An Evening For Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers

On Thursday I headed to Amazon HQ along with other fashion and lifestyle writers and bloggers for an Evening for Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers hosted by Amazon.co.uk. It was an entertaining evening, full of information and amazing, inspirational people. There was informative talks by fashion and blogging industry professionals, and the Amazon Fashion team also gave a great talk.

An Evening for Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers An Evening for Fashion & Lifestyle Influencers coco's tea party

I checked out the fashionable people and eat far too many biscuits and canapés. Professional Blogger, Ella Gregory (CocosTeaParty.com) was brilliant, giving amazing tips and talking endearingly about how she got started. Cosmopolitan journalist Gemma Royston-Claire was up next. Gemma gave great advice on writing engaging content and giving readers what they want. “People click for inspiration, education or entertainment.” Gemma said. Good advice indeed, and she should know as she started off with her own blog and now writes for Cosmopolitan Magazine. After food and drink we learned about Amazon Fashion. I was left very impressed with what Amazon had to offer and Frost will hopefully be doing a collaboration with them soon. I wanted to start shopping right there and then.

Freelance Fashion Stylist Rachel Story was next. She styles for HELLO! Magazine amongst others. Rachel gave some really great tips on styling. She is obviously at the top of her game and I learned a lot from her.

Lastly, Reena Rai from Fashiondaydreams.com talked about How to use Affiliate Marketing. Reena was definitely the most stylish of the evening. Head to toe in black and lace accessorised with killer shoes. She gave great tips on how to monetise with affiliate marketing.

The evening finished off with a Q&A with the Amazon team. The Q&A was great as I learned a lot of little tips to improve the SEO of Frost. Thank you to Amazon and all of the speakers for an amazing evening.

About the speakers:

 


Ella Gregory, CocosTeaParty.com

@cocosteaparty

London based, full time fashion blogger. Listed in The Independent’s Twitter 100: Top 10 Fashion.

 

 

 

Gemma Royston-Claire, Journalist

@gemfatale

Currently writes for Cosmopolitan magazine. Previously had an award winning column at Company mag, alongside her blog: www.gemfatale.co.uk

 

 

 

Rachel Story, Fashion Stylist

@Rachelstory29

Works with brands including HELLO! Magazine, Harvey Nichols & Ted Baker.

 

 

Reena Rai, Blogger

@Reena_Rai

Reena runs FashionDayDreams.com, alongside her day job in luxury retail. She’s a successful affiliate marketer.

 

 

 

Sir David Frost Dies Aged 74

Legendary journalist and broadcaster Sir David Frost has died aged 74 after giving a speech aboard the Queen Elizabeth cruise ship. Sir David was famous for his political interviews, including the time he challenged US President Richard Nixon about Watergate. The episode was later made into a film, Frost/Nixon.

Frost-Nixon-Real

Sir David was born in 1939 in Kent and went too study English at Cambridge University. He was also a member of the legendary Footlights, where Hugh Grant and Hugh Laurie also got their start. He has done many TV shows including The Week That Was and his own The Frost Report. He also became big in America thanks to Frost on America and The David Frost Show.

Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted: “My heart goes out to David Frost’s family. He could be – and certainly was with me – both a friend and a fearsome interviewer.”

Sir David married Lady Carina Fitzalan-Howard in 1983, she is the second daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. They had three sons.

Our thoughts go out to his friends and family. May he rest in peace.

Nora Ephron Dies Aged 71.

Nora Ephron has died at the age of 71 after a battle with leukemia. The screenwriter, journalist and director rose to fame after writing hugely successful films, specialising in rom-coms including When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle.

Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson released a statement saying: “Nora Ephron was a journalist/artist who knew what was important to know; how things really worked, what was worthwhile, who was fascinating and why. At a dinner table and on a film set she lifted us all with wisdom and wit, mixed with love for us and love for life. Rita and I are so very sad to lose our friend who brought so much joy to all who were lucky enough to know her.”

When Harry Met Sally star Billy Crystal said: “When Harry Met Sally …” in his remembrance of the multi-hyphenate talent. “I am very sad to learn of Nora’s passing. She was a brilliant writer and humorist. Being her Harry to Meg’s Sally will always have a special place in my heart. I was very lucky to get to say her words.”

Nicole Kidman said” “She was so smart, warm and funny. I am so grateful that she was my friend and we had the opportunity to work together. My thoughts and love are with her family at this time. I will never forget the dinners, games and laughter we all shared,”

Ephron married three times. One of her ex-husbands is Carl Bernstein. Her last husband was the basis of her motto at the end of her life: “Secret to life, marry an Italian.” Nicholas Pileggi wrote the screenplays to Goodfellas and Casino. They were married for 20 years.

She is survived by the two sons she had with Carl Bernstein.

Phone Hacking: Goodman Letter Reveals 'Everyone Knew”

Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and Andy Coulson face fresh embarrassment after an explosive letter from former News of the World Royal Correspondent, Clive Goodman was published today.

The four-year-old letter was only published on Tuesday, and it claims that phone hacking was “widely discussed” at editorial meetings at the News of the World until Andy Coulson banned any future references to them.

Goodman went on to claim that Coulson said he could keep his job if he agreed not to implicate the paper in court and that his hacking had “the full knowledge and support” of other senior journalists, who he named.

The Murdochs may now be recalled to parliament to give more evidence in the light of Goodman’s letter. Rupert Murdoch said that Andy Coulson knew nothing about the hacking during the hearing.

The letter was published by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. One committee member, the Labour MP Tom Watson, said Goodman’s letter was “absolutely devastating.” He added: “Clive Goodman’s letter is the most significant piece of evidence that has been revealed so far. It completely removes News International’s defence. This is one of the largest cover-ups I have seen in my lifetime.”

Goodman’s letter is dated 2 March 2007, soon after he had served a four-month prison sentence. Addressed to News International’s Director of Human Resources, Daniel Cloke, Goodman writes: “This practice was widely discussed in the daily editorial conference, until explicit reference to it was banned by the editor.” He reveals that the paper’s then lawyer, Tom Crone, knew all the details of the case against him.

In another embarrassing allegation, he adds: “Tom Crone and the editor promised on many occasions that I could come back to a job at the newspaper if I did not implicate the paper or any of its staff in my mitigation plea. I did not, and I expect the paper to honour its promise to me.”

What Do Women Want? The Ideal Man Revealed.

Forget Tom Jones, meet – the latest over-40s pin-up.Hugeremy Claurie

The 6ft 3in bearded ‘hunk’ has been voted the ideal man in a survey of middle-aged women.

He is said to possess the most attractive features of all male celebrities including “piercing” blue eyes, “kissable” thin lips and “sexy stubble”.

But on closer inspection, the greying 51-year-old may appear rather familiar…

In fact, Hugeremy isn’t even a real man – he’s a digital mix of actor and comedian Hugh Laurie, 52, and Top Gear frontman Jeremy Clarkson, 51.

Experts combined the blue eyes, forehead, mouth and trademark designer stubble of Laurie, with the ears, nose, bushy eyebrows and greying hair of Clarkson.

The result is the ultimate virtual heartthrob, according to a poll of 1,000 single women by mature dating site www.footloosedating.co.uk.

Its members said Hugeremy would be a “dream date with good looks, a big personality – and plenty of cash under the bed”.

Site co-founder Eleanor Selley said: “Hugeremy has all the characteristics of the ideal man. He’s tall, handsome and clever, and has bags of sex appeal to boot.

“Both men are attractive in their own right, but the idea of rolling the two of them into one sexy package is more than enough to raise a pulse.”

Site members aged between 40 and 65 were given a list of 10 “charming but not necessarily beautiful” middle-aged male celebrities and asked to pick the two celebrities they would most like to date.

The list included BBC news anchor Huw Edwards, broadcasters Phillip Schofield and Chris Evans, racing pundit John McCririck, chef Antony Worrall Thompson, comedian Hugh Laurie, journalist Ian Hislop, Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, singer Mick Hucknall, and Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis.

Edwards and Schofield picked up six and seven per cent of the vote respectively, primarily for their “lovely personalities”. Radio 2 DJ Evans, and entrepreneur Paphitis, took nine and 10 per cent of the vote – primarily because of their “millions”.

Only four per cent picked Worrall Thompson for his skills in the kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, McCririck’s trademark side-burns put off virtually all members. Only two per cent picked him as their ideal man.

Simply Red frontman Hucknall fared little better. He was chosen by just eight per cent because of his “silly” red locks and diamond-encrusted front tooth.

Meanwhile, some five per cent were attracted to Hislop’s “cheeky smile” and “quick wit”.

But both Clarkson and Laurie were clear favourites, scooping 24 and 25 per cent of the votes respectively.

Respondents listed Clarkson’s height – he is 6ft 5ins – and Laurie’s “chiselled chin” among their best attributes.

Eleanor Selley, of FootlooseDating, said: “Hugeremy Claurie is the combination of these two men. To put it simply, men will want to be him, and women want to be with him.”