Amanda | The Womens Room

Art & CultureJuly 19, 2013

We love: Lucille Lewin, ceramicist

By Amanda

For those of you older than 30, you may remember that the original Whistles was founded by Lucille and Richard Lewin and for most of the 80s and 90s it was the go-to place for great clothes. Lucille designed her… Read More

Things We LoveJuly 17, 2013

Perfume Review: Vaara by Penhaligon’s

By Amanda

Another week, another perfume launch….it’s getting very crowded on the perfume shelf! This is Vaara from Penhaligon’s, a perfume inspired by the birth of the Maharajah Gaj Sing II of Jodhpur’s grand daughter, who is called Vaara. His Highness the… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingJuly 17, 2013

Giving Up The Ghost by Hilary Mantel

By Amanda

If you are in need of a Hilary fix and have read both Wolf Hall and Bringing Up The Bodies, then try this. Giving Up The Ghost is Hilary’s memoir and it’s a terrific read, the writing just glows with… Read More

Fashion & BeautyJuly 17, 2013

A few things to buy from Jaggy Nettle

By Amanda

I’ve been meaning to write about Scottish designers and online retailers Jaggy Nettle for ages. It all started with my fabulous orange Harris Tweed Hi-tops, which I bought last year and absolutely adore. The awesomely named company concentrates on making… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingJuly 15, 2013

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

By Amanda

We’re guessing you’ve all heard the news about how this is really JK Rowlings in disguise. Good for her. More excitingly, reviewers gave this terrific write ups before anyone knew who really wrote it and it’s been likened to an… Read More

Things We LoveJuly 15, 2013

Sennheiser Momentum On Ear headphones

By Amanda

Round our way, it’s perfectly acceptable to see grown ups and teens wearing the most ridiculously giant headphones on their heads as they do their shopping or walk the dog. They are mostly Beats by Dr Dre. I don’t quite… Read More

Fashion & BeautyJuly 15, 2013

Street Style: Fatigue Florals at Hampton Court Flower Show

By Amanda

I shot this fabulously stylish woman at Hampton Court Flower Show last week, as we both queued up to get in to my favourite floral event of the year -it’s much better than Chelsea as you can buy the plants,… Read More

Things We LoveJuly 11, 2013

Perfume review: Saffron from Jo Malone

By Amanda

It seems to be saffron’s turn to be ‘spice of the moment’ for fragrance, last year it was pink peppercorns. Saffron is an interesting oddball addition to the heftier Cologne Intense collection from Jo Malone, where prices are a wee… Read More

Health & HappinessJuly 11, 2013

The Women’s Business Council’s report and older women in the workplace: signs of hope?

By Amanda

It’s been another interesting week for older women’s issues, and indeed issues that affect all women (how come John Inverdale is still in his job?). On Monday we were invited by Women In Journalism to listen to James Harding, ex… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingJuly 9, 2013

Indiscretion by Charles Dubow

By Amanda

I loved/hated this book…I found I couldn’t put it down, but got quite cross with the slightly unbelievable way characters were written, loved the pace of it and the setting in The Hamptons, but found the slightly formulaic descriptions (women… Read More

Things We LoveJuly 9, 2013

Perfume review: Oriental Collection by Yves Saint Laurent

By Amanda

I’m excited by this new Yves Saint Laurent perfume range because not only does it smell good, but it lists the fragrance accords on the bottle. Is this a first? I am always forgetting the floral make-up of perfumes, I… Read More

Art & CultureJuly 9, 2013

Save skateboarding at the Southbank!

By Amanda

Eldestson is a skateboarder. When he was young, Middleagedad and I spent many weekends escorting him to skateparks so he could practice his grinds and kick flips. We went to some memorably urban spaces, the skatepark below the Westway in… Read More

Out & AboutJuly 5, 2013

See this: The Powell-Cotton Museum in Birchington, Kent

By Amanda

As the long summer holidays approach, can we recommend anyone with small boys, a love of taxidermy and/or Africa plans a trip to the Powell-Cotton Museum in Birchington? It’s a gem. The current thinking is that Margate (which is three… Read More

Things We LoveJuly 3, 2013

A nice summer vest from Hanro

By Amanda

So far, it’s been the type of summer that would benefit from a nice vest. Temperatures have hardly risen to blistering and on a number of evenings this year when I’ve been wearing a summer shirt, I’ve really wished for… Read More

UncategorizedJuly 3, 2013

Christmas in July, blended with Johnnie Walker

By Amanda

Believe it or not, behind the scenes at The Women’s Room this week it’s all about Christmas, as retailers entice us in to see their festive ranges. Usually, on the hottest day of the year I’m scoffing Christmas pudding at… Read More

Out & AboutJuly 1, 2013

Gilbert’s Gin Garden for grown up girls

By Amanda

What is it with gin? We thought it was just us, but everyone’s loving it now. if you want a very nice place to go and chill with girlfriends while appreciating lovely artisan gins, many made locally, can we suggest… Read More

Things We LoveJune 27, 2013

Martha Stewart at Staples

By Amanda

A quick update on the Martha Stewart with Avery at Staples range. A new duck egg blue ipad case has been launched which is not just pretty (trust Martha to do duck egg) but practical. It has a thick elastic… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingJune 27, 2013

The Folio Society illustrated books

By Amanda

As we see ebook purchases overtake paper books (both in 2011 and 2012) there is a worry that the pile of soon-to-be-read books teetering dangerously on the bedside table will become a thing of the past. But really, this is… Read More

Fashion & BeautyJune 27, 2013

Street Style: Arty dressing at the Venice Biennale

By Amanda

I was in Venice last weekend for the Art Biennale and so I took the chance to shoot a few stylish exhibition attendees. It was gloriously sunny (remember what that’s like?) so I concentrated on women who had got that… Read More

Fashion & BeautyJune 25, 2013

Older models: Jenni Rhodes, looking good in Zara

By Amanda

Last week I was doing some work with MA fashion journalism students at the London College of Fashion and was thrilled to see that one of them, Ana Rosado, is working on a final project that’s a fashion magazine for… Read More

Home & GardenJune 21, 2013

Bedlinen care with The White Company

By Amanda

Last week we talked to Vanessa Hurley-Perera, head buyer for bedlinen at The White Company and discovered that she has slightly OCD tendencies when it comes to bedlinen…which only endeared us too her more and of course, makes her a… Read More

Fashion & BeautyJune 19, 2013

Marni Denim Edition, while we are talking about denim

By Amanda

While we are talking denim, how lovely is this new Marni Denim Edition collection, coming for Autumn 2013? Posh denim at its best, available from Marni stores world wide. We can but dream… Read More

Fashion & BeautyJune 19, 2013

New ways to sell: Selfridges Denim Studio

By Amanda

Selfridges has opened a new Denim Studio and increased the size of its denim floor until it’s the size of Ireland, or something like that (the world’s largest dedicated denim dept, to accurately quote the press release). The reason this… Read More

Health & Happiness, We Are ReadingJune 18, 2013

Living the Good Life by Martha Stewart

By Amanda

Martha has written a book about ageing. Just launched, it tells us how to stay healthy and happy, Martha-style, by eating well, keeping fit and remembering that family and friends are more important than a stress-y job. I It’s an… Read More

Middle Aged MumJune 17, 2013

Middleagemum.com: losing your best friend’s handbag

By Amanda

I have absolutely no problems at all with growing older, there is a joy in maturity that frees you from the angst-making neurotisism of youth that I’m finding hugely liberating….However, I could really do with NOT forgetting where I put… Read More

Home & GardenJune 15, 2013

Happy World Gin Day!

By Amanda

We couldn’t let World Gin Day go by without a comment. As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve switched to gin from wine, which has been making me feel a bit poisoned of late (I’m blaming the menopause). Gin is definitely having… Read More

Home & GardenJune 13, 2013

Learning about Bedlinen with The White Company

By Amanda

Continuing our mini theme of finding the best bedlinen out there, I got the chance last week to interview the fabulously knowledgable Vanessa Hurley-Perera, The White Company’s bedlinen buyer and all round fabric geek. She demonstrated a nerdy OCD-ness about… Read More

Art, Culture & Craft, We Are ReadingJune 12, 2013

The Hand-stitched Home by Caroline Zoob

By Amanda

If you love those country-style floral embroideries you come across on vintage tea cosies and napkins, this book is for you. Caroline Zoob spent ten years living in Virginia and Leonard Wolf’s Monks House and the experience has influenced her… Read More

Things We LoveJune 12, 2013

Sticki-mitts from Lakeland

By Amanda

Where have these been all my life? I have a sticky clothes roller for super-dust removal before I go out the house and to roller the boys whenever I get the opportunity to make them look more presentable. But these… Read More

Fashion & BeautyJune 11, 2013

Street style: how to look glamourous in a kaftan and an all-in-one

By Amanda

Demonstrating that style definitely has no age limit, I came across these two gorgeous women modelling for Jeannie McQueeny last week and they looked absolutely stunning in their kaftans and all-in-ones. Genie (mostly) makes heavily embroidered and bejewelled kaftans… Read More