girl-e glasgow

The longest brokest weekend ever

2009-11-27T11:02:00.003Z

There is little in this world that I hate more than a month that ends on a Monday. It means that I must struggle through that last weekend with little or no money, trying to entertain myself in ways that don’t involve hiding indoors with some DVDs and a glass of something that I scraped together from my stash of frozen cooking wine.

For those of you who are also scrimping through the weekend, I’ve done a wee bit of research, and this is the list of cheap and free that I’ve come up with:

Friday

2 for 1 Pizza

I’ve never eaten at Pizza Express before, but as I’m so broke, and I can’t be bothered making dinner tonight, and they’re offering 2 for 1 pizza, I just might give it a go.

Saturday

Visit Hamleys

If you can stand the crowds, visit this London toy store's first British store outside of London. With it's interactive displays and reputation for allowing both children and childish adults play with the toys in store, it should be a fun way to while away an afternoon.

Handmade Haven

For inspiration or just for a way to spend those last few pounds burning a whole in your purse, visit the Glasgow Craft Mafia’s monthly market, held at Mono this Sunday. Members of the Mafia make jewellery, clothes, hats, bags, art, toys, stationery; the list goes on and on. Some of it’s re-purposed and recycled lovingly from vintage pieces, all of it’s handmade and, frankly, awesome.

The Parents

I’ve got family on the brain, as yesterday was Thanksgiving, so I’m thinking about visiting Street Level Gallery to see The Parents, a collection of photographs by Colin Gray. This is what the List has to say about it:

“The rather serious documentation dealing with illness and death is interspersed with playful images of the mundane, transforming these into beautifully textured and detailed interpretations.”

Drink Champagne with dinner

I know that doesn’t sound like a cheap thing to do, but Morrisons has Bollinger for £18 (if there are any bottles left!) and loads of other supermarkets and off-licenses are doing similar deals at the moment. Any excuse will do, right?

Sunday

See a movie in George Square

Winterfest 2009 has officially begun, and the annual headache that is George Square has been turned on. It is worth visiting though, to really get into the spirit of Kitchmas, so head down on Sunday to catch this week’s afternoon movie. They’ll be showing The Maggie (1954). I don’t know much about this classic Scottish film, but here’s the tagline (according to IMDB):

A Scotch Mist...A Girl Never Kissed...A Yank Who Missed...and Landed High and Dry

While you’re there in George Square, do some ice skating, drink some cocoa, and generally soak up the atmosphere. Hopefully it won’t rain.

Shindig 2009

While you’re in George Square for the Sunday film, stay for the St Andrew’s day ceilidh. If you can stand the bruises from being flung around by exuberant (and drunk) men in kilts, this will probably be a fun way to dip into the Homecoming celebrations. And it’s free!

More cheap Italian food

Head to Prince’s square for 50% off your meal at Zizzi. Eat pasta and bask in the knowledge that you get paid tomorrow!

Screaming and pounding on my keyboard

2009-11-23T16:18:00.001Z

Is it me, or is HQ Hair’s new website intensely annoying? After I got over the disappointment of loosing my extensive wish list in the re-design, I consoled myself with buying some Nars eyeliner, using the discount they were offering to celebrate the launch of the new site. Now, nearly a month later, I still have not received my order.

I was HQ Hair’s biggest fan, but now I can’t even bring myself to try to re-populate my wish list. They’ve got some nice new features, like the introduction of filters that allow you to browse their product offering based on skin type, or the type of product you want. For example, I was looking for an exfoliating face wash, and the site allowed me to filter based on how often I wanted to use it (daily versus weekly) and then my skin type (dry versus combination). Yay! But then when I found my perfect item, I tried to add it to my wish list, and the site asked me to log in even though I was logged in already. And then when I entered my email address and password, it wouldn’t log me in! This is twice now I’ve been on the site and given up due to frustration.

So I have a message for HQ Hair: online shopping should be more convenient than going to the stores. It shouldn’t be rage inducing!

Ethics hit the mainstream

2009-11-23T13:57:00.006Z

Do you remember when 'ethical fashion' was a bit of an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp or 80's style? When it meant nothing so much as dreadlocks, hemp and rubber Birkenstocks?

With designers like Stella McCartney making vegan accessories, and John Smedley making a range of organic cotton knitwear for Katherine Hammnet, the reputation of ethical fashion has improved considerably in the past few years. Even the occasional high street staple, like American Apparel, with their stance against sweatshops and exploiting third world labour, are showing that ethical can be fabulous.

So it was with a good deal of curiosity and anticipation that I attended Kirsty MacLean's ethical fashion show, Sewing Roots, at Che Camille on Friday night. The group that came together for the show was as diverse as is it was glamourous (in fact, I counted no less than three Bayswater bags in the audience). The audience did not look like a meeting of assorted eco warriors. Ethical is a concept that has entered the mainstream.

The labels represented at the show included recycled paper bead jewellery maker Mzuri Beads; Johari, the clothing brand that invests 100% of its profits back into social development programmes in Kenya; Bibico, the fair trade clothing brand; and fashion upcycler Mia Nisbet. Their wares will be on sale at Che Camille through the rest of the month, until 9 December.

Some photos:

Hello Glasgow

2009-11-20T12:23:00.008Z

I have news for everyone. For those of you who are not American, the news is: next weekend is Thanksgiving. It's a national holiday in America where families get together, eat lots of turkey, watch American football, and take naps.

For those of you who are American, the news is: you must take advantage of the long weekend and go on a trip. Your family can make their own Turkey; they'll be fine. You must hop on a plane, enjoy 2 movies, dinner and a snack, and voila, you're in Glasgow.

Once you're in Glasgow, this is what you should be sure to do before you leave:

Buy a Sunday Herald

And I say this not for the news or opinion, but for the Magazine and the Arts section. The magazine will show you what people are eating and wearing in Glasgow (I especially like the 'My Favourite Look' feature, that lets an average member of the public discuss their favourite outfit and why they like it). The best part is the Arts section though - specifically, Damian Love's irreverent, sarcastic, cynical, and funny television reviews. Enjoyable to read and always true.

heraldscotland.com

Eat at an Indian restaurant

You will be spoiled for choice on this one, and it's hard not to be overwhelmed, especially as they all seem to be owned by one of three companies/moguls. So, I would suggest either Mother India or the Wee Curry Shop for sheer quality and yumminess, Balbir for the incredible service, Shish Mahal for the amazingly huge menu, Chillies for its casual charm, or Thali for its sumptuousness and luxury.

Visit George Square

This time of year, George Square is like a huge, electric birthday cake. There are garish Christmas lights everywhere, an ice skating rink, rides, and a variety of performances and films. And the the Helter Skelter of course. It's not just a song by the Beatles, it's also a huge, psychotically decorated slide that gets erected on special occasions.

winterfestglasgow.com

Go shopping

And I'm not just saying that because I love shopping and I write about it several times a month. Okay, maybe I am. But Glasgow is a great place to shop. Go to Che Camille in the Argyle Arcade for something unique and home grown; Fopp for amazingly priced CDs and books; House of Fraser for the perfume and handbags; Space NK for cosmetics and skincare and top notch advice on both; Cruise to gawk at the label whores; Sandalwood for the shoes; New Look and Primark for the bargains; Penhaligons and Jo Malone for the scented tissue paper and ribbons and shiny boxes; Roots & Fruits, Heart Buchanan and Grassroots for the delicious deli offerings; the Merchant City branch of Tinderbox for the coolest place to have coffee while browsing arts and crafts in the back; or for more crafty shenanigans, head to Sloans Market.

Have tea

And not just any tea, choose something exotic from the exhaustive tea menu at Tchai Ovna, while sitting out in the garden smoking a hookah. Or sit inside, play a board game, and wait for hours while the wait staff have forgotten you've ordered food. I know that last part doesn't sound fun, but it's all part of the sit back and relax and spend an afternoon doing nothing kind of vibe. They also have periodic evening performances of various genres of music.

Visit museums

I know this advice will hardly shift anyone's paradigms, but the museums in Glasgow are worth seeing and they're free. The future of the Lighthouse, Glasgow's home of architecture and design, is still unsure, but it deserves to continue on. Also be sure to visit the Modern Art museum, the massive Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum, and the eccentric Transport Museum.

glasgowmuseums.com

See some live music

Glasgow is perhaps not as famous for its music scene as it should be. It periodically gets attention when the likes of Franz Ferdinand or Glasvegas appear on international charts and sell out gigs abroad, but there is always something going on here musically, and the quality of bands, even the unsigned ones that work away, playing gigs at clubs and pubs throughout the city, are usually worth checking out. Get a List, or visit S1 Play to find out what's going on and where.

Go to a pub

For real Glasgow atmosphere, I would suggest visiting the Intermezzo bar on Renfrew Street across from the Cineworld Cinema. Try to visit during one of their karaoke nights. It's a small, traditional pub across two floors (well, the ground floor and a sort of mezzanine) and most of the clientele know each other. Karaoke nights bring out extravagant, emotional renditions of the likes of Robbie Williams and Neil Diamond, and the atmosphere is brilliant. A great way to spend an evening. If the idea of Karaoke fills you with terror, and even just watching it is your worse nightmare, go to the Three Judges in Partick, the Ingram just off George Square, or the Captain's Rest on Great Western Road. Or, if you're of a more adventurous bent, go to the Spirit Bar at the East end of Argyle Street. Interesting, but alittle scary. Alternatively, if you are looking for stag heads and men in kilts, go to Uisge Beatha on Woodlands Road.

Discounts galore

2009-11-13T15:13:00.002Z

Here's a round-up of mid-season mania:

Barry M Cosmetics
'The most colourful name in cosmetics', Barry M, is offering 20% off until 18th November. Use code NEW20.

Graham & Green
Get 20% off everything until Monday, using code X9EM20.

Puresha
Ethical and organic beauty experts Puresha are offering free Patyka neroli dry skin face cream when you spend over £55, with code LOVENEROLI. This is a great deal, as the cream costs £38!

My Wardrobe
The very fashionable folks at My Wardrobe are offering 25% off their top 100 winter essentials with code WINTER25W.

Long Tall Sally
LTS has taken 20% off coats in store and online. Alternatively, if you spend over £25 on full priced items online, you can get free delivery with code PA2312.

Gap
If you want to save 30% at Gap by 15 November, send me an email or leave your email address as a comment (I won't publish it) and I'll send you an invitation to join Gap VIPs. Apparently I can only send 3 invites, so first 3 people to contact me will get the vouchers.

It's not a recession for shop-fitters

2009-11-13T14:52:00.002Z

There's sort of an overwhelming array of store openings in Glasgow of late. On Thursday I did manage to make it to the brand spanking new Waitrose on Byres Road (which is fantastic, a much better use of space than the old Safeway/Sommerfield, and is crammed full of yummy yummy things) but I didn't manage to make it to the new H&M that takes over the old Habitat/Open space at the bottom end of the shopping centre. I will be trying to make it bright and early tomorrow, however, to be part of Choo mania (because, if you're living under a rock and somehow don't know this, it's the only store in Scotland that will be carrying the collaboration with Jimmy Choo, and the line launches Saturday).

Then there's all the stores that will be opening soon in the newly revamped St Enoch's Centre. And the new deli/takeaway effort by the Mother India people, located next to the Cafe across from the Kelvingrove Gallery and Museum. A new Merchant city showroom for designer-lights.com boasts gold leaf Artichoke light (which retails for just over £50,000). Whew! Recession? What recession?

Nathan & Moe

2009-11-08T12:15:00.004Z

The last thing I need is to find another jewellery line that I love. Jewellery's not like clothing or shoes, where I can manage to justify the necessity to myself and to my husband. But. there I am, sitting in front of my computer, googling Nathan & Moe.

What I found were flower necklaces that were pretty without being too girlie, crystal and chain embellished ribbons, and crystal encrusted bangles. My favourite items, though, were from the Spikes collection - necklaces, bangles and rings all adorned with slender spikes. The company is based in the US, and so far the only place I've found to buy is the Gift Library. I've got the snake ring and the spike earrings on my wish list.

To see styles, visit the Nathan & Moe website.

What is Scottish Style?

2009-11-04T21:04:00.004Z

I don’t know, and the question was not answered at the Scottish Style awards, because the most stylish female award went to a Scottish actress who works in LA, not to Glasgow’s own Queen Michelle, who I felt was a far better, more interesting choice, and perhaps more reflective of the diversity of style in Scotland.

But it was a fun night. I and fellow blogger MBK (from Food-e Gla s gow) drank our body weight in champagne and watched all the amazingly dressed people swishing by and air kissing. There was basically a sea of sequins filling the Old Fruitmarket. I was far less amazingly dressed, as, after changing my clothes about 20 times, I finally settled on black jeans, black heels from Office, my grey chiffon Grecian twist top from ASOS, and a silver cardigan I had purchased at TK Maxx at the weekend. It sounds like something I could wear to work, doesn’t it? But I topped it off with my sparkly headband, which always makes me feel like a princess, and I had my butter soft Halston clutch under my arm, the fashion equivalent of Dutch courage.

Congrats to Sophie Ellis Bextor who did a splendid job for her first time presenting an award show, and to Deryck Walker for giving history’s most drunken, incomprehensible acceptance speech. And to all the up-and-coming designers involved in the New Talent Runway Show – there were some gorgeous pieces. I tried taking photos but all I had was my iPhone, which doesn’t have a flash, so the images are a bit difficult to decipher, so I'll only post a few, but they won't do justice to the clothes. But there were gorgeous, flowing, silk jersey floor length dresses by Francesca Chiorando, with soft digital prints; lady-like leather with a hard edge by Keira Thorley; laser-cut head pieces by Jen Groundwater, and intriguing concoctions of rubber, chiffon, lace and jersey by Rachael Barrett. The Runway shows were the highlight of the night, and worth all the agonising over wardrobe earlier in the evening.

From Rachael Barrett's story (above)

And Keira Thorley's (above)

And Jen Groundwater's (above)

And Francesca Chiorando's (above)

November wish list

2009-11-04T13:52:00.010Z

Schlepping around the shops to find myself an outfit for the Scotland Style Awards reminded me of why I love online shopping: no crowds, no carrying, no rain. As much as I love Glasgow, and I love the thrill of the hunt that is shopping in actual stores, sometimes it’s just better to buy things online.

So this month’s wish list is all from online stores:

Trousers from Long Tall Sally
LTS has failed to keep up with an increasingly design-savy public, and this whole ‘Lisa Loves’ business leaves me cold (Is it just me? Who is this woman?). That said, I love the British heritage feel of these Serro check trousers. I didn’t see them when I was in the Glasgow store on Friday, but they’re online.

Cashmere throw from ME&EM
This thr ow will be perfect for that train ride down to London this Christmas. There’s really nothing nicer in winter than cashmere. And right now, they’re offering a 15% discount with code ME15 if you order by 14th November.

Clutch from Anya Hindmarch
Remarkably, there are still some sale items on the Anya Hindmarch website. My favourite item is this Wilde clutch in tan glace leather.

Skin care products from Origins
I bought some face wash from Origins in John Lewis at the weekend, and they gave me 2 samples – both of which I tried and am keen to try again. Now that it’s colder and my skin is a bit dryer, and the darkness makes me tired all of the time, I’m looking for a richer eye cream. Origins GinZing Refreshing eye cream to brighten and depuff feels and smells lovely, and I don’t know if it’s just the power of suggestion, but I did think my eyes looked a bit brighter after using it. The other product I tried was Modern Friction, a ‘natural’ dermabrasion scrub. I was alittle concerned at first, as visions of a neurotic former Seventeen model I had gone to university with floated through my mind. She had come to acting class once looking like the victim of some sort of medical experiment, with cracked, bleeding skin on her face, the result of dermabrasion. I never understood why she was willing to undergo such discomfort, especially considering she was only in her late teens/early 20s at the time! No thank-you. But I was pleasantly surprised by this Origins scrub. It left my skin feeling fresh, soft and new without any irritation.

Ring from Blaguette
I tend to be a relatively conservative dresser, but I like to go a bit bigger with my accessories. This ring from Blaguette is perfect, particularly as and I’m having a total rose gold moment, and it’s rose gold plating contrasts really nicely with the white cubic zirconias. I also love this black and white version, a nice alternative for evenings out near Christmas.

Converse trainers from Debenhams
I'm wearing holes in the soles of all my trainers, so I want to get these super high tops by Converse which will not only look a bit formidable, but will also keep my ankles warm.

Cardigan from Gap
Unfortunately, to buy one of the gorgeous dip dyed, long line cardigans they're doing at Gap at the moment, I'll actually have to go in-store. But I think it will be worth it.

Concentrate real hard, or my necklace dies

2009-10-22T13:47:00.003+01:00

I’m sending my husband psychic messages to buy this Butler & Wilson necklace for me from Sparkle Candy. It’s on sale, so it’s only £25! So anyone who reads this, help concentrate the ‘buy me’ energy his way. It’s sort of like in Peter Pan when the audience has to applaud loud enough to bring Tinker Bell back to life. If you wish really hard, maybe I’ll get that necklace.

Let me know what you want, and I’ll do the same for you.

Smell yummy for less

2009-10-22T13:38:00.003+01:00

40% off Jo Wood Organics at Puresha. Hurry! The deal ends at midnight tonight.

Also, if you're in the market for some of the exlcusive brands sold at Zuneta, they're offering free upgrade to next day delivery until January, so your orders won't be affected by mail strikes.

Luxury at Blythswood Square

2009-10-20T15:10:00.001+01:00

Ever in search of glamorous places for a cocktail or a facial, I’m pretty excited about the opening of the new 5 star hotel in Blytheswood Square. The Townhouse Company are commemorating the location’s previous resident – the Royal Scottish Automobile Club – by maintaining the Salon and Rally Bar. There aren’t any real photos up on the website yet, but the brochure does promise that the hotel will have all the glamour of Monte Carlo Rally, of which the Blytheswood Square location was one of the starting points for the 1955 race. My hope is that this involves sleek mid-century modern/late art deco décor with lots of chrome and velvet. The website does promise a sympathetic refurbishment, with original marble and wood panelling preserved.

The highlight for me will probably be the spa, as this will feature treatment rooms, thermal suites, and vitality pool. And it’s all just a two-minute walk from Sauchiehall Street, which is absolutely crazy on Saturday afternoons, so having a quiet place to hide after shopping will be a welcome treat.

The hotel is due to open at the end of October. For more information, visit the website: www.townhousecompany.com/blythswoodsquare

When the princess of pink met the king of shoes

2009-10-20T14:36:00.008+01:00

‘My year in Paris with Christian Louboutin’ – what images does this phrase conjure up in your mind? Lunches at Lauderee? Chic cocktails with Louboutin’s glamorous, high fashion friends? Well, what if that phrase came out of the mouth of Barbie? Okay, aside from the fact that she’s made from injection moulded plastic, and if she was actually speaking to you, you would think you had taken some psychotropic drugs of some description, or at the very least hadn't gotten enough sleep.

But apparently it’s true. Christian Louboutin is to be Barbie’s mentor. At 50, she seems a bit old to me to be mentored. After all the career’s she’s had (doctor, pilot, veterinarian, teacher, astronaut) you’d think she would have figured out what she wants to do by now.

She has worked in the fashion industry before, and made a big splash, too. According to Mattel, ‘as model or muse, Barbie has relationships with more than 70 of the biggest names in fashion. From Calvin to Cartier, Gucci to Galliano, Versace to Vera, they all have something to say about Barbie.’

I don’t yet know how this relationship with the king of shoe designers will play out. I know that Net-a-Porter are getting in on the act, as you can sign up for Christian Louboutin/Barbie updates, but there’s no real information on this yet.

In the mean time, I’ll give you this photo of woman-sized Barbie shoes to contemplate, designed by Louboutin for Barbie's 50th anniversary runway show. The photo comes from Mattel's website.

What's in Anya's bag?

2009-10-17T12:01:00.001+01:00

Looking for a little handbag porn on this fine Saturday morning? Check out this video of Anya Hindmarch explaining how she organises the contents of her gorgeous Carker. It's strangely satisfying to watch.

Uggly

2009-10-15T15:41:00.005+01:00

I suppose that at this point you know that Fitflop has branched out into Ugg-type shearling boots and other abominations. I’m all for comfortable shoes but…

No...

No...

No!

What fashionable people do to kill time

2009-10-15T10:03:00.004+01:00

If you’re bored today, sitting at your desk, pretending to work, take the Harvey Nichols Fashionista quiz. If you score 7/10 or higher, you get 10% off your next purchase online. If you get 10/10, you are immortalised by having your name on the bragging board. You won’t see Girl-e listed there, though, I got an embarrassing 8/10. So much for my fashion credentials!

www.harveynicholsquiz.com

Or, if you're the kind of person who likes to spend quality face-to-face time with your favourite stores, Harvey Nichols and Grazia will be hosting a make-up night with champagnes and facials on Tuesday, 20 October in Edinburgh. The tickets are £10, but are redeemable against any purchase on the night.

Is it wrong to love my iPhone more than my husband?

2009-10-14T10:24:00.002+01:00

Obsessed with style? Forget the Prada phone, or any of those other useless pieces of plastic that someone has slapped a designer label onto. The iPhone is really the only phone you should consider owning. I've gone a bit app crazy and loaded my phone with everything fashion related I could find.

For those lucky enough to do most of their shopping at Net-a-Porter, there's Net app, which allows you to browse and buy from the comfort of anywhere - from a train seat to a bar, to standing in the middle of another store that just doesn't have what you need.

If you’re more like me, and you buy alot of your style statements from eBay, you will want the eBay app, with which you can browse, search, watch, bid and buy. Since discovering this app I've gotten some brand new Kurt Geiger Chelsea boots for less than £20, a pair of distressed Diesel jeans for £40, and a lovely butter soft, cropped leather biker jacket, originally from House of Fraser, for £50.

Then there's the Shopstlyle app that works as a mini version of the site - allowing you to browse through clothes, bags and accessories from all over the web, saving your favourites to go back to later. Perfect for finding that just right item for an important event.

My favourite app has to be the one from Style.com, the online home of Vogue. This app allows you to browse every major runway show for the Spring/Summer 2010 collections. Too early to think about gauzy dresses and florals? No problem - they've also got an archive of all the Autumn/Winter 2009 shows to help you get through those mid season sales.

Now if only ASOS would do an app to help me get through their seemingly endless supply of sequins and directional knitwear, bottoms and shoes.

Ballet goes bling

2009-10-13T14:51:00.005+01:00

If you follow this blog, chances are that those expensive little things you probably shouldn't spend your money on dance in front of your eyes when you look through the window of a jewellery shop. That's also the theme of 'Rubies', the opening piece of Scottish Ballet's touring show to mark their 40th anniversary. Gasps of delight went up along with the curtain at the sight of the fifteen beaming dancers wearing pantomime-style red outfits trimmed with chunky stones and offset by a deep blue background. It's adapted from a light, less Hammer Horror Stravinsky piece, with steps suggesting Jazz and Broadway shows, although some of the moves give the dancers toy-like gaits. Witty, sexy and slightly wicked.

Better still is 'Workwithinwork', a brilliant sequence based on Berio's eerie duet for two violins. Couples and small groups perform short pieces in quick succession against a dark backdrop featuring a row of pitch-black doorways. Er, is a dance with two dancers a couple? A duet? Anyway, it's based around the choreographer's interest in improvisation and the dancers create some fascinating unsynchronised combinations over a variety of short musical pieces, each in a different scale. There are a few nods towards dramatic gestures with dancers placed notably watching the action instead of participating, but overall it's an expressionist piece of atmosphere.

The celestial clockwork of Bach probably isn't a natural source for ballet music and the third piece is the slightest of the three. It's pleasing enough though, opening with a tender boygirl Aria, followed by some cool peasant flailing to the Gavotte; then some angst over the overplayed Hamlet advert 'Air On A G String' and an uplifting ensemble finale.

People should give Girl-e more free nights out, but bribery aside, 'Rubies' and its accompanying pieces are well worth sticking on the credit card. It’s now over in Glasgow, but will be playing in other Scottish cities like Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness until the end of October.

Full information can be found here: www.scottishballet.co.uk

Style bug

2009-10-08T15:11:00.008+01:00

The lovely things that have my antennae twitching at the moment…

Cherry Bud Ring

This gorgeous ring reminds me of springtime in my home town in Northern Virginia. The pearl cherry blossom buds would keep me dreaming of sunshine through the dark months to come. And, as a bonus, Astley Clarke is offering 20% to celebrate the launch of its revamped website. Use NEWASTLEY by midnight on Monday the 12th.

Rodarte and Opening Ceremony tote bag

Rodarte has invaded super chic French boutique Collette, curating a shop of their favourite things. This bag designed by Rodarte and Opening Ceremony is an example of the items available online.

Cosy knitwear from Me&Em

Pyjama Room has rebranded itself as Me&Em, and have expanded their line of flattering loungewear. To celebrate, they’re offering a 15% discount until the end of the month. Use code ME15. I love their 7 way wrap – I’d like to get one in every colour.

Studded clutch

I’m loving anything with studs at the moment. This clutch from Hutchinson & Co particularly caught my eye.

Bengal tiger scarf

Animal prints never seem to go out of style. Make your bid for fashion immortality with this giant cashmere scarf from Liberty. This would look fantastic with my cropped biker jacket.

Autumn's hottest accessory: new perfume

2009-10-01T13:04:00.002+01:00

I am a firm believer in seasonal scents. I absolutely love L'eau Par Kenzo, but no matter how much I love a light, breezy scent, I just can't wear it in the autumn and winter. I love breaking out my richer, warmer perfumes, like Delices de Cartier. It's also a relatively inexpensive way to make a big style change.

Many people must feel the same way, as there are about a hundred new perfume launches at the moment. I'm wearing Series 1 Leaves: Lily by Comme des Garcon at the moment, but it's so fresh and juicy, it smells like a garden with freshly cut grass. Perfect in the summer, but in the winter it would be like a eulogy to the sun we won't see again for five months. So, it was with a great deal of excitement I went shopping for a new perfume. I had a long list of contenders - the hotly anticipated new perfume by Issey Miyake, the new Prada Amber, the new Marc Jacobs just to name a few. But low and behold, I don't like any of them! Prada seems determined to only create perfume for women over 40. The Issey Miyake perfume was a disappointment (too similar to the original) and no matter how many times I see that Lola by Marc Jacobs perfume advert (Sheerlux, Net-a-Porter, etc etc etc) it won't make me like the scent any better. Or that ridiculous bottle.

I've still to try out the new range of D&G perfumes, with packaging reminiscent of the Marc Jacobs range of splashes (which I love, especially the grapefruit sorbet, but alas, is only summer appropriate). I might go back to my old stand-by - Her by Narciso Rodriguez, which breaks my rotational rule - I wear it season after season. It's a classic that I'll wear for a long time before I get tired of it.

Holiday in the sun, except without any...sun

2009-09-27T14:02:00.007+01:00

My husband and I decided we couldn’t afford the glamorous holiday we’d planned in Morocco, so we went to Blackpool. Almost as good, right? Actually, we did have a great time. The first day we arrived, the place was dead, and a bit depressing, but as the week progressed, the town came alive. We stayed in the Imperial at the Northern end of the Promenade. From the waist down, it’s a luxury hotel, with beautiful lobby, a Declor spa and a health club. Unfortunately, from the waist up, it’s in need of a major upgrade, which I believe it’s in the process of receiving.

Never-the-less, it was a good base from which to explore the Promenade. We arrived on the Monday. On the Tuesday, we took a tram (which is only marginally faster than walking) to the Pleasure Beach and spent a day on the rides. It started as a cold, wet day - no, not the weather, the fact that we foolishly decided on Valhalla as our first destination. A very wet ride that may have been a welcome break from the heat in July, but in late September is basically just a descent into hell.

Wednesday turned out to be the best day. We went to Blackpool Tower, which is one of those bizarre hodge-podge attractions that are so representative of the town. There’s a half-arsed aquarium, a modest amusement arcade, a circus, restaurants, and of course, the famous ballroom. The ballroom boasts a bar and cabaret style seating, so we bought drinks and sat down, and watched dozens of old people dancing to music being piped out of the Wurlitzer on stage. It was totally hypnotic and possibly the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Wednesday night we explored the dark and quiet North Pier, which, with it’s abandoned carousel, empty theatre, and cold empty deck chairs had a sort of post apocalyptic feel. I imagine that this is what Britain would feel like after a deadly virus had been unleashed, or something like that.

Before we went back to the hotel, we noticed that the mysterious ‘Funny Girls’ sign adorning the side of a large art deco building was lit up - we’d been curious about it all day, so we went to see what it was. It turned out to be the home of a fabulous drag cabaret, complete with intricate sets, sparkly costumes, impressive dance numbers, and sarcastic MC. The inside of the building is a wonderfully preserved salmon pink art deco theatre, with balconies and velvet curtains. We had a fantastic time, and were very impressed by the acrobatics.

The best part of Blackpool were the unplanned things, like the indoor market we found, or the library sale where we were able to fill up a box with books for a £1 - including work by Alan Warner, Iain Banks, and Michael Faber. And of course, Funny Girls, which was a brilliant surprise.

The Coveted cometh

2009-09-24T22:49:00.003+01:00

Do you ever get sick of looking through your favourite fashion magazine and wishing that half the stuff they were talking about was actually happening/available in Scotland? UK fashion, style, and lifestyle magazines are all so London-centric, which is fair but not terribly satisfying if you live in the hinterlands.

Often on a Sunday I find myself looking at the style section of the Sunday Herald magazine wishing it was a full scale magazine. Well, someone must have been picking up on all this wishful thinking because a Scottish fashion magazine is about to be launched.

The magazine is called The Coveted and the first issue is out on 1 October. I haven’t gotten any kind of sneak peak, so I don’t know what it will be like, but judging from the blog, these people know what they’re talking about. And somehow it's free!

So when the first issue comes out read, admire, covet.

Glasgow gets ready for a very stylish Autumn

2009-09-16T12:12:00.005+01:00

Autumn is an exciting time in Glasgow, with all the festivals and free stuff going on, not to mention the very stylish Style Awards and Glasgow Fashion Week. Top items on my agenda for the coming months:

Glasgay!
This festival celebrating the best of queer culture actually started at the beginning of September, but is running through the month into October. Events include films, dance, music, theatre, talks, club nights, visual art, comedy, whew! The list goes on. So much to see - I've got Bandaged, Maria Beatty's camp homage to Les Yeux Sans Visage in my diary already. Check out the festival website: www.glasgay.co.uk.

Doors Open Days
Ever walked by one of Glasgow’s many amazing buildings and though, ‘I wonder what that place is like inside?’ Doors Open Days give you the opportunity to answer that question. From the 16th to the 20th of September, this free event offers a peak into places like the new(ish) BBC Scotland building on the Clyde, the new Trongate 103 art space, the A-listed former church St Andrews on the Square, the fabulous art nouveau Civil Ceremony Suites in Park Circus, the Beresford, and the historic Merchants House. Full details can be found on the website: www.glasgowdoorsopenday.com.

The Merchant City Festival
The Merchant City certainly is the place to be right now. The Merchant City Festival, now in its 8th year, runs from 24th to 27th September. The section of the city just East of George Square will come alive with performances, exhibits, and a French market. The best part will undoubtedly be the pop-up champagne bar in Hutchesons’ Hall, run by the Café Gandolfi people, with bubbly, luxury nibbles, and musicians and fire-eaters! Full details on the festival can be found on the website: www.merchantcityfestival.com.

The Scottish Style Awards
Yet another event in the Merchant City – this annual awards show and party will be held in the Old Fruitmarket on 31 October, and is this year open to the public. Your ticket will buy you a seat at the event, entrance into the champagne reception and runway show, and a goodie bag. In previous years the event honoured Scottish designers like Jonathan Saunders, Christopher Kane, and Deryck Walker. Information is available here: www.scottishstyleawards.co.uk and tickets can be purchased here: www.glasgowconcerthalls.com.

Glasgow Fashion Week
Scotland now has its own international fashion week, showcasing designers from all over Europe, Asia and Africa. The event will run from 11th to 14th November this year. Full details on this year’s event are not posted yet, but you can sign up for the newsletter here: www.gfashionweek.com.

Troubling times (for hair)

2009-09-15T12:01:00.002+01:00

I’ve recently noticed a trend that has nothing to do with ‘bold shoulders’ or ‘fierce heels’. It’s far more to do with ‘bold laziness’ and ‘fierce indifference’. As in ‘I don’t really need to wash my hair this morning, do I?’

They say that one symptom of depression is not bathing, and what is recession other than economic depression? So, with all that non-bathing, we’re left with an important national issue – rampant greasy hair.

There are a couple of solutions though – I’ve asked around, and this is what people are doing to get through the lanky days:

Dry shampoo
I think a new Nobel Prize category should be launched – advances in lazy grooming – and the first winner should be Mr Batiste. Batiste dry shampoo, which comes in a range of scents and costs less than £2, means we can all save money on those premium shampoos by only washing our hair every two to four days. One colleague of mine went as far as seven days (in the name of science of course) but I don’t know if I’d go that far.

A word of warning – it’s white, so the first time you use it, don’t be surprised if you look like an old lady/gentleman at first, but you’re meant to brush it out, so it does blend. Don’t use this after you’ve dressed, especially if you’re wearing black!

Available from pretty much any Boots or Superdrug.

Hair powder
Bumble & Bumble’s hair powder is very similar to dry shampoo, but it comes in a range of colours. It does need to be sprayed close to the roots – I learned this the hard way, after covering my entire bathroom with a thin dirty blonde coloured film. This is more expensive than Batiste (about £15 to 30) but it sort of doubles up as a styling product, as it can give your hair more lift and volume. Available at Space NK and online at HQ Hair.

Headbands
Look in any magazine or watch any fashionable programme on telly and you’ll see that headbands are indeed back, and the bonus is they’re great at hiding a multitude of sins. Goody makes some non-slip ones available at Boots. Blax make a headband version of their fantastic snag-free hair elastics, which you can get at HQ Hair. Or you could go the high-end direction and get something sparkly and wonderful from Cherry Chau (at Harvey Nichols) or Deepa Gurnani (at Net-a-Porter or Liberty).

A Goodd excuse

2009-09-13T13:20:00.009+01:00

I’m disgracefully late in posting this, but two weeks ago I went to the Scottish Homes and Interiors Show at the SECC. It was a multi-purpose trip - to take pictures of our web client’s stand (furniture specialist The Bench), to accompany my friend while he impulse bought a large sectional couch for a flat he doesn’t yet have, and to generally admire Glasgow’s world of interior design.

Aside from my web client’s stand, which was full of her lovely benches (and I’m not just saying that because I created her website!) the highlight of the show was the presence of the Merchant City’s most stylish shop, Goodd.

As an avid reader of blogs and magazines, I’d already been aware of Goodd, and the amazing items they have on offer, including pieces by Established & Sons. What I didn’t realise was that Goodd is more than just a shop - they encompass a gallery space, and offer a series of exhibitions which are engineered to encourage a local interest in design.

I furiously snapped photos of the display at the SECC so you can get a taste of what they sell:
I had to include a photo of this bowl, because my husband especially loved it - made from toy soldiers:
And, just because their stuff is so pretty, I've included a photo of the Bench stand. My fantasy is to open a boutique someday and furnish it totally from this type of thing: