Truth Serum..

What do Jessica Alba, Eva Mendez, Eva Longoria, Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez all have in common (apart from mega-bucks)? The answer is beautiful, bronzed, glowing skin. The kind of skin that speaks of sumptuous spa rituals and a super-high maintenance lifestyle. The kind of skin that glistens on the decks of fabulous yachts in ST Tropez and gleams in couture on the red carpet at the Oscars. We're all familiar with the fake tan horror stories. From Jodie Marsh to Katie Price, the not-quite-human tangerine glow of the tanorexic is without doubt a major deterrent when it comes to tanning. But what if you could fake it in the knowledge that the results would be Gisele rather than Jordan? New Rapid Tan really is a miracle in a bottle as far as successful home-tanning goes. Granted, I did enlist the services of my partner when it came to doing my back - but otherwise, this really is an easy-to-follow DIY tanning product. I've attempted home-tanning in the past with mixed results. Last summer I had a particularly traumatic experience with the organic Cocoa Glow Natural Sunless Tanner from Chocolate Sun. As the product wasn't tinted, it was impossible to gauge whether there would be any streaks post-application. Imagine my horror when the morning-after-the-tan-before, I awoke a deep shade of bronze with a new set of tiger-like stripes on my fore arms. Trust me when I say it was a look I would never wish to repeat - EVER. However, Rapid Tan is not only tinted to ensure a streak-free finish, it also comes with a handy mitt. Simply pour a little product onto the sponge side of the mitt and massage into the skin in circular motions. Once you've covered the desired areas, you simply buff the skin with the mitt to ensure a flawless, even result. It's worth adding that this product smells surprisingly fresh and botanical, not at all like most fake tanning products. The product is certainly true to it's "rapid" title - my skin bronzed visibly within an hour of application, developing to a rich "I've just spent two weeks in the Maldives" tan by morning. To ensure the best results it's worth prepping properly by exfoliating your face and body thoroughly and applying the product to clean and moisturiser-free skin. Avoid exposure to water for 3-6 hours, I advise applying last thing at night to avoid any wardrobe nightmares (fake tan smears don't look good on anyone).

Rapid Tan - £19.99

Available at:

Sally - 0845 601 4861

AND

www.beautyexpress.co.uk

Closet Case

Closet Case..

So the launch of the my-wardrobe.com Denim Bar service and temporary Pop-Up Shop at 38 Carnaby Street was beyond amazing. It was VIP guests galore with stylists Gemma Cairney (Frock Me) and Rebekah Roy (styles Kate Nash amongst others) both in attendance. The photos above feature myself, Sarah Curran (CEO of My-wardrobe) and Frock Me's Gemma Cairney respectively. The quirky denim interior was designed by Sketch's Mark Lawson-Bell (the denim was provided by Nudie Jeans). Steve Doyle, editor and founder of Buck Magazine and Marcus Jaye, Creative Director of thechicgeek.co.uk were both representative of the male style contingency. Sarah Curran, CEO of My-wardrobe was on hand to discuss the launch of the e-tailer's Denim Bar service, designed to help male and female shoppers find the best style of jeans for them (along with some rather nifty styling tips). Menswear Buyer Lee Douros, waxed lyrical about the vast array of brand options available to male customers this season, with denim galore on offer from brands as diverse as Acne, Nudie, Lee and King Crash to name just a few. Lee was particularly excited about the Vivienne Westwood and Lee Jeans collaboration for AW10, which promises to spawn many a collector's item. Buying Director Luisa de Paula shared her fashion nous, hailing J Brand's Houlihan as THE "must have" item for women this season and next. Drawing upon her razor-sharp style intuition, she cited this combat trouser / jean hybrid as a Utility Chic staple that will be as strong come AW10 as it is this summer. To view all the interviews from the My-wardrobe team and celebrity guests, watch the video below:

Jean Genie

Jean Genie...

Gearing up for the launch party of My-wardrobe.com's new pop-up denim bar at 38 Carnaby Street. With an installation designed by Mark Lawson-Bell, the creative genius behind the interiors at Sketch, this is set to be THE fashion happening of the week. In association with Nudie Jeans, Tanqueray No.10, Mixmag Fashion and Carnaby London. There will be collections from 8 denim brands; JBrand, Current/Elliot, 7 For All Mankind, Nudie, Paige and Nobody. New Designers for AW10 include the new Vivienne Westwood / Lee Jeans collaboration. Sip your Tanqueray No.10 my-martini in style, whilst browsing the SS10 menswear denim collections and benefitting from style tips from my-wardrobe experts and guest stylists including thechicgeek. Did I mention that Ian B from IBSTYLE will be filming the event with Leo Baker from the uber-cool Sync Films? Guests be warned, I will be prowling the bar like a panther, interviewing guests and my-wardrobe teamsters about all things denim. What to wear?????

www.my-wardrobe.com

Hell For Leather

Hell For Leather…

La Rioja is famed for its glorious wine and beautiful, rugged terrain. What you may not know, is that it is also home to Neosens, a cult Spanish footwear label that has earned a special place in my “little black book” of secret style destinations. Spain, along with Italy, has a rich history when it comes to quality leather goods. A couple of years ago, I had the honour of visiting La Rioja as a guest of Neosens. I and the other fashion editors were treated not only to some of the finest food and wine that the La Rioja region had to offer – but also to the pair of shoes or boots of our choice from the Neosens collection. Spanish brands such as Mango, Zara and Custo Barcelona have become synonymous with continental style, with the former collaborating with stellar names such as Penelope and Monica Cruz and Scarlett Johansson. Zara is known as the “go-to” destination for fashion insiders looking to rock the latest catwalk trends at high street prices. Neosens haven’t enlisted A-List actresses or mega-bucks campaigns in the effort to carve their own niche in the fashion world. But then again, they have no need to – the footwear does all the talking. With an aesthetic that is unique and a little bit “off”, they manage to update classic footwear, creating shoes and boots that look rugged and lived in. Every style tells a story – and what a story they tell. When I first spied the Cotton Club S723 biker boots in black, I fell in love. They were sat defiantly on a table, nestled amongst a series of other eye-catching styles. But like a mega-watt star amongst a sea of “wannabe’s”, they outshone their brothers and sisters, ensuring that not only my eyes, but the eyes of every other fashion editor, were firmly on them. For me, my love affair with style is so much about expressing how you feel at any given moment through the clothes and accessories you choose to wear. No-one is a better example of the chameleon effect that clothes have on the way you feel and the way others perceive you, than the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. She’s played the virgin, the material girl, the conical-bra-wearing ambitious blonde, the dominatrix, the mother, the mystical guru, the mogul and most recently, the disco queen. While the black Cotton Club S723 boots made me feel like none of the above – what they did make me feel like was James Dean or Marlon Brando. Some days I dress like a character from Gossip Girl, all Ivy League and preppy, while other days I feel like channelling Tom Ford or Hedi Slimane. But more often than not, I love nothing more than to unleash my inner rebel, teaming my delightfully “beaten-up” Neosens boots with a pair of black skinnies, a fitted black t-shirt and a battered and much-loved leather jacket. In reality, I might still be me – but in my mind I feel like Marlon Brando in The Wild One – all brooding machismo and buckets full of attitude. And that for me, is the joy of Neosens. With so many cool styles to choose from, putting yourself into someone else’s shoes has never been quite so easy. The only tricky bit is deciding who you want to be.

www.neosens.com

Are Friends Electric?

Are Friends Electric…

Cult make-up brand Illamasqua has pushed the cosmetic boundaries yet again with their Body Electrics make-up range – their first collection for the whole body. Inspired by the power of kinetic energy, the art of movement, the fluidity of the body in motion (their words).

The collection has an abundance of sumptuous textures, with the abundance of creams, powders and dry body oils to play with. As we’ve come to expect from Illamasqua, each product is hyper-pigmented and super-blendable with a mega colour pay-off. However, this standout collection features light-reflecting particles that “ignite the skin with intense colours and finishes, each product in the range has been created to accentuate the body’s every twist and turn to exquisite perfection, ensuring you exude a confidence that’s more than skin deep”.

Supported by an “expressive, avant-garde visual campaign shot by leading fashion image-makers Warren du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones”. Alex Box created the make-up looks while styling credits go to Dazed & Confused editor (and Gareth Pugh stylist) Katie Shillingford

My ever-present hawk eyes also noted that the model in the final campaign shot is wearing the Padded Bullet Bra and knickers from cult lingerie brand What Katie Did. Gwyneth Paltrow rocks the very same bra in the May 2010 issue of Vogue UK, shot beautifully by Mario Testino.

But I digress – back to the make-up! I was delighted to receive a bottle of the iridescent Illumine Oil in Pulse (a gorgeous bronze shade). This dry body oil is infused with pearlised particles, passionflower seed oil and vitamin E, giving you the maximum glow-factor teamed with a cocktail of skin-saving treats.

I visited the Illamasqua counter in Selfridges, London recently to play with some of the other products in the collection. I’m currently lusting after the Body Electrics Liquid Metal 4 Colour Palette. The Liquid Metal product has quickly gained cult status in the make-up world since its appearance on the scene in Illamasqua’s SS09 Sirens collection. Featuring Enrapture and Solstice from the SS09 Sirens collection, Phenomena from the AW09 Dystopia collection and Surge from the SS10 Body Electrics collection, this quad is guaranteed to sell out. With a luxuriously creamy texture, this multi-purpose wonder can be used on-the-go with fingers, or more precisely with a brush to create an array of shimmering make-up effects. Definitely a must-have.

To view the full collection, see the backstage shoot video and pics and to shop Illamasqua, go to:

www.illamasqua.com

The Beat Goes Ong

The Beat Goes Ong…

The cobbler Beatrix Ong first caught my attention when I spied her whimsical women’s shoes in the side windows of the Jaeger flagship store on London’s Regent Street. There’s something about the way she effortlessly fuses classic English style with a quirky edge that is so typical of London style. I became acquainted with her men’s line when I was shopping at Jaeger (her designs are merchandised alongside the Jaeger brands). A Beatrix Ong representative informed me that Jaeger’s chairman Harold Tillman had invested in the brand, hence its appearance at Jaeger HQ. Tillman is of course chairman of the British Fashion Council (and counts the quintessentially British brand Aquascutum as another standout brand in his portfolio). It was with incredible kindness that Beatrix Ong’s people granted me permission to wear the rather gorgeous Chaplin shoes when I was filming the pilot for the SMP show. I wore the Chaplin shoes with a navy “Micro Diamond” wool/silk mix suit from the Jaeger London SS10 collection – literally a sartorial style match made in heaven! I’ve swiftly acquired a mental shopping list of future purchases. My list has grown to three styles. I’m currently lusting after Chaplin in brown, Minghella in brown and Lean in Black from the Beatrix Ong SS10 collection. You know you’re in trouble when your virtual purchases have already been allocated wardrobe matches and outfits. Tragic. As if I needed further incentives to buy, I hear that GQ editor Dylan Jones is a fan. It's obvious that my fashion fate is sealed. I'd best make room in the wardrobe.

Minghella in brown - £280

Chaplin in brown - £250

Lean in black - £300

www.beatrixong.co.uk

London Calling

London Calling…

This is the Jaeger London suit I bought the hubby today. Cut from navy "Micro Diamond" wool/silk mix cloth, it's so gorgeous it would give Tom Ford tailoring envy. The subtle padding on the shoulder and nipped-in waist create an enviable "V" shape on the torso - a slick and masculine silhouette. I tried this on when I was filming the pilot for The SMP Show and fell in love. Naturally, when I went to the Jaeger flagship store on Regent Street last week, I found out that the company has sold out of the jacket in my size. If the blessed suit and I were not meant to be, then surely destiny intended it for my beloved? I had a 4pm meeting in town today, so I took the hubby to the store to try it on. The second the 38 Regular jacket slipped on my hubby's rather muscular shoulders, it was clear that the suit had literally been made for him. Hugging every contour of his body like silken armour, he morphed from "Matt my boyfriend" into James Bond - and I have to admit I was loving it. He asked if I'd look at him in the street if I saw him dressed like that. I told him I'd stalk him if I saw him dressed like that. Put simply, the suit is like fashion cat nip. Judging on the number of well-dressed men who made a bee-line for it when we were in-store, I'm guessing it won't be in stock for much longer. The cornflower blue Turn Back Edge Shirt was the perfect compliment to the suit, so of course it also found its way into our shopping bags. The black leather Paul Smith dress shoes the hubby was wearing really enhanced the black satin trim on the peak lapel - perfection!

www.jaeger.co.uk