Scarlet Women

Mention the words 'red' and 'lip', and a few images instantaneously spill into your subconscious. The glamorous Vargas girls of the 1940s, old Hollywood icons such as Marilyn Monroe, but most of all the idea of decadence, passion, and glamour. This is why I believe no new years eve would be complete without one.... you might as well start the new year as you mean to continue.

The beautiful Miss Monroe

Having seen around a 35% sales increase at Selfridge's this year, red lipstick is the simplest way to update and complement and outfit - whether it be to dress up a white t-shirt and jeans, or finish off that sequined number for new years. The celebs love it too, I believe the Minogue sported red lipstick frequently thorughout this years X factor.

I honestly believe Dannii looked far better than le Cole every single week
Maybe it was the lipstick what swung it?

The trickiest thing, is trying to find 'your perfect red', go too blue toned and you may look sun starved, go too yellow and your teeth can appear coffee stained (lovely). It really is a lipstick lottery, as you scour the beauty counters, never quite knowing whether that next swatch is going to transport you back to the golden
Hollywood era, or Albert Square as eastend matriarch Pat Butcher.

So tonight, to bring in the new year, I will be a sporting the red lip, in the hope of bringing just a touch of the decadence and charm of our favourite Old Hollywood icons into 2011. As everyon knows, it's the red lipped woman that always has and always will turn heads.

And which lipstick will I be choosing? I thought I would make a change and go with a lipgloss..... Chanel's Party Red, a deep strawberry colour that stains the lips perfectly. It may be pricey but I just could not face the chimes of Big Ben without it.

Is it bad that I think this colour almost looks edible?

Happy New Year everyone. Have a good night!!!!

Mary Katrantzou: Digital Love

Ok, so I am at a little bit of a loose end tonight, so I thought I would use my time to waffle on about one of my favourite designers.

Greek born, Mary Katrantzou, may only have shown 4 collections, but she has in this time managed to cement herself as one today's most innovative young designers.

Her SS11 show, showcased her use of digital printing and trompe l'oeil, at it's finest, literally putting the room onto the woman, instead of the woman into the room. Yet despite all the 3D graphic, wizadry used, the dresses remain flattering to the female form, allowing the clothes to straddle that fine line between art and wearble fashion with ease.

It's hard to believe that these dresses are two dimensional - the domestic image simply printed on, as your eye dances across the garment.

With so much detailing, it's no wander her designs come with a hefty 4 figure price tag.

Oh well, I will just have to be content with staring at the images until my bank balance looks a little bit healthier, and for the more fortunate, her designs are stocked both at brownsfashion.com and in store.

On the bright side it's only 8 weeks until her next collection.

I Love Shoes I Do

I honestly do, I could think, read, write, and talk about shoes for far longer than is healthy.

I especially love shoes, when I happen to stumble across a special pair, that has been marked down by a smile enhancing £60.

I was doing a spot of early sale shopping before Christmas (honestly what is the mad panic to go out on boxing day, when half the bloomin high street had started their sale on the 23rd), when I popped into Dune for a bit of a browse.
Squashed onto their size 5 sale rack (I hate being a size 5, everyone and their granny is a size 5), was these berry coloured beauties.

Now I am pretty sure, that these have been hanging around the stock room for a while - the box looked pretty dog eared - but I don't care, any type of pink heels equal happy days to me. Thecolour looked so lovely when I wore them on Christmas Eve with black tapered leg trousers, and the gold shaped heel helped to conceal just how high they actually are. Added bonus - they didn't give me blisters. Woo Hoo.

Maybe I need to get a new hobby! I really can talk for far, far too long about shoes.

Perfume Review: Chanel No5 Eau Premiere

A little late coming I know, but all the hype surrounding this re-vamped classic seems to have escaped me… until now.

A classic bottle - what else is expected from the house of Chanel?

The iconic original, has always represented to me the kind of old money featured in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Whenever I smell the powdery top notes it makes me imagine a refined woman partaking in a decadent weekend aboard the Orient Express.

Eau Premiere represents the same wealth, but for the more youthful woman. Featuring the same floral top notes of rose absolut, neroli, jasmine, ylang ylang, and iris, it is not a dramatic departure from the original, just perhaps a more youthful interpretation of it.

Stripped of its aldehydic top notes, and with a new hit of citrus added into the mix this perfume lends itself perfectly to day wear, thanks to it’s much fresher approach.

Is this perfume groundbreaking? No
Thoroughly wearable? Yes I can see me getting through my small bottle at a fairly rapid pace.

It’s main selling point to me however is the fact that it has made me re-appreciate the original in all it’s sharp aldehydic glory. When the original No 5 was launched back in the 1920’s it was a revelation, a completely new and shocking fragrance concept, and this just pails in comparison.

If you are a fan of fresh, everyday fragrances, (think D&G light blue), I would definatly recommend checking this out, but for me I think I will stick to Miss Monroe’s favourite in future.

Sale Scrum

Ok now I am saying this as a serious lover of all things handbags, shoes and clothes, but is it really worth facing this in the quest for that bargain bag?

The picture was taken yesterday morning outside Selfridge's flagship store, as a quite frankly unbelievable 8000 people joined the scrum to get in the store at it's 11am opening.

Thankfully this year I chose to stay in the comfort of my own home for Boxing Day, last year however was a very different story.

I waited along with thousand of others to cram inside Selfridge's Manchester as it opened in my search for a particular Marc Jacobs bag that I knew was going to have 50% off. There really is only one word I can use to describe the madness that ensued. CARNAGE.

Honestly, women can be vicious when there is Gucci at stake. Once the initial crush to get inside the store was over, two very refined looking women had a fight over a handbag that resulted in them knocking over a pretty dam heavy looking light fitting, resulting in one of them gaining a serious gash to the head, and the other a broken wrist. (Honestly at this point I would like to stress I am not joking).

They had to be carted off by paramedics. Needless to say neither of them got the bag - I bet they were gutted.

Although my experience didn't land me in hospital I did decided to play it safe this year and do a bit of online shopping instead. Did any of you brave the Boxing Day sales?

Oh and incase you were wandering here is said Marc Jacobs bag aka the battle trophy.

My Favourite Things

I know I have not long since said that I will predominantly be writing about all things vain, but since this is my first blog post, I thought I would use the opportunity to share with you the two greatest loves in my life.

Before this all gets a tad too serious for my liking, I think I will point out that this in fact equates to my doggies -

 A Shih-tzu named Archie with an attitude problem, and a penchant for attacking feet.

And a Basset Hound named Madge,

Don't ask me why she sits like that, she just does (I think it's so her head can reach food on the table).

And as you can see they were thorougly enjoying yesterday's festivities.

I hate to seem like one of those annoying people, who treats their pets like children .... but unfortunatly I do, they had their own Christmas dinner yesterday.... sat alongside me, at the table, whilst I wore a matching tutu, (hangs head in shame).

See I told you I might be a little annoying.

 

My first blog post - and it's about blogging

So I was sat at home polishing off the last of the Christmas chocolates, when the urge to start a blog suddenly washed over me - I have no idea why but I guess it's too late to back down now.

The next thing I got the urge to do was to rush out and buy a trilby hat and leather laptop case - again I have no idea why, it just seemed like the right thing to do - perhaps I thought I was going to be transported back into the 1950's?

Anyways,I guess I shall be writing predominantly about fashion and makeup and all things vanity, I hope you all find my musings vaguely interesting so it's not just my mother reading this every day, (although I really do appreciate it Mum - honest).

So I will see you all soon, for my first official blog post (I think I am little bit too excited about it). X x

Oh and in case you were wandering, the chocolates were Thorntons Continentals, and yes I do feel a touch queasy now!