And the winner is.........

Thank you to those of you that entered my first competition to win the Barry M and Eyeko nail polish.

The winner has been picked at random and I can now announce the winner is ......... Cutiegingerbread. Congratulations.

As only a few people entered, I wanted to say a big thank you to the others - superficialgirls and lipstick rules, thanks for all your support, nice comments and for welcoming me into the online blogging community. By way of thank you I've decided to give you both a nail polish related prize too.

If you all want to email me with your addresses I'll get these posted to you as soon as I can.

My imaginary holiday wardrobe

Because in my imagination I have infinite supplies of money, a model-esque figure, cope well and can look glamorous in any temperature or situation, and find it so easy to spend the entire day walking around in 5 inch heels, I decided to put together my ideal holiday wardrobe.

In just three weeks I’ll be Eurostarring it across the Channel to Brussels for a much needed and highly anticipated city break in the trendy Flanders area – Brussels to be precise. I’m notorious for phoning people up the night before a holiday completely stressed because I can’t close my suitcase and then getting on holiday only to wear the same thing every day because I’ve not actually packed anything that matches.

Even though I plan to have a mini haul before the holiday to buy some nice new things to wear while I’m away, I’ll ultimately end up wearing the same things as usual, and won’t look anything like the travel-wise celebs that Heat and Reveal show looking cool and refreshed after a three hour train journey, and browsing the shops in foreign towns in heels and shorts.

But reality aside – I’ve been putting together my ideal holiday wardrobe, and here is it.
The first thing I found was the perfect evening dress. I’ve always wanted a DVF ever since I first set eyes on her classic wrap dresses, so imagine my excitement with the latest in maxi dresses from the selfsame icon.

Imagine the scene – a trendy bar (because of course money is no object, and I’m not worried about the poor exchange rate on sterling to Euros – after all, this is only fantasy), cocktail in one hand, Chanel clutch in another, immaculate make up, and 5 inch heels – maybe some heeled gladiator style Jimmy Choos…

Then for the day time – Brussels has no coast so it’s going to be city chic all the way. Even though, of course heel height has no bearing on my ability to walk and resist pain, I’ll opt for some gladiator flats this time in perhaps some sort of black leather/gold studded style, with Jeffrey Campbell to help me out....

And what would accompany these better than this Margo ditsy little number?

I’m already feeling cool just thinking about it. Sitting in a café on the side of the Grand Place watching the merriment, sipping on some wine as the hours roll by.

But oh….I need a bag…..don’t even get me started on bags!!!!

Nail Varnish Competition

Sorry for no blogs of late - I've been sick with an ear infection and I'd forgotten just how nasty they are. To top it off this heat wave we're having is not exactly weather condusive to recovery! But after three days the antibiotics seem to be kicking in so fingers crossed by the weekend I'll be back to normality!

Whilst ill I thought about painting my nails in a different colour, though of course couldn't bring myself to steer away from my traditional red. This got me thinking about make up and fashion styles and looks that I'd love to try, but have never had the occassion or courage to do so. Two things I've seen on celebrities at the moment are blue nail varnish and bright pink nailvarnish.

I've therefore decided to run my first competition - the prizes of which will be - yep you've guessed it - some blue and bright pink nail varnishes.

The blue nail varnish is Barry M's cyan blue, and the pink is Eyeko's punk polish. Both of these colours are simply gorgeous and they look really thick and dreamy - almost like paint. I'm sure whoever wins these will enjoy.

To enter, subscribe to my blog, and then leave a comment below this entry, telling me about a nail look you've seen but you've never had the courage to try. This could be black nails, nails filed to a point, WAG nails, nail art, jewels etc.

The closing date is Friday 10th July. Winners will be picked at random.

Six Things

OK, so I've not actually been tagged to do this, but I do love these so I've stolen this from loveaudrey (sorry and thanks).

Here are six things that have made me happy today:

1. It's Friday and I have no plans for tonight other than making a yummy prawn stir fry and watching a week's worth of big brother on catch up. Total chill out and mindless fun.
2. Having lunch with friends - even though I do now feel completely full and could do with a nap
3. Waking up this morning to find one of my cats lying next to my head purring really loudly
4. Selling things on ebay to make money for a spending spree - made £40 so far and got loads more to sell, including more than 10 pairs of shoes (anyone a size 3???)
5. Being bought a pain au chocolat for breakfast which I had with a cup of tea mmm mmm mmm
6. The fact that hopefully today my new watch should have arrived and be waiting for me when I get home (and hopefully not a red card saying I need to go to the post office to get it).

And...as these are so much fun, I tag sparkplugdewdrops, ohfabulous, cutiegingerbread and superficial girls....

As it's the weekend, I'm hoping to make another video for You Tube at some point - if anyone has any requests for what they'd like to see let me know.

Hope you're all having a great day and not too sad about the deaths of MJ and Miss Charlie's Angel Farah x

Fashion Advice, You Tube Movies and More!

Firstly - I've finally bought a webcam and mustered up the courage to make my first You Tube video - and guess what - it was soo much fun. I loved it, and hopefully you will as I'll probably be making some more soon. My first video was a 'what's in your bag' video - and I'm amazed at how much clutter I actually carry around with me. But hey - at least I have a nice bag to do this with!

My channel is called thefelinefairy and there's also a link to it on the side bar.

Secondly - I've been asked for some advice from one of my followers sparkplugdewdrops.

So I like wearing black and navy blue. As far as I'm concerned, they're both neutral colors and look fine together. Recently one of my friends told me that although they are neutral colors, they don't go well together. Is she just being a total fashion nazi? Can I wear the two together and not look like a complete maroon? thanks.

Sparkplugdewdrops is one of my online buddies from the US and we have had numerous conversations in which I feel terribly English, but he is a real sweetheart with a great ability to write so if you've not seen his blog yet you should definitely check it out and catch up on his attempts at getting his book published.

Anyway - in answer to his question - my advice is as follows:

Navy blue and black are both dark colours, and often form a good base for adding other colours or creating different styles. The good thing about these colours is how versatile they are and can be worn for both smart and casual . You don't mention how you wear them, but my main concern would be that they can wash you out if you are pale. Why not try wearing them with a little bit of colour, for example, wearing black jeans and a navy blue jumper, with a red or yellow t shirt underneath, so you can see a bit of the colar or a bit of the t shirt at the bottom - this breaks up the two neutral colours and brightens up the whole outfit, and you can create your own style by just changing the colour of the t-shirts you wear. Similarly, if you wear navy blue jeans and want to wear a black top, why not wear a white t shirt underneath with a brown belt and brown shoes - that is one of my favourite looks on men actually - it's very contemporary but still classic at the same time.

Rest assured, though, I don't think the third reich are making a comeback to target your fashion sense with their propaganda - but it could be good to experiment adding some little flashes of colour or pattern to make your outfits seem different and up to date.

I've actually found this perfect jumper for you - navy blue with some colour for you to wear with black jeans- not sure if you have a Topman in the US, but this is £25 and made me think of you as soon as I saw it.

I'm hoping to run a competition on here soon, so would be good to get some feedback and what you think of that idea?

In the Spotlight No. 2. Ohfabulous' Nikki

The second of the In the Spotlight series shows fashion addict Nikki from ohfabulous revealing all.

Name: Nikki
Website: www.ohfabulous.co.uk

Q. What made you decide to start your blog/the ohfabulous website in the first place?

I've always been really interested in fashion (I did a degree in fashion design at university) and after I graduated, I really wanted to be a fashion writer. I trained as a fashion journalist in London, but unfortunately it's not the best economic climate to be getting into journalism, and living off freelance writing wasn't financially a good idea. I had to find myself a new career (I'm now a teacher) but I started OhFab so I could keep writing, even if it wasn't in a professional context. I needed some kind of outlet to talk about clothes!

Q. What or who are your inspiration for your blogging?

There's a lot of really great bloggers out there - I suppose I'm inspired by a combination of everyone; there's nobody specific that comes to mind. Magazine articles inspire me too; I love writers that can inject some humour into their work. I like funny people.

Q. Who do you admire fashion and beauty wise?

I know very little about beauty (I'm the girl with chipped nail polish and smudgy eyeliner) but fashion-wise, I really admire independent designers. I have spent so much of my adult life slaving over a sewing machine that anyone who can do it impeccably all the time - and doesn't pay others to translate their ideas into reality - has my respect.

Q. What percentage of your income would you say you spent on fashion/beauty?

Oh... quite a lot. Only because I'm currently living at home with my parents, so my outgoings are very few. I buy a lot of clothes, shoes and accessories... but then I sell a lot on eBay as well, so that balances it out a little bit. I spend very little on make-up, but getting my hair cut is expensive. I'm kind of obsessed with my hair.

Q. If you could only wear one item for the rest of your life, what would it be?

There's a gorgeous Luella dress that I'm lusting after. I'm fairly sure I could live in that, regardless of how appropriate for daily life it was.

Q. If you weren't a textiles teacher, what would be your dream job be?

I'd love to be able to live off writing. If I could just spend my days typing things about fashion and sending them off to magazines, I'd be a happy girl. But I'm teaching kids about fashion and sewing now, and that's very fulfilling. Well, it is when they listen to me.

Q. What are your favourite articles/blogs to write?

I quite like looking at trends, because I'm interested in the way something can be 'so hot right now' and then thrown into the bargain bin minutes later. Fashion is fickle, but I quite like that.

Q. What do you enjoy about reading other people's blogs/watching their youtube videos?

Seeing peoples' personal style... I love 'what I wore' posts, because they're great for ideas on new looks and interesting ways to wear things. And I love it when people post about new designers that I hadn't previously heard of.

Q. When you're not writing about fashion and beauty, what do you like to do?

I go to a lot of live music gigs. So much of my money goes on tickets to see my favourite bands - I love dancing around to great music, even if you do come out all bruised and sweaty! I also go to a lot of football games (that's soccer, to the Americans)... I am a big Manchester United supporter, which often surprises people. Oh, and I spend a lot of time shopping, of course.

Q. If you could give people one tip about looking their best, what would it be?

Wear what you feel comfortable in. Confidence is the best accessory to any outfit - you could be wearing the most show-stopping outfit in the world, but if you feel awkward and uncomfortable, it will show. I honestly believe that 90% of looking good is about your attitude... if you feel good, the rest will come naturally.

Hope you all enjoy, thanks go out to Nikki for taking part.

What's on my mind today...

I'm sitting here at the moment munching on my lunch having just had our designer up here giving me a lesson on how to produce documents according to our brand. I've just discovered the modern way of laying out documents is to only put on space after a full stop. I was taught to type putting two spaces after a full stop and am now contemplating how I'm going to train myself to change this. As you can see from this, I'm not having much luck!

The first of my 'In the Spotlight' series seemed to be well received, so I'm going to be posting the second of these either later today or tomorrow. The next will feature Nikki from the fantastic clothes raving website http://www.ohfabulous.co.uk/, so watch this space for that, and remember if you want to be featured, or want to nominate someone to be featured, please get in contact.

I'm quite happy because I just received a comment on how tanned I was looking - which is all thanks to my £8 niveasummer tone up investment. I have to say, I am so impressed with this and it comes highly recommended by me. Well worth the £8.

I'm hoping I'm going to receive a call from the MAC counter today as they get their deliveries on Thursdays and I asked them to call me if the studio fix pressed power in my colour comes in. No call yet though, so I'm starting to feel a bit disheartened.

I'm kind of disheartened by my bank balance too at the moment, especially as I keep seeing so many things I want to buy, and window shopping is becoming depressing. Lollipop26 posted a picture on her blog of a great top she'd just bought from Topshop which of course, I now want to own, and probably can't - especially as I paid off my Topshop card yesterday - seems a shame to start abusing it again straight away.... help convince me I don't need/want it.?????????

IN THE SPOTLIGHT.....Lipstick Rules

This is the first, of what I hope will be a really popular and interesting series of posts, which I’ve called ‘In the Spotlight’. The aim is to get to know our readers, and our bloggers, finding out what makes them tick, and what the thoughts behind their blogs are.

My thanks go out to Michelle from Lipstick Rules 123 (http://lipstickrules.blogspot.com) for being the first person to answer my questions and stand ‘In the Spotlight’.

Blog Name Lipstick Rules 123
Blog URL

http://lipstickrules.blogspot.com

Q. What made you decide to start up a blog in the first place?
I’ve loved makeup for years and never had an outlet to talk about this ‘hobby’. I was so excited to find websites like Temptalia, Makeupandbeautyblog, and Specktra and their reviews. I was even more excited to see the Youtube videos which introduced me to gurus like Lollipop26. I also love to write (I went to school for journalism) and my blog allows me to write about whatever I want! It’s been great having a forum to talk about makeup and have people who understand your point of view and share similar interests. I’m also loving the opportunity to get to know my followers and also those I follow

Q. Do you also make videos on Youtube, and if you do, what do you prefer?
At this point, I’m too much of a chicken to do videos. Maybe someday!

Q. What or who are your inspiration for your blogs?
Lollipop26 and Pixiwoo are inspiring.

Q. Who do you admire fashion and beauty wise?
Beauty icons – Audrey Hepburn, Angelina Jolie, Gwen Stefani

Q. What do you spend most money on, makeup or clothes?
Makeup of course!

Q. If makeup was going to become illegal and you could only buy one more item ever again, what would you buy?
One MAC lipstick (toss-up between Hug Me and Viva Glam VI)


And that was Lipstick Rules In the Spotlight…………….

I hope you enjoyed this, and like I say I’m hoping to make this a regular item, so please let me have your feedback.

New Blog Feature....'In the Spotlight'

I recently posted a blog about why I keep this blog, and since then I've been thinking a lot about blogging and youtubing. It's has rapidly become a big part of my life (and my very own felines who are getting jealous that my fingers now spend more time stroking the laptop keys than their fur), and I feel like I've become part of a worldwide community of beauty and fashion addicts.

Everyone whose blog I've read I've found to be pretty incredible and really awe inspiring, so I've decided in recognition of those, I'm going to try and do some regular 'In the Spotlight' posts with brief interviews with beauty and fashion bloggers.

The first will be coming later today, and will feature 'Lipstick Rules 123' http://lipstickrules.blogspot.com/

If you enjoy these, please let me know, and if you would like to be part of my 'In the Spotlight' series, or want to nominate someone to be interviewed please get in contact.

My very first in and out....

I've been reading a few people's blogs and have been enjoying their In and Out blogs, so thought I'd do my own. Hope you enjoy.

IN
Mac Blush - just a pinch...probably my favourite blush ever
Body Shop's primer - I got this for £7.20 but it usually sells for £10 (yay for love your body card and 20% off all make up). I've never really used a primer before as they seemed a bit sticky but this makes my skin feel like silk (well not quite but you get the idea)
Mid Season Sales - bargains galore, and let's face it we're going to need those winter clothes pretty soon
Bagels - OK, so not exactly fashion or beauty but I just love them
Well fitting jeans - always 'in', and such a buzz when you find a great fitting pair
Dark hair
French Connection Clothes - though maybe not the prices
Cats

OUT
Maybelline dream matt mousse - I used to love this but it dries up in the pot if you don't use it quickly and now I've tried MAC....need I say more??
Skinny jeans - OK so maybe I'm a bit jealous because I'm too thin for skinny jeans but I am a total bootleg advocate - they are just so flattering.
Hairdressers that don't listen
Johnson's Holiday Skin - mainly the smell put this on my out list
Primark - sorry guys, but I just hate it.

So there we have it - my first 'in and out' - it was actually much harder than I thought it would be, and I kind of felt bad putting things in the out list!

FF x

The soft, the bronze and the cellulite free???

If you've been reading my blogs you'll know about my quest to banish cellulite. Well, I'm still having the massages, and was very pleased during my last massage when my beautician commented on how the appearance of my cellulite had improved.

The lastest fad I'm trying, I discovered purely by accident. I went on a mission to buy some of the dove gradual tanning type moisturiser, to use in combination with my L'oreal Nutrilift, when I saw what looked to be a wonder lotion. Under the name Nutrisummer tone up, this new L'oreal masterpiece claims to give 24 hour moisturising, add a gradual tan, and reduce the appearance of cellulite.

I've been using for three days now. It's a bit too soon to know whether or not it's going to have a great impact on my cellulite, but my skin certainly does feel softer, and has a sort of glow to it. I'm fairly confident too it will help with the cellulite, as it contains caffeine which is well known for its firming qualities, and if not, there's always the old 'tanned skin looks firmer than pale skin' trick.

The lotion is very thin and applies really easily and soaks into the skin well. It has no nasty smell like Johnson's Holiday Skin, and is pretty much the good quality I've come to expect from L'oreal. I anticipate one tube lasting about a month, so with a price tag of around £8, that's pretty reasonable - especially considering it does three things in one.

So far I'm loving this product. The only downside I've discovered, which is more to do with my application technique than the product itself is that one of my legs now appears to have more colour than the other - think I need to work on applying it more evenly.

As for the cellulite - keep watching this space for updates.


Nutrisummer Tone-Up for Fair Skin

Why a Blog?

I wanted to talk about my reasons for starting this blog. Mainly – I just love writing, I could write for hours and hours and have all these ideas in my head that need to at some point make it onto the page. I’ve written other blogs in the past, in a more columnist, opinionated way, but I felt too much like I was just moaning and focussing only on the negative.

I’ve had a go at the creative writing, which truth be told, was my main focus of writing for most of my life, having entered competitions, become a published poet. Thanks to the writerscafe.org website I’ve already found an outlet for my poetry, and a forum for sharing tips and guidance with other writers.

However, I wanted something else, that I could use as a tool for sharing my personality, my interests and network with others who share the same interests. I’ve always loved fashion, clothes, shoes, accessories, make up, toiletries, perfumes etc.. and I love the youtube haul videos and make up videos made by the likes of gems maquilage, baileycait88 and the style diet (sorry if I’ve spelled your monika wrong), and of course the uber famous and quite glam lollipop26. I also love the blogs by the same, and others such as superficial girls (http://superficialgirls.blogspot.com/) and love lipstick and lime. I love the thought of discussing the things we love, recommending products, learning from others, and getting an insight into how people’s minds work. I’m not yet brave enough to try my own video, but I did feel inspired to start this blog.

One thing I did notice from the blogs that I currently read, is that the majority of people seem to be quite young, in their early to mid 20s, which is great, but now I’ve entered and have nearly completed a whole year of the what was dreaded but turning out to be great 30’s era of my life, I wanted something that was aimed a bit more at people my own age. So that is the reason I started this blog. I wanted something all encompassing that would appeal to the lucky make up lovers in their 20s, but also provide some interesting reading for those of us whose age now begins with a 3, and perhaps even older.

I have been accused of being vain and snobby by keeping this blog. Personally I don't agree with this, and think that beauty bloggers I've read are far from vain or snobby but in fact are very open and accomodating.

Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoy reading everyone else’s blogs and watching their movies, and as much as I enjoy writing this myself.

Oh, and incase you’re wondering why ‘feline fairy’ – basically I love fairies and I love cats…..

Addicted to clothes

So, I’ve just returned from town having temporarily fed my newly returned shopping addiction. A month or so ago I went through a phase of not being interested in shopping at all, and found my hard earned salary being spent on meals out and booking a city break to Brussels for July.

Yet, magazine propaganda and my recent discovery of You Tube haul videos has led me longing for the buzz of a new wardrobe and I’ve been abusing the plastic on things I don’t need, but certainly want.

Later on I’ll talk about what I’ve been buying, but first I want to answer the question sent to me by bail o hay about choosing an appropriate wedding dress for a civil ceremony.

Finding a dress to wear in your 30s is hard enough, anyway. It’s a difficult age – too old for the latest trends you buy in Topshop that you could so easily get away with in your 20s; yet not old enough for the shapeless styles of M&S and BHS. So undoubtedly finding something for your special day is no easy feat.

You want something that is more special than your usual occasion wear as after all this is your big day. If you don’t want to go for the traditional white/ivory long gowned dress, there are several options for you.

Why not try going for something vintage – perhaps in lace or silk – it will certainly be one of a kind, and different to what you would usually wear. You could dress it up with some diamond style jewellery and heels.

Or how about something a bit retro – from the 50s or 60s, where chiffon and frills were commonplace – again something different and unusual, but still maintaining the class and sophistication of a bridal attire.

Another option, and probably my favourite, it to buy a simple, classic and timeless cream based dress – either calf or ankle length, though not floor length, and dress it up with accessories. Gold, pearl or diamond based will bring out the richness of the cream, and give a chic look. Invest in a pair of shoes that you love to pull it all together, add a shawl for the evening and you’re set for the whole of your big day.

The best thing about this is that after the wedding, your dress doesn’t need to sit in your wardrobe gathering dust, but can be worn again. Substitute the accessories for some funky costume jewellery and some trendy shoes and you can wear again. If you’ve opted for the floor length dress, take along to a tailor (or if like me your mum is a dab hand with a sewing machine), and have it taken up to mini, or calf length and you’ve got a funky going out dress too!

The following dresses are good examples of what I mean…

This is going to be a very short, but time consuming blog, given that I am typing one handed after spraining my hand yesterday... washing my hair and applying my make up this morning has never been such a challenge.

I'm working on a few things at the moment. The first is responding to an email I've received from one of my followers, bailofhay, about what to wear for a wedding...

Hi Feline fairy.

I am having a small Civil Wedding ceremony with
just a few guests, and am looking for a suitable dress, the ceremony itself
will be informal and so will the reception.

I would still like to look my best on my big day, but don’t want to wear the traditional white
Meringue style of wedding dress.

The wedding will be in December so I was thinking of possible a Christmassy
theme?

Please help me find my perfect dress!

Bail O hay

So I'm doing a bit of research on that at the moment.

Secondly I'm trying to pull together an outfit for my summer ball at work this weekend. Have the dress as the base, and the killer shoes on their way to me. Now just looking for some amazing, drop-dead jewellery pieces to glam it all up!!

I'm thinking of maybe making a video blog later as typing is a real pain at the moment.

Finally, I'm going to buy and try out a bronzer, so watch this space for a review....

Woo Hooo....New Shoooooes.......

I'm so excited.

I've seen these shoes in Faith a few times - for about £95 but anyone who knows anything about me will know that as much as I love shoes - I love my bargains more, and would never even shell out £95 on a leather coat, much less some party shoes.

So imagine my delight when I saw these babies on ebay for £30 plus £5 postage.... within a few days they'll be arriving on my doorstep.

My thanks go out to ebay seller polkadotsheffield http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/polkadotsheffield/ for her excellent taste in shoes, and for selling them on ebay!!

Lucy's Ebay Challenge No. 1

Today I set my friend Lucy (of hairmixer fame) her first Ebay Challenge.

The challenge was - to search in the category Jewellery and Watches, using the key word Topshop, and find a cool and quirky bargain to make others envious.

And here is what she found:


TOPSHOP JONNY LOVES ROSIE CHARM BRACELET - VINTAGE
Bought from topshop a few years ago
It has 4 different shaped diamante charms, a butterfly, a pair of keys, 2 small hearts, a rose, a diamante bow, and a large heart
The largest diamante charm opens up like a locket, to reveal a small circle of lipgloss (below) which has never been used
Fastens with a T bar, and has a small jonny loves rosie circle logo
Very cute and so vintage looking! Perfect for any occasion and looks amazing on

Currently no bids, first bid to be £2.99, plus £2 postage, this funky little bracelet, which is very on trend, with charm bracelets making a comeback can be yours for less than a fiver! Proof that you can pick up some great stuff for less than you'd spend a week on coffee!

Well done Luce... I'll have to find something harder next time!

Hauls

So, I’ve just discovered what, in fashion and beauty terms, ‘a haul’ refers to. Basically, this is used in many YouTube videos when people show and discuss all the things they have recently bought.

No you may think this sounds lame, and totally pointless, which may be the case. But, all I can say is that I LOVE IT!!!!

I’m so nosey anyway, I love looking at what people have bought when they go shopping, along the lines of make up, clothes, shoes etc.. (the weekly trip to Tesco can be excluded from this). I first came across this on Lollipop26’s YouTube page, which I’ve just come across, but there are so many across the board. Mainly I have found from the US, so it would be good for a few more of us Brit ladies to post up a some of these.

Seeing what someone buys, and how they plan to wear it, their choices for buying it etc. What they like and don’t like really gives an insight into people’s lives, and can also be inspiring (though perhaps a little jealousy provoking too when you see the masses of purchases and wish you could afford for shopping to be a daily activity in your calendar too).

I now do feel truly inspired, and so watch this space for perhaps my own video of my ‘haul’ – filmed on my new Sony Cybershot 12 MP camera I bought last week!

Also today I’ve been thinking a lot about the earrings from Topshop that I was going to buy the other week but didn’t. They still have them, and for £7 I’m thinking I may get them on my way home either today or tomorrow. They’re really sweet and quite funky. A little bit tacky but in a way that just adds to their quirkiness. They’re so in with the whole nautical fashion at the moment, but also classic enough to be versatile for when fashions change!

I’m also on the look out for a big gold necklace and pair of gold shoes to wear to the Summer Ball on Saturday with a teal coloured dress…. I may have to bite the bullet and head away from my usual bargain lane and pay high street prices for something as Ebay seems to be letting me down at the moment!!

I am now trying to get my friend to partake in my first Ebay Challenge! Watch this space for an update.

www.thebigdiscountstore.com

I’m not one for internet fashion shopping unless it’s from a place I know well, so I know the sizes that fit, or it’s a total bargain from ebay, but the advert in Looks for www.thebigdiscountstore.com looked intriguing so I thought I’d give it a go.

Logging on, the first thing I noticed was that the website looked somewhat like a low budget catalogue website, and the items for sale seemed random and the sizes were limited. I scanned for a while, saw a few things I liked but then found they didn’t stock it in my size.

As I searched, brand names were glaring at me, and it didn’t take long to work out that this website sells what must be old season, or bankrupt stock from designers or the high street.

The best way to navigate your way around, is to select a category, and then from the selectors on the left, select your size, and you will be shown with just the products they have in your size.

Oh My God, can you get some bargains, not least of which was a pair of Kurt Geiger shoes for £30!!! And with £4 postage in the UK there are no nasty surprises waiting for you. Just cheap shoes, clothes and accessories, with name tags like Diesel, FCUK and Miss Sixty.

Miss Sixty Tier Dress - In stores £115, website price: £36

Plus they appear to be having a buy one get one half price offer at the moment!!

You can never find things when you want them....

Have you ever noticed that you see something all the time, but the minute you want one, you can't find them anywhere.

This seems to be the case for me at the moment with knee length shorts. I'm sure every year at this time, the shops are full of them, but this year can I find any? None. I've got an idea in my head of exactly what I want, and an image I want to create, yet I'm struggling to find something that is of a material suitable for summer (i.e. not wool), the right length and a decent colour. Even ebay is letting me down this time.

I love the heels look for the evening, but also with flip flops or flats for the day, with a loose top and loads and loads of jewellery.

My search will continue and hopefully soon I'll be uploading a pic of me in my new shorts!

Clothes Shopping...on Ebay???

I would say about 50% of my wardrobe is off of ebay. I love it when people say 'I love that skirt where is it from' and I can reply "99p off of ebay". You can get some great items. My favourite is a faux fur crop puff sleeve jacket in animal print that I picked up for £10. My tip is - never spend more than you would be prepared to lose, just in case you don't like it or it doesn't fit. (though you can always sell it if you don't want it). To start with, why not try searching for items in your size from a shop you know. E.g. I often type in 'Topshop size 6' and see what comes up. You can usually get some current season things, and some older, vintage style clothes. It's great for unusual finds. As long as you don't mind wearing second hand clothes - it's kind of like charity shop shopping without the musty smell and childhood associations. My friend even got her Vivienne Westwood wedding dress off of ebay. One word of warning though - it can become addictive! Not handing over cash or your credit card each time, it can become easy to lose track of how much you're spending, especially with the wonder that is Paypal (where would I be without paypal), so make sure you keep checking your credit card statements.

My latest ebay bargain is this fab Miss Selfridge dress which I bagged for the bargain price of £4.76 including postage!

Battle of the Brunette Shampoos

I wash my hair in the morning, every other day, and use a hairdryer to dry. I don’t use many products, and wear my hair down mainly.

Firstly, I tried Redken Colour Extend – a product that claims to extend the length of your colour, whilst leaving hair soft and silky. At around £11 a bottle you would certainly hope so. After just a few washes, Redken was already living up to its expectations and no only did my colour remain reasonably vibrant until my next salon appointment, it was also soft, shiny and quite frankly gorgeous! I recall my hair even ‘squeaking’ when washing it. It took literally a few minutes to dry and, was so manageable. Even on second day, my hair still felt soft and silky. If it wasn’t for the fact that I can’t afford to spend £22 every few weeks on shampoo I would be a true convert.

After my next colour I tried Pantene’s Colour Expressions Brunette - for glowing velvety brunettes. After all, Mylene Klass makes it look so good on the advert. This cost around £3 a bottle, so was much easier on the purse. Although perhaps Redken left my hair feeling slightly cleaner, softer and silkier, I was probably more impressed with Pantene, given its reasonable pricing! The colour lasted reasonably well, and at my next hair appointment, my hairdresser even commented on how soft my hair was! My hair dried reasonably quickly in the morning, and the following day still felt clean and healthy. It’s not surprising this is becoming the nations favourite.

The next product to come under the scrutiny of my testing was John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette. Coming in at around £4 - £4 per bottle this wasn’t over priced at all and was quite reasonable for a professional brand. However, after the first wash I was less than impressed – my hair felt dry and brittle and going outside made it knotty and in constant need of brushing. It took ages to dry with the drier, and on the second day my hair felt in desperate need of a wash – already feeling greasy, and my colour was fading rapidly. This was probably my least favourite product, and despite the price I wouldn’t even buy again if it was in a BOGOF offer!

Lastly, I am now using Garnier Fructis Colour Last, costing the bargain price of £1.50 a bottle. My colour certainly isn’t lasting, but at least my hair feels clean, soft and easy to handle. It dries relatively quickly, and on the second day feels just a tad greasy. It smells absolutely lovely, and quite unsurprisingly fruity. I would buy this again, but probably only if they didn’t have my first choice, and wouldn’t use on a permanent basis otherwise I fear I may end up having to have my hair coloured more often.

The winner for me was very close, but in the end I had to give the honour to Pantene Colour Expressions Brunette for providing a close to salon brand product, but at a drugstore brand price.

hair using pantene

Getting Rid of Cellulite...first update.

I desperately want to get rid of my cellulite. Just seeing it in the mirror makes me feel sad, and the realisation that my body is starting to do more and more things I don’t want it to creeps in.

I’ve decided to try various methods to get rid of it, the first being using a firming lotion, and having monthly massages.

I’ve had two massages now, and I can’t say I’ve noticed much difference yet, though I do enjoy the experience, so it’s not something I plan on giving up on yet!

The Art of Eyebrow Etiquette

Being someone who used to pluck on a daily basis, and now gets professionally waxed, I like to consider myself well versed in the art of eyebrow etiquette.

Yet some of us like to experiment, and my friend Lucy recently road-tested Veet Waxing Strips. A leading name in all that is self waxing, her expectations were high, and she certainly didn’t expect to end up covered in green gloop with a black eye!

Though in fairness to Veet, perhaps it was her technique that was amiss here and not the actual product. For most people, reading ‘warm in your hands’, this would simply mean ‘warm in your hands’, yet to Lucy this meant put on the radiator to heat. Minutes later, when the wax is now hot, she peeled off the back and applied to her brow.

Plucking up courage, she gave a firm yank, and looked at the wax strip to see the results. Sadly not a single hair could be seen on the strip, and in fact more wax seemed to remain on her brow than on the strip. Slightly frustrated, she reached for a tissue to clean off the wax, only to find the tissue then stuck to the wax, and she now had green wax and a white tissue hanging off her eyebrow causing her more pain than waxing itself would.
Flushing with water seemed like the only option, but soon the wax started to melt and dissolve and she found a green liquid dripping down her face, which she then had to dry with a towel which is now in the bin as the green stain won’t come out!

Waking up the next day with a bruised eye, Lucy finally conceded self-waxing wasn’t for her and returned to the trusty tweezers with confidence!

www.hairmixer.com

Only the funniest, most amusing, distracting and time wasting website ever! You upload your photo, select a photo of a famous person, or upload your own, line up faces, press a button, and wham…your face is on her body with her hair!

I’ve never seen such freaky and in-bred looking photographs in my whole life. My friend thought it would be a good way of finding out what she’d look like with different hair styles. Wrong – it was a good way of finding out how she’d look having her face on sideways, and two sets of eyebrows.

The problem comes in not being able to find a photo of yourself face on, and then when you do, your face is inevitably the wrong size, and you either have to end up stretching it or scrunching it up to fit in. Your skin turns out to be the wrong shade compared to the rest of the body, and you of course suddenly have the body of a film star.

Does anyone remember that game from when we were kids – Misfits????????

Saying that though, I kind of liked how mine turned out – my face,
Katie Holmes’ hair and body…. Not bad!

Fake Hair...

I bought some clip in extensions for a party. Not the real hair type, just the cheap synthetic type. They were a perfect match to my hair colour, or at least they were when I bought them, but by the time I came to wear them, my hair colour had faded slightly and they were slightly darker than my hair, though not significant enough to be too obvious.

When I finally managed to get them in, after about 20 minutes of trying, they looked pretty good – if you didn’t know I was wearing extensions, in the dark pub light of the party you’d never tell.

Despite that, I could definitely tell they were in – not being used to thigh length hair, the first problem I encountered was when I got in the car, and accidentally sat on them, dislodging them slightly. Then I kept fiddling with them, and couldn’t brush my hair because I would knock them out. They became heavier and heavier as the evening wore on, until about 10.30 p.m. when I finally gave in and went back to my natural below the shoulder length hair. Never before has my head felt so light!

Worth the £4 – definitely. Worth paying more for better ones? I’d probably say no. After taking them out they became tangled in my bag, and the thought of washing and brushing them was too mind numbing, so they ended up in the bin.