Prints charming – it’s all about mismatched patterns this season and florals are the best bunch to go for.

Go with this oversize floral-print skirt and team it with a blooming T for maximum effect. Get this look for only £50 with free shipping.

Floral print pencil skirt £26.00

Floral print tee £24.00

If you’re not quite ready to fully embrace these darling buds, why not choose this beautiful, coral Lurex T and still get the whole look for only £50.

Coral lurex £24.00

Or be ever more daring with clashing prints: same skirt plus zebra cardi, if you dare!

Zebra print cardi £28.00

Now it’s time for some cotton candy; keep this season sweet with pretty pastels.

Go for these coral chinos, they will lend themselves to so many spring looks. Check out this lilac Lurex top and get the whole look for only £49 – that means free delivery for this weekend only!

Coral chinos £25.00

Lilac lurex £24.00

Add a cute humming bird T to make your prints meet your pastels.

Navy humming bird £18.00

Or why not splash out and try this super-cute flamingo-print knit and still get the look for under £55?

Flamingo jumper £29.50

And the next trend to tackle . . . peplums please.

This is such an elegant look and the perfect way to go for that vintage feel. These fabulous dresses are only £28 each.

Peach peplums £28.00

Turquoise dress £28.00

Neutral peplum dress

Add this cute purse for £10 which means yet again, you’ve guessed it, free delivery!

Coral quilted purse £10

If you really want to treat yourself, throw in these snake-print wedges.

Snake wedges £40.00

Now it’s time to raid your boyfriend’s wardrobe and go for this elegant, oversize contrast shirt.

Oversized blue shirt £25.00

Create a ladylike silhouette by teaming it with a pencil skirt – both for under £45 – or carry the shirt through to the weekend with black stretch stirrup trousers. Or get ready to go back to the office with a black peg-leg style.

Blue contrast pencil skirt £19.50

Black stirrup trousers £20.00

Black peg trousers £29.50

Another few cuties to check out:

Black floral halter £12.00

Leopard print shoes £30.00

This is a term that’s bandied about by every style blog, women’s magazine and fashion guru in existence. Are there people out there who have actually achieved this holy grail of the fashion world?

Fear not fashionistas Ms. Cloud is on hand to guide you though the minefield that is culling and creating the capsule wardrobe. Let us start 2012 with the intension of achieving this mecca . . . mastering the art of effortless style.

First step is the declutter, the capsule wardrobe is all about quality over quantity. If you’ve already created your online wardrobe it will make this step a lot easier. Take a look to see if something no longer fits or you can’t remember the last time you worn it; if so, I’m afraid it has to go. Have a bin bag at hand or alternatively call together your fashion savvy friends and organise a swap shop the perfect night out that’s a night in for January.

Now we can begin creating the capsule. A capsule wardrobe is your personal collection which can be mixed and matched to put together a look for any occasion. Realistically, you should have one for spring/ summer, and one for autumn/winter with some pieces that overlap. Both wardrobes can be tweaked to keep you looking up to date and ever stylish.

These basics should all fit immaculately, so you might have to splash out but once you’ve built this wardrobe all other problems in life will fade away (ok maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration but at least you’ll look amazing!). These are investment pieces that will transcend fashion.

So what do I need to invest in to achieve effortless style? The same rules don’t apply to everyone as everyone’s style is different and these pieces will define your style, but the following will give you an idea of what to look for.

• Tailored trousers . . . these have to fit perfectly
• Coat . . . for a whole season it will be the piece you’re seen in most
• Trench coat . . . for spring showers
• Jacket . . . anything from cropped leather to tweed blazer whatever suits your style
• Statement sunglasses
• Skirt . . . pencil for day, silk and flowing for evening
• Killer dress
• Good boots . . . with a little bit of a heel
• Flats
• Heels . . . that you can actually walk in!
• Jeans . . . easier said than done!
• Quality knit . . . cashmere jumper, vintage beaded cardi depending on your tastes
• Silk blouse
• Basic white T
• 2 handbags . . . one large for day, one small for evening

Take this list and compare it to your wardrobe, you should have a lot of these things already. If you are rocking the masculine look this season, you should probably have two pairs of trousers (one wide leg, one cigarette would be Ms. Cloud’s choice) or if you’re keeping if ladylike, go for two skirts.

Now all that’s left to do is put the cherry on top: that is all those pieces that are surplus to requirments and ever fabulous! If you’ve got the basics right you can treat yourself to a few statement pieces to add va va voom to your look. Anything from vintage finds to on trend prints.

Enjoy!

Ladies I just had to get the word out there about the amazing Accessorize and Monsoon Sale. I am trying to wait for the new seasons arrivals but these bargains are just too good to be missed. Even though it’s the winter sale there are so many perfect for spring pieces.

Leather Heart Driving Glove, Accessorize £11.00

While the weather is still nipping at our fingertips go for these gorgeous cream driving gloves. Team them with these funky glasses at this price you could buy both!

Cream And Tort Catty Readers, Accessorize £3.60

Crystal Readers, Accessorize £3.60

Team over-sized shades with this teal fedora and tortoise cuff if you wanted to rock some 70s luxe

Teal Felt Fedora With Contrast Band, Accessorize £7.80

70s Tort And Chain Cuff, Accessorize £5.40

A few more things to add to this look you’ll get at a snip in the Monsoon Sale.

Leandra Maxi Dress, Monsoon £50.00

Red Anderson Floppy Hat, Monsoon £9.00

SOLD OUT: Denver Ankle Boots, Monsoon £22.00

And then there are the bags . . . too many to choose from so why not buy a couple. Two tone satchel, patent satchel – yes and yes!

Abigail Leather Contrast Mini Bag, Accessorize £17.50

Lexie Patent Lady Bag, Accessorize £17.50

Looking for something a little more delicate and still a bargain. Take a look at these beauties. Layer up these tassel necklaces for maximum impact. So many pieces so little time!

Amelia Crystal Tassel Necklace, Accessorize £3.60

Crystal Tassel Long Pendant Necklace, Accessorize £3.60

Metallic Rivet Skinny Belt, Accessorize £3.00

Mini Suzie Sparkle Clasp Bracelet, Accessorize £3.60

Rose Wow Envelope Clutch Bag, Accessorize £22.50

Beautiful Deco Clutch, Accessorize £16.00

Not to forget this elegant cigarette clutch from Monsoon.

Deco Cigarette Clutch Bag, Monsoon £17.50

If you’re not looking to treat yourself why not treat your home with these fun interior pieces. Feel good about your bargain with this bunting made by Stree Shakti, a cooperative in the foothills of the Himalayas using offcuts of gorgeous Monsoon prints. Stree Shakti was set up to help create livelihoods for women in rural villages. Or purely for comedy value go for this burger phone!

Multi-coloured Bunting, Monsoon £10.50

Burger Phone, Monsoon £10.00

Leather Heart Driving Glove

£11.00

SHOP

Cream And Tort Catty Readers

£3.60

SHOP

Crystal Readers

£3.60

SHOP

Teal Felt Fedora With Contrast Band

£7.80

SHOP

70s Tort And Chain Cuff

£5.40

SHOP

Leandra Maxi Dress

£50.00

SHOP

Red Anderson Floppy Hat

£9.00

SHOP

Abigail Leather Contrast Mini Bag

£17.50

SHOP

Lexie Patent Lady Bag

£17.50

SHOP

Amelia Crystal Tassel Necklace

£3.60

SHOP

Crystal Tassel Long Pendant Necklace

£3.60

SHOP

Mini Suzie Sparkle Clasp Bracelet

£3.60

SHOP

Rose Wow Envelope Clutch Bag

£22.50

SHOP

Metallic Rivet Skinny Belt

£3.00

SHOP

Deco Cigarette Clutch Bag

£17.50

SHOP

Multi-coloured Bunting

£10.50

SHOP

The season is nearly upon us for more parties, impromptu drinks and girlie get-togethers than a gal’s wardrobe can deal with.

So where to start when planning your festive fashion? My advice is to invest in one knockout party dress, one killer pair of heels and plenty of sparkle. With these simple additions, you’ll be ready for whatever your social calendar throws at you. Add these to your Style Cloud online wardrobe and start to mix and match now to avoid any last-minute party panic.

Let the Christmas tree not sparkle alone: the season started with Miu Miu’s must-have glitter booties, let it end in the same way. Shimmer and sequins abound, it’s a veritable pantomime dame’s paradise – look to Dolce and Gabbana for inspiration.

This look may once have been the sole domain of disco divas, drag queens and playschools, but now at last we can all join in the perfect-for-party season attire.

Miso Sequin Long Sleeve Dress

£44.99

SHOP

If your budget doesn’t stretch to Miu Miu, add glitter to you life with these Dune beauties – a snip at £85 and perfect for the straight from work do.

Dune Womens Whirl D Special Occasion Heels

£85.00

SHOP

Killer heels are key, even if you’re just wearing skinnies and a silk blouse. Add statement heels, dramatic earrings and a colourful splash of polish to your fingertips perfect for taking you straight from work to play.

Make sure you maximise that to-die-for dress over the festive season: don it while sipping Buck’s Fizz on Christmas Day and again on New Year’s Eve, and every time you see fit in between.

The first thing to realise is that style and fashion are, definitely, not the same thing: fashion is frivolous; style is forever. That’s not to say you can’t delve into the fashion world – after all, we are all entitled to make the odd fashion faux pas.

Discover your style

Take a deep breath, step back from your wardrobe and think about it or, even better, if you’ve already created your online wardrobe with Style Cloud, flick through it effortlessly. Which are your favourite pieces, what looks do you get most compliments on and which are your old reliables? Now put all these pieces together (you don’t have to include that tutu or over-sized corset from your Carrie Bradshaw moment) . . .is your look emerging yet? You should see a trend going through these pieces, a silhouette, a colour palette, a style.

Still not sure? Then why not create a mood board? You don’t have to go all arts and crafts – an easy alternative is to Google some images: think of your style icons and favourite designers, then put them together in a file and you’ll quickly see your style taking shape.

Your style should embody your personality, your sense of humour, your individuality.

Define your style

There are many ways to describe your style, but here are a few ideas that might help.

• Classic
  An obvious choice is Audrey Hepburn or Kate Middleton. Think timeless elegance
  
• Minimal
  A look Calvin Klein always achieves – clean lines and understated chic.
  
• High fashion
  If you’ve achieved this, you really don’t need to be reading this article. A tough style to embody, you require budget and balls in equal measure to maintain this look.
  
• Bohemian
  This look marries ethnic and romantic, and should always be effortless and relaxed. These two little ladies have definitely grown into their Boho style.
  
• Masculine
  This is pretty self-explanatory. Marlene Dietrich was a pioneer of this look but if you’re looking for a more rough-and-ready version, think Pattie Smith.
  
• Eclectic
  You really have to know what you’re doing with this one. It’s a little bit of everything: high street, designer, thrift, all accessorised with your granny’s handbag and finished off with a good dollop of quirkiness and confidence. Chloë Sevigny has got it nailed.
  

Now that you have defined your style, it’s time to be brutal with your wardrobe . . .get rid of all those well intentioned purchases you know deep down you’ll never wear, have a swap shop with your friends and start on the road to style recovery.

A few dos and donts to keep in mind along to way:

• Do have confidence in your style.
• Don’t feel the need to buy in to every trend.
• Do have a sense of humour.

How many times have you pulled out every item from your wardrobe in an attempt to create the perfect look before a first date, dream-job interview or must-look-drop-dead-gorgeous party? Ever got half way through the day only to catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror and wonder how your outfit ever seemed like a good idea?

Well dress in a panic no more! With Style Cloud, you can now look effortlessly stylish for every occasion.

The What?

Style Cloud is your online wardrobe and shop. What better way to save precious space than by storing the entire contents of your wardrobe virtually? Then get styling, save your favourite looks and mix and match to maximise your wardrobe potential. Or plan in advance for any occasion – pack for your holidays, big nights out, weekends away. Share these looks with your friends and update your wardrobe with the latest pieces from our online shop.

Do all this from wherever you are – at work, at school or on the move.

The Life Change?

Stay effortlessly stylish everyday. . . what more could a woman want?

Use Style Cloud to organise your wardrobe, keep on trend and discover your own personal style.
Create and save looks in your very own wardrobe online. Share them with your friends to get advice, a second opinion or even fashion donations from their wardrobes. You can also look through our designer and high-street packed online boutique and see how the hottest looks work with your own clothes before you buy bought them.

The How?

Register with Style Cloud by clicking ‘Join Us’ right now (it’s free!), photograph the contents of your wardrobe and upload them to your personal online account. Then get styling!

First things first, the best fancy dress costumes are the homemade costumes. They are guaranteed to be original and will most definitely make you stand out from the crowd – no embarrassing moments when you realise that half the party bought the same Wonder Woman outfit at unimaginativecostumes.com. So get out your scissors, Pritt Stick, toilet roll inserts and plenty of gore, and let’s get started.

An easy, quick, and often cheap fancy dress fix is to concentrate on adorning your head. No one will notice how boring the rest of your ensemble is if you’re wearing the contents of your fridge as a crown.

Here are a few easy fancy dress ideas. . .

2. Another good head adornment is the mask. For inspiration look to Truman Capote’s Black and White Masquerade Ball of 1966 or the infamous Proust and Surrealist balls in the 1970s thrown by the Rothschilds

3. A fabulous era for costume inspiration is the 1920s. Read about how to get the look in ‘The Roaring 20s – Flapper Style’ or check out Mia Farrow’s Daisy in The Great Gatsby.

4. Don’t forget that it is All Hallows Eve so there should be plenty of gore!

The pick an everyday situation then add the catastrophe costume. . .

On your way to work you get attacked by a flock of birds. Attach loads of fake birds to an old coat then get made up with plenty of scrapes and scratches.

The killing something perky will always entertain costume. . .

Dress as a cheerleader with her throat cut – she has been murdered by the Glee club.

The give yourself a good back story costume. . .

The upwardly mobile 1950s couple at a cocktail party: she has a glass sticking out of her head (get a plastic champagne flute, break the edges and bend a few back so you can attach it to your ‘up-do’); he has cocktail forks protruding from his chest. Add plenty of fake blood to hide any shoddy workmanship.

Or go for the old favourite Halloween costumes. . .

5. A good place to look for alternative inspiration for your halloween costumes is the celebrity world. They probably had a team of stylists and a wad of cash behind them, but you can recreate their look with some wire and an old bridesmaid dress. If there is one lady who will never fail to do this, it’s Gaga.

Any one of Lady Gaga’s crazy creations, while perhaps tricky to recreate, will definitely provide endless entertainment.

Maybe the meat dress would be a step too far, but then it is Halloween – go for it!

We love these:

One Shoulder Cocktail Dress

£79.99

SHOP

Black Tafetta Dress

£44.99

SHOP

Cocktail Party Evening Dress

£89.99

SHOP

French Connection Iron Eagle Jacket

£82.50

SHOP

And maybe some of these…

Black Velvet Faux Fur Trim Womens Fitted Coat

£59.99

SHOP

Black Suede Low Boots

£84.99

SHOP

Women's Sock Mules Flats

£29.99

SHOP

Extra Long 1950s Black Petticoat Skirt

£28.99

SHOP

With the launch of the impossibly cheesy but endlessly entertaining Glee Season 3, it’s time to revisit your inner Gleek. And what better way than by recreating your favourite character’s style, so, which high school chorister’s look would you like to channel today?

Are you the ever perfect Rachel? To achieve the style of Rachel from Glee, go for a cardigan and mini-skirt combo. Keep the cardi bright and girlie, and team with a mini kilt for the perfect look. And whatever you do, don’t forget to don a bow somewhere on your person!

We have recently added these great value hot finds to the Stylecloud boutique…the dress is from Philis Fever, very flattering for all body shapes and at £20 this represents amazing value.

The cardi is from Fever but screams Chanel. It is worth spending a little extra here for the quality and at £50 this will never go out of style.

Now for a cute little skirt, with a classy cardy such as above you can afford to go short short on your lower body without looking trashy (it’s all about balance girls, show-case legs or boobs but not both together!). This kilt-like box pleat mini is super-flattering and only £10, really Primark couldn’t beat it!

For a romantic night you might prefer to channel the ever popular Quinn.

Remember that unless you are actually a cheerleader or going to a fancy dress party it’s best to steer clear of the entire sports uniform. When we do catch Quinn in Glee out of uniform, she keeps things feminine and floaty but always on trend.
Here are a few Quinn-esque dresses we love. . .

French Connection Womens Anna Lace Dress

£177.81

SHOP

Traffic People Fp Ripples Strappy Womens Dress

£70.00

SHOP

Another reason we think the boys love Quinn is the oh so perfect hair. Why not try emulating the blonde locks, either straight and silky soft – perfect for creating a slicked back high pony tail or invest in electric rollers or a GHD to encourage soft curls.

And then there’s prim and proper Emma, probably the most difficult to replicate. For this style co-ordination is key: Miss Pillsbury from Glee will always have her outfit nice, neat and perfectly accessorised.

To achieve this look, keep things quirky and cute with a hint of a vintage feel and always eye-popping colour.

A few ideas last ideas in case you have nothing appropriate in your virtual wardrobe. . .

Fever Etienne Womens Cardigan

£54.99

SHOP

Fever Mulberry Pencil Womens Skirt

£59.99

SHOP

Fever Mulberry Shift Sleeveless Womens Dress

£74.99

SHOP

Fever Detroit Menorca Sleeveless Womens Dress

£69.99

SHOP

Even if you don’t fancy these Glee looks, we do encourage you to embrace the spirit of these happy chappies from McKinley High, be yourself, embrace your inner style and most importantly, wear plenty of quirky colour.

Checkout our guide to colour-blocking to learn how to get started, it’s really fun to stand out from the crowd sometimes and colour is a stunning way to express yourself. Go get ‘em Cheerios!

Her influence on fashion cannot be denied – ballet shoes, capri pants, bustier tops, scarf tied in a top knot, over-loaded gold jewellery and who can forget the thick richly kohled eyes and iconic beehive?

Here at Style Cloud we will remember the beautiful Miss Winehouse and her iconic style as embodying fifties glamour crossed with hardcore rock ‘n roll, Amy rocked fusion fashion with great success.

Hell Bunny Charlie 50s Dress Leopard Print

£34.99

SHOP

Hell Bunny Gina 50s Dress Rose and Polka Dot White

£39.99

SHOP

Pretty Kitty Fashion Cherry Rockabilly 50s Pin-Up Prom Swing Dress

£29.99

SHOP

Lipsy Cropped Faux Fur Leopard Single Breasted Womens Jacket

£75.00

SHOP

French Connection Iron Eagle Jacket

£82.50

SHOP

Firetrap Elsie Skinny Womens Trousers

£53.99

SHOP

Gas Jeans Britty Slim Womens Jeans

£50.54

SHOP

Bench Famed

£45.00

SHOP

Banana Flame Shiny Faceprint

£7.99

SHOP

Bench Warren Printed Womens T-Shirt

£9.02 – £35.96

SHOP

Fiorelli Women Shoreditch Crossbody Bag

£39.00

SHOP

Hell Bunny Spin Doctor Polaris Taffeta Dress Black

£44.99

SHOP

The sun has just come out again but the high street is packed with faux-fur and winter woolies. It’s the biannual dilemma of how to flow your fashion seamlessly from one season to the next. What should we pick up now and what can wait until the leaves start to turn?

If you want to put your best foot forward into autumn/winter 2011 (I know I shouldn’t be uttering these words yet as we haven’t had a proper summer) get in there early with a pair of statement boots. It’s all about the biker boot this season so these styles will be the first to sell out. Splash out on a boot of beauty from All Saints or keep your bank manager happy with Topshop’s ankle boot version.

Likewise for your winter coat – the savvy Style Cloud shopper knows she shouldn’t wait until the snow starts to fall to invest in an addition for her virtual wardrobe. But what can we pick up right now and wear while the sun still shines?

Style Cloud will be investing in the perfect transitional piece – the mac. But if you’re looking for a more edgy cover-up, why not go for a cape? Take a look at these delicious styles from Topshop.

These could be accented with a beautiful printed scarf. If you’re budget doesn’t stretch to an Hermès, try a style by new Irish print designer Susannagh Grogan (www.susannaghgrogan.ie) – perfect for adding a dash of colour to any ensemble.

Later in the season why not embrace your inner granny and wear it as a headscarf. . . you may laugh now but just you wait! Forties chic is coming to a virtual wardrobe near you…