Instant Goddess Sales Through

This week is the sale edit!! Now if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em another one of my favourite sayings and this applies to sale shopping. I like my shops neatly merchandised, none of this jumble sale malarkey, but the sale season is well and truly upon us, so shopping goggles, elbows and lots of patience at the ready, Goddesses! It’s time to start rummaging for those bargains.

THE SALE EDIT

ASOS

Let’s kick off with ASOS, and in at No.1 is this ASOS embroidered dress which I LOVE and have to admit was handed to me on a plate by one of the fashion editors at Vogue..well if it’s good enough for Vogue it sure is good enough for the Instant Goddess..ha ha! The rest is my own work! International shipping is free in case you have never shopped on ASOS (what have you been doing with your life?).

ASOS embroidered dress $782 (reduced from $1117), ASOS long bermuda shorts in navy $203 (reduced from $289).

Above are my two fave celeb looks of the year so far and already featured previously but they’re now on sale… yippee! Let’s pay homage to Kate Middleton with the Warehouse jewelled number $690 (reduced from $986) and homage to Kate Winslet in the body contour panel dress from Mango $657 (reduced from $453) both are available on ASOS.

House of Fraser

A recent addition to my online shopping destinations, House of Fraser or HoF as I like to call it, carries a wide range of affordable brands from well known to more unique boutique labels. The shipping is approx 100hkd to HK, but the prices are good to make up for this!

Alexon Ottoman stripe dress $842 (reduced from $1625), Phase 8 Marika dress $385 (reduced from $950).

Yumi lace dress $481 (reduced from $722) and Untold black & white dress $625 (reduced from $1564).

Zara

I braved Zara and SURVIVED and these are my picks. Am lovin’ the white shift with gold studded neckline on the left with a line of studs down the back to give it that edge. I also did the “sit down” test to check that there are no uncomfortable stud issues and pleased to report you don’t feel a thing when you sit down..phew! You see the lengths I go to for you! I also liked the Versace-esque pattern on the tunic below and the coffee lace number on right which looks far better on sitting snug against the body..it’s too baggy in the picture, the model needs to eat some more cake like me!

Zara: white shift with gold stud detail $499 (reduced from $699), patterned tunic with beaded neckline $399 (reduced from $699) and lace dress $499 (reduced from $899)

Ted Baker

Mr B is also on sale and if you can ignore the Velcro shop assistants then go forth, but you may want to try on first and then see if you can get your goodies from ASOS as ASOS still works out cheaper even if on sale in HK!

Bright striped skirt $950 (reduced from $1995) and floral playsuit with pussy bow tie shirt detail $1397 (reduced from $1997) ALSO available on ASOS for $848.30.

I love the beaten / bevelled metal effect on this Ted Baker clutch bag ($1397 reduced from $2750) which would look great teamed with this Biba tunic (yep this has sneaked in from the HoF section!) which was a whopping $2033 now a mere $601 on HoF.

LAB

A friend recently suggested that I check out LAB concept a new shopping space in Queensway Plaza, Admiralty and it is indeed a lovely shopping experience all neat and tidy, brand spanking new with an array of labels, although out of sale time these are likely to be more high end possibly out of reach of impulse buying BUT the sale prices are good with 50% off the likes of Michael Kors, Alice & Olivia and Thakoon addition to name a few. My heart also skipped a beat when I saw the Topshop logo, but alas, it is once again a pathetic selection hardly worth the time of day. There’s also a good beauty and cosmetics hall of fame with all our favourite brands like Laura Mercier, Mac, Benefit, Bobbi Brown etc. Get all the deets over on Sassy but here are my sales picks:

Alice + Olivia stripe maxi tank dress $2300 (reduced from $4600) and Thakoon Addition maxi dress $2800 reduced from $5600.

Michael Kors lace dress $1950 (reduced from $3900) and Theory “achi” silk floral dress $1450 from $2900.

LAB CONCEPT, Queensway Plaza, 93 Queensway, Admiralty, Hong Kong

Vamastyle

OK enough of the sale talk it’s back to the nicely merchandised and there’s no better way to start than with a fantastic SASSY GIVEAWAY. To celebrate the launch of Vamastyle’s new Tropical Daydream collection, Sassy has got a $1500 voucher to give away to one lucky Instant Goddess. To be in with a chance of winning, simply Like both Vamastyle and Sassy on Facebook (thumbs up if you like us both already) and fill out your details in the form here. The competition closes on 22 July and the winner will be notified by email on 23 July.

If you’re unfamiliar with Vamastyle, it’s a relatively new brand from Singapore and as the clothes are designed for the Singaporean heat they will stand you well in the height of the Hong Kong summer. The designs are easy to wear and will keep you looking effortlessly chic on the hottest of days. Inspired by all things bright and colourful and endless summer holidays, Vamastyle offers clothes lovingly designed in eye catching prints, with feminine detailing and fantastic colours. 

Vamastyle delivers internationally (via DHL and arrives in 1-2 days!), with a flat rate of $25SGD ($152) to Hong Kong regardless of how much you order plus they offer free shipping on all orders over $350SGD ($2138). 

Lantern Lover maxi in orchid print $1500 and Lady Luxe shorts $550 and Chi Chi meets Gi Gi top $550.

M.I.A in LA playsuit in blue ikat print $918, Lou Lou dress in white with black dots $520 (and I’ve sneaked it in as it’s in the sale… not part of Tropical Dream Collection but couldn’t resist it!)

Oi! Stress Head! 

This week Andrea Clarke, Creative Director, at the Mandarin Oriental Salon explains that stress is one of the worst things for your hair. It can lead to hair loss, thinning and even be a cause of the dreaded dandruff. Apart from the obvious of less stress, the right shampoo and conditioner together with a specialist scalp treatment like Philip Kingsley’s available at the Mandarin can help.

Philip Kingsley is a leading trichologist in the UK and he knows a thing or two about hair! With clinics in London and New York and a client list that includes stars, celebrities, politicians and royalty, Philip Kingsley is widely recognized as a leading authority all things hair. Called “The Hair Doctor” by The Times and “The Hair Guru” by The New York Times, Philip Kingsley, born in London, has been a practising trichological consultant since 1957. His list of clients reads like a world’s Who’s Who. He even created the product Elasticizer specifically for Audrey Hepburn! If anyone understands the meaning of a ‘bad hair day’ then look no further as Mr Kingsley invented the term. Andrea has long been a fan of Mr K and his wonder products. But before trekking off to one of his clinics, Andrea explains that you can take some simple steps if stress is affecting your hair.  

Hair loss in women is becoming more common. To dispel a common myth, washing your hair daily does not increase your chances of hair loss, and it is normal to lose 100 hairs a day. It is certainly possible to slow hair fall or thinning. The first thing to look at is sleep, exercise and diet. If you are noticing a lot of hair in the shower drain today, it is usually because you were stressed 3 months ago. Or you may have decided to eat less meat 3 months ago, so you are getting less iron. Iron is very important in feeding follicles. You may have lost weight, been sick etc all of these can be contributing factors to hair loss.

Your hair is a brilliant barometer in telling you about your health, as nutrients will go to the more important organs and cells first when you are sick or if you have an inadequate diet. Of course, we will not die if our hair falls out, but it is our image and our self-esteem that suffers if our hair is not shipshape. The best meal for hair cell growth is breakfast and the good news is that snacking is a must too! Breakfast’s rich in protein, and eggs and ham, bacon, smoked salmon and fresh fruit are ideal for hair health. And Philip Kingsley says no black tea; he teaches that the tannin in black tea binds with iron, therefore reducing its potential in the body: to avoid this, just add a bit of milk.

Having breakfast will automatically make a better day for your stress level and ultimately the state of your body and hair.

Midweek Meal Inspiration

This week, I give you, Salmon Bakes… speedy and delicious, oh and they look good too!  

Salmon Bakes

Serves 2; takes 15 minutes to make and 15-20 minutes to cook.

Ingredients
2 skinless salmon fillets
100g baby spinach leaves
200g ricotta
20g Parmesan or Grana Padano
1 small lemon
50ml vegetable stock
1tbsp chopped fresh dill
2 large ready-made potato rosti
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6.

2. Cut the salmon fillets into large chunks and scatter over the base of 2 x 500ml ovenproof pie dishes.

3. Pour boiling water over the spinach to wilt, then refresh under cold water, squeeze dry and roughly chop. Mix with ricotta, grated Parmesan or Grana Padano, the zest and juice of the lemon, the vegetable stock and dill in a bowl.

4. Season well and divide between the dishes. Stir to mix together, then top with the potato rosti.

5. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, covering with foil halfway, until the salmon is cooked through.

Tip – if you can’t get hold of potato rosti…boil up some small potatoes (skin on), and once cooked, drain and smash with a potato masher, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with plenty of salt, place on top of the pie mixture and cook as above.

Yogi tea saying of the week: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift that’s why they call it the present”.

Instant Goddess saying of the week: “Velcro shop assistant, yes, I am going to take a picture and I’m going to give you some free publicity… don’t give me the cannot-la!”

Until next week Goddesses and remember you are always, always worth it xxx