Fashion feast at the Meta Gala

Naomi Cambell in McQueen

A whole host of stars turned out for this years Costume Institute Benefit Gala on Monday and, boy, do we have style envy! This year the Gala was held to commemorate the late Alexander McQueen and is the most talked about fashion event of the year so red carpet expectations were high and our fave A-listers didn’t disappoint. 
A number of stars wore Alexander McQueen in honour of the British designer. Naomi Cambell wore a white tassled Sarah Burton couture creation while Sarah Jessica Parker did Carrie proud in a floor length sequinned nude number, also by McQueen. Also following suit in the metallic nude was a blooming Jessica Alba in Ralph Lauren, Iman in a Stella McCartney jumpsuit and the stunning Chanel poster-girl Blake Lively championing the fashion house on the arm of Mr Karl Lagerfield.
Following this seasons colour blocking trend was Rosie Huntington-Whitley in strawberry pink silk, the sexy Eva Mendes in midnight blue Stella McCartney and Zoe Saldana in sunny Calvin Klein. Perhaps the most surprising choice of the night was Ginnifer Goodwin who opted for an emerald green cutout dress by Topshop Unique, snubbing the haute couture most favoured by the stars.
Zoe Saldana in Calvin Klein and Ginnifer Goodwin in Topshop Unique
The Queen of S&M, Rihanna, wore a seemingly demure black lace one-sleeved gown but upon turning around showed off a side-less dress simply held together with skin coloured mesh. Teamed with her signature fiery red hair pulled into a fish tail, we think Rihanna looked fierce!


 Not everyone got it right, however. Fergie turned up in and ivory lace fishtail Marchesa gown that swamped her petite figure. Christina Ricci looked like she was going to the Addams Family reunion in her spider web inspired Zac Posen creation and Christina Hendricks, who usually gets it spot on, was in a wet look long sleeved tonal brown Carolina Hererra dress.  


Wonder Woman's Best Dressed Award goes to...Blake Lively


Blake looked stunning in her Chanel metallic nude creation cementing her style icon status. Blake manages to look ultra stylish and sexy while looking sophisticated.








































And our Worst Dressed goes to...Christina Hendricks


We're quite disappointed with Christina's choice. She knows how to dress for her figure and usually looks fabulous in bright figure hugging dresses to show off her wonderful curves but this dress just drowns her shape. The colour is wrong for her, the rust tones in the dress clashes with her vibrant red hair. We're hoping this is a one off and she will back to her glamorous self next time!

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Super-injunctions: right or wrong?

Big Brother star Imogen Thomas is the latest celebrity to be involved with the controversial super-injunction by the courts. It was revealed that Imogen had an affair with a married Premiership footballer with children for six months. She appeared on This Morning and spoke to Philip Schofield and Ruth Langford of how she felt she had been “thrown to the lions” because she “didn’t have £50,000 to get an injunction”. She said: “I had no intention of speaking about the man-I just wish my name was protected, it has been such a horrible experience for me.”
There is a increasing trend for rich celebrities, especially footballers to simply throw down the cash so they can then keep their dirty laundry in the laundry bin. Last year, John Terry was granted a super-injunction amidst claims he's had an affair with teammate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend, it was lifted a week later and covered in depth by the British press. Many journalists have argued this goes against our freedom of the press, that celebrities should expect to have their lives printed on the front page of the Daily Mail and The Sun because their occupation means they are public property, so to speak. Even Andrew Marr, a highly experienced and well respected journalist admitted to undertaking a super-injunction. 
On the one hand, super-injunctions help to protect the victims of a scandal. The wives and children of celebrities who have strayed. But is it for the best they live in blissful ignorance while their cheating husband gets away with it? 
What about women like Imogen? Many women would say she made her bed and now she must lie in it (excuse the pun) but surely she doesn’t deserve to be abused via Twitter and Facebook because, let’s face it, we all make mistakes when we fall for someone and get swept off our feet by a rich man (happens to us all the time). Of course, if Imogen had no plans to discuss her private life why did she go on daytime television to discuss it with millions of viewers? Imogen will certainly bounce back, she will earn enough from magazine interviews and photo-shoots to compensate for the distress caused and the exposure will mean opportunities for similar work in the future. I’m A Celebrity perhaps, or bikini shots in FHM magazine. 
What do you think about the super-injunction debate? Should it be used to protect families of people involved in a scandal? Should there be more protection in place for ‘the other woman?’ Does it make a mockery of freedom of the press? Perhaps you’re just nosy and want to know what really goes on in celeb land...Wonder Woman wants to know your thoughts. Please leave your comments below. WW


Watch Imogen's interview on This Morning:

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Kate's dress designer finally revealed: It's McQueen!

The most talked about day of the decade finally came on Friday when Kate Middleton married her real life Prince. The world waited with baited breath to finally see the wedding dress and for the designer to be revealed. 
Kate chose to wave the flag for England and honour the late Alexander McQueen by choosing Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Kate-now known Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge-looked absolutely breathtaking as she made her last steps down the Abbey’s red carpet as a single woman. 
The dress was a long sleeved lace over a strapless full-flowing skirt accompanied by an ivory tulle veil and 2.7 metre train. Speculation had been abuzz, since the engagement was announced in November, as to who might design the most famous dress since Diana’s own wedding dress in 1981. 
Sarah Burton lead the pack as the bookies favourite but Kate went to great lengths to ensure her great reveal was a surprise to the world. The dress was stitched together in seperate sections and not even the seamstresses were allowed to see the full design or reveal to anybody that they had been approached to work on it, the Daily Mail reported. The lacework was carried out at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace  but even then embroiderers did not know the identity of the Princess bride they were working for. 
We think the undercover operations paid off, as Kate’s secret remained unknown until her big day and the iconic moment when she stepped from her Rolls Royce. Her dress was classic and timeless with a modern, youthful twist as would be expected from a McQueen creation, and suited Kate perfectly. Fashionistas around the world applauded and went wild for the dress that has now made history. 








...And Kate wasn't the only Middleton in the spotlight on her wedding day. Maid-of-Honour and Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, drew lots of buzz from internet forums and blogs for her figure hugging dress also designed by Sarah Burton. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to 'Pippa Middleton's Ass.' Wonder Woman thinks Pippa achieved the most difficult of tasks: she looked amazing without upstaging the bride, and for that we applaud her. It's probably the reason she has now been named 'Britain's most eligible batchelorette,' but sorry lads Pippa is taken. WW














Watch the video below for wedding highlights:

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New cancer genes discovered "like finding gold"

Breast cancer researchers have found three new genes linked to the the most common form of breast cancer. The breakthrough has been described as like “finding gold in Trafalgar Square” by Dr Anita Dunbier, lead author of the study.

The discovery means that scientists, from the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research in London, could develop new ways of diagnosing and treating the cancer which is responsible for 36,000 cases a year. One gene found causes the growth of cancerous tumours.

The study took place over five years and scientists studied 104 patients who have what is known as oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, which is to blame for 12,000 deaths a year. It is named so because oestrogen feeds and fuels tumours by attaching onto proteins on the surface of cancer cells known as receptors. Existing treatments work by cutting off the oestrogen supply.

However, tumours often become resistant to treatment, leading to the cancer to return after surgery. The discovery of these new genes means that new treatments can be developed when current ones fail.

Excitingly, new treatments could be available as soon as in the next five years.

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Super foods for a super you

It’s amazing what the power of nature can do. Just by adding a couple of these super foods to your diet you can boost your health, your happiness and energy supply . Here’s Wonder Woman’s list of top super foods and the secret ways they can give your body a natural makeover.
Blueberrys
Blueberries have ultra high levels of anthocyanin, an anti-oxidant which helps protect against cancer causing free radicals. The blueberries absorb all these radicals from our oxygen so when they, ahem, exit our bodies they take their free radicals with them decreasing our chance of developing cancer in later life. Sprinkle a handful on your cereal each morning for a yummy twist on your morning breakfast.

Coconuts
Coconut water contains natural electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium and phospherous) which quickly hydrate the body which lowers blood presure, fights cellulite (yay!) and fights heart disease. Coconut oil speeds up metabolism and is proven to reduce body fat and weight. You can buy cartons of coconut water and coconut oil from your local supermarket, or you can buy a whole coconut, crack it open yourself at home and pretend you’re in the Carribbean, but I’ll leave that up to you.
Acai berrys
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding acai berries on the food scene. They are said to be the fruit that holds the most nutritional value over any other. They are jam packed full of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. They also speed up your metabolism, make you feel fuller for longer and aid water retention. You can buy them as a juice, raw or in capsules as a food supplement.
Chicken, turkey and pork
This might appear to be an obvious one, everyone knows how important protein is in your diet. But what you might not know is how fabulous a high protein diet can make your hair. Hair is made from protein, so by eating high levels of meat and eggs your hair will grow faster and stronger. It is better to choose white meat as it has a lower fat content than red meat. You can also put eggs on your hair as a quick hair mask to inject some protein into your tresses for healthy, shiny hair.

Dark Chocolate
Yes. Really. Chocolate is actually good for you! Like blueberries, dark chocolate is high in anti-oxidants, in fact 7 times more than the number in strawberries. It also includes flavonoids which helps lower blood pressure cholesterol. It also makes you happy (although you didn’t need me to tell you that). It contains serotonin, an anti-depressant and stimulates endorphin production which gives the feeling of pleasure. It is also lower in fat than milk chocolate. The key is to choose a brand of chocolate with the highest possible cocoa solids as these will be of the most benefit while still satisfying your sweet tooth.


Click here for some yummy but healthy recipes. WW

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Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...you!

There is a phrase that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet us women spend hundreds of pounds and hours of our time waxing, dying, painting, brushing to achieve our idea of the ideal beauty. We stress so much about the dress we need to fit into, the photos we’re going to be in that we forget we are beautiful already.
There is constant stress surrounding us in the media, we all strive to look like the celebrities that grace the covers of our favourite magazines, and it is so full of contradictions. 
The media constantly stresses the importance of being ‘curvy’. But what does ‘curvy’ mean? Kim Kardashian is celebrated for being a curvy and confident woman, and yet in this months edition of Cosmo she says she’s a British size 8. Cathy Relf wrote in the Guardian last month that “it’s possible for size 10 and curvy to go together-but they generally don’t.” It’s no wonder that a BBC survey revealed that a third of those who are a size 12 believe they are overweight and 51% of young women want cosmetic surgery. 
Wonder Woman spoke to a group of guys and girls to compare the different ways that men and women think about beauty. Here is what they said:
Richard Smith, 24, said: “I think women are most beautiful when their eyes sparkle and when they are confident and their personality shines through. I like girls with curves, my girlfriend is always moaning about her weight but I think she’s perfect the way she is, I don’t want her to get too skinny. I still tell her she looks pretty when she’s not wearing any make-up but she never believes me.”
Kerry Harrison, 19, said: “I feel the most beautiful when I’ve got my make up done, my hair done and I’m  just about to go out. When I go out, I get dressed up for myself for my own confidence because when you’re surrounded by so many other gorgeous girls it makes you feel rubbish.” 
Andy King, 20, said: “I think girls worry too much about the way they look. It’s nice that they make an effort but girls who are comfortable in their own skin is so much sexier than girls who are vain and constantly stress about their looks.”
Grace Thornton, 20, said: “I try to be confident about myself but I’m not going to lie, when I can’t get into my usual size in the fitting room, I want to cry. I like expensive beauty products and I always make sure my hair is straightened and my nails done. That always makes me feel better.”
It seems the only people that care the most about the way us ladies look is, well, us. Maybe that’s the most important thing, we want to look our best for our own piece of mind rather than anybody else’s. The main thing is to be confident and content with the person you are, and if you feel you need a slick of lipgloss to help you on your way then great but in the wise words of Christina Aguilera “You are beautiful,” go on sing it from the top of your voice, sometimes that’s all you need. WW


Click play below to listen to some Wonder Women readers have their say:

What makes women beautiful? by wonder-woman-6

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What to do when you fall out with your hairdresser...

There is nothing in this world like the feeling of being in a hair salon. Woman of all ages come together under one roof for one purpose-making life better for our hair. We go in, we get a complimentary cappuccino (or glass of wine), we talk about hair, we talk about our holidays, we get a divine head massage and we leave walking on air. We have been revived, just like a makeover montage in a movie. 
Or at least we hoped so. Finally, you’re snapped out of movie land when the stylist brings you the mirror and you look like a toddler has been at you with the scissors and/or hair dye and you want to burst into tears. Every woman has at least one moment in her life when she suddenly realises that no hairdressers are not doctors of the beauty world. So what do you do then? 
Lucy Parsons, a Travel Management student, had this same experience. “I was so excited to get my hair cut because it had been annoying me for ages, but when I looked in the mirror it was awful, the hairdresser had cut it so short and given me this ridiculous fringe. I looked like such a mess, it took ages for it to grow out.”
Tracey Barham, a hairdresser who has run her own business for 30 years, has some advice if you’ve had the same problem: “Unfortunately the only thing you can do it let it grow but that’s the good thing, hair does grow back quite quickly. While you wait for that to happen, you can always put your hair up, use pretty headbands or hair slides to hide the mistakes.”
Grace Thornton, an air hostess, had a nightmare with the bleach. “I’ve always had highlights put in my hair and never had a problem. I changed to a different hairdresser and I thought it was fine until a few days later when my hair started to break off and fall out. It was devastating, I just wanted to sit and cry!”
Over-bleaching is a common problem, one that Tracey sees all the time. “There is nothing you can do to completely repair damaged hair, apart from cutting it off. You can however, lessen the damage by using good quality hair treatments to moisturise the dry hair and prevent further breakage. Hair is made of protein so use anything with protein in; you can even make your own hair mask out of eggs and mayonnaise to help with porous hair. You should also refrain from using any other harsh chemicals until it’s in better condition.”
Another problem that often occurs in the hairdressing chair is hair turning green after colouring. Kimberley Young, a trainee teacher, has long suffered from her hair turning an greeny hue. “I once had my hair coloured and when I’d left the hairdressers it just went green and it still happens now, it’s really gross.”
Hair turns green often after coloured blonde hair comes into contact with chlorine, this is because the chemicals oxidise together which is what makes hair change colour. Tracey has a brilliant tip for this: “Squirt some tomato ketchup onto your hair, cover with cling film and leave for half an hour, when you wash it off your hair should be back to it’s normal shade of blonde. Also if it goes orange you can buy purple shampoo which neutralises the brassy tones.”
If you have a hair nightmare at the hands of a hairdresser you do have rights. They are providing a service and if you are not happy with the service they provide, by law they must give you a refund. Hairdressers do not actually have to have any formal training before opening a salon, so before you go somewhere new it is advisable to have a free consultation before hand and check out their credentials. If they don’t have the qualifications, you might end up in a hair horror movie which might not have a happy ending. For more information visit consumerline.org. WW

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