Lip & Miss

by Amanda // April 18, 2019 // Comments off

It has been said that women dress for other women and NOT men.

I’m down with that.

With the recent Lip Filler trend – Kylie Jenner being the most recent trend setter – who are we trying to please with this look? Men? Women? Or ourselves?

I get the whole ‘being bombarded with images of youth and beauty being signified by large features like eyes and mouth’, but are the cosmetic doctors getting it right with fillers?

Yes, Kylie Jenner is a so-called role model when it comes to lip enhancement, but lip shape is NOT the most attractive feature, according to science.

A study quizzed over 1,000 participants and revealed that the most attractive pout should have a perfect ratio – like Scarlett Johansson’s. It turns out that the ratio of upper and lower lip size is more important. Yes, researchers have concluded that the most desirable pouts are the ones where the upper and lower lip thickness is identical.

The study surveyed 1,011 people from 35 different countries, 560 being plastic surgeons.The majority (60 per cent) of respondents chose the 1:1 top/bottom ratio as the most attractive lips – similar to Scarlett Johansson’s pout, or Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

However, before you think about evening-up of your lips, the survey’s organiser commented: “Our study represents current trends in aesthetics and may be subject to change, much like fashion.”

So really, all lips are beautiful, and just because your pout doesn’t match the latest trend, there’s no reason to change.

In fact, if fillers aren’t for you, then this £3.45 lip balm has a 99% positive review on Amazon.

If you’re suffering from chapped or sore lips this spring, there’s only one thing to try: Blistex Medplus For Lips. It provides cooling relief for lips and restores the balance of moisture around your mouth. If you’re in the habit of licking your lips then you can’t surpass this lip balm.

Suffice to say, a much cheaper alternative to fillers.

The Marie Kindo Method

by Amanda // April 18, 2019 // Comments off

Firstly – I love a spring clean to get my fashion into order. Secondly, I love Netflix. What do you get if you mix the two?

Japanese Netflix star Marie Kindo– on How to De-Clutter, starting by folding and not HANGING your clothes.

It seems like there’s nothing more satisfying than organising your living space at the start of spring and summer.

When the Japanese author’s first book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up sold over eight million copies worldwide, Marie Kondo bagged her own Netflix show – aptly named Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. Yes, Marie Kondo is the home organisation consultant who has changed lives with her straightforward approach to tidying. Trust me, in no time you’ll soon start seeing tidying as a joy.

She suggests folding your clothes instead of hanging them and only keeping the items in your wardrobe that “spark joy”.

Everyone knows that part of the chore of having a big clear out is having to go through each and every item and judge whether it’s worth keeping. So some of us choose to skip ahead a few steps and start tidying things away without reviewing them first. Guilty as charged.

However, Marie Kondo believes that “one of the most common mistakes that individuals make when tidying is that they spend so much effort storing things that they may no longer want or need.”

“Before considering storage, remove all your belongings from where are currently kept. Hold them one by one as you ask yourself, ‘Do I truly need this?'”

Yes, it may be long-winded but it will ultimately give you more space. And space is precious

Fold your clothes side-by-side in your drawers

If there’s any one home hack that Marie Kondo is famous for, it’s organising drawers by stacking clothes side-by-side, instead of piling them all on top of each other.

Not only does it make for some very Instagram-friendly visuals, Kondo says “this will allow you to see what’s inside at a glance and take inventory of what you own.”

Whether you’re clearing out your entire wardrobe or rummaging through an old box of DVDs, Marie asks followers to hold each item and ask themselves honestly whether it provides any sort of joy. If the answer is yes, you’re of course allowed to hold on to it. If not, thank the item for serving its purpose before parting ways.

And don’t think that in 2019 you can get away with having that age-old “messy drawer”.

The cleaning influencer recommends even sorting through your miscellaneous items – known as “Komono” – and assigning them each into their own distinct categories.

Errr…. Wish I had time for this, but I have a plane to catch…..

The Most Eggstravagent Easter Eggs

by Amanda // April 18, 2019 // Comments off

The Best Luxury Easter Eggs Of 2019

Spoiler alert – some of you might not appreciate this feature.

At my spinning class this morning, I vowed to up my spinning intensity all week to allow for the Easter weekend chocolate fest. Whatever your faith, the whole shebang is hard to ignore, because chocolate is everywhere right NOW.

So here goes. A celebration of the chocolate eggs of Easter. Not just any old eggs – only the most fashionable and the most expensive in the UK. Prepare for mouth-watering chocolate porn.

Below, a moreish nine-layered creation designed by pastry chef Pablo Gicquel for the Hôtel de Crillon; a Melt London egg painted with Van Gogh-inspired blossoms; a heart-covered Easter collection from Pierre Marcolini; and more.

Yes, Zips It Upshares its definitive guide to the best luxury Easter eggs of 2019.

Daylesford

Beekeepers Egg, £80 at Daylesford

Ladurée

Chocolate Rose Easter Egg, £18 at Ladurée

Melt London

Van Gogh Blossom Easter Egg, £89 at Melt London

Pierre Marcolini

Big Fortnum & Mason

Hand Decorated White Chocolate Egg, £40 at Fortnum & Mason

Harrods

Limited-Edition Harrods Egg, £150 at Harrods

Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse

The Sweet Egg Box, £65 at Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse

Rococo Chocolates

Praline Quail Eggs, £8.50 at Rococo Chocolates

Booja Booja

Organic Chocolate Champagne Truffles Easter Egg, £32.99 at Selfridges

Selfridges

Selfridges Selection Artisan Easter Egg, £29.99 at Selfridges

Hôtel de Crillon

Layered Easter Egg, £107 at Hôtel de Crillon

Lovely Heart Egg, £49 at Pierre Marcolini

Bettys

Centenary Easter Egg, £29.95 at Bettys

Hotel Chocolat

Rare & Vintage Easter Egg, £29 at Hotel Chocolat

Charbonnel Et Walker

Easter Egg Fine Milk And Dark Collection, £38 at Harrods

… a word from the Editor

by Amanda // April 11, 2019 // Comments off

Welcome to this rather ‘designer-ish’ issue of Zips It Up.

This week, we discuss Chanel and Vogue. Two brands that we fashionistas love as though they were familiar old friends.

But our first Vogue-related conversation concerns a big topic, highlighted by the ‘British Vogue & L’Oréal Paris Present The Non-Issue Issue’issue.

It’s a special edition of Vogue dedicated to women over 50, out today.

The Non-Issue Issue has Jane Fonda, who is looking insanely good at81, as its cover star. What features inside is a vision shared by British Vogue and L’Oréal Paris: the belief that age should no longer be an issue.

In 2019, women over 50 seem absent in the beauty and fashion industries, as well as from the wider media landscape. Age discrimination still exists, both consciously and unconsciously, leaving many women over a certain age feeling excluded and invisible.

In time, this issue will impact us all, because we’re all heading for that next age milestone. Which is why now is the time to challenge stereotypes and positively shape our perception of age; encouraging a future where we can each embrace growing older, rather than treating it as something to be feared.

It was the idea of British Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief, Edward Enninful, who says “for me, promoting diversity in Vogue has never been solely about a person’s ethnicity or gender. It’s about diversity across the board. Seeing the amazing array of women over 50 in this special edition proves that a person’s age will always be a more intriguing, nuanced and inspiring factor than a simple number could ever suggest.”

I love the whole idea of this.

In this instalment we discuss Vogue again for different reasons, as well as Chanel and Coachella fashion –happening as we speak. Enjoy.

Chanel Pharrell

by Amanda // April 11, 2019 // Comments off

Pharrell Williams has collaborated with Chanel, and it’s rainbow themed.

Welcome to Chanel Pharrell.

The Chanel-Pharrell collection of street-ready, co-branded items, include block colour T-shirts, short and long robes, rhinestone costume jewellery, leather belts, terrycloth bucket hats, suede hip packs, loafers that also come as mules, and eyewear – which I love.

Pharrell has a close rapport with the celebrated French house, having paid tribute to former creative director Karl Lagerfeld, who passed away last month.

Pharrell explained the thought process behind the rainbow-colored clothing. “I love and celebrate individuality,” he says. “The number five has always been Coco’s number. You know, the famous N°5. Five is the number for men. It’s also the date of my birthday.”

Sure to be one of 2019’s hottest releases, the Chanel-Pharrell capsule became available at the opening of the new Chanel boutique in Seoul, South Korea on March 28, and has been in select Chanel boutiques worldwide from April 4^th.

It’s the sunglasses and jewellery I am most interested in. Here’s a taster of the collection.

Coachella Festival Fashion

by Amanda // April 11, 2019 // Comments off

Coachella is happening this weekend and although 5000 miles away in sunny Cali and not readily on my doorstep, it’s still the ultimate festival when it comes to checking out fashion.

Festival Fashion was once a case of simply squeezing into your jazziest pair of denim shorts, throwing on a crop top and splashing some glitter on your cheekbones.

Now, it’s at the centre of a billion-pound fashion industry that demands our attention every spring. Coachella kickstarts a jam-packed season, followed by our own Glastonbury, Reading, Parklife etc.

Over the years, festival dressing has become increasingly synonymous with a “more is more” attitude, dominated by co-ords, sequin bodysuits, tasselled hot pants and, well, lots of things you’d probably never wear in regular daily life.

But it is also a symptom of fast fashion culture, with shoppers buying masses of short shelf-life clothes that cannot easily be recycled, and frequently only get worn once.All in a society that is slowly becoming more aware of the environmental consequences of such behaviour – (which I am guilty of, I must confess). So, to the eco-conscious amongst us the idea of buying something glitzy to wear just for a festival might seem a tad out of touch.

Some festivals have cottoned-on and taken action, pledging to ban glitter from their sites as part of a wider outlawing of single-use plastics – because of course glitter contains plastic. Glitter face decoration isn’t likely to go away, but more festival-goers will be seeking out planet-friendly alternatives, like the biodegradable glitter made from the cellulose film from eucalyptus trees.

So what does the stylish but environmentally-conscious festival-goer do, whenunable to resist the lure of sequin-soaked body paint and lavish bohemian robes?

Renting and outfit for the weekend gives you the opportunity to give it your best festival shot, but with a re-usable twist. Costume shops generally stock plenty of one-offs that are festival worthy.

If outfit rental is not your thing, I would opt for Vintage clothing for 2019’s festivals. Second-hand apparel sales are booming and the “repair and renew” mindset is currently pervading festival landscape.

These include 1990s staples such as bucket hats (online searches are up 54 per cent since January), tie-dye (up by 88 per cent) and neon, which has seen a 96 per cent increase in searches in the past three months.

Wellies have become a festival must-have, and we all have to dig them out year in, year out. So, at least we can all feel good about the re-usability of one festival standard item.

Kate’s 40th Vogue Cover

by Amanda // April 11, 2019 // Comments off

It’s Kate Moss’ 40th Vogue cover. Most models are lucky to even get one magazine cover. Let alone Vogue, and let alone 40!

She’s been captured in multiple incarnations, starting with her first appearance in March 1993, heralding the arrival of the new waif. The waif who went on to reign over that decade.

People often talk about the “mystery” of Kate, but I believe that in many ways her appeal is straightforward.

Abig part of Moss’s allure is that people feel they know her. She has an air of accessibility, like your next-door neighbour (and she is genuinely a relatively near neighbour of mine). More specifically, Moss is the super-intriguing neighbour who you know is having the best time ever, even if you’re not exactly sure what she’s up to.

Women started digging Kate from the minute she started, because she is genuinely cool. It comes from within, and she’s always herself.

She also has the best taste. From the beginning, she learned and absorbed from the world’s great designers. They were all attracted to her because of her personality, her beauty and the way she wore the clothes. I love how Moss always makes them her own.

Quite simply, Kate is one of the most stylish women ever to come out of Britain. She lives for fashion and it lives through her. She gets a feel for the clothes and transforms into character after character. She is the adventurous, rock chick we all wish we were.

Congratulations Kate, the Vogue cover star. I’m off to buy a few issues right now to add to the collection.

… a word from the Editor

by Amanda // April 4, 2019 // Comments off

As you read this week’s Amanda Zips It Up,I’ll be 38,000 feet high or thereabouts. Balearic bound.

Summer officially kicks off this weekend. For my friends and I anyway. We’re off to Mallorca today for a big few days of dancing, drinking and eating, in both the sunshine and moonlight.

As I was packing 4 days’ worth of fashion glossies, I came across this brief story, which I thought I should share with you because it’s happening TODAY.

If (like me) you’re a Ziggy Stardust / Bowie fan and also a fan of VANS footwear, then you’ll love this. Yes, the new Vans-Bowie trainer collection has been leaked online and they look incredible.

The Starman, The Thin White Duke, Ziggy Stardust– whatever your favourite David Bowie persona is – Vans has a trainer for that. Pictures of the new Vans Bowie collection were leaked last night, and frankly they look awesome. And I’m not even a VANs fan.

They’re expected to be available online today – April 5th and the shoes come in four of the most popular styles – the Slip-On 47 V DX, Old Skool, Era, and Sk8-Hi. Each trainer is based around iconic imagery from four of his most popular albums – Hunky Dory, Aladdin Sane, Space Oddity, and Diamond Dogs.

Whilst images have been made public earlier than planned, one thing’s for sure – it’s creating a real buzz around the sure-to-sell-out collection.

This isn’t the only recent rock collaboration from Vans. The iconic athleisure and skateboarding brand have released a Led Zeppelin range for LZ’s milestone golden anniversary. The collection celebrates the rock and roll legends’ debut, self-titled album, Led Zeppelin

So, it’s all happening today. I will definitely be buying a pair, without a care in the world. With a pair of cut off denim shorts this summer, I guarantee it’s a winning look, and more than acceptable if you were born in the 80’s… or (dare I say it) earlier, like me.

Onto this week, and in this instalment we discover Gwyneth Paltrow’s bondage underwear range, Punk Crocs (yes, really) and the most unlikely Lifestyle Fashion must-have for 2019.

Punk Crocs

by Amanda // April 4, 2019 // Comments off

These crocs with spikes and chains are officially a thing. A thing that’ll set you back a cool £200.

Yes, the web is going wild for these dangerous looking things. First there were high heeled wedge crocs, then grass versions and even a slipper incarnation.

In recent years the word CROCS has been even more hated than the word Brexit. Only acceptable for kids running around by the pool on holiday. But now the “practical” shoe has been given a hardcore makeover, so you can do your housework and look cool at the same time – and no, this is not an April Fools.

Sold by Heavy Cream on Etsy, the makers describe the shoe as ‘punk spike crocs’, and there are a few variants to choose from.

The crocs themselves will set you back £190.60, but if you want the full works including the spikes and chains, you’re looking at paying £206.48.

They’re made by Chris S, aka @garbage_b0y, and the website assures: “The spikes are nickel plated and the chain is high sheen stainless steel.”

I detest plain old Crocs but I am warming to the Punk Crocs 2019.

Goth Crocs, Etsy, £206.48

Gwyneth’s S&M Lingerie

by Amanda // April 4, 2019 // Comments off

PAIN OR PLEATHER?

She’s not my cup of tea and neither is her website Goop, but I do like Gwyneth Paltrow’s new kinky lingerie range. But is it torture to wear?

It’s hard to deny that leather underwear looks great, but not all of us have the budgets or body to spend £600 on one of Gwyneth Paltrow’s saucy sets.

But be prepared to BUCKLE up, because the new trend for leather undies is racier than ever. I think I would wear the bra over a tee, for a quirky take on this look.

The product description reads: ‘Handmade in England, this saddle leather bra is what BDSM fantasies are made of.

O-ring details, racy demi cups for freeing the nipple, buckles to be undone, this piece—paired with the matching knickers—is prepped for full speed ahead.

Meanwhile, the whipor ‘flogger’is detailed as:

“Fulfil all of your BDSM fantasies with this smooth leather flogger. The edgy studs, while aesthetically pleasing, serve a functional purpose—making it extra comfortable to grip…

So, you might imagine it’s pleasing in other ways too. Equipped with 16 tails of leather, it’s handmade in England and perfect for play.’

Goop was launched by Gwyneth in 2008 as a lifestyle brand, providing weekly email newsletters about new-aged treatments and advice. It went on to cover bizarre trends including vagina steaming. They’ve now taken things much further.

But fans of kink don’t need to have Gwinnie’s budget to indulge in naughty knickers, the high street has plenty of pleather – or imitation leather – sets that look just as good.