Amanda | The Womens Room

Things We LoveMarch 31, 2014

Perfume review: Nuxe’s Huile Prodigieux, Le Perfume

By Amanda

Fans of the excellent Nuxe multi purpose oil, a real wonder product if ever there was one, will be pleased to know that the deliciously rich, sunny aroma that scents the products has been turned into a perfume. If you… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 31, 2014

Two things to buy from Topshop (whenever they arrive)

By Amanda

Occasionally, when I’m flipping through magazines or browsing blogs for inspiration, I get the clothes equivalent of ‘love at first sight’. My heart pounds, I feel my blood racing at flight speed through my veins and I come over all… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingMarch 30, 2014

The Last Runaway, by Tracy Chevalier

By Amanda

Attention all quilters, this is a book you might want to check out. You may all remember the lovely Tracy Chevalier wrote Girl With A Pearl Earring, this is her latest tale, wrapped up in quilts, applique, Quakerism and slavery.… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 27, 2014

Christina Strutt’s new Cabbages and Roses store – complete with fairy skirts

By Amanda

Christina Strutt has been at the helm of her home and fashion brand Cabbages & Roses for 14 years, sailing, at times, through rocky waters. We’ve always been big fans and despite a few set-backs along the way – “I’m… Read More

Home & GardenMarch 25, 2014

Cocktail shakers: the Mother’s Day present for grown up mums

By Amanda

Enough with the scented candles. As an alternative present for Mother’s Day, can I suggest you encourage your offspring to treat you to some really classy cocktail equipment? Regular readers will know that this year I aim to get you… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 21, 2014

A new Marks & Spencer website….it’s all about the editorial edit

By Amanda

I’m just checking you’ve all noticed that M&S has upped its game with a new editorial website design. It soft launched during Fashion Week, shortly after its impressive static show -we wrote about that here – and I have to… Read More

Health & Happiness, We Are ReadingMarch 20, 2014

Toast & Marmalade by Emma Bridgewater

By Amanda

I’m only guessing, but I bet a good deal of our readers have a bit of Emma Bridgewater pottery in the cupboard. Emma’s ceramics started off as the coolest thing in the world to eat your supper off at one… Read More

Things We LoveMarch 19, 2014

Jo Malone’s Mother’s Day Floral Box

By Amanda

IF ANYONE”S LISTENING/READING FROM AMANDA’S FAMILY…THIS, PLEASE. In my dreams…how fabulous would this be if it arrived on Mother’s Day? Jo Malone has teamed up with one of our favourite florists Scarlet & Violet to produce this heavenly floral box,… Read More

Art & CultureMarch 19, 2014

See This: Boro, Threads of Life at Somerset House

By Amanda

Be still my indigo-loving, denim obsessed, all-things-Japanese-admiring heart, for this April there is to be an exhibition of 40 fine examples of Boro work dating from the late 1700s at Somerset House, of which some are for sale ……(‘carefully cuts… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 17, 2014

One useful thing to buy from Gudrun Sjödén

By Amanda

As I write, the weather here in London is as close to perfect for an early spring day as is imaginable. There are no clouds in the sky, the sun is warm and the blossom is bursting out all over… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingMarch 14, 2014

Mind The Child by Camila Batmanghelidjh and Kids Company

By Amanda

Camila Batmanghelidjh, inspiring head of Kids Company, was asked by Penguin Books to help celebrate the London Underground by writing a book about what it meant to her. She promptly turned the project into a chance to focus on the… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 13, 2014

French Dressing with Ines de la Fressange and Uniqlo

By Amanda

Interesting Uniqlo collaboration klaxon! Ines De La Fressange, the lanky French model who pretty much personifies the word ‘chic’ has collaborated with our favourite casual brand Uniqlo to produce a range of grown up clothes. Normally I’d be very excited… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 11, 2014

Spring coats: the lure of a denim duster

By Amanda

I’ve been hankering after a denim duster coat ever since I stalked a Japanese tourist last year who was wearing the very nicest denim coat I have ever seen. Sadly, despite my best translate-by-hand-waving-and-smiling-a-lot efforts, the language barrier proved too… Read More

Home & Garden, We Are ReadingMarch 7, 2014

Inspire, The Art Of Living With Nature, by Willow Crossley

By Amanda

I could fill my bookshelves with books like this lovely new one from creative florist and passionate crafty person Willow Crossley. Inspire, The Art Of Living With Nature, is full of i50 nnovative ideas on what to do with garden… Read More

Home & GardenMarch 7, 2014

A burst of spring from Scented Narcissi and the Blue Box Flower Company

By Amanda

Spring landed firmly on my doorstep this week with a giant bunch of heavenly scented narcissi, from the nice people over at The Blue Box Flower Company, who are based on The Scilly Isles. Narcissi must be some of the… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 5, 2014

Style Icon: Connie, Lady Keeble, of Blandings

By Amanda

Is anyone else completely hooked on Blandings, The BBC’s version of PG Woodhouses’s books? For those of you who haven’t been watching, it’s like a mad cross between Downton Abbey and Faulty Towers, with added pigs. It makes me giggle… Read More

Things We LoveMarch 3, 2014

Eve Lom Radiance Perfecting Complexion range

By Amanda

This is a lovely new addition from Eve Lom, the Complexion Range, a selection of foundations, tinted moisturisers, concealers and powders that are top quality performers. As grown up women, we’re benefiting more than other age groups from all the… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMarch 3, 2014

Older models in fashion; slowly but surely making their mark

By Amanda

It’s been rather a good start to the year for older models. It’s not just that there’s more of them about in 2014, but we’re also seeing more coverage on blogs, websites and in the printed press about how having… Read More

Art & CultureFebruary 27, 2014

Watch this: 20 Feet from Stardom

By Amanda

The Oscars are this weekend, nominated in the category for Best Documentary Feature is 20 Feet From Stardom, directed by Morgan Neville and if it doesn’t win I will be hurling abuse at the TV. For anyone who reckons they… Read More

Out & AboutFebruary 25, 2014

Meeting Cressida Bell and a few things to buy from Heals

By Amanda

We were invited to meet the designer Cressida Bell at Heals last week, she of the innovative cake design book we wrote about so enthusiastically here. She was trying to teach us how to do her amazing decorative designs on… Read More

Fashion & BeautyFebruary 21, 2014

Backpack research part three: the Shinola mini backpack

By Amanda

*UPDATE* 13th November 2014. The good news is that Shinola has opened a store in London (Newburgh St) and has a UK site, so my back pack is now available here. I thought I’d up date you on the back… Read More

Middle Aged MumFebruary 21, 2014

Middleagemum.com: Dear Radio 2 Folk Awards, please get a stylist next year

By Amanda

Oh my goodness, the Folk Industry makes it hard for any self respecting fashion girl to love it. Last night through the magic of BBC scheduling, the Radio Two Folk Awards were on TV at the same time as The… Read More

Out & AboutFebruary 19, 2014

Tiger, my new favourite store

By Amanda

Oh my, Tiger! The Danish home and lifestyle retailer Tiger is absolutely my new favourite shop. Heading from one Fashion Week show to another on Monday, I stumbled upon the new-ish (it opened in August 2013) Tottenham Court Road Tiger… Read More

Art, Culture & Craft, We Are ReadingFebruary 18, 2014

One Summer, America 1927 by Bill Bryson

By Amanda

If Bill Bryson had taught history at my school, or even written the history text books to be as entertaining as this is, I’d have become an historian. I absolutely love the easy accessibility of Bill’s writing, he spices up… Read More

Things We LoveFebruary 17, 2014

YSL Beauty’s Touche Eclat in its new leopard print wrapping

By Amanda

So, last week we learned how to apply YSL beauty’s Touche Eclat properly. What a difference a good teacher makes! In the pictures is Lloyd Simmonds, who is chief global honcho at YSL for all things make up and put… Read More

Fashion & BeautyFebruary 17, 2014

Possibly the Perfect Pencil (skirt) from J Crew

By Amanda

While perusing J Crew’s lovely new Regent Street store (for research purposes, obvs) last week I spotted a selection of perfect pencil skirts. In particular, this beautifully printed navy and antique white one, which looks like a bit of wearable… Read More

Out & AboutFebruary 13, 2014

Le Meridien’s Longitude cocktail bar in London’s Piccadilly

By Amanda

Regular readers will remember I have pledged this year to ensure we can all make an assortment of good cocktail by the end of 2014. Before we start to become experts in making our own ‘house’ cocktails, it’s vitally important… Read More

Art & CultureFebruary 11, 2014

Where Are The Women? Tate and Le Meridien get the conversation started

By Amanda

A while ago you may remember we wrote about Art Under Attack at Tate Britain and how we’d discovered a terrific mini exhibition about Suffragette art curated by artists and academics Olivia Plender and Hestor Reeve. How fabulous then, to… Read More

Things We LoveFebruary 11, 2014

Perfume review: Roads by Danielle Ryan

By Amanda

Another interesting perfume launch by a young female artist, this time an Irish one. Danielle Ryan has launched Roads, a concept that covers books, films and fragrance and I got the chance to meet her recently at the UK launch… Read More

Health & HappinessFebruary 7, 2014

Terrariums, are they the new taxidermy?

By Amanda

It’s just a thought, but I am wondering if terrariums are the new taxidermy. Particularly after a trip last week to Paxton Gate, a most fabulous store in the Mission district of San Francisco. I first learnt about terrariums from… Read More