If I have been a little quiet around here lately, you have my sincere apologies. I admittedly have been found relaxing in front of the television taking my role as a #NetflixStreamTeam member very seriously. I have ploughed my way through Life Unexpected and even started to watch Orange is the New Black, and I am sure Luke will be the first to tell you how I may be slacking in the washing up department! Thank god we have just brought home a dishwasher!
Having been using Netflix for 9 months prior to being welcomed on board with the stream team, I was really excited to get involved. If you are anything like me you will never get to watch live TV, not with a toddler ruling the roost. Everything either gets recorded these days or is watched on demand, this makes Netflix my very best friend, as it allows me to watch what I want, when I want to watch it. The only problem for me is, once I get into a new series I tend to sit and watch it until I run out of episodes, or until Leo's nap time comes to an end.
I am not alone in my love for Netflix, Leo has been enjoying the kids section since last summer when all he wanted to do was watch Cars 2. You can imagine Leo's reaction when it was eventually taken down... But now the original Cars feature is online, and Leo makes daily use of this. He will actually bring my iPad to me and demand to watch Netflix! How savvy are these toddlers becoming these days!? We have watched Cars on such a regular basis that not only do I know what the next sentence will be... But Leo does too!
Admittedly Netflix is a great morning distraction in our house if I want to buy an extra half an hour in bed cuddling up with my beautiful little man.
Last week saw London Fashion Week taking place, and in the spirit of this Netflix joined forces with Natalie Hartley, Fashion Director over at Glamour Magazine. This partnership was created to bring trade secrets on how our favourite celebrities do their hair and makeup, and to help the likes of you and I get the look of the stars.
Natalie said 'As Fashion Director of Glamour Magazine, I am constantly on the hunt for fashion inspiration wherever I go, whatever I do. For me Netflix has become a one-stop shop for ideas. Whether I am organising a high fashion photo-shoot based on the fabulously manipulative Claire Underwood from House of Cards or a summery sport-lux feature drawing motivation from the preppy cheerleaders in Bring it One, I can always find something to spark my creativity.'
I know that I don't have the available funds anymore to run out and buy the latest magical wonder that is foundation, or replace my hair straighteners instantly if they were to suddenly go *bang*, and I often really study what I am watching and take ideas from the characters, particularly for me 90210.
Natalie's Top 10 Tips
Tip 1 - Gossip Girl - Blake Lively is always well put together and she is not afraid to wear colour. If you are afraid of colour the easiest way to begin is to add a bright pair of shoes to a plain black outfit. Blake loves to accessorize so why not wear statement jewels with a simple t-shirt and add a blazer to give it that upper west side twist
Tip 2 - House of Cards - With House of Cards returning to Netflix for a second series this Valentine’s Day, Claire Underwood’s stylish but minimal look is a great one to copy. To recreate this wear a fitted dress layered over the top of a shirt for an extra stylish detail - this also works as a great cover up for those not wanting to bare arms. Structure is key to this look so make sure clothes are flattering. Go for knee length skirts with a kick hem for a more striking look.
Tip 3 - The Bridge - The way to get Sofia Helin’s Scandinavian-chic look is to wear your usual pair of skinny jeans but rock it up with a great three quarter length coat or add a leather biker jacket. Keep colours tonal and simple and add a strong block heeled boot to finish your look. I would opt for a cross body satchel bag, which is a great style for mums as it means you can still use both your hands for other tasks!
Tip 4 - Confessions of a Shopaholic - Isla Fisher is all about statement designer clothes but I don’t think you have to spend a lot to look good, its how you wear what you have. In this film she would style animal print with bold coloured dresses and even clash pinks and reds. Checks and animal prints are bang on trend and easy to pair with colours. There are no rules here, anything goes!
Tip 5 - Annie Hall - Annie Hall is the ultimate style icon for anyone who loves to add a masculine twist to her wardrobe. Quick tip for this look is to raid a male wardrobe for an oversized shirt that can be worn with jeans and a man’s blazer. You can wear skinny jeans if that suits you the most or be true to the trend, and style with a pair of wide legged trousers and flat brogues.
Tip 6 - The Help - The easiest way to get the look is to find simple floral A-line dress shapes and add a denim jacket for a modern update. Cropped trousers are a key style worn with a midi height heel. Cut the sleeves off an unwanted shirt and add to a pencil skirt. Mix and match your pastel shades and look out for boxy shaped bags.
Tip 7 - The Help - Glenn Close can really work a simple shirt; it’s a classic wardrobe piece and worth investing in with many high street options available. Wear with a loose pair of trousers and a trainer to give it an edge for day or add a simple court shoe and earrings to dress this up for night. A plain white shirt always keeps things looking fresh.
Tip 8 - Mr Selfridge - Choose lace, cream and full-length skirts to recreate Rose Selfridge’s look. An easy way to work her style into your wardrobe is to concentrate on the neck area. Adding a high neck blouse under a sweatshirt will instantly update something so ordinary. Keep your hair up to elongate the neck and add a cute pair of earrings to complete the look. Cropped jackets also look great here and can be worn with a pair of jeans.
Tip 9 - Iron Lady - Love her or hate her Margaret Thatcher has become a huge style icon of our time. Her distinct trademark piece was her pearls so the easiest way to represent her style is to add pearl earrings or a simple single strand necklace to any outfit, it would even look great with a plain white tee. Opt for a more traditional straight leg trouser cut or add a pencil skirt to complete.
Tip 10 - Bring It On: In It To Win It - Prada has overhauled the sports trend this summer and possibly might have even taken inspiration from this film! For an easy wardrobe update invest in a bright pair of trainers and wear with everything! Other quick fixes include wearing a silk bomber jacket, or a sporty all in one that means you don’t have to think too much if time is of the essence!
So what do you think of Natalie's style tips?
To help celebrate London Fashion Week you may have seen that Netflix have brought an old favourite on board for the kids. Clifford the Big Red Dog. He joined the programme selection on his birthday on February 14th. Leo is yet to watch this, but I think he will be a hit. We were asked if we would like to get creative and submit a drawing of Clifford, so when Leo went to bed... I decided to do just that!
Disclaimer: I was sent everything I needed to get started watching Netflix for the next 12 months. I have not been paid to write this post. All views and opinions expressed are completely honest and my own.
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