Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Fashion Audit: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Fashion Audit: Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: It's nearly the end of 2011 and this year has been one long hair-o-thon. Early in the year, long wavy hair was all the rage: As the ye...
Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
It's nearly the end of 2011 and this year has been one long hair-o-thon.
Early in the year, long wavy hair was all the rage:
As the year progressed, even the A-listers went for a crop:
And now as we approach party season, it's Charlie's Angels mania: the super sexy layered look is back and worn either straight and effortlessly messy or with big rollers:
And here's a guide on how to achieve this season's party hair:
- get a super layered, all over cut, maintaining the bob effect on the lengths of the hair and ensuring that the layers go up as far as the fringe (for maximum retro effect)
- try scattered lights with a similar base colour to differentiate the layers
- condition to the max: my favourite treatments on the market currently are either the brazilian keratin blow dry or the Paul Mitchell awapuhi wild ginger treatment - both are in-salon treatments, last for around 3 months and do not straighten the hair but reduce frizz and static.
-after washing and drying, style hair using heated curlers or tongs (curlers add more volume)
For recommendations on salons that provide any of the above treatments, please leave a comment. The salon of the moment has to be Edward James London in SW11, which is an Aveda salon, meaning that they mix up colours from scratch using completely ammonia free products and the colour does not fade or make the hair crunchy at the ends over time.
Early in the year, long wavy hair was all the rage:
As the year progressed, even the A-listers went for a crop:
And now as we approach party season, it's Charlie's Angels mania: the super sexy layered look is back and worn either straight and effortlessly messy or with big rollers:
And here's a guide on how to achieve this season's party hair:
- get a super layered, all over cut, maintaining the bob effect on the lengths of the hair and ensuring that the layers go up as far as the fringe (for maximum retro effect)
- try scattered lights with a similar base colour to differentiate the layers
- condition to the max: my favourite treatments on the market currently are either the brazilian keratin blow dry or the Paul Mitchell awapuhi wild ginger treatment - both are in-salon treatments, last for around 3 months and do not straighten the hair but reduce frizz and static.
-after washing and drying, style hair using heated curlers or tongs (curlers add more volume)
For recommendations on salons that provide any of the above treatments, please leave a comment. The salon of the moment has to be Edward James London in SW11, which is an Aveda salon, meaning that they mix up colours from scratch using completely ammonia free products and the colour does not fade or make the hair crunchy at the ends over time.
Friday, 11 February 2011
Bag Lady
It's all in the bag for SS2011! But with such an abundance of shapes, colours, sizes and designs, it can be tricky to choose the perfect arm candy for Spring/Summer 2011. This post will summarise what the catwalks and most chic bag designers have in store and outline the styles that will set you apart from the crowd.
If you're mad about the bag, email over your questions, thoughts and opinions for inclusion.
Friday, 14 January 2011
TRUNK: never too busy to look beautiful
Photo gallery of Colombo's most fashionable retail brand:
The TRUNK boutique in the shopping wing of Galle Face Hotel
La Tavola, the funky homeware range
Fever's all the rage
TRUNK's off-spring brand - Baby TRUNK
A huge beachwear selection
Cool cards and accessories
and the flagship brand: Amrapali jewellery
A great day's shopping!: enhanced my Spring wardrobe with a turquoise blue puffball skirt from local designer - Upeksha Hager, a jewelled antique ring and an antique silver bracelet from the Amrapali range. You can also visit the TRUNK concession on the 1st floor of Colombo department store Odel.
The TRUNK boutique in the shopping wing of Galle Face Hotel
La Tavola, the funky homeware range
Fever's all the rage
TRUNK's off-spring brand - Baby TRUNK
A huge beachwear selection
Cool cards and accessories
and the flagship brand: Amrapali jewellery
A great day's shopping!: enhanced my Spring wardrobe with a turquoise blue puffball skirt from local designer - Upeksha Hager, a jewelled antique ring and an antique silver bracelet from the Amrapali range. You can also visit the TRUNK concession on the 1st floor of Colombo department store Odel.
New Year, New Hair!
Following on from a previous post on bed head hair, I have been researching the ultimate bed head wash and go technique, resulting in a permanent bed head effect: tousled waves, carefree, messy and easy to maintain hair. The answer: the Digital Perm: a South Korean technique resulting in a permanent bed head look with or without a blow dry after washing, no use of products and enhanced shine and softness.
So here's how it happened: after months of washing and tieing up my hair only to produce inconsistent waves and sometimes frizz, I researched a more permanent technique. I initially found the organic perm: a perm without much harm, but the strand test did not produce any results at all!
The Digital Perm on the other hand, if done by an expert who applies the right amount of solution and the correct heat temperature and timing can produce a permanent wave, simply achieved with a wash and go and without the use of styling products. Given the potential cost savings on my 2011 hair maintenance line, I explored the technique further and found London's expert on the subject. Hans of Four Mirrors in Earlsfield, South West London is the guru on the technique and explained that he had done about 1000 digital perms on all hair types over the last 4 years. Reassured that perms had actually moved on from the hideous frizz bombs of the 1980's, he then explained the difference between the Digital Perm and the Cold Perm. Essentially, both require perming and neutralising solutions (although these are much less harmful nowadays), however the Digital is done on thinner, rod like curlers and set in place by heat and more noticeable once hair is dry. Here are the steps to achieving the Digital Perm:
Step 1: the much less harmful perming solution is applied and cling film put on to seal this
So here's how it happened: after months of washing and tieing up my hair only to produce inconsistent waves and sometimes frizz, I researched a more permanent technique. I initially found the organic perm: a perm without much harm, but the strand test did not produce any results at all!
The Digital Perm on the other hand, if done by an expert who applies the right amount of solution and the correct heat temperature and timing can produce a permanent wave, simply achieved with a wash and go and without the use of styling products. Given the potential cost savings on my 2011 hair maintenance line, I explored the technique further and found London's expert on the subject. Hans of Four Mirrors in Earlsfield, South West London is the guru on the technique and explained that he had done about 1000 digital perms on all hair types over the last 4 years. Reassured that perms had actually moved on from the hideous frizz bombs of the 1980's, he then explained the difference between the Digital Perm and the Cold Perm. Essentially, both require perming and neutralising solutions (although these are much less harmful nowadays), however the Digital is done on thinner, rod like curlers and set in place by heat and more noticeable once hair is dry. Here are the steps to achieving the Digital Perm:
Step 1: the much less harmful perming solution is applied and cling film put on to seal this
Step 2: having washed the solution off, hair is then wrapped around thin rollers and plugged into a machine which controls the heat applied (you only have to look this weird for 15 minutes!)
Step 3: hair is unplugged from weird machine and neutralised, washed with conditioner and hand dried or diffused to produce the dry result
And finally thank you to Hans for the fabulous hair and very generous additional hair conditioning treatments!
For a free consultation and to benefit from Hans' latest technique of the Digital Perm with smoothed out roots (to prevent re-growth frizz) visit: fourmirrors.co.uk
Friday, 12 November 2010
These Boots are Made for Walking
Functionality or fashion? Boots were originally worn by women to protect their feet, ankles and legs during bad weather or for sports such as horse riding, ice skating or skiing. However, the functionality of boots rapidly changed after Nancy Sinatra glamourised the over-the-knee and thigh high boot in the 1960s. More recently, Kate Moss has turned the Wellington into a fashion accessory by wearing shorts and hunter wellies at Glastonbury. So why is it that boots are now worn during all seasons, for fashion more than functionality and what are the current boot trends on the catwalk and on the high street?
2010 catwalks across Europe saw the following boot styles displayed: shoe boot, bandal (boot sandal), knee high, over-the-knee (or thigh high), shearling/fur boot, military/utility and brogue boot, all of which have now made it to the London high streets and you'll find a listing below of where to find these key boot styles. Recently my household purchased those trendy see-through boot and shoe boxes which required an audit of my footwear and the results amazed me! I have a total of 10 knee high or over-the-knee style, including cowboy (which by the way is a style worth storing for the next revival), only a few pairs of shoes and a remarkably high number of shoe boots (15) which to me are the most versatile, comfortable and trendy boot right now. I even took a pair of bandals to Oman, as they are open toed and of a very soft leather and they were amazingly comfortable and sturdy, even in the 35 degree heat. Shoe boots can be worn to the office in the form of brogue boots or lace-up, as bandals or gladiators in the summer or chelsea/desert/military/utility with a chunky heel in the evening. Having tortured my feet in unsuitable footwear such as stiletos and court shoes for many years, for me boots now cover off fashion and functionality, are multi-seasonal and bang on trend.
1. Shoe Boots rock and All Saints have every season's hottest shoe boots, military shoe boots, bandals and gladiator shoe boots. Their shoe boots are sturdy, rock chick and reasonably priced.
2. Belstaff , the British biker brand rule the knee high scene with heeled and non heeled versions of knee high biker. Belstaff have a flagship store in Central London or I can send you details of their online stockist (email me for further info).
3. For over-the-knee, Russell and Bromley do this style with a little kinky but without the tacky!
4. From a furry point of view take a look at the shearling and fur collections from asos and Kurt Geiger.
5. Brogue boots are big this season: Office and Jane Shilton have the best versions I have seen so far.
2010 catwalks across Europe saw the following boot styles displayed: shoe boot, bandal (boot sandal), knee high, over-the-knee (or thigh high), shearling/fur boot, military/utility and brogue boot, all of which have now made it to the London high streets and you'll find a listing below of where to find these key boot styles. Recently my household purchased those trendy see-through boot and shoe boxes which required an audit of my footwear and the results amazed me! I have a total of 10 knee high or over-the-knee style, including cowboy (which by the way is a style worth storing for the next revival), only a few pairs of shoes and a remarkably high number of shoe boots (15) which to me are the most versatile, comfortable and trendy boot right now. I even took a pair of bandals to Oman, as they are open toed and of a very soft leather and they were amazingly comfortable and sturdy, even in the 35 degree heat. Shoe boots can be worn to the office in the form of brogue boots or lace-up, as bandals or gladiators in the summer or chelsea/desert/military/utility with a chunky heel in the evening. Having tortured my feet in unsuitable footwear such as stiletos and court shoes for many years, for me boots now cover off fashion and functionality, are multi-seasonal and bang on trend.
1. Shoe Boots rock and All Saints have every season's hottest shoe boots, military shoe boots, bandals and gladiator shoe boots. Their shoe boots are sturdy, rock chick and reasonably priced.
2. Belstaff , the British biker brand rule the knee high scene with heeled and non heeled versions of knee high biker. Belstaff have a flagship store in Central London or I can send you details of their online stockist (email me for further info).
3. For over-the-knee, Russell and Bromley do this style with a little kinky but without the tacky!
4. From a furry point of view take a look at the shearling and fur collections from asos and Kurt Geiger.
5. Brogue boots are big this season: Office and Jane Shilton have the best versions I have seen so far.
NB - The post above portrays my personal impartial opinion and commentary.
Pictures have been extracted from the internet and can be extracted if permission is required.
Friday, 22 October 2010
The Bed Head is Back!
For the last 2 weeks Fashion Audit has been scouring the London Streets for iconic short and long haired styles, to no avail! Having researched what's in, what's not and what's definitely hot, Fashion Audit concludes that "bed head" hair is scorching hot and poker straight is so not. What does bed head hair look like? What are the key steps in achieving this look in the salon and at home? and who is currently wearing this look well?
The ultimate barometer of style has to be Kate Moss; she morphs from rock chic and bed head by day to a sophisticated slightly more coiffured look by night, effortlessly and of course for Kate, black is always the new black! By the way, the James Brown salon off Wimpole Street in London will easily do the Kate look, mainly because Kate visits that salon as she and James Brown are childhood friends. Jessica Alba also does the bed head look well and with her amazing facial features and skin, has the ability to carry long and short haired bed head incredibly well.
Here we see Kate with the perfect long haired bed head look: soft, frizz free but tousled, almost wind swept and not precise.
These show a maturer Kate Moss with the shorter version of the bed head:
Jessica Alba here works the bed head well with a layered shorter style: tousled, messy and totally sexy!
Megan Fox does a more curly version of the bed head, with long luscious locks here:
So how would you achieve soft but tousled locks and maintain this look at home? I have many years of hair abuse: perming in the 80s, straightening in the 90s, and highlighting and glossing of late. To reverse all this damage, 2 years ago I discovered the Brazilian Blow Dry, also known as the Keratin Treatment. This is to hair, what antioxidants are to the skin: a return to the childhood state of your hair and prevention of frizz, static and the cardboard like effect you get from chemical abuse. If your hair is fairly porous, you will only need this treatment done every 6 months and not every 2-4 as suggested by the marketing. Thereafter, you can seemlessly achieve bed head hair by washing and leaving your hair to dry naturally (maintaining your hair's natural waves) and for more waves and curls, I either tie hair up in a loose bun once washed and when still slightly wet or use heated rollers after washing and when almost dry.
A product for the future, which I am in a desperate search for, is a Keratin Treatment with the ability to leave your hair curlier/wavier than its natural state: for more information, watch this space!
NB. Photos above have been extracted from the internet and can be withdrawn if offensive or requires permission.
The ultimate barometer of style has to be Kate Moss; she morphs from rock chic and bed head by day to a sophisticated slightly more coiffured look by night, effortlessly and of course for Kate, black is always the new black! By the way, the James Brown salon off Wimpole Street in London will easily do the Kate look, mainly because Kate visits that salon as she and James Brown are childhood friends. Jessica Alba also does the bed head look well and with her amazing facial features and skin, has the ability to carry long and short haired bed head incredibly well.
Here we see Kate with the perfect long haired bed head look: soft, frizz free but tousled, almost wind swept and not precise.
These show a maturer Kate Moss with the shorter version of the bed head:
Jessica Alba here works the bed head well with a layered shorter style: tousled, messy and totally sexy!
Megan Fox does a more curly version of the bed head, with long luscious locks here:
So how would you achieve soft but tousled locks and maintain this look at home? I have many years of hair abuse: perming in the 80s, straightening in the 90s, and highlighting and glossing of late. To reverse all this damage, 2 years ago I discovered the Brazilian Blow Dry, also known as the Keratin Treatment. This is to hair, what antioxidants are to the skin: a return to the childhood state of your hair and prevention of frizz, static and the cardboard like effect you get from chemical abuse. If your hair is fairly porous, you will only need this treatment done every 6 months and not every 2-4 as suggested by the marketing. Thereafter, you can seemlessly achieve bed head hair by washing and leaving your hair to dry naturally (maintaining your hair's natural waves) and for more waves and curls, I either tie hair up in a loose bun once washed and when still slightly wet or use heated rollers after washing and when almost dry.
A product for the future, which I am in a desperate search for, is a Keratin Treatment with the ability to leave your hair curlier/wavier than its natural state: for more information, watch this space!
NB. Photos above have been extracted from the internet and can be withdrawn if offensive or requires permission.
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