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PLEASE NOTE THIS BLOG WILL REDIRECT IN 5 SECONDS TO MY NEW BLOG TWISTED SKIRT. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT OVER THE MANY YEARS!

That Was the Week That Was

Where has time gone? What happened to my life that allowed me one or two blog posts a day? Folks, I have to give you the round up. Essentially I'm selling you a pup with the past and a small insight into the future.

What Storm?

A weekend in Swansea did deliver clouds and a bit of rain but despite sleeping like a cat on a hot tin roof anticipating squalls and fallen trees in our room in Mumbles, zero, zilch, nothing. That Monday was a 20 minute down pour at 8am with barely a leaf out of place followed by sunshine as we drove back up the M4 to London. It was obvious the following day as I walked the dog that a battering had taken place but I didn't experience it. Oh well I had a very nice Joe's ice cream instead.

Halloween

Excitement always abounds in our household when it comes to Halloween and this year was no exception. We had high hopes of the superman costume sent to us by Tesco's Pet Insurance for Patches to wear but aside from the cape it was too small, more Chihuahua than Parsons.

But being a good family dog he happily mooched round with myself and the petit garcon whilst we managed to trick and treat as well as be tricked and treated on. Hence Dracula mummy and Were Wolf son.

Revving Up

As I plan my strategy and think about my clothes fast next year, inevitably I'm lead to a few missing items that seem to have become wardrobe staples. It is exasperating how much I NEED a leather pencil skirt in my life. My research - asking twitter yes or no, resounded in an emphatic yes which has left me with the task of getting in a purchase before the 31/12/13. Who knew leather skirts were such a mind field but my best option is between a Dixie and Suzy both priced at £195 from Whistles (gulp). The rather wonderful reasonable priced £149 M&S Autograph one has sold out. Folks you are warned get in there.

But more importantly is the fact I'm looking forward to working my wardrobe hard and not spending money on clothes. I know my magpie instincts will be challenge but I have a distraction plan in place that mainly entails sorting our my wardrobe and gardening! Apparently gardening is the new fashion.
Plus there is the ever helpful Penny Golightly and her highly useful ebook series  of which How to Live on £10 a Week is a great motivational tool.

Christmas - gah, humbug!

I love Christmas, all the festive fun but this year I'm finding it hard to focus on presents. All I want to do is dress up and drink mulled wine. Are you prepared for Christmas? And please Mrs Fab, Style at Any Age don't answer that because not doubt you are wrapped!

Head to Toe

Remember those days of fashion pronouncements? The ones that were so rule driven you were scared to step foot outside in case you had FAILED. Well we all know those days are long gone. In fact most fashion rules have been debunked although there is always my personal favourite from Coco Chanel, 'It is always better to be slightly under dressed'. I find these words suit me most of the time but occasionally I think there is no harm in ignoring such wisdom completely.

Which bring me to the notion of not wearing a designer head to toe. Why not? Chanel did nothing but. I suppose the idea was to encourage more shopping across more labels. Behind every fashion pronouncement there is a marketing manager methinks.

When I saw this image I thought how lovely, what a great look and why would you not just do it all. I give Boden.

Boden Bistro Crop Trouser in bright red £59

Daisy Jacquard top £59

Sixties Slingbacks £99

Sun dresses are go

Heat or heavy showers the trick to these sunny summer days is how to stay cool figuratively and literally. The answer my friend is blowing in the wind - a sun dress.

Of course I'm not suggesting a strappy sloppy roll up in your beach bag type of sun dress. What is required here is a structured cotton number for work, meetings and after work drinks. M&S's Autograpbh collection have this pure cotton number at £89 in a pretty pale pink. Max Mara Weekend have this one on sale at £143.


This one is a little more daring but a great price in the sale at £60 from £150

Ben de Lisi designer black abstract dress at Debenhams

I loved this dress for its print and colour but sadly I think it is one that is either sold out online and in store but it does capture the joy of summer

Dress Debenhams

Not birthday suit & fan

How to keep cool and stylish in the heat is a tricky one. It is not so bad when you are on the coast with a bit of sea breeze but in the city or town it is a different matter.

My favourite option of a weekend, where ever I am, is shorts, a shirt and a hat. My personal preference when wearing shorts is always to team them with a long sleeve shirt (happy to roll sleeves up) or a kaftan tunic top. Conversely at night on holiday I like nothing better than short tailored (even sequin) shorts with a silk short sleeved or sleeveless top plus heels or wedges!

photo at Borth, Cerdigion, Mid-Wales on 13/7/13

hat Accessorise, shirt M&S, shorts M&S, sunnies Polaroid

photo in Hong Kong South beach Sept 2012

shorts Oasis, top Juicy Couture (2004), sequin jacket Baukjen, bag Urban Outfitters, sandals Boden

It is a formula that works well in the same way jeans with t-shirt and Converse pumps is an easy default of a weekend or school run.

I've spotted a plethora of maxi dresses and skirts over the last week which is often a better look of an evening I find or for a weekend barbecue but all in all anything is better than too much flesh although it was so hot the other night ones birthday suit and a fan was the best one could muster!

I heart NYC & Kim Cattrall

It should be no surprise that the prime motivator for purchasing stall tickets at the front for the Old Vic production of Sweet Bird of Youth was to see Kim Cattrall. As a fashion writer and stylist SATC was my must watch programme from the moment it aired on HBO and Channel 4 in the UK. It was Samantha in Sex and the City who enthralled, amused and shocked. It was in both the SATC movies (whatever you may think of them) that she out shone her co-stars. Whilst most women wanted to be Sarah Jessica Parker in terms of clothes, lifestyle and Mr Big, it is always Kim Cattrall as Samantha who was the scene stealer and had the best lines.

image: Old Vic photographer Jay Brooks

Of course as much as I'm meant to dislike the films, secretly I'm perfectly happy to watch them regardless of any high brow views on how dreadful they are. I love the feast of clothes, simple. But yes ok the Cary/Big story in SATC2 is utterly appalling. But doesn't Kim Cattrall look fabulous in her Wendy Brandes's Cleopatra earrings. You see it is all about New York.

Cleopatra earrings $9000

However it was Kim Cattrall's performance in Channel 4' adaptation of William Boyd's Any Human Heart (2010) as Gloria Scabius which expanded the fact, in my mind, she is an actress of note. Given her acting skills it had always puzzled me why she was not cast more in films. At the opening night of Tennessee Williams Sweet Bird of Youth I grasped the full extent of why Cattrall is a great actress butnot a great Hollywood star. And despite someone trying to belittle this point, I stick to my guns given many 'leading' ladies are chosen to offset the male one and twos.

Imagine you are extremely excited to be seeing her perform on stage in London, imagine that at first she is lying in bed face down and remains so for a while. The play and the performance is led by the character Chance Wayne played by Seth Numrich. Numrich has all the attributes of a theatre actor in respect of looks, physique and training. Yet as much as wanted to like his performance it lacked an element of delivery in respect of characterisation which was required for the role. He came alive in the first part of Act II scene II in the Cocktail lounge and his demise was more expected than convincing. The physicality was exacting but there was a lack of depth and conviction to his portrayal.

Given it was the opening night I would suspect an element of nerves, adrenaline and uncertainty of the crowd hampers performance to some degree. If Numrich can combine movement with delivery and really become the character Chance Walker then his performance should improve which will improve his standing alongside the rest of the cast. Owen Rae, Charles Aitken, Brid Brennan and Lucy Robinson were exceptionally strong cast members in respect of the narrative and engaging with them as characters. My disappointment in Louise Dylan as Heavenly rests solely upon her short hair. The period, the setting and the play is not served well by a young women with short hair. Having not read the play for a number of years I'm happy to be corrected on this point but to my mind this detail was a visual mistake. Which further engendered the lack of connection with the two characters, Chance and Heavenly.

The stage set was exemplary with the exception of the top balustrades which screamed 'cheap new build' at me but this is a small insignificant matter and is more a reflection of my tendency to notice and absorb such detail. The design was outstanding in terms of use of space and creating atmosphere. It put me in mind of the wonderful hallway and staircase in Written on the Wind (1956) directed by Douglas Sirk such was it cinematic quality from my perspective in the third row in the stalls. Which must mean the lighting was magnificent, it was. It all lent well to good use of stage by the actors and the movement  never erred into the frenetic despite the demands of the narrative exuberance.

The sheer joy of the play is the era, the familiar thematic qualities of the fifties as exemplified by Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller and the end of Classical Hollywood and the outstanding Sirk who directed Rock Hudson to great affect in All That Heaven Allows and Written on the Wind. It is to the productions credit of Sweet Bird of Youth that I was transported back to my English literature lessons at a comprehensive school with memories of To Kill a Mocking Bird, Death of a Salesman and Street Car Named Desire all studied and inspiring an appetite not just for literature and plays but a love of the cinema.

And of course my true love is the cinema, hence my obsession with costume and stage setting. Aunt Nonnie and Tom Junior were attired in the best costumes. Aunt Nonnie's shoes were delectable in detail as they ran past me in the auditorium. Overall the costume choice was pretty good with the exception of Heavenly's first dress, which again I found unconvincing. In all, the production, the set, and the costumes were hitting the right notes. The temptation to be clever never arose and the success of delivering a play that authentically captured the era and issues of that era gave it a Mad Men-esque quality.  Overall the production is a safe bet if you want to see a play from a playwright who excelled at characterisation and relationship drama. It is the sort of play that could within a school lesson be a vehicle for all sorts of discussion that would lead you off curriculum and into the true opportunity of education, the art of imparting or acquiring a thirst for knowledge through any learning. Gove wouldn't like the thought of that but he'd be hard pressed not to like the Old Vic's production of Sweet Bird of Youth because it stays true to the context of the drama and setting.

Yet it was Kim Cattrall who deserves the best accolade. Her performance was incredible. Not for one moment did I think 'Samantha'. I firmly believed she was her character and was actually amazed at her ability to be secondary to another cast member. Her acting was exacting in requirements of stage presence and physicality. Her physical presence took me by surprised. Cattrall is in good shape through her hard work, I know this information from her interviews. Yet her statue is her own, her height, her depth and movement regardless of her toned body is what surprised me. She is not one of those actors who is smaller in real life and her ability to dominate (unintentionally or with ease) is probably what sets her apart from most. Her delivery and her timing were impeccable for a first night performance, only Owen Rae was her equal, yet his part in terms of characterisation was more obvious. The fact Cattrall is such a presence made me realise why she hasn't had a great Hollywood career in respect of appearing in films as leading lady. Sometimes, some actors are too good for others.

Tennessee Williams as a playwright enjoys the cascading excess of emotion and agitation and in some ways sometimes fails to edit the excess. The part of Princess Kosmonopolis is a fractious example of fading starlet obsessed with fame, youth and status. Manipulative, selfish and rampageous her character does attempt to pass some semblance of wisdom onto the delusional and self centred Chance Wayne. Vanity of the person and power are psychological troupes Williams likes to play out in the context of his plays and to expose views which are at odds to the changing social settings and politics.

Unlike Williams, Cattrall reined in the excess of her role just when required and it made me wish I could see her act in a variety of roles in any media. Her ability to transcend media from tv to screen to stage suggests she is well cast in this role and a marvellous choice. In all the Old Vic are forging a forgotten genre by bringing Tennessee Williams back into the limelight. It is a reminder that history and wisdom consistently fail to be passed onto youth and also society. I'm glad the play is played straight and no attempt to figuratively set it in a modern context takes place. But the most satisfying element is that momentary decision acted upon, spurred on by an article in the Evening Standard left on a train, to see Kim Cattrall in a play did not disappoint. It was a satisfying as hoped and therefore I would happily see this production again. Take the opportunity to go, reacquaint yourself with old school drama and this is from a film buff not a theatre goer.

Sweet Bird of Youth is on at The Old Vic from June 1st to August 31st. 

Beauty basics

I gave in to the Times paywall malarkey. Subscribing is an necessary evil for my work and I've found it really handy and more satisfying than reading Femail and getting side tracked by what is and isn't moving out of the Saatchi home.

If there is one reason to bite the bullet and pay the one off fee rather than a monthly subscription then it is Sarah Vine's Best Beauty Buys (for when you are over 37).  Money and age aside the products really are in the main for any age. 

Some of the items are on the more pricey side but more in the mid price range rather than the high end. In amongst her list is a wonderful beauty basic which I've tried and can attest is the business and it is £8 from Sainsbury.

Mandara Spa Island Paradise Scrub £8

To cherry pick the full list here is the link to it on The Times - Best Beauty Buys

Sales & Style

The only bonus of all this dire weather is the opportunity to stock up on basics. Sale shopping should only be undertaken on this basis. I'm in the mood for a summer items that scream longevity. Not one of my recent purchases shout trend or fashion, not even my Topshop Unique yellow trousers. They are yellow and very bright but I can see myself still entertaining the thought of wearing them in my 70s.

I have avoided printed jeans and trousers, anything floral and turned my back on peplum. I only indulged in one top from Zara but I wore it the other day and it felt wrong all of a sudden.

My purchases have been based on 3 thought processes. One could I look like Annie Hall in New York (without the tie), two could I look like an extra from Mad Men on the Amlafi coast and three my new favourite look which I call Paris/Scandi chic. The ability to mix all three is quite easy and ensures a good mix of outfits.

image: Diane Keaton & Woody Allan in 'Annie Hall'

image: Vogue 2005 shoot Gemma W & Josh Harnett

image: Karlie Kloss biking in Paris

What is your style solutions for successful sale shopping?

Budget Beauty Buys

In these hard times purchasing decisions are critical to making good use of your budget. Wise product buying can make all the difference to how you feel and your purse strings.

The best way to maximise your spend is to get a loyalty card - both Boots and Superdrug have one but Boots one has the edge with its 4 points per pound spent reward. Use the card to check any offers and build up points to use in the future to buy products. If you shop consistently at Boots (or Superdrug) each month you can count 1 - 2 months of your beauty budget as free or use the points for Christmas presents.

But which budget buys really pack a beauty punch? It depends on who and what you believe but in reality affordability should come first. The facts are with your skin the main ingredient is how good are your genes followed by the degradation effects of smoking, sun, alcohol and then food. What you put on only has a small impact. High price doesn't always mean high value but there are some consistently high performing low, mid and high price brands. Beware gimmicks and pseudo science and the rest is just what you like or works for you.

I think the trick is to blend the price points and use offers wisely. My current bargain basement favourites are a mix of low and mid ranged priced products:

1.Herbal Essence shampoos and conditioners, my preference lies with the hydrating coconut range.

2. Aveeno products (lots of offers on these i.e. 3 for price of 2 etc.) and the great thing about Aveeno is the benefit to your skin particularly if you have ezcema or psoriasis, in fact any dry skin condition. Aveeno does treat ezcema but not psoriasis but it does bring relief to the symptoms of it.

3. La Roche-Posey BB's cream which I use on top on my moisturiser which is currently the cheap as chips but highly effective as a base Astral all over moisturiser. Astral quite rich in some respects but if you have normal to dry sin it is a budget buster which works. I always apply a sun screen over my moisturiser as I prefer separate creams to those that include an SPF. Again I use La Roche-Posey.  

Stick to your budget, buy wisely, get points to make prizes and above all use up what you have before you stock up. Don't forget to save those freebie sachets from magazines as well, always handy to have a stock of those as well.

Pick of the Day!

Can you believe it, you try and wind down your blog and suddenly people get demanding and say 'please don't' or 'I rely on your picks'. Gosh that made me feel quite surprised and overwhelmed.

In the promise the bearer style, I will promise to blog affordable, good quality and high street (or internet) options selections as much as possible.

Today, I thought you know what the sun is out and perhaps we could all do with a bit of colour in our lives. By the way the M&S neon t-shirts sold out they were so good, which proves we all love a bit of colour when it hits the mark.

I thought a mix of a perennial favourite stripes in a bright colour execution would be just the ticket!

Gap Multi Stripe Maxi dress £29.95