Modern Day-Dandy

Well folks, it seems that Christopher Bailey has pulled it out of the bag once again! Another perfectly formed collection of heritage (Burberry buzz word!) with a modern-day twist.
The A/W 2012 Burberry Prorsum menswear show opened in with a downpour. A digital one, naturally, in homage to both Burberrys embrace of technology and the English winter, which won't be a white one, it will be a wet one. Again.
As the first models strode down the runway the first thought in my mind was 'gentry'. Bailey has modernised the practical 40s husband, the type who wears a suit to work, trousers with a crease just so, a jaunty tie (because he's a fun guy really) and an ever-present umbrella.... just in case. Suits were presented in various shades of charcoal grey, double-breasted and with a modern, slim cut. An ever present use of texture in Burberrys styling made each look stand out; a polka-dot shirt and tie in the same shade became an optical illusion, while leather studded driving gloves were married with striped jumpers.
Accessories were daring- the now trademark 'show hat', flat cap as in A/W 2011, reborn in turquoise, patent leather brogues in cherry red, shopper bags in glorious yellow.... need I go on?!
The Burberry staples- the trench, the quilt and the duffle made up the outerwear (The parka, after being the centre of attention last season sat this one out.) Silhouettes were once again a crowning moment; shrunken puffer coats coupled with velvet suits. A play on knitwear as outerwear, gave us oversize knits over immaculately tailored suits. Charcoals gace way to a rich palette of autumnal goodness- chocolates, plums, mustards, teals, adapted from the tribal shades of S/S.
Two surprising additions were a crystallized cat jumper and a fox print shirt, the likes of which Burberry haven't produced before. Artisan techniques and forest creatures.... it almost seems like a natural pairing now!

The shows final call was set to an electric guitar rendition of 'O Sole Mio'- a fusion of the old with the new which is, in essence, what Burberry is all about. Mr. Bailey, I salute you.

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!)

The Smoky Eye, chocolate flavour.

Step.1

- Using a cleansing lotion (preferrably eye make-up remover) gently remove all traces of mascara, eyeshadow etc. from your eyes.

Step. 2

- Using Benefit 'Big Beautiful Eyes' eye contour kit, take the soft eyeshadow brush and after loading it with the pale pink shadow gently sweep the brush along the eye socket, ensuring full coverage from lash to just under the eyebrow.

Step 3.

- Blowing the remaining base eye-shadow off the soft brush, sweep it through the mocha shadow next. This shadow should be applied to the outer third of the eye socket. Creating a shaded effect when the eyes are open, from light to dark. (as below)

Step 4.

- Using the liner brush at the end of the double-ended utensil, gently lace the brush with the chocolate powder eyeliner. Next, trace a very fine line along the eyelashes both above and below, extending to the outer corner of the eye. *cat-flicks are an added touch for an evening eye!

Step 4.

- Taking a good thickening mascara, coat the top lashes (fanning outwards from the centre) and carefully coat the bottom lashes, taking care not to smudge. *My personal favourite is Masterpiece mascara by Maxfactor, lengthens lashes and it won't dent your wallet and as an added bonus, it's the make-up of make-up artists apparently!

Step 5.

- Open your eyes and carefully dot a tiny amount of white eye shadow into the corner of your eye. This trick appears to open the eye more, and leaves you with massive peepers that would leave anyone jealous.... Bambi, eat your heart out!