Clean Heels

My favourite aspect of any outfit is always my shoes. More often than not I pick out which shoes I want to wear first and then plan the rest of my outfit around them. And, like all shoe-lovers, my absolute favourite type of shoe to wear is a heel - the higher the better! Whether I am complementing them with a nice dress or simply dressing up a pair of jeans, I can always find a reason to wear heels. However, one of the biggest issues that I find with my heels is when walking on a soft surface like grass my heels immediately sink into the grass. Thankfully The Amazing Blog has discovered a solution: Clean Heels!

I think almost every woman has experienced that dreaded moment when you realise that your heels are going to get all muddy after sinking into the ground at an outdoor event - whether it's a wedding or a garden party.  You know that there's no way of escaping the inevitable and just accept the fact that your shoes are going to get dirty. However, Clean Heels have solved the problem and are fast becoming a must have accessory for all stiletto wearers. You simply add them to the heel of your shoe and it then gives your heels the ability to be worn outside without the worry of dirtying them. They expand the surface area of your heel which increases its support and after waering them you simply wash them off and can easily reuse them. The Clean Heels can also be used as heel protectors. Adding these to the bottom of your heels detracts absolutely nothing from the look of your shoe so that should never be a concern! They also come in a variety of colours to ensure that you can wear these with any pair of your shoes. In addition to a clear and black option, there are also Clean Heels that have crystals and Swarovski on them.  Clean Heels are a favourite of many celebrities including Jennifer Love Hewitt - and if they're good enough for Hollywood A-Listers they're certainly good enough for us!

So, if you're a shoe lover like me, these Clean Heels are a necessity and will truly make a difference in your shoes. Visit their website to view their stockists to see where to pick up your very own pair of Clean Heels!

Bluelab at Donna Ida

Working as a blog editor means that you need to attend a lott of blogger events and it can often be somewhat of a chore deciding what to wear - especially given the current weather conditions! However full your wardrobe might be, there are days when no matter how many different outfits you try, nothing seems quite right. So here at The Amazing Blog, we were amazed when we discovered the Bleulab’s latest creation at Donna Ida. Launched in the UK exclusively with Donna Ida for Spring Summer, the two way jeans are designed to have one side for daytime and one for evening. So if you're stuck in front of a pile of old outfits you now have the opportunity to invest in a pair of jeans that offer two looks for the price of one. Our favourite ones are the coated skinny in Café on one side and Snake on the other - perfect for the daytime to drinks dilema. They are also fabulous for travelling!

The prices range from £275-£325 and the Spring Summer 2012 Collection is stocked online and is also available instore.

Sultanesque - My Turkish Delight

I always get very excited when I make a new discovery… and this month it’s the fabulous Sultanesque.  Recently whilst idly wandering around the Ideal Home Show - yes I know, not very me but was there purely to satisfy my sad addiction to gadgets - a small jewellery stand close to one of the stages caught my eye.  There’s nothing like a bit of twinkle and shimmer to draw me in to take a closer look. This is where I met the two young designers Havva and Berrin who are the founders of the newly launched Sultanesque. They are indeed the purveyors of the finest and most affordable contemporary handcrafted Ottoman jewellery. These two Turkish friends formed an alliance in 2011 in order to follow their passion for jewellery making. Thus they’ve combined their creativity and vision to produce these authentic statement pieces. Each of the items is traditionally made by special workshops in Turkey.  A favourite with The Amazing Blog are the rings that are made using bronze that is then hand plated with 22 carat gold and  have  either three or four large semi-precious stones  from just £30 (very YSL catwalk a/w 12 we think!). I bought the Aydan Three-in-One Rings which are crafted from 925 Silver, with white zirconia and semi- precious stones. These fit snuggly as either all three rings together or can be worn separately and for such well-constructed rings, they’re an absolute steal at £45. Ahem… and my purchases didn’t stop there, I couldn’t resist the real freshwater pearl Vahideh Bracelet with its intricate design great attention to detail; a stunning clasp fashioned in bronze then hand plated with 22 carat gold, with semi-precious stones all of which gave it a truly vintage feel. And with the temptation of yet another exceptional price-point from Sultanesque at an astonishing £55 for this finely crafted item – it was a done deal. All pieces are limited so don’t wait too long to purchase. Best of all you’re not going to find yourself wearing the same jewellery item as your peers (i.e. you know, like from that well-known emporium Top****).

Colin Leslie Bamboo Eyewear

Sunglasses are one of my favourite accessories and are most definitely a must-have everytime I leave my house. Whether the sun is shining bright or I simply need something to hold back my hair, I always have a pair of sunglasses in my bag. Finding the perfect pair, however, can be quite a struggle. Either they're too big or small for your face, too expensive, or simply not your taste. Thankfully my colleagues at The Amazing Blog have managed to find me the perfect pair of sunglasses from Colin Leslie Bamboo Eyewear!

I fell in love with these sunglasses as soon as I saw them. They come in a variety of different styles such as a vintage, wide eyed, geeky, classic, and retro. Due to the shape of my face, my personal favourite are their aviator style sunglasses because those are the ones that look the best on me. However you couldn't go wrong with any of their glasses!

In addition to being extremely stylish, these sunglasses are eco-friendly and help to reduce our carbon footprint. All of Colin Leslie’s glasses are individually handmade and incorporate bamboo. However the bamboo used in the glasses is not wild bamboo, but instead specifically grown for production. These glasses are produced from recycled acetate frames and the pouches are made from recycled drinking water bottles. Colin Leslie’s background in carpentry ensures that all of his glasses are exquisitely made and are of the highest quality. If you are in search of the perfect pair of sunglasses, then look no further than Colin Leslie Bamboo Eyewear! You can order your pair online here.

Isle have a pair of these!

Now that Spring has sprung this week, I’ll be expectantly gazing up at the skies every morning, ever hopeful of a small hint of blue amidst the fluffy clouds. And as the proud owner of Mojai, my elderly and extremely fluffy pet (who constantly nags me for his regular walks) it makes me even more conscious of the forecast. Perish the thought we should both be caught short in the rain on our way to The Amazing Blog with me arriving for a meeting looking as if I’ve stepped off a trawler boat; you know the look - an oversized rubber mac, a worn hat and tatty old black wellies squelching in the rain, certainly not the most stylish of attire!

So in preparation for more glamorous rainwear, I found these rather stylish pair of Ilse Jacobsen ‘Rub’ Boots. Instead of rather boring black wellies or some of those outlandish patterned ones - that go with absolutely nothing - these rather understated rubber boots are the answer. I particularly like the ones in the softest custard yellow that come with some rather elegant black lace-up ties (as you've probably guessed we've all gone a bit ‘yellow’ mad this week!) The designer Ilse Jacobsen’s inspiration was that she was tired of bad smelling PVC rubber boots and raincoats, and hence went on to design an alternative. Since first establishing herself as a footwear brand Hornbaek in Denmark in 1993, she has gone on to create a global brand with a stylish, functional and comfortable rainwear collection which is ideal for outdoor activities in both urban and suburban settings.

These ‘Rub’ boots are made of 100% natural rubber and are lined with cotton-fleece lining with a wool innersole. This makes them both warm and comfortable to wear in any weather. Best of all I’ll guarantee that they’ll add that certain little ‘je nais se quoi’ to any mundane outerwear that you’ll be sporting for the forthcoming April showers.  ‘Rubs’ retail at £110 (stockist tel no: 00 45 4970 4176) and they are stocked in the UK at Coggin.com, Question Air and Harvey Nichols.