Miss Cherry Picked and Ooh, that Naughty Burlesque

Having experienced the delights of some truly stunning burlesque performances and intrigued by the teasing likes of Ms. Dita Von Teese, I thought it about time I see for myself what it was like to step into the sparkling shoes of the Burlesque performer.

Scouring the search results on Google, The Cheek of it Charles! sounded just the ticket.  With a drop in class on a Wednesday evening at Pineapple Dance Studios at £12 for non-members, I could find no obstacle to giving it a try and promptly punched it into my iPhone calendar.

Feeling rather down and arriving at the studios, I wasn't quite sure if i'd have the nerve to go through with it but Zoe aka Lady Cheek, immediately allayed any fears I had about turning up alone as I felt I had a buddy in her. 

The class commenced with a little gentle stretching and moved into some serious strutting whilst Zoe called psuedo-military like confidence boosting encouragement - there was no way any of us were going to argue that we were not 'gorgeous' or 'fabulous'.  For someone who can move but gets her feet in a twist when it comes to learning dance routines, I found the class easy to follow and fabulous fun. And in fact, getting your knickers in a twist is what it's all about.

Not only that but if you sign up for one of their courses, you get to strut your stuff on the stage with a final show down at Madame Jo Jos.  A real test of nerve.

So I left the class at 9pm with the stress of the day firmly behind me, an extended vocabulary in accessories designed to barely cover one's modesty feeling positively perky.

I highly recommend.   I for one, will be delving in for more. Say hello to Miss Cherry Picked ;)

Mistletoe and Silk - vintage style Christmas shop, pamper, party affair for ladies with flair

I have listed Mistletoe and Silk on ooh.com

Join Cherry Picked Styling and Youlovefashion at Mistletoe and Silk, a vintage afternoon that promises to be the most glamorous way to Christmas shop you’ll ever find. Get pampered with beauty and alternative therapy treatments at affordable prices and party in a manor house, all at the same time.

Pick up your Christmas cupcake and glass of mulled wine to fuel your shopping in the Youlovefashion.com Bazaar with its vintage and independent designer clothing, unusual gifts, jewellery and more.

Sup on a Christmas cocktail whilst you have your Tarot cards read and take in the outfits on the Cherry Picked Modern Vintage Catwalk Show.

Have a punt in our charity raffle then rub away your shopping aches with a treatment in the relaxation haven of the Cherry Picked Pop Up Pamper Parlour. Treatments range from Reflexology and Indian Head Massage to eyebrow threading and manicures, all at affordable prices.

Mistletoe and Silk promises to be our grandest event yet, meeting all your festive needs from personal shopping to personal wrapping.  There will also be a special 'easy to eat on the move' menu available in the house restaurant.

Tickets are only £8 in advance, £11 on the door and include live music and entertainment, a Christmas Cupcake and a glass of mulled wine. Further details and fun will follow.

 

Super Swish Designer Style - and it's affordable!

My fingers can't tap out quickly enough the words to say how excited I was when my style greedy eyes came across this gem of a site.

http://www.senseoffashion.com/ showcases independent designers from America and when you convert back from dollars, the bargains couldn't get bigger.

Feast your pupils on these...

UGG and Jimmy Choo? I'd rather give them to the dog to chew!

Ok, maybe that's a slight exaggeration but seriously? Over £600 for a pair of shoes that, though they feel amazing, make my feet look like i'm wearing mittens I could have decorated better myself to boot (pardon the pun).

And another example of consumerism gone mad is that in walking through Selfridges to get to the 'Ugg & Jimmy Choo' capsule collection display, I walked past a bunch of people queuing to pay a pretty penny to have a Coke bottle customised with Swarovski Crystals.  More money than sense?  Definitely.

Pin a Kiss on... Sonia Rykiel's Divine Brooches

Looking for a cute pressie to give your best friend, sister, mother or gran? Look no further as Sonia Rykiel has the answer with the sweetest kisses.  A selection of gifts can be found at the Sonia Rykiel e-shop starting at around 40 euros for a crystal pin brooch that will set your sweater 'a' sparklin'

I can't help but love them...

Flaunt your Vintage Stuff on the SteamBordello

Listen up ladies.  I've heard rumours of a rather stunning event to be hitting London Town which i'm sure will prick up your Vintage Fashion tuned ears.  There's a party going on and if Vintage is your thing, lace up your corsets, button down your boots and close your skirt's catches because there'll be a storm of live music for you to flaunt your Vintage swing.

Of Steam Boat Bordello, Time Out say, "Step on board this Mississippi-style paddle steamer for a vintage night of 'rogues, riverboat gamblers, good time girls, snake oil salesmen, fallen southern belles, confederate rifles, yankee doodle dandies…' (you get the picture), recreating the kinds of floating palaces you'd see going down the Miss' from New Orleans to St Louis. There'll be live music from The Correspondents, Hot Club of Cowtown and more, with electro-swing and retro beats on the decks and many more cabaret antics. You can sit down and have dinner or simply just dance the night away!"

And if you're looking for the perfect outfit, and vintage hair and make up, get in touch cherrypickedstyling@yahoo.co.uk 

We're Fifties Fashion Crazy, We're Fifties Fashion Mad...

It cannot be denied that the fifties were swingin' and the frocks rocked but it's about time we moved on and recognised that Vintage doesn't have to be old.  And lets face it, the obsession with the fifties has been going for a while nonw.

However, a glance at our Vintage friends Frillseekers' website and you'll see just how up to date Vintage can be.  It's a style i'm personally a fan of and I love mixing up modern looks with those of days gone by.  After all, we don't always want to look as though we've dressed for a fancy dress party. But modern looks that are Vintage inspired simply appear the way forward.  According to their site, Holly Luckwell styled this shot with Giles Angel behind the camera.