Reinvented glamour is no longer in the dashing silhouettes of the fifties or in the frenzy of the 80s disco era. It now goes back to basics, back to where it has all begun. For the summer of 2012, we take a look back to the golden years, right in the dawn of  the Jazz era.

The hairstyles of 1920s were mainly short and rather dramatic compared to the era before. You can go for bobbed hair or an Eton cropped style to get the look. If you have longer hair, you can style it around your face and tie the rest in a low bun.

Hair clips and feather accessories were very popular especially for the evening outfits of the twenties. Fascinators and hats also play a huge part in the party looks.

Vogue 2007 - 20s photoshoot, the flapper style

Even modern stars have adopted this look and it’s now easier than ever to dress up in the flapper style, when there are so many modern twists of it around us. Several runway collections for spring 2012 announced the revival of the golden twenties and flapper styles were spotted all over at Gucci, Azzaro or Ralph Lauren Collection.

But also the movie scene will be enriched this year with the re-make of a 20s classic: The Great Gatsby.

You can also check out the latest movie by Woody Allen “Midnight in Paris” or get inspired from the ghd photoshooting where Katie Perry is a perfect example of how you can achieve a a 1920’s hairstyle using your straightener and some styling products. I can wait to give it a go.

Can’t believe just how fast this year has passed. This year, I feel like I felt it all :  love, joy,  happiness, excitement but also I have been disappointed, heart-broken and melancholic. I think there has to be natural balance between all these feelings and at some point we all have to go through these things that will in time shape who we are.  I’ve learned that I have to stand up and be strong no matter what, that friends can heal wounds, that passion can make magic, that life can taste like chocolate and that stunning dresses can really make your day …or evening for that matter.

This year’s party dresses are special and sexy. Even if you decide to go for a LBD and style it up for evening with sparkling accessories or make-up, or your choose a statement dress, you cannot go wrong as long as it represents who you are.

Go for niche or boutique dresses and try to avoid popular retailers such as H&M, Zara or Topshop… the chances may be your dress can also be somebody else’s dress. Try other brands and search for more unique pieces. Vintage also works if you can bring your dress to year 2012 - accessories are key!

Check out the list for the most stunning party dresses that we found online this year. Remember they are personality based! So keep an I both on the trend but also on the twist you give your outfit.

I am attending a wedding in August and have just bought this dress. I would be really grateful if you could advise on what would be the best way to style my hair to suit this dress.

V.

First of all V, your coral maxi dress is amazing!!! I am a huge fan of summer weddings and I think that it’s the perfect time to have the dream garden wedding party, despite the high temperatures that the month of August brings. Therefore this should also be reflected in the way you style your hair.

Forget tight, sleek, perfectly pulled hair-dos, as they are completely not applicable in the hot season. This also goes for straight hair, it will definitely get frizzy and you will feel like your hairstyle is getting “curly”.

Instead, try to think of volume and loose waves. I think it also depends on the length of your hair. If you have longer hair, I think the perfect choice would be to pull it up or back, or create a side hair-style.  Braids can also work and all those bohemian hairstyles.

Shorter hair can either be let loose and combed to a side - the side where you don’t have the ruffle.

I really like the hair-styles sported by Olivia Munn and Mila Kunis and that you can also accessorize your dress with a pair of amazing earrings, just perfect for the coral goddess dress that you have.

I have just posted my clubbing outfit onto Lookbook.nu :) Check it out!

I love the entire silk dress + leather jacket mix. I think it’s perfect to drift into the night extravaganza. The jacket is from Bershka, my dress is from ZARA and so are the shoes.  I can’t remember what bracelets I had worn, but you can go for something statement. I think it suits the outfit even better.

XOXO,
Lizzie.

It’s that time of year again where celebrity dresses are being dissected and the must have trends from these are beginning to hit the high streets. The Oscars are one of the most recent awards that should be considered when choosing inspiration for our elegant outfits.

It seems that this year it was decided that simple looks and cuts are still classics. With the tone early on being set as neutral there were several eye catching strapless dresses, it is clear that the thought of the night is less is more and how right they were!

This year’s Oscars were all about simple shapes doing their best for celebs bodies, enhancing curves that they want seen and hiding those that they don’t. Perfect examples of this were worn by Anna Kendrick and Rachel McAdams, with their fitted busts and flowing skirts, these dresses can be shown as examples of class at its best at the Oscars.

Demi Moore and Elizabeth Banks followed on in a similar trend, with a fitted bust falling in to gorgeous layers of ruffles.

All of us would love the celebrity look but unfortunately do not have the pay packages to go with it (especially when we can’t quite justify maxing out our credit cards on just one dress) but there are a few options out there. www.very.co.uk has all the latest looks that would fit in perfectly on any red carpet at a price that won’t break your bank balance.

The perfect example of this on Very comes from drama queens, their stunning Spilt Front Embellished Maxi Dress is full of red carpet glamour and promises to make the most of any body shape and size. The ingenious peek-a-boo slit up the front offers a level of flattery unknown before and its colour fits in perfectly with this season’s top trend.

Following in the Oscars less is more footsteps you can also choose and mix something eye-catchy such as a printed strappy dress let’s say, from French Connection.

I like that with a wide variety of choices Very has a dress to make every woman feel like she’s walking the red carpet. Check out the Very collection online and browse their wide range of dresses to find your perfect outfit!

Photos via JustJared.

Spring 2011 focuses on freedom of expression and of movements, a color symphony and the best accessories out there. Prom dresses are part of the fashion scene for a while now and it is now easier than ever to search for inspiration everywhere around. The web is full of fabulous red-carpet looks and tons of examples, not to mention the large variety of online stores which include even virtual makeovers!

I really believe that the runway looks and trends for Spring 2011 and the stars outfits are the major inspirations when choosing a dress. This way you can get a feeling of how a particular shade or silhouette fits and you can also read reviews to see if the particular dress had a big impact among the audience and will be suitable as your Prom Dress.

The main prom dress trends that I’ve identified for 2011 are focused on 4 big pillars: soft tones, classic lines, abstract prints and bold colors.

Strapless Tulle Ball Gown with Beaded Bodice - Chiffon Gown with Cascading Ruffle Detail - Beaded Ball Gown with Tulle Skirt

Soft pinks, light peach and yellow, white, nude, beige are the top ingredients to achieve the Cotton Candy look. You can by now imagine that the princess type of dress is the most popular in this category, but you can also get it right by choosing a simple flowing gown that will make you look like a goddess.

Sleeveless Jersey Dress with Beaded X-Back - Floral One Shoulder Silky Knit Pleated Gown

Old Hollywod Glamour is the second big trend that I’ve identified for party dresses in 2011. Rihanna works this look very well, the Burgundy lace dress by Elie Saab is a very good choice as it highlights her silhouette and defines her hourglass shape. Prom dresses can also be adjusted and embellished so you can easily get that classic, Hollywood elegance. Red, black or white are my top recommendations because I think they are very powerful and versatile tones. If you are bold you can choose a black and white dress, this is quite a timeless statement piece!

Short Strapless Beaded Taffeta Tiered Dress - Short Strapless Dress with Organza Ruffle Skirt

Bold and Short is the next trend that I love for dress trends in 2011. Coral, cyan, pink, purple, magenta, electric red,  emerald or citrus shades are all very much allowed this season! Try short volumetric designs with ruffles and tulle which give you a flirty attitude. Bold shades usually go with metallics so be sure you accessorize properly.

Silky Knit Print Tank Dress with Beaded Waist - One Shoulder Stretch Satin Multi Print Gown

One of the most powerful trends on the runways for awhile now are The Prints. Even if you have a floral printed dress, animal print or abstract, you will definitely make a statement by wearing this type of dress. I think that this is also a bold choice as prints are not necessarily very easy to wear, be sure to balance your outfit and don’t go overboard with heavy accessories.

Later Update 2011-2012 - New Years Best party Dresses

New Year’s Eve is that time of the year when you need to actually shine and look your best! All throughout the year, you may have skipped a couple parties because you were tired or felt like you had nothing to wear, but now you just can’t do that anymore! :)

NYE should be the night you feel sexy and magical and lucky! After all, life is too good not to live it like you feel it…and this is the best time or excuse to do that!

No matter your style or the venue where you decide to celebrate New Year’s there are cool and really amazing options out there and not all of them cost millions ;-) Even you need a cocktail dress or a statement evening dress, you can get an idea what are the key dress trends of the season and get to pick out of 30 hottest styles.

I hope you will like these next dresses, thus they are nevertheless amazing!

1. The Sequin Dress

2. The Faux Leather Dress

3. The Micro Dress

4. The Velvet Dress

5. The Red Dress

6. The Lace Dress

7. The Color Block Dress

8. The Beaded Dress

9. The Asymetrical LBD

10. The Layered Dress

11. The Tunic Dress

12. The Maxi Dress

13. The Bodycon Dress

14. The Corset Dress

15. The Gemstone Dress

16. The Statement Dress

17. The Feather Dress

18. The Mesh Dress

19. The Bold Dress

20. The Drape Dress

21. The Organza Dress

22. The Red Carpet Dress

23. The Abstract Print Dress

24. The Disco Dress

25. The Metallic Dress

26. The Little White Dress

27. The Statement Black Dress

28. The Artist Dress

29. The Brocade Dress

30. The Golden Dress

I noticed that so many designers have focused on deep solid colors for their fall collections. Burberry Prorsum created these amazing deep hued coats and statement outerwear whereas Oscar de la Renta dressed his models in gemstones! Or at least gemstone colors because rubies, jades, amethysts or emeralds were the key notes of major designer runway shows. These luxurious jewel-toned cocktail dresses have become the season’s must-have.

I have to admit I have always liked these types of colors because they are able to turn heads instantly!

Satin materials add extra vibe to the outfit and also black tights can really enhance the color of your dress. All  that needs to be done is to choose great accessories. As the dress is the center of the entire outfit, you need to adjust the impact of the accessories depending on the event so you can easily go for metallics or neutrals if you want to dress the outfit up or down.

There are so many chic special occasion dresses out there. For instance, I found all these gemstone party dresses at great affordable prices, some of them even on sale!

From left to right: Charmeuse Glitter Mesh Bubble Hem Dress -  $99, Taffeta Halter Dress with Rosette Neckline - $99, Stretch Dress with Bow Detail and Pockets -$80, Ruffled One-Shoulder Slim Dress -$80, Strapless iridescent taffeta short dress - $120