Our hometown and its best kept secrets....

As some of you may or may not know we are based along the south coast and although a lot of our work is in London, we are very lucky to be based in an area full of hidden fashion gems and gorgeous boutiques. The towns nearest to us including Bournemouth, Winchester and Salisbury are great for everything from high street to vintage shopping.

There are some great little fashion boutiques near us including one of our favourites Little London in Winchester, who also have stores in Chichester, Guildford and Tunbridge wells. They also have an online site so check them out at http://www.little-london.com/, where they have introduced some amazing Lucas Jack jewellery, like this stunning gold sandstone cuff which also comes in Royal Blue and Blue Chalc.

We also love Vintage Clobber, a vintage store in Bournemouth which some of the girls regularly visit to pick up some stunning one off pieces that have all of us talking the next day. We also use it to source great items for use in photoshoots. It’s a real place to have a rummage and you’re bound to find something great. Check out their website at http://vintageclobber.com/everyday_1.html.

As well as boutiques, we have some great high streets and shopping centres around. In Bournemouth there are some great shops including 3 department stores; Beales, House of Fraser and Debenhams. Beales Bournemouth was the first ever Beales to open and therefore has a wealth of history to it as well as a number of brands on sale. They have recently had a re-fit and now have a large MAC store with many talented make-up artists who also work at London Fashion Week. There is also Wesy Quay in Southampton which has around a hundred shops and Castlepoint near Bournemouth which boasts larger stores of many retailers.

But it’s not just the shopping that makes our area an exciting one to live in. There is so much going on in Bournemouth including a huge surf scene with the new surf reef being opened at Boscombe beach earlier this year as well as a huge amount of nightlife and a big burlesque scene, for example shows by our favourite local burlesque dancer Miss Cherry-Pop. The wealth of shops around Bournemouth cater to these interest with many shops selling surf gear such as Sorted surf shop on Boscombe front who also do surfing lessons.

Lastly, The Arts University College Bournemouth are improving every year and becoming a well known institute for Fashion design. This year their students won three awards and the work looked absolutely fab!

So if you thought that the south coast was a place for people to retire, think again.

Love Katie x

Style Inspiration...

Now more than ever, generations of women are dressing not only for themselves but for other women their girlfriends, we want our female friends to comment on and approve of the things that we wear. For this reason, there is now a huge amount of websites and blogs written by women who post daily or weekly photos of what they are wearing to perhaps gain approval but more than likely to give inspiration to other women who may not find it quite so easy to experiment within the world of fashion. We think that this is such a great phenomenon; it’s almost like unlimited people-watching from the comfort of your own home, what could be better? There are so many of these sites around so we thought we’d give you the low down on our favourite ones that us girls here in the office visit daily.

Karla Derass has a fashion sense which is simply sublime. Her blog, “Karla’s Closet”, is full of pictures of the amazing places that she visits and the just as amazing outfits that she wears. She is so sophisticated in the way that she dresses and the simple ways in which she accessorizes, and she has one of the most amazing collections of shoes that I have ever seen.

Karla is a great person to take inspiration from as it has become a trend now to over-accessorize yet she shows that you just need a pair of sunnies or a gorgeous clutch to make an outfit. Check out her blog at http://karlascloset.blogspot.com/.

Another of our fave websites is http://www.whatkatiewore.com/ which fairly obviously features daily photos of what Katie wears. She has a very different fashion sense to Karla but just as gorgeous and individual and perhaps more achievable to the average woman in terms of purse limitations. Her wardrobe features so many vintage pieces and she has such a fun and colourful style. The two images below are my favourite outfits that she has worn recently. She looks really classic and sophisticated in the vintage dress at the top and we absolutely love that gorgeous straw bag! However my favourite outfit that she has worn is this stunning silk Pringle dress (bottom image) teamed with bright red shoes and oversized accessories. The whole outfit is so cute and individual and we just love it!


There is so many great websites like these around so more to follow soon! Take inspiration from them and have a browse if you ever feel like you need a little bit of help with what to wear.

We’d love to see some of your favourite outfits via Twitter at www.twitter.com/4couture.

Love from Katie xx

Festival Dressing so far in 2010......

Okay so I know everyone is writing about the fashion at this year’s festivals, but here at 4couture.com we decided that we had to give some credit to some of the celebs who perhaps haven’t been praised as much as the usual suspects for their fashion efforts. Let me emphasize the word ‘effort’ as we have to make the point that none of these celebrities put their outfits together that morning as many like to make out. Anyway, here are our top 3 unsung festival fashion heroines so far this year...

Corine Bailey Rae looked so lovely backstage at Glastonbury, her playsuit was casual and simple but perfect for the occasion and combined with a cute pair of pumps and black-out sunglasses, she looks bang on trend but really laid back.

Jo Whiley went for a simpler look as well, sporting a feminine floral maxi. We love her studded bag but think maybe she could’ve given the outfit an edge with a matching studded but such as this one by HTC at http://www.net-a-porter.com/product/60878.



We also loved T4’s Jameela Jamil’s look this year at Glasto. It’s not easy to pull of short lace leggings and most people don’t do it well but Jameela shows that they can really make an outfit. The addition of the coloured scarf works well against the black and we love her trilby. Grab your own like this one on ASOS for only £15, http://tiny.cc/3n6ix.


We’ve praised 3 celebs who we think looked great at festivals so far this year, but it has to be said that as usual, not everyone got it right. Whoever styled The Saturdays onstage this year at the Isle of Wight festival didn’t do it well. Their outfits looked like a massive clash of colour which just didn’t work. The playsuit/boots combo could have worked but the patterns on the playsuits, designed by brand Traffic People, were too busy with so many of them together. We thought that the girls would have gone for an edgy, classic festival look which they often do quite well, but this year they just stood out for all the wrong reasons and in our opinion were miles behind the likes of Kate Moss and Florence Welch in the style stakes.


Let us know who you think has looked fab at the festivals so far this year and who’s failed to make the grade via Twitter at www.twitter.com/4couture.

Love Katie x

The Stars of Wimbledon.....

It seems as if someone has ordered the gorgeous weather just in time for Wimbledon this year, and as it is particularly hot, making the right outfit choices for the players essential. There’s always competition between designers about who’s going to get involved with Britain’s biggest tennis competition, but this year it’s the turn of Stella McCartney who has teamed up with names such as Nike and Adidas to create on court outfits for the tennis stars.

You can definitely say that Maria Sharapova has style both on and off the court. She’s a real icon in both the tennis and fashion worlds so you would expect nothing less of her at Wimbledon this year. McCartney teamed up with Nike this year to create Sharapova’s dress which features a layered skirt and cross over detail accross the back. The dress is really stunning and looks beautiful when she moves around the court.

Serena Williams is of course another player who loves to experiment with her outfits. This year, like Sharapova she’s sporting a Stella McCartney/Nike Dress, apparently inspired by the Wimbledon “strawberries and cream” tradition. The dress has a really flattering shape to it and the simple detailing makes it sophisticated. Serena also showed everyone that you can do sport with a perfect set of diamante encrusted nails. Of course Serena is always very glamorous, and until their recent split was always pictured with ex-boyfriend Common on the beach looking great!


But Nike is not the only brand that McCartney has teamed up with this year, she has also continued to work with Adidas, creating outfits for the likes of Britain’s Andy Murray and Laura Robson, and also Ana Ivanovic. This year Ivanovic has introduced leggings to her ensemble, which is perhaps a questionable choice considering the temperatures at Wimbledon this year. She still looks stylish although the outfit clearly didn’t help her as Ivanovic suffered a devastating first round defeat knocking her out of the competition.



Andy Murray is looking good this year and hopefully will go far in the competition. He always looks smart on the court but his style off the court perhaps could be improved. As such a massive inspiration to many young people all over the country, maybe he should follow in the footsteps of Roger Federer and step away from the everyday t-shirt and jeans combos....he is only 23 after all!

If you’re inspired by all of the sport going on at the moment and want to get active yourself, have a browse on www.net-a-porter.com who at the moment have most of Stella McCartney’s collection for Adidas on sale and there are some great bargains to be found for example this gorgeous playsuit which could double up as an outfit for the gym and a stylish option for a day out.

If you’re lucky enough to get to Wimbledon this year, make sure you take some piccies and let us know what you think of this year’s outfits!

Katie x

SATC2 is almost here and ready to take the fashion world by storm...?

Sex and the City 2 fever is definitely here with everyone talking about the sequel to the incredibly successful first movie coming out at the end of this month. The clips of the movie look fab with our favourite four Manhattan ladies looking as gorgeous as ever and stunning us with some amazing outfits. We can’t wait to see the stars’ new wardrobes and the way they are going to affect the world of fashion. If what’s leaked so far is anything to go by, it’s going to be a lot of colour, glitz and glamour and a crazy trip back to the 80’s!

Here at 4couture.com we’re getting ready for a big group trip to the first evening showing of the movie on the 28th and we want to know if you’re going too! Like us, get your girlfriends together and go and enjoy a night of fun, style and lots and lots of laughter guaranteed!




Let us know what you get up to via Twitter at www.twitter.com/4couture

Katie x

This seasons top tips from ELLE Magazine....

If you haven’t already spotted it, this month our favourite magazine ELLE have a fab supplement giving you all the latest tips from the experts on this season’s hottest trends. It’s a great read and features ‘how to’s’ on wearing everything this season from jeans to leather skirts. There’s also an article on ‘How to shop the High Street’ with 50 top tips. The only way to be fully informed is to get your own copy but here’s our favourites....

• Head for the Flagship – ‘You’ll find the hottest items in flagship locations. For example, Zara on Bond Street has more of those winning directional pieces you won’t see in stores outside London’ – Yasmin Sewell, fashion consultant.

• Invest in classics – ‘A pair of elegant court shoes should be a wardrobe staple. My favourites this season are taupe suede pointed courts with contrasting patent toes- timeless.’ – Annick Gorman, creative director, LK Bennett.

• Stay hands-free – ‘Never take a handbag on a high street mission – you need both hands to shop. Just shove a small compact mirror (so you can see how you look from all angles) and your credit card in your back pockets.’ – Lulu Kennedy, director, Fashion East.

• Customise – ‘I always like to customise my high street purchases by raising hemlines, turning T-shirts into dresses, changing buttons on coats and adding studs to my accessories – that way I know that my clothes will always look unique.’ – Ben Grimes, model and designer.

• Mix and Match – ‘Always buy basics like cool tank tops and leggings from the high street. You can layer them under bodices and mix them up with designer and vintage pieces for a really individual look.’ – Annette Felder, designer, Felder Felder.

• Forecast to Last – ‘Invest in a pair of summer brogues this season. They’re easily dressed up or down, and equally on trend with playsuits or coloured jeans. For a vintage look, wear them with a ditsy print 1940’s style tea dress. They’re a practical buy, too, because they’ll take you into autumn/winter.’ – Sandy Verdon, creative director, Hobbs.

• Be decisive – ‘As indulgent and consumerist as it sounds, never think twice about a high street purchase if it fits like a dream and gets you excited. The fast stock turnover in shops means you won’t find it again if you wait.’ – Carrie Gorman, acting web editor, ELLEUK.com.

• Accessorise – ‘Accessories are a good way to buy into the trends of the season, whatever your shape, lifestyle and budget. With more high street retailers expanding their ranges, the choice is ever-increasing.’ – Bell Robinson, co-owner of Jigsaw.

• Stick to your budget – ‘To prevent yourself over-shopping, give yourself a budget, take out the exact cash and leave your credit card safely at home.’ – Stacey Duguid, executive fashion editor, ELLE.

• Don’t be cheap – ‘The British high street offers so much choice. Shop around, do your research and – crucially- don’t always go for the cheapest thing. A bad chain or setting can let down an otherwise beautiful piece of jewellery or handbag.’ – Kara Ross, jewellery designer.

• Go for limited editions – ‘Seek out limited edition items as these are the high street pieces which push design boundaries. They’re made of the most beautiful fabrics, which give them more longevity in your wardrobe. Plus, you have the added benefit of being one of the lucky few to wear them.’ – Nadia Jones, creative director, Oasis.

• Keep it in proportion – ‘Make sure you try everything on, stick within your budget and always look out for good basics. Wearing flats is a good idea but carry a pair of high heels to check proportions, and make sure you aren’t too tempted by overcrowded sale rails. If no one else wants it, why would you?’ – William Tempest, designer.

There’s so much more to read if you pick up your own copy, it really is a must-read. Also check out ELLE magazines great website for more articles and tips at http://www.elleuk.com/.

Love Katie x

Top Sale Tips....buy now, wear all season...

As the weather is starting to improve again it’s that time of year when everyone is looking to get their summer wardrobe well underway and ASOS is a great place to start! Our favourite online store have just launched their Mid-Season sale and we recommend you get in there quick to make sure that you don’t miss out on the best pieces. There is something for everyone and here are our top picks that will carry you right through the summer....

Maxi dresses are hugely on trend again this summer so it is surprising to see so many in the sale for such great prices. This soft flowing maxi is perfect for the summer and its style makes it perfect for any shape or size. Pick one up for only £40 and you can wear it day or night. http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos-One-Shoulder-Maxi-Dress/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=820018&cid=5235&sh=0&pge=3&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Grey.

Another staple item that will last you for the rest of the year is a lightweight jacket or waistcoat. We spotted this silk sleeveless jacket which is absolutely stunning. The way it hangs is flattering and the colour is gorgeous too. http://www.asos.com/Asos/Asos-Silk-Sleeveless-Cocoon-Jacket/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=903284&cid=2110&Rf-100=Jackets&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Grey.

Lastly, check out the designer section in the ASOS sale, you may see something that is a great price now that it is in the sale. You may want to use this opportunity to invest in a designer jewellery piece. We love some of the designs by Ligia Dias which are now better than half price. This chain and ribbon necklace is right on trend (right top) http://www.asos.com/Ligia-Dias/Ligia-Dias-At-Asos-Pink-Velvet-Ribbon-And-Rose-Gold-Plated-Chain-Necklace/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=814566&cid=8208&sh=0&pge=1&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Pink, and we also love this black cord and pearl piece (right bottom). http://www.asos.com/Ligia-Dias/Ligia-Dias-At-Asos-Black-Cord-And-Grey-Faux-Pearl-Long-Necklace/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=814562&cid=8208&sh=0&pge=1&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Black.

There are some really great pieces in the sale proving that you don’t need to spend too much to update your wardrobe. Have fun looking through it all and let me know about anything great that you find via Twitter at www.twitter.com/4couture.

Katie x