Try Something New Today…Maybe a Skirt by Gok Wan?

Sainsburys have just announced a new partnership with Gok Wan which will see clothes designed by the great man himself hitting the shelves this autumn.

The collections will reflect Gok's philosophy of making women feel confident, stylish and positive about their bodies, whatever their size or shape.

Gok Wan said: "I can't wait to get started; this is a first for me. While I've styled thousands of women over the years, soon millions of women are going to be able to wear something I've created."

Now I confess I like Gok. He’s like the cheeky best friend of your baby brother, warm, approachable and non threatening.

But whilst I followed every episode of his Feel Good Naked programmes, I have not had he same interest in either of the last two series. And this is largely to do with the “something he’s created”.

Even though Brix Smith-Start is incredibly irritating and looks like she could do with some style advice from Gok herself (and Nicky Clarke for that matter), she does have an eye for gorgeous clothing. Whilst Gok enthuses that his H&M jumper with bits of feathers sewn on looks just like Dior, it does in fact look like an H&M jumper with bits sewn on. And what will happen to most of these creations when they hit the washing machine?

Don't get me wrong, I like a bargain outfit as much as anybody but really, would anyone you know turn up at the school playground in some of his so called designs?

So I await his new collection with much interest. He clearly has an eye for style and I would hope that this would show through in well cut basics in neutral colours; classic yet stylish to flatter real women.

But this is Sainsburys where the average price is well below great cuts and good quality materials. Clothes that sell here need to grab your attention as you whiz around the aisles at breakneck speed. I suspect therefore we’ll see signature pieces and distinctive patterns that will define Gok and his brand. And whilst this may make for some great clothing at an affordable price do you really want everyone to know you bought your hot new top from a supermarket? That’s before you actually go out in it and see the world and his wife wearing the same thing. 

Whilst an allegiance with a supermarket certainly cashes in on his housewife appeal, I fear it will do little to make his designs credible in the world of fashion. Still, I will keep an open mind and watch with interest after all we do need to...Try Something New Today.

Today I'm Loving... MAC Girl About Town Lipstick

Peter Philips. International make-up artist and Chanel makeup’s Global Creative Director. What this man says goes and what he said this season was Fluorescent Fuschia Lips.

Fendi and Jil Sander both sent their models down the runway sporting neon pink lips carefully painted by the great man and his team. And what’s great about this colour is that it looks even better against pale skin – perfect for an English Spring. Application requires a perfectly steady hand and a crisp outline unless you want to look like you’re auditioning for the circus. Way back in the eighties this shade would have been “enhanced” with a much darker lip liner but the key now is to apply carefully with no visible outside edge.

MAC’s Girl About Town lipstick is perfect for this look taking the runway colour and just toning it down a little for everyday wear. Saves on the office sarcasm! Team with neutral eyes and clothes so the colours don’t fight and if you want to be really on trend clash with some hot orange nail varnish.

Life On the Open Road...

At this time of year my thoughts move to holidays. Like every year before it, I genuinely believe that this year we will have a long hot summer. And with perfect weather comes the belief that we can have perfect family holidays and spend the summer months camping.

“You hate camping” The Husband said when I brought it up over dinner.

True, the last time we ventured out under canvas was two years ago. The holiday started out idyllically enough. That was before the gale force winds that had even the most seasoned of caravanners hoisting in their awnings and battening down the hatches. The tent leaked, the camp bed was uncomfortable and we awoke every morning to condensation covering everything inside. Add that to the long walk every time I needed the loo or wanted to wash up or have a shower or brush my teeth and the whole camping thing became very tedious very quickly.

But I must be missing something as so many of my work colleagues spend their long hot summer nights outside, sipping wine, listening to birdsong and picking at delicious food cooked over a fire.

So I have concluded that it is not the idea of camping that doesn’t appeal, it’s the method we have chosen to execute it. Camping is obviously something we would love as much as everyone else if it wasn’t quite so basic. The answer is obvious - we just need to upgrade a little.

“You want a motor home?” The Husband gasped incredulously. “Do you know how much those things cost?”

Getting a motor home seems the ideal solution. It would be the perfect little home from home, giving us the camping experience without the hassle.

Determined to convince The Husband, who by now had retreated to the safety of the garage, I set about dealing with the problem as only I know how. Make a list.

So here are my lists of pros and cons to owning a motor home;

Pros:

1. They are so sweet inside; just like little doll’s houses
2. We could take the dog on holiday. The Husband has pointed out here that we don’t actually have a dog but we could get one and take it on holiday.
3. We could go on holiday more often. Well in about 10 years we could when we had finished paying for it.

And onto the Cons:

1. They are very expensive. For the same price you could probably buy a small house in a foreign country. You may even be able to buy the foreign country.
2. It would not fit on the driveway.
3. Even the large ones are quite small inside.
4. You have to pack everything away every time you want to go somewhere in it. Being an Official Untidy Person, this could be quite traumatic.
5. It is too big for me to drive
6. You can probably only travel 2 miles to a gallon.
7. You would need at least 6 free spaces to park it anywhere.

So the motor home idea seems to have stopped before it really began.

And are we looking forward to a summer under canvas? Can’t stop, I just have to nip out and get some cruise brochures.

Today I'm Loving...John Frieda Precision Foam Colour

Like most women I have experimented with the colour of my hair. I have dyed my naturally dark brown hair a myriad of shades from darkest brown through reds and mahogany to blonde streaks. I once even dyed it black. This was however a complete accident as the box said mid brown. My skin is so pale I had to wear bright red lipstick and lost of blusher every day to not look like an extra from the Undead and even then I still gave Morticia Adams a fair run for her money. But I digress; the point is that I dyed my hair because I chose to -  like I would choose a different eye shadow or lipstick shade to match a different outfit.

This all changed a couple of years ago at Mini-Me’s birthday party. One of her friends was upset so I bent down to console her.

“My mummy has hair the same colour as yours” said one of the other girls.

I tried to picture the lady in question from the gatherings around the school gate.

“Has she?” I answered brightly.

“Yes” she replied smiling.

 “She’s got a big grey stripe down the middle as well”

From that point on I could no longer kid myself that dyeing my hair was a fashion choice. It has now been officially reclassified as Maintenance. Like waxing, plucking and shaving this is Something That Has to Be Done To Not Look Old.

Given that the product I choose now has to perform a function – i.e. cover the ever expanding stripe rather than just put a gloss of colour over the top, this has narrowed the choice considerably. For a start, I now have to go to the end of the shelf where the Permanent Dyes live. Semi permanents have no impact whatsoever on these little grey impostors.

The thing with permanent hair dye is that it does exactly what it says on the box – it permanently colours your hair which is a very scary proposition. Because if it goes wrong it doesn’t wash out. Ever. And that means you have to grow it out or pay a hairdresser to sort it out for you.

My Grey Stripe is Getting Harder To Hide...

I have tentatively tried a number of products on the market since the untimely outing of my Grey Stripe. Whilst some appear to lightly cover the offending hairs within a couple of washes their wiriness is soon poking out amongst their dark still coloured  friends. So it was with some trepidation that I tried John Frieda’s Precision Foam Colour.

What I have learnt, particularly after the Black Dye Incident, is that your hair is actually a couple of shades lighter than you think it is. So I chose shade 6N for my dark brown hair.

The mousse is extremely thick and easy to apply although it does have a strong smell of ammonia. The colour takes longer to develop than some on the market but the results are amazing. Strong, glossy, vibrant colour with no greys. And they stay hidden until they grow out.

I have now used this twice and the colour each time has been exceptional and very natural. Even my new hairdresser commented on it.

So for now, my greys are gone and my hair colour worries are over...until next month.

Today I'm Loving...Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

Too much wine, lack of sleep and the stresses that come with Mini-Me do not good skin make. This is why I could not live without my Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. I don’t tend to wear foundation often as it aggravates my dry skin, so this on top of tinted moisturiser is all I need to get me through the day. It hides dark patches, spots and broken capillaries with a stroke of a brush and no caking. Now no-one will ever know you had an alcohol and chocolate feast the night before!

But don’t just take my word for it; it gets voted as best concealer in the Instyle Beauty Awards every year.

So what makes this product so special?

Certainly not the price tag as this is a hefty £26. But as the old adage goes you get what you pay for and this is going to last you for ever, so the price per use is very low. And you will use it every day without fail. It’s that good. There is also a very handy mirror in the lid of the packaging so this is a very useful addition to your handbag in more ways than one.

The unique two shade system means you can mix the perfect colour for different areas of your skin; and the concealer itself is very thick and highly pigmented so a little goes a long way. Apply with a small brush for perfect coverage and set with a thin layer of translucent powder.

If it’s good enough for Sarah Jessica Parker…