Amanda | The Womens Room

Fashion, We Are ReadingMay 23, 2012

What the Nose Knows by Avery Gilbert

By Amanda

Perfume nerd essential book alert. Tipped off by the lovely Katie Puckrick and her blog’s book division, I have wolfed down this fabulous science-y adventure in understanding a bit more about how our noses work. The science of smell is… Read More

Things We LoveMay 23, 2012

StriVectin-SD for emergency hand and feet help

By Amanda

So, the sun has at last come out in London and so I thought I’d swap my trusty brogues for sandals….bad move. As soon as I looked at my feet I realised I’d forgotten to go anywhere near them with… Read More

Out & AboutMay 23, 2012

Chelsea in Bloom, more inspiration for your Jubilee Party

By Amanda

Chelsea in Bloom, where the stores around Chelsea Flower Show put on a ‘bit of a show’ to support the fact that the RHS floral extravaganza is based in Chelsea, is a lovely event, with some really gorgeous floral windows… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMay 22, 2012

Style icons: Peter Jones Ladies

By Amanda

It’s definitely Chelsea’s week this week, what with Chelsea Flower Show and Chelsea in Bloom, so it might be a good moment to mention Peter Jones Ladies….(Peter Jones is a branch of John Lewis). Where New York has Advanced… Read More

Things We LoveMay 20, 2012

Precious One, award winning perfume from Precious London

By Amanda

Congrats to Kate Evans, who won best new independent perfume at the Fragrance Foundation last Thursday for her first perfume Precious One. It was launched last year (we mentioned it here ) and was created by Angela Flanders for her… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMay 20, 2012

We love: Aubrey handbags

By Amanda

We’ve taken something of a fancy to a new handbag range Aubrey, by Isla Simpson. This is Isla’s first collection and it’s very assured, being good quality with an attention to detail and classic-but-interesting designs. Isla is a Saint Martin’s… Read More

Health & Happiness, We Are ReadingMay 18, 2012

A Dog Walker’s Guide to Surrey, by Benson (a dog)

By Amanda

We are fortunate today to have as our guest blogger Benson, a handsome golden retriever who has just written a useful guide to dog walking around Surrey. He was helped by his human owner, Jane Eyles. ” It’s a tough… Read More

Health & HappinessMay 18, 2012

Women in radio: Beryl, Betty and Sound Women

By Amanda

So it’s a great week for older women on the radio, what with the wonderful Beryl Renwick and Betty Smith winning a Sony Gold for their best entertainment programme on Radio Humberside (Saturday evenings, 6.00pm til 7.00pm if you want… Read More

Things We LoveMay 16, 2012

Post Poo Drops by Aesop

By Amanda

These little drops are a stroke of genius by the team at Aesop, particularly if you have a house where there are 4 men regularly smelling the place up, as I do. The Aesop website delicately describes this product as… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingMay 16, 2012

Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel

By Amanda

It’s here. The long awaited sequel to Wolf Hall, possibly my favourite book of the last few years. I have started it and so far, so fabulous. I hope Hilary has started writing the next one (there must be a… Read More

Art & CultureMay 16, 2012

Carnaby Street Book Exchange: a story-swap-shop

By Amanda

Here’s a neat idea we saw last week at Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street. The Carnaby Street Book Exchange is a small oasis of bookish calm in an area packed out with noisy stores and in-your-face product (have any… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMay 14, 2012

Hats and how to wear them with Vivien Sheriff and Peter Jones

By Amanda

I am out of my depth when it comes to hats. proper hats that is, not your weekend beanie or sun hat, I’m talking buckram stiffening, birdcage veils and trails of twisted quill and peacock plumage. I never go anywhere… Read More

Out & AboutMay 12, 2012

Go see this: Hermès Leather Forever

By Amanda

The Leather Forever exhibition by Hermès is on at The Burlington Garden’s exhibition space in London until the 27th May, GO SEE IT. Whatever your feelings are for (up-themselves) luxury brands, Hermès is good at making leather stuff and this… Read More

Out & AboutMay 10, 2012

We love: John Lewis’s new beauty hall

By Amanda

John Lewis Oxford Street has just opened a revamped beauty hall, Jane and I were invited along to the opening party and it was fabulous. We love John Lewis anyway, as you all know but it’s unusual for the company… Read More

Art, Culture & Craft, We Are ReadingMay 8, 2012

Patti Smith 1969-1976 by Judy Linn

By Amanda

For Patti fans everywhere. Middleagedad brought this back from New York for me as a present and it is brilliant. Pictures of Patti looking her sonically cool self with her unique sense of style. She has an image presence that… Read More

Home & GardenMay 8, 2012

Things to do with excess marmalade: marmalade martinis

By Amanda

You remember I said I had to get reading glasses? And what fun it was going to be to buy new eyewear? Well turns out it was fun, while it lasted. I bought beautiful new Tom Davies glasses, which I… Read More

Fashion & BeautyMay 6, 2012

Style Icons: Miuccia Prada

By Amanda

Today we’re having a little photographic appreciation of Mrs Prada. Just because. Well actually it’s due to the fact she and Elsa Schiaparelli are the subject of a great new exhibition opening at the Costume Institute of the New York… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingMay 4, 2012

In A Summer Season by Elizabeth Taylor

By Amanda

We are hugely indebted to Debora Robertson (@lickedspoon) for this suggestion, we are trying to get Debora to write a blog post with her best books suggestions since she is an erudite wizz. I’d never heard of this author before,… Read More

Art & CultureMay 4, 2012

John Peel’s music collection moves on line: one for middleagedad

By Amanda

This is something that will make many, many middleagedads (and mums too, but there’ll be more dads, there just will) happy, John Peel’s famed, extensive music collection is to go on line. Peel is a sacred name in the music… Read More

Things We LoveMay 2, 2012

Toast twist back swimsuit

By Amanda

Still on the search for the perfect swimsuit, we were drawn to the Toast ones, particularly the Mia Bather twist back one above, which is both pretty and looks like it might be a great fit for those who have… Read More

Art & CultureMay 2, 2012

New ways to buy interiors, art and vintage: everythinginmyhousemagazine.com

By Amanda

Recently, Jane tweeted that she would love it if magazine editorials were shop-able, a sort of ‘browsing with cup of tea in hand, lovely picture, inspiring ideas, click to buy’ sort of process. She was having a tweeversation (?) with… Read More

Fashion & BeautyApril 30, 2012

The History Tag at Hiut Denim co: the story of clothes.

By Amanda

I’m a bit ‘meh’ about the high street at the moment, yes clothes are fabulously colourful/floral/printed but I’m not really biting. I think it’s because the actual process of buying new clothes is a bit dull compared to the huge… Read More

Fashion & BeautyApril 28, 2012

Reading glasses: an excuse to buy more accessories

By Amanda

Recently I got reading glasses as I now can’t read anything in small print after 6.00pm/without a major light source close by as it is too dark and small to see. These reading glasses are in addition to my recently… Read More

Middle Aged MumApril 26, 2012

Middleagemum.com: no, I do not have a PHD in beauty

By Amanda

To buy anything in skin care now you need to have a serious understanding of science. In fact a PHD in dermatology would be a big help in understanding just the packaging, let alone what’s inside. Looking at a shelf … Read More

Fashion & BeautyApril 24, 2012

Astalift: worth looking out for

By Amanda

Attention ladies! We might have just found something worth getting mildly excited about in the skincare area. To be honest, Jane and I are exhausted from seeing all these beauty brands, and we’re at the stage where we’ve seen enough… Read More

Fashion & BeautyApril 22, 2012

Atmospheric photos: so much nicer than ‘Get The Look’

By Amanda

Do you ever sometimes see a photo or image in a magazine and think, ‘that’s a PERFECT look’ ? It doesn’t happen very often but it happened to me when I opened the Toast catalogue for summer this week. This… Read More

Art & CultureApril 20, 2012

World Book Night again, we have books to give away…

By Amanda

It’s World Book Night on Monday 23rd April, and once again middleagedad has offered to give out books (only 25 this year rather than 50, which is something of a relief). This year he has selected the wonderful if disturbing… Read More

Fashion & BeautyApril 18, 2012

We have a winner! Lucza’s competition

By Amanda

We have a winner for the fantastic Luzca capsule wardrobe competition…drum role…Hannah Harriman! Well done Hannah, we are all VERY jealous. Thanks to everyone who entered, sorry you can’t all win. … Read More

Out & AboutApril 18, 2012

We love: Great Dixter House and Gardens

By Amanda

If I’m ever fantasising about inheriting millions from a rich relative I never knew existed (I don’t do the lottery, hence the need for a dead family member) I know EXACTLY what I’m going to spend the money on. As… Read More

Fashion & BeautyApril 16, 2012

The Need for Tweed: Harris Tweed and Clarks

By Amanda

We’re having something of a woolly moment here at TWR, after seeing wool weaves at Solva Woollen Mill last week, we came across a Harris Tweed/ Clarks combo that got my heart racing at the Clarks press day -held in… Read More