Chanel - "Imitation if the highest form of flattery."

Coco Chanel once said "Imitation is the highest form of flattery."

However, I don't think many other designers would share this idea.

I love bags and shoes, and quite often I fall head over heels in love with designers items that I cannot afford but wish I could. In those times I look to the high street as more often than not they produce the bags that make you happy as they are the quality of designers at more affordable prices.

The Chloe Marcie bag, soft leather piping on the front and tassels, for the small hobo bag it is £845, I bought a very close looking bag by Fiorelli for £29.99, it should have been £65 ohthe joy of TKMaxx. It is even nicer than Chloe if I can be so brave as to say that, but as a Fiorelli bag it is still a good quality bag at a fraction of the price.

The Alexa Mulberry my lust after bag. I walk past that shop that proudly displays them in the window and it makes my heart flip, sad but true. Those bags are about £695 for the small version. I bought one from Next £30, just as gorgeous, it has everything I like about the Alexa.

Now when I talk about imitation I am not talking about those knock off bags you get. Not bags that are pretending to be designer but those that share the same characteristics but that people can kind of tell isn't the real thing. Not the bag that people are second guessing because that kind of imitation I don't think is all that great. Bags that look like it great, bags pretending to be it...not great. 

I suppose it is the same with shoes. Nearly every woman I would think wants a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, a pair of patent Mary Jane's with a flash of scarlett sole, you are in New Look and you see a pair exactly the same even down to the red sole. However, much you want the patent MJs there is something different about owning a pair of Louboutins, there is a classiness and elegance that owes to owning a pair.

I just think that owning an imitation that is trying desperately to be the real thing is lacking, as something that looks like it is great as it is flattery but something that is trying to be it is a little sad. Well that is what I think anyway.

I do think Chanel is on to something as it is a compliment as if people like it enough to want  a piece of it, it shows that the designer is doing something right.

Everyone needs a Little Black Dress

Portsmouth City Museum currently has an exhibition on the famous LBD.....

I wrote a piece for etc magazine about it, check it out here....

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=2j0Mf1H41R6c&PBID=cdbd86eb-0ed9-41e5-a590-031651c44a1c&skip page 104

The Nails are Inc....

I am a huge nail varnish fan. If my nails have no polish on them, I feel completely naked. Looking at my nails when they are pink and bare makes me feel not as confident, I need a pearly pink or a shocking blue to give me the confidence to pull me through.

As I have said previously I love Nails Inc, Barry M, OPI, and Rimmel.

At the moment I am rocking Nails Inc Magnum chocolate brown. I love it; it has flecks of gold in it, which makes it look glam rather than grimy.

Sometimes I can find black a bit too much so I try and use blood red, navy blue or a dark purple to get the darkness without the harshness of black.

In the past I have had a Minx nail wrap on my nails. They can range from leopard print, to checker board; they baffle people who cannot figure out how you can paint something on your nails like that. They are heated up so the glue becomes tacky and then placed on the nail, they are then filed to the shape of your nail. They can last between two to six weeks. (http://www.minxnails.com/dnn/) In salons they can be expensive but are worth it if they last and look fab

For print effect from varnish I have mentioned previously about the Barry M effect where you paint it over a colour and then it cracks. OPI and Topshop both have their own versions, but Barry M is one of the best.

When it comes to Glitter, you cannot beat OPI. I have one that came out when Burlesque was out. Katy Perry has brought out a range as well, that include the crackle effect and glitter. Two coats of the glitter polish and it looks amazing. So sparkly they don't look like polish it looks like a wrap, bright and colourful. (http://www.opi.com/) It isn’t so nice to take off though, if you use cotton wool it can stick.

One new trend I have noticed recently is marbling effect, as seen on stars such as Jessie J. One way I have seen in magazines which I will share if you want the same effect is the following:

* Apply a base coat and then a couple of coats of white nail polish
* Wait for it to dry
* Drop a blob of colour into warm water
* Add a second colour
* Swirl with a cocktail stick
* Dip your finger in and pull out to create the marble effect
* Clear up any edges
* Wait to dry and coat with a top coat.
I will admit I have yet to try it but once I have I will let you know. Also if you do it before I post, let me know!!

I love Spring time, it means all the pastel colours come back in. From yellows, oranges, lilacs and pinks. Sorbets are big again in make-up so get down to Boots and stock up if Barry M if it is two for £5 again. So put some of the more Goth colours away for the Spring time, don't worry they are fine for a night time look but get fun and flirty with ice cream shades.

I have seen in shops that Revlon have released colours that smell fruity for up to five days! They are called Scents of Summer and cost £6.49, you can get melon, coconut, papaya and passion fruit. YUMMY!

Another tip this season is pearly colours, leading the way at Chanel (where else, Coco was a fan of pearls). So from Oyster pinks to Oyster whites, get in on the pearl.

There are loads of options to save your nails. Just make sure you keep them healthy. Sally Hensen Nail Hardener is a god-send.

The Nails are indeed it!