Doing it well - Nicole Richie

I have kind of been biding my time with this one as Nicole has been through two pregnancies so far and really has killed it both times so is my quintessential go to maternity style idol. The pictures i have found i think span back to her last pregnancy and also her most recent. She really is the bun in the oven boho queen. Although a petite little thing she has been the championing the maxi dress and works a variety of prints in her go to Bohemian style.

Unlike my like pregnancy i will be nearing the end of my semester over the summer months so will definitely be channelling some of Nicole's LA looks if we get a summer this year.  I am not alone in coveting her maternity style as US maternity website - A Pea in the Pod clocked her stylish ways and collaborated with her for a maternity collection.  We have nothing like Pea in the Pod in the UK and that's a real shame as it's a great website that brings many branded maternity ranges together in one place.

Right, i'm off to ebay on a maxi dress mission. All hail Queen Nicole..x Talia

Doing it well - Kourtney Kardashian

I know i'm not alone in counting The Kardashians amongst my guilty pleasures.  Bar the whole 72 days of marriage debacle i find them a relatively normal family. Granted with rather more fame and fortune than the average. With a headstrong pushy matriarch, an extended step family with all the arguments and trials that face many of us.  Kourtney is the eldest of the three and her current pregnancy is her second. She actually had her first shortly after i had Henry but adopted a sightly more body con approach to maternity wear last time. She's obviously mellowed out since then i find her maternity style this time round both simple and on trend.  She's shunned the bump bearing clingy fabrics and gone for layering, buttoned up shirts and flowing loose fitted elegance. There was another outfit where she bravely rocked a bow tie, cropped trousers and classic loafers but i couldn't find a good picture.

Another challenge for Kourtney is that she's 5ft 3 and has the Kardashian curves but is still not afraid to rock the flats for a casual look. Obviously in an ideal world i too would accessorise my bump with a gorgeous Celine or Balenciaga but 'it' bag aside and bar the red carpet numbers, I think Kourtney's style can be quite easily recreated with high street pieces. Bump and Bootylicous!...x Talia

Doing it well - Molly Sims

It's always good to have a few pregnant celebs when you are with child to see how those women under the glare of the paparazzi flashbulbs are wrapping their bumps. Fair enough they may have a little for cash for maternity wear and gifts from their designer friends but i love perusing their pregnancy style for inspiration and tips. I won't be sticking to women who are pregnant at the same time as me though as it's quite slim pickings with Chantelle Houghton and Snooki(?!?) so will trawling the pregnancy archives to bring you looks i like and women that are, in my opinion, doing pregnancy chic well.

This is not in order of preference but I have decided to start with Molly Sims. This lady was first brought to my attention when i saw her being styled for the Indie Spirit awards in the Rachel Zoe Project where she was styled by the lady herself and thereafter from red top rags who seem to like snapping her maternity wares.  I have seen her snapped a few times in various stages of pregnancy and think i will now be putting a blazer with everything as it is clearly working for her. Obviously the supermodel bone structure and the gorgeous tousled hair helps but i love her understated, covered up style with some statement accessories and simple hair/make-up. Quite fabulous...x Talia

Desperately seeking costume

So due to various school girl type excuses such as my husband having man-flu, my son having a viral infection and my mother in law being a house guest, i haven't outfit posted for yonks. I will get round to this soon, perhaps when my back yard is devoid of snow and i have less chance of falling flat on my arse. I have instead decided to blog about an upcoming fancy dress party i have been invited to. It's a 40th birthday party and the recipient's favourite era (man after my own heart) is the 80s. I love love love everything 80s. From the cheese of Wham to the constantly revisited styles of Pat Benatar. However funds are not permitting a costume hire so i've decided to improvise with what i already have in my wardrobe.

With the best, and sometimes worst, of trends generally always making a come-back, it's pretty easy to find pieces that are a nod to eras past. I saw Caggie Dunlop do this on a Made in Chelsea, Come Dine With Me mash-up and was inspired. I am going for a short tuxedo type jacket over a bodice tucked into a voluminous skirt. Accessorising with a big velvet hair bow and lace fingerless gloves, a crazy curly bonce and a tonne of bangles & necklaces. All very much in homage to the queen mother of pop madonna, more specifically 'Susan'.  After a quiet few weeks, I'm very much looking forward to getting into the grove at this party, germ exodus permitting, and promise to try to outfit post pics of the real thing when the party comes around. Share your best fancy dress delights...x Talia

2011 Adoration

It was a usually Sunday in my house, i sat and read the Sunday Times Style while eating scrambled eggs. A picture of great look got me thinking about my style idols from the last twelve months. I thought this would make a nice alternative to my outfit posts so have decided to put them out there and see what y'all think. I limited it to three and the first two have been pretty long-standing style idols for me but the latter is a VERY late entry. In fact her breakthrough film only came out on 26 December so she only just squeezed into 2011 but i'm sooo excited about her inevitably becoming a regular on the style pages.

1. Diane Kruger
I've been a blonde most of my life and having a contemporary, non slutty blonde goddess to share a little wardrobe worship with is always good. She has a great knack of taking catwalk couture looks to the red carpet and there's really not much she can't pull off. She is now based in Paris full-time and that is definitely apparent in her style, being muse to Karl Lagerfeld has also probably helped somewhat. Her standout moment of 2011 for me was on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival in a backless gold sequin dress by Calvin Klein that was like a second skin. I should hate her for stealing Jeremy Jackson from me but no, I adore her.

2. Olivia Palermo
My introduction to Olivia was on The City, Whitney Port's Hills spin off show, and she didn't come across too well. Stuck up, waspish, silver spoon kind of girl. The constant thorn in Whitney's sweet hard-working California girl side. It appears she has taken full advantage of the 'it's who you know' theory to get where she has in the fashion world but since our rocky introduction she has completely won me over with her immaculate style. I have to admit the topshop dress clinched it for me, so much so i bought the same dress in coral. She has a classic style but works her prints and accessories like no one else and has looks that are reasonably easy to emulate with high street pieces from shops likes Zara, Reiss etc. She's like the rich popular girl at school that you should hate but you secretly want to be. I'll tell myself that her fur is faux.

3. Rooney Mara
This late entrant is possibly my favourite. I don't have a whole lot to go on and it could just be the work of a really good stylist but OMG, just wow.  On the strength of her red carpet outfits i went to see the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and fell even more in love with her in a non Girl with the Dragon Tattoo way. Her styling in the film is so fitting for her character. H&M released a range dedicated to her character Lisbeth Salander and it sold out almost immediately.  I have since bought some leather trousers, not from the H&M collection as it sold out and they ebay prices are extortionate but for me a definite nod to the range.  Her look is not one i would adopt as she has a very specific look which couldn't be further from me (boo hoo), i just couldn't pull off pale and interesting. However i just can't help but be excited about what she's going to wear next. Like when you're waiting for your favourite designers next collection or your favourite band's new album, i can't wait for her next release. If you haven't seen the film yet, i highly recommend it. I predict big things for this little lady in 2012. Who was on your 2011 style honours list? Share the love...x Talia