Time to Accessorize

Did everybody see my search for the perfect wedding dress last week? Well if not, get yourself over and have a little peek!

Well, on the same note, I thought I'd share with you my little (well, not really so little) headband which just seems to put the outfit together perfectly:

Isn't it completely brilliant? The decision must now be made in terms of how best to wear my hair with the headband - didn't quite think that one through when I was impulsively buying the headband in the beautiful Instant Vintage in Bath, did I?  I am currrently going with the loosely put up, few strands around the face kind-of-thing, as always, I'll let you know how that one pans out!

The shoes are also decided. Oh the excitement of getting dressed up and throwing confetti! (Natural confetti only, naturally!)

In other news, it's Sunday night which = roast dinner time!

Always, always remember, never just simply pull your chicken out the wrapper and throw it in the oven. No, no, no. Instead, follow these perfect roasting tips:

1. Pile a lot of your veg into your chicken. Sod peeling, slicing, dicing, just simply chop roughly and stuff.
2. Drizzle chicken with oil, season and drizzle a little lemon. Place this same lemon up the chicken.
3. Place the remainder of the veg into your roasting tin and place the chicken on top.
4. Cook (depending on size) until ready, baste the chicken half way through and cook the remaining potatoes as you see fit.
5. When cooked, cover and rest for 30 minutes.
6. P.S...Always eat free range!

Night night x

Chilli + Clutches

On my first food note, last night I created a blog-worthy chilli that I thought was worth sharing:

It was truly delicious (if I do say so myself). It is unbelivably fast and easy to make, and you just cannot go wrong. Just don't let it go dry!! Take my ultimate chilli tip and never ever use chilli poweder or flakes. No, no, no people, use fresh chilli's from your local supermarket or farmer's market vegetable aisle. You know what I say? The hotter, the better.

On another note, I have a wedding coming up soon, which means one thing, new outfit! I finally found the perfect dress for the occasion, from a beautiful shop in Bath called Instant Vintage. They stock vintage-inspired, eclectic clothes which fit and look fabulous on everybody. During sale time, the bargains are unbelievable and the best thing? You won't find every other sod wearing the same dress as you. Bonus in my eyes. So here it is:

This dress cost £48 and is completely beautiful, wouldnt you agree? Alongside it I bought a fabulous flower head-band because I still believe you should dress up to weddings. Dont you just wish people still wore fantastic hats to weddings? Well, I certainly do.

Anyway, if you are anywhere near the south-west pop along to Instant Vintage, you will be more than happy. So the search for a clutch has begun. I will be wearing black tights as I'm not quite ready for naked-leg season yet, along with black Chie Mihara shoes. So, a black clutch it will be. I never quite knew how difficult this would be to locate. Wish me luck, I'll let you know!

Night night.

Good day ... If I do say so myself



Just the other day I visited a little well-known place, Bicester Village in, well, Bicester, Oxfordshire. I was truly mesmerised by the shops, the pancakes, the bags and the designer clothes. The deals were hot and so were the designer pieces. I'm talking DVF, D&G, Vivienne Westwood, YSl and my true favourite until the end ... Mulberry.

Oh wait, is that me with the Mulberry Bayswater clutch? Guilty.

It is a well-known fact amongst my family that my sister is the shopaholic and I am the saver. Not to great extents, I mean I won't be purchasing an Audi any day soon, but I'm a tryer. So I shall officially blame this latest, impulsive purchase on my beloved sister. I first came across the bag in the morning, gave it a swish around the Mulberry shop, gazed lovingly into the mirror, put it down and walked our crying, (facts may be embellished.)

Went for a little coffee and choc mousse in Pret, continued to shop, went back to the car and changed my brogues because my new (and very expensive ones) were killing, and desperately tried to put it out of my mind.

I tried all the usuals:

'You don't need it.'

'It's too expensive.'

'It's just  a bag.'

But who am I kidding? It's not just  a bag ... It's a Mulberry bag which is now sitting very comfortably in my loverly wardrobe. My sister persuaded me that it's an 'investment piece' ... My Mum didn't agree, I did. But, my heart ruled my head and I am now a few pennies shorter, but a lot lot happier.

With my beloved bag purchased we popped into Patisserie Valerie on the way home to enjoy a little raspberry tart. Quite a good day all around I would say.

So from now on I shall be saving those pennies for my upcoming Gran Canaria holiday. What can I say? I live a hard life, but somebody has to do it.

Night night.

Can't Help But Feel Regal

I have just returned form an afternoon (yes, old I know) of watching The King's Speech. And well, it does truly live up to the hype.

HMC is just sensational and I may now have a slight crush on Firth. I just cannot help it. I left feeling, well, kind of regal. Did you have the same feeling? I assume so. It's the clothes, the palaces, the posh speech and the names. It's all Elizabeth, Albert and ofcourse, Elizabeth again.

And so, I have come home in search of something quite royal, and what is more royal than a string of pearls?

ASOS

And ofcourse, me being me, I just had to think of something royal - to eat - ofcourse. The King's Speech is a British affair and so calls for all that is British.

I'm thinking Beef Wellington?

The Chef Wore Chanel x

Late Night Cravings

Well the diet has gone down the pan (quite literally) which means I have gone back to my old tricks. Old tricks you wonder? I'm not sure I want to share my dirty little secret.

I have had this little secret for years and years. I have my dinner, pretty late usually, and then it hits around 9pm and something happens.

I cannot quite explain it, it's a screaming sensation which comes from deep inside and happens like clockwork every single night.

Yes, my dirty little secret is my late night cravings. It's a problem, wouldnt you agree? But not just for everything, on no. Just specific little things. You know, those sweet little tenny tiny treats which surely only account for a few calories? Okay, a few hundred.

Now, what are yours? I'll let you in on one of mine:

Oh yes, that is right, Drumsticks. They are my guilty pleasure. And have been for more years than I care to admit. Other fancies include the Strawberry chocs in packets of Roses and Milk Trays - not all the other chocolates, just the strawberries - which always causes a slight problem as only four are generally contained in each packet of about thirty.

Tell me, what are your guilty late night gravings? This is the start of my late night craving support group.

Me: My name is Chef Wore Chanel and I have a late night craving problem.

You: Hello Chef Wore Chanel.

Chef's Beauty Advice

I was born (unfortunately) with naturally dry, coarse hair and after much treatment, colouring and straightening, it's fair to say my hair has seen better days.
So just last week I was desperately searching online for an at-home treatment for dry and weakened hair. I was at the point of despair with mixed reviews on hundreds of products, heafty price tags and strange techniques.
Until i stumbled across Kerastase resistance Forcintense. HALLELUJAH I thought - finally an answer? So £34.99 later, the home-remedy was on its way to my doorstep.

I was excited to try this new treatment which comes in an easy-to-use, 2 step treatment with minimal effort needed and maximum results. The product has been produced particularly for 'very weakened hair' which was exactly what the Doctor ordered.
A couple of days later, the product arrived and yesterday I gave it a whirl.
Now I have tried my fair share of hair treatments, all brands, all types and so far I have come across no miracle cures. And unfortunately, I didn't find it here either.
The 2 step process is easy, as promised, however the amount provided is teeny which seems rather unrealistic as it has been produced for particularly dry hair. Which meant I had to use two weeks amounts in just one process which = a lot of £££.
So I wacked the product on and did all the necessary steps. Blow-dried my hair and felt rather underwhelmed. My hair was not sleaky as promised and neather was it any more silky. Perhaps a tiny bit better, but certainly not the amount I paid for it.
So, I was one unhappy chef. Slightly disheartened after the fairly hefty price tag for an at-home treatment, but not completely miserable as I still had a beautiful lemon-drizzle cake to cheer me up.
Other than that, however, Kerastase products are usually life-savers. I have also recently bought one of their conditioning masks (amazaballs) and their Exilir Ultime (I love you).

Wasn't that change refreshing?

'Till next time!

Pics from Amazon.