http://thedigitalistas.com/ Amsterdam based fashion platform

http://hopscotchgrace.wordpress.com/ catwalk and red carpet comment

http://rensden.wordpress.com/ thrifty style

I’m loving any kind of daily wardrobe update. See http://savedforbest.wordpress.com/  for a diary of one girl’s struggle to incorporate her best fancy dress into every day wear. Never save anything for best… a great philosophy that I share!

boys… http://freshlyeducatedmen.wordpress.com  Everything you need know.

http://www.graziadaily.co.uk/ Good old Grazia

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I’ll add to this as I get more familiar and discover more blogs…

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Remember, remember the fifth of Movember.

I’m not entirely sure that when Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the houses of parliament he was aware that the month of November would go down in history, not only for that catastrophe of a treasonous plot, but also for it’s ability to encourage the most clean-shaven men to aspire to handle-bar perfection. But then he had a tremendous ‘tache anyway.

Movember has grown in popularity over the last few years, raising money  and awareness for men’s health, most specifically prostate cancer (check yourselves out boys). This year it really has gone global. Good for them, there have been loads of women-specific charity events (moon walks, race for life etc. ), it’s fab to see the boys getting in there too.

So the challenge is on. 17 days in… how are you all doing?

I personally am quite liking a ‘tache on a man at the moment. It seems refined, sophisticated, and a bit mad. Unless it is a Freddie Mercury. The more quirky the better. Points for style and density. Any kind of Captain Jack braiding may well be one step too far. The thing is, you have to make sure people know you are doing it for charity, otherwise you defeat the object of raising awareness… and you may be mistaken for an 80′s throwback wannabe!

Social networking sights are getting in on the act, chronicling the progress of the most dedicated Mo Bros…

Check out… (http//:) for daily ‘tache updates.

Or … (http//:) for famous ‘taches.

Girlies can get in on the act too, sign yourselves up as Mo Sistas!

So even if you are late on the Mo-band-wagon, go wild… throw a Mo Bro party, find some Mo Sistas, buy some Mo-chendise, or simply get growing your Mo, bro.

13 days is plenty of time.

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Here, I present the trials and tribulations of attending the launch of Jimmy Choo’s range for H&M at the Regent St. Store on Friday 13th November.

Tribulations

• anyone could apply for free tickets through Vogue, the best magazine in the world
• locking eyes with the range a full 14 hours before the rest of the world
• not too much queueing (not overnight anyway, I heard about a man in Brighton who queued from midnight for the doors to open on Saturday morning to get a pair of jimmy’s for his heavily pregnant wife… surely the last thing she wants is a pair of 6 inch killer heels??)
• prices from £49.99
• delish bubbles and canapes… although best to avoid smoked salmon breath
• free reign to gawp at celebs… apologies to Alexandra Burke
• 25% off (excluding jimmy choo) a tempting offer when plied with bubbles
• delightful goody bag with vogue and sweet jimmy cuff

Trials

• only one of each item per customer
• hunting for a toilet
• trying to work out whether the sleazy men were perves or unknown v.i.p.s
• getting carried away by the bubbles (see the tale of the tutu)

Oh, and thoughts on the actual range? Some of it is a little too nineties biker-chic bling for my tastes but there were more than a few saving graces. So popular were all items from the faux pony print stillettos and leather jackets to the studded leather cuffs and manly suits, that they all sold out the following morning within hours. Not suprisingly many have landed straight on ebay this week, reaching double their original prices.

Although the sparkley dresses do sparkle rather wonderfully, I’m pretty sure you can pick up a similar plastic-beed adorned dresses down your local Miss Selfridge? But then again, Miss Selfridge creations don’t come with that lovely feeling that, even if you only receive the odd knowing-look of recognition, tucked just in the nape of your neck, or at the ball of your foot is a label with the sumptuous words on everyone’s lips … Jimmy Choo. Sigh.

What saved the range for me was one unassuming grey suede off-the-shoulder dress, and a beautiful leather man bag.

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I saw this and thought of you

x x x

J

A pair of dotty socks coiled in a ball and placed in a silicon case to look like a cupcake! Both items useful and beautiful. I was wearing my socks and baking cakes before the day was out.

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Over the last decade she has established influence lacing far beyond the friends’ flat in which Luella showed her first collection. Luella’s signature style, in her own words ‘Princess Anne goes psychedelic’, successfully echoes, splices and revives everything from eccentric pussy-bows, asymmetric tutus and pop florals to countrified neons. 2010 was set to be her sweetest year, as indicated by the attention lavished on the lovely Luella only weeks ago at London Fashion Week.

 Yet the success of Luella is not just about internationally renowned catwalk shows, celeb endorsements or silly sales statistics (a turnover of around £9 million by 2006). Wherever a New Look bowed ballet-shoe or a Topshop frilled-tee lurks, her summery shades and lacy idiosyncrasies are felt. Over the last few years those of us that only dream of owning a piece of this lady’s collection have bathed in the warm feeling that as long as she sparkles we will no-doubt have an excuse to get that bargain peach tutu out (I wont be binning it just yet) or adorn our barnets with that huge butterfly bow. Sigh.

 So ‘why?’, ‘how?’ and ‘what can be done?’ we all cry! Money, that’s the thing. Luella has ceased trading. Her global licensee Club 21 has failed to reinvest in the company. Another casualty of the current economic climate. The highly anticipated S/S’10 collection is unlikely to be produced. But the ‘Liberty love Luella’ Christmas lights adorning my favourite London department store looks so pretty! Who would refuse such wonderfulness? Cruel, cruel world. I say to all those with the funds…. preserve, snap up, hunt down, do all you can to gel hold of any available A/W’09  Luella NOW.  It may well be the last. Sob.

But fear not, hold back those tears. A girl after my own heart, apparently Luella is not giving up yet and is desperate to protect her employees. In Cornwall this weekend having a relaxing surf and mulling things over, she is not yet defeated. And with all those celeb fans a friendly helping hand is possible. A rise from the ashes next year may not yet be too fantastical.

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At the launch of Jimmy Choo’s range for H&M on Friday night, with a budget preventing the purchase of any of the nights’ showstoppers and little inclination to do so anyway, as well as copious amounts of free bubbles, and a dinner of canapes, I had a ruthless decision to make at the till.  Some things were safe as Selfridges, but something had to go. After a mental battle the emotional equivalent of an X factor final between a bunny rabbit and a baby, those on the shortlist for the cut stood at: cutest tutu that you could ever want or need, that brings back memories of little girls parties, fairy cakes and ice cream, and that you only have to squeeze a fraction beyond uncomfortable to get over your bum…. vs a sensible, yet soft as a bunny, cornflour-blue cardi, perfect for the day job, that you actually need. Hmmm tricky.

I maintain that the bubbles had not got to me. And it was not the satisfaction of fitting into age 12-14. I need this tutu in my life. Im thinking thick tights and beautiful bow hairband. Or perhaps I should take inspiration from chicismo and wear it as a cape. And I can wear it to work, honestly.

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and/or anything that takes my fancy.

Fashion is like food. Food is like fashion. Laces or laces or laces. Trends come and go but the timeless classics,  sophisticated or silly, will always endure. I love talking about food and I love talking about fashion. And despite talk of supersizing vs size zeros, I’m pretty sure the two have, can, and will live together happily ever after in a beautiful castle of fondant and frills. Imagine! Here these two passions will be indulged. From carrot cake to corsets. Lovely.

Oh and how could I forget ‘lace’ http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/lace def. 4. 

‘to add a small amount of alcoholic liquor or other substance to (food or drink): ‘He took his coffee laced with brandy.’

I can highly recommend hot chocolate laced with baileys : ).

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