Nicole Ritchie was born in Berkeley, California on the September 21, 1981.  Nicole Ritchie is the adopted daughter of world-famous former Commodore’s front man, Lionel Richie and his wife, Brenda Harvey.  Nicole is listed commonly as an actress, author, socialite and singer.  She is best known for her role in the hit reality show The Simple Life, in which she and fellow ‘it’ girl Paris Hilton pit their wits against tasks endured by more everyday American citizens.  The show, which is made by Fox, brought Nicole Ritchie to a level of stardom which she had never experienced.

Being adopted, Nicole Ritchie once stated that she will never reveal the identity of her biological parents "for confidentiality reasons," but she has openly admitted that they were friends of Lionel Richie.  Though she was not formally adopted until she was nine, she was raised as Lionel’s daughter since she was two.  When she was three years old, Nicole began the therapy which she continued throughout her childhood.

Nicole Ritchie has said that when Lionel's affair with another woman became public knowledge and he and Brenda divorced, “Their way of making me happy was to say yes to everything I wanted”.  This attitude has left Nicole labeled as a spoilt princess by her critics and a product of a broken childhood by sympathizers and fans.  Nicole Ritchie has one godmother, Nancy Davis, and her godfathers are the now-deceased superstar, Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones.

Nicole Ritchie is an accomplished figure skater and she studied several instruments including the guitar, violin, cello, and classical piano.  She has been friends with Paris Hilton, heriess to the Hilton Hotel empire since meeting her at kindergarten in 1986.  But it was not until 2003, that Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton skyrocketed to global fame in The Simple Life.  By that point, Nicole had studied at the University of Arizona.

Between Season 2 and 3 of the show, Nicole Ritchie and Paris Hilton would have to travel throughout the Southern States in a pink pickup and perform a series of menial and manual tasks in exchange for money for accommodation, food and gas to get back to their beloved Hollywood.  Before Season 4, the show would be dropped by Fox and picked up by E! network and it continued to flourish though the friendship was wearing thin. E! was formerly most well know for airing video of the Howard Stern show.

Aside from this, Nicole Ritchie has written a bestseller; a semi-autobiographical novel called The Truth About Diamonds.  The novel is based on Nicol’s life as an adopted daughter of a famous pop-star.  In January 2006, The Truth About Diamonds reached number #32 in prestigious New York Times Bestseller List.

Having battled with an eating disorder, drugs charges and the breakup of her friendship with Paris, Nicole Ritchie should consider herself lucky to be a successful mother of two children, Harlow Winter Kate Madden and Sparrow James Midnight Madden.  Their father, Joel Madden, is the lead singer of the popular pop punk band Good Charlotte.  She’s surely Dancing on the Ceiling of her father’s career though and we’ll just have to watch this space for future books, shows and clothing lines!

This seasons garment trends

Breton stripes are a definite staple for fashion fans for 2010. Whether you choose a casual long sleeved top or a chunky knit, Breton stripes are proving to be this season’s wardrobe staple. They look great dressed up or down, layered over a long sleeved tee or under a smart blazer and accessorised with pearls. There are certainly a few styles available on the high street and working the ‘sailor chic’ look this season has never been easier.

This is an effortless style that can be worn in both winter and will still work in spring and also looks good with both skinny jeans and leggings. This easy to wear trend is very versatile and a trend that has been revisited by most of the major designers on the 2010 catwalks.

Teaming the seafaring stripe with plain block colours really lets the print do the talking and creates a statement look.

Other fabrics that are proving popular this season come in the shape of sheer materials and styles created in sheer fabrics are definitely having an impact on the 2010 fashion trends. Designers are using these particularly sought after fabrics to create an abundance of garments. These include many tight-fitting pieces as well as various layered looks.

Another big hit this season is the bright denim trend, this look sports bold hues in vivid colours such as fresh yellow, tangerine, coral, emerald green, bubblegum pink and an abundance of other bright shades. In order to work this trend it is best to team the desired denim jeans with neutral coloured garments.

This look works best if the jeans are skinny fit and end at the ankle. If you want to create a more daring ensemble, a bold coloured scarf or vivid lipstick will enable this. Other ensembles that have been seen this season include zebra print tops teamed with a bright pair of skinny jeans and killer heels. In order for fashion followers to keep this style of coloured denim in top condition, the garment should always be washed inside out and in cold water with a colour safe detergent.

You can find all these trends at www.very.co.uk at great, affordable prices. As well as fashion lines, Very is also a furniture shop as well as offering home wear items.

Eric Schiffer