fashionmommy's Blog

Summer bags for festivals and Holidays from Cath Kidston

fashion-mommy — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:01 +0000

There is something about Cath Kidston that screams Summer at the top its voice. Maybe it is the kitsch prints and patterns, or the use of shiny, wipe clean materials that make them picnic and festival friendly, or maybe it is the cute boxy styles that mean they always have a ladylike edge. Whatever it is, a Cath Kidston bag is top of your Summer shopping list.

This season the brand has the perfect backpacks for traveling light, whether to Glastonbury or Glyndebourne. I just love the chintzy tea rose print that is perfectly girly and feminine. There are wipe clean day bags with 50s polka dots that would jazz up the simplest of jeans and t-shirt combinations, and are light enough to use every day without breaking the wrist. And then there are the travel bags. I am definitely getting the London holdall that packs into a tiny wallet – this is the perfect bag to put into your suitcase to give you an extra option when you need extra baggage on your way back.

Do you own a Cath Kidston bag – are you as obsessed with them as I am?

Spot Backpack £42 click to visit Cath Kidston

cath kidston trailing floral backpack £42 click to visit Cath Kidston

cath kidston Spot Day Bag £50 click to visit Cath Kidston

London Fold Away Holiday Bag £38 click to visit Cath Kidston

Antique Rose Travel Bag £75 click to visit Cath Kidston

Huge celebrity get the look special featuring Made in Chelsea, In Love with Fashion, and pregnant ladies!

fashion-mommy — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:26:21 +0000

This is probably one of the biggest celebrity style posts I have ever completed, it started as a mini post but I just kept finding more and more celebrity looks and lookalikes to add!

The first thing featured is a very cute gift that was presented to Beyoncé when she recently toured the UK. The gift was from luxury baby brand My 1st Years, who specialise in gorgeous personalised baby products, and featured Blue Ivy and Princess Carter personalisation. You can choose from a huge range of products at My 1st Years, perfect gifts for Christenings, new babies and Baby Showers.

Beyoncé’s baby gift from My 1st Years

Check out baby gifts from My 1st Years, click here.

In Love With Fashion has long been a must wear label amongst pop stars, reality TV stars and media stars. Recent spots have been Rochelle Wiseman covering her baby bump in a citrus coloured tunic top, DJ Kate Lawler looking frankly amazing in a striped maxi at the Sony Awards, and Millie Mackintosh showing how stylish playsuits can be in royal blue.

Rochelle from The Saturdays wears In Love With Fashion

Pink and Lime shift dress 28 click to visit Love

Little Mix star Perrie wears In Love with Fashion

Black Tie Dye crop top £7 click to visit Love

Kate Lawler wears Love

LOVE Black and White Stripe Cut Out Maxi Dress £36 click to visit Love

Millie Mackintosh wears Love

LOVE Cobalt Long Sleeve Wrap Playsuit £32 click to visit Love

Get the Look – Cheryl Cole

Cheryl Cole is back in the limelight, looking amazing in Zuhair Murad at the Cannes film festival, so now seems the perfect time to show a few get the looks for the lovely lady. First up is her off duty look in the form of a perfect blue leather bag that gives you a similar look to Cheryl’s airport style. Then, for some sensational showstopping, the green beaded bodycon from Celeb Boutique is Cheryl at her gorgeous best. (This dress has also been worn by Danielle Lloyd).

Dorothy Azure £165 click to visit Nat & Nin

Cheryl Cole Celeb Boutique

cheryl green beaded bodycon dress £129.99

Alesha Dixon in Celeb Boutique

Another star who wears Celeb boutique is Miss Alesha Dixon, currently on screen in Britain’s Got Talent. I have featured this dress as it is still available and has recently been reduced, so you can get some geniune star style with a little bit of discount – always a good thing.

Layla Multicoloured strapless peplum dress £99.99 click to visit Celeb Boutique

Lisa Riley in Scarlett and Jo

I was lucky enough to be sent a stunning dress from Scarlett and Jo (click on the link to read the review), so I was really pleased to see the brand going from strength to strength, with the lovely Lisa Riley the latest convert. She looks fabulous in this fit and flare tunic which mixes the most fabulous colours.

Scarlet and Jo Floral Print Fit and Flare Tunic Price: £35.00 click to visit Evans

Lisa Riley in Anna Scholz

Lisa is really becoming one to watch in the style stakes, choosing a range of stunning looks from plus size collections that show that curvier ladies no longer need to be encased in smock like garments. A case in point is this amazing lace, citrus coloured dress that Lisa chose from Anna Scholz to wear to a family wedding. She looked incredible.

Lace Gathered Border Dress £245 click to visit Anna Scholz

Alex Jones in Marks and Spencers Limited Collection

Alex Jones always wears eye catching blouses and tops on ‘The One Show’, and many of them come from High Street sources. A case in point being the lovely Bull print red blouse that is part of the Limited collection from M&S, available at the moment.

Limited Collection Conversational Bull Print Shirt £27.50 click to visit M&S

Jenna Dewan Tatum and Ali Landry wear Isabella Oliver

2013 will definitely be known as the year when it seemed everyone was pregnant. Many celebrity moms to be have flocked to Isabella Oliver, loving the cool, classic basic shapes that are just perfect for growing bumps. The latest ladies to sport the Isabella Oliver looks are Jenna Dewan Tatum and Ali Landry, who show that items from the range can be casual, or glamorous, with equal aplomb.

Ruched Maternity Tank Top £35 click to visit Isabella Oliver

Ruched Maternity Tank Dress £95 click to visit Isabella Oliver

Cheska Hull in Aspire Style Louche Valora dress

And finally (phew!), we have one of my favourite Made in Chelsea ladies, the lovely Cheska Hull, wearing a brand I featured on the blog yesterday, Aspire Style. Cheska was wearing the gorgeous Louche Valora dress with its beautiful floral print. It looked so pretty, perfect for summer picnics and lazy days.

Louche Valora dress £49 click to visit Aspire Style

New Kardashian Kollection launches at Dorothy Perkins

fashion-mommy — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:05:10 +0000

The second collection from the Kardashian sisters for Dorothy Perkins has launched today, and I think it is even better than the first. Using a palette of black, white, creams and greys, mixed with the softest shade of baby pink, the latest collection is a combination of feminine tailoring and body hugging Kardashian dresses, showing off the individual personalities of Khloe, Kourtney and Kim.

There is a lot to admire about this collection. I love the ombre style dip dye blazer in pink merging into purple, this would look amazing with jeans or over tailored black trousers. The white bodycon dress is beautiful, making the little white dress a great alternative to the LBD. Floaty print blouses are a nice departure from the more structured looks and will be perfect for summer holiday dressing.

Here are some of my favourite pieces from the collection.

Kardashian Kollection white bodycon dress Price: £45.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Kardashian Kollection black and white rouched dress Price: £40.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Kardashian Kollection black and white gold bar dress Price: £40.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Kardashian Kollection cream metallic blazer Price: £55.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Kardashian Kollection ombre printed jacket Price: £55.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Kardashian Kollection black and white blouse Price: £32.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Kardashian Kollection blush sleeveless blouse Price: £30.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Kardashian Kollection black ottoman pencil skirt Price: £32.00 click to visit Dorothy Perkins

Bright Light Press Day – Fabulous brands, Fabulous fashion.

fashion-mommy — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:31:17 +0000

May is always a busy time in fashion, with many of the top High Street and designer brands hosting their press previews for the upcoming Autumn/Winter season. I was lucky enough to receive an invite for the Bright Light PR press day that was held in the The Gallery, Soho, last week. Bright Light represent a host of fabulous brands, from Lands’ End and Closet Clothing, to Damsel in a Dress and Olsen, so it was bound to be a great event full of interesting ranges.

And so it proved to be. Here are some of the highlights from the different collections showcased on the day.

Simone Perele

Jonathan Aston, London

Love this display from Jonathan Aston London

Second Female

I found one of these gorgeous necklaces in the goody bag.

Beautiful!

Aspire Style

1950s inspired dresses.

Super cute!

Totally fell in love with these beautiful bags from Aspire.

Olsen

Lands’ End

Damsel in a Dress

Closet clothing

The Gatsby Girl premiere and shop the trend at Lipsy

fashion-mommy — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:09:59 +0000

The Great Gatsby is turning out to be the most influential fashion event of 2013. The premiere at the Cannes film festival on Friday was a super stylish event which saw the attendees pulling out all the stops in the style stakes. To put it quite simply, the abundance of beautiful looks on the big screen meant that it was simply unthinkable not to make the same amount of effort off-screen. Most fashion critics even commented on how glamorous the normally low-key star, Carey Mulligan looked on the red carpet, with sleek long hair and a slash of red lipstick.

Great Gatsby Premiere stars

Lipsy has some great Gatsby inspired pieces at the moment. Placing emphasis on the beautiful beading that was so important to the trends of the 1920s, but bringing things bang up to date with shorter lengths and strapless bodices, Lipsy have really excelled in creating pieces that will be perfect for addressing this trend now, but also surviving into next season and proving to be a great option come party season.

Take a look at some of my favourite pieces from the Gatsby trend at Lipsy.

Lipsy Embellished Rose Top £40.00 click to visit Lipsy

Lipsy V I P Lace Beaded Detail Feather Hem Shift Dress £130.00 click to visit Lipsy

Lipsy Scallop Beaded Vest Dress £65.00 click to visit Lipsy

Lipsy Scallop Edge Beaded Vest Top £40.00 click to visit Lipsy

Lipsy V I P Scallop Sequin Bandeau Dress £120.00 click to visit Lipsy

Frock And Frill Tabard Top Embellished Dress £75.00 click to visit Lipsy

Lipsy V I P Flower Beaded Shift Dress £125.00 click to visit Lipsy

Lipsy V I P Jewelled Detail Low Maxi Dress £130.00 click to visit Lipsy

Storage solutions for the ever growing wardrobe

fashion-mommy — Sat, 18 May 2013 21:34:11 +0000

Once upon a time we had one wardrobe, and were able to fit everything in it. But these days we seem to need ever-growing space to fit our ever-growing wardrobes and accessories. We have our Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter wardrobes that need to be switched as the seasons change, we hold onto clothes that we feel might come back into fashion at some stage, and just seem to buy more in general, through sales, charity shops, online auctions, clothes shops – the list is endless. Extra storage has become so important that companies like www.loknstore.co.uk now offer the option of storage rooms that are clean, painted and polished, offering a perfect alternative to the rather dusty loft that we used to use.

Here are some examples of different types of storage for your wardrobe – from ways to store accessories to large storage rooms.

Accessories and storage boxes

Pretty items like scarves and jewellery can be stored in a range of pretty, vintage style boxes. These actually look great – many have an appearance of vintage hats boxes and can be stored on top of wardrobes, or under beds if you lace space. Wisteria Avenue have a great range at the moment that resemble the sort of beautiful boxes that used to contain dresses and hats delivered from exclusive department stores in the 1920s.

Under stairs storage

Any cupboard space can be transformed by adding shelving and hooks. My hubby has recently worked his magic on a cupboard that we have under the stairs. Shelves were measured to make space for toys, pretty Art Nouveau style hooks were added to the door to hold some of my handbag collection. This was previously dead space that was used as a dumping ground for just about anything, now it is a relevant area that is easy to access and provides a storage area that is multi functional.

Walk in Wardrobes

There can’t be a woman alive who hasn’t dreamed of having a walk in wardrobe like the one’s that Carrie Bradshaw owned in Sex and the City. The one in the first movie was just amazing, but even in her own small apartment Carrie gave a lot of her living space over to her clothing. Walk in wardrobes are today much easier to achieve, perfect for the sort of box rooms that are just too small to be considered bedrooms, and with help from Ikea, you can create the correct storage space that is perfect for you.

Storage Rooms

And if all else fails, and you still find yourself stuffing your lovely belongings into every available space, then there is the option of storage rooms from companies like Lok’NStore. These rooms do the jobs that our lofts and attics used to do before we changed them into extra bedrooms in our quest for extra space. You have a key to the padlock for your space, which is bright, airy, clean and painted – no industrial space is this. This is the perfect solution when you are really stuck for where to put everything, and often costs less than £15 per week.

Bodhi Spa Soiree – a night of luxury

fashion-mommy — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:20:49 +0000

There are some invites that you simply cannot ignore. Dinner with George Clooney, a trip to the top of The Shard, anything all expenses paid and involving shopping, the list is full of the sorts of experiences that would linger in the memory forever. And an invitation to a special Spa Soiree with one of my favourite brands, Bodhi, is another experience that you simply could not turn down, even if you were feeling quite poorly. (As I, unfortunately, was last week).

Being Bodhi, this was no ordinary Spa evening. Taking place in the plush surroundings of the penthouse of the ‘Staying Cool’ apartments in Birmingham’s Iconic Rotunda building, and with a guest list that included top beauty bloggers from across the country, long-term friends of the brand, and Midland TV and radio personalities, the evening was a celebration of natural, organic beauty in the form of some of Bodhi’s brand new products, with opportunities to experience the brand at first hand through massage and facial treatments.

With BBC's Joanne Malin enjoying the products

Bodhi supremo Elijah Choo, along with right-hand lady Kelly Clarke, were there to introduce some of the exciting new products that are further proof that the Bodhi brand continues to grow and move from strength to strength. Of course, the best way to experience any new product is to actually try it, and Elijah was positively encouraging guests to roll their sleeves up and experience the beauty of Bodhi’s new products. The total hero product of the night was the new salt scrub, a new product from the Artisan series, ‘Rosemary Chi Himalayan Detox Salt Scrub’. I used this product on my hands in warm water, giving them a fairly vigorous scrubbing, and was totally shocked by the result. To put it bluntly, my hands were softer than a baby’s bottom, feeling nourished, cleansed and totally invigorated. I have since used this product all over and can safely say the results are the same – unbelievably good, perfect for holiday skin.

The new products were beautifully showcased in the Staying Cool Penthouse

There were other new products that Bodhi tempted and teased with. The Mint the temple balm is a product I can’t wait to add to my toiletry bag, perfect for rubbing into the temple to aid relaxation and ease those tension headaches which can be such a blight to my life. I also loved the soothing cacao lip balm, the only problem being resisting the temptation to stop licking it off my lips, it tasted so yummy. Luckily Elijah knows his audience well, and the lip treatment balm is 100% edible.

Enjoying Blue tea in the wind, 20 stories above Brum.

Before my night was over I was treated to a fabulous facial by Jess from Spoiltface. I was prepared for my facial with a special blue tea, which was both refreshing and delicious. Elijah had especially chosen the tea to compliment my treatment, and had also recommended a suitable treatment for me, which involved the Desert Rose rejuvenating oil, something that really helps stressed and tired skin, and is also brilliant for anti-aging. The facial session was a very relaxing experience (I almost fell asleep) with Jess a very calm presence who lulls you into relaxing. By the end of the session I felt 10 years younger, my skin was super soft and glowing, and the dryness I sometimes experience around the edge of my face was gone. My skin just felt so good, and so clean.

Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil £56.00 click to visit Bodhi

I had the most amazing time at the Bodhi Spa Soiree. The icing on the cake was a stunning goodie bag that contained a tub of the Salt Scrub, along with two more new products, the Neroli Luce revitalising face oil, and the Flora Paradiso de-stress massage and body oil. I am going to review both products in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes open for more Bodhi on the blog.

With huge thanks to Elijah Choo, Kelly-Louise Clarke and Rewired PR.

Friday shopping focus

fashion-mommy — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:34:17 +0000

Friday shopping this week focuses on a tale of extremes. In one corner we have George from Asda, which has a gorgeous new tropical collection that is just perfect for adding sultry sunshine to your wardrobe. The collection is lovely, and with prices below £25, is also great value and a perfect budget friendly treat. In the other corner we have the luxurious top picks of the week from Selfridges, which include a classic dress from Roland Mouret, and a mouth-watering gorgeous jacket from Isabel Marant.

There is also a great bag and shoe offer from Clarks, which would enable you to buy the Marsh flower bag for just £15 when purchasing together with the Scent Flower shoes. Boohoo have a discount code which gives you 30% off their holiday shop collection, including some real bargain sandals and beach bags. And, of course, this weekend sees the famous Debenhams spectacular, with huge savings across the store. I have featured some of my fave pieces from Jasper Conran, one of the true stalwarts of the Designers at Debenhams collections, full of stylish and classic pieces.

Happy shopping!

Ted Baker

ROWSE - Mid summer print scarf £59 click to visit Ted Baker

TEETEA - Graphic printed scarf £49 click to visit Ted Baker

NEEMO - Tropical reef scarf £59 click to visit Ted Baker

Selfridges top picks

Tom Binns Electro Necklace £750 click to visit Selfridges

EXCLUSIVE – Roland Mouret Alexandria Dress £1,195 click to visit Selfridges

Isabel Marant Embellished Bomber Jacket £1,150 click to visit Selfridges

Joseph Two-Toned Leather Tote £445 click to visit Selfridges

Clarks bag and shoes offer

Scent Flower £44.99 click to visit Clarks

Marsh Flower £24.99 click to visit Clarks

Offer: £10 off Marsh Flower pink bag when purchased with Scent Flower coral shoe
Code: BAGS3
Dates: Fri 10th May to Sat 8th June

George at Asda goes Tropical

Sleeveless Printed Chiffon Maxi Dress £18.00 click to visit George

Palm Tree Print Jersey Pencil Skirt £12.00 click to visit George at Asda

Palm Tree Print Jersey Peplum Top £10.00 click to visit George at Asda

Sequin Vest £12.00 click to visit George at Asda

Debenhams J Jasper Conran offers

Designer natural sketched prom dress £71.25 click to visit Debenhams

Designer white multi striped prom dress £63.75 click to visit Debenhams

Navy Patent Leather Loafer Trim Pumps £31.50 click to visit Debenhams

Navy faux leather trimmed ponte jersey dress £41.25 click to visit Debenhams

Beige textured striped jacket £32.50 click to visit Debenhams

Boohoo 30% off Holiday Shop

April Tassel Oversized Tee £10 click to visit Boohoo

Skye Cross Strap With Ankle Strap In Snake Gladiator £12 click to visit Boohoo

Georgie Jelly Shopper £18 click to visit Boohoo

Orla Ombre Animal Print Chiffon Dress £15 click to visit Boohoo

Boohoo offers

30% Off Holiday Shop: Sun30: 13^th – 19^th May

Free UK Delivery over £35: FREE35: 13^thMay – tbc

Heather Watson – new tennis style star looks set to shine at the Aegon Classic

fashion-mommy — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:35:05 +0000

British No1 tennis star Heather Watson has been unveiled as the face of the Aegon Classic, and shows, in a series of gorgeous images, why she looks set to be the new golden girl of British sport. In the same way Jessica Ennis has shown that sports women can be attractive and fashionable as well as being sporty and super talented, the lovely Heather is sure to attract many more young girls into picking up their tennis rackets and giving the sport a go.

Heather is the perfect person to represent the Aegon Classic, a tournament that is truly on the rise in terms of interest levels. She won her first WTA title in October last year when she lifted the trophy at the Japan Open, the first British woman in 24years to do this, and looks set to sparkle this summer at both the Aegon Classic and Wimbledon.

And Heather is also showing she is no slouch in the style stakes either, with a series of coolly glamorous looks that show she is capable of being the girl next door, or a rather gorgeous siren on the red carpet, such as her appearance at the MOBO awards in a little black dress. Add this in with her first magazine cover, and you truly have a style star to watch.

Heather Watson Style

Heather style – nude shades from Miss Selfridge

Petites Embellished Tea Dress Price: £69.00 click to visit Miss Selfridge

Embellished Hem Flippy Skirt Price: £50.00 click to visit Miss Selfridge

Stolen Nude Mid Heel Court Price: £39.00 click to visit Miss Selfridge

Sequin Strapless Dress Price: £49.00 click to visit Miss Selfridge

Pearl Embellished Maxi Dress Price: £65.00 click to visit Miss Selfridge

Foil Peter Pan Tee Price: £32.00 click to visit Miss Selfridge

Dreaming of beautiful houses

fashion-mommy — Thu, 16 May 2013 08:52:13 +0000

I often find myself dreaming about where I would live if I won the lottery. Now, this is a little silly in many ways, not least in that I rarely buy a lottery ticket, let alone win more than £10 (and that gets me excited – a win is a win, after all), but we can all fantasise, and I find most of my dreams concern houses and apartments, and even superyachts that I have seen on TV and films.

The country cottage

One case in point is my dream of a cottage in the country. I can’t be the only one who browsed cottages and countryhousesforsale after watching Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet house swap in The Holiday. This was the definitive chocolate box cottage, beautifully rustic in the midst of a perfect country setting. I loved this cottage, totally falling in love with it on the big screen, but the reality is that I already live in a semi-rural area and that sometimes drives me to distraction, so this cottage, although looking idyllic, would probably not be for me in reality.

The luxury New York Apartment

Much more suited would be Carrie and Big’s apartment in the first Sex in the City movie. You all know the one I mean, the one with the HUGE walk in wardrobe. Now, this one ticks so many boxes for me in terms of storage for my clothing and shoes, which do have a tendency to take over all available space. And of course, New York would be an amazing place to live. But, the lack of a garden is a bit of a deal breaker, even in my fantasy world, so it is back to the drawing board once again.

The Superyacht

Watching all the beautiful celebrities currently jetting off to Cannes, and then appearing on the decks of luxurious superyachts makes me long for a life on the ocean wave, full of sun soaked days of swimming, sunbathing and docking in interesting, cosmopolitan ports. Kate Moss seems to spend every summer doing just that, and maybe that’s the point – a great option for spending some part of the year, but not 365 days of it.

Desperate Housewives?

So then I come to the house that ticks all the boxes. Beautiful, with gorgeously decorated and furnished rooms and pretty landscaped gardens, the houses on Wisteria Lane are just perfect…although the murders that seemed to occur there at an astonishing rate are not such a plus point, so it could be back to the drawing board. Maybe I’ll take a look around the beautiful, peaceful village that is Midsummer…