Obsession du jour - neck purses

Pics:
La Garconne

Jackyblue

Barefoot Leather

Fashion fingers

STOP! DROP EVERYTHING! American Apparel has just launched its own range of nail colours. OMG! Now you can have a nail to match every colour of their T-shirts (kind of). Good move AA...

Twinkle toes

These festive footwear numbers* caught our eye today in Carnaby Street. The question is, what are they doing hanging out in the window of Office? Surely they should be dangling from our tree or decorating our feet? Naughty shoes.

*Ok, they're actually mens shoes but we don't discriminate...

DO try this at home

Who needs jade nails when you can have this? Beautifully bonkers - we love it. (From Wah Nails ofcourse...)

You've gotta buy this...

We don't know how we ever shampooed without this wonder comb! The Tangle Teezer (apologies about the naff name) kills knots without any painful pulling or snapping. It has become one of our favourite shower staples.

Tangle Teezer, £9.77, HQhair.com

It's a Smiley world

We've been having a tidy up and sheesh, what a lot of smiley stuff we've accumulated! Pins, keyrings, watches, funny rubbery toy thingies, paper cups - it's smiley overload. But we're not complaining one bit, we love smiley stuff. The good news is Smiley World has just launched a fragrance with 10% of all royalties going to the Smiley World Association, a charity which helps set up health and educational initiatives in developing countries. Now that's something to smile about...

Gift guide no 4: Lola perfume ring

OMG! We are obsessed about cocktail rings, but this one really takes some beating! Not only does it look gorgeous and decadent (so many of them look soooo cheap) but if you swivel the flower open, it's filled with the heavenly Marc Jacobs Lola fragrance in balm form! What more could a girl want for Christmas? But warning - it is limited edition, so be quick to purr-chase.

Marc Jacobs Lola Solid Perfume Ring, £30, available nationwide for a limited time only

Make-up to look out for in 2010...

We had a sneaky-peak to spring at the Revlon launch on Tuesday... and we loved their new spring/summer collection of sherbert-dab pinks, parma-violet lilacs and baby blue make-up shades! Unfortch we're gonna have to wait until Feb to buy them, but we took this 'teaser' snap so you know what to look out for. Check out the new ad campaign too - it's their first one shot by uber-fash photographer, Mario Testino. How hot does Jessica Biel look?

Also launching in Feb, is Revlon's new PhotoReady foundation, which contains the same technology as those light-adjusting glasses, helping skin look flawless even under hideous bright photo-booth light. Does it work? Hell yeh, and we have the evidence to prove it! If you look closely in the pic above, you can see me, (that's Donna, the brunette) with the gorgeous Revlon PR, Nicola, showing off our glowing PhotoReady complexions in some cheesey passport snaps taken at the launch! Jessica Biel, eat your heart out...

Are we ready to bring back bum bags?

Sheesh, we're in a quandary. Should we be scared or excited about the impossible-to-ignore return of the bum bag for next season? Because they're back in a big way, and in Louis Vuitton's case, an XXXL way. Amongst the colossal furry tails and hairy clogs at LV's ss10 press day we couldn't miss this double-trouble helping of bumbag - yep two for the price of one.


The following day we spotted these natty numbers at River Island, talk about showing some love for LV!




This floral bumbag by Sabrina Dehoff at Urban Outfitters is growing on us (pun intended)...


This Marc by Marc bumbag is almost elegant...


The verdict? We're still undecided. Ask us again in 2010.

[Catwalk pic: Ashish/Vogue.com]

Gift guide #3: Bourjois' Little Round Pots Trio

It's Dec 1st which officially marks the party season, otherwise known as 'smoky eye season'. It's the most oft-asked question to beauty editors and make-up artists - 'how do I create a smoky eye?' (No, getting someone to blow fag fumes in your face is not the answer.)

To help things along, Bourjois has produced the sweetest little trio of eyeshadows in their own individual pots, complete with oh-so-simple 3-step instructions. Get one of these and you'll be the one giving out smoky-eye advice.

Approx £15, Available from House of Fraser, ASOS and HQ Hair

Love for Liberty

Love for Liberty


So you've got your Liberty-print Nikes, your Liberty-for-Gap blouse and your Luella Liberty-esque dress. What next? Why, a Liberty-print watch of course! How sweet are these spriggy floral creations for next spring?

Plait's more like it Cheryl

We can't help but wonder if Cheryl read our Blonde Ambition post yesterday, as last night she was papped leaving the X Factor studios as a brunette. Thanks for taking our advice about sticking to your roots Chezza. We love your cute-and-bang-on-trend braids too...

Gold fingers

Call us bandwagon jumpers but we're joining in on the hullabaloo over Minx's magical metallic nails. The good news is that Nails Inc at Debenhams is now doing them too. Manicures cost £30 and pedis £35. Dilemma: which to choose - gold, silver or leopard-print?

Cheryl's Blonde Ambition

When we met the gorgeous Ms Cole recently she told us she wasn't sure about going blonde, saying it just "didn't suit her olive skintone," so we're not sure what she was thinking when she decided to wear this platinum wig on the set of her new music video for 3 Words. We think this hairstyle change is simply a marketing ploy just to grab some headlines (erm, and it's working)! Save the way-out stuff for Lady Ga Ga Chezza, you're much better as a brunette...

Book-in at Toni & Guy

Our friends at the Toni & Guy salon on Regent Street have let us into a secret. Well a few secrets really. They have given us the earlybird scoop on their festive pamper packages, so you can get booked in early! We have already been for the Festive Finishing Service (a conditioning treatment plus a bespoke blow-dry) for an early Xmas work 'do (yes they're happening already). But if you don't fancy that, here are other treatments to try:

WINTER INDULGENCE

Indulge your hair by protecting against harsh winter weathering. Receive 20% off a cut and blow-dry, as well as complimentary, enriching label.m Warming Oil Treatment, restoring hair to optimum condition for the Christmas party season.

CHRISTMAS COLOUR INJECTION

Inject some colour into dull and lifeless hair, to invigorate and enliven ready for the festive season. Receive 20% off all colour services and a complimentary, in-depth colour consultation to help discover the ultimate colour choice to suit your personal style.

TAKE ADVANTAGE

Take advantage of a fantastic 20% discount when you book your next New Year appointment on the same day as your pamper package treatment. Appointments must be taken by 28thFebruary 2010.

Blake's skincare secret

We love secret beauty brands, especially when they have an A-list fan-base like Perfekt. Before any red-carpet event, the likes of Blake, Paris, J-Lo and Reese are always calling the Perfekt PR to stock them up with goodies. We love the Skin Perfektion Gel for foundation-free days. It evens out blemishes and gets skin glowing. A fab complexion pick-me-up!

The return of the scrunchie!?!

We've been hearing whisperings that the 80s schoolgirl's favourite hair accessory, the scrunchie, is set for a style revival. Marc Jacobs is pioneering the comeback, with his scrunchie-dressed topknots at his spring/summer '10 show, and his scrunchie boots. Think he's obsessed. Not sure whether we'll be?

What we loved at the My-Wardrobe press day

No words needed...



A week after seeing these boots at the My-Wardrobe.com ss10 preview we're still fantasising about them. They're the new Vivienne Westwood for Melissa wellies and right up our street. We'll be wearing them in all weathers, with tucked in skinny jeans and Peter-Pan collar blouses in spring and thick tights and denim mini-dresses topped off with a nautical peacoat in winter. Splish splash...

gift guide #2: Lulu Guinness's cat bag

Lulu Guinness's gorgeous 'kooky eyes clutch bag' is now up at Coggles.com, time to drop some hints... Alternatively, have a good gawp at Lulu's fashion-fabulous London home on Fashionair.com... Jealous, much?

Louis Vuitton Gets Festive

Never mind the panto-themed Christmas windows at the front of Selfridges, we're more interested in what they've sneaked along the side - a neon-light fest of Louis Vuitton! As if that's not enough, the Selfridges Wonder Room is currently hosting a special selection of festive-flavoured LV from now until January - we're loving the candy-coloured patent handbags and who-cares-if-it's-not-sunny fun-glasses.

Sneaker freaks

We hear that the humble trainer/sneaker is due to have something of a fashion revival next year. Possibly something to do with the wall of trendy trainers they'll be installing in the new Harvey Nichols fourth floor or maybe it's just a reaction to high heel overload, (how much higher can they go?). Whatever, we've been eying up these candy-bright Lacoste trainers due to land in store next season. Teen Vogue-tastic!

OUR STATESIDE SHOPPING SECRET!

How annoying is it when you can't buy your favourite US brands without being caught out with a huge shipping and duty bill? Well those days are now OVER as long as you buy them through this fab new website: www.bundlebox.com. They take the hassle out of shopping for the hottest American fashion and beauty brands (Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch anyone?) and will even buy on your behalf if a brand won't accept your UK credit card. Genius!

HOW-TO-COPY KATY'S COIFF

Wanna know how to rock-chick your hair? We had the chance to catch up with Danilo, one of our favourite A-list hairstylists after last weeks MTV Europe Music Awards and he revealed his top tips for creating for Ms Perry's red-carpet style. Here's what he said: 

Step 1: "I dampened Katy’s hair with Pantene Pro-V Time Renewal Night Nourishing Mist to smooth and condition her hair. I then sectioned it off and applied a mousse  to the roots of each section to provide additional volume, before drying smooth."

 

Step 2: "I sectioned the back and underneath of Katy’s hair and set it using curling tongs by pinning each lock up and allowed it to cool for around 30 minutes."

 

Step 3: "I brushed the curled sections out to create smooth bouncy volume and added Pantene Pro-V Repair & Protect Serum to smooth the ends and her hair a shiny finish.

 

Step 4: "Finally I finished the look by brushing the sides and back into a high pony tail position then folded the tail round into the top securing it with pins to create a contemporary take on a classic chignon."

 

Twinkle Twinkle

We're feeling a touch of the sparkles this week but we're not sure why. Is it the twinkly rainbow nails in this picture? Or these Barry M multi-coloured Glitter Lashes that have taken our fancy? Or maybe it's a just a general feeling of festive sparkliness that's in the air right now...

[Nail pic: The Selby.com]

Gift guide #1: Lazy Oaf's happy/sad sweatshirt

Oh dear, there's just no avoiding it, the 'festive season' is almost upon us and with it the pesky task of gift-buying for those fussy people in our lives.

Well, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled so if you have any fashion or beauty gift-buying dilemmas, sling 'em over our way and we'll see if we can magic up a solution. First up is this lazy bastard Lazy Oaf sweatshirt for the sartorial slob on your gift list. Not only is it silly, graphic and yellow but it's also reversible so he can wear it for twice as long before the Miele calls.

(Please do check out all the other goodies on the Lazy Oaf site, but don't get sidetracked into buying up all the stationery like we did. Oops.)

NEW MASCARA ALERT!!!!

Hallelujah! Our quest for finding the perfect mascara is complete. After months of testing out so many new tubes - from gimmicky vibrators (!), to weird new-fandangled spikey wands - we found that they all looked different but just didn't deliver the full flutter we were desperate for. But then Nars' new Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara came along...and after a month-long trial we can safely say this is our fav lash-builder ever. And it's not just us that are seeing the benefits! Over the last 4 weeks we've had many a make-up artist, beauty editor and even a girl on the tube, shower us with lash compliments. Clump-free, long, thick, full lashes - DONE!

Chanelling Prada Resort 2010

OMG, we're so going to start tying our scarves round our ankles!





[Pics: Thumbelina Fashionista
La Casa Park
NYmag.com]

Wah Nails arrives at Selfridges

Hurry hurry! Our fave nail artists have popped up at Selfridges for one week only, from today. Get a load of these eyepopping nail designs - talontastic!

The nail bar will be in situ until 11th November but appointments are being snapped up faster than you can say 'orange acrylics with a fuchsia tip'. Jump, jump, jump to it!

Click here for appointment details...

Pic: Grazia Daily

Let's hear it for the boys

It seems that these days you can put 'boyfriend' in front of anything and you have a whole new trend to play with. Fun times!

Boyfriend tee
Pioneered by Alexander Wang, you can either pay luxe prices or just upsize to a Large from American Apparel and bung in a couple of shoulder pads (or not). Wear with a short skirt, opaque tights and lace-up shoe-boots


Boyfriend jacket
These have been knocking about for a few seasons thanks to Stella McCartney and her cool tailored blazers. How to wear now? Over the shoulders as seen at the Celine pre-collections and on Alexa Chung at London Fashion Week

Boyfriend jeans
No explanation required but we love this look with a tucked-in blouse and high-heeled ankle-boots


Boyfriend shoes
Brogues are really hitting their stride now and strike the right boy-girl note with mini-dresses and woolly tights or skinny cropped-at-the-ankle jeans and a polka-dot sweater.


Boyfriend scarf
No, not his nasty acrylic football scarf but one of those silky polka-dot or paisley scarves with fringing to wear over a denim jacket or chunky sweater-dress. We like Tootals scarves - find vintage ones on Vintage-revived.com


Boyfriend watch
A nice chunky watch - new or vintage - worn baggy with a three-quarter-sleeve blouse or shrunken schoolboy jacket.

[PICS:
Tee: Alexander Wang
Alexa Chung: Fashion Confidential
Jeans: The Sartorialist.com

Brogues: ASOS
Scarf: Vintage-revived.com
Watch: ASOS]