Style Note: The Isabella Oliver Cape

Posted by London Darling

Yesterday was one of those cold and breezy days in London when you really need something warm and snug to wrap up in. And what better way to wrap up than in a cape. It's the perfect alternative to a winter coat. I received this beautiful one as a Christmas Gift from one of my favourite labels Isabella Oliver.

Isabella Oliver Cape

London Fashion Week Diary: BODYAMR

Posted by London Darling

The BODYAMR show was one that I was particularly looking forward to, and it was well worth the wait. The signature draping that I love still played a huge role in the collection as an abundance of luxe fabrics and beaded embellishment.

BODYAMR show

Giveaway: Win Tickets to the 2010 Vitality Show!

Posted by London Darling

The lovely team at Vitality are treating three lucky readers to a pair of free tickets! Running from 18th-21st March in London’s Earls Court 2, Vitality is the UK’s largest health, beauty, fitness and wellbeing event for women.

WIN Vitality tickets

Beauty Buzz: Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare

Posted by London Darling

I recently changed my beauty regime to include the Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, the Instant Boost Skin Tonic and Skin Repair Moisturiser. It's been just six days, and already I've seen a noticeable difference in the clarity of my complexion and the texture of my skin.

Liz Earle Skincare

The lovely team at Vitality are treating three lucky readers to a pair of free tickets! Running from 18th-21st March in London’s Earls Court 2, Vitality is the UK’s largest health, beauty, fitness and wellbeing event for women.


So whether you want to revitalise, invigorate, inspire or simply spoil yourself, make sure this year's Vitality Show – sponsored by leading healthcare provider Simplyhealth - is a confirmed date in your diary.

To be in with a chance of winning, simply comment answering this question… Who is sponsoring the Vitality Show? Remember you must be following the blog or a subscriber via feedburner to enter the giveaway. Good Luck!

Web: www.vitalityshow.co.uk

Closing date: 7th March 2010. Winner will be picked at random.

Date: 18th - 21st March
Location: Earl's Court 2, Warwick Road, London SW5 9TA
Admission: from £5.00

It's that time of year again girls, the Vitality Show is back at Earl's Court. Now with even more attractions, expect over 350 fitness and wellbeing companies under one roof to pamper, advise and inspire your health and beauty buys.


Along with all the regulars, The Vitality Show has introduced a series of new and interactive attractions for 2010 including the POM Wonderful Kitchen, with residents chefs on hand to whip up tasty healthy snacks using pomegranate juice, a skin consultation bar offering free advice on how to keep your skin looking fresh and young and a gluten free village, full of information and advice on the latest allergies and food intolerances.

There's also a new highlight: One Life Live Show; lead by experts John Lees, Jessica Chivers and Pete Cohen, the show will feature motivational talks and discussions about holistic therapies.

Admission is just £5 on the evening of Thursday 18th, and £14.50 when you book the weekend dates in advance. More on the door.

Web: www.thevitalityshow.co.uk



The BODYAMR show was one that I was particularly looking forward to, and it was well worth the wait. The signature draping that I love still played a huge role in the collection as well as an abundance of luxe fabrics and beaded embellishment.

A predominantly monochrome collection with splashes of bold print in rich purples, Venetian red and green, made for interesting viewing. Free flowing white and cream dresses with nipped in waists had a Grecian goddess feel and black cutaway dresses were real statement pieces.

The hero pieces that stood out for me were the dress with contrasting print panelling and the structured numbers with gold chain detailing; incredibly sexy and chic. It was also interesting to see mohair box cut jackets paired with gold belted harem style pants. The gold mini with matching long-line jacket were really quite powerful.

BODYAMR's collection from start to finish was incredibly strong and engaged you in an element of fantasy. Yet all pieces were instantly wearable. This was impressive but no surprise to me as I've long been a fan of the label for this very reason.

Web: www.vauxhallfashionscout.com
Image Credit: Vauxhall Fashion Scount

The challenge was on for ethical label Prophetik to bring sustainable fashion to the catwalk and excite us with something a little different. Well, the live band that played at the show was a really cool touch to what was otherwise a very simple style offering of laid back layers, grey, denim and black.

Simple isn't necessary a bad thing, it's just for me, fashion week is about presenting something that packs a punch or two, a collection that 'pops' on the catwalk and grabs my attention, and in this case, the collection failed to excite me hugely.

In fact, it was all very practical. And I completely get it - the inspiration behind the collection was the American Civil War - a time where fashion understandably underwent rationing. So simplicity is key.

On a more positive note there was plenty that I could appreciate; I liked the high waist trousers, the slim tailoring, the boleros pinned with a solitary button and the short waistcoats. I also thought the injection of blood red hues in a select number dresses and accessories helped to brighten up the catwalk. However, no piece or ensemble stood out as the next big trend.

Prophetik's collection clearly flies the flag for ethical fashion and remind us that sustainable can be stylish, I just wish there more luster. See video for a snippet of the show.



Web: www.vauxhallfashionscout.com
Image Credit: Vauxhall Fashion Scout

It was an interesting first day for me at London Fashion Week. I attended the David Koma show, which was short to say the least but an interesting collection of vampish leather, cutaway dresses, geometric shapes and one shoulder numbers. It was a dark, warrior-esque collection where goth met power dressing and body con shapes were in full effect.

The pieces made me think that Koma's muse is a modern day Xena Warrior Princess; the gold and silver embellishment that played an important part throughout, added a distinctly military feel to the pieces. If Xena was on a hot date with Hercules in 2010, she'd definitely be wearing a dress from David Koma's latest style offering. It's so very her!

So this is a taste of style to come? I wonder which celebrities will be endorsing this new trend first? We saw Beyonce in David Koma at MTV European Music Awards and Cheryl Cole during X Factor last year. Most likely Rihanna or Lady Gaga (who is also a fan). Both artists seemingly push the boat out on being fashion-forward and this new collection would be right up their street.

The colour palette was somewhat predictable for the season; fail proof hues of stone, tan and black were obvious staple colours for the winter months. Overall, the collection wasn't my idea of amazing, but I did find the bold embellishment and his angle on geometric shapes really interesting and strong. I'll be keen to see how this look translates to the high street. For the collection in a nutshell, check out this quick video of the show made by ASOS.

Web: www.vauxhallfashionscout.com
Image credit
: Vauxhall Fashion Scout


Yesterday was one of those cold and breezy days in London when you really need something warm and snug to wrap up in.

And what better way to wrap up than in a cape. It's the perfect alternative to a winter coat. I received this beautiful one as a Christmas Gift from one of my favourite labels Isabella Oliver.

It's part wool, part cashmere and the perfect fit. As you can see, the colour is a yummy camel toffee and whenever I wear it, I'm always stopped to ask where it's from. This cape is a prime example of the sheer brilliance of Isabella Oliver at it's best, and granted, it's last season but sophistication never goes out of fashion!


Isabella Oliver's Spring Summer collection is available online, I already have my eye on a few things I'd love to buy for the new season; the Coco Blazer, £159.00 is top of my list, closely followed by the Classic Wrap Dress, £99.00. What's on yours?

Web: www.isabellaoliver.com
It's official: I'm in love with the Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare range.

I recently changed my beauty regime to include the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, the Instant Boost Skin Tonic and Skin Repair Moisturiser. It's been just six days, and already I've seen a noticeable difference in the clarity of my complexion and the texture of my skin.

I know that I'm a tad late on discovering the benefits of this range; fellow beauty bloggers have been raving about it for some time now. But like so many other women, I tend to be a stickler for brands and products I've used for years - I need to be strongly convinced before I consider anything other than my favourites. So when I was invited to try out the Liz Earle Signature Facial (£85.00) it was the perfect opportunity to get to know the brand personally.

Treatment room at the Liz Earle Flagship Store, Duke of York Square.

The facial is 90 minutes of pure, unadulterated indulgence, right down to the treatment bed (which was huge!) It was wonderful having my face treated with what felt like the most luxuriously rich, fragrant products. The treatment was so relaxing that I'm sure I let out a tiny snore as I dozed off for what must have been 10 minutes. (Somewhat embarrassing I know, and I'm not even a snorer!)

Victoria, the therapist was very thorough, and I was particularly impressed with her technique of extraction; it was close to being pain-free. After the treatment (which also included a shoulder massage and foot rub), my skin felt replenished, looked brighter and had a healthy glow.

I was curious to follow up with the home care products and see whether they would help to prolong the results of the facial. I gave myself one week to try a selection from the Liz Earle skincare range and consider if the buzz surrounding the iconic Hot Cloth Cleanser and others were truly deserved.

Packed with ingredients such as eucalyptus, cocoa butter and rosemary, It didn't take long to understand just why the Hot Cloth Cleanser has won numerous awards; quite frankly it does exactly what it says on the bottle - it works, and works so very well.

The cleanser removes stubborn mascara and all traces of makeup with complete ease. It smells gorgeous and my skin is super soft afterwards. Currently, I use the cleanser twice daily and follow up with the toner and moisturiser, which are equally fabulous products.

The best thing about the products is that whilst they are not strictly designed 'for problem skin' they work on getting rid of those pesky blemishes that I'd normally have to treat with Salicylic acid based lotions, and with my sensitive skin, they tend to irritate my skin in the process.

Tomorrow will be the last day of what was supposed to be a temporary beauty regime, however, I love the products so much that I will continue to use it as part of my daily skincare ritual. I really believe the hype now, in fact it's not hype at all - Liz Earle products really work, even on acne prone skin like mine. I can't wait to see the results in a month's time!

Liz Earle
38-39 Duke of York Square,
Kings Road, London, SW3 4LY
Tel: 020 7730 9191
Web: www.lizearle.com

Leave your comments! Have you tried Liz Earle products?

Date: 06th February
Time: 11:00 - 15:30
Location: Jalouse Private Members Club
17 Hanover Square
London
W1S 1HU

This weekend sees the launch of One Day Diva; a series of designer sale events in a bid to satisfy your fashion cravings and support Breast Cancer Research.


The events will be set in the heart of Mayfair, and is the brainchild of two friends; Francesca Farnesi of London Dress Agency Frankie and Lola, and Hayley Smith - a singer with a passion for fashion. Expect gorgeous clothes, coveted accessories and shoes, all displayed at a stitch of the rrp.

Among the sellers will be vintage & designer couture boutique owners and industry specialists, including Frocking Fabulous Vintage, Funky Bling and Rous Iland Boutique. With 20 hand-picked sellers all showcasing on the day, celebrity stylist Ian B will be on hand to offer complimentary personal styling advice to shoppers.

There are a limited number of tickets left which include special VIP Early Tickets to get your hands on a goodie bag and receive two hours priority shopping access to the best bargains. I'll be there, will you?

Web: www.onedaydiva.com
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