When East Meets West...
...It's one serious style-off! GLAMOUR swaps fashion notes with Britain's most notorious reality stars.
To see what really happened behind the scenes at the shoot, click here!
Photographs by Anders Overgaard
Styled by Emer Dewar and Karen Preston
Anders OvergaardHard to believe, isn’t it, that this time last year, we didn’t know what a ‘vajazzle’ was. But not only has The Only Way Is Essex enriched our vocabulary (which, we have to say, is pretty ‘reem’), it’s made stars of its flamboyant cast and spawned a whole new TV genre. Without it, we wouldn’t have Made In Chelsea – the show where posh kids are chauffeured around in Bentleys, play polo and drop thousands on a dress for a ball. As you do. So, for that – and every other guilty pleasure you’ve given us – TOWIE and Chelsea, we salute you! As both shows return, we stopped cheering long enough to quiz the hottest names from each on their style dos and don’ts. And, er, ladies, you have more in common than you might think!
Anders OvergaardThe Made In Chelsea Crew
Caggie Dunlop, 22
“If I could shop at one place forever, it would be Urban Outfitters, because it’s cool, eclectic and has a bit of everything,” says Caggie. “I literally have no style rules, I’ll throw anything on. But it’s nice to dress up very prim like this.” We originally fell in love with Caggie’s no-bullshit attitude towards playboy Spencer on the show, but her fashion cred crept up on us when she wore a show-stopping, strapless orange dress in Cannes. “That dress got attention!” she laughs. “It’s from Austique, a boutique in Chelsea, and they had so many hits on their website, they made me an ambassador. Now if I have events to go to, they’ll give me dresses.”
Anders OvergaardThe Made In Chelsea Crew
Alexandra ‘Binky’ Felstead, 21
Who says Chelsea girls only shop at designer boutiques? “I travel on the tube every day and shop at Primark,” she says. In fact, Binky is most at home in leggings and wellies at her mother’s country cottage. “I’m becoming more fashion-savvy now I’m on TV, though,” she admits. “I’ve hired a personal trainer to improve my posture for the camera and boost my confidence.” Binky has an office job as a PA at a hedge-fund company, though her new fame can be less than helpful. “I made a comment about not knowing who wrote Winnie The Pooh. A few days after it aired, I went to work and found an old edition of the book on my desk!”
Anders OvergaardThe Made In Chelsea Crew
Millie Mackintosh, 22
Having originally trained as a make-up artist, Millie’s next ambition is getting a job on a fashion magazine. “Filming takes up so much time, but my real love is fashion,” she says. “I pore over magazines! I love people-watching, too – London has such great style.” Millie bounds into the shoot wearing denim shorts, a white T-shirt and blue blazer. “This is sort of the Chelsea uniform,” she admits. “Blazer, pumps – very preppy. But it’s becoming more diverse and grungy now. I love Reiss, Kurt Geiger and The Kooples, but also Topshop and Zara.”
Anders OvergaardThe TOWIE Girls
Lydia Bright, 20
With a passion for quirky, vintage clothes, Lydia’s eye for fashion has made her the style standout on series two of TOWIE (remember that rust-coloured playsuit?). “I love floaty dresses and floppy hats from the ‘70s,” she says. And there’s one staple she can’t live without. “I don’t really do flat shoes... Charlotte Olympia and Christian Louboutin heels are my favourites, though I struggle to walk in them!” Lydia’s style icon? “Carrie Bradshaw. I wanted to be a writer like her, so I studied English at university.”
Anders OvergaardThe TOWIE Girls
Lucy Mecklenburgh, 20
We’ve witnessed her rocky relationships on-screen, but showing off a rockin’ body and (natural) tan, Lucy couldn’t be happier right now. “I’m trying to become more confident in my style,” she says. “I adore this outfit, but would never have picked out a feather skirt in a shop.” I’ll be more adventurous from now on.” Lucy’s fashion sense owes a lot to the high street. “There’s so much variety,” she says. “I love bold colours and bubble skirts – Zara is great for that. Though accessories are my weakness, so I’d never turn down a designer handbag!”
Anders OvergaardThe TOWIE Girls
Jessica Wright, 26
Aspiring singer, sister of Lothario Mark and all round “girlie girl”, Jess eagerly trawls through the clothing rails on our shoot, tottering in skyscraper heels. “For a big night out, it would take me an hour and a half to get ready,” she says. “I love being an Essex girl. We take pride in our appearance.” Jess’s favourite designers include Roberto Cavalli and Hervé Leger, but she’s no stranger to the high street, naming River Island, Mango and Lipsy as her favourite stores. My style is sophisticated with a sexy edge. I love Victoria Beckham, though my absolute style crush is Blake Lively. I’m obsessed with her.”
