A night at the Laurent Perrier Champagne Nail Bar

Posted on March 31, 2014 by fashion-mommy

A night of nail pampering in one of Birmingham’s most luxurious locations, with the added bonus of a glass of bubbly, sounds like a perfect evening for me, and that is why I was very happy to accept an invite to try out the facilities of Birmingham’s only Champagne Nail Bar.

The Laurent Perrier Champagne Nail Bar is located in the Club and Spa gym and spa complex. The Club and Spa is in Birmingham’s Iconic Cube building, and seems like a world away from the hustle and bustle of the City Centre, making it the perfect place when you want to be pampered, relax and generally chill out. Currently, the Laurent Perrier nail bar is the only Champagne Nail Bar in the city, a pretty hot pink and white girlie haven, with a host of trained beauty therapists literally ‘on hand’ to give you the perfect manicure.

If you haven’t yet visited the Champagne Nail Bar, I would definitely recommend it. The decor is delishly girlie, with comfy white armchairs for you to sit on as you await your appointment. I love the fact that this is like a luxurious haven, non of the business you can encounter in department store nail bars. And, of course, you can enjoy a glass of bubbly and a chat as your nails are transformed.

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My nails were in a pretty nasty state – playing with Lego (and more specifically pulling it apart) has had a really nasty effect on how my nails look. My nail technician Madison, gave them a really good foil, this, at least gave a little uniformity to their appearance and they instantly looked neater. I chose my own nail colour from a spectrum and opted for a hot red colour that I believe was called ‘chilli pepper’ from the CND Vinylux range, and a weekly top coat was also applied. This has definitely done the trick polish wise – 4 days in and the polish is barely chipped at all – a complete novelty for me.

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Love my new nails!

I was really impressed with the chilled atmosphere and the lovely technicians, who not only made you feel comfortable with their chat, but actually explained all the nail processes as they performed them , and introduced new products too. I felt really pampered and loved the environment.

The Laurent Perrier Champagne Nail Bar is perfect for girlie days out, for hen parties and brides-to-be, literally for any special occasion, or just the chance to pamper yourself.

Thanks Madison!
Photograph credit Sundip Gill

Photograph credit Sundip Gill

With huge thanks to Laura White, Sundip Gill and the Ed James Group.

Spring brings the Nautical look to Next

Posted on March 31, 2014 by fashion-mommy

When it comes to Springtime, one trend reigns supreme. The nautical trend is an ever present in the cycle of yearly fashion, as the sun starts to appear, so do the stripes, the navy and white, and that oh so crisp cotton.

I don’t know why nautical style is such a popular trend. Maybe it is the fact that we associate sunshine with the seaside, with beaches and with swimming and sailing, and so items of apparel that reflect this particular obsession prove very fitting. Maybe it is the nature of the colours, the white and navy look both clean and smart, and seem to scream Summer? Whatever the answer is, the nautical trend never, ever goes away, and there can be hardly a wardrobe out there that doesn’t own something with a Breton stripe emblazoned on it.

This season, some of the best nautical fashion on the market is available at Next. This is, quite simply. a one stop shop for your holiday wardrobe. Those navy stripes have been added to some great spaghetti strapped sundresses, with drawstring waistbands making this a really comfortable trend. A navy striped blazer shows how this trend can be smart enough to wear for office and work wear, whilst a cool striped bag can be everything from a beach bag to an airport holdall. I love the addition of a touch of citrus lemon to the mix, this lifts the stripes into cool new territory, adding a nice (lemon) twist on the traditional.

Favourite pieces? I love the idea of wearing the woven cami with white skinny jeans. (It also comes in a gorgeous yellow too, click here to view this). I am also obsessed with the halter style maxi dress – imagine this with a white brimmed white sunhat and toe -post sandals. It would look amazing.

To view all Next stripes, click here. In the meantime, here are my favourite pieces.

Crew Cardigan

Stripe Polo Dress

Two Layer Dress

Tube Skirt

Stripe Slip Dress

Stripe Blazer

Yellow Stripe Tunic

Woven Cami

Compact Cotton Rich Capri Trousers

Blue Stripe Scarf

Navy And White Stripe Shopper Bag

Maxi Dress

Navy And Cream Stripe Strap Watch

Sundress £22

Introducing – Socks from Chatty Feet

Posted on March 30, 2014 by fashion-mommy

Chatty Feet are a sock company that produce socks with a difference. Each pair of socks is a character, some that you will know and recognise, some of whom are just being introduced to you. These funny, cute and totally original items are sure to be a great new idea when it comes to little presents, stocking fillers, or just the perfect thing to wear with trainers or boots.

From my instagram feed – hence not the best image!

ChattyFeet 1st Collection £20 click to visit Chatty Feet

Chatty Feet Socks have all been designed with a character in mind, and you can meet all the designers on the Chatty Feet website. Professor Brian Sox, The Godfather’s Don Cottone and the blonde and beautiful Brad Feet are amongst the famous names immortalised in sock form. For the super intelligent, Dr ‘Sigmund’ socks may bring a touch of Freud into their lives, whilst Murdoc may or may not be a tribute to a key member of the A – Team. What is true is that these socks are bright and colourful, and are a whole lot of fun, with the design printed on both sides of the sock – making them ideal glove puppets too.

I was offered the opportunity to review a pair of socks, with my little boy Joe being able to choose a pair too. I opted for the Miko design, which I thought was the most feminine, with pretty eyes and a mixture of grey, blue and pink colours. All Chatty Feet socks are unisex, and come in a range of sizes that spans from toddler to adult male, so you can chose the same socks for yourself and your child if you chose. For Joe, we chose the Mr. Grrrril design, described as being perfect for mustache lovers, but also with a touch of the super hero about them, due to the eye mask.

Joe loved his design, they were bright, very eye-catching and funny, and he couldn’t wait to wear them for school on Sports Relief day so he could show the to his friends. The fit was perfect (Joe had the largest child size designed for 4-7 year olds (UK 9-12), and the elastication around the ankle/leg was just right – not too tight so that it would dig into the leg. These socks have since been washed and have retained the lovely bright colour that makes them such a great option for children.

My Miko designs were super cute and pretty. Again the fit was perfect ( I wore adult medium, which fits size 4-8) and I found these to be comfortable, and perfect under my ankle boots, being a nice soft cotton, not too thick as to sweat the feet. Adult designs cost just £6, which I think is a reasonable price for a little gift. (children’s designs cost £5).

I loved the Chatty Feet socks and I’m sure you and your little ones will love them too.

Many thanks to Chatty Feet for sending socks for review purposes.

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Monthly Archives: March 2014

A night at the Laurent Perrier Champagne Nail Bar

Spring brings the Nautical look to Next

Introducing – Socks from Chatty Feet

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