And the winner is…

Thank you to everyone who entered the Ice Watch competition. With so many entrants the winner was selected using a random number generator earlier today and the winner revealed…

Congratulations to Laura Jayne Williams who has won a pink watch.

To everyone else, thank you again for entering and do keep checking back as I promise there will be LOTS more great competitions in future. Also no need to fret if you were desperate to get your hands on an Ice Watch, a list of UK stores which stock it can be found here – http://ice-watch.com/webstores.php?country=GB.

DIY Furniture

I haven’t been as good as I should have been lately with my blogging. There is a lot going on at the moment to keep me busy. I am moving house and have just started a new job – plus ending the lease on a business! All very stressful. Despite the stress I am very much looking forward to the new chapter I am about to begin. Looking forward I am already planning how my lovely new flat will look and here is what I had in mind…

A little far-fetched? Yes OK I have to agree there! I love the white painted look but the problem is the cost. The one thing I was most excited about with the flat is the fact it has space for a table and chairs in the kitchen for proper sit down meals… something I have not had in a long time. So the first thought that popped into my head was a lovely new table from my favourite local furniture shop Mark Maynard.

The shop has some beautiful pieces but the problem as always is cost. Mark Maynard is in no way unreasonable and I would recommend it to anyone, but after the cost of moving and everything that goes with it our budget was a little depleted to say the least.

So I had a thought. All Mark Maynard and other shops like his do is buy furniture at auction and change them into the beautiful painted pieces they become. So how hard can it be? Well I will let you know on that and keep you updated on my progress!

I decided to try to buy some second hand furniture and managed to pick up a table and four chairs at the British Heart Foundation furniture warehouse in Tunbridge Wells. There is some absolutely AMAZING furniture in there all for rock bottom prices and even if you are not attempting to re-invent some of your furniture like me you can go in there and pick up some great ready to use items. I really think everyone should go and have a look at the great stuff inside. So this weekend I will be off to buy some sand paper and white paint and start my own furniture revamping. If anyone has any tips please let me know…

A Saturday Night Film Guide

So we all know the best way to have a rocking Saturday night… a movie night! This works especially well if you have spent Friday night drinking a tad more than you should. So if you want a good cry on a Saturday (and who wouldn’t!) here are my recommendations for the perfect movie night. A caution though if you have a heart at least one of these films will make you cry.

First up is Dear John (currently showing on Sky Anytime). Now I thought this film was going to be crap… I won’t lie, but I was left pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t a cry your eyes out success but it had enough story without just being the typical fall in love live happily ever after.

Dear John, as you have probably seen from the adverts, is about a couple who meet, fall in love in two weeks (yes I know!!) and then he goes to war. They write to eachother and try to make the relationship work. I think my favourite and most unexpected thing about the film was the autism element, it gave a bit of depth to the story and made it something a bit different. Dear John is a lot more about the relationships between the main characters and their family as opposed to eachother and I think it is sweet and easy watching and the perfect way to begin your evening.

Next up is Harry Brown. Now it’s getting a little later in the evening it is time to move on to the gangster film. I liked Harry Brown although it made me cry a lot! I found certain parts of the film very disturbing and I think that has made me a little biased as to how good it is. I really like it but I find anything with older people left in an intimidated position a little hard to watch.

Harry Brown is the story of a man who lives on a rough London estate. He sees the gangs around there controlling the area and basically running riot. The last straw is when his best friend is targeted. He decides to take a stand and goes about ridding the area of these people. Plan B is main ‘baddie’ in the film and it has made me dislike him so I guess good acting.

So finally to end the evening in tears… and I defy you not to cry is Hachi: A Dog’s Tale. Again this is showing on Sky at the moment. Oh dear this film made me SOB.

It is hard to say anything about this film without spoiling it but all I will say is if you are a dog lover and you think Marley and Me was sad… well you need to watch this!!

A pre-makeover!

Last week I decided to have a MAC makeover. I went to the shop in Covent Garden and came out very impressed with my new look. However, the thing that stuck with me from then until now is not the make-up, but exactly how many creams and lotions and products they use before the makeover even begins. It worried me that I was not using enough. So here is my guide to what they used whether, in my humble opirion, it is worth investing in.

The first thing I told my make-up artist was that I had sensitive skin and that it can go a bit dry if caked with make-up. I normally use Bare Minerals because they don’t feel like they are clogging up my pores. She suggested that despite this I should definitely invest in a exfoliant for my face at least once a week. Although I do exfoliate now she said the best ones to use were with the little beads that actually feel like they are getting all the dirt out your pores. I have taken her advice and have used it twice now. Although I have to chuck on vast amounts of moisturiser afterwards it is definitely worth it!

Anyway getting back to the actual day, she used some of these products which are now on my shopping list:

The MAC eye cream is a caffeinated cream which erases dark circles and makes the skin underneath your eyes look brighter. Obviously I was looking a little worn out!

Then it was the Mineralize lotion with the ‘charged water technology’. This basically gives the skin a deep moisturising treatment and is great to use with the foundation to keep your skin glowing.

Next was my favourite… FIX. This is an ‘aqua spritz’ of vitamins and minerals which they basically spray on your face. I kept giggling thinking it would be funny if it was just water. Not sure how much I believe in this product but it is yet another of the pre-make-up essentials according to MAC.

As I said my skin can get a bit dry so it was time for another moisturiser. This time the light active softening lotion! Apparently it gives a toned look!

This next one I do believe in. Lip Conditioner. My lips can get a little dry and despite using vaseline, my lovely make-over lady said I needed something a little bit more intensive!! I bought some of this and have been using it every day since.

Finally before the make-up could begin came the primer. I do love a good primer and although I don’t use MAC this one worked really well!

So if you thought you didn’t do enough make-up prep… well you were probably right and what’s worse is that is probably only the half of it, I am sure I have forgotten a lot of the products!

All these products I could remember can be found at http://www.maccosmetics.com/

A new job = what to wear??

Wow what a weekend. So glad to see so many people entering the watch competition and thanks to all the lovely new followers!!

Tomorrow I start my new job at a fashion magazine. This causes a bit of a conundrum, WHAT TO WEAR!?!?! As I said in my recent post about Topshop, I can’t actually buy any new clothes apart from those in charity shops (see here for more www.thatcharitystyle.com) so I will be buying in my imagination!

With the new job I need some new work clothes. Despite me not being able to actually buy these here is what I would wear to work tomorrow if I could (and if I was rich!). This week my outlet of choice is ASOS.

First I would start with these belted soft peg trousers (found here). I think they are the perfect mix between formal and casual without going as far as slouching in in jeans! I love the colour and I am definitely into the high-waisted thing at the moment. It makes everything look so much more stylist and elegant.

The thing with trousers like these is that the shoes are now very important. They don’t come quite down to the ankle and so you have the opportunity to show off some great heels. Black would be too harsh with these trousers, so, like in the pic above I have gone for some brown ones. As this is imaginary work wear I am also imagining I would actually be able to walk in these… (found here).

So next let’s go for the top. It has to be something plain and something light. A blouse is the perfect look with high-waisted trousers. I love the Pussybow Blouse on the site but with the belt on the trousers there would be too much going on. Instead I have gone for this high-neck button shoulder blouse, found here. 

So now almost ready for my first day, I just need a bag. I have become a snob when it comes to bags. Even though I could never afford it I favour he designer bags and as this is my imagination I don’t mind if I do! I would choose the Ally Capellino satchel, available here.

And there it is, my perfect work outfit! This is what I would be wearing, now to actually go find the clothes I will really be wearing…

Competition TIME

Do you fancy winning one of these cool Ice Watches – featured in the latest Black Eyed Peas video? If so read on…

If you want a taste of the Tuscan sun or a dip in the Coral seas this summer, let Ice-Watch’s Summer Silis take you there with Fusion Coral and Tuscany.  Or there’s Ice-Watch Aurora ­ a sunshine bright yellow that’s sure to get you noticed, playful Tomato Puree! Guess what colour that is?!

If you really want to stand out from the crowd this summer, then you’ll love the new Fluo collection.  In blue, green, orange and pink, these fluorescent watches really shout out style and individuality. 

There’s a new twist on the Classic, too.  The strap is now colour-matched to the watch itself.

Finally, where would we be without a bit of bling?  When it’s time to  go out on the town, slip into something glitzy with the Ice-Watch Summer  Stone Set with Swarovski Crystal elements on fabulous colours including deep  purple, peachy pink, and scarlet.

Available from all major jewellery retailers and online. For more information visit www.ice–watch.com

If you would like to win one of these funky watches all you have to do is tell us your favourite colour (so we know which one to send) and answer the following question in the comments:

Which popular girl band wore Ice-Watch in their recent video “Missing You”? Was it :

 A) The Mondays

B) The Tuesdays

C) The Thursdays

D) The Saturdays

Good luck. Entries close on March 31st 2011 at midnight. Winners will be announced on the blog on April 1st so remember to check back. Or follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/charitystyle

Sexy in the City – reader offer

An event for the ladies is here, or at least it will be next month, and there is an exclusive offer to That City Style and That Charity Style  readers!

Sexy in the City is an evening of glamour and entertainment. which will focus on various taboo subjects and the best thing is that part of the money you pay for your ticket will go to Breast Cancer Research UK.  Amid a mix of champagne, cocktails and canapes you will be able to see Nichole de Carle’s 2011 luxury lingerie collection, as well as listening to speakers talk about botox, sex, tantra burlesque and the catwalks!

Guests will also walk away with a goody bag worth £200 and with sponsors such as Liberty of London and Sophie Hunter Health and Beauty – it’s going to be good!

The event, for woman who enjoy laughter, luxury and donating to charity, will take place at the Mayfair Hotel on Tuesday 5th April from 6.30 to 10.30pm.

And as you are a very lucky That City Style reader, if you’re quick you can get the tickets 2 for 1!! One ticket costs £85 but the first 10 lucky buyers get two – to take along their best girlfriend!!

Contact erika@flutterflyevents.com to book your ticket for the event of the season!

Oscar-worthy hair

The Oscars is now over for another year and the dresses are the main feature of most newspapers today. But beside the dresses there is one feature the celebs spend almost as much time on… their hair!

You watch them prancing about in their glistening locks and wonder… HOW DOES IT LOOK LIKE THAT? Especially people like Anne Hathaway who, in between her quick changes, still managed to style her hair into all sorts of creations. I can play about with mine for hours and whilst it looks OK it’s not Oscar-worthy!!

Sinead Kelly, proprietor and creative director of The Velvet Room, gave her tips on re-creating that special look.

“The clear front runners in the style stakes last night were waves, waves and more waves, but under closer inspection you can see there are actually two variations of the natural 60’s inspired trend. Firstly from the likes of Christian Bale’s Greek goddess of a wife, Sibi who rocked the sexy waves perfectly.”

“To create this look start with a volumising shampoo and skip the conditioner, blow dry hair straight using a paddle brush to prevent strays, (use cold air setting to dry & protect roots).

“Separate hair into four sections and lightly hairspray each section before wrapping hair around a large barrelled curling iron starting at the ends rolling up to the roots.

“Leave for 10 seconds on each strip of hair before releasing the curling iron. Use fingers to twist and tease when releasing the curls for Sibi’s sexy look.”

“To create Amy Adams’ look, simply follow the basic sexy wave curl guide again and backcomb the roots around your crown to amplify this tousled, glamorous wave.” 

“The second type of wave was seen on edgy red-head Florence Welch, who was missing her Machine but certainly not her style with on trend beach waves which added a subtle variation to the sexy waves demonstrated earlier.”

“To create this look first pat dry wet hair to remove excess water, then scrunch a setting spray starting at the ends and moving up to the roots, flip hair over and repeat scrunching action.

“This will leave you with a 1980’s ‘shaggy’ look- don’t fret this is expected!

“Then loosely braid a plait on each side of the head before bed and sleep well knowing you’re almost ready to release those fabulous beach curls!

“The next morning undo the braids and gently shake hair from the roots down using your finger tips and spritz lightly with a leave in conditioner.

“Finely mist some hairspray over the look for that long lasting finish.”

Because of the abundance of waves at the event it was easy to spot the likes of Nicole Kidman and Reece Witherspoon who were sporting sleek ponytails – a nod in the direction of our very own London Fashion Week where designers such as Jasper Conran took to the catwalk reviving the classic ponytail.

Sinead’s tips on the perfect pony:

“Simply comb hair through, add a little mousse for texture and collect hair in a tight band, always remember to add a little hair gel to take strays and tresses away and keeping it looking neat.  

“Reece seems to have help for her look by the addition of a hair piece, which can be found in most hair and beauty stores.”

So there you have it! How to look like the Oscar glamour-gods… well your hair at least!

The Oscars

When MSN Movies asked for a little piece on The Oscars I thought fab… that was not quite my thoughts at stupid o’clock this morning. I don’t get out of bed that early for just anyone but hey for Oscar – it was worth it. Visit http://movies.uk.msn.com/ for more.

As expected the ceremony was a night of glamour and well… more glamour. Despite apparently trying to aim at a younger audience this year, The Social Network missed out on the coveted Best Picture which of course went to The King’s Speech – did we really expect otherwise?

The Brits stole the show in general with The King’s Speech picking up four awards – Best Picture, Best Leading Actor for Colin Firth, Best Director for Tom Hooper and Best Original Screenplay for David Seidler.

Mr Darcy, sorry I mean Firth, almost broke out into dance when accepting his award which would have made it a bit more interesting but no he stayed true to his very English dignity and gave humble thanks.

The stunning Natalie Portman scooped Best Actress and gave a heartfelt speech which included the usual few tears while thanking her parents and various other supporters.

Christian Bale and Melissa Leo both won The Fighter awards for their supporting roles with Melissa dropping ‘the F-bomb’ as Christian called it – making it a slightly more entertaining speech than the others.

Exit Through The Gift Shop had my high hopes and I thought LA should have been grateful to have Banksy spreading his work around LA, but still it lost out to Inside Job.

Hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway, the youngest host of the awards show in history, did a pretty good job actually. The rumoured Grease medley luckily did not happen, however, after what looked like a costume swap with her co-host into a Lanvin tux, Anne did break into song, at which point I had to fast forward because it was just too horrific.

Now… onto the most important part of the evening THE DRESSES!

Well done Natalie Portman you did not disappoint! Natalie was arguably the best dressed of the night in a Rodarte violet-colored draped gown in silk chiffon.

Her co-star Mila Kunis, who I think is absolutely beautiful (slight girl crush), wore the lingerie-style Elie Saab dress, which she looked lovely in but I thought was not as ‘Oscars’ as she could have gone. Sparkle dear you need to sparkle!

Jennifer Hudson was another woman who stood out. Mainly because she looked SO THIN. I can’t believe how much she has slimmed down. I thought she looked great before and I love a curvier figure but she did look spectacular at the awards – Versace helped.

Sandra Bullock showed her awful ex what he was missing in her show-stopping Vera Wang gown, definitely one of the winners on the red carpet and possibly my favourite of the night.

Now, I am not a big Anne Hathaway fan, but last night I felt she stole the fashion show. She had seven onstage outfits which began with the white Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci. This was a little too ‘wedding dress’ for me but she definitely knows how to dress for an occasion.

After the tux and the song, which we won’t talk about, she moved onto a Vivienne Westwood gown, which again I was not sure about either – things get better trust me. The gown did not really suit her shape and just felt a bit wrong.

It got better from here though, my second favourite the Oscar de la Renta beaded tassel dress was next. Beautiful! Her hair down was nicer too and it moved on to a much more glamorous occasion.

A deep burgundy Atelier Versace gown was her next statement – the dress of the night. Absolutely stunning and the colour worked incredibly for her.

The next was an Armani gown, which was the right colour and gave just the right amount of shimmer. Finally she ended the ceremony in Tom Ford’s beautiful lace and crystal masterpiece.

Well done Anne you upped the fashion stakes and your dresses if nothing else made it a night to remember!

Imagination Running Wild (in heels)

This year I cannot buy clothes from anywhere but charity shops (see www.thatcharitystyle.com for more) so I have decided to write a weekly post of my favourite shops’ offerings – the outfit I might buy if only I could.

It’s like shopping without the guilt, though it’s without the clothes too so it’s not exactly win-win!!

This week I am starting with Topshop. So here is it –

THE BAG

First of all let’s start with the bag… doesn’t everyone plan their outfits around their bag?? I have been after a big black bag and this one is lovely! A nice bag and shoes can make so much difference to an outfit. You can be wearing something beautiful, but team it with an ugly, cheap bag and you may as well be wearing nothing at all! Though that really would be a fashion statement! I like the teaming of bronze / gold detailing with black leather. It makes the bag look like something from Mulberry, without having to spend a fortune. So this is my first imaginary purchase.

THE TOP

Next up it’s the top. I like high-waisted trousers and shorts so the crop tops I am loving at the moment. I know it’s still a little cold for all this but hey… I am not really buying it! I love the simplicity of this with the slight edgyness. I have never really got out of the Rock N Roll T-shirt phase and always try to wear them with some ripped jeans and converse if I am feeling in a slouchy mood. Paired with the right combinations they can work a treat!

THE OTHER TOP

Tassles / fringing are most definitely in and this over the top of my (imagining it’s mine) snake crop top works brilliantly – well I imagine it would! I am loving lots of layering at the moment so one top is never enough. Although you get caught on EVERYTHING you strut past it is well worth it!!

THE SHORTS

DENIM IS BACK. I like denim and so I will be wearing it’s lots while it is back for spring. I love these little shorts and although I would probably wear some thick tights or leggings underneath you get to show off some leg. Evening or day they work well for both!

THE SHOES

Finally lets go the whole hog and finish off the outfit with these bad boys – BIG FAT HIGH HEELS! Not the easiest things to walk in, I would imagine, but lovely and and I think they go perfectly with the shorts. Yum.

There we have it… my first week of outfit dreaming. If you want to go out and buy them to make me jealous or just buy them for me they can all be found at www.topshop.com