Tag Archives: Life & Style

Frost Book Reviews: Cathy Glass, The Night The Angels Came

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Cathy Glass has written eleven books, this is the first one I have read. She has been a foster carer for over 20 years and this book is based on a true story. It tells the story of a boy called Michael who’s widower father is terminally ill, and whose mother died when he was younger. Cathy has two young children of her own and is going through a divorce, can she put her family though even more heartache?

The book is well written in a factual way. The subject matter is heavy, but it is still a book with moments of lightness and happiness. The young boy that Cathy fosters is only eight and about to lose his last remaining parent, Michael comes from a catholic family and believes that when the time comes, angels will come and take his father away to be with his mother in heaven.

The Night The Angels Came is a heart-warming book, with real life observations that make you nod in agreement. The fact that it is a real life story makes it even more sad. Cathy Glass is a good writer, with years of experience on the subject that she writes. This book is definitely worth a read.

The Night the Angels Came is out now and is published by HarperCollins.

IMDB: Using IMDB Resume and IMDB Starmeter To Boost Your Career.

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IMDB is a great resource, not only does it have a page on every movie and every film industry professional you can think of, it is also an amazing tool for an actor to promote their career.

IMDB has a resume section that you can join for a reasonable price. When you have IMDB resume you can add pictures to your IMDB, and of course your resume. You can also link your blog and your twitter to your page.

When people google you, it is usually your IMDB link that comes up first, so it is a false economy not to have it. If you do not have a project on IMDB (and you need one! Work for free for an IMDB credit is my advice) then you can still be on it if you get IMDB Resume.

People do lie on their resume, but I don’t recommend this, and do not list extra work unless you were heavily featured or had a line.

Even more important than IMDB Resume is the IMDB Starmeter. This is IMDB explaining what the Starmeter is http://www.imdb.com/help/show_leaf?prowhatisstarmeter

The Starmeter is important for actors and here is why: if you get a good starmeter ranking that means you are bankable. If people are searching for you then you will be offered movies and auditions. My starmeter has been as high as 6,000 and is usually between that and 31,000 on a bad week. Which is very good news and has helped my career. So, if your IMDB rank is not very good what can you do? I previously wrote about this in my personal blog http://balavage.wordpress.com/2011/07/25/charting-imdb-becoming-obsessed-with-starmeter/ and I am going to go into more detail here.

Step 1) This site is very good. http://www.karmalicity.com/b/?r=218 I know people who have done barely anything who now have good rankings, the site gives you publicity for your IMDB, Facebook fan page, YouTube and Twitter. It Is free so join now. The premium version is cheap and very good too.

Step 2) Make sure you have your photo on IMDB. Very important. Also put film stills and on-set photos on and modeling shots as well. If you want a photo, you can click the following link and go to add photos only: http://resume.imdb.com/

Step 3) Use social networking. Post your IMDB link. Add it to your email signature, your website, Twitter, anywhere you can think of. Share the films you are in, not just your IMDB page, every time a movie your in goes up, so do you.

5. Create an e-mail list. Only email when you have something to say. Do not spam people. Invite people to a screening, tell them of an award you won, an amazing job you just booked. Add your IMDB link into the email.

6) Get people to click on your IMDb profile (post the link on your Facebook or Twitter profiles, have it in your email signature, etc.)

7) Get interviewed and mentioned in TV guides and news articles.

This brilliant article has a run down of what the numbers mean and it says that a rank of 14,999 – 1,000: This is generally working actor territory and this about 999 – 1: You’re working. A lot. Good chance you’re repped by one of the big 5 agencies…or are about to be. Alternatively, you were recently on the cover of National Enquirer.

Give it a read.

I also recommend you get IMDBpro, and so does Harrison Ford, Blake Lively and Kevin Smith, if you are in the film industry, you need it.

To round up; IMDB is an amazing resource to help your career and I wish I had paid more attention to it earlier. Click on your friends links and put nice comments on their message boards. Keep coming back to Frost for more acting tips and career guidance. If you liked this article give my IMDB a click or post a message http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2952107/

Sarah Harding Turns Red For London Fashion Week Debut.

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CELEBRITIES INCLUDING KELIS, ALESHA DIXON AND KIMBERLEY WYATT TURN OUT TO SUPPORT SARAH HARDING AS SHE TAKES TO THE CATWALK FOR THE LOOK SHOW AND CAUSES SALES FLURRY

AT WESTFIELD STRATFORD CITY!

Stunning Sarah Harding showed off her new catwalk skills with her debut modelling performance at the Look Magazine Show at Westfield Stratford City as part of London Fashion Week.

 

Sarah stole the show, showcasing a selection of outfits by Warehouse and Miss Selfridge whilst the gorgeous Dionne Bromfield gave a stunning performance of ‘Yeah Right’. Both performances were watched by a celebrity crowd including Kelis, Kimberley Wyatt, Laura Whitmore, Nicola Stapleton, Parade and Alesha Dixon.

 

The ‘Sarah Harding’ effect worked with crowds flocking as word got out about Sarah’s appearance with the doors to the centre actually having to be closed at one point for fear of overcrowding.

 

Look, the UK’s biggest-selling weekly fashion magazine, staged its groundbreaking fashion show during London Fashion Week. The show celebrates high street fashion and unites the most popular and iconic brands on Britain’s high street today.

 

The Look Magazine Show is the first and only magazine event to be part of the London Fashion Week calendar and the only fashion show open to consumers. This season’s exciting show was also streamed live on Facebook, allowing even more consumers to be a part of the excitement.

High street brands showcasing their latest collections included Miss Selfridge, Urban Outfitters, Next, Monsoon, Forever 21, New Look, River Island, Warehouse, Office, H&M, Mango, Oasis and Dorothy Perkins with hair styled by Toni & Guy.

 

Look Magazine’s presence in Westfield Stratford City will last into early next week with their pop up lounge situated on the ground floor. Bloggers are invited to visit the lounge and be part of the Q&A sessions hosted by well known bloggers and journalists taking place over the period.

 

The event also celebrated the launch of Look’s Style Search with Westfield Stratford City competition, a six-week search for the most stylish male and female visiting the new shopping and entertainment centre. Galleries of the most stylish shoppers will feature on www.look.co.uk.

 


Westfield Stratford City opened to great reviews this week with approximately **** people visiting the impressive shopping centre in the first 5 days of trading. With over *** retailers and 70 food outlets, it offers the ultimate shopping experience.

 

Ali Hall, Editor of Look, says: “The Look Show has become an established part of London Fashion Week and readers absolutely love it. This season’s event at Westfield Stratford City has been bigger and better than ever and its really great that Sarah Harding chose the show to make her debut catwalk appearance.”

 

This Month’s Magazines, September Part 2: Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Red, Instyle Turns 10.

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This Month’s Magazines, September Part 2: Sarah Jessica Parker Takes Red, Instyle Turns 10.

Keira Knightley is on the cover of Marie Claire looking gorgeous. She tells Marie Claire that ‘Jealousy is the only emotion that has no positive side to it’ and tells of her tomboy ways by saying; ‘I didn’t wear skirts until I was 14. I hated them’.

There is a lot of Autumn clothing and shoes, a fashionista dream. Natalia Vodianova gives her style list, Robert Cavalli tells the secrets of relaunching his fashion label, 18 beauty secrets supermodels swear by, Catwalk beauty section, Is your body better than you think? A good article that shows women are usually in better shape than they think they are, The history of the vibrator, Faces of addicted women, how drugs destroys looks.

Love at first site or slow burn?, Amy Winehouse remembered, How a good ‘To Do’ list can change your life, Article on teaching women how to be good mothers, Tom Hardy interview, Mentors, Jordan AKA Katie Price interview, little white lies; are they okay?, Surviving domestic abuse, Annie Lennox, Hollywood stylists, Jessica Chastain, Anna Faris, Eva Green, Adele Parks, Scarlett Johanson tells her beauty rules, 24 hours to better skin, Staying in with Alex James, Diary of an emotional eater, Breast cancer awareness month.

It is Instyle’s 10th Anniversary and Diane Kruger is on the cover. It is a beautiful cover, with Diane in gold. Diane is interviewed inside. Diane on her style: “I don’t have my own stylist. And I like to be a little different – in LA, everyone wears the same dresses. I think my background as a model helps, because I like experimenting and I’m not afraid of fashion or what other people think of me. What you wear is one of the only things about yourself you can manipulate.”

There are a lot of wonderful articles about the history of Instyle, comments from Instyle cover girls, 10 years of style crushes, when we were 10, What I have learnt about style, party people, are you too old for your moisturiser, The easy way to perfect skin, Emma Watson on beauty, top ten celebrity homes, Eliza Doolittle.

The New Power List, 100 people to watch and all under 25. Diana Vickers talks style, 15 minutes Viktor & Rolf, Georgina Chapman’s Top 10 party list, Blake Lively is Instyle’s beauty crush,

There is a High Street Style special; guest edited by Daisy Lowe, Gemma Atterton is interviewed and talks about being okay with being a size 10, she says: “I don’t have to be skinny”, Jessica Szohr interview.

Sarah Jessica Parker takes the cover of Red. She is interviewed inside and tells Red that ‘I don’t read anything about me. I’ve never googled myself. I don’t have the constitution for it”.

There is a very good article on Tamara Mellon, and she shows her wardrobe, prepare for wardrobe envy. She is on the Red fashion power list alongside Natalie Massenet amongst others.

Two writers debate whether or not it’s good to settle, Isabel Ashdown talks about her fathers alcoholism, The women behind the Outnet talks to Red, the rise of the middle class drug addictions, What I’D save in a fire, Does career plus kids mean compromise?, The denim detox, How making little differences can change your life, What I see when I look in the mirror (Includes Jane Fallon, a brilliant author), KT Tunstall tells of the soundtrack to her life, Joan Collins interview; she announces she has never had plastic surgery, How to make peace with your hair, Pie recipes, The baby recession: Red’s annual fertility survey, cooking with apples. What is your fertility sell-by date?, An end to eye bags, Boot camp for the soul, Eva Green’s best things in life.

PART ONE IS HERE

QVC Making Jewellery Event With Carolyn Schulz

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I have always been creative and remember making my own jewellery when I was in my early teens. I was clearly ahead of the game, craft is now big business. The recession has spun an entirely new generation who love making their own jewellery, cloths and anything else you can think of.

QVC are big, one of the world’s leading TV and online shopping channels, and they are big on craft, they sell jewellery making kits – amazing jewellery making kits if I do say so myself- which is why, when they invited me to a jewellery making event on Tuesday the 13th of September wild horses could not stop me. I arrived at the impressive QVC headquarters in Battersea and spend the next few hours chatting, drinking champagne, eating canapés and making jewellery, I even have my own pink pliers and wire cutters.

I have a good chat with Carolyn Schulz and she give me some good tips, talks about her new book that is due out soon, and promises to give Frost an interview.

I decided to make a ‘charm’ necklace, and I quite like it. I have a wonderful afternoon and also meet fellow writers and bloggers @FashionNBarbie and @Glittershim. I thoroughly recommend making your own jewellery, it is relaxing and fun. You will also have original jewellery, you might even have a good eye and be able to make a business from it.

Do you like craft? Do you make your own jewellery? Tell Frost your story and keep an eye out for more craft articles in Frost.

Stylists Talk Bags As Converse Launch New Range

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With Converse launching their first bag collection just in time for the new school year, a handful of the UK’s finest experts on style and self-expression representing fashion, music and culture reminisced about what defined their own unique style, getting nostalgic about what it means to be an individual once the new term begins. Provided simply with a canvas duffle bag from the Converse Bags & Accessories launch collection, a pencil case and notebook, they got creative to express their personal style in their very own special way…

Sam Voulters
About: Fashion Editor at Vice, Sam Voulters is 22, stylist, brand consultant and writer.
What was your favourite school bag? “I had a CAT backpack with tippex all over it.”

‘Synamatix’ – The Daily Street
About: ‘Synamatix’ is Editor in Chief & Mixtapes Director of the UK’s finest streetwear blog The Daily Street and specialises in sneakers and menswear as well as covering the UK underground dance music scene.
What was your favourite school bag or accessory? “I had a wicked rucksack in olive green, covered in band logos, skate logos etc. That was my greatest bag by a mile.”

Chantelle Fiddy
About: Chantelle Fiddy is a journalist and renowned commentator on London’s grime scene, whose music credentials include penning for Ctrl.Alt.Shift, RWD Magazine, Mixmag, Sunday Times Style and Dazed & Confused as well as presenting on Channel 4’s ‘Generation Next’ and making multiple appearance on BBC Radio 1’s Review Show. You’ll mostly find her online.
Describe your school style. “My school style flitted between record bags and (hideous) rave jackets (I hereby admit to rocking a Technics number) to holding my (entire mop of unbrushed) hair up with felt tip pens and wearing leg warmers alongside my yellow shirt and green blazer.”

Larry B – WORK IT
About: Ripe for reminiscing are some of the team behind London’s coolest 90s night, Work It. Work It have a reputation for drawing the biggest crowds with a cult following craving their unique blend of music, hosting nights and events for Selfridges, Lovebox 2010, Warner Music, London Fashion Week and Vogue Fashion Night Out.
Describe your style at school. “My style at school was your general London rudeboy schoolboy.”

About Converse Bags:
For AW ’11 Converse took the illustrious heritage and iconic style, that has seen their classic sneakers and Chuck Taylor All Star logo omnipresent since the 1900s, to create their first ever dedicated Bags & Accessories Collection. The debut collection reflects the simple and versatile styling synonymous with Converse complete with the iconic Chuck Taylor All Star logo, steel eyelet details and the ever versatile canvas.

The new line of Converse Bags & Accessories is available now at stockists including Schuh, JD Sports and www.blackleaf.com. Prices range from £19 – £54.95

Little Mistress: Beautiful Clothes – Reasonable Price

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This month, I attended an event held by uber-cool clothing brand Little Mistress.

I looked at their clothes online beforehand and not only were they gorgeous, they don’t break the bank. So, I took myself off to 68 Great Portland Street, W1 and had some champagne while rummaging through the rails and checking out their jewellery. I walked away with a cool arm cuff and will be back to buy more.

Each season, Little Mistress adapts the latest catwalk trends and in-season colours to create covetable collections that are feminine, chic, pretty, affordable and wearable. With a rapidly growing reputation as a ‘must have’ label, it is difficult not to fall in love with the adorable, fun-loving Little Mistress brand. The styles have a strong, brand signature, with pieces for all social occasions and looks that can be worn day and night.

This season’s trends include bold colour and colour blocking, as well as romantic pieces with embroidery, lace, beadwork and a nod to vintage prints. The silhouettes feature structured shapes, body-con dresses as well as romantic feminine styles in a colour palette of neutral shades and jewel colours like jade, teal, red and purple.
The Little Mistress girl loves to dress up according to her mood and she likes to experiment with new styles – she will love the bold, printed maxi dresses, flattering playsuits and chiffon shirts for day and then chose a sexier, body-con dress for a night out partying.


All Little Mistress pieces are designed in-house, flatter the feminine figure and seduce the buyer with their exquisite embellished detailing, lush layered textures and unique prints.

Little Mistress has a growing customer fan base and is quickly becoming a favourite with celebrities, who are all eager to be seen in the latest Little Mistress looks.

Wholesale price range – £12.00 – £18.00

Frost Editor, Catherine Balavage, at the Little Mistress event. Far Right

A Lesson In Style With Alexis Knox

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As Style Mentor on T4’s Style the Nation’ alongside Giles Deacon and Nick Grimshaw, Alexis Knox knows a thing or two about personal style. Not only is she the Fashion Director at Notion magazine and host of the surrealist club night ‘Circus’ with the infamous Jodie Harsh, but now the fashion fabulous Ms Knox has teamed up with Schuh for the launch of Converse’s first ever Bags & Accessories collection.

One fashion savvy girl or guy can win a day of one-on-one fashion tips and personal styling with Alexis at London’s Oxford Circus. Meeting at Schuh’s Oxford Street store, the trend-hungry winner will select the Converse accessories of their choice before going for lunch and an afternoon’s styling and fashion advice, where Alexis will pass on her finest trade secrets including how to wear your new accessories.

The prize includes a Converse bags & accessories shopping spree at Schuh’s flagship store on Oxford Street, lunch with Alexis and an afternoon of styling tips with the T4 ‘Style the Nation’ Fashion Mentor, with spending money.

Entry is free via Schuh’s Competitions page, here http://www.schuh.co.uk/competitions.aspx?CompID=127 and you can follow Alexis’s Styling adventures on Facebook http://www.Facebook.com/alexisknox/. Competition closes on 10th September.