Totally addicted to Dior....

Mon Dieu, Mon Dior...

My latest impulse buy has turned into my new obsession... as in fabulous, cannot live with out, re-applying every ten minutes obsession *to say nothing of checking myself out in every reflective surface I come across ;)

So what is this miraculous find I hear you ask? Dior Addict, High Shine. A mix of lipstick and gloss that gives a non-sticky, high-gloss finish. This lipstick contains minute glitter particles which produce an amazing finish, and seeing as it comes in several colours, there's one for every mood!

My personal favourite is 'Champagne Blush'; a delicate pink which can be layered on for a stronger pink lip. Multi-function that comes in a fancy silver-and- iridescent case? Woohoo!

They call me Mellow Yellow

Once again Chanel have pipped the other brands to the post by producing this seasons most-sought after shade: Mimosa. (or bright yellow to the rest of us!!)

This feisty number can brighten up an LBD, dress up a pair of shorts/ plain tee combo or simply give you a sunshine boost on a wet Summers day!

If, like mine, your bank balance quivers in fright at the Chanel pricetag, Rimmel London do a very close shade: 055 Sunshine. Less than five pounds for the nail polish de jour? Oui oui!

To suit up? To bikini? or to care..... ?

VS.

And with the arrival of Summer, comes the seasonal debate .... to bikini? to tankini? to burkini?to mankini*? .... (the list continues) *although unless you're being paid a six-figure salary/ are purposefully making a show of yourself, please refrain from the last option!

The above swimwear conundrum comes hand-in-hand with the continual quest for unachievable body perfection, a problem that escalates every year.

In every local newsagent, the shelves heave with glossy magazines proclaiming 'thinner thighs in two weeks' , 'get bikini beautiful now', 'the Summer diet everyone's talking about', 'lose 2 stone in 2 weeks' .... you get the low-fat, exercise-laden picture. The big picture however should not involve crash dieting in order to look "good" (read, alarmingly thin, as dictated by many of the aforementioned glossies), being confident and healthy should be your main goal.

As an avid fan of the trashy weeklies (it's only to keep up to date with current events, I swear!), I am forever reading about the latest crash diet, how carbohydrates are evil, which fake tan can give you sculpted arms and which celebrity has (apparently) put on a few pounds. I never fail to be somewhat disgusted by the ideal shape that these publications allude to. Celebrities in particular are given quite a hard time. They are either pictured with red circles around their thighs, cellulite- how shocking!, or else around their arms, stick thin- definite eating disorder! Nothing is good enough. Strangely enough the BMI, exercise plan or daily diet of these women are never brought up, merely the clothes size they wear and their approximate weight. The focus is on numbers rather than health.

As a 5'6", size 10, who weighs just under ten stone, I am happy to say that I have a healthy BMI, I try to eat enough fruit and vegetables, regard carbohydrates as a vital source of energy and have never had a panic attack after over-indulging on biscuits. To the many women who focus on their bingo wings and orange-peel on the beach, I would like to remind them why they came: F-U-N.

So when it comes to beach time I will wear whatever I want: Swimsuit, wetsuit, bikini, tankini, I say bring it on.... once I can build sandcastles, attempt to catch a wave, end up paddling and get a 99 on the way home.

Summer Survival Kit!

Summer has finally arrived (although with all the threatening grey clouds and random showers you'd be forgiven for guessing Summer hadn't quite reached us!)

The most important thing about Summer is SUNSHINE! That vitamin-D giving, ray omitting, big ball of fire is what it's all about.

As you can see in the opposite picture, I've complied a collection of must-haves in order to avoid those last-minute pre-holiday sprees.....

The Lifeline List:

1) Suncream

2) Facial Suncream

3) Sunglasses

4) Sandals

5) Panama Hat

6) Brightly-coloured bracelets

So, first off, suncream. An absolute essential, which I cannot stress enough. As a fair-skinned redhead (who the sun just loves!) skin protection is my number one priority once a ray of sunshine snakes through those clouds. Factor 20+ is the only appropriate number, anything else and I may aswell be oiling myself up for a good roasting!

Second on the list is a good facial suncream. I find that applying regular cream to my face doesn't always end well! So a suncream that's specifically designed for your face, will be less harsh but provide all the cover you need.

And so we come to sunglasses...... Shape, colour, designer, price are all factors. Although heart-shaped, aqua-blue stunners may seem like a good idea the reality is that they may match about two outfits. (both being plain Jane style!) Classic, plain styles are the way forward and even if they break the bank, they won't go out of style next season. *when the trend may indeed be circular, tinted, hot pink. My personal favourite are my black Ray-Ban Wayfarers. They go with anything and I feel like an absolute rockstar when I wear them. Win!

Sandals, like sunglasses, in my opinion are best kept plain and simple. A good quality nude/tan/ black pair with some embellishment are safe options but are dressier than a pair of flip-flops any day. That said, if there is a pair of spangled, glittered, tasseled sandals for a fiver from Primark, I say get one in each colour!

A hat, linking in with suncream, a hat is up there for both style and protection. No one wants to lie inside suffering fro heat stroke while their friends party like its '99....... Panama hats are in vogue at the minute and if you can't afford Melissa Odabash *swimwear designer to the stars*, there are plenty of pocket-friendly styles on the high street.

Brightly-coloured bracelets liven up any plain bikini/ kaftan combo. They can usually be bought for a song from beach-side huts while on holidays too.... a nice reminder, while back at home in the pouring rain. (The good news, is that any bracelet will liven up a plain black work suit too!! )

So, with your essentials sorted, happy holidays... don't forget to send a postcard!

Accessorising, the new interior design.

Let's face it, re-decorating, however (minimalist-chic, vanilla- and- cappuccino- monochrome- fabulous) the end result may be, is a bit of a nightmare. Deliberating over which particular shade of white will compliment the newly arrived four-figure furniture suite, eventually giving up and creating your own courtesy of Dulux and a frightening paint shaking contraption, covering every surface in copious amounts of plastic sheeting, eventually having to scrape fragments of exclusive paint off every surface that wasn't covered by aforementioned sheeting (which turns out to be the kitchen table, the square of carpet by the double doors and the light switch nearest the TV, painting like a crazed-lunatic thanks to the paint fumes and discovering that your bank balance has more than halved in a day..... well, that's just the tip of the interior iceberg.

So when I found myself getting tired of my room, I took the less invasive route (read, cheaper) and accessorised!

At this stage, you may think I have indeed lost my pink and sparkly mind but fear not, fellow fashionistas. I have invented a solution to both your decorating and display problems.... Using shoes, jewellery, scarves and anything else you fancy, you can jazz up your surroundings by simply draping and hanging. Shoes can act as bookends, drawer handles can be revived with necklaces, likewise scarves can be hung from the back of doors or act as bunting when draped from corners of the room. The only thing you need to use is your imagination...

No pattern books, over-paid decorators or shades of white for you..... simply raid the jewellery box, hang, adjust, adjust again and then relax.

That's just another reason to buy shoes....... (you're welcome!)