HAWT: Sienna Miller in Burberry

Hawt = A late 1940's and early 1950's acronym for "Having A Wonderful Time."
Now the word is used on the internet as slang for something reeeeally hot.

Actress Sienna Miller looked HAWT last week at the opening night of the new Broadway play ‘Orphans’ (starring her beau Tom Sturridge).  The yummy mummy wore a classic belted Burberry trench coat whilst wearing her heart on her sleeve with the Burberry Prorsum Heart Print Calfskin Drawcord Bag as she posed for photographers in NYC.  The outfit subsequently caused speculation that the gorgeous couple have been hired as the British brand’s A/W’13 faces… I would heart that. 

MAC Cosmetics Archie's Girls Makeup Collection

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Growing up, Archie Comics were to me then what Vogue is to me now;  Betty andVeronica were my Cara and Alexa.  You can imagine therefore, just HOW excited I was to see the new MAC Cosmetics collaboration with my much loved American comic books. 
With palates of bubblegum pinks and corals for the girly-girl Betty’s out there, and vampy, spoiling hues of berry red and scarlet for the Veronica’s out there, this make up range is adorable.  Want Want Want!!! (Yes… clearly I am a Veronica.

Individual items and sets are available from MAC Cosmetics.  RRP. £11.00 - £39.50

Debit Buy: Kara Ross Earrings on The Outnet

When American fine jeweller Kara Ross was 13 years old her parents bought her a gemstone of her choice to commemorate a family safari in Africa.  When she returned home Kara designed a ring with the tourmaline she had chosen, “to know that I could create something wholly original at a young age really affected me.”  Kara’s elegant and dazzling cocktail rings, bangles and drop earrings are firm favourites of Kate Hudson,Cameron Diaz, Eva Mendes and Michelle Obama. 
 
Below:  These Kara Ross gold-plated Water Monitor earrings available HERE on The Outnet are a steal!

RRP. £95.00 £52.25 

Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013)

"I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end."  

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Britain's first and only female prime minister Margaret Thatcher has past away peacefully following a stroke at the age of 87. 

Overcoming class prejudice and great sexism, Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister in 1979, following the infamous ‘Winter of Discontent’ (which saw Britain crippled by a wave of national strikes). Crushing unions, privatising vast sectors of British industry and sending troops in to the Falklands in 1982, saw the ‘The Iron Lady’ both loved and loathed in equal measure.  With her pearls, black Aspreyhandbag and pussy-bow blouses,  'Maggie'  became Britain’s longest-serving Prime Minister of the twentieth century, stepping down in 1990.   

Former Conservative prime minister Sir John Major described Baroness Thatcheras a "true force of nature" and a "political phenomenon," whilst David Camerontweeted, “We have lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister, and a great Briton.”

"Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't."

"If you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman."  

The Gosline

Just like when Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon, or JFK was assassinated, people will NEVER forget where they were when they first heard last week’s Earth-shattering headline, 'Ryan Gosling Announces Break From Acting.' 

It’s true Ladies.  Ryan Gosling (misguidedly) feels that we’ve all had a bit too much of him in our cinemas of late and has decided to focus on directing for the foreseeable future.  Why Ryan? Whhhhhhhhhhy??! 

Luckily, website Blinkboxwas quick to provide an emergency support helpline (‘The Gosline’) so distressed fans can now listen to endless recordings of their favourite actor’s most famous movie quotes.  A Blinkboxspokesperson said, ”we hope that this goes some way to relieving the pain and hurt caused by his selfish decision to take a break."
 
I promise I haven’t rung this number... Twice. 

Trend: Spring Knits

Above: Day or night, no one rocks a sweater better than Alexa Chung.

Despite the sun STILL refusing to put his party hat on (yes, that is snow outside... IN APRIL!) I refuse to let my style suffer.  It may be all miserable and gloomy outside but underneath my heavy parka and umbrella I shall be wearing a series of gorgeous light and bright knits bound to put Spring in my step.  A knitted jumper is key this season so whether you choose to wear yours with a bejewelled statement necklace, layered with a shirt underneath (collar done up for the ultimate in geek chic), or, à la Brrrrr-ave Alexa Chung, with bare legs and a skirt, your Winter Blues will be banished. 

Above (L-R):  Jump(er)ing into Spring:  Sienna Miller, Poppy Delevigne & Laura Carmichael.

'Manet: Portraying Life' at the Royal Academy

I recently went to see the Manet exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts… alongside most of London it seemed!  In what was the most overcrowded of shows I’ve been to in a long time (advance bookings were among the highest in the academy's recent history) I saw more that sixty of Édouard Manet's portraits.  Unfortunately, the quality of the work exhibited, much of which was not shown during the artist’s lifetime, was desperately uneven (several were even unfinished) and I found myself searching for the more well known of Manet’s paintings, omitted from this show.  However, as well as learning a lot about the artist’s life, there were some obviously excellent pieces to admire, especially those of Manet’s sister-in-law Berthe Morisot (above) and that of the Monet family in their tranquil garden at Argenteuil (below).

The show closes this Sunday but there are extended opening hours this weekend until midnight.  Tickets RRP. £15.00 available Here. 

Best of London - David Huglin

Burtonwode was launched by artist David Huglin (left) in 2010 when he noticed the huge imbalance “between the choice women had with their underwear compared to men.”   David set about to create stylish and unique boxer shorts for men who wanted something more individual ”underneath it all.”  

Printed in a 19th Century Carlisle mill and then stitched in London’s Canning Town, the sixteen pair collection of colourful Burtonwode boxer shorts are classically cut, made from 100% softened cotton and are available in a range of quirky prints from David’s own artwork.

Despite being based in London, David is Liverpudlian and has 'Liverpool' sewn onto every label "because I want it to be seen as a Liverpool brand; the city very much suits our outlook because there are things like plums and cherries on the boxes - it’s meant to be quite witty and cheeky and not taking itself too seriously.”  Fruity. 

David Huglin shared with us some of his London Favourites…

My Pint – I always try and go for something I've not had before.  I ask to try a bit of something random and and then have a pint of the stuff if I like it.  One that is always good value for money is Sam Smiths Alpine Lager at Blue Posts ( 81 Newman Street).
 
My Date Night – Home made Pierogies on the couch with my wife watching some trashy food porn programme.    
 
My Sunday Brunch – It has to be bagels with cream cheese and dry smoked smoked salmon at L&D in Hampstead (15-17 Lyttelton Road), or at Panzers in St.Johns Wood (13-19 Circus Road) - It's making me hungry even thinking about it...   
 
My Building – This is hard to choose, but probably the The Isokon Building in Hampstead.  Early residents included Walter Gropius, Marcel Breuer and Agatha Christie. I also find theRoyal Festival Hall just remarkable.  The details are unbelievable - check out the entrance door handles and brass banisters.

My London Shop – It was the Paul Smith furniture shop on Albermarle Street, full of whimsy and playfulness.  Sadly it's temporarily closed as it had some awesome stuff in there.  Calvert Street in Shoreditch is really great, it has Anthem, Mawi and Ally Capelino.

My London Extravagance – Taking the day off and strolling around the British Museum.
 
London's Best Kept Secret – I like the second hand furniture places on the Holloway Road.
 
My London Icon – Edward Johnston who invented the Underground Symbol and Typeface used until the 1980's. A brilliant and efficient response to the challenges of the underground mapping system. 

Burtonwode Boxer Shorts RRP. £26.00

www.burtonwode.com