The anniversary bag is animal print- but without being actual animal. The material is called Fauve. I can’t quite work out if its printed on pony skin or normal canvas though! Like the ballerinas too!

Here is one of the new bags that i also like!! Blue and Giant city- silver-OUTREMER… LOVE IT! I already have one in light blue with gold studs… BUT it need a companion to share the heavy lifting!

SO i saw Cat Deeley (former MTV host and also hosted SMTV with Ant & Dec and later American Idol) was in the USA, actually moved to Hollywood. She is the host of the American show “So you think you can dance”.

Anyways, i saw some pictures of her and i just love her jacket! Her outfit as well. What do you think?!

1) Go to a hobby shop/ haberdashery / children’s shop and find some large beads in the colours you like/ match your t-shirt. 2) At home, cut the bottom of the t-shirt into narrow strands, about 5-10 cm long, all the way round. 3) Then proceed to put the same amount of beads onto each strand, all the way round. I would suggest 1 – 5 beads- depending on what you like.
4) Then tie a knot at the end. Now you have a more summery and tropical t-shirt! You can wear it with jeans or over a pair of shorts- with a denim jacket or even just as a pool-side top for quick trips to the bar!

Here are a few design suggestions:

- you can chose solid or clear beads
- you can change the number of beads on each strand
- you can vary the length of the strands
- and indeed the length of the t-shirt. you can even change a t-shirt dress into a short dress with strands of beads.

imagine:
a black t-shirt with neon beads at the bottom.
a white t-shirt with black beads- or neon. or alternating pattern.
a blue t-shirt with blue beads in different blue colours
a white t-shirt with each strand of t-shirt with alternating black and white beads – like a checkers pattern. Or you could make the whole strand black and then white- create stripes visually.
Or you could make each stand a different colour – like a rainbow effect….

you might also like to experiment – by only making strands of beads at the sides/ hips are leave the t-shirt in one piece on the front and the back….

the possibilities are endless! have fun!

Having a Master degree in Marketing- i have studied branding, target audiences and strategies etc. This set-up seems pretty flawless! Madonna as a brand signifies: constant reinvention- age is only a number- forever young- forever experimental- and sexually conscious/provocative.

Madonna is still going strong. She embodies so many modern characteristics too: independent, self-made, good figure, always got a new diet/religion/quick fix in her life, a simple girl with a passion who kept fighting for her dream (x-factor eat your heart out!) Which is quite a universal set of values and can be applied to any age group- teenagers, college students, young career women and housewives etc. Mix in a 13 year old it-girl, and the whole tweens market as well.

On the family side she is also easy to relate to: divorced (twice), kids from both marriages, and keeping in shape, fighting the clock!!

Looking at the line of clothes and accessories, it’s definitely not “office attire”! It’s funky and 80′s pop- with a goth-ish/punk-ish twist/emo- which is really mainstream! (another good place to aim for, marketing wise!) Fun clothes that appeal to a wide audience. Enjoy the pictures… the clothes are only available at Macy’s in NYC!! I bet there will be numerous items on e-bay to buy in a matter of hours!

The aeroplane trip there may present a bad start to your holiday- according to your skin’s condition! The aeroplane can be demanding on your skin due to the air conditioning and cabin’s relative humidity, which tends to be about 10% (quite low). Therefore it’s important for you to remember to re-hydrate your skin.
Here are a few tips! :

* Use a water-rich moisturiser (rather than oil-rich) before you travel, as this will help to keep your skin fresh and stop it losing moisture.


* It’s not just the skin that suffers with low humidity, though, and you’ll need to drink to keep hydrated. Fizzy drinks have a bloating effect, tea and coffee are diuretics and alcohol will exacerbate dehydration. Choose water, energy drinks and juices to combat the problem.


* If you want to look your best after travelling, it’s better to wait until the end of the journey to put on your face, rather than relying on touching up the effect you’ve been wearing for hours. If you do decide to make up before you travel, keep thing simple and limit yourself to a tinted moisturiser, a touch of blusher, clear mascara and lip gloss. 


* Wear loose clothes that don’t wrinkle. Any spills or stains should be less ovious on dark colours, but it’s a good idea to carry a spare top in your hand luggage. And don’t forget to keep a wrap handy in case the air-conditioning gets too much. If you’re travelling in sandals, you might want to slip on some socks to keep your feet warm. Remember, though, that your feet will swell during the flight so if you take your shoes off while in the air, you may have problems later. 


* A sleep mask can be useful if you hope to do more than just doze on the journey, as sleep quality is better when light is cut out. Let the cabin crew know in advance if you don’t want to be woken for meals – if you have a few cereal bars and a bottle of water with you, you’ll be able to eat when it suits you. 


* Support hosiery is a great way to avoid circulation problems. As well as tights (which help combat swelling in legs), you can also get support socks, so the guys can benefit, too. 


* To keep the circulation going in feet and legs while sitting, flex your ankles in an up-and-down motion, as if you were using an old-fashioned treadle sewing machine.


* Moisturising tissues and baby-wipes can be a godsend for cleansing, refreshing, cooling…


* Remember that summer is a good time to give your hair a rest from too many products; travel with it as clean of lacquers and gels as possible.

I hope you have a good holiday! AND MOST IMPORTANT- WEAR SUNSCREEN!! I USUALLY WEAR FACTOR 50 ON MY FACE AND NECK (Elizabeth Arden eight hour sun screen). And FACTOR 20 ON MY BODY. TANNING IS SLOW- BUT YOU WON’T GET BURNED. ONCE YOU ARE BURNED, THE SUN-DAMAGE HAS ALREADY HAPPENED!
My technique: Lay out a bit, but deepen the colour at home with fake tan. Fake tan can also act as a type of sunscreen actually!

I love the corset idea- and that the designers have softened the look- making it more inviting and supple than other stiff, heavy and black versions!

I also like to see the return of the detachable corset. Often when i have a whole corset on, including bra as part of the corset, it doesnt feel comfortable. The cup sizes are never the right size, when the corset is! Here the bra and the corset can be fitted individually and used separately. Thumbs up!

I was asked to decorate a hat for a friend going to a Derby luncheon. She gave me a plain hat made of straw. I went into H&M and went crazy! I tried all kinds of flowers and combinations. H&M have a colourful range of large flowers at the moment, equipped with a little clamp and with a safety pin on the back= great for attaching to jackets/t-shirts/ hats and dresses!

I went for a combination of three flowers in the end: 1. neon orange/coral, 2. pink/lilac and grey 3. aquamarine/green. I attached them all the way round and mixed the colours randomly. I added a few butterflies here and there (5 in all) and the result was amusing to some and eccentric to others, but all could agree that it was eye-catching!

I later decorated one for myself. I went into an accessories shop and bought a plain hat. I then started to try all headbands and head scares on around the base of the hat. The possibilities were abundant!
- wide lace headbands: a rainbow of colours
- narrow lace bands: a rainbow of colours
- plaited coloured headbands: a rainbow of colours
- beaded headbands: a rainbow of colours
- cotton headbands with bows : a rainbow of colours…

and they can all be combined in loads of ways!

additionally, i also tried putting a chain around the hat, with dangling silver charms etc. I think you would have to secure it into place with a bit of needlework…but looked amazing. Further, cheap and cheerful earrings can be pierced through the straw hat to add extra fun! ENJOY!

Adding white satin ribbon to white converse / white ribbons on black converse /black ribbon on white converse is the Chanel way to go i guess! But it does go with everything!!

Embroidered ethnic style ribbon with blue or pink or beige converse gives a funky look/ or even flower decorated ribbon on red converse could give a real summer chic look! The possibilities are actually endless!

The same is possible with espadrillas: combining shoe colours with new ribbons/laces.

HAVE FUN!

Lanvin among others have made several “street” shoes in corals and beiges, in silk with silk ribbon shoe laces.

Changing the laces on your own shoes can really make a big difference. Visit any hobby/sewing/wool/fabric shop and find an array of different satin and lace and even crochet ribbons. Simply replace the laces on your shoes, and give them a new look. On white trainers, lace ribbons look really nice- adds a romantic feel. Or even ribbons with printed or embroidered flowers etc. On black shoes, try going for cerise or neon yellows….or an apple green. You can even do it on your converse all star shoes!