Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Cinderella

Whilst most of us grow out of fairytales by the time we arrive at high school, most of us don’t grow out of the fantasy they create of princesses and fairy godmothers. Most of us continue to indulge in fantasies of beautiful dresses, tiaras and glass slippers, no matter what our age. While many of us rarely have the occasion to dress up like a princess – save for very special occasions, like our wedding day – we can still dream. Each season the Haute Couture shows in Paris provide a catwalk of dresses worthy of any modern-day fairytale princess:

Sources: photo #1 Chanel, photo #2 Dior and photo #3 Valentino.

The Haute Couture shows aren’t just about the dresses, they are often staged in the most magnificent and fairytale-esque of settings. Below Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel utilises the spectacular setting of Le Grand Palais just off the Champs-Elysees in Paris; paying homage to the classic Chanel jacket, the Chanel No 5 perfume bottle and then going all out with a lion as the centrepiece:

Sources: photo #1, photo #2 and photo #3.

If my fairy godmother is reading this, I would just like you to know that I would be delighted with any of the dresses above but most pleased with the one below:

Source: sorry I can’t find where I got this – if you know or it is your photo, please let me know and I will credit it.

However, I would hope that my fairy godmother wouldn’t just provide me with a beautiful dress straight from the catwalks of the Haute Couture shows but that she would also provide me with a pair of shoes fit for Cinderella herself. Because a girl just can’t have enough shoes, can she?

So how about these rather fabulous examples of footwear from the catwalks:

Sources: photo #1 Valentino, photo #2 Dior and photo #3 Dior.

As they say in fairytales:

THE END.

What are your favourite things about summer?

Source: flickr

I have only had one experience of a festival and I am ashamed to say that I lasted a total of 24 hours. Lame. I know. But I think my lack of staying power was solely down to a lack of adequate preparation.

To start, our tent was wholly inadequate. A two-man tent for two people is just not enough. Not in the wet Brecon Beacons in the heart of rainy Wales. If we’d maybe been going to Benicassim in Spain, then a tiny tent for crashing in would have been fine. For any festival in the UK I would strongly recommend getting a tent intended for at least one extra than will be using it, if not two. If we were to go again, I would definitely get one of those four-man tents with separate sleeping area and eating area, thereby giving a lot of extra room for sitting when the rain comes. And somewhere to get dressed!

Next up. Wellington boots are a must. I did take a pair of these last time, in case you were wondering! I would, however, recommend taking a few pairs of knee high socks to team with the boots as they tend to rub a little around the top if wearing them without trousers tucked in.

Baby wipes. I quickly realised that these were absolutely essential to keeping any sort of hygiene regime and that one pack simply was not enough. Bring many many packs!

Do not over pack. So easily done but seriously, how often do you actually think you’ll be changing in a cramped and dirty tent? Certainly not more than once a day. If I was to go again I would take one pair of denim shorts, one t-shirt for each day, one pair of underwear for each day, one pair of leggings and one hoodie. Done.

A camping stove and kettle are a good idea. If you also remember tea or coffee and milk. I’d also recommend taking some snacks as it can get expensive eating from the stalls all of the time and sometimes you just need something small to tide you over.

A rucksack or satchel will carry your life with you. I’d say get a waterproof one as you don’t want the contents soaked.

On the note of carrying your life around, don’t take anything valuable to a festival. Ipod? Who needs more music? Jewellery? That’s what Primark is for!! Credit cards? Where do you think you’ll be using them? If it’s worth anything, leave it at home. Even consider taking your old mobile instead of your fancy new (and expensive) iPhone!

I asked some fellow fashion bloggers what their three festival essentials would be.

Leia, from HiFashion, says: Wellies, dry shampoo, and an umbrella!

While Harriet, from Where Is Harriet? says: I'd say a snuggly cardigan for cold nights, a cute head scarf for hiding your unwashed hair, and liquid eyeliner to add a bit of glam!

As for me? My three essentials would be: Baby wipes, some fabulous cheap costume jewellery and bright bright eye make up!

If any of you are off to any of the festivals this summer, be sure to have a fabulous time!

This month's theme here at British Style Bloggers - in case you missed it - is "Keep Calm and Carry On" for the exam season.

For over 10 years I had to face sitting exams every summer; from trivial end of year exams - that felt like the most important thing in the whole world at the time - to GSCEs, A-levels and university finals. I've done them all. And - not wanting to boast, you understand - I've passed them all. But I can say that I am glad that part of my life is over and that if I never have to sit in an exam hall again, it will be too soon.

I'll admit, I am not very good at revising. I'm rubbish in fact. I remember that I always used to make a revision timetable every year and every year within half a day I had already failed to do anything on it so would give up. Give up on the timetable and on the revision usually. Nonetheless I knew it had to be done and somehow it always did get done.

Here are some of my tips to "Keep Calm and Carry On" during exam season:

♥ Take time for a cuppa. Regular breaks are a MUST. Make sure you stock up on your favourite cookies or biccies or whatever will make you feel better.

♥ Eat regularly. Just as you need breakfast, lunch and dinner to perform well at school/college/university, so you do too when revising.

♥ Take a trip to Paperchase for some lovely new coloured pens. I always find that new stationary helps to motivate me.

♥ Make sure you treat yourself. I am a stickler for taking an evening (or two) off during study periods to help me unwind. I find this helps me to be more motivated and less stale when I go back to it.

♥ Have something to look forward to after you have finished all of your exams. Organise a party with friends to celebrate? Book a flight somewhere hot? Buy a train ticket to see loved ones who you might have neglected during the exams? Whatever it is, having something to look forward to makes the revision seem less awful.

♥ Finally, get some sleep. It might seem like a good idea the night before to stay up all night to cram in every last bit of revision but then you'll be in no fit state to sit the exam.

Now that all remains to be said is, good luck!

As the fabulous French designer, Yves Saint Laurent said, "Fashions fade, style is eternal".

When preparing for this post I "googled" a definition for a style icon. Some said that it was someone whose style was timeless (maybe, eternal?). On the other hand a style icon might be more personal. It might be someone who inspires you and how you dress yourself.

Coincidentally (for anyone who might be interested!) I am currently running a series of Style Icons on my blog, if you would like to check them out, please do here. This series is made up of icons who might not be personal to me but they are all women whose style I rate. Here, though, I am going to tell you about my personal style icon(s):

If I had been in one of those US high school flicks, I would've been one of the geeks. Not so much because I studied hard or achieved good results but because of my appalling dress sense and awful frizzy hair! Even during my first few years at university things didn't get much better. I discovered hair straightners in my first year but still spent two and a half years wearing a "uniform" of jeans and t-shirts. That was until I became acquainted with Carrie Bradshaw!

Yes, my style icon is a fictional character. Since my first sighting of Carrie Bradshaw five years ago I have been utterly in awe. I love Carrie's kooky and quirky style. As Coco Chanel said, "In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different". For me, Carrie is irreplaceable. But it is not just this that I love about Carrie's style. Carrie's style is modern and feminine without being a bimbo. I love her use of vintage and modern and her layering. I love her love of shoes. I love the fact that Carrie makes it okay for women to shop and spend (all of) their disposable income on clothes and shoes and bags: