Guest post from the gorgeous Miss Carla at MessyCarla

I managed to swing a last minute invite to Bernard Chandran’s Private Dinner party at the beginning of London Fashion Week last weekend. I was only supposed to be going to cover The Look Show for New Look, so it was a bit of luck that I was in the big smoke to blog about this for The Sassy Minx!
 
Bernard Chandran is Malaysia’s hottest designer – as well as being a television personality in Asia, being the chief designer on Project Runway Malaysia, he also has a stream of high-profile celebrity clients, such as Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Rhianna, Tori Amos and the royal families of Malaysia and Brunei.
 
So, it’s fair to say it was fairly intimidating meeting a man at the fabulous Awawa restaurant in Chelsea (just down the street from Louis Vuitton and Prada…), which is one of the country’s top restaurants, and co-operating with Malaysia Kitchen to promote Malaysian food in the UK.
 

 
However, he wasn’t intimidating at all – in actual fact, for such a hot designer he was incredibly down to earth and friendly. I write a blog about being a size 16, and he seemed really into this idea. “When I design for women, I do not think of their bodies – I love women’s imaginations and spirit more!” He sparkles, “My assistant for example can’t fit into any of my collection and that’s fine – I hired her for her personality!”

When I asked him about his collection, although his latest collection is the height of couture, with enlarged sleeves and skirts in many of the pieces, he describes his look as wearable. “It’s all about context,” he explained. “You wouldn’t wear one of these pieces to the beach, would you? But I love them all – I call them my babies, and I couldn’t pick a favourite!”

 
Amongst his celebrity friends present were Mr. Hudson, Beverley Knight (who when watching a playback of the show asked me “Couldn’t you just see me on TV in that?” I definitely had to agree – it was a beautiful sparkly purple bodycon dress), Sophie Anderton and Jimmy Choo – who FYI: was very sweet and polite – despite the fact I was wearing £35 heels from Next!
 
It was a wonderful, sparkling event – filled with people in the industry including designers, photographers, journalists and bloggers. I even got talking to Alexandra Burke’s family over a fantastic chicken dish and chocolate mousse. That’s Chelsea for you – you never know who you’re going to run into over dessert!
 

 
Many thanks to Sassy Minx Miss Lisa for letting me go in her place and get to tell you all about this! And be sure to follow my blog at http://messycarla.blogspot.com!

Now I am all for a bit of china, especially when it comes to settling down to a nice cup of tea, a few fondant fancies and a good book. Which was why my insides did a little jump for joy when I found Trixie Delicious, a continuous range of china, that isn’t necessarily traditional but frankly rocks my world. I want to put the Seven Heavenly Virtues up on my wall, put my junk jewellery into the Stash jar, and stain the Tart teacup with my red lipstick marks. Meet Karen and enjoy the fabulousness behind it all!

Who/what inspires you and why?
Inspiration comes from everywhere- websites tv programmes, magazines, books, shop windows, people on the street…I try and write ideas down, as I go along, but it doesn’t always work out. I’m my own harsh critic and discard allot when I read them back.

What do you love about being a woman in the world?
I’ve always enjoyed fashion and I guess women have more scope with that, than guys. I don’t mind getting older because I’m happy to swap wrinkle free skin for wisdom.. The world has changed a lot since I grew up in the 70s, and I think it is better for women now. The internet has definitely improved the global female network . I live in New Zealand which has a larger female population than male so macho attitudes have had to change as well and here we have had strong female role models- a female PM and Governor General in the last decade.

Where are your five must-go destinations for inspiration, life..
I have had a long relationship with the USA, – Got married in NYC in 1994, honeymooned in San Fran and I have travelled many times to LA.

Oaxaca Mexico where I spent a fabulous birthday. I’m a Halloween baby which coincides with the Day of the Dead celebrations. Tripping through a graveyard, drinking tequila, while mariachi bands and fireworks blasted away, was an experience I’ll never forget.

Melbourne Australia- great city, pretty architecture, fabulous food.

New Zealand’s South Island- beautiful scenic roads with no one on them!

Auckland city.I was born here and have lived here all my life so it is home.The city has grown up a lot in the last decade and is becoming more cosmopolitan which is a good thing.

What has been your proudest moment so far?
Giving birth twice- I have a son and daughter.

Which five tracks make Karen’s day?
I’m a Bowie fan and I love Starman
I have too many musical loves to say…

What are your five must-have, can’t live without fashion and beauty items?
Eyeliner
Niki de Sainte Phalle eyeshadow kit- outrageous colours, hard to find
Red lipstick
Good moisturiser
I’m a fan of tinted moisturisers as I don’t like powder.

Niki de Sainte Phalle perfume- hard to find

What makes you jump-in-the-air happy?
A sense of achievement. Graduating from art school after 4 years. Its tough been a student for so long- going without money etc..

What is your life Motto?.
Don’t just talk about it, do it!!

What is next for Trixie Delicious, and what is your favourite ever piece?
I put together a set of Seven Deadly Sins out of old chipped plates and used different fonts on each. It hangs above my bed and I can’t part with them.
Trixie will just keep going the same way maybe I will develop my own online shop one of these days-see motto…now that I’ve said it I’ll have to do it!

Quick fire round: What’s your favourite?
Shop: Etsy
Book: Many but I like a good bio- Keith Richards by Victor Bockris- hilarious
Website/blog:Badder Homes and Gardens.com- they are wickedly funny naughty and gorgeous girls
Hang-out: Boatshed on the Kaipara harbour, 2 hrs north of Auckland
City: LA
Must-have beauty item:eyeliner – it’s an 80s hangover!
TV prog: Hung
Food: My husbands pasta dishes- he was Italian in a former life.

What does the term Sassy Minx mean to you, Karen?
Confident, foxy and witty

We are crossing our fingers for that online shop, Karen! x

Find our more at www.trixiedelicious.com

Pic credit: http://i-heart.tumblr.com/post/394670743/let-go-of-what-you-think-you-know-iheart

I’ve been getting lots of mailage about how to attract a member of the opposite sex into your life, so Sassy ones, your wish is my command but first, let’s get a few things clear about this manifesting malarky…

• The law of attraction works on an energetic level, energy is always attracted to other energy vibrating on the same frequency; like attracts like, positive attracts positive and negative attracts negative.

• Your most frequent thoughts and the feelings that are attached to them will at some point manifest in physical reality: You are continually co-creating your own reality through your thoughts and the feelings attached to them.

• The universe delivers what you ask for, though not always in the package or time frame you have in mind

• So, basically, if you’re thinking and feeling positive, it automatically follows that you will attract positive manifestations into your life…

Read the rest of this entry »

This week Miss Aimz and I are doing a double dose of love-stuff for your Friday entertainment – I know, I know, we’re ever-so good!

LISA LOVES…

The gorgeous girls at Girly Girl Army posted this fabulous poster by Sark earlier in the week suggesting we print it out, pin it on our mirror and remind ourselves how dee-liciously lovable we are – cute x 10000.

Okay, so if you didn’t know already, I am a BIG fan o’ Glee, to the point of actual obsession, which is why I’ve been playing this on repeat for the ENTIRE week.

Love.

£8.95 www.zavvi.com

Quote I love…

“…One can’t believe impossible things,” Alice said.
“I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen.
“When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast…”

- Through The Looking Glass – Lewis Carroll

AIMEE LOVES…

I was a little bit in love with Romolo Garai’s Bafta look on Sunday night, but I can’t afford Erdem. However I can afford Coast, and although it isn’t mega similar to the designer frock, it has those same great florals and popping colours which I know will look great with fuchsia lips and Bardot-hair, just perfect for summer!

Talking of summer, the beau has purchased tickets for Kings of Leon at Hyde Park on 30th June. And I need THESE to match my glass of cider. So much so, I am asking my BFF Lindsey Kelk – she’s nominated for a book award, here – to get them delivered to her NY apartment and bring them back for me. I’ve always loved NIKE hi-tops but I have never been ’street’, so this combo of gladiator sandal and trainer is rocking my world!

Lastly, this weekend I will be performing Burlesque at the Kissy Kat Club in Portsmouth. So whilst I’m preparing my nipply tassels, here’s something to bump and grind at your desk to – its the tune I’ll be performing to and it makes me smile every time I hear it.

LOVE! x

If like us, you heart fiction, you’ll love the fact that www.lovereading.co.uk has a People’s Choice Awards, where you, the reading public, get to vote for your favourite author AND be in with a chance of winning £50 of book tokens – fabu, non?!

Now, we don’t want to sway your choice or anything, but our gorgeous and talented BFF Lindsey Kelk’s new book I Heart Hollywood is in the running, and not only is it BRILLIANT, she also thanks both Aimee and I in the acknowledgments – what’s not to love? Go vote now!

In the words of Miss Tammy Wynette, ’sometimes its hard to be a woman’. There are definitely some times of the month when this proves to be the case, right? However, I’ve found a little hero in Seven Seas new range called Femibion that I have to tell you about…

Femibion is a colour-coded range of feel-good supplements created specifically for women, and aims to target different stages of well-being. ‘Balance’ is for everyday, ‘Radiance’ is for girls that lead an incredibly active lifestyle, ‘Pregnancy’ for when a girl NEEDS her Omega 3, ‘Wellbeing Mum’ for new mummas and ‘Menopause’ for that next stage of womanhood.

I’ve been taking the pink ‘Balance’ for over five months now and I cannot pimp it enough. As someone that naturally has a hormone imbalance, I’ve been combining it with other supplements that I have to take to regulate my moods and my time o’ the month. I prefer to take holistic therapy instead of medicinal injections that my doctor recommends, so it has been a real bonus to not only feel calmer, less aggressive and weepy, but to have pretty nails that are stronger, hair that is shiny and skin that looks more polished too – hurrah!

So, in case you were wondering I LOVE this prod, they make me feel suitably more sassier than I’ve felt for ages.

FYI: Just so you know, yes, we WERE sent these to trial, but we will ALWAYS, ALWAYS be completely honest with you about what we think, and the minxes will NEVER promote any prods we haven’t tried and tested our sweet selves ‘k?!!

Avaialble from most chemists and supermarkets.

I love pretty pictures, and Frillies for Fillies is one of those great blogs that siphons the interesting fantastical looks from the catwalk collection and mixes them up with a dose of vintage fabulousness and super-cute handicraft. I don’t always have time to scan the net for inspirational pics, or read the fash mags as much as I’d like, but Kate, the tigress at Fillies is always there to inspire my eyes, and she has just landed a writing post at creativenottingham.com. I managed to catch a quickie with her……..

So Miss Kate, tell us more about yourself and what you have done?
Well, during the day I am a lingerie designer and come night and weekend I am a fashion blogger/crafty kitten!

Who/what inspires you and why?
You know, I live by Coco Chanel’s quote; “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening”.

What do you love about being a woman in the world?
A feminine sexuality is such a powerful thing, stockings, suspenders and gorgeous lingerie- there is nothing better then to get dressed up!

Where are your five must-go destinations for inspiration, life..?
I have been to Paris and Barcelona multiple times, but I love them both so much, I will always go back. At the moment, I am building up a great list of destinations I want to visit, like; Morocco, Goa, South of France-for the Oh Lala, Rome for the Romance, and Dallas for the cowboys!

What has been your proudest moment so far?
My degree, it was a difficult time in my life due to personal reasons but I did it with a great result.

Which five tracks make Kate’s day?
It’s a toughie, but here it goes…
‘Hello Conscience’- The Zutons-reminds me of taking my baby sis to her first festival that year.
Best Days-Blur reminds me of a school bus fudge fight (we made it in cooking class)
Lively up Yourself-Bob Marley-so cool
Sister Rose-Ian Brown
Live for Tomorrow-Moby
Because rules are there to be broken here’s a couple more;
Man-Yeah Yeah Yeah’s
Anything Goes-Guns and Roses

What are your must-have, can’t live without fashion and beauty items?
Bad Lash Benefit Mascara
Coralista Benefit cheek colour-perfect for English rose skin.

What makes you jump-in-the-air happy?
Surprises- receiving and giving

What is your life Motto?
‘Work hard play hard’ -one that my Grandad followed

What is next for Frillies for Fillies?
Beautiful soft handmade lingerie watch this space.

The Sassy List: What’s your favourite?
Shop: affordable Vintage Fair in Nottingham. A treasure trove.
Book: Alice in Wonderland
Website/blog: http://kingdomofstyle.typepad.co.uk/
Hang-out: The Walk Cafe Nottingham and Nottingham Contemporary
City: Nottingham
Must-have beauty item: Blusher
TV prog: True Blood-Ooo Eric
Food: Afternoon tea with a medley of cakes

What does the term Sassy Minx mean to you, Kate?
A celebration of being a lady!

Retro geek specs; 10.00, Ruby Rocks 'Broken anchor' tee; 42.00, Pink Accessories skinny belt; 16.00, Fairground 'Won't be Long' shorts; 48.00

The minxes have been talking about this for a while, but we are super-excited to be telling you about the launch of new website, www.laden.co.uk, from Brick Lanes finest shopping superstore! The Laden Showroom was launched 10 years ago and provides a platform for young talent and designers to showcase their designs and collections. Founded in 1999 by brother and sister team Barry and Adele Laden, their vision was to create a unique, special shopping experience.

Aviators; 10.00, Miss Milne cut out body; 54.00, Ink 'Safari' trench;66.00, Oak 'Gold Tree' skinny jeans, Timeless 'Elodie' ankle boots; 51.00

10 years on and this Brick Lane store has launched over 200 independent designers. The store currently stocks over 65 designers including Bonnie, Chandelier, Collect, Connected Generation, JARLO and Orion London making it the perfect one stop shop for everything from party outfits to rock chick chic – and we have got some of the hottest looks and tips down below, just for you, and with the end of the month payday just around the corner, why not have a little sneak peek on the website at all of the delights?!

Become a beau with this bow from Emma Fielden, a marvelous milliner who we had the pleasure of interviewing here earlier this year here. Bows have been just a lil’ bit huge – in this case literally – for quite a while on the street and on the catwalks, and combined with the fabulous fluro, this headband is one big ‘WOW!’

Pull the rabbit out of the hat with this ‘Alice in Wonderland’ bag, 75.00, by Helen Rochfort. Whimsical and charming this printed bag with diamante and bow detailling is just the thing to take with you to see the new Tim Burton film which comes out next month. You are so cultural, darling.

Stripes and ruffles and monochrome-tres francaise! Jaime le ‘Camille’ dress, 48.00, by Renee-parfait for channeling that smouldering starlet inside of you. A beret, a trench, some good hosiery and t-bar heels teamed with red lipstick and all the boys will be whispering “Voulez-vous couchez avec moi?” to you….

It don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing, and Jones and Jones know this only too well, with their ‘Swinging Rose’ skirt, 45.00. Work those hips and dance the night away in the knowledge that you look damn fine.

All the nice girls love a sailor, so get caught by a wrong-un in this “Your Eyes Lie’ vest, 30.00. Perfect for jeans and lazy days, its worth throwing your sensible cap off for.

My current girl crush is Anna Friel. With her signature red lipstick – pick a shade, any shade, it’s the thing to wear this year – and every outfit that she seems to sport after her West End performances in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. I heart a tea-dress, and so does she!
 
 

I am super excited that the V&A have announced they are doing a specially commissioned exhibition on Grace Kelly, from 17th April to the 26th September. Featuring her wardrobe from her days as an actress, the original Hermès Kelly bag, and her wedding dress from when she became Princess Grace of Monaco. My favourite of her films, is Alfred Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief and it certainly makes me wish summer was a bit nearer with its delicious French scenery.
 

I am all for some Tom-Foolery (jewellery) which is why I love this necklace from Vanessa Fristedt @ Supermarket Sarah. Combined with a bit of Westwood check and a pair of platforms, its enough to make any girl feel regal.
 
£30, www.supermarketsarah.com
 
 
On Monday, the Laden Showroom opens it internet shop door and I am VERY excited about it! We are big fans of Laden here at Sassy already, and for a last chance to enter the competition to win 200 quidders worth of clothes and 6 invites to the hottest launch party in LDN town- please go here…
 

 
One of my favourite books of all time is Sarra Manning’s Sealed with A Kiss (Diary Of A Crush), so I was excited to read her new book, Nobody’s Girl. Oh it’s good. It’s very good. I could not put it down. I’m not going to spoil it too much, but read the blurb below, and then buy it – I don’t mean to be bossy, but you’ll thank me for it, promise!
 
Bea thinks she’s the most boring seventeen-year-old in the world. She’s not pretty or popular or funny, unlike her mother who had Bea when she was 17. The only glamorous thing about Bea is the French father who left before she was born and lives in Paris.

But with an ocean between them, will he wait for her?
 
£6.99, www.amazon.co.uk
 

 
Finally, I cannot leave the Friday love post without mentioning how terribly saddened by the death of Alexander McQueen I was. He was a true pioneer of British fashion and one of the best creative visionaries of all time. I feel as if my world had been robbed of fantastical beauty. Designers such as Lee Mcqueen, Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano were always my popstars growing up. As a young designer, it was them that kept me inspired in an industry that’s losing it’s identity to commercialism. They rebel against the norm to produce collections based on unique beauty with twists of darkness. There is no doubt that the world of fashion has lost some of its brightness, and I wonder if the doorway for new edgy, extraordinarily talented designers will remain open as haute couture is siphoned out by the loss of yet another true artist.

Betsy Johnson summed it up in her show at NYFW on Monday- Long Live McQueen xxxxxxxxx

If you can’t date anyone nice, don’t date anyone at all…

The result? Her life — usually joyfully/traumatically occupied with dates, clothes and vodka — is finally easy. Chastity rocks. No wonder nuns are always singing. Everything falls at her feet. Especially men.
Will Sass break the rules? Why does fate keep throwing her in the path of the irritatingly amusing — and gorgeous — Jake? Will she ever roll the dice and play again? Or is a love-free life too good to risk losing?

The Dating Detox is my new favourite book, it’s super-charged, awesome sauce ‘chick-lit’. The leading lady is called Sass – we were always gonna love her with a name like that Sass, weren’t we? She’s straight talking, ever-so likeable and I’d deffo want her as my BFF.

The Dating Detox is a refreshing anti-rom com, but before you run out to get yourself a copy, which you absolutely should, come meet Gemma – funny, pretty and ever so talented – if she wasn’t so fabulous, I might want to poke her eyes out!

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