More Fashion Fun

There is feeling of excitement and anticipation in Newcastle this week. Tuesday the 16th of February marks the opening of St. Andrews Way, Eldon Square, bursting with new shops and endless fashion possibilities.

Anyone who has been in town the last couple of days will have noticed something different. The lack of Topshop, New Look, Republic, River Island, Miss Selfridge, All Saints and Muse enticing us t buy lots of pretty things. This is because Eldon Square is having a re-vamp and it promises even more shops to spend your well-earned money in. New Look, River Island and Topshop are going to be flagship stores, which are the second biggest stores after those on Oxford Street. The latter – Topshop – will now have three floors! I don’t know about you, but I’m very excited about this. After recently visiting the Oxford branch, I had mentally spent hundreds of pounds in the vintage and brand section. Although I still can’t afford my dream wish list, I can now purchase a few of my favourites without having to travel to London to do so.

Another positive addition to Eldon Square is the opening of the four floor Debenhams, with floors dedicated to menswear, make-up, shoes and accessories, womenswear, childrenswear and home products. Also joining the St. Andrews Way gang are Superdry, Paperchase, Tesco Metro, Oasis, Dorothy Perkins and Schuh. The stores are holding events during the week, including make-overs, being snapped by fashion’s favourite blogger and stylist Jackie Dixon, gift cards, competitions and music talent. Throughout Eldon Square, the “Cook, Eat and Enjoy” festival is taking place all week. A health and beauty village will be running from the 18th to the 20th February, providing mini make-overs, style and beauty advice, samples from retailers like Boots, Fenwicks, Debenhams and John Lewis. You can look perfect and dazzling, especially if you want to be scouted by talent scouts looking for this year’s Miss Newcastle 2010. Dress to impress this week!

The main event though will be happening this Tuesday at 10.30am where the party begins, with cirus performers, street dancers, acrobats and stilt walkers.

To celebrate this new venture, I have included some of my favourite picks from some of the stores.

To chanel the girlie, feminine look of spring here are a few of my top choices in Topshop:

Or if you want to continue the Parisian look:

Another must-have this season are the floral bustier tops or bralets which to me remind me of more Victorian times, although a more riskier stance with stomachs on display. I’m going to team mine with wavy hair, high waisted shorts and some new flip flops. I like these two from Topshop and Miss Selfridge:

Miss Selfridge has a funky take this season, from polka dots to paint splattered dresses. Considering the former Newcastle branch was tiny, I am interested in seeing what the new store has to offer. My favourites that I’ve spied online are still very girlie but different:

When it comes to accessorises both shops have a lot to offer with kitsch necklaces, like this Topshop Key To My Heart one, I already have the 4 chained Once Upon A Time one as well as a gold looking glass necklace which everyone thinks is Disney couture, but only £8! Their watch ring is another fashion staple I’ve seen in every store recently. What with watches on necklaces, bracelets and now rings, how can we ever use the excuse of being late?! Miss Selfridge have caught on to the French trend with their own “Oui” and “Non” earrings as well as offering a different take on charms, with a watch bracelet.

B-eat

I bet the above name means absolutely nothing to anyone reading this site, but it means a lot to me and millions of other people in the UK. It is time for people to sit up and take notice of this national charity that is making a difference to the small minority who know about it.

Monday 22nd of February marks B-eat’s 21st birthday and it is also the start of it’s Eating Disorders Awareness week. Yet the charity still remains unknown. And why? The sad fact is that eating disorders are still a “hush-hush” subject, just like the C-word (cancer) was ten years ago. No one wants to talk about them; nobody wants to be associated with one. This is because eating disorders are a mental health problem, which like others – depression, self-harm etc – are rarely talked about. This needs to change.

Throughout the year, B-eat is holding various events across the country in order to promote awareness, kicking off with next week, which will involve lots of interviews in the press, on television and radio with B-eat ambassadors. These are real sufferers, who are either recovered or are still in their long road to recovery.

B-eat’s help line will be open 24/7; they will be tweeting statistics and updates; on-line recovery clubs will be running; a civic reception will be held at Norwich City Hall, the town where B-eat is based. Tuesday 23rd of February will see the launch of Beat Cymru, the first ever major project in Wales to tackle the issue of eating disorders and offering support. The end of the week is campaign day, when beat supporters are urged to take a copy of the charity’s manifesto to their local MP.

A lot of people may think that we don’t have a problem with eating disorders, but with between 1.1 million and 1.6 million currently diagnosed as having an eating disorder, not counting those who have not been diagnosed yet, I think this issue is a very serious one, especially considering it has the highest mortality rate of any mental health illnesses.

There are many different eating disorders – anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, compulsive eating, EDNOS (eating disorders non specified) and many more. They are more than just having troubles with food. That is the only what is seen on the surface. Sufferers usually have low self-esteem, perfectionist values, high levels of anxiety and could have another mental health problem. Often an eating disorder is used as a coping mechanism from a distressing event in your life. Or it could be a way of disappearing to escape bullying or sexual abuse. There are many causes of eating disorders and there is no fast fix. You can’t “cure” people. They have to want to recover and it can take years, even if you look okay physically.

Although the media does not cause eating disorders, it doesn’t help matters. The size-0 trend glorifies being emaciated; when in reality it’s not all it cracks up to be. You are a walking skeleton, with no energy, brittle bones and are certainly not attractive. You can develop osteoporosis; your brain shrinks and you lose heart tissue. By starving yourself, your body starts to shut off everything that isn’t a vital organ.

I strongly believe that the media should show real people in their magazines, ones that haven’t been airbrushed. We need to learn to celebrate that we are all different.

I could go on further to explain eating disorders but there is so much to say. They are a very complex subject but that is why awareness needs to happen. So you can help friends or relatives who may have an eating disorder. So people don’t say the wrong thing to a sufferer (Never, ever say they look well. They will interpretate it that they look fat). Whatever you do to find out about eating disorders though, do not go on pro-ana websites. These are sites that see being anorexic and bulimic has a life style and not an illness. This is wrong. People with an eating disorder do not choose it; it is something out of their control. Recovery, however, is possible with supportive friends and the general public being more understanding.

So, please do read articles on eating disorders in awareness week and do visit B-eat’s website at www.b-eat.co.uk

Stores to be seen in…

Or rather stalls to be seen at! Camden market in London has always been a must stop-shop. With eccentric dressers and wild haircuts (Mohican anyone?), Camden is one place where you can truly be yourself because anything goes!

Most people think the market is full of tat. But spend more time browsing through the quieter parts and you’ll find some special pieces.

The indoor part of the market has just been reopened and is full of stalls, selling classical vintage pieces, from fake fur coats to pussy-bow blouses. I found a stall outside, which had exquisite polka dot skirts to sheer emerald green blouses and vintage bags. It was, however, slightly pricer than other stalls, much to my disappointment as I wanted to buy it all!

My favourite find is a stall that is ran by three lovely Chinese women, bursting with dresses in all styles and colours for only £20 a piece. And they’re different! Instead of looking like a Topshop clone, you get individuality for your money with your own take on this season’s must-haves.

On the main street next to Camden market is a great shop called Echoo. This again has plenty of unusual dresses, some at only £5!

Another secret shopping place of mine is, Greenwich. Travelling there is a different experience too, using the Dockland Light railway (which has no driver), its above-ground so you get a good view of the Canary Wharf’s offices and the river.

The market there is full of stalls, selling home-made cards, jewellery, body creams and bags. I found one run by LauraLaura which had jumpers in bright colours, with lots of popular French slogans across the front. The high street is full of these say it yourself t-shirts and Topshop, River Island and New Look have some of the best but check out www.lauralaura.net for an original design of your own.

Outisde the market, head to Bullfrogs. This shop has so many quirky items in it and I always visit when there’s a sale on! Being inspired by Blair Waldorf of Gossip Girl, I left with a purple coat with bows on for £25, a lilac floaty dress for £15 and a see-through pink and black blouse for £10. I left proudly with bargains galore knowing that nobody else will look the same as me!

Inside my make-up bag

Unfortunately, I’m rather poor at the moment so my make-up bag isn’t as exciting as it usually is. Hopefully after Christmas, it will be full of gorgeous goodies since I feel I’ve been a good girl for Santa this year!

Currently I mix cheap and cheerful with some brands.

I use 17 super wear long lasting foundation, £5.37, in soft ivory. Normally I find foundations too cloggy but this one feels light on skin but gives a through coverage. When I have the money I usually use Bobbi Brown’s tinted moisturiser, £27, in porcelain.

Since I have many a late night (although lately this is due to lots of homework rather than partying!) and many an early start, I need an excellent concealer to hide my bags. Recover, anti-fatigue concealer by Rimmel, £4.88, gives amazing results and I start to look human again. Now all I need is Red Bull or coffee to keep me awake through lessons!

Next, I use either Barry M or Rimmel eyeliner in black for my bottom lashes. Again I usually use Rimmel or even Avon liquid eyeliner for my top lashes if I want a more dramatic look.

For university, I generally just add mascara to my eyes. At the moment, I am using Colour Trend by Avon curling mascara in Jet. This is a great inexpensive product, which makes my lashes just as long as any other branded product for less money! It’s only £2.50!

For a different daytime look, I use Bobbi Brown’s basic eye palette with 3 small eye shadows and one shimmer wash shadow. I love using these to make a different slant on the smoky look by using brown eye shadows. It’s pricier at £31.50, but does come with a dual-ended mini eye shadow/eye liner brush for easy application.

My going out look consists of black and grey eye shadow from my Good girl/Bad girl box set by Too Faced.

On my cheeks, I use Bobbi Brown blush, £16, in pale pink, giving that just-pinched look. For night times, I use Bobbi Brown pot rouge, £16, in Calypso Coral, for a darker look.

Also for nighttimes, I absolutely love Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks, which can be used over cheeks and décolletage, for a slight sparkle to your look. It is slightly pricey at £29 but they do last for ages. I’ve had one of mine for 2 years now! I’ve tried pink, limited edition gold and limited edition rose quartz. A new one comes out every Christmas.

My current perfumes are Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker and the DKNY summer fragrance. My signature scent I would say was girlie and flowery

For lips, I use whatever lip-gloss I fancy at the time. I’ve just found a great cheap place for make-up if you want to experiment with colours … Asda! I got a red lipstick there for£1!

And there you have my make-up and me! Fingers crossed its a jam packed make-up bag in January!

Gossip Girl and I

Rachel Cowey and her love for the hit show, Gossip Girl!

Long gone are the days when we used to watch Sex and The City for the latest fashion trends. Now we have four younger girls to aspire from – Blair Waldorf, Serena Van der Woodsen, Vanessa Abrams and Jenny Humphrey. From shift dresses to hot pants, each girl has their own individual look, even down to their school uniforms.

Coloured tights have been splashed across the screens since season 1; but they are especially a trend this autumn/winter. I found the best range on www.tightsplease.co.uk. Jonathon Aston 40 dernier opaque tights are a bargain at £5.99 – considering many tights are now priced at £12 or more! These come in white, pink, mulberry, orange, royal blue, purple, green, powder blue, scarlet, velvet green, hyacinth, candy pink … but to name a few! At the moment the website is offering free delivery and shopping vouchers. And if you buy the november issue of Company, they currently have a 20% off voucher.

Blair takes her style inspiration from Audrey Hepburn, who is also a personal favourite of mine, with shift dresses, tailored skirts, blouses and the infamous Blair hairband. Across the high street, tailored pieces are popular this season with Miss Selfridge and New Look having the best ranges. In fact I have just bought a red shift dress from New Look for £18, which also comes in black and purple. Big bowed hairbands in silver, purple and black can be bought in Internacionale.

According to Eric Damon (Gossip Girl’s stylist), Serena is going through a character change. However she still dress in her usual hotpant and waistcoat attire with her lush, natural wavy blonder hair. Miss Selfridge again have high waisted shorts in dark and light denim for £35.

Vanessa has more of an indie style, choosing to wear lots of bright colours and flowing material. I particually liked her maxi dress in episode 2. Unfortuantely I am not sure a dress like it would be appropriate for our rainy, bitter weather!

Jenny has gone very rock chick in this season. Personally I wouldn’t have been allowed to dress like this when I was 15, but I still love her look. dark smoky eyes, blood red lips, black clothing and fishnet tights. Bourgeois and Mac have a good range of red lipsticks. However if you just want to play about with red, you can get one for a £1 at Asda!

What I like most about Gossip Girl is that every character dresses differently and is therefore able to reflect their own personalities. To me, this is what fashion is about. Tired of seeing clones, wearing the same items from popular stores like Topshop I find myself screaming ‘Where is our individuality?!’

New CID

If like me, you love trying out new make-up and getting pampered, you should go to the New Cid counter in Fenwicks. I received a complimentary ten minute make-over and was very pleased with the results. This offer is running for a while in order to promote their products as the counter has only been in store for about 6 months.

Battling fierce competition from Mac, Bobbi Brown and Benefit (to name a few), New Cid could still come out on top, with its versatile products and affordable prices, ranging from £11 to £26.50.

My make-up artist, Kate was really friendly. It was like chatting to one of my friends, which is what I’d hope for from a make-up counter. Someone young and vibrant who doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable. First, we chatted about what kind of look I wanted, what make-up I usually wear etc.

Kate started off with a product I hadn’t heard about before. Prmier, £23.50, is a water based product that you apply before foundation. It helps smoothen out lines and wrinkles, whilst making your make-up last longer. Kate told me to think of it like a base-coat that you apply to nails. It felt lovely on my skin – light and refeshing.

Normally I wear tinted moisturiser but I decided to try out the foundation, which still gave a natural finish and felt like I wasn’t wearing any make-up. I had on Vanilla, £26.50. Each comes with a brush applicator to smooth on, which uses less product. I also had on medium concealer, £17.50, which also contains a brush. I love these products – having to rush between my two jobs, university or meeting friends, I like to carry my make-up with me for touch ups. Having a brush already on my product, means more space for other essentials!

Next, Kate used a dark powder, £19, to give my face a bit colour and to get rid of shine. This also acts like a bronzer. Shimmer stick, £16, in Sorbet, was used on my cheeks to give a natural blush. I really like this, as you can use it on cheeks, eyes and lips. Then she brushed some of the pink i-glow compact shimmer powder,  £20, over my cheeks to give a bit more colour. This product is baked in the oven to give it a good texture.

On my eyes, Kate used the Choca Mocha eyeshadow quad, £20.50. She used medium brown on all my eye, then the darker one on my socket line and under my eye. I liked the effect and am going to practise at home! She also used charcoal smoulder, £16. This has an eye pencil on one end and a shadow on the other, which is ideal for smudging to create a smoky look. The i-groom eyebrow pencil, £13, also has a brush on the end to define brows. You can follow your natuaral line or if you want bigger eyeshadows, which is the look this season, you can use the pencil to thicken them. Since my 15-year-old cousin reckons I look like an alien, with my thin brows, maybe I should do this!

Kate used the shimmer stick again on my lips to give a pearly effect. I enjoyed about their new cocktail lipglosses, so Kate used Tequila Sunrise, £16, a peachy colour to match my look. These are halfway between a gloss and a matt lipstick. They come in small pots with a mirror. I liked the look of pina colda too, a pearly white, which smells of coconuts too!

I throughly enjoyed my make-over, especially since I got a glass of bucks fizz too! New Cid’s image is natuaral and fresh – all the make-up artists followed this. Not like some brands whose make-up often looks overdone!

There are three offers on at the moment – Buy any three products and get a make-up bag free. Powder and blusher brushes are £5 now, instead of £20. And if you pay £10, you get all your make-up done, free falsh eyelashes and they’ll fit them for you too. Ideal for a big night out.

Now all thats left to do is give my Mam my updated christmas list, including these products! I have a feeling Santa is going to be good to me this year!!

Today we’re talking shoes

With the party season just around the corner, Rachel Cowey headed to the high street to see what is on offer. Read more