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| Prom queen Dannii edges ahead of Cheryl in X Factor style war |
But as the bell rang for the second round last night, it proved to be a close call between the the two judges, with the Australian pop star just nudging ahead in an outfit that gave her Geordie counterpart a run for her money.
Dannii looked younger than her 38 years in a very chic prom queen-style dress, her hair swept up and back from her face in a sexy swinging ponytail.
Cheryl, 27, however, had dressed to kill in a short, sexy and lacy green and grey dress which complimented her petite frame.
Both ladies wore towering heels, Dannii in black lace platforms and Cheryl in purple velvet Christian Louboutins.
It proved to be a close call in the fashion stakes between them but Dannii's seemed to be the robe du jour as she played it sexy but safe in her simple but very gorgeous prom dress.
Both looks were certainly a far cry from the outfits that they arrived at the X Factor studios in yesterday afternoon ahead of the elimination show.
Cheryl looked like a teenager with her fresh-faced, clear complexion totally make-up free with her hair swept back in a rough bun.
Not quite the glamourpuss that she walked onto the show as, Dannii wore minimal makeup apart from bright red lips as she arrived in a floral dress and heels.
For Saturday's first live show of the series, on which both ladies were reunited, Dannii happened to trounce Cheryl in the X Factor style wars.
The Australian beauty looked more of an English rose than Cheryl, who'd appeared to have overdosed on the fake tan to look a very seasonal pumpkin-like colour.
The Girls Aloud singer had also backcombed into what some viewers felt was an overly-severe quiff, though her off-the-shoulder LBD was deemed chic and understated.
Her rather safe style choice however somewhat flew in the face of her earlier statement that she wanted to 'be a bit edgier' this year.
Dannii meanwhile looked stunning with a fresh, pale complexion and minimal eye make-up to complement her figure-hugging lacy white dress with directional shoulders, but opted for dramatic bright red lipstick
Talking last month however, Dannii was convinced that Cheryl would trump her in the fashion stakes, as son Ethan was commanding all her time.
The Marks & Spencer model said: 'Last year at this time I had pretty much organised every outfit, but this time I am only just starting to get stuff together and we are only a couple of weeks away.'
She added: 'I am completely unorganised so I will be excited if I get out with a frock on the right way and I haven't got my shoes on my head.'
Dannii, 38, also said she hadn't put herself under any pressure to starve herself back to her pre-baby figure.
She claims to have gained 49lb while pregnant — but was looking exceptionally trim already last night behind the judges' desk.
She insists: ‘I definitely haven’t been exercising, I haven’t had the time or the energy.’
She mused: 'You can only do the best you can do and I have not been crazy about losing the baby weight because it is just important for me to concentrate on being a good mum right now.'
However, cynics have mused that Dannii's protestations may have been somewhat over-egged, considering she's just launched her own fashion range Project D and her last appearance on television before her X Factor return was ITV2's Dannii Minogue: Style Queen in August.
Cheryl had no such qualms about her food intake apparently last night, and tucked into some popcorn after the live show, as revealed in a photo posted up on Twitter by her PR.
The results on show last night meanwhile - which was watched live by former Spice Girl Mel B - are the result of up three hours with the hair and make-up team, with touch ups in ad breaks.
As previously reported by MailOnline, Cheryl is styled by Frank Strachan, known as the 'Ferrari of stylists', with her budget for hair and make-up said to be an astonishing £80,000 and clothes £70,000.
Dannii meanwhile was said to spend around £2,000 per live show for her wardrobe and relies on Australian designers to lend her clothes.
This year, fearing that it might be her last X Factor and determined to make an impact, it's said she's tripled her budget to £60,000.
As for the boys? It was a case of same-old, same-old, with both Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell playing safe with white shirts minus a tie and dark suits.
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