Events: ghd SS12 hair looks

A couple of days ago I was invited to breakfast with the lovely folks at ghd to find out what hair looks will be as hot as their hair straighteners next season.

Confession time - when it comes to hair, I am pretty useless. For as long as I've been growing the stuff, my hair and styling methods have remained the same and don't show any signs of changing. I have always been a big fan of ghd straighteners, but I fully aware that I am not using them to their full potential. But the good news is you don't have to be a hair expert to master next seasons hair trends. According to Kenna, Creative Director at ghd and all round hair guru, Spring/Summer hair is all about nostalgia - using the classic plaits and ponytails we've all grown up doing and adding a more modern twist.

Kenna presented four key looks that debuted on the catwalks for SS12 but I'm going to show you my two favourites, seen on the models for high end designers Aminaka Wilmot and David Koma. Here's the low down on the looks, as well as some tricks on how to achieve them:

1. It's a Kind of Magic

Inspired by the mischievous elves of Scandinavian folklore, this look has a soft enchanted quality that celebrates the playful charm of showing your ears and the delicate beauty of baby hair.

I love the mix of straight and wavy with this look, and it's surprisingly easy to achieve. The important thing to remember is that you should always prep your hair with any styling products, such as a curl hold spray or heat protection, before drying so that it's well absorbed and will hold the style. You can then add any extra bits you need, such as hair spray or serum, when the look is complete.

To create this look, all you need to do is start with a centre parting and then section off the back of the hair (use the top of your ears as a guide from where to separate). Straighten the front part of your hair and give it a good spritz with a reliable hairspray. Having tried it myself, I highly recommend ghd's Final Fix Spray as it gives a strong hold without being too heavy or making the hair especially crunchy. Take the back section and create five small plaits. If you want a slightly larger wave, you can do two bigger chunkier plaits - that's that easy. Once you're all plaited up, get your straighteners and run them over the plaits to get them nice and hot. When they cool down, this will set the hair and will create the beautiful soft wavy look when you untie them. Once they're thoroughly cool, loosen the plaits and brush through to add a little extra softness to the look. Leave a small panel in front of the ears, then tuck the rest of the hair behind the ears and give the whole thing a good spray. And that's it! You are now officially the new Lord (or should that be Lady?) of the Rings.

2. Walk the Line

A great song and a super-cool hairstyle. Although this looks very modern and complicated, it's just made up of multiple ponytails. Even I can manage that! Hair bands at the ready...

Make sure your hair has been prepped with lots of heat protection and products to help keep the hair smooth (such as the ghd Straight and Smooth spray), and blow dry the hair straight. From the centre of your forehead, section off a diamond panel that ends an inch below the crown and slick it back with a good hair spray and tie it with one of your elastic bands (TOP TIP ALERT: If you spray ghd's Final Fix hairspray very close to your hair and smooth it down with your finger, it creates a very impressive shine. That's why the model's hair looks so shiny in my photos - clever, eh?). Make two more ponytails on either side of the diamond section and pull them back behind the head underneath the diamond ponytail and tie. From the back of the earlobe, create another diamond section on each side of the head and fasten, then tie these smaller ponytails together with the main one from the top diamond. Give all of the sections a good spray to ensure a neat finish that shows off the lines and divisions of each section. Done. Bish bash bosh.

I'd like to thank Kenna and the lovely ladies of Shine Communications for inviting me along and for giving me some real hair inspiration. As the proud owner of a new ghd AIR hairdryer (it's amazing, by the way...), I feel ready to experiment with some new looks and make the most of my new found knowledge. Wish me luck!

David Longshaw SS12

I don't know much about art. In fact, I know nothing about art, but I believe a true artist sets out to tell a story. It's not always one that's easy to listen to or understand, but if it's told well it can transport us to a different and unfamiliar world, full of magic, mystery and dark beauty.

A prime example of such storytelling artistry is David Longshaw. He has based his entire Spring/Summer 2012 collection around a dark story of a girl who murders her boyfriend on a trip to Puffin Island. Intrigued? Take a look at his short inspiration animation.

"Father Said" by David Longshaw from DAVID LONGSHAW on Vimeo.

Despite the morbid subject matter, the collection exudes more of a dark romantic feel than a horror show. Although some of the pieces stay true to the murderous nature of the story, using funeral blacks and white lilies to evoke death, there are also rich injections of colour more in line with the brighter tones used in David's iconic scarf designs. As if that weren't good enough, this collection also features more bold and unique jewellery by the endlessly talented Kirsty Ward, whose own work I personally can't get enough of.

In short, I have fallen into a deep dark love with all of it. The concept, the story, the designs - all of it appeals to the secret inner-goth that dwells within my seemingly-sunny exterior, hungering for fashion with more bite than good craftsmanship alone can offer. It was so difficult to pick a favourite piece, so here is a selection from David Longshaw's hauntingly beautiful collection.

All photos courtesy of Iroquois PR

To find out more about David Longshaw and to view more of his amazing work, visit www.davidlongshaw.co.uk.

Events: Modalu London SS12 press day

Last week I attended the press day for iconic handbag brand Modalu London.

Known for making Pippa Middleton's handbag of choice, Modalu London are experimenting with more modern styles alongside their classic designs for their Spring/Summer 2012 collection, featuring a new mix of fabrics and colours ranging from cool ice-cream hues to vivid flamboyant brights.

Not only was I extremely impressed by Modalu's fresh approach to colour and a more modern wearable style, but I was also surprised by the prices. Although they're slightly more costly than a high street bag, Modalu's handbags are made from quality materials (their leather is beautifully soft and detailed) and prices range from £49 to £220 - definitely worth investing in!

To find out more about Modalu London and to browse their lust-worthy wares, visit www.modalu.co.uk.

my-winnings

If you're friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, you will have witnessed me rambling on and on about a competition being run by the fine folks from my-wardrobe.com. The aim of the game was to style an outfit choosing from the many amazing pieces available to buy on the site, and the look with the most "likes" on their Facebook page would win a £200 voucher. Here is the outfit I chose:

Amazing, after weeks of online campaigning, I managed to get the most "likes" and win the competition! I have been so very lucky recently, and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone that took the time to vote. I am over the moon, floating on cloud nine, watching flying pigs!

A few days later, the very lovely people at my-wardrobe sent out my prize. It was so beautifully packaged I just had to take a few snaps to show you.



It took a long time to decide what to buy with the voucher, but in the end I settled on something beautiful, sophisticated and that I know will never go out of style.





I am absolutely in love with my new Michael Kors Hamilton Tote bag. It's a true investment piece that's versatile enough to go with any outfit. Not only that, but it's even more beautful in the soft leather-y flesh! I'm afraid I've bagged (see what I did there?) the last one in black, but you can still get your hands on the same bag in brown from www.my-wardrobe.com.

Thanks again to everyone who liked my outfit, and also to the wonderful folks at my-wardrobe.com. I truly am one lucky lady.

Events: Calvin Klein CK A/W jewellery & watch collection launch

Today I attended the Calvin Klein CK A/W jewellery and watch collection launch to browse the fine and shiny wares that will be available to buy this season.

Here's what I saw:










This collection epitomises the classic simplicity that Calvin Klein is so well-known for, offering a stunning range of versatile pieces that suit everyone, from your best friend to your elderly grandma. I particularly liked the rose gold pieces, as the softer tone never fails to add a touch of elegance to an outfit.

I really enjoyed the event, and it gave me a chance to catch up with the lovely Karena and Hayley from Fashion Forward PR, as well the beautiful Rosie Fortescue. You may know Rosie from such reality TV show delights as Made in Chelsea, but did you know she also has a blog that documents all of her fashionable exploits? To find out more, visit www.atfashionforte.com and have a mooch around.

Rejoice in your finery

Last week I found out that I had won the Young British Designers First Birthday Competition! To enter, you had to choose your dream outfit from items available on the site and submit it through their Facebook page. I am so happy to have won, and I was really surprised I did (despite the fact I entered about 30 times!). My winning outfit was based on a soft palette, which the lovely folks at Young British Designers described as a "Nude Symphony". Apparently they're good with the words as well as spotting fashion talent!

My goodies arrived this morning and they are even more beautiful in fabric-y flesh! - check 'em out.

Dress: Gallery 4
Necklace: Cabinet
Shoes: Aksha Fernandez

As much as I love all of my goodies, I must say my favourite part is the Aksha Fernandez shoes. Look how beautiful they are - such intricate detail!



Not only are they stunning, but they're also insanely comfortable - a real rarity when it comes to heels. I can't wait to bust these bad boys out soon!

I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to Young British Designers for my amazing prizes. I feel like the luckiest girl in the whole world!