Happenings, mentions & counting down...

Busy week and a bit a head for Mrs MDS as it is count down to the 31st of March when I'm officially not a stylist and become purely a writer. Having said that a few people are still twisting my arm for some projects! I worked on Saturday for the last time. My client laughed as I did a quick jump for joy, she is quite sad as I am her own personal creative director. I was relaxed and wore the eBay See By Chloe top - although in Prada it looked really tame next to the glory of the Muiccia stripe. And in Valentino I basically looked like a dress down tramp!



Tonight I will be donning my beauty and skincare hat after teaching styling all day as I hot foot it to The Greyhound for 7:30pm at Kew Green for an Arbonne meeting. A lovely lady called Aldis is coming over from America to talk about the new Essentials products and the business in general. Of course I'm excited because I need all the help I can get to motivate me and help me with my new venture, which is supporting my writing.

Also my stylist friend Isobel will be running a NHJ Taste of Style evening on Monday 11 April, which I've promised to mention for her as she will be joined by the lovely Katie Allum, a great makeup artist who is now blogging and you can see her tutorials on her blog What Katie Loves.

And finally I've got all my clothes to sort out. I need to re-order my wardrobe, put some things on ebay and the rest to charity. Once I've completed this task I will feel ready for finishing my current script by July.

Come to Kew if you want to join me in my clean and green products crusade, treat yourself to an style evening out in April and mainly enjoy every minute this week as not long now until the clocks spring forward.

PS I'm dreadfully aware of Libya at the moment and what with Japan, all I can say is I'm blogging as normal as to some extent life does go on, but I do so mindful of the world events. I don't think just because this is a fashion/style blog it negates me from being able to acknowledge or be anxious of others suffering.

'The life span of yogurt'

Last night's Mary Portas Secret Shopper on Channel 4 was a perfect blend of evidential documentary and Ms Portas tackling dreadful customer service. My favourite moment, when the owner likened his store's clothes to fast fashion which meant the garments 'had the life span of yogurt'. Mind you the 'if they're filming and show it on TV I'll sue them' followed by the shop assistants giggling was a close second.

I was confused by the choice of Braintree as it is mainly an outlet village, I know I did a photo shoot there once to promote the brands etc. I choose the grey ones from the shoot! There was no glamour in it just like the task Mary is trying to tackle!

Willing Stylist

I quite like the challenge of working with budding professionals and yesterday I was hauled over to Bethnal Green to assist a part time photographer and an ex ballet dancer from the English National Ballet build their portfolios. There is a freedom when there is no brief and I can create a look from whatever springs to mind. I persuaded the photographer to send me one image over. I'll share the others when I get them. My main obsession at the moment is head scarves and turbans - I'll probably wear this ensemble to the Sex and the City Movie numero 2 with WendyB's Cleopatra earrings!

But my favourite photos of the day were the spur of the moment ones when we stopped the lovely Liz in her gorgeous two seater with her Breton top, red scarf and those retro ray bans - the perfect poser!

Dans mon sac il y a...

Tor of Fabulous Frocks and Fashion Disasters challenged me to reveal what is in my bag, after she had bared all. Given my school bag is quite dull, a few notebooks, some books, a pencil case, my ipod and my Filofax which also carries all my cards, receipts and oyster card, I thought my bag from last week's model test shoot might be more interesting.

Normally I have a wheelie case but I bust it with too much stuffing and lazily bouncing it up and down steps instead of carrying it properly. I need to replace but so far no peeks in TK Maxx has yielded a bargain replacement although I did spy this nice number in Topshop Oxford Circus on Saturday.

Actually only having a holdall to fill went quite well and as I'd planned the looks with the photographer beforehand I kept things to a minimum. It was my first time working with a young up and coming photographer and I was sort of thinking gosh how young everyone is, the hair and make up peeps too. I'm glad he wanted me for my input and experience and it was all quite sweet. Dazed Korea were at the same studios doing a shoot and they were quite a serious team. I always feel like the naughty person when I work with people I don't know, everyone takes it way more seriously than I do! When I get some images I'll post the new photos. Helena was a lovely young lady from Norway and I think the shots taken on Friday will do wonders for her card! Of which you'll be able to judge...

In my bag, or dans mon sac il y a....

I've just taken the iron and towel out before laying the contents out for you to see.

l to r, bright orange tee (still unworn with it's Primark label on!), masking tape, Jigsaw belt (very handy as it can be altered although it is a pain to do), another Primark tee with some random vinyl design on it, jewellery pouch with vintage diamante necklace showing.

l to r, jewellery pouch, my last Primark tee offering (at £2.49 they were real bargains!), short denim skirt, metal stud belt, 3 x white vests, gunmetal boob tube.

l to r, the belt, vests, and boob tube again, sequined scarf on bag, crumpled black Ralph Lauren cocktail dress at the front with snakeskin belt on top and black tuxedo jacket.