Best Dressed of the Week- Ashley Tisdale

My best dressed of the week this week is going to Ashley Tisdale at the Miu Miu Presents Lucrecia Martel’s “Muta” event in Beverley Hills.



Ashley wore a cream coloured peter pan colour dress from ASOS, paired with Miu Miu Mary Jane peep toes in a plum colour. I love the way the cream colour of the dress compliments her enviable Californian glow and the shoes give her just enough edge to prevent this look from becoming boring.

Her make up is equally as understated with girlie pink lips, nude eyes, subtle blush and some not OTT lashes; she even finishes it off with nude nails with a statement ring finger. That watch is also beautiful, I need one!

I am very jealous.

I'm not jealous at all!

I also have a sort spot for celebrities wearing high street clothes, especially to a Miu Miu event so bonus points to Tisdale for that!

Turkey '11

I know updates have been lacking recently, so here's some pictures from my holiday to Turkey, enjoy!

5 Tips for using Facebook’s Edgerank Formula to your Advantage

May I introduce to you Facebook’s Edgerank formula:



The above is a nifty little algorithm which determines the likelihood of a post you make on Facebook appearing on your friends or your fans news feeds. It looks a bit complicated, so let’s discuss.

There are three elements which contribute to determining where your post appears and how many impressions it receives, each of which are given a relative importance.

The first most important factor is d for time decay, this means that the more recent a post is, the higher chance it has of appearing on your news feed, as no one wants to see week old updates when they log in!

The second is w for weight, and this refers to how important Facebook determines each type of post is. For example, recently you may have been seeing lots of questions appearing on your feed, this is because Facebook has made them the most important type of post. Similarly, you rarely if ever see on your news feed that someone has liked someone else’s status, so these sorts of posts have a low weighting from Facebook.

The exact weighting of each update is determined by Facebook and is a closely guarded secret; however, from experience of using Facebook you can make a best guess. Photo albums, events, questions and tagging appear fairly frequently, whereas new friends, comments on statuses and likes of statuses don’t.

The third is u for affinity. Have you ever wondered why certain people’s status updates don’t appear on your feed very often, whereas other people’s appear all the time? That’s because those Facebook friends you have the closest affinity with, thought the amount of wall to wall conversations you have, the amount of photos you’re tagged in together and how often you comment on each other’s statuses, determines how likely their statuses are to appear on your feed.

So how can you use Edgerank to your advantage?

So how can a brand use the Facebook Edgerank formula to make sure their posts are receiving the maximum amount of impressions and being seen by as many people as possible? Here are my top tips!

1. Use the highest ranked objects

At the moment we’ve seen that questions, photos and events receive a high weighting, so use them!

2. Avoid using the lowest ranked objects

Status updates with contain links to external sites aren’t given a high priority, as they direct people off Facebook and onto a different web site. That’s not to say you should never post them if they’re valuable to your fans, but use them sparingly and don’t expect to get the highest number of impressions from them.

3. Avoid scheduling updates though third party apps

It can be handy to use apps like Tweetdeck and Hootsuite to update your page’s status, but as you haven’t visited Facebook.com why would Facebook give these updates the highest priority when you haven’t visited the site and viewed their advertising? Where possible, do your updates from facebook.com to get the highest number of impressions.

4. Ask questions

And keep them as simple as possible. One of the most successful posts I’ve done asked fans what word came to mind when they thought of the brand. It got a bunch of comments, and this therefore built the affinity between them and the page, meaning that in the future our posts would score higher on their news feeds.

Even the simplest updates, like “Like this status if you’re looking forward to seeing Toy Story 3 this weekend?” or “Who is your favourite character from Toy Story 3” all invite comments and likes, and further build affinity between the user and the brand page.

5. Post regularly

Time is the most important factor in determining your edgerank, so if you want the best chance to float to the top of the feed posting regularly is a must. Each page has a different level of posts that their fans will stand before they hide you, but by posting regular, relevant updates you’ll have the best chance of being seen as the more time that elapses since an update is posted, the further it sinks to the bottom!

Any questions or comments leave them below!

Summer Trend: Fruit Prints

1.H! by Henry Holland Cherry print dress £40 Debenhams

2. Mikey Apple stud earrings £13 House of Fraser

3. Banana Crop Vest £18 Asos

4. Banana drop earrings £6.50 Topshop

5. Black Fruit Belt Dress £45 Wallis

6. Black Banana Runner Shorts £12 Topshop

7. White 85 Fruit Print Boxy T-shirt £14.99 River Island

8. Pineapple gold chain necklace £7.50 Topshop

Style Crush: Lauren Conrad

How is it that some girls seem to get all the luck?

I've always liked Lauren Conrad's style, her beachy waves, her enviously long sun kissed hair, her year round Californian glow, her effortlessly chic sense of style.

And here she's done it again. You could pick out 99% of the photos of her and say she's looking particularly stylish, and this is no exception. She's teamed a pair of navy Alice+Olivia high waisted trousers with a black Mike & Chris leather jacket, along with white front ruffle bib top from Yaya Afalo Garland. And not forgetting a classic Chanel bag.

Here's how to get the look on a more affordable budget:

LC by KayleyA featuring a sleeveless blouse

Sleeveless blouse
$70 - topshop.com

TopShop leather jacket
$110 - topshop.com

Crepe pants
56 GBP - houseoffraser.co.uk

Carvela high heel pumps
$215 - asos.com

River Island leather handbag
$59 - asos.com

Purple belt
10 GBP - josephm.com

 

A lesson for us all in how to wear the classic flare this Summer.

Beauty Favourites

Today I’ve decided to tentatively dip my toes into the world of beauty blogging.

Despite my beauty regime being longer and more complicated than the entire Matrix trilogy as well as subscribing to a whole host of beauty blogs, writing about it myself is something that I never really started. So for my first post I thought I’d let you into my secret treasure trove of beauty products I use.

To be fair I’ve probably sampled enough hair, beauty and skin products to keep the entire industry afloat, and am a sucker for outlandish claims and miracle products so I thought I let you into which are my favourites.

(From left to right)

Umberto Gianni Grunge Glamour Tousled Salt Spray

After some serious hair sinning I’m now in a phase of being as kind as possible to my poor mistreated hair. So the first thing I stopped doing was using any heat on it. I’m usually not in a rush to do my hair as quick as possible so have plenty of time to let my naturally wavy hair air dry. This stuff is great as it makes my waves a lot more defined and a bit more in control to give that “beachy” hair effect (I think it’s because of the salt...) which is what we like to avoid the “lions mane” look. It promises “From cool festival hair to rock chick grunge glamour, this gives the perfect lived in texture and come-to-bed hair” and to a reasonable extent that’s what it delivers (although in all fairness I don’t think my hair’s going to get anyone into bed...) And it makes my hair smell nice all day too!

K-Pak Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor

This one I brought from my hairdresser after she coaxed me into it. No way would I usually spend £15 on one product, but she’d just pointed out what bad condition my hair was in and told me this would sort it. It’s a bit like an intensive conditioner apart from it doesn’t condition, it “rebuilds and improves the structure of the hair” so you need to use a conditioner afterwards. Anyway I’ve been using it once a week for about 6 months now and it has made my hair a lot healthier (no more comments from hairdressers about how dead it is) and there’s no more evidence of all damage that was done as a result of the blonde that was in it a couple of years ago. Plus it smells like bananas, so anyone who’s ruined their hair by over dying I’d give this a go!

Umberto Gianni Backcomb in a Bottle

I do like big hair on occasion, and this definitely delivers it without having to go through the torture of back combing (or even worse, over back combing!) your hair. Fair enough you’re not going to get an instant beehive, just a bit of subtle volume in an instant, saving you the hours spent teasing the life out of your hair to wake up to a birds nest the next morning! If I want my hair to be as big as possible I’ll use it alongside some other volumizing products for a bit of extra oomph.

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream

Another product to prevent damage! This one promises to be “your secret weapon against split ends, and your bodyguard against breakage.” Too cut a long story short, I tried to grow my hair but it was so damaged hairdressers would lob an inch off each time I went, resulting in hair which just wouldn’t grow. Now I only cut it at the first sign of split ends and when I use this stuff it prevents them meaning I can go longer without a trim, and thus have had progress in the length department!

Benefit Some Kind-A Gorgeous Foundation Faker

I’ve recently become fed up with heavy foundations and powders as I just don’t see the point for going to work or to the shops so I switched to a much lighter and not so heavy one and this is just that. It really is barely there and is translucent, so it just evens you out a bit instead of creating a complete mask like other foundations do. I just put a bit of this on and maybe some powder and I’m done! Not good if you have particularly dry skin or lots of blemishes you want to hide, but if you want a more subtle foundation, this is for you!

Urban Decay Eye Shadow Primer Potion.

I got this as part of the urban Decay naked palette and I really like it! You just put a tiny bit on your lids before you do your eye shadow and it keeps it in place all day and prevents it from creasing. Great if you want a full day’s wear from your eye shadow and don’t want to have to blend out creases during the day. I know everyone’s already sold on this product and it’s featured on every beauty blog since in the beginning of time, but it really is rather good!

L’oreal Studeo Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer

This stuff is great for putting on just before your foundation. As well as making your skin super soft and reducing the appearance of your pores, it also makes a great base to put your foundation on top of which makes it last a bit longer before turning you into a shiny mess. The only con is that it’s about £12 and the pot is tiny, so if you’re using it every day on all of your face it’s going to run out quite quickly. But it does take a lot less than you’d think to cover your whole face so you learn to be sparing and I think it’s worth the price as it makes you skin feel really good, I use this every day I wear make up now.

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never Review

I was lucky enough to go to a press screening of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never last night. (Friends in high places ;)) How much you like this film is dependent on how much you already like Bieber. I suspect that if you served up any sort of Bieber related content, put it on a cinema screen and let his fans at it they’d love it. But what’s more surprising about this film is that it’s watchable by anyone.

3D

The 3D element is a clever way to make a documentary work on a big screen and increases the amount of visual interest there is in the film. As Bieber reaches out and grabs the air ahead of him, or as the rows of girls frantically wave their hands in the audience, there’s at least something to keep those accompanying younger guest's attention.

The documentary follows Bieber on an 86 date tour, as his voice threatens to give up and the excitement builds for a show in Madison Square Garden, which is presented as being the holy grail of having ‘made it.’ Interspersed with tributes from the team surrounding him, his friends and family the clichéd messages most commonly attached to children’s films of hope, faith, and belief in yourself are plied on thick and fast. But coming from Bieber, and set alongside his story from talented musician at a tender eight years old, to badgering Usher for the chance to sing to him, to his meteoric fame of now, the message seems to have a lot more credibility.

A light hearted, self mocking tone is present throughout. We see Bieber promising his voice coach that he hasn’t been shouting, immediately followed by footage of his shouting and screaming with his friends. Even a montage of his fans declaring their undying love for him is edited in such a way that you laugh instead of feeling awkward at the exact lengths these girls will go to to get close to him. You almost expect one to say “One time Justin Bieber punched me in the face. It was awesome.” a la Mean Girls to go along with the theme of self parody.

Real?

The one problem I have is the exact extent to which we’re seeing the real 16 year old boy. He does indeed come across as normal. His “team” are clearly doing a good job of keeping him grounded, it’s unquestionable that he is extremely grateful for each of his fans and for the privileged position he is in. He’s cheeky, likes the attention of girls and is as vulgar as any other boy his age as he eats a donut found left in the bin. But what there is little of is Bieber in his own words. At no point does he talk genuinely to the camera or speak completely naturally, and how many of the words coming from his mouth have been put there by publicists? As he gives some money to a violinist playing in his home town where he used to bust and tells her to always follow her dreams, it’s hard not to wonder who might have instructed him to do that.

Whilst the film does have elements which makes it read more like a promotional film than a documentary, that’s not to say it isn’t at heart very watchable and even, dare I say it, enjoyable. It goes without saying Bieber fans will leave even more in love with the Bieber brand than when they entered, and those who despise him undoubtedly will find many a reason to continue doing so during the 90 minutes. But the real test is those who are indifferent to his work, and I suspect they’ll find it difficult not to come out a Bieber convert and having seen a fascinating insight into the way in which a star is born in the 21st century.

The Look for Less: Miu Miu Glitter Leather Loafer Pumps

I've been eying up heeled loafers for ages. Admitedly, they sound ghastly. I've always associated loafers with Clarks, in a drab brown colour made out of plasticy feeling imitation leather. But how things have changed, since they were featured on the Prada Fall RTW 2010 catwalk they've seemed so much more stylish. Perfect for work with a high yet not over the top chunky heel they can be styled in so many ways.

You could try the Granny Chic look as they were worn on the Prada catwalk, with thick woolen tights and twin set, or you could update the look for Spring, try a midi skirt and a sheer blouse, or be brave with thigh high socks and a billowing shorter length dress.

My personal favourite pair has to be the Mui Mui Glitter Leather Loafer Pumps. They were on netaporter for £370 and bring some glitz to the occassion with a sparkly upper. Unfortunatey now they're sold out and a couple of seasons old.

On the high street however is an excellent dupe. Miss Selfridge's Blackberry Brogue heel. Chunky heel, gorgeous colour and even better price at just £50! You'd better be quick though as it's an Oxford Street exclusive and sizes are disappearing fast!