves - £24.99

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Silk Top - £39.99



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Black & Gold Skirt - £69.99

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Pink Dress - £129.99

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Gold Bracelet - £19.99

These are my favourite items from the collection. I especially love the pink mini dress with the gold detailing and the black and gold patterned skirt. The scarves are perfect for adding a touch of Versace to your outfit if you're unsure about wearing the bolder prints. I'm definitely hoping to snap up the pink scarf!

There is also a menswear range and a collection of beautiful homeware including oriental inspired bedspreads and cushions.

You can view the full collection here and it'll be available in 300 stores and online from 17th November.

Which are your favourite pieces from the collection?

Shopping In Sloane Square

On a recent afternoon in London I headed over to Sloane Square to the new Kate Spade NY shop. I hadn't visited the area before and was taken aback by the beautiful architecture of the buildings, and with so many great shops nearby I can't wait to return! 

 


Kate Spade NY, Sloane Square, 2 Symons Street, London

The Upper East Side's fasionistas favourite, Kate Spade NY opened two shops in London last month. I'm a big fan of her designs, she has the most stunning handbags, a colourful collection of accessories and jewellery, and beautiful shoes. I loved the eye catching window displays.

Who doesn't love looking at all the beautiful jewellery in Tiffany's?! No little blue boxes for me, I was strictly window shopping!

Tiffany & Co, 145 Sloane Street, London

Smythson is home to a stunning handbag collection, luxury leather goods, and fabulous stationary to name a but a few. They design my favourite notebooks which you can personalise and would make ideal gifts

Smythson, 135 Sloane Street, London

I couldn't help but glance into Chloé to marvel at the beautiful boutique housing the latest collection

Chloé, 152-153 Sloane Street, London

Anya Hindmarch is a bag lovers (like myself!) paradise. The new autumn/winter collection features elegant leather bags and sparkly glitter encrusted clutches perfect for party season

Anya Hindmarch, 157-158 Sloane Street, London


Where do you enjoy shopping in London?
Have you any recommendations of where to visit around Sloane Square?

Keep Calm And Carry On Baking

In celebration of National Baking Week, 17th-23rd October, I thought I'd share some bake ware that's recently caught my eye!

Fondant Fancy Cases - Lakeland - £4.99

Create your own delicious fondant fancy's with this set of 12 silicone cases

  
Percy Pig Cake Mould Large - Marks & Spencer - £5.00
Percy Pig Cake Mould Small - Marks & Spencer - £7.50

My favourite sweet treat Percy has his own baking range. Make a Percy Pig shaped cake with the large mould. The small moulds are ideal for creating chocolate Percy's

Love Heart Measuring Spoons - Confetti - £1.99

These sweet measuring spoons stack together for easy storage and measure 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1tsp and 1tbspn

Hello Kitty Cookie Cutters - John Lewis - £5.50

I love Hello Kitty and was excited to discover these items! The tin contains 5 cutters for making your own Kitty shaped biscuits

Hello Kitty Cake Mould - John Lewis - £3.50

The mould has detailed features so you can create your own Hello Kitty cake

Provence Rose Cake Stand - Cath Kidston - £25.00

This pretty Cath Kidston stand is perfect for serving afternoon tea or displaying your freshly baked cakes

Pink Hearts Cake Tins - Emma Bridgewater - £30.00

 This set of 3 cake tins are ideal for storing your baking and will look great on your worktop too!

All this talk of baking and looking at delicious cakes has inspired me to dust off the recipe books and get baking this weekend!

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Follow @bakingweek on twitter for all the latest updates and special events taking place this week

Are you doing anything to celebrate National Baking Week?
What have you been baking recently?