Can you believe it’s almost October? I’ve been in Ibiza this week and the beaches are all still packed – and thong bikinis are everywhere!
But the one trend to be seen on almost everyone is the white framed sunglasses famed by DJ Fisher.
If the weather wasn’t so miserable in the UK, I would be wearing them with pride – guaranteed! Maybe not with bucket hat though – although they are to be seen everywhere too.
In other news, my fave Drum & Bass DJ Jumping Jack Frost contacted me with his new collection at Black Sheep Clothing.
He says “The Black sheep has been a symbol of rebelliousness and bad luck for centuries. In many cultures, the black sheep is considered to be an outcast, and it’s often used as a metaphor for someone who doesn’t fit in with the rest of society.. Our new clothing brand has caught the imagination of artists and visionaries across the spectrum of the art’s and we are stepping up in 2024. https://blacksheepclothing.net/
Even though we’re into September, it seems like the weather took no time in changing – and you’d think we’d know this about the UK by now…
If you’ve been caught short today, now might be an appropriate time to invest in a raincoat that will keep you dry, whether you’re off out on a walk, trekking the countryside or just heading into the office.
I haves found the best raincoat on the high street right now – that is both fashionable, and functional.
From trusty ASOS who are well known for their waterproof coats – this is here to help keep you dry (and warm) as the unpredictable weather is back with a bang (sob).
ASOS DESIGN Rubberised Rain Parka Coat in Mushroom
We’re ready for a rainy day with this stylish and practical raincoat. It features a drawstring hood to keep your head dry, a press-stud placket for easy fastening, and convenient pocket details for storing essentials. The elasticated cuffs ensure a snug fit, while the relaxed fit provides comfort and ease of movement.
Many of my readers are Mi-Soul Radio listeners, and if you are, the name Café 432 aka Jonsey. Arkin will be familiar to you.
At the helm of a company with over 20 years of expertise, created not only with a love of interior design, but a dance music background and ethical sustainable construction technique, this is Dreamweavers UK.
DJ, producer, radio presenter, double platinum awarded mix engineer and well-streamed Spotify artist, Arkin is also an interior designer, another unexpected creative string to his bow.
Dreamweavers UK has been designing and producing soft furnishings – featuring the classic and immensely popular pebble design cushions (my favourite is the multi coloured) as well as luxury blankets, the spectacular and rather regal rugs, plus throws of the highest quality.
The reviews speak for themselves.
Speaking to Arkin, I was super impressed with his passion for interiors as well as his talent for music. He has been spinning both plates for years.
Check out the website and sign up for exclusive promotions and sneaky peaks at new collections.
Just one cushion alone is a beautiful investment for any sofa, bed or armchair. Prices start at £45.
Design is everything and we strive to create unique pieces to elevate the look of your home. With over 20 years’ experience in the design industry. We are proud of our construction techniques, all of which are hand sewn to the highest standard.
Contact me to arrange a 15% discount – If you’re a Mi-Soul listener. DM my socials.
At the moment, the best sellers are out of stock, like the white colours and greys, and will be back in stock in early September.
I’ve had my first Polycleocide Salmon DNA Treatment with Kat Jackowska
Welcome to this week’s instalment of Amanda Zips It Up brought to you from our Balearic bolthole – where I decamp every summer.
However, I’ll be in the Mi-Soul studio in London this week for my fashion radio show as usual – flying in and out of London for the day. Sounds like a nightmare, doesn’t it? Carting around one’s whole working life on and off planes and trains during one busy 10-hour period.
Where do you put everything if you’re travelling “hand luggage only”? Especially if, like me, you need make-up, music, change of footwear, reading material, laptops, hair accessories and plenty of moisturisers etc? And you’re trying to avoid the cost and inconvenience of checking a bag in.
I have it covered in this instalment. Read on…
Also, following my recent feature on my POLYNUCLEOCIDE facial treatment – the Salmon Sperm DNA undereye procedure – I have had the first session with KAT JACKOWSKA at FOREVER SKIN in Croxley Green. All went well and the whole experience has been professionally filmed for our socials. I am due in for another couple of sessions over the coming weeks and will keep you posted.
If you’re interested in any cosmetic facial asthetic treatments – do please contact KAT on: hello@foreverskin.co.uk 07946 491440
And, finally this week, you may remember that a while back I featured BLACK SHEEP CLOTHING– the streetwear brand created by the legendary Drum & Bass DJ JUMPING JACK FROST and his team.
Well, just in time for the upcoming heatwave (rumoured to hit the UK next week), BLACKSHEEP have launched this super stylish Shirt & Shorts set, emblazoned with a monochrome graffiti design and the two piece matches perfectly to suit all ages, shapes and sizes – which still seems to be the trend for men’s summer fashion over the past couple of summers.
Here he is modelling the look.
Jumping Jack Frost Rocking His Brand Blacksheep Clothing
Also in this instalment of Zips It Up, we discuss the Zero Alcohol Prosseco created by model Cara Delevigne and her sister Poppy, if you’re planning a “sober summer” of festivities.
Every summer, I like to catch up with the key promotors and characters behind Ibiza’s mega summer seasons and I always have a five minute chat with Tony Truman, one of the key founders and partners of O Beach, Hotel Wi-Ki-Woo, Bam Bu Ibiza Beach Club and the awesome chinese restaurant Chi-Kee-Wun, all in the heart of San Antonio.
Tony, O beach – and all your projects – are bigger and better than ever. What are the plans for the summer?
Yes, we have had a very busy winter modifying many of our current venues in time for this season’s trade. Due to incredible demand each year we seem to conjure up more space for even more beds, and we have managed to find some room for a further 7 beds in the venue. There might have to be bunk beds soon if it keeps up, hahah. The new stage design is something we are all loving too – a far nicer experience for our DJ booth guests. The biggest thing we have been working on though is the forthcoming 2nd OB Club, opening in October in Dubai. This has been a long time in the making and we are really pleased to announce this incredible project.
Where is your favourite venue, beach and restaurant on the island?
Without doubt for me the best venue is up in the Dalt villa in Ibiza Old Town called 1742. It’s absolutely stunning, steeped in history.
Also, Wi-ki-woo hotel, few hours in the spa at Atzaro, hydro facial and a massage, chilling on the beach, sunset dinner and drinks at one of the many stunning venues the island has then a nice little walk. The best restaurant for me is Casa Jondal, the food the ambience, the setting are all incredible. All with no music, so you can actually hear yourself talk – for me, the food does the talking there are some amazing dishes. For beaches, I love a lot of them, but I do like Cala Nova in the North West tip. It’s beautiful, never overly busy, as well having as turquoise water. It’s a great day out with a couple of great beach restaurants as well – a little hidden gem.
Describe your perfect day in Ibiza.
Playing padel in the morning, breakfast in the Old Town, in bed by midnight – perfect.
Do you have a merch collection this year?
Yes, we have a new merch collection that we have been working on, both for O Beach and Wiki, and the new range will all be revealed very soon. Merch has made a bit of a comeback. For a few years a lot of the island’s club merch got a bit tired. But a lot of venues now are doing some really cool collaborations. We have just done a deal with one of the UK’s very top fashion designers on a new range that will be launching at our OB Dubai project later this year, so exciting times in that area.
Favourite Ibiza memory?
Impossible to pick one, as special memories are made on most weeks, but I suppose if I did have to pick one, it was from my 30 years of Tru’s Do’s parties 11 years ago at O Beach. Not only had we just opened the beach club, but to mark 30 years in the business I had a huge party with a couple of thousand of friends and followers of my party brand. They all came over to make it a magical day, and my daughter, who was only 8 at the time, came down off the crane above the beach club signing a song and making a speech about me, with all my family in attendance. It was a very proud moment for me.
If, like me, in the 90s you plucked your eyebrows into oblivion with pencil thin arches, á la Pammy Anderson, then you may know about UKLASH. The only serum to help them grow back to a bushier 2024 look. Eyelash Serum, £38, sells globally at the rate of one every 10 seconds.
Now, UKLASH has launched a head hair growth serum and shoppers are raving about the results, reporting thicker hair in just 5 weeks.
If you suffer from hair thinning or hair loss, you’ll know what a knock it can be to your confidence. Two years in the making, UKLASH Hair Growth Serum, £29, has been clinically proven to improve hair growth and density, with 95% of customers reporting a reduction in hair loss after three months.
It is formulated by biologists and contains a cocktail of effective ingredients, including pea sprout extract, phytic acid and turmeric to stimulate hair growth. Users apply 3-5 drops every day to a damp or dry, clean scalp, massage-in, then leave to dry before styling as normal.
UKLASH tests showed noticeable improvements in hair growth, strength and breakage in just three months – and some of the 700-odd shopper reviews are impressive.
“I lost my hair during chemo. I started using the hair serum as soon as I got the all clear,” one customer said online. “In 5 weeks my hair had thickened up beautifully as it was quite a lot thinner on the top, but now it’s thick all over.”
“I’ve tried everything. Gummies, rosemary oil, different shampoos, different brushes, not washing as much, different hair dressers etc. I had thin hair before my pregnancy but even worse after. It just didn’t grow back,” another customer explained.
“Now here I am after 3 months of using the serum every other day, I double the amount of my hair, it grew ever so long, is healthy, thick and shiny. I love it and can’t wait to see what it’ll look like in a year’s time.”
Sounds like this is a winner and definitely one to try if you have thinning or shedding hair. And lashes… and brows.
Welcome to 2021 and welcome to a LOCKDOWN upgrade.
We had said goodbye to the ‘worst year ever’ and embraced a return to hope and freedom in 2021. Everyone had resolved to adopt a ‘new year, new me’ attitude and Dry January swept our social media accounts. Then Boris announced another lockdown, and almost immediately everyone was back on the booze.
But what if you are in the minority and want to stick to Dry January? What are the benefits of punishing ourselves throughout the most miserable month of the year? From weight loss to better skin – what happens to your body when you give up booze?
Dry January is a campaign which involves cutting out alcohol for 31 days – in order to help people reset their relationship with alcohol after Christmas.
Ditching alcohol can have a hugely positive impact on your health. It will improve your skin, your liver function, your blood pressure, sleeping patterns and aid weight loss.
Week one
Improved sleep
You’ll wake up feeling a lot less tired and more energised after a week away from alcohol.
This is because alcohol interrupts your normal sleep pattern and makes your miss the important rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
We know one’s supposed to have between six and seven cycles of REM sleep a night, but you typically only have one or two when you’ve been drinking.
Similarly, one recent study found drinking before bed increases alpha wave patterns in the brain—a kind of cerebral activity that usually occurs when you’re awake but resting.
By cutting out alcohol you’ll avoid this and get an additional five to six REM cycles a night. Better sleep also comes with many benefits including being more productive and more effective at learning and problem solving.
Better hydrated
Everyone knows that horrible feeling of being completely dehydrated and headachey after a heavy night on the booze.
You feel like this because when you drink alcohol, you lose around four times as much liquid as what you actually drank.
And the headaches come from your organs taking water from the brain due to their own water loss. Giving up alcohol will cut this completely – which in turn is hugely beneficial for your brain.
Your mood and concentration will be more stable and the frequency of headaches will decrease.
Week two
No more acid reflux
After a fortnight without alcohol, you’ll see a reduction in symptoms such as reflux where the stomach acid burns your throat.
Weight loss
Alcohol has a sneaky way of increasing your daily calorie intake without you realising it.
One pint of beer contains an average of 208 calories while a glass of wine may contain 83 calories.
On top of this many people find themselves reaching for a pizza or a kebab after a night of heavy drinking – which will make your calorie intake go up even more.
Cutting out alcohol will therefore mean you’re consuming less unhealthy food and drink which in turn means weight loss.
Week three
Blood pressure reduces
Cutting out booze will see your blood pressure slowly reduce to a normal rate.
Reducing your blood pressure can be crucial as it can help to lessen the risk of health problems occurring in the future including Type 2 diabetes.
If you cut out alcohol you’ll not only reduce your chances of this happening to you but also have a healthier heart.
Week four
Better looking skin
Giving up alcohol will have a great impact on your skin due to you having better levels of hydration.
Alcohol is a toxin that makes you go to the loo more often. It also makes your kidneys work harder and your liver has to go into overtime to break it down.
This leads to dehydration, which can cause dry, flaky skin.
Improved liver function
Your liver function will dramatically increase when you remove alcohol from your diet for a month.
Given the liver plays a vital part in more than 500 processes, this will give your body a better chance of converting food nutrients, storing minerals and vitamins and removing contaminants.
This fascinating partnership plays on the combined heritage of two iconic brands, blending Gucci’s penchant for maximalist luxury with The North Face’s expertise in performance gear. And it is no small affair – there is everything you’ll need for some seriously extravagant outdoor adventures –fabulous logo down jackets, as well goose down skirts, bib dresses, shirts, and even a onesie that looks like it’s been lifted right off the retro slopes of the ‘70s. I absolutely love it all. I would genuinely wear everything in this collection.
Alongside the apparel, there are accessories including two retro-ish backpacks, waist bags, knitted bobble hats, bucket hats, a pair of luxurious leather hiking boots and, for the true camper there’s even a tent and sleeping bag. Can you imagine seeing this at Glastonbury?
In true Gucci style, the colour palette is packed with vivid colours that make the collection distinctly more runway-able than most high fashion x high performance jaunts. So, if you were reckless enough to wear the collection to hike a mountain, you’d be hard to lose in a snowstorm.
While the North Face is no stranger to collabs, the partnership marks the first time that Gucci has partnered with another brand while under the tenure of the ‘environmentally aware and woke’ Alessandro Michele.
The North Face has been taking strides in reducing its impact on the environment too, as their accessories make heavy use of ECONYL®, a nylon fabric made from regenerated materials.
Damon Albarn’s new mullet hairdo may look like he’s cut it himself – in the dark – but Damon could be onto something.
In LOCKDOWN 1, searches for “how to cut a mullet” shot up 124%, largely driven by Joe Exotic from Netflix series Tiger King. Although he has zero influence on me, I might add.
It is now the hottest new haircut of 2020 / 2021 and as all hairdressers are currently closed, you may as well ‘do it yourself’ at home during LOCKDOWN 3. The great thing is, it really doesn’t matter if you cock it up, because the mullet is meant to look like a total balls-up.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus’ mullet says “business” at the front and “party” at the back.
Her country star dad Billy Ray Cyrus, was a dedicated follower of the mullet for years, so it seems only fitting that “now-rock-chick, was-country-chick” Miley would follow in his cowboy bootsteps.
She has gone from wholesome, swishy hair during her Hannah Montana TV days to an edgy crop. The bisexual Wrecking Ball singer likes to have a bit of both – business at the front, party at the back.
Zac Efron
Efron starred in the 2007 movie Hairspray but the ‘partial to some razzle dazzle’ actor’s latest trip to the barbers wasn’t for his usual slick style.
Zac was given the slightest hint of a mullet for the reboot of Eighties comedy Three Men And A Baby, which sounds dreadful. He had the cut in Australia, and the barbers posted on Instagram: “@zacefron dropped in for a tidy up, so we gave him a mullet.”
Rihanna
Rihanna is a mullet veteran – it was her look as long ago as 2013. CELEB make-up artist Hector Espinal posted a video to Instagram this week, featuring RiRi advertising the launch of her new skincare line.
Leigh-Anne Pinnock
THE girl band singer certainly likes a Little Mix of hair-cuts – spiky and sophisticated on top, wispy and straight at the back.
However, it turns out Leigh-Anne actually isn’t brave enough to have a real mullet and hadn’t taken the lockdown scissors to her crowning glory. Instead, she wore a convincing wig for a promo photo for the band’s 1980s-themed Break Up Song.
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish has hailed a new era of hair-dos with a mullet, albeit green. The James Bond/No Time To Die singer has developed a coiffure style as unique as her voice. If it wasn’t for her long, dark hair snaking round her shoulders, she might end up looking like Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch.
Billie defended the style that she has sported since she was 13, but has promised a reinvention this year. She said: “It’ll be the end of an era, I’m gonna give you a new era.”
Welcome back to Zips It Up , after my brief holiday in ‘the reef’ last week. It was much needed, considering the current cold conditions. And of course, an escape from lockdown.
A week away from Christmas, I‘m sure I speak for the majority when I say we just want to put this year well and truly behind us. Not that anything will change immediately on the stroke of midnight on 31st December.
New year is always a great time to start-over, and Vogue’s January 2021 issue features my style queen, Mossy. It’s great inspo for getting back in the gym and being the best one can – as Kate Moss continues to defy age, looking as timeless as ever.
Moss, 46, parades ageless beauty in a plunging Grecian dress for the stunning cover shoot.
In the cover photograph, Mossy sits cross-legged wearing a lace green gown, with gold hoop earrings, while the headline declares she’s ‘better than ever’.
And in another shot, she gazes into the distance in a low cut strappy black dress, with a red rose choker. You know chokers are SO BACK for 2021
It’s been 28 years since Kate Moss first graced the cover of the famous mag, and what a way to kick off a brand-new year. Vogue has been a constant comfort for me during this crazy 12 months. It recently made history with its first ever solo male cover star, in the shape of former One Direction singer Harry Styles.
Other men have graced the cover before, but only alongside female “other halves”, such as Kanye West, who appeared with Kim just before they tied the knot in 2014.
Ben Stiller also got a cover shoot, with his Zoolander 2 co-star Penelope Cruz. And Cindy Crawford was joined by then hubby Richard Gere during their 90s heyday.
Harry’s shoot saw him dress up in a number of dresses and skirts, as he shattered stereotypes about which gender can wear what. He’s definitely my Male Style Crush for 2020.
So, I want to thank Vogue for maintaining fashion in our lives during a year when everything else has been cancelled.
In this last Zips It Up instalment of the 2020, we check out the top ten fashion predictions for men and women in 2021. We can all start planning our wardrobes, and pray that we will get to wear them out and about at some point in the new year. Hey, we might even get to hug in 2021 too.
Thanks so much for reading the blog this year, I appreciate your loyalty and look forward to bringing you more fashion and lifestyle news in 2021 – albeit seeming more and more ‘Stranger Things’ and less ‘Emily In Paris’.
Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for the new year. See you on January 8th.
