Jade Thompson Wins Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model

Congratulations to gorgeous freckled beauty Jade Thompson, as she was crowned the winner of Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model last night. Jade pipped Lithuanian stunner Juste Juozapaityte to the post in the final, making it a tense but exciting end to the series that has had us hooked every Monday night.

Not tooting our horn, but we've been championing the final two girls from the start, as we saw something unique and special in the both of them. 20-year-old Jade, who was teased in school for her unusual look, said she used to be called a "skinny ginger nut" but this is sure to silence the bullies.

Although Jade is an almighty 5'10 and a teeny size 6, she was branded as one of the curvy ones in the competition. We hope that her association with curves will land her the Victoria's Secret job she's been craving, as well as lots of 'real women' style ads. Congrats once again to a truly deserving winner! 

Doutzen Kroes Covers Vogue Germany October

The first thing that caught our eye when we saw this October cover of Vogue Germany was the 'Power Look' bit. Because Doutzen Kroes sums up that phrase in every sense, in our opinion. She may have only recently given birth to her first child, but as Elle Macpherson and Miranda Kerr have taught us, supermodels bounce back almost instantly. They bounce back in terms of body and in terms of getting themselves out there on the modelling scene. We loved seeing Doutzen play a more motherly role in her Tiffany and Co ads yesterday, but we've missed her high fashion face…this one right here. What a pro!

Apparently Every Mum Wants to Channel Elle Macpherson

And why wouldn't they? She picks up her kids in full hair and make-up, toting the latest designer bag and teetering in the highest and trendiest heels. Sainsbury's have decided to do a back to school survey for all the mums out there and the results are interesting to say the least. They surveyed 2,000 mums but not about bargain stationery or the art of the cross-stitch, oh no - it was about their appearance. More importantly, how long they spent getting ready for that first day back to school drop off and how it compared to the time it took them to get their children ready. 

Here are the stats: apparently the average mum will spend 25 minutes getting herself ready hair, make-up and outfit-wise - seven minutes longer than it takes them to help the children. And in this financial crisis, they will still spend an average of £60 on brand new clothes and accessories for aforementioned drop off (and we assume pick-up). One in five apparently get a savvy new haircut/hairstyle which will set them back an average of £50 just for the occasion. 

I don't have kids. It's been a while since I've been near a school gate. However, I totally understand these statistics. In fact, I'm surprised the getting ready time and amount they spend isn't higher - maybe some of the mothers were telling porkies…

At the end of the day, life is a runway for the modern woman and in my opinion, more and more people are realising this. The only disheartening thing is it seems like mums are doing all this to get one over on their competitors at the school gate. This is all very well and good because let's face it, it's what women do, but it would be so much better if they were doing it for themselves rather than for each other. After all, it takes a lot to be a mother a raise a child and although it isn't always possible to look runway-ready (unless you're Elle Macpherson, which is basically who I think these mums aspire to), when you do make the effort, it should be for yourself. *Dismounts soap box* 

Elle MacPherson's bridal lingerie collection

This isn't the first lingerie collection Elle 'The Body' MacPherson has put her name to, but it's the first one aimed specifically at the blushing bride. The 'intimates' collection comes in both cream and white, and is also available in Elle MacPherson's D-G sizes for the more curvaceous bride. What's more, the collection is completely and utterly affordable for every bride - the Fly Butterfly garter is only £19, while the torsolette (first image) retails for just £61. Considering the price of all the other details of the wedding, not forgetting the all important dress, the lingerie collection is extremely reasonably priced. 

FHM readers vote Katy Perry as sexiest woman

So,  this week we learnt that Maxim has named Rosie Huntington-Whitely as the sexiest woman, while Glamour named Emma Watson as the best dressed woman. We're so excited to learn that Katy Perry has topped Australian FHM's 100 Sexiest list. (She pipped Jennifer Hawkins and Miranda Kerr to the post who came second and third respectively.) Head to FHM.com.au to see the full list, and to see where the likes of Elle MacPherson, Kylie and Dannii Minogue and our very own Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton ranked. 

Canoe Press Day for A/W 2011

We went down to London's Vinyl Factory to check out some of the A/W 2011 offerings for some of the Canoe brands.  There was quite a varied selection of clothes, shoes and accessories to witness - definitely something in there for everyone. 

Whether you're an accessory lover, vintage princess, snow queen, sporting enthusiast who likes to look fashion-savvy on the slopes or classic rock goddess, you're bound to find something to your taste. 

Here's a look at some of my personal favourites:

Rock My Vintage (the two pictures above) is a fab online boutique founded by Beth McShane. It features one-off vintage pieces from the likes of Pucci, YSL and Hermes, as well as the most current and up and coming designers. Retro is a key theme of the collection, and McShane aims to bring a little bit of vintage into modern designs for a nice blend of both in each look. 

I'm a girl who loves my scents, and we all know how expensive some scented candles can be due to all of their imported ingredients. Jack Stubbs candles are environmentally friendly, and affordable, as they are a British brand who use ingredients only from good old Blighty. And they smell lush!

As a fashion blogger, or news writer/blogger of any nature, being interested in popular culture is pretty necessary, or at least encouraged. Raw Power always churn out some of the best t-shirts out there, including the infamous Kate Moss mugshot tee, as well as featuring the legendary Madonna and Snoop Dogg to name but a few. It therefore comes as no surprise to learn that they'll be releasing their Charlie Sheen t-shirt any day now..can't wait!

Elle MacPherson, Gwen Stefani and Kate Hudson are fans of Sorel boots, and it's not really hard to see why. Super-stylish and they keep you oh-so-warm in the coldest of weather conditions. We're sold. 

And keep an eye out for Wize and Ope watches - this is their first collection but we doubt it will be the last!

Elle McPherson on the school run

This isn't the first time we've seen Elle MacPherson put the other mums to shame on the school run. This time, she was seen sporting Christian Louboutin Lucife pumps, and a gorgeous Roberto Cavalli Diva tote. If you want to replicate the look too but don't have Elle's bank account, or bravery as far as the heels are concerned, take a look at what we managed to find: 

Dorothy Perkins roll neck jumper; £10…Dorothy Perkins leggings; £14…House of Fraser Linea tote; £55.20…Karen Millen studded courts; £200…Vivienne Westwood VW683 Black Smoke sunglasses; £190

If you want to do the school run or go somewhere equally casual and don't want to go in dangerously spiky heels, you can get cheaper and more comfortable ones from Karen Millen for £200; they feature the stud element which the Louboutins have, but the thicker heel makes them a much safer and more comfortable option. 

Elle MacPherson picture courtesy of Fame Pictures/Red Carpet Fashion Awards.