Fashioning February: The Look Show

For the third season I attended The Look Show last Friday. There was a change of venue, instead of the lavish Saatchi Gallery on Kings Road it was held at Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square. I guess this made sense as it is only throw stone away from the Fashion HQ of Somerset House. The event is organised by Look magazine and the idea is to celebrate the best of the UK's fantastic High Street and to also show the trends that will be hitting our streets next season. So unlike the major designers who are showcasing looks for this Autumn and Winter, this event will show us looks for the pending Spring and Summer. In previous years I have enjoyed myself at The Look Show so I was really looking forward to this event. Before the show there was the usual champagne reception with nibbles as well as various stands offering beauty treatments and other activities. There were also a splattering of celebs such as Keisha Buchanan (stood right next to her thinking to myself that she looked familiar till I saw her picture in 'The Daily Fail', Lucie Jones from X Factor, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and IT Girl, Olivia Palermo. We were treated to a performance by Jay Z's protege, teen sensation, Alexis Jordan. Now onto the clothes - I hope you like the 70s as much as I do because this summer the High Street will be full of it. I warn you, you won't be able to move due to Saturday Night Fever and Studio 54. Shops such as French Connection, River Island and Mango are working their inner Bianca Jagger and Fleetwood Mac by using bold colours like bright orange, sunshine yellow, pillar box red, electric blue and bright purple.

These are the key pieces that will dominate the stores:

Jumpsuits
I love jumpsuits - they provide the perfect combination between glamour and comfort. Dorothy Perkins made a statement with their range of bold jumpsuits, French Connection had some classic black ones and New Look had palazzo halterneck jumpsuits that were divine.

Shorts
Start getting those thighs into shape because shorts are going nowhere. Next had brilliant white shorts on display as well as some fab short dungarees and French Connection are unleashing some seriously sexy tailored white shorts to go with a tuxedo blazer.

Maxi dresses
You could not move last summer without seeing a maxi dress and it looks like the summer of 2011 will be the same. Monsoon had really gorgeous maxis and there were floral maxi dresses from French Connection but Warehouse really out did themselves with their offer of really feminine maxi dresses.

Hats
Get one! A large floppy one - not only do they save your life when you are having a bad hair day, they also look fabulous.

Also corsages are back in a big way, no longer regarded as a hideous item reserved only for prom nights, corsages add a lovely touch to a large hat or a dress. Overall the girly girly look is still in and this was exercised very well by French Connection with their Parisian chic and 70s Riviera feel.

For more information about The Look Show check out the website where you can not only see clips from the show but you can also purchase the items.

In the top picture is Olivia Palermo and editor of Look magazine, Ali Hall.