Wordsmith Lane

All Sorts: A weekly round-up of style, smarts & savoir-faire

• Think you got the latest and greatest when you picked up the i-pad? Well, unless you’ve got some i-clothing hanging in your closet, you’re still not ahead of the fashion pack. Sydney-based fashion dynamo (and all-round cool chick) Davina Reichman of i-clothing has launched the i-tee and the i-tee to keep your nifty new tech piece right where you want it while keeping your hands free. Coco (of 2.55, hands-free fame) would be proud.
• John Grisham, best-selling author of many a legal thriller, (I simply loved A Time to Kill) has tried his hand at writing legal thrillers for young adults. Theodore Boone, Young Lawyer is a tale of Theo, who dreams of being a great lawyer. Soon enough he is dragged into the midst of a murder trial, watching as a cold-blooded murderer is about to go free. But, this is his chance to make it, and Theo won’t stop until justice is served (Hodder & Stoughton, $24.99).
• Girl with a Satchel Erica Bartle, has mentioned me in a piece announcing that 17 year old Iman Krayem of Picnic Point has won Girlfriend of the Year. I congratulate Girlfriend for choosing a hijabi girl as part of their contestants, and not making a big deal of it as per normal media outlets when they do something against the ordinary. Perhaps this can serve to remind us that Muslim women are not unlike us in many respects, and we shouldn’t over-do the coverage when one of them makes it into the spotlight as though it is paranormal. Congrats and all the best on your achievements Iman (fittingly, this means belief in Arabic) – I am sure you are encouraging other hijabi teens in Oz to fulfill their dreams.
• Speaking of mentions, I was also lucky to have been a guest commentator on the release of Sex and the City 2 on the Ted Bull afternoons show on Radio NewsTalk 6PR 882 in Perth. Me likes the media gigs, I tell you! In fact, I have updated my gallery page (and called it ‘Press’) and included anything that is quite nice for me to have here. Thoughts?
• As winter approaches and my skin gets drier thanks to the cooling weather, especially in light of the fact that I fail to moisturise after showering because I just get stuck into my clothes (it’s cold!), I’ll be looking for a body wash that cleans, moisturisers and hugs our beautiful earth. My best bet at the moment is my bottle of Trilogy Body Care botanical body wash ($27) which was a tried and tested winner of the UK’s prestigious Green Beauty Bible categories. Try it, it is infused with lavender, amla fruit extract and kawa kawa (which must be good!).
• In other beauty news, Nivea Fruity Shine is back, perfect for plain-jane lips like mine that only like a hint of colour that’s not overwhelming. Love its red and compact packaging too, which is perfect for the bottomless pits of my handbags. I wish I can carry clutches during the day like Miss Carrie.
• Burqa debate is alive and well all over the globe and I am rather bored of the issue. All the coverage has yet to cement a status in my head on the topic, at least where Australia is concerned. On the one hand, Senator Bernardi speaks for those Australians who deem it unfair to be banned from wearing things that conflict with their identity out and about, while burqa wearers don’t have to, which suggests that perhaps it is not the right fit with current Australian norms as yet? On the other, I feel for women who might be forced to wear it (and they are not all forced) might have to stay at home if it is banned, which would be awfully mean. Love what Mona Eltahaway said of it in the New York Times with such honesty.
• Speaking of things usually associated with the Middle-East and in light of all the SATC 2 excitement, I loved this piece on The Stranger. Literally made me laugh out loud, despite my like for the show/movie. Not usually a fan of political correctness when it gets too extreme (and it usually does) but this is one example where political correctness works.
• All I can think about right now is this gorgeous Samantha Wills ring. I wish I was not saving up for a wedding, otherwise, I would have had to have it immediately.
• I hope you are all following my column over at Bride to Be magazine. This week, it’s all about budgets and brides. Eeek!
• UK Journalist and Business Mentor Sarah-Jane Adams has released a series of e-books to help young creatives break into their chosen industry, whether it is fashion retail, modelling, or urban music. Buy them at www.sarahjaneadams.com/ebooks and see yours truly mentioned (and dishing out advice) in the e-book on fashion retailing.
• Lastly, I am genuinely sorry I have not been posting. I wish I can say that I have been super-productive and churning out chapters for my book and thesis, but I have not been able to write AT ALL which, as you can imagine, bums me out completely and leaves me with little work done, but not for lack of trying, which means wasted hours at the laptop, hurting my back ( I should master ergonomics). This has come at a bad time as I am on deadline for an article for Madison, the first I ever write for them, and I really wanna ace it. Please God! Oh how I need inspiration. Anyone have any to give me?
• Hope you have had a marvellous week to date, and all the best for Friday and the weekend. Much love to you all wordsmiths also struggling with the walk on wordsmith lane xx