Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for Alexandra Burke.

How pleased am I that the North London beauty won? I actually really did think Eggnog would win and had been saying so all week but talent came through and she won!

I've been in tears all night, 90% X Factor/10% MYB being the worst boyfriend ever, and couldn't stop welling up during Alexandra's performance with Beyonce. Oh my god! And yet, what made it so emotional was that you could tell Alexandra couldn't quite believe she was singing with her idol. That girl needs to realise she's just as good, if not better, than Ms. Knowles.

So we're dressing like a true Superstar today and all in gold! I adore this Zac Posen satin mini and wish I had the figure to pull it off. If, like Alexandra Burke, you have amazing legs then really work it by wearing some killer Rupert Sanderson high heels. I've added a Fendi clutch and a necklace by one of my favourites, Alex Monroe. The stack rings are Marcia Moran and the bangles are Charmak. Well done Alexandra!


Alexandra Burke. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for using watercolours.

It's so nice to spend only an hour of my day in a lecture and then come home and enjoy the finer things in life such as my slippers, Coke Zero in a mug, Hawaiian Tropic body butter, Jeremy Kyle and painting.

I haven't touched a paintbrush in weeks. I am ashamed.

I'm no artist in the typical sense. Picasso isn't my father and my mother would probably switch the lights off in some modern lighting exhibition show but I give it a go! And it was nice, it was nice to paint and feel so calm whilst doing it and create pretty images on a pretty page inspired by pretty days out with my best friend, my mother and my boyfriend (ahh, Chatsworth...).

Not even the disruption of my two younger brothers arriving home from school could annoy me as I painted Persian blue and emerald green onto grease-proof paper (yup, the stuff you put in the oven!) and sang along to random Amy Winehouse lyrics that kept cropping up in my head.

Sadly, the day didn't stay as calm. Brothers should not be allowed near laptops, put it that way!

The outfit I've made up for today is a very "Hollie-Anne" outfit. I tend to go for the chic and feminine look day to day and hardly ever wear trousers or jeans but opt for pretty pink colours and wonderfully constructed or floaty skirts. I love this rather dressy printed skirt from Forever21 and it speaks for itself so only needs a Topshop vest and a Forever21 grey cardigan over the top for understated elegance. I'm slipped on some pretty Topshop salmon coloured gladiators (make sure you've got your pedicure!) and I'd use a pretty pink satin hairband to keep hair tamed and classy. Finally, there's always time for a touch for timeless designer and that's why I've selected this Tiffany and Co silver necklace and Miu Miu leather tote to carry around everything from books to paints and, of course, lipstick. I love it!


Watercolours. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for going auburn.

I had a duvet day today. A lie-in after meeting The Hoosiers last night and shaking my bottom off in a fancy dress outfit that I described as "an oppressed 50s feminist housewife" but was twice described as "Kim and Aggie from Channel 4". Either way, for last night and last night only, I came across as a woman with a lot of scrubbing power!

I emerged from my gorgeous double bed at 11am. Sadly, there was no yummy man next to me to provide cuddles and breakfast in bed so I wandered downstairs and watched This Morning with my mum. I am a classy bird.

After lazing about in my favourite pjs of the moment, I got dressed in a fabulous blue check shirt with ruffle detail, comfy jeans and the cape of my dreams. In retrospect, the gladiator sandals were not a good idea in the rain but it was fabulous and cosy in my hair salon/beauticians.

After a while of staring at Nicola Roberts from Girls Aloud in the likes of Now Magazine, I knew I needed to embrace the world of ginger hair! I know, I know, it's apparently not enough for me that I have glasses, a gap between my teeth, a rather large pair of hips to say the least and a quirky dress sense- I just had to go into bully central and go all out.

It took two hours and lots of bleaching of my hair to give me the auburn look I craved. It's not exactly the bright ginger that I really want as to clash with my signature pink lipstick, but it's the best they could do with my darker than dark hair until November 25th when my hair will be going under another dye job. I love it.

So, to show off my new auburn colour, I've picked the key shades to match my new tone. Starting off with this "I must own and I'll happily sell my gorgeous, intelligent and successful boyfriend for it" Marc Jacobs trench; nice autumnal colour, eh? Underneath I've added this Diane von Furstenberg Tuvallu kimono dress. Blue works amazing with ginger shades, thus my blue check ruffle shirt I wore out today. As it's getting colder, wetter and typically English outside, it's time to add some tights by Topshop and slip on these Chloé boots. And it does seem a shame to cover up newly done hair but I would for this classic over sized floppy hat.



auburn by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for The Hills.

I finally purchased the "reality" series The Hills on DVD today. After months of giggling over T4 showings of Lauren et al, I handed over the Zavvi shop assistant a total of £18 so I can spend my Sunday evenings watching the semi-trashy show over and over again.

Last month my boyfriend and I sat down to watch an episode. A lazy Saturday morning at his place with tea and pastries became a vital moment in my boyfriend's life, seemingly. As a fan of Living Lohan and Newlyweds, I was surprised he hadn't involved himself in the love lives of Heidi and Spencer. Watching it together, both of us total media geeks, we analysed the show and came out with the following conversation:

Boyfriend: "Hollie, this is utter shit!"
Me: "Yeah, but it's sooooo good!"

You have to love it, right?

Dressing For is today inspired by "complicated" love lives, the younger days of working at Teen Vogue and the major need for a Chanel bag!

Simple Charlotte Russe shorts, a Topshop Marc Bolan tee and a Warehouse cardigan focus on the staple "LA Girl About Town" look. But what makes it is the accessories. Chanel large quilted shopper? Check! Chanel-esque quilted ballet flats available from Net-A-Porter? Check! Huge sunglasses? Yup! And a colourful Topshop bracelet? You know it! So, stick your "cell phone" to your ear and pretend you're chatting to Teen Vogue's West Coast Editor- true The Hills style!

LA style. by hollieanne