Five questions for you S&B queens - a challenge!

[MinnieMummy]

Ok, so rather than start five different threads, there's a few things that I've been wondering about recently - kudos to the person that can answer them all (ok, one is just pure opinion, but still...)!

1. How do you plait your hair like Diana Vickers and Cheryl off of X-factor on Sunday?

1. What jumpers that actually keep you warm work for the more well-endowed? Anything cable-y is too chunky, anything round neck gives me a matron shelf, v-necks never seem low enough or if they are are too damn cold... is there an option that works?

1. Waterfall cardigans. Does all that excess material get in the way? The Boden ones actually look nice but I imagine I'd be forever pushing it all out of the way.

1. Which are the best fake eyelashes? (by which I mean a) look good b) easy to apply c) don't cost a stupid amount)

1. I've seen these shoes in Office but am balking a bit at the price. Amazon do these ones which are obviously waaay cheaper - too cheap?? False economy?

Thanks...

OK, here's my tuppence-worth:

1: It's basically a french plait but starting lower, at the low-pony-tail level of your hair rather than tight to your head. But same technique. So you start a plait with a few strands of hair and then every time you put the strand over again you add another small section of hair from underneath/round the back if that makes sense...continue til hair runs out.

2: Slash-neck? Am rather under-endowed myself.

3: The annoying thing about them is trying to get a coat on over the top imo.

4: Dunno, soz.

5: Generally I reckon you get what you pay for with shoes...but then again, you're only going to wear these occasionally probably, not tromp up and down in them every day, so it prob doesn't matter if they're not that robust?

Can only add advice about 3,4 and 5:

3- I had one in summer, found it bit annoying tbh

4- Shu Uemura are fantastic, more pricey but reusable.

5- I agree that you get what you pay for- having spent lots of my life buying cheaper things am now only buying better quality shoes and coats. The Amazon review says the faux suede material doesn't look great though...

I think I can answer number 1, Cheryl's plait on Saturday's X Factor looked like a loose, messy fishtail plait done on the side. Sweep your hair low to one side and split it into two pieces. You then take small pieces from the outside of each piece alternately, and bring them to the middle. Here's a that might help.

Answers to 2, 3 and 4:

2: I find that a v neck with a scarf works the best, or if its bloody freezing a polo neck but with either some chunky jewellery or a scarf.

3.Annoying and fall off your shoulders and don't go great under a coat but do hide a multitude of sins. Any cardi with a belt looks like a dressing gown on me, and boyfriend cardis make me look like I've been in my grans wardrobe, so I quite like waterfall cardis. Although they don't really keep you warm either - so I suppose they are actaully quite useless. I'm not really selling them well, am I

1. I have some Cosmopolitan lashes that are quite good. Also quite like the girls aloud ones but they are a wee bit OTT if you are looking for something more natural. Both are under a fiver in Boots.

I can add to the above: boyfriend cardis need to be oversized to work. I borrow one off my boyfriend, it works well [hsmile]. Size 8 boyfriend cardi is more of a granny cardi.

Girls aloud eyelashes sorry can`t help with the rest

Great, thanks! Might rethink the cardi, spend the money on the shoes instead.

I forgot that I had loads of hair chopped off last week [hblush]- postpartum hairloss has kicked in big time round the temples so I had to have the back off to avoid looking like Michael Bolton [hgrin]. So I'll have to practise my plaiting techniques on a friend, or DD1 if she stays still long enough!

1. Eyelure lashes the set of individual ones from Boots
2. Depends on how often and where you would wear them. Somewhere dark/Xmas party/get lots of wine spilt on them shoes - Amazon. Anything else - Office.

No help at all, except to say those shoes are GORGEOUS! I had some very similar from Jones Bros in the 80s and wore them to death. They were so comfortable. Now I want them too (The Office ones. Not sure the cheapos would look good after a couple of wears and you'd want to wear them a lot.)

1. I am norkily-endowed, I like cashmere v-necks or cashmere/ merino blend, warmth without bulk.

I most often wear a uniqlo heat-tech polo-neck underneath - I can bore for the UK about these, I love them and have loads in different colours, they are very form-fitting and warm (I tend not to wear them without something on top - if you do that they tend to make you look a bit like a Marvel super-heroine! [hhmm])

The combination is good for me as my office is a bit parky and I need the 2 layers on my arms. Alternatively a nice scarf - keeping your neck warm makes a huge difference. Also round neck jumper with v-neck cardi on top is OK for me.

1. Couldn't be bothered with waterfall cardis, think they just add bulk. I like things that fasten.

1. They are gorgeous. Depends. I always go for leather/ suede outers but I only wear this kind of shoe indoors at work and maybe for 5 mins outside at lunchtime, on proper pavements (i.e. not gravel, grass, mud etc). If you walk outdoors in it, especially in the rain, my guess is it would soon be finished, even the real suede one. So if you think it's going to get some punishment, I would advise the cheap one.

Also re jumpers do not eschew the thermal vest - I have a couple of long-sleeved v-necked ones (Asda last year, cream) and have never looked back.

1 - I think these are called Wang plaits after the designer Alexander Wang had them in his SS10 show. Loads of tutorials online.

You won't believe how childishly excited I am to get the seal of approval re: the shoes! The plan is to wear them on a hen night (dinner then club - Guilty Pleasures) and also to the wedding (which is in December, dress is turquoise sheath-ish with black belt from Coast).

Cashmere would be luuurverly BUT with a five-month old, unless they've recently made it machine-washable I think I'll have to park that idea for a few years, sigh...

I would never have considered a polo-neck as an under, thanks! I've seen a lot of cardis/jumpers recently that have short sleeves and I was wondering what would work with them...

Don't rule out cashmere/ merino - I put mine on a woollen machine wash 30 degrees, dry naturally, and it hasn't fallen apart ... in fact have popped cashmere in pillowcase now and again and done the same ... but usually handwash. With shampoo.

2 . Scoop neck jumper with scarf
Heat tech scoop neck top underneath if necessary

Suggestions Kristina on where to get good scoop neck jumpers??

I'm actually going to take the controversial step (pun intended) of going into a shop and actually trying the shoes on tomorrow.

My washing machine has a 'hand wash' setting (ironically) - perhaps I might risk it (am far too lazy to hand wash).

i have bought cotton ones in zara but they dont have any in at the moment

and some in stock now at uniqlo

Well I tried the shoes on and they look fabulous and were also surprisingly comfy - so I got them, plus some GA eyelashes. And a round-necked teal jumper from Mantaray at Debenhams - so a v successful shopping trip all round!

Thanks everyone!