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]

Cute stuff: Little red shoes

M & S sent us a picture of these, ahem, heartbreaking shoes. A little bit Wizard of Oz, a little bit Moschino, a little bit Vivienne Westwood for Melissa. Just add a short velvet dress and glittery ankle socks.

We've Been Crystallized

Sorry we've been M.I.A. We weren't gone far, just got sucked into the vortex also known as the Swarovski-Crystallized website. Specifically, we're obsessed with its Personal Stylist tool. We've been experimenting with the jewels it suggested for us, based on our hair, eyes, skin colouring and taste in clothes. Not only does it give you a selection based on your choices but you can customise them as well. Such fun! You see why we were gone so long, no? Now imagine if Swarovski made make-up palettes...

We love...

...the arty farty style of Dior's new Love Dior compact but is it just too pretty to use? Oh the dilemma! Get a closer look when it launches on October 22nd exclusively at Selfridges' new Dior counter.

Trend alert: The 'now' nail

The classic nude 'squoval' nail is over - over we tell you! In its place come three trends to take you through autumn and beyond. Hot right now is the jade nail initiated by Chanel. Rumour has it that ten shades were mixed and Karl picked the one that was a closest match to a Chanel green tweed suit. Well who wouldn't? Why not match yours to your favourite bigger-than-a-china-cup cocktail ring?


The next big thing going on in nails is the Return Of The Talon. Yep, long, witchy claws are de riguer, just ask John Galliano who showed purple talons at his AW09 Dior show. We actually prefer Cassie's bubblegum pink tips but hey, there's room for both.



Finally, don't fret if you still hanker after a neutral nail. The grey nail is the new nude, as seen at Matthew Williamson and Tuleh. Barry M has one that gives good coverage at an affordable price.

Shooting from the hip - what's the etiquette?

We spent a good chunk of London Fashion Week people-watching and taking photos for some of the trend-prediction consultancy work we do. Let's face it, if you're at LFW and not taking pictures, something's up! But here's the question, what's the etiquette when photographing street style? One friend thinks it's rude to take a photo of someone's bag/shoe/dress without requesting a shot of their face too. Her strategy is to ask to take a picture of them and then once that's out of the way she asks if she can also 'get a quick shot of your insert-item-here'. Well we don't do that. We ask outright if we can take a photo of said item and don't bother pretending to be interested in the rest of the ensemble. Who's right?

We also routinely shoot from the hip, taking candid snaps as and when they present themselves. Shoes are the easiest, especially at parties where fantasy footwear is at its most evident and you can easily grab a snap without anyone noticing. But at LFW, we tried this on a lady wearing an eyecatching pair of loafer-wedges. Ooh, hybrid trend alert! We quickly aimed the camera and took fire but - damn - shoe lady saw us and deliberately walked off. What a spoilsport. We were hacked off because the way we see it, if you're at LFW, you're gonna get snapped, it's par for the course, right?

What does everyone else think?

LFW Skin Saviour!

There is a catch to being invited to all these fashion shows you know! We're calling it 'fashacne', a skin condition brought on by all of those early morning shows, late-night parties,  (oh and yes, the 'Lauderee macaroon' diet that we seem to be living on at the 'mo).  Thankfully we've found a solution! Well a quick fix anyway. Laura Mercier's Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser is a skin genius! A dab and a smear later and spots, dark circles (and that grey complexion tinge) are gone! You don't even need a mirror to apply it. Genius!

FREE GIFT ALERT!

We find that GWP's (that's marketing lingo for gift-with-purchase items) are always a tad naff, but this shopper (that comes free with a 50ml bottle of DKNY's Be Delicious Scent from 23rd September) goes against that grain. Why? Pop-art-esque with a subtle-but-seen designer-label tag, it will surely score high in the style stakes!

Call 0870 034 2566 for more info or go to www.DKNYfragrances.com

DIP DYE...DO OR DON'T?

Following in the footsteps of Lady Ga Ga (and Julia Roberts!?!) Drew has black-tipped her tresses. It's attention-grabbing yes, but whether it's a style we'll be trying ourselves, time will tell! 

Flats are back!

Can we just say how much we're loving the flats revival (and so are our chiropractors). We keep clocking these super-comfy Newbark shoes (above) on everyone including Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley and Kate Moss. We'd wear them with cropped skinny jeans and a Brteon top for post-Fashion Week downtime.

We've also got our eyes on Christian Louboutin's studded slippers - just need to find an affordable version. Au revoir platform skyscrapers!

Lipgloss-watch

Spotted at Urban Outfitters. Cute packaging, fruit-scented, £5 - what's not to love?

CHERYL'S SECRET MAKE-UP BUY

We were lucky enough to meet the gorgeous Cheryl Cole yesterday! A few select journo's (ahem, that's us!) were invited to quizz her about her new role as Ms Beauty Queen (aka the new face of L'Oreal Paris). After a natter over cupcakes (yes, she did eat one) and tea, she let us into a sneaky peak inside her make-up bag. And inside we spotted her new must-have new foundation buy:





"This is a recent obsession," she said. "I love the new applicator. Oh my god, I put it on in the car the other day when I was running late, and I thought let me just try that - it was on within two seconds. Why has no one ever made this before? I should’ve thought of it 'cos my dad is a painter and decorator. It gives very even coverage. I’m well impressed with that one."

Aaaah, don't you just love 'er!

Je M'apelle Bella

Bella Freud's cult beatnik knits are just the thing for trans-seasonal September. We love these new shots by Susie Bick complete with pop-coloured wigs.

File under "why didn't we think of this"

We have a problem. We love vintage suitcases but we don't know what to do with them. Here's an idea... make them into coffee tables! We love all the re-use/re-love ideas on this site - don't you?

If you go down to Selfridges today...

You simply must head up to the third floor. Not only have they unveiled their new 3rd Central department housing Marc by Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang and Sonia by Sonia Rykiel but how fun is this giant surrealist coat hanger?!

Fabulosity Friday

Who else is loving the new Accessorize campaign? We can't get enough of those rings, scarves and bags...

On our radar - the bracelet that thinks it's a watch

Who wears a watch these days? No-one, right? Wrong! We like the witticism of these silly but stylish accessories - what do you think?

Martin Margiela brass watch bracelet


Lazy Oaf perspex watch cuff