Retail is NOT dead!
Retail is on its knees, restaurants are closing faster than you can say avo on toast and we’re all going to Hell in a handcart because of Brexit/Trump etc – or so the press would have us believe.
And if… Read More
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London Craft Week 2018: Our Highlights
Our regular craft correspondent Julia Little toured London Craft Week for us again this year, searching out the best of the HUGE selection of what was on offer. It was the thoughtful presentations and workshops put on by the smaller… Read More
Guest Blogger Elena Bowes goes to Surface Work at Victoria Miro
Annie Morris, Stack 10, Copper Blue
There are easily a dozen paintings in Victoria Miro’s latest sensational show Surface Work that I wanted to smuggle home. Over 50 female abstract artists from across the globe over the past century are… Read More
Olderpreneurs and why we are likely to be more successful
The focus on young people when it comes to start ups has been a constant source of frustration to me, since setting up my business. There’s no doubt they need help, support and investment to get their ideas off the… Read More
Frieze colour 2017
Not wanting to dumb the art at Frieze down or anything, but does anyone else feel a little bit cynical about some of the so called art and the insanely rich people buying it?
It can feel like more of… Read More
Life & Style Icon: Lyn Slater
Having see Lyn Slater in the latest Mango advert, I was fascinated to know more about her. A professor of social studies at Fordham University in New York, she also writes the Accidental Icon blog and describes her style as,… Read More
See this: Enter the Dragons
The menopause isn’t usually the subject of comedy in fact type the word into your search engine and you’ll get a barrage of remorselessly bleak advice about incontinence, lack of libido, depression and HRT, couched in florid, scare-mongering language. It’s… Read More
Middelagedmum.com: Better late than never
Last week after a 5.30am start and meetings all day, I was on my way home from work when I got a text, “sorry I’m going to be 10 mins late”. I had completely forgotten (due to the 5.30 am… Read More
See this: How to Date a Feminist
Apologies to non London readers as this is a very local post – but Samantha Ellis’ passionate and hilarious romantic comedy How to Date Feminist is back by popular demand at the Arcola Theatre – and well worth seeing.
‘A … Read More
Summer Style Inspiration With Sandra Semburg and Amanda Brookes
Image from SandraSemburg.com
A very quick post this morning, as other deadlines loom with the day job, but now the weather looks like it might actually be summer, I thought I’d share my new favourite Street Style blogger, Sandra Semburg.… Read More
A sweater worth considering from Lands’ End
Now, fessing up, Lands’ End is not a brand I go anywhere near normally, as I think of it as a bit boat-shoes-and-pastel-sweaters. I don’t mean that unkindly, as the quality is good and there’s nothing wrong with a boat… Read More
Seeking Guest bloggers…
It’s that time again, when Amanda and I find ourselves slightly overwhelmed with the demands of our day jobs, blogging and trying to have a life. So we are seeking contributors, either long or short term, to guest post for… Read More
Hope: A new fashion Brand for the over 40s
It’s not everyday (or any day tbh) that a new range that’s aimed at the over 40s launches. So when an email popped into my inbox asking if I wanted to talk to Nayna McIntosh the founder of new brand… Read More
Guest Post: A Town Called Cold Spring by Rohini Wahi
Rohini is a both a fellow blogger and a friend. She writes the lovely lifestyle and interiors blog The Beat That My Heart Skipped and very kindly offered to write a post for us from her summer holiday to the… Read More
The importance of a good facial with Lisa Franklin
Lisa Franklin is a highly regarded skincare expert and facialist with over 15 years experience in the skincare and makeup industry. Her attention to detail and knowledge combine to provide a luxuriously pampering and technical approach, where she treats clients… Read More
Middleagedmum.com: my middle aged sleep crisis
If you don’t read the Telegraph or follow us on Twitter you will have missed this feature I wrote on the Middle Aged Sleep Crisis. To be honest most of my sleep problems are currently related to the menopause, but… Read More
Buy These: Converse’s New Chuck Taylor All-Star II
As a long time fan of Converse, I finally gave up on them a couple of years ago when I decided they were not only really cold in anything less than a heat wave and then they were too hot,… Read More
Ethnic dress lust
I have been slightly obsessed with these traditional Ukrainian embroidered dresses and tunics – known as vyshyvankas – for a while now after seeing Anna Dello Russo and various other fashionistas wearing them on Instagram.
The dresses have become a … Read More
More Urban Gardens at Grow London
Succulents and cacti form Grace & Thorn
Remember a couple of years ago we predicted a house plant revival. Well now you can’t move (well in East London anyway) for succulents, cheese plants and cacti. The house plant trend is… Read More
The Flower Appreciation Society: An A – Z Of All Things Floral
I have been a huge fan of the vintage style of the Flower Appreciation Societie’s casual approach to flowers for some time now, not least because they are big fans of ceramic swans (I have an ever growing collection), and… Read More
Going grey stage 3: Purple rinses
It”s been a journey I’m not going to lie, but several trips to Paks, the hairdressers and a few mini disasters and I think I may have almost cracked the “going grey” thing.
Rather that do it naturally I have… Read More
A new approach to street style by Maria Lavigina
Maria with artist George Skeggs
Over the last few years I have been working with various different charities and mentoring schemes – helping young people to realise their potential and giving them insights into the creative industries is increasingly important… Read More
See this: Shoes, Pleasure and Pain
Shoes: Pleasure and Pain opened at the V&A last Saturday and is an extensive and informative guide to the history and culture of footwear.
The exhibition was curated by Helen Persson, who specialises in textiles and dress in the V&A’s… Read More
Guest Food Blogger Jo Orr: Food for a summers day
The cucumber is an oft neglected vegetable, tossed thoughtlessly into salads, and not regarded as being up to much taste-wise. Bland is the general consensus. Yet, with the merest love and attention it can be elevated to something rather lovely… Read More
Essential Summer dresses
Dresses are the perfect answer to summer dressing in so many ways. They don’t take too much planning, are usually cool and easy to wear and cover a multitude of sins – if you pick the right shape. They also… Read More
Simple Pleasures: Summer Gardens
Sitting in the garden is one of summer’s greatest pleasures, whether you have a giant football pitch or a small postage stamp, opening the back door and drinking your first cup of tea in the sunshine is the very best… Read More
Summer Reading: Fay Weldon
Amanda is away this week so I’m in charge! And will be theming the weeks posts around the summer as it seems it’s arrived here in London.
This weekend I was mostly hanging out in my hood catching up with… Read More
Just what is Athleisure?
Athleisure is currently a massive “thing” in the trends industry,which you may or may not (if you have any sense) be familiar with. It basically means clothes that you might usually wear for exercise, re-interperated for everyday wear – or… Read More
Watch this: Grace and Frankie
From the co-creator of Friends, the Netflix original comedy Grace and Frankie, stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as two women who form an unlikely bond after their husbands reveal they are gay and leave them for each other.
It’s… Read More
Older style inspiration
Images from The Sartorialist and Pinterest
As I’m struggling with my attempts to go grey (more of this to follow) I thought it might be time for some style inspiration, featuring the kind of uber chic women you see on… Read More