The National Hotel Infinity Pool, Miami Beach, Florida. © Siv Haugvaldsta

Flying over the Atlantic coast of South Eastern Florida, you see blue skies, white sand and towering skyscrapers. Welcome to Miami, the most populous county in Florida.

Known for its Art Deco architecture, Miami was developed as a tropical playground but remains an important financial and cultural centre. A melting pot for film, music and fashion, Miami remains one of the hottest tourist destinations in North America. Whether you are sunbathing or on a celebrity look-out, get the most out of your stay with a few insider tips.

Sleep

The National Hotel on Collins Ave is an Art Deco building dating back to 1939. Conveniently located right on the beach, the hotel also boasts a stunning infinity pool for leisurely fun in the sun. Alternatively, Opera Suites and Marina offers the comforts of home with luxurious resort facilities including an outdoor pool, spa, tub and sauna – everything you need to sit back and relax.

Eat

Enjoy a hearty brunch or keep it light with a Western omelette, fruit salad and fresh orange juice at local favourite Front Porch on Ocean Drive. If you’re craving an all American burger and fries, 11th Street Diner is the real deal and remains open 24 hours to satisfy those late night cravings after an evening out on the town.

See

Miami is known for its beautiful white beaches and South Beach is a veritable tourist mecca. If you like to divide your time between sunbathing and shopping, Lincoln Road is a fashionista’s dream with a string of trendy designer boutiques and quaint cafés that are perfect for people watching.

Don’t leave without exploring the colourful Art Deco District, where the buildings capture the vibrant energy and history of Miami.

For more information, visit www.miami.com

© Iván Loire. Courtesy of Momaboma.

Maurizio Longati is a true creative genius – brimming with ideas, inspired by everything he sees and everyone he meets on his travels. Longati is also the founder of bespoke Italian accessories brand Momaboma, conceived in 2003 to offer a unique alternative to mass produced bags.

Momaboma creations are not only 100% recycled, but open “drawers of memory” with people, places, magazines and fabrics that represent the history of contemporary pop culture and fashion. According to Longati, “Momaboma’s creations are little bits and pieces of history that customers are able to carry all the time.”

Indeed, products are carefully chosen to create connections and appeal to buyers’ emotions. Longati says, “Images and materials featured on the same bag must have something in common as we don’t want to pollute the communication process.”

Taking the personalisation process one step further, MyMomaboma allows customers to create their own bag from personal mementos.

Longati said, “MyMomaboma gives everybody the possibility to send us whatever they want from old report cards to love letters, vintage movie tickets to photos and drawings.”

All these and more are then painstakingly crafted into one-of-a-kind accessories, personalised with memories and carried with confidence in true Momaboma style.

For more information, please visit www.momaboma.it



Beauty used to be a zero-sum game. Not so long ago, the ideals of beauty were so clearly etched in our psyche that instinctively, we would judge what was aesthetically pleasing based on stereotypes. A certain skin colour, body size, height, hair length – you either measured up or fell short of the mark. We were dictated by a rigid set of rules that defined our idea of beauty. And everything outside that box, well, it just wasn’t beautiful.

Just as after a bleak winter must come a hopeful spring, it’s time to embrace the unique features that make us who we are. In a world that sees beauty as black and white, celebrate the red in you. What could be more beautiful than that?

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Whilst the safest option is to play within the neutral palette and inject a pop of colour, spin the colour wheel to get more creative with monochromatic, analogue and complementary combinations.

Monochromatic colours are different shades of the same colour. Max Azria’s viridian green dress is stylish and understated, most suited to reserved and stable personalities like Michelle Obama.

Analogues, on the other hand, are placed next to each other on the colour wheel. Roberto Cavalli’s wrap dress is sophisticated and fashion forward, most suited to elegant and poised fashionistas like Thandie Newton.

In contrast, complementary colours sit opposite each other on the colour wheel and represent creative and extroverted personalities like Joy Bryant. You’re sure to be the life of the party in a multi-coloured dress from Marc by Marc Jacobs!

With basic guidelines in place and a colour wheel at hand, throw caution to the wind and mix it up with colour combinations that match your mood and personality.

© seanmcgrath/Flickr Creative Commons License

When it comes to being in a relationship, people often say, “just be yourself”. As long as you are comfortable with whom you are, this is good advice. However, we often feel that if we are single, we must be lacking something, and automatically initiate a vicious cycle of self-doubt. After all, if we were enough, we would be in the ideal relationship and not have a string of perceived “failed” liaisons behind us. 

How can we change this perception? By being more than yourself! Because you are much more then you realise. You are made up of your body, thoughts, emotions, and past experiences. Yet, you are far more than the sum of these parts and you have a choice about how you view them. 

Embrace Your Body

If we all looked the same, life would be dull. What we love about a person are the quirks that make them unique, whether it’s the way they crinkle their nose or how their eyes sparkle with mischief. Likewise, some people like long legs, whilst others prefer voluptuous figures. Remember, variety is the spice of life.

Think Positive 

If you think positively about yourself, so will others. If you see yourself as part of a divine force deserving of love and respect, that is what you will manifest in your life. You are the thinker of your thoughts. 

Live and Love 

The common excuse: “I’m scared of getting hurt.” We cannot truly love if we live in fear. Don’t view hurt as a measure of love; use laughter. When you think of love, don’t think of pain; think of joy. When we feel hurt, we understand love. Avoiding pain is avoiding life itself. 

Accept the Past

You might have witnessed your parents’ relationship break down, had a string of difficult relationships or meant some awful people. Learn your lessons and move forward. Believe in the transformational power of love; it can heal everything, even your perception of the past. 

By reframing your view of yourself and your experiences, you will see yourself as you are: an amazing, complex being, with the capacity to create and transform your world.

Take a cue from the runways and experiment with different washes to work this trend. Channel casual chic and pair Paul & Joe’s light denim shirt with Thakoon’s medium blue day shorts. Alternatively, opt for Current/Elliott’s dark denim jacket over a See by Chloé puff-sleeved playsuit.

Alexander McQueen’s paint-splashed jeans and Anna Sui’s embellished denim dress are excellent choices to add colour to the cloth. To seal the deal, opt for denim accessories with a Eugenia Kim fedora or Jimmy Choo boots.

Take the opportunity to get creative and experiment with denim-on-denim for a contemporary twist on a fashion staple.

© Y/ Flickr Creative Commons License

What did you dream of becoming when you were a child? A fairy, princess, train driver or astronaut?  Do you sometimes pass a large house with a tennis court and wonder if it could be yours? Do you wish you could achieve that perfect figure or travel the world?

What exactly is stopping you from achieving these goals — other than yourself? Envision yourself five years from now and imagine how and where you would like to be living. Consider the present as a blank canvas – how do you wish to paint it?

If that question immediately raises alarm and doubt, ask yourself whether you feel bound by the restrictions of your job, family, children or another factor? Then question if these factors are really holding you back or whether your fear of change and the unknown is preventing you from pursuing your dreams. Are these valid reasons or simply excuses?

If…(Questions For The Game Of Life) by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell is available on Amazon and a brilliant book to stimulate dinner conversation. The book provides food for thought by challenging readers to consider and debate a variety of situations and circumstances.

However, you can also play this game with your family and peers, making up your own questions as you go along. The results are often entertaining, always thought-provoking and sometimes powerful enough to remove blocks which you imagined to be in your way!

Another factor in our hesitation to move forward is a lack of self-belief. All of us have been somewhat conditioned during our life journey and often, we don’t believe that we deserve greatness.

Relinquish destructive belief systems and take control of the steering wheel so the future lies in your hands. Once you take control of your life, there is no looking back. What’s stopping you?

From iPod cases to passport covers, each piece features original illustrations of charming ladies with vintage appeal. With a diverse range of products at hand, the quirky characters each have whimsical names such as Vivien, Dot, Marilyn and Lola.

Keep your Jackie O shades in the new Bette sunglasses case made from soft fabric with a button fastening. Available in two designs, Sunset Sweetheart and Lola Does Summer, we’ll be carrying these all summer long!

For more information, please visit www.bedcrumb.co.uk 

Fam Irvoll Autumn/Winter 2010, Oslo Fashion Week; © Jarle Tidemann, Side by Side

As the fashion world mourns the loss of the incredible Alexander McQueen, Norway’s hottest designer – Fam Irvoll – is a welcome reminder that the show must go on.  A breath of fresh air, Irvoll dares to be different and like McQueen, challenges convention to take fashion to the next level. Armed with a unique vision, Irvoll’s runway shows are just as spectacular as her avant-garde designs.

Born and raised in Oslo, Irvoll studied at Esmond International and thereafter enrolled at London’s Central Saint Martins, where she graduated in 2008. Having assisted designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Gareth Pugh, Irvoll launched her own label and is most well-known for her signature 3D knitwear and colourful cartoon elements. Inspired by cakes, candy, toys and Alice in Wonderland, Irvoll’s designs are high in creativity but low on commercial appeal.

Her latest Autumn/Winter 2010 collection, “Welcome to the House of Fun”, recently shown at Oslo Fashion Week, was no different. Kooky, playful and engaging, Irvoll’s collection was inspired by the circus and London’s club scene. Presenting to a full house, Irvoll received a standing ovation for a stunning collection that incorporated children’s clothing, yet again proving that this designer is one to watch.

Embellished with sequins and beadwork, each ensemble was a showpiece in itself, guaranteed to appeal to flamboyant personalities. A favorite with Norwegian celebrities, Irvoll also counts Katy Perry, Pixie Geldof and the equally outrageous Lady Gaga, amongst her fans.

Irvoll’s designs are currently available in select stores and through her online boutique, but will soon hit the mainstream with a collection for Topshop, one that is more commercial but retains her signature elements. Watch this space.

For more information, visit www.famirvoll.com