Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

We, at Couture Diaries want to wish all our readers who are celebrating, a very Merry Christmas, and an even more fabulous New Year! We hope the coming year brings happiness and joy for all! Have a couture time! 

moreless

Beauty Tip Of The Day

Prepare to be adored with this quick and easy face mask by beauty blogger Leslie Ann-Barrett:- 

PREPARE!

• 1/2 Lemon squeeze into bowl
• 1 egg white
• Mix together and paint onto face and neck
• Let dry for 10-15 minutes until your face feels really tight
• Rinse with tepid water
• Follow with your moisturizer if needed
• Prepare to be adored

moreless

Quote Of The Day

"Happy girls are the prettiest." - Audrey Hepburn. 

moreless

Everyone's All Caped Up!

It seems we're not the only ones coveting our capes at the moment...in fact it seems Kim Kardashian has three different ones and Lily Allen and Kate Hudson both are donning the same Louis Vuitton one (which we think is really grannified to be honest!) But we love Victoria's one! Tell us what you think...

moreless

Seven Tips For A Slimmer Waist...

So what if your waist isn't this slim, fake it! Getty Images.

Charla Krupp, style expert and author of 'How to Never Look Fat Again' tells Stylelist seven important and minimal ways to looks slimmer without diet & exercise! We understand that while these may seem simple & not be a trick to make you look 10lbs thinner, but they are understated, minimal changes that do actually make a difference.1. Get a high-waisted bike short. "You can't go out of the house without it. If you have any kind of muffin top, you have to get rid of it immediately, and these pieces really do it. I like the Skinny Britches by Spanx because they're not that intense. But you can't just get the kind that stop at the waist, or you're going to get a muffin top. You can wear them with anything, from jeans to dresses."2. Try a shapewear top. "They're very basic, so you can wear it with a cardigan over it or a jacket over it. Spanx has a couple that have V-necks and scoop necks. They're going to hold your arms in, as well as your waist and your tummy."3. Buy a new bra. "If you get a new bra, you're going to help your waistline, because you need to hoist the girls up as far as possible. You want to have a long, lean torso, so you want to get your boobs up – and most women are not wearing a cup size that's big enough, so they're hanging down and their bras are all stretched out. Bras don't last forever. People don't want to throw out their bras, but they really don't last forever. The elasticity in them goes, so you have to get fresh bras that really boost your boobs."4. Create an illusion. "Look for clothes that have a black or navy panel on the sides. It just slims you down. Black will automatically reduce you, but you don't want to walk around in all black -- it's too depressing. If you find clothes that have black on the sides, it will make your waist look like nothing. Also, you can adopt that trend with a black sheath. Just get a black wool crepe sheath -- it can be sleeveless -- and wear a colored long cardigan over it and belt it. Or not. But you're going to look thin if you're wearing black in the middle."5. Boost your belt. "Another trick is to fake a smaller waistline. Rather than put a belt across the widest part of your waist, you can move a belt up, right under your bra. That's where most women are thinnest. So, it's an optical illusion. You're giving yourself a built-in empire waist. Just make sure the belt isn't super thick, because you don't want your boobs resting on the belt. Not a good look."6. Go empire. "Empire tops can also make you look thinner. If you do have a really big stomach, they'll hide the outline of the stomach so you really don't know where it starts and stops. But don't do ones that are really out there poofy or you'll look like a big blob."7. Strap on stilettos. "Wearing heels always makes you look thinner and that's really easy." (We agree!)

moreless

Beauty Tip Of The Day

"If you have dry skin or tend to suffer from dry spots on your face (like me), then make sure to moisturise your neck everyday. When the neck becomes dry, it draws moisture from your face, making the dry spots worse, and we certainly don't want that!" 

moreless

Quote Of The Day

"Beauty is as beauty does. We're remembered not by what we looked like but how we behaved and changed the lives of others." - Cristina Carlino (Philosophy Skincare Founder). 

moreless

Curl Up With Penguin's New Clothbound Classics ♥

We can't think of anything better than curling up on a snowy day with a huge mug of Belgian hot chocolate and losing ourselves in one of Penguin's Classic books. Why the Penguin edition's you may ask, well because the clever little Penguin has recently released a gorgeous range of clothbound hardback copies of the classics we all know and love! The titles include Pride & Prejudice, Oliver Twist, Little Women, and many more and each one is as beautifully designed as the other. Designed by award-winning Penguin designer Coralie Bickford-Smith, we want one of each : )There's also a cute and gorgeous range of children classics available which we can't resist either! Click here to view the range and other Penguin products: Penguin.co.uk 

moreless

Lash Perfect Semi-Permanent Lash Extensions!

Do you wish you could wake up with full, long-length lashes everyday and not have to grab your mascara (or three!) to get that effect? Well wish no longer... Lash Perfect is here to do just that with their new semi-permanent eyelash extensions! 

The extensions last up to twelve weeks, with a regular top-up every three to four weeks available, and the process is simple. Just pop into a Lash Perfect salon, and after discussing your requirements, a technician will choose the correct length, shape, and thickness of lash and will get working! Gel pads are then used to cover your lower lashes whilst individual synthetic lashes are placed carefully on top of your own lashes using a strong adhesive (which is also eye-friendly). Roughly between 80 to 120 eyelashes are needed for each eye, and will take, overall, about an hour and a half to complete. The process is very relaxing and absolutely painless. The extensions come in a variety of lengths, colour, thickness and style of curl. Eye make-up can be applied as normal afterwards, (although make-up with a high oil content should be avoided) but Lash Perfect recommend that you use their specially formulated eye make-up remover to cleanse the area afterwards. The results are amazing, and well worth it. Prices start from £80.

Ooh and did we mention that Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham have already had the procedure done? ...

To find your nearest Lash Perfect salon visit their website: Lash Perfect

Lash Perfect recommend you remove any eye make-up with their specially formulated remover. And it is best not to use make-up with high oil content.To find your nearest Lash Perfect salon visit their website... Lash Perfect 

Prices start from £80

moreless

Louis Vuitton Mon Monogram Service Is Now Online ♥

If your a lucky so and so and already own a Louis Vuitton handbag, or are thinking of finally just going for it and getting one, then why not go that one step further and personalise your Louis with Louis Vuitton's Mon Monogram service! We've seen quite a few personalisations already, but the service, aptly named 'My Monogram' is finally now available online, yay!Their new website allows customers to personalise a range of bags from the infamous Speedy to the Keepall and Pégase travel bags. You can add your own initials, add a full-stop in between the letters, choose colourful stripes and move them around from the side to the middle according to your own personal taste. With different sizes and 17 different colours, the options are endless - actually resulting in more than 200 million possible combinations per bag! Wowie! Let's face it, with so many fake speedy's going around, we think it's a sophisticated way of showing yours is authentic while adding your own personal touch at the same time. Perfect ♥Click here to try out the monogram service for yourselves: Louis Vuitton Mon Monogram Service

moreless

Quote Of The Day

"Calories are the little monsters that creep into your wardrobe at night and sew your clothes tighter while you sleep. My wardrobe is infested with them."

moreless

Super Huge Mulberry Bag Hanging Around In Central London!

A gorgeous, sparkly, super huge Mulberry Bayswater bag was seen tottering around in Central London today. Where was it going, you may ask? Well, home of course! That is the new Mulberry flagship store that is being opened in New Bond St. The gold bag looked a little lost, but managed to find its way in the end ; ) Aww bless! 

Looking Lost in Central London

Hopping Into A Black Cab (with a little help!)

Aah! Finally Home! (New Bond St, London)Mulberry.com Pics.

moreless

Tip Of The Day

moreless

Quote Of The Day

moreless

Stop Press! New Arm-toning Top Arrives!

Joy to the women of the world - the new arm-toning, bingo-wing busting top has arrived! The garment, designed by US actress, Kathy Najimy, and named Ch'Arms, works in a similar way to the famous Spanx panty-hose, and claims to squeeze in loose skin around the upper arm, providing a more toned look. Miss Najimy, 53, states: ‘Ch’Arms is lightweight and seamless and allows its wearer to feel comfortable and confident. Ch'Arms is a garment problem-solve. For those of us who love the look of short sleeve garments but sometimes choose to have our arms covered, Ch'Arms gives us the best of both worlds. No more bulky layers either under or over your cute shirt or dress.'Not only does it aim to tone arms, but it also goes one step further to hold in the stomach and enhance the cleavage, with a specially-cut chest area, allowing users to wear their own bra and any neck-line shirt/dress they like!We think Miss Najimy has got it spot on with her product as a recent survey revealed that three in four women hate bingo wings more than any other part of their body!Miss Najimy says that she hopes the Spandex, cotton and sheer mesh garments – priced at about £20 and available in six colours – will give women the confidence to wear closer-fitting clothes. 

Although the product is currently only available to buy through US shopping website HSN, Miss Najimy says that she hopes to be stocking in the UK soon! 

The top comes in three different fabrics, each of which offer a different level of support. Hooray for toned arms!

Click here to visit HSN: HSN.com

moreless

Tip Of The Day

"Try talcum or baby powder on greasy stains. Sprinkle onto the offending patch and leave overnight for the powder to soak up the oil." 

moreless

Quote Of The Day

David Pena Pics.

"When in doubt, wear red." Bill Blass (designer) 

moreless

Samantha Cameron Is Patron Of The GOSH Ball

The Prime Minister's wife, Samantha Cameron has been chosen as this year's patron of the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity Christmas Ball. "I'm delighted to lend my support to this special event that we hope will raise a substantial amount of funding for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity," Mrs Cameron said.

The Dickensian Ball which will take place at Harrods tomorrow, December 1st, was inspired by author Charles Dickens for his early support for the charity. The event aims to raise £500,000 of much needed funding for the children's hospital in order to buy a range of lfe-saving equipments, from defribillators to incubators. An extensive guest list have all already RSVP'd, including Liz Hurley and Tamara Ecclestone, who will all be asked to donate and pledge money to the charity.

We love Great Ormond Street Hospital for their life-saving work, and having saved the life of a child very dear to us, so we encourage all to help their charity. For more information on the charity and to donate, visit Gosh.org.

moreless

Couture Diaries Is On Facebook!

Just a quick note to let all our glamorous readers know that we are now on Facebook. 'Like' our page for regular updates on posts or even just to leave your thoughts or let your friends know what you enjoy reading about! Click here for our Facebook page: Couture Diaries On Facebook 

moreless

Is Your Bottom A Tomato Or A Potato?

Designers of the Wonderbum dresses have stated that women's bottoms all come down to 4 different shapes - the pear, the tomato, the potato & the nectarine!

Supermarket Asda's clothes line - George, has created a line of £20 Christmas dresses in a bid to cater for women of all shapes & sizes. George teamed up with bottom expert Dr David Holmes to conduct a survey of 18,000 females, which found that an astonishing 85% of women are unhappy with their derrieres!

Dr Holmes, who is a psychologist at the Manchester Metropolitan University has said: ‘In the 21st century the derriere shape has improved for some with modern exercise regimes and diets. For most, however, the effect of plentiful attractive food has taken its toll and the cartoon perfection of spherical derrieres has given way to softer, rounded tomato derrieres, the wider, flatter pancake shapes and the less defined potato rears.’ 

He further adds that he has already produced a scientific equation for the perfect behind, based on shape, bounce, firmness and symmetry. "The perfect female derriere has firmness to the touch and a resilience that prevents undue wobble or bounce, yet looks soft with flawless skin," - well that means all of us then!

So how do you define what shape you are? Here's a quick guide:-

The Tomato

Proportion of women: 45 per cent. Plump, round and squishy to the touch, the tomato is fast becoming the norm. It sits best in a tight structured dress which has a firming effect.

The PotatoProportion of women: 30 per cent. The second most common shape, this wide bottom is probably the least fortunate; lumpy in parts, it needs careful dressing and attention. A tulip-shaped shift hides a multitude of sins and will slim and elongate a wide behind. 

The PearProportion of women: 15 per cent. Narrower at the top and almost twice the size at the fullest part, this is trickiest to buy for and the best tactic is a distraction. A long maxi dress detracts from the lower region and a halter neckline accentuating the shoulders balances out the bottom. 

The NectarineProportion of women: 10 per cent. Full and round and pert in appearance. It stands out naturally and – lucky you – you can really show it off in a tight satin dress.

Fiona Lambert, of George, said: ‘Women should celebrate their shapes this Christmas. We’ve designed a range to suit every shape and size.’

The dresses are on sale now in sizes 8-20 from Asda stores.

moreless

What Beauty Products Are In Victoria Beckham's Handbag?

Mrs Beckham recently told InStyle magazine her beauty must-haves that she always keeps in her bag:-• Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream.

• Chanel Vitalumiere Satin Smoothing Fluid Foundation with SPF.

• Rose Water (for spritzing on your face to hydrate).

• Pure Aloe Vera, which she slathers all over her face and body before travelling.

Simple, and great!

moreless

Quote Of The Day

"Let me tell you something, Mister. If I had her money I'd be richer than she is" - Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast At Tiffany's. 

moreless

Rumour Is...

We Spy with our little eyes and ears & rumour is...Will Tom Ford be designing a capsule collection for H&M?  Is Simon Cowell going to leave fiance Mezhgan for Cheryl Cole?Refunds galore at H&M - customers returning Lanvin t-shirts? - Our little spy was at H&M yesterday and reports bundles of leftover Lanvin t-shirts and a very rude shop assistant!  Touchee!

moreless

Audrey Hepburn Voted Best Beauty Icon Of All Time!

Audrey's done it again! Skincare brand Olay conducted the 'Big British Beauty Poll' last week, and our ultimate style icon Audrey Hepburn won the title of 'Best Beauty Icon of All Time.' We agree, and so do 20,000 of the rest of British women who voted for her! Well, it just goes to show that you don't need all the hair extensions & plastic surgery in the world to be a beauty - classic always reigns supreme!

moreless

The Queen Visits Abu Dhabi Mosque Shoeless!

The Queen is on a five-day trip to the Persian Gulf, and she arrived in Abu Dhabi last night to meet Islamic Students. As soon as she & Prince Philip stepped off their flight, they were taken to the famous Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the largest in the country.

The Queen then proceeded to take off her shoes, and walk on the largest carpet in the world, which was hand-stitched by 1,200 Iranian women and at 35-tonnes, took a breathtaking 2 years to complete!

The Queen, wearing a gold brocade coat embroidered with Swarovski crystals, also covered her hair with a hat and shawl as a sign of respect. 

She was accompanied by Prince Andrew and Foreign Secretary William Hague & his wife in the visit which is the first in 31 years.

The Queen's next stop is Oman. We wonder if she'll come back with a tan?

William Hague & Wife.

William Hague & Wife Given Tour Of Mosque.

Queen Removes Shoes Before Entering Carpeted Area.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque, Abu Dhabi.

moreless

Couture Diaries Must Have: MAC Pink Friday Lipstick!

We're so excited, we might, err, umm, glee? Well, enough of that, but there is serious excitement here over the new Limited Edition Pink Friday Lipstick at MAC! The satin pink lipstick, donned the ultimate super girlie baby pink hue is a result of a collaboration between MAC and Hip-hop star Nicki Minaj.  Nicki launched the new shade in New York , and now it is available to buy in the UK, yay! But, to make everything even more excitemento, the lipstick will only be available to buy on Fridays, and only for the next four Fridays - from 26th November, yikes! So, hip-hop down to MAC or Selfridges each Friday to get your hands on the covetable lipstick, or alternatively, visit MacCosmetics.co.uk or Selfridges.com while stocks last!

moreless

Quote Of The Day

"Nothing is more honourable than a grateful heart." - Seneca

moreless

Beyonce: 'Why Did God Give Me This Life?'

We look at Beyonce, and think - she's a famous singer/clothes designer, she's married to a famous rapper/clothes designer/label manager, has more money than she can count, lives in a mansion and is world-famous, so what more could she want?  

But apparently the 29 year-old singer is at times, not very happy with her life. 

Seen wearing no make-up, she speaks very openly about how lonely she gets while on tour, in her new documentary entitled 'I Am World Tour' which airs on Thursday as a special.

Beyonce, ranked as the ninth most powerful woman in the world by Forbes, turns the camera on herself, and is seen shedding tears as she ponders: 'Why did God give me this life?'  About this clip she says that it was the hardest clip to show in the documentary, stating: 

'There was one moment I was in China and I was in this huge suite and I looked out the window and there were just thousands of people walking and I couldn't believe my life,' adding: 'I guess I was a bit lonely and I wanted to talk to someone so I opened up my computer and I just talked.'

She further adds of her decision to star in the documentary: 'I wanted the fans to be able to see what I see. It's a lot of things I reveal about myself that I could never give to a director.'

Beyonce, who has sold more than 11 millon albums worldwide, is also seen in the documentary wearing traditional Egyptian coverings whilst visiting the Pyramids in Egypt. 

A special preview clip - aired in the U.S. today -  shows Beyonce pondering as to why she is so successful: 'Sometimes its overwhelming. Why did God give me my talent, my gift, my family. But I know you're not supposed to question God. Only God knows. And I don't take it for granted.'

She also talks a bit about the pregnancy rumours, stating she is not pregnant, but would like to be in the near future: 'One of the reasons I haven't had a child yet is because there are certain things I want to do before I focus on being a mother. I'm not there yet but I'm close.'

We always admired Beyonce for keeping quiet about her personal life and thoughts, but this is a surprise indeed! Her statements have upset many, and that it is definitely understandable. She has everything a woman could possibly want, but is still unhappy, and so is just goes to show, the grass is not always greener on the other side! What do you think? ...

Beyonce Shows Off Ring & Tattoo @ Jewellery Launch

moreless

Quote Of The Day

"The French are glad to die for loveThey delight in fighting duelsBut I prefer a man who livesAnd gives expensive jewels""Diamonds are a girl's best friend." - Marilyn Monroe  

moreless

Design Your Own Polo Ralph Lauren Shirt!

Polo T-shirts. Selfridges Pics.

If like us you love all things Ralph Lauren, then get yourselves down to Selfridges London to have a specially designed Polo Ralph Lauren t-shirt tailored to your own tastes! The Ralph Lauren Menswear department is offering a complete personalisation service which means you get to decide on the fit, colour and logo of your Polo t-shirt, which we think will make the ultimate thoughtful gift for the man in your life! To add a touch of couture, you can also get three initials embroidered exclusively onto your t-shirt! A 'design-your-own' Polo t-shirt costs £95 for the small pony logo & £110 for the large.You're welcome!

moreless

Oprah Wears Victoria Beckham

Ooh La La, it seems Victoria Beckham's clothes label has an ever growing fan base. Oprah Winfrey s the latest celeb to be seen in one of Mrs B's designs, and to give credit where it's due - it s certainly one of the more flattering dresses Oprah has worn. Just goes to show Victoria knows what she's doing! We actually think it looked better on Oprah than the actual model on the catwalk!

moreless