Retail therapy: Hose knows

Pretty Polly open-toe tights, $23.99, from Farmers. Photo / Supplied

If you're feeling inspired by Kate Middleton's sheer pantyhose, you might be interested in a new line of hosiery available exclusively at Farmers stores. Pretty Polly have introduced a new open-toe, 8-denier tight, made for those who want to wear open toe shoes without the ugly seam around the toes. $23.99, from selected Farmers stores.

Sock it to me

After some new socks to ward against the winter chills? Nicholas Jermyn stores have just had a selection of cotton socks arrive, in various colours and prints. They're $15 each. Ph (09) 309 4475.

Tunic art

Local artist Flox, real name Hayley King, has produced a special print that has been used on the latest Max Foundation tunic ($99), which is in store now. $10 from the sale of each tunic will go towards the Max Foundation for New Zealand Women, which aims to help and financially assist women to achieve their dreams.

Dark & mysterious

Go Ga Ga for these groovy Oliver Goldsmith sunglasses available exclusively at Michael Holmes Premium Eyewear. Originally designed in 1966, they come in black and cost $535. 5B High St, City, ph (09) 973 8950.

Kanye does fashion

She was certainly one of the best dressed at Australian Fashion Week earlier this year, and now Christine Centenera is going international, with news that she has been consulting on Kanye West's upcoming clothing line. The Harper's Bazaar fashion editor, based in Sydney and a favourite of international street style bloggers, has apparently been consulting on the collection since March. Bazaar reports that Centenera "has since been flown to Paris twice monthly to work with West on what will undoubtedly be one of the most highly anticipated collections to grace the spring/summer 2012 season".

Undies undies undies

Iconic brand Hanes has launched its new summer range, available exclusively at The Warehouse; with underwear value packs and the revamped classic "Beefy T".

Very popular McQueen

If you're lucky enough to be heading to New York in the next week, make sure to head to the Alexander McQueen exhibition, Savage Beauty, at the Metropolitan Museum. More than 500,000 people have seen the exhibition, which closes on August 7.

Across the globe in London, another popular McQueen design has gone on display - the ivory and white satin-gazar dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge is on public display at Buckingham Palace. And though it is fantastic to see the intricate details of the dress up close, the best part for fashion watchers will be the notoriously publicity-shy designer Sarah Burton on screen explaning her ideas and the design process behind the dress. "We wanted to look to the past, yet look to the future as well. There were a lot of references to Victorian corsetry, the padded hip, the tiny cinched-in waist, and also to the arts and crafts movement with all of the handwork on the lace of the dress and the bustle inside to create the shape of the back of the dress. It has an essence of Victorian but we cut the dress in a very modern way, it is in a very light fabric, also the pleats and the folds create a modern feel rather than a historical piece."