Chery Cole @ her Promise Ring launch party

Where: Nobu, Park Lane
Joanne Black style: Azzaro dress, YSL heels, Sergio Rossi clutch and Stephen Webster earrings

As president, owner and founder of de Grisogono, Fawaz Gruosi certainly knows how to throw a party – as I discovered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. So, when the opportunity came up to appear at the launch of Cheryl Cole’s Promise collection – of beautiful rose gold and blackened silver rings to be worn on the little finger – I just had to take it.

Cheryl Cole and Fawaz Gruosi © Richard Young

With everyone from Louis Walsh and Diana Vickers to Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts on the guest list, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d walked into an X Factor after-party. Of course, Cheryl was the star of the show, dazzling guests with her stunning, short, sequined nude and gold Elie  Saab dress, which complemented her petite frame and skin tone perfectly. But, one my of personal highlights was chatting to the X Factor’s Irish judge.  I reminded Louis that we once judged a Miss Ireland competition together and he asked whether I’d ever considered singing! Let’s just say, I’ll don’t think you’ll be seeing me at next year’s auditions.

Sipping lychee and passion fruit martinis, I was able to soak up the rest of the style on show. Socialite Tamara Beckwith stepped out in a great dress with cream and black details on the front, which she wore with some very sexy tights. Girls Aloud’s Kimberley and Nicola both opted for fab short black dresses. But the stand out look of the night (after Cheryl) was Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine, who was wearing a short white crocheted vintage dress and looked every inch the rock star.

Joanne Black @ the Serpentine Pavilion Party - © Frederic Aranda

Where: Hyde Park, London

Joanne Black Style: Short Alexander Wang 40s-style dress, Stephen Webster White Earrings, blue and yellowy gold short Osman jacket, white YSL heels and a Prada handbag

Set against the glorious Hyde Park, Jean Nouvel’s red and black steel Pavilion – complete with dance floor, bar and table tennis tables – was the perfect location for a what has to be one of my favourite parties of all time.

The fact the sun shined long into the evening meant this was a real summer party – with superb style on show at every turn. Nicky Haslam gets my vote for coolest look of the night. His fantastic turquoise suit was a real statement piece and his spruce green T-shirt, black belt, beads and boots were a great combination.

When I think back to the stand-out fashion, Nicky was in good company. Stephen and Anastasia Webster looked great together – him in a cool grey double-breasted jacket with a blue pinstripe running through it and her in a stunning white halterneck dress with what looked like roosters in circles scattered across it. John Rocha and his daughter Simone looked effortlessly cool. Simone wore a short black blazer, white shirt and clogs and John accessorised his suit with trainers. Jared Leto added a funky edge to proceedings with a black and white jacket, bleached blond spiked hair and trousers with interesting detail down the side. And David Bailey showed us just what a legend he is with a denim jacket with brown leather collar, colourful white and green Hawaiian-style shirt and beige hat with the word ‘fashion’ written across it.

Mention also has to be made of those lovely ladies: Lily Cole, Alice Temperley and Bianca Jagger. Lily stepped out in a warm purple Temperley dress with gold detail around the bust, Alice looked striking in a cerise pink outfit, with a white hat and silver clutch, and Bianca Jagger gave her black taffeta-style dress and short jacket some real sparkle with an pair of emerald green earrings.

If I had to choose one highlight, however, it would be the surprise performance by Dizzee Rascal who wowed us all with his musical talents – and sharp style as he opted for a grey suit, white shirt and amazing shades for his turn in the spotlight.

Hanna Folkesson with her Paul McCartney Plectrum & Joanne Black

Where: Battersea Power Station
Joanne Black Style: Short Peter Pilotto dress in purple with rust and green running through it, with Nicholas Kirkwood ankle boots

Power stations aren’t usually associated with lavish parties and tuxedos, but then Battersea Power Station is no ordinary power station. This cool venue was home to host Kevin Spacey, the great and the good of the theatrical world and the legendary Paul McCartney for one night only. And what a night it was…

Nights on the party circuit are typically spent admiring well-styled women and their fabulous outfits. But it was the men who shone through at this star-studded spectacular. Ronnie Corbett looked so cool in a fab electric blue velvet jacket with a black lapel. Evgeny Lebedev wore a great black and white tux-style jacket and trousers with a white stripe down the side. Mark Ronson also opted for a tux-style suit (which became the look of the night together with an open shirt and no bow tie). And Jeremy Irons looked effortless in brown leather biker boots, beige jeans, a navy jacket and cool aviator shades.

The men also gave us the stand-out performances of the night. Kevin Spacey delivered a hilarious speech (that man should be a politician) and Paul McCartney had the celeb world falling at his fee, belting out tunes such as The Long and Winding Road and Hey Jude, which he dedicated to Dame Judi – who was at the party with her daughter.

The Old Vic 192 Fundraiser – organised to raise money for the theatre trust and support Meat Free Monday – was a night full of surprises. From my table, I took part in the art auction and walked away with a fabulous picture by Sam Taylor Wood. And a friend and massive McCartney fan who came with me was handed the singer’s plectrum – and will no doubt be envied for many years to come for securing such an amazing musical memento.

Joanne Black and Lolita - Royal Ascot 2010

Where: Ascot Racecourse
The hats:
Thursday: Black Angie B hat with a ribbon under the neck
Friday: Funky cream Anthony Peto hat

Joanne Black Style:
Thursday: White Spring/Summer 2010 Sharon Wauchob dress, with a black crochet bolero style jacket, YSL belt, Alaia ankle boots, Alexander McQueen bag, red Prada sunglasses and Stephen Webster jewellery
Friday: Camel Bottega Veneta dress, with a vintage mink shawl, Sergio Rossi ankle boots and a Ferragamo bag

There’s one thing I love more than backing Ascot’s Gold Cup winner Rite of Passage (a 20-1 chance) and enjoying the celebrations, and that’s dedicating a whole two days of my year to that often forgotten aspect of fashion: hats!

Joanne Black @ Ascot 2010

Strolling round the Royal Enclosure, I felt like I was attending a festival of fashion rather than a horse racing event. The royal racegoers were out in force – Princess Beatrice looking beautiful in a gold Grecian-inspired dress, navy bolero jacket and a navy hat and the Queen stepping out in a lovely lavender outfit and matching hat on Ladies’ Day (much to the frustration of those who thought she’d be in yellow).

Anyway, back to hats! I was spoiled for choice when it came to looking for great styles over the two days. When I wasn’t staring at Jackie St Clair’s striking red anemone-shaped hat, I was enjoying Wilnelia Merced’s wonderful orange and brown hat with beautiful long feathers, which she accessorised with an orange and gold high-waisted pencil skirt, nude cami and see-through top. Danish designer Isabell Kristensen wore a beautiful DD Valentine large-rimmed black hat with pink flowers, which looked great with a white dress from her own couture collection. And Joan Collins looked absolutely wonderful with a Philip Treacy hat and turquoise jacket with puffed sleeves.

Beyond the obvious excitement of the headwear – and the remarkable win with Rite of Passage – I was delighted to be snapped by a photographer compiling a book about 300 years of Ascot. Who knows, my face might be in all good bookshops this time next year!

Joanne Black @ the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation Gala

Where: Hampton Court
Joanne Black Style: White dress with scooped neckline from Osman Spring/Summer 2010 white collection, YSL bag, shoes and jewellery

Walk the red carpet with a fashion designer and you’ll never want to walk it alone again. Arriving at the Raisa Gorbachev Foundation Gala on the Osman’s arm was a moment I will never forget. Sporting a red sash, he looked like a fabulous picador, and was certainly the best dressed man there. He described me as his muse for the night – and wearing a beautiful modern geisha-style creation from his spring/summer collection, I was definitely dressed for the part.

Hosting a table at the fifth annual Gala – a night dedicated to raising money for the Foundation and Marie Curie Cancer Care – gave me the perfect opportunity to both surround myself in fashionable people, and do a bit of style spotting. Among the highlights was Hugh Grant, the humorous commentator for the night. He looked effortlessly cool and ruggedly handsome in a suit with an open neck shirt. Anjelica Huston (who I consider to be a bit of an inspiration for everything she’s packed into her life) wore a lovely black and white dress and Tracey Emin put in a stylish appearance in Vivienne Westwood. And businesswoman Helen Davison went creative with a skirt crafted out of a Matthew Williamson dress and a handmade black lace top (I reckon she’ll be a designer to watch in future). But the coolest look of the night came from the ever-youthful Yasmin Le Bon, who stepped out in a trendy, dramatic fan-detail structured cocktail dress.

Raising nearly £2m for charity, the Gala was a huge success. I left Hampton Court that night a little lighter – having secured a three day apprenticeship with photographer Tony McGee and danced the night away to the sound of Bryan Ferry – and feeling better than ever. The dress was a huge hit and saw me receive more compliments than I ever thought possible. At a fitting with Osman (where I tried on three dresses from his white collection) he said the full-length number would be a winner with well-matched accessories – and he was right! Being told I had the best look of the night was great, but hearing that I’d managed to secure Osman a new following (and an order or two) by promoting his fabulous designs, was even better.