Your so vain

This weeks Shortlist looks at how the British male grooming has grown.

Have you noticed how the everyday man we pass on the street is now making the most of himself?  With so much on offer on the shelves of Boots, and the media saying it is OK to moisturise and smell good, men are more aware of the ever growing range of grooming products available and, are more open about using them.
This is, not as we might think, influenced by the modern 'metrosexual' man but by money and status in the work place. In a survery by L'Oreal, 47% of men said thier well-managed appearence helped them climb the business ladder. Men have recognised that looking and feeling well groomed will have a postitive impact on how they feel about themselves and how they perform in other areas of their life.

Admittingly there is nothing more appealing than a man who knows how to take care of himself. I'm not only talking about being well groomed but rather of everyday well being and house keeping. I say this because a boy-friend of mine recently stayed for a few nights in my house, a house which i share with 2 girls so is, generally, a pretty clean one. After a long day at work I came home from work to find he had not only tidied my room, and made my bed, but also hoovered the house. Yes, i nearly fell over in shock too!!

I will always like men for being just that - a man, and being far less vain than any girl i know. Because however good these well groomed men may be looking, it is unacceptable for a man to spend the same amount of time as me in front of a mirror. That is why the R-patz and Johnny depp hobo style will always win me over, prefereing the rugged over the pampered - and their smelly unwashed ways haven't affected their world famous careers.
And in the end if you can make me cry with laughter, even if your slightly un-kept and don't moisturise every night, then your better groomed than any product Boots can offer.

'Get the London look'

According to August Vogue the seasons of dramatic make-up are over. Yes that is a small cheer you hear from me. Piling on eyeshadow with eyeliner is definatly not my fortey and i come out looking like the man side of drag queen. So i am extremly over the moon to hear the barely there approach is back.

Everwhere you lookit is clear this autumn / winter is about restraint and minimalism, and i cannot get enough.

With its neutral pallete this is definatly the designers way of drawing all attention to the clothes. I love the less is more statement.

I am not so talented on the make-up techniques so i decided to try this more refined image for myself and put its simplicity to the test. Vogue explained it is all about depth in the eye socket, velvety skin and most importantly strong, sculpted cheekbones. This sounded easy enough....

and it was. I kept my base clean with foundation, and applied bronzer on my cheekbones. I also applied a light powder above this bronzer, to emphasize my cheekbones more so, a little trick i learned from some teenage magazine that has stuck with me.

I used a light beige eyeshadow all over my eyelid, then swept around a dark brown from the outside corner in. To finish i used a black eyeliner pencil close to my eyelashes from the ouside corner in.

My view on this barely there make-up look....huge thumbs up. It empahasised my best features and made my blue eyes come out to play. It was easy to do and lasted all day with only a little re-applying eyeliner. Definatly my 'London look' as Kate Moss or Sophie Ellis Bexter would say.

Pink to make the boys wink

So so so so happy to hear scissor sisters are back. I can not get enough, just the way i remember them...but better.