Everyone seems pretty excited to hear who the winner of Blog of the Month is this month, which makes me pretty excited to announce it too! It's always hard to pick a winner as all shortlisted blogs are amazing. Heck, all nominations in the first place tend to be amazing. Britain - you are one talented bunch of bloggers!

We picked this month's winner due to the amount of time and effort gone into posts and the fact that it's pretty obvious the blogger really is 100% into what they do! I also personally think she's got great personal style! Enough talking...this month's winner is (drumroll, please!)...

Media Marmalade
http://www.mediamarmalade.com/

Congrats, Melissa! I should be in touch soon as to what happens next!

And well done to all those shortlisted too - picking the winner is never an easy job!

You can now enter Blog of the Month December here: http://britishstylebloggers.wall.fm/forum/topic/29

Rachel x (Community Manager)

The BSB Team spent the weekend getting our make-up and nails done for free, being showered with free beauty products and Editor-At-Large Rachel Charlton even ending up sipping champagne on an exclusive VIP table with a reality TV star.

No, sadly, we have not yet entered the world of fashion blogging royalty, but we did have the chance to attend ‘Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live’, which had been advertised as ‘The Ultimate Girls’ Day Out’. And what a day it turned out to be.

Held in London’s Excel Exhibition Centre over the last weekend in October, ‘Next Top Model’ is a day out of fashion, beauty, catwalk shows and expert advice, topped off with endless free samples and a ‘dress-to-impress’ galore attitude of attendees.

When Set Loose With A Press Badge…

First, we took advantage of the makeovers offered by Revlon and the London College of Beauty, where I ditched my staple smoky eye look for a day and asked to be given a 'natural' look and Rachel C got a manicure - all for free, of course!:

Rachel Charlton, Starting A Riot...

Later on, Rachel spent time with The Only Way is Essex’s Amy Childs - who was promoting her new clothing line - chatting over champagne at the press bar. It would have been a fabulous occasion, had she not then spilt her drink over the star and got rugby-tackled out of the area by her security. Quite hilarious, if I do say so myself...

Rachel sneaks a shot of Amy over the press table, shortly before becoming 'BFFs'

The Catwalk

The winner of this year's Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model, Jade Thompson, starred in a spectacular catwalk extravaganza in the evening, along with the other girls from the TV show, mixed in with the addition of talented (and may we say ‘oh-so-topless’) male dancers and musical performances from Luminites and Bluey Robinson.

The show was a mix of concepts with regular costumes changes to make it feel like you were watching an entirely different show after each change altogether. Extravagant and exotically decorated lingerie was modelled alongside fairy wings and capes a lá ‘Victoria’s Secret’ and we fell in love with the luxe evening dresses to-die-for in opposing monochrome looks of ‘ice-queen’ white or ‘femme fatale’ black. The girls rocked a trashy-yet-classy look in leather and fishnets – an antithesis to the earlier display of a more floral 50’s inspired theme. They donned Perspex ‘stripper heels’ with feminine dresses and yet, it all worked.

For fashion fanatics, Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live offered a haven of catwalk shows, clothes, beauty, accessories and style activities galore. We’d be utterly thrilled to reclaim our press passes back next year, guys. Not that we’re trying to hint or anything…

Check out some more photos from our fashion day out:

Editor-at-Large Rachel Charlton and BINTM Judge Grace Woodward!

Designer Joey Bevan with his models backstage after his show

Text: Rachel Michaella Finn
Photos: Anna Peaston, Claire Napier, Rachel Charlton-Dailey, Rachel Michaella Finn
Illustration: Claire Napier

BSB X.

Hi!

The shortlist for November's Blog of the Month Competition is as follows:

• The Live Scene
• Media Marmalade
• Tiaras Trash
• Gemma Satire
• Hip Shapes and Bristol Fashion

The entries were particularly difficult to judge this month - so well done to all entrants as well as those listed above!

The winner will be announced on the 28th November, but in the meantime please do take a look at our shortlisted five!

Well done, everyone!

Now, off to consult the rest of the team on who we think should win...

Rachel x (Community Manager)

I really should start this piece by apologising to my little sister; there are definitely going to be embarrassing photographs of the two of us in this column.  I feel kind of bad, I really do.  But it should just so happen that all the pictures I have on my hard drive of me as a young 'un happen to have my sister in them too, so it looks as though she is getting dragged down with me.

Growing up, I was a happy kind of kid.  I had a balanced childhood and was surrounded by people who loved and cared for me.  Yet I always knew I wasn't especially cool.  I think I just kind of missed that train, and instead caught the 'gawky and awkward express' instead.  No pity required, I'm all grown up now (well, just about), and  the upside of the whole thing is that the photos are that much more hilarious.  But do any of the outfits that we chose/were chosen for us as children ever stand the test of time?  Or is children's clothing just too influenced by disposable trends to look classy years later?  Let's investigate!

Ah, outdoorwear.  A tricky one to pull off at the best of times.  So, the Kag in a Bag may not be up there with the classic neutral mac or the oversized camel overcoats, but the jewel colours are still bang-on I suppose!

I know exactly what we were trying to do here.  It was the late 90s and we were MASSIVELY into the Spice Girls and All Saints.  Y'know, girl power and all that.  I remember that the All Saints girls rocked the combats and tight tshirts trend in a big way and we were clearly keen to replicate.  I remember how much I loved those khaki trousers, and you know what?  Add a fabric tie-belt and nip the leg-length at the ankle and you pretty much have the cropped trousers that I am starting to see popping up everywhere for spring and summer.  I'm less sold on the high-necked cropped tank-top, but would kill to still have a stomach that flat!

Well, my outfit here truly is something to behold.  I mean sure, patterned leggings are big right now, but I get the feeling the trend isn't going to last forever.  I'd quite fancy that print on a pair of harem pants though.  But what about Lucy's cute hand-knitted cardigan?  Chunky knits never go out of style, and the cute 'little lady' cut would look fabulous with a pair of skinnies and ballet pumps, wouldn't it?!

Alright, so maybe my previous attempts have been clutching at straws a little, but I genuinely believe in this last one.  Lucy and I were always dressed the same when we were younger, but it was sheer coincidence that Great Gran turned up to this particular family occasion in the same frock.  The Peter-Pan collars, the classic black and white spots, it's all there.  And I'm pretty sure that this photograph is a textbook lesson in how to handle the "she's wearing the same dress as me!" situation: throw your arms around each other and laugh it off.  Now that kind of thing certainly is timeless.

Now then, please don't get me wrong, I love a bit of Slade or Wizzard as much as the next person when the festive season arrives.  No Christmas shopping trip - or indeed, any shopping trip taken from late October to late December - would be complete without having a little bop around the card shop/New Look/Starbucks as the familiar strains of 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' float out of the sounds system.  However sometimes, don't you find it all just gets a bit much?  Even if you have just a sliver of musical taste, you'd be hard-pushed not to admit that the vast majority of Christmas music is the kind of stuff you'd turn off faster than a speeding sleigh throughout the rest of the year.

Feeling rather strongly that the arrival of the festive season didn't necessarily have to mean a complete departure from my normal musical taste, a couple of years ago I started work on an alternative Christmas/winter playlist, and the whole thing currently sits in my iTunes library as playlist that lasts almost three hours.  I will confess that Mariah Carey's does feature in there somewhere, but then I'm genuinely not trying to suggest that I am some grand musical aficionado here, merely that there is more to Christmas music than just a sizeable helping of cheese.

With this in mind, I thought I would share with you what I consider to be some of the highlights of my endeavour to find The Least Headache-Inducing Christmas Playlist EVER.  To me, these songs capture something Christmassy without having to ram sleigh bells down your throat for three and a half minutes.  Feel free to add suggestions if you wish, and enjoy!

© Naomi Thorne, 2010

1.  The Shins, Caring is Creepy -  A couple of references to ice, and ethereal guitars that sound good in the winter.  Take a walk in the snow listening to it and you'll see.

2.  Katy Perry, White Christmas - Was a close call between this and Otis Reading's version, but I seem to be on a Katy kick at the moment, so she won out!  Laid-back and understated, this is not the Katy Perry you'll be used to!

3.  Mumford and Sons, Winter Winds - The sound of a bit of brass always makes me go a bit misty and nostalgic, and this, combined with the beauty of the lyrics on this track just about finishes me.

4.  Badly Drawn Boy, Donna and Blitzen - In the same way that a good brass section makes me mushy, the same could be said for strings.  There are some serious sleigh bells in this one, but there are also some of the most romantic lyrics ever, so I think I'll forgive.

5.  Orba Squara, What I Want For Christmas - If this one sounds familiar, it'll be because Sky have decided that what you want for Christmas is satellite television in high-definition.  All the same, it's really rather lovely.

6.  John Mayer, St. Patrick's Day - Don't be fooled by the title; this song is all about definitely not breaking up in the winter, 'cos it's just too sad.

7.  Johnny Cash, Hark The Herald Angels Sing - Whoever persuaded Mr. Cash that it would be an excellent idea to 'do' a Christmas album is my hero.  If it were Johnny himself, he just rose even further in my estimation.

8.  Rosie O'Donnell & Macy Gray, Winter Wonderland - Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a good collaboration (see: turkey and cranberry) and this gem is no exception.  Also, I love Macy Gray's voice!

9.  Sufjan Stevens, Come On!  Let's Boogey To The Elf Dance! - Pretty much for the title alone, this song deserves to make the list.  Thankfully, it's also a very cool Christmas song too.

10.  Colbie Caillat, Mistletoe - Until I heard this, Colbie always seemed to remind me of summer, but I feel that this one redresses that balance somewhat.

11.  Eliie Goulding, Your Song - The power of advertising has compelled me to include this one.  John Lewis' 2010 Christmas campaign has proved so effective that I shall forever associate this song with the festive season.  Opinion has been very divided on this one, but I'm totally a fan.

12.  Counting Crows, A Long December - A song about the personal reflection that always tends to happen at this time of year.  Also talks about Christmas in California, something I rather fancy right now.

And finally...

13.  Mairi Campbell & Dave Francis, Auld Lang Syne - Featured in the first 'Sex and the City' movie, something about this song always makes me a bit teary.  I'm not the biggest fan of New Year - always an anticlimax and weirdly melancholy - and this version of the traditional song seems to capture that perfectly.

A Cause For Christmas

I am so, so grateful that the greatest difficulty I face this Christmas is fitting in all the relatives and friends that want to see me over the festive period.  For thousands of children across the UK, the situation will be quite different, with some having to face Christmas with a parent serving a custodial sentence in prison.  Storybook Dads aims to make that absence a little easier to bear for the children who have to live without their loved ones by giving them a CD or DVD of a bedtime story read by their mother or father.  As well as helping to maintain the emotional bond between a parent and a child, the project is also providing valuable skills to teams of offenders in twenty prisons throughout the UK, who are trained to edit the CDs and add music and sound effects.  The work of Storybook Dads has been so effective that they have now formed the Storybook Dads Alliance, widening participation in the scheme to involve women's prisons and the armed forces.  Before you allow yourself to question the worth of a cause intended to help those who have committed a crime, please take a look at http://www.storybookdads.co.uk/index.html to see how valuable something as small as a bedtime story can be.

We're so sorry for the delay in getting this ebook to you - we're going to blame it on the snow, and we're sure you'll understand!

Click HERE to read it!

LoveLoveLove

- Amy & Susie xo -

Hello, everyone!

So, we've been working on ways to improve our fantabulous ebooks for you, and we think we've hit on a fantabulous new formula for them. From next month, they'll be editted by a special new Features Editor (whose bio I will add to the site eventually, I promise!) - but this month's is somewhere close to the new format, featuring specially commissioned pieces just for the ebooks, as well as all your favourite New Beginnings posts from the month.

Have a look; download; read; love! And if you want to get involved in the next ebook, email rachel@britishstylebloggers.org.uk or susie@britishstylebloggers.org.uk (or, better still, both!).

Enjoy!

Or click HERE to see it in full-screen.

Let us know what you think, too; we might start adding your notes and emails to the front of them...

LoveLoveLove

- A -

Members of the British Style Bloggers team at a 'Board Meeting' in Starbucks! Join us!

We're actively recruiting for staff other than columnists at the moment, and Rachel, our Secondary Editor in charge of recruitment, can't wait to hear from you!

Application information for all positions is listed at the bottom of the page.

We're sorry, but we cannot offer any financial incentives for staff at this present time.

Currently Hunting Out -

FEATURES EDITOR

We're looking for a Features Editor to take charge of guest writers for monthly ebooks.You will be responsible for a team of writers compiling articles on a range of (mostly fashion-based) topics for an international audience. Work will include proof-reading and selecting content, as well as helping with the recruitment and selection of new writers.

Work from home, 2 hrs/week on average (more towards the end of the month). Permanent position. Would suit student looking towards a career in journalism.

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

We're looking for an Editorial Assistant to work with the current editorial team on a range of projects.

Work MAY include:

- PR
- Writing
- Editing and selecting content
- Running features
- Scheduling
- Assisting with the Community
- running a team of interns

Please express preferences from the above list in your application.

Work from home, 2 hrs/week on average. Permanent position. Would suit student looking for valuable experience.

FEATURES WRITERS/GUEST BLOGGERS

We're looking for writers interested in creating fresh content to feature within them, as well as the work provided by our regular columnists.

INTERNS

We're looking for interns to work one, one-and-a-half or two months at a time, from home, in the coming months. Work to include varied writing assignments, editorial assistance, and PR, for example. Good computer skills including Word essential - the broader your scope, the better!

Work from home, 3 hours/week (average). Would suit student looking for a range of references - which we will be happy to give, and sparkling ones, too!

How to apply -

If you are interested in any of the positions listed above, please click HERE to email Rachel, including a CV and/or writing sample and/or reference. The more you provide us with, the more likely we are to see you as our best option!

As most people will now know, British Style Bloggers is growing up, and this summer we will be a whole year old... to celebrate, we're trying to redesign and streamline the site, by creating new graphics and a new community section.

So, to celebrate, we'd like you to help design us our brand new logo.

Although we love the logo we currently have, designed for us by the lovely Claire Napier a very long time ago, growing up is growing up - and who better to help us come up with a new design than our fabulous readers?

So, what do I have to do?

Come up with a brand new logo for British Style Bloggers!

It must follow the below criteria, however:

- must be square (and at least 500 pixels by 500 pixels)

- must be in keeping with what we're about!

- must have legal attribution for all particulates (as in, please don't steal someone else's work and use it or incorporate it!)

- must be absolutely fabulous!

Then, just email it to amy@britishstylebloggers.org.uk before August 16th!

Can I get any extra points at all?

If you're feeling especially creative, you could always design a new header, too; 900 pixels wide. It won't count for extra, officially, but it might draw our eye to your design for a little longer!

What do I win?

Obviously, we will use the design you submit, and you'll be added to the "Staff" listing as the official BSB logo designer.

The overall winner will also get a pair of Coco Rose London shoes - with second prize receiving a £20 Coco Rose voucher and third prize receiving a £10 voucher.

How will it be judged?

All designs will be printed off and taken to the BSB Birthday Meet Up, where members will choose the deserving winner and two runners up.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This competition is open to UK residents only. You must be willing to legally allow British Style Bloggers full rights to all work submitted, which will, of course, be fully referenced. BSB is not liable for any delays incurred in the reception of prizes.

Questions?

Ask away! Otherwise, good luck!

This is the first news letter that I've sent out to the BSB mailing list - join it by entering your email address in the box just to the side.... ;) -->

Hi, everyone!

Well, I think that I should probably explain, first of all, that I've got some new mailing list software on the site (as I guess you've seen, if you've signed up for this)(or... if you registered and *I* signed you up, you might not... woops!)... so I'm going to try to send round sort of semi-regular update messages...

If you don't want them any longer, let me know... and I'll play around with the software to try to work out how the hell to remove you from the mailing list! ;)

So, on to the point...

First off, I'm closing registration for Blog Of The Month (http://ukstylebloggers.onsugar.com/page/96256) THIS SUNDAY - you have until then to register. It'll then go to a vote, and the winner gets a guest blog spot, and a link in the soon-to-be-built Hall of Fame on the site!

Secondly... guest blogs! Thank you so much to the lovely Florrie, whose piece about Luella is giving me a run for my money as a fashion editor! You can read it here (http://ukstylebloggers.onsugar.com/4704635), and register soon if you want the chance to have a guest blog slot (http://ukstylebloggers.onsugar.com/4586603), because once the first Blog Of The Month goes up, I'm probably going to limit guest bloggers to them.

Probably.

Thirdly, press. Miss Fashion Whore (www.missfashionwhore.com) wrote a post about us - and I've put it up in the new Press section (http://ukstylebloggers.onsugar.com/page/101885). If you've posted about BSB, email me a link and a screen shot, and I'll put it up there, too! :)

And... on to the actual point of this message... There was an article today in the Guardian about Teenage Bloggers (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/sep/09/teenage-bloggers)... hands up if you're one...? It was talking about the vast influence that teenage bloggers have in the world at the moment... and so I was wondering who you think that the most influential teenage fashion bloggers/writers are?

Drop me a message, telling me who and why - as well as your name and URL, and I'll try my best to make a post about it!

That's all folks!

LoveLoveLove

- A -