The Met Gala Ball 2011 - New York

Monday night saw the opening of the 2011 Metropolitan Museum of Arts Institute Gala Ball (Met Gala, to you and me), this year showcasing the opening of ‘Savage Beauty’ to honour the late Alexander McQueen.


The Red Carpet expectations were understandably high with the Met Gala considered the biggest event of the fashion calendar by all who attend. This year was no exception; the red carpet was alive with British designers, from McQueen to Stella McCartney, with Topshop even making a surprise appearance. Designers such as Chanel, Givenchy and Vera Wang weren’t to be out done by us Brits, making very strong fashion statements of their own, being worn by some of the most glamorous and beautiful women in the world.


Let us take you on a red carpet tour of the 2011 Met Gala Ball, to showcase, in our opinion, the finest and most awfully dressed attendees...


The Best of the Best:-


5. Diane Kruger – Jason Wu






The 34-year-old wore a very sexy number by Taiwanese designer, Jason Wu. Diane played by all the fashion rules; chic embellished top with a long skirt with an even longer slit – just showing the right amount of flesh! The fashion jury is out, and we love it! We can’t help but notice how similar this outfit is to our very own Bebaroque dress!


4. Eva Mendes – Stella McCartney




Miss Mendes oozed elegance as she graced the red carpet in this royal blue, pleated Grecian number by Stella McCartney. Eva may have played it safe, but it certainly payed off. Kudos to you!

3. Gisele Bundchen – Alexander McQueen




Supermodel Gisele Bundchen, looked amazing, naturally, in this scarlet McQueen number from the 2005 Autumn collection. We can’t find one fault with this dress, it’s effortlessly stunning! The Brazilian model explained what an honour it was wearing an Alexander McQueen Dress, “When I was 17, McQueen gave me my first big break by booking me for his fashion show. Doing his show opened many doors for my career. I’m excited to be wearing one of his designs to honour him”.

2. Blake Lively – Chanel Couture




Blake Lively was the definition of glamour and beauty all rolled into one. Not only did the Gossip Girl actress and the face of Chanel get to walk the red carpet with the one and only Karl Lagerfeld, but she got to do it wearing Chanel Couture! Jealous! The mix of Grecian folds and body-con embellishments make this a winning combination and a well deserved number two spot on our best dressed chart!


And the Number One spot goes to....


1.Sarah Jessica Parker – Alexander McQueen

...of course it did! Who else but the man of the hour could be more deserving of this honour! SJP glistened in this Alexander McQueen sparkly gown and was one of the rare few who got to wear an archive look from McQueen’s autumn 2005 collection. What a lucky lady!


The Worst of the Worst




By far, no contest Naomi Campbell was the worst dressed woman on the Met Gala red carpet wearing, unfortunately - McQueen. Just because it’s good enough for Kate The Duchess of Cambridge, does not mean it’s appropriate to don a white bridal gown down the red carpet. Everything about Naomi’s look screams: WRONG! Hopefully this supermodel can redeem herself next year and make it on to our Best Dressed list!

Love,

The Girls xox

It’s Mid-Season Sale Time....

Our Mid Season Sale is now on, running until Wednesday 27th April. Have a sneak peak at our top 10 favourite sale pieces

For those of you who haven’t heard, we’re having a Spring Summer 2011 Mid-Season Sale at Jane Davidson! Be one of the first this season to grab a bargain with up to 60% off your favourite dresses, coats, tops, trousers, jeans, accessories and loads more! No time to pop in? Don’t worry we’ve come up with our favourite picks from the sale, so sit back, relax and read all out about it!

When asked to pick 10 of my favourite pieces from the Mid Season Sale to write about, my instant response was:

“Only 10? But I love it all!!”.

Nevertheless, not one to pass on a challenge and in the interest of keeping this blog short, here’s what I (eventually) came up with....

M Missoni – Backless Sweater Dress



From the moment this dress was unpacked from the box in which it arrived; I was its number one fan! This piece is extremely versatile, not only can it be worn as a stunning casual dress, but it also looks fab worn over jeans or leggings! Be dazzled by the cleverly woven golden threads and not to mention the price, at a mere £269 down from £449 this dress is not to be missed!


For extra sparkle why not add these gold M Missoni ballet pumps to complete the look!
WERE: £210 NOW: £129

Diane Von Furstenberg – Linda Wrap Dress



Animal print can be either a show stopper or a fashion disaster. When donning leopard print we all want to avoid looking like Liz Macdonald from the Rovers Return and more like Liz Hurley gracing the red carpet. That’s where this DvF Linda wrap dress is perfect; the pink and black print differs from the usual animal colour and can be worn as a casual or dressy number by simply adding black heels and pink lipstick to take this look into the evening.
WAS: £315 NOW: £189

Red Valentino – Pink Bow Front Dress


Leave it to an Italian designer to make a woman feel like a Million Dollars! This beautiful fuchsia pink bow detailed dress would be perfect worn to a summer wedding or to a day out at the races.
WAS: £395 NOW: £ 239






M Missoni – V-Neck Tunic Dress



I love how the combination of colours used in this dress mesh so well together. Having an abundance of different colours in one dress allows it to be accessorised in so many ways- Winner!
WAS: £389 NOW: £235






Red Valentino – Multi Bow Tee



This is a favourite little tee amongst the Jane Davidson Girls! The Multi- coloured bows make this the ultimate summer must have! Wear with jeans, white trousers, skirts or shorts on those hot days (we hope) in the sun!
WAS: £119 NOW: £75







Love From Australia – Biker Boot

These leather biker boots made by Love from Australia are the must have of sheepskin boots! We’re all in love with them; in fact most of us here at Jane Davidson own them, which is why I’m so surprised there are any left! Okay... so going into summer may not be the best time to purchase sheepskin boots, but come autumn you’ll be thankful you did, and for the price!
WAS: £199 NOW: £119


Red Valentino – Bow Detail Cardigan


Fuchsia pink again to brighten up any outfit! Wear over a dress or with skinny jeans to complete that summer look!
WAS: £225 NOW: £135









Halston Heritage – Faux Fur Jacket


For those of you who are against wearing real fur but love the look, we have the perfect jacket for you! This white faux fur jacket by Halston Heritage is the perfect little add-on to an outdoors or evening wedding, especially if the wedding is in Scotland! Brrr...
WAS: £395 NOW: £239


Collette Dinnigan- Sequence Dress


Last but certainly not least, this sparkly number by Aussie designer Collette Dinnigan is a show stopper if ever I’ve seen one! Dance the night away looking and feeling like a celebrity and be the envy of all your friends!
WAS:£2655 NOW: £1595








So there we have it, my Top 10 Favourite Mid Season Sale pieces. Remember the sale only runs until Wednesday 27th April, so hurry down and bag yourself a bargain!

Love,

The Girls xox

From Runway to Red - DVF making a statement!

Now Ms. von Furstenberg is never the shy and retiring type but this season definitely has that added little 'WOW' we love.

Ever since her vintage prints made a come back a few season's ago, DVF has been getting wilder and wilder and this season is certainly no exception. With the appearance of Yvan Mispelaere, Diane von Furstenberg's new wingman, the collection would undoubtedly change - however, does this mean that the wrap dress will be no more? Read on to find out the fate of our favourite cover up.



The Frenchman most recently headed up the women's design studio at Gucci, and earlier this decade he worked under Phoebe Philo at Chloé - now he has brought back that je ne sais quoi to Diane's collection. Explained perfectly by style.com 'prints were more major, and colours simultaneously bolder and more subtle' But how do you wear these pieces we hear you cry?! We've decided to break down the brick red trousers suit and show that it's not so difficult to wear after all.

Look Number One: The Catwalk Cool



Shown during the S/S '11 show, the suit was styled with a peach coloured blouse, salmon pink accessories and that effortlessly cool edge (unfortunately, that doesn't have a price tag and isn't available over the counter) The androgynous look of the suit makes it a perfect partner for feminine accessories.

Look Number Two: Bordering on Brodarie Anglais



Believe us, come high summer everyone will be wearing Brodarie Anglais. Take yourself back to your childhood and re-live the look it will be worth it - trust us. Contrast your brick red suit with a little bit of cut out to give it that sexy edge which takes it a million miles away from ankle length socks. Take a leaf out of Red Magazine's book and pair with crisp white.

Look Number Three: Stripes

Everything this summer works with stripes but the clean cut Petit Bateau works wonders with any little suit - match it with navy and white to salut Mispelaere himself. Match it with flat ballerina pumps and a patent belt and you have the cool, down-time look which wouldnt look out of place in the centre of Paris.

Don't forget...

A suit is a versatile piece - how about styling the jacket with a simple white blouse and the pleated Pringle of Scotland mesh skirt? Or the trousers with the Edde blouse in black from Diane von Furstenberg. This season is all about mixing and matching - the more the merrier so pile on the pattern/colour/textures and have some fun. And no - the wrap dress is not going anywhere - it just might be a little brighter this season.


Love,

The Girls x


p.s. I stumbled across this whilst looking for brick red trouser pics - don't worry bright red flares are not appearing on the JD girlies radar this season!

One Jacket: Six Styles

Who knew one Erdem Jacket could be worn in so many different ways?


At first glance, this Spring Summer 2011 Erdem Molly Jacket may not seem like a must have wardrobe piece for the faint hearted, but at second glance, and with a little help from the Jane Davidson Girls, we’ve transformed this one trick pony into a style chameleon!

Unless you’re Diane Von Furstenberg herself, from time to time you’ll struggle (like the rest of us) to inject that much sought after bold prints and bright colours into your daily [stylish] life. Struggle no more ladies; we’ve come up with not one, not two but SIX different ways to wear this bang on trend jacket.




Look Number one: The Double Contrast



Double contrast I hear you gasp? That’s right we’re making up our own rules. Whoever said an Erdem Jacket cannot look fantastic worn over a matching Erdem contrast print dress? Not us, we love this look. Wear with coloured heels to a day at the races or to a beautiful summer wedding.




Look Number Two: The three piece



Who doesn’t love feeling pretty and girly in pleated skirts and pink tops, all that this outfit is missing is some edge, and that’s where Erdem and his unique use of print comes in. Combining these three separate trends creates one charming outfit, for those summer business meetings or simply for luncheons out with the girls! In the evening kick off those pumps and don a pair of sky scraping heels to take this look from day into night.




Look Number Three: Dress it down



We all get a little tired of the same old casual look: jeans and a top. Why not introduce a splash of print to your jeans, we can assure you they’ll get on like a house on fire!




Look Number Four: Parisian Chic



From DvF to Missoni the cropped trouser can be seen gracing the catwalk, so adding one season trend to another; the printed jacket to the cropped trouser was a natural progression. Not to mention creating a look any Parisian fashionista would be envious of!




Look Number Five: The New Romantic



Fed up of turning up to a wedding only to find someone else is wearing the exact same dress as you, nightmare! Not to worry, by linking these complementary looks you’ll have created a one of, not to mention statement outfit that will leave the other guests, including the bride, seeing green. Or in this case pale pink and blue!




Look Number Six: The LBD



Is that time old classic, the little black dress getting a little, well, tired? Fear not, help is at hand to save the day... that’s right the Erdem Molly Jacket! This printed jacket can save any LBD from extinction and in the process give it that sexy little twist!








So there we have it, six looks in one! We think you’ll agree that this jacket is the perfect addition to your summer wardrobe and that no outfit is complete without it!

Love,

The Girls xxx

Spring is here!

We can happily say that Spring is here (ignore the rain) and we have some gorgeous photos of our first show of the season to prove it!

Never mind the cold and wet weather, last Thursday the Jane Davidson Girls may have well been on a beach somewhere hot and sunny. The theme for last weeks fashion show was HOT. HOT. HOT.

We started off with one of our favourites for Spring/Summer 2011 - Pringle of Scotland. Exclusive to Jane Davidson, the pre-collection has hit the rails running. With gorgeous classic twinsets (with a twist) and graphic prints rivalling the traditional - Pringle has definitely had a fashion makeover. Petit Bateau, an old favourite, made a welcome comeback with simple tee's that will rock your wardrobe.

Words cannot describe the bright colours and gorgeous prints so I'll let the pictures do the talking!



















And our gorgeous Girls -




We've got some gorgeous pieces arriving every day from Diane von Furstenberg, Laark London, MiH Jeans, Talbot Runhof and SO many more - pop in and feel the start of Spring!

Love,



The Girls xxx


p.s. Our pop-up shop is still open and will be until the 26th February 2011 at 17 Stafford Street - with up to 90% off it is worth popping in!

The tee is back!

Just like many greats, Petit Bateau has made a brilliant return to JD!

In light of this we would like to present a blog about celebrities donning the striped sweater. Dress it up or dress it down - this is the perfect tee for spring summer and Petit Bateau have created the ideal!

Either the sweater - which is brilliant for this indecisive weather we're having - in red and white or blue and white looks great under a camel coat and your favourite rolled up straight jeans (try the MiH Roadtrip in our sale with 60% off!) A la Alexa Chung.

The cropped sweater - in navy and white - is perfect for wearing over a longer tank and some skinny jeans for this Summer!

However, the look we love is Stella M. This season's must have is the flare jean (for those who have just come out of hibernation!). Wear with the boyfriend blazer, heels and the Petit Bateau striped tee and you have the perfect S/S 11 look!


Love,

The Girls
xxx

P.s. Happy New Year!!!

Our best of the sale...

Every Sale time The Girls pick the best pieces from the sale and explain just why we love them (especially with 40% off!)

This sale is one of our best with great 40% reductions on many great brands including Erdem, Herve Leger, M Missoni, Armani Collezioni, Diane von Furstenberg and many more. There are some brilliant must have pieces which will be wardrobe staples for 2011 and many more years!


Our first, and best seller, is the gorgeous Herve Leger with the perfect evening/work/all-round dress. The long sleeve Herve is in a gorgeous nude colour which can be worn with grey and pale accessories or hardened up with black chunky alternatives. From £1079 to £647.40 this is the ideal time to get that little-not-black dress which fits into the same functions!


A newcomer this season is Erdem and the perfect day dress has been welcomed into our 40% sale – we love the Garzoni dress, with the beautiful ruffle detail on the bust to the Lavinia dress which is the perfect anecdote to this season’s lace trend. Team with a skinny patent belt and chunky heels to add that little je ne sais quoi to your Spring 2011 wardrobe. With a fantastic 40% off these dresses are true investment pieces which will be heirlooms. We love the printed silk – it truly is fashion and art colliding.


On the more casual front the two ICONIC jeans from this season come courtesy of J Brand. The Agnes and The Houlihan (every statement must have ‘the’ in front of it) are in our 40% sale – with limited size runs so make sure to catch them while they’re still available. We Love the Houlihan with gladiator sandals (I’m not throwing mine out just yet – still need another Summer out of them!) and a plain white tee. Whereas the Stealth is that all-round jean, wear with heels and a blouse for evening attire or pumps and your favourite sweater for day time chic. The Stealth is now £177 from £295 and the Houlihan is £147 from £245.


Also, our Love From Australia boots are in the sale – starting at £109 these are the perfect way to wash out your snowy blues. We love the long studded boots in caramel and in-store in grey. Layer them with thick chunky socks and jeans and ta-da you’re welcoming 2011 in in style and still staying warm.


Also in the sale, unbelievable Utzon Leather Leggings from Caroline. The softest leather in this season’s colour, peppercorn, look great with all neutral colours. Wear with grey, cream, taupe, caramel, brown, khaki – anything really for a chic and elegant look which will definitely get you noticed! From £965 to £579 these are definitely an investment!


Our Lulu Guinness bags start at £135 perfect to pair with any evening dress – we suggest the Halston Heritage pleated cocktail dress in lipstick – a favourite of Sarah Jessica Parker which is reduced to £209.40 from £349.

And last but certainly no means least - my favourite part of the sale is the gorgeous Dom&Ruby leather Avaiator jacket in beautiful choc-ice brown. From £999 to £599.40 this piece has been seen in Grazia and all over the press as the 'it' piece to have as a Winter warmer - we love it because although it's trend lead it's not too over done. The sleeves have beautiful double buckle detailing and the sheepskin is the purest colour which will compliment jeans perfectly! We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!





If you are free pop in – there’s definitely plenty of pieces to satisfy even the keenest bargain finder!

Love,

The Girls