WEAR YOUR HEART ON YOUR TEE

Sometimes you just come across an item of clothing that sums up the way you feel to a T. Literally. Although some may say the statement on this T-shirt doesn't entirely apply to me (well, you can't be good all the time), I do feel it highlights a recurring problem I have.

Still, if honesty is as good as therapy, then I'm helping myself by buying this Zoe Karssen 'Good Girls Love Bad Boys' T-shirt and wearing it with pride? Thought so. Sold!

Zoe Karssen T-shirt £69.95, Harrods

TELL ME ABOUT IT... STUD

It's always been my ambition to learn to walk in heels (proper, towering six inch heels), but alas it's not meant to be. My hips/ankles/toes cannot take the stress, anxiety and pain that comes along with a heel height of three inches or more.

But I do still like to look at shoes I wish I could wear and admire them from afar.

These Alexander McQueen McQ studded leather shoes are just one example. First spotted in neon pink, they've drawn me in and now I'm torn between these and the electric blue. They're so beautiful that I probably would just keep them as an ornament even if I could walk in them, because they don't deserve to be subjected to a lifetime of sticky club floors and dirt laden pavements. These shoes are works of art and I would happily look at their shiny studs all day. Enjoy!

 

McQ Alexander McQueen Studded Court Shoes £265, Coggles

FROM NEON TO NYLON

American magazines never register that highly on my must-read list, but Nylon is always an exception. Maybe it's because it reminds me more of the edginess you'd expect from British fashion magazines, rather than the overly-glossy, preened to perfection pages that seem to repel me from going anywhere near US Vogue, Elle and Glamour etc.

And I love this month's cover featuring Hollywood actress Dianna Agron in a gorgeous neon pink and white lace Christopher Kane creation.

The dress, from the Scottish fashion designer's Resort 2012 collection, fits perfectly with the 60s-inspired styling of the shoot, which sees Dianna wear a mixture of high street and designer pieces reminiscent of the decade.

I love this shoot! Photographed by Marvin Scott Jarrett and styled by Michele Reneau, it's definitely a major reason to buy this month's Nylon.

http://www.nylonmag.com/

A FASHIONABLE WALK OF SHAME

It's not that I'm a total humbug but this year's Christmas TV adverts haven't got me in the festive mood at all. X Factor stars can't save the M&S ad from mediocrity and I can't bring myself to love the John Lewis effort when they've used a poor cover version of a Smiths classic to get an otherwise well made point across.

But Harvey Nichols made my day when this video dropped into my inbox - total genius and strangely gets me in the mood for the festive season!

Maybe it's because its story is so familiar to me, especially at this time of year when an abundance of Christmas party nights leads to missed last trains and that inevitable 'one more for the road and I'll just crash at yours' idea that always seems like such a plan at 3am.

Its point may be to make sure we're suitably dressed in all situations this party season but even with the best of intentions, I think I'll probably still be resembling the girls featured at the start of this video rather than the perfectly polished princess at the end!

FASHION EVENT: STYLELAB

Like most girls, I love a bit of Topshop, love a bit of Benefit, so the ideal night would be bringing the two together in some sort of form? Glasgow's super-stylish private members' club 29 has decided to give us all a pre-Christmas treat and bring the two brands together for a night of fashionista fun in the form of its popular StyleLab event. 

First hosted in the venue back in July, the glamorous StyleLab event is an evening fit for fashionistas. Hosted in 29's Network Bar from 6-9pm on Wednesday 7th December, guests at the event can expect:

• A masterclass from Topshop style expert Laura Davidson, personal shopper at the flagship Glasgow store on Argyle Street 
• Make-up demonstrations & beauty treatments by Benefit Cosmetics
• A complimentary 29 cocktail on arrival 
• Delicious canapés courtesy of the Grill Room
• Live music from DJ Josie Smith 
• A fabulous goody bag packed-full of stylish treats worth over £30

Definitely one not to be missed!

Tickets priced at £15.00 per person and are available now from 0141 225 5615 / www.29glasgow.com

WELCOME TO MY BLONDE AMBITION

It was time to give the old blog (The Caledonista RIP) a much-needed makeover, so I went a step further and actually got myself a new domain name to match the new look! Blogging has taken a back seat of late, but I'll be making a conscious effort to post about the things I love on a more regular basis, which is another reason for the makeover.

I'll still be posting about Scottish fashion but I get asked all the time about my personal taste on everything - not just fashion, but make up, hair, music and men, so I've decided to expand a bit and make room for more of my life in my blog.

Here's what you can expect from My Blonde Ambition and remember you can now follow me on twitter at @bella_blondie_:

And during the revamp I've managed to lose blogroll so if you like my new blog and want me to link to yours, make sure you leave me a comment to say hi!

ALL DOLLED UP

I'm a big fan of funky online store Doll Boutique, which stocks some of my favourite labels like LnA, Wildfox and Olivia Rubin, so I was very excited to hear via their blog that they'd launched an own brand range. And it's actually quite to my liking!

Lace, denim and sheer maxis are just a taste of what the Doll Boutique brand will offer, but I think it's in keeping with the cutting-edge designs they already offer from more established brands. Love the photography too!

Sheer Leopard Maxi £65

Cream Knit Cut-Out Dress £65

Denim and Lace Shirt £55

www.dollboutique.co.uk

PRISONER CELL BLOCK CHIC

When the 'What's New For You' email (otherwise known as the 'What You Can't Afford' email) from Net-a-Porter drops in to my inbox on a Monday, I usually have a quick,admirable scroll and file it away for future fantasy shopping details. Signing up to receive new arrivals from my favourite designers is one of the most worthwhile things I've ever done - how can you not get excited by Christopher Kane, Isabel Marant, Alexander McQueen and IRO in the same email?

But today's one was a bit of an eye-opener for all the wrong reasons. I'd seen the Stella McCartney SS11 collection before but, presented to me in stark packshots on a white background, gone was the designer allure. What replaced it? An inexplicable urge to dig out my Prisoner Cell Block H boxset.

Stella McCartney Oversized Denim Dress £435

Stella McCartney Oversized Denim Top £265

Stella McCartney Mid-rise Wide-leg Denim Shorts £345

Stella McCartney Mid-length Denim Skirt £345

How I haven't noticed the similarity between Freja strutting her stuff on Stella's SS11 catwalk and Bea Smith steaming the living daylights out of Her Majesty's linens on the press before today, I will never know. But if Stella didn't take some inspiration from the Wentworth women, I'd be mightily surprised. 

Bea Smith may have been the 'top dog' in her denim tunic and grass green shirt combo, but I always thought the true style icon of the show was Erica Davidson, the long-suffering blonde goddess of a governor that was surely destined to parade her beehive and prim skirt suits in an altogether more glamorous environment than the shaky-walled prison.

So maybe next season Stella will look to 'Davo', as the legendary Lizzie Birdsworth affectionately called her? I think it's a far better look than Bea Smith, whose 'style' is one fashion crime I don't intend to commit this season!

Stella McCartney SS11

http://www.net-a-porter.com

NET-A-NEON

With the launch of Net-A-Porter's online TV channel, I thought it was worth checking out what they have to offer. Here's a look ahead to how we'll all be dressing should we choose to follow Christopher Kane's philosophy, which appears to promote a cultural clash of prim and proper princess meets nu-raver? So we'll all be looking like royal ravers come Wills and Kate's big day in April? Maybe not, but you can bet you'll have worn at least something with a neon twist come the bank holiday weekend:

KATE THE GREAT

Just when I think I can't envy my favourite supermodel anymore, she comes out with these amazing shots for her new Longchamp collaboration. Never mind the bags, look at Miss Moss (soon to be Mrs Hince bleurgh!) rocking that hair. That is the hair I want! Never thought I'd say it but it may be time to bin the bleach and swap the platinum for some soft highlights a la Kate. 

http://www.longchamp.com