Red Nose Day: ELLE's pyjama party for Comic Relief

PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHANIE SIAN SMITH

For Red Nose Day today, I'm joining in with the Evening Standard's pyjama party to raise money for Comic Relief and going to work in my pyjamas. In fact, all of Team ELLE are wearing PJs to the office.

To help us reach (and beat) our fundraising target Comic Relief, please sponsor us. Want proof that we really are wearing PJs at work? Here's it is.

My shorts pyjama set and my colleague Lisa Rahman's PJs are by Nicole Farhi. I love the ditsy floral print, don't you?

As for my Kate Moss Red Nose Day vest, it's designed by Stella McCartney and is available at TK Maxx for £14.99. All profits from TK Maxx's Red Nose Day T-shirts go to Comic Relief so you can give to charity simply by shopping!

Are you wearing PJs to work today? If so, what pyjamas have you plumped for - faithful flannels, cute cottons or sexy satin? 

Of course, you could always rework last year's pyjama trend. My Marni for H&M PJ set has already been worn in the office. And H&M's PJ outfit is a smart choice. Whatever you're doing for Red Nose Day, have fun.

Btw, this is the Sport Relief challenge I took part in for Comic Relief in 2010. Click here and here to see the Beckhams worn the Bargainista way!

Gap's monochrome nautical-print trousers

PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEPHANIE SIAN SMITH

Monochrome is a big trend this season. And it's a really easy look to tap into. You don't even need to buy anything new if you've got black and white pieces in your wardrobe already.

For style inspiration, see how Team ELLE wears monochrome. My nod to the trend is with these £34.95 super-skinny trousers from Gap. Isn't the anchor print cute? I do like a nautical motif.

I've paired my trousers with a simple black cashmere jumper, but once the cold freeze is over, you can carry on the monochrome theme with a white T-shirt or top. The great thing about these trousers – or 'khakis' as Gap is calling them – is that they'll easily see you into summer. I'm already picturing them with flip-flops!

As usual, I like to make a look my own with jewellery. Gold has been my thing for a little while now so I've layered a vintage locket with my Alex Monroe horseshoe necklace.

And remember when I teased you on Twitter last year with a picture of a receipt for a diamond ring for £35? Well, this is the ring. It's a delicate gold band with four teeny-tiny diamonds set in a square.

It was one of those spur-of-the-moment purchases when you're browsing in an antique jewellery shop (this one was in Honiton), not really expecting to find anything to your taste or budget. So when the dainty simplicity of the 1940s design caught my eye, together with the £35 price tag, it was too irresistible a bargain to ignore.

My ELLE Style Awards hair and make-up look

PHOTOGRAPH BY VICTORIA ADAMSON

For the ELLE Style Awards, the team is really lucky to get a helping hand to look great on the night. This is me pre-outfit with my hair and make-up done, thanks to the amazing teams at Daniel Hersheson and Benefit.

I opted for The B-52 hairstyle offered at Daniel Hersheson's Blow-Dry Bars. A half-up, half-down up-do, there's lots of backcombing, pins and hairspray involved, but it's a lot looser and more casual than a full-on up-do. I had the same style at last year's ELLE Style Awards and I loved it.

And the best part of my Benefit make-up? The false lashes. My make-up artist used the Angel Lash, curled and precisely separated lashes that give a natural, pretty look. They felt so light and weightless. At £11.50, they're definitely worth buying, especially as they're reusable.

Go behind the scenes and see the other ELLE Style Awards hair and beauty looks from the team.

What I wore to the ELLE Style Awards 2013

 

 PHOTOGRAPHS BY STEPHANIE SIAN SMITH

Forget Fashion Weeks, the highlight of the past month for me was the ELLE Style Awards 2013 – not least because I got to enjoy the Awards dinner with Markus Lupfer (he gave me a preview of his a/w 2013 look book on his iPhone), Holly Fulton and Osman Yousefzada and got a close-up of Kate Hudson in her amazing Stella McCartney red lace dress.

With any fashion event, what to wear is the biggest dilemma. To avoid the stress of finding something new, this year I returned to an old favourite: a 3.1 Phillip Lim dress.

I admit, it's been worn to a previous ELLE Style Awards and many a wedding, too, but recycling a look is often the thriftiest option, especially one that's as well-loved as this one. (There's actually a rather obsessive tale behind the purchase of this dress, but I'll save that for another day.)

I kept the rest of my look simple with a vintage Whiting & Davis clutch that made its first appearance at the ELLE Style Awards 2011 and a pair of suede and snakeskin Chie Mihara sandals that I purchased last summer, post-Latitude festival in Southwold (along with my Aubin & Wills quilted jacket; I'm still mourning the closure of A&W).

It's always worth checking out independent boutiques for designer labels. My Chie Mihara shoes were from Collen & Clare, which stocks everything from Acne to Vaness Bruno Athé. It just so happened there were 50% reductions in store, so my shoes came tumbling down from £195 to £97.50.

They're worth every penny. Ever since I bought my first pair of Chie Mihara shoes, I've been impressed. Chie Mihara makes heels that are comfortable. The ELLE Style Awards was the first outing for my new shoes and there weren't any painful feet to complain of. Perfect for a night of partying.

See what the rest of Team ELLE wore to the ELLE Style Awards 2013, plus read what the team's favourite memories are over the years. I'll leave you with mine…

'As the award for International Designer of the Year was being announced in 2010, I glanced to my left and I saw Burberry's Christopher Bailey waiting to go on stage to collect his award.

I caught his eye and gave him a big congratulatory smile and he smiled back!'

MiH Valencia jeans

 PHOTOGRAPHS BY SILVIA OLSEN

The sales are a great time to stock up on jeans. Last year, Team ELLE modelled their favourite pieces of denim. This Valencia pair by MiH Jeans were mine. I like the nautical style of the button front and the wide flare – great for making your legs look longer.

I think a classic white shirt always looks strong with jeans – especially if you're wearing denim at work. Mine's the perfect Oxford shirt from Gap, which is made of the softest cotton and is a great buy at £29.95. To finish my jeans-at-work look, I've added a simple black jacket from Banana Republic.

I noticed these MiH Jeans in the sale recently, reduced from £185 to just £55.50. They were available in white, too, for £92.50. Not sure if they're still in store though as they were such a bargain, so let me know if you find a pair – or if you've got any other denim sale buys to share. For more inspiration, see Team ELLE's perfect jeans.

The Westfield London £50 sale challenge

I've got a confession to make: I've never shopped at Westfield London… until now. But when I was challenged to spent £50 in the sales there, it was a task I couldn't resist. After all, with 389 stores, from high street to high end, how difficult could it be?

My mistake was going late-night shopping. Even with Westfield London open until 10pm Monday to Saturday (and 7pm on Sunday), I hadn't estimated on the behemoth size of the shopping centre.

I skipped The Village, as I didn't think my £50 would go far on luxury brands such as Gucci, Prada and Louis Vuitton, even in the sales, and made a beeline for my familiar high-street stomping ground.

Right now there's great bargains to be had at Westfield London as the end of the January sales sees further reductions. House of Fraser's Blue Cross sale offers up to 70% off, while Gap's final reductions go up to 75% off.

My first ports of call were Banana Republic, Zara and COS. These are shops I love for the quality of the clothing and the ones I seek out in the sale. After all, getting even more value for your money is no bad thing.

It was the latter, COS, that claimed my £50. With 50% off sale items, I got two pieces, both reduced from £55 to £27.50 – it was like buy one, get one free! OK, I blew my budget by a fiver, but with two new buys for my spring/summer wardrobe, I think I've invested wisely for the season ahead.

My first purchase was the caped dress above. Now you know I'm a sucker for a cape, and the caped detail on this stretch-jersey dress makes for elegant-looking sleeves. This is going to be a great spring dress when the weather warms up and the perfect day-to-night piece, too.

My second buy was the cotton-mix shirt below. The gathered neckline is smart without being too formal, giving the classic white shirt a modern twist. And the curved hem, side splits and longer length at the back look good worn loose or tucked in. I can wear it right now layered with cardigans and jackets, then come spring/summer those cute capped sleeves will come into their own.

I hope you approve of my Westfield London sale buys. I'm definitely going back. The shops didn't feel crowded, there were no queues for the changing rooms and with everything under one roof, not even the snow can stop me. I mean, just click here for a list of all the women's retailers. Shopping heaven. What bargains have you bagged in the January sales?

Shop the sales at 2nd Day, Shopbop and Grenson

For most of last autumn, I wore my 2nd Day Benne cape. You'll remember I got it back in 2011. The good news is, it's still available. Plus, it's half price in the sale in the 2nd Day sale at £149.50, reduced from £299. I've had so much wear – and compliments – from mine, it's worth every penny. Other stockists to try include Question Air, Sue Parkinson and Jules B.

You might also spot the Diane von Furstenberg Lucy lace shorts I blogged about in October. I loved them so much I couldn't not buy them. Especially as when I tracked them down to Shopbop they were 30% off.

Originally $265, I got them for £119, with customs and duty on top. They were an investment piece rather than a bargain, but based on cost-per-wear they're working out well.

It was the first time I'd used Shopbop, a US-based global online retailer, and I was very impressed. International delivery was free (yes, free!) and my shorts arrived less than 48 hours. And, as customs and duty are calculated at checkout, there's no nasty surprises when your purchase arrives.

The January sales might be a good time to get acquainted with Shopbop. But take note, returns (by DHL) are very expensive – around the £25 mark.

My outfit is all about good, classic pieces. The main staples of my wardrobe if you like. So I can't miss the shirt. It's the perfect Oxford shirt from Gap. Amazingly soft cotton, a nice fitted shape, great tailored details. It looks far more expensive than its £29.95 price tag.

And, of course, my trusty Grenson brogues finish off the look. Check out the Grenson sale for more brogues, loafers and boots.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SILVIA OLSEN

See what the rest of the ELLE team are wearing at the What ELLE Wears blog at ELLEuk.com.

DIY patches by Andrea Crews for Uniqlo

Last month, Uniqlo teamed up with Andrea Crews, a Parisian artististic collective, to create 'Christmas Dream by Andrea Crews for Uniqlo'. A collection of iron-on patches, they enable you to personalise your Uniqlo pieces in an instant.

For Uniqlo's Pinterest page, Bargainista Fashionista customised a Uniqlo jacket with an Andrea Crews patch for one of its Pinterest boards. Here's your quick and easy step-by-step guide to DIY personalisation…

1. Christmas Dream by Andrea Crews for Uniqlo is a collection of iron-on patches in five different designs priced at £1.90 each. Which is your favourite design?

2. I chose to personalise this varsity jacket by G.V.G.V. for Uniqlo's Designers Invitation Project. This style has been everywhere this season and it's a great buy for £79.90.

3. The Andrea Crews patches are iron-on, making it quick and easy to customise your wardrobe. However, I'm going to sew mine on so that it gives me the flexibility to remove it and use it on another garment if I wish.

4. Pin your chosen patch in position. I've placed mine on the spot where many varsity jackets feature their team's initials, but it would look just as good on the yoke, on the arm of a sleeve or a pocket. You can iron it on by turning your garment inside out and pressing on the back of the patch with an iron for 20 seconds or, like me, stitch it in place with a needle and thread. It only takes 5-10 minutes.

5. Ta-da! My finished personalised varsity jacket. By the way, you don't have to be great at sewing as the edge of the patch hides any wonky stitching and, if you like to chop and change your wardrobe, sewing is less permanent than ironing-on so you get multiple opportunities to re-use your patch.

What would you customise and how? Let me know. And let me know what you think of my Pinterest board for Uniqlo, too.