Hello Fashion Magazine

In our family there's a tradition that when you rock up at the house of a family member to stay with them for a couple of days they will put a stash of treats in your room to make your stay more enjoyable. These usually include chocolate and a magazine. Recently I stayed with my Aunt in St. Albans and she left the most recent copy of Hello Fashion Magazine (HFM) on my bed. Now, I read A LOT of fashion magazines: Elle, Vogue, RED plus all the weekend newspaper magazine supplements (Guardian, Times, Telegraph) but I had never heard of HFM. I devoured it in the space of an hour and when I got back to my office I subscribed to the magazine for a year.

I am loving, Hello Fashion Magazine. Here's why:

 Interviews with not your typical Hollywood A-listers

Recently they've had DJ and pop-stress Whinnie Williams and Charlotte Watts (her off of the Rolling Stones Charlie Watts lineage.)

1 buy 4 ways

This is awesome - it's my MO to get more wear out of your wardrobe and this page really inspires me to look at things differently.

HFM is cheap

You can buy Vogue for £3.99 - (like buying a book) or if pennys are tight try HFM. It's a quid. A whole English Pound. £1. Whereas the equivalent, LOOK magazine features bargain basement High Street, HFM features labels which teeter at top end high street and designer but there's a something for everyone: fashion, lifestyle, beauty, interviews.

Which magazines do you enjoy reading and why?

Til next time...x

The Wardrobe Angel

Christmas in the Castle

So we've had glasses, tailors and some crass stitched naughtiness on the Alternative Christmas Gift Guide. Now for some superb gift ideas of the homewares variety...

Visiting a friend in Barnard Castle the other week I stumbled across an independent retailer to shout about, a boxfresh business that has already had a feature in Elle decoration: Oswells. Tucked away down one end of the high street the shop has been open for 6 months and is going from strength to strength.

With the high street in decline and online sales rising there has been a real resurgence in successful independent retailers, coming to the fore of the retailing landscape. Oswells fits this bill. Lisa, head honcho, previously worked at Liberties and Harvey Nichols, buying for their homewares department. This experience and knowledge has transferred into a confidant, seamless and original product selection which has grown organically to include stationary, furnishings, toiletries and games. A family run business, Lisa works alongside her hubby Mark and sister Julie to ensure the brand remains strong and gets the glory it so deserves.

I love what they have to offer. Here are a few of my favourite pieces from their online shop:

And if you can't make your mind up or the person you are buying for is notoriously difficult to buy for (that would be me then) they do Gift Vouchers. That's Christmas sorted, Barnard Castle style.

Now for the grand finale: the ampersand symbol (hint hint...)