At Least it Will Be Over Soon

It's the most depressing day of the year. It's official. I only learnt this about half and hour ago but now it all makes sense. Having woken up in the most foul mood (so foul that I've been having to listen to soothing Classic FM at work - even though I don't think I'm supposed to) I then finally got my two day hangover from the weekend. My housemates managed to encourage me into silly drunken behaviour on Friday and Saturday which all though was hugely fun was possibly a little rash considering it's affect on my cotton-wool brain today.

Luckily I didn't need to use my brain at the weekend - well I realised it would be no good to me when I awoke with head pounding on Saturday - so instead I thought I'd try out some of the new range from one of the most famous names in haircare and the youngest ever hairdresser to enter the prestigious Hall of Fame, Umberto Giannini. "The Incredible Body range adds volume, bounce and shine to lifeless hair for a full-bodied and salon perfect finish that increases texture and manageability of unruly hair. The Incredible Body products include: the Voluptuous Body Shampoo, Amazing Body Conditioner (available at £14.99), Shapely Body Mousse, Enviable Body Blow Dry Spray and
the Defined Body Texturising Lotion (all priced at £4.19)"

The Voluptuous Body Shampoo really works - my hair was definitely volumised and although I think it's pretty difficult to tell whether conditioners work on the volume front and the Amazing Body Conditioner didn't feel like it was doing much at the time, really softened my hair without flattening or coating. They both smelt great and are fantastic value for £14.99. The packaging was the usual Umberto Giannini style, which I think could do with a little sprucing, and the instructions on the back are simple at best - which is fine as you don't need much instruction to wash your hair although for some of the other products I'm going to try out this could be a bit tricky. After washing I tried Shapely Body Mousse. This is tricky to control when you press the button so be careful - but it does work and smells nice. I've yet to track down a mousse that can put up with a night on my pillows but although there was less body my hair definitely wasn't flat - and the natural wave which appears the day I've washed it no matter what I do looks nicely defined rather than, quite frankly, a bit of a mess.

So whilst drying and fondling my newly washed locks I got to read The Meaning of Sunglasses: A Guide to (Almost) All Things Fashionable. This beautiful book is a really refreshing take on the increasingly popular beauty and lifestyle book. Freeman is the deputy fashion editor for the Guardian and contributing editor to Vogue... in other words, she knows her stuff. This is a true style guide - it's not wear to shop it is how to wear clothes and what to avoid.

Both funny and wise, this takes us through the most intriguing sides of the world of glam fashionistas. Why Botox is like cocaine, how to wear shorts without looking like a strangely dressed schoolboy, and why there's no such thing as 'fashionably late'. This is the down-to-earth A-Z bible covers of the more unspoken aspects of the fashion world; 'Sex and the City, what it gave us in terms of fashion and what it didn't', 'Moss, Kate, and how she ruined your wardrobe', and 'Logos, the bleating of the insecure'. As well as old but enduringly tricky favourites; Haute couture, taking self-indulgence to a whole new level', 'Patterns - or test patterns', and 'Pink'. My favourite being Low Slung Belts and the point thereof. Only with tunics and voluminous tops, ladies.

The Meaning of Sunglasses is the perfect way to wave goodbye to the most depressing month in 2008 - it is published by Penguin on 7th February 2008.

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