August 2009

Given that here in the Amazona office, we can’t stop dreaming about lying on a Caribbean beach somewhere!, we’re not giving up on our favourite season just yet, so you’ll have to wait a couple of weeks for Autumn/Winter trends! Summer is all about bright, sunny colours, even if the weather doesn’t match. If you are going on holiday this month, make sure that you pack some tropical colours to be bang on trend this season. From blocks to prints, there’s a lot in stores at the moment, so even if you’re not jetting off somewhere hot, treat yourself anyway and bring a touch of the exotic into your office. Here’s the lowdown on this season’s hottest colours:

Pink
Bright pinks such as fuchsia are perfect for a little pick-me-up. It’s feminine but also powerful. See Matthew Williamson and Versace for their take on the trend.

Orange
Orange is another FABULOUS colour for Spring/Summer 2009. Designers have gone all out this summer making light, bright clothes to brighten up your day in this economic climate. Here are just some of the offerings guaranteed to put a smile on your face whatever the occasion.

Yellow
Yellow was all over the catwalks this season and it’s naturally the perfect colour for summer. Check out these runway shots for inspiration to bring a little sunshine into your life.

Blue
Bright blues are vibrant, exciting and reminiscent of the ocean and tropical paradise. Check out Aquascutum’s coat collection for a few ideas.

1991 Versace Show - The Birth of the Supermodel

I blame Cindy Crawford for my new, punishing training regime.  I bought my housemate Nick a copy of ‘Playboy: Celebrities’ for his birthday and as we were flicking through the book at his party, we came across Cindy.  Amongst the many gorgeous women in the book, a handful of them stood out against the others and these were all women who had become famous in the 90’s or before.

Unfortunately, whilst reviewing the book  I happened to flippantly ask another friend (the Personal Trainer)  whether he could make my body look like Cindy Crawford’s. When he answered ‘Yes, if you do what I say’, I nearly choked on my mojito  and unfortunately agreed to start training with him three times a week.  I’ve also managed to drag a group of my friends into the torture too by arranging a circuit training class for us in a local park.  Now they are all coming up with celebrity bodies that they’d like to aim for – Sandra Bullock in her new film, ‘The Proposal’ has been a popular choice, as has Halle Berry (no doubt helped along by the infamous bikini scene in the Bond film ‘Die Another Day’).

Sandra Bullock in The Proposal

If you stop for a second and think about the  women my friends and I are holding up as perfect body role models, you’ll realise they all over 40. How bizarre is that? My friends and I are in our late 20’s or just turning 30 and the women we look up to as having desirable figures are all at least a decade older than us and well into a time in their lives when many women consider themselves to be less  attractive.

Maybe it’s something to do with my age and the images that influenced  me during my formative teenage years, but personally I’ve always seen the original Supermodels as the ideal aspirational bodies. Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington are slim, yet curvaceous. They represent glamour, feminity and strength in a way that modern day actresses and models just can’t do. The desire to imitate the likes of of Kate Moss, Lily Cole and Mischa Barton has never occured to me.

It seems I’m not alone. Many of the original Supermodels are making waves in the world of lucrative beauty and luxury fashion advertising which has primarily featured actresses for the last few seasons – it’s goodbye to Uma Thurman or Scarlett Johanssen at Louis Vuitton and hello Naomi.

• Linda Evangelista fronted last season’s Prada Ad campaign and has been L’Oreal’s International Spokewoman for well over a year.

• Naomi Campbell was chosen to front Yves Saint Laurent’s latest campaign

• Christy Turlington fronted Escada’s campaign recently.

• Claudia Schiffer is back working for Salvatore Ferragamo and Chanel.

Even Vogue, who’ve had celebrities on the cover for the past 14 months, have Linda Evangelista as Covergirl on the August edition.  Maybe in times like these,  the professionalism of these women combined with their enduring appeal is what big brands want to kind of ‘play it safe’. Interestingly, L’Oreal has seen sales jump 20% since Linda started featuring in their campaigns. Now in a recession, that has to say something about how modern women feel about the Supermodels.

What’s more, they don’t fall out of nightclubs drunk, go to rehab for drug addictions or get prosecuted for drink driving. They’re  also candid about how the look good – yes, Linda had botox and Cindy admits she works out alot and watches her diet – no phoney ‘fast metabolism’ stories here.   It’s not only their figures which we should hold them up as role models for. I for one hope that they are here to stay.

Cindy Crawford in 2009 for Allure Magazine

P.S. of course I don’t really think I’m going to end up with Cindy Crawford’s body, but I’m sure as hell going to give it a good stab.  It’s going to be a long relationship between my Trainer, Cindy and I because for well over a decade to come (and into my 40’s! Eek!)  I’ll know that there are women my age who look amazing.

When it comes to dressing to impress on the beach, keep it simple and let colours and prints do the talking. Do not over-accessorise! It looks fabulously stylish in the magazines, yes, but when you are over-heating and dying for a dip in the pool, you don’t need to be taking an extra five minutes to remove all of your statement jewellery. And think of the tan lines! Keep those extra special items for the evening.

SS09 is about tribal prints, nautical styles and bright colours. Check out these catwalk shots for inspiration:

A big beach bag is a must to carry all of your essentials. This summer, try a big straw bag that will weather beach conditions and comfortably hold a towel, sunscreen and a million other little bits and pieces whilst still looking effortlessly chic. See Blake Lively’s cute bag below.

Speaking of beach towels, have you tried a KIKOI? It’s a sarong and a towel in one, meaning there’s more room in your bag for magazines and that book you’ve been meaning to read all year!

Sunglasses for SS09 still follow one simple rule: The bigger, the better! A colourful and embellished pair bring a fun element to your look whilst a simple, darker look is timeless and stylish.

Shoe-wise, a simple pair of gladiators or Havaianas will suffice. Do not attempt Louboutins on the sand!

Hats are a great way to cover up messy hair and look oh-so-fabulous. They are also perfect for protecting yourself in hot weather. This season we still love the fedora, the straw trilby and the Panama hat. For the super-cool, try a visor. Check out Cameron Diaz below for inspiration.

With Summer disappearing as fast as we can say ‘where the hell was the bbq summer?’, you might as well turn your thoughts to shopping. According to recent retail figures, that’s what alot of British shoppers have been doing with Summer sales figures coming in far higher than expected.
Now is also a great time to check out what’s new as most retailers are getting new stock in on a weekly basis.  Amazona Style are no exception with new styles being added every week. Their shoes all come in UK sizes 8-11 (and sometimes 12) and they stock everything from flats to heels, sandals to stilettos.

Our favourites have to be the black & white brogue heels (above), the abstract print heels and brown suede shoe boots (below).

Fed up with the British Summer so heading for a last minute holiday in the Sun? Don’t panic! They still have some fabulous gladiator sandals and summer mules in stock in the Sale. Check out the Copper Leather Sandal - perfect for complementing a tan.

NEWSFLASH! Amazona Style are offering Free Shipping to all customers for the rest of of August – even on International orders! You could save up to £15.95 on postage but you’ll have to be quick though, the offer ends on 31st August.

So, it’s August (finally!) and you are just a week away from your summer holiday. If you haven’t booked one yet, then there are some fabulous deals around at the moment to escape our British rain. Snap one up and then follow our 5 easy tips to feeling fabulous in your bikini..

1. BIKINI BODY

Avoid heavy, starchy foods. Don’t attempt to crash diet a week before your flight and expect to feel fab when you get there. We can’t all be Kelly Brook and you’re more likely to fill up on all of the “bad” holiday food as a “reward” and end up feeling sluggish and bloated in your bikini. The best thing to do is to just be careful with what you eat leading up to and on your holiday – eat more fruit and veg and less bread and cake. It’s a simple plan, but we always seem to forget it!

2. SUPER SKIN

Drink lots of water to flush out toxins and leave your skin looking healthy and refreshed all over. It’s that old chestnut, but water really is the best thing that you can put in your body to feel awake, alert and healthy. Avoid lots of caffeine and sugary products as they can dry out your skin. Also use a good exfoliator before and during your holiday. The healthier your skin is, the less likely it is to peel. Don’t be worried about scrubbing your tan off. If your skin is healthy, it won’t come off! Stay moisturised too, which will keep your skin from drying out in hot weather. SPF15 is really the minimum that you should be using in the sun. It is also recommended that you use a separate sun cream for your face, as the skin is more sensitive and always exposed. Opt for a higher SPF if you are pale and ALWAYS use after sun lotion to cool down your skin and prolong your tan.

3. HEAVENLY HAIR

If you are looking after your body and your skin, all of those tips should come in useful for your hair too. However, you can do more. Make sure that you use a moisturising conditioner to keep your hair from drying out. Ideally leave it on for a few minutes in the shower, whilst you are shaving your legs or exfoliating, so that it has time to really treat your hair. Another great idea is to use an intensive hair mask a couple of times a week to really make it shine. If you are a sun bunny, don’t forget to protect your hair too! Either wear a stylish hat (there are many in this season!) or use a protective sun spray to prevent drying.

4. TANTALISING TALONS

A DIY manicure isn’t as difficult as you may think. And in these credit-crunching times, many women are opting for a home remedy to costly salon prices. File your nails down so that they are all the same length going from the outside to the middle in one direction from both sides of the nail. Then apply a cuticle cream or oil to your cuticles and leave to work for a few minutes, before pushing the cuticle down into the nail bed. Rinse your hands and apply a base coat, 2 coats of your chosen colour before sealing it with a top coat, waiting for each to dry in between. Colours for this summer include corals and neons. If you really want to be ahead of the pack, opt for green as it’s what we will all be wearing for AW09. Finally use a good moisturizer and avoid washing up!

5. PERFECT PEDICURE

Don’t forget about your tootsies because you don’t want them to let you down this holiday, given all of the effort that you’ve put in above! First use a foot file to get rid of any dry skin, then soak your feet for a good half and hour before drying and applying cuticle cream/oil and pushing the cuticles back, file your toenails to smooth, then apply base coat, colour and top coat. Finally, once your polish is dry apply an intensive foot cream and slip on a pair of socks overnight to really let it soak in. Your feet will look perfect in some on-trend gladiators whilst out sight-seeing or a pair of cool flip-flops by the pool.

Look out for a holiday fashion and accessories blog, coming soon!

It’s like a rather large hint from the Universe. I have a new housemate and he’s a Personal Trainer. If that wasn’t enough to motivate me to get in shape, he offered to train me virtually for free.

I’ve never been slim. When my friends go “I was a size 10 (UK) when I was a teenager and used to go out clubbing in a latex catsuit”, I can’t join in because I was never anything other than chubby, despite being very active. One of the many good things about being very tall is that you usually carry your weight well. When I told my friends my body fat % (!! the wrong side of 40%!) they all cried “But I wouldn’t say you were overweight!” but the harsh facts are that I am.

It all started when I joked to the PT housemate “Can you make me look like Cindy Crawford?” to which he replied “Yes, if you do what I say”. Well, purely as a social experiment, I thought that this very independent, single-minded woman should give it a whirl. Aspirational? Most certainly but then I like a challenge!

It’s very early days (10 to be precise) but I am starting to see results and it’s not hardcore, exercising for 2 hours a day or eating some weird diet. Just four workouts a week and I have to eat 6 times a day! Anyway, I am digressing (it’s all too easy to become an exercise & healthy living evangelist - I am trying to resist).

Workout gear for us tall girls is yet another mission. I only have only pair of jogging bottoms (from the USA) and an old t-shirt to workout in. As the owner of almost 39 inch legs, it is near impossible to find stuff to fit but since I’ve started this regime, I’ve had to find some pretty damn quickly. Here’s a few places where you can find stuff which doesn’t flap around your upper ankles.

New look: Jogging bottoms available only a 35 inside leg but a bargain at £12.50 for you less leggy tall girls.

Long Tall Sally: Five different styles of workout trousers up to a 36 inch leg from £24-£35.

Tall Girls: Several styles of long tracksuit pants but only two which come in a 38 inch leg from £24-£33. Alternatively they’ve also got some great cropped joggers and pilates pants from £24.00.

Personally, I love the jogging pants from The Tall Girl Shop but they are only in the USA and it’s best to try them on in store as lengths are often longer than stated.  I have  also had some great yoga pants from Alloy.com (also in the USA but they do ship internationally) in the past so they might be worth a look.

Eek! This is a trend that I’m not sure many of us will follow unless your under 20 but thankfully, it is a recession busting trend that all of us can afford (even if your mother is never going to understand).

It first started appearing on the catwalks (mainly Alexander Wang) at the end of 2008 and can now been seen on every city street.

A big hit with young Hollywood, stars from Miley Cyrus (trying to make herself a little edgier, I’m guessing) to Linday Lohan and Mischa Barton have been flogging this trend (with Li-Lo you’re never sure whether she’s being fashion-forward or just plain old skanky).

Think Grunge meets Rock Chic and you’re getting it. Whatever you do, don’t mix it with sharp tailoring or crisp shirts or you’ll look like you had an unfortunate accident on your way to the office. Instead think leather, mini’s, ankle boots and studs and you’re on your way.

So, what do you think - stylish or skanky?

Photo credits: fashionising.com; wenn.com