THE MOONWALK POSTER GIRLS
Cathy Sloman and I – The MoonWalk Cowgirls
Well I didn’t expect to be a poster girl at my grand old age (especially in one’s bra!) but I have suddenly found myself emblazoned on billboards in nearly every tube station across London.
How did this happen? You may ask. Well my lovely friend Cathy Sloman and I did The MoonWalk two years ago and we were spotted and photographed in our flamboyant cowboy outfits. Miraculously enough the theme for Moonwalk 2018 is The Wild West, so the wonderful gals at WalkTheWalk thought our look was just perfect! Yee! Haa! We’re so delighted because it is such an amazing cause, raising funds for research and aid for people with breast cancer. This charity is so close to my heart as so many of my lovely friends have been affected by this deadly disease.
The MoonWalk London Poster
The MoonWalk is a fantastic experience and Cathy and I are SO up to doing it again next year. If you’d like to get involved, here’s what happening . Well, it’s on 12th May 2018 in London and over 15,000 women and yes some guys too will either walk or power walk a full moon marathon (26.2 miles) of half-moon (13.1 plus 2 miles) through the streets of the capital wearing fabulously decorated bras. It really is a sight to behold I can tell you!
Fellow Walkers Jennifer Saunders and Harriet Thorpe
The great thing about The MoonWalk is that you have such fun whilst raising vital money needed to fight breast cancer. There’s such a great camaraderie amongst the walkers. Even Jennifer Saunders takes part! In fact, she was our pacer and every time I lost sight of the Absolutely Fabulous actress during the Moonwalk I knew we had to get a move on. Thank you Edina – you kept us going!
It’s such an exhilarating challenge! So, if you do feel inspired to get involved either as a walker or a volunteer contact www.walkthewalk.org
Cowgirl Fun Yee! Haa!
THE SHINING
Sequin Cape and Jewellery, Top Shop.
I love anything shiny. I must have been a magpie in another life. So, this shoot was paradise for me. The clothes were all of a shimmer in gold and silver with a good sprinkling of sequins. Even the background was metallic – completing my total bling-bling bliss!
Sequin Bikini, River Island.Metallic Skirt and Jewellery, Top Shop. Visor, Primark.
Velour Hoodie, Zara Larsson for H&M. Sequin Bikini and Sunglasses, River Island.
Black Cropped Top, Forever 21. Gold Lamé Jacket, Top Shop. Sporty Shorts, H&M.
Silver Dress & Jewellery, H&M. Leopard Belt, Rokit. Visor, Primark.
Velour Hoodie, and Silver Shorts, Zara Larsson for H&M. Sequin Bikini and Sunglasses, River Island.
Biker Jacket, Forever 21. Bronze Bikini and Visor, Primark.
FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN, PHOTOGRAPHY – IAN HOOTON, HAIR & MAKE-UP – ANNA DURSTON, MODEL – LUANNA PINHEIRO
GIRL POWER !
Geometric Print Vest, from £9.00
Fantastic to see Marks & Spencer are doing a brand new activewear collection for girls. So as you can imagine, I was really excited to style this shoot for them. It’s a fabulous range for 5-14 year olds with vibrant geometric print vests, dip-dye leggings and slogan tops. All the sportswear pieces are made from an ultra-light elastane blend that sits close to the skin and helps regulate the body temperature. I think the fitnesswear looks amazing and the little models on the shoot really enjoyed wearing it. What a great incentive for kids to keep fit, active and healthy.
Short Sleeve, Dance Top, from £10.00. Dip Dye Leggings, from £10.00
Short Sleeve, Dance Top, from £10.00
Cropped Geometric Print Top, from £9.00 and matching leggings from £10. Black cotton rich hooded jacket, from £20.
Panel Detail Vest, from £9.00. Cotton Rich Sport Leggings, from £10.00
Geometric Print, Cropped Top, from £9.00 and matching leggings, from £10.
Team Win Sports Top, from £9.00. Sports Panel Leggings, from £10.00
Geometric Print Vest, from £9.00
PHOTOGRAPHY – OLIVER SYMONS THOMAS, FASHION STYLIST – BECKY JOHN, HAIR & MAKE-UP – JO BULL
THE OLYMPICS – LEGWORK
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed The Olympics and so proud of Team GB and their amazing haul of medals. So feel I need to flag up these very patriotic leggings that fitnesswear brand PlayerLayer have launched to celebrate this summer of sport. They have a pop-up shop right now in the new Body Studio of London’s department store Selfridges. The range consists of 12 popular national flags. But if your country isn’t one of these, you can easily order your own using iPads and PlayerLayer’s customising platform allowing you to design your very own unique leggings.
Leggings Studio by PlayerLayer is also available online at www.selfridges.com Prices start from £90 for limited edition ‘Fly Your Flag’ print and £100 to customise your own leggings.
2016’s FITNESS WEAR GUIDE
Moulded Sports Bra Crop Top, from £40, sizes 28″ to 40″, cup sizes B-H and Matching Running Shorts from £18, sizes XS-XL all by Freya Active.
Oh dear! Having eaten my body weight in turkey and mince pies I now look like a Christmas Pudding. I’m 7lbs over my fighting weight, so the gloves are off and at last I’ve taken action. I hauled myself this morning to North London’s YMCA Fitness Centre. My first class of the year was the much needed ‘Body Conditioning’ with dynamic instructor Natasha. I knew I was in the deep end – Natasha is like a sexy girl version of Rambo, often wearing camouflage fitness gear complete with khaki bandana and today she wasn’t taking any prisoners!
As I was being put through my paces I really thought I’d better up my game not only fitness wise this year, but ever the stylist I needed to do some research into cool workout wear too.
Zone Sculpt Training Tight, £90, sizes XS-XL, by Nike.
First stop is Nike. I really love their fitness apparel. The new Zone Sculpt Training Tights look amazing. Modelled by talented tennis player Genie Bouchard these leggings seem like they would be a great fit as well as stand up to a vigorous training routine.
Mesh Back Vest, £7.99, Geometric Print Leggings, £17.99 both sizes XS-L and Trainers, £22,99, sizes 3-9 all by New Look.
Grey Zip-Up Jacket, £24.99, Crop Top, £12.99 and Matching Leggings, £17.99 all sizes XS-L by New Look.
I’m so impressed how many high street chains now do active wear. I suppose it’s not surprising as fitness activities are getting more and more popular. Last year in the UK over 6 billion pounds was spent on sportswear. One of the stores that really gets it right is New Look. Their range boasts an urban stylish look, mixing block colours with geometric prints in leggings, cropped tops and tracksuit tops.
Pink Cropped Top, £3.50, Neon and black Vest, £5 and Leggings, £6, all sizes 6-18 by Primark.
Tie Dye Crop Top, £5 and Leggings, £6 both sizes 6-18 by Primark.
Other amazing value workout wear is found in Primark. I don’t know how they do it. I like how they mix vibrant, neon coloured crop tops and vests with sleek black leggings. Their tie dye collection has a certain Ibiza cool about it with prices starting at £3.50!
Orange Bra Top, £12, sizes 32B-38D and Matching Leggings, £16, sizes 6-18 and trainers, £22, 3-8, all by F&F
Neon Zip Top, £16, leggings, £12 both sizes 6-18 and trainers, £22, sizes 3-8 all by F&F
F&F have a brand new Active range which I think is brilliant. They’ve got everything covered from cycling, yoga to high impact sports with stylish comfortable designs using quick drying fabrics in strong prints and zingy colours.
Long Sleeve Running Top, £49 and Full Length Seamed Leggings, £45, both sizes 8-16 by The White Company.
Seamed Racer Back Vest, £39 and Shorts, £30 both sizes 8-16 by The White Company.
The White Company are also doing their first sportswear collection this season. As you can imagine it is so tasteful, mixing monochrome, black and white with charcoal. The quality is beautiful and quite honestly I can’t wait until it hits the stores.
Moulded Sports Bra, from £38, sizes 28″ – 40″, cup sizes B-H and Capri Pants, from £43, sizes XS-XL all by Freya Active
Lastly, but most importantly I turned my attention to the ever essential sports bra. Lingerie brand Freya too have a new active range. These bras and crop tops are fabulous, designed not to be hidden under sportswear but to be very much on show co-ordinated with matching shorts or with stylish black Capri pants. Technically they are brilliant – perfect for high impact sports with strong supportive fabric, wide curvature wire and wide padded straps. They also go from a B to an H cup so all us ladies can get active, such good news. No excuses now. On your marks…Let’s go!