Fashion & Beauty | The Womens Room

Fashion & BeautyDecember 11, 2014

Advice for menopausal skin from Stratum C

By Jane

We are always on the look out for skin/hair care that helps our skin look better (we know its not going to change our lives) so when the lovely people from skin care brand Stratum C asked if we would… Read More

Fashion & BeautyDecember 10, 2014

Fragrant bling: perfumed jewellery from By Kilian and Penhaligon’s

By Amanda

I am currently lusting after some jewellery that could be called well, ‘smelly,’ although perhaps ‘fragrantly glamourous bling’ is a more alluring description. Perfumers are keen to get us to wear their fragrances in ever more interesting ways, including through… Read More

Fashion & BeautyDecember 9, 2014

Helen Mirren for L’Oreal

By Jane

Ok I’m going to come right out and say it. I have a problem with Helen Mirren modelling for L’Oreal. Not because I don’t think it’s a great idea for the beauty brand to use an older model and not… Read More

Fashion & BeautyDecember 8, 2014

Alternative party dressing for those who don’t really do Party-Ready

By Amanda

I know we are all supposed to be excited at the idea of the party season being upon us and you all know I’ll use any excuse to enthusiastically mix a good cocktail, but I absolutely loathe the idea of… Read More

Fashion & BeautyDecember 4, 2014

Gary Graham, New York designer (one for you Kate Bush, if you’re reading)

By Amanda

I’m in New York this week so just a quick post today, showing you inside the fabulous Gary Graham Tribeca store. You’ve got to love a designer that gives you animal headed mannequins set in a festive pine forest. My… Read More

Fashion & BeautyDecember 2, 2014

Grown up dressing from Sunspel

By Amanda

Listen up womenfolk (and menfolk in this instance), we’ve found a great new brand that is worth checking out. Well, when I say ‘new’, Sunspel is actually a grand old lady of 154, the brand launched in 1860, but recently… Read More

Fashion & BeautyDecember 1, 2014

How to go grey: Stage 2, Panic

By Jane

After my last post I was full of resolve to crack this “going grey” business, as the supportive comments and readers grey hair stories were positive affirmations that this was the right thing to do. My family however were not… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 29, 2014

Weekend Woman: Sylvie Guillem

By Amanda

The extraordinary ballet dancer Sylvie Guillem has announced she is to retire from dance now she has reached 50. Sylvie is breathtaking to watch and she is the only dancer who has ever made me cry at a performance, she… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 28, 2014

Black and White Benetton, vintage 80s sweaters.

By Amanda

Do you remember, back in the day, when Benetton was the coolest knitwear brand on the planet? Readers under 30 may struggle with this thought. All those fabulous colours, that grounded breaking advertising, those brightly hued polo shirts and all… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 26, 2014

Hello, my name is Amanda and I have a sheepskin addiction

By Amanda

Now the weather has turned a bit colder I have something of a problem to confess to, I am a sheepskin addict. Tucked away in my wardrobe is a large collection of sheepskin jackets and coats in many guises. Even… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 25, 2014

HELLO retailers: It’s time to stop ignoring us!!

By Jane

*Sighs heavily* As we have been saying for six years now – yes, we have blogging for six years – 50plus women are a growing market with money to spend, who are by and large mostly ignored by the fashion… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 22, 2014

Weekend Woman: Katherine Hamnett

By Amanda

There’s been much talk recently of T shirts with slogans on. Last week Jane went to a press launch (of this book) and met up with the wonderful Katherine Hamnett, creator of the original slogan T shirt. Coincidently I’d been… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 20, 2014

Best perfumes for teenage boys, twenty-something sons and middleagedads

By Amanda

The last post I did on ‘best perfumes for teenage boys‘ was one of our most read posts ever, it seems help is definitely needed when it comes to selecting good smells for boys (and men). So with that in… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 18, 2014

John Gustafson at Fenwicks and Liberty’s Bespoke Beauty service

By Amanda

Much like truly great hairdressers, a good beauty advisor can change your life, but the very best ones (those that are not aligned to just one brand) are rarely discussed amongst beauty editors and often you’ve got to be on… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 11, 2014

John Lewis Penguins get their knit on with Wool & The Gang

By Jane

I’m sure by now everyone has seen the heart warming John Lewis advert Amanda posted about last week – it’s definitely our favourite so far. If you have also visited the John Lewis on Oxford St you will have come… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 8, 2014

Weekend Woman, Wendy Dagworthy

By Amanda

Both Jane and I and anyone else who has ever come across her, loves Wendy Dagworthy. Head of the RCA MA fashion course from 1998 until this year, her blend of future-vision and up-beat optimism never fails to inspire any… Read More

Fashion & BeautyNovember 2, 2014

Weekend Woman, Camila Batmanghelidjh

By Amanda

Camila is the patron saint of troubled children and our all round favourite inspiring person. Ever. She’s not just a Weekend Woman, she’s a lifetime woman of substance. Jane and I have met her on a number of occasions and… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 31, 2014

Dear Rose, perfume with grown-up French chic

By Amanda

I love it when I get an opportunity to meet successful older women with TWR. I am curious to understand what it takes to get to the top and then stay there, particularly when it’s in a very male dominated… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 29, 2014

Personalised shoe buying at VIAJIYU

By Amanda

Last week I was invited along to an evening of shoe buying with the personalised footwear brand VIAJIYU. I know, tough gig. VIAJIYU aims to fill a gap for (admittedly affluent, prices start at around £230) working women who need… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 26, 2014

Weekend Woman (ish): Grayson Perry’s Claire

By Amanda

OK, I appreciate I’m on controversial ground here…Grayson is of course a man. But I’m squeezing him in as his transvestite alter ego Claire, because I want to mention the terrific Who are You? series he’s done for Channel 4.… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 24, 2014

Must have winter coat: Faux fur

By Jane

At last it feels like Autumn may be on its way and its time to buy some winter clothes. Up until now I have managed to get away with bare legs and a cardi, but this week my thoughts have… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 23, 2014

Frieze Fashion, it’s all about the bright trainer

By Amanda

Last week, due to day job commitments, I went to Frieze art fair on the last day – Saturday- rather than the first and there was a different vibe in the air. On the first day the place is always… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 22, 2014

How to go Grey: Stage 1

By Jane

Walking around the streets of Dalston I’m surrounded by beautiful grey hair and mostly on young girls. This ever growing trend was started by uber hip hair salon Bleach, who initially set up in the back of cult nail salon… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 21, 2014

Jigsaw, The National Portrait Gallery and William Morris

By Amanda

I’m watching Jigsaw with more attention than usual because one has opened up on my doorstep in Barnes. Which is fine by me as the brand has upped its game of late (you may remember the lovely Duke Street Emporium)… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 19, 2014

Weekend Woman: Patti Smith

By Amanda

Just because it’s Patti, really. She’s one of my all time life heros and her book Just Kids was an amazing read. I first started to really love Patti when she played at a Benetton press gig in Paris I… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 17, 2014

Talking perfume with Oxana Polyakova at Bloom Perfumery

By Amanda

I went to catch up with the terrific Oxana Polyakova, founder of the Bloom perfume boutique in Shoreditch. When Oxana describes a perfume to me I want to try it immediately. She has a magical way with words when it… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 15, 2014

Change is a Beautiful Thing, by Kathryn Ferguson

By Amanda

We’ve written previously on what the beauty industry needs to do to adjust its views on age and beauty, but while researching something for the day job, I came across this great film by Kathryn Ferguson, done for the Selfridges… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 13, 2014

& Other Stories V COS (with a bit of Iris Apfel thrown in)

By Amanda

Listen up people, we have a new favourite shop, & Other Stories. I know we’ve written about it before, but recently it’s absolutely nailed it in terms of very wearable clothes for grown ups and we’ve had some interesting feedback… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 9, 2014

Give away! Subscription to The Perfume Society

By Amanda

Exciting news perfume peeps, we have a small competition today whereby we are giving away FIVE glorious subscriptions to the Perfume Society, FIVE! And all you have to do is a little admin. How nice is that eh? You are… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 7, 2014

Dressing like Barbara (Hepworth)

By Amanda

Yep, I’m still enamoured with Barbara and I’ve been browsing the internet to see if I can Dress Like Barbara…well, dress a bit like Barbara, she was keen on a wrapped and belted jacket being whip thin, but I’m going… Read More