Monochrome magic - my guest post on Gwen's Bridal Bazaar

Monochrome. Is. Everywhere. From catwalks to your local high street, to street stylista bloggers, to A listers at award ceremonies, this is a trend that has captured the imagination of the fashion industry.

 

I find it to be classic look that comes with lots of options: stick to one or two monochrome items, such as a skirt and black high heels, and add a splash of colour by wearing a bright pink top (or any colour which takes your fancy). Alternatively, keep your outfit monochrome from head to toe, and add colour into your look by using your makeup – a bright red lippie for example, or a cobalt blue nail polish (which is also a huge trend at the moment). Don’t be afraid to accessorise – colourful earrings, a print scarf or statement necklace can also lend a more playful look.

 

Monochrome can also work well as a theme for your wedding. It can be a very striking and glamorous style which makes a classy statement and could be included in a multitude of wedding day elements such as your flowers, wedding invites and décor!!

 

Perhaps the most exciting element of the monochrome wedding style is how you can integrate it into the outfits of the wedding party! It may be a step too far for your wedding dress, or a really inventive move, I’ll leave to you to decide! But it can definitely be incorporated into your bridesmaids dresses, and let’s face it, when it comes to suits and formalwear, men have been wearing it as both a classic and alternative look for decades if not longer!

 

If you are looking for a traditional feel to your wedding, perhaps you are unsure about your bridesmaids wearing any kind of white or cream. Nowadays I think more guests wear cream, and that this is to be expected after trends such as lace, and the amount of celebs who wear cream or white on red carpets. Wearing monochrome can be a nice way to complement the bride.

 

I hope these ideas give you food for thought, let me know about your monochrome weddings!

Vintage Vision

Here at Lilac Chic we love vintage, and I'm really excited about Vintage Vision in Abergavenny.  The concept, and their upcoming fair, is amazing.  Amanda from Vintage Vision took time out to talk to me...

 

 How did you come to create Vintage Vision?

 

Nicki, Bernadette and myself thought that there should be an organisation that would give opportunities for good quality work experience and would also appeal to young women. Plus we thought older women would enjoy passing on their skills. And finally we wanted to save vintage clothes and their stories from being binned or recycled! We got talking to lots of other women, found a shop, took a risk on the first 3 months rent, and that was that!

 

Describe a typical day at Vintage Vision.

 

Busy! The shop will be open in Abergavenny and anything from 1 to 5 volunteers might be there...serving and advising customers, tidying the shop floor, creating new displays, sorting through donated stock, answering the phone, updating Twitter and Facebook, doing sewing repairs! Plus there are not many days without a pile of paperwork to tackle, including doing funding applications! We don't have any paid staff, the whole thing is run by volunteers. They are amazing, and we always need more!

 

How would my blog readers be able to get involved?

If they are nearby then they can come along and try volunteering at the Abergavenny or Blaenavon shops. If they are further away then they can follow us on FB and Twitter to keep up to date with what is happening. And they can come and visit some us at our regular Vintage Fayres in Abergavenny, which are fantastic days out. There are vintage catwalk shows throughout the day, lots of music , 25+ stalls selling great vintage clothes, accessories and homewares, plus a vintage cafe and activities for children. Over 1000 people regularly attend our Fayres, and the One on June 23rd is likely to be the best one yet!

We also have an exciting new project starting soon in Chepstow, where we will be having a pop up museum and vintage shop for 3 months, and for which we need lots of volunteers!

 

 What would your advice be to someone just getting interested in vintage?

 To start with go to a really good vintage store that has plenty of choice - that way you can really find out which look suits you, and your shape, best. Once you know that, you can enjoy the thrill of exploring for vintage pieces wherever you go! It doesn't have to cost the earth either..there are plenty of places, such as Annie's in Bromyard, or Lizzie May in Hereford, where you can pick up some great bargains. Plus Vintage Vision of course!

Who is your vintage style icon?

I think it would have to be Audrey Hepburn. She had such effortless style, and looked just as amazing in a full skirted 50s dress, as she did in a little gingham shirt and pedal pushers. We have an amazing selection of hats in Vintage Vision, and I often think how great she would have looked in all of them!

 

www.vintagevision.co.uk

Interview with Toby Freeman from the Robin Cancer Trust

Recently I got in touch with The Robin Cancer Trust  to offer my support.  The Freeman family created the trust after the death of their son and brother Robin, due to germ cell cancer.  When my friend Anne told me about this cause, I felt compelled to get in touch as a germ cell cancer survivor myself.  Please see below an interview with Toby, Robin's brother.  Toby is right - there isn't much information available about germ cell cancer, so please do all you can to spread the word about this great charity.

1. Please tell us about your brother Robin.

I know people say this a lot about people who have passed away, but Rob really was such a nice guy. He was model handsome, in great shape and to round it all off was the funniest guy in the room. He had every reason to be arrogant and cocky and yet he was the most modest, down-to-earth guy who just wanted to settle-down with a solid career and start a family. They say only the good die young and I don't think you'd meet anyone who knew Rob who would say otherwise. 

Rob worked for Dad as a junior project worker and loved it. He was working full-time with University one-day a week working towards getting his degree. He played football with me on Sundays and had earned himself the nickname Robdog within weeks of playing, just because he showed how good he was (he never stopped running!). He also loved playing the drums, something he enjoyed with my other brother Adam as they both played an instrument. Some of my happiest memories is spending three summers at Reading Music Festival with my brothers enjoying our favourite bands as luckily we all enjoy the same type of music.

2.  Why did you and your family create the Robin Cancer Trust?

After Rob passed away we all sat down at the table, looked at each other and said ‘Something good has to come from this'.  One thing we noticed very quickly after Rob's diagnosis was the fact that there was very little information available, especially in one place on the internet, regarding Germ Cell Cancer. We didn't want another family to go through what we did without the facts so we decided to become that hub of information. It wasn't a decision we made lightly, we knew that this would be a life-long commitment, but we just thought if we could save just one life through raising awareness then it would be worth it.

3.  How can readers get involved with the Robin Cancer Trust?

The Robin Cancer Trust has been set up for one goal: to raise awareness of Germ Cell Cancers in 16-35 year olds. The easiest way to help us do this is by making yourself aware of the signs & symptoms and helping us spread the word.  We live in an age when information is freely available to us, so the easiest thing to do is visit our website, learn the facts and then tell your friends and families.  If you’re a guy, make sure you do a Testicular Self-Examination once a month.  If you're a girl make sure you know the Signs & Symptoms and know your body so you can tell when it doesn't feel right. Knowledge truly is power in the fight against cancer.  If you're well equipped then you stand the best chance of catching it early and getting a better diagnosis.

Just sharing a link on Facebook or Re-Tweeting on Twitter could give your friends the reminder they need to check themselves, or learn the vital information. It's not always about giving money; come down to an event and get involved if you're interested in what we're doing! If you're a survivor or have been affected by GCC then get in touch and we'll help you spread your story so that others can learn from it. We're aiming to raise awareness of the facts and get people talking about all Germ Cell Cancers.  If we do that, then we can make a difference.

Photos courtesy of Toby Freeman

www.therobincancertrust.org

More healthy tips for summer

The temperature is milder, and we definitely saw some sun this week... maybe like me, you are looking for healthy hints on losing weight for summer (if like me, weight has crept on over the cold long winter).  I'll be following Zest's advice to hit your summer weight loss goal.

The way to plank

Things have been quiet here for a few days I know, but I haven't been very well and I'm still recovering.  I have been thinking of ways to live a healthier lifestyle when I'm better, and the plank has to be part of my exercise regime.  I wanted to share this with you, from www.zest.co.uk

Interview with Rona from Flowerona

Recently I've been reading a truly lovely and unique blog, www.flowerona.com

Rona kindly agreed to answer a few questions, please check her website out and stay tuned for a flower event I will be organizing later in the year.

1. What made you give up your job to run your flower blog full time?

I was running my own Virtual PA business at home and went to see a business coach.  She advised me that I needed to do something creative, rather than simply react to my clients’ needs.

She advised me to create a moodboard and when I did, 95% of it was pictures of flowers.  It sat on my desk for a good 3-4 weeks before I had a light bulb moment one Friday afternoon in August 2010.

I came across a blog called Wee Birdy (http://www.weebirdy.com/) which at that particular time featured blog posts of things with birds on.  So, I thought, why don’t I write a blog about things with flowers on, plus real flowers as I’d previously trained as a florist.

I started Flowerona (www.flowerona.com) in December 2010 and ran it in tandem with my Virtual PA business.  Then in September 2011, I sold my business and now I run Flowerona full-time.

2. Describe a typical day for you.

A typical day starts at 6.30am with a cup of tea at my computer.  I set up tweets in Hootsuite to promote my new blog post that day. Then post about it on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Flowerona).

The next task is to go through all the blogs that I read via Google Reader.  If I think that a particular blog post will appeal to my readers, then I’ll tweet a link to it in Twitter (https://twitter.com/flowerona) or save it for my Flowerona Links (http://flowerona.com/category/flowerona-links/) blog post on a Sunday.

I’ll also pop into Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/flowerona/) to see if there any new images to pin to my boards.

Next, I’ll open my emails and deal with them before starting my blog post for the next day.

Every day is different.  So, I may go out to a meeting, visit a show or trade fair, attend a floristry class…plus all the other tasks of running a home, like food shopping, bill paying, washing, etc.!

Throughout the day, I’ll dip in and out of my emails, Twitter and Facebook.

I generally switch off my main computer around 7.30pm.  But then, after dinner, I’m often on my laptop on the sofa until heading to bed around 10pmish.

3.  If a reader has a passion for flowers but doesn't know how to make it into a career, what would you advise?

I would recommend taking a floristry evening class.  That’s how I started.  You can find out about courses near you via Hot Courses or Floodlight websites. 

Then, once you have some basic skills, you may like to consider doing work experience at a local florist at the weekend.

Photos courtesy of www.flowerona.com

Guest post on Gwen's Bridal Bazaar

For today's post, I direct you towards my guest piece on the lovely new wedding blog, Gwen's Bridal Bazaar - http://gwensbridalbazaar.com/monochrome-magic/

Regular readers will know I love the monochrome trend, and including it in the styling of a wedding is mega :-)

And here's my favourite monochrome animal!  Shame he can't come to the wedding!

Lilac Chic Style and Events

Exciting news.... drum roll......

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that several pages have been added to the menu of the blog - please have a readthrough.  However, in a nutshell, Lilac Chic is expanding into an innovative events and lifestyle business for women in Cardiff and beyond.

I have long wanted to run my own events, and I hope you will be able to join us on 9th May and/or 29th June.

Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see planned!

Hair by Rush Hair

Recently I've been trying out new hairstyles but I'm always on the lookout for new tips, tricks and styles.  Who better to ask than Rush Hair, who recently won London Hairdresser of the Year?

THE SHOW STOPPER - this is my fave, being a curly girl myself.  Moisture moisture moisture from now on!

'"The Show-Stopper" is big, bouncy and beautiful. This curly stunner has been enhanced with a natural red glossing, this visually expands the curls and adds tremendous shine to every perfect curl. The warmth of the hair is transported in to the skin giving the model a youthful glow.

"Curly hair loves moisture!" So to achieve this look at home on naturally curly hair feed your hair with moisture. Stat with the shampoo and conditioner, the better quality product you use the better the result, with this hair type we would use a conditioning mask every time. Curly hair dose not like to be disturbed too much so squeeze hair dry do not rub with a towel, if you need to comb the hair use a wide tooth comb not a brush. Add a generous amount of a smoothing curl cream, squeeze in to the hair and allow to dry naturally. My favourite curl product is Oleo curl cream from Kérstase.'

Tina Farey, Artistic Team Member, Rush Hair

THE PRINCESS

 

'"The Princess" is such a stunning look as it's a long style with lots of character. The blend of blonde tones adds the feeling of expensive  looking hair and they beautifully compliment the choppy graduation around the face. This smooth sleek look has been brought to life with a bouncy turned under blowdry.

To achieve this look at home wash and condition hair with a moisturising shampoo and conditioning treatment. Add a smoothing heat protector to your mid lengths and ends, apply L'Oréal Professionnel Volumizing Leave-in Spray to the root area. Taking sections, blow-dry the hair with a large round brush, roll each section loosely around your fingers and pin under until cool.'

Paulo Pinto, Artistic Team Member, Rush Hair

THE CITY GIRL

'"The City Girl" look has an amazing shine and flawless finish. The rich dark tone in the hair really compliments the models colouring and makes the most of her beautiful brown eyes. The sharp graphic out line of this very on trend bob strengthens the jawline and by dressing the hair back on one side lifts the cheekbones and opens up the eyes.
 

This look can be achieved at home by using a shine enhancing treatment, blowdrying the hair with a light volume spray and finishing with straightening irons and shine serum.'

Andy Heasman, Artistic Team Member, Rush Hair

THE STREET CHIC STAR

 

 

"The Street Chic Star" is fun and chic whilst being an everyday wearable style. The clever placement of chocolate and honey tones around the hairline adds texture, depth and highlights the focal point of the cut, this gives versatile styling options. The short choppy layers around the crown bring this style to life and create effortless texture.

To achieve this at home wash and condition hair, add a volume product to the roots and smoothing oil such as Kerastase Elixir Ultime to the ends and blowdry with a small paddle brush; the front section may need shaping with a round brush depending on the hair type. Finish the hair with a light pliable paste or spray wax.

THE FASHIONISTA

Ask your stylist for a dip-dye. This soft, feminine colour technique blends seamlessly from a darker shade at the root to a lighter shade at the ends. Ask your stylist to use a shade similar to your natural colour at the root for a low maintenance colour. This look works best on wavy hair but can also be done on straight or curly styles.  Lightened ends will need conditioning treatments to keep them feeling and looking healthy. I’d recommend a Fiberceutic treatment by L’Oreal Professionnel in salon along with a take home fiberceutic conditioner to keep your hair feeling great.

Remember that if you are going to have your hair cut to tell your stylist so the colour’s not all cut out!

THE WESTEND GIRL

 

Ask your stylist for a full head copper red tint. This vibrant shade makes a striking statement. Be aware that darker coloured hair (even a semi-permanent done in the last year or even longer ago) may need to be cleansed to achieve a bright, copper red shade.
 

Reds can be prone to fade on a more noticeable scale than more natural shades so using a shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair is essential. I’d recommend Bain Chroma captive and Chroma captive masque by Kerastase to keep your colour’s vibrancy for up to 40 days.
 

An in salon enrich colour treatment can intensify the shade or top it up between permanent colour applications perhaps for a special night out.

Healthy lifestyle

Now that the sun is shining I can think more clearly about healthy living, and getting outside and walking rather than just dashing from car to building in the freezing cold!

Last year, before the cold set in, I had quite a good walking routine going, which has gone out of the window due to moving house and the cold weather.  However, now the evenings are lighter, I'm able to start again, and explore the new area around where I live.  Also, I'm making a concerted effort to do pilates and yoga in the house, or a dance DVD, depending on my mood.  We have a nice sized garden so I'm planning on doing some skipping out there, and taking a trip to the local swimming pool.  At work, I take the stairs (4 flights) and walk during my break or lunch time.

I'm trying to eat more fruit and veg, although I do get the munchies at work most days.  But I'm trying to reach for a banana rather than a biscuit!

On an emotional side, I do get stressed easily so I'm trying to bring calm into my life by learning relaxation techniques and by getting plenty of sleep. 

What are your tips for healthier living?