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The glitterati wife of England's football captain David Beckham has laid down the sharia of chic for ordinary women aspiring to Victorian Posh-ness.
Fresh from strutting her stuff on Milan's ready-to-wear catwalks for designer Roberto Cavalli, ex-Spice Girl Victoria Beckham -- known more for sartorial exuberance that good taste -- published her "ten commandments" on how to dress-to-impress in Britain's Glamour magazine.
Fashion victims lacking in spare time and especially spare change, however, will need to seek their inspiration elsewhere.
"I was in Japan not long ago, and I went High Street shopping and picked up loads of great clothes," enthuses Mrs. Beckham, who advises readers "to do their shopping all over the world."
"It's fantastic because they make everything in tiny sizes," she added slyly.
Among the most sacred of Victoria's commandmants are these: never, ever leave home without one's "sunnies" (sun glasses), and idolize American movie icon Audrey Hepburn.
"The right bag, shoes or sunglasses can make or transform the look of an outfit," intones the ex-pop diva, who also let drop that she drops 100,000 pounds (145,000 euros, 175,000 dollars) per annum on her wardrobe.
Victoria, who recently compared herself and her three young boys to "Lynette" on the US television hit "Desperate Housewives," also nudged her readers toward deconstructivist creativity, especially with a pair of scissors.
"I've always been really into customising my clothes, like cutting the waitband off jeans to make them lower on my hips. I also wear T-shirts inside out," she wrote.
Finally, Victoria suggests that one should, in fact, keep some things secret, and not "let it all hang out."
"It is much sexier to leave a little to the imagination," she says.
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AFPLifestyle-Britain-fashion-offbeat
AFP 061939 GMT 03 06
COPYRIGHT 2004 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved.
