Nicki's Favourite Things

Nicki Chapman, 34, is best known as a judge on ITV's Pop Idol - which reaches it's grand finale on Saturday, when viewers will vote for the winner. Before Pop Idol Nicki worked as a music publicist for the Spice Girls, Kylie, Charlotte Church, S CLub 7 and Take That. She lives in West London with her husband Dave, a record company executive.

Can you describe your style?
Modern, minimal glamour. I'm not a slave to fashion - I wear clothes that flatter my figure. I play with textures and colours.

What colours and styles suit you best?
Pink, beige, taupe, black and red. The only colour I don't wear a lot is white except in summer. I like fitted tops that are tight round the waist and show either cleavage or arms.

What is your favourite outfit?
My red Betsey Johnson dress. I wore it on a photo shoot, and my husband liked it so much he bought it for me.

What is your favourite designer store?
I tend to go to DKNY and Whistles. I'm not a huge label queen but I do like well-cut, tailored clothes.

What is your favourite high-street store?
I get most of my clothes from Jigsaw but I also go to Warehouse and I have some New Look items. Places like Zara are fantastic too, because you can only wear stuff once on TV so it's silly to overspend.

Do you own more day or evening wear?
It's about 50/50. Because of Pop Idol I buy more evening wear now.

Have you had anything made to measure?
Yes - the Ginger Rogers dress that I wore to Children in Need was made by Anna Martin. I was Ginger to Nigel Lythgoe's Fred. Now I've started using a seamstress who alters things. Clothes look better when they are taken in for your shape. I buy things slightly larger and have them fitted.

What are the most expensive things in your wardrobe?
My coats. I spend hundreds on them. My Mulberry one was �900.

Do you own a �little black dress�?
Yes, by Zara. It was only �35 but it could be designer. A friend picked it for me when I needed a dress for a TV show and only had 10 minutes.

Is there anything about your body you dislike and, if so, how do you disguise it?
There isn't the pressure on me to be the conventional size 10 so I feel quite comfortable. I am broad across the hips, although I have a good upper body. I've got long legs, so anything that makes them look even longer is great.

What do you wear on fat days?
I don't really have fat days. Some days I don't want to make a great effort, then I'll wear grey flared Jigsaw trousers and a black polo neck top.

Are you a G-string or briefs girl?
G-string to my cost. On the Pop Idol Website there's all this dialogue about my G-string being spotted.

What do you wear in bed?
Kiehl's lipsalve

Have you ever made a fashion faux-pas?
I had a dress made in Thailand from beautiful silk but when I got it home I realised it looked too holidayish.

How many handbags do you own?
About 20 - from Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Burberry and a Hong Kong street market. If I like a bag I will buy it, irrespective of the label.

How long does it take for you to get dressed in the morning?
If I know what I'm going to wear I'll shower, spend five minutes drying my hair and 10 minutes getting ready. If I don't know what to wear it can be half an hour of dithering.

How big is your shoe collection?
I've probably got about 50 pairs from LK Bennett, Jigsaw, iBlues, Nine West,Office, Gucci, Prada and even New Look. I'm 5ft 8in, so I normally go for kitten heels. If I'm walking anywhere it has to be flats.

How much do you think you've spent on clothes this month?
About �400. It varies. Sometimes I might spend �1000, then it might be only �50. Shopping is a passion.

When do you feel over-dressed?
I don't - sometimes if I have gone straight from work to a function I feel under-dressed. But I'm quite careful about dress etiquette.

Whose sunglasses do you wear?
I've some blue Paul Smith ones and a lovely pair of Guccis.

What is your most successful party outfit?
I have a beaded Whistles top that I wear with tight black hipster trousers. The top is quite low and sheer at the back, so you can't wear a bra, but it hangs beautifully on the bust.

Which outfit makes you feel most sexy?
A silvery taupe fitted dress from Anna in Primrose Hill, north London. It's sort of 1950s. It's being altered at the moment because it shows a little bit too much cleavage.

Do you wear silver or gold jewellery?
Both. My wedding ring is white gold. I designed it and the family jeweller, R J Baker made it. My mother introduced me to him when I was about 15. My husband buys me a lot of Swarovski jewellery. For me, jewellery is just as important as clothes.

Is there anything you've got your eye on for next season?
A Jade Jagger pendant. I'd be happy if that turned up on my birthday.

Who is your style icon?
I like the things Cat Deeley and Cameron Diaz wear, and Kylie always looks good. But I also like the sophistication of older women.

Which celebrity's wardrobe would you most like to own?
Kylie's - it wouldn't fit me though! She wears fashion but it's a look that anyone could adapt. She looks comfortable in what she wears.

Is there an item of clothing you couldn't live without?
I do like Marks & Spencers' T-Shirt bras. They're very comfortable and give you a cleavage.

What fashion item would you save from a burning house?
My wedding ring.

Do you have a fashion address book secret?
A boutique called Brazil on Bradbury Place in Belfast. I went over there to do some TV, visited the shop and came out with about 15 bags.