Monica Vinader's Friendship Bracelets

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At school some of my friends were renown for their sporting prowess, their academic superiority, or their ethereal choral charms… Me? Aside from an obvious flair for the dramatics, I was pretty revered for my (…drumroll) Friendship Bracelet making skills… Oh yes, take that you long-limbed netballers!   I was always making my school pals Friendship Bracelets in their favourite colours and if they managed to keep them hidden from all the matron’s eagle eyes, all desperate to confiscate anything which might allow your uniform some colour of charisma, they were enjoyed for a long while.  

You have to imagine my joy when I realised Monica Vinader sold Friendship Bracelets. Obviously far more chic, coveted and long lasting than any of my childhood creations, these bracelets still have friendship at their core and make the perfect presents.  

A large group of my girlfriends (which includes the beautiful Charlotte and Jessica, above enjoying smoothies at Moosh with me)  have spent the last year marking our birthdays and friendships by giving each other colourful statement Fiji bracelets, which we had engraved with our initials or names (a complimentary service offered in store).   

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Available in silver, gold vermeil and rose-gold vermeil, and offered in a variety of adjustable and colourful cords, with a rainbow assortment of gems symbolizing different meanings (pink for love, turquoise for peace, nude for calm, etc) if so wanted, the three designs (Fuji, Bali and Esencia) can be worn alone or mixed and layered up together.  

Below:  There are some more expensive and elegant diamond chain bracelets now also available which are slightly more evening-dress appropriate, and I am particularly loving the recent festival and Ibiza-friendly fluoro additions which really pop in the sunshine.   

All Monica Vinader Friendship Bracelets are available in store and online HERE.

Make Up:  Charlotte Cowen
Photography:  Ross Ferguson 

My Necklace and Stacking Rings:  Monica Vinader
My tangerine bespoke Lined Notebook (from RRP. £55.00): Noble Macmillan
My Chinti and Parker Star Sweater (RRP. £350.00) and Jerome Dreyfus Igor Bag (RRP. £490.00) both available at Iris Fashion Boutique

Swanky Lash & Brow Bar

I was recently invited to Swanky Lash & Brow Bar on the Portobello Road, one of two salons (the other being in Kensal Rise) owned by sisters Sophia Chrifi-Alaoui and Donia Chrifi-Alaoui.  Perfectly placed opposite some of my nearby Notting Hill faves (Pizza East Portobello, Meli Melo and Lowry and Baker) this vibrant and affordable salon is usually chockablock full of loyal regulars (I advise booking) and I could easily tell why… With a room full of talented beauticians and real characters, you would be hard pressed to find a more personable, chatty and buzzing environment to get pampered. 

 Arriving early (yes, this sometimes happens!) for my mani-pedi, a treatment Sienna Miller recently raved about to Vogue, I got my eyelashes tinted.  After this, Sneeha, one of Swanky’s more hilarious employees, suggested I also had my eyebrows threaded; a quick and relatively painless treatment I always seem to forget about yet find so effective.  I found it hard to keep still whilst listening to Sneeha’s amusing stories and jolly giggles but luckily the results revealed otherwise!  

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My manicure and pedicure was made far easier by Donia (above right) speedily helping me decide which colours to wear (a usually agonizing procedure for me and any poor technician waiting).  I went for ‘Tiki Tiki Laranga’ gel polish for my hands, and 'Where Did Suzi's Man-go’ from the latest SS’14 O.P.I range (above left) for my toes.  Two weeks down and both tips and toes are still going strong.  I have been hapilly able to show them off the last two weekends running; in Cornwall over Easter (below left wearing my Zara slides) and at a friend's wedding (below right wearing my Topshop jumpsuit, Zara Sunglasses, Monica Vinader stack rings, Astley Clarke locket and my customised Bags By M Book Clutch) and just in time for the sun to make a much-appreciated appearance.  
​Thank you Ladies, I'll see you again VERY soon! 

Monica Vinader's Online Ring Stacker

I was so unbelievably excited to try out Monica Vinader’s new online ring stacking service (HERE) this week. Like a grown up pick’n’mix, customers can virtually load up their favourite rings, all designed to compliment each other, eventually designing one unique, interchangeable, piece.  Oh maaan… yet another tough day at the office!! (#ILoveMyJob)

“The ring stacking tool really builds on our ‘Make it Your Own’ concept,”  said Monica Vinader, “I am committed to creating jewellery that people can wear every day and reinvent by wearing the pieces together to showcase their individuality."

I relished in this opportunity to choose from a seemingly endless pool of beautiful gemstone and diamond everyday rings.  Spending the happiest half an hour rearranging and repositioning various sparkly combinations (examples of which are above)  I finally decided on the perfect personalised, bespoke stack from the comfort of my own home – one I can add to as time goes on and mix up depending on the occasion. 

The very next day the rings arrived, beautifully packaged in Monica’s signature pink bag and my virtual stack had become a bejeweled reality!  

Below:  With mixing my rings around I can create the perfect daytime and nightime stack! 

This was a really fun and simple process and the choices were endless.  I definitely recommend this as a Christmas treat (...preferably for yourself!)  
Thank you Monica Vinader xxx