FASHION TRENDS

According to our trend watch scouts, the hot trend for autumn/winter 09 is going to be ‘New Nostalgia’. Not your average retro fad, New Nostalgia incorporates quality vintage looks circa 1940 that emphasise the understated, ladylike sexiness of strong women by using classic fabrics such as wool, tweed and houndstooth. With plenty of time to save in the meantime, it's a great opportunity to follow Gok Wan's advice and up your spend on some investment pieces that will really last. After all, you already know the long-term value of investing in a classic piece, don’t you?

As recommended by our very own creative educator Honey Dorey, a very of-the-moment, yet completely wearable look for the summer is the side plait. Classic, and still fashion forward, it offers a great finished look, and several celebrity icons have been spied rocking them. Choose from two alternative looks - chunky-neat vs distressed and textured.

You can create both looks yourself using ghd sea spray. Dry it into the hair to create a more matte texture, or for the distressed look, spray sea spray into your hand and then run your fingers up the plait.

Our good friends at Benefit are set to launch three new fragrances inspired by the Royal Crescent - a row of Georgian townhouses in Bath.

The packaging for each scent has its own doll's-town-house aesthetic, complete with illustrated interior, front door, and poem based on the lifestyle of the imaginary girl who lives there.

The golden bottles are designed to look like cocktail shakers and come in the woody floral fragrance of ‘Laugh with Me LeeLee’, the sweet-smelling oriental scent of ‘Something about Sofia’ and the seductive but subtly fruity aroma of ‘My Place or Yours Gina’.

Benefit Crescent Row eau de toilette retails at £29.50 and will be available from August 2009.