Style Birmingham Issue 36

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2013 ISSUE 36 £2.95 WHERE SOLD

CHRIS TMAS GIFTS, FASHIO N FOOD A , ND MORE!

C E L E B R AT E CH RISTM AS IN ST YLE

“The woman is the most perfect doll that I have dressed with delight and admiration” Karl Lagerfeld

ISSUE 36

C O N T E N TS STYLE WITH 007 Tamsin Egerton the up and coming

035 Drama after dark make a style statement in sexy, shimmering gold

actress talks fashion to Style Birmingham

011 The Harvey Nichols A/W13 catwalk show check out our highlights of a glittering night of style

014 Lucy Kite our TV weather girl picks her fave Christmas gifts

016 Style chart the glam goodies that have got us all hot under the collar...

038 Vintage appeal how to look amazing in styles from days gone by this season 039 Update on the LBD the classic little black dress gets a 2013 makeover

STYLE FOR BEAUTY 042 Beauty news want to dazzle for party season?

We’ve got the know-how

034 Style meets...Genelle Aldridge, TV presenter turned fashion entrepreneur

049 Top-to-toe beauty create a stir at the Christmas party with a look that’s sexy but chic

040 The Midlands Fashion Awards read our report of the night, and see the winning designs!

051 Kate Beckinsale want to channel her look?

STYLE FOR CHRISTMAS

STYLE FOR MEN

017 The most gorgeous gifts from Harvey Nichols

052 Style news edgy accessories, the perfect winter

018 Our pick of fabulous presents from Pavilions

057 Party night here’s how to work that Clooney-in-

Follow our tips and tricks

shoes and investment jackets

Armani look...

020 Perfect presents for that special someone,

058 Trend report stylish separates come to the fore

from The Fort

this December

028 The Christmas gift edit: need ideas and inspiration? It’s all here

060 David Beckham naked! or nearly naked, courtesy of his new underwear collection

046 Beauty gifts from luxury coffrets to

063 Meet Kevin McCloud the Grand Designs

stocking fillers, there’s beauty booty for all

star reveals what he really thinks about Birmingham’s city centre

056 Gifts for him difficult to buy for the man who has everything? We have the answer!

064 Appy days choose the right app for you this Christmas with our expert help

066 Food and drink from hampers to wine, we’ve got Christmas feasting covered

068 Party food canapés to die for...four easy recipes to wow your guests

STYLE SOCIAL 070 Ghost comes to Birmingham we go behind the scenes and meet the stars

STYLE FOR WOMEN

072 Social news check out our round-up of who, what, where and when in the city

024 Fashion news supermodels, stilettos and sassy eveningwear for special nights out

074 What’s on stuck for something to do this festive season? You came to the right place...

031 Country house party the season’s most fabulous party wear, in our stunning shoot

078 Win a £500 shopping spree at The Mailbox!

FRONT COVER IMAGE courtesy of Miss Selfridge issue 36

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ISSUE 36

p u b l i s h e d b y Publishing Ink Ltd. m a nag i n g d i r e c t o r Andrew Riley sa l e s m a nag e r Vanessa Allan e d i t o r Sarah Drew Jones CONTRIBUTORS

Isabella Silvers Lizzy Gardner Sarah Morris Vicky Gayle Philip Ellis Lucy Kite d e s i g n Mark Sargent, Damian Bennett p u b l i s h i n g i n k l t d. fifth floor white house 111 new street birmingham b2 4eu e m a i l info@publishingink.co.uk t e l e p h o n e +44(0) 121 631 6101

www.publishingink.co.uk

All information is correct at the time of going to press.

Please note that prices for items are subject to change so may vary from those mentioned contact individual stores for definitive pricing information. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, without prior permission. We make every effort to ensure that firms and organisations mentioned are reputable, however, we can give no guarantee that they will fulfil their obligations in all circumstances. Contributors’ opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or of Publishing Ink Limited. Any material submitted is done so at the owner’s risk, and the company can take no responsibility for the safe storage or return of such material.

© publishing ink 2013

CONTACT: +44 (0) 20 77 20 97 25 UK@THOMASSABO.COM

HOUSE OF FRASER I CORPORATION STREET SELFRIDGES BULLRING I UPPER MALL EAST BULLRING BULLRING SHOPPING CENTRE I UNIT SU 324, LEVEL 3 BIRMINGHAM WWW.THOMASSABO.COM

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style exclusive

SHELLEY GEM CLUTCH, £35, NECKLACE, £25

ENGLISH ROSE Wi t h h e r s tar o n th e rise , beauti ful B r i t actr ess Tamsi n E ge rt on i s ta ki n g h e r firs t s te p s int o the wor ld of fashi on as the br and n ew fac e of Acces s o riz e . He re , Tamsi n li f ts the li d on her l ove of fashion, f rom h ig h s treet to hi gh end luxury labels

issue 36

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style exclusive

A front-row favourite at London Fashion Week, it was only a matter of time before Tamsin Egerton put her own stamp on the world of fashion. This autumn, following in the footsteps of former ‘brand ambassadors’ Kate Upton, Claudia Schiffer, Lily Cole and Bar Rafaelli, Tamsin was unveiled as the new face of the well-loved accessories brand, Accessorize.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past five years, Tamsin will be instantly recognisable. She’s been quietly building a TV and movie career in some well-reviewed work with stars from both sides of the atlantic. She played Chelsea Parker in the 2007 film St Trinian’s, starred alongside Rowan atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Dame maggie Smith and the late Patrick Swayze in British movie Keeping Mum, popped up in Chalet Girl starring with Felicity Jones and caused a stir as guinevere in the 2011 TV series Camelot.

Originally from Hampshire, Tamsin – who turns 25 at the end of this month - began her career in youth theatre before making a speedy transfer to the Royal Shakespeare Company. Choosing a modelling career over drama school, Tamsin got her big acting break in teen roles, in such TV shows as The Mists of Avalon and Silent Witness.

This autumn, those early modelling jobs have come in handy, as Tamsin signs up to front the new collection for accessorize, full of gorgeous tote bags, vintage-style jewellery and a chic girl-about-town vibe.

We caught up with Tamsin to find out how she’s enjoying her new foray into fashion.

The Accessorize campaign was shot in London. I love the diversity of the capital. I like how each borough has its own vibe and feel. I also love the beautiful architecture, with old and new side by side.

I’ve got my eye on several pieces and wanted to take them home from the shoot! The gold and black bracelets were great, and I like the gold rings as you could mix and match as many or a little as you liked to create such different looks. The rings actually worked really well together with the bracelets. There are also a few gorgeous tote handbags this season that definitely caught my eye!

I’m not a fan of big, statement jewellery. I usually go for subtle pieces, and I like it when someone’s jewellery catches your eye and entices you to take a closer look!

I have a few accessories that are close to my heart. I couldn’t live without my beautiful Céline handbag; it was a gift that I absolutely cherish. also, a particular necklace my mother bought me for my 18th birthday: it has such sentimental value and it’s priceless.

How would I describe my sense of style? my style is schizophrenic! One minute I’ll be wearing bright girly dresses and the next I’ll be swinging towards more structured masculine things. I don’t like to only have one particular style as it means I get bored easily.

The red carpet can be fun. I love dressing up for events: to me it’s almost like wearing a costume for the evening.

NECKLACE, £19, COCKTAIL RING, £14

I’m personally becoming more daring and experimental with my style so I can’t wait to bring that out on the next red carpet. Being loaned jewellery is also a huge highlight, as I’m sure you can imagine!

I’ve been writing my autumn/winter wishlist. I love miu miu, alexander Wang, Phillip Lim, acne and Opening Ceremony. I’m looking for a great structured wool coat at the moment. an embellished jumper might be quite fun too.

I do have a guilty secret to confess when it comes to extravagant fashion purchases. I love handbags! I’m an absolute sucker for them! my first major purchase when I was younger was a classic Chanel 2.55 (which usually retails from around £3,000).

I grew up in the pretty Hampshire countryside. my favourite thing about that was the family country walks we used to go on together with all the dogs in tow. Being out and about amongst all that nature as a kid just made

“I do have a guilty secret to confess when it comes to extravagant fashion purchases.

I love handbags!” issue 36

my imagination explode. I’m still a huge nature lover.

My first love is acting, and it’s interesting to see how modelling compares. It’s so very different. With acting you cultivate a character over a period of time, but with modelling you have to change your persona and physical presence every split second. I enjoy that.

I love to travel. my favourite country is Italy. I also really loved visiting Japan and still get butterflies when I visit New York. my perfect weekend? I would spend it exploring a new foreign city. Discovering new places is a real passion of mine.

When I’m in transit, my essential hand-luggage items are always ear plugs! I also make sure I pack a facial moisturiser for the flight: I like Dermalogica’s Skin Smoothing. Then it’s an iPad, a cosy cardigan to wrap up in and a good book, as well.

I like to relax with some music on my iPod. The last three songs I downloaded were Bat for Lashes: All Your Gold, Jane Birkin’s La Gadoue and Tame Impala’s Mind Mischief.

I have lots of new films in the pipeline, so I have to be careful to look after my health between jobs. I love my sleep. I make sure I eat well, too: I think nutrition is key to good health. I try and stay active but I’m more into sport than I am the gym.

I’m lucky in that I get to meet some pretty exciting people on film sets. But I think I get more star struck with directors than I do actors. Though Patrick Swayze was incredibly lovely to work with...

stylebirminghammag.com

style exclusive

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CHUNKY HAT, £19, SNOOD, £20, BAGS FROM £20

MONOCHROME TOTE BAG, £37 HANDHELD BAG, £35

SCARF £25, TOTE BAG £37

• The Accessorize A/W collection is now in store issue 36

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style exclusive

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RUNWAY REPORT We w e r e fro nt row and c e ntr e for the autumn/wi nter catwalk s h ow at H arvey Ni chols

Paul Jones works on model Sarah’s hair

WHAT: Harvey Nichols AW13 Fashion Show WHERE: The Old Post at The Mailbox HIGHLIGHTS: The latest collections from Vivienne Westwood, Kenzo, Peter Pilotto, Jenny Packham, Dolce & Gabbana, Stella McCartney, Givenchy and Alexander McQueen were all on show, in a riot of gorgeous, luxury fashion.

THANKS TO: Hair by Paul Jones and SHOW Beauty.

Makeup by SpaceNK. Nails

by Shavata. Sponsors: Aston Martin, Quilter/ Cheviot Investments, Webster’s Interior Designers and Streets Accountants. In association with Professional Player magazine.

• All fashion now in-store at Harvey Nichols Birmingham.

7.

8.

The closing scene of the show

1. Peter Pilotto top, £360, Peter Pilotto skirt, £595, Mulberry bag, £595 2. By Marlene Birger coat, £499, Paul Smith Black jumper, £130, Escada Sport trousers, £175, Stella McCartney clutch, £625, Alaia ankle boots, £1,590 3. Alessandra Rich dress, £1,925, Jimmy Choo glitter sandals, £425 4. Thu Thu jacket, £490, Thu Thu skirt, £490, McQ Alexander McQueen ankle boots, £385, Sophie Hulme clutch, £295 5. Proenzer Schouler jumper, £495, McQ Alexander McQueen skirt, £265, Giuseppe Zanotti ankle boots, £630, Alexander McQueen metallic clutch, £485 6. Sass & Bide jacket, £990, Chloe shirt, £625, Kenzo trousers, £345, Saint Laurent Paris shoes, £375, Alexander McQueen clutch, £1,240 7. Roksanda Ilincic top, £515, Roksanda Ilincic skirt, £485, Jimmy Choo clutch, £425 8. Proenzer Schouler jumper, £965, Proenzer Schouler skirt, £870, Mulberry bag, £750

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STYLE CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS AT

THE MAILBOX

T h e M a i lb ox may b e und e rg o in g a tr ansfor mati on but i t ’s sti ll very m uc h op en fo r b usi n e s s. Sh o p fo r luxury gi f ts at H arvey Ni chols and Emp or i o A rm a n i , or b o o k i n f o r a s p o t o f pre -C h ri stmas pamper i ng at the Ni cky C lar k e a n d Ton i & Guy E s s e nsuals sa l ons and the M almai son Le Peti t Spa

FUN IDEAS FROM

Elemis Sparkling Beauty coffret, £49.50

HARVEY NICHOLS

Harvey Nichols Riot of Colour Good to Go hamper, £150

Harvey Nichols Connoisseur hamper, £1,000

Harvey Nichols Penguin gingerbread cookie, £3.95

Hattie and Blyth candy cane, £8.50

Harvey Nichols late bottled vintage port, £18.50

Chase Gooseberry Vodka, £45 Harvey Nichols Christmas pudding, from £3.95

Harvey Nichols Cocktail gift set, £55 issue 36

• Want more ideas and inspiration? Visit the Harvey Nichols Foodhall in The Mailbox stylebirminghamMAG.com

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STYLE CHRISTMAS

GORGEOUS GIFTS FROM

EMPORIO ARMANI

Velvet necklace, £315

Boots, £540

Mini leather box bag, £495

Leather necklace, £305

Velvet bowling bag, £740

CA SINGE ROL R SERENS WILL SHOPP ADE DECEMERS IN BER!

Ankle boots with jewel, £555

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY SEE A CHRISTMAS MOVIE FOR FREE! Harvey Nichols Winter Warmers Free movies and mulled wine

FESTIVE FEASTING AND CHRISTMAS CHEER

Level 3, 10am – 4pm 22nd – 24th November 29th November – 1st December 6th – 8th December 13th – 15th December

LUXURY HANDMADE CRAFTS MARKET Crafty Muthas Luxurious handmade gifts Level 7 Friday 29th Nov and 13th Dec – 1pm - 8pm Saturday 30th Nov and 14th Dec – 10am - 5pm

• Enjoy two courses for £25 or three for £35 at the Harvey Nichols Espresso Café, starting off in style with a glass of Prosecco!

• Select from five different mains in the Côte Brasserie three-course Christmas menu, for just £29.95 • Malmaison’s legendary Christmas Sunday lunches, £24.95, are available on weekends throughout December, as well as Boxing Day and New Year’s Day!

• Bar Estilo has a range of tempting menus – lunchtime, tapas and three sumptuous courses – from £15.95 • Enjoy a Provence Christmas at Café Rouge, where the three-course £19.95 menu offers such treats as smoked salmon, duck and tarte au chocolat • Bar Epernay’s great value menu serves up two courses for £22.95 and three for £27.50, with plenty of tempting choices

For more information on our events visit our website mailboxlife.com follow us on twitter at @mailboxlife

become a fan on facebook: facebook.com/mailboxlife

we’re on pinterest pinterest.com/mailboxlife

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^ y s c e u v L Lo

STYLE EXPERT

^

...THE BIG CHRISTMAS CHILL

I T V w e at h e r p r e s e n t e r L U C Y K I T E f o r e c a s t s s t y l e i n t h e c i t y will bring you love’ (I hope it does!): shuandme.com

Harvey Nichols Champagne hat box, £45

Something about Mabel also sell bracelets that suit my yogi friends perfectly with little Buddhas hanging off them. They’ve got their own website but you’ll also find them on the Got To Have site where you’ll probably get distracted by the collection of clothes for yourself too. I often wear their dresses on the weather reports: somethingaboutmabel.com, gottohave.co.uk We always get told to buy food locally but I love buying local from designers too. I met so many when I hosted the Midlands Fashion Awards recently including Rew Clothing. They’re based in Tamworth and make the quirkiest, yet easy to wear scarves. In fact Rew stands for ‘Really Easy Wear by Rachel Emma Wright’. These scarves simply fasten with a button but look extravagantly styled: rewclothing.co.uk

Harvey Nichols Riot of Colour Good to Go hamper, £150

As the temperatures drops, the blood pressure rises. That ‘I should be buying Christmas presents not another pair of shoes for my overloaded wardrobe’ panic kicked in around September for me as all the festive fandangles started appearing in the shops.

I immediately started yet another list in my already list-filled notebook, this latest one for present ideas! This is a desperate attempt to be organized and have a stress-free December but of course it rarely works out that way and there is generally a last minute dash to the shops. Well, no, not this year: I repeat, not this year!

Christmas 2013 I am going to enjoy a big Christmas chill.

This is how I plan to do it:

Shu And Me

Something About Mabel

issue 36

STEP 1: Get online I’ve decided to get everything online, despite living minutes from some amazing shops: my snuggly PJs and sofa are far more appealing on a cold winter weekend. If I do head out it’ll be to watch other frantic shoppers rush around, and feel incredibly smug that I’m sorted!

This is where I’ll be shopping. Both Shu and Me and Something About Mabel are amazing for cute little bracelets and trinkets that are beautifully crafted with love. Shu and Me actually personalise the card that holds the bracelet with a relevant message. I bought a love heart bracelet for my friend who is looking for love: it’s sits on a card that reads ‘this bracelet

I also love a good Christmas hamper and you can’t go far wrong with Harvey Nichols. From beauty pamper hampers to food and wine. My favourite is the mini Champagne hat box and the new healthy option range of foods, I love the colourful packaging and the hampers start from £45! Find Harvey Nichols in The Mailbox.

STEP 2: Treat yourself There is no way you should get through Christmas without buying yourself a little pressie. You’ve worked hard all year and now is the season of goodwill, so be good to yourself! Buy yourself a new party dress as a matter of urgency. Stick that on the top of your to do list and feel good about it!

Which brings me nicely onto step 3...

STEP 3: Take care As some of you may know, I’m not just a TV presenter I’m also a yoga teacher and wild about wellbeing. That doesn’t mean I am a saint though - I over indulge with the best of them – however, I do know how to look after myself.

My top tip to ward off colds and stay energised over the festive season is to invest in a juicer. It’s the best thing I’ve ever bought. Start your day with a super powered nutritious juice and when you’re scoffing your third mince pie at 11am you won’t feel half as bad.

Promise.

Next, learn to breathe. Ok, I know we do that naturally but most of us don’t do it properly. Shopping stress, family stress, money stress, hangover stress.

It can sometimes get too much. Yoga teaches you to breathe effectively and it changes everything. Try this.

Sit somewhere quiet. Close your eyes. Place one hand on your tummy.

Breathe in through your nose for the count of five. Hold for five. Breathe out for five. Simple. Set your alarm for 10 minutes and repeat those easy steps.

Finally, if you want to try my yoga class, you’ll find me at The Club and Spa at The Cube every Wednesday at 7am. Bring this magazine with you and for the whole of December you can try my class for free. An early Christmas pressie from me to you.

I hope that’s helps makes your Christmas a happy one. Don’t forget to look out for my new website and blog called Lucy Kite: Life Full Of Inspiration For A Strong Happy You. You’ll find me at: lucykite.co.uk, or follow me on Twitter: @lucykitelife

x x y c Lu PS: I won a trophy!

I was so excited to win Best On-Screen Personality at the Royal Television Society Awards. The perfect end to an action packed year!

stylebirminghamMAG.com

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STYLE EXPERT

THE

ST Y L E C H A R T

I f i t ’ s h o t, i t ’ s h e r e : t h e m u s t - h av e s w e ’ r e o b s e s s i n g a b ou t r i g h t n ow

1.

For the first time, the Christmas Emporium has come to Selfridges.

Traditionally based in London at the Oxford Street store, the Emporium is a collection of festive huts showcasing everything from games and toys to food, drink and – yay! – beauty (look out for top brands such as YSL). Love!

2.

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Could we love these wintery cushions any more? Marks & Spencer has tapped the rural retreat trend with lovely velvet and satin cushions bearing images of reindeer, polar bears and robins, from £15: we want them all.

7.

3.

The trend for motorcross and biker jackets is still going strong. Head to River Island for a good selection of both leather and faux leather, priced from £60. Add a dash of shearling or fur trim, and you’ve got winter sorted.

Ready to wrap? Check out the gorgeous gift-wrap at House of Fraser: they’ve gone festive with a delicate palette of silver, gold and palest baby pink. So chic! And – bonus – there are decorations to match!

4.

Party season beckons and that means only one thing: it’s time to pull out all the stops. Invest in a statement dress and you’ll be set until spring: we love this showstopper, just £49.95 from H&M.

Crackled gold has that vintage look that’s part Great Gatsby, part Oscars red carpet. Choose it on a clutch bag and it’ll pair with any outfit in your wardrobe: chain bag, £49, Dune.

Pink is this season’s surprise micro-trend, in all shades from powder-puff to shocking fuchsia. These edgy heels, £65 from Office, will transform last year’s LBD in an instant.

9.

Necklaces that pack a punch continue to dominate the fashion world, and this beauty, £42, is set to land in Topshop this November. It’s already on several fashion editors’ wishlists, so secure yours now.

10.

8.

You can’t beat Bhs for affordable gifts and we’ve fallen hard for this cutesy notebook: the perfect stocking filler at just £6.

issue 36

When your feet are crying out for a break from heels, slip into the bliss of these fantastic white rocker boots, £60 from Dorothy Perkins. Achingly on trend, team with skinny-fit denim and faux fur.

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STYLE GIFTS

Harvey Nichols Fashionista hamper, £75

Mulberry Bayswater in taupe, £1,500 Sophie Hulme floral bag, £335

Tom Ford Black Orchid gift set, £75

HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM

HARVEY NICHOLS I f i t ’s d e lux e a n d d e l i g h t f u l g i f t s you ’r e d e s i r i n g, h e a d t o T h e M a i l b ox a n d t h e t r e a su r e t r o v e t h at i s H a r v e y N i c h o l s !

Kenzo backpack, £450 UGG classic Bailey boots, £175 Benefit Groovy Kinda Love gift set, £29.50

TREATS HE’LL LOVE Vera Wang Men EDT gift set, £47

Paul Smith scarf, £95

G Shock watch, £90

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style expert

Necklace, £12.50, Daisy & Eve at Evans

FOR hER Shea Soap Collection, £22, L’Occitane

Bag, £14.99, H&M

Lizzy blanket, £50, Laura Ashley Autograph boots, £109, M&S

A PRESENT FROM

Best of L’Occitane, £62, L’Occitane

PAVILIONS B ag a l l you r g i f t s i n o n e s h o p p i n g t r i p ? S ou n d s g o o d t o u s . H e r e ’ s o u r p i c k o f s o m e o f t h e fa b f e s t i v e g i f t s o n o f f e r at Pav i l i o n s Marcel Wanders cufflinks, £19.50, M&S

Globe, £50, Laura Ashley

Grooming Essentials, £49, L’Occitane

Solo by William Boyd (Jonathan Cape), £18.99, Waterstones

Jacket, £34.99, H&M

Imperial War Museum Rally Round the Flag Bloke Soak, £7.50, M&S Bobble hat, £12.99, M&S

issue 36

stylebirminghammag.com

DON’T MISS BERT & GERT’S MARKETS THIS CHRISTMAS!

CHRISTMAS AT

20

STYLE FASHION

Reindeer cushion, £12.99, Homesense Heart and chain bracelet, £6.50, Miss Selfridge

Armani Diamonds Rose EDT 50ml, £34.50, The Perfume Shop

French Connection Ultimate Indulgence Collection, £35, Boots

Chunky sock booties, £9.50, M&S

for her Joules Flower Kindle Case, £35, Boots

Leopard print double zip tote, £28, Dorothy Perkins

Chunky Gun necklace, £35, Topshop

FEST

S T F I G E V I

T M FRO

op s sh a m t ris e Ch k a M

T R O F E H

ad d he n a easy ping

to

Fort The

Sh

ll! it a o d to Pa r k g n oppi Pocket square, £4, Burton

Watch, £30, Next

Hello Kitty earmuffs, £8, M&S Telescope £20, Early Learning Centre, Mothercare Ted Baker Performance In A Bag, £35, Boots

Christmas Bear, £19.50, M&S

for the kids issue 36

for him stylebirminghamMAG.com

NEXNEW R T ST IVE ORE R ISL S N AND OW + OPE N

THIS SEASON’S GREATEST HITS

READ OUR STORIES AT WWW.THEFORT.CO.UK FREE PARKING - J6 OF THE M6

22

STYLE EXPERT Carrie-Anne wears: Leopard top River Island £15, Black Jeggings New Look £22.99, Leather Waistcoat New Look £24.99, Shoes New Look £29.99, Bangles (set of 4) New Look £4.99, Tassel Bag River Island £100, Laura Edwards wears: Sequin gold dress River Island £70, Boots New Look £44. 99, Necklace Next £7.99, Bag Warehouse £28, Laura Fleming wears Shorts New Look £17.99, Sequin top River Island £38, Tights River Island £8, Shawl River Island £55

(Left to right) Laura Edwards wears: Leopard Skirt River Island £20, Top Next £12, Jacket Warehouse £48, Boots New Look £29.99, Carrie-Anne wears: Leopard Dress New Look £14.99, Shoes River Island £15, Love Necklace River Island £12, Tights Oasis £8, Shoes New Look £24.99

Shorts New Look £17.99, Sequin top River Island £38, Tights River Island £8, Shawl River Island £55

Leopard top River Island £15, Black Jeggings New Look £22.99, Leather Waistcoat New Look £24.99, Shoes New Look £29.99, Bangles (set of 4) New Look £4.99, Tassel Bag River Island £100

VINTAGE GLAMOUR AT THE

Jeans New Look £45, Shirt River Island £28, Belt River Island, Necklace New Look £5.99

FORT SHOPPING PARK

Birmingham based girl group, The Glamophones, have just appeared in The Fort Shopping Park’s new AW13 campaign; ‘This Season’s Greatest Hits’. Primarily a vintage cabaret act, taking lead from the 1940s and musical groups such as The Andrews Sisters, The Glamophones enjoy putting a vintage twist on modern songs currently in the charts. Here Carrie-Anne McNally and Laura Fleming explain why they love being part of The Glamophones and how to get that all important vintage look…

dances to the fashion icons of that era, they are all timeless.

How long have you all been singing together?

How do you create your unique vintage style?

We’ve been singing together for a couple of years now. It’s great as we’ve got to that stage where it’s so natural and we all know where our voices sit within the group.

It’s great being a group of girls as we tend to mix and match a lot of our wardrobe items. We tend to work around a theme and go with it. Currently we love a bit of sequin!

Heels are a must of course.

What or who inspired you to perform 1940’s music Carrie-Anne: For me it was my Nan, she was a huge inspiration to me. She had a lovely singing voice and had that real vintage sound with a cute Irish twang. So as soon as I realised I could sing I wanted to sing all the old songs!

Laura Fleming: It’s the same for me in a way. My dad loves that era of music so having the opportunity to start singing that style with the girls was amazing.

What is it about the era that you love?

Wow, so many things! I guess the glamour of it all really. Everything seemed so effortless and beautiful in the 1940s. From the songs and

Who is your style icon?

Carrie-Anne: Mine has to be Paloma Faith. I think she is really good at mixing vintage with modern trends, from her music to her makeup and clothes. She’s just the right amount of quirky.

Laura Fleming: Mine would be Jess in New Girl (played

by Zooey Deschanel) I’m a big fan of a high waist and cute patterns.

Where should we shop if we want create the Glamophones look?

When we first started singing together, we’d mainly shop around the Custard Factory and in charity shops to get the kind of style we were aiming for. But this year the retro vibe has really exploded on the high street, so we’ve been spoilt for choice. To get a vintage look it’s always best to shop at several different places, piecing together items that no-one else has thought of. The Fort is perfect for that as there is such a range of shops that carry the look such as Topshop, River Island and Warehouse.

If you were performing on a desert island and could only take one piece of makeup or clothing to create your look what would it be?

Carrie-Anne: Well if we can be a bit cheeky and go together, Laura could take one thing, I could take another and we could share! So mine would have to be red lipstick. My look is never complete without my red lips.

Laura Fleming: And mine would be eyelashes! I spend an unhealthy amount of time making sure my own eyelashes and my fake ones are perfect. It’s really important to get that wide eyed look.

Best beauty/style tip you’ve been given by your Mum/ Gran/Sibling Carrie-Anne: My mom doesn’t wear much make up but the best tip she gave me is to exfoliate. It is also very important to create the perfect base for your make up.

Laura Fleming: My mom has a very classic look so her best piece of advice is less is more.

What party look will you be coveting this Christmas?

We’re really excited about party season as we’re heading even further back in time and taking on a 1920s inspired look - a little bit of tassel and tease!

You can see The Glamophones perform at The Fort Festive Festival on the 24th November and they will be holding a ladies night at Dorothy Perkins on the 12th December.

The Glamophones will also be performing across the West Midlands throughout Christmas and New Year. To see full tour dates visit www.theglamophones.com To find out more about The Fort’s new campaign and the Fort Festive Festival visit www.thefort.co.uk

Main group image from left to right: Evon wears: Orange top River Island £30, Jeans Next £45, Shoes New Look £24.99, Joseph wears: Jacket New Look £49.99, Chinos Burton £25, t-shirt Burton £16, Boots Burton £50, Carrie-Anne wears: Leopard Dress New Look £14.99, Shoes River Island £15, Love Necklace River Island £12, Tights Oasis £8, Shoes New Look £24.99 Callum wears: Check Shirt New Look £14.99, Red Chinos Burton £25, Pumps Burton £22, Parv wears: Top Warehouse £25, Jacket New Look £19.99, Necklace Warehouse £18, Jeans Warehouse £55, Shoes River Island £29.99, Laura Fleming wears: Jeans New Look £45, Shirt River Island £28, Belt River Island, Necklace New Look £5.99, Shoes River Island £35 Shereece wears: Yellow Top River Island £18, Tartan trousers River Island £35, Jacket River Island £50, Shoes New Look £29.99, Laura Edwards wears: Leopard Skirt River Island £20, Top Next £12, Jacket Warehouse £48, Boots New Look £29.99 issue 36

stylebirminghamMAG.com

In two mInds? mIx and match choose your two favourite deli sandwiches and have half of each for £4.99* to rEdEEm this offEr quotE ‘two minds1’ at thE ground floor, liBrary cafE

*ExcludEs saturdays Terms and Conditions. 1. This offer is only redeemable at the Library of Birmingham, Library Cafe, Centenary Square, Birmingham (subject to availability). 2. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. 3. Amadeus, part of the NEC Group reserves the right to refuse or restrict the use of this offer. 4. Amadeus, part of the NEC Group will not enter into correspondence regarding any aspect of this promotion. 5. Amadeus, part of the NEC Group reserves the right to amend, alter or withdraw this promotion at any time without prior notice. 6. This offer expires 24th December 2013.

8am to 8pm monday to friday, 9am to 5pm saturday and 11am to 4pm sunday ground floor, liBrary of Birmingham, cEntEnary squarE @BirminghamcafE

/BirminghamcafE

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STYLE WOMEN

ARE YOU WEARING...ISABEL MARANT?

FASH I O N N EWS Check out these fabulous ideas to get party season started in style!

Dress, £69.99, leather boots £149.99

Leather trousers, £179.99 and wool cardi, £79.99

Designer-of-the-moment Isabel Marant – known for effortlessly chic, deconstructed clothes with a rock ‘n roll edge – is the latest big name to team up with H&M. Marant’s first collection for the label has just landed in store: it’s full of must-have urban staples with her trademark Parisian

Red trousers, £69.99, jacket £199.99, heels £99.99

flair. Everything a contemporary woman needs is included, from tees and sweatshirts, to tailored coats, dresses, chunky knits and bohemian accessories. Cleverly, everything goes with everything because Isabel is convinced that style is all about individual attitude.

WINTER WEDDING Got a beautiful Christmas ceremony to plan for? We love this dress, £179, Monsoon: just be careful not to upstage the bride...

CRYSTAL KERR

She may be sadly recently separated from husband Orlando Bloom, but Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr has a fun new project as the face of Swarovski. You can check out the new collection and plenty of gift ideas at the Swarovski boutique in Bullring.

LE Y T S

S E V O L

Ring, £169, Thomas Sabo in Bullring

TWO BOOTS

Faith’s cutesy ankle boot range for Debenhams has these two gems: we want both! Leopardskin £80, buckled £65.

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STYLE WOMEN

EDITOR’S CHOICE Boots, £119.95, Moda in Pelle

HEEL THIS Ankle strap plus metallic snakeskin equals the perfect party shoe. The Henda sandals are £89 at Dune.

Jewelled sweater, £59, Monsoon

Tweed biker coat, £80, Next

ERIN STYLE

WELL LACED Lace has been a hot trend right through autumn, and was spotted on catwalks from Victoria Beckham to Vivienne Westwood. Oasis has gone big on the look, with its partywear collection: dress £85, jumpsuit £65.

Walsall-born supermodel Erin O’Connor – she got her big break when talent-spotted at the Clothes Show Live in Birmingham - is the face of gorgeous accessories label Radley’s new AW13 collection. Erin told us: “I’ve watched Radley with interest over the last few seasons and so was genuinely excited when they asked me to be the face of their AW13 campaign. I love the integrity and strong British heritage of the brand combined with a passion to be truly original and innovative. The bags are beautifully made and almost works of art in themselves, something precious you really want to own, which made working on the new campaign a real opportunity for me to capture this expressively.” Erin’s holding the Clayton bag, £179: radley.co.uk

bargain

BUY

Tote, £35, Wallis

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GOING ONCE,

GOING TWICE...

When it comes to designer jewellery, the only way to make a sensible investment is to buy pre-owned – but if guesswork on eBay isn’t for you – why not consider an auction house?

Fellows Auctioneers, based in the Jewellery Quarter, sells a huge selection of jewellery from statement diamond pieces to modern designer names… there is something to suit all tastes and budgets.

An upcoming sale of Antique & Modern Jewellery (Thursday 5th December) is a monthly auction that features plenty of luxury designer jewellery from the likes of Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Boucheron, Bulgari and more.

If you’re really looking for an investment as well as a good deal then antique and vintage really is the only way to go.

Fellows also offers up highly collectable vintage designers such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Boucheron and Charles Horner in its auction of Vintage Jewellery & Accessories which takes place on Monday 2nd December.

All of these lots are available to view online, complete with accurate condition reports and detailed pictures so you know exactly what you’re buying.

You don’t even need to be in the auction room to bid – registering online will allow you to bid from the comfort of your own home. Visit www.fellows.co.uk

Antique & Modern Jewellery

LOT 263 LOT 264 These two pieces from Bulgari’s gorgeous ‘Spiga Snake’ collection are the perfect party pair.

Estimate £6,000 - £8,000 (for the bracelet) £1,000 - £1,500 (for the ring)

Lot 276 This 18ct gold diamond pendant is from Cartier’s current collection ‘Hearts of Cartier’ Estimate £350 - £450

Lot 292 This gorgeous pave diamond and white gold ring from Garrard’s ‘Wings’ collection is simply divine.

Estimate £400 - £600

Vintage Jewellery & Accessories

Lot 301 Once jewellery to the court of Bavaria, these abstract ear pendants by Kutchinsky are guaranteed to be a royal success.

Estimate £650 - £850

Lot 332 A pair of vintage earclips, by worldclass jewellery designer Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co Estimate £1,400 - £2,000

Lot 473 These two Burberry necklaces from a past collection are the ultimate statement pieces.

Estimate £90 - £190

Lot 500 A Montblanc cuff in the classic black lacquer and stripe design is a classy but simple edition to any outfit.

Estimate £100 - £150

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STYLE WOMEN

Bracelet, £65, Guess, Debenhams and H Samuel

Silver leather satchel, £115, Zatchels at House of Fraser

Bardot shoe-boots, £249, Hobbs

Jacket, £99, Monsoon

Emerald dress, £179, Monsoon

Juicy Couture watch, £125, Ernest Jones and Goldsmiths

GORGEOUS GIFTS

Th e s e b e autiful , su per-luxe gi f ts wi ll gi ve you plenty of id e as fo r C hr i stmas. Too good to gi ve away!

Leather gloves, £35, M&S

The Ultimate Collection Bespoke Vanity Case by Asprey for Crème de la Mer, £2,750, only 15 available in the UK, exclusively at Selfridges

Rosie for Autograph cashmere short wrap, £149, M&S

Whiston bag, £249, Radley

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Necklace, £305, Emporio Armani in The Mailbox

MAC Stroke of Midnight Brush Kit, £42, Selfridges

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Cuff, £15, Miss Selfridge STYLE

WOMEN

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Silk pyjamas, £150, Untold at House of Fraser Whiston bag, £249, Radley

H! By Henry Holland Christmas jumper, £38, Debenhams

Gold sequin dress, £89, M&S

Owl necklace, £35, Fossil in Bullring

GIFTS FOR HER

Fo r your s is te r, mum, best fr i end, or even as a tr eat for yours e lf, th ese pr esents ar e styli sh and fun Hunter wellingtons, £85, House of Fraser

Unwinding candle with frankincense, £25, Blend Collective, feelunique.com Silver earrings plated in rose gold, £154, Thomas Sabo in Bullring

Crystal beanie, £12, Accessorize

Carry-on case, £119.99, Jasper Conran for Tripp, Debenhams Ted Baker nail and lip set, £10, Boots

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STYLE FASHION

COUNTRY HOUSE PARTY

C h a n n e l t h e c o u n t r y s e t t h i s C h r i s t m a s , w i t h a pa r t y v i b e t h at ’ s p u r e a r i s t o c r a c y. T h i n k c l a s s i c b l a c k , s h i m m e r i n g m e ta l l i c s , j e w e l s , G at s b y b e a d i n g a n d l u s c i o u s fau x f u r Embellished dress, £85, heels, £65 issue 36

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White faux fur tippet, £85, long dress, £110, short dress £79 issue 36

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Black jumpsuits, from £49, shoes £65 - £85

• All from the new winter collection from Miss Selfridge issue 36

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STYLE EXPERT

FIVE MINUTES WITH…

GENELLE ALDRED

B o rn and rais e d i n B i r mi ngham, Genelle Aldr ed spent t hree y e ars pre s e nti ng the weather on BB C M i dland s Today, b e fo re moving to L ondon to launch an exclusi ve on l i n e b outi que , SadeRo se

Since moving to London, I miss Birmingham. I always miss home when I’m away especially because most of my family and lots of my friends are still here. I also miss the German Christmas market and Style Birmingham magazine! I’m actually going to be basing my business back in Birmingham over the next few months. Being online means I can be wherever and it seems like a smart move.

I love the city these days. I adore The Mailbox as I used to work there and I’ve been to every single one of its great restaurants! I love The Cube too, it’s a great venue, especially at night when the whole city twinkles. It makes the Champagne even more bubbly somehow. I love clothes and fashion so the Bullring is a fave for its high street stores. I also love shopping at Harvey Nichols and I’m looking forward to exploring Digbeth a bit more as it really has developed so much since I left and looks like the place to go for shopping.

I left BBC Midlands Today a couple of years ago to move to London and I’ve continued on with my journalism and I’m still freelance. You will probably see me on your screens again at some point. But I studied fashion before I studied journalism: I was at London College of Fashion and it’s always been something that I wanted to do. In an ideal world I’ll do both.

When I was about to turn 30 I began to think about what I really want from the next few years. I love journalism, but unless you rise right to the top the money isn’t always amazing. I wanted to give myself a bit more financial security for the future and I have a passion for clothing so it seemed like the right time. I also do motivational talks and I think if you talk the talk you better walk it! The time just seemed right.

about to launch our second boutique on the site which will be nine one-off items and there will be other boutiques all with nine things. We want to grow organically and not overstretch ourselves.

I scoured the internet to find the right labels to stock. The products themselves are key, the price points, the brand’s flexibility to provide us with limited edition or exclusive products. How it sits with other brands. But I think we found great ones, mainly British and we’ll be stocking more European brands in the future.

I give inspirational talks to young women. It comes from a real appreciation of what the women in my life have given me: gratitude for all I have and the willingness to help someone else because of the experiences I have. The things that hurt us the most in life teach us the greatest amount. So when you get through it, why not use that lesson to help teach someone else?

I recently went to Milan Fashion Week for the first time, and it was amazing. London is the home of fashion and Milan and Italy in general are the home of craftsmanship. They just have some of the most insanely beautiful fabrics, and it was great to be there.

My message for people starting out is: your future can be what you want it to be if you’re willing to shake off the doubts, put in the work and free yourself from negativity to be the person you dream of being. It’s not impossible.

My favourite thing about working in fashion?

Sometimes you get free clothes! It’s interesting because fashion is not saving the world, but it’s something that makes lots of people in the world happy. So it’s lovely when people love the products you’ve picked. That’s one of my favourite things!

What’s next? Christmas is coming up, so I’m looking forward to a busy time for the boutique and we’ll be launching the one-offs too! The wash bags for homeless women project will take up some time and the shelters are so grateful for the help! I’ll be giving some talks in the next month and I’m part of a business networking club: I’ve just been made events director and so I’m planning for that. I’m looking forward to being based in Birmingham for a bit so I can spend my favourite time of the year - Christmas - at home with my family and friends, especially my nieces and my nephew as they bring me lots of happiness.

Hopefully some sleep too, but I’m not sure when!

I have several fashion icons. I love the Isabel Marant label, it’s effortlessly cool. I also like a designer called Kelly Love and the accessories created by Tameka Brown. I love Beyonce’s off-stage looks. She doesn’t have a stick-thin model body so they are clothes you can see on yourself.

Business-wise, I admire Angela Ahrendts who headed up Burberry: her work is nothing short of amazing! Also

It’s a very clutter-free site. I wanted to offer beautiful products and for it to be clear what we’re about. We are

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• Find out more at saderose.com

A selection of goodies from saderose.com Sweetie mug, limited edition and exclusive, £16

SadeRose has changed so much from my original idea. In the end I thought wouldn’t it be great to be able to sell special pieces that are limited edition and exclusive and once they’re gone they’re gone. It’s about being different.

I love the high street and buy from it, but it’s also great when someone compliments something and you know it’s original. Stops people nicking your style too! You know loads of other people don’t have the exact same thing.

It’s a different sort of online boutique. It’s all limited edition and exclusive and one-offs! We have beautiful packaging and we really put the customer at the heart of everything we do. This Christmas we’re also working with Strut to Success which I also run to provide wash bags for homeless women. We’re not just about making money: we want to provide our customers with a great experience and, more than that, we want to give back. Profit is great, but at the heart of me I really want everything I do to be of some benefit to the wider community.

Natalie Porter, who created net-a-porter.com . So many people said ‘who would buy designer clothes online?’but look at net-a-porter now. Really inspiring stuff.

Amanda dress

by Fazane Malik, limited edition, £169

John & Pearl Amazonia necklace, £130

Skulls Trilogy scarf

by Sasha Berry, limited edition, £60

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Cuff, £10, Topshop

Dress, £50, Julien Macdonald for Debenhams Dress, £199, Ted Baker

Clutch, £45, Accessorize Gold sandals, £75, River Island

Jacket, £40, River Island

Collar, £25, Linea at House of Fraser

Platform, £60, Office

Necklace, £65, Topshop

DRAMA AFTER DARK Box clutch, £22, Next

M a k e a s t y l e s tat e m e n t i n s e x y, s h i m m e r i n g g o l d w i t h p l e n t y o f e d g e t h i s pa r t y s e a s o n . T h i n k K at e M o s s t i m e - t r av e l l i n g t o S t u d i o 5 4 . . .

Model shot: Love shorts suit, £39, Biba cardi, £89, and Untold chain bag, £45, all House of Fraser issue 36

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STYLE EXPERT

Hugo Boss crimson corduroy £61.00.

Be brave with these crimson trousers, colour blocking is a big look this season and these would go perfectly with the Mini Rodini Midnight blue blazer

Paul Smith Junior white shirt £67.00.

Every wardrobe needs a classic white shirt. Try layering with our Mini Rodini waist coat and Paul Smith Junior Bow Tie. The Perfect Party attire

Mini Rodini Navy Velour Blazer £79.00. This will smarten up any mini outfit

CLOUDÖ KIDS WWW.CLOUDOKIDS.COM

Babywalker white leather brogue £68.00. A classic brogue with a twist

ADORABLE, HANDPICKED DESIGNERWEAR FOR LITTLE FASHIONISTAS M a k e s u r e you r l i t t l e o n e i s t h e b e s t d r e s s e d t h i s s e a s o n, f r o m t h o s e C h r i s t m a s pa r t i e s t o wa l k i n g o f f t h at C h r i s t m a s d i n n e r , C l o u d o k i d s o f f e r s a u n i q u e r a n g e o f i t e m s , f i t f o r a n y l i t t l e fa s h i o n i s ta . issue 36

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A GIFT FOR YO MINI MEUR ’S

Regina Crystal Hats starting from £100.00 Little Marc Jacobs Red Faux Fur Bag £124.00

Hucklebones London Gold Peter pan collar body £32.00

Hucklebones London Gold tulip dress £84.00. This tulip dress would suit any little girl

My Little Dress Up

Little Marc Jacobs kitty black leather shoes £112.00. These little Kittys would be the perfect accessory for any little party dress

Little Marc Jacobs sequin party dress £270. The perfect party dress this season. It’s all about the bling

Hucklebones London gold ruffle skirt £43.00. Pair this with the matching Hucklebones body and your baby girl will be the belle of the ball

My Little Dress Up, Red metallic skirt £129.00, Red lace top £108.00

Hucklebones London kitty gold pre-walker shoes £57.00. Gorgeous soft leather pre-walkers. These little pumps will add glam to any outfit

Cloudo Kids. 9 Ethel St, Birmingham, B2 4BG Tel: 0121 6430863 issue 36

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STYLE FASHION

Grey sheen dress £20 TJV, gold shoes, gold clip on earrings, gold chain necklace £10, gold bracelet £5 – all Mr Bird’s Emporium, vintage gold/ silver belt – stylist’s own

Fur coat £35 RV, long dress £35 TJV, black courts – all Mr Bird’s Emporium

Black velvet dress £15 RV, diamante brooch (worn as hair clip), white bag – all Mr Bird’s Emporium

Black & gold dress, bracelet – both Mr Bird’s Emporium

Sequin butterfly top £25 RV, black leather skirt £25 RV, gold shoes – all Mr Bird’s Emporium, vintage gold bag – stylist’s own

DRESS VINTAGE An unexpected look for christmas. by Sarah Morris With Christmas around the corner, many of us turn our thoughts to the annual Christmas party. For many of us, this poses the ultimate dilemma: “what am I going to wear?”

If you’re looking for a new outfit, there’s no doubt Birmingham has a fantastic retail offering. With the Bullring shopping centre, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser, the Great Western Arcade and the thrifty buyer’s favourite, Primark, all situated in the very heart of the city, hunting for that perfect little black dress is, in theory, a doddle.

But what if you don’t want to go down the high street branded, standard little black dress (LBD) route?

Undoubtedly the LBD is a classic fail-safe option to ensure you look effortlessly chic no matter what situation you find yourself in, but my opinion is, why ‘play safe’ when you have the option to be a little different?

Venture slightly away from the city centre towards Digbeth and eventually you’ll find yourself at the Custard Factory which houses several vintage and independent designers and retailers.

The beauty of these stores is that they offer something a little different to the norm. You can pick up items such as a faux fur jacket, heavily sequined top or intricately detailed dress for between £15 and £50.

Compare that to prices of similarly detailed items of clothing bought as new in a branded store and you’re looking at double or triple that price for the same sort of quality, albeit the only difference is one is new and the other is what some like to call ‘pre-loved’.

Vintage stores can often suffer from some peoples’ misconceptions that the items sold within them are going to be little more than moth eaten, musty, worn out cast-offs. Actually, in good vintage stores such as Mr Bird’s Emporium in the Custard Factory, you will find rails of good quality, clean, stylish items that would look just as good in your wardrobe as that new blazer you just bought from Topshop for £70.

If you can’t bring yourself to steer too far away from the LBD but still want it to stand out as a little different, a good vintage store might just provide you with your solution. As well as Mr Bird’s Emporium, which houses Trunk Junkie Vintage and Roxy Valetta,

you will also find Urban Village in the Custard Factory and Cow Vintage along Digbeth High Street, both of which offer a fantastic selection of items.

I recently popped in to see the lovely ladies at Mr Bird’s to have a rummage through what they currently have on sale in their store. Little black dresses, metallics, sequins, the very on trend leather skirt - you name it, they had it. Each outfit on this page is entirely vintage (bar the plain black vest) and they all fit perfectly within the modern setting of Birmingham’s fantastic 25th floor bar and restaurant, Marco Pierre White, where many people will undoubtedly be heading for their Christmas celebrations.

Now, look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn’t look like the belle of the ball dressed in one of these outfits!

Venue: Indigo Lounge, Marco Pierre White at The Cube, Birmingham; Clothes: Mr Bird’s Emporium; Model: Mimi Moreton; Stylist: Sarah Morris; Photographer: Matt Reynolds; Stylist’s assistant: Sundip Gill issue 36

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style fashion

O N E L B D, TWO WAYS T h e c l a s s i c l i t t l e b l a c k d r e s s - i n t h i s c a s e , a P h i l i p A r m s t r o n g s k at e r f r o c k , £ 7 9 5 – g e t s a 2 0 1 3 u p d at e , t h a n k s t o s t y l e t i p s f r o m H a r v e y N i c h o l s P e r s o n a l S h o p p i n g M a n a g e r C o n s ta n t i n e T z i a m b a z i s

all that glitters “There’s an edgy feel to this most glamorous of trends as new silhouettes come to the fore. Raid the jewellery box for over-sized rings and team with glitter detail shoes for the chicest of Christmas trends”

pretty in pink “Colour clash with the boldest of pinks to ensure you stand out from the crowd. Statement shoes, a sequinned clutch and matching nails work the look from top to toe to brighten up the darkest of winter nights”.

Juicy Couture Viva Noir EDP, £35 (30ml)

Alexander McQueen clutch, £1,145

Iosselliani necklace, £310 Christian Louboutin suede shoes, £695

Mawi glitter clutch, £545

Iosselliani stacking rings, £165

Sophia Webster suede pumps, £450 Butter London nail lacquer in West End Wonderland, £12

OPI nail lacquer in Kiss Me Only on My Tulips, £11

Shourouk Swarovski necklace, £170

All items featured are available from Harvey Nichols Birmingham, either in store or via the new Click & Collect Service in Womenswear issue 36

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STYLE FASHION

WINNING STYLE

T h e r e c e n t M i d l a n d s Fa s h i o n Awa r d s 2 0 1 3 s h o w c a s e d s o m e a m a z i n g e m e r g i n g ta l e n t. We l c o m e t o y o u r f u t u r e wa r d r o b e . . .

Accessories by YuShan Li (Mia), clothing by Independent Designer Winner Fazane Malik

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style fashion

Style Birmingham columnist Lucy Kite was the host of The Midlands Fashion Awards at the Penthouse in Birmingham in October. Judges included Jenny Eason, founder and MD of the Awards and our own Andrew Riley, Style Birmingham magazine’s MD and official sponsor of the event. Independent Designer of the Year award went to Fazane Malik Limited Edition Womenswear, Emerging Fashion Designer of the Year to Iga Zwierzycka,

Young Fashion Designer of the Year to Sarah King, Accessory Designer of the Year was awarded to Yu Shan Li, Make-up Artist of the Year was Helen Rose and Stylist of the Year was given to Sy-Anne Holden.

Special thanks go to all the judges and lan Sharman, Jules CardozoMarsh, Sophia Edie, Rosie Rowicki, Julia Whiting, Natasha Dennis and Charlotte Brown who worked hard to make the event a huge success.

Clothing by Young Designer Winner Sarah King

Clothing by emerging Designer Winner Iga Zwierzycka

Photoshoot: Garazi Photography. Hair stylist: Paul Jones, make-up artist: Jules-Cardozo Marsh, assistant make-up artist: Helen Rose. Models: Ella Wood, Charlotte Burton, Lily Flynn, courtesy of Alan Sharman Agency. www.alansharmanagency.com. Location: Staying Cool.

Clothing by Independent Designer Winner Fazane Malik

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STYLE BEAUTY

B E AUT Y N EWS Wi n t e r s k i n ca r e , pa r t y s e a s o n m a k e u p, wow- fa c t o r c o l ou r s. . . i t ’s a C h r i s t m a s m i r ac l e !

GIFT IDEA

La Perla Just Precious, from £35, is a sensual blend of ylang-ylang, jasmine and vanilla (Debenhams).

e get th

LOOK

PARTY HAIR

Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion, £19, is the fastest way we’ve found to add volume, making it perfect for va-va-voom styles this Christmas.

Kate Winslet knows the power of perfect skin. Rock her natural look with a classic from YSL: Touche Éclat, now in a glitzy Collector Edition, £25.

LIMITED EDITION

The Toni & Guy Hair Meet Wardrobe team has long collaborated with cool Brit designer Matthew Williamson to create amazing looks for his catwalk. Now they’ve launched a beautiful new wash bag, designed by Matthew and filled with mini haircare: £12 at Boots.

INSTANT GLAM Only got five mins to go from desk to dinner? Givenchy’s new nail lacquer in Bronze Précieux, £15, gilds and glistens and the gorgeous Violine Précieux, £24, adds a punch of timeless red to lips.

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STYLE BEAUTY

real glam

Katie Holmes looks stunning as the face of Bobbi Brown’s Old Hollywood collection, calling it “elegant, and a look that’s more formulated. It’s about seeing the effort.” Recreate her superstar glow with the Old Hollywood Eye Palette, £59, on Bobbi counters now.

MANE EVENT Big, sassy hair was all over the A/W13 runways.

Channel the look with the Umberto Giannini Glam Hair range, including Backcomb in a Bottle, Glamour Puss Crystal Mist and Sex Bomb Massive Mousse – at Boots from £5.61. Party night? Drop into the Umberto Giannini dry bar in Selfridges to have your hair styled in a catwalk look, blown out, curled, dip-dyed or braided.

Each treatment is £20 and takes just 30 minutes.

SOAP OPERA Fabulous gifts for young and old: soap just got a lot more stylish.

Elegant Soap Coffret, £19.50 , Roger&Gallet at M&S

NEW IN

Say goodbye to dark circles, puffiness, wrinkles and fine lines with Sisley’s new Supremÿa Yeux eye serum. Not cheap at £170, it’s supereffective at making peppers look instantly awake.

Birds tin, £6, Bronnley at House of Fraser

STOCKING FILLER Created by celebrity hairdresser, Richard Ward, the Tangle Angel is an anti-static detangling hair brush shaped like angel wings: £14, tangleangel.com

LUXE LIST CHIC CHANEL The gift for the girl who has everything: a limited-edition, deluxe size of award-winning bareMinerals Original SPF 15 Foundation with an exclusive gold lid and gorgeous leather makeup bag with a personalised charm. Find it at Selfridges for £50.

Karl Lagerfeld muse Lily Allen will love Chanel’s Christmas makeup, with its chic bronze, scarlet and gold. Prep skin with the Natural Finish Loose Powder in Moon Light, £36, add drama to the eyes with Longwear Luminous Eyeshadow in Fatal, £24, and slick on Luminous Matte Lip Colour in La Désirée, £25, for a party pout.

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style health

How to survive and tHrive at CHristmas It ’s e asy to ove r indul ge at C hr i stmas, leavi ng you feel i n g slug g is h and tire d. Style talks to the team at The Edgbas t on P rio ry C lub o n h ow to eat, dr i nk and be mer ry whi le stayi n g h e alth y through the festi ve season

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STYLE HEALTH

“...YOU CAN STILL ENJOY ALL THE PARTIES AND FAMILY CELEBRATIONS AND KEEP FIT” It’s that time of year again. Party season is in full swing and Christmas and New Year celebrations are just around the corner.

If you’re planning on letting your hair down, take a word of warning. With the risk of sounding a little like Scrooge, please be sensible. Partying, drinking, indulging, over-eating and running around like a headless chicken from event to event and shop to shop: it’s no wonder many of us feel tired, rundown, bloated and stressed as the new year comes around.

1 JOIN BY 3 D N A R E B DECEM O 25% FF! RECEIVE 10 FOR SEE PAGE AILS FULL DET

What if this year you honoured YOU and entered 2014 feeling refreshed, energised, slim and relaxed? It’s really not so difficult.

Just a little discipline and a modicum of willpower are required.

We chatted to the team at the Edgbaston Priory Club with a few of your questions on how to keep feeling fine and looking great over the festive season.

What’s the best exercise plan to adopt over the Christmas period?

It’s inevitable that your fitness regime will take the back seat during the festive season. But you can still enjoy all the parties and family celebrations and keep fit. There are lots of things you can do to keep up your exercise programme at home. Remember you don’t need to spend time travelling to and from the gym during the festive period! Instead you can set time aside to perform some mini circuit based workouts at home.

At Edgbaston Priory Club our fitness instructors and personal trainers advise members on the best exercises to perform at home. There are also lots of follow along workouts that you can do via the internet such as bodyrockerfitness.com Christmas is always a feast of rich food and plenty of drink, but what should I try to avoid or keep to a minimum?

Everybody’s ‘naughty’ food is different so it’s hard to say what an individual should avoid. It’s best to keep party snacks to a minimum and eat (and drink) in moderation. Avoid fatty food like rich meat paté and blue cheese. Stick to alternatives such mackerel paté and lighter cheese such as feta. These are much healthier. Also, it’s tempting, but avoid eating bread (and wine) with every meal.

It is important to drink lots of water during the party

season. It will help offset the hunger feeling that comes with dehydration from over-indulging on the alcohol! Dehydration can give the brain the same signals as hunger and you don’t want that! And if your willpower begins to waver just remember - it takes approximately three miles of running to burn off one mince pie!

There’s bound to be a few heavy nights drinking over the festive period: should I exercise the following day?

suggestions above and plan in some downscaled workouts at home you will find it much easier to get back into your normal routine in the New Year!

If you do miss a whole two weeks of exercise the best thing to do is ease back into it gently and not rush back into the level of intensity you were doing before.

You may need to drop the weight down slightly on machines and free weights then build back up gradually. Jumping straight back into your old routine could cause injury.

“IT IS IMPORTANT TO DRINK LOTS OF WATER DURING THE PARTY SEASON. IT WILL HELP OFFSET THE HUNGER FEELING THAT COMES WITH DEHYDRATION FROM OVERINDULGING ON THE ALCOHOL”

Avoid exercising early in the morning following a heavy drinking session the night before. You will be dehydrated and your body will not be in the best state to perform exercise. Make sure you drink lots of water and exercise later in the day if you really want to train. Even then you should reduce the intensity of your normal workouts; the body will certainly not be in the condition to be breaking any personal bests! It’s probably better to go for a walk and take in some fresh air!

If I miss a whole two weeks of exercising I find it really hard to get back into training. Any tips?

The easy answer to this one is don’t miss two weeks of exercising! Edgbaston Priory Club is only closed for Christmas Day so we’re always there to help members get back in shape after Christmas! If you follow the

Are there any exercises we can do at home to keep up training momentum?

The best exercises to do at home are bodyweight ones like squats, lunges, crunches, press-ups and tricep dips on the edge of a chair or bed. You could try doing a set of crunches or squats during the adverts of a programme or film you are watching.

We would also recommend going for a brisk walk as light exercise after a heavy meal. It’s a much better aid to digesting your Christmas dinner than slumping on the sofa in your PJs! However, we would advise you consult your fitness instructor or personal trainer who will be able to suggest a programme appropriate to your needs and fitness levels. * Make Edgbaston Priory Club part of your New Year regime.

Contact the membership team on 0121 440 2492 to arrange a personal tour or visit edgbastonpriory.com

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style beauty

BEAUTIFUL

GIFTS

Aveda Hand Relief set, £19, House of Fraser

G e t y o u r w i s h l i s t at t h e r e a d y: t h e s e s e n s at i o n a l C h r i s t m a s c o f f r e t s a r e t h e b e s t i n b e au t y

Neom Organics, Scents Of Christmas collection, £42, Selfridges

Jan Constantine for Liz Earle Christmas Stocking, £50, uklizearle.com

Tom Ford 12 piece Lip Color gift box, £432, Selfridges

Rituals Hammam Collection, £37.50, House of Fraser

Jurlique Hydrating Essentials, £74, Space NK in Harvey Nichols issue 36

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Beauty Set, £40

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Jo Malone Christmas Cracker, £30, Selfridges

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PER UNA AT MARKS & SPENCER

Crème de la Mer The Luminous Essentials Starter Set, £260, House of Fraser and Harvey Nichols

Clarins Super Restorative gift set, £66

The White Company White Lavender Luxury Set, £45, Selfridges

Elemis Frangipani Secrets, £37.50, Debenhams

Clinique Softer, Smoother Skin set, £32

Champneys Spa Indulgence Fragranced Candles, £12 each, Boots issue 36

This is...

Tel: 0121 643 7978 245 Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2HQ

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Dr Hauschka eye shadow, £13

Benefit Sasha fragrance, £29.50

Show Beauty treatment oil, £50

Dr Hauschka lipstick, £20

Stila One Step Bronze Illuminating Serum, £24

GHD Straight & Smooth spray, £14.50

NARS nail polish, £14.50

Stila smudge crayon eyeliner, £14

PARTY

PERFECT!

OPI nail varnish, £11.50

C r e at e a s t i r at t h e C h r i s t m a s pa r t y w i t h a l o o k t h at ’ s s e x y b u t c h i c . We a s k e d L O U I S E S T E R E N B E R G DY O S S , B e y o n d B e au t y M a n a g e r at H a r v e y N i c h o l s , f o r t i p s o n h ow t o b e t h e b e l l e o f ev e ry ba l l

Red lips will be the sexy choice for the party season, but why not take your inspiration from the catwalk and go nude with barelythere shades of pink, berry and peach. You can add an injection of colour with bright jewel-toned eye shades teamed with inky liners for high impact. Don’t be afraid to play around with dark colours – think 1920s

starlet with heavy lashes and dark lids. For a modern twist, try a dash of jade or a high pearl shimmer for real impact.

One rule of thumb, though. Heavily madeup eyes look great with pale lips, and vice versa. You don’t want to end up looking like a pantomime dame on a bad day.

Hair for the season is sleeked back chic or cascading waves, so start with a great nourishing treatment to beautify your barnet. Invest in a firm hold hair spray to ensure your chosen style stays in place long after the canapés have finished.

• All products on this page are available at Beyond Beauty and the SpaceNK Apothecary at Harvey Nichols

Finish off with on-trend polish in a rainbow of colours to show off perfectly manicured talons and don’t forget to paint your toenails to set off your Jimmy Choo peep-toes to perfection.

Laura Mercier lip stain, £16.50

NARS lip gloss, £19

From the perfect pout and sultry smoky eyes to a beautiful ‘do and manicure, you can easily knock ‘em dead at the office party with one simple rule… when it comes to looking good this Christmas, pile on the glam!

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EAT. DRINK. DANCE.

BROAD STREET Visit Birmingham’s Entertainment Capital

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STYLE BEAUTY

Give skin a buff and polish with the cutesy Kabuki Powder Brush, £8 at Marks & Spencer

Valentino Valentina EDP, from £40, is an ultra-feminine blend of bergamot and Amalfi orange blossom

Photoshop your complexion with Thalgo BB Cream Perfect Glow, £19.50 from thalgo.co.uk

STEAL HER

YSL’s Rebel Nudes Glossy Stain in shade 101, £23.50, is the perfect soft nude lip colour

STYLE

K at e B e c k i n s a l e ’ s p r e t t y pa r t y look is all about radiant skin and d a r k , d r a m at i c e y e s Stila Jewel Eye Shadow in Black Diamond, £13 (Harvey Nichols) delivers instant wow factor

Get Kate’s luscious lashes with two coats of Benefit They’re Real Mascara, £18.50

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner, £17.50, is easy to apply and won’t smudge under eyes

Coat lids with a silvery wash of sheer colour: new NARS eye shadow in Namibia, £18 at Harvey Nichols

Baring your décolletage?

Smooth and scent skin with Tom Ford Black Orchid Hydrating Emulsion, £35 at Selfridges

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STYLE MEN

SOFT LIKE VELVET

ST Y L E N E WS Peacoat + the perfect winter sweater + statement accessories = our new season edit

PARK HERE Parkas are still a strong trend this year, and they make for perfect weekendwear, whether you’re in city or countryside.

Short, simple and understated is best: this navy one is £195 at House of Fraser.

If you can’t pull off a velvet blazer at this time of year, it’s never going to happen.

Dressed down with denim, a velvet jacket in a timeless shade – navy, plum, black, steel, or teal, like this one from Next, £75 – is a style statement worthy of Tom Ford and Giorgio Armani.

WINTER ESSENTIAL Clinique Skin Supplies for Men Maximum Hydrator, £26, is soothing on just-shaved skin and will add a layer of protection between you and the elements.

new in Marrying comfort and style with a laidback urban vibe, these Lacoste hi tops, £54, are flying off shelves at Topman.

Cedre & Oranger Collection, £65, L’Occitane in Pavilions

BARGAIN BUY Reason, the uber-cool underground fashion label run out of New York city, has this beanie hat, £45, in its latest collection for Selfridges.

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LOVTYLE ES

SHEAR STYLE Burton has a new twist on 50s Americana for winter: think drainpipe jeans, vintage tees and bowling jackets. This wool and shearling jacket is £70.

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STYLE MEN

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Leather jacket, £190, Next

Backpack, £280, Vivienne Westwood at House of Fraser

Brogues, £89, Dune

DON’T SWEAT IT

COUNTRY PURSUITS Who’d have thought primark would rock the country heritage trend?

This autumn, the value brand has a number of tweed, cord and check items in its menswear range, plus this Barbour-esque coat, £30.

PRINT IT Peacoats are a winter staple, and we rate Mantaray’s modern twist: pattern. These are £110 each at Debenhams.

Winter calls for good quality wool but if cashmere is out of your budget, look for soft knitwear on the high street. We found these investment buys in prints that won’t date, just £34.95 each at H&M.

NECK IT

Scarves were big news on the A/W13 catwalks, a hot trend when mixed with both casualwear and suits: but keep it streamlined and simple – no Dr Who-style floor skimmers or One Direction snoods. We like this wool scarf, £15 at River Island.

Harris tweed iPad case, £25

IFT P S

Leather gloves £29.50

*All Marks & Spencer

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CLEMENTS & CHURCH T r e at t h e g e n t l e m a n i n y o u r l i f e t o t h e s e l i m i t e d e d i t i o n a n d b e au t i f u l l y c r a f t e d g i f t s m a d e f r o m t h e f i n e s t m at e r i a l s Stratford suit £999.95 Stafford tie £79.95

Alnwick umbrella £299.95

Windsor Duke shirt £149.95 Paignton pocket square £44.95

Bradford and Leeds overcoats £1099.95

Bath boot £449.95 Sutton cufflinks £89.95

Birmingham’s Clements & Church tailor beautiful and distinctive outfits. In image above, from left to right...

Aaron wears Custom three Piece Tonik Mohair Suit Custom Check Shirt Floral Tie and Pocket Square Highgrove Tassled Loafers in Mahogany

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Herb wears Stratford two Piece Suit Custom Plain Shirt

Floral Tie and Pocket Square Highgrove Tassled Loafers in Black Bantock Orange and Blue Weekender Richard wears Buckingham Jacket Custom Plain Shirt Bold Leaf Patterned Tie and Pocket Square White Cotton Chinos Highgrove Tassled Loafers in Chocolate Suede

22 Church Street Birmingham B3 2NP

Style Birmingham 1113.indd 3

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style men

Harris tweed holdall, £40, Next

Toshiba 7 series smart 3D TV, £599, all good electrical retailers

Watch, £45, Autograph at Marks & Spencer

Dr Who 50th anniversary notebooks, £10 each, sciencemuseumshop.co.uk

GIFTS FOR MEN

Hugo Boss navy robe, £119, House of Fraser

Give the perfect present t o t h e m e n i n you r l i f e t h i s Christmas

Jack Daniels Frank Sinatra Select, £150, whiskyshop.com

Wild & Wolf hip flask, £25, House of Fraser

Best of British tweed coat, £599, Marks & Spencer

Ralph Lauren Polo Red EDT, £39.50, Boots

DeLoughi pump expresso coffee machine, £130, Debenhams

Trevor Sorbie Home & Travel Kit, £16, Boots issue 36

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style men Left: Dolce & Gabbana jacket, £1,345, Strenstroms shirt, £135, Paul Smith trousers, £315, Dsquared2 bow tie, £75. Right: Alexander McQueen tuxedo jacket, £1,015, Lanvin shirt, £310, Neil Barrett trousers, £360, Lanvin bow tie, £80, all Harvey Nichols

DSquared2 jacket, £1,065, Harvey Nichols

Ralph Lauren scarf, £75, House of Fraser

Best of British dress coat, £299, Marks & Spencer

Bow-ties, from £8 each, Next

MIDNIGHT STYLE

Hugo Boss Deep Blue watch, £295, Goldsmiths and Ernest Jones

L o o k s h a r p i n t h i s s e a s o n ’ s c o o l e s t pa r t y s e pa r at e s i n i n k b l u e a n d d e e p e s t b l a c k . Ta i l o r i n g g o e s c l o s e c u t a n d c l a s s i c : w i t t y ac c e s s o r i e s l e n d a s h o t o f at t i t u d e Evening shoes, £135, Dune

Viktor and Rolf EDT, £47 (50ml), Harvey Nichols

Paul Smith cufflinks, £90, Harvey Nichols

Dress shirt, £22, Burton Versace embroidered velvet loafers, £395, Harvey Nichols

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style fashion

Grey check jacket, £895, Dolce & Gabbana, Contrast shirt, £515, Alexander McQueen, Black wool and mohair blend trousers, £415, Alexander McQueen, Black Patent Derby, £480, Dolce & Gabbana, Black dress belt, £90, Polo Ralph Lauren. All available at Harvey Nichols Birmingham.

THE STYLE STAPLE

Ta i l o r i n g a n d t r a d i t i o n a l B r i t i s h fa b r i c s a r e a b i g fa s h i o n s t o r y f o r w i n t e r . b y L i z z y G a r d n e r Wearability is a key theme for menswear this winter; the season’s style rules are all about modern simplicity paired with stylish practicality. The lines of formal and casual wear are blurred, combining classic tailoring with functional jersey and knit for a look that is clean and contemporary.

With after work functions and formal events taking over the month of December, ensure you’re tailoring can take you from am to pm. This season the navy two-piece suit will hold you in good stead in the style stakes; demure enough for the office yet cool enough to take you into the evening. Keep the styling simple and wear with a crisp white shirt. move on from the classic colour blocking monochrome of the autumn, instead opt for salt and pepper check and black and white prints. Try layering a printed shirt in the two tones with a boxy pebble-dash jacket and slim tailored black trousers for a modern take on monochrome.

Don’t fancy wearing a shirt with your suit? Keep cosy with the winter’s luxurious knits. Roll-necks work well with tailoring while patterned sweaters, with a definite nod to fifties styling, will keep you on trend well into spring 2014.

Layering is key so embrace the chill in one of the seasons’ statement coats. Camel made a welcome return to the autumn/winter collections; reinvented with unconventional styling, this season’s camel coat is styled with jeans, a relaxed sweater and retro trainers.

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Longer length coats remain key for winter, offering a sophisticated and practical option to throw over your evening wear in the colder months. The more opulent designs incorporate fur trims for that extra bit of warmth and drama.

For the weekend, dress down with sports inspired quilted and puffer jackets. Wool varsity jackets were in abundance throughout the collections, offering an alternative relaxed, yet cool option for winter.

When it comes to styling and accessories, the reign of brogues has come to an end; it’s time for the classic Derby to have a moment. Look out for rich chestnut shades with simple lines and style with a classic black suit for a modern twist.

With many designers looking to Saville Rowe for inspiration, the pocket square remains a key accessory this winter. Style folded rather than peaked to keep in line with the season’s clean, minimal lines.

For an instant wardrobe update, add some interest with a pop of bold colour; offset navy and black tailoring with orange socks or throw a silk scarf over a classic black tux.

If colour isn’t your thing, opt for a herringbone or knitted tie styled with a wool blazer for a more modern take on your work wardrobe.

Creative Team Photographer: Tim Herbert, Stylist: Lizzy Gardner, Model: Tom Ward, Alan Sharman Agency, Make-up Artist: Becky Hunting, Hair Stylist: Paul Jones

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Herringbone blazer, £345, Manuel Ritz, Grey roll-neck sweater, £170, Tiger of Sweden

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STYLE FASHION

Vest, £ 1 shirt, 4.95, sweat £24.9 5 £19.9 5, pyja , shorts, ma p £29.9 5, all H ants, &M

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BECKHAM BARE

S u p e r s ta r Dav i d B e c k h a m ’ s l at e s t u n d e r w e a r a n d s l e e p w e a r c o l l e c t i o n f o r H & M i s t h e p e r f e c t C h r i s t m a s g i f t o r w i n t e r t r e at.

B o dy a rt o p t i o na l . . .

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Five minutes with...

Kevin m c Cloud G r a n d De s ig ns Live came back to the NEC thi s autumn, and Tara Tom es caug h t up w ith K evin to talk eco-fr i endly archi tectur e and w hat he RE A LLY thi nks of B i r mi ngham

Urban living is interesting in a city such as Birmingham I remember having a conversation with Clive Dutton (Former Director of Regeneration and Planning for Birmingham City Council) in Birmingham six years ago about how it might be possible to come up with a design for a house or set of buildings that you could make fit in any urban space. The idea was that they’d be eco-homes that essentially put in a ‘green’ infrastructure wherever they were situated, with the hope it would act as a seed that then led to bigger projects.

These homes would have everything from food growing opportunities to bio-diversity, and would connect the entire city. It’s a ‘pie in the sky’ idea but we’ve seen this happening in Berlin and New York, with the Highline, which is a physical green space that connects the city. Birmingham is the ideal location for a project like this, particularly with the introduction of the Metro and the canal network.

The development of the canals and surrounding areas over the past decade has been fantastic, but there’s more work to be done. Like transport, food is such an important part of society and Birmingham could use the canal network to build communities and transport food around the region. If you started to grow food along the route, communities would form in these areas.

I’d love to see Birmingham using the canals to create a food network via water. There are some fabulous places – like Gloucestershire, Evesham, Stafford – that could grow amazing produce and transport it around the region. This would be a great way to re-connect people with where their food comes from. It’s really important to tell the whole story of a product; be it food, a sofa, a toaster. Grand Designs Live is perfect for that as we give you the chance to ‘meet the makers’ and find out where everything comes from.

Children are the ‘keepers’ of their environment. I remember talking to a printer, from Yorkshire, who

decided to make his business much greener. He started by replacing spirit-based inks with water-based ones, which meant that the stream next to the factory became cleaner.

They hired a semi-retired man to look after it and it became a haven for wildlife, so then they started recycling everything in the factory and encouraging the local community to do the same. The factory workers lived locally, in homes that weren’t very ‘green’, but soon their children started coming home from school and talking about recycling, which led to the parents changing their ways at home as well as work. The education system is integral in this because children can change parents’ behaviour very easily.

I’ve always been interested in ‘green’ things. I’ve always been interested in charity activity and I even attended a few protests when I was younger. My upbringing probably had a lot to do with it; we were always taking long walks, hiking and enjoying the countryside as children. Having said that, I’ve been a petrol-head since I was about 10 years old! I’ve had to wean myself off this, though, and I guess it’s one of the tensions I have in my life where I’m trying to be a better person and do better things.

Personal heroes are important. Back in 2003 I was asked to champion BedZED, an environmentally friendly housing development in Hackbridge, London. It was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize and I was asked to talk about it on television, which I happily did. I met Pooran Desai OBE, who started it and also set up the charity BioRegional, which is all about sustainability. I have since become good friends with him and am a real supporter of what he calls ‘One Planet Living’. I also met Paul King, who used to run WWF and now runs the Green Building Council, and he was terribly inspirational too. The two of them like cars, like me, and find the tension between modern consumerism and truly green living interesting. They’ve both been really instrumental in changing the way I think about things.

growing, public transport; everything that helps to reduce our carbon footprint. This is at the very heart of my other project, HAB Housing; it’s where the ‘social glue’ is made.

HAB Housing stands for ‘Happiness Architecture Beauty’ and aims to ‘build houses that make people happy’. We raised the money for HAB through crowdfunding: more than £1.9million worth of investment. We can’t believe that this has actually happened. Crowdfunding is great because it gives you a mandate; we now have 800 people that have decided to invest, which means that 800 people think this is a good idea. They are also now ambassadors for the project. Internally, we’d discussed HAB for so long and we were optimistic and tentative, but the success of the crowd-funding has turned it into rock-solid belief now, which is what will see the projects through. It has changed all of us.

Now we can start to build homes. We’ve already started a body of work with manufacturers and designers, looking at layouts and plans. We’re working with the construction supply chain now to build houses beautifully, well and differently using as much off-site fabrication as we can.

We, of course, want to do a lot of self-build and resource self-builders using the money that we now have. We want to provide space, technical support, green infrastructure and general help to build. It’s all very flexible but allows us to work with people that want to create great spaces in great places.

I like a lot of Birmingham city centre. I’ve been to see the new Library of Birmingham quite a few times: I do think it’s perhaps 20 per cent too big, but that’s mostly because I love Baskerville House. Along with the Memorial in front of it, Baskerville House was designed by a relatively unsung designer, Herbert Baker, who also designed a lot of New Delhi. He has done a lot of Edwardian buildings in London too.

“I’d love to see Birmingham using the canals to create a food network via water”

Likewise, the landscape architect Luke Engleback has taught me the valuable lesson that the spaces in between buildings are actually more important than the buildings themselves if we want to create sustainable spaces. These spaces are where we share rain water, play space, food

I’m also a big fan of The REP: it’s like a miniature version of the New York Metropolitan Opera and opposite is an amazing Trade Union building, which is now the House of Sport. It’s a great building. That whole area has been transformed thanks to the library.

The problem now is the old library, which could have been magnificent had it stayed true to its original design, which had a moat around the building. I’ll be sad to see it go but I can understand why it hasn’t worked as a library. We’re not very good at recycling ideas: we like to get rid of buildings and start again, but we should really look at restoring what’s already there.

• Grand Designs Live was a great success again this year.

To find out more about what’s next for Kevin McCloud, check out habhousing.co.uk

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STYLE TECH

AP P Y

DAYS P h i l i p E l l i s r e c o m m e n d s t h e s e g r e at a p p s t o d ow n l oa d

WIWT WIWT (What I Wore Today) started out as one girl’s blog, chronicling her outfits. Now it’s a full-blown community where the style conscious can upload photos of their own togs, earn ‘kudos’ points from fellow members, and win gift vouchers and fashion freebies.

PL AYSTAT I O N As if the launch of the PlayStation 4 wasn’t reason enough to get excited, Sony have also released an app which lets you buy games and add-ons, chat with friends, and receive game alerts while you’re out and about. So you’ll no longer be confined to your man-cave.

ARTPOP It should come as no surprise to anyone by now that Lady Gaga has her sights set on world domination. After launching her own social network (LittleMonsters.com) last year, she has now made her grand entrance into the world of gadgets, working with the techies in the Haus of Gaga to develop a companion app for her latest album, ARTPOP. Users can create their own ‘aura’ profiles (named such for ARTPOP’s opening track), listen to the album, and get creative with their own personalised images and GIFs.

DISCO BEES AU D I B L E Kindles are so yesterday. Audiobooks are the new sure-fire trick to making that commute, jog or gym session go faster. With Audible, you can choose from over 150,000 titles, and the latest upgrade even lets you switch between the ‘reading’ and ‘listening’ option.

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If you’ve conquered every incarnation of Angry Birds and you’re sick of Candy Crush, then you might want to try your hand at Disco Bees, a game where you can save endangered hives by completing various puzzles and challenges for the Queen Bee. And then celebrate with the honeybee’s famous ‘waggle dance’ (of course). Warning; like all the best iPhone games, it’s more than a little addictive.

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onelife oneclub

TO U C HNOTE Does anybody actually send postcards anymore? With Touchnote, you can design personalised postcards using your own holiday snaps, and get them printed and sent anywhere in the world, without having to deal with the hassle of navigating a post office abroad.

GIF T I T There’s no denying it anymore; Christmas is well and truly on the way. For the less organised Christmas shopper, there’s Gift It, which helps you keep track of the stockings you’ve already filled and who you still need to buy for.

You can create a list for each of your friends and family members, and it’ll even help you manage your budget.

WO R D L E N S Another must-have for keen travellers; just point your smartphone at any foreign sign or menu, and get an instant translation. You’ll also have fun telling

B

Bannatyne’s Health Club w w w. ba nna t y ne .c o . uk

your friends what their Chinese and Latin tattoos really mean in English.

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FOOD & DRINK N E WS

C H RI

ST MA

SPECI

AL

S

Divine Christmas tree range, £4 each, Tesco and Waitrose

CHOCOLATE TREATS Baileys Original Irish Cream Liqueur chocolates, £9.99, Sainsbury’s and Tesco

Serves: 6 Prep time: 15 minutes (with at least 6 hours setting time)

Lindt Santa £39.99, all supermarkets

NADIA SAWALHA’S MULLED WINE JELLY You’ll need: 750ml bottle red wine 1 cinnamon stick 1 orange, zest and juice 8 cloves 7 leaves gelatine 8 tbsp Splenda Granulated 200g crème fraîche light

What to do: 1. Pour the wine in to a large pan, adding the cinnamon, orange juice and cloves.

2. Warm up until just at boiling point then turn off and leave for around half an hour to infuse.

3. Cover the gelatine with cold water and leave to soften.

4. Warm the wine a little again adding the Splenda Granulated.

Remove from the heat then squeeze out the gelatine dropping it in to the wine to dissolve. Cool then pour in to wine glasses, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

5. Stir together the orange zest with the crème fraîche and serve on top of the jellies.

E ST YL LOVES

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Häagen-Dazs’ new limited edition luxury ice cream, Marc de Champagne, £4.99, will wow at dinner parties.

FESTIVE TIPPLES Jackson Estate Stich Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, £12.99, Tesco: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at its very best, with pronounced aromas of passion fruit and nettles.

Zalze Chenin Blanc 2012, South Africa, £7.99, Waitrose: Aromas of green melon, red apple, honeysuckle and spice: great with casseroles and cheese boards.

Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio 2012/13, New Zealand, £9.99, Majestic, Co-op, Asda: This sophisticated bottle makes for perfect party drinking with friends, especially if you’re serving canapés and crisps.

stylebirminghamMAG.com

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CHRISTMAS

CANAPÉS

Ke e p your gue s ts h appy wi th per fect party ni bbles. The s e d e lic ious c re atio ns ar e the wor k of celeb chef Ronni e Mu rray o f wo rl d-famous H i x R estaur ants

Baked leek tart Ronnie says: “Cheese is very versatile when used in cooking. For this canapé I made a flavoursome cheese ‘snow’ by freezing the cheese beforehand and then grating. Left to thaw the frozen cheese will return to its normal state so you can pop any leftovers on the cheese board!”

• Takes 30 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes cooking time • Makes 12

Wild strawberry and pineapple halo cheesecake Ronnie says: “Pineapple and cheese is a classic flavour combination. I have used a really exciting cheese for this sweet canapé recipe that combines these two flavours wonderfully. A bit of a departure from your normal cheese cake but it’s Christmas so be a bit adventurous. You will be rewarded with this sweet treat.”

• Takes 20 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes cooking time • Makes 20 Ingredients:

How to:

250g Hobnob biscuits

1. Put the Hobnobs in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Tip contents into a sauce pan with the butter and heat, stirring in the butter until the crumbs come together.

½ teaspoon vanilla essence 50g butter 250g Castello Pineapple Halo 250g double cream 75g caster sugar 40g chopped pineapple weed* 150g wild strawberries

Ingredients:

How to:

2 leeks (or one large)

1. Cut the cheese, putting half in the freezer the night before use and the other in the fridge as normal.

200g oyster mushrooms

2. Sweat the leeks in a pan with some butter until

100g Castello Jersey Blue 250ml Double cream

3. When cooked, add a splash of double cream and melt chunks of the refrigerated cheese to the pan until thick and glossy. Season with black pepper.

Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

1 egg yolk

4. Add egg yolk and mix well.

12 short crust pastry cases or croustades

5. Spoon the warm mixture into the short crust pastry or croustades and bake for 5 minutes until the top just starts to colour.

Butter for cooking

6. Take the frozen cheese and grate directly over the tart.

soft and silky, then add the mushrooms.

Serve immediately.

2. Spoon enough mixture into a biscuit cutter and press down until you have roughly a 5mm thickness.

Repeat until all the crumbs have been used. This should make around 20 bases for your cheesecakes.

3. To make the strawberry compote, put the strawberries in a pan on a low heat, add 25g sugar and reduce until the strawberries start to lose their form and you have a rich syrup. Leave to cool.

4. Finally, whip together the pineapple halo cream cheese with the double cream and remaining caster sugar and vanilla essence until thick.

5. To assemble the cheese cake, spoon the strawberry compote onto the biscuit base and top with a cornel of the cream cheese mixture.

Serve immediately.

* Pineapple weed is an edible weed, with finely divided foliage that gives off a pineapple smell when crushed. Foraging for this weed is fairly easy but do your research and also make sure it is cleaned before use.

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Scallops with potatoes and bacon Ronnie says: “Seafood needn’t be reserved for prawn cocktails at Christmas.

Scallops are an indulgent festive canapé that your guests will love. This recipe is a little bit more than a mouthful, but one just wouldn’t be enough!”

• Takes 40 minutes to prepare, 25 minutes cooking time • Makes 12 Ingredients:

How to:

12 scallops with half shells

1. Check the scallops are all intact and lightly season, put to one side.

2 large, floury potatoes

2. Peel the potatoes and boil in a pan until soft.

150g Castello Danish Blue 100g bacon lardons 20ml milk 100g breadcrumbs Small bunch of chives

3. Into a dry pan, fry the bacon lardons until crispy, lay on a piece of kitchen roll and set aside 4. Mash the potatoes in the pan with a splash of milk and the cheese over a low heat until creamy.

5. Chop the chives and mix with breadcrumbs.

Then, in the pan used for the bacon, lightly toast the mixture until golden.

6. Spoon the mash and bacon into the scallop shells.

7. Place a scallop on the bed of mash, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and grill under a moderate heat for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with mini forks.

Ground rib steak burger Ronnie says: “Canapés don’t always have to be ladylike to be posh. These mini burgers are seriously delicious and always a crowd pleaser. Serving them in a brioche bun elevates them further, the oozing blue cheese is the icing on the burger.

Loved by men and ladies alike!”

• Takes 60 minutes to prepare, 4 minutes cooking time, 2 minutes resting time • Makes 12 Ingredients:

How to:

110g ground rib steak (approx. 8g per burger)

1. Put the ground rib steak in a bowl adding, season, mix using your hands to bind the mixture.

12 mini brioche buns 12 small slices Castello Danish Blue 12 slices gherkins 6 teaspoons red onion jam 12 slices cherry plum tomatoes BBQ sauce

2. Separate the mixture into 12 even balls and shape into burger patties. They should be about 1.5 inches thick and wide.

3. Heat some oil in a frying pan until smoking hot and carefully place the burgers in one by one.

Cook for 1 minute on each side for a pink burger (2 minutes on each side for cooked through).

4. In the final minute, place a slice of blue cheese on each of the burgers, and leave to melt.

5. Stack the burger on the brioche bun, starting with the red onion jam, burger and blue cheese, a slice of tomato and gherkin, finished off with a dollop of BBQ sauce.

Serve with napkins!

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MEET

STEWART CLARKE

B i r m i n g h a m - b o r n S t e wa r t C l a r k e i s t r e a d i n g t h e b o a r d s t h i s D e c e m b e r a s S a m Wh e at i n G h o s t : T h e M u s i ca l , s h ow i n g at t h e N e w A l e x a n d r a T h e at r e . A f t e r s t i n t s i n S w e e n e y T o d d a n d L o s e rv i l l e , S t e wa r t ta l k s p l ay i n g d e a d, p l ay i n g g u i ta r a n d b e i n g b a c k i n h i s h o m e t ow n . B y I s a b e l l a S i lv e r s You have a varied theatrical history, is this a new kind of role for you?

It’s new in many ways. It’s the largest in terms of stage time, and it’s such a huge role in musical theatre generally. Being dead is definitely a weird angle, but also a fresh challenge. I also play guitar, which was probably the most terrifying bit of opening the show, having to play this instrument that I’d only been playing for about three weeks! It’s an emotionally heart-wrenching but beautiful story with plenty of laughs, passion and brilliant set pieces as well.

they’re so simple; you’ve got all these video walls going on, but without giving too much away, the illusions themselves are just simple. They’re based on Victorian parlour tricks that are 200 years old; the genius is that they hold up even today.

Did you feel a lot of pressure from the success of the film, not only filling Patrick Swayze’s shoes but having the award-winning screenwriter of Ghost, Bruce Joel Rubin, also write the musical?

show for a whole year’, you want to make it good!

Is there any musical that you’d love to star in?

That’s a tough one! It would always be a joy to do Stephen Sondheim. But with acting, you don’t even know you want to do a role until suddenly you’re up for it and you think ‘actually, I really want this’.

You grew up and went to university in the Midlands, are you excited to be performing at the New Alexandra Theatre?

It was so weird! But you get used to it. Acting is so much to do with playing off people and I can’t do that for most of the show, so it can be quite isolating, until Ida Mae comes in and I can have a chat with her.

I think it’s quite exciting that it’s based on such an iconic piece of film history! Meeting the screen writer Bruce was lovely, he’s the most fantastic, loveable man and he’s so encouraging about it all. But this is a different thing, it’s a musical, the style of the performance is different, the songs are new... it seems like its own thing, as opposed to trying to live up to the film.

And how about the technical aspects of the show, there are a lot of illusions!

How did it feel as well to record at Abbey Road Studios with the rest of the cast?

It’s all to come! Keep checking my Twitter, @ StewClarke, and you’ll be the first to know.

It’s hugely technical and I’m involved in most of the illusions, what with me being the actual ghost.

The thing about them that’s so brilliant is that

That was quite an experience! I’d not really done any recording before. It was weird because it was so early on as well, thinking ‘this is going to be part of the

Ghost: The Musical is on from December 17 to January 5 at the New Alexandra Theatre. Tickets available at atgtickets.com

Is it difficult being on stage and not being able to interact with any of the other cast members?

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I love Birmingham, it’s great. I’m really excited to go to the Christmas Markets, I’ve been there every year for the past five years! I have a lot of friends from university coming over too, so it should be a good laugh.

What else have you got coming up after Ghost or have you not planned that far in advance yet?

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EDMUNDS FRENCH FINE DINING

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NE W S ROU NDU P All the news from around the city. By Julia Whiting and Vicky Gayle

The Birmingham Whisky Club Calling all Whisky lovers, expert or not, the Birmingham Whisky Club (founded in 2011) is for you! Governed by Whisky experts, Amy Seton and Craig Mills, the group sets out to show that the beverage can be enjoyed by all and has a versatility which is sometimes overlooked.

Upcoming events include cigar and whisky master classes, cheese and Whisky taster nights and whisky themed film evenings at Birmingham’s adored electric cinema. So for those slightly panicked by the wine shortage; fear no more as Whisky is the new vino!

COCKTAILS AT BAR EPERNAY

GREEN VELVET

Birmingham’s premier Champagne and Piano Bar, Bar Epernay, is located on level 7 of the luxurious Mailbox.

Bar Epernay is known for its unrivalled Champagne offering in the city and encompasses surroundings of elegance and sophistication. General Manager Carl and his team are now warming up Christmas with the fabulously festive Green Velvet cocktail.

With a delicious blend of Baileys and Crème De Menthe, the Green Velvet cocktail has a cool crispness with a soothingly sweet creamy taste. It’s the perfect cocktail for a special occasion with your loved ones this season.

ingredients

method

25ml Baileys

Add all ingredients together in a mixing glass, shake over ice and serve in a martini glass with fresh mint and chocolate powder to garnish.

25ml Crème De Menthe 50ml double cream

ing Morfnter a

BOOST

Overindulged this festive season?

Help is at hand in the form of this delicious tonic which is filled to the brim with essential nutrients and antioxidants. Each FTN shot is filled with a potent recovery blend to kickstart the recovery process. Act right now you can pick up a month’s supply for £39.99 instead of £75 at www.ftnbelieve.com

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A Quick Romance

The Vaults, located in Birmingham’s iconic jewellery quarter, looks to bring an executive feel to speed dating by hosting fortnightly speed dating nights, allowing attendees to meet up to five new acquaintances. With a sophisticated venue and fabulous cocktails singletons should prepare to fall in love with the venue, if not the person at the opposite side of the table. www.vaultsbirmingham.com

Photorealism: 50 Years of Hyperrealistic Painting

The first major large-scale retrospective in Europe devoted to Photorealism, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) take us on a journey through time as they survey the work of key photorealist artists from the 1960s to the present day. The exhibition, opening between November 30 and March 30, explores the questions and debates raised by the movement on what makes an authentic image, and the ways in which we perceive the world. Adult tickets are £6.50 while children are priced at £5.50. For more information visit bmag.org.uk Franz Gertsch, Irene VIII, 1981 (c) Franz Gertsch, Institut fur Kulturaustausch, Tubingen; Don Eddy, Untitled (4VWs), 1971 (c) Don Eddy / 2012 foto gonzolo de la serna stylebirminghamMAG.com

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Sarah MillicanHomebird

Wolverhampton Civic Hall welcomes yet another brilliant stand-up comedian this December. The latest visitor to the intimate venue is TV favourite Sarah Millican, who will be bringing her witty and humbling anecdotes to the Midlands for two days only. Make sure you’re there if only to chuckle at the fact that you can relate to her embarrassing stories in more ways than you wish to admit.

James Martin Online Cooking Challenge

With 70 per cent of people living in the West Midlands ordering at least one takeaway a week, according to a survey by Canned Food UK, celebrity chef James Martin set Brummies the ultimate challenge – to cook their own takeaway classics. Slashing the time and cost associated with the weekly treat, James responds to more than a quarter of people who admit to lacking inspiration for home cooking by demonstrating some of the tastiest recipes online via Canned Food UK’s new cooking channel. Prawn and Chickpea Balti, anyone? Head over to youtube.co.uk/cannedfooduk Image: Prawn and Chickpea Balti, James Martin for Canned Food UK

Up-Cycle Arts Fair

In association with leading youth volunteering charity vInspired,Team v Birmingham are on a race to build ‘The Sustainable Generation,’ hosting an eco-themed arts fair on December 6. Taking over the mac arts centre, the campaign aims to educate and raise awareness of clothing waste and how communities can make positive steps to reduce this. Throughout the day there will be performances from local artists and purpose-made artworks being exhibited. To submit your work or request to perform, email Ayesha.jones@vinspired.com

World Record Christmas Cracker Pull

In an attempt to break a Guinness World Record for the longest Christmas cracker pulling chain, this December 11 Brindleyplace ask for volunteers to help break the current record of 603 people. Taking place in Oozells Square, a live band will help keep participants feeling the cheer along with Free Radio presenters, Jo and Sparky who will lead the countdown. Special prizes will be in just 150 crackers including: meals and drinks at some of the most stylish venues in town, an overnight stay at the Hilton Garden Inn and a year’s supply of burgers at Handmade Burger Co. Register at brindleyplace.eventbrite.co.uk Image, left to right: Lydia Ellis and Ailsa Raine (Brindleyplace), Jo & Sparky, and HumFree the Hamster (Free Radio)

The Nightingale wins!

The Nightingale Club have recently won the prestigious accolade of BEST CLUB IN BIRMINGHAM at the BEST BAR NONE AWARDS. The Nightingale faced fierce competition from former winners and nominees such as Gatecrasher and Bliss nightclub and the 02 academy. The criteria for the awards focuses on industry standards, quality, health and safety procedures and best practice as well as the offer to customers. Delighted with the award, owner, Lawrence Barton commented “To have taken a club facing administration some two years ago, to a position of winning one of the most recognised and well regarded awards is testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and the continued support of our very loyal customers. I am absolutely delighted and proud of our achievement”

Lisa Riley Hosts Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour Suit-up for Acorns

Providing round-the-clock palliative care and support to young people and families, with more than 600 of those living in Birmingham, Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust gears up for the Christmas Santa Fun Run and Stroll. Happening on December 7 and 8 at Birmingham’s Brindley Place and Walsall Arboretum, participants have the choice to either complete a 5km run or 2km stroll, receiving free entry to the Sea Life Centre for taking part. Entry is £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s.

For more information and to register visit acorns.org.uk/santa

Returning for a fabulous seventh year, dancing sensation and actress Lisa Riley, returns to the dance floor to host the incredible live version of BBC One’s hit entertainment show. Opening at the Birmingham NIA on January 17 2014, the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour will feature a brand new line-up of your favourite celebrities and dancers; not to mention formidable TV judges, Len Goodman, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli. Tickets range between £25 and £65, and can be purchased by calling the box office or booking online.

Visit strictlycomedancinglive.com for more information.

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T’S WHA

. . .

N O

ta k e a l o o k at o u r p i c k o f t h e b e s t m u s i c , t h e at r e a n d e v e n t s i n t h e c i t y. B y V i c k y G ay l e

M ARO O N 5

J O H N N EW M A N The Institute, January 29 2014 A singer-songwriter, producer and creative director, John Newman has a richness and depth far beyond his years. Now 23-years-old he scored a number 1 single, notoriety on Later With Jools Holland, all before the release of his solo material in 2013.

His distinctive style saw him team up with British electronica group Rudimental last year; while debut album Tribute landed number 1 on the UK Chart upon its release in November. So what’s next for the musician? New single, Losing Sleep and possibly a move to the US. Catch him while you can at The Institute, tickets are available from johnnewman.seetickets.com

LG Arena, January 8 2014 After a decade of activity, these three-time Grammy award-winners have gone from gigging across LA to becoming one of the biggest bands in the world, proving they are an unstoppable force.

Following the release of their phenomenally successful fourth studio album, Overexposed in 2012, Maroon 5 have solidified themselves in pop history; creating a truly infectious sound, fusing elements of rock, soul, funk and more. Nominated for ‘Favourite Band’ at the People’s Choice Awards 2014, this exciting show will prove just how legendary they are. Tickets are £41.75 and available from theticketfactory.com

I N T H E MO OD FOR SOME T H I NG MUSICAL? O u r p i c k o f t h e b e s t g i g s i n t ow n

TINIE TEMPAH LG Arena, December 16

D ION N E B RO M F IEL D 02 Academy, December 23 After taking time out from recording her third album at just 17-years-old, Dionne Bromfield is at the heart of new-age soul. Goddaughter of the late songstress Amy Winehouse, Dionne has always had huge boots to fill and started early as her debut album, Introducing Dionne Bromfield was released in 2009 under the same label as Amy, Lioness Records. Still attached to the label, as well as Island Records, it appears that she’s making a subtle comeback to the industry. Performing for one night only in Birmingham, tickets are £9.25 and available from ticketweb.co.uk

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B AS E ME NT JAXX 02 Academy, December 5 Dubbed the ‘godfathers of UK house,’ fans have waited patiently for the dance-duo to make their high-profile return, but now the legends are back with a new set of UK winter tour dates to bring us into that feel-good vibe once more. Bringing nothing but up-tempo, bass-heavy sounds, Back 2 The Wild and What A Difference Your Loves Makes earlier this year whet the appetite of many, but the real mastermind will be their seventh studio album coming out next spring. Priced at £28.12, tickets are available at ticketweb.co.uk

Not the man to do anything by halves, Tinie Tempah has exploded this year to say the least: a huge summer hit with US rapper 2 Chainz, Trampoline peaked at number 3 in the charts; then cue his highly-anticipated second studio album, Demonstration, released last month; and an international arena tour kicking off December 2. An eclectic array of collaborations with UK artists such as, Laura Mvula, Paloma Faith and Labrinth, expectations are certainly riding high for the Children of the Sun singer.

Tickets are £29.20 and available from livenation.co.uk

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T HE NU TC RAC K E R Birmingham Hippodrome, November 22 – December 12

DI V E RS I T Y P R ES EN T L I M I T L ESS National Indoor Arena, December 8 ‘Dream, Believe and Achieve,’ with Diversity as their high-energy dance spectacular arrives with a bang to Birmingham’s NIA, featuring some very special guests. Fresh from the Royal Variety Show, 2013 has been a hectic year for the street dance troupe and their brand new arena show looks set to take fans on an electrifying journey, having performed live to over one million people across the world to date. Tickets can be purchased from gigsandtours.com

What more could a girl wish for than for all her dreams to come true?

Mesmerising and enchanting, the Birmingham Royal Ballet is set to capture the hearts of many as this whimsical tale of love and fantasy is revived on stage. A classical score by Tchaikovsky and world-famous production by Sir Peter Wright, secure it as one of the most famous classical ballets of all time. Tickets are between £16 and £50 online. Visit birminghamhippodrometickets.com to make your booking.

S NOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWAR FS

DRAMA Q UEEN

O u r p i c k o f t h e b e s t at t h e t h e at r e

Birmingham Hippodrome, December 19 – February 2 A star-studded cast to match Britain’s biggest pantomime – this is the Magnificent Seven as you’ve never seen them before. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, starring EastEnders’ John Partridge as the Prince, with Gok Wan making his Birmingham pantomime debut as The Man In The Mirror – it promises spectacular theatrics and unmissable, side-bursting comedy. Tickets range between £12 and £39. Purchase from birminghamhippodrometickets.com

P E T E R PAN, T HE NE VE R E NDING STO RY A C H RI ST M AS CA R O L The REP Theatre, November 27 – January 4 2014 Join London’s meanest miser Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley and Bob Cratchit as Charles Dickens’ much-loved Christmas classic bursts onto The REP stage. A brand new production aimed at audiences from aged seven upwards, will bring to life this timeless and heart-warming tale, promising to be a spooky and epic treat for all of the family. Tickets are between £7 and £35, and available to purchase from birmingham-rep.co.uk

National Indoor Arena, December 13 – 15 Watch Peter Pan elevate into the air and fly with the help of an incredible wind turbine, used for the very first time on stage. A ground-breaking theatrical production, Peter Pan, The Never Ending Story is on the edge of fantasy and reality; combining the drama and excitement of live theatre with the visuals of a blockbuster movie. Coming to Birmingham NIA as part of a world arena tour, join Tinker Bell played by TV sweetheart Stacey Solomon and others for JM Barrie’s wonderful children’s story. Tickets from £22 - £49.50, available from theticketfactory.com

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N E W Y E A R ’S EV E P R O H I B ITI O N PART Y

BIRM INGHAM INT E RNATIONAL FAS HION WEEK 2014

Annexe Restaurant, December 31 Mark the arrival of 2014 in an atmosphere of vintage decadence this New Year’s Eve at Annexe. Relive the glitz and glamour of the 1920s American Prohibition era, while you slip into your most provocative dress and evoke the mystique of a Hollywood star. Sip on deliciously illicit cocktails and enjoy a la carte dining to the sound of roaring jazz and speakeasy swing; mingling with flappers, goons, gangsters and molls. Tickets are priced at £40 which includes cocktail on arrival and champagne at midnight. Book online at annexe.co

Birmingham City Banqueting Suite, February 28 – March 1

O U T AND ABO U T C H AM PAG N E – TH E M Y T H A N D M AG IC

Our pick of the best events

The place to seek new, emerging and unique brands, Birmingham’s International Fashion Week returns for its second annual event in February.

Having marked the successful launch in 2013 with over 12 runway shows showcasing designers from around the globe, 2014 is set to be even bigger with the best in new fashion talent; attendance from industry heads and style enthusiasts alike. Tickets will go on sale in November/ December 2013 and are available for the first 100 VIP visitors only. Visit bhmfashionweek.com

Bar Epernay, January 15 2014 Stylish, elusive and expensive are just some of the terms that have been applied to champagne. In this special event, The Wine Tasting Company will unravel the mysteries behind it: shedding light on how it’s made, what exactly ‘vintage’ means, its expensive price tag and where to look for value as you shop. Become a connoisseur for the night in the atmospheric surroundings of the Wine Library at Bar Epernay in the Maibox. Tickets are £45 and places are strictly limited so to book go onto thewinetastingcompany.com

1 2 for

ktails

coc

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LO FT Y HE IGHTS !

The Loft Lounge have a great 2 for 1 cocktail offer, all day every day as well as food served 7 days and nights a week. Every Saturday, the Loft Lounge plays host to award winning DJ Simon Baker and stages LIVE MUSIC every Sunday afternoon from 5pm. The Loft Lounge is almost fully booked for it’s Christmas celebrations with parties happening 7 days a week within the Loft and the Penthouse Rooms, limited space still available.

As always we have our massive NYE party on the 31st December, followed by a number of brand new menu offers and exciting promotions for the new year.

WEST MIDL ANDS COMMUN IT Y S P O RTS AWARDS Aston Villa Football Club, December 4 Recognising the quality, commitment and dedication of grassroots sport in the region, it’s time for the 2013 West Midlands Community Sports Awards. Hosted by BBC Midlands Today presenters Nick Owen and Mary Rhodes, the night will honour the hard work of dedicated individuals, volunteers and groups.

Nomination categories include: Community Coach of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and the BBC’s Sports Unsung Hero award.

The evening will consist of a drinks reception and three course meal, costing £30. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.co.uk

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BIRMINGHAM’S

PREMIER BOUTIQUE VENUE THIS FESTIVE SEASON

LIMITED CHRISTMAS PARTY DATES AVAILABLE

NEW YEAR’S EVE

0121 631 1600

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!

N I W

A £500 LUXURY SHOPPING SPREE AT

THE MAILBOX One lucky reader will win a very special Christmas treat to remember! What would you do with £500 to spend at The Mailbox? Invest in super-luxe fashion at Harvey Nichols or Emporio Armani?

Stay and pamper yourself at Malmaison? Or treat friends to a lavish dinner?

To be in with a chance of winning, enter online at stylebirminghamMAG.com Competition closes: Tuesday December 31 2013. See online for terms and conditions.

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THE LOFT LOUNGE

BIRMINGHAM WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS

ENJOY A DELICIOUS COCKTAIL OVER THE FESTIVE PERIOD WITH 2-4-1 ON SELECTED COCKTAILS SUNDAY-FRIDAY ALL DAY AND NIGHT OR WHY NOT TRY OUR NEW WINTER MENU WITH DELICIOUS WARMING FOOD BEING SERVED 7 DAYS SE

NEW YEAR SPECIAL DJ SIMON BAKER BRING IN 2014 IN STYLE

Still open, still luxurious, as we build you a better Mailbox.

Studded Stretch Jersey Dress, Michael Michael Kors at Harvey Nichols, £215.00

Bar Epernay • Bar Estilo • Bar Room Bar • Café Rouge • Caffe Gusto • Côte Brasserie • Gourmet Burger Kitchen Harvey Nichols Espresso Café • Harvey Nichols Perrier Jouët Champagne Bar • Malmaison Brasserie • Miller & Carter • Nando’s • Pennyblacks Pizza Express • Red Peppers • Strada • The Oriental • Zizzi • Ramada Hotel • H2O Car Valeting • Tesco Express • BBC Birmingham