Baftas: the best and worst red carpet outfits through the years
While we spent this week having a right old knees up in honour of Charles Dicken's 200th birthday (he may be cracking on a bit, but boy can he put away the Jägerbombs), we have managed to save some energy for this weekend. Thank god, because the Bafta awards will take place in London, a chance for the finest actors on the planet to celebrate their achievements by freezing their well-toned abs off on an outdoor red carpet. Ah, but where would we be without said carpet? It offers us the chance to ohhhh and ahhh over the likes of George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Uggie the dog while marvelling at their extremely expensive outfits. When it comes to red carpet chic, sometimes these celebrities triumph, and sometimes they just fail. Imogen Fox remembers the best and worst of Bafta times (and crimes).
When it's cold, you gotta stay, dude
With Copenhagen fashion week just past, Lanre Bakare was reminded of just how much of a 'moment' Scandinavian fashion is having these days. As a man who regularly scours the internet for decent menswear, Bakare is pretty brand aware. "They may be regional in their design roots," he writes, "but those of us who spend time scouring the high street and internet for interesting menswear can't help but notice the recent rise of brands from Denmark, Norway, and, particularly, Sweden. Following the undisputed success of Acne, the Swedish brand Polly Vernon once described as "a winner of a range. Very wearable; quietly, fabulously hip. It has hip sewn into its very seams," there are jeans by HUMÖR, backpacks by Sandqvist and Fjallraven or coats by Stutterheim. A strong Nordic flavour that is emerging in British menswear boutiques and clued-up online retailers." Read more on Scando Chic here.
Hadley Freeman = our kind of cupid
Poor Hannah. She put pen to paper (for in the world of Ask Hadley, the old fashion letter still reigns) and asked Ms. Freeman for sartorial advice this coming Valentine's Day. "Um, clothes? This is not me being flippant – well, it is partly but the flippancy, I assure you, comes with a point. You see, Hannah, there is something about Valentine's Day that brings out the worst tendencies in retailers, lazy journalists and susceptible folk, namely and respectively: tacky venality, condescending gender cliches and insecurity about their own unique attractions." Ah, it's funny cause it's true. Drop the sexy lingerie and be yourself, is the sum of Hadley's advice this week. Let us know how you get on, readers.
Karl Lagerfeld mouths off. Again.
You'll be hard pressed to find a member of the fashion mafia who doesn't appreciate the quality of Lagerfeld's work at Chanel. Equally, you'll probably be searching in vain if you're looking for a single fashionista shocked or even that entertained by the 78-year-old designer's latest outburst. While some online commenters were up in arms over Karl's description of Adele as "a little fat", we have to say Guardian readers rather amused us on the fashion desk with their own take on the trash talk. "Adele or Largerfeld - which would you rather see naked???" asked AndyD1977. We'll file that under "rhetorical question".
Anita gets to grips with bags under the eyes
Once a month, beauty columnist Anita Bhagwandas tackles a subject specifically for our female readers with darker skin. Her latest advice comes after a lengthy consultation with Dr Nick Lowe (not 80s new wave legend of Cruel to Be Kind fame, but the other one), who talked her through the causes and cures for dark circles under the eyes. Read what Anita has to say on the matter here.
And finally
If you're still desperate for more, more, more fashion and beauty related stuff, here is an article on the blissful power of shoes from the Invisible Woman, must-have beauty treatments for men, and the competing influences of the Jubilee and the Olympics on catwalk fasion. And if you STILL want more, then Weekend magazine offers a fashion special this weekend, with an exclusive interview with Victoria Beckham to boot. Free with the Saturday edition of the Guardian.
