The Womens Room

Things to do at Christmas: The V&A's new Medieval and Renaissance galleries

The Womens Room — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:25:00 +0000

Medieval socks, knitted about 1500 years ago

Over the Christmas break, if you live close to London, try and escape the family madness and grab a bit of culture in the form of a visit to the new V&A Medieval and Renaissance galleries, which are fab. When you look at the amazing use of space and thoughtful, beautifully positioned displays you realise just how far museums have come over the last thirty years. Gone is the musty dusty image of cluttered galleries and dark dull rooms, replaced by light filled lofty spaces you really wouldn't mind living in. And that's before you get to the displays.

Apparently the V&A has had all this Medieval work for ever, either in storage or squashed in an inappropriately small room, now it has a chance to shine. We loved the small stuff like the painted glass Edenhall Luck cup (below) which was claimed, by some Medieval marketeer, to be made by fairies and the Michealangelo wax model which was so tiny we'd have walked by it if we weren't looking for it.. We also were taken with these socks, knitted somewhere about 300-500 AD, which have retained their colour and have NO MOTH HOLES...we need to know how the V&A achieved this feat (no pun intended, that just came out...).

We thought our knitting readers would appreciate the tiny neat stitches...strange shape eh? They would have been worn with sandals according to the blurb. Can't see it catching on.

The V&A is open (after closing for Christmas) on the 27th December 10.00am to 5.45pm.

The Eadenhall luck cup, made by fairies, apparently

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without: TOTP

The Womens Room — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Anyone over the age of 25 will remember the excitement of the Christmas edition of Top of the Pops. The rush to finish lunch, Mum complaining that she wanted to watch the Queens speech and Dad joking all the way through, asking 'is that a boy, or a girl?' Now, we are those mums, dads, aunties, uncles and maybe even grandparents, but we still miss the Christmas TOTP's.

Have a very Merry Christmas.
Lots of love Jane and Amanda xxx

We love: Uniqlo's Heat Tech

The Womens Room — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:09:00 +0000

With impeccable timing in this cold snap, Uniqlo Japan sent us a couple of Heattech T shirts to try out. The idea behind the T shirts is that through clever technology (developed between Uniqlo and Japan's fabric giant,Toray Industries) the fabric keeps you warm and snuggly while also keeping you non sweaty and slimline by reducing the fabric bulk. Since we are looking out at a very snowy, frosty scene this morning, these T shirts seem like a very welcome addition to the wardrobe.

Flicking through the range details, it looks to me like the Heatech styles are ones you would put under other clothes as a layering detail on a nippy day. The women's range is made from a very smooth yarn (coated in milk protein, FYI) which feels lovely against your skin and is very fine to wear under dresses or even other knits. By coincidence, teenagesons have been wearing the mens long johns -bought earlier this season- under their sports kits at school during the cold weather. This is a cool new addition to rugby/football dress according to middleteenageson, which does keep your legs warm.

By the way, the T shirts came beautifully wrapped in lovely packaging, don't you love the Japanese attention to detail? Check out the full range of styles at www.uniqlo.com where you can also order on line.

How times have changed: when the boss comes to dinner

The Womens Room — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

We came across this 70's recipe book recently and loved it. The elaborate table settings, complicated recipes and ridiculous food decor are amazing. It made us so grateful not to be 1970's housewives, entertaining the boss.

So if you are feeling a little overwhelmed by the domestic challenges of entertaining the family at Christmas, pour yourself a cup of tea or a glass of wine and watch this episode of one of our all time favourite, good old British comedies, The Good Life, and thank your lucky stars you don't have to entertain Jerry's boss.

How much do we love Margot.

Watch The Good Life - S01E06 - The Pagan Rite.avi in Comedy | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Things you should have bought this season: our top five

The Womens Room — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 05:32:00 +0000

What is it about the end of the year that makes everyone do top ten lists? Not to be left out, here's TWR's top five purchases (ten was just too much of a stretch...)

Every season in fashion, there are a few styles that are done brilliantly by (almost) everyone and it's a great opportunity to pick up a classic. As the sales and Christmas draw near, we thought it would be a good idea to review this last season's highlights and point out what we thought were great items to buy (or get given as a last minute present, should anyone be interested....).

Boots

We mentioned Kurt Geiger and Beatrix Ong, but we'd be just as happy with these flatish suede numbers from Marc by Marc Jacobs in the sale for under £200.

Leather biker jackets

New Look did a great one, as did Whistles but we're hovering over the quite expensive Toast by Post one, how low will it go in the sales?

Knitted dresses

Classics everywhere here, we've mentioned John Smedley and Tommy Hilfiger but we also love Cabbages and Roses snuggly one.

Something with sequins on it

Take your pick in Topshop....although we quite like these sequined dancing shoes from Boden, shame they didn't do them in red.

A shirt from +J at Uniqlo

We raved and bought from this brilliantly made, nice quality selection of styles from the mistress of minimalism and everything we bought we've worn and loved. All that's left are some jackets, jumpers and shirts and we'd suggect you stock up on shirts for the spring, we're going to buy the pale pink one.....

Trend alert: Turquoise

The Womens Room — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Last December we told you that Pantone (the fashion industry's colour provider) had predicted the colour for 2009 was to be Mimosa (thats bright yellow to those non fashion people) and guess what, it was. Bright yellow was all over the high street this summer.

For 2010 they predict Pantone no 15-5519 will be our colour of choice. They call the turquoise tone, an 'inviting and luminous', colour. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute, explained, 'in many cultures, Turquoise occupies a very special position in the world of colour. It is believed to be a protective talisman, a color of deep compassion and healing, and a color of faith and truth, inspired by water and sky. Through years of color word-association studies, we also find that Turquoise represents an escape to many – taking them to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if only a fantasy.'

Sounds great Leatrice, but we are not sure we will actually want to wear such an unforgiving colour. But then again I say that every year, and give it a few weeks and I'm head to toe in the colour du jour!

Shopping with experts: Tim Little (for middleagedads)

The Womens Room — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 04:25:00 +0000

I was in the Kings Road today and saw an extraordinary sight, men, mostly middleagedads, shopping with gusto in a SALE! Blimey, so they CAN shop enthusiastically if they want then....

To be clear, it was a shoe sale at Mr Tim Little's Chelsea store where he sells to the most discerning of middleagedads with a few quid to spare. The shoes are hand made from gorgeous leather (French calf, with the shapes being left on the last for up to 30 days in order to relax into the shape of the foot) and are classic with a bit of a funky beat. There is a particularly wonderful distressed brogue called Early in the Morning (Tim name's all his shoes after Blue's songs) from the Italian collection that I deeply covet, but since he only makes for men they start at a size 7....why, oh why, Tim?

Clearly there are a lot of middleagedads who love the shoes but also love a bargain, I would say that if you haven't already bought middleagedad's present, you could do worse than pick out a pair from the sale (the staff are lovely) if there are any left after Saturday's first day rush. And if you can't afford the shoes, then just smile at the words on the window. Tim appeals to his customers who pass by in their cars on the busy Kings Road with witty sayings to cheer you up.

Tim Little shoes, and for Tim's list of top Blue's tracks see here.

Middleagedmum.com: how to have a stress free Christmas

The Womens Room — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

Image by Norman Rockwell

This week we were sent a press release from Lisa Wyn, CEO of Coaching for Dads, on how to have a stress free Christmas. Research has found that 9.58 am is the time of the first family row on Christmas day, and CFD's offer advice on how to plan the day and minimize the stress.

This got me thinking about how different people cope with stress and how plan as you might, it's often almost impossible to stop yourself getting wound up, once you enter the zone (as my BF and I like to call it). So in the true spirit of Christmas, here is middleagedmums guide to a stress free Christmas.

Budget and spend wisely - start Christmas shopping on Dec 29th at the sales and buy lots of crap that nobody else wants, put it in a fool proof hiding place, where it can stay till Dec 29th next year, after you have spent the whole of Dec trying to find it.

Don't agree with your partner that you will not buy each other presents this year, then secretly buy him a day out in Ferrari. You will spend the whole of Christmas day, silently seething and later crying (after a few too many Baileys) as he thought you were really not buying each other anything.

Try to avoid telling your teenagers that they are not having huge expensive presents, as they already have enough stuff, then leave buying the essential pair of boots, skateboard etc right till the last minute. You will then panic and buy huge expensive presents, that they dont want anyway!

Don't leave going to the supermarket until the last minute, (have you booked your online delivery, cos if not, you're stuffed!) as you will end up in queues to enter the car park, queues for the tills and queues to exit the car park, and they will have run out of the essential ingredient that Delia has recommended for Christmas 2009 (this year its La Petite Masion Feuilles de Brick pastry).

Do not start drinking Bucks Fizz at 10 am, if you are cooking the Christmas dinner (no matter how tempting it is). Especially if you plan to eat at 4 pm. There is nothing worse than trying to co-ordinate cooking times through an alcoholic haze and the shame of your mum having to take over the cooking will haunt you for weeks.

Don't get into a cooking time war with your mum. If its her house, start drinking Bucks Fizz at 10 am and accept that the turkey and vegetables will be over cooked. If it's your house, tell her it's her day and as a special treat, she mustn't come near the kitchen.

Try to rise above irritating relatives, annoying children and interfering parents. Your job (call me old fashioned) is to keep the peace and provide an enjoyable day. Above all do not argue with your partner, the facade of a perfect family is vitally important (even if you are secretly seething inside and planning their slow and painful death) My BF once rang me, weeping, from a country lane on Christmas day, as she had run away from home. Try to avoid this if at all possible!

Above all, enjoy yourself, and if the worst comes to the worst, think of Christmas like childbirth, it's only one day of pain and then it's all over!

Style icon; Madelaine Albright*

The Womens Room — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:30:00 +0000

*Actually it's her use of a good pin (brooch to the British)

Madelaine Albright got her first job (after bringing up her daughters) at 39, which sets her up as a great example for women going back to work after kids (she became the first female US Secretary of State in 1997 so she did all right), but it's her use of a well chosen pin/brooch during diplomatic meetings that really put her into our style icon category.

Madelaine's pin collection is on display at the Museum of Art and Design in New York, and TWR popped in to see it last week. The pins are lovely but what really resonates is her sense of humour and determination to create a very strong message through wearing her pins. After Saddam Hussein's poet refered to her as a bit of a snake, she wore a pin with a serpent on it to her next meeting. The above pin was designed so both she and anyone she was having a meeting with could see the time progressing. She wore a lovely bold zebra brooch to meet Nelson Mandela and her favourite one was a hand made clay heart made by her youngest daughter when she was little for Valentine's day.

Eventually, politicians, journalists and diplomats would check out Madelaine's brooches for the additional message they might carry, she encouraged people to 'read her pins'. We are thinking of taking this up here at The Women's Room as a diplomatic technique to be used during family gatherings, like say, Christmas (the dagger brooch might be one to be on alert for...).

The MAD museum is something of a treasure for creative people and we would encourage a visit on your next trip to NYC, if it helps, there's a terrific gift shop and it's very close to the shopping on Columbus Circle and Fifth Ave. Madelaine's book on her pins is worth getting for jewellery enthusiasts.

We love: crochetdermy

The Womens Room — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:30:00 +0000

I have been stalking eBay for weeks now, in the quest for a stags head. The teens are disgusted and think I have finally gone completely mad. The swan collection has taken over the mantelpiece and I fear taxidermy may be a step too far.
So I was delighted when I came across Shauna Richardson's crochetdermy, a unique combination of taxidermy and crochet.

Shauna is one of the artists selected to take part in Artists taking the Lead, a country wide Arts Council event, which will take place in 2012. Her Lionheart project will feature 30 foot hight crochet lions in a huge taxidermy case and be situated in Nottingham town centre.

The crochetdermy is unfortunately only available on commission.
Now where is that crochet hook?