Style Crush: Diane Kruger

Diane Kruger just doesn't get it wrong. She is undoubtedly the Queen of the red carpet, showcasing quietly sophisticated gowns, often with a modern and quirky twist.

As with every woman there are looks she goes back to time and again - vintage inspired items, monochrome palettes and blush coloured ball gowns. But there is never any sense that we're seeing something we've been shown before; there is always something new and intriguing about each garment. This is the beauty of Diane's style - original, understated and utterly cool.

The key to her fashion success is intelligent accessorising. Diane keeps things simple - a thin belt or one statement bracelet paired with a chic box clutch is all she needs.

She deserves extra style points for her fearless use of colour - fuschia pink, mustard yellow, bright red and royal blue are amongst her recent style quests.

A favourite with designers Karl Lagerfeld and Roberto Cavalli, she is often spotted on the front row at Fashion week. Diane has no quandary when it comes to testing out the new season's biggest trends - the androgynous look, bodycon, one-shouldered dresses, boho, grunge, tailoring, prints, ruffles and pastels are just a few of the latest trends she has sported.

Yet with Ms Kruger there is no attention grabbing behaviour; the clothes are allowed to speak for themselves. And speak volumes they do. She has a natural flair for fashion; an ability to wear any trend, make it her own, and always looks incredible. Even the more outrageous designer gowns are worn with effortless ease. This is surely the making of a style icon.

Even Diane's make-up and hair is flawless. Smoky eyes and natural lips are her signature look for showbiz events, and her blond locks are often swept back into a loose but beautiful up-do - truly the work of a pro.

And she can pull off the perfect daytime look too. A real girl's girl, in summer Diane opts for a cute dress, and simple grey cardi, again with minimum accessories. And for winter, she hottens things up by teaming over-the-knee boots with a short checked dress.

Oh, Diane Kruger, how I love thee.

Double Denim: Why, oh Why?!

I guess I should have seen this coming; we had denim look leggings last autumn, then the oversized denim shirt came back, and now it seems designers are trying to revive the double denim look. Why, oh why?!

After seeing the matchy-matchy look of Britney and Justin in the 90s, surely no-one can think this is a good idea. I doubt many of us on seeing someone team jeans and a matching denim jacket on the street think to ourselves how stylish they look. Even some of the big fashion magazines are getting the look all wrong, and if they can't make it look good, who can?

And I'm not the only one who thinks double denim is a fashion resurrection too far: 'There is no excuse for double denim. I wouldn't care if there was a law saying that everyone should work the matchy-matchy look; this does not mean you should start dressing like a rock band from Estonia in the 80s... Moreover, why in the name of all that is sane and obvious do you want to do the double denim look anyway? Do you think it looks good? Do you own a mirror?' Hadley Freeman (Guardian)

But, apparently, things are different this time around. The look is more about mixing rather than matching; designers are teaming different colours, textures and weights of denim together for this season.

And I have to give credit where it's due - some celebrities really can carry off the look. Alexa Chung, for example, looks amazing in this month's Vogue cover story. And although she has legs that seem to go on forever, and a make-up artist at her disposal, the pictures make me wonder if double denim does have hope? Part of the trick seems to be having a little bit of flesh on show; it breaks up the look and makes the whole thing look a lot fresher and relaxed.

And I can definitely imagine Farah Fawcett rocking the look in Charlie's Angels, but can it really work for us non-celebrity folk? Maybe it can, which is good because pictures from the Autumn/Winter 2010 catwalks suggest double denim might be around for a while. But for me, there are many other, more inspiring trends out there. So for now, I'll be giving double denim a miss.

The Misanthrope

A few weeks ago I went to see The Misanthrope at the Comedy Theatre in London. I had read mixed reviews of the performance, and as I had never read the play myself, I was unsure what to expect.

I admit I had high hopes. I am a fan of Keira Knightly and Damien Lewis, so I was particularly excited to see them in a stage production rather than just on-screen.

The theatre itself was beautiful and created the perfect atmosphere of anticipation. It was old, traditionally decorated with chandeliers, and small elegant seats.

However, and I am sad to admit this, I didn't find the play that impressive. It was amusing; even laugh-out-loud funny at times. And I love an evening at the theatre, so the overall experience was, yes, very enjoyable.

What was lacking, for me, was a sense of character development and a plot where something actually happens. I could say there was a lot of talking, but not a lot of action. I guess my criticism is more with the script than the acting itself. In fact, I felt all the cast, Damien Lewis specifically, were delightful to watch. His performance as Alceste was lively, sharp and intelligent. And Tim McMullan offers a fantastic caricature of a smug, smarmy and self-righteous drama critic aspiring to be a playwright.

But I couldn't get to grips with the purely dialogue driven style, and I was almost slightly relieved that the play has such a short running time. I fear the production oversimplifies the key question: how far should one discount individual principles in order to get by in general society?

This isn't by any means a bad play; but I have seen much better.

My latest Buys

I got a bit carried away in Topshop this week, lol. Here's a pic of my latest purchases.

Pale Pink skirt with Lace Hem: £32
Black Lace Crop top: £25
Cream Boyfriend Style cardigan: £35
Black and Cream Knitwear vest top: £28

Book Club - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

If I had to choose just one word to describe this novel? ... Charming. Without a doubt! I loved it, and actually felt rather disappointed and lost when I finished the last page. I found this somewhat surprising as I originally felt sure the novel wouldn't live up to its unusual and intriguing title.

The story is set in 1946 and revolves around author Juliet Ashton who is searching for inspiration for her second book. Through a series of coincidences Juliet begins corresponding with members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, who lived through the recent war under German Occupation. As they exchange stories about their experiences of the war and their love of reading, friendships start to develop. In her new friends Juliet discovers inspiration for both her novel and her life.

I've always been a fan of historical novels, as I love being transported into a different period, a different way of life. I revel in the idea that I am learning a little about a historic event without having to slave over a factual history book for hours (not that this doesn't have its own advantages). So I was excited when I realised this novel was one of my favourite genres. I looked forward to being transported into 1940s Britain, learning about life during and after the war.

Yet, despite this, I still had reservations when I started reading the book. The whole novel is told through letters the characters send to one another, which had me convinced that within 50 pages I would be struggling to read on. I thought the format would be tiresome, dull and slow-paced. I was also concerned that this type of narration would struggle to create quality characterisation, meaning I would be unable to engage with characters to the degree I desired. My concerns were quickly proved unfounded. The letter format was like a breath of fresh air; it created an original, lively and intimate narrative tone, as well as capturing a variety of fully formed individual, and sometimes quirky, characters.

I am sure critics may suggest the novel should have focused more prominently, if not fully, on the seriousness of the Nazi occupation. I disagree. For me, there had to be a careful balance between the real heartbreak of the war and the strength of hope and friendship in the face of difficult times. And Shaffer and Barrows achieved this perfectly. There is no avoidance of the war - the awfulness of the concentration camps is confronted head on; but overall the reader is left with a sense of admiration for the human spirit, its drive for survival, but also its desire for what is fair and right.

Despite dealing with some difficult and complex topics, the novel never seems hard going. Instead, the story flows effortlessly, both informing and enchanting the reader with surprise twists in the plot and intelligent references to poets and novelists of the past. It creates a delightful image of Guernsey life, and leaves you wanting to discover more about the island and its history. It is amusing, original, moving and well written.

Love is in the Air!

Since it's Valentines this weekend, it seems like the perfect opportunity to try out one of Spring/Summer's new trends: Romance. This look is all about channelling femininity; and the high street is already bursting with luscious girly items.

Love, love, love Pastels
After a visit to Topshop a few days ago I've been feeling more in the mood for Spring. The rails were full of new stock in beautiful pastel shades, which are bound to brighten anyone's day. Pale purple, pink, yellow, and peach were all mixed amongst cream and a soft caramel brown; and although I loved last Summer's bold colours, I'm really excited to see a brand new colour palette. Below, Calvin Klein shows that pastels are the colour to wear this season, as he sends a pale lemon dress down his runway.

And I just love this maxi dress from Topshop Unique, I've already added it to my lust list!

Woo with Fabulous Fabrics

This trend is all about light, luxurious fabrics - perfect if we get a hot summer this year (let's not think about the other option!) Donna Karan led the way showcasing delicate sheer dresses in pale grey and cream, and Dolce and Gabbana showed lace will still be a popular choice this season. Another option is to soften up an outfit by adding a silk or satin item; even something as simple as a pastel coloured silk scarf will hit the spot.

Ruffles Rule
Ruffles were all over the Spring/Summer 2010 catwalks - Hannah Macgibbons showed cream, sheer ruffled maxi dresses at Chloe, Marc Jacobs sent a ruffled blazer and shorts set down his runway and Stella McCartney presented mesmerising one shouldered summer dresses with gloriously huge frills running across the chest. So when it comes to ruffles, there really is no limit. For maximum impact opt for a full ruffled skirt or dress. For the more faint hearted there are plenty of t-shirts with ruffled shoulders or sleeves; team with skinny jeans and ballet pumps to add a touch of girly glamour to an everyday outfit.

Florals
Floral prints never seem to go out of fashion, so this is the perfect way to work the trend on a small budget - update last season's floral tops with new accessories (think shoes with bow details or a delicate brooch). If you can splash out, invest in a pretty floral skirt or trousers (Topshop have a beautiful pair of skinny jeans in a floral print). Wear with a plain jersey tee to perfect a romantic day time look.