Dorothy Perkins

Dorothy Perkins hasn't got a particularly good reputation. The name certainly doesn't help, let's be honest. However, if you look at the clothes as if you are browsing in Topshop (it is part of the same retail group, anyway) and there are some really nice pieces to be found there. Try and look beyond the slightly mumsy clothing, sturdy heels, sensible work blouses and cheap looking handbags, and find the gems. I managed to do that today.

Printed jeans £25

Shoes £18

Jacket £45

The jeans are really soft and stretchy, meaning they'd be really comfy for day or night, and could even be smartened up enough to wear to work. I love wearing print, but only if it's quite understated, so this is perfect.

The shoes are an absolute steal. They look and feel more expensive than £18, and will replace my other flat black pumps for work as they're getting quite tatty. 

The jacket is not something I'd normally go for, as I think structured shoulders and a boxy fit make me look wide as I'm quite busty, but this one is cut well so it defines my waist and can fit over my chest. The black trim means it will go with the rest of my workwear (I love black and greys) and will look great with ankle grazer grazer peg trousers.

Fabienne x

Polaroid Radio Review

Polaroid Digital Radio with ipod dock in cream leather look, £60.00, Asda

I was looking for a new digital radio for a while. Like a lot of people, I find getting up in the morning is one of the hardest things EVER, but regularly listening to a breakfast show seems to do the trick. But the radio I had was black and boring.

The most obvious choice that sprung to mind was a digital Robert's radio, you know, the really expensive retro leather jobbies. Whilst I was debating which colour to get, I stumbled across this one in my local Asda Home shop. It has the same retro look of the Roberts radio, but with more modern dials and buttons, and a brilliant pop-out ipod dock, and an aux-in port (so I can link it up to my ipad or macbook as well as my ipod or iPhone... God I have too many apples). Anyway, I made the purchase, and have been very happy with it. The sound quality is brilliant and it looks lovely. It's also light enough to move around without having to think about it, especially as it has a handy hand handle. 

You can get one at Asda online here: 

http://direct.asda.com/Polaroid-Retro-Digital-Radio-with-iPhone-and-iPod-Dock/000533281,default,pd.html

Fabienne x

"No one should be without a dog."

"No one should be without a dog." The words of a man interviewed at Crufts on Channel 4 earlier.

I couldn't agree more. Sadly, however, I am without dog. I live with Carlos in a little flat, and both of us work full time- we simply can't provide a good home to a dog at the moment. So, for now I must make do with watching programmes about dogs, dogsitting for friends and going a little bit crazy for random dogs in the street, which I'm sure must be a little alarming for some people. Carlos and I have a strange habit of 'papping' dogs we see throughout the day and sending them to each other.

Anyway, less of my insane behaviours, what that man at Crufts said has inspired me to post some pictures of my fashion heroines and their dogs. They are amazing accessories after all!

Mirander Kerr, Michelle Williams, Rihanna, Kelly Osbourne, Rachel, Bilson, Lily Allen, Blake Lively, Liv Tyler, Millie Macintosh, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kate Moss, Ashley Olsen, Gwen Stefani, Olivia Palermo, Eva Green and last but definitely not least, Kate Middleton.

Fabienne x

My few flat

Now that Carlos and I are settled in and the flat is now more like home, and we finally have broadband set up, I thought I'd share some of my favourite parts of it with you. Apart from a minor ladybird incident in the kitchen, all has gone smoothly thank goodness. 

The Porch

1. My front door. Old fashioned brass knockers look much more stylish than doorbells. 

2. His and hers wellington's in select colours make like an accessory.

3. This unit was only £20 from ikea. Rest a cheap mirror on top and hide shoes away in cardboard boxes and you have a sleek shoe rack. I have a scented candle and a faux flower in a cider bottle for personality.

4. Meet Benjamin. He is a French Bulldog money box from Ben De Lisi for Debenhams. The whole range is amazing, go and look at it. 

The hallway/study

1. These 1950's cats are one of my favourite finds. I got them for £4 each at Shoreditch antiques market, and look lovely on the white desk. The faux flowers and vase are from Wilkinsons for really cheap and the Prestat chocolate box is handy to keep memory sticks and cables in.

2. Little details like the clothes tag hanging from a shelf (this one is FiFi Factory, a brand Topshop stock) add bits of interest and personality- and much needed colour.

3. I have fully utilised the long and spacious hallway by turning it into a study.The desk is from Ikea, and is a whopping 2m long, so that both Carlos and I have our own space. I think the large clock gives the room a more industrial feel, along with the charcoal grey chairs. Keeping things monotone makes the room feel airy and organised. 

The Living Room

1. Doing your own painting makes it much more personal, and you get exactly the kind of thing you want! I get my paints and canvas' from The Works- so much cheaper than anywhere else. I did this freehand, but you can easily trace images of your choice. It's also a great way of tying in your colour scheme. 

2. My favourite piece of furniture is the massive coffee table which was only £23 from Ikea. I have loaded it up with magazines and books, a Molton Brown candle in 'pink peppercorn' and a vase of sunflowers. The cushions are from TK Maxx, and the lamp is Wilkinsons. You can just about make out some of the coasters- these are from Shoreditch market, and were mix and match from hundreds of designs for £3 each. 

3. I tend to buy faux flowers as they are cheaper because they, obviously, last a lifetime. However, as a treat, real flowers really are nicer. Sunflowers add some colour without looking tacky or out of place. 

The Bedroom

1. My new, highly organised wardrobe. Maximising the storage options means that you need fewer wardrobes, so I got plenty of shelves and drawers in there as well as a rail.

2. Another one of my favourite pieces, a vintage Anglepoise lamp. Well worth the investment, and in my favourite colour too! Great for reading in bed. 

3. This mirror is from Newgate (most famous for clocks). It was a present years ago from my sister, and I just love it. It's big enough to use for doing hair and make up at, and has beautiful foil images as a border, of vintage perfume bottles and pearls etc... Just fabulous. 

4. Instead of splashing out on an expensive throw or blanket, I just got this scarf from Shoreditch market to have at the foot of the bed. 

The Kitchen

1. On my kitchen worktop I have my radio, which is really retro looking, but is actually digital and has an ipod dock. It was £70 from Asda, a lot cheaper than a Robert's one.

The knife block and scales are from TK Maxx and I use a Panettone tin as a bread bin.

Every kitchen should have a cactus, they're near impossible to neglect to death, and a wooden board. It will last a lifetime and looks great on the counter.

2. My stag head was bought on Amazon for £40, and was totally worth it. The detail on it is amazing and it's just the right size.

3. I make my own garlic oil by adding 2 bulbs of roughly chopped garlic to mild olive oil and letting it infuse for a month or so before using it. It will last for about 6 months and saves having to use fresh garlic when cooking.

4. My espresso cup was a present from my sister, I leave it out on the counter next to the Nespresso machine as it is too pretty to hide!

Fabienne x

Molton Brown Rose Granati

When it come to your home, I think it's the little details that really make it special and it's life's little luxuries that make me happiest.

Molton Brown's Rose Granati hand wash is definitely one of my little luxuries- it simply smells Devine! It reminds me of Jo Malone's Blue Agava and Cocao fragrance. It's a spicy, heady floral that fills your bathroom and the thick lather leaves your hands feeling soft and moisturised.

£16 is a lot to spend on a hand wash, but it is a feature in my bathroom and looks really impressive to guests.

Fabienne x

Louise Gray for Topshop Brush Set

Make up brushes, £35.00, Louise Gray for Topshop

I've been unimpressed with Louise Gray's make up for Topshop, however, the colours of the brush set were just irresistible. I love mint green, and the brassy gold fixtures look more expensive than the typical stainless steel or yellow gold ones you normally see. 

It's worth having good make up brushes. These are so soft and I love their little dyed tips.

I will use...

the smallest to line eyes with dark powder, 

the larger shadow brush for light colour on the lids, 

the foundation brush for highlighter, 

the smaller powder brush for pink blusher on cheeky apples,

 the largest brush for translucent powder over BB cream or foundation. 

Fabienne x

Style Storage

Here is a cheeky peek at my wardrobes. 

The first has no doors, as I use it as more of a desk/display for things I can just grab quickly. I keep my perfume, jewellery and hand bags here as well as various other bits and bobs. 

I keep my finer jewellery and rings in a Stackers box, from House of Fraser, and larger costume jewellery and collars in a big white leather jewellery box. My boyfriend only has one tiny section of this space for his fragrance, hair wax and contact lenses... He's lucky to even have that with me around!

Also, meet Benjamin, my French Bulldog money box from Ben De Lisi's collection for Debenhams. I'm going to start filling him up with £1, £2 and £5s to save for a rainy day. 

In my other wardrobe I like a lot of drawer space, as I'm too lazy to hang most things up. I make the most of this space by also keeping make-up in a perspex organiser (have a look on Amazon) and use clothes rail shelves from Ikea to house hair and skincare products. I also have a drawer organiser from Ikea where I keep odd bits, nail varnishes and body care. I always have some handy scissors in here for cutting out tags. 

Fabienne x

Three Quid Blouse

Pink Blouse, £2.95, Cancer Research UK Charity Shop

Charcoal crew neck jumper, £20.00, New Look (menswear)

Floral peg trousers, £45.00, ASOS Premium

There are not many things that could fill me with such excitement for under £3.00. This blouse was in a local charity shop, which I had popped into on my lunch break with my work friends. I was amazed at the amazing things you could find with a bit of a rummage. My colleague also got a black beaded envelope clutch for £2.00! 

Absolutely amazing seeing as I have seen items just like this blouse and her bag in places like Beyond Retro in Brick Lane, London, for more like £20.00. 

I will wear this with a boyish jumper and printed trousers now, and on it's own with 7/8 light grey trousers in warmer weather. 

Save yourself a hell of a lot of money and look in charity shops before 'vintage' ones. Especially in January while we're all paying off Christmas. 

Fabienne x

Papercutting of a stag-rabbit

Since leaving uni, I have been left with a gaping hole in m' soul that can only be filled by making things. I have taken to doing papercuttings of pictures (google image search anything of your choice, followed by silhouette). This is a convenient craft as all you need is a cutting mat, a scalpel, lots of 120gsm paper in different colours, a HB and H3 pencil and tracing paper. 

I found a picture of this papercutting online, printed it, traced it, transferred it on to black paper, then cut it out with a scalpel and put it in a big frame I found in TKMaxx for £16.00. I will eventually find a place for him on my wall, but for now he is resting against my bookshelf in the living room. Because the frame is so big, it looks quite effective there, and is more in my eye-line when on the sofa, anyway. 

I gave a framed papercutting of an Alice in Wonderland scene to my step-sister for Christmas and she loved it. They take a bit of time, but are really good homemade presents. 

Fabienne x

Nespresso U

Nespresso U in grey, £120, House of Fraser

Panettone, £4.99, Costco 

Espresso cups, £8.00, TKMaxx

Due to us both wanting to spend Christmas with our own families, my boyfriend is driving back to the west country today, meaning that we had to do presents early. 

I got the Nespresso U for my boyfriend a couple of months ago in House of Fraser following a demonstration in store. I was amazed at how compact, chic and easy to use it is. It requires no cleaning or rinsing, and makes gorgeous coffee. I drink espresso anyway, but it can be used to make lattés, Americanos or flat whites. My boyfriend loved it and is already making loads!..He won't be sleeping tonight. 

The panettone was a total steal from Costco. Panettone is lovely with coffee and has a real Christmassy flavour, but I really just fell in love with the tin! I love red and I thought that this worked really well with the taupe machine and can be reused for amaretti biscuits forever. 

The simple espresso cups are from TKMaxx a while ago. It's definitely worth rummaging around in their kitchen section; the other day I got a huge Le Creuset baking dish (perfect for pasta bakes and roasts when entertaining) in an deep taupe grey for only £20! 

Fabienne x

Benefit BROWzings

I use Benefit BROWzings in dark every day to define my eyebrows. Well, I say define, in my case I have to draw on my eyebrows as there is practically no natural eyebrow. They are very fair, but there is not much point in dying them as they are also really sparse and fine. 

The only good thing about having my eyebrows is that I can change them to suit the rest of my make-up, my hairstyle and my whole outfit or look as I see fit. 

I tend to have thin eyebrows when I want to look really polished and put-together, such as a posh dinner out with the boyfriend or when I have a meeting at work. 

I do thick, lighter coloured brows when I am more barefaced and natural at weekends.

I do thicker and darker eyebrows when I am wearing false eyelashes for a night out and when I'm wanting to achieve more of a masculine look, i.e. with a buttoned up blouse and jumper.

I do my eyebrows after applying foundation/BB cream, concealer and translucent powder, as it gives the product something to stick to. I also use tweezerman tweezers (not the little useless ones in the BROWzings kit) to neaten any stray hairs beforehand. 

For thick brows, I use the hard angled brush to apply the pigmented wax in an upward direction, starting from the middle. I continue to apply it in this way, frequently reloading the brush, for two thirds of the brow before turning the brush and gliding the wax down to a neat point. I then repeat the process on the other brow. When they are both done I check they are symmetrical, fixing with cotton buds and reapplying where necessary. I leave them like this if I want a lighter colour, but if I want it darker I apply the powder with the blending brush in dabbing motions. The powder also makes it last longer.

For thinner brows, I apply the pigmented wax with the hard angled brush in short strokes along the eyebrow following the direction of the hair, often using the brush to 'tuck in' hairs that are sticking out of line. Thin brows are a lot quicker to do, so I often do this look for work, plus it looks like it is more high maintenance.

Fabienne x

I turn to you

Here are five of my fashion and beauty heroines.

I love Holly Willoughby for how she dresses her size 12 figure, I turn to her when I feel chubs and self-conscious. Think big hair, thick falselashes, minimal accessories and a pencil dress. An Easy, simple and sexy going out outfit. However, I like Fearne Cotton for the opposite. She takes lots of risks, wearing frumpy vintage blouses and lots of bright separates- something I struggle to find the confidence to do most days. I turn to her for work wear, where I like to look chic and professional and slightly boyish. So, think 7/8 trousers in prints, buttoned up cardigans, shirts and vintage blouses and nude court shoes and eyeliner flicks to keep it young.

Carine Restoin Roitfeld is simply fabulous. I love her for her flat-out glam goth looks and layering up lots of black in different textures. I turned to her when deciding how to dye my hair. I got a deep mahogany at the roots and a red brown at the mid lengths. I already had ombréd hair, but adding a red element made it look much more luxurious, warmed up my complexion and it shows off my hazel eyes.

Kate Moss needs no explanation.

Kate middleton, however, has become a bit of a cliché. I, like everyone else, love her for her impossibly groomed hair. I also turn to her for eyebrow inspiration, believe it or not. Despite being dark haired I have quite fair and sparse eyebrows, so fill them in (in a different shape each day- but mostly in 'the Kate'). I will post a eyebrow specific post in due course.

Fabienne x

Dear Father Christmas,...

1. Some Jo Malone blackberry and bay cologne

2. Nigellissima book

3. Dalmation shoe boots from Topshop

4. A bunch of vintage roses

5. The Gucci pug key ring

6. Some Ladurée macaroons

7. Ted Baker sausage dog purse

8. A cavalier King Charles spaniel

9. A mustard Velvet Company tub chair from Oliver Bonas 

Some are more realistic than others, obviously, but a girl can dream. 

Fabienne x