OK now first of all, have you ever heard of anything cuter than Pet Fashion Week?  The name alone conjures up images of pooches strutting their stuff on the, well, catwalk – and with the whole thing being in New York you just know it’s going to be ultra stylish!

While cuteness is an inevitability of anything in the world involving animals wearing clothes, Pet Fashion Week is so much more.   It was set up three years ago with the aim of being ‘the world’s most recognised and respected organisation  that fosters design and innovation in the pet industry’

And indeed it does. The event is held over two days and consists of trade shows, runway shows and awards for styling, grooming and designing.  The “Pet Elite Industry Symposiums” even offer educational interaction with some of the leading personalities within the pet industry.  Don’t ask me who they are, but they exist and they all flock to Pet Fashion Week

Whether your dog is sartorially challenged or just has a severe case of stinky breath, there something for them at Pet Fashion Week, with collars and leashes, foods and treats, bedding, jewellery and accessories and even FRAGRANCES on offer to visitors!

So if you just happen to find yourself in New York this weekend then go and grab yourself a piece of canine couture at The Metropolitan Pavilion 125 W. 18th Street NYC!

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Organic Fortnight is a new initiative created not only to get people supporting organic products but also to think about organic products beyond just food.  What you put on your body can be just as important as what you put in your body and there are hundreds of organic beauty products out there that use certified organic ingredients.

The good folks over at Lucy Rose Organic Beauty Boutique have been kind enough to offer there advice on the subject have taken the time out to give us a list of the top 10 reasons to swap to organic beauty.  Take a peek!

10 Good Reasons to swap to Organic Beauty courtesy of Lucy Rose

1. Sixty per cent of what you put onto the skin is absorbed into the bloodstream!  One very good reason to go natural.
2. When a beauty product is certified organic, this ensures that not only are the organic ingredients produced using no chemicals, but no harsh chemicals are added to the final product
3. Organic beauty products are really gentle on the skin which means that they are particularly good for people with sensitive skin or skin which is prone to allergies, including eczema
4. Certified organic cosmetics don’t just look and feel great, but they are made with highly effective active ingredients – look out for anti-ageing products, SPF sun lotions, self tans, cellulite lotions, spot creams and fade away treatments which all do exactly what they say on the pack!
5. Organic beauty is a great choice for vegetarians as no animal bi-products are used in the formulations.  Most are also good for vegans, but check the packaging/ingredients to be sure.
6. Certified organic products are NOT tested on animals
7. Organic beauty is not just confined to lotions and potions.  You can now find certified organic makeup, hair care and healing products too.
8. Because of its gentle nature, organic skincare is a safe choice for children
9. Organic beauty is not just good for your skin, but great for the environment too.  The products are produced as sustainably as possible with minimal impact on the environment.  Neither will the products harm the environment once they are washed off.
10. And finally, and very importantly, organic cosmetics are not just about using effective natural ingredients.  They smell and feel amazing on the skin too, helping to generate an overall positive sense of wellbeing.

So there you have it.  Why not take the organic challenge this year and try swapping your usual beauty products for organic?  Click through to www.lucyrose.biz, and choose from a vast selection of the most popular organic beauty brands.  All orders come with free postage and packing within the UK and should arrive on your doorstep in just 1-2 days.  You can also dip your toe in the water by trying some free samples or consult with the experts at Lucy Rose to find out what is best for you!

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2. Kick Start your Summer Diet with these Super Supplements!

The problem is that unless you have a particularly keen interest in grocery shopping and have too much time on your hands the chances of you having an unlimited supply of superfoods to dine on each day is practically nil.

With that in mind the team at So Darling have been taking a look at the latest superfood supplements to hit the high street.  Here are some of the best we’ve come across.

Baby Jackfruit might sound like some kind of gangster from the 1930′s but it’s actually the latest wonderfruit to be imported from Asia.   We could go into minute detail but about beta-carotene and lycopene but let’s cut to the chase and explain that the molecules found in this particular fruit are known to keep your skin looking young and fresh and are present in unparralled levels.  Unlike other methods, the nutrients in the fruit are easily absorbed by the body.

While nipping down to Sainsbury’s for a pint milk and a couple of Baby Jackfruits might still be a ways off, we can now benefit from the positive properties thanks to Natur Boutique who bring us Baby Jackfruit extract in pill form to be taken as supplement.  At just under £11 for a 40 day supply our suggestion is that you’d be mad not to try them!!  Buy them online at www.naturboutique.co.uk or from health food stores.

Now, It’s no secret that brocolli is good for you… after all, parents all over the world have been forcing their children to eat platefuls of the uninspiring green vegetable for centuries!   Thankfully now though the brand Comvita have given people everywhere the chance to get all the benefits of brocolli in tablet format, and what’s more it’s actually better for you than eating the vegetable itself!

Not only is brocolli packed with vitamins and minerals but it also contains something called Glucoraphanin.  As everyone’s favourite Friend once said: “Here comes the science”.  Glucoraphanin is an antioxidants that kick starts your body’s own defence mechanism.  Once started this triggers an antioxidant cascade that helps neutralise harmful free radicals, which may cause damage to cells and tissues.

Like brocolli, the benefit of olive oil have been well known for a while now, with olive oils and olive oil spreads being recommended for use over margarine and butter for everything from sandwiches to salads.  But for those of though who want the benefits of olive oil without having to forcibly start eating more oil in their diet, olive leaf compound is the perfect choice.   Not only does Comvita Olive Leaf Complex has 30 times more health-giving antioxidants than in extra virgin olive oil (minus the fat) and is 400 per cent more powerful than Vitamin C.

Comvita Broccoli Extract and Olive Leaf Complex is a wallet friendly £19.99 for 60 Capsules and is available online from comvita.co.uk or from all good health food stores.

Alongside vegetables there are several types of nut, seed and berry that fall under the superfood category.   With this in mind we took the opportunity to try out the aptly titled “Superfood” range from Linwoods.  As much as we’d all like to eat nothing but healthy snacks all day, for the busy woman it’s hard enough to remember to eat lunch every day let alone making sure you’ve stocked up on your quota of nuts and berries!  Linwoods have offered the perfect solution by providing large pouches of finely milled healthy nuts seeds and berries that can be added to yoghurts, salads, cereals or even soup to get all the benefits of the foods without having to eat your way through a small forest!  They come in handy sized bags and are available in numerous different blends, all available now from health stores on online at linwoods.co.uk

So there you have it, four simple ways to kick start your post summer holiday health regime without breaking the bank!

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Well thanks to eBay your worries might just be over.  eBay have recently launched their very own online Outlet store.

For the more impatient amongst us (myself included!) the problem with eBay has always been the auction system that forces buyers to wait until the end of the auction to get their products.  True, it’s a good way to grab a bargain but not particularly helpful if you need something at short notice… not to mention the hair-pullingly frustrating thing that every eBayer experiences at least once: getting outbid in the dying seconds of an auction and running out of time to re-bid!

Thankfully though the eBay Outlet is mostly ‘buy it now’ meaning that it’s the same as any other online store – you simply click ‘buy’ and the item is yours.

The other good thing about the Outlet is that in this specific section of the site the sellers are the brands themselves (or at the very least officially authorised resellers).  While this is probably bad news for the IT departments of the retailers it’s great news for we consumers as it means we can expect the same level of customer service that you can expect from an online store or the retailer’s shops themselves… you certainly won’t be getting “sexydave69″ ignoring your emails and finally getting around to posting your stuff out three weeks after you pay for it!

What else?  Well, with the greatest respect to eBay there has always been something of a problem with fake goods on the site, but once again buying through the official channels is a gurantee that you’re buying the real deal.  You can also be sure that what you’re buying is actually “brand new with tags” not “worn once with tags on then given a quick blast with Fabreeze”!

Well that’s all well and good, but what’s the product like?  Well the outlet is well stocked with all the brands you’d see on the British high street and at time of writing there are over 20,000 products online to browse through.  As with most outlets, it tends to be the smaller sizes being sold at discount (the average sizes having no problem being sold at full price) but there are plenty of larger sizes in stock and unlike the rails at a bricks and mortar outlet there’s no scouring the rails to find that ‘one’ size 14 amongst the 6-8′s!

You’ll also be happy to know that we made the sacrifice for our readers and bought something to test the service (it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it!).  We went for a pair of lovely irregular choice suede heels that had been reduced from £70 to a much more purse friendly £40.  The payment process is simple, the shoes were dispatched the next day (in fairness we bought in the evening) and the item arrived the day after.  Great service and as promised the shoes were brand new and in mint condition!!

Outlet shopping isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and you’re going to need a couple of hours on the site to look through everything but it’s definitely worth it for the savings on offer… eBay outlet get’s a big THUMBS UP from So Darling!!  Click here to visit the site now!

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From the large trimmed hats at the turn of the century to the miniskirts of the sixties and the abstract extravagance of the eighties, if it’s worth wearing it’s being worn at Ascot!

To celebrate the 100^th year of fashion at Royal Ascot, So Darling is taking a look back at the changing fashions at Ascot over the last century.

For more information on Ascot and all the latest fashion and racing news visit www.ascot.com

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We here at So Darling! are self confessed vintagephiles and have travelled the length of the country to visit vintage shops and antiques markets in search of a perfect vintage find.  Of course, endless trips around the country on a whim quickly become costly and in recent years searching online for vintage has become much more accessible.

In the past we’ve always been a little dubious of  searching for vintage online though as the quality of items really does vary wildly, descriptions of an item’s condition can be a little optimistic and getting a refund can be a bit of a chore.

However, in recent years online stores have been taking vintage more seriously and increasingly online stores are starting to mirror the experience and quality of shopping in store

Freudian Slips Vintage is one such store that sells an absolutely exquisite range of everything from dresses and outerwear to accessories and shoes.   Items are fairly priced (for London at least!) and the descriptions of the conditions are honest – always a bonus when shopping online.  Just make sure this is one website you bookmark because as with all vintage these are one of items and when they’re gone they’re gone!

Click here to visit the store!

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Our current fascination with roses started this week when we spotted a company called David Austin Roses at the Chelsea Flower Show this year and bizarrely spotted “Robin Hood” and “Maid Marion” handing out cut roses to visitors at the show.   David Austin is one of the most famous faces in the world of rose breeding, and the reason for Robin and Marion’s attendance was to launch their latest variety of rose “The Maid Marion”.

The Maid Marion rose looks absolutely gorgeous and would be the perfect gift for any green fingered friend or relative.  For only £15.99 for a generously sized rose bush it’s something totally different not to mention a gift that will last for life and come back year after year.

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Although the trend has been growing in popularity in various trendy hangouts across London, Nails Inc. are taking this unlikely fashion trend nationwide and offering an instore service to customers across the UK who want to try a little something different with their nails.

With everything from zebra prints and polka dots to lace, bows and even letters, there really is something for all tastes.  Simply pick your favourite design and sit back while Nails inc’s trained team of nail artists work their magic on your fingers!

Personally we love the nautical nails… but our real favourite is the oh-so-vintage half moon manicure, once popular in the 20′s and 30′s and with today’s current craze for all thing vintage well overdue for a fashion revival!

With prices ranging from just £7 through to £20, nail art is an affordable way to make a statement this summer.  Find out more at the Nails Inc. website by clicking here!

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Whether you’re looking for a fab flat, a cool court or a hot pair of heels, then look no further than these top 10 finds that won’t break the bank:

Peep Toe Bow Tie Shoe – River Island – £44.99

These River Island nude peep-toes with the cute bow update the normally quite plain original.

Clarency court shoe – Faith – £65

Yet another twist on the court. This court from Faith combines ruffles and a great stiletto heel for a spring update.

Cut-out Lace-up Heel – New Look – £30

These New Look laser cut out lace up peep toe shoes are simply gorgeous!

Vanity woven Satin Pump – Topshop – £25

If you’re looking for texture without having to go through the pain of skyscraper heels, then look no further than these woven satin pumps from Topshop.

Floral Tie Clog – Miss Selfridge – £45

Clogs have never looked so pretty thanks to these floral tie clogs from Miss Selfridge.

Cream Cuff Platforms – Dorothy Perkins – £40

These delicious cream cuff platforms are perfect for the dressier occasion… just be careful with that wine glass!

Adalia Shoe – KG by Kurt Geiger – £80

For you designer lovers out there these Kurt Geiger peep toe low heel shoes won’t break the bank and at the same time add a great splash of colour.

Lotus Peep Toe Court Shoe – Barratts – £50

These lotus peep toe court shoe from Barratts scream spring/summer all over, with the floral cut out and pastel colour.

Pink Abowe Flat Shoe – Faith – £32

If like me you live in flats, then you’ll love this pink flat shoe from Faith.  With the cute bow on the back this look can be worn both day and evening.

Merry Melody – Irregular Choice – £69.99

Irregular Choice shows are always know for their weird and wonderful designs and these shoes with their flower and ladybird embellishments are certainly no different!

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