She Means Business Event 2010 and Goody Bag Competition

The SHE means business event was held at HSBC Towers in Canary Wharf and the event was a great success. Myself and Mrs Make Do Style where there with the NHJ Style team and decided to both blog about different elements of the evening, but i apologise if there is some cross over! I also need to apologise for some of the photography.. after a glasses of bubbles it would appear that our photographic hands are not quite as steady.

The she poster that MDS wanted to graffiti...

The Fashion Show Work wear

Outfit 1: Animal print Jaeger Top worn with cream cigarette pant trouser from Next
This is a really easy way to introduce print into your wardrobe and stay cool in Summer add big glasses and over sized bag to make it your own!
Outfit 2: Military Jacket M&S worn with top and bag from Next.
Well done M&S this jacket is a great shape and bang on trend!
Outfit 3: Grey jersey dress from Wallis and bag from Boden.
Really great idea for a throw it on dress for summer, i would add a statement necklace and a coloured wedge to make a little more exciting.
Outfit 4: Stripey jacket from Next, Polka dot dress from Planet, shoes LK Benett.
What a great little office outfit.. instead of adding the obvious red mix in green or acid orange accessories.

I also have to mention a fab outfit in their work wear section that we could not get a pick of which was a Mint Velvet dress with a zip detail on the shoulder worn with a next wedge looked great.They also had a fab Audrey Hepburn Esq Grey work dress from Austin Reed, so if your in the look out for one pop over to see it!

We then moved into Evening Wear

Outfit 1: Grey Zip detail top M&S worn with Next trousers and LK Benett shoes.
This outfit is great for relaxed office to pub, or site seeing chic and easy to achieve.
Outfit 2: Sequin dress Planet and nude shoes Pied a Terre.
This dress is not my cup of tea at all! I am all for summer sparkle but this looks like all the wrong kind of coloured sparkle on one ill fitting dress!
Outfit 3: All in One M&S and fab Red wedges which annoyingly I did not write down the info for!
I love love love this outfit and want it want it want it. I was wearing an All in one on the night and we have decided this M&S one or the Topshop equivalent are the best. I am also kicking myself for not noting down the shoes i will continue my search! MDS is going to buy this outfit and she is going to look fab in it!
Outfit 4: Black dress with cream bow detail from Burnshaw shoes Pied a Terre.
Again not my cup of tea as it is a little obvious but the bow detail is quite cute!

Other outfit to mention strapless all in one from next with beading detail really easy to wear in the Summer.


Evening and Weekend Wear Continued

Outfit 1: Red dress by Burnshaw and shoes LK Bennett.
They also showed a black and white version of this dress which i HATED! But this little number had the wow factor.
Outfit 2: Denim shorts, white 'T' and boots from Next and chunky Knit cardigan from Jaeger.
Loving this outfit.. could not pull it off myself but if you have an athletic figure and a small bust wear it with some retro Sunny's!
Outfit 3: Stripey 'T', blazer and zip detail skirt all M&S.
This is a great little summer outfit for work or weekend. Wear a coloured wedge and add a floral print bag and it would be even more adorable.
Outfit 4: White Jeans M&S, animal print cardigan by Boden, Bag by Next and shoes LK Bennett.
Easy way to introduce print and it looks pretty chic.

Weekend Wear

Outfit 1: Stripey 'T' by Dorothy Perkins, Cardigan by Boden, Jeans by Next, Bag from Jaeger.
Want this bag make it mine!!!
Outfit 2: Green silk shirt by Jaeger, jeans and sparkle bag by Next, shoes LK Bennett.
Also want this bag... but this one i can actually afford! yay
Outfit 3: Stripey top by Dorothy Perkins and shorts by Boden
Great look with no effort! If you have shapely thighs keep shorts long if you have skinny pins wear them short!
Outfit 4 : Peach vest by M&S, Jeans by Boden, Hat by Planet and Scarf by Jaeger.
How cute is this outfit.? A hat always makes a statement and this one is easy to wear in summer with a print dress, jeans or at the beach!

The event was good fun and we got to meet some lovely ladies from all over the UK! The gorgeous girls from the fashion department at SHE who did not seem to mind us quizzing them on the new dynamics in the fashion department. Nicky Hambleton Jones who looked fantastic as ever, no sign of baby destroying this fashionistas style! I also have to mention the lovely lady in the blue silk top, her Mum and her sister who were an absolute giggle. The stylish Laura Kate Scott with her gorgeous pill box hat. Beverley Webb from Beautiful Bras for being a SHE lady who meant business and who stocks some fab bras.

Here is a little pic of the models off duty... with their SHE goody bags one of which I have to give away in a competition!
Inside the lovely SHE Goody bag... is..

April issue of She magazine

A Simple wash bag with intensive lip moisturiser, eye makeup remover pads, anti wrinkle day cream and protecting moisture cream

Tie rack scarf with chain print

Kitten and Vixen cosmetics Bewitching Burgundy mascara and eye liner

Jo Hansford intensive hair mask

£20 Planet voucher

Clara Geraghty's new book "Saving Grace"

2 VIP Flourish Cards - Flourish Make-up

and all of this could be yours!

To enter the competition and be in with a chance to win this fabulous goody bag become a follower of this blog and leave a comment and a winner will be picked by random number generator. GOOD LUCK!

I Want does not get but Vouchers do!

There are a few things that I desperately want to spend my paycheck and left over Christmas vouchers on.... Mac to be purchased with John Lewis vouchers! Shoes part paid for with House of Fraser Vouchers and Belt.. the cash from haircuts I did yesterday! Can't wait to go shopping!

Stefanel at House of Fraser

I am very excited about the re-working of the Oxford Streets, House of Fraser. The layout is great and the new brands are great for a stylist who is always looking for fab new items to show their clients!

One brand that has caught my eye is Stefanel, they have not had all there Spring Summer stock delivered but they have some great summer staples as well as some great colours coming in very soon!

I really like the vibrancy of the colours and the really relaxed feel the collection has. The knitwear is also fantastic and that is their speciality so all the knitwear is available all year round!

An item they have in stock at the moment is a fab jersey dress with multiple wearing options! It is the perfect addition to a capsule wardrobe and it wont crease, even better.

They get another stock drop at the end of this week so head to HOF and check it out!

images from http://www.stefanel.com/

Blush!

Blush is something I do far to often for my liking! It seems i only need someone to ask me a question and I Blush, but not in a good way in a blotchy nervous way... I am not a shy person and never actually feel nervous I am just pale and annoyingly blushy!

I like Blush on my cheeks (Laura Mercier minerals), Blush in my wine glass (sancerre is delicious), Blush was the tone of choice for most of my last years accessories (Reiss belt, silk clutch, earrings and nail varnish)

But this year blush is moving into the temple that is my wardrobe.. yes this pale bodied, red head is embracing some spring summer tone on tone action and loving the affect.. (pre-raphaelite, romance in delicately draped tops and Celine tailoring and ruffles and feathers on the bottom!)

Burberry Prosum S/S 2010 - I love the draping of the dresses, skirts and macs from this collection but being a curvier girl think this Mac, ticks all the boxes! The colour is almost edible, the detailing on the shoulder balances out my hip, the detailing on the bust is minimal and the layering on the skirt emphasises the hip....

Celine S/S 2010 - What can i say these trousers are to die for! They have movement and cut on their side, beautiful.


Valentino S/S 2010 - The ruffles give this dress so much movement and the fact that they seem to grow from the bottom up gives it so much more shape in the hip!


Chanel S/S 2010 - I adore the netting and the raw edge of this dress it is so romantic.

Mothers Day

As it is Mothers Day and I like most girls found my first fashion inspiration in my mothers wardrobe!! So In the spirit of Mothering Sunday I thought I would celebrate my uber chic mother with a short post showing some of my favourite pics of her!

She has impeccable taste and always looks very glamorous with a twist of Sexy!

On New years eve.. in black her favourite colour! On holiday in black did i mention that was her favourite colour!!! Loving the big specs tho!Gotta love a classic T with high-waisted jeans! Loving the pose too..Looking every inch the Bunny Girl!

Tennis chic... Anna Wintour would be so proud! Had to include this as I just love the hair.

Fab eye make-up and exaggerated shirt collar.

Happy Mothers Day.x

Nailed it!

Yes this weekend i will be showing off my newly painted nails not any newly purchased clothes! (take note MDS, I am trying)

I put my name down for the chanel 505 Particuliere nail cover, what seems like ages ago and yesterday i got the call to say that my very own pot was waiting for me at Boots on Oxford Street! Yay.. you might think but i had actually given up hope and yesterday morning after walking round the fashion emporium that is Topshop Flagship and managed to leave without having made a purchase.... ( I indeed had an armful of stuff to try, but a phone call from my sister shattered my zombie like shopping state and i realised that NO i did not need any of these beautiful lacy items with encrusted beads that yes would look fantastic on. But would leave me poorer and with even less room in my already overflowing wardrobe!) So I ran like the wind to the havens of the Chanel counter of John Lewis, then House of Fraser, Debenhams, Boots and Selfridges in hope of securing a pot of this mushroom taupe toned nail varnish that was my hearts desire!
I was met instead with a rather smug faced Chanel lady in one of the previously mentioned stores saying "oh you mean the 505! No we sold out of that and when we get it in we have a waiting list as long as my arm... (gesturing with her skinny perma-tanned arm and was that.... no it couldn't be ... yes she gave me a knowing look as i caught site of her perfectly painted talons in none other than 505) Grrrrrrr.
So my adventure continued I would not be defeated if I could not have the real thing i would fake it I opted for the Nails Inc fake known to insiders as 'Jermyn Street' it was £10.50 a saving of £5.86 hurrah for me and the colour is close i walk with a spring in my step for a whole 7 hours until i receive the CALL saying they have reserved me the 505! What to do?

Sorry MDS I purchase that too... my girlynomics moment lasted a total of 12 hours! But the colour is lush.

OPI also has a colour called 'Over the Taupe' which is very close to 505 too.

The next colour on my list is a minty green to look like the Chanel 407 Jade
Check out OPI Go On Green
Nails Inc Haymarket is also close:

Underwear as Outerwear?

This is a trend that i love especially when it is done right. I mean what girl wouldn't, silk, lace and structure make a girl feel fabulous and a little bit naughty. It has that 'check me out' element of the Madonna Conical Bra days and the vavavoom of the Madonna sex book days. But is it practical for us girls who live normal lives and might get arrested or sectioned should we try it!
Lets face it when you have 32F's like me there is absolutely no Bra in my draw that would look good over a T-Shirt or a dress... I mean these are solid pieces of construction made to keep the puppy's were they should, prevent the dreaded double boob, stop them falling out when running for a bus and most of all create the right silhouette! I am not sure that my bravissimo specials have the same fashion clout as Christian Dior or Dolce and Gabbana!
In all seriousness though! If you have the figure for it this is a great trend, with fab lace body suits, silk cami's and detailed crop tops to team with jeans, skirts, shorts or worn over little dresses here are some from the high street that I love!

The Rosalind Prom Dress now in the sale £15 at Oasis. This dress does it all for you if you like the trend but not the risk!
The Lace Lingerie Cami £28 at Warehouse. Wear with jeans or shorts with a blazer or leather jacket (perfect top for disguising tummy)


The Lace Body £20 at Topshop, wear with jeans, killer heals and a blazer or with a pencil skirt and a long cardigan. You need a fab petite bust for this look if you are like me with ample bust try Topshop's Full sleeve lace body and wear a sexy bra underneath (not an everyday over the shoulder boulder holder)
The Button Back Bra Top £20 at New Look, perfect over a little dress or with high waisted shorts if you have the figure to wear alone!

Oscars..

I love red carpet season, every year i wish i was there wearing those phenomenal gowns and last night did not disappoint. There were some dresses that i would be in heaven wearing! But as ever there were also some disappointments!

I was expecting something fab from Carey Mulligan but thought she looked... well bad! The length at the front of the dress just killed the beading and shape of the bodice! Had this been floor length it would have been passable but as it stands with giant earring i don't like it at all! I wanted to see her in something fun and standout.... like colour, something tongue in cheek like Charlize Theron's Dior dress would have been perfect!


The ones I loved....
Diane Kruger always has this way of surprising me and her Chanel dress was fantastic, It is the sort of dress only her or Maggie Gylanhall could carry off but i think she looked stunning.
Cameron Diaz looked every bit the Hollywood Starlet in this gorgeous Oscar De La Renta gown.... I sooooo want to wear this! ( I know it is not rocking the fashion world but every girl has a princess fantasy..)Another star that i thought looked like a fairytale, I hate to put her on here but Miley Cirus looked gorgeous in this Jenny Packham dress, I sometimes wish she would dress a little more youthful and funky but this dress ticks so many boxes!
Dresses i thought really stood out were, Maggie Gylenhaal in Dries Van Noten and Rachel McAdams in Ellie Saab for wearing prints on the red carpet! I love Maggie's distinctive style and the cut and print of Rachel McAdams dress was fabulous.

I am also a massive fan of ruffles and thought that Elizabeth Banks in Versace and Vera Farmiga in Marchesa wore them beautifully.

Images courtesy of Flckr, Daily Mail, Washington Post and Mlive.

My Sister turned 30 and My life was not my own!

Yes last weekend my Sister turned 30! I feared there would be histrionics.. and guess what there were!

The week leading up to her Birthday is always chaos as she is one of those girls who is never sure of what she wants, unlike me who always has a list as long as her arm of trinkets, dresses and bags that would be gratefully received!
So many an hour was waisted in Liberty's jewellery section with my Mum, umming and ahhring over bangles, rings, earrings etc. No money was actually spent in Liberty's jewellery despite 3 visits in 1 day, but the velvet cupcake and tea in the most adorable teacup and saucer was just what the doctor ordered thank you Tea at Liberty's!

So with no presents we ventured to Selfridges where instead of buying a gift for Big Sis, we bought gifts for me! Yay..

I came away with 2 pairs of Shoes and a pair of boots.. ooops and a depleted budget for Big Sis's gift, but aren't they lush?




Don't worry I still got my lovely sister some great gifts too. I found this fab shop in Islington called The Make Lounge where we will be making fashion-tastic biscuits and at a later date our very own fascinators! I love gifts like this where you get to do something together and take something homemade away! I also got her a pair of beautiful gold drop earrings.

Big Sis's 30th Birthday Weekend was fun filled check back tomorrow to see the Lady Gaga antics of the Friday night and the Cuban Circus that was Saturday at Floridita.