An Ode to Nailpolish

In recent months I have found my personality somewhat schizoid when it comes to choosing the lacquer that coats my nails. I will flit from girly nude to sexy burgundy to hot pink sometimes within the same day. Often I will consider giving my nails a break but before you know it, I've delved deep into the make-up drawer, attacked a bottle of O.P.I and meticulously painted my talons afresh. When getting a mani or a pedi, choosing the colour is one of the decisions I struggle with most. Painting ones nails is hardly a huge commitment, so I wonder why it causes me such turmoil! I think the conclusion I am reaching is that nail-colour says a lot about ones current mood/style. I would go far to say that it can change the dynamics of a look, and potentially even make or break an outfit! The act of painting nails is quite luxurious because it represents having time to sit down and do so (usually with a magazine) and getting it done professionally is even more of a pampering treat.

The classic shades that have stood the test of time are natural pink, bright postbox red and deep movie-star maroon. Recently we have seen trends for fluorescent shades and metallics as well as less traditional shades of green and grey. I have had a long standing affair with deep purples and black but have recently been indulging in a summer fling with neon brights, baby blue and sparkly silver. As a brand Barry M comes highly recommended for brief flirtations with crazy colours, as it gives good coverage and is cheap! In these stringent times what cheaper and more fun way to update your look!

Intern Life

As someone who, like (it appears) the rest of the world is trying to break into fashion journalism it feels only right to share my experiences of the competitive industry. The internships I have done for various glossy publications have opened my eyes to the fact that 'The Devil Wears Prada' is less Hollywood satire and more insightful realism. This evening I met with a friend I made when interning at a popular men's fashion magazine. We bonded whilst working in the Soho office and had banter with the male stylists and models on shoots. Said girl, has just been travelling for 6 months, she is now back in London and interning at Vogue, so we went for a catch up. Over pizza we shared tales of fashion desk work with humor and hindsight. I laughed when she told me the saga of the missing solid gold eyelash curlers at one disorganised weekly, which incidentally, she found under the shopping editor's desk.

Also in fashion news is that Vogue has been gazumped by another magazine who have pinched Natalia Vodianova for the front cover of their December issue. Wherever there are models and designers there is always drama and disappointment. As a fashion intern I have never had a dull moment; highlights have included writing my first article and press days at Bond Street jewellers, spent sipping champagne while pouring over diamonds all afternoon. Low points include pooper scooping one editor's pet maltese having taken it around the block. Oh well, I suppose when I've made it I'll look back and laugh!

The Fashion Pack

When it comes to summer holidays, packing a stylish and appropriate suitcase is a true art. Perfect packing is a skill to be honed after years of jet-set practice and probably some spectacular faux-pas'. We have all made generic mistakes such as forgetting the crucial BlackBerry charger or leaving our book on the plane at the crux of the story 10 pages before the end. However when it comes to looking cool in the heat, we urbanites who are accustomed to cold weather can struggle. In terms of beachwear there is a fine and often blurred line between achieving a look that is hot hot hot and hot as hell. There are so many types of holiday which poses an additional problem, from yacht posing in Monaco and St Tropez, raving in Ibiza or Mykonos, looking chavvy chic in Marbella, glamourous in Beirut or boho romantic in Marrakech. The key to sartorial heaven when on holiday is as the old adage says to travel light, especially if you know you will shop like a demon when abroad. The other key factor is to pack appropriately, as in, you might love your studded biker jacket to death but ask yourself if you'll wear it in the humid Caribbean. Similarly if you can't get enough of your spandex jumpsuit but will not wear it during a weekend sojourn to Rome with your boyfriend then DO NOT PACK IT! If in doubt the golden rule is to remember what you need, in other words enough of your favourite bikins, a cardi or wrap for the evenings or heavily air-conditioned venues, dresses, shorts, basic tees and a couple of wedges/heels - pack basic and load up on accessories. Take make-up you know only looks good with a tan, hats and hair-bands you wouldn't normally wear in the city and tons of fun jewellery to brighten up any old sun dress/gladiator sandals combo!