If you thought Pied a Terre just did shoes then think again, Pied a Terre for women is House of Fraser’s new and exclusive brand. It’s a stunning new collection, filled with sumptuous fabrics and gorgeous shades. From soft and subtle nudes to striking aquas, the colourways are perfect for spring. We’ve fallen head over heels in love with the dresses, particularly the ‘Deco Jungle’ print dress, pictured above. So easy to wear, so stylish… is this our new dream brand? We think it might be.

Click here to shop Pied a Terre

We Love… Pied a Terre is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

The stars were shining bright for the Academy Awards. With shocks in the winners department, the dresses were surprisingly less shocking.

If you haven’t heard, here are the big winners:

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

Best Director: Kathryn Bigelow – The Hurt Locker

Best Actress in a leading role: Sandra Bullock – The Blind Side

Best Actor in a leading role: Jeff Bridges – Crazy Heart

Foreign language film: El Secreto de Sus Ojos

Best Actor in a supporting role: Christoph Waltz – Inglorious Basterds

Best Actress in a supporting role: Mo’Nique – Precious

Best Animated feature film: Up

It was certainly a surprising list of winners, with no sign of Avatar for any of the main awards. Sandra Bullock was a particular surprise as only a few days ago did she win a Golden Raspberry for ‘Worst Actress’. But whether you agree with the winners or not, it’s time to critique those gowns.

Upping the style stakes

These are the ladies who took style risks and it paid off. From hot newcomer Carey Mulligan in Prada to Diane Kruger in Chanel, we are loving their looks. Carey Mulligan’s dress was an edgy take on red carpet dressing, whilst we fell in love with the romance of Diane Kruger’s look. Rachel McAdams worked watercolour beauty in a fab Elie Saab gown, whilst Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Dries Van Noten print dress was simple yet striking. Zoe Saldana’s Givenchy Couture dress was a work of art, whilst Meryl Streep pioneered simplicity in her stunning Chris March ensemble.

Playing it safe

These are the ladies who know how to work red carpet glamour, they don’t take style risks, but opt for clean, timeless elegance. Amanda Seyfried looked like a princess in her Armani Prive moon-shade gown. Sarah Jessica Parker looked understated in Dior, whilst Cameron Diaz opted for heavy embellishment in her Oscar de la Renta creation. Sigourney Weaver’s goddess draped Lanvin dress was incredibly flattering, whilst Precious star Gabourey Sidibe also worked draping beautifully in her Marchesa gown. Kristen Stewart took a step back from her usual edgy style and went for fishtail simplicity in a moody Monique Lhuillier. Other starlets to note are Helen Mirren who looked graceful in a silver dress by Badgley Mischka and Penelope Cruz who was dressed in Donna Karan.

Missed the mark

These are the ladies whom we expected more from and who failed to deliver. Kate Winslet went for a yawn-worthy bodiced dress by Yves Saint Laurent, whilst Vera Farmiga went 1980s Barbie crazy in her not-so-understated Marchesa dress. Charlize Theron chose spring’s hot colour, lavender, but this Dior dress was not nearly ‘wow’ enough. Sandra Bullock obviously decided to dress like an oscar in case she didn’t win one, her slippery gold Marchesa looked old fashioned and unflattering. Jennifer Lopez meanwhile came over a little Lady GaGa in her Armani Prive.

Who was your favourite Oscar look? Which designer would you pick to wear on the red carpet?

OSCARS 2010 is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

You will have read about it, you will have heard the hype about it, but very soon you will be able to buy Rodial’s Glamoxy snake serum.

Crowned as ‘Botox in a bottle’, Glamoxy is 100% safe and is used by a gaggle of celebrities including Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole.

The product mimics snake venom, and is said to ‘freeze’ the face muscles. The key component is Syn-Ake, which is a neuropeptide that works in the same way as the South-East Asian Temple Viper’s venom.

So why all the hype? Glad you asked; trials have found that wrinkles are less noticeable after just 90 seconds! Think how good you will look using this twice a day, as well as being the less invasive alternative to Botox.

But hurry, this product is in hot demand, we’ll keep you posted when it comes online, but keeping checking our beauty pages… Form an orderly queue ladies.

Click here for our beauty pages

Pssst… Rodial’s Glamoxy snake serum coming soon! is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

With the imminent launch of Kenneth Cole’s eagerly anticipated 925 shoes, we are pleased to announce that the man himself will be in our Oxford Street store on 5^th March at 11am.

Kenneth will be presenting his life-changing 925 shoes in the women’s shoe department on the 2^nd floor with a champagne reception.

Kenneth Cole is huge in the States with a loyal following of fashionistas and celebrities alike. Known for his chic, wearable designs and cheeky slogans, Kenneth Cole is the perfect brand for women and men looking for a stylish wardrobe.

We are particularly excited about the 925 shoes, which caused bedlam when released in New York. These shoes are heels which feel like flats, they are the most comfortable shoes, yet they don’t sacrifice style. The holy grail of the shoe world surely?

To get to see Kenneth Cole head to House of Fraser Oxford Street on 5^th March at 11am on the 2^nd floor.

Click here to shop Kenneth Cole

News Flash: Kenneth Cole to visit House of Fraser Oxford Street is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

If you’re one of the 9.5 million women who don’t wear a sports bra then shame on you! But, we completely understand, it’s hard enough finding the right fit in a day-to-day bra, let alone a sports bra. Then of course you don’t know what support level to choose, or if they really do work. We have been sceptical as well, so we thought we’d give the new Shock Absorber Run sports bra a run for its money (excuse the pun).

Tester 1.

Bra size: 32E

Sport: Running

Review: Shock Absorber run bra, is by far the best sports bra I have come across. I put the sports bra to the test whilst I went running. It felt comfortable and it provided excellent support. The Shock Absorber bra is well designed, practical and perfect for high impact exercise. The top back fastening can be a little tricky to do up but other than that – it’s great.

Score: 8/10

Tester 2.

Bra size: 30F

Sport: Gym workout

Review: I’ve recently started a new gym program which involves time on the cross trainer, running machine and bike. With having bigger boobs, I worry about the movement and really fear getting saggy ones. I tried this bra and was a little unsure at first, but after just one gym workout I was amazed. There was no movement, and I felt really secure.

Score: 9/10

Tester 3.

Bra size: 32B

Sport: Dance & pilates

Review: This bra is made for a more intense workout than I normally do, however I am a gym bunny and am looking for something that can support me whether I’m in a dance class or on the cross trainer. I have never really worn a sports bra, being smaller I haven’t felt the need, but I am aware that I need to start. This bra certainly felt much more supportive than anything I’ve been used to before, and was actually great for more energetic dance routines. I am fully converted.

Score: 10/10

Overall, the Run bra performed really well. Our testers were genuinely shocked at how secure they felt and that there was such little movement. It has certainly been a hit here.

Run sports bra, £36, Shock Absorber (it comes in white/silver or black/silver)

Click here to buy

On trial: Shock Absorber Run sports bra is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

It’s menswear day today at London Fashion Week, which means yesterday was the last day for women’s ready-to-wear. It’s fair to say that London Fashion Week has gone in the blink of an eye, it’s been action packed and full of gorgeous fashion. For fashion folk everywhere next stop is Milan. But first, let’s round up day 5 part 2.

Jonathan Saunders made another much welcomed return to the London catwalks. Not one to miss out on a trend, Jonathan Saunders’ collection consisted of what is fast becoming the colours of Autumn/Winter 2010; punchy orange, moody navy and gorgeous dove grey. It felt a little urban sportswear, a little bit preppy grunge, with drop waists and jumpers pulled down over skirts, it was fresh and chic. Highlights included the sheer knits, the print dresses and the parka jackets. A lovely show.

Nathan Jenden however was feeling a little on the wild side with an animal and batik theme. If Grace Jones went on safari this collection would probably be the outcome, with futuristic lines, and a combination of form fitting and voluminous styles, it was fantastic show. How Nathan Jenden has made zebra print look chic, we’ll never know, but he has, and we want the zebra print dress. This was a fun and lively show.

ISSA London attracted a number of celebs, including Princess Beatrice, Alexandra Burke, Jodie Kidd, Peaches Geldof, Pearl Lowe and Louise Roe. ISSA London is our equivalent of Diane Von Furstenberg, with the printed wrap dress being the most iconic piece. The show was nice, but it wasn’t breathtaking. Key pieces included the maxi dresses, the printed pieces and the orange leather dress.

Burberry Prorsum was the most star-studded show of the season, Anna Wintour sat front row alongside Kate Hudson, Rachel Zoe, Kristen Stewart, Mia Wasikowska, Olivia Palermo, Mary-Kate Olsen, Claire Danes and The Kooks. The collection was a gorgeous spectrum of colours, starting with an ochre and khaki story which moved onto navy, followed by plums and pinks with hints of cobalt blue. Dresses were heavily rouched, and paired with biker chic ankle boots. Peacoats were sexed up with thigh high snakeskin boots, whilst sheepskin coats and jackets went with everything. It was, as you would expect, glamorous yet wearable, cool yet timeless. Highlights were the sheepskin jackets and the rouched velvet pieces.

William Tempest (main picture) is one of London’s rising stars. We’ve been following him, along with a gaggle of celebrity fans, for the last few seasons. His dresses are always stunning, working with strong silhouettes, Tempest creates a feminine yet powerful look. With a slightly abstract feel, his dresses are sexy yet make a style statement. For us, the duck egg blue was a personal highlight, closely followed by the grey and silver triangle mini dress. William Tempest is the one to watch.

Wow, what a fashion week, our feet are in agony and we are having coffee withdrawal symptoms, but we had a fabulous time. Keep checking back for our round up of New York, Paris and Milan, followed by a sneaky peak at next season’s trends.

London Fashion Week: Day 5 Part 2 is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

It was the final day for women’s ready-to-wear at London Fashion Week today. It was a dizzy day of the very best of London fashion, with some our best exports walking the catwalk today. That meant fashion royalty was in town, with Anna Wintour putting in an appearance. You can smell the mixture of fashion and fear in the air… bliss.

Ashish kicked off the day with his usual sparkly sequins. The vibe this season was a little bit grungy, a little bit granny chic. With sequin striped pyjamas and sequin cricket jumpers it was certainly kooky. Teddy bear prints adorned trousers whilst slinky wet look sequins sexed things up. It was a mixed show with some great key pieces.

What do you get if you cross leather, fur and orange? Peter Pilotto’s Autumn/Winter 2010 show. With soft prints and delicate chiffon dresses, Peter Pilotto’s show was a wonder of abstract lines and patchwork fabrics. There was a vintage feel to this collection, the grey and redcurrant dresses stole the show, with the orange and marble print a close second.

Basso & Brooke (main image) followed with their beautiful array of prints. Jumping from multi-colour creations to monochrome delights, the prints were at their very best. You can never really describe a Basso & Brooke print as there is just so much going on, but due to their skill with tonal colours you never feel overwhelmed. The swirl print monochrome dress and floor length dresses were our personal highlights, but with sumptuous colours from chocolate to turquoise to orange to purple, there were few pieces not to love. A special mention should go to the silk hooded top, a statement look that is sure to spark a trend.

Continuing the sci-fi trend, Krystof Strozyna’s presentation was held today. Krystof Strozyna has always had a very angular approach to fashion, and there seems no better season to be angular in than AW10. The nude and black pieces were particularly striking, and the pointy shoulder jacket was very sexy. Also feeling colour, there was fuchsia and orange on show. A nice collection.

Key looks:

• Orange
• Prints
• Angular lines

Check back for more fashion week coverage of Day 5 Part 2. If you want up to the minute coverage then follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Hotathof

London Fashion Week: Day 5 Part 1 is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

It’s the last day of women’s at fashion week today, before everyone jets off to Milan. But first we need to round up the second part of day four.

Jaeger London was a wearable yet stylish range. It was a moody palette of blacks, charcoals and plums with hints of tan. There were many strong pieces in this show, the trousers were gorgeous. The majority of styles this season have been dresses, but Jaeger London bucked the trend by sending wonderful array of suede, velvet and cashmere trousers down the catwalk. Other key pieces included the tan leather jacket, the cocoon coat and the fab kimono dress pictured above. A great range for wardrobe musts.

Marios Schwab is having a rather busy season, now being the designer behind Halston Marios Schwab has to doubly impress. His show, was mixed, there were some really strong pieces, but some were not so attention grabbing. Also going for a 19^th Century influence, there was lace up bodices and a modern take on period styles. The length was short and the palette a mix of grey, black, teal, navy and red. There were some interesting cuts, and some nice lines, but it wasn’t as breathtaking as other shows this season.

Paul Smith followed with a vibrant collection. From bright cobalt to orange and postbox red, dark charcoals were lifted. In a similar vein to Paul Costello the look was sexy country chic. Capes, baker boy hats and pencil skirts sat alongside pvc dresses and ripped fish net tights. There were some chic separates, the blazers being particularly striking, but it was the floral 50s style dresses that we want.

Pringle of Scotland was a more sombre affair, with a collection comprising of grey, black and stone. Slouchy trousers were paired with equally slouchy knits, and knee length pleated dresses look great with the ankle boots. Knitwear is going to be huge for AW10, and you can’t go far wrong with a Pringle knit, the dresses were our favourites.

Pam Hogg showed last night with Alice Dellal walking, and Jamie Winstone and Peaches Geldof in attendance. Pam Hogg is all about rockstar style, unfortunately that makes the majority of it unwearable. The other problem is that, Pam Hogg’s style is usually very individual and appeals to a particular niche, but with sci-fi becoming a clear trend for AW10 we are forced to compare with the other designers working this look. Sadly, Pam Hogg cannot compete with the Louise Goldin’s of this world. There were some strong pieces however, the red mini dress and black body worked, but on the whole it lacked a certain something.

In a completely different style, Markus Lupfer held his presentation. Markus Lupfer is the man who does the quirky knitwear; simple jumpers with fabulous motifs. The presentation saw a broadening of his range with some great rouche leggings and motorbike-esque trousers. The tartan worked well, and the cream rouched dress was one of the highlights. We do of course still love the knitwear, the lips jumper, ‘Sunday Best’ jumper and the floral scribble cardigan were serious highlights.

Key looks:

• Knitwear
• Grey
• Velvet

Check back for more fashion week coverage. If you want up to the minute coverage then follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Hotathof

London Fashion Week: Day 4 Part 2 is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

We’re heading towards the finale of London Fashion Week, but we’re not done yet. Today was cold, wet and not a great day for fashionistas, but come rain or shine you can’t keep us away from those catwalks.

First show of the day was Nicole Farhi. Over the past couple of seasons Nicole Farhi has had a complete design turnaround, from the designer whose jumpers your grandmother buys, to seriously stylish, high fashion pieces. This season saw another stylish collection. It was however a collection of two stories, the demure and the sexy. The demure saw gorgeous camel coats and simple figure-skimming silk dresses. The sexy was very sexy, patent leather dresses and coats, a wet look slinky fabric was seen throughout, and a red leather pencil skirt was seriously hot. One of the highlights of the show was a great hot pink floral print cord dress. This was a show to please Nicole Farhi fans and attract some new ones as well.

From one sexy show to another, Antonio Berardi followed Nicole Farhi with a collection for every aspiring femme fatale. If you love Roland Mouret (and who doesn’t?) then you will adore this collection from. The silhouettes were finely tailored to flatter a woman’s figure, and the velvet floor length gowns were made to turn heads. It was a stunning show.

Osman’s show was a colourful wearable collection. The shocking pink was a luscious shade, and the oversized envelope clutch bags were wonderful. The floor length navy draped dresses were statuesque, but our personal highlight was the dove grey leather dress (pictured). Some strong pieces.

There aren’t many designers who can blend florals, with lace and leather, and pull off a stunning collection, but then not many designers are Christopher Kane. This collection doesn’t have the same easy, wearability factor as his Spring/Summer 2010 gingham range, but the jackets are worth investing in if you don’t feel up to a leather dress. With an oriental theme, the florals are delicate against the tough leather, and toughened femininity is just one theme we can’t resist.

You can always count on Roksanda Ilincic to bring glamour to London Fashion Week. Her collection had a strong 1930s look, and a distinctly Prada feel. Hemlines were mid calf to full length and the fabrics; satin silks and cashmere wools. This was a very grown up collection and perfect for those looking to add some serious glamour to their look. We particularly liked the oyster shades.

Beautiful, decadent, delightful; these are just three of the words which we would describe Erdem’s show as being. It was  a show-stopping display of their trademark prints over a range of equally amazing dresses and separates. The swallow print was our personal favourite, but if we’re being honest, there wasn’t one piece we didn’t love. The whole look just seemed so natural, and so 2010.

Key looks:

• 1930s glamour
• Leather
• Prints

Check back for more fashion week coverage and Day 4 Part 2. If you want up to the minute coverage then follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Hotathof

London Fashion Week: Day 4 Part 1 is a post from: House of Fraser Blog

All this fashion is making us giddy, here’s the round up of day three, part two.

Meadham Kirchoff’s show was a homage to Courtney Love, and it was a bizarre mix of glitzy grunge. Bright colours, boho lengths, and lots of layering. This was a far cry from Meadham Kirchoff’s usual understated designs. There were some nice pieces, but there was far too much going on to be able to concentrate on any particular style. A confused show.

You would be excused for thinking that Vivienne Westwood’s Red Label show was actually a spring collection. Zingy orange and pink tartans, and bright prints felt light and summery. It was of course a political statement and the theme was an anti-global warming campaign. The clothes and message were true to the Vivienne Westwood style, and there were some really strong pieces; the black peacoat, the silk shirt dress and the leopard print strapless dress were just three of our favourites.

Twenty8Twelve was a star studded affair, it was a presentation rather than a catwalk show, which saw models posing on stages dressed as 18^th Century parlour rooms. There was of course the famous designers Sienna Miller and her sister Savannah Miller, Matthew Williamson dropped by to lend his support, and Twiggy, Jameela Jamil and Pixie Lott were in attendance. As for the clothes, they were the wearable styles we’ve come to love. Highlights included a great black velvet mini dress, which had a low back, the knitwear was gorgeous and the heart pendants were divine. Twenty8Twelve is about stylish wearability, and it ticked both boxes.

Mulberry was also in a summer mood (see main image), and had a really strong jungle theme. Gorgeous leopard print shades sat beautifully in bold violet shades. These were followed by a stunning neutral and camel story which led onto moody charcoals. It goes without saying that we want all the bags, and we have our eye on the super soft violet leather jacket. Fun and wearable.

Key looks:

• Leather
• Colour: pink, purple & orange
• leopard print

Check back for more fashion week coverage. If you want up to the minute coverage then follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Hotathof

London Fashion Week: Day 3 Part 2 is a post from: House of Fraser Blog