Happy Feet

Petit Bateau and Garance Doré  get that Friday feeling with their new collaboration...ooh la la!

Desire

Fierce. That's how I'd describe Anna Calvi's look at the European Border Breaker Awards the other night. Watching her perform I was struck by how different she is on stage to off. Not only does her softly spoken voice completely transform, full of power and intensity, but her on-stage look is also a complete contrast to her off-duty look. Soft tousled curls become a chic, sharp, slicked back chignon. And the trademark red shirt, black trouser, towering heels and bold red lipstick complete the transformation. I can't help thinking that the change is an essential part of her on-screen persona. Powerful, bold and in control. Strong look. Here's three of our favourite tried and tested Calvi-like red lipsticks...

Tom Ford Private Blend in Cherry Lush, £35

Tom Ford's Private Blend Lipsticks are a firm favourite of mine. The luxurious packaging is an absolute touch but it's certainly not a case of style over substance. The lip colour itself slicks on like a dream, moisturising as it goes and the beautiful bold red colour requires little re-application. Love.

NARS Trans Siberian Semi-Matte Lipstick, £17

This get's the award for the most long-lasting and it's the perfect option if you're a no-gloss kind of girl. The soft, velvety, semi-matte finish is super flattering and complements the bright, punchy Trans Siberian shade.

Chanel’s Rouge Allure Luminous Satin Lip Colour In Lover, £21.50

I have no doubt this classic shade of red by Chanel will have appeared in Anna Calvi's makeup bag over the last few months. In fact, she probably has a lifetimes supply crammed into there! The shade just oozes classic Hollywood glamour and is a must-have for any makeup bag.

Iris Apfel for MAC

MAC are such a zinger of a make-up brand. After their recent collaborations with Gareth Pugh and Daphne Guinness, they've topped themselves by bringing out a range with 90 year old New York fashion goddess Iris Apfel, who we ran a little photo story on a while back (check it out if you need an intro or refresher).

Dazed Digital interviewed Iris A about the range:

Dazed Digital: What are your first memories of makeup and its power to transform?
Iris Apfel: I guess when I was 17-18. A friend of mine had a very glamorous sister who was a fashion model. She took a look at me and said, “Oh you have beautiful eyes and you don’t do anything with that. Come with me.” so we went over to their place and she took out a tube of mustache wax. She took a bit of the wax out and lit a flame under it and it melted and she layered it and layered it over my eyelashes and it really looked great. My eyelashes looked like Miss Piggy’s – very long and very full. I adopted that and I used to wear very heavy eye makeup and a very red mouth. It was very transformative.

DD: When did you first start collaborating with MAC? What appeals to you about working with MAC?
Iris Apfel: They were very kind. If I’m not mistaken I was recommended by Kim Hastreiter of Paper magazine. They called and asked if I was interested in doing something. I thought it was wonderful and I love doing creative things and I’d never done a makeup range before so it was quite fun.

DD: Tell us about how you developed the range?
Iris Apfel: They asked me what colours I liked. I explained that I don’t like a sheer lipstick – I like it heavy and matte. So they worked on the texture. I’m happy with the result – the colours are very clear and bright and bird-like. For I am the rare bird!

DD: You are being filmed for a documentary (by the Maysles brothers), shot a campaign for Coach and collaborated on a line of jewellery and clothes for HSN and now this MAC collab – how do you find the energy for it all?
Iris Apfel: I don’t know – I find it and I go go go and when I stop, I fall apart and I need to reassemble! When I’m doing it, I just love it.

DD: Rara Avis was the first exhibition at the Met devoted to the collection of a fashion enthusiast as opposed to designer. How did the exhibition at the Met change your life and how you were perceived by the fashion world?
Iris Apfel: It made me a geriatric starlet! I was always photographed when I went out but I never went out that much and I wasn’t much of a socialite. I just dressed because I enjoyed it and my husband enjoyed it. I’ve been buying interesting clothes all my life. The show never started out being a fashion show – it started out being a show about accessories. But (curator) Harold Koda came round and asked me to spare some outfits to show the accessories in the context. It started the whole Pandora’s box – they looked through my armoires and wardrobes. In the end it was all the galleries at the Costume Institute and 80-odd mannequins!

DD: Your look mixes high and street, ethnic influences and lots of costume jewellery and is always topped off by your signature glasses – did it take a lot of experimenting to arrive at the look or did it happen organically over the years?
Iris Apfel: Well it was a combination actually. I don’t do these things intellectually – I just feel it. It took a while to bring it to fruition and it was a bit of evolution and trial and error. I used to have to work at it and now I don’t. First you have to know who you are and then it becomes much easier to express yourself.

DD: What’s your advice to getting older gracefully?
Iris Apfel: Well just be yourself. I think Chanel said, “Nothing makes a woman look old that a woman trying to look young.” Dress appropriately and do your makeup appropriately and be yourself  and you can look very chic. You can look beautiful at any age.

Rose Oil and Instant Beauty

My if-you-don't-know-get-to-know pre wedding beauty blitz continues. Striving for bridal perfection. What I love about these products is that they feel luxurious and make you feel a little more special. Wedding nerves aside.

Day 7.

I believe the hype with facial oils, a drop or 2 added to moisturiser or serum, used alone massaged on before bed or under a night moisturiser for plumping, moisture boosting, radiant skin. Rose Oil is the daddy of facial oils, regenerating cells and smoothing away wedding worries. Living Nature Radiance Oil also has Calendula to soothe, Carrot Oil to revitalise and tone, Jojoba Oil to nourish, and Frankincense Oil to repair dry skin.

Day 8. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. Brightens, tightens. Smooth on radiance. Wear on The Day. A cult balm that boosts my skin however tired or harassed I feel!

Day 9. And another beauty from lovely Clarins, their Tonic Body Treatment Oil. Mint, geranium and rosemary feel tingly fresh going on, and it tones, smooths and firms as well as leaving skin smooth. Use every day in the lead up to the wedding, or holiday. I used it during pregnancy and afterwards as it also improves skin's elasticity.

January Recovery

Happy New Year! Detox starts today. A little late I know but I felt the festive cheer should carry on for an extra few days to ease the difficult transition back into working life. If, like me, you are paying the price for a Christmas and New Year extravaganza that seemed to start in November and end on January 2nd then maybe you'll benefit from a little helping hand from these little beauty beauties. My absolute favourite tried, tested and trusted beauty treats for when a detox just isn't enough. These miracle workers will have your dull, dehydrated skin / dark eyes / breakouts / all kinds of beauty complaints whipped back into shape in no time at all. Trust me, I'm talking from experience here. So, get through today, do a sharp detour via Oxford Street to pick up a few supplies then head home for a night of self-indulgence. 

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Evening Bath & Shower Oil, £37

I'll admit I'm a little bit obsessed with Aromatherapy Associates Bath & Shower Oils but this oil really does help lift my spirits, even in dreary January. Lock the bathroom door, let the intense scent swirl around the room, lie back, relax and do nothing.

Dr. Haushka Neem Hair Oil, £22.95

Massage into the scalp and leave the oils to work while you relax in the bath or leave them on overnight for strong, glossy locks.

Bliss No Zit Sherlock Breakout Busting Rubberised Mask, £35

I've waxed lyrical before about these crazy green rubberized masks but honestly I love them. I'm not sure if they can draw out 2 months worth of prosecco from the skin (hope so) but they will blitz away any  pimples or impurities you might have after an over-indulgent party season. Leave on while you have a soak then enjoy peeling it off - self-satisfying for sure.

Aveda Carribean Therapy Body Scrub, £29

Slough away lizard skin and dream of the Caribbean with this gorgeous smelling body scrub that leaves skin looking soft and 

Korres Japanese Rose Body Butter, £10 

A super rich, indulgent body butter that leaves skin looking and feeling amazing. Love it.

Institut Esthederm E.V.E serum, £77 at Liberty
Smooth away lines and wrinkles, firm the skin and encourage skin cell renewal with this luxury serum. A real treat for the skin that will add a much needed moisure boost to dehydrated skin.

Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil, £33

A must-have for dehydrated skin. Warm a little oil in your hands after moisturising at night and pat gently onto the face. Leave the nourishing Rosewood, Patchouli, Blue Orchid and Hazelnut Oil to tone, restore radiance and work their magic overnight and rebalance the skin. When it comes to oils, Clarins is THE expert and this is a real winner.

Spa skin

Day 6. Nothing does wonders for your complexion like a good steam and sauna. Bethnal Green's York Hall houses an ace spa with turkish baths, Swedish sauna, hammam rooms and proper freezing plunge pool. A nice Italian guy who used to work there told me for optimum detox use the Swedish sauna for at least 15 minutes (so until you're near boiled) then go straight into the cold plunge pool making sure you dunk your head under. Get out and go under a warm, then, cold, then warm shower and rest in the hammam for 15 mins more. This cleans you inside out and gives you an all over rosy glow that can't be beat. London Spa at York Hall is good because it's a luxurious spa but cheap (£20 for three hours) and you can pop in after work.

Get Set Glow

Day 5. Practising with wedding make up before the big day is a good idea. A wedding calls for perfect make up, but not over done. It's also one of those rare occasions when you apply in the morning and it really does need to last all day. You can re apply lippie but don't really want to be dashing off before photos to powder your nose. You could book a make up artist but unless it's a friend or someone you've used before how do you know what they are going to put on? You know your face and skin and what you like better than anyone. Money spent here is better spent going towards good quality make up to make you feel a million bucks, and using a couple of extra products you might not normally bother with like eyelash curlers and a good primer.

Laura Mercier have a new radiance primer to add to their range. It smooths the skin and make up goes on better and stays for longer. Its pearl tint creates a soft-focus effect to minimise the look of imperfections but gives good glow, not too matte so perfect for day  wear. You'll look like you've been photoshopped in those wedding day photos.

First Look... Versace SS12

Beneath The Sheets

Day 4. A major part of the wedding outfit is what lies beneath. I love British lingerie brand Lacivious, who hand stitch beautiful bras, knickers garters and all that are glamourous and sexy but with a modern, sassy twist.

Bang! Just pure luxury.

Sara Lou, in Ivory and peach.

Ultra flattering basque, Josefine

De Stress yourself

Day 3. Planning a wedding is stressful. Hell, Christmas is stressful. Even thinking about Oxford Street at this time of year = uber stressful. What to do, what to do? Run a bath, pouring in a capful of Aromatherapy Associates delicious bath oil. Swirl it about. Wild camomile, petitgrain and frankincense sooth and clear your mind. This de stress bath (or shower) oil comes in a beautiful frosted glass bottle which makes it look a bit like perfume. It contains all natural ingredients and leaves skin soft and fragrant too.

The second day of beauty

Day 2.

Time for the big guns. Time for Soap & Glory Wish Upon A Jar 21 day collagen overhaul cream. I'm such a fan of Soap & Glory, I love the packaging, think the products smell lovely, they seem fairly priced and well, work. I tried the 21 day overhaul cream once before, you use it for 21 days straight, morning and evening to boost and brighten skin. It's super rich going on, and uses shea butter, potent antioxidents and tetrapeptides for a lush three week beauty fix. It comes in a space age silver ball too. That must mean something right?

21 day beauty countdown starts here...

So, I'm getting married in three weeks. It's a New Year wedding. It's not really very traditional, I'm wearing a green and black silk dress from Whistles for a start instead of a white bridal number. We've booked the ceremony (Hackney Town Hall) the reception / disco (The Royal Inn by Victoria Park) with DJs playing soul, reggae and lovers rock and finishing up with 90's hip hop and rnb classics, and the honeymoon hotel (Shoreditch House, then off to Brighton for a couple of nights). It's basically the opposite of this. Some traditions are hard to avoid though: I've been jogging frenziedly to lose that extra coupla pounds, arguing with my Mum over which second cousins will be offended if they don't receive an invite, and made important decisions regarding cake. Phew. So now I can just concentrate on me and making myself as fine as possible for the big day. You can't be a beauty blogger and not go for it here. I want to have the shiniest hair, the best make up, the dewiest, most glowing skin a bride has ever had. For real. So it begins here, here's my 21 day countdown to prepare, well, me, for my wedding. Forget the 12 days of Christmas, it's the 21 days of beauty instead.

Day 1. Need bright eyes to gaze lovingly with during vows (etc)

Plantscription Anti Aging Eye Treatment is the latest addition to Origins already pretty special eye care collection. Having a baby earlier in the year has meant I am finding tired looking skin and tired eyes especially a battle. Plantscription contains anogeissus to minimise fine lines, crows feet, crepey lids and general sagginess. Silky and light to apply, it gives a little lift to the delicate eye area. A little goes a long way.

Silver Service

Dear Santa, etc.

Topshop Metallic Calf Skirt, £60

Joan Crawford's Estate

The legendary Joan Crawford...

She went from Queen of the Movies to Box Office Poison and she still had the biggest ego in Hollywood. Her home, Brentwood, was a testament to her extravagance, and she's absolutely spellbinding in 'Johnny Guitar' and the horrifying 'Whatever Happened to Baby Jane' (where lots of the fighting between her and Bette Davis was done a little bit too realistically, their decades-long feud being no big secret). She was hard as nails and absolutely captivating...

Well, Doyles Auction House in New York are holding an auction of her estate today. In addition to lots and lots of paintings, furniture and books, her couture collection is up for sale too. And what does it mostly consist of? Furs and gold-plated jewellery, the ultimate in faded glamour and perfect for channeling her cheekbones.

We <3 you Joan.

Sable Cardigan Style Coat, estimated at $600 - $900

Gold-plated Metal and Rhinestone Earclips and Ring, estimate $300 - $500

Ebony Mink Coat, estimate $750 - $1000

Cream Ostrich and Coq Feather Boa, estimate $200 - $300

Mink Scarf with Tail Fringes, est. $600 - $900

Gold-plated metal necklace and earclips, estimated at $200 - $300 

Silver Fox Rectangular Stole, est. $600 - $900

An exclusive behind the scenes look at the H&M Dragon Tattoo Campaign Shoot

If, like me, you found it impossible to put down Steig Larsson's Girl With The Dragon Tattoo trilogy (I think I finished all three books in a record 4 days!), you might just be interested to know that H&M are collaborating with Trish Summerville, the costume designer of the forthcoming ‘Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ film, to produce a small womenswear collection. We've been given an exclusive behind the scenes video of the campaign photo shoot which features an introduction by H&M Creative Director Donald Schneider followed by a look at Trish talking through the key pieces of the collection and how they were designed and created.

As you would expect from a range inspired by the feisty Lisbeth Salander, the 30-piece collection is dominated by a dark industrial colour palette, customised biker leathers and distressed denims with just an occasional flash of colour.

“Salander’s look is very real and lived in, with pieces that her character has worn for a long time, like her jackets that act as her armour to shield her from the world. I wanted the collection to have the  essence and strength of Salander, with a fashion edge, and I’m pleased with the result! My goal is for women to find pieces in it that they love and then mix them with their own wardrobe to create their own personal style,” says Trish Summerville.

The collection debuts exclusively at the boutique Colette in Paris on 28th November, with its own dedicated in-store area. The collection will be available from 14th December in Divided departments in around 180 H&M stores worldwide, as well as online.
www.hm.com