Release your inner supermodel with Topshop

If you've ever harboured a fantasy to star in your own fashion shoot, Topshop could help you to realise your dream. Starting this week in London's Oxford Circus store (and coming to the Stephen's Green store in Dublin from June 17th to 22nd), a photographic studio set up in store will allow you to style, pose and photograph yourself, without a photographer being present.

The concept is inspired by iconic fashion photographer Helmut Newton's "Photo Machine". He came up with the idea in the 1970s, using a specially designed photo studio where the photographer did not need to be present. The camera was set up on a timer system and the model used a mirror behind the camera to check her pose. In effect, the control of the shoot was handed over from photographer to model.

Now Topshop is paying homage to Newton by recreating his system in their flagship stores, where customers will be able to style themselves as they wish in Topshop fashions, before posing for the Photo Machine and taking their own photo. Check out the customer photos in the Topshop Gallery and head along to the Oxford Circus, Manchester Arndale or Dublin Stephen's Green stores if you'd like to take part yourself.

Image thanks to Topshop

Picnic season with M & S

There's nothing like a picnic in the sun, is there? When the weather is good I love to pack up some food in the evening after work and enjoy it in the park beside the sea near where I live. Which is why I had to have this gorgeous picnic box set from Marks & Spencer as soon as I spotted it in a magazine.

Made from glossy red melamine, and consisting of 2 big compartments and one sectioned compartment for dressings etc, the set stacks together and has a handy metal handle for easy transport. I'll be filling mine with couscous, roasted vegetables, tomatoes and goat's cheese - feel free to comment with your own picnic favourites!

Priced at €14.50, this picnic box is available now from Marks & Spencer and I predict it'll be a popular item, so hurry up and get yours!

(Dimensions: H11 x W14 x D14cm. Picture with thanks to http://www.marksandspencer.com)

Bourjois Rouge Hi-tech

I must admit that I have never been a lipstain fan. This is mainly as a result of an unfortunate run-in (with a product I won't name and shame) years back, when I ended up with lips stained purple only on the outer edges, giving me the look of a vampire who'd just finished dinner. Well, that or a wino. Anyway, when I spotted these little beauties on the Bourjois display, I thought "Never say never" and decided to give one a shot.

Rouge Hi-tech is a water-based liptint that comes in a cute plastic container, with a sponge-tipped wand applicator. I was a bit worried that applying it right would be like learning how colour between the lines all over again, but it turned out to be pretty easy. The tint stays in place where you apply it, but does blend well before it dries, so you can correct any mistakes. It's also easy to apply a sheer coat, or build up to get more colour. You do need to make sure your lips are in fairly good condition, as flakes will catch more colour and give an uneven result, so I always apply a coat of balm and then blot off before applying.

The lasting power of Rouge Hi-tech is a huge plus point for me. When I apply before breakfast, it lasts through breakfast and lunch with only some fading, and the colour fades so gradually and evenly that you don't need to worry about running to a mirror to top it up. I also regularly apply lipbalm over the tint and it does not affect it at all.

The shade I bought is the one used above - Rose Pixel. It's a pretty rosy pink with a touch of red - perfect for summer. There are a number of other shades available and I have my eye on a lovely shade of fuchsia...

Rouge Hi-tech is priced at around €10.70, with most retailers currently offering an introductory price of around €8.50.

Travel in style (and light) with Muji

Gone are the days when air travel was an enjoyable experience. With the advent of low-cost airlines and extra charges for checking in at the airport or checking in luggage, I am coming around to the idea that where possible I will only travel with carry-on luggage. I recently bought a lovely Samsonite wheeled case which meets the size requirements for cabin baggage and is also light enough that it doesn't take up half of the weight allowance while empty. I have used tote bags as carry-ons in the past, but if I do want to use the full 10kg weight allowance some airlines grant, a wheeled case is the only way to travel.

Once you have the right bag, the key to packing light is organisation, which is where the wonderful Muji comes in. A Japanese chain of lifestyle stores, Muji stocks a treasure trove of stationery, kitchen, household and travel goods.

Try the following to organise your clothing: nylon shoe cases for packing extra shoes, mesh garment bags are perfect for separating clothing and soft mesh laundry cases mean an end to packing your laundry in plastic shopping bags for the return journey.

Toiletries is where it can get complicated these days, with the ban on liquids or gels exceeding 100ml. Luckily Muji have a wide array of fliptop bottles, spray bottles, tubes and jars in a variety of sizes under 100ml - you merely need to fill them with your shampoo, shower gel and moisturiser, pack them in a ziplock bag or clear pouch and you're ready to go!

Happy travelling this summer!

So, Lyndar tagged me a while back and I promptly forgot all about it, due to my lack of update-iness on the blog... oops!

Anyhow, I'm cheating slightly and going to describe six pretty, shiny and maybe even sparkly things that I'm loving right now, seeing as my little corner of the web-world is devoted more to things than to me.

* The sun, she is shining and my APC sunglasses have finally come out to play!

* Pretty, shiny and sparkly, my lips are adorned with MAC Euristocrats lipsticks in Milan Mode, London Life and Rue d'Bois these days

* It took me an age to get around to dropping them off to have rubber soles put on, but today I'll be picking up my cherry patent Pretty Ballerinas from the cobbler and I'll finally be able to wear them out this weekend!

* I recently added to my Pilgrim Charms collection with a heart-shaped locket, an antique key and a cute little duck - now my eye is on the multi-coloured hot-air balloon...

* Has the emergence of the sun prompted you to think about trips to the beach? If it has, you might want to hot-foot it to Brown Thomas or BT2, where they are selling this bright and cheery beach bag, designed exclusively for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer by none other than Diane Furstenburg. Priced at €45, all proceeds go to the Irish Cancer Society's Action Breast Cancer, so your money will be going to a good cause - surely a great excuse for another new bag, no?



* And finally, I'm not sure where it fits into the pretty, shiny or sparkly categories, but Isabel Allende has a new book out, The Sum of Our Days and it is a very enjoyable read. Following on from her memoir Paula, she writes about family life after the tragic death of her daughter. This is a moving and entertaining read and I'd recommend it whether or not you already know the author and her work.

Pretty Ballerinas Cherry Patent Rosario

It was a difficult decision to make, but I finally settled on the cherry patent Rosario from Pretty Ballerinas. The colour is so pretty and will be perfect for Summer. I ordered these at the weekend, so I'm dying for the pretty pink shoebox to be delivered!

Pretty Ballerinas can be ordered online and are also available from Arnotts and Seagreen in Ireland.

Camper Spring-Summer 08

I wandered into Camper yesterday and fell in love with half of their Spring Summer collection on the spot. But these shiny red ballet flats have stuck in my mind and I suspect I'll be going back to try them on soon. Pretty and practical shoes are my downfall, and with their glossy finish, rounded toe and practical rubber sole, these hit the mark on all counts.

Check out the Camper website to see more of their fun Spring-Summer collection.