REVIEW - Lisa Shepherd Salon

The Lisa Shepherd salon is not far from where I work so I was excited when Wahanda advertised a super-duper Mobdeal for a haircut, treatment and glass of wine for £20. In London, that's a total bargain.

I headed along after work, impressed that they are open till 9pm! I was offered my glass of wine and a choice of magazines to read while I waited which wasn't long to be honest (I noticed they also have free ice creams for customers too).

My stylist Reena was really friendly and I explained that I hadn't been too happy with the haircut I had at a different salon. She worked out the reason why, the previous stylist had put too much texture in and thinned the hair out too much. We both decided that this time she'd concentrate more on the ends and leave the texture as it was for now to allow it time to even out.

I relaxed in a massaging chair while getting my head massaged - always amazing! Then Reena got on with the cut, doing a great job and asking exactly how I liked my fringe too. I was really pleased with the results and walked out of there swishing my hair. I'd definitely consider going back.


While I was there a film crew arrived to film something for channel 5. I didn't feel awkward and wasn't hurried through in order to get out of their way either. The only downside overall I think was that the decor wasn't quite my cup of tea... bright pink lighting is not very relaxing.

HAIR - Cat Deeley for Pantene Pro V

Pantene Pro-V have announced that Cat Deeley is the new face of the brand. Cat will kick things off as the face and hair of the new Aqua Light Make a Swisssh campaign launching on the 1st August. Over the next 6 months Cat will be calling on British women to swish their hair to celebrate how great it can look.

This all leads up to a world record breaking swish in December at the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham where Cat was discovered.

“Has your hair ever felt so good you can’t help but swish it? - you know  that elusive ‘swish’, when hair moves perfectly. It’s that beautiful, healthy looking, enviable hair that we all want – that’s what you get with new Pantene Pro-V Aqua Light.” Cat Deeley

Funnily enough I've got that swishable feeling right now. I went yesterday to the Lisa Shepherd salon on Mortimer Street for a bit of a trim. This mane has been tough to manage for the last couple of weeks but now it's all glossy and gorgeous again. While I was there they were filming for a channel 5 news piece. I just prayed I wouldn't get on camera and enjoyed the massaging chairs and head massage.

What makes your hair feel swishable?

NEWS - Debenhams Polyvore Competition

Style like a Butterfly by The Style PA featuring Butterfly by Matthew Williamson

You know how much I love Polyvore, I've said it before and I use it all the time to create outfit collages and moodboards. Debenhams is running a competition at the moment to celebrate launching international delivery a couple of months ago. When you create a designer look using at least 2 items from debenhams.com you can be in with a chance to win any handbag of your choice from debenhams.com worth up to £250. Plus, 4 runner ups can choose from a selection of jewellery from debenhams.com worth up to £50.

Winning sets will be selected by the style team at debenhams.com and posted on the Debenhams facebook page and blog. So, if you think you’re a stylist in the making you could win yourself some fab goodies. I've posted my quick attempt above.

Enter the Polyvore contest now

GIG - Marina and Goldfrapp at iTunes Festival

How pretty is Marina of Marina and the Diamonds! I was loving her outfit as she performed at the Roundhouse in Camden as part of the iTunes Festival. A really retro midi skirt teamed with a vintage style satin top which I think I'm going to have to try and replicate. I was lucky enough to get a ticket to go along to see Marina perform and I've had to buy the album now.

I'd heard most of the songs, but never really sat down and listened properly but now I'm loving it. I'd definitely go and see them again.
 

Following Marina and the Diamonds was Goldfrapp. I like the odd song, but wouldn't call myself a fan so I stayed for most of it, but sneaked off a bit early. Lead singer Alison didn't disappoint with her outfit choice. Black sparkle leggings and a cape style top that looked as if it were made from VHS tape. She looked very 'Pam Hogg' although I've no idea for sure who did the outfit. I'm not sure how good an idea it was with the fan that was aimed at her... all you could hear was rustling in the beginning.

STYLE - Me, What, Wear...

I have a feeling my lunchtime shopping trips are getting out of hand. My shopping style has for a long time been 'little and often' instead of 'big spree'. I love just deciding there is something I need and then going out and getting it there and then. I don't wait till the end of the month or save my money, I just go out and get it. But don't assume therefore that I'm spending a fortune on clothes because that really isn't the case. I'm a self-confessed bargain hunter and I always find the best value I can, I just love the buzz I get from buying something new.

This week I've been struggling with what to wear under my little summer dresses that are a bit too short for work when worn without leggings. I decided I needed a pair of fitted denim shorts to the knee. I would wear cycling shorts but I feel just a few years to old in my dress sense to get away with those. I popped to my nearest shop Debenhams and picked up a pair of H! by Henry Holland ones for a fabulously low £12.50 in the sale. Perfect fit and fit the purpose too.

My other staple outfit for this week has been a new black jersey maxi dress from Blue Inc. I'm not that confident in wearing very fine jersey top to toe as it doesn't tend to cover up lumps and bumps. However, I decided to team it with a lace, hanky hem vest from Tesco Clothing and I feel great in it. The shops are full of these styles of dresses right now and they are cheap! Stock up is what I say. The maxi length is sticking around for at least the next season.

This week's outfits by The Style PA featuring Miss Selfridge dresses

FUN - Guess who...

Look who I spotted... it is probably the easiest 'guess who?' ever. This person has her own signature style which you can spot from a mile away. Let's see who leaves a comment with the right answer first.

EVENT - Love 4 Culture BBQ in Shoreditch

 
The fab Love 4 Culture is hosting a BBQ & street party on the 1st August to raise awareness for their charity hook up with Shelter for their London themed tees. They'll be shutting down a street in Shoreditch for this shindig and it should be a good day. Why not come on down at some point during the day and enjoy the food, music and company for a paltry £3, which goes to Shelter.


If you fancy taking a look at the tees, head to Clothing for Culture. I'll be sporting this one...

COMPETITION - Win an iPad with vitaminwater i-focus (closed)

Great news for all my gadget loving readers. To celebrate the new i-focus vitaminwater, I've got the opportunity to give away a 32GB wi-fi iPad, Apple's latest must-have gadget. The perfect toy for a focussed mind some might say.

The latest member of the vitaminwater family, i-focus is kiwi and strawberry flavoured, yummy, and it's packed with antioxidant vitamin c and energy-releasing b vitamins for 'a little more kapow!' I could definitely do with some of that on a Monday morning! Find out more about i-focus at the Daily Vitamins blog, it might give you inspiration for your entry...


For your chance to win the iPad, simply finish this sentence:

"I find it hard to focus when..."

Leave your answer in a comment, ideally with a link to where we can get in touch with you if you win (a blog, Twitter profile etc.) The winner will be selected by the team at vitaminwater who will be responsible for sending out the prize. Good luck everyone.

The competition closes is now closed.

*If the prize is out of stock the winner will be given £500 of Apple vouchers.

And here's the winning entry from Leila, congrats!


"I find it hard to focus when....."

I've had a late night,
Too much to drink,
Next morning, head's pounding,
Can barely think,
My stomach's churning,
Feel so unwell,
This surely must be,
The hangover from hell,
Can't face breakfast,
Feel so atrocious,
Got such a craving,
For chilled i-focus,
This raging thirst,
Makes me irate,
Only Vitaminwater,
Can help me hydrate!!

SHOPPING - New Jewellery Bargains

I love a good sale and my jewellery collection was feeling a bit lacking so I bought a few cheap bits to better accessorise my outfits. I wouldn't wear cheap jewellery every day, but I'm a lover of variety when it comes to my accessory options. That's where a half price sale from Miss Selfridge and Oasis really comes in handy.

Anchors and florals... and why the hell not!

I've been looking for a cute necklace with an envelope for ages, this was £4.

They sparkle, they had to be mine at that price.

A lace bow headband, gorgeous!

What has everyone else been buying lately? Any fabulous sale bargains?

EVENTS - A Week of Fun

I love busy weeks with fun, friends, food and drink. This week has definitely been one of those for me. Here's how it panned out...

Wednesday: A half day off work to meet my sister who came to London for some fun. We lunched at Prezzo, checked out Camden's finest charity shops (while being chased by the rain) and had a wander round Camden's Horse market. My sis Abbie bagged herself an amazing vintage, floral dress. In the evening we sought out a suitable dessert and found it in the form of Frae in Angel - you have to try it, the frozen yoghurt sold there is amazing (if a little expensive).

Then it was off to see local band Safari at Brick Lane's 93 Feet East. Check out their music on Myspace, it's fab. I swear they sound like they have been together for years. The music is really commercial sounding but different enough to make you take notice when confronted with a new band a minute.

Safari on stage

Thursday: Date night! I'm a lucky girl as a certain gentleman treated me to raspberry beer at Belgo near Holborn followed by tickets to see Thriller Live. The first couple of numbers didn't do the cast justice, but the rest of the show was fab. The highlight had to be the Jackson 5 songs where the youngest  singer in the show was a perfect sound-alike for the early Jackson vocals. Throw in all your favourite MJ songs and that equals 2 hours of fun. It's currently starring Zoe Birkett who wowed on Pop Idol with her Big Band performances in the season won by Will Young.

 

Thriller Live

Friday: Blogger meet-up at Drunken Monkey in Shoreditch. Fabulous company in the form of some beautiful fashion bloggers made the evening and the master mojitos and dim sum just added to the fun. Read Lira's account, it's much more detailed than I could manage... It was great to catch up with some faces I don't get to see that often though. Natasha Bailie, Frankie of Swell Vintage, Tor of Fab Frocks, Reena of Fashion Daydreams, Kristabel from I want You to Know, Fiona from SOS and many more old and new faces. I called it a night after some dancing at the Electricity Showrooms near Hoxton Square although a few of the lads and ladies were in it for the long haul.

 

Saturday: I checked out the Lambeth Country Show. I love free events, especially when the whole community comes out in support. Me and some friends drunk cider and sat in the park watching the free music with the likes of Miss Frank performing. It wasn't quite Lovebox, but it was a nice way to kill a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon.

Sunday: I went to the cinema and watched Inception. It's odd, hard to get your head round at times, but still really action packed and exciting to watch. Plus Leo still looks pretty hot in it. It was my first time at Brixton's Ritzy Picturehouse and I'll definitely go back. Screen 1 looks like an old theatre inside rather than the usual corporate square box of a screening room.

Phew! This summer is getting busier and busier. I love it.

VIDEO - Get Gorgeous with Beauty Club

Debenhams Beauty Club have just launched a series of videos to give us girls some fab tips and advice on make-up and skincare. I've seen Luke the make-up artist in action before on a photoshoot for Debs and he definitely knows his stuff. Sarah who presents the video lives and breathes all things beauty and always arrives at the office looking glam and gorgeous! Who better to give you some beauty inspiration!

In this video, discover the 5 wonder brushes every woman should have in her make-up kit. If you've got a few tatty old brushes in your kit that have seen better days, throwing them out and updating them with some professional quality brushes will make the world of difference. I recently bought a load of new brushes and it really makes you want to take time over applying your make-up again; the results are so much better.

You can catch up with gossip from the Beauty Club at the Debenhams Beauty Club blog. Expect lots of new launches, tips and gossip. If you aren't already a member of the Debenhams Beauty Club, then what are you waiting for? Find out how to become a member.

What sort of beauty video guides would you be interested in seeing in future? I'll pass on your comments.

LINGERIE - Underwear the French Way

Last month I went along to an event to promote French lingerie brands put on by Lingerie Francaise, and if there is any nation that do lingerie well it's the French. It was a real eye opener and  not just because there were some gorgeous ladies prancing about in their undies!

The French have a different approach to lingerie. It's very much about beautifully well-crafted garments and lace and padded bras are just not as popular as they are with us Brits. In fact, I spoke to many of the brands there and it was suggested that British women and French women even get dressed differently in the morning. According to one expert, a French woman chooses her outfit and then picks the best bra to go with that outfit... most British women, put on their underwear and then proceed to put their outfit over the top. It's a subtle difference, but you can see that it would make a difference to the overall look and body confidence.

Chantelle, one of the gorgeous brands I had the pleasure of speaking with have provided their top tips below for finding the perfect bra...

• If your bra rides up your back or if you can slide your hand down the strap it’s a clear sign it’s too big!
         
• Your breasts should be sitting half way between your elbow and shoulder when your arms are down flat
         
• When buying a new bra it should fit comfortably on the loosest hook. Even the most expensive bra will lose some elasticity through lots of machine washes so this will also give you the ability to tighten it later on
   
• Hand washing underwear is best but if you must machine wash, use a small underwear bag for that extra protection!
         
• If you’ve got for the 4 boob look going on then the cup size is way too small!!
         
• The bridge of the bra should sit comfortably on your rib cage so ladies if there is a large gap between the bridge and your body then chances are the cup is too small!
          
• When you lift your arms up in the air the bra should stay put, if it moves with you it’s a poor fit

Chantelle say: Don't be mistaken that just because all the bras in your draw are one size, that that is the size you are! or that because you have been one size all your life you are still that size.  Along with everything else our bust changes in shape and size and you should ideally get measured every six months.

PARTY - Luscious Long Party with Aussie

 

Luscious Long Hair, it's a fabulous thing to have but it also has it's problems. It needs extra care and attention and can be prone to knots and tangles, especially in summer when the heat can dry it out.

Last night was the Luscious Long Tribe Party thrown by Aussie and we started the evening with a demo on creating a fab style for long hair. Both myself and my friend Jo were willing test-subjects for the loose side bun style that the amazing stylists Amber and Zara were showing us.

The party was held at Avalon in Shoreditch and the luxe setting was just perfect for the fairytale theme. We even had some special guests show up... Cinderella, Snow White and Prince Charming (whose opening line to us was 'how much do I like chicken!' A classic).

We got some great tips from the stylist. I asked about a better way to tie back my hair while on holiday... I always go for a bun but this creates more tangles. The girls suggested a chic side plait which is on-trend and won't create lots of knots. Also, pick products with sea kelp to smooth those fly-aways.

All of us bloggers and friends also contributed our own tips which are going to compiled into a bit of a hair bible. Can't wait for it.

Here are some pics from the event...

And here's what it takes to keep a luscious long bun in place...

And my hair even looked pretty once I took the bun out which shows how great the products are, especially the hairspray. It keeps everything in place while you need it to, but brushes out without leaving any nasty residue. Perfect!

BEAUTY - Designer Beauty Ranges

Where do we all stand on the subject of designer beauty ranges? I can't say as I'm convinced myself. In everything I buy I look for value, and beauty products are no exception. I've noticed more high end beauty ranges than ever... why are they successful?

My worry is that you pay a premium for the name, branding and packaging and that there isn't necessarily the level of beauty expertise behind the ranges that there might be behind a non-designer range in the same price bracket. Excuse me if I'm being ignorant, but from the beauty therapists I've spoken to, I've always been told to steer clear of the fashion house brands and opt instead for names like Dermatologica and Elemis, or those brands that pride themselves on quality ingredients and rigorous testing.

The latest designer name to launch a beauty range is Burberry. Their collection will be exclusively available at Harrods from Monday 12 July and although I won't be in the queue to spend my hard earned cash on it, I'm sure there are plenty of Burberry fans who can't wait to add to their collection. It looks pretty, that's a given, but the question is: Is it worth the money? I'm guessing no. Here's what a certain person has to say about it...

“Burberry Beauty reflects the natural style and relaxed attitude of our iconic trench coat capturing the effortless elegance and individuality of the Burberry girl.” CHRISTOPHER BAILEY

SHOES - Sarenza Shoe Lust

A girl can never have enough shoes. Even if your kitchen cupboards have to become shoe closets, I say it's all worth it.

So imagine my delight to hear that French shoe boutique Sarenza is bringing their designer style over to the UK. A big fat 'hurrah' is in order. I scoured the continental fashion findings section of the site and settled on a fab pair of blue suede heels. When my shoes arrived to review there was something in my wardrobe that instantly sprung to mind. My special edition striped dress screams summer and matched my new shoes perfectly.

These shoes by mine de rien are super comfortable with a soft suede upper and chunky wooden heel, my favourite kind as they won't require re-heeling for ages if ever. I love the platform heel, the cross over design and comfortable sling-back straps. It's also a nice touch that the wooden effect heel is grey rather than brown, it goes with a lot more of my wardrobe. Grey features there a lot. In fact, I intend to take them out partying this Saturday night... well, it would be rude not to give them a proper test run. Ask me again on Sunday morning how comfortable they are. These retail at £128 although offers can occasionally be found.

The Sarenza website includes over 80 fashionable brands such as French brands Mellow Yellow and Maloles. I discovered some of these very brands when I went to Paris earlier this year with the Galleries Lafayette shoe floor, a woman's heaven!

 

I'm a little bit late to the fabulous competition that Sarenza set up to highlight their UK launch, but you can head over there and vote for all the other lovely blogging ladies who have donned their Sarenza shoes and the perfect outfit from their closet that complements them. Inspiring stuff. I chose Mine de Rien because the shoes were totally on-trend yet they had sneaky features that made them really easy to wear too - the odd wedge heel, or chunky stacked heel are a real relief for a fashionista's feet.

View contest and vote for your favourite blogger.

REVIEW - Oversized Polaroid Sunglasses

For anyone who doesn't already know (there aren't many) I've just got back from a fabulous jaunt across Italy taking in the sights and sounds of Rome, Venice, Fermo and San Marino. It may have been sunny here, but it was positively scorching over there so essential packing has to include a pair of stylish sunglasses.

Lucky for me the lovely peeps at Polaroid asked if I'd like to try out a pair of theirs and how could I turn them down? There was a good selection to choose from but I settled on a plastic pair - I find them more durable as I've been known to break more than my share of sunnies during holidays abroad.

These Liberty F8008A frames retail at £65 which is a little more than I would usually pay for sunglasses, but spending more money, if you can, is definitely a good thing. Really cheap sunglasses don't actually protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. Polaroid sunglasses, including these, have polarized lenses which give 100% UV400 protection.

The arms of the glasses are wider than usual making them feel even sturdier (all the more likely to withstand being thrown in my handbag). The lenses give amazing protection from the sun's brightness and they can easily be worn on the head - although this can stretch them so is probably best avoided. I quite like the quilt effect detail on the arms and little crystal detail too. Makes them feel more premium.

On some face shapes an oversized, dark frame can be quite heavy, but most face shapes can carry them off to a degree. This style of shades are a favourite of celebs like Victoria Beckham who shies away from the paps wearing hers.

Nicole takes oversized to a whole new level... not sure I'm willing to go that far.