Pure and Scoop International A/W11

This Friday may have been the first day of London Fashion Week but last weekend was the real start of London’s fashion whirl, beginning with PURE and a new exhibition Scoop International. PURE, located at Olympia, is a well-established trade fair for brands to show their collections to department store and independent fashion buyers, bloggers, stylists etc. For the first time the show was split between Olympia and Earls Court, the latter being where PURE Spirit was being held, which had younger brands and menswear. PURE is a very commercial show with brands such as Inwear, Jackpot and Sticky Fingers. I really loved the Darling stand and especially liked the below cream dress (www.darlingclothes.com).

I love the 3/4 sleeves and jewelled neckline

These fabulous plates were on the outside of the stand... so pretty!

Do I spy a fondant fancy??

Also, I was introduced to a feminine and very well priced brand called Valour & Valkyrie (www.valourandvalkyrie.com) by Gemma Wiseman, owner of this years Drapers Independent Store of the Year (they have 2 stunning stores, one in Stowe-on-the-Wold and the other in Cheltenham, www.shopfoundation.com). Described as ”stylish, easy to wear pieces with distinct detailing and a dash of ready to wear glamour, the range is inspired by ethereal illustrations from the turn of the century, classic black and white films and the craft in creating a garment”. The collection isn’t very big but there were some very lovely pieces with equally lovely price points. And with blouses retailing at £55 and dresses from £60, what’s not to love?

My favourite pieces were the Marje Blouse (£54.99) and Valenti dress (£69.99)…

Marje Blouse from Valour & Valkyrie

Valenti dress by Valour & Valkyrie

After dashing around the rest of PURE and bumping into my friend Katie from Threadmaker (www.threadmaker.co.uk) and more buyers than usual (a sign that people are keeping their eyes open more than ever for “something new” even though times are tough in the retail trade) I had to rush off to a new exhibition for A/W 11 Scoop International which was being held at the fabulous Saatchi Gallery on The Kings Road in Chelsea. It was raining which meant that getting there was a nightmare as there wasn’t a taxi to be seen anywhere. I did manage to locate one after a mile walk in the drizzle which meant I arrived at Scoop looking somewhat less than polished, hair slightly frizzy and pretty much make-up-less!

Scoop is “where fashion meets art, showing fashion and lifestyle brands in a cutting edge and contemporary space…focusing on premium designer and contemporary collections, accessories, emerging designer brands.” There were well known collections such as Sara Berman, Ella Luna and Margit Brandt and many others I’d never heard of. I’m very interested to see what brands come on board for next season because there is definitely a gap in the market for a more contemporary and designer exhibition in the UK… so watch this space.

One brand that really caught my eye was a Paris-based jewellery collection called GiRandOleS (www.girandoles.com). Created by friends Isabelle and Louise, these hand-made pieces are works of art. The pair pick up bric-a-brac from local flea markets, mixing these items with real pearls and charms – the result being incredibly personalized and unusual pieces. The ladies were so nice and even though their English wasn’t great, you could tell that they loved what they did and that every bracelet and necklace told a story…

Probably one of my favourites... a plastic gnome, an Eiffel Tower, buttons and a brooch - what more could you want on a necklace??

P.S. I bought the new “It” nail varnish from Chanel called Black Pearl this week… if I’m being honest it’s not quite the colour I thought it was going to be (ok… so I didn’t try it before I bought it – but it’s Chanel, it has to be fabulous!!). But I assumed from the name it was going to be Blacky-grey ish, but it’s got a definte greeny almost mouldy hue to it (have I put you off yet – someone did compliment me on it yesterday so it can’t be that bad!). If you ask me if should be called gun metal or graphite or something… Anyway, I’m sure I’ll love it when I find out it’s sold out all over the country like the last must-have colour did!!

1940s NYE glamour

I spent my last few hours of 2010 and initial hours of 2011 at a 1940s fancy-dress Blitz party in an outfit that would have done my grandmother proud (www.theblitzparty.com). At first my friends and I decided we weren’t too bothered about having our hair done professionally and were fairly relaxed about our outfits until the day before NYE, when we started to panic! On closer inspection our dresses weren’t “Pearl Harbour” enough, shoes weren’t retro enough and don’t even start us on the Youtube videos of recreating a “Victory Roll” in our hair! Suddenly, we were sifting through charity shops scouring the shelves for fur collars, brooches and trying to book last minute hair appointments. Thankfully we went ahead with the latter and it made ALL the difference! We had to go to the salon in shifts as only the owner was able re-create the 1940s look… And as I was in the hot-seat first my second friend had the benefit of seeing two trial runs so she could decide if it was worth it or not going through all the trauma of extensive back-combing and serious hair-spraying… thankfully we were all thrilled with our newly-quaffed barnets (please note: the next day I can’t tell you what my hair looked like after I’d removed all the pins and brushed out the back-combing, I looked like a crazy person and have never seen volume like it!!).

Anyway, back to NYE… I put on my make-up (fake-eye lashes, red lipstick etc) and got dressed, when I looked in the mirror I barely recognised myself, I was my Granny (I’d never worn red lipstick before as I’ve never found it in any way flattering, but with the rest of the look complete it seemed to work)! Getting the tube to the party was hysterical because we stood out so much and everyone kept chatting to us. I’ve been to fancy-dress parties before, but this time it was bizarre as everyone’s outfits and the location (kitted out with sandbags/bunting/a Red Cross tent etc) seemed to really recreate the scene. So as we walked through the door I felt as though we’d almost gone back in time – as though we were on a set of “Goodnight Sweetheart” or a movie or something and that Nicholas Lyndhurst (I was actually hoping for Josh Hartnett in Pearl Harbour preferably) was going to appear…

Apart from the weirdness of feeling like we’d just entered another era, it hit me how everyone looked so glamorous and how much of an effort women made in their appearances years ago. When I was researching hairstyles of the 1940s, I discovered that women went to town with their hair and make-up because they could only have simple clothes due to the war and rationing. It made me think about how different decades in the Twentieth century had such iconic looks; there were flapper dresses in the 20s, tea dresses in the 40s, prom-style full dresses in the 50s, flares in the 70s, leggings in the 80s etc. And that by adding the right hair and make-up from each time period, you can almost be sent back in time. But what will the Noughties be remembered for – how can we create an iconic look that in years to come would take us back to 2005 for example? I’m not entirely sure.

However, no matter what is “en vogue” in 2011, my money’s on the fact that we will want it to be easy… when we go to the hairdressers what do we ask for? “Low maintenance please!” Actually these days we want clothes, make-up and hair to be as simple as possible – which is fine for everyday but how much effort do we really make when we “go out”? To be honest I liked the fact that I’d had to properly “glam up” on New Years Eve – my friends and I felt that we had to be more “lady-like” in our 1940s feminine outfits and actually, it was rather nice. I wonder was it due to the events of the time? People wanted to forget about what was going on around them so they made an effort to make the most of themselves, as best they could. Fingers crossed we will never know the horrors of war first hand or rationing but with continuing financial woes hanging over us and general January blues, maybe we should seek some inspiration from our grandmothers, grab some red lipstick and black eyeliner and generally glam up!

INSIDER INFO: if you’re in London and wanting a fab “up-do” go to “W2K”, 65 Bedford Hill, Balham, 02086750151.

Waiting for the tube in our 1940s outfits...

Minimalist dressing…

So I’ve been reading a lot recently about the new minimalist “grown up” way of dressing that people are embracing at the moment and have to say I’m kind of relieved! On my last few shopping expeditions I’ve definitely been heading down a path that I’m not familiar with… shock horror… a simpler look. In the past I’ve been attracted to anything crazy, spotted, printed and covered in bows… But on recent trips to some of my favourite usually “easy buy” stores, such as Topshop and Urban Outfitters (places where you don’t have to think about purchases too much because the prices aren’t outrageous and stuff generally just fits), I haven’t really seen very much that I’ve “had to have”. It started at the beginning of the year when I was in Topshop and I took a crate-load of items into the fitting-room, emblazoned with Eiffel towers, bows and wild patterns and I have to say I wasn’t terribly keen on any of them (ok, ok – I admit I did buy a pale pink and white striped sweater with “Paris” written across the front but it was much more refined than the jewel-emblazoned one I thought I’d love!). 

© Tea | Dreamstime.com

However, I also think this is down to the weather, as summer clothes just aren’t getting a look-in at the moment because even when the sun does shine at lunchtime if you’re sporting a really summery ensemble you look like an oddity by 6pm when you turn blue with cold – so, pretty floral dresses with their backs cut out etc have been a no no! However, I really have noticed that I’m more than happy to buy things that in the past I may have thought were somewhat “boring”(!)… as usually I’ve been drawn to clothes with more “personality” rather than just a simple top or dress… Yet, I’m definitely beginning to see the benefits of having such simple pieces – you can certainly get more wear out of them! Some items in my wardrobe I’ve barely worn more than once because they’re too memorable to bring out again and again… and due to Facebook and our obsession with recording almost every moment of our lives on our cameras and i-phones if you’re photographed in your new favourite frock – after looking at the photos a couple of times you feel as though you’ve worn said favourite frock 10 times – even though it’s actually only had one outing! However, a simple denim shirt dress with a tan belt and mac or an over-sized t-shirt dress with leggings and a cropped leather jacket can be worn again and again. I’m thinking cut and fabric as opposed to crazy statement…

I was beginning to think it’s because I’m “maturing” fashion-wise…. Surely not – I’m only 31!! Maybe when my clients ask me can they still wear leggings aged 27, it’s beginning to rub off? No… I doubt it – Carrie Bradshaw and Gwen Stefani are still my fashion barometers – if they can wear “stuff” as fabulous 40-somethings, then so can I! Anyway, I know it’s not that – perhaps it’s due to the recession (sorry to mention the “R” word) I feel we’re definitely thinking more about price per wear. People are still buying, they just can’t justify a new top to wear every Friday night like they used to. Maybe you could say that we’re becoming a bit more “moral” with our spending – so we want to get something that’s more useful which often means it’s slightly more “understated” and “classic” in its styling… 

I think it’s very important to point something out here – when I say “understated” and “classic”, I’m not talking a black cotton v-neck and chinos… I’m thinking… maybe a silk cami with a ¾ sleeved-blazer, skinny motorcycle jeans, McQueen handbag and studded ankle boots – simple, but still with an edge … just to clarify! 

Looking back I should have known when I bought Chanel’s “Particuliere” nail-varnish at the beginning of the year, which is beigy/browny and très chic, that this season’s dressing would be more minimalist (I so wish I’d bought 100 bottles of this because everyone loves it – and now it’s as hard to come by as Manolo Blahnik Mary-Janes prior to their re-launch last year! You know, the the ones that Carrie thought were an “urban shoe myth” in SATC!)… But where should you head for this more simplistic look? Well, Cos has some fantastic pieces which are simple but definitely with a twist and that’s why fashion editors love the brand – they’re easy to layer and put your own stamp on with statement jewellery and accessories (visit www.cosstores.com). Also, of course Zara is where you should go to buy trench coats, peg-leg trousers and silk dresses (www.zara.com). Banana Republic is also doing this look brilliantly – check out www.bananarepublic.gap.eu/. Don’t forget, to add interest, mix fabrics: silks, cottons and linens – and work neutral colours with summer brights and vice versa. Actually thinking about it, this way of dressing doesn’t have to be dull in the slightest – oh goodness, maybe I actually am growing up after all!

Baby it’s cold outside

  

I was shopping with a customer on Monday for her S/S 10 wardrobe and we had a really fun day – she was trying on peg-leg rolled up crops, linen military inspired jackets and kaki sleeveless tees with ribbon necklines, all of which were lovely – but something seemed wrong. It felt weird because… yet again… it was snowing outside!! The day started off ok – one flake here… another there. But by the time we were power walking from Bond Street to meet her husband at Oxford Circus late afternoon laden with bags, the snow was so bad it was settling on my eyelashes and I could barely prize my hands off her purchases to hand them over because my hands were so cold!  

© Sibear | Dreamstime.com

I thought how on earth are potential shoppers supposed to feel inspired to shop for pastels and florals when it’s sub zero outside? Personally, I can see past the weather – I’m just gagging for something new at the moment as I’m oh so tired of my winter clothes… and if I can wear said item with a pair of black tights or skinny jeans now, then fantastic! But if not – my wardrobe will look more interesting and help me remember that Spring will come again… even if it doesn’t appear to be any time soon!  

However, apparently I’m not the only one thinking S/S – we went into Karen Millen and found a really lovely item called the “Crinkle Cloth Coat” which was belted with a full skirt in tones of grey (it made my client’s waist look tiny!). On the website this is the description: “Italian cotton and metal trench coat with subtle light to dark effect and crinkle texture” (£250 at www.karenmillen.com). Cutting a long story short when we asked for my client’s size they’d almost sold out of all size 10s and 12s already in London and it’s only early February and snowing! They printed out a list of stores where sizes were available – there were a few stores in the UK; but most were in far off places such as Moscow and Dubai (I never knew Karen Millen had so many stores in Russia and the Middle East!)!! So girls, the message is if you’re looking for that special S/S outfit you’d better put on your Uggs and get out and brave those sub-zero temperatures… You won’t regret it! I often find these early “drops” in store to be best as you get longevity out of an item – as stock delivered later in the season is often more “high-summer”. (Actually, my client was in luck – after leaving empty-handed we spotted the “crinkle coat” in the window and it was a size 12 and it fitted like a glove!).      

But what else is out there to buy from S/S that’s appropriate for this time of year? Well there are military-influenced pieces everywhere – kakis, beige, mocha, cappuccino etc and lots of nude. All of which are great with black and layered up with other items to avoid an overly Summery look (also, after a trying on session, the nude colours are actually more flattering than I thought, especially with darker colours – so don’t be afraid to experiment).  

I’ve also noticed that there are loads of distressed boots in the shops at the moment – many of them resembling something out of Oliver Twist (they’re great to make more Spring like pieces look acceptable when it’s snowing outside as they’re a heavier look)! I actually quite like them but as I’ve got size 8 feet I have to be careful with the “Dr. Marten” style – I may look more Bill Sykes than Nancy! I’ll never forget being in Dolcis aged about 12 and desperately wanting some of the above DM’s – in a beautiful shade of yellow. I can’t believe they were in fashion! Anyway, the sales assistant handed me the size 8s and actually laughed in my face when I laced them up – I’m sure the sight of 12 year old pipe-cleaner legs sticking out of giant banana boots was hilarious… but steady on, he could have scarred me for life!!). However, I’ve moved on a little since then and last week found myself some slightly more lady-like “Nancy” boots from Office for £80 called “Office Middle Drimmie Black leather” (www.office.co.uk), which make my feet look quite small actually (this is obviously relatively speaking!).  

Chanel Particulière

 

By the way do you remember I bought the new Chanel Particulière nail varnish last week and after initially saying I wasn’t sure about it, I now really love it (www.chanel.com)! It looks especially sophisticated with all the army shades that are in stores at the moment… so if you can get your hands on a bottle, give it a go – but don’t panic if you can’t get hold of it, the Sunday Times Style magazine is suggesting “Mink Muss” by Essie (www.essie.com) as an alternative… Phew!!!

“You’re very critical aren’t you?”

That was what a girl said to me a couple of Fridays ago in a very well known beauty store and I was fuming! What’s wrong with having high standards, I asked myself and so what if I am critical? Was she implying that after applying several layers of primer, foundation, concealer, powder, blusher etc… that I couldn’t look any better? Did she feel that she’d worked her magic and that was it, the only option being for me to buy every product now, no questions asked?

© Catalin Plesa | Dreamstime.com

To set the scene, I’d chosen this location for my make-up shopping as they have a good selection of brands and in my eyes they are therefore not biased to any one product – and I asked an assistant to help me locate the “perfect” foundation. I kept mentioning a certain brand that I really wanted to try but, because there were 5 make-up artists from a different brand standing around (who I found out were there for an event later on in the day and were clearly bored to death) – she made it very clear that I should be “assisted” by one of them, even though I’d already said I’d tried this particular brand before and I wasn’t that impressed.

Anyway, after applying all the layers of make-up as above, I looked in the mirror…and, embarrassingly, I wasn’t that happy with what was staring back at me. You know when you go “Oooh… (furiously scanning your face like The Terminator would do)… Mmm, yes that looks nice”. Well, this was exactly what I was doing… but at the same time what I was actually thinking was that I looked a bit yellowy and matt – when I’d specifically said that I wanted a “glowing” (youthful) look! Now call me picky, but if I’m spending money on something like foundation then I actually want some “vaguely evident” results. I don’t want to look as though I’ve gone to Boots and spent £10! What’s the point in spending the extra £50??

 So I had a choice: either say, “Yes it’s lovely I’ll have it”, or dare to be honest and say “Actually I’d like you to start again and try something else!” That’s the problem with make-up shopping, once the assistant has found you, in their opinion, the “perfect” match of foundation for example, you’re made to feel as though you have to automatically buy it. It’s not the norm to go from counter to counter getting them to make you up and then go to the next place to try again.

However, once the girl helping me had uttered the “You’re very critical” comment, I made my mind up – I was going to try something else and I didn’t care how long she’d spent making me up! So a little sheepishly, I approached another girl in the shop (who worked for the store and not a specific brand) and told her what had happened and she said the make-up did look a bit mask like! OMG – I’d nearly spent £40 on that!!! And it took her 3 attempts to get off the under-eye concealer the other girl had used, it was so thick! Anyway, cutting a long story short she selected several products from different brands, which was exactly what I wanted and I left happy and “glowing”. If I’m honest, the youthful “glow” I’m after is probably only achieved after using several jars of exceedingly expensive face-cream or something altogether more “industrial”… like a chemical peel! But as I’m not into bee-keepers hats (do you remember the episode of SATC where Samantha had a chemical peel before Carrie’s book launch party and because her face was peeling so badly after she’d had it done, she had to wear a black veil over her face in bee-keeper fashion – and was told to stay away from the food at the party as she was putting people off!). On second thoughts I might put that off for a little while…!!

© Kydriashka | Dreamstime.com

I was mentioning my make-up experience to a good friend of mine and she said a similar thing had happened to her when wedding dress shopping the other week. She’d booked viewing appointments in several stores and in one very well known bridal shop. After being given their “book” to browse through, she said that there weren’t any that caught her eye. The assistant then replied, “You’re very fussy aren’t you!” Er… yes she is very fussy!!! She’s deciding on the dress that will be worn on one of the most important days of her life, spending possibly the most she’ll ever spend on a single item of clothing and she wants it to be absolutely right! My friend didn’t want someone simply stuffing a book in front of her and basically saying “Pick one!” She did end up however, having the most wonderful experience in Browns Bridal shop in London (www.brownsfashion.com). She was pampered and taken around the whole store, being shown exquisite dresses (with exquisite price tags too though, unfortunately)…. She hasn’t made her final decision but she did fall in love with one dress there – it sounded amazing!

At the end of the day I think we’re well within our rights to say, “I’d like to try something else please” or “No, I don’t like any of those dresses” and not feel awkward or guilty about it. We’re all thinking more about how we spend our money at the moment and if we decide to part with it, we want to know we’re getting the best for our hard-earned cash.

So I think here’s one for my list of New Years resolutions: next time I’m in a situation where I’m feeling pressurized to buy something and I’m not 100% convinced (especially when the refund policy is slightly questionable), I’m simply going to smile and say “Thank you so much, I’ll think about it!” – Well that’s the plan anyway…

Sequins, sequins… everywhere!

Tis the season for party-dress shopping… and by golly there are loads of dresses out there – but just to let you know, if you don’t like sequins, jewels or embellishment, you’re in trouble! Don’t get me wrong I love a sequin or two, but this season they are everywhere! I dread asking my clients what styles and fashions they dislike as the usual response is that they can’t stand puff sleeves, bows… or sequins! I know some of my clients are naturally drawn to simpler pieces but often I feel it’s not because they really love the styles but rather because they’re scared by pieces that might make them “stand out too much”… although many of us are guilty of shying away from shapes, styles and colours that are different to what we’re used to. 

I often pick out styles that have more of a “personality” to show my clients and many are very quick to say, “That won’t suit me!” (When what they actually mean is “I’ve never tried on anything like that before and I’m a bit scared of what it’ll look like!”). However, I think that life is too short to not have fun with fashion and this season you can pretty much get away with anything (within reason obviously!). So when you’re next out shopping for your Christmas/NYE outfit and about to head for the changing-rooms, grab a couple of show stoppers along with your usual LBD and have a play… Really the most important thing to keep in mind is that an outfit has to be right for the occasion and there are several things to think about when deciding on an outfit: time of day, location, who you’re with (will everyone else be in jeans and a “shazzy” top, when you’re wearing a pink buff-ball number and faux fur jacket??). That reminds me… one of my very best friends used to rock up to the pub in stunning dresses, looking like a super-model when the rest of us would be wearing jeans and she’d say “…but my jeans are in the wash!”.

Speaking of dresses, I spent last New Year’s Eve in a bar/club in Liverpool and I remember when I had been trying on my chosen outfit in the shop feeling a little conspicuous – it was a fluorescenty yellow one-shoulder dress (it sounds hideous but it was actually quite flattering… but only with several applications of fake tan!). Anyway, I don’t go out in Liverpool very often these days and I’d forgotten what it’s like. Initially I felt a little “bright” but after a closer inspection of the outfits of my “contemporaries” in the loo queue, I felt quite at home. In fact, I might as well have been in jeans and a t-shirt in comparison to what others were wearing! One girl had on a floor-length bejewelled evening gown and another was in sequined hot pants and a giant puff sleeved top, with her hair back-combed to oblivion (seriously I couldn’t stop staring at her – she’d taken Patsy from Ab-Fab’s bouffant to the next level!).

Bib-necklace from Freedom at Topshop

You had to hand it to them, all the girls looked amazing (in their own inimitable way) and had made such an effort – and why not? When times are hard, it’s freezing outside and we’re feeling a touch under-the-weather, I think a little “bling” can go a long way to cheering ourselves up! So I think that if sequins would normally send you over the edge – why not give them a try and turn up the glamour this A/W 09. It could be as simple as adding an amazing necklace to an otherwise simple dress. I bought this necklace recently from Freedom at Topshop for only £18! I wore it over a plain t-shirt and it looked so effective (www.topshop.com).

Shu Uemura eyelashes

Or how about jewellery for your eyelashes! When I was on the 3^rd floor in Selfridges (London) last week I came across the Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Bar (located opposite their new jeans wall). I could have stayed there all day… the lashes are AMAZING! The staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable and with prices starting from £12 (up to £55) I think they’re a fairly guilt-free treat (they also apply them for free)! I fell in love with these gold ones with Swarovski crystals… they’re like a work of art (www.shuuemura.com)!

What to buy for the girl who has everything?

I was thinking about Christmas presents on the tube the other day and I started laughing to myself… Before I go shopping I have a plan in my mind of what I’ll buy for each person depending on their taste and style – isn’t that what everyone does? I’m asking this because in the end I was nearly laughing out loud thinking about some of the hysterical gifts I’d received (and witnessed other family members receiving) over the years! Are you ready for a couple? How about a can of “Sure” deodorant (were they trying to tell me something?)… A large blue pottery chicken – after looking at it for a couple of seconds my mother said, “It’s a jug!”. I asked her where the spout and handle were. After a closer inspection it was as I’d initially feared, a large blue pot chicken – just what I’d always wanted! Mummy said “… but Fiona it’s from Honfleur (Was that supposed to make it better?)!”… And the funniest was a knitted hat that my Granny gave to my sister which had attached ear flaps and was pointed like something an elf would wear (to fully appreciate it you really had to see it – my sister and I were crying with laughter when she put it on!). Honestly, it looked more like a woolly rag that you’d dry the dishes with than something you’d actually choose to put on your head!! Saying that, my Granny also once gave my aunt 2 car sponges and a packet of firelighters… hilarious!

© Julien Tromeur | Dreamstime.com

Anyway, there are 23 Christmas shopping days left – I’m refusing to include Christmas Eve as there’s no need to be racing around the shops looking for last-minute gifts if you’re organized – you should be sipping a glass of champagne and nibbling on chocolate coins instead (if you’re doing Christmas lunch the next day however, it will be a different matter – you’ll definitely be out and about queuing for stuffing and fighting for the last bag of M&S/Aunt Bessie’s roasties!). Buying bigger gifts is easy enough – a handbag, a winter coat or a pair of boots for example. The hardest thing is often choosing smaller gifts and especially for “the girl who has everything”. So I decided to hit the shops in search of some suggestions…

My first stop was Urban Outfitters (www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk) and they failed to disappoint. Apart from clothing they have books, home-wares and accessories: they had some really cute wire jewellery stands (they look like mini hat stands) in lilac or pink for £16, over the knee stripey “ski bunny” socks with bows by Betsy Johnson for £28 and a great black sequin and multi coloured beaded mini clutch bag with a gold clasp for £32. For a lovely personalised gift they do “Personalised Classics” – a selection of books, including Alice in Wonderland and Pride & Prejudice, where you replace the famous characters’ names with those of your friends or family (£19.99 ordered online). They had lots of stuff for the home too – picture frames, mugs, Christmas decorations, superman aprons (£16)… Also some fairly pointless (but funny) things such as a “boot print” potato masher for £7 and “toast tattoos” for £5!

But one of the best things I found was an ingenious book called “The Girly Girls Point-it Book” (£4.99). A snippet from the back cover says “…Comes in handy when you want your man to get you something but you can’t muster the energy to open your mouth!” Basically it is the grown up equivalent of a toddler book featuring pictures of a puppy, diamond ring, handbag and cupcake to name but a few! Maybe the best idea is to give it to your man as a pre-Christmas “gift” (i.e. to make shopping easier for him!) with post-its marking your present of choice… What a great idea!

If you’re thinking of putting a watch on your wish list but are unsure of what to go for I would recommend a ToyWatch (www.toywatch.it/)… described to me as “a cross between a Rolex and a Swatch”. Prices start from £115 (going up to over £3000!), but the majority are around £150. I first came across these watches in New York last year, when I fell in love with one in Bloomingdale’s… It was my 30th birthday and I decided that as I didn’t have a man to buy me the Chanel J12 that I really wanted (how stunning are they please?), my second choice would be a ToyWatch! They’re chunky, but lightweight (they’re made of plastic) and come in a huge range of colours from hot pink to clear – some with crystals on the face, others plain. So they cover all tastes from crazy to classic (my sister wanted a black one with a skull and cross-bones in silver crystals on the face but my mother refused to let her have it as apparently it “looked demonic”)! Anyway, they have a good selection on-line and have recently opened a flagship store on Regent Street in London (they have a huge selection in Selfridges in London too).

Lumiere de Rose, by Chantecaille

What else do we girlies love? Well I’m a sucker for any kind of beauty stuff and a favourite place to visit is SpaceNK (if you’re on a budget however, don’t even venture through the door! www.spacenk.co.uk). For beauty buffs there’s a new product from Chantecaille called “Lumiere de Rose” which is a fabulous powder you brush on cheeks and eyelids or anything else you want highlighting (approximately £27). Also, head down to Nails Inc (www.nailsinc.com) – they have a nail varnish especially for “The girl who has everything” called Crystal Colour. These crystal-topped varnishes would add some glamour to any dressing table (£15).

N.B. When I was in SpaceNK I also tried the By Terry under-eye concealer that’s been given a lot of press recently, created by the lady behind the YSL Touché Éclat (the gold pen thing for those of you who’ve been living under a rock for the last 10 years!). The pen is similar looking to the YSL radiant touch but bigger and I must admit it was really fantastic and well worth the money (£25.45) – it gave good coverage but in a very natural, light-reflective way (www.spacenk.co.uk/By_Terry).  A definite must-have for my Christmas list!

HAPPY SHOPPING