With the school holidays here and the kids busy do their own thing, comes a little more time on our hands. If you’ve cleaned out your wardrobe and almost had enough of Netflix, now could prove the perfect opportunity to bag a new skill or two.
Here are three stylish things to master, and what to wear whilst doing them.
Make like Audrey with an eye accentuating flick that adds classic glamour to the most low key of occasions and the simplest of looks.
Step 1: Using a liquid liner, mark your desired shape with a dot where you want your flick to finish, aiming from the end of the lash line at 45 degrees.
Step 2: Look in the mirror, tip your head back, and trace the liner from the inner corner, close to the lash line, across to the end of the lash line.
Step 3: Connect the end of the lash line with the dot. For the Hepburn effect, draw a sharp, squat flick, angled upwards and outwards.
Step 4: Gently curl lashes and apply layers of thick black lengthening mascara and comb to prevent clumping.
This purr-fect eye demands a fabulous black dress …
Ever find yourself stumbling over your Altuzarra and Dries Van Noten? Here is how to pronounce some tricky designer names with insider confidence. Practice makes perfect!
Altuzarra: ahl-too-ZAH-rah
Erdem: uh·dm
Dries Van Noten: dreeze van not-en. The 's' is pronounced like a 'z' sound.
Louis Vuitton: lou-ee VWEE-tah-n (silent ‘s’ and soft 'n')
Yohji Yamamoto: yoh-jee yam-ah-mo-to
Hermès: er-mez
Loewe: Lo-EE-vay. Although a Spanish brand, the name is German so the 'w' is pronounced as a 'v'.
Miu Miu: mew-mew
Xirena: SUH- REN –UH. (fun fact: means 'mermaid' in Spanish
Now you sound uber-fashionable, look it in new season La DoubleJ:
We’re taking tips from Julia, the fabulous series based on the iconic cook Julia Childs. Coq Au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon, or Crepes Suzette? We’re feeling indulgent – it’s the ever stylish Chocolate Soufflé for us.
Julia Child’s ‘Soufflé au Chocolat’
½ tbsp softened butter
7 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
1/3 cup strong coffee
3 tbsp butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla extract
6 egg whites (3/4 cup)
Pinch salt
¼ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
Powdered sugar for dusting
Pre-heat oven to 425 F ( 220 C). If using a fan-forced oven, reduce by 20 degrees (i.e. 425 F should be lowered to 405 F, etc).
Butter the inside of 5-6 smaller ramekins. Melt the coffee and chocolate together in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water; set aside. In a separate saucepan, combine flour and butter; whisking over medium heat until it becomes a paste. Gradually whisk in the milk until mixture thickens. Let cool for several minutes.
One by one, whisk the egg yolks into the hot sauce, then add the melted chocolate sauce, and finally the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar together until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form and the whites become shiny.
Gradually fold the chocolate mixture into the egg white mixture, folding from the outside of the bowl into the centre. Pour the mixture into the prepared moulds, filling to just below the rim. Place the mould on the bottom part of the oven and lower the temperature to 375 F (190 C). Bake for about 35-40 minutes until the soufflé has risen and a skewer placed into the centre comes out clean. Serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Channel you inner-French woman and soufflé in style:
Got any hot tips on how to survive the school holidays? I'm sure there's a few who'd would welcome the inspiration! Drop your suggestions below...