Many people today are concerned about the origins of the clothes that they wear and want to make sure that they have been produced in an ethical manner. This includes all aspects of production, from the working conditions of the cotton growers, working conditions of the sewers, the environmental impact and animal welfare.

The fashion industry is a competitive market, and retailers are only too aware that if they are able to produce a t-shirt that is cheaper than a similar one being sold next door, then they will sell more items. The problem is that the more cheaply an item is produced, the more likely that it is that it has been produced in a sweatshop in a developing country.

There are several campaigns underway to end exploitation and ensure that everyone involved in the production process is treated fairly and receives a living wage for the work that they do. However, there are some consumers who are still unaware of some of the issues.

There are some places that use child labour to produce clothes. They work in poor conditions and receive very little money. Some textiles are treated with chemicals, particularly during the dyeing process, and these are not good for the environment. There is also an increasing use of pesticides among cotton growers, who wish to ensure a good crop to earn the maximum amount of money.

There are some retailers who include ethical clothing amongst their collections, and consumers should look out for information on the labels that tells them that the item has been produced under a fair trade scheme, or that the dyes used are natural.

In a couple of days time the World Cup starts, we have been building up to this for months, with football themed adverts on TV and lots of football merchandise in shops. If you want to show your support for England this summer but don’t want to fork out for an expensive football shirt, or what many high street shops offer then you could always create your own t shirt to show your national pride by using t shirt printing. You can have free rein on how you show your patriotisms and it also offers an opportunity to show your creative side, not to mention being the only person with that design!

Creating your own t shirt to support England isn’t as hard as you think, to be fair it’s a relatively easy colour scheme, (red & white) so choosing what colour tops to use shouldn’t be too hard, you can make it as simple or as fancy as you like, a simple St Georges cross or just England across the chest, it just depends on what you want. Wants you have your design or designs sorted out you can then have your t shirt printed out, online specialists Splash Logo have a wide range of clothing available in many different sizes and styles, they also you a wide range of printing techniques to get you the finish you require and best of all they have a really quick turnaround so if you order now you will get it before England get knocked out!!

England Flag

Picture courtesy of MichalFoto

Chloe is a popular French fashion house that was launched in 1952 by Gaby Aghion. It was the first fashion label to concentrate on ready to wear clothing, as prior to this, all the big-name labels concentrated on haute couture. The founders spotted a need for good quality ‘prêt-à-porter’ clothing and concentrated on this end of the market.

It was the launch of this label that led other fashion houses such as Givenchy and Yves St Laurent to launch their own ready-to-wear collections. In 1966, Karl Lagerfeld became the head designer. During the 1970s it grew into one of the most sought-after labels, its clothes being favoured by the likes of Grace Kelly and Brigitte Bardot.

The brand has made a point of working with some of the most promising designers over the years. In 1997 Stella McCartney joined Chloe, followed in 2001 by Phoebe Philo. Stars such as Natalie Portman have been seen wearing the brand’s designs. In 2002 Chloe launched a range of shoes and bags, with the ‘Paddington’ bag becoming the first ‘must-have’ bag.

Chloe boutiques can be found in many of the world’s major cities such as London, Paris, New York, Tokyo and Los Angeles. The label’s fashion-shows can be viewed online the same day that they take place, and their website has a version specifically for the iPhone.

Chloe items are regularly copied by counterfeiters, so consumers are advised to consult the list of authorised retailers which can be found on the website and to take care if buying online.

When you see models bounding down the catwalk with their hair bouncing glamorously with each step but keeping perfectly in place you find it’s a look that you want to recreate yourself but often think unless you’re a salon professional it can’t be done. Well think again, you can create great catwalk looks with your ghd hair straighteners.

For bouncy stay in place curls the best way to start is to blow dry your hair and as always remember to use a thermal protector spray to protect your hair from the heat, and brush your hair away from your face keeping your hair as voluminous as possible. Before you section off your hair gently mist it with ghd creation spray to help with hold, and then separate your hair into two sections at ear level, clip away top section.

Place your ghd straighteners in at the root of a smaller section of hair, rotate it 180° and gently glide the straightener through the hair until reaching the end, when each section falls loosely twist it around your finger to define the curl. Follow same directions for the top part of your hair and then finish with polishing serum, pulling through each section to separate and define each curl and hold with hairspray.

Just when it looks like summer is here to stay, the weatherman warns of cooler weather and rain to come, so what designer menswear styles are there to wear when it’s not quite hot enough for a t-shirt or vest but not too cold enough for a jacket?

A big hit this year are checked shirts, you all know how versatile a shirt can be but sometimes is too smart for everyday casual wear, a checked shirt however is a great alternative, either on its own or as seen in many magazines with a funky t-shirt underneath. Following this look is a great way to mix two top trends, printed t-shirts and check shirts, look at stars such as Robert Pattinson for inspiration.

You can choose from many different colours and shades of checked shirts as well as different sleeve lengths, as it gets warmer shorter sleeves are good for keeping cool. This look is good teamed with vintage looking denim jeans, straight leg or skinny, with either pumps or trainers.

Check shirts and t-shirts

Check shirts and t-shirts

Accessories are not only an important addition to women’s clothing but also to finish off the look of an outfit. Choosing the right colour bag, shoes and other items can complement an outfit and give it a totally new look. Care should be taken not to overdo accessories as that can make an outfit look too fussy.

Jewellery should be chosen to complement the wearer’s skin tone as well as the shape of the face and hairstyle. If you have long hair and are wearing it down, then there is no point in wearing large earrings that are going to be hidden. If a dress has a fussy neckline, then a necklace should be avoided or kept simple, so it does not detract from the outfit itself.

Jewellery

Scarves are good accessories, but if the wrong one is chosen or worn incorrectly it can make the outfit look untidy. The colour chosen should complement the rest of the outfit, and should only be patterned if the outfit is plain. Experiment with different ways of wearing it for lots of different looks. Belts should also be chosen carefully. They can be used to draw attention to one particular area or to keep the attention away from problem areas.

Scarves

If you want to keep your outfit simple, an easy way to make it look more dramatic is to focus on hair accessories. Using stylish clips to pin hair up can make the look more elegant, while using a headband in a contrasting colour to the outfit can give it more depth.

Hair accessories

Now we are heading into summer it’s time for a change for your hair but you don’t need to put your ghd hair straighteners away for the summer styles. The dark colours from winter should be fading out for lighter shades of brown and blonde with creamy caramel and warm honey tones to bright and platinum white.

Summer styles mean lots of texture either shiny and sleek, chunky and textured, braided and crimped and big blow outs. On the catwalks we saw retro waves on the girls of Dior and Versace as well as braids at Antonio Beradi and surfer chic at Alexander Wang. All these are easily recreated with your ghd straighteners.

All white a look picked up firstly on the SS/10 women’s collections, a typically easy and wearable colour for summer, this was also seen on the catwalks for the designer menswear collections, from the likes of Versace, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli and Dolce and Gabbana so is it as easy to wear as it is for the ladies?

Firstly you have to get the misconception that it’s un-wearable, cheap and tacky out of your head and open up to some new styling. White is the crispest colour around, remember how good you look in a crisp white shirt, well start from there, although it can seem a bit daunting, just remember a couple of simple rules to pull off this look.

All white is what this look is about so don’t be half hearted in your efforts, its okay to add a touch of black or silver but don’t go mixing in any bright colours the key is to keep it simple as you don’t want to distract from the main look you are aiming for. Detailing is a simple way to add another dimension to white, either with buttons, straps or even holes on your tops, jackets, trousers and shoes. Remember to stick to one shade of white, yes you will find different shades of white and mixing them can make the whole look disjointed and scruffy.

With the second glamorous and stylish film instalment of Sex and the city out this Friday let’s have a look and see what these TV and film fashion icons have brought to us!

Shoes!

SATC probably did fuel many women’s shoe obsessions, especially when seeing Carrie’s huge collection through the seasons and in the first film, essential Carrie shoes? Jimmy Choo or Manolo Blahnik is what you need!

Bags!

How many ‘it’ bags were seen (or cleverly placed) on SATC? Too many for most of us mere mortals ever to reach but for those who can Marc Jacobs, Chloe and Channel are really on trend.

Bling!

With SATC nothing is an understatement, and jewellery is no exception, ignoring the ‘less is more’ mantra. Think chunky gold necklaces and bracelets and plenty of sparkle, this will finish off any outfit with glamour and shine.

Dresses!

Carrie always seemed to luck out with her dresses on SATC, some fabulous, sometimes kooky creations had us all wishing we could pull off some of those looks!

With all the glamour seen at this year’s Cannes film festival Rivera Chic is most defiantly in fashion. The Rivera for years has been a popular holiday destination for the chic glamorous artists and celebrities with resorts such as St Tropez, Cannes and Nice all favoured during the summer months by the rich and famous. Look for inspiration from past beauties such as Greta Garbo, Bridgette Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly, they were the ones who first pioneered the Rivera Chic look.

This year the chic Rivera look has be picked up by the designers with their nautical style, normally popularise by this very area, with shades of red, white, navy and black. For this classic style horizontal stripes are what to wear with crisp white Capri trousers, wide leg trousers, crisp white cotton shirts and plain tight fitting t-shirts.

If you going for the full Rivera chic look don’t hold back on the accessories think big celebrity esc shades, bangles delicate gold chains and diamond (diamante to you or I) rings. With this look you will fit in perfect along the rugged French coastline, especially stepping onto a yacht champagne in hand enjoying the summer sun.