Steal of the century: The Ultimate Convertible dress!

It's miiiiiiiiiine! I repeat, I finally scored my dream dress.... I haven't bought anything this epic in ages. One seriously cool dress & 15 ways to wrap and wear it!

Ma-jor purchase in royal blue, one size fits all, talk about genius!

Most of you will know that when a special online sale is due to take place, you do not step away from the laptop. In my case, I dragged mine with me knowing that Cocosa (UK) was hosting the Two Birds designer sale, which was about to kick off in a mere few hours.

I swear I only react this insane when I want something reeeeally bad, ok, no that's probably an understatement. But since I missed out big time on the previous Two Birds sale, I told myself I would not be making such a rookie mistake again. Last time all the amazing dresses sold out like an hour and a half, and I was gutted to say the least. (The collection has sold out already at the time of writing this).

So let me relay how I very nearly did not get this dress.

• Cocosa emails me the day before with a preview of forthcoming sales, I see the Two Birds brand and a little birdie inside my head tells me that's the label I missed out on before.
• Eyes pretty much pop outta my head as I oogle all the fabulous dresses in a myriad of jewel colours. The dress I want was £250, now £119, i'm thinking, 'baaaaargain - I-must-have-it-now!!!!'. Really, this dress is going to get some serious wears.
  
• Set alarm to remember to go online at midday the next day.
• Today: Click on the page of the dress in the colour I want and close laptop set to that page.
• It's nearly midday UK time, need to find wifi connection, done, phew.
• Ok, it's 3 seconds gone and the sales are open, click on add to basket... noooooooo! The screen is blinking, and screaming 'checking availability' at me. Next thing I know it says someone else has put the item in their basket, should they not proceed with the purchase it will then be made available again. I click back to the Two Birds sale page (back and forth at least 5 times) and literally click 'add to basket' on 2 other dresses (held only for 7 minutes by Cocosa) - gotta have back up, know what I mean?
• So after a good 8 minutes of not being able to breathe properly I click back to the royal blue dress and find it's available again, breathe, click 'add to basket'. I had to uncheck the 2 other dresses I didn't want and finally, hoorah after filling in address and payment details it is MINE!

Honestly, I felt like tearing my hair out at one point (B if you're reading this, i'm sure you'll sympathize with me), especially when I kept clicking back and forth to the royal blue dress page (which loaded really slowly each time) & it kept telling me there was none available.... aaaagh!

So, why am I so kerrr-aaaaazy about this dress? Well, sometime last year I saw Vahni of Grit and Glamour in a stunning knot and tie dress, seriously V looked a million bucks (as she always does, see here) & the dress looked gloriously amazing. But for the life of me, I cannot find that particular post of her in that dress or who it was by again, all I knew was that I wanted a similar-ish dress.

The different ways to wrap/wear this dress

So what do you think? Score of the century or what?

Have any of you had any interesting or shall I say desperate, 'me-wants-now' online shopping attempts only to have someone (almost) beat you to it? Seriously, if this were in a shop and there were only one dress, i'd have versions of Rachel, Monica and Phoebe shopping (hunting) with me, whistles blowing all the way!

images via twobirds, edited by me
NB: twobirds is available in US, Canada, Australia and also the UK.

Sunday Catch Up, the bad the sad & the exciting

I'm pretty sure most of you have heard about the shocking tragedy in Norway, so first, let me say that I don't think there is anything I could possibly say that could express enough sincere condolences to all those affected by this terrible event, such a beautiful country and people. Our prayers & hearts go out to you.

I'm also shocked at the passing of such a talented if not troubled singer, Amy Winehouse, may you rest in peace. I always loved her music and her voice, my fave being the Mark Ronson collaboration & cover of 'Valerie'. (Live acoustic link)

This weekend has been a very sad weekend indeed. But I'd like to leave you all with some notes of sunshine if, at all possible.

Beyonce looks smoking hot in her promotional shoot for her album '4' by Greg Gex.

I hear that Christina Hendricks of Mad Men is designing her own swimwear range and is very close to signing a deal.
Also, a certain Harry Potter star is also considering becoming a fashion designer. I get why Christina is designing a range, but I do find it more and more ridiculous hearing that just because someone is famous and loves fashion, they have the necessary skills to become a talented designer. Ok, maybe i'm a little skeptical, but the starlet has done a fair amount of work for People Tree Foundation and worked on a capsule collection, which has been ethically produced, in collaboration with Alberta Ferretti. I guess we'll see if it's any good.

SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH IF NOT BASED IN GREECE

For everyone based in Greece, guess what? Make Up Guru and Ambassador of Max Factor Greece, Yiannis Marketakis (Γιάννης Μαρκετάκης) is launching Make Up Lab!
Having spent more than 15 years devoting his time and working on countless beauty and fashion editorials as well as making the gorgeous TV folks look, well even more gorgeous, Yiannis is going to share his secrets through his make up seminars. Is this not the most amazing news in beauty ever???

From September, you can learn all about Yiannis' trademark tips in various Make Up Lab seminars catering for beginners training to enter the professional Make Up world, Masterclass lessons for experienced make up graduates/artists who want to further develop their skills and learn about the hard to master techniques in the fashion/advertising world and finally beauty lessons for women who can learn to be their very own make up artist and accentuate their best features.

Make Up Lab info:
Louka Nika 11 & Ag. Anargyron 41 (Λουκά Νίκα 11 & Αγ. Αναργύρων 41 Ψυρρή)
Telephone for bookings and enquiries: 212 1029035 / 6944 888454
e-mail: info@makeuplab.gr
web: www.makeuplab.gr

Finally, if I ever win the lottery guys, I would take you all on this sweet ride of a vacation. This super yacht has it's very own heli-pad for ferrying you lovely readers to and fro, a huge bar, floating beach cabanas, a waterfall cascading down from a vaolcano plus cinema, library, games room, gym, spa and VIP suites! WOW! Full link and more 'blow you away' images here.

Right luvvies, I leave you with this:

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile. "
~ Unknown

Friday Night Hot Hair: Tousled beach waves

The weekend is upon us folks, so I guess i'll be grabbing a frock and sky high heels as I officially go celebrate my 5th year anniversary with Mr. Perseus later. Yay!!! I'm really feeling the summery vibe of sexy, wavy hair for ce soir, I don't know why, but tousled hair just makes me feel utterly good. What do you think?

What I love so much about wavy hair is that it doesn't have to be polished or neat affair, the messier & tousled the better, well that's how I like it anyway! Oh, and it even looks good with shorter hair too, Alexa Chung is proof!

I have super straight hair, so naturally I've loved the idea of waking up with wavy hair! There are so many ways of achieving this look and it's also easier if you don't have squeaky clean hair, day old is best to work with (unless you already have naturally curly hair).

Au Naturel:
I've spent the day at the beach and sea and scraped my hair back and twisted my hair into high bun when it's semi-dry, I let it loose for natural curls & waves. The salt from the sea adds texture and volume, talk about effortless style.

You can always plait your towel dried hair and leave to dry. Spritz with hairspray accordingly.

Using styling tools:
First I spray a little 'Toni & Guy's Iron-it Defence spray', so as to not cook my hair.
Next, I sectioned my hair (divide into 3/4 parts) then I took a 1" (approx) piece of hair and wrapped it around the barrel of my curling tongs, leaving the ends unclipped so it doesn't leave a kink mark. (I used a large barrel hair tong Boots UK for my curls). Spritz hair spray all over and pulling through a wide paddled brush and comb through with fingers to loosen sections of curls.

If you're not loving the OTT-ness of the curls or the volume, you can run your fingers through with a little serum/straightening balm or spritz some leave-in hair conditioner through, giving it a little scrunch here and there.
Not enough volume on top? - Flip your hair upside down and also work some hair spray into the roots, massaging well, so you don't get thick hairspray clumps, and don't hold the it so close to the roots! When you've got the style you want, go mad on the hairspray to lock in place!

If you're going to do this on freshly washed hair, it's best to work some mousse or styling/holding product on your hair first - from root to tip, brush/comb through. Wrap sections of hair around a large round brush and blow dry. Unravel gently. Comb through with fingers to loosen and serparate the curls.

I love leaving wavy hair for the next day, it's the undone and care-free kinda look that rocks for me.

Here are some of my fave hair hero's rocking waves and beach hair!

I love that Leighteon Meester's look is not mega curly here and more kinda undone to show off her two-tone hair. See, Alexa looks pretty good, no?

I think Kate and Drew both have a natural curl to their hair, so styling for them will probably involve working with blow dried hair and re-worked with styling tools.

Loving Lily and Rachels loose, textured waves!

Right gorgeous people, I hope your weekend is tip-top fantastic! Remember to...


Images edited via me, Instyle, Just Jared, Popsugar, Glamour & lino print by Funnelcoud @ Etsy

I carried a watermelon: beating the heat

What's a girl to do on super hot sunny days aside from take 3 showers a day? Seriously, Athens is as hot as Vegas right now, I'd imagine it's hot enough for doing Bikram yoga on the balcony, only i'm not that crazy! I shouldn't complain, I love the summer, only thing is, I wish I had a rooftop pool or lived slap bang next to a beach.

In this heat my appetite tends to switch off completely... ok, no I lie, I still live on ice-cream by the bucket load but anything which involves switching on the oven is a major no-go. I already get enough hot air from outside when the balcony doors are wide open, I so do not need and cannot cope with added heat from the oven. (I remember baking a gigantic turkey on Christmas Day in Sydney, Oz with an oncoming heat exhaustion after beaching it on Bondi - not pretty and not clever). I still don't get how normal this is for most people out here, but I guess they cook early on or eat very late at night - something i'm else i'm still not used to.

The only thing that refreshes me in an instant is watermelon. Yup, there is a serious abundance of watermelons here in summer along with drive-by watermelon trucks with loud speakers announcing their arrival. I go through watermelon like hot dinners, I eat it with feta, blitz it up for cocktails or make popsicles, the alcoholic kind.

Note, watermelons in Greece are huge, like seriously massive. The last one we picked up was close to 10 kilos - think 2 small babies or 3! I always let the mother-in-law pick as she always selects the sweetest, juiciest ones.
Right, before I get into choosing a ripe, juicy watermelon, let me share some watermelon recipes I found online which help beat the heat.

Watermelon & Tequila popsicles What you need:

• 1 1/2 pounds seedless watermelon without the rind, cut into 1-inch dice (about 4 cups)
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• Pinch of salt

Make it!
In a blender, puree the watermelon with the sugar until smooth. Stir in the tequila, lime zest and salt. Pour the puree into 8 popsicle molds or 2 standard ice cube trays (insert popsicle sticks halfway through freezing) and freeze until hard, about 3 hours.
You can also omit the lime zest for lemon and also take out the tequila and add some crushed mint leaves to this recipe for a non alcoholic version!

Watermelon Sangria via Allrecipes.com by Bewitched
What you need for 16 servings:

• 12 cups cubed watermelon
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry white wine
• 1 cup vodka
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 3 cups cubed seeded watermelon
• 1 medium lime, quartered
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (optional)

Make it!
Place 9 cups of watermelon cubes in a blender; blend on high until very smooth. Strain juice through a mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Pour the wine, vodka, triple sec, and simple syrup into the pitcher. Stir to combine. Mix the remaining 3 cups of watermelon cubes, the lime quarters, orange sections, and blueberries into the sangria. Chill for 4 hours before serving.

Martha Stewarts Watermelon Mojito - edited.
What you need for 1 cocktail-multiply as required:

• 4 large mint leaves
• 1/2 lime
• 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
• 4 ounces seedless watermelon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3/4 cup), plus a small wedge for garnish
• 2 ounces white rum
• 1/2 cup ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup
  

Making it!
In a heavy large glass, combine mint, lime, and sugar. Using a muddler, mash together mint and lime until sugar is dissolved. Add watermelon, and muddle until broken down. Stir in rum, agave syrup and ice cubes. Pour into an 8-ounce serving glass and garnish with a watermelon wedge. Serve immediately.

Choosing a watermelon via e-how. I tend to just thump the watermelon and hope to hear a hollow sound.

• "Look for shiny watermelons. Ripe watermelons will be more dull in color, but have a shiny complexion. The watermelon should be evenly toned. Watermelons that have one side lighter or darker than the other should be avoided.
• Find a yellow or white spot on the watermelon. This is where the watermelon was sitting on a ground. Ripe watermelons will be yellow in color, while white means it isn't ripe.
• Hold the watermelon in your hands and squeeze it. Listen very closely for soft cracking inside. This means that the watermelon is ripe. Don't squeeze too hard since anything will crack under a certain amount of pressure. Another way to determine a watermelon's ripeness is to hold it in one hand and slap it (with the palm of your hand) with another and listen for a hollow sound/thump.
• Keep in mind the type of watermelon you want. Females tend to be larger, sweeter and have less seeds than males. (Say whaaaat? There's gender involved?) To find out if a watermelon is male or female, look at the bottom side and find a ring that is going in the opposite direction of the other watermelon's circles. Smaller ring sizes, about the size of a penny, are male watermelons. Female watermelons may have quarter size rings."

Wishful thinking...sigh!

Is anyone elsewhere suffering from OTT heat? How do you guys cool down without the aid of A/C or a pool?! What are you all craving in this summer heat?

images via 1, 2, 3, 4

p.s Thanks new readers for stopping by. Regular lovelies, hope all is good with y'all!

First Look: Paris Hilton in edgy shoot

Holy smokes! Could the real Paris Hilton please stand up? I'm not really a fan, she annoys me, a lot, but I have to say, this looks nothing like the usual Barbie Princess, she's hardly recognisable in this shoot for V Magazine.

Photography by Daniele + Lango
Styling by Joanne Blades
Make Up by Ayako for ADDICTION

For full article link (if you're really interested in why she speaks in 2 kinds of voices-yes, really) then click here.

Scent-sational smells pour homme

With my 5th year anniversary creeping up in the upcoming weeks, a boat load of memories came flooding back. I'll never forget the smell of (tequila gold and) the very first time I met Mr. Perseus. In short, he just smelt plain sexy, daring if not bold and now, that scent has been embedded firmly into my brain for many years to come.


He wore Versace Man, a cologne that is relatively rare to find these days, since it's launch in 2003. He's been wearing it forever, which is why I think it smells like him, or rather, the scent belongs perfectly to him. Sadly, it's been discontinued (WHY???), but there are still some places which stock this amazing scent online. This delicious scent possesses a blend of neroli, bergamot, florals, and black pepper. The middle notes include, cardamom, saffron. The base notes are tobacco, amber, casmir & labdanum. (I don't have a clue what some of these notes are but still, they're like the important ingredients to a magic spell, cooking up in a cauldron). Smells, scents trigger memories and are incredibly integral to our lives, because science says so.

So, to mark our 5th Anniversary, one of the things I wanted to do was to pick out a new cologne for him. I'm having a bit of difficulty deciding what that's going to be since there are just dozens of aftershaves/colognes out there.

Catch my whiff?


I did have a look-see and sniff out some scents, which smelt pretty alluring:

• Prada - Infusion D'homme. A gorgeous distinctive scent. I have the Prada Infusion De Fleur D'Oranger, which also has notes of neroli.
• Dolce & Gabbana - The One. I love this sensual scent, which has notes of tabacco, orange blossom-clearly something i'm obsessed with and cardamon.
• Gucci Guilty pour homme - There's something that draws me to this scent, it's quite woody and clean.

Decisions, decisions... So, luvvies, any suggestions here? I'd love to hear about what scent drives you crazy on a guy!

Have a Happy Monday and terrific, if not mind-blowing week!

Celebrating my name day! Η γιορτή μου

Hellooooo party boys and gals! Hope you're all having a terrific week!

Today i'll be celebrating my name (saint) day with family and friends. My given name is Kyriakh (-pronounced Kyriaki, which means Sunday) and like most name days, it's celebrated in a similar manner to birthdays.

It's true, I get two parties a year! How crazy awesome?! When I first moved over here, I was fully aware of the circumstances that surround your birthday or name day, it's basically your prerogative to pay for everything (i.e the celebrations), unlike the UK, where everyone buys you the drinks instead! Yes, really! It's banana's right, but that's fine with me.

You can definitely count on one thing, there'll be cake and sparkles!
I think it's fair to say that i've still got a fair bit to crack on with today before tonights celebrations kick-off, so i'm gonna love you and leave y'all!

Images via, unkown, Coco+kelley, Just be Splendid

Because it's Monday

Ah, Monday mornings... Aside from making endless to-do lists for the upcoming week, I also tend to let my imagination run wild, which is why I'm loving these two pics above and below. Admittedly, I'm wishing I had a long weekend and was still in bed in the middle of a major schnooze fest... For those of you Stateside, Happy Fourth of July! Enjoy your uber long weekend!

I love the idea of a tea party in the middle of the streets of New Orleans (sans the rain), however I'll probably throw in some delicious cocktails. (Please don't judge)

Most of you may have heard about the craziness that's been going on in Greece. We also had power cuts sporadically throughout different burbs most of last week (really frustrating when you've lost work/internet connection), resulting in me paying a visit to my mother-in-laws cake shop and stuffing my face with ice-cream. There was no power, I hate wasting food, so what's a girl to do but eat cake and ice-cream eh?

I had some amazing news from two of my bff's, two couples have finally set a date for 2012, hoorah & congrats! I can't wait for their special day!
Lastly...

Loving these words of wisdom

Wishing you all a fantabulous week cherubs!

images via, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Kate Moss' Wedding Snaps!

This has to be the most epic weddings of the year, apart from the Royal Wedding of course, since it'll be well documented in US Vogue for their September issue. Can't wait!
Supermodel and rock chick Kate Moss wed rocker, Jamie Hince in the Cotswolds this afternoon in a John Galliano designed gown. All I will say is Mossy looked super stunning in this vintage style cream dress and every inch a beautiful bride. (Don't cha just love the first snap shot?)

The dress was absolutely perfect for her, I didn't expect a big or Vera Wang style frock. The bias cut detail is such a Galliano signature...also loving the gold leaf detail and also the fine embroidery on the hem... sigh!

Such a beautiful veil, so dreamy no?

Jamie, Kate and her daughter, Lila - what a cutie!

The Facts:

• Kate Moss' sress by Galliano
• Shoes by Manolo Blahnik, with blue insole
• Jamie Hince wore a Stefano Pilati suit by YSL
• Stella McCartney designs 3 oufits for Mossy's first dance, after party and a going away outfit.
  
• 14 young bridesmaids in the bridal party
  
• Celebrity heavy guest list
• Publid roads closed
• Mario Testino -photographer
  
• Loose waves created by Sam McKnight
• Make-up by Charlotte Tilbury

Right lovelies, wishing you all a super sunny and amazing weekend!
Kalo Mina folks - Have a great month!

images and source via Daily Mail, full link to the big day, here