Celebrate Christmas in Style!

Retro Chick is offering free postage for the whole of December on all purchases made directly through the Retro Chick website.

So the price you see is all you pay.

Glam up your wardrobe for Christmas!

Links à la Mode - 27th November 2008

• 39thandbroadway - Ever wonder where fashion trends come from and how they develop, long before they hit the stores?
• A Few Goody GumDrops - A Few Goody Gumdrops asks…Who needs a Mink Coat when you can have a Mink Bag!
• Being High Maintenance, not Bitchy - Being High Maintenance, not Bitchy gushes over Freeman’s Replenishing Body Lotion - the effective, but stinky moisturizer
• Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - I’m saying no to gift cards this holiday season, and looking to the indie sellers on Etsy for some great guy gifts.
• Clutch 22 - Tackling Black Friday and Cyber Monday this holiday season.
• Couture Allure - Couture Allure shows how to dress up your holiday hairdo with vintage accessories.
• dapper kid - Essay on the impact of the Industrial Revolution on Men’s Tailoring.
• Diary of a Style Addict - Diary of a Style Addict Reviews Paint Cosmetics fab mineral eyeshadows
• Dirty Laundry - 37 Things to Love: The Definitive List (And How I Have Way Too Much Time)
• Dogmom’s Dish - Five little luxuries for the holidays, ranging from Free to Sugardaddy Suggestible.
• dramatis personae - Why Dieting is a Dirty Word
• fashion fille - What is YOUR opinion on the trendy scarf? Fashion Fille debates keffieyahs.
• fashion in my eyes - Love of a lifetime,Coco Rocha and Roberto Bolle
• Fashion Pulse Daily - We’ve got the skinny on the upcoming Target accessory designer collaborations — including Felix Rey!
• Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy - Wearing fur, faux and real, is sooo trendy hot! Here are hot looks from all over the globe!
• Hello, Lover… Shoe Daydreams - Recognize the things that trip your relationship up and keep you from having the “real” fairy tale.
• Independent Fashion Bloggers - IFB announces the new newsletter!
• Iole in fashion - Inverno a colori / Colored Winter
• Mademoiselle Robot - Outfit ideas for Thanksgiving.
• Pencil - a look at Suphanut Suwansanya’s, a London Fashion Designer, Autumn/Winter 08 collection and his inspiration.
• Petite Bourgeoisie - Interview with Kristen Calavas of TheLookbook
• Retro Chick - Putting on the Glitz, working your sequins for Work, Rest & Play
• ShopDiary - ShopDiary invites you to access chanel-exclusives.com, the first ever online Chanel boutique, and discover a limited edition selection of Chanel accessories.
• Some Like It Fashion - The shape of things to come: have your say on what ‘look’ will come to define this recession.
• Style Discovery - Style Discovery goes burlesque.
• Sweety P Style FIles - Since I haven’t been shopping in three months, I find myself in a wardrobe recession.
• Tainted & Sweet… - Thank you Daddy Karl!!!
• The Bare Skinny - Eco Friendly and Fabulous…Fashion Goes Green
• THE COVETED - Feathers, Lashes, and Courtney Brooke Hall… vintage fashion photography
• The Sunday Best - Contest on TheSundayBest! Big fun! Big prizes! Big…pandas?
• Your Style Star - Shop on Black Friday like a pro
• Shopping and Info wants to tell you about Kristen Stewart's leather jacket and all the leather jackets on sale this week.
  

Putting on the Glitz

'Tis the season for Glitz and Glamour! It's getting darker in the evenings, the Christmas Party invites are starting to trickle in and we all need a little bit of sparkle in our lives, traditionally reserved for evening wear I see no reason why we can't have a little bit of sparkle in our lives every day.

I'm just loving little touches of glitz. On Friday I wore a sequined skirt and Saturday night a diamante embellished t shirt. Why right at this moment I am wearing this She Ra T Shirt with some lovely gold shiny bits on it. That's my glitz and glamour for a rainy Tuesday afternoon.

So here's how to wear sparkle and sequins for work, rest and play.

For work I think I'd have been laughed out of the office if I'd turned up covered in sequins, maybe you work somewhere a little funkier, but as long as your not a lawyer or some other deeply conservative profession you should be able to get away with a sequin sprinkled jumper or a spangly hair band.

WORK

Team your sequin jumper (£45 Miss Selfridge) with a sensible pencil skirt and these vintage low heeled court shoes (£30 Candy Says) for a look that's all business but cheerily seasonal.

REST

For kicking about at the weekends, popping to the shops, or just lounging on the sofa, you want comfy, even if you still want the sparkle. This Tunic (£14.99 Retro Chick) has a lurex trim on the neck and sleeves and is perfect for lounging around on chilly winter days. Team it with cosy grey ribbed tights and some chunky jewellery, if you're leaving the house you'll probably want to add some boots and a slouchy hold everything bag as well (both from Faith)

PLAY

Night time is the easy one. Sequins and sparkle are everywhere at the moment, in heavily embellished dresses and tops. Toughen up this sequined halter top (£9.99 at Retro Chick) with skinny leg tuxedo trousers, studded heels and this studded clutch (all from Topshop)

What are you wearing? Snow Style

Hat - Millets
Polo Neck - Next
Jacket - Monsoon (from a Charity Shop)
Boot Cut Jeans - Primark
Studded Belt - Primark
Boots - Faith
Gloves - Harrods

It snowed this weekend, which was a refreshing and unsual change. It always gives me a holiday feeling when it snows, though as usual in the UK 4 inches of snow equals a blizzard and everything grinds to a full stop.

Clothing wise snow presents a certain style challenge. It's tempting to just dress up all cosy and look like an eskimo, and footwear always presents a particular challenge for me as I seem to have distinct shortage of waterproof shoes. I went for sensible black boots with a chunky "I don't want to slip and land in a puddle" heels, they did turn out to be less waterproof than I thought they were though, which to be fair wasn't that surprising seeing as they are 7 years old. This cute Monsoon coat is a recent charity shop acquisition and my gloves were a gift, they're from Harrods!

I quite enjoyed kicking around in the snow, way more than the hailstorm I got caught in this morning anyway!

Hat - £18 People Tree @ Topshop
Polo Neck - £15 Dorothy Perkins
Jacket - $155 Madaboochoo
Black Jeans - £12 Peacocks
Studded Belt - £15 Asos
Boots - $249.99 Urban OUtfitters
Gloves - $19.50 American Eagle

Happy Anniversary to Me!!

As of this weekend Retro Chick has been in existence for a whole year. It was a year ago today that I left my old, hellish job and struck out on my own. So to celebrate tonight I will be eating Thai food and drinking fizzy wine. I'd love you all to come out with me, obviously, but that's just not possible I'm afraid. So, to celebrate I'm offering free shipping on any items bought from Retro Chick between now and Sunday 23rd November. Just send me a message at Checkout quoting RETROBLOG and I'll issue a revised invoice less the shipping and, as long as I've had cleared payment, all purchases will be dispatched on Monday, so by Tuesday you could have a lovely new wardrobe!

I've got some fab and funky evening tops

And some suitably slinky evening dresses

Links à la Mode - 20th November 2008

This week we're big on sequins, and Debutante Clothing has the most amazing safety pin bag!

• 39thandbroadway - The truth behind your size label and your vanity!
• A Few Goody GumDrops - A Few Goody Gumdrops is drooling over the all diamond necklace from Mauboussin!
• Being High Maintenance, not Bitchy - How to capture classic 3.1 Phillip Lim style for less
• Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - The Steampunk-stylings of two indie jewelry artists who take wire-wrapped rings to another dimension…
• Debutante Clothing - Debutante Clothing finds vintage inspiration from couture safety pins
• Diary of a Style Addict - is coveting Rihanna’s look on her new “Rehab” video
• Dogmom’s Dish - Tokidoki’s Simone Legno In San Francisco
• dreamecho - Weapon of Choice: Cultural Commentary, Trivialization and Personal Responsibility in Fashion
• fashion fille - A realization of the blogosphere’s current sequin obsession.
• fashion in my eyes - In Maglia E Meglio,Christian Louboutin for Rodarte
• Fashion Pulse Daily - Fashion Pulse can’t wait to get its hands on the Hayden-Harnett handbag collection for Target in December; get a sneak peak now!
• Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy - Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy is loving these young, easy, chic looks from Sandro-a trendy-chic Parisian brand!
• Hello, Lover… Shoe Daydreams - A special limited-edition collaboration between Pantone, the definitive guide to color and SeaVees, the purveyors of California casual
• In Life and In Fashion - Why I am inspired by the woman who invented the wrap dress.
• Independent Fashion Bloggers - Geek Chic: Best Tech for Fashion Bloggers
• Iole in fashion - Sex and The city…again!
• Little Black Book - Fashion Palette: a must for aspiring designers and persons hoping to make it in the fashion industry.
• Mademoiselle Robot - With Christmas approaching, it is useful to know how to wear sequins without looking like a Christmas tree!
• Or False Glitter - - Cherry Lip Lolita: youthful yet provocative beauty
• PONY RYDER - A story behind Laurel S. sign up with NY model management.
• Retro Chick - Baby it’s cold outside: A Guide to buying your perfect Winter Coat.
• Shopping and Info - Shopping and Info found some great clutches that look like Angelina Jolie’s from the Changeling Private Screening in London
• Some Like It Fashion - Going for Gold: The metallic look has evolved and given birth to a new trend. Some Like It Fashion discusses the merits of metal within clothing.
• Style Discovery - “Transformation: Fremantle High Street Collective 2008″. Local fashion delight brought to you by Style Discovery from Perth, Western Australia.
• Style Symmetry - Eyeliah calls cream and yellow a trend to watch!
• The Bare Skinny - Hitting the Trenches to Find the Perfect Coat
• THE COVETED - Faking Confessionals…and reasons why not to do it….
• The Ongoing Project - Developing your personal style, part 3
• The Subadult Years - A personal look at the effectiveness and limitations of the eco-friendly fashion trend in Toronto.
• Your Style Star - 5 Simple Tips For Surviving Holiday Parties

Baby it's cold outside: Buying your perfect winter coat

Oh my goodness, suddenly it's winter! One second I was wondering whether I even needed to bother taking a jacket, and all of a sudden I'm wearing a scarf and sweltering every time I walk into a shop because of my huge winter coat.


I have 3 coats for proper winter, a nice, wool, brown single breasted belted coat for every day, a purple vintage trench coat for not so chilly days when I want to look like a spy, and a black faux suede, faux fur lined short coat which I got from Next a few years ago and is so warm I can wear it over a cocktail dress in December, stand outside for an hour waiting for a bus and the only bit of me that's chilly is my legs. It also, as you can see, got me through 3 very chilly November days sightseeing in Prague a few years ago. Can't stop my ears going bright red though....


If you're in the market for a nice new winter coat there are some gorgeous new styles, in fantastic statement colours and shapes. But don't get blinded into spending all your hard earned cash on something that looks flash but leaves you shivering in the Taxi rank on a friday night and falls apart within 5 minutes.

If you're spending that much money, and they can easily run into hundreds of pounds, you want to make sure that you're getting a coat that will keep you warm and last more than 6 months. So here are my top tips for buying a new winter coat.

BEFORE YOU SHOP

• Set yourself a budget. This might be a bit of an investment, especially if you're skint, but it's worth spending as much as you can manage to get something decent. If you only have £30 then you can get yourself a coat, but it's probably not going to last long.
• What's your style? Those sexy double breasted military coats might look sexy on the catwalk, but if you're a jeans and trainers girl then they're not really going to suit your every day style. So before you go shopping consider whether you're looking for a coat to wear to work every day, one to wear to college where you always wear jeans and trainers, or one to wear over your cocktail dress as you hop from Pub to club.
• What's your body shape? Super stylish ladies don't just wear whatever's trendy that season, they think about what suits them. Hourglass shapes need nipped in waists and single breasted styles, skinny girls with small busts look good in tailored double breasted numbers, if you're short steer clear of anything too long or shapeless.

Once you've answered these questions you'll know what shops you can hit and won't waste time wandering round Karen Millen looking for a casual winter coat in the £40-£50 range or in Primark for a well tailored classic wool work coat in the £200 - £300 range.

WHILE SHOPPING

• Stay Focused. So you've decided you need a formal work coat that you can wear every day and will look good for meetings. Something classic and stylish. Don't let that Fuchsia pink brocade number with bell sleeves turn your head, it will be a total waste of money.
• Dress like normal. There's no point trying on coats over a T Shirt if you normally dress in a chunky jumper. Equally wearing a chunky jumper when you're normally a skinny rib girl can mean you end up with an ill fitting and unsuitable piece of outerwear
• Check the details. Again, the pretty colours and funky details are head turners, but is the coat going to be warm? Is it lined? What is it made of? Feel the quality of the fabric and check the stitching before you hand over your hard earned money. Think about whether you want inside pockets that fasten? Will those lapels end up getting caught on your shoulder bag and pinging buttons all over the bank?

AFTER SHOPPING

• Look after your investment. So. You've just spent the price of a package holiday to Tenerife on a piece of clothing. Don't ruin it by screwing it up under your desk at work, spilling beer over it in nightclubs or stretching the neck out of shape on a hook. Take a hanger into work, check it into the cloakroom and get it dry cleaned when the sun starts to come out so that next year it doesn't look like a dog blanket.
  

Here's my 3 top picks in 3 budget brackets. I think these are pretty all purpose coats, good for work, but pretty enough to stand muster over your little black dress

LOW BUDGET



This coat is has some great fashionable details like bell sleeves and the large buttons and is an absolute bargain at only £40 from George at Asda .

I wouldn't expect it it last you forever, or be as warm as a more high end coat, but it's great if you're on a budget.










MID BUDGET
If you've got £100-£200 to spend on a coat then this purple swing coat from John Lewis is gorgeous.

It costs £150 and it's certainly a statement coat, great for this season, but not so outlandish that you won't still be able to wear it next year.

I think there's something very cute and 60s about this style and I just love it!







WHAT BUDGET?
Money no object? Lucky you!

This gorgeous Pringle of Scotland double breasted coat in a sumptuous wine colour is made from a wool cashmere blend and is lined in a polyester and silk fabric. It costs £1,275 which is a dizzying amount of money (to me!) but it could last you a life time if well looked after, and it's classic style means that it's unlikely to date in a couple of years.

Flexible Dressing

Pretty much everyone loves a beautiful dress, they can be striking, or if it's a little black dress, surprisingly versatile. They are easy to sling on one stop dressing and when you're looking for an outfit for a special event it's most women's fall back position to gaze longingly at beautiful frocks.

But what about the flexibility of separates? I love dresses, and I love dressing them up for different occasions, but if you've got a lot of events to go to you can't beat the flexibility, and economy, of a selection of good separates! A gorgeous dress might cost you £50 or £60, but if you're socializing with some of the same people at events, or liable to end up tagged on Facebook a lot then you might want to limit it's outings.

One gorgeous skirt however, and you can switch tops and shoes to your hearts content at a much lower cost, and much less risk of being unable to tell which party was which in your Facebook photos.

Here's one gorgeous vintage 1980s satin fishtail skirt, available for £12.99 at Retro Chick, and 3 different ways to wear it for 3 different events. Much cheaper than buying 3 new dresses!

For a funky look for a night at a bar, or even a house party team it with bright colours and funky accessories. This vintage 80s hot pink blouse is £9.99 from Retro Chick. Belt it in and team with matching strappy platform shoes and a funky shoulder bag (both from TopShop) for a bright stand out look.

For a more formal event, ball or even your works Christmas do, you can easily create a sophisticated feel. A strapless top, elegant jewellery and accessories, smoky eyes and an up do turn your skirt into an classic evening look.

A more low key event needs a low key look. Dinner for two, an afternoon reception or family meal mean you want to look glamorous, but maybe tone down the sequins and glitter. Teaming an evening skirt with a silk trimmed knit, opaque tights and funky platform ankle boots , which I have totally fallen in love with, shows you're fashion forward and stylish, but won't leave you feeling over dressed.

In Flanders Fields by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Poppy Umbrella from £11.99

Bloggers Unite for Refugees

Sometimes it's really easy to forget how good you have it. In general I'm guessing that most of the people reading this have access to clean water, food, health care of some kind, a roof over their heads and that they know the whereabouts of their family.

The word refugee has become Daily Mail synonymous with Asylum Seeker, Illegal Immigrant and other things that various media outlets would have you believe are a "bad thing". It's easy to forget that behind these labels are real people, with real lives, real problems and real feelings. People who may have lost contact with their families and have no way of getting back in touch, or even knowing if they are still alive, people who have lost their homes and all their possessions, people who have seen the worst side of human nature and are all but forgotten by society.

People do good things and bad things, but it's important to remember that they are always just people, that they are scared, and lonely with no where to turn. Imagine arriving in a strange country, unable to speak the language, with no possessions or resources except those you carry. Knowing that you are not supposed to be there, feeling that any contact with the authorities will end with you being returned to a country where you fear for your life.

Today blog catalog is running the "Bloggers Unite for Refugees" campaign in an effort to increase awareness of the plight of these people and the associations and charities that work with and for them to ensure they get access to things that most of us take for granted.

The Red Cross in the UK and overseas works with refugees and Asylum Seekers, helping them get in touch with lost relatives and providing other essential basic physical and emotional support.

If you would like to donate to help with their efforts you can do so here

The work of the Red Cross and other organisations like them is essential to millions of displaced people across the world.

I urge you to learn more about this issue by going to some of the following links:

UK Refugee Services
http://www.redcross.org.uk/TLC.asp?id=81617

Lutheran Refugee Services
http://www.lirs.org/

Aotearoa-New Zealand Refugee Services
http://www.refugeeservices.org.nz/

United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrant Children
http://www.refugees.org/

Church World Service Immigrant & Refugee Program
http://www.churchworldservice.org/Immigration/index.html

Women's Commission for Refugee Women & Children
http://www.womenscommission.org/

Additional Links/Resources
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/protect?id=3b8265c7a
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refugees
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statelessness
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2001/road_to_refuge/default.stm

Chop Chop...

You may recall (or not) that back in October I mentioned my first efforts at customising a T Shirt for a friends birthday party. Well I've finally got hold of the photos and here they are! I'm not completely happy with the back, I'd have preferred it to be a bit more even, but overall I was pleased. The front print was a photo of the birthday girl and boy (can you call people that when they turn 30?!) that my husband turned into a stencil and we screen printed on with neon paint.

It was pretty simple to do. I just need some practice I think to keep it neat. The basic cuts were as follows:

I used a plain white men's V neck t shirt in a Medium size. Please excuse my terrible attempts at illustration!

First I cut off the neckline from about an inch above the shoulder seam across just under the point of the v neck to the same point above the other shoulder seam. This gives the off the shoulder neckline.

Then I cut about an inch off the bottom of the sleeves so there wasn't too much fabric flapping about. Then I cut about another 2 inches off the bottom of the T shirt as it was too long.


This done, I turned the T Shirt over and cut straight up the centre of the back.

I then cut each side into strips about 2 inches wide going out to about 2 inches away from the side seam. I guess you could make the strips longer or shorter depending on how much flesh you want to flash!

I then put the T Shirt on and got someone to tie the strips together so the the T Shirt fitted me tightly. I used reef knots as they lie flat and I still remember how to do them from tying slings at Brownies (right over left, under and pull, left over right, under and pull!)

Then I took the T Shirt off , trimmed off any excess material from the back and voila. One slightly scrappy looking off the shoulder top! I went for white as it was a neon party and it would glow under the black light. But I think if I were to do it again I'd probably go for black or a darker colour as it might be slightly more flattering!



My full neon outfit consisted of my green stripy tights, a black skirt, pink studded belt, and, joyously, a vintage black bolero jacket with neon green stripy collar. I know it's vintage as it belonged to me in 1988, when I was 9! It might be a little tighter than it used to be, but hey, still being able to get into your own 9 year old clothes feels goooood!

Links à la Mode - 6th November 2008

Heading from Autumn into Winter now with posts on gloves, coats and wellies this week, and for a touch of glamour Dramatis Personae gives tips on a good burlesque, show which makes me really want to get up and try it.

• A Few Goody GumDrops - A Few Goody Gumdrops has just ordered the Ultimate Digital Goody from Vivienne Tam!
• Agent Lover - Mad Crushin’ on the magical world of photographer Kate O’Brien
• Capitola Girl Jewelry Blog - The Devil Wears Etsy (Prada, Eat Your Heart Out)– handmade plaids from emerging artists and designers on Etsy.
• Dogmom’s Dish - Understanding Kawakubo Mania @ Harajuku’s H&M
• dramatis personae - Blood Rhinestone Productions (a burlesque troupe) shares with us: 15 Tips on How to be a Burlesque Superstar!
• eye4style - Luxe leather and wool line Mackage launches mens outerwear.
• fashion in my eyes - Welcome to my world
• Fashion Pulse Daily - Fashion Pulse dishes on Chanel’s Spring 2009 Collection!
• Flights of Fab Fashion Fancy - Gloves: short, medium length and long- fabulous looks with gloves for Fall and Winter!
• Fushion Magazine - Get “fringed” out this season.
• In Life and In Fashion - All Bundled Up: Shopping for the perfect cold-weather coat
• Independent Fashion Bloggers - Fashion Bloggers Claim Your Media Credentials Today
• Iole in fashion - Bad Hair Day
• Little Black Book - The False Lash Revolution: Think false lashes are a bit boring? Shu Uemura has you covered…
• Mademoiselle Robot - How to make a good first impression.
• Or False Glitter - A Polaroid aided shoe sort
• poetic & chic - Review of the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition at its one and only American venue - the MH de Young Museum in San Francisco!
• Retro Chick - Top 5 funky wellies for Autumn
• Shopping and Info - Spotted: Kim Kardashian, Ashley Olsen, and Kate Moss all wearing black on the same day.
• Style Discovery - Songy’s thoughts on the presidential election, racial issues and diversity in the fashion/style blogsphere.
• Technology Starlet - Move Over Size Zero, Slim and Sleek Gadgets Are Taking Over The Catwalk
• THE COVETED - The Coveted finds happiness with celebratory socks.
• The Life and Times of a Problem Child - A certain tendency towards nostalgia and an affinity for white shirts.
• Your Style Star - Style Star takes on the mullet dress.

Remember Remember the 5th of November....

Today is Guy Fawkes Day or Bonfire Night in the UK. Traditionally we all go and stand outside in the cold and the rain to watch an effigy of a man who was part of a plot to blow up the houses of Parliament over 400 years ago get burnt on a bonfire.

Standing around in the cold and the rain presents a special challenge in the style stakes. Heels are out, not practical for standing in muddy fields. Wellies are really the only sensible choice for those of us going to any kind of fireworks display.

A waterproof coat (with a hood) and skinny jeans tucked into wellies doesn't have to be boring, here my favourite 5 pairs of wellies to make your Guy Fawkes go with a (stylish) bang.



I love these super cute lime green wellies with rubber ducks on them. Available from Ebay seller Shu Crazee for the bargain price of £14.99. It seems a shame to get them muddy!











Polka Dots are always cute, and these wellies have a nice girly feel without being all pink and fluffy. Available for £14.97 from My 1st Wish












For something a bit more classic in style go for a pair of Hunter wellington boots. Available in a variety of colours to go with any outfit they are classically styled, seem slimmer on the leg than a lot of wellies and actually look quite elegant, almost like riding boots.










If you're a bit more rock n roll then I love these tattoo print wellies from Schuh they cost £29.99 and have a really cute retro pin up design.












Finally. If you're looking to splash out (ha ha) then why not really make a statement with a pair of Pucci printed wellies. They might cost £125 but they're guaranteed to brighten up grey and miserable days!

Poppy Power!

This Sunday is remembrance Sunday, and now more than ever I think it's important to remember the people that died defending our rights and freedoms and those of others who they'd never even met.

There are people who would use defending us as a reason to gradually erode our civil liberties and impose restrictions on our personal freedoms in the name of protection. I wear a Poppy to remember that personal freedom is still worth fighting for, whatever the cost, as not to do so would be a betrayal of everything my Grandfather and the others of his generation who DIDN'T come home were fighting for.

Having said that, they can be a complete pain to keep attached to your coat! Years of pin pricks, wandering round wearing just a naked green stalk, soggy wilted poppies in the rain and poppies that just randomly disappear has made me wish for a more permanent way to demonstrate my support for this important cause.




Alex Monroe, winner of the Designer of the Year award at the UK Jewellery Awards 2008, has designed this beautiful 18 carat red and yellow gold Poppy brooch, featuring 11 black diamonds. The brooch is a one off design and has been modelled by Danni Minogue, Geri Halliwell and Pixie Geldof at various functions.








Theo Fennel has also designed a beautiful 18k white and rose gold Poppy brooch with delicate poppy engraving, embellished with black diamonds and pink sapphires, as modelled by Helen Mirren.

Both of these beautiful one off pieces of jewellery can be yours as they are being auctioned off by sealed bids on the Royal British Legion Website. £1 from each bid placed goes to the Poppy Appeal and the auction closes on the 5th November, so you'll have to be quick!



If the estimated value of around £6500 is far too rich for you, then why not try your luck on a lowest unique bid auction?



You could win this beautiful Swarovski crystal Poppy, designed by Anglo-Russian jewellery designer Kleshna. Each bid costs £5, but with an estimate value of £2000 you could still grab yourself a bargain for a good cause. It was worn by Olga Kurylenko at the Quantum of Solace premiere.


For permanent freedom from pin pricks and soggy Poppies it's got to be worth a try surely?