The Women's Room | Daily Life and Style Inspiration

Fashion & BeautyOctober 16, 2011

Mary Queen of frocks: Where’s the designer?

By Jane

So Cheryl Cole is the latest celebrity to design her own range. She has just launched a footwear collection for the new online shopping concept Stylistpick. Good for you Cheryl, why shouldn’t you, isn’t it every girls dream to be… Read More

Art & CultureOctober 15, 2011

Frieze art 2011: TWR highlights

By Amanda

Frieze art fair, which is on its ninth show this October 2011, is a must for any art lover as it brings together, under one roof, an extraordinary mix of contemporary pieces from the best global galleries. As Grayson Perry… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 14, 2011

Art and fashion get together

By Jane

It’s all about art here in London this week, as the Frieze Art Fair is on until Sunday. Look out for Amanda’s pics of the stylish clientele later in the week. Our favourite brand in the world (did we tell… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 13, 2011

We love: Old Town

By Amanda

Tipped off by TWR reader Dinah Hall we love the look of Old Town, a reassuringly trend free clothes website selling useful and beautifully made items with a wholesome, slightly nostalgic air. If I tell you that a couple of… Read More

Food, We Are ReadingOctober 12, 2011

Odd Bits by Jennifer McLagan

By Amanda

Another -the newest- book by Jennifer McLagan, who is the sort of cook I think I’d like to be friends with. We reviewed Fat earlier this week, well Odd Bits is a timely review of many of the cheaper, weirder… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 12, 2011

Style Icon: Joan Collins

By Jane

There is no link to add this video, so you need to click here for a truly fabulous 80’s fashion extravaganza. I’m off to find my shoulder pads, pill box hat and fur stole and to listen to Giorgio Moroder’s… Read More

Home & GardenOctober 11, 2011

Estrid Ericson and Svenskt Tenn

By Amanda

I recently went to Stockholm and came across Estrid Ericson (above), founder of the spectacularly colourful home furnishing empire, Svenskt Tenn. If print and colour are your thing, then you probably know about the late Estrid’s lovely flagship store and… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 10, 2011

Trend Alert: Housecoats

By Jane

So the catwalk collections are over and as part of the day job, I have been trawling through each show, to work out out what’s going to influence the way we dress next summer. Prada is always a hugely influential… Read More

Food, We Are ReadingOctober 9, 2011

Fat by Jennifer McLagan

By Amanda

The sub title of this book is ‘An appreciation of a misunderstood ingredient, with recipes’ and on reading that I immediately wanted to read it. I am a natural fat lover, butter, lard, suet, olive oil, I love all of… Read More

Health & HappinessOctober 9, 2011

Thank you Easy Living!

By Amanda

It’s official, we are ‘ witty and stylish’, we know this because Easy Living said so! I know! Isn’t that nice of them? We are in the Gone Surfing section of the October copy, as one of their best blogs!… Read More

Health & HappinessOctober 8, 2011

When good hair goes bad

By Jane

Isn’t getting older fabulous, not only are our waists get thicker, but our hair seems to be getting thinner! The weird and not so wonderful things that happen when we reach middle age can be a mine field to navigate… Read More

Fashion & BeautyOctober 7, 2011

We love Eileen Fisher

By Amanda

The American brand Eileen Fisher will be more familiar to our US readers (hello Kay, yes we know you live in it!) than our UK ones, but it’s great the brand has opened in London because it totally understands our… Read More

Things We LoveOctober 6, 2011

Breakthrough Breast Cancer: Warehouse pink lace top

By Amanda

As we mentioned, October is breast cancer awareness month and the Break Through Breast Cancer charity has organised for a number of brands to produce items that they donate (usually at least) 10% to the charity for every purchase. The… Read More

Home & GardenOctober 6, 2011

Feel good TV: The Great British Bake off

By Jane

A programme that makes you feel tense and gives you goose bumps has to be must see tv and if it involves cake, then even better. Over the last eight weeks, Tuesdays have all been all about the Great British… Read More

Middle Aged MumOctober 5, 2011

Middleagedmum.com: a weekend away with the girls

By Amanda

Last weekend I went away to Paris with my group of treasured girlfriends, all 50 plus. We’ve known each other since we were 18 and the secret of our long lasting adoration of each other is that we know, deep… Read More

Fashion, We Are ReadingOctober 4, 2011

Diane Vreeland The Eye Has To Travel by Lisa Immordino Vreeland

By Amanda

This book is an essential by for Diane Vreeland fans. If you have Allure then you have to buy this, no question. It’s an assessment of Vreeland’s career as an editor on Vogue, Harper Bazaar and at the Metropolitan Museum… Read More

Art & CultureOctober 4, 2011

Textile taxidermy: Donya Coward

By Jane

Remember ages ago we told you about crochetdermy by Shauna Richardson – who incidentally is showing her work in the excellent Power of Making exhibition at the V & A – now thanks to WR reader Joyce we have discovered… Read More

Things We LoveOctober 3, 2011

Breakthrough Breast Cancer: Sainsburys

By Amanda

If you have to buy a cast iron casserole dish this month, then make it the Sainsbury’s Breakthrough Breast Cancer heart shape one at £30. Firstly, Sainsbury’s gives a 10% donation to breast cancer research with every one of the… Read More

Health & HappinessOctober 3, 2011

Menopausal weight gain: an actual fact

By Amanda

I learnt an actual fact about weight gain during the menopausal years of (approx) late 40s to mid 50s recently. It comes from a very good book by Debra Waterhouse called Menopause Without Weight Gain, and the fact is… Read More

Health & HappinessOctober 2, 2011

Growing old: city or country?

By Jane

Apologies to anyone reading who hasn’t been basking in balmy summer temperatures this week, this post may be a little annoying! We have enjoyed the most beautiful sunny last week of September since the 80’s apparently (why do Brits love… Read More

Fashion, We Are ReadingOctober 1, 2011

Celia Birtwell

By Jane

Home & GardenOctober 1, 2011

More about Moths: Angela Flanders Moth repellent

By Amanda

When we were at the wonderful Fashion Fantasia last week, we met Angela Flanders (who is Kate’s mum), purveyor of gorgeous perfumes and….moth repellent. Now, you know how we feel about moths, so when we spotted the above notice in… Read More

Fashion & Beauty, Things We LoveSeptember 30, 2011

At last: COS online

By Jane

This post comes with a warning, it could be seriously detrimental to you finances! Our favourite brand in the whole world, has finally launched online, which means all you poor people who have not been able to savour the delights… Read More

Novels & Biogs, We Are ReadingSeptember 29, 2011

Books from Peirene Press

By Amanda

What a joy this little publishing house is, which kindly sent us three of its titles last week to read. Firstly, its an independent publishing house producing interesting European works of literature (not too many of them around). Secondly,… Read More

Fashion & BeautySeptember 29, 2011

We shop Marks & Spencer accessories collection

By Amanda

It’s a while since we spent any time in M&S as we’ve been a bit disappointed in the clothes over the last season or two, but things are looking up on the accessories front. We liked the new Westfield Stratford… Read More

Health & HappinessSeptember 28, 2011

Another idea for those old check shirts: The National Shirt Exchange

By Jane

Some time ago Amanda posted about the number of check shirts her boys had accumulated over the last few years. Being a crafty type, she ended up putting them to good use by incorporating them into a lovely patchwork quilt… Read More

Home & GardenSeptember 27, 2011

We love: Falcon enamelware in Christmas red

By Amanda

Anyone who went to the London Design Festival this weekend might have visited the Falcon enamelware pop up shop in The Tramshed. We are rather fond of this bakeware in a retro-fabulous way, I have a number of the baking… Read More

Fashion & BeautySeptember 26, 2011

Trend alert: Yellow

By Jane

One of the newest colours to continually crop up on the international catwalks, has been yellow. All shades from palest lemon, though to acid citrus, brightest sunshine and mustard. As lovers of bright colours, we are happy to embrace the… Read More

Home & GardenSeptember 25, 2011

What a difference a year makes: student friendly chocolate cake

By Amanda

Goodness what a difference an academic year makes. This time last year we were learning to let go of middleteen as he went nervously on his way to university. This year he is driving himself back, has stripped our house… Read More

Fashion & BeautySeptember 24, 2011

Fashion goes to the dogs!

By Jane

Ok, so I know I’m a dog bore, but quite frankly I don’t care, as there is no love like a dogs love, and the world would be a much nicer place if people were more like dogs. They are… Read More