2012: The Year of Tangerine Tango

Elle Woods once famously quipped, ‘Whoever said orange is the new pink is seriously deluded!’. Well, Elle, you may have to eat your own words this year darling, as Pantone have declared 2012 the year of  ’Tangerine Tango’.

While 2011 was in fact the year of Honeysuckle, Pantone (the colour matching system used by designers, buyers etc all over the world) announced in December that this vibrant orange shade (for any Pantone buffs, the code is 17-1463) will be the highlight of 2012.  And why may you ask?  Well, it has been steadily gaining quiet momentum in designer colour palettes (not only on the catwalk, but in other fields also such as interior design) for the last 9 years or so, and has already been spotted frequenting some of the major  SS12 catwalks back in September.  With the likes of heavyweight fashion players such as Acne, Victoria Beckham and Celine to name but a few all opting to include a splash of Tangerine Tango or there abouts in their SS12 shows, don’t be surprised to see an influx of the colour on the High Street this spring.

And while Pantone themselves describe this hue as energetic and attention-grabbing, it should be noted that it is also an easily transferable colour, which will no doubt make an even bigger splash on the AW12-13 runways come February.  So apologies Elle, Barbie, Miss Piggy and co, but your just so last year.

Images courtesy of Style.com and Pantone.

Going Dutch: Vogue Netherlands set to Launch in 2012

It is with giddy anticipation that I write these words:  Vogue is going Dutch!  That is, to be more precise, the power house known as Conde Nast has decided to launch the Fashion Bible in the Netherlands, thus giving Vogue its 19th international edition.

Why am I so excited?  Only because some of the slickest styles and emerging brands of late happen to be flooding out of Holland and its neighbouring countries (and into Britain no less, with Cheap Monday and Monki both setting up shop in Selfridges this year).  So it makes perfect sense that Vogue will muscle its way on to the stands of every news agents and the shelves of every stylish woman in that part of the world next year.

With Dutch Glamour’s current editor jumping ship to take the reins at the newest Vogue, all eyes will be on Karin Swerink next year.  Maybe it would be wise to consult French Vogue’s top dog, Emmanuelle Alt, for tips on dealing with the Conde Nast pressure after she seamlessly replaced Carine Roitfeld as editor-in-chief earlier this year.

With 18 editions already available worldwide, do you think Vogue Netherlands will stand out as much as I am hoping?  And which Vogues do you, our darling readers, prefer?

Pop-Up Design @ Le Garage

Roll up, roll up, get your trendy bums down to Le Garage for Pop-Up Design- A showcase of purchasable raw talent from some of London’s finest graduates.  Pick up original works across the disciplines of photography, textiles, jewellery, fashion, illustration and more at Le Garage until the 27th November. 

 

All details can be found on the poster above, and being open until 8:30 at night thurs-sat, it’s a perfect excuse for a bit of original late night shopping.  Showcasing hand printed scarves by the likes of recent Chelsea MA graduate Jessica Chan, it is your chance to snap up some original pieces before these talented artists hit the main arena!

Happy shopping!  Be sure to share with us what great pieces you pick up!

Reality TV Turf Wars

It has been described as the ‘evolution of reality TV’, and has seen the likes of The Only Way is Essex and Made In Chelsea become prime time viewing whilst relagating the nation’s previous favourite, Big Brother, to the TV graveyard that is Channel 5.  So what is it about these semi-scripted, at times cringe-inducing ‘docusoaps’ that have got the nation’s attention in a vice-like grip? 

With spin-off shows such as Geordie Shore, Sorority Girls and the soon-to-be-aired Desperate Scousewives all vying for viewing figures on various TV stations, it seems to be developing into a veritable turf war.  With these shows playing on stereotypes of certain demographics, it can be somewhat misleading, and to be honest, insulting to inhabitants of these cities.  Speaking from personal experience (an Essex girl myself) and having fought off Essex-based prejudice for most of my adult life it does become somewhat exhausting meeting strangers and having to explain that no, for the last time, I do NOT own a pair of white stilettos. While I am a fan of the show for entertainment value alone, it’s frustrating for me that while such powerful women as Helen Mirren hail from my county, it is the likes of the TOWIE cast that now represent the rest of us.

The light relief is that we are not the only ones afflicted with the reality TV curse – the people of South London and Newcastle now have their stereotypes highlighted for the nation to mock, and Liverpool is soon to follow. VICE magazine has even made a spoof version of a supposedly soon-to-air East London-based reality show (although MTV has denied all knowledge of such a thing). The first episode of Dalston Superstars went up on the magazine’s website last week and was quickly trending on Twitter, most tweets gasping that VICE seemed to be mocking their own tribe of Hackney hipsters more than anything else.  So beware, wherever you may reside, and whatever mould you may fit in to, you are not necessarily safe from MTV et al.

Face Off: Michelle vs. Marilyn

She has come a long way from the days when she played bad-ass Jen in Dawson’s Creek, and next year Michelle Williams is tipped to clean up at the Academy Awards.  And no, she isn’t being rewarded for surviving the Creek, but rather for her portrayal of the most iconic, and challenging Hollywood star of all time.

‘My Week With Marilyn’ (released in the UK on 25^th November) has seen Williams transformed into the sensational Ms. Monroe, and if the press images and promotional trailer are anything to go by, she already deserves the pre-empted recognition being banned about, for her efforts alone.

In my personal opinion (and trust me, I have read some choice words against her) she seems to have captured Marilyn’s universally recognisable look so much, that I find myself staring at the promo image on my tube line so intently, looking for any sign of Williams, rather than Marilyn herself.  So it is with great anticipation that I wait to see the movie in full, and decide whether Williams does justice to the troubled star…as well as the added bonus of seeing Emma Watson in a non-Lancome/Burberry/Potter shocker.

So what do you think?  Is Michelle the right actress for this, or would someone else have suited this role better?

Ooh you sexy little plumper | 3 top pout-enhancing products

Big lips are big business. They are not only something every girl wants, but what every guy wants to be on, it seems. With some of the world’s most desirable ladies on the planet blessed with naturally bee-stung lips, such as Angelina Jolie and Julia Roberts, it has left us mere mortals wanting the ‘power plump’ for ourselves. And while the surgery-induced ‘trout pout,’ as seen on Pete Burns and Leslie Ash, has served as a modern-day warning sign of what happens when it doesn’t go quite right, many of us are still on a quest to find a successful alternative.

That’s why safer options in the form of lip plumps, glosses, glazes and undercoats can be found in almost every beauty brand. And being no Lana Del Rey myself, I have tried an exceptional amount of them. Here is my low down on the best three.

1. Benefit’s Lip Plump. That’s a slightly deceiving name – this acts as more of a ‘filler’ and levels out the grooves on your lips to give a more fuller looking pout. Good if you’re sporting lipstick over the top, but due to its beige colour, you may look like you are wearing your foundation on your mouth if left bare. At £14.50, you probably need to know what you are doing with this to get maximum effect, or risk looking like Jodie Marsh.

2.  Soap & Glory’s Sexy Mother Pucker. Not only is the packaging with this product ahhh-maaaz-ing, for £10 this is a true bargain that will last for ages as you only need a little at a time. Clear in colour, you can wear it nude or over a lip colour. A word of warning though; applying this plumper will leave you with a sensation similar to getting your hot on at Nandos.

3. And the winner is… Victoria’s Secret Lip Plumper. This little beauty acts as my staple as it smells delish as well as being clear in colour, so you can use it any which way. The only problem is, the only place apart from the USA I have managed to bag it is in Heathrow Airport. Hopefully with the launch of the first UK Victoria’s Secret next year, I won’t have to travel so far to restock.

Do you know of any better lip plumping products? If so, do share!

Heavenly scents: A woman’s right to perfume

I recently read an interesting fact that 81% of British women own 5 or more different types of Perfume. And with Christmas in the not-too-distant future and Boots stuffing its shelves incessantly with perfume gift sets of cheap smells and body lotions, I got to wondering what it is about scent that Britain’s female population are so addicted too.

Take our male counterparts for example. They’re happy as Larry with a can of Lynx Africa yet throw a bottle of Charlie Red at a woman over the age of 15 and chances are you’ll have it hurled back at your head. Scent, it appears, is as important to many women as foundation or lipgloss. You just feel naked without it. It can help define who you are.  Perfume can shape a woman’s identity and that’s possibly why over 90% of the UK have given and received perfume for special occasions.

Whether you favour classic aromas such as Chanel No.5, the contemporary like Therry Mugler’s Womanity, or the cheap and cheerful celebrity endorsed bottles (hey, I’m not knocking it, everyone from Britney to Prince is cashing in!) it is fair to say that once you find a scent to suit, it will stick in your mind like a powerful memory.

So guys, I don’t see buying perfume for loved ones this Christmas as an easy gift. If done right, it can be the most personal present you can give.  And we all know how much of an absolute bitch it can be when your favourite gets discontinued. So if you are choosing to opt for the sweet-smelling stuff this Christmas, for someone else or for yourself (hell, we are all about girl power here ladies) you might want to check out some of the bargains Cheapsmells.com have got going on, as well as faithful Boots and Asda (who boast some of the cheapest ‘per-spray’ prices on the market).  You could even pick up this Prince perfume from their online service! (Who knew this ever happened?!)

So what do YOU think?  Do you have an absolute favorite perfume you couldn’t live without?  Let us know.

Jumping on the BandWagon

New self-promotion platform BandWagonGigs promises to ‘makes booking gigs easy.’ Is this the future of the music industry?

It is no secret that the music industry is facing a modern-day crisis.  With major record labels ready to scam hard-working musicians mercilessly out of their earnings, through dodgy contracts and high percentage fees (S Club 7 really should have been more careful), it is no wonder that musicians are looking to other outlets to self-promote and take charge of their own acts rather than leaving it to a manager who makes them feel ‘grateful’ to have them.  Thus, with the steady growth of self-promotion through social networking sites such as the virtually deceased Myspace (the Arctic Monkeys used it to their advantage brilliantly), a band no longer needs the ‘all-important’ contract to break in to the mainstream.  Could this end up leaving the major labels up the creek without a paddle?

And with new internet services such as bandwagongigs.com giving musicians the opportunity to sign up to a platform in which they can self-promote and manage their acts all in one place, it looks like the industry is to once again set to become ‘all about the music.’

BandWagon offers musicians as well as promoters the chance to sign up FOR FREE until 2012, with the ability to search for gigs/bands in particular areas of the country, create profiles, add music demos, manage bookings as well as building professional relationships with each other by contributing to a ‘ratings’ scale something which can be invaluable when dealing with difficult individuals.

With a subscription fee due to take place in 2012, there really is nothing to lose and everything to gain for emerging artists who wish to sign up free of charge now.  With the aim to ‘ improve communication between bands and promoters by providing the necessary platform to seek, communicate and satisfy the thriving live music scene’, BandWagon looks set to help support the UK’s live music industry which contributes £1 billion to our economy every year.

Visit www.bandwagongigs.com

#TodayImWearing – Chunky knits and added gold

If there is one thing I hate more passionately than stone washed jeans and a matching jacket it is Winter.  And not because I am a total Scrooge, I just have an overwhelming dislike for the cold weather.  And this more than partially stems from my inability to be prepared when the frost starts biting.  But not this year, oh no.  I have made it my mission to not get beat down by Mother Nature, and in a strange break with tradition, started stocking up on transitional weather clobber as soon as it hit the deck (or shop floor to be more precise).  As much as it pained me to part earlier with my flip-flops than usual this season (mainly mid October), I’ll have more time to properly think about my AW11-12 outfits rather than panick buying when the snow comes to town.

And Zara, I must say, have pulled out all the stops this season and are triumphing in the knit department.  I got hold of this grandad-chic jumper for £39.99 and it is fast becoming my comfort blanket.  Teamed with a pair of trusty jeans, my favorite grey Toms and layered gold necklaces (picked up in Forever 21′s Manhattan store-total cost? $5!) and my ASOS take on the classic Ray Ban Clubmaster sunglasses, I’m feeling much more prepared this weekend for the cold snap.

So apart from my chunky knits, what is your Winter wardrobe vice? 

A vintage-inspired All Hallow’s Eve

God Bless those Americans.  They don’t do things by halves.  And seeing as All Hallow’s Eve a.k.a Halloween is my all time favourite holiday (OK, I know it isn’t an offical holiday, but I am talking to my local MP about getting that altered), it was with great delight that when I was in the USA in early September, I had the opportunity to get my frightening fix of Halloween goodies much earlier than anticipated. 

So I was over the (full) moon when I came across these amazing vintage-inspired Halloween postcards.  Reproduced from 1920′s prints, not only are they utterly adorable, but they’re a far cry from the tacky, plastic image of Halloween – something that has become all-too prevalent nowadays.

I even found the cutest little Halloween chocolates thanks to Godiva….

So it just goes to show Halloween can be a more classy affair if you want it to be.